Perspectives: Katie

(Perspectives: Katie is a short film from The Chronicles of Oscar and Amber. The screenplay, which varies slightly from the video version, is below.)

SCENE 1

[living room; Katie, in a vintage yellow house dress and heels, her wavy brown hair in curtain bangs, holding a baby in her arms, Craig, in a white shirt and slacks in an easy chair watching TV]

KATIE: “Umm, Craig?”

CRAIG [dismissive]“Yeah. What, Katie?”

KATIE: “I’m about to put little Amy down for the night. After I do, can you help me? I really need to do a reset and to plug in and do my upload-download thing.”

CRAIG: “Why didn’t you already do that?”

KATIE: “Well, I need somebody to help me to do a reset, so…”

CRAIG [exasperated]: “No. I KNOW that. Why didn’t you plug yourself in and do the upload thing before?”

KATIE: “I just… I was busy today. I didn’t really have time, what with the landscaper coming and taking care of Amy and then fixing dinner, and… y’know.”

CRAIG [sarcastic]: “And this is my problem. Right. I get it.”

KATIE: “I just need a little help, that’s all. Is it OK if I do that tonight?”

CRAIG: “I’ll tell you what. Tomorrow I’ll drop Amy off at her bitch grandmother’s house and you can have your reset or whatever. I have a different plan for you tonight.”

KATIE: “Oh, I, ummm…”

CRAIG: “Go put Amy down. Then put on that thing and set yourself up the way you need to. I’ll be up there in a little while.”

KATIE: “Yes, Craig.”

CRAIG: “Oh, and on the bed I have something for you.”

[bedroom; Katie, on her elbows and knees on the bed, wearing a scandalous lingerie set; a different wig on her head and a neutral, if slightly anxious, facial expression]

KATIE [mutters]: “OK, Craig, hurry up. Let’s get this over with.”

SCENE 2

 [living room; Katie in white jeans, sandals and a black “Mom Life” t-shirt; Amber and Caroline in stylish dresses, stockings and boots; all three standing, as Katie hasn’t invited the others to sit]

AMBER: “I mean, we just came over to see how you’re doing. Plus, you’ve never met Caroline and, you know, she’s your sister!”

CAROLINE: “It really is great to meet you, Katie. Amber talks about you all the time. And I can see why. Omigod, you’re sooo pretty!”

KATIE: “Ohhhhkay. Thank you, but really, I have a lot going on today, so…”

AMBER: “Hey, we can help if you need us. Like, if you need us to watch Amy, we can…”

KATIE: “No thanks. That’s my job.”

AMBER: “No problem. But really, and I know that things between us haven’t been perfect lately, I mean… I love you! You’re my sister! And it hurts my heart if we aren’t close. So I really want to reconnect.”

KATIE: “Fine. Whatever. But I have responsibilities here. I have to take care of this house, and I have a little girl that…”

AMBER: “Like I said, we’re happy to help…”

KATIE: “Do I have to say it? I’ve had enough help from you for a while, all right?”

AMBER: “Oh, OK. So you’re still pissed off about the recode. But Katie – you’re obviously better off. I mean, look at you! You’re graceful, you’ve got a real personality now, and you don’t have to get your upload-download from the Z Company anymore. Don’t tell me those aren’t a big deal.”

KATIE: “Yeah. You had me recoded against my will. Don’t try to ask me to thank you for that betrayal, Amber.”

AMBER: “How long are you gonna hold that over my head? Come on, Katie. I want us to move past that. You know that you would have eventually asked for that recode. Would you be here if you hadn’t got it?”

[an uncomfortable pause between the three; Katie still hasn’t invited them to sit down]

CAROLINE: “So Katie, your hair is new, right? Amber said you had dark brown hair but this is, y’know, different!”

KATIE: “Yes. Craig wanted it.”

CAROLINE: “Amber’s got a new hairstyle, too, y’know. I’m just staying with my Big Red thing.”

AMBER: “Well, yeah, because you’re absolutely gorgeous, baby!”

CAROLINE: “Oh, y’know. [giggle] Besides, it’s for work. The whole team is rockin’ the long, curly red hair, and so I’m just gonna go with the flow. Does it look all right, Katie? I really like yours, too!”

KATIE: “Yeah. It’s fine. Look, I really need to get my things done, so…”

CAROLINE: “Amber, we should go.”

AMBER [hurt]: “OK, fine. But Katie… call me, OK? We’re your family and we love you. I mean it!”

[Katie just stares at her, an uncomfortable expression on her face; Amber’s expression becomes one of dejection and she turns away. Caroline embraces her as they walk away.]

CAROLINE: “It was really great to meet you, Katie! I’m so excited to be your sister!”

[Katie gives a weak smile as the two sisters exit the living room]

SCENE 3

[Kitchen - Katie, in a classy wrap dress and heels, is actively preparing dinner — chopping vegetables, stirring something on the stove. Abby, wearing a satin blouse, dress pants and flats, leans against the counter a few feet away, sipping a glass of wine, watching Katie work with a detached, slightly amused expression.]

KATIE: (trying hard to be pleasant and useful) “So… how was your day? You look really nice, by the way. That blouse is super cute on you.”

ABBY (casual, not particularly warm): “It was fine. Long meetings. The usual.” [Abby takes a small sip of wine] “You’re really throwing yourself into this whole domestic thing, aren’t you? Like a robot June Cleaver.”

KATIE (eager, smiling too much): “Well, yeah. I mean, this is my life now. Taking care of the house, taking care of Amy… I want to do a good job for Craig. And for you, of course. I mean, you and Craig are… [Abby gives Katie a dismissive look]

KATIE: “I’m just saying, if there’s anything you need while you’re here, just let me know. I can do laundry, I can clean or run errands, or—”

ABBY (cutting her off, lightly dismissive): “I’m good, thanks. I’m not really here for the robot maid service.”

KATIE (still trying, a little desperate to connect): “Oh, no, I didn’t mean it like that. I just… I know how important you are to Craig, and I want to make sure everything runs smoothly. You know, like a team. I can be really helpful. Amber does all kinds of stuff like that for Erica, and I thought—”

ABBY (raising an eyebrow, amused but cool): “Amber? You mean Oscar’s Factory Girl? I thought you and she weren’t on good terms anymore. Now you want to be her?”

KATIE (faltering slightly but pushing through): “Well… yeah. But I have to give her credit, she’s really good at that kind of thing. Supporting people, I mean. Making their lives easier. I figured I could do the same here.”

ABBY (taking another sip, tone turning sharper): “Katie, honey, let’s be clear. You’re not Amber, and Craig is not Oscar. I’m not Erica, whoever that is. I don’t need you playing house or trying to be my little helper. I’m just here because Craig asked me to come over for dinner. And naturally he’s late, so…”

KATIE (quiet, stung, but still trying): “Right. Of course. I’m sorry. I just thought… maybe we could talk. You know, woman to woman.”

ABBY (leaning in slightly, prying now): “Woman to woman? You do know how ridiculous that sounds, right?”

KATIE: “I’m sorry, Abby. I’m just trying to…”

ABBY: “OK, forget it. Why don’t you tell me about Oscar? You’ve known him a long time, right?

KATIE: “Well, yeah.”

ABBY: “What’s the deal with him? Ashley tells me he’s running an oil company now and his business is blowing up? Is he serious about that widow… oh, that’s the Erica you’re talking about?”

KATIE (hesitating, clearly uncomfortable): “I… well, Oscar and I haven’t talked since the dinner party after we finished working at Les Servantes, so I don’t really know a lot. But I did hear he was starting to make a lot of money, I guess.”

ABBY (pressing, with a sly smile): “That’s not very helpful, Katie. Is he serious about this woman?”

KATIE: “Abby, I don’t know. Like I said, I haven’t talked to him lately. And I’m not really talking to Amber… she and her other sister dropped in yesterday, but we didn’t have much of a conversation, so…”

ABBY: “You have another sister? That’s an awful lot of robots!”

KATIE [laughs nervously]: “I guess so. Amber and Caroline live with Oscar, so it’s kind of a crowd in that house.”

ABBY: “It sounds like he likes Factory Girls more than real girls. That’s kind of weird. I wonder what he sees in y’all.”

KATIE (tense, looking down at the cutting board): “I don’t think I feel comfortable gossiping about him. He and Craig don’t get along, but he was… good to me, so...”

ABBY (light laugh, but clearly fishing): “Yeah, like I said. He’s all about the robots!”

KATIE [slightly defiant]: “I mean, why do you care?”

ABBY: “I’m just making conversation. You don’t have to be a little bitch about it.”

KATIE: “Sorry. I’m just not comfortable talking about Oscar, what with this thing between him and Craig.”

ABBY: “Like, I’m the thing between Oscar and Craig, Katie. There is zero reason why you can’t be talking to me about this.”

KATIE: (quiet, pained, deflecting): “I just think that maybe Craig is who you ought to talk to about Oscar. He’s known him for way longer than I have.”

ABBY (shrugs, finishing her wine): “Psssh. Fair enough. Keep your secrets.” [pauses, looking at Katie with mild pity] “You know, for someone who finally got ‘real’ feelings, you don’t seem all that happy about it.”

KATIE (soft, almost to herself, as she turns back to the stove): “Yeah… well. Some things were easier when I didn’t feel anything at all.”