Black Friday

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In Chapter 14 of RIDGEWAY, Kayla freaks out when Vivi cuts her work hours at the shop, and tries to convince her coworker Darleen to talk to Sula, the owner about it, but the problem is, Sula's been staying home drinking all day, and Vivi's been enabling her, and is now in charge ...


INT. KAYLA’S APARTMENT - LIVING ROOM - MORNING
Cate sits at her laptop with
a cup of coffee and a smoke.
The morning ritual of champions.

OUTSIDE THE WINDOW
A deer eats leaves off a tree
in the front yard.

ON THE SCREEN
Is a bank website.

The mouse CLICKS on YOUR BALANCE.
The screen changes, then reads 000.00.

CATE (O.C.)
What the fuck?

She GRABS her cell phone.
Starts furiously placing a call.

IN THE KITCHEN
Kayla sits at her computer.
Cate comes racing in.

CATE
My fucking landlord cleaned me out.

KAYLA
What?

CATE
I just checked my bank balance
and it was zero. I called the bank
and found out he put a lien on
my account and took all my money.
Almost a thousand bucks.
All the money I had in the world.
What the fuck am I gonna DO?

KAYLA
Oh, baby. I’m so sorry.

She gets up. Puts her arms around her.

CATE
My phone bill is overdue,
my car insurance is gonna get cancelled --
and how am I gonna buy fucking SMOKES?

KAYLA
It’s gonna be okay.

CATE
But I told you,
I don’t wanna be a burden.
I wanna be self-sufficient.
And now that your hours have been cut --

KAYLA
You’re not a burden.
You’ll find a way to make some money.
I know you. You’re a survivor.
We’ll get through this.

CATE
I know, I know.
(beat)
I just thought I’d escaped this bullshit.

EXT. DREAMLAND - DAY
Kayla stands behind the counter
with coworker DARLEEN JACKSON (50’s)
a plain, plump mountain hippie
in denim and tie-dye.

DARLEEN
It’s dead.

KAYLA
It’s Tuesday.

DARLEEN
I know -- but no customers at all.

KAYLA
Have you looked outside?
It’s dead out there.

DARLEEN
Hundred degrees’ll do that.

Pause.

KAYLA
I don’t know if I can make it
on twenty-eight hours.
At least you got thirty --
and you’ve got Vergie to help out.

DARLEEN
Thank god.
(sighs)
Well, Vivi said the store
wasn’t doing so good.

KAYLA
That’s because Sula’s home
drinking all day and can’t paint anymore,
Vivi’s enabling her by running her errands --
and now she’s taken over
and is fucking up the shop.
Ordered all this cheap shit
that sells for peanuts,
and the way she’s rearranged the windows,
it only brings in young kids
who don’t buy anything.
(off her look)
I see people with money walking by.
They don’t come in anymore.
And don’t get me started on the online store.
That’s the wave of the future, Darleen.
Shopping malls are dying, everybody’s
shopping on the internet these days,
and Vivi fucking killed it.
We were getting regular sales from that.
(sighs)
I can’t decide if she’s really that stupid,
or if she wants the store to go under.

DARLEEN
I can’t believe you just said that.

KAYLA
Well, somebody’s got to.
It’s not Vivi’s shop, it’s Sula’s.
(off her blank look)
I need your help.
Would you come with me
and talk to Sula about it?

DARLEEN
Oh, gosh no.
I couldn’t do that.
(beat)
Vivi would kill me.