Jennifer Falls Page #4

JENNIFER:

Can you take Gretchen shopping for me

after school? I promised I would take

her but I have an interview.

MAGGIE:

Sure, honey. What’s the interview?

JENNIFER STARTS WRITING OUT A CHECK.

JENNIFER:

The unemployment office. None of

those headhunter places have found me

work. I thought I’d give the

government a shot at disappointing me.

SHE HANDS HER MOTHER THE CHECK.

MAGGIE:

Are you okay?

JENNIFER:

I’m fine. Why?

MAGGIE:

(RE:
CHECK) You made this out to,

“Clothes For Gretchen.”

"Epidode Title" 32. 32.

JENNIFER:

Oh. Sorry. Give me that.

SHE RE-WRITES THE CHECK BUT FEELS HER MOTHER’S EYES ON HER.

JENNIFER (CONT’D)

Please don’t ask me if I’m okay again.

MAGGIE:

Are you okay?

JENNIFER:

No, I’m not okay! Do I look okay?!

MAGGIE:

You need to be in therapy. You have

anger issues.

JENNIFER:

Why does everyone keep saying that?!

MAGGIE:

I know you can’t afford therapy right

now but I think I have a solution.

I’m willing to see you for free. Or

maybe a little yard work.

JENNIFER:

Are you nuts?

MAGGIE:

Just some light weeding.

JENNIFER:

No. I’m not having my own mother as

my therapist. I think Freud would

back me up here.

"Epidode Title" 33. 33.

MAGGIE:

(DISMISSIVE) Freud. Who knows you

better than your mother? And you know

I can be objective. Have I ever

judged you for the disastrous life

decisions you’ve made or your failed

relationships with men?

JENNIFER:

You’re not listening, Mom. I said no.

MAGGIE:

Give me one good reason why I can’t be

your therapist.

JENNIFER:

You. Don’t. Listen. To. Me.

MAGGIE:

See? You can’t.

JENNIFER STARES AY HER MOTHER, IN AWE OF HER SELF-ABSORPTION.

CUT TO:

"Epidode Title" 34. 34.

SCENE J:

INT. UNEMPLOYMENT OFFICE - AFTERNOON

THERE ARE SEVERAL EMPLOYMENT COUNSELORS TALKING TO JOB

SEEKERS. JENNIFER SITS IN A CHAIR ACROSS THE DESK FROM

RONNIE WILKES, A LIFER CIVIL SERVANT IN HER FORTIES.

RONNIE:

Two hundred fifty thousand dollars?

JENNIFER:

(A LITTLE EMBARRASSED) I can work for

less. Way less.

RONNIE:

(TO OTHER COUNSELOR) Doreen, she made

two hundred and fifty thousand dollars

at her last job.

DOREEN, ANOTHER LIFER, LOOKS OVER.

DOREEN:

Damn. I wouldn’t lose that job.

RONNIE:

No, you can’t lose that job.

DOREEN:

That’s the job you keep.

RONNIE:

I’m afraid I’m fresh out of two hundred

and fifty thousand dollar jobs.

DOREEN:

You check in the two hundred fifty

thousand dollar drawer?

"Epidode Title" 35. 35.

THEY BOTH CRACK UP. JENNIFER CAN’T HOLD IT IN.

JENNIFER:

It’s not funny!!

THEY BOTH STARE AT HER.

DOREEN:

Someone has an anger problem.

RONNIE:

Look at that vein on her temple.

JENNIFER:

I lost everything! I had to move back in

with my mother. I’m working at my

brother’s bar with his b*tch of a wife.

My best friend hates me and my daughter

is planning her own funeral.

RONNIE:

Wow. That sounds pretty rough.

JENNIFER:

Yeah, well, it is.

RONNIE:

I’m so sorry. Hey, Doreen, when

you’re through there, come on over.

Jennifer’s throwing a pity party.

JENNIFER:

What? That’s not fair.

"Epidode Title" 36. 36.

RONNIE:

Nothing’s fair, Jennifer. I’m

supposed to feel sorry for you, ‘cause

you have to work for your brother?

You’re working. You had to move back

in with your mother? She took you in!

JENNIFER:

You don’t understand!

RONNIE:

No, I don’t understand. You’re family

loves you and they’re trying to help

you. What’s your problem?

JENNIFER:

(GETS UP) This was a waste of time.

SHE WALKS AWAY.

RONNIE:

(CALLING AFTER HER) Wait. I found

the two hundred and fifty thousand

dollar jobs. I was sitting on them.

RONNIE AND DOREEN CRACK UP.

CUT TO:

"Epidode Title" 37. 37.

SCENE J:

INT. OVERTIME - EVENING

STEPHANIE AND WAYNE ARE BEHIND THE BAR. THE PLACE IS PACKED.

JENNIFER RUSHES IN, TIEING ON HER LITTLE WORK APRON.

WAYNE:

Mom called. Gretchen won’t do her

homework because she’s mad at you for

making Mom take her shopping.

JENNIFER:

Of course.

STEPHANIE:

You want my advice?

JENNIFER:

Advice from a twenty-three year old about

raising a teenager? By all means.

STEPHANIE:

Okay, first you have to be firm. You

have to show her who’s boss.

JENNIFER:

Whoa, whoa, slow down. Let me write this

down. (WRITES ON A NAPKIN) “Firm.”

What was that other thing? “Boss.”

Brilliant. Why didn’t anyone tell me

this stuff.

STEPHANIE:

I know it’s none of my business-

"Epidode Title" 38. 38.

JENNIFER:

Are you kidding? You know nothing

about it and I didn’t ask you. Of

course it’s your business.

WAYNE:

(JUMPING IN) Okay! Here, Jen, take

these pitchers over to table seven.

SHE LOOKS ACROSS THE ROOM. IT’S DINA AND HER SOFTBALL TEAM.

JENNIFER:

You’ve got to be kidding me. Please

don’t make me do this right now.

STEPHANIE:

I’m sorry, but you have to get over

your fear of lesbians.

JENNIFER STARES AT HER, THEN GRABS THE TRAY AND TAKES IT TO

DINA’S TABLE. SHE SLAMS THE PITCHERS DOWN.

JENNIFER:

Here!

DINA:

(WEIRDED OUT) Thanks.

JENNIFER:

You’re welcome! (SOFTENING A LITTLE)

Can’t you find another bar?

DINA:

I like it here. Can’t you find

another job?

JENNIFER:

No!!

"Epidode Title" 39. 39.

DINA:

Whoa. Calm down, crazy.

JENNIFER:

Calm down?! Calm down?!

DINA:

Yeah. You’re being ridiculous.

JENNIFER:

I’m being ridiculous. I’m being

ridiculous.

DINA:

Stop that. Stop saying everything twice.

JENNIFER:

You want to make me?

DINA:

“Make” you? What are you twelve?

JENNIFER:

Shut up.

JENNIFER PUSHES DINA.

DINA:

(SHOCKED) You pushed me.

JENNIFER:

Yeah, I did. What are you going to do

about it?

DINA PUSHES HER BACK.

JENNIFER (CONT’D)

Hey!

JENNIFER PUSHES DINA AGAIN.

"Epidode Title" 40. 40.

DINA:

Hey!

DINA PUSHES BACK. THEN THEY BOTH GO AFTER EACH OTHER AND

JENNIFER ENDS UP GETTING DINA IN A HEADLOCK.

DINA (CONT’D)

Let go!

SANDY, A TOUGH LOOKING TEAMMATE OF DINA’S, STARTS TO GET UP.

SANDY:

You need some help, Dina?

DINA:

I got it. (TO JENNIFER) Let go of me!

JENNIFER:

No! I won’t! I’m not going to let

you go until you tell me why you’re so

emotionally unavailable to me!

SANDY:

(SHAKES HER HEAD) Wow, that’s a chick

fight.

DINA:

I can’t breathe!

JENNIFER:

Oh, sorry.

SHE LOOSENS THE HOLD AND DINA YANKS HER HEAD AWAY AND QUICKLY

PUTS JENNIFER IN A HEADLOCK.

JENNIFER (CONT’D)

Hey, no fair!

"Epidode Title" 41. 41.

DINA:

You’re so easy. (THEN) You want to

know why I’m mad at you?

JENNIFER:

Let go of me!

DINA:

Remember when I was going through all

that stuff with Jeremy and I was

flipping out?

JENNIFER:

Yeah! I gave you a two hundred dollar

gift certificate for my massage therapist

who’s like a miracle worker at targeting

stress and you never even thanked me.

DINA:

I didn’t want a massage therapist, I

wanted my best friend.

JENNIFER:

You never used it?

DINA:

No, I used it. Still pissed me off.

JENNIFER:

Did he do the “hands of fire?”

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