ADDITIONAL NOTES BY GABY: Thanks to Everwood Music for identifying the song at the end.
{TEASER}
[Open in a city as Irv begins to narrate. We pan down.]
NARRATOR: Dreams are our world turned upside down. Gravity, logic, time rendered meaningless.
[It's a rainy night. We know it's New York from a police car that says NYPD.]
NARRATOR: (CONT'D) The world of dreams is not our world. Although, at the dead of night, it attempts and deceives.
[We see the feet of someone who steps out of a cab and walks.]
NARRATOR: (CONT'D) Daring us to see the difference.
[We pan up and see the feet belong to Dr. Brown, sans the beard, walking to a restaurent.]
NARRATOR: (CONT'D) This is what makes dreams so dangerous.
[Dr. Brown sees his face in the door and puts his hand to his bare face before entering. We hear the voice of a woman]
WOMAN'S VOICE: Good evening, Dr. Brown.
[Cut to inside the restaurant. We see the woman, who is the maître d' of the restaurant, and Dr. Brown.]
DR. BROWN: Evening, Sam.
SAM: You're running late this evening. You almost missed your family.
[Dr. Brown takes off his coat during his next line.]
DR. BROWN: Oh, usual table?
SAM: Of course. Right this way.
[Dr. Brown hands his coat to another woman working at the restaurant.]
DR. BROWN: No, that's alright. I know the way.
[He walks away from them.]
SAM: Enjoy.
DR. BROWN: Thank you.
[He walks around. He sees, and then we see, his kids laughing. First Ephram and then Delia. Dr. Brown smiles. Then we see a woman with reddish brown hair at the table with Ephram and Delia. She turns around. It's Julia. She smiles.]
[Cut to Dr. Brown lying in his bed. He's got the beard. His eyes open. We're in Everwood. He gets out of bed.]
[Cut to Ephram on his bed. He's listening to music on his headphones and doing stuff on his laptop. We hear a door creak open and see Dr. Brown enter.]
DR. BROWN: You're still up?
[Ephram takes out the earphones from his ears.]
EPHRAM: Oh, I'm burning some songs for my trip.
[Dr. Brown picks up a CD.]
DR. BROWN: Summer of Freedom Mix 2004? Can't you be excited about going to New York without offending me?
EPHRAM: And you? What are you doing up?
DR. BROWN: Weird dreams.
EPHRAM: You mean a nightmare?
DR. BROWN: Yeah. But when you're an adult, you can't call it a nightmare so you call it weird dream.
EPHRAM: Oh. We all got ice cream sundaes.
DR. BROWN: What?
EPHRAM: Oh, when I was little, if I had a nightmare and I couldn't sleep, Mom and I ate an ice cream sundae.
DR. BROWN: Oh. I don't remember that.
[Ephram gives a look.]
DR. BROWN: I know. Go figure.
EPHRAM: Yeah, but she kept it from you.
DR. BROWN: Well. I'm gonna try and get back to sleep again. You go to bed soon too, OK?
[Dr. Brown turns to leave.]
EPHRAM: Hey, Dad?
[Dr. Brown turns back around.]
DR. BROWN: Hmm?
EPHRAM: They're just dreams. It's what Mom used to say.
[Dr. Brown nods.]
DR. BROWN: Night, Ephram.
EPHRAM: Night.
[Ephram puts his earphones back in his ears and resumes working on downloading songs on his laptop as we fade out.]
{END OF TEASER / OPENING CREDITS / COMMERCIAL BREAK}
{ACT ONE}
[Fade in – Abbott House – Rose is bringing dinner to the table and Bright and Amy are already sitting at the table.]
BRIGHT: [yelling] Dad, grub’s getting cold. Flush and go, Dude.
[Rose hits Bright for his comment.]
BRIGHT: What? I’m hungry.
[Dr. Abbott walks into the dining room holding a paper brown bag.]
DR. ABBOTT: Family, I have exciting news.
ROSE: Dig in, kids, this doesn’t look brief.
DR. ABBOTT: Once upon a time, there was a man named Moisha Rodriguez. He was an unassuming man, a man with a dream. His father of Mexican decent, his month a Jewish gal grew up in the Bronx. Together, Moisha’s parents toiled creating a small but financially rewarding business that kept the family fed and comfortable during the Great Depression until that fateful day when Mr. Rodriguez Senior passed away.
BRIGHT: Amy, will you quit hogging the potatoes?
AMY: I’m not.
ROSE: It’s a lovely story, dear. Very sad.
DR. ABBOTT: It’s not over. After his father passed on, Moisha decided to take over the family business and take over he did. He transferred a simple Mom and Pop shop into one of the largest empires in this great country. And do you know what that empire was built on?
[Dr. Abbott pulls a bagel out of the bag he is carrying.]
BRIGHT: A bagel.
DR. ABBOTT: Exactly. It was built on bagels.
ROSE: What’s this all about, Harold?
DR. ABBOTT: You know how far I had to travel to purchase this particular bagel. Fifty-two miles. Fifty-two miles outside of Everwood’s borders, can you believe that?
AMY: You could have just bought the frozen kind at the supermarket, Dad.
DR. ABBOTT: That’s a very good point, Amy. But taste this. Go ahead. Have a bite.
[Amy takes a bite of the bagel.]
AMY: It’s good.
DR. ABBOTT: Umm, hmm. That’s right. That’s right. You cannot find quality like this in the frozen food section. Of course, mine will be better.
ROSE: Come again?
DR. ABBOTT: You know the old donut shop on Main?
ROSE: Oh, yes. Yes, Mr., uh, Caplan’s been trying to get rid of that for years.
DR. ABBOTT: Not any more. I bought it.
[Everyone looks up shocked.]
ROSE: You did what?
DR. ABBOTT: Last week and I have made all the necessary preparations to convert the entire operation into a successful bagel enterprise.
ROSE: Last week?
BRIGHT: I think it’s a bold idea, Dad. I like it.
ROSE: [to Bright] You hush. [to Dr. Abbott] What on earth gave you the idea that you could run a bagel shop?
DR. ABBOTT: Research, Rose, careful research and consideration. This is an incredibly profitable arena and the market in Everwood virtually untapped.
BRIGHT: Well, I think it’s cool, Dad. I mean, look bagels, look like donuts. I mean, half the people in this town wouldn’t even know the difference.
DR. ABBOTT: Well, I’d expect a little more support from you, Rose, after all, I am following a dream here.
ROSE: Since when has it been your dream to run a bagel shop?
[Dr. Abbott goes into the kitchen.]
DR. ABBOTT: My dream is about becoming a multimillionaire before the age of 60 and by God, these bagels are going to help me do it. You know what, I’m going to toast up a few for you all to sample, you’ll see. Do we have any cream cheese, Rose?
BRIGHT: Dad has gone mad crazy. I dig it.
[Cut to Brown house – Ephram is practicing at the piano. The doorbell rings. Ephram goes to answer it. It’s Amy.]
AMY: So my dad’s opening a bagel shop.
EPHRAM: What?
AMY: Bagels. He just told us and, umm, I don’t think you should go to New York.
EPHRAM: Again what?
AMY: I was gonna open with I don’t think you should go to New York but then my dad kinda threw us for a loop and I thought there might be some sort of connection there.
EPHRAM: I-I see.
AMY: You do?
EPHRAM: Uh, Uh. You wanna come in?
AMY: Okay.
[They walk into the living room. Ephram sits on the edge of the couch and Amy is standing in front of him nervous.]
AMY: See the thing is my dad is doing this-this completely crazy thing, right, because it’s like why not he’s got nothing to lose at this point and I just keep thinking that maybe it’s the same thing with us. You know, we basically had the worst fight that we could possibly have, right? Did it, done it. It’s over.
EPHRAM: Right.
AMY: So I figure why not just be crazy. Start over like you said. And this summer would be the perfect time to do that because there would be no pressure, no weirdness, because of school. Your clique. My clique.
EPHRAM: I don’t have a clique.
AMY: My clique. But, you know, what I mean, be able to figure out what we could be without being inside the pressure cooker that’s County High.
EPHRAM: Yeah, I mean, it’s a good plan, except for one small problem.
AMY: Juilliard. Juilliard. I know, umm, and I was thinking about it and I realized your dad’s a millionaire so what’s a few hundred bucks, right?
EPHRAM: Thousand bucks.
AMY: Same difference. It’d be like as if he enrolled you in a regular summer camp and right before summer you broke your leg so you couldn’t go so you lose your deposit. Happened to me. Look, I know what I’m asking you to do is crazy don’t think I’m not completely aware of that fact.
EPHRAM: Then why are you asking?
AMY: Because, Ephram, it’s… I don’t know. It’s just I feel like everything’s coming to a head right now and there’s all this great energy surrounding us and if you go away for eight weeks, it’s just a really long time and I’m not sure it’s still gonna be like this when you get back. I don’t want to take that risk.
EPHRAM: That’s a good point too. Uh, it’s not enough. I mean, I have to go to New York. This program, you would not believe this program. I mean, th-the teachers are like world famous. I-I’ve been dying to talk to you about it all week because I knew you’d be the only person that would understand. I-I-I even saved the brochures to show you in case we started talking again. Do-Do you want to see ‘em?
AMY: Uh, that’s okay. I’ll-I’ll check ‘em out another time.
EPHRAM: Look, it’s gonna make me a better pianist. It’s gonna up my game like a thousand percent. It-It’s gonna change the rest of my life. I-I can’t-I can’t pass that up. If it-if it was anything else.
AMY: I know. I know. I was just being stupid. I can’t even believe I asked.
EPHRAM: No. NO. I’m glad you did. I just I…
AMY: I get it. But I should probably go ‘cause, uh, Dad’s really excited about this thing and, umm, it’s all gonna be great, I think, so if you ever want to show me those brochures, I’m around. You know, whenever.
[Amy takes off toward the door and Ephram tries to follow.]
EPHRAM: A-A-Amy?
[Amy leaves.]
[Cut to Dr. Brown’s office – Dr. Brown walks and looks at his moose and starts talking to it.]
DR. BROWN: How are we this morning? You made my coffee yet? I don’t know why I let you stay here, I really don’t.
[Madison walks in and Dr. Brown looks to see who walks in.]
MADISON: Dr. Brown?
DR. BROWN: Madison. I was just, uh, having it out with my moose. Sort of a morning ritual.
MADISON: Is it okay that I’m here?
DR. BROWN: Of course. Everything all right?
MADISON: Yeah, it is. I just.. I had some free time before school so… I was just missing them. I wanted to make sure they were okay. I wasn’t sure that I should call.
DR. BROWN: Well, Delia’s doing great. She’s excited about camp at least she is now after the appropriate bathing suits were bought which somehow made all the difference. And she has the new housekeeper trained in the fine art of Ephramonium molding. But, uh, as of yet, you are utterly irreplaceable. She misses you very much. And Ephram’s doing well. He’s, uh, he’s going away too actually. He’s going to be spending the summer in New York. He got into the…
MADISON: Juilliard program?
DR. BROWN: Umm hmm.
MADISON: I knew he would.
DR. BROWN: That makes one of you.
MADISON: He plays better when he’s worried.
DR. BROWN: Ummm.
MADISON: listen, I’m sorry I barged in on you like this. I just wanted to make sure they were okay.
DR. BROWN: You sure you okay?
MADISON: I don’t know, I-I, umm, I think I might need your help.
DR. BROWN: Help with what?
MADISON: I’m late. I-I‘ve been late.
DR. BROWN: [shocked] Is that unusual for you?
[Madison nods in agreement.]
DR. BROWN: How long?
MADISON: I don’t know. A couple of weeks. I took one of those tests at home.
DR. BROWN: What did it say?
MADISON: I wanted to make sure so I came. I’m sorry if that was wrong. I want to tell Ephram but I want to make sure first.
DR. BROWN: He doesn’t know?
MADISON: No.
DR. BROWN: I thought that maybe you two were… I wasn’t sure, but, uh, I thought that…
MADISON: We were.
DR. BROWN: I’d hope you were being careful.
MADISON: We were.
DR. BROWN: Well, we have pregnancy tests here. We can go in my office and find out in a few minutes, but first I need to know something from you…
MADISON: There was no one else.
{END OF ACT ONE / COMMERCIAL BREAK}
{ACT TWO}
[Fade in – Abbott’s Bagel Shoppe – Dr. Abbott is about to have his grand opening. People are waiting outside to come in. Thurman is wearing a bagel costume and comes to ask Dr. Abbott some questions.]
THURMAN: I think someone spelled your sign wrong, Doc, it has ‘”shop-e”.
DR. ABBOTT: It’s shoppe, Thurman. Spelled in the middle English style to denote an artisnile approach well beyond both your palette and comprehension. Just be ready to hand our your samples.
THURMAN: Okay, yeah. It’s these dots. I-I can’t tell whether these are sesame seeds or what. I’m not sure what kind of a bagel I am.
DR. ABBOTT: You’re a garlic, Thurman. [handing him the samples.] Go. [looking at a bagel] Louise, where is the caraway on this everything bagel?
LOUISE: I dind’t know that went…
DR. ABBOTT: Consider the name, Louise, everything. That means an equal proportion of everything in your flavor arsenal: garlic, onion, salt, poppy, sesame, caraway. How do you expect me to promote you to homontaging duty if you can’t handle this?
LOUISE: I’m okay.
DR. ABBOTT: It’s fine. It’s fine. [dusting Louise off] Just we have a-a shop to open; a franchise to establish. [looks at the clock on the way which reads 9am] It’s time. Places everyone. [walks to the front door and hesitates and takes a deep breath and them opens the door to the public] Welcome. Come one, come all. Come.
[People file in.]
DR. ABBOTT: Enjoy the fine tastes as yet to be discovered in this state. Made fresh this morning by trained medical professionals, mind you. It’s-it’s the lower east side on Main Street, Colorado. Enjoy some freshly brewed coffee with your pumpernickel or plain. Uh, 2 for 1 on the whole wheat.
[Dr. Abbott goes back behind the counter to wait on Mr. Jensen.]
DR. ABBOTT: Mr. Jensen, you have the honor of having the first bite of an empire. What’ll it be?
MR. JENSEN: I’ll have a dozen glazed.
DR. ABBOTT: We don’t have glazed.
MR. JENSEN: Then chocolate covered.
DR. ABBOTT: These aren’t donuts, Jensen. They’re bagels.
MR. JENSEN: Okay, uh, do you have any jelly-filled?
[Dr. Abbott looks dumbfounded.]
[Cut to Dr. Brown’s office – Dr. Brown is sitting at his desk in thought and Edna walks in.]
EDNA: I just got word the grass pollen count shot up way past 150 this morning. Figure on a lot of sneezy walk-ins after lunch.
DR. BROWN: Thanks.
EDNA: If you’re not up to it, I can handle all the over the counter stuff or if you need a boost or a cup of joe I can make a fresh pot.
DR. BROWN: No, I’m sorry. I just had a patient before you got in this morning and, uh, she got some news she didn’t want.
EDNA: Code pink?
DR. BROWN: Did the test twice.
EDNA: Never does get easier to see that bomb drop. What did she decide?
DR. BROWN: Haven’t gotten there yet. She’s coming in tomorrow to talk.
[Still silence in the room and Edna doesn’t seemed convinced that Dr. Brown is finished.]
EDNA: Is that all?
DR. BROWN: That’s it.
EDNA: You sure?
DR. BROWN: It was Madison.
EDNA: Oh my. How is she?
[Edna sits down in the chair in front of Dr. Brown’s desk.]
DR. BROWN: Well, other than being pregnant, she’s fine.
EDNA: Does Ephram know?
DR. BROWN: Not yet. She wanted to tell him, but I told her I would so now I’ve got to do it. Up until this morning his biggest problem was whether to pack all of his hair products or buy news ones there. He’s so excited about going to New York to study and to play. Now he’ll hear this and it’ll all be over. Ephram has had enough lessons in consequences, it’s just not right.
EDNA: You have an incredible kid. He may be 16.
DR. BROWN: That’s the point; he’s just a kid.
EDNA: Kids do lots of stupid things.
DR. BROWN: Not Ephram and not this stupid. It’s not him I’m upset with. This isn’t his fault or Madison’s. Neither of them are adults, not really. I’m the parent who should have known better. I’m the one who was to suppose to put a stop to this. What the hell was I thinking?
[Cut to sidewalk – Ephram and Bright are walking out of a store and down the sidewalk.]
EPHRAM: Got the gum. Got the comics. Got the CDs, so I can load up on the Pod. Dad’s letting me borrow his portable DVD player.
BRIGHT: Man, you know, being on an airplane is just like being in your own room except for you’re moving through space.
EPHRAM: Yeah, except it’s not exactly space, it’s more like air. [toss CD to Bright] Here, give that one to Amy, she likes Ben Harper.
[Bright tosses CD back to Ephram.]
BRIGHT: Good try. I’m not your messenger boy. You want to apologize for being an ass hat give it to her yourself.
EPHRAM: No, we’re totally cool. She came over last night everything’s fine. [toss CD back to Bright] Although she did seem a little sad when she was leaving.
BRIGHT: Uh, huh. Keep it.
[Bright tosses CD back to Ephram.]
EPHRAM: Yeah, not ‘cause I was being an ass hat. It’s just she asked me not to go to New York, but I can’t so… I-I didn’t do anything wrong.
BRIGHT: Wait, she asked you to stay in Everwood for her.
EPHRAM: Yeah. Nuts, right?
BRIGHT: What’s nuts about that?
EPHRAM: Uh, the fact that she thought I would not go to Juilliard just because we have, uh… Y’know, I don’t even know what we have and even if I did know…
BRIGHT: Even if she was your soul mate for life.
EPHRAM: Did you just say soul mate for life?
BRIGHT: Sure, if she was you’d still run off to New York just to play piano all summer?
EPHRAM: It’s not just playing piano, it’s just…
BRIGHT: Blah. Blah. Blah. You already told me. I already forgot that’s how boring it was.
[Bright stops walking and turns and stops Ephram from walking.]
BRIGHT: I cannot believe how royally you screwed up again.
EPHRAM: I cannot believe you think I should stay. Y-you would never give up playing ball somewhere just for a chick.
BRIGHT: Not just for a chick but for my soul mate. Hell yeah, of course I would.
EPHRAM: Alright, we’re not soul mates. Stop saying that. We’re –we’re just confused. Sometimes there’s feelings, sometimes there’s not feelings. It’s a big mess.
BRIGHT: And that’s exactly why she wants you to stay so you can figure it out.
EPHRAM: Okay, alright, let’s say I stay, we try to figure it out and turns out we’re not a good couple then I-I’ve blown this entire opportunity for nothing.
BRIGHT: Maybe, but that’s only if it doesn’t work out. I mean, what if you are a good couple? Then what are you giving up if you go?
EPHRAM: But there’s no way to know that. You’re confusing me.
BRIGHT: Am I? Or am I enlightening you?
EPHRAM: Shut up.
[Ephram walks around Bright.]
[Cut to Dr. Brown sitting in the den. He is waiting for Ephram to get home. Ephram comes in.]
DR. BROWN: Hey. You got a minute?
EPHRAM: Can it wait?
DR. BROWN: Are you busy?
EPHRAM: No, I’m, umm, wallowing or waffling or whatever you want to call it. But it-it’s taken up a surprisingly amount of my time.
[Ephram lays down on the couch.]
DR. BROWN: What’s going on?
EPHRAM: Nothing.
DR. BROWN: Nothing. You just went fetal.
EPHRAM: Y’know, I’m just not so sure about this whole New York for 8 weeks thing any more.
DR. BROWN: Well, I thought you couldn’t wait to get out of here fast enough. I was just getting used to all the back flips.
EPHRAM: I know that I’m supposed to go so I can study with the best and build my future and all that, but- but never mind, forget it. [getting up] Not your problem.
DR. BROWN: No. No. Wh-What is it?
[Ephram sits on edge of couch.]
EPHRAM: What if a part of my future was right here?
DR. BROWN: Which part?
EPHRAM: Amy. She wants me to stay. I-It’s everything I wanted since we moved here. I don’t want to say no but at the same time I really want to study. I-I’ve never had a proper classical training like this and if-if I do I-I could have a chance to stop being a potentially great player and actually be one.
DR. BROWN: Well, she’s gonna be here when you get back.
EPHRAM: She might. She might not.
DR. BROWN: I sense that you’ve gone over this.
EPHRAM: And over and over and over. Seriously, I-I have-I have no idea what to do. I wish you could just decide for me.
DR. BROWN: Is this when you ask me what I think just so you can disagree with it and get mad at me?
EPHRAM: No. Not this time. Come on, tell me. Whatever decision I make will be the wrong one, disaster will strike so go ahead over parent, micromanage, one time offer. Just whatever you tell me to do I’ll do.
DR. BROWN: Well, you know what’s best for you. You taught me that by yelling it at me. I’m sure you’ll figure it out.
EPHRAM: AT what age does it stop being socially acceptable to hide under your bed?
DR. BROWN: 48, maybe.
EPHRAM: Then you know where to find me.
[Ephram heads to go up to his room, but turns around.]
EPHRAM: Hey, what did you want?
DR. BROWN: [spaced out] Huh?
EPHRAM: Uh, didn’t you want to talk about something?
DR. BROWN: Nah, it’s nothing you should worry about.
[Ephram leaves the room and Dr. Brown continues to sit there.]
{END OF ACT TWO / COMMERCIAL BREAK}
{ACT THREE}
[Fade in – Abbott Bagel Shoppe – Dr. Abbott is preparing bagels in the back and Louise walks up to him.]
LOUISE: I finally found a homeless shelter that said they’d take yesterday’s leftovers. I had to try a bunch before I convinced someone they could use them in a nice stuffing mix.
DR. ABBOTT: How many bagels did we have left over?
LOUISE: 1400.
[Dr. Abbott looks shocked and disappointed and stops preparing today’s batch.]
LOUISE: 1400 delicious bagel treats that I’m sure will catch on like wildfire once people get word. You’ll see.
[They walk to the front counter and Rose walks in.]
ROSE: Good morning, Harold.
DR. ABBOTT: No, it is not, Rose, and you know it. You see it with your own eyes. We’re bottle empty. I’ve failed. This whole operation was nothing more than an epic poem of lunacy. You knew it would happen too. You knew I never really wanted this. My whole life I only ever wanted one thing to be a doctor. To help the sick and stupid and make them feel better again. You knew that I would fail and yet you allowed me to pursue this quick psychotic dream. Why, Rose?
ROSE: Are the sesame bagels fresh?
LOUISE: Oh, still warm from the oven.
ROSE: I’ll have one to go, please.
[Louise hand Rose the bagel and Rose pays.]
ROSE: Thank you. Have a nice day, Harold. I love you.
[Rose gives Dr. Abbott a kiss on the cheek and leaves.]
[Cut to Dr. Brown’s office – Dr. Brown is sitting at his desk and Madison walks in and Dr. Brown stands.]
DR. BROWN: You look tired.
MADISON: I’m not sure that I slept since I left here.
DR. BROWN: Me neither. Have you thought any more about what you want to do?
[Madison walks in further.]
MADISON: I haven’t thought about much else. I’m still not sure.
DR. BROWN: Well, you don’t have to be right now. You can take some time and we can figure it out. I promised that I’d help you and I meant it.
MADISON: I think I need to talk to Ephram before I decide. What did he say?
DR. BROWN: Nothing.
MADISON: I don’t understand.
[Dr. Brown closes the door to his office and walks back to behind his desk.]
DR. BROWN: He doesn’t know.
MADISON: You haven’t told him.
DR. BROWN: No and I don’t plan to.
MADISON: What?
DR. BROWN: I don’t want him to know that you’re pregnant.
MADISON: He would want to know. He deserves to know.
DR. BROWN: That’s true. But it really doesn’t matter I’m gonna tell you something and you may not understand it but that’s fine you don’t have to. Just listen. [hesitates] Ephram lost enough of his childhood when his mother died. But I got lucky; he got lucky. He somehow managed to salvage that innocence. If he hears this now, all that innocence is gone and it will be the end of a childhood that isn’t finished yet. Don’t do this to him, please.
[Madison looks emotional and shocked at what Dr. Brown just said and goes and sits down on the bench and starts crying. Dr. Brown walks over to Madison at the bench.]
DR. BROWN: Listen to me, Madison, whatever you choose to do – if you want to end the pregnancy, if you want to keep the baby, I will pay for it. I will support you. I will see to your comfort and security whatever you want for as long as you want it, but Ephram is not to know.
MADISON: I think that this is a mistake.
DR. BROWN: Fine. Let it be my mistake.
MADISON: How? How could I do that?
DR. BROWN: You go.
[Cut to woods – Amy is walking through trees and gets to a clearing where Ephram has set up a picnic.]
AMY: I better not be hauling my ass uphill to see some piano brochures.
EPHRAM: I forgot the brochures. Sorry.
AMY: What’s this?
EPHRAM: Well, technically, it’s a picnic, but they were out of fried chicken at MJ’s. Art told me a meatball sub might attract bears so I went with the safer choice – tuna fish. Not very sexy, but…
[Ephram hands Amy the box.]
AMY: Is this supposed to be a sexy picnic?
EPHRAM: Maybe, I’m not sure yet. Here, have a seat.
[Ephram sits and then Amy sits next to him.]
AMY: You look nervous.
EPHRAM: I-I-I am nervous.
AMY: Why?
EPHRAM: Okay, look, I’m –I’m pretty sure we’ve been –we’ve been down this road before, many many times. In fact, I-I-it’s kinda crazy how many times we’ve been down this road without anything actually ever happening on the read. Y’know, it seems like something always messes us up. Lately that something has been me. I feel like I’ve been given a second chance and I don’t want to blow it. Y’know I-I can’t stop thinking about what you said about me staying and y’know I was really taking a shot and the thing is I know what would happen if we did that – it would be exactly the way I thought it would always be – perfect. Y’know, I never really worried much about what would happen if we actually got together. Somehow I always knew that part would work itself out. It’s just the getting there would seem so impossible, I could never imagine both of us being on the same page at the same time.
AMY: Timing’s not our strong suit.
EPHRAM: Yeah, exactly. [hesitates] But now…
AMY: Now what?
EPHRAM: [leaning in toward Amy] You’re it, Amy. You’re the one I want to be with. There’s no questioning it, no holding it back, no overanalyzing it. It-It just is.
AMY: So you’re staying?
EPHRAM: No. I have to go to New York. I have to go for –for lots of reasons – for-for myself to learn, not just about me, not just about the piano, but about everything about who I’m gonna be when I’m done with school.
AMY: I don’t understand.
EPHRAM: I mean, I-I could not go. I could be the guy that says y’know screw it it’s all about the girl but let’s face it I already am that guy. I know how to make you a priority. I’ve done it. I can do it again. If you ever need me, I’ll-I’ll be there, but right now I need to worry about making myself the priority and the only way I can do that is-is to go to new York. But I want you to wait for me.
[They kiss slowly and passionately.]
EPHRAM: Will you?
[Cut to Abbott Bagel Shoppe – Dr. Abbott is sweeping up after closing for the day and Dr. Brown walks in.]
DR. BROWN: And I though Madonna was good at reinventing herself.
DR. ABBOTT: Doctor, I’m in no mood for humor this evening. Particularly not your generic witless brand of it.
DR. BROWN: So I should spare you the down on your luck joke I was about to make.
[Dr. Abbott shoots him a look.]
DR. BROWN: You want me to go?
DR. ABBOTT: No. Why bother? This would hardly qualify as the worst day of my life unless you made an unwelcome appearance. What better way to break the blessed silence between us?
DR. BROWN: Does this mean that you forgive me?
[Dr. Brown sits at a table.]
DR. ABBOTT: It means, I’m far too exhausted to hold onto the anger any longer. Besides, what’s the point of hating someone else when hating myself is so much more richly deserved.
DR. BROWN: Yeah, I, uh, I heard about your venture. I’m not an odds man, but, uh, bagels in Everwood, Harold. I mean, they go together about as well as you and customer service.
DR. ABBOTT: Oh, go ahead, Brown, laugh it up. Your one time competitor is now sweeping the floor of a defunked bagel shop. The race is finally over, the bell has been rung and you are the last man standing. I salute your victory.
DR. BROWN: Actually, I’m sitting. Oh, come on. Don’t give yourself so much credit, Harold. The truth is I miss having you across the street. I miss lunches with you when you pretend to ignore me. I miss you rolling your eyes in disgust at something I just said, but mostly on days like today I miss watching you screw up your life as much as I do, because when you do it, it’s much funnier.
DR. ABBOTT: Judging by my poofy hat, I believe we have finally gotten to the day where even you and your supreme idiocy cannot compete.
DR. BROWN: You don’t know the half of it.
DR. ABBOTT: You okay, Doctor?
DR. BROWN: D-Do you know anything about dreams, Harold? I mean, how to decipher them?
DR. ABBOTT: With any expertise in that arena, I’d first have to believe that dreams held any greater significance than as a mere dumping of neurological refuse. However, perhaps this one time I could be of some aid. Go on.
[Dr. Abbott sits at the table with Dr. Brown.]
DR. BROWN: Well, in this dream I’m-I’m in New York only it’s-it’s not three years, it’s today as though I’d never left. [shows flashbacks to the dream] It’s one of those rainy nights where you can’t get a cab anywhere and, umm, I make it through the storm and to Gabriel’s on West 60th Street. It’s this great restaurant where Julia and I used to take the kids on Friday nights provided that I could get out of work on time. Anyway, I take off my coat and I say hello to the hostess and I head to the table and she’s there – Julia. She’s there and Ephram’s there and Delia and they’re laughing and smiling and I just watch them and I feel so happy again. I’ve-I’ve had that dream three or four times in-in the past month.
DR. ABBOTT: What do you think it means?
DR. BROWN: I think it means that life knocked me on my ass 3 years ago and I haven’t gotten up since. I think it means that no matter how hard I try to make sense of Julia’s death that the tragedy of losing her will always eclipse whatever good comes to me.
DR. ABBOTT: Andy?
DR. BROWN: It’s true. Forget anything I’ve learned or experienced, I would take it all back. I would take that life back in a heartbeat.
DR. ABBOTT: You don’t know what that life would be.
DR. BROWN: I can promise you it’d be a hell of a lot better than what I’ve got right now.
DR. ABBOTT: Better for who? For a family you never saw? For patients you never really cared about?
DR. BROWN: For everyone.
DR. ABBOTT: Well, I have two children who are going to attending some kind of college within the next few years and I’ve just spent a quarter of my savings on the worst business investment this side of Euro Disney, so take what I’m about to say with a proper grain of salt. Dreams aren’t meant to be understood any more than tragedy can be averted. Life happens to us. We learn to be grateful when things are good and-and to count our blessing when things are bad. And the only certainty in all of it is that it all just keeps happening.
[Dr. Brown smiles at Dr. Abbott and gets up to leave but stops.]
DR. BROWN: Yep. Oh. I almost forgot the reason I came here.
DR. ABBOTT: To mock me.
DR. BROWN: No, the other reason. I, uh, I have a number for you. It’s, uh, Tri-Gold Insurance. They cover my practice.
DR. ABBOTT: Yeah. Thanks. I already spoke to a rep there last week. They politely passed.
DR. BROWN: I know. They passed on you as a sole practitioner, but as of this morning, they agreed to cover you as a new partner in a practice with good standing.
DR. ABBOTT: You’re not really suggesting...?
DR. BROWN: Why not?
DR. ABBOTT: Are you kidding? With my patient load and your ego, we would need an-an airport for an office not a train station.
DR. BROWN: Well, the offer is good from now until you say yes and I hope you will. I mean look at us, Harold, can it possibly get any worse?
[They look at each other and Dr. Brown leaves and Dr. Abbott sits there and contemplates the offer.]
{END OF ACT THREE / COMMERCIAL BREAK}
{ACT FOUR}
[Fade in – Bus Station – inside – Ephram is getting a ticket at the counter and Dr. Brown, Delia and Bright are with him.]
DR. BROWN: You really okay with the bus? You shouldn’t have to ride by yourself for two hours just to get to the airport.
EPHRAM: I-I’ve been taking the subway since I was 10. I can handle the bus. Go home.
DR. BROWN: You sure. I mean, I can drive you. I can just go get the car.
BRIGHT: Dr. Brown, let it go.
DR. BROWN: Right.
[Dr. Brown and Delia walk out of the bus station with the luggage and Bright hands Ephram a card and they follow and walk outside.]
EPHRAM: Hey, you wrote me a card.
BRIGHT: Open it up, nut sack.
EPHRAM: Hey, my ID. I’m Gus again.
BRIGHT: Yeah, Ada had you in her hard drive and I really needed to see her bend over the laminating machine again. It’s my gift, man. Go downtown, see a lot of bands, drink too much, touch no women.
EPHRAM: I can’t believe I just heard you say those words.
BRIGHT: I can’t believe you’re leaving Amy.
EPHRAM: Hey, we worked it out.
BRIGHT: I know. Only, you, Dude.
EPHRAM: You know, you’re the only guy that can call me dude without a hint of irony.
[Ephram extends a hand to Bright.]
BRIGHT: What? What’s this?
EPHRAM: I’m leaving it’s appropriate.
BRIGHT: Okay.
[Ephram and Bright do a cool guy shake/body butt.]
BRIGHT: Have fun.
[Ephram walks over to Delia who is mad.]
EPHRAM: What? Is this how it’s going to be?
DELIA: Maybe.
EPHRAM: Give me your arm.
[Ephram pulls out a marker and Delia extends her arm for him to write on it.]
EPHRAM: This permanent marker. This is the number of the cell phone that I’m gonna have with me everywhere this summer except the shower.
DELIA: I already know the number.
EPHRAM: Oh really.
[They hug and Ephram walks over to Dr. Brown.]
DR. BROWN: You ready?
EPHRAM: Yeah.
DR. BROWN: You feel good about going?
EPHRAM: Not right this second, but an hour ago I felt great so…
DR. BROWN: Well, have a good time and be careful.
EPHRAM: I’m going to holled up in the Lincoln Center 24-7 playing ‘til I get carpal tunnel syndrome not going to be a lot of room for raging.
DR. BROWN: It’s not that. You’re growing up. It’s not fair. I keep staying the same and you keep changing.
EPHRAM: Well, you changed some. You didn’t tell me what to do the other day when I asked. Sign of the apocalypse.
DR. BROWN: You know, it may not seem like it but I do want to do the right thing for you occasionally.
EPHRAM: And you hit occasionally.
DR. BROWN: Call me when you land.
[They lug and Ephram boards the bus.]
BRIGHT: [yelling to Ephram as he is boarding] Send stuff.
DELIA: [yelling to Ephram as he is boarding] A lot of stuff.
[Ephram boards the bus and sits in his seat. The bus drives off and Dr. Brown watches the bus leave and heads to his car. Bright and Delia watch as the bus leave too.]
DELIA: So what are you doing now?
BRIGHT: I don’t know.
DELIA: Want to see a movie?
BRIGHT: Okay.
[Cut to Dr. Brown’s office – Dr. Brown is looking through some files and Dr. Abbott walks in with 2 sacks of bagels.]
DR. BROWN: Harold, come on in.
DR. ABBOTT: I brought you some bagels.
DR. BROWN: Some?
DR. ABBOTT: 40. We had extra.
DR. BROWN: Thank you.
[Dr. Brown pulls a bagel out of a sack.]
DR. ABBOTT: They are the last batch. The oven doors on Abbott’s Bagel Shopp“e” appear to have closed for good.
DR. BROWN: I’m sorry to hear that. These are quite good.
DR. ABBOTT: I was quite a good doctor too. Neither looks to be relevant in this town.
DR. BROWN: Somehow I don’t think you’re through yet, Harold.
DR. ABBOTT: [starting to look around] They’ll have to be some changes made if I come on board this strange and very brown ship.
DR. BROWN: There always are.
DR. ABBOTT: I would need my own office and examination room.
DR. BROWN: Of course.
DR. ABBOTT: My own nurse?
DR. BROWN: I understand.
DR. ABBOTT: An equal partnership?
DR. BROWN: Entirely.
DR. ABBOTT: We would have to charge.
DR. BROWN: WE could discuss the matter.
DR. ABBOTT: Dear God, I will live to regret this, won’t I?
DR. BROWN: With any luck. Wanna shake on it?
DR. ABBOTT: No.
DR. BROWN: Hug?
DR. ABBOTT: I’ll see you tomorrow.
[Dr. Abbott starts to walk toward the door to leave.]
DR. BROWN: Bright and early, Partner.
[Dr. Abbott turns and looks at Dr. Brown and then leaves and Dr. Brown has a smile on his face.]
[Cut to airplane – Ephram is boarding and he is trying to find his seat when Amy notices him and grabs his attention and he stops in shock.]
AMY: So did you know they stopped serving peanuts on airplanes? I asked and, uh, apparently a lot of people are allergic to them, so they started serving pretzels instead. Who knew that peanuts were such a common allergy? [hesitates] Here gimme.
[Ephram hands Amy his carryon.]
EPHRAM: You weren’t at the bus stop.
AMY: I know. I was gonna go ‘cause I didn’t want Bright to get suspicious, but then I remembered..
EPHRAM/AMY: It’s Bright.
AMY: Exactly, so, umm, I came up with an excuse, waited till he left and then got my mom to drive me here.
[Ephram sits.]
EPHRAM: Well, when did you decide?
AMY: Yesterday after the picnic. I was thinking about what you said – the whole waiting thing and it was an interesting idea, y’know, very romantic in a Victorian kind of way and then, umm, then I realized I’m just not very Victorian so hopped on the Internet, price lined a couple of flights, found a good deal, got my Dad to help me out with it, although now I owe him six car washes and an “A” in Spanish.
EPHRAM: That’s right, don’t you have summer school?
AMY: It starts in 2 weeks and your classes only officially start a week from Wednesday. I looked at the brochures. They are really cool. Good pictures.
EPHRAM: So you’re coming to New York with me?
AMY: Yep for 10 days. Apparently Nonny has a great guest room.
EPHRAM: You’re coming to New York with me?
AMY: See I’ve never been to Times Square and I’m dying to see Avenue Q and you never shut up about how good the pizza is. Plus, I’m just not good at that whole waiting thing.
[Ephram leans over to Amy and gives her a sweet kiss on the lips and then smiles at her because he is so elated.]
[Cut to Dr. Brown in bed sleeping.]
[Cut to dream. Dr. Brown is in Gabriel's again watching his family laugh and smile and Ephram notices him standing there and Dr. Brown walks toward the table and kisses Julia on the cheek.]
DR. BROWN: Hey, guys. Sorry I’m late.
EPHRAM: This evening.
DELIA: Hey, Dad.
DR. BROWN: Did you, uh, order me something?
JULIA: An hour ago. I already had them wrap it up.
DR. BROWN: Oh, that’s okay. I just want a drink anyway. Is there a waiter around here somewhere? [notices them eating cake] Wait a minute, it’s not somebody’s birthday is it, Barbara would have told me.
DELIA: Ephram got in.
DR. BROWN: Got in?
JULIA: To the Juilliard Summer Program. I told you this morning.
DR. BROWN: Oh, right. Congratulations, Ephram. I’m so proud of you.
EPHRAM: [getting up] Y’know, I’m gonna catch a cab to Ben’s. We’re all meeting there.
JULIA: Wait, you can drop your sister and I on the way. Delia, go on and hail a cab with your brother.
DELIA: Good night, Dad.
DR. BROWN: Good night, sweetie.
[Ephram and Delia take off from the table.]
DR. BROWN: Well, can I at least get a drink before you tear into me?
JULIA: No, I’m not gonna tear into you; not tonight.
DR. BROWN: Look, I’m sorry. It’s not as though I-I try to forget these things.
JULIA: No, it’s though you don’t try and remember them.
DR. BROWN: I will make it up to him, Julia, okay?
JULIA: Sixteen years. Good luck. [gets up to leave] You know, Andy, don’t feel sorry about forgetting feel sorry for yourself. There’s a whole world happening and you’re just asleep. Sometimes it scares me so much to think what it would take to wake you up.
[Julia leaves. Dr. Brown sits in a table and through the window Julia, Ephram and Delia are getting into a cab. The cab drives away and leaves Dr. Brown sitting at the table alone as we hear Jack Harlan’s song "Please Don’t Pass Me By."]
LYRICS: These lines are not for borrow / There’s no sense in keeping score / These arms are fragile / But I refuse to close the door / There’s a soft melody playing / Through the lines across the floor / Come dance with me darling / And don’t you ask what for / Please, please, please don’t pass me by / Please, please
{END OF ACT FOUR}
THE END