Scones | Bobby Kirk
INT. KITCHEN - DAY
Derek, a thirteen-year-old boy, moves about a sunny suburban kitchen. He wears an apron over his fashionable school clothes. His hair meticulously combed, grooming well beyond junior high standards.
He hums to himself and removes a tray of scones from the oven and places them on a cooling rack on a butcher block separating the living room from the kitchen.
He dances as he bakes. His demeanor is effeminate but completely unperturbed.
His burly fireman father, Garret, returns from work still in uniform. He pauses and sighs a small exasperated sigh when he sees his son dancing around the kitchen in an apron.
Derek doesn’t notice his dad has arrived.
GARRET
(abruptly)
Derek.
Derek looks up startled but smiles at his father.
DEREK
Dad.
GARRET
What are you doing?
Derek is bewildered at the obvious question.
DEREK
Baking?
Garret grabs a scone and examines it.
GARRET
What are these, cookies?
DEREK
Scones, Dad, scones.
Garret tosses the scone back on the cooling rack.
GARRET
Did I see Chet out there riding
your bike?
Derek looks away from his father. Embarrassed.
GARRET (CONT’D)
Well?
DEREK
Yes.
GARRET
Why is he riding your bike?
DEREK
Because I let him borrow it.
The lie is obvious.
GARRET
Why would you let him borrow your
new bike?
DEREK
Because he’s my friend.
GARRET
No, he’s not.
DEREK
Yes, he is.
Garret is exasperated, but also sympathetic.
GARRET
I know you want him to be your
friend, but even you don’t really
believe that.
DEREK
He is Dad.
GARRET
Friends don’t make fun of you until you run home crying.
Derek looks even further away.
DEREK
He’s not a bad guy. He’s just
misunderstood.
GARRET
He’s a bully.
DEREK
He doesn’t get enough attention at home.
GARRET
That’s not an excuse for him to
push you around.
DEREK
It doesn’t bother me.
Garret snaps at Derek.
GARRET
Well it bothers me. Now why don’t you tell me what really happened.
Derek stands looking at the floor. He twists his ankle and draws circles on the floor with his toe.
GARRET (CONT’D)
Well?
(pause)
He took it from you didn’t he.
Derek nods. His father is disgusted.
GARRET (CONT'D)
And you just let him.
Derek stands holding a cookie sheet of scones, hands encased in bright orange oven mitts, his head down, tears starting.
His father looks on, taking it all in--the apron, the scones, his impeccably dressed, sensitive son.
A look of disgust. Exasperated sigh.
Then a pause, he looks at his son’s crying face.
He takes a deep breath, different this time, and makes a decision. He takes his son firmly by the shoulders.
GARRET (CONT'D)
Look at me.
(pause)
Look at me, son.
Derek slowly raises his head and tentatively meets his father’s eyes.
GARRET (CONT'D)
This is unacceptable. I will not
have this. I’ve always told you,
you could be anything you wanted,
but not this. I won’t have it in my
house. There’s one thing I won’t
accept.
Fear and betrayal cross Derek’s face.
GARRET (CONT'D)
I won’t have a coward for a son.
There is a moment of silence as the understanding passes between them.
GARRET (CONT'D)
(softer)
Anything, anything else is fine.
Pause. Derek understands.
GARRET (CONT'D)
But not a coward.
Garret stands, takes the cookie sheet. Derek lays the apron on the counter. They walk to the door.
GARRET (CONT'D)
Now you go out there and get your
bike back.
Pause.
GARRET (CONT'D)
And remember I’ll love you no
matter what, as long as you are
willing to stand-up for yourself.
Derek gathers his courage and opens the door. As he leaves he looks back. His father nods encouragement.
Garret moves to the window.
Derek stands at the edge of the yard calling out as a group of boys ride past.
The leader, Chet, taunts Derek as he rides back and forth. After the third pass Derek grabs the handlebars and Chet goes down. The other boys stop and stare stunned.
Chet sits entangled in the bike crying.
Derek initially starts to bend over Chet, but checks himself, and with the quickest half glance back at the house he grabs the bike and pulls it away from Chet.
He deliberately walks the bike away and rides off. The other boys watch wordlessly.
Chet stands wiping away tears, flailing his arms at those trying to help him. He stalks off down the street.
Garret takes a deep breath and turns away from the window pleased.
On his way back into the kitchen he sets his cellphone on the butcher block.
He looks at the scones and the apron, shakes his head, and chuckles. He opens the refrigerator and pours a glass of milk.
The telephone rings. He answers.
GARRET
Hello?
(pause)
Yes, Mrs. Brown.
Garret picks up a scone and takes a bite. He looks at the treat approvingly as he listens.
GARRET (CONT'D)
Well, boys will be boys.
FADE OUT
Bobby Kirk writes screenplays in Winnipeg and longs for warmer climes. Currently trying to break into Hollywood, he has added networking and seeking representation to his writing efforts. Scones is his first published work. He loves to chat via Twitter @STLKirk.