Ep308

Episode 3.08
�Black Roots�
Written by Kasey M. Dunton

Teaser
(Fade in from the SN logo on the studio, Night I. All around is the usual hustle and bustle, and Dan and Casey are in their usual seats.)

DAN:
So remind me again why we�re doing this?

CASEY:
Because they�re fixing the rest of the sound board.

DAN:
The one that blew up on Thanksgiving.

CASEY:
It didn�t blow up.

DAN:
There were flames.

CASEY:
That�s �caught fire�, not �blew up�.

DAN:
Close enough. That�s why we�re doing this?

CASEY:
Yeah. They wanna do a sort of show run-through to be sure everything they need to work works.

DAN:
And they need us why?

CASEY:
I don�t remember you complaining this much during the Y2K test.

DAN:
Yeah, but that was important.

CASEY:
It was more important to see whether or not the computers would malfunction than to see if the entire show was gonna continue to go ka-put because of our broken soundboard?

DAN:
Yeah. (beat.) Did you just say �ka-put�?

CASEY:
Yeah.

DAN:
Okay. (He scoots his chair to the other side of the desk.)

(Cut to: The Control Room, Night I, same timeframe.)

DAVE:
60 seconds in.

DANA:
(Walking to her chair.) Remind me again why we�re doing this.

NATALIE:
(As Dana sits.) Because they wanna test the soundboard.

DANA:
And they need all of us here?

NATALIE:
Yes.

DANA:
Why?

NATALIE:
To be sure that everything they�d need in a given show will work right instead of going haywire as it has been lately.

DANA:
Well if they hadn�t set it on FIRE �

JEREMY:
Dana, that was the work of Thespis, it�s over and done with, let it be and let Dave, Chris, and Will fix the soundboard.

DANA:
So here we are, wasting our good time on a preposterous exercise.

NATALIE:
Exactly!

DAVE:
Thirty seconds in.

(Cut back to the studio.)

DAN:
So what�s wrong with you today?

CASEY:
Nothing�s wrong.

DAN:
Then what was with all the phone messages?

CASEY:
I have to go see Charlie�s teacher tomorrow.

DAN:
�Bout what?

CASEY:
His recent lack of effort.

DAN:
So you�re gonna yell at Charlie�s teacher.

CASEY:
Why would I be yelling at Charlie�s teacher?

DAN:
If the teacher isn�t showing effort, the kids can�t learn.

CASEY:
Charlie�s recent lack of effort. His teacher�s a woman. Ms. Kelly.

DAN:
Ahhhhhhh�

CASEY:
What?

DAN:
You�re talking to a young, unwed lady tomorrow.

CASEY:
I�m talking to Charlie�s teacher.

DAN:
A young, unwed lady!

CASEY:
Shut up now.

DAN:
Wait, I thought you and Dana were a thing�

CASEY:
Yes. Well, not really�Sorta�

DAN:
Never let people call you indecisive.

CASEY:
I never do.

DAVE:
(VO) In 5�.4�3�2�

CASEY:
Good evening, from Boca Raton, I�m Bevis alongside Butthead, those stories plus�French as the national language? Who would�ve guessed.

DAN:
In addition, we�ve got special correspondent Kenny from South Park upon his recent impalement. All that coming up after this. You�re watching Dan, Dan, the Superman on CSC so stick around.

(Cut to: Control Room)

WILL:
And�Go music to commercial�

(On cue � only the wrong cue � �Bohemian Rhapsody� begins to blast through the speakers.)

(Cut to: The Studio. As it gets to the �I see a little silhouette-a of a man� part, Dan and Casey start to do the thing from Wayne�s World with the acting back and forth, lip-synching.)

DANA:
(Watching on monitors.) Well. That was a test well-passed.

(Fade to commercial. End Teaser.)

Act I
(Open on Dana�s office, Morning II. She�s working at her desk, Casey walks in. He pauses for a few minutes before he finally speaks.)

CASEY:
So I�m talking to Charlie�s teacher today�

(Dana jumps a mile.)

DANA:
What have I told you about sneaking up on me like that?

CASEY:
I didn�t sneak.

DANA:
You sneaked.

CASEY:
I stood here at least five minutes before I said a word.

DANA:
Why?

CASEY:
I don�t know.

DANA:
Okay.

(Silence.)

CASEY:
So I�m talking to Charlie�s teacher today�

DANA:
So I hear.

CASEY:
Yeah. Well�

DANA:
Well what?

CASEY:
She�s coming here.

DANA:
What do you mean?

CASEY:
Because of my hours, she�s coming by during her lunch/prep period.

DANA:
Okay.

CASEY:
Just thought I�d give you a head up.

DANA:
Okay.

CASEY:
(Beat.) She�s a woman, y�know.

DANA:
Yeah, Casey, I gathered that when you said �she�.

CASEY:
Okay.

(Silence.)

CASEY:
I�m just saying so you know in advance and also so I can tell you that you shouldn�t feel threatened by her.

DANA:
Why would I feel threatened by Charlie�s teacher?

CASEY:
Because sometimes these things exist�y�know�in your sorta confused little mind.

DANA:
What the �

CASEY:
I�m just sayin�.

(Cut to: the newsroom, Morning II. Dave, Elliot, Chris, Will, Kim, Dan, and Jeremy are sitting around.)

ELLIOT:
So what�s the problem with the sound board?

WILL:
We don�t know.

KIM:
You don�t know?

CHRIS:
No.

DAN:
Okay. This is what you guys do for a living, right?

DAVE:
Right.

DAN:
So lemme ask one question�

WILL:
Why were we hired?

DAN:
Yeah.

CHRIS:
We don�t know.

JEREMY:
Is it possible it�s �

DAVE/CHRIS/WILL:
No.

(Natalie walks through the newsroom, carrying a sealed cardboard box with a mailing label.)

DAN:
Hey, Nat.

JEREMY:
What's with the box?

NATALIE:
My brother's been cleaning out my parent's attic and he found a box of stuff my grandmother left me, saying I shouldn't get it 'til I was older. I was like 11 when she died, but I guess no one's thought of the box since then. (She smiles.)

JEREMY:
So what's in it?

NATALIE:
I don't know. It was delivered on my way out.

DAN:
Are you gonna open it?

NATALIE:
Yeah, I'm starting to get curious about what I couldn't have back then.

JEREMY:
Probably heirlooms or something.

DAN:
You could open it in my office - Casey's not in yet.

JEREMY:
Besides, we're curious!

NATALIE:
(grinning) Okay then.

(They head into Dan's office. Dan sits in the red chair, Jeremy in a desk chair, and Natalie on the couch with the box beside her. She opens it, then nearly squeals as she pulls out a small cedar jewelry box, then opens it and pulls out a bracelet.)

NATALIE:
The bracelet? Grandpa brought it back to Grandma from Paris and she always promised me it would be mine someday.

DAN:
And that day is here?

NATALIE:
That day is here. (She pulls out a bundle of letters and grins as she opens them.)

JEREMY:
What's that?

NATALIE:
I'm betting...Letters from Grandma to Grandpa and vice-versa when he was in Europe.

JEREMY:
When was he in Europe for a year?

DAN:
And why?

NATALIE:
He was an architect and went to Europe to study designs in '74. The year I was born. So Grandma kept him up to date...(she opens a letter and pulls out a baby picture) Oh my God, there is NO WAY that's me...I was so cute!

DAN:
Yeah, what happened? (Natalie silences him with a look.)

NATALIE:
(Reading the letter itself.) "Dearest Robert, Natalie is adjusting so well. Lynn and Hank are beside themselves with joy. They'd been so devastated after the miscarriage." (She looks up, puzzled.) I didn't know my mom had a miscarriage. (Shrugging, she continues.) "You'd never guess they weren't biologically related by how they act. The adoption's gone through without a problem and that's a relief. She's no officially Natalie Shaw Hurley and will be from now on." (She puts the letter down and looks from Dan to Jeremy, very confused as the information she's just read sinks in.) I...did I just read that?

JEREMY:
(Quietly.) Yeah.

NATALIE:
I didn't just, y'know, mis-read it, right? (She holds out the letter as if asking one of them to read it and tell her she's just blind as a bat or something.)

DANNY:
(Gently.) No, Nat...

NATALIE:
I think I'll just...go...do...something. (She tosses the letter back into the box and stands.)

JEREMY:
Natalie...

NATALIE:
I'm gonna go cut footage if you need me. (She leaves and passes Casey on the way out.)

CASEY:
What's with Natalie? She's like, in tears...

JEREMY:
(Not even noticing Casey's there.) I'm gonna go after her.

DAN:
Okay.

(Jeremy leaves.)

CASEY:
What, did they have another fight or something?

DAN:
Um...yeah. Something like that.

CASEY:
Listen, I need you to clear out for a little while.

DAN:
It�s my office.

CASEY:
I know, but�

DAN:
Unwed lady?

CASEY:
Charlie�s teacher, yes.

DAN:
Does Dana know?

CASEY:
That I�m talking to Charlie�s teacher? Yeah.

DAN:
Does she know his teacher happens to be a young and unwed lady?

CASEY:
Go away from me now.

DAN:
Got it. (He stands and heads into the newsroom.)

(Fade to commercial. End Act I.)

Act II
FADE IN:
(Cut to: Control Room, Day I. Natalie is standing, leaning against the back row of consoles, staring at the monitors, deep in thought. Jeremy stands at the door, ready to open it, then hesitates and walks away, then comes back and opens it.)

JEREMY:
(Cautiously.) Natalie?

NATALIE:
I said I needed to be alone, Jeremy.

JEREMY:
You also said you�d be in the edit bay, so I�m not taking your word on much right now.

NATALIE:
Go to hell.

JEREMY:
In good time.

NATALIE:
Please, Jeremy, just�

JEREMY:
You shouldn�t be alone right now.

NATALIE:
That�s your opinion.

JEREMY:
Really? Don�t think I would�ve figured out THAT one�

NATALIE:
Can�t you see I want you to shut up right now?

JEREMY:
Yes.

NATALIE:
And?

JEREMY:
Still working on that one.

NATALIE:
Thank you.

JEREMY:
Natalie, I want to help�

NATALIE:
Help with what?

JEREMY:
You�re going through something �

NATALIE:
Don�t even tell me about what I�m going through, Jeremy!

JEREMY:
Natalie �

NATALIE:
You don�t have the slightest idea, Jeremy! You didn�t just find out that everything you�d thought you�d known in your entire life was a lie! You didn�t just learn that your parents had been lying to you for your whole existence!

JEREMY:
(Very quietly.) Not today�but I have�

NATALIE:
When?

JEREMY:
You know when.

NATALIE:
(Realizing.) Oh. (She looks down.) I�m sorry, I shouldn�t have yelled at you �

JEREMY:
It�s okay.

NATALIE:
It�s not.

JEREMY:
You don�t owe me an apology.

NATALIE:
No I don�t.

JEREMY:
Um�right.

(Cut to: Dan and Casey�s office. Casey is sitting across from Ms. Allison Kelly, a young and attractive woman, Charlie�s teacher.)

ALLISON:
So I understand that recently Charlie began living with you?

CASEY:
Yeah, um�my ex-wife moved out to LA, but Charlie wanted to stay in the city, and so he moved in with me full time instead of just on weekends.

ALLISON:
Court proceedings?

CASEY:
(Nodding.) He had to go in there and explain he wanted to stay with me�It was hard for him, we knew that even before we got into it, but�(He shrugs as if to say �what do you do?�)

ALLISON:
I was just wondering because it�s not at all uncommon for children who are either going through a custody battle or the divorce of a parent or the remarriage of a parent to then cause problems, either because of apathy or lack of interest or emotional problems, or possibly because they want their parents� attention�

CASEY:
(Quietly.) It wouldn�t surprise me.

ALLISON:
Which brings me to what we should do.

CASEY:
(Slightly surprised.) I�m sorry?

ALLISON:
To help Charlie.

CASEY:
Oh. Right.

ALLISON:
He�s a very bright boy, his grades until about three weeks ago had been excellent, top of the class�I know he has what it takes to do the work and understand the material, it�s just that it seems he isn�t interested in understanding.

CASEY:
I could�I could work with him, talk to him�

ALLISON:
Okay.

CASEY:
See, the thing you�ve gotta understand is�I mean, I love Charlie, he�s my son and he�s the world to me and that�s why I fought to keep him near to me, but�these hours are hell for that�

ALLISON:
I understand.

CASEY:
It just�it�s not the best situation�Now, I�m not trying to imply here that I�m like an unfit father or something, I�m just pointing out that �

ALLISON:
I know. (She sighs.) It�s amazing the things we do to our kids, which we think is in their best interest and maybe it is, only the way we get there seems to hurt them more�

CASEY:
You�sound as though you speak from experience�

ALLISON:
Yeah.

(There is a pause.)

ALLISON:
So. I have to ask. Last week the class had to do an interview�

CASEY:
�About �music across generations�?

ALLISON:
Yeah.

CASEY:
Yes, I remember, I was officially interviewed.

ALLISON:
Right. I just wanted to ask�you like the Starland Vocal band?

CASEY:
�Yeah�

ALLISON:
I just ask because I don�t know many other people these days who like them or have even heard of them�

CASEY:
Well, yeah, I�m not saying I�m a rabid fan base or anything, but I definitely like them.

ALLISON:
Really. (She leans her chin on her hand, elbow on the desk, smiling as she leans forward.)

CASEY:
Really. (He smiles in that charismatic �I�m a TV star, y�know� way.)

ALLISON:
Never woulda guessed�

(Dana, meanwhile, walks from the newsroom to stand in the doorway. She observes the two of them, both grinning and seeming very flirtatious, and while she�s mildly shocked at first, she then brushes that aside and speaks.)

DANA:
Casey?

CASEY:
(Still grinning and keeping eye contact with Allison.) Yes?

DANA:
Casey? You realize who�s speaking to you right now, right?

CASEY:
Yeah, Dana, I�Dana? (He looks up at her.) What do you need?

DANA:
Formula One.

CASEY:
Yeah. (he hands it to her.)

DANA:
And could I see you a minute, please?

CASEY:
Sure. (He smiles, then looks back at Allison.) I�m sorry, Ms. O�Brian �

ALLISON:
I told you, call me Allison.

CASEY:
Okay. Allison, would you excuse us for a moment?

ALLISON:
Sure.

(Dana practically drags Casey into the newsroom.)

DANA:
What was that?

CASEY:
What was what?

DANA:
What was THAT?

CASEY:
What was WHAT?!

DANA:
You gave me a heads up, you didn�t tell me you�d be in there flirting with Charlie�s teacher!

CASEY:
Wait, wait, wait a minute.

DANA:
Yes, you were flirting.

CASEY:
That wasn�t what I was going to say.

DANA:
Then what were you going to say?

CASEY:
(Beat.) That�s what I was going to say.

DANA:
Casey �

CASEY:
Dana, I was absolutely not flirting.

DANA:
You absolutely were!

JEREMY:
(Coming up behind them) Dana, can I talk to �

DANA:
Absolutely. This conversation is over, Casey.

CASEY:
Dana �

DANA:
So. Jeremy. What�d�ya need?

(They walk off, leaving Casey dejectedly in the background.)

DANA:
So what�s up?

JEREMY:
I�m really worried about Natalie.

DANA:
What�s wrong with Natalie?

JEREMY:
She just found out�

DANA:
Just found out what?

JEREMY:
I�m not sure if I can tell you.

DANA:
I�m her best friend, Jeremy, I�ll find out sooner or later�

JEREMY:
True.

DANA:
So what�s up?

JEREMY:
See, Natalie just �

(Natalie comes up behind them.)

NATALIE:
Natalie just what?

JEREMY:
You just found out �

NATALIE:
I didn�t find out anything. (She turns to Dana.) It�s nothing, Dana, don�t worry about it.

DANA:
Natalie �

NATALIE:
It�s nothing.

(She drags Jeremy off with her, and Dana stands there, looking slightly confused, until we�)

(Fade to Black. End Act II.)