{"id":1202,"date":"2009-05-06T13:30:10","date_gmt":"2009-05-06T20:30:10","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/wwwold.sketchwar.org\/?p=1202"},"modified":"2009-05-06T13:30:10","modified_gmt":"2009-05-06T20:30:10","slug":"the-line-between-mother-and-other","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.sketchwar.org\/?p=1202","title":{"rendered":"The Line Between Mother and Other"},"content":{"rendered":"<p>So, what becomes of the women for whom Mother&#8217;s Day serves no purpose&#8230;?<\/p>\n<p><!--more--><\/p>\n<div class=\"fountain\">\n<p class=\"sceneheader\">INT. BASEMENT OF SMALL BUNGALOW HOME &#8211; DAY<\/p>\n<p class=\"action\">WOMEN congregate in a basement decked out with baby shower d\u00e9cor (stork cutouts, blue and pink streamers, baby cutouts, rattles, etc.).<\/p>\n<p class=\"action\">MICHELLE, a thirty-something career woman, cautiously walks down the stairwell and peers around the corner into the basement to see a small group of chatty MOTHERS surrounding a food table filled to the brim with decadent delights (chocolate fountain, exotic fruits, crab cakes, sushi, etc.).<\/p>\n<p class=\"action\">JEANNIE, a young mother, shows cell phone pictures of her son to the rest of the group.<\/p>\n<p class=\"character\">JEANNIE<\/p>\n<p class=\"dialogue\">Okay, so, here&#8217;s little Joey with the azalea.<\/p>\n<p class=\"character\">WOMEN<\/p>\n<p class=\"dialogue\">Awh.<\/p>\n<p class=\"action\">Michelle strolls over to the food table and works her way through the group. She gawks at the table with intense desire.<\/p>\n<p class=\"character\">JEANNIE<\/p>\n<p class=\"dialogue\">Now, here he is on the floor. Oh, and here we are in the emergency room&#46;&#46;&#46; (proudly) his first visit.<\/p>\n<p class=\"character\">WOMEN<\/p>\n<p class=\"dialogue\">Awh.<\/p>\n<p class=\"action\">Michelle starts shoveling hors d&#8217;oeuvres onto her plate. She takes a bite of a crab cake.<\/p>\n<p class=\"character\">MICHELLE<\/p>\n<p class=\"parenthetical\">(to herself)<\/p>\n<p class=\"dialogue\">Holy shit, these crab cakes are fantastic.<\/p>\n<p class=\"action\">Jeannie stops and slowly spins around.<\/p>\n<p class=\"character\">JEANNIE<\/p>\n<p class=\"dialogue\">I&#8217;m sorry. And you are?<\/p>\n<p class=\"action\">Michelle brushes off her hand and extends it toward LYNETTE, another mother.<\/p>\n<p class=\"character\">MICHELLE<\/p>\n<p class=\"dialogue\">Michelle.<\/p>\n<p class=\"action\">Ignoring her gesture, Lynette psychotically looks Michelle up and down and sniffs her.<\/p>\n<p class=\"character\">LYNETTE<\/p>\n<p class=\"parenthetical\">(sniffing)<\/p>\n<p class=\"dialogue\">You don&#8217;t smell like baby powder, cheerios, (takes a long whiff) &#46;&#46;&#46; or stale formula. Do you have little ones at home?<\/p>\n<p class=\"character\">MICHELLE<\/p>\n<p class=\"dialogue\">No. I don&#8217;t. Why?<\/p>\n<p class=\"character\">CHARLOTTE<\/p>\n<p class=\"dialogue\">Can&#8217;t you read? Or has the lack of progesterone production made you stupid?<\/p>\n<p class=\"character\">JEANNIE<\/p>\n<p class=\"dialogue\">This section is for mothers only. Others belong in that section.<\/p>\n<p class=\"action\">Jeannie points across the room to the other side of the basement which is divided into two halves by a tattered rope. SIGNS hang on the wall. On one side it says &#8220;Mothers,&#8221; on the other side it says &#8220;Others.&#8221;<\/p>\n<p class=\"character\">MICHELLE<\/p>\n<p class=\"dialogue\">But I &#46;&#46;&#46;.<\/p>\n<p class=\"character\">LYNETTE<\/p>\n<p class=\"dialogue\">What&#8217;s wrong with you anyway?<\/p>\n<p class=\"character\">CHARLOTTE<\/p>\n<p class=\"dialogue\">Go! Get out of here! You infer-tile. You abomination.<\/p>\n<p class=\"action\">The rest of the women chime in, goading her over to the other side. Charlotte rips the food out of Michelle&#8217;s hand and pushes her.<\/p>\n<p class=\"character\">MICHELLE<\/p>\n<p class=\"parenthetical\">(muttering to herself)<\/p>\n<p class=\"dialogue\">What&#8217;s wrong with me? What&#8217;s wrong with you? Bunch of lactating psychos.<\/p>\n<p class=\"action\">Michelle steps over the rope into the dirty, dark, and cramped &#8220;Others&#8221; section. A creepy, green fluorescent light flickers overhead.<\/p>\n<p class=\"action\">She walks over to the &#8220;Others&#8221; food table which consists of a single aluminum PAN OF PASTA and a PLATE OF STALE COOKIES.<\/p>\n<p class=\"action\">She picks up a plate, scoops up some mostaccioli from the pan, and drops it on her plate in a sticky CLUMP. The clumps rolls off the plate and onto the floor.<\/p>\n<p class=\"action\">Michelle shudders, drops the plate, and walks over to the group of women sitting in the corner: TWO OLD WOMEN, a BUTCH LESBIAN, and CRAZY AUNT BEA. They sit in silence, staring ahead gumming their mostaccioli.<\/p>\n<p class=\"character\">MICHELLE<\/p>\n<p class=\"parenthetical\">(to the group)<\/p>\n<p class=\"dialogue\">This is awful.<\/p>\n<p class=\"action\">Nobody responds.<\/p>\n<p class=\"character\">MICHELLE<\/p>\n<p class=\"dialogue\">What do you say we sneak over to the other side and dip into the chocolate fountain?<\/p>\n<p class=\"action\">Nobody responds.<\/p>\n<p class=\"character\">MICHELLE<\/p>\n<p class=\"dialogue\">Come on, we deserve the right to better food.<\/p>\n<p class=\"character\">OLD WOMAN<\/p>\n<p class=\"dialogue\">Do you have children?<\/p>\n<p class=\"character\">MICHELLE<\/p>\n<p class=\"dialogue\">No.<\/p>\n<p class=\"action\">All turn their backs to Michelle except Bea who leans toward Michelle. Bea motions to Michelle who promptly leans forward.<\/p>\n<p class=\"character\">BEA<\/p>\n<p class=\"parenthetical\">(carefully whispers)<\/p>\n<p class=\"dialogue\">Do you have any mari-jua-na?<\/p>\n<p class=\"action\">Michelle gazes at Bea confused.<\/p>\n<p class=\"character\">MICHELLE<\/p>\n<p class=\"dialogue\">Look. This is the 21st century.<\/p>\n<p class=\"action\">Michelle angrily paces back and forth.<\/p>\n<p class=\"character\">MICHELLE (CONT&#8217;D)<\/p>\n<p class=\"dialogue\">Mothers. Others. We need to show those Boob Nazis&#46;&#46;&#46;<\/p>\n<p class=\"action\">A loud GROWL is heard. Michelle jumps back startled by the angry GERMAN SHEPARD tied to the support beam guarding the entrance to the &#8220;Mothers&#8221; side.<\/p>\n<p class=\"character\">MICHELLE<\/p>\n<p class=\"dialogue\">As I was saying, it shouldn&#8217;t matter if&#46;&#46;&#46;<\/p>\n<p class=\"action\">Michelle grabs a COOKIE from the &#8220;Others&#8221; table, stands back, and hesitantly throws it at the dog. The dog eats it.<\/p>\n<p class=\"character\">MICHELLE (CONT&#8217;D)<\/p>\n<p class=\"dialogue\">We choose to procreate or not. We deserve the same rights and privileges as everyone else when it comes to our food choices.<\/p>\n<p class=\"action\">Dog starts dry heaving and vomits up the cookie. Michelle looks at the dog disgusted.<\/p>\n<p class=\"character\">MICHELLE<\/p>\n<p class=\"dialogue\">See? Not even fit for dogs. Forget this.<\/p>\n<p class=\"action\">Michelle indignantly steps over the rope, into the &#8220;Mothers&#8221; side, and walks over to the food table. Chatting and laughing, the group of mothers congregates in the corner. Michelle grabs a plate and loads up on food.<\/p>\n<p class=\"character\">MICHELLE<\/p>\n<p class=\"parenthetical\">(putting the food on her plate)<\/p>\n<p class=\"dialogue\">Mmm. Truffle canap\u00e9s, prosciutto, brie en croute&#46;&#46;&#46; ooh tiramisu&#46;&#46;&#46;<\/p>\n<p class=\"action\">As the women laugh, Jeannie turns around and notices Michelle sneaking food.<\/p>\n<p class=\"character\">JEANNIE<\/p>\n<p class=\"dialogue\">What do you think you&#8217;re doing?!<\/p>\n<p class=\"action\">The rest of the women turn around.<\/p>\n<p class=\"character\">JEANNIE<\/p>\n<p class=\"dialogue\">This is for mothers only! Mothers only!<\/p>\n<p class=\"character\">CHARLOTTE<\/p>\n<p class=\"dialogue\">We don&#8217;t feed your kind here.<\/p>\n<p class=\"character\">MICHELLE<\/p>\n<p class=\"dialogue\">Hey, at least, I don&#8217;t carry the perpetual stench of baby poop around with me. Yeah, that&#8217;s right. I said it. Y&#8217;all stink like a sewage treatment plant in mid-July.<\/p>\n<p class=\"character\">JEANNIE<\/p>\n<p class=\"dialogue\">Get her!<\/p>\n<p class=\"character\">LYNETTE<\/p>\n<p class=\"dialogue\">Baby-hater!<\/p>\n<p class=\"action\">The women charge, throwing PACIFIERS and BOTTLES at Michelle. Enveloping her in a dog pile, one woman picks up a DIAPER GENIE and bashes it over Michelle&#8217;s head. Another wraps a SECURITY BLANKET around Michelle&#8217;s neck choking her.<\/p>\n<p class=\"action\">After some struggle, Michelle finally wrestles herself away from the group.<\/p>\n<p class=\"character\">MICHELLE<\/p>\n<p class=\"dialogue\">Listen. This is insane. Just because I can&#8217;t have children&#46;&#46;&#46;<\/p>\n<p class=\"character\">JEANNIE<\/p>\n<p class=\"dialogue\">You can&#8217;t have children?<\/p>\n<p class=\"character\">MICHELLE<\/p>\n<p class=\"dialogue\">My uterus possesses more hostility than a feminist running a marathon without a bra.<\/p>\n<p class=\"character\">ALL<\/p>\n<p class=\"dialogue\">Awwh. Nooo.<\/p>\n<p class=\"action\">The women gather around and console Michelle.<\/p>\n<p class=\"character\">JEANNIE<\/p>\n<p class=\"dialogue\">We&#8217;re so sorry.<\/p>\n<p class=\"character\">LYNETTE<\/p>\n<p class=\"dialogue\">Here sit down. Have some pecan-caramel cheesecake.<\/p>\n<p class=\"character\">CHARLOTTE<\/p>\n<p class=\"dialogue\">Salmon roulade?<\/p>\n<p class=\"action\">The women sit Michelle down and start handing her food. Michelle, shrugs, sits back, and happily gorges herself on the hors d&#8217;oeuvres.<\/p>\n<p class=\"character\">JEANNIE<\/p>\n<p class=\"dialogue\">So, when do you plan to start looking into adoption?<\/p>\n<p class=\"character\">LYNETTE<\/p>\n<p class=\"dialogue\">Or surrogacy? I know this great&#46;&#46;&#46;<\/p>\n<p class=\"character\">MICHELLE<\/p>\n<p class=\"dialogue\">I&#8217;m not.<\/p>\n<p class=\"character\">CHARLOTTE<\/p>\n<p class=\"dialogue\">But you said&#46;&#46;&#46;<\/p>\n<p class=\"character\">MICHELLE<\/p>\n<p class=\"parenthetical\">(continuing to eat)<\/p>\n<p class=\"dialogue\">Barren and loving it. Can you pass me the chanterelle mushroom custard?<\/p>\n<p class=\"character\">ALL<\/p>\n<p class=\"parenthetical\">(simultaneously)<\/p>\n<p class=\"dialogue\">What? What are you talking about? How dare you?<\/p>\n<p class=\"action\">In an uproar, the women knock the plate out of Michelle&#8217;s hand. Michelle looks around confused. As a group, they lift her from the chair, carry her across the room, and throw her over the rope to the &#8220;Others&#8221; side. Michelle lands face down on the floor.<\/p>\n<p class=\"action\">Out of the corner of her eye, Michelle spies a crab cake. She reaches for it when, suddenly, the dog runs over, grabs the cake, and runs away. Michelle pounds her fist on the floor.<\/p>\n<p class=\"character\">MICHELLE<\/p>\n<p class=\"dialogue\">Disenfranchised by a dog.<\/p>\n<p class=\"transition\">BLACKOUT:<\/p>\n<\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>So, what becomes of the women for whom Mother&#8217;s Day serves no purpose&#8230;?<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":8,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[5],"tags":[22,34,132],"class_list":["post-1202","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-sketches","tag-baby-showers","tag-boob-nazis","tag-mothers-day"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.sketchwar.org\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1202","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.sketchwar.org\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.sketchwar.org\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.sketchwar.org\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/8"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.sketchwar.org\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=1202"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.sketchwar.org\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1202\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.sketchwar.org\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=1202"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.sketchwar.org\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=1202"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.sketchwar.org\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=1202"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}