Happiness in a Bottle
*This is my second week entry to Bridgit's Flame the prompt is Happiness in a Bottle, I hope you like it.
Rating: PG 13
Notes: fiction, trying something a little different a play (first play, so bear with me). Also, this is a dedication to Mabel, may she rest in peace, G*d bless you Mabel, you were a hoot.
Characters:
Jon - divorced dad of 2 boys, doesn't see the boys much, good looking, but a little gruff and likes Belinda
Sue - likes Jon a lot, but really just a bar fly
Danny - musician that likes Sue a lot, but can't get her attention
Belinda - wanna be musician that likes Danny, but can't get his attention away from Sue
Mabel - old black lady who drinks cranberry juice by herself in the Corner, but always has her spot, a seat in the corner booth
Mack - the bartender who sees it all
Scene 1
- Sue sits at the bar in a darkly lit room with neon lights, and orders a drink. She's wearing a low cut dress tonight, maybe it will get Jon's attention. Danny sits next to her right.
Danny - "Hey Sue, you sure look fine tonight! Whatcha drinkin'?"
Sue looks down as she looks at her drink - "Oh this old thing? I just pulled it out of my closet. I'm drinkin' a Sloe gin fizz, I really like those."
Jon walks in the bar, he looks haggard, - "Hey Mack, can I have a beer? I could really use one. "
Mack nods his head - " You want a Budweiser? It's on sale this week."
Jon just nods his head in agreement.
Sue - "Hey Jon, you look tired, you okay?"
Jon - "Yeah, my ex took me to Court today, and Jeez if she didn't already take all my money, now she wants full custody of the kids too!"
Sue - "Oh no, that's terrible! " - she pulls her dress down a little ways, hoping he spies something he likes
Danny - "Yeah man, that sucks! Who does she think she is anyways!"
Jon - "Yeah! My point exactly ! Oh thanks Mack," - Jon takes a sip from the bottle of beer - "ah that does taste good."
Belinda walks in the bar wearing a slinky dress and shiny heeled boots, she feels taller than normal, maybe Danny will like this look - "Hey guys, what's cookin'?"
Danny turns to her with a devilish look - "Wow Belinda, look at you! You look great man!"
Belinda blushes slightly, but knows to keep her cool - "Doin' okay, thanks, hey Mack, can I have my Captain and Coke?"
Mack looks at her disdainfully, but sighs and gives her the drink.
Jon - "Hey Belinda, let me buy that drink for you, after all, you do look great!"
Belinda - "Aw, that's sweet of you, thanks!" - she turns to Danny - "So Danny, what's goin' on with the music scene this week?"
Danny - "Yeah man, it's goin' great thanks!" - he turns to Sue - " Hey Sue, you hangin out here later? I got some cool riffs I want you to check out!"
Sue - " Maybe, I can hang out here, Mack is that okay with you?"
Mack - "Sure, but I want to clean up early, so it has to be before closing time."
Danny - "Cool, dude, thanks!"
Belinda sighs knowing full well she has lost Danny to Sue again, and turns to see Mabel sitting in her corner booth and goes to sit next to Mabel.
Scene 2
Mabel sits quietly having another sip of her cranberry juice, one of the waitresses comes over after Belinda sits down, and gives out a quiet sigh.
Mabel - "Don't worry 'bout it honey, he don't know what he wants."
Belinda - "Oh you saw all that huh?"
Mabel - "Nothin' gets past me these days but just age sweetie, just age."
Jon looks at Belinda again, but tries to be nonchalant about it.
Mabel - "I think you have an admirer honey, but it ain't Danny."
Belinda - "Yeah, I think Jon likes me, but you know, I'm not really sure about him, he's going through so much, but I just don't know if I like him too."
The waitress comes over with another Captain and Coke for Belinda - "This is from the guy at the bar" - and points to Jon at the bar
Belinda smiles politely and waves to Jon as a thank you.
Mabel - "You better tell him, or he might buy you enough drinks to make you think that you like him back."
Belinda, trying to ignore what Mabel just told her switches the subject - " Tell me what it was like when you were younger, I love to hear your stories."
Mabel - "Oh honey, I got lots of stories, but there is one I never did tell, but I need to show you something first " - and pulls out a tiny blue bottle from her purse.
Belinda is pleasantly surprised Mabel is showing her this - "Wow, that is so cute, I love that, is it filled with something?"
Mabel just shrugs her shoulders - " I thought so years ago, and it's given me good luck my whole long life, but I now wanna give it to you."
Belinda - "Oh no Mabel, I just couldn't" - but she can't help looking at this beautiful blue bottle, something about it, shimmering in the neon light could be the reason behind it - "are you sure you don't want it anymore?"
Mabel - "Oh honey, don't you fret about a thing, you keep it, I've no use for it anymore, I want you to have it. I call it my bottle of happiness."
Belinda - "Is there drugs or something in there?" - puts on a sly smile at Mabel not really believing that this old lady had something dangerous in her purse.
Mabel - "Oh, it's something, but you have to use it wisely, sometimes the results aren't exactly what you wanted, but if you don't want it, I can give it to my niece, she's always wanted it..."
Belinda - "No, no, I'll take it, I really appreciate this Mabel, really I do."
Mabel hands her the shiny little blue bottle - "Just use it with care honey, don't want nothin' bad to happen."
Scene 3 (final scene)
Danny notices that Belinda is sitting with Mabel, and walks over to them - "Dude, what is that blue bottle?"
Belinda - "Oh this thing? Oh Mabel just gave it to me now, sweet huh?"
Danny - "Yeah man, hey you know Sue is just too drunk tonight, you wanna hang out with me later?"
Belinda is really curious now, she wonders if the blue bottle really working, but decides to take the chance - "Sure, I can hang out with you."
Jon walks over to the booth - "Hey Belinda, did you get that drink I sent over?"
Belinda - " Yeah, thanks, I appreciate it."
Jon - " You think you can give me a dance in return?"
Belinda sighs, she's just getting ready to finally have her chance with Danny - "Yeah sure, maybe later tonight, okay?"
Belinda takes out her blue bottle again and thinks about her own happiness.
Mack sees all this going on, and finally comes over to the table - "Hey Belinda, why don't I drive you home, that way you'll be safe."
Belinda - "Yeah, okay Mack, no problem, you're right, I've been drinkin' a little too much tonight. "
Danny goes back to chasing Sue at the bar.
Jon - "How 'bout that dance now, honey"- he says as he slurs his words together.
Belinda - "You know what? I think you're too drunk for a dance, maybe next time okay?"
Jon - "Yeah okay, no problem"
Mack - "How 'bout that ride home, you need one?"
Belinda - "Yeah Mack, that'd be nice, thanks."
- fin-
*edited from comments, thanks!
Rating: PG 13
Notes: fiction, trying something a little different a play (first play, so bear with me). Also, this is a dedication to Mabel, may she rest in peace, G*d bless you Mabel, you were a hoot.
Characters:
Jon - divorced dad of 2 boys, doesn't see the boys much, good looking, but a little gruff and likes Belinda
Sue - likes Jon a lot, but really just a bar fly
Danny - musician that likes Sue a lot, but can't get her attention
Belinda - wanna be musician that likes Danny, but can't get his attention away from Sue
Mabel - old black lady who drinks cranberry juice by herself in the Corner, but always has her spot, a seat in the corner booth
Mack - the bartender who sees it all
Scene 1
- Sue sits at the bar in a darkly lit room with neon lights, and orders a drink. She's wearing a low cut dress tonight, maybe it will get Jon's attention. Danny sits next to her right.
Danny - "Hey Sue, you sure look fine tonight! Whatcha drinkin'?"
Sue looks down as she looks at her drink - "Oh this old thing? I just pulled it out of my closet. I'm drinkin' a Sloe gin fizz, I really like those."
Jon walks in the bar, he looks haggard, - "Hey Mack, can I have a beer? I could really use one. "
Mack nods his head - " You want a Budweiser? It's on sale this week."
Jon just nods his head in agreement.
Sue - "Hey Jon, you look tired, you okay?"
Jon - "Yeah, my ex took me to Court today, and Jeez if she didn't already take all my money, now she wants full custody of the kids too!"
Sue - "Oh no, that's terrible! " - she pulls her dress down a little ways, hoping he spies something he likes
Danny - "Yeah man, that sucks! Who does she think she is anyways!"
Jon - "Yeah! My point exactly ! Oh thanks Mack," - Jon takes a sip from the bottle of beer - "ah that does taste good."
Belinda walks in the bar wearing a slinky dress and shiny heeled boots, she feels taller than normal, maybe Danny will like this look - "Hey guys, what's cookin'?"
Danny turns to her with a devilish look - "Wow Belinda, look at you! You look great man!"
Belinda blushes slightly, but knows to keep her cool - "Doin' okay, thanks, hey Mack, can I have my Captain and Coke?"
Mack looks at her disdainfully, but sighs and gives her the drink.
Jon - "Hey Belinda, let me buy that drink for you, after all, you do look great!"
Belinda - "Aw, that's sweet of you, thanks!" - she turns to Danny - "So Danny, what's goin' on with the music scene this week?"
Danny - "Yeah man, it's goin' great thanks!" - he turns to Sue - " Hey Sue, you hangin out here later? I got some cool riffs I want you to check out!"
Sue - " Maybe, I can hang out here, Mack is that okay with you?"
Mack - "Sure, but I want to clean up early, so it has to be before closing time."
Danny - "Cool, dude, thanks!"
Belinda sighs knowing full well she has lost Danny to Sue again, and turns to see Mabel sitting in her corner booth and goes to sit next to Mabel.
Scene 2
Mabel sits quietly having another sip of her cranberry juice, one of the waitresses comes over after Belinda sits down, and gives out a quiet sigh.
Mabel - "Don't worry 'bout it honey, he don't know what he wants."
Belinda - "Oh you saw all that huh?"
Mabel - "Nothin' gets past me these days but just age sweetie, just age."
Jon looks at Belinda again, but tries to be nonchalant about it.
Mabel - "I think you have an admirer honey, but it ain't Danny."
Belinda - "Yeah, I think Jon likes me, but you know, I'm not really sure about him, he's going through so much, but I just don't know if I like him too."
The waitress comes over with another Captain and Coke for Belinda - "This is from the guy at the bar" - and points to Jon at the bar
Belinda smiles politely and waves to Jon as a thank you.
Mabel - "You better tell him, or he might buy you enough drinks to make you think that you like him back."
Belinda, trying to ignore what Mabel just told her switches the subject - " Tell me what it was like when you were younger, I love to hear your stories."
Mabel - "Oh honey, I got lots of stories, but there is one I never did tell, but I need to show you something first " - and pulls out a tiny blue bottle from her purse.
Belinda is pleasantly surprised Mabel is showing her this - "Wow, that is so cute, I love that, is it filled with something?"
Mabel just shrugs her shoulders - " I thought so years ago, and it's given me good luck my whole long life, but I now wanna give it to you."
Belinda - "Oh no Mabel, I just couldn't" - but she can't help looking at this beautiful blue bottle, something about it, shimmering in the neon light could be the reason behind it - "are you sure you don't want it anymore?"
Mabel - "Oh honey, don't you fret about a thing, you keep it, I've no use for it anymore, I want you to have it. I call it my bottle of happiness."
Belinda - "Is there drugs or something in there?" - puts on a sly smile at Mabel not really believing that this old lady had something dangerous in her purse.
Mabel - "Oh, it's something, but you have to use it wisely, sometimes the results aren't exactly what you wanted, but if you don't want it, I can give it to my niece, she's always wanted it..."
Belinda - "No, no, I'll take it, I really appreciate this Mabel, really I do."
Mabel hands her the shiny little blue bottle - "Just use it with care honey, don't want nothin' bad to happen."
Scene 3 (final scene)
Danny notices that Belinda is sitting with Mabel, and walks over to them - "Dude, what is that blue bottle?"
Belinda - "Oh this thing? Oh Mabel just gave it to me now, sweet huh?"
Danny - "Yeah man, hey you know Sue is just too drunk tonight, you wanna hang out with me later?"
Belinda is really curious now, she wonders if the blue bottle really working, but decides to take the chance - "Sure, I can hang out with you."
Jon walks over to the booth - "Hey Belinda, did you get that drink I sent over?"
Belinda - " Yeah, thanks, I appreciate it."
Jon - " You think you can give me a dance in return?"
Belinda sighs, she's just getting ready to finally have her chance with Danny - "Yeah sure, maybe later tonight, okay?"
Belinda takes out her blue bottle again and thinks about her own happiness.
Mack sees all this going on, and finally comes over to the table - "Hey Belinda, why don't I drive you home, that way you'll be safe."
Belinda - "Yeah, okay Mack, no problem, you're right, I've been drinkin' a little too much tonight. "
Danny goes back to chasing Sue at the bar.
Jon - "How 'bout that dance now, honey"- he says as he slurs his words together.
Belinda - "You know what? I think you're too drunk for a dance, maybe next time okay?"
Jon - "Yeah okay, no problem"
Mack - "How 'bout that ride home, you need one?"
Belinda - "Yeah Mack, that'd be nice, thanks."
- fin-
*edited from comments, thanks!