January 8, 2025

Orange Ya Glad: Part 2 [ #Surprise25 ]

 

[TA Kutz. . .Acer’s Office.]

 

[ Ace is sitting with Hithe across

from his desk & Mark standing

next to him. ]

 

ACE: A stampede.  Outside of a TA.

You are never going to live this

down. 

HITHE: He’s right.  They will be

talking about this at manager

conventions for years and years. 

 

MARK: Great.  That’s a comforting

thought. We’re lucky that everyone was 

able to get inside and no one was hurt.

 

Only some smashed instruments.

 

ACE: Imagine if that kid hadn’t

of stopped the band. 

HITHE: Yeah, I’ve never seen

someone run that fast in my

life. 

I put a clip of the video Sunnie

sent me of him taking off from

the lot.  Thousands of views over

the weekend.

ACE: Oh yeah? Let me see.

 

[ Hithe hands him his phone. ]

 

MARK: Well, have fun with that

I’m going back to the store.

 

[ He sighs & exits as they watch. ]

 

ACE: That was wild!

HITHE: Yeah maybe you should

give Mark a bit of a break.

ACE: What do you mean?

 

HITHE: Since Ski decided to take

another year of that out of state

internship, he hasn’t been acting

the same.

Always here.  Showing up off

shift.  Basically, dedicating all

his time to TA.

 

ACE: And that’s different from

when Ski was here how.

 

Look, I know how to handle Mark

when he’s down and it’s nothing a

long night out can’t solve.



[TA Care. . .Entrance Area.]

[ Jenni and Tiesun are talking near the

front desk & waterfall sculpture. ]

 

“So, what is the word around Care

today?”

 

JENNI: If you’re asking if parents

are still talking about the incident,

then the answer is yes.  Thankfully

it doesn’t seem to be affecting the

signs up we got.

 

TIESUN: That’s good.  I mean,

accidents happen so maybe they’ll

be somewhat lenient with us.

JENNI: Me and Sunnie have just been

reassuring them that everyone here is

safe and we take the proper precautions

inside and outside.

 

TIESUN: We should do something

for Erme today.  You know, to show

our appreciation.



JENNI: I agree.  Let’s talk later, I got

some work to do in the office. 

 

[ Jenni retreats to the back.  Looking 

around she enters the woman’s 

restroom.    

 

Going inside one of the stalls, 

she stands there trembling as she 

removes a pregnancy test from

her purse.]



: [TA Kutz. . .Main Cutting Area.]

 

[ Diane is watching new hire Yazmyn as

she is taking her time cutting an older

woman’s hair.

 

As the woman is continuing to ramble

on about her ex-husband’s affairs, Diane

takes a moment to cut in. ]

 

DIANE: Hey were starting to gather

a line & Kira just left for lunch.

 

[ She attempts to whisper to Yaz

to hurry it along but the customer

hears her.

 

Acer has come out & is watching

them. ]

 

YAZ: Thanks. I’ll try.

 

[ She chokes out awkwardly &

her client continues.

 

Diane finishes up her cleaning &

saunters off toward the front. 


Acer joins her near the desk. ]

 

ACE: Next time, you might want

to save any suggestions for after,

in private. 

DIANE: Normally, I'd agree but she is

taking an hour for every cut.  Well

never get through the day at that

rate and she needs to learn.

 

ACE: It’s her first week.  Give 

her some time.  



 [TA Care. . .Break Room.]

 

[ Jai & Kaori are sitting close at the table.

She smiles while eyeing him slurp up a

large portion of his soup from the cup. ]

 

“Mmm. I think you’re right, it does

taste better when you drink it.”

 

[ Jai exclaims as the hot liquid

travels down. ]

 

KAORI: It taste better because I

made it. 

 

[ She kisses Jai on the cheek. ]

 

JAI: How have the kids been

today?

KAORI: You mean after Saturday?

Fine.  It’s the parents I’m more

concerned with though.  A couple

of regulars did not show up this

morning.

JAI:  I wouldn’t worry about it

babe.  They could be absent for

multiple reasons.  We’ll do a

follow up on it. 

 

[ Jenni enters the room silent &

frozen at the door. ]

 

KAORI: Hey sis.  Is something wrong?



[TA Kutz. . .Entrance Area.]

 

[ Hithe notices Fang tidying up her station

& gathering her stuff to leave from across

the room.

 

Seconds later, he approaches. ]

 

“So. . .mystery vegan food, the bread

& meat go to, or an Italian buffet?

 

Which is more tempting to you?”

 

[ She looks up to see Hithe smirking

at her, anxious for a response. ]

 

FANG: The buffet, of course. 


So is this your way of getting

to know your co-workers more

intimately?  A survey?

 

[ She jokes with him. ]

 


[ Hithe takes her hand & they

walk out into the parking lot.

 

Later, they are settled into a

booth eating pizza slices &

salad. ]

 

FANG: So when was your last

relationship?

HITHE: I’ve been single a few

years now.  Ever since my ex

moved to California.  She was a

store manager.  What about you? 

FANG: Me about a year now.


[ He waits for her to say more

but is left in silence. ]

  

Well our lunch hour is almost

up.  We better get back to TA.

 

[ She states, ending the conversation

there. ]



[TA Store. . .Mark’s Office.]

 

[ Mark is on speaker phone talking to

his business lawyer, Dyminic. ]

 

MARK: So I emailed the Towne’s an

apology and appreciation letter like

you said.


Is there anything else I should do?

 

DYMINIC: Not at this time. I mean,

a weekend has gone by so that could

be a good sign.

MARK: What about being sued?  I

heard there was some missing

 animals.

 

DYMINIC: What does it say in the

contract? Let’s review it, real quick

and see.

 

[ A few minutes later, after Dyminic

has appeased Mark.


There’s a knock at the office door. ]

 

[ Startled, Mark unlocks it & Hahn

enters.  Sitting a letter down in front

of him. ]

 

HAHN: This came for you. It’s from

the Towne’s.

 

[ He exits.  Slowly Mark opens the

letter to reveal an itemized bill. ]

 

‘Two missing sheep. . .$600.


Two missing goats. . .$600.'



[ Bench Between Kutz & Store.]

 

[ Erme walks outside, coat in hand.  He sees a

girl standing in front of the bench waiting

on her ride. ]

 

“Erme, right?”

 

ERME: Yeah.  How did you?

Wait, let me guess.  The video?



[ She faintly smiles but doesn’t look

at him. ]

 

YAZ: It’s gotten around.

I’m Yazmyn. 

ERME: Nice to meet you.

 

That was my first week

here, I can only imagine

what’s to come. 

 

YAZ: It’s my first week too.

And honestly I’ve thought

about it being my last. 

ERME: Why is that?

 

YAZ: One of the managers

is always riding me and I’m

not sure I really belong here.

 

ERME: I get that but you do.

And hey, at least now you

know me.

 

[ A horn honks & she leaves

while Erme walks back inside. ]