Episode 49

We begin this week's episode with BUCK who is at JUNE's front door. DERRICK and his mother Ms. RAINES are inside.

(JUNE sees BUCK.)

JUNE thinks - Oh no!

JUNE whispers - Buck! What are you doing here!

BUCK - I just came to see ya baby. What's going on? Can I come in?

(JUNE closes the door behind herself and steps into the hall.)

JUNE - Uh...no you can't. I am busy right now, I am...uh...reading some stuff.

BUCK - Cool, well let me chill over here. I promise I won't disturb you, I can catch up on some reading myself. Ha ha ha, you know us Amgis students study a whole lot! Ha ha ha!

(JUNE looks around and hopes DERRICK doesn't here BUCK laughing.)

JUNE - No...uh...this really isn't a good time Buck. It would be better if you just left.

BUCK - Why? What's wrong? Do you have company?

JUNE - Uh...

(The door opens.)

BUCK - Well well well. What's up my man?

DERRICK - Buck? What the hell are you doing here?

(DERRICK steps into the hallway.)

BUCK - I was about to ask you the same thing brother man.

(JUNE steps between DERRICK and BUCK.)

JUNE - Buck, why don't you just go!

(BUCK turns his glance from DERRICK to JUNE.)

BUCK - Is that what you really want June?

DERRICK - You heard her man! Be out!

BUCK - Aint nobody talking to you! I was talking to June. And if June wants me to leave then I will leave.

DERRICK - Well she wants you to leave!

BUCK - June can speak for herself! Unlike some people who need dear old dad to hook them up! You can't get a contract without dad huh? Ha ha ha ha ha ha!

DERRICK - What!

JUNE - That's enough Buck! I want you to go!

(JUNE tries to keep DERRICK back.)

BUCK - Aight I'm out! June I'll call ya later. Ha ha ha ha ha! Hey D, tell Lowell I said hello. Ha ha ha ha ha!

(BUCK continues to laugh as he walks down the hall. JUNE turns to DERRICK.)

JUNE - Don't pay him any attention.

DERRICK - No! I need to do just the opposite! I gotta go!

JUNE - Where are you going?

DERRICK - I'll be back. Tell my mother that I will be back.

JUNE - But wait! Where are you going?

(DERRICK runs down the hall.)

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

The members of Omega Psi Phi are meeting at the Omega frat house, discussing what they are going to do next.

DEXTER - I say we calm down. For real. There is just too much going on right now. With everything going on in the news, we need to really think this thing out.

RONNIE - I hear what you are saying Dex, but we have to move on. I have family in New York as well as in DC. I called and checked on all of my people after the tradgedies. We can't let our lives halt because of this. This is something going on on our campus, between two fraternities, that we discussed last week. It is time for us to do what we said we were going to do.

DEXTER - But we never agreed or voted even to do anything.

RONNIE - I thought we were all in agreement.

DRE - Now wait. No we didn't agree on what we should do, but that is why I thought we were here. I do agree with Dexter on the timliness, but we can't sit around and do nothing. The Alphas jumped one of our frat brothers. That shit is wrong for any brother. Whether they are Omega or not.

DEXTER - And I still can't see them doing that. Come one man, you know the Alphas. They aint even about no stuff like that.

RONNIE - Whatever! I wouldn't put nothing past nobody.

DRE - I hear that.

RONNIE - Dex are you in or are you out?

(silence)

RONNIE - Well?

DEXTER - What's the plan?

RONNIE - Aight look. I know that they are going to be over at Bobby's place.

DRE - How do you know?

RONNIE - Trina told me. She seems to know everything about them niggas.

DRE - Okay so then what do we do?

RONNIE - We go over there and ask to speak to Larry. And we get him aside and deal with that nigga.

DEXTER - How do we get him alone?

RONNIE - We just tell that nigga to come outside.

DRE - Now you sound stupid. They are gonna just let their boy out to the hounds by himself? And with you there probably talking mad shit? I don't think so.

RONNIE - You got a better plan?

DRE - Yes I do. I say we send Dex over there.

DEXTRER - What? Me? Why me?

DRE - Because they will trust you. So if you ask to holla at Larry, he will probably come out and follow you to where we are. And then we can deal with him properly.

DEXTER - Hell no I aint doing that!

RONNIE - Why not?

DEXTER - Because man, that is betraying a trust that I have with my friends.

RONNIE - What about the trust that you have with your frat?

(silence)

RONNIE - Don't flake out on me now man.

DRE - What you gonna do Dexter? Dog, are you in or out?

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

XAVIER is at home going through his story board for the upcoming issue of The Sands, the school newspaper.

XAVIER thinks - The World Trade Center crash was devastating to say the least! How can I write this and give the proper emotion behind this? Wow, I can't believe this is happening. This may be the last days that are spoken of in the word.

(XAVIER gets up from his desk and grabs a book off of his shelf.)

XAVIER thinks - Hmmm, left behind. This story seemed to put a lot of this in perspective. I am glad I started reading the series.

(He puts that book back and picks up the bible.)

XAVIER thinks - I need to say a prayer again for all the families of the victims of this senseless crime.

(As XAVIER opens the bible, there is a knock on the door.)

XAVIER thinks - I wonder who this is. Maybe this is Shareesa.

(XAVIER goes and answers the door.)

APRIL - Hey Xavier, are you busy? I hate to come by unannounced but I need to talk to you.

XAVIER - Oh sure, come on in April. How you doin'?

(APRIL comes in and XAVIER closes the door behind her.)

XAVIER - Are you okay?

APRIL - I think so.

XAVIER - Sit down. Do you want something to drink?

APRIL - Naw, I'm cool. Thanks.

XAVIER - So what's wrong?

(XAVIER sits next to APRIL.)

APRIL - Okay, I need this to remain between me and you. Okay?

XAVIER - Oh sure, you can trust in my confidence.

APRIL - Thank you. Okay, here is the deal. Somebody, well I shouldn't say somebody because I know who did it. But somebody broke into my email account and sent a letter to my sorors that I am a lesbian.

XAVIER - What? Are you serious?

APRIL - Yeah. She sent a long letter out as if it were me. Professing that that is the lifestyle that I lead and that is just the way that I am.

XAVIER - Oh my God! Can you go back and deny it?

APRIL - I can but the way that the letter was written, it makes it hard now. It's almost as if she knew that I would come back and say that it wasn't me. Lots of sorors won't believe that I really didn't say those things.

XAVIER - Man, that is messed up!

APRIL - But that isn't all.

XAVIER - There's more?

APRIL - Yeah. The thing is...

(APRIL pauses.)

XAVIER - Go on.

(silence)

APRIL - This is hard.

XAVIER - Take your time. You are talking to a friend.

(APRIL smiles.)

APRIL - The thing is, there was an incident...

(silence)

APRIL - ...where I was with a...woman.

(XAVIER has a shocked look on his face.)

XAVIER - So, are you a lesbian?

APRIL - No. Well I don't think so. I don't want to date or sleep with women. Nothing like that. As a matter of fact, right about now I don't want to sleep with anybody.

XAVIER - Me neither.

(They laugh together.)

APRIL - Well I know you don't!

(They laugh again.)

APRIL - But for me it was just something that happened. Ya know? Just kinda happened.

XAVIER - So it won't happen again?

APRIL - No. But my fear is how this person found out. I know the people who know. And I can't figure out how this person found out about this whole deal. But nonetheless, I want to kill her and I am going to kill her when I see her again.

XAVIER - Now April, that isn't the attitude to have.

APRIL - Oh no? Maybe if I told you who it was wo did this to me, you wouldn't say that.

XAVIER - It doesn't make a difference who it is. Beating her down or kicking her butt is infantile. You don't want to do that.

APRIL - It was Mona Ferguson.

(silence)

XAVIER - So when you gonna beat her up?

(They laugh.)

XAVIER - No seriously, I am only kidding. Look April, I know you came here so I could talk you out of beating Mona up.

APRIL - How did you know?

XAVIER - Because I know that as much as you don't like Mona, you don't want to kick her butt either.

APRIL - That is a fine line. Trust me.

XAVIER - I know and I understand how you feel. But let me say this to you. You don't need to get to Mona with your fists. You need to get to Mona with your mind. Don't be stronger than Mona, be smarter than Mona. Ya know?

APRIL - I think I see where you are going.

XAVIER - She keeps getting you and your sorors upset. But how? Not by beating yall up. But by doing things that she knows will piss yall off.

APRIL - True.

XAVIER - And I am not advocating revenge, but if you must do what you gotta do, do it where it will affect her. Feel me?

APRIL - You are definitely felt. Thanks.

XAVIER - No problem. And this info is safe with me for the record.

APRIL - Thanks again for that.

(silence)

APRIL - Well, I don't want to take up to much more of your time.

XAVIER - Yeah, I need to get to finishing this writing for the paper.

APRIL - Cool, well I will let you get back to that then.

APRIL thinks - Please say I can stay! Please say I can stay! Please say I can stay!

XAVIER - Okay, well call me if you need anything else or if you need to talk or anything.

APRIL - Okay cool.

APRIL thinks - Dammit!

(XAVIER and APRIL get up.)

APRIL - Thanks for the advice.

XAVIER - Any time. Thanks for stopping by.

(They pause by the door.)

APRIL thinks - Maybe he will kiss me good night!

(XAVIER opens the door and holds it open for APRIL.)

APRIL thinks - Damn!

(APRIL reaches to hug XAVIER. He hugs her back.)

XAVIER - Talk to ya later.

APRIL - Bye. Good luck with the article.

XAVIER - Oh thanks.

(XAVIER smiles as APRIL walks out and he slowly closes the door.)

APRIL thinks - Damn, I think I really am falling for him!

XAVIER thinks - Okay, that settles it! I am not going after April anymore! I have to follow where my gut and where my heart is. Lord please let me know if I am doing the right thing by following what I feel is right. I pray that this is the companion that you have sent to me.

(XAVIER picks up the phone and dials. The phone rings.)

XAVIER thinks - Sorry Gregg.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

There is a knock on LOWELL DODGE's door.

LOWELL - Derrick? What brings you by son?

(DERRICK just walks in.)

LOWELL - Sure...come on in.

DERRICK - Look, let's get to the point.

(LOWELL sits down.)

DERRICK - What do you want from me?

LOWELL - What do you mean son?

DERRICK - Cut the crap Lowell. What do you want from me?

(LOWELL gets up and goes to his mini bar. He pours himself a drink.)

LOWELL - I know you don't drink. Want some juice?

DERRICK - I don't have time for your games. Why did you come back? What do you want?

LOWELL - I want you to quit being stupid and play your heart out in the NBA. That is what I want. I want you to be happy. I know that things that I did didn't make you happy growing up. There is nothing that I can do about that now Derrick. But don't punish yourself in an attempt to punish me.

(DERRICK sits and holds his head.)

LOWELL - Look Derrick. I am not trying to play any games with you. Or with your mother. I cannot ask your forgiveness for leaving you alone. If you want to know what I want...this is what I want.

(LOWELL puts his glass down and goes to his desk.)

DERRICK - What are you doing?

LOWELL - I want to show you something.

(DERRICK gets up and goes to the small fridge at LOWELL's mini bar. He pours himself orange juice.)

DERRICK - You're right. I don't drink.

LOWELL - I know, and stay that way. Let me show you what I want. I want you to sign this.

(LOWELL comes back with a few pieces of paper.)

DERRICK - Sign what?

LOWELL - Eventhough you walked out of the Trailblazer tryouts, they were impressed. Very impressed. I spoke to the scouts on your behalf and I spoke with Coach Edwards. I explained why you were upset and why you walked out.

(DERRICK sits back down and looks at the papers.)

LOWELL - They are offerring you a deal Derrick. They are not giving you a straight up path to the court. But they want to sign you to their practice squad. From there, you will join the team. In another year you will be a starter at the rate you are going. This is your ticket Derrick. If you sign this deal, you will be a player in the NBA.

DERRICK thinks - Oh my God!

DERRICK - How much are they offerring me?

(LOWELL smiles as he sits back down.)

LOWELL - Actually Derrick, they are asking more from you than what they are giving to you. They are asking you to leave school now. They are asking you to trust their organization and believe that you will be playing in about a year. They are asking you to trust them as they train you on the real game. How to bang with the big boys.

DERRICK - I got game already.

LOWELL - I know that. And they know that too. But they want you to trust that they can improve what game you have already. They see the potential in you. Just like I do. That is why they are asking you to do all of this and offerring you...

(LOWELL pauses.)

LOWELL - They are offerring you five point six million to do it.

(DERRICK's mouth pops open.)

DERRICK - Five million dollars? Are you serious?

LOWELL - Very. So how do you feel now son?

(DERRICK just sits there staring at the papers.)

DERRICK - Five million dollars? I don't believe this!

LOWELL - Believe it. I had to pull a lot of strings for this. But you deserve it. You are a great player and you will get your chance to prove to the world just how good you are.

DERRICK - Oh shit! I don't believe this! Where does it say that in this contract?

LOWELL - Page three.

(DERRICK turns to page three.)

LOWELL - But Derrick, never mind the money. That isn't the motivation here. The true passion is the love of the game. I know that you love the game of basketball and I want to see you express that love until you don't want to anymore. And hopefully that will be after a hall of fame type career.

(DERRICK is still reading.)

LOWELL - Uh Derrick. Do you want some more juice? How about something to eat?

(DERRICK doesn't answer as he is still reading.)

LOWELL - Me and Coach Edwards went through the entire contract with a fine toothed comb. As did my lawyers at the firm as did the lawyer for Coach and for Ahpla University. The contract is fine, trust me.

(DERRICK still reads.)

LOWELL - You probably can't understand all of that legal mumbo jumbo anyhow. Let's talk about some other possibilities.

(silence)

LOWELL - Derrick. Derrick?

DERRICK - It says here that you get one million of my five point six!