The Ash Can

The start of a film I wrote about working in a video rental store.

EXT. THE ASH CAN – DAY

It’s a wonderful mid morning day. It’s the end of march, and the first signs of spring are starting to show themselves. A few ragtag pigeons hobble along the sidewalk while a handful of flowers vomit themselves into view.

MR. LUNDER (Late 60’s, gentle looking old soul) steps onto the sidewalk and quickly works his way across the concrete to The Ash Can, a video rental outlet this side of going bankrupt.

Mr. Lunder pushes the front door open and a bell JINGLES happily to itself.

INT. THE ASH CAN – DAY

Mr. Lunder walks past the desk where ALEKSANDER TOGOLA (Early twenties, skinny and feminine, black with short cropped hair) is busy talking on the phone.

Mr. Lunder waves at Alek, and Alek raises his eyebrows in return.

ALEK (O.S.)

Yeah huh… Okay… yup… of course… sure… well, I’ll see… no, of course… yes yes… mmhmm… yup…

While Alek mumbles on, Lunder slowly starts stalking the aisles, checking out various titles and HUMMING quietly to himself.

ALEK (O.S.) (CONT’D)

Sure thing… uhuh… yes… yup… oh? Oh. Okay if… sure… hmm… yeah… so… okay… yup…

Lunder picks up a cover, looks at it, flips it around, scans the back, then puts it back on the shelf and continues his jaunt.

ALEK (O.S.) (CONT’D)

If you’re sure… yeah huh… of course… no, I’m not saying that… sorry… yeah, sure… okay… naturally… mmhmm…

Lunder reaches the end of the aisle, and turns around to start down the next one. He spots something, and reaches for it.

ALEK (CONT’D)

Yeah huh… sure thing… yes… we do… if we can… uhuh… mmm…. Yup… maybe… lemme… sure… okay…

Lunder reads the back of the box, then nods to himself. He grabs one of the cases behind the cover and starts down back towards Alek.

ALEK (CONT’D)

Of course… yup… mmhmm… yeah… right… okay, great… excellent… Alright…

Lunder walks up and puts the film down on the counter. Alek grins at Lunder and holds up one finger. Just wait a sec.

ALEK (CONT’D)

Yep… of course. Great!

Alek taps a few keys.

ALEK (CONT’D)

No, sorry, We don’t have any in. Alright! Have a good day.

Alek looks up at Mr. Lunder and smiles.

ALEK (CONT’D)

Found everything okay?

FADE OUT:

TITLE OVER

The Ash Can

FADE IN:

INT. THE ASH CAN – DAY

Alek sits at the till, slowly spinning in his stool, watching the empty shop.

ALEK

Wooo…

Suddenly a large plastic bag filled with movies slams down onto the till, startling Alek.

CHEL (O.S.)

Hey there, lard pants.

Alek turns and smiles at CHEL BELLIN (A few years older than Alek. Pale as can be with dark hair that’s not so much cut as left to fester) who stands with a half smile on her face.

ALEK

Oh, hey there Chel.

Chel slaps the bag of movies.

CHEL

Just returning last nights festivities.

Alek picks up the bag and starts rifling through them.

ALEK

Jesus, you watched all these?

Chel shrugs.

CHEL

Eh. Most of ‘em. The rest I just ripped to my computer for later.

ALEK

Oh. Okay.

Chel ruffles Alek’s hair and heads towards the back office. She stops, and turns to face Alek.

CHEL

Hey, what time am I on, again?

ALEK

Err…

Alek scoots his stool over to a large binder, opens it and flips through quickly. He finds his page and searches with his finger.

ALEK (CONT’D)

About… ten minutes ago.

Chel nods.

CHEL

Right. I’ll be right out then.

Chel heads to the back again.

CHEL (CONT’D)

(over her shoulder)

Is Sal in the office?

ALEK

Yeah. Why?

Chel turns and winks at Alek.

CHEL

Just curious.

INT. THE ASH CAN – OFFICE – DAY

SAL RICHARDS (Middle aged and very, very gentle looking. His face looks like it’s slowly being melted) sits at the desk in the office, his head in his hands while his shoulders shake with unrepressed sobs.

Chel knocks on the door and enters.

CHEL

Hey there, boss.

Sal sobs in reply.

CHEL (CONT’D)

Need anything back here?

Sal responds by letting out a loud WAIL that goes on for slightly too long.

Beat.

CHEL (CONT’D)

Right on.

Chel nods, takes off her jacket and hangs it on the coat rack.

Chel heads for the bay of lockers and opens her unlocked one. She takes out the uniform vest and slips it over her shirt.

She reaches into her pockets and pulls out a set of keys and her wallet, which she drops into the locker. Sal continues to weep.

CHEL (CONT’D)

I’m gonna go sign on, okay?

Sal murmurs something between his tears. Chel heads for the door.

CHEL (CONT’D)

Awesome. Have a good time back here.

Chel nods and closes the door behind her.

INT. THE ASH CAN – DAY

Chel walks away from the office and towards the till while Sal (Off Screen) let’s out an earth shaking cry of misery.

Alek sits there reading a comic book. Chel hops over the counter and starts up the second computer/till.

CHEL

So what’s got him going today?

Alek continues reading.

ALEK

A guy returned a film late.

CHEL

Ah.

Chel types in her ID and hits enter with a resounding THUD.

DISSOLVE TO:

INT. THE ASH CAN – DAY

Alek sits at the till staring off into space while Chel opens and closes a blank DVD case with a repetitive CLICKING.

CHEL

So. How was opening?

Click-click.

ALEK

Not bad. We didn’t get any–

Click-click.

ALEK (CONT’D)

We didn’t get any new shipments or anything so–

Click-click.

ALEK (CONT’D)

So, uh, it wasn’t, uh–

Click-click. Chel leers at Alek evilly.

ALEK (CONT’D)

It wasn’t as if–

Click-click. Alek takes a deep breath.

ALEK (CONT’D)

It wasn’t as if it was–

CLICK-CLICK-CLICK-CLICK-CLICK. Chel opens and closes the case as fast as she can.

Alek whirls around.

ALEK (CONT’D)

Would you STOP THAT?

CUSTOMER (O.C.)

Excuse me?

Alek whirls around and growls at the CUSTOMER, a pasty white chubby individual.

ALEK

YES?

Alek stops, takes a deep breath, and forces a smile.

ALEK (CONT’D)

Yes? How can I help?

CUSTOMER

Urr, I was wondering… you seemed the best to ask, so, uh, how was this fifty-cent movie?

Alek stares at the Customer for a second.

ALEK

Wait, so why did you ask me and not Chel, there?

CUSTOMER

Well, because you’re… because, well–

ALEK

Listen, just because I’m black doesn’t mean I’m some rap obsessed gangsta pimp who slaps ho’s and deals crack to his bro’s in the hood!

Alek waves his arms around, growing increasingly agitated.

ALEK (CONT’D)

I’m not some car-jacking, stereo-stealing, white-man blaming degenerate who’s only reason for continuing is to cheat on welfare! I’ll have you know that the color of my skin doesn’t–

The customer raises his hands.

CUSTOMER

Whoa whoa whoa, you’re BLACK?

Alek stops, mid tirade, and turns to look at the customer.

ALEK

Uh, yeah?

CUSTOMER

Oh. I thought you were Mexican. Never mind then.

The customer walks off.

Alek stares off for a second, not moving.

ALEK

…what?

Chel LAUGHS and hops down from the desk.

CHEL

Smooth move there, Captain Civil Rights.

Alek takes a deep breath and runs his hands through his hair.

ALEK

Yeah, sorry about that. Jesus…

Chel starts giving Alek a back rub.

CHEL

You gotta chill, hombres. That’s the fourth time this week you’ve chased off a customer like that. You can’t let these things get to you.

ALEK

Get to me? You were purposely–

CUSTOMER

Excuse me?

Alek turns and smiles at the Chubby Customer from before.

ALEK

Yes? Sorry about before–

CUSTOMER

Have you seen this?

The Customer raises a DVD of Speedy Gonzales or something equally ridiculously Mexican.

Alek stares blankly for a second.

INT. THE ASH CAN – OFFICE – DAY

Sal sits, sniffing into a Kleenex in the back room. He takes a deep breath, and reaches for the tissues when somebody KNOCKS on the door.

Sal looks up, and walks over and opens it.

FLAKE (real name: Sally Marshall, absurdly thin and caved in looking, dark hair that covers her eyes, pimply, pale, sunken eyed; all in all the shiftiest looking person you’ve ever met) stalks into the room past Sal.

SAL

Oh, hi there, Flake.

Flake nods hurriedly and scurries for her locker, her shoulders hunched. She looks back and forth, opens her locker, turning herself to hide its contents from Sal, who doesn’t pay any attention at all.

Sal goes and sits at his desk, and starts reading the monitor.

SAL (CONT’D)

So how was your day been, Flake?

Flake GRUNTS, and crams something into her locker.

SAL (CONT’D)

Super. Hey–

Sal turns to look at Flake, who flinches.

SAL (CONT’D)

Is Alek free? I wanna talk to him.

Flake shakes her head quickly.

INT. THE ASH CAN – DAY

Chel sits at the till watching Alek try to explain something to the Customer on the white board. On it he has pinned a picture of WILL SMITH and DANNY TREJO.

ALEK

Look, see, THIS GUY–

Points at Smith.

ALEK (CONT’D)

This guy, is black, right?

CUSTOMER

If you say so.

ALEK

Then THIS guy, must be…

The Customer squints at Trejo.

CUSTOMER

Uh… Chinese?

Chel snorts.

ELLIOT (O.S.)

Hey there hot pants.

Chel looks over her shoulder at ELLIOT GRAVEL (Mid twenties, smarmy and frat boyish. Smiles in a way that makes you want to punch his face in) who winks at her. Chel rolls her eyes.

CHEL

Hey Elliot. I didn’t know you were working today.

Elliot leans over the counter and leers at Chel.

ELLIOT

Babe, I’ll work everyday if I get to work with you.

Chel rolls her eyes and goes back to watching Alek, while he circles the picture of Trejo several times angrily.

ALEK

Look! He is Mexican! Alright? Mexican!

CUSTOMER

Yeah?

ALEK

And I am AFRICAN? Okay?

CUSTOMER

Right.

ALEK

So therefore you are…

CUSTOMER

Scandinavian?

Alek lets out a wordless cry of rage.

ELLIOT

What the hell is going on?

CHEL

Long story. Or not, really. But longer than I’m willing to talk to you.

Elliot laughs.

ELLIOT

Oh, ouch. You got me there toots.

Chel looks back at Elliot.

CHEL

Call me toots one more time and I’ll ram that set of balls you covet so highly so far up your pelvis you’ll cry semen. Get me?

Elliot blanches slightly.

ELLIOT

I’m uh… I’m gonna go drop my stuff in my locker.

Chel turns back to watch Alek fall onto the ground, pounding the floor in a helpless rage.

CHEL

You do that.

Elliot nods to himself, and heads for the office.

He gets to the office door, which opens and Flake sneaks out. Elliot bumps into her on his way in.

ELLIOT

Oof, watch it short stuff.

FLAKE

(under her breath)

Sorry.

Elliot strolls into the office. Flake watches him, blushing a deep shade of crimson.

Alek walks up and runs his hands through his hair.

ALEK

FINALLY got rid of that…

Alek seems to notice who he’s talking to.

ALEK (CONT’D)

…guy.

Flake nods, and mumbles something.

ALEK (CONT’D)

What?

Flake mumbles something a wee bit louder.

ALEK (CONT’D)

Huh?

FLAKE

(tiniest voice possible)

…boss wants to see you…

ALEK

Oh. Okay.

Flake nods to herself and scuttles away.

ALEK (CONT’D)

Uh, he’s in the office, right?

Flake nods without turning around. Alek shrugs, and heads for the office.