"THE BIDGE-MEL TEST" Written by Damian Yerrick
THE BIDGE-MEL TEST ------------------ FADE IN: EXT. MEL'S HOUSE/FRONT - DAY BIDGE, a school-age girl with straight brown hair and bangs and no legs, wearing a red hooded cape and carrying a large BASKET with a lid on her belt, scoots down the sidewalk on mittened hands through the neighborhood. BIDGE Almost to Mel's house to play some ball. She turns and scoots up the walkway to Mel's house, then climbs onto the step of the front porch and knocks on the DOOR. MEL (O.S.) Who is it? BIDGE It's me, Bidge. Want to come out and kick a ball around? MEL (O.S.) You got the ball? BIDGE It's in my basket. MEL (O.S.) Great. Let me go get my mittens on. BIDGE Wait, Mel -- What'll we use as goal markers? DISSOLVE TO: EXT. MEL'S HOUSE/REAR - DAY Bidge and MEL, a school-age girl with curly blonde hair and no legs, wearing a hair bow and a frilly sky blue dress, are KICKING a ball back and forth across Mel's back yard with their mittened hands. At opposite ends of the yard are a pointy hat and Bidge's basket. Next to the back door is a toy box, and a sidewalk separates it from the yard. Scores are written on the sidewalk with chalk: "BIDGE //// MEL ///".
2. NARRATOR (V.O.) Which one is Bidge? And which is Mel? (beat) SUPERIMPOSE: "Bidge" "Mel" Bidge KICKS the ball past Mel, and the ball HITS the hat, scoring a goal. BIDGE That makes five. Mel grabs chalk and makes a fifth tally mark for Bidge. MEL Fine, you win. Want to play another round? Bidge kicks the ball toward her basket and follows it. BIDGE Maybe after I go inside for a minute. What do you have to drink? Bidge puts the ball in her basket and closes the lid. NARRATOR (V.O.) Where's the ball? (beat) SUPERIMPOSE: Arrow toward basket MEL There's honey chocolate mix, but we're almost out of milk. Bidge starts toward the back door. BIDGE I'll just get some water. Bidge opens the back door and enters the house, leaving Mel ALONE in the back yard. NARRATOR (V.O.) Where's the ball? (beat) SUPERIMPOSE: Arrow toward basket
3. The back door CLOSES behind Bidge. Mel scoots over to Bidge's basket and pulls out the ball. INT. KITCHEN Bidge grabs a cup from the cupboard, POURS some water into the cup, and drinks it. INTERCUT with rear. Mel kicks the ball toward the toy box, follows it, opens the lid, puts the ball inside, and CLOSES the lid. EXT. REAR NARRATOR (V.O.) Where's the ball? (beat) SUPERIMPOSE: Arrow toward toy box BACK TO SCENE Mel scoots over to the pointy hat as if nothing had happened. Bidge comes back out the front door. NARRATOR (V.O.) Where will Bidge look for the ball? (beat) SUPERIMPOSE: Arrow toward basket Arrow toward toy box Arrow toward "?" MEL On second thought, I think I'm done for the day. I have lessons to do. Bidge scoots toward the toy box. BIDGE Thanks for letting me borrow your ball last week. I guess you can keep it for a while. You did put it away, right? FADE OUT. THE END -------