Sharkey's Place: After the Rush!

SHARKEY'S PLACE - EPISODE 1 - INT. SHARKEY'S PLACE - LATE NIGHT - CLOSING TIME
Aiden and Caiden are sitting at a table with a bottle of Champagne in the middle.
Sandra and Myra sit at the table with them, sipping cups of Champagne. Everyone is exhausted from the big day of the Bluefin Lunch.
SANDRA I'm going to get a beer. Anyone?
She gets up to pull beer from behind the bar.
AIDEN I'd have a beer.
SANDRA Coming up.
She sits again and they all stare blankly, quiet.
MYRA I guess it was a hit.
CAIDEN Yup.
They sit quietly.
MYRA (to Sandra)
You get Alexi off OK? He seems like a good guy.
SANDRA Yeah, he's flying back to New York tonight.
AIDEN Was that his helicopter, at the Red Barn?
SANDRA Yeah.
MYRA How's that work, with a chopper?
SANDRA The pilot sets down behind the Red Barn. Alexi gets out and the copter takes off, heads over to Michias Valley Field.
CAIDEN I heard they had the whirly-birds stacked up like cord wood up there.
AIDEN I heard that DiCaprio's jet needed a bigger runway and couldn't land so he flew back.
SANDRA Leonardo was coming here but couldn't land his jet?
MYRA Yeah. Paid in advance too. Kiri said she talked to the handler-guy about a refund and the guy said that Leo said, keep it.
SANDRA Can you believe the high rollers who did make it though? Good to see Turbo again.
CAIDEN He was glad to see you. He was asking Neil about some paintings. It looked like Neil didn't think he was serious and blew him off.
AIDEN Turbo was a little disgruntled.
CAIDEN Mildly miffed.
AIDEN Maybe it was all a mis-understanding.
CAIDEN On account of them not being done yet.
AIDEN Dry, and all.
CAIDEN Or maybe Neil knows he's got the uppah-hand.
AIDEN In the negotiation.
CAIDEN Because of how popular these are going to be.
AIDEN A lot of demand.
SANDRA I'm too tired for all of that now.
MYRA I've never seen the place so full.
SANDRA People pushing, and shoving, to get a tuna sandwich.
MYRA The reviews were good, I think.
SANDRA You think? Alexi said his crowd couldn't believe it. Out of this world.
AIDEN A minimalist masterpiece.
CAIDEN An instant classic.
AIDEN Turbo said it was a re-imagining of the sushi tradition, with the innovative New England edge.
CAIDEN Simple and effective.
MYRA Well, if Turbo says...
AIDEN He knows his stuff.
CAIDEN He's worldly.
SANDRA Speaking of. Did you run the Inky tonight?
AIDEN Oh yeah. Turbo brought all of his pals over, had clams.
CAIDEN But we didn't make a dime.
AIDEN Turbo comp'ed 'em all.
CAIDEN No tips on comps!
SANDRA You complain to Turbo?
AIDEN Nah, he makes it right for us, peels off some cash at the end of the week.
MYRA So you liked it, Aiden?
AIDEN A dazzling accomplishment, Myra. I expected nothing less. It was worth all of it. Thank you.
MYRA Thanks Aiden. I'm glad you liked it.
SANDRA It was good.
CAIDEN And Sandra, I must say, from the bottom of my heart, that I am glad to see you happy, with your Russian guy.
SANDRA Ukrainian.
CAIDEN Right. As long as you have suitable companionship, then I am glad for you.
SANDRA Thank you, Caiden.
AIDEN You ready to saddle up?
CAIDEN Start the prep early tomorrow.
AIDEN Back into the rodeo ring.
CAIDEN No stinky at the Inky.
AIDEN All flex.
CAIDEN No flab.
AIDEN Any fresher it would swim away.
CAIDEN Let's go, partner.
They exit.
SANDRA I can't believe you pulled it off, My.
MYRA Yeah? How so?
SANDRA Just knowing that a bluefin tuna would get people so excited. Then working out a way to make it more than a tuna-fish sandwich.
MYRA You know what, the food's the easy part. What Kirini did to spread the word, that's what filled the place. She earned it tonight.
SANDRA You too though. All the plates, beautiful!
MYRA And, girl, you were in top form! You kept those tables spinning like a top and the leering chumps were grinning ear to ear when they saw you.
SANDRA Like you say, the food's the easy part.
MYRA Was it weird having your Alexi and his pals here while you were working, keeping the room going?
SANDRA Sharkey taught me a long time ago, the work comes first. I know Alexi just likes me around to show off for his buddies, and I'll take that. We have a few laughs but first is Sharkey's.
MYRA I guess. How many you figure we comp'ed tonight?
SANDRA Well, it wasn't Alexi. He paid in cash.
MYRA Right, but, the four mob guys, Hank from the Radio, Governor Mills and her husband. Anybody else?
SANDRA Gordo, I suppose. She's not going to charge the Captain.
MYRA And Neil, Turbo?
SANDRA Both paid, in full.
MYRA That's good.
The door opens and Kirini comes in. She sits at the table and sees the open Champagne bottle.
KIRINI Caiden leave that?
MYRA Yeah, they had to go open the Inky Squid for Turbo and his buddies.
KIRINI (to Sandra)
Get me a cup, would you?
SANDRA (looks at her)
Sure, boss.
Sandra gets the cup and pours some Champagne for Kirini.
KIRINI Thanks.
SANDRA A good night. Good night to celebrate.
KIRINI More than that. I've got something for each of you.
Kirini pulls out a checkbook and starts writing checks.
MYRA What's this?
KIRINI (hands Sandra a check)
Ten grand. Your take for tonight.
SANDRA Jesus-mike!
KIRINI (hands Myra a check)
Fifteen thousand. Five for the bluefin and ten thousand for you.
MYRA Mama-me-a!
Myra waves the check to fan her face.
KIRINI We cleared a little over forty-five K for the event. Five grand for the fish, so forty, divided four ways.
SANDRA Four ways?
MYRA It's just the three of us.
KIRINI Us three, plus Sharkey's. Gotta put money into the business sometimes. But sincerely, I want to thank you both. You're the best.
SANDRA Wait a minute. Is this a brush-off? You getting rid of us?
KIRINI No,
MYRA Or are you getting rid of Sharkey's?
KIRINI What?
MYRA I saw you talking to the Boston mob guys. Did they make an offer you couldn't refuse?
KIRINI Yeah, but I refused them anyway. I told them to enjoy the tuna but stay out of Milbridge. Stay out of my business.
SANDRA I don't think those guys go away that easy.
MYRA This is my fault. I asked you to call 'em. But not because I wanted you in trouble with 'em.
KIRINI No, you were right. It was good to invite them, and you know, they appreciated it. The invite, the food, the good looks at Sandra.
SANDRA I try...
KIRINI And you deliver. And it's part of the job, keeping those guys happy, but not up-in-our-business. It's like you said about Georgios and the mob, it's better to convince them that they are better-off with us as a clean place than be known as a mobbed up joint. I pointed at the lady-governor and said, you think the governor is going to a mob joint? In here, you get to sit right next to her, because we're clean. So, in all, it was a good idea to call them. I wouldn't have thought of it, Myra.
SANDRA You really told the Boston mob to beat-it back to bean-town?
KIRINI Not in so many words...
MYRA I still can't believe we did it. I've got to start planning for the next one.
KIRINI Stop right there.
MYRA Kir?
KIRINI Maybe we do another one, next year.
MYRA Why wait? This was a huge success! We could build out the franchise with luxury cuisine.
KIRINI Because I want to wait, that's why.
MYRA (disappointed)
Ok, but, seems like we're missing the boat.
The door opens and Gordon comes in.
GORDON All hail! All hail the great Sirens of our Maine coast.
SANDRA Gordo. A beer?
GORDON They sing the welcoming song and every sailor, merchantman, banker and king, all come for the beauty and the song of the Sirens. And a beer, yeah.
Gordon goes to the table. Sandra gets a beer for Gordon.
SANDRA Captain.
GORDON Such power and beauty, you all displayed today. The shimmering radiance of you, dear Sandra, bordering on celestial flame itself. And the lovely Kirini, our fountain of hospitality and warm generosity, you are incomparable. And the food, Myra. You showed us the dignity of the mighty Blue, putting this Tuna ahead of all fish in the sea. And we poor sailors, must weep at the sight and the songs of the Sirens of Sharkey's, going back into our darkness, yet with bellies full, and hearts restored.
KIRINI Thank you, Gordo. That's big of you.
GORDON Not at all, Maestro. Not at all.
MYRA So, Gordo. It was good, right?
GORDON A stunning success.
MYRA So we should do it again, right?
GORDON Mmmm... perhaps the rarity is part of the charm?
KIRINI See?
MYRA See what? It was a big success.
KIRINI See that we might over-do it if we do it too often.
MYRA But this is how we build it! People get to know that we have events like this, regular events, and they come back, for the event.
SANDRA Beats just slinging beers.
KIRINI Does it?
SANDRA Sure, I mean...
(She waves the check)
KIRINI But at what cost?
MYRA Cost? You already said, the fish was five-K.
KIRINI That's not what I mean. We worked our butts off today. We all did.
SANDRA I've never seen it so full. Even with Sharkey or Georgios.
MYRA We do another couple of big, culinary events, and then we set up shop in Bangor, like we talked about.
SANDRA Wait, what's all this about? You selling out?
MYRA Just expanding.
SANDRA Why am I just hearing this news?
KIRINI I want to put on the brakes.
MYRA What? Why?
KIRINI I grew up working in my parents' diner, in Brentwood. On the weekends we'd get crowds like this, all the tables full, line out the door, line at the register. Pancakes, coffee, eggs, bacon, over and over. It never stopped.
MYRA But that's good, right?
KIRINI At the end of the day, at the end of the big rush, I'd hang out with the cooks in the back, smoking and feeling exhausted. At least they were making food, doing something. All I did was take the orders, deliver the food, clean the tables. It seemed like it would never end. And when it did, I look up and I'm leaning against a dumpster, smoking a Marlboro with Pedro and Javier. Good cooks, those two.
SANDRA So what happened?
KIRINI I went to college nearby, and came back on the weekends to help out, pay for school. But when I came up to see Uncle Georgios, he ran this place in a different way. He welcomed friends, and neighbors, and strangers, but the welcome was what he wanted to do. Welcome people. Not pack 'em in, night after night. Sure we had some really busy nights. Right, Sandy?
SANDRA Sometimes slow, sometimes slammed. But a reasonable pace.
KIRINI A reasonable pace, that's a great way to put it.
MYRA Ok.
KIRINI And we were all flying around today and I got that old knot in my stomach, the anxiety, the dread, the feeling like it was never going to end. And I don't want to go back to that feeling.
MYRA But look at all this money! This is huge!
KIRINI Ah, the money... I'm glad it helps. But we do alright. Not that I'm not grateful for it, I am, but I'm sitting here thinking, geez, I'm glad we're not going to do that again in the morning, or for a while anyway.
MYRA But I want to! Did you see me back there, slaving over the fryers, slinging those dishes?
KIRINI I did. A beautiful sight.
MYRA I was in the Zone, you know? I want to do that, cook in the Zone. I have a hundred ideas.
KIRINI And I won't try to talk you out of it, but that's not what I want. I want a reasonable pace.
SANDRA Maybe it's time to big-time, Myra. Go down to the Hyatt Harbortown.
MYRA I've been to the Hyatt Harbortown. I used to run the Hyatt Harbortown. Sous-chef.
SANDRA So what are you doing here?
KIRINI She came up to be closer to her folks, when she had Ethan.
SANDRA Oh. Makes sense.
MYRA Hey, I can speak for myself!
KIRINI Sure, sure, of course. I didn't mean to step on you.
MYRA But you are stepping on me right now! I thought we were going to go look at some commercial properties in Bangor, and let Sandra take over here.
SANDRA Wait, me?!
KIRINI Yeah, I don't know. I thought I wanted to do that but now, I don't know.
MYRA And what about me? What am I supposed to do now?
KIRINI Yeah, I don't know.
GORDON Go home. Get some sleep. All of you. It's been a long day.
MYRA No, Gordon, I will not go home. I want to get this settled, right now!
KIRINI Myra, I'm too tired to think about it. He's right. Let's talk about it after a good night sleep, huh?
MYRA I just want to know what you're planning, is all.
KIRINI I'm not planning anything. I guess that's what I'm saying. I'm not planning anything.
MYRA Well maybe I have to make some plans of my own.
Myra gets up, takes her purse and her jacket and walks out.
SANDRA That didn't go too well.
KIRINI But she took her fifteen grand. She earned it. You too.
SANDRA You three. But what was all that about me taking over here?
KIRINI It seemed like a good idea but now I don't know. Not because of you. Because of me.
SANDRA You don't know if you want to expand, grow?
KIRINI I don't know what I want. I'm tired now though. I want to fall into my bed.
SANDRA Seems like you could have told me.
KIRINI I know. I'm sorry. Let's sort it out on Monday. Take the day off tomorrow.
SANDRA You sure?
KIRINI No, But take the day anyway. I just want to go home.
GORDON Would you like some company, there Kirini?
KIRINI You know, Gordo, I would welcome some companionship. Maybe a shoulder to cry on.
GORDON Well then...
The all get up to leave. Sandra switches off the light. Two sailors come to the door and knock.
SANDRA Sorry. Closed.
INT. SHARKEY'S PLACE - SUNDAY AFTERNOON
Kirini is running the place by herself. There is a TV on with the late-afternoon Patriots football game. A handful of sailors and locals come and go.
Caiden comes in. Kirini finds him a table and he watches the game with a beer.
KIRINI Caiden, by yourself today?
CAIDEN Yeah, taking the day off.
KIRINI Oh yeah? Sandra's got the day off too. You should ring her.
CAIDEN Nah, she's got bigger fish to fry.
KIRINI Speaking of, you have Aiden running the Inky Squid today, by himself?
CAIDEN Turbo wanted to get a fresh face so we're trying out somebody.
KIRINI A girl?
CAIDEN Yeah. Turbo saw you'ens running Sharkey's and noticed that the Inky crowd is almost all of the sailor-persuasion. That somebody easy-on-the-eyes might give us a boost.
KIRINI (laughs)
Turbo need a boost, does he?
CAIDEN Nah, No, We run the Inky like clockwork. Ready when we open. Clean when we close.
KIRINI Uh-huh.
CAIDEN Turbo just wants a fresh face.
KIRINI Hmm. So you hired somebody?
CAIDEN It's a trial.
KIRINI Who?
CAIDEN You know Elsa Godspeed? She was working at the Tastee-Freeze.
KIRINI Bella Godspeed's sister? How old is she? Can she serve beer?
CAIDEN Yeah, she's nineteen.
KIRINI Geez, time flies. I knew her when...
CAIDEN Yeah, well, Aiden is kind of going through his own thing, you know. After Myra shut him down, he started talking to Elsa. He convinced her to come over and work at our place. But I don't know.
KIRINI What? You think he's going to dip his pen in the company ink if she's working there?
CAIDEN You know how it is when you work with somebody, and it's a real team. Teamwork. In step with each other.
KIRINI But...
CAIDEN When she's around, things get messed up.
KIRINI Ah, well, ya gotta let people live, have their lives. Even Aiden.
CAIDEN Yeah, well, we'll see how it goes.
KIRINI They are cute, the both of them, the Godspeed girls. Bella is hanging around with Myra's son, Ethan. They are a nice couple.
CAIDEN Wicked-smart, that Ethan. Don't know where he gets it but he'll do alright. He won't have to fry clams his whole life.
KIRINI Caiden, you seem kind of blue about this whole thing. You OK?
CAIDEN Sure. Maybe too much champagne yesterday. Hey, that was great by the way. Outstanding.
KIRINI Yeah, thanks. We did OK. Myra wants to do it again but I think we should wait. It's a lot, you know.
CAIDEN Yeah, but she's got ambition. She's not going to hang around here, with that talent.
KIRINI I let her do whatever she wants, make whatever crazy concoction she likes. Isn't that enough?
CAIDEN Maybe, but you saw that crowd yesterday. They gave her a standing ovation. Steve Martin kissed her. How did he even get here?
KIRINI Helicopter.
CAIDEN Right. But Myra, you know, she wants to make a mark, get recognition, not hide out in a dumpy place way up on the coast.
KIRINI Hey, now, dumpy?
CAIDEN Ehhh, you know what I mean. No disrespect. It's us too, at the Squid. A few regulars in the winter, some tourist crowds in the summer, but it's not like we're across from Fenway. She wants a bigger stage.
KIRINI She deserves a bigger stage. What am I going to do?
CAIDEN What do you mean?
KIRINI Who's going to make lunch? You?
CAIDEN Me?
KIRINI Wait. Did I just say that? Out loud?
CAIDEN Say what?
KIRINI That part about you making lunch.
CAIDEN I did hear that, yes.
KIRINI What would you think of that?
CAIDEN Me, at Sharkey's? I run a fryer at the Inky.
KIRINI So run the fryer here.
CAIDEN You serious?
KIRINI I don't know. I don't know. Let's, uh.., let's see what Myra says. She'll be in tomorrow. Come by, have lunch, we'll talk.
CAIDEN I'll consider my options. Thanks for the offer.
KIRINI You going?
CAIDEN Pats lose again. Since Brady left, I tell ya.
KIRINI Right. Think about it. And, uh.., Let me know how it goes with Elsa Godspeed. I might could use another fresh face too.
CAIDEN (looks at her)
Right. OK. I'll see you tomorrow.
KIRINI Thanks for coming by. Good to see you.
CAIDEN Right.
Caiden exits.
When the game ends, the crowd thins out and Kirini is left by herself. She turns off the TV and collects glasses, straightens chairs, etc. When things are really dead, she switches off the light, turns off the "OPEN" sign and locks the door. She exits.
END