Sharkey's Place: Flapjacks at Dawn!

SHARKEY'S PLACE - EARLY MORNING
The 'coffee' crowd is becoming regular now and people hang around at tables as well as come and go. Kirini has a pot of coffee in-hand as she fills the cups of the customers. Gordon comes in.
GORDON Lovely morning, lovely Kirini!
KIRINI Gordo, have a seat. I'll pour you a cup.
GORDON A cup to go, if you please. Daylight's burning.
KIRINI It's barely sun up!
GORDON And the lobsters are rousing from their slumber, as am I.
KIRINI How's the fishing these days?
GORDON The weather is warming and the fellows are getting more active on the sea bed.
KIRINI Speaking of active in bed...
GORDON Say nothing of it. You know I prefer to read poetry before turning out the lights.
KIRINI Sweet poetry it must be. I saw Boot's car still parked at the Red Barn this morning.
GORDON Did you? Well I hope she slept well. The walls are thin, you know. It can get noisy on cold nights.
KIRINI You know what I'd like?
GORDON What's that, dear one?
KIRINI I'd like you to look around and see all the people who love and respect you. Take notice, you know.
GORDON Hmmm. I see. Well, you know what I'd like?
KIRINI Me to butt-out of your love life?
GORDON No, Pancakes. I'd like some pancakes.
KIRINI Is that all you can say? Pancakes?
GORDON And I'd like you to butt-IN to my love life. You are so amazingly graceful, lovely and brave. But, too, some flapjacks and maple would add a nice surprise to the morning.
KIRINI You want me to turn this into the Olympus Diner, is that it? I left all that behind.
GORDON And yet here you are, pouring coffee and wiping tables by yourself at not-quite seven in the morning. Less a tavern than a café.
KIRINI Why are you doing this to me, Gordo? What did I do to you? Should I tell you how to run your boat?
GORDON I am sure the lobsters would have some things to say about how I order my affairs, but as a loyal, and long-time customer, I just wonder if the food is part of what is missing here.
KIRINI I tried to hire Caiden but he wanted to make us into a French steakhouse.
GORDON Hmmm... that would be nice.
KIRINI Yes, it would but it would also put us out of business in two-months.
GORDON What about somebody else?
KIRINI Like who?
GORDON Just somebody to run the fryer, make some soup.
KIRINI Nah, I'm sticking to coffee in the morning, beer at night. I've got Elsa now. She's a big help at night.
GORDON Steady girl, that one.
KIRINI Well, Gordo, like you said, daylight's burning.
GORDON Give me a kiss, for luck.
KIRINI So demanding this one.
GORDON I insist.
KIRINI [kisses him]
There. Now catch your fish and come back safe.
GORDON I leave with heart full. Good day.
KIRINI God Speed, Gordo.
Gordon exits.
As the day moves on the crowd thins out and Kirini is by herself, clearing the morning rush.
AIDEN knocks on the door, and comes in.
AIDEN Kiri, you here? You open?
KIRINI Morning, Aiden. You here for coffee? I just made a fresh pot.
AIDEN I'd take a cup, thanks.
KIRINI How's things at the Squid?
AIDEN Not so good.
KIRINI What? Why? What happened?
AIDEN It's all a misunderstanding, is all.
KIRINI What do you mean?
AIDEN Turbo came to hire Elsa Godspeed, but you'd already hired her.
KIRINI A better fit here, don't you think?
AIDEN Hahrd to disagree.
KIRINI What? Did Turbo get his nose out of joint?
AIDEN Nah, he says he sees it all the time, at his other places, Belfast, Augusta, Brunswick.
KIRINI Loyal staff is hard to find.
AIDEN It's just that Caiden started talking to Turbo about making some changes to the Inky.
KIRINI What changes did he suggest?
AIDEN He convinced Turbo that we should put in a raw bar, with raw oysters on the shell.
KIRINI On a bed of ice?
AIDEN Yeah. And maybe add some salads with grilled fish, real fresh. And rotate the menu for the seasons.
KIRINI Did Turbo bite?
AIDEN In a big way. And he looks at me and says, what do you think?
KIRINI And what do you think?
AIDEN I told him we do fine with fried scallops and clam strips. We've got a formula, got a system. No need to get fancy with it.
KIRINI Uh-huh.
AIDEN I told him that it was his restaurant and he could do what he wanted but people aren't going to come to the Inky Squid for Bibb lettuce and salad niçoise, you know? I mean, you showed us all how to do it, go upscale. The Bluefin lunch was amazing. And all the people, where did they all come from? But you can pull that off, with rich guys in helicopters flying up the coast for lunch. But we're the Inky Squid. For a long time we've been giving people what they really want - fresh fish, fried and piled high. It's not that complicated. But Turbo, oh!, He's got new ideas. He wants to modernize, freshen things up. Get a fresh face, he said. I told him that the fresh face just got scooped out from under his nose.
KIRINI [laughs]
Ouch! That's gonna leave a mark.
AIDEN I told him we've been running the Squid just fine. We made that guy a lot of money.
KIRINI So it's about the money?
AIDEN No, it's not about the money. It's about pride, and having pride in what we do. We keep the Squid clean, keep the fish fresh and keep the customers happy. But when Turbo's buddies came up for the Bluefin, they were giving him a hard time about Turbo running a "fry shack", and how he's like a slumlord with this cheap place. Cheap place, my ass! We put a ton of sweat into that place every day, out of pride! But he's telling me that it's a fry-shack, like I'm some dumb-local that just works for the paycheck, like anybody could come in and do what we do. And there's Caiden spouting off about how we need to "embrace the seasonality" and put in that hipster shit-beer, like anybody would drink that.
KIRINI And Turbo?
AIDEN He's eating that crap with a spoon. So I tell him, if that's what he wants, then he can do it without me.
KIRINI Without you? Who, Turbo or Caiden?
AIDEN Both. They think they know so much about what a successful place looks like, good for them. I hope it's a big success. I just think they don't appreciate the pride that goes into keeping a good, simple system. That's all.
KIRINI I see.
Aiden sips his coffee.
AIDEN So, I was wondering, with Myra gone, maybe I could lend a hand here?
KIRINI What do you have in mind?
AIDEN Keep it simple and deliver the punch straight. Give people what they want, fried clams, steamed oysters, a chowder now and again.
KIRINI OK. Anything else?
AIDEN Well, I'm not Myra. Nobody is. The potato soup last year, the single Kennebec potato with the lamb shank stock? Utterly amazing. I can't do that.
KIRINI I don't want you to do that.
AIDEN Nobody appreciates that, nobody around here.
KIRINI Except you.
AIDEN And Caiden.
KIRINI Right. But what I need is a reliable hand at the fryer. I don't need to put in a wine cellar and offer tasting menus.
AIDEN Right. Give the people what they want.
KIRINI How are your pancakes?
AIDEN Good. You got a griddle? I'll make some.
KIRINI What, now?
AIDEN Sure. You can see what I'm made of.
KIRINI Alright. Make me a plate of pancakes.
AIDEN Coming up.
Aiden disappears into the kitchen. Meanwhile mid-morning customers start coming in. Kirini gets up and starts pouring coffee and talking to customers.
In a little while, Aiden emerges with a plate of beautiful pancakes. Kirini shows him where to put it on the bar.
CUSTOMER 1 Kiri, can I get those?
KIRINI You want some pancakes?
CUSTOMER 1 Yeah, those look real good.
KIRINI Uh, take those. I'll get some maple.
Kirini gathers utensils and syrup. The man digs in, enjoying the pancakes.
CUSTOMER 2 If you've got griddle cakes on, I'd take a plate.
KIRINI Coming up! Aiden.
AIDEN Coming up!
Aiden disappears into the kitchen, emerging with each order of pancakes. More orders come in.
KIRINI We're going to need more maple.
AIDEN I think Sam the Butcher carries maple. I'll call him, see if he can bring some around.
KIRINI Go.
They continue serving breakfast for the customers.
SHARKEY'S PLACE - LUNCH
People come by, ducking their heads in to see if Sharkey's has lunch back on. By now Aiden has organized a quick lunch plan.
AIDEN Let 'em in. We'll feed 'em.
KIRINI You sure?
AIDEN There is some bread, some meat, some cheeses. I had Sam bring a box of chips. It's simple but effective.
KIRINI OK. Here we go.
She gets the people in the door and starts seating them, explaining the limited menu. The customers nod and just ask for the special.
AIDEN Two specials, up!
KIRINI Four more, in!
AIDEN Coming up!
Aiden and Kirini handle a reasonable crowd for lunch until they run out of food for sandwiches. The place is empty again and Kirini is about to put the 'closed' sign up.
Caiden comes in.
KIRINI Caiden, how are ya' now?
CAIDEN Just swell, Kiri. And I hope you are.
KIRINI Good day so far. I'll take that.
CAIDEN You got any specials today?
KIRINI Just ran out. The crowd cleared us out.
CAIDEN Us?
KIRINI Aiden's in the back. He's a steady hand.
CAIDEN You hired Aiden?
KIRINI Yeah. It sounded like he wasn't on-board with the new direction that you and Turbo want to go.
CAIDEN That's what he said? It's nothing like that.
KIRINI No, What is it then?
CAIDEN Turbo comes in, all bent out of shape about you stealing Elsa. I told him we'll find somebody else. But he's got a bee in his bonnet about how you're stabbing him in the back all the time. Sharkey's-this, and Sharkey's-that. You know anything about this?
KIRINI What? Turbo's mad at me?
CAIDEN And he heard that you and I talked about fixing this place up, making it a real up-scale establishment. And now he's worried that you are going to steal me away from the Squid.
KIRINI Caiden, we had that talk.
Aiden comes out of the kitchen, hearing Caiden.
CAIDEN And I tell Turbo, don't worry, we can fix this place up, me and Aiden.
KIRINI So Turbo's still mad?
CAIDEN Yeah, because he says we've been coasting along, just running our place like a fry-shack.
AIDEN He shouldn't have said that. It's not a fry shack.
CAIDEN Aiden, come back. What are you doing here?
AIDEN What am I doing here? What are you doing here?
CAIDEN I came to get you to come back to the Squid. We should do this together.
AIDEN That's not what Turbo seemed to think. He seemed like he was under the impression that you would handle the whole thing. He seemed to think that you had a whole list of good ideas, and I was just some line cook dipping the fryer. I think he can go jump off a pier. I'm done with that guy. You know why? Because of pride, that's why. When you get a chance to do a job, a guy has to show some pride in his work. And we did. We kept the Squid clean and the food fresh. And now Kirini gives me the opportunity to show some grit, some pride in cooking for our customers. Some talent, that's what it is. And you've never recognized it, my talent, my abilities, my ambition. You've got your Wine Advocate reviews and Esquire cocktails menu, and I'll give you that. You know all that stuff. But I've got talent too. And I'm going to show it.
CAIDEN Aiden, I need you. I can't do this without you. I want it to go back like it was, with us cooking together.
AIDEN Then you better talk to Turbo about it. I'm not coming back without an apology.
KIRINI Wait, wait! Aiden, you did good work today. Out of nothing, you made a whole breakfast and a lunch service. You did it. We weren't even open and they started coming in because they could smell your pancakes down the street. Like moths to a flame, they came right in the door. I can't do that. But you can. And you did. I owe you a thank you, so, thank you, Aiden.
AIDEN Well, it's just when there is something that needs to get done, why not just do it.
KIRINI Right. Listen, take the rest of the day off. Elsa will be back later. You boys come back for some beers. But I will pay you for today.
Kirini goes to the cash register and counts out two hundred dollars.
AIDEN You can, you know, wait to the end of the week.
KIRINI No, here you go. You earned it.
AIDEN [beaming] Thanks, Kiri. We'll swing by later.
CAIDEN I can't believe you. Come on, let's go.
Aiden and Caiden exit together.
SHARKEY'S PLACE - EVENING
Kirini is serving the regular crowd. Boots Moran is at the bar, a couple of drinks in. Elsa Godspeed is circulating, pouring beer, but we don't hear from her in this episode.
KIRINI You alright there, Boots?
BOOTS Kiri, goddess in our midst, you know more than anyone. I, and I alone, spend my days searching, like an X-ray, scanning the human heart, for devilment, chaos and evil.
KIRINI So... another Hurricane there?
BOOTS The more the rum the butter.
KIRINI The butter?
BOOTS Better.
KIRINI Right.
Kirini makes another Maine Hurricane for Boots.
Aiden and Caiden come in.
BOOTS Boys, boys! The firm, the fine, the flesh. The character of youth and beauty. Boys, sit here, next to me.
AIDEN Boots, it is a genuine honor
CAIDEN And a sincere pleasure
AIDEN To come across you here.
BOOTS I hope you haven't yet. I just had this cleaned.
CAIDEN What my esteemed colleague intends is a pure profession of admiration for you
AIDEN And your craft. A Times..
CAIDEN Best sellah.
AIDEN Penultimate fiction.
CAIDEN Crime, romance, fantasy.
AIDEN Bodice rippahs!
CAIDEN And plotted like Swiss Clahckwork. Admirable.
BOOTS An admiral, you say? Where? Where? I'd like to find myself drydocked with an admiral.
AIDEN Drydocked?
CAIDEN Surely, well lubricated. What with the sand...
BOOTS Then, shoreside.
AIDEN Tequila-fueled!
CAIDEN Mezcal motivated!
BOOTS Whiskey wishes!
KIRINI Beer for ya, boys?
AIDEN I'd have a Harp.
CAIDEN Two Harpoons, m'lady.
BOOTS And a plate of your finest local fare.
Kirini sees the bleary-eyed state of her new cook.
KIRINI Aiden, you back at the Squid?
AIDEN It's flapjacks at dawn.
KIRINI We'll see. You boys get things...
CAIDEN Arranged.
AIDEN Aligned.
CAIDEN Nautically sorted.
AIDEN Meet on the level.
CAIDEN Depahrt on the square.
KIRINI Couple of Harps then.
BOOTS You, fine, firm fellows, what is your task tonight?
AIDEN Pahdon?
CAIDEN Boots, your intentions are not clear.
BOOTS Stout and stalwart, solid soldiers, are you intent on raid and invasion? To rush for territory, plunder and conquer?
AIDEN While, I admit, the kir-kum-stances seem favorable,
CAIDEN With the windward lee,
AIDEN Over-land or over-sea adventure is not, per-se, the stated goal.
CAIDEN We've had a few beers, before coming to do some drinking.
AIDEN Purely recreational.
CAIDEN Sporting activities.
AIDEN But you, Boots,
CAIDEN Is that a glint in your eye?
AIDEN A hungah?
CAIDEN A thirst?
BOOTS Perhaps an idea had flown through my imagination, like a sparrow through the branches of an apple tree. Seeking daylight, fresh breeze, and...
AIDEN And?
BOOTS The heat of the sun.
CAIDEN U-V
AIDEN Vitamin D.
BOOTS The blazing, roaring flame of noon exposure. To be, oh to be, bare beneath the blazing sun, skin heated and sweat at my brow, my creases and folds. To smell my own sizzling corporality. My own life and pulse.
AIDEN A crucifixion of sunshine?
BOOTS It is a Maine sacrifice.
KIRINI To go out in the winter and soak up the sun.
BOOTS Yes. To soak up the sun. But also, also...
CAIDEN What?
BOOTS The pearl is the grain of sand in the oyster shell. And our Earth follows our Sun, like a maiden in spring, like the cow that lows for the bull, and I am like the grain of sand, between the Earth and the Sun. I soak up the life force, it splashes over me, yet I am a speck on the blue globe.
KIRINI Boots, you weren't with Gordo, were you? That's his kind of talk. Sea gods and tides.
BOOTS Oh, Kiri, you know the tides. The red tide, the blue tide, the white tide. Who are we, as women, without our lunar cycle? High, low, far and away? Close and near? Who am I, dear, without you?
KIRINI Boots, you are a Hurricane too far. Let me get you a ride back. Boys?
AIDEN I would not advise it.
CAIDEN Nor I.
AIDEN Unreliable.
CAIDEN Would we deliver her?
AIDEN Of course.
CAIDEN Would there be ...
AIDEN Complications?
CAIDEN Hahd to know.
AIDEN But if necessity requires.
CAIDEN Then she may be remanded,
AIDEN To our care.
KIRINI Why do I think you have bad intention?
AIDEN Consider who has bad intentions.
CAIDEN Me?
AIDEN Or her?
KIRINI You've got me there. She's got more bad intentions than any one person ought to have.
CAIDEN Stacked up,
AIDEN Like cord wood.
KIRINI I wish Gordo was here, to take her back.
AIDEN Maybe later.
KIRINI Aiden, listen to me. Do this. Take her back, now, and come back. Free beer when you return.
CAIDEN An offer
AIDEN I can't refuse.
Aiden escorts Boot out and away.
KIRINI Caiden, what's going on?
CAIDEN In what way?
KIRINI You know what I mean. What's going on with you and Aiden?
CAIDEN Listen, Kiri, you know I respect what you do. You know I have a special concern for what happens here at Sharkey's.
KIRINI I don't know that at all. You told me you wanted to turn this into a French Steakhouse.
CAIDEN A Brasserie.
KIRINI Whatever.
CAIDEN Kiri, you know that opportunities come along, when they come along. I am trying to optimize my outcome potential.
KIRINI It looks like you are stabbing Aiden in the back.
CAIDEN Stabbing him in the back?! He's the one, YOU are the one, stabbing me in the back!
KIRINI Me?
CAIDEN See, this is what Turbo was talking about. No loyalty. No commitment. No long term thinking.
KIRINI Who? Me? I don't owe him anything. He owes me. I kept my place clean.
CAIDEN This is the thing though. If we have agreements in place, everything goes smooth.
KIRINI Smooth-ly.
CAIDEN Right.
KIRINI What agreements? What are you...
CAIDEN Kiri, Kiri. Do I have to spell it out? Say the thing?
KIRINI What are you saying? There's something you can't say? Wait. It's not..
CAIDEN There might be a few new investors.
KIRINI Investors?! Wait, is Turbo getting tangled up with the Boston mob? No,
CAIDEN Just investors, looking for a turn on the dollar.
KIRINI More like turning tricks. Or trucks with a load of powder. Caiden, Caiden, don't get messed up with this. They will chew you up.
CAIDEN Turbo looks out for his own.
KIRINI Turbo looks out for Turbo.
CAIDEN Kiri, you gotta think about the money. So much money.
KIRINI That money? That money is an anchor. The rope wraps around your throat, your ankle, your hands. So much money, and then... the anchor goes over and pulls you down. No way to get away. Can't swim, can't breath. It gets so cold and then, it's just black. And you keep going down. Caiden, don't. Just don't. Get free now, for you, and for Aiden.
CAIDEN It's not like that.
KIRINI It is. If Turbo is getting tied up, you don't have to go down with him.
CAIDEN You can't just back out.
KIRINI The heavies come here. I tell them, look, they don't need me. And I don't want them. Find some other place.
CAIDEN Like the Honk'R'Stop?
KIRINI Tastee-Freeze.
CAIDEN Elsa?
KIRINI Maybe. Too early to tell.
CAIDEN Aiden is in love, you know.
KIRINI So is she.
CAIDEN With who? Me?
KIRINI Ha! No, loverboy. Ethan.
CAIDEN Wait. Myra's son?
KIRINI Yep.
CAIDEN But I heard that it was him and Bella.
KIRINI Her sister. Yes. But...
CAIDEN The heart wants what it wants.
KIRINI Tangled love.
CAIDEN Speaking of, where's Sandra?
KIRINI New boyfriend. Rich guy, in New York. Flies up in his helicopter.
CAIDEN Jaysus! Helicopter.
KIRINI That's how it is these days, rich guys in helicopters.
CAIDEN Kiri, maybe you're right. Maybe getting tangled up with Turbo and the Boston money, maybe that's not right. But what?
KIRINI What, what?
CAIDEN What am I supposed to do?
KIRINI What did Aiden do?
CAIDEN He quit.
KIRINI He came here.
CAIDEN But he's back. We decided. Tonight.
KIRINI You decided?
CAIDEN Yeah.
KIRINI Or You-decided? Aiden said flapjacks at dawn. Is that before he goes to the Squid?
CAIDEN He's not coming for pancakes.
KIRINI If he does, I need you to let him go. If you want to get pulled into the tangle, the money, the plans, the - what? Girls, drugs, dirty money? Leave him out of it. I need him.
CAIDEN It's not like that.
KIRINI You need him too, but you are too...
CAIDEN What?
KIRINI Too dumb to see it? No, not too dumb. You just need him more than me.
CAIDEN Kiri, we have to find a way out of this, just being fry-cooks at the Squid.
KIRINI Why? What's wrong with that? Aiden said he takes pride in it. Do you?
CAIDEN Kiri, do you know what shame is?
KIRINI What? Shame? Yeah. It comes with the territory.
CAIDEN Territory?
KIRINI Boobs. If you've got boobs, then you feel shame, all the time, everywhere. All the men look but they see boobs. You know what I mean?
CAIDEN No,
KIRINI Well, just don't. Ok. Look, what do you mean, shame?
CAIDEN Yeah, whatever. Get woke. Look, what I mean is, we cook clam strips at the Inky Squid.
KIRINI Yeah.
CAIDEN But is that what we are here for? To cook clams?
KIRINI Hmmm. Maybe, yeah. Cook clams. Look at me. Sling beer. Over and over.
CAIDEN But anybody could do that. Shouldn't we do something else? Maybe I should enlist. I feel like I should be doing more with my life.
KIRINI Sure. If you can think of it, you should do it. Look at Neil, painting nudes. Why? I don't know. Just what he does. But what do you do?
CAIDEN Has he got somebody?
KIRINI What? Who? Neil?
CAIDEN Yeah.
KIRINI Wait.
CAIDEN Just asking?
KIRINI About Neil?
CAIDEN Look, I'm not trying to get weird. I'm just interested. Inquiring minds want to know.
KIRINI Hmmm. Oh boy. Look, I'm going to pull a beer.
Gordon comes in.
GORDON Ah, the fair goddess of hospitality, the fountain of generosity, come, kiss me, my love.
Kirini, noting the scene, goes and kisses Gordon. She gives him a beer and hands one to Caiden.
KIRINI Glad you are back, Cap.
GORDON To the Siren's call, I must return.
CAIDEN Good fishing today, Cap?
GORDON Nets full, boxes, traps, all full. The bounty and blessings of the sea, my boy.
CAIDEN You pick up scallops?
GORDON Scallops? Ha! No, the rake-and-mud boys handle the shells. We collect the wild harvest.
KIRINI But you bait the traps.
GORDON Of course. Guile and cunning are the currency of the untamed wilds. Speaking of, is Boots about?
KIRINI Aiden took her back. Perhaps I overserved her.
GORDON Discretion. Moderation. Valor. Hmmm...
KIRINI A sailor's life is the path for thee, but to be a sailor's wife is a misery.
GORDON The fairer sex is over-represented in the class of the suffering. Too many sins on our heads.
KIRINI Cap, Caiden here is thinking about joining up. See the world, and all that.
GORDON Don't tell them you can drive a truck.
CAIDEN But I can.
GORDON Don't tell them! They will stick you to it and never let you go. Tell them you ran a pirate radio station in Texas.
CAIDEN But I've never been to Texas.
GORDON Neither have they. Just tell them, bluff, then get on with the radio corps. Any idiot can carry a rifle. It is the duty of the smart ones to save the country, from idiots, by force.
CAIDEN Maybe I could cook, on a ship.
GORDON A holy calling. As true a blue water man as any on board, sailors through and through, the cookies. When do you ship out?
CAIDEN I'm not so far as that, Cap. I'm trying to get Aiden to come back to the Inky Squid.
GORDON Blast you! I heard there were pancakes this morning. Don't screw that up!
CAIDEN Cap, they got pancakes at the Honk'r. You don't need Aiden for that. He's my brother.
GORDON Then help him here. I want pancakes, dammit!
CAIDEN You think Myra would'a made you flapjacks?
GORDON Myra is the queen of the kitchen. She could make whatever anybody wanted.
Aiden comes in.
AIDEN Now about that free beer.
KIRINI You get Boots home OK?
AIDEN I put her back at the Red Barn, just across the street.
KIRINI Cold beer for ya!
GORDON The Red Barn, you say?
KIRINI Cap?
GORDON I suppose I should retire as well. The sun is coming up earlier every day. Good night all.
Gordon goes to leave.
KIRINI Gordo, behave yourself.
GORDON Like a good boy. Good night.
Gordon exits.
KIRINI Didn't see that coming.
AIDEN Really? Seems like...
CAIDEN They got a thing, is all.
KIRINI Maybe. But what's it going to be, boys?
AIDEN Kiri, I hate to do this to you, but I'm going back to the Squid.
KIRINI What?! Why?
AIDEN I gotta cook with my brother.
KIRINI Turbo is going to get you guys wrapped up in dirty business.
AIDEN It's a risk I'll take. Turbo is going back to Portsmouth in the morning.
CAIDEN Back like old times.
KIRINI But what about me? Gordo wants pancakes.
AIDEN I'm sorry. Blood is thicker.
KIRINI Alright. Go on, the both of you. Get back to your fry shack.
AIDEN That is a mean thing to say.
KIRINI You are right. I apologize. You have talent and you should use it. Now go.
CAIDEN Good night, Kiri.
AIDEN Good night, Boss.
KIRINI Go.
Aiden and Caiden exit.
KIRINI You see that, Elsa. Men are just unreliable.
END