31 Plays in 31 Days, #10 - “Come to Grovel”

[breakinglight11]

The high-conflict, high-emotion, climactic moments of stories are always easiest for me to conceive of. Those moments, after all, are the reason I want to tell those particular stories. But when I bang them out when I’m not totally sure of the whole story, I tend to spoil them to no particular end. I fear that’s what I’ve done here, with an important moment in Dream Machine episode 6. On top of that, I think Bernie sees this scene a little differently than I do, so what I’ve done here is only of limited use until I totally understand what he was hoping to contribute.

But whatever. The whole point of this challenge is to draft. Get things on paper already. Because I do deeply stand by the idea that you do better to get out the bad version and fix it later, than to wait to put it down until you have it perfect in your head. Because let’s be honest— that never really happens.

Day #10 - “Come to Grovel”
From Dream Machine:
“1.06 – Dresden’s Dolls”
By Phoebe Roberts
~~~

RYAN DRESDEN, head of programming for Dream Machine, early fifties
VERONICA DRESDEN, lifestyle brand CEO and Ryan’s ex-wife, late forties

Los Angeles, CA, 2020
~~~

VERONICA: What the hell are you doing here? You haven’t crashed into my living room since your bender with the white Viper from the Dodge showroom.

RYAN: I’m here to beg. Whatever you want from me, whatever pound of flesh you came for— it’s yours. Make me crawl, make me scrape, saddle me up and ride me around the room.

VERONICA: Really. And why would you do that?

RYAN: Because we need you to sponsor the show.

VERONICA: So you’re going to roll over and take it. You.

RYAN: What else can I do? I’ve got to make this work; I’ve got a lot of people counting on me.

VERONICA: Since when has that ever mattered to you?

RYAN: They gave me a shot, and I can’t blow it. I made a promise.

VERONICA: A promise? You made a promise?

RYAN: I know, Veronica—

VERONICA: Do you have any idea how many times you made me a promise?

RYAN: I know! You have no reason to trust anything out of my mouth. Nobody does. But these people here, against all reason and sense, have given me one more chance. Probably the last one I’ll ever get. So, yeah, Ronnie. I’m going to bend over. You can kick me, or drag me, or torture me however you want, if that’s what it’s going to take. Because unlike every other goddamn one I’ve ever made, I am not going to break this promise.

Beat.

VERONICA: Fine. Have your little deal. It’s not why I’m here.

RYAN: What do you mean?

VERONICA: Really, Ryan? Like I’m going to lose sleep over a few bucks for your nothing network? We write off that much on Ubers for when the models come in drunk.

RYAN: Then why are you here? You did just want to see me crawl after all?

VERONICA: I’ll admit, that was a hell of a bonus. But it’s not for me. It’s for Meryl.

RYAN: What about Meryl? Is— did something happen—?

VERONICA: Yeah. Something did. And it’s big enough that it’s made her reconsider her otherwise very sound idea to never speak to you again.

RYAN: She… she wants to talk to me? She changed her mind?

VERONICA: A brain parasite, you might say. I cautioned her not to ruin a good thing, but she’s seriously considering it. So.. I had to be sure.

RYAN: Sure about what?

VERONICA: That you weren’t going break down again. That the recovery was real and you weren’t going to burn down your life the second things get hard again. Because if I let you back into Meryl’s, that isn’t going to happen.

RYAN: And… I passed? I passed the test?

VERONICA: You seem more surprised than I was.

RYAN: I told you. I’ve got myself together again. This time, I can keep my promises.

VERONICA: Don’t tell me that. Tell Meryl. She’s the only who you’ve got to convince you won’t let her down.

Veronica sends him a contact from her address book on her phone. Ryan’s vibrates in his pocket.

RYAN: But, Ronnie— what’s going on?

VERONICA: Call your daughter.