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breakinglight11) wrote2022-08-21 07:38 am
breakinglight11) wrote2022-08-21 07:38 am
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31 Plays in 31 Days, #21 - “Asshole”
Another Dream Machine bit. This combines two elements that will be featuring later in how I envision season 1– Ryan reencountering his ex-wife Veronica, with whom he parted on very bad terms, and the reconnection with an old producing partner, Cory Bentley. Cory dangling the possibility of him returning to the big leagues of film production brings out the old version of Ryan from before he got clean, and he’s forced to confront the kind of person he used to be. Spoiler alert: he’s not entirely pleased with what he realizes about himself. I’ve written about Cory before in this scene, “Hello, 1989.”
Veronica Dresden is a character I’ve enjoyed working out. Writing this, I realized how rarely I’ve ever treated drama between former romantic partners. I have not written many characters who have ever been divorced, much less have interaction with that former spouse. And as I think I’ve mentioned, Veronica is a particular challenge because I want to make her angry enough at Ryan that the audience instinctively sympathizes with him, but in realizing how justified she is in her anger, they have to confront their own assumption that an angry ex wife must be a bitch. It’s a tough balance to achieve.
Day #21 - Asshole
From Dream Machine
By Phoebe Roberts
~~~
RYAN DRESDEN, head of programming for Dream Machine, early fifties
VERONICA DRESDEN, CEO of Dresden Doll lifestyle brand and his ex-wife, late forties
Los Angeles, 2021
~~~
Ryan takes out his cell and makes a call. After several rings, his ex-wife Veronica reluctantly picks up.
VERONICA: What do you want?
RYAN: Hey. I guess you didn’t lose my number after all.
VERONICA: You don’t know that. Maybe I thought you were the pizza guy.
RYAN: Then you’re really rude to delivery people. And you haven’t eaten a pizza in twenty years.
VERONICA: You have no idea what I do anymore.
RYAN: Heh. Fair enough, I guess. Listen, Ronnie… can I ask you something, please?
VERONICA: Why me?
RYAN: Because you know me better than anybody. And you’ll give it to me straight…
Beat.
RYAN: Tell me, was I really an asshole, before?
There is silence on the line as Veronica rolls not just her eyes but practically her whole body.
RYAN: Ronnie?
VERONICA: Sorry, Ryan, I died. You killed me.
RYAN: I know—
VERONICA: Clearly you don’t.
RYAN: I don’t mean during the worst of it. I mean… before. Before the drugs got bad. When I was still just me. I’m having a lot of trouble remembering.
VERONICA: I know, Ryan. You never remember any of it.
RYAN: Please, Veronica! I knew I was checked out during, but… I find I’ve lost a lot from before then, too.
Beat.
VERONICA: Yes. Yes, okay? You were.
RYAN: Jesus, really? Come on!
VERONICA: You asked me!
RYAN: Can you not be pissed at me for ten minutes?
VERONICA: What do you want me to say? No, you were a tragic hero?
RYAN: I don’t know, we were married for fourteen years, maybe I figured there was some reason for that? But no, you just hate my guts and I deserve it, so I don’t know why I—
VERONICA: No. You said you can’t remember, but I can. I remember the man I married— and he was always an asshole.
RYAN: I know how bad it got when I was using—
VERONICA: Oh, come on. The self-centeredness, the ego? The drugs didn’t make you like that, Ryan. They just took away everything that let you get away with it. When you weren’t… hot, and competent, and talented anymore, the asshole was all that was left.
Ryan tenses, stung.
RYAN: And, what? Back then, that just didn’t bother you?
VERONICA: (Sighing) I was an asshole back then too.
RYAN: But you’re different now, huh?
VERONICA: I gave up more than just coke when Meryl came along. One of us had to.
Beat while Ryan must concede the truth of that to himself.
RYAN: I’ve been putting in the work this time, too. I swear, I don’t… want to be that guy anymore.
VERONICA: I’m not here to absolve you, Ryan. Not after everything you did to me.
RYAN: Yeah. I know.
Beat.
RYAN: Thanks, Ronnie.
VERONICA: Yeah. Now, if you’ll excuse me, I have a pizza to eat.
Veronica Dresden is a character I’ve enjoyed working out. Writing this, I realized how rarely I’ve ever treated drama between former romantic partners. I have not written many characters who have ever been divorced, much less have interaction with that former spouse. And as I think I’ve mentioned, Veronica is a particular challenge because I want to make her angry enough at Ryan that the audience instinctively sympathizes with him, but in realizing how justified she is in her anger, they have to confront their own assumption that an angry ex wife must be a bitch. It’s a tough balance to achieve.
Day #21 - Asshole
From Dream Machine
By Phoebe Roberts
~~~
RYAN DRESDEN, head of programming for Dream Machine, early fifties
VERONICA DRESDEN, CEO of Dresden Doll lifestyle brand and his ex-wife, late forties
Los Angeles, 2021
~~~
Ryan takes out his cell and makes a call. After several rings, his ex-wife Veronica reluctantly picks up.
VERONICA: What do you want?
RYAN: Hey. I guess you didn’t lose my number after all.
VERONICA: You don’t know that. Maybe I thought you were the pizza guy.
RYAN: Then you’re really rude to delivery people. And you haven’t eaten a pizza in twenty years.
VERONICA: You have no idea what I do anymore.
RYAN: Heh. Fair enough, I guess. Listen, Ronnie… can I ask you something, please?
VERONICA: Why me?
RYAN: Because you know me better than anybody. And you’ll give it to me straight…
Beat.
RYAN: Tell me, was I really an asshole, before?
There is silence on the line as Veronica rolls not just her eyes but practically her whole body.
RYAN: Ronnie?
VERONICA: Sorry, Ryan, I died. You killed me.
RYAN: I know—
VERONICA: Clearly you don’t.
RYAN: I don’t mean during the worst of it. I mean… before. Before the drugs got bad. When I was still just me. I’m having a lot of trouble remembering.
VERONICA: I know, Ryan. You never remember any of it.
RYAN: Please, Veronica! I knew I was checked out during, but… I find I’ve lost a lot from before then, too.
Beat.
VERONICA: Yes. Yes, okay? You were.
RYAN: Jesus, really? Come on!
VERONICA: You asked me!
RYAN: Can you not be pissed at me for ten minutes?
VERONICA: What do you want me to say? No, you were a tragic hero?
RYAN: I don’t know, we were married for fourteen years, maybe I figured there was some reason for that? But no, you just hate my guts and I deserve it, so I don’t know why I—
VERONICA: No. You said you can’t remember, but I can. I remember the man I married— and he was always an asshole.
RYAN: I know how bad it got when I was using—
VERONICA: Oh, come on. The self-centeredness, the ego? The drugs didn’t make you like that, Ryan. They just took away everything that let you get away with it. When you weren’t… hot, and competent, and talented anymore, the asshole was all that was left.
Ryan tenses, stung.
RYAN: And, what? Back then, that just didn’t bother you?
VERONICA: (Sighing) I was an asshole back then too.
RYAN: But you’re different now, huh?
VERONICA: I gave up more than just coke when Meryl came along. One of us had to.
Beat while Ryan must concede the truth of that to himself.
RYAN: I’ve been putting in the work this time, too. I swear, I don’t… want to be that guy anymore.
VERONICA: I’m not here to absolve you, Ryan. Not after everything you did to me.
RYAN: Yeah. I know.
Beat.
RYAN: Thanks, Ronnie.
VERONICA: Yeah. Now, if you’ll excuse me, I have a pizza to eat.