335. The Painted Lady - Leslie

• FADE IN:


• INT. THE CLIFFSIDE - DAY


• The Cliffside is a cafe that lives up to its name.


• Perched on the edge of a beach-side cliff, it gives its patrons a generous view of the ocean through the massive picture windows on the side of the building that hangs precariously over the cliff.


• ELEANOR sits at a table by one of the windows, sipping a deliciously colored fruit concoction.


• She looks like she could have stepped out of a Good Housekeeping magazine from 1954, a flawless red luncheon dress and a matching red carnation tucked behind into her perfectly coiffed her, except for the fact that her upper torso is completely covered in colorful tattoos.


• A small silver ball protrudes above the left side of her mouth, an artificial beauty-mark.


• NATHAN, a young boy, no more than nine years old walks past with GINGER, his mother in tow.


• He tries to whisper to his mother.


• NATHAN
• Look at the painted lady mom!


• Eleanor laughs and Ginger turns red.


• GINGER
• Shhh. Apologize to the nice lady.


• ELEANOR
• Oh no, it's fine. You can come closer. See, they all tell stories.


• Nathan pulls his mom forward to look.


• GINGER
• I'm really sorry.


• ELEANOR
• Hey, are you about to order something?


• GINGER
• Yeah...


• ELEANOR
• I can keep an eye on him while you order.


• Ginger eyes her cautiously.


• GINGER
• Would you?


• ELEANOR
• Sure, it'd be my pleasure.


• Ginger lets go of his hand and Nathan ambles forward, shamelessly inspecting the tattoos as he gets closer.


• GINGER
• Thanks.


• She hurries off to stand in line.


• Eleanor pats the seat beside her.


• ELEANOR
• Here, I'll tell you one of the stories. Pick one.


• Nathan looks over the tattoos and jabs a finger at a small dragonfly wrapped in strange runes - a rose seems to grow from its torso upward.


• NATHAN
• What's that story?


• ELEANOR
• Well, once up on time, a young dragonfly prince was traveling to a far away land, for he was in search of a beautiful princess to be his companion. And one day, many months into traveling, he entered the might kingdom of the bee queen. He was granted an audience with her and told her of his quest. At the audience was the Queen's exceedingly beautiful daughter and the Queen noticed that the young prince and her daughter had fallen madly in love with a single glance. She promised her daughter's hand in marriage, if only he could finish three difficult missions for her.


• Ginger returns from the counter.


• GINGER
• Thanks so much for watching him.


• Nathan snaps out of his story-induced stupor.


• NATHAN
• But she's not done!


• GINGER
• Give the nice lady a rest Nate-darling.


• ELEANOR
• Next time you come, we'll finish it, ok?


• Ginger is already pulling him away, hot chocolate-to-go in one hand, and the keys to her car already in hand.


• Nathan turns back.


• NATHAN
• Ok!


• He leaves the cafe, smiling.


• Eleanor smiles back.


• RICH, one of the guys behind the bar yells out.


• RICH
• Your clock start ticking faster?


• ELEANOR
• You need to just hush, Rich. Just because I like kids...


• RICH
• Uh huh...


• ELEANOR
• Exactly, Shhhh! I could get used to this painted lady thing.


• FADE TO BLACK.