FADE IN:
EXT.  BACKYARD OF A THREE FLOORS HOUSE. DAY
There are three metal chairs, A crooked metal table, a small
shed at the corner of the backyard.  Alan Kindrik (65) comes
out of the back door. He carries a straw basket with damp
clothes. A small bag hangs from his shoulder. He walks over
to the clotheslines and puts down the basket. He then puts
down the small bag and takes out clothes. He hums. He hangs
the bag and opens it. He takes out several wooden clips.
Mary Shindler (58) puts her head out of the window on the
second floor. Mary looks at Alan. Alan takes out a shirt and
hangs it on the clotheslines. He straightens the shirt.
MARY
Mr. Kindrik.
Alan stops and looks left and right.
MARY (CONT'D)
Up here Mr. Kindrik. Second floor.
Alan looks up.
MARY (CONT'D)
Mary Shindler. 2B.
ALAN
Yes I know.
(beat)
Did I wake you up? I'm sorry. I tried to be very quiet.
MARY
You didn't. I mean you didn't wake me up. Just looking out.
Nice day.
ALAN
Sure.
Alan hangs another shirt.
MARY
Your first time.
ALAN
What?
MARY
Norma always did that.  Hanging the clothes early morning.
Alan continues to hang the damp clothes.
MARY (CONT'D)
I said...
ALAN
Well Norma isn't here.
MARY
Did you wipe the clotheslines ?
ALAN
Why should I ?
MARY
Because they are covered with sand and dust after last
week's storm.
Alan does not answer.
MARY (CONT'D)
You want me to come down and show you?
ALLAN
No.
MARY
You should...
ALAN
I can handle it Mrs. Shindler. Really.
MARY
Ms. Shindler.
(beat)
These are Norma's clothes.
ALAN
Yeah.
MARY
I thought that your daughter in law...
ALAN
Glenda
MARY
That Glenda was supposed to take her clothes to the
Salvation Army
ALAN
Who told you that?
MARY
She did. Glenda. After the funeral.
ALAN
She shouldn't have.
MARY
Well she did.
ALAN
I asked her not to. Not yet.
(beat)
I had to wash them one more time.
Mary's head disappears. Alan notices. He takes off the
shirts that he hung and puts them back in the basket.  He
takes a tissue out of his pocket and starts to wipe the
clotheslines. He then continues to hang the clothes. Mary
comes out of the back door. Alan sees her. He stops
hanging.
ALAN (CONT'D)
I don't need your help Mrs. Shindler.
MARY
Need or Want ?
ALAN
Both. Go back. Please.
MARY
Why? I'm not in the way.
ALAN
I wish to be left alone. Do you mind ?
(beat)
It's private.
MARY
There is nothing private about a backyard.
ALAN
Privacy got nothing to do with the place.
Mary sits on one of the chairs. Alan looks at her and then
begins to take down the shirts.
MARY
Leave them on. Please
ALAN
Only if you leave.
MARY
Why?
ALAN
Told you. I want to be alone.
MARY
OK.
Mary gets up and walks to the back door. She then stops and
looks back.
MARY (CONT'D)
If you come across...
ALAN
I won't.
MARY
You won't what ?
ALAN
The blue shirt. I threw it away right after she went to the
hospital.
MARY
You didn't.
ALAN
I did. Didn't like it a bit.
MARY
What was there not to like ? Just a simple everyday blue
shirt with an white anchor stiched on the pocket.
(beat)
It was mine.
ALAN
Why would Norma wear one of your shirt Ms. Shindler ?
MARY
Because she wanted to be the first one to wear it.
ALAN
Well it's gone now.  
(beat)
How much did you pay for it ?
MARY
It wasn't for sale Mr. Kindrik.
(beat)
I don't believe you threw it away. Maybe you will.
Eventually.
ALAN
How much was it ? Fifty, Sixty dollars ?
MARY
Told you it's not for sale. Money got nothing to do with
it.
Mary goes into the house. Alan continues to hang the rest of
the clothes. He finishes and takes out a bottle of coke and
plastic cup. He sits by the table and pours Coke into the
cup. Mary comes out with a paper in her hands. She walks
over to Alan. She waves the paper.
MARY (CONT'D)
See?
ALAN
What is it ?
MARY
The receipt for the blue shirt.  It's made out to me. Ms.
Mary Shindler.
(she reads)
One long sleeved blue shirt with embroidery of an anchor  on
the pocket.
ALAN
Receipt proves nothing. For all I know you could have bought
it as a present for Norma.
MARY
I didn't and she said she would give it back to me after she
got out of the hospital and you had no right to throw it
away.
ALAN
OK. I'll get you a new onen and I'll throw in an extra
shirt. White.
Mary walks between the clotheslines.
ALAN (CONT'D)
Well ?
MARY
Well what?
ALAN
Told you that the blue shirt wasn't here.
Mary points up to her apartment.
MARY
I could see that from up there
(beat)
Norma always kept her shirts very clean and tidy.
ALAN
I washed all her clothes three times.  This is why I didn't
let Glenda give them away. Not yet.
MARY
I understand.
ALAN
No you don't.
MARY
You couldn't bear the thought that strangers will wear
Norma's scent. Well I wasn't. A stranger I mean. Not to
Norma.
MARY (CONT'D)
You had no rights to throw away the blue shirt.
ALAN
I had every right in the world. Norma was my wife.
Mary drinks.
ALAN (CONT'D)
and I could do what I wanted with her clothes.
MARY
You know damn well what I mean.
(beat)
Why didn't you give it to Glenda ?
ALAN
Glenda ? Why her ?
MARY
Daughter in Law.
Alan laughs.
MARY (CONT'D)
Did I say something funny?
ALAN
Give it to Brenda.
(beat)
She'll have to lose 20 pounds first. You got a sense of
humor Ms. Shindler.
MARY
I don't. Not now.
Mary drinks the coke and makes a face.
MARY (CONT'D)
You didn't bring ice by any chance
ALAN
No.
Mary gets up and takes the cup with her.
ALAN (CONT'D)
Leave the cup.
MARY
I'm going to put some ice in it.
ALAN
I'll get the ice.
Alan gets up.
ALAN (CONT'D)
You like Danilson's crackers Ms. Shindler?
MARY
The kind with the pepper and sesame seeds on top?
ALAN
Yeah.
MARY
Only the whole ones.
ALAN
I throw away the broken ones.
Alan walks out. Mary looks around. She walks over to one of
the shirts and smells it. Sh edoes so with several shirts
and then goes back to her chair.
MARY
Shit.
Alan comes back with a bowl full with ice and a large tin
can. He places the bowl and the can on the table.  Mary
takes a few ice cubes. Alan opens the box and takes out a
cracker.
MARY (CONT'D)
I think you are lying Alan.
ALAN
Am I ? About what ?
MARY
About my blue shirt. I bet you still have it.
Alan laughs. He takes a few ice cubes. Mary takes a
cracker.
ALAN
You'll lose.
MARY
How about 100 dollars ?
ALAN
I thought you didn't want to sell it.
MARY
I don't. I'll pay you one hundred dollars for the shirt.
ALAN
You will ?
MARY
Sure. I want it. Now.
ALAN
Why would you want to pay for your own shirt ? I would love
to give it to you for a hundred dollars but I don't have it.
I threw it away.
MARY
Somehow I got the feeling that you still have it.
(beat)
It is probably under your pillow  and you take it out at
night and bury that big nose of yours in it. You suck her
scent into you.
ALAN
You're nuts.  Let me tell you one thing Ms. Shindler.  You
bought the blue shirt knowing very well that Norma had only
a few weeks.  
MARY
She wanted to be the first to...
ALAN
Don't give me that.  You were the one to talk her into
wearing it first so that you could later get it back and
preserve the shirt with Norma's scent.
Mary gets up.
ALAN (CONT'D)
Only I was wise to you Mary. This is why I threw it away.
Cell phone rings. Alan takes it out of the bag and opens it.

MARY
You are sick.
ALAN
(on the phone)
Hi Brad... No.  I'm not sick... I've got that woman Mary
something from the second floor... I'm in the backyard
hanging up Mom's clothes to dry and this woman thought she
was my supervisor... Sure you can come and bring Rick. I
want to find out what he wants for his birthday... OK. Bye.
Mary walks to the rear door. Alan closes the phone.
ALAN (CONT'D)
Where are you going Mary ?
MARY
I could never figure out what Norma found in you.
ALAN
Your kind never does.
Mary gets up. Sh eputs back the cup and walks to the house.

ALAN (CONT'D)
Didn't think you were a quitter.
Mary stops and turns around.
MARY
The hell with you Mr. Kindrick,
ALAN
and with the blue shirt ?
MARY
I didn't say that.  I know you have it.  It is a simple as
all that.  You want to keep it to yourself and I won't let
you.  
(beat)
Norma told me how much you disliked the two of us going out
together.
ALAN
Disliked ? What was there to dislike ?  Two aging women
going out...
MARY
Norma was only 52.
ALAN
And you are what? 60? 61 ?
MARY
58.
ALAN
Sorry. I take back the aging.
(beat)
Two women meeting twice a month just to go to opera,
concert, show  or occasional lunch.
MARY
We were friends. Close.  
ALAN
How close?
MARY
Good friends. Norma confided in me.
ALAN
Intimate?
Mary is taken back. She is obviously shocked.
MARY
You dirty old man.
ALAN
That's not an answer.
MARY
Of course not.  
ALAN
I wouldn't have minded you know.  
Mary goes to the clothesline and touches the shirts.
MARY
The sun is hot.  The shirts will be dry in a few minutes.
(beat)
Poor shirts.
ALAN
What
MARY
These shirts have no identity now. Orphaned shirts.  
(beat)
What about Norma's bicycle ? Will you sell it to me ?
ALAN
What bicycle?
Mary points to the shed.
MARY
In there.
ALAN
It's yours.
MARY
No. It's not.  Norma bought it six months ago and said that
she was going to tell you that it was mine. I didn't mind.
ALAN
Why did she buy a bicycle when she had no idea how to ride
it ?
MARY
Norma wanted to surprise you and your grandson Rick.
(beat)
I taught her to ride.  Whenever she overheard you talking
about one of your fishing trips she would come over to me "
Alan is going fishing so it's time for practice ".  We would
put the bicycle in the trunk of my car and go to the park.
Norma fell several times but finally mastered it.
ALAN
I asked her about the bruises on her legs but she said that
she bumped against the table.
MARY
She planned to take the bicycle to your grandson Rick on his
birthday September 10th and ride with him in the park. Her
own personal present.
Alan goes back to the chair and sits. He plays with the cup.
Mary looks at him.
MARY (CONT'D)
Norma promised Rick that she'll learn to ride if he'll go
riding with her on his 9th birthday.  She told me that he
laughed and said that she won't learn because only kids
learn to ride the bike.  
(beat)
She was sure you'll understand about that bike thing. She
just loved surprises.
ALAN
Why you ?
MARY
What do you mean ?
ALAN
We were married for 10 years. Best of friends.  We shared
thoughts, wants, dreams, love and understanding. Yet she
could not confide in me and preferred to share a surprise
with a stranger.
MARY
I wasn't a stranger. Not to Norma.  We were close. Very
close.
(laughs)
Wasn't. Were.  All in the past tense Alan. Over. No more.
Finished. Never to return.

Mary takes a cracker and eats it.
MARY
Now only her scent goes on living though not for long.
ALAN
I know.
(beat)
I better not mention Norma's promise to Rick. He probably
forgot all about that.
MARY
Don't think so. Kids don't.
Alan smiles.
MARY (CONT'D)
What?
ALAN
Had a crazy idea. Actually I managed to surprise myself.
MARY
Like what ?
ALAN
Like you riding the bike with Rick.
MARY
No.
ALAN
Why ?
MARY
I can't take Norma's place. Not with Rick not with anyone.
(beat)
He's your grandson.
ALAN
You'll never take her place with anyone Mary but somehow I
have the feeling that Norma would've liked you to be part of
the surprise.  She'll share it through you.
(beat)
Part of the blue shirt too.  Norma's scent is still there.
Sometimes it smells like she just took it off. Strong, live,
vivid.
MARY
It's all that we have left Alan.
Alan gets up and touches the shirts on the clotheslines. He
smells them.
MARY (CONT'D)
Well ?
ALAN
I'll ask Glenda to come and pick them up tomorrow.
(beat)
You think I should give them away folded or on hangers Mary
?
MARY
Norma would have given them away ironed and folded covered
with a crepe paper.
ALAN
I know.
MARY
I'll help you take them off.
ALAN
I'm a lousy folder.
Alan and Mary start to take off the shirts.
END.