Connections | Screenplay

1    INT. BUFFET RESTAURANT. DAY. 
ALLY walks around the buffet and looks for food to get. 
She runs into a woman as she is paying attention to other things.
                                  ALLY
                     I am so sorry…
Ally realizes it is SHARON.
                                  ALLY (CONT’D)
                     Oh! Sharon!
                                  SHARON
                     Ally! It has been a while!
                                  ALLY
                     Yeah! Last time I saw you must’ve been from our 
                     high school gathering like two years ago. How
                     have you been?
                                  SHARON
                     It has been great! I am running a salon now and
                     that is why I got such beautiful hair.
Sharon runs her fingers through her hair and Ally laughs.
                                  ALLY
                     Yeah, I think I heard about that last time.
                                  SHARON
                     How have you been? I feel so bad for not 
                     talking to you more often! We used to be so 
                     close back in high school!
                                  ALLY
                     Yeah, it happens. Adulthood coming into play as 
                     such.
Ally smiles and Sharon laughs.
                                  SHARON
                     Oh yeah, definitely. Bills, people, family… 
                     Many things.
                                  ALLY
                     Anyways, I have been looking for work because
                     my previous workplace was shut down.
                                  SHARON
                     Oh what?! How come?
                                  ALLY
                     Health inspectors didn’t like its condition. To
                     be honest, I don’t really like it as well…
                                  SHARON
                     Oh yikes! Yeah! It must be because it is filthy 
                     or something right? I remember you were quite the 
                     clean freak back then. No offence, it is not a 
                     bad thing in certain circumstances.
                                  ALLY
                     Oh, yeah, it is that, but also because it is a 
                     butchery, and…
                                  SHARON
 
                     Oh, yeah, I feel you. Sweaty men around, ooof, 
                     not the best thing.
Ally sighs.
                                  ALLY
                     Yep, definitely that reason.
They keep walking and Sharon sees some aged ham.
                                  SHARON
                     Oh, I remember you used to love these.
                                  ALLY
                     I…
Sharon puts the ham onto Ally’s plate.
                                  SHARON
                     There you go!
Ally gives a forced smile.
                                  ALLY
                     Thank you.
                                  SHARON
                     You are welcome!
They walk around and Ally walks back to her seat.
JACKIE sees her and looks at her plate.
Ally waves and Jackie takes the aged ham off her plate.
                                  JACKIE
                     How thoughtful of you!
                                  ALLY
                     Ahh, well, I ran into an old friend and she
                     didn’t realise I am a vegetarian now.
                                  JACKIE
                     Oh yikes. Did you try to explain?
                                  ALLY
                     If only she would listen.
Ally sighs.
                                  ALLY (CONT’D)
                     Sometimes I wonder why I lost connections with 
                     old friends. But then I realise, there is 
                     usually a reason why the connection was lost, 
                     and why I built new or maintained other old 
                     connections. When the connection is lost…
                                  JACKIE
                     Then you get someone putting aged ham onto your
                     vegetarian plate.
Ally smiles bitterly and Jackie laughs.
                                  JACKIE (CONT’D)
                     Alright, I’ll go get you a new plate.
                                  ALLY
                     It is okay, I’ll go get myself a new one.
Ally stands up and Jackie laughs.
                                  JACKIE
                     That’s why we are friends, you are so 
                     considerate.
Ally sticks out her tongue at Jackie and walks back out.

THE END

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------

©Yolanda Yip (Wintsarye)