2 Manhattans by Ed DuRanté

INT. BLUE OWL BAR - DAY
Outside, Slice, a 60 year old Black man carrying a saxophone case, knocks on the glass door. The bartender, Slice’s son Gill, goes to the door and let’s him in.

GILL
Pop, what are you doing here?

SLICE
Nice to see you too.

GILL
I gotta set up.

SLICE
Who’s stop’n you?

Slice sits at the bar as Gill sets up.

GILL
What’s up?

SLICE
Nothing.

GILL
Don’t say “nothing.” I know something’s up.

SLICE
I’ve got a date. Two Manhattans, please.

GILL
A date?

SLICE
Is there an echo in here?

GILL
With who?

SLICE
A friend.

GILL
A real friend or one of your groupies.

SLICE
An old friend. A real life friend. A friend from back in the day.

GILL
Is she hot?

SLICE
She was.

GILL
But old now.

SLICE
Do you always have to be a jerk?

GILL
The apple doesn’t fall far from the tree.

SLICE
Sure she’s old. I’m old. And if you’re lucky you’ll be old one day too.

GILL
What’s her name?

SLICE
Zora. Zora. Zora. I met her three days before I met your mother.

GILL
Three days?

SLICE
She made me forget all about Zora... until now.

GILL
How’d you find her?

SLICE
She came to my gig last night. I haven’t seen her since the last time I played at the “Five Spot” in 1966.

GILL
Why are you meeting her here?

SLICE
I think I love her.

GILL
Love?

SLICE
Love.

GILL
You’re a strange man.

SLICE
Two Manhattan.

GILL
Two?

SLICE
One’s for Zora.

GILL
I’ll make her’s when she gets here.

Slice doesn’t like Gill’s tone.

SLICE
Make them both now.

Gill obeys his father and makes the drinks.

GILL
What if she’s late?

SLICE
She won’t be.

GILL
You “think” you love her?

SLICE
I knew when I saw Zora last night that everything happened the right way. Your mother... She..

They stare at each other for a moment.

GILL
I know, I know.

SLICE
Zora is my second set. I’m improvising from now on.

Gill places 2 Manhattans in front of Slice.

GILL
I didn’t realize you were such a romantic.

Slice is amused.

SLICE
Don’t you ever listen to my music?

We hear the bar door open. Slice and Gill turn and look. Slice stands and grins.

SLICE (CONT’D)
Zora!

Gill, smiling broadly, looks at his father and then back at the unseen Zora.


THE END