TABOULI (serial B & L collob)

INT. TBD HEALTH FOOD STORE - AM
STICK READS VOLTAIRE. CUBBIE PREPS FOOD IN THE BG.

CUBBIE: If Jem bats his cow eyes at me one more time, I’ll scream.

STICK: Then, go out with him.
CUBBIE: So he can cross examine me about my tofu steaks? No thanks. Besides, he’s married. Don’t you ever listen?
STICK: Apparently not. How about Lido then?
CUBBIE: Lido’s got too many bad habits.
STICK: Like what?
CUBBIE: He’s a momma’s boy. He’d probably bring her along.
STICK: That would be some trick. She’s dead.
CUBBIE: Her apron strings must run deep then.
NICOLE: (tangos in) Then you better sharpen that cleaver of yours, Cubbie. Sorry I’m late.
STICK: No prob. Lips as red as wine ...
CUBBIE:... and soft like a baby’s butt. (laughs) You sound just like a phu phu commercial.
STICK: (mumbles 1st line) Thanks Cub! So Nick, how’s Grace?
NICOLE: Wouldn’t know.
STICK: But didn’t you see her last night for the weekly grill session?
NICOLE: Ah.. Ah ... Grace was a little under the weather.
CUBBIE: You sure? She call here looking for you last night.
NICOLE: Really? She ah must’ve recover fast.
CUBBIE: Or you had a secret date.
NICOLE: Can’t I have any secrets?
CUBBIE: Nope. Where were you?
STICK: Now Cub, leave her be. She has the right to a private life without us ...
CUBBIE: Alright ... I’ll be back.
NICOLE: Okay, ole Smokey.
CUBBIE: (exits while speaking) Don’t knock it. It’s good for my glaucoma & rheumatism. Back in 5.
NICOLE: Guess it’s called aroma therapy, huh?
STICK: She should see Doc Holly. It’s called gouty arthritis. Uric acid deposits that cause sudden swelling of the feet. It’s hereditary.
NICOLE: (grins) Really? So what do they call swelling of the brain?
STICK: Well, it’s called ... oh, never mind.
NICOLE: ... So, who’s on today?
STICK: Drey and Frank. Bishop’s off.
NICOLE: Wait, don’t tell. There’s some Jimi Hendrix tribute band in Jackson, he NEEDS to see? He must think I’m dense.
STICK: No .. He’s sick. Got laryngitis.
NICOLE: I bet he has. Toss me the phone. We’ll see if he’s on the up and up.
STICK: (tosses it to her) Guess trust isn’t in your vocab today.
NICOLE: (dials number) Do you blame me. He’s called in sick, ten times this year and it’s only March. Hello, is Bishop in? ... Oh, I see. Well, tell Sleeping Beauty to get his buns here today or he won’t have a job to pay for his extra curricular activities! (slaps phone on the counter)
STICK:Well, that was subtle ... Hope you didn’t make Bonnie pee in her pants.
NICOLE: (laughs) I might’ve.
STICK: Anger brings out the Jekyll in you.
DREY: (walks in) Ain’t that the truth. Let me guess, Bishop called in sick again.
NICOLE: Yep. Is Bishop this flaky when it comes to rehearsal?
DREY: He’s much worse ... We barely get on stage with one rehearsal under our belts. Speaking of, is Frank here yet?
STICK: Nope ... He’s not due in until noon.

Luscious plums (haiku)

Luscious lips of red

Kisses Santa's weathered brow

As plum fairies dance

c2012 llr

Serial Collaboration

UPcoming Serial Collaboration with Bobbie Girls Folly
 Look forward to installments in the very near future

CONVEX PEAK

(this is a scene adapted from a book I'm currently writing)

A gigantic oak filled with kaleidoscopic colored leaves sways in the snowy winter wind. Pandora, a 40 ft mechanical lion soars across the sky and lands next to the tree. LEXY, a 16 year old ivory skinned redhead and MORTY, a stout heavy set man with thick lens goggles jump off her back. Pandora snarls with purple fangs and purple claws exposed. She snorts loudly then rears ups as Lexy hides behind a 50 ft snowdrift that's inches away from the tree. 

MORTY: Pandora, simmer down and be quiet! And retract those fangs and claws before Hexaba pulls them all out.

Pandora whimpers as Morty leads her behind the drift. Lexy pulls out her orange amulet as he quickly lugs out his bulky magnetic shotgun.

MORTY: We better lay low for now. Hexaba is so close, I can taste her horrible breath imbedded on my tongue.

LEXY:     Your sense of smell is uncanny. And your sense of taste, for that matter. I guess four hundred years of living has refined your senses to a tee.

MORTY: Too bad my eyesight hasn't improved. Look, my brainwaves are like an open book to Hexaba. She and that pesky Dragonfly will be here any minute.

LEXY:     What is she really like? I mean, working for her for all these years must've given you some idea.

MORTY:  Stunning to look at but cunning and treacherous to the core. She wouldn't even let me take a vacation.

LEXY:      Slave driver, huh? She sounds like my Aunt Vera. Nothing I did was good enough. I practically slept standing up while cleaning the cottage. 

MORTY:  Yeah, sounds like they're cut from the same mold. Hey, I didn't get the chance to give you my condolences. You uncle was a wonderful man.

LEXY:      Yes he was ... Hey, you knew him?

MORTY:  Only briefly. He helped me build Pandora.

LEXY:      Wow! How long ago was that?

MORTY:  Oh, I'd say about five years ago. 

LEXY:      How did you met? I mean you said you never took a vacation.

MORTY:  I was on a job for Hexaba. She thought that my friendship could help find out where you were.

LEXY:      So that's why he stopped any kind of contact with my mom, my dad and me. I thought Aunt Vera had something to do with it.

MORTY:  Well, he never did reveal your whereabouts but he did inherit Vera as a permanent fixture. Hexaba put an unbreakable hex on him.   

LEXY:      And I guess she's been taking advantage of the situation ever since. You know my Uncle Razz saved my life. He went to the other side.

MORTY:  Well if you conquer Hexaba you'll see your uncle soon enough.

LEXY:      And my mother. (tears up)

MORTY:  I'm sorry I brought it up. Hey, you gotta buckle up. Hexaba isn't swayed by emotions. 

LEXY:      You're right. Oh, by the way, thanks for the incantation book. I've got a handle on lots of spells. Especially the protective ones.

MORTY:  I'm glad, cus here she comes.

Suddenly, Dragonfly a 20 ft green dragon with a red streak down it's back explodes through the clouds. Hexaba, rides her proudly as she takes in the landscape. Dragonfly squawks with delight as she spots Lexy, Morty and Pandora. She lands on the highest peak of the Convex Mountains and perches onit. Hexaba grabs her black amulet, hurls a green semi-liquid dust at them and recites with a deep husky voice.

HEXABA: DO-TUS-KA  ... COVA-COSTA

Lexy aims her orange amulet directly at the traveling dust as Morty takes aim with his shotgun.

LEXY:      TINDRA ... PULP-O-TINI        

The dust disperses as Dragonfly takes off towards them. Hexaba hurls a green lightning blot at them as Morty shoots a magnetic force at it. The bolt explodes in two and clips Dragonfly's left flank. She descends upside down as Morty shoots again.

HEXABA:  LITA-FARO!

Dragonfly turns right side up as the magnum magnetic force backfires and hits Morty's right shoulder. He tumbles back, hits the tree and crumbles into a semi-conscious state. Blood oozes from his head and his shoulder bone juts out from his coat. Lexy rushes over, puts her hand on his head and shoulders.

LEXY:     HEL-VI-BRATO ... ES-CARPA!

The blood stops flowing and Morty's bone gyrates back into place. Hexaba moves in for the kill as Lexy wakes him and helps him up.

MORTY: Pandora, get us out of here now!

LEXY:     There's no time. Tell her to go to Mirror Lake and I'll transport us out of here.

MORTY: (touches Pandora's head) Head for Mirror Lake. Go there pronto!

Pandora whines but takes off as Lexy grabs Morty's hand then her amulet. They vanish as Dragonfly swoops down. Hexaba pulls up the tree and tosses it at Pandora. The tree barely misses Pandora as she soars out of sight. Hexaba regains her composure and heads for Convex Mountains. Within seconds Dragonfly lands on a colossal tree. Henry, a ghastly hairy beast sleeps quietly with a rolled up map between his paws. Hexaba dismounts, pets him then recovers the map and puts it into her breast pocket. Henry wakes up.

HEXABA:  Yes, my beastly little pet. You deserve a reward.

She touches her black amulet to Henry's chest. He swiftly transforms back into Henrietta, a gentle female. Except now, the girls breathes through neck gills and the whites of her have tiny green dots throughout.

HEXABA:   Much better. You are now my assistant. Mortimer will surely pay.

Hexaba mounts Dragonfly and pulls Henrietta up behind her. They fly away then disappear into a small black ball.

VAGUE PEACE OF MIND

The pearly gates swing wide with thrusting wind 
No more lies, it's time to fess up to your flaws

Blast out into space with no knowledge to date
Hell is war, there's no more time to debate

Peace won't happen when the world falls to pieces
A blink of an eye won't save you from guilt

Open your mind and forget all that you doubt
Remember we're in this together, unless you strike out 

FICKLE PICKLE

Aligned with nothing can make you oh so fickle

Careful where you tread, it might end in a pickle

Take a path to keep your gray matter on track

Activate your brain then you won't mind all the flack 

Travel through life with your tactile passion

Always move with a forceful plan of action

Do what you may and dream with your mind

Give it all you've got and you'll be one of a kind 

Labor of Love

Tight as a drum, the heart pumps forever strong
Fingers glide over our souls, making us belong
The blood rushes over our skin with pure delight
A labor of love, nothing short of flawless insight