INT. ALOHA THRIFT SHOP – MORNING
ANNA YOSHIMURA (late 20s) stands behind counter pricing used clothing items. The little bell over the door rings. Anna looks up.
CHRIS LEE, another employee, enters wearing a tuxedo and carrying two cups of coffee.
ANNA
Wow. Nice tux. Dressing up for our Saturday customers. Think it’ll drive sales?
CHRIS
(Puts one of the cups of coffee down on the counter in front of Anna.)
Yeah, I thought I’d stand by the door, open it and close it. Class the place up. Nothing like coming to buy gently used items and getting high-end treatment.
ANNA
If we had an elevator you could do like the old days, you know. Ride up and down all day, letting people in and out.
CHRIS
Yeah. Pulling doors open and closing them. All day long. Eight hour-shifts. Yikes.
ANNA
(Sipping coffee.)
I’m glad Loco Mocha survived the pandemic. Stylish folks like us need lattes, right? Why are you wearing a tuxedo to work?
CHRIS
Going behind another counter, putting his coffee down. Opening one of the glass cases that display odds and ends, he arranges items.
CHRIS
Ah, couple friends’ wedding this morning. Sand and sunrise and surf. Bummer for us non-romantic friends who want to sleep in.
ANNA
That does sound romantic.
CHRIS
Yeah, the photographer made it feel like we were shooting a Hallmark movie.
ANNA
You would moan about that. We’ve worked together here for what? Six months? You are definitely not what I would call romantic.
CHRIS
(Grabbing at his heart.)
Ah, you wound me, madam. I am, in fact, the last true romantic left here on earth.
ANNA
Yeah, right. Watching Titanic and then telling me you thought it was funny that Rose lets go of Jack right after she promises she’ll never let go.
CHRIS
Come on, you gotta admit that’s pretty funny. I’ll never let you go, and before you can say Rose DeWitt Bukater, she’s dropped him like a hot potato?
ANNA
Wow. You remember her entire name. Maybe you are a bit of a romantic after all.
(Chris stands up from behind counter and makes elaborate bow. The little bell above the door rings. A tall, thinnish older Korean gentleman and his small, thinnish Korean wife (both mid 60s) walk in.)
ANNA
Good morning. Is there anything I can help you find?
(The man and woman nod to her, look toward the counter where Chris is standing.)
MAN
You look good in that tuxedo, son.
CHRIS
How kind of you to mention it, sir.
WOMAN
That’s a lovely boutonnière. A white rose with a spray of white Baby’s Breath.
CHRIS
Yes, Ma‘am. A wedding this morning. My preference is a red rose for a boutonnière, but the bride prefers white. And what she wants, she gets.
ANNA
Hey, don’t be hard on her. I think that shows great taste. I like white, too. Everyone likes red. But white, well, it’s my favorite rose.
CHRIS
Huh. Really. Well I’ll be sure to file that away just in case I ever need to buy you roses.
WOMAN
If I were getting married all over again, I think I’d like to have a morning wedding.
MAN
Good idea, my dear. Get all the bother out of the way and start the drinking earlier.
WOMAN
(Elbowing him.)
Jerry, don’t say that. This young lady will get the wrong idea about you..
(Turning to Anna.)
(WOMAN cont’d)
If you don’t mind, my dear, we’ll just browse for a bit.
ANNA
What a sweet couple. It’d be nice to say one day, “Friends, welcome to the celebration of our 50th Wedding Anniversary.”
CHRIS
How old are you again?
ANNA
Twenty-nine, since you’re that curious.
CHRIS
Oh no. The clock is ticking. But if you get married right now, you’d be what, only seventy-nine years old. Hey, I have faith you’ll get there.
(The bell above the door rings. A very serious YOUNG MAN (early thirties) walks in.)
ANNA
Good morning. Is there anything I help you with?
YOUNG MAN
Wow, you really are good-looking.
(Chris bursts out laughing.)
ANNA
Excuse me? What do you mean by that?
YOUNG MAN
I think I mean that you’re good-looking.
(Chris laughs again.)
ANNA
Excuse me?
YOUNG MAN
Well, Chris, what she lacks in listening comprehension she sure makes up for with her sunny personality.
CHRIS
Anna, I’m sorry, this is my friend, Dave. You have to forgive him. He’s a jerk.
ANNA
Oh, oh, I see. Well, ah, Dave, thank you for the compliment, I guess?
DAVID
Well it is. Chris here told me you’re a knockout, and I see exactly what he meant.
ANNA
Oh, please.
(Turning to Chris.)
(ANNA cont’d)
Why would you say something like that about me?
The little bell goes off over the door. JESSICA (late 20s), Anna’s best friend walks in.
ANNA
Jess, what are you doing here?
JESSICA
Hey, girlfriend, what kind of a greeting is that? I can’t stop by and say hi?
CHRIS
Anna, when did we get this in?
(Anna goes to the case, looks in, is surprised)
ANNA
Why, I don’t know. A ring. It’s beautiful.
(The bell above the door rings. An older Japanese man and woman (early 60s) come in.
ANNA
Mom! Dad! What are you guys doing here?
(From behind her back, Mrs. Yoshimura produces a bouquet of long-stemmed white roses.)
MRS. YOSHIMURA
My Dear, we heard there’s a wedding, and we didn’t want to miss it.
(Anna is completely confused. The first older husband and wife join the group.)
CHRIS
Anna, may I introduce you to my mom and dad.
(Anna is still speechless. Chris takes the ring from showcase, gets down on one knee.)
(CHRIS cont’d)
Anna Yoshimura, we’ve worked together now for six months, and I’ve never wanted to date you.
ANNA
What? You never wanted to date me?
CHRIS
No, sorry, I’ve wanted to, but I never asked. If you’d said no, it would have killed me. And if we’d dated and things turned out bad, then that would have killed me. So I decided to lay it out here. I asked Jessica, my folks and yours, and my buddy, Reverend Dave, to join us this morning. Please don’t kill me now, okay? Anna, would you do me the honor of marrying me?
ANNA
(mouth agape)
Oh my. Oh, please, Chris, please stand up.
(Chris, an apprehensive look on his face, stands. Anna embraces him.)
ANNA
Of course, yes. If you’d asked me out, I would have said yes in a heartbeat.
(The whole group cheers. Mrs. Yoshimura hands the white rose bouquet to Anna.)
REVEREND DAVE
Friends, we’ve come together today to celebrate the union of Anna Yoshimura and my buddy Chris, the hopeless romantic, Lee.
(The crowd laughs.)
Fade out.
Lanning Lee 