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Happy Birthday ATSB Author, Lynnette!!
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Season 1 - Episode 20
It is May 1979. Commencement exercises at Ahpla University are coming to an end. The Ahpla University Choir has just gotten up to sing the school song, “A Hymn for Ahpla.” Excited new graduates are crying, hugging, and taking pictures together. An excited Melinda Center runs down to find her boyfriend, Joseph, who has just graduated, and will soon be leaving for Medical School.
Melinda: Joe!
Joseph (looking around): Lindy!
Melinda runs over to hug Joe. She gives him an endearing kiss on the cheek.
Melinda: Oh honey! I am so proud of you! Congratulations!
Joseph: Your turn is coming up next!
Melinda: I know! But today is all about you! So what are we doing to celebrate?
Joseph: Huh?
Melinda (yelling over the crowd): I said what we are doing to celebrate!
Joseph: I can’t hear you! Let’s walk outside!
Melinda and Joseph begin to walk outside, hand in hand. Joseph is stopped several times by classmates and professors congratulating him on his graduation. Outside, Melinda and Joseph find a quiet spot under a tree to talk.
Melinda: Where’s your family?
Joseph: I told them I’d meet them back at the frat house.
Melinda: Oh! Well we should get going then!
Joseph: Yeah we should, but wait……there’s something I want to talk to you about first.
Melinda: Okay..that sounds serious….
Joseph: It is.
Melinda: Honey is something wrong?
Joseph: Just……let me speak.
Melinda: Okay……
Joseph: Melinda Patricia Center…….
Melinda: Yes?
Joseph: Do you even realize where we are?
Melinda looks around and then looks back at Joseph with a confused look on her face.
Joseph: This is where we were the first night I kissed you.
Melinda smiles as she remembers.
Joseph: That was the happiest night of my life, Linda.
Melinda: Mine too.
Joseph: …..until now, that is.
Melinda: What?
Joseph gets down on one knee and pulls a small black box out of his pocket. He opens the box to reveal a gold ring with a small round diamond in the center. Melinda gasps in surprise and begins to cry.
Joseph: Melinda Patricia Center, you have made me the happiest man in the entire world. I love you more than anything. And when I think about my life, I can’t even imagine it without you. I want to wake up everyday and see you lying beside me. You complete me, Melinda. I love you and I want to make you my wife. So please, Miss Center, will you please do me the honor of becoming my bride?
Melinda: Oh Joe! I love you so much! I am so surprised!
Joseph: I love you too, girl! Now will you marry me or not?
Melinda (shaking her head): No, Joseph. No…..I won’t.
Joseph: Excuse me?
Melinda: Joe…..I love you but….
Joseph: But what?
Melinda: It’s not that I don’t want to marry you but I just don’t think we should get engaged right now.
Joseph: Why not?
Melinda: It’s too soon.
Joseph: Linda we been dating for 2 years!
Melinda: I know! But I’m still in school and soon you’ll be in TN in Medical School. A long distance relationship will be difficult enough without the added stress of an engagement. Plus….
Joseph: Plus what?
Melinda: Plus……..what if you meet someone else there?
Joseph: Melinda. You know you are the only one for me. Always have been and always will be.
Melinda: Oh Joe……..I just don’t know…
Joseph: Well if you don’t know after two years whether or not you want to be with me, I don’t know what to say!
Melinda: Joe! Don’t get angry! Of course I want to be with you!
Joseph: Just not engaged to me, right?
Melinda: No. Well yes. Just not know, Joe.
Joseph: Then when?
Silence
Joseph: Melinda, I’m really confused here. I thought we were planning for this. This is what we’ve been working towards!
Melinda: It is, Joe. I just…..I don’t know why we have to go and ruin things by getting engaged.
Joseph: Ruin things? Ruin things! Marrying me is ruining things? I am sorry, Melinda. I didn’t realize I was ruining your life!
Melinda: That’s not what I meant, Joe. Maybe ruin wasn’t the right word for me to use.
Joseph: I have to go.
Melinda: Joe, wait! Where are you going? Please don’t leave!
Joseph: I have to go, Melinda. I’ll call you later!
Melinda watches as Joseph turns and walks away, getting lost in the crowd of graduates and their families.
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We resume at modern day Ahpla, where the Ahpla Student Assembly officers are supposed to be having their weekly meeting in the administration building.
Sydney: Hey Demetrius!
Demetrius: What’s up Syd.
Sydney: Where is everybody?
Demetrius: Uh…I am everybody for right now.
Sydney: Hmm…….that’s odd. Have you talked to Laray or Lupe?
Demetrius: Nah.
Sydney: Oh well, I guess we’ll give them a few minutes to get here.
Demetrius: Yeah.
Sydney: So what’s up….how is your year going so far?
Demetrius: Um it’s straight so far. You know I stay busy.
Sydney: Yeah, I remember….
Silence
Sydney: So how’s Natalie?
Demetrius: She’s great.
Sydney: That’s nice.
Demetrius: You and Sherrod doing alright?
Sydney: Yeah, we straight.
Silence
Demetrius: Dag, I guess Laray and Lupe forgot the meeting.
Sydney: Maybe I should try to call them.
Demetrius: Well I gotta meet up with Nat. We both have a big Zoology test this week and I told her we could meet up and study together after my meting.
Sydney: Wait, Demetrius. Before you go…….I wanna talk to you about something….
Demetrius: You think it can wait or is it important?
Sydney: Well that depends……I wanna talk to you about us.
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Over at the cafeteria, Taylor is leaving from dinner when she runs into KaShawn.
Kashawn: Taylor!
Taylor turns to see Kashawn and keeps going the other way.
Kashawn: Taylor! Come on, T. Just talk to me.
Taylor: Where Kashawn? Want me to meet you around a corner somewhere? Cause I know you too ashamed to talk to me out here!
Kashawn: Taylor, just stop. I been thinking about you girl, and you were right. I was wrong.
Taylor: Kashawn I don’t have time for this. I have to get back to my room to pack.
Kashawn: Pack? Where are you going?
Taylor: Well not that it’s any of your business but I’m transferring back to Amgis.
Kashawn: Transferring back? What? Why?
Taylor: Why? Hmm, let’s see. My sorors hate me and my boyfriend won’t even acknowledge me inpublic. Would that make you want to stay?
Kashawn: You still consider me your boyfriend?
Taylor rolls her eyes.
Taylor: Excuse me, Kashawn. I have some packing to do.
Taylor begins to walk down the stairs when she hears Natalie’s voice behind her.
Natalie: Booo Hooo!! Poor Baby Taylor! The big bad meanie Natalie won’t play with her so now she has to run away!
Taylor: Natalie, I’m really not in the mood for your crap tonight, okay?
Kashawn: Just leave her alone, Natalie.
Natalie: What do you care, Kashawn?
Taylor stares at Kashawn to see what his response will be.
Kashawn: Well…..I care because…..she’s……..my……..girlfriend.
Natalie: What? Let me find out that Kashawn, Mr. Fight the Power himself got him a white girl!
Taylor: Natalie, what is it that you want? I need to pack.
Natalie: I came to talk to you, Taylor.
Taylor: About what?
Natalie: About you transferring.
Taylor: Yeah, what about it?
Natalie: I came to tell you that……I don’t want you to leave.
Taylor: So I guess Soror Davenport put you up to this right?
Natalie: No she didn’t. Don’t get it twisted. We still ain’t cool. But I don’t want you to leave because of me.
Taylor: Don’t flatter yourself.
Taylor turns to walk down the stairs and Natalie begins walking behind her. Taylor stops abruptly and turns around, shocking Natalie who doesn’t stop in time. Natalie looses her grip and begins to fall down the stairs. She rolls all the way to the bottom and lands on the concrete. Taylor drops her bag and runs down the stairs behind her screaming.
Taylor: Oh my gosh! Soror! Are you okay!
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Scene 1 Continued
Later that evening, the Omega Psi Phi house, there is a party in full swing. The party is in celebration of Brother Joseph Davenport III's graduation.
Joseph (standing on top of a table and slurring his words): Hey Everybody! I graaaa-uated!!
As the crowd begins to cheer, Carsen Williams walks in with her line sister to the party. She spots Joseph on the table and immediately goes over to him.
Carsen: Joe!
Joseph: Heyyyyyyy! What’s up Carrrr-sen!
Carsen: Joe! How much have you had to drink?
Carsen looks around and sees Valerie walking into the house.
Carsen: Val!
Valerie: Hey soror!
Carsen: Val, look at Joe!
Valerie looks over and sees Joseph dancing on top of the table with the crowd cheering him on.
Valerie: Where is Melinda?
Carsen: I don’t see her. I just got here.
Valerie: But I thought they would be celebrating by now.
Carsen: Celebrating what?
Valerie: Joe was going to propose to Melinda today.
Carsen frowns as Valerie walks over to where Joseph is.
Valerie: Joe! JOSEPH!
Joseph: Oh heyyyy Val! What’s up girl!
Valerie: Joseph get down here!
Joseph climbs down from the table.
Valerie: Joseph how much have you had to drink! And where is Melinda? Did you give her the ring?
Joseph (starts to cry): Melinda! Melinda! I love you!
Valerie: Joseph, stop it! What happened?
Joseph: She turned me down.
Valerie: What? Why? Where is she now?
Joseph: I don’t know……
Valerie turns and walks back over to Carsen.
Valerie: I gotta find Melinda. Can you get Joseph up to his room?
Carsen: Sure no problem, soror
Carsen walks over to Joe.
Carsen: Hey frat! Come on and let me help you upstairs.
Joseph: Upstairs?
Carsen: Yeah just to get some air for a minute.
Joseph: Can I come back to the party later?
Carsen: Um…….sure.
Joseph: Cool lil soror! Let’s go!
Carsen helps Joseph to his room as he stumbles up the stairs.
Carsen: Joe, what the heck did you drink?
Joseph: Hmm?
Carsen (laughing): Never mind.
Silence
Carsen: So where’s Melinda?
Joseph (starts to cry again): Melinda! I love you!
Carsen: Joe, what’s wrong?
Joseph: She turned me down!
Carsen: From what?
Joseph throws the ring box at Carsen. Carsen opens up the box and sees the ring.
Carsen: Oh Joseph, this is beautiful.
Joseph: I thought so, too.
Carsen: I would have never turned you down.
Joseph: Really?
Carsen: Really, Joe. You’re a great guy.
Joseph: Yeah! I am a great guy!
Carsen: That’s right! You’re smart, attractive, and kind.
Joseph: You think I’m attractive?
Carsen (blushing): Oh…..did I say that out loud?
Joseph: What else do you think about me?
Carsen: I think you’re really drunk……
Joseph (laughing): Yeah, I am!
Carsen: So what do you think about me?
Joseph: You’re cool.
Carsen: Oh I’m cool, huh?
Joseph: Yeah.
Carsen: What else? Do you think I’m pretty?
Joseph: You know you are. All the bruhs always talkin’ about you.
Carsen: I don’t want to know what all the bruhs think. I just wanna know what you think.
Carsen gets up and walks across the room and sits beside Joseph on the bed. She takes his hand and places it on her thigh. Then she leans in and flicks her tongue over his ear lobe. She then begins to kiss his neck and Joseph lets out a soft moan. Carsen pushes Joseph back on to the bed and climbs on top of him….
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Demetrius: Us? There is no us.
Sydney: I know that! I’m talking about us as an assembly board!
Demetrius: Oh. Yeah, what’s up?
Sydney: No big deal. I just think we need to bond a little better as a board. So I was hoping you to do some research on a staff retreat. I was gonna bring it up in the meeting but it’s pretty clear we’re not having one.
Demetrius: Alright that’s cool. Just email me the information and I’ll get started.
Sydney: Okay no problem.
Demetrius: Alright, cool. I gotta get over to the library.
Sydney: Oh that’s pretty close to the Omega house. Wait up and I’ll walk that way with you.
Sydney gathers her things and her and Demetrius leave the administration building.
Sydney: So what’s up in the Alpha house?
Demetrius: Nothin’ much.
Sydney: Dag Demetrius! Why are you so serious with me all the time? We used to be friends! Weused to be more than friends, actually! Now you act like you don’t even know me.
Demetrius: Sorry, Syd. You know I don’t mean nothin’ by it. Just tryin’ to keep it professional.
Sydney: Oh I see….
Demetrius: Don’t act like that, Syd. You know you my girl!
Sydney: Well I used to be anyway…..
Demetrius: Syd……
Sydney: What?
Demetrius: Nothin’ girl..(laughs)
Sydney: I’m just sayin….
Demetrius: Yeah, you always just sayin’!
Sydney: Well if things hadn’t ended so crazy with us, I wouldn’t have so many questions.
Demetrius: Things didn’t end crazy with us.
Sydney: Well not crazy but just…so……unfinished.
Sydney and Demetrius are interrupted by Sheena.
Sheena: Demetrius! Demetrius!
Demetrius and Sydney look over and see Sheena coming towards them.
Sheena: Demetrius! Demetrius! I’ve been lookin’ all over for you! Natalie had an accident! She had to be rushed to the Emergency Room!
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