By Sean Quinn

Narrator: The following is a reasonably true story.

Setting: Port Richmond, Afternoon

Sharp cut to Sonny walking down to the bakery. The camera follows him over the shoulder.

His breathes are a little fast, but he’s walking steadily, nervous but not inexperienced. He’s been in to see Mary at the bakery a few times, but he still gets a little worked up. She hasn’t been softening, but she still won’t go out with him.

Sonny [nervous, but getting hold of the street tough that the boys remember him as]: Hey Mar. Can we get 2 amoroso rolls?

Maryann [mildly interested but trying to pretend otherwise as she bags his order]: Hi Sonny…. How’s your sister?

Sonny: She’s fine.

Maryann[curtly]: Well, that’s fine.

Sonny [checking to see if there’s anyone around]: Heyaknow South Pacific’s playing at the Washington drive-in Saturday night?

Maryann [eyeing the door as a customer walks in, and the bell dings]

Maryann [starting off in a casual voice but raising to a shout]: Yeah I think I saw that. Oh hey Char!

Sonny steps back to let Charlene place her order. Char leaves and Sonny again steps forward to the counter.

Sonny [trying to remember where he was]: So I was thinking… if you weren’t doing anything…

The bell rings again. Michele walks in. Sonny steps back from the counter.

Again, Mary fills out Michele’s order and Sonny approaches the bench.

Sonny: I was just thinking we could go together if you weren’t…

The bell rings AGAIN. This time it’s Lisa coming to pick up her usual. Sonny quickly steps back to give her room.

Mary and Lisa chit-chat until Sonny (getting more antsy in his movements) heads back to Mary’s counter.

Sonny: You wanna go to a movie with me?

Mary [half-sighing]: I dunno Sonny, what time is it?

AGAIN the bell rings

Sonny [losing his cool]: CAN YOUSE GIVE US A SECOND!?

It’s his little sister, Lillian, in the doorway.

Lillian [shouting]: No! I can’t Sonny! And what are yas even doing here!? I was supposed to go to the bakery today!

Sonny [shouting]: Yeah well I got the rolls! So CALM DOWN!

Lillian [as she storms out of the doorway]: Oh you’re a friggin’ strapjob!

The door slams closed, and that damn bell rings again.

Sonny slowly turns back to Mary [earnestly]: Will you go out with me?

Mary [softly with a slow, thin smile]: Yeah.

Sonny smiles and points at her: Seeyas at 7, thanks for the rolls.

[“How You Like Me Now?” by The Heavy plays as we cut to a shot of Sonny’s face as the bakery door closes behind him. A wide smile crosses his face. We then get a few second shot from behind him as he walks back home]

Setting: NIGHTTIME

We cut to Sonny driving the family car and pulling up to Mary’s place. Mary walks out the front door, trying not to look too excited (not that she’s sure she is). She approaches the passenger side door, and stares at Sonny in the driver’s seat.

Mary: You’re not gonna open the door for me?

Sonny: What?! Oh…

Sonny doesn’t get out. He pushes the passenger side door open from the inside. Mary gets in with a bit of a huff, but settles down on the drive. The two chit-chat as they cross a toll bridge to get to the drive-in.

We get a cute montage of them pointing at the screen, chuckling at various times, Sonny going out to get snacks at the concession stand [“C’mon Marianne” by Frankie Valli and The Four Seasons plays over the scene]. Things are going well.

The final credits roll and cars start to pull out. Time for the kids to go home, but there’s just one problem.

Sonny: How much ya got?

Mary [indignant]: Why?

Sonny: I uh… I don’t think I’ve got enough change to get back over the bridge.

Mary: Are you kidding me!? My mother was right! Ya know this is why I don’t talk to guys down the far side of Almond Street!

Sonny [hands in air]: Well we’re never gonna make it back to Almond Street if we don’t think of something!

The two agree to go into the women’s and men’s bathrooms to beg for change. We get a series of Maryann asking women for pennies as they come in. She finally comes out triumphant, banging on the men’s room door for Sonny to come out.

Random male [shouting from inside]: Yo! We’re working in here!

Sonny emerges and Mary shows him her hard-earned prize: toll-money. She almost seems to laugh a little as she shows him. Mother would not approve!

Sonny pulls up in front of Mary’s rowhome. She goes to reach for the door handle.

Sonny[abruptly]: Wait.

He gets out of the car and opens the passenger-side door for Mary. She seems impressed but doesn’t want to show it too much. They walk to the door together. [soft instrumental music starts in background after Sonny opens door]

Mary: ‘anks.

Sonny: Sure. Are youse gonna be in trouble for getting home late?

[both of their voices getting softer]

Mary: Mommy, yeah, but Daddy’ll bail me out. He always does.

Sonny: Yeah he’s a good guy… so, are you still looking to talk to guys down the far side of Almond Street?

Mary[as she opens the door]: Tell your sister you’ll go to the bakery on Wednesday.

Mary gently closes the door as Sonny looks on.

The shot follows Sonny as he gets in the car. In the background we can see the living room light turn on in 3219 Almond Street. Blanche Trojecki has started yelling at her oldest daughter about coming home late with that Okomski boy no less, but this is background noise as the camera focuses on Sonny thoughtfully starting the car up with a warm smile on his face. He begins looking for a parking spot near his family house and the music continues.

[hard stop on the music]

Narrator: It was decades later we would discover that Sonny had in fact not begged for change.

Hard cut to Sonny standing in the corner of the men’s room with his hands in his pockets. Hard cuts as various guys walk in and out of the room, and he stays pinned to wall. [Music to be decided]

Roll credits.