Episode Three:

The scene opens with a view of a large, hand-painted sign that reads “Down by the Bay.” There are watermelons around the edge of the rectangular sign (like in the song from where the restaurant derives its name), and a seagull is perched on top of it. As the bird flies off, the camera pans down to the front of the building to see a frazzled-looking teenage girl running towards the doors. Her long, curly brown hair is frizzy due to the high humidity, and her skin is light pink and sunburned. She is wearing a pink hippie blouse and a short denim skirt with white Keds sneakers.
This is Cathleen Goodnest, an exchange student from Houston, Texas. She has been living in Dominica for a year and a half now, and has continual bouts of homesickness. Her Southern drawl is so strong that sometimes, the natives of the bay-side town have a difficult time understanding her.
For reasons known only to her and her best and only friend Amy Bolzere, Cathleen despises Nydia Alvarez. Most of her day is spent plotting against Nydia, the rest is divided up between her job as a waitress at the restaurant, learning the guitar so she can be a country singer, and daydreaming of Nydia’s brother Jaime.
Cathleen pauses outside the doors to fix her wild hair, then runs in through the large wooden doors. She breezes past the hostess, avoiding eye contact, and makes her way to the kitchens in the back. After punching in, Cathleen grabs an apron and goes to work. As she opens the kitchen doors to go into the eating area, she bangs the door into someone on the other side. A disgruntled cry emits from the other side of the door. Cathleen opens the door slowly this time to see whose face she accidentally bruised.

Cathleen: (gasps) “Oh, Gawd, Jaime! I am so sorry! I didn’t know you were on the other side! Oh, Gawd, is there anything I can do? Oh…oh….”
Jaime: (touches bleeding nose gently) “No, Cathleen. You’ve done quite enough. Just get out of the way so I can get some ice. And here…” (he pushes a plastic box of dirty dishes into her arms) “Take these back to the kitchen. I’m gonna go get some ice.” Cathleen takes the dishes and moves to one side. Jaime walks past her, muttering curse words in Spanish, his fingers trying to keep the blood from dripping down his face. Cathleen looks out the doors to the patrons who are snickering quietly at her. Blushing, Cathleen goes back into the kitchens.

Meanwhile, in the bathroom behind the kitchens, Jamie is taking care of his bleeding nose over one of the sinks.
Jaime’s voice: (voice over) “Crazy bitch! She knows she’s supposed to open the doors slowly so that this type of stuff doesn’t happen. Isn't it bad enough I’ve got her hanging all over me and making moon eyes at me? Now I’ve gotta have her breaking my nose too! Aye, crazy puta…why won’t she just leave me alone?”

Jaime Alvarez does have quite a predicament. As long as she has been living in Dominica, Cathleen Goodnest has had an enormous crush on the adorable and popular Latino, and with good reason. Jaime is tall and built like a Roman god. His year-round tan stands out amongst the paler complexions of the other residents of the town. His dark brown hair is always kept short and spiky, and his chocolate brown eyes have been known to cause many women in Dominica—high school students and middle aged housewives—to swoon at first glance. A well-known high school sophomore, Jaime is active in numerous team sports and is the student council vice president to his best friend Scotty Wagner’s president.
Jaime is extremely protective of his older sister. Ever since their father left them when Jaime was nine, he has tried to be the “strong male figure” in the household. If anyone gives Nydia a hard time, or hurts her in any way, one can be sure that the offender will have a “meeting” with Jaime and come out of it with a black eye and a bloody lip. Perhaps this is the reason why Nydia doesn’t get many dates…

Jamie’s nose has finally stopped bleeding, so he throws out the dirty tissues, washes his hands, checks his hair, and returns to work. As soon as he gets into the kitchens, a piece of banana cream pie goes flying through the air and hits him square in the face.

Cathleen’s voice: (off camera) “Oops…sorry, Jaime.”

Jaime sighs and wipes the pie off of his face, licking his fingers.

Jaime: “It’s gonna be a long day.”

At a small booth in the back near one of the large, light-blue-tinted windows, Jonathan King is looking over a menu. He is absent-mindedly sipping a strawberry daiquiri and twirling a small pink parasol between his right forefinger and thumb. He looks deep in thought until the hostess walks up to him, an attractive, middle-aged woman in tow.

Hostess: “Here you go, Mrs. Cardin. Mr. King has been waiting. Should I have the waitress come back when you’re both ready to order?”
Mrs. Cardin: “If it’s no bother, yes please. In the meantime, could I have a sweetened ice tea? Thank you kindly, dear.”

The hostess leaves. Mrs. Cardin turns her attention to a smiling Jonathan.

Mrs. Cardin: “Hello, Jonathan. I do so love your kerchief.”
Jonathan: (touching the pink kerchief covering his head) (raises one eyebrow and smirks) “Thank you, Mrs. Cardin. I was having a bad hair day and didn’t have time to mess with it.”
Mrs. Cardin: (laughing) “Oh, Jonathan, you are such a nut! I swear! But, seriously, I’m here on behalf of the Soccer Moms League to pledge total loyalty to you and your campaign. We are at your service, sir.”

Jonathan reaches across the table and takes Mrs. Cardin’s hands in his.

Jonathan: “Mrs. Cardin, thank you so much. With your support and that of your esteemed organization, I know that I’ll reach my goal of becoming mayor. Thank you for offering up your services.”
Mrs. Cardin: (blushing) “Oh, Jonathan, it’s no trouble at all. The Soccer Moms League is proud to sponsor such an upstanding citizen. Unlike your opponent, that Jessicka Walnut.” (She makes a face and shutters.) “Ugh, if she becomes mayor, every child and criminal in Dominica will have easy access to guns and other weaponry. I believe in preserving the Second Amendment—my husband goes hunting, after all, but she just takes it too far.”
Jonathan nods his agreement, but says nothing.
Mrs. Cardin: (whispers) “Quite frankly, I think she wants to start her own militia! I feel so bad for David Alan; such a sweet boy…what is he doing mixed up with that no-good woman?”

Mrs. Cardin looks around suspiciously, and takes a sip of her ice tea, which has by now arrived and warmed itself to room temperature. She leans in and whispers to Jonathan.

Mrs. Cardin: “You know, I hear that she’s addicted to sex.”

Jonathan takes a sip of his drink and leans back in his seat. His fingers distractedly find their way to the pearl necklace again. He remains quiet for a moment and then speaks in the calm, rational nature that has made him such a lovable person.

Jonathan: “Mrs. Cardin, I know for a fact that Ms. Walnut will be running a mud-slinging campaign. I’m sure that she will bring up my cross-dressing…”
Mrs. Cardin: (interrupting) “Oh, no one cares about that! J. Edgar Hoover was a cross-dresser, and he became the President of the United States of America!”
Jonathan: (smiling complacently) “Yes, yes. Anyway, she will bring up my cross-dressing, and my lack of experience in a political position, and she will expect to win using dirty politics. She will bring up things in my past, and will probably start false rumours about me. I don’t want my campaign to be like that. So if you and the ladies work with me, I must ask that you not say anything negative about Ms. Walnut, regardless of whether it is true or not.”

At this point, the waitress has arrived, ready to take her customers’ orders. She looks tired but pleasant.

Jonathan: (chuckles) “I’m sorry, we were a bit preoccupied. Could you come back in five minutes?”
Waitress: “Of course, Mr. King. Take your time. I’ll be around; if you need me, just wave me down.”
Jonathan: (takes her hand and kisses it) “Thank you, my dear. Your tip will be phenomenal for this.”
The girl giggles at his flattery then wanders back to her waitress friends to giggle and swoon over their favourite customer. Jonathan and Mrs. Cardin smile at each other and open up their menus, ready to have a nice lunch.