“Magic of the Moment”
Chase that rainbow
EXT. RESTAURANT PICK UP AREA - AFTERNOON
walks out of @AstroBurger carrying a bag with a bacon cheeseburger and fries inside.
Hands sanitized, mask secure - he heads toward the back alley.
In Hollywood - the path is yours to create
He takes a moment to bathe in a sunspot while discussing some Instagram Posting thoughts with frustrated canna-cultivator PRIEST @GrowerCannabis.
- BANJO
- (into Earbuds) Don’t sweat it, baby - you’re a Grower not a shower - happy to help.
A MASKLESS HOMELESS GUY comes storming out of his tent and goes eyeball to eyeball with Banjo.
- HOMELESS GUY
- I‘m f*cking sick of everyone using me!
A startled Banjo accidentally hits the speakerphone button at just the moment Priest exclaims:
- PRIEST (V.O.)
- (to Banjo / over the speaker) ‘Preciate you, bro! Big time!
The maskless homeless guy is totally mystified by the phantom love coming his way and immediately backs off and calms down.
EXT. ALLEY - MOMENTS LATER
Banjo nods, checks his ear strings, spins off and unspeakers in a beautiful single motion. He keeps going past the back door of @FancifullBaskets. They've done a nice job of morphing into a neighborhood specialty market since Corona came to town.
He peers down at his phone to read Priest's last canna-focused IG Post.
- BANJO
- (into Earbuds) “Strong and pungent - she will definitely get her fair share of the bright lights next time.”
- PRIEST (V.O.)
- Ha - that she will.
Banjo spots a curious character up ahead.
In Hollywood - see the magic or get fooled by the trick
- BANJO
- (into Earbuds) It's good. But this is Hollywood - you need a headline.
- PRIEST (V.O.)
- Like?
Banjo and the curious character lock eyes as he approaches.
- BANJO
- (into Earbuds) A star is born.
- PRIEST (V.O.)
- Awesome!
- BANJO
- (into Earbuds but directed towards the curious character) Hello.
Priest is confused. Banjo disconnects.
The curious character‘s name turns out to be LONNIE. From a safe six foot distance, they chit-chat about 'the new normal' on the streets of Hollywood. Banjo has so many questions.
He offers Lonnie his bag of food and bottled water.
- LONNIE
- (grateful) Thank you. How about... 45 minutes?
- BANJO
- Giddy up.
Banjo smiles underneath his mask. Lonnie flashes a big one - au naturel.
[FLASHBACK]
INT. NEIGHBOR'S KITCHEN - BACK IN THE DAY
A maskless Banjo has a big grin on his face as he sits next to a smiling, gloveless JENNA @NailingHollywood and a table of folks excitedly sharing thoughts on an open multi-use space kitty-corner from MILK @Milk. Spittle is flying and no one is freaking out.
[END FLASHBACK]
Banjo takes off and excitedly continues through the alley. As he steps underneath a large overhang from some halted new construction, something strange happens.
The chilling sun is replaced by a cooling shade. Old-school Holly-hood SMASH CUTS with a next generation of tinseled-town.
As he passes through the nexus, he spots a MASKED HOODIED HIPSTER taking pictures of his DESIGNER COVERALL WEARING SCENESTER FRIEND against a nicely sculpted concrete and steel wall.
The Scenester friend is trying to stay in the moment, but is distracted by a masked Banjo coming towards where she put her purse down.
- SCENESTER FRIEND
- (though mask) You’re not going to steal my purse are you?
- BANJO
- (though mask) Wasn’t planning on it.
- SCENESTER FRIEND
- (peeling back mask) Thank you!
They all laugh as Banjo glides past the new development @TheLCbyCLG valet stand.
There's very little traffic as Banjo crosses the street. He lands outside the off-the-lot offices of ex WGA President John Wells @JohnWellsProductions. He’s never been inside, but can tell they’re pretty sweet. That’s the thing about LA - lots of cool shit goin’ on behind the hedge.
EXT. MELROSE AVE. - A COUPLE MINUTES LATER
Banjo stands on the curb outside @OsteriaMamma.
He remembers hearing something a while ago about a @FamilyFeud between Mamma and @OsteriaLaBuca, but can’t recall what the story is. Could be true - could be bullshit. He doesn’t really care - they're both good.
He picks up speed as he dials up Spotify - passing @KaliRestaurant and CHARLENE @TheBinderess.
- BANJO
- (to self) Man, I hope these kinds of small businesses can survive. Charlene is so talented.
Banjo starts to think about Lonnie - and that big smile. Who does it remind him of? What the hell must that Hollywood experience be like?
In 39 minutes, he’ll find out.
With good speed, he makes the light at the crosswalk - noticing a For Lease sign on the Art Works Studio window. Damn - looks like nothing could save it.
In Hollywood - nothing is too Hollywood
Long time residents @AmpersandBoutique and @ShopCoopLA are also gone. #IndieBoutiquesRock
Sweat is beginning to build under Banjo’s mask as he passes the bar with the burlesque cage show @PourVousLA.
He approaches the classic haunt Lucy el Adobe - right outside the Studio gates of @ParamountPics. Crazy, he thinks to himself - the restaurant has been around since the days of JERRY @JerryBrown_Gov and LINDA @RonstadtMovie.
Up ahead, a guy on a bike tries to navigate the choppy right lane pavement as a @Lyft suddenly stops and both side doors fling open. The rider easily avoids injury, but decides to verbally destroy the passengers with a frustration far larger than the moment. Chalk one up for the LA Bicycle Coalition @LACBC. #2WheelsGood
Too much mayhem, so as Banjo approaches the security check point @RaleighStudiosHollywood, he takes a quick hard right into the neighborhood.
EXT. TREE LINED STREET - WITH 36 MINUTES TO GO
Things take on a new feel - blocks of charming, classic LA homes.
It’s quiet. He stops for a moment, unhooks his mask and takes a deep breath. He revels in the serenity of his surroundings. Some people crave it, others crumble from it. He wonders how Lindsay, he means Lonnie...
That’s it! Lonnie reminds him of LILO @LindsayLohan. BRIGHT EYED - BIG SMILE - so innocent looking - so full of promise - and yet so troubled.
In Hollywood - some flush it all away
EXT. NEIGHBORHOOD INTERSECTION - IMMEDIATELY AFTER
He's not sure why, but it feels like where JEN @JenAtkinHair and MIKE @MrMikeRosenthal would live.
EXT. MAIN STREET - CONTINUOUS
Banjo waits for a sparsely packed open air trolly of tourists @StarlineTours to go by. As he dashes across the street, he laughs at the masked busload.
On the other side of the street, he notices a growing number of people sitting in their cars under the beautiful shade trees. With the business and social climate as it is, there's nothing else for them to do. Such different realities going on at the same time in the same place - so Hollywood.
Banjo feels there has to be a way to lift up the people who aren’t winning - to give them fresh hope, real services and rekindle the dream that brought so many of them here in the first place.
It's time to circle back - so he decides to blast up Larchmont and check out what’s goin’ on. Maybe sashaying down the ever evolving boulevard will provide some fresh inspo to prepare for his upcoming conversation with Lonnie.
EXT. LARCHMONT BLVD. - WITH 24 MINUTES TO GO
Banjo makes his way past a few scattered folks outside the @BankOfAmerica and @Chase. There’s a @FedEx truck parked in the middle of the mostly empty street.
Time is ticking. He ziggies past Keller Williams @KWLarchmont. Outside @JambaJuice, an inconsiderate lady with a stroller slows him down just long enough to overhear what appears to be a MILLENNIAL - MENTOR Hollywood-style relationship.
- MILLENNIAL
- (through mask) I like the @SunsetGrillHollywood.
- MENTOR
- (through mask) Really? Feels to me like they‘re resting on their laurels.
- MILLENNIAL
- (through mask) What laurels?
No one can see, but Banjo smiles underneath his mask. It's unfortunate that people don't know their own local history.
He passes the Lip Lab @BiteBeauty and wonders if they got any stimulus money.
As Banjo looks around at the storefronts, he contemplates how the landscape has changed. No matter where it goes next, he's quite confident Real Estate Broker @JayLuchs will continue to lead the transformation.
Banjo decides to have a quick salad from the old school Greek place -
- BANJO
- (to self) What the?!?
It’s closed! Damn - he thought they were going to see things through.
Banjo strides by the @LarchmontBarberShop, @LandisStationary, @GroundworkCoffee and @Starbucks. Essential, non essential - who's to say?
In Hollywood - everyone needs to hustle
He ducks into Sam's Bagels for a roadie.
Inside, at the counter, he sees his old pal JACQUES @NicholsonEntertainment.
They say hello in that new awkwardly social distant kind of way.
- BANJO
- Fighting the good fight?
- JACQUES
- Always.
Jacques says the Greek place is supposed to stay - but they cut down to half the space.
Hmm - maybe that’s what he can talk to Lonnie about - old vs new - sharing the Hollywood space. Has potential.
Outside Larchmont Beauty, he notices a middle aged guy wearing gloves but walking barefoot.
- BANJO
- (to self) What's that about?
There are three identical white vans parked outside the @RiteAid. While passing the Above the Fold newsstand, he overhears a GUY talking to his BUDDY.
- GUY
- I just realized I’ve been rapping for twenty years.
- BUDDY
- That’s your 10,000 hours, dawg!
In Hollywood - nothing is yeezy
As he motors on, Banjo can't believe how empty it is at @SaltAndStraw. Once such the place to be - now hoping to just survive. Sad. 🤞
EXT. BUSY STREET - WITH 15 MINUTES TO GO
It’s almost time to meet up, so Banjo b-lines it across the street.
He loves the unique drive up pick up architecture of Ritz Dry Cleaners. How fortuitous of them to have designed it that way. He believes that for the foreseeable future, at least, everything is either gonna be a drive through or services like @DoorDash, @UberEats, @GrubHub and @Postmates.
As he passes a closed Chan Dara, he chuckles imagining the dissapointment JOHNNY @Jalexm Must be feeling. He loved that place.
He sees a mail truck outside @HatcheryPress and hopes it's bringing good news to one of the Writers. Although he doubts there are any there.
As Banjo makes his way toward Melrose Ave., he passes @CafeGratitude. He uses the moment for his own sense of thankfulness. To be healthy when so many aren't and for the upcoming opportunity to speak with someone whose life experience is so different than his own.
On the wall outside the restaurant, it reads: Gratitude is the sweetest thing in all human life. He connects to the sentiment.
EXT. MELROSE - 42 MINUTES LATER
There’s still no traffic. Banjo scampers across -
EXT. ALLEY FROM EARLIER - CONTINUOUS
He approaches the meeting place he and Lonnie agreed on earlier.
- BANJO
- What the?!?
In Hollywood - timing is everything
Lonnie is curled up and out cold. An empty, freshly used needle is just off to the side.
Banjo let’s out a big sigh. He can only hope this behavior doesn’t go too far @DearlyDepartedToursHollywood.
INT. RESTAURANT - SHORTLY AFTER
Banjo picks up a salad @TenderGreens and heads for home. The sign on the door reads: Cashless.
INT. BODEGA - MOMENTS LATER
Banjo decides to a grab a beverage. The sign at that door reads: Cash only.
Good old Hollywood -
He thinks about Lonnie. And Lindsay. And the so many like them.
In Hollywood - together we can
Thankfully, tomorrow’s a new day.