[NEIGHBORS]

By

[GAGE M. SATTLER]

EXT. Park – In the mid to late evening

IT OPENS to Charlie and Greta sitting on a park bench, next
to a path, together, looking at the last bits of the sun
slip over the horizon.

CHARLIE
I’m glad we were able to get out of the house and do
something for your birthday. How old are you now, sixty?

GRETA
 (with a sort of mock indignation)
I just turned fifty-six, you old fool!

She slaps his knee

CHARLIE
(chortling to himself)
I know dear, I’m just giving you a hard time.

He leans over and gives her a small kiss on her head

CHARLIE (CONT.)
Did you get any cards or anything from the kids?

GRETA
I got a card from Anna, and I got a text from Isaac, but the
others didn’t send anything.

They sit in silence thinking about what Greta said, when an

older man, probably in his late 50s, jogs by wearing a red
tracksuit that looks like it’s from the 80s. As he jogs by,
he spots the couple and pauses in front of them, starts
jogging in place.

ALFRED
Hey! What’re the chances of seeing you here? I was just
telling the wife before I left that we should have you two
over for dinner one of these days. Break in the new dining
room and all. Maybe invite the whole neighborhood over. Make
it a party. What do you guys think?

CHARLIE
I wouldn’t be caught dea…
 GRETA
(interjecting)
We would love to come over! Tell Shari to give me a call
with details. I may even make my famous potato salad!

ALFRED
That sounds great! I’ll let her know.
And with that, Alfred jogs off down the path.

CHARLIE
We should move.

GRETA
What!? We’re not moving because of one person. Besides, this
is our dream home.

CHARLIE
Well, sure, it was all right until Alfred got here! Him and
his wife are the most insufferable people I know. They made
being rich and having parties their whole personality!

GRETA
Charlie, be nice! We just got invited to a party by our
sweet neighbors! You should just be grateful that these
neighbors are nice, not like the Fitzgerald’s. Remember when
they let their crazy dog into our backyard right before we
had that big barbeque?

CHARLIE
Yeah, I’m glad we moved away from that horrible place, and I
love our new house and neighborhood, but I just wish I
didn’t have to see that excruciatingly happy man all the
time. It must get tiring being that annoying and optimistic
all the time.

GRETA
I agree dear. Well, it seems to be getting colder and the
light’s almost gone, so we should probably head home and
have dinner.

CHARLIE
All right.

They stand up and Charlie wraps his arm around Greta’s

shoulders as they walk down the park path towards their
home.

THE END