Jenny's Spaghetti Surprise
Fall 1983

BACKGROUND:  These short scenes feature David "in the beginning" with the women who will soon become the two most important people in his life.   First, daughter Cassie comes to David's apartment to confront him about why she didn't get an internship with the Philharmonic, unaware that Dorian is behind the decision.  Dorian is determined to keep Cassie out of David's life, and keep her from discovering that he is her biological father.  However, the fact that Cassie is in awe of him, and that David wants her to know the truth, are going to make it a difficult secret to keep much longer. 

Meanwhile,  David has just met Jenny Janssen at the hospital, where he was entertaining the kids in the children's ward. Jenny is engaged to re-marry Brad Vernon on Thanksgiving. She stops by to bring David a message just as Cassie is leaving.

Cassie is quizzing David about his career decisions, unaware that the woman in question is her mother, Dorian.

CASSIE:  It was a woman, wasn't it?

DAVID:  Yes, it was a woman, and I guess she believed that my pursuit of a musical career was impractical, and she wanted me to pursue practicality at all costs.  

CASSIE:  Are you glad you didn't take her advice?

DAVID:  Most of the time, yes.

CASSIE:  Not always?

DAVID:  Well, sometimes I may yearn for a less intense occupation, perhaps a simpler existence, but that's just the stuff of fantasies, you know? Music is the center of my life, not a thing I can do about it.

CASSIE:  Didn't she hurt you by not understanding that, no matter how well-intentioned she was ... ?

DAVID:  Where are you going with all this?

CASSIE:  ...as much as you hurt me? What did I do wrong?   I really wanted that job at the Philharmonic, but for some reason I don't understand I was turned down, and I have to think you had something to do with it.

DAVID:  Now look. There were a lot of ....

CASSIE:  Were you just trying to be well-intentioned?  Trying to protect me from the impracticalities of music?   Well let me tell you something Mr. Renaldi.  I love music and I won't let it be taken away from me.  I want to work with it, and be a part of it, and I believe I would do a really good job.  And I love Beethoven, and Brahms, and Bach ...

DAVID (smiling): Not Bartok?

CASSIE  (still serious) Yes, Bartok and Berlioz too. And I've even started "Theory and Composition", and I know what the difference is between a "flatted ninth" and a "diminished seventh", and in addition to that...

DAVID:  Nope, wait...wait....not one more word.

CASSIE:  What do you mean?

DAVID:  What I mean, Cassie, is that you've convinced me.  If you promise not to give me one more of your qualifications, I'm going to recommend you for the internship.

CASSIE (starting to smile):   ...but I thought that you...

DAVID:  No, nothing's quite settled yet, I think it can be arranged.

CASSIE:  (smiles, and then hugs him):  Thank you very much.

DAVID is visibly shaken as he holds his daughter in his arms for the first time since she was a baby.  As they separate rather awkwardly, there's a knock at the door.

JENNY:  Hi David.

DAVID:  Hello Jenny. Come on in.

JENNY:  Hi Cassie. How are you?

CASSIE:  Hi Jenny. I'm great.   Look, I've taken up enough time, so I'm gonna go, OK?

DAVID:  All right, now listen.   You go straight to the Philharmonic office, ask for Mr. Levinson, tell him that I've recommended you for the position and that if he has any questions to call me, OK?

CASSIE:  OK, OK. Thank you. Bye.

DAVID:  OK

CASSIE:  Oh, bye Jenny!

JENNY:  Bye, good to see you Cassie. 

After he shuts the door, David looks back and smiles at Jenny, obviously moved and a bit overwhelmed by what has just happened.

JENNY:  Well, you certainly seem to have made her day.

DAVID (momentarily "off-balance"):  Yeah, I ...uh...she sorta made mine too.  (Turning, he notices that Jenny is carrying something, and points to it): What's that you've got there?

JENNY:  I was hoping you'd ask.  The kids at Pediatrics wanted to thank their "Music Man".  (She unrolls a large "Thank You" card the children have created for David).

DAVID (surprised) Ahhh!

JENNY (enjoying his reaction):   Wait, you haven't seen the best part.  (She opens it up so that he can see their drawings and signatures).

DAVID (laughing):  That's terrific!  Will you please thank them ... never mind. I'm going to come over there and thank them myself.

JENNY:  I'm sure they were hoping for that.  (She suddenly notices a smell coming from the kitchen).  Is something burning?

DAVID (his smile fading):  My dinner.

Later:  Jenny takes over kitchen duty; she and David are chatting about his time with the children.

DAVID:  Maybe I'm afraid of being found out, having my feet of clay discovered.

JENNY:  Or maybe you're just modest.  Or maybe ...  you just feel very uncomfortable around people who find you perfect.

DAVID (he smiles, until he realizes ...):   Now,  I feel very comfortable with you ... does that mean you don't find me perfect?

JENNY (bluntly):  I've seen your meatloaf. (She turns and heads back to the kitchen).

Meanwhile, an ecstatic Cassie is excitedly telling Dorian her good news.

CASSIE:  I got it!  And it's all because I followed your advice. Now I'm gonna be able to see David Renaldi in action five times a week !!!  (She hugs Dorian)  Isn't that incredible ???!!!!

DORIAN:  Incredible.

DAVID:  I can't believe you pulled together this dinner out of my kitchen. You are a magician! 

JENNY:  You had all the ingredients. It just needed a little "orchestration".

DAVID (smiling):  Brava, Maestra.

JENNY:  (smiling, she lifts her wine glass):  Thanks.

DAVID:  And you know, I was able to get a lot of work done while you were creating "Jenny's Spaghetti Surprise".

JENNY (laughing):  Are you always this appreciative of food?

DAVID:  Oh no!  I'm incredibly fussy. I'm annoyingly demanding! I'm known on several continents as a picky eater, which I'm sure you'll find difficult to believe after tonight.

JENNY (smiling) :  You're very good for a girl's ego.

DAVID (as Jenny gets up and picks up her plate): Hey, wait a minute. What do you think you're doing?

JENNY:  Well, I just thought I'd clean up and get on home.

DAVID (softly): Nah, you did the cooking, I do the cleaning up. (She laughs)  Can I interest you in a cup of coffee?

JENNY (smiling):  No, but thanks. And you've got a lot of work to do.

DAVID:  You're right about that.

JENNY:  Thanks for a really nice evening.

DAVID (he puts her plate down):  My pleasure.

As they walk to the door ...

JENNY: Well, I'm certainly glad we got over our ... awkward beginning.

DAVID (laughs): Yes, we did get off to sort of a rocky start. I'm sorry about that.   

JENNY:  No, actually, you were right though. The way I was trying to teach Sean how to play the piano, he was guaranteed to dislike it from the start.  You had to point that out to me.

DAVID:  I could've pointed it out with a little more tact.

JENNY:  That's true.

DAVID (amused):  You ever stop being honest?

JENNY (smiles):  I'm a lousy liar.

DAVID (quietly):   I see.

JENNY: Thanks a lot.

DAVID (smiling, he mouths the words): Thank you.

JENNY:  Good night.

As Jenny leaves, David smiles and exhales .... once again appearing a bit overwhelmed by his emotions. 

Copyright © 1999 by Michael Zaslow's ZazAngels. All rights reserved.
02/15/06 10:03:13 PM