Banana Splits
By: Charles Wells
Scene opens with JOHN just waking up in his small, cluttered apartment. JOHN'S roommate, SIMON, is sitting on the couch playing video games
SIMON Morning princess
JOHN [barely awake, walking slowly, and almost zombie-like in front of the television.]Good morning.
SIMON What are you doing!? Hurry! Get out of the way!
JOHN, not paying attention to what SIMON is saying, heads toward the kitchen. JOHN is looking through the cupboards and refrigerator for breakfast.
JOHN Hey are there any cookies left?
SIMON Naw I ate the last of them this morning.
JOHN [continuing to look through the cupboard] Hey will you eat some pancakes if I make some?
SIMON [not taking his eyes off the television while explosions and gunfire blare from the speakers, pauses for a moment]No! No! Nooo!
JOHN Huh?
SIMON Uh…yeah, yeah I'll have some.
JOHN Ok cool.
JOHN is looking through the cupboards for ingredients to make pancakes, gets out eggs, the pan and spatula, looks through the cupboard for flour, isn't seeing it.
JOHN Hey do you know where the flour is?
[SIMON, not acknowledging JOHN said anything, continues to play.]
JOHN SIMON?
SIMON Uh…what?
JOHN Do you know where the flour is?
SIMON Uh…no I don't remember.
JOHN Oh…hmm, I cant find it.
SIMON [pauses for a moment after JOHN speaks.]Oh uh…I might've used the last of it for those cookies?JOHNYou might've?
SIMON Haha yeah I did.
JOHN Ugh…alright.
[JOHN gets out a bowl, and a box of cereal. He opens the box, pours the cereal into the bowl, and sets the box down on the countertop. JOHN looks into the fridge]
JOHN Hey SIMON, did you drink the rest of the milk? Again!?
SIMON Uh…yeah I think so.
JOHN [a little frustrated at this point]Again!?
SIMON Yeah? I needed something to drink with my cookies.
JOHN*sighs* damn it. Alright I'm gonna go take a quick shower.
JOHN walks off stage leaving SIMON by himself in the living room still playing his video games.
SIMON [SIMONS cell phone begins ringing playing "crank dat lion king"Hehey what's up dude? Naw we're all out of bananas why? National Banana Split day? That's today!? Wow I almost forgot! thanks for reminding me dude but yeah were all out, crap that means we gotta go buy some. Alright, yeah sorry, ha I'll talk to you later.
[SIMON begins to start playing his games again when JOHN walks back in]
JOHN Hey SIMON I gotta run to the store, do you need anything?
SIMON [excitedly jumps up from the couch tossing his controller down]Dude its national banana split day!
JOHN National banana split day? Did you want me to get some bananas?
SIMON Duh! We need banana splits now!
JOHN Ha alright I'll get some bananas. Did you wanna come with?
SIMON Naw I'm cool, I'll just wait here.
JOHN [heading towards the door, about to leave.]Alright I'll be back in a few then.
SIMON [SIMON walks to the kitchen and begins looking through the cupboards and grabs a box of saltines and heads back toward the couch, picks up his controller and sits back down. SIMON opens his package of crackers, puts some in his mouth and begins playing his game again, when suddenly the phone rings again.]JOHN?
JOHN Hey uh…there sold out of bananas.
SIMON What! They're sold out!?
JOHN Yeah, apparently they're high in demand, seeing as how its, you know, national banana split day.
SIMON [disappointed yet still optimistic]Alright well just get home, we need to keep looking for bananas!
JOHN Alright I'll try and hurry home
SIMON [SIMON hangs up the phone and puts it back in his pocket. He gets up to turn off his video games and takes out his laptop, sits back on the couch when JOHN walks back inside.]hey dude I'm on eBay now trying to find some, but the closest people selling bananas couldn't get them to us till tomorrow. You wanna try calling some people and see if anyone has some?
JOHN Yeah I will, you've been talking about banana splits so much, I need one now!
SIMON Alright cool. I'll keep searching the internet for some.
JOHN [JOHN sets the groceries down on the countertop in the kitchen, picks up his phone and begins scrolling through his contacts.]Hey do you think tim would…SIMON[interrupting]Call everyone!
JOHN Ha wow! Alright I will
SIMON Ok gnarly, I'm posting a bulletin on Myspace now, someone's gotta have some bananas!
JOHN Oh good idea!
[JOHN dials the number and puts the phone to his face]
Hey tim? Hey bro you have any bananas? Your last one! Hmm alright well thanks anyway. Yeah talk to you later.
[hangs up the phone and begins talking to SIMON]
Yeah tim didn't have any.
SIMON Well don't stop calling people! Come on we have to find some!
JOHN I know, I know I'm still calling.
[JOHN dials another number]
Hey krysta quick question, do you have any bananas? What really? Allergic? Oh that sucks! Alright well sorry for bugging you, we're just really wanting a banana split! Alright bye.
[again talking to SIMON]
still nothing, you finding anything over there?
SIMON No. Nothing. Im looking on Craigslist now but can't find anything! Not just on Craigslist but anywhere! How is this so hard!?JOHNI don't know this is getting ridiculous! Like I just want a banana split!
SIMON I know right? Ugh!
JOHN Dude we're starting to run out of options
SIMON Yeah…I know. We need to start brainstorming
JOHN Yeah hmm…
[they sit for a few moments thinking]
We could! No that wouldn't work….or!….no that's dumb too
SIMON I know we just have to!…naw that'd never work…or maybe! Huh-uh that's ridiculous.
JOHN Hmm…
SIMON Well what if we went and got some of that powder stuff? We could make like a chocolate malt?
JOHN What did you just say!?
SIMON Well I ju…
JOHN NO! that would not be the same! I have been craving a banana split so bad that we can not just give up now! I can not believe you would suggest something so crazy!
SIMON I know that was dumb, I was throwin it out there
JOHN [with a look on his face like he just thought of the most brilliant thing ever]Ok I just thought of an amazing idea! I can't believe we haven't thought of
SIMON [interrupting] Just say it!
JOHN Ok. Ok. Now follow me…who eats a lot of banana's?
SIMON [surprised and kind of confused]Uhhh….my brother?
JOHN *sigh* Well I guess, but No! Think animals!
SIMON
Well I suppose monkeys eat a lot of bananas?
JOHN Exactly!
SIMON Dude I'm not following you at all?
JOHN It's simple all we have to do is buy a monkey!
SIMON Uh…how would that help us at all?
JOHN It's easy we buy a monkey and since all they eat are bananas they would obviously come equipped with them!
SIMON Oh I get it now! How did I not get that! Its so obvious! But wait where are we gonnaFind a monkey?
JOHN Well duh! The monkey surplus store down on the corner!SIMONOh yeah! Yes we're gonna get them after all!
JOHN Alright I'm gonna head over there right now! And were gonna get our bananas!
SIMON Ok well hurry!
[JOHN leaves the stage. SIMON walks toward the television set where the video game console is and the controller. He picks up the controller and turns the system on and walks back and sits down on the couch, he begins playing his game when the sound of "crank dat lion king" comes from his pocket. He answers the phone.]JOHN is something wrong!?
JOHN No No nothings wrong…
SIMON Then what?
JOHN I got the monkey! And he comes with three bananas! That's enough for me you and the monkey to each have one!SIMONYes! Hurry, get back!
JOHN Ok I'm almost home…bye
[SIMON begins eating his crackers again, a moment later JOHN walks in with the monkey]
SIMON Oh my god, JOHN he is such cute monkey! Ha is he wearing a diaper?
JOHN I know isn't that awesome!? Ok lets make some banana splits!
SIMON Yeah! Where are the bananas?
JOHN Oh the monkeys got them, I let him hang on to them.
[at this point both JOHN and SIMON look over to the monkey, when suddenly the monkeys diaper fell off revealing three empty banana peels, its at this point when they both look at each other and out of frustration and depression they yell at the top of their lungs…]
Nooooooooooooooooooo!