The Playlist

THE PLAYLIST

INT - IN A NURSING HOME, IN RUBY'S ROOM. MORNING.

Around the room, the walls are covered with photos from Ruby’s life: college graduation, grad school, wedding, children, grandchildren. A box of records sits on the floor near the bed.

RUBY, a grandmotherly aged black woman, short afro hair, short-statured, sassy. Ruby sits in her wheelchair facing an open window. She bops along to loud trap music via her over-the-ear headphones. The music is loud enough to be audible throughout the room.

EXT. OUTSIDE OF RUBY’S ROOM. MORNING - CONTINOUS.

RANDI, 20-something year old nurse, soft-voiced, sweet, gentle, a seemingly delicate flower, and super chipper!

Randi knocks on the door. She yells to Ruby from the other side of the door.

RANDI: Ruby! Good morning! Are you up?

Ruby doesn't respond. Randi knocks again.

INT. RUBY’S ROOM.

Ruby dances in her chair.

RANDI: Ruby?

Randi opens the door and peeks in. She sees Ruby near the window, bopping along with her headphones on.

Enter Randi.

Ruby looks over her shoulder towards the door. She doesn’t take off her headphones. Ruby shouts.

RUBY: Yes, I'm up. Dressed. Come on in.

Randi enters the room, carrying an iPad and a stylus pen. She’s smiles from ear to ear. She walks over to Ruby. Ruby removes her headphones, and leaves the music on. Trap music plays faintly in the background.

RANDI: Well, aren't you a sight! Looking good today, lady!

Ruby doesn't miss a beat.

RUBY: I look good every day, honey. They don't call me black beauty for nothing!

Tuh. But thank you for noticing today.

BEAT.

Randi chuckles and pulls up a seat next to Ruby.

RANDI: Ruby, do you remember what today is?

RUBY: Yes. Of course I know what today is. It's my birthday. Bring me cake.

BEAT.

RANDI: No. No. Today isn't your birthday.

Ruby laughs.

RUBY: I know, I know.

Ruby looks down at her apple watch. She looks up and directly at Randi. Ruby deadpans.

RUBY (CONT'D): I just wanted you to bring me a slice of cake.

BEAT.

Ruby reaches over and pats Randi on the back of her hand. Ruby insists.

RUBY (CONT'D): You can still do that though.

Ruby winks.

BEAT.

Ruby gets back on track.

RUBY (CONT'D): Today, is my turn to pick the playlist for the activity hour.

Randi is super encouraging.

RANDI: See, I knew you remembered!

Ruby gets serious.

RUBY: Of course, I remember. I've really been putting some thought into this.

I think I put together a good list for the group.

Ruby reaches over to a drawer and opens it. She pulls out a notepad.

RANDI: Oh really?! Well that's wonderful, Ruby! I'm excited to hear what you have.

Ruby holds the notepad close to her chest. She’s all of a sudden very shy.

RUBY: It's mostly classics, probably stuff before your time.

Randi senses Ruby’s nervousness. She’s thinks its cute, she’s never seen Ruby shy. She gives Ruby an encouraging smile.

RANDI: Ok, well let's see! I'm gonna take some notes and pass them

along to Nurse Fred. He's gonna be the DJ.

RUBY: Good. I like him. He always brings me a slice of pie.

Ruby relaxes a bit.

RUBY (CONT'D): So, I'd like to start with a little welcome music while folks are

making their way down to the rec room. You know, for Gloria.

Ruby rolls her eyes.

RUBY (CONT'D): She's always late, fixing her make-up and whatnot....

Randi laughs.

RANDI: Ok, that sounds like a good idea.

Ruby looks down at her notepad. She’s very serious.

RUBY: Move Bitch Get Out The Way by Ludacris.

BEAT.

Ruby starts dancing in her chair.

Randi's eyes get wide. She stops smiling.

RUBY (CONT'D): Do you know that one? It's good. I can already see it.

Everybody rolling down the hall in their wheelchairs....

Ruby has a mustard seed of confidence about this choice.

RUBY (CONT'D) Yes, that'll be a good one to get us started.

Randi starts stuttering.

RANDI: I am...uh...I'm not familiar with that one, Ruby.

Ruby starts humming the song while she taps on her apple watch. A song plays from a nearby speaker. Randi shazams the song into her ipad. She reads the ipad. Randi's eyes get wider. She’s a little bit uncomfortable.

BEAT.

RUBY: Oh! I keep forgetting how young you are, you have such an old soul.

That one's from my college days. Your grandparents prolly played in the car.

Randi is uneasy, but she tries to keep her cheery affect.

RANDI: I, I don't think I've ever heard them play that one. Maybe one of my

uncles at a family reunion or something...It sounds a bit...umm.....uh, what else is on your list, Ruby?

RUBY: Ok. Well, that was just the warm up. Next up: Drunk in Love by Beyonce.

Randi taps on the iPad. She scrolls.

RANDI: Oh! I know Beyonce!

RUBY: Surfboardt.

Ruby wiggles in her chair.

BEAT.

Ruby is ready for the next one.

RANDI: What's next?

RUBY: P.I.M.P By Fifty. I want to dedicate that one.

Randi looks at the ipad. She scrolls. Ruby starts singing.

RUBY (CONT'D): I don't know what you heard about me...but I'm a mutherfu...

BEAT.

Randi’s eyes get wide. Randi, anxious, interjects.

RANDI: Ruby! I don't think we can play anything with..... inappropriate language.

Ruby is incredulous.

BEAT.

RUBY: Why? Because we're too young?

BEAT.

RANDI: Well..no, I mean....I just...I don't think that the other residents would appreciate....

Ruby interjects.

RUBY: Throw Some Ds On That Bitch.

BEAT.

Randi is flabbergastered and confused. She clears her throat and tries to maintain her composure.

RANDI: Throw some what? Where?

RUBY Depends. Ha!

BEAT.

Randi laughs nervously. She looks back and forth between the ipad and Ruby.

RANDI: Uhh...oh. Ummm, Ruby? I, I just don't...I don't know if that would be

appropriate for the whole group. You know, some of our residents have..uh...sensitive ears.

Ruby shrugs her shoulders.

RUBY: Oh, right. Hearing aids.

BEAT.

RUBY: Well, Fred doesn't have to play the music too loud.

Randi reaches for another reason to explain to Ruby. She tries to steer Ruby in a different direction.

RANDI: No, I, I mean...it, it might not set the right tone for activity hour.

I'm reading thru these lyrics and...Do you have anything, maybe a bit....more mellow?

RUBY: Bitch Don't Kill My Vibe.

BEAT.

Randi almost drops the ipad. Randi's affect changes, she gets serious.

RANDI: I beg your pardon, Ruby. What?

Ruby is completely oblivious to the switch up.

RUBY: You asked if I had something more mellow. Bitch, Don't Kill My Vibe by Kendrick Lamar.

Now I know you've heard of that one. He's poet. Won a Pulitzer and everything.

Randi reels it in. She realizes Ruby was not cursing her out.

RANDI: Yes, I think I read about Kendrick in my Afam Lit class in college. But

Ruby that's not exactly what I had in mind for mellow.

RUBY: Ok, what about Slow Motion? By Juvenile. Oooh, I like it like that,

she working that back, I don't know how to act....

BEAT.

Ruby wiggles in her chair.

BEAT.

Randi is still skeptical.

RANDI: Ruby, I don't know if that one's gonna work either....maybe we
should have you lead another activity?

Randi scrolls thru the ipad for more choices. Ruby looks through her apple watch.

RUBY: What else do I have on here? Back Dat Ass Up. Knuck If You Buck. I'm F-R-E-E....

Randi cuts cuts Ruby off.

BEAT.

RANDI: Ruby, do you have anything along

the lines of maybe....like Luther Vandross? Stevie Wonder? Whitney Houston?

Ruby is offended.

RUBY: How old do you think I am? I said from my college days! Not my parents music!

BEAT.

Randi keeps scrolling thru the ipad. She tries to level-set with Ruby.

RANDI: Ruby, this is, umm, supposed to be an afternoon social event for all of the residents.

I think they are maybe expecting, something a little more relaxing before dinner.

And I'm looking at some of these lyrics and it seems like you, um.....

how am I gonna explain this to my supervisor?

Ruby waves Randi off.

RUBY: I ain’t worried about him. You just don't want us to turn up, do you?

RANDI: Turnip?

BEAT.

RUBY: No, not the vegetable. Turn up. I don't know what you kids call it these days...having a good time?

RANDI: I mean, I do want everyone to enjoy themselves, I just...

RUBY: If you want to put us to sleep, then just gon' ahead turn the lights off and

give us the whale music. I'm tryna have a party.

Randi tries to be nervously reassuring.

RANDI: Trust me, Ruby. I don't want to stop your "turn-up". But I also don't want

Gloria to break a hip. Or Charles to report this to my supervisor.

Ruby looks at her apple watch.

RUBY: Oh! I spoke with Charles in the hallway yesterday. Actually, he requested International

Players Anthem. Glad I jot that down. I think he wants to propose to Pearl.

Ruby leans over into Randi.

RUBY (CONT'D): Don't tell her I told you that.

BEAT.

RANDI: I promise I won't tell. But Ruby....

RUBY: Look here kiddo. We just some old folks trying to remember our

good ol' days. We ain't hurting nobody.

Ruby looks down at her apple watch, taps it. She hands her list to Randi.

RUBY (CONT'D): Just give that list to Fred. In that order. He'll know what to do.

Randi relents and stops trying to argue with Ruby.

RANDI: Ok Ruby. I'll pass your list along to Fred.

Randi is defeated. She gets up and walks to the door. She turns around and tries one last time to plead with Ruby.

RANDI (CONT'D): Ruby, is there any way I can convince you to

change this list a little bit?

Ruby shakes her head.

RANDI: Two slices of cake?

Ruby shakes her head.

RANDI (CONT'D): Three?

Ruby waves Randi out of the room. Ruby taps her Apple Watch which starts playing music and starts dancing in her chair.