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Topic starter
04/02/2023 9:01 pm
Screenplay by Jack Dodds
Recently transferred to General Investigations from his long term, comfortable desk job in the Fraud Squad chasing bad cheques , Detective Joe Vendredi felt very much out of his element this day as he arrived at the residence of Connie Shoemaker. Vendredi was doing a follow up on a missing persons file; the subject being Connie's estranged, violent and abusive husband Willie. He had deserted her and the kids months earlier; leaving them destitute and infuriating Connie's father David Sole. Earlier, back at the station the boys in the bull pen, all street wise investigators, were relieved that "paper cop" Vendredi got handed this dud file; allowing them to carry on with "the important stuff". Vendredi had just come from speaking with the complainant Veronica Lodge, a wealthy heiress who lived in a penthouse on the Upper East Side. Ronnie, as she liked to be called, was a spoiled rich bitch, a real Daddy's girl who liked "bad boys". After dumping her long suffering husband Archie she had fallen hard for the ill tempered Willie; a jockey at the race track who carried a chip on his shoulder the size of Rushmore. Sensing Vendredi's discomfort and interpreting it as weakness, Ronnie had read him the riot act and told him she would have his badge if he didn't find her man. She and Willie were scheduled to leave on a month long Caribbean cruise that morning and he hadn't shown up. Knowing how excited Willie was about the planned excursion, Ronnie just knew something was terribly wrong, which filled her with dread.
As Vendredi approached the trailer residence he noticed an older man seated on a nearby bench repairing a boot and inquired if he lived there. The man eyed him suspiciously, identified himself as David Soul and mumbled that his daughter and her kids were inside. Suddenly the trailer door burst open as Connie and her kids tumbled outside. Connie, distracted trying to control her visibly unstable son, seemed startled to see Vendredi and asked what he wanted. Vendredi identified himself and showed Connie his badge. As he explained the reason for his visit his attention was drawn to her oldest boy who seemed to be missing his lower leg; rendering him very unbalanced and literally hanging off his mother. Due to this distraction, Vendredi failed to notice the elderly man suddenly stiffen, rise from his bench and grab a cobbling tool from the roof of his small trailer when he identified himself to Connie. Noticing the policeman's concern for her son, Connie pointing to the mangled red Schwinn lying nearby, explained that he had recently been in a terrible bicycle accident which resulted in him having his leg amputated below the knee. As Vendredi expressed his condolences , he once again ignored the old man, who was busily rubbing the cobbling tool with a cloth and casting the soiled rag under his trailer. Upon questioning, Connie seemed genuinely surprised that her husband had gone missing but added that she hoped he had finally got what he had coming for a long time. Connie described how violent and abusive her estranged husband had been and how he had run off with some rich bimbo , leaving her penniless. As Vendredi made notes a foreign coupe roared up and ground to a halt beside the trailer. Vendredi scrutinized the strange car, wondering what it was. Allowing his mind to wander momentarily, he was sure it wasn't a Trabant SS Coupe but suspected it may well be a Borgward or a Lloyd. Vendredi was suddenly snapped back to attention as chauffer Cole Porter opened the car door and Ronnie Lodge leapt out, strode up to Connie and angrily demanded to know where her man was. For Connie this insult seemed to be the last straw and she reacted violently, causing her son to topple over as a hair pulling match between the two woman ensued. The fracas was finally brought under control by a very beleaguered Vendredi; who ordered Ronnie back to her car and directed Cole Porter to drive away immediately. As the coupe departed and Connie picked up her screaming son, Vendredi hurriedly thanked her for her cooperation and said if any information developed he would let her know. As the harried detective made his way back to his car he passed by the cobbler seated on his bench; failing to notice the smirk on his face as he glanced up at the roof of his tiny trailer. As Dave Soul carried on cobbling his boot he thought how fortunate it was that Connie and the kids had been asleep the previous night when a drunken and volatile Willie Schumacher had passed by his bench en route to the trailer. "You've beaten my daughter for the last time son" were the last words Willie ever heard, as Dave brought the cobbling tool down on his head. They would never know his fate and they were better for it Dave thought. The only witness to this felony was Arnold Ziffel thought Dave with a chuckle. Later when Connie and the kids were asleep and under the cover of darkness, he lifted Willie's canvass wrapped body from the roof of his trailer. Struggling under its weight, Dave made his way to the lake, loaded it into his boat and quietly paddled out a short distance before firing the engine up and heading out several miles. After tying an anchor to the tarped body with a length of chain; Soul watched it sink into oblivion and as he did so he looked skyward; saying thanks to whoever or whatever force it was that had blessed him with Officer Joe Vendredi being handed this case.
Tony Perrone reacted
04/02/2023 9:47 pm
A very detailed story board here John. Great photography. Can’t wait for Jack to come up with his interpretation. Love that final frame.
john barry and Tony Perrone reacted
Topic starter
04/02/2023 9:55 pm
@david-green............. thank you David 😀 ....do you have a preference as to which Jimmy song should stay?
Tony Perrone reacted
04/02/2023 10:38 pm
John, I found the ‘He Went To Paris’ by far the most moving of the two, possibly because of some of my own background experiences. All that being said, I think the second one, ‘A Pirate Looks At Forty’ may fit more with your apparent theme.
I enjoyed listening to both.
john barry and Tony Perrone reacted
04/02/2023 10:44 pm
Wonderful shots. That poor woman with the three kids…and she’s probably pregnant with the fourth. Song #2 is my choice to stay JB.
john barry and Tony Perrone reacted
05/02/2023 2:17 am
love the setup, particularly 1st and last pics, great work John.
john barry and Tony Perrone reacted
05/02/2023 3:47 am
Recently transferred to General Investigations from his long term, comfortable desk job in the Fraud Squad chasing bad cheques , Detective Joe Vendredi felt very much out of his element this day as he arrived at the residence of Connie Shoemaker. Vendredi was doing a follow up on a missing persons file; the subject being Connie's estranged, violent and abusive husband Willie. He had deserted her and the kids months earlier; leaving them destitute and infuriating Connie's father David Sole. Earlier, back at the station the boys in the bull pen, all street wise investigators, were relieved that "paper cop" Vendredi got handed this dud file; allowing them to carry on with "the important stuff". Vendredi had just come from speaking with the complainant Veronica Lodge, a wealthy heiress who lived in a penthouse on the Upper East Side. Ronnie, as she liked to be called, was a spoiled rich bitch, a real Daddy's girl who liked "bad boys". After dumping her long suffering husband Archie she had fallen hard for the ill tempered Willie; a jockey at the race track who carried a chip on his shoulder the size of Rushmore. Sensing Vendredi's discomfort and interpreting it as weakness, Ronnie had read him the riot act and told him she would have his badge if he didn't find her man. She and Willie were scheduled to leave on a month long Caribbean cruise that morning and he hadn't shown up. Knowing how excited Willie was about the planned excursion, Ronnie just knew something was terribly wrong, which filled her with dread.
As Vendredi approached the trailer residence he noticed an older man seated on a nearby bench repairing a boot and inquired if he lived there. The man eyed him suspiciously, identified himself as David Sole and mumbled that his daughter and her kids were inside. Suddenly the trailer door burst open as Connie and her kids tumbled outside. Connie, distracted trying to control her visibly unstable son, seemed startled to see Vendredi and asked what he wanted. Vendredi identified himself and showed Connie his badge. As he explained the reason for his visit his attention was drawn to her oldest boy who seemed to be missing his lower leg; rendering him very unbalanced and literally hanging off his mother. Due to this distraction, Vendredi failed to notice the elderly man suddenly stiffen, rise from his bench and grab a cobbling tool from the roof of his small trailer when he had identified himself to Connie. Noticing the policeman's concern for her son, Connie pointing to the mangled red Schwinn lying nearby and explained that he had recently been in a terrible bicycle accident which resulted in him having his leg amputated below the knee. As Vendredi expressed his condolences , he once again ignored the old man, who was busily rubbing the cobbling tool with a cloth and casting the soiled rag under his trailer. Upon questioning, Connie seemed genuinely surprised that her husband had gone missing but added that she hoped he had finally gotten what he had coming for a long time. Connie described how violent and abusive her estranged husband had been and how he had run off with some rich bimbo , leaving her penniless. As Vendredi made notes a foreign coupe roared up and ground to a halt beside the trailer. Vendredi scrutinized the strange car, wondering what it was. Allowing his mind to wander momentarily, he was sure it wasn't a Trabant SS Coupe but suspected it may well be a Borgward or a Lloyd. Vendredi was suddenly snapped back to attention as chauffer Cole Porter opened the car door and Ronnie Lodge leapt out, strode up to Connie and angrily demanded to know where her man was. For Connie this insult seemed to be the last straw and she reacted violently, causing her son to topple over as a hair pulling match between the two woman ensued. The fracas was finally brought under control by a very beleaguered Vendredi; who ordered Ronnie back to her car and directed Cole Porter to drive away immediately. As the coupe departed and Connie picked up her screaming son, Vendredi hurriedly thanked her for her cooperation and said if any information developed he would let her know. As the harried detective made his way back to his car he passed by the cobbler seated on his bench; failing to notice the smirk on his face as he glanced up at the roof of his tiny trailer. As Dave Sole carried on cobbling his boot he thought how fortunate it was that Connie and the kids had been asleep the previous night when a drunken and volatile Willie Shoemaker had passed by his bench en route to the trailer. "You've beaten my daughter for the last time son" were the last words Willie ever heard, as Dave brought the cobbling tool down on his head. They would never know his fate and they were better for it Dave thought. The only witness to this felony was Arnold Ziffel thought Dave with a chuckle. Later when Connie and the kids were asleep and under the cover of darkness, he lifted Willie's canvass wrapped body from the roof of his trailer. Struggling under its weight, Dave made his way to the lake, loaded it into his boat and quietly paddled out a short distance before firing the engine up and heading out several miles. After tying an anchor to the tarped body with a length of chain; Sole watched it sink into oblivion and as he did so he looked skyward; saying thanks to whoever or whatever force it was that had blessed him with Officer Joe Vendredi being handed this case.
This post was modified 2 months ago 4 times by Jack Dodds
05/02/2023 5:43 am
Who needs a book club with Jack D. around! Now THIS is some GREAT reading! 
john barry reacted
Topic starter
05/02/2023 8:06 am
@jack-dodds ..... I couldn`t break away from your inspired narrative to go grab my already brewed coffee Jack.....that`s how good it is
......your cohesive flow has never been more polished or satisfying......it was your name in the trades that drew such massive talents to this production!!!!
......who knew Arnold Ziffle and Cole Porter could bury their decades old pig flesh argument and once again work on the same set
......David Soul was so honored to be part of the production that he worked without pay .....with the stipulation that he receive a brand new hutch for his den
.......Willie Schumacher,who had no lines or any time in the camera lens,was nevertheless honored with a highly detailed Tarpaulin statue at the opening night premier performance
05/02/2023 8:21 am
….I’m just glad I don’t live in a trailer…☕️
Frank Reed
Chesapeake, VA
Topic starter
05/02/2023 8:37 am
John, I found the ‘He Went To Paris’ by far the most moving of the two, possibly because of some of my own background experiences. All that being said, I think the second one, ‘A Pirate Looks At Forty’ may fit more with your apparent theme.
I enjoyed listening to both.
That`s exactly my thought process David........thank you for your thoughtful response
Tony Perrone and David Green reacted
Topic starter
05/02/2023 8:41 am
Wonderful shots. That poor woman with the three kids…and she’s probably pregnant with the fourth. Song #2 is my choice to stay JB.
Thank you Pete,the indefatigable Laura is indeed going for four-of-a-kind......................... your song preference 🤨 is duly noted
Pete Rovero and Tony Perrone reacted
Topic starter
05/02/2023 8:43 am
Can’t wait for Jack to come up with his interpretation.
In case you`re still gathering your tea and slippers.....Jack Dodds hit this one outta the park
Tony Perrone and David Green reacted
Topic starter
05/02/2023 8:50 am
Who needs a book club with Jack D. around! Now THIS is some GREAT reading!
There were injuries,unreported homicides,EPA violations too many to mention,and a pig in a (best) supporting actor role
Tony Perrone reacted
05/02/2023 9:06 am
Who needs a book club with Jack D. around! Now THIS is some GREAT reading!
There were injuries,unreported homicides,EPA violations too many to mention,and a pig in a (best) supporting actor role
Yeah! I'm smelling a Pulitzer. (Or maybe that's just the pig?)
Pete Rovero and john barry reacted
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