Mommy Dearest/Transcript

Oliver and Company: The Series

Mommy Dearest

Act I

(The scene opens outside the Foxworth house; it is late afternoon. Dodger and Oliver are outside.)

Oliver: I really enjoyed our day at the Central Park Zoo, Dodge.

Dodger: No problem, kid. Anytime ya wanna see me, you're more than welcome!

Oliver: Although, you did get a bit cocky when you tried to jump into the lion enclosure!

Dodger: What can I say? I'm a natural daredevil.

(The two high five.)

Oliver: Jenny's coming home from school, so I'm gonna wait for her.

Dodger: Take care, kid!

(The two go their separate ways. Dodger heads off down the street, talking to himself.)

Dodger: You are awesome, Dodge. Taking on that sea lion!

(He suddenly stops.)

Dodger: What?

(He runs ahead to get a closer look, stopping in horror at what he sees; it's an older female Jack Russell; she almost looks exactly like Dodger, save for a white spot on her right ear and faded brown front paws. She's out cold, but still alive.)

Dodger: Could it be...? (He lifts her onto his back) Alright, I gotta get you somewhere safe.

(He runs off. Cut back to the houseboat, early evening. Francis and Tito are wrestling on the floor. Rita watches on, disapprovingly. Einstein is watching TV.)

Rita: Honestly, I sometimes wish I didn't have to act as babysitter for you guys!

Tito: Hey, what would we do without you, mamacita?

Rita: I'm gonna forget I heard that.

(Dodger comes down the stairs with the dog from earlier. He sets her down on the floor, as the gang approach.)

Tito: Hey Dodge, man!

Rita: Are you OK?

Dodger: I'm fine! I just got a bit...sidetracked coming home.

Francis: Are you alright? (He prods the dog with his paw.)

Dodger: Cut it out! I found her as I was leaving Oliver's place.

Rita: Is she OK?

Dodger: I think so. I think she could even be my...

Francis: Your mother?

(Suddenly, the dog wakes up. She looks disoriented .)

Dog: Where in the world am I? Who are you?

Rita: Don't worry. You're safe.

Dodger: Maybe I should introduce myself. I'm Dodger. (He gestures to each member of the gang) This is Rita, Frankie, Einstein and Tito.

Francis: (indignant) My name is Francis!

Rita: What's your name?

Dog: My name? (stammers) I'm Tess.

(Cut to commercial break.)

Act II

(The gang are gathered around Tess, who still looks slightly disoriented. Suddenly, Fagin enters the boat, carrying a pizza box. The gang pile onto him, knocking him over.)

Fagin: (laughing) Yes, yes! I missed you too! (Tess approaches him, timidly) And who are you? (He strokes her ears) You're more than welcome to stay, fella. I picked us up a little something from Sonny's.

(He gets up and picks up the pizza box. He holds up a piece of pizza in Tess's face; she gingerly takes it and eats. The rest of the gang dig in; Dodger and Rita approach Tess.)

Dodger: Tess, would ya like some of mine? (He drops a slice of pizza at Tess's paws.)

Tess: That's lovely, thank you, but...you hardly have enough as it is...

Rita: Nonsense! You can have whatever you want.

Tess: I mean...well, of course.

Dodger: So, Tess, I was thinking, I'd like to get to know you.

Tess: yes? In what way?

Dodger: You know, like friends, find out about you.

(Francis and Tito are watching from afar.)

Tito: (makes kissing noises) Smoochie, smoochie, Dodger's in love!

(Dodger and Tess look appalled.)

Both: What? No! Are you--?

Tess: I don't think it's the right time for me to be dating anyone.

Dodger: I mean, like, she could be my mom! Not that she--That came out wrong.

Rita: Look, Dodger, you and Tess can catch up on whatever you need to. But, right now...(yawns) I'm gettin' tired. Let's hit the hay.

(The gang start settling down for the night. Dodger pushes an upturned crate over towards Tess.)

Tess: For me? You shouldn't have. I mean---

Dodger: We never abandon a friend in need, Tess.

Tess: Thank you so much!

(She climbs in and settles down. Cut to later that night. We see a panning shot of the gang sleeping. Tess wakes up, and stares at Dodger, with a forlorn expression on her face. She then settles back down. Cut to the next morning. The gang are chased out of a café. The door slams and they all exit, laughing.)

Tess: I never knew what fun this could be!

(Rita tosses two pancakes at her feet. She tucks into them voraciously.)

Francis: For a street dog, Tess has the appetite of a starving lion!

Dodger: I'm gonna spend some time with Tess today. What about you?

Rita: We'll be around. We'll meet you back at the houseboat later.

Dodger: Sounds good to me. (To Tess) So, Tess, I thought you and I could spend some together this afternoon.

Tess: I'd like that!

Dodger: Awesome! So...

(Cut to later that afternoon. Dodger and Tess are in a back-alley in Queens.)

Tess: Thanks for taking me out for lunch, Dodger. You know how to treat a lady.

Dodger: Thanks. Those steaks came courtesy of Mario's Brazilian steakhouse.

(Tess chuckles.)

Dodger: Anyway, Tess. Tell me about yourself.

Tess: Well, I wasn't actually born in New York.

Dodger: Really?

Tess: I was born on Long Island, in a town called Hawk Bay.

Dodger: Uh huh, good start.

(What Tess describes next is shown in washout colors.)

Tess: (narrating) When I was a pup, my mom and I moved to New York City. I got separated from her and I never saw her again. I picked myself up, and learned to survive on the streets.

(Back in the present.)

Dodger: Sounds like you had it rough.

Tess: Well, after a while, things got better. And then I met the love of my life...

(Flashback. Tess and Duke, a grey-furred dog, presumably a mix of Schnauzer and fox terrier, walk through Central Park together, smiling.)

Tess': His name was Duke. We were happy and everything was bright.

(Back in the present...)

Dodger: Did you have any pups together?

Tess: We did. Three pups and we loved them more than anything in the world. But, you know what they say about all good things...

(Another flashback. Outside a run-down apartment complex in the Bronx, Duke fights off three stray dogs-one is an American bulldog, one is a German Shepherd and one is a mixed-breed of indeterminate origin. The German Shepherd tosses him aside like a rag doll. Tess comes to his aid.)

Duke: Tess, stay back! I'm fine!

(The American bulldog menacingly approaches a young Dodger, who has wandered out and starts cowering. Duke leaps in front of him.)

Duke: (snarls) Stay away from my son if you know what's good for you...

Tess: (narrating) That night was the last time I saw my son. We were separated and I never saw him.

(Flashback ends. We are back in the present.)

Dodger: That's...the saddest story I've ever heard.

(Cut to commercial break.)

Act III

(It is now night. Tess stares off into the distance. Dodger approaches, tentatively.)

Dodger: Tess, I'm sorry you lost your son. Wait, are you?

Tess: (sniffs) I'm fine. I just...it's difficult for me...(sobs)

Dodger: Tess, losing your son must have been so hard. Did you ever look for him?

Tess: Duke and I searched high and low for him. Duke...he never got over losing our son and...

Dodger: If you don't want to talk about it, it's fine. Just asking, not to pry, but what was your son called again?

Tess: What?

Dodger: I'm just asking.

Tess: My son was called Dodger.

Dodger: Well, Tess...

Tess: What?

Dodger: That's me!

Tess: You're not...it can't...

(Dodger nods. Tess smiles and sobs. She nuzzles Dodger.)

Tess: All that time, I never gave up hope!

Dodger: I missed you.

Tess: And I missed you too.

Dodger: Come on. Let's go back to the gang.

(Cut to a shot of the houseboat. Fagin is slumped on the armchair watching TV. Rita, Einstein, Tito-who is sitting on Einstein's head-and Francis sit on the the floor. Dodger and Tess enter and the gang and Fagin approach.)

Fagin: Someone had a good little night out! (chuckles and strokes Tess's head)

(He walks off.)

Rita: So, how was your night out? Spill.

Dodger: Well, Tess and I had a little heart-to-heart...

Tess: Long story short, I found my son.

(The gang stare at Tess as though she's crazy.)

Francis: You mean?

Dodger: Yes. Tess is my mom.

Tito: OK, back up? How and...

Tess: (giggles) It's a long story. Very long. But, I'm happy that Dodger and I found each other again.

Francis: I guess you'll have a lot of catching up to do.

Tess: I'd like that very much. But (yawns) all this talk has made me exhausted.

Rita: Yeah. I think it's time to hit the hay.

(Later that night, the gang are sleeping. Dodger gets off his bed and approaches Tess's box. She wakes up.)

Tess: Dodger? What?

Dodger: I couldn't sleep. Can I...

Tess: Of course. (Dodger climbs inside and slumps down next to her.)

(Dodger yawns and falls asleep. Tess smiles at him, before doing the same.)

[End credits.]