Happy
March 10th, 2021
Starring: Victor (male, mid 40’s), Happy (male, early 40’s), Selena (female, late 30’s/early 40’s)
Victor and Selena’s house. It's their nine-year-old's birthday party. Victor is inside behind the bar (connected to the kitchen), crouched looking for a bottle on a low shelf. Selena enters the kitchen from outside. From how Vic’s behind the bar, she can’t see him:
SELENA
Vic?!
VICTOR
Behind here!
SELENA
Oh, hey.
Are you doing the scavenger hunt too?
VICTOR
Different hunt, but...
Vic finds the bottle he’s looking for: Gin.
VICTOR
I’ve found what I needed.
He starts to fix himself a gin fizz.
SELENA
Just one, please.
VICTOR
All I was doing.
SELENA
FYI, the clown’s here. He’s setting up while the kids are distracted.
VICTOR
Ok.
SELENA
Did you want to meet him?
VICTOR
Uh...ok.
SELENA
He’s on the patio. I’m jumping back into the fray.
Selena points to his drink:
SELENA
One. Promise.
VICTOR
This is it.
Selena goes back outside. Victor walks through the kitchen and out onto the patio.
Happy, in his clown outfit, is sitting in a deck chair, applying his makeup in a hand mirror. His multicolored wig is on the table next to him, alongside his big traveler’s chest of gadgets and gizmos. Victor lingers in the doorway, unsure if to disturb:
VICTOR
Um...
Hello?
Happy, a little startled, looks in the hand mirror and sees Victor. He turns around.
HAPPY
Hi.
Victor sees Happy's face. Even through the makeup and costume, he looks familiar.
VICTOR
Hello.
Happy clearly recognizes Victor too.
VICTOR
You’re the clown...?
HAPPY
I am.
Um
Happy.
Happy extends his hand. Victor walks over and shakes it.
VICTOR
Happy? That’s your name—?
HAPPY
That’s it. Happy.
…
VICTOR
I’m Victor—
HAPPY
Yes. I um—I know.
I’m not sure you remember but we
We actually went to college together?
Victor knows, but feigns some ignorance:
VICTOR
Really? We were—
HAPPY
I was two years below you, but yeah, I think we—
VICTOR
Did we...did we have a class together, or something?
HAPPY
No. We...I think we just knew each other. Hung out a few times.
VICTOR
...right. Right, of course I knew you looked—
Quite a coincidence.
HAPPY
Crazy.
…
VICTOR
And you’re a clown now.
VICTOR
I am.
VICTOR
Do you like it? The um...clowning?
HAPPY
I love it.
VICTOR
Must make you happy.
...
Like your name—?
HAPPY
Ah, yes.
Yes, I—I’m very happy, haha.
...
HAPPY
I met your wife. She’s very warm.
VICTOR
She’s a good one.
HAPPY
Is she another alum or—?
VICTOR
Oh no. I met her after. Way after.
HAPPY
You ever been back to campus?
VICTOR
I haven’t. With work, kids, it’s tough—
HAPPY
I bet.
My class just had our twenty-year reunion, so I went. Hit up some of the old spots. MacLanahan’s?
VICTOR
Oh, MacLanahan’s.
HAPPY
Crazy times—
VICTOR
Yep—
HAPPY
I walked in and all these memories came flooding back.
I remember um
I was there one night. With you. It was this disco party. We were all dressed up.
VICTOR
In a group?
HAPPY
Just us.
I had this brown curly wig on, you were wearing these short neon runner’s shorts. We were downing these gin drinks. And then the Bee Gee’s came on and we were dancing and...
You don’t—?
VICTOR
Sorry I—I don’t think I remember—
HAPPY
I think you do.
...
VICTOR
I've changed a lot since college.
HAPPY
I see that.
...
It’s alright, it’s just funny. There was a time in my life where I thought I knew you. That we really had something.
VICTOR
Did you track me down?
HAPPY
What?
VICTOR
Is that why you’re here? To find me?
HAPPY
No. No of course not, your wife she...it was total happenstance, I wouldn’t...
I have a husband now.
…
VICTOR
Oh
That’s...that’s fantastic.
HAPPY
Yeah. All finds a way of working out, doesn’t it?
VICTOR
It does.
...
HAPPY
Are you happy, Vic? Really, are you happy?
…
VICTOR
I am.
HAPPY
I’m glad. All that matters, in my book.
Happy puts on the last dab of makeup, then the wig and the last bits of clown garb. He strikes some picturesque clown pose and draws up his cheeks, making a smile.
HAPPY
Enjoy the show.
Victor nods and slightly raises his empty glass, then goes back inside. Selena’s back in the kitchen, pre-cutting squares of birthday cake.
SELENA
Satisfied?
VICTOR
What?
SELENA
The clown. Does he seem good?
VICTOR
Um
Yeah, he seems great.
SELENA
Good!
I’m gonna round up the kids, get everyone settled.
…
You coming?
VICTOR
Sure. I’ll be out in a minute.
SELENA
What’s wrong?
VICTOR
Nothing. Just a work thing.
Selena looks at Victor, a bit worried. Victor just smiles back. Selena smiles in return and walks outside, calling out to all the kids.
Victor makes sure she’s out of sight, then goes back behind the bar. He prepares another gin fizz. He stares at the liquid, tumbling around in the glass. It takes him back. Before he can fully reminiscence, he downs the drink whole, then goes to join the party.