⸻

EXT. NEW ORLEANS STREET - DAY

A bustling urban street lined with shotgun houses, their tiny front yards barely separating them. MISS TINA, an elderly white woman with gray hair, slightly plump and of average height, walks home carrying a grocery bag.

Ahead, a group of boys in puffer jackets and baseball caps hang out. One boy tries a trick on his skateboard but slips. The skateboard shoots toward Miss Tina.

She shifts her grocery bag to one hand, steps hard on the skateboard’s end, flipping it up, and grabs it by the front two wheels.

MISS TINA
(cheerfully)
There you go. Be careful, now—don’t want it rolling the other way.

She nods toward the busy street nearby. The boy takes the skateboard, his humble smile breaking through.

SKATEBOARD BOY
Thank you, ma’am.

The boys exchange glances. One nudges the boy holding a small speaker, signaling him to turn the music down. The boy does.

Miss Tina pauses mid-step on her walkway. She turns back to the boys and strides over.

She leans down and CRANKS THE MUSIC UP.

MISS TINA
(grinning)
Never turn down Tupac! Biggie Smalls, maybe—but not Tupac!

The boys laugh and cheer.

BOYS
Go, Miss Tina! That’s what’s up! Get your granny on!

Miss Tina joins in, singing along as she heads up her steps.

MISS TINA
(singing)
In the city, the city of Compton, we keep it rockin’, keep it rockin’…

The boys clap and cheer as she disappears inside, the door CLICKING SHUT with several locks.

⸻

INT. MISS TINA’S HOUSE - CONTINUOUS

The living room is warm and eclectic, with mismatched furniture and signs of a life well-lived. Miss Tina moves through to the kitchen, setting her groceries on the counter.

A rotary PHONE RINGS loudly on the wall.

Miss Tina picks it up, balancing it between her ear and shoulder while unpacking.

MISS TINA
Hello, hello!

JANET
(over phone)
What did those boys say to you? I heard them yelling at you.

MISS TINA
Well, hello to you too, Janet. They didn’t say anything wrong. As a matter of fact, they were quite complimentary.

JANET
Don’t entertain them like that. I don’t like them hanging around in front of the house. It doesn’t set a good precedent.

MISS TINA
Relax, Janet. Look around. Better Homes and Gardens isn’t coming to this neighborhood anytime soon. A few kids waiting at a bus stop aren’t going to change that.

(beat)
Speaking of getting ruffled, did Roger go out to the casino again last night?

JANET
(flabbergasted)
I can’t believe you’d even ask me something so personal!

Miss Tina grins as Janet gets flustered.

JANET
(continued)
I have class and decorum, unlike some people. I’ll see you at the potluck on Sunday.

MISS TINA
All right, you do that.

Janet hangs up abruptly. Miss Tina chuckles, shaking her head. She glances at a photo of a young, dark-skinned Black man in a military uniform on the counter.

MISS TINA
(to photo)
Did you hear that, Brian? I swear, sometimes she’s like that sister from A Streetcar Named Desire. Not the one with Marlon Brando—the other one.

She starts unpacking groceries.

MISS TINA
(continued)
So, I’m thinking macaroni and cheese with tuna tonight. Bake it, kind of like a casserole. Sound good?

A SCRUFFY TABBY CAT, Jake, hops onto the counter and MEOWS LOUDLY.

MISS TINA
Jake, get down right now.

The cat stares at her, unmoving.

MISS TINA
Fine, you big bully. Half a can of tuna and all the juice, but only if you get down and stay on your pillow. Deal?

Jake circles twice before meowing in agreement, then hops off. He saunters over to an old box TV, curling up on a pillow on top.

Miss Tina smiles as she starts preparing dinner.

FADE OUT.