AND EMILY TURN AROUND. THEY SMILE AND WAVE.
CLARISSA
Tourists draw more attention than the locals here.
A FLASH.
THE GIRLS TURN TO FACE NORTH DOWN THE STRETCH OF LENOX AVENUE.
KABIR PLACES WHAT LOOKS LIKE A LARGE CAMERA ON THE GROUND. "BOXIE KABIR [1.] [2.]" IS ITS NAME AND IT'S QUITE INTELLIGENT, CAPABLE OF WALKING UP TO PEOPLE AND ASKING THEM QUESTIONS, RECORDING THEIR ANSWERS, AND FILMING THEM IN THE MANNER OF KABIR KHAN HIMSELF. IT IS OUR NEW DIRECTOR AND WE GLADLY MOVE WITH IT DOWN THIS BUSY STREET IN HARLEM.
CLARISSA AND EMILY WALK ON. CLARISSA PUTS A CELL TO HER EAR. SHE BOUGHT IT SOMEWHERE IN NEW YORK BUT WE CANNOT QUITE MAKE OUT THE MODEL. SHE HAS - NO DOUBT - INSERTED HER SIM INTO THE SLIM THING BECAUSE SHE IS RECEIVING A CALL FROM UTAH.
CLARISSA
Hi Samantha, how are you? How are things at the Star? . . . Oh my God, are you serious? He's with you now? . . . He's there. You've shown him? . . .
CLARISSA LOWERS THE PHONE LOOKS AT EMILY.
CLARISSA
We got Matt; the new guy working at Lone Star. He's so sweet. He's in the secret garden with Samantha. She's gonna give him the brief. I knew we'd have Matt moment I saw him. He's so sweet. I feel all bubbly inside now . . .
SHE PUTS THE PHONE TO HER EAR AGAIN. CLARISSA AND EMILY RUN ACROSS WEST 125TH STREET.
CLARISSA
Can you put him on? . . . Hi Matt, how are you? . . . Yeah, hippies we are. Whole 'nother world, isn't it? There's a little something more to our lifestyle; Samantha will explain. I'm so glad she's taken you out back. It's beautiful, isn't it? . . . Bet you thought Lone Star was just a shack in the middle of nowhere, right? . . . You're high, ay? . . . Make sure they don't catch you high on the job. We're putting a lot of trust in you Matt, but we know you're cool. We love you, ok? Always . . . Oh, and Matthew - I like flower bracelets, by the way. The white ones look so pretty against my skin. . . . Ha ha. . . . Bye. Mwah. . . . Thank you for calling, Samantha. Hey - you guys better get back to work. The lunch shift ain't over. . . . Yeah. Bye. Love you.
CLARISSA HANGS UP.
SHE ROLLS HER EYES.
CLARISSA
Steve proposed to Jessica. Made a big song and dance about it. Wonder how long that will last. A few months?
EMILY
Awwwww. Well, at least they're happy for now.
CLARISSA
We might be proposing to Matt; Samantha and I. What do you think? It's such a good feeling when we find someone. Like with Stanley, but we couldn't ask him to come back to Utah with us.
EMILY
It's so sweet. I hope he says "yes".
THEY CROSS WEST 126TH.
EMILY
Hey - is that the one? Over there?
EMILY POINTS ACROSS THE ROAD.
CLARISSA
Sylvia's [3.]! That's the one. Perfect. It's open. The Woods family is so nice. Their foundation actually gives scholarships to kids around Harlem, support for four years. Food's amazing as well. I'm so glad to be doing this . . .
CLARISSA PULLS A SLIP OF PAPER FROM HER POCKET.
CLARISSA
Come on Em!
THEY CROSS LENOX AVENUE.
THE CAMERA STOPS. IT GLANCES UP.
A FEW TEENS APPROACH IT.
TEEN
What's up with that?
CAMERA
How are you mate?
TEEN
Wow. Shit! It talks! That's dope. I'm great. How you doin'?
CAMERA
I'm really good. Can you carry me across the road please? I will be very grateful.
THE GUY LOOKS AT HIS MATES. THEY LAUGH.
TEEN 2
Do it bro.
TEEN
Ok. Sure.
WE RISE INTO THE AIR. WE FIND OURSELVES FLOATING ACROSS LENOX. SYLVIA'S [3.] GETS BIGGER AND BIGGER.
******
1 Khan, K. [Director], & Srivastava, S. [Screenplay Writer] (2009). New York. Mumbai, India: Yash Raj Films.
2 Marks, P. (2012). Tell me a story and I'll make you a movie star. New Scientist, 213 (2848), 20Sylvia's Restaurant (http://www.sylviasrestaurant.com/about_us.html)
3 Empire State Of Mind - Jay Z and Alicia Keys (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0UjsXo9l6I8&feature=related)
4 Mere Sang (Remix) - Sunidhi Chauhan (http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=endscreen&NR=1...) English translation: http://forum.hindilyrics.net/showthread.php?t=1624
5 Hey There Delilah - Plain White T's (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h_m-BjrxmgI&ob=av2e)
******
INT. SYLVIA'S RESTAURANT - DAY
(CLARISSA, EMILY, WOODS 1, WOODS 2, TEEN 1, TEEN 2)
CLARISSA AND EMILY WALK INTO THE SMALL RESTAURANT. BUT IT'S SLIGHTLY LARGER THAN THEY THOUGHT IT MIGHT BE; CLARISSA NODS UPON NOTICING AN ADJOINING ROOM. WE SEE IT ALSO; TO THEIR RIGHT, JUST BEYOND A SMALL DISPLAY CABINET WHEREIN PRODUCE BEARING THE SYLVIA NAME SITS: NUMEROUS SPICES; MIXTURES FOR SOUTHERN FRIED CHICKEN AND PEACH COBBLER, STUFF WHICH YOU CAN EAT TO ESCAPE FROM THE HUSTLE AND BUSTLE OF THE BIG APPLE INTO A PEACEFUL DEEP SOUTH - A MESMERIZING, HYPNOTIC MELTING POT THAT IS THE SOUTHERN STATES.
WOODS 1
Hello.
IT'S INEVITABLE: SLIGHT APPREHENSION. TWO WHITE FOLK WANDER INTO A HARLEM RESTAURANT. WHAT MIGHT THEY BE DOING? CHECKING TO SEE IF THE PLACE IS SUITABLE FOR THEIR UPPER CLASS FRIENDS? PERHAPS CALCULATING HOW MUCH THEY WILL BE WILLING TO PAY IN ORDER TO BUY OUT THE OWNERS OF SUCH A FINE ESTABLISHMENT? OR PERHAPS THEY ARE HEALTH INSPECTORS? WHICH SHOULDN'T MATTER SINCE THE PLACE IS CLEAN . . . BUT SHOULD A SINGLE COCKROACH BE SPOTTED, OR EVEN PLANTED . . . WHAT THEN? SINCE 1962 THIS RESTAURANT HAS BEEN HERE. 1962 - 50 YEARS! IT'S NOT CLOSING DOWN. NO WAY. IT WILL NOT BE SOLD!
CLARISSA
Hello. How are you?
WOODS 1
Very well. Yourselves?
CLARISSA
Excellent.
CLARISSA WALKS UP TO THE COUNTER WITH EMILY.
CLARISSA
This place is beautiful. I've been wanting to come here. It's hard to find places like this in the heart of New York.
WOODS 1
Yeah. Well, think of this as New York's soul. Where are you from? Are you two tourists?
EMILY
Sort of. We're from Utah.
WOODS 1
Utah?