Vehige: Two Birthday Exchanges

Based on actual events.

INT. KITCHEN

Early evening. The Vehige family is sitting around the dinner table: two kids on either side and Mom and Dad at either end. The only girl of the family, Mary, sits to Dad’s left.

MARY

Here’s your present, Daddy.

From under the table, Mary brings out an awkwardly wrapped present and hands it to her father.

DAD

Thank you, honey.

Dad opens present as Mary sits and watches nervously. The rest of the Vehige family looks on.

Dad pulls out a 10-inch string with a half-dozen beads at either end. He looks at his daughter, smiles, but doesn’t quite know what it’s supposed to be.

MARY

It’s a bookmark, Daddy.

I made with with all of my

favorite beads.

Dad’s smile widens when he hears this. He gets up, goes to his bedroom, and returns with a beat-up paperback. The bookmark is in the book.

DAD

It’s great, honey.

What a wonderful present.

MARY

I was worried it wouldn’t

be long enough.

DAD

(holding up the book)

See, it fits perfectly.

Mary beams, slides off her chair and gives Dad a big hug. Dad looks at Mom, who is smiling.

CUT TO:

INT. DAD’S STUDY

About an hour after dinner. Dad walks into his study and finds a birthday card sitting on his desk.

He opens the card. A heart cut out from a piece of white paper falls out. In the card, the eldest son, Tim, has written an apology for talking back to his father that morning.

Behind him, eldest son enters room.

TIM

Do you like it?

DAD

Yeah, I do. It’s great.

Tim smiles, seems relieved.

TIM

It’s been sitting there all day.

I thought you didn’t like it.

DAD

I just found it, Tim.

I think it’s great.

TIM

(with the gravity of a nine-year-old)

I found the heart on the ground

near the trash can at school

and thought I’d give it to you.

DAD

(pausing)

Well, thank you son.

Tim exits Dad’s study.

FADE OUT