Justice Kennedy Retires

A Screenplay

CHARACTERS BRUCE: tall, rangy, a raconteur and actor LAURA: tall, chill, an actor

INT. A MODEST RANCH NEAR SOLVANG, CA - AFTERNOON

LAURA
Dad, can you hand me my phone, please?
BRUCE
It's okay I unplug it?
LAURA
Yes, please. Just pull the‑‑

Bruce has it out with no advice.

LAURA (cont'd)
...yeah, thank you. So did you hear Kennedy is stepping down from the court? Retiring?
BRUCE
What? No! No! Are you serious? Why now of all possible days and decades?
LAURA
I dunno. I just saw it on my way up here. I haven't read anything about it.

Bruce turns on the television.

BRUCE
Goddammit. He wants everything to burn?
LAURA (distracted)
Dunno.

Bruce watches tv intently for a few moments in otherwise silence.

BRUCE
CNN isn't saying anything. Are you sure?

Just then

TV REPORTER
Excuse me, Mindy. I apologize. Sources are telling CNN that that Justice Anthony Kennedy has announced his retirement from the US Supreme Court effective...
BRUCE
Aw, there it is. Goddammit. Why now, man?!

Bruce watches coverage another minute or so.

BRUCE (cont'd)
Hey how'd you hear about that before CNN did?
LAURA
Twitter.
BRUCE
Man, it's always Twitter.
FIN