BRADYS BACKYARD
Bobby and Cindy sit on the swings. Both look sleepy and yawn.
Bobby: I’m bored.
Cindy: So am I.
Bobby: I’m bored.
Cindy: You said that already.
Bobby: You wanna play?
Cindy: Play what?
Bobby: I don’t know. I’m too bored to think.
Cindy: I want a puppy!
Bobby: A puppy?
Cindy: Yeah! Tiger has been inside his house for so long and hasn’t come out yet. Alice told me he had dug a tunnel to China because he wanted to go on a vacation.
Bobby: Alice told you that?
Cindy nods.
Bobby: And ou believed her? Ha!
Cindy: Alice wouldn’t lie to me!
Bobby: You’re right. But why would Tiger wanna go there?
Cindy: I don’t know. I didn’t ask him.
Bobby: Ask him?Dogs can’t talk!
Cindy: He talked to me!
Bobby: He did not.
Cindy: Yes he did.
Bobby: Did not.
Cindy: Did too.
Bobby: Did not!
Cindy: Did too! If you say he didn’t talk to me one more time I’ll bop you!
Bobby: MOM!!!
Jan and Peter walk out of the familiy room.
Jan: What’s all that noise?
Peter: Jan and I are trying to watch a movie!
Bobby: Cindy says Tiger can talk to her.
Peter: Tiger?
Jan: (enthused) Tiger? Cindy when did you see Tiger???
Cindy: I haven’t seen him.
Jan: Oh.
Bobby: (incredulous) Alice told her Tiger dug a tunnel to China.
Jan: Well uh... he did!
Peter: Yeah! Chopsticks help polish his teeth so he went to pick up some.
Bobby: Why didn’t he go to a Chinese restaurant then?
Jan: Because--- I mean...
Peter: (rubbing Bobby’s head) Kids! They ask so many questions!
Bobby: (slapping Peter’s hand away from him) Cut it out!
Jan (aside to Peter) You think we should tell them?
THE BOYS’ ROOM
Greg helped Marcia with her homework.
Marcia: When are mom amd dad coming back?
Greg: I don’t know. Dad takes the longest time when he has to buy a suit.
Marcia: Men.
Greg: Men? Like you girls spend an entire day at the mall buy your little dresses!
Before Marcia could answer they heard Cindy and Bobby crying frantically.
Marcia; That’s Bobby and Cindy!
Both ran downstairs.
FAMILY ROOM
Bobby and Cindy were down on their knees crying; they’re faces hidden on the couch. Jan knelt beside them and tried to comfort them. Peter stood and watched.
Jan: Bobby, Cindy don’t cry. Tiger could be anywhere.
Marcia and Greg entered the room.
Greg: What’s going on here?
Peter: Jan and I sorta told them about Tiger.
Marcia: You did what? Jan, you know mom and dad told us not to!
Jan: I know! It’s just that they were asking all this questions... I mean what’s the point of hiding that Tiger ran away?
The two youngest Bradys sobbed loudly.
Greg: Look what you two did.
Marcia: When mom and dad find out they’ll be furious.
Alice entered the room.
Alice: Bobby, Cindy are you okay???
Bobby: We don’t want to talk to you!
Cindy: You told me Tiger had gone on a trip!
Alice: Well he did!
Marcia: Alice they know.
Alice: Oh! Look Cindy your mom and dad told me not to tell you. They didn’t want you two to know.
Bobby: Why didn’t they?
Alice: Well I—I really don’t know why.
LIVING ROOM – LATER THAT DAY
Mike and Carol had arrived from shopping and were told of the situation. They called on a family meeting.
Carol: Now Bobby, Cindy we want you guys to know that the reason why your father and I asked everyone not to tell you that Tiger had run away is because we didn’t want you to get worried.
Mike: Me and the rest of the kids had posted "Missing Dog" signs all over town with hopes of some one finding Tiger and returning him to us.
Carol: After all it’s only been three days since he’s been missing so there is hope he hasn’t gone too far away.
Mike: And if Tiger had not shown after a week, we were going to tell you.
BARK!
Cindy: What was that?
BARK!
Carol: We have a surprise for you kids!
Tiger came running from the family room and all the kids cheered and went over to pet him and hug him.
Carol: Early this afternoon we were called by someone who had found Tiger and we went to pick him up.
Tiger was finally home. The kids spent the entire day playing with their dog in the yard. Everything was peaches and cream until Tiger’s toy rubber ball bounced to the street. The shaggy dog ran to fetch it ignoring the kids who yell at him to return.
Tires screeched and BUMP!
THE END