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"THE NEED TO BE LOVED"
A Family Drama
(a three-part miniseries inspired by a true story)
(Outline)
This story is primarily about the estrange-
ment of a daughter with her father, the
issues of abandonment, and the lifelong,
and generation-spanning, psychological
problems this can cause.
A father's relationship with his daughter is
important, and this is why: Family is your
core, your foundation. Whole nations have
collapsed because of the breakdown of the
Family. The Black race was sold into
slavery, and the Indians put on reservations,
and are still dealing with the mental,
emotional, and psychological issues stemming
from this.
This story is not about race, and touches on
it only in the sense that it affects the
characters involved. It is a story of human
struggle, and many people can relate with the
issues involved here. That's why this story
has significance.
FADE IN:
1955
CRYSTAL LAFONT, singer, 35ish, a Whitney-Houston-type,
lemon-and-tea complexioned, flushed-face beauty, whose dazzling
cherry lips showcase her glittering smile, and who has star
quality written all over her, enters the restaurant with
mahogany-tanned, hazel-eyed JUSTIN PIERCY, and his sister.
Justin tells Crystal that while he's in town visiting, he
dropped by to see her fifteen-year-old daughter, AZURE, our
protagonist, and that Azure gave him a letter to give Crystal.
Crystal reads the letter--about her own alcoholism and why
Azure left home--and is very upset.
Crystal decides to go to the ladies room, but on her way spots,
LORENZO, a bronze-skinned, ebony-eyed, magnificently handsome
Indian/Black half-breed, whose raven wavy locks adorn his face
with a beauty uncommon to men. But she loses sight of him in
the crowd.
Staggered, Crystal returns to her table. The waiter hands her
a note which reads: Hello, Crystal. She asks the waiter where
he is but the waiter shrugs, he doesn't know.
The same day, at home, in her lower-middle-class duplex, we see
another Crystal, jittery and sickly. We hear a knock at the
door. When Justin says come in, Lorenzo enters. Crystal tells
Lorenzo that she has a younger daughter, five-year-old,
CHERRYLYNNE, of whom Justin is the father. Crystal introduces
Lorenzo to Justin as her husband, and father of her older
daughter, Azure.
Crystal starts backing backwards as her body falls violently to
the floor, convulsing from a grand mal seizure. "It's delirium
tremens," Justin says "she's an alcoholic." They try to assist
her, then fall to her side, and hold her hand. When Lorenzo
tells Justin to go home to his new family, and that Crystal is
his wife and he'll take care of her, he and Justin get in an
altercation, and the only reason they don't fight is that she's
having a seizure.
Later, Lorenzo tries to take care of Crystal, but she hates him
and demands that he leave. When he asks where his daughter,
Azure, is Crystal refuses to tell him, reminding him of how
mean he always was to Azure, even putting her bassinet on the
window ledge of a three-story building they once lived in,
hoping she'd fall. "Why do you want to know where Azure is? so
you can kill her?" Crystal asks.
Crystal's neighbor tells Lorenzo that all he knows about Azure
is that she loves the beach.
TWELVE YEARS LATER
Twenty-seven-year-old, Azure and her cousin, SHANE, walk along
the beach discussing her taking her eight-year-old son and leaving
her husband. Lorenzo sits at the hamburger stand they
approach. Shane orders while Azure stares down at her side at
Lorenzo, who's sitting on a stool. She stares so hard that
Lorenzo asks if he knows her. She says no, and she and Shane
leave. Lorenzo sits thinking, then asks the cook if he knows
her name. When the cook says her name is Azure, Lorenzo dashes
down the beach searching for her. He spots her up at the
parking lot about to get into Shane's car to leave. He screams
and screams her name, and she stares down into his face, but
she gets in the car, never acknowledging him, and rides off
with Shane. She stares out the window and thinks back to her
childhood, and basically this is where our story begins.
Lorenzo, in and out of jail, hates his daughter, Azure, for a
number of reasons: 1) Being 17 when she was born, he doesn't
want the responsibility of raising her. 2) Robbing the U.S.
mail, with his best friend, Crystal's brother, to get money for
Azure's support, his best friend is killed. 3) Lorenzo has
doubts about Azure really being his.
Crystal, a beautiful, talented girl, with a lot of potential,
wastes her assets by medicating her feeling of parental
abandonment and depression with liquor. Crystal's lack of
morality leads to self destruction. But it also sets Crystal
at odds with Azure on a constant basis. There's a role
reversal, and Azure is constantly trying to mother Crystal and
guide her in the right direction. However, what direction is
that? Since there are no rules, Azure must create her own
convictions, that she's not really sure of, that's why they are
so easily compromised when she gets older and they are
challenged by teenage, CODY, whose intentions are to use her.
PART II
With every crisis that comes along with being the child of an
alcoholic, Azure finds herself feeling more and more helpless
and frightened, performing ritualistic behaviors like
frequently checking locks on doors, constant primping,
repeatedly washing her hands, and not understanding why.
These eccentricities stem from an inner inadequacy so profound
that she becomes reclusive, and emotionally paralytic, unable
to break free from the chains that bind her mind. Her
antagonist, the inability to believe in herself, stalks her
relentlessly, out of jobs so that she can't provide for herself
and her son, into hopeless relationships from which she can't
extricate herself, on a lonely night when she can't keep her
limbs from shaking, into an emergency room, where she learns
that her physical problems are just the symptoms of deeper
emotional problems that must be understood and cleared up
before they destroy her.
But why can't she believe in herself like other people do?
What is causing her lack of confidence? What big incident in
her life happened that sapped her power? She just can't figure
it out. But the quality of her life and of everyone depending
on her, depends on her understanding her lack of confidence,
and gaining the ability to do something about it.
Sometimes when her mind goes hiding into a little retreat of
its own, she must call it back, demand it back, pray it back.
She doesn't believe in, or have time for nervous breakdowns.
She's just constantly on the edge of one. It's only
periodically that she forgets where she is and what she's
doing.
Azure loves Cody because he spells fun. Cody marries Azure
because he has to. She's pregnant and his father makes him.
For the same reason, he hates her, and makes her hate herself
even more than her father did. They're so much alike, Azure's
father and Cody. Is this just coincidence? How can the two
men who should love her the most, love her so little? And how
can she put up with it like it's normal?
Does she think it's normal to have to move her estranged
husband's girlfriend out before she can move in? Does she
think she can put a bandaid on a marriage that's been in
trouble for years? Does she think she can build a family with
someone who admits that he doesn't believe in family?
Now it's the day that Azure's father has her cornered at the
edge of the pier. There's nowhere to go. She has to face all
the things she's been trying to avoid, her past, her fears,
what her relationship with her father will turn out to be. Can
she do it? The ocean looks more tempting.
PART III
Heading north up 101, Azure has finally found the strength to
leave Cody for good this time. Arriving in a new town, Azure
and Dusty get a motel room, and Azure buys a typewriter to
practice her typing to get a job. On the typewriter ribbon
Azure finds a letter from a biological mother to an adoptive
mother of a man named ANDRE MONROE, asking about Andre's
whereabouts and questioning whether Andre should know about his
adoption or not.
Azure feels that Andre, whoever he is, has the right to know,
and if they don't tell him, she will--maybe--after she finds
out more about the situation, what both sets of parents are like.
Visiting both families, Azure decides to mind her own business,
and to forget about telling him. But she happens to meet him
by coincidence, and the odd thing about it is that Andre has a
twin. How can she tell this man that his real parents gave him
up and kept his twin? Well, she intends to tell him--someday,
but she never can seem to get around to it, and before she
knows it, they're married.
This marriage is headed straight for the junk yard. Azure
carries along all the unwanted emotional baggage from her first
marriage, plus a kid, plus there's Andre's kid and his hateful
ex-wife. Plus Azure is black and Andre is white, and his
father is a racist Southerner. These two people, neither of
whose confidence could fill a thimble, can't even take care of
themselves, let alone the two kids they bring into the world.
After being called a few "n" words by Andre's ex-wife, and his
ex-wife trying to run their lives by using his daughter as
leverage, and being told by Andre's father that she should
marry her own kind, and that if Azure comes to his house or if
Andre brings their baby to his house that he will walk out,
Azure tells Andre that she's tired of being treated like the
family maid, and that if he doesn't get his ex-wife off her
back, he can get out of her life.
But being adopted, Andre has a strong need for Family, so
refuses to leave. Azure's just found out she's pregnant and
can't leave. Azure resents Andre not leaving so she treats him
badly. He resents being treated badly, so he seeks love
elsewhere. But those are their minor problems. Their biggest
problem is poverty, and that is a result of their lack of
confidence.
One day, everything comes to a head, Azure, after major
surgery, sleep deprived, suffering post partum depression,
utilities being shut off, their furniture just being
repossessed, facing eviction, has just thrown their newborn
baby across the room onto their bed, forgotten where she is,
and is fighting to hang on to her mind.
Her incision bleeding, down on the floor alone, not knowing how
she's going to provide for herself and her children, she thinks
back to her childhood and her grandmother's encouraging words,
to have faith, to fight, and to never give up. Like "Rocky
Balboa" when faced with the ultimate challenge of his life, she
summons the strength to rise to the challenge. Her
grandmother's words inspire her to get up off the floor, not to
be defeated by life, to come out fighting, using whatever
meager resources, talents, abilities she has, and to believe
that a way will open up.
She crawls off the floor, to her typewriter, the only resource
she has, and she begins to type a screenplay, "The Need To Be
Loved." She has a vision for the future, and in her mind's
eye, she can already see it, as though it's already happened,
that's why she can write about it as though it has.
Standing in the kitchen, she gets a phone call from Andre's
girlfriend, who she tells to come and get Andre's clothes. She
hands the phone to Andre who is just walking through the front
door.
In the bedroom, she packs Andre's bags while he tries to
explain his reasons for infidelity. She knows a lot of it is
her fault for not loving him enough. Her apathy drove him
away. Fact is, she's forgotten how to love, if she ever knew.
It's hard to tell what you feel when you can't feel. Like she
use to say about her relationship with her father, "When you've
had a thing, and then you don't have it anymore, you know what
you're missing, but when you've never had something, you know
something is missing, you just don't know what."
Corny, she supposes, but that's why she can so readily
understand what Andre is about to tell her. He says that all
of his life, he's wondered why his parents abandoned him, left
him in a room, as a baby, by himself for days. He could never
understand why they didn't want him. His ex-wife didn't want
him, and now Azure doesn't want him. Then when an attractive
woman comes along and acts as though she's interested in him,
that she really likes him--well, it's attractive, that's all.
Maybe it's a line, maybe it's not, she gives him the benefit of
the doubt, afterall, she thinks what she feels for this man is
love. Forgiveness is not necessary, since it's partly her
fault, and she's too tired to be angry or hateful. Her
attitude could best be summed up in one word: "Whatever!"
Still she wants the best for Andre, so she tells him to go back
to his girlfriend, at least she can "feel," perhaps she can
give him the love he needs. Andre leaves.
Now Azure hits the streets of Hollywood, shopping her
screenplay, meeting with different A & R people trying to pitch
her songs. It's hard pitching a song when you can't play an
instrument and can't sing, but, hey, that hasn't stopped other
people from being successful! She has to remember her
grandmother's words, "Do your best. Have faith. Believe.
Don't give up! and something will open up."
One day, in an Artist and Repertoire Department, trying to
sing, she makes a total, complete and embarrassing fool of
herself, and is escorted out, amid stiffled laughter. But her
break comes when a music producer hears something in her song
that he can work with.
Her songs sell and now she can support her kids. Separated for
two years, she and Andre find their way back to each other.
Andre has finished his education now as well. Their confidence
has grown enough to earn a living, and life for their family is
good--except:
The day before Andre moved back home, Azure sees his twin,
Gary, at the grocery store. Gary knows Azure only as Camille,
the name she gave him when she first met him years ago. Gary
sees his twin, he never knew existed, for the very first time.
Unable to catch up with Azure and Andre, Gary rushes to his
parents house to find out what's going on.
Next, Gary shows up at Azure's house, searching for Andre. But
Azure holds him off by having the babysitter greet him, rather
than herself. Gary says he'll be calling.
Now, Azure sees Cody, who's become a supportive family friend,
off at the airport. At the same time Cody's plane leaves,
Azure's father, Lorenzo's, plane arrives. Azure spots and
avoids him, but he doesn't see her.
Now Gary is calling for Andre, and when he's not calling,
Lorenzo, who Andre thinks is dead, is calling for Azure. Andre
knows nothing about it, and Azure is dizzily endeavoring to
make sure that he never does. However, she can't keep this
charade going forever.
Consequently, Azure agrees to meet her father at a restaurant
to talk. She makes it painfully clear that she wants nothing
to do with him. But, after she leaves, Andre, who has followed
her to the restaurant, goes over and introduces himself to
Lorenzo.
Azure's now grown son, Dusty, who has been raised by his
father, Cody, comes to visit Azure. They get in an
altercation, about the lack of love she's shown him throughout
the years, after he went to live with his father. Andre gets
between them, and accuses Azure of always talking about love,
but never showing any. Dusty leaves, taking his brother and
sister to the park.
Now Azure musters the courage to tell Andre what she should
have told him when they first met, that she knows who his real
parents are and where they live.
Andre grabs Azure's coat and arm and escorts her out the door
to show him where his parents live.
At his parents house, they mistake him for his twin, Gary.
Andre is outside in the backyard, helping his father pick
apples from the tree when Gary walks through the front door and
out into the backyard. Now the twins stand face to face, and
so do the parents.
Andre learns why he was adopted. He learns about his other
siblings. Finally, he knows about his past.
Now there's a family reunion. Andre's adoptive and biological
parents, his daughter, and Dusty and his girlfriend are there.
The doorbell rings and Andre answers. It's Azure's father,
Lorenzo. Andre has invited him, and introduces Dusty to him.
Lorenzo goes into the kitchen where Azure is alone, cooking.
But this time she doesn't fear or avoid him. This time she has
come to terms with a lot of issues in her life. She sees the
world different now. Time and situations--especially with the
interaction between Andre and his real parents--have brought
about new feelings and understanding. For the first time in
her life, she feels the touch of her father's hug. Now she can
understand what was missing.
At the dinner table Andre makes a toast and gives a speech.
Then, it's Azure's turn. It seems, she says, that she was
always searching for the big thing in her life that sapped her
confidence, that made it where she couldn't believe in herself,
and that's had a negative impact on those closest to her. But
it wasn't one big thing. It was a lot of little things,
significant moments, and they all mattered because they added
up and overwhelmed her to the point where she couldn't bear
their weight.
And so, while looking at different familial faces, she hopes
that the next generation will learn from the mistakes of the
past, and most of all to remember that every child has the
right, and feels the need to be loved.
FADE OUT:
THE END
Copyright--2000--Tiana Boulet
BACKGROUNDS BY TOSHA
DISCLAIMER
These songs selected for your entertainment in reading, they enhance the
scenes, and the scenes give the songs a renewed exposure and greater meaning.
They are not sold here or given away. If there are any of these songs that
you like, please purchase them at your local record store or at an online
store. Thank you.
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