Winner, Winner, Chicken Dinner by Petra Michelle

FADE IN:

INT. CASINO BLACKJACK TABLE - NIGHT

A dashing young MAN gambles and wins thousands of dollars. A crowd of SPECTATORS, agape, surround him. A stunning WOMAN stands beside him, her hand resting on his shoulder.

A cocktail WAITRESS appears.

WAITRESS A drink, sir?

Mr. Buck (without looking up) A martini. Shaken, not stirred.

The waitress nods, then disappears past the crowds. Penetrating the wall of spectators, a Senior Couple appears watching in amusement. The Dealer and Mr. Buck remain poker-faced.

GRACIE I would love that Fourth of July chicken dinner special, George. Five dollars just for tonight.

GEORGE (cigar in hand) And you shall have it, Gracie.

The waitress returns with Mr. Buck's drink.

WAITRESS Here you are, sir...a martini. Shaken, not stirred.

Mr. Buck hands her a one-hundred dollar chip.

GEORGE That sounds good. (waving to the waitress) Can I get one of those, miss?

The waitress nods, then disappears.

GRACIE Good luck, George.

GEORGE Thank you, Gracie.

DEALER Place your bets.

As George places his twenty-dollar chip, Mr. Buck moves all of his chips, worth hundreds of thousands of dollars, into the betting circle.

GRACIE Look, George, aren't the colors pretty?

The crowd GIGGLES; Mr. Buck sips his martini.

The dealer deals Mr. Buck a Jack of Hearts; George, a King of Clubs; and, himself, a hole card. He then deals Mr. Buck a Ten of Diamonds; George, an Ace of Spades; and, himself, a Nine of Hearts facing up. Mr. Buck's jaw drops. 

CROWD Ooooooh!

The dealer reveals his hole card. An Eight of Spades.

CROWD (in unison) 21! Winner, winner, chicken dinner!

As they pat George on the back, he looks perplexed.

GRACE (embracing him) You won, George! You won!

As the dealer pushes George's winning chips towards him, Mr. Buck clutches his martini glass so tight, it breaks. He then collapses forward onto the table.

DEALER Mr. Buck? Are you all right?

MR. BUCK I lost everything. My Maserati, my villa, my stocks. Everything. Even my girl just left me. (his head buried in his hands) What am I going to do?

GRACIE (sympathetically) Would a chicken dinner help?

FADE TO BLACK