Dressed Up | Michael T. Miyoshi

Dressed Up · 15 April 2010

Int.kitchen.day

A small tough dog (Jack Russell terrier, bulldog, or some other small to medium-sized tough looking dog) is sleeping on the floor of the kitchen (or some other place where it is hardwood, tile, or linoleum). He is on his side moving his leg and/or twitching like many dogs do in their sleep. You can see the feet of two people standing there wondering aloud. We do not see their faces. We just see their feet and hear their voices.

Person 1

I wonder if dogs dream.

person 2

Of course they do. Just look at him.

PERSON 1

I wonder what they dream about.

PERSON 2

They probably dream about chasing rabbits or something.

PERSON 1

Yeah. You’re probably right.

EXT.frontyard.sidewalk.day

A pack of dogs (at least 3) is gathered around a fire hydrant. It looks like a water cooler scene for dogs. They appear to be talking. From the first-person (first-dog) view it appears that somebody is approaching the other dogs. It is REX, the dog sleeping in the first scene. He is talking to himself as he approaches the other dogs.

Rex

Boy am I hot. And something is wrong with my collar. It sure is tight.

All the other dogs turn and look at Rex. They start rolling on their backs and laughing. Ones that are facing away from Rex get nudged by others. Eventually all of the dogs are looking at Rex and laughing.

rotweiler

Hey Rex. Did your mama dress you this morning?

Miniature poodle

Yeah. You look like my sister when her mama dresses her up.

Rex sits down and starts scratching at his collar. He finds himself scratching something other than his own skin. He sees his own reflection in the chrome of a car parked in a driveway near near the fire hydrant. He has on an ugly doggy sweater.

REX

Nooooooooooooooooooooooo!

INT.KITCHEN.DAY

Rex has been lying down and wakes himself up with his own howling. His head raises and he is relieved to find himself in his own kitchen. His mouth is dry from his nightmare but he does not go directly to the water dish because he hears the front door opening. He rushes toward the door expecting to see his people. Instead the same pack of dogs is standing in the open door as Rex rounds the corner into the foyer. The other dogs start to laugh again as they had in his dream. He sees himself in the glass of the door. He has on a bow tie and what looks like a tuxedo shirt. He tries to stop himself from sliding into the door. He is making the same twitching leg motions trying to stop himself as he was doing when he was seen in the first scene. The other dogs are still laughing.

INT.KITCHEN.DAY

We see the same four feet near Rex. The people attached to those feet are still in the same place finishing up their conversation.

PERSON 1

I wonder what they dream about.

PERSON 2

They probably dream about chasing rabbits or something.

PERSON 1

Yeah. You’re probably right.

(After a short pause)

I wonder if they dream in color.

PERSON 2

I wonder if they have nightmares.