The Smile Collector

(Scene: The front entrance of the Grocery Store.)

Narrator: Ah, yes, another sunny day in the city. A perfect day to share Violet's  unique  drawings with the shoppers at the grocery store.

(Violet is sitting in front of a canvas and drawing. Bob models for her. Becky stands to the side and watches.)

Violet: There you go, Bob. How do you like it?

(The camera cuts to Violet's drawing of Bob surfboarding while playing a guitar. A banana hula dances beside him.)

Bob: (Laughs)

Becky: (Laughs) So funny! You do like bananas. And music! Ah, everyone's going to want one.

Violet: Really?

(A man leaves the grocery store)

Becky: Oh, yeah! Watch. (To the man) Sir, would you like to have a great artist draw you?

Man: Well, I am a handsome man and an art lover, so I would like a great artist to draw a picture of me.

Becky: Violet?

Violet: Would you like a big drawing or a small drawing?

Man: What is the price?

Violet: (Opens a price chart) It costs one smile for a small sketch and two smiles for a big one.

Man: Well, I've only got one smile to spare. I'll take a small one.

(He runs to pose for Violet, knocking over the price chart.)

Violet: (Starts drawing) Becky, you're the best friend I know. Thank you for helping me today, because I couldn't do this without you.

Becky: I'm here for you, Violet. All day, don't worry.

Violet: (Frowns) That's good, because when you helped me with my lemonade stand, you disappeared.

(The camera cuts to Becky looking horrified.)

Violet: And there was no one to squeeze the lemons and I had to sell everyone ice in a cup and it didn't taste like lemonade at all.

Becky: Yeah, sorry about that. Mr. Big - (Bob elbows her) - I mean, something big came up.

Violet: Something big comes up a lot with you. (Laughs) You're almost as busy as Wordgirl.

Becky: (Laughs nervously) Yeah, almost! But I'm sure not Wordgirl!

Bob: (Rolls his eyes and chirps)

Becky: And I never have to dart away to fight crime, nope! So I'll be here by your side to support you and help you aaall day! Yup. (Laughs nervously)

Violet: (Happy) Really?

Becky: I promise - you can count on me.

Man: Just look at that! (Whistles) It's got everything I look for in a work of art!

(The camera cuts to Violet's drawing of the man riding in a plane with a banana.)

Man: A flying machine, a friendly banana, and me! I love it!

Violet: That'll be one smile, please! Becky, will you ring this up?

Becky: Uh, sure. (To the man) One smile, please!

Man: Here you go! (Big smile)

Becky: Okay, he smiled! So, now what do I do?

Violet: You collect the smile and put it in the smile box, of course!

(Becky takes the smile box from Violet.)

Becky: Right, I put the smile in the smile box. ("Collects" the man's smile and puts it in the slot) Okay, the smile is collected! And it's in the smile box!

Man: Getting paid in smiles, eh? Well that's a  unique  idea. Most people want to be paid with money.

Violet: Yes! But people never run out of smiles, so I'll always have customers!

Narrator: Later...

(A woman is modeling for Violet.)

Violet: So, what's your favorite animal?

Woman: A unicorn. Are you good at drawing unicorns?

Violet: (Nods excitedly)

(The grocery store manager stands with Becky and Bob a few feet away)

Manager: You girls sure are busy!

Becky: Yep, we're really raking in the smiles!

(Chuck pulls up in his car.)

Chuck: A table in front of the grocery store? That's a great idea! (He parks his car and gets out) (To the manager) Hey, you're the boss of the grocery store, right?

Manager: Yup! Whole place!

Chuck: So, can I set up a table and sell my new cottage cheese, chocolate and octopus sandwiches in front of you're store.

Manager: Nope!

Chuck: Why not? You let them set up a table.

Manager: That's because they're adorable little girls and you're a notorious super villain.

Chuck: Okay, okay, before you say no, atleast taste the sandwich. I think it'll change your mind.

(He thrusts the sandwich in the manager's face, who looks shocked. The manager pushes it away.)

Manager: The answer is still no.

Chuck: Why not?

Manager: Because your sandwich looks  repulsive !

Chuck: What did you call my sandwich!?

Manager:  Repulsive  !

Chuck: My sandwich is not um, uh, what -- what...

Manager: Repulsive  ?

Chuck: Right! It's  unique . It's not like any sandwich you've ever tasted. (To Becky) Hey, little girl, why don't you take a bite of this sandwich and tell him?

Becky: (Awkwardly) No, that's okay, I'm not hungry right now. (Turns away)

Chuck: Fine. If you won't let me set up a table to sell my sandwiches, I'm gonna crush your store! (Walks off screen)

'Manager: (Smiles)' ''Ha! Crush my store? How?'''

Chuck: With my crusher! (Points to the crusher positioned over the grocery store)

Manager: I do not know how I missed that.

Becky: (To Bob) Looks like we have trouble. You ready? Word -

Violet: Becky! Where you going?

Becky: Oh! Uh, I just have to run inside for a minute and get change for a smile.

Violet: Becky, you said you'd be here to support me.

Becky: I know! And I am! I will! I'll be right back, you'll see.

(Becky and Bob go into the store. Violet seems disappointed.)

Woman: May I see the sketch yet?

(Wordgirl flies up to the top of the slowly descending crusher. Chuck watches it with an evil grin.)

Wordgirl: Okay, Chuck! Turn off the engine and step out of the crusher!

Chuck: Forget it, Wordgirl! Nothing will stop this crusher from crushing!

(Wordgirl's super hearing picks up on Violet speaking to the woman.)

Violet: Sorry, I don't know how to work the smile box.

Wordgirl: (Antsy) Uh, come on, Chuck. (Nervous smile) Can't you just forget the whole thing? I really have to be somewhere.

Chuck: No way! The grocery store manager called my sandwich re -- re -- rrrreplesive, I -- right?

Wordgirl: (Frustrated)  repulsive ! He said it was  repulsive .

Chuck: Yeah, that's the word!

Wordgirl: Do you even know what  repulsive  means?

Chuck: No...

Wordgirl: Then why are you so upset?

Chuck: If you're in such a hurry, how about you skip the lecture and just tell me what  repulsive  means?

Wordgirl: (Sighs) When something's  repulsive  it means it's really, really disgusting and yucky. So yucky that you want to get away from it.

Chuck: (Surprised) That's worse than I thought! But he's never even tasted my sandwich! So how can he say it's  repulsive ?

Wordgirl: (Sighs)

Manager: (From off screen) I don't need to taste it! It's  repulsive  to look at!

(Wordgirl and Captain Huggyface motion for him to stop talking.)

Chuck: Okay, that's it! No more mister nice evil sandwich guy! It's crushing time!

(Chuck pushes a button his remote. The crusher doesn't move.)

Chuck: Huh? (Presses the button a few more times.) Batteries must be dead.

Wordgirl: (Sighs)

Chuck: (Yelling to the manager) Hey, do you sell remote control batteries?

Manager: Yup! We have every kind of battery! Even  unique  sizes!

Wordgirl: I don't have time for this!

(Chuck slides down the leg of the crusher. Violet wanders around below.)

Violet: Becky? Where are you?

Wordgirl: Uh, uh --

(Huggy shrieks and slides down the leg of the crusher. He tears out some of its wires.)

Wordgirl: Good work, Huggy! (Flies away)

(Chuck comes out of the store looking happy. He presses his remote's button repeatedly but nothing happens.)

Chuck: Oh, come on! I just fixed my remote control, now this? (To manager) Um, do you sell tools, wire, and something I could use to power a crusher engine?

Manager: Aisle five!

Chuck: Thanks.

(Becky lands near Violet and the woman.)

Violet: Becky! Where did you go?

Becky: I'm sorry, Violet. I didn't have any choice.

Violet: Becky, you promised to be here for me. (Sadly hugs the smile box)

Becky: I know. And I won't leave your side again! Will you give me another chance?

Woman: (Through a smile) Excuse me, may I please pay for my drawing now?

Violet: (To Becky) Well, you are the only one who knows how to collect the smiles. I guess I have to give you another chance. (Gives Becky the smile box)

Becky: Yes! Thank you, Violet! (To the woman) Okay, it looks like you got a large drawing --

(The camera cuts to Violet's drawing of the woman and a banana riding a unicorn)

Becky: -- lovely unicorn by the way -- so that'll be two smiles! (Collects the woman's smile) Okay, and one more.

Woman: I'm sorry, but I held my first smile so long I'm all smiled out.

Becky: Oh. Well, you know what? One smile is fine since we kept you waiting. I'll owe the box a smile.

Woman: Thank you so much.

Narrator: A little later a very short distance away...

(Many wires lead to a treadmill. Chuck is happily hammering it.)

Chuck: There, that should do it! ... What was I doing again? Oh, yeah, yeah, yeah, crushing the grocery store! (Runs on the treadmill)

(Becky and Bob watch, confused. The energy created by the treadmill runs through the wires, up to the engine, and the crusher starts to move slowly.)

Chuck: Phew, crushing is hard work.

Bob: (Screams)

Becky: I know, Bob, but I can't leave Violet after I promised I wouldn't.

Narrator: Will Becky be a loyal friend to Violet and let Chuck crush the grocery store?

Becky: I can't do that! It's against my superhero oath!

Narrator: Will she break her promise to Violet so Wordgirl can save the day?

Becky: I can't do that either! Isn't there a third option?

Narrator: Or will Becky find a way to stop Chuck as Becky without leaving Violet's side?

Becky: (Gasps) That's what I have to do! But how?

Narrator: I'm more of an idea guy. The details are up to you.

Becky: Um, Bob? What do you got?

Bob: (Shrugs and chirps)

(The crusher continues to descend)

Becky: It looks like we don't have any choice. Come on, Bob.

Violet: (Appears behind Becky) I wonder where Wordgirl is.

Becky: Um, me too! This is a  unique  situation. Hey, Violet, how would you stop Chuck if you knew Wordgirl wouldn't show up?

Violet: Gosh. Before I answer that, I would have to know what  unique  means.

Becky: Well if Wordgirl was here, I bet she'd say that  unique  can mean unusual, or out of the ordinary, or something that's one of a kind like --

(Violet and the manager hold up Violet's drawing of the manager and a banana bagging groceries.)

Violet: Like my drawings!

Becky: Exactly! I've never seen anything like them.

Violet: And Chuck's sandwiches are  unique  too.

Becky: Definitely. Chuck's sandwiches are so  unique  people are afraid to even taste them, which is why he's crushing the store. (Gasps) That's it! (To Chuck) Hey, Chuck! Can I try one of your cottage cheese, chocolate, and octopus sandwiches?

Chuck: Um, I'm kind of in the middle of crushing something right now!

(The crusher slowly descends)

Becky: Come on! Are you Chuck the Evil Sandwich Making Guy or Chuck the Evil Grocery Store Crushing Guy?

Chuck: Um, I'm gonna have to say Evil Sandwich Making Guy. That's what it says on my mail. Hey, wait a second! Is this a trick?

Becky: A trick? No, I just want to try your sandwich! I missed lunch!

Chuck: (Happy) Okay, one cottage cheese, chocolate, and octopus sandwich coming up! (Pushes a button on the treadmill) Let me just set this on automatic so I can crush the store, though.

(The crusher continues to descend, picking up speed.)

Becky: (Annoyed) Oh. (Chuck thrusts the sandwich in her face.) (Disgusted) Augh!

Chuck: What gives? You said you wanted to try it!

Becky: Guh, I do! I really do, it's just uh, I just need a --

(The crusher is getting close to the grocery store roof.)

Becky: (Mumbles nervously) (Grabs the sandwich) I'll try it!

Chuck: (Smiles)

(Becky slowly moves to eat it. Bob, Violet, and the manager watch with repulsion.)

Becky: (Takes a bite, then smiles.) Mmm! It may look  repulsive , but the  unique  ingredients make it taste really good!

Chuck: (Happy) Really? You like it?

Becky: Yeah!

Violet: I want to try one!

Bob: (Squeaks)

Woman: Me too.

Manager: Not me!

Chuck: (To Becky) So you really do like my sandwich?

Becky: Yeah! (Keeps eating)

Chuck: (To the manager) Now do you see that my sandwich isn't  repulsive ?

(Police show up and lead Chuck away.)

Manager: You were right. And when you get out of jail, you can sell all the sandwiches you want. That is if my store isn't crushed.

(The crusher continues to descend.) 

Chuck: (Hand cuffed in the police car) Oh yeah. Good luck with that, I -- I hope Wordgirl comes and saves the day.

Manager: (Smiles and waves) Me too.

(Becky looks anxious and hands the smile box to Violet)

Becky: Well, the smile box is all full, so --

Violet: So that's all for today. Yay!

Becky: (Feigns enthusiasm) Yay, and I stayed with you the whole time like I said I would, right? (Moves off screen)

Violet: Yep! Becky, thanks for helping me today. Huh? (Realizes Becky is gone) (Sighs) The artist is alone again.

Wordgirl: (Flies to the treadmill) (To Huggy) Okay! If running forward powers the crusher, backwards should shut it down!

(Wordgirl runs backwards on the treadmill at super speeds. The crusher ascends until it breaks off and flies in the air. Before it can fall back down and crush he grocery store, Wordgirl catches it.)

Narrator: And so, once again Wordgirl showed why she's our favorite superhero! And Becky showed why she's Becky's best friend.

(Becky and Bob land behind Violet. Becky taps on Violet's shoulder, who looks happy. Violet motions to her drawing of Becky and herself eating Chuck's sandwiches while Bob and a banana watch. The real Bob eats the real sandwich and the two girls laugh.)

Narrator: Now remember, don't watch any  repulsive  TV shows! Yuck! And be sure to tune in next time for another one of a kind, out of the ordinary,  unique  episode of Wordgirl!