Three’s Company Reunion

A fan script

By Greg George

Dedicated to John Ritter

FADE IN.

INT. HOUSE. DAY.

A close-up of a feminine hand carefully writes a letter. A voice-over begins to read.

JANET’S VOICE:
"Dear Jack. How are you these days? It’s been ages since I saw you at your wedding. I was overjoyed that you and Vicki finally got married! Philip and I are always busy with the kids, but I hope that we can get together sometime. I was surprised when Larry called the other day. He said Mr. Furley raised his rent again and he needed a loan to cover it. Good ‘ole Larry. Always mooching off of someone. He’ll never change. As for Furley... I think he’s been pretty happy since he met Lorraine. I told him I thought it was time he tied the knot!

The letter fades out to another one. The voice-over continues.

JANET’S VOICE:
"Susan is in 4th grade now and little Jimmy is in 2nd. And I have some news! We are going to have another baby girl in a few months! Or so the doctor thinks. Chrissy was ecstatic to learn I was expecting again and is just certain I will name the baby after her. I told her this was going to be an Easter baby, not a Christmas one!

The letter fades out to another one. The voice-over continues.

JANET’S VOICE:
"I was so sorry to learn that you no longer have the restaurant. I thought I’d bring the family down one night so they could all meet their "Uncle Jack." Boy, was I surprised to see Angelino there instead of you! I was eager to have little Jessica try some great French food. You’ll have to write soon so I know where you are. On a lighter note, Terri visited last month and she is thinking of moving back to the mainland. I hope she does. It’d be wonderful to see her more often.

The letter fades out to another one. The voice-over continues.

JANET’S VOICE:
"Was I ever surprised when I received your letter! I never would have guessed you would end up in Paris! I’m so glad you got over your fear of flying. I guess it makes sense for you to work in the city you learned so much about in school. Don’t worry Jack. I’m sure that everything will be fine. And if you ever need a friend, you know how to reach me.


INT. HOUSE. EARLY EVENING.


Janet, Philip, Susan (20), Jimmy (18), and Jessica (12) are sitting around the table having dinner.

JESSICA:
Mom, can I sleep over at Stephanie’s house tonight?

JANET:
Honey, we’ve been through this before. You know better than to ask me the night of.

JESSICA:
But I already told her I could. Dad said it was okay.

JANET:
Well, your father has forgotten one very important thing.

PHILIP:
What’s that?

JANET:
(Jokingly) I’m the boss! Why don’t you find out if you can sleep over tomorrow night?

JESSICA:
(Dejected) Okay, mom.

PHILIP:
So Susan... How was class today? Did you pass that Trig test?

SUSAN:
I hope so. Although there was this cute boy who kept winking at me during the test.

JIMMY:
The only cute boy winking at you are gay plastic dolls in those stupid magazines you read.

SUSAN:
Shut up dirtboy!

JANET:
Quiet Jimmy! Tell me about this boy, Susan. Was he really winking at you?

SUSAN:
Yeah, but I think he had something in his eye.

PHILIP:
Don’t worry about it sweetheart. You’ll get over Matt. Trust me on that one.

JANET:
Oh yes. Why, I remember back before your father and I got married. I was going out every night.

PHILIP
(Feigning surprise) Every night huh? That’s not what you told me!

JANET:
Quiet! I did go out practically every night... To play Scrabble with the landlord! (smiles.)

SUSAN:
Mmmm... Was that Mr. Furley?

JANET:
Yes. He was such a nice man. Full of energy and life. His one downfall was that he lacked self-esteem. (Looks towards Susan.)


The phone rings.


PHILIP:
I’ll get it. (Gets up to answer the phone)

JANET:
You’re a beautiful and smart girl Susan. I know Mr. Right is out there for you somewhere.

JIMMY:
(Mocking) Oh, Mr. Right! Mr. Right! Wherefore art thou Mr. Right?

SUSAN:
Shut up twerp!

JANET:
Knock it off, the both of you! Philip? Who’s on the phone?

PHILIP:
Well, speak of the devil! It’s Mr. Furley! He needs to talk with you.

JANET:
(Jumps up to grab the phone from Philip.) Mr. Furley? Really? (Goes into the kitchen to talk.)

JANET:
Hi, Mr. Furley! How are you these days?

FURLEY:
Fine, fine Janet. Things are just peachy with me. But there is something I think you should know.

JANET:
What’s that?

FURLEY:
Well, my nephew Bart has decided to level the apartment building and turn it and the surrounding land into a housing development.

JANET:
Oh my! Really? I didn’t think there was all that much land to do something like that?

FURLEY:
You’d be surprised. There’s about 40 acres back there. If you tear out the other three buildings that is.

JANET:
That’s just awful. What are you going to do?

FURLEY:
I was thinking that Lorraine, Johnny, and I would move to Florida. There’s lots of places for old folks like us down there.

JANET:
Johnny isn’t that old is he?

FURLEY:
No, he’s 25, but I’m sure they take youngsters down there too.

JANET:
I’m sure you’ll be very happy.

FURLEY:
Sure sure. Listen, the reason that I called was to tell you about the building, but I thought maybe you’d like to stop by and have lunch with us? Maybe you’d like to take a look at your old place before they tear it down?

JANET:
I don’t know. I just don’t like reminiscing about the past. And it just wouldn’t be the same without also seeing everyone who meant so much to me during those years. Jack, and Terri, Chrissy, Cindy, and even Eleanor.

FURLEY:
I’m sorry to hear that. (Dejected) Well, take care Janet. You were always my favorite. Call me if you change your mind.

JANET:
Thank you Mr. Furley. Have fun in Florida! Bye. (Janet hangs up the phone. She is misty-eyed.)

PHILIP:
So, how is Mr. Furley?

JANET:
Oh, he's fine. He says they’re tearing down the apartment building.

PHILIP:
That’s awful. I heard you say he was moving to Florida?

JANET:
Yes. He wanted me to stop by for lunch and to see the old building.

PHILIP:
And you’re not going to go? Why not?

JANET:
Oh Philip! That was such tumultuous time in my life! I’d rather not dwell on the past but move forward instead.

JIMMY:
Oh come on mom. You’re always talking about Uncle Jack and all the trouble he got into. It sounds like you had a great time when you lived there.

JANET:
I did, I truly did. I loved every minute of that life. But, I’ve moved on. And now I love every minute of this life.

PHILIP:
It’s up to you honey. But I can’t see how it would hurt to go have lunch and say goodbye to Mr. Furley. Is Larry still living there too?

JANET:
I don’t think so. Or at least I hope not! (Stops for a moment to think.) Ok, so is everyone done? Let’s clean up these dishes!


EXT. HOUSE. EARLY EVENING.

Janet is sitting out on the back patio. All is quiet and Philip enters and hands her a cup of hot chocolate.

PHILIP:
Here you go. This’ll help you sleep.

JANET:
(Chuckles.) I always used to snicker at how Mr. Roper always needed his cocoa. I guess when you get older you do need it. (Pause) Are the kids asleep?

PHILIP:
Jimmy and Susan are. Or, at least I think they are. I went ahead and let Jessica go out.

JANET:
I can’t believe you did that! After all I said.

PHILIP:
I didn’t think it was a big deal to stay over at a friend’s house.

JANET:
Oh, you’re probably right.

PHILIP:
Yes, I know I am. (Smiles) Anyway, I didn’t come out here offering chocolate flavored drinks to talk about the kids.

JANET:
Oh? (Realizing) Oh. Really Philip. I don’t think it’s a good idea for me to go back to that building. I’ve put that part of my life behind me.

PHILIP:
Really? If that’s true, why do you keep writing letters and emails to Jack?

JANET:
This doesn’t have anything to do with Jack. It has to do with that place. I don’t know what it is exactly. There’s something strange about that apartment building. It’s almost as if normalcy doesn’t exist there. Like it’s in some kind of "lunacy" bubble. (Pause) So, maybe it’s just as well that they tear it down.

PHILIP:
Maybe you’re right. I’m sure Mr. Furley will be okay if he doesn’t see you before he moves to Florida.

JANET:
Yeah. (Ponders a moment.) I wonder who moved into our apartment after we left?

PHILIP:
Oh, probably some really boring people. No one could be as interesting and as lovable as you were. (Philip reaches over and hugs Janet sweetly) How did I get so lucky?

JANET:
You are lucky.

PHILIP:
Just imagine. If you hadn’t been working at that flower shop we never would have met.

JANET:
Yep! (Giggles) And if I wasn’t in such financial straights back then, I never would have been working there. I owe a lot to that flower shop.

PHILIP:
Yep. We owe a lot to that flower shop. And to the apartment for that matter. After all, we were married there.

JANET:
(Starring off into space.) Yes...

PHILIP:
You okay honey?

JANET:
Oh, yes. I was just thinking. (Kisses Philip.)


FADE OUT



INT. FURLEY’S APARTMENT. MORNING.

Boxes are piled up as Mr. Furley, his wife Lorraine, and step-son Jonathan pack up their things. Jonathan is about 25 years old and is about 6 ft tall.

JONATHAN:
Hey dad. You got any need of this?

FURLEY:
What is it?

JONATHAN:
(Hold up a hula girl lamp.) This?

FURLEY:
Oh that. Heh, I wondered where that ran off to. I guess your mother hid it from me. Here, let me have it.

JONATHAN:
(Jokingly) Is that something macho guys decorated their apartments with back in the old days?

FURLEY:
Old days? I just bought it a few months ago! Yeah, (examining the lamp) she’s a beauty all right! It’ll look great in our new living room!


Lorraine appears. She is in her late 50’s with curly short red hair, not unlike Mrs. Roper.


LORRAINE:
Ok, Ralph. I’ve got the bedroom all packed. Are we going to have lunch?

FURLEY:
I dunno. What did you have in mind?

LORRAINE:
I thought maybe you could make us a nice lunch. You know, like you used to do before we were married?

FURLEY:
(Chuckles) Do you mean?

LORRAINE:
Yes! Peanut butter sandwiches!

FURLEY:
Well, all right! (Smiles) I’ll get to it right away. I just gotta move a few things out of my way here...

LORRAINE:
Uh, Raphie... What’s that?

FURLEY:
Uh, what dear?

LORRAINE:
What are you holding behind your back? Is that a girlie magazine?

FURLEY:
Absolutely not! Why I’ve never looked at those things!

LORRAINE:
(Scoldingly) Ralph... Let me have it.

FURLEY:
(Dejected) Oh here. Take it. (Hands over the hula girl lamp.)

LORRAINE:
Thank you dear.

FURLEY:
Just for that, no crunchy peanut butter for you! (Storms out into the kitchen.)

LORRAINE:
(Chuckling.) Oh dear. What a character.

JONATHAN:
Yeah, you picked a great one mom.

LORRAINE:
Well, anyone would have been better than your father. But Ralphie truly is one of a kind.


The doorbell rings.


JONATHAN:
I’ll get it.


Jonathan opens the door to reveal Janet standing there in a blue dress.


JONATHAN:
Hello. Can I help you?

JANET:
Hello. My name is Janet Dawson. I wonder is Mr. Furley here?

JONATHAN:
Yeah, he’s home. Won’t you come in?

JANET:
(Hesitating) Yes, thank you.

JONATHAN:
(Yells towards kitchen) Dad! Someone is here to see you!

FURLEY:
(Yells from the kitchen) Ok. I’ll be out in a minute. (Muttering) Darn peanut butter!

LORRAINE:
Janet! How good it is to see you again!

JANET:
Lorraine! Why, you haven’t changed a bit since I saw you at the wedding!

LORRAINE:
Well, I like to think so! Sorry about the mess, we’re in the midst of moving. Won’t you sit down?

JANET:
Thank you.


Janet, Lorraine, and Jonathan move around the boxes to sit on the couch and chair.


LORRAINE:
So what brings you back, Janet? Did you decide to take up Ralphie on his lunch date?

JANET:
Well...

LORRAINE:
Because he’s still a terrible cook. And right about now, I’ll prove it to you. (Looks at watch.)


Furley enters from the kitchen with a plate of peanut butter sandwiches.


FURLEY:
Who was at the door honey bunch...? Janet! Why it is you! In person no less!


Furley hands the plate to Jonathan and rushes over to hug Janet.


FURLEY:
After that phone call, I never thought I’d see you again.

JANET:
Well, Mr. Furley, I got to thinking just how important this place really is to me.

FURLEY:
I guess you like reminiscing about the past more than you thought, huh?

JANET:
You were right after all. It means a lot to me to see it one last time before they tear it all down.

FURLEY:
That’s great! You know, I tried calling the other kids, but I lost track of them over the years.

JANET:
I talk to Terri and even see her regularly. I’ve been writing letters and emails to Jack, but I rarely hear from him. Chrissy is happily married these days and living in Fresno. Her and her husband travel to Africa now and then. He's a missionary you see. And you’d be surprised what happened to Cindy.

FURLEY:
Wasn’t she going to be a veterinarian?

JANET:
When she was at UCLA going for her veterinary degree, she got bitten by the acting bug! Who would have thought little Cindy would become an actress! I always thought she shouldn’t give up on being a vet, but she was always hard headed. She was on that nighttime soap opera about the oil barons. Do you remember that?

LORRAINE:
I do. That was the show that ended and we find out it was all a dream.

JANET:
Yes! (Pause)

FURLEY:
So, I suppose you want to see the old place, huh?

JANET:
Certainly! Can we go right now?

FURLEY:
Why not? The last tenants moved out last week.

JANET:
Let’s go!


INT. THE FAMOUS APARTMENT. MORNING.

The lights are darkened. The door slowly swings open revealing Mr. Furley and Janet. Furley turns on the lights while Janet takes several tentative steps inside. The apartment is relatively unchanged except for some new wallpaper. There are no pictures, decorations, or furniture because of the impending demolition.

JANET:
Oh my...

FURLEY:
Is it how you remember it?

JANET:
Absolutely! Incredible. I never thought I’d be standing here again.


As she examines the apartment, Janet begins to tear up. She walks over to where the couch used to be.


JANET:
Right here. Right here is where Jack always pretended to be so athletic. He tried to show Chrissy and me how to exercise. He also tried the same thing with Terri and me. Oh Jack. What a clown he was then.

FURLEY:
I’m sure he hasn’t changed all that much.

JANET:
I wouldn’t know. I haven’t heard from him very much since he got married to Vicki.

FURLEY:
That was the most amazing day I had ever seen. Jack getting married! I never thought I’d see the day! But then again, (smugly) when you learn macho from the master, you learn from the best.

JANET:
(Smiles at Mr. Furley)


There is a light knock on the door. Larry Dallas appears. He has a full head of silvery hair.


LARRY:
Mr. Furley? Lorraine said you were up here... Oh my god! If it isn’t my little princess! Janet! What on earth are you doing here?

JANET:
(Rushes over to hug Larry) I came to see the old place before it’s torn down. What are you doing here?

LARRY:
What do you mean? I live here.

JANET:
After 20 years, you still live here?

LARRY:
Well, I moved out a couple of times, but ever since I convinced Mr. Furley to stop raising my rent, it’s the cheapest place in town.

FURLEY:
Watch it Larry. Don’t say "cheap." It’s economical!

LARRY:
Right, economical. Of course there still that great ocean view, which I’m sure you remember. It’s nice for spotting the bikini-clad ladies strolling on the beach.

JANET:
Larry, I thought you would have gotten married by now?

LARRY:
I thought about it a few times over the years. But there was always something that got in the way.

JANET:
Like what?

LARRY:
Usually it was her parents... They don’t like used car salesmen for some reason.

JANET:
You’re still selling cars too?

LARRY:
Nah, I gave that up after my stock deal. But that stigma has stuck with me forever.

JANET:
Gee Larry, I’m sorry. I wish you could experience how great marriage is.

LARRY:
Eh, I get the same thing from Lucy. We’ve been living together for about 8 years now. Might as well be married.

JANET:
Why don’t you?

LARRY:
After so many years of being a swinging single, it’s hard to lock yourself down. I could never commit.

FURLEY:
You can say that again. Your idea of commitment is ordering a sandwich and finishing it all in one sitting.

JANET:
So Larry. What are you going to do now that the building is going to be demolished?

LARRY:
I really hadn’t thought about it much. How much time do I have left?

FURLEY:
About 6 days.

LARRY:
Eh, I’ll figure something out. No problem. I don’t worry about stuff like that anymore.

JANET:
You’d better think of something soon! Unless you like living in your car.

LARRY:
We’ll probably go and stay with Lucy’s parents for awhile.

JANET:
I guess that means someone’s parents like you, Larry. Perhaps you should reconsider that marriage thing.

LARRY:
We’ll see about that. So, I guess you’re here to take one last look?

JANET:
Yes. It seems this is a very special place for me. After all, I did live here for nine years, I met some of my best friends here, and I was even married here. So, I thought it was important to see it one last time.

LARRY:
Well, don’t let me stop you. Let’s check out that kitchen.


The trio enter the kitchen. There are no appliances, table, or chairs, but it is otherwise as we remember it.


FURLEY:
It doesn’t look too different, does it Janet?

JANET:
(Examining the kitchen.) No. It’s exactly the same. Jack spent a good deal of his time cooking in here.

LARRY:
He also spent a lot of time cooking in that living room. (Chuckles at his own bad joke.)


Janet almost dreamily walks out of the kitchen and heads for her bedroom. The bedroom is empty.


JANET:
Oh, our old bedroom. You know, I did keep the furniture from here. I gave the bed frames to my kids and they still use the table and lamp.

LARRY:
Wow. They must be heirlooms for you to keep them.

JANET:
Not really. They were just sentimental things. I have a lot of things from my years here at my house.


Janet moves out of her old bedroom and into Jack’s. It too is empty, but the walls are still painted blue.

FURLEY:
The last few tenants liked the blue and decided to keep it. That was fine by me. It saved me from painting it over the years.

JANET:
Well, as far as I know, this room has always been blue.


Janet sits down on the floor. Her eyes begin to well up.


JANET:
This place... This place is just too important to me. It’s a connection between me an all the friends I’ve lost. Do you know I haven’t heard from Jack in years? I hardly ever see Terri or Chrissy anymore. And the only time I see Cindy is when she’s on TV selling vegetable choppers. And this is the first time I’ve seen you two in years.

LARRY:
(Leans down to console her.) Janet...

JANET:
No, Larry. I’ve got to do something about it. I can’t let this building go anymore than I can let all my friends go. (Thinks for a moment.) Mr. Furley, is there nothing we can do to save the building?

FURLEY:
I don’t think so. My nephew is adamant about demolishing it. He stands to make a ton of money on it.

JANET:
What if we bought the building from him?

FURLEY:
You might be able to do that, but he’d never sell it for it’s actual value. We’ll have to think of something else.

LARRY:
Does that mean you want to save the building too, Mr. Furley?

FURLEY:
Damn straight! I hate Florida! Besides, I’ve been wanting to give my jerk of a nephew a good swift kick in the can for years.

JANET:
(Stands up and faces Furley.) That’s good to hear, Mr. Furley! (Turns to Larry.) How about you, Larry?

LARRY:
Sure. I like the cheap... er... "economical" rent I’m paying these days. Besides, anything that’ll make you happy Princess is something I want to be a part of.

JANET:
Oh, thank you Larry! Mr. Furley, thank you. Now, we just have to think of a plan...

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