The Purple of Life, scene 7

INT. FOYER - LATER

Andy greets people as they file out of the church. A young BOY, 5 yrs old, runs up to Andy.

BOY
Pastor Andy!

Andy crouches down to the boy’s level.

ANDY
Hey, my man! Did you learn anything?

BOY
(shouting)
Love is the purple of life! Love is the purple of life!

Andy laughs and raises his hand to give the boy a high five.

ANDY
High five!

The boy slaps Andy’s hand, then runs back to his parents. Andy gets up as a couple in their 30s, MIKE and ISA, approach.

MIKE
Great sermon, Pastor Andy.

ANDY
Thank you, Mike.

ISA
We are so excited about next Sunday.

ANDY
Me, too. Don’t worry, it’s going to be great.

Mike and Isa continue out of church. Diana greets Andy.

DIANA
Your sermon was a nice reminder about how complex and simple something can be at the same time. Love is a concept that people take for granted, I think. I really enjoyed it.

ANDY
Thank you, Diana. That means a lot coming from you.

Diana starts to move on. Andy pulls her back.

DIANA
Andy, no. I’m not ready to start dating again. And, even if I were, I don’t think that we’d be an appropriate couple.

Andy lets go.

ANDY
I guess you can’t be any plainer than that.

DIANA
I’m sorry.

ANDY
No, no. Just keep doing the flowers for us. They’re beautiful.

Diana smiles.

DIANA
Deal.

She moves off. Other PARISHIONERS file by and speak with Andy. Andy, a bit distracted, watches Diana leave.

RACHAEL, 35, physically fit, strong, playfully punches Andy on the shoulder.

ANDY
Don’t you know that beating up on a holy man is bad karma?

RACHAEL
Let’s get lunch, your holiness.

ANDY
Sure. Just let me finish up here, first.

Rachael waits for Andy to say his goodbyes to the last of the parishioners.