“Bodega” Episode 1: Pilot

By RJ Izquierdo

INT. Charlie’s apartment. 5:45 AM.
Charlie a young Hispanic man in his young 20’s is awake in his bed thinking
about what he has to do today, while his girlfriend (Sherri) a beautiful
strawberry blonde girl is knocked out on top of him. The room is pretty quiet
besides the usually traffic and train sounds from outside. The front door
opens and Sleepy Charlie’s best friend/co worker enters the room quietly
and begins to walk around.

Charlie
What the fuck are you doing?

Sleepy
oh word, you’re up, you got a lighter?

Charlie
No. what? yo get out it’s mad early

Sleepy
Yo, you’re always up this early and come on I already got this shit
rolled.

Charlie
Nah, yo i’m good you know Sherri doesn’t like waking up to smoke in
the morning.
Sleepy
Yea or going to sleep to it or eating around it or getting ready around it

Sherri throws a half full water bottle at sleepy.

Sleepy
Great throw yo, let me just get a lighter so I can start my day
Charlie
Go check the kitchen table, but don’t turn on the lights

Sleepy
Bet.
Sleepy tip toes into the kitchen, Charlie hears sleepy begin to go through
cabinets and the fridge. He tries to get up, but his arm is stuck under Sherri.
After trying to get free she eventually rolls over and Charlie heads into the
kitchen
Charlie
Yo, what are you doing

Sleepy
Nothing, just making a little snack

Charlie
I can see that, did you find the lighter

Sleepy
Nah, it wasn’t on the table
Charlie walks over to table and picks up the lighter. While sleepy continues
eating


Charlie
Yo, you got that blunt?
Sleepy
Yea, it’s on the table

Charlie
(lighting the blunt)
So, have you found a new job yet?
Sleepy
Nah, I’m still waiting to hear back from Saks down on 5th Ave. I get that job
and the discounts I get will be stupid. Plus big time people roll through there
every day

Charlie
I’m real proud you went all the way down there to apply, but you
know they only hire people that have, like... how do I say this? Alot of
experience and who goes to Saks that’s big time besides a young Future and
Cardi B

Sleepy
Iight well first of all Cardi B is the Bronx’s own hood angel, watching
and protecting us every night. Watch how you speak on her name. 2nd of all
there’s no way I went all the way down there to apply. I did that shit online,
that’s where I applied to all the stores.

Charlie
What other stores did you apply too?


Sleepy
Gucci, Louis, Dior, YSL, umm Saks. It’s mad easy online you just fill
out one application and you can send it to all these places to apply. I
honestly think I sent to about 20-30 stores, but yea until then I guess it’s the
bodega and flipping whatever I get my hands on.
Charlie
Wow seems like you really got this game figured out. Let me know
how that goes for you. Cuz it went so well when you tried to flip those
Rihanna sneakers.

Sleepy
Yo some clown from North Carolina finessed a finesser. Can’t be mad
at that. Can’t hate the player hate the game.

Charlie
And those off white kicks you tried to sell up on Dykman. Or What
about the Jordans you copped that had MJ doing a fucking layup on the
side?

Sleepy
Yo you deadass don’t think I learned from all that shit. I’m bouta run
this city from the Bodega and all while being the fliest kid in the game

Charlie
Ya know you can’t scheme out the Bodgea. Tio will flip like last time.


Sleepy
Like I said I’ve learned from the past, you and Tio will be taken care of and
not even realize it.

Charlie
Yea I’ll believe that when I see it, but yo wana do me a favor.

Sleepy
Yea what’s up?

Charlie
Stop eating my fucking food and get out so I can get some sleep
before we gota open up downstairs.

Sleepy
Iight yo, whatever ill catch you down there. Game face today. Health
inspector’s coming in. Good looks on the garlic bread too.

Charlie
Yea I know and word got you. brizz
They do their handshake and Sleepy exits the apartment while Charlie goes
back to bed and cuddles up next to Sherri and tries to kiss her. she kisses him
and turns away.

INT Bodega 11:00am

Charlie is working the register at the Bodega below his apartment while
Sleepy is stocking the sodas. A young boy names scotty around 14-15 years
old enters the Bodega walking up to the register.
Scotty
Hey let me get a pack of ditches, please
Charlie
You got I.D.?

Scotty
Nah left it at home, but come on you know me Charlie

Charlie
Yea, exactly which is how I know you’re not old enough to buy these

Sleepy walks over to the counter

Sleepy
Iight lil man 3 dollars for the dutch

Scotty
Yo, but that shit only says one dollar on the pack

Sleepy
Yea, yo that’s if you got an I.D. you don’t so you want these 3
bucks
Scotty
Whatever yo.
Scotty pays the 3 dollars and leaves
Charlie
You know Tio told us to stop selling to him and the other
neighborhood kids. Their parents are guna come in here raising hell if they
find we’re selling shit to them.
Sleepy
Well they’re not guna find out and plus look like I said this morning.
Here’s a dollar for you, a dollar for me and a dollar for Tio. Everyone eats
Charlie
Oh yea copping a whole meal with this dollar, great looks yo.
Abel a grown man with slick black hair, well built, in a suit comes up to the
counter.

Abel
Hola, let me get a pack of Newports and and a pack of 5 gum
Charlie not even acknowledging the man tosses the newports and gum on
the counter.
Charlie
17.50$.

Abel
So you only ask little kids for I.D.?

Charlie
Oh shit my bad word. Let me see your I.D.
Abel puts his health inspector badge on the table.
Sleepy
 Yo that shit don’t got an age on it we can’t accept that.
Abel
Let me make this clear. Cuz I get the impression you’re a little slow. I
can be your best friend or the thing that shuts this whole Bodega down for
one reason or another.
Charlie
Yes, yes sir I know. He..

Abel
No need to apologize Charles. Is it okay if I call you Charles? Good.
Now your Bodega seems to pass my inspection, but I just can not turn a
blind eye to what I just saw.
Sleepy
What do you mean with Scotty? That was nothing, you didn’t see
nothing, cuz nothing happened.
Abel
Smart kid. Let me guess born and raised here in the Bronx. Probably
went to school up the block. Lost some loved ones, hurt some loved ones, so
you think you just know it all around here

Sleepy
Yo your shit is 17.50. Pay or say what you gota say.

Abel
What’s your name?
Sleepy
Sleepy. You?
 Abel
Call me Abel, just know I have many names. and Sleepy I’m sorry to
inform you but this city is mine. I have my hand in every business in the
Bronx. I have the gangs and I have the cops. Know you are just a kid and see
that same fire in you that I saw in me. This could be your city, but you gota
put in the work like everything else

Sleepy
Yo get this fake ass Mexican mafiosa guy out of here fam. “I got
gangs and I got cops” bruh you ain’t got shit.
Charlie
Wait I’ve seen you before. You were on the news being interviewed
when the pet store down the street burned down.

Abel
Oh yes, very sad what happened there. I know the owner very well.
Vlad is a dear friend of mine, but see he had a mentality like your friend
sleepy here and it’s a shame electrical fires happen all the time. All those
animals lost.
Sleepy
Yo, what do you want?
Abel
I want you guys to go pick up a package at this address and sell it out
the Bodega. I will be by once a week to collect my share and just know
you’ll have my services at your disposal as long as you work for me.

Charlie
Nah, nah see we don’t need your services or any of that.
Sleepy
Yea yo you can’t run up in here making crazy demands
 Abel
Well then no demands from my side what would you boys
prefer. The Bodega get shot up or cops just come up in here and shut this
place down and take poor Tio out in cuffs.
Charlie
You’re bluffing.
Sleepy
What do you want us to sell?
Abel
Just a little pot not like you guys aren’t already selling the wraps to the
kids, Might as well sell them the whole package. Like I said go to that
address tomorrow to pick up your first package at 5 Am before you open up,
or you don’t I have your answer
Abel walks out of the bodega without the cigarettes or gum. As Charlie and
Sleepy stand there watching him as he goes.