Claudia 

Opening scene:

Mid-morning in an old Brooklyn neighborhood.  Once-tidy buildings now dingy and faded.  Not a ghetto neighborhood, but definitely past its prime.  Josh, a young college freshman whose first class is quickly approaching, is desperately seeking a place to stay.  (It’s a big step from the small suburb where Josh grew up to the big city, but it was the only school where he could get a scholarship) The folded newspaper he’s scanning leads him up the stairs of a small apartment building.  He steps inside and finds the right door.

He knocks on the door and waits.  No answer.  He knocks again, a bit louder.  There’s a muffled thump, followed by more silence.  He knocks harder and asks, “Hello?  Anybody home?”  Another pause, then a slow shuffling sound.  Looking down, Josh sees a shadow cross the narrow sunlight showing under the door.

The door creaks open, revealing a sleepy looking dude whose day-old stubble, blood-shot, half-closed eyes, bedraggled hair and annoyed expression imply that he was moments ago in deep sleep.  Dude squints, rubbing his eyes as Josh holds up the paper with an ad circled.  “You the one with the third room for rent?”

Dude looks closely at the ad, sighs “Yep” and waves Josh inside.  The main room is much neater than Dude’s appearance would have indicated.  Not worthy of a feature in Better Homes & Gardens, but clean – everything in its place and no clutter.  “The rent is $600 a month, split three ways, so your share is $200.  The last guy left without saying anything, so we got stuck paying his share for the last two months.  It’ll be nice to have that extra $100 again, y’know?”  Josh nods.

Dude sticks out his hand and finally introduces himself, “The name’s Benjamin Turner, by the way… um, just Ben… come on, I’ll give you the dime tour.”  Josh shakes his hand, “Josh Brooks.”  Ben leads Josh into the small, uncluttered kitchen, “Here are the glorious dining facilities” he announces, sweeping his arm out like some game show fashion model showing the prizes.  The counter has a toaster and not much else.  The sink is empty except for a bowl and spoon.  “Fucking slob”, Ben mumbles.  Josh looks around, then asks, “You said ‘we’ earlier – who’s the other guy?”

Ben answers flaty, “Claudia” as he steps to the sink and grabs the bowl.  Josh asks, “Claudia?”  “Yes, Claudia,” Ben sneers, "Claudia, who NEVER puts her DISHES IN THE DISHWASHER!” he yells over his shoulder to the closed door across the other room.

(The door is distinctive in style and color, although the pain is faded and peeling a little)

Ben goes on to give a litany of feigned tolerance towards the as-yet-unseen Claudia who, he explains, works midnights ‘somewhere’ (he doesn’t know or care) and thus is rarely seen in person, which is just fine with Ben as long as her rent gets paid each month.  It’s like he’s had the place to himself since their other roommate bailed two months ago – he only sees her messes, which she leaves in the kitchen, bathroom or anywhere else.

“But you didn’t come here to hear me bitch about Claudia, you’re looking to rent a room, right?”  Ben walks Josh over to the door next to Claudia’s and opens it.  Ben looks at Josh, who peers into the room.  It’s small but clean, with a bed, dresser and bedside table.  There’s one narrow window with a rolling shade half-drawn.  Josh steps back and looks at Ben, who’s apparently just waiting for an answer.  Josh says self-consciously, “Looks fine to me.”  Ben smiles and pats Josh on the shoulder, “It’s all settled then!  Welcome to your new digs, roomie!”  Josh smiles and shakes Ben’s hand again, “Great!”

Scene 2:

That afternoon, Josh and Dave (Josh’s pickup truck-owning friend) are bringing boxes up the single flight of stairs.  There are only a handful of boxes in the truck bed.  Ben, looking more awake and a bit more dressed (but no less disheveled) is holding the door for them.  (It’s the least he can do, which is the most anyone can expect from him)  Dave looks around as he brings in the box he’s carrying, “Not too bad… Ben seems okay.”  Dave puts the box down on Josh’s bed and Josh follows suit.  “So it’s just you two here?”  “No,” Ben answers, “there’s also Claudia.”  Dave smiles slyly, “Claudia, eh?  Is she hot?”  Ben smiles, amused by Dave’s one-track mind, “I haven’t seen her yet.  She works midnights.”  “Oh? Is she a stripper?” Dave inquires, intrigued.  Ben starts to answer ‘no’ but catches himself, “I don’t know… Ben doesn’t know either.  Who knows?  Maybe.” he teases as they walk back out to get more boxes.  Josh looks back at Claudia’s door and wonders himself.

Scene 3:

Josh’s college days get underway, and soon the daily grind starts to take its toll.  There nothing but books and lectures and notes and studying, walking to and from class or the library.  He misses his folks and his old friends.  Ben doesn’t talk much, but he’s always there in the background, watching TV or cleaning something.  It has become apparent that Ben, despite his lack-luster approach to personal grooming, is something of a neat-freak; a compulsive tidier.  Josh keeps his own mess to a minimum, so there’s no problem there, but Ben’s not exactly the conversational type.  Basically, when Josh doesn’t have his nose buried in his books, he’s lonely.

More and more he finds himself staring at Claudia’s door, wondering who she is, what she looks like.  He thinks it odd that he still hasn’t seen her yet, although he’s certainly noticed signs that she’s around… always a couple of dishes in the sink, the occasional magazine left lying around… nothing very telling though.  And Ben never leaves a mess for long, always griping under his breath.

One afternoon he gets so curious that he walks over to her door and knocks. There’s no answer, of course.  He timidly tries the doorknob a little, then a little more.  Locked.  He sighs, a tad frustrated with his lack of success after working up the courage to try the door in the first place.

Scene 4:

One night Josh is awakened by a thump behind the wall – the wall between his room and Claudia’s. He slowly sit upright in his bed and listens.  There’s… something?  Not sure, maybe some small noises.  Then, the sound of a door closing.  (Claudia’s door?)  Josh calls out, “Hello?” and waits.  Nothing.  Josh lies back down and stares at the ceiling.

Scene 5:

The next night.  Another thump.  Josh quickly sits up in his bed and calls, “Hello?”  No answer, but there’s a shuffling noise.  Nervously he speaks, “Hi, um, Claudia… I’m Josh.. Your new roommate?  I know we haven’t been introduced or anything, I just wanted to say hello.”  He pauses, hoping for an answer.  There’s a shifting sound, then a creak (bedsprings?), then silence again.  Josh sighs, “Well, you’re probably tired.  Goodnight then.”  Josh rolls over, drawing the covers around him and stares into the darkness.

Scene 6:

The next morning Josh sleepily opens his door.  The main room is empty as he walks to the bathroom.  He closes the door.  As he shuffles towards the toilet he sees a pair of sexy black nylons hanging from the shower curtain rod.  He stops and reaches up to touch them.  They’re silky and sleek.  Josh’s imagination kicks into gear as he smiles and steps over to relieve himself.

He steps out into the main room again, but this time he looks towards Claudia’s door… it’s ajar!  Slowly he steps towards it.  Halfway there, Ben suddenly opens his door and steps out.  Josh freezes in place.  “’What’s up, dude?” Ben half-inquires as he walks past Josh to the kitchen.  Off-camera we hear Ben start griping about Claudia’s dishes again as Josh looks back at her door and goes back to his own room.

Scene 7: