Oliver & Company 2: Christmas in New York

Synopsis:   Jenny is grown up and married her parents come for Christmas.   Tito gives Georgette another chance, Oliver has a family.  Fagen gets an actual job.  

~*~CAST~*~

Oliver:

Jenny Goldberg:

Neil Goldberg:  

Mariah Goldberg: (Neil’s mom)

Douglas ‘Doug’ Goldberg: (Neil’s dad)

Natalie Goldberg-Stein: (Neil’s sister)

Daniel Stein: (Nat’s husband)

Miriam Stein: (Nat and Dan’s unborn girl)

Felicity: (Oliver’s wife)

Rowdy: (Oliver’s son)

Winston: (Foxworth butler)

Austin Foxworth: (Jenny’s dad)

Maxine Foxworth: (Jenny’s mom)

Alonso ‘Tito’:

Dodger:

Rita:

Einstein:

Francis:  

Georgette:  

DeSoto:

Rosco:  

Salty:

Bowie:  

Fagan:  

Mr. Stephen Hollister:

Mrs. Rebecca Hollister:

Scene 1--Christmas in the Big City

(Everyone is out and about shopping for their loved ones.  There is quite a bit of hustle and bustle.  A revamped version of ‘Jingle Bell Rock’ plays followed by someone playing a soulful version of ‘Rockin’ Around the Christmas Tree’ on the sax.   Passersby drop their loose change and dollars into the man’s saxophone case for his moving, beautiful rendition of the piece.   Fagan is prowling the city, looking for a job through the wanted ads.  He cannot continue to hustle people as he did in the past.  He wants to be a reputable human being for once in his life.)

Fagan:  (pointing at the Want Ad and then looking up at the huge building across the street)  Well, this is it, guys.   Now you wait out here.  Be good, don’t get into any trouble.  I’ve taught you better.  I’ve got to make a good impression for Mr. and Mrs. Hollister.

(The dogs obey their master without fail.  Fagan straightens his tie, takes a deep breath.)  

Fagan:  Here goes.   One can only hope the Christmas spirit will give me a bit of an edge.   Wish me luck, guys !   (walks in with confidence.  We see him talking confidently with Stephen and Rebecca and they both seem rather impressed with his credentials.   Along the street, Dodger sees a familiar face.)

Dodger:  Hey, is that Jenny ?  She’s grown up.

Francis:  That she has, Dodger.  She’s quite the beauty now.

Rita:  That handsome guy she’s with must be her husband.   

Tito:  Ah, madre de Dios...Save me from Georgette.   

Georgette:  Alonzo !   There you are.  Do you know how long I have been looking for you ?

Tito:  (backing steadily away from Georgette)  I don’t wanna know, honestly.  You wanted to squeeze me into your way of doing things.    Woman, I’m a free spirit.  I’m an eagle, let me fly.  

Georgette:  (sadly, hanging head a little bit)  Alonzo, I couldn’t stop thinking about you.   It’s been so long and no other dog had ever treated me like a princess.  You were so loving and romantic, even when I was a bit of a snoot.

Rita: (laughing, an aside to Dodger)  Not the word I would’ve used !  

Dodger: (chuckles to himself)  We all have our flaws, Georgie.

Rita:  (huge smile) But I’ll never forget how brave, confident and selfless you were.

Einstein:  Yeah, you really saved our bacon, Georgette.  

Tito:  (ponders for a moment)  Seeing the holidays are here, I’ll bargain with ya.

Georgette:  (listening intently)  Go on then, my spicy chili pepper.

Tito:  Don’t try to change me, doll.  Let me be myself.   

Georgette:   (elated)  You just made my day, no, my whole holiday brighter !   Come here you little darling…(pulls him close to her and kisses him, making him melt, but he dips her into the kiss)

Dodger:  Alright, knock it off, lovebirds.   Looks like Jenny’s coming back.  

Jenny:  What do you know !   The whole gang is here.   Are you looking for Oliver ?

I can take you back to the estate if you’d like.    

Neil:  There’s plenty of room to roam for all of you.   

Jenny:  (whispers in Neil’s ear)  Shouldn’t we wait for Mr. Fagan to come along with them, Neil ?

Neil:  (nod)  Indubitably.  That would be the polite thing to do.  

(In a few seconds, Fagan emerges with excellent news.)

Fagan:  Guess what !  I start tomorrow, guys !   How about that ?  I can actually begin to afford you healthy food, and some for me too.   Well, what do you know !  

Jenny:  Hello, Mr. Fagan.  It’s been a long time, hasn’t it.  You’ve changed.  

Fagan:  (hand behind head a bit awkwardly)  I suppose I learned my way of life wasn’t exactly the best method of earning a good, solid wage.   You’ve grown up quite a bit.  Who is this strapping young lad with you ?

Neil:  Neil Goldberg, sir.  

Jenny: (pats her stomach)  That’s not the only thing that’s changed.  

Fagan:  You’re gonna have a baby ?  When are you due ?

Jenny:  6 more months from now.  I know it doesn’t look it, but we’re expecting.

Neil:  We’re pretty excited, and so are our pets.   

Winston:  I’ve come to pick you up.   Shall I make room for guests ?

Jenny:  Please do.

Fagan: Oh, no.  No please don’t do that.  We don’t want to impose.

Neil:  You wouldn’t be imposing, Fagan.   It’s the holidays.  Where’s your Christmas spirit ?

Winston: (gives Fagan a wry, knowing smile)

Fagan:  Bygones being bygones, I should hope.

Winston:  Water under the bridge as they say.  

(As they drive off, an instrumental of ‘New York, New York’ plays in the background.)

Scene 2--The Goldberg Estate

(Oliver has been sleeping but he wakes up promptly once he hears the Rolls pulling into the garage.)  

Jenny:  Oliver !  Felicity !  Rowdy !   

Felicity:  Jenny and Neil are home !  

Rowdy:  (bounding)  Yea !  Finally !   

(Dodger notices the adorable kitten jumping and leaping around him)  

Dodger:   Who’s the squirt ?   

Rowdy:  (proudly, full of moxie)  I’m not a squirt !  I’m ROWDY !  

Dodger:  I see that.  (short light-hearted laughter)  You really do take after your dad.   Did your brothers and sisters get good humans to go home with ?

Rowdy:  Yeah, but I don’t know anything beyond that.   I just consider myself lucky.   Hey, Christmas is coming.   Are you staying ?

Felicity:  Please do.  Oliver speaks so highly of you and he has missed all of you.

Oliver:  (smiling)  You make it sound like all I do is talk about them.

Felicity: (aside)  Well he does !  

Georgette: (laughing)  You should’ve heard Oliver when he met Felicity.   It was a case of Gent meeting Independent Damsel.    

Dodger:  Hey, we’re all ears.   

Einstein:  Yeah !  Christmas story time !  

(Fagan walks upstairs and hears Winston getting excited over a wrestling match.  Like old times, they watch the matches going on but Fagan declines making any bets with him.  Winston smiles to himself, liking the new, improved Fagan.)

Oliver: (narrating, flashback scene)  It wasn’t too long after we had defeated Sykes.  I was sunning myself and I heard Desoto and Roscoe.  

Tito:  Those lousy good for nothin’s  !

Dodger:  Who’s tellin’ the story here, Tito ?

Tito:  Sorry. Those two get me riled up !  

Oliver:  Anyways, they were picking on Felicity and two other alley cats, Salty and Bowie were mocking her as well.    

Scene 3--Mewnipendent Woman

Salty:  You ain’t goin back there though are ya ?  

Bowie:  Yeah !  Cat like you can join our gang, be real nice in our establishment too.

We’re only two alley cats livin’ off th’ land.  

Felicity:  My owner wasn’t very kind to me.   He would often get angry and throw stuff at me.  I’m glad to be out of there.   

Salty:  No...I saw your owner.   He wasn’t mean, just lazy.   You ran off.   Don’t lie to the Claw Gang, see ?  

Bowie:  Cat like you with a pretty face can fetch some mean dollars up in here.

Would rather not mar it if you know what I mean, jellybean.

DeSoto:  Would it be a crime to let us join ?

Salty:  You idiots again ?   Did you get free from the dogcatchers ?

Rosco:  We evaded them.   Those chumps are too slow for Roscoe and DeSoto.  

DeSoto:  Let us in.  Please.   We have nowhere else to go.

Bowie:  No way.  We know how turncoat you can be.   

Felicity:   Yeah, get lost, mutts.   

DeSoto:  (Getting angered)  Excuse me, princess.   Did you just call us mutts ?

Felicity:  Yeah, you heard me !   

Oliver:   (jumps down)  What are you two doing messing with a lovely lady like this one ?  

Rosco:  She was the one who started it !   

Salty:  I would recommend you get to stepping.

Felicity:  I hear the dogcatchers coming.    

DeSoto:   You’re just trying to scare us.   

Roscoe:  Pulling our legs !   HA !  

Oliver:  Look out !  

(The dog catchers finally capture them.  Salty and Bowie race back to their cardboard Hooverville and Felicity runs into Oliver.)

Felicity:  I could’ve taken care of them.

Oliver:  They were bigger than you, dear.

Felicity:   I’m not some meek mouse, kitten.   

Oliver:  I’m Oliver.   What’s your name ?

Felicity:  (a bit reluctantly at first) Felicity.  (starts wandering off)  I know my way.   At least I think I do.  

Oliver:   Come on, let me help.   If you like, you can live with Jennifer, Neil and I.

Felicity:  (laughs)  That’s awfully bold of you.   

Oliver:  (narrating)  Thank heaven Felicity decided to follow me home.   One thing lead to another…

Rowdy:  And along came me !  

Einstein:  The humans are coming back, act natural !  

Jenny:   I was thinking maybe we’d celebrate together.

Fagan:  We wouldn’t want to impose, dear.  

Neil:  Oh, please.   The more the merrier.   

Winston:  In fact, we’ll get you all spiffed up for our annual Christmas brunch.

Fagan:  Winston, please, I don’t want to be a burden.

Neil: You aren’t.   In fact, you’ve changed immensely since the last we’ve seen you.

Fagan: ( a bit dumbly) I have ?  (realizing) Oh, right !  Yes !  I have !   I am now a working man.   I’ll have enough money for a small house and better food and toys for the dogs.   

Oliver:  (narrating)  So it was that I began seeing Mr. Fagan more often with us.   Tito and Georgette made amends and now they are deeply in love.   I can see them becoming wonderful parents.    As I look at the snow falling outside on a beautiful December day I reflect on who I have become and what the year ahead of me holds.   It’s good to have the old gang together.   Who knows, we might even have some more adventures someday.  With Rowdy at the helm, anything is possible.

(in the background, ‘Feliz Navidad’ plays.  Presents have been open and everyone is relaxing around the fire, singing merrily.   Tito and Georgette dance close together and share an endearing, intoxicating kiss.   There are shots of the pets together with Fagan, with santa, and with the Foxworthys.   Merriment is all around, and ‘Merry Christmas’ appears over the last and probably funniest family photo, which is of everyone making funny faces and laughing.)