EXT. NONDESCRIPT BROWNHOUSE, PARK SLOPE – DAY

A young man carrying a duffel bag climbs up the front steps and hesitates for a second, trying to decide whether to use the large brass knocker or the bell.  He eventually presses the bell, and a few moments later…

— [door flies open] —

OLIVIA MANNING: Welcome!  I’m so glad you could make it.  Won’t you come in?

DANIEL JONES: [steps inside] It’s very nice to meet you, Mrs. Manning.  [glances down] Can I take my shoes off?

OLIVIA: [impressed by his manners] Of course, just leave them on the rack to the left.

DANIEL: Thank you, ma’am.  [notices a pair of muddy sneakers on the rack] Do those belong to Eli?

OLIVIA: [smiles wryly, noticing how clean Daniel’s are by comparison] They sure do.

DANIEL: Those look like some pretty big shoes to fill…

OLIVIA: [gets the joke] Oh, you.  It was wonderful of Don Gettleman to arrange this…I guess you’re a little old to call it a “play date”…

DANIEL: How about “study session”?

OLIVIA: I think that’ll do.  Eli’s upstairs in his room.  I’ll walk you up.

DANIEL reshoulders his duffel bag and follows OLIVIA MANNING up the stairs, taking note of the framed family photographs of the Mannings on the way up. They turn a corner and arrive at the door to ELI’s room, where they are greeted by a gigantic “GO AWAY” sign.

DANIEL: Maybe I should…

OLIVIA: Nonsense, he’s just being a brat.  Eli, knock knock!

ELI: [sullenly] Who’s there?

OLIVIA: It’s…[glances at DANIEL, who holds up a finger]

DANIEL: Daniel.

ELI: Daniel Who?

DANIEL: Daniel at us, we can hear you just fine!

OLIVIA and DANIEL chuckle, and their laughter is joined by the muffled sound of an involuntary guffaw from behind the door, which is quickly cut off.

— [door flies open] —

ELI: [frowning furiously, still trying to pretend he didn’t enjoy the joke] I’m only doing this because Coach made me.

OLIVIA: ELI!  Where are your manners!  Daniel is a guest in our home and I won’t have you behaving this way towards him. Now take those headphones off and you start acting like an adult.

ELI: [sufficiently chastised] Okay, Mom.  Come on in.

DANIEL enters the cluttered room and sets his duffel bag on the ground, carefully avoiding setting it on top of a disassembled Voltron figurine.  ELI grudgingly gestures towards his desk chair, where DANIEL sits down.  ELI flops back on the bed.

DANIEL: [tentatively] So…[glances around the room]…I thought you’d be downstairs.  They told me you were spending the summer in Fort Gryffindor.

ELI: [absently] Huh? Oh, yeah, no, not anymore.  Mom’s – I mean Olivia’s – book club is coming over so she needed the cushions back.

DANIEL: Sweet, some hot cougar action in the house.

ELI: It’s a tiger actually, but…how did you know they were reading The Life of Pi?

DANIEL: [thinks Eli is joking] Ha ha ha.

An uncomfortable silence passes, with DANIEL looking at ELI and ELI staring at the wall in an effort to avoid eye contact.

DANIEL: So…

ELI: [starts fiddling a transformer, doesn’t look up]

DANIEL: …um…have you been to see Infinity War yet?

ELI: [still won’t look at him] No.  I’m only allowed one theater movie a month and I’m saving it for Detective Pikachu.

DANIEL: Yeah, yeah, that should be worth it. Um…so…what were you listening to before I came in?  Some Raffi, maybe a little Baby Shark Dance?

ELI: [finally brightens a bit, glances over] Nah, that’s kid stuff.  [holds up his Walkman] It’s just this band from the nineties.  You probably wouldn’t like them.

DANIEL: Well maybe I would.  You never know, let me give them a try.

ELI: [shrugs] All right.  [hands over the headphones]  Get ready to have your socks rocked off, I guess.

—

Today’s theme is “Kid Stuff”.  We’re making the mixtape for Eli’s slumber party, so we’re looking for songs about toys, games, etc.  Sorry if this seems vague but I think the theme will emerge more clearly as song choices come in. Have at it!