Jones St., Chapter 3: Pages 21-22
Page 21, 5 Panels- Crown Auto Services, S. Valley View Blvd., Las Vegas NV
Panel 1: We move back to the same setting and layout as the top of the previous page. She has a bag of Barbecue flavored Lay’s potato chips sitting on her lap; a smile over her face in regards to the positive news coming from the other end.
CAPTION: Ten Minutes, Thirteen Seconds Later MELANIE [to Mr. Crosby]: Yeah, I’ll start work tonight once I get a look at the link you send me…In terms of my schedule, it’ll be a bit of a squeeze. But I can definitely finish it by next week, possibly earlier if I get lucky (if being the operative word). On another topic, I’d—
Panel 2: Same setting/layout as the previous panel. She’s stopped mid-sentence by the sound of the mechanic coming in from off-panel right; her focus pulled in that direction in order to find out what the news is. You can also see her slowly start to get back up from the chair as she speaks.
MECHANIC [Off-Panel]: Melanie Haynes? MELANIE [to the Mechanic]: That’s me! MELANIE [Cont., to Mr. Crosby; Bubble 2]: Never mind, gotta wrap it up. The mechanic’s here…Thanks again for the interview, and the chance. Talk to you later.
Panel 3: Cut to a shot of Melanie and the Mechanic standing in front of one another a few seconds later. He’s a mad in his late 50s with a dark beard peppered with bits of gray all around, wearing a pale gray jumpsuit with a name tag that says “Dale” on it. You can see, gripped in his left hand, her car keys wrapped in a plastic bag.
MECHANIC [to Melanie]: The water pump on your radiator burst due to a pretty big crack in the side. I was able to patch it up though without having to replace it. MELANIE [relieved, thought bubble]: Thank fracking Gina! MELANIE [sighs, curious]: How the hell does that happen? I didn't run over any pothole or curb hop a road. Hell, it’s not even metal. MECHANIC [Bubble 2]: Actually, it’s not that uncommon, especially if you don’t keep good care of it. It can also happen if the last person who worked on your car did a crappy job.
Panel 4: We move to a close-up of Ms. Haynes’ face a second later, moving out of the room with the Mechanic alongside her off-panel. She shrugs at the statement with a little bit of embarrassment regarding the context behind his explanation. You can faintly see the chairs and some of the people still waiting in the background through the doorway.
MELANIE: Yeah, that was me. I tried to go DIY a few months back when I tried to replace my dead battery- part of my screwdriver broke off and tore into the engine. I thought I got lucky when nothing happened afterward...guess not. MECHANIC [Off-Panel]: No worries, Miss…happens to the best of us.
Panel 5: Cut to a similar type of close-up on the Mechanic a moment later, shrugging off the statement from the young woman with the look of someone who has done this for quite some time. You can see part of a display of tires behind him in the background to the left of the panel view.
MECHANIC [Cont., extending the yellow invoice sheet out toward Melanie]: Now, let's get you checked out and back on the road. MELANIE [Off-Panel]: Right…
Page 22, 6 Panels- Crown Auto Services/Snackers, S. Valley View Blvd., Las Vegas NV
Panel 1-2: A two-part set of panels that centers mostly on Melanie's face looking on at the bill with a dejected sigh that grows in intensity with each panel. You can see, in both panels, a little section of the walls filled with auto racing paraphenalia in the background along with a straggling face of one of the mechanics moving from right to left.
MELANIE [thought bubble, Panel 2]: I'm gonna need a tall ass drink!
Panel 3: Cut to an interior shot of the convenience store Snackers a few minutes later. The doors swing open, and we see Ms. Haynes barge inside with the glow of the afternoon sun behind her. You can see a couple of cars parked in the store's small parking lot, along with the modest traffic from the street in front of them.
Panel 4: Action shot to the front counter of the store where we see the Sales Associate glancing from his newspaper over in Melanie's direction with suspicion as she passes from right to left. He's wearing a dark blue Drake T-Shirt with a red vest on top of it that has its nametag on it. You can see the register next to him on the counter and the displays of cigarettes and chewing tobacco behind him in the background.
Panel 5: We move to a close-up on Melanie's face a second later, looking over from her periphery in the direction of the suspicious cashier. Her eyes display a sense of someone who isn't really up to dealing with crap at that moment. You can see part of a display showing potato chip bags and dips in the background over her left shoulder.
MELANIE [thought bubble, directed at the Sales Associate]: Keep your trap shut, dude. Just...keep it shut!
Panel 6: Cut to a display of drinks over in the back of the story under a minute later. We see the back of Ms. Haynes to the reader, stopping and looking over the rows of various cans of teas and energy drinks that are visible in the center of the panel view. On both sides of the view, you can also see a display dominated primarily by soda and water bottles (to the right) and the beer cans/bottles (to the left).
MELANIE [Cont., in the form of a narration caption]: I'm really not up for your subtle judgmental bullcrap ruining my good buzz!