Copyright 1999 --- Robert Baer Jr. Amos Doggie & Hannah -- "Amos Doggie's Thanksgiving" DISCLAIMER Road Rovers characters, names, situations and the Road Rovers universe are the property of Warner Bros. I, nor this script/story are connected with Warner Bros. in any way, shape or form. This document may not be publicized or reproduced in any way, shape or form. It must remain fully intact and may not be altered in anyway. It is strictly used for not-for-profit entertainment purposes only, and is not intended to infringe on any Copyrights. This story is written by Robert Baer Jr and the characters Amos Doggie, Hannah, Molly Maddog, Roger Maddog, Kyra, Prairie Mason and Ben Maddog are all Robert Baer Jr's creations, copyright 1997-1998. With Cameo appearances by: DJ -- Jake Williams Huntry -- Bart Walls Dylan -- Dylan Rinald Dervish -- Casey Johnson Alethia -- Kylen Miles Huntress -- Greywolf Lupous Dawn -- Diane L. Cobber -- Mike Browner Dotty -- Kasey M. Morgan -- Morgan Wolf Ashley -- Ashley P Amos Doggie & Hannah -- "Amos Doggie's Thanksgiving" The scene is a small, modest looking house in the Louisiana bayou country. It is the home of Amos Doggie and his wife Hannah, both had just recently joined the Road Rovers. It is Thanksgiving morning, Hannah, (a tan Newfoundland, still in Cano-Sapien form, wearing a modest blue dress) is awake and busy cleaning in the living room. Her husband Amos (a white spotted mixed breed dog, in Cano-Sapien form, in his pajamas) is still asleep in his hammock. Hannah walks over to his hammack and gently shakes it. HANNAH (shakes hammock): Honey, please wake up, I want to talk to you. Amos squirms a little and begins to snore loudly. HANNAH (shakes hammock harder): Darling! WAKE UP! Amos mumbles a few words and starts to snore again. This time, Hannah takes the hammock and turns in completely over, and giggles as her husband hits the floor. AMOS (startled): Woman! What possessed you to toss me on the floor like this? HANNAH (falls to one knee): I'm sorry, dear, but you wouldn't wake up, and I wanted to talk to you! AMOS (staggers as he stands up): Looks like ya got me undivided attention now! HANNAH (smiles as she stands up): Honey, can we please do something different this year for Thanksgiving dinner? AMOS (frowns): Woman, I like what we did last year! HANNAH (sadly): But that's what we've done every year! You sleep in till noon, cook up a potful of crawdad bisk, we eat and then you spend the rest of the day in the swamp with all of your alligator buddies! AMOS (sternly): And what's wrong with that? HANNAH (smiles): Well, nothing, but we're Cano-Sapiens now! AMOS (confused): Cano what? HANNAH (smiles): Now that we're more human-like, I'd like for us to sit down to a traditional Thanksgiving meal! AMOS (sternly): Me sleepin' in and fixin' crawdad bisk IS tradition, for us! HANNAH (looking sadder): Honey, why can't we have a real Thanksgiving dinner, just this once? AMOS (grumbles): What be so grand about eating some overstuffed bird? HANNAH (looks into Amos's eyes): It's more than just the food, darling! I can remember sharing the Thanksgiving meal back when I was a puppy. When the servants would serve the meal, they would always be sure and give me a plate of turkey with some of the bones! Wow, just thinking about it makes me feel so good all over! AMOS (growls): How can you tink of your former masters? Day live in that big mansion, raise you up and den when they be tired of you, leave you tied to a tree in my swamp! It be a good ting I be dere dat day! HANNAH (holds Amos's hand): I know, dear, and I can never thank you enough for rescuing me and caring for me the way you did. But all of my memories of my former masters aren't bad. Could we please go to town today and have a turkey dinner? AMOS (smiles): It mean a lot to you, yes? HANNAH (nods): Yes, it would mean a great deal to me! AMOS (smiles): Alrighty! We go to town and have good dinner, I guarantee! HANNAH (hugs Amos, almost in tears): Thank you, thank you! AMOS (smiles): Ok, we get ready now! I not going to town in me night clothes! Amos quickly puts on a pair of bib overalls and a flannel shirt. Hannah finds a blue purse to match her dress. The two step outside and walk towards the river. Amos whistles loudly and two huge alligators come up upon the shore. AMOS (stoops down to speak to them): Hey Melvin, Orvis, would you please take us to town? The two alligators growl and turn back towards the water, each floating beside each other waiting for Amos and Hannah to step on their backs. Amos and Hannah carefully stand on them, one foot on each alligator. Hannah puts her arms around her husband's waist. AMOS (points): Ok, Melvin, Orvis, on to the city! The two alligators moan and begin to swim down the river. One hour later, Amos and Hannah arrive under a bridge near Baton Rouge. They carefully step off of the two alligators onto the shore. AMOS (stoops to talk to the alligators): I thank you for the ride, my friends! (looks at watch) Can you return for us in two hours? The two alligators moan as they slowly turn and swim away. AMOS (laughs): Dis sure be strange! Is the first time I ride a gator on two legs instead of three! HANNAH (points): Look honey! We're not far from the city! AMOS (concerned): I just tink of somethin', if we eat in a restraunt, we'll need money! HANNAH (smiles): Don't worry, I have some! The Master pays us for our services, remember? AMOS (brightens): Oh yeah! I forget! As Amos and Hannah are under the bridge talking, a blue Ford Pinto stationwagon drives over it, then pulls over to the side of the road and stops. Running towards them is a man dressed like a minister, wearing a blue suit and white collar. His name is Rev. Anders and he looks very concerned as he approaches Amos and Hannah. REV. ANDERS: Are you folks alright? AMOS (puzzled): Well, I reckon we be alright, right honey? HANNAH (smiles as she dusts off her dress): We're fine, sir, we're on our way to the city for Thanksgiving dinner, and .... REV. ANDERS (surprised): I don't see your car, how did you get here? AMOS (smiles): Melvin and Orvis brought us this far, we'll walk the rest of the way. REV. ANDERS (confused): How could someone just drop you off and leave .... oh, nevermind, it doesn't matter. Come with me, I'll take you to town! AMOS (walks towards Rev Anders): That be neighborly of ya! HANNAH (walks towards Rev Anders): Thank you so much, sir! REV. ANDERS (smiles): The name is Rev. Anders, my wife and I are heading towards the mission house, please join us! AMOS (smiles): We be gratiful! I'm Amos Doggie and this be me wife Hannah! REV. ANDERS (shakes hands): Pleased to meet both of you! Come, let's be off! Amos and Hannah get into the back seats of the Pinto, the Reverend introduces the two to his wife, Maggie, who is seated in the front. As they drive towards the city, a conversation begins... REV. ANDERS (laughs): You know, Amos, your name reminds me of a legend the locals here talk about. AMOS (smiles): Really? REV. ANDERS (giggles): Yes, they talk about a mysterious, three legged dog who roams the swamp lands! They say he can speak like a human, and that he talks to alligators! Can you believe that? AMOS (giggles): Well..... HANNAH (elbows Amos, whispers): Shhhhhhhhhh. MAGGIE: My husband tells me that you two are married, how long? HANNAH (smiles, holds Amos's hand): It'll soon be three years! MAGGIE (happy): So, you're newlyweds, huh? Alvin and I have been together for thirty years now, I sure hope your marriage is as happy as ours is! AMOS (leans over and whispers to Hannah): Am I seeing tings, or do neither of these humans notice that we're dogs? HANNAH (whispers back): It seems a bit strange, but they seem to be very nice humans! REV. ANDERS (looks in rear view mirror): Are you two new around here? I've never seen you at the mission before. HANNAH (smiles): This is the first time we've been to town. We live in Bayou country and decided to come to the city for a turkey dinner! AMOS (smiles): Yessir! It'll be better than the crawdad bisk I usually fix! REV. ANDERS (talks to himself): I thought so! They live in the Bayou, wear outdated clothes and have to eat crawdads! They must be some of the poor people heading for my mission house for our annual Thanksgiving dinner! That explains how they were dropped off under that bridge! I'll bet they haven't had a good meal in a long time! (outloud): So, Amos, what do you do for a living? AMOS: Well, I haven't done a whole lot since I had that surgery on my ... HANNAH (elbows Amos, whispers): Don't tell them that! Remember, our Road Rover identities have to be secret! REV. ANDERS (talks to himself): Poor man! He probably can't work because of his health. I saw his wife nudge him when we was going to talk about it. She's much too proud to admit that her husband is disabled. I better change the subject... (Outloud): So, Hannah, that's a very lovely dress you're wearing! HANNAH (smiles): Why, thank you, sir! A friend of mine gave it to me recently! REV. ANDERS (talks to himself): Poor lady, has to wear hand me down clothes! When we finish feeding these two, I'll take them to our thrift store! The blue Pinto pulls into an alley in the city. The four walk over to the front of the building, Amos and Hannah see the sign hanging overhead which reads 'Open Arms Mission House.' They notice a long line of people waiting to get inside. REV. ANDERS (smiles): Amos, Hannah, my wife and I have to go inside now and begin serving! Just wait in this line and soon you'll have turkey dinner with all the trimmings! HANNAH (smiles): Thank you, Reverend Anders! This is like a dream come true for me! REV. ANDERS (smiles): Glad we could help you two! Reverend Anders and his wife go into the mission through a side door. AMOS (confused): Strange custom, this must be a very good restraunt! HANNAH (bewildered): Somehow, this doesn't seem right! Most restraunts don't look like this! AMOS (grins): Hey, let's not be so hasty to judge! That Reverend guy said if we wait in this line, we'll have a turkey dinner! HANNAH (smiles): It's a good thing those nice humans brought us here! A half hour later, Amos and Hannah have moved to the front of the line. Maggie stares a moment as she hands Amos his plate of food, noticing his metalic right hand. Amos and Hannah find a place to sit down, noticing all the long tables and many, many people who are also having dinner there. At first, Amos looked a little bewildered, staring at his eating utensils. He watches Hannah use her knife and fork, and quickly mimics her behavior. AMOS (whispers to Hannah): Honey, I ain't never use these strange looking things to eat with! HANNAH (whispers back): They're called a knife and fork, darling, I used to watch my former masters use them all the time. AMOS (chews and swallows): You be right, Hannah, tis sure do beat crawdad bisk! A few minutes later, Reverend Anders and Maggie bring their plates over and sit next to Amos and Hannah. REV. ANDERS (smiles): I hope you two are enjoying your meal! AMOS (smiles): This be great! I guarantee! HANNAH (smiles): Yes, Reverend Anders, the food is delicious! Could I have some of the bones to take home with me? MAGGIE (surprised): Well....... REV. ANDERS (talking to himself): That poor woman wants to take the bones home to use them in soup! HANNAH (opens purse): Sir, where do we pay? REV. ANDERS (talking to himself): I don't believe this! This lady is so proud, she even wants to pay for her and her husbands meal! Amos is truly blessed to be married to such a fine woman! (Outloud) You don't understand, ma'am, this meal is free! HANNAH (confused); Free? MAGGIE (smiles): Yes, young lady, everyone here is eating free today! HANNAH (confused): But you and your husband have gone to a lot of trouble and work preparing this fine meal and .... MAGGIE (puts her hand on Hannah's hand): Hannah, every year we serve Thankgiving dinner to many many people like you and your husband. REV ANDERS (sadly): I hope we can continue to do this in the future HANNAH (turns to Maggie): What's your husband talking about? MAGGIE (sadly): Well, it seems that the owner of this building won't do any more maintenence to it, so the city wants to comdemn it! That means we'd have to move the mission's soup kitchen, thrift store and food pantry somewhere else. REV. ANDERS (sadly): We don't have room for all of those in our small church, and we haven't been able to find a suitable place in the city that we can afford. But, enough about our troubles, what can we do to help you two? AMOS (confused): Help us? HANNAH (smiles): This fine meal is more than I ever imagined it would be, this has been the best Thanksgiving Day that I've ever had! REV. ANDERS (smiling): Please, we want to help you even more! MAGGIE (smiling): Come with us, we'd like to show you around! Reverend Anders and his wife take Amos and Hannah into another part of the building, where the church's thrift store is. Normally closed on the holiday, they take Amos and Hannah through the store and give them shoes, pants, dresses and other items. Hannah insists on paying for the stuff but Reverend Anders refuses to take her money. Next, in another part of the building, Maggie takes them to the church's food pantry. Normally closed for the holiday, again they open it long enough to give Amos and Hannah two large sacks of canned goods. Maggie refuses Hannah's offer to pay for the items. Reverend Andres and Maggie offer to drive them home, but explaining that it's impossible for a car to get into the swamp lands, return Amos and Hannah back to the bridge where they found them. REV. ANDERS (bewildered): Are you sure your friends are coming to pick you two up? AMOS (smiles): Yes sir! I be sure! (looks at watch): It's been two hours, I'll call for them! MAGGIE (bewildered): Call for them? Amos whistles loudly and two huge alligators emerge in the swallow part of the river in front of where they're all standing. HANNAH (smiles): Thank you, Reverend Anders and Maggie, for all you've done for us, and all of these wonderful gifts! REV. ANDERS: It's our pleasure, and... (notices the alligators and screams) GATORS!!!!! AMOS (smiles): Relax, Reverend, these be friends of mine, they take us home now! MAGGIE (stuttering): Fr.......fr........friends of yours? HANNAH (smiles): Sure, say hello to Melvin and Orvis! REV. ANDERS (shocked): They are Melvin and Orvis? AMOS (laughs): Sure, they be friends of mine for long time now! HANNAH (smiles): Goodbye, and thanks again! Reverend Anders and his wife stand almost petrified as they watch Amos and Hannah carefully step on the two huge alligator's backs and drift away until they are out of sight. REV. ANDERS (still shocked): I've never seen anything like that, Maggie! MAGGIE (still shocked): God does move in mysterious ways, Alvin! As they are 'riding' Melvin and Orvis home, Amos and Hannah begin to talk about the Anders. HANNAH : Honey, those two are such nice humans, and look at all this stuff they gave us! AMOS: You're right, darling! Wish we could do a nice deed for them! HANNAH (smiles): I have an idea! Let's talk to some friends of ours about it! AMOS: You mean our Road Rover friends? HANNAH (smiles): Exactly! The scene switches back to the Open Arms Mission House, one day later. Reverend Anders and Maggie are busy cleaning the tables and mopping the floor of the kitchen area, when someone knocks on their front door. It's Jarrod Howlini, the owner of their building. MAGGIE (opens door): Mr. Howlini! What a surprise! REV. ANDERS (smiles): But the rent's not due till next week! JARROD (shakes head): I'm not here to collect any more rent, I'm here to introduce you to the new owners of this building! (motions with his hand): I'd like for you to meet Ben Maddog and Prairie Mason, attorneys at law! Through the door walks a large male collie and a large, yellow haired retriever. REV. ANDERS (surprised): But, they're dogs! BEN MADDOG (smiles): That's right, Reverend Anders, Mr Mason and I are both canines! PRAIRIE MASON (turns to Jarrod): Show them the deed! REV. ANDERS (points): Wait a minute, now I remember you two! You both served as councils during the Wanna Talk hearings last year, right? BEN MADDOG (looks around): Well, most folks don't remember our role in that piece of history PRAIRIE MASON (looks around): But we both know a good investment when we see it! REV. ANDERS (shakes head): This was not a good investment, gentlemen. The walls and windows need repair, the plumbing and wiring need major work and ..... BEN MADDOG (interrupts): And that's what my friends are here to work on! Ben and Prairie bark loudly and in through the door walk a long line of Road Rovers. There's Hunter, Colleen, Exile, Blitz, Shag, Otto, Samantha, Dylan, Dervish, Alethia, Huntress, Dawn, Cobber, Dotty, Morgan, Huntry, Ashley, DJ, Kyra, Roger Maddog and Molly Maddog. Molly stops in front of Reverend Anders. MOLLY (smiles, hands him a document): Here's your new lease! REV. ANDERS (surprised): A new lease? BEN (smiles): Yes, it's a ninety-nine year lease, my friend and at a reduced rent payment! PRAIRIE (smiles): When we told you we know a good investment when we see one, we wasn't talking about the building, we were talking about you and your lovely wife! BEN: And I've already spoken to the city council, they've agreed to put off the building inspection until we complete all the repairs! MAGGIE (shocked): All of these people look kind of like.....dogs! BEN (smiles): They are dogs, ma'am! PRAIRIE (nods): Yes, these are our friends, the Road Rovers, and all of them have volunteered to help bring this building up to code! REV. ANDERS (delighted): How can I ever thank you two for .... BEN (smiles): Don't thank me, thank Amos Doggie and Hannah! They contacted me and told me all about the wonderful things you did for them yesterday! PRAIRIE (smiles): And when Ben phone me and told me about your work here in this mission house, I agreed to help buy the building! MAGGIE (shocked): You mean, Amos and Hannah, were dogs? BEN (surprised): Didn't you two notice? REV. ANDERS (puzzled): Well, they did look kind of strange to be human. MAGGIE (nods): And when they floated down the river on the backs of two alligators! BEN (laughs): That's Amos alright! Well, Prairie and I have to return to our law offices. Keep up the good work, my friends! Ben Maddog and Prairie Mason wave goodbye as they leave the mission house. The Road Rovers get busy with all the building repairs. MAGGIE (hugs Rev Anders): It's a miracle, Alvin! REV. ANDERS (smiles): This is indeed one Thanksgiving I'll never forget! MAGGIE: I wonder if we'll ever see Amos Doggie and Hannah again. REV. ANDERS (smiles): I have a feeling we'll meet them again, darling! MAGGIE (smiles): Maybe next Thanksgiving? ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------