Punky Brewster

Episode 1.01 - Punky Finds A Home (Part 1)

Original Airdate: 16-Sep-1984

Transcribed by PunkyB_Fan for TWIZ TV.com
I do not own any of the characters in this story.




An empty appartment Window Slowly opens… a small Girl (dressed in jeans, a purple denim jacket and a red bandana tied to her leg left just above the knee) Picks up her golden retriever puppy and helps it through the window, pulls herself into the empty appartment. Picking up her puppy she sits on an empty chair in the middle of the room sets the puppy on the chair and reaches over to turn on a lamp next to the chair and sits down next to her puppy.

Punky: (talking to the puppy) Well Brandon, another day… another dollar!

Theres a knock on the apartment door, Punky rushes to it and opens it up slowly to see who it is, another girl slowly creeps inside with a small bag behind her back.

Cherie: Hi Punky!

Punky: Hi Cherie.

Outside the appartment in the hallway a Woman cries out.

Mrs. Johnson: Cherie! (She looks around) Cherie! (Getting closer to the empty appartment door she taps on it) Cherie? You in there fat butt? Cherie!

Henry: Mrs. Johnson stop yelling, (as he walks up the hallway) your not only waking the dead your making them glad their dead.

Mrs. Johnson: Henry, there might be someone in that appartment. I thought I heard a noise in there yesterday.

Henry: it’s vacant.

Mrs. Johnson: well somebody could of broken in you know. A tramp, Escaped convict… a sex maniac! Just waiting to grab a voluminous woman.

Henry looks her up and down.

Henry: You’re safe.

Back in the empty appartment

Both girls sit on the floor, Brandon lays on the chair.

Cherie: You know what Punky… You’re my idol.

Punky: I am?

Cherie: Yeah just think, you got your own appartment. You can stay up as long as you like, and you don’t have to go to school… you’re the youngest grown up I know.

Punky: Thanks Cherie. But, you’ve got something I don’t.

Cherie: What?

Punky: A family.

Cherie: Just my Grandma, and she snores like a buzz saw [she snorts]

Outside the appartment

Mrs. Johnson: And another thing, that dryer downstairs is still busted, do you know that I had to hang a clothesline from my window over to the telegraph pole… and the local hoodlums been spray painting  my underwear.

Henry: They could spray paint a novel on your underwear.

Mrs. Johnson: Henry!

Henry: Alright, alright, I’ll get the dryer fixed.

Mrs. Johnson heads back up the stairs

Mrs. Johnson: Cherie!

Back in the appartment

Cherie and Punky are by the door listening, Cherie slaps Punky on the shoulder.

Cherie: shhh

Outside the appartment

Henry opens his appartment door and goes inside, Cherie sneaks out of the door and closes it quietly leaving quickly up the stairs. Henry spots her on her way up.

Back in the empty appartment, Punky’s singing and dancing

Punky: She’s a maniac, manic on the floor! And she’s dancing like shes never danced [Henry walks in on her, she spins around] before oh… uh oh!

Henry: Who are you?

Punky: Im Punky Brewster, and who are you?

Henry: Im the manager of this building, Henry Warnimont.

Punky: Nice to meet ya Hank!

Henry: Im not a Hank, Im a Henry, what are you doing here?

Punky: My husband and I are looking for an appartment.

Henry doesn’t look impressed; Punky knows he didn’t fall for it

Henry: Ok cut the charade…

Punky: Stop! Its only far to warn you, that this is an attack dog… you come near me he’ll chew you to pieces.

Brandon licks his lips

Henry: Gimme a break, that dog couldn’t chew soup! Now let’s get back to you. Did you run away from home?

Punky keeps tight lipped

Henry: Don’t clam up on me young lady, answer the question! [He points his finger at her]

Punky: You’ll never make me say anything I don’t want to [pointing her finger at Henry] even if you shove my head in a nutcracker and [wagging her finger at him] make me eat lime a beans! [She nods her head in satisfaction]

Henry: You hungry?

Punky: Depends.

Henry: On what?

Punky: Why asking?

Henry: Im just asking.

Punky: How come?

Henry: Im curious.

Punky: How come?

Henry: Because I am.

Punky: How come!

Henry goes to grab her

Punky: Sick him! [Brandon just looks]

Henry: Look, im going to fix myself some dinner. You can join me… if you want to. [He leaves but looks over his shoulder at Punky. She stands there thinking about it.

Henry walks into his appartment and hangs his keys on a nail by the door; Punky comes out of the empty appartment with Brandon on a rope for a leash. Henry heads into his kitchen, Punky peeps her head round the corner of Henry’s appartment door and so does Brandon. They both walk through the living room and stop before opening the kitchen door.

Punky: Well Brandon, we gotta trust somebody sometime.

They go into the kitchen under the swing door

Henry: Do you want milk or juice?

Punky: What kinda juice?

Henry: ive got green just and ive got brown juice.

Punky: Whats the difference?

Henry: 2 weeks.

Punky: I’ll have milk please.

Henry: Want me to fix you a meal.

Punky: You can cook?

Henry gets out 2 microwaveable dinners out of his freezer and hits them together

Henry: Im an expert.

Punky laughs

She heads out back into the living room and over to a desk where the telephone is, she pulls her finger across it then looks at the dust on her finger

Punky: Yuck!

She then walks over to all the photographs that are on Henrys wall. Henry comes out of the kitchen with a pipe in his mouth and looks over at Punky

Punky: Did you take these pictures?

Henry: That’s my job, im a photographer.

Punky: I like them… you know why?

Henry: Why?

Punky: You can look at the people and tell how they feel.

Henry: Like I said it’s my job.

Punky sits next to Henry on the couch

Punky: you must care a lot about people.

Henry: Nope.

Punky: That’s kinda sad.

Henry: What do you know, your just a child… you havent even learnt how to match your shoes yet.

Punky: I have two different feet… why shouldn’t I wear two different shoes.

Henry: Alright… wheres your family Punky?

Punky: My father walked out on us.

Henry: Wheres your mother?

Punky: I don’t know.

Henry: You don’t know?

Punky: A couple of weeks ago my mom said we were going on a trip, so we piled up in our car and drove here to Chicago. Mom parked the car at a shopping centre and went in.

Henry: Yes?

Punky: She never came back.

Henry: Oh [looking concerned]

Punky: Maybe my Mom just forgot about me, people forget things all the time right? But one day she’ll come back for me and we’ll live happily ever after in a big mansion… with bunk beds!

Henry: Have you been living in that empty appartment all this time?

Punky: Yeah, by the way the dryer downstairs is busted.

Henry looks at her as if to say he knows

Henry: Well im going to call the police, so they can track down your mother… we cant have a little girl living in an empty appartment and you certainly cannot stay here. So I’ll call a detective friend of mine and tell him that you’re [he looks at her] asleep… Why me.

Next day at Henrys studio

An old lady sits on a chair dressed up in front of a blue backdrop; Henry is stood behind his camera ready to take her picture

Henry: All set… smile Agnes [he takes the photo]

Agnes: Oh Henry! You’re an absolute hunk! Everytime I look at you I get… I get the sweats.

Henry: Agnes! Don’t say things like that.

Agnes: I know whats holding you back, Ive been married five times and all 5 of those bozos up and died on me. But I swear, they all went with smiles on their faces.

Henry: Thank you Agnes, It’ll be ready Thursday.

Agnes: Thursday… and when will you be ready?

Henry: Im sorry Agnes, but your much too much Woman for me.

Agnes: Ok, but it’s your loss. [She leaves]

The telephone rings, Henry picks it up

Henry: Hello? Gene bout time you called back, have you found Punky’s mother yet? No… you’re a lousy detective Gene, couldn’t find a moose in a phone booth. Try your computer search system; if you can’t locate the woman by the end of the day, then I’ll bring Punky to you… Thanks bye Gene [he hangs up and puts his glasses on then sits down at his desk] Hospitals, Hospitals.

The door opens and Mrs. Johnson bursts in scaring Henry

Mrs. Johnson: Hi Henry!!

Henry: What do you want?

Mrs. Johnson: I brought you two bonified customers… [She leans out of the door and yells up the street] Girls! And remember now were sophisticated ladies.

Mrs. Johnson walks into the shop with a flaunt,   Punky follows and walks in with a posh flaunt too shes all dressed up with huge high heels on that look way too big for her feet. Cherie walks in twirling her feather boa in her hand but almost falls down the step into the shop.

Henry: I don’t have time for this, im running a business here!

Mrs. Johnson: I hate to tell you the news Henry, but aint nobody in here but us.

Henry: Im trying to track down Punky’s mother… now I want you all to vacate the premises!

Punky: Henry, were not after a freebie… were paying customers. Here is a quarter enough?

Henry: A quarter? No!

Punky: Ok I’ll give you my Mr. T whistle.

Henry: Im not gonna take your Mr. T whistle, however [he looks at the quarter and puts it in his pocket] I’ll just take one picture.

Photos pop up one by one of them all, first Cherie and Punky dressed up, Cherie and her Grandma, Punky and Mrs. Johnson. Cherie, Mrs. Johnson and Punky, then three of Punky by herself. One of Henrys grumpy face, and the last one with Punky on Henry’s shoulders as shes pulling his cheeks back to make him smile.

In Henry’s Kitchen

Punky’s doing the dishes, shes on her last one but can’t find anything to dry it with so she rubs it on her jeans. Placing it on the dish rack.

Punky: Ok the dishes are done, Hey Brandon hows the floor polishing coming along?

Brandon’s got sponges attached to his front paws with soap covered on them

Punky: You missed a few spots, but you did good. Considering you’re a dog, I know house cleanings hard work, but if were gonna stay with Henry till my mom comes back. Were gonna have to earn our keep [she pats him on the head] ok? [She pats him a second time] ok! Well lets see I think everything in heres clean… oops I forgot to wash that window [she points to the window above the sink runs over to it and turns on the tap spraying the window with the hose] ok that’s done.

Out in the appartment hallway, Henry walks up and Mrs. Johnson’s waiting for him on the stairs.

Mrs. Johnson: Hey Henry!

Henry: yes.

Mrs. Johnson: The dryer downstairs is still busted… and heres what happens when I have to dry my clothes outsides [she shows him one of her night dresses]

Henry: Julio eighty four… I see Julio knows your dress size.

Mrs., Johnson: Hey Henry.

Henry: Yes.

Mrs. Johnson: Did you find Punky’s Mother?

Henry: Not a trace, so im going to hand Punky over to the department for children and family services.

Mrs. Johnson: Well maybe they could fix it where Punky could live with you.

Henry: [laughs] that’s a good one, Punky living with me… are you serious? [Mrs. Johnson nods] but that’s impossible it would never work out. Punky’s so young, bubbly; full of life. Im old, tired and full of prunes.

Mrs. Johnson: Now look Henry, you’re all alone in this world and so is that little girl. Now it’s none of my business but I think you two would be good for each other.

In Henry’s appartment

Punky’s singing and dancing

Punky: Shes a maniac, maniac on the floor [she shakes the duster in front of Brandon whos sat on the chair, he grabs it and tugs with her] and shes dancing like shes never danced before… shes a maniac, maniac on the floor [Henry walks inside in amazement] and shes dusting like shes… Hi Henry!

Henry looks around to see the whole appartment cleaned up

Henry: what in the world possesed you to clean up my appartment?!

Punky: Whats wrong with it?

Henry: Whats wrong with it? I’ll tell you whats wrong with it, its neat, orderly, organized.

Punky: Henry theres a moldy half eaten pizza under the couch… sick!

Henry notices his pipes on the coffee table, he picks one up. Tips it upside down and detergent comes out of it

Punky: Uh oh.

Henry: You washed my pipes!

Punky: They were filthy inside!

Henry: Their supposed to be filthy inside… their pipes! Now their ruined.

Punky: The vain on your forehead is throbbing.

Henry takes off his hat and walks over to the closet

Punky: There were a few things lying around so I put most of it…

Henry opens the closet door and it all spills out

Punky: In there.

Henry: Sit down Punky.

She jumps over the arm of the couch and sits down.

The telephone rings, Henry answers it

Henry: hello! No Agnes I do not wish to go break dancing tonight! I’ll see you Thursday. Goodnight. [He hangs up]

Henry heads towards the kitchen but notices a poster stuck on the kitchen door of Michael Jackson. He looks at Punky and she nods in approval

Henry: Now look here Punky, hold it! Whats that doing there?

Punky: I found it back behind a closet, it’s a great picture.

Henry grabs it as he sits down and clutches it to his chest

Henry: Nobody sees this picture, understand? Nobody!

Punky: Who is it?

Henry: It’s my wife Claudia; she died a year after we were married.

Punky: Shes beautiful, you must miss her a lot. My Mom used to say it’s good to be reminded of the people you love.

Henry: It hurts to look at her picture.

Punky: Can I ask you something?

Henry: What!

Punky: If you ever let yourself feel sad, how do you ever feel happy?

Henry: Nevermind the subjects closed, we were talking about you anyway, and it’s obvious you want to stick around for a while, but why here with me?

Punky: I like you.

Henry: You Do?

Punky: I Know. I must be nuts! But… I think underneath your grumpy ness is… more grumpy ness. But underneath the bottom grumpy ness… is a good guy, well sorta.

Henry: Im too old and set in my ways to have a child around, im sorry you can’t stay.

Punky gets off the couch

Punky: Ok [she takes hold of Brandon’s leash] Bye.

Henry: Hold it, you’ll stay here then tomorrow morning I’ll take you down to the department for children and family services.

Punky: what’ll happen to me there?

Henry: They’ll find you a foster home.

Punky: But I don’t even know the fosters.

Henry: Punky.

Punky: Im leaving [she opens the door]

Henry: Hold it!

Punky: You know, I must be a terrible person. First my father leaves, then my Mother ditches me. Now you’re trying to get rid of me, nobody wants me around. [She hangs her head down] Well that’s ok cause I don’t need anybody I can take care of myself. [She closes the door and leaves with Brandon]

Henry: Punky! Come back here... Punky! [He rushes out the door to find her]

Sometime passes and it starts to rain, Henry walks up the hallway sopping wet, he walks back into his appartment and takes the picture of him and Punky out of the paper bag he looks at it. Then sets it down on the desk by the phone, he then looks at the picture of his wife and sets it next to the picture of him and Punky. He heads of to bed when the kitchen door swings open

Punky: Hi Henry!

Henry turns around and looks angry at her

Henry: Punky!

Punky: I thought it out, im gonna give you one more chance.

Henry: I was out for three and a half hours looking for you, where have you been?

Punky: Right here! It was raining outside… im surprised you went out looking for me. You said you didn’t care about people.

Henry: Go to bed! [Pointing to the couch]

Punky: Ok [she bounces on the couch, lies down and Henry covers her with a blanket]

Punky: Henry… do I have to leave tomorrow, are you taking me down to the department for children?

Henry: I have to… but I’ll try and arrange it so you can stay here till we find your Mother.

Punky: Thanks Henry… Night!

Henry: Goodnight… Sweet dreams.

Henry turns off the light and heads off to bed

Punky shoots upright on the couch

Punky: YIPPEE!

Henry: QUIET!

Punky: [whispering] yippee! [She lays back down… then gets up to say a prayer] uh god… its me Punky… Brewster! Could you please! Please help me find my Mom and really quick, and in the meantime thanks for sending me Henry. When he takes me down to the service department for children, will you give me a sign that everythings gonna be alright?

[Theres a loud crash of thunder and light outside]

Punky looks confused

Punky: Is that a yes or a no?

                  TO BE CONTINUED…

                                   

END OF SHOW