Ishine Knect is a Tween sitcom seen weekly by almost a million viewers on TBN, JCTV and Smile of a Child network. I co-wrote the sitcom element also known as the "Club iShine" part of the show. We wrote 13 episodes, but only had 12 filmed as production ran over time. The entire season was filmed over three weeks at the TBN studios in Nashville.
You can stream the entire series now on Amazon Prime.
You can stream the entire series now on Amazon Prime.
Episode 4 - Mission Commission
by
Alan Tregoning
INT. CAFE - DAY The Rubyz struggle to wheel in a dolly loaded with boxes of canned food. They finally make it to the counter. Troy looks over the groceries with suspicion. CAMMIE Here you go. CAMMIE From our show last night. TROY You played a show in a grocery store? ALEXIS No. TROY You got paid in groceries? CAMMIE No, They're for Mr Bridges. TROY Is he paying me in groceries? MR BRIDGES (O.S.) Only if you want me to. Mr Bridges walks over and inspects the boxes. MR BRIDGES Wow, looks like you had a good show. ALEXIS We have more cases outside. MR BRIDGES Awesome. Alexis and Cammie head out to get more food. TROY Mr Bridges, there's a crazy rumor flying around that you're turning the cafe into a grocery store. Do you care to comment? MR BRIDGES Don't worry Troy, the cafe's safe. The Rubyz played a show last night and charged a can of food for admission. They're donating these to the local food bank. TROY Well that does make sense--what is that?!? Troy grabs a can of food from the pile. TROY Frank and beans! In the same can. Why was I not informed? That is genius. Can I have these? MR BRIDGES Are you homeless or in need? TROY I'm in need of frank and beans. Troy pleads for his frank and beans. MR BRIDGES I don't think so. Troy replaces the can. TROY Yeah, you're probably right. Jonnie and Brookie walk in carrying their guitar cases. JONNIE Two lattes. BROOKIE Sugar free. JONNIE Non fat. BROOKIE Half caff. JONNIE No whip. BROOKIE No foam. JONNIE AND BROOKIE To go. TROY Wow, that's so weird. JONNIE What? TROY When you finish each others sentences like that. It's like you're sisters or something. BROOKIE Something like that. JONNIE And can you hurry, we need to get to the hospital. TROY Oh no! Did Noah fall off the stage again? BROOKIE Not that I know of. JONNIE We go down there once a month and play a free show for the kids. BROOKIE It's a cool way to minister to people. Jonnie and Brookie grab their drinks and leave. TROY You guys are awesome. Troy is lost in thought for a moment. MR BRIDGES Troy? What's up? TROY It's like everyone has this cool ministry they do. Except for me. And Jasmine. Where is she anyway? MR BRIDGES Serving meals at the homeless shelter. TROY Argh, of course she is. And the Mission Six guys? MR BRIDGES Building a habitat home. TROY Jamie-Grace? MR BRIDGES Retirement home. TROY I'm a failure. MR BRIDGES Why do you say that? TROY I don't have a cool ministry like that. MR BRIDGES Well why don't you just pray and ask God to show you an opportunity where you can help others. TROY You sir, are like frank and beans. Genius. INT. CAFE - LATER Jasmine and Jamie-Grace sit at the counter. Troy walks in from the kitchen dressed for the beach. Hawaiian shirt, sunglasses, etc. TROY (bad Australian accent) G'day sheilas, fair dinkum it's a no worries kind of day 'eh mate? JASMINE It's like he's speaking, but the words make no sense. JAMIE-GRACE What are you doing? TROY Just practicing, for my mission trip. Troy slides a travel brochure across the counter. JASMINE Cool! JAMIE-GRACE Where you going? TROY A six day, seven night snorkeling adventure on the great barrier reef. That would be in Australia. JASMINE That would be a vacation. TROY I believe the Australians call it a "holiday". JAMIE-GRACE You really think that's a mission trip? TROY Yep, I thought I could find Nemo, and then he could find Jesus. JASMINE Troy, you know a mission trip is not a vacation, right? TROY Yeah. It's not? JAMIE-GRACE No, a mission trip is about giving up your vacation. JASMINE To help those that are less fortunate. TROY Australian's are less fortunate. All those snakes and spiders and those giant, shrimp, on the barbie, covered in butter. Yummy. JASMINE Yeah, sorry but the "Paradise Lagoon Resort and Spa" does not really qualify as less fortunate. TROY OK, you're right. I guess I could go with my back-up. JAMIE-GRACE What was that? Troy holds up a pair of skis. TROY Skiing on the Swiss alps. The hills are alive with the sound of Jesus. Yodel-ay yodel-ay yodel-ay heee hooo. JAMIE-GRACE No. TROY African safari? JASMINE No. TROY International space station? The girls just shake their head. TROY OK, fine. So where can I go? JASMINE I dunno, Romania. JAMIE-GRACE Somalia. TROY Peoria. JASMINE South Africa? TROY Illinois. JAMIE-GRACE Illin-no. TROY OK fine, I'll show you. I'm going to find the most remotest most neediest most unillinoist place ever to go on my mission trip. JASMINE Cool. TROY Do either of you have a map of the world and some darts I can borrow? INT. CAFE - LATER Jasmine and Jamie-Grace are seated at a table. Troy rushes in carrying a globe. TROY I got it! I got it! Troy sets the globe in the middle of the table and gives it a spin. TROY Check it out. Troy stops the globe by pointing his finger at a spot near the North Pole. TROY Zambonia. JASMINE Sounds...made up. JAMIE-GRACE Does anyone even live up there? TROY A thousand-year old tribe descended from Canadian pond hockey players. JASMINE They're Canadian? TROY Zambonian. Apparently they got lost when a blizzard blew in during a game and, well, let's just say they're still in overtime. JAMIE-GRACE They played hockey a thousand years ago? TROY They're a society completely devoid of teeth. JASMINE Ewww. TROY And their only form of communication is through referee hand signals. JAMIE-GRACE Do you speak...referee? TROY Do I speak referee? Troy responds via hockey referee hand signals. Hooking, interference, high sticking, holding, cross checking. JASMINE Looks like you've got it all figured out. JAMIE-GRACE When are you leaving? TROY As soon as I book my flight. Troy goes to the counter and dials the phone. TROY (on phone) Hello, yes, this is missionary Troy and I'd like to book a ticket to Zambonia...really, that much huh?...Anything cheaper in the back?...No?...Fold down wooden seats?...No?...How about the cargo hold? Hello? Troy hangs up. JASMINE Problem? TROY Well, once you factor in the cost of the charter flight, taxes, security fee, snowmobile insurance, sled dog rental. JAMIE-GRACE How much? TROY Twenty-three thousand dollars. JAMIE-GRACE Yikes. JASMINE How much do you have? Troy checks his wallet. TROY Eleven dollars and thirty seven cents. And a coupon for a free game of bowling, shoe rental included. JAMIE-GRACE So what are you going to do? Troy thinks for a moment, then... TROY Can I borrow twenty two thousand nine hundred and eighty eight dollars and sixty three cents? JASMINE I have five. JAMIE-GRACE I have the sixty three cents. TROY Hmmmm. Troy holds up the bowling coupon. TROY (to cafe) Any takers for a twenty three thousand dollar game of bowling? Crickets chirp. TROY Did I mention shoe rental is included? INT. CAFE - LATER Troy is behind the counter putting up a fund-raising thermometer sign titled "Save the Zambonians". Mr Bridges is loading up the food for the food pantry. MR BRIDGES So how's the fund-raising coming along? TROY Well as you can see from my handy thermometer here our goal is twenty three thousand dollars. Our current total is... Troy whistles his finger down to the bottom of the sign. TROY ...less Than that. MR BRIDGES Fund-raising can be tough, especially in this economy. TROY Well, luckily I have a few unconventional ideas to help move things along. Jonnie approaches the counter with her bill in hand. JONNIE Um Troy, I have a question about my bill. TROY Sure, what's up? JONNIE Well all I got was a salad and an ice water, but my bill is for over a thousand dollars. TROY Really, well let me take a look. Troy takes the bill and looks it over. TROY Ok, you see right here you have your salad, and here's your water, that was free. Sales tax is here. Tip goes here, I see you left it blank, but you can fill that in later. And down here is the ah, missions surcharge, which as you can see is a thousand dollars. Jonnie stares at him in disbelief. TROY I tell you what, why don't we just ah, forget the tip on this one and it's cool. MR BRIDGES Let me take care if this. Mr Bridges takes the bill from Troy's hand. Jonnie leaves shaking her head. TROY Hey! MR BRIDGES Troy, you can't be slapping on a thousand dollars to each bill to pay for your mission trip. TROY You think five hundred's more reasonable? No. TROY How about a twelve month advance on my pay? Not a chance. TROY Do you like bowling? MR BRIDGES Troy! TROY But, it's for a good cause right? MR BRIDGES That's not the point. TROY But I've only raised... (checks thermometer) One hundred and seventy seven dollars. That's it? MR BRIDGES That's great. TROY How can I help anyone for a hundred and seventy seven dollars? MR BRIDGES There's a lot I can think of. TROY Well, forget it then. If I can serve others then what's the point. Troy takes the fund-raising thermometer and tosses it in the trash. INT. CAFE - DAY A pouty Troy sits at the counter rolling a hockey puck back and forth between his hands. Jasmine cautiously approaches and offers Troy a coin. JASMINE Here, I found a quarter behind the couch cushions. TROY The Zambonian International Missionary fund is closed for business. JASMINE But who will provide teeth for those little Zambonian children? TROY I'm sure God has a plan for them. It just doesn't include me. JASMINE So what are you doing with the money? TROY I guess I'll have to give it back. JASMINE So why did you want to go on a mission trip anyway? TROY You guys do all this cool ministry stuff and I guess I just wanted an opportunity to help others too. JASMINE You don't need to go on a mission trip for that. TROY But I could never build a homeless food pantry for retired sick kids. JASMINE I don't know about that, but you could come with me and serve meals at the shelter, right? TROY Well I do have some experience in the food service industry. JASMINE What about building a house. Troy makes a house shape with his hands then caves it in with a loud crash. TROY (as trapped people) Ahhh, help me. Why Troy, why? JASMINE OK, but you can visit a hospital, or stock a pantry, right? That catches Troy's attention. TROY You ma'am, are a genius. Troy runs out the door. CUT TO: LATER Mr Bridges is at the counter. Troy struggles to wheel in a dolly loaded with food. He finally makes it to the counter. Mr Bridges eyes the food with suspicion. MR BRIDGES You know we have food in the kitchen? TROY It's not for the kitchen. It's for the food pantry. Troy grabs a can from one of the boxes. TROY One hundred and seventy five dollars worth of Frank and beans. Oh snap. MR BRIDGES Fantastic, but isn't that your mission trip money? TROY Yeah, but it turns out there's lots of ways to help others right here in town. MR BRIDGES So no Zambonians? TROY When God opens that door I'm ready to go, but until then-- Troy pats the boxes of food. TROY I'm going to serve him faithfully right here doing the little things. Including a brand new ministry I'm starting up. MR BRIDGES Cool what? Troy holds up the bowling coupon. TROY Bigger brother bowling. Shoe rental included. FADE OUT.