Season 1, Episode 13 (Season Finale)

INT. TULSEN FLAT – DAY

Mi places a game of pin-the-tail-on-the-donkey on the refrigerator.

Mi lays a blindfold on the table and paints paste on one side. She hides the paste in the pantry.

Mi smirks and goes outside.

Shiro, Xena, & Mayla walk into the room. They all the game on the fridge.

SHIRO: I wonder what that’s doing there.

Shiro sees the blindfold.

MAYLA: Do you think Calif drew that?

SHIRO (picks up blindfold): I think it’s pin-the-tail-on-the-donkey. Boy, that takes me back.

XENA: What is it?

SHIRO: It’s an old party game. I didn’t know they still played it. The point is to take the tail and put it on the donkey while blindfolded. You want to try to come as close to the donkey’s rear as you can. Want me to show you?

XENA: Sure.

Mayla grabs the tail of the donkey. Shiro ties the blindfold on himself.

Mayla hands Shiro the tail.

SHIRO: Spin me about three times.

Mayla spins Shiro three times.

Shiro stumbles his way towards the fridge. He bumps into the table.

Shiro feels for the fridge. He touches it, finds a good spot, and places the tail. The tail is on the donkey’s head.

Mayla & Xena giggle at the donkey.

MAYLA: He has a third ear now.

SHIRO: Not an easy game, huh?

XENA: It’s silly.

SHIRO (untie blindfold): Want to try?

Xena mumbles a yes.

SHIRO: Well, then-

Shiro tries to pull the blindfold off. It doesn’t come off. Shiro tries harder. It still won’t come off.

MAYLA: Dad?

Shiro struggles to pull the blindfold off.

SHIRO: It’s stuck!

Mayla tries to help Shiro get the blindfold off.

SHIRO: OWOWOWOWOWOWOW!

Mayla falls onto the table. She feels the sticky surface.

MAYLA: Dad, I think there’s glue on it.

SHIRO: WHAT!

EXT. TULSEN FLAT – DAY

Mi leads Ni into the place.

NI: Are you sure it’s an awesome game?

MI: Oh, you’ll love it.

Mi opens the door.

INT. TULSEN FLAT - DAY

Mi & Ni walk in. Mi sees Shiro wearing the blindfold. She is shocked by the sight.

NI: Is this the game you were talking about?

Kobai & Calif walk into the living room.

KOBAI: What is all the commotion for?

Kobai observes Shiro trying to take the blindfold off.

MI: Uh, dad- Why are you wearing that…?

SHIRO: It’s stuck to my face!

MI (slowly backing out): Oh, that’s terrible. Maybe I can get something to help take it off?

Door slams behind Mi.

Mi looks over at Kobai.

Kobai gazes at Mi.

KOBAI: I believe the culprit has returned to the scene of the crime.

SHIRO: Mi.

Mi cowers down. An ominous shadow of Shiro overlooks Mi.

SHIRO (menacing): Would you care to explain?

MI: I-I was only going to do Ni. I swear. I wasn’t planning on putting it on anyone else.

SHIRO (menacing): What did you do?

MI: The paste is in the pantry. Middle shelf. I was just going to prank Ni. That’s it.

Kobai grabs the paste and looks at the label.

KOBAI: That’s not good. This is industrial strength. Did you buy it from those guys on Park Street?

MI: They were arrested last week. I bought it at a small store somewhere in town. Who buys industrial strength at an office supply store?

Kobai raises her hand.

MI: No need to gloat about it.

SHIRO: How long will it take to get this off?

KOBAI: I don’t know this brand. I’ll need to test it to see-

SHIRO: How long will that take?

KOBAI: All day.

SHIRO: That’s too long. I have to be at work in half an hour.

XENA: How about you take the day off?

SHIRO: I can’t. It’s payday and I have a bill I need to pay before tomorrow.

MAYLA: Can’t one of us get it for you?

KOBAI: The shop is in the Praires. The legal work just to acquire proper pay in that area is already hard enough if you consider larceny rates a factor into those measures.

SHIRO: Not to mentioned unnoticed crimes-

CUT TO

Calif belly snacking.

SHIRO (beat): Just because I can’t see you doesn’t mean I can’t hear you. (beat) There’s only one thing to do. Kobai, you & Mi try to figure out how to get this off.

KOBAI (flies to back): Roger.

SHIRO: Mayla, Ni, I need you two to guide me to work.

MAYLA: Then what?

SHIRO: You two stay with me until after my shift.

NI: You’re still planning to work at a place where you place extremely sharp scissors next to people’s heads!?

SHIRO: No arguing. Just take my hand and get me there.

Mayla grabs Shiro by the hand and leads him out the flat.

Ni grabs Shiro’s bag and follows.

XENA (to Mi): How were you planning to take it off Ni?

MI: Blast her face. I don’t think Dad could handle that.

EXT. HAIR SALON – DAY

Ni & Mayla guide Shiro to into the shop.

NI: Nice place.

MAYLA: Have you never been here before?

INT. HAIR SALON – DAY

Lashanda, working at the counter, sees a blindfolded Shiro lead by two girls into the shop.

LASHANDA: Shiro, what’s going on here? And why are you wearing a blindfold?

NI: Hi. I’m Ni, that’s Mayla, and the blindfolded man here is my Dad.

MAYLA: Hello, Ms. Lashanda.

LASHANDA: Nice to see you again, Mayla. (to Shiro) Um, Shiro, can I get an explanation sometime this week?

SHIRO: That will be quicker than the punishment that my other daughter is going to get for this.

Lashanda has heard this story before.

LASHANDA: I take it these two are the more well-behaved.

SHIRO (points at Ni): This one is half-and-half.

Ni wonders how Shiro saw her.

LASHANDA: Look, Shiro, I know how good you are, but I don’t think our customers are going to want to have their hair done by a man who can’t see.

SHIRO: I did one while having to review a receipt. I can handle one day without my eyes.

LASHANDA: That doesn’t-

SHIRO: Ni, take me over to my workspace.

NI: Roger.

Ni drags Shiro over to his station. Mayla stands at the front entrance. Lashanda worries for the shop.

SHIRO: Put my back on the small stand. Open it.

Ni puts the bag on the stand. Peter comes over.

PETER: Shiro. What are you doing with a blindfold on?

SHIRO: I have parenting problems.

PETER: That doesn’t answer my question.

NI: Hi. I’m Ni. Are you the desperate guy who works here?

Peter balls up in a corner.

PETER: My life is ruined.

Shiro places his scissors, brushes, and clippers on his side. Mayla & Lashanda worried for what is going to happen.

Ni holds a can of hair spray. She accidentally sprays herself.

INT. TULSEN FLAT – DAY

A few strips of cloth lay on the floor. A few mannequin heads are set up. Kobai covers one of the strips in paste. Mi, Xena, & Calif watch her.

KOBAI: That should do it.

Kobai ties the cloth on the mannequin head.

KOBAI (CONT’D): Now then, we wait for the paste to dry and then try something out. Fortunately, this shouldn’t take long.

XENA: What are going to use?

KOBAI: Well-

MI: Uh! Let’s just do what I planned to do.

Mi heats up.

KOBAI: Hold up, any experiment should not-

Mi sets the mask on fire. The head is engulfed in a ball of flames.

Mi looks at the burning head worried even for Ni at this point.

Kobai stares at the burning head.

The mask burns up and the paste melts onto the head.

KOBAI (walks off): And that’s why we test.

INT. HAIR SALON – DAY

A busy Saturday at the salon. Every station except Shiro’s has a client. Mayla helps out by sweeping the hair.

CASSANDRA: You don’t have to do that, Mayla.

MAYLA: I don’t want to stay here all day and not be useful.

CASSANDRA: That’s sweet of you.

PETER: How old are you?

MAYLA: 14.

PETER: When you turn 15, you should get your dad to get you a job here.

Mayla picks up a dustpan full of hair. She turns to see Ni with a big, wavy hair style. Ni does not look happy. Mayla stares at her sister’s new look.

MAYLA: Uh… Are you trying a new style?

NI: I hope I never get my hair like this ever again.

WOMAN (O.S.): What do you mean it will be another 15 minutes?

At the counter, a woman argues with Lashanda.

LASHANDA: Ma’am, all of our stylist are already working. It shouldn’t take too long-

WOMAN: I have been waiting three days to get mine worked on. I have a party I need to get to & I can’t get the right look.

LASHANDA: I understand, but-

WOMAN (points): What about him?

Lashanda sees that the woman has spotted Shiro.

LASHANDA: Actually, he-

The woman storms to Shiro’s station. Everyone else in the shop watches.

The woman plants herself in his seat, not noticing Shiro’s blindfold.

WOMAN (closes eyes): Listen, I have a party tonight and I want something to make me look 20 years younger and I only have 5 minutes. How fast do you think you can get it done?

Everyone in the shop watches.

SHIRO: Is this a fancy party?

WOMAN: Not really, but I know Bernice Wendelton will be there and she shows me up every time.

Ni starts to take some interest.

Shiro stands over his client. Everyone in the shop shutters at what could possibly happen.

Shiro whips out two scissors.

SNIP SNIP SNIP SNIP Shiro violently dances through the woman’s hair with both grace and power.

Everyone in the shop can’t believe what they are seeing.

Shiro trades the scissors for combs.

WHOOSH WHOOSH WHOOSH Shiro combs the woman’s hair like he did with the scissors.

Ni is amazed at what her dad is doing. Mayla is awed by the artistry her dad is putting on.

Hair blows on the ground from the force Shiro is releasing.

Shiro puts his tools back in his belt.

SHIRO: What do you think?

WOMAN (eyes closed): “What do I think?” (eyes open) It hasn’t been-

The woman looks in the mirror to see her hair has been glamorized beyond belief within just a short time.

WOMAN: Spectacular. (turns around) How-

Woman turns to see the blindfolded Shiro.

WOMAN (beat): You did this?

SHIRO: Is it not good enough?

WOMAN: No. No, it’s- it’s more than I was expecting. (gets up) Thank you.

The woman goes to pay. The entire store is shocked. Ni is amazed. Mayla is awed.

SHIRO: Anyone else?

Maki drops a brush. She goes to pick it up.

INT. TULSEN FLAT – DAY

Xena picks up a pasted cloth and hands it to Kobai.

Kobai ties the blindfold to a mannequin head. Calif takes notes.

KOBAI: Paste Removal Experiment No. 24. Material in use: hot water.

Mi holds a pot of boiling water.

MI: It took you 24 tries to come to this?

Xena grabs a towel.

KOBAI: My original hypothesis was to use heat to slowly melt away the adhesive but after seeing how well-down our first head went I wanted to find a safer option.

MI (put pot down): No, you should have gone with THE FASTER OPTION.

Xena soaks the towel.

KOBAI: You say that as if it’s a bad thing.

Xena wraps the towel above the blindfold on the mannequin.

MI (heads to back): UH! I can’t do this without chocolate.

Mi leaves the living room.

INT. HAIR SALON – DAY

Lunch break. Maki, Cassandra, Peter, Mayla, & Ni enjoy lunch together.

PETER: So what’s it like to have six sisters?

MAYLA: It can be stressful at times.

NI: But it’s never boring.

PETER: I had a sister once, but my parents split. My dad got my sister & I stayed with my mom. I don’t even know if she’s alive.

MAYLA: That sounds painful.

NI: What about you, Miiiiiiiis Maki?

MAKI: Only child.

NI (overdramatic): Oh. The agony. The pain. The loneliness. I am here to fill the void in your heart.

MAKI: I don’t mind. I got everything I wanted.

CASSANDRA: That explains a lot.

MAYLA: What about you, Ms. Cassandra?

CASSANDRA: I was also an only child, but my mother was disciplined enough not to cave in to my every request.

MAKI: Do you want to fight?

CASSANDRA: I’m surprised there isn’t more with the way children are being raised today. (to Ni & Mayla) Though Shiro seems to be a better dad than I expected, especially considered that night me & Dave came over.

MAYLA: We’re sorry about that.

CASSANDRA: It’s all right. I’ve had similar tiffs with my boys before. And I can tell that Shiro handled it well.

Mayla & Ni feels the sentiment in the air.

MAKI: The blindfold is a testament to that.

PETER: Speaking of which, does he even know what time it is?

On the floor, Shiro handles customer after customer with grace, speed, and ferocity.

MAKI: Eh. Let the hair maniac do his thing. I bet he eats its after work.

MAYLA: I cook all our meals at home, and I know that Dad does not eat hair.

Maki pulls out her phone.

MAKI: Clearly you can’t take a joke. Or have a daddy complex.

NI: Now I’m glad Dad isn’t dating you.

Lashanda walks in guiding Shiro.

MAKI: The floor cleared again?

LASHANDA: More like someone broke our rule.

MAYLA: What rule?

CASSANDRA: A personal rule Shiro is supposed to follow.

PETER: It happened a few years ago. He did fifty hair jobs in one hour. If you think what’s happening now is amazing, you should have seen the first time.

LASHANDA (sits Shiro down): And now he did it without his eyes and has cleared up our appointments for the next hour.

MAKI: No complaints here.

NI: Isn’t that a good thing?

SHIRO: I know I have the day off tomorrow and, quite frankly, I want to get home & see if my other girls have found out how to get this off my face.

LASHANDA: How about I pay you now & you can take the rest of the day off?

MAYLA: Maybe Kobai has found a solution?

INT. TULSEN FLAT – DAY

KOBAI (on phone): No.

INT. HAIR SALON – DAY

Mayla, on the phone, is not comfortable with the answer.

INT. TULSEN FLAT – DAY

Kobai is on the phone. Mi lays on the couch eating her chocolate ducks. Calif & Xena stare at a mannequin.

MAYLA (O.S.): Are you close?

KOBAI (on phone): Possibly. It might be another hour or two.

INT. HAIR SALON – DAY

Mayla grows wary of the day.

KOBAI (O.S.): Tell Dad he does not need to rush back. Take his time.

MAYLA (on phone): Oh believe me, he’s in no hurry at all.

KOBAI (O.S.): I will call once I have found a successful solution. See you then.

Kobai hangs up. Mayla holds the phone with uncertainty. Everyone waits for Mayla’s answer.

MAYLA: Does anyone need anything?

Maki gets up & leaves.

INT. TULSEN FLAT – DAY

Kobai hangs the phone up.

The room’s temperature rises unusually. Mi heats the entire room. Calif & Xena lie on the ground melting. A mannequin with a mask sits next to Mi.

KOBAI: What are you doing?

MI: This isn’t a solution?

Paste drips off the mannequin.

KOBAI: That seems viable, but we need to do more testing to see if this is the solution.

Mi gets mad raising the temperature faster.

INT. HAIR SALON – DAY

Shiro continues to cut hair at a regular pace. His skills with a pair of scissors is not dulled by his lack of vision.

Mayla & Ni watch their dad continue his work. They are still surprised how committed Shiro is to his work.

MAYLA: Lashanda? How long has dad worked here?

LASHANDA: He started here about 13 years ago…

FLASHBACK

INT. HAIR SALON (13 YEARS AGO) – DAY

A 20-year-old Shiro at a job interview with a younger Lashanda. Lashanda has a resume in her hands and doubt on her face. Shiro shows no expression.

LASHANDA (gazes at resume): I see you are going for a degree in cosmetology. And you lived on a farm.

Lashanda goes through Shiro’s resume.

LASHANDA (CONT’D): It says here you are still in school. Are you coming here looking for a job for a course?

SHIRO: I am looking for a job to pay for rent. This has nothing to do with college.

Lashanda returns to the resume.

LASHANDA (puts down resume): Have you had any practically experience?

SHIRO: I’ve done my sisters when I was seven until she moved out.

Lashanda has the perfect test for Shiro.

LASHANDA: I have a client in the back. Do you think you can show me what you can do?

SHIRO: Ma’am, isn’t this a bit unorthodox?

LASHANDA: I’m sick of people who are all talk. I want to see what you can do.

Shiro sees a challenge approaching.

FLASHBACK INTERRUPTED

INT. HAIR SALON – DAY

NI: So, what happened? What happened?

LASHANDA: He gave an amazing haircut on a very hard case.

NI: What? A bird caught in someone’s hair? A cranky criminal? A rabid dog?

FLASHBACK

INT. HAIR SALON (13 YEARS AGO) – DAY

Shiro cuts a rambunctious five-year-old boy’s hair. The boy keeps moving around in his seat, but Shiro handles the situation with a level head.

LASHANDA (V.O.): A five-year-old boy that wouldn’t sit still.

END FLASHBACK

INT. HAIR SALON – DAY

Ni looks perplexed. Mayla looks over at her dad diligently doing his job, feeling as if something is missing.

EXT. HAIR SALON – EVENING

Lashanda locks up. Peter, Cassandra, Maki, Shiro, Ni, & Mayla stand outside.

MAKI (stretching): Man. I can’t wait to get home. I feel like I’m covered in hair.

PETER: It was nice to meet you, Ni.

MAYLA: Have we met before?

PETER: It has been a while, hasn’t it? It was nice to too you again, Mayla.

Mayla smiles.

SHIRO: I hate to rush but I would like to see again.

CASSANDRA: Go. Get home. Don’t stand around here waiting for us.

Mayla grabs Shiro by the hand. Mayla, Shiro, & Ni head out.

NI: Nice to meet you all.

Peter, Cassandra, & Lashanda waves Ni, Mayla, & Shiro off.

EXT. SIDEWALK – DAY

Ni gallivants in front of Mayla guiding Shiro.

NI: Dad, you were awesome. I mean you just zooped, whizzzz, whoosh. It was amazing. Truly a master shearer.

MAYLA: Why are you so good?

Shiro thinks about that question.

SHIRO: I guess it’s because of you girls.

NI: Because you practice on us?

SHIRO: Because I have to feed myself & six other mouths. Any job you take can be taken from you. It’s not a guaranteed life. I’m this good because of you girls. I don’t want to see any of you on streets again.

Mayla & Ni are amazed at how much Shiro puts into their family.

INT. TULSEN FLAT – DAY

Shiro sits on a chair. Mi holds her head near Shiro’s face. Xena holds a wet rag & a bucket. Paste melts down Shiro’s face.

Shiro takes the blindfold off.

Xena hands Shiro the rag. Shiro cleans his face off & opens his eyes. Mayla is relieved, Calif, Xena, & Ni are glad.

CALIF: You’re better.

MI: See, heat. And we wasted all that time doing those experiments.

KOBAI: And who would jump on to your conjecture after you caused this debacle?

MI: It was an accident.

SHIRO: That doesn’t change the fact that you were going to put this on someone, even if it is Ni.

MI: But-

SHIRO (flings blindfold on Mi): Starting tomorrow, you will be on cleaning duty for a month.

Mi burns the blindfold & storms off to her room.

KOBAI (grabs a book): Predictable reaction.

Kobai flies onto the ceiling & reads.

NI: Hey Dad, do you think you can get something else stuck to your face so we can walk you to work today?

SHIRO: Ni, why would I want to do that again?

NI: So we can see you do your super cutting. WHOOSH WHOOSH. CLIP CLIP CLIP. Za-POW!

Ni pulls a cool finishing pose.

SHIRO: You can come over anytime when you’re not supposed to be in school. I think Lashanda will let all of you stay if you’ll clean up the hair on the floor.

Mayla smirks. She heads into kitchen.

MAYLA: Well, I better get started on dinner. Any request?

SHIRO (gets up): Chef’s choice. (heads to back) I’m going to pay that bill.

Shiro leaves the living room. Mayla starts cooking.

Ni heads to Mayla.

NI: Need some help? (Mayla surprised) You can teach me, right?

MAYLA (smiling): Sure.

Ni helps Mayla with the cooking. Xena & Calif run over.

XENA: Can we help?

MAYLA (overjoyed): Sure.

Xena & Calif help with the cooking.

NI: Kobai, come join us.

Kobai looks down from the ceiling to encounter four smiling faces staring at her.

Kobai closes her book.

KOBAI: Very well. (comes down) Don’t become too happy. I am saving you all the trouble of coaxing an unarmed opponent. (comes over) I know when I am outmatched.

Kobai joins her sisters.

Mayla, Ni, Calif, Kobai, & Xena make dinner together.

FADE OUT