SuaveStar Posted September 9, 2008 Report Share Posted September 9, 2008 When doing my graded unit, I wrote a script called Dear Diane. The story started as a man in love with a problem page writer, and trying to find her. The story was originally a comedy, but after not being able to come up with any ideas i decided to make the idea more realistic and this is what came out. Please say what you think. I am hoping to rewrite this in some time in October when I have time, please tell me, if you read this what you liked, if anything, and what you hated. Thanks. SCENE 1: EXT: A PANNING SHOT OF THE CITY. We open on a panning shot of the city, children are playing and people are happy, the streets are safe. We then go up a city skyscraper. Scene 2: INT: AN OFFICE COMPLEX A woman is looking out the window, she smiles. In the background we hear a man shouting. BUSINESS MAN Dammit we must counteract this problem, the crime rate is now at a twenty year high! It is triple what it was five years ago and seven times higher than it was ten years ago, what is going wrong? Their are six other people talking amongst themselves unable to come up with ideas. BUSINESS MAN (CONT'D) Dammit! We are the organizations of health, crime and security. I am in a room with seven of the top thinkers this country has to offer, and that is all you can come up with “I don’t know” you people make me sick! Come on does anyone have anything.... One person puts their hand up. We see this person from behind the chair we do not see their face. ANONYMOUS WOMAN I have an idea, what if we.... CUT TO: SCENE 2: EXT: OUTSIDE THAT OFFICE COMPLEX We are shown a graphic of a breaking news story we then see the reporter come into shot, his name is STAN STEVENS STAN STEVENS Hello, my name is Stan Stevens and I here with late breaking news. We all know the World Health Interests Consulting Hierarchy or W.H.I.C.H for short and that they are the only line of defence between our country and total madness. This group of seven individuals plucked from the very best fields from around the country are responsible for all decisions such as tax, benefits and health. Well today the group is introducing their most extreme measure yet, we are waiting on word on what this new order titled “subject X” will entail but we do know it has been in the planning to curb crime for months. Oh wait! Theirs a member now. It’s the leader Steven Harbers, he is giving a statement, lets see what he has to say. A man walks out of the office building and holds a clipboard in front of him, the mans name is STEVEN HARBERS, he is the leader of which. STEVEN My fellow countrymen, we live in a very harsh time, what with crime being so bad some are afraid to leave their homes, others no longer afraid of the crime, now have become criminals themselves,this must stop and we at which, have realized how to get the good citizens out of their homes and back to work were they belong, and the criminals off of our streets permanently. The crowd around him cheers, they are happy about what he is saying. STEVEN (CONT'D) Thank you. What we at which have thought threw and have officially approved is the declassification of all Emotion-enhancing drugs. The crowd, no longer cheers and are in a stunned silence. STEVEN (CONT'D) Before you judge us on just that, please my comrades let me finish, this state is about you. We would not pass a decision without first consulting you, we ask who here has been a victim of some form of crime? Two people put their hands up. STEVEN (CONT'D) Yes, and how many of you, have been affected by crime? A few more put their hands up. STEVEN (CONT'D) And how many of you, have ever awoken at night, fear in your eyes, wondering if that sound in the distance was your gate being opened, or your window being smashed. I know how it feels and together we can stop that from every happening again! I had a daughter in this city once, she was the apple of her daddy eye. My wife or should I say ex-wife, decided that this country was not safe for her to grow up. I have not seen my daughter for six months as I am here helping you people, I barely have time to talk to her once a week, because I am here helping you people, and this is how you repay me. The crowd start to feel for Steven. STEVEN (CONT'D) Together we can make this city safe for little Cindy again! Who’s with me? The crowd begin to cheer. STEVEN (CONT'D) Yes, we can do it, and it starts with getting rid of all of these awful drugs! The crowd cheers. SCENE 3: INT: THE OFFICE BUILDING Two of the businessmen are looking down at what Steven is saying. BILL Can’t believe he convinced them just like that. CRAIG I told you, he was the best. Bill turns to craig BILL Does he really have a daughter? CRAIG What do you think. The two look down on the crowd. SCENE 4: EXT: OUTSIDE THAT OFFICE COMPLEX The crowd are continuing to chant for which when the reporter pulls the camera away and back to infront of him, he wipes a tear away. STAN STEVENS Wow, just wow. Oh, we’re back on, yes that was the scene moments ago when we finally found out what project “X” was, and in this reporters opinion if Which can make the city safe for citizens again, then I am all for a cleaner, more productive safer city. The reporter smiles into the camera as it fades out. SCENE 5: EXT: A HILLSIDE. TEN YEARS LATER. A man is looking out we see him, he is smoking a cigarette, he puffs it, he doesn’t speak only looking out. He then thinks. The mans name is John Stevenson. JOHN It started ten years ago, when a bunch of pretentious fat cats came together and governed the state claiming they knew what was for the best, their biggest decision was that day, when they decided that all emotion enhancing drugs were the cause of all the crimes, they claimed that the world would be better without them. They were wrong. We then look out at the city, it is worse than before, people are rioting in the streets, a women is walking along, she is happy, then she is mugged, she falls down and crys afterwards. John just watches from a distance. He is wearing a robe. JOHN (CONT'D) I know that I should help her, but I can’t, you see none of this is real, not anymore, I come here often, at least once a week, in my mind and each time I add a bit to the canvas, this is what I see the world as right now, maybe it’s real maybe it’s not, who knows. That women she was new, I gave her a whole back story, she had children, she was going to pick them up from school. But now what? She has nothing, I should try and help her, but I am just one man, I cannot help her even if I wanted to. My story is old and will now become a part of this, here I come. A younger John walks in and is crying, he is at least five years younger and looks generally the same but is dressed in street clothes. JOHN (CONT'D) That was me, before I got to where I am now, they say reliving it helps with the healing process, getting me over it,well it’s been four thousand times I have relived this moment lets see if it helps this time. Younger John pulls out a sheet of paper and reads it. Young John begins to cry. JOHN (CONT'D) I was meant to go to college and become a doctor or something, make something of my life. That letter meant nothing was possible now, I had no life, what was I a lowly mortal meant to do now. Young John looks at the hill, and stares JOHN (CONT'D) This is where it ends... Young John runs for the hill and is near the edge when... CUT TO: SCENE 6: INT: JOHN’S HOSPITAL ROOM. John is painting, John is painting the city that we saw a few moments ago, everything he mentioned is their. a doctor walks in. He takes a seat on johns bed and looks at a form he is holding. DOCTOR Hello John. John continues to paint. JOHN Doctor. DOCTOR So John, how's life? JOHN life's life, doctor. How’s the wife? DOCTOR She’s OK, a bit tired what with the twins. JOHN How old are they now, six months? DOCTOR Yes John, thank you for remembering. John turns around and looks at the doctor. JOHN Not a problem doctor, you remembered my life, it’s only fair I repay the favour. The doctor laughs. DOCTOR But John it is my job to remember your life. JOHN I know, and in a way, me knowing your life keeps my in a sort of reality about mine. The doctor looks at John as a friend for a second then remembers why he is their. DOCTOR OK John lets begin. The doctor takes a pen from his pocket DOCTOR(CONT’D) Name. JOHN John Stevenson DOCTOR Age? JOHN 30. DOCTOR And finally reason for being here? John looks down. JOHN James, you know the reason. The doctor sighs. DOCTOR Yes John, and I am sorry but rules are rules as you know. I must ask everytime. John sighs. JOHN I had a slight bout with anger, rage and issues with myself and hatred of the world, in a way I could not say to others. DOCTOR Depression. JOHN Yes. That is the medical term, the normal guys term is the blues. The doctor looks to john and smiles letting him know he does not enjoy putting tags on people. DOCTOR Right John, that is all the legal crap done, why have you asked me here today. JOHN Doctor, I have been here for five years now, and I have agreed with everything you have told me to do and have been a model patient. DOCTOR John, you have been the best. John smiles. JOHN Thank you, Doctor. What I was asking is, if maybe I could perhaps get to go out and see the city again for just a few hours a week. The doctor looks over his notes DOCTOR Well, John that shouldn’t be a problem, I mean you have a trip coming up next week to Stanhill zoo... JOHN No doctor, I mean alone. I would still come back at night, and all I am asking for is the freedom to leave when and if I choose. DOCTOR John, you know that is very hard to get, what in this day and age, I mean we would worry about you here, I’d worry. John gets up from his painting chair and walks to the door, he stops. JOHN I know, and I would come back, you could tag me, I have not been out in the world alone in years. I want to go to the park, feed some ducks, go to a sports game, get a beer, meet someone. The doctor looks at the picture. DOCTOR Looks like you have met someone. John turns to the doctor. JOHN What? The doctor points at the picture. DOCTOR That person there. The one with the light shining from them, who is that? John looks at it and realises who it is. JOHN That’s Diane. The doctor looks disappointed. DOCTOR Diane? John, you must get over this, it is becoming unhealthy, I may have agreed to it when you needed someone to hear your problems, but her sort are not the people you should look up to. John gets defensive JOHN What do you mean, doctor, I shouldn’t listen to the advice of someone who thinks that they can help, even though they only can go on what they tell you they are like and not what they are really like. DOCTOR Yes John. Her type just scare you into believing their is something wrong with you, then manipulate you into their way of thinking. JOHN Then tell me, what is the dictionary definition of a doctor? The doctor smiles knowing John has outwitted him. DOCTOR Touché John. seeing as I'm here, and we finished early could you tell me a bit about Diane. JOHN Well, she’s great. I mean when I first got here, I was a shell of a man, I couldn't speak to or hear anyone, I didn't want to. Then their she was, non-judgemental, almost like an aunt who listens to your pains your groans, your agony. The doctor nods. JOHN (CONT'D) I mean she has dealt with some problems this is my personal favourite. John goes behind the painting and pulls out an old newspaper clipping. John begins to read it. JOHN (CONT'D) “Dear Diane, my world has shattered, my husband left me, my kids have left home, I am in a financial woe, what should I do?” Diane replies “well dear, have you thought about being more adventurous in the bedroom?” I mean that women must have read that and said that may be the solution to all her problems, that is the best story Diane has ever published. DOCTOR I don’t know I quite liked the one about lost boyfriend on holiday. JOHN Doctor I thought you hated Diane? DOCTOR Well you see, during breaks that rag is in the coffee area and I.....dam. JOHN I won’t tell if you won’t? The Doctor looks at John and smiles. DOCTOR I’ll look into your application, I’ll let you know the result later. JOHN Thank you. James. DOCTOR Not a problem John. The doctor gets up, nods at John then leaves the room. John goes back to his painting, John works on his painting for a moment, then he stops. JOHN Ah finished, and just in time. John looks around, no one is near by, he goes to his bed and lifts the matress and their is fifty news papers and thousands of clippings of Diane, he takes the top one. JOHN (CONT'D) Let’s see what Diane is saying today. John reads it, then a bell is rung. JOHN (CONT'D) Ah lunch. I’ll see you later. John kisses two of his fingers then on the picture of Diane he places them. We then hear him walking off as the camera pulls out we see a caption next to the picture of Diane that says “Diane Sanderson-she listens” and under that a message reads “Diane shocking suprise in tomorrows news paper!” We then hear footsteps as the paper is taken away and the sounds of the matress being lifted again and dropped can be heard. SCENE 6: INT: THE HOSPITAL CANTEEN John gets his lunch then sits down at a table. John see’s another man reading a paper at the other side, John see’s that their is a picture of Diane on the cover, he see’s it says “big suprise for readers! On page 42” John leans over to the guy and trys to read what it says. The man looks at John leaning over him. JOHN Could I....could I see page 43 please? The man grunts at John then takes out the “Dear Diane” page. John nods at the man, thanking him and begins read the paper aloud. JOHN (CONT'D) Let’s see, sister had an affair with husband, aunt is the best I ever had, if I could I’d marry my sister, that’s new. Ah here we go... John clears his throat as he prepares to read aloud what it says. JOHN (CONT'D) “hello my beloved readers. It is not often I talk to you, usually it is when a world wide incident that we all are involved in, or importance of togetherness, of my readers.” Ah Diane, you always did think of others before yourself. A buzzer sounds and John looks up, it is the end of lunch and everyone goes back to their rooms, and are being ushered by guards. John looks around himself,and slips the paper under his shirt. He then walks back to his room, nervous and wondering what Diane is wanting to say. SCENE 6: INT: JOHN’S HOSPITAL ROOM. John goes to his desk, he clears the paint off the table and puts it away,he then begins to read what the paper says. JOHN “Hello, my loyal fans” yes we are loyal and because you are so true to us Diane. Anyway were was I before. John places his finger over the page and mouths the words not actually saying them, until he smiles he has found where he was. JOHN (CONT'D) “the importance of my readers, in a world uncertain were we are heading to, whether it be the hopes and dreams of many to...” CUT TO: SCENE 7: INT: DIANE’S HOUSE We see a shot of Diane typing she the continues to type what John was hearing, although now we hear Diane saying it herself. DIANE Maintain a sense of society or as the world is tearing itself up we may never be where we want to be and may realise we are their right now. My friends, we are at a crossroads for the past ten years, I have tried my hardest to counteract the problems in society and although I have made a difference for a select few, the masses still remained unchanged. For the past ten years I have solved all your aches and worry’s answering every problem the best I could, never taken a day off as a wise person once wrote “pain doesn’t take sick leave” it was with great sadness that I let you, my loyal followers know, that I Diane Sanderson will be retiring. And as of June 24th 2008 my page will be discontinued. Please do not blame yourselves for what is happening, any blame this world holds dear is not as important as the memory my fans have sent me and to you for reading this, I thank you all, and especially to you the person who is reading this I want to say this to you. Do not waste any more time, I want you to chase your dreams, make them reality, and remember without dream their is no reality. Diane picks up a tissue and we can see tears hitting the typewriter. CUT TO: SCENE 8: INT: JOHN’S HOSPITAL ROOM. John looks at the page and he begins to cry. JOHN But, you were my dream. John begins to cry and starts to rip the page up and gets quite angry and goes to his matress and rips out all of the pages, and papers. JOHN (CONT'D) You were my dream! John rips up the pages and screams. JOHN (CONT'D) You were my dream! You were my dream! How can you do this to me? You were meant to understand. You were meant to help me. John goes to the painting he made earlier, he picks up a brush and breaks it into two, it now resembles a knife. John is about to rip up the picture when he see’s the Diane drawing he made on it, he breathes heavily and calms down. John smiles, he now has an idea. JOHN (CONT'D) You must know what you mean to me, you must be told. Guards come into the cell and take John to the ground, the doctor from earlier comes in and see’s John on the ground. DOCTOR John. What the hell, get off of him! The doctor then trys to lift the guards off of him, the guards let go. DOCTOR (CONT'D) John, what is going on here? The doctor see’s a ripped up paper and lifts it, is the section about Diane retiring. DOCTOR (CONT'D) I see. Steve, Frank, I think this prisoner is calm now, could you leave us be? The guards look at him then nod. They leave, the doctor sits down on John’s bed. DOCTOR (CONT'D) John, this is no reason to lash out. JOHN I know James, but I needed to let out my pain. She’s leaving me with nothing. DOCTOR Just like a real woman. JOHN What? DOCTOR Nothing, nothing. Anyway John, I was going to tell you tomorrow, but after this,I think you need some cheering up. The board have approved your application for free leaving times. You can send me the thank you card later. John doesn't react. DOCTOR (CONT'D) I was only joking about the card you know. John then looks at the doctor. JOHN James, I want out. DOCTOR Yes John and with this it will slowly get you back into society. JOHN No James, I want out of here permanently. DOCTOR John, you know that is not possible, you know that you are not well. JOHN Not well! Not well! For fucks sake James! It’s prettu obvious that I am not fucking well! I don’t need you psycho babble mumbo jumbo to tell me that. What I need is to go out and explore the world conquer mountains explore this world, explore me. I cannot do that knowing that their is always going to be someone watching me, someone always wondering, is today the day he finally cracks. DOCTOR No one thinks that of you John, in fact you are one of, if not the best patient getting help right now. JOHN And why can’t I leave? The doctor looks down, he has no answer for John. JOHN (CONT'D) Exactly, their is no reason, you know as well as I do that I need to start living life again. The doctor looks at the painting. DOCTOR What she be involved? JOHN She might be. If she chose to be. The doctor sighs then looks at his chart, unwilling to look at John in the face. DOCTOR John, that women, is probably not who you think she is. JOHN And she may be who I think she is! She may even be the queen of some faraway land for all we know! And she has a name. DOCTOR John what do you expect from her to welcome you in, fall in love with you and maybe solve all the worlds problems. Life is not like that. JOHN You know a wise person once said “you dreams are not really dreams until you have embraced them, it is in this moment that your dreams become a reality” The doctor scoffs. DOCTOR Did she tell you that? John turns and looks at the doctor. JOHN No James, you told me that. The doctor smiles, knowing he has just been outsmarted. DOCTOR OK John, I will set up a meeting with the board tomorrow to discuss your release. JOHN Isn’t this that talk right now. DOCTOR No John. What we are doing right now is totally different. When you speak to them, you have to justify why they should let you back into society, and they have to have a unanimous decision before they can decide your fate. John laughs. JOHN It’s quite ironic how my fate is in the hands of seven people who have never met me before, do not know me and yet I have to justify my existence out their to them. DOCTOR I know John, but it is how things are done. I’ll write an evaluation of you tonight and hand it in before I leave. Then the board will look at and make a fair and justified decision. The doctor gets up and is about to leave. DOCTOR (CONT'D) So I guess John, if all goes well tomorrow, this may be your last night here. John, can I just say in the nicest way possible, I hope I never see you again. The doctor puts his hand out for John to shake, John pauses for a second, then shakes it, the two men embrace in a hug. They do not speak again, John sits on his bed and looks at the picture and looks at the picture of Diane in particular, John goes to his bed and lays down and sighs, he the shuts his eyes and slowly drifts off to sleep. SCENE 9: EXT: DIANE’S FRONT DOOR. DREAM SEQUENCE. John is wearing a suit, he chaps the door and is looking very nice, Diane answers it. JOHN Hello Diane. DIANE Hello John, you finally came. John picks up Diane and lifts her inside. Inside he see’s her desk and proceeds to throw everything off of it and put her on top of it. John kisses Diane passionately. We then cut away to a door, and come back and Diane and John are writing on Diane's typewriter and Diane is writing an answer to a problem, she is stumped. John walks over and grins he then types up an answer. Diane smiles, John smiles back. CUT TO: SCENE 10: INT: A NEWSPAPER OFFICE. The paper is being printed and one gets taken off the assembly line the headline reads “Diane and John tackle the worlds problems together.” Diane is holding the paper, John walks up to her. DIANE We did it. We did it. We did it...we did it... CUT TO: SCENE 11: INT: JOHN’S HOSPITAL BEDROOM A guard is shaking John. GUARD Hey! We did it. John slowly wakes up. GUARD (CONT'D) We did it....we did it. John sits up. JOHN Did what? GUARD We did it, we got you your appointment it’s in twenty minutes! The doctor has an appointment, he can’t make it, but he sent me to say we did it, and you have his support. John looks at the guard angry. JOHN You mean you woke me up from my great dream to tell me....I Have an appointment right now? GUARD Yeah, in twenty minutes, you best get ready. John gets up and runs around his room looking for clean clothes. John then settles on an outfit. The guard leaves. JOHN Right, now to show these people how sane I really am. SCENE: 12: INT: A BOARDROOM IN THE HOSPITAL. The room is set up as if it were a courtroom, with the boardmember at one side and john alone at a table by himself with a microphone. The members begin to speak. One looks at a file. BOARD MEMBER #1 Your name is John Stevenson correct? JOHN Yes. Board member looks over the file, which he read Johns name from. BOARD MEMBER #1 It says here you have been with us for five years and 765 days correct? JOHN Correct, I mean, no, I mean sorry, yes. John drinks from a glass of water. BOARD MEMBER #1 Mr.... Stevenson JOHN Please call me John. BOARD MEMBER #1 Mr.... Srevenson. It says here you were put here because you did not want to see the world anymore, you now are here in front of myself and my colleagues asking for your release into a world as you described it “a wondering cess pool walking towards their own destruction” JOHN Ah well, that was a few years ago... BOARD MEMBER #1 Did you not say that Mr.... Stevenson? JOHN Yes I said that, but I was having a bad day. BOARD MEMBER #2 And is not also true that you also assaulted three men when your were having this so called “bad day”? John starts to get anxious. JOHN Well yes, but in my defense they were mugging me at the time so I say a bit of self-defense never did anyone wrong? Did it. BOARD MEMBER #3 So you condone what you did? JOHN Of course not, but what happened was a matter of circumstances, and if they hadn't started it. BOARD MEMBER #4 So that is what you are saying that if we let you leave here, and someone came up to you on a bad day you may end up breaking the poor citizens arm. JOHN No, of course not. You are taking that way out of context. BOARD MEMBER #4 Really Mr.... Stevenson, what has changed between now and then Mr.... Stevenson? JOHN Well I had a lot of time to think about what happened... BOARD MEMBER #5 So what your saying is you had time to think about what happened? JOHN Yes. I had time to really think about the consequences of my actions. BOARD MEMBER #5 So your saying that if you had to relive it again you would do things differently. JOHN Yes.... BOARD MEMBER #6 So what you are saying is you have now had time to think about what happened and replay that day over and over again in your mind. JOHN Yes..but.... BOARD MEMBER #2 So you know now that what you did was wrong? JOHN I was not wrong in defending myself. BOARD MEMBER #2 But they were wrong for attacking you? JOHN Yes. BOARD MEMBER #1 Is it your belief Mr.... Stevenson that the whole world revolves around you? JOHN What no. I think you are just.. BOARD MEMBER #1 What’s the matter Mr.... Stevenson if we do not agree with you, what is going to happen? JOHN What? Nothing, your just.. BOARD MEMBER #1 Oh so now it’s my fault you are here Mr.... Franklin? JOHN What? No... BOARD MEMBER #3 Mr.... Stevensondo you know a Diane Sanderson? JOHN Yes, whats that got to do with... BOARD MEMBER #7 She goes by the name and writes a column for the news wheel. Do you read her articles, Mr.... Stevenson John starts to get worried, nothing is going right. JOHN What? Yes, from time to time. Why? BOARD MEMBER #5 We will ask the questions Mr.... Stevenson. BOARD MEMBER #4 Mr.... Stevenson, we have received word you believe this woman to be real, is this true? JOHN What yes, but what is the relevance of that... BOARD MEMBER #7 Mr.... Stevenson, have you ever met Mrs. Sanderson? JOHN It’s Ms. Actually. BOARD MEMBER #5 Oh, are you two friends? JOHN No but... BOARD MEMBER #2 Oh, so you know each other through a friend? JOHN No. But that has nothing to do with. BOARD MEMBER #6 So you are admitting that you Jonathan Franklin, know personal revealing information with a woman who does not know you know her? JOHN She doesn’t your just.... BOARD MEMBER #3 We’re just what Mr.... Franklin Telling you the truth that you are not fit to be in the world. BOARD MEMBER #1 Mr.... Stevenson what if we told you we knew about the uproar you caused in your room last night? JOHN Uproar, I was just angry... BOARD MEMBER #1 Angry Mr.... Stevenson, anything special? JOHN Well actually....no. John puts his head down. BOARD MEMBER #6 So Mr.... Stevenson you freely say you destroyed your room, for nothing, I think we have heard enough. John stamps his hand on the table. JOHN No! Listen to me, you people are just trying to make me sound like I am crazy, when I am not, I am a normal man, who believes in getting his values back. I have a dram and that dream is to follow the world and make an impact. Is that impact profound probably not. This is my dream, and you people are causing it more pain and are murderers for killing my dream, if you believe in a mans dream please let me live my life again, I came here as a boy without a home, please let me leave a man, a man with a dream. BOARD MEMBER #1 Well Mr.... Stevenson, I can say I was touched by your performance, that’s all it was a performance. I call for a motion, all in favour. John stops them. JOHN Wait before you vote, can you please remember what doctor James Pazton said about me in his report. The members scoff. BOARD MEMBER #1 Mr.... Stevenson we have no need to read some lowly doctors report, we have everything we needed on you right here. Board member #1 holds up the file. BOARD MEMBER #1 (CONT'D) It is more than relevant now as I can see you have not changed and another hearing will be held in five years, all approving? BOARD MEMBER #2 Yes. BOARD MEMBER #3 Yes. BOARD MEMBER #4 Yes. BOARD MEMBER #5 Yes. BOARD MEMBER #6 Yes. BOARD MEMBER #7 Yes. BOARD MEMBER #1 Motion carried, hopefully with the time you will see that we did this for your good Mr.... Stevenson. John gets angry. JOHN My own good? John picks up his glass. JOHN (CONT'D) My own good! You sons of bitches! John leaps over the table and runs for the board members but is stopped by a guard. The board members do not react and leave, except member number 1. Member one walks over to John, he picks him up and looks at him. BOARD MEMBER #1 You never will learn the system always wins. The member kicks John and John falls. BOARD MEMBER #1 (CONT'D) To think, that doctor said you were smart. John gathers his strength and runs over to the Board member, tackling him down. BOARD MEMBER #1 (CONT'D) Guard! Get this man off of me! The guards drag John off of the board member. John is dragged away. BOARD MEMBER #1 (CONT'D) Has this man any privileges? GUARD Yes, he has media and leave set for effect next week. BOARD MEMBER #1 Cancel both, effective immediately. The guard looks at the member almost not wanting to do it, but the member just looks at him. BOARD MEMBER #1 (CONT'D) Cancel all of his privileges now. The guard nods and John is dragged off. CUT TO: SCENE 11: INT: JOHN’S HOSPITAL BEDROOM John is thrown onto the bed, moments later Doctor James walks in. DOCTOR John, I just heard what happened, I am sorry, I didn't know they would do that. John starts to laugh. DOCTOR (CONT'D) John, what's so funny. John continues to laugh. John then opens his hand to reveal Board Member #1’s keycard. DOCTOR (CONT'D) John, what are you doing with that? JOHN What do you think? The doctor looks at John,then he looks at the painting. DOCTOR Are you sure? JOHN I have no choice James. DOCTOR Well John, I wish we could leave in better terms. John looks at the Doctor who then nods at John and takes his white coat off. DOCTOR (CONT'D) You have a good twenty minutes before that pompous twit realises his card is missing. The doctor hands John his coat and takes his trousers off, John does the same, they trade them. DOCTOR (CONT'D) I’ll say you are going to go to Europe and start over again, it was your plan all along. John puts the suit trousers on and the coat. DOCTOR (CONT'D) Do you know where you are going? James looks at the painting. DOCTOR (CONT'D) Of course, my wallet is in their, it should be enough to get you most of the way. Is their anything else you need? John goes around the floor looking for a certain thing, he finds it, is a very old clipping of Dear Diane. He puts it in his pocket. JOHN James, their is one more thing I have to do. The doctor looks at him. DOCTOR I know John. JOHN It is for your own defence I don’t want you involve in this any more than you are. The doctor smiles. DOCTOR Tell you what, if you find her and things work out for you, give me a call. They both laugh, John and James begin to cry. John lifts his fist to punch the doctor and knock him out, making it look like James overpowered him. Just before he hits the blow, John whispers: JOHN I love you, my friend. The punch lands. SCENE 12: INT: JOHN’S HOSPITAL BEDROOM The doctor is lying unconscious, a guard walks in. GUARD OK, dinner hope you like mashed pota.... He notices the doctor. GUARD. Oh shit. The guard runs for a button and pushes an alarm. Guards run around the room looking for John. CUT TO: SCENE 13: A BUS STOP MOMENTS LATER. A man looks back he hears the siren. MAN What the hell was that!? JOHN I don’t know, probably just some guy. John smiles then the bus comes and he gets on it, he looks back at the hospital, he smiles, he has left for good. SCENE 14: INT: JOHN’S LIVING ROOM. The door opens and John walks in, the house is covered in sheets, it looks like no one has been here for years. John walks over to an answering machine. John presses the play button. ANSWERING MACHINE You have 3 new messages. Message one. A beeping sound is made. CALL AGENT. Hello sir, or madam this is Barry at shade endorsements, we would like to offer you a deal of a lifetime on windows, if you would like to hear more please call back on... John presses a button. ANSWERING MACHINE Message deleted. Message two. ANNOYMOUS WOMAN Hye Jean, it’s Joan here just calling to let you know I wont make that party tonight. ANSWERING MACHINE Message deleted. Message three. OVERANXIOUS MAN. Hello sir or madam you have been randomly chosen to receive a cheque worth £10,000! To gain this all you have to do is respond to this call within twenty hours with your bank details for a clearing number in Switzerland..... John presses the machine for a third time. ANSWERING MACHINE End of messages. John laughs. JOHN You go away for a long time and you come back to find your answering machine full of crap, that’s life I guess. John then takes his coat jacket off, and takes a seat. Dust engulfs him. John coughs. John then gets up and looks at a picture of himself, he smiles, it is a picture of him taken just before he went to the hospital he is fishing and is looking at the camera and smiling. JOHN (CONT'D) They were fun times, but now to get back to business. John uncovers the chairs, and goes up to his room. SCENE 15: INT: JOHN’S OLD BEDROOM. John walks in and smells the room, John then opens a window, he looks out and see’s the city and smiles. John then walks over to his bed and lifts the matress the same way he did in the hospital, except it is not clippings of Diane under here, their are letters all addressed to John. John picks them up and takes a seat on the bed. John opens the first letter, it says “thank you for your application, unfortunately due to limited placement we will not be processing your application further” John puts that letter down and picks up another one, it says the same, John does this for five more letters after this. JOHN It’s sad, that they think me not being what they are looking for is unacceptable to them, when really it should be unacceptable to me. John then picks up the letters and puts them in the bin. John then sits down and thinks if what he is doing it right. SCENE 16: THE HOSPITAL BOARD MEMBERS OFFICE. The members are sitting and are notably nervous. BOARD MEMBER #3 Dammit, how could he have gotten out! BOARD MEMBER #4 This will not look good, this will not look good. BOARD MEMBER #7 Can you imagine the media circus. BOARD MEMBER #2 They will say we did not treat our patients properly... BOARD MEMBER #5 They will have an inquest... BOARD MEMBER #6 We will all be done for, what are we going to do? BOARD MEMBER #1 My friends, we need to remain calm, first off, how many people know about the escape? Board member #4 looks at a file. BOARD MEMBER #4 Approximately thirty people heard the alarm. BOARD MEMBER #3 But how many know the prisoner wasn't caught? BOARD MEMBER #6 Just us, and that one guard... BOARD MEMBER #1 And him. The board then look at doctor James who was sitting at the other end of the table off camera. BOARD MEMBER #7 We cannot let him know we know, what he did. BOARD MEMBER #1 But we cannot let him go on, thinking that he knows. The board look at each other then they all nod. BOARD MEMBER #1 (CONT'D) Dr. Pazton, do you realise that what you did is a form of treason. DOCTOR I don’t see what I did as wrong, I see what you did to him, during that hearing was wrong. BOARD MEMBER #5 Are you saying that we are wrong. BOARD MEMBER #6 That we what we are doing is not helping people. BOARD MEMBER #4 And so you are not helping people either, because you report to us. DOCTOR You are just twisting my words now. BOARD MEMBER #1 Are we, or are we just seeing the truth that is what you do not say. DOCTOR That makes no sense. BOARD MEMBER #7 Is it us who make no sense good doctor, or you who cannot make sense of what is happening in the world. DOCTOR Your firing me aren’t you? BOARD MEMBER #1 No my good doctor, we are not just firing you. BOARD MEMBER #5 We find you to be mentally unstable and seem to have formed an unhealthy bond with a patient. BOARD MEMBER #2 It is for this reason this board feels you yourself must go under psychological treatment. DOCTOR What? This is unfair, I demand a hearing! BOARD MEMBER #2 Doctor, what do you think is happening right now? DOCTOR You people are insane! What about my wife and children? Boardmember #1 looks over the file. BOARD MEMBER #1 They will be relocated, pending further investigation into their psyches, for the period of six months. All in favour of ruling. BOARD MEMBER #2 Yes. BOARD MEMBER #3 Yes. BOARD MEMBER #4 Yes. BOARD MEMBER #5 Yes. BOARD MEMBER #6 Yes. BOARD MEMBER #7 Yes. BOARD MEMBER #1 Motion carried. Maybe you will learn that you cannot fight the system doctor. DOCTOR You call this a system. BOARD MEMBER #1 No doctor we call it a democracy. Guards come in and grab the doctors arms and are preparing to drag him away. DOCTOR You cannot do this, is highly unethical! BOARD MEMBER #1 Highly unethical, doctor. BOARD MEMBER #2 We are the board doctor. BOARD MEMBER #3 It is what we do, doctor. BOARD MEMBER #4 We create the ethics good doctor. BOARD MEMBER #5 It is what we do. BOARD MEMBER #6 And we do it well doctor. BOARD MEMBER #7 Because we know what is for the best. Doctor. The doctor is carried off. The board then speak amongst themselves again. BOARD MEMBER #6 We cannot let this get out. BOARD MEMBER #7 It will not look good. BOARD MEMBER #5 We will look weak in our decisions. BOARD MEMBER #4 We must find him. BOARD MEMBER #3 And neutralise the problem. BOARD MEMBER #2 Before this gets any worse. BOARD MEMBER #1 I know one person. He is highly unethical, but he gets the job done. BOARD MEMBER #2 Who needs ethics when the job is done? BOARD MEMBER #4 The good doctor maybe. All the board members begin to laugh. BOARD MEMBER #1 So is it agreed that we call in a specialist. Motion. BOARD MEMBER #2 Yes. BOARD MEMBER #3 Yes. BOARD MEMBER #4 Yes. BOARD MEMBER #5 Yes. BOARD MEMBER #6 Yes. BOARD MEMBER #7 Yes. BOARD MEMBER #1 Motion carried. We will contact him this instant. CUT TO: SCENE 17: INT: A HOUSE. A man is sitting in a chair reading a paper and smoking a pipe, his phone rings. MAN Hello. CUT TO: SCENE 18: INT: BOARDMEMBERS OFFICE. Board member #1 is holding the phone, the other members are watching what they are saying. BOARD MEMBER #1 Hello, is this the man known as “the Hunter”? CUT TO: SCENE 19: INT: THE HUNTER’S HOUSE. The hunter is holding a paper, he is covering his face the whole time. He can be seen taking the pipe from his mouth behind the paper, and putting it on the chair. THE HUNTER. Who want to know. CUT TO: SCENE: 20: INT: THE BOARDMEMBERS OFFICE. BOARD MEMBER #1 I am a member of the board of state at Shermanwood hospital. CUT TO: SCENE 21: INT: THE HUNTERS HOME: THE HUNTER. Ah the nut house... CUT TO: SCENE 22: INT: THE BOARDMEMBERS OFFICE. BOARD MEMBER #1 Yes....the Nut house. Anyway what I'm calling for is, I have a job for you. CUT TO: SCENE 23: INT: THE HUNTERS ADDRESS. THE HUNTER. How much? CUT TO: SCENE 24: INT: THE HOSPITAL BOARDMEMBERS OFFICE. BOARD MEMBER #1 I believe you have a usual rate, is that per week? CUT TO: SCENE 25: INT: THE HUNTERS ADDRESS. The hunter laughs. THE HUNTER. No, that’s per day. Don’t worry, you’ll get your money’s worth. CUT TO: SCENE 26: INT: THE HOSPITAL BOARDMEMBERS OFFICE. The bartenders look at each other , they all smile. The phone is then put into a conference call. BOARD MEMBER #1 Perhaps we do not need to pay you. BOARD MEMBER #2 Perhaps you just need help. BOARD MEMBER #3 We can have that help. BOARD MEMBER #5 All it takes is a little support... BOARD MEMBER #4 Perhaps a friend.. BOARD MEMBER #6 To help you.... BOARD MEMBER #7 To understand you... BOARD MEMBER #1 What do you say? CUT TO: SCENE 27: INT: THE HUNTERS ADDRESS. THE HUNTER. I don't know, can you guys really help me? CUT TO: SCENE 28: INT: THE HOSPITAL BOARD MEMBERS OFFICE. The board members smile. BOARD MEMBER #3 It is what we do. What do you need help with...friend. CUT TO: SCENE 29: INT: THE HUNTERS ADDRESS. THE HUNTER. Well I guess I need help....with You stupid jackasses thinking you get to me with that mind fuck crap! Now do you want me? CUT TO: SCENE 30: INT: THE HOSPITAL BOARD MEMBERS OFFICE. The board members look at each other, surprised their plan failed. BOARD MEMBER #1 We will take you up on your offer to work. We need this man captured as soon as possible. He is a danger to the world... CUT TO: SCENE 31: INT: THE HUNTERS ADDRESS. THE HUNTER. You mean he is a danger to your hospitals perfect stability record. OK, I’ll take the job, what is his last known address. The hunter writes down the address. THE HUNTER. (CONT'D) Ok, if this boy is smart he wont get back there. God I love how dumb these guys are sometimes. You will have your man by the end of the week. The hunter hangs up the phone,he then gets up off of his chair and walks over to a man who is tied up. THE HUNTER. (CONT'D) Well my friend looks like your someone elses problem now. The cleaner comes on Tuesdays so if you survive that long tell her I said hi. The hunter then walks out the room, leaving the man who is tied up, still tied up. CUT TO: SCENE 32: THE BOARD MEMBERS OFFICE. The board members start to walk around the room. BOARD MEMBER #2 We have done all we can do. BOARD MEMBER #3 We are helping both these men. BOARD MEMBER #4 Yes and in a way, by hiring that man, we are keeping two criminals off the streets. BOARD MEMBER #5 Yes. We are like heroes. BOARD MEMBER #6 Martyrs even. BOARD MEMBER #7 Yes, we are saving the world. BOARD MEMBER #1 So, what are we going to do now? The board members look at each other for a second then member one speaks. BOARD MEMBER #1 (CONT'D) Who’s up for a game of monopoly? The board agrees and board member pulls out the game from under a table a closet in the room, they walk over to their round table and set it up. SCENE 33: INT:JOHN’S HOUSE. John takes one last look around, he then goes to his answering machine. SCENE 34: INT: JOHN’S HOUSE. The front door is opened and a man is searching the house we only see his reflections in the picture of John fishing, the man is the hunter. The hunter goes to John’s answering machine. JOHN (ANSWERING MACHINE) Hi this is John, ER I wont be home for a few weeks, I'm off following my dream, and well that's that. Speak to you later. Bye. The hunter smashes the machine. THE HUNTER. Shit. The hunter then walks over to the picture of John fishing. THE HUNTER. (CONT'D) Or maybe not. SCENE 35: INT: THE BOARD MEMBERS OFFICE The members are playing monopoly. BOARD MEMBER #3 How do you win this game again? SCENE 36: EXT: A HILLTOP. John is looking out over the city, it is not as half as bad as he imagined it, with people going on with their lives. Things are pretty calm. John goes into his pocket and pulls out a clipping about Diane. JOHN Well, this isn't so bad so far, but now the tough part. How do I find you, where are you. John looks at the paper and it says “printed at 345 Shermtree Avenue.” John nods then goes into the road and begins to hitchhike. A car stops and john gets into it. SCENE 37: INT: A CAR John is sitting in the car, the other man is driving. MAN Rough night? John startled that the man wants to talk. JOHN Excuse me? The man points at John’s clothes, they are quite ripped by now, he never changed when he got home. JOHN (CONT'D) Oh yeah, guess I forgot to pick up a change of clothes. The man laughs. MAN God if I had a penny for every time that happened to me. JOHN I know it’s one of those things you only remember, when you are gone! Then you say next time, you’ll remember then... MAN AND JOHN Then you forget again! Both men laugh, then the silences dies down. The man takes one hand off of the wheel, he puts it out for John to shake. MAN Jack Jones. John then lifts his hand. JOHN Oh, Sean, Sean Seamus. MAN Nice to meet you Sean. So where you headed? JOHN The city. You? MAN Wherever the road take me, and the raod tells me I need some coffee. You? John try’s to say no. MAN (CONT'D) Come on. I’m buying! JOHN Well OK. CUT TO: SCENE 38: INT: COFFEE HOUSE. Both John and the man are laughing. MAN And then he says to the officer “but I thought it was a barrier!” Both men laugh, the man pulls out a packet of cigarettes and offers John one, John accepts. MAN (CONT'D) So anyway, Sean, what is it you do for a living? John starts to think up another lie. JOHN I’m actually between jobs right now, but I have a few things spread out, you know casting a wide net, you know what I'm saying? The man laughs. MAN I hear you good buddy, I'm the same, steady jobs are hard to come by, unless your an undertaker! The man laughs, John doesn’t. MAN (CONT'D) Your right, that was a bit of bad taste, but if you can’t laugh at the world, what can you laugh at. JOHN The system. The man sits up. MAN What? John realising he may have just said the wrong thing. JOHN Nothing, so what are you doing in the city, any plans besides drifting? The man laughs, John puts his cigarette out. MAN Well, I have a job that a friend set me up with for a couple of days, that should shill me enough gas money, then it’s off to another town, to start all over again. JOHN Doesn't that get depressing? Going from town to town, never knowing where your going to be next. MAN Well if you look at it like that it does, but what I do is I see it as, this whole world is like a road, and if I don’t travel it, I might as well go into one of those nut houses myself. Anyway, Sean what did you come to town for, I know it wasn't my sterling company! John leans back and pulls out the picture of Diane, under the table for himself to look at. JOHN Just looking up an old dear friend. So what did you do before you became a drifter. The man is now smoking a second cigarette. MAN Well, if you must know, I was a lawyer, for one of those high and fancy law firms. John puts the picture away. JOHN What happened? MAN Well my wife died. And I found her old diary, it had all these things she wanted to do before she died, one was to travel and see the world, so now I'm doing this for her. JOHN Excuse me. I have to go to the.... MAN Say no more. JOHN Thanks, I hope theirs no barricades! John and the man laugh, John walks to the bathroom. When John is out of shot, the man puts out his cigarette, and then goes in his pocket, he pulls out a picture, it is the one from John’s house. This man is the hunter. MAN/THE HUNTER oh there’s a barricade alright. The hunter smiles, he then gets up. THE HUNTER. Check please. A waitress walks over. And hands him the check. THE HUNTER. (CONT'D) Thanks, also where are your bathrooms? CUT TO: SCENE 39: INT: THE BATHROOM. John is in the stall, urinating, John is thinking about the man he just met, John laughs. JOHN Barricades! Ha! What a nice guy... Suddenly the door is kicked open and John is grabbed from the back of his neck to the ground, urine flies all over the walls. The man who pulled him out of the stall was the hunter. JOHN (CONT'D) Jack? What the hell? The hunter then picks John up and puts his head in toilet, he lifts it out john breathes heavily, the hunter is now looking angry. JOHN (CONT'D) If this is about the bill.... John’s head is dunked back into the toilet, the hunter then bashes Johns head off the wall. THE HUNTER. Sean! You think I didn’t know who the fuck you were! He kicks the wall next to John’s head. THE HUNTER. (CONT'D) You think I couldn't have took you in the second you got in my car! The hunter smashes John's head into the toilet. THE HUNTER. (CONT'D) What is it with all you crazies and hitch-hiking It’s the biggest killer in this country! What if I was a crazy! The hunter bashes John's head off the ground. THE HUNTER. (CONT'D) So what is it you think you were going to achieve from escaping? John goes into his pocket and pulls out dear Diane's column, the hunter looks at it for a second. Then he scoffs. THE HUNTER. (CONT'D) Your kidding me? You are fucking kidding me! The hunter grabs John by the shirt collar. THE HUNTER. (CONT'D) You must be crazy if you think she’s going to help you. John goes to grab the sheet from the hunters hand which is right next to his pocket. THE HUNTER. (CONT'D) This is mines now. The hunter then drags John out the diner. Putting the page into his pocket. SCENE 40: EXT: THE DINER PARKING LOT. The hunter drags John to his car and leaves him at the side, he goes into his pocket. THE HUNTER. Dammit where are my keys! The hunter checks all his pockets. Then he looks inside. THE HUNTER. (CONT'D) Shit. You stay here. John is lying almost unconscious from the beating he took, John then opens his hand, he reveals he has the car keys. CUT TO: SCENE 41: INT: THE BATHROOM We have a close up of John getting the shit kicked out of him, as the hunter is bad-mouthing Diane, when he picks John up,John notices the hunters car keys are visible to him, John grabs them, we were led to believe he was trying to get the dear Diane story back, but he as actually more worried about his survival. SCENE 42: EXT: THE PARKING LOT John picks himself up he is breathing heavily, and is bleeding. John opens the car and get in, he turns on the ignition. CUT TO: SCENE 43: INT: THE DINER The hunter is speaking to the waitress. THE HUNTER. You wouldn't have happened to have seen my... A VOICE Hey mister, isn’t that your car? The hunter looks out and see’s the car being driven off. THE HUNTER. You son of a bitch. The hunter smiles. Then he turns to the waitress. THE HUNTER. (CONT'D) If that’s how you want it. Miss I’d like some coffee. SCENE 44: INT: THE CAR: SEVERAL HOURS LATER John still feeling the effects of his beating is listening to the radio. RADIO SHOW HOST And welcome to night chat, I'm your host Steven Radler. Tonight we discuss reality, what is your reality, is it what you wanted? Please call in on 555-124-547 and tell me what your thoughts on reality. A phone ringing sound kicks in. John looks at the radio. CUT TO: SCENE 45: INT: A RADIO STUDIO: KBBX It is the studio that John was listening to, and a man is sitting next to the microphone, the man is smoking, he is Steven Radler STEVEN RADLER Hello caller, what is your thought on reality? CALLER #1 Hello, am I on? Oh my god I gave tried to get on for six months.. Steven Radler slides his chair across a few feet, and presses a button. STEVEN RADLER Yip, and you’ll be waiting a few more months to get through again. Next! A phone rings. STEVEN RADLER (CONT'D) Hello your on, what is your view on reality. CALLER #2 Well I believe that reality is what we shape it to be. Did you ever see that movie the matrix. STEVEN RADLER Oh Christ, not another one. Yes I’ve seen that movie. CALLER #2 What a movie! Anyway, what I was trying to say was, what if reality is like you pallet, and you like, embrace the reality of it and create your own reality around how you are feeling, like if you are feeling like crap the world around you will bee crap and such. What do you think Steven? Steven Radler, takes a puff of his cigarette and blows it onto the microphone. STEVEN RADLER What do I think, I think you are a fucking nutjob! And so should be judged as one. CUT TO: SCENE 46:INT: THE CAR John listens and is completely horrified at what he is hearing. JOHN You son of a bitch. CUT TO: SCENE 47: INT: A RADIO STUDIO: KBBX Steven Radler looks at the microphone and sighs. STEVEN RADLER If their is anyone out their who has a relevant conversation please call in. Oh, we have a call. Steven presses a button. STEVEN RADLER (CONT'D) Hello caller, what is your view on reality. CALLER #3 I believe that this world has gone to hell, and that we should really maintain more control over our own lives than we do right now. STEVEN RADLER What are you saying caller? CALLER #3 I’m saying that we are really just pawns in a game of chess, and we should not be. We should not let others tell us what to do and how to live our lives, we should be able to go out, and exist because we chose to be, not because we were born to exist.if I think therefore I am, what if I do not think? For the past fifty years we have put our faith in seven individuals to make our lives, seven individuals, every seven years to make our break our lives. This was meant to combat a problem in society, but what has it salvaged, it is not until we admit that we have to take responsibility for our own lives that we know, that we truly exist, that is my take on reality. STEVEN RADLER Very nicely put caller. But may I ask, what is it you do for a living? CALLER #3 Well, I'm in between jobs right now. STEVEN RADLER Uh-uh, just a hunch but by the words you use, are you a man or a woman? CALLER #3 A woman. STEVEN RADLER Children? CALLER #3 Yes, two boys. STEVEN RADLER Now you say boys, does that mean that they are young/ under sixteen? CALLER #3 Where are you going? STEVEN RADLER Well it’s just I want to know, who’s point I should be listening to, people who are out for my safety and have treated me fairly, or a homemaker who has insomnia? Hmm tough call. CALLER #3 I think you are just... STEVEN RADLER I’m just what a man with a job....I Know. Bye. Steven hangs up on the woman. STEVEN RADLER (CONT'D) Well, looks like we need a break, I’ll be back in five, on kbbx, the place that loves to be. SCENE 48: INT: THE CAR John looks horrified at what he heard. JOHN That son of a bitch! How dare he speak to her like that, her opinion is just as valid as his! Diane, you may be needed more than either of us know. A theme plays on the radio. RADIO The daily news, where the news comes to be sponsoring, night chat, the latest news is that of the twenty eight year of agony aunt Diane sanderson coming to an end after years in the job, Diane has decided to go out with a bang with her biggest story to date, not giving away any details, she has told the press “it’s been a story that has to have been told for years.” The daily news wishes her all the best and wants any fans who want to send Diane cards and such can send them to “the daily news, treeshine avenue. Pillkstown,” and all will be forwarded to Diane, we would also like to remind listeners that the final date for Diane answering advice has closed, she thanks you for your letters though, the main news again, Diane Sanderson retraining Other news, the suicide rate in the state when down to a low 200% yesterday before finally... John turns the radio off, he pulls over and grabs a pen and writes down the address. JOHN Right, now I know her address, now I just need to speak to her. SCENE 49:INT: THE NEWSPAPER OFFICE. A man is at a desk, he is talking on the phone. John walks into the office and walks up to the desk. SECRETARY Yes, well when I told him what she said, he just laughed and said that he would do that when.... The secretary notices John SECRETARY (CONT'D) Can I help you? JOHN Yes, I am here to... The phone rings. SECRETARY Hello. Yes this is the paper that prints Dear Diane. Well that is very nice that you are a fan, but unfortunately, she is not here, and has not been here for several years, due to personal reasons. Unfortunately we are not allowed to give out her address to anyone but paper employees, yes I understand that, well actually that comes under specialist programming... The secretary turns his back to John and continues to talk on the phone, John notices a sign that says records, he looks at it, then the secretary, John looks around for security. John then walks off quickly to the room. SCENE 50: INT: THE RECORDS ROOM. John opens the door, and walks over to the files he goes through them and checks them all. JOHN Let’s see archives.....sports results.....news articles...ah contributors. John then scans the list for “D” JOHN (CONT'D) Ah, Diane. “Born 1955, raised in the country, joined the paper in 1976. Became resident people person in 1987. Became part time between 1991-1998 for personal reasons. Marriage status divorced.” Good sign. “Last known address” her we go. John lifts the whole page and runs out the door. SCENE 51: INT: NEWSPAPER OFFICE FRONT DESK. The secretary is just finishing the call. SECRETARY Not a problem, thanks for calling. The secretary hangs up. SECRETARY (CONT'D) Stupid bastard. I mean when will people respect each others privacy. Anyway, what were you here for. JOHN Nothing really, in fact I’ve totally forgot now, thanks anyway. John makes a beeline for the exit. The secretary looks at him, then stands up. SECRETARY Hey! Wait a minute! John walks faster. The secretary gets out if his area. SECRETARY (CONT'D) Hey! Stop! You! John is at the exit, he opens the door but it is slammed shut, by the secretary. SECRETARY (CONT'D) Not so fast. The secretary gasps for breath. SECRETARY (CONT'D) Dam! Must get back on the treadmill. Anyway, you dropped this. John looks at what the secretary is holding, it is the file with Diane's address on it. JOHN Oh my god. I cant believe I dropped that. SECRETARY Yeah, happens to me all the time. So you going to Sherwood falls? JOHN Yeah, my aunt stays their, is it hard to find? SECRETARY Ha-ha Your aunt lives their and you don't know how to get there? JOHN Yeah, she just moved there. SECRETARY Well, if you just go left up here, take a right at the bakery on the corner. You cant miss it. JOHN Thanks. John goes to walk away, when the secretary grabs his hand. SECRETARY No thank you. John shakes the secretary hand, when John gets his hand back he notices something in it, it’s a piece of paper. JOHN What’s this? SECRETARY My phone number, call me some time. John smiles awkwardly then walks out, the secretary looks at him walk off. SCENE 52: INT: THE CAR John looks at the number and laughs as he starts the car, but it doesn't move, he looks at the petrol gauge it says empty. John sighs. JOHN Looks like I'm making the last of this journey on foot. John gets out of the car and walks off, we then go to another car and a man is sitting and watching John, it is the hunter. He watches John. THE HUNTER. Looks like this journey has come to an end my friend. The hunter looks down at a piece of paper, it is the dear Diane page he took from John. SCENE 53: EXT: DIANE’S DOORSTEP John walks up to Diane’s house. John looks at the piece of paper with the address. JOHN OK, it’s the right address.”Hello Diane. My name is John and I am your biggest fan and I am here to stop you from retiring.” John paces. JOHN (CONT'D) Hello, Diane my name is John and am your biggest fan. John then walks up to the doorbell. JOHN (CONT'D) Hello, my name is... Diane answers the door. DIANE Hello. Can I help you? John begins to speak really fast. JOHN Hello my name is john and I'm your biggest fan, and I would like to talk to you about how important you are to me! Diane looks at him, almost horrified. DIANE Sorry? John then rethinks what he was saying. JOHN I am......from readers digest! And I'm here for an interview with you. Diane looks at him for a second. DIANE I don't remember having an interview for this week? Did Barry set this up? JOHN Yes Barry did! And he said this was the only day you were available. DIANE Well, OK, you best come in. SCENE: 54: INT: DIANE’S LIVING ROOM John looks around the room in awe, their are pictures everywhere of the papers and what Diane did, such as “dear Diane-saviour?” And others. John then takes a seat on Diane's couch. DIANE So, where is your pen and paper? John realises his cover may be blown. JOHN Ah dammit! I hate it when this happens, has this ever happened to you Diane, have you ever forgot a pad and paper? Diane looks at him for a second. DIANE Never. It is one of the things you must have with you at all times. I’ll get you one. Diane walks over to a desk and pulls out a pen a pad of paper. DIANE (CONT'D) So what are your questions? JOHN What are your views on the political landscape? DIANE I thought Barry told you politics was off limits? John shuffles. JOHN Well, you know Barry. John does a drinking motion. DIANE Barry’s a Mormon. JOHN Yes, and that's what makes it worse. Diane looks at him, almost questioning who he is. JOHN (CONT'D) Well here's a question I’ve been wondering for years....I Mean the readers have wondered, what got you into being a helper? DIANE Well I guess it really started when I helped a friend get through a messy break up, after that I said, hey, this is fun, so I joined a paper and went from their. What’s this story about? JOHN I’m doing what now? DIANE The story, your publishing, what is it about? John looks worried. JOHN It’s about, it’s about. John thinks of something. JOHN (CONT'D) It’s about having a dream, and having the balls to go and grab it, this story is about knowing that the odds where against you, but now you are seeing the person you have meant to be with for years, releasing that the only person who is left out their knowing you, is the person looking back at you, and I guess releasing, that you cannot follow others and expect them to help you, cause the only way to be helped is to help yourself. DIANE And this is for the digest? JOHN Yes, could I use your bathroom. Diane looks at John. DIANE OK. Go up the stairs third door on the left. John gets up, he nods at Diane then goes. SCENE 55: INT: DIANES BATHROOM: MOMENTS LATER John goes to the sink and splashes water on his face. John then looks in the mirror. JOHN You, stupid, son, of a, bitch! How can you come here! Oh my god! What have I done! What am I doing! There's no going back! Arrrggggghhhhh! CUT TO: SCENE 56: INT: DIANES LIVING ROOM Diane is sitting sipping a drink, when she hears: JOHN You stupid, son of... Diane continues to sip her tea. John walks out of the bathroom, he sits back down. JOHN (CONT'D) So if you were on a desert island what five songs what you have on your ipod? Diane finishes her drink. DIANE Well this has been fun, but I must get back to work so if you could... Diane points to the door, John sighs. JOHN Dammit I need you! Diane looks shocked. DIANE What? JOHN Diane Sanderson, my name is John Stevenson. And I am your biggest fan, and when I found out that you were leaving I had to find you, I had to ask you not to go. Diane looks at John. DIANE So your not from readers digest? JOHN No Diane, I am from the bottom of the barrel and I climbed up to ask for your help. Diane I am asking you to help me. Diane looks at John, then she sighs. DIANE John, I'm sorry, I'm not who you think I am. JOHN Yes you are your Diane Sanderson, patriarch for the daily news, you are the only person in the world who really listens to peoples problematic I was going to come here, to ask you not to leave your post, but on my way here, I realized something. The world will need a Diane forever, and if you wanted to leave because you were not up to it anymore, fine. Perhaps you could let me be your assistant, I have seen how the world looks now, I can help. Let me help. Diane looks at him. DIANE Very well John. Don’t say I didn't warn you. Come with me. SCENE 57: INT: DIANES OFFICE Diane walks in first opening the door, John follows, Diane then points to a typewriter. DIANE That’s it. JOHN That's what? DIANE That's where all the worlds problems are solved. JOHN You mean this is where you sit, and you hear the problems of others and solve them? DIANE No John, this is where I sit and I make up, all the worlds problems. John looks at her shocked. JOHN What? DIANE You see, when I started out, I really wanted to help people, I would reply to every problem. But then more problems kicked in, it wasn’t till later I found out all of these problems were about three things “affairs, death, suffering” these three categories solved everything. JOHN That's not true, what about the man with no will to leave his room in 98? DIANE Suffering. JOHN The woman with no family. DIANE Affair, she was having one with her boss. Don’t you see, that is the world,at one point I realized I was only helping a few people with a few stories that no one cared about, but now I write what I feel is going in the world, and in a way it helps many more. Think about, what’s better your story being published for the world to laugh and mock at you, or someone you don’t knows story? John looks down. DIANE (CONT'D) Exactly. Now please I have to finish typing my last address to my fans. SCENE 58: INT: DIANES LIVING ROOM Diane walks with John to the couch. DIANE I know that was hard to take in, how about for you go I get you a nice cool glass of water? John nods. DIANE (CONT'D) Ok, I’ll be back in a second. Diane walks into her kitchen. JOHN How can this be true. Why would a woman who hates the job stay in it, for so long. THE HUNTER. Because she caused the problem. John looks at the door, it is the hunter. JOHN How did you find me? The hunter laughs. THE HUNTER. I never lost you, you think I didn’t know where you were headed, the second you dropped this. The hunter hands him the dear Diane page. JOHN But if you never lost me, why did you wait till now? A crashing sound can be heard in the background. DIANE Jack? THE HUNTER. Yes Diane, I'm back. DIANE But how did you... THE HUNTER. Never mind that, I see that your retiring? DIANE Yes, it’s been to long.. THE HUNTER. Yeah, you’ve wrecked enough lives. JOHN Hey! Without this woman I’d be dead now! The hunter looks at John and laughs. THE HUNTER. Is that what you think, that she is a saviour of way-out Has Diane told you? Has she told you about that time when she was on the paper part time? DIANE Jack please... THE HUNTER. No Diane, the boy must hear all the truth. You see john when you were younger the world health interest consulting hierarchy were just starting out, and well they were put into a tough spot, not knowing how to tackle the rising crime rates and lack of jobs they had to come up with a positive spin on things... DIANE Jack no.... THE HUNTER. Well one of these members was. JOHN Diane, I know, it all adds up, so what if she was on the board, it’s majority rules in that system... THE HUNTER. True, but Diane wasn't the woman you see now, she was a very intelligent woman who had an idea to get the world off of Which’s back... CUT TO: SCENE 59: INT: THE WHICH BOARD OFFICE FROM SCENE 1 The members are thing of ideas. BUSINESS MAN Dammit we must counteract this problem, the crime rate is now at a twenty year high! It is triple what it was five years ago and seven times higher than it was yen years ago, what is going wrong? Their are six other people talking amongst themselves unable to come up with ideas. BUSINESS MAN (CONT'D) Dammit! We are the organizations of health crime and security. I am in a room with seven of the top thinkers this country has to offer, and that is all you can come up with “I don’t know” you people make me sick! Come on does anyone have anything.... One person puts their hand up. We see this person from behind the chair we do not see their face. ANONYMOUS WOMAN I have an idea, what if we.... The camera then turns around and we see that the woman was Diane. DIANE What if we ban all forms of drugs and toxins that alter peoples moods. BUSINESS MAN Are you crazy, the world would never go for that. DIANE Perhaps, but what if we say it is for their own good, and if we do that it will mean that people will not to do crimes. Think a utopia that we have started. BUSINESS MAN But thousands will die... Diane just walks over to a window and coldly says. DIANE To make an omelette you must crack a few eggs. BUSINESS MAN Very well, we will hold a press conference in twenty minutes, all in favour. The members raise their hands. Diane smiles. CUT TO: SCENE 60: DIANES LIVING ROOM. Diane is sitting now. She speaks. DIANE We didn't know it would last for as long as it did. I did not know how many things came under mood enhancing until a few weeks later when I saw them burned, for the first few weeks, we thought the deaths were people weaning off the drugs, but slowly, it got worse. Weeks turned to months, months to years. I was allowed to leave and tried to help the world as dear Diane, but I realise now, I couldn't help, never could help, not really. JOHN But why didn't you just cancel the law, when you saw the effects? DIANE We tried to, but then we were told it would make the country look weak, we never thought it would be this bad, I never thought this would happen. Jack knows how hard it can hit. THE HUNTER. Yes I can. Diane you know you must hand yourself into police for manslaughter, what you did was wrong. DIANE I know that now. But now I realise the world needs a Diane, perhaps you could take over for me John? As you said you were my biggest fan? John sits down on a chair. JOHN If you had asked me twenty minutes ago Diane, I would have jamp at that chance, but now, but now, I realise this is not healing the wound, it is just letting it lie. DIANE I understand John. The hunter hands Diane the phone. THE HUNTER. I think you know what to do.... Diane takes the phone and dials. CUT TO: SCENE 61: EXT: DIANE’S DOORSTEP. SEVERAL MINUTES LATER. Diane is in the back of a police car, she is being driven off. The hunter and john are sitting at her doorstep. The hunter pulls out a packet of cigarettes and offers John one, John refuses. JOHN How long, had you known I was going to find her? THE HUNTER. In that bathroom, when I saw it and I saw the look in your eyes, I knew what you wanted to do. And I knew it would finally bring justice full circle. John looks at the hunter. JOHN So beating the shit out of me was not part of that plan? The hunter laughs. THE HUNTER. Yeah sorry about that. It came with the territory. JOHN So your name was really Jack? Was anything you else told em true. THE HUNTER. Well my wife was dead, and it was her last wish to travel, but I used the travel to find the seven lords of state, and give my wife and the others the justice they deserved. That’s why Diane went into hiding before, because I wanted to take her in. She wasn't ready. JOHN What changed now? THE HUNTER. Probably seeing you, someone who felt like she was the saviour must have made her realise how fucked this country really was. JOHN And my guidance counsellor said I’d never amount to anything! So what’s going to happen between us? The hunter stands up. THE HUNTER. Well as far as I'm concerned you are fully able to live in the real world, even if it isn’t a world we’d all like to be in. Well, I’ll be seeing you kid. The hunter walks off and goes to a car. He opens the door. JOHN Hey Jack! The hunter turns around. THE HUNTER. Yeah? JOHN Were you really a lawyer? The hunter smiles. THE HUNTER. Yes, yes I was. Why? JOHN Well I have a favour to ask... CUT TO: SCENE 62: INT: JOHN’S HOUSE A message comes on screen that says ten months later. The television is on and John is walking about his house an cleaning. TELEVISION And so the woman who said she listens for god knows how long gave herself up to police for charges of manslaughter, and causing the mood enhancing ban nearly eleven years ago, the final member of the seven now giving themselves up, was a god enough sign for the current which team to relook at the law and hope for some changes. In other news John Stevenson was finally realized from hospital after months of legal battles between the board of directors and Mr... Stevenson's lawyer, Jack huntsman. Mr... Huntson said it was a great for his client who received a nice settlement for being kept against his will, Mr... Huntson said his client would like to lead a quiet life now, and help the little people like himself the way they have helped him, Mr... Huntson went on record to say that his client was happy with the ruling and cannot wait to help society the way it has helped him. In a related story the board members of the hospital were all found guilty of negligence against patients and all sentenced to twenty one years in prison each. In sports news the patriots were beat sixteen to nine in.... John turns the TV off. He then goes to a desk, he puts a headset on and presses a button on it, the machine beats. JOHN Hi, this is John at help chat, what's up? The end. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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