REGISTERED WGA 2004
Ian Kennedy
6434 Excalibur Ct. Apt. B
Indianapolis , IN 46268
venumb12@yahoo.com
ZEN MOVEMENTS AND ACID FLASHBACKS
By Ian Kennedy
FADE IN
An older Volkswagen Beetle screeches into a parking space at a fast-food joint. On the front license plate there is a picture of a flower and the word “Peace”. The doors open. JERRY , a shaggy-faced, 20-something white male falls out of the passenger-side door. WAYNE , a shaggy-faced, 20-something black male stumbles out of the driver's side door. DAVID , a shaggy-faced, 20-something asian male crawls out of the back seat and out of the car. The three stretch and scratch from a long ride.
DAVID
Food, I need food.
WAYNE
(To Jerry.)
You got me, right?
JERRY
For the last time, yes.
DAVID
They got chicken here?
JERRY
Yeah, and great…big…greasy…burgers…
WAYNE
(Sarcastically.)
Dead flesh…yum…
JERRY
(Matching Wayne .)
MMMMMMMMM…
WAYNE
You and your spare tire can bite me.
DAVID
Can we debate later, please? I'm gonna gnaw on someone's ASS here in a minute…
David heads toward the entrance. Jerry and Wayne follow.
INT.—RESTAURANT—DAY
The three go inside and wait and the end of a long line. Impatiently they wait for a second or two when Jerry appears to have a twinge of pain and starts holding his stomach.
DAVID
You okay, man?
JERRY
I think so…
Another twinge and Jerry holds his stomach again.
DAVID
What's wrong?
WAYNE
I know what's wrong…
JERRY
SHUT…UP…
Another twinge hits and Jerry holds his stomach again.
JERRY
I'm outta here…
Jerry runs for the bathroom.
DAVID
(Yelling after Jerry.)
What do you want?!?
Jerry runs into the bathroom.
WAYNE
If he's not back by the time we order, he can get his own damn food.
A pause.
WAYNE
You got any cash?
David just looks at Wayne .
INT.—BATHROOM—DAY
Jerry looks frantically for an empty stall while holding his stomach. He limps into the handicapped stall and closes the door. Painfully, he slips down his pants. His stomach gurgles while another sharp pain goes through his stomach. He sits on the toilet slowly. He tries to calm down, taking deep breaths. The pain is coming. He steadies himself. Another loud gurgle. He gets through it. He steadies himself again, holding onto the rails. He looks up at the top of the railing to the stall and concentrates, trying to divert his mind from the pain.
JERRY
Steady…breathe…relax…
The top railing is scuffed artistically in grooves. Slowly, the railing starts to pulse in and out, emphasizing the grooves. Jerry blinks hard and shuts his eyes. He opens them and looks again at the railing. The railing is still pulsing and starts to flow in waves from side to side. A loud gurgle and more pain. Jerry stiffens up, yet tries to relax. The railing starts to flash and invert colors. Jerry blinks a few more times. The events from the past day come back in a flowing montage of images:
FLASH TO
EXT.—CONCERT VENUE—DAY/NIGHT
Jerry, Wayne, and David wander into the gates of the concert. They watch a band play. Jerry slips a guy a bill for a sugar cube(laced with LSD). Jerry puts it in his mouth. The three watch some girls dance and start dancing with them. They drink. Wayne and David eat some meatless burgers. Jerry is eating a huge Polish sausage with onions and peppers.
INT.—BATHROOM STALL—DAY
Jerry, still concentrating, is shaking while the first wave produces a loud plop in the toilet. He relaxes for a moment. Another loud gurgle followed by more pain. Jerry stiffens again and tries to relax. He starts sweating while he continues to hallucinate.
FLASH TO
EXT.—CONCERT VENUE—DAY/NIGHT
The three dance some more with the girls. Jerry and GIRL #1 wander through the different vendors outside of the gates after getting their hands stamped. The stamp is a marijuana leaf. Jerry and Girl #1 look at different clothing, wares, smoking materials. They try on beads, dance with the different beads on. They start to kiss, very innocently. After the kissing, Jerry feels a pain in his stomach and doubles over.
INT.—BATHROOM STALL—DAY
Jerry, still concentrating, is shaking while the first wave produces another loud plop in the toilet. He relaxes a little and wipes the sweat from his forehead. He is breathing very heavily, still in the flashback. Another loud gurgle, Jerry stiffens again.
FLASH TO
EXT.—CONCERT VENUE—DAY/NIGHT
Jerry dances with Girl #1 some more, twirling and twirling in a frenzy. Dizzy, he concentrates on her. She starts slowly morphing into a likeness of Jerry. JERRY'S WISER SELF starts speaking to Jerry. The background is a slow, steady, monochrome flashing.
JWS
Man, she was hot.
JERRY
I know. Smelled nice, felt nice. The kisses tasted like bubble gum.
JWS
Remember her name?
JERRY
Well, yeah…got her number too…I wrote it on my arm…see?
Jerry shows his arm, on it is distorted writing of a number and name.
JERRY
I'm a responsible stoner.
Jerry grabs his stomach in pain.
JWS
Yeah, I can see that…
JERRY
Okay…MOST of the time, I am.
JWS
Yeah. Not one of your better judgment calls, I must say.
JERRY
That's it…Don't help me…
A pause.
JERRY
Well, ya gonna help me or what?!?
JWS
Look…relax…just ride the wave…all things must pass…
JERRY
Oh, you're FREAKIN' hilarious…What the hell are you doing here anyway? Presenting me with the meaning of life or something?
JWS
Well…perhaps…
JERRY
What? Really?
JWS
Well, the meaning of YOUR life, maybe…
JERRY
Tell me what the hell it is!! Can't you see I'm in pain here?
JWS
Relax…you're almost done…
There is a loud, final plop.
JERRY
Wow…pain's gone. Thanks, man…
JWS
No problem.
JERRY
So, what is it?
JWS
What's “what”?
JERRY
The meaning of life. You said you'd tell me the meaning of life!
JWS
Well, it's not so much THE meaning of life, but A meaning of YOUR life…basically some good advice to avoid future pain…
JERRY
Okay…so…lay it on me…
JWS
Stay away from the Polish sausage.
JERRY
Oh…okay… Thanks?
JWS
No problem. Catch ya on the flip-flop…
The background becomes a blackness. JWS wanders into it.
INT.—BATHROOM STALL—DAY
Jerry snaps back into reality, his bowel movement gone. Jerry takes a second to ponder, then rips off some toilet paper and wipes the sweat off of his forehead. Jerry blinks and thinks for a second.
INT.—RESTAURANT COUNTER—DAY
Wayne and David are walking up to the counter, finally getting to order their food. David gives his order to GIRL #2.
DAVID
Oh, yeah…I'll have the roasted chicken, no mayo, extra pickles…some fries…lemonade…
GIRL #2 looks at Wayne for his order.
WAYNE
Yeah, I'll have the veggie burger, onion rings, iced tea…
Jerry wanders up to the front of the counter, still a little shaken.
WAYNE
About time you got here…You fall in or something?
JERRY
Huh?
WAYNE
Any time?
He motions toward Girl #2.
JERRY
Huh?
WAYNE
The little lady is waiting for your order…
Jerry turns to Girl #2, who raises her eyebrows and motions her head for his order. Jerry answers somewhat quietly.
JERRY
I'll have a salad…
CUT TO BLACK
THE END