Read Time Well Spent Page 3


  the Internet--just YouTube "Girl frozen to

  toiletseat."

  SETH

  Yes, you can find lots of stuff on the

  Internet.

  EXT. LAX. PARKING LOT - NIGHT

  Seth is assisting Anna with loading her luggage into his

  trunk.

  ANNA

  Well, I just hope that you take it better

  than last time.

  FLASHBACK

  INT. SETH’S HOUSE. GARAGE - DAY. A FEW MONTHS AGO

  Tears streaming down his cheeks, he stands on a SAWHORSE

  with a POWER CORD wrapped around his neck for a noose. He

  jumps. The overhead beam that he tied the cord around

  breaks instantly under his weight.

  END FLASHBACK - BACK TO SCENE

  SETH

  Nah, don’t worry, I’ve learned a lot since

  then.

  FLASHBACK

  INT. SETH’S HOUSE. GARAGE - NIGHT. YESTERDAY

  He’s back on the horse. Same tears, etc.; this time after jumping, he kicks the sawhorse away with his flailing legs. His body twitches frantically. (Killing yourself is hard!)

  SETH (CONT’D)

  Screwit.

  He reaches up and undos the noose, sending him to the floor

  with a CRASH.

  END FLASHBACK - BACK TO SCENE

  Anna nods.

  ANNA

  Good.

  INT. SETH’S CAR - NIGHT

  SETH

  I have a plan to win her back, y’know.

  INT. LYSANDRA’S HOUSE. LYSANDRA’S BEDROOM - LATE NIGHT

  Lysanda’s in bed. Suddenly, a song cuts through the silence: PETER GABRIEL’S “YOUR EYES.” Her hand grabs the PHONE off her NIGHTSTAND.

  EXT. LYSANDRA’S HOUSE. FRONTYARD - LATE NIGHT

  Seth’s outside on her lawn, holding a BOOMBOX high over his

  head like John Cusack in Say Anything...--he’s even

  dressed like him, in the TAN DUSTER.

  SFX - DOG HOWLING

  SFX - POLICE SIREN

  And a red and blue strobe illuminates Seth. He tucks the

  boombox under his arm and runs like hell. He leaps over a

  low shrub--barely. Three ATTACK DOGS jump him in Lysandra’s

  neighbor’s yard. They hurl him to the ground. He drops the

  boombox, his body twisting and rolling in an attempt to get

  the vicious animals to yield.

  SETH (CONT’D)

  (in agony)

  OW, IT HURTS!!!

  INT. GEORGE BUSH HIGH. CAFETERIA - NOON

  TWO-SHOT - ANNA AND RUSS

  Russ is eating piggishly. Anna stares forward at Seth.

  ANNA

  How’d it go?

  CLOSE SHOT - SETH

  His face has been chewed on pretty bad. He has the world’s

  largest WAD OF TISSUE shoved up his nostril, so his voice

  is all nasally:

  SETH

  Not as I expected.

  ANNA

  Things will get better.

  Anna begins checking her SMARTPHONE.

  SETH

  Oh, yeah...

  He places his unharmed hands on the table.

  SETH (CONT’D)

  It’s amazing what the doctors can re-

  attach these days.

  Russ is poised to shove another spork-full of food into his

  mouth.

  RUSS

  Dude, your hands are good.

  He places the food into his mouth. He then realizes what

  Seth is talking about and spits it out. He drops the fork

  in disgust.

  RUSS (CONT’D)

  Good God--

  SETH

  Wouldn't that have been fucked-up? No, my

  junk is okay--and you know what?

  Lysandra is going to appreciate that when

  we get back together.

  RUSS

  That's so dirty!

  ANNA

  Sweetie, she changed her Facebook status

  from "in a relationship" to "free pussy."

  SETH

  There's now a "free pussy" status on

  Facebook?

  ANNA

  No, relax, I'm just yanking your chain--

  but she is listed as "single" again, and

  I presume "ready to mingle"--you need to

  move on too.

  SETH

  I am neither single nor ready to mingle.

  ANNA

  (to herself)

  Meanwhile no man has been interested in

  my pussy since that fireman I was

  seeing.

  FLASHBACK

  EXT. SUBURBAN STREET - DAY

  Anna, looking especially pretty, is waiting at the base of a LADDER leaning against a large tree.

  A HUNKY FIREMAN, 23, comes down the ladder. He is cradling Anna's CAT in one arm and holding his AX in the other.

  ANNA (CONT'D)

  Thank you for retrieving my cat.

  He gives Anna her cat back.

  HUNKY FIREMAN

  No problem-o, ma'am. That's why us

  firemen got in the game. Not sure why I

  brought my ax, though. Guess it's to

  remind me that I'm a firemen.

  ANNA

  My parents are out of town and I'm

  three weeks from 18, is there anything I

  can do to thank you?

  It's like cue porno music, right?

  HUNKY FIREMAN

  No, thank you, ma'am. We're not allowed

  to accept tips.

  Anna removes a CASE OF BIRTHCONTROL PILLS, and "nonchalantly" drops the case on the ground.

  ANNA

  Oops.

  HUNKY FIREMAN

  Oops. You just dropped your birthcontrol.

  The helpful young man bends at the knees and picks up the case, returning it to the hot girl.

  HUNKY FIREARM (CONT'D)

  Here you are. Glad to be of help.

  ANNA

  Thank you. Where would I be without these

  pills?

  (seductively)

  But why don't you come upstairs? I am a

  competitive speedskater, so I'm very

  flexible.

  HUNKY FIREARM

  I can tell by the way you're altering

  your voice, you really want to offer me

  a tip, but like I said, I'm a civil

  servant, and I can't accept tips;

  they're considered bribes, you know.

  ANNA

  Aw.

  END FLASHBACK - BACK TO SCENE

  Anna has lowered her phone. She sees something going on behind Seth.

  ANNA

  (interrupting)

  Don’t look behind you.

  SETH

  Now why do people say that--”Don’t look

  behind you”? It’s not like when two people

  are having a conversation that one thinks

  “Hey, I wonder what’s happening behind me

  right now.” Really. I expected more from

  you, Anna.

  He begins to turn his head.

 

  SETH (CONT’D)

  Now I have to go look behind me just to see

  what you don’t want me to see.

  He sees Lysandra. And gets happy.

  ANNA

  I told you.

  SETH

  (elatedly)

  This is it! Don’t you see? Lysandra never

  eats in the cafeteria--she feels it’s for

&
nbsp; losers. (beat) This is God’s way of

  bringing us back together!

  He stands up.

  ANNA

  (doubtfully)

  God...(beat)...or...(beat)...the lunch

  bell.

  He straightens his shirt. His fly’s open.

  ANNA (CONT’D)

  Your fly’s open.

  SETH

  (confidently)

  The doctor said to let it breath.

  He walks toward her table, in SLOW MOTION. This is it. This

  is his moment. Russ tackles him before he can get any

  closer. They both fall face down. Russ has his hands around

  Seth’s legs, trying to keep him from crawling to Lysandra’s

  table.

  RUSS

  Man, you can’t slink back to her with

  your tail between your legs!

  SETH

  Well, what am I suppose to slink back

  with between my legs?

  RUSS

  Don’t do it! Don’t slink back! Don’t

  slink baaaaaaack!

  Seth is crawling too quickly; Russ is jerking him back too

  hard. His pants come down to his ankles, revealing his

  bare-ass to everyone in the cafeteria. Everyone LAUGHS.

  Seth quits crawling.

  SETH

  The doctor told me not to wear underwear.

  INT. SETH’S HOUSE. SETH’S ROOM - NIGHT

  Seth’s lying on his bed in the dark room, bathed in the

  warm glow of his TELEVISION.

  SETH (CONT’D)

  (to himself)

  He could make a pedal car out of bamboo and

  a radio out of coconuts but not a boat.

  That doesn’t make any sense. He’s a

  professor.

  Then a commercial comes on:

  INSERT - TELEVISION

  A very Jamaican phone-in psychic, MS. BRIO, is advertising

  her service. She’s sitting before a small TABLE to hold her

  TAROT CARDS.

  BACK TO SCENE

  SETH (CONT'D)

  (to himself)

  Hey, there are still Jamaican psychics

  on TV. Thought Katrina took care of them.

  INSERT - TELEVISION

  MS. BRIO

  (over television)

  ‘Eh dere, do you ever wonder what da

  future ‘olds for de? Money? Fame? Da

  nookie? Let Ms. Brio tell ye all about

  it. Know tomorrow’s future ta day. Da

  first three minutes are free, so call now.

  BACK TO SCENE

  SETH

  Well, the first three minutes are free.

  He hurriedly reaches for the phone.

  MS. BRIO (CONT’D, V.O.)

  (over television)

  Call now.

  He starts dialing.

  MS. BRIO (CONT’D, V.O.)

  (over television)

  Call now! Dial quicker and call now--...

  He dials quicker.

  MS. BRIO (CONT’D, V.O.)

  (over television)

  ...the future’s almost here!

  SETH

  (to himself)

  How does she know?

  EST. SHOT - A RURAL HOME IN THE MIDWEST

  INT. A HOUSE SOMEWHERE IN OHIO. DEN - EARLY MORNING

  A chubby middle-aged WHITE GUY wearing SWEATPANTS is sitting on a recliner, watching a football game on ESPN in the dark.

  SFX - PHONE RING

  He picks his PHONE off the STAND beside him. He speaks in a

  great, thick Caribbean accent.

  WHITE GUY

  (into phone)

  ‘Ello dere, pretty lady.

  INT. SETH’S HOUSE. SETH’S ROOM - LATE NIGHT

  SETH

  (into phone)

  Well. I appreciate the “pretty,” but I’m

  a dude. As a psychic, you should've known

  that.

  INT. A HOUSE SOMEWHERE IN OHIO. DEN - EARLY MORNING

  WHITE GUY

  (into phone)

  I see dat now, I see dat now--de hot

  Kingston sun been doing da number on me

  brain. Now what is de problem?

  INT. SETH’S HOUSE. SETH’S ROOM - LATE NIGHT

  SETH

  (into phone)

  My girlfriend just broke up with me. I want

  to know how to get her back.

  INT. A HOUSE SOMEWHERE IN OHIO. DEN - EARLY MORNING

  WHITE GUY

  (into phone)

  I see de problem. Now lemme consult me

  cards.

  He sets the receiver down on the stand, then reaches into

  his sweatpants. He begins jerking off.

  INT. SETH’S HOUSE. SETH’S ROOM - LATE NIGHT

  SETH

  (into phone)

  The first three minutes are free, right--

  hello?

  CUT TO:

  Three minutes later...Seth’s still on the phone.

  SETH (CONT’D)

  (to himself)

  Man. Reading “de cards” must be

  complicated. Soon this will be costing me

  money.

  CUT TO:

  Ten minutes later...

  SETH (CONT’D)

  (to himself)

  Screw this!

  He hangs up.

  SETH (CONT’D)

  (to himself)

  I haven’t wasted this much money since I

  bought my Sega Dreamcast.

  INSERT - TELEVISION

  “The Six Million Dollar Man” starts:

  NARRATOR (V.O.)

  (over television)

  “...We can rebuild him. We have the

  technology...”

  BACK TO SCENE

  Realization dawns across Seth’s sleep-deprived face. He’s

  in total awe as he sets the phone down.

  NARRATOR (CONT’D, V.O.)

  (over television)

  “Better than he was before. Better...

  stronger...faster...”

  SETH

  (to himself)

  That’s it!

  INT. GEORGE BUSH HIGH. HALLWAY - MORNING

  PRINCIPAL ESCOBAR, a man in his early 50s, is giving a

  PROSPECTIVE STUDENT and his MOTHER a tour.

  PRINCIPAL ESCOBAR

  And you’ll find our school very proactive.

  We’re always modernizing.

  EXT. GEORGE BUSH HIGH. FRONT ENTRANCE - MORNING

  Between the tarnished “GEORGE BUSH” of the school’s

  moniker, a MAN ON A LADDER screws in a shiny new “W.” The

  man goes down the ladder. After a moment, a screw comes

  undone and the “W” is lopsided. Then the other one gives,

  and the initial CRASHES to the ground.

  INT. GEORGE BUSH HIGH. MR. GEE’S CLASS - MORNING

  Seth raises his hand.

  MR. GEE

  Yes?

  SETH

  Sir, I need a tampon, and I need Anna to

  come and get it for me.

  MR. GEE

  That doesn’t make any--

  Seth has already grabbed Anna, dragging her along, and

  they’re out the door.

  SETH

  (interrupting)

  Too late!

  INT. GEORGE BUSH HIGH. HALLWAY - MORNING

  Seth and Anna walk down the empty corridor.

  SETH

  (quietly)

  Hey, Anna,
let’s play that game.

  ANNA

  (quietly)

  God, it’s so retarded.

  SETH

  (quietly)

  C’mon, c’mon! Look, we’re already coming up

  to a door.

  An open classroom door is just ahead of them.

  ANNA

  (quietly)

  Okay, you start.

  SETH

  (loudly)

  ...so I dismembered the hooker’s body...

  INT. GEORGE BUSH HIGH. CLASSROOM - MORNING

  The students’ attention is drawn to the door in interest.

  SETH (CONT’D)

  (loudly)

  ...and buried her in the desert...

  They’ve cleared the area. They giggle, in on the same joke. They’re passing another door.

  ANNA

  (loudly)

  ...does it just burn when you pee?

  SETH

  Oh, so is that the way you want to play it?

  Anna nods. Passing another door...

  SETH (CONT’D)

  (loudly)

  How many weeks late are you?

  She playfully punches him on the shoulder.

  ANNA

  You bitch!

  Passing another door...

  ANNA (CONT’D)

  One testicle, you say?

  She’s taken the game too far.

  SETH

  (shocked)

  Oh, you are dead.

  Another open door:

  SETH (CONT’D)