The Screenplayers

FADE IN

INT. CASINO--NIGHT

TWO MEN sit at slot machines. Each holds a giant can of beer. We catch them mid-conversation.

GEORGE BANNER (40s) is telling a story.

GEORGE

Kid says to me, 'You don't understand. I have

to graduate.' And I say, 'You don't understand.

That's not happening. You never turned in any

assignments. You slept during discussions. You

bailed on the senior project. You own that F.'

So he asks, 'What can I do to change that?' I stare him

down and say, 'Build a time machine.'

PAUL RIDLEY (40s) cough-laughs spitting up a little beer.

PAUL

What did your principal say?

GEORGE

Nothing. I called the kid's mom. Told her he

he could come in after school or before school

to give his research presentation.

PAUL

You're getting soft.

GEORGE

I'm at the halfway point in a stifling career. That

fire I once had inside me is starting to smolder.

PAUL

You hitting anything on that machine?

GEORGE

Five bucks here. Ten bucks there.

PAUL

How goes the writing?

GEORGE

Five bucks here. Ten bucks there.

PAUL

Hey. Whatever became of your screenplay?

Santa and the Pirates?

GEORGE

Santa Claus Goes to Pirate Island.

PAUL

Yeah. That one. Whatever happened to that one?

GEORGE

It's still out there. I flew out to L.A. to meet with

those producers.

PAUL

What did they say?

GEORGE

They wanted to take it to some industry

showcase. Dropped some big names.

PAUL

And?

GEORGE

And that's been it. This machine sucks.

George cashes out. Paul follows him through the casino.

GEORGE (cont.)

I mean, you get it. You were SAG before becoming

a teacher.

PAUL

I still am SAG. They shoot a lot of industrials in

Detroit.

GEORGE

Maybe we should collaborate on a script.

The candle-light on a machine they pass flashes. Bells ring.

INT. GEORGE'S HOME OFFICE--DAY

George sits at a desk. Paul sits in a canvas folding chair next to the desk.

PAUL

What have we got so far?

GEORGE

Interior. Bar. Night. Ed Williams, 40s, sits at

the bar.

PAUL

That's it?

GEORGE

That's it.

PAUL

How long have we been at it?

GEORGE

Three hours.

PAUL

We should get some food.

GEORGE

What have you got in mind?

PAUL

I have all those casino comps...

INT. CASINO--LATER

George and Paul sit at a couple of slot machines. They each hold a giant can of beer.

GEORGE

Writing is a process.

*****

Out of all that distraction and procrastination, we somehow managed to write a script that received praise and recognition but eluded that one key element of success.

The script never got produced.

No real spoiler there. Had it been made, a quick search would have revealed posters, cast, and a variety of production information. As it is, there's a brief mention of it in a book blurb. Other than that, the script is a ghost.

It's been said there are only two stories to be told: A stranger comes to town; or, someone goes on a journey. In this case, it's the latter. Words will be my time machine not to go back to change history but to share the journey of the script that wouldn't be made.