Phrase: This is pretty much as fun as I remember.
This was said sarcastically by an adult on a teeter-totter. Somehow
it made me think of my younger days and what has changed since then and inspired
this script.
The movie starts with trees swaying in the wind. The sound
of wind. Grass. Grains of sand roll and stop at a hand laying on the sand.
Close up of a young man’s face laying looking up. The face is still in deep
thought. POV of looking up at the sky, trees, clouds. The sun is not very high
in the sky. Fingers running through the
sand, pan to the right reveals part of a pajama. A wider shot shows a man lying
in a sand box. A wider shot shows an empty playground. A woman is passing by
with a child. The boy runs towards the playground but the woman intercepts him
as she notices the man in the sand box. She seems to recognize him as she is
not afraid. Concerned look on her face. She pulls out her cellphone and dials a
number. The viewer cannot hear her until a closer shot.
Woman: -I am sure it is him. (Pause) In his pajamas…You are
welcome.
The woman just stands there waiting. The man keeps staring
into the sky. Soon a car pulls up. An elderly
woman steps out. She is wearing dress clothes. She looks at the man in the
sandbox but hesitates to go to him. Instead
she just looks at him unsure of what to do. Both women are still. More people
from the street come and a small crowd gathers. Everyone whispers to each
other. Close up of a little boy. He pulls on his mother’s dress.
Boy whispers as well as if afraid to be louder than the
adults. His whisper is still very animated:-Mom! Mom! Mom? Who is he? I want to
play! Can I go play?
The mother shushes
him. The boy gives up and now just waits for everything to be over impatiently.
Another car pulls up. A young man gets out of the car and makes his way to the
elderly woman. He is wearing a tux. She tells him something. She looks lost.
The newly arrived man frowns and looks towards the sandbox. He hesitates and
then starts walking.
The man in a tux sits inside the sandbox next to the pajama man.
They both remain quite. The pajama man keeps looking at the sky. Seconds pass. Pajama
man sits up and looks at the sand in his hand.
Pajama man:-You know, it looks just the same. But this sand,
these trees…they feel different. (Pause) All used to make sense here. You and
the rest…So happy, carefree and focused on what we wanted with no fear to stop
us. When have things stopped being that clear?
Tux man looks into the distance.
Pajama man:-No doubt, no hesitation…
Long pause. A shot of the trees swaying.
Tux man:-What are you looking for here?
Pajama man:-I used to not be afraid to be happy.
Tux man:-And what makes you happy?
Pajama man:-She does.
Men look each other in the eyes. Then into the distance
again. Seconds pass. A shot of the crowd behind them.
Tux man:-Are you quite done here? Everyone is waiting.
The tux man helps the pajama man up. They take a last look
at the scenery and start towards the cars.
