Chance Worth Taking | Screenplay
1 EXT. TRAFFIC/STREET. DAY/MORNING.
There is a lot of traffic on the street and pedestrian road.
An OLD WOMAN collapses by the road. Everyone is looking at her, but no one was helping. Some look at her, seemingly thinking of helping her, but they are on their phones.
Suddenly, a WOMAN's hand approaches the old woman and at the same time a MAN approaches her as well. The man drops his folder in the process of helping her. The woman realizes that, puts his folder in her bag, and continues helping.
The woman gives her water and the old woman tries to sip it but coughs it out as she is panting. The woman takes a look at a medication she is holding, realizes she has asthma and has trouble breathing. The old woman points in her pocket and the woman retrieves her prescription paper from there.
SHE (to HIM)
Can you please go get her this
medication? I’ll stay here.
The man nods, gets and hands an asthma inhaler for the old woman. He puts the prescription back in her pocket. The old woman quickly inhales it and slowly starts to breathe easily.
The woman smiles at the old woman. She helps the old woman up.
SHE
Do you have any family you can call to
come pick you up?
The old woman looks away and sighs. The woman smiles at her.
SHE (to OLD WOMAN)
Would you like to take a rest in my
house?
OLD WOMAN
Are you sure that’s no trouble?
SHE
Of course, it is very close by. You can
rest there until you are ready.
The man and the woman help the old woman into the woman’s car.
SHE (to HIM)
I got this. If you have work, you can
leave.
The man shakes his head.
HE
Not an issue. I want to help.
The woman nods. All three get into the car.
2 INT. HER LIVING ROOM. DAY.
The woman takes the old woman and rests her in the guest room, and gets back out to the living room to exchange pleasantries with the man. She realizes the man is all suited up.
SHE
Were you going to a conference?
HE
Conference? (Shakes his head) No.
SHE
Why are you all dressed up then?
HE
It is...never mind. It is not that
critical, really. Just let it go.
Speaking of letting go...
He stands up.
HE (CONT’D)
Where may I find the restroom?
The woman giggles and points to where the restroom is and he jogs there.
The woman opens her bag, and sees his folder. She tries to get it out but it slips out of her hand. She puts them back as the guy walks back.
SHE
I guess you were heading for an
interview. Right?
HE
Yeah, I was. I just told them that I
won’t be able to make it.
SHE
What? Why? I mean… I told you that I
can manage this myself.
He sits down next to her. She looks at him and sees a longing look in his eyes.
HE
I know you can. I am sure.
SHE
So...You came here because of me?
HE
Well...
The woman shakes her head.
SHE
I cannot believe this. You chose to
give up an important interview to chase
after a girl.
HE
I liked you when I saw how you treated
the old woman. How you stopped when
everyone else walked by. A part of me
knew I had to go with you.
SHE
A part of you? Which part exactly? You
think I will be flattered and open my
legs for you? Is that it?
HE
No. My intention was to open your eyes
so you can see who I really am, to open
your heart and understand how I feel,
to open your arms for a potentially
beautiful relationship.
SHE
Alright, but you know nothing about me.
I could be married? I could already be
in love?
HE
Yes, I took a gamble. Anyway, since you
brought it up, are you married? Are you
in love with someone?
The woman thinks to herself.
SHE
Yes, I am . In fact, he is in the
bedroom right now, sleeping.
HE
Oh, I see.
The woman stares at him.
SHE
So, instead of taking personal
responsibility, you thought, maybe it
is better if I chase after a girl?
HE
I do take personal responsibility.
Look, I want to find a great job
because it potentially leads to a great
life. However, there is NO great life
without a great companion, and I
thought, maybe, that is you.
He slaps his lap and gets up.
HE (CONT’D)
Anyways, I have no regrets. At least
now I don’t have to spend the rest of
my life wondering about the “what if”.
The woman thinks for a while, then smiles.
SHE
Do you want to meet my boyfriend?
HE
You said he might be sleeping.
SHE
Maybe he is not. You can see him on the
door.
He looks on the door and finds nothing, looks puzzled and looks back at her. She chuckles.
SHE
I mean you can see him on the other
side of the door.
He opens the door to look behind it, closes it, then walks back towards her.
SHE
So?
HE
Turns out I know him, probably a bit
too well. He is an idiot.
SHE
You know, I am a sucker for idiots.
The woman opens her arms and laughs. She gets close to him and kisses him.
3 INT. HER BEDROOM. DAY.
The camera pans into her bedroom with pictures of herself, and to the back of the door shows a large mirror.
This short-film is now viewable on YouTube.
There is a lot of traffic on the street and pedestrian road.
An OLD WOMAN collapses by the road. Everyone is looking at her, but no one was helping. Some look at her, seemingly thinking of helping her, but they are on their phones.
Suddenly, a WOMAN's hand approaches the old woman and at the same time a MAN approaches her as well. The man drops his folder in the process of helping her. The woman realizes that, puts his folder in her bag, and continues helping.
The woman gives her water and the old woman tries to sip it but coughs it out as she is panting. The woman takes a look at a medication she is holding, realizes she has asthma and has trouble breathing. The old woman points in her pocket and the woman retrieves her prescription paper from there.
SHE (to HIM)
Can you please go get her this
medication? I’ll stay here.
The man nods, gets and hands an asthma inhaler for the old woman. He puts the prescription back in her pocket. The old woman quickly inhales it and slowly starts to breathe easily.
The woman smiles at the old woman. She helps the old woman up.
SHE
Do you have any family you can call to
come pick you up?
The old woman looks away and sighs. The woman smiles at her.
SHE (to OLD WOMAN)
Would you like to take a rest in my
house?
OLD WOMAN
Are you sure that’s no trouble?
SHE
Of course, it is very close by. You can
rest there until you are ready.
The man and the woman help the old woman into the woman’s car.
SHE (to HIM)
I got this. If you have work, you can
leave.
The man shakes his head.
HE
Not an issue. I want to help.
The woman nods. All three get into the car.
2 INT. HER LIVING ROOM. DAY.
The woman takes the old woman and rests her in the guest room, and gets back out to the living room to exchange pleasantries with the man. She realizes the man is all suited up.
SHE
Were you going to a conference?
HE
Conference? (Shakes his head) No.
SHE
Why are you all dressed up then?
HE
It is...never mind. It is not that
critical, really. Just let it go.
Speaking of letting go...
He stands up.
HE (CONT’D)
Where may I find the restroom?
The woman giggles and points to where the restroom is and he jogs there.
The woman opens her bag, and sees his folder. She tries to get it out but it slips out of her hand. She puts them back as the guy walks back.
SHE
I guess you were heading for an
interview. Right?
HE
Yeah, I was. I just told them that I
won’t be able to make it.
SHE
What? Why? I mean… I told you that I
can manage this myself.
He sits down next to her. She looks at him and sees a longing look in his eyes.
HE
I know you can. I am sure.
SHE
So...You came here because of me?
HE
Well...
The woman shakes her head.
SHE
I cannot believe this. You chose to
give up an important interview to chase
after a girl.
HE
I liked you when I saw how you treated
the old woman. How you stopped when
everyone else walked by. A part of me
knew I had to go with you.
SHE
A part of you? Which part exactly? You
think I will be flattered and open my
legs for you? Is that it?
HE
No. My intention was to open your eyes
so you can see who I really am, to open
your heart and understand how I feel,
to open your arms for a potentially
beautiful relationship.
SHE
Alright, but you know nothing about me.
I could be married? I could already be
in love?
HE
Yes, I took a gamble. Anyway, since you
brought it up, are you married? Are you
in love with someone?
The woman thinks to herself.
SHE
Yes, I am . In fact, he is in the
bedroom right now, sleeping.
HE
Oh, I see.
The woman stares at him.
SHE
So, instead of taking personal
responsibility, you thought, maybe it
is better if I chase after a girl?
HE
I do take personal responsibility.
Look, I want to find a great job
because it potentially leads to a great
life. However, there is NO great life
without a great companion, and I
thought, maybe, that is you.
He slaps his lap and gets up.
HE (CONT’D)
Anyways, I have no regrets. At least
now I don’t have to spend the rest of
my life wondering about the “what if”.
The woman thinks for a while, then smiles.
SHE
Do you want to meet my boyfriend?
HE
You said he might be sleeping.
SHE
Maybe he is not. You can see him on the
door.
He looks on the door and finds nothing, looks puzzled and looks back at her. She chuckles.
SHE
I mean you can see him on the other
side of the door.
He opens the door to look behind it, closes it, then walks back towards her.
SHE
So?
HE
Turns out I know him, probably a bit
too well. He is an idiot.
SHE
You know, I am a sucker for idiots.
The woman opens her arms and laughs. She gets close to him and kisses him.
3 INT. HER BEDROOM. DAY.
The camera pans into her bedroom with pictures of herself, and to the back of the door shows a large mirror.
THE END
This short-film is now viewable on YouTube.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------
©Yolanda Yip (Wintsarye) & Madhava Madireddy
Comments
Post a Comment