2. EXT. WAREHOUSE - EARLY MORNING
A group of men stand outside a warehouse. Their breath is
visible in the cool air, and they stamp their feet for
warmth.
CHIPPY
Man you would not believe this
girl. She calls me up-
ALAN
Already I don’t believe her.
The men laugh and Chippy reels away, miming having been
stabbed before returning to the group.
CHIPPY
You’re hilarious man, real
comedian. You wanna hear the story
or not?
ALAN
Yeah go ahead.
CHIPPY
So she calls me up and-
A loud buzzer rings and a light above the warehouse door
turns on. The men eagerly make for the warmth indoors.
CHIPPY (CONT’D)
Guess I’ll tell you later. You on
the lift today?
ALAN
Nah, Chan’s got me doing
“preventative maintenance”.
CHIPPY
Ahh hole patrol. See you at lunch
Al.
ALAN
Yeah man.
Chippy turns and follows the group of men into the warehouse,
followed by Alan.
EXT. WAREHOUSE - EVENING
Inside the building, a loud buzzer sounds. A few moments
later the door swings open and the same group of men make
their way out of the building. The men disperse;
3. some in groups and some alone, leaving Alan and Chippy
standing outside the door. Chippy lights a cigarette.
CHIPPY
Feel like a drink?
ALAN
Can’t. I got a thing.
CHIPPY
Kid?
Alan turns toward Chippy and hesitates for a moment before
answering.
ALAN
Yeah.
CHIPPY
How’s he doin’?
ALAN
He’s alright, you know how it is.
CHIPPY
Yeah.
The two stand in silence for a moment. Chippy smokes and Alan
looks up at the stars. Chippy reaches out his hand and
squeezes Alan’s shoulder.
CHIPPY (CONT’D)
Okay. Take it easy man. See ya
tomorrow.
ALAN
You too buddy.
Chippy walks away, leaving Alan alone under the stars. He
gazes at them for a little while longer before checking his
watch and striding quickly away.
INT. KITCHEN - NIGHT
A man (Alan) and a young-adult (Jim) sit across from each
other at a table. Both are leaning on their elbows and
staring into the eyes of the person opposite. They are both
entirely still save for the occasional twitch. A clock ticks
in the background and water drips from the faucet. After
around twenty seconds have elapsed, Alan breaks eye contact
with the teenager and Jim leans back from the table, smiling.
Slowly and with no expression, Alan rises from the table and
begins to walk in place.
2.
4. Jim’s smile turns to a grin and the man lies down on the
floor and begins to roll around. Jim breaks down and starts
laughing, and Alan stops rolling and gets up.
ALAN
You said you weren’t gonna do that
anymore.
JIM
You’re not paying me for this
right?
ALAN
And?
JIM
Gotta get my kicks someway.
Alan snorts and walks over to the fridge, opening it and
revealing the interior; nearly bare except for a few beers, a
few cokes, and an entire shelf filled with medical syringes.
He takes two beers and closes the fridge. The front is seen
to be littered with receipts and letters filled with columns
of numbers. Returning to the table with the beers, he opens
one and hands it to Jim before opening the other and taking a
long swig.
ALAN
You’re sick.
JIM
Don’t think of it as humiliation.
I’m just trying to... Incentivize
you.
ALAN
Guess you couldn’t just go with a
pep-talk.
JIM
Well that wouldn’t be any fun.
ALAN
Yeah fuck you. So okay I’m
incentivized; just cut that shit
out.
JIM
I promise. So you wanna go again?
Alan sighs and drains his beer, sliding it to the side of the
table.
3.
5. ALAN
Guess so.
The two lean forward on the table and resume their stare off.
EXT. STREET - MID DAY
Alan walks down a busy street. He weaves his way through a
small crowd and comes to a section of the road where he can
walk freely.
JIM (V.O.)
You gotta be looking them in the
eyes. It helps if they’re zoned out
already.
Alan continues to walk, crossing a crosswalk amidst the
rushing noise of the traffic.
JIM (V.O.)
Tired people are the best. No fuss-
no muss.
Alan walks past a man sitting on a street-bench, nodding off.
JIM (V.O.)
Thing is, you gotta check the
people out first.
INT. RESTAURANT - DAY
Jim sits across a table from Alan. The two are eating and
drinking coffee.
JIM
You’re just starting out, and when
you’re just starting out your shit
doesn’t work on some people. I
still can’t get everybody.
ALAN
What happens if it doesn’t work?
JIM
That’s when you gotta watch out. I
had to find out the hard way that
people don’t like it when you mess
around in their heads.
ALAN
They know?
4.
6. JIM
They do if you fuck up.
ALAN
So what happened?
JIM
Let’s just say that being...
Invaded like that tends to bring
out the worst in people.
The two continue to eat in silence. Eventually the waiter
comes to the table to refill their coffee.
ALAN
I’m good thanks. I’ll take the
bill.
JIM
I’ll have some thanks.
The waiter refills Jim’s coffee and walks off, returning
quickly with the bill which she places in front of Alan.
ALAN
Thanks.
The waiter leaves and Alan stares at the check on the table,
then at the waiter’s back.
JIM
Don’t even think about it.
ALAN
What?
JIM
Psychic remember?
ALAN
Oh yeah. So you’re telling me you
never used this stuff to get out of
paying a cheque?
JIM
Of course I have. But what did I
just fucking say. Look at him!
Alan cranes his neck to regard the waiter. He is behind a bar
holding an animated discussion with another waiter.
5.
7. JIM (CONT’D)
Does he look zoned-out to you?
Fucking susceptible to your
particular weak shit brand of
telepathy?
They both regard their waiter, who is gesticulating wildly at
the other waiter.
JIM (CONT’D)
Angry’s no good. It’s like a wall.
With enough practice you can
sometimes force your way in but
you’re nowhere near that. Try it
with him and he’s gonna know, and
let me tell you it ain’t exactly
going to improve his mood.
Alan leans back and sighs explosively.
ALAN
Okay, Jesus.
JIM
Hey I’m just looking out for you
man. Like I said I had to learn
this shit the hard way, nobody made
me a lesson plan.
Alan holds his palms out toward Jim.
ALAN
And I’m thankful for that. Believe
me.
JIM
Okay, because I’m just trying to
get it across to you. You need to
read people Alan. You can’t blunder
in.
ALAN
I understand.
JIM
Good.
EXT. STREET - MID DAY
Alan walks along the street. He has passed into the outskirts
of town and into a series of industrial back lots.
6.
8. He walks down an alley, trailing his hand along a section of
fencing and humming. Eventually he stops in front of a door
facing the alley.
JIM (V.O.)
You’re getting better.
7.
