Surround

1. INT. OFFICE - DAY

GUY, mid-thirties with a hunted look, sits in his cubicle in the corner, hunched over his desk. All of his office supplies, his computer and his trash can have been placed extremely close to him, leaving the rest of the cubical bare.

2. INT. CAFETERIA - DAY

GUY sits at a four-person table that already has four people seated at it. GUY's seat has been placed at one of the table's corners. GUY attempts to scoot in closer, and his fellow table occupants try to make more room for him, but he pulls their trays even closer than before. GUY has a small plate with sushi rolls and rugelach arranged in the center of his plate. He hunches over his food and starts to eat.

3. INT. SUBWAY - NIGHT

A LITTLE OLD LADY sits in an empty subway car. GUY enters the car, and immediately sits next to her. The LITTLE OLD LADY scrunches up her face and tries to lean away from GUY. Every inch she moves away, GUY leans toward her to fill the gap between them. GUY pulls out his music player and puts in his ear buds.

TITLE: (over GUY leaning toward LITTLE OLD LADY) Feeling overwhelmed by the vastness of existence?

4. INT. APARTMENT - NIGHT

GUY tosses away his bag and coat and sits down in Squeezy Chair (a squishy chair with automated arms that close in around the seated person). The chair closes its arms around GUY, and at their tightest point, GUY smiles and sighs blissfully.

TITLE: (over GUY smiling in chair) SQUEEZY CHAIR. For when the universe seems like it's expanding too quickly.


18/09/07 KAG

Gated

1. EXT. APARTMENT COURTYARD -- DAY

BERYL, a thin, deteriorating 80, walks cautiously down the stairs and slowly to the solid door to the exterior. It has no window or peep hole. She presses the intercom button by the door.

BERYL
Yes, who's there?

The buzzer for her apartment can be heard echoing around the courtyard.

BERYL
Yes, you got the right one. My intercom upstairs
is on the fritz. That's why I came down.

The buzzer makes two quick replies. BERYL assumes the person is dull-witted.

BERYL
Just speak into the five little dots next to
the button you are pressing.

The buzzer buzzes a long buzz.

BERYL
I'm expecting a delivery man.
Are you the delivery man?

There is a long pause. Then the buzzer gives three short rings. BERYL'S face crinkles with suspicion.

BERYL
Just tell me who you are and what you
want and I'll open the door.

The buzzer buzzes two long rings. BERYL becomes stern.

BERYL
Listen. Do you think this is funny? I can
just go upstairs and ask my friend if I
can look out her window and see who
is causing all this trouble. Are you the
delivery man, or aren't you?

The buzzer is pressed and is not released. BERYL grows more and more infuriated. She looks at the stairs and looks back at the door with increasing fury, uncertain what to do. Finally, she flies at the intercom button.

BERYL
ENOUGH!

The buzzer stops immediately. BERYL waits in the sudden silence, holding her breath for another sound. All is quiet. BERYL sets her mouth in grim determination, her chest heaving with anger and fear. She grabs the handle of the door, and pulls it open quickly. No one is there. BERYL cautiously steps out of the threshold, and looks up and down the deserted sidewalk. She looks at the normal day for a moment, deflated, and closes the door.


04/10/07 KAG

Backstroke

1. EXT. SWIMMING POOL - MORNING

ZELDA, in her mid-40's, flip-flops over to the edge of the pool, carrying her goggles and swim cap. She is in a terribly good mood for this early in the morning. ZELDA takes off her flip-flops, lining them up at the edge of the pool, and jumps in the water. She snaps on her swim cap and secures her goggles over her eyes. ZELDA turns to face the edge of the pool, places her hands on the ledge, lifts her knees to her chest and puts her feet against the wall. She pushes off and begins her even, strong backstroke.

ZELDA smiles as the looks at the clouds drifting by. A bird swoops overhead, and ZELDA strokes dreamily in the morning calm. She turns expertly at the other end of the pool and resumes her stroke. Just before she reaches the opposite edge, a peach-colored blur flashes by overhead. ZELDA is so surprised she thwacks her head on the edge of the pool. Smarting from the blow, she rubs her head and looks around. Nothing seems out of the ordinary. She warily resumes her backstroke, and the morning calm returns. ZELDA flips around at the far edge and swims back. As she approaches the edge, the peach-colored blur streaks by again, and once more, ZELDA smacks her head. She is furious.

ZELDA gets out of the pool and jams on her flip-flops. She walks angrily over to the tall hedge surrounding the pool. ZELDA can't see over the top, so she drags a nearby table over to the hedge and climbs up on top of the table. Peering over the top of the hedge, she sees nothing but a very normal looking suburban back yard.

As she is about to climb down, ZELDA hears the click of a fence latch. She cautiously peeks over the top of the hedge. A MAN stomps into the backyard, grumbling and cursing and holding something peach. ZELDA ducks down behind the hedge, but still watches the MAN through the bushes. The MAN attaches a pump to the peach thing and begins inflating it. ZELDA, proud of solving the mystery, decides to stand up on the table and speak to the MAN. The MAN has almost finished inflating the peach thing, but he pumps a little too much. An over-inflated blow-up doll shoots over the hedge, smacking ZELDA in the face. ZELDA screeches in surprise and falls off the table, landing on top of the deflating blow-up doll.

30/09/07 KAG