UNTITLED SCREENPLAY by Kevin Redding

EXT. TOWN SIDEWALK - AFTERNOON

A 12 year old BOY walks speedily past stores and offices, with determination and focus on his face. He has classic, commercial kid good looks and is wearing jeans and a denim jacket with a t shirt underneath. As far as he's concerned, there's only one thing that matters most in life and he's walking towards it. He zips through a swarm of people walking in the opposite direction and starts picking up his pace as he heads toward an intersection.

He stands impatiently on the edge of the curb waiting for the bombardment of cars and trucks to stop. He looks, wideeyed, across the street and sticks his hand in his jeans pockets, takes it out and taps on his leg as the last of the cars drive past. He runs across the street, way ahead of the other people who cross.

CUT TO:

INT. MUSIC SHOP IN TOWN - AFTERNOON

The shop is quiet at this time, with only two customers walking around, not looking as though they intend to buy anything. It is a small room but it's filled to the brim with all things music. The walls are decorated with Gibson guitars, Zildjian cymbals, Fender basses, Rolling Stone magazine covers of rock heroes, record album sleeves from

"Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band" to "Dark Side of the Moon" to "Nevermind." There's an array of beautiful guitars in the window showcase, taunting passerby's to stop in. Up against the main wall are a large collection of CD's and vinyl records.

The owner, JOEL, 42, is leaning behind the counter reading a magazine. He is stocky with a mustache and goutee, wearing a plaid button down. His eyes don't escape from the magazine as he moves his arm to turn up the stereo next to him. The song blares loudly in the store, getting the attention of the two customers, who have been circling around the drumset in the middle of the room, for the past few minutes.

BRAD, 25, is the only other employee at the shop. He's tall, lanky and not quite what a business would describe as a "model employee." He heads over to the two customers, nudges past them, and picks up two drumsticks off the floor tom of the set, sits down on the stool, and counts himself in before breaking into a huge drum fill, hitting the cymbals hard and settling into a beat to the song that blares on the stereo.

CUT TO:

EXT. MUSIC SHOP IN TOWN - AFTERNOON

After a solid 5 seconds of nothing, the BOY runs into frame, and stands in front of the shop, not moving, just standing. And staring at...

INT. MUSIC SHOP WINDOW

A sunburst Yamaha acoustic guitar resting proudly at the forefront of other guitars. There is no price tag.

CUT TO:

EXT. MUSIC SHOP IN TOWN

The BOY is in awe of the guitar. His jaw is dropped and his eyes haven't blinked. He finally comes back to reality, and steps closer, placing his hand on the glass window.

CUT TO:

INT. MUSIC SHOP - AFTERNOON

JOEL has gotten out from behind the counter and has successfully ripped the drumsticks out of BRAD's hands. BRAD stands up and walks back toward the CD wall. JOEL shakes his head and throws one of the drumsticks at BRAD, it nearly hits him in the head, and walks back to the counter. The customers laugh and head out of the store.

EXT. MUSIC SHOP - AFTERNOON

The customer holds the door open as he walks out, for the BOY, who hurries in and immediately goes toward the sunburst Gibson. Once again, he stares up at it, slowly reaching his hands out to pick it up and takes a breath as he holds it in his arms. He makes a G chord with his

fingers and strums the strings: it's even in tune.

He can't help but smile. He walks up to the counter and JOEL, who is on the phone, acknowledges him and the guitar. He scribbles down a number on a piece of paper on the counter and pushes it toward the BOY.

His smile quickly goes away. The price on the paper reads 300 dollars. The BOY reaches into his pockets and takes out a lump of money. He places what he has on the counter and looks up at JOEL, still on the phone. JOEL sees the money on the counter and counts it out:

20, 40, 60, 80, 100, 120, 140, 160, 180, 200, 220, 240, 260, 280.

JOEL looks down at the BOY and shakes his head: no dice. The life is drained out of the BOY's face as he looks off, fishing in his pockets once more for the extra money he knows he doesn't have. JOEL turns around and returns to his phone call.

The BOY looks around, his hands tapping on his leg anxiously, eyes getting red and building up tears. He bites his lip and gulps. He looks around once more.

BRAD is in his own world, wearing headphones and listening to god knows what.

The BOY takes one more breath and takes the guitar off the counter, clutching it as if it was a baby. He slowly steps toward the door, turns around once more, and notices JOEL

looking at him. He panics, and bolts toward the door, with the guitar, pushes the door open and runs out.

JOEL drops the phone and struggles while trying to leap over the counter

EXT. TOWN SIDEWALK - AFTERNOON

The BOY is at a rapid stride, running and pushing through the people in his way and not looking back. He takes a few quick thinking detours and continues moving fast.

EXT. MUSIC SHOP - AFTERNOON

JOEL pushes the door open and stops, looking in all directions for the BOY. He just sees crowds and crowds of people, and cars zipping by.

EXT. TOWN SIDEWALK - AFTERNOON

The BOY has run more than he has to, to risk getting caught by JOEL. He stops for the first time to take a breath.

He looks down at his pride and joy, and smiles again. He makes a D chord and strums it. In the distance he sees a staircase in the street, leading down into the subways. He clutches the guitar and continues running.

EXT. EMPTY STREET

The BOY runs fast. He's no longer surrounded by stores and offices, and people. Every now and then a car will drive past him. The subway staircase is closer now.

CUT TO:

INT. MUSIC SHOP - LATE AFTERNOON

JOEL is on the phone with the police. BRAD is outside with his hands on his hips, baffled.

EXT. EMPTY STREET - LATE AFTERNOON

The BOY makes a few last strides and reaches the staircase, racing down the flight of stairs that leads to...

INT. SUBWAY STATION

The BOY slows down his pace a bit and slips into the crowd of people on the platform, waiting to get on the subway train. He looks back at the staircase, anticipating JOEL. He hops up and down anxiously, clutching the guitar.

EXT. MUSIC SHOP - LATE AFTERNOON

A running police car sits in front of the shop.

A tall, lean, and mean POLICE OFFICER steps out the door of the shop, exchanging a few last words to JOEL, who points in the direction that the BOY ran in. The POLICE OFFICER waves a hand and steps out onto the sidewalk and into the police car. It pulls out, the siren is turned on, and it drives off in the direction of the BOY.

INT. SUBWAY STATION

The BOY is still on the line full of people, waiting for the subway. He clutches his guitar tighter and looks around, anxiously.

EXT. EMPTY STREET - LATE AFTERNOON

The police car is driving through in search. Everything is quiet on the streets. No sign of anything or anybody save for a few cars parked.

INT. SUBWAY STATION

There is a roar from the distance, as the people waiting on the platform turn their heads in the same direction: at the dark tunnel on the side. The people let out a collective "Finally" sigh as they pick their bags up and prepare to hop on. The BOY is a little bit relieved, still looking behind him at the staircase, trying to hide himself the best he can amidst the people.

EXT. EMPTY STREET - LATE AFTERNOON

The police car rolls up outside the subway station stairs and stops. After a few pauses, the car doors, on either side, open up and two POLICE OFFICERS step out. They slowly walk towards the stairs.

INT. SUBWAY STATION

Most of the people waiting have stepped into the train; it's almost the BOY's turn. He takes one last look at the staircase and he sees what he's been fearing. The TWO POLICE OFFICERS stroll down the stairs, taking a good amount of time in between steps. The lean and mean one has out a notepad and glances over it before looking up and makes direct eye contact with the BOY, who looks back wideeyed. The POLICE OFFICER takes notice of the BOY's panic and hits the POLICE OFFICER 2 with his hand and points.

The BOY turns around and steps into the...

INT. SUBWAY TRAIN

As the doors close, the BOY looks out through the glass window and sees POLICE OFFICER and POLICE OFFICER 2 running forward, but the train has started moving just in time. The BOY takes a breath, and looks around at the train crowd. There's a good number of people sitting down and a few standing up, holding onto the metal bar.

EXT. EMPTY STREET - LATE AFTERNOON

The TWO POLICE OFFICERS run out of the staircase and into the police car, turn on the siren and drives off, heading

straight.

INT. SUBWAY TRAIN

The BOY has his guitar in his hands, and his denim jacket laying down on the subway floor. He strums a little bit, tunes the B string, and then takes a deep breath.

He starts playing "BIG ME" by Foo Fighters, singing in a very impressive and melodic register.

WHEN I TALK ABOUT IT, IT CARRIES ON REASONS ONLY KNEW

WHEN I TALK ABOUT IT, ARIES OR TREASONS ALL RENEW

BIG ME TO TALK ABOUT IT, I COULD STAND TO PROVE

IF WE COULD GET AROUND IT, I KNOW THAT IT'S TRUE

WELL I TALKED ABOUT IT, PUT IT ON, NEVER WAS IT TRUE

BUT IT'S YOU I FELL INTO

His vocals are heard as...

EXT. STREET - LATE AFTERNOON

The police car is heading into the next town to catch up with the subway.

INT. SUBWAY TRAIN

The BOY continues to sing the song. People have gotten up to put money on his denim jacket on the ground. He goes into a laid back, acoustic guitar solo, which he whistles over.

More and more people put money down. He acknowledges this and nods in gratitude.

EXT. STREET - LATE AFTERNOON

The police car pulls up in front of the next subway station staircase, and the two POLICE OFFICERS pile out, running as fast as they can down the stairs, not as slow-paced as the last time.

INT. SECOND SUBWAY STATION

The POLICE OFFICERS hurry down into the main platform of the station and wait for the train to come in, seemingly out of breath.

CUT TO:

INT. SUBWAY TRAIN

The BOY finishes up the song, and before much of a pause, begins playing another one - "HERE COMES YOUR MAN" by The Pixies.

The vocals are heard when...

INT. SECOND SUBWAY STATION

The subway train stops in front of the platform and the doors open up. The POLICE OFFICERS stand there, waiting for the BOY to come out. But there's no sign of him. They walk into the subway.

INT. SUBWAY TRAIN

No sign of the BOY or any other passengers.

CUT TO:

INT. MUSIC SHOP - NIGHT

JOEL is leaning behind the counter, looking miserable. He looks at the window showcase where the guitar used to be and shakes his head. He gets up and walks to the back of the store to start closing down for the night. BRAD is still avoiding work, with headphones on.

INT. BACK OF THE MUSIC SHOP

JOEL is filling out paperwork for the sales made for the week. He rubs his eyes and yawns. From behind him, we hear the door open and close quickly. He continues doing paperwork and stops, remembering that they were closing and that BRAD was not consciously there to tell the customer that. He turns around and sees that nobody is there. He steps out of the back room...

INT. MUSIC SHOP - NIGHT

...and looks around to only see BRAD in the CD section. He makes a face as if he's lost his mind, and then something grabs his attention.

On the counter is a 20 dollar bill, and a note that says "Thanks"

JOEL reads it and bursts out laughing

-THE END-