Creating Heaven on Planet Earth

1) EXT - SCHOOL BUS, ELEMENTARY SCHOOL - TRAVEL SHOT - DAY
A third grader, namely Roy White, 8, lies down along the sidewalk in front of the school bus, approaching the school to let students off for the school day. CAMERA PULLS BACK to show the school, Roy running, the school bus in motion, and THE CAMERA FOLLOWS the boy as he lies down.
MATCH TO:
MOVING SHOT of a school bus coming toward the boy. The bus stops short of hitting him.

2) INT - ELEMENTARY SCHOOL OFFICE - DAY
CAMERA MOVES in on a blonde haired man, PRINCIPAL BROWN, 28, thin, medium height, and rather nervous. DOLLY is wearing a much younger hair style. The principal asks her to pick up Roy and find out why he tries to commit suicide.

PRINCIPAL BROWN
See if you can find out why Roy tried to commit
suicide this morning.

DOLLY
(Softly)
Any ideas?
PRINCIPAL BROWN
(Matter of fact)
His father’s getting a divorce. What else?
Who knows? Pick the boy up by himself. Then,
let me know what happens.

3) INT - DOLLY’S READING CLASSROOM - DAY
This small room is the size of an office. One side of the room is lined with shelves, showing elementary reading books on each shelf. A round table with six chairs is in the center of the room. On the other side, there is another round table equipped with reading games.
CAMERA MOVES IN on DOLLY who sits at a table with Roy, the third grader. She has a reading book in her hand. Pencil and paper are on the table.

DOLLY
(To Roy)
You feel badly today?
CLOSE UP of Roy who nods his head “yes”.

DOLLY (CONT’D)
(Whispers gently)
What’s wrong?
CLOSE UP of Roy who puckers his mouth, as if he’s going to cry.

DOLLY (CONT’D) 2
(Softly)
You can tell me.
CLOSE UP of Roy shaking his head “no”.

DOLLY (CONT’D) 3
(Sweetly)
Would you like to talk?
CLOSE UP of Roy shaking his head “yes”.
PULL BACK to show DOLLY.
DOLLY (CONT’D) 4
(Puzzled look)
Then, why don’t you tell me?
CLOSE UP of Roy who stammers.

ROY
(Faintly stammers)
I I I I can’t.
CAMERA on Roy who has tears rolling down from his eyes now.
PULL BACK on DOLLY.
DOLLY
(With understanding)
You’re in too much pain to talk. MOVE IN as Roy shakes his head “yes”. PULL BACK on Dolly.

DOLLY (CONT’D)
(Humoring him)
Can you write it?

Dolly (CONT’D)
(Urging)
Whenever I’m hurt, I write.
Then, I feel better.
(Pause, whispers)
Would you try to write it for me?

CLOSE UP as Roy writes. MOVE IN CLOSER AND FOCUS ON THE WORDS as he writes…

ROY
(Doesn’t speak; writes)
I LOVE YOU.

PULL BACK to show Roy handing the paper to DOLLY.

DOLLY
(Smiles, says sweetly)
Roy, you are eight years old. There is nothing wrong with loving someone.
It doesn’t make any difference whether
you are eight or eighty. Loving someone is good.
(Pause)
Who told you loving someone was wrong?

ROY
(Barely audible)
My dad.

CAMERA RIDES on DOLLY and Roy.

DOLLY
I don’t understand.

ROY
(Whimpering)
Dad’s getting a divorce from Mom.

DOLLY
I KNOW. (Pause) But why can’t you love someone?

ROY
(Whispers slowly, stammers)
(Trying not to cry)
Dad said not to love annyonnne.
Then, I wooouldn’t get hurt.

CLOSE UP of tears running down Roy’s face.

ROY (CONT’D)
(Whimpers)
But I caaan’t help it.
I have these feelings.
PULL BACK on DOLLY and Roy.

DOLLY
(Smiling; reassuringly)
Good ones. Feelings of love are good.

ROY
(Shakes head no; he is troubled)
No. They’re bad. (Pause) Dad says so. (Pause)
ROY (CONT’D)
Now I’m bad. (Pause) I promised him.

DOLLY
(Whispers)
You promised him what?

ROY
(Continues to cry. Whimpers)
Not to looove…
(Pause)
annyonne.
I broke my prooomise.

DOLLY
I don’t understand.

ROY
(Whimpers more)
(Sounds of whimpers heard)
The only way I can obey my dad is to kill myself.
No one will get hurt.
DOLLY
(Trying to comfort)
Love is not bad.
Love is good.
If you killed yourself, I would cry.
Your dad would cry. Everybody would cry.
Your dad loves you.
I love you.

ROY
(Puzzled)
But Dad said not to love anyone.

DOLLY
(Smiles with understanding)
I think your dad confused you.
I know your dad loves you.
Ask him tonight if he loves you.
I know he does.

DOLLY’S SUB-FLASHBACK ENDS
SFX: Multicolor streaks cover the screen. BACK ON SCENE: CAMERA MOVES IN on DOLLY, and SFX: soft pastel shades streak out from DOLLY’s brain to reveal the daydream that has just happened in John Newcomer’s office. BACK ON SCENE: PULL BACK on John and DOLLY.
JOHN NEWCOMER
(Pulling DOLLY out of the Daze)
Mrs. Day, where were you? I thought we lost you
for a moment. Where you in a daze?

DOLLY
(Disoriented)
I was.
JOHN NEWCOMER
(Jovial)
I’ve never had a teacher ask me to put a student
in her class when he all ready had one assigned. I think you’re crazy! This kid’s an eighth grader, and he even failed seventh grade English.

JOHN NEWCOMER (CONT’D)
I placed him in your Seventh Grade class, not the
Eighth Grade one.

DOLLY
(Beaming)
I know I’m insane!
But you wouldn’t believe the reason,
if I told you.
PULL BACK to reveal DOLLY, Jordan, John, and Roy.