Written by Scott Feraco
Based on a lesson from The Family Virtues Guide
INTERIOR:
A couple of GUYS in their late teens are sitting on the couch playing a multi-player video game. Typical gamers, they SHOUT AT EACH OTHER and the action on the large, flat screen television.
GUY #1
Go! Go! Go! No! No! No!
SHOT: GUY #2 seems to be distracted—he HITS THE WRONG BUTTON resulting in casualties.
GUY #1
Aw, Jeez! Crap. We’re toast!
GUY #2
Being responsible means you are willing to be accountable for your actions.
GUY #1
It also means that others can depend on you, so get your head in the game!
GUY #2
I shouldn’t have cursed her out.
GUY #1
Are you still going on about that?!
GUY #2
I’ve gotta make it right… being responsible… (more to come)
GUY #1
She almost ran you over! (gaming term to come)
CUT TO:
FLASHBACK—
EXT. DAY. BUSY CITY STREET. Lots of people riding BICYCLES.
GUY #1 starts to cross the street. A GIRL ON A BICYCLE almost hits him—
GUY #2
Yo! Watch where you’re going!
GIRL
You crossed against the light… watch where you’re going!
GUY #2
Fuck you! All you bikers can fuck off!
GIRL
You know… It’s guys like you that makes life suck!
CUT TO:
BACK TO THE PRESENT—THE GUYS ON THE COUCH—still playing the video game.
GUY #1
Forget about it…
GUY #2
I’ve gotta stop acting like a punk. I’ve gotta grow up…
SHOT: ON THE SCREEN—“Game over”
SHOT: ON GUY #2—He TOSSES his CONTROLLER aside—
GUY #2
There’s more to life than gaming.
FADE OUT.
FADE IN:
WE HEAR a toilet FLUSH.
SHOT: GUY #2 looks at his reflection in the BATHROOM MIRROR—THE GIRL’S WORDS ECHO in his mind—
GIRL (V.O.)
It’s people like you that make life suck.
CUT TO:
GUY #2 walks down the avenue—He SEES HIS REFLECTION in a PARKED CAR WINDOW… THE GIRL’S WORDS ECHO in his mind—
GIRL (V.O.)
It’s people like you that make life suck.
CUT TO:
GUY #2 walking—He SEES HIS REFLECTION in a STORE FRONT WINDOW—THE GIRL’S WORDS ECHO in his mind—
GIRL (V.O.)
It’s people like you that make life suck.
SHOT: EXTREME CLOSE UP ON GUY #2—We HEAR HIM READING—
GUY #2
(V.O.)
“Responsibility is the willingness to be accountable for your mistakes.
When you make a mistake, you make amends instead of excuses.
You do something in order to make up for a wrong inflicted on someone.”
SHOT: On his REFLECTION in the window—
RACK FOCUS—We see he is looking into the window of a FLOWER STORE.
SHOT: A bouquet of inexpensive RED ROSES.
CUT TO:
EXT. BUSY CITY STREET. Lots of people riding BICYCLES.
VARIOUS SHOTS: Each BIKER that rides by has A RED ROSE.
SHOT: GUY #2 is standing at the curb of an intersection—He is handing A RED ROSE to each biker that stops at the light.
GUY #1
(Giving a biker a rose)
Thanks for obeying the laws… have a good day.
SHOT: He has given away all the roses. He starts to walk away—suddenly THE GIRL stops at the intersection. SHE LOOKS AT HIM… there is an awkward moment… finally—
GUY #1
I owe you an apology. I’m sorry I cursed at you. I was wrong.
GIRL
Apology accepted.
THE LIGHT TURN GREEN—THE GIRL rides off.
FADE TO BLACK.
THE END.
THE V CHANNEL 