I'm upping the ante from now on to 12 comments (from different folks) before I'll post the next scene. There are 4 reasons for this:
1) The play is starting its ascent towards a climax.
2) While I know what happens in the rest of the play, I haven't actually finished it and I need time to write it!
3) I just added all of the cast from Stars (which Luke is directing at LT here near Chicago) so there are lots more people on the blog now.
4) I want more people to be caught up with the reading and leave comments!
Hope you think it's worth your comments!
9. The Password
SAM and ALEXANDER sit in front of the battleship game. ALEX makes a move and wins again. 3rd time. Of course he wants to play again. SAM is saved by his phone ringing (what’s the ringtone?). He goes to get it out of his coat.
ALEXANDER
You can’t answer that.
SAM
Of course I can. It’s my phone.
ALEXANDER
You said no electronics tonight.
SAM
I meant computers and TVs.
ALEXANDER
But you said electronics. And your phone is an electronic.
SAM
I’m going to answer it. It could be important.
ALEXANDER
Who is it?
SAM (looking at the number)
My friend in Chicago.
ALEXANDER (swipes the phone from SAM)
Doesn’t sound important.
SAM
Alex. Give me my phone.
ALEXANDER
You’re breaking the pact.
SAM
I’m the one who made it so I can break it. Give it.
ALEXANDER
Then that means I don’t have to follow it either, right?
SAM
Alex.
ALEXANDER
Right?
SAM
Fine. 15 minutes. But if your mom comes home early, I’m not going to cover for you. She’s the one who grounded you from the computer.
ALEXANDER
Yes! Dinorun here I come!
ALEX throws phone to SAM and runs over to the computer. SAM answers his phone. JUSTIN appears on his cellphone.
SAM
Hey.
JUSTIN
Finally. Don’t you have voicemail?
SAM
Turned it off. My mom was leaving the longest messages. Nice timing, by the way. You just spared me a fourth round of Battleship.
JUSTIN
You’re playing without me? Didn’t we used to have a pact?
SAM
Ten years ago, maybe. Believe me. There weren’t any other options.
JUSTIN
So that’s what Canooks do in their dorms. I thought for sure it’d be hockey related. If not Labatt’s and hockey related. But I guess it’s Battleship. Huh.
SAM
I’m babysitting. Otherwise there would definitely be Labatt’s and sure, why not a little hockey on the side.
JUSTIN
Canada’s the coolest.
SAM
Yeah it’s pretty cool. I’m wearing two sets of long johns today.
JUSTIN
Seriously? It still feels like fall here. Although it’s supposed to change this week. It’s so nice there are still dandelions growing.
SAM
Damn. That’s pretty nice.
JUSTIN
I know. Couldn’t believe it when I saw them. This entire field behind the museum was just covered in them.
SAM
Which one?
JUSTIN
Science and Industry.
SAM
I miss that place.
JUSTIN
It misses you.
A loud horn.
SAM
Where are you? The middle of an intersection?
JUSTIN
Downtown. On Dearborn somewhere between… Archer and (looking at the street signs) 24th.
SAM
What are you doing down there?
JUSTIN
Walking.
SAM
Isn’t that the South Side?
JUSTIN
South Loop.
SAM
Are you crusin’ for a bruisin’?
JUSTIN
It’s interesting over here. People are actually hanging out instead of rushing everywhere. It’s not sterile. Even the litter here is colorful.
SAM
Okay…
ALEX (into headset)
Are you cruisin’ for a bruisin’ Cactusman?
SAM
Nice plagiarism, Alex.
JUSTIN
Who’s Alex?
SAM
The kid. He’s playing some interactive computer game –
ALEX
DINORUN! The greatest game on Earth!
JUSTIN
Wow.
SAM
Yeah. He’s obsessed.
JUSTIN
Hey, that reminds me. I’ve been thinking about sc11oloB.
SAM
Oh yeah? Any ideas?
JUSTIN
Well, it was written in the cover of his Brief History of Time book, right? So I was thinking it probably has something to do with time travel.
SAM
Right. That’s totally it. My brother must have had a time machine and sc11oloB was the password. You’re a genius.
ALEX (into headset)
Whoa. My babysitter’s brother had a time machine!
SAM (to ALEX)
No he didn’t, Alex. Stop eavesdropping.
JUSTIN
That’s not where I was going with that.
SAM
No?
ALEX (into headset)
Nevermind. But he did have some top-secret password they’re trying to decode. “sc11oloB.”
SAM
Alex! That’s private.
ALEX
Cactusman has a score of 15,000 on Decoderkings. He can crack it for you. Can’t you, Cactusman?
SAM (to JUSTIN)
I’m going in the other room. This kid is unbelievable.
JUSTIN
On the internet there’s a social networking group for pretty much everything imaginable, right? There has to be one for time travel. Hell, maybe there’s even some game for it. Can’t you totally picture Elliot on something like that?
SAM
And how I am supposed to verify that? Google “time travel games and/or social networks” and then type this password into each of them? I don’t even know his username. I’d be looking for the next half century.
JUSTIN
There can’t be that many.
SAM
In cyberspace? Come on, it’s infinite.
JUSTIN
No it’s not. Everything comes to an end. Even the internet.
SAM
Do you have proof?
JUSTIN
www.endoftheinternet.com.
SAM
That’s an actual site?
JUSTIN
Yep.
SAM
What’s on it?
JUSTIN
Ads.
SAM
Figures.
JUSTIN
I know. When we die it’ll probably be the same thing. No heaven or hell. No reincarnation. No massive explanation. Just ads.
SAM (too seriously)
I hope not.
JUSTIN
Sorry. I didn’t really mean that.
SAM
Remember that night at the Ledge this summer? Me, you and Noelle?
JUSTIN
Of course. The night of the meteor shower.
SAM
I never told you guys this, but I… I saw him then.
JUSTIN
Elliot?
SAM
I was looking down into the pool at the reflections of all the stars and that’s when he appeared. We had a conversation.
JUSTIN
What did he say?
SAM
He said he was hanging out in the stars, looking through some huge telescope down at Earth. He said if he tuned in, he could hear what was going on here.
JUSTIN
Wow.
SAM
I know.
JUSTIN
Do you think he’s still listening?
SAM
I’m not sure. But I like thinking of him out there, just hanging in some galaxy. (beat) He always wanted to see space.
A moment.
JUSTIN
See, this time travel thing… I think there’s something there. It’d be so much easier if you could just get on his computer and look through his bookmarks.
SAM
I know but I couldn’t even figure out the password for that.
JUSTIN
Weren’t your parents going to get it hacked?
SAM
That was my idea, but they’ll never do it. They’re too afraid of what they’ll find.
JUSTIN
That sucks.
SAM
I know. Someday I’ll get my hands on it, but I can’t help but think there’s a reason I need to figure it out now.
JUSTIN
I have that feeling too. Like it’s the one missing piece that will help you understand the whole picture and after you find it, you can just set the whole puzzle aside.
SAM
I’m never going to set it aside.
JUSTIN
You know what I mean. Not forget about it, just stop trying to make sense of it all and let it be.
SAM
I’m never going to set him aside.
JUSTIN
I know, Sam. Me either.
ALEX (from the other room, into headset)
Score! Xalex wins again! (beat) No you didn’t. I got like five super eggs. (beat) The worms don’t count for anything. They’re just bonuses. (beat) Are not. (beat) Are not! (beat) ARE NOT!!! Ughh! (he throws the headset to the ground and stomps loudly next to it). Take this Cactusman!!!!!
SAM (runs to ALEX)
Alex!!! Chill dude!
ALEX (pointing to the headset)
He says he beat me and he so didn’t! I finished first! Look!
SAM
It’s just a game, Alex. Take it easy.
ALEX (picks up the headset and talks into it)
Did you hear that, Cactusman? Sam says it’s just a game. (beat) I know! (laughs hysterically).
SAM (to JUSTIN)
Oh man am I glad we were born in the ‘80s. These cyberbabies are wacked out.
ALEX (eyeing SAM)
Cyberbabies?
SAM (to ALEX)
Yes, baby. You just threw a tantrum like a two-year-old.
ALEX
Whatever. (into headset) Hey, Cactusman. Sam says we’re babies. I know!
JUSTIN
You know what’s weird?
SAM
Huh.
JUSTIN
Kids on the internet is totally an upper class thing. I’m looking around this neighborhood and all these kids are out here playing, some of them causing trouble too, but still, they’re outside. In our neighborhood there aren’t any kids outside anymore. They’re all kept sterile and indoors.
SAM
That’s sad.
JUSTIN
I don’t understand what’s happening to the world anymore. It all feels so fake.
SAM
I hear ya.
JUSTIN
You do? Even over there in Canada?
SAM
Nothing’s felt real the past seven months.
JUSTIN
No.
ALEX (yelling, very annoying)
Oh, Sam!
SAM
I should probably get going. This kid needs a lot of attention.
JUSTIN
Yeah, my battery’s about dead anyhow. Oh hey… I just realized I’m right by Chinatown. Weird Maybe I’ll get some noodles.
SAM
Grab a fortune cookie for me.
JUSTIN
Will do. I’ll give it to you when you’re home.
SAM
Three more weeks.
JUSTIN
Sweet.
SAM
Adios.
JUSTIN
Peace.
SAM walks back into the computer room where ALEX is sitting way too peacefully.
SAM (wearily)
What’s going on?
ALEX
Oh, nothing.
SAM
What’s in your hand?
ALEX
The meaning of your little password.
SAM
What password?
ALEX
“sc11oloB.”
SAM
There’s no way you figured that out.
ALEX
Cactusman did. He’s the best.
SAM
How old is he?
ALEX
Eight and half.
SAM
Yeah, I highly doubt an eight and half-year-old could have discovered the significance of this random password, let alone in five minutes.
ALEX
Well, he did.
SAM
Okay. Show me.
ALEX
On one condition.
SAM
What’s that?
ALEX
You have to tell me why you want to figure it out so bad.
SAM
That’s a tall demand for a short dude.
ALEX
Do you want it or not?
SAM
Alright. I’ll tell you why, but only if your little friend’s decoding works.
ALEX (extending hand)
Deal.
SAM (shakes)
Deal. (ALEX hands SAM the piece of paper.) Second Chance? What’s that?
ALEX (guffaws)
You’re kidding?
SAM
What?
ALEX
You really don’t know what Second Chance is?
SAM
No.
ALEX
Oh man. I can’t wait to tell Cactusman! Dude, even my parents know what Second Chance is!
SAM
So what is it?
ALEX (going to the computer)
Only the biggest thing to ever hit the internet. It’s like an entire world.
SAM
What do you mean?
ALEX
Just sign in.
SAM
How?
ALEX (points to the piece of paper)
With your user name and password.
SAM (reads the paper)
“Bolo.” That’s his username?
ALEX
It’s “oloB” backwards. And then the whole thing is the password. Try it.
SAM
There’s no way.
ALEX
All you’ve got to do is type it in. Either it’ll work or it won’t.
SAM
It won’t. (begins to type).
ALEX
You’ll see.
SAM
Now what?
ALEX
Click “enter Second Chance.”
SAM clicks. An intense moment.
COMPUTER VOICE
Welcome back, Bolo.
SAM gasps and turns off the computer immediately.
ALEX
You’re never supposed to force quit a computer like that!
SAM (dazed)
Sorry.
ALEX
Why’d you do that?
SAM
Your mom… I thought I heard her car.
ALEX
Oh. (ALEX looks out the window. SAM collects himself a bit). Nope. Not her. But she will be home soon. (ALEX tends to the computer). I’ll have to restart her and shut her down correctly or my mom will know something’s up. I’m actually forbidden from Second Chance. They have a parent lock on the program and everything but Cactusman helped me break in. I don’t know what they think is so adult about it. It’s just a bunch of people flying around and acting like kids anyhow. Are you alright? (SAM is lying on the couch perfectly still. He doesn’t respond.) Hey, you’re doing it aren’t you? The nothingness thing. You’ve got it, don’t you? What’s it like?
SAM
I don’t know. Nauseating.
ALEX
Gross.
SAM
I guess Sartre was right.
SAM sits up slowly.
ALEX
So was Cactusman. Now you can tell me what’s so important about that password.
SAM
It’s a long story.
ALEX
I’ve got time. (The sound of a car pulling into the drive.) Shoot! She’s home. (SAM starts putting on his coat). You’ll tell me next time, right? (beat) Sam?
SAM
We’ll see.
ALEX
You shook on it!
SAM
I know.
ALEX
Then you have to tell me.
SAM reaches for the piece of paper by the computer, but ALEX is too fast and grabs it first.
SAM
That’s mine, Alex.
ALEX
No it’s not. It’s your brother’s.
SAM
My brother’s dead. He killed himself seven months ago. (beat) Can I have it please? (ALEX passes him the paper). Thanks.
SAM exits.
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38 comments:
I have so much to say about this scene I don't even know where to start. Umm, the ring-tone should be the Indiana Jones theme, in my opinion. It just kind of seems to pop up all over the place for some reason and I think it's a brilliant tune for a ring-tone. For some reason whenever I see Alex talking to Cactusman over the headset I imagine a Solid Snake type voice replying with an "affirmative" or something like that and it makes me laugh. It makes me very happy to see a Sam/Justin scene and I think their dialogue is perfect. Time travel... don't even get me started because I could go on about this all day. Good scene. Oh and I have bad news. Vito got in a fight with a robot and was killed by a laser beam to the face. So we probably won't be seeing him much anymore. Ok I cheated, I created Vito so that we could get to the next scene but I'm not sorry because this scene rocks so please forgive me... The end.
By the way, Bolo is lifted from "Haroun and the Sea of Stories" by Salman Rushdie. I don't know if you care or if it's important but that's the origin of the name, fyi.
hahahahah! Danny I can't believe you did that. that's so funny i was seriously laughing out loud! haha!!! you totally tricked me. I thought Vito was some new kid and I was like "Danny why you gotta be such a poop-face? poor kid!" That's funny. haha
Janis, That's my favorite scene so far. For sure. First of all, like Danny, I think it is really good to see Justin and Sam talking again. That makes me feel really good :)
I thought it was interesting the way Sam broke his pact with Alex to talk to Justin and then Justin found out that he broke his battleship pact with him for Alex. What does that mean about Sam? What does that mean about his realationship with Justin? How has college changed it and how has the loss of his brother changed it? I wonder if Justin might be a bit more reluctant to talk about what Sam saw at the meteror shower because Sam is usually so quiet about Elliot. I think that part seems a little too easy to talk about for them--specifically Justin. What do you guys think?
I think Alex has been REALLY well developed. He is really funny and his dialogue with Sam seems really natural. super :) and no i don't think he sounds too young.
so yeah, that was good. my favorite so far. maybe it was worth Danny's fraud... hmmmm... but maybe Vito is real... because Danny is real... hmmm...or is he...way to go recreating the major themes of the play Danny, haha
(oh and ps! the time machine reference reminded me that the other night in my dream I had a time machine birthday party. Janis, you were there and you supplied the time machine. I'm not going to explain it anymore because it doesn't relate. and it was long, and also a bit sad. kinda weird and random though, don't you think? oh but one more weird and funny thing: for the time machine to work you had to be wearing a certain color underwear. Isn't that weird? Where the heck did that come from!!!! I do not know.)
errr i cant wait for june!
oh, you guys are the best. these comments make me feel like we're in a time machine. like the old days when we were first imagining Rain. Danny, you're hilarious. I had a weird idea that Vito might be your creation, mainly because I couldn't see you being such a jerk to someone you didn't know. But then I wasn't sure and I felt bad for poor Vito. Now I feel even worse. A laser beam to the face is such a hard way to go.
Glad you both like the scene. It's my favorite to date too.
I love that I brought the time machine... maybe that's what plays are... Awesome dream.
oh my gosh.
ok first off, i have a little brother and he's definatly like that, yelling out and being crazy and taking his games oh so seriously.
is Justin still in edmonton? what the heck is he doing down by china town? haha not alot in china town...i like never go there. but i had dim sum there and it was really good.
off topic keltie. sorry everyone.
haha indiana jones theme telephone ring...nice danny. thats awesone.
its interesting how accepting justin is to sam seeing elliot that night. i almost wrote casey instead of sam..that would have caused confusion...
i really like this scene janis. it will be interesting to put on a stage! which i hope i can be a part of sometime
I agree with all the praises thus far.
The ONLY thing I found that tripped me up is the line "Yes! Dinorun here I come!"
And it's such an insignificant detail, I don't even know why I took issue with it. Anyway, considering how long that scene is and I can only find five words that aren't amazing, I am SO excited to see the next few scenes...
haha, it is really funny that Danny said that it should be indiana Jones, cause when ever I think of Sam I see Danny, and then that scene that Danny directed a couple years ago about god and the devil having the same ring tone.
Well, yeah I am kind of new to the blog so I am a little behind so I am a little behind. But I thought that the scene was really good and I loved the dialogue between Sam and Justin. You really made them seem like they were still really close despite the distance. The conversation in general just made me laugh. And i think that I want to visit www.endoftheinternet.com. Also I liked the stuff about the Cyberbabies and people never going outside. It was like going back to rain play. I need to go back and read more about this show.
Kyle!!! It's so great to see you on here. I thought you'd forgotten about us, and am very glad to see you haven't. Cheers to you!
"my mom was leaving the longest messages"
i wonder what they were? that line distracted me alot. was there mention of it earlier that i just missed?
marnie and molly -- why did those lines stick out to you?
molly -- there's no mention of it earlier. i just figured his mom has probably been calling and leaving very long messages. does that seem weird?
It seems a little werid to me, but maybe that's just me. my mom would never do that, but i suppose most moms probably would.
I just wish I knew what she was leaving messages about. For me, whenever someone leaves really long messages they're talking about something really important, or really interesting. or funny.
or.. they're like my cousins, who once tried to use up all the space on my answering machine, and left a 20 minute long message.
You know, I think to his mom those messages are pretty important but obviously they aren't to him. I guess I was just trying to show that his family isn't close. Considering Elliot's death, I was picturing his mom calling after she'd had too many martinis and just going on and on about really depressing things. Maybe all it needs is a line from Justin acknowledging that this is a bit weird. Your cousins sound fun.
I don't know, I don't really think it's that strange. I get rambling messages from my parents all the time, usually telling me a bunch of crap that I don't really care about about what's happening at home or wondering what I've been up to. Parents do that. It's probably because she doesn't like it that Sam is away all the time.
yeah, i agree its normal. all moms and dads miss there little wittle pumpkin-heads when they go away to college. i would too if I were a mom.
And especially sams parents. they're empty-nesters to the extreme.
i agree too... that doesn't at all seem unbelievable to me.
great scene! I really liked it- i can't wait to see what it'll be like the next time sam babysits...
current tally: 7 commentators. we need 5 more for the next scene. it's the last one in act one...
Oh god, we'll never get there. Where's Vito when we need him?
yeah, really danny, if you had just been patient and created Vito now it would have been much more helpful. bad timing.
How does ten sound janis?
:(
okay, I'll make it 11. but only because there are 11 characters in the play.
so, we're waiting on 4 more peeps...
:( I'm impatient... can we just up the number of comments need from each person?
i second that motion.
we could post 4 comments each!
I think we all know what needs to be done. A mutiny. We can maroon Janis on an island with naught but a pistol, one shot, and the script. All in favor?
vito told me to tell you guys that if the next scene isn't posted soon he's gonna leave the blog. sooo.... yeah....
But Vito died... laser to the face, remember? I'm still in mourning.
I'll post it this week. But I'm still hoping to get new commentators.
oh yeah... forgot.
Okay so now you only need 3more people. I liked this scene alot.
I think Alex is really well developed and a beliavble charecter which makes for great chemistry between him and Sam.
There is one thing that seemed off to me however - the way Justin and Sam speak so easily of Elliot.
My bestfriend's father died one year ago and even today it's hard for us to talk about. We of course still talk about it but it's hard. I think there still needs to be hesitation because death is hard for people to accept and when you're bestfriends with a person who has just had a family memeber die, epecially when you're a teenage, that topic never comes lightly. If we havn't experainced it we don't know how to approach it. We learn...but in time.
Other than that I enjoyed the scene I think there's great chemistry worked into it and flows greatly :).
Hi Jasmine. Thanks for your comments. I think someone else mentioned what you were touching on with the death coming up too easily but I didn't quite understand what they meant. I get it now. Thanks! How do you think I could make it less easy of a subject between these friends? Do you think Justin would hesitate more? What are the lines that seem out of place to everyone?
I think to make it more uncomfortable there has to be alotof implication rather then outright speaking of it.
Um the bets example I can try to provide you with would be when me and my friends talk about it's kind of..implied. Something like... "So do you need to talk about anything?" "How are you feeling about...you know?" We don't ever really say "Hey so how are you feeling about your dad dying" you know lol. There's always the awkward you know factor.
It was like this almost until it had been one year. It's getting easier but I know for the first year or so even mentioning dad brought tears in her eyes.
Mostly...we avoided the word Dad.
Some of the lines that stick out to me are when Justin says "Can’t you totally picture Elliot on something like that?" and Sam doesn't really react...I think there needs to be a moment for that name to impact him. The fact they're talking about his brother who is now dead.
I really enjoy the way they talk about the night at the ledge I think that portrays everything perfectly.
and the only other line I think that is problematic is when Sam gets angry and says "My brother’s dead. He killed himself seven months ago. (beat) Can I have it please? (ALEX passes him the paper). Thanks." I think that he tells Alex his brother is dead fits fine but I don't think a teenager would tell a seven year old that his brother killed himself. However, if that's used to set up the story of Elliot in this play then I understand it I just can't see an older person saying that to a younger child.
Hopefully that helps?
thank you Jasmine. this helps a lot. you were actually the one who first started the discussion about death which influenced so much in Stars and now in this play. it's great to have your feedback.
Glad I can help :)
This is so intense and awesome. I love Alex I think he works really well in contrast to Sam. Its like the little brother that he wants back but I'm curious to see if he makes that connection. Also I feel like the conversation between Justin and Sam is really great and real. I could picture this happening in Cattell and Justin would be in the down right vom. I like that Sam says he will never put Elliot aside and I also like that Justin is still sticking near Sam who seems to be caught in the awkward stage of moving on and not forgetting. Lovely work!
Two things that I love most about this scene: the relationship between Alex and Sam and Justin's newfound facination with life. Alex is totally that annoying eight year old you babysit that'll do anything to trick the babysitter. I love it! It's amusing how Sam will try and make these rules to keep Alex in line but ends up breaking them himself. I thought it was funny and reminded me of when my brother would babysit me when I was little and make up all of these ridiculous rules and never follow them himself. It shows that Sam still really wants to have that younger brother figure in his life again but is still struggling with the fact that it will never be fully restored. I also really liked Justin in this scene because he is really becoming a central character while in Stars he was in the middle of everything but I wished there was more. And now I get it! He is really questioning everything, again and I like it. But in this scene he seems less "high on life" which is good because his new facinations have sunk in. I like that we can see that his newfound outlook on life wasn't just a one day affair and that after the initial euphoria wears off, he has transformed. All in all, a wonderful scene and I am really excited to read the rest!
we just need one more person... and i just need to write about 5 more lines to finish the scene... so close!
this is driving my crazy.
You know Janis actually told me that the whole thing is finished and she's just doing this to torture us.
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