THE VOICE OF ATON "WORK ETHIC" by GORDON D WENN CAST LIST --------- STEVE Mr SPOLAZZO JERRY Dr LIPPSCHITZ(f) RAY REPAIR MAN SET LIST -------- INTERIORS --------- BULL PEN SUPERVISORS OFFICE PSYCHIATRISTS OFFICE BACK ROOM Copyright (c) 2003 - All rights reserved - KitsWriter@Yahoo.com # 1. ACT ONE FADE IN: INT. - BULL PEN - DAY We see a large open office, brightly lit and filled with desks. The room is alive with the chatter of the workplace. Although the sounds of telephones seem to be absent. The desks are spaced closed together, forming a tight grid pattern. But with sufficient room for a chaotic number of identically dressed clerks to maneuver through and perform their endless administrative ballet. The people at the desks are receiving pieces of paper from all directions. They examine them, then hand them off to other people passing by, or to the desks behind, in front or beside them. Each piece of paper, is then received by other people passing by, who deliver them to other desks, where they continue on about the room. CAMERA MOVES RIGHT at floor level, travelling behind a group of desks, then forward, up a row, past the seemingly infinite clerks. It stops at an unusually silent desk. Its surface blank, its chair empty and tucked underneath. The pieces of paper flow around this dead spot. An extra effort is being made to bypass this strange void. The lights suddenly lower their intensity, signaling the end of shift. The room begins to relax, the last pieces of paper shuffling out into some clerical hinterland. Then we see the back of the man, directly in front of the empty desk. We will come to know him as JERRY. He reaches down to his right, removing a gym bag from a lower drawer. Then places all his personal objects, from the surface of the desk into the bag. He stands, sliding his chair beneath the desk. Then turns and looks at the empty desk behind his. His expression conveys a certain disappointment. He addresses the man at the desk behind the empty one. JERRY So, Ray, where is he? RAY gives him a questioning look. RAY And you are? JERRY (puzzled) Jerry. I sit over here! RAY And what was it you wanted? # 2. JERRY waves his right hand at the empty desk. JERRY Steve! You're his back up. RAY (loud) Hey, just because I sit behind some guy, doesn't mean I'm responsible for his actions. JERRY Are we not our brothers keepers? RAY (put off) That was uncalled for! JERRY You're the one I hear complaining the most. RAY stands back a bit defensively. JERRY(CON'T) I'm not the one who has to use my boarding house reach every time I come to work. RAY (shrugs) Yeah, well what do you want me to do about it? JERRY looks perplexed at RAYS' indecision. He puts his bag on the empty desk, then gestures his response to RAY. JERRY (calmly) Ray, this is probably the greatest job in the Universe. We work for one hour, then get the rest of the week off. It doesn't get any better than this. It's perfect! RAY (loud) Yeah, and we're sweating bullets the entire time! # 3. JERRY Okay.... But guys like Steve, become the Weak Link in the Chain of Socialism. RAY gives JERRY a questioning look. RAY Why do you always use those Commie references? JERRY (smiles) Because, I don't want to become an Enemy of the People. RAY still doesn't look too happy. RAY So, we write a nasty note and slip it under some door. JERRY No, we go talk to Mister Spolazzo. RAY suddenly gets very defensive. He shakes his head from side to side. RAY Nope. Bad idea. Count me out. JERRY Then you don't get to complain anymore. RAY (loud) Hey, it's a free country! JERRY That's true, but you still have to pay for everything. RAY looks extremely apprehensive. RAY Hmm.... I'm not good with Supervisors. JERRY He's just a guy, like us. # 4. RAY No, not a guy, a Supervisor. JERRY tries to convince RAY. JERRY This could be a test? RAY What sort of test? LARRY One where you've noticed a serious problem and have a brilliant solution. RAY So? JERRY There could be a promotion involved, for those people whose leadership abilities, have not yet been recognized. RAY gives him a short, silent look. RAY You just want to Rat the guy out! JERRY responds emotionally. LARRY He's never here!... It's the worlds easiest job! And he's never here! Everybody's suffering! You most of all! RAY (shrugs) Yeah, well.... JERRY Ray, it takes two people to make a complaint. Those are the Rules. RAY Pick somebody else. # 5. JERRY throws his gym bag, slightly to left of RAYS' head. JERRY Fetch! RAY doesn't flinch. RAY Point taken. JERRY What point would that be? RAY (squirmy) Maybe, next week. Not now. JERRY (firm) Now. RAY (loud) You can't make me! JERRY shrugs, gestures his understanding. JERRY Have you ever considered reclassification? RAY (shocked) Excuse me? JERRY pushes his argument forward. JERRY Perhaps, your having a problem with your job description. People do rise to their highest levels of incompetence. RAY looks puzzled. RAY That's not fair. JERRY Do the right thing for once. RAY I don't want do. It'll just piss off somebody. And then they'll blame me. # 6. JERRY This is a group problem, Ray. Not one of your personal demons. RAY You can't make me. JERRY Then perhaps, in your case, requalification is recommended. RAY charges out from behind his desk, stopping in front of JERRY. RAY (loudly) You have no right to say that to me! Take it back! JERRY remains calm, refusing to budge from his position. JERRY (taunting) Or what? RAY I have this problem with Authority! Understand? JERRY We must embrace our fears. RAY Shut up! JERRY smiles at RAY, knowingly. Then quickly spins him around, grabbing the back of his pants, pulling then up in a standard wedgie. RAY (surprised) Let go!... You can't do this! JERRY assumes control of RAYS' actions. He lifts and leads him back through the grid of empty desks. We hear RAY complaining into the distance. RAY(CON'T) (whiny) Let me go.... You can't make me.... Stop!... That hurts.... # 7. DISSOLVE TO: INT. - SUPERVISORS OFFICE - MOMENTS LATER We see the interior of a rather stark office. The walls are empty of any personal items. Diffuse light from a single window, frames the only piece of furniture in the room, a large metal desk. A man sits at the desk, his nameplate reads: Mr SPOLAZZO. He sits waiting, looking at JERRY and RAY, who are standing in front of his desk, very quietly. JERRY appears very calm. RAY however, keeps glancing nervously at the only entrance into the office. The words: SUPERVISORS OFFICE, appear in reverse on the glass in the door. Mr SPOLAZZO prompts them into speaking. Mr SPOLAZZO Well?... What was it that you wanted to see me about? JERRY prompts RAY, by cuffing him in the back of his head. RAY (surprised) Hey! Don't hit me! Mr SPOLAZZO Is there a problem? RAY answers quietly, but doesn't look directly at Mr SPOLAZZO. RAY (denial) No, no problem. Mr SPOLAZZO Then why are you here? JERRY gestures the opening statement back to RAY. RAY (loud) I'm not saying anything, about anybody. Mr SPOLAZZO So, there is a problem. RAY (quietly) Not really. JERRY cuffs RAY in the back of his head again. RAY(CON'T) (painful) Hey! Quit hitting me! # 8. Mr SPOLAZZO Ray, just tell me why you're here. RAY (confused) You know who I am? Mr SPOLAZZO Of course, I'm your Supervisor. I should know who works here. Something wells up inside RAY. RAY I don't want to be requalified, because of some deadbeat! Mr SPOLAZZO Who mentioned anything about requalification? RAY points an accusing finger at JERRY. RAY (loud) He did! Mr SPOLAZZO (to Jerry) Is this true Jerry? JERRY Actually, the first thing I mentioned was reclassification. But, I didn't think that he'd be that stupid and repeat it. Mr SPOLAZZO (to Jerry) Well, he obviously is. (to Ray) Which do you prefer? RAY (fearful) What?... No!... He said it first! He dragged me in here! I didn't want to come! Mr SPOLAZZO looks at RAY rather dispassionately. # 9. Mr SPOLAZZO I'll schedule you for Both, then. RAY (loud) What!... No!... (thinks) I'm not stupid! Mr SPOLAZZO (to both of them) Who's the deadbeat in question? LARRY That would be Steve. He's missed eight out of last eleven shifts. Mr SPOLAZZO Do you concur, Ray? RAY relaxes slightly, hoping his answer might change things. RAY Sure, the guys never there! And never does his job when he actually shows up. Also, he smells funny.... Horsey. RAY nods at JERRY, who furrows him a questioning look. Mr SPOLAZZO Thank you for the concise report. A keypad appears on the right side of Mr SPOLAZZOS' desk. He punches in a few commands. RAY screams in panic. RAY NO!... RAYS' panic is suddenly muffled by a large Blue tube, moving very quickly up and around him. There is a 'KATHUK' sound, followed by a whooshing noise. Then the Blue tube disappears back into the floor, leaving only a slight breeze in JERRYS' hair. Mr SPOLAZZO (to Jerry) You disapprove? JERRY bends over slightly, looking down at a nonexistent hole. JERRY No, not at all. Those Tubes are a lot of fun. Ten bucks in any amusement park. # 10. Mr SPOLAZZO (nods) Really? I'll make a note of that. Mr SPOLAZZO inputs another group of commands into his desktop. Mr SPOLAZZO(CON'T) Jerry, I'll need you to confirm Steves' identity. JERRY (shrugs) Sure. Can I use the Tube? Mr SPOLAZZO Destination? JERRY Nine One Nine Four. Mr SPOLAZZO Very well. JERRY Thanks. Mr SPOLAZZO makes a phone call. It rings. There is a slight click as someone answers. The Blue tube appears, then disappears, leaving behind a man in his bathrobe. It's STEVE, answering the phone. STEVE Hello? STEVE looks up and realizes that he's not in Kansas anymore. STEVE(CON'T) (surprised) What the hell! STEVE raises his phone up in an aggressive manner. STEVE(CON'T) (confused) Who are you people?... How did I get here?... What do want from me?... STEVE moves back to his right, away from JERRY and Mr SPOLAZZO. JERRY tries to calm him down. JERRY (quietly) Steve, it's me Jerry, you know, the guy who sits in front of you. # 11. JERRY points to the back of his head, as this is the part of him that STEVE would have seen at work, and is about to turn around, but changes his mind, as he sees STEVE holding his phone like a club. JERRY(CON'T) (careful) Why don't you put the phone down, Steve. No one's going to hurt you. We're all friends here. Right. STEVE swings the phone at JERRY, as if it were a cross and Jerry the undead. STEVE (frothy) Get away from me! Get back!... Don't do anything stupid! Mr SPOLAZZO (concerned) You don't remember? STEVE (loud) Remember what? Mr SPOLAZZO (to Jerry) Is this Steve? JERRY Yes it is.... Although, I think you should show Steve how he got here. Mr SPOLAZZO keys in JERRYS' destination. Mr SPOLAZZO (to Jerry) Have a good week. JERRY waves goodbye, then is carried away by the Blue tube. STEVE (amazed) Where did he go? Mr SPOLAZZO forms his response. Mr SPOLAZZO Something to do with mashpotatoes. # 12. STEVE What? Mr SPOLAZZO You really don't remember? STEVE Who are you? Mr SPOLAZZO Mr Spolazzo, your Supervisor. You work here. Jerry was worried about you, and I'm very concerned about your attendance record. STEVE (loud) My what? Are you crazy? I don't work for anybody. Why would I need a job? Your concern is misplaced. STEVE throws his phone onto the desk. It clatters over to Mr SPOLAZZO, who picks it up and puts it in a drawer. STEVE harumphs at him. Then looks around for a place to sit. Mr SPOLAZZO We may have a very serious problem here. STEVE (flip) You think? Mr SPOLAZZO (concerned) Steve, I'd like you to see our staff Psychiatrist. STEVE (angry) Psychiatrist? Your the one who's crazy! I'm calling the cops! STEVE suddenly realizes that he should have kept his phone. Mr SPOLAZZO (points) Just through the door. Everything will be fine. STEVE (glaring) Or what! # 13. Mr SPOLAZZO keys in another command. A large screen appears on his right. An image forms. We see the clerical staff moving frantically about their tasks. The image moves in on STEVE at his desk, doing his job, very poorly. The pieces of paper have stopped and piled up on his desk. He has a very disgusted look on his face. Then he just gets up and leaves. For a moment the pieces of paper stagnate on his desk. Then the office pirhana descend, stripping it bare. Mr SPOLAZZO (concerned) Can you explain your actions? STEVE (denial) That wasn't me! Mr SPOLAZZO (points) Please. Just through the door. STEVE (loud) No! That wasn't me! Mr SPOLAZZO continues pointing at the door. STEVE(CON'T) (denial) No! STEVE looks around again for a place to sit. Mr SPOLAZZO This is all voluntary. We can't force you. STEVE (angry) Who are you people? Why are you doing this to me? Mr SPOLAZZO relaxes. He sits back slightly, not quite understanding STEVES' reaction. Then STEVES' anger propels him forward. He rushes at the desk, grabbing Mr SPOLAZZO by the collar with his left hand. His right hand forms a fist. Then his gaze drops down slightly, his eyes widen, a horrified look crosses his face. He pushes the sitting Mr SPOLAZZO away. Then runs out the door. We see Mr SPOLAZZO in full view, away from his desk. Not exactly sitting in his chair, but more attached to it, from the hips down. DISSOLVE TO: # 14. INT. - PSYCHIATRISTS OFFICE - CONTINUOUS We see STEVE entering another, albeit identical office. The room appears exactly the same as Mr SPOLAZZOS' office, except for a psychiatrists couch on the right side of the room and the words: PSYCHIATRISTS OFFICE, appear in reverse on the glass in the door. STEVE suddenly realizes that he's made a stupid move, and exits back through the door. Only to find himself back in the same room. He exits the room again, with a similar result. However, this time, a rather pretty, dark haired woman, wearing a red bustier and a pink negligee with stiletto heels, is standing in the room. STEVE is extremely surprised, as he recognizes her. STEVE (confused) Miss Lippschitz? Dr LIPPSCHITZ (correction) It's Doctor Lippschitz. STEVE stares at her, not really believing what he sees. STEVE No, I remember, your Miss Lippschitz, my third grade teacher. Dr LIPPSCHITZ I may currently appear to look like her. But I can assure you, I'm Doctor Lippschitz, the staff Psychiatrist. Please sit down. She offers him the couch, but his gaze never leaves her. STEVE (smiling) Why are you dressed like that? She gives him a quick look, noting his bathrobe. Dr LIPPSCHITZ Well, why are you dressed like that? STEVE remembers his arrival in Mr SPOLAZZOS' office. STEVE Oh, I answered the phone and this Blue tube grabbed me.... STEVE remembers Mr SPOLAZZO. The wide-eyed look he had returns. # 15. STEVE(CON'T) (fearful) In that office, that guy.... He's.... He's attached to his chair. He's part of it. Dr LIPPSCHITZ points STEVE back to the couch. Dr LIPPSCHITZ (stern) If you don't sit down, I can't help you. He sits, although his eyes nervously dart about the room. Dr LIPPSCHITZ picks up a note pad from her desk. Dr LIPPSCHITZ(CON'T) What else do you remember? STEVE still looks a little unnerved. STEVE What? Dr LIPPSCHITZ What did you do yesterday? STEVE (calmly) Nothing. Dr LIPPSCHITZ Nothing?... Did you eat, sleep, watch TV? Did you shower? Talk to anybody? STEVE (gestures) No, I just hung out. Nothing at all, really. Dr LIPPSCHITZ And how long have you been 'Hanging Out'? STEVE I don't understand. What do you mean? Dr LIPPSCHITZ What do you actually remember? What's your first memory? STEVE suddenly feels that parts of him, may not be concealed by his bathrobe and stands up. He looks at the office door. # 16. STEVE (confused) That door!... When you go out that door, your right back in here. There's no hallway. Dr LIPPSCHITZ It's easier that way. STEVE (loud) For who? Dr LIPPSCHITZ Do you remember anything at all? I have your file here. Maybe that would help. She hands STEVE a file folder from her desk. He looks at the pages. His expression becomes very confused. Then he suddenly snaps at her. STEVE (loud) What's this? We see a page, covered with ones and zeros. STEVE(CON'T) (confused) It's nothing but numbers! Dr LIPPSCHITZ (concerned) You can't read it? STEVE (loud) Am I supposed to? Dr LIPPSCHITZ folds her negligee slightly, then sits on the edge of her desk. She slowly forms her next inquiry. Dr LIPPSCHITZ How many times did you enter through that door? STEVE Well, I came in, then went out and was back here again. Is this important? Dr LIPPSCHITZ That's all you remember? # 17. STEVE Yeah, why? Dr LIPPSCHITZ Do you remember your Job? STEVE I saw something, I'm not sure.... Dr LIPPSCHITZ adjusts her negligee again. STEVES' body tenses. STEVE(CON'T) (loud) Stop doing that! Dr LIPPSCHITZ Why? You dressed me this way. STEVE (confused) What?... I did?... How? Dr LIPPSCHITZ It's all well within the Rules. STEVE (clearer) What rules? Dr LIPPSCHITZ stands, moving towards STEVE with the full force of her costume. STEVE looks nervous, steps back a bit, then stops. Dr LIPPSCHITZ takes the file back from him. She adjusts the pages. Then finds the information she'd been looking for. Dr LIPPSCHITZ You may require some additional help. STEVE What do you mean? Dr LIPPSCHITZ Someone you know, who can answer all your questions. She walks behind her desk, checks a section of the file. Then keys in a command to her desktop. The Blue tube comes and goes. We see RAY, dressed as a fast food clerk with headset microphone. RAY first sees Dr LIPPSCHITZ. RAY (smiles) Do you want fries with that? Then RAY sees STEVE. He steps back defensively. # 18. RAY(CON'T) Oh, jeez! STEVE recognizes RAY. He stares at him with an accusing look. STEVE YOU! Dr LIPPSCHITZ steps out from behind her desk, distracting STEVE. Dr LIPPSCHITZ Steve, where do you remember Ray from? STEVE (to Dr. Lippschitz) He lost all my money! RAY moves protectively behind Dr LIPPSCHITZ. Dr LIPPSCHITZ Ray, you have to confront your fears. RAY (nervous) I told you the risk! STEVE (to Ray) The Risk!... The Risk! Look at what I've become! RAY Hey, the same thing happened to me! Dr LIPPSCHITZ intercedes. Dr LIPPSCHITZ Steve, what happened after you lost all your money? STEVE looks at her blankly. His memory seems to be slipping. STEVE I lost everything!... STEVE stops. Thinks. STEVE(CON'T) Everything!... STEVE looks at RAY, the anger returns. # 19. STEVE(CON'T) YOU!... You did this! RAY It was the only thing we could do. Dr LIPPSCHITZ addresses STEVE. Dr LIPPSCHITZ Steve, do you remember what you and Ray did? STEVE looks at Dr LIPPSCHITZ. He seems in denial. Dr LIPPSCHITZ(CON'T) (coaxing) Steve, I want you to try and remember what you and Ray did? STEVE appears motionless for a moment, then he begins to become more agitated. A wave of fear flows over him, turning into a horrible realization. He remembers. STEVE (screams) Oh-My-God! Dr LIPPSCHITZ It's all voluntary. There's very little that I can do. STEVE (screams) Oh-My-God! RAY moves out from behind Dr LIPPSCHITZ. RAY (to Dr. Lippschitz) I could help. Dr LIPPSCHITZ (to Ray) Ray we've talked about this before. RAY No, I mean, within the Rules. STEVE begins screaming unintelligibly. His arms raised up, his hands clenched in fists. The screaming becomes louder, he starts to flail about the room. Dr LIPPSCHITZ agrees to RAYS' request. # 20. Dr LIPPSCHITZ (to Ray) Go ahead. RAY walks over and opens the door. We see a black void behind it. STEVE turns and runs into the blackness. The screaming fades. CAMERA MOVES INTO the darkness. For a moment there is just the darkness and silence. Then we hear a soft scratching noise. MATCH TO.... DISSOLVE TO: INT. - BACK ROOM - CONTINUOUS .... The sound intensifies. We suddenly recognize the whir of an electric drill. We hear screws hitting the floor. Light replaces the darkness, as a pair of hands remove a metal cover in the centre of our view. A mans face appears in the space where the metal cover had been. He shines a flashlight inside the space, it illuminates electronic circuit boards on either side of our view. It then becomes obvious that we are inside a machine. We see a company logo on the mans shirt. He appears to be a REPAIR MAN, kneeling in front of the machine. His face moves back inside, looking for a defect. The flashlight moves up and to our left. His gaze follows the light. He speaks to some unseen person beside him. REPAIR MAN (discovery) There's your problem. He reaches up to the left, with his right hand, pulls on a part. A wire connector falls into our view. He puts the flashlight down, then reaches up with both hands removing a large dusty rectangular box. As the box comes into view, we see something through the dirty Plexiglas casing. A Human Brain. REPAIR MAN(CON'T) (blunt) It's gone to Black. He stands up, we see his tool belt and bottom torso, through the opening. He speaks to an unseen assistant. REPAIR MAN(CON'T) Go get another one out the truck, will you. The REPAIR MAN turns and speaks to the other unseen person. REPAIR MAN(CON'T) (reassuring) We'll have you back up and running in no time. # 21. CAMERA MOVES UP into the machine. We see more electronic parts. Our view widens as the CAMERA PULLS BACK through the parts. It exits onto a video screen. We see the words: TEMPORARILY OUT OF SERVICE, on the screen. Our view widens again. We see three people waiting patiently in front of an ATM machine. FADE OUT. THE END #