 |
|
WORDWRIGHT |
| Overview |
| Writing Resume |
| Samples |
|
SONGWRIGHT |
| Overview |
| Music History |
| Samples |
|
PLAYWRIGHT |
| Overview |
| Samples |
|
PAGEWRIGHT |
| Overview |
|
Best viewed with InternetExplorer4.0 +  |
Playwright Sample   |
A
SUBURBAN
BUDDHA
by
Darcy W Moore
Based on an original idea by
Darcy W Moore
SECOND DRAFT
JULY 2001
(First draft submitted to Pacific Film & Television
Commission of Australia in May 2001)
©2001 Darcy W Moore
E-mail: darcymoore@hotmail.com
Web Site: http://thewrightstuff.freeservers.com
Story Outline:
Set in the 1970s, a young man reflects humorously on his "spiritual
education" culminating in his meeting with a self-proclaimed
enlightened one in the backstreets of Melbourne.
Synopsis:
To escape the influence of her father in Brisbane Ned Granger
lives with his girlfriend, Francine, in a Melbourne love nest.
While slumming it in the scullery of a Tb sanitorium he meets
Jeremy, the brain-dead acolyte of a self-declared enlightened
being who has christened himself Nascent. In the lead up to his
hilarious encounter with the guru, Ned reviews his religious
history, and reveals his growing scepticism. Set in the 1970s the
story humorously observes the prevailing fascination with eastern
mysticism, and explores the insecurities of young love.
A SUBURBAN BUDDHA
FADE IN:
1 INT. SANITORIUM KITCHEN -- MORNING 1
Intense pre-breakfast activity. One cook carries a large
pot to a servery point; another, SAM POLINSKI, brings
several dirty pots to Ned in the scullery. They exchange
words and laugh.
NARRATOR (V.O.)
I'm Ned Granger. That's me
playing Cinderella. I heard
about Nascent the Buddha from
Timothy. I met Timothy in the
scullery of a TB sanitorium.
Two men enter through a door. JOHN PLIMSOLL has short
hair, is immaculately groomed and wears a collar and tie.
He introduces JEREMY to the harassed kitchen staff.
Jeremy wears khaki overalls and has long hair gathered in
a net. He's dazed by all the activity but nods pleasantly
and shakes hands.
NARRATOR (V.O.)
(CONT'D)
You might wonder what I'm
doing here in .. nowhere land.
Plimsoll, the superintendent,
wondered that too. He looked
at my paper stuff and said,
"You're too intelligent for
this. You won't be happy
here." He was right. But no
one else applied so he was
stuck with me. He had no
complaints about my work.
Maybe he had night terrors
about a communist in the
kitchen getting cooks to go on
strike or whatever idle minds
are supposed to do. So when
Jeremy asked for a job, he
slid him in as my understudy.
Jeremy didn't know. He didn't
know much at all.
Plimsoll and Jeremy approach the sinks. Ned has been
watching the procession with interest. He faces them.
PLIMSOLL
Good morning Ned.
NED
Good morning John.
PLIMSOLL
I'd like you to meet Jeremy
Stodley.
Ned wipes a hand on his jeans and offers it to Jeremy.
Jeremy looks at it quizzically for a moment, then shakes
it. A long shake which Ned disengages.
NED
(straight-faced)
Welcome aboard Jeremy.
Plimsoll looks hard at Ned.
PLIMSOLL
Jeremy will help the cooks cut
up vegetables. They've been
after someone full time for a
while.
NED
Fine. That's a real blood
brotherhood, Jeremy.
PLIMSOLL
(a beat, then laughs)
Yes, Jeremy. Be careful with
the knives. And
(looking about him)
there's a bit too much for one
person here sometimes, so he
can give you a hand when you
need it. Well, I'll leave him
with you Ned 'til the cooks
have a bit of space.
NED
You can rely on me John.
Plimsoll walks away, shaking his head. Ned begins
pointing out various pieces of equipment to Jeremy, and
leads him over to a cutting table.
2 INT. SANITORIUM WARDS -- AFTERNOON 2
Jeremy, wearing the same overalls, pushes a trolley with
food trays and plates slowly along a corridor. He turns
into open wards, picks up plates and trays from a
collection point and stacks the trolley.
NARRATOR (V.O.)
It's pretty easy to spot an ex-
dope head if you know what to
look for. Micro pauses creep
into the words, vacancy into
the eyes. You see it in
housewives, high school
principals, politicians; all
manner of reformed upright
citizens. They never quite get
the funk out of their
synapses. But Jeremy was no
ex. He taken so much it fused
permanently in his brain.
3 INT. SANITORIUM WARDS -- AFTERNOON 3
Repeat last scene, but with Ned working quickly and
efficiently.
NARRATOR (V.O.)
In terms of productivity I
reckon I was worth about 5
Jeremies. My philosophy's
always been, "If it's a shit
job you do it as fast as you
can." But Plimsoll saw it as
having a bad attitude. I made
it look like someone got the
job specs wrong; someone being
him. Yeah, that bad attitude
of mine's got me in trouble
all my life.
4 EXT. SANITORIUM COURTYARD -- DAY 4
NED briskly pushes the trolley along a cement path
between buildings. He waves to a gardener. Plimsoll
approaches from the other direction. As they draw abreast
they exchange greetings without stopping. Plimsoll looks
back, watching Ned as he walks swiftly up a ramp
disappearing from view.
NARRATOR (V.O.)
Jeremy got comfortable with
me. I was friendly, didn't
hassle him and helped him out.
Plimsoll never got used to me.
I think he'd rather'd I was
his supervisor.
5 INT. SANITORIUM KITCHEN -- MORNING 5
NARRATOR (V.O.)
But you must be wondering
about Nascent.
Jeremy, wearing his alternative overalls, slowly and
methodically cuts up carrots with a knife at a large marble
table near the scullery area, while Ned carries a stack
of dried plates to storage in the kitchen area. Polinski
stirs a huge pot of custard as Ned passes.
POLINSKI
Ned! Hey, how's your
girlfriend?
NED
(amused)
That's between us, Sam.
POLINSKI
(nostalgically)
Yes. That's so before you
marry.. Hey, when I finish
here how about we have a go at
the meat board. Starting to
stink.
NED
I've noticed. Sure.
NED goes to Jeremy. He takes a cutting board from a shelf
and picks up a carrot from the heap in front of Jeremy.
Jeremy looks up and puts down his knife.
NARRATOR (V.O.)
Jeremy's confidences all
seemed to come back to one
thing.
JEREMY
(quietly and slowly)
Man, you wonder what it's all
about?
Ned looks away from Jeremy and rolls his eyes. Then he
looks back, smiles and nods his head.
NARRATOR (V.O.)
Yes ... religion.
NED
All the time Jeremy.
NARRATOR
And we seemed to have the same
conversation.
(a beat)
But it was soothing.
JEREMY
I used to.
NED
Mmm.
JEREMY
No more, Man. Such a .. You
let it all go.
NED
Like good sex.
JEREMY
(serenely)
No, not like that. Much
better. Nascent saved me.
NARRATOR
If I didn't want to hear it
all again I beat him to the
punch.
NED
You live with him don't you?
JEREMY
It's a real family. He looks
after us.
NED
But you give him your money,
don't you?
JEREMY
He takes care of all that. He
pays for everything, and gives
us love.
NED
Fair trade.. I suppose.
JEREMY
No. I owe him. He teaches us.
We learn how to be happy.
Jeremy continues to talk, slowly and serenely.
NARRATOR (V.O.)
I think you get the picture. I
was only 21 at the time, but
I'd been around enough not to
believe everything I heard.
Even when I wanted to. Mind
you, I wasn't cynical, just
suspicious.
I'd had a pretty thorough
Christian upbringing that left
me, well, mostly bored out of
my brain.
6 EXT. CHURCH -- NIGHT 6
People file into church. A boy of 10 stops, turns and
looks up and down the street. A pair of children laugh
and fly past the church on foot-scooters. His father
jerks him into church.
NARRATOR (V.O.)
I hated Wednesday nights. Two
hours of hymns, prayers and
bible readings did not enthuse
my soul ..or even scare me.
7 INT. HOUSE LIVING ROOM -- MORNING 7
Same boy in a coarse, heavy suit struggles with a tie.
His mother slicks his head with hairoil.
NARRATOR (V.O.)
Sunday was 24 hours of solid
penitential endurance. No
matter what the weather I had
the same dressing ritual ..
and then.
8 INT. CHURCH -- MORNING 8
A church congregation. Blonde boy sits between parents
several rows from the front surreptitiously observing
people behind and to the side.
Use several non-contiguous shots for narrated incidents.
Congregational noise is in the background and muffled.
NARRATOR (V.O.)
Another 2 hours of religious
salad .. and the heat. But
there were distractions. Old
ladies with hairy chins really
getting off on "Nearer My God
to Thee", and going up front
every Sunday to confess their
sins. I couldn't imagine,
then, what an old lady could
do wrong except keep the ball
you hit over her fence.
Then you could try to work out
which adult farted. They
didn't give anything away. If
it was you or another kid it
was easy. And then you'd start
giggling, and you'd be biting
holes in your cheek and just
about crying not to laugh.
9 INT. HOUSE BEDROOM -- AFTERNOON 9
Same boy lies on a bed, bored. He looks at a stack of
comics on a desktop, sits up quietly and is about to step
off the bed when he sees the door handle turn. He throws
himself back on the bed. The mother looks in, smiles. She
goes away but leaves the door open.
NARRATOR (V.O.)
The prelude to hell continued
after a hot, stodgy lunch. A
two hour confinement to bed.
No comics, no books, no noise.
No zest in the protestant Day
of Rest.
10 INT. HOUSE LIVING ROOM -- NIGHT 10
Same boy, two sisters and parents pray at the dining room
table. The father stops reciting, looks up, all
(choreographed) pick up their hymn books, open at a
bookmarked page and begin singing. The boy and girls
occasionally look away from their books and around them
but are pulled back to task by stern paternal looks.
NARRATOR (V.O.)
Naturally, Sunday night was
spoken for on the Lord's
behalf. After the family
circle, it was supper and
straight to bed. TV, not
approved of at the best of
times, was banished to the
Twilight Zone on Sunday. I
still wake up with trepidation
on Sunday mornings ... and
maybe that's why I used to
fudge them with hangovers.
11 INT. SANITORIUM KITCHEN -- DAY 11
Jeremy wipes dishes and talks to Ned who washes up.
NARRATOR (V.O.)
I must have given Jeremy some
encouragement. Either that or
he wanted to show off his
mentor. When Jeremy invited me
to bring my girlfriend around
to visit Nascent, I hedged a
little, having formed a mental
picture of a cross between
Buddha and Rasputin. I wasn't
concerned about falling under
his spell, but it had crossed
my mind he might recruit
Francine, my girlfriend at the
time. She'd already shown a
little too much interest in my
reports of him.
NED
Does he have a woman?
JEREMY
No man. He doesn't need them.
He says that our bodies are a .. an
uh ..
NED
Distraction?
JEREMY
That's it... And they take the
place of things for our
spirits.
NED
Do you ever feel like sex
Jeremy?
JEREMY
No man. Not now. It's good.
NED
So .. Nascent .. there's no
woman with him?
JEREMY
You mean Saffron! Saffron's a
mother to me. She cooks for us
and leads us in prayer
sometimes.
NED is silent for a moment, as Jeremy continues wiping
plates contentedly. Polinski, swinging a meat cleaver
with great gusto, cuts up meat in the kitchen area.
NED
I'll think about it, ok.
JEREMY
(smiling)
You were meant to meet him,
Man. He'll change your life
NED
(staring in the greasy
sink)
I'm starting to feel like a
change.
Polinski gives a final whack to the side of beef.
POLINSKI
(loudly)
Brisco's gone home sick.
Something he drank too much of
last night hey.
(belly laughs)
Someone wants to take the
lunch food trolley round?
NED and Jeremy look over at him
JEREMY
Sure Man, I'll do it.
POLINSKI
No, no, no. You take a break
MAN. You work too damn hard.
Let that other bludger do it.
NED
(laughingly)
Thanks Sam, you Polish
malingerer.
POLINSKI
Hey, a new swear word. You
have to teach me that one.
Save it for that italiano
bastard next door next time he
borrows my wife.
Ned and Polinski laugh. Jeremy smiles.
12 INT. FJ HOLDEN -- EARLY MORNING 12
A bleary-eyed Ned forces his eyes open to stay awake. His
breath fogs the windscreen. He winds down the driver's
window. He shivers in the stream of cold air. The streets
are deserted.
NARRATOR (V.O.)
Why do I look like a drug
addict? Francine. Young and
hot like me but not nearly so
understanding. The morning
shift starts at 5:00am. And in
July in Melbourne the 40
minute crosstown ride in an
old cold FJ is worth an award
from somebody.
(with emphasis)
Hey YOU!
13 INT. LOVE NEST -- NIGHT 13
A largish room with a double bed/divan at one end, a
small 2 person eating table half way down, a kitchen at
the other. Submerged shapes heave in the double bed.
Giggles, groans. They stop, and Francine's head emerges.
She smiles contentedly and stretches under the covers.
FRANCINE
(whispering)
Magnolia! Magnolia!
A Persian cat jumps from the floor to the bed, snuggling
around Francine's feet.
Francine raises herself exposing bare shoulders. She has
long, tangled blonde hair. She shivers and, clutching the
covers to her to keep warm, leans over to grope on the
floor on her side for her pyjama top. She disturbs the
cat, and drags the covers off Ned. Exposed down to his
stomach, Ned shivers and then wakes.
NARRATOR (V.O.)
You see by the time young
people do what red-blooded
young people gotta do it's
pushing midnight. Most guys,
me included, find sex a great
nightcap. But Francine, well
Francine was a pretty typical
female in post-coital matters.
NED
Shiiiit! What are you doing
Francine? it's freezing!
FRANCINE
(unfazed)
I want my top.
Ned sits up shivering, takes one side of the bedding and
pulls hard, just as Francine grabs her top. She rolls
back onto him, bedding sandwiched between them. They
almost touch noses.
FRANCINE (CONT'D)
(in a sultry voice)
That WAS a quick recovery. I'm
game if you are.
She begins laughing and buries her head in the bedding.
Ned struggles to sit up, her weight on top of him.
NED
(spluttering)
Christ! I've got to leave for
work in a few hours.
They talk as they untangle themselves. Francine sits up,
quickly pulls the shirt on and lies back, wide awake as
Ned closes his eyes and turns away from her.
NARRATOR (V.O.)
Maybe not that bit, but ..
FRANCINE
I can't get to sleep.
NED
Mmm.
FRANCINE
I want to talk.
NED
Mmm.
Francine pushes Ned hard. Ned groans.
FRANCINE
You promised you weren't going
to be like that.
Ned groans louder, rolls to face her and opens his eyes.
NED
I'm NOT like that Francie.
Just tired.
FRANCINE
(indignant)
And what sort of a sacrifice
is that?
NED
Jesus! All right, what do you
want to talk about?
FRANCINE
Tell me more about Nascent.
14 INT. FJ HOLDEN -- EARLY MORNING 14
Ned slaps his face, bites his tongue, pushes his head
quickly in and out of the car's window.
NARRATOR (V.O.)
So I did. And so I agreed we'd
go see him. By the time
Francine had "communicated"
her take on "The Wisdom of
Insecurity" and Lobsang
Rampa's third eye nonsense and
was ready for sleep, it was 1
am.
15 EXT. SANITORIUM CARPARK -- LATER 15
Ned parks at the Sanitorium. He shuffles and shivers
towards the back entrance to the lit kitchen area.
Polinski comes out with a bucket, stops and waves.
NARRATOR (V.O.)
My next window on sleep was
around 2:30. By the end of my
shift I was praying Nascent
WAS Svengali. I would
personally deliver his latest
victim and concubine, a
certain Francine.
16 EXT. ARTERIAL ROAD -- NIGHT 16
The FJ drives in evening traffic on a main thoroughfare.
17 INT. FJ HOLDEN -- CONTINUOUS 17
Ned drives. Francine stares out her window. Ned looks
across at her uncertainly.
NARRATOR (V.O.)
Of course by the time we came
to go I was in love with
Francine again. I'd had a few
good night's sleep, and ..
well .. a few good nights.
Francine looks back and catches Ned turning away.
FRANCINE
What?
NED
Nothing.
FRANCINE
WE don't use that word. Tell
me.
NED
Well .. this guru, swami, high
priest whatever he wants to
call himself .. I'm sure he's
a fraud.
FRANCINE
Then why are we going?
NED
You kept pushing me.
FRANCINE
(laughing)
Come on! You're as curious as
I am. What harm will it do?
NED
I don't trust him.
FRANCINE
And why not? You don't know
him.
NED
For one .. he's got some kind
of control over Jeremy.
FRANCINE
From what you've said a CAT
could lead Jeremy round by
it's bells.
Francine laughs, then notices Ned is tight-lipped. She
comprehends. She moves across and puts her head on Ned's
shoulder.
FRANCINE (CONT'D)
(quietly)
You afraid I'll run off with
him .. or join a little Adam's
Family orgy?
NED
(hotly)
I am not.
Francine sits up and laughs. She pokes him in the ribs.
FRANCINE
What do you take me for? Am I
that gullible .. not to
mention shallow?
NED
(as coolly as he can)
And what else do I think .. in
your little fantasy.
FRANCINE
(exasperated)
Oh!
Francine moves away and leans against the window, staring
out but not seeing.
NARRATOR (V.O.)
Spirituality suddenly seemed a
long way away. I fumed and
blamed Francine for getting me
started on this eastern
mysticism thing.
18 EXT. BRISBANE CITY STREET -- NIGHT 18
Francine and Ned stand outside a door beside a shop. Ned
wears jeans and a vest over a white long-sleeved shirt.
Francine, dressed in a decorated 'hippie' top over loose-
fitting pants, checks the number above the door.
FRANCINE
Yep. Lesley'll be here
already.
NED
What am I doing here Francie?
I don't care about yoga.
FRANCINE
(sweetly)
You love me. You're showing me
you're not a macho male.
NED
(shaking his head)
No, they'd kick me out of that
club.
Francine opens the door revealing a narrow flight of
steps. Ned follows her up.
19 INT. YOGA ROOM -- LATER 19
20 or so people, mostly female, in a predominance of
hippie fashions sit cross-legged on a carpeted floor.
They face an instructor and attempt to follow her
instructions. Ned and Francine sit in the front row.
Francine's friend sits on the other side of her, smiling
encouragement. Ned is self-conscious, stiff and awkward.
INSTRUCTOR
The cobra loosens and relaxes
the back muscles, and
strengthens chin and neck
muscles. Now completely relax
your body. That's it. Let out
all the stale air. First, lie
face down with your forehead
on the floor and your arms
stretched ..
NARRATOR (V.O.)
(over instructor)
Ok, I was told to wear lose
clothing. I couldn't bring
myself to wear the drawstring
pants Francine had made me
for Christmas. They're for
deserted beach use only. Still
I sort of got into yoga
privately under Francine's
watchful eye. But I've never
been able to sit cross-legged
for very long.
INSTRUCTOR
Slowly lower your back to the
starting position...
Doesn't that feel good!
Francine looks pleased with herself. Ned turns towards
the wall and grimaces.
NARRATOR (V.O.)
Now, let's do it again.
All begin to repeat the routine.
INSTRUCTOR
With little steps, slowly
raise your head and body ..
The narrator continues to talk in a quiet, soothing
voice.
NARRATOR (V.O.)
Not exactly religion. But that
changed when a bald guy
wrapped in an orange sheet
gave Francine a pamphlet in
Queen Street.
20 EXT. ANANDA MARGA HOUSE FRONT -- AFTERNOON 20
Francine and Ned walk up the stairs of a Queenslander,
it's wide verandah still intact. Smiling orange people
sit cross legged on the bare verandah.
NARRATOR (V.O.)
Ananda Marga was a sect I'd
never heard of until then. It
means .. I forget. The house
was around the
Chelmer/Graceville area. Sorry
I can't be more helpful ..
ASIO. Much!
21 INT. ANANDA MARGA LOUNGE -- LATER 21
Ned sits deep in a collapsed armchair browsing a book of
the sect. Other decrepit bits of furniture are
about the room. A monk sits cross-legged near a wall,
with his eyes closed. A door off the lounge opens,
Francine exits smiling and closes the door gently. She
hushes Ned when he begins to speak, She indicates he's to
enter.
NARRATOR (V.O.)
Francine went first. I thumbed
a Hindu or Buddhist text
hopefully, while an orange guy
held the floor down. The monks
I saw in those days were
always white! Francine came
out behaving secretively.. for
her.
22 INT. MEDITATION ROOM -- MOMENTS LATER 22
The room is totally bare of furnishings. Ned sits
awkwardly cross-legged on the bare floorboards. HAKIM
sits a metre away, cross-legged and relaxed. Hakim is
shaved, with watchful and amused blue eyes. He also wears
an orange robe.
HAKIM
(American accent)
So, have we settled your
curiosity?
NED
For the moment .. Hakim.
Hakim claps his hands.
HAKIM
Keep your curiosity .. and
humour.
Ned squirms, trying to find a better position.
HAKIM (CONT'D)
You are uncomfortable!
NED
Yes. This position kills me.
Every time.
HAKIM
The position means nothing, of
itself. Your discomfort will
interfere with your
meditation. Would you prefer
to lean back? Or lie down?
Ned thankfully lies down on the boards.
HAKIM (CONT'D)
The self has a long journey.
We will begin gently. To reach
that true understanding of
what we are and what our
purpose is we must teach
ourselves to let ourselves be.
(points at his
head)
This is the problem. Our minds
flit from one distraction and
one unhelpful thought to the
next. We lose the sense of our
essence. I will give you your
special mantra. It is in
harmony with the you I see
struggling to find itself.
Tell no one. They may disrupt
your search. Learn to respond
to your mantra and it will be
there when you need it,
wherever you are, whatever you
are doing. Your mantra is ..
Hakim says it but we don't hear it. Ned tries to listen
importantly.
NARRATOR (V.O.)
I can't for the life of me ..
the eternal life of me ..
remember it.
Hakim stops talking. Ned closes his eyes and murmurs.
Move towards the walls and then ..
NARRATOR (V.O.)
(CONT'D)
I tried it for a week or so,
Francine and me together in
separate rooms doing spiritual
exercises.
23 EXT. ANANDA MARGA HOUSE FRONT -- CONTINUOUS 23
Sect members sit in much the same positions. A family
walks along the footpath. The children stare and wave.
The adults try to stop them.
NARRATOR (V.O.)
It was me who pulled the plug.
So Francine said.
24 EXT. NSW-QLD BORDER -- DAY 24
FJ driving through Coolangatta, and over the state
border.
NARRATOR (V.O.)
Figuring that the answers must
be in a more exotic place than
old Brisbane we headed for
Melbourne.
(a beat)
No, that wasn't MY reason. I
wanted to get Francine as far
away as possible from her
jealous father. There's a bit
of Electra in every girl.
25 EXT. NASCENT'S HOUSE -- EVENING 25
The FJ pulls against the kerb. Ned gets out carrying a
bottle of wine, and walks around to open Francine's door
but she beats him to it, giving him a frosty look. The
house is an old brick style. What can be seen of the
garden is turned over to vegetables. There is no gate.
Purplish light, suggesting incense and drugs, comes
through the outer windows. Francine softens, and takes
Ned's hand. They walk up the path to the front door, and
remove their shoes.
NARRATOR (V.O.)
Now we were about to meet
another sinner. Or perhaps our
first certifiable saint.
26 INT. NASCENT'S LIVING ROOM -- MOMENTS LATER 26
A matching couple sits cross-legged on a rush-matting
floor. They're thin, pale, have long dark hair, robes
with astrological designs and bare feet. NASCENT has a
neat medium length beard, and a Pavarotti moustache.
SAFFRON holds a 6 month old baby. Jeremy, wearing his
regulation overalls, opens the door. He's also barefoot.
NED
(stepping in)
Hello Jeremy.
Jeremy gives a surprised Ned a hug.
JEREMY
Good to see you man. Man, I
want you to meet my spiritual
father and mother. Nascent,
and Saffron. This is Ned. We
work together.
NASCENT
(coolly)
We know Jeremy.
Ned comes forward towards Nascent and Saffron who remain
seated. Nascent nods his head slightly. Saffron gives him
a frank look of feminine assessment. Francine enters.
Nascent sees her, and leaps nimbly to his feet.
He crosses towards her, checks himself and presses his
cheek against Ned first. He steps back.
NASCENT (CONT'D)
(importantly)
Welcome to our humble house,
Ned and ..
He looks eagerly at FRANCINE.
FRANCINE
Francine.
NASCENT
(slowly)
Francine. Yes, a suitable
label for your essence.
He moves forward and gives Francine a long hug. Ned
watches with growing hostility.
NED
(matter-of-factly)
So you're a guru?
Nascent stiffens, releases Francine and turns to face Ned.
NASCENT
(slowly and painfully)
No, no. As with the Buddha it
is what people choose to make
of me.
(quickly and brightly)
Come, let us get settled first
before we talk.
Nascent turns quickly back to FRANCINE.
NASCENT (CONT'D)
Do you have a musical request?
I find music is good for
helping people adjust to my
presence.
FRANCINE
(looking at Ned)
Well ..
NASCENT
Anything you like. We have
everything here. You name it.
FRANCINE
All right. Could I have
"Moondance" by Van Morrison?
NASCENT
(looking nonplussed)
Oh! Except for that. Jeremy
didn't I ask you to buy it 3
weeks ago?
Jeremy looks at him uncomprehendingly.
JEREMY
No, I .. uh
NASCENT
Jeremy would you make a pot of
..
(looking at the bottle by
Ned's side))
I see you have some wine. How
kind of you!
Ned hands it grudgingly to Jeremy.
NASCENT (CONT'D)
Thank you Jeremy.
(mentally does the maths)
Jeremy, it's best if you
abstain. It would not be good
for you right now.
JEREMY
(nodding)
Yes father.
NED
(innocently)
How about "Music from Big
Pink" by the Band?
NASCENT
What ... I beg your ..
NED
Music .. Nascent.
NASCENT
(uncomfortably)
Well I ..
NED
Just get us something you've
got, hey.
NASCENT
No, no. I insist. Perhaps,
Francine, if you'd like to
choose. It's in here.
Nascent walks through a side door. Francine looks at Ned,
giving a dismissive signal. Ned nods, and she follows
NASCENT. Ned looks at Saffron then walks over to sit down
across from her. Very deliberately she unbuttons the top
of her blouse, pulls one side back revealing a milking
breast and pushes the baby's mouth on to it. She smiles
enigmatically at Ned. "Morning" from Peer Gynt starts in
the background. Francine returns and sits calmly next to
Ned. Nascent, looking slightly flushed, sits next to
Saffron as Jeremy enters with a tray and 4 ex-vegemite
glasses. He passes them around then sits expectantly next
to Nascent.
NASCENT (CONT'D)
(facetiously)
Let the inquisition begin.
NED
(immediately)
What do you consider yourself
as being, in a spiritual
sense?
NASCENT
Everything, Ned .. Francine ..
is spiritual. Matter does not
matter at all.
Nascent laughs then, aware of the silence, stops.
NASCENT (CONT'D)
But to define it in terms that
would be meaningful to those
still searching ..
NED
That's us.
Francine stifles a laugh and digs her fingers into Ned's
arm. He winces, and scowls at her. Saffron lights a roll
your own cigarette she's taken from a collection in a
leather pouch. She blows smoke towards Ned.
NASCENT
There are 7 levels of
consciousness.
FRANCINE
Buddhism then. Like in Lobsang
Rampa.
NASCENT
Yes. The 7th level is pure
spirit.
NED
Where are you?
NASCENT
I have a .. tenuous ... hold
on the 6th level. But for the
responsibilities I have to
those who need me I would
achieve level 7, and no longer
need of my body.
NED
Aren't you supposed to be a
better person the higher up
you go.
NASCENT
That is so. One by one the
junk of so-called intelligent
organic life is discarded. The
drives and cravings are
replaced with infinite love,
wisdom ... forbearance.
NED
What about ego?
NASCENT
No, no. I have no ego. Ego is
selfishness. I have
demonstrated that, haven't I
Jeremy?
JEREMY
(eagerly)
Yes Father. In Collins Street.
27 EXT. COLLINS STREET -- DAY 27
Hurrying commuters and shoppers. There's a break in the
pedestrian flow.
Nascent, dressed in loose white cotton, crawls on his
hands and knees. A few people stop and stare. Most take
one look at him and keep walking, giving him a wide
berth. Jeremy stands protectively near.
28 INT. NASCENT'S LIVING ROOM -- EVENING 28
NASCENT
.. I proved my humility to the
people of Melbourne.
Ned and Francine exchange incredulous looks. As they
continue to talk Saffron lays the baby in her lap. She
leaves her breast exposed for a few seconds, then pulls
her blouse across and buttons it slowly. She lights
another cigarette and hands it to NASCENT.
NED
What other drives and ..
cravings have you .. overcome?
NASCENT
Everything. I eat only enough
to keep this vessel alive. I
drink with you only so that
you do not feel excluded by my
light.
NED
And sex?
Saffron hands Nascent the cigarette. Nascent draws deeply
on it.
NASCENT
That is an instinctive .. an
animal craving. It no longer
burdens it.
FRANCINE
Isn't that your baby? It looks
like you.
NASCENT
Yes, of course. But, you see,
I gave it to Saffron. It is
her destiny this lifetime. She
has almost achieved level 5.
Saffron smiles mysteriously, and takes a sip of wine.
NED
Why do you smoke? It fouls up
your body.
NASCENT
Ned, you're very observant of
trivia.
Ned laughs out loud.
NASCENT (CONT'D)
Smoking helps keep me tied to
this earth.
(pounds his chest)
to this flesh. My spirit would
let it all go.
JEREMY
(anxiously)
No .. please Father. Please.
Not yet.
Nascent lays a kindly hand on Jeremy's head.
NASCENT
I know Jeremy, I know.
NARRATOR (V.O.)
(over muffled talk)
Our spiritual education
continued. We learnt about
Nascent's 3rd eye, his astral
visits to sadhus in Himalayan
caves, his ability to read
people's auras. Perfectly
visible to his eyes. But he'd
given up recruiting either of
us long before we excused
ourselves.
29 EXT. NASCENT'S HOUSE -- LATER 29
Jeremy stands smiling on the footpath beside the car as
Ned, casting one look back at the house, gets in the
driver's side. A face is against a window of the house.
NARRATOR (V.O.)
Maybe he was good for Jeremy.
Jeremy needed a father figure.
30 INT. FJ HOLDEN -- MOMENTS LATER 30
Ned drives. Francine and Ned sit straight-faced. Francine
glances sideways, and coughs. Ned looks. Her chest
heaves. She has trouble with her mouth.
NED
Francie! Are you ok?
Francine explodes with laughter, falling forward and
covering her face. Ned tries not to laugh.
FRANCINE
(between gasps)
He ... doesn't .. have ... an
ego.
Ned splutters, then bursts out laughing.
FRANCINE (CONT'D)
(between gasps)
He gives .. IT .. to Saffron.
NED
(thumping the wheel)
Every .... night.
They laugh, tears streaming down their faces.
FRANCINE
He smokes to ...
NED
Keep him tied to the Earth.
FRANCINE
He goes .. to ... Tibet ..
NED
Oh shit, Francie. Stop it.
Please... We'll have an
accident.
FRANCINE
And Saffron... Did you .. see
..her?
NED
No! No! No! Please.
31 EXT. SUBURBAN STREET -- CONTINUOUS 31
The DJ rocks precariously through parked cars and
connecting streets until it reaches an arterial road
where it straightens up, merges with late night traffic
and recedes into the distance. Pan to the sky.
NARRATOR (V.O.)
Why are we here? What's the
truth: reincarnation, heaven
and hell, transmigration of
souls, cosmic consciousness ..
or none of these. Is there
anything out there besides
differentiated energy? You
might think I've given up
looking for answers after so
many false starts. No. But I
picked up a few distractions
along the way.
32 INT. SUBURBAN BEDROOM -- MORNING 32
An older Ned is sitting up in a double bed reading the
"Sunday Mail". A covered figure lies beside him. The door
opens suddenly and 3 young children run in. Ned looks up,
smiles, and drops the paper on the floor.
NED
(mildly)
Kids, you're supposed to knock
before you come in.
The kids climb on different parts of the bed. They work
their way under the covers.
CHILD 1
We heard you turning the
paper.
A child giggles, an adult groans under the bed clothes.
Francine's head, with much shorter hair, surfaces.
NARRATOR (V.O.)
No .. I haven't given up on
Francine yet either... or her
on me.
Francine pulls herself up and looks at the clock.
FRANCINE
Shit!
CHILD 2
Mummy! You swore.
FRANCINE
It's only 7:30. And it's
Sunday.
NED
Shouldn't have been up so late
last night.
Francine gives Ned a measured look, then grins. She turns
to the smallest child.
FRANCINE
Come here you god-damned bit of
heaven.
Credits over a family scramble and tussle that turns into
a pillow fight.
|
|
|