Gabriel Santiago Homepage

Mr. Abramson And Me (FINAL PART)

2012-01-31T19:04:00.001-08:00

LittleOldMan 8.htm Script created with Final Draft by Final Draft, Inc.







               EXT. - EARTH'S ORBIT



               We gaze upon the SPACE SHUTTLE ATLANTIS, as it peacefully

               floats above our atmosphere. The silence of space is suddenly

               interrupted by







               INT. - SPACE SHUTTLE



               Inside the shuttle, Alarms chirp loudly and red lights blink

               intermittently. MARCUS has just learned, along with the rest

               of the crew, that both his mentor, JONATHAN ABRAMSON, and his

               space suit hold a deadly secret.



                                   MARCUS

                         I don't understand. How could you

                         do this.



               COMMANDER CHRIS FERGUSON turns to his pilot, DOUG HURLEY



                                   COMMANDER

                         Jonathan Abramson... Why does that

                         name sound so familiar?.



               MR. ABRAMSON chimes in with a sharp tone.



                                   MR. ABRAMSON

                         That's because I used to be Dr.

                         Jonathan Abramson, lead engineer at

                         NASA. I personally oversaw the

                         construction of 2 of the Space

                         Shuttles, and those fools chose to

                         abandon the program like my time

                         meant nothing. NOTHING!



                                   MARCUS

                         So, what? You're going to blow it

                         all up out of spite?



                                   MR. ABRAMSON

                         Actually I had a much more

                         productive plan in mind. The suit

                         itself is a giant fuel cell. I want

                         you to connect the suit to the

                         Space shuttle to have enough energy

                         to get to where you need to go.

                         You're going to explore the

                         universe for me.



               The COMMANDER laughs at this



                                   COMMANDER

                         You can't be serious. That's

                         insane.

                         We only have enough food to last us

                         a couple of weeks, and that's not

                         even counting Marcus coming aboard.



               The LIUTENANT comes floating from another compartment.



                                   LIUTENANT

                         I just tried calling Cape

                         Canaveral. The COMMS are down. They

                         have no idea what's happening up

                         here right now.



                                   MR. ABRAMSON

                         I am serious, and you needn't worry

                         about food. There's plenty where

                         you're going. I need you to route a

                         course to the Andromeda Galaxy

                         and...



               Simultaneous interruptions from MARCUS, the COMMANDER and the

               CREW



                                   CREW

                         You can't be serious.



                                   LIUTENANT

                         What in God's name...



                                   MARCUS

                         What's the Ann..droo..what he just

                         said?



               A sigh from the COMMANDER



                                   COMMANDER

                         Back in the 70's, there were a

                         couple of classified attempts to

                         see if there was any intelligent

                         life in nearby galaxies. We found

                         some stuff, but nothing too

                         promising. Funding was cut, but

                         Abramson kept insisting that we

                         keep looking. Now he wants us to go

                         there and check personally.



                                   MR. ABRAMSON

                         We will stay in touch via microwave

                         transmissions. There is a

                         communicator on the suit. Hook it

                         up to the shuttle and you should be

                         fine.



                                                                CUT TO:







               INT. - SPACE SHUTTLE - DAY



               The CREW is hard at work hooking up the suit to the existing

               PANEL.



                                                                CUT TO:



               COMMANDER plotting his course on a map



                                                                CUT TO:







               EXT. - SHUTTLE (BACK ANGLE SHOT)



               Rockets start up and we see the SPACE SHUTTLE shoot off into

               the distance.



                                                                CUT TO:







               INT. - SHUTTLE COCKPIT



               EVERYBODY is quiet. No one is quite sure what to say. MARCUS

               breaks the silence.



                                   MARCUS

                         So, do you guys expect to find

                         anything when we get there?



               The COMMANDER shakes his head



                                   COMMANDER

                         Highly unlikely. There were a

                         couple of radio wave transmissions

                         we had picked up, but that could be

                         anything. Enjoy the trip there,

                         kid. Cause I don't think we'll be

                         making one back.



                                                               FADE TO:







               MONTAGE: THE TRIP THERE



                                                               FADE TO:







               EXT. ANDROMEDA GALAXY



               The SHUTTLE approaches a large planet, similar in color to

               Mars. As they all look out the WINDOW PANELS, they can barely

               believe what they're seeing.



                                   LIUTENANT

                         Are those...



                                   MARCUS

                         I don't believe it...



               Down on the surface they see huge CITIES sprinkled throughout

               the mystery planet. We hear MR. ABRAMSON'S VOICE



                                   MR. ABRAMSON 

                         I told you. I only wish I could be

                         there to see it myself.



                                   COMMANDER

                         I gotta hand it to you. You proved

                         us all wrong.



                                   MR. ABRAMSON

                         Of course I did. I'm a goddamned

                         genius!



                                   MARCUS

                         But, how do we get down there?



                                   COMMANDER

                         That's a good question kid. The

                         shuttle wasn't designed to fly

                         around in an alien atmosphere.



               Out of nowhere, TWO SHIPS fly up to the SHUTTLE. One hooks on

               to the side, shaking the SHUTTLE and startling everyone. A

               hole in the shuttle wall EXPLODES and HUMANOID FIGURES jump

               through with weapons in their hands. They are YELLING in

               alien tongues. They appear very threatening.



                                   COMMANDER

                             (hands up in the air)

                         WOAH WOAH, Please don't shoot. My

                         name is Commander Ferguson of the

                         Space Shuttle Atlantis. This is my

                         crew.



               Suddenly, the HUMANOIDS stop what they're doing, and all turn

               towards the hole they blew open. Through it appears another

               HUMANOID. It is quite apparent that he is the leader.



                                   LEADER OF HUMANOIDS

                         Earth tongues. And English, no

                         less. It was been quite some time

                         since I have heard anyone speaking

                         English.



                                   COMMANDER

                             (confused)

                         You know our language?



                                   LEADER OF HUMANOIDS

                         I know many languages, Commander.

                         What I don't know is what you are

                         doing in our orbit. We have zero

                         tolerance for outsiders.



               The COMMANDER picks up quickly on the lingo the leader uses.



                                   COMMANDER

                         You use many phrases common in our

                         culture. How is this possible?



                                   LEADER OF HUMANOIDS

                         You really don't know, do you?



                                   COMMANDER

                         Know what?



                                   LEADER OF HUMANOIDS

                         How old the human race really is.

                         How advanced human technology used

                         to be, and how the earth has

                         already experienced an apocalypse.

                         We are the survivors of that

                         disaster.



               The COMMANDER is speechless.



                                   LEADER OF HUMANOIDS

                         If you'll come with me, We can

                         begin our descent towards the

                         surface. You have much to learn.



               MARCUS and the CREW are shown to the Humanoids ships. The

               SHUTTLE is left floating in orbit as the TWO SHIPS head back

               towards their planet.



               THE END



               NEXT: BOOK II - The Revolving Scientist

[ top ]

Script created with Final Draft by Final Draft, Inc.

New Manuscript Download Page

2012-01-26T13:29:00.001-08:00

The new link for the manuscript.

http://www.4shared.com/office/qy2tnplJ/Blog_Blog_Blog_-_6_x_9.html

The Hummingbird

2012-01-23T15:27:00.000-08:00

Well my shoes are too tight for my feet,

Taken all I've had for granted,

Brandish things I don't believe.

And the age that comes a callin'

Tells what skeletons we've caught by the sea.

But they live inside of me.

I've met fools that remember the dream,

Slippin' clear off the mainland,

Taking gifts out to the reefs.

And when grandmas voice is quiet,

Tell the hummingbird to lie at my feet.

Where he'll tell me silently....

Everything's gonna be

Right in the days to come.

Seeking this solitude,

A blight when your days have won,

We are the bright ones that

Fly when the rains are glum.

Take it one flower at a time till you've made the sum.

Lifting my spirits, I

Make my way to the porch.

Checking out, wake up time;

Get my flame to the torch.

You fail the test, make up time,

Setbacks been read before.

I'm not gonna make up my mind; Let's reset the score

Thoughts On Creating Energy

2012-01-17T10:24:00.000-08:00

I believe when you take a single thought, and turn it into a conscious reality, it is the same as decompressing a file in Win Zip. You are taking something smaller than the size of an atom (an idea), converting it from the metaphysical ether of our brains and sending it into our physical reality, increasing it in size exponentially.

When you think of building a house, you are thinking of something very big inside something the size of a melon (your head). Now, when you do this, your head does not need to grow into the size of a house in order for the thought to fit. You simply travel to a place in your mind where the house, and the neighborhood as well all fit perfectly (this may seem silly to even mention, but it is a part of the thought process, so please bare with me). When the house is built, you have scaled up from the size of a synapse, to something about 15 feet tall. This must mean something, for when you create energy, it doesn't simply eliminate the energy that was already there. You have to push the energy that was already there aside in order for you to place your thoughts there. In the example of the house, you would have to move the trees, clear the lot, and bring the materials. People would have to be called, coffee pots brewing in their houses. The trucks bringing the materials might have to stop at a gas station on the way. He might buy a pack of crackers because he is hungry, and then someone from the cracker factory would have to go to refill those that were bought. Our energy goes beyond us in ways we never even think about.

Now, does a dog do this? No. If he is hungry, and his food bowl is empty, he must wait for his circumstances to change. He lacks the ability to take that neuron and convert it into a physical reality. He can't get the food himself, so his ideas are locked inside of his mind. He is the slave of circumstances. He has to wait for someone or something to change his reality in order to get what he desires. He still has that thought, nonetheless, and the thought is usually converted into some sort of panting or whining on the dogs behalf. He is aware, in a way, that he cannot do it on his own, so he must call out to the universe for help. He understands that the answer to being fed lies beyond him.

So, in conclusion, humans have thoughts and can change their realities based on those thoughts, and animals have thoughts (in a rudimentary sense) but cannot convert them to tangible things. This was just something I thought about on the way to drop my son off at school. I'm glad I could share this with all of you.

ILLUSTRATION CONTEST

2012-01-16T07:39:00.000-08:00

Hey, everyone.

I'm currently hosting a contest where you can win an illustrators spot on my next novel, as well as a $50 Visa gift card. For rules and details, please follow the link. Thank you guys for all your continued support.

https://www.facebook.com/events/293744134006684/

For David...

2012-01-15T07:41:00.000-08:00

We are stronger than the stopping blocks,
Absorbing the warmth of our pants.
Sitting in a vacant parking lot,
With friends all on their way.
We are brighter than the street lamp's glow.
Leading us away from safety.
Hopping over fences, backpacks thrown,
Renegade red and cigarette white.

We can successfully say "We have taken the night!"
Queue the blues, cause no one is waiting.
The back roads on Mendo that spray fog on the sidewalks.
Heaven is an open place where my heart glows,
Walking with you until we're sleepy again.
Playing the silly games of grown up children.
Drinking grown up sodas,
and laughing at grown up humor.

When I tell you "goodbye" as we both greet the dawning.
Passion slips from my fingers, soaks into my shirt.
I know I'll be looking at you again tomorrow,
Even though we never really see each other.
You gave up the gifts that other people worked for.
You went to school, but slept on the roof,
Where there's plenty of time to reflect on your habit.
Where there's plenty of time to waste up your youth.

Upside Down Boat

2012-01-11T22:05:00.000-08:00

I've capsized by the tides

And I'm only at five feet.

My vessels turned to hide,

The hull peeled out of the sea.

The captains been caught nappin',

The boatswains always toasted,

A ranker cut the anchor,

As winds they scoffed and boasted

"I left you to command this!"
I yelled out to the crew

"But the captain's naps remiss

Our sailor's point of view.

We didn't mean to anger you,

Or cut the ropes of fate,

But as you cooked your dinner,

So served it is on the plate."

I take a breath of heaven,

Look out to the horizon.

Paddle forth with my brethren.

Towards our certain demises.

With our upside down boat,
Cloth sails plunged in the ocean,
We'll battle waves and wind,
So that we're ones a boastin'.

Cleansing little post...

2012-01-10T18:05:00.000-08:00

I am the hypocrite.

I am the one standing in my own way.

I am the one so full of fear,

It keeps me running around in the same place

Over and over again.

I am the scared little boy.

The teenage punk that thought he was everything.

From the age of 14 I was sure I was blessed.

I was so cocky that I didn't give a shit about any one else's feelings.

I partied and partied, and partied some more.

Ignored my parents and everything they had to say.

I kept thinking that someone would show me the way,

The answers,

The keys.

I'm so scared and I keep looking.

I'm 29, and now I decided that my life will begin.

Am I even writing poetry,

or am I simply writing thoughts down,

And leaving clever spaces,

Between the sentences.

Are they even clever?

It's time to rip my own heart out of my chest,

and fuckin' EAT IT!

Then puke out something bloody, and messy,

And that you'd take half a second to fucking read,

Instead of the pity clicks I get from close friends.

What can I find that is worth writing about?

NO,
wrong question.

What can I write that can change your attitude?

What can I write to make you think?

The First of Firstember

2012-01-09T15:45:00.000-08:00

Come, grab a flyer, take soda, don't flutter.

Today is a day that's a mold for the others.

The message I bring, with a diamond and string,

That today is the first of Firstember.

"What's the message?"

"What's Firstember?"

I'm glad you folks should ask,

No one sure knows

How it started, for sure.

History will leave it at that.

"So how can we know when Firstember begins?"

Asked a young boy, sitting jolly.

Bright rosey cheeks, and a cinnamon treat

In his left hand like a lolly.

"Firstember begins when Lastober's last feast

Has feasted for more than ten centuries.

And bright, brawny bulls,

With packed, plywood pulls,

Take men from their penitentiary."

"Can we sign up?"

"Can there be more?"

I'm glad you folks should ask.

All gather 'round,

And I'll tell ya, assured,

That all can meander inside.

Why, the skies are so clear in Firstember,

And they serve cold beer in Firstember,

And the grass grows green in Firstember,

And the air is so clean in Firstember,

And the rooster sleeps in,

And the calls that come in,

Are the closest of friends,

In Firstember.

All other days, they don't matter, don't glisten.

The history books won't give a first listen,

To all that they taught, the stories we bought,

Before the first of Firstember.

To the Core

2012-01-08T18:39:00.000-08:00

Stripping away all of the layers I have to give,

Fear of the end, a spiritual spend,
Where do I go once I'm lacking?
Where's my emotional sieve?

Thinking today of something that's new and exciting.

Not of my past, It robbed me so fast.

How does the shaman grow wise?

How do I find what's inside me?

Knowing in time my visions will make light of this.

Wait for the eye, the blind are awry.

When can I tell them their fortune?

When can I lead them to bliss?

Pointing as a Symbolic gesture.

2012-01-07T12:05:00.000-08:00

I had a thought I would like to share with you this morning...

One of the oldest symbolic gestures in the history of man has to be finger pointing. Never have I heard somebody explaining what pointing at something means. We naturally just KNOW what to do when someone points at something. Even to an infant, understanding finger pointing comes programmed.

Imagine explaining to someone what you're doing as you're pointing at something.

"Ok, so when I extend my finger, I want you to follow it with your eyes to the end, and then imagine a line coming out of my finger. Follow that line and your eyes will eventually come to the object I am gesturing towards."

We point at things we can both see (that lamp over there), at things we can both imagine (the planet Pluto way out in our galaxy), and things we can't see but know are there (at our brains when we have an intelligent thought). I wonder who was the first person to grasp that concept. Who was the first person to use their index finger to signal at something. After he did, I wonder if he realized that that was only half the job, for he (or she) still had to get the other party involved to understand that when he extended his limbs, it was to give reference to something.

What word did we use before 'point'? I tried Googling it, but there are no historical pieces on finger pointing. The Oxford dictionary indicates that first uses of the word 'point' appeared sometime in the 13th century, varying in meaning until the 18th century. Perhaps that was man's first way of sharing their thoughts with one another. Experiencing the world in a similar light.

I'm not claiming to be an expert on the subject. Again, it was just a thought...

All of Our Fears

2012-01-05T21:53:00.000-08:00

Stop for a moment,

Sit down on a bench,

Look towards what you clench,

A frail, feeble token.

Your life is not broken;

Not cast in cement.

Us humans aren't meant

To live life unspoken.

Stop giving the credit

To phantoms at bay.

The dark horse that neighs,

There's still time to edit,

Worn shoes respect it

When one day you weigh

Your fears on a tray,

and deem them 'rejected'.

Thoughts on the new year

2012-01-03T09:46:00.000-08:00

To all of my loyal and trusted fans,

2011 was a year full of change for alot of us. The rapid flood of technology soothed us, and led us to believe that, in a way, this is the pinnacle of mankind. That the more high-tech our gizmos get, the smarter we are. This, I'm afraid to say, is actually not the case at all. We need to avoid complacency whenever possible. We don't take the time to truly study mathematics anymore, for there's a computer to do it for us. It's nearly impossible to find at least two people down any given street that understand the constellations of the heavens, for there's already an App on our iPhones for that.

I believe that, in order to obtain true knowledge and wisdom, you have to sit down and look at things like you've never seen them before in your entire life. Stare at the mountains with the eyes of a child, watch the moon pass over this dark, navy bowl of ours and forget that someone has already gave it a name. The first step in trying to conceive what those first men on earth were thinking is to put yourself in their situation. They had no text book to help them out, no mentors to burn a path for them. They just sat, and thought. Critical thinking involves, not just thinking outside the box, but getting rid of the box altogether. Then your possibilities become endless [Thanks Deepak Chopra : ) ]

So that is the little piece of wisdom I share with you. If you truly want to understand the world around you, stop listening to how others define the things in their universe, and think for yourself. Think alot more often. Think with an open heart. May everyone's 2012 be filled with amazing, inspiring things.

As My Father...

2011-12-30T22:45:00.000-08:00

As my father talks with me,
I begin to understand the origin of my being.
I see his justifications in mine,
I see his Intelligent stare, his silent composure,
I see the things that connect me to my habits.

As my father grows, and I grow,
Side by side,
Sharing our perceived universes,
I acknowledge that his conscious intentions
Are more powerful than mine,
In other words,
When I am with my father, I am visiting his universe.

When my father loses his temper, I begin to understand my own ego.
I can transcribe my fears from his words,
I can grow from knowing how much he's grown.
My father never knew that he was the farmer,
and my youth was the land.

So everyone remember:
We only have two seeds we can plant,
Those of love, and those of fear.
We grow up to manifest all the things our fathers consumed,
All of the things they connected with,
and all of the things that they feared.
Lets be good to our children,
And sow a field with the seeds of love.

Old me, New me (Transitions)

2011-12-29T09:21:00.000-08:00

I write in a slumber,

Snooze past my metaphors,

Daydream a town far away.

I look back in notebooks,

(Blue's that I've said before)

My ego's the one to defray.

To learn to decipher

A voice that's controlling,

Taking ideas as they may.

I open the heart up

To views not expressed before,

Watching the sun on a brae.

Bodega Bay

2011-12-23T22:10:00.000-08:00

If out where the tide walks, you should find your knees in muck.
If out where the road bends, you should stop and gaze horizons.
The cloud and the loon both stuck in the air,
The rock and the oak sit,'spire and wear.
Come and sit with me, sigh with me.
Come and sit by the fire.

Mr. Abramson and Me (Part VII)

2011-12-20T16:53:00.001-08:00

LittleOldMan 7.htm Script created with Final Draft by Final Draft, Inc.

[ bottom ]







               INT. - CARGO VAN - DAY



               MARCUS and JONATHAN sit in the Kennedy Space Center parking

               lot, both looking nervous. MARCUS snaps out of deep thought,

               and turns to JONATHAN



                                   MARCUS

                         Are you sure this is going to work?



               JONATHAN gives a little laugh, talking to MARCUS while still

               staring forward through the windshield.



                                   JONATHAN

                         Of course not, but it's our only

                         chance. It's now or never, my boy.



               While MARCUS moves to the back of the VAN to get suited up,

               CAMERA ON JONATHAN stepping out of the van, where we



                                                                PAN TO:







               LOGO ON VAN: COME SEE THE SPACEMAN!



               The LOGO is written in the style of a 50's horror movie, and

               when we PAN BACK to JONATHAN, he has a carnival-style top

               hat, along with matching wooden cane.



                                                                CUT TO:







               EXT. - BLEACHERS OF LAUNCH VIEWING AREA



               A GROUP OF YOUNG KIDS is gathered around MARCUS who is waving

               like a Disney theme park character, while JONATHAN promotes

               the spectacle.



                                   JONATHAN

                         Step right up! Step right up! Come

                         see the man of the future. SPACE

                         MAN! That's what they call him.

                         Check out his Titanium wingspan



               JONATHAN clangs on one of the wings with his cane



                                   GROUP OF KIDS

                         OOOOOOHHHHHH...



                                   JONATHAN

                         And what about his indestructible

                         helmet.



               JONATHAN thwacks at the glass visor of the HELMET



                                   MARCUS (O.S.)

                         Woah, woah, man.



               Only JONATHAN hears this in his EARPIECE and continues with

               the presentation.



                                   GROUP OF KIDS

                         AAAAAAHHHHHH...



                                                                CUT TO:







               LAUNCH CLOCK: 2 MINUTES



               Over the LOUDSPEAKERS we HEAR



                                   ANNOUNCER

                         T minus 2 minutes and counting.



               JONATHAN turns away from the crowd. MARCUS follows and the

               GROUP OF KIDS disperse.



                                   JONATHAN

                             (under his breath)

                         OK, my boy. It's GO time. Let's get

                         away from the crowd.



               Out of nowhere, a SECURITY GUARD comes up to JONATHAN



                                   GUARD

                         Sir, do you have a permit to be

                         here?



                                   JONATHAN

                         Excuse me? I'm sorry. I'm a little

                         hard of hearing at my age.



                                                                CUT TO:







               LAUNCH CLOCK: 45 SECONDS



                                                               BACK TO:



               MARCUS looking nervous



                                   GUARD

                         I didn't get a word of this from

                         security. Where's your visitors

                         badge?



               CAMERA PAN IN on MARCUS







               INT. - SUIT



                                   MARCUS

                         There's no time.



               MARCUS starts to run away from everyone. The GUARD yells out



                                   GUARD

                         HEY, COME BACK HERE!



               JONATHAN uses all the might in his body, and smacks the GUARD

               with the cane, sending him to the ground. This attracts the

               attention of the onlookers.



                                   RANDOM PERSON

                             (from afar)

                         Oh my god, he just hit that guy.



                                                                CUT TO:







               LAUNCH CLOCK: 15 SECONDS



               JONATHAN turns to see MARCUS clear of everyone and smiles

               while nodding approvingly. SCREECHING TIRES get his

               attention, and he turns to see SECURITY SUV'S pulling up. To

               get their attention he starts waving his cane around like a

               lunatic.



                                   JONATHAN

                         I need my medication! I need my

                         medication!



               DRAMATIC MUSIC STARTS:



                                                                CUT TO:







               SPACE SHUTTLE ATLANTIS - ENGINES



                                   ANNOUNCER

                         T minus 5



                                                                CUT TO:



                                   GUARDS

                         STOP!



                                                                CUT TO:



               MARCUS running



                                   ANNOUNCER

                         4



                                                                CUT TO:



                                   JONATHAN

                         Don't let me down, boy



                                   ANNOUNCER

                         3



                                                                CUT TO:







               SHUTTLES ENGINES IGNITING



                                                                CUT TO:



               MARCUS' engines igniting



                                                                CUT TO:



               GUARDS with weapons drawn on JONATHAN



                                   GUARDS

                         GET DOWN, GET DOWN !



                                   ANNOUNCER

                         2



               CLOSE ON JONATHAN'S face



                                   JONATHAN

                         Go, my boy, NOW!



                                   GUARDS 

                         Who's he talking to?



                                   ANNOUNCER

                         1



               MUSIC PAUSES



               From a HELICOPTER CAM, we see the SHUTTLE lift off the

               ground, and then a second later, MARCUS shooting up beside

               it.



               SLOW MOTION as they meet up in the air.



               The plan to get closer works as planned, and MARCUS is soon

               next to the shuttle, he activates his magnet gloves and

               connects to the side of the shuttle, next to the FRONT

               WINDOWS.

               From inside the shuttle, we see one of the ASTRONAUTS staring

               at MARCUS. The ASTRONAUT gives MARCUS a thumbs up, and MARCUS

               gives him one back.



               We follow a SEQUENCE of shots where the shuttle makes it to

               space. The CREW can finally get to the HATCH where they let

               MARCUS in. They are shocked, to say the least.



                                   ASTRONAUT 1

                         Who are you?



                                   ASTRONAUT 2

                         You can take off your helmet, you

                         know.



               MARCUS removes his helmet, and they all gasp as they see how

               young he is.



                                   ASTRONAUT 3

                         (extending a handshake)



               Hi, I'm Commander Chris Ferguson of the Atlantis. You sure

               got some nuts, kid.



                                   MARCUS

                         Well, it wasn't me alone, I had the

                         help of...



               FLASHING RED LIGHTS and ALARM SOUNDS grab the attention of

               everybody. Though MARCUS is left in the dark to the change of

               ambiance, the COMMANDER knows exactly what this means. His

               tone changes from welcoming to angry.



                                   COMMANDER

                         We trusted you, kid. How could you

                         do this to us? What is it that you

                         want?



               MARCUS is panicking now.



                                   MARCUS

                         What the hell are you talking

                         about? What's that sound?



                                   COMMANDER

                         You just activated our bomb alarm,

                         kid. It's set to detect large

                         amounts of chemical explosives.



               From the EARPIECE, we hear JONATHAN



                                   JONATHAN (O.S.)

                         I'm afraid they're right, my young

                         apprentice, and unless you do

                         exactly as I say, I have no choice

                         but to end the lives of both you,

                         and the crew.



               TO BE CONTINUED....

[ top ]

Script created with Final Draft by Final Draft, Inc.

At The Bus Stop

2011-12-20T13:02:00.000-08:00

Tried to conjure writing,

But thoughts were quickly rustled

With the morning's bustle & sway,

With the bursting might of rays,

Over subtle horizons,

Over wondrous surprises,

Past the parks where they're walking,

Past the schoolyards a squawking,

Lifting flowers to splendor,

Lifting dew from the fenders,

Getting shop owners rendered

To reach out and smile.

Questions on Teaching

2011-12-19T12:14:00.000-08:00

The words one could use to describe
The human emotional condition
Are
Endless.
Expendable, Extinguishable,
Excited, Eccentric,
Impenetrable.
Our language gives us the ability
To express
Not just the world around us,
But the spiritual one that pulses within.

Eating a big caramel apple
With a light green worm in the hole.
Giggly as he squirms.

Feeling the soft waves in the cabin
With a light breeze turnin' the boat.
Eyes closed, breathing heavy.

When we think about
Being a human creature,
In this land, abundant with creatures,
One can't help but notice
That, as humans, we have a strong natural urge
To observe our surroundings,
Give each object we encounter its own name,
And, most importantly,
Want to pass this knowledge onto others.

More than just the basic survival tactics
Passed from mother to offspring in the wild.
Weather it be philosophy to a grad student,
Or fetch to a golden retriever,
What causes us to absorb the energy around us,
Make sense of as much of it as we can,
And then disperse that energy to other similar creatures?
Why do we teach?

As a writer I feel that this is a fundamental concept I must understand.

If I Should Paint the Horses Face

2011-12-13T20:14:00.000-08:00

If I should paint the horses face,

Cast upon the slab of stone,

Hands that smear, the crease that speaks,

Wipe my brow, then stand my ground,

Left upon the land alone.

If I should build the temples past,

Measured 'round with 'bits of gold,

Rocks that lock and shipped in large,

Write the words, then dress the birds,

Studied by the men of old.

If I should walk connected lands,

Travel back to find them blue.

Draw a map, then fill my sack,

Teach the stars to be my guide,

Find a son to tell a clue.

If I should be the first man born,

Look at things as no one has.

Paint the sunrise, fill the walls,

Learn to teach, then spread my reach,

Leave a note, "These times will pass."

Mr. Abramson and Me (Part VI)

2011-12-13T17:51:00.001-08:00

LittleOldMan 6.htm Script created with Final Draft by Final Draft, Inc.

[ bottom ]







               EXT. - KENNEDY SPACE CENTER - MORNING



               It's a cloudy day at the LAUNCH PAD where Space Shuttle

               Atlantis counts down for it's final mission. We see on the

               LAUNCH CLOCK that it is 1 minute, 30 seconds to go.



               MEANWHILE:







               EXT. - RANGERS TOWER - 5 MILES AWAY



               MARCUS waits, suited up, to take off at the same time as the 

               Atlantis. In his earpiece, JONATHAN announces



                                   JONATHAN(O.S.)

                         Remember, we only have about 30

                         seconds after launch to reach the

                         side of the ship. At about 20,000

                         feet, it will have reached Mach 1,

                         and will be travelling to fast for

                         us to make it.



                                   MARCUS

                         Got it.



                                                               BACK TO:







               EXT. - KENNEDY SPACE CENTER



               We hear the ANNOUNCER



                                   MISSION CONTROL

                         T minus, 9...8...7...6...



               We see SPARKS come out of both MARCUS' ENGINES and then CUT

               TO SHUTTLE's ENGINES



                                   MISSION CONTROL

                         5...4...3...2



               We get a flash of the ASTRONAUTS inside the shuttle nodding

               their heads at each other, saying "It's GO time!", And MARCUS

               doing the same thing, eyes up at the stars.



                                   MISSION CONTROL

                         1...Ignition. Boosters on...



               MARCUS activates his THRUST by pressing his THUMB and INDEX

               finger together, sending a WOOSH of SMOKE and FIRE 20 feet

               behind him. He locks onto the SHUTTLE, already accelerating

               quickly past 350 mph. He knows time is of the essence, so he

               squashes the thrust down and makes a bee-line towards it.

               JONATHAN voices in:



                                   JONATHAN

                         Marcus, pull up! You're heading at

                         it too fast.



               MARCUS ignores him



                                   MARCUS

                         I have to make it, I have to make

                         it.



               In an instant, MARCUS sees that a quarter mile of distance

               has turned to 300 feet in a flash. He tries going reverse

               thrust, but it is too late.



                                   MARCUS

                         NOOOO, This can't be happening.



               With the force of a tomahawk missile, MARCUS slams into the

               top of the Space Shuttle Atlantis, blowing out the underbelly

               and detaching the booster rockets from it. He continues to

               fly, suit unscathed. As we STILL ON the space shuttle

               explosion and MARCUS flying away from it, we hear:



                                   JONATHAN (O.S.)

                             (impersonating news man)

                         Today, the Shuttle Atlantis was

                         struck by a lone Al-Qaeda

                         terrorist, harboring only a

                         jetpack, and a sinister plot.



               And now we



                                                                CUT TO:







               INT. - SIMULATOR ROOM - DAY



               Where we now realize that the entire scene was from inside

               the SIMULATOR. MARCUS is annoyed, to say the least



                                   MARCUS

                         Damnit, They're all dead... again.

                         Do you know how many times I've

                         committed a massacre today.



               JONATHAN gives a surprisingly detailed report



                                   JONATHAN

                         Yes, You've crashed back to earth

                         27 times, blown up 15 space

                         shuttles, and have caused 268

                         casualties.



               MARCUS can't stand those numbers



                                   MARCUS

                         How in the hell did I kill 268

                         people already?



                                   JONATHAN

                         Well, all of the debris falls back

                         down to earth, and of course the 4

                         man crew inside the shuttle that

                         you keep destroying again...



               MARCUS interrupts



                                   MARCUS

                         Ok, I got it



               JONATHAN continues



                                   JONATHAN

                         And again, and again...



               MARCUS is getting aggravated



                                   MARCUS

                         Alright, I GOT it!



                                                                CUT TO:



               JONATHAN walks towards the SIMULATOR and gets MARCUS out.



                                   JONATHAN

                         You're problem is not your speed.

                         That I have given you plenty of.

                         What you need is a change of

                         trajectory.



               MARCUS gets out of the SIMULATOR and walks with JONATHAN



                                   MARCUS

                         Yeah, but I start off so far away.

                         If I don't fly right at it, I'll

                         miss it by a long shot.



               BOTH stop at the ELEVATOR.



                                   JONATHAN

                         You're right. If we are going to

                         reach the Shuttle in time, we're

                         going to have to get closer. Alot

                         closer.



               They BOTH get into the ELEVATOR, and MARCUS pushes the button

               back to the MAIN FLOOR.



                                   MARCUS

                         Yeah, but didn't you say that there

                         is security for miles around. How

                         will we ever get close enough

                         without being detected?



               The ELEVATOR lets out a DING, and BOTH get out and walk down

               the hallway.



                                   JONATHAN

                         What if we didn't have to hide.



                                   MARCUS

                         You mean, like an invisible cloak

                         or something?



               The HALLWAY leads to a back GARDEN AREA where there is a

               lunch setup for them. They sit to eat.



                                   MARCUS

                         I can't believe we've come so far,

                         Mr. Abramson. What should I do

                         first when I get up there.



               JONATHAN takes a bite of his STEAK GORGONZOLA



                                   JONATHAN

                         I want you to climb in that space

                         shuttle, and fly it to the moon.



               BOTH give a hearty laugh.



                                   JONATHAN

                         Don't worry, we'll be ready.



               TO BE CONTINUED....

[ top ]

Script created with Final Draft by Final Draft, Inc.

Ask Yourself

2011-12-12T15:26:00.000-08:00

Ask yourself what you've done on a consistent basis,

Tell yourself to learn through a troubling time,

Reach yourself to heights never dreamed of,

Pinch yourself to awaken on a dime.

Walk with shoes that chit chat with the pavement,

Move with strides that tell us where you're going,

Wave your arms to friends not seen in decades,

Smile as if there's something more worth knowing.

Mr. Abramson and Me (Part V of script)

2011-12-11T16:39:00.001-08:00

LittleOldMan 5.htm Script created with Final Draft by Final Draft, Inc.

[ bottom ]







               INT. - SIMULATOR ROOM - DAY







               MONTAGE



               JONATHAN and MARCUS running the simulator again and again,

               each run ending in MARCUS depleting all of the fuel and

               crashing back down to earth.



                                                               FADE TO:







               INT. - KITCHEN - DAY



               JONATHAN pours over notes and graphs with a COFFEE CUP

               sitting next to him. MARCUS walks in, fresh from the gym that

               JONATHAN has on the second floor. He has a towel draped over

               him.



                                   JONATHAN

                         Marcus, I'm going to run the

                         numbers once more to be sure, but

                         I've already run them about five

                         times and I always reach the same

                         conclusion.



               MARCUS makes himself a cup of coffee and sits next to

               JONATHAN



                                   MARCUS

                         Which is?



               JONATHAN pinches the bridge of his nose



                                   JONATHAN

                         We don't have enough fuel to get to

                         space. The highest you'll get

                         without putting your life in peril

                         is lower orbit.



               MARCUS scoffs



                                   MARCUS

                         Lower orbit? No, no. That may be

                         good enough for Virgin Mogul Sir

                         Richard Branson, but we're not here

                         to settle, are we?



               JONATHAN sips his coffee.



                                   JONATHAN

                         I want this just as bad as you do.



                                   MARCUS

                         Well, there must be some way. Maybe

                         if we took some of the weight off

                         the suit. 



                                   JONATHAN

                         I can look into it, but I doubt it.

                         The suit is already made of the

                         lightest, strongest materials on

                         earth.



               MARCUS clutches his COFFEE MUG and thinks.



                                   MARCUS

                         Why don't we add a parachute to the

                         back. That way as soon as I run out

                         of fuel, I release the chute and...



               JONATHAN interrupts him



                                   JONATHAN

                         No, the engines are so hot back

                         there, they would melt the chute.

                         You might as well be using wet

                         paper towels.



               As JONATHAN and MARCUS wonder how in the world they are going

               to achieve their goal, a KRON CHANNEL 4 EXCLUSIVE comes on

               the T.V.



                                                                CUT TO:







               NEWS PROGRAM



                                   ANCHORMAN

                         The end of an era, as the Space

                         Shuttle Atlantis makes its final

                         mission one month from now, to

                         deliver important equipment to the

                         International Space Station. Crews

                         are already in preparation for the

                         historic launch.



               MARCUS' eyes grow wide with excitement. He slaps his hand on

               the table.



                                   MARCUS

                         I got it! Ok, what's the one thing

                         that us and NASA have in common.



                                   JONATHAN

                         I don't know?



                                   MARCUS

                         We both want to get to space, and

                         real soon. And do you know what  we

                         don't have that NASA has shit ton

                         of?



               JONATHAN'S facial expression shows he is catching on.



                                   JONATHAN

                         Fuel.



                                   MARCUS

                         Exactly. 



               A BUTLER comes through the DOOR with a LAUNDRY BIN,

               temporarily distracting our duo, then leaves out another

               door. There is a moment of silence.



                                   MARCUS

                         So, how do we do this?



               JONATHAN sighs



                                   JONATHAN

                         We don't. There's no way NASA will

                         help us in any way towards the

                         accomplishment of this mission.



               MARCUS smirks



                                   MARCUS

                         Then we MAKE them help us. Ok, the

                         final launch date is...



                                   JONATHAN

                         July eighth.



                                   MARCUS

                         Ok, and today is June 6th, so that

                         gives us about one month to

                         prepare.



                                   JONATHAN

                         Prepare for what?



               MARCUS pats JONATHAN on the back



                                   MARCUS

                         To be the first people in history

                         to hitch hike on the Space Shuttle.



               JONATHAN'S jaw starts to slack as he shakes his head.



                                   JONATHAN

                         No..no, no, no. Are you crazy? You

                         can't get anywhere near the launch

                         pad, and forget about talking with

                         them directly.



               MARCUS leans in as if the NASA engineers were right outside

               the door.



                                   MARCUS

                         We don't have to do any of that.

                         Didn't you say you were doing some

                         kind of work with high powered

                         magnets?



                                   JONATHAN

                         Yeah?



               MARCUS grabs a piece of paper, a pen, and starts drawing out

               the plan.



                                   MARCUS

                         Ok, this is what we're going to do.



               As MARCUS lays out their suicide mission, JONATHAN looks on

               and wonders if this is all worth the risk. Worth losing it

               all. Worth blowing the secret he built into the suit that

               MARCUS has no idea is there. It's the point of no return now.

               All, or nothing...



               TO BE CONTINUED

[ top ]

Script created with Final Draft by Final Draft, Inc.

Mall Santa (Spoken Word Poetry)

2011-12-09T09:22:00.001-08:00

THIS is the show that you came to see.
Not that other show down the street.
From Fountain Grove,
To South Todd Road,
THIS is the show that you came to see.

Now, I'm not talkin' about the show
With Dominic and me.
I'm talkin' about
Bright face, tied laces;
Every year repeating theme,
Roaming from homes
To hubs down the street.

Santa's at the mall,
And he's checkin' ALL the lists.
It's peppermint bliss,
With a cinnamon twist.
Sentiment explodes when he laughs,
HO HO HO,
Like this.

It's funny,
When we talk about a child's first wish.

"St. Nick's comin' with a whole lotta somethin',
So you'd better be good, or he's givin' ya nothin'."
Parents were told to
Bluff in.
We never suspected
A thing.
Ties to a crime
Where the suspects
A...thing.
An idea,
A delusion.
Then we're drawn to the boldest conclusion:
He isn't real.
And then
We're exposed to the oldest illusion:
Being lied to, deceived.

But none of THAT matters,
Standing in line with Dad
Down at The Plaza.
He see's him and
OOooooHHHHH!
He's in the big gold chair and
UUUUGGHHH!
He knows he's only got
One chance,
One chance,
And he says to himself
"I know what I want,
I know what I want
I know what I WANT!"
Then it's his turn,
And they tell him to smile,
Ka-CHINK!
He sits on the jolly man's lap,
And he says:

"Gee, Mr. Santa, Sir. This Christmas I want a big yellow taxi. But not just any taxi. A magic taxi. One that can find my mommy and bring her back. Not like that other mean ol' taxi that took her away."

And Santa looks down
With a pessimistic frown,
And tells this young boy what he needs to:

"It's an awful long way
For eight reindeer and sleigh.
A taxis too big, to tell you the truth.

But I swear when I say
That I'll find her someday,
And I'll pay for her cab as soon as I do."

SATIN ART (1 OF 4)

2011-12-08T00:00:00.004-08:00