Louis Pearlman
|
Vancouver, British Columbia V6S 1B8 (604)224-9104 |
ext. outside a library - Day
An older lady, our NARRATOR is sitting outside a LIBRARY with a circle of CHILDREN. She pulls out a large and colorful BOOK.
narrator
Now we are going to hear the wonderful story of one of my friends, Winston Buckles.
She opens the book to a PICTURE of a STORYBOOK HOUSE with ROUNDED EDGES.
DISSOLVE TO:
title sequence
The ILLUSTRATION of the HOUSE dissolves into a REAL HOUSE as the credits roll over it.
int. winston’s Room - morning
WINSTON BUCKLES, a young, otherworldly, incredibly pleasant looking guy is sleeping peacefully in his BED as the SUN just starts to rise. His room is full of oversized furniture that all has incredibly rounded edges. His goldfish, GOLDIE, a friendly looking hand puppet sits in a large BOWL on his set of oversized DRAWERS. THE NARRATOR starts our story.
Narrator
(VO)
The sun was peaking over the hill tickling the dewy grass.
Winston Buckles awoke from his sleep with a sudden gasp.
He ran across the hardwood floor to where his goldfish lived
And listened to the griping that little Goldie gived.
Goldie
Ouch! My tummy feels strange
Narrator
Goldie said with a frown
Goldie
It feels like I ate something that turned it upside down.
If only I breathed the air like you I’d get out of this bowl
And march down to the pharmacy where antacids for fish are sold.
Winston, would you be a dear and fetch some without delay?
I need something to take this pain away!
The story is suddenly interrupted by a the voice of little JEN: one of the children listening to the story.
jen
(VO)
Wait a second! Goldfish can't get tummy aches!
cut to:
ext. The library - day
All the CHILDREN are eagerly wanting to hear THE NARRATOR'S answer to JEN'S question.
narrator
Actually, Jen, lots of pets get tummy aches. But I bet you've never come face to face with a talking Goldfish before, let alone one that would tell you if he had a tummy ache or not!
JEN and the other CHILDREN, including PHIL (who looks perplexed), giggle .
phil
So what does Winston have to get for Goldie? Fish umm… Aunty acid?
narrator
Yes, Phil. Fish antacid. It a medicine that will help Goldie feel better.
phil
OK!
cut to:
int. Winston's Room - Morning
Goldie
I don’t know how much more of this I can take!
This is a really sucky tummy ache!
Winston scrambles to change out of his JAMMIES and into his CLOTHING. He leaves his HOUSE.
ext. outside of winston’s house
WINSTON exits his HOUSE, which is almost built in an entirely circular shape.
Narrator
(VO)
That was all the prompting needed to get him out the door.
The squirrels were singing the sky was pink and the air was sharp and pure.
cut to:
Puppet SQUIRRLES in a TREE singing some cool 3 part harmonies.
squirrel #1
(Singing)
Hi Winston!
squirrel #2
(harmonizing with Squirrel #1)
Hi Winston!
squirrel #3
(harmonizing with the other 2 squirrels)
Hi Winston!
WINSTON, totally delighted, keeps walking down his STREET and sees…
ext. a sunny street adjacent to a park – late morning
narrator
(VO)
As Winston walked down the street, fascinating sights caught his eye
cut to:
WINSTON comes across OLD MEN break dancing, doing exciting flips and spins, while one of them scratches OH CANADA on a TURNTABLE
narrator
(VO)
Like old wise men practicing somersaults for the First of July!
And what was more exciting to our active friend Were some children in the park making some kites soar and bend.
Four CHILDREN of different shapes, sizes and color and their multitudes of diverse PARENTS are flying some beautifully colorful KITES. All the children are wearing BALOON ANIMAL HATS on their heads.
narrator
(VO)
The kites hovered in the sky wooshing up and higher.
Their rainbow tails streaking across the sky like a trail of fire.
The string a kite was attached being gripped by a little hand
Controlled by smallest child in a manner that was grand!
As Winston watched the kite dip and swerve
His inner working clicking wheels began to turn.
winston
The kite is so beautiful up there and looks so easy to fly.
Perhaps I could stop my trip to the drug store and try to get it to go high.
I’m sure the children would let me, they seem so dear and kind.
I bet my day would be better if I could fly the kite on that line.
cut to:
ext. the library - day
Narrator
But then Winston changed his mind.
cut to:
ext. a sunny street adjacent to a park – late morning
As WINSTON thinks about his day, a THOUGHT BALOON, suspended from strings is wheeled down from the sky above his head. GOLDIE is swimming inside of it.
winston
I'd love to fly kites, but I don't have the time.
I need to help a small friend of mine.
Although on this pleasantly vibrant day
I could do the things I like to do
In my happy city with its jolly crew
I have to be sure that Goldie will be OK!
narrator
(VO)
And he went on his way.
Winston heads down the street.
ext. the street corner - noon
narrator
(VO)
As he strolled down the street
A sound warmed Winston's heart
It's melody soft and sweet,
the tune of an ice cream cart!
And who was it pushing that cart
with treats that were so grand?
Why, it was Winston's old friend,
the neat-o Ice Cream Man!
The ICE CREAM MAN is an older man clad in a traditional WHITE UNIFORM and HAT, wheeling a little, brightly decorated ICE CREAM CART.
ice cream man
Winston old boy! This day’s as lovely as a dream!
Won’t you join me for a scoop of ice cream?
We can get caught up on what’s happened since we last met.
My son's back from college and now he's a vet!
cut to:
int. vetrinarian's room - day
The ICE CREAM MAN'S SON is seen wearing his GRADUATION ROBES and CAP, and STETHOSCOPE around his neck. He has a cute DOG in one hand and a DIPLOMA in the other.
cut to:
ext. the streetcorner - noon
ice cream man
And that newlywed couple who lived 'round the block
Just had a baby and are moving to White Rock!
cut to:
ext. white rock - day
A HUSBAND and WIFE are standing in front of a majestic MOUNTIAN with a BABY in their arms and are drinking brightly colored BUBBLE TEA. All three of them are smiling.
cut to:
ext. the streetcorner - noon
WINSTON is still standing next to the ICE CREAM MAN.
narrator
(VO)
Winston would like nothing more on this day of gold
To have a scoop of vanilla and catch up with his pal of old.
It has been ages since he saw his good friend.
He would love to sit with him and watch the day end.
But then Winston changed his mind.
cut to:
ext. the streetcorner - noon
Winston
(to the ICE CREAM MAN)
Sorry, dear friend, but I don't have the time.
I need to help another friend of mine.
Although on this pleasantly sunny day
I could just do the things I like to do
cut to:
ext. The park - flashback
We see a FLASHBACK of the CHILDREN playing with their kite.
winston
(VO)
In my happy city with its jolly crew
cut to:
ext. the streetcorner - noon
winston
I have to make sure that Goldie will be OK!
Narrator
(VO)
And he went on his way
Winston keeps on trekking.
cut to:
ext. the library – late afternoon
THE CHILDREN are still in rapt attention. Little TINA then interjects.
tina
Boy, Winston must have really been worried about Goldie if he wouldn't even stop for ice cream.
narrator
Yes, Tina. He was pretty worried! Do you want to hear what happens next?
kids
Yeah!
cut to:
ext. The library's street – late afternoon
As WINSTON keeps on his way he turns onto a STREET that is familiar to the audience already, because it is where the LIBRARY is located. Sitting in front of the LIBRARY is our NARRATOR and the CHILDREN still listening to the story that is being told.
narrator
Winston was walking, the drug store was almost in sight.
But his eyes went wide with delight!
For outside a library near the drug store
Was a group of five children or six… maybe more.
Sitting in a circle, imaginations unfurled
Listening to a woman read Winston's most favorite story in the whole world.
WINSTON wanders over to where the CHILDREN are sitting and looks at them. The CHILDREN look back at WINSTON, mouths agape.
narrator
Winston wanted nothing more than to be so bold
And to sit in on the story that was being told.
The NARRATOR turns to WINSTON and says directly to him:
narrator
But then Winston realized:
winston
I'd love to hear this story, but I don't have the time.
I need to help a special friend of mine.
Although on this pleasantly sunny day
I could just do the things I like to do
cut to:
ext. the ice cream man's streetcorner - flashback
We see the ICE CREAM MAN wave to the camera.
winston
(VO)
In my happy city with its jolly crew
cut to:
ext. The park - flashback
We see the CHILDREN playing with their KITES.
winston
(VO)
I have to make sure that Goldie will be OK!
cut to:
ext. the drugstore and libarary's street – late afternoon
WINSTON is standing in front of the CHILDREN and NARRATOR, very torn.
narrator
And he went on his way.
WINSTON walks away from the STORY CIRCLE. All the CHILDREN watch him as he leaves. Little APRIL can't believe her eyes.
april
Wow. Cool!
narrator
He went to the drugstore with no more delay
And bought the antacid he went for that day
WINSTON enters the DRUGSTORE and leaves a second later with the BOTTLE OF FISH ANTACID
narrator
And hurried home with those inner working clicking wheels having something to say.
As WINSTON hurries home he a FLOATING ICE CREAM CONE, KITE and STORYBOOK all fall from the sky, suspended by strings and surround WINSTON, tormenting him.
ext. the drugstore’s street, the park’s street, and winston’s house’s street - evening
winston
Of all the things I could have done today
Buying that antacid was boringly plain
When there was a kite that was winging
An Ice Cream Man ringing
And a story that was bringing
Joy to all who were listening.
narrator
(VO)
Winston got more and more frustrated as he hurried back on his way.
He really felt like he had wasted his day.
He went through his door and stomped up to Goldie.
int. winston’s room - evening
WINSTON stomps up to GOLDIE'S BOWL.
goldie
Did you get them, oh Winston? I feel so rank.
Please drop one of those tablets into my tank.
narrator
(VO)
Winston dropped a tablet into Goldie’s bowl.
A smile graced the fish’s face: his tummy felt whole!
goldie
Oh Winston, oh buddy, oh thank you so much!
I know that it took up lots of your time to buy a box of this stuff.
But I feel so much better now that I’ve eaten
This fish antacid I was so desperately need’n!
narrator
(VO)
And slowly but surely a smile dawned on Winston’s face
When he realized when he was running home he had made a mistake
Thinking there was something better to do with his day
Because nothing he could have done would have made him feel as gay
As spending his day as it was supposed to be spended
cut to:
ext. the library - evening
The NARRATOR is just finishing the story.
narrator
That is… helping Goldie’s poor little tummy get mended.
cut to:
int. Winston's house - evening
WINSTON walks away from GOLDIE'S BOWL and faces the camera.
winston
I wanted to do so much, but did not have the time.
I needed to help a bestest friend of mine.
Although on that pleasantly sunny day
I could have just done the things I like to do
In my happy city with it's jolly crew
I sure as sure made sure that Goldie was OK!
WINSTON'S smiling face freezes and transforms into the final picture of our PICTURE BOOK
wipe to:
ext. the library – Evening
The NARRATOR closes the book.
narrator
And that made Winston Buckles' day.
The End