Sagacity Park (Sample ft lgth)

FADE IN:

Fall somewhere.

EXT. AN ABANDONED PARK – MIDDAY

A diverse group of lower middle-class males ranging from ages 18 to 23 play an intense game of 5 on 5 full-court basketball.

A SERIES OF SHOTS
--The sneakers/legs of the group of males as they compete.
--The basketball.
--The males sweaty faces.

A homely older man age 60 to 65, Caucasian, white beard, in good physical health, watches the game while picking up trash with a grappler.

JUNE, among the group of males, 18, black, athletic height, thin, tenacious and with subtle depth, fights to get open…

JUNE (V.O.)
I dreamed that I was falling and enjoying every second. Is every shot I make, really one missed?

June receives the ball, makes a strong move to the basket, and athletically alters his layup and scores.

EXT. SAME AS PREVIOUS – EVENING

The older man appears out of the greenery holding a saw and dragging one large tree with a rope to an oversized shed.

JUNE (V.O.)
I landed on my feet and awoke to the same smell of burning vanilla wax. I used to see my face in the table she shined on Sundays. Now, home is where I lay my head.

EXT. SOMEWHERE NEAR THE ABANDONED PARK – CONTINUOS

While lying near a shopping cart and soiled blankets, June gazes into the night sky with his head resting on his basketball.

JUNE (V.O)
When the stars shined like the Lofton’s table, I slept like a baby. No matter how dark it is, there’s always a way out.

--The night sky with no visible stars

End credits.

INT. OVERSIZED SHED – CONTINUOS

SAKES, the older man, sagacious with a mature imagination, serious facial language, pulls a pull-chain light switch on. MOSES, a grayish male rabbit, Sake’s pet and life partner, rattles his cage.

SAKES
(Lightheartedly)
Say there, Moses. I suppose you want me let your people go. Is that the cause of your emotion?

Sakes feeds Moses sunflower seeds and watches him animatedly in the cage.

SAKES CONT’D
(To Moses)
Happy now?
(Pauses)
Oh no, I can’t play. We’ve got work to do...

A tool box falls from a shelf and opens. This alerts old Sakes.

SAKES CONT’D
(To Moses)
Something all mighty wants me to use them, hmm?

Sakes interprets Moses’ movements as an indication of trouble.

EXT. OVERSIZED SHED – CONTINUOS

Sakes looks through a small hole carved on the shed wall.

EXT. SAME ADBANDONED PARK – CONTINUOUS

With his shopping cart close by, June finishes doing sprints on the basketball court.

--His breathing heavy face with sweat

--His sweat dripping in a puddle

Sakes appears in the puddle’s reflection.

SAKES
Can’t sleep?

A startled June withdraws toward his cart.

JUNE
My mother knows I’m here.

SAKES
That explains it.

--June’s shopping cart

June grabs a box cutter from his cart and shows Sakes the blade.

JUNE
You’re not taking my money.

SAKES
(Composed)
You defend your few dollars when without many you still breathe?

JUNE
I’m defending myself. I earned it and gotta’ eat.

SAKES
You are very good, but you don’t understand it, which means you’re wasting time. The game is taking you no further than this place.

JUNE
What about you, old man?

June grips the box cutter and holds the blade over his forearm.

SAKES
I chose this.

June stabs himself.

JUNE
(Screams)
June tosses the blood stained box cutter to old Sakes who catches it.

JUNE CONT’D
(Breathy)
You chose this?

June gets to his feet and eagerly prepares to flee.

JUNE CONT’D
(Shouts)
Help! Help! This man attacked me!

SAKES
Few know of this place, not even the pub owners up the road. No one hears you except for something all mighty.

JUNE
(A pause)
Heeelp!

Sakes moves toward June.

SAKES
Come on, son.

JUNE
(Holding back tears, aggressive)
Get away from me! I ain’t your son. I wasn’t the Lofton’s son or my father’s. What makes you think I’m yours, huh?!
(Waits for a response)
Yea, that’s what I thought, old man.

SAKES
Your pain clouds your judgment, keeping you in the dark. Stars might be visible upon the dark sky, but we still can’t see like we can in total light.
(A long pause)
See that tree over there?

--A leafless tree

SAKES CONT’D
A season ago, it had leaves. It loses them every fall only to regain new ones. Every time we fall, we are to arise ready to receive something more fulfilling. That’s why something all mighty created the season.

JUNE
Who are you?

SAKES
Tonight is your denouement. Your conclusion will begin tomorrow, the answer to who you will be in the next season of your life. That person is one who will have a purpose and wisdom to surpass tribulation. Would you like to know him?


JUNE
(Captivated)
Answer my question first.

SAKES
Sakes.

JUNE
Yes.

SAKES
Come with me.

Sakes pulls a handkerchief out from his pocket and covers June’s blood running wound.

JUNE
Don’t you want to know my name?

SAKES
No.
(A pause)
Come now.

Sakes begins guiding June toward the shed.

INT. OVERSIZED SHED – MORNING

Sakes nails thick pieces of perennial wood together. With his forearm wrapped, June stands from resting.

SAKES
I told you, Moses, that he’s no stranger.

Moses rattles his cage.

JUNE
You should tell him my name.

SAKES
(To Moses)
Call him “son.”

June scowls and goes to the door.

SAKES
Stop coping and try forgetting.
(Grabs a bark spud)
There’s a tree out back.
(Gets up)
I’ll show you how. Here.

Sakes tries handing June the bark spud.

JUNE
I should press charges on you for cutting me last night.

SAKES
Sure, if I did.

JUNE
Your prints are on the weapon.

SAKES
Besides, there are no laws here.

JUNE
There are laws everywhere.

June leaves.

EXT. OVERSIZED SHED – CONTINUOS

June locates his cart.

INT. OVERSIZED SHED - CONTINUOS

SAKES
He’s still stubborn, Moses, after all he’s been through.
(Pause)
You’re right. He is vulnerable. Any ideas?

Moses rattles his cage. Sakes spots something.

SAKES CONT’D
(A whisper)
Right.

EXT. SAME ABANDONED PARK - CONTINUOUS

June pushes his cart across the basketball court, appearing to be leaving the area. Then suddenly, he stops. Sakes emerges in the background holding June’s basketball.

SAKES
Forget something?

Sakes moves toward June dribbling the ball fairly skilled.

SAKES CONT’D
I used to be better at this. My sport was soccer. All we need is a little kick to achieve a goal. Motivation.

Sakes picks up his dribble.

JUNE
You achieve yours? You live in a shed. You’re just like me, old man. Lost.

SAKES
One’s location has little to do with his state of mind, but more to do with his purpose.

JUNE
What do you want from me?

SAKES
Help me rebuild...

JUNE
What? How? You’re crazy, old man.

SAKES
We all are to a degree. Imagining, like tribulation can, brings us closer to the remarkable truth about ourselves. Some never find it. Instead, they choose to find ways to cope with their pain. The others that are chosen are left with a choice to either use their power for good or evil. Free will. That’s the cause of our insanity.

JUNE
Huh? Good, evil, pain? They’re a part of us forever. They make us human. The only choice we have is to use them to our advantage. I don’t know that much about life, but I know I’m not about to let you hustle me out of mine.

SAKES
You’re right.

JUNE
I know.

SAKES
(Pacing)
I’m near the end of my life and remain with the choice to either wallow in the pain of my past, embrace hate to become evil, or persevere for the sake of the good in us all. Now, I don’t know what tomorrow holds, but I know that today, like yesterday, I choose to persevere.
(A long pause)
You told me that you wanted to know your purpose. You’ve become indecisive as I see that you’re now prepared leave.

JUNE
Weak?

SAKES
Therefore, I trust my word more. Your conclusion will be simple. You will remain a wallower and, your experiences vain.

Sakes passes the basketball to June.

JUNE
Who are you?

SAKES
(Laughs)
The old man that just passed you the ball in hopes that you take the open shot...

June eyes the basket.

SAKES CONT’D
Remember that by following through, you will have a less chance of missing. But...

JUNE
If I don’t take the shot, then I have no chance to win.

SAKES
(Wide eyed)
Right.


END SAMPLE