Perception or The Oatmeal Cookie & Michelle's Mind

  SANDRA (to Jon)

  What’s the matter with you?

  Sandra turns around and enters her house. Jon looks shocked and looks at his hands. Matt exits the patio door.

  MATT

  You royally screwed up.

  JON’S BEDROOM – AFTERNOON

  Jon wakes up. There are sleeping pills on the counter. Matt is sleeping on the floor. Jon pushes Matt with his foot.

  JON

  (kicking Matt)

  Hey… hey wake up.

  Matt turns and looks at Jon.

  MATT

  I’m awake. What do you want?

  JON

  Hey did you give me these?

  Jon grabs the pills from the counter and shows them to Matt. He nods.

  JON

  Man, I don’t trust these

  things.

  MATT

  Then why carry it around? I

  put them in your glass last

  night. You’ll never get

  anything finished if you don’t

  properly sleep.

  Matt gets up and looks at the clock.

  MATT

  Holy crap! I’m late for work.

  JON

  Could you drop me off at the

  grocery store on your way?

  MATT

  Sure. Buy chicken wings. I

  end at four.

  INT. 24-HOUR GROCERY STORE – AFTERNOON

  Jon walks in and grabs a basket. He walks past the cashiers, CARMEN and KELLY, and goes into the aisle. Carmen looks at a paper on her counter. CLOSE ON the paper to show a picture of Jon and a line that states, “IF YOU SEE HIM, CALL MANAGEMENT.”

  CARMEN

  Hey Kelly, did you see the

  notice from yesterday?

  KELLY

  Yeah. This guy must’ve done

  something weird, Carmen.

  CARMEN

  Nothing criminal?

  KELLY

  Well if it was criminal, it

  would say to contact security.

  CARMEN

  Gotcha.

  IN THE VEGETABLE AISLE

  Jon looks at the cucumbers. He picks it up.

  JON

  Hey. Can you hear me?

  Jon holds onto the cucumber and walks into the

  SNACKS AISLE

  Jon grabs a few containers of salsa dip and puts them into the basket.

  JON (to cucumber)

  Are you alive? Can you hear me?

  At the end of the aisle Carmen enters and stops near the chips.

  JON

  Hey. Sorry Herman isn’t here.

  I just wanted to say I can’t be

  king. Not without Herman.

  CARMEN (to Jon)

  Excuse me sir, did you need help

  finding something?

  Jon looks up. And shakes his head ‘no.’ Carmen’s eyes go wide and she grabs the chips and speedily walks out the way she came.

  Jon exits at the other end of the aisle and enters the

  MEATS SECTION

  Jon grabs a few containers of hot chicken wings and puts them into his basket.

  A man in his forties, NEIL, wearing a dress shirt, tie, and nice pants. He has a nametag on.

  NEIL

  Hello sir, my name is Neil and

  I am the manager of this store.

  Jon looks at Neil and puts the cucumber down into the meats.

  NEIL

  For the past week you’ve been

  coming here at nights acting

  strangely and making a mess at

  one point.

  Neil grabs the cucumber out from the meats display.

  JON

  I don’t want to be king anymore.

  You don’t have to worry.

  NEIL

  I don’t follow. Are you done

  your shopping for today?

  Jon nods. Neil escorts him out to the

  CHECKOUT COUNTER

  Carmen and Kelly both look at Neil walking alongside Jon. Jon places his groceries at the counter where Kelly is. She scans his items.

  KELLY

  That’ll be $24.55.

  Jon feels his pockets. And pulls out nothing.

  JON

  Looks like I’ll have to get it

  next time.

  Jon exits the doors empty handed.

  CARMEN (to Kelly)

  That guy was a bit weird. He was

  talking to a cucumber.

  SIDEROAD OF CITY AREA – AFTERNOON

  Jon is walking along the sidewalk. Traffic on the street is not heavily busy. A SILVER MUSTANG slows down near Jon. The passenger’s window rolls down to reveal Sandra in the driver’s seat. The car slowly drives along the curb.

  SANDRA

  Walking home?

  Jon nods.

  SANDRA

  I know you didn’t mean what you

  Did, so I’ll give you a ride if

  You tell me one thing?

  Jon looks over with a glazed look.

  SANDRA

  How did you feel when you

  Pushed her?

  Jon looks at Sandra with almost tears to his eyes.

  JON

  I feel so horrible Sandra, truly.

  I feel like I failed as a father?

  SANDRA

  Is that what you think? Get in.

  Jon gets into the car.

  INT. SILVER MUSTANG

  Jon sits in the passenger’s seat and buckles up. Sandra looks at Jon.

  SANDRA

  You’re not her father. She knows

  that.

  JON

  I wish I was. I wish I was more

  Part of your life back then.

  SANDRA

  You were Jon, you still are.

  Sandra accelerates and drives on the road.

  JON

  (pause)

  Where are we going?

  SANDRA

  It’s 2:30. Molly ends school

  Soon.

  JON

  She probably hates me.

  Jon turns the radio on. Sandra’s cell phone rings. Her car stops at the light. She puts her hand in her purse and pulls out the phone and hits a button.

  SANDRA

  Hello?

  SPLIT SCREEN of

  TOP SCREEN: INT. SILVER MUSTANG

  Where Sandra is driving with Jon and

  BOTTOM SCREEN: INT. WAREHOUSE/FILM SET

  Where Doug is in a chair and on his cell phone.

  DOUG

  Hey sweetstuff, how’ve ya been?

  SANDRA

  Pretty good, just off to pick up

  Molly.

  DOUG

  I just wanted to take up the offer

  Of taking you out to dinner.

  Sandra accelerates the car. She hands the phone to Jon.

  JON

  Hi, Sandra’s busy right now.

  DOUG

  Jon?

  Jon looks shocked.

  DOUG

  Jon, is that you? Why are you in

  the car with Sandra?

  Sandra moans.

  DOUG

  What’s going on?

  On the top screen there is construction on the road and there are detour signs. The music on the radio changes to something upbeat and sexy.

  JON

  Nothing, just detouring.

  DOUG

  Are you two really on the road

  to pick up Molly?

  SANDRA

  (excitedly)

  Yes!

  Sandra turns into a side street that has the sign “QUICK ROUTE.”

  DOUG

  I’m coming over, now.

  The phone call ends.

  SPLIT SCREEN ENDS.

  SANDRA

&
nbsp; What did he have to say?

  JON

  He said he’s coming over to your

  Place.

  SANDRA

  I’m gonna try and work it with

  Him.

 

  JON

  You were having troubles?

  SANDRA

  Yeah. More like doubts, but he

  Keeps Molly outta harm so he’s a

  Good guy.

  SCHOOL PARKING LOT

  The car is parked at a school parking lot. Molly enters the backseat.

 

  MOLLY

  Oh, it’s you.

  JON

  I’m sorry Molly. I didn’t mean it.

  I feel like a bully. I don’t want

  you both to leave me.

  SANDRA

  We’re not leaving anywhere.

  Sandra starts the car. And begins to drive onto the road.

  INT. ROAD

  Sandra is driving through the city. Jon sits next to her and Molly is in the back.

  JON

  Yes you are. And eventually

  You’ll marry Doug.

  MOLLY

  You’re getting married?

  SANDRA

  No, I’m not.

  Molly begins to cry.

  JON

  I love you Sandra, I always have.

  Doug’s an ass and he’s making me

  miserable. He’ll make you miserable

  too.

  MOLLY

  (crying)

  I don’t wanna be miserable.

  SANDRA

  (yelling)

  Be quiet!

  Jon

  You shouldn’t be with him if you

  Had doubts.

  SANDRA

  It went away after you pushed

  Molly over the fence. You need to

  get well Jon. I care about you,

  but not if you’re going to hurt

  her.

  JON

  (shocked)

  I told you I was sorry.

  Sandra stops the car.

  SANDRA

  Get out.

  Jon gets out of the car.

  INT. JON’S HOUSE – DAY

  Matt is organizing the main floor and setting up speakers. Jon walks through the front door.

  MATT

  Hey. Your sweat reeks. Go shower.

  Joes goes upstairs.

  MATT

  Oh, and I picked up your glasses.

  They called while you were gone.

  Dude, it’s almost 5PM and you

  Bought nothing from the store?

  JON (O.S.)

  I forgot my wallet.

  MATT

  Oh, Doug came by. He’s gonna pick

  up the movie tomorrow night.

  (pause)

  He looked pissed by the way.

  (pause and then loudly)

  Hey. Are you listening to me?

  Upstairs, the SHOWER turns on.

  INT. JON’S LIVING ROOM – 10PM

  Music is playing LOUDLY and PEOPLE crowd the place. Jon is talking to SHAWN, approximately the same age as Jon.

  SHAWN

  Dude, how’ve you been? Still

  Editing movies?

  JON

  Yeah, you?

  SHAWN

  After college I worked on

  animating for video games. It’s

  pretty cool.

  JON

  Glad you came tonight. You should

  Come to my premiere.

  Matt cuts in between them with a woman, DEBBIE. She is a hot red head.

  MATT

  Yeah, he makes some pretty wicked

  animations. I heard this one is

  gonna kill the rest.

  SHAWN

  Matt?

  (happily)

  How are you?

  MATT

  Good, good. I’d like to introduce

  to you, Debbie. This is Jon and

  Shawn.

  DEBBIE

  Rhyming names you boys have there.

  Jon shakes her hand.

  JON

  A pleasure to meet you. Would

  you like a drink?

  DEBBIE

  Sure.

  Debbie is chatting with Shawn as Jon goes off to the kitchen. While Jon passes by people, many voices are heard saying “Hey Jon.”

  INT. KITCHEN

  The clocks indicate a little after 10PM. In the corner there is Teen Boy making out with GOTH GIRL. Jon enters the kitchen and grabs some plastic cups from the table and turns them upright. He turns to look at the couple.

  JON

  Hey… you’re that boy who was on

  my lawn a few days ago who got

  dumped.

  GOTH GIRL

  I thought you were taken?

  (pushes Teen Boy away)

  This is no fun.

  Goth Girl grabs a bottle of wine off the table and puts it to her lips as she walks out.

  TEEN BOY

  Argh! I’ll never get laid.

  JON

  Puberty’s tough.

  Teen Boy exits the scene. Jon mixes a vodka and sprite.

  LOBBY

  Matt is upstairs and he’s wearing a grass skirt. He is visible to all those below.

  MATT

  (yelling)

  I’m like to present to you my

  greatest friend.

  KITCHEN

  Jon rushes out. He has a huge smile on his face and enters the …

  LOBBY

  The music turns down. Matt raises his hands.

  MATT

  (yelling)

  I present… my greatest… the most

  amusing… mister Monkey!

  The monkey comes out from behind Matt. The crowd cheers.

  MATT

  This party’s gonna rock!

  Jon is surprised. He runs to the stairs and goes to Matt.

  JON

  What the hell is the monkey doing

  here?

  MATT

  Dude, don’t discriminate. We

  accept all.

  The monkey looks at Jon.

  JON (to monkey)

  (waves)

  Hi.

  The monkey waves back.

  MATT

  Good. Now lets party.

  LIVING ROOM – 1 AM

  The clock indicates the time. People are drinking and dancing. The monkey sits on the couch and has glasses on. WOMAN and BABYSITTER sit on either side of the monkey. They giggle. They are very drunk. The monkey makes some sounds. They are very touchy.

  BABYSITTER

  Your glasses are so hot.

  WOMAN

  You’re so manly with all that

  hair.

  BABYSITTER

  Very manly.

  Matt walks by the couch. He pulls the glasses off the monkey’s face.

  MATT

  (yells)

  Hey Jon, I found your glasses.

  Jon walks by and grabs them.

  JON’S POV

  Jon puts the glasses on and the vision gets sharper.

  JON

  These are great.

  He looks around the room. He spots Molly near the kitchen under a table.

  End Jon’s POV.

  Jon goes near the kitchen. He pokes his head…

  UNDER THE TABLE

  Molly sits while holding her legs.

  JON

  Why are you here?

  MOLLY

  Do you still like me?

  JON

  Yeah.

  MOLLY

  Stop mom from marrying Doug?

  Jon raises an eyebrow.

  JON

  Are they getting married?

&nb
sp; MOLLY

  They went out on a date. Mom’s

  been seeing him more than you.

  JON

  You never answered my question.

  Why are you here?

  Matt pokes his head under the table.

  MATT

  (excited)

  Molly. I met your babysitter.

  she’s hot and she’s next to the

  monkey. Come meet him.

  Matt grabs Molly out from the table.

  LIVING ROOM

  The monkey and the two women are drinking on the couch. Molly sits on the lap of her babysitter. Molly is in awe while looking at the monkey. Matt is in the background talking to other PARTY GUESTS. Jon is near the window looking outside often. Debbie walks near Jon.

  DEBBIE

  What’cha lookin at?

  JON

  Keeping an eye out for that girls

  mom.

  Jon directs his head to Molly. Debbie puts her hand on Jon’s arm.

  DEBBIE

  You’re not her babysitter. We

  Should move away so you don’t have

  to worry.

  Jon grabs a beer bottle off a window ledge and looks out the window again.

  A cell phone rings and the babysitter puls out a cell phone from her pocket. She leaves off scene.

  DEBBIE