Confessions of a Grasshopper

Cut to: BILL’s Imperial on crowded interstate, skyline of Manhattan in background. Various clips of Manhattan.

  Cut to: Volkswagen on interstate. CU of interstate sign: HARRISBURG, NEXT EXIT.

  Cut to: BILL’s Imperial on the New Jersey Turnpike. Clips.

  Cut to: Volkswagen going through tunnel on Pennsylvania Turnpike.

  Cut to: Imperial passing under sign that says: RUTHERFORD, NJ - NEXT EXIT.

  Cut to: Volkswagen on interstate with Manhattan skyline in background

  Cut to: Imperial with top down driving onto campus, stopping in front of large college building. BILL, MARY and BARB jump out of the car. BILL picks up the canvas sack FLORABELLE is in and runs quickly toward the building. MARY and BARB momentarily linger by the car, waving at friends.

  Cut to: Narrow, congested Manhattan street. Volkswagen edging way up the street.

  IRVING

  It’s even bigger than Albuquerque.

  AUNT LULU

  Much bigger. Maybe even five times bigger!

  Cut to: Biology Lab. PROFESSOR MARTIN is bending over a lab table peering into a microscope as BILL runs in, carrying the inert form of FLORABELLE.

  BILL

  Prof! Prof! I got one! I got a giant talking grass … grasshopper.

  PROFESSOR MARTIN turns, looks at BILL opening the sack – then at FLORABELLE. HE is stunned, speechless. HE staggers slowly toward BILL.

  PROFESSOR MARTIN

  Pardon me a minute.

  BILL

  What are you going to do?

  PROFESSOR MARTIN

  Faint …

  PROFESSOR MARTIN slumps unconscious to the floor as BILL watches, dumbfounded.