Story of Nothing By Pranay Kumar

Fade in:Cup A cup on a stove table in florescent lit kitchen. Its a small but clean kitchen. We move towards the cup and look in it. Its empty and clean. NARRATOR This is a cup. This is an empty cup. This is an empty cup because there is nothing in it. Nothing ! What is Nothing As the narrator answer his own question the pictures of displaying the answer appear. NARRATOR Zero (a big zero appears on the screen), Naught (the word naught appears), Black out (Screen turns black), White out(Screen turns white), Space (an outline of left profile of a man with a ’?’ in it),outer space (picture of the milky way). The narrator sighs in disagreement to his own answers. NARRATOR This is NOTHING!(eyes of the main character, which are droopy and sleepy) Dead, passionless eyes Eyes that cannot follow the heart, deaf eyes. Eyes that cannot speak the heart, dumb eyes Narrator speaks in an agitated and angry voice. NARRATOR This is not a commercial for a pill to boost something(a picture of a pill bottle labeled ’X’). This is not a fucking secret or a journey to something(A picture of a man smiling while reading a book). This is a story(back to the eyes), story of nothing and that is nothing. (A lonesome man sitting on a bench across the street on a cloudy day)

2.

INT. APARTMENT- EARLY MORNING Bathroom Jay is looking in the mirror getting ready for something, he is wearing a vest and a pant. He is humming an unknown song while setting his hair. Bedroom Jay enters the room and puts on his nice shirt, sprays perfume in the room and then on himself. Opens a drawer full of quarters from different states. He picks up four quarters and stacks them between his thumb and index finger. Looks at the coins and nods in rejection. He puts back all the quarters in the drawer and closes it. Opens the drawer again and picks up one coin and slips it into his pocket. He is about to leave his room. ALTER-EGO Its your mom’s funeral. JAY I know! ALTER-EGO And are you going? JAY (sighs) nope. I tossed the coin. ALTER-EGO oh yes the coin! Sidetrack Someone is spreading coins on a glass table. NARRATOR Almost every choice, decision , question has an answer that is ‘Yes‘ or ‘No‘ or ‘Head‘ or ‘Tails‘ Jay is asked with series of questions and before answering any question he tosses a coin and slaps it on the back of his palm. Ice Cream Shop - Morning NARRATOR Ice cream? Coin Slap

(CONTINUED)

CONTINUED:

3.

JAY Yes please. Coffee Shop - Morning NARRATOR Coffee? Coin Slap JAY Sure. Bedroom - Night Jay is sitting before a pack of beers. NARRATOR Beer? Coin Slap Jay nods disappointingly. He tries to resist the temptation of beer, fails and stealthily approaches the pack of beers.Picks and opens a beer, takes a sip. Few Hours Later Jay is sitting before a six empty beer bottles. Suddenly rushes to the bathroom and vomits. Park- Evening Jay is reading a book. NARRATOR Free Condoms? Coin Slap JAY Yeah! Bedroom - Night 2 Jay is lying on his bed in a vest and boxer looking and smiling mischievously . Alter-Ego stands besides him. GIRL Fuck me.

(CONTINUED)

CONTINUED:

4.

JAY Sure ALTER-EGO You did not toss a coin. JAY I don’t a coin for everything. These things have to come naturally. Bedroom- Day Jay is eating cereal. Phone rings he answers it. ON PHONE It’s your father’s funeral. Where the hell are you? Coin Slap JAY I am not coming. (hangs up) Main Track Bedroom- Morning Jay is in his bedroom talking to his Alter-Ego. JAY What? I was one of the eighteen internationally adopted children, they literally treated me as as servant....Don’t judge me. ALTER-EGO Well technically I am you so you are judging yourself. JAY Any ways I got a job offer from Russia. ALTER-EGO You are not going to your Mom’s funeral? Jay stares at his Alter-Ego.

Sidetrack Toilet- Day

(CONTINUED)

CONTINUED:

5.

Jay and alter-ego are sitting face to face there is a cup of coffee and a newspaper on the table between them. Jay is sitting on the toilet seat. NARRATOR No family, No friends, No wonder a man falls in love with himself, stares at himself (Jay staring at his Alter-Ego), smiles at himself(Jay smiles at his Alter-Ego), drinks coffee with himself(Jay takes a sip from the cup and so does his Alter-Ego after him) also speaks to himself JAY Go away. Jay is alone sitting on the toilet seat with a table and a coffee cup in front of him. NARRATOR Blinks and sighs to himself (Jay blinks and sighs) . Nothing wrong, its just nothing left in him. Socially dead and living an imaginary double life. A jobless loser’s real life, and other a weird looking imaginary friend to a jobless loser.

Main Track Bedroom- Morning Jay is standing in his bedroom, staring at his Alter-Ego. JAY (Stressing) Dude a job offer from Russia! ALTER-EGO Nice! and you tossed the coin. JAY I did, it’s a yes! ALTER-EGO A dream come true! Jay sighs with vanishing enthusiasm, walks towards the kitchen. Alter-Ego follows him. Jay turns abruptly. (CONTINUED)

CONTINUED: Kitchen- Morning JAY But I love her. ALTER-EGO Who? ...(perplexed) Carla? No that not true come on how do you know that. JAY I think I would stay for her. ALTER-EGO (Alarmingly) No! don’t do this. No matter what happens never disobey the coin. You know it does not end well for you. And how do you even know if you love her ? (Jay vomiting in the bathroom (form the sidetrack)) JAY Coin, the coin said that I love her. What should I do, whatever I end up doing I am going to defy the coin. Black out Fade in: Cup A cup on a small but in it. Its water from stove clean empty a jug

6.

table in florescent lit kitchen. Its a kitchen. We move towards the cup and look and clean. Then it is filled half with besides it.

NARRATOR This is a cup. This is an half empty cup, wait a minute it’s a half full cup .... no half empty.... or half full; whatever it’s not an empty cup. This is not an empty cup because there’s something in it. Something! What is something?

As the narrator answer his own question the pictures of displaying the answer appear. (CONTINUED)

CONTINUED:

7.

NARRATOR Zero plus one (a picture of zero plus one appears) or zero plus ’x’ (The one in earlier pic is replaced by a ’x’) not naught( the words ’Not’ and ’Naught’ appear) Black out with a white dot(as the narrator says) or a black out with two white dots (as the narrator says) White out with a black line (as the narrator says)or a white out with black lines(as the narrator says) space with something an outline of left profile of a man with a small brain in it) or outer space with something (milky way) This is something(Jays eyes looking for some thing). Confused, restless eyes. Eyes that do not know what to follow, lost eyes. Eyes that do not know what to speak, dumb eyes

INT. APARTMENT- MORNING Jay is sitting on a chair looking confused and worked up. He is taking deep breaths. His Alter-Ego stands besides him trying to convince him from disobeying the coin. ALTER-EGO I think you must take the job, you need a new beginning, a fresh start. Russia is good. The coin first said yes to Russia and then her. So it means first Russia and then her. JAY I don’t...I don’t know, I love her and I need her now. ALTER-EGO Think with your head.

(CONTINUED)

CONTINUED: JAY (rebelliously) I don’t care about the coin. I am going to take the driver’s seat now. ALTER-EGO What?.... Driver’s seat? are you out of your mind, you are addicted.... and anyways you were the one who was excited about the job at first. JAY That’s it shut up and stop confusing me. Stupid imagination ALTER-EGO Take the job, and find a Russian. JAY No! She is the one.(Pics of Jay and Carla flash , Carla is talking to Jay, he is walking with her) that’s I am going to meet her. EXT.BENCH- DAY

8.

Jay is sitting on a bench waiting for Carla. Alter-Ego is standing across the bench nodding his head in denial.Jay’s phone rings displaying an unknown number. Jay answers the phone. RUSSIAN EMPLOYER Mr. Nothing, this is John from Russia. I believe you have received a job offer from us. JAY You are not Russian. RUSSIAN EMPLOYER No, Sir I am not. I hope you liked our offer......... ALTER-EGO (V.O) Don’t disobey the coin. Someone is spreading coins on a glass table. Suddenly the face is clear its Jay. Images of her time spent with Carla flashes before him. Jay is tapping his foot, he is nervous and scared.

(CONTINUED)

CONTINUED:

9.

RUSSIAN EMPLOYER ...also Mr. Nothing you don’t have a job right now this job would be something for you. Jay stops tapping his foot. JAY (emotionally) Hm... You know what Mr. Russia (sarcastically) I don’t want any something, because that something would never be everything to me and at this moment all I want is to have everything that matters to me is my love. A cup on a stove table in florescent lit kitchen. Its a small but clean kitchen. We move towards the cup and look in it. Carla walks towards Jay. JAY (on phone) So nice talking to you. RUSSIAN EMPLOYER What is $1 million a year to you? JAY (Confused and stunned, watches Carla walk towards him) What?... Nice talking to you. (Hangs up) Jay stands up, Carla stands before him, he looks into her eyes and hugs her passionately. NARRATOR Now that is a feeling of fulfillment an example of being complete . This is Everything!(Focusing on Jay’s eyes) Eyes of a lover. The Half- filled cup is now poured with some more water to make it full. NARRATOR This is an ............ oh fuck it! The cup is full because it has (MORE) (CONTINUED)

CONTINUED:

10.

NARRATOR (cont’d) everything in it. Park- Few Moments Later Jay and Carla are sitting on a bench with hands in each others hands. CARLA Do you love me ? Coin Slap Jay looks at Carla with a confused look. Carla is angry and slaps Jay. CARLA Jerk! Cup The full cup is emptied into the sink and placed on the stove table. It is empty and clean. NARRATOR (sigh) Nothing again, I told you, this is a story, Story of Nothing.