Grateful

By
Javier Torregrosa

Based on a crazy idea by:

Andrew David & His drunk friend.

April 2009 jayrex@hotmail.com

 FADE IN:

EXT. BACK GARDEN - EVENING

PAUL, 18, lives in a shed, kept at the end of a well
manicured garden.
He’s unshaved with rough mangled hair which perfectly
complements his ripped holed t-shirt and long shorts with
missing back pockets.
Right now he’s relaxing, reading a book just outside his
shed. He sits facing away from the house, next to the
shed’s window. Using the light emanating which replaces the
evening sun fading from the sky.
ALICIA, 31, stands at the back door and holds a plate full
of piping hot food.
ALICIA
Paul, come and get it.
Paul turns the book over and places it down on the freshly
cut grass.
PAUL
Coming.
JOHN, 24, lives in the next garden along. He peers over the
fence. His dog-like twitching nose has stopped him from his
work.
ALICIA
I’ve reheated the food in the
microwave, so be careful.
Paul happily retrieves the plate.
PAUL
You shouldn’t have. You’re too
kind.
Paul touches a spare rib only for his finger and thumb to
recoil back, as if receiving a nasty bite.
He puts his wounded appendages in his mouth for a brief
moment to cool off.
ALICIA
Nonsense, I’m just happy to have
you here to eat up what the rest of
us couldn’t. You know Ryan, he can
never finish his plate.
 2.

PAUL
It’s very nice of you to do so. Is
there anyway I could repay your
generosity?
ALICIA
Paul, we’re here to help you. Just
go back to reading your book and
don’t lift a finger.
PAUL
Thank you again Mrs Halloran.
Alicia smiles and closes the door.
John finally raises his chin above the fence.
JOHN
That smells great, what is it?
Paul digs around his plate with the tip of his index finger.
PAUL
It does smell great. Ribs, drum
sticks, chicken and lamb on
skewers. And a half-eaten burger.
JOHN
Aw man, give us the burger.
Paul picks up the burger and gives it to John’s outstretched
hand.
John speaks with his mouth full. Debris falls from his
mouth like a mountain rock avalanche.
JOHN
(Muffled)
You have it all.
Paul grabs a drum stick.
PAUL
What?
John clears his throat, before he wipes the sides of his
mouth with the back of his hand.
JOHN
I said. You have it all. The life
of Reilly. You can come and go as
you please and you don’t even have
to lift a finger.
 3.

Paul bows his head a little.

PAUL
It’s not as cushy as it seems.
He grabs a skewer.
PAUL
I feel guilty all the time. I’m
the type of person who likes to
earn his keep. Work and contribute
as best as I possibly can.
John nods in agreement.
JOHN
Completely understand ya. That’s
why I’m loving it here. The owners
don’t care what I do.

EXT. JOHN’S BACK GARDEN

John surveys the garden which imitates the Amazonian rain
forest. Only with a few yards of reclaimed land.
The chopped vegetation burns in a portable incinerator.
JOHN
And right now I’m tidying up this
garden. The only drag is I have to
house-sit when they’re not around.
He then glances at the house.

PAUL’S GARDEN
Paul picks up a rack of ribs.
PAUL
You see, that’s what I want. The
family here won’t even allow me to
cut the grass. Ryan just loves
doing the gardening.
He rips the rack in half and offers the spares to John, who
gratefully retrieves it.
JOHN
Thanks.
 4.

PAUL
I’ve been thinking.
JOHN
About what?
PAUL
It’s been two weeks since I’ve
moved in and I already want to
runaway.
JOHN
It’ll hurt them Paul, don’t do
it. It’ll be the third this
year. And they’ll think
something’s wrong about them. Or
worse.
PAUL
Worse?
JOHN
The government will come around to
investigate them. Start pointing
the finger, and downgrade their
homeless allowance.
PAUL
Well, I’m sure nothing bad will
come of it. I see I can have
better, so I’m going to take a
chance.

INT. LIVING ROOM - MORNING

The doorbell rings its simple two-toned bell. Alicia still
in her robe even though it’s late in the morning gets up to
answer the door.
Whilst RYAN, 30, moves his head slightly to the vibrating
sound echoing over his sports entertainment
programme. Barely a flicker interrupts his dedicated
viewing time.

FRONT DOOR
Alicia opens the door to a SALESMAN called TERRY, 24, who
wears a cheap suit, and holds a briefcase in his left hand.
Terry thrusts his right hand towards Alicia to greet
her. Causing her in return to greet him. A little taken
back from this in-your-face sales approach.
 5.

TERRY
Hello Miss...
ALICIA
Mrs Halloran.
TERRY
Hello Mrs Halloran, nice to meet
you. Let me explain what’s my
business.
Terry reaches into his inside pocket and hands it to Alicia.
TERRY
Here’s my card. I represent
GovCom. A third party company that
works on behalf of the government.
Alicia drops the card into an almost full jar that sits on a
small telephone table.
ALICIA
Can I stop you there?
Terry has almost opened his briefcase that he’s propped up
against the wall.
ALICIA
I already have an occupant. Sorry.
Terry reaches in and moves aside a brochure that’s headlined
Homeless News May Edition. And picks out a brochure called
Runaway News Spring Edition.
TERRY
How about a runaway to look after?
ALICIA
I’ve got your card and I’ll discuss
it with my husband.
TERRY
Okay. Take a free brochure and
call me if you and your husband
come to a decision.
ALICIA
I will.
Alicia closes the door behind her.
 6.

LIVING ROOM
Ryan doesn’t flinch away from the television as Alicia
closes the door behind her.
RYAN
Who was that?
ALICIA
Another salesman. This time a
company representing the
government.
RYAN
Ohhh, I hear those companies are
good to deal with. Get good rates.

KITCHEN
Alicia walks into the kitchen and sees Paul’s breakfast
plate untouched resting on the counter.
ALICIA
Ryan, has Paul not come in to get
his breakfast this morning?
RYAN (O.S.)
Are the scraps still sitting there?
ALICIA
Yes.
RYAN (O.S.)
Well, there’s your answer.
Alicia shakes her head whilst rolling her eyes.
ALICIA
Why do I even bother?
RYAN (O.S.)
What?
ALICIA
Nothing dear.
Alicia leaves the kitchen to-
 7.

EXT. BACK GARDEN

Alicia looks around the garden and then looks in through the
shed windows.
ALICIA
Paul, are you in there?
Alicia waits for a response.
After a few moments of silence, she leaves and hears John
making alot of noise.
She walks over to the fence.
ALICIA
John.
John, with his back to Alicia and pitch-axe in
hand. Continues to break up the earth.
ALICIA
John!
John stops and turns around.
JOHN
Mrs Halloran. How may I help you?
ALICIA
Have you seen Paul? He’s not in
the shed and hasn’t eaten his
breakfast.
John ponders for a second.
JOHN
Nope. Haven’t seen nor heard from
him this morning.
ALICIA
Okay. Well, when you do, can you
let him know to come inside the
house so that I know he’s fine.
JOHN
Sure will Mrs Halloran. He’s
probably just gone for a walk or
something. Nothing to worry about.
SUPER: ONE WEEK LATER
MONTAGE
 8.

Alicia and Ryan put up lost posters on posts and pillars

around the neighbourhood.
Alicia sits next to the phone.
She checks the garden and the shed.
She then pulls out Terry’s contact card.
And then picks up the phone.
END MONTAGE
SUPER: THREE MONTHS LATER

INT. LIVING ROOM - DAY

ED, 23, and LILIAN, 21, both face the television from a very
large comfortable looking couch.
Ed holds a can of beer whilst a television magazine rests on
his lap.
Lilian irons the clothing whilst she wears an apron.
The doorbell rings a generic melody.
Ed glances over to Lilian. A look of annoyance crosses his
face as his ears battle to hear his programme.
He raises the television volume.
ED
Will you get that?
LILIAN
What?
Ed presses the mute button.
ED
Can you answer that?
LILIAN
Honestly?!
She leans back to remind Ed of the bump she’s carrying.
LILIAN
I’m expecting after all.
Ed’s shoulders slump as he exhales. His body language
giving in to Lilian’s argument.
 9.

ED
Okay, back in a tick.

FRONT DOOR
Ed swings the door open quickly, rattling the door’s
fixings.
A SALESMAN called JERMAINE who’s blocking Ed’s sight of the
path behind, takes a small retreating step back.
He’s nervous, sweating profusely, shuffles his body weight
from side to side. A handkerchief soaked in sweat,
carelessly hangs out from his blazer’s front pocket.
ED
What do you want?
JERMAINE
Hello sir, my name’s Jermaine.
He swaps his briefcase to the other hand and extends his
right hand.
ED
I ain’t shaking that.
Jermaine’s disheartened but soldiers on and brings out a
handful of contact cards from his side pocket. Some cards
fall to the ground distracting him as he tries to hand Ed a
card.
JERMAINE
Take my card, I represent a charity
who look to find kind caring homes
for the homeless. To re-home
homeless and runaway teens.
ED
You may just be in luck. The wifes
been talking about taking in a
another pair of hands to help out.
Ed takes a card from the handful presented to him.
JERMAINE
We have brochures-
He opens his briefcase which bursts open. It’s door
catapults open as his sandwich, bottle of cola and various
leaflets, brochures and loose cards fall to the ground.
He picks up a brochure.
 10.

JERMAINE
Take a brochure and give me a call
when you and your wife come to a
decision.
ED
Will do.
SUPER: ONE WEEK LATER

EXT. JOHN’S BACK GARDEN - DAY

John puts the remains of weeds and shrubs into a black bag.
Paul taps John’s shoulder.
John twists around on the spot.
JOHN
Paul?
PAUL
Hello John, long time no see.
JOHN
It is. What are you doing here?
PAUL
Turns out Lilian needs an extra
pair of hands for the new baby on
the way. I’m a runaway for this
family.
JOHN
You were a homeless person with the
Hallorans, right?
PAUL
Yep, but because I’m still
eighteen-
He points to old shed.
PAUL
And have left my previous home,
less than six months ago, I’m
classed as a runaway.
John laughs.
 11.

JOHN
Red tape, huh.
Paul looks around the garden.
PAUL
I see this yard’s coming together.
John also surveys the garden.
JOHN
It is, yes.
He picks up a hand-held hedge clipper, before he starts to
trim a hedge.
JOHN
Paul.
PAUL
Yes?
JOHN
Did I ever get around to telling
you how much I love to live alone?
PAUL
No.
JOHN
Ah, my mistake.
John tests the clipper’s blade with his finger, breaking his
skin easily.
A drop of blood grows before it rolls down his finger and
then drops off. Staining the bright yellow daffodils that
wrap around the hedge’s roots.
JOHN
Something tells me that Lilian’s
going to be filing a missing
persons report come tomorrow.
A dismayed Paul looks around to a smiling Lilian who looks
down upon them from her bedroom, and waves a hello.
A despondent Paul waves a goodbye, before he slowly leaves
the garden.
FADE OUT.