While the sky symbolizes a contemporary presence of despair, energy of all forms, including oil, natural gas and plant life are outdated.

[Act One of Four Acts] The Friendly Apparition © 2012

By Joe Vojt

An original teleplay
One-hour television program
Registered WGAe No. R20139

The Friendly Apparition

While the sky symbolizes a contemporary presence of despair, energy of all forms, including oil, natural gas and plant life are outdated.

The sun’s energy can no longer pass through the caustic barrier of chemical vapors as new curious looking stains are collectively synthesized into one time element.

Deep within the grains of unlimited sand, one contemporary sized General Store stood alone. It is flourishing with limited activity inside. OSCAR ISHOPER seventy-five years old is working side by side with his seventy-two-year-old wife NORMA.

ACT ONE

FADE IN:

EXT. DESERT – DAY AND NIGHT ARE CONSIDERED EQUAL 2030

INT. GENERAL STORE

NORMA
(to Oscar)
It feels good to still have a job
even though all we do is stock
merchandise.

OSCAR
There is one noteworthy difference.

NORMA
I know, we are only handling a small
variety of colored pills.

OSCAR
Yea, but we remain contamination
free from the corrosive environment.

NORMA
The downside is we are more or less
trapped.

OSCAR
You could say that, but then what
else is there?

NORMA
You know shopping if you could call
it that, is one of the few remaining
habits carried past the millennium.

OSCAR
True, those old practices has
everyone looking for distinctive
commodities, but all that remains
are narrow empty shelves.

NORMA
The people quietly shuffle by,
finding only clear plastic
containers of different colored
pills.

OSCAR
You know the population is having
a hard time understand what happened
to their once plentiful lifestyle.

NORMA
Living and existing in this caustic
environment created unacceptable by-
products, yet we continue functioning.

OSCAR
If you want to call it that.

Both appear tired and drawn out, their plain features no longer resemble humans of the past.

OSCAR
You know neither of us have any
remaining hair on our tight worn
out frames.

NORMA
My body feels weak and washed out,
especially with these tattered
clothing we have left.

OSCAR
We hang on like crude outcasts from
yesteryear, nothing reflects our
future or the status we have left
in this life element.

NORMA
(changing the subject)
You know our EMOtional pills are
running extremely low. When will we
be getting a new supply?

OSCAR
I really don’t know, but a transport
should arrive soon through the tubes.

NORMA
Can you remember the last time we ran
out of pills?

OSCAR
You have an interesting question.

While sorting and stocking vials Norma stares through the front opening. With the vastness outside, nothing could be seen but the shades of obscurity.

NORMA
(spoke softly)
Do you think our thirty-eight-year
old son COREY is surviving in that
wasteland?

OSCAR
I sure hope so.

NORMA
That observation station has been
his home for years now.

OSCAR
More like ten and his training
program must be complete by now.
He must be in shape for his first
mission.

NORMA
Do you think there is a mission?
(without waiting for an
answer she continued)
I can remember how excited we became
when he was accepted into the World
Space Exploration Agency.

OSCAR
Keep in mind their mission statement
was based on exploring the universe,
with one basic goal, to find another
planet for our future.

NORMA
(sadly responded)
Do you think they knew what was going
to happen to us? Look how important
finding a safe place could have been.


Norma not wanting to dwell on the present changed the subject.

NORMA
(said softly)
We know Corey has completed his
training, but we have had limited
contact. If it wasn’t for those
video cube exchanges, we would be
lost.

OSCAR
Since his birth, I mean when he
entered our society, earth began
fading quickly.

NORMA
Right, remember when life was easy
and carefree, we had no idea this
would become our destiny.

OSCAR
True.

NORMA
How could we have known that the
environment would turn hostile?

OSCAR
Some realized it by hiding in the
mountains.

NORMA
How long do you think they will
survive?

OSCAR
At least their garments will not
disintegrate.

NORMA
Yes, but what kind of life can
that be?

OSCAR
Look at the remaining population,
their garments crumple into powder.
Is this our real future?

NORMA
It is not clear, but how much longer
do you think we will survive?

OSCAR
No one knows. It started when the
people were issued these poncho type
outfits. We were forced to wear it,
but without the pull over section.

NORMA
Did you ever wonder what the true
reason was for that act? I know the
hood should have covered our heads
for protection.

OSCAR
The answer is clear, but we were
lucky to secure a large quantity of
material before the disaster. You
know we would have died with out it.

NORMA
To bad we couldn’t cover a greater
part of the population.

OSCAR
The extra material sure came in handy.

NORMA
Even with that our skin is bleached
and hardened. Hair that was once
plentiful is but a memory.

While talked both automatically ran their hands in a circular pattern over nothing but tight skin.

OSCAR
Our facial hairs, including eyebrows
have not endured this atmosphere.

NORMA
Even our legs and arms, no longer
support fresh growth.

NORMA
Based on the visible fragments of
cloth, most of the population is
slowly dying.

OSCAR
My guess is the supplied material
was designed not to last.

NORMA
We hid all we could and handed out
sections to those that came. If
caught, the price to pay would have
been death.

OSCAR
I know, but once the pills replaced
our food supplies, our body stimuli
changed allowing decay to set in.

NORMA
Look around there is no way of
distinguishing any ones’ sex.
Why did we let all this happen?

OSCAR
I don’t know, but emotions and
physical excitement are no longer
practiced.

NORMA
The Law Enforcement Protective Group
and the Directorate controls our lives.

Out of the blue Norma made a strange comment.

NORMA
You know dear, we should have had
more children.

OSCAR
I know how you feel, but look what
has happened to this society! Reflect
about that professed saying, ‘A better
way of life’. Remember how quickly
that concept faded.

NORMA
Compared to what we now have, the
1990s were like haven.

OSCAR
True, because survival during that
era was considered easy. No one
really cared about their life.

NORMA
Now it is complicated.

OSCAR
Birth which was so precious to us,
is now an out of body experience.

NORMA
Can you remember the last time we
had physical pleasure?

OSCAR
In answer to your question, yes!
How can we ever forget that joy?

NORMA
Because we are forbidden to speak
about that past era.

OSCAR
You are right, all couples are
prohibited to touch or kiss, mainly
because of the diseases that almost
whipped us out.

NORMA
The so called epidemic of the year
Two Thousand devastated earth’s
physical culture.

OSCAR
Right robots began replacing most
of our routine work tasks.

NORMA
At first by design they served our
limited needs, but slowly other
functions became a part of what
had to be the master plan.

OSCAR
(thinking)
You are right, what tragedy.

Norma didn’t want to talk about that subject any longer.

NORMA
(spoke softly)
Shall we borrow a minute?

OSCAR
Sure dear for what purpose?

NORMA
I want to hold your hand.

OSCAR
You know that is taboo.

NORMA
What can they do? We are but
skeletons of the past and serve
little for their future.

OSCAR
You do have a point I can agree
with. You know we can never again
feel those sensations.

NORMA
I know, but we can still see each
other today that they have not
taken away.

OSCAR
Right, that is all we have left,
except for these dam pills.

NORMA
Without them our lives would not
exist.

OSCAR
So you think that be so bad?

NORMA
No, I guess not, but who would run
these supplies?

OSCAR
The system has replacements waiting.
Everything they do is controlled.

NORMA
I have an idea. Why don’t we close
shop and try finding Corey?

Oscar reacted in shock.


OSCAR
(loud voice)
It is prohibited to close any
emporium, never mind wandering out
into that hostile caustic
environment.

NORMA
(sweet tone)
You are right, but it has been so
long since our son left home.

OSCAR
That is true . Through all these
years, we have not seen him. Come to
think, when was the last time we
heard anything from that facility?

NORMA
It has been too long. Anyway our
lives can’t be worth much to the
system?

OSCAR
You keep saying that dear.

NORMA
I hear the remaining human species,
which by the way we are a part of,
are systematically being eliminated.

OSCAR
I guess at this instant you are right,
but let us think about the
consequences.

NORMA
(trying not to hear)
You know there is one window of
opportunity and that is to dash out
between the patrols. Finding cover
without being spotted is the trick.

OSCAR
Not bad dear, we should have a better
detailed plan. Why get punished for
something stupid?


Oscar placed his hand on hers as hidden emotions were slightly activated. Deep inside a slim spark of passion surfaced.

NORMA
(trying to change her feelings)
Do you want an EMO pill?

OSCAR
No, I can’t stand taking all these
dammed pills for every little thing.
It just isn’t right.

NORMA
To be alive has to be good.

OSCAR
I don’t know anymore, do you really
call this living?

NORMA
Now dear, you are getting all
worked up.

OSCAR
We accepted the fact no one can
control our lives, but look at us.
What is really left of the human
culture?

NORMA
We can be at best called a
fragmented society.

OSCAR
Right knowing that, how can anyone
survive this setup?

NORMA
Ooh, ooh, I see two System Patrol
Officers.(SPO’S) coming. I guess
they are ready for their daily
handouts. I will get the EMOtional
pills ready.

She quickly gathered a hand full placed them in a clear vial. Her concentration became distracted with a SHARP sounding RAP on the side door.


OSCAR
You want me to check?

NORMA
(forcing a weak smile
through her dried flat lips)
Go ahead, be careful it hasn’t been
safe, especially with the increased
patrols.

OSCAR
I know, but you better keep an eye on
those SPO’s.

NORMA
I will walk to the front chamber and
distract them, while you check the
side entrance.

OSCAR
You also be careful dear.

NORMA
I will.

OSCAR
(wondering)
Why would anyone use the side
entrance.

END OF ACT ONE