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Before I became a "Novelist," I tried my hand at scripts...to no
avail, I must add. There are a bunch more, but these are the only ones I have on my computer. Thought I would share them
with you.
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On his fifth birthday, Tony sees his mother brutally murdered by his
father. Twenty years later, both father and son wind up as patients in the same state mental hospital: the father in a maximum
security criminal ward; the son in a rehab program, finally showing progress after many withdrawn years. Tony's rehab assignment is hosting a cartoon show, "Joey's Birthday Club," on the
hospital's CCTV system. As Joey, he is a pied piper, a hero to the mentally retarded (sorry, don't know the PC term) and withdrawn
patients. He sings and dances with them, teaches them games and gives them souvenir flutes. They love him and will do anything
he tells them to do. His revenge comes on "Joey's Biggest-Ever
Birthday Party," a two-hour, live show held on Tony's own birthday. There are forty guests, a huge cake, loud music, dancing
and games. Everyone on the show has a flute. Everyone watching the show on the wards has a flute. Tony's father has a flute.
Tony has a flute. Each flute conceals a knife. Most of the
knives are toys. Two are not.
A
newspaper columnist in the USA has dreams about a boy in the USSR being killed on a train when it is hit by an avalanche.
He gets so obsessed with saving the boy that he tries to become Russian, then runs off to Volsk to find him, risking his career,
friendships and marriage.
When I wrote this, I was thinking of George Segal who was in his forties so that's how old George is in the script.
But, after several “there's no market for midlife crisis stories” responses, I now think he should be older or
younger to avoid that label: because midlife crisis is not what this is about! And I welcome any and all revisions, as long
as they don't go that route.
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