Stalking the Purple Umbrella excerpt

INT. HIGH SCHOOL classroom - MORNING

MAX is sitting, staring idly out the window.

MAX'S TEACHER

Mr. Lindberg?

MAX

(distracted)

Present.

MAX watches out the window as a high school aged girl dressed entirely in purple and carrying a PURPLE UMBRELLA, despite lack of rain walks by the school.

INT. HIGH SCHOOL classroom - MORNING

MAX sits, playing with a pen in his mouth. Max stares out the window at a cold rainy day.

MAX'S TEACHER

Mr. Lindberg?

MAX

Present.

MAX watches as PURPLE UMBRELLA GIRL walks by the school, through the rain, carrying her PURPLE UMBRELLA.

INT. HIGH SCHOOL CLASSROOM - MORNING

MAX sits, counting ceiling tiles.

MAX'S TEACHER

Mr. Linberg?

Max

Present.

MAX stares out the window and sees the wind blowing through the trees. He watches as PURPLE UMBRELLA GIRL battles her way against the windstorm using her purple umbrella as a shield.

INT. HIGH SCHOOL classroom - Morning

MAX sits at his desk, doodling an umbrella on a scrap of paper and then looks up at the cloudy sky.

MAX'S TEACHER

Mr. Lindberg?

MAX

Present.

MAX watches through the window expectantly for PURPLE UMBRELLA GIRL who never comes.

Int. High School Cafeteria - MIDDAY

MADGE, MARGARET, MAGGIE and MAX sit on one side of a round cafeteria table while the other is occupied by a group of obvious computer nerds.

MADGE

Something's up with Max.

MAGGIE

You're right. He hasn't touched his nutella and turkey sandwich.

MADGE

All he does is stare. Can he even hear us?

MARGARET

(waves hand in front of Max's face)

Maaaaax? Maxy?

MAX

I can hear you, alright? I just don't care.

MARGARET

Oooh, moody and distant. Decided to live up to your teen boy potential?

MADGE

I will totally buy you a bottle of black hair dye when the time comes.

MAGGIE

Don't trust her, Max. She'd probably end up getting you blue.

MADGE

Blue and black are close enough.

MAX

Will everyone shut up? I'm experiencing emotional issues.

For a moment, everyone is silent. MADGE taps her fingers. MAX puts his head down on the table.

MADGE

Oh no. This is not good. He has officially put his head down. Do you read me?

MARGARET

(whispers)

Shut up.

MAGGIE

(whispers to Madge and Margaret)

Wait for him to come up again.

Everyone resumes eating their lunch, pretending to forget Max's weird behavior. After a few moments, Max raises his head.

MAX

So there's this girl.

Everyone collectively sighs.

Madge

There usually is. In theory.

Max glares at Madge. Madge bites her lip and smiles, apologetically.

Madge

I'm just sayin'.

MAX

(coughs)

Anyway. Everyday she walks by the school carrying a purple umbrella. But she didn't today.

Madge, Margaret and Maggie look at Max for more and, when it is apparent he is finished, they share glances with each other.

MADge

I'm sorry for being blunt and tactless here but is that all?

MAX

Well, yeah.

Madge

Oh.

Madge, Margaret and Maggie each look disappointed.

MAX

Look, I'm sorry if that disappoints you. I never claimed to have a movie worthy dramatic story to tell.

MARGARET

I think you're missing the point though.

MAX

And the point is...?

Margaret

Did you not start your story with "So there's this girl"?

MAX

Yes?

MARGARET

You set yourself up for some thrilling tale that would inevitably end with, "And she doesn't know I love her but tomorrow she's getting on a plane to the Barbados and I don't want to ruin her life with my lack of fame, fortune and good looks." Then you end the story after two sentences none of which include 'she doesn't know I love her'.

MAX

I'm sorry?

Margaret looks from Maggie to Madge then back to Max with her eyebrows raised.

MARGARET

It's a start.