Brad’s Status Page #9

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(CONTINUED)

BRAD'S STATUS - Pink Revision - Sept. 29, 2016-Page 52

76 CONTINUED:
76

BRAD:

No, no. Sorry, didn’t mean to...

I’m just up here in Cambridge withmy son, looking at Harvard - and hewas supposed to get an interview atthe admissions office. And someone

messed up over there. Yeah!

Brad notices Troy scrutinizing his every word.

BRAD:

Hold on a sec - I’m in a restaurant

- just gonna step out.

Brad rises and exits. Troy watches him go.

77 EXT. CAMBRIDGE STREET - MOMENTS LATER 77

Brad paces on the street.

BRAD:

I knew you taught a class up hereor something. I thought maybe youcould help me out...

CRAIG:

Sure, Brad. No problem. I can

call over there after I finish this

taping.

BRAD:

Really? That would be so amazing.

Thank you! Harvard is Troy’s firstchoice - I mean, obviously...

CRAIG:

You know, I’m actually flying upthere tomorrow. You guys stillgonna be around?

BRAD:

Tomorrow? Yeah, we’re here.

leave Thursday.

We

CRAIG:

Maybe we can grab a bite to eat.

*

*

(CONTINUED)

77 CONTINUED:
77

BRAD'S STATUS - Pink Revision - Sept. 29, 2016-Page 52A

BRAD:

That’d be great! Cool, listen, one

last thing - Troy’s a musician -

like a true prodigy - I’m notsaying that just ‘cause he’s mykid. Anyway, there’s a professorhere he’d really love to meet with.

Oh, sh*t.

*

*

BRAD'S STATUS - WHITE VERSION - Sept 13, 2016 -Page 53

78 INT. MEXICAN RESTAURANT - MOMENTS LATER 78

Brad runs into the restaurant, frantic.

BRAD:

(cupping phone)

What’s the name of that music

professor?!

TROY:

What?!

BRAD:

The music professor!

like! C’mon, c’mon!

The one you

TROY:

Jerome Backaly?

BRAD:

(into phone)

Jerome Backaly. Yeah. That would

be terrific, Craig. Man, I owe

you. Fantastic! Yeah, dinner

tomorrow. Yep! Talk soon! Hey -

have a good, uh, taping!

Brad hangs up, feeling a mixture of emotions.

TROY:

What’s going on? Dad?

BRAD:

I’m on it, okay? I’m on it.

Brad gives Troy a confident, cryptic look.

Troy rolls his eyes and returns to his burrito.

79 INT. CAMPUS BOOK STORE - DAY 79

Troy strolls the aisles, looking at various books on music.

Nearby, Brad pulls a book off a display table.

ON BOOK - “POLITICAL BEASTS by CRAIG FISHER”.

Brad reads a little of the book - contempt all over his face.

He turns over the book...

*

(CONTINUED)

BRAD'S STATUS - Pink Revision - Sept. 29, 2016-Page 54

79 CONTINUED:
79

On the back - a PHOTO of Craig, arms folded, with a take-meseriously

expression.

Brad sticks out his tongue, nauseated.

Suddenly, Brad’s PHONE BUZZES. He takes it from his pocket.

BRAD:

(into phone)

Craig! Hey! Guess what? I’m in a

book store right now, looking atyour book! The new one, yeah.

It’s got a big display here!

(eyes widen)

Yeah?! Seriously? Man, you arethe best! I don’t even know how to

thank you!

*

*

But in his excitement, Brad drops the book onto the table.

BRAD:

I can’t wait to tell Troy!

80 INT. CAMPUS BOOK STORE - MOMENTS LATER 80

An excited Brad approaches Troy.

BRAD:

Guess who you got a meeting withtomorrow morning!

Who?

TROY:

BRAD:

Jerome Backaly.

Shut up!

TROY:

BRAD:

And after - you’ve got an interview- with the Dean of Admissions

himself!

No way!

TROY:

(CONTINUED)

BRAD'S STATUS - Pink Revision - Sept. 29, 2016-Page 55

80 CONTINUED:
80

Way!

BRAD:

TROY:

Now, I’m nervous!

Come on!

BRAD:

Sh*t!

Tufts.

TROY:

Wait, but tomorrow I have

BRAD:

F*** Tufts!

TROY:

Right, right.

BRAD:

We’ll go in the afternoon.

Dad!

TROY:

What?

BRAD:

TROY:

You’re the King!

BRAD:

(grins)

I got you, pal.

They high-five, both in great spirits.

81 INT. CAMPUS BOOK STORE - MOMENTS LATER 81

Brad approaches Troy with a Harvard sweatshirt. *

NARRATOR:

Coming through for his son madeBrad giddy. What if these meetingsreally did help Troy get intoHarvard?

Troy shakes his head, but then takes the sweatshirt with asheepish smile.

*

*

BRAD'S STATUS - Blue Revision - Sept 26, 2016 -Page 56

82 INT. BRAD’S HOUSE - DAY 82

A euphoric Troy races into the room.

I got in!

TROY:

I got in!

At the table, Brad and Melanie leap to their feet, exulting.

NARRATOR:

And what if, looking back, this wasthe fateful moment that started

Troy onto a path of unimaginableglory.

83 EXT. MAGAZINE STAND IN SACRAMENTO - DAY 83

Melanie and Brad pull a WIRED MAGAZINE off the shelf.

The cover is a picture of TROY with the headline -

“WUNDERKIND STARTS A MUSICAL REVOLUTION”.

NARRATOR:

He pictured Troy as an adult, happyand wealthy, even famous.

Brad and Melanie hold each other as they stare at the cover.

84 INT. HOTEL RESTAURANT - DAY 84 *

Troy, well-dressed and confident, sits across from Melanieand Brad. Troy has a beautiful GIRLFRIEND by his side.

TROY:

Dad, Mom, I love you so much.

my success is because of you.

All

Melanie and Brad react, touched.

TROY:

Guess what? I bought an island!

As Troy starts to show them photos on his phone, we HEAR...

NARRATOR:

He pictured Troy’s triumphseclipsing those of Brad’scontemporaries. How gratifyingthat would be.

BRAD'S STATUS - Pink Revision - Sept. 29, 2016-Page 57

85 EXT. CAMPUS BOOK STORE - DAY 85

Brad and Troy have exited the store with their purchases.

Troy tries on the sweatshirt for his dad.

Brad’s expression seems to change as Troy models his new

Harvard sweatshirt.

*

*

*

NARRATOR:

Suddenly, Brad was struck with apang of anxiety.

Troy takes the sweatshirt off again - embarrassed.

NARRATOR:

What if Troy lorded his successover Brad - or hoarded it away?

*

86 INT. BRAD’S HOUSE - NIGHT 86

Brad and Melanie watch...

ON TV - Troy is being interviewed by JIMMY KIMMEL.

NARRATOR:

What if, in the end, Troy’s winsmade Brad feel even more the loser?

In his chair, Brad is feeling a mixture of emotions.

MELANIE:

Did he call you back yet?

Brad shakes his head. Melanie frowns.

NARRATOR:

What if they became estranged,

alienated by their divergingfortunes?

87 INT. BRAD’S OFFICE - DAY 87

A stung Brad takes down the framed WIRED MAGAZINE COVER ofTroy from the wall above his desk.

NARRATOR:

What if Brad ended up envious ofhis own son?

Brad drops the FRAMED PORTRAIT into a storage box.

BRAD'S STATUS - WHITE VERSION - Sept 13, 2016 -Page 58

88 EXT. CAMBRIDGE STREET - DAY 88

Brad and Troy walk across a busy intersection. Brad’s

expression has turned grim.

NARRATOR:

The thought horrified him.

At the corner, they pass a YOUNG BUSKER, singing and

strumming his GUITAR.

Brad pauses for a moment.

NARRATOR:

But, then again, musicians don’t

really make money.

Brad looks over at Troy - who has also stopped to listen,

enjoying the music.

NARRATOR:

Maybe even with an expensive

education, Brad could wind up a

struggling artist.

89 EXT. CAMBRIDGE STREET - DAY 89

Now, it is Troy busking on a Cambridge street, playing music

on his keyboard for the PASSERS-BY.

NARRATOR:

Maybe Troy will take after Melanie -

perfectly satisfied with

practically nothing.

A PEDESTRIAN drops a dollar into Troy’s upturned hat. Troy

smiles, appreciative.

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