Do You Know

HIM - 70ISH

HER - 70ISH

DOCTOR A - M/F - ANY ETHNICITY

DOCTOR B - M/F - ANY ETHNICITY

MELODY - 50-60

JOE - 50-60

ANNA MID 20’S

MIKE MID 20’S

BABT:

NURSE:

4 - 6 EXTRAS - IN THE PARK/BBQ AND WAITING ROOM PATIENTS M/F - ANY ETHNICITY

OLDER COUPLE HOME

INTER-RACIAL AM / ASIAN COUPLE. MARRIED SEVERAL DECADES, PICTURES OF GRANDKIDS IN HOME THEY HAVE LIVED IN FOR A LONG-TIME. KNICKKNACKS AND TRINKETS IN COLORFUL ASIAN DECOR.

OLDER COUPLE, WITH WHAT APPEARS TO BE LARGE FAMILY FROM A REUNION. LOTS OF OTHER FAMILY PICTURES. BACKGROUND IS A VERY LOUD SOUND OF CHILDREN SINGING. ELDERLY MAN AND WOMAN SITTING IN LIVING ROOM, WATCHING A DVD OF RECITAL OF SMALL CHILDREN SINGING. TV IS VERY LOUD.

(SHE IS NOT SEEMING TO ENJOY OR PAY ATTENTION TO THE RECITAL- OLDER AND JUST CURMUDGEONLY OR SOMETHING ELSE?)

HIM:

(ALMOST SHOUTING)

LOOK, THERE'S KAYLA. PAUL SAYS SHE'LL BE SINGING ONE OF YOUR FAVORITES.

HER:

(Thinking Aloud / VO)

SUCH PRETTY COSTUMES, DECORATIONS, SOUND IS SO SOFT. COULD YOU TURN IT UP HUN? WHY WOULD ANYONE MAKE A DVD OF KIDS SINGING WITHOUT BETTER VOLUME SOUND?

HIM:

I THINK THIS IS AS LOUD AS THE OLD TV GETS.

HER:

THIS IS LOVELY DEAR. SO NICE. DON'T THEY LOOK PRECIOUS. COULD YOU TURN UP THE TV SO I CAN HEAR HER?

SMILING AT EACH OTHER

HIM:

(VO)

TURN IT UP? DOES SHE EVEN KNOW WHICH ONE IS KAYLA? WILL SHE HEAR HER SOLO?

LEANS OVER, SQUEEZES HER HAND.

INT:
YOU SEE AN EAR PLUG IN THE EAR OPPOSITE HIS WIFE TRYING TO PRESERVE AT LEAST ONE EAR FROM THE HIGH TV VOLUME.

HER:

TURNS AND SMILES AT HER HUSBAND, PUTS HER HAND OVER HIS HAND

HIM:

REACHES, GRABS THE REMOTE, AIMS AT TV, ATTEMPTS UP INCREASE VOLUME BUT BAR IS MAXED

INT:
FADE AWAY FROM COUPLE/TV TO AN EXT SHOT LOOKING IN THE WINDOWS. FAST PAN TO SEE THERE ARE NO NEIGHBORS IN CLOSE PROXIMITY - THEY LIVE IN THE COUNTRY.

HIM:
(CONT’D)

SURE HUN. BUT NOT TOO LOUD SO WE DO NOT WAKE THE NEIGHBORS

DOCTORS’ OFFICE INTERIOR OFFICE SETTING

TWO DOCTORS REVIEWING NOTES/CHARTS

DOCTOR A:

(looking to camera)

DEMENTIA OR HEARING LOSS? THIS IS SOMETHING MOST PEOPLE TAKE FOR GRANTED

DOCTOR B:

DO YOU THINK YOUR LOVED ONE IS NO LONGER CAPABLE OF HEARING? ARE THEY WITHDRAWN, UNWILLING TO PARTICIPATE OR VISIT PLACES YOU BOTH ONCE ENJOYED?

EXT:
PARK WITH PICNIC TABLES, LOTS OF FAMILIES WITH KIDS PLAYING, BBQ GRILLS, URABN LOOKING SETTING

MOTHER WALKING AROUND, PREPPING PLATES, UTENSILS, FOOD EXT. SON-IN-LAW ON THE GRILL COOKING. FATHER, DAUGHTER, INFANT BABY SITTING AROUND TABLE SURROUNDED BY FOOD.

FATHER HOLDING CUTE, COOING INFANT BABY IN A ONESE BUT HE DOESN’T SEEM TO BE ENJOYING THE MOMENT. DAUGHTER SITTING NEXT TO THEM.

ANNA:

RISES UP, TURNS TO MOM

IS DAD O.K.?

MELODY:

IT’S REALLY GETTING BAD. HE GETS MAD WHEN I TAP HIM AND ASK IF HE IS OK. BUT THE ONLY WAY HE CAN HEAR ME IS IF HE IS LOOKING IN TO MY EYES.

SHE TURNS TO HE HUSBAND, TAPS HIM ON THE SHOULDER GENTLY

MELODY:
(CONT’D)

WHAT SIDES DO YOU WANT WITH YOUR BBQ?

JOE:

(NOT LOOKING AT HER. USE TO HER TOUCH.)

YES DEAR. IF YOU WANT TO LEAVE EARLY, WE CAN. THAT WOULD BE GREAT.

ANNA:

TAPS HIS SHOULDER AS SHE DID AS A CHILD, PESKY/RELENTLESSLY UNTIL HER FATHER LOOKS AT HER.

JOE:

SMILES USUALLY MEAN GAS OR SOLID MATTER IN THE SUIT.

ANNA:

LAUGHS, REACHES FOR THE BABY.

HA HA, AN OLD NASA REFERENCE DAD? WHY DO YOU WANT TO LEAVE TO SOON DAD? YOU LOOOVE MARK’S MAC ‘N CHEESE AND MY BEANS ARE, WELL YOU KNOW THEY ARE GOOD.

NOTICES DAD IS NOT PAYING ATTENTION. TAPS HIM ON THE SHOUlDER

ANNA:
(CONT’D)

WHY DON’T YOU STAY A LITTLE WHILE LONGER WITH YOUR GRAND BABY DAD.

DAD NODDING IN AGREEMENT, LOOKS DOWN AND SMILES AT BABY IN HIS ARMS.

ANNA:
(CONT’D)

TURNS TO MOM:

WHEN WAS THE LAST TIME DAD HAD HIS HEARING CHECKED? MAYBE HE CAN’T REMEMBER ANYTHING BECAUSE HE ISN’T HEARING ANYTHING? MAYBE THAT’S WHYT HE DOESN’T WHAT TO DO ANYTHING ANYMORE. HE THINKS HE’S GOING CRAZY BUT HE’S REALLY JUST NOT HEARING ANYTHING.

MOTHER WALKS OVER WITH HUSBAND’S PLATE OF FOOD.

MELODY:

THAT IS SOMETHING TO THINK ABOUT. HOW’D YOU GET SO SMART?

ELBOWS FATHER. HE TURNS, SEES THE FOOD, SMILES. PLACES BABY SECURELY IN ONE ARM, GRABS PLASTIC FORK AND DIVES IN TO THE MAC-N-CHEESE.

JOE:

OH MY. MY MAN. MAC-N-CHEESE. LET’S SEE IF THIS BABY REALLY IS RELATED TO ME.

JOE PLACED A NOODLE IN-FRONT OF THE BABY TO EAT.

DOCTORS' OFFICE INTERIOR

INT:
DIFFERENT ANGLE IN THE OFFICE, POSTER OF HEARING LOSS ON THE WALL(?)

DOCTOR B:

EXPERTS HAVE LONG THOUGHT THAT HEARING LOSS MAY DEEPEN THE ISOLATION OF A SUFFERER, LIMITING SOCIAL ENGAGEMENT, MAKING LOVED ONES TO WONDER IF THERE IS THE ONSET OF SOMETHING MORE SERIOUS.

SUPER(GRAPHIC “HEARING LOSS”)

DOCTOR B:
(CONT’D)

NOT BEING ABLE TO HEAR TAKES THE WOULD-BE PARTICIPANT AWAY FROM ACTIVITY. RECENT STUDIES SUGGEST THERE IS A LINK BETWEEN HEARING LOSS AND DEPRESSION.

OLDER COUPLE HOME

STILL WATCHING A LOUD TV. DAY TIME.

HER:

LEANS OVER, TOUCHES HIS FOREARM.

HE LOOKS SLIGHTLY STARTLED BECAUSE LOUD CRASH FROM TV ABOUT SAME TIME SHE TOUCHES HIS ARM

HER:
(CONT’D)

HUN. I WISH I COULD HEAR KAYLA SINGING. SHE LOOKS LOVELY UP THERE. CAN WE GET AN APPOINTMENT TO HAVE MY HEARING CHECKED?

HIM:

(LAUGHING THAT SHE STARTLED HIM. LOUDLY, ALMOST SHOUTING)

YES DEAR. YES WE CAN. I’LL CALL FOR AN APPOINTMENT.

LEANS OVER TO PICK UP THE HOUSE PHONE.

HER:

SURPRISED. LOOKS DOWN AND SEES HIS HEARING AIDE OUT AND ON THE TABLE BY THE PHONE.

HUN, WOULD YOU PLEASE PUT YOUR HEARING AIDE BACK IN? I THINK YOU ARE SHOUTING BECAUSE YOU CAN NOT HEAR TOO WELL WITH OUT IT.

HIM:

(LAUGHING, NODDING TO HER IN AGREEMENT)

PUTS HEARING AIDE IN

HELLO? THIS IS...

DOCTORS' OFFICE HALLWAY WITH PATIENT ROOMS

INT:
DOCTOR A IS WALKING DOWN THE HALL OF OFFICE TO SEE NEXT PATIENT. PASSES DOCTOR B AS HE/SHE ENTERS A ROOM TO SEE A PATENT

DOCTOR A:

THE NATIONAL INSTITUTES OF HEALTH ESTIMATES THAT ABOUT 37.5 MILLION AMERICANS HAVE HEARING LOSS, AND 28.8 MILLION OF THEM COULD BENEFIT FROM GETTING THEIR HEARING TESTED TO VERIFY IF HEARING AIDS OR SURGERY IS NEEDED.

INT:
DOCTOR A GRABS CHART FROM WALL, QUICK REVIEW AS HE WALKS IN THE ROOM TO SEE FATHER & MOTHER FROM BBQ IN THE ROOM.

HI JOE, MELODY. HOW CAN I HELP YOU TODAY?

SOUND:
DOCTOR’S SHOES MAKE A LOUD SQUEAK ON THE POLISHED FLOOR

MELODY:

HI DOC. HE GETS FRUSTRATED BECAUSE HE CAN NOT HEAR VERY WELL. HE THINKS I’M ALWAYS MAD AT HIM BECAUSE HE CAN NOT REMEMBER. OUR DAUGHTER SUGGESTED WE CHECK IN WITH YOU TO SEE IF JOE CAN EVEN HEAR ANYMORE OR

(PAUSE. COUGH. WHISPERING ..)

..TO SEE IF HE IS LOSING HIS MIND.

LOOKING DOWN AT A MAGAZINE, BACK TURNED FROM SIGHT OF THE DOOR HE DOESN'T NOTICE DOCTOR HAS ENTERED THE ROOM.

JOE:

HOW MUCH DO THEY THINK....

(turns to look at Melody, her back is turned. He see Dr. and voice chances to surprised...)

JOE:
(CONT’D)

OH HEY DOC. IT MUST BE THOSE FANCY NINJA QUIET SHOES YOU’RE WEARING. DIDN’T HEAR YOU WALK IN.

AUDIOLOGY TESTING ROOM

CUT TO JOE WALKING INTO AN AUDIOLOGY TESTING BOOTH

DOCTOR B:
VO

LACK OF SOCIAL ENGAGEMENT AND INTELLECTUAL ENGAGEMENT ARE THOUGHT TO CONTRIBUTE TO THE ACCELERATION OF AN INDIVIDUAL'S COGNITIVE DECLINE.

DOCTOR A:
VO

SOME RESEARCH SHOWS WHEN YOUR BRAIN COMPREHENDS WHAT YOU ARE HEARING, IT TAKES RESOURCES THAT WOULD OTHERWISE BE AVAILABLE FOR ENCODING WHAT YOU ARE HEARING INTO A MEMORY. IN SHORT, YOU CAN NOT REMEMBER WHAT YOU DID NOT HEAR.

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