Human Nature Page #13

NATHAN:

Belonging to something, a person or

a society, is a basic human craving.

We are communal creatures. This poor

soul has no one, nothing...

DISSOLVE TO:

EXT. CLIFF - SUNSET

A naked, very hairy Lila sits by herself on the cliff and

watches the sunset. There's a chill in the air and she shivers

and hugs herself.

LILA:

Oh God, I have no one. Nothing. You

give me this beautiful gift, this

glorious sunset. But with no one to

say "isn't that a beautiful sunset"

to, it becomes meaningless, just

another stupid sunset. They happen

everyday. So what?

DISSOLVE TO:

EXT. FOREST - DAY

Lila is hovering over the unconscious Puff. Nathan's voice

comes back into focus. He is still speechifying.

NATHAN:

...what is it that makes us human,

if not the knowledge that we are

indeed human? Think of this poor

soul's education as the greatest

gift we could bestow upon...

LILA:

All right.

NATHAN:

Great. Grab his feet. We'll throw

him in the trunk.

CUT TO:

INT. LAB - DAY

Nathan hovers over the Lucite case with the tiny dinner table

in it. His assistant, Gabrielle, presses a button, a door

opens, and two white mice scurry in. The male pulls out a

chair for the female. The female climbs up on the chair, and

the male pushes the chair in, then scurries around to the

other side of the table and climbs onto his own chair. The

Lucite lid over the silverware and salads lifts and both

mice pick up the proper forks and begin eating. Nathan

scribbles in his notebook.

GABRIELLE:

Doctor...

Nathan looks up. Gabrielle jerks her head in the direction

of a very large Lucite case. Inside, Puff, now dressed in a

diaper and connected to all sorts of electrodes, is stirring.

Nathan and Gabrielle hurry over.

NATHAN:

Good morning.

Puff groggily takes in his surroundings. This is quite a lot

to take in. The white room, the strange apes in strange suits,

his own clothing, the wires. After surveying the scene for a

moment, Puff becomes frightened and agitated.

He tries to escape. Not understanding Lucite, he smashes

into it, again and again. He tears at his diaper. Nathan

gives a nod to Gabrielle, who presses a button on a panel.

An electric shock sends Puff flying. He lies on the floor

confused and dazed. After a moment, he gets up and again

crashes into the Lucite. Nathan gives the signal to Gabrielle

and once again she shocks Puff. He once again gets up and

crashes against the Lucite. Again he is shocked. He gets up

again, and is about to crash against the Lucite, but he thinks

better of it, and squats in place, immobilized.

NATHAN:

(to Gabrielle)

Only three shocks. A chimp takes

fifteen. This is going to be tres

simple, no, Gabrielle?

GABRIELLE:

(in love with Nathan)

Oui, doctor, oui.

NATHAN:

(to Puff)

Good morning...

(to Gabrielle)

We need a name for him, don't we?

GABRIELLE:

Oui.

NATHAN:

You decide. Today is your day.

GABRIELLE:

Really? My day? Well, I had a sweet

little mongrel puppie named Puff

when I was a girl. This one reminds

me of my dog, all shaggy! So cute!

(giggles girlishly)

I loved my doggie very much, monsieur.

NATHAN:

(charmed)

Puff it is then. Puff Bronfman. Is

that okay?

GABRIELLE:

Oui. Perfect!

NATHAN:

(to Puff)

Good morning, Puff Bronfman. I'm Dr.

Bronfman and this is my assistant

Gabrielle. We're your mommy and daddy

while you are here.

Gabrielle likes this concept a great deal. She smiles and

moves closer to Nathan.

NATHAN:

(to Puff)

How about some salad, son?

Gabrielle poises her finger above the button. She winks at

Nathan. He blushes.

CUT TO:

EXT. PARKING LOT - EVENING

Nathan, carrying a brief case, is walking to his car.

Gabrielle hurries to catch up to him. Her high heels click

on the pavement.

GABRIELLE:

Dr. Bronfman! Dr. Bronfman!

Nathan turns.

NATHAN:

Oh, Hi, Gabrielle.

GABRIELLE:

(out of breath)

Hi. I just wanted to tell you that I

very much enjoy working with you.

(blushes)

Now I'm embarrassed that I say this.

Rate this script:5.0 / 2 votes