Real Genius Page #2

ANGLE ON a pretty female student at a booth standing in front of a clear glass cylinder that has vacuum hoses connected to it. There are two colored gases inside the cylinder. A sign behind her says: HOW TORNADOS ARE FORMED." A small group of boys stand watching her in as sexist a way as possible.

GIRL:

It doesn't seem to be working; but if it was, these gases would be going around.

A BOY:

We don't care.

ANGLE ON another part of the hall. Two blond-haired, male twins stand proudly in their booth. "THE GRAVITATIONAL PULL OF HEAVENLY BODIES." A large, crudely painted diorama of the Milky Way is in the background. Several painted balls are suspended in front, labeled "Mercury," "Venus," etc. The sun is represented by a large electromagnet. All the "planets"

ANGLE ON a booth near the entrance. A ROBOT attracts a crowd. It has a video screen for a face which reads: "Hi, my name is Harry. Let me guess your weight and age." With jerky motions he extends his mechanical arms and shakes hands with passersby. He is speaking to a small KID.

HARRY:

Hi, my name is Harry. Let me guess your weight and age...midget mutant; weight...

The kid shoots it in the neck with a toy space gun. The ROBOT SHORT CIRCUITS: sparks shoot out, its arms fly in circles until a FUSE BLOWS and it SIZZLES to a burning stop.

WE PAN OVER TO the door just in time to see the entrance of DR. JERRY ATHERTON, professor of physics at Pacific Tech, and a popular host of a PBS television show about science. His manner and bearing mark him as a classic anal retentive. He is a perfect cross between Carl Sagan and Jerry Brown. Brilliant, intense, seemingly sincere but, in fact, incredibly manipulative. There is an intentional aura of superiority surrounding him.

We FOLLOW him in and down an aisle where he draws the attention of the crowd in the manner of the celebrity he is. An OLD LADY stops him. He beams a smile at her.

OLD LADY:

Are you Dr. Atherton?

ATHERTON:

Yes, dear.

OLD LADY:

I just love your television show.

ATHERTON:

Well, thank you. We try.

OLD LADY:

What's Albert Einstein really like?

ATHERTON:

Dead.

OLD LADY:

Oh, I thought you had him on.

ATHERTON:

No, that was just an actor.

OLD LADY:

Is everyone an actor, then?

ATHERTON:

(beginning to tire of this)

No, I'm a physicist.

OLD LADY:

But Einstein isn't?

ATHERTON:

(dismissing her)

Nice talking to you.

He walks away.

ANGLE ON a booth where we meet MITCH SIMON, aged fifteen. Mitch is a genius. He's known that since he was old enough to understand the word, which was on his first birthday. He was doing college level work by the time he was in the fourth grade. Although he's intellectually precocious, he's still only 15 years old and has all the problems of any average adolescent. His shyness and intellect have always made him feel different and uncomfortable in social situations.

He stands with his PARENTS near a demonstration table. Unlike some of the other exhibits we've seen, there is nothing amateurish about this one. In fact, it is an impressive display of a dye laser. We can see the beams of multi-colored rays bouncing between mirrors, moving through liquids, combining with gases.

MITCH is trying to explain his work to MR. SIMON, who is a nice enough guy but who pretty much regards the fact that his son is gifted as a pain in the butt.

MITCH:

See, Dad, it's coherent light.

MR. SIMON

It talks?

MITCH:

No.

ATHERTON APPROACHES. He is seen by MRS. SIMON, who greets him.

MRS. SIMON

Dr. ATHERTON, what a surprise.

ATHERTON:

Hello, Mrs. Simon. How are you?

MR. SIMON

No problem with Mitch's test scores or anything, is there?

ATHERTON:

No, no. I just thought I'd stop by, bring you the good news myself. I just got word from the admissions committee. We did it. Mitch is in.

MRS. SIMON

Isn't that wonderful.

ATHERTON:

(to Mitch)

Hello, Mitch.

MITCH:

(shyly)

Hi.

ATHERTON:

Nice little display?

MITCH:

Thanks

ATHERTON:

What's your medium?

MITCH:

Just Argon. But I have it all structured for HF if I could get some.

ATHERTON:

That would be interesting.

MITCH:

It's all theoretical at this stage, but I have the power supply completely worked out.

ATHERTON:

Very nice.

MITCH:

(a kid again)

Thanks.

ATHERTON turns to Mitch's parents.

ATHERTON:

You must be very proud. he's the first student we've ever accepted for winter term entrance at Pacific Tech.

MR. SIMON

I image he's the youngest, too.

ATHERTON:

No, actually. The youngest we've had was a twelve, but he cracked under the pressure within six months so we don't really count him.

MRS. SIMON

(almost in tears)

Fifteen year old and off to college. Image.

MR. SIMON

Listen Doc. This scholarship thing, does he get any kind of whatya call it, signing bonus sort of thing?

ATHERTON:

(hoping this is not going to be a problem)

Well, no...but by allowing Mitch to progress at an accelerated rate we give him the opportunity to fulfill a far greater portion of his remarkable intellectual potential. Don't you agree?

MR. SIMON

Yeah, I guess. It's just that athletes get, you know, cars and stuff.

ATHERTON:

(polite for Mitch's sake)

Well, I guess we scientists are a little different than athletes.

MR. SIMON

Cheaper.

ATHERTON:

Smarter

MR. SIMON

Not when it comes to getting cars.

MRS. SIMON

We just want the best for Mitchie.

(changing gears)

Dr. Atherton, I saw your show the other night, about radioactive isotopes, and I have a question for you.

ATHERTON:

Oh, yes?

MRS. SIMON

Is that your real hair?

MR. SIMON

Well, I wondered that, too.

ATHERTON:

(struggling for manners)

Well, interesting question, when you consider the philosophical aspects of whether anything on television is "real" or actually just an "image" being broadcast.

MR. SIMON

Didn't look real. Anyway, listen, I got to get something to eat or I'm gonna die.

MRS. SIMON

Come on, let's look for something.

They start away.

MRS. SIMON (cont'd)

I saw over there one of the kids was doing an experiment with insect protein.

MR. SIMON

Did you see anyone doing anything with corned beef?

They exit.

ATHERTON:

Your parents...

MITCH:

Yes?

ATHERTON:

They're...nice

MITCH:

They're Okay. They just sometimes don't have any idea of what I'm talking about.

ATHERTON:

I'm sure of that. Afraid you're going to miss your friends?

MITCH:

No. I don't have any. I think I intimidate other kids.

ATHERTON:

Good boy.

MITCH:

I don't want to.

ATHERTON:

Remember, compared to you, most people have the IQ of a carrot. We're different than most people, Mitch, but you should be proud of that. I mean, look around. From now on, you'll BE amongst peers, colleagues. I suppose I might as well tell you now, I've put you on my personal research team. Some of the finest minds on campus, not the least of which is, of course, my own.

MITCH:

It sounds great.

ATHERTON:

Well, now, I'm expecting great things from you, my boy. This is only the second time I've given this honor to a freshman. The first was...

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