The Odd Life of Timothy Green

1

(PIANO MUSIC PLAYING)

(BIRDS CHIRPING)

James and Cynthia Green?

- Yes.

- Right this way, please.

(SIGHS)

EVETTE:
Okay.

James and Cynthia Green.

Thirteen Oak Lane Road, Stanleyville.

Yeah.

Wait. You didn't answer

what makes you qualified.

Oh, we know. There wasn't much space.

We had so much to say.

Also here on page four.

In response to,

"What experience or experiences

"have best prepared you,"

you only wrote "Timothy."

Yes.

EVETTE:
The only chance

you two have is

if you put it all on the table.

We agree.

That's why we want

to use our time to tell you our story.

Okay.

There's just one thing.

You're going to find it hard to believe.

CINDY:
This all began last September.

We'd been trying for a number of years,

and Dr. Hunt finally gave us the news.

First of all, you couldn't

have tried harder.

Or done more.

We have explored every medical option

at a great cost to you.

But there comes a point when you...

You have to accept...

(BREATHING SHAKILY)

I am so sorry.

(ELEVATOR DINGS)

Hold it!

Come on, honey. Come on. Come on.

Oh! Can you push the button for me?

Push it right there.

Good job! What would I do without you?

High-five!

(CHILD BABBLING)

(CAR HORNS HONKING)

CINDY:
So we drove back home.

JIM:
We went back to work

and on with our day.

We'll get a puppy.

(VOICE BREAKING)

I don't want a puppy!

- Bye.

- Bye.

Hey, Tommy.

Here you go. I'll see you inside.

Good job.

CINDY:
Like all good stories,

the Stanleyville pencil factory,

this museum and

this town begins with a dream.

Stanley Crudstaff, our patron.

This is his original desk over here.

Please follow me.

You hungry?

(ANSWERING MACHINE BEEPS)

BRENDA ON MACHINE: Hey, sis!

Uh, just checking in to make sure

you're still up for tomorrow.

We'd be willing to host.

The kids just bought Bart a new grill.

You wouldn't believe it.

(MACHINE BEEPS)

Hi, this is Allen Rust

with the Sisters of Mercy Hospital.

Please call me back about

an outstanding balance. Thank you.

(ANSWERING MACHINE BEEPS)

(SIGHS)

(CINDY SOBBING)

Honey.

We're moving on.

(SNIFFLES)

(SIGHS)

(SNIFFLES)

WOMAN ON TV:
You can see

we've got some dirt here.

But in order to

make good growing soil...

(FOOTSTEPS DESCENDING STAIRS)

...and a good growing bed

for your garden,

you've got to get down

a good 12 to 18 inches.

I can't do it. I can't move on.

Then move out of the way.

For years, we've been thinking about

what our kid would have been like.

Don't.

We can move on tomorrow.

Just for tonight,

can we have a kid?

You heard what the doctor said.

Give it up! Give it up.

There we go. Never give up!

Our kid

would never give up.

You know what else I think?

- I can't.

- Our kid

would have your good heart.

This isn't funny, Jim.

But our kid would be funny.

Not make fun of other people funny,

or burp and fart funny,

but funny like...

Funny like Uncle Bub.

JIM:
You know that, uh,

that kind of kid that you always believe.

Someone honest. You want a truth-teller.

Yeah, I do. I want one like that.

But our kid can't be perfect.

I don't want one of

those annoying perfect kids.

How about this?

Honest to a fault.

- Yes! We have a winner.

- Yes! Yes!

- Would our kid be musical?

- Definitely.

Clarinet like me, drums like you, or...

I don't know what kind of instrument.

All I know is our kid...

Our kid would rock!

- Ah! We so agree.

- Our kid would rock!

Write that.

Artistically.

Picasso with a pencil.

Yes.

A glass half-full person.

Love and be loved.

How great an athlete are you picturing?

You were terrible at soccer.

That's not true.

Not true.

I was a big klutz.

All right.

How about this? How about this?

Just once, our kid,

amazing kid,

got to score the winning goal.

(BOTH YELLING TRIUMPHANTLY)

Touchdown! Go, Green!

Yes! That's our kid!

(BOTH LAUGHING)

(CHUCKLES)

Now what?

(WIND BLOWING)

(CREAKING)

(RAIN POURING)

(THUNDER CRASHING)

(THUNDER CRASHES)

(EXHALES)

(SIGHS)

We got some rain.

(SHUSHING)

Everything (KISSES)

is going to be (KISSES) fine.

(DOOR OPENING)

Honey, did you say something?

I said we...

(EXCLAIMS IN SURPRISE)

(GASPS) What?

(EXHALES)

JIM:
I think it's gone.

Jim.

Wait. Wait.

(MUSIC TINKLING FAINTLY)

(GASPS)

Oh!

Hi.

- Hi.

- Hi.

I'm Timothy.

(WHISPERING) That's a common name.

Well, can we get you cleaned up?

Yeah, um, do you have a towel?

- Yeah, we do.

- Yeah.

This feels about right.

OPERATOR:
911.

State your emergency.

(STAMMERING)

Yeah, I'd like to report a missing...

This is Jim Green. 13 Oak Lane Road.

Hey, Jim. It's Marty from the factory.

I'm just picking up a few extra hours.

Oh, Marty.

We have in our possession a...

Ah, God, I don't know how to say this.

Has anybody reported a missing...

Jim? Jim, are you there?

CINDY:
I ran away from home once.

I can't remember why.

And I didn't get very far.

What about you?

Did you run away?

No.

- Come on.

- (WATER SPLASHING)

I bet your parents are worried and

wondering.

- JIM:
Cindy!

- (FOOTSTEPS ASCENDING)

Honey!

(PANTING)

There's something you need to see.

Actually there's something

you need to see.

Hi.

Well, look who cleaned up good.

(LAUGHING)

Er...

(CLEARS THROAT)

Mmm.

Hmm!

Hmm?

Hmm.

- Are those...

- Yes. Mmm-hmm.

Please don't ask about my leaves.

- Okay.

- No.

But you can look at them.

If you want.

Not everybody has these.

Yep.

CINDY:
Do you mind

if I...

- (WINCES)

- Sorry.

Now my mind is racing

with even more questions.

Honey, you need to go look out back.

I'll just be right outside.

(BREATHES DEEPLY)

Hi.

(SOFTLY) Oh.

(POLICE SIREN WAILING)

(SIREN CHIRPING)

Oh.

Oh, hey! Donnie!

False alarm!

We thought we had a burglar.

(PANTING)

It was just a raccoon family

that we, we...

I chased it away, so everything's...

- Everything's fine.

- You sure?

Yeah, we're sure. Everything's good.

Jim, is there something

you're not telling us?

OFFICER:
Yeah.

Uh, no. Why?

(MUD SQUELCHING)

Come on, Jim. We're on

strict water rationing.

Turn in your sprinkler,

and we'll let this one slide.

(STAMMERING) But it rained.

(BOTH LAUGHING)

No, it didn't.

Unless it only rained in your yard.

(BOTH CONTINUE LAUGHING)

What do you know?

Amazing, huh?

Well, Green, it's your lucky day.

Yes, it is.

There you go. You had the right idea.

Back in there, back in there. All righty.

(TIMOTHY GRUNTING)

Thank you.

You're welcome.

We really like to eat fresh, healthy food

here. A lot of vegetables

from our own garden.

I guess I'm known primarily

for my tomatoes.

I do a lot of canning.

But I'm also a firm believer

in the late-night snack.

Hey, how is it going?

Good.

This is Jim, and I'm Cindy.

Yeah, feel free to call us...

- Cindy and Jim.

- Cindy and Jim.

Why would I?

That's no problem. You can...

- Call us Mr. and Mrs. Green.

- Mr. Green.

Not many people do, but...

Mom, really?

Dad.

(WHISPERING) Can I talk to you, Jim?

- He called me "Mom."

- Yes, he did.

- He called you "Dad."

Rate this script:0.0 / 0 votes