Bus 8
By Christopher Ryan Evans
Hard Day At Work
We look at the 57 story insurance building from the street then cut to the elevator floor numbers where the elevator stops on floor 8 the doors open and two security officers walk out and down the hall where employees look on. The two guards can be seen without emotion approaching Gerald Birbie’s office.
Gerald Birbie who has been working at this insurance company for 15
years is sitting quietly at his desk. He is reluctantly collecting his things when two
security officers approach him and stand on either side of him.
RIGHT OFFICER: Mr Birbie
GERALD: can I get my briefcase?
He takes his time and before getting his briefcase he stalls for time by shuffling through some papers.
the officers realize what he is doing as he takes way too long to do what he is told.
OFFICER RIGHT: Sir!
And they both grab him by the arm and move him toward the door. The officers walk him through the main area of cubicles where the employees look on with shock only the sound of the officer’s keys and cu
ffs can be heard clacking as they walk by. They continue out the door and down the hallway where Gerald begins to get flustered.
GERALD: I’m telling you you’ve got the wrong guy
OFFICER LEFT: Sir just keep moving and stay calm!
GERALD: Would you be calm if you were falsely accused? Would you be calm if they accused you of that? Buncha pawns that’s what you are.
Gerald refraining from making a scene still wants to get his point across that he is not exactly willing.
They continue down the hallway through a set of glass doors and around the corner.
Gerald: well I guess this is it
Officer right: that’s right, totally innocent aren’t you.
Gerald: you wouldn’t believe me if I told you.
Officer left: there always full of excuses
They open the front door and continue out to the steps where Gerald rustles to let go. The officers finally release him, but stand guard watching Gerald closely as he walks down and around the concrete barrier towards the parking garage. Gerald walks into the parking garage down the corridor and up four flights of stairs to the top floor. He walks by the rows and rows of cars until he notices a bright orange sticker stuck to the window of his car. He bends down to read the sticker then rips it off the passenger side window. After
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folding the notice neatly in his pocket He proceeds to the driver side and fishes in his pocket for the keys and realizes he’s left them in his office. He reaches for the handle and tries to open the door but it is locked he then goes to the other side and tries that door but it is locked. He stands back and tries to control himself, rubbing his forehead he tries to hold the frustration back. He turns away from the car and begins to walk back the way he came. He walks back down the stairs this time at a faster rate and eventually makes his way back to the entrance of the building where the two guards still stand. He pauses for a moment as he accepts his humiliation and performs the inevitable walks up to them and tells them about his keys. The guard returns with keys and hands them to him and he begins walking back to the garage. He goes back up the stairs and finally gets to where his car was and its not there it has been towed.
GERALD: You’ve gotta be kidding
he slowly looks around and behind different cars to make sure he hasn’t made a mistake.
GERALD:AAARRRRGG.
The number 8 appears on the parking space. He walks all the way back in the opposite direction crossing in front of the building where the two guards begin to laugh! But he just keeps staring strait ahead. He checks his watch and continues to walk downtown until he gets to a busy intersection.
At the intersection a bum is standing their staring at Gerald who seems frustrated
bum: Problems?
GERALD: yea sure,
not my problems everyone else’s problem.
bum: sounds like you could use a day off.
GERALD: More than you know
the bum pauses and looks off into a deep stare
gerald takes a step away as he smells a horrible odor coming from the bum.
bum:life has a funny way of reminding us that we could all use a day off or maybe a step back. Are you religious?
GERALD:you seem too be full of know how?
bum:no no I’ve had my run ins, but it’s our ability to correct our mistakes that makes life bearable.
GERALD: looks at bum like are you kidding!
bum:Just a friendly gester I see every problem as an opportunity.
GERALD: Excuse me,
he puts down his briefcase and takes out his cell phone and calls his wife to tell her he’s on his way home. The phone rings and rings
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PHONE CONVERASATION
WIFE:hello
GERALD: Hey just calling to tell you I’m on my way home
WIFE: wow its only 2 o’clock everything ok?
GERALD: well not really
WIFE: what’s wrong?
BUM:its not to late. As he walks by
GERALD: Oh nothing I’ll talk about it when I get home.
WIFE:I need you to run by the store to pick up some things
GERALD: I ...I..I can’t the car has been towed.
WIFE: what? why was it towed
GERALD: I don’t know.
WIFE: well do you know where it is?
GERALD: I suppose its at the impound.
WIFE: well go pick it up?
GERALD: I’m on foot heading down to the bus station how am I going to pick It up?
WIFE: I need the car for tonight, this is really putting me under a lot of pressure Gerald.
GERALD: I don’t have any cash.. it will have to wait until Wedsday when I get paid.
WIFE: so how am I going to get to work?
GERALD: can you call your mother to take you?
WIFE: My mother lives an hour away! I just got this job This is just like you to screw this up for me.
GERALD: I’m sorry I don’t know what you want me to say.
WIFE: Your always sorry Gerald and nothing ever changes!
GERALD: can’t you call or cancel or something.
WIFE: click.
GERALD: oh good just hang up!
pauses for a moment
GERALD: problems(under his breath)
He stands at the intersection a second then puts his phone in his pocket and hurries across the street as a few cars blow their horns at him. when he gets to the other side he stops in his tracks, he realizes he’s left his briefcase on the corner. He waits for the light to change then goes back across the street impatiently and grabs the briefcase. He
looks up and sees the light about to change so he hurries to make it back across. Just as the light turns he comes across the intersection and a car comes from his right and hits him. He hits the ground hard and his briefcase scatters down the street. Laying there dazed he struggles to get up. no one is helping him and he lays there sprawled on the street just then a large yellow buses doors open and three people get out and help him get
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to his feet. As he regains balance the driver calls out to him.
PASSENGER: can you stand?
GERALD: yea I can stand.
BUS DRIVER: you Ok? I saw the man who hit you he took off that way,You need a ride?
GERALD: did you get a plate number?
BUS DRIVER: no I didn’t guy was flying through didn’t get a chance.
Gerald pauses for a moment and composes himself and walks up to the door as the passengers that helped him up get on board the bus.
GERALD: Well I’m going to 5th and Arnold you go that far?
DRIVER: I go all the way. It’s one way
, GERALD: That doesn’t matter I’m never coming back here.
DRIVER: You can say that again!
Gerald steps up onto the bus and the driver puts a stamp on his hand. #8
Where do I pay?
DRIVER: No no, this one’s for free take a seat you look like you need some time to accept what’s coming to you.
GERALD: well that’s one way to put it Thanks.
he starts back walking through the aile and finds a seat next to a teacher and her two small children.
BILLY: hey mister you got a quarter?
TEACHER: Billy don’t you know its rude to ask strangers for money?
GERALD: no it’s ok
he digs into his pocket and gives the boy a quarter. Billy shows the quarter to his sister
BILLY: look What I got Look what I got!
JUNE: I want one, where’s mine? I want a quarter
I want to feed the ducks! Mommy I want to feed the ducks!
the mother looks over at the man and they both smile.
GERALD: you taking them to the park?
TEACHER: No we’ve already been.
GERALD: oh (not fully understanding.) For next time then!
TEACHER: no the kids don’t know yet I don’t want to spoil the fun.
GERALD: I see
TEACHER: We’ve been on this bus for a while now and your the first person we’ve picked up for a few hours. Thank goodness it was someone like you. I was worried we were going to have to sit with more ...you know...people that aren’t going to the same sort of place.
She motions to the back of the bus where a man sits all bandaged up.
GERALD: What happened to him?
TEACHER: Now Billy get back here and stop asking for quarters June get back here this instant!
June is up on one of the seats jumping up and down looking out the windows. the teacher gets up and goes down the aile to collect her children. Gerald sits in wonder as he looks
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over his shoulder at the man sitting in the back of the bus. He turns back around and ponders at what might have happened to the man. The childrens voices can be overheard saying
BILLY: it’s my money I won the bet fair and square.
JUNE: Liar liar pants on
fire, pants on fire. Billys gonna burn! Billy’s going to burn!
TEACHER: Billy and June if you don’t sit down and behave yourself you will never see those ducks and those nice little ducks will starve because you couldn’t behave yourselves.
NUN: so how’s your little girl?
says the nun who is sitting behind Gerald
GERALD: Who me?
NUN: I haven’t seen her in quite some time.
GERALD: do I know you?
NUN: You were married in the big catholic church off of main yes I’m sure it was you. The teacher turns her head and is now paying attention. I used to play the organ there for Father Tremel. I saw you, you and your wife and your little girl every Sunday.
GERALD: I’m sorry I think you have the wrong person.
NUN: No it was you, I recognize you from your picture in the newspaper. And what happened to the little girl. the teacher looks over at Gerald and he begins to get flustered.
GERALD: Look lady It wasn’t me I don’t have a little girl and me and my wife don’t go to any catholic church.
NUN: Well you used to. anyway you don’t have to lie about it just say you don’t want to talk about it.
GERALD:I don’t have a problem talking about anything I told you it wasn’t me why can’t you just leave it at that.
NUN: you certainly don’t have to shout at me and I don’t appreciate that kind of abuse. Father Tremel would talk to me like that and I wasn’t going to take it then and I’m certainly not going to take it from you. Father Tremel knows what that kind of abuse will get you!
GERALD: look I didn’t mean to get you all worked up I simply haven’t seen you before. (trails off)
As the nun says this she gets up from her seat and moves up the aisle to another seat next to the man taking donations up at the front of the bus. She leans over with one eye on Gerald and whispers in the donations man’s ear. the donation man then turns his head and looks back at Gerald. Gerald looks down to avoid any confrontation. The driver then looks at Gerald in the rear view mirror. Just then the nun stands up and
says.
NUN: lets sing a song.
BILLY AND JUNE: YEA! the teacher smiles in agreement.
JUNE: lets sing B I N G O!
BILLY: no we always sing that, lets sing Old Mcdonald!
NUN: how about the wheels on the bus!!
EVERYONE:YEA!
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EVERYONE: THE WHEELS ON THE BUS GO ROUND AND ROUND!
Gerald looks up and notices the driver looking at him The wheels on the bus go round and round round and round ..... the camera sees the wheels of the bus starting to spin faster. we get a medium shot of the nun singing round and round. we then cut to the children then the teacher. then back off to the front of the bus where everyone is singing.
JUNE: come on you too. she says to Gerald
Gerald reluctantly smiles and begins to sing as he looks out the window and he slowly realizes the bus has gone way too far in the wrong direction to drop him off at his stop.
GERALD: this isn’t the east side we’ve gone way too far!
EVERYONE: THE WHEELS ON THE BUS GO ROUND AND ROUND!
GERALD:HEY WE WENT TO FAR! WE MISSED MY STOP!
he tries to yell over the singing but it does no good so he walks up toward the front of the bus to the driver. he says to the driver
GERALD: didn’t you hear me I said you missed my stop.
DRIVER: I didn’t miss your stop there only 2 stops and your going to one now get back in your seat!
Gerald: it won’t take but a second just pull over and let me off.
DRIVER: I’m on a tight schedule no stops.
Gerald returns to his seat.
GERALD: great now I’m going to have to backtrack this is a mess what a day
SOMEBODY: that was a good one!
GERALD: what was a good one?
SOMEBODY: that spiel about getting off the bus!
GERALD: that wasn’t a joke.
SOMEBODY: you really don’t know do you?
GERALD: know what? he looks at his ear and notices some blood coming out of it.
GERALD: your nuts!
He backs away and just stares at the man.
NUN: He has to figure it out on his own that the rules!
GERALD: Someone tell me what’s going on here!
NUN: He’s a crazy eight!
JUNE AND BILLY: crazy eight, crazy eight.
GERALD: looks down at h
is hand at the number 8
SOMEBODY: he’s getting warmer
He looks over at Billy’s shirt that has an 8 on it Billy is laying on the seat. The eight is sideways.
Gerald then looks at his hand and turns the eight sideways so it looks like an infinity symbol. Gerald is horrified. He whips out of his seat and storms up to the front of the bus
GERALD: let me off! and he turns to try to find a way to open the door.
DRIVER: there is no off you ride all the way NOW GET IN YOUR SEAT!
GERALD: all the way where?
DRIVER:I wouldn’t want to spoil the fun.
GERALD:LET me off this thing...NOW!
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DRIVER: JIM!
DONATION MAN: HE SAID GET IN YOUR SEAT! AND HE GRABS GERALD
GERALD: GET YOUR HANDS OFF ME! DON’T YOU KNOW THIS MAN’S CRAZY!(POINTS TO THE DRIVER) DRIVER SMILES
GERALD: WHAT’S WRONG WITH YOU PEOPLE?
Gerald goes frantic we cut to the teacher whispering something into June’s ear! Gerald’s jumps across one of the seats and opens a window and shouts out
GERALD: help!! somebody help!!.
NUN: laughing (close-up) t
hen Gerald comes back in the window and there is June in his face
JUNE: your gonna burn!
Gerald is now sweating like crazy and this scares him so bad he begins to shake and he backs away from her
BILLY: look he’s bleeding!
JUNE: liar, liar pants on fire (runs back to her mother.)
BILLY: look he’s bleeding!
Gerald opens his jacket and his shirt is soaked in blood from the back seeping around the sides. he nearly faints and catches himself on a seat
he stumbles frantically toward the back of the bus, his adrenalin takes over and he flies into action.
MUSIC CUE:(the drums begin) he runs to the back of the bus back and tries to work open the door but nothings working.
as he makes his way back up to the middle of the bus the driver swerves and everyone one screams like their on a roller coaster.
TEACHER: isn’t it fun? says the teacher.
Gerald is on the floor crawling back to the back trying to get to the man in bandages.
EVERYONE: the pigs on the bus go oink oink oink oink oik oik TEACHER:
(squished face) oink oink oink.
DRIVER: laughing
Gerald grabs the man in bandages
GERALD: Where is this bus going?/ the lights begin to flicker
GERALD: Answer me! where are they taking us! the man in the bandages just smiles a crooked retarded smile Gerald slings him back in his seat.
NUN: YOUR GOING TO HELL MR BIRBIE!
the driver picks up speed (wheels/accelerator)
Gerald is making his way to the front and as he gets to the driver he stumbles and picks himself up and the teacher grabs her children
GERALD: frantically tries to open the front door and begins kicking the door this goes on for fifteen seconds or so till he is worn out from exhaustion.
NUN: that won’t do you any good your done, your time is up
GERALD: there’s gotta be something you can do please! just stop it
Stop, STOP, STOP!
NUN: he’s about to break
GERALD: (screams out in frustration) why is this happening to me! Why? Why me?
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He stands panting from exhaustion looking at all the people on the bus. There is along pause and he turns to look at the driver who looks back at him with a serious look.
GERALD:(He turns around to face the people) please he says I did it my wife never knew. no one ever knew I’d been lying about it all these years. I stole the money from work, years and years of stealing I transferred the funds into an account hundreds of thousands. As soon as I had enough I was going to skip town with this other woman I met. I blamed it all on everyone else. They could never prove it, they just let me go, I’ve lived a selfish life, I’ve been living with hell. my wife and kids were all kicked to the side. I didn’t care about any of them, just myself. I hated my wife and kids for my boring despicable life I hated everyone else for the mistakes I’ve made. and now its all over…
a long pause takes place as the crowd is silent. If I had one more try I could go back and tell them. gimme a second chance! just one more chance I’ll make it right one more that’s all. please and he slumps to his knees please sir I’m begging you.
The people all begin to laugh!
NUN: your such a fool he can’t help you now you did it to yourself!
Now your gonna get what you deserve!
GERALD: I beg you stop stop all this, have mercy on me I’m begging you
TEACHER: you want mercy now? Here’s what you
You’ve earned! she walks up and spits on him.
Gerald wipes his face and looks at the ground in defeat.
there is a long pause as the people scowl and murmer about Geralds actions
GERALD: I’ve had this coming I guess.
DRIVER: yes you do says the driver
Gerald makes one last attempt he grabs the steering wheel and tries to stop the bus but the bus is being controlled by another force. the driver just laughs and the bus remains on course. he finally slumps in exhaustion next to the driver’s seat. he lays there sprawled out where his briefcase lays close by. along silence falls over the bus as everyone waits he slowly grabs the briefcase and opens it he reaches into the sleeve and pulls out a picture of his wife and kids and slowly flips through them. He remembers his wife holding his birthday cake he remembers back at the hospital of his first born child
meanwhile their is a bright light growing outside the bus. All the people run from the one side of the bus to the other and the driver looks in his rear view mirror
with a smile. The bus slows down as it approaches the white light and everyone but Gerald shout for joy
EVERYONE: Were here! were here! we made it! but the bus continues to keep moving
TEACHER: Billy and June were here! Billy? June?
EVERYONE: stop the bus they scream you missed it you missed the stop.
The bus begins to pick up speed and the people begin to yell
TEACHER: where’s my children! my children there gone! someone help me! the bus accelerates and begins to shake and shutter. The people are frantic and try to break the windows and pry the doors screaming its not fair its not fair but its too late and while the man sits there quiet the lights grow dark and red the people claw at one another and gnash their teeth as the bus barrels into the darkness.
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We now go back in time to where Gerald was hit by the car(he really has died and his body is laying in the street)
FLASH BACK to scene when Gerald was hit by the car
Gerald sprawled in front of the bus when he first got hit with people all around him blood gushing from under leaving his underside sopping with blood. His right
leg twisted around
BYSTANDERS: The guy came out of nowhere and just smacked him
Does anyone know who he was?
BUM: well we never seem to have enough time do we?
the bum looks over Gerald dead body and Realizes he was the man he had talked to before. he looks at Gerald in disappointment and remorse. he then bends over and sees Gerald’s watch has broken off he picks it up and opens his jacket all over the bums sweater are trinkets, pins and watches all from other people he has warned about death.
The camera pulls back and shows the disaster in its full and the bum turns and walks away.
End.
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