God's Fool Draft 4 by Adam Frith
GOD'S FOOL (ACT ONE)
Written by Adam Frith
[email protected] 07931 923 673
INT. CHAPEL. PRISON. DAY An angry young inmate with a tattooed neck, sits with his hands clasped together and stares at the floor. He is JOE. HARRY (O.C.) Why did you do it? A middle-aged prison chaplain wearing a clerical collar sits opposite Joe. He is HARRY. Joe looks Harry in the eye and shrugs his shoulders. Harry holds out a bottle. HARRY Would you like some water? Joe snatches the bottle, unscrews its cap and pours the entire contents over Harry’s head, who sits and takes it. HARRY If you’re trying to baptise me, you’re going about it all wrong. JOE Can I go now? Harry wipes the water from his hair and eyes. HARRY Why do you think God made us, Joe? JOE I don’t believe in God. HARRY Then why’s there a tattoo on your neck saying only God can judge me? Joe, stumped for words, shrugs again. HARRY Well, it’s true. I’m not here to judge you. I’m here to listen. Why do you think God made us? Joe glances at a crucifix on the wall. JOE We’re just God’s way of tricking himself into forgetting he’s alone. Forever. Harry raises his eyebrows, surprised. The door bursts open. A PRISON OFFICER stands in the doorway. He nods, gesturing for Harry to join him.
2. Harry and the Officer step out of earshot in the doorway. The Officer whispers in Harry’s ear, whose face turns pale. PRISON OFFICER (To Joe) Come on. Back to your cell. Joe looks to Harry. The chaplain blinks back, dazed. JOE What’s happening? PRISON OFFICER You’re coming with me. Now! Joe sighs, rolls his eyes, gets to his feet and walks to the door. Harry snaps out of his daze and obstructs the doorway. No.
HARRY
PRISON OFFICER What are you doing? HARRY The only thing left to do - what’s right. Why don’t you do the same? Joe furrows his brow, bewildered, as the Prison Officer places a hand on Harry’s shoulder, nods, then sprints away. JOE What was that? Harry slumps back into his seat, removes his clerical collar and examines it, deep in thought. HARRY You should probably sit. Joe obliges, confused. Harry turns on a TV set and the news plays out. Joe and Harry both read text that scrolls across the screen. Joe smiles, contrasting Harry’s grave expression. JOE Why didn’t you let him take me? Harry puts his clerical collar back on. HARRY I thought we’ve a better chance of fooling God together than alone. Harry smiles, masking visible signs of emotional turmoil. He kneels on the floor, puts his hands together and bows his head in prayer. Joe stares at him for a beat then joins him.
Written by Adam Frith
[email protected] 07931 923 673
INT. CHAPEL. PRISON. DAY An angry young inmate with a tattooed neck, sits with his hands clasped together and stares at the floor. He is JOE. HARRY (O.C.) Why did you do it? A middle-aged prison chaplain wearing a clerical collar sits opposite Joe. He is HARRY. Joe looks Harry in the eye and shrugs his shoulders. Harry holds out a bottle. HARRY Would you like some water? Joe snatches the bottle, unscrews its cap and pours the entire contents over Harry’s head, who sits and takes it. HARRY If you’re trying to baptise me, you’re going about it all wrong. JOE Can I go now? Harry wipes the water from his hair and eyes. HARRY Why do you think God made us, Joe? JOE I don’t believe in God. HARRY Then why’s there a tattoo on your neck saying only God can judge me? Joe, stumped for words, shrugs again. HARRY Well, it’s true. I’m not here to judge you. I’m here to listen. Why do you think God made us? Joe glances at a crucifix on the wall. JOE We’re just God’s way of tricking himself into forgetting he’s alone. Forever. Harry raises his eyebrows, surprised. The door bursts open. A PRISON OFFICER stands in the doorway. He nods, gesturing for Harry to join him.
2. Harry and the Officer step out of earshot in the doorway. The Officer whispers in Harry’s ear, whose face turns pale. PRISON OFFICER (To Joe) Come on. Back to your cell. Joe looks to Harry. The chaplain blinks back, dazed. JOE What’s happening? PRISON OFFICER You’re coming with me. Now! Joe sighs, rolls his eyes, gets to his feet and walks to the door. Harry snaps out of his daze and obstructs the doorway. No.
HARRY
PRISON OFFICER What are you doing? HARRY The only thing left to do - what’s right. Why don’t you do the same? Joe furrows his brow, bewildered, as the Prison Officer places a hand on Harry’s shoulder, nods, then sprints away. JOE What was that? Harry slumps back into his seat, removes his clerical collar and examines it, deep in thought. HARRY You should probably sit. Joe obliges, confused. Harry turns on a TV set and the news plays out. Joe and Harry both read text that scrolls across the screen. Joe smiles, contrasting Harry’s grave expression. JOE Why didn’t you let him take me? Harry puts his clerical collar back on. HARRY I thought we’ve a better chance of fooling God together than alone. Harry smiles, masking visible signs of emotional turmoil. He kneels on the floor, puts his hands together and bows his head in prayer. Joe stares at him for a beat then joins him.
