(Int: Early morning (4:30am) office/library)

“Not everything relates back to Star Wars, Lost, or The Bible, dummy”, blurts the bitter old scientist from his Victorian-era wing backed smoking chair. He watches the kid shuffle through his record collection, knowing good and well which song he wants to hear, but he’s not gonna find it. “Plus,” he continues, “everything you’re about to say is going to be completely contrived. Just pick a song and spit it out.”

The kid puts the needle on the record…

Arthur:

So, I go in there to talk about the project we’re working on. The conversation is completely academic until he looked at me and asked if I had any friends in Europe. I spent the rest of the day listening to that same record and thinking about something else entirely. It’s like I wasted the entire time I spent in his office because I would start to dream up all these great one liners I wanted to leave her with. She’s like everything thing that I’m no(t)…

Scientist:

(abruptly) Stop. There’s your problem. You gotta quit fiddlin’ with that switch.

Arthur:

What switch? Like on a robot? I ain’t no robot, man.

Scientist:

Again, with the Star Wars crap. I’m talking about whatever it is that turns you into a 14 year old idiot that wants to spout off nonsense about people being “the brightest light in the darkest part of your life”. Jesus, it’s like your head’s an “Open Mic Night Poetry Slam” for toddlers, and you’re both the audience and performer.

Arthur: I’m not a child.

Scientist: Then why are you rummaging through my library looking for answers to questions you can’t even articulate?

Arthur:

Well, since I don’t even know what the question is…

Scientist:

You don’t. You’re all volume and no music, kid. What the fuck are you doing up so early anyway?

Arthur:

Nightmares

Scientist:

Oh…right…the nightmares. Those get pretty intense, huh?

Arthur:

(pause)

Scientist:

Look, just go back to bed, kid. When I get it figured out, I’ll fix it.

Arthur:

Well, tell me how it’s so easy for you to not have any feelings?

Scientist:

Oh, so now I’M the robot?

Arthur:

Probably. I mean, you act like you don’t feel anything at all.

Scientist:

…and yet you don’t see the irony in the fact that “relief” is an emotional response. It’s just not my job to feel that way anymore.

(he places a hand on the kid’s shoulder and leans in to speak a bit softer)

Look, I told you before…build a wall around the city, and the people will eventually govern themselves or kill each other off. Either way, the story ends.

Arthur:

You said it was about the journey, and not the destination.

Scientist:

I did, and it is. My point being that you gotta cope, kid. Understanding and coping are two completely different obstacles. Now…put your mask back on and get back into bed. You’ve got plenty to do tomorrow.

(Arthur puts the record back in it’s sleeve, slides it back on the shelf, and exits the library stage left)

(fade to black)