———–<.thom.>———–
THE GREAT WORKS PROJECT
a puppet play in many parts
Season 04, Episode 04
By Thomas Typewriter
(c) 2022 Thomas Typewriter
———–<:type:>———–
FADE IN TO BLACK
From the bottom center of the screen scrolls up the following text: “04-04”. It continues upward, pausing briefly in the center, and exits off the top of the frame.
FADE OUT
FADE IN
INT. THE DEEPER HALLWAY, EVENING
A hallway of wood paneling, soft fluorescence, and frosted glass spreads out before us as we view the Deeper or the third floor of offices under the Alphabet Mice Writer’s Room. Stairwells bookend the hallway with A-Mouse’s, S-Mouse’s, D-Mouse’s, F-Mouse’s, G-Mouse’s, H-Mouse’s, J-Mouse’s and K-Mouse’s offices in between.
MS OF S-MOUSE’S OFFICE DOOR
The door opens and out walks A-Mouse. She walks down the hallway to D-Mouse’s door.
PAN TO FOLLOW
A-Mouse KNOCKS on the door of D-Mouse’s office.
D-MOUSE
(off-camera) “Come in.”
A-Mouse enters D-Mouse’s office.
CUT TO SHOT OF D-MOUSE’S OFFICE FROM THE DOORWAY
D-Mouse’s office is like a dance studio with a delicatessen in the back. The left and right side walls are floor to ceiling mirrors with a dancer’s beam across the middle. A deli counter with display case fills the majority of the back wall except for a space to the left for an entryway to the deli and doorway. The doorway is solid wood. It leads to D-Mouse’s apartment. On the doorway is a poster of an anthropomorphic donut hanging from a tree branch with the following caption: “Don’t discount determination”. The entire space is brightly illuminated by rows of recessed ceiling lights. The deli counter’s lights, by contrast, are turned off. On top of the deli counter’s display case is a CD Stereo. As A-Mouse enters the office, she finds D-MOUSE stretching his legs on the beam.
D-MOUSE
“What brings you to my humble studio?”
A-MOUSE
“Y-Mouse is calling an all-nighter so I am on food. You want anything.”
D-MOUSE
“No thanks. I’ll make myself something later.”
A-MOUSE
“Okay.”
A-Mouse leaves. D-Mouse goes over to the stereo and presses play. A LOW RUMBLING CHANT emerges from the speakers. He starts to spin on one leg. He spins and spins.
CUT TO HALLWAY
A-Mouse reemerges from D-Mouse’s office and walks to the next office. She KNOCKS on the door to F-Mouse’s office..
F-MOUSE
(off-camera) “Come in.”
A-Mouse opens the door and enters.
CUT TO SHOT OF D-MOUSE’S OFFICE FROM THE DOORWAY
The inside of the office is dominated by a large table covered in various books and maps. A globe stands to the side of the table. The walls of the office are wooden shelves covered in a selection of books, maps, anatomy diagrams of mythical beasts, and illustrations of various fey folk. F-MOUSE stands at his desk looking through a magnifying glass at stills from the Patterson Bigfoot film. A-Mouse enters.
F-MOUSE
(without looking up) “What is so important that you disturbed my research.”
A-MOUSE
“Y-Mouse is calling a writer’s conference.”
F-MOUSE
(looks up) “That is serious. I take it you have been tasked with retrieving our food orders.”
A-MOUSE
“Yes.”
F-MOUSE
“And where are you going?”
A-MOUSE
“Guttenberg’s Deli.”
F-MOUSE
“A little pedestrian, but it will have to do. I’ll take a Farro salad.”
A-MOUSE
“Farro Salad? Nothing else.”
F-MOUSE
“If I wanted more I would have said more. Just a Farro Salad if you please.”
A-MOUSE
“Okay, Farro Salad.”
A-Mouse writes it down and exits.
CUT TO LS OF HALLWAY
She enters, reemerging a moment later, then walks to the next office, G-Mouse’s. She KNOCKS on the door.
G-MOUSE
“Come in.”
CUT TO OVER SHOULDER SHOT OF G-MOUSE’S OFFICE
G-Mouse’s Office has a look very similar to a greenhouse. Frosted glass panels make up the left and right walls. Poles run along the sides filled with many plants in hanging planters. Under the hanging plants are wooden greenhouse benches. The stage-right side has a a collection of gardenia seedlings in small pots, a few bags of potting soil, and a few tools. One can see that G-Mouse is in the process of replanting the seedlings into larger pots. The stage-left bench bears a few finished replanted seedlings in their larger pot. G-MOUSE, dressed in a smock and wearing gardening gloves, is in the process of moving some more larger pots over to the stage-right bench.
G-MOUSE
“Hey A-Mouse. What’s up.”
A-MOUSE
“I’m going on a food run. What would you like?”
G-MOUSE
“Where you going?”
A-MOUSE
“The Guttenburg Bagel”
G-MOUSE
“Ok. I’ll have a Gyro and Garden Salad.”
A-MOUSE
(writing in notepad) “Got it.”-she writes it down.
A-Mouse turns to leave.
G-MOUSE
“Could you make sure you shut the door on your way out. The seedlings are sensitive to the cold when I transplant them.”
A-MOUSE
“Absolutely.”
A-Mouse exits.
CUT TO LS OF HALLWAY
She reemerges and walks to H-Mouse’s office. She knocks on the door.
H-MOUSE
“Hold on, I’m not decent.”
A-MOUSE
“I don’t need to come in, I just need to know what you want to eat tonight.”
H-MOUSE opens the door dressed in a Santa’s costume and holding a jack o’lantern.
H-MOUSE
“Why, is something going on?”
A-MOUSE
“Wait. Why are dressed like that.”
H-MOUSE
“Like what?”
A-MOUSE
“The suit and the pumpkin.”
H-MOUSE
“Oh, this. I’m stuck on idea and doing some research to hope I can get unstuck.”
A-MOUSE
“What’s the idea?”
H-MOUSE
“The King of Mars comes to earth.”
A-MOUSE
“Sounds interesting.”
H-MOUSE
“Yeah, it is suppose to be a holiday story but I can not decide what holiday. You got any ideas.”
A-MOUSE
“Oh no. I’m stuck myself. In fact I was trying to unstuck myself when Y-Mouse called.”
H-MOUSE
“What was your story idea and also what did Y-Mouse want.”
A-MOUSE
“Y-Mouse is calling an all-nighter abnd wants me to get food orders.”
H-MOUSE
“Hoagie with cheese and chips.”
A-MOUSE
“Got it.”
H-MOUSE
“What was your story idea?”
A-MOUSE
“There was a brother and sister and the sister was in a band. And that is where I got stuck. I can see them clearly and how it opens but I can not see what happens after that.”
H-MOUSE
“Maybe we should help each other out. Compare notes.”
A-Mouse smiles.
A-MOUSE
“Serious.”
H-MOUSE
“Sure. It couldn’t be any worse than this suit. It is itchy like crazy. I’m dying in here.”
A-MOUSE
(giggles) “Sure, I’d like that.”
H-MOUSE
“Awesome. Let’s see how late this meeting goes and then we’ll figure out a time to get together.”
A-MOUSE
“Got it.”
H-MOUSE
“Well, I need to change.”
A-MOUSE
“And I have to get the other orders.”
H-Mouse closes the door. A-Mouse does a little skip of joy and moves down the hallway.
J-MOUSE
(off-camera) “You getting food?”
CUT TO SHOT OF H-MOUSE’S AND J-MOUSE’S OFFICE DOORS
J-Mouse is leaning in the door to his office, looking at A-Mouse.
A-MOUSE
“You saw that?”
J-MOUSE
“Oh yeah.”
A-Mouse’s expression shifts to embarrassment.
J-MOUSE
“It’ll be our secret and good luck.
A-MOUSE
“Thank you.”
J-MOUSE
Where you going?”
A-MOUSE
“Guttenberg Bagel.”
J-MOUSE
“Bagels and lox.”
A-Mouse writes the order down. She then walks past J-Mouse.
A-MOUSE
“Got it.”
J-MOUSE
“And some of those potato squares.”
A-MOUSE
“Potato squares, got it.”
J-MOUSE
“Better make it a triple order. I know people are going to want me to share.”
A-MOUSE
“Triple potato squares.”
AS A-MOUSE REACHES THE EDGE OF THE FRAME THE CAMERA PANS LEFT SO AS TO FRAME J-MOUSE’S OFFICE AND K-MOUSE’S OFFICE.
J-Mouse goes back into his office and shuts the door. A-Mouse KNOCKS on K-Mouse’s door. There is no response. She tries again with still no response. Opening the door, she peeks inside.
A-MOUSE
“Hmmm.”
She closes the door and walks over to L-Mouse’s office. KNOCK KNOCK go her knuckles on the door.
L-MOUSE
“It’s open.”
A-Mouse walks inside, shutting the door behind her.
A-MOUSE
(off-camera) “Have you seen K-Mouse?”
FADE OUT
———–<.thom.>———–
THE GREAT WORKS PROJECT
a puppet play in many parts
Season 04, Episode 03
By Thomas Typewriter
(C) 2022 THOMAS TYPEWRITER
———–<:type:>———–
FADE IN TO BLACK
From the bottom center of the frame scrolls up the following text: “04-03”. It moves up along the center of the frame, pausing for a moment in the middle of the frame before ultimately exiting through the top.
FADE OUT
FADE IN
INT. S-MOUSE’S OFFICE, AFTERNOON
An oblong office with walls lined by ornate cabinets made of carved wood overlain with intricate metal screens. The shelves of the cabinets are overflowing with various dioramas inside large clear glass bottles. A heavy wooden desk sits in the center of the room with S-MOUSE mid project. His various tools sit off to the side next to the base of a swivel arm light and magnifying glass. Behind the desk stands the one area of the wall not covered by cabinets. A small gap in the cabinets allows room for a door to S-Mouse’s Apartment. The door currently has a motivational poster of a snake hanging on a tree limb with the text: “Snakes Seldom Shiver”.
FADE IN FROM THE BLACK TO A VERY CLOSE SHOT OF THE INSIDE OF THE GLASS BOTTLE ON S-MOUSE’S DESK.
We can see S-Mouse through the curved glass of the bottle, which he refers to as a Story-in-a-Bottle. He pulls out a jar of white sand and pours it into the bottle. He then uses a long tongue depressor to smooth out the sand. Soon S-Mouse switches to a long thin needle-nose plier. He wiggles two tall canyons drawn onto paper and cut out to an upright position. KNOCK KNOCK from out of the frame.
CUT TO MS OF S-MOUSE AT HIS DESK
S-MOUSE
“Come in.”
A-MOUSE enters the office. S-Mouse rises and wipes off his hands. A-Mouse walks to the desk and they shake hands.
S-MOUSE
“Hi.”
A-MOUSE
“Hi.”
S-MOUSE
“Here, have a seat. (points to an open chair) Can I offer you anything? A drink maybe.”
A-MOUSE
“Thanks, but no. On the drink I mean. I have to be leaving soon.”
S-MOUSE
“So this is not a social visit.”
A-MOUSE
“Unfortunately not. I came by to get your food order. Y-Mouse is calling an all-nighter tonight.”
S-MOUSE
“Sounds serious.”
A-MOUSE
“Don’t know. I hope not, but my mind always races to the worst.”
S-MOUSE
“So it does. I’m sure it’ll be fine.”
A-MOUSE
“Hopefully. So what would you like to eat at the meeting.”
S-MOUSE
“Where are you going?”
A-MOUSE
“The Gutenberg Bagel over at Mall X.”
S-MOUSE
“I think I have one of their menus somewhere around here.”
S-Mouse reaches behind him and opens a drawer. He rifles through the desk before pulling out a menu for The Gutenberg Bagel.
A-MOUSE
“Can I ask you something?”
S-MOUSE
(putting on reading glasses) “Sure.”
A-MOUSE
“Do you think it’s serious. The meeting tonight. The reason for it I mean.”
S-Mouse pauses and looks over the menu at A-Mouse
S-MOUSE
“Honestly.”
A-MOUSE
“Yes.”
S-MOUSE
“Well, then yes I am concerned. Thomas seemed troubled, exposed. Things will probably get worse for him before they get better.”
A-MOUSE
“Oh.“
S-MOUSE
“No, don’t take it like that. It is not all doom and gloom. Things will get better. Absolutely. When things seem unsure, when we feel exposed, when our sense of self gets rattled, that’s when change happens. Growth is movement against weakness, the conversion of absence to fullness. When we are capable of true empathy, true growth.”
A moment of silence passes.
S-MOUSE
“You okay?”
A-MOUSE
“Yes, no, yes..no not really. I’m feeling really anxious.” (gestures to all around) “Why are we even here.”
S-MOUSE
“Oh.”
A-MOUSE
“Thomas could easily write stories on his own but instead he imagines us, this funhouse mirror version of a 1950’s TV show writer’s staff.”
S-MOUSE
“I think we’re more of a riff on a bit from the Monkee’s.”
A-MOUSE
“Sure but what if he realizes he doesn’t need us. What if we fix his stories, fix his life, and then he outgrows us.”
S-MOUSE
“Maybe that is the reason he came up with us.”
A-MOUSE
“But what happens to us.”
S-MOUSE
“We go to oblivion till he needs us again.”
INSERT CS OF A-MOUSE’S ALARMED EXPRESSION
S-MOUSE
“No, I can see that did not help. Let me rephrase: We face oblivion regardless. Sure Thomas could realize we are a coping mechanism as you fear and outgrows us. But he will also die at some point, and by extension we will die too.”
A-MOUSE
“How do you live with that?
S-MOUSE
“I remind myself that with each day the time we have with those we care about grows less, never grows more. I can spend my shrinking time looking at what I have lost or spend it looking at what remains. Filling the shrinking jar with listening, laughing, loving, telling stories.”
A-Mouse perks up a little bit. S-Mouse pulls out a scrap piece of paper and pen and starts writing.
S-MOUSE
“Here is my order, along with a kind word or two from a friend in case you start feeling lost again. (hands note to A-Mouse) You better go on now.”
A-Mouse stands up and walks out. She pauses at the door.
A-MOUSE
“Thank you.”
S-MOUSE
“You’re welcome.”
A-Mouse exits. S-Mouse returns to his desk. He feeds into the bottle three thin paper elements.
CUT TO EXTREME CLOSE SHOT OF INSIDE OF BOTTLE
Using the long pliers, he sets them up. A tree, a road sign, and a woman in white dress stand before the far canyon walls on a plain of white sand.
CUT BACK TO MS OF S-MOUSE AT DESK.
S-Mouse scoots back from his desk and takes a final review of the story-in-a-bottle. He nods approval. Standing, S-Mouse walks the finished story-in-a-bottle to an empty shelf. He returns to his desk, opens a drawer, and removes two shot glasses and a bottle of scotch. He returns to the shelf with the newly finished story-in-a-bottle, pours a shot for himself and one for it. He grabs his glass and holds it up in a salute.
S-MOUSE
“To our now, to our future, and to all our points in between.”
He clinks his shot glass against the story-in-a-bottle’s and downs his. He picks up the second shot glass.
S-MOUSE
“If you’re not going to drink that, do you mind if I do? No?”
S-Mouse drinks the second shot glass of scotch. He picks up the glasses and the bottle of scotch. He returns them to the desk. Sand CRUNCHES underfoot.
S-MOUSE
“Got sand everywhere. Better sweep up. Now where did I put that broom.”
S-Mouse goes over to his apartment. Exits through the door.
FADE OUT
Thomas Typewriter 
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