———–<.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
———–<.thom.>———–
THE GREAT WORKS PROJECT
a puppet play in many parts
Season 04, Episode 02
By Thomas Typewriter
(c) 2022
———–<:type:>———–
FADE IN TO BLACK
From the bottom center of the screen scrolls up the following text: “04-02”. It continues upward, pausing briefly in the center, and exits off the top of the frame.
FADE OUT
FADE IN
INT. A-MOUSE’S OFFICE
OPEN ON A LS OF THE OFFICE LOOKING IN FROM THE DOOR
A-Mouse’s office sits on the Deeper, or the second floor of the Alphabet Mice offices. The offices are situated across five floors in total, each with their own designation. The Writer’s Room is on the fifth or top floor. The next floor down or the fourth floor is the Numbertarium, housing the office of #-Mouse. Below the Numbertarium is The Deep or the third floor, housing the offices of Q-Mouse, W-Mouse, E-Mouse, R-Mouse, T-Mouse, Y-Mouse, U-Mouse, I-Mouse, O-Mouse and P-Mouse. The Deeper, or the second floor, houses the offices of A-Mouse, S-Mouse, D-Mouse, F-Mouse, G-Mouse, H-Mouse, J-Mouse, K-Mouse, and L-Mouse. Below The Deeper is The Deepest, housing the offices of Z-Mouse, X-Mouse, C-Mouse, V-Mouse, B-Mouse, N-Mouse and M-Mouse. There is also a level below The Deeper, reached by descending a long staircase, called The Subterranean. The Alphabet Mice prefer to avoid The Subterranean, except Z-Mouse who swam in the Circular River flowing through its depths. Each office, except for the Numbertarium, have similar layouts. All are wider than deep, with a door to the hallway on one side, and a door to the office holder’s apartment on the opposite wall.
The office itself features a wooden desk topped by a small TV with a built-in VCR, a lamp, and a rotary phone in the back center of the room. Behind the desk stands a door flanked by wooden cabinets alternating in style between Art Nouveau and Art Deco. The cabinets spread out along the outside walls of the office. A motivational poster hangs on the door. It depicts an aardvark hanging on a tree branch with the caption “ALWAYS ATTEMPTING”. A-MOUSE stands stage-right getting a vhs cassette and an abacus from one of the cabinets. She returns to her desk.
CUT TO A MS OF A-MOUSE AT HER DESK
A-Mouse pops a videocassette out of its case and inserts it into the VCR slot on the TV. Static bursts dance onto the screen before the first images of the “Yes, Virginia there is such a thing as an Abacus” instructional tape starts playing.
CUT TO OVER SHOULDER VIEW OF MONITOR
PAN IN TO MONITOR
TRANSITION FROM A-MOUSE’S OFFICE TO INSTRUCTIONAL VIDEO
INSTRUCTIONAL VIDEO
FADE IN TO LS OF THE SCHOOL
EXT. POTSANDPANSTOWN’S SCHOOL FOR IMPOVERISHED CHILDREN
Over the school, in the center of the screen, in an ornate Edwardian font, appears the following title: “Yes Virginia, There is an Abacus.” The title stays on the screen for a few moments, then fades away.
PAN FROM LS TO MS OF SCHOOL DOORS
A 1910’s style schoolhouse of all stone, more angle than graceful curve, The Potsandpanstown School for Impoverished Children has ended another day. Children, excited and playful, spill out of the school’s doors. They dance away in their restitched patchwork clothes and grimy faces. VIRGINIA WESTVIRGINIA exits the school.
PAN FOLLOWING VIRGINIA WESTVIRGINIA AS SHE LEAVES THE SCHOOL GROUNDS.
At the front gate, Virginia’s pace quickens, trying to avoid THE CAROLINA TWINS leaning against the fence. As she steps past them they call out.
SOUTHANNE CAROLINA
“Hey Virginia.”
NORTHENGALE CAROLINA
“Where you going so fast.”
Virginia stops, face scrunching at a bad taste, and turns.
CUT TO MS OF THE THREE
VIRGINIA WESTVIRGINIA
“Carolina. Carolina.”
NORTHENGALE CAROLINA
“What, you don’t have time for your friends?”
VIRGINIA WESTVIRGINIA
“I have to get home. My dad is…”
SOUTHANNE CAROLINA
(interrupting Virginia)”You still believe in Abacuses?”
NORTHENGALE CAROLINA
“Yeah, still believe in that fairy tale?”
VIRGINIA WESTVIRGINIA
“Yes they are real. My dad told me so.”
NORTHENGALE CAROLINA
“No uh, they’re not.”
VIRGINIA WESTVIRGINIA
“Uh-huh.”
SOUTHANNE CAROLINA
“Nuh-uh.”
VIRGINIA WESTVIRGINIA
“Uh-huh.”
NORTHENGALE CAROLINA
“No they’re not.”
VIRGINIA WESTVIRGINIA
“Yes they are.”
SOUTHANNE CAROLINA
(interrupting) “Only babies believe in faerie tales.”
NORTHENGALE CAROLINA
“You a baby Virginia. You wearing a diaper. You like rattles. Are your skull bones still fusing.”
VIRGINIA WESTVIRGINIA
“I am not a baby, and Abacuci are real.”
NORTHENGALE CAROLINA AND SOUTHANNE CAROLINA
“Baby butt windshield wiper! Look at the diaper. Look at the crier! Baby butt windshield wiper! Look at the diaper. Look at the crier!”
Virginia runs away.
TRANSITION FROM SCHOOL TO APARTMENT
INT. APARTMENT 41, AFTERNOON
CUT TO LS OF APARTMENT 41
Apartment 41 is a drab sparse apartment, almost stereotypical, located in a tenement that is low price as it is run down. Peeling paint barely covers the wood panel walls. The Westvirginia’s have few appliances and furniture. Oddly, the furniture they do have is made up of smaller bits of the same furniture. The television is a small black and white set on top of a larger console television. The kitchen table is made up of smaller tables and stools stacked on top of each other and taped together. Lines of laundry hang across the open front room, dividing the kitchen area from the living room. OLD DA, Virginia’s father sits in his chair. It is cobbled together from parts of many different chairs, feet propped on a coffee table constructed from a broken espresso machine and empty coffee cans. He relaxes reading his favorite newspaper “The New News Newspaper”. Off to the other side of the apartment stands OLD MA, Virginia’s mother, at the kitchen sink washing dishes. A CLICK OF THE DOORKNOB and VIRGINIA WESTVIRGINIA runs into the room. She throws herself on the table sobbing. Old Ma and Old Da exchange glances.
CUT BETWEEN ALTERNATING SHOTS OF OLD MA AND OLD PA
Old Ma gestures for Old Da to console Virginia. He shakes his head no and gestures for Old Ma to do. She responds gesturing more emphatically he should. He gestures no, you really should. They go back and forth a few more times until Old Ma gives him a hard stare and he relents.
LS OF ROOM.
Old Da folds up his paper and stands. He crosses over to the table.
OLD DA
“Everything okay honey.”
VIRGINIA WESTVIRGINIA
“They made fun of me daddy.”
OLD DA
“Who did?”
VIRGINIA WESTVIRGINIA
“Some kids at school. All because I said I believe abacus are real.”
OLD DA
“Oh. Is that all. Here I thought it was something serious.”
INSERT MS OF OLD MA AND OLD DA.
Old Ma gives Old Da a giving a withering glance at his answer. She then gestures for him to try again. He notices the gesture and winces.
CUT BACK…
OLD DA
“I mean that is horrible.”
VIRGINIA WESTVIRGINIA
“How do I convince them daddy?
Old Da thinks a moment then answers.
OLD DA
“The New News Newspaper. Write to the paper and when they say it’s true then everyone will know your right.”
VIRGINIA WESTVIRGINIA
“But, I thought their slogan was all the news fit to wrap a fish with. Nobody is going to believe me if it is printed in that.”
OLD DA
“You’re thinking of the Monday, Wednesday and Friday editions. On Tuesday, Thursday, and Saturday its Truth, truth, and more truth.”
VIRGINIA WESTVIRGINIA
“ Wait, what their slogan on Sunday’s”
OLD DA
“Id rather be fishing.”
VIRGINIA WESTVIRGINIA
“Oh.” (thinks a moment) “Can we go fishing Sunday? I need some new boots.”
OLD DA
“Sure thing honey.”
CUT TO CS OF VIRGINIA WRITING AT THE TABLE BY CANDLELIGHT.
VIRGINIA WESTVIRGINIA
(voice over) “Dear Editor. My father says if it is in The New News Newspaper it has to be true. My problem is my friends make fun of me for believing in something no one has ever seen. But I say just because we haven’t seen it does not mean it doesn’t exist. I have never seen tomorrow before it arrives, but every sunrise I find a new day. So I ask, am I wrong to believe in abacuci? “
Virginia finishes writing and steps away from the table. A few moments later, the paper is caught in a draft and blows off the table.
CAMERA FOLLOWS THE PAPER
The paper drifts across the room and out an open window. It continues across the city. It reaches the docks and continues out to sea. Moving past dolphins and rainbows it drifts to an island.
CUT TO…
INT. ABACUS MANOR MAIN OFFICE, DAYTIME.
LS OF THE OFFICE
A large library study, the main office of Lord Abacus sits on the ground floor of Abacus Manor. Various suits of armor and stuffed trophy animals line the walls. The manor’s main butler, CALCULATOR THE BUTLER, stands at the ready with a silver platter. LORD ABACUS sits at his desk busily working on paperwork. The letter drifts through the open window and lands on the silver platter.
CUT TO MS OF CALCULATOR THE BUTLER.
He looks down and notices the letter.
CALCULATOR THE BUTLER
“Sir, another letter has drifted to you.”
CUT TO CS OF LORD ABACUS
LORD ABACUS
(turning and looking over sunglasses) “Well, bring it over my good man.”
CUT TO LS OF DESK.
Calculator the Butler brings the latter to the desk. He lowers the silver platter towards Lord Abacus. The Lord takes the latter and starts to read it. His face turns grim.
LORD ABACUS
“Calculator, get my walking shoes ready.”
CALCULATOR THE BUTLER
“Excellent sir. Shall you be gone long.”
LORD ABACUS
“Only as long as it takes to restore a young girl’s faith in the world.”
CALCULATOR THE BUTLER
“So, forever.”
CUT TO MONTAGE OF HIM DRESSING IN RUNNING GEAR WITH A SERIES OF QUICK CUTS.
Lord Abacus, in his full running gear and with water bottle and running waist pack, gives a thumbs up to Calculator the Butler. He then power walks out the door.
EXT. ABACUS ISLAND DOCKS, DAYTIME
A long dock runs out from the sandy beach of Abacus Island. A path leads from Abacus Manor on the hilltop to the base of the dock. There are only two boats currently tied up at the dock. A sporty speedboat named the MAGNUM PIE and a larger sailboat named ROCKFORD FLYER. The dock has a series of crates in the gap between the sailboat and the speedboat.
LS OF DOCK FROM END LOOKING UP THE TRAIL WITH THE MANOR IN THE DISTANCE
Lord Abacus power walks down the trail, heading for the Magnum Pie.
CUT TO SHOT OF THE DOCK AND CRATES WHERE A GROUP OF ARMED MEN COME OUT.
THE MENTAL MATH TOUGHIES GANG emerges from the shipping crates and hiding places on the dock, stopping LORD ABACUS. There are ten gang members, each wearing a windbreaker emblazoned with a number from 1-10 and the letters MMT. Lord Abacus skids to a stop. BOSS DRIFTING DIGITS emerges from the crate clapping.
BOSS DRIFTING DIGITS
“Off to help another troubled child in the world Lord Abacus. Everyone clap for the good Samaritan.”
The Mental Math Toughies Gang claps. They clap too long so Boss Drifting Digits sharply gestures them to stop.
BOSS DRIFTING DIGITS
“Always so willing to help the children of the world. All children. Like you helped my children. MY CHILDREN! Where are they, Lord Abacus!”
LORD ABACUS
“Somewhere you can never hurt them again.”
BOSS DRIFTING DIGITS
“Wrong answer. Get him.”
The Mental Math Toughies gang members run down the dock towards Lord Abacus, weapons drawn.
LORD ABACUS
“Oh well if you’re looking for the correct answer, then I would have to say…MY FOOT!.”
Lord A jumps into a flying kick that shoots across the dock cutting through six gang members. He then pivots into a handstand, sticks his foot in a seventh gang member’s mouth and proceeds to spin. The seventh gang member is spun around like a weapon knocking the remaining three gang members. Lord Abacus flips up to a standing position, crouched and ready for more action.
CUT TO BOSS DRIFTING DIGITS
Boss Drifting Digits pulls a missile launcher. He starts yelling at Lord Abacus as he takes aim.
BOSS DRIFTING DIGITS
“NOT TODAY LORD ABACUS! TODAY YOU BURN! YOU BURN IN THE HOT SPOT!”
He launches a missile.
CUT TO LORD ABACUS
Lord Abacus looks left and right quickly taking stock of the situation. He starts to run left and whistles. He jumps off the edge of the dock while the missile zooms towards him.
CUT TO SLOW MOTION OF LORD ABACUS JUMPING OFF THE EDGE OF THE DOCK AND OUT OVER TO WATER.
A dolphin jumps up out of the water in response to Lord Abacus’ whistle. He lands on the dolphin. The missile races in close. Spinning on one foot, he kicks the missile back towards Boss Drifting Digits.
CUT TO THE MISSILE RACING TOWARDS BOSS TROUBLE.
INSERT CS OF BOSS DRIFTING DIGITS
BOSS DRIFTING DIGITS
“Gulp, looks like I forgot to carry the one.”
The dock is consumed in a fiery explosion as Boss Drifting Digits is vaporized by the missile.
CUT TO A SECOND DOLPHIN JUMPING OUT OS THE WATER.
CUT TO LORD ABACUS FINISHING HIS SPIN KICK ROTATION IN TIME TO PLACE HIS FOOT ON THE SECOND DOLPHIN.
Lord Abacus rides the two dolphins into the sunset.
CUT TO…
EXT. POTS’N’PANTOWN DOCKS, MORNING
VIRGINIA WESTVIRGINIA and OLD DA are at the dock fishing. From the distance speeds Lord Abacus straddling two dolphins. He reaches near the dock and the dolphins launch into the air. He flips, landing softly on the dock next to Virginia. The dolphins land back in the water and swim away.
LORD ABACUS
(holds up the letter) “Are you Virginia Westvirginia? The Virginia Westvirginia who wrote this letter?”
VIRGINIA VIRGINIA-WEST
“Yes.”
LORD ABACUS
“Good, because I am here to tell you, yes Virginia there is such a thing as an abacus…”
VIRGINIA WESTVIRGINIA
“Yes! I knew it!”
Then the scene splits in two behind Lord Abacus. It moves off to the sides, off screen, revealing the new setting.
VIRGINIA WESTVIRGINIA
“Wait, what is going on here?”
INT. LEARN-U-CATIONAL EDU-STUDYMENT CLASSROOM, DAYTIME
A bland college classroom, Lord Abacus stands in front of the classroom addressing a group of students. Virginia Westvirginia and Old Da are in the front rows, a little confused as to what is going on. Every student has an abacus on their desk.
MS OF LORD ABACUS FROM THE BACK OF CLASSROOM
LORD ABACUS
“…and anyone can easily learn how to operate it. Okay students, pick up your abacus and prepare to learn with me over the course of the next twenty-two easy lessons.”
TRANSITION FROM VIDEO TO OFFICE A
A-Mouse sits at her desk. Following along with the video, she pulls out her abacus. The PHONE RINGS. A-Mouse pauses the video and answers the phone.
A-MOUSE
“Hello. (pause)He said what? Sure, I’ll help. Let me ask everyone on this floor what they want and then I’ll meet you at the elevators. Ok. Cool. Bye.”
A-Mouse hangs up the phone then leans over and grabs a pad of paper and pencil from the desk along with a set of car keys. She turns off the monitor and puts on her jacket. She walks out of the office and turns off the lights.
FADE OUT
Thomas Typewriter 
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