Real Genius Page #3

HARRY:

Hi, my name is Harry. Let me guess your weight and age...midget mutant; weight...

The kid shoots it in the neck with a toy space gun. The ROBOT SHORT CIRCUITS: sparks shoot out, its arms fly in circles until a FUSE BLOWS and it SIZZLES to a burning stop.

WE PAN OVER TO the door just in time to see the entrance of DR. JERRY ATHERTON, professor of physics at Pacific Tech, and a popular host of a PBS television show about science. His manner and bearing mark him as a classic anal retentive. He is a perfect cross between Carl Sagan and Jerry Brown. Brilliant, intense, seemingly sincere but, in fact, incredibly manipulative. There is an intentional aura of superiority surrounding him.

We FOLLOW him in and down an aisle where he draws the attention of the crowd in the manner of the celebrity he is. An OLD LADY stops him. He beams a smile at her.

OLD LADY:

Are you Dr. Atherton?

ATHERTON:

Yes, dear.

OLD LADY:

I just love your television show.

ATHERTON:

Well, thank you. We try.

OLD LADY:

What's Albert Einstein really like?

ATHERTON:

Dead.

OLD LADY:

Oh, I thought you had him on.

ATHERTON:

No, that was just an actor.

OLD LADY:

Is everyone an actor, then?

ATHERTON:

(beginning to tire of this)

No, I'm a physicist.

OLD LADY:

But Einstein isn't?

ATHERTON:

(dismissing her)

Nice talking to you.

He walks away.

ANGLE ON a booth where we meet MITCH SIMON, aged fifteen. Mitch is a genius. He's known that since he was old enough to understand the word, which was on his first birthday. He was doing college level work by the time he was in the fourth grade. Although he's intellectually precocious, he's still only 15 years old and has all the problems of any average adolescent. His shyness and intellect have always made him feel different and uncomfortable in social situations.

He stands with his PARENTS near a demonstration table. Unlike some of the other exhibits we've seen, there is nothing amateurish about this one. In fact, it is an impressive display of a dye laser. We can see the beams of multi-colored rays bouncing between mirrors, moving through liquids, combining with gases.

MITCH is trying to explain his work to MR. SIMON, who is a nice enough guy but who pretty much regards the fact that his son is gifted as a pain in the butt.

MITCH:

See, Dad, it's coherent light.

MR. SIMON

It talks?

MITCH:

No.

ATHERTON APPROACHES. He is seen by MRS. SIMON, who greets him.

MRS. SIMON

Dr. ATHERTON, what a surprise.

ATHERTON:

Hello, Mrs. Simon. How are you?

MR. SIMON

No problem with Mitch's test scores or anything, is there?

ATHERTON:

No, no. I just thought I'd stop by, bring you the good news myself. I just got word from the admissions committee. We did it. Mitch is in.

Rate this script:0.0 / 0 votes