The Haunting Page #3

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Two men, MALCOLM KEOGH, in his 50's, is a graying professor, the

head of the department; someone we trust.

He faces PROFESSOR JAMES MARROW. He is a man whose confidence

rests uneasily on his ambition, and in the tension between the two

is the power that makes him the teacher students love. Right now,

though, he is defending himself before a Department Review. This

is not a court martial with judges behind a desk, it's more free

form.

The men are having a fight, and they are watched by OTHER

PROFESSORS.

MALCOLM:

It's still an electric shock!

MARROW:

Come on Malcolm, it's only seven

ohms, it's nothing, it's like a

joy buzzer! And it's not about

the pain, it's about the

interference with concentration...

Malcolm looks at the monitor. This is Marrow's chance to explain

it again.

MARROW (cont'd)

Look, look at what it does! The

subjects on the left, because they

anticipate the shocks, make the

adjustment, and lose nothing on

their scores. The subjects on the

right, because the shocks are

random, can't anticipate, and the

distraction throws them off.

MALCOLM:

Stop defending your science after

the fact, Jim. The department

protocol for research is very

clear about this, and you violated

the rules. I know, I know, I know

that "Fear and Performance" is a

big sexy idea, but as long as I'm

chairman here you will need this

department's endorsement to

publish it, and right now I can't

do that.

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