Shhh...
Written By
Doug Trettin

Registered, WGAe	Doug Trettin
1166 Hidden Ridge Lane Atlanta, GA 30338 (770)730-8919 
doug.trettin@gmail.com	

FADE IN
INT. CONVENTION HALL -- AFTERNOON
The auditorium is large, and a sparse audience is well dispersed, sitting in folding chairs. A BESPECTACLED MAN, 50s and dressed in business attire, squints into spotlights as he stands onstage behind a podium.
Awkwardly attached to the podium is a sign reading, "Acousticophobia - your fear of loud sounds can be conquered!"
The bespectacled man is speaking very softly into the podium microphone.
BESPECTACLED MAN
(whispering)
...so these are the first five of ten steps you can take to help yourself now.
(He glances at his wrist watch.)
And remember: Acousticophobia ‑ your fear of loud sounds can be conquered!
(He pumps his fist)
Let's break for lunch...in an hour we'll go over the remaining five ste‑
A DEAFENING SQUEAL from the auditorium speakers overpowers the bespectacled man's voice. The audience freaks out, covering their ears and collectively GASPING...chairs SQUEEK against the floor and CLANK against each other as people dive to the floor for cover.

The bespectacled man gently TAPS ON THE MIC and softly BLOWS INTO IT - the squealing stops.

BESPECTACLED MAN (CONT'D)
(again, softly whispering)
Sorry about that...the buffet is next door.
   											CUT TO: 
INT. CONVENTION HALL SEATING AREA – AFTERNOON

Back in their seats, people are casually eating plates of food. No one is seated close to each other - typically a chair or two separate individuals. Conversation is idle.  As if gazing into crystal balls, people mostly staring at their plates while eating.
A CURLY HAIRED DUDE, 20s and wearing a polo shirt, shorts, and flip-flops, sits with both feet propped up on the empty chair in front of him. His plate of food is resting on his lap, and he is intently looking at his plastic spoon that he holds in catapult fashion.  Seated directly behind the curly haired dude is a large BALD HEADED GUY who, with his plastic fork, is adjusting his plate of food.
Within the bowl of the curly haired dude’s spoon is a compacted potato blob formed from a mixture of pulverized spuds and gravy. His thumb bends the spoon even more...the plastic spoon is now bent to full tension.

The curly haired dude briefly bites his lower lip.

CURLY HAIRED DUDE 
You can do this. You did it a thousand times in high school.  Pressure's on...
The tip of the spoon is released from his thumb and the glob of gravy infused mashed potatoes flies from it.    
The curly haired dude looks up and opens his mouth in preparation to catch the flying glob.  The look on his face goes from anticipation to disappointment as he turns to look back.  
The mashed potatoes are still sailing overhead.
The bald headed guy, seated behind, licks his lips and opens his mouth in preparation for his first big bite into a thick, juicy burger.
Just as the bald headed guy puts the burger in his mouth and chomps down, the blob of mashed potatoes lands SPLAT on top of his head. His eyes roll up, then, he glances around. It's obvious he doesn't know where the flying food came from.  He deliberately turns to his right and makes eye contact with…  
…a GOATEED MAN sitting one seat away. The goateed man is holding a plate of food and a glass half full of milk.  He has just taken a sip and is trying to hold back his laughter.

The bald headed guy closes his eyes as his face is hit with a huge spray of milk. He opens his eyes.  Unfazed, he's obviously pissed.
With lips puckered and milk dripping down his chin, the goateed man looks shocked and fearful.  He mimes the word, "Sorry", then, awkwardly shifts his line of sight forward in a weak attempt at avoiding the situation.
The bald headed guy looks down to his burger.
The top bun is slowly removed and turned, revealing two round, ketchup-covered pickle slices clinging to it.  One of the slices is plucked from the bun.
The bald headed guy looks back to the goateed man and smiles.
The goateed man looks nervous as he tries not to make eye contact with the bald headed guy.  The bald headed guy's hand emerges and slowly pushes the pickle slice onto the goateed man's cheek. The ketchup-covered pickle slice remains stuck as the bald headed guy takes his hand away. Holding a small opened package of mustard, the bald headed guy's hand emerges again and SQUIRTS the yellow condiment on the tip of the goateed man's nose.  INTENSE LAUGHTER breaks out, and the goateed man looks slightly to his right to see…
…a skinny, BUCKTOOTHED MAN sitting one row in front.   He's turned in his seat and is grinning and laughing hysterically at the goateed man's predicament.
The goateed man's nervous expression changes to one that’s annoyed.  He glances down to his plate of food.  
The goateed man looks up from his plate, briefly stares at the bucktoothed man, and then looks back down to his plate.
The plate on the goateed man's lap holds two greasy slices of pizza.
NEW SHOT
Sitting in a chair, a person’s face in concealed by a newspaper held above crossed legs.  
A FRAIL LOOKING GIRL cautiously approaches, gingerly sits next to the person reading the paper, and places her purse in her lap.

FRAIL LOOKING GIRL
(looking concerned)
I’m Lisa.
The person reading the paper gives no response.  The frail looking girl gently puts her hand on the person’s shoulder.
The news paper CRINKLES as it is lowered, and the bucktoothed man is revealed.  He has a gooey slice of pizza attached to each ear – it’s a greasy, cheesy mess.  He briefly stares forward before turning to acknowledge the girl.     

FRAIL LOOKING GIRL (CONT’D) 
(removing her hand)
That bad?  

His hearing is obviously impaired; the bucktoothed man looks at her in a puzzled way.  The girl looks to her purse and starts to rummage through it.

FRAIL LOOKING GIRL (CONT’D)
I know. Believe me. I know.
This loud world can be too much…  
sometimes I wish I could turn the volume to zero…
 
The frail girl stops rummaging as she looks up from her purse.   Staring at the slices of pizza, she motions to them.  

FRAIL LOOKING GIRL (CONT’D)
But that's a bit much.
She sighs heavily, then, turns her attention back to going through her purse.  
FRAIL LOOKING GIRL (CONT'D)
I know I've got some spare earplugs in here somewhere…

The bucktoothed man still looks at her in a puzzled way.

BUCKTOOTHED MAN 
(He can't hear his own voice, so he unknowingly shouts.) 
Whaaat?

The girl quickly looks up in shock and horror as her entire body jerks in a massive flinch.  Her purse and its contents go flying and her chair tips and falls backward.  She quickly disappears from view…replaced by the grinning face of the curly haired dude, framed by the girls upended, wavering feet!

									          FADE OUT: