Post by Jack Russow on Jan 8, 2020 20:41:34 GMT -5
(Writer's Note: This was written as Slappy's backstory. Sorry if it breaks your heart
“...first you get hurt...then you feel sorry…”
(We see a quarter get dropped into a jukebox as it kicks to life with the opening dulcet tones of “First” by Cold War Kids...we see the lights flicker on in an old-fashioned arcade called the Silver Ball...we see a massive figure walking along the line of pinball machines running his hand over them as the song swells into the first verse the scene twists up to show Slappy McGoo with a warm grin on his face. He walks to the circuit breaker and flips the main switch as all the video games and pinball machines click to life.)
Slappy McGoo: ...hi guys…
(Slappy walks around looking almost reflective as he stops at the Simpsons pinball machine and runs his hand along the top of it...an old scene plays in his mind of a coke bottle thick pair of glasses and a messy bowl cut barely tall enough to see over the glass.)
Young Slappy: This one! This one daddy!
(A kind, older man comes walking up laughing with a step stool…)
Man: Okay, Okay Herbie! Settle down...here!
(The man sets the step stool down and suddenly bounding up wide-eyed in amazement, Slappy comes face to face with the first time he ever played his favorite game. He looks at the machine he’s leaning against...the stained, frail lights now robust and new as he watches the young version of himself fail miserably and crocodile tears well up in the youngsters eyes as the man comes over, kneels, and puts an arm around him.)
Man: It’s okay to fail sometimes, son! That’s half the fun...and it’s how you get better! But you have to keep trying...so go on! Try it again!
(He watches the young version, “Herbie”, pull the plunger and launch again, this time the paddle connects with a solid hit and the ball sails up the machine into Krusty the Clown’s mouth.)
Herbie: I DID IT! I DID IT DAD!
Slappy’s Dad: I KNEW YOU COULD DO IT! THAT’S MY BOY!
(Slappy smiles reflectively and walks over to the Street Fighter 2 standing arcade...he take a hold of one of the joysticks as another scene plays in his mind, this time of him as a teenager standing side by side with the same old man who’s hair is greyer.)
Teenage Herbert: Alright old man, you’re goin’ DOWN!
Slappy’s Dad: That’s what YOU think, Youngblood! Eat my fireball!
Herbert: Oh whatever! Take this uppercut! Take this electric charge!
Slappy’s Dad: You and your Blanka...what IS it with you!?
Herbert: He’s mean, he’s green, and he’s kickin’ your butt, Old Man!
Slappy’s Dad: How ‘bout some of THIS!
Herbert: That’s not fair! Your legs can stretch the entire screen!?
Slappy’s Dad: That’s right son!
(The two bump shoulders with each other as his dad pats him on the back and they continue playing the game as Slappy turns and walks towards the six player X-Men standing cabinet as he sees himself as a punked out young adult standing next to a hunched old man fixing his glasses.)
Slappy’s Dad: So, I don’t understand...this lady controls the weather?
Slappy McGoo: Yeah dad, that’s why she’s called *STORM*
Slappy’s Dad: And this one with the claws?
Slappy McGoo: Wolverine.
Slappy’s Dad: I’ll just be the laser blasty guy…
Slappy McGoo: His name is Cyclops, ya goob! I got dibs on Colossus!
(They start playing the game as Slappy remembers his father not paying attention to the game...but staring at the young version of him as he raises his hand and pats him on the back again. Slappy then turns and stops dead in his tracks by the air hockey table...the scene changes again to show a Slappy in his early 20’s arguing with an even older version of the old man.)
Slappy McGoo: You can’t tell me what to do anymore, old man!
Slappy’s Dad: Herbie I’m...I’m not trying to!
Slappy McGoo: Yeah you are! You’re trying to force me to be like you and I just...I’m NOT! I’m my own man, old man!
Slappy’s Dad: I-...I know that Herbie!
Slappy McGoo: AND STOP CALLING ME THAT! God, HOW much did you hate me to give me a stupid-ass name like “Herbert”. You know how much crap I took for that in school!?
Slappy’s Dad: I’m sorry son...it...it was your Grandfather’s name...my father.
Slappy McGoo: Yeah, what a role model. How old were you when he bailed on you!?
Slappy’s Dad: ...Herbert that’s not fair.
Slappy McGoo: Whatever man...I’m outta here.
Slappy’s Dad: I don’t like you hanging around with those boys, they’re nothing but bad news...you’re gonna get yourself in trouble!
Slappy McGoo: I know what the Hell I’m doing, old man. Just butt out!
Slappy’s Dad: I’m just worried...I love you son!
Slappy McGoo: Whatever, man.
(Slappy wipes away a single tear as he turns and stops cold in his tracks looking at the front door...where he sees himself walk through in a black suit, holding the door open for a middle-aged woman to walk through as she enters and looks around, eyes still stinging red from the tears.)
Slappy McGoo: ...what do we do now, Mom?
Slappy’s Mom: I...I can’t sell it...this place was your dad’s pride and joy.
Slappy McGoo: Yeah...this place…
(She turns and puts her hand on his cheek.)
Slappy’s Mom: Herbert...your father loved you more than you will ever know.
Slappy McGoo: I know...I...I didn’t deserve it though!
Slappy’s Mom: He knew you loved him, Herbert.
Slappy McGoo: I just wish I...I wish I’d been THERE for him...he needed me...and I failed him.
Slappy’s Mom: You could NEVER fail him, Herbert! You were the happiest memories he ever had!
(Slappy watches himself start to cry, echoing the real tears he was now feeling. The past version of him holds his mother’s hand that’s caressing his cheek.)
Slappy McGoo: I just don’t know what to do…
Slappy’s Mom: Just...be GOOD, Herbert. You have SUCH a good heart...be GOOD. The world will only change when hearts like yours show the others how to be KIND!
Slappy McGoo: *crying* I...I never got to say goodbye!
(Slappy watches his mother embrace him as the memory fades and Slappy is alone, wiping the tears from his own eyes...Jami Burnett comes walking into frame holding little Maggie as she walks over and puts her arm around his waist hugging him.)
Jami Burnett: ...you okay, Slap?
Slappy McGoo: ...I...I will be.
Jami Burnett: Chris is here to open up...I’m gonna go put Maggie in the car.
Slappy McGoo: I’ll be right behind you, my love.
(She kisses him on the cheek as she exits, Slappy looks to the sky with tears still in his eyes…)
Slappy McGoo: I’ll make you proud of me...g’bye Dad…
(Slappy turns and walks out as the trip down memory lane fades.)
“...first you get hurt...then you feel sorry…”
(We see a quarter get dropped into a jukebox as it kicks to life with the opening dulcet tones of “First” by Cold War Kids...we see the lights flicker on in an old-fashioned arcade called the Silver Ball...we see a massive figure walking along the line of pinball machines running his hand over them as the song swells into the first verse the scene twists up to show Slappy McGoo with a warm grin on his face. He walks to the circuit breaker and flips the main switch as all the video games and pinball machines click to life.)
Slappy McGoo: ...hi guys…
(Slappy walks around looking almost reflective as he stops at the Simpsons pinball machine and runs his hand along the top of it...an old scene plays in his mind of a coke bottle thick pair of glasses and a messy bowl cut barely tall enough to see over the glass.)
Young Slappy: This one! This one daddy!
(A kind, older man comes walking up laughing with a step stool…)
Man: Okay, Okay Herbie! Settle down...here!
(The man sets the step stool down and suddenly bounding up wide-eyed in amazement, Slappy comes face to face with the first time he ever played his favorite game. He looks at the machine he’s leaning against...the stained, frail lights now robust and new as he watches the young version of himself fail miserably and crocodile tears well up in the youngsters eyes as the man comes over, kneels, and puts an arm around him.)
Man: It’s okay to fail sometimes, son! That’s half the fun...and it’s how you get better! But you have to keep trying...so go on! Try it again!
(He watches the young version, “Herbie”, pull the plunger and launch again, this time the paddle connects with a solid hit and the ball sails up the machine into Krusty the Clown’s mouth.)
Herbie: I DID IT! I DID IT DAD!
Slappy’s Dad: I KNEW YOU COULD DO IT! THAT’S MY BOY!
(Slappy smiles reflectively and walks over to the Street Fighter 2 standing arcade...he take a hold of one of the joysticks as another scene plays in his mind, this time of him as a teenager standing side by side with the same old man who’s hair is greyer.)
Teenage Herbert: Alright old man, you’re goin’ DOWN!
Slappy’s Dad: That’s what YOU think, Youngblood! Eat my fireball!
Herbert: Oh whatever! Take this uppercut! Take this electric charge!
Slappy’s Dad: You and your Blanka...what IS it with you!?
Herbert: He’s mean, he’s green, and he’s kickin’ your butt, Old Man!
Slappy’s Dad: How ‘bout some of THIS!
Herbert: That’s not fair! Your legs can stretch the entire screen!?
Slappy’s Dad: That’s right son!
(The two bump shoulders with each other as his dad pats him on the back and they continue playing the game as Slappy turns and walks towards the six player X-Men standing cabinet as he sees himself as a punked out young adult standing next to a hunched old man fixing his glasses.)
Slappy’s Dad: So, I don’t understand...this lady controls the weather?
Slappy McGoo: Yeah dad, that’s why she’s called *STORM*
Slappy’s Dad: And this one with the claws?
Slappy McGoo: Wolverine.
Slappy’s Dad: I’ll just be the laser blasty guy…
Slappy McGoo: His name is Cyclops, ya goob! I got dibs on Colossus!
(They start playing the game as Slappy remembers his father not paying attention to the game...but staring at the young version of him as he raises his hand and pats him on the back again. Slappy then turns and stops dead in his tracks by the air hockey table...the scene changes again to show a Slappy in his early 20’s arguing with an even older version of the old man.)
Slappy McGoo: You can’t tell me what to do anymore, old man!
Slappy’s Dad: Herbie I’m...I’m not trying to!
Slappy McGoo: Yeah you are! You’re trying to force me to be like you and I just...I’m NOT! I’m my own man, old man!
Slappy’s Dad: I-...I know that Herbie!
Slappy McGoo: AND STOP CALLING ME THAT! God, HOW much did you hate me to give me a stupid-ass name like “Herbert”. You know how much crap I took for that in school!?
Slappy’s Dad: I’m sorry son...it...it was your Grandfather’s name...my father.
Slappy McGoo: Yeah, what a role model. How old were you when he bailed on you!?
Slappy’s Dad: ...Herbert that’s not fair.
Slappy McGoo: Whatever man...I’m outta here.
Slappy’s Dad: I don’t like you hanging around with those boys, they’re nothing but bad news...you’re gonna get yourself in trouble!
Slappy McGoo: I know what the Hell I’m doing, old man. Just butt out!
Slappy’s Dad: I’m just worried...I love you son!
Slappy McGoo: Whatever, man.
(Slappy wipes away a single tear as he turns and stops cold in his tracks looking at the front door...where he sees himself walk through in a black suit, holding the door open for a middle-aged woman to walk through as she enters and looks around, eyes still stinging red from the tears.)
Slappy McGoo: ...what do we do now, Mom?
Slappy’s Mom: I...I can’t sell it...this place was your dad’s pride and joy.
Slappy McGoo: Yeah...this place…
(She turns and puts her hand on his cheek.)
Slappy’s Mom: Herbert...your father loved you more than you will ever know.
Slappy McGoo: I know...I...I didn’t deserve it though!
Slappy’s Mom: He knew you loved him, Herbert.
Slappy McGoo: I just wish I...I wish I’d been THERE for him...he needed me...and I failed him.
Slappy’s Mom: You could NEVER fail him, Herbert! You were the happiest memories he ever had!
(Slappy watches himself start to cry, echoing the real tears he was now feeling. The past version of him holds his mother’s hand that’s caressing his cheek.)
Slappy McGoo: I just don’t know what to do…
Slappy’s Mom: Just...be GOOD, Herbert. You have SUCH a good heart...be GOOD. The world will only change when hearts like yours show the others how to be KIND!
Slappy McGoo: *crying* I...I never got to say goodbye!
(Slappy watches his mother embrace him as the memory fades and Slappy is alone, wiping the tears from his own eyes...Jami Burnett comes walking into frame holding little Maggie as she walks over and puts her arm around his waist hugging him.)
Jami Burnett: ...you okay, Slap?
Slappy McGoo: ...I...I will be.
Jami Burnett: Chris is here to open up...I’m gonna go put Maggie in the car.
Slappy McGoo: I’ll be right behind you, my love.
(She kisses him on the cheek as she exits, Slappy looks to the sky with tears still in his eyes…)
Slappy McGoo: I’ll make you proud of me...g’bye Dad…
(Slappy turns and walks out as the trip down memory lane fades.)