Big red lipstick lips!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

FADE IN:

 

Scene 1: An office in Manchester.

Office is spacious with a large desk just off centre towards the back wall. Fluorescent strip light provides light enough for desk, but edges of office are gloomy. a few filing cabinets along the side wall. The paintwork is peeling in places. A couple of old creased posters on the wall showing bio-chemistry of plants. Desk has calendar showing date; Thursday March 8th 2007. Boss sits at desk. Boss is overweight in his forties, quite scruffy. Boss has American Chicago accent. Research mathematician enters office. Research Mathematician wears shirt and cords, has glasses and a Manchester accent.

 

Boss:

 

We’ve had some interesting results in from the field, Philippines no less. I thought you might enjoy the trip. We’d want you to stay for six months which’ll then be reviewed to see what further action’s needed, if any. We need you there to check out the numbers, make sure it all adds up.

 

Research Mathematician:

The pay is good?

 

Boss:

The pay is good if the job is good. If this “Wonder-plant” they say they have is true it’ll mean big bucks for all involved.

 

Research Mathematician:

If not?

 

 

 

Boss:

If not it’s just you’re normal salary, you lose nothing, we pay your expenses.

 

Research Mathematician:

Sounds too good to be true! when do I leave?

 

Boss:

Monday morning……; Look by all means enjoy yourself while you’re there but we need the work done. That’s why I’m giving this to you and not one of those jokers out there.

Action: Boss gestures outside office

 

Research Mathematician:

Thank you sir

Boss:

Very good, you’ll collect your tickets from the airport; where’d you wanna fly from?

Research Mathematician:

Manchester’s handy for me

Boss:

Ok I’ll see what I can do; you’re a good employee Smithers

 

FADE OUT.

 

 

FADE IN:

Scene 2: A laboratory in the Philippines.

Strip lighting abounds; though it is early and only the most central lights/main lights have been switched on. Work surfaces around the outside, a couple of sinks, a table in the middle of the room. Room is white, with white work surfaces, white floors, all is white or off-white/cream. Clock on the wall shows date and time; 08:11am Friday March 9th 2007. A plant sits on the table, a label reads “Wonder Plant”. Two research scientists are in the room, both Philippines, one male, one female, both wear white lab coats. Both have name tags, Mans name tag reads Benjie, the lady’s name tag reads Dalisay. They speak in a reasonable English though it is clearly Philippines accented. (clear enough for English listeners)

Benjie:

I’ve called England; they’re sending someone over to check our results.

Dalisay:

Well there shouldn’t be a problem, we’ve already checked and double checked, I’m excited Benny, this plant can produce more nutritional sugars than any other plant we’ve ever seen, imagine the world will come to the Philippines for it’s sugar needs once we can manufacture this, cos it’ll be real cheap.

 

Action: Cleaning lady enters room singing.

Benjie:

Hey Bayani; you still hoping to win that singing contest?

Action: Bayani ignores Benjie; Bayani has earphones playing music and subsequently cannot hear Benjie.

Dalisay:

You know, I’m sure that plant perks up every time Bayani enters the room.

FADE OUT.

FADE IN:

Scene 3: Office in Manila.

Large plush office in a Manila high rise. Calendar Clock on the wall reads; 09:02am Monday March 12th 2007. Large solid wooden desk just off centre towards the back wall. Large green tropical plants in corners of room, bookcase full of books, all of which look brand new. Cream and white patterned Wallpapered walls, bright lighting. A desk lamp on the desk along with other work orientated paraphernalia.

 

 

Action: Smithers walks into office for the first time.

Smithers:

Oh wow!

Action: Smithers moves around the office examining all the new things. Scanning the bookcase. Smithers is very happy with what he sees. Smithers moves to the desk with a book he’s selected and begins reading. A few moments later a singing voice floats across the air. Smithers tries to ignore the singing, harrumphing a little. Voice gets louder, a cleaning lady passes the front of the office, Smithers watches her as she passes the large glass window and the glass door, as the lady passes voice reaches a crescendo and then gradually begins to fade.

FADE OUT.

 

 

 

 

 

 

FADE IN:

scene 4: Manila office.

Calendar clock shows; 09:02am Monday March 19th 2007. Smithers sits at desk working at computer screen. Cleaner again walks past the office and again is singing; smithers fidgets and hurrumphs.

FADE OUT.

FADE IN:

Scene 5: Manila Office.

Calendar clock shows; 09:02am Monday March 26th 2007 Smithers sits at desk with ear plugs, yet again cleaner sings past the office; Smithers squirms and harrumphs.

FADE OUT.

FADE IN:

Scene 6: Manila office.

Calendar clock shows; 09:02am Wednesday March 28th 2007  Smithers sits at desk cowering a little. Smithers is wearing large white fluffy ear muffs. Smithers hears singing. Smithers grunts and shouts out.

Smithers:

NOOoooooo!

FADE OUT.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

FADE IN:

Scene 7: Office Block lobby.

Quite a small drab room. We see a reception desk with a calendar showing Thursday March 29th 2007. A smartly dressed Filipino man stands at the reception desk. Smithers complains about cleaner to office block receptionist. Receptionist has Filipino accent.

Smithers:

Everyday I have to listen to the cleaning lady sing as she passes my office, I’ve tried to ignore it, but I just can’t concentrate.

Receptionist:

So sorry sir, we’ll sort it out sir.

 

FADE OUT.

 

FADE IN:

Scene 8: Manila office.

Smithers is sat at the desk bracing himself for the singing cleaner. A cleaning lady passes, it is another lady, this lady does not sing. Smithers breathes a sigh of relief and begins working. camera pans to show computer screen; (Smithers’s P.O.V.) Screen shows a graph, for the past eight weeks, up till today’s date 2nd April 2007, a graph shows healthy results for Wonder plant.

FADE OUT.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

FADE IN:

Scene 9: Manila Office.

Smithers sits at desk with a concerned look. Camera pans to show computer screen, graph shows results for past eight weeks, up till today’s date 9th April 2007 but this week, the steady climb of success has become a flat line, showing that the Wonder plants growth is arrested.

FADE OUT.

FADE IN:

Scene 10: Manila office.

Computer screen, graph shows results for past eight weeks, up until today’s date 16th April 2007. Graph shows plants growth has now become plants deterioration.

FADE OUT.

FADE IN:

Scene 11: Manila office.

Computer screen: Graph shows results for past eight weeks, up till today’s date 23rd April 2007 .Graph shows plants results in sharp decline. Camera pans out to show Smithers face looking very worried. Telephone rings, Smithers nervously picks up the telephone.

Action: we hear phone voice, but cannot make out the words. Phone voice continues, intersected with Smithers’s responses.

Smithers:

I don’t know why it’s happening, sir, yes sir, but sir……

Action: The phone has gone dead, Smithers looks dejected. The Manila office is looking shabbier now, books strewn about, the plants are wilting. The wonder plant is looking dry, wilted, bent over. Smithers picks up the pot containing the wonder plant and walks out of the office.

FADE OUT.

FADE IN:

Scene 12: Unspecified Streets in Manila.

A very dejected looking Smithers is walking through an unknown neighbourhood in Manila, past run down houses. Suddenly the plant perks up, and then Smithers hears singing, it sounds like the cleaning lady’s voice. Smithers blindly follows the voice till he reaches the house where the voice is coming from. Smithers looks around and reads street sign “Sumolong Street”. Smithers opens a gate which has seen better day and walks down a cracked concrete path alongside a dry mud front garden to reach an old wooden door with a number 17 on it, The paint on the door is peeling. Smithers knocks on the door. The singing stops and Smithers hears someone coming to the door. The singing cleaner opens the door and is surprised to recognise a man who worked in the office block she cleaned in.

Singing cleaner:

What do you want? I gave all my work things back.

Smithers:

It’s you! You’re special… forgive me may I come in?

Action: Bayani eye’s Smithers with a little suspicion, then as she recognises the plant she decides to trust him.

Bayani:

Ok……

FADE OUT.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

FADE IN:

Scene 13: No.17 Sumolong Street.

Now the house looks transformed, the garden is full with lush tropical plants. Window boxes full of colour; our cleaning lady’s voice can be heard singing, though now it sounds like more than one voice. Smithers holds a briefcase, opens a petite well maintained wooden gate, walks up a smooth path alongside a garden bursting with plant life up to a smart green wooden door. Smithers knocks on the door. The singing stops and Smithers hears movements towards the door. The door is opened by Bayani (our singing cleaner) who smiles comfortably towards Smithers.

Action: Camera zooms in on Smither’s briefcase

Smithers opens his brief case and hands a cheque over to Bayani; we see the date on the cheque; 30/04/2007.

Action: Camera zooms out to show Smithers and Bayani

Smithers:

The rest of the cheques can be posted. I just wanted to deliver this first one personally. I wanted to say thank you and wish you all the best for the future.

Bayani:

Thank you for the plant

Smithers:

Just keep encouraging it, we’ll keep collecting the sugar and you can keep on collecting the cheques.

Bayani:

It’s a deal

Action: Smithers walks off with a friendly wave.

FADE OUT.

FADE IN:

Scene 14: Inside 17 Sumolong Street.

Bayani walks into living room. We see Wonder plant; only now wonder plant has grown to huge proportions, about one and a half metres tall. Wonder plant has three heads with three mouths, each with red lips, big red lipstick lips! Living room is smallish, ten feet by ten feet; a sofa on one side, television in the corner opposite the sofa. Television has karaoke machine connected. We see two microphones, one on a stand close to the wonder plants mouths, the other lying loose on the sofa.

Bayani:

I don’t know what they’d say if they saw you now… shall we carry on our practising?

Action: Wonder plant begins to sing

Wonder plant:

 

I was but a lowly spore from mars,

I landed on Philippines mountainside Mt. Apo,

Not sure if I could last for long

Action: Bayani picks up the other microphone from the sofa and begins to sing

Bayani:

But now you are grown up big and strong,

You’re gonna be around for;

Bayani and Wonder plant:

a long long long long time,

A long long long long time

I said a long long time

Forever and a day

Bayani:

And when we win that singing contest I’ll be bound,

We’ll live in luxury you and me

Me and the wonder plant that they found,

Me and the wonder plant that I’ve found

Bayani and Wonder Plant:

You and me, each other we have found

Action: Bayani talks, voice fades away towards the end of her sentence.

Bayani:

You know we really should give you a name…

 

FADE OUT.

THE END