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Scenes from Hell: RefreshCo Discount Citrus Drink Public School #16

What better way is there to meld molding young minds with making sweet, sweet money?

  REFRESHCO DISCOUNT CITRUS DRINK PUBLIC SCHOOL #16

               EXT. REFRESHCO DISCOUNT CITRUS DRINK PS #16 - MORNING -
               ESTABLISHING

               From a distance, we see students disembarking from buses,
               minivans, and SUVs, filing into their school. A billboard,
               showing a brightly-colored can of RefreshCo's Discount Citrus
               Drink, casts a shadow over them all.

               EXT. PS #16 WALKWAY ABUTTING SCHOOL - MORNING

               PETER LARAMIE, 12, shuffles his way off of a school bus. He
               is small for his age and pale, but with dark circles around
               his eyes. His clothes are, generously-put, hand-me-downs. 

               He yawns as he meanders to the school's front doors, crossing
               in front of some ads affixed to the school bus as he goes. 

               INT. PS #16 FOYER - MORNING - CONTINUOUS

               As Peter steps through the doorway, he catches his foot on
               the threshold. The sole of one of his shoes comes loose; he
               ignores it. He walks underneath an expensive, ceiling-mounted
               television depicting a boy lost in a textbook with a can of
               soda at his side.

               INT. PS #16 CORRIDOR - MORNING - CONTINUOUS

               Peter pushes his way through a throng of kids, most of whom
               are a good few inches taller than him. Struggling, he finds
               his locker and opens it; he's greeted by a speaker mounted on
               the door.

                                   LOCKER-MOUNTED SPEAKER (O.S.)
                             (animated but still
                              robotic)
                         Good morning, Peter! Today is
                         Tuesday, May 2nd. There are 15 days
                         left in the school year.

               Peter takes a textbook, covered in loosely-taped brown bag
               paper, from his backpack; he hangs the backpack on a hook in
               the locker. He fiddles with one of its pockets for a pencil.

                                   LOCKER-MOUNTED SPEAKER (CONT'D)
                         Your first class today is Language
                         Arts with your homeroom teacher,
                         Mrs. Blake.
                         Your special block today, also with
                         Mrs. Blake, will be silent reading.
                         It is 84 degrees outside-- that's
                         hot! Remember that RefreshCo
                         vending machines can be found at
                         convenient locations throughout the
                         school. 

               Peter weakly shuts his locker and trudges down the hall to
               his homeroom. 

               INT. PS #16 CLASSROOM - MORNING - CONTINUOUS 

               The classroom has a typical set-up: desk (complete with shiny
               red apple) in front for a teacher, rows of seats for
               students. Educational posters cover much of the wall space:
               information on energy from the clean coal industry, a legally
               enforced alternate geologic history of the Earth courtesy of
               Answers in Genesis, and nutritional best practices from
               RefreshCo. 

               The classroom is pretty full; Peter finds a seat toward the
               back and flops into it. He puts his head on his desk. ADAM
               RUIZ, 12, tall, confident, and with a tense but arguably kind
               demeanor, sits in front of him.

                                   ADAM
                             (turns to Peter, then
                              places a hand on his
                              shoulder)
                         Be healed!

                                   PETER
                             (groans)
                         Quit it, Adam. I'm tired.

                                   ADAM
                         Tired? It's morning, Petey-Pete.

                                   PETER
                             (still face-down, talking
                              into arms)
                         I didn't eat breakfast this morning
                         and Harry Sinclair took my lunch
                         money on the bus and I didn't sleep
                         and so, yeah, tired. 

               Adam turns back around for a moment and digs theatrically
               into his pants pockets. 

                                   ADAM
                             (turns, holding an
                              unwrapped piece of candy
                              out at Peter)
                         Mint?

                                   PETER
                             (lifts head, looks
                              skeptically at Adam, then
                              snatches the candy)
                         Thanks.

               Through the classroom door, MRS. HELEN BLAKE, 39, short,
               blonde, and severe, enters. Most of the kids go quiet; a few
               stragglers are silenced with a some well-placed looks from
               the teacher.

                                   MRS. BLAKE
                             (grabs binder from her
                              desk, begins flipping
                              through it)
                         Acceptable, class.
                             (looks to wall clock)
                         9 o'clock. Time for announcements.

               Mrs. Blake, her heels clicking against the floor, walks to a
               corner in the front of the room and leans against the wall. A
               bell DINGS and the school PA system turns on with a CLICK
               followed by a gentle HUM. The kids give it nominal attention.

                                   ANNOUNCER (O.S.)
                             (big, stereotypical radio
                              dude voice)
                         Good morning, students, these are
                         YOUR daily announcements! Today is
                         another beautiful day at RefreshCo
                         Discount Citrus Drink Public School
                         number 16! RefreshCo: bringing
                         textbooks through affordable
                         deliciousness to communities in the
                         Greater Kansas City area since
                         2002. Now, let me hand the mic over
                         to the winner of last month's Chug
                         A-Lug competition, Jimmy
                         Ermatinger! Jimmy managed to polish
                         off a 24-pack of Laugh-A-Minute
                         Limeade in only 5 minutes! Take it
                         away, Jimmy!

               A THUMP is broadcast by the PA system as the mic is handed
               off.

                                   JIMMY (O.S.)
                             (unsure, clearly reading)
                         Thanks.
                             (huge beat, almost
                              conceals a burp)
                         Uh, thanks.

               Some of the kids in the classroom giggle. Mrs. Blake shushes
               them.

                                   JIMMY (CONT'D)
                             (relieved, but still
                              clearly reading)
                         The baseball team will be playing
                         at home today. Tickets are still
                         available at the front desk. Come
                         out and see the new uniforms. Go
                         Fightin' Lemons!
                             (then)
                         The vending machine in the west
                         hallway is back in service. Be sure
                         to give it a visit and let it know
                         how much we missed it.
                             (then)
                         Due to budgetary concerns, all art
                         and music classes will be merged
                         for the remainder of the year. All
                         art and music teachers are expected
                         to learn a lot of music or a lot of
                         art, too, respectively. Also, half
                         of art and music teachers will be
                         entering a new phase of their
                         lives, so good luck, you guys!
                             (then)
                         Finally, look out for new lockers!
                         Over the next few days, mini
                         messaging-monitors will be
                         installed in all of the lockers.
                         Keep up with your schedule, and get
                         the latest cool news and tips from
                         RefreshCo right in your own locker!
                         These have been the announcements.
                         Thanks.

               Following a descending pair of CHIMES, the PA system shuts
               off. Mrs. Blake clicks her way to her desk, and flips to the
               first page in her binder.

                                   MRS. BLAKE
                         Alright, class. Attendance.
                             (with finger pointing at
                              list as she calls names)
                         Benson, Jules?

                                   KID VOICE #1 (O.S.)
                         Here.

                                   MRS. BLAKE
                         Del Rio, Suzette?

                                   KID VOICE #2 (O.S.)
                         Present.

                                   MRS. BLAKE
                         Finnegan, Timothy?

                                   KID VOICE #3 (O.S.)
                         Here.

                                   MRS. BLAKE
                         Laramie, Peter?

               There's no response. Adam steals a glance at a possibly
               sleeping Peter Laramie. 

                                   MRS. BLAKE (CONT'D)
                         Laramie, Peter? Peter?
                             (scans the classroom,
                              locks onto Peter)
                         I can see you, Peter. Wake up!

               Mrs. Blake THWACKS her binder against her desk. Peter shoots
               upright.

                                   PETER
                         Present.

                                   MRS. BLAKE
                         Where have I gone wrong, Mr.
                         Laramie?

                                   PETER
                             (cautious)
                         You didn't, ma'am?

                                   MRS. BLAKE
                         I think I have. I'm not a person
                         worthy of your attention,
                         apparently.

                                   PETER
                             (shrinking)
                         Yes you are, ma'am. I'm just tired
                         and I didn't sleep and I missed
                         breakfast and I don't have lunch
                         money and all.

                                   MRS. BLAKE
                             (hold binder underneath
                              arm, begins pacing around
                              the classroom)
                         Sounds to me like you haven't
                         planned your day out very well,
                         Peter. 

                                   PETER
                         I--

                                   MRS. BLAKE
                         I'm not just someone who takes
                         attendance and teaches you grammar,
                         everyone. I can teach you about
                         life, too. And one thing that you
                         should always ask yourself, right
                         before you leave home every
                         morning, is this: "am I prepared?"

                                   PETER
                             (meekly)
                         Mrs. Bl--

                                   MRS. BLAKE
                         Class, let's help Peter! Are you
                         'prepared' when you come to school
                         without having eaten breakfast?

                                   CLASS
                             (in that class full of
                              kids way)
                         No, Mrs. Blake.

                                   MRS. BLAKE
                         Are you 'prepared' when you come to
                         school without having had a good
                         night's sleep?

                                   CLASS
                         No, Mrs. Blake.

                                   MRS. BLAKE
                         And are you 'prepared' when you
                         come to school without a boxed
                         lunch or money to buy lunch in the
                         cafeteria?

                                   CLASS
                         No, Mrs. Blake.

                                   MRS. BLAKE
                         Right! Now, Peter, you know that
                         we're out of lunch vouchers for the
                         rest of the year. You'll have to
                         display some gumption-- maybe do
                         some hard work-- if you want to
                         eat. 

               Toward the front of the classroom, a chubby, expensively
               clothed boy, MATT LOVEJOY, 12, raises his hand.

                                   MRS. BLAKE (CONT'D)
                         Yes, Matt?

                                   MATT
                         I'll give Peter 10 dollars if he
                         dances in front of everyone. 

               The class giggles.

                                   MRS. BLAKE
                             (takes a beat to consider)
                         Peter, will you help... yourself?

               Peter shrugs and sinks further into his seat.

                                   MRS. BLAKE (CONT'D)
                         Or will you starve because the
                         handouts have dried up?

               Peter shrugs again. The various cliques of the classroom
               concur, starting at a whisper and gradually getting louder:

                                   CLASS
                         Dance and eat! Dance and eat! Dance
                         and eat!

               Peter puts his head down on his desk for a moment before
               standing and dragging himself to the front of the classroom.
               He starts a clumsy sort of swaying before he slips on the
               loose sole of his shoe. He stops, choked up, and looks out to
               his classmates before slinking back to his seat.

                                   MATT
                             (shouting, concerned)
                         Mrs. Blake, I don't have to give
                         him anything! That wasn't a real
                         dance.

                                   MRS. BLAKE
                             (considering)
                         No, I'd suppose not.

               Adam's hand shoots up. He bounces in his chair.

                                   ADAM
                         Mrs. Blake! Mrs. Blake!

                                   MRS. BLAKE
                         Yes, Adam?

                                   ADAM
                         I gave Peter charity a few minutes
                         ago and now I don't agree with what
                         he's done with it!

                                   MRS. BLAKE
                         Is this true, Peter?

               Peter shrugs and puts his head down.

                                   MRS. BLAKE (CONT'D)
                         So I suppose it is. Peter!
                         Principal's office, now! And don't
                         steal anything on the way out.
                             (grabs the apple from her
                              desk, then points to the
                              door)
                         Go!

               Practically running, Peter exits the classroom.

                                   MRS. BLAKE (CONT'D)
                         Very good, then. Now who's ready to
                         learn?

               END OF SCENE

Not to be crass, but I do think that Born to Buy gives a decent treatment of consumerism and kids. Additional crassness dodge: libraries are a thing, still, people!

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