Try Overtaking Me!

by Jacob Greenberg

Short Film
Email: [email protected]

Who is faster in a city: an electric scooter for disabled or a modern car?

www.greeenberg.net16.net

 

 

 

 

TRY OVERTAKING ME!

by

Jacob Greenberg

 

(can be used for car promotion)

 

 

 

 

[email protected]

 

FADE IN:

 

EXT. CITY STREET – DAY

A street of private houses.

JOHN (23) leaves his house and stops next to a new car. He looks on it with pleasure, takes out a napkin from the car and wipes a spot on the window.

His next door neighbor RICHARD (50) leaves his house on an old electric scooter for disabled people and stops near John.

RICHARD
Hi, John, how are you? Got a new car?

JOHN
Yes, the latest model! It has voice control, a first class torque and a fuel economy system, accelerates to 100 km faster than you can swallow a glass of beer.

John smiles, Richard looks inside the car.

RICHARD
For the life of me, I still do not understand the need for such acceleration? Anyway, it is forbidden to exceed 70 km on our street and in the city also. What is the sense of installing a speedometer to 250 km per hour in a car?

JOHN
(with admiration) Different sensation! Look how beautiful it is, powerful and intelligent. You get the feeling that this machine can do anything!

RICHARD
What can it do? Give me one example that it can do something that my old lady cannot. Can it fly through air?

 

Only a person committing suicide on the eve of his own funeral will accelerate to 250!

JOHN
(slightly annoyed) Sorry, but you don't understand the difference between a cool wheelbarrow (looks at his car) and a slow-rattletrap (looks at Richard’ electric scooter). You can't imagine the service you receive!

He sits in his car, opens the window with a lever, and then switches on the player.

JOHN
(cont'd)
I feel myself here… (trying to find the right word)

RICHARD
…like James Bond in his famous car! Are you hiding there a machine gun or cannon?

Richard laughs and puts his hand on his stick with a black bone handle.

JOHN
(nervously)
The advantage is that I can get to any place ten times faster than you.

RICHARD
I bet you that I'll overtake you!

JOHN
Are you serious? With your speed you can overtake a turtle alone.

RICHARD
On the highway you can go faster of course, but in town, where there are no straight, free roads and a lot of red lights, you can't bypass

 

traffic jams on the sidewalk which I can. Therefore, I will always arrive         before you.

JOHN
You can't even imagine the speed of this car. What are you talking about?

RICHARD
Statistics persist that the average speed does not exceed
22 km/h in the city. This is a proven fact! My scooter can improvise, so I'll bit you to it.

JOHN
(excitedly)
Let's bet! I bet 100 bucks that I can arrive anywhere before you.

RICHARD
Do you have a spare 100 bucks? I'm looking forward to receive it from you, that is, to win it and spend it happily on myself!

 

I'm serious!

JOHN

RICHARD
And I'm serious too. Is it a bet?

 

It is!

They shake hands on it.

JOHN

RICHARD
We'll start tomorrow at nine o'clock and go, well... to the Central Post office. You know it certainly. There is a large parking lot and one entry only. Due to the fact that I’ll arrive first, (smiles) I will be able to wait for you there in comfort.

 

JOHN
Okay! I can't imagine what your hopes are, but I'll show you tomorrow what a real ride is about. Be ready to pay.

Contentedly smiling, John ignites and leaves the parking lot. EXT. CITY STREET – MORNING
John draws a white line on the pavement in front of the house with chalk and writes the word "Start". Then returns, enters the car and drives to the start line.

Richard leaves his parking lot and also stops in front of the white line. They look at each other.

JOHN
Three, two, one. Go!

John’s car accelerates quickly, picks up speed and disappears around the bend.

Richard goes down the street calmly.

John, gripping the steering wheel, drives tensely through the city, sharply reacting to every red light.

He tries to overtake all the cars on the road, but has to stop frequently because of the heavy traffic.

He is stuck in a jam from time to time. John is drumming nervously on the steering wheel with his fingers.

Finally, he enters a street free of traffic. He heads quickly to the Central post office, enters the parking lot and sees Richard’ scooter.

Richard smiles, waves his hand warmly and puts his hand on his stick with a white bone handle.

RICHARD
You owe me 100 bucks, my friend.

JOHN
I don't understand how this could happen. How did you get here ahead of me? Has somebody given you a lift?

 

RICHARD
Yes, a helicopter picked me up and dropped me here. (laughs)

JOHN
But this simply can't be. It's unreal, impossible!

RICHARD
You're an analyst, John. You read a lot of detectives. Think about it and you'll understand! It is easy to explain. Driving slowly, but without any delay or stops, you'll get faster than in a racing car. In my opinion, this is very logical.

JOHN
(excitedly)
Let’s try again. Let's return home now! If you overtake me again, I'll pay you another hundred bucks. All right?

RICHARD
Go ahead but beware: you have no chance of winning!

JOHN
We'll see! Are you ready? Three, two, one. Go!

John’ car dashed away from the parking lot with a squeal.

John, with a strained face, drives rapidly through the streets. He grimaced at each red traffic light as if in pain.

Suddenly he sees a cluster of cars ahead of him. He turns back and drives in another direction.

Finally, the last turn and he sees Richard near the house waving his hand.

RICHARD
This trip to the post office has cost you 200 bucks.

 

JOHN
I'm shocked, never the less, I feel that some kind of a trick is involved.

RICHARD
What trick? Everything was happening before your eyes. Do you believe your eyes? I warned you…

John pulls out his wallet takes out 200 dollars and gives them to Richard.

Richard takes the money, drives to his house and, heavily leaning on his stick with the black bone handle, goes inside.

INT. JOHN’S BEDROOM – EVENING

John is lying on the bed fully clothed and stares at the ceiling.

He replays from memory the entire sequence of events.

A silent sequence of stills rush through his mind: Richard leaning on his stick with the black bone handle, separate frames of city driving, red lights, switched on directly in front of him, again shots of his route, the entry to the parking lot in front of the Central Mail, Richard in a scooter, the silent conversation, Richard’ hand lying on the stick with the white bone handle.

John sits up suddenly on the bed.

JOHN
(whispers)
The stick! Richard’ stick had a different color bone handle.
Black! That was not Richard! At the Post office was… his twin brother! He deceived me like a baby.

INT. RICHARD’S ROOM – EVENING

The phone rings. Richard picks it up.

RICHARD
Hi, Pete. All went well, everything went by the book. (pause) No, he hasn't realized

 

and delivered the 200 dollars. (pause) How could he know that I have a twin brother with the same scooter? I never told him about you. We had a lot of fun! (pause) Goodbye, Pete, thanks for your help. By the way, I decided to return his money.
He's a really good guy. (pause) I'll tell him how we cheated him and we'll laugh together. (pause) No, he loves puzzles.
Well, bless you.

Richard puts the phone down, leans heavily on his stick with the black bone handle and sits down in a chair. He turns on the TV.

EXT. – EVENING

John leaves home, goes to his car, sits down, turns on the headlights and switches on the music.
Richard, leaning on a cane with a black bone handle, approaches John's car.
John gets out of the car.

JOHN
I didn't know, Richard, that you have a twin brother!

RICHARD
How did you guess?

JOHN
It doesn't matter! (smiles) You tricked me. Return my money!

Richard takes out the money and gives it to John.

RICHARD
I thought it'll take you more time to come to conclusions. I was planning to tell you tomorrow...

 

JOHN
Do you agree now that my car is exceptional?

They stand in front of the car.

RICHARD
Yes, it is beautiful!

John winks to the car and the car "winks" back with one of the headlights.

FADE OUT:

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