Sunday, May 27, 2007

The One About The Boot

1. INT. SUNNYSIDE SHOPPING CENTRE. DAY.

The shoe-repairers in the main concourse. Shoe repairs and key-cutting. See the owner, ONE-EYED CARLOS, in the back. He's in his 50s and wears thick, Harry Palmer glasses. His left eye, however, is covered with a black patch. Occasionally, he looks up from his work, cutting a key, looks at a small portable televisionset in the corner. It's a wonder he can see anything at all.

At the counter is his daughter MARIA, who is in her early thirties. MARIA might be quite attractive if it wasn't for a rather pronounced moustache.

At the side, glimpse a public information poster asking everyone to join together to fight the war on terrorism. "It's up to all of us."

TELEVISION
Police were searching last night for a
man who shot dead a builder with
an arrow in a crowded shopping centre.

A customer, RAY (late twenties) is talking to MARIA, a pair of boots on the counter.
RAY
I bought them in to be mended a couple
of weeks ago.

Maria takes the boots. She inspects one of them carefully. She turns it over, looks at the sole, and then the heel.

RAY
When I first brought them in, it took
well over a week for them to be sorted.
I was told it was only going to be a
couple of days.

MARIA
(Putting the boot that she has been inspecting
down on the counter) That's okay. Nothing
wrong with that.

RAY
That's not the one causing the problem.
(MARIA picks up the other boot)
If I'd known then what I know now,
I think I would've done things a bit differently.

MARIA is looking at the other boot. She turns it over, and all looks fine. Then she pulls slightly on the heel, and it comes away. It's completely broken.

RAY
See what I mean?

MARIA
One moment please.

MARIA goes into the back with the boot and talks to her father, who interrupts his work. CARLOS lifts his glasses to peer into the empty well of the broken heel's interior. After a while, MARIA returns to the counter.

MARIA
Yes, these are very difficult to repair.

RAY
(Pointing to CARLOS) That's what he told
me before. When I came to pick them up, 
I asked why they'd taken so long. He said
that he'd had to send them away. 'Send
them away?' I said. 'Where to?' 'The
workshop,' he says, 'I can't do them here.'

MARIA
(Showing RAY the broken heel) If you look,
you can see. Because they are made of
plastic, they are very difficult to mend.

RAY
(Pointing again at CARLOS) That's exactly
what he said. Exactly.

MARIA
He is my father.

RAY
That explains it then. 'All the boots now
are coming from Taiwan and China,' he
says. To be honest, I don't care if they're
coming from Timbuktu, I just want them
fixed. I can't be the first person with a
broken heel.

MARIA
We can send them to the workshop again
but .. I do not think that it will work.

RAY
So you're not really .. You don't repair.
It's not what you do at all.

MARIA studiously ignores the bait and smiles at RAY.

MARIA
Look. (She leans over the counter and shows
RAY the inside of the heel) Try to see, really
see what I am saying, and you will understand.
There is nothing to work with to recreate the
heel, because it is made of plastic. This boot
 .. is cheap. My father should never have agreed
to mend it. He can never say no. And now you
are angry because it is broken again.

RAY looks at the boot, and then at MARIA. They are close.  He is being affected both by her cutting remark and their closeness. A moment.

RAY
Right. So.  (Another moment) What should I do?

RAY is attracted to MARIA now, moustache and all. He looks at her again, seeing her in a completely different way from before.

MARIA
(Soft) I will try one more time. Yes?
One more time we give it a go. And
if it is not possible to mend them, I
will give you your money back.

RAY
Okay.

MARIA writes out a ticket receipt and hands it to RAY. RAY takes it, looks at it. For him, it is a token of hope, a promise of possibility. The moment is broken as Security Officer CONNOR comes up to the counter.  
CONNOR
(To MARIA, showing her a photograph)
Excuse me, Madam, have you seen this 
man?

MARIA
(A moment as she looks at the photograph
No.  Sorry.  Why?  Who is it?

RAY
It's the Longbow Killer.  Isn't it?

CONNOR looks at RAY suspiciously before walking off.

2. INT. SUNNYSIDE SHOPPING CENTRE. DAY.

The shoe-repairers. As RAY is going, a MAN comes up to the counter. He has a key in his hand.

MAN
(To MARIA) This door-key doesn't work
and now I can't get in.

Sunday, April 22, 2007

The One About The Bicycle

1. INT. SUNNYSIDE SHOPPING CENTRE. DAY.

A bicycle shop. ABU - the man who was looking suspicious in The One About The Busybody - sits astride a brand new bicycle, getting a feel for it, as the ASSISTANT explains its features. ABU's girlfriend DELLA (30) watches.

ASSISTANT
Aluminium frame, alloy hubs, double wall rims,
alloy cranks, semi-raised steel handlebars, and
21-speed Shimano shifter. It’s a good all-purpose
bicycle, very robust ..

2. INT. SUNNYSIDE SHOPPING CENTRE. DAY.

The main concourse of Sunnyside. Security Guard CONNOR is talking to someone on the walkie-talkie. Beside him is DYLAN (40), the Deputy Security Manager.  They are very jumpy, eyes peeled for the Longbow Killer or - failing that - anyone who looks in the least bit suspicious.

CONNOR
(To JIM) Say again, Jim.

JIM
(OOV on the walkie-talkie) He’s bought a push-bike.

DYLAN
(To CONNOR, indicating the whole shopping centre)
No bikes.  We’ve got him.

3. INT. SUNNYSIDE SHOPPING CENTRE. DAY.

We see DELLA with ABU, who is wheeling his brand new bike through the main concourse of Sunnyside. See some way ahead, DYLAN and CONNOR walking towards them, urgent.

4. INT. SUNNYSIDE SHOPPING CENTRE. DAY.

The main concourse of Sunnyside. CONNOR goes up to ABU as DYLAN holds back.

CONNOR
Excuse me, sir. No bicycles in the shopping centre.

ABU
Oh.

CONNOR
Company policy.

ABU
But I’ve just bought it.

CONNOR
No bicycles allowed, sir.

ABU
But I bought it here.

CONNOR
Sorry sir.

DELLA
This is ridiculous.

DYLAN
(Stepping forward) The best thing to do is to take it
back to the shop you bought it from. If you can carry
it, rather than wheeling it along, that would be acceptable.

ABU
You're having a laugh.

DYLAN
You can ask them to deliver it.

ABU picks up the bike and starts to walk back to the bicycle shop. DYLAN and CONNOR watch them.

CONNOR
Sorry about that, sir.

ABU
Yeah. Sure you are.

5. INT. SUNNYSIDE SHOPPING CENTRE. DAY.

DELLA, with ABU carrying the brand new bicycle through the concourse.

6. INT. SUNNYSIDE SHOPPING CENTRE. DAY.

DYLAN and CONNOR in the concourse. Suddenly, ABU burns past them on his bike, giving them a finger as he goes. Close on DYLAN and CONNOR as they take it in.

The One About The Sebatier Knives

1. INT. SUNNYSIDE SHOPPING CENTRE. DAY. TONY the Salesman is still trying to flog a credit card to MAN MOUNTAIN BOB.

TONY
What’s that supposed to mean?

BOB
I’m really not interested.

TONY
There’s no trick.  Go with.  Go with.
(BOB is thinking. He looks around the mall).

BOB
I was only killing time.

TONY
Don’t ever do that, mate. Life’s too short for that.
I’ve offered you a 25% discount on your mortgage, yeah? 
Now what I'm going to do is double your life insurance.

BOB
What’s the catch?

TONY
There is no catch ..

TONY is beginning to lose patience.

TONY
(Counting on his fingers) You’ve got the interest-free credit on the
card, you’ve got the discount on the car insurance, the discount on
the mortgage - and I’ve doubled your life assurance in the event of
your untimely death. And .. to top it all, right, I’m going to give you ..
(he bends down behind the counter, re-appears with a set of kitchen
knives in a wooden block) this set of fourteen Sebatier Professional
kitchen knives. Top of the range they are, if you were to buy these
in the shops, they’d retail for £69.99. Look at this (he takes out one
of the larger ones, takes a piece of paper and slices it in two).

BOB 
I like knives.

TONY
You get free identity theft assistance as well.
So if someone hacks into your computer
or gets your PIN number, you’re covered.

BOB
(Pointing to the knives) Have you got one of
those boxed up?

TONY
I have indeed.

As TONY bends down there’s a quivering noise and then a terrible crunch. TONY re-appears with the boxed set of kitchen knives, puts it on the counter. Looks up. And what he sees is .. indescribable. BOB is looking down. A bloodied arrow-head protrudes through his chest, through his T-shirt, blood expanding everywhere. Totally in shock. He looks at TONY, a frown of annoyance forming on his forehead, a frown of incomprehension.

TONY
What the fuck ..

BOB
(Disbelieving) What’s that?

TONY
Shit ..

BOB
That’s not right.

BOB begins to fall forward on the counter, twists, his legs buckle and he crashes to the ground.

2. INT. SUNNYSIDE SHOPPING CENTRE. DAY.

Security Guards CONNOR and HAYLEY running through the mall, walkie-talkies in hand, squawking.

3. INT. SUNNYSIDE SHOPPING CENTRE. DAY.

BOB on his side in a pool of blood, white as a sheet and still, the shaft of the arrow between his shoulder-blade and neck. People milling around. See HAYLEY kneeling down beside BOB, trying to work out what to do, as CONNOR tries to push people back.

Monday, April 9, 2007

The One About The Busybody

1. INT. SUNNYSIDE SHOPPING CENTRE. DAY.

A man, ABU, is standing in the main concourse opposite the toilets. He’s in his early thirties and has a long black beard. He is reading from the Koran, mouthing the words. Occasionally he looks up, looks at his watch, and then goes back to his silent reading.

Unbeknown to him, he is being watched by CRYSTAL, who is sitting having a cup of tea in a nearby cafĂ©, Luigi’s. CRYSTAL is an old lady in her eighties who is wearing a faded wedding dress and Nike running shoes. Today, CRYSTAL is being a busybody. Over this we hear a DJ on Sunnyside Radio.

SUNNYSIDE RADIO DJ
(Chirpy and breezy) .. And of course, you can help us
by reporting anything or anyone suspicious,
because these days, as I’m sure you’ll agree, you
can’t be too careful. And remember to keep your
belongings with you at all times. Anything left unattended
will be removed and may be destroyed.

2. INT. SUNNYSIDE SHOPPING CENTRE. DAY.

In the main concourse, CRYSTAL approaches CONNOR and HAYLEY, Security Guards.

CRYSTAL
Don’t look now but there’s a man over there behaving
very suspiciously.

CONNOR
(Looking around) Which man, ma’am?

CRYSTAL points at ABU. HAYLEY and CONNOR follow her gaze. They see ABU apparently reading aloud from the Koran.

HAYLEY
And what in particular has aroused your
suspicions about this person, ma’am?

CRYSTAL
Well, he keeps looking at his watch.

CONNOR
He does look dodgy, I’ll give you that.

HAYLEY
We’ll take care of it from here, ma’am.

The One About The Salesman

INT. SUNNYSIDE SHOPPING CENTRE. DAY.
A salesman, TONY, is selling MBNA credit cards in the mall behind a stall. Behind him, exhibition display boards with micro-lighting show posters of the credit card and the strap-line, ’The Gateway To A Better Life,’ and a cheesy picture of a perfect, smiling family.

Two BLONDES in hot-pants and tight-fitting T-shirts with ‘Get A Better Life’ emblazoned on them are handing out leaflets, smiling cheesy grins. TONY is doing a job on BOB, whom we saw in The One About The Longbow.  He is a man-mountain with cropped hair, T-shirt, trainers, track-suit and tattoos. A big gold chain around his tree-trunk neck, big gold rings on his fat fingers.

TONY
Nought per cent interest on balance transfers and nought
per cent on purchases for nine months. Interested?

BOB
Not really.

TONY
Five hundred Nectar points for free.

BOB
Nah, you’re alright mate.

TONY
25% discount on the current cost of your
car insurance guaranteed if you switch?

BOB
Nah.

TONY
Oh ye of little faith, you offer people something
for nothing, and they immediately think you’re
trying to trick them.

BOB
Nothing to do with religion, mate. I just
don't want a credit card. That's all.

Sunday, April 1, 2007

The One About The Skateboarders

1. EXT. SUNNYSIDE SHOPPING CENTRE. DAY.
One of the rear service yards to the shopping centre. A sign on a wall reads ‘F Service Yard.’ Another, with a clamping graphic, says ‘Cars parked here without authorisation will be clamped.’ Some cars parked, refuse wheelie-bins, and over the way below wire fencing a line of recycling units - for bottles, plastic, paper, clothes.

Signs everywhere: ‘Danger. Vehicles unloading’ ‘Sprinkler Stop Valve’ ‘Cars parked without authorisation will be clamped’ ‘No parking’ ‘No skateboarding’ and ‘CCTV cameras are operating in this area.’

WINOS drinking Tenants Super near to the rear sliding entrance doors to the shopping centre. Across the way, a telecom engineer’s temporary work hut has been erected.

Some KIDS aimlessly kicking about their skateboards near to the fence. They’re not skating really - the occasional jump maybe, but it’s like they’ve been doing it all morning and they’ve finished for the day. Now they’re just hanging around. They are JOSH (14), JAM (16) and ERROL (15).

CONNOR (late 20S) and HAYLEY (25), security guards, appear through the rear entrance doors. Behind them, graffiti on the wall: “The Outlaws Cry” and “Crazy Horse.”

2. EXT. SUNNYSIDE SERVICE YARD. DAY.

CONNOR and HAYLEY are with the KIDS.

CONNOR
It’s breaking the law. (He indicates a
sign on a wall, ‘No skateboarding’)

ERROL
But we’re not doing nothing.

CONNOR
So what are those? (Indicates their skateboards)

ERROL
Doesn’t mean nothing.

3. EXT. SUNNYSIDE SERVICE YARD. DAY.

Another kid, KURT (18), approaches the others.

JAM
(To KURT) What’s happening?

KURT
Fuck all.

HAYLEY takes out a pad and starts filling in a form, like a parking attendant dishing out a ticket.

HAYLEY
What’s your name?

KURT
What y’wanna know my name for?

HAYLEY
I’m giving you a fixed penalty notice.

KURT
You what?

JOSH
That’s nice.

HAYLEY
Eighty pound fine for swearing.

KURT
You must be fucking joking.

HAYLEY
No I’m not.

KURT
Says who?

HAYLEY
Says the law. Under the Public Order Act.

KURT
Nothing to do with the public though, is it?
And nothing to do with you. ‘Cos it’s just
between me and me mates. Meaning it don’t
concern you. So keep your nose out of it.

HAYLEY
What’s your name?

KURT
I’m not telling you.

The others start to laugh.
JOSH
It’s Kurt.

KURT
(To JOSH, annoyed) Oi you.

HAYLEY
Kurt what?

JOSH
Cobain.

Saturday, March 31, 2007

The One About The Longbow

1. INT. SUNNYSIDE SHOPPING CENTRE. DAY. Inside a shop, ‘A Man’s World.’ Pen knives, gadgets, digital razors, executive toys, pens that record audio, watches, poker sets, torches, 20-piece barbecue sets, radio-controlled jet fighters and spy cameras in a lighter. Outside, swarms of people. It’s open to the main shopping centre concourse, so it doesn’t have a doorway. KEVIN, an assistant, approaches a bloke DAVE, who’s looking around.

KEVIN
Can I help you, sir?

DAVE
(Distracted, miles away) Fine thanks.

KEVIN
If you need any help ..

Meanwhile, at the counter, seen by DAVE, is another customer BOB, being served by the Manager, MAHMOUD. This is MAN MOUNTAIN BOB.

BOB
So how many different knives does it have?

MAHMOUD opens the box and takes out a Swiss Army knife.

MAHMOUD
This is called the Huntsman Plus, which comes with wood
saw and pressurised ball point pen. As well as blades,
screwdrivers, can openers. The whole kit and caboodle.
Everything you need. See this, look, I show you. (He opens
out the saw and starts to cut through a little piece of bamboo).

BOB
I like that.

MAHMOUD
Very useful in the jungle .. Anywhere. Or ..
(He gets another box out of the cabinetThen
if you want to go the whole hog, there's this which
has a built-in MP3 player and digital voice recorder.

BOB
Wow.

2. INT. SUNNYSIDE SHOPPING CENTRE. A MAN'S WORLD. DAY.

DAVE approaches the assistant  KEVIN. There is a sign. ‘If you don’t see what you’re looking for, please ask one of our sales assistants.’

DAVE
Do you have a crossbow?

KEVIN
(Feigning uncertainty) Umm .. No .. (As patronising a
tone as possible, to MAHMOUD) No crossbows, have we?

MAHMOUD
Give me a minute .. (To BOB) Is it a gift?
You want it wrapped?

BOB
Just in a bag’s fine.

3. INT. SUNNYSIDE SHOPPING CENTRE. A MAN'S WORLD. DAY.

MAHMOUD gets out a catalogue, opens it on the counter top. Flicks the pages, then taps into a computer. Half muttering to himself, like he doesn’t want to be beaten by this.

MAHMOUD
We might just .. (have one in stock).

A moment.

MAHMOUD
Let me see for you. Won't take a minute.
Ah. No. (Defeated: computer says 'No') Sorry.

DAVE
What about a longbow?

MAHMOUD
A longbow ..

Again he taps on the computer key-board. MAHMOUD then disappears into the back as KEVIN casts DAVE a look which says, ‘You‘re a weird fucker.’

MAHMOUD re-appears with a long thin box.

MAHMOUD
.. In luck. (Barely able to conceal his triumph)
I think we’ll find that this .. (He puts it down
on the counter)  Ravenbeak English Longbow
made from yew and bamboo. (He beams)

4. INT. SUNNYSIDE SHOPPING CENTRE. A MAN'S WORLD. DAY.

Close on the lid being taken off the box, polystyrene chips being swept away by a hand, to reveal a beautiful longbow. MAHMOUD picks it out, holds it up, and hands it to DAVE, who remains inscrutable.
DAVE takes the longbow. Inspects it, closely. Handles it as if he knows what he’s doing. Smells it.  Meanwhile, MAHMOUD takes some feathered arrows out from inside the polystyrene chips. They are astonishing.

DAVE 
Give it a try?

MAHMOUD
(Not entirely sure if he’s joking)
Not really. (Embarrassed laugh)

DAVE holds the longbow at full arm’s length, the bow to his cheek.

DAVE
I need to test the thing.

MAHMOUD
Sure. Get a feel ..

DAVE takes out one of the arrows, places it, steps into the entrance-way, raises the longbow and pulls back the bow itself to his cheek - the feather of the arrow under his nose. MAHMOUD looks on nervously, an anxious glance to KEVIN.

DAVE
How much is it?

MAHMOUD
It’s six hundred and fifty five pounds
and ninety nine pence.

And then very quickly, expertly - like the way a violinist puts the violin to shoulder and bow to string in one seamless moment - DAVE aims high, stretches the bow right back, arches his back and lets fly. To the horror of MAHMOUD and KEVIN.

DAVE
(Turning to MAHMOUD) It’s a bit light.
(Clocking their shocked expressions)
I think I’ll leave it for now.

MAHMOUD
Right you are. I don’t think you ..

DAVE hands the long-bow to MAHMOUD and leaves.

MAHMOUD
Shit man.

KEVIN
Fucking hell!

Tuesday, March 20, 2007

The One About The Terror Suspect

1. INT. SUNNYSIDE SHOPPING CENTRE. DAY. 

Two security guards ambling along the vast main concourse of Sunnyside Shopping Mall. Uniform, name badge, walkie-talkie, peak cap. They are CONNOR, late 20s, number one crop and goatee; and HAYLEY, 25, not bad looking for a security guard. They think they’re the business, more US Law Enforcement officers than retail security. They pass beneath a huge banner poster hanging from above, ‘We Are Londoners,’ with the ‘We’ ‘Are’ and ‘one’ picked out in red. The Shopping Centre’s own radio station, Sunnyside FM, heard over. 

2. INT. SUNNYSIDE SHOPPING CENTRE. DAY. 

Currys. See CONNOR and HAYLEY ambling through the TVs. We notice that CONNOR is watching an an attractive woman as she looks at refrigerators. HAYLEY clocks this and mutters under her breath.

On all the TVs, THE HOME SECRETARY is giving a press conference. CONNOR is pretending to watch one of the televisions, a wide-screen plasma, when in fact he is looking just over the top of it at the ATTRACTIVE WOMAN. We cut between CONNOR staring, the TV and THE HOME SECRETARY, and the ATTRACTIVE WOMAN.

THE HOME SECRETARY on the TV
Britain is now facing the most sustained period of severe
threat since the end of the Second World War. From a new
breed of ruthless and unconstrained international terrorists.
Sometimes we may have to modify our freedoms in order
to prevent their abuse by those who would destroy our
world.

3. INT. SUNNYSIDE SHOPPING CENTRE. DAY.

CONNOR and HAYLEY following the ATTRACTIVE WOMAN, who carries a handbag and a Currys carrier bag, in the main concourse of the Shopping Mall.

4. INT. SUNNYSIDE SHOPPING CENTRE. DAY.

CONNOR and HAYLEY go up to the ATTRACTIVE WOMAN.

CONNOR
(With effortless ease and poise) Excuse me, madam ..

ATTRACTIVE WOMAN
Yes?

With HAYLEY beside him, he leads the ATTRACTIVE WOMAN to the side of the concourse, an exit door (‘Staff only’) nearby.

CONNOR
Could I see inside your bag, please?

ATTRACTIVE WOMAN
Excuse me?

CONNOR
If you could just open your carrier bag for me?

ATTRACTIVE WOMAN
Why?

HAYLEY
It’s purely routine, ma’am.

The ATTRACTIVE WOMAN hesitates.

ATTRACTIVE WOMAN
(Opening her carrier bag) Alright.

HAYLEY
Vigilance is our watchword. The moment we think
the problem’s gone away is the moment they’ve won.

CONNOR
(Taking the carrier bag and looking inside) Okay ..

He puts the bag on the ground and ferrets around while the ATTRACTIVE WOMAN begins to lose her patience.

CONNOR
Looks fine.  (He hands the carrier bag back to her)
Could I see your handbag, please?

ATTRACTIVE WOMAN
(Affronted) What?

CONNOR
Your handbag, please.

ATTRACTIVE WOMAN
You’re joking, aren’t you? Why?

HAYLEY
We are in the middle of a war, I'm afraid to say.
There's no two ways about it.
They say they will not stop until they have
wiped us off the face of the earth.

The ATTRACTIVE WOMAN looks at them, weighing up her options. She decides.

ATTRACTIVE WOMAN
(Under her breath) Fuck’s sake.

The ATTRACTIVE WOMAN hands over her handbag and HAYLEY goes through it. There’s not much - a purse, keys, tissue, car park ticket, lipstick - she hands the lipstick to CONNOR. HAYLEY takes the purse, opens it and looks inside. CONNOR opens the lipstick, checking to see it's not a small explosive device, twists it up, turns it back, puts the lid on. The ATTRACTIVE WOMAN is now getting angry.

HAYLEY
Okay, Miss Church, I’m going to ask you to accompany us 
through here so we’re ..

ATTRACTIVE WOMAN
This is a wind-up right? Give me my things back ...

But CONNOR and HAYLEY are ushering her through doors marked ’Staff only’ even as she is protesting.

5. INT. SUNNYSIDE SHOPPNG CENTRE. DAY.

A white featureless corridor leading off the central mall. The doors have swung shut behind them.

ATTRACTIVE WOMAN
I want to know what the fuck is going on!

HAYLEY
It’s routine security .. nothing to worry about.

CONNOR
(Handing the lipstick to HAYLEY) That's fine.

HAYLEY puts the lipstick carefully back in the purse which she puts back in the handbag, and gives it back to the ATTRACTIVE WOMAN.  At last, thinks the ATTRACTIVE WOMAN, it’s over now.

HAYLEY
Could I ask you to lift up your top?

ATTRACTIVE WOMAN
(Unbelieving) What?

HAYLEY
(Firm, authoritative) If I could just ask you to lift
your top up for me, please.

ATTRACTIVE WOMAN
(Shaking her head in disbelief) Right, that's it.  I've 
had enough of this.  You two are fucking out of order ..

CONNOR
It's for all our sakes ... 

ATTRACTIVE WOMAN
(She turns to go through the doors) Fucking perverts ..
(Over her shoulder) I'm gonna report this to the police.

CONNOR
It’s for all our safety ...

The ATTRACTIVE WOMAN is gone.  She has stormed out of the staff doors.  A moment.  CONNOR and HAYLEY lean against the walls of the corridor, opposite each other.  They've been rumbled.  CONNOR blows out.

The One About The Public Convenience

1.  EXT.  SUNNYSIDE SHOPPING CENTRE.  DAY.

Sunnyside is a vast, sprawling 21st century retail destination.  A shopping mall with palm trees and fountains.  Built near the banks of a river, it has streams and rock-pools with freshwater fish.  It has a multi-screen cinema, high-rise apartments and a luxury hotel; a 50-foot high monolith, a cross between the giant stone figures of Easter Island and a Henry Moore sculpture; underground car parks; a school; and it has a wooded park and landscaped gardens, with a restored nineteenth century smock windmill, a carousel and a steam-train for the kids.  It's so vast that one part of it is always still being constructed.  And because of the unusual abundance of crickets and lizards, some people think that Sunnyside has a special biosphere.

Outside the main entrance is a covered outer piazza, like the Great Court at the British Museum. Bursting out from above the entrance are the huge, three-dimensional sandstone letters S-U-N-N-Y-S-I-D-E, like the title of a crazy movie, KAPOW!

Beside the main entrance are state-of-the-art automatic self-cleaning public toilets with revolving, stainless steel doors.  It's the morning.  As PEOPLE are milling about, we focus in on a tall, fairly fat man in his early 50s, THOMPSON, and a tubby woman, MAEVE, in her 40s.  THOMPSON wears a khaki jacket and beige trousers, like he's on safari.  MAEVE wears a sweater with 'Greggs' inscribed on it.

THOMPSON

(To MAEVE)  I'll see you later.
Have a good day.

THOMPSON kisses MAEVE, then walks off towards the public toilets.  MAEVE is going to work and heads toward the main entrance to the shopping centre. 

2. EXT. SUNNYSIDE SHOPPING CENTRE. DAY.

See THOMPSON at one of the public toilets.  He presses a button, and the revolving stainless steel door glides open.  It is a vision of futuristic convenience and efficiency.  He steps inside and the steel door closes behind him.