INT. LIVINGROOM – MORNING
KENNETH, a 69-year-old, bald, over-weight man dressed in a tank top and a pair of boxer shorts, sits on the three-seated couch and watches the news on TV. The right side of Kenneth’s face appears to be hanging down loosely, like it’s gone numb from paralysis. In front of Kenneth stands a coffee table with a cellphone and the remote controls to the TV and the digital boxes that belongs to it. Sound of footsteps (O.S.) can be heard from the bedroom door, which stands about a meter to the left of the TV next to a bookcase. The hallway is showing clearly through the hallway door, which lies behind the two-seated couch. JANE, a 64-year-old woman with dark, short-cut hair with grey streaks, black pants and a black blouse with white flowers on it, steps in through the bedroom door and stands in front of the bookcase.
JANE
How are you feeling today, dear?
How are you feeling today, dear?
KENNETH
(V.O.)
I knew you’d ask…
(V.O.)
I knew you’d ask…
KENNETH
(half mumbling)
It’s all good here.
(half mumbling)
It’s all good here.
JANE
Are you sure? You don’t appear to have gotten better…
Are you sure? You don’t appear to have gotten better…
KENNETH
(V.O.)
No shock there…
(V.O.)
No shock there…
KENNETH
(mumbling)
Just give it a moment. It’ll pass.
(mumbling)
Just give it a moment. It’ll pass.
JANE
I didn’t hear that. What did you say?
I didn’t hear that. What did you say?
KENNETH
(V.O.)
When do you hear anything other than what you want to hear?
(V.O.)
When do you hear anything other than what you want to hear?
KENNETH
(half mumbling)
Just give it a moment, I said, it’ll pass on its own. Just get to work now, before you become late.
(half mumbling)
Just give it a moment, I said, it’ll pass on its own. Just get to work now, before you become late.
JANE
(skeptical)
I don’t know… I’d rather want to get that checked with a doctor…
(skeptical)
I don’t know… I’d rather want to get that checked with a doctor…
KENNETH
(V.O.)
Not again…
(V.O.)
Not again…
KENNETH
(half mumbling)
That won’t be neccesary, it’ll pass. Just give it a chance.
(half mumbling)
That won’t be neccesary, it’ll pass. Just give it a chance.
JANE
I know you’re sick of hospitals, but it doesn’t hurt to get that checked. You could have gotten a stroke.
I know you’re sick of hospitals, but it doesn’t hurt to get that checked. You could have gotten a stroke.
KENNETH
(V.O.)
A stroke? No, you give it a rest now!
(V.O.)
A stroke? No, you give it a rest now!
KENNETH
(half mumbling, annoyed)
It’s just the face that has gotten a little numb, nothing else. It’s probably not even noticable…
(half mumbling, annoyed)
It’s just the face that has gotten a little numb, nothing else. It’s probably not even noticable…
At the same time, MARY, a 33-year-old, over-weight woman with long hair in a nightgown, passed by the hallway door calmly.
MARY
(tired, without stopping)
Good morning.
(tired, without stopping)
Good morning.
JANE
Good morning, Mary. Could you come in for a bit, please?
Good morning, Mary. Could you come in for a bit, please?
MARY stops.
KENNETH
(V.O.)
Sure, bring the bobble-head into this…
(V.O.)
Sure, bring the bobble-head into this…
Mary walks in through the hallway the back of the two-seated couch. Mary turns to Jane curiously.
JANE
Take a look at daddy. Do you see anything wrong?
Take a look at daddy. Do you see anything wrong?
Mary looks at Kenneth’s face for a moment.
MARY
Half his face looks like it’s hanging down, like it’s gone numb. It could be a stroke.
Half his face looks like it’s hanging down, like it’s gone numb. It could be a stroke.
JANE
See, what did I say?
See, what did I say?
KENNETH
(half mumbling)
I don’t have a stroke! The face has just gotten a little numb…
(half mumbling)
I don’t have a stroke! The face has just gotten a little numb…
MARY
It’s not always you get all the symptoms from a stroke. It could be a good idea to let a doctor take a look at it.
It’s not always you get all the symptoms from a stroke. It could be a good idea to let a doctor take a look at it.
KENNETH
(V.O.)
Mommy’s little girl in a nutshell…
(V.O.)
Mommy’s little girl in a nutshell…
JANE
There, there, dear, arms up!
There, there, dear, arms up!
KENNETH
(mumbling and irritated)
Are you kidding me right now?
(mumbling and irritated)
Are you kidding me right now?
JANE
Come on, do it for me. Arms up, now.
Come on, do it for me. Arms up, now.
Kenneth lifts both arms straight up with a sigh while Jane counts loudly to ten. Then Kenneth takes the arms down again.
Jane moves the coffee table, so Kenneth’s legs are showing.
JANE
Okay. Lift the legs up.
Okay. Lift the legs up.
KENNETH
(mumbling and irritated)
Seriously…
(mumbling and irritated)
Seriously…
Kenneth lifts his feet up from the floor while Jane counts to ten. Then Kenneth puts the feet down on the floor again.
KENNETH
(mumbling)
There, you see, no stroke. Are you satisfied now?
(mumbling)
There, you see, no stroke. Are you satisfied now?
JANE
(pensive)
Hm… it doesn’t look like a stroke…
(pensive)
Hm… it doesn’t look like a stroke…
KENNETH
(mumbling)
Yes, exactly what I said.
(mumbling)
Yes, exactly what I said.
JANE
… but your speech appears to have gotten worse…
… but your speech appears to have gotten worse…
KENNETH
(V.O.)
Oh, cut it out…
(V.O.)
Oh, cut it out…
MARY
Does he have a problem with his speech too?
Does he have a problem with his speech too?
JANE
Yes, the speech and the face...
Yes, the speech and the face...
MARY
How long has this been going on?
How long has this been going on?
JANE
Since last night.
Since last night.
MARY
That long!? He needs to get that checked with a doctor.
That long!? He needs to get that checked with a doctor.
JANE
I agree, but it depends on your father. He needs to agree to it too.
I agree, but it depends on your father. He needs to agree to it too.
MARY
I hope he agrees to it soon, because that looks serious. As I said, it’s not always that you get all the symptoms from a stroke. It’s not like in the movies and TV-shows, when someone puts their hand on their heart and collapses…
I hope he agrees to it soon, because that looks serious. As I said, it’s not always that you get all the symptoms from a stroke. It’s not like in the movies and TV-shows, when someone puts their hand on their heart and collapses…
JANE
I know, but you know how stubborn your father is. He’s also sick of hospitals after all the check-ups and such…
I know, but you know how stubborn your father is. He’s also sick of hospitals after all the check-ups and such…
KENNETH
(V.O.)
You do know that I’m sitting here and hear what you’re saying, right?
(V.O.)
You do know that I’m sitting here and hear what you’re saying, right?
MARY
Good luck with that. I need to go to the bathroom.
Good luck with that. I need to go to the bathroom.
Mary leaves the room through the hallway door.
JANE
Yes, there you go. I’m not the only one who’s noticed something’s wrong and thinks it’s serious. Can I call the hospital now?
Yes, there you go. I’m not the only one who’s noticed something’s wrong and thinks it’s serious. Can I call the hospital now?
KENNETH
(mumbling, angrily and loud)
How many times do I have to say that it’ll pass on it’s own? There’s nothing wrong me, you damn wench!
(mumbling, angrily and loud)
How many times do I have to say that it’ll pass on it’s own? There’s nothing wrong me, you damn wench!
KENNETH
(V.O.)
Oh no, did I really say that out loud?
(V.O.)
Oh no, did I really say that out loud?
Jane laughs.
JANE
(laughing)
I’m sorry, dear, I know how annoyed you are, but I didn’t understand a word of what you just said.
(laughing)
I’m sorry, dear, I know how annoyed you are, but I didn’t understand a word of what you just said.
KENNETH
(V.O.)
Thanks goodness for that!
(V.O.)
Thanks goodness for that!
JANE
Can I call the hospital now?
Can I call the hospital now?
KENNETH
(half mumbling)
Okay…
(half mumbling)
Okay…
KENNETH
(V.O.)
Like I had any choice anymore…
(V.O.)
Like I had any choice anymore…
Manuscript: "Stroke?"
When I applied for a major in Manuscript Writing, I had to write a short script of something that was going on in my own livingroom. This manuscript is therefore based on a true story with lots of tweaking to both stretch the story a bit and add some mild humour into it. Since the original manuscript was written in Swedish on 7 February 2019, I've had to translate it recently to English before posting it here.
