Stuck In The Air
by Austin Bean
March 20th, 2014
Alex, who is in an hot air balloon in the air, yells down to an unknown man on a city street.
ALEX:
Hey! Excuse me! You down there.
The unknown man points to himself.
ALEX:
Yeah.... you!
The man looks around.
ALEX:
You. The only man on the street. You.
The man looks up, and wave.
ALEX:
(Alex waves back, says to himself)
Yes, yes. Wave at the man in the balloon. Don’t wonder
why he’s trying to get your attention.
The man begins to walk away.
ALEX:
Wait... no! Don’t walk away! No! I need your help.
(given up hope, aside) "It’s easy to fly a hot air
balloon," they said. "As easy as riding a bike." Hmpf.
Just then, the unknown man returns with an unknown
woman.
ALEX:
Great. They’re back. Hey! Hey. Can you help me.
Just then, the woman takes a picture, and then
waves.
ALEX:
Okay, great. Take a picture. Then help me get down.
Call 9-1-1 or something... please just... and they’re
gone.
As Alex is speaking, both man and woman leave
once again.
ALEX:
What am I going to do? If I don’t get this balloon back
by three, they are going to charge me for a full day!
There’s no... like... on board seat back phone, is
there?
As Alex starts looking around, then he sees yet
another flash from the ground. When he looks down,
he sees the man and woman have returned, and this
time with a smaller child.
ALEX:
Oh thank god you’re back. Please. I really need to go
pee badly. Help. I just need help.
The scene transitions to the family on the ground.
CHILD:
A balloon! A balloon.
MOTHER:
That’s right, honey. A hot air balloon.
CHILD:
Wow! Cool!
FATHER:
And do you see the man waving. Wave back at him, sport.
(they all wave)
CHILD:
What is he saying?
FATHER:
Oh... I don’t know. He’s probably just bidding us a
faire afternoon.
CHILD:
It looks like he’s in trouble. Could he be stuck.
MOTHER:
No... that’s a silly idea. Only an idiot could get
stuck in a hot air balloon. Everyone knows it’s as easy
as riding a bike.
CHILD:
Oh! Okay.
FATHER:
Hey sport. How would you like some ice cream?
CHILD:
Sounds swell, dad!
MOTHER:
Wave good bye to the nice man in the hot air balloon.
CHILD:
Good bye, nice man. Have fun on your hot air balloon
trip.
As the three leave, the scene switches once again
to Alex.
ALEX:
No... please! Don’t go! Don’t go! I don’t even know how
to ride a bike. Please!
ALEX:
Hey! Excuse me! You down there.
The unknown man points to himself.
ALEX:
Yeah.... you!
The man looks around.
ALEX:
You. The only man on the street. You.
The man looks up, and wave.
ALEX:
(Alex waves back, says to himself)
Yes, yes. Wave at the man in the balloon. Don’t wonder
why he’s trying to get your attention.
The man begins to walk away.
ALEX:
Wait... no! Don’t walk away! No! I need your help.
(given up hope, aside) "It’s easy to fly a hot air
balloon," they said. "As easy as riding a bike." Hmpf.
Just then, the unknown man returns with an unknown
woman.
ALEX:
Great. They’re back. Hey! Hey. Can you help me.
Just then, the woman takes a picture, and then
waves.
ALEX:
Okay, great. Take a picture. Then help me get down.
Call 9-1-1 or something... please just... and they’re
gone.
As Alex is speaking, both man and woman leave
once again.
ALEX:
What am I going to do? If I don’t get this balloon back
by three, they are going to charge me for a full day!
There’s no... like... on board seat back phone, is
there?
As Alex starts looking around, then he sees yet
another flash from the ground. When he looks down,
he sees the man and woman have returned, and this
time with a smaller child.
ALEX:
Oh thank god you’re back. Please. I really need to go
pee badly. Help. I just need help.
The scene transitions to the family on the ground.
CHILD:
A balloon! A balloon.
MOTHER:
That’s right, honey. A hot air balloon.
CHILD:
Wow! Cool!
FATHER:
And do you see the man waving. Wave back at him, sport.
(they all wave)
CHILD:
What is he saying?
FATHER:
Oh... I don’t know. He’s probably just bidding us a
faire afternoon.
CHILD:
It looks like he’s in trouble. Could he be stuck.
MOTHER:
No... that’s a silly idea. Only an idiot could get
stuck in a hot air balloon. Everyone knows it’s as easy
as riding a bike.
CHILD:
Oh! Okay.
FATHER:
Hey sport. How would you like some ice cream?
CHILD:
Sounds swell, dad!
MOTHER:
Wave good bye to the nice man in the hot air balloon.
CHILD:
Good bye, nice man. Have fun on your hot air balloon
trip.
As the three leave, the scene switches once again
to Alex.
ALEX:
No... please! Don’t go! Don’t go! I don’t even know how
to ride a bike. Please!