Discovery

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Title: Discovery Author: Alan Batie

INT NIGHT SCOTT'S BEDROOM

SCOTT is laying on his bed, looking at Abercrombie & Fitch and International Male catalogs. He is 17, well defined and dressed in black jeans and a tight fitting, short sleeved shirt that shows off his arms nicely. Around the room are pictures of the swim team he's on and trophies, with Queen and Erasure posters on the wall. At the desk is a computer with a screen saver showing famous swimmers.

EXT DAY SMALL RURAL TOWN

SCOTT walks down the sidewalk on a nice sunny morning. He's heading to school and others are heading to work, picking up their papers and walking their dogs. He's wearing the same or identical black jeans, but a different tight fitting shirt is showing off his torso this morning, though a bright yellow backpack is fashionably slung over one shoulder.

INT DAY HIGH SCHOOL

Students are milling about, getting books out of lockers, chatting in small groups and heading to class. SCOTT walks down the hall through this chaos, saying hi to a few here and there. One of the small groups is a little rougher looking, dirty bluejeans, a couple of holes even, and work shirts that look like they could use the laundry as well.

JERK 1 Hey! You tryin' to look like a fag?

The group of roughnecks laugh at what they consider to be an insult. Scott shakes his head in disgust.

SCOTT Just cuz I don't look like I drove to school on a tractor doesn't make me gay!

INT DAY HIGH SCHOOL CLASSROOM

Bored HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS are barely listening to the TEACHER. It's a sociology class also used for history, and around the room, the walls are covered with sociological events of historical note. The clock on the wall reads 10:55 and the class change bell RINGS and the students start their their rush to the door.

TEACHER OK, don't forget --- your report on three generations of your family is due on Monday! Have a good weekend!

INT DAY SCOTT'S KITCHEN

SCOTT comes in and throws his backpack on the table. A note blows off the table from the air rush and he picks it up. It reads "Scott, we're off to your dad's schmoozefest and won't be back until late. There's stuff in the fridge for your dinner. Love, Mom & Dad".

INT EVENING SCOTT'S BEDROOM

SCOTT sits down in front of the computer and brings up a web browser. He types in a URL and a page with his family history is displayed. A click to the family tree, then to his parents. He brings up a window for each and makes some notes. On his mother's window, he clicks to bring up her family and clicks on them, one by one, taking notes. Eventually we get to her father's brother Joseph Stanton, who was born Aug. 15, 1944 and died June 27, 1973. It says he was killed in a car accident, but nothing more.

INT EVENING SCOTT'S PARENTS HOME OFFICE

There is another computer here, on a metal office desk, along with a filing cabinet, papers, books, etc. The usual clutter. SCOTT flips through things, searching, opening the filing cabinet drawers, and finally a freestanding hutch with drawers below and doors opening to shelves above the drawers. On a shelf, he finds a fireproof lock box, which is locked. He searches the desk center drawer, but can't find the key, until he notices a paper stuck under the pencil tray. When pulling up on the tray to slide the paper out from under it, it comes completely out, sending paper clips and pencils flying.

Underneath the tray, Scott finds the key and opens the box. Rifling through, he finds the family's birth certificates, passports for his parents and pictures mixed with newspaper articles - him winning swim meets, his parents engagement and wedding announcements from the paper, his dad's 300 game he bowled in 1965...and articles from the June 29 and 30, 1969 New York Times covering the Stonewall Riots, as well as a much larger article from the July 3, 1969 Village Voice covering the riots. Puzzled at this surprising collection, he continues and finds his grand-uncle's obituary and an article about the accident itself.

SCOTT (reading from the article) Creston resident Joseph Stanton was killed in a car accident early yesterday morning. Police report that his car was traveling at about 80mph in Miller's Canyon and failed to negotiate a turn. The car impacted with a rock wall, killing him instantly. "Judging by the angle of impact and the lack of any skid marks indicating an attempt to stop or make the turn, we can only assume that Joe was drunk or fell asleep", Chief of Police Mark Waters reported, "It may be that we'll never know why this happened." Continuing through the papers, he picks up another one and sits down suddenly.

SCOTT Patient Joseph Stanton...6 month treatment of electroshock therapy has cured his homosexual tendencies... (beat) June 2, 1973 (beat) Wait a sec!

Scott flips back through the papers he's just been through and picks up article on the accident and the Village Voice article.

SCOTT (looking at the Village Voice article) Cops entered the Stonewall for the second time in a week just before midnight on Friday, June 27. (looking at the accident article) June 29, 1973 (beat) Early yesterday morning (beat) So the accident happened (beat) On the anniversary of Stonewall! That was no accident!

INT DAY HIGH SCHOOL CLASSROOM

SCOTT is standing at the front of the classroom giving his report.

SCOTT ...and, saving the best for last, my grand-uncle Joe, born August 15, 1944. He was gay and participated in the Stonewall Riots in 1969, but when his parents found out, they had him committed to a psychiatric ward. There he was subjected to 6 months of electroshock therapy. He managed to convince them he was cured, and three weeks later, on the anniversary of the riots, committed suicide by smashing his car into a cliff.

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