Because I am obsessed with this book I have begun an adaptation of it ...
Chapter One
August 25, 1991
INT. CHARLIE'S ROOM - NIGHT
Charlie is at his desk reading over a letter. He is speaking as he
reads. We hear the clatter of rain on his window.
CHARLIE
Dear friend, I am writing to you because she said
you listen and understand and didn't try to sleep
with that person at that party even though you
could have. Please don't try to figure out who she
is because then you might figure out who I am, and
I really don't want you to do that. I will call
people by different or generic names because I
don't want you to find me. I didn't enclose a
return address for the same reason. I mean nothing
bad by this. Honest. I just need to know that
someone out there listens and understands and
doesn't try to sleep with people even if they could
have. I need to know these people exist. I think
you of all people will understand that because I
think you of all people are alive and appreciate
what that means. At least I hope you do because
other people look to you for strength and
friendship and its that simple. At least that's
what I've heard. So this is my life. And I want
you to know that I am both happy and sad and I'm
trying to figure out how that could be. I try to
think of my family as a reason for me being this
way, especially after my friend Michael stopped
going to school one day last spring and we heard
Mr. Vaughn's voice on the loudspeaker.
INT. SCHOOL - MORNING
GRADUAL ZOOM TO:
The loudspeaker.
As we zoom we see the students at the school socializing in the main room.
MR. VAUGHN
(filter)
Boys and girls, I regret to inform you that one of
our students has passed on. We will hold a
memorial service for Michael Dobson during assembly
this Friday.
CUT TO:
Drew's face. Drew has awkward glasses.
CHARLIE
(off screen)
Do you know what happened to Michael?
DREW
Yea. He killed himself.
INT. RANDOM HOUSE - NIGHT BEFORE
There are 4 woman gathered around the table socializing. You can't hear
what they say.
DREW
(Continued)
(Voice Over)
My mom was playing cards with Mike's next door
neighbor.
We hear a gunshot. The woman drop their cards and look out the window.
CUT TO:
INT. GUIDANCE OFFICE - DAY AFTER MIKE'S DEATH
Charlie, Bridget, Carl, and the counselor are sitting in a circle.
Currently we see Bridget.
BRIDGET
Sometimes I want to kill myself. Usually when
commercials come on the TV.
Now we see Carl.
CARL
I would kill myself, but its a sin.
Now we see Charlie. He doesn't say anything. He is looking at the floor.
GUIDANCE COUNSELOR
(Off screen)
What do you think Charles?
CHARLIE
Well I think that Michael was a nice guy and I
don't understand why he did it. As much as I feel
sad, I think that not knowing is what really
bothers me.
GUIDANCE COUNSELOR
(Off Screen)
Well, Michael probably had problems at home. He
probably felt he had no one to talk to about it.
That could be a reason why he would feel alone and
... kill himself.
Charlie looks up. There is a few seconds of silence.
CHARLIE
He could have talked to me.
GUIDANCE COUNSELOR
(OFF SCREEN)
I mean an adult or a guidance counselor.
CHARLIE
To hell with what you mean. And to hell with you to.
Charlie leaves.
CUT TO:
INT. CHARLIE'S ROOM - AUGUST 25, 1991
CHARLIE
I should probably go to sleep now. It's very
late. Love always, Charlie.
September 7, 1991
INT. CHARLIE'S ROOM
CHARLIE
(continued)
Dear friend, I don't like High School. I keep
quiet most of the time, and only one kid named Sean
really seemed to notice me. He waited for me after
gym one day.
CUT TO:
INT. SCHOOL - OUTSIDE THE GYM
Charlie is looking out a window outside the gym. Sean comes up behind and
him, grabs him by the shoulder and spins him around.
SEAN
I'm gonna kick the shit out of you!
CHARLIE
You're a very unhappy person.
Sean punches Charlie in the jaw. Charlie goes down.
CUT TO:
INT. HOUSE - FLASHBACK
We see Charlie's brother's face.
CHARLIE'S BROTHER
When fighting, always go for the knees, throat and
eyes.
CUT TO:
INT. SCHOOL - OUTSIDE THE GYM
Charlie is on the ground. He swings his arm at Sean's knees which trips
Sean out. While Sean falls, Charlie gets up and starts kicking Charlie in
the ribs.
CUT TO:
INT. MR. SMALL'S OFFICE
We see Charlie's face. He is crying.
MR. SMALL
(OFF SCREEN)
But since the general opinion is that it was self
defense, there will be no retributions upon you.
CUT TO:
INT. CHARLIE'S ROOM
CHARLIE
Love always, Charlie.
Thats the first 7 or so pages of the book. It's a very weird book as you can tell. It's a so-called coming of age story. It's essentially a kid's first year in high school.[/i]
Chapter One
August 25, 1991
INT. CHARLIE'S ROOM - NIGHT
Charlie is at his desk reading over a letter. He is speaking as he
reads. We hear the clatter of rain on his window.
CHARLIE
Dear friend, I am writing to you because she said
you listen and understand and didn't try to sleep
with that person at that party even though you
could have. Please don't try to figure out who she
is because then you might figure out who I am, and
I really don't want you to do that. I will call
people by different or generic names because I
don't want you to find me. I didn't enclose a
return address for the same reason. I mean nothing
bad by this. Honest. I just need to know that
someone out there listens and understands and
doesn't try to sleep with people even if they could
have. I need to know these people exist. I think
you of all people will understand that because I
think you of all people are alive and appreciate
what that means. At least I hope you do because
other people look to you for strength and
friendship and its that simple. At least that's
what I've heard. So this is my life. And I want
you to know that I am both happy and sad and I'm
trying to figure out how that could be. I try to
think of my family as a reason for me being this
way, especially after my friend Michael stopped
going to school one day last spring and we heard
Mr. Vaughn's voice on the loudspeaker.
INT. SCHOOL - MORNING
GRADUAL ZOOM TO:
The loudspeaker.
As we zoom we see the students at the school socializing in the main room.
MR. VAUGHN
(filter)
Boys and girls, I regret to inform you that one of
our students has passed on. We will hold a
memorial service for Michael Dobson during assembly
this Friday.
CUT TO:
Drew's face. Drew has awkward glasses.
CHARLIE
(off screen)
Do you know what happened to Michael?
DREW
Yea. He killed himself.
INT. RANDOM HOUSE - NIGHT BEFORE
There are 4 woman gathered around the table socializing. You can't hear
what they say.
DREW
(Continued)
(Voice Over)
My mom was playing cards with Mike's next door
neighbor.
We hear a gunshot. The woman drop their cards and look out the window.
CUT TO:
INT. GUIDANCE OFFICE - DAY AFTER MIKE'S DEATH
Charlie, Bridget, Carl, and the counselor are sitting in a circle.
Currently we see Bridget.
BRIDGET
Sometimes I want to kill myself. Usually when
commercials come on the TV.
Now we see Carl.
CARL
I would kill myself, but its a sin.
Now we see Charlie. He doesn't say anything. He is looking at the floor.
GUIDANCE COUNSELOR
(Off screen)
What do you think Charles?
CHARLIE
Well I think that Michael was a nice guy and I
don't understand why he did it. As much as I feel
sad, I think that not knowing is what really
bothers me.
GUIDANCE COUNSELOR
(Off Screen)
Well, Michael probably had problems at home. He
probably felt he had no one to talk to about it.
That could be a reason why he would feel alone and
... kill himself.
Charlie looks up. There is a few seconds of silence.
CHARLIE
He could have talked to me.
GUIDANCE COUNSELOR
(OFF SCREEN)
I mean an adult or a guidance counselor.
CHARLIE
To hell with what you mean. And to hell with you to.
Charlie leaves.
CUT TO:
INT. CHARLIE'S ROOM - AUGUST 25, 1991
CHARLIE
I should probably go to sleep now. It's very
late. Love always, Charlie.
September 7, 1991
INT. CHARLIE'S ROOM
CHARLIE
(continued)
Dear friend, I don't like High School. I keep
quiet most of the time, and only one kid named Sean
really seemed to notice me. He waited for me after
gym one day.
CUT TO:
INT. SCHOOL - OUTSIDE THE GYM
Charlie is looking out a window outside the gym. Sean comes up behind and
him, grabs him by the shoulder and spins him around.
SEAN
I'm gonna kick the shit out of you!
CHARLIE
You're a very unhappy person.
Sean punches Charlie in the jaw. Charlie goes down.
CUT TO:
INT. HOUSE - FLASHBACK
We see Charlie's brother's face.
CHARLIE'S BROTHER
When fighting, always go for the knees, throat and
eyes.
CUT TO:
INT. SCHOOL - OUTSIDE THE GYM
Charlie is on the ground. He swings his arm at Sean's knees which trips
Sean out. While Sean falls, Charlie gets up and starts kicking Charlie in
the ribs.
CUT TO:
INT. MR. SMALL'S OFFICE
We see Charlie's face. He is crying.
MR. SMALL
(OFF SCREEN)
But since the general opinion is that it was self
defense, there will be no retributions upon you.
CUT TO:
INT. CHARLIE'S ROOM
CHARLIE
Love always, Charlie.
Thats the first 7 or so pages of the book. It's a very weird book as you can tell. It's a so-called coming of age story. It's essentially a kid's first year in high school.[/i]