Differences

By Martine Rika Bergsma

INT. TORONTO SUBWAY TRAIN - DAY

Two men are sitting one seat apart from each other. 

SFX: sound of train gliding along the rails.

The man on the left is wearing a plain white buttoned t-shirt, black pants, a black tie, and black rimmed glasses. He is peacefully reading a book.

The man on the right is wearing a white t-shirt under a black jean jacket with ripped sleeves and several buttons on it. He is also wearing black ripped jeans and many ear piercings and has a red spiked Mohawk.

SFX: muffled Punk rock music 

Punk dude has headphones in and is bobbing his head to the music. But while he does this his long spiky hair gets in the Businessman's way of reading.

His hair hits the book the Businessman is reading and hits his glasses causing them to go askew. 

the Businessman frowns and grumbles in frustration shaking his head at him as he slaps down his book onto his lap.

the Businessman pulls out one earbud from Punk dudes' ear and starts waving his hands around in anger and yells and points at him. Speech bubbles pop up showing the images of a book with a red x over it, Punk dudes hair hitting the book and hitting his glasses.

Punk dude looks taken aback and confused. He then gets angry and starts waving around his arms and pointing to his phone. Speech bubbles pop up depicting the images of an earbud in an ear with music notes coming from it, the emoji for the dancing man, and Businessman and Punk dude sitting far apart.

They both growl at each other shaking their heads slightly, their hands balled up into fists.

They move along the seats away from each other still annoyed and go back to what they were doing.

SFX: A ding dong sound to announce the trains arrival at a station.

The Businessman looks up from his book. The subway comes to a halt. The Businessman gets up and grabs his briefcase that was behind his feet and walks off the train.

INT. OFFICE BUILDING - DAY

Businessman, while holding his briefcase and clutching his book to his side, walks down a corridor of Grey, barren, cubicles with a bored look on his face. The other office workers that he passes by wear similar clothing to him, typing at their computers or talking on the phone. 

INT. CUBICLE/OFFICE - DAY

Businessman enters his office and puts down his briefcase by the wall and his book onto his desk. 

He sits down in his chair and lets out a long sigh. He then straightens up and has a neutral but determined look on his face while typing on the keyboard. 

INT. A BAR - DAY

The bar is busy with girls clinking their drinks together and guys sitting on bar stools laughing. There is a small stage where a band is playing under disco multicolored lights.

Punk dude is wearing only his white t-shirt and black ripped jeans while he reluctantly wipes down the bar countertop. 

His boss, who is wearing white pants with a dark blue shirt slightly unbuttoned to show his hairy chest and golden chain necklace, notices him wearing ripped jeans and is taken aback by this.

He starts yelling at Punk dude who turns to look at him with confusion. Speech bubbles pop up for the boss depicting ripped jeans which then have a red x appear over them. Punk dude then starts to argue with the boss keeping his anger at bay. Speech bubbles pop up depicting the bar countertop, the image blinks to show him standing from behind the bar from the waist up, the bar then blinks to show his ripped jeans and how they can't be seen behind the counter. 

his boss waves him off angrily and walks away towards the stage. 

Punk dude goes back to cleaning the countertop but more aggressively with his eyebrows furrowed in frustration. 

INT. TORONTO SUBWAY TRAIN - NIGHT

The Businessman and the Punk dude are sitting next to each other again doing the same things they did on the first train ride.

The Businessman looks over at Punk dude (who is bobbing his head to his music) with annoyance and shifts away from him a bit.

Punk dude notices this and rolls his eyes. 

Punk dude then notices the front cover of the Businessman's book which has a dragon shooting flames out of its mouth with a knight riding on its back. 

He raises his eyebrows in surprise and smiles. He taps the Businessman's shoulder and points to the cover of the book. A speech bubble pops up showing a dragon emoji.

The Businessman looks at him confused then begins to smile with excitement. 

He shifts over closer to Punk dude and gestures excitedly to his book while he talks to him. 

Punk dude nods his head listening intently to him while his smile grows bigger.

montage

INT. TORONTO SUBWAY TRAIN - DAY

Businessman is already sitting down and reading his book. Punk dude walks along the train listening to his music.

A big smile appears on Punk dude's face when he spots him and rushes over to sit next to him. 

They excitedly start talking to each other.

Businessman notices Punk dude’s buttons and points to them curious.

Punk dude looks down at his buttons then points to his phone which he has his ear buds connected to. 

Punk dude offers him an ear bud and the Businessman begins to bob his head to the music alongside Punk dude with a smile slowly forming on his face.  

INT. TORONTO SUBWAY TRAIN - NIGHT

Businessman is reading aloud his book while Punk dude looks curiously over his shoulder.

INT. UNDERGROUND PUNK CONCERT - NIGHT

Businessman and Punk dude are cheering while in the middle of a dense crowd. The Businessman has his tie tied around his head and is jumping up and down. There are flashing pink, green, and blue lights in a dark brick walled room with graffiti on them.

INT. A FANTASY BOOK CONVENTION - DAY

Businessman is dressed in purple and yellow starred wizard robes with a fake silver beard and wooden staff. Punk dude is dressed in silver armor with his red spiky hair poking out of the helmet. They are excitedly walking down a lane between book and merch stands constantly shaking each other's shoulder and pointing at a stall.

INT. OFFICE BUILDING - DAY

Businessman walks by the other cubicles with a smile on his face. 

INT. CUBICLE/OFFICE - DAY

Businessman sits down in his office and begins to type at his computer. on the wall next to him there are several photos of Punk artists playing guitars along with fan art of the book he reads and photos of him and Punk dude at the concert and the fantasy convention. 

INT. A BAR - DAY

Punk dude is happily scrubbing the countertop of the bar. 

His boss walks up to him and starts yelling at him again.

Punk dude turns to him surprised and then lets his shoulders sag in defeat and annoyance at his boss yelling at him.

INT. TORONTO SUBWAY TRAIN - NIGHT

Punk dude is talking anxiously to Businessman and looks upset. Businessman looks at him concerned as he talks. Speech bubbles pop up for Punk dude showing his boss yelling, him wearing a suit and holding a briefcase and a red x appearing over him.

The Businessman suddenly jumps a little in his seat with excitement with a light bulb appearing above his head. He starts talking rapidly to Punk dude.

INT. CUBICLE/OFFICE - DAY

Businessman his talking directly to Punk dude while he his sitting in his chair next to the computer hands on his knees. Punk dude is also sitting in an office chair gesturing with his hands and talking to Businessman while he nods his head listening intently.

EXT. SIDEWALK INFRONT OF A BUILDING - DAY

Businessman takes off his tie to tie it around Punk dude’s neck who is wearing a casual suit and is holding his resume with a shaky hand. 

Businessman adjusts the tie a little then nods to Punk dude with a reassuring smile. Punk dude nods back with a nervous smile then walks into the building.

EXT. SIDEWALK INFRONT OF A BUILDING - A FEW MOMENTS LATER.

Punk dude walks out of the building smiling, pumping his fists and cheering. 

Businessman joins him by taking his hands and jumping up and down happily along with him.

EXT. CN TOWER - EVENING

Shakily from the point of view of a phone camera Punk dude takes a picture with Businessman smiling in front of the CN tower. 

INT. TORONTO SUBWAY TRAIN - DAY

Businessman and Punk dude are sitting next to each other on the train, and we see Punk rock dude listening to music bobbing his head to it, smiling. He's wearing a tie with his usual outfit, and he no longer has buttons on his jacket but the Businessman who is no longer wearing a tie, is wearing those same buttons on his shirt. He is reading his book smiling.

By Martine Rika Bergsma