328. Rites - Leslie

• FADE IN:


• INT. NANCY'S BEDROOM - DAY


• NANCY, an eight year-old, sits cross-legged on her bed, carefully combing her doll's hair.


• LUKE, also eight, sits across from her, swirling pieces of a puzzle around on the bed spread.


• NANCY
• You know, you're never going to get it done like that.


• Luke shrugs and keeps swirling the pieces around.


• Nancy sighs and continues to comb.


• LUKE
• Next time we play dolls, we should have all the boys go through a rite?


• NANCY
• What?


• LUKE
• In doll years, they're old enough. They should have some kind of ceremony.


• NANCY
• Are you trying to replace your own need for ritual by creating a ritual for the dolls?


• LUKE
• I have my own rituals.


• NANCY
• Like what?


• LUKE
• My Mom and I go driving every week, find someplace new. On Fridays we make supper together.


• Nancy waves her hand in annoyance.


• LUKE
• That's not a real ritual. It's not the life and death ritual of the ancient world.


• NANCY
• Have you been reading Joseph Campbell again?


• LUKE
• So what?


• NANCY
• I think you're making the mistake of creating a noble savage complex. Humans back then were so much better, so much wiser... Meh, people are people; and people are poopy a lot of the time.


• LUKE
• Well, I think he's right. I think we don't have any real rituals in our society. And the rituals we do have aren't grounded in myth the way they used to be.


• NANCY
• Oh, blah, blah, blah. We have rituals, just not as many massive overarching rituals. We're a pluralistic society. We have rituals that are unique to families and sub-cultures.


• Nancy wrinkles her nose at him.


• LUKE
• Besides, Joseph Campbell had a massive chip on his shoulder against modern humanity. We're humans, we make myths and we make rituals - that's why the dolls should have a rite, not because we're so needy for ritual in our lives.


• Nancy is silent, still combing.


• Finally she stops and holds the doll out to Luke.


• NANCY
• I'll consider it. Want to play with Princess Twinkles?


• Luke takes the doll happily and Nancy grabs the puzzle pieces and squints, concentrating on her new task.


• FADE TO BLACK.