Minutes After Midnight ©
WGA registered, copyright 2003, Jo Malone, author

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Genre: Action, Crime, Drama

An unsolved crime. A man searching for his lost identity.
The theme of survival and discovery. Perception is reality... or is it?

INT. IN PSCYCHIATRIST OFFICE. DR. TOM HENRY.

DR. HENRY
And that’s the last you remember
before waking up here?

BEN FRANKLIN
Occasionally there are flashes, and the
headaches, but nothing.

DR. HENRY
No one was able to ascertain your identity
while you were recovering?

BEN FRANKLIN
I asked the police if they found my wallet, or if they
checked my fingerprints. I have a feeling I was fingerprinted once...

INT. FLASHBACK: PHILADELPHIA POLICE STATION.
We see Ben being fingerprinted by police. C/u of hand though shows as African American.

INT. IN PSCYCHIATRIST OFFICE.

BEN FRANKLIN
I’m almost positive I was. They
said there was no information.

DR. HENRY
Do you recall who shot you?

BEN FRANKLIN
A name? No. His face? I’ll never forget.

DR. HENRY
Describe him...

BEN FRANKLIN
Small framed, dark-complected African American male,
light eyes; blue - haunting against his dark skin.

DR. HENRY
Did you have a verbal exchange before he pulled the trigger?

INT. FLASHBACK OF INCIDENT. SEE SCENE [1].
Quick Flashback of shooters face.

INT. IN PSCYCHIATRIST OFFICE.

BEN FRANKLIN
No.

INT. FLASHBACK OF INCIDENT. SEE SCENE [1].

BEN FRANKLIN (V.O.)
He aimed the gun to my head and then...

[Gun shot] transitions us back to current scene.

INT. IN PSCYCHIATRIST OFFICE.

DR. HENRY
Mr. Franklin, it’s clear what course of action
we should take at this point. As far as your
medical condition, you’re physical wounds are
almost healed. You’ll have a scar on your scalp,
and that cast will come off in 2-4 weeks,
but you no longer need to be an inpatient.
Your amnesia is still an issue, but we’ve tried
everything we know to bring your memory
back with no measurable results...

INT. FLASHBACK: QUICK SCENES OF ATTEMPTED REHABILITATION.

DR. HENRY
...we’ve deemed your case irreversible. You’ll
just have to create a new life from this point on.

BEN FRANKLIN
You’re throwing me out?

DR. HENRY
Not in those terms. But because you’re healthy
other than the loss of memory, we’d thought
you’d be the perfect candidate to take part in a
rehabilitation program Social Services oversees here in Philly.

EXT. EMERGENCY ENTRANCE TO TEMPLE UNIVERSITY HOSP
We see a snowy, bITALlustery scene outside Temple University Hospital emergency entrance.

INT. EMERGENCY ENTRANCE TO TEMPLE UNIVERSITY HOSPITAL
We see view of a digital clock in the ER which reads 12:01 AM. We pan down, see Ben dressed in same bloody street clothes as first scene, seated in a wheelchair. He’s been there a while. We see what he sees: patient traffic through emergency entrance; policeman and EMT personnel assisting patients.

BECKETT (V.O.)
Mr. Franklin, you listening? I apologize for
the delay in my getting here but with the
Thanksgiving Holiday and the winter storm
outside our personnel have been stretched to the limit.

We see Ben turn away from his staring. We see a wider angle shot of a woman dressed in heavy winter garb, wearing a name badge seated beside Ben in waiting room. She holds a chart.

BECKETT
Maybe we should start over. Name’s
Nadia Beckett from Social Services.

Ben listens intently, but becomes distracted again. We see what Ben sees, more of emergency room drama.

BECKETT (V.O.)
Doctor Henry says physically you’re fine
except for the ankle and he says that with regular
therapy that will heal as well. After the diagnosis
of memory loss was confirmed, and with a fruitless
extensive search of missing persons, our office has
decided that you’re the perfect candidate for our program.
For six months, we’ll provide housing in a outreach
center, three square meals and some skills training.
Your part of the agreement will be to start rebuilding
your life and of course share in the daily responsibilities
at the center. And you’ll be required to attend all of your
therapy sessions both physical and with a
Dr. Sonador, your assigned psychologist.

BEN FRANKLIN
I don’t need a psychologist.

BECKETT
Mr. Franklin, you’ve been through a very trying
ordeal. Dr. Sonador’s expertise is helping patients
who suffer with post traumatic stress syndrome.

BEN FRANKLIN
Mam, I was an unfortunate victim
of a criminal act. I didn’t fight in a war.

BECKETT
The psychological ramifications for both are
virtually the same. Trust me, Dr. Sonador’s
gonna become your best friend.

An exchange of glances and a few silent moments.

Okay, back to the program. Our main goal is to
get you back on your feet as quickly as possible.

BEN FRANKLIN
A outreach center? Sounds like a place for recovering
addicts, alcoholics and abused spouses. Not
someone recuperating from as you say it “mental stress.”

BECKETT
Ever been incarcerated Mr. Franklin?

BEN FRANKLIN
Prison...?

INT. FLASHBACK: PRISON.
Ben in community shower, allows water to run over his head washing soap away.

GUARD
Okay move it on...

Ben grabs towel, falls in line, with other inmates [all African American]. They get to sink area.

Ten minutes guys.

Ben walks with head down, turns at next sink from guy in front of him, looks in mirror. Sees shooters reflection staring back at him and he’s startled. He leans close to mirror and touches his face. [Show Ben on one side of mirror the African American in reflection].

INT. REAL TIME: EMERGENCY ENTRANCE TO TEMPLE UNIVERSITY HOSPITAL.

BEN FRANKLIN
I don’t think so...

BECKETT
Well, the alternative to an outreach center is to
voluntarily commit yourself to a lock-down institution
and hope time’ll eventually bring back at least
partial memory. But I’ll bet any interaction
there could be far less, shall we say, insightful.

BEN FRANKLIN
No thanks. Something about being locked up
anywhere gives me the creeps. What about the
headaches? Dr. Henry said he’d give me a prescription.

BECKETT
Right here.

Hands Ben a small white slip of paper. Ben looks at paper and then again up at action in ER.

It’s for the same medication you were
taking as an inpatient, is that right?

Ben staring at policemen and doctors doing their jobs.

Mr. Franklin?

BEN FRANKLIN
Sorry...

BECKETT
The medication...

BEN FRANKLIN
This is what they were giving me in the hospital.

Ben’s attention again diverted to a male/female police duo taking a report from another victim of a violent crime.

BECKETT
Good. Back to the program. When you get to the
center – if we get there with this storm – we’ll ask
you to fill out some paperwork so we can get you an
ID and eventually with the skills training, a job.
Any thoughts on what you’d like to be in your new
life Mr. Franklin? Not imperative you answer right away.

BEN FRANKLIN
No. I’d like to answer. I want to do what they do.
Ben points to male/female police duo.
Have no idea what I did before this happened,
but I think I want to be a cop.

BECKETT
An honorable line of work, but it
might not be the best choice for you.

BEN FRANKLIN
Doc says I’m in good health, why not?
Mam, if it wasn’t for the actions of some kind
officers and emergency workers, we probably
wouldn’t be having this conversation right now.
Maybe I just want to give back.

We see the police duo comfort and reassure victim, smile and walk toward the exit.

BECKETT
My husbands been a police officer for 14 years.
You know they do a extensive
background search on every applicant.

BEN FRANKLIN
Well there you go. I just saved the
taxpayers of Philadelphia a lot of money.
Somehow, it feels right... you know?

EXT. FLASHBACK: PHILA STREETS.
We see Ben being arrested; roughly put inside police vehicle.

BEN FRANKLIN
Can you get me the application?

If you would like to read the entire script, e-mail malonedesigns@comcast.net. A copy of the the entire script MINUTES AFTER MIDNIGHT can be forwarded electronically or in hardcopy form. I welcome any and all interested parties. I also welcome any reviews of the material. Just send your review to malonedesigns@comcast.net. and let me know if it's okay to post it here. Thanks!!

This script was written by Jo Malone, who maintains any and all rights to the material you have just read. It is registered with the WGA and has been filed with the United States copyright office. Final Draft screenwriting software was used on an Apple Macintosh G4 to compose this material.

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