Day 81: The Carry-On Kid

The Carry-On Kid
by
Matt Zurbo

 

There once was a kid called Snoz, who was carried form here to there.
(Solid kid slouched in chair, watching tv. No background.)

It just happened that way. He was so lazy his friends eventually said: “We’re going to make you play!”
(Three kids, sweating, etc, carrying Snoz still in chair, forth kid ahead of them, carry tv.)

From there his parents said: “Time to put out the garbage, Snoz…”
(Dad, giving Snoz a shoulder ride. Snoz holding garbage bag with one hand, drinking milkshake through straw with other.)

His doctor saved his feet from getting sore.
(Doctor, marathon number over his shirt, tie and stethoscope flapping in the wind, etc… is running, while piggybacking Snoz.)

The dog took him for morning walks.
(Snoz, blurry-eyed, still in PJs, on back of dog.)

Everybody pitched in!
(Tree house. Three kids straining, winching Snoz up while he chats with two more kids climbing actual steps nailed into trunk. One already in tree house.)

Even a gorilla escaped from the zoo just to take him to the park.
(Gorilla walking, holding Snoz by scruff of shirt. Snoz playing pocket video game.)

In the end, it became a thing, everybody chipping in.
(Queue at bus stop crowd surfing Snoz onto bus as he reads a book.)
Snoz was happy enough. He knew no better.

But then, one day, after a game of footy, he saw the fun of people working together.(Four kids, muddy, straining, running as they carry Shnoz through a game of footy. Snoz handballing the footy away as opponent leaps but cannot block it.)

They had something to share, that went beyond words.
(Snoz watching the four kids who carried him, collapsed under a tree, patting each other on the back, fist bumping, smiling, exhausted.)

But when he sat with them, not a sound was heard.
(Snoz sitting in the middle of them, they have awkward, silent body language.)

So, one-by-one, he carried them back home.
(Suitable image. Snoz unfit, really puffing, sweating)

He felt tired! Sore! Cooked!
(Snoz walking into bedroom, hunched, dis-shelved, wobbly grin.)
Yet, brilliant and alive!

After that, Snoz, helped people everyday.
(Snoz carrying a twin under each arm, through deep puddle.)

Carrying them here and there, any which way.
(Carrying tourist looking at a map.)

“This is to pay you back,” he grunted to each one.
(Biting tongue, foot out for balance as he is carrying a garbo holding a bin.)

But truth to tell, Snoz now knew something a lot of other kids didn’t.
(Snoz walking one way, giving a shoulder ride to a very old, hunched lady. Other kid walking the other way, carrying snooty kid talking on mobile in his arms. Snoz and other kid looking at each other with knowing wink.)

(Snoz holding ankles of girl, so she can stand on his shoulders and see above brick wall to paint view of a tree.)

(Snoz, arms out wide, has five very young kids holding his head, gripping his arms, pointing, scared, laughing, shouting, etc, at barking dog in front of him.)

(Snoz giving small geek kid a shoulder ride, leaping so geek kid can dunk basketball. Trying to block them are two other kids, one underneath, holding other up.)

Now it was Snoz having all the fun.
(Basketball. Snoz, flopped back on bench, smiling to self as he stares at ceiling, one arms lazily out, fist pumping with other ‘kid who carries’, who is sitting on floor beside him, puffing. In background, everybody throwing geek in air, cheering.)

 

The End