RED - Ephemerality
- DRNKN WZRD
- Jan 13
- 3 min read
Updated: Jan 27
A man in his mid 20s, black stylish hair, dressed in a tuxedo, [RED] stares out over the city from the roof of a luxury hotel. He has placed a gold award on the parapet wall. The rain is pouring out on the bustling city. The buzzing of the busy streets, providing a stark contrast, to the lonely pitter patter on the rooftop.
He takes out a box from inside his blazer, “sour candy cigarettes” he takes out one, puts it to his lips and lights it.
A thought lingering in his mind, his eyes reflecting the city lights.
Behind him, a woman in her 40’s, brown hair, in an elegant dress {KAMILAH]. makes her way onto the roof she watches him for a moment, slowly making her way closer to his side. His still attention is unbroken…
He takes the cigarette from his mouth and offers it to her. She accepts it, as the two of them share a silence
RED
“You know, I’ve pictured this day, ever since I was a young kid just starting out. Nobody could ever convince me that it wasn’t going to happen...I had acceptance speeches ready, I would perform my original songs, awfully...god bless my mom for cheering me on, once i had that…well there was nothing that could stop me…no matter what anyone else said..”
Kamilah turned slightly to face him, smiling as he told the story, noticing a small glint in his eye.
KAMILAH
Stubborn even back then huh…
RED
Persistent…
KAMILAH
Sure..
RED
But now that it’s here…all i can think…is ”is that it?”
He looks at the award, he can’t bring himself to hold it. Instead he turns away from it.
KAMILAH
That’s life. Time keeps going...at best you might get a day, a month a week to celebrate, they make the hours you poured in, the sacrifices worth it...all for one moment...but then time keeps going…
RED
....Hope is the parent of disappointment.
He finally turns to her, his eyes soft.
RED
Did you ever have a dream …Kamilah?
KAMILAH
Maybe for a moment, it’s been so long I forget… I grew up the child of Egyptian immigrants. We were raised to focus on utility. Dreams were a nice ideal, but didn’t keep my family fed, or give us a bed to sleep on. I was raised to never have to rely on anyone.
(Her face softens, before She forces the memory down and puts on a stern face.)
In the end, I learned the thing that matters is money. Pair that with influence and you’ll see real power. You’re a good kid, but you surrounded sharks now.
RED slumps slightly, hearing that dystopian world view. He swallows his words and takes a puff of his cigarette…
Some security guard arrives at the door.
SECURITY
Red, your car has arrived sir.
The two of them turn, Red handing the award to Kamilah. She fixes his tux and puts his chin up.
RED
Well, I guess I have today.
KAMILAH
Showtime
RED
showtime.
He puts the award into her hand and they make their way inside.
This is a short scene I created, from the song lyric "희망은 실망과 절망의 부모" which translates to "Hope is the parent of disappointment and despair", although I recognise the importance of hope as a fuel in life, it can also be a source of disappointment.
This scene is that moment you've achieved what you hoped for, but the feeling isn't what you expect. Once you achieve what you hope for there's only a moment that you can celebrate before time passes and it's time to find something new to hope for, hence the title ephemerality.
