Scripts

potion sellah.

EXT. ENCHANTED FOREST - DAY

Medieval England. After a long, sweaty journey, GALLIVAN, on horseback, comes to a crooked, mossy tower deep within the forest. The Tower has no entry, except for the closed window at the top.

GALLIVAN

(Out of breath)

Potion Seller!

(pause)

Potion Seller!?

(no response)

"Ye Who Sells Potions!?" Where art thou ! --

POTION SELLER

(A voice yelling from atop the tower)

WHOMST?? WHOMST?!!... WHOMST DARE TRESPASS UPON THESE SACRED GROUNDS, AND AWAKEN THE GREAT POTION SELLER FROM HER SLUMBER?

GALLIVAN

It is I, S--

POTION SELLER

(Interrupting)

WHAT FOOL HAS COME TO DIE FOR SUCH A FOOLISH ACT, AND SHALT BECOME AN EXAMPLE FOR THE FOOLS-STILL-TO-COME?

GALLIVAN

No other than I, S--

POTION SELLER

(Interrupting, again)

WHOSE BITCH ASS SHALL NOW BE KICK'ITH'D???

GALLIVAN

Tis I! Sir Gallivan The Gentle. First son of King William, and heir to the Throne of--

POTION SELLER

BE GONE, THOT!

GALLIVAN

(Calling out)

I am here in search of a potion!

POTION SELLER slams open the window and appears at the top of the tower.

POTION SELLER

A potion u say?

GALLIVAN

(In shock)

Thou aren't as ugly as the legend foretold!

POTION SELLER

"The Legend" is a tired old hag who doesn't know how to mind ye own business.

GALLIVAN

It is known that The Great Potion Seller sells many powerful potions... Strong enough to break any curse.

POTION SELLER

(Creepily, mocking a child's voice)

"Potion Seller, Potion Seller; To thee I give thy purse. Name your price; for I'd give my life, to break this hellish curse."

GALLIVAN

That was quite unpleasant but, yes, that is how the tale goes.

POTION SELLER

(Without an accent)

What do you need a potion for?

GALLIVAN

...Pardon?

POTION SELLER

Oh, shit, (English accent returns) For why is thou in need'th of an Potion?

GALLIVAN

I do not understand --

POTION SELLER

PRITHEE, GOOD SIR. FOR WHAT'TH DOES THOU NEED'ITH AN POTION FOR?

GALLIVAN

Ah yes! My love has mysteriously fallen under a dark spell... She lays motionless in a curse'd slumber. I believe only a potion of your's is strong enough to save her!

POTION SELLER

(Rolling her eyes)

Let me guess, "True Love's Kiss" just wasn't enough?

GALLIVAN

A Kiss? Without thy love's consent? Why, that would be uncourtly of me.

POTION SELLER

(Surprised)

...Quite shookith that ye said that.

GALLIVAN

Prithee, Great Potion Seller! Sell me your finest potion! Just the very thought of losing my Love wounds me... I shalt not return without an ailment!

POTION SELLER

(Watching him carefully)

Tell me, Good Sir Gallivan. Is this fair lady really your one true love?

GALLIVAN

I love her with every inch of my unworthy soul, Great Potion Seller!

POTION SELLER

How does thou know ye are "in love"?

GALLIVAN

(Hesitant)

How.. how else doth one know?

POTION SELLER

(Smiles))

Doth her blue eyes seem to twinkle when you gaze upon them?

GALLIVAN

(Grins as he remembers)

Yes... Like sapphires reflecting moonlight!

POTION SELLER

Doth her soft touch feel like fire; a warm sensation that you long to hold?

GALLIVAN

Yes! A sensation that only she can cause!

POTION SELLER

Doth your love smell like fresh Oatmeal Raisin? Like the cookies ye mum use to make?

GALLIVAN

Yes, exactly! But how did ye know that--

POTION SELLER

AHA! Just as I suspected. These are the sign of a sinner. Thou aren't in love. Thou art in LUST. You pine after this maiden like a hungry dog.

GALLIVAN

(Gasp!)

How dare ye denounce my love for--

POTION SELLER

No curse as strong as this one can be broken without a test of true love. A "TRUE Test of True Love."

GALLIVAN

Prithee, Great Potion Seller, give me this test! I assure you, as my love IS true; I shall not fail.

POTION SELLER

(Smiles and stares down at GALLIVAN)

Then tell me, Good Sir Gallivan the Gentle. Would ye give all of ye fortune for thy fair lady?

GALLIVAN

...Take all of the gold that I own, Great Potion Seller. My wealth means nothing if not a means to save my belove'd.

POTION SELLER

...But what of the marvelous gifts you wish to buy her? Jewels, gowns, and Gucci Belts? How else will you show her you love her, when words are not enough?

GALLIVAN

I'll show her by holding her in a sweet embrace, as I kiss her lips, softly. Ye olde Actions, speak'ith louder than Words.

POTION SELLER

(Gags)

GALLIVAN

Only a fool would put materials before his maiden.

POTION SELLER

Aye, a fool ye'd be, indeed. But True Love costs more than gold. Nay; even all ye fortune shant be enough to save her life, Good Sir Gallivan.

GALLIVAN

Why of course true love triumphs over gold. But if not riches, then what can I trade for thee?

POTION SELLER

(Smiles))

Good Sir Gallivan The Gentle... First son of King William. Would'st thou trade thy kingdom for thy true love?

GALLIVAN

Thy... kingdom?

POTION SELLER

Yes, ye scallywag, thy kingdom.

GALLIVAN

I am but a Prince, My Father is still King --

POTION SELLER

Would'st thou sign a legal document that binds you to selling thy kingdom to me (when thou is King) to save your precious true love?

GALLIVAN

I... perchance, I could --

POTION SELLER

(Gasp!)

Do ye hesitate, Sir Gallivan??

GALLIVAN

Nay! I --

POTION SELLER

A kingdom over the woman you love, Sir Gallivan??

GALLIVAN

I would never! --

POTION SELLER

(Sarcastic)

Wow what a great king you'll be.

GALLIVAN

But, I --

POTION SELLER

Yer fockin' shite, Sir Gallivan.

GALLIVAN

(Unsheathed sword, pointing it at POTION SELLER. He has a more serious tone.)

I have no quarrel with thee, Potion Seller, but if you shall choose to continue, I may be privy towards violence.

POTION SELLER smashes a potion and with a poof, appears in front of Gallivan.

GALLIVAN

(Is shook'ith)

I- I am not shook'ith by your sorcery, Potion Seller.

POTION SELLER

Ye would kill an innocent potion seller for your one true love?

GALLIVAN

I pray it shall not come to that, M'lady, but --

POTION SELLER

Gross, don't call me that.

GALLIVAN

-- I pray it shall not come to that. But I would indeed'ith risk my life for her.

POTION SELLER

Well, then, Sir Gallivan The Gentle... First son of King William, and heir to the Throne of... Wherever-Ye-Doth-From. Would'st thou give thy soul for thy One True Love?

GALLIVAN

Give ye my wot??

POTION SELLER

Ye heard me, thy SOUL.

GALLIVAN

My wot?

POTION SELLER

Ye SOUL.

GALLIVAN

Nay! That's pro-posterous!

POTION SELLER

Nay it's, "preposterous," ye uncultured swine. And nay, it is not preposterous. It is the True Test of True Love©!

GALLIVAN

How would I live to love my love when I am without a soul? Is a soul not that which gives us the ability to love? Doth a soul not makes us human, and give us purpose to live and love?

POTION SELLER

Chill out, Brethren! Can't ye see?? To give up one's life is the truest test of love. Has thou not seen Disney's Hercules?!?

GALLIVAN blinks and stares.

POTION SELLER

...unCULTURED!

GALLIVAN

Prithee, Great and Grand Potion Seller! I pray thee, enough of this foolishness! I am Gallivan the Gentle, not Gallivan the Gullible. I have been patient, but no longer will I play along with your games. Name your price, fair and square, and ye shall have it.

POTION SELLER

(Uses the creepy child voice from before to recite poem)

"Potion Seller, Potion Seller; To thee I give thy purse. Name your price; for I'd give my life, to break this hellish curse.

(Smiles)

I have named my price, and that price is your life, Sir Gallivan.

(Pause)

Fair'ith and square'ith, I'd say.

GALLIVAN

But without my soul, how will I --

POTION SELLER

Oh sweet, simple, pale White man. A contract would be in order, of course.

(She reveals a sketchy piece of paper)

Sign hither, hither, and hither.

GALLIVAN

But how will I --

POTION SELLER

How will you "hold her in ye sweet embrace, and kiss 'er soft, oatmeal lips" without a soul? Easily. For I won't be taking ye soul right this instance. You shall be free to live the rest of your life until fate decides to end it. Yet, rather than join thy love in the sweet afterlife, your soul shall belong to me.

(pause)

Does thou understand, Good Sir Gallivan?

GALLIVAN

(Contemplating)

...Give my soul... to save the one I love.

POTION SELLER

(Reveals a glowing bottle.)

A worthy trade, for a potion so dank. ... Do ye truly love thy fairest Gwendolyn?

GALLIVAN

Of course I love... -- Now, just hold on just a minute... How doth thy know the name of my love?

POTION SELLER

Answer me, Sir Gallivan! Dost thou love her!?

GALLIVAN

(Anger building)

How doth ye know?!?

POTION SELLER

YE HOEBAG, DO YE LOVE HER !?!?

GALLIVAN draws sword against POTION SELLER's throat.

GALLIVAN

THOU ART A DECEITFUL WITCH! How does thou know of my love's blue eyes!? How does thou know my love's sweet scent? How does thou know my true love's name?!? Was it YE who cursed my belove'd Gwendolyn!? Tell me, or I shall SMITE thee where ye stand!

GALLIVAN and the POTION SELLER stare each other down.

POTION SELLER

(Smiles)

Sir Gallivan the Grouch,

(Yawns)

I grow quite tired of this game. Hither.

POTION SELLER tosses a purple, glowing potion, and GALLIVAN just barely catches it.

POTION SELLER

Thou has past the test. Be on ye merry way.

GALLIVAN

(Confused)

But... Great Potion Seller... I don't understand.

POTION SELLER begins to float backwards and upwards towards the window of the tower.

POTION SELLER

(Calling out)

Tis but a test of strength, wit and love! And you, Good Sir Gallivan, have passed. Ye have deemed yeself worthy; the potion ye seek is now yours. Go to your Gwendolyn. Free her from her curse.

GALLIVAN

...Many thanks, Great Potion Seller.

POTION SELLER

Yes, but henceforth, Young Prince. Heed my warning... Should thou ever threaten me life again...

(pause)

I'll fockin burst ye.

GALLIVAN and POTION SELLER lock eyes and stare each other down. GALLIVAN simply nods and turns to gallop away. POTION SELLER watches him leave.

POTION SELLER

"Potion Seller, Potion Seller; To thee I give thy purse."

(Smiles))

"Refuse to pay, and she'll find a way, to make the curse much worse."

THE END

admissions essay.

Taylor is a graduating high school senior attempting to write her first admittance essay. 

TAYLOR:

(Speaking and writing)

Why do I deserve admittance to this college? Because I am the best there is. There IS no other option. You see those other kids? The ones with 4.0’s? Wack. The tri-sport athletes? Wack. The rich White kids with money to burn? WACK. I am a BROKE Black girl with average grades and asthma, but let me tell you somethin’. 

I am passionate.

I am beautiful.

I am a Cancer Sun/Leo Rising, and I am WORTH. IT.

Who else can do it better? I’ll answer that -- no one. See, I’m already one step ahead of the game. I have always been successful; not always in the most conventional ways, but I always find myself in first place. Like when I won the bake off senior year. I didn’t make any of the desserts but I told my group to do tiramisu and it was the best damn tiramisu Miss Johnson had ever tasted. I took Advanced Culinary II before even considering Culinary I. ‘Cause I ain’t fuckin’ basic.

I am not “smart.” I am an intellectual. I make the right decisions because all I know are right decisions. Like when Jake Evans broke up with me in the 10th grade. Yeah, sure, he was hot, but did I get lost in the sauce? Did I want to get back together? Okay yes, but we didn’t and thank God -- ‘cause the current Jake Evans won’t shave his dirty mustache and thinks his B.O. smells “manly.” I chose to delete his number, I ignored the sauce and since then my skin has been clear, I am hydrated, and my crops are flourishing. You need this type of goodtness on your campus and I can assure you you can’t get it anywhere else.

Look no further, my guy. You found her, yes, here she is. Who is she? She’s me, and I’ll prove it to you. I have plans to change the world. I’ve seen, firsthand, paths that I don’t want to take, so I strive for different ones. I am confident and driven, in a world where that’s seen as a threat, and so I am deemed as just “loud and angry.” Well I AM loud and angry, and I demand to be heard. I work hard because I am not privileged enough to be handed what I want. I am better than what the world sees me as, so therefore, I am the best. 

Do I deserve admittance to this college? The answer is yes. And so should others like me.

(Pause)

But I’m also, like, hella cute, so you should accept me first.