Kaji: The Bench Ritual

1. FADE IN

3. Act 1

5. EXT. RIVERSIDE PARK - DAY 1

6. 
   

7. The path is paved and perfect. KAJI sniffs the air.

9. KAJI (V.O.): Three sniffs to the left. Another three to the right. The world is in balance.

10. 
    

11. The PACK LEADER sits on a bench. Kaji joins her. Soon she spots a shadow in a distance.

12. 
    

13. KAJI (V.O.) (Cont'd): The shadow is wearing a backpack.

14. 
    

15. Staring.

16. 
    

17. KAJI (V.O.) (Cont'd): He is Peter. But I 'd stay calm,

18. 
    

19. Peter walks towards their bench.

20. 
    

21. KAJI (V.O.) (Cont'd): For the past several days, no one shared breakfast with me.

22. 
    

23. Peter takes off his backpack - it's heavy.

24. 
    

25. KAJI (V.O.) (Cont'd): Don't know where he went. Anyhow, he has come back.

26. 
    

27. Act 2

28. 
    

29. EXT. RIVERSIDE PARK - DAY 2

30. 
    

31. Kaji and the Pack Leader sit on a bench.

32. 
    

33. KAJI (V.O.): When we come out, Peter hasn't returned home.

34. 
    

35. Suddenly, footsteps. Fast. Kaji turns.

36. 
    

37. KAJI (V.O.) (Cont'd): It's Peter...his hair is damp.

38. 
    

39. Peter puts a hand on Kaji's head.

40. 
    

41. PACK LEADER: You've done your daily swim?

42. 
    

43. Peter nods.

44. 
    

45. KAJI (V.O.) (Cont'd): I've my bench ritual.

46. 
    

47. EXT. RIVERSIDE PARK - DAY 3

48. 
    

49. Kaji and the Pack Leader reach the bench. It's empty. They sit.

50. 
    

51. KAJI (V.O): The damp man is absent. The ritual is incomplete.

52. 
    

53. Kaji looks at the Pack Leader.

54. 
    

55. PACK LEADER: Maybe he's not coming this time.

56. 
    

57. Kaji is stone.

58. 
    

59. KAJI (V.O.)(Cont'd): I'm a Shiba.

60. 
    

61. Pausing.

62. 
    

63. KAJI (V.O.)(Cont'd): A walk without the final stamp is a list of chores. We must bear witness.

64. 
    

65. Soon, Peter, with damp hair, appears.

66. 
    

67. KAJI (V.O.)(Cont'd): This time, he's carrying something...

68. 
    

69. Sniffing.

70. 
    

71. KAJI (V.O.)(Cont'd): Oh, the family turtle. It doesn't chase. It doesn't fetch.

72. 
    

73. Peter sits down, takes out the turtle from a turtle bag and places it on the bench.

74. 
    

75. KAJI (V.O.)(Cont'd): Don't know why it carries its home on his back all the time.

76. 
    

77. Pausing.

78. 
    

79. KAJI (V.O.)(Cont'd): Perhaps that's why it doesn't need to share bed with us.

80. 
    

81. MONTAGE OF BED SHARING

82. 
    

83. The Pack Leader on one side. Peter on the other. Their bed. Their pillows. Their blankets.

84. 
    

85. END MONTAGE

86. 
    

87. KAJI (V.O.)(Cont'd): My place is unshakable. We're co-existing. We're not competing.

88. 
    

89. Pausing.

90. 
    

91. KAJI (V.O.)(Cont'd): As for the bench ritual, it's now complete. Four souls. One bench. Two warm. Two cold. But all present. All accounted for.

92. 
    

93. Later, they leave and meet another Shiba Inu - Hazel

94. 
    

95. KAJI (V.O.)(Cont'd): We met before. She's always unfriendly.

96. 
    

97. Hazel starts to growl at Kaji. Kaji is quick to respond.

98. 
    

99. PACK LEADER: Come on, you two have the same father!

100. 
     

101. Act 3

102. 
     

103. INT. HOME - NIGHT

105. Kaji rests in the massage chair.

106. 
     

107. KAJI (V.O.): A bench is just wood until someone sits on it and remembers how to breathe,

108. 
     

109. Pausing.

110. 
     

111. KAJI (V.O.)(Cont'd): Routine is what you do. Ritual is what you return to.

112. 
     

113. Pausing.

114. 
     

115. KAJI (V.O.)(Cont'd): The river is the same every day. The park is the same. The only variable is the one who shows up.

116. 
     

117. FADE OUT

119. THE END