INT.  CLASSROOM – DAY

12-year-old HADEN is staring out of the classroom window day dreaming while his teacher, Ms. Glass, a pretty woman in her early thirties writes her name on the board.  Below her name she writes: 7th Grade Newspaper Production. She quickly sets the chalk down and swiftly turns around and faces the class.  The whole class stares blankly at their teacher.

MS. GLASS:  Hello everyone! Welcome to 7th grade newspaper.

The students, still staring, look sleepy and vague.  It’s as if they’re still mourning their long summer vacation.

MS. GLASS: What’s with all the gloomy faces?

The class stays silent while Haden continues to stare out the window.

MS. GLASS:  Well, I have an idea, since this is the newspaper class, I’d like for each of you to come up with an interesting lifestyles article about something you did over summer vacation.  The students moan in unison.

MS. GLASS:  Oh, come on guys!  Lighten up!

Ms. Glass looks at her seating chart.

MS. GLASS: (looking at Haden)  Let’s see…young man in the back–

Haden continues to stare out of the window when a wad of paper suddenly hits him in the head.  Startled, he quickly faces forward.  Ms. Glass looks over at the big, burly, red head named, Tommy who had thrown the paper wad at Haden.

MS. GLASS:  Tommy?  You want detention on the first day of class?

Tommy nods his head no.

MS. GLASS:  I didn’t think so.  You’re in 7th grade now, Tommy.  Act like it.

Tommy glares at Haden then looks down at his desk.

MS. GLASS:  Apologize to…I’m sorry, you’re new here, aren’t you?  What’s your name? (smiles)

HADEN:  Haden.

TOMMY:  Sorry.

MS. GLASS:  Haden, tell us one thing you did this summer.

HADEN: Nothing.

MS GLASS:  Nothing?!  come on, you’ve had to have done something…

Haden shrugs and looks down at his folded hands.  Ms. Glass stares at him for a moment.

MS. GLASS:  What about the beach?  Did you go to the beach?

HADEN: No.

Marissa, a bubbly girl with blond, wavy hair perks up and raises her hand.

MS. GLASS: Yes, Marissa?

MARISSA: I went to the beach, like, every weekend!  And I got to go to Florida!

MS GLASS: Wow, Marissa…How exciting!

Haden stares out the window again sadly  Ms. Glass stares at Justin for a moment then walks over to the chalk board.

MS. GLASS:  Now, who can tell me what the five W’s are in Journalism?

JOHN, a boy with black hair and fair skin wearing a a punk t-shirt raises his hand while speaking at the same time.

JOHN:  I went to a tatoo convention with my dad, it was pretty cool.

Everyone stares at John while a few” oohs” and “awes” echo throughout the classroom.

MS. CLASS:  Wow, that ought to be an interesting story, John…You were on the newspaper staff last year..Do you remember the five W’s in Journalism?

JOHN:  Who, what, where, when, and why?

Haden stares at John curiously.

MS. GLASS:  Good job, John!

Haden looks away and is lost in his own thoughts.

EXT. – A HOLLYWOOD STREET – DAY

Haden is is walking down the sidewalk sadly.  He walks passed a music store and a coffee house as he kicks a tin can down the side walk.  The tin can rolls down the sidewalk and stops right in front of a pottery art studio window. Haden walks toward the can and just as he starts to kick it, he is startled by a big, golden retriever, who jumps up on the other side of the window and places his big paws on the glass while barking loudly and wagging his tail.

Haden smiles at the big dog and places his hand on the glass right where the dog’s paw is resting.  Haden smiles even wider and rubs the glass as if he were petting the dog’s paw.

Haden:  Hey there, boy…

To be continued…In the meantime, please visit http://www.hollywoodharleyrescuereporter.com