A Life with A Condition.

By Finlay Bell.

Deanfield Ave, Henley-on-Thames, RG9 1UH

INT: Classroom – Day.
MIKE is sitting in his class room trying to get some work
done. Whilst he is working the sounds around him begin to
distort and a ringing noise can be heard. The sounds suddenly
stop when Mike’s phone vibrates from a text. Mike has a look
at the phone and sighs putting it back down.
MIKE (VO)
It happened again. The feeling of the whole world rushing
around me. But that’s not the worse of it. It’s getting worse.

The camera cuts to mike waking up in his room.

MIKE (VO)
When I first started to get these feelings, they weren’t too
bad. Back then they would only last for a few seconds and were
barely noticeable.

MIKE starts going through a morning routine (gets dressed and

has a shower). Mike walks out his front door and starts
whistling. He is about to leave but starts to check his
pocket.
MIKE
Ah shit

MIKE turns around and goes back into his house and comes out
with his wallet.
MIKE (VO)
It became a regular occurrence for me to have to turn around
and get something that I forgot in my home. I keep telling
myself that I should’ve learnt my lesson by now but in my
head, I know I won’t.

The scene then cuts to MIKE walking to school and while he

walks the different sounds that were heard throughout the day
begin to be heard and distorted. The ringing noise is also
heard.
MIKE (VO)
Most people don’t even realize that it’s happening and those
that do just think I’m weird… and I would be inclined to agree
with them.

MIKE walks into his school. He visibly tries to avoid

interactions with anyone.
MIKE (VO)
I try to keep social interactions to a minimum. Not because I
don’t like them but because I don’t want to freak anyone out.

Mike looks over a see a group of friends talking. He stops for

a second to look at them but when they glance over a him he
quickly walks away. The scene cuts to the class from the first
scene with MIKE working at his computer.
 MIKE (VO)
My problem effects how I work. One moment I’ll be hard at work
with a good pace feeling unstoppable and the next moment I’ll
be starring off into space before I come crashing back down to
earth and then the whole thing repeats.

The Scene now shows Mike waiting at a train station and

looking at the screen displaying train times. He begins to
stare off into space with the audio again beginning to distort
around him. The noise of the train brings him back to
attention. He looks around confused before looking back at the
screen and seeing that a lot of time has passed. He steps on
the train and the doors close. MIKE is now walking home after
getting off the train while he is walking his alarm can be
heard before the scene cuts to him in bed the next morning
after waking up.
MIKE (VO)
Here we go again.

He begins doing the same routine from the previous day but now
we see him making cereal for breakfast as he goes to sit down
and eat he sees that he’s missing a spoon so he has to get up
and get one. He leaves his house and has again forgotten his
wallet. He goes to school and sits down at his desk.
MIKE (VO)
My condition whatever it is has become too much for me to
handle. I can’t get work done, I have trouble sleeping, I
can’t keep a grip on reality, I can’t keep my emotions in
check and my organisation skills are frankly atrocious. I need
to fix it and I need to fix it now because this has gone on
for long enough. I should visit a hospital or something and
see what they can do for m- wait did mum ask me to get some
milk this morni- oh not again.

Mike is now walking towards a hospital. He looks nervous.

MIKE (VO)
So, this could be it. The answer to my problems or could it be
a dead end. Well time to find out I guess.

Mike stands in front of the door to the hospital and takes a

deep breath before walking in.
MIKE
Here goes nothing.

The door closes behind MIKE. The scene transitions to later in

the day and the text ‘2 hours or something later’. Mike walks
out the door and walks away. MIKE’S alarm is heard and he
wakes up. He begins his routine again but now after he’s had
his breakfast he has a pill and when he leaves he doesn’t
forget his wallet.
 MIKE (VO)
Well it’s been a couple months since I first visited the
hospital and I discovered what my condition was. Turns out it
was something called adhd which was causing all my problems.
After the visit I started taking some kind of medication and
as a result I actually started feeling normal again. I can do
my work now, it’s easier to sleep, I now have somewhat of a
grip on reality and my organisational skills have improved
significantly. The only downside to my medication is that it
messes with my appetite but not to a large degree.

Mike arrives at his school and is no longer trying to avoid

social interactions. He enters his class and sits at his desk
and begins working but this time the sounds around don’t
distort and the ringing noise can’t be heard implying that
MIKE is somewhat free of his condition.