Qupid 1.

0 Daniel Vang

Busy City Street. Day.

It is the future. Hovering cars. Experimental Fashion.
Everyone walks in pairs, couples all holding hands.
Alone, walks Simon Pillow.

Simon’s Robot Repair Shop. Day.

Simon greets his only employee, Baluga.
Baluga has trouble finding tasks. Business is slow.
The shop is losing money to “Sally’s Robot Repair Shop” across the street.

Simon’s Apartment. Day.

Simon enters his dilapidated building.
Elevator is broken. He takes the stairs.
Place is full of historic relics: video cassettes, guitar, blue jeans, etc.
He dresses himself for something important.

Long Metallic Waiting Room. Day.

One of the dozens in line, Simon waits.
Sparks a short conversation with stranger.
They differ on opinions. Simon talks about the “good ole’ days” when you had
to work, search for true love.

Circular Room. Day.

Simon sits alone. A screen surrounds him.
Clips are shown of the history of “Qupid 1.0”, a supercomputer that matches
people with their ultimate mate.
Clips of tanks being turned into flower pots – world peace
Clips of Jerry Springer being canceled – ubiquitous love
Etc.
The chair straightens into a slide and Simon falls into a hole.

Square Room. Day.

Simon rises from the ground. Spotlights beam on him.
He’s subjugated to various wacky tests (dancing skills, cooking skills,
gymnastics, etc)
Results are tallied

Wire Corridor. Day.

The results twist and spiral through a wire, traveling into the…

Main Computer Room. Day.

Two behemoth screens project photos of couples.
Simon’s face shows on one.
Then a short fizz – a glitch.
Salad’s face illuminates on the opposite screen.

Long Room. Day.

Another long line.
Simon is handed a packet.
Opens it to reveal Salad’s photo, name, and address.

Salad’s Artist Studio. Day.

Salad with her small robot apprentice, Daisy, draws on an electronic canvas .
Doorbell.
Simon and Salad meet.
Simon reads from the packet. Pre-set lines.
Awkwardly, he tells her she is the love of his life.

Stadium-sized building. Day.

Hundreds of couples. Hundreds of counters. like an airport check in.
Simon and Salad “check in.”
A robot reads them their vows, pronounced man and wife.

Simon’s Apartment. Day.

The new couple enters with Salad’s belongings, including Daisy.
She asks where is the “on” button to the guitar.
Simon scolds her for holding it upside down.

Simon’s Robot Repair Shop. Day.

A new art store is opening across the street: “Taco’s Art”.
Simon enters. Baluga congratulates Simon. He isn’t as enthusiastic.
A dark gargantuan robot interrupts, almost shaking the ground, with another
tiny robot that follows.
Bruno is the large robot’s name, he warns Simon that his payments are late.
The Landlord is becoming impatient.
Tiny Robot begins to play a mandolin (Godfather theme).

Simon’s Apartment. Afternoon.

Simon comes home to find ____ stacked upside down.
Salad has cleared room for her electronic easel and artwork.
Tense moment as Simon restacks the ____ correctly.

Simon’s Robot Repair Shop. Day.

Another slow day. Simon has swept the floor four times.
Nothing to do.
He can’t afford to pay Baluga, recommends he finds another job.
Baluga sticks around anyways.
Grocery Store. Day.
Salad shops for food with Daisy.
She confides in her about how difficult it is settling in with Simon.
She bumps into Taco. Also an artist.
She notices jewelry from and artist convention they both attended years ago.
Both new to the area, they exchange numbers.

Simon’s Apartment. Afternoon.

In the middle of dinner their heater breaks down. It’s Chicago and it’s winter.
Simon can’t repair it.
They’re forced to finally sleep together for body heat.
Next door, they can hear a saxophone playing. Erotic tunes. Which adds to the
awkwardness.

Coffee House. Morning.

Not far from his shop. Simon stops in at the coffee shop.
Sally, owner of Sally’s Robot Repair, waits for her cup.
Both are in similar repair-shop uniforms.
Their movements are synchronized, they size each other up. Competitive
glares.

Simon’s Robot Repair Shop. Day.

Bruno comes in again, this time more forceful, he picks up Simon in his hands.
Monitor on Bruno’s face appears, it is Mr. Bullard, the landlord, on video
conference.
Mr. Bullard shouts at Simon that his payments are late. He will be evicted
tomorrow night if he can’t get the money in.
More Italian mandolin playing from the tiny robot.

Simon’s Apartment. Afternoon.

Simon comes home, dismayed.
Salad tries to console him. She and Daisy have learned to play the guitar, she
sings him a song.
Pleasing and distracting for a bit, reality sinks back in.
Simon goes to bed, before dinner, and way too early.
Salad and Daisy have a plan.

Simon’s Robot Repair Shop. Night.

Salad and Daisy sneak into the shop.
They paint all of Simon’s used robots (which are for sale) in flowers, hearts,
clovers.
They work throughout the night.
Simon’s Robot Repair Shop. Morning.
Simon discovers Salad asleep on the floor. Daisy’s battery low. Both covered in
different colors of paint.
He’s outraged at the carnage they’ve done, paint on the walls, floors, ceilings
and especially on his robots.
Simon goes overboard, yelling and pouting.
Salad runs away, hurt.
Alone, Simon begins cleaning.
Soon customers from the street catch eye of the colorful robots.
One by one they line up to buy the “trendy” robots until there are throngs of
people.
Simon and Baluga have a difficult time managing all of the customers.

Simon’s Robot Repair Shop. Afternoon.

Their register is stuffed.
They finally close the door, even turning people away.
Simon and Baluga rejoice.
Simon’s contrite.

Simon’s Apartment. Evening.

Simons bursts in, searching for Salad.
She’s gone along with her belongings.

Taco’s Apartment. Afternoon.

Salad knocks on her door.
Tells Taco of the situation, asks for refuge.
Tacos lets her in.
She’s overwhelmed by his artwork, so many common interests.
He consoles her grief. Obvious attraction.

Main Computer Room. Day.

Two scientists rush to an elder scientist.
They alert him they’ve made a huge mistake.
Wrong pairing of Simon and Salad.

Simon’s Apartment. Day.

A scientist shows up at his door.
He’s to come an emergency meeting at Qupid Headquarters.

Main Computer Room. Day.

Simon, Salad, Taco, and Sally are present.
Elder scientist explains the mistake, a glitch.
Simon is meant to be with Sally and Salad with Taco.
Earth-shattering news. Simon still wants to be with Salad.
He believes, opposites attract, and wants to work at it, to work at being a
great couple. It shouldn’t be so easy.
It’s up Salad to decide.
The pressure’s too much, she asks for time.

Busy Street. Day.

Salad and Daisy talk about life, about choices.
Like a fork the road, Taco’s Store is to the left, Simon’s Shop is to the right.
She starts to walk.
Towards Taco’s.

Taco’s Art Store. Day.

Salad enters.
They hug.
But she explains to him why she needs and wants to be with Simon.

Simon’s Robot Repair Shop. Day.

Salad enters.
Even bigger hug. And first kiss.
Happy ending stuff.