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FUTURE PERFECT


Directed by Christine Keating With Sean Garahan & Jeff Ennor

The year: 2065

Dr. K (Sean), a genetic counselor dressed all in gray, stiff demeanor at first as he tows company line

Harrison (Jeff), dressed all in black. A high ranking employee at The Sphinx, a giant tech company whose product/purpose isn’t known even to its employees. He has a fratty and entitled air at first, then shows signs of human vulnerability.

A Health and Wellness clinic at a corporate headquarters that reads more like an interrogation room. Mood is sterile and monochromatic, Gattaca-esque.

Accompanied by a Massive Attack song, lights up on Harrison waiting in The Sphinx’s Health & Wellness Clinic, looking slightly anxious. Gets up from his chair and checks his ‘iphone’ (implanted in his hand). Nods head (as if turning a device on, such as google glass) and starts moving things around/swiping an invisible screen in front of him. Then places his finger behind his ear and starts talking (through an implanted cell phone device).

HARRISON

Yeah, that’ll work. I gotta ping you later. Over at Health and Wellness. (beat) I dunno -- feeling great. The appointment showed up on my grid (looks at left hand, swiping palm to no avail) but I couldn’t decline it. It just says ‘Dr. K’.(laughs nervously) Uber weird.

DR. K enters with forced peppiness.

They greet each other wordlessly with a weirdly elaborate handshake (you guys invent, but I’d love it to look like a stiff and robotic corporate attempt at cameraderie).

HARRISON

Hey Doc, so, I didn’t make this appointment and I’ve got a cloud call in 5, so if you could lemme know --

DR. K

(gestures for him to sit down at counseling table) Wonderful news. You’re eligible for a Fitness Enhancement! I’ll need your thumbprint approval first. (holds up his palm tablet/phone thingy, but HARRISON doesn’t approve yet)

HARRISON

Fitness Enhancement? I didn’t get that cloudburst. Unless this is about the personal trainer I ordered. Is she here yet?

DR. K

No. (gets out huge needle and starts priming it)

HARRISON

Uh, what the hell is that for?

DR. K

We’ll need a sample for your Genetic Upgrade -- it’s in the fine print. (spoken quickly like in those pharma ads) Fitness Enhancement subclause 93, effective today, November 11th, 2065. May cause irreversible disposable memory loss, phantom limb tingling, and intermittent sadness. (normal speed again) Your thumb, Mr. Scott.

HARRISON

You can take your thumb and shove it up your ass. I didn’t request a Genetic Upgrade, but I do need my sexy new workout-bot. Can you follow up on that for me? (tries leaving)

DR. K

I can do that right now! (checking hand screen) You’ll actually have a female occupational therapist after the surgeries.

HARRISON

Surgeries? Those are probably for Scott Harrison -- the dumbass programmers still haven’t untangled our grids. I’m HARRISON SCOTT. (fidgeting as he checks hand, ear, elbow crook, his wireless ear phone) I’m getting pinged all over the place, I gotta run. Cloud blast me later.

DR. K

Mr. Scott, I need to let you know in person that The Sphinx has generously slated you for leg extensions and increased cerebral data storage.

HARRISON

I’m calling my lawyer.

DR. K

He spritzed his approval last night.

HARRISON

I see.

DR. K

I’m now obligated to inform you that --

HARRISON

(now more vulnerable) Is this because I took my vacation day last year?

DR. K