I would like tot ell you a story today

about a young man whose life was destroyed

by the instruments of fear. A young man

searching for love... in all the wrong

places.

(shaking his head tragically)

His name was Frank.

On the giant screen, an image slide appears of a young cartoon

teenager whose eyes are whacked out on drugs. The title appears:

HIS NAME WAS FRANK.

Upon hearing the name Frank, Donnie falls into a paranoid trance.

Gretchen, who looks extremely bored, leans over to Donnie.

GRETCHEN

Let's get out of here.

Donnie ignores her. His eyes are locked on Jim Cunningham, who

begins his rousing re-enactment of the sad, unfortunate downfall

of Frank.

Within minutes, Jim Cunningham has the crowd laughing...

enamoured of him with his cartoon slide show.

Note: during this sequence, the camera speed ramps to 4 bps.

Int. School auditorium - next (10:30 a.M.)

Donnie is in a trance.

DONNIE

We're moving through time.

GRETCHEN

What?

The huge screen rises upwards and Jim Cunningham takes questions

from the crowd from portable mike stands in the back of the

auditorium.

Several students get up and go to the mikes.

DORKY GIRL

Hi. Um... my stepsister... like... I

sometimes worry that she eats too much.

OVERWEIGHT GIRL

(mortified; yelling at her sister

from the crowd)

Shut up, Kim!

DORKY GIRL

I'm just trying to help you!

JIM CUNNINGHAM

There's no need to be embarrassed. Many

times we eat because we are afraid to face

the reality of our ego reflections. We

shouldn't just look INTO the mirror. We

should look THROUGH the mirror.

DORKY GIRL

Thanks.

Kitty Farmer runs out onto the stage and hands Jim Cunningham a

bottle of water and a towel. She gives him the thumbs-up sign, and

runs back offstage.

LANKY KID

Um... How can I decide what I want to be

when I grow up?

JIM CUNNINGHAM

I think you should look deep within

yourself... deep within your heart... and

find what it is in the world that makes

you feel LOVE. Just pure LOVE. And then

go to that. In your studies... in your

athletics... go towards love.

LANKY KID

Thank you.

Donnie gets up from his seat and goes to the mike.

LARRY RIESMAN

What can I do to learn how to fight?

JIM CUNNINGHAM

Violence is a product of fear. Those who

love themselves enough should have no need

to fight another person. Learn to truly

love yourself... and the world will be

yours.

LARRY RIESMAN

Okay.

Donnie steps up to the mike stand.

DONNIE

(furious)

How much are they paying you to be here?

JIM CUNNINGHAM

Excuse me? What's your name, son?

DONNIE

Gerald.

JIM CUNNINGHAM

Well, Gerald, I think you're afraid.

DONNIE

Well, Jim, I think you're full of shit!

There are rumblings from the faculty. Some laughter from the

student body.

DONNIE (cont'd)

Are you telling us this crap because you

want us to buy your book? Because I'll

tell you something, that was some of the

worst advice I've ever heard!

(to Dorky Girl)