Sound of Silence

Written By

Charlotte Fleming

FADE IN

INT. CONSERVATORY - DAY

[MS] - EUNICE SITS ON A COMFORTABLE COUCH, SHE IS WEARING A WHITE SWEATER AND BEIGE BROWN TROUSERS

EUNICE I'll show you a bit of what it's like, all over the ear...fixed over the ear into an implant.

CUT TOO: TITLE SEQUENCE - SOUND OF SILENCE

[PAN] WE SEE THE POND IN EUNICE'S GARDEN

EUNICE Quite comfortable to wear but despite having a cochlea implant I also have a hearing aid. Although I need it for loss of hearing in here, it balances the sound.

[MS]ZOOM TO UPPER BODY, WE SEE EUNICE SHOWING HER COCHLEA IMPLANT

EUNICE (CONT'D) When I first had it a few years back an operation was mentioned to me...I didn't realise I could have a cochlea implant I didn't know much about it. So they gave me a leaflet to study what it was all about.

And once I decided I was interested it went ahead after a day or two, so I didn't have time to get upset about it.

[MS] EUNICE SITS SILENTLY FOR A MOMENT

EUNICE (CONT'D) They tested my hearing ready for the process to be suitable for me when it was all connected.

CUT TOO: WATER FLOWING IN THE POND, WE SEE THIS COMING THROUGH FROM THE PONDS FILTER PIPING

[MS] - EUINCE SITS AND INFORMS US ABOUT GOING INTO SURGERY

EUNICE (CONT'D) When I went into the surgery they put in an implant into the bone over the ear, they had to slice it and slide the implant in which was about this size.

CUT TOO: ARCHIVE FOOTAGE OF EUNICE WHEN SHE WAS A YOUNG GIRL, SEEING HER HOME SEWN DRESS AND HEARING AID POCKET

ZOOMED OUT SHOT - UPPER BODY

EUNICE (CONT'D) Fortunately for me the operation wasn't fearful, I had full confidence with them. When I came out I stayed in over night to make sure I was settled.

[MS] - EUNICE SMILES AND TALKS HAPPILY ABOUT HOW WELL THE OPERATION FOR HER COCHLEA IMPLANT WENT

EUNICE (CONT'D) The idea is that I am now hearing like a normal person, although it doesn't sound like it and my brain hasn't heard these noises before. Over the next few weeks my brain had to have lesson, like learning french a new language.

CUT TOO: OUTER SCENERY WHILST DRIVING BESIDES FIELDS

EUNICE (CONT'D) This isn't a five minute job...this takes years.

CUT TOO: TRACKING SHOT OF KITCHEN WINDOW LOOKING OUTDOORS.

EUNICE (CONT'D) Lets talk about sound, I have my favourite sounds and the ones I don't like.

CUT TOO: ARCHIVE FOOTAGE OF EUNICE PLAYING MUSIC WHEN SHE WAS YOUNGER HOLDING SPEAKERS

[MS] SIDE SIGHT OF EUNICE WITH HER HANDS RESTING ON HER LAP

EUNICE (CONT'D) My favourite sound that i've never heard before was when I went for a walk in the snow...the sound of the crunch crunch in a foot of snow was rather amazing, I really loved that. When it was going "shh shh" was quite an experience.

[MS] - EUNICE ACTING SNOW SOUNDS

EUNICE (CONT'D) Needless to say the snow was on the ground for another few days.

Int. CONSERVATORY with eunice talking about sounds she has never heard before

[CU] FOCUSING ON EUNICE'S HAND MOVEMENTS

EUNICE Snow gone that left all the slush I went out with my husband, along the muddy footpath with my dog I could hear an strange noise, I couldn't figure out what it was.

[FULL SHOT] CONSERVATORY SETTING

EUNICE (CONT'D) I really had to concentrate what this was. Some noises I don't like if it's in here, the rain is really loud and frightening, its like a beach is being thrown onto it.

[FULL SHOT] EUNICE POINTS STRONGLY TO THE UPPER ROOF

CUT TOO: ARCHIVE FOOTAGE RECENT EUNICE DOING GARDENING WHILST ITS RAINING

EUNICE (CONT'D) Another one, the sounds in the kitchen they were nearly all new.

AFTERNOON WITH EUNICE

CUT TOO: NEW LOCATION - KITCHEN

EUNICE Right i'm inviting friends round for a cup of tea, this is a job I don't like doing my husband usually makes the tea.

[ZI] WE SEE EUNICE'S HAND FLICKING THE KETTLE SWITCH

EUNICE (CONT'D) When you put the kettle on...it makes a real loud noise.

EUNICE (CONT'D) And never ever hearing that before it's like having a train rushing through your kitchen.

CUT TOO: ARCHIVE FOOTAGE OF EUNICE WHEN SHE WAS YOUNGER PLAYING WITH A TOY KITCHEN

EUNICE Another sound which took my a long time to get used to because I thought it was silent...i'll get the sugar...paper bag makes a lot of noise.

(Pours sugar, silently the shhh's heard.) [ZI] TO SUGAR BEING POURED

EUNICE I never new sugar made noise whilst putting it into the sugar bowl. All these kitchen noises i've never heard before so making a cup of tea its all a noisy job.

EUNICE (CONT'D) Getting the tea bags out...that's a very noisy job.

CLOSE UP OF EUNICE

Eunice places the tea bags back into the cupboard.

EUNICE (CONT'D) I'm beginning to live with it now but its not my favourite job to do, the washing machine and the dishwasher its a lot louder but it doesn't bother me...it's all the

same you turn a deaf ear to it.

FADE OUT TO FISH POND FOR ENDING CREDITS.