An Animation Short

by Enrique Gonzales

 Setting: Downtown of a large major city.

             Location: At a busy intersection. 4 lanes divided by a center median.

            Tone: Clear Skies a perfect day for a walk.

 Main Character: Henry the Retired Accountant

Goal: To cross the street.

Opponent: The busy street with cars zooming by. A badly timed cross walk.

Problem: Henry is a slow walker who uses a cane. The crosswalk fails to change until he presses the cross button that is located too far from the street. By the time Henry pushes the button and grabs his cane the light changes.


Story:

Henry is walking down the street and needs to cross the street to get to a coffee shop to apply for a job. He is holding his cane and a bag. In the pocket of the bag a newspaper is hanging out. Camera Zooms in to the newspaper to a circled ad in the classifieds. Ad reads “Busy Coffee shop looking for part-time help. Retiree’s encouraged to apply!” Camera Zooms back out. He stops at the opposite corner and looks across the busy intersection. Cars and trucks are zooming by to fast for Henry and his slow legs. He sees a sign with a picture of a guy walking. It reads. “PRESS TO CROSS” Henry presses the button and the cross light changes from Red to Green. But by the time he walks to the corner to cross, the light changes and the cars Zoom by almost knocking him over. He shakes it off and goes back to press the button. Again by the time he gets to the street the light changes before he could cross. A Cabdriver honks at him to get back. Henry devises a plan to press the button with his cane and cross the street before the light changes. He puts his bag down and stretches as far as he can to press the button using his cane. SUCCESS!! The light changes and Henry crosses to the center median. The light changes and cars start to move but stop at the cross walk that Henry is walking in. Camera follows Henry as he passes the Cars and Trucks impatiently waiting for him to cross. The other lane is as busy as ever with cars already zooming by. Henry is stuck in the middle median. Soon a lady presses the button and crosses the opposite way giving Henry the chance to make it across. Again The Cab drivers and Trucks are impatiently waiting for Henry to cross. And when he makes it across the cars Zoom by once again. Henry is excited he is jumping for joy. He sticks out his tongue to the crosswalk light. Then he looks across the street and sees that he left his briefcase on the other side of the street. The End.

©2005 Enrique Gonzales