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EXT. PARK — DAY
Interviewer: Okay, let’s start it off easy. How about giving the camera your name and how you know Ryland Grace.
[The camera comes into focus on a well-dressed Black woman, dark braids cascading over one shoulder.]
Marissa: My name is Marissa Jenkins, I work for the Department of Energy. And Ryland and I go way back, we’ve known each other since grad school.
Interviewer: Can you tell me a little about that?
[Marissa smiles fondly, wrinkles crinkling around the corners of her eyes]
Marissa: This’ll sound so cheesy, but I still remember the very first thing he said to me. I was dating his roommate at the time, and when my boyfriend decided to introduce us, Ry looked me up and down and said “you sure you aren’t making a mistake?”
[Marissa laughs]
Marissa: I mean. He wasn’t wrong about my choice in men. I ended it with that partner about four months later. But I just don’t think I could call it a mistake, because that’s how I met one of my oldest friends, y’know?
INT. CLASSROOM — MORNING
[Most of the classroom wall space is taken up by movie theater posters for films based on books. The rows of desks are eerily neat and clean with students away for summer vacation. A young woman, with golden brown skin and sleek dark hair swept into a messy ponytail, pins up a The Fault in Our Stars poster]
[Cut to the woman, Deepika Shetty, sitting at her desk. She fidgets with her glasses, pushing them further up the bridge of her nose.]
Deepika: My name is Deepika Shetty, I started my first teaching job at Grover Cleveland Middle a couple years ago. Mr. Grace, I mean, uh, Ryland, and I worked together. His room was next door to mine.
[Deepika takes a sip from a disposable coffee cup]
Deepika: Mr. Grace always grabbed two coffees from the break room. One for him, one for me. He said us newbies had to stick together.
Interviewer: Newbies?
Deepika: I’d just gotten out of college. This was my first real job. And Mr. Gr— uh, Ryland, was doing a career change, pretty sure he used to be a professor or something? He’d joke about how college freshmen were basically just middle schoolers who had easier access to alcohol.
Interviewer: What was he like?
[Deepika smiles wistfully]
Deepika: He was really cool. Made everyone laugh at staff meetings. And you could tell he knew his stuff, but he wasn’t a dick about it. Wait, am I allowed to say dick?
INT. DINER — DAWN
[The diner staff glides in and out of frame, preparing for the day: turning on the lights, sweeping the floors, setting up the kitchen for the breakfast rush.]
[Cut to an old woman, Molly, sitting at one of the booths. She is short and squat, grey curls cropped in a bob. Her ancient stained apron seems to settle on her like a second skin. When she speaks, it’s with the low croak of a long-time smoker.]
Molly: My name is Molly Hernandez. I started this diner over fifty years ago with my husband, Diego, may he rest in peace.
Interviewer: And how do you know Ryland Grace?
Molly: Do I know who?
Interviewer: Ryland Grace.
[A passing waiter comes into frame, squatting next to Molly]
Waiter: 2-7.
Molly: Oh! The science teacher! Comes every weekday at 6:45 am on the dot!
Waiter: Yeah!
Interviewer: Why do you call him 2-7?
Molly: Booth number two, combo number seven. Like clockwork. We have a deal, half off for teachers on Fridays, but he ordered so regularly that we just started offering him a discount every day.
Interviewer: That’s generous!
[Molly shrugs]
Molly: My sister-in-law, Alma, taught public school. So I know just how a tough career it is. And 2-7 — I mean, Ryland Grace — he was dependable and good to my staff, so it just made sense, you know? Kept him coming around. Although…I feel like it’s been a little while since we’ve…
[She trails off, waving down the waiter from before]
Molly: Hey! Kevin! Have you seen 2-7 recently? Think these fine folks are looking for him.
[Kevin’s gaze flicks to the camera, then settles back on Molly. When he speaks, his gentleness is directed entirely to the woman next to him.]
Kevin: Molly, Ryland Grace is part of that mission to save the world, remember?
[Molly’s jaw drops]
INT. COLLEGE OFFICE — AFTERNOON
[The shabby office is furnished by mismatched second-hand furniture and walls dominated by overstuffed bookshelves. Sitting at the desk is a man, Thomas Schmidt, who matches the office — scruffy, slightly unpolished, blazer verging on out-of-style.]
Interviewer: Let’s start off with who you are and how you know Ryland Grace.
[Thomas bursts into laughter]
Thomas: Oh, I feel like he’d hate this.
Thomas: I’m Doctor Thomas Schmidt. I’d love to get into my field of study, but we all know that’s not why you’re talking to me. For the purposes of this documentary, I’m the reason Doctor Grace lost his job in academia.
INT. DINER — DAWN
[Kevin sits at the booth now. He twists in his seat briefly. The camera follows his gaze to Molly, who is mopping the back of the diner with a stoic intensity.]
Interviewer: Could you tell me about Grace?
Kevin: He showed up every day at the exact same time. Like you could set your watch to him. When customers just show up weekly, that’s already memorable, so you can imagine like. Every week day, right?.
Interviewer: Did you know anything else about him? Or was it just that he was consistent?
Kevin: Well, it’s weird, right? Because it’s not like I knew him that well. Like, I knew what his order was and I knew he taught middle school science…but all the other facts I picked up were just sorta up to if he felt chatty. Usually he was like, grading or lesson planning. Had papers all over his desk. But occasionally he’d get chatty and we’d talk about stuff.
Interviewer: Like what?
Kevin: Just little things. Like one morning we bonded over bikes. I’m really into mountain biking so I gave him some pointers on maintaining the bike he takes to work and stuff. Or once he just complained about dealing with parents to me. I could relate to that, cuz. Y’know. Customers.
[Kevin shrugs]
Kevin: Plus he tipped well, especially for a teacher. And he never made any of the staff cry, even when they got his order wrong. Like I'd hear him muttering angrily over his work, and then be all smiles with us. So 2-7, uh, Ryland, was kind of the best customer you could ask for. Just a really stand up guy.
EXT. PARK — DAY
Interviewer: What’s he like?
Melissa: In college? Super intense. I don’t know anyone who worked as hard as Ry did. Or partied as hard as he did. Like, he didn’t do it often, but when he cut loose, he cut loose if you know what I mean.
[Melissa laughs]
Melissa: Honestly, sometimes it’s funny to think about how the same guy taking party drugs and getting into fights over alien biology is now responsible for being a role model for kids. But, I mean, he’s always been a solid guy. Like, we’ve had a standing weekly dinner ever since grad school and he’s only missed once without telling me ahead of time. And that was cuz he’d stayed up the night before building some elaborate solar system for his classroom and literally fell asleep at his desk.
[She pauses, smoothing down the collar of her shirt]
Melissa: Well. I guess I should amend the statement. It was the only time he ghosted me without warning before the whole Petrova Task Force thing happened.
[Her smile fades]
INT. COLLEGE OFFICE — AFTERNOON
Interviewer: Wait, so you got Doctor Grace kicked out of academia?
Thomas: More accurate to say Doctor Grace got himself kicked out. Sure, our UNESCO incident was the straw that broke the camel’s back, but in general I’m not that special. Yes, Doctor Grace and I butted heads. But he also butted heads with at least half the academics at any given conference.
Interviewer: What about the other half?
Thomas: This better not get back to him, because it’ll go to his head, but Doctor Grace was also pretty charming. And our profession tends to attract a higher level of…well…
[Thomas gestures to himself]
Thomas: Awkward nerds. Why beat around the bush? We’re all major nerds here. So someone who’s as affable and outgoing as Doctor Grace can make a lot of friends without too much trouble.
Interviewer: So what rubbed you the wrong way?
[Thomas laughs]
Thomas: I’m getting the sense I’ll be the heel of this documentary. Like it’s gonna be a bunch of sweet people talking about how much they loved him, and all that. And then me out here with a professional grudge.
Thomas: Look. Did I disagree with some of his assertions? Yes. Did I find the chip on his shoulder grating? Also yes. But I want it on the record that, when asked by the Petrova Task Force for scientists on who could study astrophage, I included Doctor Grace in my recommendations.
[beat]
Thomas: Unlike Doctor Grace, I can be professional.
Interviewer: That’s interesting! I didn’t know that you actually — that you were one of the people who put Doctor Grace in the ring for the Hail Mary project.
Thomas: With the fate of the world in the balance, we can’t afford to be petty. And when he’s not calling people idiots for deprioritizing the non-water-based lifeform theory, it seems he was actually quite good at his work.
Interviewer: He called you an idiot, I take it?
[Thomas sighs]
Thomas: The full insult at that infamous UNESCO conference was “a staggering waste of carbon.”
[Thomas unbuttons his collared shirt to reveal a t-shirt with the slogan “a staggering waste of carbon” emblazoned across it.]
Thomas: My colleagues thought that was so funny they made me a shirt.
EXT. PLAYGROUND — AFTERNOON
[A cluster of preteens situate themselves on the stairs of the play structure. This is a shot that would have looked better with small children: now the liminal nature of puberty is in harsh relief as they sit just a little too big for the playground.]
Abby: Mr. Grace was our science teacher at Grover Cleveland Middle.
Trang: He was really popular.
Zuri: Yeah! Like, everyone wanted to be in his class.
[The kids all nod fiercely at this]
Interviewer: Why do you think that is?
Arjun: He was really good at teaching. He knew everything about science!
Constance: Mr. Grace was really nice. He never made me feel dumb.
[The group murmurs in assent]
Zuri: He helped us all do our best. I didn’t think I was good at science, but now I’m Vice President of the Science Club at school!
[Silence falls. Then—]
Regina: Mr. Grace is also really dreamy.
[Nervous, guilty giggles break out across the play structure.]
Ajrun: Regina!
Constance: You can’t say that!
Abby: What? It’s an objective fact. My mom even asked him out once.
[Chaos breaks out, everyone talking over each other at once]
INT. CLASSROOM — MORNING
Interviewer: Would you say Grace was well-liked?
Deepika: That’s an understatement! His students adored him, most parents raved about him, plus he was friends with like, all the teachers. Even Mr. Crofts, who hates everyone. And that’s not even getting started on the crushes.
Interviewer: Crushes?
[Deepika suddenly grows preoccupied with a cup of pens on her desk, reaching out to adjust them]
Deepika: I mean, it wasn’t uncommon for some of the kids to get a little too attached. It was cute, watching them get all flustered. Baby’s first irresponsible crush, right? We’ve all been there.
Deepika: But, mostly, y’know. Mr. Grace was an attractive single man, he was beloved by kids, and really seemed to have his life together. That’s the Bay area equivalent of finding a unicorn. It would be more unbelievable if parents and teachers weren’t shooting their shot with him.
Interviewer: Did you?
[Deepika knocks the cup of pens over]
Deepika: Next question please!
EXT. PARK — DAY
[Marissa cackles, a full-body laugh so complete that it threatens tears]
Marissa: Am I in love with Ry?
[Marissa doubles over again, wheezing]
Marissa: God, no. That’s— whew, oh my god. Absolutely not. It would drive him nuts when the staff at Murphy’s would give us a knowing look. I used to play up the potential romance, mostly because it drove Grace absolutely up a wall and then he’d get all awkward. Like.
[Marissa adopts a faux-deep voice, imitating her friend]
Marissa: Mar! Stop it! You’re gonna make them think I’m into you. Not that guys wouldn’t be into you. Fudge! You know what I mean, Marissa! Stop trying to hold my hand, they’re coming back with the check!
[She laughs again, but it’s gentler. Tinged with memory.]
Marissa: God, he was so great.
[beat]
Marissa: Is so great.
INT. COLLEGE OFFICE — AFTERNOON
Interviewer: I know you recommended him for research, but was it surprising to see Doctor Grace had made it onto the Hail Mary mission?
Thomas: Honestly? It was more surprising to see he’d credited another person on his astrophage research.
Interviewer: Really? Who?
Thomas: I think it was…Carl something?
Interviewer: And this is impressive to you?
Thomas: The Carl guy? I mean, I'm not familiar with his work, but astrophage breeding is revolutionary science. No, I mean it’s impressive to see Doctor Grace, this young, cocky kid, grow up into someone who’s humble and collaborative. Especially in the face of the discovery that the astrophage are still water-based lifeforms. And I have to believe the man sacrificing his life isn’t the same one losing his shot at tenure all those years ago.
[beat]
Thomas: Like I never thought I'd say this, but I truly believe Ryland Grace can save the world, you know?
INT. DINER — DAWN
[Kevin and Molly sit together at the booth now. Kevin holds one of Molly’s wrinkled hands in his own.]
Interviewer: I know you’ve both talked about how consistent Ryland Grace was. I guess I’m wondering, how was it when he stopped showing up?
[Molly looks to Kevin]
Molly: Yeah, I guess it has been a few days, huh?
Kevin: Actually…it’s been much longer than that.
Molly: I…I see.
[Her shoulders sink, fumbling for a memory just out of reach.]
Kevin: It was hard when Ryland stopped showing up, we all got worried. But…I think it’s been hardest on Molly. Her memory’s going and she, well. I think she loses him a lot more often than we have.
[He gives Molly’s hand a squeeze.]
Kevin: He got a new job, Moll. He’s off saving the world.
[Molly blinks.]
Molly: Did he leave without saying goodbye?
EXT. PLAYGROUND — AFTERNOON
Interviewer: So, what was it like when Mr. Grace stopped showing up to class?
Constance: Awful!
Arjun: The sub sucked!
Zuri: Don’t be rude about Mrs. Lewiston. She was trying her best.
[beat]
Zuri: But she wasn’t as good as Mr. Grace.
Interviewer: Why not?
Trang: Mr. Grace made class fun. Like the experiments he’d do. The one, he did one with sound-waves that was really cool. And the lava game! With the bean bag!
[The group nods in assent, murmuring exclamations over the game]
Abby: Mr. Grace also let us ask questions a lot. About anything.
Zuri: He talked to us like we were basically like. Grown-ups!
Constance: Yeah, my mom banned us from talking about the ummm…Perola — the Pentova line? The dots aliens. But Mr. Grace explained what the scientists knew about it. He’d do stuff like that a lot.
Arjun: I think the— I think the worst part was for a while, they told us that Mr. Grace was coming back, but they never said when. So like. Like every day I’d go to class and think maybe he’d be there.
Interviewer: How did they break the news to you that he wouldn’t come back?
Regina: The principal came in one day and told us he’d gotten a new job. But…he didn’t really say much about what sort of job. Or why he’d leave without telling us.
Abby: If Mr. Grace was there, he would have answered our questions.
Trang: Yeah!
INT. CLASSROOM — MORNING
Deepika: Honestly? I think the hardest part was fielding questions from the kids. They pick up on so much, more than adults seem to expect. And everything was already so stressful, with news and rumors bouncing around about like, aliens and the end of the world. So for Mr. Grace to suddenly stop showing up…I think a lot of students took it hard.
Interviewer: And the teachers?
Deepika: Oh yeah, we missed him too. He was popular. He had a lot of friends. And it was odd how he was there and then he was just. Gone. Honestly, it’s still kind of hard to wrap my head around that, Grace just disappearing like that. I know it’s how life works, we don’t always get goodbyes, but still. I can’t imagine how the kids are handling the news.
EXT. PARK — DAY
Marissa: I mean, I guess I get it. To some extent, anyway. The world is in danger. Time is not on our side. And Grace is always one to throw himself into his work, so it’s no surprise he eventually volunteered for a suicide mission to save our sun. But still…
[Marissa sighs]
Marissa: Sucks that I had to find out about him through the same national broadcast as everyone else.
EXT. PLAYGROUND — AFTERNOON
Interviewer: I want to ask. Did any of you watch the launch broadcast?
[Everyone but Constance raises their hands.]
Constance: My parents said it’s propaganda. But the teachers told us about it at school, so I know what it is, I think.
Interviewer: How did it make you feel? Learning that Mr. Grace was part of the Hail Mary mission?
Regina: Proud.
Arjun: Sad.
Trang: I feel less scared. Mr. Grace is really, really smart. If anyone can solve the astrophage problem, it’s probably him.
Zuri: Is it weird I feel guilty?
Interviewer: Why—
[Abby interjects]
Abby: Why do you feel guilty?
[Zuri glances from the camera to Abby]
Zuri: I dunno. I mean. He’s probably doing it for us. At least like, a little, right?
Abby: Oh.
[beat]
Abby: Oh.
[The group deflates. Kids crossing their arms, chewing on sweater strings, fidgeting.]
Interviewer: Did anyone at school talk to you about the broadcast? What it means?
Trang: We had a—uh. A pep rally to celebrate him. And they told us we could talk to the school counselor if we needed.
Constance: I don’t get the counselor thing. They said Mr. Grace is gonna be a hero!
[The rest of the group collectively winces. Zuri reaches out, placing a gentle hand on Constance’s shoulder.]
Zuri: Constance, you know what’s gonna happen to Mr. Grace, right?
[Constance examines her group, then looks down. Her voice is unsteady. Unsure.]
Constance: He’s…the teachers say he’s gonna help save Earth, right?
Arjun: Mr. Grace is going to die in space!
[Abby smacks Arjun. Regina and Trang react, pulling the two apart before a full-fledged scuffle can break out.]
Interviewer: Guys! Guys—
[In the chaos, emotions ripple across Constance’s face — confusion, terror, heartbreak. Tears threaten to spill from her eyes. Her low murmur is barely audible over the din.]
Constance: I don’t want Mr. Grace to die.
INT. DINER — DAWN
[Molly clings to Kevin like a boat docked in a storm. In the background, the diner is a whirl of activity as they prepare for the morning rush, but here, in this booth, is an almost eerie stillness.]
Interviewer: Is there anything you would like to say to Ryland Grace, if you could?
Kevin: I don’t think we’re gonna get a customer like you again. It was an honor to serve you, Ryland Grace.
[He glances at Molly, rubbing a reassuring hand along her arm.]
Molly: Ryland, I just want you to know that I think you are a very kind young man. And wherever you are, I hope they’re making your eggs the way you like them.
INT. CLASSROOM — MORNING
Deepika: If I could say something to Mr. — Ryland. I guess it would be thank you. For taking me under your wing and making me feel like I wasn’t alone here. Thank you for chewing out that one jerk at parent teacher conference for me, thank you for making my coffee, even though you thought the ratio of sugar to cream was silly.
[Deepika sucks in a shaky breath, gripping her hands together almost as though in prayer.]
Deepika: I always knew you were a good man. Now I know I’m lucky I got to know one of the greatest. We’re all cheering you on here at Grover Cleveland Middle.
EXT. PARK — DAY
[The camera refocuses on Marissa, who dabs at her eyes carefully with a tissue.]
Marissa: Jesus Christ, I thought I’d be ready for this.
Interviewer: We don’t have to if you’re not—
Marissa: No, no. Can’t call myself one of his oldest friends and then chicken out at the finish line.
[She takes a deep breath, focusing on the camera]
Marissa: First things first, Ry. Pretty sure you owe me one after — [voice cracks, tears trickling down her cheeks] ghosting me.
[Marissa laughs, drying her cheeks with a careful thumb]
Marissa: Second, if you discover any cool planets or alien creatures when you’re out at Tau Ceti and need a name for them, please remember that Marissa is right there. And since you do owe me after all those missed Murphy’s nights, I think Marissa should maybe be at the top of the list.
[The tears still trickle, but she’s regained some control of her voice]
Marissa: But really, Ry. What I…what I really should have said before is I— you know I love you, right? Like I love the way your eyes light up when you talk about something you’re studying, and how you can always make me laugh after a bad day, and how much you care about your students. Hell, I even love those stupid science-pun t-shirts you manage to find. I hope you’re annoying your crew with those in space.
[Marissa runs another rough hand over her cheek, seeming to no longer care about the way her makeup smudges under the touch.]
Marissa: Point is, I love you, Ryland Grace. And I’m sorry I didn’t say that sooner.
EXT. PLAYGROUND — AFTERNOON
[The kids have rearranged. Zuri has an arm wrapped around Constance, whose face is tracked with tears. Trang and Abby sit on opposite sides of the play structure. Any of the silly ‘we’re on camera’ vibes have long evaporated]
Interviewer: I know this has been a long afternoon. And I know this question might be a little hard, so know I don’t expect you to answer if you don’t feel comfortable. But if you could tell Mr. Grace anything, what would it be?
[The silence stretches like a canyon, kids caught in a stand-off over who will have the courage to bare their heart first]
Regina: I’d tell Mr. Grace he’s my favorite teacher in the world.
Arjun: I used to say Mr. Grace was lame, but I wish I could tell him I didn’t mean it. Well, I mostly didn’t mean it. Cuz his dancing at the winter formal really was cringe.
[The group breaks out into wet giggles]
Trang: I want to tell him I got an A in science. I’ve never gotten one of those before.
Abby: I’d tell Mr. Grace that I’m gonna become a microbiologist when I grow up, just like him. I want to help save the world, too.
Zuri: I— Mr. Grace, I’m— [her voice wobbles] I’m sorry. Like…I’m really sorry you’re doing this for us. And I’m gonna to do everything I can to make it worth it.
[When Constance speaks, the tears have returned]
Constance: I just want to tell Mr. Grace that I—[voice breaks] I’ll miss him a lot.
[Constance isn’t the only one crying now. The group crumples into each other, all ugly cries and loud sniffles]
Abby: We all will.
[The camera pans away from the group, allowing them to grieve in peace. As the view glides to the neighboring soccer field, it reveals there are hundreds of students, from doughy-faced preteens to full fledged teenagers, waiting to honor the beloved teacher.]
[One day, there will be Beetles, and Eridians, and taumoeba to mark Ryland Grace’s impact. But for now, the field is filled with his legacy.]