Expendable Read online



  Expendable

  by Gregory K. Moffatt©

  Expendable

  Gregory K. Moffatt

  Copyright 2015 Gregory K. Moffatt

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  ISBN: 9781310259470

  FADE IN: BLACK SCREEN

  INSERT TITLE: The following is a true story based on the

  life of Alfred Leicht, a.k.a. Murray Lynn.

  EXT. FRONT GATE OF AUSCHWITZ (ESTABLISHING) – DAY

  The words, “Arbeit Macht Frei” are visible in the ironwork. Various scenes of the grassy remains of Auschwitz are shown.

  INT. HOLOCAUST MUSEUM, WASHINGTON, D.C. – DAY

  An audience is seated as MURRAY talks to them from a stool in front. The audience is of all ages, races. LINDA HARPER, a 25-30 year-old woman, is seated at the rear of the audience.

  MURRAY

  We were programmed to die from

  the time we were issued striped

  suits. More than 1.8 million

  people went through Auschwitz

  and 1.6 were killed. Nearly

  everyone in my family died

  during the Holocaust.

  A young man rises to ask a question.

  YOUNG MAN

  Do you still have bad feelings

  for Germany or have you forgiven

  the Germans for what they did to

  you, your family and the Jewish

  people?

  MURRAY

  Even though I still hurt when I

  think of what and who I lost, I

  cannot hate. Hate is a cancer.

  It will do nothing but destroy the

  one who hates. I wouldn’t let the

  Germans destroy me and I certainly

  refuse to destroy myself. They

  kept me prisoner long enough.

  (beat)

  I won’t keep myself imprisoned by

  hate. Thank you all for your kind

  attention and thoughtful questions.

  Please take your time and learn

  from the rest of the museum.

  The crowd disperses slowly, quietly, reverently. Murray stands and as a museum representative thanks him quietly. Linda Harper moves to the front against the flow of the crowd to reach Murray.

  INT. HALLWAY IN FRONT OF OVEN REPLICAS - DAY

  Murray walks alone. He pauses, looks up, obviously in deep thought. A voice behind him calls his name, gets his attention. Linda stands behind him.

  LINDA

  Excuse me Mr. Lynn, but I heard

  you talk a few minutes ago. My name

  is Linda Harper of The Washington Post.

  She extends her hand to him. He shakes it.

  MURRAY

  Nice to meet you young lady.

  LINDA

  Your account of the camps fascinated

  me. I’m wondering if you might give

  me a few minutes of your time for an

  interview. I’m doing a feature on

  the Holocaust, the Museum and

  survivors of the Holocaust. I’d

  like to learn more about your

  experiences.

  MURRAY

  My dear, I’ve had a long day and I’m

  very tired. Maybe some other time.

  Murray turns to walk away. Linda follows.

  LINDA

  You said you feel obliged to tell

  your story – the story of the

  Holocaust. I can help you do

  that to a whole generation that

  needs to hear it.

  Murray continues to walk.

  MURRAY

  Ms. Harper, I give talks here

  regularly. Feel free to come

  back tomorrow. I’ll give a

  similar talk at that time.

  LINDA

  I really enjoyed your talk, but

  statistics and general information

  about the Holocaust have become

  everyday news and people have heard

  it too many times. I want to know

  more about you personally - I want

  to know details of your experiences.

  That’s what will make my story most

  real for my readers, Mr. Lynn.

  Murray stops, turns, looks at her.

  MURRAY

  There are many books about the

  Holocaust. What makes you think

  my story will be more real than

  what they can read in other books

  and see in movies?

  LINDA

  Mr. Lynn, the university near my

  office has just hosted a lecture by

  a man who claims the Holocaust never

  happened. Some students believed him!

  So, this is important, Mr. Lynn.

  There aren’t many people left to tell

  the story first hand. So, please give

  me a few minutes and I can tell your

  story to thousands.

  Murray pauses, thinks.

  MURRAY

  You are very persuasive, young lady.

  Okay, let’s have a bite of lunch

  together and I’ll answer your

  questions.

  INT. SMALL CAFÉ - LATE AFTERNOON

  Murray and Linda are seated at a small square table. A tape recorder lies between them. Linda turns it on.

  LINDA

  Mr. Lynn, thank you for meeting

  with me and allowing me to record

  our conversation. Please begin by

  telling me a little about yourself.

  MURRAY

  My name is Murray Lynn. I was born

  Alfred Leicht and I’m a survivor of

  Auschwitz and Buchenwald.

  EXT. TOWN OF BILKE 1942 (FLASHBACK)- DAY

  Camera pans fields, mountains, forests of Hungary, comes to a small town.

  MURRAY (VO)

  I was born in 1930 in a small

  village that, at the time, was

  part of Hungary, called Bilke. My

  mother and father loved my

  brothers and me very much. They

  were good parents.

  SCHOOLYARD

  Camera moves through streets, closes on a small schoolyard. Children play. In B.G. a group of boys crowd the corner of a building.

  MURRAY (VO)

  I had three brothers, Herman, Eli

  and Joseph. We were each two

  years apart. Home was a wonderful

  place, but even before the Germans

  came, life was difficult for us

  Jews. Life as a Jew has never been

  easy.

  The B.G. boys have just finished beating up HERMAN. One BULLY holds a paper bag in his hand, looks inside.

  BULLY

  Damn Jew! All you brought was a

  sandwich?

  He takes one last kick at the boy on the ground and removes the sandwich from the bag. He throws the empty bag at Herman and the group turns to go. ALFRED runs over and bends to help Herman who raises to one elbow.

  ALFRED

  Herman, are you okay?

  Blood covers Herman’s lips.

  HERMAN

  Yes, I’m alright. Those bastards

  took my sandwich.

  ALFRED

  I know. They’ve done the same to

  me. You can have some of my lunch.

  Herman rises, wipes his lip with the back of his hand. Alfred brushes off his clothing.

  HERMAN

  I’d rather report them. I’d go

  hungry for a week if it meant I

  could see them get what’s coming

  to them.

  ALFRED

  You know it wouldn’t do any good.

  More than once Headmaster Schraum

  has watched those boys pushing me

  around. He just turns, walks away

  and pretends he doesn’t notice.

  We’ll have to take care of ourselves.

  Come on. Let’s get back to class.

  The boys walk away.

  EXT. THE LEICHT HOME – LATE AFTERNOON

  Alfred, Herman, JOSEPH, and ELI walk down a dirt road toward the house. Patches of snow are along the road.

  MURRAY (VO)

  Even as school was difficult for us,

  home was a sanctuary. My mother and

  father were deeply committed to each

  other and us. They did their very

  best to provide everything we needed,

  even when times were hard. I loved

  them more than anything.

  INT. KITCHEN

  MRS. LEICHT works at a table as the boys come through the door. Mrs. Leicht looks up, greets them. Her expression changes from happiness to concern when she sees Herman’s swollen lip.

  JOSEPH

  Herman got in a fight and cut

  his mouth!

  HERMAN

  (Herman punches Joseph’s arm)

  I’m alright, mother.

  MRS. LEICHT r />
  What were you fighting over,

  little man?

  Mrs. Leicht rises, goes to inspect Herman’s injury. She takes his chin in her hand and lifts it to the light.

  HERMAN

  It’s nothing. I got into a scuffle,

  that’s all. I’ll be fine.

  He looks at Alfred as he tries to push his mother’s hand away.

  MRS. LEICHT

  Your father isn’t going to like his

  son fighting at school. He wants

  you to focus on your studies. The

  only way you will make anything out

  of life is to get a good education.

  HERMAN

  I know, mother. I’ll do better.

  ALFRED

  It wasn’t his fault, mother. He…

  She cuts him off, puts her finger to her lips.

  MRS. LEICHT

  Tut! I’ll hear nothing of it.

  There are no excuses for fighting.

  Alfred, you, Eli, and Joseph get

  started on your studies.

  She looks at Herman.

  MRS. LEICHT

  You, my little boxer, clean your

  face and then join them.

  OLD MURRAY (VO)

  I wanted badly to tell her what

  happened each time one of us were

  beaten up at school, but deep down

  I think my mother knew. She also

  knew she couldn’t stop them, so it

  was easier for her not to hear it

  at all.

  (beat)

  We wanted to please our parents

  more than anything for the sun rose

  and set by their praise and we

  wanted them to be proud of us. So

  we tried to avoid fights as much for

  that as that we didn’t want to be

  hurt.

  EXT. LEICHT HOME – LATE EVENING

  MR. LEICHT walks down the dirt road past their garden. Growing season is long over, the remaining plants are wilted and dry. He walks to a small barn beside the house and pats a cow tethered in a stable and whispers lovingly to it.

  MURRAY (VO)

  My father was a merchant in Bilke.

  He owned a small business and we

  also fed ourselves by tending our

  small farm. It was hard work, but

  our life was comfortable.

  INT. KITCHEN – LATE EVENING

  Mr. Leicht enters. The boys run to greet him. He removes his hat, coat, and scarf, sits at a small kitchen table. Joseph climbs onto his lap.

  MR. LEICHT

  So what have my little elves been

  up to today?

  JOSEPH

  Herman got into a fight, but mother

  said not to worry you about it, so

  we aren’t supposed to discuss it.

  MR. LEICHT

  (feigning concern)

  Is that right? Do I have too many

  worries already?

  Joseph nods.

  MR. LEICHT

  Well. If you did tell me about it,

  I would certainly have to say that

  Herman is old enough to keep himself

  out of trouble, don’t you think?

  But since you won’t mention it, I

  won’t have to say that at all.

  Joseph smiles, nods. Mr. Leicht eyes Herman out of the corner of his eye. Herman lowers his head in shame.

  MR. LEICHT

  Let’s not worry about this at all

  then, okay?

  Conversation among the family continues. Mrs. Leicht kisses her husband and they discuss the day and how the weather is turning cold.

  MURRAY (VO)

  My father had a way of making sure

  we knew what he expected of us

  without scolding. He loved us

  deeply and was terribly proud of

  each of us and expected us to do

  great things with our lives. My

  father had a difficult life and

  worked very hard to ensure ours was

  better than the one he knew. That

  night, however, my father would have

  a bigger worry than his son’s

  schoolyard fight.

  INT. BEDROOM – NIGHT

  The Leichts are asleep when a loud knocking at the door and loud voices awakens them. Mr. Leicht rises and tries to calm his frightened wife as he dresses to answer the door.

  KITCHEN

  He lights a lamp on the table and opens the door. Several uniformed men, including HUNGARIAN OFFICER, stand in the doorway.

  HUNGARIAN OFFICER

  Abraham Leicht?

  MR. LEICHT

  Yes? What is it?

  HUNGARIAN OFFICER

  Abraham Leicht, I am here by order

  of the magistrate to take you in

  for questioning.

  Behind Mr. Leicht, his wife and sons have joined him, huddling together.

  MR. LEICHT

  What kind of questioning? Have I done something wrong?

  HUNGARIAN OFFICER

  You will be informed in due time. Come with us.

  MR. LEICHT

  Let me dress first. It’s a cold

  night.

  HUNGARIAN OFFICER

  Make it fast. Others are waiting.

  Mr. Leicht turns toward the bedroom. Mrs. Leicht goes to the window and looks out.

  EXT. ROAD

  A very large group of village men are crowded together outside. Officers surround them. Mrs. Leicht runs to the bedroom where Mr. Leicht is dressing.

  BEDROOM

  MRS. LEICHT

  Abraham! What is going on? Don’t go with them!

  They embrace. He stops dressing, holds her shoulders, and whispers.

  MR. LEICHT

  What choice do I have? Don’t upset

  the boys. I’ll be fine. Have some

  breakfast ready for me when I get

  home. I’ll be fine, really.

  He kisses her cheek and finishes dressing.

  KITCHEN

  They return to the kitchen. Mrs. Leicht and the boys stare wide-eyed at the uniformed, armed officer. Mr. Leicht pulls on his overcoat, kneels in front of his boys.

  MR. LEICHT

  Boys, be good for your mother. I

  have to go out for a while, but I’ll

  be back soon. I love you.

  He hugs all four boys together, pats Joseph on the head. As he stands he puts his hand on Alfred’s shoulder.

  MR. LEICHT

  You’re in charge until I get back.

  He smiles at Alfred and exits. The officer pulls the door closed behind him. The children run to the window to watch.

  EXT. HOME - NIGHT

  Mr. Leicht turns, makes eye contact with his family in the window. The officer is behind him. Mr. Leicht does not wave. He turns, joins the other men as it begins to snow.

  INT. KITCHEN - NIGHT

  ALFRED

  Where are they taking him, mother?

  MRS. LEICHT

  I don’t know, Alfred. I don’t know.

  (beat)

  Enough for tonight. Your father

  will be back in the morning to tell

  us all about it. Let’s get some

  rest. Back to bed, now.

  Mrs. Leicht herds the boys toward the back of the house.

  MURRAY (VO)

  We never saw my father again. We

  were not sure if he had been killed

  or just arrested. No explanation

  was ever given to us as to why he

  was taken, but none was really

  needed. We heard stories of pogroms

  and arrests of Jews all over Europe.

  Now the war had come to us and we

  feared the worst was yet to come.

 

  (beat)