CHARACTER LIST:
EMPLOYEE H - a male in his early forties
EMPLOYEE P - a female in her late thirties
EMPLOYEE F - a female in her early thirties
FACILITATOR 1 - nondescript, voiceless ass-kicker
FACILITATOR 2 - nondescript, voiceless ass-kicker
FACILITATOR 3 - nondescript, voiceless ass-kicker
✽ ✽ ✽ ✽ ✽
CUT FROM BLACK:
EXT. A NOT-SO-BUSY PARKING LOT - DAY
EMPLOYEE H pulls into a parking spot, gets out of his car
with briefcase in hand, and approaches the front door of
an office building. He has a slightly contemplative look
on his face.
CUT TO BLACK
CUT FROM BLACK:
INT. A NOT-SO-BUSY OFFICE BUILDING - DAY
EMPLOYEE H walks from front door to elevators, where he
presses the "up" button and waits. The door opens and
he enters.
CUT TO BLACK
CUT FROM BLACK:
INT. A NOT-SO-FULL ELEVATOR - DAY
EMPLOYEE H waits patiently for the elevator to reach his
floor. It does, and he exits.
CUT TO BLACK
CUT FROM BLACK:
INT. ANOTHER FLOOR IN A NOT-SO-BUSY OFFICE BUILDING - DAY
EMPLOYEE H walks from elevator to a nearby door. He opens
said door and walks through it.
CUT TO BLACK
CUT FROM BLACK:
INT. A NONDESCRIPT, WINDOWLESS OFFICE - DAY
EMPLOYEE H walks through the door and closes it behind him.
He takes a seat at the nearest desk. He still looks as if
he's contemplating something. Across from him at an
identical desk is EMPLOYEE P, whose left eye is black and
whose right arm is in a sling. Posted on the back wall
between the two desks is a poster that reads:
Five elements of
a successful
workplace:
PRO
DUC
TIV
IT
Y
EMPLOYEE P is working diligently at her computer as
EMPLOYEE H takes some paperwork from his briefcase and
places it into a box on the desk. He closes the briefcase
and lowers it to the floor, makes some minor adjustments to
items on the desk, and then sets his eyes on EMPLOYEE P.
He stares at her for a good long while before speaking.
EMPLOYEE H
You know, Employee J died
on Thursday. What do you think of
that?
EMPLOYEE P
(not looking up)
I think he was a slug. His
numbers were shit.
EMPLOYEE H
He had a kid, a little boy with
CF. What do you think will
happen to him?
EMPLOYEE P
(still not looking up)
Don't care. Kid can sit and spin
if you ask me.
EMPLOYEE H
(dejected)
Perhaps I shouldn't be asking you.
EMPLOYEE P
(finally looking up)
Perhaps.
EMPLOYEE P quickly returns to work, leaving EMPLOYEE H
staring at the ceiling.
CUT TO BLACK
CUT FROM BLACK:
INT. THE NONDESCRIPT OFFICE - DAY
EMPLOYEE P is working diligently, while EMPLOYEE H reads
the newspaper. After a few moments, he puts the paper
down, appears to consider something, and then leans
forward to address EMPLOYEE P.
EMPLOYEE H
You know what would be really
awesome?
EMPLOYEE P
(disinterested)
No telling.
EMPLOYEE H
If zombies were real.
(pause)
I mean, I get it that they can't
actually be, like, reanimated
dead, but it could totally be
from some chemical spill or
something like that, right?
EMPLOYEE P
(disinterested)
Mmmm hmmm.
There is a long, awkward silence, during which
EMPLOYEE H again develops a contemplative look on his face.
He stares off for some time before EMPLOYEE P looks up and
catches his eye.
EMPLOYEE H
You think Employee J had an ex-wife
or something? Someone who could
take care of the boy?
(pause) (no answer)
(as if telling a secret)
I once saw this movie about this
artist dude who wiped his ass with
stuffed animals and nailed his
dick to a board. He was, like, the
oldest person with CF, ever.
EMPLOYEE P
(slightly intrigued)
Bob Flanagan.
EMPLOYEE H
What?
EMPLOYEE P
Bob Flanagan. The guy in the movie;
his name was Bob Flanagan.
EMPLOYEE H
No. I think it was Steve or something.
EMPLOYEE P
(losing interest again)
Mmmm hmmm.
CUT TO BLACK
CUT FROM BLACK:
INT. THE NONDESCRIPT OFFICE - DAY
EMPLOYEE H is cutting some paper with a pair of scissors.
He is clearly putting forth some considerable effort.
EMPLOYEE P is paying him no mind. After a few moments,
EMPLOYEE F enters the room and approaches EMPLOYEE P at
her desk.
EMPLOYEE F
(addressing EMPLOYEE P)
Do you have the Sheldrake file
prepared?
EMPLOYEE P
(suddenly quite friendly)
I do. Give me just one moment.
EMPLOYEE P opens a drawer in her desk, with some difficulty
due to the sling, and removes a folder. She places the
folder on her desk and closes the drawer. She then opens
another drawer and produces a manilla envelope. EMPLOYEE F
looks clearly annoyed by these developments. EMPLOYEE P
then places the folder into the manilla envelope and seals
it in a practiced manner. Just as it is sealed, EMPLOYEE F
snatches it from her hand violently. He then turns to
EMPLOYEE H, who has finished his cutting and is assembling
the scraps of paper. After a moment, he holds up the
results: a sign that simply says:
MUSCLE
EMPLOYEE F
That's exactly what I was looking
for. Thank you. Might you put it
in an envelope for me?
EMPLOYEE H
Sure!
EMPLOYEE H produces his own manilla envelope from one of
his desk drawers, places the sign into it, seals it with a
lick, and hands it to EMPLOYEE F. Meanwhile, EMPLOYEE P
looks incredibly perturbed. EMPLOYEE F then exits the room
pleased, and EMPLOYEE H suddenly looks contemplative again.
EMPLOYEE H
Flanagan.
EMPLOYEE P
(exasperated)
What?!!
EMPLOYEE H
I think the guy's last name was
Flanagan.
CUT TO BLACK
CUT FROM BLACK:
INT. THE NONDESCRIPT OFFICE - DAY
EMPLOYEE P is working diligently at her computer, while
EMPLOYEE H is nowhere to be seen. After a few moments, he
rises from beneath/behind his desk holding a fire
extinguisher and stands there quietly feigning play. He
eventually opens a desk drawer and places the fire
extinguisher into it. He closes the drawer, sits back down
in his chair, and sighs a discontented sigh. EMPLOYEE P is unaffected.
CUT TO BLACK
CUT FROM BLACK:
INT. THE NONDESCRIPT OFFICE - DAY
EMPLOYEE P is, as is regularly the case, hard at work on
her computer. Noticing this, EMPLOYEE H fiddles with his
computer for a few moments, then shuffles some papers and
staples them, and then rummages through his desk drawers
searching for something. Eventually, he pulls out a small
trophy and places it at the front of his desk, facing
EMPLOYEE P. When she fails to take notice, he lifts the
trophy slightly and begins tapping the base of it on the
desk. When she finally looks up, she is clearly irritated. EMPLOYEE H, however, is undaunted, holding the trophy.
EMPLOYEE H
Had a .317 batting average, and 37
home runs.
EMPLOYEE P
(sarcastically)
Fascinating. You win a Golden
Glove, too?
EMPLOYEE H
Nah. I wasn't really all that
good in the--
(pause)
You play any sports?
Suddenly, there is an abrupt and unexpected silence in the
room, and EMPLOYEE P has developed her own contemplative
look.
EMPLOYEE P
(with wistful candor)
I was pregnant before I ever had
the chance. Never so much as
owned a pair of sneakers.
(pause)
A lot of work.
EMPLOYEE H
(mildly excited at his
breakthrough)
Sucks. How many did you give them?
EMPLOYEE P
Seven. Last one about 6 months
ago. Little girl with beautiful
blue eyes.
(pause)
I think I'm done now, though.
(pause)
I heard my oldest is training to be
a facilitator.
EMPLOYEE H
That's pretty cool.
EMPLOYEE P
(slipping back into her work)
Mmmm hmmm.
CUT TO BLACK
CUT FROM BLACK:
INT. THE NONDESCRIPT OFFICE - DAY
EMPLOYEE P enters the room with a folder in her hand, walks
across to her desk, and takes a seat. EMPLOYEE H watches
her all the way, and after she is situated he initiates conversation.
EMPLOYEE H
When I was in college, I used to do
a little protesting now and then.
My dad was at Kent State, you know,
when the shit went down. He
actually knew some guy who got shot
in the ass.
(pause)
Anyway, I sort of got into it to
impress him, but he died before I
could ever enact any change.
EMPLOYEE P
(somewhat touched)
Yeah? I'm sorry to hear that.
Were you involved with the Occupy
movement?
EMPLOYEE H
(overjoyed)
Yes! I was in Oakland.
EMPLOYEE P
(excited)
At Oscar Grant? Me too. I--
Suddenly a bell rings and both employees snap to attention.
They sit in stunned silence for a few seconds, then,
displaying a slight sense of relief, quickly begin working
at their computers.
CUT TO BLACK
CUT FROM BLACK:
INT. THE NONDESCRIPT OFFICE - DAY
EMPLOYEE H and EMPLOYEE P are both working diligently at
their computers. After a few seconds, EMPLOYEE H breaks
with a question.
EMPLOYEE H
You want a coffee?
EMPLOYEE P
Sure. Feel like I might be about
to nod off.
EMPLOYEE H stands.
EMPLOYEE H
Cool. Two creams, two sugars?
EMPLOYEE P
That'll do it.
EMPLOYEE H turns and exits the room. After approximately
15 seconds, the bell rings again. EMPLOYEE P doesn't seem
quite as alarmed as before, but she definitely takes notice. Suddenly, three figures dressed in black, FACILITATORS 1-3,
enter the room and attack EMPLOYEE P. They beat her
mercilessly but methodically, with no spoken communication
between them. After approximately 60 seconds, with
EMPLOYEE P unconscious on the floor behind her desk and not
visible to the camera, the FACILITATORs leave the room just
as quickly as they came in. After approximately 15 more
seconds, EMPLOYEE H reenters the room with two coffees in
his hands. Seeing as EMPLOYEE P is not there, he walks over
and places the cup on her desk WITHOUT noticing her
unconscious body behind it. EMPLOYEE H then returns to his
desk, puts his coffee down, lifts his briefcase from the
floor, and draws from it a brown paper lunch bag. He then
places the briefcase back on the floor and sits down.
EMPLOYEE H removes a sandwich from the brown paper lunch
bag, unwraps it, and begins eating it, staring off at the
ceiling in a careless manner.
CUT TO BLACK
ROLL END CREDITS
