Disappointed - Episode 2

Disappointed
Episode 2
At least it's better than the Bob Morrison Show
adamw@iinet.com.au

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INT. OFFICE - MORNING
NICK, ERIC AND PENNY ARE HUDDLED AROUND NICK'S DESK TALKING
QUIETLY AS THE OFFICE WORKS AT A FAST PACE AROUND THEM. THEY
HAVE WORRIED LOOKS ON THEIR FACES.
ERIC
What are you going to say to her?
NICK
I still don't know
ERIC
Listen, you've got to come up with
something or you're finished. You
heard what she said, anyone who
isn't pulling their weight is out
and you don't even know what your
job is.
PENNY
Around here that might give him an
advantage.
NICK
Exactly, you can't fail to meet your
objectives when you don't have any.
PENNY
I heard she's doing it at random to
keep people on their toes.

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2.
ERIC
The mad old cow.
NICK
She's not really that old.
ERIC GLARES AT NICK. HE REALISES WHAT HE'S JUST SAID.
Maybe I should just go home and stay
there until all this blows over.
ERIC
Yeah that'll really help. Pretend
it's not happening. And if she never
actually tells you that you're
sacked it didn't happen. Then you
can keep showing up and sitting here
without getting paid until you're
old enough to get the pension. Great
plan.
NICK
(agitated)
Well, what am I supposed to say?
I've got nothing. I hope I'm first
so I can at least have the rest of
the day off. Besides, what makes you
think that you're so indispensible?

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3.
ERIC
Because I'm full of good ideas.
Everything I touch turns to gold.
NICK
Except your marriage.
ERIC
And my business, yes. But in
political circles I'm very well
known for my innovative ideas.
NICK
Well come up with some good ideas
for keeping me in a job then.
PENNY
Come on, be positive.
ERIC
Why should break the habit of a
lifetime?
PENNY
You're not done yet. For once in
your life try and think that
something good is going to happen.
You don't even know what's she's
here to do yet do you?

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4.
ERIC
(laughing)
Well they didn't hire her to sing
Christmas carols and organise the
office Twister championships. She's
here to cut the dead wood and..
HE SUDDENLY STOPS AND REALISES WHAT HE'S SAID.
Sorry.
NICK THROWS HIS HANDS UP IN THE AIR IN DESPAIR
NICK
I'm done.
HE PUTS HIS HEAD DOWN ON THE DESK AS FEMALE EMPLOYEE WALKS
INTO THE CUBICLE PANICKING AND WITH A WORRIED LOOK ON HER
FACE
SUE
Have any of you seen a small green
folder with Tasmania written on it?
ERIC
No
PENNY
(shruggling)
I've never even been there.
NICK PUTS HIS HANDS UP FROM THE DESK TO INDICATE "NO" WITHOUT
LOOKING UP. SUE RUNS OFF

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5.
ERIC
I've never seen people working this
hard. Haven't they seen the polls,
we're going to win this election by
a mile.
PENNY
How can you be so sure?
ERIC
Have you see what we're against?
Who's voting for that lot? Alex
Steele has so little personality
that he is often confused for a
washing machine. Reynard might not
be in his prime, but if he can't
beat Mr. Potato Head we'd may as
well all give up. So, what's the
deal with this Stella bird anyway?
I've been told 50 times that she's
like this with Hillary Clinton, but
what else?
PENNY
Apparently speaks eight languages.

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6.
ERIC
Well that's pointless. There aren't
eight languages worth speaking.
PENNY
From what I've heard she's very
smart.
NICK
Well what's she working here for
then?
TWO WORKERS FLY BY QUICKLY TUGGING AT THE SAME PIECE OF
PAPER AND ISSUING RANDOM THREATS TO EACH OTHER
ERIC
Look at these idiots
NICK
At least they've got something to do
to keep themselves busy. I'm sitting
here on Death Row without any way to
save myself. In fact if you look at
it objectively I'm completely fu..
STELLA INTERRUPTS BY STANDING AT HER OFFICE DOOR, SMOKING A
CIGARETTE AND YELLING.
STELLA
Foster. Eric Foster.

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7.
ERIC
Yes! I get to go in first, make you
guys look good and save myself while
also burying some of these other
pricks.
PENNY GLARES AT HIM
Don't worry, you're one of the few
people here who I would save given
the chance.
HE STANDS UP AND WALKS TOWARDS THE OFFICE
PENNY
Well she's not doing it by last
names then.
NICK
Or first names. I can't handle this.
How can you direct a campaign when
you can't even organise yourself?
PENNY
Anyway, I better get back to it. If
she's sees me out here talking to
you all day she'll have me hung.

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8.
NICK
I just wish I knew what was going on
in there.
PENNY
Don't worry about him, he'll go
alright.
NICK
I suppose, if there's anyone who's
not going to fall apart under
pressure it's him.
CUT TO:

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9.
INT. STELLA'S OFFICE - MOMENTS LATER
STELLA SITS BEHIND HER DESK GLARING AT ERIC WITH A
CIGARETTE IN HER HAND. HE IS SWEATING AND TALKING
NERVOUSLY, RARELY TAKING A BREATH.
ERIC
So, anyway it's really good that
you've come here. I've been here so
long I can see we really needed
somebody to come and shake things
up.
Well, you know what I mean. Not that
long. Long enough.
HE LEANS ACROSS THE DESK CONSPIRATORIALLY
You know, if you really want to chop
some of the dead wood you should
start up in Sydney. There's this
bloke there called Pete Allen.
Between you and me I've heard he's a
bit..
TAPS HIS HEAD TO INDICATE `CRAZY'. HE STOPS AS IF WAITING
FOR STELLA TO SAY SOMETHING BUT SHE STAYS QUIET AND AFTER A
FEW SECONDS OF UNCOMFORTABLE SILENCE HE SPEAKS AGAIN
Yeah. So. Anyway. There's a lot of
good people here.
(MORE)

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