Day begins. Magical morning run though for one, a workmare invades.
A workmare invades Julie’s mind and triggers some anxious moments. Gayle diffuses things with the toss of a towel and a redirect — it’s off to Grandma’s house they go.
Gayle and Fran are off on a run through the neighborhood while Julie is sleeping.
FADE IN
INT. 2ND BEDROOM
We see Julie … snuggled into her blankets. The sound of the front door shutting triggers the start of Julie’s workmare.
DISSOLVE TO:
INT. CONFERENCE ROOM
The sound coincided with the shutting of a conference room door. Julie is seated (similar to the scene from the fishbowl on Friday). She has her notebook open and is jotting down notes. Then we see her look up and point to herself while looking to the left and right of her. The executive at the head of the table nods and steps aside-ushering her to the front of the room. Julie clicks the mouse, looks at the screen and is seen talking to the group with confidence (we don’t hear what she’s saying, we just pick it up through body language). All looks like it is going smoothly until we hear a voice from one side of the conference table.
E-STAFF MEMBER
Excuse me. Could you please go back one slide?
Julie clicks the mouse.
E-STAFF MEMBER
Where did those numbers come from?
Julie looks at the screen and flips through some papers she has with her.
E-STAFF MEMBER
You mean that you’re up here taking up our time with a presentation full of numbers and you have no idea where they came from?
Julie still looks blank [she had crunched so much data leading up to the meeting that her mind has gone blank].
Just then KEITH, the VP of Business Development, pipes up. He’s holding up the report that Julie had delivered at the end of the day on Friday.
KEITH
These numbers are from page 8 of the report that was distributed on Friday.
E-STAFF MEMBER
And you are comfortable with them… the numbers?
KEITH
Absolutely.
Keith, the E-Staff Members and others in the room are seen talking to each other about various line items on the slide. Keith gets up, motions Julie to step aside as he takes over the meeting. Julie slinks back to her chair and is ignored.
She is flipping through pages of the report trying to figure out what they are referring to when Keith steps behind her chair, reaches over her shoulder and picks up the report. He turns to the appropriate page and points to the line item. The rest of the E-Staff members chuckle to themselves.
E-STAFF MEMBER
(under his breath to the fellow next to him) Guess you can’t rely on a woman to do a man’s job.
Julie overhears and is mortified. She is then tapped on the shoulder and pointed to the door.
DISSOLVE TO:
STOOP OUTSIDE GAYLE’S PLACE
Gayle and Fran are stretching and chatting. Looking towards the guest bedroom window.
FRAN
That was fun.
GAYLE
And the sky was especially incredible today. Must be because you are here.
She pats Fran on the back. Fran smiles.
FRAN
Yeah… And I can’t get over how cool it is that you are living in such a great location… with walkable access to such cute little shops– and fresh bagels just down the street.
Fran points to the bag.
FRAN
Yum-yum!
Gayle smiles.
FRAN
Do you suppose Julie’s awake?
They look towards the window of the 2nd bedroom again as they head into the house, leaving their shoes at the doorway.
GAYLE
I’ll check in on her. You go ahead and hit the shower first.
FRAN
Right on!
Fran heads down towards the master bedroom to shower. Gayle pushes the start button on the coffee and heads down the hallway. She opens the linen closet door and pulls out a clean towel while talking to herself.
GAYLE
I can’t remember if I gave her one yet.
Gayle, with towel in hand, stops just outside the 2nd Bedroom door and taps gently. Pause. There’s no response.
She slowly opens the door to peek inside. Checking her watch, she slowly moves towards Julie.
GAYLE
(in a low voice) Julie… (pause) Julie… (pause) Yo, Julie!
Still no response. Gayle reaches out and gently touches Julie on the shoulder to awaken her. She BOLTS straight up in a cold sweat.
JULIE
The numbers…Yes, sir!
Gayle moves aside as Julie jumps out of bed and checks her computer bag. Seemingly unaware that Gayle is in the room.
Gayle watches. She looks down at the towel and then back at Julie who seems to be in her own world…frantically tearing through her stuff looking for numbers.
A smile comes over Gayle’s face and seconds later a towel flies through the air and lands close to Julie, who is momentarily startled. When she looks in the direction of where the towel came from, she relaxes.
JULIE
Oh… Been standing there long? I was just…
GAYLE
Sorry if I startled you. It was so quiet… when you didn’t respond to my knock, I thought I should…
JULIE
You knocked?
GAYLE
Yeah. No worries. You must have been in that weird dream state that happens just before you wake up… weird because it is the one you tend to remember and is sort of a major mish-mash of stuff… happens to all of us.
Julie smiles and nods.
GAYLE
Anyway, sorry to bust in on you, but I figured I should let you know that we’re out of here in an hour. And there’s a fresh pot of coffee in the kitchen.
Julie sniffs and smiles.
JULIE
Excellent! Where are we heading?
GAYLE
The beach. It’ll be a blast.
Julie nods– but its clear that the words have kind of washed over her (perhaps her workmare has still go a hold of her mind). Gayle moves towards the door.
GAYLE
And if you’re hungry, there are bagels and several types of cereal– so help yourself. (pause) If you don’t mind, I’ll hit the shower before you. I’m a bit chilled from my run.
JULIE
Sure. Go right ahead.
Julie turns her attention back to her computer bag while the door can be heard shutting as the scene fades out.
FADE OUT.
FADE IN:
GAYLE’S KITCHEN
A showered and dressed Julie enters the kitchen where she finds Gayle.
JULIE
Sorry it took so long for me to pull it together.
Just then, Fran enters the kitchen after dropping her bag in the hallway.
FRAN
Hey, Sunshine. Top of the morning to ya!
JULIE
Mornin’! You want some?
Julie point to the coffee pot, touching it.
JULIE
It is still warm.
FRAN
Nah… I’m good.
Meanwhile, in the background, we see Gayle moving about her kitchen (seemingly choreographed) as she pulls together the various items needed for the trip. We see Gayle reach inside a cabinet to pull out an old, well-worn cookbook. She pulls out a slip of paper, stuffs it into her backpack and returns the cookbook.
JULIE
How’d you sleep?
FRAN
Amazingly well. I thought I was going to be all wound up from last night– great beer, great food, Powell’s visit, new book. But instead, I dropped right off– no waiting. I was down… all the way until I smelled that delicious coffee. How about you?
JULIE
That bed was amazingly comfortable…
FRAN
Speaking of comfort, it appears that we’ve displaced you, Gayle. Did you
manage to get some sleep?
GAYLE
Of course! That couch and I are best buddies. We’ve spent many a night together.
(pause) I just want to say that its a real treat to have you both here.
FRAN
Thanks again for the invite and for your persistence…
JULIE
Yeah. Thanks… Now, did I hear you right? Are we really going to the beach?
GAYLE
Yes, indeed. For an overnight at my Grandma’s place… at the beach.
JULIE
(looking surprised) Oh… it’s an overnight?
FRAN
That’s where we’re heading? So we’ll get to meet your Grandma?
GAYLE
(Laughs) In spirit, yes.
JULIE
Give me a couple of minutes to repack my stuff.
Julie exits the kitchen.
FRAN
Nice surprise! (Pause) So… what do you think? Is she okay?
GAYLE
Huh? Okay? Of course she’s okay. As okay as any of us. She seemed distant– and distracted when I checked on her this morning. For sure, something’s weighing on her mind.
FRAN
Huh… You know… it could be that big presentation she was prepping for before we left. Can’t figure out if she is the one presenting the numbers or if she’s feeding them to one of the bosses. I’m surprised that she managed to pull herself away to come along.
GAYLE
She’s kind of in a tough spot…
Fran gives her a questioning look. Just then, the clunk of an overnight bag and a computer bag dropping in the hallway can be heard.
GAYLE
Alrightly then… Let’s move’em out! Ride em in… Rawhide.
Gayle motions to Fran to grab her things. She quickly checks the sink and dumps out the coffee before following the girls out the door singing:
GAYLE
Move ’em on, head ’em up, Head ’em up, move ’em out, Move ’em on, head
’em out Rawhide! Set ’em out, ride ’em in
Ride ’em in, let ’em out,
Cut ’em out, ride ’em in Rawhide.
FADE OUT.
###
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