Confident and prepared, Julie faces an unexpected challenge…
FADE IN.
INT. OFFICE HALLWAY
The scene opens up with Julie striding confidently down the hallway toward the conference room. She has several folders, a pad of paper and a portable computer in one hand and is carrying her pen in her other. As she nears the fishbowl, her gait slows and then she stops completely. She looks up and down the hallway. There’s nobody around. So she goes into the conference room, turns on the light and leaves her stuff. Then she moves quickly down the hallway. The camera follows her as she looks in at the various offices of the meeting attendees. The lights are dimmed and the desks are clear.
JULIE
Weird. Where’d everybody go?
She circles back to the fishbowl, which is still empty, and then makes a beeline for the receptionist’s desk.
CUT TO:
INT. FRONT LOBBY
LOBBY RECEPTIONIST
You look nice. New suit?
Realizing Julie is upset, she shifts away from social chat to addressing the immediate.
So what’s up?
JULIE
Wasn’t there a meeting scheduled in the fishbowl for this morning… actually, for most of the day?
LOBBY RECEPTIONIST
Well… there was. But those turkeys changed plans last minute. (she rambles) Yeah and then they asked me to track down a place near here where they could meet… and they asked for all kinds of weird stuff like certain types of coffee and a private room… all at the last minute. I’m good but come-on. Just because I’m ready to go at the crack of dawn doesn’t mean my contacts in the food world are… do you have any idea how hard it is to…
Julie motions for her to stop.
JULIE
Whoa… like sorry for cutting your story short, but where did you send them?
The receptionist raises her eyebrow.
JULIE
Come on. No funny stuff. I was supposed to be in that meeting.
LOBBY RECEPTIONIST
Really?
JULIE
Yeah. I’ve got a stack of printouts in the fish bowl. Now where are they?
The receptionist looks at her watch.
LOBBY RECEPTIONIST
You may be able to catch them. They are at the Hobee’s off 101.
Without hesitation, Julie bolts. And in a scene similar to the one we’ve seen with Fran, she runs right into the glass door, forgetting that she needs her card key to get inside.
The receptionist holds up her key. Julie is rubbing her nose and reaches into her pocket just as the door opens. She races inside.
CUT TO:
INT. OFFICE HALLWAY
Julie is seen running past Fran & Doogie’s cube.
CUT TO:
INT. FRAN’S CUBE
Doogie can be seen over the wall (prairie dogging again) trying to get Fran’s attention.
DOOGIE
Psst… psst…Hey… sorry to interrupt, but something’s wrong.
Fran looks up.
FRAN
What?
DOOGIE
I’m pretty sure I just saw my girl zoom past our cubes at a high rate of speed.
FRAN
Stop obsessing. She probably just forgot something for her meeting.
Just then, she races by again. They look at each other. Doogie reports.
DOOGIE
O-k-a-y… but now she’s seems to be heading toward the parking lot. She has her briefcase and keys in hand.
Fran stands up.
FRAN
Really? Wow… Something must be really wrong.
DOOGIE
Okay… so what do you think? Should we check on her?
Fran pauses, and then grabs her keys and backpack.
FRAN
Yeah. Why not? It’s close enough to lunch time that we can always make like we’re on break.
Doogie hops down.
CUT TO:
EXT. PARKING LOT
Just as Fran and Doogie reach the parking lot, they are nearly run over by Julie as she peels out of the parking lot.
FRAN
Holy crap!
DOOGIE
Let’s go!
FRAN
Go where, Einstein? Did you see how fast she’s driving? We’ll never catch her.
Doogie looks in the direction Julie drove. Fran grabs him by the elbow and drags him back inside.
CUT TO:
INT. LOBBY BUSINESS BUILDING
They walk up to the receptionist. And motion out the door and making a zoom movement with their hands. The receptionist pulls out a piece of paper and shows it to Doogie and Fran.
LOBBY RECEPTIONIST
I don’t get why she was in such a hurry. Her name wasn’t on the list of attendees.
Doogie picks up the printout and double checks it.
DOOGIE
Let me see… (pause) Yup… You’re right!
LOBBY RECEPTIONIST
Duh!
DOOGIE
(to Fran) Let’s go before she makes a fool out of herself.
Fran starts back out the door when the receptionist calls them back.
LOBBY RECEPTIONIST
Hold on there pardners. According to this list (she holds up a clipboard) you guys are late for your weekly meeting.
Doogie looks at Fran pleadingly.
DOOGIE
Come on. Let’s blow it off. That’s the most boring meeting ever… going around the room, taking turns talking about what you did to improve the company this week. P-l-e-a-s-e…
FRAN
I hear you… but you know, if I recall correctly, someone put you on the agenda. Do you remember?
DOOGIE
(pauses to ponder) Oh yeah. I’m supposed to give my “What we have
here is a failure to communicate” speech. I totally forgot.
FRAN
Come on. Let’s go. We’ll check on her when we get out.
DOOGIE
But…
FRAN
No buts, man. She’ll be alright.
DOOGIE
What makes you so sure?
As they disappear down the hallway, you can hear Fran explaining.
FRAN
You should have seen her swinging the axe on Saturday… chopping wood like a pro.
DOOGIE
Oh… So you’re finally cutting loose with details… jeesh…
FADE OUT.
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To be continued in Toll House Tales #125
[…] be continued in Toll House Tales #124 […]