"it" by sean pomposello.

sean pomposello 26 garthwaite terrace maplewood, nj 07040 email: onebigshoe@gmail.com h: 973-762-7680 c: 917-837-7368

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"last night I saw upon the stair a little man who wasn't there he wasn't there again today oh, how I wish he'd go away." --antigonish, william hughes mearns

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it by sean pomposello characters: meredith: 20s, a girl from marketing. single. bruce/voice: 30s. an i.t. guy. place: after business hours at a corporate executive park. setting: a drab conference room to a marketing firm. a study in gray, the room is appointed with one long boardroom table with a polycom unit at the center, high-backed, black naugahyde chairs and a mammoth plasma screen which looms over all, front and center. authers note: while bruce never shares time on stage with meredith, every effort should be made to make him feel present in order to add to his sense of menace. use of ... indicates that dialogue will overlap and -- indicates interruption.

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scene one (at rise, we find meredith multitasking readying a conference room for a presentation while gabbing on her cell. stacking presentation boards, collating presentation decks, distributing them around the table, tidying up, etc.) MEREDITH ... it was the benjamin prix, uh, the prix fixe, i believe ... no, im sure ... i believe im sure, yes. the thirteen per person one... right, for this like big mucky muck meeting were having... uh huh, apps, sandwich platter, fresh cut, right, the fruit, sodas, water, uh huh... oh, and, sorry, scuze me, the uh like homemade cookies, like with the stuff in the, uh, cream in the center, uh-huh, those, my boss, he likes, he really likes those, yeah. exactly, thats the one we ordered... pepe, right. sorta stammers. or stutters. in spanish. stammers and stutters ... who always, guy who always answers... right. hes the one i spoke with; he took the ord-huh? oh, uh, tuesday, i think. i believe it was tuesday when i called... do you have it there... anywhere? pfft, im glad i called to confirm. imagine if... how do i know? well, i know cause i did; i was the one, im the one called it in... for monday, 9 am... uh, huh... 108, corporate park drive, across from summerfield suites... right... well, then, you have to talk to him be-- monday, 9 am, yes... talk to your boss, whatever, but i have to have it here first thing monday morning for our meeting, i mean, before first thing, cause... i know its 7 pm on friday night, thats why i called to put the order in on tuesday... please, okay, for me, you know me, i order with you guys three times a week, im pleading with you alright, my ass is on the line here, kay? go to your boss and tell him there was some sort a mistake, an error, a misunderstanding, or something. but, i need that thirteen dollar per person benjamin prix fixe with like the homemade cookies, like with the stuff, the cream, in the, uh, right...

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for monday first thing. wanna put me on-- should i, like, wait? cause this is like, super import--oh... oh... okay, you have it, right? sure? lemme just... here, i mean, just... just in case you dont. Its 917-854-5434... 34, right. 34. 5434... thirty, yeah. four, exactly... now, how long, like, wouldja say? no, im here, so like whenever... right, okay. so, youll call--hullo? hullo? (she clicks off her cell. deposits it on the boardroom table. slumps into a seat.) (after a silent, deflated beat, she taps her laptop. it doesnt respond. she taps it again. and again.) MEREDITH (sotto voce) what now? (she traces the power chord under the table. apparently, it is plugged in. she fumes silently. suddenly, her cell rings. she checks it. answers it.) MEREDITH oh, hey, carrie... still, yeah... well, who else is gonna... shes in costa rica on her honeymoon. nice, right?... out sick. she called in this morning. something about bad thai... i didnt ask. probably, whatchamacallit, the place on the post road, over by sleepys. holy chow, or whatever... where have you been? shes on maternity, maybe, i dont know, like 4 weeks, or something... youre in h.r., how do you not know that...? no... no... just no... i would...i would... i would still be doing this... still... even if... even if... no, sorry, even if me and my boss werent, i would still be here-... well, kay, then we agree to disagree. i say id be here anyway, regardless... well, yeah, things have cooled a little and, well, cooled considerably and, i dont know, i...i...i sometimes feel like my job is in jeopardy, i mean, hes grown so, hmmm, distant--well, and critical of my work, too... but, im not gonna let him give up on me...

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give up on us, that easy--so, yeah, im just gonna have to sit this one out... youre going to have to go without me, im saying... well, you should have thought about that when you agreed to meet another guy you met online... call jeanne, kay, shell make a good wingwoman and shes always desperate to do something, anything... seriously, im here for the duration... its all a mess... totally... first, dumbass danielle--the one with the eye that roves in her socket when she eats--she double books the main conference room, then the caterer botches our order and now, when i go in to fix the powerpoint doc., to fix this like pustulating zit of a typo on the presentation i just uncovered, my laptop goes like on the fritz... its in a loop... the spinning-like beachball thingie... yeah, well, thats fine and good, but thing is, its not on the server... i know, i know, but i didnt back it up... didnt have time... its just on my desktop... no, im not going to pull the plug, i might lose everything--besides, what do i look like, some sorta quitter...? look, i gotta hang up and try to get kevin on the phone... you know, the campbells soup-smelling guy from i.t... you dont happen to, like, have his cell number, do you?... kevin, from i.t.... what you mean, vacation? how can he...? how does he get, i mean, who approves... we only have one guy in i.t....no, i didnt see it... im saying i didnt see the email, what it say? the email... the one you just... what it say...right... the service...? so, bruce from clicktech, okay...whats his name again? bruce?... is that mr. bruce or just--im saying is it, do you hear me? mr. bruce, or just bruce?...nevermind. so, this, uh, bruce, hes a temp, filling in?... uh-huh... now, how do i contact him?...howm i supposed to read the email when computer isnt working?...wouldja please just... i told you, my computers fucked, howm i gonna email him?... just the number, his cell, whatever... hold on (she gathers a pen and begins to scribble down his number on the cover of the document in front of her) okay... 2341, was it?

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41, then...4...1...41, right... okay... yeah... yeah... alright... say hi to... right... say... okay, have fun... you know where ill be... i said, you know where ill... where ill be... if you need me, youll know... no, i was just saying... hullo... oh, there you are... if you need me, thats what im sayin, you know how to get me... okay, cya. (she begins to fiddle fruitlessly on her laptop.) MEREDITH oh boy. now youve done it, meredith. holy fuck! (the polycom unit at the center of the table begins ringing and startles meredith. she curiously reaches over to the unit and answers it on hands-free.) conference room? hello... MEREDITH uh, hullo. this is the conference room. conference room, yes-MEREDITH do you maybe have the wrong number? wrong--? number, yeah. yes? MEREDITH youve reached the conference room of-conference room-MEREDITH yes, the conference room of sims, freeman, obrien. BRUCE BRUCE MEREDITH BRUCE BRUCE BRUCE MEREDITH

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sims-yes-freedman-freeman, but yeah-o... brien, right. yes. MEREDITH okay, listen. you obviously dialed the wrong-what do you have on--? ex...excuse me--? BRUCE i need to know what you have on-MEREDITH alright, thats just... i dont need to sit here and listen to... g-o-o-d-b-y-e (goes to disconnect). BRUCE dont hang up, meredith. MEREDITH (taken aback) huh? how do you know my name? im with the service. i dont follow-MEREDITH BRUCE MEREDITH BRUCE BRUCE MEREDITH BRUCE MEREDITH BRUCE MEREDITH

BRUCE

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BRUCE clicktech, your companys i.t. service... i need to know what you have on... your laptop... what operating system youre running? MEREDITH how do you know my na--? BRUCE carrie greaney from h.r.-MEREDITH told you to call me, ah? for a moment there you gave me such a fright. yes. MEREDITH bruce--er, uh, mr. bruce? bruce, yes. MEREDITH mr., or just plain b--? im in such a predicament. i have this major meeting monday, first thing. my powerpoint doc. has a, i cant, well, the computers like just-BRUCE usually its a carbon-based error. carbon based? yknow, human error. oh, right. yeah. os 10, is it? 10? BRUCE cause 10.4 and aboves a whole nuther ball a wax-MEREDITH the laptop just sorta got, well, stuck-MEREDITH BRUCE MEREDITH BRUCE MEREDITH BRUCE BRUCE

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BRUCE i have to know the operating system, is what i was driving at, meredith. MEREDITH i dont know computers-BRUCE most people dont, meredith. thats the sad truth. and, we spend more time with them than we do with our spouses. MEREDITH thats true, i suppose. BRUCE course it is, i wouldnt a said it if it wasnt. oh-okay. BRUCE ill say this though, you can tell an awful lot about people by their computers. i bet you can. BRUCE we lie to our spouses, our family or friends, but our computers... we never lie to our computers. our computers know all our secrets... yeah, huh? BRUCE yessiree, our computers know where the bodies are buried, thats for damn sure. why dont you do me a favor and go ahead and cursor up to the top-MEREDITH im in a loop. i have, like, the beach ball-right, i know. you know how? BRUCE im i.t., meredith. i know things. MEREDITH BRUCE MEREDITH MEREDITH MEREDITH

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(meredith fingers her touchpad.) hold on a second-BRUCE the beachball, as you call it, is an error message, but when you cursor-MEREDITH along the top, i can, like-BRUCE select other preferences, yes. finally, progress! BRUCE what are you, meredith? catholic? jew? protestant? whats that? BRUCE im not judging, mind you. whatever religion you are doesnt matter to me--theyre all pretty much obsolete... MEREDITH no, i just wasnt following-BRUCE religion doesnt provide answers, computers do. why dont you go ahead and hit the apple for me-the apple? top left. top-little icon apple, yep. okay, right, the apple. BRUCE kay, now scroll down on it to about this-MEREDITH BRUCE MEREDITH BRUCE MEREDITH MEREDITH MEREDITH MEREDITH

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mac? BRUCE yes, but careful. right below is force quit, you dont wanna hit that. no, how come? BRUCE cause it shuts everything down. youd have to go back and start all over again from scratch. MEREDITH youre right, i wouldnt wanna hit that. so, about this mac-right. right. BRUCE scroll down to it and tell me what it reads. it says, uh, 10.4.11-10.4.-11, yeah. Seven, you say? 11. Seven, okay. 11! 10.4.one-one! BRUCE gotcha, 10.4.11... 10.4.11 ... (chuckles) typical. what is? MEREDITH MEREDITH BRUCE MEREDITH BRUCE MEREDITH BRUCE MEREDITH MEREDITH BRUCE MEREDITH

MEREDITH

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no, nothing. what? 10.4.11, is what-what about it? BRUCE i just, i mean, really hate 10.4.11, okay. MEREDITH its just an operating system, bruce. BRUCE just an operating system? just an operating system? i dont even know how to respond to that... MEREDITH Im sorry, if i offended-BRUCE yknow lady, im off the clock here. i dont need this kind a... why dont you call in monday for another technician. Im sure someone else-MEREDITH no... i mean, please, no. dont bail on me. seriously, dont. like i said, i really need this document for monday first thing. youre my last hope-eh, i dont know-name your price! im sorry--? MEREDITH i said, name your price. are you crazy? MEREDITH its just a crazy important meeting, is all. BRUCE BRUCE MEREDITH BRUCE MEREDITH BRUCE MEREDITH

BRUCE

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(a silent moment elapses.) BRUCE alright...alright...alright, youre in a bind... ill give you a hand. MEREDITH thank you, bruce. thank you so--i owe you bigtime-BRUCE i need to come inside you-whats that? BRUCE i have to come inside you-what!?! come inside-you must accept me-MEREDITH what are you saying, br-BRUCE look at your screen, meredith. you have to authorize me before i come in and fix your computer remotely. oh. its the protocol. right. see the-MEREDITH (working the computer) yes. yes. BRUCE click it, right, yeah, there you go, and that permits me to timbuktu in to getcha back up and running-BRUCE MEREDITH BRUCE MEREDITH BRUCE MEREDITH MEREDITH MEREDITH

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(we hear the clatter of keys over the polycom and bruce humming im in you, by peter frampton. the humming becomes singing, under his breath.) BRUCE (quietly singing) i'm in you, you're in me... i'm in you... you're in me...'cause you gave me the love, love that I never had ... yes, you gave me the love, love that I never had-MEREDITH uh, bruce, what youre seeing? hmmm. what? whoa. is it bad? boy-oh-boy. boy-oh-boy, what? BRUCE boy-oh-boy, i need a biobreak. bio-BRUCE gotta use the rest room. oh, right. back in a jiffy. kay. (meredith snatches her cell up, dials and listens.) MEREDITH BRUCE MEREDITH MEREDITH MEREDITH BRUCE MEREDITH BRUCE MEREDITH BRUCE

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MEREDITH (into her cell) pick up... pick up... pick up... damnit... i really hate to put a crimp in your fabulous evening, but i wonder if you wouldnt, i dont know, maybe see it in your heart to give me a call--at your soonest convenience! carrie, whyd you have this bruce lunatic call me? where on earth did they dig him up, anyway? seriously, the guy makes my skin crawl. call me-bitch. (she clicks off her cell and begins to pace for a beat.) BRUCE alright, now. whered we leave off? MEREDITH oh, hey. youre back, are you? BRUCE lets see... right... okay... hmmm... uhm.... right-rightright-right... anything...? BRUCE uh-huh... yep yep yep... ah-ha, very curious... bruce...? BRUCE so, meredith. tell me something about yourself... huh? BRUCE you know, to pass the time, while i repair this-MEREDITH like what? like uhm something-you married? who, me? MEREDITH BRUCE MEREDITH MEREDITH MEREDITH

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what? hunh? BRUCE too much too soon, huh?. i get it, no i get it-MEREDITH just took me by surprise, is all-BRUCE reset, okay. reset. forget i said that... let me tell you a little about myself first... MEREDITH you really dont have to-BRUCE letsee, im from up around putnam county. went to an upstate tech school--you know, the one you see on the late night commercials, with the guy who goes, now i cant call you, you need to take the first step and pick up the phone... MEREDITH oh...oh, yeah. i remember that, guy with the, uh-BRUCE studied information technologies... after, well, can i be frank with you? of course, sure. BRUCE i did a little stint... in prison-prison? BRUCE uh huh. two years in dannemora-MEREDITH danne--seriously, prison? uh huh. MEREDITH what, like, computer hacking, or something? BRUCE MEREDITH MEREDITH MEREDITH

BRUCE

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rape. (after an awkward beat, bruce erupts in laughter.) BRUCE i really had you going there, dint i! yeah, you sorta did. BRUCE rape, ha. shoulda seen your face. my face? BRUCE so, youre marketing, are you? yep. BRUCE let me guess, youre one of those incredibly shallow, insecure women who stuff their feet into stylish, pointy shoes rather than wear a decent-looking, sensible pair. MEREDITH (checking her shoes) im not sure what my shoes have to do with-BRUCE im teasing, meredith. lighten up. oh. BRUCE hey, talk to me about your friend carrie, wouldja-carrie? BRUCE is it just me or is she little, i dont know-little what? BRUCE little bituvva, uh, tease, flirt or what have you. MEREDITH MEREDITH MEREDITH MEREDITH MEREDITH MEREDITH

BRUCE

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MEREDITH carrie, no. really, you think? oh, come on. yeah, well, i suppose-sure. MEREDITH its innocent, though. you know. BRUCE yeah, no, i get it, im just sayin. no harm in it, right? flirting? yeah. hey, who am i to judge? what? BRUCE to judge, im sayin, who am i to-MEREDITH oh, now my friend gayle-dale? g. ga-ga-gayle. BRUCE what about gayle with a g? MEREDITH shes a girl i know. really more of an acquaintance. from, uh, pilates, i know her. now heres how it gets kinda fuzzy. MEREDITH BRUCE MEREDITH BRUCE MEREDITH BRUCE MEREDITH BRUCE MEREDITH BRUCE

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fuzzy how? well, for starters-BRUCE lookit this, us, were clicking... you and me...were startin to click-wha? BRUCE no, nothing, just, you know, two colleagues, a client and a supplier, sharing personal whaddyacall, stuff. sorry, to interrupt, that was, uh, rude a me, go ahead, tell the rest-continue with your story. MEREDITH I was just about to say gayle, well, shes like kinda carrying on with her boss. gayle is? yeah. like sleeping with him? MEREDITH which is, like whatever, but the fuzzy sorta thing is-BRUCE lemme guess, hes married. with kids, yeah. BRUCE two little girls and a boy. howd you know? lucky guess, i spose. MEREDITH look, im sure shes not proud-BRUCE MEREDITH MEREDITH BRUCE MEREDITH BRUCE MEREDITH MEREDITH

BRUCE

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BRUCE and to you thats somehow fuzzy, huh? MEREDITH well, fuzzy in that... like... well, shes actually, i mean otherwise, a really nice person-BRUCE you say nice person, i say house wrecker-house wrecker? yeah. MEREDITH whatever happened to who am i to judge? password. whats that? BRUCE i need your password, wouldja type it in, please? MEREDITH youre not even going to ask about... i mean, what if the wife of the boss guy, uh, gayle is carrying on with... ask about what? MEREDITH maybe she--the wife, im saying--maybe shes like a raging bitch which, for your information she is. BRUCE can you put it in there... the password in the-MEREDITH in the little box there-right, the... (she hunts and pecks on the keyboard.) there, yes. BRUCE BRUCE BRUCE MEREDITH BRUCE BRUCE MEREDITH

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MEREDITH and maybe, just maybe, are you listening...? im here. MEREDITH maybe what... what gayle and her boss, the married guy, maybe what they have between them... maybe its not simply about the, you know, the physical, maybe, possibly, the two of them share something, kinda, almost, how would you put it? sorta, i dont know, like-security question-what? BRUCE see it there, gotta fill that in too. under--? BRUCE underneath, in, uh-huh, right there. no, you had it before... i did? here? BRUCE there. yes. there. no. you just had it, yes, there, now clickclick? BRUCE tap the trackpad. there. there you go. MEREDITH im never good with this; the business with the security question. good with it how? MEREDITH i can never come up with something clever. BRUCE its not sposed to be clever, just familiar, but only to you. BRUCE MEREDITH MEREDITH MEREDITH MEREDITH BRUCE BRUCE

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like? BRUCE well like, like for instance your mothers maiden name, or favorite childhood hero, or-MEREDITH favorite childhood hero? BRUCE Uh-huh. thats a pretty common one. MEREDITH can it be like a super hero? BRUCE super hero, everyday hero, whatever. long as your remember it, its a good security question. super hero, huh? (she keys in her security question.) now the-oh, the answer, right. BRUCE in the--bingo, that box, under, right. there. so, who was it? my hero? BRUCE yeah. cmon. who was your hero as a kid. i put in xena-BRUCE the ass-kicking warrior princess. MEREDITH MEREDITH BRUCE MEREDITH MEREDITH BRUCE MEREDITH

MEREDITH

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none other. the bitch with bangs. huh? BRUCE i get it. no, i can see how shed be a pretty attractive role model to a young girl. hell yeah. BRUCE hold that thought, ill be right back. MEREDITH nuther, uh-- what was it? bio-break. BRUCE gotta let up on the red bull, i suppose. bright back. ill be here. (meredith gets up, works a knot out of her back and begins to tidy the room when her cell rings. she checks it. answers it.) MEREDITH about time you called me back, lady... i dont know, about fifteen minutes, yeah like fifteen minutes ago... wow, its really loud there... i said its really loud... there. where you are... im not yelling, im just saying its really hard to hear you over, over all that rack--, all that racket... well, what didnt you understand in my message...? I said, what couldnt you hear in my message? h-e-a-r i-n m-y m-e-s-sa-g-e. what couldnt you...!?! well, i called to give you shit for... what do you mean for what? oh, like you dont know. for the whole bruce business, thats what... the bruce business--bruce... the busines with... with bruce. the creepy guy from the service... i.t...creepy, i said... hes actually not that bad after all, but at first... what was that...? MEREDITH MEREDITH MEREDITH BRUCE

MEREDITH

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for having the guy call me to fix my computer... fix my... what do you mean, what do you mean...? im not following you, carrie... of course you called him--you had to have. how else would he have... how else... trudy? yeah, sure, i know her. shes your boss, of course i know her... oh, cool, you got her to go out with you instead of jeanne, awesome... shes saying what? what she say? i missed what you just said there... what do you mean you made a mistake, his name isnt bruce...? his name is justin...? thats impossible im on the phone with bruce now...? carrie... youre breaking up, i cant hear you...carrie! hullo...? (she clicks off her cell.) BRUCE meredith, you there? meredith? yes. BRUCE i just detected a power surge. lost your wifi. you didnt drop a call, did you? uh, i did, yes... BRUCE ill see if i cant address that. lemme first get you back up and running here. alright. BRUCE now, where were we? oh, favorite childhood super hero. whats that? BRUCE you were telling me about your-MEREDITH favorite childhood super hero, oh, yeah, right. BRUCE is everything alright, meredith? your voice-MEREDITH MEREDITH MEREDITH MEREDITH

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MEREDITH what about my voice, bruce? BRUCE you sound sorta, i dont know, funny. funny how, bruce? BRUCE funny different. who were you on the phone with? whats that, bruce? BRUCE why do you keep saying my name? you tell me, bruce. BRUCE that was carrie from h.r., wasnt it? MEREDITH you know so much, you tell me? (she stealthily removes her security i.d. from her pocket and inches her way to the door.) theres no use. theres no use what? the door! what about the door? BRUCE your keycard wont open it-datawatch technology linked to your agencys server which, if you havent already noticed, im controlling. (it dawns on her that her actions are being monitored and she begins to scan the room for video cameras.) MEREDITH BRUCE MEREDITH BRUCE MEREDITH MEREDITH MEREDITH

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BRUCE never even knew they were there, huh? honeywell video surveillance cameras. pretty high end, too. musta cost your employers a pretty penny. cmon, flash me that colgate smile. (she pulls out her cell and swiftly taps out 911 and listens.) BRUCE check your bars, meredith. zilch, my right? coverage has always been notoriously non-existent in this building. too bad about the wifi-MEREDITH (screaming) help! somebody help me...! seriously? MEREDITH (screaming) im locked in the conference room-BRUCE theres no one in the office, meredith. not for, what? another sixty-or-so-hours, there wont be... help! save your breath... help me! BRUCE triple pane soundproof windows. keeps noise out, or in-MEREDITH what the hell do you want from me!?! BRUCE for the moment, just the truth. that fuzzy little story you spun... the one about your friend gayle from, what was it, pilates? that was is a crock of shit, wasnt it? there is no gayle, is there? MEREDITH i dont know what youre talking about-MEREDITH BRUCE MEREDITH BRUCE

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BRUCE stopit, youre embarrassing yourself. ive seen the emails, the chats, the hotel room confirmations, the videos-videos? what? yes. who are you? BRUCE there is no gayle, right? no... there isnt-BRUCE youre the one fucking your boss... my boss...? BRUCE ... which i dont get--the guy cant even be loyal to the women hes being disloyal with... MEREDITH thats not true... he is too loyal to me-BRUCE you dont honestly believe that, do you? and you know this how? BRUCE im in i.t., meredith. i know things. MEREDITH youre not from the service. carrie said she never called any bruce-BRUCE i know, i never said she did-you said-MEREDITH MEREDITH MEREDITH MEREDITH MEREDITH BRUCE MEREDITH

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BRUCE i never said that, you did! besides, i wouldnt put too much stock in anything carrie has to say-whys that? BRUCE you do know shes preparing paperwork to can your ass... carrie? BRUCE ... for your, what is it, uh, unprofessional and inappropriate relationship with your boss-theres no way-BRUCE i think this little clause in your company policy is the one that did you in... here it is, okay... i authorize the company to monitor and/or record all company equipment. this includes any and all communications made by me using company computers... okay... BRUCE ... telephones, cell phones, or similar devices... alright, i get it... BRUCE ... networks, company-paid phone lines or any other company equipment... e-nough! BRUCE you should probably know, they gave your boss the choice. either you leave or he leaves and, as these things usually go, he chose, well, he chose you... i dont believe you. MEREDITH MEREDITH MEREDITH MEREDITH MEREDITH MEREDITH MEREDITH

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BRUCE i can share a copy of the document. sgot whatshisfaces john hancock in blue ballpoint, clear as day. i have it right, uh, lemme see, whered it go to, had it here a second ago, oh, here we go, right here-i dont wanna see it. BRUCE sure? cause its no trouble, really it isnt-MEREDITH okay, you asked for the truth and i gave it to you. what do you want from me? BRUCE you said name your price... well, this is it for you... MEREDITH this cant be... (screaming) somebody... anybody... help! BRUCE im gonna fix you, meredith. like xena and gabrielle, you and me... together... were gonna seek redemption for your past... i can get you money... BRUCE is that what you think this is about? money? MEREDITH i wont tell anyone... honest, itll be our secret... no one has to know any of this ever happened... BRUCE dont push my buttons, meredith. you dont broker secrets with me. im in i.t. its what i do. i mint your secrets and i trade in them...you have no say in the matter. your secrets are my currency, not yours. alright, okay... (the light begin to dim slowly on meredith.) its time. BRUCE MEREDITH MEREDITH MEREDITH

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no. BRUCE time for you to make amends, meredith... MEREDITH but, i cant, the big meeting... BRUCE you have nothing now... theres nothing left for you... no job... no boyfriend... but, this is the life you chose, isnt it? (the lights have receded to one lone spear of light on meredith.) the life i chose? BRUCE you chose this...you asked for it.... i... i... i didnt... BRUCE ...and now youre gonna get it. i...i...i... BRUCE im force quitting you... MEREDITH but, i dont quit. you cant do this... watch me. MEREDITH ...ill lose everything! you already have. no. no. MEREDITH BRUCE BRUCE MEREDITH MEREDITH MEREDITH

MEREDITH

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BRUCE (reading) are you sure you want to shut down your computer now...? dont... BRUCE im sorry, meredith. im sorry it has to end this way. please... dont-BRUCE (reading) if you do nothing the computer will shut down automatically in 1 minute...59...58...57... MEREDITH lookit, just get the beachball thingie to stop spinning, kay... ...49...48...47... MEREDITH ... then...then i can correct the worst of those typos... i mean, the really, really glaring ones... ...36...35...34...32... MEREDITH ... then alls i need is for the caterer to bring me my benjamin prix fixe...the thirteen person one... ...15...14... MEREDITH ...with the apps, uh, sandwich platter, fresh cut, uh... ...8...7... MEREDITH ...fruit, and the homemade cookies, like, with the stuff in the, uh, cream in the center... 3...2... BRUCE BRUCE BRUCE BRUCE BRUCE MEREDITH MEREDITH

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(she begins to whimper.) Sorry...? 1... (the lone sliver of light finally goes out.) (in the darkness, we are left with just the clatter of keys. then nothing.) end of play BRUCE MEREDITH