Like Toy Soldiers

17. It's a Terrible Life

INT. BEDROOM

An alarm flipped from 5:59 to 6:00 and started beeping. A hand shut it off.

KITCHEN

A coffee cup was filled at an espresso machine.

The cup was held by Dean, who was in a business suit, with his hair slicked down.

STREET

Dean crossed the street to a silver Toyota Prius.

PRIUS

Dean started the car.

Rock music blared and he looked at it, confused, and changed the station.

"NPR Morning Edition. It's for this waste and-"

Dean drove off and eventually came to a skyscraper.

LOBBY

Dean exited the elevator and crossed the lobby. There was a Sandover Bridge and Iron history display along one wall.

Dean entered an office labeled Dean Smith - Director, Sales & Marketing.

DEAN'S OFFICE

Dean typed at a computer.

Dean laughed into a phone headset. "All I wanna know is when are they gonna have another show like Project Runway?"

At lunch, he flipped his tie and ate a salad.

After lunch, Dean stood and spoke into his headset. "Net profitability aside, it's the client-retention rate that concerns me vis-à-vis maximizing return on sales. Buzz me back in once you've seen the spreadsheets."

"Mr. Adler," Dean greeted.

"Dean," Mr. Adler said. slapping Dean on the shoulder. "Good stuff."

"Good stuff?" Dean asked.

"Big things. Good stuff."

"Good stuff."

NIGHT

Dean was sitting at his desk playing with something and speaking into the headset. "Oh I hear you. No, I haven't been to the gym in ages. Carrying a little bloat around myself. It's a sedentary lifestyle, my man, no two ways. All right, tell me one more time. You said lemon and - what was it? Cayenne and maple syrup, are you serious? How much did you lose?"

Dean put some files in a case and left the office.

OFFICE LOBBY

Dean was checking his phone. The elevator dinged. He entered, focused on the phone. He looked at the other occupants of the elevator who were staring at him. It was Sam and Katrina, who were wearing a short-sleeved yellow shirt that said 'Sandover Bridge & Iron Inc. Tech Support'.

"Do I know you?" Sam and Katrina asked.

"I don't think so," Dean replied.

Sam looked at him. "I'm sorry, man, you just look really familiar."

"Save it for the health club, pal."

The elevator dinged again and Dean got out. Sam and Katrina stared after him.

CUBICLE FARM - DAY

A printer whirred and spit out a paper. A fax machine whirred and sucked in papers. An automatic pencil sharpener whirred.

Sam pressed a button on the phone and spoke into a headset. "Tech support, this is Sam Wesson. Okay. Uh, well, did you try turning it off and then on?" He poked at a vampire bobblehead. "Okay, go ahead and turn it off. No no no, just, just off. All right, give it a second. Turn it back on. Is it printing now? Great. Anytime."