Summary: A business owner is used to being in control and runs into a situation where he is anything but. How will he handle it when faced with that realization? Keywords: control
Style: Drama Duration: 5 min
Actors: 3 M/F
Characters
Dan – Business Owner
Karen – Secretary
Al – IT Manager
Props
Desk, laptop, phone, chair, loose papers
Script
(Scene opens with Dan having a conversation on the phone as he prepares for a web conference)
Dan: Look I hear ya, but the bottom line is that it won’t work. There’s no money in ... (line goes dead) Hey, what happened to the phone? (hangs up; goes and looks at his laptop, frowning) (calls out louder) Karen, bring in the specs on the Foster deal, please.
Karen: Here you go, sir.
Dan: Thank you. Call Edward and tell him the meeting’s been pushed back to 3, then contact Lambert and tell him the bottom line is I’m just not interested. And can you get Al in here? I have a web conference in 15 minutes for the biggest deal of my life and I have no internet service!
Karen: Right away, sir.
(Dan looks over proposal until Al enters)
Dan: What is wrong with this computer? I can’t connect to the internet and the Web Cam doesn’t seem to be working, either.
Al: The Web Cam and the internet all work on the same network, and from what I can tell, there’s no service in the entire building.
Dan: What do you mean the entire building? What’s going on?
Al: I’m not sure. I’m trying to get through to our service provider, but so far no luck.
Dan: Look I have no time for this. You need to find a way to fix this and NOW! Bottom line – if I don’t have service in 10 minutes, I’m out the biggest deal of my career – and you’re out of a job.
Al: I’ll do what I can, but no promises.
Dan: I don’t want promises Al, I want results! (Dan gets up from chair and follows Al to the door)
Dan: Karen.
Karen: Yes, sir.
Dan: Get Stonewall on the phone and see if we can get the conference delayed.
Karen: I’m sorry sir, but the phones are down, too.
Dan: What are you talking about?
Karen: I can’t get an outside line. I’ve been trying to call Edward like you asked but I can’t even get a dial tone.
Dan: Then use your cell phone! My day cannot possibly get worse!
Al: Excuse me sir, but you’re not going to like this.
Dan: Just speak.
Al: Construction crews nearby hit some main cables.
Dan: Bottom line???
Al: Phones and internet are down for a 3 mile radius.
Dan: (after a few seconds pause) Estimated down time?
Al: Not sure – could be all day.
Dan: All day? That is just not acceptable!
Al: I’m sorry sir, but it’s out of our control.
Dan: I run a multi-million dollar corporation, and I didn’t get here by accident. I got here because I get results, and I expect those who work for me to do the same!
Al: I understand that sir, but there’s only so much we can do. As hard as we try, we can’t control everything.
Dan: You’re fired. Get out. (points to the door)
Al: You can fire whomever you want, but it won’t change the fact that you have no control over this situation. In the whole scheme of things, you’re not in charge. The world is not at your beck and call. Bottom line: you’re not in control...God is.
Dan: Get out!
Al leaves and Dan goes over to the desk and pushes the papers on the desk so they fly off and onto the floor, then puts is elbows on the desk and lowers his head to his hands.
LIGHTS OUT
© Copyright Terri Savage, all rights reserved. The script may not be reproduced, translated or copied in any medium, including books, CDs and on the Internet, without written permission of the author.
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