The Script
This is a very short play I submitted to our One Act Festival. While the script was not chosen to be preformed, I would like to publish it here so that others may read it.
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Mr. Lloyd his desk, reading a newspaper. Jim enters the room, sheepishly. A third Narrator character stands to the side of the scene.
Narrator (talking directly to audience): Mr. Lloyd is a manager at a Fortune 500 company. He’s been having a rough week, but is relaxing with his morning paper. Right before Mr. Lloyd is about to get to work, Jim enters to inquire about his job. Mr. Lloyd responds without even looking away from his newspaper.
Jim (nervous): Uh… Mr. Lloyd… About that… uh… promotion?
Mr. Lloyd (without looking away from paper): Speak straight, sport! I don’t have all day.
Narrator: Jim clears his throat and clarifies what he means. Then Mr. Lloyd elaborates.
Jim: *clears throat* Well, sir, uh um — you see, yesterday you told me that you had a job opening for assistant manager, and I, uh, think I’m ready to move up in this corporate world. I would like to be assistant manager.
Mr. Lloyd (still looking at paper): Well, that’s great, sport. Why don’t you fill out this quick application form? *hands Jim a several page document without looking at him*
Narrator: Jim looks over the form and is startled.
Jim: Wait, this isn’t a job application! This is the script to a play! OH MY GOSH, THIS IS ABOUT MY LIFE. MY LIFE IS A PLAY?! (Mr. Lloyd continues to just look at his paper, and ignore everything that is going on.)
Narrator: Jim then says “Wait! Even me finding the script is part of the script!”
Jim: Wait! Even me finding the script is part of the script!
Narrator: Jim becomes self-aware.
Jim: Hey, who just said that? Hey, you, in the corner! Who are you?!
Narrator (in a different voice tone, directly to Jim): Relax, Jim. You finding me is just part of the script. You’re doing excellent.
Jim: What? What do you mean? I have free will! You can’t control what I say!
Narrator (in the different tone, directly to Jim): I think we can.
Narrator (in previous tone, directly to audience): Jim reviews the script and notices it tells him to say “You can’t control what I say!”
Jim: *reviews script* What?! What kind of life is this? I’m a human being with my own motivations! And dreams! MY LIFE ISN’T SCRIPTED! *pauses* WAIT! THE SCRIPT TELLS ME TO SAY THAT! AHHHHHHHHH…
Narrator (directly to audience): And now for the act of defiance… also scripted.
Jim stands up, takes the script in his hands, and tears it in half. Jim then falls to the floor, dead.
Mr. Lloyd then looks up from his paper for a moment, picks up the landline phone next to him, and then dials a few numbers. It rings for a bit.
Mr. Lloyd: Nancy, Jim didn’t work out. Can you send in the next applicant?
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I now blog at EverydayUtilitarian.com. I hope you'll join me at my new blog! This page has been left as an archive.
On 1 Oct 2012 in All, Fun. 3 Comments.
1 Oct 2012, 1:33 am
Interesting. Reminds me a lot of a part from Eyedea’s “Color My World Mine.”
Lyrics:
It’s like reading a book where each words describe your thoughts
And in quotations, it reads whatever you say when you talk
You think it can’t happen
But it did happen
I guess there’s surprisingly wide cracks in each life’s sidewalk
16 Oct 2012, 11:14 am
Nice! I saw the word “script” in the sidebar and dove right in. Of course, I think you’re dead wrong about free will (and unfortunately the concept is neither scientific nor falsifiable), but, I really enjoyed the read. Did you ever see Timmy’s Last Nightmare? Your script reminded me of that post, both in style and substance. It ties into morality, judgment and the like. Something of a “worldly conversion,” or the seeds of a genuine conversion, if you will.
I’ve been thinking of a return to script-writing, myself. Hope you’re well.
22 Nov 2012, 10:16 pm
From the department of tardy responses to comments…
I’m glad you enjoyed the read! I also know we disagree with each other on free will — and we should probably dialogue about it sometime. However, I’m not sure this script really displays the spirit in which I would want to talk about free will; I don’t think it’s nearly this futile. :)
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I didn’t see it naturally, but now that you linked me to it, I can see the similarities. The parts about inequality really resonate with me and I definitely see society in this tone sometimes. I also never quite realized how much you seem to share my concerns about nonhuman animal welfare, though I want to be careful not to read too much into it.