The Interview

Shanyah McCluney
INT. OFFICE LOBBY - D&M CONSULTING BUILDING - DOWNTOWN

DARION STOKES sits in the back of the lobby room, quietly

looking at the black illuminating "D&M Consulting" sign
behind the receptionist desk. As the office phones rings off
the hook, Darion taps his foot nervously. As he looks at the
other well dressed attendees, he fixes his sleeve to hid a
worn hole with his black blazer. ALYSSA DUHART comes out of a
side door with a badge by her hip.

ALYSSA
Darion Stokes?

Darion stand up quickly and walks towards her with a

briefcase.

DARION
Yes, that's me.

ALYSSA
Hi, our representatives are ready for
you now. Right this way.

Darion follows the perky white woman through the side door
she entered.

INT. OFFICE HALLWAY - D&M CONSULTING BUILDING

Alyssa leads him down a narrow hallway to a grey door labeled

"Conference Room".She gives the door two knocks before
opening it.

ALYSSA (WHISPERS)
Goodluck.

Darion smirks slightly before entering the room.

INT. CONFERENCE ROOM - D&M CONSULTING BUILDING

A middle-aged white man GREGORY DOWD, 47, dressed in a

business suit stands beside a white woman with brunette-
colored JILL PETERSON, 36.

GREGORY
Hello! Mr. Stokes, I presume?

DARION
Yes sir. Thank you for seeing me
today.

Darion shakes Gregory's hand before turning his eyes to the

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 2.

woman.

GREGORY
Of course! This is Jill, our HR
Coordinatortor. She'll be assisting in
this interview today.

Darion reaches his hand out shake hers but she just glances
at it.

JILL (SMIRKS)
I mean no harm but I don't shake
hands. Germs.

DARION
Gotcha.

GREGORY
Please have a seat Darion.

Gregory and Jill sit down in their chairs adjacent to Darion.

GREGORY (CON'T)
So tell me. What brings you to D&M?

DARION
Well, I've always had a passion for
helping others. D&M strives to be a
lending hand for the unequipped. With
an 85% success rate, I'm looking to
improve that by 15%.

Gregory rubs his chin with an impressive look on his face.

JILL
I see you attended North Carolina AT&T
University?

DARION
Yes, it's one of the most energetic
HBCU's around.

JILL
I'm sorry, HBCU?

GREGORY
Yeah Jill, you know, Historcally Black
and Colored Universities.

DARION
It's actually Historically Black

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 3.

Colleges and Universities.

GREGORY
Aw it's all the same thing, right?

Gregory and Jill burst into laughter as Darion uncomfortably

grins slightly.

GREGORY (CON'T)
I noticed you have your own T-Shirt
business? I'd love to hear more about
that.

DARION
Yes, I started about two years ago.
Being a full-time student and trying
to help my family at home was tough.
Through selling shirts I was able to
connect with others, provide for my
family and acquire technical skills in
coding and design.

GREGORY
You sound very handy son. Good work.

DAMION
Thank you.

JILL
Do you have two or more children we
should be aware of? Does everyone have
adequate housing?

DAMION (CHUCKLES)
I..I don't have any children. I'm only
20.

JILL
You never know these days. But anyway.

JILL (CON'T)
D&M prefers our employees to look and
carry themselves a certain way. Do you
think you will be able to set your
financial hardships aside to rise to
the occasion of working here?

DAMION
Are...Are my clothes not befitting?

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 4.

JILL (SMILES)
It isn't exactly up to our particular
standards.

GREGORY
Damion, we sympathize with your
circumstances.

DAMION
My circumstances are quite well.

JILL
There is no reason to get upset.

DAMION
I have every reason to be. My finances
shouldn't be our focus here.

JILL
Please settle down Mr.Stokes.

Damion sits back in his chair and trying to calm down.

DAMION
The money in my pocket doesn't define
me. I've taken the time to double-
check every sentence on my resume that
you halfway acknowledged. I bet you
didn't even know I minored in Spanish.
I traveled abroad just to learn.

Gregory and Jill look away awkwardly, realizing their faults.

DAMION (CON'T)
I've interned for nine consecutive
semesters at some of the top fortune
500 companies. Valedictorian of my
class. I have a portfolio full of
amazing samples.

GREGORY
Damion, we approached this the wrong
way. Let's start over.

DAMION
No thank you. I'm not wanted here, but
I'll be a valuable asset elsewhere.

Damion gets up from his seat with his suitcase in hand.

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 5.

DAMION
For the record Jill. It's A&T, not
AT&T.

Damion exits the room with a defeated look on his face before
smiling as he walks down the hallway.

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