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    A three-person play based on a real-life incident

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    Lifespan of a Fact

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    A three-person play based on a real-life incident

    Copyright:

    © All Rights Reserved
    Download as PDF or read online from Scribd
    Flag for inappropriate content
    5K views28 pages

    Lifespan of A Fact

    Uploaded by

    rad58
    A three-person play based on a real-life incident

    Copyright:

    © All Rights Reserved
    Download as PDF or read online from Scribd
    Flag for inappropriate content
    of 28
    CHARACTERS JIM FINGAL EMILY PENROSE, JOHN DAGATA NOTES Although the emails are written to be projected “on screen” projec- tions are not required. Any theaters fr which projecting text i prohibitively difficult are encouraged to find their own meth for bringing the emails to life. ms ‘Text in brackets [ ] is meant to be unspoken, a guide for the actors only. THE LIFESPAN OF A FACT As the house lights dim we hear the voice of essayist John ‘DAAgata (40s-60s). There may be one or two large projection screens suspended. JOHN. (VO) “On the same day in Las Vegas when sixteen-year- old Levi Presley jumped from the observation deck of the 1,149- foot tower of the Stratosphere Hotel and Casino, lap dancing was temporarily banned in the city’ thirty-four licensed strip clubs, archaeologists unearthed parts of the worlds oldest botle of Tabasco- brand sauce from beneath a bar called Buckets of Blood, and a ‘woman from Mississippi beat a chicken named Ginger in a thirty~ five-minute long game of ti-tac-toe” ‘As okt continues, the lights come up on the Manhattan office ofa high-end magazine, the sort that sells advertisements {or expensive waiches, cars, clothing, liquor, and jewelry, while covering celebrity news and occasionally printing significant literary work, Emily Penrose (late 40s to 60s), the Editor-in-Chief, sits at her desk reading a slim (ffteen pages or so) stapled sheaf of ‘pages. The single important set design detail is that she has a small framed photograph on her desk, facing her directly — not facing visitors “On that day in Las Vegas when Levi Presley died, five others died from two types of cancer, four from heart attacks, three because of strokes. It was a day of two suicides by gunshot as well asa suicide from hanging” Enily flips to the last page. She places the essay on her desk 5 ‘and starts rapidly, sharply typing on her computer, On screen: WEDNESDAY Wednesday” fades, replaced by the words of heremail as she types it, ‘To: Evrroniat, From: Emily Penrose] From: Emty Pexrose. Hey, everyone: In light of recent ‘events, were bumping sional Spouses” and going with the John Dgata piece originally ated for February I is suddenly and tragically timely: The Hey, everyone: In igh of recent events, were bumping “Con, Sonal Spouses and going with the John DAgata piece originally sated for February. Itis suddenly and tragically timely. The photography hasbeen in and ready but the copy needs a final fact check. The ight volunteer will QUICKLY comb through it for press next Monday. Find me your best person. I'll buy hasbeen in and ready but the coy ‘needs a final fact check. The! right volunteer will QUICKLY comb through it for press next Monday. ie me ae best person, Ill buy 1em a pack of red pens. them a pack of red {—Emily] ae Quick blackout, then full ights back up. Jim Fingal (mid >Jim i205) now sits opposite Emily, as she reads his fen ” EMILY. Okay, jim 0 you' i Feta kt Jim Fingal, so youte interning with Bob down in JIM. Yes. EMILY. How long you been with us? JIM. Ab, just under six months. EMILY. And what's Bob got you doing? JIM. Apart from making coffee, which I think he makes me joke, research, copy-editing, that sort of thing, ‘melons EMILY. Tell me about yourself— JIM. Twas a joint concentrator in Computer Science and Journalism, 6 wrote a few stories and some editorials for the Crimson. Beat. Harvard. ‘No reaction. ‘And whatever jobs I got after college were just marking time until I gothere. Beat. Where I'm really happy. Hiseyes survey the walls/shelve, noting knick-knacks, awards, framed magazine covers. ‘Wow! Is that the Wall of Fame? (Looks closer: abit starstruck,) What {s that, filty years of autographed covers...? EMILY. Fifty-two. He looks at another spot on the wall. JIM. Whats... KanKAKee? EMILY, KANkakee. Ilinois. Our beloved production facility. The largest in the country. They do everyone—us, Hearst, Condé Nast, Time Inc., Simon & Schuster. The ones that are left. Beat, Now then, why are you here? JIM. Why am I—? EMILY. What do you want to do? JIM, Well, whatever itis you want me to do. EMILY, That's cute answer. But what plans—? JIM, Where do I see myself in five years? EMILY. Something lke that, JIM. Well, my next step is this. Trying to geta chance to fact check this article. EMILY. Bob tells me you're talented and trustworthy. JIM, "Thats very kind. EMILY. So you're looking to stay at the magazine? JIM. Absolutely. Particularly given the kind of work I've seen this 7 ‘magazine is capable of, A beat. EMILY. You dor't like the direction? JIM. That's not— EMILY. No, I think it wonderful that you have standards. Just as Jong as you understand the compromises we often have to make ‘between material that pushes the envelope— JIM. —and the stuff that sells magazines. Absolutely. And ads, EMILY. You get it. JIM. Ltry to, EMILY. The assignment isa final fact check for me personally. The John DiAgata piece. I need it quickly and the special volunteer will give up their weekend. JIM, Yes, that sounds lke fun. Well, not fan — EMILY, So youtd be up for it. JIM, John DAgata? Absolutely. EMILY, You've heard of him, JIM, David Foster Wallace called him one of America’ most signifi cant living writers. He thinks essays are an irreducible literary art form, lke fiction and poetry— EMILY. You knew about him, or you googled him on your way up here? JIM, I've read some of his work. But yeah, I searched and found out what I could. So...kind of...both? EMILY. Okay. Now tell me what you bring to the project. JIM. Well, theres my experience at the Crimson—I did some fact checking there—and I really think I can help you because of other skills of mine: C+, Python, Lisp— EMILY. And what are those? JIM, Computer languages. Well scripting languages most of them— EMILY. Okay. JIM. I can write custom searches and automated batch apps that grab a lot more information than most people usually get. Most 8 people just kind of use Google. My way is both faster and— EMILY. Bob said you were fast but we need you to be careful. JIM. Tm careful. : EMILY. Tell me how youd go about it. Fifteen pages. Nine sections. JIM, Checking the facts? EMILY. Yes. How would you check the facts? JIM. T'l...check the facts. Research, The internet, The phone. The library. fd batch-automate all I could but— : EMILY. Yould check all the details, make sure they'e correct. John’s ‘been known to take his lite liberties, so i there’ a place mentioned, ‘make sure is spelled correctly. Ifthere’s a person mentioned, confirm they exist. We need to make a good-faith effort—contfirm every detail. JIM, Be rigorous. EMILY, Don't be roughshod. JIM. Never. You get the full im. EMILY, ‘This essay is an opportunity for us to do meaningful work, ‘To create the conversation, to driveit, and I hope in this case, to help. JIM. Hold on... (Writing. ...create...drive...help. EMILY. ‘The story itself is shattering. Kid killed himself jumping from the tower ofa hotel-casino in Vegas. JIM. (Writing. Suicide... Vegas... EMILY, But the essay is so much more. Sense from immeasurable tragedy. The history and meaning of Vegas. Despair. Yearning, What its to be human in a city. JIM, (Writing,) Human ina city Yes. Got it. EMILY. Why does a boy kill himself? Is there any comprehending the grief it causes? How ruinous it is? Is there such a thing as consolation, or is even the idea an insult? JIM. (Writing.) Consolation. Comfort? Question mark, Got it. EMILY. Now forget all that. JIM. Uh. EMILY. Don't get sucked in. JIM, No. Right. as ape EMILY, Its your job to see the rational details. JIM, Check the facts. EMILY, How's your weekend? Any plans? JIM. No. EMILY. Has to be finished by first thing Monday morning. JIM. Great! [can do Monday. That’sal day today, tomorrows Friday, and the weekend. Sure, no sweat. EMILY. Now look, I know this writer. This is a very detailed but delicate piece and he’s known to push boundaries. This is not a piece of cake. JIM, Brilliant people can be difficult. EMILY. No Harvard swagger, okay? JIM, No, EMILY, I do mean Monday. JIM. Yes. EMILY. No extensions. No excuses. Okay, I'll have security activate your pass for the weekend. JIM. Td prefer to do this at home, if thats — EMILY, I don't want you getting distracted. JIM. Right. EMILY. Keep a log on the— JIM, It just that the firewall here is pretty locked down. You know, Probably to keep us from watching porn all day, but it impairs certain avenues of research, EMILY. Ifyou think you can handle it, 'l trust you. Just as long as its done by first thing Monday. JIM, Absolutely. EMILY, All right, I've just shared it to the cloud drive and the pass- word is my last name. ‘She mouses around her computer desktop, clicks a couple of times. There’ a swoosh sound. Jims phone dings. JIM, There itis. Jon pokes his screen a couple times to access the fle looks at 10 the text ofthe essay, then jokingly weighs his phone in his hand. a from Emily, . [No chuckle from Emily ‘Ah. Okay. (Swiping rapidly through the essay.) Oh, I could do this on bicycle, EMILY. Don't. JIM. No. everythi i can check Kee} ing on the shared drive so we can c Pa gron Now Over we hve Joss nts and bot. ‘She points over at an accordion file pocket, ex. a Redweld, on a table. JIM. This? Jim reaches the Redweld, EMILY. No, not that. Under. : Underneath it are two pages. He picks them up. JIM. This? EMILY, That’ it. JIM. (Concerned.) Ah. EMILY. You can handle this, right? JIM. Yeah, lets do this thing. He turns and starts to leave. EMILY. If you need help— Jim has nearly reached the door of her office. JIM. I wor't need help. He exits. Blackout On screen: ‘THURSDAY Lights up. jim reenters,tiea mess, one shirt flap out ofhisslacks. JIM, I need help. Seeing him, Emily pushes a button on her phone. Not yet fawn tous o im, seis on a conference call and has jus ‘muted it. Throughout the following, she moves between t u two conversations without pause or warning. Separately, her computer beeps. Her eyes glance at it, then return to Jim. EMILY, What is it? JIM. 'm not interrupting? EMILY. You are, but this takes priority. JIM, I didnt want to bother you. EMILY. You're starting to bother me. JIM. Ah, Pause, She lets him suffer fora moment, then grins to signify she's joking. Oh. Right EMILY. You're doing @ good job. I took a look at the log on the drive. Tlike the way you set up the spreadsheet — Emily pushes the button on her phone. ‘Tell him to take a FLYING FUCK. Tints eyes widen. 1 dontt care if “Congressional Spouses” was ready—itll be ready next year She mutes her phone again. (To im, without missing a beat.) —easy to read, well organized. What's the trouble? EniilyS computer makes another noise. Her eyes dart to it. JIM, Do you need to—? EMILY. No, that’s just a group—wait, do I? No. Go on. JIM. Oh, right! So, the article. EMILY. Yes. What about it? ‘She holds up a finger, pushes the button on her phone. ‘We hold production for this because it’s better. Pushes button again, back to Ji Goon. JIM, ‘The article is really good. EMILY. Yes? 2 JIM. Best thing I've ever seen in the magazine. ‘Her computer makes another noise. She glances at it riaging. EMILY, Bold assessment, but I agree. JIM. Daring way to push the envelope, making an indelible statement about lifeand death. A beat. Emily’ computer makes another noise. Ifyou need to get that— EMILY, It can wait. What about the article? JIM, Literate, eloquent. A beautiful piece of work— EMILY, I got it. JIM. Yeah, Okay. So, there's just a few things. EMILY. (Pushes the button on her phone.) Ifthey want overtime, fine, ‘This is the article. Okay? This is the one. She disconnects the call. A beat. Good grief. She calms herself. So what is it? JIM, Is this a bad time? EMILY. There are no good times, and I havea callin seven minutes. Please proceed. As you just heard, Tam holding Kankakee for you. JIM. Oh, god, um, okay. (Paging through his notebook.) So barring ‘what I can confirm through official documents—coroner reports, police eports,etc.— EMILY, I did say Monday. JIM. Right. Right. Okay, he says that on the day Levi died, “lap dancing ‘was temporarily banned by the city” but that doesnt check out. The day before Levi died, the Las Vegas Sun wrote about a possible up- ‘coming ban on touching strippers in fully nude establishments, but ‘there’ nothing about a possible ban on lap dancing altogether in top- less or even so-called go-go bars, where nipple nudity is essentially banned, but of course establishments get around that using pasties— He rifles through his notes as he speaks. Emily’ email noise happens again. And then twice more. 3B Also, he says there were thirty-four licensed strip clubs in Vegas; his reference is Adult Industry News, which wrote that “since 1999 the ‘number of strip clubs in Las Vegas has skyrocketed from three to sixteen’ but then claims there were “thirty-one topless or all-nude clubs.” So even if we trust “Adult Industry News? it doesnt say thirty- four strip clubs, plus it contradicts itself. Emily taps her touchpad decisively. EMILY, Shorter sentences. JIM, John gives one number for strip clubs. But his source not only does not confirm that number, it contradicts itself by providing two different numbers. (To himself) But maybe that’s because—wait, though, that brings up another problem, is he talking about topless bars or fully nude bars? Hereafter, Emily computer, phone, etc. occasionally makes 4 noise or otherwise distracts her, but, except as indicated, nothing she can't handle. EMILY. Jim— JIM, Though I guess they're not necessarily bars; in fact, its harder to get a full liquor license if you can see the vaginal area... ike I'm guessing you can at this place, Pussy Rockets— He looks up at her, alarmed, Sorry, can I say...? EMILY. You may say Pussy Rockets. JIM, Great—yeah, he says “clubs” which could indicate any place where people pay women to take off their clothes—but wait, is he including male establishments!? EMILY. Okay, first — JIM, I mean, ones where guys show their— EMILY. —first, this is great. You've got the hang of it, you're ‘checking each fact. You're doing the job I instructed, and you're doing it really, really—the spreadsheet was a great start. I clearly picked the right person, JIM, The spreadsheet was important so you can filter the issues by— EMILY, And that’s your question? The strip clubs? “4 JIM, Well Ihave @ couple others. One or two ora few more of these little details. There’ this chicken— EMILY. How many? Details? JIM. Wel, if you check where I marked “unresolved” you can seea few: Well, more than a few. Kind of a fair number, actually. EMILY, How many? JIM. How many—? EMILY. Ballpark? JIM, Well, kind of alot. Do you mind if I just get in there— Jim starts to go around her desk, reaching for her keyboard. Emily holds her hand up, firmly rejecting his movement. EMILY. Please dont. He jerks his hand back and notices the small, framed photo- graph on her desk—facing her, not visitors. JIM, Sorry: That's an interesting picture, ‘She gestures sharply for him to step away. EMILY. Dont! JIM, (Flustered.) Yes. For an instant her eyes dart around and her mind races, surveying her various emails, iPads, phones, and all the time she’ lost during this meeting. EMILY, You know what? You should check allthis with John. JIM, You mean, like talk to him? EMILY. Email him. Introduce yourself, use my name. He's passion- ateabout his work, but ve known him for along time, and he always has time for people who are polite and intelligent. And you're polite and intelligent. Right? Are you? JIM. Of course! EMILY, So, I'l send you his contact info. Clear up whatever you have a question about, JIM. Okay. I think I can do that. EMILY, But stick to the facts. Don't change anything with regard to the shape and intent of the piece. 15 JIM, Stick to the facts. Got it. EMILY. You're Bob’ guy so you know the difference, JIM. No, no. EMILY, No? JIM. I mean yes. Iknow the difference, Emily punches at her phone, sending Jim the contact info Jimts phone tinkles as he receives the info. EMILY. Right away. JIM, Today. EMILY. "Thanks for stopping by. JIM. This is going well. EMILY. Just keep on, and keep it thorough, JIM. No problem. Yes. Great. EMILY, Great! JIM. ‘This is going wel. EMILY. You said that. JIM. Tknow its just—look, heskind ofa big writer. Don't you think — EMILY. James, you are a professional. He is a professional. JIM. Yes, [think I got it Lights down on Emily. Jim scrutinizes his notebook intently, ticking away with his pen; almost every single word he reads ‘sa fact that has to be checked. He makes his way to his desk, “On the same day in Las Vegas when sixteen-year-old Levi Presley jumped from the observation deck of the 1,149-foot tower of the Stratosphere hotel and casino, lap dancing was temporarily banned in the city’ thirty-four licensed strip clubs..” Lights shift up, fim is seated at his small desk. The desks strewn ‘with papers. He tarts typing an email to John DAgata, (On screen: Dear John, Delete “Dear John.” JIM. Dear John... ‘Too formal ete Hey John 16 Jim shakes his head. Delete the question mark. ff Hey John!!! . ADE rece. Delete “Fiey johntt! f y. Hey. John. Hey. John. ——— ‘Tm Jim Fingal the intern assigned factcheckyourarticleabout as“ tofact check your article about Las Naps Tvediomereda discrepancy gas edscverdacipncy between the number ofstrip cubs between the number of strip clut ire daiming (34) and the num- you're claiming (34) and the num- bergiven in your source(G1).Just bergiveninyoursource (31). ust, Peferalineathenumberin ‘email or call me at the number in ‘my signature block. in my signature block. ‘And, great article! ‘And great article! Yours, jim Fingal. Yours, jim Fingal And...send. sly he returns to work. After afew moments, a tone sounds an ena has arsed, The sen clears and Jn email appears on it From: Joun AGATA To: st FINGAL JOHN. (OS) Article? Article? Pause. jim is confused. He frantically types another email. ‘The screen clears, then: From: Jint FINGAL, ‘To: Joun DAcata This is John D'Agata, the writer right? JIM. hiss John D'Agata, the writer right? Tim receives an email From: Jonn D'AGATA “Tor JIM FINGAL JOHN. (08) Yes. ThisisJohn _Yes. This is John D'Agata the DAgata the writer. writer. - Lights up on Emily working in her office; her head jerks up asa thought strikes her EMILY. Shit. 7 [From: Emily Penrose From: EniLy PENROSE ‘To: Jim Fingal] To: Jat Finca, Hey im, sorry forgot to tell you. Hey'Jim, sorry forgotto tell you. ‘When you email John dont call When you email John don't call the piece an article, HEHATES the piece an article, HE HATES THAT. THAT. ‘She sends the email; fim receives it. JIM. Ah, fuck! He receives another email. From: Joun DAGATA To: Jin Frat. JOHN. (OS) Idoritwritearticles. I don't write articles. JIM. Lknow that nowt! Jim types rapidly, but before he can finish he receives another email From: Joun DAGaTa ‘To: Jim FINGAL. JOHN. (OS) wrote an essay. I wrote an essay. From: Jin Fixcat To: Joun DAGata Apologies, my confusion, Could you please clarify the number of strip clubs? JIM. Essay! Yes! Sorry! Just tll ‘me how many strip clubs there From: Jony DAGata To: JIM FINGAL Hi jim, ‘There's miscommunication be- ‘cause the essay is fine. Thanks for your help, John. JOHN. (OS,) Hi Jim. “There a miscommunication be- cause the essay is fine. Thanks for your help, John. JIM. Yes, its more than fine! It’s terrific But my job isto fact check the article. (To himself) Crap! Essay! Its more than fin But I do need to fact check the article The word “essay” replaces “article” (of. 31 strip clubs? baaegneiri at tone ay moment pases and Tn pane is ap i answers Lights reve Jn Dat at. soe ne so) ime, He is seated in a comfortable, worn, erat feminine (eg floralpatterned) armchair Hello? JOHIN. Is this Jim Fingal? JIM. Uh, yes, this is Jim Fingal. JOHN. Listen Jim Fingal: You're not broken. JIM, Me. D’Agata, I think we larify— JOHN. ‘Theres nothing to clarify. JIM, Its policy— JOHN. “Policy” does not— TB tof check all nonfcton ise 7 se and your claims sometimes Toul yeep re out wih that umber? Pause. JOHN. Inflammatory? JIM. Not—inflammatory— JOHN, Then what? JIM, —just—hard-hitting—in an intriguing way. Sorry, of words, Pause. JOHN. Why are you doing this? JIM. Excuse me? JOHN. Who are you? JIM. Whoam I? _going to fx anything, Nothing’ got off to a bad start. Please, let me ‘There are alot of facts in little inflammatory. So wrong choice JOHN. Why are YOU doing this? JIM. Why am I doing this? JOHN. Who ARE you? JIM, It’s my job. JOHIN. Yes, but why? JIM. Why is it my job? JOHN. Yes, JIM. Because Emily Penrose told me to. Look, we got offto a bad— JOHN. How old are you? JIM. T don't see why that matters. JOHN. It matters, How old are you? Pause. JIM, Younger than you? JOHIN. Let me give you some advice— JIM, 1 really just want the exact number— JOHN. Ask yourself why Emily Penrose would trust this essay to someone like you. JIM, Tunderstand— JOHN. An intern, JIM. —your frustration. JOHN. Seriously, why? JIM. Talent and dedication? JOHN. Are you asking me or telling me? JIM, Telling you? JOHN. No, in telling you. She's giving you busywork, She’ getting ‘you out of her hair. JIM. Ifyou say so, but— JOHN. You're not Daniel Menaker and this isnt Mr. Shawnis New Yorker. Check a few dates and get it back to her, she'll say “fine” and everyone will be happy. JIM. But I kind of want to do a good job. ‘This is an opportunity for me. 20 JOHN, Sure, whatever Just dont overestimate your importance in the whole process. tes ly Penrose cl knows what kind, sn quotes Emily Penrose close quotes knows what Jes am, Weve worked oeter may times She knows not beholden to every detail. JIM, She said you take the occasional liberty. JOHN. — JIM. —kind of ike a compliment! JOHN. [take liberties with things that deepen the central truth of the piece. Don't get bogged down in the details, keep your eye on the big picture. Except dont, because that’s my job. JIM, And Emily's JOHN. Eh. JIM. Tm sorry, but if there’ a discrepancy, I need to note it. JOHN, Note whatever the fuck you want— JIM, Okay, there's no need to swear. JOHN. She's fine with what I turned in, I's been through the editing process, Emily herself— JIM. understand that. 1 do. I like the essay. But how many strip clubs, and can you tell me where you got the information? Pause. JOHN. Tused Adult Industry News. JIM. Thanks, that’s very helpful. And that’s a problem, because the ‘magazine is confusing. JOHN, Yeah its. So picked thirty-four because [like the rhythm. Blackout. On screen: FRIDAY Lights up. Jim is in Emily's office. Emily is typing and looking at her screen, JIM, Helikes the ryt Eniily finishes what she was typing then looks at Ji, refocusing 2 0 on hon EMILY, Just find out what was accurate then, JIM. Itsays online there are currently twenty-nine strip ubsin Vegas EMILY. That’ irrelevant. JIM. ~so unless—wel, ita litte relevant—my point is that unless the number rose and then dropped again, which is not what you. ‘would expect, he’ wrong, And between thirty-one and thirty-four he likes the rhythm? EMILY. He’ right about the rhythm, JIM, They have the same number of syllables. EMILY. No, they dont. JIM. Yes, they do, EMILY, Yes, technically. JIM. Technically? EMILY. They sound totaly different. JIM, Yes, they're different numbers. That’s my point, EMILY. “Four” Ita diphthong. The “uh” in “wun” isa pure vowel, JIM. I dont hear it. EMILY. You will JIM, We still don't know how many strip clubs there were. (Off her Took.) 1 bet I can find the yellow pages from— EMILY, You're my detective. Go detect. JIM, All right ‘He turns to leave. Her eyes return to her monitor. Jim reaches the door, then turns and looks over at her. After « moment she realizes he’ stil there and looks up. EMILY, What? JIM. Emily, is what 'm doing important? She’ still working. EMILY, Is what— JIM. In this whole process. I don't want to do some job that’ just busywork, 22 ied about making deadline— EMILY, Ifyou're starting to get wor" d oa ing. PM eivasstobebefveattiodak | n To your best” I did not say “try and then give up EMI Tse at means slid good-faith efor. i 8 ‘naround— i eos jsnit usually this tight ofa turnaround: Ts Re cha gine IM. Yes. Of course. ae You said you could do it by Monday. JIM, Tim almost positive 1 can. EMILY. Please don't say it like that— JIM. No, Tcan. Bilis olen ; EMILY, fa Do you knw what itis weare doing here JIM, We're fact. checking? a wa EMILY. You asked me if what you're doing is important. Ws Het EM on es Mrbing mre portant tan stor. TO 6 Papaya story 0 you? —_ JIM. Story comes from the Greek historia—an accurate: retelli : EMILY, Itshow you organize your life—ll ite, Scientists say that Hit jis atoms and forces and fluids and genomes. But we pee ee Events organized to make ‘ourselves known to each other an¢ history. Organized in a way that gives our lives meaning. JIM. L understand. . EMILY, I don't think you do. Because if you di you ae asking me if what you're doing is important. Tis is important © have been here for who knows how bar and I besa : ms a ‘right story at the right time changes the way people look He vents in their own lives. This isthe right time. And I depend ‘you to get the story right. Now go get it done. JIM. Iwill. Jim starts to leave. Oh, in the story—you know when he says “the wind was blowing hard but did not come into my house”? B She’ starting fo lose patience with this one. EMILY. Yes? JIM. Do you think he just meant the door was closed? Or what? Why would—or wouldn't—the wind come in his house? EMILY. I'm giving you what my first editor gave me, a chance to prove yourself. Lights fade on Emily. Jim makes his way across the stage, reading and considering the piece. Lighting shifts, suggesting transition, though not to any particular location in place and time, JIM, “On the same day in Las Vegas when sixteen-year-old Levi Presley jumped from the observation deck of the 1,149-foot tower of the Stratosphere hotel and casino, lap dancing was temporarily banned in the city’ thirty-four licensed strip clubs, archaeologists unearthed parts of the worlds oldest bottle of Tabasco-brand sauce from beneath a bar called Buckets of Blood, and a woman from Mississippi beat a chicken named Ginger in a thirty-five-minute Jong game of tic-tac-toe” Blackout, On screen: SUNDAY MORNING Lights up on Emily, now wearing pajamas, presumably at hhome. Her phone is ringing—its Beethover’s Ninth—"Ode to Joy. She looks at the caller 1D and picks up the phone. EMILY, John! Lights on John, phone in hand. JOHN. What isa Jim Fingal, and why is it fucking with my essay? EMILY. Did you look at the photography? You have to admit its gorgeous— JOHN. Yeah, look— EMILY. Spectacular, I think. JOHN. And in such a beautiful FedEx box. EMILY. Everyone here just loves the piece. t's everything we wanted, its bringing out the best in the entire team— ct checking, .e? She's still the head of fact about Marianne JOHN. What: isn’t she? EMILY. ishead of— | Well, who is he io = ‘There's no fact-checking de restructure: a 2 Pers A ener ent tee, reengineered everyone med the manager one bee Rein ible editorial process, 80

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