EXT. CORPORATE BUILDING – DAY
A lady with a wide-brimmed hate and glasses, stunning dress and shows, glamorous gloves and a handbag, approaches the front door of a corporate building.
INT. CORPORATE BUILDING, RECEPTION – DAY
The interior of the building is grandiose and expansive, teeming with life as executives and managers walk to and from everywhere. A bored receptionist is sitting by her desk, bored and playing with the gum from her mouth. The lady approaches her.
ANNABELLE
*cough*
RECEPTIONIST
(Pause)
May I help you, ma’am?
ANNABELLE lifts her handbag onto the receptionist’s desk. The receptionist looks at ANNABELLE, who doesn’t bother to take off her glasses inside.
ANNABELLE
I’m here to see your HER department.
RECEPTIONIST
Excuse me?
ANNABELLE
Your HER department? You know, H-HERRRR?
RECEPTIONIST
You mean, our HR department?
ANNABELLE
I know what I said, young lady.
RECEPTIONIST remains a little flabbergasted by ANNABELLE’s attitude but keeps her cool. She picks up her phone.
RECEPTIONIST
Who may I ask is here to see them?
ANNABELLE smiles, takes off her glasses and turns around with a flourish.
ANNABELLE
You may announce the dazzling arrival of the paramount beauty that is Lady Annabelle Beafonte la Belle, jewel and heiress to the house of Belle – the most famous perfume fragrance in the world.
RECEPTIONIST lets out a giggle and ANNABELLE turns to give her a glare.
ANNABELLE
Ex-cuuusseee me?
RECEPTIONIST
Belle the Smell?
ANNABELLE
How dare you! You petulant, impetuous little girl, I’ll have you skinned alive for your insult.
DANIEL
Annabelle?
ANNABELLE
What?
ANNABELLE whirls around to face a handsome man with a friendly face. He is tall, lean and good-looking, and wearing a shirt and tie.
FADE TO:
EXT. FOOTBALL FIELD, BLEACHERS – DAY, FLASHBACK
ANNABELLE is sitting on the bleachers of a high school with other girls dressed as cheerleaders, and passes quick glances at DANIEL attending football practise. The scene is in slow-motion and dramatic with Barry White-type music.
FADE TO:
EXT. CORPORATE BUILDING, RECEPTION – DAY
ANNABELLE
Daniel…
DANIEL
What are you doing here?
RECEPTIONIST
She’s here to see the HER department.
DANIEL gives a quizzical look, and RECEPTIONIST mouths the letters “HR” with a mocking look.
DANIEL
Oh I see. Well please, let me show you to them.
DANIEL motions ANNABELLE to follow him, and they proceed to the doors of the lifts.
CUT TO:
INT. CORPORATE BUILDING, LIFTS – DAY
Both DANIEL and ANNABELLE approach the lifts. DANIEL presses the button for the lift.
DANIEL
How have you been?
ANNABELLE
Wonderful, ecstatic. Yourself?
DANIEL
Great. How many years married?
ANNABELLE
Fifteen.
DANIEL
Happy?
ANNABELLE
Some.
They both step forward into a lift that has just arrived.
CUT TO:
INT. CORPORATE BUILDING, LIFTS – DAY
They both ride the lift in silence for a moment.
ANNABELLE
Did you ever get that…what was it, football scholarship?
DANIEL
Yeah, after we all graduated, I went to college and studied and well, here I am.
ANNABELLE
Happy?
DANIEL
Some.
ANNABELLE
(Pause)
Richwood couldn’t play sports to save his own life, but absolutely brilliant in creating perfumes though. That’s where he made his money.
DANIEL
And where’s he now?
ANNABELLE
With the money…somwhere.
DANIEL
Right.
CUT TO:
INT. CORPORATE BUILDING, LIFTS – DAY
The doors open. DANIEL leads ANNABELLE out of the lift.
DANIEL
I’m taking you to our HR manager, Mark.
ANNABELLE
Alright.
CUT TO:
INT. CORPORATE BUILDING, OFFICE – DAY
DANIEL leads ANNABELLE into MARK’s office. He’s overweight, surly and oily, with thick-lensed glasses and a sweaty demeanour. Not very attractive.
DANIEL
I’ll be right outside.
ANNABELLE takes a seat, while MARK shuffles through his papers to find her CV.
MARK
Right, Mrs la Belle, you’ve applied for the positive of Sales.
ANNABELLE
Head of Sales.
MARK blinks at her.
ANNABELLE
What?
CUT TO:
INT. CORPORATE BUILDING, CUBICLE – DAY
DANIEL returns to his desk and glances over at MARK’s office where he sees ANNABELLE animately talking away.
FADE TO:
INT FRATERNITY MESS ROOM – EVENING
There is a party occurring for everyone celebrating college graduation. DANIEL mills around when he reaches the television set.
The newscaster is announcing the local story of ANNABELLE getting married to her “childhood sweetheart” Richwood in a lavish wedding, and DANIEL looks on with remorse.
FADE TO:
INT. CORPORATE BUILDING, CUBICLE – DAY
DANIEL is staring at the wall of his desk to find, amongst many others, a cute photograph of both of them with crazy eighties hair. He looks up with a determined face.
CUT TO:
INT. CORPORATE BUILDING, OFFICE – DAY
MARK is pinching his nose in exasperation.
MARK
Let’s move on from what you want, which is pretty extensive, to some questions, shall we?
ANNABELLE
Let’s. And while you’re at it, open a window.
MARK
(Pauses)
If you were in Iceland and you had a toaster, how would you sell it?
ANNABELLE
Simple.
MARK
(Waits for an answer)
Well?
ANNABELLE
Let me formulate an answer before you rudely interrupt me.
MARK leans back in his chair.
ANNABELLE
I would…it’s a ridiculous question anyway, who would need a toaster in Iceland, it’s FULL of ice there. They’d need umbrellas to go with the margaritas. They don’t need a toaster, they need an ice-crusher. Why can’t I sell them those?
MARK
(Pauses)
They you for your time, ma’am, it was a pleasure meeting you.
ANNABELLE
I’m sure. So, where will my office be?
MARK stares at her.
CUT TO:
INT. CORPORATE BUILDING, OFFICE HALLWAYS – DAY
The next day, we see a tea cart being pushed through the hallway. ANNABELLE is now wearing a service outfit with her hair tied up in a bun. She’s handing out cups of tea to everyone in the office as she rolls by.
She approaches DANIEL’s cubicle but is too embarrassed to show her face to him. However, he holds his hand out to stop her.
DANIEL
Annabelle?
DANIEL looks up. She locks eyes with him, her eyes pleading to her saviour for a way out of this terrible existence.
ANNABELLE
Yes?
DANIEL unpins their picture from his wall and throws it on her tea-cart.
DANIEL
Please fetch me a cup of coffee, your tea sucks.
ANNABELLE looks at him injured, holding the picture up as he continues to work. She places it back on the tea-cart and hangs her head as she rolls away to fetch his request.
FADE TO BLACK.