Monday, December 6, 2010

Equal Wrongs

My submission to the Kid In The Front Row's second annual Screenwriting competition (which I won last year). My new submission was a finalist this year!

Here are the rules, followed by my submission.

- You must have these THREE characters: Margaret, Abdul and Regina. These are the ONLY characters you can have.
- Your story takes place at the Headquarters of: 'The Equal Rights Committee.' The only locations (within the headquarters) are: Meeting Room, Kitchen, Secret Shelter.
- You must include this line of dialogue somewhere in the script: "Who the hell is Mark Flamstein?"

INT. KITCHEN - NIGHT

MARGARET, 27, dressed business casual and angry in a sexy way, bursts into the break room kitchen.

Close behind her, ABDUL, 31, overweight with a loose tie and untucked shirt, strolls in with a smirk.

MARGARET

I cannot believe this is happening! At the Equal Rights Committee of all places!

ABDUL

(feigning ignorance)

What’s the matter, Maggie? You seem upset.

MARGARET

You’re just loving this, aren’t you? Another perfectly capable, qualified woman is overlooked so a man can be promoted instead.

ABDUL

I’m confused. Do you want Equal Rights or to be treated better than everyone else?

MARGARET

Oh, come on, Abdul! I’m more than qualified for that position and you know it.

ABDUL

I am every bit as qualified as you are and I’ve been here twice as long as you. How DOESN'T that make me the ideal candidate?

MARGARET

You have NOT been here twice as long as me.

ABDUL

When I started here, Mark Flamstein was the committee head. He left, what, seven years ago? When did YOU start?

MARGARET

Whatever. That’s not even my point!

ABDUL

What is your point, Maggie?

REGINA, 25 and cute if she would ever smile, meanders into the kitchen.

REGINA

What are you two screaming about this time?

MARGARET

Surprise, surprise. Abdul got the promotion after all.

ABDUL

Maggie’s just a little jealous is all.

MARGARET

This has nothing to do with jealousy... and STOP CALLING ME MAGGIE! This is about yet another woman being swept aside for the perpetual gratification of the American male!

REGINA

Ooh, this is getting juicy!

MARGARET

You don’t even take the job seriously!

(to REGINA)

I mean look at the way he dresses!

(back to ABDUL)

How do you go into a meeting looking like that and come out with a better job?!

ABDUL

I thought untucked shirts were all the rage... No?

MARGARET

(back to REGINA)

And remember when they caught him stealing people’s lunches?

(to ABDUL)

They could’ve fired you for that.

ABDUL

Oh, come on! Everybody’s stolen food from this fridge at one point or another! It’s a madhouse down here!

MARGARET

I haven’t!

Regina looks down in embarrassment.

REGINA

I have.

ABDUL

See!? Regina knows what I’m talking about!

MARGARET

Don’t you DARE try to guilt Regina over to your side of the argument.

ABDUL

Well it doesn’t matter anyway because after this week I shouldn’t even find myself on the same floor with you two anyway.

Abdul snatches a sack lunch from the top shelf of the fridge. He peeks inside and slides out a small bottle of milk.

MARGARET

Why keep your lunch in the break room kitchen where we commoners can steal it now that you have a fridge in your new office?

ABDUL

Who said this was MY lunch?

Abdul takes a long sip of the milk as Regina reads the name scribbled across the sack lunch on the counter.

REGINA

Who the hell is Mark Flamstein?

Abdul chokes on the milk and spits it up all over himself.