chapter 4.2

3.

Murphy’s needs are universal. He wants to be good at his job. He wants to provide for himself and his newly pregnant wife. He wants to be successful. He wants respect from his colleagues. Everyone wants to be good at what they do. Everyone wants to provide for those close to them. Everyone wants respect from colleagues.
4. Murphy must face many obstacles. The primary one is Handley. He must beat Handley to the sale. He must also face his inexperience and lack of confidence. He has to battle the heat in his ill-advised suit coat. His ultimate goal is success, and the as yet unproven ability to sell a car is an obstacle to that success.

chapter 4

1.
1.

Murphy
Today is the day. Today I make a sale. Someone will want a car today. It’s a beautiful day to buy a car. It’s a beautiful day to buy a car from me. It’s a beautiful day for commission. My charm is on. My suit is immaculate. A bit hot, should I take off the coat? No, I can sacrifice comfort for a sale. Sale sale sale. I have to make a sale. If I don’t make a sale today I will be commissionless during my probation period. I’ll probably get fired. And I know it’s not long before my wife goes from saying things like, “It’s OK, it takes time, before long you’ll be the best salesman they have”, to things like, “I married the wrong man, an ambitionless loser incapable of selling a single car in ninety days on the job.” Then she’ll divorce me. Then I’ll be unemployed and divorced. And there’s Handley looking at me. He’s laughing, he seems to be quite the jerk, I’ll never outsell him though, I just wish…oh, customer here. Friendly smile in place and go.

Handley
You are a shark Handley, unstoppable in the car lot and at the poker table. Such a shark. Leading salesman for the first quarter, surprise surprise. Murphy still hasn’t made a one. Hahaha. Stupid schmuck. College boy thinks he can outsell the master. He couldn’t sell ice to Eskimos. I shouldn’t have drank so much last night…how bout some hair of the dog. *pulls flask from coat pocket* Oh that’s good. Murphy looks a little hot in his coat. Sweating a bit, why doesn’t he take off his jacket? Because he’s an idiot, and not a shark. As for the shark he is going to take off his jacket, even loosen the tie a bit, there we go. OK Handley, make a sale today and you’ll have the district lead at the close of the quarter. And that’s a bonus. And that’s a speedboat. Murphy’s getting up, customer’s here, time to go get my speedboat.

2.

Murphy: Hello Miss. Can I help you with anything?
customer: Yeah I’d like to test drive this I think.
Handley: *arriving at the scene*Can I help you with anything Miss?
customer: Ummm, yeah, I’d like to test drive this one.
Handley: Oh it’s an excellent car, good choice, I’ll grab the keys.
Murphy: Yes it’s a great car, I’ll get the keys.
*Murphy and Handley start towards the building for the key, following exchange continues during collection of key, and stroll back towards customer and car*
Murphy: That’s my sale Handley.
Handley: How do you figure Murphy?
Murphy: Because I got there first. That’s the rule. We all know that.
Handley: It looked like you were struggling, thought I needed to pick up the slack.
Murphy: *shocked* What?! I just got there. Asked her one question.
Handley: Yeah, and you were screwing it up. So I saved the sale.
Murphy: You said the same thing to her I did.
Handley: Yeah, but I said it with poise and charm.
Murphy: No, you said it with bourbon on your tie.
*back at customer*
Handley: Here you go miss. I’ll just step in with you.
Murphy: Yeah I’ll go for the ride too.
customer: o ok.
*they all get in the car, Murphy has to settle for the backseat*

chapter 1

chapter 1#1.A 16 year old had videotaped a "shadowy, disc-shaped object hovering in the sky above his home about 100 miles south of St. Louis." Turns out that the disc was a toy, a disc that was supposed to soar when thrown, but wasn't working properly. And because it wasn't working it's pilot decided to fill it with helium. So, this isn't such a great idea, but i see some comic possibilities maybe. Maybe being able to see the teenager frantically searching for his camera in order to tape this UFO. At the same time a family down the road cursing at the disc as it floats away. "Good going Dad." That sort of thing. #4I am drawn to war because I like evil. And my uncle was in vietnam. I'm curious about his experiences, especially because he refused to ever speak of them. He was an all-american in high school football, scholarship, injury, addiction to pain killers, military, marriage, move far away, children, divorce, move back to hometown, have seizure, die. So it could be a feel good movie.

chapter 1 #5Why did my "true love" end our relationship after 2 years of telling me she wanted to be with me forever? Perhaps because I'm a jerk. But what if I could go back in time and treat her like a princess constantly. Perhaps I would go insane. Perhaps she would go insane. Perhaps I or she was already insane. Perhaps I am insane now and I really believe I am going back in time to treat her like a princess constantly. In such a case things like a "restraining order" wouldn't register in my distorted worldview, because I wouldn't want them to, and it wouldn't make sense..."she wouldn't put a restraining order on me, I'm her boyfriend and she loves me"...

8.

It's an empty house. It's been that way for years. After his parents died ownership passed to him. But he couldn't live there. He couldn't sell it. He couldn't destroy it. So he lets it be.
Insects thrive. Mice shoot from cabinet to microwave. A snake winds its way on top of a television. His room still covered with elementary school posters: Garfield, Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles. A spider has lunch on a bookshelf. A young couple from the local high school stop in the drive way. He has thoughts of losing his virginity. She doesn't want to go inside the dump. He leads her inside, thinking the potential of this house's being haunted is worth some fear in her, and fear is worth comfort, and giving comfort reaps rewards. He sees the snake on the television. He gasps and runs outside. She follows him, walking and laughing a little bit. He has the car running.

chapter3.3

7.

Why is it everytime I get the new person. I just want to pay for my beer and go home. But the damned cashier can't figure out the complicated system for ringing up lottery tickets. And what is with this idiot in front of me anyway? How many lottery tickets does this guy need? OK, he probably needs a lot. Oh come on. And 11 scratchers tickets. This guy is insane. Maybe if I start to scowl harder...ok got the scowl going. Perhaps I should go to the counter and say something. No...I'll wait here. But I'll scowl harder...ok.

10.

They caught her crying in the photo. A stranger, in the left corner of the picture, holding her slightly pregnant looking stomach and crying.

She had left the farm. Not her kind of work. But who was going to take care of the baby? How could she have this baby? Fathered by a monster, how could she let this child live? How could she kill it? She didn't want the baby. But she also didn't want to be dragged onto the back of a truck and raped by a pair of uncles. So she didn't always get what she wanted. And all she wanted after the rape was not to be pregnant. Revenge, justice, whatever, none of that mattered. Just so long as God made sure she wasn't pregnant. How could she raise a child, a deformed creature of incest, a child and a cousin. How? A camera flash warms the air, and she wipes the tears from her eyes and thinks about bloodlines.

chapter 3.2

13.

"Is it a coincidence I'm on the curb for the conversation, amongst the trash?"
"You're the one who sat down."
"It's where I belong, amongst the trash. Besides, I thought I might need to sit down in order to hear what you have to say. Good news doesn't often come you when you're in one of your picturesque poses."
She grunts a speck of laughter out. "Picturesque poses, huh?
"Well, you're leaning against that streetlight, biting your lip, this is a scene right out of a bad sad romance movie."
"You're right about bad."
"Ouch..."
"Look, we both know you're not ready for a relationship."
"Not true, I know no such thing."
"Well, maybe you'll learn."
"Probably not, I'm not so good at that."
"I'm sorry."
"Oh, it's not your fault, it's all that TV I watched growing up."
"Uhuh, well I'm sorry because I have to go."
"Do you HAVE to?"
"Yes."
"Am I supposed to fight for you, follow you to the ends of the earth to prove I love you, tell me, in your movie, how do I win your love back."
"You've always said fightings was stupid Mark, I think you should go home."
"Would you like to accompany me?"
"Goodbye Mark."
"I love you."

13.2


Oh, crap, why is he moving so quickly towards my desk? Oh crap oh crap. What did i forget? Here he comes, it's always bad news when he approaches your desk. What did I forget?
"What did you forget Jennings?"
"Sir?" I wish he'd get his hands off my desk. I just cleaned it.
"What did you forget to do today?"
"I'm sorry sir, I'm not sure." He could lean back a bit, and/or indulge in a breath mint.
"I don't pay you to be unsure."
"Of course not sir"
"What do I pay you to do?"
"Ummmm,anything that helps the company succeed." Endure your verbal abuse.
"Go home Jennings."
"What did I do sir?" Go to hell.
"I'll walk you out." Go to hell.
At the door the boss drops a meaty hand on Jennings' shoulder. "Nothing personal Jennings, you didn't forget anything. We just needed to put the fear of God in the other employees, you understand. You can pick up your last paycheck tomorrow."
"You should try a breathmint sir."

chapter 3

11.
What had compelled him to do this? Why had he noticed the lack of a chain connecting a child's dilapidated bike to the park bench it leaned upon? Why had he wanted to be certain no one was watching him? Why did he look around to make certain no one was watching him? Why did he approach the bike? Why did he climb aboard and tear his suit on the handlebar in the process? Why did he begin to peddle out of the park? Why was he asking himself these questions?

He arrived in front of his office building, pushed the bike through the doors and made an oddly affable grunting noise to the receptionist. She, as always, presented a huge synthetic smile which managed to leak the words,"Good morning Mr. Callahan," without breaking its deceptively smile-like shape. Callahan guided the bike (tassle only on the right handle)over the immaculate carpet, between the evenly spaced abstract paintings,and towards his distant office door. He was aware that this was the hour the janitor was in this wing of the building, and suddenly his purpose in life was to prevent the janitor from seeing the bike. He began running towards his door, looking over his shoulder, and searching for his office key simultaneously. By the time he arrived at the door he had conceded he had lost the key. But, not to be outdone by a door, he punched it, quite hard. The door, having been ajar, moved rapidly open until it drove into the janitor's face. The janitor fell to the ground clutching his injury. Callahan's first realization was that the janitor had yet to notice the bike at his side, his second was that there was some horribly jagged singing wafting from the street to his window, after that it was all instinct. He pushed the bike towards the glass sliding doors that led to the balcony. Of course, the janitor liked fresh air, so the doors where open, and, of course, the bike slid smoothly, perfectly upright out the doors and through the railing, at which point it began it's downward descent. Not very long later there was a surprisingly melodic crash, and with that as her cue, the woman had stopped singing.