Scene 3 – Set 4 (Jenny's Place of Work) – Song #4
Curtain opens. It's 10:00 in the morning. JENNY, DIANE and RONNIE are at work. Diane is an attorney in a one-lawyer office. Her office is through the door in the center wall of the set. Jenny is her legal assistant. Ronnie is a receptionist. Ronnie is supposed to be working part time, something that has become an inside joke among the girls. Her title is also an inside joke, as well as a concern for Diane because Ronnie has a tendency to advise clients unofficially. It is a busy office, but fun, clean and orderly. As the scene opens, Ronnie is speaking on the phone.
RONNIE
Yes ma’am. Before you enter into any kind of legal agreement you should consult an attorney. It's the old “pay now or pay later” bit, and that's not a sales pitch. I tell my friends the same thing. The rule is simple. Contract equals attorney.
Pause
Ma’am, repeat after me. Con–tract e–quals at–tor–ney.
Pause. Ronnie bobs her head and smiles. She has finally gotten through.
That's right. Being time is of the essence, I'll see if I can squeeze you in today.
Pause
How about twelve forty-five?
Pause
Good. Do you know where we are?
Pause
Great. See you quarter to one sharp. Bye.
Pause as Ronnie notes the appointment in her calendar. Then, Ronnie calls out to Diane in somewhat of an elevated voice.
Di, short lunch.
DIANE
What else is new?
Pause
RONNIE
Hey! Are we still on for tonight?
DIANE
Sure. How about you Jen?
Jenny is filing papers away from her desk.
JENNY
Where we going?
DIANE
To (Sports Bar).
JENNY
No thanks.
RONNIE
Come on Jen. (Sports Bar) is a great place to meet someone!
Jenny walks over to Ronnie.
JENNY
I’m not trying to meet anybody.
RONNIE
Honey, I know you’re looking. I saw you almost snap your neck in the parking lot this morning.
Jenny responds quickly, with enthusiasm.
JENNY
Wasn’t he cute?
RONNIE
Yeah, if you like tall, dark and handsome.
DIANE
Who?
RONNIE
(First Name) something or other at (Retail Business).
DIANE
Oh yeah. He’s married you know.
JENNY
You see? All the good one’s are taken.
RONNIE
That’s why you should go with us tonight.
JENNY
I don’t think I should have to go drinking to find a boyfriend.
The phone rings while Jenny is talking. Ronnie holds up one finger as if to say “wait a minute” and picks up the phone on the second ring.
RONNIE
Diane Wilson's office.
Pause. Jenny goes back to filing the papers as before.
Oh hi Mr. Grant.
Pause.
Yes. I took care of it yesterday, just as you requested.
Pause.
Well thank you.
Pause
O.K. Bye.
Ronnie hangs up the phone.
DIANE
He won the bid?
RONNIE
He thinks so. So Jen, are you coming?
Jenny responds from where she is standing.
JENNY
I don’t know. I always thought one day “Mr. Right” would suddenly appear. I’m having a hard time with these hunting expeditions.
RONNIE
Well, I don’t know about you, but I’m loading both barrels just in case he shows up.
Diane walks out of her office into the reception area.
DIANE
I don’t want to depress you girls, but have you thought about how many things can go wrong even if you should meet “Mr. Right”?
Jenny and Ronnie respond in unison.
JENNY & RONNIE
What do you mean?
DIANE
Well, what if he shows up tonight, and you don’t get to meet him. He could be preoccupied, or he could be with someone else.
JENNY
Yeah. What if he’s crazy about her?
DIANE
What if he’s available but you happen to be looking in the wrong direction? You can wait years, only to have him walk right by you.
RONNIE
If that’s the case, why wait at all?
JENNY
Yeah, but as soon as I date “Mr. Meantime,” “Mr. Right” is sure to come along and figure I’m already taken?
DIANE
Let me tell you a story.
The lights on the main stage dim a bit and the spots come up on Diane and the girls. The intended effect is to create a moment of intimacy and highlight the conversation, signifying it as important and to be remembered.
Many years ago, a woman from (Neighboring County) was visiting a friend here in town when she met a man who happened to be an officer in the army. He was everything she hoped for. She was so excited because she had passed up an opportunity to get married years earlier to wait for someone she really liked. After spending several wonderful days together, and since he was to be transferred overseas in just a few days, he proposed. Convinced he was the one for her, she accepted and went home to put her affairs in order and get some personal things. Then she took a bus back to meet him here in town at some prearranged location. They were going to get married and start a new life together overseas as husband and wife.
JENNY
How romantic.
RONNIE
He turned out to be a raving lunatic.
DIANE
No. He was a great guy. However, when she got here, she got lost. Either they miscommunicated on the location where they were to meet, or someone gave her the wrong directions, or something.
JENNY
What happened?
DIANE
No one knows for sure, but she never saw him again.
RONNIE
How sad.
DIANE
She became despondent and died years later with a broken heart.
JENNY
I think I’m going to cry.
DIANE
Strangely, some people claim she can be seen on this very street, searching for him. They say she caries a single long-stemmed rose, just like the one she and her fiancé were to exchange as a token of their love.
JENNY
Now you’re spooking me. Is that a true story, or are you just making a point, like usual?
DIANE
She was the great aunt of my best friend in school. However, the point is you can wait for years just like that woman, only to find yourself back at square one.
RONNIE
I’m getting depressed.
JENNY
Me too.
The lights change to a bluish hue, indicating that the following song is more thought than reality. Diane exits to her office. Song #4 – “I’m Getting Down” – begins. Jenny and Ronnie sing a duet.
JENNY & RONNIE & DIANE
I'm getting down on waiting around
for someone I might never know.
My mind in outer space, I'm searching for a face
all the time and every place I go.
JENNY
Driving and looking. Looking while working.
My neck is gonna break someday.
Thinking 'bout drinking to look but I'm thinking
that there must be a better way.
JENNY & RONNIE & DIANE
I'm getting down on waiting around
for someone I might never know.
My mind in outer space, I'm searching for a face
all the time and every place I go.
JENNY
Should I have another until we find each other?
I don't know what I should do.
Should we get together, will it be forever?
And if it won't, why wait for you?
JENNY & RONNIE & DIANE
I'm getting down on waiting around
for someone I might never know.
My mind in outer space, I'm searching for a face
all the time and every place I go.
JENNY
Will we meet ever? What if we never?
And if we do will I know you?
Will you have another? Will you want each other?
And if you do what will I do?
JENNY & RONNIE & DIANE
I'm getting down on waiting around
for someone I might never know.
Spot lights fade. The lights come back up. The girls are busy working as if their conversation never took place. The door opens. MIKE walks in and approaches Ronnie’s desk. Just before he gets there, he sees Jenny. Jenny abruptly stops as soon as she and Mike make eye contact. Mike too is clearly stunned. The lights flash a few times, bells ring, and thunder can be heard.
RONNIE
Uh-oh.
The lights go down. The curtain closes. End of Scene 3, ACT I.