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3
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PRIEST OF SALES
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| Copyright © 1993, 1994, 1998, Dorian Scott Cole |
The Problems
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INT. MARGO'S OFFICE - DAY
Travis enters the office. Margo and Tracy are putting
away a box of supplies. Travis has a new fashionable suit and has a new
hair style.
MARGO
Travis! Here for your facial?
Travis nods.
TRAVIS
Margo. Hi, Tracy.
TRACY
Hi.
MARGO
I was hoping you would come. How
do you like the new job?
TRAVIS
Gina streaks around the world like
a comet - Eight a.m. to ten p.m.
Where does she get the energy?
MARGO
She calls it a race, you know. The
sales race.
Have a seat and Tracy will get you
started. I'll come back in a minute
and I'll tell you a little about
Gina.
Margo takes the half full box out of the room. Travis
sits in a beauty chair and Tracy brings a wet pad and gently begins to
cleanse his face. Travis smiles at her.
TRAVIS
You're very gentle with that.
TRACY
Pulling on the skin makes it sag.
I like your hair. It looks very
masculine, like clumps of rope,
but very stylish.
Tracy takes mud and begins to smear it on his face, enjoying
it.
TRACY
You have a nice face. Firm.
sculpted. Good strong chin.
Prominent Roman nose.
She dabs mud on the end of his nose and they laugh.
TRAVIS
Are you single? Committed?
Tracy shakes her head.
TRACY
I like my freedom.
TRAVIS
Do you like to eat out?
TRACY
Sure.
TRAVIS
Would you have dinner with me
tonight?
TRACY
What? With someone with mud on
his nose?
Tracy hands Travis a towel.
TRAVIS
Seven? That is if Gina gets us
back in town early enough.
TRACY
I won't hold my breath.
There, we'll let that dry.
Tracy washes her hands and Margo re-enters and puts a fewremaining
products away.
MARGO
Oily complexion, like yours, you
need to steam it once or twice a
day. Come here for a facial twice
a week. Don't worry about the cost,
they're free.
TRAVIS
Sounds like a nice offer, but I'll
be lucky to make it here once a
month.
MARGO
Well, at least once a week.
Now, about Gina. Have you noticed
anything different about her now
that you're traveling with her?
TRAVIS
Was I supposed to?
MARGO
Everyone who travels with her
notices sooner or later. She's a
special person.
TRAVIS
Special. That means you're going
to tell me something is wrong with
her.
MARGO
No, I mean special. What happens if
you shake up a can of cola?
TRAVIS
It fizzes.
MARGO
That's Gina's chemistry. She fizzes
a lot. I think her brain, the
hippocampus, the seat of emotion,
isn't restrained. That's Gina,
unrestrained. Her endorphins
probably keep her that way.
TRAVIS
I don't understand all that medical
stuff. What are you trying to say?
MARGO
Gina is ... excitable. She gets
euphoric, sometimes goes into a
trance. Sometimes with other people.
TRAVIS
She ever do this while she's driving?
MARGO
No, she controls it. Just don't
put her in a hot tub.
TRAVIS
Don't put her in water, don't feed
her after midnight?
Margo smacks him with mock reproach.
TRAVIS
So something is wrong with her brain?
MARGO
Nothing is wrong with her! It's her mind that keeps her high
as a kite.
Let me explain it this way, honey. What happens if you
don't shake a can of cola?
TRAVIS
Nothing.
MARGO
It doesn't fizz. Just like you and me, we don't fizz. But
maybe we could if we knew how to get shook up.
I think she knows something we mere mortals are missing.
INT. QUIET BAR - NIGHT
The bar is dimly lit. Travis and Tracy are seated in an
intimate booth sharing a giant Margarita and nibbling on an appetizer.
TRAVIS
We're going to have to find better places to meet.
TRACY
You just want to get me in bed.
TRAVIS
You sound like you believe that.
TRACY
I do. You're no different than any other man.
TRAVIS
Believe me, if that's all I wanted, I would have made my
move.
TRACY
If you had made your move, you wouldn't be seeing me.
TRAVIS
Touche. Let's not spar, I like you too much.
TRACY
Isn't there any way around this rule Kenrick has about employees
not dating?
TRAVIS
That rule hasn't been tested. But
you're worth the risk.
TRACY
You sure know the right lines.
Hey, I have to go. Will you have
dinner here tomorrow night?
TRAVIS
Tomorrow, yes. Next day, no, I'm
traveling.
TRACY
Rats. Never enough time.
Tracy rises and kisses him on the cheek. Travis pulls
her closeruntil she is on his lap. They embrace and kiss passionately.
The bartender watches.
TRACY
Bye.
Tracy leaves. Travis turns and watches her as she goes out
thedoor, then stares into the drink. The bartender walks over.
BARTENDER
Nice lady. Anything else I can get
for you?
TRAVIS
Get that little lady to marry me
and I'll never need another thing.
BARTENDER
That's what they all say until they
need a divorce.
INT. GINA'S OFFICE - DAY
Gina is working on paperwork.
PHONE RINGS.
GINA
Beau Monde Enterprises, this is Gina.
ARABELLA
Gina, this is Arabella.
GINA
Hi, Arabella! How do you like
running a club?
ARABELLA
Fantastic!
GINA
You were lucky getting Travis' club.
He had the most profitable club
around.
ARABELLA
Speaking of Travis, there is
something I think you should know.
GINA
OK, what's up?
ARABELLA
He seems to have seduced a number
of women here. I think you might
have a problem.
GINA
What do you mean seduced? Did he
ask them for a date?
ARABELLA
It's hard to describe. They go down
willingly, but its a hard fall. I'm
a little short on details but so
far I've had three women in here
looking for him, and they're not
friendly - they make threats.
GINA
OK, I'll check into it.
Gina hangs up the phone and it rings again. She sees it
isinternal.
GINA
Gina.
MARGO
I need to see you.
GINA
I hope this is good news. I
didn't sleep a wink last night
and I just got a bad report on
Travis.
MARGO
I wish it was good.
GINA
I'll be right down.
INT. MARGO'S OFFICE - DAY
Margo is checking a spot on a woman's cheek. Gina enters.
MARGO
No, it's not cancer, just dry skin.
WOMAN
But I have oily skin. I have to
powder my nose.
MARGO
Most skin has dry spots. Use a
moisturizer on it and avoid anything
that will dry it.
The woman leaves.
GINA
Hi.
MARGO
There are rumors flying everywhere
that Travis is into seducing women.
GINA
Oh, why now!?
What do they mean by seducing?
MARGO
It means he's taking women to bed
and there's no depth to the
relationship.
GINA
Well, is he raping them? Can't they
say no?
MARGO
No, frankly, they can't say no.
But don't overlook the real point.
GINA
I don't want to see the point.
But you're right, I'll talk to him
about it.
MARGO
I think you're going to have to do
more than talk.
INT. GINA'S OFFICE - DAY
Gina rushes in and gets on the phone. Jordan Wells appears
in the doorway.
GINA
Travis, this is Gina. Give me a
call in the office when you can. I
need to see you, preferably today.
JORDAN
Kenrick wants to see you. If you
have this months sales reports,
better take them. The golden goose
is laying fools gold.
INT. KENRICK'S OFFICE - DAY
Kenrick is watering his plants when Gina enters. He invites
her to a seat and sits behind his desk.
KENRICK
Profits are way down, Gina. Way,
way down. I want to hear the story
from the front line.
GINA
We're having more problem than we
have ever had getting members -
especially male members. The
managers are working their tales
off recruiting and doing promotions.
Our sales people can't make enough
sales to make a living and they
quit. When one quits, they all
quit, then we have no sales. It's
a nightmare.
KENRICK
What are you doing about it?
GINA
Everything I can. Recruiting,
promoting, pumping people up. You
know we've seen this slide grow
over the last two years. I'm not
sure we can stay at the levels we
were. Men have lost interest -
their off to some new toy.
KENRICK
That's right, and long term we're
going into new ventures. But
seemingly overnight this business
is in crisis. We're about to lose
our ass before we can get these
other businesses established. We
can't do this, we'll go under.
This is Gina's responsibility,
and the question is, is Gina doing
the right things?
GINA
Jordan and I have put together
plan after plan and put them in
effect. We have several more on
the table, some are just waiting
for research. Jordan is putting
together a plan based on midlife
crisis and he is grinding out
advertising as fast as he can.
I'm not psychic -
Kenrick holds up his hand, stopping her. He rises and walksaround.
KENRICK
A little reality here. When things
aren't working, you find the new
direction and make it work. If you
can't then I'll have to find
someone who can. I can't let this
whole damned business go down the
tubes while Gina plods along business
as usual. It's a crisis - you have
to react quickly.
Kenrick is behind her. He shouts in her ear.
KENRICK (Cont.)
Ten sharks are on our tale -
swim like Hell for safety!
(Beat)
Understand?
What happened to you? Five years
ago you were so spontaneous. You
could think on your feet and make
instant decisions that were right
on. Is your energy gone? Have you
lost interest?
GINA
(Angry)
I'm doing ten times as much as I did
five years ago. The only way to
cope is to be organized.
Kenrick shakes his head at her.
KENRICK
You're ten times as capable as you
were five years ago. You can't
slide by on your looks in this
business. Give it some thought; I
may have to find someone else.
In the meantime, since you are
plodding along, I'll make some
decisions to help you along. Are
Travis' sales good?
GINA
Yes, but -
KENRICK
See, there you go with the buts,
second guessing in a crisis. I'm
making him Sales Supervisor. Still
under you. He'll pick up part of
your responsibilities so you can
get to work on saving our ship.
INT. OFFICE CORRIDOR - DAY
Gina leaves the office, angrily walking down the hall
toward heroffice.
GINA
S.O.S!
S.O. Fucking S!
Jordan hears her pass by and catches her.
JORDAN
Rough meeting?
GINA
He's been reading that one minute
thing again. After thirty seconds
of being chewed out the only thing
on my mind is shoving that sucker
for one full minute.
(Beat)
Jordan, he scares me.
Jordan gives her a hug.
JORDAN
Kenrick's like a kidney stone - it
only hurts till it passes.
GINA
Any cure for him?
JORDAN
Take lots of Vitamin C.
Gina laughs. She peeks in her office, sees Travis,
smiles and waves.
GINA
Be with you in a minute.
(Privately to Jordan)
Travis. Not a minute's peace.
She walks down the hall the other way and goes in the bathroom.
INT. GINA'S OFFICE - DAY
Gina enters her office. Travis is sitting in front of
her desk. She stands in front of him.
GINA
I got reports today that you
seduced women at your club. What is
going on?
Travis looks down. Gina rises and walks toward
him.
GINA
Travis, remember, no lies, keep it
open.
TRAVIS
Well, I admit -
Gina takes his face in her hands and makes him look at her
face.
GINA
Travis! Lay it out plain and simple.
Gina stays quiet, making him reveal it all.
TRAVIS
I seduced some of them.
(Beat, beat)
I've.... got this thing going with
Tracy - you won't do anything to
her, will you? Please?
(Beat, beat)
I got fired from my last job for
seducing the boss's daughter.
(Beat)
And I think I'm in love.... with you.
Gina looks at him with her mouth open for several seconds
and finally begins snickering, then laughing.
GINA
Tracy and me. Just two weeks?
TRAVIS
(Smiles)
Actually a week.
They both laugh, with Gina shaking her head in disbelief.
TRAVIS
I'll just pack my bags and go.
Gina nods. Travis goes out the door with Gina watching.
After amoment, Gina goes to the door.
GINA
Travis. Come here.
Travis comes back in the room. Gina pushes him into a chair.
GINA
Stay here a moment, I'll be back.
INT. MARGO'S OFFICE - DAY
Margo is counting pills into a bottle. She smiles at Gina
as sheenters and continues counting. Gina checks the doors for otherpeople
and closes the doors.
MARGO
Vitamin E supplements. Essential
for skin and sex - we're out.
What's up?
Gina sits on the counter next to Margo.
GINA
You were right about Travis. He
seduces them; said so himself. He
got fired from his last job because
of it. The boss's daughter, no
less. He doesn't care who it is.
And he's seeing someone right in
this building.
MARGO
Who?
GINA
Believe me, you don't want to know.
MARGO
I love it when people give me a
mystery. Shouldn't take longer
than say, oh, two days to figure
that one out.
GINA
It's Tracy.
MARGO
I saw the chemistry there.
Did he seduce her?
GINA
No. They seem to have a
relationship.
MARGO
Did you fire him?
GINA
He's sitting in my office. It
just got complicated. Kenrick
promoted Travis before I could stop
him.
MARGO
Go explain it to him.
GINA
Kenrick's really on the warpath. I
don't want to get within a hundred
feet of him.
MARGO
Not exactly a realistic approach.
GINA
Margo, what would make a man seduce
women like that?
MARGO
Could be a lot of reasons. Why?
You're not thinking of keeping him
are you? He won't stop.
GINA
I'm trying to sort it out. I have
a commitment to him. You like to
make people beautiful, I like to
make them successful. But.....
MARGO
Honey, get out of your trance and
wake up. You know what a problem
person does to the organization. He
will take five times the amount of
your time a normal person does. Do
you have that kind of time? And he
will upset everyone. We don't need
any of that. You have the goods
on him, boot him out the door.
GINA
I should.
MARGO
Oh, damn, that means you won't.
Gina the man needs therapy. Years
of it.
GINA
What would the problem be?
Too much testosterone?
MARGO
What have you got, a Messiah complex?
You gonna' try and save the world?
(Beat)
It's extremely unlikely it's physical.
It's his mind.
GINA
I can give him a chance to fix it.
Replacing him would take me weeks....
months to get a replacement doing
as well as Travis is now. I don't
have that kind of time - Kenrick
would....
MARGO
You don't have the time for Travis.
What are you doing this for?
GINA
I don't know. Maybe for Mark.
MARGO
You've done enough for Mark: you
saved his job.
GINA
Maybe this is for me.
MARGO
Are you masochistic?
GINA
Thanks, Margo.
Gina happily jumps off the counter and leaves.
MARGO
(Shouts after her)
You're hopeless!
(To self)
This company doesn't deserve you.
INT. GINA'S OFFICE - DAY
Gina enters her office, her usual smile is gone. Travis
is sitting glumly in a chair. Gina sits in the chair beside him.
GINA
Whatever your problem is, I don't
know much about it. I told you
when I hired you, if you did your
best, I would do mine.
I didn't think it would come to
something like this!
(Beat)
But I don't have many good choices.
TRAVIS
Whew! I thought you were rounding
up some women to beat me up.
GINA
I've had a long day, Travis, and
it's only noon, so bear with me.
Do you have any idea how wrong it
is, what you've been doing?
Travis nods, then shakes his head.
GINA
If you go to therapy, it may take
five years to put you right, and
often as not it doesn't work. And
we can't have a five year risk on
our hands. I'm going to give you
a month. That's it.
TRAVIS
Look, Gina, you're too nice to do
this to. I'd love to hang around
for a month and maybe seduce you,
too. Do you know what I'm saying?
GINA
If you're willing to work on it,
together we can beat this.
(Beat)
TRAVIS
What are you, a priest?
GINA
(Sarcastic)
Yeah, Priestess of Sales. A very
appropriate title.
INT. MARGO'S OFFICE - DAY
Margo is pulling files from a filing cabinet. Tracy enters
the office and puts some exercise clothing away.
MARGO
(Unsympathetic)
Your boyfriend has a problem.
Tracy looks at her blankly.
MARGO
We know you've been seeing Travis.
You're not fired.
Tracy slumps into a chair and stares at the floor.
TRACY
What is his problem?
MARGO
He seduces women. He may be seeing
you regularly, but he gets a couple
of other women a week.
(Beat)
TRACY
They're all the fucking same aren't
they. I should have known. He
seemed so nice.
Margo's heart melts and she goes to her.
MARGO
No, they're not all the same.
And Travis has a problem. Maybe
it can be fixed.
TRACY
Yeah, right. When turkeys fly.
Travis enters. He takes a look at both women and realizes
whatis going on. Tracy and he exchange pained glances and she hurries out
past him, almost knocking him over.
MARGO
Do you have any idea what you've
done?
Travis looks helplessly after Tracy.
TRAVIS
Look, Gina gave me a month.
MARGO
A month and you're out?
TRAVIS
No, a month to fix it.
MARGO
You probably have no idea how
lucky you are to have someone like
Gina pulling for you.
TRAVIS
Yes, I do, and I want some help,
Margo. I like this job. I like the
people. I want to beat this.
You're a physician, can you help me?
MARGO
Not likely. I doubt it's a physical
problem. Only someone like Gina
can help you with your mind -
and that's a slim chance. You had
better see a psychiatrist.
TRAVIS
Please. They give smokers some
kind of nicotine replacement to
help them quit.
MARGO
There's no replacement for sex.
(Beat)
All right, what the Hell. I can
prescribe a testosterone blocker.
It won't stop you, but maybe it
will slow you down.
Next: 4 The Challenges
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