Mr. Smith Characters: John Smith – an under-paid, under-appreciated businessman Mr. X – John Smith’s boss Brandon – a young boy, son of a man that works in John Smith’s building Phil – a man on his way to meet with his lawyer Backpack – a young, carefree guy who knows how to live life; a base jumper. (Elevator door opens.) (Man in suit walks in, looks at Smith, and turns around. He glances down at his watch.) Mr. X - (facing forward) - Smith, do you have those reports for me? Smith – Uhh, yes sir, Mr. X. I’ll have them right up to you. I stayed late last night and put the finishing touches on them. I had them printed on the shiny paper just how you like them, sir. Mr. X – Good work, Smith. (There is a pause and Smith searches for something brilliant to say to Mr. X as if to impress him with his hard work.) Smith – Did you happen to catch the game last night, Mr. X? Boy was it a thriller. Mr. X – (As if irritated by Smith’s comment.) Smith, get your head out of the clouds. We’re not here to watch sports and dream. We’re here to go out and grab those dreams. Make it our reality. We’re here to work for those dreams, Smith, that’s what we do. Work work work. (Disappointed that he did not get the response he was looking for) Smith – Yes sir, Mr. X, sir. (Smith gestures displaying his disappointed attitude.) Mr. X – (In a reassuring voice) - You know, Smith; you are a valuable asset to this company. Your work is good. It’s prompt and it impresses the shareholders. Maybe there is something I can do for you. Come by my office a little after 5:00 today and we’ll have a little chat. If you can get something for me, I’d be willing to give you what you’ve been working toward here for over 15 years. What do you say, Smith? Smith – (Shocked at Mr. X’s proposal) Why I’d be glad to meet with you Mr. X, but what is it that you want that I have to get? Mr. X – (With a smirk on his face and a creepy voice) – Well, Smith, we need someone to be a sort of, how would you say this, diversion. Bait, if you will. There is a program running on the computers throughout this entire complex that swipes a few pennies from each transaction that we initiate. Now, it has just shown up on the radar of our internal security team and they’re working fast. We need someone to put this on as if it were an accident. We’ll say you accidentally downloaded a program from an e-mail or website that infiltrated every system in the building. Once the money is gone and transferred to a secret account, the program will be gone and there will be no trace of it. Smith – What will happen to me once Internal Security catches on? Mr. X - Internal Security will have no idea where the money went and they never will, so you won’t have any problems, Smith. You’re a credible man. No one will suspect you for doing such a thing. Just come by my office after 5:00 and we’ll talk more. Congratulations, Smith, you’re headed for the big time! (Elevator door opens and Mr. X exits.) (Smith is flabbergasted by the event that has just taken place.) Smith – (To himself) - Mr. X has never paid any attention to me, nor has he ever given me any credit for the work that I have done. Why he want to include me on something like this? Does he really want me to become a player in the company? I’ve worked my whole life for an opportunity to move up the corporate ladder, but should I be doing it this way? I don’t think so, this has got to be a scam to get me to take the fall for his corrupt practices. Mr. X is going to hang me out to dry while he’s living on some island in the Caribbean without a care in the world, especially for me. I’m not going out like that. But what should I do? Should I let the whole conversation with Mr. X just slide and try to forget it, or should I get back at him and report this to the police? Hmm…. (Smith stands in the elevator proceeding to his work floor. The elevator stops and a rambunctious kid steps on and hits random buttons then stands away from them and looks back to Mr. Smith who is calmly standing there trying to ignore the boy) Brandon- (waving wildly) - Hello ! (Smith just moves his eyes to look at the boy) Brandon- My name’s Brandon! I'm 5....my daddy says its im-po-light to not talk when you are talk-ed to! Smith- (sarcastically trying to feel superior) - Really? Where's your dad now, Brandon? Brandon- Well he downstairs at his office thingy. He told me to go play so I found you. You look fun mister, are you fun!? Smith- No...I am not. I am tired, cranky and I don’t like kids. How's that? Brandon- Why you ti-urd? You should take a nap mister. My dad always makes me take naps...my mommy too but I fake it. Hee Hee. Smith- Think you’re a clever kid huh? Brandon- (nodding quickly) - Yup!! Smith- Well kid, we adults have too much work to do. We don’t have time for naps like you. We have responsibilities... Brandon- (scratching head for a few moments) - I got lots of sponsibil-erties too! Smith- Please!? What sponser.....respsonsibities do you have? Brandon- I have to make sure my mommy is happy, and that my daddy smiles after he comes home and is all tie-urd. Smith- Ha! That's not responsibility, responsibility is making sure your paperwork is filled out for your boss, or paying your bills on time. Brandon- Do those things make people happy? Smith-....I.....don’t know. I don’t think so. But I still have to do them. Brandon- Well you should make your mommy smile! That’s really hard, not 'falling' paper!! Smith- That’s 'filing', and I haven’t seen my mommy...I mean my mother in a long time... Brandon- Why? Don’t you love her? Smith- Ye...s. I love her. I am just busy... Brandon- Well even when my mommy is busy she still makes time for me. When you’re done 'falling' your papers you should see her. Then you can make her smile...lots of sponsibility! (Smith stands with an inspirational look on his face) Brandon- (As the elevator stops and door opens) - Bye mister nice meetin’ ya! (Smith alone in elevator) Smith- Hmm, little guy had a point there. I wonder how mother is doing. I haven’t seen her in so long, or my dad. Maybe I should give them a call or stop by sometime in the next couple of months. – (Smith runs his hands through his hair) - Seemed like a good kid though. I wish I could be so free and pure like that. Oh well, I have other things to deal with. I can’t be bothered with this type of stuff. Oh well. (A stocky man steps onto the elevator.) Phil – Would you hit the thirty-second floor? – (Smith hits the button) – Thanks buddy. – (Both men stand looking around) – Going to see my lawyer you know – (Smith nods, inspects his fingernails, looks around nonchalantly) – Divorce lawyer that is! – (Phil snorts sarcastically, runs hands through his hair, and rubs the back of his neck) – You married? Smith – (blankly staring at the elevator door) - Engaged a few months ago. Phil – Well trust me, you’re not missing anything – (Phil restlessly shifts back and forth on his feet – louder voice) – Twenty-five years I spent, waking up next to the same woman. Her breath was so bad the dog would lick her face in the morning and run away yelping. Smith- (Still enthralled in the thought of his former fiancé) – We had everything planned for the “Big Day.” The invitations were already sent out. I made reservations at this really upscale, romantic resort in the Bahamas for the honeymoon. – (Looks at floor) – My mother was disappointed when the wedding was called off. She told everybody we were the perfect couple. She already had names that she wanted for her grandchildren. – (Smiles warmly, then looks serious again) – Rachel said I was too boring. She was an action packed girl. I guess I couldn’t provide her with the adventure that she needed and was looking for. Phil – My wife wanted more of that, too! Along with more clothes, more jewelry, more cars, more time together… That’s why I’m headed to see my lawyer. She still wants more out of me. I guess she can’t get enough! Smith – What is it that you want? Phil – Simple things. Like out! I can’t even begin to tell you how messed up this last year has been. Smith – Rachel wanted out, too. I came home from work one night, and I could see the note taped to the front door from the second flight of stairs at our apartment. When I opened it, you’ll never guess what it said. – (Takes a deep breath and lets out a small chuckle) – Dear John. – (Smith puts his hands in his face) Phil – Look, pal. I’m here to tell you, get over it. Get on with life. Sometimes marriage and love and all that stuff just ain’t what it’s cracked up to be! Smith – (Reassuring look on his face) - Yeah, maybe you’re right. Maybe there is more to life than a wife, kids, and a mortgage. (Elevator stops and door opens) Phil – Well, here’s my floor. Good luck, pal, with whatever you do. (Smith nods as elevator door closes. Smith is alone again) Smith – (to himself) - Maybe Mother was wrong all along. She always said, “A successful man always has a strong woman by his side.” Maybe, just maybe, she was wrong. Phil has his stuff together. He’s got a plan for the future and he got rid of his wife. I don’t want to go through all that! I can skip it and go straight to living! Yeah! (Elevator door opens again. Man with backpack jumps on elevator breathing heavily looking around outside elevator door in a panic-like manner.) Smith – (hesitant) - Uh, where you headed? Backpack – (slacker voice) – To the top, dude! Smith – You got it. What’s at the top? Backpack – Only the most intense rush you can imagine, man. Smith – And what might that be? Backpack – (pointing to backpack) – Looks like any ordinary backpack, huh? – (Smith nods carefully) – Well it ain’t, dude. I got a parachute in here. When I get to the top, I’m headed for the edge, and then I’m jumpin’. It’s awesome, man. Smith – Well what happens after you jump? Backpack – What goes up, must come down, dude. I get closer to the ground and I throw the ‘chute. I float to the ground, gather up the ‘chute, and take off before the “boys in blue” get a hold of me. Smith – That’s it. You go through all this work to get past security and to the top of this building to jump off. You do all of this for fifteen seconds? Backpack – You bet, man. Give it a try sometime and you’ll know what I’m talkin’ about. Smith – No thanks, I’ve got both feet on the ground and I’m just fine. (Elevator stops and door opens) Backpack – Later dude! – runs off (Elevator door closes. Smith is alone on elevator.) Smith – (presses button for the ground floor) – I think I’ll pass on going to work today. I have seen so many wonderful qualities from the people that I have seen in this elevator today that I don’t think I can handle sitting in my cubicle for eight hours thinking about them. I have got to do something with my life, and I’m going to start right now. Mr. X will get away with stealing probably millions of dollars from this company, but I’m not going to live my life like him; I’m not a cheater. Little Brandon doesn’t have a care in the world and no need for responsibility, but he takes the initiative to make sure his parents are happy. What a great kid! Phil lived the life I thought I was supposed to live and he was miserable for twenty-five years. I don’t want to do that. I’ve been miserable my whole life. Why would I want to start something like that? That last guy really knows how to live. He risked probably jail-time for the chance to take a flying leap off the top of this building! Wow! That is all that can say about that guy. Here I am, a boring guy working a mediocre job fifty hours a week with no appreciation or gratitude. That’s all I want. Can a little recognition every now and then be too hard? Well, I have now what I have been dreaming of for as long as I can remember; a will to live. I’m going to get out there and I am going to see the world, meet new people, and have fun. All I need is a little excitement and I’m definitely not going to find it around here. – (Waving to the ceiling) - Good-bye 75th floor, good-bye cubicle #363, and good-bye worries! – (Elevator stops, door opens) - Hello world! Make me a new man!
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