AMY'S OFFICE - MONDAY MORNING
AMY is sitting at her desk in her office, working at her computer. Her hair is casually unkempt, her clothes are slightly alternative and she has a casual, happy energy about her, yet she seems a bit of a 'loner'. She taps on the keyboard and looks at her screen for a response. She smiles, taps something else in, and looks for a response. The response makes her laugh. NOAH arrives at her office, carrying a file. NOAH is dressed in casual office clothes. He has a gentle, easy-going way about him. They obviously know each other very well. NOAH: Good morning. AMY looks up. Smiles AMY: Hey. NOAH: (referring to her chuckles) What's so amusing at (looks at watch) 8.30 on a Monday morning? AMY: It's just Trish on msn. Filling me in on her wicked weekend. NOAH: She seems to have a lot of those. AMY: Yeah, well ... you know ... I think sometimes she elaborates for effect. NOAH: Do you ever go with her? AMY: Nah. I'm not really one for illicit substances and all that (pretending to yell like in a noisy bar) "what star sign are you" crap. NOAH: Do people STILL use the "star sign" line? AMY: (gesturing to Trish's msn - nodding) Apparently so. NOAH: No way. AMY: Way ! NOAH: Let me read. NOAH moves beside AMY to read her screen. The closeness provides a slight moment of awkwardness ...AMY stands up and gives NOAH her chair. AMY: Here ... sit ... read ...enjoy. Live vicariously. AMY moves to the other side of her desk and "looks" busily at something.NOAH notices that she moves away, but doesn't react to it. He taps on the keyboard to scroll through Trish's msn text. NOAH: (reading) I see what you mean ... (laughs) ... Ouch! This poor - Leo - not only does he have a short ascension, hard aspects and a negative orb, but he's also on a cusp - that's got to be uncomfortable. AMY: (laughs) As I said, Trish elaborates for effect. NOAH: God, I couldn't imagine anything worse than the 'singles scene'. AMY says nothing. NOAH: (trying a joke on for size) So ... Amy, was it? ... um ... what star sign are you? No answer NOAH: Actually, what sign ARE you? AMY: One that doesn't have a negative orb, I hope. NOAH: Well, when's your birthday? She gives him a "you're not gonna get it out of me" look. NOAH: C'mon ... we've worked together for almost a year now, so either you had a birthday and didn't say anything, or it's, like, this weekend. AMY: As if ... NOAH: As if ... ? AMY: As if I'd tell you so you could arrange one of those 'secret' cakes with candles staff afternoon teas. Someone comes in and says "oh" - insert name of birthday person du jour - "the boss wants to see you in Reception" ... NOAH: ... and 'what a surprise' - when you get to Reception, everyone is standing around, coincidentally holding cups of tea ... AMY: ... all primed to yell 'happy birthday!' and 'Whew, glad you didn't notice the cake in the fridge, Susie got it on the way to work this morning .... " NOAH: (laughing) " ... we hid it at the back of the shelf so you wouldn't see it ..." and you've had, like, 10 cups of coffee throughout the day ... AMY: (joining the laughing) ... for which you've opened the fridge each time to use the milk ... hang on, what's this birthday-cake-sized cardboard box with Carl's Cake Shop written on it. Oh ... it's probably got nothing to do with it ... TOGETHER: ... being my birthday!! END OF FIRST PAGE |