SCENE I
A salesman who hasn’t made any sales all week tells himself that he has to make a sale today no matter what happens. He is very determined as he makes his way into a building, up the stairs and along a corridor- we hear him mumbling to himself emphatic words of self-encouragement. He is holding two big bags with something rectangular and heavy in both, one can tell. He reaches the last door at the far end of the floor where he chooses to start. He tells himself that he MUST make this sale. He rings the door-bell.
*Ting*
A woman opens the door, and peeps out. Makes a face implying unfamiliarity.
WOMAN:
How may I help you?
SALESMAN:
Good Morning Miss..
WOMAN:
Taylor.
SALESMAN:
Miss Taylor. I’m from the Homer & Homerry Co. and I bring to you some exciting discount rates on...
MS. TAYLOR:
*makes zip sound* No. Can’t. Broke, overspent. Had a bad week for business.
SALESMAN:
Ma’am, you should really let me quote some prices. These...
A distorted voice in the back asks a question. Woman responds:
MS. TAYLOR:
Some Salesman, Ma.
SALESMAN (still hopeful):
Hello, Mrs. Taylor!
Distorted voice says something in response, distortedly still. Woman chuckles.
MS. TAYLOR:
Ma is asking if you could sell something for us.
SALESMAN (considers):
Hmmm. I could try. Would you then buy from me?
Woman closes the door. Salesman looks disgruntled, the door swings open. The woman is holding a long purple robe.
MS. TAYLOR:
If you could sell this?
SALESMAN (considering again):
Maybe.
MS. TAYLOR:
We have more.
Salesman puts down his bag and takes the robe from Ms. Taylor.
SCENE II
Man leaves the building with a rack of long, purple robes.
He drags the rack across the frame. Stops at a large door. He opens it and enters. It’s an auditorium.
He gets noticed by a bald man in a sleeveless jacket.
BALD MAN:
How may I help you?
SALESMAN:
A very good-day to you, sir. I’m from The Great Robbery Co. and I bring to you a great offer on these robes here.
Would you be interested in...
Bald Man is already admiring the robes and feeling their fabric between his fingers.
BALD MAN:
I would actually. Only I can’t pay you. We have a low budget. But I can make you an offer.
Bald-Man goes behind the curtain. Some dramatic conversation is heard.
He comes back and shifts the curtain to reveal a mime actor standing as if against a glass pane.
BALD MAN:
We have more.
Salesman lets go of the rack and folds his arms.
SCENE III
Man leaves the auditorium followed by mime actors holding catatonic positions.
He crosses the frame and we see a lot of them till he stops at the entrance of a very neat and new looking, but unpopulated French Cafe. A board reads HENRI‘S- Now Open!’
M. HENRI:
How may I help you?
SALESMAN:
Good-afternoon Monsieur Henri. We are a group of performance artists looking to do some live entertainment to liven up your space. Would you like...
M. HENRI (considers): We certainly could use some help in getting customers.
We see the mime actors seated in the restaurant from outside the restaurant. They’re eating as a mime act (their plates are empty) and having a jolly good time. Some passersby from outside notice them and go in check out the place and some even settle down.
(Cut to:)
Monsieur Henri and Salesman in conversation.
M. HENRI:
We’ve had no business to be able to pay you. Although-
Turns to his wife and speaks in French. They call out a random French name and the double door behind them opens revealing a girl on skates with a tray in hand. She looks at M. Henri and says-
WAITRESS:
Oui, Monsieur?
M. HENRI:
We have more.
The salesman accepts the challenge.
SCENE IV
Man leaves restaurant followed by waitresses on skates holding up trays. They cross the road to reach a broken down truck that reads ‘Mrs. Lovett’s Laundry Service’. A man is beneath the truck, smoke billows near him. Mrs. Lovett is standing there with a pile of brown-paper wrapped bundles of clothes behind her loaded on a trolley. She’s looking distressed. Salesman goes up to her.
Man leaves restaurant followed by waitresses on skates holding up trays. They cross the road to reach a broken down truck that reads ‘Mrs. Lovett’s Laundry Service’. A man is beneath the truck, smoke billows near him. Mrs. Lovett is standing there with a pile of brown-paper wrapped bundles of clothes behind her loaded on a trolley. She’s looking distressed. Salesman goes up to her.
MRS. LOVETT:
How may I help you?
SALESMAN:
Good evening Mrs. Lovett. I think we might be of help to you, actually.
A waitress with a tray in one hand and a little piece of paper in the other opens the garden gate of a house, skates up to the porch, rings the bell.
A man opens the door.
A waitress with a tray in one hand and a little piece of paper in the other opens the garden gate of a house, skates up to the porch, rings the bell.
A man opens the door.
MAN:
(looks confused)
How may I help you?
WAITRESS:
Good evening, sir. Your laundry is here!
(removes tureen)
SCENE V
Salesman crosses the frame dragging a trolley loaded with cardboard cartons full of garments and fabric.
Salesman goes back to Ms. Taylor’s residential building. We see him standing outside the same house we saw in the beginning. He rings the bell. Door opens.
MS. TAYLOR:
Ah, you’re back.
SALESMAN:
With a reason for you to buy from me.
MS. TAYLOR:
You sold those robes?
SALESMAN:
No. I got you material to make more.
MS. TAYLOR:
What were you here to sell though?
Salesman opens one of the bags he left here this morning to reveal a cardboard box with the picture of a sewing machine on it. Ms. Taylor smiles up at him, nods and motions him to come in.
They walk in, he follows her with the box, ready to give a demonstration, swift and determined with each step. They reach a kitchen door. She opens it and a circular table can be seen, around which four old women are sitting, surrounded by three odd mannequins and pieces of cloth all over the floor. They all look up, one pushes up her spectacles and another snips her scissor unconsciously, her eyes on the salesman. Ms. Taylor looks at the Salesman, points at the box in his hands and asks-
MS. TAYLOR:
You have more?
