2. Mature
"Neal's Coworkers"
1.
INT. BAR - EVENING
NEAL, BRENT, and ZACH enter a bustling bar and survey their
surroundings.
NEAL
I really don’t need this, you guys.
BRENT
Nonsense. Blow off some steam. I’ll
grab some drinks.
Brent exits.
ZACH
Fresh air, or, you know, stale, beerfilled air. It’s good for what ails
you.
(beat)
Oh my God, “ails you”? “Beer”? Ales
and beer? That’s amazing.
Brent returns holding two beers.
BRENT
They’ve got a pretty wide selection.
ZACH
No worries, this is fine.
Zach takes one of the two beers Brent is holding. Brent
glares at him.
ZACH (CONT’D)
All right. I’ve got to go find this
jukebox. My buddy Sharky told me it’s
the best in the city.
NEAL
You have a friend named Sharky?
ZACH
His name’s Steve, but he goes by
Sharky.
BRENT
(snidely)
Dare I ask why?
ZACH
Um, because he likes sharks. A lot.
3. Mature
"Neal's Coworkers"
CONTINUED:
2.
BRENT
How imaginative.
ZACH
He was also bitten by a shark.
NEAL
Seriously? That’s amazingZACH
And his eyes are on either side of his
head. They’re wicked far apart. Like a
hammerhead.
BRENT
Who are your friends?
ZACH
Bunch of reasons why he’s Sharky,
actually. All right. Jukebox time.
Zach exits. Brent shakes his head and hands Neal his beer.
They sit at a table.
BRENT
So what’s got you down?
NEAL
I don’t know what to say, work’s
rough.
INT. SCHOOL CLASSROOM - MORNING
Neal walks into a science classroom holding his briefcase and
a stack of papers. He sets them on the front desk.
NEAL (V.O.)
The day always starts out just fine.
Neal breathes a sigh and sips a cup of coffee.
NEAL (V.O.)
But then it always goes downhill when
the kids show up.
A bell rings and a horde of high school students scramble
into his classroom.
NEAL
All right, today, we’re going to talk
about DNA. More like “DN-A Very
Interesting Topic”.
4. Mature
"Neal's Coworkers"
CONTINUED:
Nerd!
3.
STUDENT (O.S.)
INT. SCHOOL TEACHER’S LOUNGE - AFTERNOON
Neal stands with a sack lunch and surveys other teachers
sitting around.
NEAL (V.O.)
And it doesn’t get any better with
coworkers. The cool teachers don’t
even know I exist.
Three young teachers, DAVE, LANCE, and KRISTA, walk towards
Neal. Neal looks up in hopeful anticipation. The three
teachers hand him their empty cafeteria trays and keep
walking.
INT. BAR - MOMENTS LATER
Neal and Brent sit at the table. Neal finishes his beer.
BRENT
That’s rough man, but I’m sure it’ll
get better. The first year teaching is
always the harshest. So they say.
Who’s they?
NEAL
BRENT
You know, them. They’re out there.
Neal freezes and locks his eyes on the door. Dave, Lance, and
Krista enter.
NEAL
Oh my God. It’s them.
BRENT
I was just blowing smoke, Neal. I
really don’t know who they are.
Brent turns around to look.
BRENT (CONT’D)
Wait, is there really someone here?
NEAL
The cool teachers. I mean, Krista’s in
her third year.
(beat)
Let’s go. Let’s run out the back.
5. Mature
"Neal's Coworkers"
CONTINUED:
4.
BRENT
What? No, way. Man up, bro. Dude.
Brent waves over Dave, Lance, and Krista.
NEAL
What are you doing!?
Neal hides behind a beer menu. Dave, Lance, and Krista
approach.
NEAL (CONT’D)
Oh, look at this one. I love these
hops. I tell ya. I’m very hoppy about
this selectionNeal turns to the three who approached the table.
NEAL (CONT’D)
Oh, hey guys. What’s up? I’m Neal,
Neal Sharpe. I also teach at Mittner.
DAVE
Oh, right on.
Hi.
Sup?
KRISTA
LANCE
NEAL
Oh, you know. Just living the dream.
What about y’all? What about you all?
What about? Hmm?
DAVE
Just blowing off some steam. Brutal
week.
Brent clears his throat.
NEAL
I’m sorry, I forgot. This is my friend
Brent.
BRENT
It’s a pleasure.
“Every Rose Has It’s Thorn” by Guns N’ Roses starts blasting.
Everyone at the table turns to the jukebox where Zach is
standing. He gives them a thumbs up.
6. Mature
"Neal's Coworkers"
CONTINUED: (2)
5.
NEAL
Would you guys care to join us?
The cool teachers look around for another open table, see
nothing, shrug, and sit down. Brent leans over to Neal.
BRENT
(whispering)
Don’t worry man, I can wow them.
NEAL
Please don’t?
Brent waves Neal off and leans in to the other three sitting
at the table.
BRENT
You guys change lives. I get that.
Yeah?
KRISTA
BRENT
You bet. I change lives, too.
DAVE
Are you in education or medicine?
BRENT
Well, neither.
They scoff.
BRENT (CONT’D)
Well, I’m kind of education, I guess?
I’m interning at a law firm now. So I
like to think that I’m teaching as
much as I’m learning.
Brent leans back with a smug look on his face.
LANCE
How is that teaching?
KRISTA
What does that even mean?
Brent reaches for an empty pint glass and tries to drink out
of it. He plays it off.
NEAL
So, Brent and I have known each other
since grade school.
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"Neal's Coworkers"
CONTINUED: (3)
Oh yeah?
6.
DAVE
The song “Stuck in the Middle With You” blasts from the
jukebox. Brent turns, eyes wide, to Zach who is rocking out.
LANCE
Did you see that new curriculum that
Sanders submitted? It was...
KRISTA
It was what?
LANCE
Uninspired. He wanted to do a unit on
problem based learning and didn’t even
to assess prior knowledge.
Everyone laughs heartily, Neal included. Brent laughs late
and keeps laughing after everyone stops.
BRENT
Oh, my. That is ridiculous.
KRISTA
Do you even know what we’re talking
about?
BRENT
Sure. I went to high school.
They scoff.
BRENT (CONT’D)
I saw Stand and Deliver.
Dave shakes his head. Brent looks to Neal who shrugs his
shoulders and tries not to make eye contact.
BRENT (CONT’D)
I also saw Dangerous Minds.
Everyone stares blankly at him.
BRENT (CONT’D)
No? Coolio? Gangster’s Paradise?
Brent turns and looks to Zach at the jukebox. “Fantastic
Voyage” by Coolio starts blasting. Brent stands up.
BRENT (CONT’D)
(yelling)
Really, Zach?
(MORE)
8. Mature
"Neal's Coworkers"
CONTINUED: (4)
BRENT (CONT’D)
I tee it up and this is what I get?
You’re just being spiteful, because
you know what? Everyone knows
Gangster’s Paradise is a far better
song. You know what? I’m gonna to take
the high road. Something you wouldn’t
know much about.
Everyone is staring blankly at him.
BRENT (CONT’D)
(stammering)
Who needs a drink? I need a drink.
Yes? Beers? Beers. Sounds great.
Brent leans in next to Neal.
BRENT (CONT’D)
(whispering to Neal)
I’m so sorry. I’m on this.
Brent turns to the group.
Excuse me.
BRENT (CONT’D)
“Enjoy the Silence” by Depeche Mode starts playing. Brent
grits his teeth and walks away.
DAVE
So how’s your year going, Neal?
NEAL
Oh, great. Uh, super great.
LANCE
Really? My first year was terrible.
Only thing that got me through it was
drinking heavily.
Ditto.
KRISTA
NEAL
I’m losing it.
KRISTA
It gets better. And if you ever want
to hang out and talk, or drink, or
whatever, we’re all in the
neighborhood.
7.
9. Mature
"Neal's Coworkers"
CONTINUED: (5)
8.
NEAL
That’d be really great. Thanks.
DAVE
People don’t realize how hard teaching
is. They only hear about the perks,
summers off and stuff.
Brent returns holding 5 beers.
BRENT
Okay, party people. Here’s another
bonus for all of you, beers from a
business tycoon.
Brent puts down the beers.
LANCE
(cautiously)
What do you mean, “another” bonus?
BRENT
You know, lots of stuff, summers offDAVE
We earn out breaks.
“Hey Stoopid” by Alice Cooper starts blasting from the
jukebox.
BRENT
Excuse me for one moment.
Brent exits and walks over to Zach in the b.g. where Zach is
rocking out. Krista, Dave, and Lance take their beers and
stand up.
DAVE
We’re gonna run. Neal, see you Monday.
NEAL
Sounds great. I didn’t even think you
knew how I was, let alone if you liked
me.
KRISTA
Compared to that guy?
She motions over to Brent who is flailing his arms wildly and
hitting buttons on the jukebox.
KRISTA (CONT’D)
What a doucher. You’re just fine.
10. Mature
"Neal's Coworkers"
CONTINUED: (6)
9.
They exit. Brent returns.
BRENT
Sorry about that. Had to take care of
business, you know?
Brent cracks his knuckles and looks around.
BRENT (CONT’D)
Where’d they go?
NEAL
They had to run.
BRENT
Bummer. I was just warming up.
Brent exhales and takes a long sip from his beer. “Fuck You”
by Cee-Lo Green starts to play. Brent smiles, slowly sets
down his beer, and then quickly walks over to the jukebox.
BRENT (O.S.) (CONT’D)
Damn it, Zach!
Neal shakes his head and drinks his beer.
END OF ACT
