16th Avenue👔 – Part 1

Morning, Walter Douglass’ Office

Kelsey, suited in a sharp light grey pants suit, strolls into the private office of Walter Douglas. Her thick shoulder length curly brown hair bounced as she walked over to the table of the middle-aged man dressed impeccably in a plain white shirt and a yellow striped tie.
Kelsey
Good morning, Walter.

Walter
(sings)
Morning, Kels. How was your weekend?
(He looks up at her with a playful smile on his face as he adjusts his spectacles.)
Kelsey
You already know the answer to that, Wally – too short – as always. It’s never quite enough. Once I get up Sunday mornings, my mind’s already on Monday – passionately dreading it.

Walter
(Lets out a hearty chuckle)
Unfortunately, I know exactly what you mean.

(Enters Tobey)

Tobey’s a miniature middle-aged man who shared office with Walter. Kelsey observes him walking in with a handful of files. He goes towards the file cabinet in a corner of the room where he begins to load in the files. He had on the same expression he always had when Kelsey was around. He pretended not to see her. She looked away from him back to Walter.

Kelsey
You know what would be ideal, if the weekend could be extended to three days, then we’d only have to work four days a week. Wouldn’t that be something?!

Walter
Now, that would be brilliant, although, it would also be impossible. It’s never gonna happen.

Kelsey
We can always hope, right?!
(Kelsey could hear Tobey quietly hiss from where he was.)
Good morning, Tobey.

Tobey
(Turns to look at her as though he was startled)
Oh, Kelsey. I didn’t see you standing there.
(He smiled up at her with the fakest smile he could muster.)

Kelsey
I don’t doubt. And I presume you didn’t hear me as well.
(She returned a matching fake smile to him as well.)

Tobey
I’m so glad you’re here.

Kelsey
Really?! I wonder why I find that so hard to believe.

Tobey
Well, it’s true. See, you’ve saved me a trip down to your office.
(He walks towards her and shoves a huge pile of documents in her arms.)
We’ll need to have these ready in time for the early morning distribution.
How was your weekend, by the way?

Kelsey
It was fine, Tobey. Just fine. Later, Walter.

Walter
Alright, dear.
(He smiled at her warmly as she turned to leave. He seemed to be completely oblivious of whatever tension existed between the two. Or whether he just pretended to, it was hard to tell.)

 

East Wing Lobby

Kelsey strolls into the East Wing Lobby where she finds Daisy Whitman and Benji Miller in a corner engaged in a conversation. Daisy’s tall and slender, youthful in appearance. She’s also newlywed. Benji’s average in height and more serious minded than the typical mid-twenties fella. His discreet and gentle nature makes him the perfect girl’s best-friend – a role he played quite well to Kelsey and Daisy. He was overly cautious to a fault.

This fateful morning, Benji was at work on his laptop seated behind his table. Daisy stood beside his table as they engaged in a casual chat. They both looked over to Kelsey as she approached them trying to keep the pile of loose sheets from spilling out of her arms.

Kelsey
Honestly, you guys, I have met eye to eye with the anti-christ.

Daisy
Huh?
(A look of confusion overtook her. Benji looked on curiously.)

Kelsey
I’m serious. He dwells over at the west wing in the body of a short and grumpy old man named Tobey.
(Daisy immediately bursts out laughing.)

Benji
Hey, that’s not nice.
(He tries not to laugh.)

Kelsey
Nice or not, it’s the truth. And don’t start preaching to me this Monday morning, Benji.

Daisy
What happened this time?

Kelsey
This!!!
(She dumps the pile of documents on Benji’s table.)

Benji
I guess my table’s now the best place to dump this.

Kelsey
I agree with you.
(Benji shakes his head as a smile spreads across his face.)
So…
(looks over at Daisy)
Is Hitler in?

Benji
(Benji shakes his head in a disapproving manner once more.)
May God forgive you.

Daisy
(laughs a bit)
Yeah, he is. And already he’s not in the best of moods. Benji has fallen prey twice already this morning.

Kelsey
What happened?

Benji
Some issues with some cheques I didn’t get paid in on time and, now, the company has to pay a fine.

Kelsey
Yikes! How much?

Benji
Not much. Just a very minute amount but still …

Daisy
Let’s just hope it doesn’t get deducted from your salary.

Kelsey
Eeyah! Poor Benji. And, on that note, I guess I better jet… before Hitler comes out and starts the holocaust all over again.

(Daisy laughs out loud as Benji shakes his head in disapproval.)