Bumble Bee Page #2

The family gather around the table the atmosphere is awkward, seated at the table is Anna, Stella George, Stella’s husband Carl, and their two children Hanna and Alan.

Carl – Stella has been telling me you work in sales, how is it going.

Stanley – Not too well, I got axed.

George – Again, can’t you keep a Job.

Anna – Eat your food dear.

Carl – Well you can always find work in sales these days.

Stanley – I’m sick of sales, I’m thinking of making my money on horse racing.

George – My son the gambler, be a man find a wife, raise kids, hold down a job.

Stella – Dad please.

Stanley – Well I have a girlfriend, I picked her up on the street last week.

Anna – Where is your manners.

George – What manners he has none.

Stanley feels a sharp pain on his right arm, he looks, and he sees his finger has turned a darker blue, and his arm is also turning into a lighter shade of blue.

Stanley – Well that’s how I like my women, reliable and available on call.

George – I can’t believe I raised you; you’ve been nothing but a disappointment to me and your mother, you’re a disgrace to the family.

Stanley – Relax dad, you don’t look well, I don’t want you dying of a heart attack, how about you join me at the racetrack, we’ll make some money.

George – Get out of my house, I don’t want to see you here again.

Anna – Stanley please, your father is unwell.

Stanley – Well that’s not my problem I’m leaving.

Stella – Wait, please wait.

Stanley gets up from the table and he makes his way to the door.

Stanley – Goodbye stella, I have to go, I can’t believe I agreed to this get together crap.

Stella is seen at the door, with tears running down her face.

Scene change, Stanley is making his way to work he gets hired at a Hotel, The crown Plaza Royalty Hotel. On his way he sees a man on skid row, at the tube platform. He is a bearded middle-aged man, wears old torn clothes, softly spoken, carry’s a bottle of beer everywhere he goes, has a half lit cigarette in the corner of his mouth. Shabby looking guy.

Vincent – Spare change, have you got spare change.

Stanley – Hold on a minute, here you go.

Vincent – God bless you sir.

Stanley is reading the paper waiting for his train to arrive.

Vincent – Going anywhere particular.

Stanley – I’m going to work.

Vincent – Oh you’re wasting your time with them, I’ve been there, those lot worry about losing their job, they worry about their mortgage, they worry about their pension, and just when they are about to die, they worry about their funeral expense.

Vincent finds a plastic bag on the platform, he empty’s his stomach of the leftover meal he found in a nearby garbage can.

Stanley- Well thank you for your advice.

Vincent – You stay with me you’ll learn something; I might not look like much to you, but I live a better life than most of them office boys.

Vincent finds a used cigarette on the platform, he picks it up nurses it back to health and smokes it, just as Stanley looks at the arrival time, Vincent vanishes.

Scene change Stanley Is at the Crown Plaza Royalty Hotel.

Mr carter – Hurry up Stanley put on your uniform; work starts in five minutes.

Chef – Plate 3 ready for delivery, room 442b.

Stanley – I’ve got it.

Mr Carter – this is what we’ve trained you for, don’t f*** up.

Stanley rushes up the stairs of the Crown Plaza hotel with his order, he also notices a nice looking maid. He arrives at room 442b.

Room 442b – Thank you.

Stanley – Would you like anything else.

Room 442b – No that will be all.

Stanley makes his way downstairs to the back of the kitchen; he lights a cigarette.

Chef – You know they don’t like it when staff smoke during work hours,

Stanley – I won’t say anything, if you keep quiet. How long have you been working here.

Chef – twenty years now, the pay is good.

Raj – Stanley can you make your way to the manager’s office now.

Raj is a twenty-one-year-old supervisor.

Mike Dodds – Take a seat Stanley, how long have you been working for us.

Stanley – This will be my third week, including induction.

Mike Dodds – Right, I just got a letter from one of our loyal guests, she says a member of staff delivered her order, but her tea wasn’t sweet enough.

Stanley – Excuse me.

Mike Dodds – There wasn’t enough sugar in her tea.

Stanley – I just deliver the order, I don’t prepare the dam thing.

Mike Dodds – That’s not good enough, I’m taking you off the Kitchen Staff roster, tomorrow you are to report to the pool side, I will assess your work progress, you must score at least ten in your proficiency report, that’s all, close the door behind you.

Raj – I’ll monitor and supervise your work progress tomorrow.

Stanley – Ok great, I think I’ll go on my lunch break.

Stanley notices his index finger is less blue, and he is feeling a little better. He seems confused by the colour change. Stanley spots a park bench he walks towards it to take a seat to have his lunch, it is a pleasant sunny day, a cool breeze blue sky, birds singing.

He takes a seat next to an elderly looking man reading the newspaper. Just as he turns the page, he notices the man, it’s Vincent from skid row.

Stanley – What is it have you been following me or something.

Vincent – No this is my summer residence, don’t you love it, what’s the matter your wife left, what’s wrong with your hand why is it blue.

Stanley – No my wife didn’t leave me.

Vincent – Listen kid, I might not look like much to you, but I’m happier than most of those guys in suits, I’m free, I’m not stuck in the same routine day in day out. So what are you doing out here.

Stanley – I’m on my lunch break, what’s it to you.

Vincent – Nothing, just curious, well have a nice day, what’s left of it anyway.

Vincent gets up and leaves, he walks into the distance. The following day Stanley returns to work. He is working at pool side. Raj appears with his notebook and a magnifying glasses and tissue.

Raj – I see it, can you come over here Stanley.

Stanley – Sure.

Raj is looking through his magnifying glasses, his eyes have tripled in size.

Raj – You see it's wet, here touch the tissue.

Stanley – You’re right it’s wet.

Raj – Here look, I’ve spotted another wet patch.

Stanley – For God sake it’s a swimming pool.

Raj – This isn’t an ordinary swimming pool buddy, this is the Crown Plaza Royalty Hotel swimming pool, you know how much our customers pay for a single night.

Stanley – No idea.

Raj - $900, a night, you get the message, I have to make a note of this.

Stanley goes about his business when he’s suddenly called to the manager’s office.

Raj – Follow me.

They arrive at the office; Raj knocks on the door.

Mike Dodds – Come in, take a seat, I have a letter here Stanley from another loyal guest.

Stanley – No sh*t.

Mike Dodds – Mind your language buddy, the letter states that pool side was hazardous, it was too dangerous for the elderly and children, it was poorly maintained. Now you were the only one responsible for pool side, do you have any explanation.

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