Dim the Fluorescents Page #9

[sighs]

[Bradley] My boss called today.

[Audrey] Are you in trouble?

[Bradley] I don't know.

I didn't answer it.

Have I ruined things for you?

Possibly.

Can I come in?

Of course.

[sighs]

- [Bradley sighs] You leaving?

- Yeah.

Thanks again for everything.

My pleasure.

Wanna do this again, sometime,

- whatever this was.

- [chuckles]

Are you busy

in the next little while?

- [sighs] Not if I've been fired.

- [chuckles]

- You have my number?

- Yeah.

- [Bradley sighs]

- [chuckles]

- See you later.

- I hope so.

[sighs]

[exhales]

- [bartender] Can I refill you?

- No.

[man speaking in background]

[audience applauding]

Thank you.

What a day.

So many... So many terrific speakers

from... From all over the country,

and from England,

even one from England.

My name is, is Gary Milford.

Uh, and I'm here

to talk about leadership.

Everybody wants to be a leader.

Don't they?

When things are well,

uh, when...

When business is good then...

Then sure that's the ticket.

But... What about

when they are not?

It's just you and me, you know.

That's it.

That's all there is.

Before I begin, I wanna...

I wanna bring up, uh,

two very talented young ladies

and, and my niece Fiona,

who's only 17 years old,

if you can believe it.

I know I can't.

And they are, uh,

going to play out a scenario

familiar to any manager

worth his or her salt,

that of having an employee

who's got troubles.

How does one to begin to help?

That's the question.

So, without any further ado,

uh, Audrey, Lillian,

and young Fiona,

uh, with "Leadership in Times

of Crisis and Change."

[audience applauding]

- [knock at door]

- Come in.

[Ms. Watkins] Charlotte.

- Charlotte.

- [gasps] Ms. Watkins.

- [clears throat] Sorry about that.

- It's okay.

I don't know where my mind was.

- Perfectly fine. Good morning.

- Good morning. Hi.

They said you wanted to see me.

Penny said.

- Water, Charlotte?

- Should I?

- May I?

- Please.

- Sit down.

- Okay. Fine.

Penny said right.

- Water, Charlotte?

- You already asked me that.

- How are things, Charlotte?

- Things?

Things domestic.

Things at home,

uh, things personal.

- Things good?

- I'm sorry, is this not work related?

Is this personal?

Home life?

Life at home.

Why do you ask?

- Can I please, just say a few...

- I would like you to.

Okay.

- How's Sam?

- Sam's gone.

Sam's just fine.

Why do you care?

Charlotte, you make it sound as

if I have some kind of an agenda.

- [chuckles]

- Why is that funny?

Well, even if I did

have a motive,

what might that be,

do you think, ask yourself.

- It's your motive.

- I think...

I think you already know.

I think we've told you and you just

don't want to hear it, do you?

You're right.

You're really, really, right.

Well, we are certainly glad

to hear that you really...

Who's "we"?

Everybody.

Everybody in the office.

- Charlene, Terry, the Veigls, everybody.

- Oh... Oh.

And they are unhappy.

It's terrible. Tragic.

- Did you eat?

- I went out.

Oh, you did.

I'm eating well, okay.

I have access to clean water. In the grand

scheme of things, I'm remarkable lucky.

What do you want me to say?

I'm grateful.

- I know you slept here?

- What?

Don't be absurd.

You slept in your office last night.

You sleep here often.

Where would I sleep?

There's no bed. Stop it!

Terry saw you.

You take his word over mine?

We've noticed a lot of things,

Charlotte.

The Robinson report

was two weeks...

That's right.

Tell me about my work.

Two weeks late.

- Your work has been questionable for such...

- Questionable? Really?

Really?

Frankly, Charlotte,

some of us...

Some of us are beginning

to think that you might

very well have

a drinking problem.

I don't have

a drinking problem.

- I...

- Tell me.

- I...

- Be strong.

Be decisive.

Tell me about myself.

Lead by example.

- Why are you doing this?

- That's good.

That's real.

That's a genuine response.

Please don't do this to me.

[stammers] To us.

[stammers] I just want us

to talk to each other.

So you talk.

You have the floor.

Should I go first? Okay.

First, I think that you are

incredibly insecure and petty.

Bourbon, I find it helps.

Take this off, God damn it!

Stop f***ing hiding.

- Unbelievable.

- You never should have...

- Why do you need me?

- What?

I wanna know why you need me?

- Tell me why?

- [crashes]

- [gasps] Jesus.

- I'm such a mess.

I'm a train wreck.

I'm a f***ing disaster, why?

- Oh, God. I don't.

- Why are you so afraid to let me go?

- I'm not.

- Let me go.

- You wanna go?

- Get rid of me.

Go walk out.

There's the door. Go!

You're always telling me

to think about us.

Think about the business. But none

of this is actually about me, is it?

It's always about you.

Everything is about you.

Are you happy with the work?

Do you like it?

Are you happy or sad?

- Oh, and you control all of that.

- Oh, do I?

I think you're the one

who controls everything.

I'm not going to apologize for

worrying when you disappear.

When you jeopardize my career,

our career.

The fact is you can't handle

the realities of this business.

Uh...

- The reality of this business is that its nothing without me.

- You can't handle reality!

The reality is, I'm the one

that keeps us working.

- I'm the one.

- How have you dealt with it before?

- I gave up so much. I gave up so much for you.

- How are you dealing now?

[chuckles] Did you?

Tell me

about these opportunities.

What were they?

Who are these people

who gave them to you?

Um, are they here with us now?

Can you...

Can you hear them?

What are they saying?

I'm the best employee

this company has ever had.

[chuckles] Maybe you were once before

but that isn't the case anymore.

- Your heart's just not in it anymore.

- It's not.

Okay, it's not.

And why should it be?

We never wanted to be here.

You did it. Whatever, whatever

you tell yourself now.

You...

We were better than this.

So, why are you here?

Did you just show up

to b*tch about all this?

You know what,

I don't even care.

Okay, so this isn't the...

This isn't the life you wanted.

This isn't the life I wanted

either but you're here.

You're working. [shouts] So just

act like a f***ing professional.

I'm not here for you.

- I'm not here for you.

- Just pretend.

You know what,

you are a f***ing train wreck

and I can't

handle it anymore.

Just get it together.

Get it together or get out.

Shame on you.

[shouts] Get it the f***

together or get the f*** out.

[stutters] So you can... You can

make it work all on your own.

You have some sort

of a hidden talent?

- You need me.

- It's not hidden...

- You need me.

- Yes!

Yes, I need you, okay?

I have never hidden that

or fought it.

- But you need me too.

- No, I don't.

- Yes! You do!

- No, I don't.

[chuckles]

Look at you. Now you're

going to cry about it.

You're going to cry about

the life you don't have.

I should have left you there.

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