Working Girl Page #9

Jack

Not without her.

Katherine

Jack!

Trask

Trainer...are you trying to blow this deal?

Jack

No, sir. I'm trying to make sure that it gets done right. Tess

is this team's leader. She put this deal together. We shouldn't

proceed without her.

Trask

And you shouldn't go letting your Johnson make business decisions

for you.

Jack

I'm not, sir. I'm telling you, she's your man.

Trask

Oh? And what brings you to that conclusion?

Jack

She said so, and I believe her.

Trask

I'm afraid that's not good enough. Now are you with us or not?

Jack

No.

Katherine

Jack, I forgive you. Now get on this elevator.

Jack

Sorry, Katherine.

Katherine

You will be sorry, Jack.

Tess

Ask her to tell about the hole in your deal.

Trask

What hole?

Katherine

Oren, she's just playing games again. Let's get going.

Tess

Fine. Go.

Trask

No. What hole?

Tess

Look?

Katherine

The People Page? Now this is ridiculous.

Messenger

Come on, you guys.

Katherine

"Former Miss America Dawn Bixby has been house-hunting here.

Seems Dawn and hot, hot, hot D.J. hubby Slim Slicker are getting

ready to take a bite out of the Big Apple."

Businessman

Slim Slicker.

Katherine

So?

Jack

Slim Slicker's one of Metro's major assets. Syndicated to all

their stations. Number one in his slot. The cornerstone of

their programming.

Tess

You lose him, and Metro's just some okay real estate with falling

ratings. And you're not exactly buying it for a write-off.

Jack

Better make sure he's locked in before they sign anything.

Katherine

Oren, I have this covered. Upstairs. Shall we?

Messenger

Yes.

Katherine

Oren!

SCENE 75

Jack

Hear the lady out, sir. There's another elevator.

Trask

Fine.

Jack

You're on.

Tess

Okay. See, this is Forbes. It's just your basic article about

how you were looking to expand into broadcasting, right? Okay

now, the same day, I'll never forget this. I'm reading page six

of the Post, and there's this item on Bobby Stein, the radio talk

show guy who does all those gross jokes about Ethiopia and the

Betty Ford Center. Well, anyway, he's hosting this charity

auction that night...real blue bloods, and won't that be funny?

Now turn the page to Suzy, who does the society stuff, and

there's this picture of your daughter.

Trask

Ah.

Tess

See, nice picture. And she's helping to organize the charity

ball. So I started to think, "Trask, radio...Trask, radio." And

then I hooked up with Jack, and he came on board with Metro,

and...and so now here we are.

SCENE 76

Katherine

Oren, we really don't have any more time for fairy tales.

Trask

Well, Miss Parker...let me ask you a question. How did you come

up with the idea for Trask to buy up Metro?

Katherine

How did I, uh...? Well, let's see, the, um...

Trask

The impulse. What led you to put the two together?

Katherine

Well, you know, I would have to check my files. I can't recall

exactly the, um...

Trask

Oh, generally. It's not as if it was in the mainstream.

Katherine

You know, it would have to be the, um...Jack...help me out

here....Oren, I beg your pardon, but if you are insinuating...

Trask

Miss Parker, if I were you...I'd go to your office and take a

long last look around. Because in about five minutes, I'm going

to see to it that you get the boot...but good!

Katherine

Oren, this is a simple misunderstanding, and I...You cannot...

Trask

I can and I will! Now get your...(To Tess): What did you call

it?

Tess & Jack

Bony ass.

Trask

Right. Bony ass out of my sight!

Katherine

I'm sorry...but I simply won't stand for that kind of talk. Will

you excuse me, please?

SCENE 77

Trask

Why didn't you tell us all this in the board room that day?

Tess

Well, no one was gonna listen, sir, not to me. I mean, you can

bend the rules plenty, once you get upstairs, but not while

you're trying to get there. And if you're someone like me, you

can't get there without bending the rules.

Trask

Mmm. You've got a real fire in your belly. Or was this just a

one-time stunt that you pulled?

Tess

I'm not sure what you mean. I have something in my belly, but I

think it's nervous knots.

Trask

I mean, are you willing to go out on that limb every day, working

for me? Legitimately?

Tess

Yes, sir.

Trask

Have to be right at the entry level. Any problem with that?

Tess

No, sir.

Trask

Gumption, Miss McGill.

Tess

Yes, sir.

Trask

See you tomorrow.

Tess

Okay.

Trask

Trainer, Dwayne...let's go back to my office and see about this

Slim what's-his-name's contract.

Jack

Be right with you, sir.

Secretary #2

Way to go, Tess! Way to go!

Secretary #1

Beauty!

SCENE 78

Tess

Thank you.

Jack

For you. You like it? Peanut butter and jelly sandwich. Milk

money. Twinkies. Pen, pencil, ruler. Apple for the teacher.

Now remember...play nice with the other kids...and make sure

you're home before dark.

SCENE 79

Man #1

I sold her three options.

Man #2

I sold her two.

Man #1

What are you gonna do?

Tess

Hi. Tess McGill.

Receptionist

Good morning.

Tess

Good morning.

Receptionist

The director is out sick today, so she'll want to see you first

thing tomorrow.

Tess

Mm-hmm.

Receptionist

Um...Miss Baxter's already up there. She'll show you the layout.

Tess

Okay.

Receptionist

It's all the way at the end of the hall.

Tess

All right. Thank you.

Receptionist

You're welcome.

SCENE 80

Alice

(On telephone):
Anybody's gonna be an improvement over that

terrorist...I mean, just something semi-human. (To Tess): Oh!

I didn't hear you come in. I'm Alice Baxter.

Tess

Tess McGill.

Alice

I was just...using the phone.

Tess

Yes, well...that happens.

Alice

How 'bout some coffee?

Tess

Sure. Just tell me where.

Alice

No, I'll get it. Um...oh...how?

Tess

Milk and sugar, please. Thank you.

Alice

Uh...Miss McGill?

Tess

Yes?

Alice

That's your desk. In there.

Tess

I don't think so.

Alice

Oh, yes. I sit out here.

Tess

I'm sorry. I thought the secretary would sit out here.

Alice

That's right. I'm the secretary. If it's okay, I prefer

"assistant."

SCENE 81

Alice

You've got a ten o'clock meeting with Slater from Development,

here. Eleven o'clock with Donahue from Logistics...his office is

on twenty-three, and lunch with Mr. Trask, his office downtown,

one o'clock. It's all right there on the computer. Just hit

shift-S for your schedule.

Tess

Um...when I saw you...in here on the phone with your feet up, I

figured this was your office.

Alice

I'm sorry about that, Miss McGill. It won't happen again, ever.

Tess

It's okay.

Alice

Maybe now would be good time to go over what you expect of me.

Tess

Um...I, uh...I expect you to call me Tess. I don't expect you to

fetch me coffee unless you're getting some for yourself. And,

um...the rest we'll just make up as we go along. Okay?

Alice

Okay. I'll be...right outside if you need anything.

Tess

Fine.

SCENE 82

Tess

Cyn...guess where I am?

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