Rich... scene one

Roland pushed a toothpick to the other side of his mouth and began throwing cards at the three other men sitting around a fifty year-old foldable card table.1

“Seven card hi-low,” he grunted through his teeth.2

“What the hell’s that?” McAllister yelled unleashing a fresh cloud of cigarette smoke into the tiny dim-lit storage room.3

“Seven card stud … only with two winners, both high and low hands … thought I’d give Marty a chance to catch up.”4

Marty glanced up. “I was playing poker before you were a sperm!” he yelled through his raspy seventy-two year old vocal cords.5

“What’s the ante?” Crabs asked.6

“Two bucks.”7

“Two bucks?” Marty wheezed, “I’m a dishwasher!”8

“In or out?” Roland said.9

Marty crinkled his already crinkled face, paused a moment, then threw two crushed dollar bills onto the table. The door slowly opened, sucking a swirling blue haze of smoke out with it. A silhouette of a man dressed in a black suit stepped in and closed the door behind him.10

“Hey Ben.” Roland said, tossing a queen of hearts face up in front of McAllister.11

“Could be low hand,” he said, dealing another card. A duce of clubs landed in front of Crabs.12

“No low here … gotta be eights or better.”13

“What game’s this?” Ben asked, moving behind Roland.14

“Seven card hi-low.” Roland answered, throwing a four of diamonds at Marty. “Marty’s got nothing.”15

“Just saw your wife,” Ben said.16

“Really… Where’d you take her? Mac’s got a pair of queens.”17

McAllister grinned, “Bout time,” He grunted, his cigarette bobbing in his lips.18

Roland dropped a seven of spades in front of crabs.“Crabs got a paraphernalia.”19

“I dropped her off here,” Ben said. “She’s in Jasper’s office.”20

“Here?” Rolland yelled, launching his toothpick into the air, “Why the hell didn’t you say so!”21

He jumped to his feet nearly upending the old card table.22

“Where am I supposed to be?”23

“You’re meeting with Roxanna at the Waldorf … discussing the new Confidentiality and proprietary rights agreement.” Roland went for the door.24

“Hey!” Marty yelled, “what about the game?”25

Roland stopped.“Aren’t you a cook around here or something”? he asked. He turned and looked at Ben.“Isn’t he a cook or something around here?”26

“Dishwasher,” Ben answered, “The cook’s looking for him.”27

“Get your ass to work” Roland yelled, looking back at Marty, “the cook’s looking for you!”28

Roland turned and blasted out the door with Ben in pursuit. They quickly passed through a musty storage area and into a vast cellar. Its walls of honeycombed cabinets filled with wine bottles, their corked spouts bristled from wooden cells like miniature frigate cannon.29

“What am I doing here?” Roland yelled over his shoulder.30

“You’re here to ... uh … the meeting at the Waldorf is over, you thought you’d come here to check the … Debt equity ratio for the new merger… Make sure financing is ….”31

“Too complicated!” Rolland yelled, running up the wine cellar staircase.32

“Ok … You’re … here to discuss a labor dispute … immigration … yeah … a labor dispute that turned out to be an immigration … issue.”33

“I like it!” Roland yelled, dodging in and out of bustling kitchen personnel. They blasted out the doublewide kitchen doors, through the crowded dining room and into the cavernous lobby of the regal Grand hotel.34

“M- Mister Hendricks!” the girl manning the reservation counter stammered as Roland approached. What a supp ….”35

Roland ignored her, quickly moved behind the counter, and disappeared through a door. Within seconds Ben blasted through the door behind him.36

Roland slowed, letting Ben catch up, moved down the hall and stopped at the Hotel manager’s door.37

“Ok…” He wheezed “I can do this.” He grinned, turned the handle and pushed the door open.“Hi Honey,” he said, “I heard you were here … Hey Jasper.”38

The Hotel manager looked up.“Hello Mr. Hendricks. I was just telling your wife about the accident … how you had to come here … and …”39

“Oh yeah,” Roland interupted, still smiling,is Transwello ok? Because you know … they were disputing … the a… labor dispute…”40

Sheila Hendricks glowered up at her husband from the posh leather chair dominating the manager’s cluttered office.41

“And uh…” Roland continued, “we were finished at the … Waldorf. Had this …” he rolled his hand and looked at Ben.42

“Confidentiality and proprietary rights agreement,” Ben said quickly.43

“Ben,” Sheila said, breaking her silence.44

“Yes Ma’am,” Ben answered wide eyed.45

“You’re an intelligent person; could you answer something for me?”46

“I … will certainly try ma’am.”47

“As far as you know, has there ever been anyone named Transwello?”48

“Um … well I…”49

“Tell me honestly.” Sheila said evenly.50

“Uh, no … no ma’am I don’t believe I’ve ever heard …”51

“Thanks Ben”. She interrupted. “Jasper could we have52

you’re office for a moment?”53

“Certainly ma’am.”He stood and moved towards the door.54

“You too Ben.”55

Ben bowed slightly and the two men left, leaving Mr. and Mrs. Hendricks alone.56

“You’ve been hanging out with your employees again haven’t you?” Sheila asked, after an uncomfortable silence.57

“We used to hang out,” Roland answered, “You were one of my employees.”58

“What is it about upwardly mobile people you don’t like?”59

“Who would that be, Trevor and Melissa?”60

“What’s wrong with Trevor and Melissa?”61

“They’re stuffy… and phony … did you know he picks his nose?” 62

Sheila looked at the ceiling, sighed and shook her head.63

Roland wandered to the window and looked out.64

After another long pause Sheila spoke.“How can you expect your employees to respect you when you spend your days and nights chasing around with them like a bunch of—?”65

“This isn’t about my employees,” Roland interrupted. 66

Sheila sat silent for a time. “I’m tired of this Roland,” she said finally, “I’m tired of this conversation. This is something we can never resolve. The fact is, we live in two different places you and I.”67

She slowly stood up from the chair, “don’t miss the party, I’ve promised everyone you’d be there. Don’t disappoint me again!”68

She quietly turned and left the room leaving Roland staring out the window.69