1. Omens of the Inevitable

HR DIRECTOR: I’ve had it with this McGivered admin system. It’s driving my people crazy, and our employees don’t know if they are coming or going.

CEO sits back, making a steeple with his fingers.

CEO: So, how come Mellon hasn’t done something about it?

HR Director straightens up and walks out of the office.

HR DIRECTOR:I don’t know, but I’m going to find out.     DISSOLVE TO:

Walter Mellon, 58, handsome, full head of hair, professorial-looking beard, sits with back towards desk looking out window. Computer makes loud “Ping”. Walter turns, reads email from REALLY BIG CLIENT HR Director.

Email

Subject: Why do we have a 19th Century Benefits Admin System?
Message: Mellon! You can’t delay any longer. You need to bring our Admin system up to speed ASAP. We need technology! For all the money we are paying you, we should have robots and AI doing all our admin. Get cracking and have a proposal on my desk in five days.

WALTER: Hoo boy, not another one!                                 DISSOLVE TO:

HR Director sits at desk with phone to his ear.

HR DIRECTOR: I’ve heard you have the latest technology to manage Benefits Admin, can you arrange a demo for me tomorrow?

Listens, nods and before putting phone down says,

Sounds great, I’ll see you in my office at 1:30                      DISSOLVE TO:

Dee Zaster, client service team leader, looks up from her disorganized desk. Family photos, grumpy cat memes and two sorry-looking plants are visible on the shelf behind her.

DEE: Oh, hey there Walt. Been in the staff fridge again? You look like you just ate a two-week-old egg salad sandwich.

Walter shoves a stack of files out of the way, sits on the credenza.

WALTER: I wish I had, even a slow death would be better than this.

Dee, on her feet, grabs the files and plops them on top of another pile on her desk. Looks at Walter knowingly, one eyebrow raised.

DEE: What’s wrong this time?

Head in hands, Walter shrugs dramatically.

WALTER: I think we’re gonna lose the Really Big account. They want a proposal for a 21st century Benefits Admin system. You know what happened last time we tried that.

 Dee sits back down, frowning

DEE: Don’t remind me. What’re we going to do?

WALTER: Whatever we do, we gotta do it quick.

Suddenly, Juan Manband, producer with a (mostly) well-hidden inferiority complex who dreams of becoming more than a sales person, pops his head over the cubicle wall where Dee’s stuff is shelved.

JUAN: Hi Ya!

Dee and Walter startle and then give each other a what-the-heck look.

JUAN: Couldn’t help over hear. Really Big wants a Ben Admin system and they want it bad. I’ve got just the answer.

Dee and Walter look doubtful. Camera cuts to Juan’s side of the cubicle wall. We see he is kneeling on his desk… it’s the only way he can look into Dee’s cubicle.

WALTER: (Aside to Dee) How does he do that?

Dee smiles and shrugs

DEE: Happens all the time. We should put a window in.

Juan presses on.

JUAN: I met the rep from License This! and she told me they can give us everything we need to bring the best tech to all of our best clients. Maybe we should give them a shot.

Walter smiles, stands and begins to leave.

WALTER: Juan, that’s great, I guess. OK… you and Dee put something together and show it to me on Monday.

Dee sighs wistfully as she watches Walter walk away. Jack, still hanging over the cubicle wall, let’s out a low whistle.

JUAN: Methinks the torch still burns brightly.

Dee blushes as the camera zooms in tight to her face.

CROSS FADE TO SUPER:

NEXT ON MELLON’S PLACE…

“THE TECH-ONLY TRAIN WRECK”

JUMP CUT TO:

Juan looks on as Dee speaks on phone.

DEE: Pardon me… did I hear you right?

Voice of Really Big Client HR Director on smart phone

HR DIRECTOR: This is the last straw. Once you finish muddling through our enrollment, I am replacing you. That’s It!

FADE TO BLACK:

ROLL CREDITS