Disclaimer

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It's a new day, and Isaac is sitting in his office, intently doing paperwork. Dan opens the door and walks in.

Dan: Isaac, got a minute?

Isaac: I'm working here, Daniel.

Dan: Yeah, but do you have a minute?

Dan takes a seat in front of Isaac's desk.

Isaac: My door was closed.

Dan: I saw that.

Isaac: There was a reason.

Dan: You weren't in a meeting were you?

Isaac: No.

Dan: Good. Let's talk.

Isaac tosses his pen down and leans back in his chair.

Isaac: What is it?

Dan: How are you?

Isaac: Fine, and how about you?

Dan: Oh, I'm fine. I need a new computer, but I'm fine.

Isaac: That's good to hear. Have a good afternoon.

Isaac gets up out of his chair to show Dan the door.

Dan: No, there's something wrong with you.

Isaac: What?

Dan: I don't know, that's why I've come to see you.

Isaac: What the big deal?

Dan: Well, you've been a recluse in your office for the past few days.

Isaac: Is the show all right?

Dan: Yeah, but-

Isaac: Then what's the problem?

Dan: Nothing. You've just been out of sight.

Isaac: Natalie's doing a great job, I don't need to be watching over her shoulder while Dana is away.

Dan: We don't see you in the run-downs, we don't see you in the newsroom, we don't see you, period.

Isaac: Well, its good to see you, again.

Isaac walks around his desk and walks past the still-seated Dan.

Dan: What is it? I'm concerned. We're all concerned.

Isaac closes his eyes and turns around. He walks over to the chair next to Dan and takes a seat.

Isaac: Okay, let's talk.

-----

Casey and Jeremy are in the newsroom.

Casey: What?

Jeremy: Yup.

Casey: You did what?

Jeremy: I did exactly what you told me to do.

Casey: I was joking.

Jeremy: Your tone didn't sound like you were joking.

Casey: I was. Can't you tell when I'm joking?

Jeremy: Well, you can't tell jokes very well, Casey. It sounded like you were serious.

Casey: I was venting. And I can tell some darn good jokes.

Jeremy: You should have stopped me before I set it up. And you can't tell good jokes.

Natalie walks up to both of them.

Natalie: What's up?

Jeremy: I set up the interview with Casey.

Natalie: Awesome.

Casey: No!

Natalie: What's wrong? I thought that's what you wanted.

Casey: I was joking!

Natalie: Casey, you can't tell jokes very well.

Casey: What? Can nobody take a joke?

Jeremy: It looks like the joke is on you, Casey.

Casey's eyes light up with optimism.

Casey: You're joking.

Jeremy: Afraid not.

Natalie: That's good. You get to interview the woman you have a crush on.

Casey: No!

Jeremy: It's too late. It's set for Friday. You'll interview her via satellite.

Natalie: You have a couple of days to prep for it. Don't worry, Casey.

Casey: And why shouldn't I?

Natalie: Because she's not your type.

-----

Back to Isaac and Dan in Isaac's office.

Dan: This may be like your home, but do you know what is even more like home? Your home! And that's where you should be. At home, with your wife, where you can rest and be taken care of. You shouldn't be coming back here...

Isaac: Danny.

Dan: No, listen to me, Isaac.

Isaac: I still work here, don't I?

Dan: Well, yeah. But you had a stroke.

Isaac: Almost two years ago. I had a stroke almost two years ago.

Dan: And it takes time.

Isaac: I should know it takes time. I have to live with myself everyday. I had to go to therapy. I had people waiting on me left and right. The last thing I need is people having sympathy for me because I'm old and recovering from a stroke.

Dan: Still recovering.

Isaac: I'm not the way I used to be a few months ago.

Dan: Yes... wait... what?

Isaac: I was better a few months ago, and now it seems that my old age is starting to set in.

Dan: How so?

Isaac: I'm slower. My mind is reacting slower.

Dan: We're all acting a little slower. Twenty-percent of our staff is in Sydney. We've been stretched for the last four weeks and we're tired. All of us are tired.

Isaac: I should have stood behind you guys.

Dan: You do.

Isaac: No, I didn't.

Dan: When?

Isaac: I should have stood up to J.J. about the Kournikova issue. I was thinking it. I was thinking about standing up for you, but I could not get the words out of my mouth.

Dan: It's okay.

Isaac: Then Natalie blew up.

Dan: Everything's all right.

Isaac: No, it's not.

Dan: Listen. Let's see how you are in a month. The Summer Games will be long over, everyone will be back, and we would have had time to recover and regroup. Just take the day off.

Isaac: Take the day off?

Dan: You did say Natalie's doing a great job and nothing has been going wrong with the show. So, why don't you take the day off and rest?

Isaac: I don't know.

Dan: Isaac, go home. Rest. Don't make me grab you by your ear and escort you out of here.

Isaac: Well, if you're going to force me.

Dan: It's for the best. It's for you and your health, Isaac. I know you would do the same for me. (puts his arm around Isaac)

Isaac: You're right, Daniel. I think I'll go home and rest.

-----

Casey is sitting at his desk and he is on the phone.

Casey: (on phone) I'm doing rather well, how are you? (laughs) That's great. I need you to do me a favor. (listens) No, I don't only call you when I need something. (listens) Well, I do need something. My partner is driving me crazy with his computer, can you come up and fix it? (listens) Yes, personally.

Dan walks into their office.

Dan: Hey, Case... ooops, sorry.

Dan goes and sits at his desk.

Casey: (on phone) And can you double-check my e-mail? I still think it's not working right. (listens and smiles) Great. See you soon. Bye. (hangs up phone)

Dan: What was that about?

Casey: Oh, I need to have something fixed.

Dan: Where's Jeremy?

Casey: He's done enough for me already.

Dan: Jenny Thompson?

Casey: Jenny Thompson.

Dan breaks out a big smile.

Casey: How's Isaac?

Dan: He's going home to rest. I think he's just tired from all the work recently.

Casey: Tell me about it.

Dan: Well, time to work.

Casey: Time to work.

Dan: Are you done, yet?

Casey: No, I'm not.

Dan: I need to write also.

Casey: And that's another thing I'm taking care for you.

Dan: My writing?

Casey: Your computer.

Dan: A new computer?

Casey: No, it's getting fixed.

Dan: They're not sending Paul or Allen again, are they?

Casey: No.

Dan: Adrian?

Casey: No.

Dan: That fictitious "Joe" character you keep talking about?

Casey: Yes.

Dan: Good. It's about time I meet your imaginary friend.

Casey: It's been a busy time.

Dan: Uh-huh. Stood me up the first time, and now he's coming by a week late. Fine. I'll show him.

Casey: You're not going to start another fight are you?

Dan: No. I'm just going to remind him about punctuality.

Casey: Okay.

Dan's phone starts to ring.

Dan: That's right. (pause) And I bet this is Joe telling me he can't make it. (picks up the phone) You've reached Dan Rydell. (listens) Rebecca, oh, hi. (listens) Yeah, dinner's still on for tonight. (listens) Yeah, see you there. (hangs up phone)

An attractive blonde knocks on the open door and walk into their office.

Blonde: Dan?

Dan: That's me. (stands up) What can I do for you?

Blonde: Isn't that my line?

Dan: Okay, sure. What can you do for me?

Blonde: Well, what exactly is your problem, Dan?

Dan: Me? I don't have a problem. Wait, did Isaac send you here?

Blonde: No, Casey did.

Dan: Problem? I don't have a problem. Casey, did you say I have a problem? Because I don't have a problem.

Casey: Dan if you use that word one more time, I'll personally put an end to all of your misery.

Casey pushes away his chair and walks to the front of his desk and introduces the two.

Casey: Dan, this is JoAnne, our network administrator. JoAnne, meet Dan Rydell, my partner and constant trouble-maker.

Dan has a look of embarrassment, confusion, relief, and surprisingly pleasant.

Dan: JoAnne... you've come to fix my computer? So you're "Joe"?

JoAnne: Great to finally meet you, Dan. Most people call me 'Jo' for short. I hear you can't get into most Office apps.

Dan: (stunned) Yeah.

JoAnne: Keeps telling you 'path not found' or something like that.

Dan: Yeah, can you fix it?

JoAnne: Sure can. I just find it strange Paul, Allen, or Adrian couldn't fix it.

Dan: Yeah.

Dan is mesmerized by the thought of a techie being a female- albeit a gorgeous blonde woman- who was looking fabulous in her blue jeans.

JoAnne sets down her equipment on Dan's desk, and pulls a laptop out of its case. She connects a set of wires from her laptop to Dan's computer.

JoAnne: Mind if I use your seat?

Dan: Oh, no. Sure. Here you go.

Dan moves out of the way and offers his chair to JoAnne. She takes a seat and quickly gets to work.

JoAnne: Anything else not working properly?

Dan: Uh... I'm not sure.

JoAnne: Let's check for corrupted extensions. I'll just trash these. They'll go back to their initial settings when we reboot. It looks like you have a conflict here. Hmmmm... this won't work when you have all these games on here. I'm going to have to delete these since you shouldn't have them to begin with. I'll also rebuild your desktop. Wait a sec. You don't have enough memory going here also. This will just take a sec... okay there. That's done. Let me check any recent e-mails for any viruses. Good boy, you don't have any suspicious files.

Dan takes a seat on the corner of his desk. JoAnne reboots his computer.

Dan: Okay.

JoAnne: Some of your control panels were turned off. (in a mocking tone) Dan you should never be turned off.

Dan: Yeah.

Casey audibly stifles a giggle at Dan's frozen face, amazed that he's finally found a woman who can cause the great Dan Rydell to be speechless.

JoAnne: I upgraded the Office software last night. You didn't have enough storage space due to your extra... programs. It couldn't receive the upgrade. You should be okay when it comes back up in a minute. Call me if you have any more problems.

Dan's phone rings. Dan just sits there. It rings a second and a third time.

JoAnne: Your phone is working fine. Are you going to get that?

JoAnne gets up and walks over to Casey's desk to work on his problem with e-mail.

Dan: Yeah. (picks up phone) Hello? (pause) Rebecca!

Dan falls off the edge of his desk and the receiver and holder still attached through wires follow him to the floor. CRASH!

Dan quickly bounces back up as Casey and JoAnne start to laugh.

Dan: (on phone) Nothing! It was nothing! I'm all right. (listens) Yeah. Seven-thirty. Yeah. I'm all right. (listens) I'm sure. I'll see you there. Bye. (hangs up phone)

Casey: You all right?

Dan: Yeah. I'm fine. Thanks, JoAnne, er, Jo.

JoAnne: (to Dan) You're welcome. (to Casey) And this is the address you've been sending it to?

Casey: Yeah, a small 'd', then 'whitaker' with a small 'w' at 'continental-sports-dot-com.'

JoAnne: It looks like it is going through. If it wasn't, you would be getting it sent back to you.

Casey: Oh. Well, thanks then.

JoAnne: Sorry about that, Casey.

Casey: No problem.

JoAnne disconnects the wires joining her laptop and Dan's computer. She slips her laptop into its case, and she gathers the rest of her tools and places them into a briefcase-sized tote made of black cordura fabric. Dan just stands, still amazed at JoAnne.

Casey has a smirk on his face- amused because of Dan's reaction to JoAnne, but disappointed because his e-mail has been going through to Dana.

JoAnne slings the strap of her bag over her shoulder, waves at Casey and says, "Bye,", and turns and winks at Dan as she exits their office.