Walk a Mile in My Shoes
(Jeremy's Perspective)

Disclaimer


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WEDNESDAY, 2 P.M.

Jeremy is on a different floor and walking toward the elevator. He turns around to address somebody.

Jeremy: Don't worry, you two. I'll send Dan right up.

As the elevator doors open, Sally steps out.

Sally: Hey, you.

Jeremy: Hey, Sally. Congratulations on your nomination.

Sally: Why thank you. It's great to be recognized by one's peers. It was good seeing you again.

Jeremy steps into the elevator and pushes a button to go down.

Jeremy: It's Jeremy.

Sally: Excuse me?

Jeremy: My name's Jeremy. Good luck, Sally.

The elevator doors close and Jeremy begins his descent.

She can't be held responsible for not knowing my name. She has her own crew- her own team. I really can't hate her, even though Dana and Natalie despise her. Sally is a different breed- a type who is out for herself. I see it in sports all the time: the free agent goes to the highest bidding team, coaches move on to the next team, franchises release players or blackmail cities for new stadiums and arenas.

The elevator doors open and Jeremy steps out. He makes his way through the newsroom.

Sally will always be Sally, and when a better offer comes along, she will leave. It's difficult to be loyal in a field where loyalty is a scarce trait in the profession.

Jeremy walks into Dan and Casey's office.

Dan: You know I regret what happened.

Casey: A computer personal ad under the wrong category doesn't help.

They're talking about the ad again.

Dan: It was an understandable mistake. Jeremy, tell Casey it was an understandable mistake.

Jeremy: I can't help you there, Dan.

Sure, drag me into this conversation.

Dan: So, I thought the "women seeking men" section was the section where men, who happen to be seeking women, would place their ads.

Jeremy: You failed to recognize the importance of the hyphen.

A hyphen between 'women' and 'seeking' would have made it an adjective modifying men.

Casey: Yes! The hyphen! There was no hyphen. There's a big difference between "women seeking men" and "women hyphen seeking men."

Instead, seeking was a verb, with women being the noun and men being the predicate.

Dan: I said it was an accident.

Casey: I received fifteen e-mails from men wanting to go out on a date!

He got replies?

Jeremy: Fifteen?

Casey: Yes, fifteen men found my personal ad attractive enough to ask me out.

Dan: But that's the wrong section.

Casey: I still received fifteen e-mails.

He got replies from men?

Jeremy: I'm surprised.

Casey: What? Only fifteen men in the tri-state area find me attractive?

Jeremy: Yes.

Dan: You're going to argue this, Casey?

Casey: Yes! I'm darn attractive.

Dan: So you're saying more gay men should be sending you e-mails?

Okay, Casey. Bail out of this argument, please.

Casey: Well... well, yes.

He didn't.

Jeremy: But you're not gay.

Dan: It's the irresistibility of something impossible which should draw them toward Casey.

Casey shrugs his shoulders while looking at Jeremy and Dan.

Dan: You've fallen off the loony bin.

Casey's probably hurt. Let me try to help him feel better.

Jeremy: Let me say, Casey- if I were gay, and I'm not-

Dan: You're not remotely gay.

Casey: I couldn't picture you being gay.

Dan: Or trying to act gay.

Jeremy: -I would find you attractive Casey. And I'm not gay.

I'm going to go out and shoot myself.

The three look out the door, and notice Isaac standing there.

Oh god! Isaac!

Isaac: Is this a bad time? Because I can leave and try to erase the last thirty seconds from my memory banks.

Casey: No, no Isaac. We were just having a discussion.

Dan: Casey was pointing out he should be more attractive to gay men.

Jeremy: And that I would find Casey attractive... if I were gay.

Just shut up. Jeremy, shut up.

Isaac: This is what you are discussing? Dan, don't you have a photo shoot you should be attending?

Oh yeah.

Dan looks at his watch.

Dan: Oh! I'm late!

Jeremy: Which is why I came in here in the first place.

Isaac: But you got sidetracked into talking about Casey and his problems?

Jeremy: Yes.

Dan gets up and sprints from the office.

Dan's going to the photo shoot, and since Isaac is here...

Jeremy: I've got news for you also, Isaac.

Isaac: Good. Let's talk in my office.

Jeremy and Isaac leave the room.

-----

FRIDAY, 6:15 P.M.

In the conference room sit Isaac, Dana, Jeremy, Casey, Bobbi, Kim, Elliott, Dave, Chris, and Will. They are wrapping up the 6 o'clock rundown.

Dana: Okay, everybody. It looks like we have a good show for this evening. Kim get back with me on Arizona State. Everybody else keep me posted on any other changes.

Everybody starts to gather their notes.

Dana: Ahem. I also think this would be a good time to give our ideas to Isaac.

Isaac: That's correct. I need them by today, so I can present them on Monday.

Everybody settles back into their seats.

Dana: Okay, we're going to just go around the room. Will?

Will: You're starting with me?

Dana: Yes, I am.

Will: You initiated this.

Dana: And I'm asking you for your ideas on how to improve the show.

Will: Okay. Here's what I think: we can invest in better graphics.

Chris: That was my idea.

Will: Well, I got to go first.

Chris: Something a little flashier.

Will: Something hip.

Something with shape and texture would grab the viewers.

Dana: Okay. Chris and Will suggest new graphics to help the show. Dave?

Dave: A new set wouldn't be so bad. Changing the appearance would help out.

Something bright and modern.

Dana: Okay. Dave wants a new set. I've got down new graphics and a new set. Elliott?

Elliott: Better food.

What?

Dana: Better food?

Elliott: Yeah. Something different. We always have the same snacks. A little variety wouldn't hurt. Bagels one day, fruit the next.

I pig out enough here. I don't need any more incentive to gain weight.

Dana: Okay, any ideas. We want any and all ideas. Bagels and fruit. Kim?

Kim: Duh. New contracts. It would be good to know if we had some job security around here.

Dang, she's right.

Dana: Okay. Kim wants contracts.

Dana taps her pencil on the table.

Dana: Knowing we all have jobs will make us work harder and better.

Kim: And with more pride.

Dana: Got it. Bobbi?

Bobbi: You're putting me on the spot here.

Dana: That's right. Dan's off tonight. And Natalie, too.

Bobbi: But I do have an idea.

Dana: Oh, okay. Shoot.

Bobbi: How about one of those scrolling scoreboards on the bottom of the television screen?

I think they are creating those capabilities right now. It's being installed with our new wireless system.

Dana: Hmmm. That's good. Scrolling scoreboard. Casey?

A staff member walks in and hands Isaac a note. Isaac reads the note.

Isaac: You'll have to excuse me for a moment. I have something I need to attend to.

Isaac gets up from the table.

Dana: Any thing wrong, Isaac?

Isaac: Oh, don't worry. These are good ideas. Be sure to collect the rest of them Dana and pass them onto me.

Dana: I'll see you in a bit.

Isaac leaves the room.

Dana: Okay, back to Casey.

Casey: I say everybody do the show naked.

Okay, Dan's right. He has fallen off the loony bin.

Dana: Seriously, Casey.

Casey: I don't think there's any area we need to improve.

Dana: Casey, we're the number three network. I think there is room for improvement.

Casey thinks for a moment.

Casey: Okay, let's change the format.

Dana: What's wrong with the format?

Casey: See? There's nothing to improve with the format.

Dana: Spit it out, Casey.

Casey: Okay. How about changing it so we don't have a commercial right after the opening teaser. Have the commercials before the intro, that way we can go right into the show after the teasers.

Okay, maybe he hasn't fallen off, but he seems to be dangling lately.

Dana: Now that wasn't so hard was it, Casey?

Casey: I still like the nakedness better. It shows the audience we aren't hiding anything.

Dana: Let me also right down my idea: random drug testing... starting with the anchors. Jeremy?

My turn.

Jeremy: Let's open fifteen minutes of each broadcast to the callers. Dan and Casey choose the subject, and they interact with the callers.

More viewers will watch if they can interact with the anchors.

Dana: Okay, got it. That's it everybody. We'll meet back at ten.

Everybody gets up to leave.



Select another one of the characters below to start "their story":

Casey

Dan

Dana

Isaac

Natalie