Rod Weiler - PLAY DEAD - Episode I Collywood

NARRATOR :

Our scene opens in the run down office of Rod Weiler, Private Eye Dog. It's late in the day. Silvery rays of light penetrate through a large, window that faces out on a narrow alley. Rod leans back in his chair, feet propped up on the corner of his cluttered desk. A hooded desk lamp throws a green glow across the desk. The room is sparse with furniture. An old sofa against the far wall, a few scattered chairs, a couple of filing cabinets, and a frayed area rug in the middle of the room. A dog bed sits in a corner next to newspapers spread out on the floor. A glass of booze sits on his desk next to a half empty bottle of Jack Spaniels. There's a pile of papers on his lap as he intently studies the writing on a pad. He absent-mindedly reaches for the glass, stops, checks his watch, and pulls back from the glass.


NARRATOR : Our scene opens in the run down office of Rod Weiler, Private Eye Dog. It's late in the day. Silvery rays of light penetrate through a large, window that faces out on a narrow alley. Rod leans back in his chair, feet propped up on the corner of his cluttered desk. A hooded desk lamp throws a green glow across the desk. The room is sparse with furniture. An old sofa against the far wall, a few scattered chairs, a couple of filing cabinets, and a frayed area rug in the middle of the room. A dog bed sits in a corner next to newspapers spread out on the floor. A glass of booze sits on his desk next to a half empty bottle of Jack Spaniels. There's a pile of papers on his lap as he intently studies the writing on a pad. He absent-mindedly reaches for the glass, stops, checks his watch, and pulls back from the glass.
ROD Damn, quarter to five. (Rod returns to his papers. The door to the reception area opens and Beth Barker, Rod’s secreterrier enters.)
BETH Okay, Mr. Detective, have you cracked the case of the unpaid bills? (Notices the glass of booze) I see, you cracked the bottle instead. You promised to keep the Jack Spaniels in the drawer until after working hours? ROD I’ve got fifteen (checks watch), twelve minutes to go.
BETH Face it, you are a boozehound. Look at this place, it’s a mess. Why do you insist on keeping that old ratty dog bed? ROD So sue me, I’m sentimental. I’ve had that bed since I was a pup.
BETH And why the newspapers? There is a perfectly fine tree and hydrant outside. ROD Hey, emergencies happen.
BETH Right now, we have a financial emergency. (Beth walks around the desk and gazes at the stack of bills) How are we going to pay these bills? And what about me, I work my tail off for what, pupkes. I've eaten nothing but scraps for two weeks. I hate scraps. (There's a knock on a door, off stage) Maybe, that’s my prince, and he’ll take me away from all this.