LOTTERY EPISODE #5
Erin Culpepper for Maggie - Lead Role
Word Count = 1,180
Early to mid-30s. Single. Excitable. Impulsive. A dreamer. She and her friend, Grace, are paralegals in a major law firm. It’s a tough job. They work hard and are subject to the whims of their bosses, which grates on her. She’s beginning to wonder if it’s a dead-end position but has no plans to leave, as yet. She and Grace play the lottery religiously. They hope against hope that it’s their ticket out of their drudge-filled jobs and the means to open up a pet-grooming/wine bar establishment, called Pups’N’Sups. Maggie has had relationships but is single now. Probably her ex’s initiated some of the breakups.
- english
- female adult
Maggie is talking excitedly to Grace and fantasizing about their apparently having won the lottery. MAGGIE: Can you believe it? I’m still pinching myself. Our ship … our beautiful 14-karat-gold, no, rhodium-coated, [row-dee-uhm-coated] ship has finally come in. Sailed straight into the harbor. GRACE: Our ship? MAGGIE: (ignoring Grace) I’m going big. I’m ditching my tiny apartment, first thing. Gonna buy a house. A huge house... Gated community. Super exclusive ... Vacation home, too. Down the Shore. With a big pool. Gotta have a pool!… And a car.
Maggie reacts angrily when Grace, after their lottery numbers are drawn, says she forgot to buy a ticket: Maggie: What’s with you, Grace? You stroking out? Got an aneurism? First, you forget to buy the lottery tickets. Now, you forget your fifty-dollar water bottle in my car. … What’s next? You gonna forget to dress? When I pick you up for work tomorrow, you coming to the door in bra and panties?
Hurrying to respond to a lawyer’s demand, Maggie bumps into a slightly opened drawer in Grace’s desk and makes a shocking discovery. Grace is not present. MAGGIE: Ouch! You forget to close the desk drawer, too!? (she tries to close the desk drawer, but with no success.) Why won’t this damn thing shut? … (she struggles some more, pulling the drawer back and forth, and sees a business sketch) Aww, Pups’N’Sups. I still think it’s a good idea. (she grabs an envelope in the drawer and finds the winning lottery ticket, which Grace claimed she didn’t buy) Wait. … Why, you sneaky little …! Forgot to buy the ticket, my butt. You lied to my face! You’re holding out on me! ... (mocking tone, mimicking Grace) I’m sorry. … I made a mistake… Bullcrap! … Pull one over on me, will you? Well, my friend, I’ve got a surprise for you.
