Writing Exercise: Famous Scene Reimagined

This week's writing exercise was to take a famous scene from a book or movie and re-purpose it in an entirely different genre. I chose to be a little obtuse about this assignment. The scene is there, as far as the dialogue structure and theme are concerned, but it might be tough to identify. Once we have shared them next week, I'll spill the beans on the source material. This is first and only draft. My apologies for grammatical or structural problems.

Anyway, onward.

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“Just this way, Ms. Nayson, Ms. Chang.” The secretary said, holding open the conference room door. The room still smelled like new paint and carpeting. The secretary poured each of them a glass of water. “Mr. Mayhew apologizes that he’s running late. He’ll be in shortly.”

Idra and Renee sat down at on one side of the polished table, leaving a chair between them. Idra immediately picked up a pen and tapped on the notepad already lain out in front of her. She wrote the words “Digital Abstractions” at the top of pad and turned it to showing her work to Renee.

“Finally here,” she managed with a smile.

“Finally here,” Renee replied.

“Oh!” Idra said, and opened her laptop case. She brought out her copy of the contract and plopped it on the table. She flipped through the myriad pages -- several of which were creased and covered in multi-colored post-it notes. “Can we go over the section on royalties again? I’m still not sure about the numbers in the part about post-merger shares in titles we previously made.”

“Id?” Renee said stiffly, her hands in her lap. “I’m not signing.”

There was a pregnant pause. “...What?”

“I’m not signing my contract. I’m...” Renee bit her lip. “I’m giving my share in the studio to you and James.”

Idra was frozen -- like someone witnessing an unstoppable car wreck. Somewhere in the office there were muffled laughs and doors opened and closed. At last she found her voice. “But...but what about the deal? All our work? All *your* work?”

“This,” Renee gestured at the office, “isn’t me, Id.” She ran her fingers through her hair and let it fall in a mess. “Anyway, I’ve decided.”

“Well them I’m not signing either.” Idra threw down her pen. “I thought when we went everything last night that you were as excited about this as I was.”

Renee shrugged. “Vodka shooters sometimes have that effect on me. Anyway, you are signing. It’s what you’ve always wanted. If you don’t sign, you’ll regret it, and I’m not having that on my conscience.”

“Oh come on, Ren,” Idra laughed. “We said we were going all the way with this thing. Don’t back out now.”

Renee looked out the window and over the streets of the East Village. It was late afternoon and the commuter crowd was starting to gather. “It was fun, Id. Really. I’m just not cut out for the big time.”

James Mayhew entered the room with a casual smile. He wore a suit, but still managed to look like he’d just gotten out of bed. “Hey. Glad you’re here so early. Ready to become the hottest new studio in New York with me?”

Renee smiled and walked over to him. “I’m sorry, Jimbo.” She kissed him on the cheek. “You and Idra are going to be doing this one without me.”

“Ren?” James looked endlessly puzzled, and for some reason seeing that confused look on his face amused Renee. He looked just like he had in college when the three of them were struggling with a production problem on their final project.

“Ren,” Idra frowned and moved to the other side of the table to stand next to James. “You don’t have to do this.”

“Yeah,” Renee laughed. “I kinda do.” She turned toward the lobby. ”Good luck guys. I’m sure it’ll be an awesome trip,” she said, and walked out of the conference room with a small wave.

* * *

Renee stepped out into the New York afternoon, and Johnnie was waiting for her, hands in his pockets. He had a toothpick in his mouth, but when he saw her come out the door, he spit it out. “That was fast,” he said as he jogged up to meet her.

Renee nodded.

“So you actually did it, then?” Johnnie seemed impressed.

“Sure looks like it,” said Renee, looking up at the fifth story of the building she had just exited. The sun was shining right on the windows of the office, so she couldn’t see in.

“Well, How about a coffee,” asked Johnnie. Renee turned to see him sporting the kind of silly grin that made him look fourteen.

“Sure,” she smiled in return. “That sounds perfect.“ They turned down 12th Street, and the sun shone down the Manhattan sundial, warming their backs as they walked.