April's 12 of 12

Okay, so this is my first time doing the "12 of 12". If you want to know more about it, check out Chad Darnell's blog and rules for the experience.

OPENING TITLES

"The Three Pleasures"

EXT - BURBANK - 5:51 AM

The man stepped out into the morning air. He was on his way to his job, a job that was slowly sucking the life out of him, like a hover to shag carpet. He leashed up his dog, Max, and headed out into the sepia night. This would be the one of the three pleasures that would keep this man alive, if only for one more night.


INT - STARBUCKS - 6:14 AM

With his eyes still blurry from the eye sleep that rolled around the top of his pupil, he walked into the local coffee shop and ordered his regular, a Grande Coffee Frap No Whip. Sure, he thought, it was not a creative drink but it would do the trick. Along with his wife, he was now prepared to drive the 25 miles to his own personal hell.

INT - OFFICE - 6:51 AM

As the man turned into his cubicle, he noticed a friendly face. Sure, Jesus Lazarus had once again survived the hard, florescent lights that brought out his red fins and green rocks, but how many days were left until JL leaped from his 'cubicle' and ended it all? We would all have to wait till tomorrow. The man sat at his cubicle and started to work.



INT - OFFICE - 8:22 AM

After working over an hour on everything from Online Sudoku to Online Freecell, the man had forgotten the pain and torture he had to endure the following evening when he witnessed Haley Scarnato voted off of the highest rated karaoke show in the history of karaoke shows. Eight weeks...she lasted eight weeks. Sure, it was her time to go, but he could only imagine the joy he would feel when Sanjaya was finally out of his life. Time to get back to work and find that free Online Solitaire.



INT - OFFICE - 9:02 AM

The quiet of the office suddenly left and the hustle and bustle of work was finally coming in. As cubicle upon cubicle started to fill up, he realized that it was time to get down and start working. He began to finally get the hang of using the two monitors that were recently installed into his tower, and it sure made it look like he knew what he was doing. He thought to himself: "How much longer can I keep up this charade?" As it turned out, it would not be a charade today. He would have to work, and work hard.

INT - OFFICE - 11:21 AM

Taking questions from the Chief Marketing Executive to the Mailroom Clerk, the man realized that this day would be the day that his forehead had skipped right to a six-head. He figured it would be a good time to go to lunch, before the next employee walked up to him and had to experience his wrath. He called his wife and a co-worker to see if they would be able to join him. They were ready...they walked to the elevators and were out in the fresh air...

INT - RESTAURANT - 11:52 AM

As they exited the building, the strong, cold wind hit them like a steroid-filled Jose Canseco hitting a home run. The three fought the winds to get to Callender Grill where the man ordered a Lemon Chicken Piccata Florentine. This would be the second pleasure he would experience today, one to make him keep on keeping on. With a smile on his face, he weathered the wind back to work. Would the vacant feel come back once he walked off the elevator?


INT - OFFICE - 12:36 PM

Yes...yes it would.

The rest of the afternoon would be uneventful, just how he wanted it to be. Looking out the 7th story window at 3:00 PM, he noticed that the winds had not died down. It looked like his wife would be joining him on surface streets all the way home. He was not going to even try to fight the 405 traffic with autos being pushed around at the high speed of 15 mph. He just hoped that his dog was not freaked out from the high winds beating on his apartment walls.


EXT - BURBANK - 4:29 PM

The man and his wife pulled up to their apartment and notice all the foliage that used to be connected to the trunk of the trees now laying all over the street and sidewalk. He followed his wife up the stairs hoping that his dog was not cowering in the corner of their apartment.


INT - APARTMENT - 4:32 PM

There was Max, sitting there waiting for the two of them to come home to let him outside and finally relieve himself. If only they would hurry up and stop taking photos of him. The man took his dog's cue and out they went to see what other damage they could find.

EXT - BURBANK - 4:55 PM

It was hard to find a sidewalk where there were not tree limbs that either had to be walked around or moved out of the way. In the back of his mind, he kept wondering if the wind that was still blowing would break another limb off the trees and send it hurdling down onto his head. He could feel a headache starting; thank God Max had just finished his business and it was time to get back into the safe confines of his four walls.

EXT - PARKING LOT - 5:25 PM

His joy was short lived as he had promised his wife that today would be the day they would step into the insane asylum called Costco. The two jumped into the car and quickly got to the store. The shopping list was short but the store was big...they gave themselves one hour to get in, shop, and get out...would they be successful? They would, and this would give the man his third and last reason until he closed his eyes tonight. And that smile would leave as he looked at the bill...


INT - GROCERCY STORE - 5:52 PM

"How could someone spend so much in such a short time?", the man thought. Well, there goes his Frap for the next couple of days. He thought about the Jello Pudding on the list and tried to figure out if he could make his own Frap using one of these, but, alas, he knew he couldn't. Since he had used up all three of his pleasures, he decided to put his camera down for the day...a day that would repeat itself all too soon in the near future.

END TITLES

CREDITS (BONUS PHOTO WORD "PUPIL)

Reading the above story, I don't want anyone to think that my life is miserable. I am married to a beautiful woman who makes me smile and laugh everyday. This photo is sort of a tribute to her since my "pupil" shot is from a Happy Meal toy that she got from McDonald's. All my toys are from her Happy Meals, and they make me "happy" every time I look at them because they remind me how lucky I am to have her in my life. I love you, Robin.