Department of Theatre and Film

 LIFE'S TOO SHORT

By Jeff Loehrke 

FADE IN

EXT. MIKE’S QUICK-N-GO PARKING LOT - FRIDAY MORNING

A beat-up 1985 Celebrity Oldsmobile pulls into the parking lot with a nasty ROAR from the muffler, parks. BENNY O’BREIN, a tall clean-cut athletic young man in his early twenties, steps out of the car. He wears the required uniform for a sales clerk: black slacks and a dark-green polo shirt. His name tag dangles from his chest. He walks to the store carrying a white T-shirt...

INT. MIKE’S QUICK-N-GO CONTINUOUS.

He sees co-worker KEVIN SCHAEFFER, a short scruffy athletic young man who is also in his early twenties. He is behind the counter. He wears the same uniform. He leans on the counter with his hands under his chin and elbows.The store is brightly lit, with aisles filled with junk food products and other miscellaneous items. There is candy in front of the counter. Behind the counter, there are tobacco products and cigarettes. The tiled floor is marked with tar footprints and stained with gum.

Benny walks behind the counter.

                    KEVIN
          I hate coming in on Friday’s man.

                    BENNY
          You already did a cash count?

                    KEVIN
               (Unenthusiastically)
          Yep.

Benny puts his extra shirt behind the counter. He begins to check on cigarettes, lottery tickets, etc.

                    KEVIN
          Why does Mike want two clerks on a Friday morning?

                    BENNY
          To keep the other one company.

Kevin CHUCKLES.
Benny’s counting routine comes to where Kevin is standing. Kevin doesn’t move.

                    BENNY
          Heads up man.

                    KEVIN
          Dude, I’ve already did the morning inventory so give it a rest.

                    BENNY
What, you get a little flustered when I’m next to you?

Benny rubs his hand on Kevin’s hamstring. Kevin SNAPS from his position upright with alertness. He pushes Benny’s hand away.

                    KEVIN
          Uncalled for man!

Kevin walks away to the other side of the counter. Benny LAUGHS and continues the inventory check.
He notices the .38 Caliber handgun taped underneath the counter. He stares at it.

                    KEVIN
     Seriously man, didn’t you hear me?  Stop it, you’re starting to act like Quincy. I hate Quincy.

Benny checks the door to see if a customer is coming and turns to face Kevin.

                    BENNY
          Have you ever thought on why we really need this?

Benny points to gun.

                    KEVIN
          To protect us for the ’what if’ happens. Come on you know that.

Kevin walks towards Benny, passes him, reaches over the counter to grab a candy bar.

                    BENNY

          This is a quiet suburb compared to other neighborhoods in the city. You honestly think something like that will happen?

Kevin opens the candy bar, starts to eat, CHEWS with his mouth open.

                    KEVIN
               (Mouth full)
          What are you afraid of man?

                    BENNY

          It makes me uncomfortable. I mean, our average customers are old people,mothers, and little kids. I just don’t  see the need.

Kevin throws the wrapper on the ground. ....

You can find the complete  script of Life's Too Short  by downloading the pdf version of this issue of THE PROJECTOR.