INT. HARDWARE STORE - TINUOUS
Peggy and Mrs. Pressmaer, worried.
MRS. PRESSMAN
You tell Maggie.
PEGGY
No, you tell her.
MRS. PRESSMAN
No, no. Youre her best friend.
PEGGY
No.
MRS. PRESSMAN
(holding her
neer)
You know, its just possible that she
hashis yet.
PEGGY
Yeah.
MRS. PRESSMAN
Maybe she hashe paper...
On the ter, they see a copy of USA Today opeo the
article about Maggie.
MRS. PRESSMAN (td)
... Or not!
We follow MAGGIE down the back stairs ihe Hale Hardware
Store, the prettiest, most weling shop of its kind anywhere
in small town USA. Somehow the place ha taken on the spirit of
the owners daughter; both stop and shop-girl radiate brightness,
charm, and possibility. Maggie es down steps with a faucet
handle and goes to an elderly er, MR. PAXTON.
MAGGIE
(bright)
Here we go! Oique hot water
hah the "HOT" still on it,
guarao fit any Ameri Standard
cast iron tub with a four-inch ter
made between 1924 and 1938. In other
words, I think youre out of the
doghouse with Mrs. Paxton.
MR. PAXTON
(amazed)
Hallelujah.
MAGGIE
Alright, Mr. Paxton, Ill put it on
your at.
Maggie rounds the bend, another er, EARL, stands by the
paint mae.
EARL
Maggie.
MAGGIE
(walking past er)
You dont need an air ditioner, Earl,
you just need an atti -- Theres
more in the back.
Maggie steps behind the front ter of the store and takes the
at book out. Her voice trails off as she sees the dour
expression on the faces of her friends.
MAGGIE (td)
What?
Peggy nervously mentions the neer.
PEGGY
(delicate)
So -- Mag -- youve seen this, huh?
MAGGIE
(serious)
Yes, Ive seen it. And I have to say
its the rudest and most offensive...
joke anybodys ever played on me!
To their amazement, Maggie starts smiling.
MAGGIE (td)
You guys! How long did this take you?
Maggie stays amused.
MAGGIE (td)
Whered you get this done?
(laughing)
You creeps! I should disinvite you!
And why did you say seven times? This
is four.
PEGGY
Uh, Maggie, you told us to bachelorette
jokes, so we didnt...
Maggie looks at the stri face of her friends.
MRS. PRESSMAN
Holy moly.
Peggy looks like she is going to cry with sympathy fgie.
Maggie is starting to feel unfortable. She looks down,
dubiously, at the paper.
MAGGIE
Um, you know, now would be a good
moment to tell me this is fake.
(no response)
It wont be funny if y it out.
Okay?
(no response)
Okay, well... I mean, I find out...
Real neers smear. Phoney papers
dont.
She picks up the paper and brushes it against her apron, leaving
an INK SMEAR!!
She nearly kneels over.
MAGGIE (td)
(sitting)
Bag.
Peggy and Mrs. Pressman immediately spring to her side. They
give her a bag to breathe in.
MRS. PRESSMAN
Bag.
CUT TO:
INT. MAGGIES WORKOUT ROOM/GYM - NIGHT
We see Maggie kickboxing in ahe radio is on. She
suddenly stops, yanks Ikes article off the wall, leaves her
workout area and goes to her desk.
ANGLE ON DESK