Week 31, Day 214 - “Stop SHOUTING"

“Stop SHOUTING”
Written by Joe Janes
8/20/09
214 of 365

CAST

Mel, 20s

Julie, 20s

Cal, 40s

Evelyn, 60s

Viv, 30s

Bruno, 30s

(Lights up on a crowded El train. We see Mel getting on and sitting. Down the way and across the aisle from him in another seat is Julie with headphones on. Cal, a businessman, stands reading a newspaper. Evelyn, an older woman with a shopping bag sits next to her adult daughter, Viv. Bruno, in a red beret and white t-shirt, stands near the door. Mel sees Julie and texts something to her and sends it. Julie gets the text on her iPhone, reads it and smiles over at Mel. She sends something back. He reads it and smiles and sends something back to her. She reads it and texts something back to him. He looks offended.)

MEL

Hey. There’s no need to shout.

JULIE (taking off her headphones)

What?

MEL

There’s no need to shout!

JULIE

I didn’t shout. I texted you.

MEL

You used all caps. Shouting.

JULIE

Oh, no, I just really meant what I said. I wasn’t shouting.

MEL

All caps. Shouting?

CAL

Yep. Shouting.

MEL

All caps?

VIV

Shouting.

EVELYN (to Julie)

There’s no need to be so rude.

JULIE

I wasn’t shouting. If I wanted to shout, I would have used an exclamation point.

MEL

Punctuation. Great. Treat me like I’m stupid.

JULIE

All caps does not mean shouting. If I used all lowercase letters would I have been whispering?

MEL

Yes.

VIV

It’s more intimate.

EVELYN

Good for naughty talk.

BRUNO

Gotta watch the all caps, lady. I once sent out an all-office e-mail that was all caps. Didn’t even realize it. I had the “caps lock” button on. Upset a lot of people that day. Some of them went home crying. Ended up having to send out an apology e-mail. Still, got the cold shoulder from most everyone for weeks. Weeks. Ended up leaving because no one would talk to me.

(Julie starts texting, again. The train stops.)

MEL

Looks like I’m going to get an apology. (Julie hits the send button and walks off the train. He reads the e-mail.) Or at least a suggestion on where I can effectively store my Blackberry. It won’t fit there!... She knows that.

(He goes back to texting. BLACKOUT)