a short scenario

[diallo sekou]

A short scenario 8-25-09

　

　

“Gentlemen , please forgive me for calling this meeting on such short notice.” Sam turns to quickly intercept at the doorway the approach of one of the younger office administrative assistants . As part of her duties she has noticed the select clutch of officials gathering in the conference room . Seeing no one present from administrative staff , and no one clearly available, but herself, from routine she has halted her other assignments to follow the executives into the boardroom .

　

“ No record of this meeting will be required, Ms Peres“, Sam gently informs her with a generously warm smile that does not quite tally with the urgency of his eyes.

　

Ms Peres , a creature of procedure, quickly returns to her desk to continue her work as the doors to the hastily called meeting close. For a few moments, her stomach brings along with her to her workstation, the slight “ out of place” feeling experienced when awareness of peculiarity and three million years of human evolutionary sensibilities, involuntarily meet to hint of some anomaly having occurred .

　

Pushing the odd feeling away, she refocuses on the too numerous and varied secretarial tasks before her that all “must” get done today. Yet her mind’s snapshot of the look in Sam’s eyes is not dismissed , but temporarily filed in the “awkward “ files, with the other miscellaneous deviations that might normally become faded with time.

　

From her seat at the workstation she can no longer hear the muffled voices from inside the closed boardroom. Her curiosity gradually ignores the wide gestures and intense whispers generated by the meeting’s topic of discussion.

　

“ Sources of a ‘highly reliable’ nature have it that ‘our client’ is planning a last comeback . One giant series of extravaganzas to revive his flagging career and punctuate his association with our company. Knowing our client’s gift for the spectacular , this thing could be the media event to end all media events. Knowing the mind of our client--this is likely what he is intending for.

　

　

Gentlemen I do not need tell you that in our position -- this is exactly what we do not need. Our inside sources tell us that our client has informed most of his personal staff to be prepared for an extended European stay. Possibly with Paris , or Berlin as the focal city. Perhaps six months, perhaps as long as a year. He has hired top dance choreographers to create some new routines along with a very famous personal trainer to get his stamina up for the tour .

　

If turnout is sufficient --And in our client’s case, overwhelming turnout is a given --The success in Europe--where he still enjoys huge popularity --could easily build into a tidal swell of hysteria by loyal fans in Asia for an Asian version of ‘The Finale‘. We are talking of upwards of half a billion to one billion people all hoping for a last glimpse of ‘The Emperor of Entertainment” --Hoping to ‘Experience the Enchantment’ one more time before the “Magic man’ retires from active touring. He plans to officially call it “The Finale Fit for a King.”

　

I need not tell you gentlemen what the prospect of such an event could likely mean. Three hundred fifty million Europeans, another half a billion to a billion fans in Asia -- Knowing his thinking , he probably intends to break his own records and set an all time mark in fan turnout that will stand forever-- unbreakable.

　

　

This tour will likely obliterate all previous attendance records for such an event --Records of course, all held by our client after he smashed all previous high points held by the Beatles , Elvis, the Stones -- this thing could easily gross half a billion dollars for our client --not counting CDS and DVDs of the tour --the DVDs on the making of 'the official tour' DVD --the re-release of old hits as the promotional springboard for the new release of some of the hundreds and hundreds of unreleased material --Perfectly good songs that Jonathan has for years refused to let go of and still keeps revising, and squirreled away in his personal studio archives.

　

Add in the percentage money from T-shirt sales, posters , all the fan memorabilia ---The new book and movie deal our sources say Jonathan is already in negotiations for, about this tour and his life --We could be looking at him bringing home a billion dollars in revenue, when this thing is done.

　

With that kind of money, he could solve his cash flow problems , pay off his rather sizable debts and shore up the many leaks in his financial ship of state. This could save his personal empire and solve his present financial difficulties.

　

Since the lawsuit and acquittal at trial, he’s already signed a deal to sell half interest in his “Fantasyland Palace”. He refuses to live there any more --he says the place is ‘forever tainted‘ ruined in his memory. Running that place was his biggest financial liability. His biggest outflow of cash. Now that he has taken care of that, the biggest financial wound is staunched --so to speak.

　

He does not live an extremely lavish life. He doesn’t do the celebrity party scene . Not into the jewelry thing. No string of ornate money-pit mansions eating up his funds. He doesn’t even drive a car. So there’s just functionality there. In his trial the psychologists evaluated him as being very bright and well read, but having the emotional maturity of a ten year old-- He actually sees himself as Peter Pan who will never grow up. But our Peter Pan still holds half the ownership rights to some of the most lucrative music in recorded history ---half of our company’s most valuable catalog of artists . He can sit on his ass-- never sing another note or dance another step and draw seventy-five million a year just from his share of our catalog’s royalties.

　

His partners in the “Fantasyland ‘ venture are looking to turn the ‘palace’ into a mini-theme park ‘slash ‘ petting zoo for children--with plans if this one is successful , to create others around the world bearing Jonathan’s name and likeness-- His share of the proceeds going to benefit his ‘Wish Upon a Star‘ foundation.

　

A few months ago he visited Nevada to catch Celine Dionne’s Vegas act. Our inside sources tell us he spent hours backstage with her , and Toni Braxton --questioning them extensively about ‘What’s it like to perform in Vegas ? --How are the audiences? --How are you treated? ‘

Personally, Jonathan loves Las Vegas. He says he loves the town’s larger than life quality --says it reminds him of himself in that way. “ Sam frowns ,as if annoyed over the years with his client‘s personality.

　

“Our insider sources also tell us he’s been looking into buying a place in the Vegas area--also one in Europe . Probably for relocating to Nevada and working between Vegas and Monaco --he is acquainted with Prince Albert and others of the royal family and has been invited to perform there.

There’s also the mumblings from his family about creating their own family record label--With the possibility of Jonathan on that label-- it would be an instant draw for other artists--of ALL ethnicities --From ALL over the world AND another huge potential headache for us.

　

　

Gentlemen we clearly have a big problem and that problem is Jonathan Munroe. His contract with our company is up for renewal soon. We thought that by not promoting his last album --which musically was his best ever --we could still make a profit from his loyal fans while depriving him of the mega--bucks he gained from his earlier projects.

　

　

Dry up his cash flow --That, with his massive legal fees from the law suits and trial, plus the drain from the upkeep of that fucking circus fantasy he called a home--and the fact he is now the primary support for his failed brothers and elderly parents expensive lifestyles-- We thought that with enough cash flow difficulties on him that he’d do the only thing left that a reasonable person could do --And sell us his share of our company’s catalog .

　

But we are not dealing with a ‘reasonable’ person. We are dealing with Jonathan Munroe --who actually believes all of his own ‘Emperor of Entertainment’ media hype crap--that he helped create. Instead of giving in --He refuses to break--He announces his ‘retirement’ --then plans this huge tour as his comeback and finale--From which he will rake in hundreds of millions --if not a billion dollars ---And then spend his ‘retirement’ time living between Las Vegas and Monaco ---racking up mega millions of bucks like an Elvis, or a Celine Dionne at Caesar’s Palace ---while the endless ‘tour’ of fans---that this ‘finale’ tour will generate --will then flood in from all over the world to the casinos on both continents to see him for the next twenty --thirty years ---till he needs a walker and geriatrics nurse just to do his act .

　

　

To be frank , this guy has become a big problem for us. What he owns is worth more to us than he personally is. He is very unlikely to renew his recording contract with us --thus we lose our biggest star --also we lose that potential goldmine in those hundreds and hundreds of songs from his unreleased archives--And he still holds half of the most lucrative music catalog in recording history.

But, it is common knowledge that this last round of legal proceedings left him an emotional wreck. The tabloids have been having a field day on him. Destroyed his image as a humanitarian --a musician with 'a social conscience' and turned him into ‘ Maniac--Munro ‘ the cartoon caricature. The butt of every late night comedian’s jokes.

　

He doesn’t know who to trust anymore. He’s paranoid. Our inside sources tell us he can’t sleep anymore--You’ve seen him at awards ceremonies--almost a zombie-like quality to his acceptance speeches --totally unanimated. Live-in doctors administering this prescription medicine to make him sleep --that prescription to wake him up --another prescription to make him eat--another to make him go to the toilet--another to make him laugh---This dependency on the prescriptions and the doctors is his vulnerability --“

Sam pauses to judiciously eye each person in the room before continuing.

“It could also be the solution to our problems.” he quietly announces.

“No him --no tour.” he pauses again, mouth drawn into one thin line.

There is silence in the room as Sam again eyes each man .

　

Some look away and give slight nods of the head . Others in the room tacitly stare at their hands .

The sound of water filling a glass , being lifted, emptied and then returned to the table is the only thing that breaks the silence.

“I think we needn’t say any more than that. It‘s unanimous. “

Also, there is a twenty million dollar insurance policy on Jonathan’s life . Our sources inside should be instructed to allow this policy to lapse. In the event of Jonathan Munroe’s--- sudden demise --- the executor of his will is his elderly mother. The family will forget their differences--- for a moment ---circle up the wagons and try to pull together. They should have no large influx of monies to help pay off Jonathan’s debts, or to help his cash flow difficulties. Starved of cash the estate will have to liquidate assets --including the rights to our catalog.

If there are no questions, gentlemen --this meeting is over. “

　

The sudden rush of air as the conference room door opens startles Ms Peres . She looks up from the schedule she is working on for the corporation’s upcoming charity event as the men file past her station ----but none speak , not even to each other --none make eye contact.

　

The sound of their dark suits on the air as they pass brings up feelings that remind her of a time late one summer as a young girl when she was out playing at twilight near hills and trees and witnessing the rush of a clutch of bats leaving den.


Another unexplained page for her “awkward “ files.