(The view shows a dingy Motel 6 conference room with a chipped Formica table surrounded by metal folding chairs. A smudged and aged white board – long past white – stands at the front of the room. The Black Sox arbitration-eligible players are listed on the board.
(Around the table sit Sox GM Vic Caleca; Manager Bret Richards; Asst. GM Bill McGuffin; and Bench Coach Ken Jenkins.)
Vic Caleca: So, I think the real question is, do we make an offer to Tim Torres or not?
Bret Richards: (Grumbles something inaudible)
Caleca: Didn’t quite catch that, Bret.
Richards: I said this is bullshit.
Bret Richards
Richards: Not Tim … whatever the hell you decide on him is fine. I don’t care … (gestures around room, where one of the overhead fluorescent lights has started to flicker) … I mean this. All of this.
Caleca: Well, you’re not wrong. But Vinnie’s trying to be frugal with the team’s money.
Richards: You mean our hotshot owner is being a cheap-ass tightwad and he’s showing us no respect.
Caleca (shrugs): Umm ... That would be another way of putting it …
Richards: You know, I’m 71 years old … I’ve made a hell of a good living. I’ve got more than enough to retire on, and I think maybe it’s time.
Caleca: Oh, come on now, Bret. You don’t mean that. The team needs you. I need you.
GM Vic Caleca
Caleca: OK, now. Let’s talk a little about Tim … he did not have the best of years … (he pauses as a cockroach climbs up on the table and starts to skitter across) …
Richards: Yeah … that’s it, I think (stands up and swats at the roach with a rolled up wad of papers, but misses).
Caleca: Jesus.
Richards (grabs his jacket off the back of the chair): Gentlemen, it’s been real, but I think I’m calling it a career. I’ve worked for a lot of franchises over the years, but this really takes the cake. A freakin’ Motel 6 …
New Manager Candidate?
Caleca: Aww, Bret. Come on. Don’t do this.
Richards (shrugs on his jacket and moves towards the door): Sorry, Vic. Don’t mean to leave you in the lurch, but enough’s enough. I’ll call H.R. and get the paperwork started … (he opens the conference room door and pauses a moment) … Goodbye, gentlemen and good luck!
Caleca: God, Bret. What are we going to do about a manager?
Richards (laughs): I think it’s pretty obvious … see if the roach’ll do it (walks out).
Caleca (looks down at the table and the cockroach in the middle, sighs, and speaks directly to the insect): You got an agent?
[Video ends]
