NICK [composing  email]
Job – stuntman.
Age 20. 20?
No. 30, more mature.
Age, 30.
[Sound of alarm]
Ow-ow!!

BRIDGET
Where’s the fire …

ANNIE
It’s the smoke detector!

BRIDGET
I know that!
Where’s the broom?!

Thumping noise

BRIDGET
Oh good, it’s stopped.

ANNIE
I think this was the problem.
Anyone for very hard boiled eggs?

BRIDGET
Nick.

NICK
Eh?

BRIDGET
Are they your eggs?

NICK
Eh?

BRIDGET
I thought so!
What on earth are you doing?
Are you crazy?!

HECTOR [Humming]
Oh, are my eggs ready?

BRIDGET
Oh, your eggs, Hector.

 

NICK
Hector’s eggs, Bridget.
Is he cr-azy?!

BRIDGET
Hector.
The eggs are, erm, ruined.
Perhaps some cornflakes instead?

HECTOR
Thank you, Bridget.

NICK [Mimicking Bridget]
Huh, perhaps some cornflakes instead?!

BRIDGET
What are you doing on our computer anyway?

NICK
… Nothing!
Let’s just say girls, one day you will say 
‘Brad Pitt – urgh!! Pah!! Johnny Depp – urgh!! Pah!! 
Nick from next door – vroom-vroom-vroom!! 
The coolest stunt man in the world!

ANNIE
Oh, you a stunt man!!

NICK
Yep.
I got the job on the Internet.
Well, nearly.
I’m waiting for confirmation.

ANNIE
Oh, how exciting!

BRIDGET
The coolest stunt man n the world - on a moped, right?

NICK
On a Harley-Davidson, actually.

ANNIE
Films!
Those stars!
That money!
Oh! Oh!
Have you seen Carina’s dress in the magazine?
I’d love to have a dress like that.

BRIDGET
Mmm, me too.
It would really suit me.

ANNIE
How much is it?

 

BRIDGET
Oh, let’s see.
Erm …

BRIDGET and ANNIE
How much?

ANNIE
Oh, I’m a student, it’s too expensive for me!

BRIDGET
I’ve got a job and it’s too expensive for me!
We need more money.

HECTOR
Money?
Bridget, Annie, I have something to tell you.

NICK
Hector, don’t!
It’s a secret!
The Romero family, one of the richest families in Argentina.
Keep it a secret. Sssh.

HECTOR
Uh?

NICK
Sssh!

BRIDGET
What’s a secret?

HECTOR
You have been very kind.

BRIDGET
Yes, Hector.

NICK
Ha-ha, ha-ha! I’m sure Bridget and Annie have a little money! Ha-ha!

BRIDGET
Sssh! Nick!!

HECTOR
So I want to, I want to give you some money.

BRIDGET and ANNIE
Yes!

HECTOR
So, I am going – to look for a job.

ANNIE
Oh … that’s  a great idea, Hector.

NICK
Gr-eat!!

BRIDGET
Yeah, we can look for a job on the Internet, can’t we.

ANNIE
OK, here we are, job vacancies.

BRIDGET
Well, let’s see.

ANNIE
Oh well, there’s a job in a launderette.

ANNIE and BRIDGET
Hector!
No!.

ANNIE
And there’s a job as a gardener.
ANNIE
My plant!

ANNIE and BRIDGET
No!
And here’s a job as a cook.

ANNIE and BRIDGET
No.

ANNIE
Wait a minute!
Look at this.
A waiter!
ANNIE
What a great idea!

BRIDGET
Yes!
Ooh, I love good looking waiters!

NICK
Did you say ‘good looking’?
Here I am.

ANNIE
What about Hector as a waiter?

HECTOR
A waiter?

NICK
Yeah, you know [whistles]

HECTOR
Oh, but I don’t know how.

NICK
Oh, don’t worry.
I will teach you!

Telephone rings

BRIDGET
Hello!
Howard!
How are you?!! [Laughs]
Oh, thank you Howard!
Me? Dinner tonight!
Seven o'clock – at the Singing Parrot Cafe, 
OK Howard! Bye Howard!
That was Howard.

ANNIE, NICK and HECTOR
No!

BRIDGET
He’s invited me to dinner tonight, 
because he wants to – talk to me about a NEW JOB!

HECTOR
Who is Howard?

ANNIE
Bridget’s boss.

BRIDGET
Ah, he is so rich, he’s so clever and he wants to see me!!
He might offer me a promotion!
What shall I wear?
I have nothing to wear!
No, wrong!

NICK
Huh!

BRIDGET
So last season.

NICK
Bet Howard can’t ride a motorbike.

BRIDGET
Nope!

ANNIE
… He does give Bridget promotion, 
although I have heard – Howard has a nickname!

BRIDGET
What was I thinking?!

NICK
What?

 

ANNIE [whispers]
An octopus!

NICK
An octopus?!

HECTOR
Oh, the octo-pus!

NICK
Is he meeting her alone?

ANNIE
Yes.
No, no!
Bridget needs help!

HECTOR
We must stop her!

NICK
I have an idea.
Why don’t you eat here?

BRIDGET
No!

ANNIE
Yes, then we can both talk to your boss about your new job!

BRIDGET
Where, here?
No, no way.

NICK
I could cook for you!

BRIDGET
Huh!
Definitely not, no!

HECTOR
And I could be your waiter!

BRIDGET
Mmm.

HECTOR
I want  to be your waiter.

BRIDGET
Yeah, OK then, but be serious!

NICK
But don’t worry, we will help you get your promotion.
Leave it to us!

 

ANNIE [composing  email]
‘Nadia.
Hector wants a job.’

HECTOR
I am going – to look for a job.

ANNIE
‘But it’s difficult.
What can he do?
He can’t work in a launderette and he can’t work as a gardener.’
ANNIE
My plant!

BRIDGET
Hmm. [Composing  email]
‘He can’t work as a cook, but then we saw the job for Hector, a waiter.’

HECTOR
A waiter?

NICK
Yeah you know. [Whistles]
[Composing  email] 
‘And Bridget’s boss, Howard wants to take her out to dinner tonight.
I wonder why?’

NICK
OK, Hector, you are the waiter, so you must set the table.

HECTOR
Yes, I have set the table, but there is one problem.

NICK
A problem?

HECTOR
The table is too small.

NICK
The table is too small?

HECTOR
Yes, look.

NICK
Hector, this is set for twelve courses!

HECTOR
Dinner at home is always like this.

NICK
Oh yes!
You are a million…  [whispers] You are a millionaire.
This is just a little dinner for Bridget’s boss – OK?

HECTOR
OK.

NICK
OK.
I am a customer!

HECTOR
Where would you like to sit?

NICK
Hmm.
Here.
[Clears throat]

HECTOR
Oh, I … … …
The bill.

NICK
Not yet!
The menu first!

HECTOR
Oh, sorry, erm … [clears throat]
The menu.

NICK
Forget the menu.
What have you got today?

HECTOR
To eat?

NICK
To eat.

HECTOR
Today, as dish of the day, I have a delicious hot cat.

NICK
A hot cat?!
That’s a hot dog.

HECTOR
Ah! Hot cat, hot dog!
[Laughs] … Cat, hot … [Laughs]

NICK
Oh no!

ANNIE

Oh, how’s it going?

HECTOR
Great!
Nick is a good teacher.

ANNIE
Let’s see.

NICK
Ah-ah, Hector’s cafe is now closed.

HECTOR and ANNIE
Oh!!

Sound of knocking on door

ANNIE
I’ll get it.

DELIVERY MAN
Delivery, Miss Evans and Miss Taylor.

ANNIE
Oh, Thank you!
Bridget, look!

BRIDGET
Oh!
[Reading card] ‘For lovely Annie from H.’

ANNIE
For beautiful Bridget from H.
Who’s H?

BRIDGET
Oh, it must be Howard!
Oh, what is it!

ANNIE
Oh, Bridget!
Look, it’s Carina’s dress!
But how did he guess?!

BRIDGET
Oh, he’s a clever man!
Anyway, it’s not Carina’s dress now, it’s Bridget’s dress!
Oh, thank you Howard!

ANNIE
Oh Bridget, isn’t your boss kind!
But, why did he buy me one?

BRIDGET
Oh, I’ve told him all about you!

BRIDGET [composing  email]
‘Chrissy, Howard, my boss is coming to dinner!’

BRIDGET
Me, dinner, tonight!
‘He wants to talk to me about a new job.
I’m so excited.’

BRIDGET
He’s so clever and he wants to see me!
‘He even sent me a dress!’

BRIDGET
Thank you Howard! Ah!

NICK [composing  email]
His nickname is The Octopus.

HECTOR
The octopus!

NICK
Ugh!
‘Anyway -  Hector and I will prepare 
and serve a good dinner this evening.’

NICK
We will help you get your promotion.

Sound of eggs being beaten

BRIDGET
[Clears throat]

NICK
Wow!

BRIDGET
OK, Nick?!

NICK
Yeah.
Hot.
The soup, hot.

HECTOR
Ah-ah-ah-ah.
The soup is  hot.

NICK
Thank you Hector.

Sound of knocking on door

BRIDGET
He’s here.
Good evening Howard.

HOWARD
Ah Bridget, my princess!

BRIDGET
Please come in.

HOWARD
Bridget, you look divine.
Oh, this must be An-nie.
Are you sisters?
Such beauty!

Laughter

HOWARD
The dresses are exquisite!

ANNIE
Oh …

BRIDGET and ANNIE
… Thank you.

BRIDGET
Thank you.

HOWARD
Don’t thank me, it’s a privilege!

ANNIE
Oh and this of course is Nick.

NICK
Hi.

BRIDGET
And this is Hector.
He’s from Argentina.

HECTOR
Hello.

HOWARD
Argentina.
Do you have a cow?

HECTOR
Two million!

HOWARD
What?

HECTOR
My parents own two million cows.

BRIDGET
Ah yes, thank you Hector.
Hector’s English is a little …

 

HOWARD
Weird!
Never mind, ‘Ector.

HOWARD
So Bridget [ooh] what a beautiful apartment, for a beautiful lady.

Banging noise

HECTOR
Dinner is served!

NICK
Hector, go on!

HECTOR
Today, we have sick pea soup.

HOWARD
Mmm, sick pea soup, my favourite!

BRIDGET
Chick pea, chick pea!

HECTOR
[Erm] Chick pea soup.

HOWARD
[Laughing]
This guy is great!
Where did you find him?!
Sick pea soup! [Laughs]
Mind you, it does look like – ugh! [Laughs]
Sorry Nick!

HECTOR
Main course.
Teeth casserole.

HOWARD
Teeth casserole?

BRIDGET
Beef, beef.

HECTOR
Oh sorry, beef casserole!

HOWARD
I bet the beef is as hard as teeth!
[Laughs]
A dinner with bite!
Oh! Sorry, Nick!
So Bridget, you would like a better job?

BRIDGET
Well Howard, I, I …

HOWARD
Are you willing to work harder,  hah?

HOWARD
You stupid idiot!

HECTOR
Sorry, erm … !

HOWARD
And Bridget, with your good looks …

NICK
What a creep!

HOWARD
Ay! It’s cold!
‘Ector!
I want hot coffee!

HECTOR
He wants hot coffee.

NICK
Then he will have hot coffee!

HOWARD
So – by the age of twenty [snoring noise] 
I had fifty people working for me.

BRIDGET
Fascinating!

HOWARD
My father said [snoring noise] – 
if you want more money, you must work hard!

HOWARD
Ay!
You have poisoned me!
You fool, you stupid boy!

ANNIE
Stupid!

BRIDGET
Don’t you dare talk to my friend Hector like that!

HOWARD
Oh, what is he?
Is he your boyfriend or something?!

BRIDGET
He is – 
A kind and clever and lovely man, 
which is something that you will never, ever be!
So you can keep your job, you creep!

 

ANNIE
And we’ll send you back the dresses!

HOWARD
What dresses?

BRIDGET
Oh, these dresses, the ones you bought Annie and me!

HOWARD
I did not buy those dresses.
I would not spend money on you!
Hah!

BRIDGET
Goodbye Howard!

HOWARD
You’ve lost your job!

BRIDGET
Well too late, I quit!!

Sound of door slamming/applause

NICK
Howard said he did not buy the dresses.
So who did?

BRIDGET
If ‘H’ isn’t for Howard?

ANNIE
Then ‘H’ is for Hector!

BRIDGET
You, but why did you buy the dresses?

HECTOR
To say thank you.

BRIDGET
But they’re so expensive.
Where did you get the money?

NICK
[Clears throat]

HECTOR
I – found it.

ANNIE
Well, these expensive dresses must go back to the shop.

ANNIE
Yes they must!
But not until tomorrow.

ANNIE
That’s right, let’s go clubbing!
Come on, Nick! Hector!

BRIDGET
See you later, boys!

NICK
Hector, you are a true, true friend.
Money is not everything.
So, what did you buy me?

HECTOR
What do you think?

NICK
I love you, I love you!

HECTOR
Hmm!
One moment.

NICK
You didn’t buy me a bike, 
you didn’t buy me a bike, 
you didn’t buy me a bike.
You didn’t buy me a bike.

HECTOR
OK!

NICK
Thanks, Hector.
It’s really, really …

HECTOR
It’s OK Nick.

NICK
Hop on, I’ll give you a lift.

HECTOR
Hey …

NICK
Hey, so do you still want to be a waiter?

HECTOR
No, I want to be like you, Nick, a stunt man!

NICK and HECTOR
Aaah!!

COMMENTARY [v.o.]
Next time in EXTRA!
Nick gets a job on TV.
Annie loves watching TV.
And why does Hector want to learn to cook?

EXTRA – don’t miss it!