The Swindler

“THE SWINDLER” By ABDULLATIF AHMED

TECHNICAL UNIVERSITY OF KENYA DEPT. JOURNALISM AND MASS COMMUNICATION ACJI/05607/2013S abdullatifahmed0@gmail.com

FADE IN:

INT. COFFEE SHOP- DAY

WILLIAM, a short fat man with a bulging stomach walks in. He is wearing a sleek black suit with gold watch, on his neck a gold chain, visible because he has unbuttoned the first two buttons of his tieless shirt. On his right hand three smartphones and on his left hand a car key. Behind him is ABIGAIL, a tall light lady with a thick wobbly bums. She is wearing a short tight dress that is exaggerating her posterior and on her hand a black suitcase.

WILLIAM

Let’s go sit at that corner, yes, yes there.

They walk to the corner booth and take a sit. William takes one of his phones and makes a call.

WILLIAM

You said you were at the coffee shop, where are you? I do not entertain lateness, I’m on a tight schedule young man.

VOICE (O.S)

Sorry sir, I am at the coffee shop, upstairs.

WILLIAM

What are you doing there? Come downstairs at the corner booth.

He hangs up the phone immediately.

WILLIAM

(Gently nodding his head sideways)

These recruits.

JAMES, a young campus student hurriedly walks towards the corner booth with a bag.

JAMES

Good afternoon sir, I’m sorry for being late.

He shakes William’s hand and then shakes Abigail’s hand and gives her a stare.

WILLIAM

It’s okay son, as long as you made it, take a sit. And I don’t like to be called sir, my name is William but people I work with call me Bill. And I hope you will be one of them.

JAMES

It would be an honor to work for you sir, I mean Mr. William. 

WILLIAM

Hehe! My P.A here read your CV and she was impressed. And believe me it’s hard to impress her. But as for me I don’t look at the papers, I look at the person, does he look trustworthy does he act the same. Looks alone can be…

A waiters suddenly comes an interrupts him.

WAITER

Excuse me, what can I get you?

WILLIAM

Oh yes I’m starving, get me a mushroom fillet steak, and I hope it comes with good chips. Yes, and what will you have James?

James quickly looks at the menu.

JAMES

Just house coffee for me please.

WILLIAM

That’s it? Eat boy, I don’t work with hungry people. Bill’s on the boss.

JAMES

Well then I’ll also have a beef burger please.

The waiter then looks at Abigail who just shakes her head to indicate she’s okay.

WAITER

Well then a mushroom fillet, one house coffee and a beef burger coming right up.

The waiter walks away.

WILLIAM

So where was I? Oh yeah your CV is good but do you have the equipment and skills for the job?

JAMES

I have the laptop with the right specifications and the hard disk but I could not find the software you specified in the ad.

WILLIAM

That’s not a problem just give it to Abigail and she will install it for you right now.

James opens his bag and removes a laptop and a hard disk and hands it to Abigail who opens the black briefcase and removes a flash disk and inserts it in the laptop.

ABIGAIL

Oh, this laptop can’t install the software directly, it needs the converter.

WILLIAM

It’s in the car, go get it.

ABIGAIL

I can’t unplug the laptop. It will interrupt the process and we could lose data.

WILLIAM

Abigail, why do you complicate things, just take the laptop to the car and install it from there.

Abigail takes the briefcase and James’ laptop and walks away. The waiter brings the food, William and James discuss while eating. Then suddenly William’s phone rings.

WILLIAM

Hello engineer. I hope you are calling me to say the project is ready. No, no, no. I cannot take this. I don’t care what the bank says, I’m losing millions here.

He hangs up the phone.

WILLIAM

These people want to bankrupt me James. The more that project is delayed the more millions I’m losing. That’s money I could have been giving fellows like you who are willing to work.

The phone rings again.

WILLIAM

Let me sort this.

JAMES

Yes boss.

William walks out of the table talking to the phone and goes out of view. He leaves behind two phones on the table. James continues to eat his burger.

After a long while the waiter returns with the bill, neither William nor Abigail is in sight. James inspects the bill, it reads Ksh1950. He is comforted by the fact that William left behind two of his phones.

More time elapse, the waiter comes to clear the table. James is now worried and decided to take a close inspection of the two phones, the screens are made of paper, they are replicas!

JAMES

My laptop! My laptop! Oh no.

It finally hits him, he has been the victim of the swindler.  

FADE OUT:

The End