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Continued from previous page…
CHARLOTTE
Uh- oh, this sounds serious..
I don’t like it when you get
serious. It makes me nervous.
KATHY
I know… I don’t wanna have
to tell you this.
CHARLOTTE
Oh, man… Is it bad?
Is it something you did?
KATHY
Well, yeah, sort of… Me
and somebody else.
CHARLOTTE
Kathy… If this is about you and
Gina sending those male strippers
over to the Glendale Senior Center—
I already know about that.
KATHY
No, no, no, that’s not it…
This is worse. Much worse.
CHARLOTTE
(prepared)
Okay, I’m ready…
Let’s have it.
KATHY
Man, I don’t know where to
start… Maybe I should start
at the beginning.
CHARLOTTE
Okay, fine. Start
at the beginning.
KATHY
Do you remember Marco
Scandella? Our old tax
attorney?
CHARLOTTE
Yes.
KATHY
Were you aware that he
died of cancer?
CHARLOTTE
Yeah, I knew about it.
KATHY
Really? You knew about it?
CHARLOTTE
Of course. His wife told me.
I went to his funeral.
KATHY
You went to his funeral?
Even after you fired him?
CHARLOTTE
Kathy.. In many ways, firing
someone is just a part of doing
business. It’s not the end of the
world… Plus.. you don’t know
the nature of his dismissal…
We just couldn’t come to an
agreement on some things, that’s
all… It’s nothing personal.
KATHY
How come you didn’t tell us
about his passing?
CHARLOTTE
(shrugging)
I… didn’t know that any of you
knew him that well, that’s all…
I didn’t even think about it…
Why? Are you that upset about it?
KATHY
Well, yeah, I knew him…
Belinda knew him…
They went out to dinner
a few times.
CHARLOTTE
I’m sorry, I didn’t think about it…
I went to the funeral, I paid my
respects, and I left.. I didn’t stick
around… I’m sorry, Kathy. I
should have told you.
KATHY
It’s okay.
CHARLOTTE
Is that what this is all about?
You’re upset that I didn’t tell
you about Mr. Scandella?
This is your big news?
KATHY
No, that’s not it… I mean…
That’s just the beginning,
like I said.
CHARLOTTE
Alright, well, keep going.
KATHY
Okay… We got to be good friends…
because he started developing a
big crush on me…
CHARLOTTE
Okay.. He’s a married man, but
that’s okay. You’re a celebrity,
I get it.
KATHY
Right.. so.. because he started to
crush on me.. he thought it was
appropriate to tell me some
information about the business.
CHARLOTTE
(getting suspicious)
Go on…
KATHY
He told me…
CHARLOTTE
Yeah?
KATHY
About the off-shore accounts.
CHARLOTTE
(not sure what to think)
I see…
(pauses)
And what do you think
about that, Kath?
KATHY
I don’t know… I don’t know
enough about big business…
Is this normal?
CHARLOTTE
(pondering)
To a certain degree…
Once again, is this your big
news? Is this what you’re
worried about?
KATHY
Only because he was worried.
CHARLOTTE
Who? Scandella?
KATHY
Yeah… He told me he had to set
everything up…He told me you
wanted to keep it a secret.
CHARLOTTE
(slightly amused)
Kathy… I wanted to keep it a
secret from the world… not
necessarily from you guys…
Is that what this is all about?
You think… You think I was
stealing from you guys?
KATHY
(almost crying)
Well, I don’t know !!
I don’t know what to think…
I don’t want to think that
about you !!
CHARLOTTE
(comforting)
Oh, Kathy…
(hugging)
You don’t have to
think that about me…
You don’t ever have to think
that about me.. Okay?
Look at me… Okay?
KATHY
(sniffling)
Okay.
CHARLOTTE
(hugging again)
So… I’m assuming Scandella
put you up to all of this?
He’s the one that made you
suspicious?
KATHY
Yeah.
CHARLOTTE
I see… Well, you’re forgiven, okay?
I suppose I would be suspicious too…
All this cloak and dagger stuff.
KATHY
So why do you do it?
CHARLOTTE
What? Have off-shore accounts?
KATHY
Yeah.
CHARLOTTE
It’s.. just part of doing business…
Not everyone does it… Only those
that are looking for certain
opportunities.
KATHY
Are you not paying your taxes?
CHARLOTTE
(thoroughly amused)
Oh, trust me! I’m paying my fair
share of taxes! WE’RE paying our
fair share of taxes! You don’t have
to worry about that!
KATHY
Then what’s the point?
CHARLOTTE
Kathy… look… I’ll admit…
the accounts are tax shelters to a
certain degree… but they’re not
necessarily illegal… They’re there…
to make things easier if a certain
business opportunity should present
itself overseas… Do you know
what I mean?
KATHY
I guess so.
CHARLOTTE
Boy oh boy…
Not paying our taxes…
You realize we all live
in California, don’t you?
Happy Valentine’s Day !!!