A

FADE IN.

INT. HOME OFFICE.

Following yesterday's scene - it is the next day, communications are attempted, questions abound, and seems like the same old story. HOLLY and BRAD.

HOLLY

I don't know why I do it.

BRAD

I don't know what to tell you.

HOLLY

You know I love that old grandfather clock.

You were the perfect husband getting someone

to come out to fix it. Surprising me with a

clock guy who shows up as promised and tells

me what he's going to do to get it working again.

A month later, after he comes and puts it all

back together, the friggin' thing stops 4

hours later. He told me not to "panic"

if it stopped. But seriously, WTF?

He was here again and did whatever, and

it ran flawlessly, beautifully, for just over 24 hours.

He asked me to text him a picture of the face of

the clock and the position of the weights.

BRAD

What is he going to do?

HOLLY

He said he'd "bench-tested" it in his shop. OMG.

Where have I heard that before...

BRAD

I heard the chimes but I still can't hear the other one.

HOLLY

I can't help you. I told you to put the ship's

clock next to your ear!

BRAD

I'll refrain from negativity. Hill grilled me on that

this past weekend.

HOLLY Glad you heard him at least, I will appreciate your

restraint.

Anyway, while you were out, we talked on the

phone and he walked me through some tests.

Then conversationally he says he'd performed his

task, I'd paid him fair and square, but his

obligation was to get it working.

#($%! I can't wait to see how long this takes...

Brad is sitting at his desk, staring at his laptop, typing, listening, but not saying anything.

Holly is standing at her desk, looking at Brad, wondering what to think about anything...

The clock chimes in the foyer.

HOLLY

Next time it stops, which I'm sure it will, he's coming

back to take the whole thing, all of it, not just the insides,

to his shop.

This bitterly reminds me of another situation...

Does every restoration attempt have to be so damned hard?

FADE OUT.

Are you kidding me?