A short film about a young woman’s struggle to do her job when it comes at the price of another.
INT. MCDONALD’S – Day
AVA, a 20 year-old McDonald’s employee, stands behind the counter and chews bubble gum. Her boss, CLARICE, approaches and shoves her shoulder. She stumbles into the counter.
CLARICE
Don’t you have work to be doing?
AVA
I thought I was working.
CLARICE
I don’t pay you to stand there
doing nothing. Go wipe off the
tables or something.
Ava takes a rag from her apron pocket. Clarice blocks her.
CLARICE
And while you’re at it, throw out
that hobo. This isn’t a charity.
Clarice moves out of the way, and Ava steps out from behind the counter. She sees JARED, a middle-aged man in layers of old, dirty clothing. He slumps in the corner of a booth.
Ava begins wiping down a table across the restaurant from Jared. She looks back at the counter and sees Clarice jerk her head in Jared’s direction. Ava quits cleaning the booth and walks up to Jared. She twists her rag in her hands.
AVA
Sir, are you planning on buying
something today?
Jared quickly wipes a pile of coins, a few pennies and a dime, off the table and puts them away in his coat pocket.
JARED
I’m just trying to get out of the
cold. It’s freezing out there.
AVA
I’m sorry, but if you aren’t going
to buy anything I’m afraid I have
to ask you to leave. That’s
company policy.
JARED
Maybe you could spare some change
then? I’m just a little short.
AVA
I’m sorry, but-
JARED
You guys get free meals, right?
AVA
Yes, but- Look, we aren’t allowed
to- we can’t give them away. Not
to people like you, anyways.
Ava looks over her shoulder and sees that Clarice is gone. She starts thoroughly wiping off the table next to Jared’s.
JARED
People like me?
AVA
People who can’t pay.
JARED
So it’s not really free, if it’s
only for people who can pay.
AVA
I guess you could say that.
JARED
Yet they call it a “free” market.
AVA
I flunked economics, so I wouldn’t
really know.
JARED
Me too.
AVA
What?
JARED
I flunked economics too.
They both laugh. Ava quickly glances at the counter to see Clarice staring at her, arms crossed. She stops laughing.
JARED
I’m Jared, by the way.
AVA
Ava.
JARED
Nice to meet you, Ava.
AVA
You too.
Ava checks the counter and sees Clarice coming toward them. She quickly steps up to Jared again, stopping her boss.
AVA
Look, Jared, I’d love to help you,
but unless you can buy something I
can’t let you stay.
Jared looks over and sees Clarice hovering nearby. He removes the coins from his pocket and holds them out.
JARED
This is all I’ve got.
Ava takes the coins from him and weighs them in her hand.
AVA
Well, it’s something. Can you wait
outside? I’ll see what I can do.
Jared stands up to leave and Ava marches up to the counter.
CLARICE
I told you to throw him out.
AVA
He’s leaving, isn’t he?
Clarice looks at the booth to see it empty. Jared’s gone.
CLARICE
Well, I’ll be damned.
Ava steps up to the cash register and plugs in a few items. The cash box pops open and she drops the coins inside.
AVA
Now, if you don’t mind, I’m taking
my lunch break.
EXT. OUTSIDE THE MCDONALD’S – DAY
Ava brings a McDonald’s bag over to Jared and sets it down. He looks up at her. His eyes water. He rips the bag open, grabs a burger, unwraps it, and takes a bite. They smile.
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