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NOTE: This is the original script, as shared by the author.

JACKSON is on the roof, sitting in a chair waiting. MIRANDA enters through a door.  She looks around, confused. 

´³´¡°ä°­³§°¿±·Ìý

±á±ð±ô±ô´Ç.Ìý

²Ñ±õ¸é´¡±·¶Ù´¡Ìý

Oh. Hi. 

´³´¡°ä°­³§°¿±·Ìý

Nice day out, isn't it? 

²Ñ±õ¸é´¡±·¶Ù´¡Ìý

I'm sorry, I was looking for room 319. 

´³´¡°ä°­³§°¿±·Ìý

You're close. 

²Ñ±õ¸é´¡±·¶Ù´¡Ìý

Oh good. Can you tell me where it is? 

´³´¡°ä°­³§°¿±·Ìý

³§³Ü°ù±ð.Ìý

³§¾±±ô±ð²Ô³¦±ðÌý

²Ñ±õ¸é´¡±·¶Ù´¡Ìý

°Â±ð±ô±ô?Ìý

´³´¡°ä°­³§°¿±·Ìý

Well what? 

²Ñ±õ¸é´¡±·¶Ù´¡Ìý

Where is it? 

´³´¡°ä°­³§°¿±·Ìý

Oh, I can't tell you until you pay me. 

²Ñ±õ¸é´¡±·¶Ù´¡Ìý

You won't give me a simple direction unless I pay you? 

´³´¡°ä°­³§°¿±·Ìý

Sorry, that's the rule.

²Ñ±õ¸é´¡±·¶Ù´¡Ìý

What kind of person are you? 

´³´¡°ä°­³§°¿±·Ìý

I like to think I'm just like you. 

²Ñ±õ¸é´¡±·¶Ù´¡Ìý

I've never charged anyone for directions. 

´³´¡°ä°­³§°¿±·Ìý

Has anyone ever asked you for directions? 

²Ñ±õ¸é´¡±·¶Ù´¡Ìý

±·´Ç...Ìý

´³´¡°ä°­³§°¿±·Ìý

Well if anyone ever does, you should charge. It makes good business sense. 

²Ñ±õ¸é´¡±·¶Ù´¡Ìý

Yes, fine, listen I really need to get to class so can you just tell me where it is?  Please? Just once. I won't tell anyone. 

´³´¡°ä°­³§°¿±·Ìý

Yes of course. As soon as I'm paid. 

²Ñ±õ¸é´¡±·¶Ù´¡Ìý

Fine I'll play along. How much? 

´³´¡°ä°­³§°¿±·Ìý

Seventy six dollars and nine cents. 

²Ñ±õ¸é´¡±·¶Ù´¡Ìý

Seventy six dollars? 

´³´¡°ä°­³§°¿±·Ìý

And nine cents. 

²Ñ±õ¸é´¡±·¶Ù´¡Ìý

Forget it, I'll just ask someone else. 

She tries to exit through the door, but it's locked 

´³´¡°ä°­³§°¿±·Ìý

Sorry. Door's locked.

²Ñ±õ¸é´¡±·¶Ù´¡Ìý

Can you unlock it? Please? I need to get to class. 

´³´¡°ä°­³§°¿±·Ìý

I'm sorry. That's gonna cost too. 

²Ñ±õ¸é´¡±·¶Ù´¡Ìý

You've locked me on this roof and you're going to make me pay to get out? 

´³´¡°ä°­³§°¿±·Ìý

I haven't done anything. They have. 

²Ñ±õ¸é´¡±·¶Ù´¡Ìý

Who is the "they" you keep talking about? 

´³´¡°ä°­³§°¿±·Ìý

°Õ³ó±ð³¾!Ìý

²Ñ±õ¸é´¡±·¶Ù´¡Ìý

The college knows you do this? 

´³´¡°ä°­³§°¿±·Ìý

Oh yes. They get a cut of what I make. 

²Ñ±õ¸é´¡±·¶Ù´¡Ìý

People actually give you money? 

´³´¡°ä°­³§°¿±·Ìý

You'd be surprised. You see that building right over there? That was built with  the cut I gave them last year. And that statue was built a few years ago. 

²Ñ±õ¸é´¡±·¶Ù´¡Ìý

This is ridiculous! I just want to go to class. 

´³´¡°ä°­³§°¿±·Ìý

Will that be cash or check? 

²Ñ±õ¸é´¡±·¶Ù´¡Ìý

Please, I really need to get to class. 

´³´¡°ä°­³§°¿±·Ìý

VISA? MasterCard? 

²Ñ±õ¸é´¡±·¶Ù´¡Ìý

Please just let me go! This is my first day, I didn't know any better! I never  should have come here. I should have stayed in Fairview.

´³´¡°ä°­³§°¿±·Ìý

Fairview? I had a farm out there once. 

²Ñ±õ¸é´¡±·¶Ù´¡Ìý

What happened to it? 

´³´¡°ä°­³§°¿±·Ìý

They built a 7/11 on top of it. 

²Ñ±õ¸é´¡±·¶Ù´¡Ìý

Oh. I'm sorry. 

´³´¡°ä°­³§°¿±·Ìý

Don't be. This is a much easier way to earn a living. 

MR. XYZ enters below 

MR. XYZ 

Excuse me, what's the hold-up here? I'm ready to start class and you're holding  my student hostage. 

´³´¡°ä°­³§°¿±·Ìý

Then start, you can have class without one student. 

MR. XYZ 

She's my only student. 

´³´¡°ä°­³§°¿±·Ìý

Then you can have class up here. 

MR. XYZ 

Surely there's some sort of deferment or arrangement that can be made. 

´³´¡°ä°­³§°¿±·Ìý

I'm afraid not. 

MR. XYZ 

She can't stay up there forever. Isn't there some sort of protocol for this sort of  thing? 

´³´¡°ä°­³§°¿±·Ìý

I'm afraid not. Nobody's ever refused to pay before. 

MR. XYZ 

Can't you let her down for my class? I'll bring her right back.

´³´¡°ä°­³§°¿±·Ìý

Nobody leaves the roof without paying. 

MR. XYZ 

I can't have a class with no student! 

´³´¡°ä°­³§°¿±·Ìý

Find another student. 

MR. XYZ 

I want her. 

´³´¡°ä°­³§°¿±·Ìý

°Â³ó²â?Ìý

MR. XYZ 

I admire her tenacity. 

´³´¡°ä°­³§°¿±·Ìý

I don't. 

²Ñ±õ¸é´¡±·¶Ù´¡Ìý

(To. MR. XYZ) 

I'm sorry, sir. I didn't mean to cause any trouble. Maybe I should just pay. 

´³´¡°ä°­³§°¿±·Ìý

Cash or check? 

MR. XYZ 

No, you're not paying after all this. I won't let you. 

²Ñ±õ¸é´¡±·¶Ù´¡Ìý

But there's no other way. 

MR. XYZ 

Stay there. I'll figure this out. 

MR. XYZ exits. 

´³´¡°ä°­³§°¿±·Ìý

I'm awfully sorry about this. 

²Ñ±õ¸é´¡±·¶Ù´¡Ìý

So this is how you make a living?

´³´¡°ä°­³§°¿±·Ìý

You do what you have to do to survive. 

²Ñ±õ¸é´¡±·¶Ù´¡Ìý

How do you do this day in and day out? 

´³´¡°ä°­³§°¿±·Ìý

How does anyone do any of the things they do? You look the other way and then  cash the checks. 

MR. XYZ returns with an ´¡¶Ù²Ñ±õ±·±õ³§°Õ¸é´¡°Õ°¿¸é.Ìý

MR. XYZ 

So as you can see, he's holding the girl hostage. 

´¡¶Ù²Ñ±õ±·±õ³§°Õ¸é´¡°Õ°¿¸éÌý

Let me talk to her. (Shouting up to MIRANDA) Be reasonable, dear! You've come here for your education, haven't you? You know that comes at a price. 

²Ñ±õ¸é´¡±·¶Ù´¡Ìý

This has nothing to do with my education! 

´¡¶Ù²Ñ±õ±·±õ³§°Õ¸é´¡°Õ°¿¸éÌý

If you can't get to class I think it has something to do with it. 

²Ñ±õ¸é´¡±·¶Ù´¡Ìý

This is a scam and I won't be part of it. 

´¡¶Ù²Ñ±õ±·±õ³§°Õ¸é´¡°Õ°¿¸éÌý

Think of it as an investment. 

²Ñ±õ¸é´¡±·¶Ù´¡Ìý

Absolutely not. 

MR. XYZ 

What if I paid the fee for her? 

´¡¶Ù²Ñ±õ±·±õ³§°Õ¸é´¡°Õ°¿¸éÌý

That's not allowed. 

MR. XYZ 

What if she paid in installments? 

´¡¶Ù²Ñ±õ±·±õ³§°Õ¸é´¡°Õ°¿¸éÌý

Absolutely not.

MR. XYZ 

Well I can't have a class without any students! 

´¡¶Ù²Ñ±õ±·±õ³§°Õ¸é´¡°Õ°¿¸éÌý

We can't have an educational institution if we give way to anarchy. 

MR. XYZ 

You would keep me from doing my job over sixty measly dollars? 

´¡¶Ù²Ñ±õ±·±õ³§°Õ¸é´¡°Õ°¿¸éÌý

The policy is the policy. 

MR. XYZ 

Let me go up there. 

´¡¶Ù²Ñ±õ±·±õ³§°Õ¸é´¡°Õ°¿¸éÌý

°Â³ó²â?Ìý

MR. XYZ 

To try to talk some sense into her. 

±Ê²¹³Ü²õ±ð.Ìý

It's the only way. 

³§¾±±ô±ð²Ô³¦±ð.Ìý

´¡¶Ù²Ñ±õ±·±õ³§°Õ¸é´¡°Õ°¿¸éÌý

¹ó¾±²Ô±ð.Ìý

MR. XYZ exits.  

´¡¶Ù²Ñ±õ±·±õ³§°Õ¸é´¡°Õ°¿¸éÌý

You know you're really being very foolish, Miranda. You're throwing away your  entire education. 

´³´¡°ä°­³§°¿±·Ìý

He's right.  

MR. XYZ arrives on the roof. 

MR. XYZ 

Hi Miranda. 

²Ñ±õ¸é´¡±·¶Ù´¡Ìý

Hello. I'm sorry about all this.

MR. XYZ 

Don't be. 

MR. XYZ walks to the edge of the roof and speaks to the  

´¡¶Ù²Ñ±õ±·±õ³§°Õ¸é´¡°Õ°¿¸é.Ìý

Listen, sir, this is wrong. You know it's wrong. You used to be better than this. 

´¡¶Ù²Ñ±õ±·±õ³§°Õ¸é´¡°Õ°¿¸éÌý

Damn it, don't be dramatic. You said you were going up there to talk some sense  into the girl. Now do it and get down from there. 

MR. XYZ 

I'm not coming down. You can't have a university without teachers. 

´¡¶Ù²Ñ±õ±·±õ³§°Õ¸é´¡°Õ°¿¸éÌý

You think you're the only teacher we could get? Don't be a fool, come down from  there or you're both gone. 

²Ñ±õ¸é´¡±·¶Ù´¡Ìý

Sir, maybe I should just pay. 

MR. XYZ 

No. I didn't come all the way up here to just give up. 

²Ñ±õ¸é´¡±·¶Ù´¡Ìý

But it's the only way. 

MR. XYZ 

He leads MIRANDA to the edge of the roof 

No, it isn't. 

²Ñ±õ¸é´¡±·¶Ù´¡Ìý

What...you want me to jump?! 

MR. XYZ 

It's the only way. 

²Ñ±õ¸é´¡±·¶Ù´¡Ìý

We're too high! 

MR. XYZ 

Maybe. Maybe not. But I'll jump with you. 

²Ñ±õ¸é´¡±·¶Ù´¡Ìý

This won't work.

MR. XYZ 

There's no alternative Miranda. You have to trust me. 

²Ñ±õ¸é´¡±·¶Ù´¡Ìý

Okay. I'm ready if you are. 

´³´¡°ä°­³§°¿±·Ìý

This is idiotic. 

MR. XYZ 

On three... 

´³´¡°ä°­³§°¿±·Ìý

Be reasonable! (To the ADMINISTRATOR) Sir, are you going to let them get  away with this? 

´¡¶Ù²Ñ±õ±·±õ³§°Õ¸é´¡°Õ°¿¸éÌý

Please, they'll never survive. 

MR. XYZ 

°¿²Ô±ð...Ìý

´³´¡°ä°­³§°¿±·Ìý

Please! I'll lower the fee! 

MR. XYZ 

°Õ·É´Ç...Ìý

´³´¡°ä°­³§°¿±·Ìý

I'll waive the maintenance tax! 

MR. XYZ 

°Õ³ó°ù±ð±ð!Ìý

(They jump just as the lights go out)