[Fade transition to the Sinclair kitchen, where Robbie is following Earl to the kitchen island.]
Robbie (places his hand on the island): Wow – to think someone as greedy and heartless as Richfield survived. So, I guess that’s the company who hired you, Dad?
Earl (clearly distraught, desperately exploring the interior of the refrigerator): No, Mr. Know-It-All! It’s a human-run construction company! Wesayso died out with the dinosaurs! *catches himself* Uh, I mean – Wesayso is just a fine print footnote in the biography of my past. *chuckles* Why submit to a bunch of nightmares that I’ll never escape such a thoughtless, uncaring corporation?
Robbie (stares at his father): Uh, are you okay?
Earl (still distraught as he takes out a beer and bucket of chicken, failing to sound confident): Oh, just peachy! *sits down at the table* Nothing could make me happier to know fate has decided to keep stabbing me in the back for as long as I live! *chomps down hard on some chicken, somewhat calmer* You know – we used to hurl our relatives off a cliff when they turned 72. *glances at Robbie, irritated* And yet, as I recall, you argued that life was all-important, and we should value each and every single day of it. *pauses* Remind me again how my quality of life is worth saving?
Robbie (sighs, sits at the table): Dad, so he’s alive. So what?
Earl: You clearly have no imagination, son. Now go away. My food’s getting stale and I’m due at the site in an hour. *chomps with a smile* I wouldn’t touch construction with a ten foot pole if it weren’t for the fact that carrying some 2 by 4’s is a breeze compared to tree pushing – and I’m making six times my old monthly salary.
Robbie (smirks): And you thought we’d never fit in.
Earl (shrugs): Modern humans are basically just like us – they work, they grab a beer at lunch, and go home. And even better, the foremen aren’t allowed to eat their workers!
Robbie: So, you agree with me an’ Mom that civilization has evolved for the better?
Earl (stops eating): The only complaint I have is that my son still pesters me when I’m trying to eat! It’s bad enough I have to live in a world where everyone eats the equivalent of a bowl of soup compared to the mastadons I sunk my teeth into before! *glares at Robbie, his voice getting louder* It makes me wanna just sink my teeth into the closest breathing thing next to me!
Robbie (slaps the table): Oh, look, I think that’s the mail! I think I’ll go get it and see if Oregon State responded to my application. *gets up and leaves the room*
Earl (shakes his head): Sheesh. *The phone rings and Earl throws down his food.* Of course! *gets up, walks over to the phone on the wall, and answers* This is the Sinclair residence, now whaddya want?
Richfield’s voice: Sinclair!
Earl (shrieks and nearly drops the phone): M-M-M-M-Mr. Richfield!
[The camera cuts to a large office filled with law books and a large computer on a sturdy cherry desk. Richfield sits behind it dressed in his usual attire.]
Richfield: Stop sniveling! As the new dinosaur-human liaison, it’s up to me to determine just how many of us there are left. I expect your family survived?
Earl (shifting his weight uncomfortably): Well, yes.
Richfield: And how many were there again?
Earl (tapping his fingers on the side of his head): Uh, five and a third, sir.
Richfield: A third?
Earl (smiles): There’s just the five of us – and the mother-in-law, sir.
Richfield (grins, nodding knowingly): Ah.
Earl (gets smacked from behind with Ethyl’s cane, yells out)
Ethyl (drives past him in the wheelchair): The only reason you don’t count as a full baker’s dozen is they don’t count by the pound, Fat Boy. *leaves*
Earl (rubs his back tenderly, to Richfield): I’m not gonna have to work for you again, am I, sir?
Richfield (shakes his head): You were an employee of the Wesayso corporation, which sadly has folded under the extreme economic conditions of planetary extinction. Thus, your contract is null and void. *pauses ominously, his voice quieting* I understand you’re in construction now. Looks like the apple doesn’t fall far from the tree pusher.
Earl (timidly): They appreciate me there. I can do more than just push down trees. I know how to follow blueprints. I know how to use a hammer and nails. I’m getting along rather well with my coworkers. I even put in a good word for Sid and Gus. It’s what work should’ve been like, sir.
Richfield (taps fingers on his desk, letting it sink in): As liaison, it’s my job to ensure humans and dinosaurs integrate into the new status quo. Let me give you the real reason I’m calling: I’m warning you to not let down your guard in front of them.
Earl: Uh, why do you say that, sir?
Richfield (shrugs, his tone dark and measured): This “perfect harmony” stuff is just popcorn entertainment for the masses. Humans took over the top of the food chain and they’ll waste little time before reminding us of that fact. They think they’re so superior to us. They think we should be kowtowing before them, grateful just to be given the privilege of drawing in air.
Earl (shivers): Sir, with all due respect, it seems like every time I have a conversation with you, I end up being manipulated into doing something asinine and dangerous.
Richfield: It’s idealism that puts you and your family in danger, Sinclair. Idealism blinds folks to the dangers inherent in life. We must remain forever on our guard against those who wish to congratulate us in public and drop us off a cliff in private. Mark my words, Sinclair: the government was a thorn in our side when we ruled the Earth, and they haven’t changed much since. There’re less than ten-thousand of us left. Make sure that number doesn’t get any lower.
Earl (glances at a calendar on the wall): Right now, sir? Me an’ Fran personally like waiting until Thursday --.
Richfield (pounds his fist angrily on the desk, screaming): I mean don’t let them ruin us any more than they already have, you gutless sack of rotted meat! I wouldn’t feed you to my dog, you blubbering pile of pig swill! *slams the phone down hard*
[Earl slowly places the receiver back on the wall-mounted unit. A brief musical score of foreboding ends the scene.]
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Anyway, it's amazing! Love how you included everyone! Robbie's right though, where's the poetic justice when Richfield can survive? lol I don't think we'll ever see the dinosaurs bunch and Kermit and co interacting, somehow I just can't picture it. I do enjoy seeing humans, (modern, sophisticated humans), and dinosaurs interact though.