ROBERT, DEVIN, and FELIX are all sitting on the bench in the bullpen. MANNY is pacing back and forth, looking nervous. HARRY is standing behind a table with his grill and food.
MANNY
Something’s going on, guys.
FELIX
Care to be a little more specific than that?
MANNY
Look around. Ace isn’t here.
FELIX
Why, did you actually expect him to go in the game today?
MANNY
How should I know? Either way, he didn’t tell me he would be late.
HARRY
Maybe he’s blowing off the team. Lot of guys sitting this year out.
MANNY
No, he would tell me first. I have authority! Right guys?
Everyone looks away, trying not to make eye contact with MANNY. At the same time, ACE jogs over to the bullpen.
ACE
I’m back everyone! Enough of my side gig, I’m here full time now, ready to focus.
DEVIN
Side gig?
ACE
Oh, it’s nothing really. Let me tell you, some people do NOT like the letter X.
ROBERT
Huh?
ACE
So what’s happening here? Anything I should know about?
MANNY
Can we circle back to people not liking the letter X?
ACE
Nah, it’s just stuff I have to work out with the Better Letter Club. I take it none of us are pitching today?
MANNY
Don’t ask me. They think I don’t have any authority!
ACE
Well...
DEVIN
Why don’t we have a team nickname?
HARRY
I know it’s not my place to say, but that’s a stupid idea.
DEVIN
Just trying to give us something to do.
MANNY
How about Fans Of Man?
FELIX
Who’s Man?
MANNY
Short for Manny.
ACE
Eh. I think we need to come up with something different.
ROBERT
We actually already have a nickname. We decided on it last season.
DEVIN
What is it?
ROBERT
The Bullpen.
HARRY
That’s a terrible nickname. Now I’m actually on board with picking a nickname!
ROBERT
It’s what we came up with.
MANNY
Just want to point out that I’m the only one who came up with something.
ACE
Fine. We’ll call ourselves the Fans Of Man.
DEVIN
Wait a minute, it needs to have its due process.
ROBERT
As bullpen captain, I propose we keep The Bullpen.
MANNY
Okay, Fans Of Man it is.
ROBERT
I’m still calling us The Bullpen.
The STADIUM ANNOUNCER makes an announcement.
STADIUM ANNOUNCER
The Indianapolis Primitives would like you to turn your attention to the fans behind home plate. We have someone very special in attendance. Former member of our own bullpem and owner of Lorenzo’s Kitchen, please give a warm welcome to Lorenzo!
MANNY
Why isn’t he getting up?
HARRY
It’s just a fat head of Lorenzo.
ACE
Hey! That’s mean!
HARRY
Seriously, it’s just promotion for his restaurant. Also, start clapping since the announcer is basically only talking to us right now.
HARRY, ACE, MANNY, ROBERT, FELIX, and DEVIN all start clapping.
STADIUM ANNOUNCER
Thank you everyone for keeping Lorenzo in your prayers.
HARRY
Lorenzo paid him to say that.
ACE
Also, did they introduce Lorenzo as a member of the bullpem? With an m at the end?
FELIX
We get it, you’re obsessed with letters.
ACE
No! I mean, yes. But that’s another story. He definitely said bullpem.
ROBERT
As bullpen captain, I am willing to make that our new nickname.
MANNY
Fine. We’ll be The Bullpem. Fans of Man is the runner-up, though.
FELIX
Wait a minute. The guy next to fat head Lorenzo looks like Harry from a distance.
HARRY
It is me. Pretty humiliating. But whatever works to promote a restaurant, I guess.
MANNY
Speaking of which, don’t you have to be there?
HARRY
Yeah. I guess I’ll leave now.
ACE
Who else is about to call it quits?
ROBERT
As bullpen captain, I give us all permission to leave.
ROBERT, ACE, HARRY, FELIX, and DEVIN all leave.
MANNY
So I really don’t have any authority here, do I?
MANNY shakes his head and leaves.
______________________________
Harry takes on two new customers on Bar Exam Season 2 Episode 6, available to read by clicking here.