MOTT

So the blouse comes out of the washer, whiter than white, radiantly white, you almost have to put on sunglasses just to look at it.

JULIE

Okay.

MOTT

And what’s the first thing you do?

JULIE

Put it in the drier, then iron it and put it on.

MOTT

No, no, no.  Before that.

JULIE

What do you want me to do?

MOTT

I want you to tell the world.

JULIE

About bleach?

MOTT

Not about bleach. About New Ultra-Strength Neutron-Power Blizzex Bleach Plus.  About how it saved your career.

JULIE

I don’t know.

            (Pause.)

MOTT

What’s wrong?

JULIE

It’s not convincing.

MOTT

What’s not convincing?

JULIE

That a woman as important as I am would waste her time talking about bleach. I knew the bleach would do its job, and it did. My mind is on my work. On the meeting I’m going to.

MOTT

Yes, but...

JULIE

So I don’t have time to think about...

MOTT

Bleach.

JULIE

Bleach.

MOTT

Yeah.

            (Pause.)

We have a problem. If you don’t face the camera, and tell the world about the bleach, we don’t have a commercial.

JULIE

I know.

MOTT

We’re being paid to make a commercial.

JULIE

Of course.  I’m sorry. I don’t know what came over me.

MOTT

That’s okay.

JULIE

I get so involved sometimes.

MOTT

This isn’t Shakespeare. This is a commercial for bleach. You don’t have to take it so seriously.

JULIE

I just want to do the best possible job.

MOTT

You will.

JULIE

So I face the camera...

MOTT

You hold up the bottle of bleach...

            (JULIE holds it up.)

Higher.

JULIE

You really think I should hold it up?

MOTT

You want everybody to see it.

JULIE

Okay.

MOTT

And you look out at all those powerful, young, successful women like yourself, and you say...

            (Pause.)

JULIE

What do I say?

MOTT

Just say what’s in the script.

JULIE

“New Ultra-Strength Blizzex Bleach Plus, with Neutron Power, the Stain-Buster, brings out the white in your clothes.”

MOTT

The smile?

            (JULIE smiles.)

Perfect!

JULIE

If you say so.

MOTT

Now, can we do it for the camera?

JULIE

I’11 try.

MOTT

What do you mean, you’ll try?

JULIE

It’s no good.

MOTT

It’s great!

JULIE

I don’t feel it.

MOTT

You don’t have to feel it.  You just have to do it.

JULIE

I’m a young, successful, powerful woman with an important job. I’m not going to smile and say “stain-buster.” “The stain-buster.”

            (She exaggerates the smile.)

MOTT

Why not?

JULIE

Because I feel stupid. I look stupid. No matter how white the blouse is. A woman in my position can’t afford to look stupid.

MOTT

Okay, then what are you going to do?