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Tuesday, May 09, 2006

The Elusive Leak

The Setting: Living/Dining room combo in a newer colonial style home
Synopsis: A young couple approaching their fifth year of marriage must decided what to do with the leak recently discovered in the ceiling of their living/dining room.

Act 1, Scene 1:

The Time: 6:47:32, Wednesday morning, May 3
Abbey: (enters stage coming down the steps as if going out the door for school) Gasp! (runs back upstairs) Jeff, the ceiling is leaking!
Jeff: (groggy, in bed): Wha, what? (reaching for glasses)
Abbey: The ceiling is leaking!
Jeff: (getting out of bed) Okay, I'll come see.
Abbey and Jeff: (walking down the steps together)
Abbey: See!
Jeff: Ooo! Wonder what caused that?

Abbey: What should we do?
Jeff: I'll call a plumber, in the meantime, don't use the bathtub.

Act 1, Scene 2

Setting: the office at a local church

Jeff: (entering the secretary's office) Delisa, do you know of a good plumber.
Delisa: (smiling, with a slight southern drawl): Oh yes, you need to call Ron Dale Moseley, he does all my plumbin.
Jeff: What's his number?
Delisa: I don't know and the internet's down. Let me get the phone book. (getting the phone book) It's not in here. I know who to call. Look up ABC Supplies.
Jeff: Okay here's the number.
Delisa: (on the phone with ABC) Hey, this Delisa, I know Ron Dale's in there all the time, you know what his phone number is? Thank you! Jeff, here's the number.
Jeff: (on the phone) Hello, yes, this is Jeff Land. Delisa recommended that I call you. We have a leak in our ceiling between the first and second floors. We think it came from the bathtub. No, I don't think it's a bad leak, but I do want to get it taken care of. Okay, we'll see you on Tuesday morning.
Jeff: (back in his office, on phone with insurance agency) Hello, this is Jeff Land, you have our homeowner's policy. We have a leak that has come through the ceiling. (pause) Okay, so you want cover the cause, but you will cover the damage. Great, thanks.

Act 2, Scene 1
The Time: 7:38:12, Tuesday morning, May 9

Jeff: (phone ringing, feeling for the phone on the bedside table): Hello, (pause) yes, this is he. Okay, I'll be here.
Ron Dale: (ringing doorbell) Mr. Land, I'm Ron Dale. Hear you gotta leak.
Jeff: (pointing) Yes, it's right here.
Ron Dale: (grimacing) Uh, that ain't good.
Jeff: Yeah, I didn't think so.
Ron Dale: (with sidekick Rich)Let's go check out the bathtub.
Jeff: (motioning) Okay, it's right up here.
Ron Dale: (getting on the floor to open the door on the side of the tub) Well, it don't feel wet. Fill'er up.
Jeff: (turning the water on) Okay.
Ron Dale: Turn'em jets on. Feel anything Rich? (rich shakes head no)
Jeff: Would you like for me to open the drain?
Ron Dale: Yeah, do that. (Then leaves the stage as if to go back downstairs) Mr. Land, I don't think it's your plumbing. I think it might be your roof. You said you had a contractor coming this evenin?

Act 2, Scene 2
Jason: (the contractor enters the home) Oh, there's where the leak was, let's go check out the attic.
Jeff: Okay, sorry we don't have a ladder.
Jason: (going in the attic) Jeff, I don't think it's up here. I think the building hit a pipe. Sometimes it takes a while for the nail to come out.
Jeff: Oh, let's go check it out downstairs.
Jason: (grabbing a saw) I'm going to have to gut a whole in your ceiling.
Jeff: That's okay, it's got to be fixed.
Jason: (after first three holes did not reveal anything) You mind if I try another one?
Jeff: We've got to find it.
Jason: (after next two holes don't reveal anything) Maybe the next one will show us what it is.
Jeff: Surely.
Jason: (after eigth hole) Me and Martin will come back tomorrow and keep looking. It's got to be here somewhere.



Will the leak be discovered. Can the ceiling be salvaged? Will the insurance pay? Will the contractor be able to solve the problem? Stay tuned for the sequel: The Elusive Leak: Revealed

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