January 9, 2006
Week 35 - Impossible Dreams 16
Episode 1
Lamont and Powell sit in the empty conference room of Lamont Energy. Lucy stands at a podium in front of the long table. An electronic scoreboard has been mounted on the wall behind her. She presses a button on a control panel on the podium and the board lights up. "It's working!" she says. "I was worried those idiots in maintenance wouldn't be able to figure out the wiring." She walks up to Powell and straightens her blouse. "How do I look?"
"Um... Beautiful..."
"Beautiful is good, but what I'm going for is professional. What do you think, Daddy?"
Donald Lamont glances at her. "Hmm? Oh... Fine, fine. You look lovely... just like your mother..." His gaze drifts down toward the table.
"Come help me with something," Lucy says to Powell. They step over to the podium. "This is not good," she whispers. "He's drifting away again."
"He's fine, he's... I mean... he was stabbed just a week ago..."
"He has to give a speech in half an hour, he can't fade on us! And then you have to keep him under control till the voting is over!"
Mark Lamont steps into the room. He nods briefly at Lucy and she turns her head away, without looking at him. "Uncle Donald, it's nice to see you again..." Lamont shakes his hand. "I've been trying to contact you..." He glances at Lucy. "Somehow my messages don't seem to get through. I know you're planning to endorse your daughter, but... I hope you've thought about what you're doing."
Lamont stares at him. "Do you know, Mark, you're the spitting image of your father?"
"Oh... Thank you... Uncle Donald... Have you seen Lucy's plans for the Aero III? She's going to spend too much. If she wins the vote... Once she's the CEO there'll be nothing to stop her... She'll bankrupt us within a year!"
"Not particularly handsome... Just like Michael..."
"What? Uncle Donald, please... I know Lucy's your daughter, but you and my father worked your whole lives to build this company. Doesn't the future of Lamont Energy mean anything to you?"
"And yet, I bet the women love you, don't they... Just like they loved him!" Lamont stands up. "I bet they throw themselves at you! Even the married ones!"
Powell steps over and gently nudges him back into the chair. He looks at Mark. "I... I think you better let Mr. Lamont rest now... He's, um, tired."
Mark shakes his head and takes a seat at the other side of the table. Lamont glares at him.