Wired Differently

(Genre: Short play/Dialogue Practice)

Coworker #1: He just can’t fucking manage shit!
Max: Did you tell HR?
Coworker #1: They don’t do anything. Like this lady was like “well you have to listen to him anyway” and I just kept on telling her how bad he is but she just.. ah fuck this fucking place..
Max: Think it’ll unionize?
Coworker #1: Oh hell no! I have been working here for 12 years. People don’t do shit. And if I was a manager I would have fired half the people! Like I actually know how to run shit unlike this mother fucker!
Max: Right.
Coworker #1: Yeah! Most people here don’t know what the fuck they’re doing either! And he doesn’t care! He just.. does whatever the fuck!!

Coworker #1 shakes his head..

Coworker #1: I’m just not going to keep putting up with his bullshit.. He was like “I thought you weren’t coming in today!?” and then he started cursing and everything, and I’m like “Do you want me to help you or not!?”.. like, it’s just not fucking fair towards me!!
Max: Right.
Coworker #1: Yeah and he’s just getting fucking mad at me because the truck’s not finished and I’m like “I’m the only one unloading it!”.. And on most days he shows up like two hours late.. He was literally supposed to send another truck to the Montgomery facility.
Max: That’s annoying.
Coworker #1: The guy can’t tell his ass from his fucking elbow.
Max: Yeah this company sucks..
Coworker #1: Oh pffff! Their fucking operation procedures were written by a high schooler! I am done.. I am.. Ahhh!!
Max: I feel ya.
Coworker #1: And then there’s that other fucking guy over there who walks around and doesn’t do shit!!
Max: Who, Tim..?
Coworker #1: I don’t fucking know what that idiot’s name is.. I guess..!?
Max: Yeah I mean he’s been friendly towards me.. I’ve been giving him rides home..
Coworker #1: Jesus, do you sanitize the seat!?
Max: Haha!
Coworker #1: You think it’s funny but I don’t want to have to start viewing you as similar to him!
Max: You don’t.
Coworker #1: Maybe tomorrow then?
Max: Never.
Coworker #1: Yeah okay..

Coworker #1 shakes his head and walks away.. and then Max talks to himself..

Max: Fuck this place.. Everyone’s a fucking asshole..

Max throws a package, then picks up another and throws it to the ground..

Coworker #2: What’s up baby girl!?
Max: Sup..(?).
Coworker #2: How come that’s not out of the truck..?
Max: Because I was unloading that other stuff..
Coworker #2: Or because you were being lazy?
Max: No..
Coworker #2: Let’s go baby girl, get with it!

Coworker #2 walks away..

Max punches the interior of a truck and throws another package. He eventually proceeds to unload the larger semi-trailers and works with a much older coworker.

Coworker #3: What’s up Max?
Max: I had five beers last night.
Coworker #3: Why was that?
Max: Because people make me depressed. And I’m forced to work with them.
Coworker #3: Ah ha.
Max: Yeah I’m the more sensitive type, and when people are assholes even to the slightest degree I still react to it strongly and then I drink to block out the feelings.
Coworker #3: I see.
Max: Yeah I mean I know overall this place isn’t nearly as bad as others I’ve worked at. And it’s not like I chose to be sensitive. Like no one would “choose” to be sensitive, or I guess no one would choose to get “overly” offended by stuff very easily..
Coworker #3: You take medication right?
Max: It’s “as needed” but that stuff has given me other problems. What I should be doing is meditating more because that has helped me in the past. Yet when I’ve mentioned it to others they just make fun of it.. so it’s felt harder to stick with it as a result.
Coworker #3: Right.
Max: Really what I’m trying to say is that I’m wired differently, and people might claim to “understand”, but they really don’t, and their ways of doing shit and relating towards me has made stuff feel worse so much more often than not.. I’m just so fucking done with everything..
Coworker #3: Yep, people don’t understand, that is a definite.
Max: I mean like you’re good to talk to but I’ll open up to people and at some point they’ll say something like “I’m not going to fucking baby you!” for no fucking reason..
Coworker #3: Yeah people are cruel.. They sure are.
Max: Yeah and I’m like “I’m just trying to make conversation”, I was never asking you to “hold my hand!”.
Coworker #3: Yeah people are assholes. Maybe they’re the ones who need their hand held..?
Max: Right, in those instances it’s probably a reflection of themselves.
Coworker #3: Yep.

They continue unloading the truck..