Scene 1

(JOSH is standing at a file cabinet when DONNA comes up behind him.)

DONNA: Hi.

JOSH : Hi.

(JOSH starts walking and DONNA follows him.)

DONNA: Can I ask you a question?

JOSH : About what?

DONNA: The budget surplus?

JOSH : Go ahead.

DONNA: There’s a 30 billion dollar budget surplus.

JOSH : It’ll actually shake out to about 32 billion.

DONNA: Whatever.

JOSH : Well, you know what they say?

DONNA: What do they say?

JOSH : A billion dollars here, a billion dollars there. Sooner or later it starts to add up to real money.

DONNA: That’s a nifty saying Josh.

JOSH : I didn’t coin it or anything. (with a smirk)

DONNA: We have a 32 billion dollar surplus for the first time in 3 decades.

JOSH : Yes.

DONNA: Republicans in congress want to use this money for tax relief right?

JOSH : Yes.

DONNA: Essentially what they’re saying is, they wanna give back the money.

JOSH : Yes.

DONNA: Why don’t we wanna give back the money?

JOSH : ‘Cause we’re Democrats.

DONNA: But it’s not the government’s money?!

JOSH : Sure it is. it’s right there in our bank account.

DONNA: That’s only because we collected more money than we ended up needing.

JOSH : Isn’t it great?

DONNA: I want my money back.

JOSH : Sorry.

DONNA: We’re not done with this.

JOSH : I didn’t think so.

(JOSH and DONNA enter Leo’s office where Toby, Kathy, Mandy, Sam and Leo are gathered.)

Scene 2

(DONNA has gotten JOSH out of a meeting with a message, and they're walking in the hallway.)

JOSH : Did he say what it was about?

DONNA: No. What’s wrong with me getting my money back?

JOSH : You won’t spend it right.

DONNA: What do you mean?

JOSH : Let’s say your cut of the surplus is $700. I want to take your money, combine it with everyone else’s money and use it to pay down the debt and further endow social security. What do you wanna do with it?

DONNA: Buy a DVD player.

JOSH : See.

DONNA: But my $700 is helping to employ the people who manufacture and sell DVD players, not to mention the people who manufacture and sell DVD’s. It’s the natural evolution of the market economy.

JOSH : The problem is, the DVD player you buy might be made in Japan.

DONNA: I’ll buy an American one.

JOSH : We don’t trust you.

DONNA: Why not?

JOSH : We’re Democrats.

DONNA: I want my money back!

JOSH : You shouldn’t have voted for us.

(With that JOSH enters the outer office of the Oval Office and DONNA leaves.)

Scene 3

(JOSH, SAM, and CHARLIE are sitting at a table, waiting for the PRESIDENT to call them in, when DONNA enters with a box of sandwiches.)

DONNA: Sandwiches.

JOSH : Thank you, Donna. Defending virtue is hungry work.

DONNA: I’ll be at my desk. (she turns to leave.)

JOSH : Ah Donna?

DONNA: Yes?

JOSH : How much were the sandwiches?

DONNA: $12.95.

JOSH : I gave you a twenty!

DONNA: Yes. As it turns out you actually gave me more money than I needed to buy what you asked for. However, knowing you as I do, I’m afraid I can’t trust you to spend the change wisely. I’ve decided to invest it for you.

JOSH : (he turns to SAM with a smirk) That was nice. That was a little parable.

DONNA: I want my money back.