Writing For G.O.T

And Then, Again! -- Prompt 2 Week 2

963 words
I picked GROUNDHOG DAY --Rita is a laptop

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In one of the tall buildings at the downtown area of Pittsburgh was Channel Nine Action News weatherman Phil Connors’ office, inside which team pictures of Bradshaw, Roberto Clemente, and a weather map graced the walls while on Phil’s desk stood an Emmy statue, in friendship with the galaxies of junk, which was spread everywhere and anywhere, including the window sills.

It is a wonder how, in this jam-packed room, Phil can find a space to sleep on the sofa, thought Gil Hawley, the executive producer, as he stuck his head through the door.

“Christ, what a pit, Phil!” Insults always woke Phil up.

“What?” he said sleepily from under his stolen airline blanket.

“It’s February first, Phil! You know what tomorrow is?”

Phil sat up, thinking. Then suddenly he exclaimed in terror, “Oh, no! Not again! Forget it! I’m not going.”

Yet, he followed Hawley to the set of the Action News and began working on the weather stats on a chart.

“Are we getting the blizzard, Phil?” Harvey asked.

“No, moisture from the Gulf is missing us.”

“Good, ‘cause you’re going to Punxsutawney to cover the groundhog story, tomorrow.”

Phil argued, but Hawley insisted, using his threatening tone. Phil growled like a spoiled puppy, although he knew he didn’t have much choice; however, he couldn’t help saying, “I don’t want to get stuck with the groundhog for the rest of my life.”

“It’s cute,” Hawley said. “The groundhog comes out, sniffs around wrinkling his little nose and checks for his shadow. If he doesn’t see it, the weather will be nice. People love it.”

“Morons!”

Hawley threw a dubious look at Phil. Phil shrugged.

“Okay, what’ll you give me.”

Hawley pointed to the end of the set where Rita was sitting with a sexy pose at the corner of the table. “I’ll give you Rita!”

Rita was new to the station, but she was highly competent, self-assured, and pretty. A genuine royalty.

“You can’t send Rita out on the open. She’ll be sopping wet. Plus, it is a big story.” Phil teased

At that instant, Rita’s eyes flashed and she pointed to a sign saying, “The Follow-up on nurses’ strike.”

Phil pointed to Rita. “See? She wants to do something else.”

Hawley frowned. All those underlings. They always resisted. Resistance had to be their motto. “You can do that when you get back, Rita. Just go with Phil, the squeaky wheel here, up to Punxsutawney and get him back in one piece. Okay?” And he skittered out the door as if running for his life.

Rita gave off a beeping sound. On her screen, a question appeared.
“What's Punxsutawney like?”

“Oh, it’s magical. An enchanted place. The entire drainage system of Western Appalachia. But Rita, let me turn on your voice. It will be difficult to drive in the car if I try to read you.” In saying that, Phil touched Rita with affectionate fingers. Rita giggled.

“I think, I’ll take my Lexus, so we can be alone. I’m not going in the same van with the darn crew.”

“Nice attitude!” Rita mocked.

“Nice face!” Phil said, looking at Rita’s screen.

Phil picked Rita up to carry her with him.

Just then, the scary Stephanie with a fatal attraction to Phil showed up. “Why did you get tired of me, Phil?”

“I don’t have time to waste,” Phil said.

“You mean our relationship is time wasted?”

“We only went out four times, and only twice…you know what. That isn’t any commitment.”

Rita giggled, hanging on to Phil. Stephanie threw a dirty look at her, and continued, “I had our charts done. My astrologer says we're extremely compatible. Even through some past lives’ involvement…”

“Hear yourself? Past lives. We’re already done!”

“Phil, you’re selfish…and…and…”

“And he is with me, now!” Rita interjected, cackling.

“What? With a laptop? What can he do with a laptop like you? He has needs, you know!”

“Watch me, sister!” Rita flashed, spewing red volcano images on her screen.

“Girls, girls!” Phil said, “We gotta get going. You two can fight over me any old time, but later!”

At the Bed-and-Breakfast, the next day, Phil entered the library, carrying Rita in his arms, where breakfast was served but left the place anyway because the lady of the house didn’t know what espresso or cappuccino was. Yet, he had to contend with the house coffee, which he took with him, squishing Rita under one arm.

After running into his contemptuous high-school buddy, Ned Ryerson who hung on to him leech-like and wasted his time, Phil finally arrived at a place where a large mound of dirt enclosed by a rail fence was surrounded by crowds. The cameraman Larry was stomping his feet on the ground, waiting.

Rita, too, shivered on Phil’s arms. “Oh, no, we’re late!”

“Prima Donnas!” Larry snickered and started to roll the camera.

Phil turned his face to the camera and began talking. After a glowing introduction of himself, he turned to the task at hand. The groundhog. “Let’s see what Mr. Groundhog has to say.”

A Groundhog Club Official knelt at the burrow and knocked on its wooden door. The groundhog stuck his head out and stepped out of the hole. Then it ran around the mound, far away from the cameras. It stood there, casting a long shadow and dashed back into its hole.

Phil continued: “Sorry, people, but it looks like it’s going to be a long winter!”

Rita screeched.

“You’re sweet,” Phil said, holding her to his eye level.

“Get me outa here! We’re done!” Rita said. “You don’t act like a real professional, and I am freezing.”

Not again! Imagine! Phil thought because he still had to live through the evening and then he had to go through this, all over again!

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963 words
Prompt 2: Pick a movie. Replace one of the main characters with an inanimate object. Write a scene that includes this character. ~ Story