Christmas Angel

Ashley Matthews:
[Dash enters bedroom wanting his morning walk and whining] Dash! I am not getting up until the alarm goes off. [the alarm clock immediately sounds]

Ashley Matthews:
Morning, Nick.

Nick Anderson:
Morning, Ashley. Get your Christmas tree yet?

Ashley Matthews:
[Chuckles] It's barely December.

Nick Anderson:
Yeah, well. Nothing wrong with getting a jump start. Only comes once a year.

Ashley Matthews:
So does hurricane season.

Francine:
You selfish, conniving jerk!

Will Price:
Francine! Good morning. I see we're picking up right where we left off.

Francine:
You just can resist the chance to slander someone.

Will Price:
Ooo, fancy lawyer talk. Actually, counselor, slander is verbal. Liable is written.

Francine:
Fine. Liable. Don't get me sidetracked.

Will Price:
Too easy.

Francine:
Have you even heard one word I've said.

Will Price:
Not really. I've gotten very good at tuning you out.

Will Price:
Is Forcelink crying?

Bob:
Do they have a reason to?

Will Price:
[Smiling] Well, every time I write an article somebody cries.

Ashley Matthews:
Hi, I'm Ashley Matthews. I have an interview with, um...

Law Office Receptionist:
The positions been filled. We called you this morning.

Ashley Matthews:
Oh, I don't-I don't think you did. Are-are you sure?

Law Office Receptionist:
We called.

Ashley Matthews:
Because I have my cellphone right here and I would've heard it ring...

Law Office Receptionist:
Do you think arguing about this gonna change the fact that the jobs already taken?

Ashley Matthews:
Mrs. Hendrix, I don't have any running water in my apartment and it seems to go out at the worst times.

Mrs. Hendrix:
Oh, maybe it'll come back on again then.

Nick Anderson:
How's your interview?

Ashley Matthews:
Don't ask.

Nick Anderson:
Well, I already asked. I can't un-ask.

Ashley Matthews:
Well, first, while I'm halfway through my shower the water goes out AGAIN. So I have to wash my hair out in Dash's water bowl, so I'm running late and I smell like dog-water. I get to my car and, of course, it doesn't start so I have to run and catch the bus and while I'm running I literally collide with some random guy, lose my phone so I don't get the call that the positions already been taken and I don't need to get on the bus to the interview I'm already late for.

Nick Anderson:
[Chuckles] You washed your hair in dog-water.

Ashley Matthews:
[Chuckles] I'm so glad you focus on the important things.

Ashley Matthews:
You know, I think the guy with my phone tried to ask me out.

Nick Anderson:
Did you try to say yes?

Will Price:
It's less of a question, more of an invitation, um... do you wanna go out sometime?

Ashley Matthews:
I don't think that's such a good idea.

Will Price:
For you or for me? Or for both of us?

Ashley Matthews:
Both of us. Yeah.

Will Price:
Why is there something wrong with you?

Ashley Matthews:
What?

Will Price:
No-I'm, ha, that came out wrong. Um...

Ashley Matthews:
Is there something wrong with you?

Will Price:
That's a very valid point. [chuckles] Uh, you know in the interest of full disclosure I haven't had a girlfriend for six months and I'm kinda hostile towards women, plus my ex girlfriend she did a number on my head and - [Ashley looks uncomfortable] I'm over-sharing. [Chuckles] I sound a little pathetic here, don't I?

Ashley Matthews:
Yeah, a little. But, you know, I'm probably worse so it's okay.

Will Price:
Is that a yes?

Ashley Matthews:
What? No! No, I... what's your angle?

Will Price:
Angle? I don't have an angle. I just wanna take you out.

Ashley Matthews:
Occupation?

Will Price:
Journalist. Modern Business Weekly.

Ashley Matthews:
Oh. Never heard of it.

Will Price:
Okay.

Ashley Matthews:
How do you feel about Christmas?

Will Price:
I LOVE Christmas.

Ashley Matthews:
[Ashley looks annoyed] Okay. How do you feel about the Little Drummer Boy?

Will Price:
Song or person?

Ashley Matthews:
Person then song.

Will Price:
Both needless.

Ashley Matthews:
Okay. But if I'm gonna go out with you it has to be sooner than later.

Will Price:
Why?

Ashley Matthews:
Because if not... I'll talk myself out of it.

Will Price:
Okay, how about sometime next week?

Ashley Matthews:
More like tomorrow?

Will Price:
Oh! No, yeah, I can swing that. How 'bout around...

Ashley Matthews:
Seven?

Will Price:
Seven. Yeah, and, oh we can go over to...

Ashley Matthews:
Right here? [nods to restaraunt]

Will Price:
Here!

Ashley Matthews:
Okay.

Will Price:
Okay.

Ashley Matthews:
Bye.

Will Price:
I'll see you tomorrow. Huh.

Nick Anderson:
I need you to take a walk.

Ashley Matthews:
You're paying me to exercise?

Francine:
You guys know each other?

Will Price:
Yeah.

Ashley Matthews:
No.

Will Price:
We go way back.

Ashley Matthews:
We met yesterday.

Francine:
[to Ashley] If I were you, I'd run.

Will Price:
I think Ashley can decide for herself who she sees.

Ashley Matthews:
Oh, I'm not seeing anyone.

Ashley Matthews:
Have you seen this pile? It will take a fortune to help all these people. Where do you get the money? [off his look she teases] You ARE dealing drugs.

Nick Anderson:
I'll let you in on a secret. But you mustn't tell anybody.

Ashley Matthews:
Okay.

Nick Anderson:
I'm rich.

Ashley Matthews:
How rich?

Nick Anderson:
Filthy.

Ashley Matthews:
If you're so rich why do you still live here?

Nick Anderson:
Well a roof's a roof. I'm warm, I'm dry. I'm good.

Stan:
What'll you have?

Will Price:
Oh, um [picks up menu then sets it down] You know what, I'll have whatever she's having.

Stan:
[Stan and Ashley share a look. Then to Will:] Are you sure?

Will Price:
[Uncertain] Uh, yeah?

Stan:
Okay then. I'll get those right out to you.

Will Price:
[to Ashley after Stan leaves] What are we having?

Ashley Matthews:
Stan's 3 Alarm Chili.

Will Price:
Perfect.

Will Price:
[digging in to chili] This looks good.

Ashley Matthews:
I live for this stuff.

Will Price:
[takes a bite] Mm, this is good. It's not really hot for 3 Alarm Chili.

Ashley Matthews:
Give it some time.

Will Price:
So how do you know Nick?

Ashley Matthews:
Do you want me to see if he can have dinner with you?

Will Price:
No. I'm sorry. It's just I get, I get curious and um- [starts coughing as the chili kicks in] Holy cow this is hot.

Ashley Matthews:
[Chuckling] Are you okay?

Will Price:
Mm, it's just... [gasping & coughing] How is your mouth not burning?

Ashley Matthews:
You all right?

Will Price:
[strained speaking] Yeah, no, I'm good. It's good chili, though.

Will Price:
I'm gonna be honest with you, next time I'm totally ordering something different.

Ashley Matthews:
3 Alarm Chili. You didn't think it would be hot?

Will Price:
Good, I thought you'd object to a next time.

Ashley Matthews:
You're a real jerk, you know that?

Will Price:
Yeah, I get that a lot.

Ashley Matthews:
I really thought you were interested in me.

Will Price:
I am interested in you.

Ashley Matthews:
You are more interested in the story.

Will Price:
Can I not be interested in both?

Ashley Matthews:
No. Because if you were interested in me you'd see why you shouldn't write this story.

Ashley Matthews:
[to Will] I'm just making this up as I go so you'll have to wait and see.

Fast Food Restaraunt Guy:
Can I help you?

Ashley Matthews:
Yes, can I get fifty burgers To-go, please?

Will Price:
[surprised] Fifty!

Fast Food Restaraunt Guy:
Fifty?

Ashley Matthews:
Five-zero, To-go.

Will Price:
Is that Santa's list?

Ashley Matthews:
Uh, yeah. And you're not on it.

Will Price:
Oh! Neither are you.

Ashley Matthews:
Grow up.

Will Price:
We are in a toy store.

Nick Anderson:
So how'd it go today?

Ashley Matthews:
[hesitantly] Oh, you know. It went pretty good.

Nick Anderson:
Pretty good?

Ashley Matthews:
I don't know how to tell you this so I'm just gonna say it. Uh, that reporter you got a phone call about, the one who wants to write a story on you, and who I accidentally went out with, uh... he's helping me.

Nick Anderson:
Well that's interesting.

Ashley Matthews:
I couldn't do it alone. And he knows how it works now. He wants to interview you. I'm sorry. Nick, say something.

Nick Anderson:
You like him, don't ya?

Ashley Matthews:
Do not. [Nick laughs]

Will Price:
Can I ask you a few questions?

Nick Anderson:
I wanna ask you a few questions.

Will Price:
Okay.

Nick Anderson:
Where you from?

Will Price:
Michigan.

Nick Anderson:
Where'd you go to school?

Will Price:
Northwestern.

Nick Anderson:
You like writing?

Will Price:
I love it.

Nick Anderson:
You like Ashley?

Will Price:
Ye-She's a very nice girl.

Nick Anderson:
Nice girl. She's terrific.

Will Price:
She's a little hardheaded.

Nick Anderson:
Who isn't?

Will Price:
Yeah. I like her.

Nick Anderson:
She likes you. Otherwise she wouldn't have let you in as far as she has.

Will Price:
You think so?

Nick Anderson:
Oh yeah. Yeah.

Will Price:
To be honest with you, sometimes she won't even look at me.

Nick Anderson:
You're not very intuitive for a reporter are ya? The reason she won't look at you is she's afraid if she does... she'll melt.

Nick Anderson:
No, I don't want you to keep Will waiting.

Ashley Matthews:
He can wait.

Nick Anderson:
How long are you going to keep him away?

Ashley Matthews:
Uh, as long as possible.

Nick Anderson:
Yeah, well you keeping waiting you're going to miss something special.

Will Price:
It's okay.

Ashley Matthews:
How is it okay?

Will Price:
It's not. It's just something people say.

Ashley Matthews:
Sledding?

Will Price:
Yep!

Ashley Matthews:
Why?

Will Price:
Well, Nick said you didn't have a very normal childhood so...

Ashley Matthews:
So you thought... sledding.

Will Price:
Have you ever been?

Ashley Matthews:
No.

Will Price:
Well stop complaining and hop on.

Ashley Matthews:
Um, is this thing safe?

Will Price:
Of course. You ready?

Ashley Matthews:
No.

Will Price:
Good.

Will Price, Ashley Matthews:
It's your turn.

Will Price:
I took him for a walk yesterday.

Ashley Matthews:
Mm-hm. Then why are you getting up?

Will Price:
Guilt?