Droppings| Craig Vernon

Droppings
Dramatic Scene
Craig Vernon

Droppings
NORTH EAST WYOMING PRARIE ON LOCATION OF WELL BORE. SCENE OPENS AT THE OPERATIONAL END OF A GARDENER DENVER 2000 CONVENTIONAL DRILLING RIG WITH A STANDARD FOUR MAN CREW.NICK, THE DRILLER WITH KEVIN, SAM, AND JOE, THE ROUGHNECKS.
At the drill rig control panel in a state of shock.
Nick
Where the hell did that wrench just go?
Replying from the drill rig floor in front of the table.
Joe
I think it just went down the hole
Nick
How far down did it go? Can you see it?
Joe
What are we supposed to do now?
Nick
I guess we better call Larry. Let’s try a mirror or a flashlight and look down the hole, maybe we can see it. I know Larry will ask if we did.
#
INTRODUTION OF LARRY, THE TOOL PUSHER, WHO IS IN THE COMPANY OFFICE TALKING TO NICK VIA TELEPHONE, FROM THE DRILL RIG LOCATION.
Sitting in crew truck talking on cellular telephone.
Nick
It looked to me like he just let go of the wrench.
In an office behind a desk talking on the telephone.
Larry
What in the hell did he do that for?
Nick
He don’t like us. I mean he doesn’t like us at all. In fact I’m sure he hates us, that’s why he dropped the wrench in the hole. You gotta get me someone else, I cant work with Joe any longer.
Larry
What was Joe doing working on the floor? How come he wasn’t up in the derrick?
Nick
He was in the derrick until I seen him spitting chew on Kevin. I told Sam to go up there and made Joe come down and work on the floor. I told Kevin to have a break and go and cool off a little. Then I thought that Sam would go up there and spit on Joe, to get even. Joe must have thought of that too because he said he was quitting right then if someone spit on him. I told Sam not to do it, but I know he wanted to real bad.
Larry
How come Joe had the pipe wrench on the table?
Nick
He picked up the 48 of the floor and was going to use it to back up the pipe. I don’t know why he didn’t use the 36 we always use. It was sitting right there on the table and it was tied off. I bump up that drill pipe every time we make a connection, the same way I always do it. The same way you taught me to do it. I was about to turn the table when Joe just let go of the wrench. He didn’t try to catch he just watched it fall.
Larry
Why the fuck would Joe go and do something like drop the pipe wrench in the damn hole. Did you try and look down the hole with a mirror?
Nick
Yeah.
Larry
Did you use a flashlight or a mirror?
Nick
I used both, the mirror was brighter but I still couldn’t see the wrench. Larry when you bring me the fishing tools bring me a new helper too.
Larry
Joe dropped the wrench so he stays until we get it out.
#
OUTSIDE THE CREW TRUCK IMEDIATELY FOLLOWING TELEPHONE CALL.
Kevin
I can’t believe that Larry wouldn’t let you run Joe off.

Nick
These are Larry’s exact words, "Joe dropped it so he stays until we get it out."
Sam
If the wrench ever comes out. There aint no way well ever get all of a 48 inch pipe wrench out of that hole, if we get any of it at all.
#
AFTER UNSUCESSFULLY ATTEMPTING TO FISH THE 48 INCH PIPE WRENCH OF THE DRILL HOLE.
Nick
See ya Joe. Im sorry that I couldn’t drill through your pipe wrench, I hope you’ll be happy when your somewhere else. I know Ill be happier when your somewheres else. You don’t have to go home but you cant stay here.
Joe
I knew you guys never liked me anyways. You’ve been trying to run me off ever since I got here. So now you finally got what you wanted.
Sam
No it was you that got yourself run off not anyone else. Next time you should try and get along with the other people on your crew and don’t drop any pipe wrenches in the hole.