I walk into Lori’s office, summoned for a meeting. She greets me with, “You’re doing great on Heathcliff.” She tells me DIC’s growing, which I already know. What I don’t know is that the studio’s going to be moving…to a much larger venue in Encino.

She continues with, “You’re working from home for the next two weeks.” I’m thinking how the move makes sense when Lori stuns me. “You’re taking a break from Heathcliff.” She waits an eternity, then asks, “Have you seen any M.A.S.K. episodes?” I tell her I haven’t, that all I know is it’s about race cars. In a déjà vu moment, Lori shoves two series bibles and a stack of videocassettes across her desk.

She explains M.A.S.K. is going into its last season – just ten episodes. I’m to get another writer, and the two of us are to knock out the ten episodes…in two weeks! “You’ll story edit

the other writer’s scripts so you’ll keep earning your salary in addition to your fees for the scripts you write.” When she sees shock on my face, she says, “I recommended you to Andy for the job. You’re fast and you’re good.”

I look at the series bibles and videocassettes. “But there’s the series bible to read, all these episodes to view and –”

She interrupts with, “You’re getting seven thousand, five hundred dollars for two weeks’ work.” She adds a coup de grâce. “You’re a good story editor, Jack. But you’re a writer first. You need to be writing scripts. I didn’t say anything when you said you wanted a break from scriptwriting. I figured I’d let you figure it out for yourself.”

I smile sheepishly, telling her, “I did. Thanks, Lori.” I pick up the series bibles and the videocassettes, happy to be writing again.