The Community, Issue 6: Part 4.1

Page 150 Panel 1: The waiter freezes at the order, unsure of the answer or of what exactly Gur Gur Chai.

WAITER

(polite, to Jesminder) Umm...let me go check in the back. I should warn you though, it may not be

Panel 2: Back to a shot of Jes, watching the waiter turn and head back to the kitchen area with an equally polite look on her face. You can see a shade of blue energy emanating from the bottom of the table as she speaks.

JESMINDER

(to the Waiter) I understand. Thank you for checking...

Panel 3: /Same setting/layout as the previous panel. The young/old woman turns her attention back to the MP and the proverbial task at hand.

JESMINDER

(Cont., to MP Taylor) Now, let's get back to the topic at hand. As I talked about on the phone, there are some global environmental organizations that'd be happy to help your re-election out if you squashed this bill.

JESMINDER

(Bubble 2; reacting to Panel 4, Bubble 1) Not too much. Just a speech on environmental sustainability, talk about how it needs to be a crucial part of the national economy post-pandemic.

Panel 4: The MP nods in agreement to the first part of her statement; his eyes showing off a touch of curiosity connected to the second part.

MP TAYLOR

(to Jesminder) And how much will my colleagues be pissed off at me to get this goodwill?

Panel 5: We move back to Ms. Gupta in the same setting/layout as Panel 3, finishing up the train of thought she started back in Panel 3. As she speaks, there's a vibration emanating from the MP's phone.

JESMINDER

(wittily) Of course, if you're worried about keeping your buddies on your side of the aisle happy, you can use your own speech team to write it. Make it a little more personally palatable.

MP TAYLOR

(Off-Panel) Hmm...interesting.

Panel 6: Back to Mr. Taylor in the same setting/layout as Panel 4 moments later. He's glancing down at his phone, reading a text message that flashes on it with a stoic slate on his face.

JESMINDER

(Off-Panel) What is it?

Page 151

Panel 1: Same setting/layout as the last panel of the previous page. He looks up from the phone at Ms. Gupta, standing up from his chair as he speaks with a sudden hurried look on his face.

MP TAYLOR

(explanatory to a point, to MP Taylor) My apologies, Ms. Gupta. But I'm gonna have to cut the meeting a little short- emergency at the office.​

MP TAYLOR

(Bubble 2; reacting to Panel 2, Bubble 1) I'll talk it over with the team- shoot you a line later tonight or tomorrow maybe.

Panel 2: Jes is concerned and a little bit curious, watching the whole thing take place and wondering what to say next.

JESMINDER

(empathetic, to MP Taylor) Oh...Okay. What about my proposal?

Panel 3: As he's heading out toward the door, the politico looks back at the young/old woman with one last thing on his mind.

MP TAYLOR

(Cont.) And don't worry about paying- I'll put it on my tab...seems only fair.

Panel 4: A two-part set of panels that focuses squarely on Ms. Gupta glancing down at the table with the same concerned and puzzled look she had back in Panel 2.

JESMINDER

(to her brain) That was a definite lie. Which, if past is prologue...isn't a great sign.​

Panel 5: In the second part, a few moments later, her phone rings from within her purse; Jes' gaze down in that direction off-panel, dreading what might come of it.

WAITER

(Off-Panel) Good news, we actually have some Gur Gur Chai. Would you like it with two sugars or...

Panel 6: Cut to a shot of the waiter a beat later, recognizing the awkward moment they've cannonballed right into.

WAITER

(Cont., to Jesminder) We can make it to-go, if you wish.