4

Will the Construction Never End?

A blackout at Value Vision
puts the business’s future in jeopardy.

After a stormy night, Bronco finds solace in Minos Park over a spicy Spanish sandwich. The jalapeno peppers prove too much for his stomach, taking him to the public restroom multiple times over the course of his breakfast. Gideon happens upon Bronco at the park, and the two discuss the nature of free will and the possibility of giving up their respective responsibilities. Bronco admits to feeling overwhelmed with the undercover work from Hope. Gideon suggests Bronco invest in the tiny-house movement and split town. Bronco is surprised he’s never seen Gideon in the park, and Gideon lies about never having been before.

At the Value Vision, Dr. Charles prepares for the grand opening. Wondering why his Receptionist hasn’t come in, he starts doing the work himself after taking the man in the basement out for breakfast. Following some minor complaining about the lack of light, Dr. Charles reluctantly invites the man in the basement upstairs. At noon they watch Days, where despite Victor’s objections, Maggie finally comes to terms with the results of Summer’s DNA tests. Before leaving the office, Dr. Charles leaves a note detailing the tasks to be completed prior to the grand opening.

The Receptionist arrives at the Value Vision and readies the office. Finding a digital picture frame, he hopes the Doctor will appreciate his initiative in filling the frame with a cycle of Value Vision “is” taglines. Numerous afternoon texts from Dr. Charles make clear that the omelettes are an important part of the grand opening. Not knowing what to do once his tasks are completed, the Receptionist takes a break at the park and reads aloud from a fan-fiction script he found in the Doctor’s files.

Dr. Charles returns to the Value Vision a couple hours before the opening. Claiming to know nothing about omelettes, or texts about them from that afternoon, he unenthusiastically helps the Receptionist look for a pan and utensils.

Shortly before the grand opening at Value Vision, Ian from Craft Services arrives to an empty office. The Receptionist returns to find Ian halfway through a quality assurance omelette. The Receptionist is wary, knowing nothing about Ian or any requests for his services, but his mind changes once he tastes one of Ian’s two-egg omelets with spicy pepperjack and broccoli slaw. The Receptionist confides to not knowing much about the Doctor and being skeptical of the entire operation.

Another Ian arrives, hoping to see Dr. Charles for a new pair of eyeglasses. He talks of waiting in other rooms before this one, gesturing wildly with his hands. Ian from Craft Services excitedly explains the plot from the groundbreaking 1999 sci-fi film The Matrix. He insists that we do not truly taste omelettes, but only what we are programmed to think omelettes taste like.

The Receptionist is in and out monitoring the security cameras and possible nefarious activity elsewhere in the Berkeley Plaza. On returning to the office he finds Ian from Craft Services at his computer researching a Brazilian mining company. Ian from Craft Services denies this claim.

With no word from Dr. Charles, the Receptionist considers closing the doors and calling it a night. However, a sudden blackout in Berkeley Plaza makes the decision for him...