Daring to Dream or How to Stop Worrying About Finances and Start Loving the Death Ray

[Marvin, the mad scientist, and his trusty sidekick, Nergel are in
the workshop. Nergel is dusting the arcane machines while whistling
a happy tune. Marvin sits at a small, round table off-center of the
scene mulling over his latest design.]


Marvin:  Nergel! I think I have it!
Nergel:  What's that, Master?
Marvin:  Behold!
              [Holds up the design]
              It's a new evil death ray!
Nergel:  An "evil" death ray?
Marvin:  Yes! An evil death ray!
              [Cackles maniacally]
Nergel:  Pardon me, Master, but wouldn't it be better to simply refer to
             it as a "death ray" ?
Marvin:  Huh?
Nergel:  Well, sir, forgive me but, death rays are neither new nor heavenly.
Marvin:  But it's not heavenly; it's evil!
Nergel:  Yes, Master, I only meant that to say its evil is, well, frankly,
             superfluous.
Marvin:  [Blankly] All I heard was it's super.
Nergel:  Not super, Master. Superfluous.
Marvin:  Yes, exactly!
Nergel:  Master, it's not necessary to refer to it as an evil death ray because
             there's nothing about being a death ray that makes it anything but
             evil. You can't have a heavenly or otherwise goodly death ray!
Marvin:  [Crumpling his design into a ball]
              My god Nergel! You're a genius! I'll make a heavenly death ray!
              [Stands and kisses him on the cheek in elation]
Nergel:  [Frustrated, Rolls his eyes]
             As you wish, sir.
Marvin:  This is fantastic! Finally, some validation, some direction, some
              purpose! Say it with me, Nergel: Heavenly Death Ray! Can't
              you imagine?
Nergel:  Well, no, not actually...
Marvin:  Oh, quit being so negative! Have some faith. Have some vision!
              Dare to dream, man!
Nergel:  It certainly would be daring, I'm afraid, Master.
Marvin:  I knew you'd see it my way! We can put it over here next to the
             Discombobulator. What color should I make it?
Nergel:  [Cynically] Oh, pink. Definitely, pink.
Marvin:  Pink?
Nergel:  With green polka dots.
Marvin:  Polka dots?
             [Raises an eyebrow]
Nergel:  [Remembering suddenly]
             Oh! Hey! The mail came. You got a few letters.
             [Retrieves five letters from within his jacket]
             I see your brother mailed you again.
Marvin:  [Snatching the mail from Nergel]
              Let's see...bills, bills, Metaphysical American renewal form...
              [Sets the rebewal form aside]
              Hmmph! Oh, and lookee here! [Emphasizing to Nergel]
              A letter from the North American Guild of Unconventional
              Scientists!
Nergel:  And just how much money are they asking for this time?
Marvin:  [Smirking] I'll have you know, my esteemed assistant, that
              Dr. Eldrich Von Kimmel is a dear colleague and friend of mine,
              and a great scientist.
Nergel:  [Sarcastically] Oh, my apologies, Master! It must have been
             my proclivity towards historic correctness in these matters that
             capitulated my insolence.
Marvin:  [Staring at Nergel, contemplatively] You're right. We'd better
             take a look at the letter from my brother, Jeremy, first.
             [Opens the letter and begins reading]
             My dear brother yadda yadda...glad you're doing well blah blah
             happy birthday and so on and so on. [Pauses] Oh, here we are:
             Here is my donation to your endeavors to make the world a
             better place. I enclose...[Suprised and annoyed] fifty dollars.
             Fifty dollars? What does he expect me to build with this?
             [Reading some more] In addition, I also enclose this finely
             crafted key as I have no doubt that when the time comes, you
             will be able to unlock the door to what it is that you are looking
             for in your world of science. You're loving brother, Jeremy.
             [Holds up the key and looks at it]
             Weird, though as keys go, it's a nice key.
Nergel:  I suppose that's true, Master. A pretty metaphorical trinket
             indeed, sir.
Marvin:  Yeah, well, it's probably just that: metaphorical. He probably
              thinks he's being poignant and clever. My brother, the great
              Necromancer!  Raiser of the dead, wielder of dark dreams,
              and magician from beyond, bestows upon me...this key. Well,
              poppycock! Still, I wonder what it might go to. [Ponders]
Nergel:  Perhaps it unlocks a chest of some kind, or perhaps a door.
Marvin:  Who knows? It could be any one of a number of doors in this
              old house. There are over one hundred rooms in this old castle
              and I probably haven't seen twenty of them. This old place was
              built a long time ago and I'm sure there are any number of buried
              mysteries hidden inside its crumbling walls. No matter, though.
              We've got a death ray to build! Nergel! Ready my carriage! We're
              going to the hardware store. I need supplies!
Nergel:  As you wish, Master.

[Exit Nergel]
[Fade to black]
[End Scene]