Sam Spade has an interesting business model.
It's a two phase game called "retainers and rewards".
Either player can start. Here's one script:
PLAYERS:
Sam -- the private dick
Dame -- Sam's customer
Scene 1:
Dame: I've got this problem. [Thrusts a grainy black and
white 8x10 glossy at Sam, averting her eyes from seeing
the image it contains.] Work on that, won't you Mr. Spade?
Sam: Sure thing, babe. There's just a small matter of a
retainer.
Dame: [Looking shocked -- then resigned.] Very well
then. [Rumages with dramatic indignance through her
purse, pulling out a wad that, in spite of her drama,
was obviously put there in anticipation of exactly this
demand for a retainer.]
Scene 2:
Sam: Well, Ma'am, I've given your problem some attention and
here's what I've got. [Hands her a file.]
Dame: [Anxiously opening the file and then, upon absorbing its
contents, sitting back in her chair, slightly shocked.] Oh... My... I
had no
idea. But, wait, tell me....
Sam: Now, stop right there, Ma'am. Here's how it is. You can
get up, take that file, and walk out of that office right now.
Have a nice day. Frankly, I suggest you just burn it and hope nobody
else ever find the same thing. [takes a drag on his cigarette]
But I suspect you can't do that and, frankly,
neither could I, if I were in your shoes. But if you want anything
further from me there's only one way: You pay me this [hands her a
slip of paper] "finder's fee"
and another 10G retainer for good measure -- otherwise, well, have a
nice day,
ma'am cause I gotta keep busy making a living.
Dame: Alright then. [drying a crocadile tear and handing Sam an
envelope] There's
your finder's fee. And here... [GOTO Scene 1]
There is another variation of the same game -- a variation in
which the other player goes first. It's the same play,
except that you *start* in Scene 2.
That's the R&D biz in a nutshell.
-t
