episode 20031205
To the background-sound of classical music, the scene fades open onto JoStrut as he polishes the toes of his fine custom-boots. As Strut returns to an upright posture, the scene widens to reveal him standing atop of his desk, clad in a fine custom-suit. From out-of-nowhere, anti-bacterial gel drops into his palm – and he massages it in, killing millions of germs in the process. Suddenly, an apple drops from out-of-nowhere, into his palm, and he proceeds to eat.
LaKeysha narrates: "Never mind that standing on his desk; that’s just one of his normal but weird antics. However, that unusually intense chew of that apple suggests that he’s a bit on edge -- literally."
As Strut stands there on the edge of his big desk, he devours the apple down to the core. And at the core, he pauses to look at it mercifully.
LaKeysha narrates: "Strut doesn't believe in waste. PLUS, Strut is naturally aggressive. So, do you really believe that he’s about to have mercy on that poor little apple-core? Do you really believe that he’s about to simply throw that apple-core into the waste-basket?"
Suddenly, JoStrut pops the entire apple-core, stem and all, into his mouth, and proceeds to chew and swallow. And suddenly, in slow motion, Strut jumps high-up into the air, back-flipping off of his desk, and lands perfectly on his feet – like a "cool" cat.
JoStrut, radios LaKeysha: "Have the team to meet me in conference room 4, in 90 seconds. – And send in the cleaning-staff to clean the foot-prints off of my desk."
Upon the 90-second mark, everyone was seated in the boardroom – just as LaKeysha ordered:
- Jarvis Buluxy
- Winston Roberts
- Miss Erma
- MaryLu
- BettyLu
- LucyLu
- Monet
- Jody Tucker
LaKeysha narrates: "Strut is known for fashionably late, grand entrances. Would he arrive 40 seconds late, on a skateboard? Or, would he arrive 50 seconds late, on a Segway? Exactly when and how Strut would enter his boardroom meetings is always a mystery that the staff has become accustomed to, but always shocked by."
Indeed, at 30 seconds, something strange begins to happen: There at the head of the table, Strut's vacant boardroom seat begins to tremble and glow. Everyone, except Miss Erma, stares with shock and awe as Strut gradually materializes into his seat, from out-of-nowhere. It was as if he was "beamed in" from the Starship Enterprise.
Winston Roberts: "WHAT IN THE WORLD?!"
JoStrut: "CORRECTION: ‘WHO’ in the world? In answer, it’s me: ‘Jo-Cool.’ Now, let’s go to school."
MaryLu: "Okay, that was indeed cool! BUT, but HOW did you do that?!"
JoStrut answers: "The secrets behind my awesome gadgets and extreme powers are between me and scientist Miss Erma. Relax, mind your own business, and remove that lint from your collar."
Miss Erma: "Be careful, young man; for everyone in this room wields my fruitage. We can all ‘shock and awe’ you too. Now, humble-up and let’s get down to business."
JoStrut, feeling reprimanded by ole’ Miss Erma, mumbles to himself: "Whatever."
JoStrut continues with an abrupt shout: "DISPLAY!"
Suddenly, a hologram computer-screen displays at the center of the boardroom-table, and a hologram keyboard appears at JoStrut’s fingertips.
JoStrut radios LaKeysha: "I’m actually in the mood for the hard keyboard. Drop it."
LaKeysha: "I copy that."
Suddenly, a ceiling hatch opens, and a typical but not-so-typical plastic keyboard drops into Strut’s hands.
LaKeysha narrates: The keyboard’s not-so-typical because, like nearly everything in and around the corporation, it’s a product from Miss Erma’s lab. So, it’s a super-keyboard with exceptional functions, which Strut is sure to demonstrate."
With the keyboard, JoStrut begins a rapid navigation. And then, the screen finally reveals the campaign to behold:
JoStrut: "As we know, a campaign AGAINST violence is in order. Recent incidents in the news gave me the brilliant idea for this new campaign."
MaryLu, BettyLu, and LucyLu begin to snicker at JoStrut as they whisper among themselves. They're enjoying a private joke about JoStrut's last peace-related campaign.
With a smirk, Strut pauses at the not-so-funny jokes, and taps a single key on that not-so-ordinary keyboard. Suddenly, from out-of-nowhere, a burst of cold air blasts MaryLu, BettyLu, and LucyLu, which totally destroys their hair-do. Yes, with a saddened look on their face, and with a very messed-up head of hair, MaryLu, BettyLu, and LucyLu have been humbled and silenced.
Monet, the team’s stylist, is outraged: "Mr. JoStrut, you just OBLITERATED four strenuous hours of my art-work! Do you know how hard it is to do women’s hair?! Do you know how …"
JoStrut cuts Monet short: "Monet, relax. I understand. However, they clearly brought that calamity upon themselves. Now, just DO another four hours of hair-DO on them after this meeting. ‘Just DO it,’ as NIKE has said. DO I make myself clear?"
Monet sighs with frustration as she massages her temples.
LaKeysha narrates: "See, I told ya’: that keyboard is no ordinary keyboard. For with a single stroke of a key, Strut has just committed an ultimate sin: the destruction of the woman’s expensive hair-do."
JoStrut: "Ya’ see, it’s simple: Mess with me, and I’ll mess with you. In the end, you’ll be the one looking silly. Now, keep calm, and carry-on."
Jarvis Buluxy continues with the presentation: "While this anti-violence campaign is new, it's as old as the beginning of time. And here we continue fighting that fine fight against fighting. Here, we strive to encourage harmony in a world that has forgotten what it’s all about.
Winston Roberts: "Ultimately, this campaign is all about resounding a desperate message that this world has heard over and over, but has so thoroughly and conveniently ignored: PEACE!" Peace and harmony for all of mankind is what we support.
Jody Tucker raises his hand to speak to JoStrut: "Sir, I understand that this ‘PEACE’ campaign intends to spread a simple reminder. However, are not the ideologies of ‘peace’ quite complex?"
JoStrut: "Indeed, they are quite complex. However, by sending a ‘simple’ message of peace, all interpretations of peace will be accommodated. Indeed, a simple message can be flexible enough to encompass any and all ideologies. Hence, everyone, regardless of their specific or complex ideology of ‘peace,’ can embrace and apply the simple and broad message of ‘peace.’"
JoStrut continues: "People, this meeting is ‘over ‘n’ out.’ Now, if there are no further comments, then let’s go to work."
At this conclusion, Strut fades-out just as he had faded-in. And again, everyone looks at that empty seat at the head of the table with astonishment. And then all eyes focus onto Miss Erma.
Miss Erma explains: "People, you’ve all seen ‘Star Trek.’ It’s roughly the same technology, except I’ve made it sweeter – as I do with everything I touch. Now, keep calm and carry-on."
As Strut materializes back at LaKeysha’s desk, he startles her as she touches-up her make-up. JoStrut sings-out cheerfully as he looks over her shoulder: "Mirror mirror in your hand: WHO’s the greatest-looking MAN?!"
LaKeysha: "Sir, you startled me! Can you please act normal for a change?! Fading in and out around here is totally unnecessary. Walk, run, use your jet-pack, or something!"
JoStrut: "Cool it, kiddo. I’ll be bored with it tomorrow and back to my normal ‘strut’ around this place. Now, deliver to me some of those pamphlets about ‘peace,’ which you so zealously and tactfully tend to leave around. – And beam Tucker to my office."
As Tucker enters Strut’s office, Strut invites him to a seat and a glass of purified water. They discuss some "off-the-record" business matters with casualness and laughter. – And they wonder just how well the public will embrace that redundant yet vital message of "PEACE." In conclusion, JoStrut commissions Tucker to get on Facebook.com: "Post good things. Let people know what’s on ‘our mind.’ Spread the ‘peace.’"
Strut continues: "I hate violence. Do you think that this world will ever get away from it?"
Tucker answers: "In this present system-of-things, it will not. However, the anti-violent message of ‘peace’ is still valiant; it can help where 'help' is wanted."
JoStrut: "Here's the thing: Violence of every sort and of every shape is sadly and strongly engulfing today's world. Sadly, many people today love violence; they gather around the television with beer, pizza, popcorn, and friends -- and they enjoy violent sports, violent video-games, and violent movies. Something is seriously wrong with this picture. -- At minimal, we hope to help people to think twice before succumbing to that influence."
As Strut and Tucker continue to chat in Strut's office-suite, the scene fades to black.