here's a west wing question for you, several years after the fact.
Recall that in the early 3rd-season episode "Ways and Means", the following dialogue takes place:DONNA
I had a plan! Each box was numbered. There is a piece of paper with a number and a corresponding description of the contents of each box.
JOSH
Well, where is the piece of paper? [Donna glares at him.] It's... in one of these boxes.
DONNA
I had a plan.
This is, of course, just a smidgen of a longer conversation about in one of these boxes is this stuff, and in one of these boxes is the other stuff, and then Donna says "I can't [sleep] yet. Because in one of these boxes are FedEx receipts and mailroom records for any gifts or packages sent to senior staff, and in one of these boxes is a piece of paper which SAYS WHICH BOX IT'S IN!"
My question is this: did Sorkin really think that plan was all that clever that he needed to have Donna and Josh spend all that time describing it? I'm not saying Donna was wrong to be as wigged out as she was, but surely everyone who's ever worked in an office will join me in wondering why on earth he made her say "a piece of paper with a number and a corresponding description of the contents of each box" when he could have had her say "an index".
I had a plan! Each box was numbered. There is a piece of paper with a number and a corresponding description of the contents of each box.
JOSH
Well, where is the piece of paper? [Donna glares at him.] It's... in one of these boxes.
DONNA
I had a plan.
This is, of course, just a smidgen of a longer conversation about in one of these boxes is this stuff, and in one of these boxes is the other stuff, and then Donna says "I can't [sleep] yet. Because in one of these boxes are FedEx receipts and mailroom records for any gifts or packages sent to senior staff, and in one of these boxes is a piece of paper which SAYS WHICH BOX IT'S IN!"
My question is this: did Sorkin really think that plan was all that clever that he needed to have Donna and Josh spend all that time describing it? I'm not saying Donna was wrong to be as wigged out as she was, but surely everyone who's ever worked in an office will join me in wondering why on earth he made her say "a piece of paper with a number and a corresponding description of the contents of each box" when he could have had her say "an index".