Everyone ready to finish breakfast? ;)

Mike: Not as a waiter. :P

Micky: I'd rather be EATING it. :P

Al: Let’s just get this over with. :P

(We open in the dining room. The contestants for the Bake Off eat their breakfast at various tables reserved just for them. Emma sits with an older man, a teenager, and a very elderly lady.)

Man: (He has a pile of hash browns and eggs; he's a big, slightly-balding middle-aged fellow) Darn, these are good. Beats the frozen stuff my Bobby and I eat every Sunday.

Elderly Woman: (She's a tiny Hispanic lady who barely comes up to the man's shoulders) You serve your children frozen potatoes?

Man: (Shrugs) I'm a single father. I don't have the time to peel potatoes.

Teenager: (She's a normal-looking black teenager; she has a small Afro and wears a fashionable tight t-shirt, very short shorts, and platform sandals) I can dig that, man. I don't usually wanna get outta bed in the mornin', much less peel potatoes!

Man: (Chuckles) You'd like my son. There are mornings I have to beg to get him out of bed. (Looks up) Hey waiter, more hash browns, please!

Emma: (Also looks up...and raises an eyebrow as Micky and Al join Mike with trays) This should be interesting.

Teenager: I've seen that cat before.

Elderly Woman: The blond man is one of the judges!

Man: (Waves to the guys) Over here!

Micky: I think we're being flagged down.

Man: (Hands them his plate) More hash browns please, boys. And an English Muffin with butter.

Emma: Nothing for me. I'm full beyond moving.

Teenager: Same here. If I'd known they were gonna feed us like this, I would have brought my bigger shorts.

Elderly Woman: I'd like some coffee, please.

Mike: I can take the coffee. You boys wanna get the food?

Micky: Sure.

(Mike goes over to the coffee machines and beverage carts near the door. Al and Micky head back in the kitchen.)

Miss Gray: (Takes their plates) I can't believe how much a bunch of cooks can eat!

Chef Kurtson: (Shrugs) It's not their own dishes, and the company sponsoring the bake-off pays well.

Miss Gray: (To Micky and Al) What's the orders?

Al: Hash browns and an English muffin with butter.

Miss Gray: (Nods at the griddle) There should be some hash browns left. The English Muffins are with the other bread. The soft single butter containers are in the refrigerator.

Chef Kurtson: (Hands the boys a pile of prepared hash browns) There should be enough left for this fellow.

Miss Gray: Where's the other guy?

Micky: Mike's getting coffee.

Chef Kurtson: You two can bring these out, yes?

(They all watch as Miss Gray's hands fly over the griddle, flipping, slicing, and dicing in fast motion. She finishes with a flourish, tossing the hash browns on the plate in Al's hand.)

Chef Kurtson: (Sniffs) Someone catch the English Muffin! It is almost done!

Micky: I got it! *Grabs a plate and dives as the toaster pops up.*

Miss Gray: (She and Chef Kurtson clap) Nice save.

Micky: *Grins* Thanks.

Miss Gray: Now, get out there, before they start coming in here and asking for their food!

(Cut back out to the room. Lauren has joined Emma, the man, and the elderly woman; the teenager is gone.)

Man: So, when's your kid due?

Lauren: Not for a while.

Man: Enjoy your sanity while it lasts.

Elderly Woman: I'm sure it will be fine. I have eight children of my own in Miami.

Emma: Don't let Micky hear that.

Lauren: *Groans* You're not kidding, Em.

Man: And here comes my food! (Micky comes out with the hash browns and English Muffins, followed by Mike with the coffee)

Elderly Woman: (She smiles) Thank you, young man. It is almost as strong as the Cuban coffee my husband makes at home.

Mike: Good, you like yours the way I like mine - ready to sit up and bark.

Man: (To Lauren) So, is this your first kid, or are you a repeat offender?

(The elderly woman rolls her eyes; Emma stifles a giggle.)

Lauren: This is my fourth.

Man: Not bad. My wife bailed before I could have any more. (Smiles) But I love the one I have. Bobby's a great kid. Just made captain of his high school basketball team. He plays second chair trumpet in the school band in the fall.

Emma: I have two, a little girl who will be going to school in the fall, and a toddler boy who isn't anywhere near that yet.

Elderly Woman: Mine range in age from 42 to 28.

Mike: (Grins at Emma) That's my woman. Oh, we're gonna have more. We just haven't gotten there yet.

Emma: (Blushes) Yeah, we will...soon... (Mutters to Lauren) Could you get Micky to distract Mike from...that...subject?

Man: Where's your husbands?

Emma: You just met mine. (Mutters) And I wish you hadn't.

Elderly Woman: (Shrugs) Mine is upstairs. He did not want to get up early. He said he order room service.

Man: (He's gobbling his hash browns) God, these are good. (Looks up at Al and Micky) My compliments to the chef, boys.

Emma: (Looks at her watch) I think the breakfast is just about over. We'll be starting orientation in 20 minutes. (Smiles at Lauren) Why don't you guys get some breakfast of your own? I'll meet you in the lobby after orientation. It'll be about two hours.

Man: My son and I are gonna go to Tinsel Town. He wants Raquel Welch's autograph.

Elderly Woman: I'll be visiting relatives.

Mike: And we have to get back to the kitchen.

(Mike, Micky, and Al return to the kitchen with their plates. Miss Gray takes the plates from them.)

Miss Gray: Good work, boys. Your punishment is almost complete. There's just one more thing I want you to do before you can head out.

Mike: As long as I don't have to haul any more plates.

Miss Gray: (Shakes her head) No, nothing like that. You won't be out in the dining room at all. I just need someone to mop up in here.

Mike: Mop up? (Makes a face)

Micky: Oh goody.

Miss Gray: (Crosses her arms) It's the last part. After this, you're free to go.

Al: We mop, and we're free. That sounds simple enough.

Miss Gray: (Hands Al the first mop) And you can start now. There's a couple of guys doing dishes; I'm going to join them to keep an eye on you.

Mike: (Grabs a mop) Man, I hate cleanin'.

Al: *Shrugs* I was had to mop out my entire basement. This ought to be a synch.

Mike: What did you do, overflow your orange juicer?

(He dunks his mop into a bucket of water, flops it out, and pushes it around.)

Al: No. Bad storm that decided to hide out in the basement.

Mike: Yuck. We had one of those once. Ruined most of our basement room and wrecked half my tools and cars. Mick had it even worse. That huge flood turned his backyard into a swamp. How long did it take you to get all that fixed and hosed and whatever?

Micky: So long, I lost track.

Al: *Makes a face: That's pretty bad.

Mike: It was awful. Our friend Peter had really bad grounds damage, too, and our buddy Davy lost most of what was in his basement.

(Mike just sweeps the mop around, not really looking where he's sweeping it. He accidentally mops Micky's toes.)

Micky: Thanks a lot, Mike! Now my shoes are wet!

Mike: Well, don't stick your shoes where my mop is!

(Mike sloshes the mop out of the bucket, sending water everywhere.)

Al: *Stares at Mike* You've never mopped before, have you?

Mike: Em usually does that, an' when we were all livin' together, Pete did that.

(Mike swings the mop again, this time sending water across the room...towards the other two.)

Al: *Flicks water at Mike* Stop that!

Mike: (Flicks water back) Well, you guys might want to help a little!

(Mike nudges Micky's mop with his, pushing more water towards him.)

Micky: Watch it, Mike! *Sloshes water at Mike*

Mike: You watch it! (Sloshes more back)

(Soon, there's water flying all over the floor. Al, who has been finishing his side, is surprised when he sees a puddle of water he didn't see before...then feels water hit the back of his head. When he looks up, Micky and Mike are flinging water from their mops at each other.)

Miss Gray: (Runs over) What's going on?

Al: Guys! *Separates them*

Mike and Micky: (In unison) He started it!

Miss Gray: (Sighs) I think I'll just let you go. You've done enough. The bus boys and I will finish here.

Mike: Fine with me. (Looks at Micky) Let's go meet Lauren. (Turns to Al) You got anything better to do?

Al: *Checks his watch* Darn it. I've got an orientation in about twenty minutes.

Mike: We'll see you at the contest tomorrow, then.

Al: As long as you guys can stay out of trouble.

Mike: We can stay out of trouble. (Looks at Micky) Right, Mick?

Micky: *Innocent grin* Of course!

Al: Why do I NOT believe that?

Mike: We'll be all right, man. You'd better go get ready for orientation.

(Alton heads out the kitchen door. Mike takes off his chef's jacket and turns to Micky.)

Mike: Wanna grab Lauren and see if we can find some breakfast of our own?

Micky: You have to ask? Man, I'm starving, especially after staring at all that food we were making and serving! I'm about ready to keel over!

Mike: Well, we wouldn't want that. Maybe the lounge is open. (Micky tosses his chef's jacket on the table next to Mike's. They head out as we fade out on Lady Gray shaking her head and mopping.)