The Death of Zukasky
by Richard Strand

THE STORY: Preparing for their usual morning conference, three sales associates discover their supervisor, Zukasky, dead, with his feet up on his desk.

All three of them are next in line for Zukasky's job.

A.C. immediately begins to scheme; Anne is insecure; and Barry is all indecision and blithering.

What's worse, their department head, Marlino, announces that Barry will, indeed, take over, leaving Anne stupefied and unacknowledged for her ten years of experience in the company.

Bit by bit, A.C. begins to plant sly suggestions in his coworker's minds, embroiling them all in a feud that should leave him coming out on top.

In a farcical climax, A.C. and Anne stage a break-in that inadvertently gets both she and Barry fired.

The last scene of the play has A.C. in triumph, ascending to the managerial level, where it's clear this climber won't be satisfied for long.