Reasonable Circulation
by Philip James Barry, P J. Barry

THE STORY: The place is the regional circulation department of a New York publisher of directories, where a group of bored clerks are typing away listlessly under the watchful eye of Norman, their annoyingly gung ho and snidely petty boss.

Sandra and Colleen are preoccupied with their romantic problems; Marta, recently promoted to Regional Circulation Assistant, is (at Norman's bidding) taking the printing department to task about some misprinted brochures; while John, an actor and office temp, is impatiently awaiting the call from his agent which could be his ticket to a better life.

Managing to type and talk at the same time, most of their attention is focused on personal matters, which intrude via repeated phone calls, much to Norman's annoyance.

Sandra, it appears, is about to be dumped by her fiancé, Lenny; Colleen, arguing about her boyfriend, Marco, is banished from home by her unsympathetic mother; and John ends up shouting at his agent in frustration.

But after the storm comes the calm, as Sandra begins to wonder whether Lenny's younger brother might not be the better match for her anyway; Colleen makes up with her mother; John's agent calls back with the news he has been hoping for; Norman decides that the brochures are okay after all; and Sandra, feeling a bit flighty, answers the phone by saying “Reasonable Circulation” —which, under the circumstances, seems to be a rather apt description.