object clause: The clause after thought tells us what the speaker believed was happening at that moment.
I thought she was meeting with her new intern.The Intern · 2015 — Chapter 1 of 18 · 2'52" · B2
Ben Meets His New Boss, Explained: gave me the drill
The new intern walks in for a scheduled meeting; the talk turns to there being little for him to do and a possible transfer. The polite small talk hides a soft rejection: 'I'm not gonna have a lot for you to do.'
What happens
Ben Whittaker arrives for his 3:55 appointment and introduces himself as the new senior intern. At the office his age draws surprise; once he meets the boss, she admits she has little work for him and suggests a transfer to creative or marketing. He declines and stays, and the two end on a wry note.
Listen for
weirds her outgave me the drillhave a lot for you to dobetter off
00:00 / 02:52Space play · ← → lines · R repeat
Now
Phrase of the scene
gave me the drill
brief someone on the procedure
Someone mentions that Cameron has already explained the situation, then asks to speak frankly before the awkward part begins.
The supervisor gave me the drill before my first shift.
Also in this scene
- weirds her out
make someone feel uneasy
- have a lot for you to do
have plenty of tasks for someone
- better off
be in a better position
- stuck with me
have to put up with someone
- need a suit to do that
need a suit in order to do that
Everything marked in this scene
23 notes across 77 lines
The 'are' is usually swallowed; hear the phrase as one quick block.
How you doing?program for older interns Here 'senior' means older, not higher-ranking.
W... It's the new senior intern program.keep things going
Don't dawdle in any way. Just keep it moving.Let 'dawdle in any' run together instead of stopping between words.
Don't dawdle in any way. Just keep it moving.fail to do something
And don't forget to blink.tell someone the truth
But Cameron gave me the drill, So can I just be honest with you?serve as a model for someone
And you being assigned to me is kind of just For me to set an example for the rest of the team.the other team members
And you being assigned to me is kind of just For me to set an example for the rest of the team.a slightly slower pace
It's a little bit slower pace, Maybe a little bit easier to grasp.make something possible
If you requested to transfer, we can make that happen.conditional clause: The if-clause sets up a request, and the main clause offers to act on it.
If you requested to transfer, we can make that happen.enjoyable to work for
You'll be happier, believe me. I am not so fun to work for.be able to work with anyone
That's what I gather, but I can get along with anyone,predicative clause: The what-clause means 'the impression I have,' not a question.
That's what I gather, but I can get along with anyone,time clause: The when-clause tells us when the email will come; 'for you to do' describes the task.
I will e-Mail you when I have something for you to do.Keep 'for you to do' light and leave the stress on 'something'.
I will e-Mail you when I have something for you to do.drop in briefly
Or I could just stop by a few times a day, check in...?see how things are going
Or I could just stop by a few times a day, check in...?wear formal clothes
Also, don't feel like you have to dress up.very casual — Casual office shorthand; avoid with clients or in formal writing.
I mean, we're super Cas here.old-fashioned in style — Playful label for old-fashioned style; not for formal introductions.
Old school.be noticeably different
At least I'll stand out.Ben Meets His New Boss, explained
What's really going on
The meeting is framed as a formality, but the exchange is about whether the intern belongs. The boss offers a blunt practical explanation: 'I'm not gonna have a lot for you to do.' The suggestion that he would be better off in creative or marketing sounds helpful, yet it also moves him out of the way. The intern answers with deference — 'Not really, sir' — and keeps offering to learn and help. The closing line, 'Well, then, looks like you're stuck with me,' makes the arrangement sound like a burden shared, not a welcome. Both sides stay polite, but the scene shows how a warm tone can carry a soft no.
Theme
GenerationsA 70-year-old intern enters a fast office; his age draws surprise, and the offer of a slower department frames him as out of place.
PowerThe boss can offer a transfer and define the workload, while the intern answers with 'Not really, sir.'
Listen for
- How you doing — The 'are' is usually swallowed; hear the phrase as one quick block.
- dawdle in any — Let 'dawdle in any' run together instead of stopping between words.
- for you to do — Keep 'for you to do' light and leave the stress on 'something'.
I'm not gonna have a lot for you to do.A polite warning that there will be almost no work for the new intern; it sounds considerate but amounts to a soft rejection.
If you requested to transfer, we can make that happen.An offer to arrange a move to another department, framed as helpful even though it pushes the intern away.
Well, then, looks like you're stuck with me.After the intern declines the transfer, the boss accepts the arrangement with a wry line that makes working together sound like a burden.
I don't think you need a suit to do that.A light joke that the intern already stands out without dressing formally; it eases the moment without changing the power balance.
You'll get used to me.A relaxed closing promise that the speaker's ways will become familiar over time, ending the exchange on a lighter note.
Questions about this scene
Why does the boss say she won't have a lot for the intern to do?
She first asks to be honest, then says it directly: 'I'm not gonna have a lot for you to do.' She also calls the assignment a way to set an example for the team and suggests creative or marketing instead.
Why does the intern refuse the transfer?
He says he can get along with anyone, wants to learn about her world, and will give help where he can; when asked again, he answers, 'Not really, sir.'
Does the boss want the intern to stay?
The scene does not settle it. She offers a transfer and says she is not fun to work for, but when he declines she accepts it with 'looks like you're stuck with me.'
What does 'gave me the drill' mean here?
It means someone gave the speaker the procedure or briefing. The line mentions Cameron gave me the drill, then asks to be honest with you.
What tips does the intern get before the meeting?
Talk fast, don't dawdle, keep it moving, and don't forget to blink. The lines say the boss hates slow talkers and that not blinking weirds her out.
The Intern · 18 chapters
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Up next · Chapter 2make the trains run on timeJules Is Told to Consider a CEO
Watching · Chapter 1gave me the drillBen Meets His New Boss
Chapter 2make the trains run on timeJules Is Told to Consider a CEO
Chapter 3goes without sayingBen Confronts the Drinking Driver
Chapter 4me timeTwo Parents Keep Dozing Off
Chapter 5slammedBen Arrives at Jules's House
Chapter 6stay-at-home dadJules Gets the Guacamole Assignment
Chapter 7force of habitBen's Old Factory Reveal
Chapter 8brownnoseIntern Sets Up Facebook Profile
Chapter 9jumped the gunBen Gets His Job Back
Chapter 10I happen to thinkBecky Breaks Down at Work
Chapter 11little does ... knowJules's Team Plans a Break-In
Chapter 12no such thing asFake Alarm at Jules's Mom's House
Chapter 13above and beyondCoworkers Toast After a Heist
Chapter 14glass ceilingBen Takes Paige to a Birthday Party
Chapter 15bowl of mushBen Comes Back Flushed
Chapter 16pull offBenjamin Opens Up About His Marriage
Chapter 17take the rapA Wife Reveals Her Husband's Affair
Chapter 18add upBen Talks Jules Out of Giving UpChapter 1 of 18 · about 43 min to go