"So?" "So, what, then?" " I'm sorry, Donny." " Uh-huh, all right." " I'm sorry, Donny." " All right, yeah ." "Maybe he's still in there." " If you think that , how come you' re here?" " Well, he didn't come out." "What do I care, Bob, if he came out or not?" "You're supposed to watch the guy, you watch him." "Am I wrong?" " I just went to the back." " Why?" "Hmm?" "Why'd you do that?" "Cos he wasn't coming out the front." "Well, I'm sorry, Bob, but this isn't good enough." "It ain't good enough, Bob." "If you wanna business , if we got a business deal here, this isn't good enough." " I want you to remember this." " I do." "Yeah, now." "But later, what?" "Just one thing, Bob." "Action counts." "Action talks, and bullshit walks." " I'm tying to teach you something." "OK." " Now, you take Fletcher." " Fletch?" " Now, Fletcher is your stand-up guy." " Yeah ." " Am I lying to you?" " No, Don." "I don't give a shit." "He is a fellow stands for something ." "You put him down in some strange town with just a nickel in his pocket." "By nightfall, he'll have that town by the balls." "And this is not talk, Bob." "This is action ." " Fucker won 400 bucks last night." " And who else won last night?" " Ruthie, she won." " You win?" "Yeah, I did OK." "Not like Fletch." "I mean, Fletcher, he plays cards." " He's real sharp." " Goddamn right, he is." " I know it." " Was he born that way?" "Huh?" "Was he born that way, or do you think he had to learn it?" " Learn it?" " Goddamn right he did, and don't forget it." "Everythng that I or Fletcher know, we picked up on the street, huh?" "That's all business is." "Common sense, experience and talent." "Like when he jewed Ruthie out of the pig iron ." "What pig iron?" " That he got her for that time." " That wasn't, I don't think, her pig iron ." " No?" " No, that was his pig iron, Bob." " Well she was real mad at him." " Well , that may vey well be, Bob." "But the fact remains it was business." "That's what business is." " What?" " People taking care of themselves , huh?" "Because there's business and there's friendship, Bobby." "You've got to keep clear who your friends are and who treated you like what, or else the rest is garbage, Bob." "Because I want to tell you something ." "Things are not always what they seem to be." "I know that, Don ." "There are people on this street, they want this, they want that, do anything to get it." "You don't have friends this life." "Fuckin' Ruthie!" "Fuckin' Ruthie!" " Want some breakfast?" " I'm not hungry." " Never skip breakfast, Bobby." " I'm not hungry." "Fuckin' Ruthie!" " Fuckin' Ruthie!" " Morning, Teach." " Fuckin' Ruthie!" " What?" "Fuckin' Ruthie!" "I come into the Riverside to get a cup of coffee, right?" "I sit down at the table, Grace and Ruthie." "I'm gonna order just a cup of coffee ." "So Grace and Ruthie's having breakfast and they're all done, plates crossed." "So we shoot the shit, talk about the game and so on ." "Down I sit, "Hi, hi;' I take a piece of toast off Grace's plate and she says, "Help yourself!" "'" "Help myself?" "I should help myself to have a piece of toast at four slices for a quarter!" "Evey time we're over at the game, I pop a coffee, cigarettes, a sweet roll." "Never say a word!" "Ah, shit, we're sitting down, how many times do I pick up the check?" "But no, because I never go and make a big thing out of it, it's no big thing, and flaunt, like, "This one's on me!" like some bust-out asshole." "But I naturally assume that I'm with friends and don't forget who's who." "Somebody gets behind half a yard , or needs help with some fuckin' rent, or drops piles of money at the track, or someone's sick.. ." " This is what I'm telling you." " Only, I tell you this, and I'm not casting anything on anyone, from the mouth of a Southern bull-dyke asshole ingrate of a vicious no-rent cunt can this trash come." "And I take nothing back, and I know you're close with them ." " With Grace and Ruthie?" "I like em." " I've always treated eveybody fair." " Is this true, Don?" " Yep." "Someone is against me, that's their problem, I can look out for myself." "And I don't gotta fuck around behind somebody's back if I don't like the way they're treating me, or pray some brick safe falls and hits them on the head, they're on the street." "But to have that shithead turn in one breath evey fucking sweet roll that I ever ate with them into ground glass!" "I'm wondering , were they thinking this guy's an idiot to blow a quarter on his friends?" "It hurts." "It hurts me in a way I don't know what the fuck to do ." " You' re probably just upset." " Fuckin' A, I'm upset." "I am vey upset." " They got their problems, too." " I would like to have their problems." "They were probably talking about something." "Let them talk about it, then." "No, I cannot brush this off." "They treat me like an asshole, they are an asshole." "The only way to teach these people is to kill em ." " Want some coffee?" " I'm not hungry." "Come in." "I'm sending Bobby to Riverside." "Fuckin' joint!" "They harbour assholes." "Teach, what do you want, huh?" "Bob, get me a Boston and Teach a coffee." " Boston, Teacher?" " No." " What?" " Black." "And get yourself something to eat." "What do you want, Teach, English muffin?" " I don't want an English muffin." " Make sure they give him you jelly." "I don't want an English muffin." "I don't want anything ." " Come on, Teach, eat something." " You I feel better if you eat ." "Tell him to give you an order of bacon, real dry, real crisp." "And tell the broad." "If it's for me, she'll give you more." " Anything else you want?" "Cantaloupe?" " I never eat cantaloupe." "Gives me the runs." "Tell him he shouldn't say anything to Ruthie." " He wouldn't." " No." "No, you're right." " I'm sorry, Bob." "I'm upset." " That's OK." " That's O K, Teach." " Thank you." " You're welcome." " And a plate , if they got it ." "I will." " He wouldn't say anything." " What the fuck do I care?" "Cunt!" "There is not one loyal bone in that bitch's body." "So how you finally do last night?" " This has nothing to do with that." " No, I know." "I'm just saying , for talk." "Last night?" "You were here, Don." "How did you do?" "Not well." "Only one won any money, Fletcher and Ruthie." " Cunt had to win 200 dollars." " She's a good card player." "She is not a good card player, Don." "She's a mooch and she plays like a woman ." "Fletch is a card player." "I'll give him that." "But Ruthie!" "You see how the fuck she plays!" "And always with that cunt on her shoulder." " Grace?" "Grace is her partner." " Then let her be her partner, then!" "You see what I'm talking about." "Eveyone is sitting at the table and Grace has got to fetch an ashtray, go for coffee." "Eveybody's all..." "They aren't gonna hide their cards, they're not gonna make a thing ." "I don't give a shit." "I say, the broad's a fucking partner, she walks in back of me, I'm gonna hide my hand." "Yeah.And I say anybody who doesn't is out of their mind." "We're talking about money, for Christ's sake!" "We're talking about cards." "Friendship is friendship and a wondeul thing, and I'm all for it." "I have never said different, and you know me on this point, OK?" "But let's just keep it separate, huh?" "Let's just keep the two apart, and maybe we can deal with each other like human beings." "I know you got a soft spot for Ruthie." "I know you like the broad and Grace." "And Bob, I know he likes them, too." " He likes them." " And I like em, too!" "I'm not averse to this, I'm not averse to sitting down ." "I know we will sit down." "These things happen." "I'm not saying they don't." "And yeah yeah yeah, I know I lost a bundle at the game and blah blah blah ." "But all I ever ask, and I would say this to her face, is only she remembers who is who, and not to go round with her, or Gracie either, with this attitude." "The past is past, and this is now, and so, fuck you !" "See?" " So, what's new?" " Nothing." " Same old shit, huh?" " Yep." " Seen my hat?" " No." "Did you leave it here?" " Yeah." " Did you ask m over at the Riv?" " I left it here." " When?" " Last night." " You left it here, then it's here." "You seen it?" "No" " Fletch been in?" " No." " Probably drop in, huh?" " Yeah." "You never know with Fletch ." "He might drop in in the morning and then he's gone for ten , fifteen days." "You never know he's gone." " What?" " I want to talk to him ." " Ruthie might know." " Vicious dyke." " You got something up with Fletch?" " No, just I have to talk with him ." "HeI probably show up." " What are these?" " Those?" "They're from 1933." "From the thing?" "Nice." "They had a whole market in em, just like anything." "They license out the shit, eveybody makes it." "They got that much to ship it around?" " Shit, yes." "Not that long ago." "The thing, it ran two years, and they had, I don't know, all kinds of people." "Evey year they're buying everything they can lay their hands on ." "They're going to take it back to Buffalo and give it to their aunt." "It mounts up." " What does it go for?" " This shit's fashionable." " They're going to have to go 15 bucks." " You're full of shit." " My word of honour." " What a bunch of crap!" " Evey goddamn thing." " Yeah, evemhing like that." "If I kept the stuff I threw out, I would be a wealthy man today." "I would be cruising on some European yacht." "Uh-huh." " Shit my father kept in his desk drawer." " My father, too ." "The basement?" "Uh-huh." "Fuckin' toys in the back yard , for Christ's sake." " Don't even talk about it." " I don't even want to talk about it." " Do you want to play some gin?" " Maybe later." "OK." "I don't know..." "Fuckin' day." "Fuckin' weather." " Think it's gonna rain?" " Well, look at it." "Bobby, Bobby, Bobby, Bobby, Bobby." " Ruthie isn't mad at you." " How do you know?" " I talked to her." " You talked to her?" " Yes." " I asked you, you weren't going to." " Well, she asked me." " What did you tell her?" " You were here." " What did you say to her, Bob?" " Just Teach was here." " And is she coming over here?" "I don't think so." "They had the plate." "So this is all right." "All right, Bob." "You shouldn't eat that shit." " Why?" " I have this feeling about health foods." " It's not health foods, Teach." "It's yogurt." " That's not health food?" " No." "I've had it forever." " Yogurt?" "Yeah." "They used to joke about it on My Little Margie." " Way before your time." " What the fuck!" "A little bit can't hurt you ." "Where's my coffee?" " It's not in there?" " No." " I told them especially to put it in there." " Well, where is it?" " They forgot it." "I'II go back and get it." " Would you mind?" " No." " Are you gonna get it?" " Yeah." " Well, Bob?" "Can I talk to you?" "What is it?" "I saw..." " Who?" " The guy." " What guy?" " The guy." "You saw the guy?" "The guy I'm talking about?" " Yeah." " Just now?" " Yeah, he's going somewhere." " He is?" "He's putting a suitcase in the car." " The guy who bought the..." " Just him." "He's coming down the stairs." " He's got a suitcase." "He gets in a car." " Uh-huh." "And he drives away." " What was he wearing?" " Stuff." "Travel clothes." "OK, now you're talking." "You see what I mean?" "Yeah, all right!" " And he had a coat, too." " Now you're talking !" " Like a raincoat." " OK, good, good." " Er..." " Yeah, he's gone." "Bob, go get me that coffee." "Do you mind?" " No." " What did you get yourself to eat?" " I didn't get anything." " Get my coffee and get yourself something ." "OK, good." " How's your bacon?" " Ah, they always fuck it up." " Yeah?" " This time they fucked it up too burnt." " You gotta be breathing on their neck." " Hmm." "Like any business." "You want it run right, be there." " It's like you." "Like the shop." " No one's going to run it, I'm not here." "No, you have to be here." "It's a one-man show." "So, what was this thing with the kid?" "Is it anything...?" " No, it's nothing." " Yeah?" "It's what?" " It's just some guy we spotted." " Yeah." "Some guy?" " Yeah?" " Some guy?" " Yeah." "Erm..." "What time is it?" " Noon." "Noon?" "fuck!" "What?" " You parked outside?" " Yeah ." " You OK on the meter?" " Yeah, the broad came by already." " Good." " Oh, yeah." "She came by." " You want to tell me what this thing is?" " The thing?" "Yeah." "What is it?" " Nothing." " No?" "What is it?" "Jewellery?" " No, it's nothing." "You know?" " Yeah ." "Yeah, no, I don't know." "Who am I, a policeman?" "I'm making conversation, huh?" " Yeah." " Cos you know I'm only asking for talk." " Yeah , I know you are, OK." " Then I can live without this." " Hold on, I'll tell you." " Tel I me if you want to ." " I want to, Teach." " Well, I fucking hope so." " Am I wrong?" " Hold on a minute." " I just gotta make this call." " All right." "So what is it, jewelley?" " No." " What?" "Coins." "Coins?" " Yeah?" " Hello, this is Donny Dubrow." "We were talking the other day." "If I could come up with some of that stuff you were interested in, would you be interested in some of it?" "Those things." "Old ." "Tonight." "Sometime late." "I did what?" "Yes, but I don't see what kind of question is that at the prices we're talking about." "Hey, no, I understand you." "I feel the same." "All right." "Goodbye." " Fuckin' asshole!" " Guys like that, I like to fuck their wives." " I don't blame you." " Fucking jerks." " I swear to God." " The guy's a collector?" " Who?" " The phone guy." " Yeah." " And the other guy?" "Who we spotted?" "Him, too." "So you hit him for his coins and you got a buyer in the phone guy." " Asshole!" " Asshole or not, what do you care?" " It's business." " You're right." "The guy with the suitcase, he's the mark." "Yeah." "Comes here one day, like, a week ago." " Yeah, huh?" " Just browsing." "And he's looking in the case." "He comes up with this buffalo-head nickel ." "19-something, I don't know." "I didn't even know it's there." "And he goes, "How much would that be?"" "So I'm about to go, "Two bits" jerk that I am , but something tells me to shut up." "So I say, "You tell me:'" "Always good business." "Oh,yeah." "How wrong can you go?" "So then he thinks a minute and then he tells me he 'll just shop a bit." "What?" " What?" " Cop." "So he's "shopping", you know." "He's picking up maybe five, six things." "Comes to eight bucks." "So I get em, I put em in a box, and then he tells me he 'll go 50 dollars for the nickel ." " No!" " So I tell him, get this, "Not a chance!" "'" " Took balls." " What the fuck!" "So I say "Not a chance!" "' He tells me 80 is his highest offer." " I knew it." " No, wait." "So I go, "95!" "'" " Aha!" " We settle down on 90." "Takes the nickel , leaves the box of shit." " Did he pay for it?" " The box of shit?" " Yeah." " No." "So what was the nickel?" "I don't know." "Some rarity." " 90 dollars for a nickel?" " I bet it's worth five times that." "They guy, he's going to come in here, he plonks down 90 bucks." " Like nothing's shit?" "Yeah!" " What the fuck!" "It didn't cost you anything ." "That's not the point." "The next day, back he comes." "He goes through the whole bit again ." "He looks at this, he looks at that." "It's a nice day." "Then he tells me he's the guy was in here yesterday, he bought the buffalo off me and do I maybe have some other articles of interest?" " Yeah?" " So I tell him, "Not offhand'" "And he says, could I get in touch with him, I get some in?" "He leaves his card." "I'm supposed to call him, I get something else in, huh?" " Uh-huh." " He comes in like I'm his fucking doorman ." "He takes me off, my coin, and will I call him I find another one?" " You're gonna get him now." " You know I am ." "So, Bob, we kept an eye on his place and that's a shot." "Anay, he's living with this chick, you know." "You should see this chick." " Yeah, huh?" " Oh, she is real nice-looking!" " Fuck him." " Yeah." "The other day, last friday, like a week ago, Bob lugs me out to look at em ." "They're going out on bicycles." "The ass on this broad, unbe-fucking-lievable!" "And these bicyling shorts, sticking up in the air, with these short handlebars!" "Fucking fruits!" "So that's it." "We keep an eye on em, they both work." "Yesterday, he rode his bicycle to work." "With the three-piece suit, huh?" "I didn't see him." "Bobby saw him ." "So that's the shot." "The girl gets me in touch with the phone guy." " He's this coin collector." "And that's it." " Fell in your lap?" " Yeah." " You going in tonight?" " Looks that way." " And who's going in?" "Bobby." " He's a good kid, Teach." " Oh, he's a great kid, Don." " You know how I feel about the kid." " He's doing good." "I can see that, but I gotta say something here." " What?" " And I don't think I'm getting at anything ." "What?" "Don't send the kid in." " I shouldn't send Bobby in?" " No." "Now, just wait a second ." "Let's sit down on this." "What are we saying here?" "Loyalty." "You know how I am on this." "This is great, this is admirable." " What?" " This loyalty." "It turns my heart, the things you do for the kid ." " What do I do for him, Walt?" " Things." "Things." "You know what I mean ." "No, I don't do anything for him." "In your mind you don't, but the things I'm saying you actually go do, this is fantastic." "All I mean, a guy can be too loyal, Don." "Don't be dense on this." "What are we saying here?" "Business!" "I mean, the guy's got you taking his high-speed blender, you send the kid in." "You're talking about a real job." "They don't come in and know they've been had ." "You're talking, you're talking maybe a safe." "Certainly a good lock or two." "You need a guy who's looking for valuable shit." "He's not going to mess with the stainless steel silverware or some digital clock, huh?" "We both know what we're saying here." "Some job that needs more than a kid that's gonna shoot up and go in with a crowbar." " I don't want you mentioning that." " It slipped out." " You know how I feel on that." " Yes, and I'm sorry, Don ." "I admire that." "All that I'm saying, don't confuse business with pleasure." "But I don't want that talk only, Teach ." " You understand?" " I more than understand." "I apologise." " I'm sorry." " That's the only thing ." "All right." " But I tell you, I'm glad I said it." " Why?" " It's best for these things to be in the open." " But I don't want it in the open ." " Which is why I apologised." " The fucking kid is clean ." "He's tying hard, he's working hard, and you leave him alone." " Oh, yeah, he's tying real hard." " And he's no dummy, Teach ." "Far from it." "All that I'm saying , the job's beyond him." "Where's the shame in this?" "You want this fucked up?" "This is not jacks, we get up to go home, we give everything back." "All that I'm saying is that the least chance something might fuck up, you'd get the law down, you would take the shot, and you couldn't find the coins whatever!" "If you see the least chance , you cannot afford to take that chance." "Don" "I want to go in there and gut this mother!" "Where's the shame in this?" "You take care of him, fine." "Now, this is loyalty." "But Bobby's got his own best interests, too." "And you cannot afford it, simply as a business proposition ." "You can't afford to take the chance." "What is this?" " That?" " Yes ." "It's a thing they stick in dead pigs, keep their legs apart." "All the blood runs out." " Huh?" " (Police siren wails)" " I set it up with Bobby." " You set it up with him?" " You set it up and then you told him." " Gave Earl ten per cent." "Yeah?" "for what?" " The connection." " (Siren blasts)" "So , ten off the top. 45-45 , huh?" " And Bobby?" " 100. 150." "If we hit big, whatever." " And you what?" " The shot." "I go, I go in." "I bring the stuff back." "Wherever." " What do I do?" " You mind the fort." "This is the fort." "This is real classical money we're talking about." "You think I'm going to fuck with chum change?" "So tell me." " Hold on." "We're still talking." " I'm sorry." "I thought we were done talking ." " No." " Well, then, let's talk some more." "You want to bargain?" "You want to mess with the points?" " No, I just want to think for a second." " Well, you think, but here's a helpful hint." "50 per cent of some money is better than 90 per cent of some broken toaster you're gonna have if you send the kid in, which is providing he don't trip the alarm ." "Don, you don't even know what the thing is on this." "Where he lives, they got alarms." "What kind of alarms?" "What kind of this?" "And what if, God forbid , the guy walks in , somebody's nervous , whacks him with a table lamp?" "You wanna get touchy?" "Then you can take your 90 dollars from the nickel, shove it up your ass." "Wanna know why?" "I'm not saying , because you didn't take the time to go first class." " Hi, Bob." " Hi, Teach." " Did you get yourself something to eat?" " I got a piece of pie and a soda." "Did he charge you again for that coffee?" "Your coffee?" "He charged me this time, but I don't know if he charged me last time." " It's OK." "Leave it out there." " It's OK." " Is it gonna rain?" " I don't know." " Well, what do you think?" " It might." " You think so, huh?" " Teach!" "Well, I'm not saying anything." "I don't think I'm saying anything here." "It might rain, I think, later." " How's your pie?" " Real good." " You know what this is?" " Yeah ." " What is it?" " I know what it is ." " What?" " I know." " Huh?" " What?" " Things are what they are." " Teach ." " We 'll do this later." " Sure." " I gotta ask you something." " We 'll just do it later." "Yeah, sure." " I gotta talk to you." " Yeah, what?" "I'm wondering on a thing, that maybe I could have a bit upfront." " Do you need it?" " I don't need it." "How much?" "I was thinking that maybe you could let me have like 50?" " You got any cufflinks?" " Look in the case." " What do you need it for?" " Nothing." " You can trust me." " It's not a question of that ." "It's not a question I go around trusting you." " I got him all spotted." " Who?" " Some guy?" " Yeah?" "Where does he live?" " Around." " Where?" "Near here?" " No." " No." "What you got?" "A job case?" " I just went for coffee." " But you didn't get the coffee, now, did you?" " No." " Why?" "Hold on, Teach." " Bob." " What?" "Come here a minute, will you?" "OK,Donny." " Erm..." "I want to tell you something." " All right." "I was thinking, you know, we might hold off on this thing ." "You want to hold off on it?" "I was thinking we might, yeah ." "And on that money, I'II give you 40." "You owe me 20, and for now you keep 20 for spotting the guy." " You don't want me to do the job?" " That's what I told you ." " What am I telling you?" " I'm not going to do it." "Not now." "We aren't going to do it now." " We could do it later on." " But I'm giving you 20 for spotting the guy." " I need 50, Donny." " Well, I'm giving you 40." " You said you were giving me 20." " Look, here it is." "I'II give you 50." "Next week,you pay me back 25." "You get to keep 25, and pay me back 25." " What about the thing?" " Forget about it." " You tell me when you want me to do it." " I don't know that I want you to at this point." " You know what I mean?" " No." "I mean I'm giving you 25." "I'm saying forget the thing ." " Forget it for me?" " Yes ." "Oh." "OK." " So you see what I'm talking about?" " Yeah." " Like it never happened." "I know." "So you see what I'm saying?" "Yeah." "I'm gonna go." "I'll see you later." "Here." "I'm gonna give you 30, and you owe me back 30." "You said you were giving me 50." "I'm sorry." "I'm sorry, Bob, you're absolutely right." "Thank you." " I'll see you later, huh, Teach?" " I'll see you later, Bobby." " See you, Donny." " See you later, Bob." " I'll come back later." "OK." "You're only doing the right thing by him, Don." "Believe me, it's best for eveybody." "What's done is done." "OK, let's get started on the thing." "Tell me evemhing." " Like what?" " The guy, where does he live?" " Around the corner." " OK." "And he's going for the weekend?" " We don't know." " The kid's not gonna lie to you ." " Bob only saw him coming out." " Don, he had a suitcase." "He's going for the weekend ." "Don, can you cooperate?" " You want to tell me about coins?" " What about em?" "A crash course." "What to look for, what to take, what not to take." "This they can trace, that isn't worth nothing, what looks like what and so on ." " First off, I want that nickel back." " Donny!" "I know it's only a fucking nickel, but what I'm saying is I only want it back." "You're gonna get it." "I'm going for his coins." "Am I gonna take em all except your nickel?" "Wake up, Don!" "Let's plan this out , the spirit of the thing ." "Let's not be loose on this." "People are loose, people pay the price." "I like you like a brother, Don, so let's wake up on this." "All right, a man comes into a junk shop looking for coins." "He spots a valuable nickel hidden in a pile of shit." "He farts around, he picks up this, he picks up that." " He wants that nickel." " No shit!" "He goes to checkout." "He goes 90 on the nick." " He'd have gone five times there." " Look, don't kick yourself." "All right, we got a guy knows coins." "Where does he keep his coin collection?" " Hidden." " The man hides his coin collection." "The guy has a study." "I mean, he's not the kind of guy to keep it in the basement." " No." " So we're looking for a study." " And then" " He hasn't got a safe." " Yeah." " He's probably gonna keep em where?" "I don't know." "In his desk drawer?" "I open the middle , the rest of them pop out , yeah." "Maybe." "Which brings up a point." "As we' re moving the stuff tonight , we can go in like gangbusters, huh?" "We don't care if we wreck the joint ." " So, what else?" " I don't know." "I'm not talking cash." "I mean, what other stuff do we take for our trouble?" " I don't know." " It's hard to make up rules about this stuff." " You'll be in there under lots of pressure." " Aah, not so much." "Oh, come on, a little, anyway." "That's only natural." "It would be not natural if I wasn't tense." "The guy who isn't tense, I don't want him on my side." " You know why?" " Yeah." "Ok, then , it's good to talk this out." " Yeah." " You have to talk it out." "Bad feelings, misunderstandings happen on a job." "You can't get away from them ." "You deal with them." "You wanna quiz me on some coins?" "You want to show some coins to me?" "List prices, the blue book?" " You want to see the book?" " Sure." "I just picked it up last week." "The values aren't current." " Silver." "What's a rarity." " Well, that's got to be fairly steady." "I'm saying against what isn't." "But the book gives you the general idea." " You gotta have a feel for your subject." " The book can give you that." "This is what I'm saying to you." "One thing makes all the difference in the world ." " What?" " Knowing what the fuck you're talking about." "That is so rare, Don." "It's so rare." "What do you think a 1929 S Lincoln penny with the wheat on the back is worth?" "Ah ah ah!" "We gotta know what condition we're talking about." " OK, what condition?" " Any of them." "You tell me ." " Well, pick one." " OK." "I'm gonna pick an easy one." "Excellent condition. 1929 S." " It's worth about.. .36 dollars." " No!" " More?" " Well, guess." " Just tell me, is it more or less?" " What do you think?" " More." " No!" "OK." "It's worth..." "I gotta say.. ." " 18.60." " No." " Then I give up." " 20 fucking cents." " You're full of shit." " My mother's grave." " Give me the fucking book!" " You gotta know what you're talking about." " You wanna take the book?" " No, fuck the book." "What am I going to do?" "Leaf through the book for hours on end?" " The important thing is to have the idea." " Oh, yeah." "What was the other one?" " What other one?" " He stole off you." "The date and so on?" " How the fuck do I know?" " When you looked it up." " How we doing , getting in the house?" " The house?" "Yeah." " We go in through a window they left open." " Yeah?" " There's always something." " What else, if not the window?" "How the fuck do I know?" " If not the window, something else." " What?" " We'll see when we get there." " OK, all I'm asking, what it might be." "Hey, you didn't warn us we were going to have a quiz." " It's just a question." " I know it." "Oh,you can't answer me,Teach?" "You have your job,I have my job,Don." "I am not here to smother you in theory." "Think about it." "I'd like you to answer my question ." "Don't push me, Don." "Don't front off with me here." "I am not other people." "Just what does that mean?" " Just that nobody's perfect." " They aren't?" "No" "I'm going to have Fletch come with us." " Fletch?" " Yes ." " Now you're kidding me." " No." " No?" "Then why do you say this?" " I want some depth ." " You want depth on the team?" " Yes, I do." " So you bring in Fletch?" " Yes ." "Cos I don't play your fucking games with you ." " We just might need him." " We won't." " We might, Teach." " We don't need this guy, Don ." " What?" "You're calling him?" " It's busy." " He's talking on the phone." "He's..." " (Police siren)" " He's probably talking on the phone." " Yeah, he probably is." "We don't need this guy, Don, we don't need him." "I see your point here, I do." "You're thinking I'm out there alone, you're worried I'll rattle, so you ask how I go in ." "I understand, I see this, I do." "I could go in a drainpipe!" "He's talking, he's talking!" "for Christ's sake, give him a minute, huh?" " I'm hurt,Don." " Sorry, Teach." " I'm not hurt for me." " Who are you hurt for?" " Think about it." " We can use somebody to watch our rear." "Rears, huh?" "You keep your numbers down, you don't have a rear." "You know what has rears?" "Armies." " I am just saying, something goes wrong." " You make your own right and wrong ." "Hey, big fucking deal!" "The shot is yours, no one's disputing that." "We're talking business." "You think it's good business to call Fletch in?" " Yes!" " Well, then, OK." "Are you sure?" " I'm sure, Teach." " Then, OK." "That's all I worry about." "You're probably right." "We could use three of us." "Somebody to watch for cops, work out a signal ." "Safety in numbers, three-men job." "You, me, Fletcher." " Yeah." " Division of labour." "Security, muscle, intelligence." "Huh?" " Yeah." " This means what?" "An additional split." "Am I right?" "We got ten off the top, goes to Earl , and the rest, three-way split." "Am I right?" " Yeah." " All right, lay the shot out for me." " For tonight?" " Yes ." "OK, I stay here on the phone, for Fletcher." " We meet 10:30 , 11:00 , back here." " Back here, the three?" " Yeah." "And go in." "Huh?" " Yeah ." " Where?" " Around the corner." "Yeah." "And uh..." " Are you mad at me?" " No." " You want to play gin?" " Nah." "Then I'll go home, take a nap and rest up, come back here tonight and we'll take off this fucking fruit's coins ." " Right." " Feel like I'm trying to stay up to death ." " You ain't been asleep since the game?" " Shit, no." "Dyke cocksuckers!" " Take a nap." "Tying to kill yourself?" " Right." "Do what you think is right." " You have to, Teach." " Trust your instincts, right or wrong ." " I got to." " Anybody wants me, I'm over the hotel ." "If I'm not at the hotel, I stepped out for coffee, I'II be back one minute." " OK." " I don't want you to wory about anything ." " I won't." " I don't want to hear you're worrying." " You won't, Teach." " You sure you want Fletch coming in, huh?" " Yes." " All right, so long as you're sure." "I'm sure, Teach." "I want to make one thing plain before I go, Don." "I'm not mad at you ." " I know." " All right." "Have a nice nap." "I will." " (Rings)" " Great, great, great!" "Great, great!" "Cocksucker fuckhead!" " What are you doing here?" " I need some money." " For what?" " This guy." "I found a coin." " A coin?" " A buffalo head." "You want it?" "What are you doing here, Bob?" "I need some money." "Let me look at it." "I gotta look at it to know, do I want it?" " You don't know?" " I probably want it ." " What I'm saying, if it's worth anything." " It's a buffalo." "It's worth something ." "The question is what?" "It's like everything else, like evey other fucking thing ." " Were you at the Riv?" " Before." " Was Fletch over there?" " No." " Teach?" " No." "Ruthie and Gracie were there." " What the fuck does that mean?" " Nothing." "They was there." "I didn't mean anything ." " My nickel." "I could tell you what it is." " What date it is?" "That don't mean shit." " No?" " Come on, Bobby." " What's important, what condition it's in." " Great." "You, I don't know, count the hair on the Indian, something." "You gotta look it up." " In the book?" " Yes ." " OK, then you know." " Well, no." "The book is like an indicator." " And so on..." "Ah, shit!" " What?" " What do you want for the coin?" " What it's worth, only." "OK, we'll look it up." " But you still don't know." " But you got an idea, Bob." "You got an idea you can deviate from ." " The other guy went 90 bucks." " He was a fuckin' sucker." "Am I a sucker, Bob?" "I'm busy here,you see?" " Some coins are worth that." " Oddities, Bob." "Freak oddities of nature." " What do you want?" " What it's worth ." " Let me see it." " Why?" "To look in the goddamn..." "Forget it." "Forget it, don't let me see it." "But the book don't mean shit." "The book gives us ideas, Bob." "The book gives us a basis for comparison ." "We're human beings." "We can talk, we can negotiate, we can this." " You need money?" " How come you're in here so late?" " We're going to play cards." " Who?" "Teach and me and Fletcher." " What the fuck is he doing here?" " What fucking time is it?" " Where is Fletcher?" " You know what time it is?" " What?" "I'm late?" " Damn right, you're late." "I'm fucked up since my watch broke." "Your watch broke?" "When did your watch break?" " The fuck do I know!" " Well, you look at it!" " All you got to do is look at it." " I don't have it." " Why not?" " I took it off when it broke ." " You're going around without a watch?" " Yes." "You're my keeper all of a sudden?" "I'm paying you to do a thing, Teach, I expect to know where you are, when ." "Donny, you aren't paying me to do a thing ." "We are doing something together." "I know we are ." "My watch broke, that is my concern ." "The thing is your and my concern, and the concern of Fletcher." "You want to find a reason we should jump all over each other all of a sudden , like we work in a blood bank, fine, but it's not good business." "And so who knows what time it is, offhand?" "Jerks on the radio, the phone broad." "Now I understand nerves." "There's no fucking nerves involved ." " No, huh?" " No!" "Well, great!" "So what are we talking about?" "A little lateness?" "Some excusable fucking lateness, and a couple of guys are understandably excited?" " I don't like it." " Then don't like it then ." "Let's eveybody get a writ!" "I got a case,you got a case." "Bobby?" "I don't know what the fuck he's doing here." " Leave him alone." " Now I'm picking on him." " What's he doing here?" " I found a nickel." " Hey!" "That's fantastic." " You want to see it?" "Yes, please." "Let me see it." "I like it because of the art on it , cos it looks like something." "Uh-huh." "Is this worth anything?" "We don't know yet." "We're gonna look it up." " What, tonight?" " I think so." " So where is he?" " How the fuck do I know?" " He said he'd be here." " Yes, he did ." " Fletcher?" " So where is he, then?" " Leave him alone." "He'll leave." " Sure he doesn't like the bowling league?" "Fletch doesn't show up, we just suit up Bobby, give him a shot and he goes in." "Ah, fuck, I'm sorry." "I spoke in anger, I'm sorry, I'm sorry." "Anybody can make mistakes around here but me." "I'm sorry,Bob." "All I meant to say is, we'd give you a fuckin' suit, like in football, and you'd go in." "What do you want me to do?" "Dress up and lick him all over?" "I said I was sorry." " What's going on here?" " Bobby, I'll see you tomorrow, OK?" " I need some money." " What do you need?" " I want to sell my buffalo nickel." " I'll buy it myself." " How much do you want for it?" " 50 dollars." "You' re out of your fuckin' mind ." "Look, here's a fin." "Get lost, OK?" " It's worth more than that." " How the fuck do you know that?" " Well, I think it is." " OK, you keep the fin like a loan ." "You keep the fuckin' nickel and we'll call it a loan." "Now, go on." " Fuck." " (Bob) I need more." " Give the kid a couple of bucks." " What for?" " The nickel." " You bought the nickel?" " Give him some money, get him outta here." " How much?" " What?" "I don't care." " What the fuck am I giving him money for?" " Just give it to him." " What?" "Ten?" "Is that OK, Bob?" " OK?" " We'll look it up." "OK." "We'll see you tomorrow." " You should talk to Ruthie." " Oh, I should, huh?" " Yeah." " Why?" " Because." " I'll see you tomorrow, Bobby." "Goodbye,Teach." "Goodbye." " Fucking kid." " So where's Fletcher?" " Don't worry, he'll be here." " But when?" "Maybe his watch broke." "Yeah , maybe it just did , Teach." "Maybe his actual watch broke." "Maybe mine didn't, you're saying?" "You want to place a little fucking wager on it?" "I'II bet you all the money in your pockets against all the money I got in my pockets." "I walk out that door right now and come back with a broken watch ." " Calm down." " I am calm." "I'm just upset." " Don't worry about it." " So who's gonna worry about it?" " Shit!" " This should go to prove something ." " It don't prove anything." "The guy's just late." " Well, I wasn't, huh?" " You were late, too." " Fuckin' A, I was, and I got bawled out." " He's late for a reason." " I don't accept it." " That's your privilege." " What was Bob doing here?" "He wanted to sell me that nickel ." " Where'd he get it?" " I think from some guy." " Who?" " I don't know." " Where's Fletcher?" " I don't know." "He'll show up." " He's not here now?" " No." " Did you scout the guy's house?" " The guy?" "No." "Well, let's do that." "He's not home, hang up." "You want to scout his house?" "Bob already saw him and he went off with a suitcase ." " Just to be sure, huh?" " Yeah?" "OK." " You bet." "Now we call him up." " Call the guy?" "Good idea, we can do this." "This is planning." "This is preparation." " Now, if he answers..." " Sh." "I'm telling you what to do if he answers." "Hang up." "No, don't hang up!" "Hang up now,hang up now!" "Now look, if he answers, don't arouse his fucking suspicions." "And the odds are, he's not there." "So when he answers, say you're calling for the wrong fucking number or something ." "Be simple." "Gimme the phone." "Gimme the card ." " This is his number?" "221 7834?" " Yeah ." "All right." "I dial." "I'm calling for somebody named June, we're gonna interchange our number." "What we're gonna say, like, is just 221 7834, and they go "No'" "I mean 7843." "It is 7834." "So, we go very simply, "Is this 221 7843?"" "And they go, "No' and right away we know the guy is home." " We still haven't blown the shot." " OK." "(Ringing tone)" " Hello?" " Hi." "Yeah." "Erm..." "I'm calling..." "Er..." "Is June there?" "Well, is this 221 7843?" "It is?" "Well, look, I must have got the number wrong." "I'm sorry." "That's bizarre." "Read me that number." "221 7834." "(Ringing tone)" "Nobody home." "You see, this is careful operation." " Check and recheck.Wanna try it?" " No." "I don't mind if you're careful, Don." "This doesn't piss me off." " What gets me mad is when you get loose." " What do you mean?" " I come in here, the kid's here." " He doesn't know anything ." " He doesn't?" " No." " Then why did he come here?" " To sell me the buffalo." "Sell tonight?" "A valuable nickel?" "We don't know." "Uh-huh." "Where is Fletcher?" "I don't know." "He's not home." "He's not home, Don." "He's out." " Hello." " He's in?" "It's Donny Dubrow." "I'm looking for Fletcher." " OK,thank you." " Cocksucker should be horsewhipped... ..with a horsewhip." " He'll show up." " Fucking Riverside, too!" "87 cents for takeout coffee!" "Lotta nerve." "You come in there for 16 years, this is not free enterprise." " You know what is free enterprise?" " No." "What?" "The freedom of the individual to embark on any fucking course that he sees fit, in order to secure his honest chance to make a profit." "Am I so out of line on this?" " No." " Does this make me a Commie?" "The country's foundered on this, Don." "You know this." " Did you get a chance to take a nap?" " Nap, nap, nap, nap, nap, big deal!" "Without this we're just savage shitheads in the wilderness, sitting on some campfire." "That's why Ruthie burns me up." "No-good dyke!" "Take those fuckers in the concentration camps." "You think they went in by choice?" "They were dragged in there, Don ." "Kicking and screaming." "Give me that fucking phone." " (Ringing)" " He's not home!" "He's not home!" " I say fuck the cocksucker!" " He'll show up." " You believe that?" " Yes ." "Then you're full of shit." "Don't tell me that, Teach." "Don't tell me I'm full of shit." "I'm sorry." "You want me to hold your hand?" "This is how we keep score." "We're all here." " I don't want that talk." " Don, I talk straight to you cos I respect you." "It's kick ass or kiss ass, and I'd be lying if I told you any different." "What makes you such an authority on life all of a sudden?" " My life, Jim, and the way I've lived it." " Now, what does that mean, Teach?" " What does that mean?" " Yeah." "What does that mean?" "Nothing, not a thing." "All that I'm telling you, the shot is yours." "It's one night only." "Too many guys know." "All that I'm saying, take your shot." " Who knows?" " You and me,yeah?" "Bob and Fletcher." "Earl, the phone guy." "Grace and Ruthie, maybe." " Grace and Ruth don't know." " Who knows?" "All that I'm telling you are facts." "Don't go fuck yourself over with appearances." "It's not always so clear what's going on ." "Like Fletcher that time and the pig iron?" " What was the shot on that?" " He stole some pig iron off Ruth ." " I heard that." " That's a fact." "A fact stands by itself, and we must face the facts and act on them ." "You better wake up, or things are going to fall on your head , and you are going to turn around to find he's took the joint off by himself." " He would not do that" " He would." "He's an animal" " He don't have the address." " He doesn't?" "Now, this is wise." "Let us go and take what's ours." " We have a deal with the man." " With Fletcher?" "We had a deal with Bobby." " What does that mean?" " Nothing." " What did you mean by that?" " I didn't mean a thing ." " Then you are full of shit." " I am?" "Yes" "Because I got the balls to face some facts." " You scare me sometimes, Don." " Oh, yeah?" "I don't want to go round with you." "Things go round and settle when we're done." "We have a job to do here, huh?" "Forget it!" " Come on, let's go." " We're waiting for him ." " Fletcher?" " Yes ." " Why?" " Many reasons." "Tell me one." "Give me one good reason why we're sitting here, and I'II sit down right now and never say a word." "One reason!" " One!" "Go on, I'm listening." " He knows how to get in ." " Good night, Don." " Where you going?" " Home." " You're going home?" "Why?" "You're fucking with me." "It's all right." " You tell me how I'm fucking with you." " Come on, Don!" " You asked me the one reason." " You make yourself ridiculous." " Then tell me the answer." " What is the question?" " Fletch knows how to get in." " That's your reason?" " Yes." " What the fuck they live in?" "Fort Knox?" "Get in?" "You break in a window." "Worst comes to worst, you kick the fucking back door in !" "What do you think this is?" "The Middle Ages?" "(Horn blares)" " What about he's got a safe?" " Big fucking deal." " How's that?" " You want to know about a safe?" " Yes." " What you do, you find the combination ." "Where he wrote it down?" "What if he didn't write it down?" "He wrote it down." "He's gotta write it down." "What happens if he forgets it?" " What happens if he doesn't it?" " He's gotta forget it." "Human nature." "Even he doesn't forget it, why does he not forget it?" " What?" " Cos he's got it wrote down ." "That's why he writes it down." "Huh?" "Not because he's some turkey can't even remember the combination to his own safe." "But only in the event that he somehow forgets it, he's got it wrote down ." "This is common sense." "What's the good, keep the stuff in the safe, evey time he wants it, he's got to write away to the manufacturer." " Where does he write it?" " What difference?" "We go in, I find the combination, 15 minutes, tops." "There are only so many places it can be." "Man is a creature of habits." "Man does not change his habits overnight." "This is not like him." "And even if he does, he has a very good reason ." "Look, you want to remember something, you write it down." "Where do you put it?" " My wallet." " Exactly." "OK." " What if he didn't write it down?" " He wrote it down ." "Yeah , I know he did." "But just, I'm saying , from another instance, some made-up guy from my imagination ." " You're saying in the instance of some guy?" " Some other guy." " He didn't write it down." " Yes ." "Well , this is another thing." "You see what I'm saying?" "It's another matter, The guy, he's got the shit in the safe, he didn't write it down ." " Don." " Yes?" "How do you know he didn't write it down?" "Erm..." "You know..." "Making it up." "Well, then, this is not based on fact." "You see what I'm saying?" "I can sit here and tell you this, tell you that." "I can tell you any fucking thing you care to mention ." "But what is the point?" "You are telling me he didn't write it down ." "All that you're saying, you can't find it, which is only natural." "You don't know where to look." "All I'm asking for, a little trust here." "I don't know." "Then you know what?" "Fuck you !" "All of you , Grace and Ruthie!" "Christ?" "What am I, standing here convincing you?" "What am I doing, demeaning myself standing here, pleading with you to protect your best interests?" "I can't believe this, Don ." "If somebody told me I'd do this for you , for anybody, I'd call him a liar." "I'm coming in here to efface myself." "I am not Fletch, Don, no, and you should thank God and fall down I'm not." "You're commenting all the time that he's so good at cards." "The man is a cheat, Don." "He cheats at cards." "Fletcher, the guy you're waiting for." " He cheats?" " Yeah, fucking-A right, he does." "Where do you get this?" "You're full of shit, Walt." "You're saying Fletcher cheats at cards." "You seen him?" "You're telling me this?" "The what-do-you-call-it is always last to know." "Come on, Walt." "I mean , forget with the job an' all ." " You live in a world of your own , Don." " Fletch cheats at cards?" " Yes." " I don't believe you." " You can't take the truth." " No, I ain't playing this fucking game." " You don't know what goes on." " I leave Fletcher alone in my store." "He could take me off any time, day and night." "What are you telling me?" "This is poison." "I don't want to hear it." " And this is what you say?" " Yes, it is." "Think back, Donny." "Last night on one hand, you lost 200 bucks." "You got the straight, you stand pat, I go down before the draw." "He's got what?" " Huh?" " A flush ." " That is correct." "How many did he take?" " What?" "How many did he take?" " One." " No, two, Don." "He took two." "Yeah, he took two that hand." "He takes two." "You're standing pat and you kick him 30 bucks." "He draws two and comes out with a flush?" " And spills his fucking fresco." " Yeah ." " Oh , you remember that." " Yeah ." "And we look down." "When we look back, he's come up with the king high flush ." "After he has drawed two?" "Better than that, Don , you knew you had him beat and you were right." "It coulda happened." " Donny." " Yeah?" "Donny, Donny, Donny." "He laid down five red cards, a heart flush to the king ." "Yeah." "I swear to God , that when I threw my hand in when you raised me out, that I folded the king of hearts." " You never called him out?" " No." " How come?" " He ain't got the address of the guy." "I told you he didn't." "He's cheating, you didn't say anything?" "It's not my responsibility to cause bloodshed." "I'm not your keeper." " You want to face facts, OK." " I can't believe this, Teach ." " Friendship is marvellous." " You couldn't say a word?" " I tell you now." " He was cheating." "You couldn't say?" "Don, Don, I see you're put out." "You find out this guy's a cheat." "According to you ." "According to me, yes." "I am the the person that's usually according to when I'm talking ." "Have you noticed this?" "I'm not crazed that you're coming out that I would lie to you on this." "Fuck this!" "And anything." "Wake up, Jim." "I'm not the cheat." "I know you're not mad at me." "Who are you mad at, Don?" "Who fucked you up here?" "Who's not here?" "Who?" " Ruth knows he cheats?" " Who is the bitch in league with?" " Him?" " Oh, yes, Don." "Oh, yes." "You know how much money they've taken out of that game?" " Well, I could be wrong." " Don't fuck with me here, Teach ." "I don't fuck with friends." "I don't fuck with business associates." "I am a businessman." "I am here to do business." "Will you open your eyes?" "The kid comes in, he's got a certain coin, like the one you used to have." "The guy you brought in doesn't show, we don't know where he is ." "Something comes down, some guy gets his house took off." "Fletcher, he's not showing up." "Let's say I don't know why, you don't know why." "But I know that we're both better off." "We are better off, Don ." " What time is it?" " It's midnight." "I'm going out there now." "I'II need the address." " What's that?" " What?" " That." " This gun?" "What does it look like?" " A gun." " It is a gun." " I don't like it." " Don't look at it." " I'm serious." " So am I." " We don't need a gun, Teach." " Pray that we don't, Don ." " We don't." "Tell me why we need a gun." " It's not a question, do we need it?" "Only that it makes me comfortable." "It helps me to relax, so that.. ." "..God forbid, something inevitable occurs, and the choice is" " I'm saying, God forbid - it's either him or us." " Who?" " The guy." "I'm saying, God forbid, the guy or somebody comes in, he's got a knife, a cleaver from one of those , uh.. ." ". .magnetic boards with the two strips?" "And whack, and somebody's bleeding to death." "This is all." "Merely a deterrent." "All the preparation in the world does not mean shit, compared to some crazed lunatic who sees you as an invasion of his personal domain ." "Guys go nuts, Don." "You know this." "Public officials?" "Axe murderers." " I don't like the gun." " I'm not going without it." "Why do you want it?" "Protection of me and my partner." "Deterrence." "We're only going around the fucking corner." "I don't want it with ." "I can't step down on this, Don." "I gotta have it with." "In the light of things as they are ." " Why?" " Because of the way things are ." " Hold on a second." " Fletcher?" "Some cops." "They have the right idea, armed to the hilt." "Sticks, Mace, knives." "Who knows what the fuck they got?" "Social customs break down, next thing, eveybody's lying in the gutter." " (Knock at door)" " Get down." "Douse the light." " Let me see who it is." " Don't answer it." "Donny" " It's Bobby." "I know." "Don't let him in." " He knows we're in here." " I gotta talk to you ." " What is it?" " I can't come in?" "Bob, what do you want?" "You know we got work to do, we don't need you, so what are you doing here?" " What do you want?" " I gotta talk to Donny." "You do not have to do anything." "You do not have to do anything that we tell you to do." "Can I talk to you?" "I came here from Riverside." " He's in hospital." "Fletch." " With what?" " He got mugged." " You're so full of shit." " He's mugged?" " Yeah." "Grace , they just got back." " They broke his jaw." " They broke his jaw?" " Yeah, broke." " Well, how about this, Don?" "Your Fletch is in Masonic Hospital, a needle in his arm." " Yeah." " How about this?" "Would you believe this, I told you this this afternoon?" "Huh?" " How bad is he?" " They broke his jaw." " They broke his Jaw!" " When did it happen, Bob?" " Like, before." " Before, huh?" " How about this, Don?" " We're going to see him in the morning ." " They got hours in the morning?" " I guess so." "Hey, thanks for coming here." "You did real good, coming here." "He did real good coming here, huh, Donny?" "We owe you something ." " What for?" " Coming here." " Like what?" " He don't know." "He thinks we owe you something." "Right now, he can't think what it is." " Thanks, Teach." " That's OK, Bob." "Stick around ." " OK. for a minute." " What?" "Are you busy?" " I got, like, some things to do." " Got a date?" " No." " What, then?" " Business." " Where'd they take him , Bob?" " Uh..." "Masonic." " I don't think they got hours till after lunch ." "Then,we'll go then.I'm gonna go now." "Hold on, Bob." "I feel we should take care of you for coming ." "That's OK." "I'll see you guys." "Bobby." "Come here a minute, Bobby." "What,Donny?" "What's going on here, Bobby?" " Here?" " Yes ." " Nothing." " I'm saying, what's happening, Bob?" " I don't know." " Where'd you get that nickel from?" " What nickel?" " The nickel that I'm talking about." " I got it off some guy." " What guy?" " That I met downtown." " What was he wearing?" "Things." " How you get it off him, Bob?" " We had a talk." "You know what?" "You look funny, Bob." " I'm late." " It's after midnight." "What are you late for?" " Nothing." " Jesus." "You're fucking with me here." "No" " Bobby..." " I'm not fucking with you, Donny." "Where's Fletcher?" "Masonic." " The Masonic Hospital, please." " I think." " What?" " He might not be Masonic." "Thank you." " Now what?" " He might not be there." " You said he was there." " Yeah, just like..." "I said it." "I really don't remember what they said , Ruthie." " Ruthie?" " So I just said Masonic." " Why?" " I thought of it." "Yes, I'm looking for a guy who was just admitted." "Fletcher Post." "Thank you." "She's looking for him." " No." " Told you ." "You're sure?" "Thank you." " He's not there." " I told you ." " What'd I tell you, Don?" " Where is he?" "Somewhere else." "This makes me nuts, Bobby." " They broke his jaw." " Who?" "Some spics." "I don't know." " They did." " Who is this they that you're talking about?" "Bob?" "Who are these people you're talking about?" "They broke his jaw." "All of a sudden , they broke his jaw?" "They didn't care it was him ." "No?" "No,Teach." "So who is it takes him out by accident, huh?" "Grace and Ruthie?" " They wouldn't do that." " I'm not saying they would ." "What's he saying, Donny?" "Bob." "Bob!" "What am I saying?" "Where's Fletcher, Bobby?" "Hospital." "Aside from that." "All I know, that's the only place he is, Teach ." "Now, don't get smart with me, Bob." "Don't get smart with me, you young fuck!" "We been sweating blood on this all day long, and I don't want your smart mouth on this." "Fuck around with Grace and Ruthie and you come in here." "So all we want's some answers." "Do you understand?" "I told you, do you understand this?" "You better answer him ." " I understand." " Then let us get this clear." "Loyalty does not mean shit in a situation like this." "I don't know what you and them are up to, and I do not care." "Only that you come clean with us." "He might've been in a different hospital." " Which one?" " Any of em ." " So why'd you say Masonic?" " I just thought of it." " OK, OK, Bob?" " Yes?" "I want for you to tell us here and now, and for your own protection , what is going on, what is set up, where Fletcher is and everything you know." "I can't believe this." " I don't know anything." " You don't,huh?" "No" " Bob..." " Tell him what you know, Bob." "I don't know it, Donny." "Grace and Ruthie said that he got mugged." "Grace and Ruthie, up your ass!" "You shithead , you don't fuck with us." "I'II kick your fucking head in!" "I don't give a shit." "You twerp." "I don't give a shit." "Coming in with your fuckin' stories." " Imaginary people in hospitals." "You fruit." " You brought it on yourself." "Sending us out there." "Who the fuck knows what he's.. ." " In the hospital." " (Rings)" " Which hospital?" " I don't know." "Don't back down on this, Don ." " Don't back down on me here." " Bob." "You got to steer a point here." " Yeah, I do." " We don't want to hit you ." " No." " You're the only one who knows the score." "My ear's bleeding." "Why d'you want to hurt my ear?" "Shit." "What?" " What the fuck do you want?" " Who is it?" "The guy?" "It's Ruthie." "Oh, yeah?" "Yeah, we heard all about that, Ruth." " from who?" " from Bobby." "Yeah, we'll all go." "I thought he was at Masonic." "Bobby." "OK." "That's where weI go, then, Ruth." "I mean, we're not gonna go see him at some hospital he isn't even at." "Bobby's not here." "I will." "Yes." "For Fletcher Post, please." "He was just admitted ." "No, I only want to know is he all right and when we go to see him ." "Thank you." " What?" " She's looking." "Yes" "Yeah." "Thank you very much ." "Yes." "You've been vey kind." "What?" "Is he in there?" "Yeah." "And they won't let us talk to him?" "His jaw is broke." "(Bobby) I feel funny." " Bob..." " I never felt quite right on this." "I mean, we're fucked up here." "We have not blown the shot, but we're fucked up." "I'm gonna take you to the hospital ." "Yeah, he can get you to the hospital." "You'll get some care." "This isn't a big deal." "Bob, you fell downstairs, you hurt your ear." " You understand?" " Give em your right name." " You know what you can tell em?" " Fucking rain." "Hold onto this." "Anything you want inside the hospital ." "I don't want to go to the hospital ." " I don't want to." " You got to, Bob." " Why?" " You're fucked up, that's why." " I get to do the job." " You shut up." "You are going in the hospital ." "We aren't gonna do the job tonight." " Do it sometime else." " Yeah ." " He ain't gonna do no job." " Shut up." " Just say he isn't going to do no job." " It's done, now." " I'm saying this is over." " No, it's not done." "He does no job." "Leave the fucking kid alone." "You want kids, go have them." "I'm not your wife." "This doesn't mean a thing to me." "This is my question." "Where did you get that coin?" " What?" " Where did you get that nickel?" "He comes in here with 50 dollars for a nickel." "Where did you get it?" " Take me to the hospital." " Where did you get that nickel?" " I bought it." " Motherfucking junkie!" " Shut up." " You bought that coin?" "Where?" " A coin store." " You bought it in a coin store." "Why?" "Go get your car." "What did you pay for it?" "What did you pay for it?" " 50 dollars." " Go get your fucking car!" "You buy a coin for 50 dollars, you come back here." "Why would you do that?" " for Donny." " You people make my flesh crawl ." " Bob, we're gonna take you outta here." " I cannot take this any more." "Can you walk?" " No." " We'll get you a car." " I am not your nigger, I am not your wife." " I'm through with you today." " You are?" " You have lamed this up real good ." " I lamed it up?" " Real good." " He hit me." " I know, Bob." "Yes, I hit him for his own good." "for the good of all ." "Get outta here." "Get out of here?" "And now you throw me out like trash ." "I'm doing this for you." "What, do I have to wreck this joint apart?" " He told you he bought it in a coin store." " I don't care." "I don't care any more." "You fake!" "You fucking fake!" "You fuck your friends, you have no friends!" " No wonder you fucked this kid around." " Shut your mouth ." "You seek your friends with junkies." "You're a joke on this street, you and him ." " Get out." " I do not go out, no." " Get outta here." " I'm not going." "I have a piece of th is ." "You have a piece of shit, you fucking lame." "This from a man who has to buy his friends." " I'II give you friends!" " You stay away from me ." "You stinking thief!" "You come in here, you stiff this one , you stiff that one ." " Poisoning me!" " Donny!" "All these years!" "All these fucking years!" "Donny." " Donny!" " What?" "I missed him." "What?" "I missed him." " What?" " I missed him." " Who?" " Guy." " What guy?" " The guy this morning ." "What guy?" "With the suitcase." "You missed him?" " I eat shit." " What did he say?" "What are you saying?" "That you lied to me?" "What is he saying?" "Are you saying that you lied?" " What's he's saying?" " You didn't see him with the suitcase?" "(Teach) This case is terrible." " You didn't see him?" " Are you saying you didn't see him?" " When he left this morning?" " Are you saying that you lied?" "Are you saying that you didn't see the guy?" "When he came out, I was in here?" "You saw him then, when he had the suitcase?" "You saw him then?" "You saw him then?" "My whole cocksucking life!" "The whole, entire world!" "There is no law." "There is no right and wrong." "The world is lies." "There is no friendship." "Evey fucking thing ." "Every god forsaken thing ." "Calm down, Walt." "We all live like the cavemen ." "(Moans)" "Sit down." "I went on a limb for you ." "You don't know what I go through ." "I put my dick on the chopping block." "I hocked my fucking watch ." "I go out there." "I'm out there evey day." "There is nothing out there." "I fucked myself." "Are you all right?" "What?" "Are you all right?" "How the fuck do I know?" "You tire me out, Walt." "I need a rest." "This fucking day." "The job's fucked up." "It's all fucked up." "You fucked my shop up." " Are you mad at me?" " What?" "Are you mad at me?" "Are you?" " Bob?" " Got a hat?" "Do you have a piece of paper?" " He's all right." " Bob!" " Is he all right?" " What?" "Come on, we're taking you to the hospital." "I look like a sissy." "Go and get your car." " Can you get him to the door?" " Yeah ." " I'm gonna get my car." " You gonna honk?" "Yeah." "I'll honk the horn ." "Bob, get up." "Bob..." "I'm sorry." " What?" " I'm sorry." "I fucked up." "No, you did real good." " No." " Yeah ." "You did real good." "Thank you." "It's all right." " This fuckin' day, huh?" " Yeah ." "You should clean this place up." "Yeah." "Good." "(Carhornhonks)"