"I'll tell you what." "I'll give you the Cowboys and three." " Three and a half." " Take three, be happy." "Three and a half, I'm ecstatic." "Anybody fixed that?" "Hey, is this visit a one-time shot, or are you gonna surprise me all the time?" "If I told you that, it wouldn't be a surprise." "Come on." "I'll buy you a beer." "If I come up with the scoop on her, I get Dallas at three and a half." "If you come up with anything on her, I'll give you six." "Number 174-63-1503." "Pete, I don't want her zip code." "It's her Social Security number, asshole." "She works for you." "I have one cheese, medium, fries." "Two plain, rare, tomato and onions." "One pastrami on kaiser, mayo, no mustard." "What's a pimple on a Polack's ass?" "I need a BLT on rye, Richie." "A brain tumor." " Richie." " What's this?" "Come on, Richie." "A lesbian with a hard-on." "I'm terrific, right?" "You can tell me." "I can take it." "I'm terrific, right?" "Mayo, no mustard." "Can't you see me opening up in L.A., Jeanie?" "Here he is, direct from Pittsburgh." "It's Richie Blazik, ladies and gentlemen." "L.A.?" "What's all this talk about L.A.?" "You've been on the stage two times." "I give you two lousy shots and already you're talking about going to L.A.?" "Come on." "What are you, crazy?" "Besides, you're too short anyway." "They don't let short people into Hollywood." "And you're making the hamburgers too big again." "Make them smaller?" "Small?" "I'll give you small." "This place is so small, you have to go outside to change your mind." "My turn." "Ring, damn you." "I can't believe it." "He didn't call." "He'll call." " Do you really think so?" " Of course." "Why wouldn't he?" "Yeah, of course." "Why wouldn't he?" "Maybe he'll call." "I don't know." "I don't know." "The last time I talked to him, he seemed funny." "Like, "Call you later, babe."" " I don't think he'll call." " Don't worry." "He'll call." " You really think so?" " Of course." "Why wouldn't he?" "You're right." "He'll call." "But if he doesn't, do you think I should call him?" "Tina, he'll call." "I love how you're always trying to straighten out other people's lives." "Well, anytime you want me to straighten out yours, just let me know." "Well, personally, I never call, because I don't have to." " But if you want my advice..." " Not really." " Hi, girls." " Hi, Richie." "Can I help you with anything?" "A foot massage?" " Get out of here." " Dog." "Dog." " It's been a long time since he's had some." " I'll bet." "Hi." "Hi." "Do you read lips?" "What?" "I saw you dance last night." "I just wanted to say hi." "Hi." "You're Alex." "I know." "I'm Nick Hurley." "Really?" "I've seen your name on my paychecks." "So what's a dancer doing working as a welder?" "A girl's gotta make a living." " You speak French?" " No, I just like the pictures." " Me, too." " Hey, Nick." "We need you on ten." "Yeah, I'll be right there." " You read Vogue?" " I used to." "I mean, my wife does." "I mean, my ex-wife." "I'm..." "We're divorced." "Sorry." "Listen, I got to get to work." "You never know when the boss is gonna be around." "You forgot your thermos." "Hi, Grunt." "So did you get laid today?" "And now, news headlines with Kevin Evans." "Good evening." "In the news a general-alarm fire caused extensive damage to the High View lumber company, a United Dairy store and an American Motors dealership in Washington County, this morning." "...putting you down to deal." "Is it a deal?" "I gotta go, I got a call." "Don, it's a call with Dick, Dave and Doug." "Got to go, Dave." "Disconnecting." "Oh, shit." "Excuse me." "Do you know where the admissions office is?" "The door on the left." "Where's the focus?" " Where is it?" " Where is the center?" "Look up." "When you fill out..." "When you fill out this application be sure and list all your years of dance education." "Starting with the most recent place you studied and the number of years at each institution." "Also, if you have any professional or other repertory experience, please list those." "She's really strict." "You'll never make it." "When you fill out this application be sure to list all your years of dance education and the number of years you spent at each institution." "Also, if you have professional or other repertory experience..." "I gotta go, you guys..." "See you, Al." "Don't get dirty." " Hello, dancer." " Hi." " Want a hand?" " No, thanks." "I... have this close personal relationship with the lady who drives the lunch truck I think I can get her to make us anything as long as it's on the menu." " I'm not having lunch." " How about dinner?" "I can't." "I don't have dinner with the boss." "Thanks, anyway." "No lunch, no dinner?" "How about a snack?" "Milk and cookies?" "Come on." "I love this dress." "It's exactly like the picture I showed you." "Thanks so much for making it." "Now, more important, did you go to the repertory?" "I meant to." "I was gonna go yesterday, but I didn't have time." "You must make the time, child." "I know." "Remember the first time you took me to see them dance?" "I have dreams about it." "Dreaming is wonderful but it won't get you closer to what you want." "But I've put money away so if they take me, I can support myself." "But, child, they won't take you unless you apply and audition." "I know." "I know, but sometimes..." "Alexandra, you are 18 years old." "Do it now." "Do it." "Okay." "Okay." "You are a good girl." "May the Lord be in your heart and in your mind that you may confess your sins." "In the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit." "Bless me, Father, for I have sinned." "It's been two weeks since my last confession." "I'm doing okay, sort of." "I've been thinking about sex a lot." "But you can't help thinking about sex, right?" "Well, you probably can." "Help it, I mean." "Also, I told a lie." "I had to..." "Well, I didn't have to, but..." "All I wanted to do was to make her happy." "Hanna was the one who wanted me to get the application." "I couldn't tell her that I just didn't have the courage to go through with it." "If you had seen all those dancers, all those people." "There's no way I belong there." "It's just that I want to make something out of my life." "I want to do so much, and sometimes..." "Sometimes I think that it's just not gonna happen." "Six beautiful girls, all nude." "Hi, baby." "How you doing?" "Five dollars." "Right this way." "Five dollars." "Right here." "All nude, all the time." "All nude, all the time." "That's right." "Cecil, look at you." "Why don't you buy some threads?" "I'm running a class act here." "You look like a one-man slum." "All nude, all the time." "Right here." "Live, beautiful girls." "Six beautiful girls." "Right here, live." "Five dollars." "Right this way." "Five dollars." "Live." "Nude." "All girls." "All the time." "Live." "Nude." "Right here." "Five dollars." "Right through the door." "Straighten yourself up, Cecil." "Drag some customers in." "Well, well, well." "What are these?" "They're very cute." "They're very, very cute." "Alex." "Alex, come on." "Give them back." "They're Richie's." "My dad's breathing down my neck about him." "He says Richie's no good and that if he ain't asked me to marry him by now he ain't gonna." "No kidding." "Did it take very long to learn how to dance that way?" "About 25 years." "Will you teach me how?" " Yeah, if you teach me how to skate." " Yeah." "Good evening, ladies." "Look at that. $21,321." "All leather, push button." "Wanna go for a ride?" "Hey, Jeanie, you still porking that cook?" "Listen." "Come see my club." "I just put this new PA system in and the floor, it's all lit up, right where you're gonna dance." "I want you to see what you're gonna call home." "Did you know that the smallest penis ever measured was 1.1 inches?" "You are some pair of cunts." "You know that?" "I can't believe I'm working out with this hangover." "Wait, wait, wait." "I have lost my keys." "Oh, shit." "What a jerk." "Come on." "Let's go work out." "He didn't call." "He'll call." "I don't think so, Alex." "He'll call, Tina." "I don't know." "Look, just call the man." "Say, "Hey, baby, what's happening?"" "The way you're going on, your whole life's gonna be over before you make up your mind." "Just get up and call the dude." "Yeah?" "You really think so?" "God, I'm glad I ain't no honky." "You girls eat like pigs." "What happened to the diet?" "I didn't eat anything yesterday." "We're gonna go over to the rink and work it off." "Richie gonna be there?" "Now, there's a real winner." "No." "We're gonna work." "She thinks she's gonna be on the ice show." "What's wrong with that?" "I'd make a lot of money." "You're costing me a lot of money." "I'd just like to try it again, Daddy." "She's good." "You ought to see her." " Yeah, she's gonna fall on her ass." " She's got a tough ass." "Yeah, I got a tough ass." "It's not her ass I'm worried about." "Jean, where are you?" "Wait." "Come here." "Okay, go." "No, don't." "You're gonna do great." "Don't stop." "Do it again." "Do it again." "Oh, shit, I can't do this." "No, go do your turn." "Go do your turn." "Another triple Lutz." "Ta-da!" "Hi, I'm Richie Blazik." "Hi, I'm Richie Blazik." "Hear the one about the Polack bank robber?" "He tied up the safe and blew the guard." "Tied up the safe, blew the guard." "Tied up the safe and blew the guard." "Hey, kid, come here." "Come here." " What's the matter?" " I'm nervous, Jake." "Now you ain't nervous anymore." "Now you're pissed off." "Good luck, baby." "Hi." "How you doing?" "I'm Richie Blazik." "Did you hear about the Polack bank robber?" "He tied up the safe and blew the guard." "So the lady says to the waiter:" ""Excuse me, sir." "Do you have frogs' legs?"" "And the waiter says, "No, that's just the way I walk."" "Wanna talk about boogers?" "I know a lot about them." "Boogers?" "Sports for 50?" "What's a pimple on a Polack's ass?" "A brain tumor." "Hey, take a walk." "Bring on the bimbos." "Hey, come on, guys." "Could you give me a break?" "Look, I'm just a cook." "Okay." "I'm just a cook." "All right?" "And this is my big chance." "So if you screw it up for me I'm gonna put cockroaches in your hamburgers." "You got it?" "Well, miracles do happen, I guess." "I guess it took the Steelers 40 years to win a championship, didn't it?" "Steelers." "Yes." "I tell you." "You know, I feel like Franco Harris when he made the Immaculate Reception." "It was amazing." "Hey, did you hear about the Polack who locked his keys in the car and he had to use a coat hanger to get his family out?" "Amazing." "Did you hear about the Polack who died drinking milk?" "The cow fell on him." "You know, there was a Polish terrorist." "You know, they sent him to blow up a car, and he burned his lips on the exhaust pipe." "All right." "All right." "You guys have been real nice and I gotta go cook the hamburgers." "No roaches, I promise." "So let me bring out our next act." "Direct from Mawby's, it's Tina Tech, ladies and gentlemen." "One, two, three, four." "Alex, sit down here a moment, will you?" "Cecil, this is a nice ass." "Soft." "Round." "Snug." "She likes it." "Hey." "Bimbo." "Whore." "Fuck off." " Night, kids." " Good night." "Good night, Jake." "Hey, Richie, no more jokes about cockroaches?" "One of these days I wanna be like, you know Richard Pryor, Eddie Murphy, Steve Martin." "Until that day..." "You'll just keep stealing all their material." "Hey, Alex." " Let me go." " What are you doing?" " Nothing to fight about." " Get your hands off me." " We're gonna go to Cecil's." " Let me go, goddamn it." "Drink a little wine, do a little weed." "You and me." "How about Cecil?" " Fucker." " You like Cecil?" " Get off of me." " All three of us, real friendly." "Why don't you leave her the fuck alone?" "The comedian's gonna be a hero." "Son of a bitch." "Oh, shit." "Cecil, what the fuck's wrong with you?" "Let her go, John." "Hey, what are you doing here, Nick?" "Slumming?" "This ain't your neighborhood no more." "I didn't mean nothing." "I just got pissed off." "You okay?" " Send me your bill, kid." " Let me see." " Is it bleeding?" "Oh, Jesus." " Yeah." "Here." "Come on." "Here's your hat." " Are you okay?" " It's fine." " Yeah." " You sure?" "Yeah, I'm okay." "It's gonna look good on stage." " It's gonna be fine." " You sure?" " You sure you're gonna be okay?" " Yeah, I'm fine." "Listen, what can I say?" "Thanks a lot." "I'll give you a lift home." "It's okay." "I've got a ride." "Thanks, anyway." " What's his name?" " Grunt." " Grunt?" " Yeah." "I can see I don't have to worry about you." "What was he before he became a dog?" "Well, he gets upset when people he doesn't know follow me home." "Come on, Grunt." "This is the man that feeds you." "Tell you what." "Tell him I'll bring him a doggy bag if you'll have dinner." "Nick, I told you, I don't think it's a good idea to go out with the boss." "Okay." "Have it your way." "You're fired." "I'll pick you up tomorrow at 8:00." "How long does this thing last?" "It's cold in here." "How's the nose?" "It's broken." "I broke mine three times." "That was big in the '50s, wasn't it, busting noses?" "'60s." "You think she can beat her?" " Miss Szabo." " You're gonna do great." " Go, Jeanie." "Come on." " Go, Jeanie." "Come on." "Look at that one." "There you were 20 years ago, sweetheart." "All right." "There we go." "Come on, come on." "Come on, Jeanie." "Come on." "Get up, Jeanie." "It's gonna be okay." "All that time and practice." "A waste." " It was a goddamn waste of time." " Come on." "It was not." "It wasn't." "You went out there, didn't you?" "At least you had the guts to try." "How you doing, sport?" "I'm sorry, Daddy." "I love you more than I've ever loved anything in my whole life." "What the hell?" "You bounce pretty good." "She practiced for two years." "She'll do better next time." "There won't be any next time." "Thank you." "What do you feel like?" "Fish?" "Chicken?" "Steak?" " I know this terrific little..." " Pizza." "Pizza place." "Jesus." "You live here?" "You really live here?" "Yeah." "It used to be a warehouse before I moved in." "It's different." "Very different." "It's a whole lot different than where I'm from." "Where's that?" "Altoona, Pennsylvania." "Altoona?" "I was thinking more along the lines of Jupiter." "Actually, they're very close." "It's just the next lifeless planet over." "Really, it was pretty boring except for maybe music." "They have music in Altoona?" "Well, my father, he loves music." "This one time, he took us all to the symphony, my whole family." "It was supposed to be this really big deal." "At first, I didn't like it much." "There's nothing to do with your feet and there's nothing really to look at." "It's boring." "And I was ready to nod out or something." "He said to me:" ""if you close your eyes, you can see the music."" "You can, too." "Did you ever try?" "See the music?" "Come on." "Try." "Close your eyes." "Well?" "Well..." "I had a great time." "It was a terrific evening." "Don't you want some pizza?" "Hey, a little late, aren't you?" "What was that for?" "Just wanted to see how fast you could run." " How'd I do?" " Fair." " Do that again." " What?" "That dance step you just did." "I can't." "I was just fooling around." " I'm not a dancer like that." " What do you mean?" "I never studied before." "I mean, I read books and stuff, and I watch but I've never taken dance classes." "I don't know." "There's all those dancers in one room watching each other and watching you." "But you dance in front of an audience at the club." "I know." "But it's different." "I never see them." "It's like you go out there and the music starts, and you begin to feel it." "And your body just starts to move." "I know it sounds really silly but something inside of you just clicks." "And you just take off and you're gone." "It's like you're somebody else for a second." "Some nights, I..." "Some nights I just can't wait to get out there." "Just so I can disappear." "How come you don't go up there and dance?" "You look like you could dance real good." "I'm practicing." "Yeah?" "You know how to do the horizontal mambo?" "Hey, Jeanie, I just kid around." "I don't mean nothing." "Keep that." " That's 100 bucks." "I can't take this." " Keep it." "It's my way of saying I'm sorry." "You've got to walk right through the fire" "Thanks." "Hanna." "Hanna." "Darling, here you are." "Bravo." "Bravo." "Bravo." "At the end of every performance, does the lead dancer always get flowers?" "Always." "Did you get flowers like that?" " Not always." " But once, right?" "At least once?" " Yeah." " How does that make you feel?" "You will let me know?" "Here is a taxi." "Now, sleep well." "You, too." "You son of a bitch." "Was that you or the radiator, Grunt?" "Oh, shit." "Shut up, Grunt." "Hey, it's Richie." "Hi." "Stupid radiator broke." "Just wanted to say goodbye." " Where are you going?" " L.A." "L.A.?" "Yeah, I got my car all packed." "I'm just gonna get on the turnpike." "That's it." "I'm gone." "What about Jeanie?" "Look, I love Jeanie." "But I just don't have it to give to her right now." "She's gonna be all right." "She'll be fine." "Don't go yet." "I'll make some coffee." "We can sit and talk." "I can't." "I mean, what am I gonna do here?" "Cook hamburgers and pretend I'm a comedian?" "I'll miss you." " Can't forget my hat." " Right." "Good luck." "Give me a turkey sandwich and a Diet 7Up." "I've got that, Trudy." "Save your money." " Buying you lunch." " I don't want you buying me anything." "I don't want you buying me, period." " What's the matter?" " Come on." "I've got eyes." "What are you talking about?" "I didn't know you were such a ballet fan." "I thought you just liked it in private." "How quickly they forget." "At the dance benefit, the blonde in the white dress?" "Who's the goddamn blonde?" "Blonde?" "Blonde?" "Hey, wait a minute." "Will you wait a minute?" "Will you please wait a minute?" "What's going on?" "Has everybody gone crazy?" "Last night some idiot throws a rock through my window..." "I broke your fucking window." "You what?" "You heard me." "I smashed your stupid window." "Are you crazy?" "Are you out of your goddamn mind?" "Maybe." "It cost me $170." "I had to special order it." "You've got the goddamn money." "Go fuck the blonde." "She's my ex-wife." "We have friends on the arts council." "I see her once a goddamn year to take her to this stupid benefit." "Why am I explaining myself?" "You didn't have to break my window." "I did it because you pissed me off." "When I was a kid all I wanted was to be able to afford to eat in restaurants like this." "Were you poor?" "Poor?" "I was so poor, I had hand-me-down lunches." "It was rough in the old days." "I used to steal hubcaps with Johnny C." "You did?" "How's the lobster?" "It sucks." "Want some of mine?" "I'm not hungry, thanks." "Whatever turns you on." "What turns you on?" "You like phone booths?" "Phone booths?" "You probably just like doing it in bed, right?" "You two look cozy." "Alex, this is Katie." "Hello." "Nicky's told me all about you." "Hi." "You're not really a welder, are you?" "Yes, I really am." "And you really take your clothes off at night?" "Well, I don't really take them off." "I was under the impression you did." "You look great." "You didn't look this good when we were married." " It's probably the company I was keeping." " That was good." "Funny." "Has he taken you to the steel mill?" " That's enough." " He likes to go there on his first date." "It was your first date, wasn't it?" "Yeah, it was." "As a matter of fact I fucked his brains out." "Obviously you did." "Charmed, dear." "You loved her once, didn't you?" "I thought I did in the beginning." "She was different from anyone I'd gone out with." "She was well-educated, came from a real good family." "I'd figured that I'd really made it." "And then one day I realized that I'd just taken the safe route." "When I realized that, somehow it made it easier for me to do what I had to do." "What was that?" "Let go." "Start over again." "Figure out what it was that I wanted to do and go after it." "You got it, didn't you?" "How did you do it?" "I took a deep breath and jumped." "Hello." "I'd like to apply for admission to the repertory company." "When you fill out this application, be sure and write down all your years of previous dance training, starting with the last school you attended." "I know that part." "Auditions are by invitation only and are performed before the committee and select members of the repertory company." "Thank you." "You're welcome." "Good morning." "Good morning." "May I help you?" "Yes." "There was a young woman in here a short time ago who was wearing an army jacket." "She was here." "I was talking to her about admission to the repertory company." "Good morning." "Mr. Bradley?" "Nick Hurley." "Lar, hey." "Great." "Great." "Listen, are you still on the arts council?" "I need a favor for a special friend." "He called." "Trick or treat." "Hey, throw that bum out." "I told you they didn't like short people down there." "Richie." "Richie." " So did you check out the clubs out there?" " Oh, yeah." " Well, come on." "What happened?" " One of them offered me a job." "Really?" "That's great." "As a waiter." "I said, "Me?" "A waiter?" "You've gotta be crazy." "I can't take a job as any waiter." "I'm a cook."" "Hi, Richie." "Hi, Jeanie." "I missed you." "With all those girls out there?" "Come on." "There are no girls out there." "That's why you called me every night." "Hey, it's the cook." "Or is it the comedian?" "Hey, nice suit, Richie." " Let's go, Jeanie." " See you later, Richie." "See you around, Izod." "Look, you guys, look." "Look, you guys." "I got it." "I got it." "I got it, Nick." "Nick, wait up." "Wait." "Nick." "Wait, wait, wait." "Look, look." "Look." "Wait." " What's going on?" " Just read it." " What?" " I got the audition." "See?" "Look." "I applied to the repertory." "You have to be invited before you can audition." "They invited me." "Isn't that great?" "That's wonderful." "We're gonna have to do something about this." " When?" " How about tonight?" "Okay." "Hanna?" "Hanna?" "Well." "I did it." "I knew you would." "Congratulations." "I'm so excited, I can't stop shaking." "But what if I don't make it?" "You will." "I know you will." "Hanna, what would I do without you?" "I loved the dinner, and I loved the way they sat us right away." "I loved the way there were 50 people waiting and we just whizzed in." "I called the restaurant last night and I told them it was a very special occasion." "What do you mean, you called them last night?" " Stop the car." " What?" "Stop the goddamn car." "Come on." "You called them last night but I didn't tell you I got the audition till this morning." " Great." "So how the hell did you know?" " Alex, listen." "Friends on the committee, Nick?" "Asshole." "Stop the car." " Alex." "Alex." " Let me go." "You have no right to help me." "I don't want you to help me." "Are you out of your mind?" "You're gonna get killed." "All I did was make a phone call." "One phone call." "I got you the audition." "The rest is up to you." "The whole thing has to be up to me." "I'm not going to the stupid audition." "Good evening." "Mawby's." "Is Jeanie there?" "Alex, where the hell have you been all week?" "Come on, Jake." "I don't want to hear it." "Is she there?" "Alex, she doesn't work for me anymore." "She's over at the Zanzibar." " What?" " You heard me." "Come on, Jeanie." "We're getting out of here." "Stop it." "Get off of me." "Alex." "No!" "Alex." "Alex." "Hey, Alex." "Jesus Christ." "Alex, what the fuck?" "What are you doing?" "You wanna make a living rolling on your back?" "Yeah, so what?" "I make good money." "I thought you wanted to be a dancer." " You call that dancing?" " Yeah." "So what's this shit?" "Stop it." "That's mine." "Why did you come here?" "Because you're my friend." "You jerk." "I'm cold." "So am I." "Come on." "It's okay." " You don't say hello?" " Hello." "You didn't show up at work." "I was worried about you." " You look like shit." " Thanks a lot." "You're welcome." "Listen, I didn't come here to fight." "I came here to see if you were okay." "Forget it." "It doesn't matter." " What doesn't matter?" " The audition." "I don't care." " You do care." " I don't care." "You do care." "If you can't be honest with yourself how are you gonna be honest with me?" "Listen, I don't need you telling me what to do and I don't need to hear your shit." "I'm not a baby." "Get the hell out." "Go play with your fucking Porsche." "What you need is a kick in the ass." "Stay away from me." "You're not grown up enough to smoke." "The truth is, you're scared shitless of going to that place, aren't you?" "I am not." "Yes, you are, and you're using me as an excuse not to go." "Get out." "You're just gonna piss it all away, Alex." "Don't you understand?" "When you give up your dream, you die." "See you." "Hanna." "Hanna?" "Hanna?" "Hanna?" "Hanna?" "She died." "Yesterday." " Where you been?" " No place." "What are you doing?" "Getting my stuff." "What are you getting your stuff for?" "Hey, you know, if it's that bad, why don't you just go slit your wrists and get it over with?" "I thought nothing ever got you down." "You know, when I started out, I was 17." "I used to work in these old movie theaters." "Every cent I had I spent on costumes." "I had more fancy costumes and dresses than you do." "Boy, when I went on that stage, I was looking so good." "One day I just stopped buying them." "I don't even know what happened." "I thought about it a lot." "I just can't seem to pin it down." "The dresses got old." "I just stopped wearing them." "Hey, you know, I got some in a trunk I'll show you sometime." "Okay." "What the hell." "It's show time." "May the Lord be in your heart and in your mind that you may confess your sins." "In the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit." "Bless me, Father, for I have sinned." "It's been a long time since my last confession." "I want..." "I want so much." "Can I start again?"