Glengarry Glen Ross
Page 5
Lingk: The check wasn’t cashed?
Roma: I just called downtown, and it’s on their desk.
Levene: Rick . . .
Roma: One moment, I’ll be right with you. (To Lingk:) In fact, a . . . one point, which I spoke to you of which (Looks around.) I can’t talk to you about here.
Detective puts his head out of the doorway.
Baylen: Levene!!!
Lingk: I, I . . .
Roma: Listen to me, the statute, it’s for your protection. I have no complaints with that, in fact: I was a member of the board when we drafted it, so quite the opposite. It says that you can change your mind three working days from the time the deal is closed.
Baylen: Levene!
Roma: Which, wait a second, which is not until the check is cashed.
Baylen: Levene!!
Aaronow comes out of the Detective’s office.
Aaronow: I’m through, with this fucking meshugaas. No one should talk to a man that way. How are you talking to me that . . . ?
Baylen: Levene! (Williamson puts his head out of the office.)
Aaronow: . . . how can you talk to me that . . . that . . .
Levene (To Roma): Rick, I’m going to flag a cab.
Aaronow: I didn’t rob . . .
Williamson sees Levene.
Williamson: Shelly: get in the office.
Aaronow: I didn’t . . . why should I . . . “Where were you last . . .” Is anybody listening to me . . . ? Where’s Moss . . . ? Where . . . ?
Baylen: Levene? (To Williamson:) Is this Lev . . . (Baylen accosts Lingk.)
Levene (Taking Baylen into the office): Ah. Ah. Perhaps I can advise you on that. . . . (To Roma and Lingk, as he exits:) Excuse us, will you . . . ?
Aaronow (Simultaneous with Levene’s speech above): . . . Come in here . . . I work here, I don’t come in here to be mistreated . . .
Williamson: Go to lunch, will you . . .
Aaronow: I want to work today, that’s why I came
Williamson: The leads come in, I’ll let . . .
Aaronow: . . . that’s why I came in. I thought I . . .
Williamson: Just go to lunch.
Aaronow: I don’t want to go to lunch.
Williamson: Go to lunch, George.
Aaronow: Where does he get off to talk that way to a working man? It’s not . . .
Williamson (Buttonholes him): Will you take it outside, we have people trying to do business here . . .
Aaronow: That’s what, that’s what, that’s what I was trying to do. (Pause.) That’s why I came in . . . I meet gestapo tac . . .
Williamson (Going back into his office): Excuse me . . .
Aaronow: I meet gestapo tactics . . . I meet gestapo tactics . . . . That’s not right. . . . No man has the right to . . . “Call an attorney,” that means you’re guilt . . . you’re under sus . . . “Co . . . ,” he says, “cooperate” or we’ll go downtown. That’s not . . . as long as I’ve . . .
Williamson (Bursting out of his office): Will you get out of here. Will you get out of here. Will you. I’m trying to run an office here. Will you go to lunch? Go to lunch. Will you go to lunch? (Retreats into office.)
Roma (To Aaronow): Will you excuse . . .
Aaronow: Where did Moss . . . ? I . . .
Roma: Will you excuse us please?
Aaronow: Uh, uh, did he go to the restaurant? (Pause.) I . . . I . . . (Exits.)
Roma: I’m very sorry, Jimmy. I apologize to you.
Lingk: It’s not me, it’s my wife.
Roma (Pause.): What is?
Lingk: I told you.
Roma: Tell me again.
Lingk: What’s going on here?
Roma: Tell me again. Your wife.
Lingk: I told you.
Roma: You tell me again.
Lingk: She wants her money back.
Roma: We’re going to speak to her.
Lingk: No. She told me “right now.”
Roma: We’ll speak to her, Jim . . .
Lingk: She won’t listen.
Detective sticks his head out.
Baylen: Roma.
Lingk: She told me if not, I have to call the State’s attorney.
Roma: No, no. That’s just something she “said.” We don’t have to do that.
Lingk: She told me I have to.
Roma: No, Jim.
Lingk: I do. If I don’t get my money back . . .
Williamson points out Roma to Baylen.
Baylen: Roma! (To Roma:) I’m talking to you . . .
Roma: I’ve . . . look. (Generally:) Will someone get this guy off my back.
Baylen: You have a problem?
Roma: Yes, I have a problem. Yes, I do, my fr . . . It’s not me that ripped the joint off, I’m doing business. I’ll be with you in a while. You got it . . . ? (Looks back. Lingk is heading for the door.) Where are you going?
Lingk: I’m . . .
Roma: Where are you going . . . ? This is me. . . . This is Ricky, Jim. Jim, anything you want, you want it, you have it. You understand? This is me. Something upset you. Sit down, now sit down. You tell me what it is. (Pause.) Am I going to help you fix it? You’re goddamned right I am. Sit down. Tell you something . . . ? Sometimes we need someone from outside. It’s . . . no, sit down. . . . Now talk to me.
Lingk: I can’t negotiate.
Roma: What does that mean?
Lingk: That . . .
Roma: . . . what, what, say it. Say it to me . . .
Lingk: I . . .
Roma: What . . . ?
Lingk: I . . .
Roma: What . . . ? Say the words.
Lingk: I don’t have the power. (Pause.) I said it.
Roma: What power?
Lingk: The power to negotiate.
Roma: To negotiate what? (Pause.) To negotiate what?
Lingk: This.
Roma: What, “this"? (Pause.)
Lingk: The deal.
Roma: The “deal,” forget the deal. Forget the deal, you’ve got something on your mind, Jim, what is it?
Lingk (rising): I can’t talk to you, you met my wife, I . . . (Pause.)
Roma: What? (Pause.) What? (Pause.) What, Jim: I tell you what, let’s get out of here . . . let’s go get a drink.
Lingk: She told me not to talk to you.
Roma: Let’s . . . no one’s going to know, let’s go around the corner and we ‘ll get a drink.
Lingk: She told me I had to get back the check or call the State’s att . . .
Roma: Forget the deal, Jimmy. (Pause.) Forget the deal . . . you know me. The deal’s dead. Am I talking about the deal? That’s over. Please. Let’s talk about you. Come on. (Pause. Roma rises and starts walking toward the front door.) Come on. (Pause.) Come on, Jim. (Pause.) I want to tell you something. Your life is your own. You have a contract with your wife. You have certain things you do jointly, you have a bond there . . . and there are other things. Those things are yours. You needn’t feel ashamed, you needn’t feel that you’re being untrue . . . or that she would abandon you if she knew. This is your life. (Pause.) Yes. Now I want to talk to you because you’re obviously upset and that concerns me. Now let’s go. Right now.
Lingk gets up and they start for the door.
Baylen (Sticks his head out of the door): Roma . . .
Lingk: . . . and . . . and . . . (Pause.)
Roma: What?
Lingk: And the check is . . .
Roma: What did I tell you? (Pause.) What did I say about the three days . . . ?
Baylen: Roma, would you, I’d like to get some lunch . . .
Roma: I’m talking with Mr. Lingk. If you please, I’ll be back in. (Checks watch.) I’ll be back in a while. . . . I told you, check with Mr. Williamson.
Baylen: The people downtown said . . .
Roma: You call them again. Mr. Williamson . . . !
Williamson: Yes.
Roma: Mr. Lingk and I are going to . . .
Williamson: Yes. Please. Please. (To Lingk:) The police
(Shrugs.) can be . . .
Lingk: What are the police doing?
Roma: It’s nothing.
Lingk: What are the police doing here . . . ?
Williamson: We had a slight burglary last night.
Roma: It was nothing . . . I was assuring Mr. Lingk . . .
Williamson: Mr. Lingk. James Lingk. Your contract went out. Nothing to . . .
Roma: John . . .
Williamson: Your contract went out to the bank.
Lingk: You cashed the check?
Williamson: We . . .
Roma: . . . Mr. Williamson . . .
Williamson: Your check was cashed yesterday afternoon. And we’re completely insured, as you know, in any case. (Pause.)
Lingk (To Roma): You cashed the check?
Roma: Not to my knowledge, no . . .
Williamson: I’m sure we can . . .
Lingk: Oh, Christ . . . (Starts out the door.) Don’t follow me. . . . Oh, Christ. (Pause. To Roma:) I know I’ve let you down. I’m sorry. For . . . Forgive . . . for . . . I don’t know anymore. (Pause.) Forgive me. (Lingk exits. Pause.)
Roma (To Williamson): You stupid fucking cunt. You, Williamson . . . I’m talking to you, shit-head. . . . You just cost me six thousand dollars. (Pause.) Six thousand dollars. And one Cadillac. That’s right. What are you going to do about it? What are you going to do about it, asshole. You fucking shit. Where did you learn your trade. You stupid fucking cunt. You idiot. Whoever told you you could work with men?
Baylen: Could I . . .
Roma: I’m going to have your job, shithead. I’m going downtown and talk to Mitch and Murray, and I’m going to Lemkin. I don’t care whose nephew you are, who you know, whose dick you’re sucking on. You’re going out, I swear to you, you’re going . . .
Baylen: Hey, fella, let’s get this done . . .
Roma: Anyone in this office lives on their wits. . . . (To Baylen:) I’m going to be with you in a second. (To Williamson:) What you’re hired for is to help us—does that seem clear to you? To help us. Not to fuck us up . . . to help men who are going out there to try to earn a living. You fairy. You company man . . . I’ll tell you something else. I hope you knocked the joint off, I can tell our friend here something might help him catch you. (Starts into the room.) You want to learn the first rule you’d know if you ever spent a day in your life . . . you never open your mouth till you know what the shot is. (Pause.) You fucking child . . . (Roma goes to the inner room.)
Levene: You are a shithead, Williamson . . . (Pause.)
Williamson: Mmm.
Levene: You can’t think on your feet you should keep your mouth closed. (Pause.) You hear me? I’m talking to you. Do you hear me . . . ?
Williamson: Yes. (Pause.) I hear you.
Levene: You can’t learn that in an office. Eh? He’s right. You have to learn it on the streets. You can’t buy that. You have to live it.
Williamson: Mmm.
Levene: Yes. Mmm. Yes. Precisely. Precisely. ’Cause your partner depends on it. (Pause.) I’m talking to you, I’m trying to tell you something.
Williamson: You are?
Levene: Yes, I am.
Williamson: What are you trying to tell me?
Levene: What Roma’s trying to tell you. What I told you yesterday. Why you don’t belong in this business.
Williamson: Why I don’t . . .
Levene: You listen to me, someday you might say, “Hey . . .” No, fuck that, you just listen what I’m going to say: your partner depends on you. Your partner . . . a man who’s your “partner” depends on you . . . you have to go with him and for him . . . or you’re shit, you’re shit, you can’t exist alone . . .
Williamson (Brushing past him): Excuse me . . .
Levene: . . . excuse you, nothing, you be as cold as you want, but you just fucked a good man out of six thousand dollars and his goddamn bonus ‘cause you didn’t know the shot, if you can do that and you aren’t man enough that it gets you, then I don’t know what, if you can’t take some thing from that . . . (Blocking his way.) you’re scum, you’re fucking white-bread. You be as cold as you want. A child would know it, he’s right. (Pause.) You’re going to make something up, be sure it will help or keep your mouth closed. (Pause.)
Williamson: Mmm. (Levene lifts up his ann.)
Levene: Now I’m done with you. (Pause.)
Williamson: How do you know I made it up?
Levene (Pause): What?
Williamson: How do you know I made it up?
Levene: What are you talking about?
Williamson: You said, “You don’t make something up unless it’s sure to help.” (Pause.) How did you know that I made it up?
Levene: What are you talking about?
Williamson: I told the customer that his contracts had gone to the bank.
Levene: Well, hadn’t it?
Williamson: No. (Pause.) It hadn’t.
Levene: Don’t fuck with me, John, don’t fuck with me . . . what are you saying?
Williamson: Well, I’m saying this, Shel: usually I take the contracts to the bank. Last night I didn’t. How did you know that? One night in a year I left a contract on my desk. Nobody knew that but you. Now how did you know that? (Pause.) You want to talk to me, you want to talk to someone else . . . because this is my job. This is my job on the line, and you are going to talk to me. Now how did you know that contract was on my desk?
Levene: You’re so full of shit.
Williamson: You robbed the office.
Levene (Laughs): Sure! I robbed the office. Sure.
Williamson: What’d you do with the leads? (Pause. Points to the Detective’s room.) You want to go in there? I tell him what I know, he’s going to dig up something. . . . You got an alibi last night? You better have one. What did you do with the leads? If you tell me what you did with the leads, we can talk.
Levene: I don’t know what you are saying.
Williamson: If you tell me where the leads are, I won’t turn you in. If you don’t, I am going to tell the cop you stole them, Mitch and Murray will see that you go to jail. Believe me they will. Now, what did you do with the leads? I’m walking in that door—you have five seconds to tell me: or you are going to jail.
Levene: I . . .
Williamson: I don’t care. You understand? Where are the leads? (Pause.) Alright. (Williamson goes to open the office door.)
Levene: I sold them to Jerry Graff.
Williamson: How much did you get for them? (Pause.) How much did you get for them?
Levene: Five thousand. I kept half.
Williamson: Who kept the other half? (Pause.)
Levene: Do I have to tell you? (Pause. Williamson starts to open the door.) Moss.
Williamson: That was easy, wasn’t it? (Pause.)
Levene: It was his idea.
Williamson: Was it?
Levene: I . . . I’m sure he got more than the five, actually.
Williamson: Uh-huh?
Levene: He told me my share was twenty-five.
Williamson: Mmm.
Levene: Okay: I . . . look: I’m going to make it worth your while. I am. I turned this thing around. I closed the old stuff, I can do it again. I’m the one’s going to close ‘em. I am! I am! ‘Cause I turned this thing a . . . I can do that, I can do anyth . . . last night. I’m going to tell you, I was ready to Do the Dutch. Moss gets me, “Do this, we’ll get well. . . .” Why not. Big fuckin’ deal. I’m halfway hoping to get caught. To put me out of my . . . (Pause.) But it taught me something. What it taught me, that you’ve got to get out there. Big deal. So I wasn’t cut out to be a thief. I was cut out to be a salesman. And now I’m back, and I got my balls back . . . and, you know, John, you have the advantage on me now. Whatever it takes to make it right, we’ll make it right. We’re going to make it right.
Williamson: I want to tell you something, Shelly. You have a big mouth. (Pause.)
Levene: What?
Williamson: You’ve got a big mouth, and now I’m goi
ng to show you an even bigger one. (Starts toward the Detective’s door.)
Levene: Where are you going, John? . . . you can’t do that, you don’t want to do that . . . hold, hold on . . . hold on . . . wait . . . wait . . . wait . . . (Pulls money out of his pockets.) Wait . . . uh, look . . . (Starts splitting money.) Look, twelve, twenty, two, twen . . . twenty-five hundred, it’s . . . take it. (Pause.) Take it all. . . . (Pause.) Take it!
Williamson: No, I don’t think so, Shel.
Levene: I . . .
Williamson: No, I think I don’t want your money. I think you fucked up my office. And I think you’re going away.
Levene: I . . . what? Are you, are you, that’s why . . . ? Are you nuts? I’m . . . I’m going to close for you, I’m going to . . . (Thrusting money at him.) Here, here, I’m going to make this office . . . I’m going to be back there Number One. . . . Hey, hey, hey! This is only the beginning. . . . List. . . list . . . listen. Listen. Just one moment. List. . . here’s what . . . here’s what we’re going to do. Twenty percent. I’m going to give you twenty percent of my sales. . . . (Pause.) Twenty percent. (Pause.) For as long as I am with the firm. (Pause.) Fifty percent. (Pause.) You’re going to be my partner. (Pause.) Fifty percent. Of all my sales.
Williamson: What sales?
Levene: What sales . . . ? I just closed eighty-two grand. . . . Are you fuckin’ . . . I’m back . . . I’m back, this is only the beginning.
Williamson: Only the beginning . . .
Levene: Abso . . .
Williamson: Where have you been, Shelly? Bruce and Harriett Nyborg. Do you want to see the memos . . . ? They’re nuts . . . they used to call in every week. When I was with Webb. And we were selling Arizona . . . they’re nuts . . . did you see how they were living? How can you delude yours . . .
Levene: I’ve got the check . . .
Williamson: Forget it. Frame it. It’s worthless. (Pause.)
Levene: The check’s no good?
Williamson: You stick around I’ll pull the memo for you. (Starts for the door.) I’m busy now . . .
Levene: Their check’s no good? They’re nuts . . . ?
Williamson: Call up the bank. I called them.
Levene: You did?
Williamson: I called them when we had the lead . . . four months ago. (Pause.) The people are insane. They just like talking to salesmen. (Williamson starts for door.)
Levene: Don’t.
Williamson: I’m sorry.