by David Mamet
ROSS: … what do you mean?
SUSAN: Well, what do they call them, uh, Mules? People get people to bring in … dope, uh … s’m’b’y give you a package to take back … it, well, you go to a resort, my mother would say everyone’s pretending …
ANGLE.
On ROSS as he takes out the package from his briefcase.
ANGLE, INS.
ROSS’S hands holding the package.
SUSAN: Who is what they seem. Who in this world is what they seem … ’cept me …
ANGLE.
ROSS gets up hurriedly and moves over past SUSAN, excusing himself. Hold on the package he holds in his hands as he moves past the STEWARDESS …
STEWARDESS: Excuse me, sir, we will be landing moment—
ROSS: … yes, I’ve got to …
19. INT. PLANE LAVATORY. DAY.
ROSS holding the package in his hands. He bolts the door behind him. The “Return to Cabin” sign is blinking. He looks at the package. Holds it to his nose and sniffs it. He hesitates a moment, then tears it open. He looks down.
ANGLE, INS.
The package holds an old book, and ROSS has just torn off the cover. His hands turn the cover, and we read, Don Budge—Principles of Tennis. His hands flip the pages. It is only an old book. A card falls out of the pages. He holds it up and reads it. In a man’s handwriting, on beautiful card stock, embossed at the top, “J.D.,” it reads: “Ann: Thought you’d enjoy this. Also think you will enjoy the bearer, whom I recommend to you as a good fellow. How about seeing someone I approve of for a change? Let’s have din. This week, Friday? Love. J.”
CAPTAIN: (VO) We have started our descent into New York’s Kennedy Airport, and we request that all passengers …
ANGLE.
ROSS, holding the torn book, smiles and shakes his head. He begins reassembling the package.
20. INT. NEW YORK CITY. LIMO. DAY. NEW YORK CITY STREETS.
ANGLE, INS. THE TORN BOOK.
LANG: (VO) ’r’ are we …?
ANGLE.
LANG, who is just waking up. ROSS, looking down at the book, looks at LANG.
ROSS: How d’you feel …?
LANG: My imagination, or’s it that secretary up with us.
ROSS: You bought her a ticket.
LANG: I bought her the ticket… You bought her the ticket. You know your problem is, Joe? You’re Too Nice …
ROSS: Mmm.
LANG: Everything for Everybody else. Nothing for Yoursel—… speaking of which: ’N’ it’s a conflict of interest. But you need to go in there and hold the company up. The Stockholders’ Meeting? They’re going to cheer about the Process and give you an attaboy.
ROSS: … that’s … that’s true.
LANG: Well, if you know it, you should do something about it. ’N’ here’s what I think you should do:
ROSS spies something out the window.
ROSS: Stop the car, please, Driver. (To LANG) I’m going to get out here. See you in the off—
LANG: I’m not going to the office. I’m going hhh—.… you should do something for yourself once in a while.
He extracts a cigar from his lapel pocket and hands it to ROSS.
LANG: Got ’em through customs. Have a cigar.
ANGLE.
Out the car window, we see they have stopped on Lexington Avenue, in front of a shop whose sign reads, “Lexington. Rare Books, Prints, Bookbinding.”
ANGLE.
ROSS getting out of the car, walking into the shop.
21. INT. LEXINGTON PRINT AND BOOKSHOP. DAY.
A YOUNG WOMAN standing in the door to a back office. An OLDER BOOKISH MAN comes out, carrying ROSS’s torn book. He is addressing the camera (ROSS).
BOOKBINDER: Could, of course, be rebound … but…
ROSS: … the price is not an issue …
BOOKBINDER: Certainly, sir; but, ’s I was going to say, it’s a common book, common edition … (He beckons the YOUNG WOMAN over, shows her the book, and she moves off, nodding.) I wouldn’t be surprised if we … by the way; if you’re interested in Don Budge … (He walks out from behind his counter and takes ROSS to a framed photo and signed letter of Don Budge.)… happens to be, we have a very good autograph of him, at the French Open in …
WOMAN: (Calling, from a ladder)… got it, Mr. Cole … (She holds up a book.)
BOOKBINDER: Ah, you see, the Very Thing.
ANGLE, INS.
The BOOKBINDER, holding both the torn and the new book. The WOMAN starts down the ladder.
22. EXT. THE SAN REMO, CENTRAL PARK WEST. DAY.
ANGLE, INS.
The torn book. ROSS’s hands rearrange it to show, on top, the package, now rewrapped, marked “Mrs. A. DaSilva,” etc.
ANGLE.
The doorway into the San Remo. A very OLD WOMAN with a walker, accompanied by a young PRACTICAL NURSE, coming out of the building. The DOORMAN tips his hat to her.
ANGLE.
ROSS, crossing CPW from the park, comes up to the building and hands the DOORMAN the package.
ROSS: For Mrs. DaSilva.
The DOORMAN touches his cap brim.
DOORMAN: I’ll see she gets it, sir.
23. INT. OFFICE SUITE. DAY.
SUSAN, bearing a tray with a cup of coffee and a small plate of cookies, coming down the corridor of a posh medium-tech office suite. OTHER WORKERS are putting on their coats.
ANOTHER SECRETARY: (Passing her) What you doing on the Weekend, Susan?
SUSAN: Far’s I know I’m working here … (She calls to another.) … see you Monday!
24. INT. OFFICE. DAY.
ROSS, in shirtsleeves, at a desk in a small, spare office.
LANG sitting across from him, papers strewn in front of them. A red-bound volume as part of the papers.
LANG: … compensation as the discoverer, and head of the design team. Your compensation should be a minimum of…
ROSS: … every time I broach it…
LANG: … what does he say?
ROSS: … he says, “Wait until the Stockholders’ Meeting …”
LANG: (Nods) Well, of course, by then it’ll be too late … Sound of an electric bell. They both look up to see SUSAN through a window leading into the corridor. She holds the coffee tray.
LANG: Don’t give up. We’re going to talk it out. What’re you doing tonight?
ROSS: I think I’m going out for dinner.
LANG: Big date …?
ROSS: Some people I met.
LANG: (Glancing at SUSAN) … you giving her a tumble?
ROSS: Well, I perhaps have my sights on different things.
LANG nods. ROSS buzzes the door, and SUSAN enters.
SUSAN: Teatime.
ROSS: Shouldn’t you be going home?
SUSAN: Well, yes, I have a hot date for the weekend with this rich and dishy guy who’s going to whisk me to Connecticut, and we’ll loll around in an old Four-Poster Bed and eat lots of good stuff and so on, but it’s only in my imagination, so here I am.
ROSS: (Of the coffee, etc.) Thank you.
SUSAN: You studying Tennis.
ROSS: (Smiles) Well, they didn’t play in my neighborhood, when I was a kid.
SUSAN: … getting used to the Ways of the Rich …?
ROSS rises and moves to a wall safe, taking the red-bound volume.
LANG: … why should he be doing that…?
SUSAN: Oh, come on…
LANG gestures to ROSS, who nods.
ROSS: (To SUSAN) … would you turn away, please …?
She does so. He punches several digits into the keypad of the wall safe, and a light glows green. He reaches inside the neck of his shirt, extracts a key on a chain, turns the key in the lock, and opens the safe. Inside we see a volume, bound in red. He puts two yellow boxes into the wall safe. He takes out the red-bound volume, takes a pen from his pocket, makes a notation on it, replaces it, and locks the safe.
SUSAN: No, I don’t mean to pry. I am just here to serve.
LANG: (Exiting)
G’night, Joe, Susan … (To ROSS) You get freed up tonight, gimme a call. Y’know what, I should stay home, anyway, I’m coming down with something. The Flu …
ROSS puts the key on a chain around his neck, back down his shirtfront.
SUSAN: … lot of it going around.
Pause.
ROSS looks at SUSAN, as if to say, “Was there anything else …?”
SUSAN: When you own the company, can I be Queen?
ROSS: … what are you talking about?
SUSAN: Little pitchers have Big Ears.
ROSS: Do they, indeed?
SUSAN: That’s their identifying mark.
Pause.
ROSS: … what do Loose Lips sink?
Pause.
SUSAN: Ships?
ROSS: … see you on Monday, Susan.
SUSAN: Mm. Have a good Weekend, Mr. R … (She starts to exit.) Oh! ’N I get my film back from the Fotomat, you’re gonna see, that that guy was not on that yacht. ’N you’ll owe me a dollar.
He nods. She buzzes her way out of the office. ROSS picks up the torn book from his desk drawer, looks at it, looks at his watch. He shrugs, picks up the phone, dials.
ROSS: (Into the phone) Yes, in Manhattan. On Central Park West. A Mrs. Initial A. DaSilva …
Pause.
He picks up and looks at the torn tennis book.
OPERATOR: (VO) I’m sorry, at the Customer’s Request, that number is unlisted …
25. INT. OFFICE SUITE. DAY.
ROSS, in his sport coat, carrying various files, leaving a deserted office suite. He passes by a corner office, and KLEIN is standing, looking out of the window.
ROSS: Good night, Mr. Klein …
KLEIN turns, nods.
KLEIN: (Of the documents ROSS carries) You’re not taking home anything “sensitive,” Joe …?
ROSS comes into the room and closes the door behind him.
ROSS: Mr. Klein. The Process is in the safe. On noncopyable paper, there are, that I know of, two keys, and … (He displays the key on the chain around his neck.)
KLEIN nods, “Yes, yes, I suppose I’m just overwrought …” KLEIN shakes his head, meaning, “I don’t want to indulge myself.” ROSS helps him into his coat, and camera follows them out of the office, past a receptionist station.
KLEIN: (To RECEPTIONIST) I’m going home. Tell Susan I’ll see her on Monday …
ROSS: (To RECEPTIONIST, as KLEIN moves on ahead, to the elevators)… anyone calls, I’ll be at home …
He hurries to catch up with KLEIN.
26. INT. ELEVATOR. DAY.
The TWO MEN. Hold, then
ROSS: Mr. Klein, could I say something to you?
KLEIN: Please, what is it?
ROSS: Forgive me, but your concern with Security, sir. Indicates that you think someone is going to Take Advantage of you, sir. I don’t want to Take Advantage of you, and, frankly, I don’t want anyone to Take Advantage of Me …
KLEIN: No, I don’t understand …
27. ANGLE. INT. PARKING GARAGE. DAY.
The TWO emerge and walk to a waiting green Mercedes limo, whose DRIVER is holding open the back door. KLEIN and ROSS stop.
ROSS: I would like … I would like consideration, sir, for the work … for the work I have done on the Process, and for the wealth I have brought into the Company …
KLEIN: … and I keep telling you, son: everybody appreciates the work you have done, and you will find it recognized at the Stockholders’ …
The phone in the car rings, and KLEIN moves past ROSS.
KLEIN: (Exiting, into the car) I take your point. Let’s all do our jobs, and I’m sure we’ll be rewarded, according to our Just deserts …
He closes the car door. The car drives off.
28. ANGLE.
Cars in the parking garage: several top-of-the-line Mercedeses, a Jaguar, a Ferrari. Pull back to show ROSS, trudging down the line. He gets to a five-year-old, battered Toyota, opens it, and throws his briefcase inside.
INT. ROSS’S APARTMENT. NIGHT.
A large calendar sheet, reading, “Friday, March 14.” ROSS, sitting by the phone, in a suit and tie. He looks at the phone; he looks at his watch. He takes out a cigar, reaches for a match, lights the cigar, takes off the jacket, sighs, turns on the television.
DISSOLVE TO:
29. INT. ROSS’S APARTMENT. DAY.
ANGLE, INS.
The matchbook, marked, “Barclay House. Jamaica.” The end of a Cuban cigar in the ashtray. A cup of coffee comes into the shot. Pull back to show the kitchen table, several sheets covered in figures, ROSS, in blue jeans and T-shirt, sitting at the table, figuring. He yawns, gets up, looks down at the papers, gulps his coffee.
30. EXT. BROADWAY, NEW YORK. DAY.
Ext. Zabar’s food store, two JAPANESE MEN, taking photos of each other in front of the store. ROSS comes through the two, carrying a small shopping bag. He starts down the street. He stops, seeing something. He does a double take.
ANGLE, ROSS’S POV.
Across Columbus Avenue, on a side street, a limousine. A DRIVER has just opened the back door, and we see a man’s back passing across the sidewalk and into a store.
ANGLE.
ROSS, moving across the street, curiously.
ANGLE, ROSS’S POV.
The window of a very posh gun store, full of shotguns and pricy shooting apparel.
ANGLE.
ROSS, carrying his groceries, coming up to peek in the window. Behind him we see the chauffeured limo and the DRIVER, standing by.
ANGLE, ROSS’S POV.
Through the window, the back of the MAN who got out of the limo, discussing a shotgun with a CLERK.
31. ANGLE. INT. THE GUN STORE. DAY.
ROSS enters, holding his groceries. He is approached by a supercilious SALESMAN.
SALESMAN: … may I help you, sir …?
ROSS moves past him to the counter, where the LIMO FELLOW and the GUN SALESMAN are discussing a shotgun the LIMO FELLOW holds. As he speaks we see it is JIMMY, who is concluding his confab with the SALESMAN.
JIMMY: … get the balance perfect…
GUN SALESMAN: … of course, Mr. Dell …
JIMMY: … because when it comes up…
The GUN SALESMAN is reaching to ROSS, a “May I help you” expression on his face. JIMMY turns and sees ROSS.
Beat.
ROSS: Hello.
Pause.
JIMMY: Hello.
Pause.
GUN SALESMAN: Mr. Dell, can I …
JIMMY nods, “It’s alright.” He looks at ROSS, as if to say, “Was there anything you wanted?”
ROSS: Well. I guess I’d better get out of your way. He makes his exit from the store.
32. ANGLE.
On the street, ROSS, coming out of the store, shaking his head. He walks away from the shop, the limo behind him. He gets to the corner and waits for the light to change. He looks back. JIMMY is coming out of the store, the GUN SALESMAN bowing him out. ROSS changes his mind and walks back.
ANGLE.
JIMMY, getting into the car, is looking at the JAPANESE with cameras.
JIMMY: (To his LIMO DRIVER) Someone should do a book. Japanese, all over the World, Front of the World’s Greatest Monuments … taking pictures of each other …
The LIMO DRIVER senses someone approaching and interposes himself between ROSS, who is just walking back into the shot, and JIMMY, JIMMY motions the LIMO DRIVER that it is alright. He looks at ROSS to say, “Yes, may I help you …?”
ROSS: We were supposed to have dinner last night. (Pause) What happened? Aren’t the Laws of Courtesy for the Rich …?
JIMMY: Well, you know, you’re a hell of a one to talk about courtesy. (Starts to get in car)
ROSS: I don’t understand.
JIMMY hesitates.
JIMMY: Well, you had my sister waiting for you all afternoon.
Pause.
ROSS: What?
JIMMY: What do you mean, “What?”
ROSS: I mean I
don’t know what you’re talking about.
JIMMY: (Pause) You were going to bring her the book.
ROSS: I did bring her the book.
JIMMY: You left it for her. (Pause) You told … you told me you were going to bring the book to her. I, I called … she was waiting for you … all…
ROSS: … she was waiting for mmm——… I never said I was going to bring the book …
JIMMY: Well, I believe that’s what we settled on.
ROSS: It certainly was nnn——… look, look, I didn’t… Look: I didn’t want to intrude… why would I want to intrude? My understanding was that you asked me to drop it off.
JIMMY: (Shakes his head)… that’s not what we said.
ROSS: (As JIMMY starts to get into the car) Well, look here, it certainly is. And whatever the thing is with you, I don’t appreciate getting accused of a lack of courtesy. Seriously. (Pause) And isn’t it possible you misremembered …
Pause. JIMMY hesitates.
ROSS: Don’t look at me like I want something from you. I don’t want anything from you. You asked me to dinner … is it possible you got it wrong? (Pause) Is it possible?
Pause.
JIMMY: It’s possible.
ROSS: Alright. That’s all I want to say. (Pause) Thank you.
Beat.
ROSS walks away.
33. INT. ROSS’S APARTMENT. DAY.
ROSS, in jeans and sweater, working at the figures on his desk. He looks out the window and stops, spotting something.
33A. ANGLE, ROSS’S POV.
SUSAN, walking down the street. She holds a small, white paper bag. She looks around and starts up to the door to his building.
34. ANGLE.
The hall of Ross’s building. He goes to the door and opens it, and SUSAN is there, looking very fetching and casual.
SUSAN: (Of bag) I brought you something (She hands him the bag.) aaand I was just in the neighborhood, and thought I would drop in.
35. INT. ROSS’S APARTMENT. DAY. ANGLE, INS.
A plate, the white bag, with a picture of a stylized sun on it, and the logo “Sunshine Bakery.” ROSS’s hands take several bagels out of the bag and put them on the plate.