Speed-the-Plow Page 6

  FOX: To make a difference. Yes.

  KAREN: To make a film . . .

  FOX: To make a film that makes a difference. Yes, I know. Now: listen: I'm not going to talk to you of what gives you the “insight” to, or the experience to know what will make a good film. (Pause.) I'm not going to ask you, I'm not going to ask you what, what brought you to this job . . .

  KAREN: . . . it was a temporary job . . .

  FOX: Uh huh . . . I'm almost there, bear with me. Now: I understand, last night, that you and Bob became intimate.

  KAREN: I think you should leave.

  FOX: I know you do, but this is something more than your life, honey, you're at the Big Table, and, I'm done, then Bob, the Head of Production, is going to say what's what. I have one question. Now, then, you and Bob, you became “Lovers.”

  GOULD: Leave her alone.

  FOX: I don't think so. Do you owe me this? Do you owe me this? For all the years I spent with you? You became

  lovers. (Pause.)

  KAREN: Bob? No? Alright. Then, yes. We did.

  FOX: You talked of love.

  KAREN: Is that. . .

  FOX: Did . . .?

  KAREN: Is that so impossible . . .?

  FOX: It's not impossible. No. Not at all. You were drawn to him. You were drawn to a man. It's not impossible, I think that we would say it happens all the time; you “said” things to each other. (Pause.) Things occurred. And this is serious. Forgive me if my words seem to belie that, but I'm doing all I can, ‘cause I love this guy, too. My question: you answer me frankly, as I know you will: you came to his house with the preconception, you wanted him to greenlight the book. (Pause.)

  KAREN: Yes.

  FOX: If he had said “No,” would you have gone to bed with him?

  KAREN (pause): I don't think that I'll answer you.

  FOX: No?

  KAREN: I don't think you have the right to ask it. Bob . . .

  GOULD: I would like to know the answer.

  Karen: You would.

  GOULD: Yes. I would. (Pause.)

  KAREN: Bob. Bob: the man I could respect. . .

  GOULD: Without the bullshit. Just tell me. You're living in a World of Truth. Would you of gone to bed with me, I didn't do your book. (Pause. )

  KAREN: No. (Pause.) No.

  GOULD: Oh, God, now I'm lost.

  FOX: Bob . . .

  GOULD: Please be quiet for one moment.

  KAREN: Bob. Bob, we have the opportunity . . .

  FOX: “We"? “We” . . . ? I know who he is, who are you? Some broad from the Temporary Pool. A Tight Pussy wrapped around Ambition. That's who you are, Pal. Now you listen to me, Bob . . .

  GOULD: Charlie. Please . . .

  KAREN: We talked last night, Bob . . .

  GOULD: You told me to Be a Man . . .

  FOX: “Be a Man"? “Be a Man"? What right do you have? You know what this man has done . . . ? (Phone rings, FOX picks it up. Into phone:) Yes. One moment. Please . . . (Hangs up.)

  GOULD: Oh, God. I don't know what to do.

  FOX: You know the right thing to do.

  KAREN: Bob, Bob. You reached out to me . . .

  FOX: He reached out to you? He fucked you on a bet.

  KAREN: I don't care.

  FOX: You don't “care"?

  KAREN: Bob, perfect love . . .

  GOULD: Yes. Alright. Alright. Alright. Alright. Perfect Love. Alright. Just stop for a moment, will you? Will you? Will you just fucken’ stop taking a piece of me for a moment. Everyone. Just stop. I need one moment, please.

  KAREN: Bob, we decided last night.

  GOULD: Yes. I'm lost, do you hear me, I'm lost. I have to think, I. . .

  KAREN: We decided last night.

  GOULD: We what?

  KAREN: We decided last night.

  FOX: Bob: I need you.

  GOULD: I have to think.

  FOX: I need you to remember me.

  GOULD: I have to stop. I have to think now.

  KAREN: Bob . . .

  GOULD: . . . No.

  KAREN: Bob, we have a meeting. (Pause.)

  FOX: I rest my case. (Pause.)

  KAREN: Did I say something wrong . . . ?

  FOX: No. We have a meeting, that's true. Thank you, honey.

  KAREN: Did I say something wrong . . . ?

  FOX: Not at all. (Picks up phone. Dials.) Yes. Charlie Fox. Calling for Bob Gould. Mr. Gould and I have a. . . Yes. Mr. Ross is back from . . .? Fine. Would you tell him we'll be just two, three minutes late? Thank you. (Hangs up.)

  GOULD: I have to change my shirt.

  KAREN: I don't understand.

  GOULD: We're rather busy now. You'll excuse me. Mr. Fox will show you out.

  KAREN: No. No. Listen to me. One moment. One moment, Bob. Wait, Bob. The things we said last night. You called for help. Bob, you remember? Listen to me. (She picks up the book and starts to read:) “One bell was ‘showers about us’: two bells was ‘showers across the Lake'; three bells was ‘showers across the Ocean'; and four bells was ‘showers across the World.’ And he wondered how they had obtained that concession to rehearse the bells for the benefit of this instruction.” No, that's the wrong bit. That's not the part . .. (GOULD exits to the washroom. She looks up.) Bob. . .?

  FOX: That was a close one. Don't you think?

  KAREN: I think I'm being punished for my wickedness.

  FOX: Yeah, I do, too. You got a lot of nerve, Babe. And I'll tell you something else, that's why you're stupid, is you made your move on something wasn't ever going to make a movie. Cause the people wouldn't come. (He picks up the book, reads:) “The Earth burned. But the last man had a vision . . .”

  KAREN: I don't belong here.

  FOX: Well, I can help you out on that. You ever come on the lot again, I'm going to have you killed. Goodbye. See you at the A and P.

  KAREN: Goodbye.

  FOX: I heard you. (Pause.)

  KAREN: What did I say . . . ?

  FOX: . . . Uh huh . ..

  KAREN: I don't understand.

  FOX: I'll send you the coverage. (Pause.) Goodbye. You've said your piece. Now go away. (Pause.)

  KAREN: I hope . . .

  FOX: We all hope. It's what keeps us alive. (Pause. KAREN exits. He picks up the book, throws it out after her.) And take this with you. (To himself:) “How are things made round. . . (GOULD reenters, tucking in his clean shirt. Pause. GOULD looks at FOX.) Well, Bob, you're human. You think I don't know? I know. We wish people would like us, huh? To Share Our Burdens. But it's not to be.

  GOULD: . . . I suppose not.

  FOX: You're goddamn right, not. And what if this fucken’ “grace” exists? It's not for you. You know that, Bob. You know that. You have a different thing.

  GOULD: She told me I was a good man.

  FOX: How would she know? You are a good man. Fuck her.

  GOULD: I only wanted . . .

  FOX: I know what you wanted, Bob.

  GOULD: I only wanted . . .

  FOX: I know what you wanted, Bob. You wanted to do good.

  GOULD: Yes. (Pause.) Thank you.

  FOX: Hey, what'd you want me to say, Bob, you “Owe” me . . .? (Phone rings, FOX answers it. Into phone:) We're coming . . . (Hangs up.) Because we joke about it, Bob, we joke about it, but it is a “People Business,” what else is there . . . ?

  GOULD: I wanted to do Good . . . But I became foolish.

  FOX: Well, so we learn a lesson. But we aren't here to “pine,” Bob, we aren't put here to mope. What are we here to do (Pause) Bob? After everything is said and done. What are we put on earth to do?

  GOULD: We're here to make a movie.

  FOX: Whose name goes above the title?

  GOULD: Fox and Gould.

  FOX: Then how bad can life be?

 

 

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