Original subtitles

Previously on L .A. Law.

Dave, what are you doing here?

Just an impulsive gesture. I thought you might like to grab a little supper.

Look, Dave, I kind of have company right now.

Are you all right?

Uh, in point of fact, no, I'm not.

It seems that my wife and I have separated.

I don't know what's happening to me.

I'm desperate.

I can't sleep at night.

I cry all the time.

Help me.

Look, I'm going to put you in touch with Jean Rubens.

She's a first -rate therapist.

Fine.

Will Dave go?

Dave will do anything I tell him to do.

You want the truth?

Okay.

Here's the truth.

I will no longer feel ashamed of who I am.

I will no longer apologize for being a rich schmuck with a postage meter and an

up -to -date mailing list.

Either you accept Dave Meyer for who he is and you agree to be Mrs.

Underline Mrs.

Dave Meyer, or we can end this marriage right now and you'll never have to be

embarrassed by me again.

No, I don't have an appointment.

You want me to wait for him? How long do you want me to wait? You want me to

wait a day? I'll wait a day. You want me to wait a week? I'll wait a week. I

don't care. I have no place to go. I have nothing to do. Hey, hey, hey, hey,

hey. Calm down.

What's going on here?

Well, well.

It's really him.

Mr. L .A.

I bet all you ladies just want to rip the clothes off of this guy, huh?

And I'm sure you've all been to bed with him at least a couple of times, right?

Security's already on its way up.

I just want five minutes of your precious time.

Why? Here's why.

Your wife is divorcing you. Yeah. And she made the papers out all by her

lonesome. Isn't that something, huh? She changed the locks. She kicked me out.

Everything, just like you said. What are you talking about? Ain't that you, the

guy in the video?

Wait a second. This guy's always grinning at her, talking to her like

her all her life. I mean, why should she stick with old Dwayne?

She wants Arnold Becker with his purple ties and his really nice tan.

Do you want to calm down and talk about this? We'll go into my office. We'll

talk about it. Or you can rant and rave and you'll be taken out of here in

handcuffs. And what's it going to be?

I want to talk.

Good.

60 seconds.

That's it.

What are all these?

Story displays for my video.

I don't usually keep them in the office. They're just here for me to sign.

I guess the picture of you is all it takes, huh?

Have you and your wife been to a marriage counselor?

No. All right, I'm going to give you a few names.

She's not interested, okay?

Well, then you might just have to let her go.

Well, I don't want to let her go.

Everything between us was just fine. Then she's over at her girlfriend's

and she sees this stupid video, and suddenly everything ain't fine.

I'm asking you to tell her that she's making a mistake.

It's not my place to do that.

I'll pay you. That's not the point.

I can't save your marriage.

Arnie, your other meeting's about to start.

Down here, everybody gets divorced, don't they?

To you, it's no big deal. That's not true. All I know is, until a month ago,

wife loved me.

There was the one thing that I had that I could hold on to.

The one thing that made me feel lucky.

And then Arnold Becker's video guide to divorce took it all away.

And now I got nothing.

What was that all about?

Tell me something, Leland.

Are you contemplating retirement anytime soon?

Arthur, I have never contemplated retirement at all.

Now, that being the case, I'd like to throw something out.

There's a vacancy on the federal court.

I want you to fill it.

Batteries in these things get a little... I didn't quite hear you.

You heard me fine.

Why me?

I've known you for a long time, Leland. In my opinion, you're the best

qualified.

The president's leaving it up to a certain congressman who'd rather I

mention his name right now.

That congressman's leaving it up to me.

Won't people want to know my position on various issues?

Nope. No litmus test.

You'll use your judgment however you see fit.

This is pretty heady stuff, Arthur.

It only gets more so.

At my age, you get to thinking that all the earth -shattering stuff is behind

you. I'm ready to set the wheels in motion, Leland.

You just have to tell me if you want it.

God, yes, I want it.

Good.

Where's little Kelsey?

We're finally trying out a new nanny.

And you haven't called home more than six or seven times so far, have you?

Twice. Just won't be the same without that piercing cry and a few fetid

in the waste paper basket, will it?

Fitzpatrick versus Steinmetz.

Charlie Fitzpatrick was killed when a concrete floor under construction

collapsed. Now, we've already established that the concrete was

The trick here is proving that Roy Steinmetz knew about it and greased

he had to to keep the building on schedule. Knock him dead, Victor.

Mendez versus Mendez. This one of yours, too?

No, it's mine.

Uh, it's a custody dispute. The father is a Venezuelan citizen.

We should be going to trial at the beginning of next month.

What do you mean?

Zaplin et al. versus Recreational Foodstuffs Limited. An uprising of

franchisees. Six independent operators of Art's Egg Heaven drive -ins are suing

the franchisor for removing the animal fat from their corn dog batter.

They say the dog just ain't the same.

I'd like to meet with the partners sometime this afternoon, if possible.

I've got a deposition scheduled in Pasadena. I don't think I'll be done

four. I'm out till late this afternoon, too.

How about 5 .30?

5 .30 it is.

And we're adjourned.

Mr. Clauston, would you describe for the court what happened on September 10,

1985?

Well, it was just after lunch, and we were taking down forms on the seventh

floor when they set a load of steel down on the eighth.

First, I heard a... creaking.

Then the rebar snapped.

Then there was this thunderclap.

Concrete gave way and a steel beam fell down. Caught Charlie Fitzpatrick Square.

Now, did you observe anything when they put in this eighth floor that concerned

you? Objection, Your Honor. This man is not an expert on concrete. His concern

is irrelevant.

He's been a construction worker for 23 years and he was working directly

underneath. I think that qualifies as relevance, Your Honor.

The witness may answer.

The concrete had been sitting too long.

It should have been dumped.

They didn't want to lose time, so they watered it.

It looked all right when they poured it, but it had no strength when it dried.

That's why the floor collapsed.

I ask for the last remark to be stricken, Your Honor. So stricken.

What happened after the accident, Mr. Clawson?

As soon as the ambulance took Charlie's body away, they wanted us to go back to

work. The superintendent said they had 11 cement trucks lined up, and the word

from the top was just to keep on going.

I picked up a steel bar and suggested that, out of respect for the dead, we

ought to shut down for the day.

He thought about it and agreed with me.

I have nothing further.

Mr. Dow?

Mr.

Clausen, you testified earlier that...

This accident happened right after lunch. Could you tell us, sir, where you

for lunch?

I really don't remember.

Well, uh, could it have been a bar called The Boynton?

Maybe. Did you have a chance to down a few that day, Mr. Clawson? Your Honor,

the concrete didn't collapse because someone had a beer after lunch.

I hope Mr. Sufuentes isn't maintaining that alcohol can't contribute to workers

making a mistake on a job. A mistake that might have caused this accident.

You ever been on a construction site? Mr. Clausen.

Has that rat bastard sitting over there beside you ever been on a construction

site? I've been on plenty.

Yeah, they put a hard hat on your head and take your picture, and then you get

in a limo and leave. Mr. Clausen. The men who work there know what happened,

Roy, because we know you.

Put them up fast, put them up cheap, and whoever dies, dies.

Hell, that's what you hire a lawyer for.

I wasn't expecting this. Believe me.

So, did you hesitate?

Not for a second.

I'm thrilled for you, Leland. You know, I think this is something that I've...

that I've always wanted.

So, what's your timetable looking like?

Well, they want to expedite it, so I'll probably be sworn in before the start of

the fall term. How about ties to the firm?

Very limited.

I'll be giving up this office and pretty much staying out of firm business.

Naturally, I'll also disqualify myself any time the firm has an interest in a

case. Well, that's all right, Leland. We'll just...

Bask in your reflected glow.

You're looking uncharacteristically quiet, Douglas.

I guess I'm just thinking about the void that'll be left.

Voids get filled, Douglas. It's the law of nature.

I'm not so sure about this one.

On the other hand, I don't know anyone who'd make a better judge or who loved

being one more.

Congratulations, Your Honor.

Come along.

Could you make it to D 'Andra? D -I -A -N -D -R -A?

Oh, it's for my daughter.

Uh -huh.

Every day I ask myself, why couldn't she have found someone like you instead of

that bastard she married?

My son -in -law, the writer.

People just want to be near him.

It's an intangible quality, Murray. If I could duplicate it, I would rule the

world. Can I tell you your clothes are fabulous?

Thank you.

My husband and I are still together, by the way.

Every time he starts in with me, I play the tape. I tell him, Lenny, that's who

I'll get.

This is what I'd like you to write.

Word for word.

Ms. Olshan, would you examine this document and tell the court if that's

signature there at the bottom of the page?

It is. Would you identify the document?

It's a certificate of inspection for the eighth floor concrete slab on the

federal office building.

I ask that it be admitted into evidence as defense exhibit number one.

So ordered.

Now, Ms. Olshan...

Is it the case that that certificate indicates that the concrete was

and tested and found to conform to the approved specifications in the drawings?

Yes. And if Mr. Roy Steinmetz was relying on that certificate, he had

reason to believe that the concrete on the eighth floor in his building was

fine, right?

I guess so.

Thank you. No further questions, Your Honor.

Mr. Olshan, where did you take this sample of concrete that you tested from,

sir? I took it from the truck.

So if the concrete was being watered on the eighth floor, testing it at the

truck wouldn't reveal that, would it?

It didn't occur to me that they'd be watering it on the eighth floor.

I guess it also didn't occur to you to check the reinforcing steel. If it had,

you would have known that it was set every 12 inches instead of every 9 as

indicated in the drawing.

Look, things get a little hectic. I took somebody's word for it. I shouldn't

have. I don't know.

Didn't seem to upset your supervisor too much.

You didn't get fired, did you?

No, I didn't get fired. You weren't even suspended.

Tell us, were there any consequences at all, sir?

My supervisor didn't feel disciplinary action was warranted.

What can I say? Everybody makes mistakes.

Yeah, is everyone paid to make them?

Objection. All right, come on. Let's tell the truth here, Mr. Olsen.

Roy Steinmetz greased you. He greased your supervisor. He greased whoever he

to. That's why you signed off on those certificates, and that's why you weren't

fired. Mr. Cifuentes, there's been an objection.

That objection is sustained.

Counsel's last remarks are stricken.

Mr. Olsen, did you happen to see Charlie Fitzpatrick after that floor collapsed

on him?

Yeah, I saw him.

Did you feel responsible, sir?

For the concrete collapsing?

No. How about murder?

Murder? How about making this woman a widow?

I didn't do that. How about robbing her children of their father?

I didn't put that floor in. Somebody else did. It was their mistakes that

him. But you covered up their mistakes.

No one would have been under that floor if you hadn't said it was safe. Well, I

thought it was safe. Oh, you didn't give a damn one way or another.

You knew how expensive it was to shut down a job, to take out a defective

concrete slab. You wanted to save Roy Steinmetz money.

Hey, lawyer, are you going to say something here or what? Mr. Olson. Well,

Honor, how come he's not objecting to something? I'm not the one on trial

Well, maybe you should be.

You know, you've been a building inspector for 19 years. How many other

are you responsible for? No, no, no, no. Just wait a minute. How many other

wives lost their husbands? How many other children lost their fathers?

The pension isn't worth it. You know that? The pension isn't worth it. Isn't

worth what? I've got 11 months left to retire, and I'm not going to make it.

Sure, I looked the other way on that job. I did what I was told to do.

Objection, Your Honor.

Your Honor, let me finish, please.

Go ahead.

Well, it was understood that Steinmetz had a friend.

Objection! What does understood mean? It means everyone knew it. Everyone knew

that his friend wanted the job done on time. Everyone knew not to make waves.

Who was that friend, Mr. Olsen? Congressman Andrew Barnett. That's a

Sit down, Mr. Steinmetz. You were supposed to build it just a little

just a little flimsier.

No one was supposed to die.

Your Honor, I want this stricken.

Mr. Olsen.

I got no excuse, Mrs.

I did a real bad thing.

But it wasn't just me, and I got the records to prove it. Your Honor, at this

time, I would like to make an application for a continuance so that I

conduct additional discovery.

Based on what?

Even if these allegations are true, and I most strongly deny that they are,

there's no punitive damages in a wrongful death suit. It's irrelevant.

I'm going to take it under advisement.

We'll convene tomorrow at 10.

Pretty soon you'll be thinking of us as just the little people.

Speak for yourself.

Oh, he's right, Ann.

Well, I will come and visit you.

I'll see you in your little offices, working at your desks.

Tux. It's truly inventive. Well, I've had this tux for ten years. It doesn't

matter. I can tell by the way you wear it you're already a judge.

I'll see you all in the morning.

We should probably talk about this at some point.

Yeah.

This is going to be efficient before we know it. Leland will be sworn in, and

Douglas Brackman will be the senior partner of S .R. I think we should talk

about it now.

Yeah.

For one such as yourself, who's assiduously managed to avoid the mashed

circuit, That tonight is sure to be something of a shock. Truth to tell, I

so few political parties, I'm actually looking forward to it.

What's Victor Cifuentes all about, Leland?

Victor? He's a top -flight trial lawyer.

Why? He's gunning for Andy Barnett.

I don't know anything about it.

Well, this afternoon, some building inspector made up a story to take the

off himself and... Suddenly, Cifuentes is going after a congressman.

For what reason?

Barnett is the odds -on favorite to run for Senate next time around.

Cifuentes has a chance to make his bones.

That's not Victor.

No?

This well -spoken, good -looking Latino couldn't be harboring any political

ambition of his own?

Whether he is or not, that wouldn't be how he'd further it.

We have a real problem here, Leland.

Andy Barnett's the congressman who's sponsoring you for the bench.

That's a little bit of a coincidence, isn't it?

Yes, it is a coincidence.

Andy Barnett has a bright future ahead of him.

Beyond his district, beyond the state as well.

People will try all kinds of things to derail him.

Now, you're the senior partner.

I think you should talk to your associate.

Douglas is Douglas, Arnie, and certain things about him will never change,

is exactly what worries me.

Don't forget, Leland has always been here to hold him in check.

According to the partnership agreement, Douglas assumes all of Leland's power.

Yeah, unfortunately, that's all he'll assume.

The only thing that'll matter around here will be money.

And you can forget about pro bono work.

He'll look to shut that down altogether.

Look. Since he thinks we're all against him anyway, a siege mentality he'll set

in. He'll get one of those electric door closers for his office and communicate

only in writing.

I shudder to think what he's going to try to impose on the associates and

secretaries. You think Victor Cifuentes is going to put up with it?

McKenzie leaves, he's gone.

Well, I'll tell you something.

I sure as hell can't show Douglas the deference I show the old man.

He hasn't earned it.

I don't feel it.

And if he insists on it...

I'm gone, too.

The truth is that we're all gone. It might take six months. It might take a

year. It's pretty depressing to think that Mackenzie Brackman without

will just break apart and vanish into thin air.

There'll be some yelling and a lawsuit or two.

But in the end, the moving men will come in and move out of the boxes.

Victor?

You've been here all night?

Yeah,

Walter Olsen presented me with four transfer cases worth of documents.

I was up until 4 a .m. going through them.

I figured if the judge doesn't grant me the continuance, at least I'll be able

to argue with him about that.

What is it you think you're going to find, Victor?

Evidence that Steinmetz was deliberately ignoring the building code, that he was

using Congressman Barnett to intervene on his behalf.

Intervening with whom?

The city.

Building department.

This will help your client.

Yeah, I think that the jury will come back with a significantly bigger reward

they think that Steinmetz was dirty.

What if you're wrong about Barnett?

I drop back ten yards and I punt. What does he do?

People remember accusations whether they get proven or not.

I wouldn't be doing this, Leland, if I didn't think I could prove it.

And I think you know me well enough to know that.

You're right. Well, I'll leave it up to you.

Thanks.

I, uh, gotta get ready for court.

Yeah.

Right here.

Excuse me, Victor.

Victor, you think we can grab a room, sit down and talk for a few minutes?

Sure, Barney.

Benny, would you mind waiting over here by this bench until we get back?

Victor, let's be realistic

for a minute. I am being realistic.

Your client has a funny habit of declaring bankruptcy.

If you didn't have to wait seven years between filings, then we've done it

I can't pay what I don't have.

Sir, I am not willing to take your word for what it is you do have. We've got a

real tiger here, Mary.

He's going to make a big name for himself going after a United States

congressman. Barney, you want to keep this thing between me and you here? I'm

the one who signs the check. She's the one who gets it.

Or what you leave her, anyway.

Mary, Charlie would know I was being fair.

He never called him Charlie while he was alive.

Why are you calling him Charlie now?

Victor, it is a good offer. Don't waste your breath on him.

He's got stars in his eyes, don't you?

Tell your client his offer's rejected.

Is it rejected, Mary?

This is my lawyer, Mr. Steinmetz. You can ask him.

Boy, getting between a lawyer and some free publicity is like getting between a

Doberman and his food, ain't it?

We're not going to do any better, Mary. If you win, I'll feel it to death.

Mr.

Sequente. Yes.

Representative Andrew Barnett.

Mrs. Fitzpatrick? Yes.

How do you do, ma 'am?

Roy, how are you? Congressman.

Does this trip come under the heading of damage control, Congressman?

This trip comes under the heading of pure outrage, I think, too.

To say that I've used my good offices to endanger public safety, it defends me.

It defends my family.

Before I get on a plane back to Washington, you'll see these charges

I only hope that you, for the truth, the same coverage that you do these lies.

Thank you, Congressman.

And so, Congressman, had Roy Steinmetz gone to you and said that he was having

problem complying with the building code, what would your response have

I would have said, Roy, get down to the job site and kick some butt.

If the people you have can't get the job done, get people who can.

I see. In other words, you would not, you did not use your influence to permit

Roy Steinmetz to violate the building code, right?

I think what you're really asking is whether I would willfully endanger

lives. The answer is no. Thank you, Congressman Barnett. No further

Your Honor, at this time, I respectfully request once again that the court grant

a continuance so that I can adequately prepare to cross -examine this witness.

Application denied, Mr. Sequentes.

The witness is a sitting United States congressman. He is present and available

now. I think you can proceed.

This federal office building, sir, is it fair to say that you had something to

do with it being built in your district?

It's fair to say that I do my level best to look after my constituents.

Is that a yes?

Yes. Now, did the Steinmetz Construction Company contribute to your last

campaign, sir?

Yes, they did. I would ask that the congressman produce records.

Of all campaign contributions made by the Simons Construction Company, by Roy

Simons personally, and any corporate pact that Roy Simons has a personal

interest in. Objection, Your Honor. This is a fishing expedition.

He's entitled to it, Mr. Dow.

Said records are to be produced.

Now, I understand, sir, that you had a house built for yourself in La Jolla

year. Is that right?

Objection, Your Honor. What possible relevance does that have to this case?

Overruled.

Yes, Mr. Cervantes, I had a house built in La Jolla. Who built it, sir?

Roy Steinmetz built it.

Believe me, it's all up to code.

I have no doubt that a house that he would build for you would be.

Objection to the implication, objection to the innuendo.

Sustained. Strike it.

I would ask that the witness produce any and all canceled checks payable to the

Steinmetz Construction Company for work done on his house.

Your Honor, plaintiff's counsel is attempting to obscure the real issues in

case. With wholly unsubstantiated charges.

With all due respect, I need more than 24 hours to be able to substantiate

I need to be able to subpoena other building inspectors, city officials,

supervisors. I need time to go through all these documents that I've been given

here. I'll give you two weeks.

Thank you.

Your Honor.

Sorry, Mr. Dow. I'm changing my ruling.

These are serious allegations that go directly to the conduct of the

Your Honor, I would also like to say someone else once pointed to documents

claimed to have in his possession.

Someone else once used this canard to stain the character of innocent people.

That someone was Joseph McCarthy, and I think what we're seeing here is his

modern -day equivalent.

Your Honor, I want that stricken from the record.

So stricken.

We'll reconvene two weeks from today.

Excuse me, Mrs.

Patrick. Yes?

Do you mind if I talk to you for a minute?

Don't mind if I come along, do you, Congressman? Not at all, Counselor.

Give us a few minutes, will you, gents? I'll catch up with you.

I want

to

see if maybe we can put our heads together and come up with a solution to

Are you authorized to speak for Roy Steinmetz?

I think you and I got off on the wrong foot, Victor.

You are a fighter, which is fine.

But I think Mary needs a protector.

I think she needs someone who's going to make sure the mortgage is paid, the

health insurance kept up.

Someone who's going to guarantee that when Charlie Jr. and Kevin are ready for

college, they'll be able to go.

You even know them by name.

Why are we here, Congressman?

Roy Steinmetz is offering a million dollars on a ten -year payout.

That is $100 ,000 a year.

Now, properly infested, that will give you some real security.

And what happens when Royce Pymes goes bankrupt next year? That won't make the

least bit of difference.

That debt will be paid because I say it will be paid.

Who's ever known a politician to lie?

Oh, Victor.

You may not be as smart as I thought you were.

What are you looking to find fault here or to secure a future for Mary and her

boys? Congressman.

I already know who's at fault.

Well, then let's move on.

Your late husband wanted to make sure that you were taken care of, and you

my word that you will be. Can we have your signature on a personal guarantee?

Absolutely not. That would be highly inappropriate for an elected official.

Mary, I have to ask for your trust.

What do you think?

Mary, I think the congressman would say anything he had to to shut this trial

down.

That's exactly why I think that we can trust him. He doesn't want you going

through those papers, Victor. He doesn't want me to have any reason to go back

into court.

I can understand you being cynical.

But you have my friendship if you choose to accept it.

All right, Congressman.

You'll never regret it.

I don't think it's as important to find a villain...

as it is to make sure that your needs are met and those sons of yours have a

future.

I know what you're going to say.

Mary, you are letting this Barnett guy just walk out of here.

Who knows what else this guy's done? How many other buildings were built this

way? I can't be the one to find that out.

I am a middle -aged woman with no husband and two sons to raise.

Now I can either fight these men and their lawyers for years, or I can just

what they offer me and have someone that'll protect me.

What choice do I have, Victor?

Come in. I thought I made my feelings about Andy Barnett pretty clear the

night. I satisfied myself that Sir Fuentes was acting strictly on behalf of

client. Now, wait a minute. That's strictly beside the point.

I asked you for a small favor. What favor was that?

I asked you to lay off Barnett. I asked you to call off your dog. You didn't do

it. This is the way you treat me now. How are you going to treat me with a

lifetime appointment in your pocket?

That would depend on what you were asking me for.

No, sir.

If I see fit to ask, you see fit to deliver.

Where I come from, you dance with the one who brung you. Meaning?

You would have made a hell of a judge, Leland.

Yeah.

It's too bad you were looking for a whore.

Don't be so quick to congratulate yourself.

For the right price, everyone's a whore. In your world, that might very well be

true.

Didn't you ever stop and think, Arthur, that for all your prestige, you're only

a bad man?

Your whole life is spent doling out payoffs to whatever flunkies you're able

enlist.

Enjoy your purity, Leland.

It's always comforting to feel morally superior to those with more power than

yourself. All that power.

And you're just another hog feeding from the trough, trying to figure out who to

suck up to next. Go on, get out of here, Arthur. I can't breathe from the stink.

You guys about done?

Just about.

Thanks for all your help here, Benny.

Do you need me for anything else?

No, I can handle it from here.

Are you perchance ever available to do trade shows?

What are they?

Well, this year we've got a bisque statuary booth at the Novelty and Gift

in San Diego and a cocktail in a can booth at the Wines and Spirits Show in

Pasadena. Maybe you could pick up a little extra dough for the weekend.

Sure.

Say, Arne, this might be a good time to clear the air, so to speak.

What about?

About this whole kind of tripartite substratum that exists among the three

us. Roxanne's attraction to you, me and Rox, you and me.

Maybe another time, Dave. I've got to get to a meeting.

David, you talk to him about that?

Of course.

Isn't one purpose of our counseling sessions to talk about our emotions?

To each other, David.

To each other, not to the world at large.

All right.

I stand corrected.

Nothing's private.

It's all grift for the mill with you, isn't it?

Everything's broadcast on your own personal hit parade.

Excuse me, Roxanne, but as I recall, it was you who were intent on exposing our

private life to a therapist.

They can help us.

Not so I can hear myself talk.

Okay.

I shouldn't have talked about it in the context that I did.

I need to exercise more discretion.

Another corner turned.

So, basically, that's the story.

Leland won't be leaving for the federal bench.

You don't know why?

He didn't say.

Just that it was definite.

Boy.

So it's, uh, business as usual.

For now.

But there's something I want to say.

One day, Leland will leave.

He'll retire.

He'll get another judgeship.

He'll die.

And? And I have reason to believe this firm would dissolve.

I would be the ranking senior partner, and I guess the people in this room

trust my leadership.

Some, maybe all, might leave.

I wonder if it's ever occurred to anyone that if I'm hard -headed and constantly

focused on the bottom line, it's because the role I play in this firm requires

me to be.

When my father was here,

Leland McKenzie was the office manager.

As one who listened to descriptions of him at the dinner table growing up, let

me assure you, he was every bit the villain I suppose I am.

He... was capable of changing.

I think I am, too.

Of course, if we don't trust one another, if we need to meet behind each

backs, then none of that matters.

We might just as well close up shop and go our separate ways.

I hope that doesn't happen.

This firm means a great deal to me.

You people mean a great deal to me.

Just so you know, I put a hole in my office wall about the size of a football

when I got back from court.

I want to keep it there, just to remind me what dust pools the hallowed halls of

government really are.

That probably works to your client's advantage in this case.

You may have made a pact with the devil, but the devil keeps his word.

Oh,

by the way, congratulations on the judgeship.

Beat the news out of Cruzak this morning.

No, there's not gonna be a judgeship.

I thought it was a lock. No.

Cesspools are tricky places.

You don't always know.

Did this have anything to do with Barnett?

Let's just say that I wasn't who they wanted me to be.

Because you didn't pull me off them?

No, I didn't.

And I'm sure, in my place, you wouldn't have done it either.

I don't know.

It's easier to say you refuse something when it hasn't been offered to you.

It's also easier to indulge yourself in thinking that the standards of personal

integrity are somewhat lower in a downtown Anglo law firm than in this

office at some storefront legal clinic in East L .A.

You pretty much lost that one up for me.

Might not make you a judge, Leland, but I think it makes you a great man.

Victor, I have no idea what makes a man great.

At this particular moment, though, I'll just say thank you.

And I'll let you think what you want.

Get in!

What are you doing? I'm bringing my wife a present.

Get in.

Look, let's talk about this. We'll talk on the way. On the way where?

Barstow. You ever been to Barstow?

I'm not driving to Barstow, Dwayne. Mr. Becker.

I really think that you should do what I am asking you to do. This isn't going

to save your marriage.

Put it in drive and let's go.

The whole mansion's on the back. Beautiful.

It's gorgeous.

You can't even drive.

I saw you drive a cab car that day.

You wanted him, you got him.

Prince friggin' charming.

Wayne, have you lost your mind?

I hope he's a lover, because he sure ain't no fighter. Are you a hot shot?

look, now put down the stupid gun. I just wanted you to see what he looked

when he was scared.

Are you scared now, Arnie?

Yes, I am very scared.

Well, what does that make you? Some kind of hero? You are going to go to jail.

I don't care.

Isn't that something?

I really don't care.

I'm not trying to come between the two of you. Oh, but you did.

Look, she even stole that stupid picture of you from some shopping mall.

Duane, are you so hard up for pity that you humiliate me this way? I just want

to hold on to you, Hallie, okay?

And I don't know how.

I just want to show you something.

Can I say something?

I wish you would. I think you both had better take a long, hard look at

yourselves. And Duane, if you think that your wife wants a divorce because of

this videotape,

Yeah, I don't think you take her very seriously.

That's right.

What? You don't think what I'm doing here tonight is taking you seriously?

No, I don't. I call it acting like an idiot.

What do you want me to do, kill him?

No problem.

This isn't about me. Oh, the hell it ain't.

She looks at you on that video over and over again. She talks to her friends

about you on the phone. What should I do, pretend that I'm happy?

Act like living with you in a trailer in Barstow is all I ever want?

Well, let me tell you.

I can't act that good.

Alex.

Are you saying that you could never be happy with me?

Yeah.

That is what I'm saying.

Dwayne, you're not driving anywhere, are you? Oh, what the hell do you care what

I do anyway?

Well, I don't want you killing yourself.

And I don't think you'll be needing that gun.

Are you going to have him arrested?

Now, to tell you the truth, I think all I really want to do is call a cab and

have this whole thing come to an end.

Right.

Well,

right this way.

The numbers here, right here on the calendar, you look like you could use

to drown.

Here we go.

Cocktail in a can.

Yeah, I need a cab.

Hold on.

Where are we?

Oh.

We're at Mainline Trailer Park, row 9, third hookup.

Well, I believe he's going to L .A.

Right.

Could I make you something to eat?

No, thank you.

I like to call at the living room anyway.

What all did Dwayne tell you about me?

Just that you were unhappy.

You wanted out.

And he don't know why.

Dwayne is a nice guy, believe it or not. There's just not a whole lot I can tell

him.

Breaking up is always the worst part.

But in time, your life will get back to normal.

You have no idea what normal is around here.

What do you mean?

Well... Every week you go down to the pick and save and you load up your

basket and buy the TV guide.

You count yourself lucky that you've got food on the table and a husband that

don't hit you.

Deep down inside, you can't help...

feeling that you're put here by mistake.

I mean, it's like God forgot about you and your life's running out.

Women have options now. You don't want to live in barstow.

Move. Make a new life for yourself.

No such thing as a new life.

I'm stuck with this one.

I'm not like the women you know. I can't sing or... Racked or nothing.

I ain't smart.

The only way I'll ever get out of here is a man.

The ones I know don't want to leave.

That is, until you came along.

You don't know the first thing about me.

I want to, though.

I want to walk across a big green lawn holding hands with you.

I want to sit at one of them double sinks, you know, doing my makeup, and

you kiss me as you walk by.

I don't know what to say, because that's not going to happen.

Why?

Why is it that it can't?

Because our lives have nothing to do with each other. Because I'm not looking

for the same things you're looking for. Because, because, because. There are a

million reasons.

I am only standing here now because someone put a gun to my head.

Hey, hey, hey.

Time out.

Don't tell me you've never slept with a woman on the spur of the moment.

Please don't put your hands on me.

Don't try to turn me on. This isn't going to happen.

I'm not interested in you.

I'm sorry.

I don't know how else to put it.

You can't say that. I don't have a good body.

I am not the guy who is going to change your life. Do you understand that? I am

not that guy.

I don't care.

I want to pretend that you are.