Fleshpot on 42nd Street (1973) - full transcript
A street whore desperately seeks love and acceptance against the backdrop of the criminal element of early 1970s Times Square.
- Son of a bitch.
God dammit.
- What's the matter?
- You and that goddamn TV.
- You want me to turn it off?
Tony, you mad at me?
- See about that job today?
- No.
- Why not?
- I didn't get up in time.
- Well I set the alarm for ya, didn't I?
- Yeah I know,
but I went back to sleep.
- That's not the first time, ya know.
- Yeah, I know.
- You gonna make dinner or something?
- What do you want?
- I got us some franks and beans.
- God, I'd love some steak.
- Well honey, maybe if you'd get a job
we could afford some steak.
- Here we go again.
- Well, baby, I told you
when you moved in here
you have to help out.
Now it's been three
months and I ain't seen
a goddamn nickel yet.
- What do you want me
to, go out and hustle?
Is that what you want?
I can get you some money that way.
- Why can't you go to work?
- I will, don't push me.
- Dusty, I cannot afford the two of us.
Will you turn off that goddamn TV set?
- Look, I can't just go to work like
all these creeps around here.
I gotta like a job or I can't do it.
- Dusty, you're a grown woman now.
You just can't roam through life doing
exactly what you wanna do.
- You wanna bet?
- Look, baby, I like you, I really do.
You're a good kid, you
got a lot up on the ball,
you understand?
But you got a lot of freaky habits.
I mean shit, I don't like to go to work,
but you got to, and no one's gonna stand
on a corner and give me
somethin' for nothin'.
That's what life is all
about, you understand?
- I give you want you want, don't I?
- Of course you do.
- Then what are you bitching about?
- Well it's not enough.
I want you to be more of a person.
Honey, I know I'm no great shakes, but,
well I'd like you to be
better for us some day.
- Look, Tony.
When I moved in with you, you said
there'd be no trouble between us.
You said we'd shack up
together and that's all.
And I said I'd help out with the money
as soon as I found a
job and got on my feet.
Don't think I don't appreciate what you've
done for me, Tony, because I do.
But you get more than your share of ass.
There isn't one night
that you haven't come
home from that shit hole where you work in
and wake me up in the middle of the night
because you want a piece of ass.
Alright, I do my part, so get off my back.
- Alright, I'll make a deal with you.
The minute you bring
some money in this house,
I wouldn't lay a hand on
you unless you want it.
I didn't know you didn't
like me to touch you.
I always thought you
liked to have sex with me.
- I do, I do like it with you.
I just thought that that was enough.
There's not much else I
can give you but that.
- Well maybe you're right.
Maybe I was expecting too much.
Just take a look at this joint.
Sheets haven't been
cleaned since I met you.
Look baby, I don't like to bitch at ya,
but would you mind keeping
the place a little cleaner?
- Oh Christ, you want me to move?
- Well, where would you go?
- I'd go back to where you picked me up.
- Grants? That shit hole?
That fuckin' joint is the dope hang out.
Look, you're on pills already.
You hang around there,
you'll be on the hard stuff.
- I don't go for that scene.
- Honey, with your head,
you'd be on it in no time.
- Like hell I would.
- It's getting late, I gotta go.
- You want me to make you somethin'?
- No, I'll get it later.
- It'll only take a minute.
- No honey, nevermind.
Look, would you do me a favor?
- Depends on what it is.
- Would you clean the
place up a little bit?
- Yeah, I'll try.
- No, don't try, just do it, huh?
- I said I'll try.
- Look honey, when I come home tonight,
I want the place clean.
Now if it is not clean, you better start
to look for another joint.
- Just like that?
- Just like that.
- You're a son of a bitch, you know that?
- Look, I am not asking for too much.
But this time, I mean it.
- You're not mad at me anymore, are you?
- Now come on, you're not gonna
get around me like that.
Now look, I got a friend who
owns an employment agency.
Maybe he can get you a job next week.
- I hate office jobs.
- Hey, what are you doin'?
- What's the matter?
- Dusty, stop it.
Leave me, come on, I
gotta get down to work.
- Oh, no.
- Now, now, leave that.
- Oh, you're getting a hard on.
- Yeah, I know.
- Ooo, come on, come on, we got time.
- Alright, but we'll have to make it fast.
Thanks.
- See you later?
- About five.
- Don't wake me up, okay?
- I'll try not to.
- Tony, you got a couple
dollars you could lend me?
I thought take in that show at the AMCO.
I'll pay you back next
week when I get that job.
- Will you clean the
place up a little bit?
- Sure.
- See you later.
- Not if I see your first.
Son of a bitch.
Sammy?
Sammy, where are you?
- Can't even take a piss around here.
What do you want?
- I got some stuff for you.
- Hot?
- What do you care?
- Cops have been around,
I gotta be careful
the next few weeks.
- Well this stuff you
don't have to worry about.
The guy isn't gonna say
anything about it missing.
- What do you got?
- A transistor, a TV.
And some jewelry.
- TV set.
It ain't worth much.
- You always say that.
- Well look at it, it's an old model.
I couldn't get much for that.
- Well what about the transistor?
- It's cheap.
Boy, you sure know how to pick 'em.
Can't you ever take anything worth while?
- Shit.
What about this?
- Well, that's junk.
- It ain't all junk.
What about that?
- Well so what?
That's not much.
- What are you gonna give me for all this?
- What do you want?
- 40 bucks.
- For what?
- For all this.
- It ain't worth that.
- Look, the TV works fine.
Plug it in and I'll show you.
- I've give you 30 bucks.
- I want more.
- Well you be a nice girl,
you go down the block,
maybe they'll give you more.
- Look, Sammy, you can
get at least 40 dollars
just for the TV.
- All of a sudden you know my business?
- Sammy, I really need it.
Couldn't you do a little better?
- Maybe.
- For me?
- Maybe.
- I wouldn't ask ya if I didn't need it.
- How much do you need?
- I told you, 40 bucks.
- Well.
Maybe we can make a deal.
- What kind of a deal?
- You come in the back room with me,
I'll give you 50 bucks.
- what's the matter, Sammy,
your wife holdin' out on you again?
Why the fuck don't you get a divorce?
- Nice Jews don't divorce.
- Well if she's not giving you
anything, you might as well.
I don't see what good she
is if she don't put out.
- How 'bout it?
- 55.
- That's a lot of money.
- That's a lot of ass.
- I like you, Dusty, I really like you--
- 55.
- Okay, okay, it's a deal.
I'll lock the front door.
- How long you been married?
- Seven years, come on.
- You give her all those trips to Miami
and she still don't put out?
- Come on, Dusty, come on.
- She must cost you a pretty penny
just to keep her in clothes.
- Yeah, look, we ain't got much time.
- You know, I only saw her once.
That one day when she came in the shop.
It must've cost her a fortune just to keep
that blonde hair of hers up.
- Dusty, will you come on, please?
- Well you are horny, aren't you?
- Please?
- Alright, shit.
- I gotta go to the toilet.
I'll only be a couple of minutes.
You make yourself comfortable.
- Listen, Sammy.
Don't put any soap on it
like you did last time.
Boy, that burns.
Listen, if you're gonna wash it,
don't put any soap on it.
Sammy, what are you
hangin' up your pants for?
I'm not gonna be here all day?
- I don't want 'em to get dirty.
They cost me 20 bucks.
Hanniman Orbox.
They were on sale.
- Come on, Sammy, let's get it over with.
Christ, Sammy, wait a minute.
- Don't peek now.
Here.
- I'm starving.
Hey, you got--
- No.
- Well I haven't eaten
anything since last night.
- I'll take you to lunch if you'd like?
- Why don't you go and
bring us back something?
- No, I'll take you to lunch.
- No, because I gotta make a phone call.
I'll make it across the
street at that luncheonette
and you can bring us back something
and I'll meet you back in 10 minutes.
- You can use the phone here.
- No, that's alright, I
wanna use the one there.
Okay?
- Okay.
- You want your coat?
- Yeah.
Thank you.
- Okay?
- Okay, you ready?
What would you like for lunch?
- Surprise me.
- You want a sandwich or somethin' hot?
- Why don't you just surprise me?
- Hey, how do you like your coffee?
- Milk, no sugar.
- You want a piece of pie or somethin'?
- Surprise me.
I'll see you back here in
about 10 minutes, okay?
Cherry, Cherry, oh!
- Dusty, Dusty Cole where have you bean?
- How are you baby?
- I've been lookin' all over for you.
- You still in the great white wave?
- Don't let the niggers hear you.
Since the last time I
saw you, you were running
off to Boston with that
creep from New Jersey.
- You ever know anyone from
New Jersey that wasn't?
- You got some money?
- Yeah, why?
- Come on, I'll buy you some coffee.
- Well when did she die?
- About two months ago.
- Did you go to her funeral?
- Are you kiddin'?
You ain't seein' me at no
funeral of some junkie.
Every time something like that happens,
there are cops all over the place.
Peaches went to a funeral
once and had her picture took.
Some drag queen she used to
live with named Hope Diamond.
It's gettin' so you can't
suck a cock in this town
without some cop lookin'
over your shoulder.
- Cherry, you haven't
changed a bit, have you?
You're a little more paranoid, maybe,
but you never looked better.
- You like the new color of my hair?
- Yeah.
- It's called hollow beige.
This hair bender over in
Brooklyn does it for me.
He has got a cock on
him as big as a horse.
He's so big, he can't
get it up half the time.
I used to go with him.
But every time I'd go home with him,
I'd fall asleep waiting
for him to get it up.
- Well what would you do if he did?
- I'd throw my arms
around it, hug it and cry.
What would I do, oh really?
- How's your mother?
- She threw me out.
I guess she got tired of my
usin' all of her hairspray.
- Where you livin' now?
- Some hole in the wall
over on the Lower East Side.
It ain't much to look at,
but it's rent controlled.
I can't keep much food there.
Every time I get somethin' in,
the cockroaches mug me for it.
It ain't easy bein' a sex symbol.
- You want a room mate?
- Who?
- Me.
- Well.
I always wanted to have a sister.
- Well you've got a whole
block of 'em out there.
- Yeah, but that ain't the real thing.
- How much rent you pay?
- 40 a month.
I've been trying to make the landlord
for the past two months.
I figure, if I can corner him just once
I can live rent free
'til my lease expires.
- Always workin', aren't you Cherry?
- Listen honey, you gotta get what you can
out of this life.
I don't wanna wind up like my mother
without a pot to piss
in while I'm her age.
America ain't no place for old folks.
I bet in 10, 15 years,
they'll be suggesting
cams for the aging.
But if Nixon gets in again, it'll probably
be a police state, anyway, so
what difference does it make?
- Listen, you seen Hal around anywhere?
- Hal?
Didn't you hear?
- Hear what?
- He's in jail.
He went up for five years.
- For what?
- He hit a cop.
- Hal?
- Yeah.
One night, we're all standin' around
in front of Grants, mindin'
out our own business
when all of a sudden, this cop comes along
and tells us to move along.
We say we aren't doing anything.
Then Hal comes in and tries
to be nice to the prick
and the cop gives him a shove.
You know, Hal can't stand
anyone giving him a shove,
let alone a cop.
Before I know it, Hal is shovin' the cop,
the cop is falling down and we are trying
to get Hal the hell out of there.
All of sudden these cops
appear from out of nowhere.
They beat the shit out of Hal
and threw him into the
backseat of one of their cars.
Those sons of bitches.
They wouldn't even let us see him in jail.
One of the queens who was
in the tombs at the time
said that they messed him up, but good.
Broken jaw, left cheek bone.
He was so delirious, he
didn't even recognize Pinkie.
Remember Pinkie?
That colored drag I
used to run around with?
- Where's Hal now?
- Upstate somewhere.
They never would tell us where.
Let's see, what other good
news have I got for ya?
- I was hoping Hal could
sort of pimp for me.
He's so good at that.
- Yeah.
He had real class.
- You 'bout ready to go?
- Yeah, you?
- Yeah.
- Uh, got any money?
- You broke?
You need some money?
- Oh, ten more and we've
got last month's rent.
- Come on, we'll take a cab.
- Cab?
I haven't been in a cab since
they raise the fare twice.
Oh.
The place needs a good cleaning.
Here, give me those.
- Where's the john?
- Oh, right through there.
Just move the stockings
aside if they're in your way.
- Ooo, do I feel better.
- Me, too.
- What are the house rules?
- Well I'd like you to stay out 'til
at least midnight during the weeks,
and I'd like to be able
to bring tricks back
until at least two on the weekends.
If you don't mind.
- Oh, sure, hon.
Hey, listen, I've got an idea.
Why don't we sort of join forces?
We could both turn quite a few each night
if we play our cards right.
- Fabulous.
You know, I got quite a
few numbers who want girls.
Instead of me, I mean.
Maybe I could introduce you to 'em.
I'll bet you get a lot more than I do.
- You wanna clean house tomorrow?
- Sure.
It'll be a lot easier
to keep the place clean
with two of us livin' here.
Maybe I'll even come home once in a while.
We could invite some of the
kids up for dinner maybe.
- Oh I don't know about that.
You know how most of them are.
One of them gets thrown
out for not paying his rent
and before you know it, they're
all pounding at your door.
I really don't think it's a good idea
to have anyone here.
- Yeah, I guess you're right at that.
And friends can be a great deal of work.
Oh, now who the fuck is that?
Jimmy.
What the hell are you doin' here?
- Well I got a hard on.
You'll take care of me?
- Oh, well, we were supposed
to meet tomorrow night,
don't you remember?
- I got a hard on.
What do you want me to do?
Slam a window on it?
- Well I've got a guest here right now,
I can't talk, you know what I mean?
- Does he suck?
- Not a he, it's a she.
Like me.
See?
- Hey, you been holdin' out on me?
You didn't tell me anything about her.
You didn't tell me
anything at all about her.
My name's Jimmy.
- Yeah, I gather as much.
- Gee, she ain't too friendly.
- Oh I am, with gentlemen.
- Well what's the supposed to mean?
- Take it for what it's worth.
- Hey, I like her.
- She's my competition.
- Oh, it ain't the same thing.
- Who says so?
- Why don't I go, hon, I'll
come back in about an hour.
- Why don't she go, and you stay?
- Let Cherry call the shots.
- I pay well.
- With that, he does.
- It's up to Cherry.
- I'll tell you what, Jimmy.
Dusty and I have to have
a little conference,
but we'll be right back.
You wait right here.
Come on, hon.
You want him?
- Well he's not bad looking.
- He's that way all over.
- Does he pay well?
- Well I usually get 20.
- Well you could get more than that.
- Honey, if I had what you've got,
I'd be a millionaire today.
- You want me to turn him?
I could roll him for everything he's got.
- Don't you dare.
It's taken me years to build up my tricks
to come into my door
instead of me goin' to them.
You get what you can and
tell him it's the last time
you'll be able to fix him up.
I don't wanna lose him to ya.
- Is he married?
- Yeah.
- Oh that's good.
- Why?
- Well they're just a lot safer that way.
With the single guys, you never know
what they're gonna spring on you.
- Well you've gotta get in there before
he loses interest in ya.
- See you in about an hour?
- Okay.
Oh.
He is a little weird.
- Like how?
- Well, knowin' you used to
like to shack up with Hal,
there ain't nothin' you can't handle.
Bye.
Bye, Jimmy.
- Come here.
I said come here.
- I say when, man, and it's not now.
- Well Cherry likes it that way.
- Well I'm not Cherry.
- Well what do you want?
- I want it on the bed,
like two civilized animals.
- Okay.
You bitch.
You bitch.
Turn over.
I said turn over.
You alright?
- Yeah, why?
- Well.
Sort of got carried away with myself.
- I know how to handle myself.
You're married, huh?
- Yeah.
- She go for this scene?
- Nah.
I'm lucky if I get a
piece of ass from her.
- How long you been married?
- Three years.
Why?
- Just wondering.
What religion is she?
- Irish Catholic.
- Figures.
- What do you mean by that?
- Well I haven't a person that was
Irish Catholic yet that wasn't fucked up.
- Well that's a rather broad statement.
- Well look at you.
- Well look at what?
- You like sex in the
sort of mixed up way.
That's how you get your kicks.
Does she like it that way?
- No, of course not.
- Doesn't she give you anything?
- Yeah, once in a while.
- You know,
I don't understand you American men.
You all let your wives run all over
and then you complain that it's her fault
because she isn't interested in sex.
When you want it, you've gotta train her
in the habit of giving because it's very
easy for a woman to go through life
saying no all the time when
half the time she means yes.
You guys have gotta stick up
for your rights more often.
Oh, it's stupid even to talk about it,
it won't do any good.
- You been married?
- Once.
- How long were you married?
- Four months.
- Four months?
That's not a very long time.
What happened?
- Well for one thing, I was too young.
I was 16.
- How come you got married so young?
- Stupid, I guess.
My mother let me do it.
- Some mother.
- Yeah.
Well I was very selfish
and I had to have my way.
My mother let me do whatever I want,
so she let me marry the guy.
- How old was the guy?
- 18.
- That was stupid.
- Well when people are
young, they're very selfish.
They can only think of
one thing, themselves.
They're not ready for
anything like sharing.
All they can think of is me, me, me.
- Well lots of people get
married when they're young.
- And they spend the rest of their lives
hating their kids, their husbands,
and just about everything.
And then if they have a weak husband
who never says no to them, they wind
up in an institution after menopause.
I'm tellin' ya, I don't know your wife.
But if you don't start trainin' her right,
you're gonna end up with
a pretty sick handful
when she gets older.
- Well you don't know
anything about me or wife,
so how could you say something like that?
- Just remember what I told ya.
- Well listen, I don't
wanna talk about it anymore.
Wanna make a hundred bucks on Friday?
- Doing what?
- Well there's a bunch of
us that get together then--
- No gangbangs.
- No, no, no.
That's not what I was gonna say.
Now there's four of us that get together
every Friday night to play cards.
Now we thought that one
time, someone like you
could sort of take care of us.
Know what I mean?
- Yeah, I know what you mean.
It's not worth it.
- Well how much do you want?
- How old are they?
- Oh, not very old.
I think the oldest one is about 32.
They're not dogs, if you know what I mean.
Of course, they're not
as good looking as I am.
- But then most people aren't.
- Well I didn't mean it that way.
- Well that's the way it sounded.
- You know, you really
know how to hurt a guy.
- You really know how to hurt a girl.
- Alright, I deserved it.
Listen, how much to you want?
- One at a time?
- Yeah.
- In a separate room?
- Yeah, yeah.
- 200.
- I can't afford it.
How 'bout 150?
- I can only stay an hour.
- That's only 15 minutes a piece.
I don't know if they guys'll go for that.
Listen, we had a queer lined up.
We were gonna pay him
30 bucks for the night.
Now these guys don't
really have any hang ups.
- Where do you want me to be Friday?
- I'll write it down for ya.
Here.
- What time?
- Seven o'clock.
- Oh, you better tell 'em to be on time,
because I'm not doing any re-runs.
- I like you.
What's wrong?
- Nothing, just a reflex.
- Oh, before I forget.
Here.
Well what's the matter?
- Well I'm not Cherry, you know.
- Well I only have to give Cherry 20.
- Yeah, but you're not just ordinary sex.
- Alright.
Here you go.
- Every little bit helps.
- Is everything alright?
I didn't come back too soon, did I?
- No, honey.
Listen, you got a real nice friend here.
I'll see you in about a week.
And maybe I'll bring home that trick
I was telling you about.
- Ooo.
Next week's my birthday.
- Well last month was your birthday.
- Oh, better start keepin' a calendar.
My tricks have too good a memory.
- Yeah, well listen.
I'll see you next week.
- If he's as talented as you say so.
- More so.
- Ooo.
Hallelujah.
- Well listen, bye bye Dusty.
Bye, Cherry.
- How much did you get?
- Oh, 30.
- 30?
I would've thought he'd
give you more than that.
- Yeah, you would, wouldn't you?
Here.
When we go out later I'll split this
and give you half.
- Well you don't have to give me half.
- Oh it's the least I can do, hon.
Put it towards the rent.
- I'll tell you what, let's do.
Let's go out to dinner tonight.
We'll stop in at the club,
see if some of the kids
are there, then we'll
take in the double horror
bill at The Lyrics, Torture Dungeon
and Blood Thirsty Butchers, okay?
- Yeah, I am sort of hungry.
Hey, maybe we can get a steak at Phoebe's.
- Yeah.
How'd you like him?
- Who?
- Who?
The number you just had.
Jimmy, how'd you like him?
- Him.
Oh he's alright, I guess, but I don't
dig that SM bit too much.
- Yeah, he does lean that way a bit, but
then I like my men rough.
- Yeah, he told me.
- Yeah?
What else did he tell ya?
I don't want him tellin'
you all my trade secrets.
- Don't worry.
He just said you liked it rough.
- Yeah.
- You 'bout ready?
- Yeah, if you are.
- Let me just take a piss,
I'll meet you at the club.
Oh, baby how are you?
Listen, do you wanna come to Carl's?
Cherry's gonna meet me there.
- Sure.
- I'll buy you a beer.
How you been?
- Good.
- Hey Mac, bring some drinks.
Well what'll it be, Billy?
- Beer.
- Beer for Billy.
And what do you want Dusty?
Usual for Dusty and the same for me.
So, Billy, how you been?
How's your mother?
- Still bitching.
- Maybe if you got a job,
she wouldn't bitch so much.
- Look who's talking.
- What do you mean?
I work.
My office stretches from upper Broadway
to the end of Christopher Street.
A good woman like me you
can't keep cooped up.
She's gotta roam.
- So how you been, Dusty?
I haven't see you for a coon's age.
- Don't let the niggers hear ya.
- Well I was cleaning house with
some bartender in Queens.
- So what happened?
- The usual, the walls closed in.
- Did you get anything out of it?
- We did okay.
- You think you can loan me a few bucks?
I'll pay you back as soon as I can.
- What's the matter, Billy?
Things not going too well?
- Sorta.
- Oh sure, here.
Take this.
- I don't need that much.
- Keep it.
- Oh shit, here come the Simmons sisters.
- Remember, hon, charity begins at home.
- I'll bet you didn't know
that Lane Bryant made minis.
- Look, I'm warning you, Cherry.
Don't start up with me,
I've had a hard day.
- And a hard night from the looks of it.
- I'm warnin' ya.
- You didn't tell me where
you were for the last
two months, where were you?
- I was with some guy in Queens.
- Well there's such a thing
as a subway, you know,
you could've used it, you know.
- Susie uses it all the time.
Don't ya, hon?
Only she just uses the toilet.
If you ever wanna find her, just go to
the 14th street IRT toilet.
She's the second one from the door.
- You'll get a fist full of knuckles.
- Hey, you two.
Every time you two get
together, you start to fight.
Well, you're gonna do that,
you go out on the street.
- How are you
Billy, how's your mother?
- Still bitching.
- Hey, that number I
saw you with last night,
I sure could've gone for him.
- If he'd have gone with you,
he would've been the goner.
One plunge on you and timber.
- Who's your friend?
- Where you staying, Sally?
- Over in the Lower East Side.
You can't afford any other
place in this goddamn city.
- Ah ah ah, mustn't swear.
He might take away your calories.
- Look who's talkin'?
- What do you mean, I lost ten pounds.
- What'd you do?
Get an operation?
- Fuck you.
- What, and get a dose?
- It would be the best dose you ever had.
- Now stop it you two.
Listen, I'm going home if you two
can't stop bitching at each other.
- Hey, Susie and I got
an offer to do one of
them double off Broadway shows.
- We got to sing a song for an audition.
- Yeah, this director, I think he's a fag.
He says why don't we gets together
something campy for our audition,
so I says, "how 'bout a torch song?"
He says, "no, wouldn't work."
So he says, why don't we go
home and think about something,
so we came up with this one.
You ready?
- Yeah, okay.
♫ On the good ship
♫ Lollypop
♫ It's the sweet trip
♫ To a candy shop
♫ Where elephants play
♫ On the road to Peppermint Bay
Wasn't that fun?
- I've got an idea.
Why don't you get a
flesh colored rubber band
and tie it between you?
Then you could just sit
there like Siamese twins.
Barnum made a fortune off
of his fat lady freaks.
- Why don't you behave
yourselves and act like ladies?
Especially you Cherry.
- What did I do? What did I do?
- Just sit down and shut
up and behave yourself.
I don't know why I ever quit the marines.
- What time is it?
- Why?
- I got a date at seven.
It's about 7:15.
- Oh shit, I gotta run.
Thanks again Dusty.
- Let me know when
you're through with him.
I could always use a new number.
Oh.
- I like Billy.
He never has an unkind
word to say about anyone.
- Yeah, you'd think some people would
learn from it, wouldn't ya?
- Do you keep hearing voices?
- Yeah, sort of like a sick cat in heat.
But it must be just my imagination.
- You ain't got one,
look what you've got on.
- I'm warning you Cherry,
don't start up with me.
- No.
Stop it you two.
He looks like he's lost.
He doesn't belong in this place.
- He looks straight.
- How would you know?
- I'll toss you for him.
- You'd toss anything for anyone.
- This one's mine.
- Ooo.
He doesn't look as if
he knows where he's at.
- He looks like a cop to me.
- Are you kiddin'?
That suit's too clean to be a cop.
They always look like they slept in.
- Yeah, and you always have to stay down
wind of them or the smell
of the piss gets to ya.
- Well if anyone should
know, it's you two,
Tweedle Dee and Tweedle Dumb.
The Tim's twins.
- Why don't you shut up?
- Go ahead Dusty, he's all yours.
- Well that's mighty white of you.
- Don't let the niggers hear you.
- Yeah.
- Cherry, why don't you
get some new material?
- Why don't you plug up your hole so
we don't all catch a cold?
- Hi.
- How are you?
- My name's Dusty, what's yours?
- Bob.
- You lost or something?
- No, why?
- What are you doing in a place like this?
- I could ask you the same thing.
- I asked you first.
- Well I needed a drink so I came to
the first place I could find.
- You live around here?
- No, Staten Island.
- Staten Island?
That's not even in New York state.
- Have you ever been to Staten Island?
- Yeah, a couple times.
I took the ferry over and got
one look and came right back.
- Hm, well you didn't
give it half a chance.
You should really see it sometime.
- Yeah.
Is that an invitation?
- Do you want it to be?
- Okay.
Let's go.
- Sure, why not?
- Did you see that?
- She didn't even talk to him for more
than two minutes and they're off.
- Dusty knows how to operate.
- She acts like
she's on roller skates.
- She's got class, real class.
Something the two of you will
never know anything about.
- Oh, why don't drop dead?
- South ferry.
- Oh, look at that view,
isn't it fantastic?
- Yeah.
Hey, but not like the
view from the boat, huh?
- Oh yeah, but I've seen that one.
- Oh, that's right, you
said that before, didn't ya?
You want some coffee, I'll put some on.
I made a fresh pot this morning.
- Sure.
- Hey, give me your coat, I'll hang it up.
- Oh no, that's alright.
- Come on, give it to me.
- Wow, this is some house you've got.
- My mother used to be
an amateur decorator.
House looks it, doesn't it?
- I sort of like it.
Except maybe that.
- Oh, the statue.
You're just jealous.
- Of her?
Well I've got a better figure than that.
- Well I should hope so.
- She's got a pretty face.
- Well so have you.
But yours is much prettier.
- I bet you say that to all the statues.
- You're funny.
- So you're thinking of
selling this place, huh?
- I've been thinking about it.
- Where would you move then?
- Oh, I don't know.
I haven't thought too much about that.
- Why don't you move into Manhattan?
The change might do you good.
- Like how?
- Well I don't know.
Just changes are good
for people now and then.
- You speaking for me or for yourself?
- For you, that's what we're
talking about, isn't it?
- I think it's time we did
some talking about you,
don't you?
- Oh, I think your coffee's ready.
- Sit down, I'll be right out.
Hey, I've got some chocolate
cake in the refrigerator,
would you like a piece?
- Oh, no thanks, I'm on a diet.
- You? What for?
- Well I'm always more or less on a diet,
it's easier to keep in shape
if you always think about it.
- Well I think you have
a very pretty body.
- Yeah, I know, you said that before.
- I did, didn't I?
Cream and sugar?
- Cream, no sugar.
Thanks.
Um,
where do you sleep?
- That came out of nowhere.
- I didn't mean it to sound that way.
- I did.
- I know.
- You're gonna spend the
night with me, aren't ya?
- Well I don't know about that.
Why don't we just have our coffee
and get down to business, okay?
- Business?
- Well I mean, I like you, Bob.
I'd like to have sex with you, but,
well I can't stay too
long, I have to get back.
My friend worries about
me if I don't get back.
- I just thought maybe you'd
stay the night with me.
I've never had anybody
stay in the house before.
I'd like for you to be the first.
What'd you do that for?
- I don't want you to look too deep.
- Well I'm not looking for perfection.
I have too many imperfections
to go through life doing that.
I just wanna look at you, can't I?
- I suppose.
What do you see?
- I see a girl that's been around.
I see a very pretty girl that's probably
seen more than most.
I see a girl that I'm
very comfortable with.
Want me to go on?
- You do have a way with words.
- I haven't started yet.
Not here.
Upstairs, please?
Comfortable?
- Yeah.
Maybe too comfortable.
- What's that supposed to mean?
- Nothing.
- You want a cigarette?
- No.
- Want me to get you anything?
- No.
- You fit just right.
- Bob?
- Yeah?
- You don't know anything about me.
- That's right.
- Well don't you think you should?
- Not necessarily.
- I don't understand you.
- What's there to understand?
We're very comfortable with one another.
You please me very much in sex,
and I hope the feeling is mutual.
- It is.
- Then what else is there?
- I hustle for a living.
- So do I.
Everyone in this life does.
Unless you're born into it, and then
they're too miserable
to appreciate anything.
- That's not what I mean.
- I know that.
- I make my living hustling.
- How much do you want?
You're worth every penny of it.
- Oh, don't make fun of me.
That's one thing I can't stand.
- I'm not making fun of
you, I'm completely serious.
If you want money, you can have it.
- I don't want money, not from you.
I just told you that because,
oh shit, I don't know why I told you that.
- Well I'm glad you told it to me.
I want you to always be honest with me.
A relationship can't exist without
honesty as a foundation to build on.
- It's human nature not
to always tell the truth.
Most people can't face that
so they lie to themselves.
- And one another.
- Yeah.
- Well look at it this way, if you've
already told me you were a hustler,
well what else could you
say that could top that?
I mean, all we can do is go backwards
from that, you know what I mean?
- Don't expect too much from me.
- Why, are you planning to
stay in my life for a while?
I'd like that.
- It sounded that way, didn't it?
- I'd say it did.
- Would you like that?
- What do you think?
- I can't think right now.
- Then go to sleep, I am.
- May I?
- Sure.
- Good night.
♫ Day my prince will come
♫ Someday--
- Son of a bitch.
Hello?
Dusty?
Where the hell are ya?
I was worried about ya.
I was just about to
come out lookin' for ya.
Staten Island?
Well wait a minute,
what's all this Bob bit?
Dishes?
Clean up?
Are you sick or somethin'?
Get your ass over here.
- Bob's the guy I met last night.
He's great, Cherry.
I really think I like him.
I made him breakfast this morning
and he gave me a set of keys to the house,
and then he went off to work--
- House?
He gave you the keys to his house?
Well take what you can, hon, and run.
Take a cab.
I'll meet you at south ferry
to help you with the things.
We could use a television
set here at the house.
It might keep us off the streets more.
- No, hon, you don't understand.
I like the guy, I don't
wanna take anything from him.
I like him.
Look, I'll tell you all
about him when I meet you.
Now where should I meet you and when?
- Get your ass over here, pronto.
I can see right now I'm gonna
have to play mother to ya.
Didn't your mother ever tell ya,
you shouldn't go out with strange men?
Didn't your mother ever tell ya
you shouldn't sit on a
seat where they've been
sittin' or you'll get pregnant
and have a little one?
Didn't your mother ever
tell ya that good girls
go to Heaven and bad
girls go to Tiffany's?
- Oh, come off it, hon, I'm serious.
Look, I can't talk right now.
I'll meet you at the end
of Christopher Street
in about an hour.
We'll have a picnic like
we used to, remember?
It's a nice day and spring's
in the air to ra la la la.
Bye, hon.
- Want more cole slaw?
- I'm stuffed.
I'm not used to having a big breakfast
and then lunch right after.
- Tell me all about it.
- Well I've told you
practically everything.
- The vital statistics.
- Is that all you're interested
in, and while we're eating?
- I can see, this is
gonna be a white wedding.
I'll have to go to Franklin
Simon for my white shoes.
- He just wants us to
live together for a while
until we feel we know each other.
- Honey if you don't each
other after last night,
I don't know what I can tell ya.
I don't mean to throw cold water on ya,
but you've gotta be careful.
I can see right now,
you've got no discipline
where your men are concerned.
You've gotta love 'em and leave 'em.
It's the law of the great white way.
- Shut up or the niggers'll hear ya.
- No, I'm serious.
I'm not nursing any pigeons in my house
who have fallen from their nest.
Look who's serious, Wonder Woman herself.
It seems to me that just about
this time last year,
there was a certain girl,
who shall remain nameless,
that fell for an Armenian.
She thought it was the love of her life.
Until she found out
that he needed a sponsor
to get into the country.
- That's different, that's
just a little different.
My position is just a
little different than yours.
You're legit, hon, you
can get hurt awful bad.
- It's always different when
the shoe's on the other foot.
- Well I'm just thinkin'
about you, that's all.
- I know you are and that's sweet of you.
Thanks.
- Oh now don't do that.
- You're sort of interesting.
- Thanks, I needed that.
- You see that truck over there?
- The one with the four wheels? Yeah.
- Well I'm gonna take a look at it.
Why don't you join me?
- Oh, wild horses
couldn't keep me from you.
- You join me over there,
I'll show you a horse or two.
- That's a promise.
- Boy you work fast.
- I learned from watching you.
- He's waiting.
- Yeah, I know, I've been hard up all day.
- You better hurry.
- Oh, always keep 'em waitin'.
It makes them appreciate you a lot more.
- Well I wouldn't wait
too long with this one.
- Yeah?
- Yeah, he's the kind of guy
you gotta work fast with.
- Yeah?
- Yeah.
- I'll be right back.
Hi.
- It's all yours, baby.
- Oh, is that a pistol in your pocket?
- Come on, get to work.
Oh, for Christ's sake.
Get the fuck outta here.
- Leave me alone.
- What happened?
- I guess he didn't like
the color of my wig.
Do I look alright?
- Yeah.
Oh, that son of a bitch.
- Oh I wish you would've
let me get that wig.
Ah, mine's gettin' so shop worn.
- Oh, sure, uh huh,
and then when rent day rolls around again,
Cherry's singin' the blues.
It's not that hard to save
for a rainy day, you know.
- Yes, and you never see this girl
without an umbrella, that's
how rainy my life is.
- You do alright.
- Want some tea?
- Yeah, I could use a cup.
Hey, you got any of that peach pie
left over from the other day?
- Sure, you want a piece?
- Okay.
- What time are you
meetin' this Bob character?
- Tonight.
- What time?
- He said any time I feel like it.
- And you feel like it, right?
- I like the guy, Cherry.
- He must be one hell of a lay.
- It's not only that.
He's really a very nice guy.
I couldn't do much better.
- You know, for a girl
who is supposed to have
her head screwed on right, you
sound like a high school kid.
- Don't knock it, Cherry.
- It's just because I'm jealous.
- Yeah, sure.
- No, I mean it.
I'd love to have someone to
love or someone to love me.
It ain't easy bein' a freak.
- I never heard you talk that way before.
You're happy, aren't you, huh?
- Happy?
Campin' all the time?
Look at me, hon.
I'm no prize package.
I'm a cock sucker.
I'm not even a good one.
I hide from the world behind this get up.
Hide, as if I could hide from
anything lookin' like this.
- I thought you
liked living in drag.
- Oh, I do.
I always like gettin' dressed up in drag.
Even when I was a kid.
My mother used to let me do
it, she thought it was cute.
After that, I never let her see me do it.
And I started runnin' around
with Pinkie and Snow White.
Peaches, the bunch.
We used to go to Phil Blacks.
That's when drag was really drag.
And then one morning I woke up and I had
more drag in my closet
than my regular clothes.
I was quite pretty then.
I made out a lot more then than I do now.
- You make out alright.
- Talk.
I'm a lot of talk.
Big shit comes from a lot of little ones.
- You ever thought of giving it up?
- And go legit?
Start lookin' like one of those old queens
that hang around subway johns?
Too weird to be called a man and too old
to try and look like one.
- I love you just the way you are.
- Don't.
- Hey, stop it.
The water's hot, I want my tea.
- I'll get it.
- Well since we're on a truth kick,
I've been doing some thinking, too.
- Like how?
- Well I'm gonna try and change
a little of myself if I can.
- Yeah?
Like how?
- Well I thought I'd try to work something
out with this Bob.
I mean really Cherry, he's the best thing
that's happened to me in a long time.
- So you're gonna play
house with him, huh?
- I'm gonna try.
- What happens to me?
- What do you mean?
- I just get myself a super room mate,
now she's taken off with
some Staten Island sammy.
- Oh no, babe, I'll still
keep this place with you.
I'll carry my share of it
whether I'm here or not.
- What'll he say about that?
- He won't mind.
We did a lot of really heavy talking
and he's a damn good guy.
I'll tellin' you, Cherry, he's a jewel.
- Yeah?
Just make sure he ain't no rhinestone.
When are you movin' in with him?
- I'm not.
Well not right away.
I want to take it nice and easy.
He wants whatever I want that way.
- You goin' on that date tonight?
- No.
- Don't be a fool.
- I've changed, Cherry, I know it.
I feel it, right here.
- It's your stomach.
You need food, eat.
- I wish you could go.
- They don't want no counterfeit,
they want the real thing.
- Well they're just gonna be out of luck.
- Well why don't you go, the last time?
- I really don't want to.
- We could use the money.
150 bucks is a lot of money just now.
- You need it that bad?
- Don't you?
- I don't, but do you?
- Would you mind?
- You really want me to go?
- Just this once.
- What time is it?
6:35.
- Okay, but this
is the last time, I hope.
- See you at the club later?
- Okay.
- I bet she won't show up.
- She will. 150
bucks is a lot of bread.
- None of those whore are very dependable.
- She's not a whore.
- Then what's she comin' here for?
- She better be, I want my money's worth.
Already cost me a new jacket.
- She's worth it, I'll
telling you, she's great.
- Look, we gonna play cards or not?
- Who wants to?
I wish she'd get here.
- I bet she don't show up.
- No, for Christ's sake.
- I'm telling ya, she will.
Now just hold your horses.
- What color hair she got?
- Long, black hair.
- Yeah, I like long hair.
- How old is she, I bet she's a dog.
- She's only 20
and she ain't no dog.
She's a knock out.
- Yeah, I'll bet.
- Is there anybody
else ready for a beer?
- Yeah, I'll have one.
- Make it two.
- I'll get it.
- I'll get it.
Hey, right on time.
- I'm always on time.
- Well let me take that from ya.
- No, leave it right here.
- Well let me hang it up for you.
- No it's fine right here.
- Let me
introduce everybody to ya.
This is Walt, Joe, Cal.
- Yeah I've met Walt before.
- Oh yeah?
Walt, you been holdin' out?
- I don't believe we've met before.
- Yeah, one night in the
White Groves on Eighth Avenue.
- I don't go to any bars on Eighth Avenue.
- Okay, have it your way.
Where's the money?
- I'll give it to you later.
- I'd like to have it
now if you don't mind.
- Sure, if that's the way you want.
- Please.
Thanks.
Where's the other room?
Okay, who's first?
- Just like that?
- I told you, not more
than an hour and a half.
Now who's first?
- Me.
See you later guys.
- Well how do you like that?
The guy can really move when he wants to.
- I haven't met her before.
Honest, cross my heart, I haven't.
- Yeah, sure.
- Boy she's some
knock out, ain't she?
- What did I tell ya?
- Shit.
I'll send the next one in.
- Dusty.
Did you like it?
Was he big enough for ya?
You sure do like your cock, don't you?
You like this, huh?
Remember last time?
You sure know how to
take it, don't you, baby?
- Oh no you don't, you're
not gonna start that again.
- Where do you think you're goin'?
- I'm gonna get
the hell out of here.
Get your hands off me!
You and your friends
can go fuck yourselves!
- Come back here you little cunt.
- 150 bucks, that's a lot of bread.
- I didn't know she liked gang bangs.
- A girl could get cancer that way.
- I don't think you ought to
talk about Dusty like that.
What she does is her business.
You don't hear us talking
about what we do all the time.
- I didn't ask you to listen, did I?
- The whole bar can hear you.
- Oh why don't you go tell
your mother, she wants you.
- Dusty's been very good to you, Cherry.
Dusty's been a friend to you.
That's more than you
can say about these two.
- Well what do you know?
Mr. Righteous all of a sudden.
- I'll see you around.
- Not if we see you first.
- She is an M, is she?
- I think she is a little.
- I think you're right.
Hal used to get pretty
rough with his broads.
- Well to each his own.
- She must not have any morals at all.
I mean, taking that guy's
wallet like she did?
- Well you should've seen that guy's face
when he was pulling his pants up.
- So how much does she get for a quickie?
- Street trade?
Not as much as she used to.
- You like roomin' with her?
- Well I don't like havin'
to room with anybody,
but she pays her half of the rent.
At least she better, anyway.
I do better than her
most of the time, anyway.
- Why don't you get
yourself a new room mate?
- Well I will as soon as
I get back on my feet.
I need her right now financially.
But then I think I'll ask
Peaches to move in with me.
Two drags are more compatible.
- Yeah, they can share all their drag.
- Yeah, and you never know with a whore
what she's liable to come down with.
- Some friend.
- Dusty.
- Thanks a lot.
You sure know how to make friends.
- I was only kiddin'.
How long you been standin' there?
- Long enough.
- You want a drink?
I'll buy you a drink.
- Take this, you're gonna need this
more than I do.
- Hey, you did alright.
- Until I met you.
- Well fuck you.
- You already have.
- My makeup alright?
- Hi.
- Hi.
- Can I come in?
- Sure, if you want.
- That's what I want.
- I sort of expected you
to be here when I got home.
- Does that mean you missed me?
- What do you think?
- I gotta be told.
- Yes I did.
You tired?
- Not that tired.
- I was hoping you'd say that.
- Oh.
- Did you miss me?
Dusty?
- Yes.
Do you know how hard it is for me
to say something like that?
- I know.
Come on.
- Wait.
- I got soap in my eyes.
- Wait a minute.
Is that better?
- Oh, much better.
- Ah.
- You know you're pretty pretty?
- Yeah, I've been told.
- Oh, ego, ego.
- I didn't mean it that way.
Besides you're pretty pretty, too.
- Oh, so I've been told.
- I bet you have.
- Hey, I wonder what time it is.
- Why?
- I gotta go to work tomorrow.
- Saturday?
- Yep.
Told 'em I'd go in to work on the books.
- Oh, why didn't you tell me that before?
- And fuck up our moment?
Not on your life.
- Come on, let's go to bed.
- Oh, not yet.
- You ready again?
- Any time with you, Dusty.
- Come on.
Oh, you wanna play games, huh?
- Hey, you don't have to walk me to ferry.
- I want to.
- Well alright.
Here's your coat.
Buckle up warm, I don't
want you to catch a cold.
- Yes, daddy.
- You don't have a scarf?
- Nope.
- Well I'll get you one today.
What color do you like?
- Blue.
- Okay.
- Oh my god.
I didn't mean to hit him, he
ran right in front of my car.
- Did you know him?
Do you know who he was?
- No, I never saw him before in my life.
Gotta hurry, I got another customer.
God dammit.
- What's the matter?
- You and that goddamn TV.
- You want me to turn it off?
Tony, you mad at me?
- See about that job today?
- No.
- Why not?
- I didn't get up in time.
- Well I set the alarm for ya, didn't I?
- Yeah I know,
but I went back to sleep.
- That's not the first time, ya know.
- Yeah, I know.
- You gonna make dinner or something?
- What do you want?
- I got us some franks and beans.
- God, I'd love some steak.
- Well honey, maybe if you'd get a job
we could afford some steak.
- Here we go again.
- Well, baby, I told you
when you moved in here
you have to help out.
Now it's been three
months and I ain't seen
a goddamn nickel yet.
- What do you want me
to, go out and hustle?
Is that what you want?
I can get you some money that way.
- Why can't you go to work?
- I will, don't push me.
- Dusty, I cannot afford the two of us.
Will you turn off that goddamn TV set?
- Look, I can't just go to work like
all these creeps around here.
I gotta like a job or I can't do it.
- Dusty, you're a grown woman now.
You just can't roam through life doing
exactly what you wanna do.
- You wanna bet?
- Look, baby, I like you, I really do.
You're a good kid, you
got a lot up on the ball,
you understand?
But you got a lot of freaky habits.
I mean shit, I don't like to go to work,
but you got to, and no one's gonna stand
on a corner and give me
somethin' for nothin'.
That's what life is all
about, you understand?
- I give you want you want, don't I?
- Of course you do.
- Then what are you bitching about?
- Well it's not enough.
I want you to be more of a person.
Honey, I know I'm no great shakes, but,
well I'd like you to be
better for us some day.
- Look, Tony.
When I moved in with you, you said
there'd be no trouble between us.
You said we'd shack up
together and that's all.
And I said I'd help out with the money
as soon as I found a
job and got on my feet.
Don't think I don't appreciate what you've
done for me, Tony, because I do.
But you get more than your share of ass.
There isn't one night
that you haven't come
home from that shit hole where you work in
and wake me up in the middle of the night
because you want a piece of ass.
Alright, I do my part, so get off my back.
- Alright, I'll make a deal with you.
The minute you bring
some money in this house,
I wouldn't lay a hand on
you unless you want it.
I didn't know you didn't
like me to touch you.
I always thought you
liked to have sex with me.
- I do, I do like it with you.
I just thought that that was enough.
There's not much else I
can give you but that.
- Well maybe you're right.
Maybe I was expecting too much.
Just take a look at this joint.
Sheets haven't been
cleaned since I met you.
Look baby, I don't like to bitch at ya,
but would you mind keeping
the place a little cleaner?
- Oh Christ, you want me to move?
- Well, where would you go?
- I'd go back to where you picked me up.
- Grants? That shit hole?
That fuckin' joint is the dope hang out.
Look, you're on pills already.
You hang around there,
you'll be on the hard stuff.
- I don't go for that scene.
- Honey, with your head,
you'd be on it in no time.
- Like hell I would.
- It's getting late, I gotta go.
- You want me to make you somethin'?
- No, I'll get it later.
- It'll only take a minute.
- No honey, nevermind.
Look, would you do me a favor?
- Depends on what it is.
- Would you clean the
place up a little bit?
- Yeah, I'll try.
- No, don't try, just do it, huh?
- I said I'll try.
- Look honey, when I come home tonight,
I want the place clean.
Now if it is not clean, you better start
to look for another joint.
- Just like that?
- Just like that.
- You're a son of a bitch, you know that?
- Look, I am not asking for too much.
But this time, I mean it.
- You're not mad at me anymore, are you?
- Now come on, you're not gonna
get around me like that.
Now look, I got a friend who
owns an employment agency.
Maybe he can get you a job next week.
- I hate office jobs.
- Hey, what are you doin'?
- What's the matter?
- Dusty, stop it.
Leave me, come on, I
gotta get down to work.
- Oh, no.
- Now, now, leave that.
- Oh, you're getting a hard on.
- Yeah, I know.
- Ooo, come on, come on, we got time.
- Alright, but we'll have to make it fast.
Thanks.
- See you later?
- About five.
- Don't wake me up, okay?
- I'll try not to.
- Tony, you got a couple
dollars you could lend me?
I thought take in that show at the AMCO.
I'll pay you back next
week when I get that job.
- Will you clean the
place up a little bit?
- Sure.
- See you later.
- Not if I see your first.
Son of a bitch.
Sammy?
Sammy, where are you?
- Can't even take a piss around here.
What do you want?
- I got some stuff for you.
- Hot?
- What do you care?
- Cops have been around,
I gotta be careful
the next few weeks.
- Well this stuff you
don't have to worry about.
The guy isn't gonna say
anything about it missing.
- What do you got?
- A transistor, a TV.
And some jewelry.
- TV set.
It ain't worth much.
- You always say that.
- Well look at it, it's an old model.
I couldn't get much for that.
- Well what about the transistor?
- It's cheap.
Boy, you sure know how to pick 'em.
Can't you ever take anything worth while?
- Shit.
What about this?
- Well, that's junk.
- It ain't all junk.
What about that?
- Well so what?
That's not much.
- What are you gonna give me for all this?
- What do you want?
- 40 bucks.
- For what?
- For all this.
- It ain't worth that.
- Look, the TV works fine.
Plug it in and I'll show you.
- I've give you 30 bucks.
- I want more.
- Well you be a nice girl,
you go down the block,
maybe they'll give you more.
- Look, Sammy, you can
get at least 40 dollars
just for the TV.
- All of a sudden you know my business?
- Sammy, I really need it.
Couldn't you do a little better?
- Maybe.
- For me?
- Maybe.
- I wouldn't ask ya if I didn't need it.
- How much do you need?
- I told you, 40 bucks.
- Well.
Maybe we can make a deal.
- What kind of a deal?
- You come in the back room with me,
I'll give you 50 bucks.
- what's the matter, Sammy,
your wife holdin' out on you again?
Why the fuck don't you get a divorce?
- Nice Jews don't divorce.
- Well if she's not giving you
anything, you might as well.
I don't see what good she
is if she don't put out.
- How 'bout it?
- 55.
- That's a lot of money.
- That's a lot of ass.
- I like you, Dusty, I really like you--
- 55.
- Okay, okay, it's a deal.
I'll lock the front door.
- How long you been married?
- Seven years, come on.
- You give her all those trips to Miami
and she still don't put out?
- Come on, Dusty, come on.
- She must cost you a pretty penny
just to keep her in clothes.
- Yeah, look, we ain't got much time.
- You know, I only saw her once.
That one day when she came in the shop.
It must've cost her a fortune just to keep
that blonde hair of hers up.
- Dusty, will you come on, please?
- Well you are horny, aren't you?
- Please?
- Alright, shit.
- I gotta go to the toilet.
I'll only be a couple of minutes.
You make yourself comfortable.
- Listen, Sammy.
Don't put any soap on it
like you did last time.
Boy, that burns.
Listen, if you're gonna wash it,
don't put any soap on it.
Sammy, what are you
hangin' up your pants for?
I'm not gonna be here all day?
- I don't want 'em to get dirty.
They cost me 20 bucks.
Hanniman Orbox.
They were on sale.
- Come on, Sammy, let's get it over with.
Christ, Sammy, wait a minute.
- Don't peek now.
Here.
- I'm starving.
Hey, you got--
- No.
- Well I haven't eaten
anything since last night.
- I'll take you to lunch if you'd like?
- Why don't you go and
bring us back something?
- No, I'll take you to lunch.
- No, because I gotta make a phone call.
I'll make it across the
street at that luncheonette
and you can bring us back something
and I'll meet you back in 10 minutes.
- You can use the phone here.
- No, that's alright, I
wanna use the one there.
Okay?
- Okay.
- You want your coat?
- Yeah.
Thank you.
- Okay?
- Okay, you ready?
What would you like for lunch?
- Surprise me.
- You want a sandwich or somethin' hot?
- Why don't you just surprise me?
- Hey, how do you like your coffee?
- Milk, no sugar.
- You want a piece of pie or somethin'?
- Surprise me.
I'll see you back here in
about 10 minutes, okay?
Cherry, Cherry, oh!
- Dusty, Dusty Cole where have you bean?
- How are you baby?
- I've been lookin' all over for you.
- You still in the great white wave?
- Don't let the niggers hear you.
Since the last time I
saw you, you were running
off to Boston with that
creep from New Jersey.
- You ever know anyone from
New Jersey that wasn't?
- You got some money?
- Yeah, why?
- Come on, I'll buy you some coffee.
- Well when did she die?
- About two months ago.
- Did you go to her funeral?
- Are you kiddin'?
You ain't seein' me at no
funeral of some junkie.
Every time something like that happens,
there are cops all over the place.
Peaches went to a funeral
once and had her picture took.
Some drag queen she used to
live with named Hope Diamond.
It's gettin' so you can't
suck a cock in this town
without some cop lookin'
over your shoulder.
- Cherry, you haven't
changed a bit, have you?
You're a little more paranoid, maybe,
but you never looked better.
- You like the new color of my hair?
- Yeah.
- It's called hollow beige.
This hair bender over in
Brooklyn does it for me.
He has got a cock on
him as big as a horse.
He's so big, he can't
get it up half the time.
I used to go with him.
But every time I'd go home with him,
I'd fall asleep waiting
for him to get it up.
- Well what would you do if he did?
- I'd throw my arms
around it, hug it and cry.
What would I do, oh really?
- How's your mother?
- She threw me out.
I guess she got tired of my
usin' all of her hairspray.
- Where you livin' now?
- Some hole in the wall
over on the Lower East Side.
It ain't much to look at,
but it's rent controlled.
I can't keep much food there.
Every time I get somethin' in,
the cockroaches mug me for it.
It ain't easy bein' a sex symbol.
- You want a room mate?
- Who?
- Me.
- Well.
I always wanted to have a sister.
- Well you've got a whole
block of 'em out there.
- Yeah, but that ain't the real thing.
- How much rent you pay?
- 40 a month.
I've been trying to make the landlord
for the past two months.
I figure, if I can corner him just once
I can live rent free
'til my lease expires.
- Always workin', aren't you Cherry?
- Listen honey, you gotta get what you can
out of this life.
I don't wanna wind up like my mother
without a pot to piss
in while I'm her age.
America ain't no place for old folks.
I bet in 10, 15 years,
they'll be suggesting
cams for the aging.
But if Nixon gets in again, it'll probably
be a police state, anyway, so
what difference does it make?
- Listen, you seen Hal around anywhere?
- Hal?
Didn't you hear?
- Hear what?
- He's in jail.
He went up for five years.
- For what?
- He hit a cop.
- Hal?
- Yeah.
One night, we're all standin' around
in front of Grants, mindin'
out our own business
when all of a sudden, this cop comes along
and tells us to move along.
We say we aren't doing anything.
Then Hal comes in and tries
to be nice to the prick
and the cop gives him a shove.
You know, Hal can't stand
anyone giving him a shove,
let alone a cop.
Before I know it, Hal is shovin' the cop,
the cop is falling down and we are trying
to get Hal the hell out of there.
All of sudden these cops
appear from out of nowhere.
They beat the shit out of Hal
and threw him into the
backseat of one of their cars.
Those sons of bitches.
They wouldn't even let us see him in jail.
One of the queens who was
in the tombs at the time
said that they messed him up, but good.
Broken jaw, left cheek bone.
He was so delirious, he
didn't even recognize Pinkie.
Remember Pinkie?
That colored drag I
used to run around with?
- Where's Hal now?
- Upstate somewhere.
They never would tell us where.
Let's see, what other good
news have I got for ya?
- I was hoping Hal could
sort of pimp for me.
He's so good at that.
- Yeah.
He had real class.
- You 'bout ready to go?
- Yeah, you?
- Yeah.
- Uh, got any money?
- You broke?
You need some money?
- Oh, ten more and we've
got last month's rent.
- Come on, we'll take a cab.
- Cab?
I haven't been in a cab since
they raise the fare twice.
Oh.
The place needs a good cleaning.
Here, give me those.
- Where's the john?
- Oh, right through there.
Just move the stockings
aside if they're in your way.
- Ooo, do I feel better.
- Me, too.
- What are the house rules?
- Well I'd like you to stay out 'til
at least midnight during the weeks,
and I'd like to be able
to bring tricks back
until at least two on the weekends.
If you don't mind.
- Oh, sure, hon.
Hey, listen, I've got an idea.
Why don't we sort of join forces?
We could both turn quite a few each night
if we play our cards right.
- Fabulous.
You know, I got quite a
few numbers who want girls.
Instead of me, I mean.
Maybe I could introduce you to 'em.
I'll bet you get a lot more than I do.
- You wanna clean house tomorrow?
- Sure.
It'll be a lot easier
to keep the place clean
with two of us livin' here.
Maybe I'll even come home once in a while.
We could invite some of the
kids up for dinner maybe.
- Oh I don't know about that.
You know how most of them are.
One of them gets thrown
out for not paying his rent
and before you know it, they're
all pounding at your door.
I really don't think it's a good idea
to have anyone here.
- Yeah, I guess you're right at that.
And friends can be a great deal of work.
Oh, now who the fuck is that?
Jimmy.
What the hell are you doin' here?
- Well I got a hard on.
You'll take care of me?
- Oh, well, we were supposed
to meet tomorrow night,
don't you remember?
- I got a hard on.
What do you want me to do?
Slam a window on it?
- Well I've got a guest here right now,
I can't talk, you know what I mean?
- Does he suck?
- Not a he, it's a she.
Like me.
See?
- Hey, you been holdin' out on me?
You didn't tell me anything about her.
You didn't tell me
anything at all about her.
My name's Jimmy.
- Yeah, I gather as much.
- Gee, she ain't too friendly.
- Oh I am, with gentlemen.
- Well what's the supposed to mean?
- Take it for what it's worth.
- Hey, I like her.
- She's my competition.
- Oh, it ain't the same thing.
- Who says so?
- Why don't I go, hon, I'll
come back in about an hour.
- Why don't she go, and you stay?
- Let Cherry call the shots.
- I pay well.
- With that, he does.
- It's up to Cherry.
- I'll tell you what, Jimmy.
Dusty and I have to have
a little conference,
but we'll be right back.
You wait right here.
Come on, hon.
You want him?
- Well he's not bad looking.
- He's that way all over.
- Does he pay well?
- Well I usually get 20.
- Well you could get more than that.
- Honey, if I had what you've got,
I'd be a millionaire today.
- You want me to turn him?
I could roll him for everything he's got.
- Don't you dare.
It's taken me years to build up my tricks
to come into my door
instead of me goin' to them.
You get what you can and
tell him it's the last time
you'll be able to fix him up.
I don't wanna lose him to ya.
- Is he married?
- Yeah.
- Oh that's good.
- Why?
- Well they're just a lot safer that way.
With the single guys, you never know
what they're gonna spring on you.
- Well you've gotta get in there before
he loses interest in ya.
- See you in about an hour?
- Okay.
Oh.
He is a little weird.
- Like how?
- Well, knowin' you used to
like to shack up with Hal,
there ain't nothin' you can't handle.
Bye.
Bye, Jimmy.
- Come here.
I said come here.
- I say when, man, and it's not now.
- Well Cherry likes it that way.
- Well I'm not Cherry.
- Well what do you want?
- I want it on the bed,
like two civilized animals.
- Okay.
You bitch.
You bitch.
Turn over.
I said turn over.
You alright?
- Yeah, why?
- Well.
Sort of got carried away with myself.
- I know how to handle myself.
You're married, huh?
- Yeah.
- She go for this scene?
- Nah.
I'm lucky if I get a
piece of ass from her.
- How long you been married?
- Three years.
Why?
- Just wondering.
What religion is she?
- Irish Catholic.
- Figures.
- What do you mean by that?
- Well I haven't a person that was
Irish Catholic yet that wasn't fucked up.
- Well that's a rather broad statement.
- Well look at you.
- Well look at what?
- You like sex in the
sort of mixed up way.
That's how you get your kicks.
Does she like it that way?
- No, of course not.
- Doesn't she give you anything?
- Yeah, once in a while.
- You know,
I don't understand you American men.
You all let your wives run all over
and then you complain that it's her fault
because she isn't interested in sex.
When you want it, you've gotta train her
in the habit of giving because it's very
easy for a woman to go through life
saying no all the time when
half the time she means yes.
You guys have gotta stick up
for your rights more often.
Oh, it's stupid even to talk about it,
it won't do any good.
- You been married?
- Once.
- How long were you married?
- Four months.
- Four months?
That's not a very long time.
What happened?
- Well for one thing, I was too young.
I was 16.
- How come you got married so young?
- Stupid, I guess.
My mother let me do it.
- Some mother.
- Yeah.
Well I was very selfish
and I had to have my way.
My mother let me do whatever I want,
so she let me marry the guy.
- How old was the guy?
- 18.
- That was stupid.
- Well when people are
young, they're very selfish.
They can only think of
one thing, themselves.
They're not ready for
anything like sharing.
All they can think of is me, me, me.
- Well lots of people get
married when they're young.
- And they spend the rest of their lives
hating their kids, their husbands,
and just about everything.
And then if they have a weak husband
who never says no to them, they wind
up in an institution after menopause.
I'm tellin' ya, I don't know your wife.
But if you don't start trainin' her right,
you're gonna end up with
a pretty sick handful
when she gets older.
- Well you don't know
anything about me or wife,
so how could you say something like that?
- Just remember what I told ya.
- Well listen, I don't
wanna talk about it anymore.
Wanna make a hundred bucks on Friday?
- Doing what?
- Well there's a bunch of
us that get together then--
- No gangbangs.
- No, no, no.
That's not what I was gonna say.
Now there's four of us that get together
every Friday night to play cards.
Now we thought that one
time, someone like you
could sort of take care of us.
Know what I mean?
- Yeah, I know what you mean.
It's not worth it.
- Well how much do you want?
- How old are they?
- Oh, not very old.
I think the oldest one is about 32.
They're not dogs, if you know what I mean.
Of course, they're not
as good looking as I am.
- But then most people aren't.
- Well I didn't mean it that way.
- Well that's the way it sounded.
- You know, you really
know how to hurt a guy.
- You really know how to hurt a girl.
- Alright, I deserved it.
Listen, how much to you want?
- One at a time?
- Yeah.
- In a separate room?
- Yeah, yeah.
- 200.
- I can't afford it.
How 'bout 150?
- I can only stay an hour.
- That's only 15 minutes a piece.
I don't know if they guys'll go for that.
Listen, we had a queer lined up.
We were gonna pay him
30 bucks for the night.
Now these guys don't
really have any hang ups.
- Where do you want me to be Friday?
- I'll write it down for ya.
Here.
- What time?
- Seven o'clock.
- Oh, you better tell 'em to be on time,
because I'm not doing any re-runs.
- I like you.
What's wrong?
- Nothing, just a reflex.
- Oh, before I forget.
Here.
Well what's the matter?
- Well I'm not Cherry, you know.
- Well I only have to give Cherry 20.
- Yeah, but you're not just ordinary sex.
- Alright.
Here you go.
- Every little bit helps.
- Is everything alright?
I didn't come back too soon, did I?
- No, honey.
Listen, you got a real nice friend here.
I'll see you in about a week.
And maybe I'll bring home that trick
I was telling you about.
- Ooo.
Next week's my birthday.
- Well last month was your birthday.
- Oh, better start keepin' a calendar.
My tricks have too good a memory.
- Yeah, well listen.
I'll see you next week.
- If he's as talented as you say so.
- More so.
- Ooo.
Hallelujah.
- Well listen, bye bye Dusty.
Bye, Cherry.
- How much did you get?
- Oh, 30.
- 30?
I would've thought he'd
give you more than that.
- Yeah, you would, wouldn't you?
Here.
When we go out later I'll split this
and give you half.
- Well you don't have to give me half.
- Oh it's the least I can do, hon.
Put it towards the rent.
- I'll tell you what, let's do.
Let's go out to dinner tonight.
We'll stop in at the club,
see if some of the kids
are there, then we'll
take in the double horror
bill at The Lyrics, Torture Dungeon
and Blood Thirsty Butchers, okay?
- Yeah, I am sort of hungry.
Hey, maybe we can get a steak at Phoebe's.
- Yeah.
How'd you like him?
- Who?
- Who?
The number you just had.
Jimmy, how'd you like him?
- Him.
Oh he's alright, I guess, but I don't
dig that SM bit too much.
- Yeah, he does lean that way a bit, but
then I like my men rough.
- Yeah, he told me.
- Yeah?
What else did he tell ya?
I don't want him tellin'
you all my trade secrets.
- Don't worry.
He just said you liked it rough.
- Yeah.
- You 'bout ready?
- Yeah, if you are.
- Let me just take a piss,
I'll meet you at the club.
Oh, baby how are you?
Listen, do you wanna come to Carl's?
Cherry's gonna meet me there.
- Sure.
- I'll buy you a beer.
How you been?
- Good.
- Hey Mac, bring some drinks.
Well what'll it be, Billy?
- Beer.
- Beer for Billy.
And what do you want Dusty?
Usual for Dusty and the same for me.
So, Billy, how you been?
How's your mother?
- Still bitching.
- Maybe if you got a job,
she wouldn't bitch so much.
- Look who's talking.
- What do you mean?
I work.
My office stretches from upper Broadway
to the end of Christopher Street.
A good woman like me you
can't keep cooped up.
She's gotta roam.
- So how you been, Dusty?
I haven't see you for a coon's age.
- Don't let the niggers hear ya.
- Well I was cleaning house with
some bartender in Queens.
- So what happened?
- The usual, the walls closed in.
- Did you get anything out of it?
- We did okay.
- You think you can loan me a few bucks?
I'll pay you back as soon as I can.
- What's the matter, Billy?
Things not going too well?
- Sorta.
- Oh sure, here.
Take this.
- I don't need that much.
- Keep it.
- Oh shit, here come the Simmons sisters.
- Remember, hon, charity begins at home.
- I'll bet you didn't know
that Lane Bryant made minis.
- Look, I'm warning you, Cherry.
Don't start up with me,
I've had a hard day.
- And a hard night from the looks of it.
- I'm warnin' ya.
- You didn't tell me where
you were for the last
two months, where were you?
- I was with some guy in Queens.
- Well there's such a thing
as a subway, you know,
you could've used it, you know.
- Susie uses it all the time.
Don't ya, hon?
Only she just uses the toilet.
If you ever wanna find her, just go to
the 14th street IRT toilet.
She's the second one from the door.
- You'll get a fist full of knuckles.
- Hey, you two.
Every time you two get
together, you start to fight.
Well, you're gonna do that,
you go out on the street.
- How are you
Billy, how's your mother?
- Still bitching.
- Hey, that number I
saw you with last night,
I sure could've gone for him.
- If he'd have gone with you,
he would've been the goner.
One plunge on you and timber.
- Who's your friend?
- Where you staying, Sally?
- Over in the Lower East Side.
You can't afford any other
place in this goddamn city.
- Ah ah ah, mustn't swear.
He might take away your calories.
- Look who's talkin'?
- What do you mean, I lost ten pounds.
- What'd you do?
Get an operation?
- Fuck you.
- What, and get a dose?
- It would be the best dose you ever had.
- Now stop it you two.
Listen, I'm going home if you two
can't stop bitching at each other.
- Hey, Susie and I got
an offer to do one of
them double off Broadway shows.
- We got to sing a song for an audition.
- Yeah, this director, I think he's a fag.
He says why don't we gets together
something campy for our audition,
so I says, "how 'bout a torch song?"
He says, "no, wouldn't work."
So he says, why don't we go
home and think about something,
so we came up with this one.
You ready?
- Yeah, okay.
♫ On the good ship
♫ Lollypop
♫ It's the sweet trip
♫ To a candy shop
♫ Where elephants play
♫ On the road to Peppermint Bay
Wasn't that fun?
- I've got an idea.
Why don't you get a
flesh colored rubber band
and tie it between you?
Then you could just sit
there like Siamese twins.
Barnum made a fortune off
of his fat lady freaks.
- Why don't you behave
yourselves and act like ladies?
Especially you Cherry.
- What did I do? What did I do?
- Just sit down and shut
up and behave yourself.
I don't know why I ever quit the marines.
- What time is it?
- Why?
- I got a date at seven.
It's about 7:15.
- Oh shit, I gotta run.
Thanks again Dusty.
- Let me know when
you're through with him.
I could always use a new number.
Oh.
- I like Billy.
He never has an unkind
word to say about anyone.
- Yeah, you'd think some people would
learn from it, wouldn't ya?
- Do you keep hearing voices?
- Yeah, sort of like a sick cat in heat.
But it must be just my imagination.
- You ain't got one,
look what you've got on.
- I'm warning you Cherry,
don't start up with me.
- No.
Stop it you two.
He looks like he's lost.
He doesn't belong in this place.
- He looks straight.
- How would you know?
- I'll toss you for him.
- You'd toss anything for anyone.
- This one's mine.
- Ooo.
He doesn't look as if
he knows where he's at.
- He looks like a cop to me.
- Are you kiddin'?
That suit's too clean to be a cop.
They always look like they slept in.
- Yeah, and you always have to stay down
wind of them or the smell
of the piss gets to ya.
- Well if anyone should
know, it's you two,
Tweedle Dee and Tweedle Dumb.
The Tim's twins.
- Why don't you shut up?
- Go ahead Dusty, he's all yours.
- Well that's mighty white of you.
- Don't let the niggers hear you.
- Yeah.
- Cherry, why don't you
get some new material?
- Why don't you plug up your hole so
we don't all catch a cold?
- Hi.
- How are you?
- My name's Dusty, what's yours?
- Bob.
- You lost or something?
- No, why?
- What are you doing in a place like this?
- I could ask you the same thing.
- I asked you first.
- Well I needed a drink so I came to
the first place I could find.
- You live around here?
- No, Staten Island.
- Staten Island?
That's not even in New York state.
- Have you ever been to Staten Island?
- Yeah, a couple times.
I took the ferry over and got
one look and came right back.
- Hm, well you didn't
give it half a chance.
You should really see it sometime.
- Yeah.
Is that an invitation?
- Do you want it to be?
- Okay.
Let's go.
- Sure, why not?
- Did you see that?
- She didn't even talk to him for more
than two minutes and they're off.
- Dusty knows how to operate.
- She acts like
she's on roller skates.
- She's got class, real class.
Something the two of you will
never know anything about.
- Oh, why don't drop dead?
- South ferry.
- Oh, look at that view,
isn't it fantastic?
- Yeah.
Hey, but not like the
view from the boat, huh?
- Oh yeah, but I've seen that one.
- Oh, that's right, you
said that before, didn't ya?
You want some coffee, I'll put some on.
I made a fresh pot this morning.
- Sure.
- Hey, give me your coat, I'll hang it up.
- Oh no, that's alright.
- Come on, give it to me.
- Wow, this is some house you've got.
- My mother used to be
an amateur decorator.
House looks it, doesn't it?
- I sort of like it.
Except maybe that.
- Oh, the statue.
You're just jealous.
- Of her?
Well I've got a better figure than that.
- Well I should hope so.
- She's got a pretty face.
- Well so have you.
But yours is much prettier.
- I bet you say that to all the statues.
- You're funny.
- So you're thinking of
selling this place, huh?
- I've been thinking about it.
- Where would you move then?
- Oh, I don't know.
I haven't thought too much about that.
- Why don't you move into Manhattan?
The change might do you good.
- Like how?
- Well I don't know.
Just changes are good
for people now and then.
- You speaking for me or for yourself?
- For you, that's what we're
talking about, isn't it?
- I think it's time we did
some talking about you,
don't you?
- Oh, I think your coffee's ready.
- Sit down, I'll be right out.
Hey, I've got some chocolate
cake in the refrigerator,
would you like a piece?
- Oh, no thanks, I'm on a diet.
- You? What for?
- Well I'm always more or less on a diet,
it's easier to keep in shape
if you always think about it.
- Well I think you have
a very pretty body.
- Yeah, I know, you said that before.
- I did, didn't I?
Cream and sugar?
- Cream, no sugar.
Thanks.
Um,
where do you sleep?
- That came out of nowhere.
- I didn't mean it to sound that way.
- I did.
- I know.
- You're gonna spend the
night with me, aren't ya?
- Well I don't know about that.
Why don't we just have our coffee
and get down to business, okay?
- Business?
- Well I mean, I like you, Bob.
I'd like to have sex with you, but,
well I can't stay too
long, I have to get back.
My friend worries about
me if I don't get back.
- I just thought maybe you'd
stay the night with me.
I've never had anybody
stay in the house before.
I'd like for you to be the first.
What'd you do that for?
- I don't want you to look too deep.
- Well I'm not looking for perfection.
I have too many imperfections
to go through life doing that.
I just wanna look at you, can't I?
- I suppose.
What do you see?
- I see a girl that's been around.
I see a very pretty girl that's probably
seen more than most.
I see a girl that I'm
very comfortable with.
Want me to go on?
- You do have a way with words.
- I haven't started yet.
Not here.
Upstairs, please?
Comfortable?
- Yeah.
Maybe too comfortable.
- What's that supposed to mean?
- Nothing.
- You want a cigarette?
- No.
- Want me to get you anything?
- No.
- You fit just right.
- Bob?
- Yeah?
- You don't know anything about me.
- That's right.
- Well don't you think you should?
- Not necessarily.
- I don't understand you.
- What's there to understand?
We're very comfortable with one another.
You please me very much in sex,
and I hope the feeling is mutual.
- It is.
- Then what else is there?
- I hustle for a living.
- So do I.
Everyone in this life does.
Unless you're born into it, and then
they're too miserable
to appreciate anything.
- That's not what I mean.
- I know that.
- I make my living hustling.
- How much do you want?
You're worth every penny of it.
- Oh, don't make fun of me.
That's one thing I can't stand.
- I'm not making fun of
you, I'm completely serious.
If you want money, you can have it.
- I don't want money, not from you.
I just told you that because,
oh shit, I don't know why I told you that.
- Well I'm glad you told it to me.
I want you to always be honest with me.
A relationship can't exist without
honesty as a foundation to build on.
- It's human nature not
to always tell the truth.
Most people can't face that
so they lie to themselves.
- And one another.
- Yeah.
- Well look at it this way, if you've
already told me you were a hustler,
well what else could you
say that could top that?
I mean, all we can do is go backwards
from that, you know what I mean?
- Don't expect too much from me.
- Why, are you planning to
stay in my life for a while?
I'd like that.
- It sounded that way, didn't it?
- I'd say it did.
- Would you like that?
- What do you think?
- I can't think right now.
- Then go to sleep, I am.
- May I?
- Sure.
- Good night.
♫ Day my prince will come
♫ Someday--
- Son of a bitch.
Hello?
Dusty?
Where the hell are ya?
I was worried about ya.
I was just about to
come out lookin' for ya.
Staten Island?
Well wait a minute,
what's all this Bob bit?
Dishes?
Clean up?
Are you sick or somethin'?
Get your ass over here.
- Bob's the guy I met last night.
He's great, Cherry.
I really think I like him.
I made him breakfast this morning
and he gave me a set of keys to the house,
and then he went off to work--
- House?
He gave you the keys to his house?
Well take what you can, hon, and run.
Take a cab.
I'll meet you at south ferry
to help you with the things.
We could use a television
set here at the house.
It might keep us off the streets more.
- No, hon, you don't understand.
I like the guy, I don't
wanna take anything from him.
I like him.
Look, I'll tell you all
about him when I meet you.
Now where should I meet you and when?
- Get your ass over here, pronto.
I can see right now I'm gonna
have to play mother to ya.
Didn't your mother ever tell ya,
you shouldn't go out with strange men?
Didn't your mother ever tell ya
you shouldn't sit on a
seat where they've been
sittin' or you'll get pregnant
and have a little one?
Didn't your mother ever
tell ya that good girls
go to Heaven and bad
girls go to Tiffany's?
- Oh, come off it, hon, I'm serious.
Look, I can't talk right now.
I'll meet you at the end
of Christopher Street
in about an hour.
We'll have a picnic like
we used to, remember?
It's a nice day and spring's
in the air to ra la la la.
Bye, hon.
- Want more cole slaw?
- I'm stuffed.
I'm not used to having a big breakfast
and then lunch right after.
- Tell me all about it.
- Well I've told you
practically everything.
- The vital statistics.
- Is that all you're interested
in, and while we're eating?
- I can see, this is
gonna be a white wedding.
I'll have to go to Franklin
Simon for my white shoes.
- He just wants us to
live together for a while
until we feel we know each other.
- Honey if you don't each
other after last night,
I don't know what I can tell ya.
I don't mean to throw cold water on ya,
but you've gotta be careful.
I can see right now,
you've got no discipline
where your men are concerned.
You've gotta love 'em and leave 'em.
It's the law of the great white way.
- Shut up or the niggers'll hear ya.
- No, I'm serious.
I'm not nursing any pigeons in my house
who have fallen from their nest.
Look who's serious, Wonder Woman herself.
It seems to me that just about
this time last year,
there was a certain girl,
who shall remain nameless,
that fell for an Armenian.
She thought it was the love of her life.
Until she found out
that he needed a sponsor
to get into the country.
- That's different, that's
just a little different.
My position is just a
little different than yours.
You're legit, hon, you
can get hurt awful bad.
- It's always different when
the shoe's on the other foot.
- Well I'm just thinkin'
about you, that's all.
- I know you are and that's sweet of you.
Thanks.
- Oh now don't do that.
- You're sort of interesting.
- Thanks, I needed that.
- You see that truck over there?
- The one with the four wheels? Yeah.
- Well I'm gonna take a look at it.
Why don't you join me?
- Oh, wild horses
couldn't keep me from you.
- You join me over there,
I'll show you a horse or two.
- That's a promise.
- Boy you work fast.
- I learned from watching you.
- He's waiting.
- Yeah, I know, I've been hard up all day.
- You better hurry.
- Oh, always keep 'em waitin'.
It makes them appreciate you a lot more.
- Well I wouldn't wait
too long with this one.
- Yeah?
- Yeah, he's the kind of guy
you gotta work fast with.
- Yeah?
- Yeah.
- I'll be right back.
Hi.
- It's all yours, baby.
- Oh, is that a pistol in your pocket?
- Come on, get to work.
Oh, for Christ's sake.
Get the fuck outta here.
- Leave me alone.
- What happened?
- I guess he didn't like
the color of my wig.
Do I look alright?
- Yeah.
Oh, that son of a bitch.
- Oh I wish you would've
let me get that wig.
Ah, mine's gettin' so shop worn.
- Oh, sure, uh huh,
and then when rent day rolls around again,
Cherry's singin' the blues.
It's not that hard to save
for a rainy day, you know.
- Yes, and you never see this girl
without an umbrella, that's
how rainy my life is.
- You do alright.
- Want some tea?
- Yeah, I could use a cup.
Hey, you got any of that peach pie
left over from the other day?
- Sure, you want a piece?
- Okay.
- What time are you
meetin' this Bob character?
- Tonight.
- What time?
- He said any time I feel like it.
- And you feel like it, right?
- I like the guy, Cherry.
- He must be one hell of a lay.
- It's not only that.
He's really a very nice guy.
I couldn't do much better.
- You know, for a girl
who is supposed to have
her head screwed on right, you
sound like a high school kid.
- Don't knock it, Cherry.
- It's just because I'm jealous.
- Yeah, sure.
- No, I mean it.
I'd love to have someone to
love or someone to love me.
It ain't easy bein' a freak.
- I never heard you talk that way before.
You're happy, aren't you, huh?
- Happy?
Campin' all the time?
Look at me, hon.
I'm no prize package.
I'm a cock sucker.
I'm not even a good one.
I hide from the world behind this get up.
Hide, as if I could hide from
anything lookin' like this.
- I thought you
liked living in drag.
- Oh, I do.
I always like gettin' dressed up in drag.
Even when I was a kid.
My mother used to let me do
it, she thought it was cute.
After that, I never let her see me do it.
And I started runnin' around
with Pinkie and Snow White.
Peaches, the bunch.
We used to go to Phil Blacks.
That's when drag was really drag.
And then one morning I woke up and I had
more drag in my closet
than my regular clothes.
I was quite pretty then.
I made out a lot more then than I do now.
- You make out alright.
- Talk.
I'm a lot of talk.
Big shit comes from a lot of little ones.
- You ever thought of giving it up?
- And go legit?
Start lookin' like one of those old queens
that hang around subway johns?
Too weird to be called a man and too old
to try and look like one.
- I love you just the way you are.
- Don't.
- Hey, stop it.
The water's hot, I want my tea.
- I'll get it.
- Well since we're on a truth kick,
I've been doing some thinking, too.
- Like how?
- Well I'm gonna try and change
a little of myself if I can.
- Yeah?
Like how?
- Well I thought I'd try to work something
out with this Bob.
I mean really Cherry, he's the best thing
that's happened to me in a long time.
- So you're gonna play
house with him, huh?
- I'm gonna try.
- What happens to me?
- What do you mean?
- I just get myself a super room mate,
now she's taken off with
some Staten Island sammy.
- Oh no, babe, I'll still
keep this place with you.
I'll carry my share of it
whether I'm here or not.
- What'll he say about that?
- He won't mind.
We did a lot of really heavy talking
and he's a damn good guy.
I'll tellin' you, Cherry, he's a jewel.
- Yeah?
Just make sure he ain't no rhinestone.
When are you movin' in with him?
- I'm not.
Well not right away.
I want to take it nice and easy.
He wants whatever I want that way.
- You goin' on that date tonight?
- No.
- Don't be a fool.
- I've changed, Cherry, I know it.
I feel it, right here.
- It's your stomach.
You need food, eat.
- I wish you could go.
- They don't want no counterfeit,
they want the real thing.
- Well they're just gonna be out of luck.
- Well why don't you go, the last time?
- I really don't want to.
- We could use the money.
150 bucks is a lot of money just now.
- You need it that bad?
- Don't you?
- I don't, but do you?
- Would you mind?
- You really want me to go?
- Just this once.
- What time is it?
6:35.
- Okay, but this
is the last time, I hope.
- See you at the club later?
- Okay.
- I bet she won't show up.
- She will. 150
bucks is a lot of bread.
- None of those whore are very dependable.
- She's not a whore.
- Then what's she comin' here for?
- She better be, I want my money's worth.
Already cost me a new jacket.
- She's worth it, I'll
telling you, she's great.
- Look, we gonna play cards or not?
- Who wants to?
I wish she'd get here.
- I bet she don't show up.
- No, for Christ's sake.
- I'm telling ya, she will.
Now just hold your horses.
- What color hair she got?
- Long, black hair.
- Yeah, I like long hair.
- How old is she, I bet she's a dog.
- She's only 20
and she ain't no dog.
She's a knock out.
- Yeah, I'll bet.
- Is there anybody
else ready for a beer?
- Yeah, I'll have one.
- Make it two.
- I'll get it.
- I'll get it.
Hey, right on time.
- I'm always on time.
- Well let me take that from ya.
- No, leave it right here.
- Well let me hang it up for you.
- No it's fine right here.
- Let me
introduce everybody to ya.
This is Walt, Joe, Cal.
- Yeah I've met Walt before.
- Oh yeah?
Walt, you been holdin' out?
- I don't believe we've met before.
- Yeah, one night in the
White Groves on Eighth Avenue.
- I don't go to any bars on Eighth Avenue.
- Okay, have it your way.
Where's the money?
- I'll give it to you later.
- I'd like to have it
now if you don't mind.
- Sure, if that's the way you want.
- Please.
Thanks.
Where's the other room?
Okay, who's first?
- Just like that?
- I told you, not more
than an hour and a half.
Now who's first?
- Me.
See you later guys.
- Well how do you like that?
The guy can really move when he wants to.
- I haven't met her before.
Honest, cross my heart, I haven't.
- Yeah, sure.
- Boy she's some
knock out, ain't she?
- What did I tell ya?
- Shit.
I'll send the next one in.
- Dusty.
Did you like it?
Was he big enough for ya?
You sure do like your cock, don't you?
You like this, huh?
Remember last time?
You sure know how to
take it, don't you, baby?
- Oh no you don't, you're
not gonna start that again.
- Where do you think you're goin'?
- I'm gonna get
the hell out of here.
Get your hands off me!
You and your friends
can go fuck yourselves!
- Come back here you little cunt.
- 150 bucks, that's a lot of bread.
- I didn't know she liked gang bangs.
- A girl could get cancer that way.
- I don't think you ought to
talk about Dusty like that.
What she does is her business.
You don't hear us talking
about what we do all the time.
- I didn't ask you to listen, did I?
- The whole bar can hear you.
- Oh why don't you go tell
your mother, she wants you.
- Dusty's been very good to you, Cherry.
Dusty's been a friend to you.
That's more than you
can say about these two.
- Well what do you know?
Mr. Righteous all of a sudden.
- I'll see you around.
- Not if we see you first.
- She is an M, is she?
- I think she is a little.
- I think you're right.
Hal used to get pretty
rough with his broads.
- Well to each his own.
- She must not have any morals at all.
I mean, taking that guy's
wallet like she did?
- Well you should've seen that guy's face
when he was pulling his pants up.
- So how much does she get for a quickie?
- Street trade?
Not as much as she used to.
- You like roomin' with her?
- Well I don't like havin'
to room with anybody,
but she pays her half of the rent.
At least she better, anyway.
I do better than her
most of the time, anyway.
- Why don't you get
yourself a new room mate?
- Well I will as soon as
I get back on my feet.
I need her right now financially.
But then I think I'll ask
Peaches to move in with me.
Two drags are more compatible.
- Yeah, they can share all their drag.
- Yeah, and you never know with a whore
what she's liable to come down with.
- Some friend.
- Dusty.
- Thanks a lot.
You sure know how to make friends.
- I was only kiddin'.
How long you been standin' there?
- Long enough.
- You want a drink?
I'll buy you a drink.
- Take this, you're gonna need this
more than I do.
- Hey, you did alright.
- Until I met you.
- Well fuck you.
- You already have.
- My makeup alright?
- Hi.
- Hi.
- Can I come in?
- Sure, if you want.
- That's what I want.
- I sort of expected you
to be here when I got home.
- Does that mean you missed me?
- What do you think?
- I gotta be told.
- Yes I did.
You tired?
- Not that tired.
- I was hoping you'd say that.
- Oh.
- Did you miss me?
Dusty?
- Yes.
Do you know how hard it is for me
to say something like that?
- I know.
Come on.
- Wait.
- I got soap in my eyes.
- Wait a minute.
Is that better?
- Oh, much better.
- Ah.
- You know you're pretty pretty?
- Yeah, I've been told.
- Oh, ego, ego.
- I didn't mean it that way.
Besides you're pretty pretty, too.
- Oh, so I've been told.
- I bet you have.
- Hey, I wonder what time it is.
- Why?
- I gotta go to work tomorrow.
- Saturday?
- Yep.
Told 'em I'd go in to work on the books.
- Oh, why didn't you tell me that before?
- And fuck up our moment?
Not on your life.
- Come on, let's go to bed.
- Oh, not yet.
- You ready again?
- Any time with you, Dusty.
- Come on.
Oh, you wanna play games, huh?
- Hey, you don't have to walk me to ferry.
- I want to.
- Well alright.
Here's your coat.
Buckle up warm, I don't
want you to catch a cold.
- Yes, daddy.
- You don't have a scarf?
- Nope.
- Well I'll get you one today.
What color do you like?
- Blue.
- Okay.
- Oh my god.
I didn't mean to hit him, he
ran right in front of my car.
- Did you know him?
Do you know who he was?
- No, I never saw him before in my life.
Gotta hurry, I got another customer.