Variety (1983) - full transcript

(water burbling)

(splashing)

You got some lipstick
I could borrow?

Sure thing.

(humming)

- "Sin City"?
- Yeah, nice, huh?

- Wonderful.
- Love that lipstick.

(humming)

Thanks.

I wear it 'cause my mom does,
I guess, I don't know.

Really? I don't do anything
my mother does.



Otherwise,
I'd be a fucking librarian.

At least you got a job, man.

Yeah, but the same bar
for three years.

I mean, I'm not selling
my photographs.

At this rate, I'm gonna be
a 50-year-old bar maid.

- Thought you liked it there.
- I love the place,

but how long can you listen
to the same drunks

tell the same stories
day after day?

You want a story,
I'll give you a story.

- You know what I did today?
- What?

I went to the fur district
to look for a job.

I saw this ad
in the paper that said,

"A publicity person needed,"
well, I'm not trained

in publicity, but,
you know, what the hell,



I figured I'd go check it out.

So I go in, and this guy says...

We talked for a while,
then he says,

"Come in the back room and, uh,

let me take a look
at your tits."

- Oh God, you're kidding.
- No, I'm not.

- Jesus Christ.
- So I said to him,

"Forget it, I don't want
the fucking job, I'll leave."

And he says,

- "They're too small anyway."
- What a schmuck!

They're not too small anyway.

Thank you, Nan.

- I don't know.
- Doesn't even pay

to leave your house anymore
and look for work.

There are no jobs
out there anywhere!

Ridiculous.

Well, what about teaching,
you taught before.

You're qualified, be a teacher.

Yeah, I'd have to go back
to Michigan to do that.

Thanks anyway.

What about that guy
in the publishing business?

He could get you a job.

I mean, he must have
copy editing or proof reading,

- or something for you.
- No, I called him up,

he said there's nothing.

So, you write articles,

you could sell one of yours.

I write articles,
but nobody reads 'em.

- Oh, come on.
- It's true, Nan.

I mean, first of all,

I can't take the rejection
right now, and second of all,

you can't make very much money
doing that stuff.

I don't know,
I check the paper out every day.

Oh, come on, you can't get jobs
through the papers,

those are written for
the relatives of the people

who put out want ads.

You gotta
hit the streets, honey.

Go out there and look, I mean,
you're skinny, you're pretty.

You could sell clothes,
go to 5th Avenue.

- Oh, 5th Avenue?
- Yeah.

You know people
wait in line for those jobs?

Truly amazing,

people will
do anything for work.

Including me.

I don't know, man.

If I don't get a job soon, I...

I don't know what I'm gonna do.

- Really?
- I really don't.

It's... it's uh...

It's getting bad.

Well, I do know of a job,
Christie,

but I don't think
you would want it,

I really don't think
you're the type.

- Sure.
- I don't think

- it's for you, honey.
- Look, I'm interested,

what is it?

Can I call you Christie?

- Sure.
- Christie, that sounds

like a nice name,
my name is Jose.

- Jose.
- Give me a ticket.

Jose, okay... yo, Pancho,
take it easy, man.

Yo, you take care, okay?

Uh, but how much
are the tickets?

- Two dollar, two dollar.
- Two dollars.

You have a nice time, okay,
I'll be back though.

- Two dollars.
- Yeah, two dollars, two dollars.

(cars whirring)

?

(engine whirring)

Come see all the strip shows
you've ever wanted to see.

They're all here, all here,
live and in person

today on the big screen, so...
How you doing, buddy?

- Doing all right.
- All right, man.

Have a good time, man, keep up
with the screen, all right?

All right, come here the most
tempting, delicious, luscious,

most favorable young lady
you ever wanted to meet

is on here in your dreams
on the screen there...

Hey, right here, buddy,
this is the address, man.

This the right place, this is
not the unemployment office,

dude, come on.

?

- Have a good night.
- Two dollars, sir.

The most precious
and beautiful, and...

Hey, how you doing, Pancho?

All right, glad to see
everybody here tonight.

- Thank you.
- Two dollars.

- All right, come on in.
- Out of ten.

We got enough room
for everybody.

We got enough room
for your uncle.

We got enough room
for your grandfather.

For your brother-in-law...
How you doing, man?

Good to see you.

?

Christie, you got a cigarette?

Tell you what, if you give me
a break, I'll give you the pack.

You want a break for a pack?

I'll give you a break
for a pack, okay?

- All right, hey.
- I'm gonna take one.

Just one, yeah,
'cause I want it.

Just one, and the lighter.

You know, when I sit in here,
I really get chain smoking.

I don't like being interrupted,

and you have a nice time.

Okay, how the hell
do you work this thing here?

Oh yes.

(deep breathing)

?

Oh, oh yes, ooh.

?

(moaning)

?

(grunting)

?

You're a whore, aren't you?

?

(moaning)

Oh!

(moaning)

?

Oh, mm.

(heavy breathing)

(machine whirring)

Oh.

Let me see your eyes.

(indistinct remarks)

(moaning)

?

(moaning)

?

(muffled voices)

?

(indistinct remarks)

You know what made me
really happy?

When you ran (unintelligible).

- Why?
- It was so good to watch.

?

(coins clinking)

(machine whirring)

(thudding)

Shit.

(machine humming)

Ooh.

Wow, are you okay?

(indistinct muttering)

(panting)

Oh, ooh.

- Cup?
- What?

I noticed you spilled your Coke,

I thought you might
like another.

(moaning and grunting)

Thank you.

No trouble.

(panting)

(indistinct chatter)

So.

Guess what kind of a story
I gotta get from the edges.

Well, so how you...
How do you go about that?

Well, first I heard about it,
was this group that was within

the union was trying
to get themselves elected

into leadership,
but they weren't part

of the establishment, so
not only could they not get in

but they all get fired.

Oh, shit.

And I heard there were a lot
of guys down there complaining

and I thought there was
something going on,

so I went down,
I talked to a couple of 'em,

they told me that
the union was pure mafia.

- Oh.
- That's some pretty heavy stuff.

I don't understand though,
how do they work that?

A lot of these guys who are
wholesaling fish down there

are being charged
incredible rip-offs.

And so, I wanted to get the
story while it was happening,

wanted to go down there
and talk to him.

I figured that
they'd wanna talk,

I figured, you know,
they'd really wanna talk.

Then, a couple of them did talk,
and they said,

"We're being charged rent
for these cardboard signs

with the seafood workers'
union seal on it.

Just to carry these
little signs around,

we have to pay an annual rate

of three grand a year."

And there are 40 or 50
of these things,

- so we're talking about...
- A lot of dough.

Annual rate of nearly
a hundred grand a year,

so, it's obvious that the union

is into some kind of a racket.

None of these guys
would name names,

and none of them
would go public,

or for the record,
so that's all I could get.

(indistinct chatter)

Can I have a cup of coffee
when you get a chance?

Got a job yesterday.

Great, what is it?

Just a job.

What is it?

It's on 48th Street,
actually I'm not gonna make

- very much money.
- What is it?

I sell tickets
in a movie theater.

Well, that's good,
you can get me in for free.

Where... what do you...
What kinda movies do they show?

Porn movies.

So, wait,

it's po... porno?

Yeah, um,

I sit in a glass booth between
the lobby and the street.

Most of the guys
that, that come in

are sort of lonely,
down-and-out types.

Some business guys
that come in there too,

I guess they can't
get it up anymore.

Sometimes I think maybe

they come there because they...

They think that
I'm some sort of attraction,

but mostly I think
that they're just sort of

embarrassed that I'm there.

You work there alone?

No, there's a ticket-taker
named Jose,

he's a real nice guy, he says
he keeps an eye out for me.

Then, at night, I just

add up my receipts and split.

What else?

What else?

Not much, I mean, um,

in the morning,
the guys stand outside

and they, they wait
for the doors to open.

So they shuffle their feet,

and stand there and wait.

They don't say much.

And then,
when the doors do open,

the smell of Lysol comes out,

it really stinks.

Then, the guys go in, and they,
they rush to get the best seats.

Most of the seats there
are either broken or, um,

really uncomfortable.

And then, inside on the screen,

a woman reaches up and unties
the neck strap of her halter.

Half-turning,
she steps out of her panties.

She licks her lips,

and rubs her nipple
until it's stiff.

"Fuck me," she says.

You go in there?

Yeah, I do.

(indistinct chatter)

Jesus, Christine, I gotta go,

I gotta be uptown by two.

- Maybe I'll see you tonight, or?
- I don't think so.

But I'll call ya.

Will you pay my check for me?

- Sure.
- Here.

Thanks, bye.

Bye... you want your...

(pool balls clacking)

?

(indistinct remarks)

?

- Well.
- Aw.

?

My whole wallet, sweetheart.

?

All right!

All right, fifty-fifty!

?

- For you.
- Thank you.

- It's on the house.
- Oh, thanks, Nan.

Fifty bucks,
it was an easy fifty bucks.

- Where's he from?
- Connecticut.

His name Bob?

- Mhm.
- Yeah, I know him.

- The same one?
- Yeah.

You off today?

Nah, I'm working
on the late shift.

Ugh.

How's it going?
You look a little out of it.

Trouble with Mark?

No, it's not that, it's just...

- My job.
- What, Variety?

It's nothing,
you're not doing anything,

you're just selling tickets.

Don't let your job
get to you, come on.

No, I know, but...

Something weird
happened yesterday.

What? Tell me, come on.

What?

It probably wasn't anything,
it was probably just me.

Things are either
weird or normal,

and if they're normal,
they tend to get boring.

She's got a job down the street
selling tickets at Variety,

you know the place.

Oh, dirty tickets
and dirty movies.

I know that place.

Some guy try to pick you up
or something?

No, it wasn't...
It wasn't anything.

Don't let those creeps
get to you.

They come into all these places,

I have to throw them out
all the time.

(indistinct chatter)

?

The other night
I was on the stage,

ten minutes,
and someone called me down,

so I went down
and I sat with him.

He was with a friend,
they told me they were

from Florida, and it was
his friend's birthday.

I said, "Good, we'll celebrate
your friend's birthday,

and have a good time."

They bought me
a small cocktail, and he says,

"How much would you charge
to go to a hotel?"

"Look, it's your
friend's birthday,

forget about it,
let's just have drinks,

and have a good time."

No, he wanted to know how much
I would charge to go to a hotel.

I just said,
"Okay look, forget it."

I finished my drink, I went back
up onto the stage to dance,

and this girl came
and she sat with them.

The manager called me over
and said, "What happened?"

I said, "They kept asking me how
much I wanted to go to a hotel,

and I kept telling them
I wasn't going to no hotel."

He said, "Well, she just got
a bottle, go sit with them."

So, I got dressed and I went
back down and sat with them,

and the girl
pulled me over and says,

"Come with me to the bathroom."

So, I went to the bathroom
with her, and she goes,

"Just tell 'em you're gonna go,
you don't have to go,

just say you're gonna go."

I said, "No,
I don't wanna do that,

because maybe they'll wait
outside for me."

So, we got back to the table,
and she says,

"Okay, fine, we're going."

What happened? They were cops.

So, I got busted,
she got busted.

I went to jail for 22 hours.

Prints, shots.

Twenty-two hours I was in jail,
and I kept telling them,

"You're making a mistake,
I don't do this thing,

I'm a good girl,
I'm a good girl,

you're making a mistake,"
and they, "Sure,

all you girls say the same."

So, I went to jail for 22 hours.

Did you get fined?

Yeah, they charged me $250 fine,
but the agency paid for that.

They paid the lawyer
and the fee,

and then, I went back
to court three times,

and they dismissed the charges,

and they gave me
a letter of apology,

and told me to pick up my prints
whenever I wanted.

But that still
doesn't mean anything,

Albany has them, you know.

If you want a good job,

your prints are gonna come up.

- That sucks.
- You're telling me that sucks,

I wanna kill that woman.

Good thing I don't see her
in the street anymore.

So, what do you make when you
work in a place like that?

Oh, you can make
between a hundred

to two hundred dollars a night.

Easy.

What do you have to do?

Well, you have to dance topless.

Hustle champagne, get the men
to buy you champagne.

They only can buy you champagne.

Doesn't matter if it's a glass,
a bottle, whatever.

As long as it's champagne,
and maybe,

if they... if they
buy you a big bottle,

they can feel a little thigh
and what not,

you know, it's okay.

Do the same guys come back,

or is it different guys
all the time, or?

What do you mean,
like a following?

Yeah, I have my own fan club.

Yeah, they... I have like...

Once a week,
I have someone come to see me.

?

How... how many nights a week
do you work?

Well, it depends how much
money you want.

You can work one night,
or seven nights a week.

If you're interested,
I could take you up

to the agency,

and they can start you
working right away.

And if you don't wanna
dance topless, you could make...

You can do dirty movies.

You'd make more money
making dirty movies.

- Yeah, you'll get paid...
- You don't wanna make

those dirty movies,
they're so sleazy.

Maybe she needs money
in a hurry.

Yeah, but that's
not a way to do it.

And then, they've got you
under their control.

Listen, I'll tell you something,
this... this thing happened

the other night
in the bar where I work.

You know that Haitian waitress?

- That really beautiful...
- The bar on 49th Street?

- That really thin, thin girl.
- Right, yeah.

All of a sudden,
in the middle of the night,

she just had enough
of all these guys.

She got up on the stage,

and she ripped her wig off.

And underneath
she was completely bald.

Shaven, the guys freaked out.

And she put out
her claws like this

and she started
hissing at them all.

And they got up, left the bar,
they couldn't take her.

So, we were putting the music
on the jukebox that we liked,

and we danced,
and she went crazy all night.

She just said, "Fuck you."

?

- Show started yet?
- Which one ya wanna see?

Sex Roulette,
or The Devil Inside Her?

Sex Roulette.

- There ya go.
- Thank you.

?

Oh.

?

Come on, come on, come on.

?

Have a nice time,
stay off the screen.

?

- Jose.
- Huh, que?

- Come on over.
- Que, mi amor?

Diga.

Can you give me a break
for a few minutes?

Do you want a break,
you really want a break?

- I really do want a break.
- Sure, I give you a break.

You a nice girl...
I give my mother a break,

I give you a break,
I give all nice girls a break.

- Okay, you know why?
- Why?

'Cause I'm Jose, that's why.

Thank you, Jose.

Oh.

Ooh!

She gets finer by the day.

Ooh, all right.

(cars whirring)

(moaning)

?

- Do you wanna marry me?
- Oh, Jack, mm.

?

(panting)

(moaning)

?

(car brakes squeaking)

(engines humming)

How about a ticket?

Here you are, sir.

Sir?

My name's Louie.

Maybe I should bring you
a coffee this time.

That's all right, Louie.

You do remember me, don't you?

Yeah, you bought me a Coke
the other night.

You should let me
buy you a real drink sometime.

No, I couldn't do that.

(traffic whirring)

And if you did?

(engines whirring)

(sighing)

Hi, Hon, it's Mom.

I've been trying to reach you,
I can't ever get you in.

Now, be sure to call me back,
because I won't be home

this weekend,
I'm going to Jean's.

Did you send off
that letter to Arthur?

I know he'd really love
to hear from you.

Love you, bye.

Bye.

(dial tone droning)

Christine, it's Mark.

I'm not sure
I can make it tomorrow,

I'll try to call you later.

(dial tone droning)

(rotary dialing)

Hi, is Mark Heidrich there?

Um...

No, just tell him
that Christine called.

Thanks.

(dial tone droning)

(distant car horn honking)

If you want to make a call,
please hang up and try again.

If you need help, hang up,
and then, dial the operator.

This is Joe Kaplan
from Court Realty.

It's 4:00 P.M. on Thursday.

Your October rent check
didn't clear at the bank.

Please take care of this matter
as soon as possible

to avoid the $10 penalty.

(dial tone droning)

Shit.

Hi, Chrissie, it's Nan.

Just calling to find out
how your job's going.

Stop in and see me
at the bar, okay?

(dial tone droning)

(distant car horns honking)

(rotary dialing)

Hello, hi, Ma.

I just got your message.

I'm fine.

No, I'm fine, Mom.

I'm just... I'm just
a little bit tired, that's all.

Huh?

Mark's fine.

Um, guess what?

I... I got a job.

Yeah.

Uh, working in a movie theater.

Yeah, Ma, it's a nice place.

Yeah.

No, I uh...

I didn't uh...

Uh, I did...

I didn't have time, Ma!

I wrote... I wrote him
a letter last week,

and I mailed it,
and I can't help it

if he didn't get it.

Uh-huh.

Yep.

Yeah.

Yeah, Mom.

Okay.

All right, um...

Listen, uh,
have a good trip, all right?

And I'll talk to you
when you get back.

Okay, bye.

If you'd like to make a call,
please hang up and try again.

If you need help, hang up,
and then, dial the operator.

(dial tone droning)

Hi, is this Sally?
No, don't hang up,

I know... I know it's you Sally.

You're the one
with the shaved one, right?

You shaved your little cunt.

You got the pine tree
growing up out of your ass.

Yeah, you got
the shaved beaver, right?

You can't just let me lick it
just for five minutes.

Let me come over there,
I won't talk or anything.

I'm a good guy, I'm a good boy,

I'll wear a fucking mask.

I'd just come over there,
give you a little tongue job

around the world job,
(unintelligible).

You shave around the crack.

I like all that stuff,
the little hair.

You got the shaved beaver,
right, you're Sally, right?

Hmm.

You're the one
with the shaved one, right?

You shaved your little cunt.

You got the pine tree
growing up out of your ass.

Yeah, you got
the shaved beaver, right?

You can't just let me lick it
just for five minutes.

Let me come over there,
I won't talk or anything.

I'm a good guy, I'm a good boy,

I'll wear a fucking mask.

I'd just come over there,
give you a little tongue job

around the world job,
(unintelligible).

You shave around the crack.

I like all that stuff,
the little hair.

(engines whirring)

?

- I just saw you over there.
- I was hoping

you'd get here soon,
I'm in a rush,

but I wanted to talk to you.

Talk to me, about what?

I have seats
for Saturday's ball game,

I thought you might like
to join me.

Ball game?

I haven't seen a ball game
since I was a kid.

Working?

Yeah, I work till five.

The car will be here at six.

The car will be here at six.

?

So, um, who are you?

What do you do?

Like everyone else,
I work for a living.

Me too... I mean,
I just sell tickets, I don't...

You don't usually
go out with strangers,

particularly if they're men,
right?

I don't.

Do you have a boyfriend?

Yeah, sort of.

He doesn't mind
you going out on your own?

No.

Not really.

You're not nervous,
now, are you?

Yeah, I am, a bit.

Well, let me assure you,

you don't have to
worry about me.

Are you asking me to trust you?

Oh, well, to tell you
the truth, it was...

I don't know, curiosity
more than anything else

that prompted me
to invite you out tonight.

I think you're
very, very beautiful.

Thank you.

I noticed you looking at me.

No, I was just wondering what

someone like you
was doing selling tickets

at, you know.

What do you mean?
It's just a job.

I enjoy it, I like it there.

What's so funny?

Oh, I was just thinking.

About what?

Just thinking about
that place where you work.

- Variety?
- Yeah.

- What about it?
- Well, have you watched

any of the films yourself?

- No.
- You haven't?

- No.
- Come on, I don't believe it.

I hear them, I can hear them
from the lobby.

What do you do on your breaks?

Smoke cigarettes in the lobby,

hang out,

take a walk.

Well, surely,
you must be fascinated by it.

A little bit about...
Maybe you don't like the movies.

Do you go to the movies?

Do I go to other movies,
you mean?

- Yeah.
- Yeah, sometimes.

Now, come on,
you tell me the truth.

You look in there,
you look at those movies, right?

Actually I haven't yet.

- Hm.
- Do you have

any favorite movies?

Well, if I told you
what my favorite was,

it wouldn't mean much to you
if you didn't watch the movies.

No, but I could look for it,
I guess.

- You could look for it?
- You know, I could watch for it,

- and...
- Well maybe,

maybe one time,
next time I come by,

take a longer break.

Come in there.

There's some
interesting people in there.

You have what you call
first-hand experience?

- At what?
- Hm?

- At what?
- Well, at what you do.

- Which is...
- Hey, you're relaxing now.

You're not nearly so uptight.

No, I feel... I feel better now.

- Okay, yeah.
- And more comfortable.

Looking forward to the game?

Yeah, I am.

? Oh, say can you see

by the dawn's early light?

? What so proudly we hailed

at the twilight's
last gleaming??

? Whose broad stripes
and bright stars

through the perilous fight?

? O'er the ramparts we watched

were so gallantly streaming??

♪ And the rocket's red glare ♪

♪ The bombs bursting in air ♪

? Gave proof through the night

that our flag was still there?

? Oh, say does
that star-spangled

banner yet wave?

? O'er the land of the free

and the home of the brave??

(audience cheering)

(indistinct chatter)

(clapping and cheering)

(crowd shouting)

(indistinct remarks)

Uh, listen, something's come up,
I've got to leave you.

- Um, I'm sorry, I...
- Where are you going?

Uh, well, listen, I'm very sorry
I have to leave you,

but I'll send a car around
to pick you up later.

Hot dog!

(crowd cheering)

(horn sounding)

- Charge!
- Charge!

(horn sounding)

- Charge!
- Charge!

?

(tires squealing)

There's something extra special,

extra delicious about those
New York Yankees franks.

The only...

?

(engine revving)

?

(footsteps nearing)

(water sloshing)

(tone droning)

(horn blowing)

(tones beeping)

(indistinct chatter)

(tones beeping)

(indistinct remarks)

(indistinct chatter)

(traffic whirring)

Yeah, let's go.

Yeah, right here, man,
this the place.

This the place,
you got the right address.

All the pretty girls
you wanna see

are all in here, man.

What you wanna see, The Unseen?

Wait, wait, wait.

?

Here we go,
ladies and gentlemen.

- Four dollars.
- Hey, you didn't like the film?

Stay home then...
All right, here we are,

ladies and gentlemen... sir, sir!

Can you see what number
came out for me, thank you.

How you doing there?
Right, all right.

(indistinct conversations)

You have a good time, okay?

(indistinct remarks)

?

(traffic whirring)

(engines whirring)

(brakes screeching)

(thudding)

(indistinct chatter)

(clattering)

(indistinct remarks)

(indistinct conversations)

Oh, sorry.

(indistinct remarks)

(horn honking)

(speaking in foreign language)

(singing in foreign language)

?

So, I went to this guy
and I went to Daily News.

He's been on
the police beat for years

and he's got a list
of all these characters,

all the stories
they've been involved in...

- I hope you like this...
- What is it?

Put this up here for both of us.

And I checked him out and it
turns out that half these guys,

half the guys in the union
are involved

in an organization, a family.

They all got these nice
little houses out in Queens,

out in the Bronx, they all
got these three-piece suits,

they walk around the fish market
with these gold watches on

and they got guns
in their pockets.

And, uh, they all
got rap sheets.

Everything from loan sharking,
narcotics,

pornography, fixing fights...

They're like classic
shake-down operations.

They pretend they're
part of a union,

they shake everybody down
from the guy who sells the fish

to the restaurant owners.

There's no, like,
big companies involved.

There's all like,
small-time handlers.

You mean, you've got
a list of these guys?

- Mhm, I've got enough.
- Wonder if he's on it.

Computer, computer print-out
list from this guy.

Wonder if he's on it.

Who?

- This guy I know.
- What's his name?

- I don't know.
- Where'd you meet him?

Uh, Variety.

He comes by Variety sometimes.

What makes you think he's on it?

I don't know, I mean...

Probably isn't,
it's just a thought, you know.

Well, these guys
are pretty smooth.

It's gonna be hard for me
to nail 'em.

They say if I manage to sell
to a big enough magazine

I'm gonna be able
to protect anybody

who gives me information,
but otherwise,

I will have to feed it
to the cops and we know

that's gonna be
a whole other story.

Other story.

Other, other story.

Story.

Stories.

Small, small, stories,

smooth skin, smooth...

Smooth black slip

against her skin.

She parades in front of him.

He's sitting in an armchair.

She... he strokes himself,

he's getting larger and larger.

Her red snake skin heels click,

click across the floor

as she paces.

The high heels push
her ass up in the air.

He licks his lips.

She kneels down in front of him

and he, he reaches,

grabbing at her hair, her hair.

She shakes him away,

and pushes him back
into the armchair.

Uh, then...

she slowly...

lifts up her slip,

showing herself to him.

Goosebumps run
up and down her thighs.

She slides the slip

slowly up,

slowly the slippery fabric.

Then, sex smell fills the room.

She kneels down on all fours,
turning to him,

opening herself to him,

the slip clinging
to her hanging breasts.

She waits, waits, for him.

What are you doing?

Are you okay?

Why are you telling me this?

I'm telling you about my life.

Yeah?

Relax your mind
so your entire body may relax.

Relax your forehead.

Relax your eyebrows.

Relax your eyes.

Relax your nostrils.

And exhale and inhale.

Slowly and smoothly.

Relax your cheeks.

Relax your jaw
and the corners of your mouth.

Relax your chin.

Relax your neck.

Relax your shoulders.

Relax your upper arms.

Relax your lower arms.

Relax your hands.

Relax your fingers.

Relax your fingertips.

And breathe as if your breath
is flowing all the way

down into your fingertips.

As if all your tensions

are dripping off of the fingers.

Relax your chest.

Relax your cardiac center.

And exhale and inhale.

Slowly and smoothly,

while relaxing
the cardiac center...

relax your stomach,

relax your navel.

Relax your abdomen.

Relax your thighs.

Relax your calves.

Relax your feet.

Relax your toes.

(metal creaking)

(sighing)

(crowd chattering)

(beeping)

(alarms whirring)

(indistinct chatter)

?

(knocking)

?

?

(machine tones beeping)

(indistinct remarks)

?

This guy was hitchhiking
and he got a ride

from a woman in a pickup truck.

It was late at night,
he needed a place to stay.

So she offered him her place.

She showed him to his room
and offered him a drink.

They drank and talked
and decided to turn in.

He couldn't sleep,
so he put on his pants

and he walked down the hall
to the living room.

He stopped short of being seen,
but he could see.

The woman was naked
and spread on the coffee table

with just her legs
dangling over.

Her whole body was
excitingly white,

as if it had never seen the sun.

Her nipples were bright pink,
fire-like, almost neon.

Her lips were open.

Her long, auburn hair
licking the floor,

arms stretched,
fingers tickling the air.

Her oiled body was round,
with no points, no edges.

Slithering between her breasts
was a large snake,

curving up around one
and down between the other.

The snake's tongue
licking toward the cunt,

so open, so red
in the lamp light.

Hot and confused,
the man walked back to his room

and with great difficulty,
managed to fall asleep.

The next morning,
over strawberries,

the woman asked him
to stay another night.

Again, he couldn't sleep.

He walked down the hall,
up the beaded partition

and looked in.

He managed to notice that
the table was different.

This time, solid black oak
with four sturdy legs.

She was spread
naked-ass in the middle,

her painted toes
just touching the woolly rug.

A tiger entered, circling low,

slowly round,
steadily faster and faster,

flicking his tail back and forth

until she moaned... he stopped.

He placed one paw on either side
of her cunt, seeking entry.

She attempted to guide him in.

They swiveled on the edge
of unbearable and heated agony,

then a portion
of the penis entered.

The tiger jerked,
the remainder entered.

She moaned louder,
her hands clutching

the fur around his neck.

The man was beside himself.

He could watch no more,
and returned to his bed

where he lay through
the sleepless and heated night.

The next day, while he lay
in the long grass dreaming,

she came to him,
lay next to him,

and kissed him deeply.

He felt her moving
up against him

so snake-like, so delicious.

She growled while pushing
his hand down her panties,

"Son of a bitch,
what are you doing to me?"

He touched her,

her cunt was wet, inviting.

"You son of a bitch,"
she purred.

"Not now, tonight, tonight,"

and pulled away.

The night finally came
and this time,

he went further into
the lamp-lit room,

closer to what he wanted.

She was naked
and appeared to be asleep.

He took off his clothes
and he sat beside her,

his hands tracing
the lines of her ass.

Breathing deeply, he took it
out and slid down her,

sucking her pink-nippled breasts
down the swelling belly,

his hands rounding and gripping
the smooth of her buttocks.

He pushed his pulsing lips
over her skin,

licking, flicking,
circling with his tongue

through her beautiful red pussy.

In and out, she moaned
and lifted her legs

to lock around his throat,
over and over,

while he placed his cock inside,
shoving for entry,

over and over, oh, it was wet

and tight and warm inside,

over and over,
deeper, and bigger.

She kissed him,
wildly thrusting in and out,

deeper, wider, harder,
pushing in and out,

everything exploding
and climaxing over and over,

over and over,

and over.

(pinball machine rattling)

Ladies and gentlemen, Variety,

Variety Theater presents
to you the most beautiful,

gorgeous, luscious,
(unintelligible)

you could ever want.

Come right in here, let's go.

The most beautiful,
beautiful woman

of your dreams is on my screen.

She's waiting for you
to come on in

and have a good time.

Three hundred and sixty-five
days a year,

I am open, open
for business, for pleasure,

for, for...
To fulfill your dreams.

You come in here and you have
that time that you wanted

to have that your wife
(unintelligible),

but you can have it here,
that's right!

(indistinct announcements)

(train horn sounding)

Asbury Park next.

(train horn blowing)

(birds chirping)

(waves crashing)

(indistinct chatter)

?

(indistinct shouting)

?

(clicking)

(sighing)

Listen, I'm not
in business for sympathy,

you know what I mean?
It's his problem.

I'm here to get the money
and that's what's gonna happen.

Now we're gonna make it,
let's go down, see this guy.

- What's his name, Leonard?
- Leonard.

I think I've got enough
for what you need at the moment.

What are we getting into
this time?

Well, no, I should
(unintelligible),

they got about 45 seats.

You know,
it's all cash business.

Strictly, uh, lot of sales.

How much, how much involvement?

Well, he put in, he tells me,
18,000 a month.

But I want you to know that
if he goes to the full 25,

I think that, you know,
just trying to...

I'm talking 2,500 a month
right off the top, nothing less.

- You know what I mean?
- Well, it's been kinda slow

this year, you can't really
expect that much.

But at this point, I mean,
we just went through

- a lousy winter, and...
- Oh, yeah?

- Listen.
- We've been dealing like this

for a couple of years now,
so I guess I gotta get

- my standard commission?
- Yeah, no problem, Tony.

As usual,
let's just get going, okay?

I can't waste any more time,
I really can't,

- I gotta get back in town.
- All right.

(footsteps)

(creaking door)

(engine starting)

?

(tires screeching)

(door shutting)

?

(distant shouting)

?

Hey, where you goin'?

?

(indistinct chatter)

Hey, hey,
what's the matter with you?

- Give me a minute.
- You not working?

Hey, where you go...

(moaning)

I don't understand this girl,
man, you know that.

Ooh, oh.

Get your hands off me.

I said, get your hands off me,
what do you think I am,

some kind of a whore?

(indistinct remarks)

(moaning)

(unintelligible)

(moaning)

(groaning)

- God damn it!
- Oh, don't stop, please.

- Is this how you get off?
- Oh, yes, give me more.

Oh, please give me more.

(panting)

(moaning)

(indistinct remarks)

My husband's sleeping
in the next room.

(panting)

(moaning)

?

If you'd like to make a call,
please hang up and try again.

If you need help, hang up
and then dial your operator.

?

Christine, it's Mom.

Why haven't you called me?

I hate talking to this thing.

I wish you'd call me.

Call me
even if you come in late.

Maybe I'll try you
again later, okay?

(dial tone droning)

?

Christine, this is Mark, I got
a message that you called.

If it's important,
I'll be working late tonight.

You can reach me here.

?

(dial tone droning)

?

Chrissie, it's Nan.

Haven't seen you in a while,
what's going on?

Where have you been?

Call me or come see me
at the bar, okay?

Bye.

(dial tone droning)

If you'd like to make a call,
please hang up and try again.

If you need help, hang up
and then dial your operator.

(dial tone droning)

?

The very best live sex on stage,

that's right, come up here
and treat yourself.

Come upstairs and treat yourself

to an erotic live sex show.

Show time is now time,
that's right,

right now, upstairs.

All girl show,
we got 'em all live on stage,

- you be...
- Come on in, don't be shy.

(indistinct remarks)

We got something for you,
any way you want it.

Most beautiful girls
in the world.

Show stopping inside, all girls,

got 'em all live on stage,
(unintelligible).

(indistinct singing)

(grunting)

(indistinct singing)

(singing in foreign language)

Jose!

Jose, Jose, Jose!

Hey, hey, what are you
doing here so early, girl?

I'm looking for someone,
I'm looking for that guy

that I talk to
in the booth sometimes,

- he wears a three-piece suit?
- Girl, you know

how many times you talk
to guys in the booth

that wear a three-piece suit?

- Almost never, Jose.
- About 50 guys

- wear three-piece suits.
- He carries an attache case

- sometimes, he's um...
- Oh, okay...

- He's an older guy.
- The guy that be sitting

in the front row, yeah,
right up on the screen.

Yeah, well, I don't know
where he sits, Jose.

Honey, I don't know
about that guy,

- I'm gonna tell you right now.
- But do you know

- who I'm talking about?
- Yeah, yeah, yeah,

he'd be having the price tag
be sticking out his suit.

Man, 275 for a suit, man,
that guy must be sick,

coming in here, damn.

Jose, I don't know
what you're talking about.

You don't know... that guy
took his mother to Coney Island

and left her on the Cyclone
for thirty years, man.

And he went back
and she was still on the ride!

I don't want
a character analysis,

I want to know
if you've seen him.

Well, I haven't seen him,
honey, I'm gonna tell you...

And he is funny, but eh,
what you want to go

see funny guys
when you could see

a guy like Jose, you know?

Friday night, me and you
go have some cuchi fritos,

go do some merengue dancing.

- Great seeing you.
- You know what I mean?

- I'll talk to you later.
- Just, just, you don't

like to tango, okay...
Hey, can't take a joke,

don't be showing up
here early, all right?

Got to warm up
this woman, really, man.

Jesus Christ,
try to be a nice guy

and look at how they treat you.

(indistinct conversations)

(indistinct remarks)

(clattering)

Where these going?

(indistinct remarks)

You know, I have never had a man

even attempt to support me
in my whole life.

You know, I mean,
I go out to eat with a guy,

and if he pays for himself
I consider myself lucky.

Yeah, me too.

There was this one gambler
who used to really lavish

all this attention on me,
told me I look

just like Gwen Verdon.

He'd take me to after-hours
every night after work

and I'd just hang out while
he played cards with the boys.

He was a compulsive gambler
and he talked about his horses

just like they were women.

He'd take me home all the time
but he wouldn't fuck me.

- What?
- I'd wake him up and ask him,

"Why won't you fuck me,
what's the matter?"

And he said,
"I have to get up early

to bet on the daily double."

I got really obsessed with him
and one time

- I even followed him.
- You followed him?

Yeah, to Burger King
in Queen's Plaza,

- can you believe it?
- Oh.

But his twin brother
told me at the end

that he must have cared for me,
'cause I was the only woman

- he never borrowed money from.
- That's a good sign,

that's a good sign.

Now, I don't care
if people don't have money.

It's... you know,
I don't care at all.

You know, if a man shows
the slightest interest in me,

I jump at it and he gets...

He gets more appealing
to me all the time.

I don't know, I go after him.

- You'd follow him?
- No, me?

I wouldn't follow him,

I'd follow him
in my head, maybe.

But I have to act indifferent.

- I have to be really cold.
- Well, that's no way

- to deal with it.
- How would you deal with it?

Take what I can get.

?

- How you doin'?
- I don't know you.

Yeah, I saw you in the show,
I thought you looked real nice.

Well, you made a mistake,
it was somebody else.

I thought you might like to go
out for a drink or something.

No, I don't want
to have a drink.

- Hey, why not?
- Stop it.

- Why, what's wrong with me?
- Leave me alone.

Nothing's wrong with you,
you're just acting

- like a jerk, that's all.
- What do you mean, why don't

- you like me?
- Get the hell out of my life!

?

Jesus, Jesus.

?

(vocalizing)

?

? How I'd like to look

into that little book?

♪ The one that has
the lock and key ♪

(vocalizing)

? And know the boy

that you care for?

♪ The boy who's in your diary ♪

?

♪ When it's late at night ♪

♪ What is the name you write ♪

♪ Oh, what I'd give
if I could see ♪

♪ Am I the boy
that you care for ♪

♪ The boy who's in your diary ♪

? Do you recall
and make note of all

the little things I say and do?

♪ The name you've underlined ♪

♪ I'm hoping that it's mine ♪

♪ And darling,
I'm so in love with you ♪

?

♪ Please don't leave me blue ♪

♪ Make all my dreams
come true ♪

♪ You know how much
you mean to me ♪

(vocalizing)

♪ Say I'm the boy
that you care for ♪

♪ The boy who's in your diary ♪

(vocalizing)

♪ Boy ♪

(vocalizing)

?

Hello?

Uh, may I speak
to Louie, please?

That's right, Mr. Tancredi.

When do you expect him back?

Would you tell him
to call Christine?

It's urgent that he reach me
at 496-8801,

I'll be here
for the next 15 minutes.

(phone ringing)

Hello?

This is Christine.

Hi, Louie.

It's been a long time,
hasn't it?

Oh, I think you remember me.

But let me see if I can't
refresh your memory.

It was quite a while ago.

You bought me wine.

You picked me up in a car.

You took me to a ball game.

That's right.

Actually, I know
quite a bit about you.

I've seen you
in a number of places.

Store on Broadway.

You know which store.

Then after the ball game,
I followed you

to your restaurant.

That's right.

You went to Asbury Park.

You met a business acquaintance

at the Flamingo Motel.

Of course you don't believe me.

No, I'm not a cop.

No, I don't know who that is.

I'm not connected with anybody,

this is just between you and me.

I don't exactly
know that right now,

but I'll know when I see you.

Money?

I don't think so.

Look, it's 6:15.

In an hour,
I'll be on the corner

of Fulton and South Streets.

You meet me there.

(tones beeping)

?