Show Me a Hero (2015): Season 1, Episode 1 - Episode #1.1 - full transcript

Oh, God!

Oh!

Ah.

_

_

♪ in the fields
of the Lord ♪

♪ stood Abel and Cain ♪

♪ Cain slew Abel
'neath the black rain ♪

♪ at night he couldn't stand
the guilt or the blame... ♪

♪ so he gave it a name ♪

♪ so he gave it a name ♪



♪ so he gave it a name ♪

_

♪ Billy got drunk,
angry at his wife ♪

♪ he hit her once,
he hit her twice ♪

♪ at night
he'd lie in bed ♪

♪ couldn't stand
the shame ♪

_

♪ so he gave it a name ♪

♪ so he gave it
a name... ♪

Yonkers.

- ♪ so he gave it a name... ♪
- Six minutes, seven, tops.

♪ Pa told me, "Son,
one thing I know is true ♪

- ♪ poison snake bites you, you're
poison, too..." ♪ - We're gonna go east.

East, on the side
of the parkway.



♪ at night I can feel
that poison ♪

♪ running 'round
my veins... ♪

Is that Palmer?

No, I think
that's Tuckahoe.

Now west.

Getty Square.

- Do you wanna go around again?
- Yeah.

The zoning board has
attached certain conditions

to its own approval
of the special exception

subject to
this council's approval...

Thanks, Kathy.

- Are council meetings all this boring?
- Most.

- That's, um, Mr. Oxman?
- Harry. Over there.

- You didn't meet him yet?
- No, not yet.

I heard about the job
from Father Duffell at St. Peter's.

Mr. Oxman's
a Democrat, right?

In Yonkers,
parties don't matter.

Whoever controls
the majority of the council

controls the city.

Angelo Martinelli,
the mayor, he's Republican.

He's been around
forever.

Has most of the council
voting with him.

The Republicans were really pissed
at Martinelli,

especially Nick Longo
right there.

...Rules Committee
and adopt the measure...

- Hey, how are you?
- Good. How are you?

- Thank you, Councilwoman Restiano.
- Nick Wasicsko--

he was a county cop
who ran in the 7th Ward.

First-timer.

If your mother needs a handicap
space, you just let me know,

'cause I got these parking people
on the speed dial, all right?

- Lives with his mother.
- Is Mr. Wasicsko here?

- Councilman Wasicsko.
- Right here, Mr. Mayor.

- Just give me a call.
- I will. Thank you.

Yeah. Sorry.

One second.

Sorry, sorry.

Mr. Mayor,
Resolution 143

deals with traffic safety
along Yonkers Avenue between...

I want to get one more
good look at the projects.

- Which ones?
- Schlobohm.

- Those?
- Yeah, right there.

Right downtown.
There you go.

Come, Felipe.

You can watch some TV now
and then you clean your room.

All right,
but you have to do your tasks.

- Yeah.
- See, I told you!

What the fuck
is that, nigga?

Go ahead, motherfucker.
That's it, man.

Go ahead.
See, I told you, B.

Nah, shit, boy!

I told you.
I told you.

No, but you changed it.

No! But I want
to turn on the TV.

- But you changed the channel yesterday.
- No.

- Guys, please.
- I hate this show.

- Mommy?
- But why wait? I want fun now.

First, the car colors
need a tune-up...

All I'm saying is it
would be a good thing

if you and Tasha
could get out of Schlobohm.

And this place ain't
gonna get no better.

You want
Lorna Doones or...

- Nilla Wafers?
- I'm serious, Ma.

Now, there are other places
besides Schlobohm for black folk.

You think School Street
Projects gonna be any better?

- Or Mulford?
- An apartment, Ma.

Now, I can help you
with the rent.

Like you like it.

I came here to visit,
not to have my mama

pack me a bag lunch
like a schoolboy.

Go build
some nice cars today.

Minivans, Ma.

We build minivans up in Tarrytown.
I told you.

Good ones.

Y'all build
the best little vans

money can buy,
I'm sure.

Come here.

- Love you, Ma.
- Mm-hmm.

You want a moment for yourself,
don't you, Nicky?

Not really.

I can tell.

Go on,
talk to him.

All right.

So, uh...

what's new with you?

Uh, me?

You know,
same old bullshit.

Traded a vote with Oxman
on a parking ordinance.

I, um-- I got a bill in
with Martinelli

to name
the senior center.

Housing resolution's
coming up again.

That should be
shit in a bag.

But nothing's easy,
you know?

We all got problems.

Except you.
Right, Pop?

- Hey, Tommy.
- Councilman.

Hey, you coming to kiss the ring?
For what, gold shield?

Nah. Council agenda
for Tuesday.

How else would you guys know how
to vote if Ralph don't tell ya?

Hey, Joni.
Mr. Arred should be expecting me.

- I'll let him know you're here.
- All right, thanks.

Hey, young Charlie Cola,
as I live and breathe.

I just left your dad
over at the hall.

- You up here for what?
- Nothing, really.

Councilman Wasicsko is here.

Okay, well,
good luck with that.

Mr. Arred's ready for you.

Oh, all right.

I don't know.
I don't see it, Ralph.

Martinelli's been in there
for six terms.

- Enough is enough, maybe.
- The guy owns a printing company.

He can paper the city
with campaign literature

a dozen times over.

Look, I'm not gonna
bullshit you.

Angelo's strong.
But who knows?

Right guy
at the right time?

You got two years
on the council

and no enemies so far.

How old are you?

I'll be 28 in May.

Christ.

You got plenty of time,
even if it doesn't work this run.

I'm-- I'm really
not seeing it, Ralph.

Why? Why run me
for mayor?

Nick, look,
this redistricting,

I got two Democrats,
two good votes--

you and Frank McGovern--

who are gonna be
primarying each other.

Yeah, okay, well,
then run McGovern for mayor

and let me hold down
my council seat

and, you know, you run
Frank against Martinelli.

I don't see Frank
that way.

Look, I'll raise you
some money, Nick.

Enough to make a respectable run--
say, 40 grand.

I'm not gonna throw you
to the wolves here, Nick.

You got a real shot
at this, maybe.

- Councilman Mangieri.
- Here.

- Councilwoman McKirgan.
- Here.

Not so boring
tonight, huh?

- Councilman Fay.
- Here.

- Councilwoman Restiano.
- Here.

Councilman Spallone.

I was there, Bobby.
You don't think I wasn't there?

I watched the Bronx die
from what this idiot judge

is trying to shove
down our throats.

- Councilman Spallone!
- Yeah, yeah. I'm here.

All present, Mr. Mayor.

First item, then.

Resolution number 69,

Mayor Martinelli
and Vice Mayor Oxman sponsoring.

In the matter
of court-ordered housing

in the case of the United
States and the NAACP

versus City of Yonkers.

Is there
any discussion?

Yeah, there's something
I'd like to discuss, Mr. Mayor.

I'd like to discuss the
fact that what this judge is doing

is nothing short
of social engineering

by someone-- by someone
who doesn't live

anywhere near
our neighborhood.

The fact is is that we lost that lawsuit.

The decision before
us tonight is clear.

The choice is
to be responsible

to the people
who elected us.

Well, I, for one, am not
going to be intimidated

by this judge
on what I believe in.

We can't become a city that is both...

in contempt and bankrupt.

The issue is
that someone

is gonna put together
a housing plan.

Do you want to have a say in it?

Do we want to make sure that
the plan is a moderate one?

'Cause that is the only issue now--

Let him finish.

That's it.
We are no longer allowing signs

- in the council chamber.
- You.

Anybody who
is carrying a sign

shall relinquish it
or be removed.

And anyone involved in
any more outbursts

will be removed
as well!

Help me here.

Jimmy, you try and take my flag,
I'll take it to a reporter.

10-minute recess!

Goddamn judge needs
to come down here

- and see what he started.
- Mm.

It's a shitstorm
out there,

and Spallone's
leading the charge.

You want to hear
my good news or what?

Come on,
take a guess.

Ralph Arred thinks I should
run for mayor against Angelo.

Offered me $40,000.

- Who was that?
- That's Oscar Newman.

He's the expert we hired
to consult on the housing.

We tried
to fire him twice,

and now the judge
is making us pay the guy

to help us build the housing
whether we like it or not.

Within this crowd, you don't want
to stand within 10 feet of the guy.

So, "Nick Wasicsko
for Mayor"?

Of Yonkers?

Good one.
Let's talk.

Not working today?

Store closed?

No, I'm off.

What are you doing
with the day?

You got a plan
for the day?

Going down School.

School Street?
What for?

To see my sister.

We left out of there
10 years ago.

I just don't know why
you keep going back.

Ma, are you ready?

I'm gonna be late my own self
if we don't get out of here.

- Are those my earrings?
- No.

They look like
a pair I'm missing...

Tell Gail
big sis said, "Hey."

It's just down
to foot-dragging at this point

and the judge won't
put a stop to it.

He could. He could impose a
housing desegregation plan

with or without the
cooperation of Yonkers.

Why doesn't he?

He thinks it's better for the
city government to participate.

He thinks that once they
realize that the fight's over

that they'll
come around.

The people have been doing
the same thing for 50 years.

They're not--
not just gonna change.

You don't mean to suggest that white
folk aren't gonna welcome us?

Look, like it or not--
like it or not,

Yonkers has to put 200 units
of low-income housing

on the white side
of the Saw Mill River Parkway,

and when Judge Sand
loses patience,

they'll desegregate
or they'll be held in contempt.

The contempt is there
no matter what.

Preach, brother.

- Ben? Ben.
- Hang on.

Do you think I could just--
could I have a minute, please?

Are you guys pissed at me
about something?

Did I do
something wrong?

This is a victory
for the NAACP.

It's a--
it's an honest-to-God legal precedent.

How many other cities just pile
the low-income housing

into black
neighborhoods

or use federal money
to segregate?

This is--
it's a big win for the movement.

10 years ago,
I would've agreed.

Back then, I'd have
seen this case

- as the answer to a problem.
- Okay.

Most of us
would have,

but we've been at this game
a long time, Mike.

Longer than you,
and a lot of us are at the point

where if they don't
want to live with us,

then why should we want
to live with them?

Ah, come on.
What?

Are you--
are you serious?

I don't know.

Maybe I've grown old
in this fight.

Maybe the fight
has grown old to me,

but watching how
this has played out

over the last
seven years,

how much we're
going through

for a few hundred
scattered units of housing...

The Executive Director of the NAACP
is arguing against integration.

- Who'd have thought it?
- No.

I'm not arguing
against anything, Mike.

I'm just tired.

I like Yonkers better than Jersey.

Yo. They fiending
today, boy.

Time to head back over
to Riverdale for that re-up.

Yo, you met Doreen,
Gail's sister?

This is my brother
Skipper...

- after that peanut butter.
- Oh, come on, man.

No, true dat.
Yo, you ate so much of that shit

when you was comin' up,
we had to tag you with that shit.

Yo, you stupid.

Nuh-uh, Gail didn't say
nothing about no sister, now.

I'd have
remembered that.

Yes, I would.
Mm-hmm.

Police?

Yo, if them off-brand,
professor-looking bitches be police,

ain't nobody getting caught doing shit.

Look at the beard on that Abe
Lincoln-looking motherfucker, yo.

God damn.

Pass it.

He got a grip on them
emancipation papers.

That shit ain't gonna work
up in the projects. Shit.

We cooked, Mama.

Tia Dama showed me
a recipe-- sancocho.

Maria wanted to cook.

I couldn't keep her
out of the kitchen.

Mm!
It's really good, little girl.

Do you know the Mota
family in Building Two?

- Gabriella's boys?
- Mm.

Just yesterday
they were little.

They're older now.

How much longer
for the city of Yonkers

to comply with the order
of this court, of this judge?

- Your Honor, compliance with
the court order-- - Compliance.

This is 657 pages.

The finding?

Yonkers intentionally
segregated its housing

and its schools
for 40 years.

This is a decision.
It was issued a year and a half ago.

I, too, am growing
impatient.

Your Honor, when there is a
violation of the Constitution,

the remedy cannot be ignored
because it is unpopular.

On the subject
of the housing remedy, Your Honor--

- Mr. Newman. - Your Honor,
the court's idea of concentrating

200 public housing units
on just two sites is--

well, I think
there's a better way.

We're only talking
about 200 units

in a city
of 200,000 people.

Yes, but you want it on just
two sites in East Yonkers.

For that to work,
those 200 units

would have to be
spread out over more sites--

- maybe eight or 10.
- Eight or 10 sites?

Too many units
in any neighborhood

won't blend in
with the community.

It becomes isolated
and divisive.

Any low-income housing
in Yonkers is divisive.

- That's how they see it.
- Your Honor, for the record,

Yonkers' city officials agree
with Mr. Newman's assessment.

All Yonkers' city officials care
about is getting reelected.

If they can use another
study to keep them

from doing anything until after
the next election, they will.

I'd like to hear
Mr. Newman out.

Your Honor, first off,

to make your remedy
order successful...

Jim.

- Hey.
- Hey.

- My brother Michael.
- Hey.

- Hey.
- Mike, Jim Surdoval.

All right. You lose those glasses,
we could run you for office.

All right, Jim, what do you got?

Ralph offered it to Frank
McGovern before you,

- but Frank didn't think Angelo
was beatable. - Son of a bitch.

And if you do win,
he'll be the first

- to tell you how good he's been to you.
- Unbelievable.

What the fuck?
Maybe Angelo is vulnerable.

You know, if we can
exploit his weaknesses

or, I don't know,
make you into a statesman.

- Funny. - No, but I'm saying he's been
in there a long time, right?

- So, you know, he's probably
made some enemies. - Here you go.

He's made a lot of friends, too.
Thank you.

Boom. Maybe we
bang him on that,

- on putting them all on the city payroll.
- Yeah, imagine that.

Patronage-- appointing friends,
not enemies to important posts.

I mean, when you're mayor, Nick,
I expect a cushy board job, too.

His IDA appointees
giving tax breaks

to fat-cat developers
who don't deserve them.

- That's pretty boring, right?
- Yeah, that.

Not like there's
a scandal there.

He's twice Nick's age.

He's got
a confrontational style.

People complain
about it.

"Don't get mad, get a new mayor."

I don't know what that meant
the last time you used it

and told them to get
a new councilman.

Well, you know what,
it kicked out a six-term incumbent, so...

But, Nick, you vote
with Angelo mostly.

You're right.
You're right.

Come to think of it, Angelo's been
a pretty good mayor after all.

Fuck it.
He's got my vote.

Springsteen?

This again?

- Oh, come on.
- It's my theme song.

♪ got a wife and kids
in Baltimore, Jack ♪

♪ I went out for a ride
and I never went back ♪

♪ like a river that don't
know where it's flowing ♪

♪ I took a wrong turn
and I just kept going ♪

♪ everybody's got
a hungry heart ♪

♪ everybody's
got a hungry heart ♪ _

♪ lay down your money
and you play your part ♪

♪ everybody's got
a hu-hu-hungry heart ♪

♪ I met her in
a Kingstown bar ♪

♪ we fell in love,
I knew it had to end ♪

♪ we took what we had
and we ripped it apart ♪

♪ now here I am
down in Kingstown again ♪

♪ everybody's got
a hungry heart... ♪

He should be indicted.
You know why?

Because he knows
what we should know...

♪ lay down your money
and you play your part ♪

♪ everybody's got
a hu-hu-hungry heart... ♪

♪ la-la-la-la-la-la ♪

♪ oh, yeah ♪

♪ la-la-la-la-la-la ♪

♪ everybody needs
a place to rest ♪

♪ everybody wants
to have a home ♪

♪ don't make no difference
what nobody says ♪

♪ ain't nobody
like to be alone ♪

♪ oh, yeah, everybody's
got a hungry heart ♪

♪ everybody's got
a hungry heart ♪

♪ lay down your money
and you play your part ♪

♪ everybody's got
a hu-hu-hungry heart ♪

♪ everybody's got
a hungry heart ♪

♪ oh, yeah ♪

♪ everybody's got
a hu-hu-hungry heart ♪

"Honesty, integrity,
commitment.

Vote Nick Wasicsko
for Mayor."

Add in "leadership,"
and you've hit for the cycle.

What's your bumper
sticker gonna say?

Mine? "Nick Longo is an asshole."

Seriously.
What's it matter?

The way they
redrew my district,

I lose to Longo by eight
points no matter what.

I know.
I'm sorry, Vin.

You should've run
for mayor like me.

It's always better to lose
big than to lose small.

Uh-- hey.

Um, any of you guys
want some fresh coffee?

I just put a pot on.

- Yeah, I'd love some.
- No, I'm good.

- Thank you.
- Sure.

That's Harry Oxman's new secretary.

Or, as I like to call her,
"The future Mrs. Wasicsko,"

though she knows it not.

Well, she's cute, Nick.
You could do a lot worse.

In fact, you have
done a lot worse.

"Leadership, lechery, commitment.
Vote Wasicsko."

Oh, yeah, that's better.
You're getting there.

And I can
work with both parties

without any
political consideration.

That's what
experience gives you.

The more you serve, the more
you're able to do what's right--

letting the chips fall
where they may.

Angelo, there's been a lot of
opposition to the housing initiative.

Well, that's an understatement.

I think that by and large

the people of Yonkers understand
that a federal judge has ruled

and the city must now
comply with the law.

Nick Wasicsko is a
first-term councilman.

It doesn't seem like
much of a race, does it?

I expect
a quiet campaign.

No, listen,
I say so because

my opponent has voted
with me on most issues.

But Nick--

Nick's a smart guy
with a lot of promise,

so I am taking nothing
for granted.

Hi, ma'am. How you doing?
I'm Nick Wasicsko.

I'm running for
mayor of Yonkers.

You don't wanna
take this with you?

- Nick Wasicsko. I'm running for mayor.
- Nah.

_

Hi, how you doing?

- I'm Nick Wasicsko. I'm running for mayor.
- No, not now.

Sure? You can take that pamphlet with you.
Look at it at home.

No, thanks.

Hi, ma'am.
How you doing?

Can I help you
with your items?

- Yeah? Your store items here?
- Okay.

- Looks like you need a hand.
- Thank you.

How you doing?

- I'm Nick Wasicsko. What's your name?
- Uh, Marie.

Nick Wasicsko.
I'm running for mayor.

Mayor of Yonkers. Hope to have
your support in the election.

It's W-A-S-I-C-S-K-O.
Spelled just like it sounds.

- Okay.
- I'm running for mayor of Yonkers.

You wanna just take it home
and take a look at it?

Doesn't cost anything.
You just gotta read it.

I'm sorry. Ma'am, where
exactly are you parked?

Oh, I got no car. I live six
blocks over, up on Warburton.

Are you fucking
kidding me?

Hi. How's it going there?
How are you two doing?

- Are you registered to vote?
- No.

I'm Nick Wasicsko.
I'd like to be your mayor.

Oh, my God!

- Ooh! I'm sorry!
- Jesus. Oh, God!

Oh, come on.
I'm sorry, baby.

Mr. Hobart?

What time is it?

Mr. Rodriguez was supposed to
relieve me at 4:00.

It's 2:00.

It is?

Seems later
than that.

I'm having trouble
with my eyes.

Fuck this.

- Hi.
- I'm gonna be a while.

Okay.
How long you thinking?

Hours,
it looks like.

All right, yeah.

Thinks he's gonna run against Angelo
and get help around here?

He's crazy.

Nick...

there's another one
in the basement.

- What?
- A copy machine.

Oh.

Yeah, well...

I'm sure that one only works for
Angelo, too, though, right?

Well, you can't
blame people.

I mean everyone in here owes
their job to Martinelli.

Yeah.
No, I know. I know.

Well, you can
give it to me,

and I'll get it
copied for you.

Just don't
tell anyone.

Oh. Well,
that's very nice.

No, but I need like
300 of these, though.

Sure.

Wow. I really
appreciate that.

And if you want, you can put
a sign on my father's house.

We're on
Pier Street.

What would, uh, vice man
Harry Oxman think, though?

Um, well,
he's my boss, right?

- Yeah.
- But I-- I vote how I like.

Okay.

Hey, it's
the American way, right?

If you say so, yeah.

- I appreciate that. Thank you.
- You got it.

- All right. I'll see you around.
- Yeah.

Hey, Ma.

Hey.

Feel better?

You ain't seein'
no better?

I suppose I need
a little more rest.

You've been in bed
four days now.

How much more rest
you gonna give it?

I'm calling
the doctor, Ma.

- Oh, no, Dwayne--
- No, Ma, I'm calling.

- Thanks for the lift.
- Yeah, no problem.

It's on the way to the
Italian-American forum tonight, so...

Every night's
some other event, huh?

- Yeah, well.
- It's crazy.

I know. If you wanna
be the mayor,

you gotta work
at it, right?

- Yeah.
- And, um...

well, don't tell anybody, but I
always wanted to be the mayor.

- Really?
- Yeah.

It's true, I swear.

I used to talk about it
all the time growing up.

The other kids used to call me
"the mayor."

- Really?
- It wasn't a compliment.

But, you know,
I try to take it as one.

- Mm-hmm.
- So...

Yeah.

All right,
I better go in.

- My parents will worry about me.
- Yeah, okay.

- Have a good night, okay?
- All right, yeah. It's just--

'Night--

- That was weird.
- Was it?

I just-- you kinda
caught me off guard.

- Um, I'd better go in now.
- Okay.

- We should talk.
- Yeah, okay. Monday.

- Okay.
- All right, bye.

- Good night.
- Yeah, good night.

Whoo-hoo-hoo!

I have long despaired of
giving civic lessons in Yonkers,

but if a detailed plan for
200 units of public housing

is not approved by the council
before next Thursday,

Yonkers will be
in contempt of court.

Fines will commence and be
doubled every day thereafter.

- Your Honor?
- Mr. Sculnick?

Your Honor, holding
the city in contempt

would serve only to divide
the city council further,

and the fines would damage
the city's bond rating,

close the door
to borrowing,

and cause property
values to plummet.

All of which
is of little moment

to those suffering the
deprivation of their rights.

Your Honor, you could impose your
own integration plan on the city.

Mr. Sculnick, I was not
elected to represent Yonkers.

Your Honor, the city
council is bitterly divided.

Threatening to fine the city
will only force each side

to dig their heels
in further.

Mr. Sculnick,
the City of Yonkers

now faces a choice
of compliance

or receivership until
a housing plan is approved.

- Am I understood?
- Yes, Your Honor.

We're adjourned.

All rise.

Number one
or number two?

Neither.
I-- I just see color.

You don't see the top
line on the chart?

I see dark red,

and it's mostly round,
whatever it is.

It's the diabetes,
Miss O'Neal.

Is it gonna
get better?

Yeah, I know. I think that we
could have a nice time together.

Get to know each other
a little better, you know?

How does that look, though?

You're running for mayor,
and I work in the office.

- Yeah.
- Okay.

Well,
we'll be careful, you know?

Nobody will know
anything.

I'm serious.

I wanna take it slow
and see where this goes

before everyone in here
is talking about me.

- I love slow.
- Okay, great.

- Okay, all right. I'll see you later.
- Okay, go--

What the fuck?

Sand's threatening fines

that will bankrupt
the city in 22 days.

That is Russian roulette
with five bullets in the chamber.

Sorry.

I got, uh, buttonholed
out in the hallway.

Angry constituent.

200 units on four
possible sites.

It's not the end
of the world, guys.

We spread it
around.

No district gets
more than one site,

no site gets more
than 50 or so units.

I'm thinking maybe
we double the number

of proposed
housing sites.

Eight sites means less units
in any one neighborhood.

Less anger from voters.
We spread the pain thinner.

Or we dump all of them in
Spallone's district. Either way.

Like I said,

it's better to be
on the inside

when a deal
goes down.

I'm asking you all
to be cosponsors.

I'm not gonna bother
with Spallone on them.

- We know how they stand.
- Christ, an election year?

Tell me about it.

- Thank you.
- Look, I know you guys

would rather do nothing and let
the judge pick the sites himself,

but the judge
ain't buying that.

- He put it on us.
- I can't be a cosponsor.

I just can't have
my name on it.

- Come on, Frank.
- Yeah, but you can vote for it, right?

Or Angelo will put three of the
eight sites in your district.

Look, I understand complying

and that the law is the law,
but what about our appeal?

We should have never
appealed in the first place.

Not a chance in hell
they'll overturn Sand.

But we're still
paying the lawyers

to carry it
to the second circuit,

so if you wanna
tell the voters

you're fighting it
in the courts, you can.

Honestly, guys,
I think this is

the only responsible
option we have.

You think about it over
lunch, and I want a "yes."

Ha.

After you.

- Wanna grab some lunch?
- Nick?

How's it going out there
on the hustings?

- Tough racket, huh?
- Yeah.

I hear you're out there
pounding the pavement,

pressing the flesh.

Hey, don't worry.

You'll hit your stride.

I'll see you, Angelo.

Outwardly,
he's calm.

Inside, he's
terrified of me.

Absolutely terrified.

Yeah, well,
at least if you lose,

you'll lose to
a six-term incumbent.

- Me?
- No. You'll pull it out, Vin.

You will.

Well, nice of you
to say so.

Because I don't
think any of these people

understand the simple fact
that the law doesn't guarantee

that you get to live in a
neighborhood that you can't afford.

Am I right?

And last I gotta say
that maybe this judge,

if he likes the people who live
in public housing so much,

then maybe he should have
that kind of housing

in his neighborhood
where he lives.

- See how he likes it.
- We're not prejudiced.

We just object to giving
housing subsidies in an area

where people have worked
so hard to afford their homes.

Sir, you've already had
your chance to speak.

Anyone is welcome to live in my
neighborhood if they have the money.

I'm just saying
that this city council--

...a long list of residents
who have signed up to speak.

- We wanna hear what he has to say!
- Let me have my say.

I'm gonna ask you
one more time, sir.

- Please have a seat.
- I just wanna say one last thing.

Sir, you are not
going to speak again.

- One last thing.
- Sir, you are done speaking.

- You have spoken your case.
- Let him speak!

- Oh, morning, Hank.
- Morning.

Morning, Anne Marie.
You lurking or stalking?

- Did you see the "Times"?
- Not yet.

Seems the council
finally had the courage

to make
the right decision.

Well, eight
of them, anyway.

That was the vote, right?
Eight to five?

Maybe we've turned
a corner here.

You think so?

- We're talking about Yonkers.
- True.

- Thank you.
- Mm-hmm.

So, uh, I was thinking maybe
we'd go over to Mannion's.

- Mannion's?
- Yeah, get a couple steaks.

Yeah, so we can see
everyone we work with.

- Oh, come on, they got
the best steaks in town. - No. No.

Everybody goes there 'cause
it's a great restaurant.

- I don't care.
- What are we gonna do, go to a drive-thru

- where nobody'll see us?
- Look at that.

They're making their own signs.
Look.

Nay, they're making
their own goddamn signs.

Holy shit.

- This is Angelo's district.
- Yeah.

Look, the housing case
is killing him

in his own
fucking district.

- Look at this.
- It's all you.

Nick...

My God.

With the groceries
and the bus fare

and money
for the Laundromat,

I spend $30 less a month
than I make for you, Paul.

That's $30 left to get me through
a month with three kids.

I work my ass off
for you, Paul.

And at the end
of the month,

I have enough to take
my kids to a movie

or maybe put a winter
coat on layaway.

That's it.

So what do you say?

- Everywhere on the East Side, right?
- I saw.

I drove around after you called.
I saw.

- Hi.
- I don't understand.

Why should they vote
for me over Angelo?

- I mean, I haven't done--
- Because you're not Angelo.

Yeah, but I voted the same way
as Angelo on almost everything,

including the school
deseg and the housing.

I mean, I was
cosponsor on his plan

to give in to the judge,
for Christ's sake.

But that one's
understandable,

given the threat
of the city being fined.

You were
responsible.

The only thing that separates
me from him on the housing

is the vote
to appeal last year.

I voted to appeal the judge's
decision and he did not.

And we hit that hard.

Every day from now
until the polls open,

we hit them
with the appeal vote.

- Thank you.
- Thank you.

Jim, why don't
you order something?

No, no.
It's okay.

We're on a date.
It's a date.

No, we're--
we're not on a date.

- Well, whatever it is,
you two enjoy yourselves. - Thank you.

- Have a great night.
- Thank you.

- A date?
- I mean, come on.

Come on, what?

DR?
You remember DR?

I remember
it was cheaper, safer.

It's like a prison
here for them.

You're gonna move to DR?

- I was happy there.
- Poor, too.

And here I am
parking my Mercedes

in front of Building Eight.

To be poor in DR
was no crime.

But here...

Fuck, DR...

See, I was the one who
voted to appeal last year

to give Yonkers
its full day in court.

My opponent did not.

He was satisfied
with the judge's decision

on the housing
desegregation case.

I was not.

Vote Wasicsko.
All right?

It's time
for a new future.

- Oh, I've heard about you.
- Okay? No more two years.

- Not another two years. Vote Wasicsko.
- Good luck.

Thank you.
Here you go.

Vote for Wasicsko.
Vote for Yonkers' future, all right?

- Okay, thanks.
- Thank you. Thank you very much.

- Good for you.
- Go get him, kid.

- Thank you, sir. Thank you.
- Angelo's dead to me now.

Oh, well, all right.
Well, he's not dead yet, so...

- Oh, thank you.
- ...vote for Wasicsko, okay?

Martinelli's been
mayor a long time.

Too long, in fact,
all right?

He's no longer
listening to the voters,

because what
I'm hearing--

what he should
be hearing--

is that the people
of Yonkers

want the housing
decision appealed.

You'll go to
the Supreme Court.

That Jew judge ain't gonna
build that garbage nohow.

- Okay, look, I don't--
- Not where I live.

I hear ya.
I just don't think that we should--

Tell that judge
to go shove it!

It kinda brings out
the ugly in people.

- So, you're the fella taking on Martinelli.
- That's me.

- How do you do?
- I'm doing very well.

I'll do better
if you vote for Wasicsko

- come election night, all right?
- All right. You bet.

I think the people of Yonkers
should have their say.

And if the people
wanna have their say,

they're gonna be voting for
Nick Wasicsko next Tuesday.

My opponent has been in
office a long time...

A lamb into a lion.

Yeah. I should've
made McGovern run.

Let the kid have
the council seat.

Ah, it's the housing,
not him.

Tell me about it.

Fucking judge
fucked you good, Ange.

You should've voted
for the appeal.

Waste of money. That appeal goes nowhere.
You'll see.

But, yeah, should've voted
for the goddamn thing.

No fucking kidding.

I'll call you back.

I can't fit more
in that one.

- What's left?
- My sweaters and books.

It's warm there, right?

But if we need them, your
cousins will be staying here.

They can send
what we need.

And I will buy you more
books when we get there.

I promise.

Felipe, we have to leave.

Roberto.

Don't worry. I'll take
care of everything.

- Gracias.
- De nada.

Longo beats Vinni.

But I figured that.
She had no shot.

But I can't believe
Frank McGovern

going down to Chema
by almost two to one.

Fagan's coming back.
Spallone won, Charlie Cola.

Christ,
except for Oxman,

everyone who was even moderate
on the housing got knocked off.

I mean, shit,
even if I get in,

I'm not gonna
have the votes.

Nick Longo's
gonna have four votes

and the council
in his pocket.

These numbers?
Is that mostly East Side?

Because if it's East Side,
I'm gonna-- I'm gonna drop this guy.

Yeah. Surdoval's
on the line.

- Hey, Jim, what do ya got?
- East Side's coming in. Hold a sec.

Thanks.

They're saying
he's losing the 11th.

If Martinelli can't win
his home ward, it's over.

I'm looking at
new numbers on TV.

The AP called it.

Christ. I win
by 1,500 votes.

I'm the fuckin' mayor!

I'm so proud of you!

Thank you.

Gonna start calling you the "miracle
candidate" for beating these odds.

- Well--
- He did the same thing two years ago.

Nobody thought
he'd win.

But did you really believe
you'd knock off Martinelli?

Well, I never
thought I'd lose.

Hey, Martinelli's here.

Uh, excuse me
for one second.

- Congratulations, Nick.
- Thank you, Angelo.

You know, the voters have
lifted a tremendous burden

off of my shoulders
and placed it on yours.

Well, I think these shoulders
will be able to handle it.

- Well, good luck to you, Nick.
- Thank you, Angelo.

- I'm happy for you.
- Mr. Mayor?

Yes, Martha,
one second.

- If you need anything, let me know.
- Thank you.

So I guess the voters
decided not to get mad.

No, no, no. You know,
I think that, uh...

they were disappointed
in the last administration

and they saw in me someone
that has the ability

to change the direction
of the city.

Are you surprised at the
margin of votes for you?

You literally continued
to pull away.

Well, you know, I talked to thousands
of people during this campaign,

and they told me
they wanted a change,

and I guess they voted
the way they spoke.

- So--
- Excuse me.

Congratulations.

No, it was the housing
issue, not the candidate.

First time getting
kissed by a mayor.

Is it really? You mean Angelo
never slipped you one?

Thank you!

Thank you.

Thank you!

Thank you.

Thank you, really.
I am truly honored.

Wait, wha-- what do
you mean by "major"?

Major cities,
cities that matter.

Yonkers matters?

Cities of 150,000
population or more.

You are definitely the
youngest mayor in America.

Which means you're
officially a rising star

in the Democratic Party.

Nice of Martinelli

letting you work out of the
office before inauguration.

A good man-- Angelo.
Hell of a guy.

Where the hell is Cheryl?

We can't just
leave the phones.

Mayor's office.

...big plans.

- The lawyers on line one.
- The lawyers?

The lawyers.

Nick here.
Nick Wasicsko.

The mayor.
Mayor-elect.

Right.
Yeah, hi, Mike.

Uh-huh.

No grounds at all?

Yeah.

Right.
Okay, well, thank you.

All right.
Bye-bye.

They denied
that housing appeal.

Sided with Sand
on every count.

I voted for the appeal
and I lost.

Nothing I can do
about that, right?

Yeah, they can't
blame you.

Right?

Yeah.