Speed-the-Plow Read Online Free

words, “Just let me turn One More Trick . . .”
    G OULD : I'm a whore and I'm proud of it. But I'm a secure whore. Yes, and you get ready , now: you get ready ‘cause they're going to plot, they're going to plot against you . . . ( To K AREN :) Karen. My friend's stepping up in class . . . ( To F OX :) They're going to plot against you, Charlie, like they plotted against me. They're going to go back in their Tribal Caves and say “Chuck Fox, that hack . . .”
    F OX : “That powerful hack . . .”
    G OULD : Let's go and steal his job . . .
    K AREN : Sir . . .?
    F OX : Black, two sugars, thank you.
    G OULD : To your face they'll go, “Three bags full.” And behind your back they'll say, “let's tear him down—let's tear Charlie Fox down . . .”
    F OX : Behind my back. Yes, but in Public . . .? They'll say: “I waxed Mr. Fox's car. He seemed pleased.”
    K AREN ( serving coffee ): Black, two sugars.
    F OX : “I blew his poodle. He gave me a smile.” ( Of coffee :) Thank you.
    G OULD : This is Charlie Fox. This is . .. Karen . . .
    F OX : Yes. Good morning.
    K AREN : Good morning, sir.
    G OULD : Please put me down. Tomorrow. Richard Ross. His office. Ten A.M . Whatever you find in the book, call back and cancel it. And leave a note for Cathy, should she be back . . .
    K AREN : I'm told that she'll be back tomorrow
    G OULD : . . . draw her attention to our meeting with Ross.
    K AREN : Yessir.
    F OX : Karen, as Mr. Gould moves on up the ladder, will you go with him?
    K AREN : Sir?
    F OX : When . . .
    K AREN : I'm just a temporary . . .
    G OULD : That's right, she's just here for a . . .
    F OX : Well, would you like stay on, if . . .
    G OULD : Hey, what are you? The Master of the Revels?
    K AREN : I'm just, I'm on a temporary . . .
    F OX : Hey, everything's temporary ‘til it's “not” . ..
    K AREN : No, this is just a temporary job.
    G OULD : It's just a temporary job—so leave the girl alone.
    F OX : Karen: yeah: Karen, this seem like a good place to work?
    K AREN : Sir?
    F OX : Call me Charlie. This seem like a good place to work?
    K AREN : Here?
    F OX : Mr. Gould's office.
    K AREN : I'm sure that it is.
    F OX : She's “sure that it is.” How wonderful to be so sure. How wonderful to have such certainty in this wonderful world. Hey, Bobby. . . ? Your boss tells you “take initiative,” you best guess right—and you do, then you get no credit. Day-in, . . . smiling, smiling, just a cog.
    G OULD : Mr. Fox is talking about his own self.
    F OX : You bet I am. But my historical self, Bob, for I am a cog no more.
    G OULD : Karen, you come here at an auspicious time.
    F OX : Give this man a witness.
    G OULD : Because in this sinkhole of slime and depravity, something is about to work out.
    F OX : . . . singing a song, rolling along.
    G OULD : . . . and all that garbage that we put up with is going to pay off. ( Pause. )
    K AREN : . . . why is it garbage . . .? ( Pause. )
    G OULD : It's not all garbage, but most of it is.
    K AREN : Why?
    G OULD : Why. That's a good . . . (To F OX :) Why? ( Pause. )
    F OX : Because.
    G OULD ( to K AREN ): Because.
    F OX : Life in the movie business is like the, is like the beginning of a new love affair: it's full of surprises, and you're constantly getting fucked.
    K AREN : But why should it all be garbage?
    F OX : Why? Why should nickels be bigger than dimes? That's the way it is.
    G OULD : It's a business, with its own unchanging rules. Isn't that right, Charlie?
    F OX : Yes, it is. The one thing is: nobody pays off on work.
    G OULD : That is the truth.
    F OX : Everybody says “Hey, I'm a maverick.”
    G OULD : That's it. . .
    F OX : But what do they do? Sit around like, hey, Pancho-the-dead-whale . . .
    G OULD : . . . huh . . .
    F OX : Waiting for the . . .
    G OULD : . . . mmm . . .
    F OX : Yeah . . .? The Endorsement of their Superiors . . .
    G OULD : Uh huh. Listen to the guy. He's telling you.
    F OX : You wanna do something out here, it better be one of The Five Major Food