Speed-the-Plow Read Online Free Page A

Groups.
    G OULD : Uh huh.
    F OX : Or your superiors go napsy—bye. The upside of which, though, a guy . . .
    G OULD : . . . that's right. . .
    F OX : The upside . . .
    G OULD : Hmm.
    F OX : The upside, though . . .
    G OULD : . . . Hmm.
    F OX : The one time you do get support. ..
    G OULD : . . . hey . . .
    F OX : If you do have a relationship . . .
    G OULD : Hey, Charl, kidding aside, that is what I'm here for. . .
    F OX : Then, you can do something. (To K AREN, of Gould :) This guy, Karen, this guy . . . the last eleven years.
    G OULD : Forget it. . .
    F OX : Forget? Bullshit. This man, my friend . . .
    G OULD : Now we're even.
    F OX : Oh, you Beauty . .. What's it like being Head of Production? I mean, is it more fun than miniature golf?
    G OULD : You put as much energy in your job as you put into kissing my ass . . .
    F OX : My job is kissing your ass.
    G OULD And don't you forget it.
    F OX : Not a chance. ( Pause. )
    K AREN : Sir:
    G OULD : Yes.
    K AREN ( Pause ): I feel silly saying it.
    G OULD : What?
    K AREN : I. . .
    G OULD : Well, whatever it is, say it.
    K AREN ( pause ): I don't know what to do. ( Pause. ) I don't know what I'm supposed to do. ( Pause. )
    G OULD : Well, that was very frank of you. I tell you what: don't do anything.
    K AREN : Sir . . .?
    G OULD : We'll call it a Bank Holiday. ( To F OX :) Huh? Let's get out of here.
    F OX : Good, let's get out of here.
    G OULD : Huh?
    F OX : Well done.
    G OULD : And let's get out of here. ( To K AREN :) Look in my book, and cancel whatever I've got today. Anybody calls, call me tomorrow. I'll be in tomorrow for my ten A.M . meeting with Ross.
    F OX : Young America at WORK and PLAY.
    G OULD : You get done cancelling my stuff, you can go home.
    F OX : Where we going for lunch?
    G OULD : Well, I figured we'd drop by the commissary, get the tuna sandwich, then go swishing by Laura Ashley and pick out some cunning prints for my new office.
    F OX : Whyn't you just paint it with broken capillaries, decorate it like the inside of your nose.
    G OULD : I may. I just may. So, lunch, the Coventry, in half an hour. (To K AREN :) Call the Coventry. Table for two, at One. Thank you. ( She exits. Pause. He sighs. ) First in war. First in peace. First in the hearts of Pee Wee Reese.
    F OX : Lunch at the Coventry.
    G OULD : That's right.
    F OX : Thy will be done.
    G OULD : You see, all that you got to do is eat my doo doo for eleven years, and eventually the wheel comes round.
    F OX : Pay back time.
    G OULD : You brought me the Doug Brown script.
    F OX : Glad I could do it.
    G OULD : You son of a bitch . . .
    F OX : Hey.
    G OULD : Charl, I just hope.
    F OX : What?
    G OULD : The shoe was on the other foot, I'd act in such a. . .
    F OX : . . . hey . . .
    G OULD : Really princely way toward you.
    F OX : I know you would, Bob, because lemme tell you: experiences like this, films like this . . . these are the films . . .
    G OULD : . . . Yes . . .
    F OX : These are the films, that whaddayacallit . . . ( long pause ) that make it all worthwhile.
    G OULD : . . . I think you're going to find a lot of things now, make it all worthwhile. I think conservatively, you and me, we build ourselves in to split, minimally, ten percent. ( Pause. )
    F OX : Of the net.
    G OULD : Char, Charlie: permit me to tell you: two things I've learned, twenty-five years in the entertainment industry.
    F OX : What?
    G OULD : The two things which are always true.
    F OX : One:
    G OULD : The first one is: there is no net.
    F OX : Yeah . . .? ( Pause. )
    G OULD : And I forgot the second one. Okay, I'm gonna meet you at the Coventry in half an hour. We'll talk about boys and clothes.
    F OX : Whaddaya gonna do the interim?
    G OULD : I'm gonna Work . . . (Indicating his figures on the pad.)
    F OX : Work . . .? You never did a day's work in your life.
    G OULD : Oooh, Oooh, . . . the Bitching Lamp is Lit.
    F OX : You never did a fucken’ day's work in your life.
    G OULD : That true?
    F OX : Eleven years I've known you, you're