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TRANSCRIPT:
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Scene: Pittsburgh tenement housing
Levi: (enters apartment door with a key) Ma. Ma. Where are you?
Trey: No! Down boy.
Levi: Where's my ma?
Trey: You learn to knock?
Levi: Where is she?
Trey: Come on, Levi. Grandma Annie be wondering where you are.
Angie: Levi?
Levi: Ma. (approaches mother and sees bruises on her face)
Angie: Why are you here?
Levi: Did he do that to you?
Angie: Come home, okay? Come home. (Levi turns to confront Trey—she tries to stop him) No!
Levi: (in Trey's face) If you ever hit my mom again…
Trey: What!
Trey pushes Levi, who hits him with a left hook.
Angie: Levi. No, Levi.
Angie screams and grabs for Levi—Levi and Trey struggle—Trey goes for a gun in top drawer of bureau—they continue to struggle and the gun goes off—Angie screams.
Scene: Legal Services of Pittsburgh
Nick exits the elevator holding a bunch of flowers.
Radio DJ: And the winner of the U2 tickets is Barbara Ludzinsky of Legal Services… (Barbara screams, “Yes!”)… of Pittsburgh.
Barbara: (singing) I got the tickets and you don't got none. I won the tickets and you can't come with me. (Sees Nick approaching with flowers in his hand.) Nick. Who's the lucky lady?
Nick: It… it's Lulu.
Barbara: Sweet, Nick. That's really sweet.
Alvin: Ah. Mr. Fallin. (Nick quickly hands off the flowers to Barbara who hides them behind the counter.) I got a case for ya.
Nick: Morning, Alvin. Morning, Lulu.
Lulu: Morning.
Alvin: Morning, Nick. Ah. Her name is Maria Braczyk. She's a Polish immigrant. Her 16-year-old son wants to be emancipated from her. She's waiting in the broom closet.
Nick: Okay. (looks at Barbara and nods) Thanks.
Nick takes the file from Alvin and enters the broom closet, reading the file with his head down.
Nick: Mrs. Brizzick. Your son is asking to be emancipated. He wants the court to grant him some of the rights of an adult.
Maria: Hi. My name is Maria Braczyk. What is your name?
Nick: Nicholas Fallin.
Maria: Please. Ah… Mr. Fallin. Explain.
Nick: Ah… your son doesn't want to live with you anymore.
Maria: He's only 16. He moved in with a woman who is much older.
Nick: Oh, that's a problem.
Maria: Yeah. She's pregnant with what she says is my son's child.
Nick: Oh, then he's living away from home. He'll be supporting a child. He's already independent. The judge is just going to acknowledge that reality.
Maria: He's not ready.
Nick: Okay, then, I'll ask Social Services to do a home visit and then we'll talk. (impatiently taps the file with his fingers)
Maria: Well… okay. (looks puzzled as Nick makes a fast exit)
Nick: (to Barbara) Where is she?
Barbara: The meeting room. (hands Nick his bunch of flowers) Good luck.
Nick: Listen, Barbara, do you think this is… ?
Brian: Excuse me.
Barbara: Can I help you?
Brian: Sure. Could you direct me to Louisa Archer's office?
Nick: Lulu's in there. (pointing with the bunch of flowers)
Brian: Thanks. (walks into the meeting room) Sweetheart. (laughs—then embraces and kisses Lulu)
Lulu: What are you doing here?
Brian: … surprise you.
Nick has observed the embrace—he lays the flowers on Barbara's desk and walks out.
Scene: Hospital
James: Hey, Angela…
Angie: (inaudible)
James: Where's Levi?
Angie: The police took him.
James: Does Grandma Annie know?
Angie: Uh huh.
James: What about the doctors?
Angie: Trey got shot in the stomach so nobody knows if he's gonna live.
James: I'll do everything I can for Levi.
Angie: For Levi. You're worried about your nephew. My boyfriend's gonna die, James. I ain't got nothing else. My boyfriend's gonna die.
Scene: Fallin & Associates, conference room
Burton: (greeting Union representatives) Morning, Dan.
Dan: Burt. (shakes hands) Conference room okay?
Burton: Yeah. Right here. Morning. Right here. How are ya?
Nick: Here's the offer. Sixty-eight cents per hour aggregate with forty-eight cents going to wages, twelve to pension, eight to the health fund, one extra vacation day.
Burton: Okay. If you need notepads or coffee, we'll…
Dan: This won't take long.
Burton: We'll be in my office.
Burton's office
Burton: I think everything's gonna be okay.
Gary Davey: If they say no to this offer, I'm gonna have to close up shop… after 28 years.
Conference room
Dan: Five percent increase, retroactive to October 1st. Pretty good. Last few deals, the most we could hope for was 3.2%.
Tim Coker: It's not enough.
Dan: Coker…
Coker: Hey, you get your slice no matter what, Kelsey. All you care about is picking up your dues and making your Union money. We asked for 7%. We asked for some profit-sharing. I don't see any of that in these pages.
Dan: If you vote this down, the National Union Office may not pay the workers their strike funds.
Coker: Then we'll break the Union.
Dan: That's crazy.
Coker: I promised the workers 7%. I'm gonna deliver it.
Dan: Why are you doing this?
Coker: It's what we deserve.
Burton's office
Nick: (answers a knock on the door) They're ready.
Conference room
Dan: I'm sorry, Gary.
Davey: It's a good offer. You recommending the contract or aren't you?
Dan: Can you do better?
Davey: That was it!
Dan: We'll put the contract to a vote of the full membership--with a negative recommendation.
Scene: The jail
James: (to Levi) Do you wanna tell me what happened?
Levi: I did what I had to do. (pauses) Looked after my Mom.
James: She ask you to?
Levi: I mean, I knew she was getting beat up. Everybody knew. If you ever bothered to stop by and give us a call, you'd a known that for yourself.
James: Did she ask you to go over to her house and protect her?
Levi: Ma called Grandma Annie. Said Trey was hitting her again.
James: So you went over there to check on her?
Levi: Yeah.
James: And the gun. Did you bring it with you?
Levi: Nah, nah. It was Mom's.
James: So you used your mother's gun?
Levi: Well, Trey went for it first.
James: But you knew where it was. You knew it was there when you went into the house.
Levi: Why you being so hard on me, man?
James: Because that's exactly what the D.A.'s gonna do when he goes for a life sentence.
Levi: I ain't scared of the D.A., man.
James: You should be. This case goes to Criminal Court, the jury's gonna take one look at you and decide they'll feel a lot safer with you behind bars for the next 50 years. (gets up to leave)
Levi: I didn't mean to pull the trigger, man. He grabbed it and we struggled and then it just went off.
James: If I can persuade the judge to try you in Juvenile Court, I might be able to get you home. (hugs Levi)
Scene: Fallin & Associates
Nick: (to receptionist as he passes through the lobby) Conference room?
Jake: Hey. Ah, I got a date with Heather Morgan--you know the girl from the cosmetic's counter. Yeah, so, ah, the thing is, I told her I had tickets to the U2 concert on Thursday but the problem is it's completely sold out.
Nick: Barbara Ludzinsky.
Jake: What?
Nick: At Legal Services. The redhead. She won tickets.
Nick enters conference room.
Nick: Minette?
Minette: I didn't mean to just come by. I didn't even really know where you were working. I had, of all things, a meeting with a theatre company. They're doing an Ibsen piece and then I got here and I thought I just get too depressed doing Ibsen in Pittsburgh in winter. So… (laughs) Well, I think about you from time to time and I guess I was just curious to see how you were, what you looked like, and if you ever thought of me, because I think about you a little, sometimes, and some days even more than that.
Nick: (checks his watch) Where're you staying?
Minette: That hotel by Station Square.
Nick: Well, I'll pick you up at seven.
Scene: Grandma Annie's apartment
James: Grandma Annie.
Annie: Hey, Baby.
James: (to the two little boys playing on the floor) Hey, Tyler. Hey, Aaron. Ah… (kisses Annie) I been meaning to come by.
Annie: I know you got me in your heart. I know that.
James: Levi says that Angie called you about getting beat up. Is that true?
Annie: She calls sometime. She always call back and tell us not to worry.
James: Did Levi spend a lot of time with Trey?
Annie: Some.
James: Did he get along with him?
Annie: No.
James: 'Cause if he had any other type of relationship with him, you know…
Annie: What are you saying, Baby?
James: If Trey sold drugs. If Levi ever helped him with anything like…
Annie: No, Baby, no. Now I would have known. I told him, just be truthful with me. I told him Grandma Annie don't judge.
James: Let me try and get his case moved to Juvenile Court. Try and get him Home Detention. You think you can handle looking after him?
Annie: (Chuckles) I looked after you. (phone rings) Would ya get that for me?
James: Hello. All right. Yeah.
Annie: What is it, Baby?
James: That was Angie. Trey died.
Scene: Legal Services of Pittsburgh, meeting room
Maria: If Dan lives with that woman, he will never go to college and I didn't move in here so he can work on a factory line. (Nick checks his watch.) I want my son to better than I have.
Nick: Right. Mrs… ah… Braczyk?
Maria: Uh huh.
Nick: Social Services has approved your son's apartment. That hurts your case.
Maria: So what now?
Nick: Well, I need to know more about your son; whether he's ever been in trouble in school or with the police.
Maria: Yes. Once I had to pick him up from a police station…
Nick: Yeah?
Maria: …because of misunderstanding.
Nick: What happened?
Maria: He put the video game in his pocket and walked out. An accident.
Nick: Right.
Maria: Yeah.
Nick: Your son lives on his own, pays all his own bills. Ah… unless there's something worse, no judge is going to refuse his emancipation.
Maria: He was not dropped out of school, he was actually expelled.
Nick: Why?
Maria: He's a sweet boy but somehow he always get in… in fights. And, I think they pick on him.
Nick: Okay, well, bring the school records tomorrow. Our hearing is at 10 o'clock in Judge Sutton's courtroom and I'll meet you a quarter off. Okay. Thanks.
Scene: Courthouse corridor
Barry: My understanding is he went for the gun.
James: Barry, it was self-defense.
Barry: Look, I can't just reduce this to manslaughter 'cause the kid's your nephew. Best I can do is 2nd degree murder.
James: If you ask for manslaughter instead of murder, it gives the judge justification to move it to Juvenile Court.
Barry: Look. Burden's on your nephew to prove that he should be tried as a juvenile offender. You want to take this to a transfer hearing in front of Judge Harry, have at it.
Scene: Minette's hotel room
Nick is lying in bed, bare-chested with sheet up to his waist—arm behind his head.
Minette: So, are you actually gonna stay in Pittsburgh forever? (wearing only Nick's dark blue dress shirt)
Nick: No, I don't think so.
Minette: You're staying forever. Do you want a drink?
Nick: No.
Minette: So are you seeing anybody?
Nick: No.
Minette: Have you had a relationship since me?
Nick: No.
Minette: What happened? I thought we were doing so well together. You liked the firm in New York. We were having a lot of fun. We were looking for apartments.
Nick: My father offered me a job.
Minette: Well… they offered me that part in the play.
Nick: That's good, right?
Minette: I'm really tired of New York. I'm so tired of auditioning and the people and the bars and, you know. I really want a family one of these days. I need to find a place where I feel like I can be a part of something.
Nick: Yeah.
Minette: What I'm trying to say is, I guess, not right now but maybe in sometime, you and me, maybe we could do something like that together.
Nick looks away and barely nods his head.
Scene: Courtroom
Nick: Mrs. Braczyk. Do you believe your son is responsible enough to live on his own?
Maria: He's a very responsible boy. He should come home.
Nick: Has Dan ever been in any legal trouble?
Maria: No. Never.
Nick: You sure?
Maria: Yes, I'm sure.
Nick: What about trouble with school?
Maria: Danny's a very good boy.
Nick: (frustrated) Your Honor, I'd like to have a moment with my client.
Judge: Make it quick.
Nick: You told me he got expelled for fighting. Ms. Braczyk, wha… what about the shop-lifting?
Maria: You want me to say that?
Nick: Yes.
Maria: In front of the Judge?
Nick: Well, if you want him back.
Maria: I can't. Not in the court. Not with Danny sitting right there.
Nick: Well, you have to give me something.
Maria: He's scabbing against my Union. Does that count?
Nick: Well, you didn't tell me you were on strike.
Maria: I'm sorry. It's embarrassing.
Nick: Where?
Maria: Davey Electric.
Nick: (to the Judge) Your Honor, I've just - I've just been made aware of a previously undisclosed conflict of interest.
Judge: Mr. Fallin, I'm not going to permit you to derail this hearing half-way through just because it's not going well for you.
Nick: Your Honor. My colleague can pick up where I left off.
Judge: Let's get to it.
Scene: Another courtroom, Levi's transfer hearing
James: Your Honor, we submit that the evidence in this case establishes that my client, Levi Mooney, should be tried as a juvenile offender and not as an adult.
Barry: With respect. The defendant is not even close to meeting his burden. The facts simply do not support his self-defense arguments. Why, the defendant's own mother even testified that she did not fear for her life.
James: Trey Jones was pointing a loaded gun at my client. His life was in danger. It was self-defense.
Barry: We plan to establish that Mr. Mooney entered that home with the intent to kill Mr. Jones.
James: He was protecting himself and his mother. Now, he's a smart kid who stands an excellent chance of rehabilitation.
Barry: Your Honor, if he is convicted under the Juvenile System, Mr. Mooney can only be detained until he's 21 years old. That may not be enough time for his rehabilitation.
Judge: I have reviewed the psychiatric evaluations regarding this case and I have taken into account the impact of the crime on the victim, on the community at large and the degree of the child's culpability. This case will be tried in the Juvenile System.
Levi: That's good?
James: It's a start.
Scene: Courtroom, Dan Braczyk's case
Dan: (on the stand) I'm doing good right now. I'm making nine dollars an hour.
Lulu: You wanna tell us where that is?
Dan: Davey Electric. I'm a replacement worker.
Lulu: What happens when the strike ends?
Dan: I lose my job.
Lulu: Your Honor. Daniel Braczyk has dropped out of school. His employment situation is tenuous, at best. I think it would be a grave disservice to him and to the community to pull him out of Mrs. Braczyk's home. No further questions.
Judge: You may step down. (after brief deliberation) Mr. Braczyk is working, he's living independently and he wants to care for the mother of his child. The Court has no choice but to recognize his emancipation. Adjourned.
Outside courtroom
Nick: (on cell phone) Okay, sure. Bye. (to Maria) I'm sorry, Mrs. Braczyk. If you want to appeal the ruling, Miss Archer is a very capable lawyer.
Maria: You are a good lawyer. I want you to represent me.
Nick: Yeah. You're on strike against Davey Electric and I represent them. That's a conflict of interest.
Maria: What will happen?
Nick: I can be disbarred.
Maria: That's crazy. How come?
Nick: Well, it could appear as if I am using you to advance Mr. Davey's interests.
Maria: Well, you tell Mr. Davey that the women I work with, they still want to go back to the job.
Nick: Who doesn't want to go back?
Maria: The shop steward, named Tim Coker, riles up the young men. They think he cares about what we get, but I know; I hear things. And I know he plans to run for government position.
Nick: Call Miss Archer if you wish to pursue an appeal.
Scene: Fallin & Associates, Burton's office
Nick: I represent a woman at Legal Services.
Burton: And?
Nick: She's striking against Davey Electric.
Burton: That's a huge conflict of interest.
Nick: Yeah, I know. I handed her off the moment I found out. I talked to her… after. Now, can I talk to you about this?
Burton: If you're sure it was after.
Nick: Yes, it was after. Well, there isn't as much support for the strike as you might think.
Burton: What'd she tell you?
Nick: Coker, one of the shop stewards over there, he's promoting the strike. Now he may be planning a run for office.
Burton: Using the Union as a base for a political campaign? Labor Relations Board'll be all over that.
Nick: I know.
Scene: The Incline
Nick: Tim. (joins Coker at a table) I think we can end this thing.
Coker: I'm listening.
Nick: I think it would be very good for you if you got credit for ending the strike.
Coker: Did you bring me an offer, or didn't ya?
Nick: They're not gonna move on the money. Any higher and it would be cheaper to close down the plant.
Coker: Davey took a million dollar bonus last year.
Nick: That has nothing to do with the offer.
Coker: I think it does.
Nick: (scoffs) What are you running for? Councilman?
Coker: You outta your mind?
Nick: County Executive?
Coker: Did you come down here to blackmail me?
Nick: No. I came to find out if it was true. You recommend the contract and we don't have a problem.
Coker: You think they'll believe you instead of me?
Nick: We're gonna find out.
Scene: Grandma Annie's apartment
James: Hey, boys. The Judge transferred the case to Juvenile Court. That means we can probably get him Home Detention.
Annie: Thank you, Baby.
James: But, that means you're gonna have to come to court to testify. They're not gonna give Levi that kind of sentence unless they believe you can handle him.
Annie: I can do it.
James: Otherwise they'll just put him in a high-security juvenile shelter. It'll be no different than being in jail.
Boy: Annie. I'm cold, Annie.
Annie: Go get your coat.
Boy: I don't know where it is.
Annie: It's in your room. Go get it.
Boy: I don't know where it is.
James: I'll get it.
Annie: (angrily) Let the boy get his own jacket.
James: Grandma Annie. What's going on? Your place is coming apart. This isn't like you.
Annie: Grandma Annie hasn't been doing so good, Baby.
James: Can you get out of that chair, Annie?
Annie: It's very, very hard.
James: How long have you been like this?
Annie: I don't know, Baby.
James: And the kids?
Annie: I didn't want to go to the doctor. If they find me too sick or tell somebody, they'll take the kids away.
James: (dials the phone) Send an ambulance to 121 Hill Street. My grandmother can't get up.
Scene: Legal Services of Pittsburgh
Jake is standing in the middle of the Legal Services office, looking lost.
Barbara: Ah… Jake?
Jake: Barbara?
Barbara: Yeah. What brings you over here?
Jake: Hey, well… Nick's been telling me about the place…
Nick: (Walking by) Oh, Jake came over 'cause I told him about the U2 tickets you won.
Barbara: Oh. You wanna go with me?
Jake: Actually I need two tickets.
Barbara: Well, I really wanna to go.
Jake: I'll give you 250 bucks for them.
Barbara: No. (laughing)
Jake: 300?
Barbara: No! (still laughing)
Nick: (walks up beside Barbara) He promised a girl he met at a cosmetic's counter that he'd take her.
Barbara: You promised her?
Jake: Sorta.
Nick: Well, that's what you told me.
Barbara: And you don't know if she likes you or she wants to go to the concert and you have the tickets and you're willing to take the risk.
Jake: Please?
Barbara: Sorry.
Jake: Right. Okay. I tried.
Jake turns to walk away, while Nick keeps trying to catch Barbara's attention about a file.
Barbara: Jake. Blow her off. She's not worth your time. You and I can go. As friends. We'll have fun.
Jake: Okay. (extends his hand to shake on the deal)
Barbara: Great. Okay.
Lulu: (walks up to the group) Hey, just who I wanted to see.
Nick: (looks up) Yeah?
Lulu: Brian wants to go to the symphony tonight and I want to go dancing afterwards but I don't know where to take him.
Nick: Well, I… ah… (shakes head)
Barbara: Hey, why don't we all get together after the concert and have drinks.
Nick: No, I… (clearly uncomfortable with the suggestion)
Barbara: What's wrong with you? It'll be fun.
Lulu: Yeah. Let's meet at The Incline at 10:30.
Barbara: Okay.
Nick: Fine.
Lulu: Okay. (walks away)
Barbara: Cool.
Scene: James' sister Angie's apartment
Angie is seated on the sofa with a drink.
James: (enters the apartment with his own key) She had a stroke in the last three months; paralyzed her left leg and her arm. And she has diabetes, too.
Angie: What's going to happen to her?
James: The doctor says we should put her in a nursing home. Dammit, Angie! Why didn't you check on her more often?
Angie: Why didn't you?
James: She wasn't raising my child.
Angie: I didn't have time either.
James: What were you doing? You don't have a job.
Angie: I've had a hard time of it. I didn't get no breaks like you did.
James: You don't wanna take Levi; he's going into a shelter.
Angie: I can't handle that boy.
James: Now you can't? Or you don't want to?
Angie: (raises her voice) I've never been a good mother.
James: (pointing finger at Angie) You're gonna get a job. And, I'm gonna help you take care of him.
Angie: So, when were you gon' do that?
James: I'll make it a priority.
Angie: You ever think maybe I don't want him back. Huh? (standing in James' face) After what he did, you ever think to ask me that?
James turns and leaves, disgusted.
Scene: Outside Davey Electric, union picket line
Mob: (chanting) No contract--no work, no contract--no work.
Nick and Burton arrive and enter the building.
Maria: Danny. (holding onto Danny's arm)
Danny: Mom. Let me go.
Maria: Danny, it's wrong. It's wrong to cross the picket line.
Danny: Mom, don't.
Maria: Then I'm going with you. (follows Danny into the crowd) Danny, it's wrong, you hear me?
Nick emerges from the building.
Man in the Crowd: You're not taking my job. (grabs Danny and throws him on the ground and begins to kick him)
Maria: What are you doing? That's my son.
Nick runs to break up the fight.
Maria: (trying to pull the man off her son) No. Please. Don't hurt him. Bastard.
Nick grabs and pushes the man back and steadies the crowd.
Nick: Let it go. Just let it go.
Maria: Danny. Are you all right? (helps Danny to his feet—he has a bloody nose) (inaudible) I told you, you cannot do this. (removes tissue from her pocket and wipes Danny's nose)
Danny: Mom. Mom. Just let me go. (Danny walks away)
Maria: (turns to Nick) Thank you, Mr. Fallin. (they walk away from the crowd) Now tell me something. Is it true that you wanna break the Union?
Nick: No.
Maria: Well, that's what they told us.
Nick: No. We're trying to broker a deal that is fair for everyone.
Coker: Fair? What, like you guys get everything and leave us with squat?
Nick turns to face Coker in the crowd.
Nick: What do you care, Coker? You're outta here whether we do a deal or not.
Coker: What the hell are you talking about?
Nick: I'm talking about the 500 signatures you handed into the county election's board. (turns to walk into the building)
Coker: You'll say anything to line your own pockets, Fallin. If you did a real man's job, you wouldn't turn your back on me.
At the door to the building, Nick turns to look defiantly at Coker and the crowd.
Coker: (turns to the crowd) Never mind, guys. Come on. Let's break this up. He's a suit. What'd you expect?
Scene: Annie's hospital room
Annie: Hey, baby.
James: Hey, Annie. Found a place for you over at St. Agatha's. It's decent. The State covers most of the bill.
Annie: What about the little ones?
James: No matter what, I'm gonna find them good homes.
Annie: You got to promise me you'll keep them together.
James: All right, Annie.
Annie: You look after Levi yourself.
James: Annie…
Annie: Hey, Angela's not fit. I should know. I raised ya both. Levi needs a strong hand. And you need family in yo' life, James. I did good by you. You go ahead and do good by Levi.
Scene: The Incline
Brian, Lulu, Minette and Nick are seated at a table.
Brian: Louisa and I met at a college mixer. It was the last week of spring term and I was leaving for med-school in ten days, right. So, I'm thinking to myself 'Way to go Brian. You meet the girl of your dreams and now you have to leave for Columbus, of all places.' But it ended up great. Louisa came to Pittsburgh. It's a three-hour drive so, whenever I get a break, we see each other. What about you two?
Nick: What about us?
Brian: How long have you been together?
Nick: We broke up five years ago.
Brian: Oh.
Minette: We were together when Nick lived in New York. And then he left and I didn't come with him.
Lulu: I didn't know that you lived in New York, Nick.
Minette: He practiced at Swann & Cranston.
Lulu: Wow. That's a huge firm.
Nick is embarrassed—runs his hand down the back of his hair.
Nick: How was the symphony?
Brian: Mahler's 6th, two new experimental short pieces and the Toccata in Fugue in D Minor.
Minette: Bach. Sounds terrific. How was the experimental stuff?
Brian: Ah, fair. A-tonal.
Nick: I thought you hated classical music? (to Lulu)
Lulu: Well, Brian likes it so…
Nick: Brian. You interested in the law?
Brian: I leave that stuff to Lulu. She's always been into saving the world. I just stick to science.
Nick: You ever seen her in court?
Brian: No.
Nick: You should. See her.
Brian: I've been busy. (looks at Lulu) Sorry, honey.
Nick: She's very passionate… in court.
Brian: She's a passionate girl.
Nick: Lulu. You gonna continue to practice once ah… Brian's done with his…
Brian: … residency.
Nick: … residency?
Lulu: Of course.
Brian: Part-time.
Lulu: No. Not part-time. (looks at Brian)
Brian: Well, you say that now.
Minette: You know, I've always liked Mahler.
Nick: I hate classical music.
Brian: Actually, I wanted to go for the new stuff. (to Minette) What do you do in New York?
Minette: I'm an actress.
Brian: Ah. I wanted to go in the Arts but my father told me to think about what I was about to do before I went and screwed up my life. (Minette laughs lamely.)
Nick: (to Lulu) You know you should think about what you're about to do before you screw up your life.
Brian: An actress. Been in anything I've...?
Lulu: (to Nick) What are you talking about? What did you say about me screwing up my life?
Nick: Come on. I can see where this is going, Lulu. I mean, you marry a doctor, you stop working, you have a bunch of kids, you move to the suburbs. Next thing you know you turn into one of these resigned people that forgot they ever had the fire in their stomach in the first…
Lulu: What the hell are you talking about?
Nick: You. I'm just talking about you.
Lulu: You don't know anything about me.
Nick: Well, I think I do.
Brian: Nick! We're just trying to have a good time here. It's… it's our night out.
Nick: Brian… (decides against saying what he had planned) You're right. I'm sorry. (folds his arms across his chest) Sorry.
Brian: I can't wait to get out of Columbus and get back to New York. And, I'm trying to persuade Lulu to move with me.
Nick: Well, I'm sure she'll go with you, Brian. I mean, she's just acting like she wants to stick around here and do her work… Really, she's just waiting for you to finish up so she can move to Westchester and get that little office and work part-time.
Brian: Lulu. Maybe we should just go.
Lulu: Yes, I think we should just go.
Brian and Lulu exit The Incline as Barbara and Jake enter.
Barbara: (to Jake) It was really good. (to Lulu) Hey, Lulu. (Walks to the table to join Nick and Minette.) What happened?
Minette: Nick got into an argument with that girl.
Barbara: I'm Barbara and this is Jake. (shakes hands with Minette)
Nick: Oh, sorry.
Minette: Minette. Hi. (shakes hands with Jake).
Jake: Jake. Hey.
Barbara: Well… we had fun. (laughs)
Jake: (laughing hilariously) We really did. We had a great time.
Nick: Good for you. Let's go. (stands and motions to Minnette)
Minette: Bye.
They leave.
Jake: Did we say something… ?
Barbara: No… (continues to laugh)
Scene: Minette's hotel room
Minette: Hey, should I just check outta here and come over to your place?
Nick: Sure.
Minette: Okay.
Nick: No. No.
Minette: What?
Nick: I don't know. I… I don't know.
Minette: Nick?
Nick: Minette, this is just not going to work out.
Minette: It's that girl.
Nick: No, it's… yeah.
Minette: Yeah, she likes you, too.
Nick: Yeah, well, I…
Minette: It kinda ruins the fun for everybody else, seeing the two of you together.
Nick: What do you mean?
Minette: Oh, you know, you're just living your life and everything's just going fine and, then you meet someone. You can't stand the way you feel around them. It's just… you're over-whelmed. And, you hate yourself for being less than what you think they are to you.
Nick: Yeah. I know.
Minette: Yeah. Well, that's how I've always felt around you, Nick. (Kisses him sweetly on the corner of the mouth.) This wasn't fair. I just… I know. Just thought I'd give it a shot. See where you were. But you should go. I should go tomorrow. We should just go.
Nick nods.
Scene: Courthouse corridor
Alvin: (approaches James, sitting dejectedly on a bench) Hey. What's wrong?
James: Alvin. If you were advocating for my nephew, would you tell him to take this placement?
Alvin: Yes. I would.
James: Levi can be a handful. I hardly even know him, and I'm ready to make him a big part of my life.
Alvin: Well, you don't have to do this.
James: Sure I do.
Scene: Courtroom, Levi's guardian hearing
Judge: You believe you are a suitable guardian?
James: I'm his uncle and I'm a responsible member of society and I can handle him. I still hope his mother wants to change her mind and take care of him but until that happens…
Judge: And if that doesn't happen?
James: Then I'll stick by him until he's ready.
Judge: If he's placed into locked-detention in his delinquency hearing?
James: Then I'll still be proud to be his guardian. And I'll work hard on his behalf to get him home as soon as possible.
Judge: I'll grant you custody of your nephew, Levi.
Scene: Fallin & Associates, Burton's office
Nick is working at the conference table in Burton's office.
Burton: The vote's happening in two hours. Davey wants us to be there.
Scene: Davey Electric
Nick and Burton drive up. Union crowd is gathered outside of the building, queuing to vote.
Maria: (calls from the queue) Mr. Fallin, hi.
Nick: (to Burton) I'll catch up. (walks over to Maria)
Maria: Hi. The owners. You think they're good people?
Nick: Well, yeah. They're like any other people. They're in a tough situation, at the moment. Just trying to work it out.
Coker: (calling to Maria) Lady. Hey. Lady.
Nick turns, bumps into Coker and walks off.
Maria: Do you know my name?
Coker: Sure. You work here in wiring and electric, right?
Maria: Yeah? My name is Maria Braczyk and I work in shipping. And I'm a single mother who had worked here longer than you, Mr. Coker.
Coker: Listen, Maria. You know, they pay guys like him to say whatever they think it's gonna take to end the strike. They're not looking out for your interest.
Maria: You know I have a car and an apartment and last year for vacation I went to North Carolina. For a woman like me, this is a great job. For you, I don't know. You're young. You like to fight. And you know what; you want to risk everything we have. Why?
Coker: They're using you.
Maria: Uh huh. Davey Electric gave me this job. And I cannot think they're bad people. Excuse me.
Scene: The jail
Levi: So what happened?
James: Struck a deal with the D.A. Eighteen months' home-detention and probation.
Levi: So what does that mean?
James: It means I'm gonna be in your life from now on. You live in my home by my rules and if you don't stay right by me then you go directly to jail. I'm going be on you back watching you. That means that you go to school every day. I find out you skipped, and I'm gonna personally whup yo' ass. That means you stay away from drugs and anybody who uses them. I find you been using… and you will be very, very sorry. You get violent, you go to jail. You cheat, you steal, you lie; you even think about any o' those things… first you answer to me, then you answer to the courts. (James hugs Levi)
Scene: Davey Electric, Mr. Davey's office
Davey: I was the one who brought in health insurance before the Union came. I put in wheelchair ramps. I kick in for tuition for anybody who wants to take classes at Pitt, 'cause I wish we had those kinds of things when I was on the line.
Burton: Well, you did it because it was the right thing to do, Gary.
Davey: Once in awhile it'd be nice if someone didn't throw it right in your face.
Nick: (answers phone) Yeah.
Burton: Well, they're gonna keep throwing it in your face, but it was the right thing to do.
Nick: All right, thank you. (hangs up the phone) They approved the contract.
Davey: What was the vote?
Nick: 215 for; 201 against.
Burton: Well, that's pretty good news. So what're you gonna do? Go out and celebrate?
Davey: I'm going back to work.
Burton: Good man, Gary. That's great. Really great.
Davey: Thanks
Scene: Legal Services of Pittsburgh, next day
Nick gets off the elevator and encounters Maria.
Maria: Hi.
Nick: Hi.
Maria: My son. He came home.
Nick: Oh, Good. Good.
Maria: And the girl says he's not the father of her baby. I made you some Kolaczki cake. They're on your desk.
Nick: Oh, you didn't have to do…
Maria: No. No. It's okay. It's okay. For a friend, it's okay. Bye, Mr. Fallin.
Nick: Bye. (shakes Maria's hand)
Maria: Thank you.
Nick: It's okay, thanks.
Nick takes the flowers he had brought earlier in the week from the vase and shakes the water off of them—he then knocks on Lulu's door.
Lulu: It's open.
Nick enters with the flowers.
Nick: Um… I got these for you on Monday 'cause I had in my mind that maybe we could… spend some time together, which seemed like a good idea the night before when I couldn't sleep and… I was thinking of you and… I got up and I went and bought them and I felt like an ass and I got mad but… Listen, Brian seems like a very normal, decent guy and you're probably very happy with him and… I know, they're kinda dead but they weren't when I bought them. I mean… what I mean, is… I want you to have them and I'm sorry that I acted like an idiot.
Lulu: Brian asked me.
Nick: What?
Lulu: To marry him.
Nick: (puts on a smile) Okay. That's great. That's great. Well congratulations. That's great.
Nick leaves Lulu's office and tosses the flowers into the trash can outside the door—waits dejectedly for the elevator.
END OF EPISODE
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