THE CHARACTERS

Williamson, Baylen, Roma, Lingk: men in their early forties.
Levene, Moss, Aaronow: men in their fifties.

A booth at a Chinese restaurant, Williamson and Levene are seated at the booth.

Levene: John … John … John. Okay. John. John. Look: (Pause.) The Glengarry Highland’s leads, you’re sending Roma out. Fine. He’s a good man. We know what he is. He’s fine. All I’m saying, you look at the board, he’s throwing … wait, wait, wait, he’s throwing them away,he’s throwing the leads away. All that I’m saying, that you’re wasting leads. I don’t want to tell you your job. All that I’m saying, things get set, I know they do, you get a certain mindset.… A guy gets a reputation. We know how this … all I’m saying, put a closer on the job. There’s more than one man for the … Put a … wait a second, put a proven man out … and you watch, now wait a second—and you watch your dollar volumes.… You start closing them for fifty ’stead of twenty-five … you put a closer on the …

Williamson: Shelly, you blew the last …

Levene: No. John. No. Let’s wait, let’s back up here, I did … will you please? Wait a second. Please. I didn’t “blow” them. No. I didn’t “blow” them. No. One kicked out, one I closed …

Williamson: … you didn’t close …

Levene: … I, if you’d listen to me. Please. I closed the cocksucker. His ex, John, his ex, I didn’t know he was married … he, the judge invalidated the …

Williamson: Shelly …

Levene: … and what is that, John? What? Bad luck. That’s all it is. I pray in your life you will never find it runs in streaks. That’s what it does, that’s all it’s doing. Streaks. I pray it misses you. That’s all I want to say.

Williamson (Pause): What about the other two?

Levene: What two?

Williamson: Four. You had four leads. One kicked out, one the judge, you say …

Levene: … you want to see the court records? John? Eh? You want to go down …

Williamson:. … no …

Levene: … do you want to go downtown …?

Williamson: … no …

Levene: … then …

Williamson: … I only …

Levene: … then what is this “you say” shit, what is that? (Pause.) What is that …?

Williamson: All that I’m saying …

Levene: What is this “you say”? A deal kicks out … I got to eat. Shit, Williamson, shit. You … Moss … Roma … look at the sheets … look at the sheets. Nineteen eighty, eighty-one … eighty-two … six months of eighty-two … who’s there? Who’s up there?

Williamson: Roma.

Levene: Under him?

Williamson: Moss.

Levene: Bullshit. John. Bullshit. April, September 1981. It’s me. It isn’t fucking Moss. Due respect, he’s an order taker, John. He talks, he talks a good game, look at the board, and it’s me, John, it’s me …

Williamson: Not lately it isn’t.

Levene: Lately kiss my ass lately. That isn’t how you build an org … talk, talk to Murray. Talk to Mitch. When we were on Peterson, who paid for his fucking car? You talk to him. The Seville …? He came in, “You bought that for me Shelly.” Out of what? Cold calling. Nothing. Sixty-five, when we were there, with Glen Ross Farms? You call ’em downtown. What was that? Luck? That was “luck”? Bullshit, John. You’re burning my ass, I can’t get a fucking lead … you think that was luck. My stats for those years? Bullshit … over that period of time …? Bullshit. It wasn’t luck. It was skill. You want to throw that away, John …? You want to throw that away?

Williamson: It isn’t me …

Levene: … it isn’t you …? Who is it? Who is this I’m talking to? I need the leads …

Williamson: … after the thirtieth …

Levene: Bullshit the thirtieth, I don’t get on the board the thirtieth, they’re going to can my ass. I need the leads. I need them now. Or I’m gone, and you’re going to miss me, John, I swear to you.

Williamson: Murray …

Levene: … you talk to Murray …

Williamson: I have. And my job is to marshal those leads …

Levene: Marshal the leads … marshal the leads? What the fuck, what bus did you get off of, we’re here to fucking sell. Fuck marshaling the leads. What the fuck talk is that? What the fuck talk is that? Where did you learn that? In school? (Pause.) That’s “talk,” my friend, that’s “talk.” Our job is to sell. I’m the man to sell. I’m getting garbage. (Pause.) You’re giving it to me, and what I’m saying is it’s fucked.

Williamson: You’re saying that I’m fucked.

Levene: Yes. (Pause.) I am. I’m sorry to antagonize you.

Williamson: Let me …

Levene: … and I’m going to get bounced and you’re …

Williamson: … let me … are you listening to me …?

Levene: Yes.

Williamson: Let me tell you something, Shelly. I do what I’m hired to do. I’m … wait a second. I’m hired to watch the leads. I’m given … hold on, I’m given a policy. My job is to do that. What I’m told. That’s it. You, wait a second, anybody falls below a certain mark I’m not permitted to give them the premium leads.

Levene: Then how do they come up above that mark? With dreck …? That’s nonsense. Explain
this to me. ’Cause it’s a waste, and it’s a stupid waste. I want to tell you something …

Williamson: You know what those leads cost?

Levene: The premium leads. Yes. I know what they cost. John. Because I, I generated the dollar revenue sufficient to buy them. Nineteen senny-nine, you know what I made? Senny-nine? Ninety-six thousand dollars. John? For Murray … For Mitch … look at the sheets …

Williamson: Murray said …

Levene: Fuck him. Fuck Murray. John? You know? You tell him I said so. What does he fucking know? He’s going to have a “sales” contest … you know what our sales contest used to be? Money. A fortune. Money lying on the ground. Murray? When was the last time he went out on a sit? Sales contest? It’s laughable. It’s cold out there now, John. It’s tight. Money is tight. This ain’t sixty-five. It ain’t. It just ain’t. See? See? Now, I’m a good man—but I need a …

Williamson: Murray said …

Levene: John. John …

Williamson: Will you please wait a second. Shelly. Please. Murray told me: the hot leads …

Levene: … ah, fuck this …

Williamson: The … Shelly? (Pause.) The hot leads are assigned according to the board. During the contest. Period. Anyone who beats fifty per…

Levene: That’s fucked. That’s fucked. You don’t look at the fucking percentage. You look at the gross.

Williamson: Either way. You’re out.

Levene: I’m out.

Williamson: Yes.

Levene: I’ll tell you why I’m out. I’m out, you’re giving me toilet paper. John. I’ve seen those leads, I saw them when I was at Homestead, we pitched those cocksuckers Rio Rancho nineteen sixty-nine they wouldn’t buy. They couldn’t buy a fucking toaster. They’re broke, John. They’re cold. They’re deadbeats, you can’t judge on that. Even so. Even so. Alright. Fine. Fine. Even so. I go in, FOUR FUCKING LEADS they got their money in a sock. They’re fucking Polacks, John. Four leads. I close two. Two. Fifty per …

Williamson: … they kicked out.

Levene: They all kick out. You run in streaks, pal. Streaks. I’m … I’m … don’t look at the board, look at me. Shelly Levene. Anyone. Ask them on Western. Ask Getz at Homestead. Go ask Jerry Graff. You know who I am … I NEED A SHOT. I got to get on the fucking board. Ask them. Ask them. Ask them who ever picked up a check I was flush. Moss, Jerry Graff, Mitch himself … Those guys lived on the business I brought in. They lived on it … and so did Murray, John. You were here you’d of benefited from it too. And now I’m saying this. Do I want charity? Do I want pity? I want sits. I want leads don’t come right out of a phone book. Give me a lead hotter than that, I’ll go in and close it. Give me a chance. That’s all I want. I’m going to get up on that fucking board and all I want is a chance. It’s a streak and I’m going to turn it around. (Pause.) I need your help. (Pause.)

Williamson: I can’t do it, Shelly. (Pause.)

Levene: Why?

Williamson: The leads are assigned randomly …

Levene: Bullshit, bullshit, you assign them … What are you telling me?

Williamson: … apart from the top men on the contest board.

Levene: Then put me on the board.

Williamson: You start closing again, you’ll be on the board.

Levene: I can’t close these leads, John. No one can. It’s a joke. John, look, just give me a hot lead. Just give me two of the premium leads. As a “test,” alright? As a “test” and I promise you …

Williamson: I can’t do it, Shel. (Pause.)

Levene: I’ll give you ten percent. (Pause.)

Williamson: Of what?

Levene: Of my end what I close.

Williamson: And what if you don’t close.

Levene: I will close.

Williamson: What if you don’t close …?

Levene: I will close.

Williamson: What if you don’t? Then I’m fucked. You see …? Then it’s my job. That’s what I’m telling you.

Levene: I will close. John, John, ten percent. I can get hot. You know that …

Williamson: Not lately you can’t …

Levene: Fuck that. That’s defeatist. Fuck that. Fuck it … Get on my side. Go with me. Let’s do something. You want to run this office, run it.

Williamson: Twenty percent. (Pause.)

Levene: Alright.

Williamson: And fifty bucks a lead.

Levene: John. (Pause.) Listen. I want to talk to you. Permit me to do this a second. I’m older than you. A man acquires a reputation. On the street. What he does when he’s up, what he does otherwise.… I said “ten,” you said “no.” You said “twenty.” I said “fine,” I’m not going to fuck with you, how can I beat that, you tell me? … Okay. Okay. We’ll … Okay. Fine. We’ll … Alright, twenty percent, and fifty bucks a lead. That’s fine. For now. That’s fine. A month or two we’ll talk. A month from now. Next month. After the thirtieth. (Pause.) We’ll talk.

Williamson: What are we going to say?

Levene: No. You’re right. That’s for later. We’ll talk in a month. What have you got? I want two sits. Tonight.

Williamson: I’m not sure I have two.

Levene: I saw the board. You’ve got four. .

Williamson (Snaps): I’ve got Roma. Then I’ve got Moss …

Levene: Bullshit. They ain’t been in the office yet. Give ’em some stiff. We have a deal or not? Eh? Two sits. The Des Plaines. Both of ’em, six and ten, you can do it … six and ten … eight and eleven, I don’t give a shit, you set ’em up? Alright? The two sits in Des Plaines.

Williamson: Alright.

Levene: Good. Now we’re talking. (Pause.)

Williamson: A hundred bucks. (Pause.)

Levene: Now? (Pause.) Now?

Williamson: Now. (Pause.) Yes … When?

Levene: Ah, shit, John. (Pause.)

Williamson: I wish I could.

Levene: You fucking asshole. (Pause.) I haven’t got it. (Pause.) I haven’t got it, John. (Pause.) I’ll pay you tomorrow. (Pause.) I’m coming in here with the sales, I’ll pay you tomorrow. (Pause.) I haven’t got it, when I pay, the gas … I get back the hotel, I’ll bring it in tomorrow.

Williamson: Can’t do it.

Levene: I’ll give you thirty on them now, I’ll bring the rest tomorrow. I’ve got it at the hotel. (Pause.) John? (Pause.) We do that, for chrissake?

Williamson: No.

Levene: I’m asking you. As a favor to me? (Pause.) John. (Long pause.) John: my daughter …

Williamson: I can’t do it,Shelly.

Levene: Well, I want to tell you something, fella, wasn’t long I could pick up the phone, call Murray and I’d have your job. You know that? Not too long ago. For what? For nothing. “Mur, this new kid burns my ass.” “Shelly, he’s out.” You’re gone before I’m back from lunch. I bought him a trip to Bermuda once …

Williamson: I have to go … (Gets up.)

Levene: Wait. Airight. Fine. (Starts going in pocket for money.) The one. Give me the lead. Give me the one lead. The best one you have.

Williamson: I can’t split them. (Pause.)

Levene: Why?

Williamson: Because I say so.

Levene (Pause): Is that it?Is that it? You want to do business that way …?

Williamson gets up, leaves money on the table.

Levene: You want to do business that way …? Alright. Alright. Airight. Alright. What is there on the other list …?

Williamson: You want something off the B list?

Levene: Yeah. Yeah.

Williamson: Is that what you’re saying?

Levene: That’s what I’m saying. Yeah. (Pause.) I’d like something off the other list. Which, very least, that I’m entitled to. If I’m still working here, which for the moment I guess that I am. (Pause.) What? I’m sorry I spoke harshly to you.

Williamson: That’s alright.

Levene: The deal still stands, our other thing.

Williamson shrugs. Starts out of the booth.

Levene: Good. Mmm. I, you know, I left my wallet back at the hotel.