Street Smart

OK. Cut it. Just a couple more.

Five minutes, OK?

What do you think about this?

You take a truck driver from Florida, right?

Some real redneck, a real sweat hog kind of guy.

He comes to New York, right?

First time in the big city.

You go to the meat market down there...

Tribeca, right?

And... it's really bizarre.

What does he do after he unloads all his stuff?

What's he do with himself?

Where does he go?

Is he looking to get laid, or what?

What's he do with his money?

And you do a New York angle on a guy from out of town.

I got another one here.

What about a piece on Lombardy on Staten Island?

You know, corruption bombs going off all around this guy.

What is he, Mr. Clean?

You know he's got his hands where they don't belong.

No, I don't think so, Jon.

OK, last one.

You remember all those construction cranes...

that kept falling down a while ago?

There were six people killed in a couple of months.

I hate cranes.

There was all this talk from City Hall...

about new inspectors, tougher standards, and...

Weren't you working on a service piece?

"Best pork sausage," wasn't it?

Yeah, that's right, Ted.

That ran three weeks ago.

I also did a little piece on frying pans...

aluminum versus cast iron, a side piece on teflon.

I am trying to write the kind of pieces that I used to.

Then write the way you used to.

Thanks a lot.

I'm not so sure about Freddy's Times Square piece.

I haven't seen a word, and he's in L.A.

What the hell's he doing in L. A?

The issue closes Monday.

Probably chasing movie deals.

We're doing this great Times Square piece...

"After the Cleanup."

If Freddy doesn't deliver...

it'll mean spiking a page and a half of ads.

I could get you an interview with a Times Square pimp.

Didn't we do that a few years back?

No, no. This is a totally different angle.

This guy is not just a flesh peddler.

What is he, a Methodist minister?

Ted.

Excuse me, Ted.

I'm talking about a guy my age who's swimming in cash.

This guy goes through ten grand a week like that.

I'm talking about a lifestyle piece...

"Lifestyle of a Pimp."

How do you know this guy?

I get around.

I'd like to do 24 hours in the life of a pimp.

You go into his house and you find out...

what he thinks, about things in general...

politics, religion, who's his broker.

I don't know... not the usual crap...

about his clothes and his girls and all that stuff.

In 2,000 words, I am going to look into this man's skull.

Do it.

Great.

But... you have it on this desk Monday morning.

I'll walk you out.

Remember...

Monday morning.

Hi.

Hey, baby, want a date?

How about that Tyson, man?

You see that boy punch?

He put the lights out on that chump so fast.

First round... Bam! Bam-bam!

Mike T! Mike T!

Would you shut the fuck up?

Find out when the dude is fighting again.

Maybe we'll go see him.

We get uptown, I want you to drop me by Louise's...

then go to the cleaners and get my black silk shirt out.

I ain't got no money.

That enough?

Two hundred? Just about.

You keep them shirts dirty, huh?

Just see that you do it.

I got it.

Slow down.

Come on, baby.

He do or he don't.

Make your move, bitch!

The chance of a lifetime.

There you go.

All right, bet.

Swing over by the Del Rio, see whose tush is snappin'.

Yo, Willie. What's happening, man?

Something's happening down there.

Man, they're crazy.

What?

They're crazy!

Shit.

Hey, Reggie!

Come on!

You want it? Are you ready?

Knock that shit off.

You can get your nub-dick money back.

Hey, come on, lighten up.

What the fuck is wrong with you?

Come on, Shorty, what's up with you, man?

What the fuck do I look like to you?

I'm some sort of jerk-off?

What are you trying to run past me?

Look, you're right, man.

This bitch is always doing shit like this.

Where did you get this bitch from?

I got her in San Juan, but I'm gonna send her back.

You're sending her back?

What do you take me for?

What are you trying to run on me here?

All right, man. Let's be cool, OK?

It's all going to be all right.

It's going to be cool.

Fuck.

This motherfucker's dead, man!

Oh, shit!

What are we going to do?

Fuck do I know?!

Throw him out the window for all I care.

How's it going?

Kind of slow out here tonight, huh?

They send you dudes out here looking all kind of ways.

There's nothing out here for you, Jack.

I'd just like to talk to you for a minute.

Listen, man, you better haul your ass on out of here...

before I cut your balls off and shove 'em up your ass.

All right.

It's OK. It's cool.

Want a date?

Tell me what, I got it for you.

It's cool. I go any which way.

You like it hard and dark?

I don't think so.

Want to go out?

What's the deal?

Sixty.

Are you going to tell me your name now?

Where do you come from?

Where did you grow up?

You know, when guys ask questions...

they're either scared or they're cops.

You're not a cop.

I'm not scared, either.

Actually, I write for a magazine.

Oh, yeah? I don't read magazines too much.

No, really, I do. I'm a reporter.

Excuse me. You guys have a light?

Thanks.

Listen, tell me something.

You work for anybody in particular?

Aw, come on. You don't have a man?

You got to have somebody who runs protection for you...

lines up the hotel, buys you clothes, right?

No pimp. Just me.

I don't believe you.

I don't give a shit.

Why is it I can't get anybody to talk to me out here?

I got to go.

So, this is it?

You want a tip?

For sixty bucks, you could get a really good time.

I'm sure.

Next time, you ask for Punchy.

It's going great.

I've talked to a few of them.

I haven't narrowed it down to the perfect guy yet...

but I think I'm closing in on him.

Right on schedule.

In fact, maybe I'm a little ahead of schedule.

I'll call you back tomorrow, tell you more.

Right. Bye, Ben.

This is gonna be a great story.

It's nowhere.

I don't have one usable piece of information.

I just heard you on the phone with Ben. You said...

What am I gonna tell him, I can't do it?

If I had enough time, I know I could get this story.

What have you got so far?

So far, zip.

I can't get anybody out there to talk to me.

Come on, you're a smart guy.

It can't be that difficult.

Why don't you come out with me tonight?

You'll see what I'm talking about.

It might be very interesting.

It'll be nice to have somebody to talk to.

May I have a scotch on the rocks, please?