The Deuce

Hey, listen, I'm gonna get some breakfast.

You wanna come?

Frank!

We don't have the cash to cover my brother's debt right now.

Rudy Pipilo is gonna be the bank.

The bank will take a five percent fee

out of every check.

Guy opens his envelope on Friday, he'll find cash.

Mr. Dwyer?

Blocks 4-2, west of Eighth...

are now no-go zones for purposes of arrests.

Harvest your arrests elsewhere.

How do these blocks rate a no-go zone?

I mean, down here's mostly low rent.

I think I might be doing somethin' else.

- What? - The movie business.

Well, how'd you get interested in that?

Gotta get interested in somethin'.

Fuck, it's never gonna stop.

I should build a boat.

For animals, you know.

Yeah, no fucking street trade tonight.

Guess I'm gonna go to the movies.

C.C. doesn't like me working the theater.

He says it's beneath me.

Yeah?

You don't mind?

On my back, on my knees...

all the same to me.

See you around.

Then the girl said,

"I don't think it's funny."

And with that, she reached over

and started to caress my breast.

It was a funny feeling.

I never had anybody touch me like that before.

She ran her hands around down between my legs...

and over my thighs, across my stomach.

I could feel the heat of her hands through my panties...

You like movies?

Oh, it was very, very exciting.

Then one of the other girls reached out behind me

- and took off my bra. - I love movies.

And when she did...

Ah!

Fuck! You...

Balcony's closed. Downstairs only.

You like movies?

That's it.

Our flat fee and cut of the machines.

We straight?

We're golden with this guy every time.

You know, you are beginning to fucking worry me, Vincent.

I never knew a barman who didn't take

a little something and put it in his pocket.

On principle.

That ain't me.

Relax. I'm pulling your chain.

Meeting you is like finding a broad with big tits

and an ass you can set your drink on.

The perfect woman.

You falling in love with me, Rudy?

Mm, in a way.

Vincent, I got something big on my mind,

and I'm beginning to think that you're the man for it.

Why me?

You're honest.

You got a top-notch work ethic. I seen your clientele.

You're good with all kinds of people...

losers, businessmen, normal people,

abnormal people, you name it.

All right, I get it. I'm a regular Dale Carnegie.

But the fuck is it, this thing that's big?

Fuck is it, he says.

When the time comes, I'll let you know.

All I can say is it's gonna be good.

And you're gonna make real money.

Not walking-around money. The kind you can bank.

All right.

Sounds interesting, but, uh,

I gotta get back to work.

Go ahead.

Hey, try to relax.

Sorry.

Doing my best here.

We're just two guys having dinner.

Besides, it's New York.

Nobody cares.

And it's not like your dad is gonna fly in from Sioux City

and walk through that door, right?

I'm not worried about my father.

I have colleagues, people I've met through the firm.

Eat up.

So...

I think I'm gonna go out dancing on Friday.

There's a new place in the Village that I wanna check out.

You gonna join me?

I'm working on briefs for this big corporate case

that we're litigating.

Sounds like a blast.

Come with me.

I can't.

Fran, do something about those animals.

Out!

Go outside! Bother the neighbors...

And lock the door so they can't get back in.

Come on.

I'm going fucking crazy sitting around here.

It ain't natural for a man to be out of work.

What's the doctor say?

Says I can't go back yet.

Says I gotta change my lifestyle,

whatever that means.

The fuck does he know?

Yeah.

Look who stopped by.

I was in the neighborhood.

What a coincidence.

I'd get up, but I'm recuperating.

I made this for you.

I heard it's dietetic... or something.

Looks delicious.

Uh, look, I gotta go.

I'll see you, Bobby.

Nice to see you, Andrea.

No, no, the post is base!

No! You can't change the rules, asshole!

The tree is base!

Vince!

That was real considerate, bringing the mold and all.

How you been?

Good.

I hear your bar's doing real good.

Maybe I'll drop by sometime, see it for myself?

You're welcome anytime, sweetheart.

First drink's on the house.

First drink? That's all?

First, second.

Like I said, I better get going, okay?

The kids miss you.

Yeah, I miss them, too.

Just tell them I'll be around soon.

I'll take 'em to Karl Droge's for some ice cream.

Here.

Just get 'em something.

I miss you.

You just think that you miss me.

No.

No, I do.

It's swimming weather now.

We could load up the Mercury,

put the kids in the back,

go down to Coney.

A family day at the beach like we used to.

I sleep during the day.

Oh, in a coffin?

That's cute.

Vince...

Andrea, you're forgetting what it was like when I was at home.

Shit, how about the night you lit my clothes on fire, for Christ's sake?

Yeah, 'cause you came home stumbling into our bedroom

at 3:00 in the morning smelling like the Fulton Fish Market.

I'm just a man, no better than any other.

The fire thing, that was an accident.

Yeah.

The first time, maybe.

You have a budding Junior Wells at home?

"Hoodoo Man Blues"?

- Is that a present or...? - No.

I don't know, I just thought I'd give it a try.

I'm buying this for my son.

He lives with his mom.

I'm Jack, by the way.

Eileen.

Thanks for the music tip.

Is that a "thanks, buzz off"?

Listen, I've never done this before.

Really? Pretty confident for a rookie.

"Gather ye rosebuds."

What do you want?

Your phone number.

To start.

You can't be serious.

The guy manages to not piss his own shoes,

and you're gonna make him a collar?

That's just so fucking unsporting.

No, fuck him.

But that skinny mutt down the street

just tossed something when I hit the cherry top.

You make a show of that rummy.

I'm gonna double back.

Hey! Fella!

Hey!

Yeah, you!

I gotta ask, why the phone booth?

Why not the wall? The street? The Dumpster?

Why the fuck you gotta pick

the worst possible place out here?

People gotta stand in here. They need to make a phone call.

Now they gotta splash around in your piss puddle.