Dead Man's Wire

- I was walking under the overpass

as primly dressed secretaries and weary window washers

march onwards and upwards to start their days.

The cold winter wind whipped in my face,

and a card caught my eye.

I flipped it over to find joker.

Joker, joker.

- - Go, go, go, go!

- All things in life are rarely here to stay.

The good and the bad.

So worry not, me.

I smile at the cards I'm dealt.

Just like the snow, it shall melt.

What are you hearing, Indianapolis?

It is Tuesday, February 8th.

The time is 8:45 and 55 seconds.

I'm DJ Fred Temple.

And this is Deodato.

Fucking...

: Ah, fucking thing.

Hello, sir.

Where's Barb?

Barb usually sits this desk. Are you new?

- I am new, thank you for asking.

I'm Doreen.

And you are?

- Um, I'm Tony. I have a meeting with Meridian Mortgage.

- : Great! - M.L. Hall.

- M.L. Hall. Oh, Tony...

- Tony Kiritsis. - Kiritsis... Kiritsis.

- Yeah. - Kiritsis, okay.

Oh, Mr. Hall will be with you in just a moment.

Feel free to wait on the couches over there.

Right over there.

Okay.

: Uh-huh.

Uh-huh. Yeah, yeah, he's here.

Uh-huh...

Mr. Kiritsis?

I'm so sorry.

It seems there was a bit of a scheduling kerfuffle.

M.L.'s actually in Florida right now.

Your burrito, Mr. Hall.

- Oh, oh, oh! No, no, no, no.

I'm sorry, sir?

- Well, you should be, because this is wrong.

: Oh, uh, it's the same order as yesterday, sir.

It's a grilled chicken with rice and sautéed spinach.

- No, but this is a whole burrito cut in half.

I always eat my burrito cut in thirds.

And most importantly, on Tuesdays...

Tuesday he doesn't eat meat.

- I don't eat meat. No meat on Tuesdays.

That's right. So while you were close...

certainly no cigar.

- What? : He's in Florida.

Boy, I tell you, sure wish I could be in Florida right now.

- It is cold out there today. - No, no, no, no,

I have a meeting with Meridian Mortgage, it's on the books.

- You still do. His son Richard's on his way down now.

: Tony!

I'm so sorry I'm late.

: I told him, sir, M.L.--

It's a last-minute work trip.

- He's, he's very sorry. - Last-minute work trip, my ass.

He's dodging me and the winter.

- Tony, I know that you and Dad have had some disagreements.

You can say that again.

- But why don't we just keep it all calm, understand, huh?

- What happened to you, Tony? - Oh, oh.

- Oh, this thing? - Yeah.

It's nothing.

I was pulling some stumps on my property, and...

and the damn cable broke and nipped my arm.

Would you believe that?

We are so sorry to hear that.

: So sorry. It's awful.

Hey, uh, listen,

uh, why don't you and me go up to my dad's office?

You know, the one you like, with the conference table.

Does that sound like a good idea?

Would you like that?

- M.L.'s office? - Yeah. Let's do that.

- Alright, Dick. You're the boss.

- You want a mint? - No.

- - Here we go.

Sorry about that.

Just go around to the left, Tony.

Morning.

Watch your step here, Tony.

Good morning. Thank you.

How you doing?

Hey, Barb. How you doing? You remember Tony?

- Oh, hi, Tony. - Oh, hey, Barb.

- This is where you are. - Yeah, moving up.

- What happened to your arm? - Oh, no, it's nothing.

- Hey, uh, Barb, do you mind if we use Dad's office?

We're just gonna go through some things.

- Good to see you, Barb. You've always been nice to me.

: Come on in, Tony.

- Um... Hey, Dick, do you mind if I shut the door?

- I could use the privacy. - Oh, yeah, sure thing.

My shorts have been riding up

past East Market Street,

and I don't want anyone catching a look.

You know, that costs extra.

Pretty little family you got there.

So, Dick, um...

do me a favor, will you, and, uh...

and open these plans over there on the table.

- Sure thing, Tony. Of course.

So I imagine you want to talk about the land

and everything that you and Dad

have been going through.

Wait, hang on a second.

Now, you turn around.

- Hey, Tony... - This is serious, Dick.

Real serious.

I'm gonna wire this here shotgun to your neck.

- - Hey, now, Tony.

Put it away.

Tony, you... You don't want to do that.

This company's done me wrong.

So I'm gonna let the world know

what you and your dad have done to me.

Simple as that.

What do you want?

- I want you to turn around. - I'm not gonna--

- Turn around! - Okay. Okay.

I'm turning around.

You take your sport coat off.

Take it off along with your necktie.

- Tony, I don't-- - Let's get comfy.

- Okay. - Take it off.

- Goddamn sport coat off. - Okay, okay, okay.

Now...

Oh, right, here we are.

Take it off. There you go. Okay.

- Okay. - Oh, right here we are.

Fucking...

Here we go. Yeah.

Tony, what is this?

This here, Dick...

is a dead man's wire.

If you faint, stumble,

or try to run...

There it is. There it is.

This will blow your head off.

- Now listen, Tony, no one's seen us, okay?

You've made your point.

No. I'm just getting started.

Hey! Hey, hey, hey, hey!

Hey, hey!

- Tony, Tony, Tony, they can't see--

They can't see us, not through Dad's windows, okay?

Don't matter anyhow.

Pick up that phone. Pick up.

: That was the Polish maestro,

Theo Marzynski.

I'm DJ Fred Temple.

WCYD.

: 911 emergency.

- : Uh... uh... - Yes?

: Just a... Just a moment, please.

: H-H-Hello?

Sir, this is a real serious thing.

I've just taken a prisoner. This is not a crank call.

- No, no, no, sir. What problem you got?

- G-Get me the highest-ranking officer you got.

Ah, fucking thing. Sit down, Dick.

You just sit down here slowly. Slowly, slowly, slowly.

Like your life depends on it,

because it sure as hell does, buddy.

- Uh... Sir, what's your problem?

- I've got a shotgun wrapped around a man's neck. Yeah.

- Let me tell you something... - Chrissy, I got an 0-1 here.

- They have fucked me around for four years.

Hey... Oh!

Tell her to get out of here. : What's going on here?

: Barb, just, just, just give us a moment, please.

Everything's all right.

- Yeah, everything's alright, Barb.

Thank you, Barb.

Yeah, I-I'm a little upset.

- Okay. Okay, just take it easy.

Now, I'm not a bad fella.

I'm a mean motherfucker, and I'm mad.

Yeah.

Now, if anybody yanks on me

or yanks on that gun...

he'll die.

You understand?

- Where are you at? What's your name?

- Write down the full address. The full address.

Yeah. Careful now.

- Please give me some slack, Tony.

Careful.

: What's your name?

My name is Tony Kiritsis.