Atlantic City Page #4

You go to them?

No. No, I don't like them.

They're too wholesome for me.

I mean nuns, for Christ sake,

standing in line. Boy Scout troops.

People blowing their...

their welfare checks.

It's too much nickel-and-diming.

All that money you carry around,

that's no nickel-and-diming.

It quiets the nerves.

Why do you live in the same dump

I do when you could afford a palace?

Well, I...

To tell you the truth,

I stay there for Grace.

When they tear it down, I'll take

Grace someplace and head to Miami.

You like Miami?

I'm thinking of going to Monaco.

Oh, Monaco!

That's the place with that Kelly

girl from Philadelphia. She's queen.

Yeah, they have a casino there,

very elegant.

No women dealers yet,

but I'm hoping.

Only now I'm learning about music

and I'm gonna start reading books.

Developing some style. Learning new

languages because I want to travel.

You thinking of leaving

Atlantic City?

Not for a couple of years.

I've got to develop my blackjack.

I'm gonna deal my way to Europe,

to Monte Carlo.

A regular Princess Grace!

- Catch of the day?

- No fish!

No clams, no mussels, no oysters,

no shrimp! I want meat!

Lamb chops and pork chops

and liver.

Bring us a menu.

And, waiter...

more wine... the same.

I don't want anything that swims.

- Cigarette?

- Yeah. Oh, no. They're too strong.

- Can I see that?

- Sure.

It's nice to have money

to have things.

This belonged to Grace's husband,

Cookie Pinza, a personal friend.

Puligny-Montrachet 1966.

Smell.

Okay?

I'll do it.

Teach me stuff.

Like what?

What you know.

- You want information or wisdom?

- Both.

I'll think about it.

The smartest man in the world was

on a quiz show winning everything.

You know how they finally

tripped him up?

He knew everything under the sun

except his Social Security number.

He could have had the world.

What's yours?

I don't have

a Social Security number.

Everybody's got

a Social Security number.

You pay income tax?

You still got your fingerprints?

- Well, sure.

- Let me see. Oh, my God!

- You don't have any fingerprints!

- What are you talking about?

I got fingerprints.

I got lines...

You wanna go back to Saskatchewan?

I mean for the funeral.

Look, I haven't been back there

for ten years.

I'll stake you to a round-trip.

You can come right back.

Thank you.

Then you should send a tribute.

Make a nice impression.

Let me tell you, never let them

badmouth you at a funeral.

Miss, I want these roses,

all of them.

- All of them?

- Yes.

Make a nice big wreath, hmm?

A card?

- Just over there.

- Thank you.

How many are there?

Six dozen.

Would you like them sent?

Yeah.

To Moose Jaw, Saskatchewan.

"Moose Jaw"?

It's near Medicine Hat.

"Business prevents my being with

you on this sad occasion. Sally."

Okay?

And miss, send flowers...

nice ones...

"To Dave from Lou and the boys

in Atlantic City."

- You got that?

- Yes.

Keep the change.

- Thank you.

- Shall we go?

This is going to be the biggest

social event in Moose Jaw in years.

I've got to go.

- I hope I didn't...

- No, no, no.

I've got friends waiting.

I should have told you.

We're fixing up this house

I'm moving to... a new place.

Can I see you later?

I've got a class.

Well, it was a nice lunch.

Yeah. Thank you.

- Thanks.

- See you.

Why did they have to kill him?

Let's get away from here.

- Dave was a nice boy.

- He was a sh*t!

But you married him.

Look, you would marry anybody too

to get out of Saskatchewan.

Don't be mad at me.

I'm sorry.

I'm not mad at you.

It's just...

I'm late and everything.

You want to go to your friends?

Come on, I'll take you.

Okay, stop right here.

This is the place.

See that kid on the roof?

He's in my class.

Come on in.

- Hi, Sally.

- I know I'm late.

Bernie?

I'm sorry I'm late, really.

I know I'm over two hours late.

Forgive me, okay?

Lou, Bernie. Bernie, Lou.

Come see my room.

It's great.

This Bernie...

you living with him?

There's ten of us living here.

We're all dealers, would-be dealers.

- Bernie's baccarat.

- Fancy game with the shoe, huh?

- Very elegant, Bernie.

- I'm elegant too.

Oh, that's Agnes.

She's roulette.

You learn never to split a ten.

A ten is dynamite with a two card...

but after that

it can be your tragic flaw.

But it's not just

dealing the cards.

You have to know how to surrender

and how to wash the deck...

when to burn it, how to pluck chips,

share the box, stuff like that.

- When do you take your test?

- Three weeks.

- I'll be making $20,000 a year.

- No kidding.

Yeah. 30,000 with tips

if I'm really good.

Hey. I'm gonna hang on to you.

Be a gigolo.

What about Grace?

She came down here during the war...

beauty contest.

Oh, for Miss America?

Nothing like that.

More like Miss Pinball Machine.

She came, she needed protection.

I protected her.

She was this teenager.

You protected her for 40 years?

Well, she got married

along the way...

Cookie Pinza.

But I don't want

to talk about Grace.

Do you love her?

I watch you.

The place where we live...

I watch you.

- Through my window?

- You saw me?

I figured maybe

somebody was there.

Did you know it was me?

You were just this guy

across the way.

Why do you use lemons?

The fish smell.

I'm embarrassed.

I thought maybe it was for some

other reasons I didn't understand.

I even went to a supermarket

to look at lemons.

It's just to get the smell off.

It's nothing weird.

What do you do

when you watch me?

I look at you.

You take off your blouse,

then you run the water.

Then you take a bottle of gold

perfume and put it on the sink.

Then you slice the lemons.

You open a box of blue soap.

You run your hands under the water

to feel the temperature.

Then you take the soap

in your hands and...

Are you Dave Matthews' wife?

Look, are you a cop? I told you guys

I don't know anything about him.

- Let's have a look in the bag.

- What are you talking about?

- The lady said...

- Let go of him!

Hey, you. Relax, old man.

This is none of your business.

You don't want to get hurt.

Are you all right?

Maybe you should go lie down.

I don't wanna lie down.

I didn't protect you.

Where the hell have you been?

Men were tearing the place apart.

You go out,

you don't even tell me you're going.

You okay?

What the hell are you wearing?

That girl buying your clothes now?

Miss, I warn you,

stay away from him.

Oh, Christ.

- Did he let that happen to you?

- I'm all right.

You shut up, Grace,

you goddamned old lady.

If I'm an old lady,

what does that make you?

I'm her lover!

You wanna know his nickname

in the old days? "Numb Nuts."

Men had names like "Legs"

and "Bullets" and "Cookie."

His was "Numb Nuts"!

Lou, open this door.

- I know you're hiding in there.

- Chrissie? Chrissie!

- Oh, my God.

- You didn't protect her.

What's your life worth?

Cookie had more manhood

in his toupee...

than you've got in your fat frame.

Open this door!

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