Billy Bathgate Page #4

We don't often get famous

people in our little town.

I know what you mean.

Mr. berman will stay here

and work out the details.

No problem.

What's the younger generation

reading these days?

Yes.

- What's your name, son?

- Billy...

Bathgate.

With youngsters like this,

we don't have to worry about

the future of this country.

No, we don't.

I hope to see you soon.

Yeah, right.

Let me see that, will you?

What do you got?

What is this?

Was this your idea?

Don't look at me.

- This was your brainstorm?

- Yeah.

What'd I tell you?

The kid's all right.

He's my prodigy.

I know how to pick my words.

Get in the car.

We ain't got all day.

Come on, Mickey, I got an

inspiration. Inspiration, right?

What kind of church is this?

It's catholic.

They put a lot of work

into this place.

G-58.

I-17.

- G-51.

- Bingo!

And especially Mr. Schultz

for so generously donating...

A special cash prize

of 25 dollars.

10 chickens and the two crates.

25 cents, now 30, now 40.

I'll give $100 for the chickens.

How much you want for the farm?

I tried to talk to him,

but it's impossible.

Sometimes he won't

listen at all.

Looks like he's goin'

for the farm vote.

I hope this helps for now.

If you need more later,

I'll do what I can, Mr...

- Chambers.

- Chambers.

God bless you for

what you're doin'.

Mickey!

- Who's next?

- Well, Dixie's here.

What're you doin' here?

Hello, Arthur.

Give me some more coffee.

What are you coming

up here for?

- Arthur, we need to talk.

- Why didn't you call me up?

I didn't want to tell

you this on the telephone.

The government turned down

the offer. So double it.

It's the prosecutor. He's

determined to go to trial.

Sh*t.

So we'll take care of him too.

He can't be bought.

He said that?

What do you want?

I got your coffee.

Why are you always

listening to what

you shouldn't be listening to?

Will you go upstairs...

And tell Mrs. Preston to

take you to a museum.

Get out of here! Go to the zoo!

Do something useful.

I need the suite.

Mrs. Preston?

Mr. Schultz said

I should wake you.

He said he needs the room.

He said we should go to

a museum or something.

Mrs. Preston, I don't think

this was such a good idea.

Mr. Schultz didn't

say anything about this.

One of the things about

being in a gang is

you gotta follow orders.

Everything they asked me

to do, I done it. Did it.

I mean it, Mrs. Preston!

I think we oughta go back.

Mrs. Preston?

Mrs. Preston!

Mrs. Preston, you all right?

How was it when Bo died?

Could you tell me, please?

You got him?

Hold on to him.

Take care of my girl, kid.

Don't let him hurt her.

Get her away from him

before he hurts her.

You hear me?

Promise me.

- Say it!

- I promise.

Mrs. Preston!

Did he really ask you to

protect me? Yes.

Strange...

That he would think that I

couldn't take care of myself.

And you promised him

you would? Yes.

You always keep your promises?

Do you have a girlfriend?

- Yes.

- Yeah.

She's a very lucky girl.

We don't appreciate his

lady friend's presence here.

What do you think the odds

are I'll beat this rap?

I wouldn't bet on you.

We come up here, take the time,

the trouble, the effort...

To set things right so you

make a good impression...

And you bring along

this... broad.

All right, you made your point.

What?

She was there when Bo got it.

That is correct.

She never should have got

on that boat and she

never should have got off.

When the time comes...

I'll smack her around a little.

And that's all it will take.

Just don't fall in

love with her, Arthur.

Boy, you are some

picnic tonight.

I said, don't fall

in love with her.

- Who's out there?

- Nobody.

Jesus Christ. You scared

the sh*t out of me.

It's nothing.

Citizens of onondaga

are hardworking people...

Who usually get the

short end of the stick.

But our forefathers have

dealt you a couple

of cards in your favor.

You know the law is

nothing but what

the people say it is.

I have great confidence

that the people in this town...

Know that I hold the same

virtues of right and wrong.

And if I just may

wax poetic for a moment...

Mrs. Preston,

you gotta be careful.

Otto saw us.

I mean it, Mrs. Preston.

You gotta watch out

with these people.

Why?

They don't like it for anybody

to have something on them.

Do I have something on them?

Do I?

You were on the boat.

That makes you

a danger to them.

If I have something on them,

then so do you.

Yeah.

You're right.

If I don't catch on, then I

will have something on them.

If Mr. Schultz decides

against me, that's it.

There's nothing anyone can do.

Let me tell you something

about your Mr. Schultz.

He's a very ordinary man.

Now you've got something on me.

Who's the better shooter?

Irving, he got them

all in there.

Nothing's wasted.

It ain't lady's embroidery.

Don't have to be neat.

You got the time to set it up

and you need a clean hit,

you send Irving.

But if you're in a tight spot,

you want Lulu next to you.

Boom-boom-boom. It's all

over in a couple of seconds.

This is as far from where I

come from as you can get.

Where's that?

The Bronx. Bathgate Avenue.

We live in a tenement.

Who's we?

My mom and me.

She works in a laundry.

Gets $4 a week.

You probably spend

more than that for lunch.

Maybe you don't appreciate

the position you're in.

What position is that?

You're Mr. Schultz's girl.

No, I'm not his girl.

He's my gangster.

Besides,

you're the one who's

been looking after me.

You seem to be doing

all right on your own.

Meaning? What?

Meaning? Tell me.

Come on, tell me.

- Because...

- Yes?

Mr. Schultz is

a pushover for blondes.

- How do you know?

- I read it in the paper.

I don't read the papers.

How you supposed to know

everything you need to know...

If you don't read the paper?

What is it I need to know?

Maybe if you don't

work for a living,

you don't need

to know anything.

Some of us are trying

to learn a trade.

We have to be up on

the latest developments.

Here's the latest development.

Arthur, do you renounce Satan?

I do.

- And all his works?

- Yes.

- And all his pomps?

- Yes.

- And all his allurements?

- Yes.

Mr. Luciano, please place

your hand in position.

As I said, Mr. Luciano...

Thanks very much.

You're welcome, sir.

I'm honored to enter

the catholic church...

On a ticket with

such a man as yourself.

I appreciate your coming.

Where's your associate,

Bo weinberg?

I'm sorry. He couldn't make it.

That's too bad.

I never met him, but

I hear he's a man of character.

- A man to respect.

- Yeah.

I'm sure he would like

to have met you too.

I'm making a party later.

I'd be happy if you could...

I wish I could, but I

gotta get back to the city.

- Take care of yourself.

- Yeah.

Thank you for coming.

You honor us with your presence.

Oh, is that where you went?

Yes, a friend told me.

You're late. You were supposed

to be here this morning.

It's a long drive, Otto.

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