City Hall Page #8

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regard for you, judge.

And I for him.

Your resignation in about six months

would be appropriate.

Six months, did you say?

How about six hours?

This is the scene at

the D.A. 's office...

... where city officials have been

brought in for questioning...

... in the story surrounding

the resignation of Judge Walter Stern.

After the checks

and balances rap, we'll go into:

"Revelations are not

unprecedented.

Consider Judge Wachtler,

a man of impeccable credentials...

...who fell subject to... "

- Take it out.

- The whole thing?

- Leave the Wachtler stuff in there.

- Just say it plain.

- You know the rest.

Sharks are getting hungry.

Give them a one-minute sign.

Look.

Lean and hungry, even the fat ones.

Any news?

Got anything?

Thirty seconds,

ladies and gentlemen. Thirty.

Convention's coming to town.

You gonna be all right?

Thanks for asking. I'll be fine.

Damage control, remember.

Damage control.

- You look good.

- Of course. I'm the mayor.

Lyndon Johnson said:

"Everybody will give you ideas

on how to get out of trouble...

...cheaply and fast.

And they all come down to this:

Deny your responsibility. "

John F. Kennedy said:

"An error doesn't have to become

a mistake...

...until you refuse to correct it. "

There were explosive developments...

... with the incident at

Broadway and Marcy.

The revelation of a missing

probation report...

... may result in the

handing up of indictments...

... by the grand jury

of Supreme Court Judge Stern...

... and Brooklyn Democratic leader,

Frank Anselmo.

His connections...

... to Mafia chieftain, Paul Zapatti,

are certain to be examined.

Sources say the career of the

political boss is over...

... and a long prison term

is in the offing.

Chester?

Chester, what are you doing?

Did Mommy let you out? Did she?

And how was your day today?

Give me a kiss.

You okay, Frank?

Fine, sweetheart. I'm fine.

It's been on the TV all morning.

Yeah, I know. I heard.

I fixed you some osso buco.

I had a feeling you might

come home for lunch today.

It smells good.

I'll just go get the clothes.

That machine's thunking again.

Paulie!

How are you, Frank?

- I'm good, considering.

- Yeah, of course.

Of course.

Coffee?

Nettie's down with the laundry.

Stay for lunch? Osso buco.

Osso buco.

Nettie fixes it piemontese.

Peppers and everything.

No, that's all right. I had my lunch.

- Can I get coffee?

- No, thanks.

So.

What do you think?

Well, same old thing.

This time it's this Calhoun guy.

I never liked him.

- He's a cracker.

- Of the worst kind.

He's out of here tomorrow.

No, I don't think so.

What are you talking about?

He's a reed.

You push him and he bends.

Not this one.

This one's a terrier.

I had a dog like him once.

I went to have him put down.

He jumped out of my arms at the vet's

and took off for the park.

Sometimes I still think

I see him out there...

...watching me...

...gnawing on an old bone.

Excuse me.

Hello, Nettie.

Can I help you with the basket?

No, no. I didn't know

Frank was expecting you.

Due espressi?.

Maybe later.

we can beat something like this.

I don't like the odds.

We go back a long way.

I know, I know.

I tried to close the door, Frank.

Couldn't get it shut.

- What do you want me to do?

- Take the pressure off yourself.

Here's the thing. They'll tell you:

"Yeah, yeah, sure.

You have the key to the cell.

Go ahead. "

But you won't be able

to open it without singing.

You're a singer.

Give me a chance, and I'll show you

how quiet I can be.

It's out of my hands, Frank.

Do the right thing, will you?

- Make it easy for yourself.

- Frank, honey. Lunch!

And your family.

Senator, I guarantee this is nothing but

a blemish on a great metropolis.

The party will never see that blemish

in June.

All it'll see is the Garden,

the Plaza, the Waldorf...

...electricity, excitement, fun.

Catch the noon news in D.C.

He's only magnificent.

Four extra classes

graduate the academy this year.

Unions? Did I hear you say unions?

Every municipal contract...

Harriet. You watching this?

World Bank interest you more?

Want to read about the

convention in the Chicago Tribune?

Well, okay. Okay then.

Wait till you see his performance

on the 6:
00 news.

When the train leaves the station...

...the Times, good and gray lady

that she is, will want to be onboard.

What happened to you?

I called you.

You were down in the basement.

I'm gonna get a washer

at Orchard Supply...

...stop the machine from thunking.

I'll eat when I get home.

Okay.

Be careful.

Of course.

Walk on through the wind

Walk on through the rain

Though your dreams be tossed

And blown

Walk on, walk on

With hope in your heart

And you'll never walk alone

I know the water's rising.

It's up to the floorboards.

But I guarantee you...

...we're bailing it out faster than

we're taking it in.

Let me call you back.

I'll call you

when we can talk at length.

Anselmo just killed himself.

And this is the original

probation report.

The one we were looking for.

They found it in Anselmo's car.

The police commissioner gave it to me.

He didn't want it ending up

as tomorrow's headline.

"Tino Zapatti.

Recommended prison sentence:

- Check this one out?

- This one's kosher.

The story ends where it began.

White-shoe lawyer,

Brooklyn clubhouse boss.

Walter Stern and Frank Anselmo.

Don't see them in the same room.

Something's still wrong, you know?

I know.

Before we nail up the house

for the season...

...one more door to close.

Afternoon, Mr. Calhoun.

- Sorry, the judge left for the day.

- Of course you're sorry.

Is that your signature?

We record

the receipt of all documents.

What about phone calls?

You keep a log of them?

Take a minute for me, please.

Look up the dates of Frank Anselmo's

calls to this office.

You're in the wrong pew, Mr. Calhoun.

Frank Anselmo never called this office.

What about the mayor?

He's in his dressing room,

Mr. Calhoun.

Where you been?

I was looking for you.

Trying to get

to Senator Marquand.

Well, he got through to me.

They're moving the convention

to Miami.

Miami? Why?

They like Miami.

Glamour. Whoopi Goldberg, Madonna

just bought houses in South Beach.

Maybe we can nominate them.

I thought it was all cut.

Cut, not cut.

Politics. Nothing's cut.

Where you going?

I'm gonna pay my respects

to Nettie Anselmo.

Do you think that's wise?

- What's wise got to do with it?

- The perception...

F*** perception!

Talking menschkeit.

Stuff between men.

The "there" that's there.

The thousand telephone calls.

The bouquets and the brickbats.

The space between a handshake.

You know.

Stuff that goes with you

to your grave.

There's space between a handshake

for right and wrong?

Why are you pressing me?

I'm looking for an answer.

You want an answer?

Okay, Pappy.

Think of it as colors.

There's black and there's white.

And in between is mostly gray.

That's us.

Gray's tough because it's not

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