Collateral Page #4

It was about being around the music.

And I was.

I mean, take this one night.

July 22nd, 1964. Who you think

walks through that door?

Bye, baby.

Miles Davis. That's right.

- In the flesh?

- That's right.

I'm talking about, through those doors,

the coolest man on the planet.

Jesus.

Anyway, he had been

at a recording session

up at Columbia, up on Vine.

So Miles comes through that door.

Before you know it, he's up on

the bandstand, jamming with the band.

- I mean, it had to be...

- Oh, it was scary.

I mean, the dude was

so focused, man.

Plus, he was kind of

a scary cat anyway, man.

I mean, everybody

and their mama knew

that you don't just come up

and talk to Miles Davis.

I mean, he may have looked like he

was chilling, but he was absorbed.

This one young, hip couple, one of

them tried to shake his hand one day.

And the guy says, "Hi, my name is..."

Miles said, "Get the f*** out

of my face, you jive motherf***er.

Take your silly b*tch with you."

You know? That's...

That was Miles, man.

That's the way he was when he was

in his musical headspace. Fierce.

But did you get to talk to him?

- Better than that.

- No.

- I played for about 20 minutes.

- Unbelievable.

- How'd you do?

- How'd I do?

Well, you really ain't sh*t when

you're playing next to Miles Davis.

But he carried my ass.

- What'd he say?

- He said one word, "Cool."

- "Cool"?

- Yeah.

- That's it?

- Yeah.

That meant, "Good, but not ready."

It meant,

"Look me up when you are."

- Did you?

- No.

I got drafted and got

into some other things.

And by the time I got back to music,

the season had passed.

But, you know, I was born in 1945,

but that night was

the moment of my conception.

- Right here in this room.

- Crowd's not here now.

Well, jazz ain't the draw

that it used to be.

What a great story.

I gotta tell the people in Culiacn

and Cartagena that story.

You know the folks in Culiacn

and Cartagena?

Afraid so.

Man, just when I thought

you were a cool guy.

I am a cool guy,

with a job I contracted to do.

Come on, Vincent,

give the dude a pass.

- I'm working here.

- Listen. You the one

talking about improvisation. You like

the guy, you like how he plays.

- Let's just play a little jazz. Come on.

- Improvi...

That's funny, coming from you.

How's this? I'll ask a question.

- What question?

- A jazz question.

Now, you get it right, we roll.

You disappear tonight.

If I walk out of here tonight,

I will go so far away,

it'll be just like I was dead.

And one more thing:

These people

and their rep here, Felix.

Well, you tell them I'm sorry.

You tell them I had to.

They laid a grant of immunity on me.

I was compelled. It was either

play ball or go back inside.

And I'm not going back inside.

Yeah.

Lay it on me.

Where did Miles learn music?

I know everything there is

to know about Miles.

Then let's have it.

Music school.

He got into music school, right?

His father was a dentist,

East St. Louis.

Invested in agriculture,

made plenty of money.

He sent Miles

to Juilliard School of Music,

New York, 1945.

Man.

Dropped out of Juilliard

after less than a year.

Tracked down Charlie Parker

on 52nd Street,

who mentored him

for the next three years.

- Hey.

- No. No, I'm done.

- Find you another cab.

- Max.

Leave me alone.

I'm collateral anyway.

I am not playing.

You played him, man.

He got the answer right,

would you have let him go?

This is 102. This is 102. Max?

- What is it with this guy?

- Max?

- You hassling my driver again?

- Who are you?

The same guy

you talked to last time.

Max's mother's driving me crazy.

Put him on the line, please.

Hang on.

Carefully.

- Yeah.

- Your mother's calling

every ten minutes.

Why didn't you show?

Are you all right?

Where are you?

Show for what?

Tell her I can't make it tonight.

I'm not related to you.

You tell her yourself.

Show up for what?

She's in the hospital.

- You visit every night?

- Yeah. What difference does it make?

- You don't show up, it breaks routine.

- So?

So people start looking for you,

this cab. That's not good.

I'm not taking you to see my mother.

Since when was

any of this negotiable?

Two paces ahead, one to the left.

Hey. Flowers?

It's a waste of money.

Won't mean a thing to her.

She carried you in her womb

for nine months.

People buy flowers. Buy flowers.

Excuse me. Keep the change.

Hold that elevator, please.

- Floor?

- Five. Thanks.

- Having a good night?

- Mezzo e mezzo. You?

Excuse me.

Hey, Ma.

- I've been calling and calling.

- Yeah, well, I got caught up at work.

Why couldn't you call me

on the telephone?

I'm lying here wondering

if something terrible happened to you.

- I brought you flowers.

- What am I gonna do with flowers?

- Cheer up.

- How?

By worrying that you spend money

on stuff that's just gonna wilt and die?

See what I mean? I didn't buy

you the flowers, Mom. He did.

Who?

Why didn't you tell me

we had company?

What's your name?

Sorry my son is rude.

No harm done, ma'am.

You paid for my flowers?

They're beautiful.

Well, Max?

Mother, this is Vincent.

Vincent, this is my mother, Ida.

I'm very happy to meet you,

Mrs. Durocher.

Oh, just call me Ida.

Ida. I was with Max

when he got the call.

And you came all the way

over here to see me?

- It's nothing, ma'am.

- Tell my son.

You have to hold a gun to his head

to make him do anything.

You must be one of Max's

important clients.

Client? I... You know, I like

to think of myself as his friend.

Max never had many friends.

Always talking to himself

in the mirror. It's unhealthy.

How many times I got to ask you?

Please don't do that.

Do what?

Don't talk about me like

I'm not right here in the room here.

What's he saying?

He says he's standing right here,

in the room here.

Yes, you are. He's sensitive.

I know. But I'm sure

you're very proud of him.

Of course I'm proud.

He started with nothing, you know.

- Look at him today. Here, Vegas...

- Mom. Mom.

Mom. Mom, he is not interested

in hearing about all that, okay?

I came to see you, I saw you,

you look good, let's go.

No, no, no. No, no, no.

I am very interested, Ida. Please.

- Limousine companies.

- Is that right?

He drives famous people around.

Famous people.

Limousine companies.

Now, that's quite an achievement.

What did you say

your name was again?

My name's Vincent, ma'am.

- Visit again?

- No, I'm just in town tonight.

- When you come back.

- Sure.

Max!

Don't!

All my prep was in there.

You are screwing with my work.

Let's see what else you can do.

Well, I've had four come in tonight.

Maybe one's your guy.

No, not Ramone. Let's see this one.

No, next.

You know, something's funny

about this, though, you know?

These three all came in within

half an hour of each other, right?

The kid and that last guy,

both done by the same shooter, I think.

- Why do you say that?

- Wound pattern.

Two in the sternum, one in the head.

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