Henry Fool Page #5

What?

Go ahead.

No.

Why not?

Because.

Come on, Fay.

It's a great idea.

-I don't know if Simon would want it.

-Sure he would.

Just the first ten verses.

I don't know...

He'll thank you for it later.

Henry?

Did you see him?

-He came by this afternoon.

-Did you talk?

No.

You've gotta tell him, Fay.

He thinks I'm a slut.

Simon, I don't feel so good.

What's wrong?

I feel all kind of

clammy and damp.

-How many of these did you have?

-Seven.

-Henry, we have to talk.

-Can I use your toilet?

Fay's taking a shower.

How much you think

I can get for this?

Henry, Fay is pregnant.

She's pregnant

with your child.

Jesus!

Henry...

I, Henry, take you, Fay,

to be my wife...

I, Henry, take you, Fay,

to be my wife...

And do promise before

God and these witnesses...

And do promise before

God and these witnesses...

To be a loving

and faithful husband...

To be a loving

and faithful husband...

In plenty and in want...

In plenty and in want...

In joy and in sorrow...

In joy and in sorrow...

In sickness and in health...

In sickness and in health...

For as long as

we both shall live.

For as long as

we both shall live.

Bless, o Lord, this ring, and he who

gives it, and she who wears it...

may abide in Your peace and continue

in your favor until their lives ending.

In God has joined,

let no man separate it.

-Where did you get this?

-It's all over in the Internet.

They're even talking

about it on the TV news.

There's a man from the radio

station over at the doughnut...

and a story about some kids burning

down the school near Boston.

It all started here in Queens, Jim,

at the World of Doughnuts...

about a year ago, when local garbage

man Simon Grim began to compose...

what many regard as vicious, anti

social and pornographic poetry.

This is outrageous!

Measures must be taken.

Have we debased our culture

to such an extent...

that a garbage man with a head

full of sick ideas...

is legitimately

referred to as a poet...

and where the filth he spews can be

accessed by a child at the computer?

Is this what we have come to?

Not the transmission of our...

highest ideals, but a cynical,

atheistic delirium?

In the past three days

we have been treated...

to the usual parade

of philistines...

the posturing, the preening,

the pomposity...

of the residual puritan element

of American culture...

that rears its ugly head every time

an artistic voice comes out.

I'm very attracted to what I feel is

a pungent and squalid element init.

That is the authentic thrashing

voice of American culture.

And, moreover, I find the kind

of imagery of rotten decay...

that is always symptomatic

of any fin-de-sicle.

In Rome, the Pope issued a message

of hope for believer sin their...

plight against what he termed

'the godless and lost.'

He did not mention

Simon Grim by name...

but offered a prayer for the young,

whom he described as sadly in...

need of faith, not the illusion of

conviction offered by rock music...

drugs, and

contemporary poetry.

Also in the news today: the

United Nations General Assembly...

God, Simon, you're like

a total f***ing rock star.

I'm willing

to negotiate, Simon.

I know. It's just...

What? You got other offers?

Well, yeah...

-But...

-What?

Why have you reconsidered?

Because I think your writing

will be tremendously successful.

But you don't like it.

It's growing on me.

-What were the terms?

-US$ 1OO,OOO in cash.

Up front.

-Royalties?

-7O/3O split.

Well, that could be better.

But it is a hundred thousand dollars

up front. Guaranteed money.

You could use that.

-So it's a good deal?

-Of course it's a good deal.

So I should take it?

No.

Try to get him

up to US$ 15O,OOO.

I've let

myself down, Simon.

I've let myself be caught in a

bloody maul, banale necessity.

How did I get here?

How did this happen to me?

I'm going to be

somebody's father.

I need time

to think, to write...

time to finish my confession.

I can't work for a living.

Simon, it's impossible.

I tried once.

My genius would be wasted

trying to make ends meet.

This is how great

men topple, Simon.

Their hearts are at the right

place for much of the time.

They get sidetracked,

distracted...

How could I've

been so careless?

Henry, please let

me read the confession.

Angus James is convinced my poem is

gonna make him incredibly wealthy.

He'll read your book and

seriously consider publishing it.

If I ask him to.

I'm certain.

Really?

I'll insist he

publish the confession...

or I won't let him

publish my poem.

You'd do that?

You'd do that for me?

You saved my life.

Do you realize

what you're saying?

I owe you everything.

Is it really that bad?

Yes.

Maybe your expectations

were too high.

Are you sure you're

being objective?

-You read this?

-Yes.

And you want me

to consider publishing?

-Yes.

-As part of our deal?

Yes.

Simon...

this book is

really quite bad.

That's what you said

about my poem.

I'm offering you a real expression

of my faith in your writing.

US$ 2OO,OOO,

and a 6O/4O split.

But just exactly what is the

nature of your faith in my writing?

Simon, you don't

require my admiration...

but my experience as a publisher.

And that experience tells me...

that your poem will make more money

than any poetry ever published!

You will never have to work again

on a garbage truck, I assure you...

or in anything else,

for that matter.

Whereas this...

The most I can say

about this is...

the man is a scoundrel.

-He taught me everything I know.

-No.

He encouraged what was expressive

in you to become manifest.

He inspired you to act.

He influenced your perception.

How about if my advance

is only a hundred thousand?

-It isn't about money, Simon.

-We could split the royalty 7O/3O.

I will not publish

Henry Fool's confession.

Will you sign the contract?

I'm gonna go get your coat.

-Where is your coat?

-I don't need a coat.

I'm gonna go and get

Mr. Deng's van.

Get in the car!

-I want to go up front!

-You gotta lie down! Get in the car!

When did the water broke?

-Give me an ultrasonograph.

-Get to feed the monitor!

-She's losing her heartbeat.

-Sonograph, now!

-Give her oxygen.

-Breathe.

What happened?

It's a...

it's a boy.

So, how did it

go with Angus James?

Listen, Henry. Angus

didn't like your confession.

Oh, I see.

-Well, what now?

-What do you mean?

-Did he suggest changes?

-No.

There are things I can do

to make it more accessible.

Accessible?

I can soften up some of the language

and make it read easier.

Take out some of the more

inter-textual references...

and popularize the underlying

strum and drum, sort of speak.

I can change its mode. Make it

more of a conventional novel.

No, don't.

I appreciate your

protectiveness, Simon.

But the integrity of the work

can sustain such things.

No, really, Henry. Don't.

What are you saying?

That it doesn't

merit revision?

I'm saying Angus James

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