Moscow On The Hudson Page #3

why you're defecting?

- Freedom.

- Political freedom or artistic?

Freedom.

For now, consider yourself an applicant

for political asylum in the U.S.

That's a matter for Immigration.

- You can still come home.

- I defect.

Let us pass.

Excuse us.

This means Siberia, for sure.

Do you have any family or friends

in the United States?

Sir, it's $147.50 for the robe...

...and $30 for the windbreaker.

B*tch.

Do you know anyone here, sir?

Only you. And this good black man

and shopping girl.

- Where is he going to stay?

- He can stay with me if he wants.

I can stay your home?

I'm Security Officer Witherspoon.

I understand how the brother feels.

I'm a refugee myself, from Alabama.

- Hold it!

- Wait a minute!

Tolya, I did it.

I'm free like a bird.

What are you saying?

I say goodbye to my saxophone.

Say what?

Mr. Ivanoff, did I hear you say goodbye

to your saxophone?

He left his saxophone on the bus, I think.

Also, you waved goodbye to your friends.

You are very sad, obviously.

No, I am happy.

It is so nice to be here.

Yeah, he's going to stay here.

Thank you. This is Kaity Tong.

I think he knows you are a foreigner.

He's jiving on you.

You got to learn to look mean.

You understand what I'm saying?

Mean.

Is that your mean look?

Look crazy. Like this.

Crazy.

Crazy motherf***er.

Many different people here,

but not many white people.

This is what is known as a ghetto,

with a capital "G."

I like it. It is nice.

And the music, it's so free.

- Must be pretty bad in Russia.

- It's not human.

- But there are many beautiful people.

- Sounds like Alabama.

I read about slavery.

- With slavery, the work was steady.

- Sounds like Russia.

I make joke.

I feel to make joke

in other language is good.

... a member of the Russian circus troupe,

performing in New York, has decided...

... to defect in, of all places, Bloomie's.

- Get in here. You're on TV.

- You look handsome.

You look good, Vladimir.

Now you go running out the store.

We can see it again on the 11:00 news.

Mama, this is Vladimir.

This is my stepfather, Fletcher.

My bucket-head sister, Leanne.

My grandfather.

You have to watch out for his ass.

- I never met a Russian. They all white?

- You defected.

Yes. You are kind

to share your home with me.

Hope you didn't come for a job.

I haven't had one for eight years.

Welcome to the U.S.A.

Honey, you don't look so well.

Let's sit him down. You look peaky.

You can just lay down right here.

Lionel, get his feet up, honey.

Lionel, man in store give me card.

"Orlando Ramirez." Sounds like

a Cuban ambulance chaser to me.

Get his f***ing feet off my couch.

Hush, Grandpa!

Good night, my American family.

I'm going to help you with everything.

Everything. Always.

It is very important to know

that you have a friend in Orlando Ramirez.

- Thank you.

- You don't have to thank me.

You have to pay me.

That's the way capitalism works.

One hand helps the other.

I have $120 and one pair of blue jeans.

My fee for helping you

with immigration matters is cut and dry.

- May I call you Vladimir?

- Of course.

Orlando. That is a musical name.

My father was called Orlando.

He rolled the finest cigars in Havana.

Orlando "el Rey," they called him.

Orlando "the King."

Then Castro came along

and my father was on his ass.

Castro is a great man.

He's a bullshit artist who has been taken in

by Russian bullshit artists.

I'm not political.

- We had to get our asses out of Cuba.

- Defect?

No.

We took a life raft to Miami Beach, Florida.

The only way to fly, let me tell you.

It was almost 20 years ago.

- I told you about eggs and onions.

- I want to go shopping later.

- I want to get something for the kids.

- We don't have any kids.

Jack's kids.

He wants some scuba gear for the kids.

Some vacation. They said this place

was sunny. This isn't sun.

You get better sun on our roof.

We're not wasting $10 on that lotion.

There's the boy.

Ask him for a couple of rum and Cokes

and beach towels.

Give me two Cuba Libres

and a couple of beach towels.

Here, come on, make it snappy.

Talking to them is like talking to a wall.

Well, here I am.

It hasn't been easy,

but you can do anything in this country.

Where are you going?

You passed Chambers Street twice already.

Sorry, sir. I think Chambers Street here,

but Chambers is over there.

Drive a cab in Korea if you don't know

one street from the other.

Mr. Ivanoff, this is only stage one.

You will be interviewed again

to determine your status.

Until then, you'll need a work permit.

Make sure the man understands

all of this, Mr. R.

I understand. When for next interview?

In one month, we'll give an advisory

opinion if asylum should be granted.

Don't worry, you'll get it.

- In a year, you can petition for citizenship.

- I must wait for one year?

Do you know how many people

want to get in this country?

Vietnamese, Korean, Salvadorians.

Those Iranians, Mexicans, Bolivians,

Greeks, Turks.

Have mercy. So many people.

I have mercy,

but I can't carry the work home.

I'm like a TV set.

Turn me on at 8:
00, turn me off at 4:00.

I have been waiting two hours.

Who is your boss?

His name is Ronald Reagan!

Now sit the f*** down, Mr. Baktar!

Orlando, out!

Mr. Baktar,

your impatience is wearing me down.

I've been here two days

waiting to see the Immigration Office.

You guys going to dance?

No, I rest now.

He is good boy, Lionel.

So-so.

No, he's nice, but don't call him "boy."

Why not?

Black men don't like to be called "boy."

They take it as an insult.

- That was a brave thing you did yesterday.

- Thank you.

For the first time, I act from here,

not from here.

- You are a good girl?

- Yes, good girl. You're a good boy?

I would like to know you.

I'm Italian. From Italy. From the Abruzzi.

It's a little village called Casoli.

Everybody I meet is from somewhere else.

It's America.

- Would you like to dance?

- Okay.

Come on.

Why you came America?

When my father died six years ago,

he left us seven children.

We were so poor.

There wasn't much opportunity for a girl.

Or for a boy, for that matter.

So, I guess I was the lucky one.

I have an Uncle Sal who lives here.

He has a funeral parlor.

- He sponsored me.

- You speak very well.

In a few months, I will become a citizen.

Then watch me take off.

Take off?

I mean, I want to work in media.

In TV. Television.

I love sportscasting. Or newscasting.

Remember yesterday, this girl Kaity Tong?

At Bloomingdale's. You know, the girl?

I think she's great. She's fantastic.

- I am be followed.

- Where?

That man.

That's the FBI.

They watch you for a few weeks,

make sure you're not a spy.

Also to keep the KGB from kidnapping you,

for your own protection. Relax, amigo.

- Is that a new dance from Russia?

- Excuse me for my rudeness.

- Thank you for protection.

- That's what we're here for.

Have a good time.

All this week we've been working

on the stomach. Here's part three.

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