Norman Page #2

And the Middle East relies on...

How do you say stagnatzia?

- Stagnation.

- Stagnation, yeah.

Once you're in power,

you don't want anything to change.

You can ask my boss about this.

SALESMAN:
The young Minister

shouldn't feel washed-up.

Excuse me for saying, please.

I can help with this.

Let me try something.

So, you said your wife works for Arthur Taub?

NORMAN:
She used to, yes. She passed away.

Oh, I'm sorry.

It was years ago.

But she was very close to Arthur.

And I would be beyond happy

if you were to join me tonight.

He is someone you should meet.

Yeah, I know. I've been hearing his name

from a few different people recently.

- Yeah?

- Yeah.

What's he like?

There are two kinds of moguls.

First kind is like a big ocean liner ship.

Makes a lot of waves, a lot of noise,

everybody sees it coming from miles away.

Like Jo Wilf.

I think your boss,

Minister Maor, is actually...

- In his close circle of friends, of course.

- Yeah. Mmm.

And then, there is Arthur.

Well, Arthur is more

like a nuclear submarine.

He's quiet. He's fast. He's young.

- Extremely sophisticated.

- Mmm.

- Interesting.

- Yeah, he's a very interesting fellow.

He likes to surround himself with consultants

who are in influential

political positions, you know.

And he's very good at compensating

his consultants. He's...

Yeah, well, maybe I'll have

my office contact him.

We'll see. I'm not a private person,

you know. Not yet, anyway. So...

Yeah, if you have any trouble reaching him,

please, I'd be happy to help you.

Thank you. Thank you very much.

So where are you staying while you are here?

How can I reach you?

Just a second. Can I look at myself yet?

SALESMAN:
Please do.

Well, take this away from me

before I get used to it.

There is one rule

every Israeli politician learns

in the beginning of his career.

You cannot wear a suit that costs

more than an ordinary man's car.

But what if you didn't know what it costs?

I do. It's too late.

Israelis don't like to see

their representatives enjoying themselves.

I'm sorry for wasting your time.

- At least take the shoes.

- No, enough. I don't want them.

Let me buy you the shoes.

It would be my privilege

to buy you these shoes.

- ESHEL:
Please...

- If it makes an Israeli leader feel good,

it's the least that I can do.

- I can't...

- No. No. Come on.

Just put them on one more time.

Would you do that?

Put your feet in.

Before you say no, just...

(SIGHS)

Please.

- We'll take them.

- SALESMAN:
Uh-huh.

I don't want you

walking out of here empty-handed.

- Here.

- No, no, no. I can't let you pay.

- If I take the shoes, I have to pay for it.

- You don't have to. It's done.

It's done. Okay?

- Are you sure?

- I'm sure. Yes. Positive.

SALESMAN:
Mr. Oppenheimer?

- Yeah, yeah, yeah. Okay.

- Please.

SALESMAN:
Is everything okay?

Yeah. Yes, everything is terrific.

- Enjoy.

- SALESMAN:
Thank you.

ESHEL:

Jesus. I just realized I'm terribly late.

I have to run.

- But I'm glad I bumped into you.

- (BOTH LAUGH)

- My pleasure.

- Yeah.

Here, take some chocolates.

They're really delicious.

No, no. I have a severe nut allergy.

One bite, I could drop dead. So...

- Specifically cashews?

- Peanuts, actually. Peanuts.

But this is the one area I don't take

any risks. But thanks for offering.

- Wait a minute. This could really kill you?

- Yeah, yeah.

What happens to you if you take a bite?

(SIGHS)

Look, if there's even

a smallest trace of a peanut,

my throat closes up, so I can't breathe.

If I don't inject myself with one of these,

I could die in 15 minutes.

Your receipt, Mr. Oppenheimer.

Okay. Thanks.

Mr. Eshel...

Thank you.

- Okay. All right.

- Yeah.

Please, take some chocolates.

Hey, what about Arthur?

Can I tell him that I'm bringing you tonight?

Yeah. Sure. Sure, why not.

- Good.

- I'm staying at the Warwick.

You can leave a message for me there

with the details.

Okay. Will do.

- Thank you. Thank you, Norman...

- Oppenheimer.

- Oppenheimer.

- Norman Oppenheimer. Yeah.

Here. Take this.

It has my private number in back.

No matter what,

whenever you are in Israel,

Norman Oppenheimer,

if you ever need anything, feel free to call.

(LAUGHS)

This is me.

Micha Eshel. E-S-H-E-L.

Just tell him he is the guy that is in charge

of regulating the energy industry.

Can you do that for me?

Oh, my name?

My... My name is Norman Oppenheimer.

Yeah. No, Mr. Eshel is

a very, very close friend of mine.

Well, just get back to me, okay?

Could you do that?

Thank you. Thank you.

NORMAN:
I got a meeting!

What? With Jo Wilf?

No, no, no. Better. Better. With Arthur Taub.

Yeah, him and my Israeli guy.

At Taub's house, tonight.

How did you manage that?

I told you. I'm a good swimmer.

(LINE RINGING)

(CELL PHONE RINGING)

(LINE CONTINUES RINGING)

Yeah, hey.

Could you connect me

to Mr. Eshel's room, please?

Well, could I leave a message?

Norman Oppenheimer.

(SPEAKING IN HEBREW)

Did he say what he does?

He's a businessman...

some kind of investment fund.

I'm not sure exactly. A warm Jew...

DUBY:
Micha...

You can't walk in there

with someone you just met.

What do you know about him?

These things are important.

You want to meet Arthur Taub?

Let me set up a proper meeting.

Are you sure? It seems harmless.

DUBY:
I'm sure. One hundred percent sure.

I hear Taub is like a nuclear submarine.

We don't even know

what this event is all about...

I don't want you walking into

an uncomfortable situation.

Go see a movie. Go have good meal.

I'll book a table...

ESHEL:
No, no, it's okay...

Any press about my trip so far?

No, nothing special.

It's better this way.

All right, I'll get something to eat.

Don't worry about me.

OK, but put it on your hotel bill...

the gas company is paying for it.

And do me a favor...

stay away from the Normans, please...

Sure.

Okay, okay...

(EXHALES SHARPLY)

(LINE RINGING)

(DOORBELL RINGS)

(SPEAKING INDISTINCTLY)

- (INDISTINCT CHATTERING)

- Wonderful.

(LAUGHING)

Hey. Ronnie, great to see you.

Thanks for coming, I appreciate it.

Thank you.

(SCOFFS)

(LINE RINGING)

(INDISTINCT CHATTERING)

Excuse me.

Mr. Taub would like to speak with you.

Would you mind joining me?

You can wait for him in here.

All right. Thank you.

(SNIFFS)

ARTHUR:
Mr. Oppenheimer?

Oh.

Norman. Norman.

We met, actually, at the Stern auction.

- My wife is very friendly with Lili.

- Mmm.

Oh, by the way, I can't thank you enough

for this last minute invitation for Eshel.

- It was very important...

- And where is he? Mr. Eshel.

Oh, he's on his way.

I just spoke to him. I'm sorry.

He apologizes.

He just got held up in a meeting at the UN.

- But he is on this way...

- You just spoke to him now?

Yes. I just spoke to him.

Yeah, he's on his way.

And how do you know Mr. Eshel?

Well, actually I'm helping him out

with some of his American alliances.

He... He's got very interesting ideas

that he's trying to promote right now.

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