Norman Page #7

is going to be so easy.

But the challenge, it's good.

- We should all open up our hearts.

- Yeah.

And our wallets.

God knows there are some

big wallets in this community.

And if there's any way

that you think it's appropriate

to honor this mysterious man, or woman,

a dedication of some kind...

Or if there is something

you would like me to do.

Yeah, well, now that you mention it,

you know, the person

who introduced me to Mr. Anonymous

is actually my nephew.

You know, he's a very,

very successful young lawyer.

Maybe I mentioned him to you. Philip Cohen.

Yeah, he's getting...

He's engaged to a very, very sweet girl.

Mazel tov.

From a Korean background.

He might need

a little help with her conversion and

officiating the wedding.

Philip Cohen?

If it were simple,

he wouldn't need your help.

(SIGHS)

Have him give me a call.

I'll see what I can do.

Thank you, Rabbi.

Norman.

(SIGHS DEEPLY)

(SPEAKING HEBREW)

Norman called.

I should call him back.

He always helps

that lump in my chest disappear.

NAOMI:
And I never understood why.

If anything, he should make it feel worse.

Why do you say that? He's a good friend.

...the most generous person I know.

(SCOFFS)

It's nave to call him "generous."

He is! He has a tremendous heart.

...always eager to help.

Not to say anything negative,

he's not your "friend."

He's someone you take advantage of

when it's convenient.

I doubt he feels that way.

That's actually pretty insulting.

No. It's just the reality.

When you needed him in New York,

you let him in.

Now that you don't, you ignore him.

(SIGHS)

Now you're making that lump feel worse.

You think I took advantage of him

consciously?

Maybe not consciously.

I believe that you consider him a friend.

But the right thing to do now

...is not to take any more favors from him

...or from any of the other Normans

in your life.

You know...

you didn't protest when Norman offered

to connect us to that Harvard guy for Davidy.

Right.

But I was uncomfortable with it...

But you went along even though

you were "uncomfortable."

Honestly, I thought it was another

of his empty promises

...and if that's the case, why make a fuss?

Plus, you wanted Davidy to get into Harvard.

...so you figured, it can't hurt.

And you let it slide.

- Right?

- No. Absolutely not.

I thought it definitely would hurt.

But I didn't want to hurt Norman's feelings.

I'm glad you didn't hurt his feelings.

That was very nice of you.

(CLICKS SWITCH)

"SOMETHING STINKS"

"ESHEL FACES POLITICAL RUIN

OVER BRIBES INQUIRY"

"The speculation about Eshel's future

has weakened him politically

"even as he undertakes delicate negotiations

with Israel's neighbors."

Well, now...

Is this serious? Do we need to

worry about our peace talks next week?

- DUBY:
I hope not.

- Well, can we help?

Maybe. Look, I don't know

who this businessman is yet,

but if he's an American citizen,

he can't testify

without your justice department

being part of the procedure.

At the moment,

this is just the press spreading rumors

but let's make sure

it doesn't spin out of control.

All right. Let me look into this.

Thank you. Thank you very much, Bruce.

(DUBY YELLS AND BANGS DESK)

(RON SPEAKING HEBREW)

The Knesset has seen

politicians with no backbone.

That is not new.

We've seen opportunists

distort the will of the voters.

This is also not new.

But never have we seen

...a man so morally bankrupt

...so spiritually empty

...so hedonistic

...selfish

...in a position to do so much damage

...as the man I'm pointing to right now.

(GAVEL POUNDING)

(SIGHS)

Do you know who he is,

the New York businessman?

No. If I did, is there any way

we could help Eshel?

Careful, Norman. Don't put your nose

into this if you don't have to.

This kind of investigation

brings out the worst in everyone.

So, what do you think? How bad is this?

Is this serious?

Oh, it's serious.

Bribery is tricky, especially in Israel.

We have the Mid-eastern mentality

of giving baksheesh

and cutting corners and a legal system

run by tight-assed German yekkes.

If they can prove he accepted a gift,

he's done. He could end up in jail.

Look, I gotta go.

Bye.

(EXHALES SHARPLY)

(CELL PHONE VIBRATING)

- (SCOFFS)

- (SPEAKING HEBREW)

No. He's the last thing I need today.

(LINE RINGING)

(LINE RINGING)

ALEX:
Hello?

Alex. Alex Green?

It's Norman, from the train.

Norman Oppenheimer.

I've been meaning to call you.

How are you? How've you been?

Sorry. Sorry.

(CHUCKLES)

I can't... I can't talk to you right now.

Yes, you can. Come on down.

I'm just around the corner from you.

Did you find out who it is?

Better. I'm meeting the investigator

who is in charge of the whole thing.

Just come on down, right now.

Give me five minutes...

- Norman, I can't...

- Bye.

Thanks for coming down, really.

I appreciate it.

You're acting like a maniac.

Look at you. Why are you getting involved?

This thing is bad for Israel, bad for America,

bad for Jews, bad for everybody. Step away...

You're right, this is bad for everybody.

That's why I want to help.

How can you... How can you help?

This is a political war

going on 7000 miles from here.

Look, Eshel's rivals

have found this cockamamie story

and they're going to use it to take him down.

There is nothing you can do about it.

Don't get involved. It is too big.

Just one thing, though. One thing.

Just hypothetically, look...

If this guy, this businessman,

he comes to you for advice,

he wants you to represent him,

what are you going to tell him?

You want to approach him? That's a bad idea.

No! No, I'm just thinking maybe

we can come up with an option for him

that's not so harmful to Eshel.

I'd throw him out of my office.

That's what I'd do.

I wouldn't want anything to do with him.

He is a threat to a sitting prime minister.

But even if it doesn't end up

having any criminal implication...

Okay? Apparently his dealings with Eshel

are embarrassing enough

so that his political rivals

think they can use him to hurt Eshel.

Eshel's people can't ignore that.

They have too much to lose.

They're going to strike back.

Dig up everything they can find on this guy.

The FBI will get involved...

I mean, no matter how you look at it,

this guy is f***ed.

And you want to avoid him like the plague.

Look, I'm just asking if there's

some legal way to defuse this whole thing?

Okay, all right.

Norman. Now you listen to me.

Whoever this unnamed businessman is,

he is in very serious trouble.

And he needs to be very careful

what he says now.

And who he speaks to.

Yeah, I just was asking, you know, if I'm

meeting with the investigator of this suit

and I find out who this guy is,

I want to be able to offer him something.

So, think creatively with me...

I'm not sure I can offer him anything.

This man needs a very good criminal lawyer.

Don't be creative.

And do not meet this investigator.

Can you do that?

(RON SPEAKING HEBREW)

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