People I Know Page #4

Listen, honey.

This is a special event.

Hello? Hello?

Romeo?

Damn it! I'm on hold.

What's the matter with you?

Can't you be in sync with me?

I don't know what direction

you're going.

Just call Cary. He's gonna try

to get out of this thing.

Death of

"Assassina" star Jilli Hopper.

Who'd they say died?

I don't know.

I'm trying to find Cary.

We're late, Eli.

We've got to get to Harlem.

Well, we all got to get

to Harlem, honey.

Black people under this mayor

and under this government.

Taught to fear us and hate us.

That's what tonight's about.

Eli, don't spin out of control

when we see Reverend Blunt.

- It took a lot of hard work...

- I'm gonna be a pussycat!

Come on.

Besides, all the brothers love me.

Every couple years,

some white folks come up here

with a plan.

You talk about civil liberties,

the Constitution.

Those are just words, man.

Our children cannot move freely

through the streets.

They round up young black men

and throw the keys away.

This is a Warsaw ghetto.

And it is being ignored.

We agree, Reverend Blunt.

And we want to do something.

We want to make a beachhead.

And your little tea party,

your little cocktail party does that?

To protest one incident?

I don't think so.

We will not be in attendance.

Reverend.

Reverend Blunt, you have

a lot of charisma, sir.

But you do not have a voice

below 125th Street.

Wouldn't it be nice if you were heard

all the way down on Wall Street?

What do we get

out of sanctioning you?

Reverend, our coalition is

made up of people

from the media.

We have thrown in our lot

with the Upper West Side

Triangulation.

You know what that got us?

- Bupkes.

- Amen.

By "Upper West Side,"

you do mean Jewish?

Where were they when we needed them?

We have been fighting

the mayor alone.

Everybody.

Everyone went establishment.

So no, we do not need the

laying on of sympathetic hands.

We have God.

We don't need friends!

- What we need...

- Is exposure.

You need to be heard.

You need to be heard

below 125th Street.

You need to be heard all the way

from Oakland to Washington.

Publicity.

That's what you need.

Otherwise you're just gonna be

another babbling voice in the dark.

Names, Reverend.

You need names

in order to beget power.

You need names.

And we can give them to you.

We got the Kennedys,

which begets the DNC,

which begets the ACLU,

which begets

the "New York Times."

We got artists.

We got stars, Reverend Blunt.

Stars.

These days they're the only ones

catch the light.

The only ones.

You come tonight,

and you're gonna get me.

And you're gonna get

the people I know.

The people I know.

Yes, sir.

I know everyone.

Now, what is that worth to you?

Sir, is that worth one night?

Give me one night.

I'm gonna give you recognition.

So you can do something

for your people

instead of just howling in the dark.

I came here today

because of something

that happened in my lifetime.

I marched with Reverend King, sir.

I held his hand,

and we walked through the fire.

Take my hand.

Come on, man.

Why don't you just take my hand?

Mr. Wurman,

I have 10 events tonight.

Now, what makes yours so special?

Oh, stars, Reverend.

Stars.

Such as?

Such as Cary Launer.

The movie star?

The movie star.

Yeah.

Well, we have Jesus and Allah.

I believe they are bigger names.

I don't know.

I think you been

on the street too long.

I think even them folk need

a little press these days.

Competition is strong.

Attention spans are getting

shorter and shorter.

You come tonight, Reverend.

You come and you make a showing.

You bring people together.

Our elders have prepared lunch.

Would you care to join us?

I'm sorry, Reverend.

But I'm supposed to be meeting

my sister-in-law

half an hour ago.

You bring your friends down tonight.

We'll see if we can come together.

The Jews, the stars,

and all the brothers.

That's called "horse racing," right?

Hallelujah.

Hi, Angus.

Angus, I'm late.

Eli, Ross called.

You have to call him.

I don't have to do anything.

There's a policeman asking for you.

Not now, Angus.

Thank you.

There you are.

I know I'm late.

Hey, you.

- I'm so sorry about last night.

- That's okay.

That awful play?

It's gonna close in a week.

And now I'm late.

It's okay.

You're here.

I'm so glad to see you.

How are you, Eli?

I'm good.

My doctor says I have the heart

of a 17-year-old.

And I know you too well

to believe that.

Oh, it's so great to see you.

You're such a tonic.

In the cab over here, I was thinking,

"Here I am, gonna see this person.

Finally get to be straight

with someone.

Don't have to sidestep

and all that stuff."

I'm so tired of it.

How you doing, honey?

I'm okay.

- Yeah?

- Yeah.

Everything strikes me

as being funny these days.

I know what you mean.

I have something for you.

Adrian wanted you to have this.

It's your favorite book, isn't it?

I think you gave it to him

when he graduated college.

You can have it, honey.

Eli, please.

I don't know that I have the strength

to talk about

my little brother, Vicki.

We both miss him, Eli.

Well, it's been three years, sweetie.

You have to just finally...

I saw you last night

working the room.

You looked ashen and miserable.

Hustling.

Well, I'm a PR guy, honey.

That's what I do.

I get items in papers.

I suck up to celebrities.

But every once in a while,

I get to do something worthwhile.

Like this benefit tonight.

I worry about you, E.

I do.

What is this about, Vicki?

Do you mind if we go upstairs?

I don't want to melt in here.

Of course.

It's a nonsmoking room, Eli.

Oh.

Well...

Why you crying, Vicki?

'Cause you're almost your brother.

I'm a third of him.

I came here with an absurd plan.

You did?

What is it?

I'm a woman on a mission.

Which is?

Remember after his funeral?

The things you said to me about

all the things you wanted.

Children and quiet.

Oh, I don't know.

Why don't you have someone

in your life?

Anyone, E.

Why?

Because everyone's alone

in this town.

Is that your motto?

The PR man's creed.

"Everyone's alone in this town"?

You were going to change

the world, Eli.

To do what I do,

you got to harden yourself.

Until what?

You're barely recognizable?

Oh, come on.

You shouldn't worry about me.

I'm tough.

And I came here 'cause

I thought you might be ready.

Ready to split?

- Yes.

- Oh.

Yeah.

Not so easy.

- Yes, it is, sweetie.

- No.

You just forgot the route.

No.

You don't understand.

They get you under contract,

then they close the escape clauses.

And the bridges.

And then the tunnels.

And then you're stuck.

Forever.

Do you think we'll ever know

why your brother killed himself?

Some people just get tired, honey.

You know?

And they quit early.

- And the others survive.

- Mmh.

Is that what we're doing, E?

We're surviving?

Don't underestimate it.

It's harder than it looks.

You come to my benefit tonight,

you'd see.

You gonna come?

I'll come if you want me to.

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