Roommates Page #3

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to the pharmacy or not?

Okay.

I think these hands

are good-looking enough...

to handle an I.V. needle...

don't you?

Um, why don't we try this hand

this time? Is that okay?

- Sure. - Okay, thanks.

I'll come back and see you later.

All right? Bye.

Miss, I'd like a word.

What's the matter, Doctor? You ran out

of patients to restrain and perforate?

- Excuse me, that patient needed that

medication. - You needed a bedside manner.

- They teach that next semester?

- I happened to save that woman's life.

Yeah? What's her name?

Don't cheat.

If you saved Cecilia's life,

then you're responsible for it.

We both are.

Have a nice day, pal.

- It's about time.

- What the hell did you do?

Cleaned. The boys upstairs,

the communists, they helped me.

How am I going

to find anything?

- Dinner's ready. I made bigos.

- Heart-attack stew.

- Hurry up. Wash your hands so we can

start to eat. - Rocky, I'm a grown man.

I don't wash my hands unless

I want to wash my hands.

A footnote, ladies and gentlemen.

In 1909, the American labor movement

took a big step backwards...

when Samuel Gompers pulled his people out of

a meeting with the steelworkers...

because he didn't trust

Big John O'Reilly.

Wrong. Excuse me,

Gompers wasn't there.

Gompers had flu.

Half the damn country did.

We walked because John Reilly

was a son of a b*tch.

- Please continue. This is fascinating.

- Sir, are you a historian?

Why? You got an

opening for one?

Ah, you see, I was there at the time

in the union hall on Forbes Avenue.

That's how I know he had the flu.

In 1909?

Hell, I'm in the union since 1907.

And today I can't get a job.

Would you believe it?

Why, they want younger.

Sixty-five.

Fifty-five, if you wanna

know the truth.

Let me ask you something.

Tellin' a man he's too old to work,

isn't that against the law?

- Yes, it is.

- There ya go.

I need a good mouthpiece.

And a lady outside, a student,

she recommended you.

So, when you got a moment,

I'll wait.

- What kind of job are you

lookin' for? - I'm a baker.

But I don't want nothin'

for nothin'.

You find me a job,

and I'll pay you 20 bucks.

- You're doing much better. - I feel like a

nightmare is over and I've finally woken up.

Keep that up, and we'll have to

release you at the end of the week.

Doctor, thank you.

Thank you so much for everything.

Hey, there.

Dr. Ho-lec-zek. It's on your

badge, pal. Hi, Cecilia.

Hi.

Look who I found. Scott?

Oh!

Oh! Oh!

- It's her son. He's been looking

for her everywhere. -Scott!

Hey, need a ride?

So, basically,

the Reagan Administration decided...

it doesn't want anything

to do with domestic programs.

They'll spend plenty on the military,

but nothing on social services.

So the money for social services

is supposed to trickle down...

from the private sector, which didn't

want the responsibility to begin with.

We have people living

on not even $400 a month...

and they can afford

$50 for medical care?

No, I don't think so.

- What?

- It's amazing.

I already know your politics,

and I don't even know your name.

Sorry, um, I get

a little carried away.

I'm Beth. My name's Beth Matthews.

What's yours?

- I thought it was pal.

- Yeah, sure. Whatever you want.

Turn right.

- You live here?

- I used to. My mother does.

I'm stopping by to pick up one of

her cars while mine's in the shop.

Oh, there she is.

Hi. It's just me.

I see that it's you. I'm wondering who

you brought home with you this time.

She hates my friends. She's always

afraid they'll steal something.

- Hi, Mom.

- Hello, dear.

Oh, Elizabeth, why don't you get

that hair out of your face...

so people can see

how pretty you are?

Mother, come on, um...

Listen, this is, um...

- I'm Judith Matthews. And you are?

- Michael Holeczek.

- Holeczek, that's a...

- It's Polish.

Polish? Ah, of course.

- Oh, but he's a doctor,

so it's okay. - Oh!

- Great house.

- Thank you.

Actually, it was built by my

parents as a summer home.

Oh, yeah?

They indentured half the blue-collar

labor force of Columbus to build it.

Elizabeth, you didn't even know them.

Besides, people were out of work.

They gave them jobs. Were you able to spend

much time with your grandparents, Doctor?

- One of them.

- How fortunate for you.

Um, Mom, listen, I don't want to interrupt

you or anything, but I've got to go. So...

Oh, yes, of course. You said something

on the phone about needing a car?

I'll have it back by Sunday.

Your stepfather and I were hoping

that you would join us for dinner.

He's not my stepfather.

He's your husband. And I'm busy, so...

- Mm-hm. Well, which car did you

have in mind? - Whatever is available.

There should be something

available after dinner.

- I guess we'll do it

another night. - What?

The thing... The concert.

- Oh. Yeah. No, it's okay. - I'm sorry,

I didn't realize you had plans.

- No, no, no, of course not.

- We can... It's not such a big...

- No, we can... Oh. - Come in the

house, dear. I'll give you the keys.

- Doctor, it was wonderful to meet you.

- Nice to meet you.

Thanks.

You bet. You.

I raise two cents.

No, no. No two cents.

Nickel, nickel.

Goddamn communists.

I told you.

Minimum, nickel.

Nickel.

Now they're talking Chinese!

English! English!

Hey!

English! When you play cards,

for god's sake, speak English.

No nickel. Two cents.

Let me see your hand.

Let me see.

Well, this hand is not

even worth two cents.

But go ahead! You want

to bet it, bet it anyhow.

- Okay, I bet two cents.

- Two cents.

Now you bet.

- Twenty cents.

- Oh, 20 cents.

Oh, 20 cents, very good.

I found this in the trash.

Well, that's where trash belongs,

in the trash.

I see your 20 cents.

And I raise you 250 smagoleons.

Smagoleons?

Rocky, I haven't

read it yet.

What's to read?

Dirty pictures.

That's not the point. It's mine.

I bought it. It belongs to me.

Excuse me. I have

to answer the phone.

You can't just throw things away because you

don't like them. They're mine. I live here.

- Hello? - Basha was right.

Nobody can talk to you about anything.

- Ah,just a minute.

- You used to listen to people.

To my elders. They're all

dead now. It's for you.

Nobody knows anything but you. Nobody

has an opinion about anything but you.

Hello?

Everything was normal:

blood chemistry, kidney function.

I guess her heart just got tired.

I should've taken precautions.

Should've had her on constant monitor.

She didn't do it on purpose.

I really liked her.

I did too.

It affected my judgment.

No. Bad things don't happen because

you care. They happen when you don't.

This is a switch: a doctor who

thinks he can save the world...

and a social worker

who knows she can't.

I don't like losing people.

Another round?

I better not. I have no

capacity for alcohol.

We'll have two more.

# Sweet dreams

are made of these

# Who am I to disagree

# You travel the world

and the Seven Seas

# Everybody's looking

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