Smoke Page #3

RASHID:

East Seventy-fourth Street.

PAUL:

In Manhattan?

RASHID:

Of course. Where else?

PAUL:

Then what are you doing in Park Slope? It's a

little far from home, isn't it?

RASHID:

(Beginning to relent)

That's where the what comes in.

PAUL:

The what?

RASHID:

The what.

(Pause)

I've kind of run away from home, you see.

(Pause)

It has nothing to do with my parents or money.

I saw something I wasn't supposed to see, and

for the time being it's best that I keep myself

out of sight.

PAUL:

You can't be more specific than that?

RASHID looks at PAUL, hesitates, then lowers his eyes.

PAUL (cont'd)

(Pause. Decides not to press him)

So where have you been staying in the meantime?

RASHID:

Here and there. Around.

PAUL:

Uh-huh. One of those cozy bed and breakfast

places, probably.

RASHID:

Yeah, that's right.

PAUL:

Except that there's no bed, is there? And no

breakfast either.

RASHID:

The material world is an illusion. It doesn't

matter if they're there or not. The world is in

my head.

PAUL:

But your body is in the world, isn't it?

(Pause)

If someone offered you a place to stay, you

wouldn't necessarily refuse, would you?

RASHID:

(Pause. Thinks)

People don't do that kind of thing. Not in New

York.

PAUL:

I'm not "people." I'm just me. And I do

whatever I goddamn want to do. Got it?

RASHID:

Thanks, but I'll manage.

PAUL:

In case you're wondering, I like women, not

little boys. And I'm not offering you a

long-term lease -- just a place to crash for a

couple of nights.

RASHID:

I can take care of myself. Don't worry.

PAUL:

Suit yourself. But if you change your mind,

here's the address.

(Takes out a pad from his pocket and

scribbles down the address. Tears

sheet from the pad and hands it to

RASHID)

The WAITRESS arrives with their orders.

WAITRESS:

One burger medium rare with lettuce and tomato.

(Setting down plate in front of RASHID)

One order of fries.

(Setting down plate)

One lemonade.

(Setting down glass)

And one dose of reality.

(Setting down iced coffee

in front of PAUL)

PAUL looks on as RASHID picks up hamburger and takes his first bite.

7.INT:
DAY. THE BROOKLYN CIGAR CO.

A slow hour. AUGGIE is sitting behind the counter, looking through a

magazine and eating a slice of pizza for lunch. VINNIE enters the

frame. He is the owner of the store: a large man in his fifties.

VINNIE:

Okay. I think everything's set.

(Lights up cigar)

You've got the number for Cape Cod, right? Just

in case something goes wrong.

AUGGIE:

(Chewing pizza; not looking

up from magazine)

No problem, Vinnie. Everything's under control.

(Finally looking up)

I could run this store in my sleep.

VINNIE:

(Studying AUGGIE)

How long you been working for me, Auggie?

AUGGIE:

(Shrugs, looks down at magazine again)

I don't know. Thirteen, fourteen years.

Something like that.

VINNIE:

It's pretty crazy, don't you think? I mean, a

smart guy like you. What do you want to hang

on to a dead-end job like this for?

AUGGIE:

(Shrugs again)

I don't know.

(Turns pages of magazine)

Maybe because I love you so much, boss.

VINNIE:

Sh*t. You should have been married to someone

by now. You know, settled down somewhere with a

kid or two, a nice steady job.

AUGGIE:

I almost got married once.

VINNIE:

Yeah, I know. To that girl who moved to

Pittsburgh.

AUGGIE:

Ruby McNutt. My one true love.

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