Straight Time

---

Open the gate.

You guys wanna step up to the table?

Open the gate, please.

-Can I help you?

-A dog.

Everything on it?

Hey. Hey. Sixty-five cents.

Mr. Frank, please.

No.

Well, my name's Dembo, A-20284.

Dembo, A-20284. Okay?

Just tell him that I'm here and I'll just--

I'll see him tomorrow morning.

I got an appointment with him.

Nothing important.

Yeah, okay. Thank you.

-Hi, Max.

-Hi.

Earl Frank.

Come on in.

Have a seat.

-You're a little late.

-I had some trouble getting down here.

-Want a coffee?

-Yeah, thanks.

Black.

So fill me in. How was the trip?

On the bus down? It was a little long.

-We made about 27 stops.

-Yeah, it's a real milk train.

Go ahead. Put it down on the floor.

So, what'd you do last night?

Oh, walked around.

-Meet anybody?

-No, nobody I know.

Where'd you stay?

You didn't go to the halfway house.

-I called. Didn't you get the message?

-You called here?

Last night. I left a message

with your answering service.

-I didn't get it.

-I left it.

So where'd you sleep?

In a motel.

The conditions of your parole

were that you were to go to the house.

That's a way to help you save money.

Now, you agreed to that

before your release.

Why didn't you go there?

Because I just spent six years

in prison.

I just wanted to look at the lights.

I wanted to feel free.

I wanted to walk around...

...and not have somebody tell me

that I gotta get in bed at 1 0:00.

Max, I think you've got

a serious attitude problem.

I don't have an attitude.

Can you tell me what kind of attitude

you want me to have?

Well, you don't decide whether or not

you go to a halfway house.

I mean, you come to me,

we discuss it, then I decide.

I'm just trying to make you understand that

I'm aware of the realities of my situation...

...that I'm not fated

to be a menace to society.

I'm not gonna go out

and hit somebody over the head.

My friend, I see that you're gonna

force me to deal with you.

I see that you've got juvenile offenses

dating back to when you were 1 2.

I see you've got auto theft,

you've got breaking and entering.

All this leading up to

a burglary warrant.

I just served six years

for that chickenshit rap.

Chickenshit? You had a gun.

Yeah, but I didn't use it

and I didn't hurt nobody.

What was in your mind

when you put it in your pocket?

I just took it along.

I'm due in court.

I'm aware that you have this power,

that you represent the state...

...but, you know, I think that

you can give me a little leeway.

You can be flexible.

I was just hoping

to get some trust from you.

You've gotta earn the trust.

I have. I just wanna

be like everybody else.

I just want a decent job.

I want a decent place to live.

I want somebody to love me,

I want some clothes on my back...

-...have some self-respect.

-I gotta get going now.

I tried to be straight with you, sir.

I know I shouldn't have done that last night

without checking with you first.

I'm sorry.

I'm sorry.

I'll make a deal with you, Max.

If you find a place to sleep today

and a job by the end of the week...

...you don't have to go

to a halfway house. Fair?

That's fair. I appreciate that.

When you find a place, you call

Miss DeVeccio and give her the address.

I'm gonna see you one day this week.

That's okay.

Here's the other hundred

you've got coming to you.

I want you to sign for it.

Now, do you understand

the conditions of your parole?

-Yes, I do.

-You have to attend all meetings.

You must heed the advice

and the counsel of your agent.

-Now, do you know what that means?

-Yeah, I think I do.

I gotta get along with you

or you're gonna throw me back in jail.

That's it in a nutshell.

-You're a tough man.

-No, I'm not, Max.

All right, I gotta go now.

-Good luck with it, now, huh?

-Okay.

I'm gonna do my best.

I know you're gonna do it.

-How much?

-Eighteen dollars a week.

Okay.

-Here's your key.

-Clean sheets?

No. Bathroom is over there.

Parole office. May I help you?

Could you leave a message

for Mr. Frank?

-Who's calling?

-My name is Max Dembo, A-20284.

-What?

-I got that.

-A-20284.

-Thank you.

Could you tell him I'm

at the Garland Hotel?

That's G-A-R-L-A-N-D.

And you'd better give him

the phone number. It's 321 -1 321 .

-I'll give him the message.

-I'd appreciate it if he gets it today.

-I'll give him the message, sir.

-Okay, thank you. Bye-bye.

Time's up.

Time's up.

-Time's up. I'm sorry.

-I just wanted to finish that sentence.

Bring those score sheets.

You did great

on your intelligence test.

Yeah, well, you know.

I could have told you that.

One moment.

Wilshire Agency.

Yes, she is. Hold on.

Pat, it's for you.

-Did you put it on hold, honey?

-Yeah.

Hello?

Disconnected. I lost the call.

You're supposed to push down ''Hold''

before you use these other buttons.

-There's ''Hold,'' there's the buttons.

-Okay.

I'm sorry.

-Did you just get this job?

-Yeah. I've had it about a week.

-Is she your boss?

-Yeah.

Does she really like you

as much as she seems to?

I guess. I don't know.

You got a 61 on your typing test.

-Is that bad?

-I'm afraid it's a little low.

Well, I'm not used to the electric.

What was your last

place of employment?

Were you self-employed

or in the armed services?

No. I didn't know whether to put down

''state penitentiary.''

I was a convict.

And how long

did you hold that position?

Approximately six years. No vacation.

What'd you do?

Burglary.

You know, I know I fouled up

that typing test...

...but I do know how

to work a manual...

...and if you get any calls

for a manual typist...

...I'd appreciate it, you know?

Well, I'll see what I can do.

All I wanna....

All I wanna do is get a job.

I need a f***ing job.

I believe you.

Well, let me see.

I'm sorry to be a problem.

You know, like I can't drive a car

without permission.

-Why not?

-Well, it's a parole restriction.

I can't handle money, you know,

and it's like I'm limited...

...in terms of what they allow me to do.

Is there anything at all?

How about the National Can Company?

-Do you think they'd let you work there?

-Yeah.

-I think that would be all right with them.

-It's not much. It's only scale.

You wanna try? Okay.

Let's see what we've got here.

Well, go here and see what they say.

Listen, if I get this job,

can I celebrate by taking you to dinner?

You're not sure?

Is that a half yes?

I guess so.

When you go there,

I hope you get the job.

-Thanks for your time.

-Good luck.

-Thank you.

-Let me know what happens.

Okay.

-Hello? Who is it?

-Who is this?

This is Henry Darin.

-Henry Darin? I've heard about you.

-Yeah.

-Is your daddy there?

-Yeah.

Well, you tell him that somebody

wants to give the big bear a bear hug.

-Who is it?

-Just tell him...

...somebody wants to give the big bear

a bear hug. He'll know.

Dad! Someone wants to give you

a big-bear big bear hug!

-Hello?

-Willy?

-Yeah?

-It's Max.

Dembo?

-How you doing?

-Max, thank-- Goddamn.

Rate this script:0.0 / 0 votes