The Panic in Needle Park Page #3

I'm a prostitute.

BOBBY:
He told me it was on 75th Street and Broadway.

Wait over there.

Wait over there.

Come on.

Sir. Hey, man.

I need to use the phone.

It's out of order, man.

Right.

This really sucks!

I've been beat.

( horns honking )

- Come on, man. You beat me, huh?

- I'm sorry, man.

- You took off on my bag?

- There wasn't enough to go around!

- You bastard! Where's his money?

- Look at me straight!

The trash can on 71st Street.

There's some sh*t maybe.

I got it.

What are you doin'?

I can't.

I can't.

- I ca.. I can't.

- Hmm?

Why?

Not when I'm doing junk, man..

I can't.

All right?

When I'm straight, okay?

Tomorrow.

All right?

Tomorrow.

Okay?

- No, no, no.

- What do you mean, no? I want my key, man!

Not until you pay your rent.

You charge rent in this germ factory?

You oughta pay me to stay here.

- Can I get my things?

- Lady, you won't miss your things.

Whoa. Some clientele you got here.

Regular resort for spade hookers.

- They pay their rent.

- You're beautiful. You know that?

You're lovely.

Regular palace you got here,

huh?

HELEN:
Bobby.

Hey.

Chico got busted.

We can use his place.

Paid up till the end of the week.

- Okay.

- Okay.

I'm a germ.

You should split.

You don't have to tell me when to go.

I'll just leave.

Listen.

I want you to do me a favor.

Go up to 119th Street for me.

I want you to score for me.

You could.

Yeah, I could, yeah.

You're not just asking me to score for you.

You're asking something else.

What am I asking?

You're asking how much I'll do for you.

Yeah.

So?

So...

...all right.

( baby crying )

( door opens, closes )

WOMAN:
Shh-shh-shh.

Shh.

You looking for someone?

- Freddy.

- Who?

Freddy.

Why?

- Are you Freddy?

- Why?

- He's got something for me.

- Oh, yeah? What?

Are you Freddy?

Yeah.

No. Wait, wait, wait. No.

No, no.

( laughing )

Hey, what's this?

It's only $11.

- That's all I've got.

- That's not enough.

But that's all I've got.

Maybe we can take it out in trade.

Goddamn garbage can!

Hey, what's up?

What's the matter, man?

Put your hands against the wall.

Get your feet out.

FREDDY:
What's wrong with you cats?

- Bark my goddamn shin.

- I'm clean, man.

- Find anything?

- Yeah, found the whole store.

- That's not mine, man. That belong to somebody else.

Whose is this?

- That's a lightweight bust. You cats don't want no lightweight bust.

- Turn around.

I've seen you around, Helen.

His name's Hotchner.

Bobby knows him.

Bobby's got you

scoring for him already, huh?

Come on.

We'll give you a ride downtown.

- I'm not going downtown.

- Come on. We'll give you a ride.

- I don't know where Bobby is.

- Come on.

That's not mine, man.

It belongs to somebody else.

Hey, Hotch.

- Freddy says he doesn't want to give us Jocko.

- The dude is my friend, man!

- You wanna get out, Freddy?

- Yeah, right here.

This is fine right here.

Just pull over. I'll just-Huh? Okay.

I'll just get out right here.

That'll be three years, Freddy.

What do you mean,

three years, man?

Well, you're sittin'

on a one-to-three.

We'll tell the judge how

cooperative you've been,

...and, uh, that'll be good for three years.

Oh, man.

I'm up for welfare, man.

That's gon' blow it for me.

MAN:
So, set up Jocko.

You call him up, you make the buy.

You know how the game is played.

- Just have to cop from him once.

- You already done busted the dude once.

We don't mind busting people twice, Freddy.

Sh*t. Man, you cats

must be out of your minds.

No, man, wait a minute. Wait a minute.

The cat might not be home, man.

Wait a minute. You have a dime?

I don't have a dime.

HOTCH:
Bobby never told you about a panic, did he?

This time next month,

he'll be ratting for a couple of bags.

Everybody rats.

One day you pick up a newspaper,

you read a little story in there.

Maybe the feds

pick up 220 pounds of sh*t at the docks.

Nobody reads about it.

But for the next six months, you got everybody

kicking on the streets and ratting on each other.

That's one thing you gotta remember

about a junkie-he'll always rat.

Always.

HANK:
Come on, Bobby. Don't try to bullshit me.

- Have pity, man. You got your habit back.

- He's only chipping.

I chip.

He uses.

- Fifty bucks a day.

- Thirty.

That's two bills a week.

This is just the beginning of the panic.

Where's the money

gonna come from, Bobby?

Huh?

What are you gonna do?

Well, I'm not gonna do it with you.

( cheering, shouting )

Come on, man!

Give me a chance to get set,

all right?

Hit the ball now!

Let's go!

Let's go!

Oh!

Where you throwing it?

Here, let it bounce here.

You gotta bounce it here.

Higher.

Wait for your pitch.

Wait for your pitch.

( all jeering, shouting )

- Right?

- Oh, man!

Aw, man!

What did I do, man?

Back off.

You're lucky!

I was the Babe Ruth of West 81st Street.

That's right.

I hit that ball.

I hit the ball on the roof one time.

I went up to get it, there was this crap game going on.

I won $79 before my next turn at bat.

Huh?

I'm the greatest!

Hey, Helen, get it.

Go ahead.

( whistles )

You got it.

When did that happen?

Banana cake.

Hey.

Let's get married.

No?

Why not?

Come on.

Let's get married.

So?

What are you gonna live on?

Whitey owes me 19 bucks.

Oh, there's a start!

If you're lucky,

maybe you can cop two bags with that.

- No, I'm quitting.

- Sure.

The responsibility.

You're not gonna quit.

You're gonna come in with me.

- No.

- I got a nice little job lined up.

I-I'm gonna get a job.

That's good,

but this is nice.

- Something we can take with ease.

- I'm gonna get a job.

Sure. What are you gonna do?

Portrait artist?

Oh!

I'm sorry.

Darling, I wanted a jelly

doughnut, not the chocolate.

- You said two coffees and two chocolate...

- No. No, honey. You got it wrong.

I wanted a hot chocolate.

- Hot chocolate.

- Hot.

MAN:
Three black coffees.

- Three coffees.

Look at this.

( both laughing )

( whirring )

- What would you like?

- Cup of coffee and a sardine sandwich.

- Cup of coffee and a sardine sandwich.

(WHIRRING STOPS)

May I have

the hot chocolate, please?

- What?

- Hot chocolate.

Hot chocolate.

Here you go.

- You got that jelly doughnut?

- Just a minute.

- You're not holding out on me, are you?

- Three tricks, that's all.

It's cold, baby.

- Can we have a napkin, please?

- Get 'em yourself.

( moans, chuckles )

I can work at Pic 'n' Pay.

All the groceries I can steal.

I'm gonna work for Hank.

I don't want you taking sh*t from nobody.

Come on, baby.

I just...

( moans quietly )

Hey, Bobby.

Wedding present.

Oh.

- One's for her.

- A couple of toasters.

That's your problem.

Bobby, tonight.

About tonight, once more.

Tell me. What do we do?

- Hank, again?

- Again.

- I let you in.

- You let me in.

- Right. You bring up the stuff.

- I bring up the stuff.

Right. I back in the truck,

load it up, and off we go.

Off we go.

- 12:
00.

- 12:
00.

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