The Paper Page #4

once you have kids, a man's

best work can still be ahead of him.

But a woman's is very definitely

in the past.

I am so glad

you called me today.

Me too.

You know, Alicia,

your husband is right.

You should listen to him.

Age has nothing to do with it.

If anybody pushes their skin together,

it bunches up.

- That's why it's called skin.

- Yeah, but it's the way it bunches.

Your skin is the central preoccupation

of my life.

How much did this room cost?

I can't afford this.

I've got financial problems

that make Russia look well-managed.

This was the last time, Carl.

- Really, absolutely the last time.

- So, I'll pay.

Yeah, but what about next time?

God, I've gotta get back to work.

Police! Freeze! Get down!

Don't move!

What are you doing?

I'm gonna blow

your f***ing head off!

We didn't do it!

We were just walking by.

You have the right to remain silent.

You have the right to an attorney.

We were just walking by.

What are you doing?

- You understand that?

- We didn't do it!

The dog was chasing the man,

and the woman got hit with a shovel?

For God's sake, Alicia,

you're the managing editor...

of the sixth largest paper

in the country.

All I want is to be

fairly compensated.

You can't come in here

every six months...

I have other offers.

Don't make me bring them up.

Does this have to be today?

Do we have to do this today?

I have pressures...

real pressures.

I see. Pressures.

I know you loved

running Features.

I know Keighley shoved you into this

administrative job you didn't want.

I never knew how isolating

it was gonna be.

There are not exactly a lot of laughs

around my office these days.

You're in management. If everybody loved

you, you'd be doing something wrong.

But the fact is, I think you're

working miracles with the job.

Exactly. I have 300 people doing the

work they need 750 for over at Newsday.

I know. Thank you.

But there's

no more money for you.

There's a ceiling in this business,

and you're hitting your head on it.

Okay. Fine.

My contract's up in 18 months. I'd like

permission to start interviewing now.

You leave me no choice.

That contract leaves me no choice.

Pardon me saying this,

and I know I'm no one to talk...

but the problem

isn't with your contract.

It really isn't.

No way.

Let me tell you a story.

Sit down. Sit down.

It won't take long.

Very interesting. You'll like it.

In '68, a bunch of us who were

covering the Olympics in Grenoble...

decided to go

to the best restaurant in town.

Now, the menu didn't have

any prices...

but we were on expense account,

so we figured, "F*** it," got drunk.

Somehow there ended up being

15 or 20 of us at the table...

and when the cheque came...

it was $9,000.

Jesus!

Exactly. So now we're all

starting to point fingers.

We're trying to remember

who invited who.

We're talking about going

to Western Union to get money cabled.

And just when it was getting

really embarrassing...

this funny-looking old guy at the

next table called the maitre d' over.

Old guy. He drew a couple

of squiggly lines on a napkin...

signed his name, winked at us,

and that was that.

The old guy was Pablo Picasso...

and that napkin paid our bill.

So?

I'm not sure I caught

the segue here.

The people we cover, we move in

their world, but it is their world.

You can't live like them.

You'll never keep up.

If you try to make this job

about the money...

you'll be nothing but miserable,

because we don't get the money.

Never have, never will.

So, what can I say?

Talk to Bruno about the decoration,

renovation, whatever.

Ask him to be reasonable.

Your husband's a reasonable guy.

Or give up the nights in town

Bruno doesn't know about.

What?

It won't lead anywhere good.

I know what I'm talking about.

I know what I'm talking about.

I'm gonna see Keighley

tonight at the benefit.

It's obvious that I'm gonna have to

take this up with him directly.

If you go over my head on this,

you'll only make it worse for yourself.

McDougal, you still sleeping?

- I went out for lunch.

- Get up. I need a favour.

- What time is it?

- Five after 3:
00.

Come on. I need you

to do me a favour here.

You remember a...

Is that a gun?

I told you.

Sandusky's after me.

- When did you get so paranoid?

- When they started plotting against me.

I gotta talk to you right away.

McDougal, how are you?

Why?

3:
07.

I have to know about

that interview now.

Can it wait?

I've got the three o'clock.

I cannot wait. This is

our marriage here, okay?

You walked in three seconds ago.

When did whatever it is

escalate to our marriage?

Over lunch. You should have

been there. Very enlightening.

I've seen my future.

I'm a bitter, nasty broad...

who can suck down a bottle of wine

in a single gulp.

Give me a second.

Remember Sedona Savings and Loan?

They went under six months ago.

We did a big piece on 'em.

- I don't read this newspaper.

- Take my word for it.

If you got the other job,

maybe I have a prayer.

Wait a second. Do you still have that

friend out at the Justice Department?

Sure, but he hates me now.

At least you'll be around

to refill my Prozac prescriptions.

Can you get a list of investors

from him out of him?

I'll need to be medicated.

Heavily.

Major investors. Guys who lost the most

money in New York. Brooklyn, maybe.

They made a bust in Brooklyn.

In Williamsburg.

Two black kids.

One 17, one 19.

One of them did six months

for felonious assault.

But they look like babies.

This is a very poignant story.

Marty, how are you?

I thought you were on leave.

- The bust is no good.

- What?

- The bust is no good.

- Can we talk alone?

- How do you know?

- I heard it on your scanner.

It was subtle,

but I know what I heard.

Some beat cops were talking

about it...

then the dispatcher

came on and told them to shut up.

Not before they said they think

this bust is totally cosmetic.

Whether it is or it is not,

they're still walking them at 7:30.

We need art. And, please,

don't send Robin.

She's too green. If things

get rough, she'll miss the shot.

It's the Puerto Rican poacher!

Who told you to cover Williamsburg?

Calm down, Wilder.

You told me you'd handle him.

- Let Marty talk to her husband.

- "Handle him"?

You become 40 years old at this paper

and you have to be handled?

If you'd answer your beeper,

you'd know what was going on!

- Oh, answer this!

- You know what?

Williamsburg is turning into

our lead. We could wood on this.

This is good.

I want you both on this one.

You got the cops,

I get the poignant sh*t.

- I bought it!

- Why does she get the poignant sh*t?

- Bought the goddam chair!

- This is the last straw.

What exactly

were the previous straws?

Now it's your problem!

Let Marty talk to her husband.

I want you to call the cops.

Find out if the bust is good.

I need to know

for the three o'clock.

What's the matter

with you people?

3:
09!

Who took my stapler?

I've been here longer

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