Race (2 page)

JACK
: “At some point . . .”

HENRY
: And p.s. I don't like all this bullshit about the world is treating you unfairly, as it
also
treated you unfairly when you were born to wealth, but I don't believe that you complained
then
—so let's get that out upon the table
now
—because as it occurs to
me
, be
assured
it will occur to the
jury
.

CHARLES
: I want you to represent me.

JACK
: Why?

CHARLES
: Because . . .

JACK
: Go on.

CHARLES
: Because I think you can win.

JACK
: And why would you think that?

HENRY
: I don't like it.

CHARLES
: Because you've won before.

HENRY
: Greenstein's won before.

CHARLES
: But he's white.

HENRY
: So you
do
understand the nature of the case.

CHARLES
: I do.

HENRY
: And do you understand that it cannot be won. Other than by dealing with the sordid?

CHARLES
: The sordid . . .

JACK
: How do you think we've won before?

CHARLES
: I . . .

JACK
: We have
won
. By being
quick
, and being
brutal
. Being fast and first, and tearing off the fucking Band-Aid.

CHARLES
: It's very
important
to me, that, let me put it differently. I, of course . . .

JACK
: Mr. Strickland, save it.

CHARLES
: Save it . . .

HENRY
: The surgeon may have time. To do the operation. He does not have time, to wake the fella up, and explain what he's going to cut.

CHARLES
: And, I: am the drugged patient . . .

HENRY
: You want me to tell you what you are? White man, rich man? You are so fucked-up out of your mind, you don't know which comes first, Christmas or Lincoln's Birthday. You don't know whether to confess or go out and buy a pistol. Now, tell me, you haven't thought about
both
.

CHARLES
: I am the victim.
(Pause)
Of a false accusation.

HENRY
: Which of us is immune?

JACK
: Mr. Strickland. We need you to go in the outer office and write down, in effect, “everything you ever did.”

CHARLES
: I don't understand.

JACK
: Yes, you do.

CHARLES
: You want me to write . . . ?

JACK
: I want you to write. A catalog of your sins.

CHARLES
: And what does that have to do with “the facts of this case”?

JACK
: There
are
no “facts of the case.” There are two
fictions
. Which the opposing teams each seek to impress upon the jury. That is part of the wisdom you'd be paying us for.

CHARLES
: And what is the rest?

HENRY
: Wisdom you're paying us for, Mr. Strickland, is that you'd better fight dirtier than the prosecution.

JACK
: Why is it;
poor
people don't get dragged up in the press? “Manuel went to the massage parlor . . .” “Motishia cheated on her husband . . .”

CHARLES
: Why?

JACK
: Because it ain't gossip.

CHARLES
: “It . . . ?”

HENRY
: The legal process, Charles is only about three things.

CHARLES
: What are those three things?

HENRY
: Hatred, fear, or envy. And you just hit the trifecta.

CHARLES
: How do I win this case?

JACK
: At this moment, I'll be goddamned if I know.

CHARLES
: Well, that's blunt.

JACK
: Charles. Everything. Which you have taken for granted. As your right. Is about to land you in jail. Guilty or not. Do you understand? If we begin, “How dare you suggest that you can destroy me?” then the mob will raise you out.

CHARLES
: Why?

JACK
: Because it knows your name.

HENRY
: He might have to beg . . .

JACK
: You never begged? You were young, you never begged for pussy? You never begged the officer to let you off the D.U.I.?

HENRY
: You ever do that?

CHARLES
: I'm innocent.

JACK
: Nobody fucking cares. You understand. Nobody cares. The only way out is through, and. To get back into the world one way or the other, you're going to have to be cleansed.

CHARLES
: Alright

HENRY
: “Alright,” meaning what?

CHARLES
: If I. Submit myself to you. What can you do for me?

JACK
: Tell him.

HENRY
: Plead to a lesser charge. Let's see what kind of deal we can strike.

CHARLES
: Am I entitled to a defense?

JACK
: We just offered you the best one that you're going to get.

CHARLES
: Some lawyer will take the case.

JACK
: That is correct.

CHARLES
: I want you to defend me.

JACK
: Why?

CHARLES
: Because I want to fight.

JACK
: Take the pad, and write down. Everything you've ever done.

CHARLES
: Alright. I understand.
(He takes the pad)

JACK
: We have to assume that he offered her money. If he offered her money why didn't she go away?
(Pause)
What does she want?

HENRY
: What does she want?

JACK
: “Revenge?”

HENRY
: In which case . . .
(Susan reenters)

JACK
(To Susan)
: He just “walked in.”

SUSAN
: That is correct. He just walked in.

JACK
: What did he say when he walked in?

SUSAN
: He told me his name and he said “perhaps you've heard of me.”

HENRY
: Why'd he leave Nicky Greenstein?

JACK
: You want to call him or shall I?

HENRY
: I'll call him.

JACK
: He bring anything in with him . . . a
file
. . . ?

SUSAN
(Shakes head)
: He told me his name and asked if he could
speak
to you.

JACK
: To me? He asked to speak to me? Uh-huh.

HENRY
(To phone)
: This is Hank Brown. Is he in?

JACK
(To Susan)
: Call Kelley. I need: a copy of the indictment.

SUSAN
: Kelley?

JACK
: And: the arrest report, write it down,
and
of the testimony of: the First Responding Officers.

SUSAN
: That won't be avail . . .

JACK
: Just make the call.

HENRY
: Robert Kelley.

JACK
: . . . and the chambermaid.

HENRY
: And of the chambermaid.

SUSAN
: How would I . . . ?

HENRY
: Kelley will get it.

JACK
: I need it now.
(She starts to exit. To Susan)
Keep him busy. He runs out of things to write, chat him up. Make him ask you a question. Get him to, I don't know, fill out a “client
information
form” . . .

SUSAN
: Is there such a . . . ?

JACK
: Just keep him out there.

HENRY
(To phone)
: Have him call me, will you please. Lawson and Brown. He has the number.
(She hangs up)

JACK
: Wait. How does he look to you?

SUSAN
: He looked like a guilty man.

JACK
: How does a guilty man look?

SUSAN
: Furtive.
False
, uh.

JACK
: How would a man look, who's been falsely accused?

SUSAN
: Yes. I see.

JACK
: Which one is he?

SUSAN
: I . . .

JACK
: You tell
me
.

SUSAN
: To.
(Pause)
To establish
dominance
, to . . .

HENRY
: Guess again.

SUSAN
: To decide if we should take the case.

JACK
: Well, that's right.

SUSAN
: Why would we not?

JACK
: Get Kelley. I need more information.

SUSAN
: Can't we ask the client.

JACK
(Shakes his head)
: No. He's off the charts.

SUSAN
: I don't understand.

HENRY
: At this point, he is regressed to the savage. He doesn't understand his state. He's never been here before. And he doesn't like it. No one has said “no” to him. For forty years. His answer
now
is to be abject For one moment. Those people before whom he feels he has
abased
himself in that moment, he will, later, turn on.

SUSAN
: That's why he left Greenstein.

JACK
: We don't know.

SUSAN
:
But
. . .

JACK
: Alright . . .

SUSAN
: He came here
shopping
. . .

JACK
: So?

SUSAN
: “So shouldn't we bend over backwards?”

JACK
: “To?”

SUSAN
: To “please” him . . . ?

HENRY
: I think that's what
Greenstein
did.

JACK
(To phone)
: Hello. Kelley? We may have a new client.
(Pause)
Red sequined dress.
(Pause)
That's right.
(Pause)
No, he left
Greenstein.
(Pause)
Dunno yet. I need: the arrest report. Notes of the first responding officer. The testimony of . . . whoever you can get to on the hotel staff. Well—when will you be back . . .
(Pause)
Can you blow them off? No, no I need
you
to do it . . .
(Pause; nods)
The chambermaid . . . The report, they file a report, the chambermaid.
(Pause)
Well, where
are
you . . . ?
(Pause)
Well, when does it land? Alright. Soon as you can.
(Hangs up)

SUSAN
: So: do we take the case?

JACK
: Well, that's the question.

SUSAN
: Why would we not?

JACK
: 'Cause Nicky Greenstein is not stupid. He is one smart Jew.

HENRY
: He could of bought the girl off, he did not.

SUSAN
: Greenstein would have advised him to buy the girl off?

JACK
: As he walked in the door.

SUSAN
: How do you know he could have bought her off?

HENRY
: Because his purse is basically unlimited.

SUSAN
: What if she wanted something else?

HENRY
: What would that be?

SUSAN
: . . . “contrition.”

HENRY
: How is that usually expressed? . . .

JACK
: He could not or would not have bought the girl off. And he wouldn't plead. Which is why Greenstein fired him.

SUSAN
: The lawyer fired the client?

JACK
: You bet.

SUSAN
: How do you know?

JACK
: Because he had a
loser
.

HENRY
(On phone)
: Mister Greenstein please. Hank Brown . . . ?

JACK
: . . . alright: what do the blacks think?

SUSAN
: You think black people are stupid?

JACK
: I think
all
people are stupid. I don't think blacks are exempt . . .

HENRY
(To phone)
: Thank you.
(Shakes his head; hangs up)

JACK
: And I think, you get caught and you want a
pass
, confess to something else, embarrassing or criminal.

HENRY
: To wit?

JACK
: I dunno. He . . . the girl's half his age, he . . . well, he's
fucking
her . . .

HENRY
: He's married?

JACK
: Well, yes.

SUSAN
: Why did Greenstein fire him?

JACK
: He's married to another woman, he's fucking the
black
girl...

HENRY
: Alright, that's the American Way. We
understand
that, but “the white man ripped my dress off,” now it's Simon Legree and Topsy.

JACK
: Well. Here's two questions. One, what does it cost us if we lose? What is the second one?