Nick of Time
Albert Thank you.
Irene Thank you. You deserve a nice, clean place.
Albert Well, thank you.
Irene So… give me that. Yes. Thank you. How’s everything? Working hard, huh?
Albert Working hard.
Irene Oh, yes, I know how it is. So, how long you gonna work here?
Albert Oh, about five.
Irene Oh, really? Well, see you later, huh?
Albert Take care.
Gene I am not gonna hurt you.
Eleanor Now, my security people are right outside. Any loud noise they’d just come right in here, you, you wouldn’t get very far.
Gene And if I was gonna hurt you, I would have done it already.
Eleanor At least that’s a little comfort.
Gene I have a problem.
Eleanor I can see that.
Gene I’m sorry to say, ma’am, that my problem is also your problem.
Eleanor Wait a minute, I know you. You’re. . . from the elevator.
Gene That’s right.
Eleanor You were very nervous.
Gene Guns tend to make me very nervous.
Eleanor Yeah, me too.
Gene We don’t have much time. I need you to listen to me carefully. Three lives depend on you listening very carefully to what I have to say. Do you understand?
Eleanor Yes, I do, I do. And I wanna hear you, I mean. . .
Gene Okay.
Eleanor Maybe, just let me call my assistant, her name’s Krista Brooks and she’s in charge of. . .
Gene She’s dead.
Eleanor She’s dead? How do you know that?
Gene I saw her die.
Eleanor Did you kill her?
Gene No.
Eleanor Well, who did?
Gene A very dangerous man, that. . . works for your husband. Your husband works for someone else and, er, they want you killed.
Eleanor I said I would listen. I didn’t say I would necessarily believe. I mean, you’re. . . you’re trying to tell me that my people are in some kind of plot against me, that my husband is trying to kill me, what do you expect?
Gene I know. I know. I don’t blame you. I don’t have any proof. But there is one way to find out for sure. Try to cancel the last speech.
Eleanor I wish you wouldn’t refer to it as my last speech.
Gene It’s the last chance that I have to kill you. Try to get out of it. They won’t let you. They can’t. Try to change the schedule. You’ll know I’m right. Governor, don’t make that speech. Trust me.
Eleanor You know, I love it when pistoleros talk about trust.
Gene Ma’am, I have never in my life fired one of these things before, but. . . I will if I have to.
Eleanor Indeed.
Gene Nine minutes, Governor.
Eleanor Franco! Franco!
Franco What is it, Governor? What’s wrong?
Eleanor I. . . er. . . I, I had a really bad dream. I had a, really bad dream.
Huey Well?
Gene I don’t know.
Huey What are you gonna do?
Gene I don’t know. I gotta get back.
Huey Yeah, but what are you gonna do?
Gene I’m gonna do whatever I have to.
Man 2 Oh, man, we gotta go. Come on, hurry, come on.
White Where is he?
Smith He’s in the toilet.
White It’s time. It’s time now.
Smith You wanna learn to relax. I told you I got it under control.
Lynn Where are we going?
Jones Not very far, Honey-Pie, not very far at all.
Smith Outta there! Mr Watson, time’s up! Let’s go! Outta there! Now you forgot!
Gene What?
Smith Wash your hands.
Gene Why are you doing this to me?
Smith I saw you, with your kid. I knew you’d do anything for her. I got faith in you, Mr Watson. You’re not just a regular guy. I know that. You don’t know it yourself. Maybe that’s why. Come here. I chose you.
Gene I know what I have to do. I’ll do it. Let’s do it.
Brendan Hey you, ready to head downstairs?
Old Man Good afternoon, Eleanor.
Eleanor I, er, I’ve got a killer headache, and, siesta hair. I’m, er, thinking of canceling the speech.
Brendan Well, it’s, it’s an important speech.
Old Man I’d say critical. Course, it’s no business of mine.
Eleanor Just another speech in a Tower of Babel so high, even Nimrod would be put to shame. Cancel and make my apologies.
Brendan Erm, won’t you excuse us?
Old Man Er, yes, I’ll. . . Nice to see you, Eleanor.
Brendan Honey, during a campaign, every speech is important. I mean, this is free, prime-time news coverage. We couldn’t buy it.
Eleanor What’s he doing here?
Brendan Who, him?
Eleanor Yes, him.
Brendan I asked him here. I needed his input on several issues.
Eleanor Things have changed, Brendan. I thought you understood that.
Brendan Christ, Eleanor, don’t start with that, I understand things have changed better than you do. I’m the one downstairs dealing with the repercussions. I’m the one taking the heat for all the broken promises you made to people like him. People who helped get you elected, by the way!
Eleanor Don’t remind me!
Brendan Listen to me. This speech, or a half dozen rubber chicken fundraisers. What do you say?
Eleanor The truth. . . Well, the truth is, I’ve got this lower intestinal havoc, Brendan, I feel sick. I wanna, I wanna cancel the speech.
Brendan This isn’t like you. You’re a trooper. Right, I’m gonna get some Pepto. You go downstairs and make one of your patented tributes to the common person, and we’re back to Sacramento. We can’t afford to lay down on the job now, I don’t care what the polls say. You want to blow off the Sacramento speech, that’s fine. But do this one, and let’s get out of the smog.
Eleanor Okay. I’ll do it.
Brendan That’s my girl.
Eleanor Er, I want to make some, last minute changes in that speech. Would you send Krista in right away, please?
Brendan Oh, jeez, I sent her on an errand.
Eleanor You sent my assistant on an errand?
Brendan Yeah.
Lynn Why do you keep looking at me?
Jones It’s my job. I’m your baby-sitter.
Lynn I’m not a baby.
