The stuff of nightmare is their plain bread. They butter it with pain. They set their clocks by deathwatch beetles, and thrive the centuries. They were the men with the leather-ribbon whips who sweated up the Pyramids seasoning it with other people's salt and other people's cracked hearts. They coursed Europe on the White Horses of the Plague. They whispered to Caesar that he was mortal, then sold daggers at half-price in the grand March sale. Some must have been lazing clowns, foot props for emperors, princes, and epileptic popes. Then out on the road, Gypsies in time, their populations grew as the world grew, spread, and there was more delicious variety of pain to thrive on. The train put wheels under them and here they run down the log road out of the Gothic and baroque; look at their wagons and coaches, the carving like medieval shrines, all of it stuff once drawn by horses, mules, or, maybe, men.
Claire Kane:
Oops, excuse me, sweetie. I really like the Wymans, don't you?
Stuart Kane:
Who?
Claire Kane:
The doctor and his wife, Marian. Ralph, I think his name. You know, the ones from the concert.
Stuart Kane:
He seems kind of lofty. You're off to work early, huh?
Claire Kane:
Yeah, I got two Birthdays today. He's a doctor, remember? And she is artist, I think.
Stuart Kane:
Oh yeah? What kind?
Claire Kane:
What kind? She's a painter. She paints pictures, you know? They really want us to come to dinner.
Stuart Kane:
Well, We'll see. I'm off.
Claire Kane:
What does that mean? We already agreed to go. We made a date. Bye. Close the door, Stuart.
Stuart Kane:
Sorry!
Vinny Gambini:
What's the matter with you?
Lisa:
I don't know.
Vinny Gambini:
You're acting like you're nervous or something.
Lisa:
Well, yeah. I am.
Vinny Gambini:
What are you nervous about? I'm the one that's under the gun here. Trial starts tomorrow.
Lisa:
You wanna know what I'm nervous about? I'll tell you what I'm nervous about! I am in the dark here with all this legal crap. I have no idea what's going on. All I know is that you're screwing up and I can't help.
Vinny Gambini:
You left me a little camera, didn't you?
Lisa:
Oh, Vinny! I'm watching you go down in flames, and you're bringing me with you and I can't do anything about it!
Vinny Gambini:
And?
Lisa:
Well I hate to bring it up because I know you've got enough pressure on you already. But, we agreed to get married as soon as you won your first case. Meanwhile, TEN YEARS LATER, my niece, the daughter of my sister is getting married. My biological clock is [taps her foot]
Lisa:
TICKING LIKE THIS and the way this case is going, I ain't never getting married.
Vinny Gambini:
Lisa, I don't need this. I swear to God, I do not need this right now, okay? I've got a judge that's just aching to throw me in jail. An idiot who wants to fight me for two hundred dollars. Slaughtered pigs. Giant loud whistles. I ain't slept in five days. I got no money, a dress code problem, AND a little murder case which, in the balance, holds the lives of two innocent kids. Not to mention your [taps his foot]
Vinny Gambini:
BIOLOGICAL CLOCK - my career, your life, our marriage, and let me see, what else can we pile on? Is there any more SHIT we can pile on to the top of the outcome of this case? Is it possible?
Lisa:
[pause] Maybe it was a bad time to bring it up.
