Transcript courtesy of Candace
Setting: Todd's Penthouse, the docks, and then the Diner
Scene starts: Tea arrives at Todd's reading The Sun, with Patrick on the
front page
TÉA: So, Patrick Thornhart was a terrorist in another life.
TODD: This *is* his other life.
TÉA: I handle libel cases in case it becomes necessary.
TODD: Wait, so you're an ambulance chaser?
TÉA: Anything wrong with that?
TODD: No.
TÉA: I'm just drumming up more business.
TODD: You mean somebody actually pays you besides me?
TÉA: No one else has to.
JUDITH: Ok, it's time to say goodnight to daddy.
TÉA: Perfect timing. <to Starr> You're the one I really came to see. I heard you
were home, and I brought you.. boom! I brought you a present. <she brings out a big
clock> Look. Look. Look, you can wind it up, make the hands go round. It buzzes, it
rings really really loudly. <to Todd> Come
on, she loves it, right? <to Starr> You love it, right? See? You can make the hands
move around by going like this or you can just.. <Starr hands her a toy> Oh, thank
you, thank you! You can just push them around yourself too, see?
TODD: That would be the Manning way, wouldn't it?
TÉA: You wind it up like this to make it go. Do you like it? Huh? I'll leave it here for
you.
JUDITH: Ok, time to go up to bed.
TÉA: Bye bye. Bye bye.
TODD: Night Starr. Sleep good. Thank you, Judith.
TÉA: Aww. She is absolutely adorable.
TODD: Yeah.
TÉA: Ok, I gotta go.
<Tea begins to walk toward the door>
TODD: Wait, hang on a second. Don't go just yet. Ok?
TÉA: More business to discuss?
TODD: No, I, um. Starr's sleeping, I mean Judith is gonna sleep as long as she can. Even
the parrot's asleep and I'm awake.
TÉA: Ok. I have time. So, where's the bird sleep?
TODD: Wherever the bird wants to.
TÉA: How's Blair doing?
TODD: Well, she says her physical therapy's a nightmare, but she's coming along.
TÉA: Have you been to see her?
TODD: You ask a lot of questions.
TÉA: And you don't like that?
TODD: No. You're nosey.
TÉA: I'm just being direct.
TODD: Anybody ever tell you you're too direct?
TÉA: All the time. Anybody ever tell you you're a pain in the neck?
TODD: Yeah. But just `cause somebody points out your faults doesn't mean that you can
change them.
TÉA: I'll drink to that. Or, I would, if I had a drink. Look, do you really want me here
or not? You clearly have a lot on your mind, and I clearly have better ways to spend my
time.
TODD: Look, I'm not very good with casual human interaction.
TÉA: I noticed.
TODD: So sue me.
TÉA: I can do that. But not tonight. I will have that drink, though, if you can manage
it.
<Todd hands Tea a drink and he joins her on the couch>
TÉA: Thank you. This is where you keep the, uh, cheese crackers, right?
TODD: Sorry, I'm all out. I guess the bird found my stash. Oh, excuse me for not living up
to your high-point Park Avenue standards. I mean, I forget because, to tell the truth,
sometimes you have all the grace of a Mack truck. <noticing her shock at that
statement> Excuse me, I...
TÉA: Look, if, uh, if we're gonna have, uh, business
transactions, the occasional drink, and what passes for conversation...
TODD: Yeah?
TÉA: I might as well tell you. I'm Park Avenue bred in a dress alone. My father was a
building super. I quit telling people that in college. He, uh, he pulled trash, and fixed
leaky faucets.
TODD: Early social climbing, huh?
TÉA: It wasn't that. Not then, anyway. It was just, you know, such a cliche for a Puerto
Rican girl to say her father was a super. Of course, the Vega's know, but I haven't told
anybody else. Not even Kevin.
TODD: Probably a pretty good idea.
TÉA: So why did I tell you?
TODD: `Cause I'm the only person in town who's such a social pariah that I don't give a
flying... fish head.
TÉA: My Papi took the job so that José, my brother and I, so that we could, you
know, live in a safe neighborhood.
TODD: What did your mother do?
TÉA: Died.
TODD: Sorry.
TÉA: It's really no big deal, I mean, I, I hardly even noticed. You know, she left us a
long time before that.
TODD: I know what that's like. I mean, the thug who taught me to call him dad, he threw my
mother out of the house. And she was in such a hurry to get away from him, she forgot a
few things... like me. Hey, look, if you read the papers, you know I fought like hell to
keep my kid away from her mother,
but if a kid is lucky enough to have two parents, the kid should be with two parents,
right?
TÉA: So, are you gonna be getting back together with her when she comes home? You know,
happily ever after?
TODD: Too direct. <he plays with the clock Tea gave Starr> This is kindof a weird
gift to give a kid her age, don't you think?
TÉA: She didn't think so.
TODD: No, I guess she liked it.
TÉA: In the cab ride over here, this thing ticked so loudly that the cabbie thought I had
a bomb.
<This comment causes Todd to get nervous>
TODD: Let's get out of here.
TÉA: Huh? Where to?
TODD: Who cares?
TÉA: Ok.
<at the docks>
TÉA: This is the, uh, scenic tour, huh? First stop, site of the Armitage bombing. What's
next? County morgue? Looking for a souvenir Flotsam & Jetsam?
TODD: No, I'm looking for water rats.
TÉA: Gee, you know how to show a girl a good time.
TODD: That's right. Just ask anyone.
TÉA: You really think, what do you think about Thornhart? You think he did it?
<Todd has a flashback to the night of the bombing>
TODD: Your own client saw him here that night. There's half a ton of physical evidence
against the guy. Plus, he's done this before, you know? Publisher ticks him off, he blows
him up. Like that Whiting guy in Ireland.
TÉA: I know that's what you wrote in The Sun, and excuse the question, but is it true?
TODD: I don't make this stuff up. Is that what you think?
TÉA: I think you're not incapable of that. Which is why I offered my services in any
libel suit. I just, I don't see Patrick Thornhart as the murdering kind. But, you know,
who else could it have been?
<Todd flashbacks again>
TODD: Patrick Thornhart is extremely capable of murder. What difference does it make
anyway? Guy Armitage is dead, so what? The world's probably a better place without him.
TÉA: Todd.
TODD: Nobody misses the guy. He had no family. His own son hated him, even before he found
out that he wasn't his son. All I'm saying is what's the big deal?
TÉA: Ok. I'm creeped out enough. Can we go now?
<Sitting at a table at the diner. Todd is distracted, Tea is frustrated>
TÉA: Well, thanks. I can't remember when I've had such fun.
TODD: Look, I'm uh, I'm sorry that I freaked you out. It's just that when we were on the
docks I started to think of what Thornhart did to Armitage and it got me spooked for my
own life, and for my own safety. Especially since the pyrotechnic poet hates my guts.
TÉA: Does he really? Or are you just being paranoid?
TODD: Check the police reports. I had to call the cops to get him thrown out of my office.
It seems he doesn't like the way I covered his exploits. So, that's why I got all weird.
Or weirdER.
TÉA: It's ok. I understand, I think.
TODD: <taking money out of his pocket and putting it on the table> Look, um, well,
this is for the coffee and cab ride ba... I mean, you can get yourself home, right?
TÉA: Yeah. Are you sure you're ok?
TODD: Yeah. You'll learn not to pay any attention to me when I get all hinky like this.
TÉA: But you're such a hard man to ignore, Mr. Manning.