Glengarry Glen Ross (6 page)

Roma:
That was a great sale, Shelly.
(Pause.)

Levene:
Ah, fuck. Leads! Leads! Williamson! (Williamson
sticks his head out of the office.)
Send me
out
! Send me
out
!

Williamson:
The leads are coming.

Levene:
Get
‘em to me!

Williamson:
I talked to Murray and Mitch an hour ago. They’re coming in, you understand they’re a bit
upset
over this morning’s . . .

Levene:
Did you tell ‘em my sale?

Williamson:
How could I tell’ em your sale? Eh? I don’t have a tel . . . I’ll tell ‘em your sale when they bring in the leads. Alright? Shelly. Alright? We had a little . . . You closed a deal. You made a good sale. Fine.

Levene:
It’s better than a good sale. It’s a . . .

Williamson:
Look: I have a lot of things on my mind, they’re coming in, alright, they’re very upset, I’m trying to make some
sense
. . .

Levene:
All that I’m
telling
you: that one thing you can tell them it’s a remarkable sale.

Williamson:
The only thing remarkable is who you made it to.

Levene:
What does
that
fucking mean?

Williamson:
That if the sale sticks, it will be a miracle.

Levene:
Why should the sale not stick? Hey,
fuck
you. That’s what I’m saying. You have no idea of your job. A man’s his job and you’re
fucked
at yours.
You hear what I’m saying to you? Your “end of month board . . .” You can’t run an office. I don’t care. You don’t know what it
is,
you don’t have the
sense,
you don’t have the
balls.
You ever been on a sit?
Ever
? Has this cocksucker ever been . . . you ever sit down with a cust . . .

Williamson:
I were you, I’d calm down, Shelly.

Levene:
Would
you?
Would
you . . . ? Or you’re gonna
what,
fire me?

Williamson:
It’s not impossible.

Levene:
On an eighty-thousand dollar
day
? And it ain’t even
noon.

Roma:
You closed ‘em today?

Levene:
Yes. I did. This
morning. (To
Williamson:) What I’m
saying
to you: things can
change.
You
see
? This is where you fuck
up,
because this is something you don’t
know.
You can’t look down the
road.
And see what’s
coming.
Might be someone
else,
John. It might be someone
new,
eh? Someone
new.
And you can’t look
back.
‘Cause you don’t know
history.
You ask them. When we were at Rio Rancho, who was top man? A month . . . ? Two months . . . ? Eight months in twelve for three years in a row. You know what that means? You know what that means? Is that
luck
? Is that
some, some, some purloined leads? That’s
skill.
That’s
talent,
that’s, that’s . . .

Roma:
. . .
yes
. . .

Levene:
. . . and you don’t
remember.
‘Cause you weren’t
around.
That’s cold
calling.
Walk up to the door. I don’t even know their
name.
I’m selling something they don’t even
want.
You talk about soft sell . . . before we had a name for it . . . before we called it anything, we did it.

Roma:
That’s right, Shel.

Levene:
And, and, and, I
did
it. And I put a kid through
school.
She . . . and . . . Cold
calling,
fella. Door to door. But you don’t know. You don’t know. You never heard of a
streak.
You never heard of “marshaling your sales force . . . .” What are you, you’re a
secretary,
John. Fuck
you.
That’s my message to you. Fuck you and kiss my ass. You don’t like it, I’ll go talk to Jerry Graff. Period. Fuck you. Put me on the board. And I want three worthwhile leads today and I don’t want any bullshit about them and I want ‘em close together ‘cause I’m going to hit them all today. That’s all I have to say to you.

Roma:
He’s right, Williamson.

Williamson
goes into a side office. Pause.

Levene:
It’s not right. I’m sorry, and I’ll tell you who’s to blame is Mitch and Murray.

Roma
sees something outside the window.

Roma
(Sotto):
Oh, Christ.

Levene:
The hell with him. We’ll go to lunch, the leads won’t be up for . . .

Roma:
You’re a client. I just sold you five waterfront Glengarry Farms. I rub my head, throw me the cue “Kenilworth.”

Levene:
What is it?

Roma:
Kenilw . . .

Lingk
enters the office.

Roma
(To
Levene
): I
own the property, my
mother
owns the property, I put her
into
it. I’m going to show you on the plats. You look when you get home A–3 through A–14 and 26 through 30. You take your time and if you still feel.

Levene:
No, Mr. Roma. I don’t need the time, I’ve made a lot of
investments
in the last . . .

Lingk:
I’ve got to talk to you.

Roma
(Looking up):
Jim! What are you doing here? Jim Lingk, D. Ray Morton . . .

Levene:
Glad to meet you.

Roma:
I just put Jim into Black Creek . . . are you acquainted with . . .

Levene:
No . . . Black
Creek.
Yes. In
Florida
?

Roma:
Yes.

Levene:
I wanted to
speak
with you about . . .

Roma:
Well, we’ll do that this weekend.

Levene:
My
wife
told me to look into . . .

Roma
:
Beautiful.
Beautiful rolling land. I was telling Jim and Jinny, Ray, I want to tell you something.
(To
Levene
:)
You, Ray, you eat in a lot of restaurants. I know you do. . . .
(To
Lingk
:)
Mr. Morton’s with American Express . . . he’s . . .
(To
Levene
:)
I can tell Jim what you do . . . ?

Levene:
Sure.

Roma:
Ray is director of all European sales and services for American Ex . . .
(To
Levene
:)
But I’m saying you haven’t had a
meal
until you’ve tasted . . . I was at the Lingks’ last . . . as a matter of fact, what was that service feature you were talking about . . . ?

Levene:
Which . . .

Roma:
“Home Cooking” . . . what did you call it, you said it . . . it was a tag phrase that you had . . .

Levene:
Uh . . .

Roma:
Home . . .

Levene:
Home cooking . . .

Roma:
The monthly interview . . . ?

Levene:
Oh! For the
magazine
. . .

Roma:
Yes. Is this something that I can talk ab . . .

Levene:
Well, it isn’t coming
out
until the February iss . . .
sure.
Sure, go ahead, Ricky.

Roma:
You’re sure?

Levene
(nods):
Go ahead.

Roma:
Well, Ray was eating at one of his company’s men’s home in France . . . the man’s French, isn’t he?

Levene:
No, his
wife
is.

Roma:
Ah. Ah, his wife is. Ray: what
time
do you have . . . ?

Levene:
Twelve-fifteen.

Roma:
Oh! My God . . . I’ve got to get you on the
plane!

Levene:
Didn’t I say I was taking the two o’ . . .

Roma:
No. You said the one. That’s why you said we couldn’t talk till Kenilworth.

Levene:
Oh, my God, you’re right! I’m on the one. . . .
(Getting up.)
Well, let’s
scoot
. . .

Lingk:
I’ve got to talk to you . . .

Roma:
I’ve got to get Ray to O’Hare . . .
(To
Levene:
)
Come on, let’s hustle . . . .
(Over his shoulder:)
John! Call American Express in
Pittsburgh
for Mr. Morton, will you, tell them he’s on the one o’clock.
(To
Lingk
:)
I’ll see you. . . . Christ, I’m sorry you came all the way in . . . . I’m running Ray over to O’Hare . . . . You wait here, I’ll . . . no.
(To
Levene
:)
I’m meeting your man at the bank. . . .
(To
Lingk
:)
I wish you’d phoned. . . . I’ll tell you, wait: are you and Jinny going to be home tonight?
(Rubs forehead.)

Lingk:
I . . .

Levene:
Rick.

Roma:
What?

Levene:
Kenilworth
. . . ?

Roma:
I’m sorry . . . ?

Levene:
Kenilworth.

Roma:
Oh, God . . . Oh, God . . . (Roma
takes
Lingk
aside, sotto)
Jim, excuse me. . . . Ray, I told you, who he is is
the
senior vice-president American Express. His family owns 32 per. . . . Over the past years I’ve sold him . . . I can’t tell you the dollar amount, but
quite
a lot of land. I promised five
weeks
ago that I’d go to the wife’s birthday party in Kenilworth tonight.
(Sighs.)
I
have
to go. You understand. They treat me like a member of the family, so I have to go. It’s funny, you know, you get a picture of the Corporation-Type Company Man, all business . . . this man,
no.
We’ll go out to his home sometime. Let’s see.
(He checks his datebook.)
Tomorrow. No. Tomorrow, I’m in L.A. . . .
Monday
. . . I’ll take you to lunch, where would you like to go?

Lingk:
My wife . . . (Roma
rubs his head.)

Levene
(Standing in the door):
Rick . . . ?

Roma:
I’m sorry, Jim. I can’t talk now. I’ll call you tonight . . . I’m sorry. I’m coming, Ray.
(Starts for the door.)

Lingk:
My wife said I have to cancel the deal.

Roma:
It’s a common reaction, Jim. I’ll tell you what it is, and I know that that’s why you married her. One of the reasons is
prudence.
It’s a sizable investment. One thinks
twice
. . . it’s also something
women
have. It’s just a reaction to the size of the investment.
Monday,
if you’d invite me for dinner again . . .
(To
Levene
:)
This woman can
cook
. . .

Levene
(Simultaneously):
I’m sure she can . . .

Roma
(To
Lingk
):
We’re going to talk. I’m going to
tell
you something. Because
(Sotto:)
there’s something about your acreage I want you to know. I can’t talk about it now. I really shouldn’t. And, in fact, by
law,
I . . .
(Shrugs, resigned.)
The man next to you, he bought his lot at forty-
two,
he phoned to say that he’d
already
had an offer . . . (Roma
rubs his head.)

Levene:
Rick . . . ?

Roma:
I’m coming, Ray . . . what a day! I’ll call you this evening, Jim. I’m sorry you had to come in . . . Monday, lunch.

Lingk:
My wife . . .

Levene:
Rick, we really have to go.

Lingk:
My wife . . .

Roma:
Monday.

Lingk:
She called the consumer . . . the attorney, I don’t know. The attorney gen . . . they said we have three days . . .

Roma:
Who
did she call?

Lingk:
I don’t know, the attorney gen . . . the . . . some consumer office, umm . . .

Roma:
Why did she do
that,
Jim?

Lingk:
I don’t know.
(Pause.)
They said we have three days.
(Pause.)
They said we have three days.

Roma:
Three days.

Lingk:
To . . . you know.
(Pause.)

Roma:
No, I don’t know.
Tell
me.

Lingk:
To change our minds.

Roma:
Of
course
you have three days.
(Pause.)

Lingk:
So we can’t talk
Monday. (Pause.)

Roma:
Jim, Jim, you saw my book . . . I
can’t, you
saw my book . . .

Lingk:
But we have to
before
Monday. To get our money ba . . .