All language subtitles for Lou Grant s03e07 Gambling

Hello, I'm calling from the Trib. I'd
like to confirm a quote. How much money

was involved?

Was it over $1 ,000?

Was it over $10 ,000?

Yes, of course.

Fred, do you mind?

You're making a mess.

No, I'm just zeroing in just a couple of
more.

Sure. Hey, how about another drink for
the road?

There's a law, you know.

What law?

Oh, take a cab.

I think there's a law about you riding
in a cab.

Will you listen to this? I am so bored.
I spent the last hour watching Matt

MacGyver come on to Billy.

Do you care to join me?

Hey,

Lou.

Hi, Billy.

Mac. What was that all about?

Victory celebration.

That was Red Tash.

Big league pitcher. The Dodgers eat him
up.

Then how come he's 14 and 5 lifetime
against the Dodgers?

Oh, you didn't know that, did you, Mac?
She takes his sporting news.

Hey, isn't Tash supposed to go against
the Dodgers tomorrow?

He's getting loosened up. The only way
the Dodgers will beat him.

Oops, I just remembered. I got to call
my service.

Good -looking kid.

Personable. Are you an art in -depth
study?

Every time I look up, you're staring at
us.

I didn't think you'd notice. You seem
so, you know, involved.

Mac is giving me investment counseling.

We can all use a little investment
counseling.

That's what they teach you in journalism
school, buddy up to a high -ranking

member of the financial section.

I heard that folklore, too.

If they're so smart, how come they're
still working for a newspaper?

Kingsley. Didn't wake you, did I? Who
has time to sleep?

Listen, who's going against the Dodgers
tomorrow?

Your paper says Red Tash.

He's not injured or anything, is he?
There's no chance he could miss his

I haven't heard of it.

Okay, if it's Tash, put me down for a
thousand on the Dodgers.

Mac, you know what you're into the book
for already?

Kingsley, I'm good for it.

You go on the track.

What track?

Oh, what track's open? Ocean Park.

We're just going downtown.

Well, okay, that'll help some.

Gee, if that wasn't going to work, I
could have dropped you off at the

gate. Don't worry about it.

You can go now, Dupree.

You know, the way you drive makes it
awful hard to read.

A lot of people tell me that.

You want me to split the cost of gas
with you?

You know, I'm not some bum hitching a
ride.

You people out here haven't got the
world's greatest transit system, you

I heard.

Why do you think I picked you up?

If we don't have the world's greatest
transit system, I feel guilty as hell

about it.

Hey, you're pretty funny.

What do you do?

Newspaper man. I work at the Trib.

The Tribune?

Oh, you've got that Ben Andrews working
for you.

How come we got a toad like that writing
about racing?

All he ever does is kiss the track's
tomato.

Maybe you'd be interested in doing a
column for us.

Writing? No.

I move around too much.

We're going from track to track
following the ponies for 30 years.

I got ballsy.

Handicapping.

It's an art, right?

It's a religion.

Come on. Come on.

Let's get this moving.

You all know about... Hey, hey, hey,
hey, hey. Look, you all know about the

Turner Landis, the initiative.

Come down. Animal. Come up.

Sure. Proposition 2, Turner Landis.

Legalized gambling statewide.

Lotteries, casinos, off -track betting.

Go to the head of the class.

Now, if I may have your complete
attention.

Adam, what we would like from financial
is a gambling as an industry story. The

stock issues, how they're doing.

It's a big issue in London now. They
just closed down three casinos for

improprieties.

Improprieties. Don't you just love the
way the English phrase it?

I was there during the war. They
referred to it as the unpleasantness.

That's great. Now you get into it.

Here's a list of people we got doing
pieces for us on what's happening with

lotteries in the individual states.

You should get some feedback on that
pretty soon.

Good. Listen, Eddie, what I would like
to see from sports is a complete picture

of the betting.

You know, I'm pro in college, football,
basketball, point spreads, the whole

bit.

Belly, see if you can get a response
from the governor. Try the mayor, too.

Will do. I'm also trying to get an in
-depth interview with Landis himself.

I talked to Landis once.

May not be in -depth, but it'll
certainly be at length.

Charlie, I want Rossi on at the track.

Charlie, the track is our beat. It
belongs to sports.

I got Ben Andrews out there every day.

Well, this is investigative. I don't
want your handicapper on it.

The word is, he kisses the track's
tomato.

Let me put Mike Kessler on it, then.

Lou wants Rossi on this, and I think
it's a good idea.

Animal, get out your man in the street
kit. Get the pros and cons on the

initiative, and why.

Gotcha. Okay, we've got some time on us.
We have no deadline, so any one of you

can be prepared that I'm going to be
pulling you off for a breaking story.

Meanwhile... Charlie, what's our
editorial stance here?

Tribune for or against legalized
gambling in casinos, off -track betting,

all that? Well, first let me check out
false ownership of horses.

All right, see what you can come up with
on holding back horses while they're

getting them in shape.

Yeah, schooling, that's a good angle.
Well, you do know the word is that

California tracks run the up -and -up
well -supervised.

And I hope that's what you find out.

Lou Grant will continue in a moment here
on A &E.

I was thinking maybe you could help us.
You have been Tribune's in -house bookie

for as long as I have been here.

Probably 17 years.

No kidding.

Anyway, with this Turn -A -Lantis
initiative, we're doing a round -up

gambling. So I thought I'd go to the
horse's mouth.

I don't know anything about gambling.

I'm just a bookie.

I just want to ask something personal.

How come you don't have any competition?

At least I have never seen any other
book on the premises. Now, why is that?

I must do nice work.

Have any of the employees ever gotten
into the book for a sizeable chunk?

Oh, sure.

What happens if they can't pay off?

It never happened.

Hypothetically, if it did.

We'd work something out.

I'll see you, Johnny.

You've got to be kidding.

No, it's true. I never bet on anything.

Never? Never? I bet you, Nickel, I can
hold my breath longer than you.

I bet you can't say that three times
fast. I just never got into that stuff.

Don't ask me why, but now that I'm doing
this story, I feel like an idiot not

knowing anything about gambling.

Okay, what do you need to know?

Oh, okay.

What is line, spread, and please?

What is vigorous?

Sounds like something you'd put on
meatloaf.

You never heard of Vigorous?

Really?

Okay, it's the bookie's fee.

The way Kingsley works it, you place a
$100 bet with him, you lose, and you pay

him $110, $115.

I get it.

He's the middleman.

Right.

Okay, that's good.

Now, tell me about line and spread.

Kingsley!

I've got a student for you. Oh?

Would you explain a few things to this
young man about some of the terminology

and nomenclature of wagering?

I'd be glad to.

Look at this.

Rams are nine -point favorites over the
Eagles.

Yeah, I thought they were only seven.

It changed right before deadline.

Smith's out with a knee injury.

Gentlemen, you're missing my point.

Seems to me our paper is a little better
than a tout.

I don't know.

I think of the spread as being consumer
information.

With tickets going for 8, 10, and 12
bucks, the sports fan doesn't want to

his good money being wasted on a bad
game.

Oh, I'm sorry.

I didn't realize we were consumer
advocates.

Miss Benchon, there's a lot of sports
loyalty in this town. The Rams, Lakers,

UCLA, USC.

I mean, with this kind of information,
the fans can demonstrate their faith in

their teams without losing their shirts.

I mean, they bet their team, even
knowing that the team isn't always going

win. Oh, I see.

So by running the odds and the spreads,
we're not only consumer advocates, but

we're contributing to the esprit de
corps of our local fans. That's lovely.

Mr. Talbot, please take today's sports
section and mark every item that might

of use to the bookies, the bettors, the
touts, and the oddsmakers.

That has to be every item here.

I think there is a subtle difference
between reporting the news and being a

research assistant for a tout.

Let's just see if you can puzzle it out.

All right. Now, will somebody please
tell me about this Turner -Lambis

initiative?

Now, what is it they're all saying about
revenue from gambling paying up to 5 %

of the state's budget and that it's all
going directly to the schools?

My understanding is that revenues from
legalized gambling went closer to 2%,

5%. You're talking about states with off
-track betting and lotteries. Throw in

the casinos and it all adds up.

A lot of other things add up as well.

What about the rise in the crime rate?

When you glamorize gambling, the girls,
the floor shows, the Taj Mahal

atmosphere, then you are being very
seductive.

Question is...

Do we want to get into a crusade against
gambling?

Well, not with that kind of thing in our
sports section. I don't want to be

accused of being hypocritical.

Take my word for it. There's a deep
underlying psychological need to gamble.

Not me. I don't have it.

How long did Tag blast after last night?

He's still in.

Bottom of the ninth. Tash has only given
up three hits.

Tash is working his usual magic on the
Dodgers. His uniform is soaking wet.

Looks like he just ran through a car
wash.

Okay. Tash takes off the sign. The nods.
Throw.

Ball strike.

Flider caught in the inside corner.

Full count.

He's picking the plate to piece him.

Here it comes. The breaking ball. A
swing and a miss. It's all over. Red

has done it again. Blanks the Dodgers.
Six to nothing on three hits.

Shows you.

Watch your diet, jog, think positive,
and drink plenty of liquids.

Hey, listen, Kingsley, this is Mac.

Can you believe that, Tash?

Yeah.

Dodgers should have jumped on him real
early when he was shaky.

Walked two in the first inning.

Hey, listen, I thought I'd give you a
call. We gave you a trip.

I'm not going to be able to pay off
tonight.

I'm holding 600 shares of Colonial and
Western, but I don't want to sell them

out before Friday. That could mean a
difference of $5 ,000 to me.

There's no big rush.

I'm not going to come down on you, Mac.

Okay?

I'll go for Friday.

But don't you put me in a spot.

I'm answerable to other people.

Friday is the deadline.

You're a newspaper man.

You know what a deadline is.

Lou Grant will continue in a moment here
on A &E.

I have a breakfast meeting with the
racing board in 15 minutes, but we can

till then. I'll take what I can get.

Why are you proposing that we establish
gambling in California?

Ms. Newman, we've always had gambling in
California.

My initiative proposes that we take the
gambling out of the hands of private

exploiters and underworld elements and
let society reap some of the benefits.

It's been very successful in many
places.

Japan, Syria, Belgium, Egypt.

Even New Hampshire? Yes, but in those
cases, wasn't it limited to lotteries

horse racing? Your proposition includes
casinos.

Gambling is gambling. I don't make any
hypocritical distinctions.

I say let's make economic sense of it.

A government study shows a sharp rise in
street crime and prostitution when

there's casino gambling.

Prostitutes move from one location to
another. That doesn't mean that there's

any increase in prostitution, correct?

I see.

What about the charge that when you
legalize it, more people start gambling?

With Turner Landis, a man is free to
gamble or not to gamble. Now, big

government is not here to tell you or me
what we can or can't do.

I'm proposing a painless form of
taxation, more money for education,

health. I have a quote from Reverend
Sloan, who opposes your initiative. He

that if you put a tax on the sale of
heroin, a dope dealer could make the

argument.

Well, you ask your Reverend Sloan.

If Turner Landis is so evil, how come we
got 200 ,000 of our good citizens to

sign our petition in less than 14 days?

Hey, there's my old buddy.

How are you, Mort?

How'd you do at the track?

Even Steven.

Oh, that's a pretty good day's work.
Well, I got some grease, so I don't pay

admission. I don't buy that $2 hot dogs,
and I didn't bet on any races.

I got a 50 -50 chance to break it even.

Good, good.

The form's here.

Oh.

Kids, you come in there and look at
that.

Yeah, and old men.

Is this all?

I'm sorry, I didn't need any more.

Coffee?

Lamp top?

Paul. 581.

Five or six.

You got a penny?

I got a penny.

Thanks, Mark.

Don't bother about it.

Let me ask you. Are you serious about
not making a bet today?

One day in five, one day in six, I go to
the track.

I don't see anything, I take a walk.

So there goes your day.

What do you think? I'm at the track. I
got to make a bet.

What? To be polite?

Not to hurt the horse's feelings?

All right, tell me. What do you do you
can't do at home?

Watching the tube or reading a tribune?

I go to the track like I always do. To
study, to learn.

Oh, yesterday I had a spot in the fifth
race.

Longest day.

The price was all right.

I went to look at the horse, and I don't
like what I see.

Something tells me.

Then he ran out of the money.

You understand?

No, no, no, he went.

A month and a half.

But these things happen.

And now what do you do?

The only race you wanted to bet is over.

You come home and stay out there, what?

What's the matter with you? Don't you
listen? I just told you.

Study and learn.

Sorry, teach.

So, what did you learn?

Well, I'm watching, learning, making
mental notes.

I spot something.

Comes over me.

I see some kind of a sting.

Some kind of a scam.

But I think I got it figured.

Scam? What kind of scam? Tell me.

You want the facts?

Yes. Well, you go to the laboratory. You
study and learn.

Put in your time.

Okay, Mort.

You got a point.

This is where you live?

Well, until the 26th. Then I go back
east.

Hey, I owe you a penny.

Don't worry about it. Easy come, easy
go.

Hey, I'm a little down.

It's nothing. I'll get over it.

You want to cancel tonight?

It's okay.

Nope. I think maybe you want to see my
gloomy side.

Listen, if there's something you don't
want to talk about... It's family. Why

should I bore you?

Bore me?

Well, my mother.

She's got to have $7 ,500 now.

Right now, like yesterday.

What for?

Balloon payment on her house.

She could refinance, but that would pop
her interest rate up 2%. I just got

busy. I should have checked the
documents.

Doesn't she have any money at all?

She has some.

I'm letting her have $3 ,500.

She'll be short $2 ,000.

My old buddy Clark Bryant is into me for
double that, but he's having a cash

flow problem.

So you need $2 ,000?

Yeah, I just need to borrow money.

And the bank checks back with the paper.

And how long would you need it for?

Two weeks, three.

Hey, come on, don't you worry. It's my
problem.

I could let you have it for a couple of
weeks.

It's my nest egg, but... Lee, I so like
you.

Which is why I don't want you to do it.

Oh, first let me see what Clark can do.

Hey,

it's nice to know you're there.

Hey, what are friends for?

Again, John, please explain it to me,
but I got some questions on this point

spread thing.

Look, it's simple.

Let's say Notre Dame is playing East
Idaho Teachers College.

Now, that's no contest. Nobody's going
to bet that.

But the book says spread, even money,
Notre Dame wins by 100 points.

So I bet East Idaho they lose 96 zips,
so I win. All right, I got that. But now

what if they lose 107 to 7? I didn't
make the spread, right? No, that's push.

Push.

The first race coming up.

Maybe. I don't know.

The best is coming around.

Mr. Merriam, the trainer, is going to be
schooling this filly.

Dobie's dream. When he does, I'll get my
shot.

Yeah. You mean once around the track,
nice and easy, right? Yeah. Not trying

win or anything.

I'll go wide.

Mr. Merriam figures I can't get in any
trouble. And then me and Dobie's dream,

we get a real race under our belt.

The trainer tells you that? I mean, take
it easy, don't try to win?

Well, not exactly like that.

He lets you know. Like he'll say, don't
abuse the horse.

I know what all that stuff means.

And people will be betting Dobie's
dream.

Some, I guess.

They don't know what they're doing.

Have I got this schooling bit right?

You're making it sound too complicated.
It's just a warm -up race.

The horse isn't putting out 100%, but
the people who bet on him don't know it,

right?

Something like that, yeah.

Crooked is complicated.

Don't say it isn't.

Hey, what's the matter with you?

Sorry.

Come on, what's the problem?

It's nothing.

Look, I'm not crying with a little
honest concern.

All right.

What would you do? Tell me.

I got this old friend, okay? What's her
name?

Mary Smith.

Have I met her?

I don't think so.

Why not? Sounds cute.

Okay, forget Mary Smith.

I have this friend, who shall remain
nameless, who's having a cash flow

problem. How much?

$2 ,000.

You mean you have $2 ,000 to lend this
person?

How can you save $2 ,000 on what we
make? I mean, I make more than you, I

and I can never save anything.

Nevertheless, my friend wants to borrow
the money.

It's only for two weeks.

It usually is. Two weeks. They're open.

And what are friends for?

Friends?

Friends are wonderful.

You don't possess them, they don't
possess you.

So why ruin wonderful relationships with
people by lending them money and

finding out they're dead people?

Rocky?

Thank you.

You helped me make up my mind.

You're going to lend her the money,
aren't you? Or him.

Sure. Hey, anytime I can be of service.

Listen,

any piece of information we put on the
sports page is an excuse for someone to

make a bet.

Let's say a hockey team is due to arrive
in town at 4 p .m. Well, you can bet

that someone is laying odds that the
plane will be late.

There's no way the sports can report
legitimate news without a gambler

it to use.

If a star halfback pulls a groin muscle,
what are you going to do?

Gentlemen, please continue to report
every groin injury and late arrival

fear of my displeasure.

That's great.

But I am still uncomfortable with the
idea that we're running a service for

oddsmakers and the bookies and the
touts.

So let's drop the spread.

Oh, Mrs.

Pinchot. I don't know what you're asking
for.

It'll be the only paper in town not
running those figures. It's the only

a lot of people buy newspapers.

It's gonna cost a circulation.

Huh.

She is just killing us.

Tell you one thing.

Tomorrow's home edition doesn't carry
the point spread.

We're gonna get 500 irate phone calls.

More like three.

I think it'll be closer to a thousand.

Buck says it's closer to three. You're
on.

You listening, McIver?

If we catch you down there one more
time, you're going to end up in one of

machines. Your next page one story is
going to be printed on your face.

Lou?

Hello, Ken.

Hello.

Ken, I'm not too fond of people trying
to intimidate my staff.

Yeah, well, I'm not crazy about con
artists hustling my boys, Lou.

What are you talking about?

Some of the guys in the press room pool
their money, and McIver is supposedly

investing it for them.

Investing? No, no, no, no, no. Our
policy against that is very clear.

I'm not worried about the policy, Lou.

I just want to make sure my guys don't
lose their shirts investing in the Save

Mac McIver's Neck Fund.

What's that supposed to mean?

Lou, I happen to know he's into the book
for a big chunk.

In fact, I was thinking of going to
Charlie.

Before you do, let me check it.

Fine, fine, Lou. I hate being involved.

But I can see trouble coming.

If McIver don't clean up his act,
somebody's going to get their lumps,

Lou Grant will continue in a moment here
on A &E.

What do you do?

I'm a teacher.

How do you feel about the Turner -Landis
initiative?

Well, I teach in a classroom with 35 to
40 kids in it. Nobody can handle that.

And the classes are getting bigger.

You think Turner -Landis will help that?

Well, all I know is that people have
been voting down school bondage for the

last 20 years.

You know, I don't like gambling.

But Turner Landis seems to be one way to
get people to vote for good schools

without knowing about it.

Thank you. You're welcome.

319 out of 5, 181.

Lou, are you friends with Mort, the
horse genius?

Mort? Sure.

Take him this, will you? He's sick.

Do you know where he lives?

Sure. Does he pay for it?

Don't you worry about it.

And Lou, give him this.

Okay, Rosa.

Bye.

Doc?

How old are you?

78.

I know how to take care of myself.

I got a three -year -old running in the
fifth race Wednesday.

Heal thyself.

Don't bet on it.

Listen, let me give it to you straight.
You ought to be in the hospital.

Hospital? Are you off your rocker?

What are you going to do in the hospital
with me? Cut something out?

Listen to the man, will you?

I'm not going to go to any hospital. I
can't afford it.

What about insurance?

Is he kidding?

Well, there's Medi -Cal or Medicaid.

I don't pay taxes. I haven't got any
Social Security.

I don't exist in anybody's books.

I might be able to get you into a ward
at the county as an indigent.

Doc, how bad is it?

He just wants to know the odds.

You're this close to pneumonia, and
you're no condition to take care of

yourself. All right, I'll stay in bed.

If I want anything, I'll call Rosa.

I'll be all right.

Lou, can you fill this?

Follow the instructions.

Okay, Doc, okay, but don't be so
positive. You're still a young man.

I'll be back tomorrow night, same time.

Follow my instructions.

Six to one, you'll still be alive.

See you, Lou.

Thanks, Doc.

What are you doing?

Get back in bed.

Come on, Mark.

Come on. Stop horsing around.

Look.

A little thanks and all that. You're a
good Sam.

Well, just get that prescription filled
and mind your own business.

Lie still like the doctor told you.

Sugar puffs.

Huh?

Get the sugar puffs in the cupboard. The
sugar puffs.

The cereal sugar puffs.

Go into the closet.

The brown shoes and the overcoats. Bring
them to me. I'm sure you're not

delirious. Do what you're told.

You want your stuffed owl and your
security blanket and your leather

from Wensaki High?

The Bible.

The Bible. It's over there behind the
telly.

Well, I got no choice.

I got to trust you.

I know I'm not going to make it.

What do you mean you're not going to
make it?

There's a track tomorrow.

What do you think I meant?

Tomorrow's the day.

I've been talking that scam for two
weeks.

Tomorrow's payday.

$500.

$500.

$500.

And you can't afford a hospital.

You don't understand. That's betting
money.

Do you know from across the board?

Win, place, and show.

That's what I refer to in my notes.

500, 500, 500.

Win, place, and show on Vespi in the
seventh.

1 ,500 across the board on Vespi. That's
right. And track odds. Now, can you do

it?

Well, you make everything so easy.

I guess.

Don't guess.

Track odds.

You hear?

Get somebody to run it out.

It's going to go off at 40 to 1.

40 to 1?

More, what's a scam? You want to tell
me?

Well, my conclusion is just a setup.

The fix is in, and when that happens,
the fewer people that know about it, the

better.

Lou, you've done a lot of things for me
that nobody else has ever done.

And I appreciate it.

But you've got to listen to me.

Promise me something.

What? You bet everything you've got, hop
your house and your car and your

mother, and put it all on Vespri and a
seven. It's a big payday.

You are held in high esteem by lots of
people. The bank cashed your check like

that. Just shows if you're courteous,
clean your fingernails, make your

on time. I'll have it all back to you,
not later than the 26th. I'll square up,

really. It's okay. I know you'll get it
back.

Why don't you let me finish this and we
can go have a cup of coffee? Great.

I'll be right back. Do one in the same
minute.

Maybe Charlie should be here for this,
but I'd like to keep him out of it,

seeing as how he was the one who got you
this job.

Well, our family sort of knew each
other.

Anyway, before I got him involved, I
thought I'd check it with you first.

What about?

Some of the guys in the composing realm
have pooled their resources like a

little mutual fund.

And you've been handling it.

I'm doing them a favor.

Oh, Lou, that's chicken feed.

I'm not getting anything out of it.
There are no commissions or anything

that. How much is chicken feed?

A little over $6 ,500.

You know what the policy of the paper
is?

Nobody on the financial side ever uses
any information to tout the employee.

Ever.

All that was spelled out to you before
you took the job.

Hey, Lou, maybe I made a mistake in
judgment, but I didn't go to them. They

to me.

Maybe I wanted to be loved, you know.
One of the guys.

I suppose I shouldn't have done it.

Mac, if you have any money, any stocks,
bonds, or loose chains that belongs to

an employee of this paper, get it back
to him. Now, understand?

Well, Lou, it's as good as done. You're
absolutely right.

Okay?

Okay.

I just got through talking to the
switchboard operator.

They've counted 327 complaints that
we're not running the football spreads

anymore, plus another 200 that went
directly to sport.

327 and 200.

I'm going to win if there aren't any
more. Whose dumb idea was it to stop

running the spread?

That was Mrs.

Pinchon's dumb idea.

In other words...

It was a good dumb idea.

Kinkley? Did you get it down for me?

That's all I'm taking care of.

The track art.

It was better to track. I got a sandwich
boy there for emergency.

Thanks. That really helps me out.

You can do me a favor sometime.

If I can.

Listen.

Can I get a bet down myself?

Let's be sure.

But the...

Book pays 20 to 1 top odds, not like the
40 I got you at the track. You

understand that?

I'm agreeing.

How much do you want to put down?

Two. Two hundred?

No.

Two bucks.

Oh, what the hell?

Five.

Bucks.

why he was in such a hurry?

There's a manufacturer's convention in
Anaheim. Oh, he went. Sit down. Let me

wait. Yeah.

So, are you, uh, are you seeing Mike
Mack?

Some. He's a nice kid.

Kid. He's a grown man.

Just that I've known him so long. See,
Marion lived next door to his mother's

family.

Um, iced coffee.

Uh, two, please.

Where was that?

What? Oh.

It was in Southampton, Long Island.

Ritchie? Yeah.

It's too Ritchie for my blood.

When Marion and I got married, we moved
to Yonkers.

Just plain folks.

And the Carvers, did they have money?

You kidding?

Loaded. Mac didn't tell you?

Maybe he just wanted to see if you'll
love him for himself.

Maybe.

I really didn't mean that. I mean, Mac
is on his own.

I think right after college, he kind of
took the family fortune for granted, but

then his mother, as the saying goes,
turned the spigot off.

Lou Grant will continue in a moment here
on A &E.

Knock on fourth place. Biggers.

You had the horse and you forgot to bet
him.

No, I went whole hog.

Five bucks.

It's a show.

Oh, yes, I play the numbers.

Been playing this one number now going
on 12 years.

$25 ,000 today. And can't stop that.

I stop playing that number and it's
going to come out on the money.

And you think it's all right to gamble?
Are you going to vote to make it legal?

Oh, no.

Gambling's like spanking a cat.

If you're in control of it, then it's
all right.

But I can't commend it to everybody.

Because it's bound to fall into the
wrong hands every time.

I play my number.

I can't stop it.

But I vote no gambling.

It comes out of the bread money.

Boy, am I glad to get rid of this. Was I
nervous carrying it around.

$35 ,050.

Sub it back in your cereal box.

Handle bigger chunks than this.

A bigger scam?

How much did you get down?

Okay.

I made out okay.

How much okay?

Five. Five thousand?

Five bucks.

Five bucks?

Whoa.

Forty to one, that's two hundred
dollars.

To show.

To show.

Well, let me see. That's in the
neighborhood of...

$23 .25.

You really laid it to him. The mad
plunger.

I told you to hock your house, hock your
car.

Yeah, but why didn't you insist?

Because you don't listen.

How many times do you think something
like this happens?

How many times?

Not very often.

Horses are honest.

The owners, trainers, and jockeys, I
don't trust.

You knew the race was fixed.

How? Well, what's this game? I want to
know.

If I'll tell you, you'll print it,
right?

Right. Well, I'm no snitch.

But you knew it.

Somebody must have tipped you.

Ooh, nobody tipped me. I figured it out
myself.

That horse wasn't Vespi.

What? No.

It came to me.

Took me a while to figure it out.

But you know, last year, I saw that
Vespi run once.

He ran dead last.

Had a funny sort of a gait.

But the point is, the Pimlico Vespi was
not the Vespi that ran today.

It was a switch.

Somebody made a switch.

You sure of this?

Am I sure of this?

Lou, who do you think you're talking to?

Let me use your phone. Use the phone.

Somebody had the smarts.

There are too many foolproof ways to ID
the horses.

Janice, this is Lou. Get me Rossi.

Who's involved?

Owner? Trainer?

Vet? I figure all of them. When it could
be just the owner.

Rossi, yeah.

Listen, there's a horse in the seventh
race today called Vespi.

But there's some question as to its
identity.

I don't know how they did it. That's
what I want you to find out.

Right. Now, before it gets cold, call
the stewards at home.

They'll cooperate.

Yeah.

Thanks.

You're welcome.

The horse racing board, he wants to know
how we knew so much. They were just

getting ready to close in.

Okay.

Bethby was brought up here from South
America with another horse, a world

named Chin Chin.

According to the owner's records, Chin
Chin had some kind of accident and was

destroyed. Not only did the insurance
company pay off 100 grand, but Chin Chin

is still alive.

What it looks like is...

The horse that was destroyed was the
original Vatsby. The horse that ran

yesterday was really Chin Chin.

Stay with it.

What's the horse racing board's
attitude?

All photos and videotapes have been
impounded. They've got a round -the

guard on the horse. They brought in two
out -of -town vets for checking on the

horse this afternoon.

The old MacGyver runs on time.

Just a little doubt you'd get it back,
am I right?

It's a vocational disease.

So it makes you a good reporter.

Here's half of what I owe you.

Thank you.

What's the matter?

Nothing.

I knew I shouldn't have borrowed it from
you.

Money always gets in the way.

That's not what's gotten in the way.

Why did you have to run that phony story
past me?

What story?

Oh, Matt.

The balloon payment story?

Desperate mother, small print in the
second trust deed and all that

Why? To give it an added touch of
reality?

Your mother doesn't need money and you
know it.

Who told you?

What do you mean, who told me? What has
that got to do with anything?

I can explain.

I bet you can. Oh, I just bet you can.
You're such a wonderful explainer.

You're being unfair.

Why couldn't you just have told me the
truth?

That you needed the money to pay off
your gambling debts. That you were in

trouble.

Would it have worked?

Probably not.

But at least it would have been.

Look, I was wrong. I admit it.

I got myself into a real corner and I
panicked. I just panicked. But now

everything's going to be okay.

Now that you can pay off your bookie.

Yeah. I don't think so.

I think you've got a much bigger problem
than what you're into Kingsley for.

When you can use the people that care
about you, or thought they cared about

you.

What do you mean, thought?

Now, I'd like your comments on my
writing before I turn it over to the

department.

Very nice.

You seem a little tepid. Don't you agree
with me?

Oh, I agree with you. I'm against the
initiative 100%. Well, then, if you

with me, you are tepid because you don't
like my writing.

Well, in some places it lacks a certain
clarity.

Here.

This whole section.

A bureaucracy to control gambling will
in time certainly become part of the

gambling establishment.

That's a bit formal.

Then, um, why don't I say the government
will inevitably climb into bed with the

gamblers? That's definitely less formal.

I like this part, though.

If the people of this state don't have
the social will to invest in better

schools... then we should not kid
ourselves into thinking that legalized

gambling is a painless form of taxation.

That is damn good. Did you really write
that?

I'm flattered.

And insulted.

Ellie. I know, I know. You told me so.
Well, forget it, Rashi. That's not what

was going to say.

I, uh, I know about Lou letting Mac go
and, uh...

I'm sorry about what happened.

Well, we both let Mac go.

Is that your dinner?

No, it's high tea.

Listen, if you're down, you shouldn't be
alone.

You should throw that away and have
dinner with someone who'll listen to you

without pushing.

Somebody you've worked with for years.

Someone you don't have to put on a happy
face for.

But you lose not doing anything.

Thanks, Rossi.

It's okay.

See you tomorrow.

Hey,

Lou, you know where I can find Kingsley?

I'll be in McKenna's.

Ah, okay.

I'll go down there. If you see him and
I've missed him, tell him I'm looking

him.

Before.

Well, I made a score.

Ten bucks on the Dodger game and twelve
on the Angels. So I thought I'd press

and get half my roll down.

On the Yankees and White Sox.

Oh. You know, this is fun.

Violating a patient -doctor privilege is
one thing. But when it leads to murder,

it's a matter for law and order.
Tonight.

Now. Arson can be a deadly business for
amateurs on Police Story, next on A &E.