Original subtitles

Mid pleasures and palaces, there's no place like home.

So go the words of an old and honorable song. Even slums such as these.

Home, man's castle.

Refuge, beautiful words, where mercy and truth are met together.

I was doing a series on slums and slumlords when this building came to my attention.

This one, over a hundred years old,

had been owned by more than 30 different landlords,

each of whom had made his investment back in a few years, squeezed it dry,

then passed it on to the next owner.

Home sweet home, where mercy and truth are met together.

Hello, Lisa.

When Jack's daddy came home from the office,

Jack ran up to him crying, Daddy, Daddy, guess what?

Mommy said that if I am a good boy,

I can visit grandmother and grandfather on their ranch.

I'll slap you right in the head, Pepe.

Hey, shut up, both of you.

Yeah?

Yeah. Hey, listen, you two. What is this? This is what?

What? What?

She's your sister, he's your brother, you understand? Oh, you better understand.

I'll break your head for you, both of you. Now, that kind of talk,

I don't want to hear it. Now, don't do that. Don't you do that.

I used to talk fresh to Papa, too. Oh, I'm sorry now. Boy, am I sorry.

Now you be nice to each other, and you take care of each other, you hear?

Or you'll be sorry later on, believe me.

I'll stay with the kids.

OK.

You listen to Luz, and you do what she tells you.

You do what she tells you because you give her a bad time, and wham,

right in the mouth. Don't you give her no bad time.

You get her mad that she won't want to marry us, okay?

Now you do everything right. Trabajo, trabajo.

Go make the coleslaw.

Go to my apartment. My father will give you an umbrella. Umbrella?

Don't make loose match, chico.

Umbrella. Go to see him.

Hasta luego.

Hasta luego.

Hasta luego.

No, stick face. I told you no, no, no.

It's my job to get that money, Rodriguez, and I'm gonna get it.

When the judge tell me to give it to you, I will give it to you.

You'll never get to a judge. No?

Then tell Mr. Pebbles that he will never get his money.

Don't be stupid, Rodriguez. Listen to me.

The whole bunch of you.

The kid saw the whole thing! What kid? One of the tenants, he saw the whole thing!

Well, that makes it kind of rotten for you.

That makes it rotten for you too, Mr. Bevels.

Now, I want protection, and I'd better get protection.

I got worries that spread over four states, and you come to me with your... Now,

Mr. Pebbles, you spend a lot of money to cover a lot of things.

Now, I want protection, or I'm gonna tear your clothes off at 42nd and Broadway.

Oh, you'll get protection if you need it, but as I see it,

you only gotta worry about the kid. He's a witness.

What do you mean? Kill him?

Oh, my back. What a fried egg for a brain. Yeah,

yeah, kill him. Then we got two murders.

Well, what then? I told him to keep his mouth shut.

Didn't you ever hear about sugar and vinegar?

No, you haven't. Use your charm. Get on the good side of the kid.

Use that attractive personality of yours.

Befriend the boy. How? Well, I'm afraid there's only one way for you, money.

How much money?

How much do you value your hide, dumb head?

Wow, look who's here.

Hello there.

Three hours late. Tell me something, kid. You like this job?

Go without their coleslaw.

You know what it's like to a coleslaw lover to eat a roast

beef sandwich without that little paper cup of coleslaw.

You take your responsibility so lightly. Where was you, some midnight burly cue?

You better get on the ball, kid. I'll get somebody else to carry these cabbages.

Hey, what's the matter with you, man? Can't you tell when a guy is kidding?

Now get out of them wet threads and go to work.

What's the matter, kid?

Come on, come on. You're supposed to be laughing,

boy, the happy cat. What's all this wetness?

Okay, you cabbages, go back to work.

Okay, laughing boy. I don't know what it is, but nobody's made out of steel.

Get it out of your system.

It helps sometimes.

Man's castle, the abiding place of our affections.

Refuge, grotto, wherein we restore our souls.

Close up, the building looked even worse than it had on the record,

as though nothing, rain, snow, or wind, could ever dust it clean.

One of the tenants had been killed in a fall out of the window,

and the police were doing a routine investigation.

I saw that Cara de Palo come down. Cara de Palo, he was up there. I know that.

He killed Senor Rodriguez.

Now, look, look, he's the rent collector. He has a right to be in the building.

Now, you didn't see him push Mr. Rodriguez. Nobody did.

You're only assuming that this Cara...

What did you call him?

Stikface.

He carries that stick to hit people. Stikface. Stikface works for a Mr. Pebbles,

and he owns a lot of buildings like this.

140 violations in this one building. He's broken everything in the law.

The multiple dwelling law. Blaster fell on my head.

Every plastic broke. Pipes leaking.

Inspectors come from the building department,

but you know, a few dollars, they go away.

So Mr. Rodriguez tells to everyone, we've got to do something.

Yeah, Mr. Rodriguez told us to make an organization, and that's what we did.

He made everybody work together.

A good man, a good leader.

OK, we tried to get Mr. Peebles in court.

So what happens? His lawyer got too many tricks. Too many.

You know, this thing goes on all over the city, but it doesn't make a murder case.

Wait, wait, you'll see.

Mr. Rodriguez proposed a plan to get Mr. Pebbles in court.

For the last three months,

we have taken all of the rent money and we put it in the bank. Do you see?

That makes Mr. Pebbles very angry.

Encara de palos say he'll break Mr. Rodriguez's head with his stick.

But we all say, this is not the way to get there, eh? Go to court,

see what the judge he say. But Cara de Palo, he come tonight, he wants the money,

and he kill Senor Rodriguez. That's so low, George.

That's really well said.

Uh, Marino, would you please explain?

Well, in this state, you need a witness.

Even if Stickface confessed, it wouldn't be enough.

You need what they call a corroborating witness.

Tito.

Tito, the boy on the top floor. I saw him talking to Stickface.

All right, all right, I'll talk to him.

Now, wouldn't he come forward and tell what he knows, if he knows anything?

Hey, Tito, don't run away. I want to talk to you. Nothing to be scared about.

Let me buy you a cup of coffee, huh?

I know you want to get home. Come on, just take a couple minutes.

Come on.

You know, the way you take care of that brother of yours and the girls,

I gotta admire you for that.

I don't see why we can't be friends.

Like now, maybe the kids need something.

Maybe a coat.

Something for the little one, maybe, huh?

You know how kids are, always needing one thing or another.

I know you probably think you got me over a barrel. Well, in a way,

you have gotten me over a barrel.

But there ain't anything there for you if you go yakking to the fuzz.

Think of the kids. Ain't that the main thing, the kids?

Some key questions for the grand jury.

Is Pebbles a front for a half a dozen slum-owning real estate corporations?

Are these corporations fronts for millions in hot money?

Hot money, dear reader, is untaxed gangster cash looking

for legit investments. And one more question.

Was the death of Manuel Rodriguez an accident, or was it murder?

Look what he gives me, that stick face, now

of all times. Murder he gives me, Marino.

And your man in the buildings department may not want to issue a vacate order now.

When I say issue, he'll issue.

I need that vacate order when I walk into the investors' meeting.

We need fresh money. I gotta show him I got a setup, smooth like fine wine.

I just say that when he reads this, he'll tell you.

Wait. Not now. Bad time. Later.

I put him in his job. I wiped his nose for him.

Also, this suggestion of bribery could cause

a grand jury to issue a subpoena for you.

So I'll disappear for a while. I'll get word to the man. I want that eviction order.

You mean vacate order.

All right, we'll get a ruling that the building is unsafe,

giving us the right to evict the tenants for their own good, pending repairs.

What?

A Mr. Marino to see you.

This might be some kind of provocation.

You can't buy him.

Try to smooth these feathers.

Refuse to see him, and he'll interpret it his way, in print,

make it cause for World War III.

Send him in.

I'm Herbert T. Flynn, attorney.

Hello.

And this is Mr. Pebbles.

Mr. Marino. Mr. Pebbles.

My attorney advised me to smooth your feathers,

but that's not why I let you in here. I wanted to get a good look at you.

And now that I did get a look at you, I don't like you.

A lot of things you don't like.

There may be some more before I'm through with you.

Threats, too, huh?

Call them facts.

You're a businessman, real estate.

You're a citizen and a landlord.

All right, landlords have some rights.

Thank you, but I'm not a landlord.

I'm a slumlord, according to you. Care to make a statement about that?

You go around sniffing with your nose,

and you expect the whole world to care what you smell.

There have always been people like you, club women, social workers, bleeding hearts.

They're always hollering, the slums, the slums, make repairs, make repairs.

You don't know anything about those people.

What are you going to tell me, Mr. Pebbles?

That they were living in huts a few years ago?

With soft drink signs for walls, straw on the roof, and goats in the kitchen?

Is that your impression?

I'd like to add something to that. You know,

there are hundreds of people in this town, big people.

People that you'd be flattered if they ever asked you out to dinner.

They own places worse than mine. They're the best people in town.

Well, you finally said something I agree with.

Look at him.

The power of the press.

With his pad and his pencil, he's going to change the whole world.

There's always been slums, and there always will be slums.

The kind that killed Mr. Rodriguez?

Was that my fault?

I lost China, too.

What was Stickface doing in the building at that time of night?

I wouldn't know. He works for you? Well, so does Mr. Flynn.

He goes to the theater, but I don't send him.

Stickface went to see Rodriguez.

He demanded Rodriguez take that money out of the bank.

Rodriguez refused, and Stickface shoved him through the window.

I wasn't there. I wouldn't know. There was a witness.

Mr. Marino, if you're here on a fishing expedition,

the fish aren't biting. Well, I'll keep my line out.

I have a lot of patients.

Ooh, that tickles.

Hello.

Hello, I'm Paul Moreno.

Oh, hey, I know you. The newspapers. Mrs. Clapper showed me what you wrote in there.

Boy, that's pretty good. You'll give it to him, huh? May I come in?

Sure, sure. Come in.

Hey, something smells good.

Ask Bustello. You like a cup?

What can I know? Get a cup, Luce.

Uh, I'm Tito.

Hello, Tito. Hello. And this is Luce. Hello, Luce.

Hello.

Luce means light, doesn't it?

Yes. And this one here, this little monster, this is Hanna-Veva.

Hello, Hanna-Veva. How are you?

Fine. How are you?

That tickles.

That tickles, huh? Hey, what? Wait your turn. He wants to shave.

Sit down, sit down.

Oh, thanks.

Luce, aren't you the daughter of Mr. Rodriguez?

Yes.

We're going to get married soon.

She's got nobody now.

Well, she'll have you. Yeah, when you got me, boy, you got something, huh?

Tonight is a rosary for Lucy's father.

Hey, you cry all the tears, then you cry no more tears, okay?

Man, I think that is a pretty good haircut, huh? That is beautiful, huh?

Okay, kid.

Okay, kid.

You pay the cashier. Here, this is for you.

You like Bustelo? Oh, it's real good.

You ever eat mofongo?

No.

Chicharrones? Arroz con pollo? Arroz con pollo? Oh, sure.

But you never taste mine the way I make it. I know.

Hey, I'll tell you what.

You come tonight. Tonight you come,

and you're going to taste something you go out of your mind. Well,

I had a date with the Secretary of State, but I'll break it.

Tito, don't you have a job?

Oh, I work nights in a coastal place. I'm going to go to sleep pretty soon now.

I sleep in the daytime, you know, so I can take care of the kids.

Alina and Pepe, they're in school now, so a night job is good. You have no parents?

My father died four years ago, and my mother died two years ago.

And you took over?

Oh, I was a bum, man.

My father was always yelling at me, but I didn't listen to him.

And he never made much money.

But now I'm your father. Now I see. Hey, I had

to stop being a bum. I wound up in jail.

Who's going to take care of the kids?

Now I work, and I don't make much money myself.

What kind of work would you like to do?

Well, I like to have a barber shop, you know? With a television, nice,

wear a white coat. Guys come in, they look like a slob. I make them feel handsome,

like a gentleman, you know?

You feel good when you get a good haircut, right? You smell nice, huh? You sure do.

Say, maybe I'll look into barber college for you.

You want to go?

No kidding. I'll look into it.

Sure, you got connections. You know people. You know a lot of people.

You know what? I could make you a partner. I mean, you know, I could pay you back.

If I had a barber, somebody could get out of this dump.

There's no place to raise kids. You know, they go out in the street,

they see everything, and that's rough. Pretty

soon they feel, eh, what's the use, you know?

Tito, I have the deepest admiration for you.

I like myself.

Well, you're likable.

You could have blown the whole thing. You could have said,

let the state take care of the kids.

Well, you know, my mother said to me, it will be difficult, but be proud.

Let it make of you strong fiber. Let it give you a higher incentive to achievement.

Paul.

Paul. Oh, hello, Jack.

Jack Fluth, this is Tito.

Luce. Hi. Little Hanna-Veva. Hi.

Hi.

Can you come downstairs and meet a fella? Okay. So long, Tito. See you tonight.

Nice to meet you all. Okay, man. 6.30, and don't eat no lunch.

You got a date.

Nice meeting you, Luce. Bye, Hanna-Veva.

Bye.

Won't you step in the car? No, thanks.

Mr. Feldman read your column. I did, and I called your

office. I got the message, and, well, here we are.

I'm in the fuel business. I've supplied Mr.

Pebbleswood fuel for his tenements for two winters.

He owes me $8,000, and instead of paying the bill, he ignores it like it'll go away.

Here's what happened. He finally gave me some notes for the money,

countersigned by his attorney, Flynn.

But that's not the whole story.

It seems Mr. Pebbles has a project, a beautiful project, and I know his projects.

Mr. Pebbles wants some fresh money for this project,

and he invited me to a meeting at his house.

Mr. Feldman, do you plan to attend this meeting? I do.

Well, do you think it's possible to take Mr. Flood along as your son-in-law?

Son-in-law?

With that face?

I think he'd better go with my attorney.

Well, Mr. Feldman, before we shake hands on this,

remember Pebbles is no cream puff. He has connections. He's big.

And we all know he can be rough.

I know. I know that.

But Mr. Marino, I also know houses like that.

I was born and raised in them.

You know, my parents came here 60 years ago from Poland, immigrants,

just like these people. The names are different, that's all.

I know what goes on in those houses, those little rooms.

Bedding takes up half the space, room only for eating and sleeping,

and everything else is moving into the streets.

Bewilderment for breakfast, bitterness for supper,

sickness, crying, hate, fear, fear, pebbles.

You think I'm scared of him?

Hey, what's all this? Oh, boy, look at this, huh? I had to take a cab.

I was dropping this stuff all over Park Avenue.

Hi, Mr. Reno.

All right, take it easy, take it easy. Paciencia.

Pepe, that's for you.

And Aveva, that's for you. And here's another one. Hey,

this one you're going to love.

Oh, let's see. Elena, that's for you. And Mr. Marino, that's for you.

Hey, well, you think I forget you, huh? I didn't forget about you.

How could I forget about you?

Oh, come on, open it up.

What are you, a statue?

Where did you get the money?

I was walking in the subway, you know, and I looked down.

Holy saints, there's a wallet.

I pick it up, I look inside, you know, I think maybe there's a name, a card.

I get a reward or something. There's no name,

no cards, no driver's license, no nothing.

So what am I supposed to do? I mean, there's a hundred bucks in there.

Hey, mira, mira, maíz.

Look.

It's a pretty doll. You like that?

Uh-huh. Tita, would you make some corn pipes?

Sure.

Luce, put some water on for Lisa.

Come on, open it.

The package, open.

Where did you get the money?

I told you.

Hey, what do you think, I'm lying or something?

You think I robbed a bank?

Well, come on, now.

You all... You'll need this.

You can wear it to church tonight.

Ah.

Ah?

Ha, ha, ha.

Come on, put it on.

That's pretty sharp.

Hey, stick with me, baby.

With me, stick.

Tito found a lot of money.

Gentlemen, into that hat goes a half a million dollars.

Each of five of you gentlemen putting in $100,000.

We acquire $5 million worth of property for a half a million dollars. Now,

here comes the golden rabbit, gentlemen.

As you may know, The government allows 2.5% depreciation

annually. That's the whole amount.

The 5 million, not the half million.

Now, 2.5% of $5 million is $125,000 a year.

$125,000 a year, gentlemen, in four years.

We have our investment back in four years.

Now then, let me tell you what else goes into the hat.

As soon as we acquire the property, we ask for an order to vacate.

We get the people out. We decontrol. Decontrol, and then we raise the rents.

15% rent raise of $5 million worth of property. Turn that over in your minds,

gentlemen. That's not a figure I got out of a hat, either.

Yes, sir?

I'd just like to know how you plan to get a vacate order.

That's not an easy thing to do.

Well, it's a very difficult thing to do for most people.

But I think I can promise you gentlemen the cooperation

of a certain strategically placed official.

When we decide to get those people out, it'll happen.

Mr. Pebbles, I understand there are rumblings in the

building department caused by this newspaper man, Marino.

There's even talk of special grand juries.

Now, wouldn't this make your plan a little shaky just now? No.

This Marino wrote about some of the people in your building withholding the rent.

The building where that fellow went through the window.

Gentlemen, let me say this. There are stumbling blocks, pitfalls in every business.

It's a matter of knowing how to ride over them.

I guarantee you this, those people will be gotten out.

Hello, everybody. Oh, my little sweetheart.

Oh, look at that. Hello.

Hi.

Lewis, somebody's got to take your father's place.

To collect the money, put it in the bank.

I'll do it. Yeah, good.

Let me look here.

Tito, I spoke to that detective. He said they found

fingerprints on the ladder. You know who?

Stickface.

I believe Stickface did push Mr. Rodriguez.

But we need somebody who saw it.

Tito, you went to get an umbrella.

I didn't see Stickface push her father.

What did Stickface say to you on the steps when I saw you? He was very angry.

He was saying angry words.

Did he threaten you, Tito?

Warn you to keep your mouth shut?

People, did you get the umbrella? No.

Why not?

Listen, Tito, right after you went out of here

to get the umbrella, we heard a scream.

You went to get the umbrella.

It was just a question of seconds, but when I

came down the stairs, you didn't come with me.

You just stood there like a zombie.

You knew Papa was lying out there.

Tito, if Stickface threatened you... Hey, I'm not scared of Stickface.

He's afraid of a rat, for Pete's sake. A grown man like that afraid of a rat.

Hey, Luce, this is the kind you're going to marry, you know? Not with lies, Tito.

I told you, I'm not lying.

Come on, let's go to church.

Pepe, you get your nice new jacket.

I'll put on my new coat.

Well, I guess that does it.

Yeah, they look real sharp, Pepe. Down you go.

Oh, no, it's on the house.

Thanks, Pepe.

Oh, little monster.

Elena's gonna stay with you, okay?

You'll be nice.

Oh, nice you'll be.

Leave the pipe. We can't smoke in church.

The grand jury may also be interested in this society note.

Present at the Pebbles Gathering, wearing a red face, was Mr.

Emery Price of the Billions Department.

Lost in the neighborhood? Stumped into the wrong place?

Maybe to use the phone?

Let the grand jury decide.

We know all about it, and we know who it was, too. It was that Feldman,

that blonde guy with him. That's who it was. We'll get to them.

Take a look at that.

You see that you do.

Right now, you better leave town for a while.

Somebody's bound to issue a warrant or subpoena. I'm sure of that.

Hello, yes?

Forget about those vacate notices for now. We need them now more than ever.

Well, I'm sorry, Pebbles, but I'm thinking about resigning.

I may do that any minute now, before the commissioner starts an investigation.

We've been in hot water before. Yeah, but not this hot.

Goodbye, Pebbles.

I want you to get those people out of that building,

and I want you to get in touch with Price. He's afraid of going to jail.

I want you to bring him here to see me, or I'll

see that he gets to jail. How do I get him out?

Freeze him out. Cut off their utilities, water, gas, electricity.

Those people will go crazy if they can't listen to their record players.

Well, you better leave now. Use the service elevator.

I don't know where to find you.

Go on, get going.

Tito, I've arranged a scholarship for you at Barber College. Scholarship? Hey,

you did it, huh?

It's not a very long course.

I'll see that you have no financial problems while you're at the college,

and after you get out, we'll see about a shop.

Shop?

Hey, I'm a great talker, but...

I don't know what to say. You're my friend, my living and friend.

He threatened you, didn't he, Tito?

You saw it, and he threatened you.

He won't hurt you, Tito.

Things are too hot for him now. You don't have to be afraid of him.

It's not only stick face, it's pebbles.

We can nail them both if you tell what you saw. I can.

But he can't touch you.

I'm not afraid of stick face. Then tell the police what you saw. I can't.

Well, why not?

It's too late. It's not too late. It's too late!

First, I was scared.

He said he would kill me and the kids, you know?

And so I didn't say nothing.

And then I took money.

I didn't figure till later that he was more scared than me.

Now it's too late.

You mean because of Luz?

She wouldn't marry me.

We can make her understand.

And if you go to the police, I will say that you are lying.

No.

Say don't. Oh.

Oh.

Now I get the whole idea.

You come here and you pull all these big brother scene with me, huh?

You're gonna get me into barber college.

And then you pull a trick like this.

Tito, I admit, at first I did come looking for information.

But that changed very quickly.

I like you, Tito. You are my friend.

And I'm in love with those kids.

Now, that's not so hard to believe, is it? No.

No.

Luz, without marrying me, she would say, That means, I don't like lions.

Are you going to the police? Are you going to Toulouse? No.

I'm hoping you will.

You want the five bucks or not.

All you have to do is go down here and shut off everything.

There's the key to the lock on the fuse box. Okay.

Why don't you go down there and do it?

You scared yourself down there?

I don't think it's a good thing to run around.

Mr. Marino?

What's the matter? What happened?

They shut off everything last night. No water, no heat, no light, no gas.

Everybody was freezing last night. You got up this morning,

you can't make breakfast, you can't wash your face, nothing.

Goodbye, dear.

Mrs. Leonie, Mrs. Leonie, please call a doctor.

Oh, Mrs. Barnabas, she's got a phone.

Run down to Mrs. Peña, boss.

Have a call for an ambulance.

Marino, we go to the cops.

I tell them everything.

Luce.

Stickface pushed your father.

I saw him do it.

Hey, baby.

Anything?

Baby, it's Tito.

Come on, baby.

Hey.

Come on, babe. It's okay.

It's okay. Come on, babe. Come on.

I, uh...

Sweetheart. Sweetheart!

I'll kill him! I'll kill him! I'll kill him!

I saw him hide it down there.

Well, you go and find it.

But you gotta help me. I don't know where he hid it.

Now, see, it was a package about this big.

I saw the junkie go down there. It's gotta be junk.

I don't want to go down there.

Well, if you don't want to help me find it, then what do I need you for?

I could get rid of this stuff myself.

Come on, stick face.

It's $10,000.

Come on, come on, don't be scared.

There's a fortune in dope down here, and we're gonna find him.

Come on, come on, don't be scared.

Hey, I bet he put in that can there.

Go on, take a look.

Nah, he wouldn't hide it in there.

Well, you've got to think like a junkie thinks.

Now, where would he put it? Go on, take a look.

Where is Mr. Pebbles? Oh, you don't like this place, huh?

No, it's a bad scene, all right.

It's dirty, it stinks.

You know a little boy was bitten by a rat in the next house?

Where is Mr. Pebbles?

Okay, I'll leave you here till you remember.

You think you remember now?

Or I'll leave you here till tomorrow.

234 Delilah Ridgedale.

Mr. Marino gave us some money.

Where you been for two days?

Around.

I'm sorry, Luce.

I'm sorry, too.

Coming home.

There's something to do when I come home.

I know where Pebbles is.

How did you find out?

Stickface told me.

He flipped his lid down there.

His hair all turned white.

What?

Hermione, you go home.

I'll see you in the morning.

Where are you going?

I'm going to kill devils.

I don't know, but Tito said Stickface told him.

How could Tito force Stickface to tell him that?

I don't know, but Tito said Stickface will flip his leg down there.

His hair will turn white.

Now, Stickface is scared to death of rats.

Everybody knows that.

Down there.

Rats.

Come on.

Where's Pebbles? Where's Pebbles?

If you want money, I'll give you money.

It's upstairs in the bedroom.

Money, money, money.

That's it?

That's what it's all about, huh?

What about my little baby sister?

You got enough money to bring her back?

Maybe you could try to bribe God to change his mind.

Who are you?

I'm your tenant.

I pay you rent.

You kill my baby sister.

I pay you rent. That's who I am.

What do you want?

The cops couldn't find you, but I found you.

And now I'm going to put these brand new bullets in you.

No.

No, don't do that.

I'll go back to town with you, or I'll go straight to the police with you.

That's very sweet of you.

And some judge will give you 30 days, and my

baby sister is out of it for keeps, forever.

Tito, put it away.

You stay out of this, Marino.

Kill him, and you throw your own life in the garbage.

I don't care, see?

I don't care.

Other people care. They depend on you.

Luce, Pepe, Elena.

They need you. They love you.

Vito, I'm your friend. Don't do this. It isn't worth it.

They'll take this slink back to town, let the courts take care of him,

the grand jury, the judge.

Listen, Tito, remember what your mother said.

If they insult you, if they hurt you, let it make you a strong fiber.

Let it be an incentive to higher achievement.

Get back, yes, but not like this.

Your mother wouldn't like this.

And if Ava wouldn't like this.

Do you want to get dressed, or shall I call the police?

Lurs and the kids are waiting for you.

You have no idea, Tito, how many people love you.

To have and to hold from this day forward, to work, to sweep, to mop the dust away,

the cobwebs of fear and disillusionment that hang thick on the walls.

And even if it wasn't a new broom that swept clean,

much of the old order was swept away.

Stickface blew the whistle long and loud on Mr. Pettles.

He got the limit for manslaughter,

and Pettles paid his fines and spent a little time in the car cell.

That's Spanish for pokey.

The money the tenants had stashed away in the bank went for repairs in the building.

A little new paint, but the rooms are just as small, just as crowded.

And life goes on, uptown, downtown, east side, west side.

Mr. Pebbles didn't get Feldman's money or anybody else's. He was out of business.

As for me, I'll put my money in barbershops.