Fargo Page #4

NURSE:

We’ll call your name.

LESTER NYGAARD:

Ya, but I been here an hour

already.

NURSE:

We’ll call your name.

10.

TV Calling - For educational purposes only

She walks away. Lester opens a soda, tries to drink, but it

hurts too much. He puts the soda down.

MALVO:

Could I have a sip?

Lester turns. Malvo is looking at him.

LESTER NYGAARD:

Heck, take the whole can. I can’t

drink the darn thing without a

straw.

He hands Malvo the soda. Malvo tips it back and drains it.

Lester tries not to stare at Malvo’s head injury.

MALVO:

Obliged.

(puts down the can)

What happened to your nose?

LESTER NYGAARD:

Oh, well. That was just -- a

misunderstanding.

MALVO:

Is that you misunderstanding the

other fella, or him

misunderstanding you?

LESTER NYGAARD:

Pardon?

MALVO:

Who misunderstood whom?

LESTER NYGAARD:

No. What I’m saying is -- it’s not

good to dwell on these things.

MALVO:

Why?

LESTER NYGAARD:

Pardon?

MALVO:

Why is not good to dwell on things?

Especially things that put you in

the hospital.

Beat. Lester doesn’t know what to say. Malvo watches him.

11.

TV Calling - For educational purposes only

LESTER NYGAARD:

It was -- I was outnumbered if you

wanna know the truth. Three to

one. Big guys too. Well, one of

them. The other two were just

kids. But big fer their age.

(beat, getting worked up)

Ya know -- if I was any kind of man

-- I’da shown that Sam what’s what.

MALVO:

Sam?

LESTER NYGAARD:

Hess. He was a bully in high

school and he’s a bully now.

MALVO:

So why didn’t you?

(off Lester)

Show him what’s what.

LESTER NYGAARD:

Well, his, uh, he had his sons with

him, and --

MALVO:

So you let a man beat you in front

of his children. To send them a

message.

LESTER NYGAARD:

No. That’s not --

(frustrated)

Heck. Just -- heck.

MALVO:

In my experience, you let a man

break your nose, next time he’ll

try to break your spine.

LESTER NYGAARD:

Sam? No way. I mean, I don’t think.

It’s just -- I guess I embarrassed

him in front of his boys.

MALVO:

You embarrassed him.

LESTER NYGAARD:

By -- he was telling me about a

time when he and my wife -- see,

they --

(gesturing)

12.

(MORE)

TV Calling - For educational purposes only

-- but he didn’t know she was my

wife, is the thing. And when I

told him --

MALVO:

A man slept with your wife, and

you’re worried you embarrassed him.

LESTER NYGAARD:

Not slept with -- they didn’t -- he

said it was just -- she has soft

hands, see? -- and I --

Rate this script:0.0 / 0 votes