The Prisoner of Second Avenue

This is Roger Kelting|with the 9:00 report.

The heat wave rolls on|as the city swelters...

...through its eighth consecutive day|of record temperatures in the upper 90s.

The temperature in Central Park|at 9 a.m...

...is 96 degrees with no relief in sight.

More power blackouts in the city today.

And residents in sections of Queens,|Jackson Heights...

...and the Morrisania section of the Bronx|and Bedford area of Brooklyn...

...have been without any lights|or electricity for 1 8 hours.

Wait a minute. Wait!

-Exact change only.|-Well, l'm sorry.

-l didn't wake up with exact change today.|-Off, mister. Let people through.

-Am l supposed to be born with 35 cents--?|-Off! Off!

Oh, for crying....

Joe.

Joe!

Forty-seventh and Madison.

Forty-- Forty-seventh and Madison!

-Got any air conditioning up there?|-What?

-Air conditioning!|-Yeah. lt's on. lsn't it great?

lt's great up there.|Back here it's a coffin.

-Here. Keep 35 cents for yourself.|-Hey, what?

Keep 35 cents for yourself!

-lt's locked.|-What's the matter?

lt's jammed. Open this thing!|l can't breathe--

-Stop kicking. You'll break my cab!|-Well, open--

You're very nervous with the kicking|and banging.

l ain't picking you up again.|l don't like nervous people.

They make me nervous!

-Hey, Mel.|-Hey, Charlie.

-No complaints. How's Edna?|-Who?

-Edna.|-Edna? Oh, fine.

-The girls?|-The girls are fine, l guess.

-They're up at school.|-Are you all right?

You look like you haven't slept|in a week.

-l don't sleep in this weather.|-Hear things are rough in the office.

-Rough. You know, lousy.|-What do you--?

-Excuse me.|-Yeah, it's just the season.

-Things'll get better.|-l hope so.

-Wasn't that your floor?|-No. l'm 1 6.

-That was 1 6.|-Oh, God, l must be dreaming.

l'm lucky l'm in the right building.|l'll get off on this next one. See you.

-What's wrong with the doors?|-We're stuck.

-What?|-lt happened yesterday.

-They overload the power.|-We're trapped?

-They know we're here. They'll get it going.|-We should holler for help.

-Press the alarm button.|-Would you press the alarm button?

-l don't think it's working.|-l told you. We should yell for help. Help!

Help! Damn it! Help!

Help. Help.

Hel--!

See you, Mel.

Helen.

-There's no water.|-Oh, l'm sorry.

Didn't get to fill it.|l was typing letters for Mr. Brockman.

-What's wrong with his secretary?|-She was laid off yesterday.

l'm doubling between you|and Mr. Brockman. That all right?

-Sure. lf you think you can handle it.|-l can handle it, all right.

There really hasn't been that much to do|here lately, has there?

l put some vouchers on your desk to sign.

-For what?|-Sandwich you sent out for yesterday.

From now on, no food can be charged|to the company.

-lt was an egg salad and Coke, wasn't it?|-Yeah, and a big pickle.

-l put down the pickle.|-Good.

Because l don't want to cause any concern|at the annual stockholders' meeting.

Oh, God.

God, God, God.

-Mel?|-What?

-Can't you sleep?|-lf l could sleep...

...would l be here calling God|at 2:00 in the morning?

-What's the matter?|-Nothing. Nothing.

Something's the matter, Mel.

lt's 1 2 degrees in here.|Middle of a goddamn heat wave.

-lt's 1 2 degrees in here.|-Turn the air conditioner off.

Then how do we breathe?|84 degrees outside. lt's 1 2 degrees inside.

-Either way, they're gonna get me.|-Want another blanket?

-l ain't got another.|-l called the superintendent.

He said he'd be up to fix it tomorrow.

Why do they bother printing ''high, medium|and low''? Everything is high.

Low is high, medium is high.

One night they'll put it on high|and need a flamethrower to get us out.

-What do you want me to do?|-Go back to sleep.

-l can't sleep when you're tense like this.|-l'm not tense. l'm frozen stiff.

-Are you sure there's nothing else?|-There's nothing else.

Go to sleep, Edna.

Oh, God.

Do you mind if l tell you something?

You were tense when you walked in|the house. You've been tense for a week.

l've seen you when you get this way.|What is it?

lt's nothing. l'm tired.

-l'm up, Mel. You might as well tell me.|-Well, l'm telling you it's nothing!

l don't know. lt's everything.|lt's this apartment.

This building. lt's this city.

lt's this-- Now, listen.

Come listen to this.|Two in the morning.

One car's driving around|in Jackson Heights. We can hear it.

Fourteen stories up, subway's louder|than in the subway.

We're like some kind of an antenna.|Sounds come up here, then out to the city.

-For six years, it never bothered you.|-lt's worse now. l don't know why.

l'm getting older, more sensitive|to sounds and--

Two in the morning.|You believe it's still going on next door?

-What's going on?|-You trying to be funny?

-You don't hear that? You must be deaf.|-l must be deaf. l don't hear a thing.

''The beat, beat, beat of the tom-tom|as the jungle shadows fall''?

Or, ''the tick-tick-tock of the stately clock|against the wall''?

-You don't hear that?|-Not when you're talking or singing...

-...l don't.|-lt's those two German airline hostesses.

Every night they got somebody else.|Hockey players, basketball--

Whatever team's in town.

Win or lose, nobody loses|when they wind up there.

Every goddamn--|Somewhere there's a 747 flying around.

Everybody's serving themselves.|Those broads never leave the apartment.

Holy-- Come here.|Come here.

-Tell me you can't hear that.|-Yes. Now l hear it.

Rate this script:2.3 / 3 votes