Straight Time

Open the gate.

You guys wanna step up to the table?

Open the gate, please.

-Can I help you?

-A dog.

Everything on it?

Hey. Hey. Sixty-five cents.

Mr. Frank, please.

No.

Well, my name's Dembo, A-20284.

Dembo, A-20284. Okay?

Just tell him that I'm here and I'll just--

I'll see him tomorrow morning.

I got an appointment with him.

Nothing important.

Yeah, okay. Thank you.

-Hi, Max.

-Hi.

Earl Frank.

Come on in.

Have a seat.

-You're a little late.

-I had some trouble getting down here.

-Want a coffee?

-Yeah, thanks.

Black.

So fill me in. How was the trip?

On the bus down? It was a little long.

-We made about 27 stops.

-Yeah, it's a real milk train.

Go ahead. Put it down on the floor.

So, what'd you do last night?

Oh, walked around.

-Meet anybody?

-No, nobody I know.

Where'd you stay?

You didn't go to the halfway house.

-I called. Didn't you get the message?

-You called here?

Last night. I left a message

with your answering service.

-I didn't get it.

-I left it.

So where'd you sleep?

In a motel.

The conditions of your parole

were that you were to go to the house.

That's a way to help you save money.

Now, you agreed to that

before your release.

Why didn't you go there?

Because I just spent six years

in prison.

I just wanted to look at the lights.

I wanted to feel free.

I wanted to walk around...

...and not have somebody tell me

that I gotta get in bed at 1 0:00.

Max, I think you've got

a serious attitude problem.

I don't have an attitude.

Can you tell me what kind of attitude

you want me to have?

Well, you don't decide whether or not

you go to a halfway house.

I mean, you come to me,

we discuss it, then I decide.

I'm just trying to make you understand that

I'm aware of the realities of my situation...

...that I'm not fated

to be a menace to society.

I'm not gonna go out

and hit somebody over the head.

My friend, I see that you're gonna

force me to deal with you.

I see that you've got juvenile offenses

dating back to when you were 1 2.

I see you've got auto theft,

you've got breaking and entering.

All this leading up to

a burglary warrant.

I just served six years

for that chickenshit rap.

Chickenshit? You had a gun.

Yeah, but I didn't use it

and I didn't hurt nobody.

What was in your mind

when you put it in your pocket?

I just took it along.

I'm due in court.

I'm aware that you have this power,

that you represent the state...

...but, you know, I think that

you can give me a little leeway.

You can be flexible.

I was just hoping

to get some trust from you.

You've gotta earn the trust.

I have. I just wanna

be like everybody else.

I just want a decent job.

I want a decent place to live.

I want somebody to love me,

I want some clothes on my back...

-...have some self-respect.

-I gotta get going now.

I tried to be straight with you, sir.

I know I shouldn't have done that last night

without checking with you first.

I'm sorry.

I'm sorry.

I'll make a deal with you, Max.

If you find a place to sleep today

and a job by the end of the week...

...you don't have to go

to a halfway house. Fair?

That's fair. I appreciate that.

When you find a place, you call

Miss DeVeccio and give her the address.

I'm gonna see you one day this week.

That's okay.

Here's the other hundred

you've got coming to you.

I want you to sign for it.

Now, do you understand

the conditions of your parole?

-Yes, I do.

-You have to attend all meetings.

You must heed the advice

and the counsel of your agent.

-Now, do you know what that means?

-Yeah, I think I do.

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