And the Oscar goes to . . .

Have a nice time after the party?

Bamboo shoots under the fingernails were too much for you, huh?

Hold it!

Come on, you’re not gonna start on me are ya? I’m beat!

From what?

We’ve been down this road before.

Why don’t we quit arguing and have a cup of coffee.

No, Hymie. It’s time to get this talked out once and for all.

What’s there to talk out? You got yourself a beef that’s makin’ a hole in the back of my head listening to you whine about it.

But you’re going to listen to me, Frankie, because I’m going to spell it out for you A-B-C so you don’t misunderstand.

Right here in front of Hymie and God and everyone.

Ever since we hit this town you’ve been living off me. If you think I’m gonna work my tail off so you can run around with the village chicks. Oh, stop spreading the pollen around, Frankie, or else!

Or else, what? You’ll chop my allowance, you’ll turn me outta your warm bed. You’re nothin’, that’s what. So can that “or else” crap.

Oh, come on Frankie, all she wants you to do is stop cattin’ around. She’s got that much right.

Everybody’s got the knife out tonight, right, kemmo sabe? Now, you just shut your face, ’cause we been together too long, and you owe me too much, man! You started payin’ me back right now you wouldn’t get even before this stupid round-heeled broad come back in style, which figures to be never!

Oh, that’s it! That tears it! This is one stupid round-heeled broad who is finished, done, D-O-N-E, done! Get the hell outta here, Frankie, right now. Out! You heard me, freeloader. And don’t let the door hit you in the backside. Out!

To hell with him! What does he think I am? Dirt? Every morning I get the feeling he was going to leave two dollars on the dresser for me. I am no slut, and nobody, nobody is going to treat me like one.

I never knew him to be any other way with a woman. To Frankie no woman’s ever any better than his mother. She didn’t care who she slept with. He wanted his father to break away, so one night he took his father to this guy’s house. When Frankie and his father walked in, his mother was busy with . . . well, anyway, the old man actually blew his brains out. Frankie felt responsible. Try packin’ around that much guilt. Oh, you should have seen Frankie at that funeral. He almost killed her. Frankie and me, we hit the road together. That’s a long time before we ran into you. But the way he sees it, no woman’s any better than his mother.

Hymie, why did you let Frankie take me away from you?

Well, I knew that’s what you wanted. Anyhow, I know Frankie. He won’t be back

Oh. Oh, that’s lovely. Oh, that’s, that’s lovely. All these years knocking around looking for a way out, not even wanting very much of anything. Just a little rest and peace and quiet. I just wanted to be happy. I see other people, they get happy. I want mine. Is that asking a lot? And I wanted a kid. I always wanted a kid. And what rotten stinking luck that it’s going to be Frankie’s kid.