American Buffalo by David Mamet Read Free Book Online Page A

Okay?
    BOB : We’ll look it up.
    DON : Okay. Huh? We’ll see you tomorrow.
    BOB : And we’ll look it up.
    DON : Yes.
    BOB (to TEACH) : You should talk to Ruthie.
    TEACH : Oh, I should, huh?
    BOB : Yes.
    TEACH : Why?
    BOB : Because.
    Pause.
    TEACH : I’ll see you tomorrow, Bobby.
    BOB : Good-bye, Teach.
    TEACH : Good-bye.
    DON : Good-bye, Bob.
    BOB : Good-bye.
    Pause, BOB exits.
    DON : Fuckin‘ kid . . .
    TEACH : So where is Fletcher?
    DON : Don’t worry. He’ll be here.
    TEACH : The question is but when. Maybe his watch broke.
    DON : Maybe it just did, Teach. Maybe his actual watch broke.
    TEACH : And maybe mine didn’t, you’re saying? You wanna bet? You wanna place a little fucking wager on it? How much money you got in your pockets? I bet you all the money in your pockets against all the money in my pockets, I walk out that door right now, I come back with a broken watch.
    Pause.
    DON : Calm down.
    TEACH : I am calm. I’m just upset.
    DON : I know.
    TEACH : So where is he when I’m here?
    DON : Don’t worry about it.
    TEACH : So who’s going to worry about it then?
    DON : (Shit.)
    TEACH : This should go to prove you something.
    DON : It doesn’t prove anything. The guy’s just late.
    TEACH : Oh. And I wasn’t?
    DON : You were late, too.
    TEACH : You’re fuckin’ A I was, and I got bawled out for it.
    DON : He’s late for a reason.
    TEACH : I don’t accept it.
    DON : That’s your privilege.
    TEACH : And what was Bob doing here?
    DON : He told you. He wanted to sell me the nickel.
    TEACH : That’s why he came here?
    DON : Yes.
    TEACH : To sell you the buffalo?
    DON : Yes.
    TEACH : Where did he get it?
    DON : I think from some guy.
    TEACH : Who?
    Pause.
    DON : I don’t know.
    Pause.
    TEACH : Where’s Fletcher?
    DON : I don’t know. He’ll show up. (Picks up phone and dials.)
    TEACH : He’ll show up.
    DON : Yes.
    TEACH : He’s not here now.
    DON : No.
    TEACH : You scout the guy’s house?
    DON : The guy? No.
    TEACH : Well, let’s do that, then. (He’s not home. Hang up.)
    DON (hangs up phone) : You wanna scout his house.
    TEACH : Yeah.
    DON : Why? Bob already saw him when he went off with the suitcase.
    TEACH : Just to be sure, huh?
    DON : Yeah. Okay.
    TEACH : You bet. Now we call him up.
    DON : We call the guy up.
    TEACH : Yeah.
    Pause.
    DON : Good idea. (He picks up phone. Hunts guy’s number. Dials. To himself) We can do this.
    TEACH : This is planning. . . . This is preparation. If he answers . . .
    DON shhhhs TEACH .
    I’m telling you what to do if he answers.
    DON : What?
    TEACH : Hang up. ( DON starts to hang up phone. ) No. Don’t hang up. Hang up now. Hang up now!
    DON hangs up phone.
    Now look: If he answers . . .
    DON : . . . yeah?
    TEACH : Don’t arouse his fucking suspicions.
    DON : All right.
    TEACH : And the odds are he’s not there, so when he answers just say you’re calling for a wrong fucking number, something. Be simple.
    Pause.
    Give me the phone.
    DON hands TEACH the phone.
    Gimme the card.
    DON hands TEACH card.
    This is his number? 221—7834?
    DON : Yeah.
    TEACH (snorts) : All right I dial, I’m calling for somebody named June, and we go interchange on number.
    Pause.
    We’re gonna say like, “Is this 221—7834?”
    DON : . . . yeah?
    TEACH : And they go, “No.” (I mean “—7843.” It is —7834.)
    So we go, very simply, “Is this 221—7843?” and they go “No,” and right away the guy is home, we still haven’t blown the shot.
    DON : Okay.
    TEACH picks up the phone and dials.
    TEACH (into phone): Hi. Yeah. I’m calling . . . uh . . . is June there?
    Pause.
    Well, is this 221—7843?
    Pause.
    It is? Well, look I must of got the number wrong. I’m sorry.
    He hangs up phone.
    (This is bizarre.) Read me that number.
    DON : 221—7834.
    TEACH : Right. (Dials phone. Listens.) Nobody home. See, this is careful operation . . . (Pause. Hangs up.) You wanna try it?
    DON : No.
    TEACH : I don’t mind that you’re careful, Don. This doesn’t piss me off. What