Beneath the Fold (2024) Movie Script

1
[tense music plays]
[Belmont] The thunderous boom,
heard by many
just 22 minutes ago,
was in fact a building collapse
on Beechwood Boulevard.
Debris scattered
all over the street,
at least a block
in each direction.
First responders are working
to find out if anyone was hurt,
although the building
appears to have been abandoned.
The five-story structure
was formerly the site
of three apartments
which sat above
the now-shuttered
Holy Cannoli Bake Shop.
Beaverton resident
Brooke Harrison
was on the street nearby
when she heard
what she described
as a scratching sound
followed by a hiss and a burst.
[Carrie sighs]
[laughs] I'm not here.
Me neither, I don't want
that "no overtime"
slap on the wrist.
You not here
for your enterprise?
Runs on Tuesday.
Wanna give it
one more read-through.
What are you working on?
Parade shit,
thruway crash, what?
Parade shit's a standalone.
Thruway crash,
I've been trying all day.
The state police stonewall,
that is what they do.
Nobody knows or nobody cares.
Or some combination of the two.
But I wouldn't worry
if I were you.
They'll get back to you
in about 12 days.
[scoffs] Or not at all.
Or not at all. It's ridiculous.
It's like they only want
to give you news
when it's no longer news.
And you tell them,
you say, "Look, all I need
is a head count and a hospital."
And you get a
"Wait for the press release."
Maybe it's two hours,
or maybe it's ten hours,
or maybe it's next Tuesday
and half the fucking names
are misspelled.
Stanley, last time
a car crashed into the river,
the cops couldn't even get
the goddamn name
of the river right.
[laughs]
Fucking clowns they all are.
And to think they make
twice as much as we do.
[Carrie] Three times. Sometimes.
I mean, come on.
You gotta wonder what the fuck
that spokeswoman does
all goddamn day.
It's good work
if you can get it.
What's yours?
-Kayaderosseras County
Supervisors.
-[Carrie] Budget stuff?
They want to cut stuff up
for seniors.
That's smart.
Piss off the old people.
-Because they're the only ones
who vote.
-They're making it easy for me.
Wait, wait, wait, wait, wait.
Wait, wait, wait a minute, wait.
When did you get this?
-You got this at the meeting?
-We ran it as a capsule
on Wednesday.
-I'm fleshing it out
for tomorrow.
-Well, why not run it on Sunday?
Well, Curt wanted
to hold it for Monday
so it'd get better play.
Mm, Monday,
The K. Stanley Nichols edition.
I should get commission.
-[Carrie] Well, how about
just get paid, period?
-I'd love to.
[Carrie] How many A-1 stories
do you got tomorrow?
Four. No, wait. Three.
One got pushed aside
because of the thruway crash.
Mm. Mm-hmm. What's on B-1?
[Stanley] B-1's all parade shit.
Parade shit and politics.
Okay, so where's
Supper for Seniors going?
[Stanley] Bottom of B-1,
I think.
-Below the fold.
-That's what the desk is doing.
Okay, so you're ta--
All right. [laughs]
They want to cut a program
that gives free food
for old people,
broke retirees,
life savings in the coffee can.
I mean, what the fu--
We're in the middle
of a recession.
Though it feels like
a fucking depression.
The financial crisis has to be
the most important story
of the next two or three years.
Hell, maybe even
the fucking decade.
And this here's
a sidebar to that.
[Stanley] So you're saying
you want to swap?
-Where's Blake?
-Blake's at the lake.
I'm by myself today.
-Okay, well, call him.
-I already did.
Left a message about
the thruway crash
because a tipster told me
the truck blew up.
Oh, and a guy died.
Okay.
Anything unusual about that?
-No.
-Well, then why the fuck
is it A-1?
-We got good art this time.
-[Carrie scoffs]
[Carrie] "Trucker dies
in fiery crash."
Only have that headline
about twice a week.
Everybody on the way home
got held up.
[Carrie] You got a source
for the senior story?
Got a senior in second graph.
[Carrie] "How am I gonna--
How am I supposed to eat?"
-Something like that?
-He worries about
how he's going to eat, yeah.
[Carrie] You got Robert McMurry?
Called him on a cell.
Got a couple quotes.
[Carrie] "We're not eliminating,
we're simply reassessing."
-Blabbity blah, blah, blah.
-Exactly.
-[Carrie] "Nothing's off
the table yet."
-Correct.
-[Carrie] Hey.
-Hmm?
Nothing's off the table?
That is not a bad pun
for your lead.
Okay, so you got a senior
for the senior story,
and you got Bob McMurry,
and that's the bottom of B-1.
Yeah. And the art is priceless.
[Carrie] I'm calling Curt.
Get the okay.
Well, no, wait a minute.
We're not here.
-[Carrie] I'm calling him
with my cell.
-What about copy?
I don't give a fucking shit
about copy.
They're useless.
Once they've laid
the fucking pages out,
they're too lazy to do a swap.
-I think they can hear you.
-I don't give a damn if they do.
Most of them
spend half the fucking day
on Facebook or surfing the web
while the rest of us
are busy working.
I've seen you on Facebook.
Okay, but when I do it,
I am searching for the families
of dead people.
There is a difference.
Look, right now,
we got a B-1 story
that needs A-1 play.
-[Stanley] I hear you. I agree.
-I mean, bottom a local?
-Curt wanted
a piece on the pipeline.
-[phone ringing]
News. Uh-huh.
Uh-huh. Yeah.
Thank you.
-[Carrie] Who was that?
-Tinfoil hat.
Look, I'll tell you what.
I'll put the senior story
up on the website,
set the priority to Z,
so it'll be
at the top of the website
all night.
Okay, old people don't want
to read a website, okay?
Old people want to read
the paper on paper.
That is why they call it
the paper.
-Besides,
they're already in bed.
-Yeah, you're right.
Morning ain't the same
without a newspaper
and a cup of coffee.
[phone ringing]
News.
Sorry for your loss.
I'll send you the obits.
Hang on.
You know what?
You should call Curt.
-[groans]
-Blake won't pick up,
we go higher up.
I'm not here.
You're doing a split
to balance your hours.
[Stanley] The follow-up on A-1?
Fu-- fucking parade.
[Stanley] I know. Who cares?
But, like, it's--
Uh, sorry.
What? Who cares?
-Fucking parade.
-[Carrie] Wha-- what the fuck
are you talking about?
-I mean, it's a parade.
-[Carrie] Meaning what?
I mean, come on.
2,000 people at a parade,
and you're saying
"Who gives a shit?"
Any time you got
that many people in one place,
that's a story.
Look, I'm just saying
the parade's taking up
all the space
in the center of A-1
when a guy died
on the thruway today.
Someone dies
on the thruway every day.
Look, no one's saying
you have to like the parade,
just that
it's a centerpiece handed to us
on a silver platter.
But don't go saying "Who cares?"
Just be happy I'm the only one
who heard you say that.
All right, so what?
You're just gonna let
this story get buried?
-Look, I'll be up to 40 hours
by Wednesday.
-[Carrie] So?
So you won't get asked why,
but I will.
Yeah. Right. [chuckles]
I've been here long enough
to know how to hide my overtime.
So I don't get caught
and I don't get paid.
-[Stanley]
So why don't you call him?
-It's your story.
[Stanley] You're the one
who wants to swap so badly.
Mm.
Curt and I...
Do we have any coffee brewing?
I'm-- I could use a cup.
Got this from Stewart's.
[phone ringing]
Newsroom.
I-- I'll send you
to circulation, hang on.
[Carrie] There's no one
in circulation at this hour.
-I know. No one in obits either.
-[Carrie laughs]
[Carrie]
You sure there's no coffee left?
Where you been, Carrie?
The coffee's gone.
-[Carrie] You gotta be
kidding me.
-Mm.
Finished the final batch
on Friday.
-No more freebies.
-[Carrie sighs]
These fuckers.
Are you fucking serious?
What's next? Write on napkins?
It's like, "Oh, hey, guys.
No more notepads.
Just use toilet paper."
-This place.
This fucking place.
-I know.
[Carrie] I swear.
I'm giving Curt a call.
Wait, wait, wait.
Wait, Curt wants the water line.
He'll know I'm doing overtime.
[Carrie] Well, does he know
you got Bob McMurry?
Does he know you've got
a senior for the senior story
and you've got good art?
Well, the art, it's good art.
I'm not sure it's A-1 art.
[Carrie] Okay.
You said it was a good picture.
You told me it was priceless.
It's a funny photo.
I'm not sure it belongs on
the center of the page.
[Carrie] It's funny?
What does funny
have to do with it?
We're not selling jokes.
We're selling fear.
[scoffs] The only thing funny
about this job is the paycheck.
Hey, a picture's worth
a thousand words.
If a photo's worth
a thousand words,
we wouldn't need to have
any words.
Okay, but Curt said
he wanted the water
so he could do the--
[Carrie]
What Curt says on Saturday
don't mean shit come Sunday.
I mean, water's good.
Water's important.
But this could be
important, too.
-What about copy?
-[Carrie chuckles]
[Carrie] Ever notice
the right thing to do
always makes more work
for someone else?
-No.
-[Carrie] Yeah,
neither did they.
I'm calling him.
Hey, what are you doing
after this?
Want to go across the street
and quiet the demons?
[Stanley laughs]
How much does it cost
for a cold one?
Like, four or five?
-Five-ish.
-[Stanley groans]
They got some free pretzels?
Yeah, hey, this is Carrie.
I'm looking for Curt.
Well, where is he?
Why would he leave
his cell phone at home
if he's going to be
at the marina?
What if the Monroe Power Plant
burns down
or what if an airplane crashes
into an orphanage?
A messa-- Yeah.
Yeah, I'll leave him a message.
Tell him he owes me
a cup of coffee.
[sighs]
Fuck.
Can we get a scanner in here?
Fucking Christ.
-Something going on?
-[Stanley] Yeah, I gotta go.
-Car-pedestrian?
-Sounds that way.
-Uh, where's the digital?
-[Carrie] How far from here?
Uh, way down Chingachgook Road.
-Ooh, don't take Route 32.
-I never do.
-[sighs] I'll tell copy.
-Hey, be nice.
Nice doesn't get things done.
[laughs]
[eerie ambient noise playing]
-[calling tone beeps]
-[phone keys beeping]
[Terry clears throat]
[Stacy] Hello?
-Stacy.
-[Stacy] Dad?
Yeah.
[Stacy] Where have you been?
It's half past 12.
I should go back.
Should I go back?
[Stacy] Where are you?
You're calling from the office?
We were worried about you.
Stacy, I fucked up.
[Stacy] What happened?
Dad? Are you there?
-Yeah.
-[Stacy] What did you do?
What did you do?
[Belmont] 44-year-old
Faye Sullivan,
a former fifth grade
school teacher
at Beaverton Elementary.
Now she's awake
and messaging first responders
from her cell phone.
Authorities have not commented
on the extent of her injuries.
Beaverton Fire Chief
Ben Masterson says
that Sullivan had apparently
been using the building
as a temporary residence
[DJ] That was Tom Belmont
reporting from Beaverton.
Again,
if you're just joining us,
there's a woman trapped
under the rubble
of the collapsed building.
She's conscious and alert.
Authorities are working
around the clock
to clear the wreckage
and get her out safely.
[soft rattling]
[sharp snap]
[ballpoint pen clicking]
Okay, if he's running this late,
we should just start
without him.
-Where's Francis?
-Frankie's on furlough.
I'm filling in for him.
Doing cops, courts, county,
and the night desk this week.
Christ, remember
when you couldn't get a seat
in this room?
[scoffs]
Okay, afternoon critique, A-1.
Good thing
you were doing a split, Stanley.
Got the car-ped
in there last minute.
Saved it from getting buried.
Guys, broccoli doesn't just
have to go on B-1.
-It can go on A-1, too.
-That's one opinion.
-Not to mention...
-We all know...
-...Supper for Seniors.
-...where you stand, Carrie.
What's broccoli?
She just means
stories about taxes and such
-that are good for you,
like broccoli.
-Okay, but come on.
That piece on reassessments?
That belongs on the front page.
I mean, people have to know
how much they're paying
in property taxes.
It was a follow,
not breaking news.
In any case, we were lucky
to get the hit-and-run on A-1
so close to deadline.
You're sure
you weren't on overtime
because we don't have the budget
-for you to be on time
and a half every other week.
-...and I emailed the picture.
-Okay, and who's behind
the barricade?
-Fire police.
-Assholes
wouldn't let me through.
-Fire police.
[Carrie]
Yeah, in New York State,
they do mostly crowd control,
not just fires.
Throw up a couple of roadblocks,
that kind of thing.
-So did you drive around
to the other side?
-Ah, well, yeah.
They wouldn't let me in
on the other side, either.
So how'd you get in?
Parked the car parallel,
then I ran to the woods
like a crazy person
close to midnight.
My shoes are still wet.
Well, as long
as you don't rack up
any overtime, we're good.
Okay, what's the status
with the guy?
Well, they didn't even
give me a name,
so I can't call the hospital
and get a condition
until I know who I'm asking for.
Okay, well, find out who he is.
-For sure.
-I have a question
about this story.
-Okay.
-[Curt] Why was he wearing
two hats?
Look at the picture.
The guy's wearing two hats
on the pavement.
One is a Mets cap,
the other is a top hat,
like the kind,
what's his name, used to wear?
-Abraham Lincoln.
-[Curt] No.
Not Lincoln, the dancer guy.
-Fred Astaire.
-[Curt] Right.
So, it seems like
this guy goes outside
wearing both a baseball cap
and a top hat.
-Is he special?
-What?
Is he retarded?
Because there is that,
what is it,
the group home
for special people
not far from there?
-Maybe he wandered off.
-What kind of people live there?
The kind who dress themselves
in two hats.
So let's find out.
And by let's find out,
I mean before Tuesday.
And when I say before Tuesday,
I mean before ten o'clock.
And when I say
before ten o'clock,
I mean go call now.
Okay, A-1. What else?
I want these centerpieces
an inch and a half higher.
We got this really good
parade picture,
but you can barely see it
when the paper's on the rack.
How are you going to get
people's attention
if they can't even read
the fucking headline?
-Okay, fine.
-Where's copy?
-They're coming in later.
-Where's everybody else?
At home,
collecting unemployment.
Well, it's a lot easier
to find a parking spot,
that's for sure.
-How was your vacation?
-Rain the whole fucking time.
And it wasn't a vacation.
It was furlough.
[Carrie] I'll have a word
with the desk.
Let's see if you can get them
to hold these pipeline stories
to the front.
Nobody reads past the jump.
Well, you'd think they'd want
to flip a page to see
if they're getting poisoned.
They're not turning a page
to see if the water table
is contaminated.
That's in the lead.
They're flipping a page to see
what they can do about it.
Well, the smaller
the broadsheet,
the harder it is
to hold these stories.
Ever since the size reduction.
I mean, look at this shit.
We're practically
putting out a pamphlet.
[Curt]
Just tell them I said that
so they know I said that.
No problem, Curt.
[Curt] Okay, B-1.
How come we didn't run the art
on Supper for Seniors?
I asked copy
the exact same thing.
-They told me
they didn't have room for it.
-Didn't have room for it?
-[Carrie scoffs] Right?
-Even on the jump?
They said
they couldn't "squeeze it in."
-What time
did they get the picture?
-Like fucking 4:00.
Four o'clock
and they couldn't fit it in?
[Carrie] I know.
Well, if you know something,
why not say something?
-We'll put it in the follow-up.
-Okay, great.
I love doing things tomorrow
I can do it today.
Instead, we've got
another centerpiece
on local politics.
Is anybody else getting sick
of looking at this guy's face?
Sports.
Let's move on to sports.
[Curt] I'm not sure
these graphics help.
Do they really do anything?
[Carrie] I think they make me
want to look at the story.
[Curt] I think they make me
want to look at anything but,
like a cereal box.
Curt, no one's reading
the newspaper
from 30 fucking feet away.
[Curt] Yeah, still sucks.
Okay, just-- Okay.
We're moving on.
Arts and life.
[Curt] That food
looks fucking good.
I'm gonna get my wife
to try that recipe.
-For real?
-Christ, who am I kidding?
If I ever want to hide anything,
I can put it
inside the oven mitt.
Okay, what's tonight
for tomorrow?
[rattling and clanging]
We need another piece
on the pipeline.
Where's Blake?
[Carrie] He's coming in late.
He's got city council tonight.
What's on the agenda?
Fourteen cops and firefighters
getting laid off.
Good.
Have Marty put some calls in
and get the ball rolling
before Blake comes in.
[Carrie] Okay, what else?
Hit-and-run folo, what else?
Can I just say something?
[sighs] Sure.
We need to publish
more stories in English
and not in trade and industry
and government lingo.
-[Carrie] Okay.
-Look at this.
"The Kayaderosseras Town Board
will hold
a budget hearing meeting
on Wednesday to discuss..."
Budget hearing meeting?
Why not just say budget meeting?
I mean, what the fuck is a
budget hearing meeting anyway?
What does that mean?
-[Carrie] Well, it means--
-I know what it means,
but what does it mean?
I mean, a guy in his bathrobe
at his breakfast table
or somebody in the crapper
is going to look at this
and skip the story
because of this lead.
[Carrie]
Okay, I will have a word
with the reporters.
And this, listen to this.
"The board voted in favor
of commencing
with Phase I permeability
on the site."
What does that mean?
No, really, I don't know
what the fuck that means.
-It means--
-And honestly,
who cares what it means?
I've already lost interest
in this story.
Okay. Okay.
I'm going to
talk to the staff.
Anything specific
you would like me
to say to them?
[Curt] Yes.
Tell them that English
is the official fucking language
around here.
[Carrie] Mm.
"Official fucking language."
-All right.
-[Curt] And why is this foreman
droning on about geology?
Quotes are for color.
-Ah.
-Yeah, so, I'm late.
What do we got?
The main thing is going to be
the hit-and-run folo.
-Catch the guy?
-Stanley's making some calls
as we speak.
-I hope they catch that fucker.
-[phone ringing]
-You wanna write a column
about it?
-[Terry] Maybe.
-Yes?
-[Elizabeth] Hi,
this is Elizabeth in sales.
-What do you want?
-[Elizabeth]
There's a young man at the door
who wants to talk to an editor.
Talk to us about what and who?
There's four editors here.
-Three.
-There's three editors here.
If he has a tip,
have Marty or Tony take it down.
-[Elizabeth] Just a sec.
-Oh, my God.
[Elizabeth] He says he got a DWI
very late last night
and he wants to keep his name
out of the blotter
in tomorrow's paper.
Tell him our policy
precludes that.
[Elizabeth] Well, I tried
to explain that to him,
but he's very persistent.
Put him in the library.
I'll talk to him.
[Elizabeth] But there's nothing
in the library.
Yes, I know that, Elizabeth.
-[Elizabeth] We moved
everything out.
-Yes, I'm aware of that.
[Elizabeth]
So why do you want him
in the library?
Because that's where we put
people who have to wait.
-[Elizabeth] Okay.
If you say--
-Fucking Christ almighty.
-Guess we got
a new receptionist.
-Who, her?
Well, it's whoever's desk
is closest to the door.
Oh. Uh, where was I?
Aren't you going to talk
to the kid?
I will once we're done here.
Let him sweat a while.
-[Stanley] Sorry to interrupt.
-[Curt] No, no, go ahead.
I got the cops
to give me a name,
called and got a condition.
-[Curt] How is he?
-Critical.
[Curt] Uh, you, uh,
jog to work this morning, too?
Uh, in this weather? You crazy?
Besides,
you can't take the risk.
Every time you turn around,
someone's getting knocked down
to the side of the road, so...
So, what are we leading with?
-Hit-and-run B-1?
-Yeah, that sounds good to me.
Uh, excuse me.
Gotta make a couple of calls.
[Curt] Stanley,
what do you think
of these graphics?
[Stanley] Better than nothing.
Yeah, that's the standard
we want to hold ourselves up to.
[laughs] This guy's hilarious.
That was a joke.
-He meant that as a joke.
-[Stanley] No, I didn't.
Okay, well, now you do.
[Curt]
Did you find the family?
[Stanley] No landline listed,
but there's an address.
-I'll drive out there
and knock on the door.
-Go now. No, wait.
-Where do they live?
-[Stanley] Horicon Valley.
That's kind of
a big place, Stanley.
You know what I'm asking.
-How far?
-[Stanley] About 25 minutes.
-Okay.
-[Stanley] Okay?
Okay.
I'll interview the eyewitness,
share a byline with Stanley.
Good.
-[Carrie] How about
that building collapse?
-Too far.
Well, I was thinking if someone
from our coverage area
is already down there, maybe...
Nah, pull something
from the wire.
Put it on A-3.
So we lead on local
with the folo?
Yeah, and about the ce...
-[Carrie] Curt?
-Yeah?
[sighs]
-Curt?
-[Curt] Yeah?
Centerpiece?
Right... Blake will do
another waterline story.
We got good enough art.
We'll use that.
If not,
city council on doglegs,
Supper for Seniors as a strip.
-Got it.
-AP story on the recession.
Oh, fuck, we haven't even talked
about the weather storm
coming soon.
Shit.
[Carrie] Tony can type that up.
-Top of A-1.
-[Carrie] Okay.
And we'll see
where the night takes us.
[door slams shuts]
Elizabeth, tell the kid
to come back later.
I'm busy now.
-[Jake] They told me to--
-[Curt] Have a seat.
I've got a question
for you, sir.
And I've got one for you.
Why are you still here?
-I'd like to discuss--
-[Curt] I didn't ask
why you're here.
I asked why you're still here.
There's a difference.
-What?
-Our staff explained to you
we don't take people's names
off the blotter.
Are you saying
you want to ruin my life
over one little mistake?
-Our paper has a policy--
-Every playbook
has an exception.
This is kind of
a special case, sir.
I don't want to hear about it.
If you would just
listen for one second--
And I don't
like drunken drivers,
guys too lazy to call a cab,
pay the 20 bucks.
Your name is going in.
We don't make exceptions
for anybody.
I was told I had--
I was trying to avoid
another parking ticket.
I'm sure your lawyer
will love that one.
Sir, I'm sorry,
but this is completely unfair.
The only time I use the word
"fair" is when I go to one.
[Jake] I thought newspapers
were all about being fair.
[Curt] I think you mean
unbiased and objective.
Semantics.
[Curt]
What you mean to say is "words."
What I mean to say
is that most people do
exactly what I did all the time
and they don't get their name
published in the paper.
Where were you going
when you got arrested?
I was at my friend's house
trying to move my car.
Because a driver
20 miles west of town
hit a man and fled the scene.
-[Jake] That wasn't me.
-Could have been you.
[Jake] But it wasn't.
Now will you please
take my name out of the paper?
-Please.
-No.
[sighs]
But I just said please.
I got too much to do.
Sir, did you play football
in school, sir?
A little. In gym class.
[Jake] Are you a fan?
Do you watch the games?
Where is this going?
I got a scholarship offer.
I'm supposed to start
next year as a kicker
for Syracuse.
So what?
If coach finds out about this
they're going to cancel
the deal.
Not my problem.
We're talking about my dream.
-Don't you want me
to accomplish my dream?
-No.
I want you to wake up.
[serene classical music plays]
And then?
I see the taillight pop
and the car pull over.
-The car?
-The truck.
-It stopped?
-For a second.
-Then it drove off?
-Sped away.
The tires make any noise?
-When he drove off.
-Sped away?
After he stopped.
Okay. License plate?
-New York State.
-Mm-hmm. Number?
I don't know.
-Well, what kind of car was it?
-Dakota. Black Dakota.
-Not navy blue?
-Pretty sure it was black.
-Well, it was dark.
-It was black.
-You're positive?
-Just believe me.
You saw that
all through a window?
On the street.
-Who let him out?
-Danny's not a dog.
You don't just let him out.
I thought
you just said he ran away.
Supposed to be in bed.
He walked away.
Okay. Then you went
to go get him?
-To look for him.
-You found him?
-He was on the road.
-And then
you watched him get hit?
Down the road a bit.
-Okay. How far from you?
-Maybe 20?
20 what?
20 feet? 20 meters?
-What are we talking about?
-Close enough.
[sighs] A stone's throw.
-I would say so.
-Mm-hmm. Not far.
I heard the pop.
Okay. Then you stopped.
Then you called dispatch.
-We ran to--
-Whoa, whoa, whoa. We?
-Uh--
-Who's we?
Well, me and my co-worker.
-He or she?
-She.
Okay.
What is her name?
I don't think she would--
All right.
We're not doing that.
What's her name?
Come on, Harriet.
Give me that name.
-Wendy.
-Okay. What's Wendy's last name?
-I don't know.
-You definitely know.
It's on the website.
Okay. I'll just check
the website.
Then what happened?
Like I said, we run to him
and we put our coats on him.
Mm-hmm. Middle of the road.
It was cold.
-[machinery rattling outside]
-Oh.
What's going on out there?
And what's up
with all these boxes?
-We're relocating.
-What?
We're moving
to a smaller office,
so they're taking a bunch
of shit down to take with us.
-Anyway, you were saying--
-[phone ringing]
Newsroom.
Yeah.
Yeah. We might be interested.
Uh, send me a press release.
It's news@kcourier.com,
no hyphen.
Uh-huh.
[sighs] Somebody calling
about a dog fashion show.
Anyway, back to Danny.
Was he
in the fetal position or...
-[loud rumbling]
-He was all mangled up.
Face up or face down?
Part of his body
was facing down,
part was facing up.
Like I said,
he was all mangled up.
Okay.
Then you called dispatch.
She had to go back
to the building.
We don't get
cell service on the road.
Mmm. So you waited with Danny.
He was there. There was blood
coming out of his ears.
Always looks like a different
color in real life, doesn't it?
Darker than you think.
Hard to see out there,
though, huh?
-It was a full moon out.
-[Carrie] Hmm.
Want me to
double-check that for you, or...
Just believe me.
Why do you people never
believe me when I tell you?
You, the police.
Did you talk to The Gazette?
-No.
-Not yet.
You called me.
Okay, so it's Harriet,
common spelling,
last name Larsen, L-A-R-S-E--
I would appreciate it
if you didn't use my name.
-What are you talking about?
-I don't want my name used.
What do you mean,
Bright Horizons
did not respond
to requests for comment?
Let's be a little more specific
than that.
No, I mean
they slammed it on my face.
So why didn't it say that?
They refused
to respond to a report.
-What?
-Well, you just said that--
Whoa, hey. Whoa.
I did not just say refused.
What the fuck
are you talking about?
We do not use that word
in reference
to a request for comment.
-All right.
-You know what we say.
-Right, I, um...
-You what?
-I, uh--
-Go ahead.
Say what you were going to say.
-I didn't say it.
-I want to hear it.
All right. I forgot.
Did you?
Yeah.
You're not supposed to forget.
We're not paying you to forget.
You don't have permission
to forget.
Get your ass in gear. Okay?
Because What do we say
when a source won't talk?
Let me hear it.
Say it for me, Stanley.
Go ahead. Say it.
You got this. Come on.
Come on, Stanley.
Don't do this.
Say it. Say it, Stanley.
-Declined.
-That's right.
An employee from
Bright Horizons declined...
To respond to a reporter
at the door.
-Correct.
-Sorry.
Where'd you go
to journalism school?
I-- I didn't go
to journalism school.
Good.
I can bring you up my way.
-Thank you.
-You're welcome.
Now, I want you making
cop calls every two hours.
Let's see if we can get them
to hurry up on that release.
They-- they keep hanging up
the phone on me.
-It happens.
-You mean, I...
-You'd think they want to...
-I know.
...listen to us because
we're trying to help 'em?
You got
that spokeswoman's number.
-You ever check on her?
-Sure.
I have no idea
why they don't like me.
You think the lead's a little...
Carrie!
Let's get her in here.
I got a guy on hold.
What's up?
[Curt] This bit about
the black Dakota has got to go.
-What for?
-The cops have to confirm
they're looking for that
kind of vehicle, haven't they?
-She said she believed it was--
-There are a lot of cars
that look like that.
-Trucks.
-The Tacoma, the Tundra,
-the Ram, the Tundra.
-You said that already.
They all look
the fucking same to me.
-The Sierra.
-Black Dakota,
that's what she said.
How can she be sure?
Okay, so we say perhaps.
-Maybe.
-We say maybe.
No, maybe isn't maybe.
The story says perhaps.
We could.
Because
that's what we want to do.
Fill up the paper
with a bunch of fucking maybes.
I'm sure
our readers would love that.
Not like it's a newspaper with,
you know, facts and stuff.
Why don't we throw in
a few question marks
while we're at it?
Hey, let's make
it a rag with riddles.
What do you say, Stanley?
Girl says
pickup truck was black.
-It was dark.
-Okay, that's what I said.
What did she say?
[Carrie] She said she was
totally sure it was black.
Now I trust her even less.
[furniture crashing outside]
She was a little far.
-A stone's throw?
-Perhaps.
How far is that?
All right, she's not a surveyor.
Ten yards, 20 meters,
we're talking what?
What's the difference
between a yard and a meter?
It's a simple question,
Carrie.
I think maybe from here.
-"Maybe?"
-No, no, no, no, no.
She was close enough
to hear the pop.
The pop of the car
hitting the kid
or the kid hitting the road?
Well, I guess more likely--
-You're guessing now?
-No, I misspoke.
Maybe she did, too.
You just said maybe.
Look, I-- I-- I'm-- I-- I--
I'm not guessing.
I-- I-- I'm not saying this.
I'm not actually saying this.
But, uh, um,
she probably meant the car
hitting the kid, right, Carrie?
I mean, the kid
hitting the pavement,
that would have been
more of a thought, I'm thinking.
-Fucking Christ, you two.
-Sorry.
I would put my balls
in a meat grinder
before I ever let the word
"probably" get in print,
unless we're talking about
the weather.
But may I propose
an elegant solution?
Fucking call the woman and ask?
How about that?
-We can't.
-Why not?
Because she won't talk
to us anymore.
You're burning the source.
-Yeah.
-Why?
Because she said
I couldn't use her name.
When did she say that?
-After we were done.
-Sucks for her.
We go with dark-colored
pickup truck for now.
Source says
"she believes she saw."
Carrie?
-Fine.
-Until we know, we don't know,
so we play it safe.
When in doubt...
come on,
say it with me, Stanley.
I got a guy on hold, so...
When in doubt...
-Leave it out.
-Bingo.
Hey, Terry, there you are.
What do you think?
Who's right?
Witness says black Dakota,
or are we saying
dark-colored pickup
-until cops confirm?
-[Terry] Hmm.
Neither. Not for now.
We wait
until a press release comes in
before we print
a description of the car.
Eyewitness.
What, you got two or only one?
Well, the girl refu--
the girl declined.
What, to use her name?
-Strike the line about the car.
-The Dakota.
-Could have been a Tundra.
-Or a Titan.
Leave it out
until a press release comes in.
[Carrie] Guys,
why are we soft-pedaling this?
[Terry] What--
[scoffs] I want to get it right.
Or is that not
the number one concern?
It is.
That's what I thought.
Look, I'm not going to--
[sighs] Listen.
[chuckles] Okay.
We trust memory.
Like we trust...
Curt, help me out here.
I mean, who's someone
really trustworthy?
I can't think of anyone.
-Mr. Rogers, I trust him.
-[Carrie] Hmm.
We trust memory
like we trust Mr. Rogers.
Memory changes things,
we all know that.
The pickup is parked
under a bright yellow light
and now it's green,
not navy blue
or whatever color you get
when you mix yellow and blue.
It's green, you got it right.
I'm talking about being wrong.
Memory changes colors, shapes,
times and dates,
flipping the truth
into circles and tailspins,
and yet we are going to
trust memory
like we trust
Mr. fucking Rogers.
God's honest truth.
One witness,
and did you see her?
[laughs]
I mean, you ask me,
we are already printing too much
out of the mouth
of this whack job witness we got
who doesn't want
to use her name.
I mean, it's probably
her fault anyway.
She's supposed to be watching
these retards.
-[Carrie] Jesus.
-I'm sorry.
These special people
from running out into
the middle of the road.
[phone buzzing]
Oh, source for another story.
[Terry] Well, we'll take it
in the newsroom.
[sighs] Do I even have
a desk in there anymore?
Oh, you're a jokester,
you're a jokester.
News, this is Carrie.
Hit-and-run, B-1,
keep it under ten inches
and we only use
what we can confirm.
So you just want it on a local?
Don't you have
a board meeting to go to?
[Terry sighs]
Children.
Hey, you got
a black Dakota, Terry?
Oh, yeah.
[laughs] Okay,
so I must've hit this guy.
-You know...
[phone ringing]
...and drove away, right?
I mean, this is what I'm saying.
This is what I mean.
I mean, everybody who owns
a black Dakota has to be saying,
oh, no, am I going to be pulled
over by the cops and hassled?
I mean, that's why
I drove my wife's car
to work this morning.
All right, right, right.
Sounds interesting.
Sure, dog fashion show.
-Sounds interesting.
-[Terry sighs]
Yeah.
Just send over the press release
with all the information.
News @-- news@kcourier.com.
Right, sounds interesting.
Just send the press release.
All right, all right.
Press release, send it.
Okay, yes, sounds-- yes.
Like I said, thanks.
But I have an afternoon meeting.
Hey, afternoon meeting!
I'm going to go get sports.
-[Terry grunts]
-[Stanley] Uh-- uh-- uh--
[Terry sighs]
[Stanley] Sorry.
Uh, hey, Curt, you want to
run that meeting as a capsule?
Flesh it out
if we got pissed off people.
Concerned residents,
you know the drill.
-Got it.
-Hurry up.
Wait!
How about the folo
on that senior story?
It should be about 16 inches.
What about Senate race?
You sure you don't want me
to investigate that hit-and-run?
"Investigate?"
Get a load of this guy!
The staff we got,
you think we have time
for you to be wandering
all around town
like Warren Beatty
in whatever movie that was?
Until we get another witness
or a press release,
I got a dozen other things
for you to do.
-Now get going.
-Okay.
And don't forget to take
your one hour break.
Oh, hey, I got to talk to you
about those two McBride boys.
-The ones who were murdered?
-Went missing. I got a tip.
-From who?
-The grandmother.
Only I can't do it
because I'll go into overtime.
-Uh, later?
-Looks like it'll have to be.
-Yeah.
-[Stanley] Okay.
[Curt] Hey, where the fuck
is Tony's weather story?
We need one
every single day this week
until the storm passes.
Okay, no problem.
You see the folo I finished
on that pharmacy robbery?
I'll take a look.
All right,
I'm going to head home.
I'm going to go to my apartment.
It's only nine o'clock.
Well, I'm saving up hours
for later in the week.
What about the weather?
I can edit it from home.
We did well today.
Today? Yes.
Tomorrow we will be
on the floor of a dog's crate.
I thought that's what
the Gazette was for.
[Carrie imitates laughing]
[Terry] Okay, Kathy.
Yeah, thanks for the heads up.
I mean, did anybody get
a goddamn word of that?
I don't get it.
Well, that's why you're
not the business reporter.
What the fuck
is restricted cash?
It's like money for a rainy day.
Cashing in our chips?
-Um, no.
-Carrie.
That would
mean we're closing down.
This is like a bailout,
but we're bailing ourselves out.
But with money
we were supposed to save.
Okay, well, what happens
when that runs out?
-We're going to have to cut.
-[Carrie scoffs]
Aren't we already doing that?
We're going to have to cut more.
[Carrie scoffs]
Okay.
Just another delightful day
in the news business.
[sighs] Well, you know...
it's really a positive story.
I mean, depending
on how you look at it.
-[Curt laughs]
-Oh, my fucking God.
Curt, tell Stanley
to get it done.
-No more than ten inches.
-Where do you want it?
Bottom of B-1,
for the sake of transparency.
Have him call Kathy.
Tell him
she's out at headquarters.
-There's a time difference.
-Where's Tony?
Stanley's got enough going on.
Some son of a bitch drowning
out by Buttermilk Falls.
-[Carrie] Hmm.
-Where?
Out by Natty Bumppo Boulevard.
You know,
where everybody drowns.
-Coopersville Creek?
-That's it.
Why don't they, like,
put up a sign or something?
-Poor bastard.
-Accidents happen.
[sighs]
Carrie.
-Yeah?
-Can we get that on the web?
Um, yeah, I'll call the guy
and see what he can put up.
I'll do the refinancing story.
It won't look good for us,
but it won't look
not good for us.
Good.
Not business?
Didn't he just say
cover a local?
I mean...
-Curt.
-Yeah?
I, um...
I think you left
something in your car.
Want to have a seat?
[sighs] Oh,
if this is about my furlough,
can I have
that Fourth of July week off?
[Terry] It's not
about your furlough.
Okay. Well, then I'm just
taking that week, so...
[Terry] You're not. There's--
See, your furlough...
Yeah?
[Terry] You won't be having one.
You gotta be fucking kidding me.
-[Terry] Carrie, listen--
-So I'm fired?
-[Terry] Laid off.
-Oh, oh, okay.
Oh, that's cool.
[Terry] Donny wanted to call
you. [laughs] And I said,
"No, I'll--
I'll tell her, personally.
And then he said,
"You should take her down
to the restaurant
just in case she..."
And then I said, "We don't--
I don't got time for that."
My benefits.
I mean, you could have waited.
[Terry] My hands are clean.
Kathy makes that call.
-You could have put a word in.
-[Terry] I tried.
I mean, what the fuck?
Why not cut the fucking kid?
[Terry] Stanley makes
$11 an hour. You don't.
He doesn't--
he doesn't even know
how to cover cops and courts.
He doesn't even know
how to do that.
I mean, wait
till he's on a trial.
He won't fucking know
what to do.
[Terry] I'm sure
he'll get a handle on it.
I'm sorry.
And since when
is 28 grand a year too much?
Like...
[Terry] Look, I-- I gotta
take a cut in pay, too.
Oh. Well, boo-fucking-hoo.
Being out of work is not gonna
look good in a custody battle.
What?
You heard me.
[Terry] Uh, no, I didn't.
And I love when people tell me
when I heard them.
[Carrie sighs]
Worst possible timing.
[Terry] Right. I, um...
Ah, you're talking about
your family thing.
Come on.
You know we don't factor that
into the equation.
Oh, I'm sure you don't.
[Terry] And any judge,
I'm positive,
I'm-- I'm absolutely positive
that during
a divorce settlement--
Terry, you don't know
a fucking thing
about what's going on with me.
-You don't know a thing.
-[Terry] Okay.
You get a PR job, right?
Easy as pie.
[laughs hysterically]
I am never, never gonna be
a fucking flack.
Never. Fucking PR?
Terry, fucking PR?
I can't even believe
you would suggest
that I go into P.R.
I can't even fucking believe
you would say that to me.
What the fuck is wrong with you?
Hey, a lot of people
are hurting these days.
Some of us gotta do things
we don't wanna do,
including you.
This is unbelievable.
I could've just
gone to the Baltimore Sun
two fucking years ago.
-I could've just gone.
-[Terry sighs] Me too.
I could've been
in any number of publications.
Oh, yeah, right, right.
And you just, like,
had to stay here.
You just decided to stay here.
[Terry] Mmm.
Why?
[Terry] Wife's job,
kids in school,
a lovely little house
that's fucking falling apart.
You know, I gotta bend over
a little bit, too.
-[Carrie groans]
-Let sales get a story in.
You know, something I said
I would never do.
If you asked me ten years ago,
I would've said
it's a separation of church
and state,
news and sales.
But now, Gary's Diner's
having a fucking discount,
and it's practically
a business story
squirreling its way
into-- into morning briefing.
It's fucking bullshit.
But I keep it at bay best I can,
and I tell you what,
I will never,
ever abandon my post.
They will have to come in here
and bash me over the head
with a fucking typewriter.
Drag me out.
[Terry sighs]
And who knows
what fucking jackass
will come in here
and take my place.
Someone with no integrity,
I'm sure of it.
That's who.
[sighs]
-[Carrie] Do I get severance?
-No, you talk to Don.
He'll work out the details.
[Carrie] Well...
Good idea you all had,
putting the fucking paper
online for free.
[Terry] Hey, it was up to me
to be 1985 all over again.
Oh, fucking hell! Come on!
The business hadn't changed
in a hundred years.
Then there's the internet
and the financial crisis,
and you want me to apologize
for something
that I have no control over?
I shouldn't, but I will.
-I'm sorry, Carrie.
-Fucking hell.
Okay. [laughs]
Six alarm fire
up in Bolton Landing.
Big ass McMansion maybe.
Get Stanley to do it.
[Curt] He's on Senate race
and car-ped folo.
What folo? We already
had one in today's paper.
He was gonna go out
to the house,
talk to the family.
I thought he already did that.
[laughs] Sheriff's office
spelled the name wrong.
Daniel Bellamy with an E,
not with an A.
Bunch of dumb fucks.
So Stanley looks up the address,
goes out,
knocks on the wrong door.
"Hi, I'm K. Stanley Nichols
with the Courier.
Your son's in the hospital.
Mind if I have a word?"
She fucking freaks.
"Which hospital?"
Grabs her keys and out the door.
Now he wants to know,
should he go out
to the right house?
Problem is, it's 20 miles away.
He can't be
in two places at once.
Well, it's your call.
Fire or folo.
Big house ablaze.
Middle of the day.
I got the congresswoman
coming in shortly.
All right, fire.
Get Stanley to do it.
You were saying?
Oh.
Basically, just that
you're an asshole.
[Terry] Figured as much.
I mean, it's okay, I am too,
but the difference is that
you walk around pretending
like you're not an asshole
and everyone knows
you're an asshole
and you are an asshole, asshole.
Anything else? [clears throat]
Yeah.
It's my cactus,
I'm taking it with me.
[Terry] Is it?
Well,
I'm the only one who waters it.
So, you know what?
[Terry] Well, it's not like
a cactus needs that much water.
Fuck this, and another thing.
No, that wasn't the--
that wasn't the real thing.
I was just--
I just planned that bit
in case this happened.
-[Terry sighs]
-But here's what
I really want to say.
I've been thinking about this
for the past few months,
years, but I never--
I never really,
really believed it
until this moment.
[Terry] Okay, what?
We're all doing
more harm than good here.
-You don't really believe that.
-[Carrie] Sometimes I do.
Sometimes doesn't make a belief,
it makes a suspicion.
Okay.
I go out
to a car crash last week.
Guy's fucking head
going through the windshield,
EMT's trying to pull him out,
I take a picture.
This girl runs up to me crying,
she goes,
"How could you do that?
My friend just died."
So I take a picture of her too.
She tries again,
"How could you?"
And I say, get this...
[laughs]
I say...
"Because it's my job."
Don't I sound like
a fucking Nazi now?
Terry, I have a hundred more
stories like that,
and the longer I stay here,
the more I start to wonder,
"What is the fucking point
of all this?"
If you don't like it,
then you should have
no problem not doing it.
[Carrie] That's what's so fucked
about the whole thing,
is that I have
a problem doing it,
and I have
a problem not doing it.
Plus no money now.
Carrie, harm or good
is on a case-by-case basis.
There is no balance.
You said it yourself.
Our job is to get
the news to people.
The people want to know.
So, this is the way
we have to do it.
[Carrie] Why?
Because this is the way
it's always been done.
-You don't, you sink.
-[Carrie scoffs]
[Carrie] We've been sinking.
Have fun arranging
the deck chairs.
No, you can say that,
but you know what I heard?
[Carrie] What?
There's gonna be
another paper tomorrow.
-[Carrie scoffs]
-And the day after that,
and the day after that.
[Carrie] Fuck off.
[Terry sighs]
[ominous music plays]
[Terry] Have him keep the truck
at his place.
Until the panels--
They would have been out
to the house by now, Stace.
You know what they do
over there at Channel Ten?
They pick up
the papers in the morning,
they steal our stories
and confirm them when they can.
Uh, where'd you see him?
No, I know he was on TV.
[sighs] What time is it?
Okay, that means
bottom of the B block.
So that's middle of the A block.
It was a light day, they--
they're gonna forget about it.
How do I know?
I know because
there's always another big story
coming around the corner.
Yeah.
Plus, there are a bunch of
fucking morons over there.
Remember the last time
they broke a story
that didn't fall into their lap?
That-- Bush number one
was in the White House.
Yeah.
Yeah.
I gotta call you back, okay?
Yeah. Yeah, bye.
There's someone here to see you.
If it's someone from downstairs,
tell them
I will fucking dropkick them.
No, no, nobody from sales.
Uh, I got a Dave something
from the Gazette,
said he has
an appointment with you.
Yes.
-Send him in.
-Okay, one second.
[Terry] Nine GA. Is that okay?
Sounds good.
[Terry] Nine dollars an hour.
Perfect.
And, uh, K. Stanley Nichols,
he get moved up?
[Terry] How'd you guess that?
You got good info.
You never know
where the night's gonna go.
Car crashes, fires,
pharmacy robberies.
I mean, anything can happen.
Hit-and-run the other day,
how about that?
I was there.
-[Terry] Were you?
-[phone ringing]
News.
[clears throat] That's right.
No, Stace,
I'm in a meeting right now.
That's right.
All right, okay.
I love you, too. Bye.
You were saying?
Oh, the-- the car-ped?
Got there a little late.
It's almost
out of our coverage area,
but I was in the neighborhood.
[Terry] So the fire police
stopped you from going in?
They did, but I drove around
to the other side.
Stopped me there, too.
I wasn't wearing a vest,
they said.
I got the rest
from a phone call to the cops.
So they stopped you
for not wearing reflective gear?
[Dave] Right.
You should have asked for one.
Maybe they had a spare.
-[Dave] I'll just buy one.
-Hmm.
Why not walk through the woods?
-[Dave] Thought of that.
-But?
-[Dave] It's trespassing.
-Oh.
Stumbling around in the dark,
half past ten,
up in Hicktown.
I could have gotten shot.
Hmm. So...
you just made a call.
[Dave] The spokeswoman gave me
everything I needed to know.
-No folo?
-[phone ringing]
[Dave] We followed it up
with a brief.
-Huh.
-[Dave] Too far away for most
of our subscribers.
Yeah.
Just keep on listening
to the scanner.
If it sounds like
a bunch of gangbangers
shooting at each other,
then don't bother.
But if it might be
someone, then...
Right.
How's the Senate special
election story going so far?
And the BLS report?
Is everything more miserable
than it was last month?
Yeah. Okay, great.
Yeah, get it done by deadline.
So, your clips, they really
speak for themselves.
I mean, is there anything
you want to ask me?
I guess what you really
want to know is two things.
Number one,
do I have good judgment?
[Terry] How many corrections
do you have so far this year?
Four, two of which
were my fault.
[Terry] Well,
they're all your fault.
Reporting
something wrong makes you wrong.
I received flawed information.
[Terry] Well, you have
to get it right.
That's your job.
How do you know
when someone's lying to you?
You just assume they always are.
[Terry] Politicians?
Touchy-feely motherfuckers.
[Terry] Tell me about it.
So, what's the other thing?
You said there were two.
You want to know
if I got a stomach problem.
No guts.
At this job, you may have
to walk through the woods
from time to time.
I don't know what they let you
get away with at the Gazette.
[Dave] It was out
of our coverage--
It was in your paper.
That means they wanted it.
[Dave] If there was a way to
prove my diligence and courage
in a 15-minute meeting, I would.
You must want
this job pretty badly.
[Dave] Yes, sir, I do.
Would you do something for me?
[Dave] Cover a town hall
as a trial run?
No.
Stand up.
Now get down on the floor,
and bark like a dog.
[Dave chuckles]
[laughs]
Come on. Do it.
Yeah, all right.
[Terry] Oh, I'm sorry, I guess,
you don't know what a dog is.
On all fucking fours.
Come on.
[barks]
Again.
[barks]
[barking]
[laughing] Oh, my God,
are you a fucking poodle?
You're a poodle.
You gotta be a fucking pitbull
if you want
to be in this business.
[barking fiercely]
I ain't scared yet.
[barking, growling]
Yeah, there you go! Yes. Yes.
Sic 'em, Davey!
Sic 'em, Davey!
Sic 'em, sic 'em,
sic 'em, sic 'em, sic 'em!
[barking furiously]
[panting]
Okay. Great.
Get up. Okay.
[panting]
-Did I do all right?
-[Terry] Yeah, you did, you did.
You did all right.
We'll be in touch.
["Way Down Yonder
in New Orleans" playing]
Guess!
Where do you think I'm going
When the winds
Start blowing strong?
Guess!
Where do you think I'm going
When the nights
start growing long?
I ain't going east
I ain't going west
I ain't going
Over the cuckoo's nest
-[keyboard thudding]
-Come on!
[laptop lid bangs]
[sighs]
You here?
Nope.
You neither.
Just came back
to get my Rolodex. [sniffles]
What do you need that for?
You got a new gig?
I don't need it.
I just didn't want
anyone else to have it.
[sighs]
Not listening to the radio?
Just missed it.
There's some sort of beam
or something blocking the way,
and they think
that if they cut through that
there's gonna be
another collapse
in the corner of the building,
so things are going slowly,
picking up
the bricks one by one,
drilling through the concrete.
The woman's still
stuck underneath all that.
[sighs] Christ.
-Can you imagine?
-She lost her marbles
a few years back.
She was homeless, squatting
in the abandoned building.
And yet
she still had a cell phone.
-Yeah.
-[Carrie laughs]
Can't live
without that these days.
The battery died,
so I can't talk to her anymore.
Mm, well,
maybe I'll catch an update
on the way home...
to my apartment.
-[Carrie sighs]
-What was the tip about?
-Which one?
-Uh, The kids who got killed?
-Went missing.
-Right.
You said you got a call.
Yeah.
It doesn't matter.
[Stanley sighs]
-What you working on?
-Enterprise for next week.
-What's it about?
-Health insurance.
Huh, Monday.
The K. Stanley Nichols edition.
What does the "K" stand for?
It stands for me.
[laughs] Don't tell me you
wanted a fancy-sounding name.
I guess, I got tired of people
asking if I was an intern.
Hmm.
-You know, I always liked you.
-[Stanley snickers]
I did.
[laughing] You liked me
because I was the youngest.
No.
I guess, I just hoped you could
keep on being who you were.
This job, it--
it just fucking changes people.
I'll keep that in mind.
What can I tell you?
Marry rich,
or find another line of work.
-Maybe I'll go into PR.
-Fuck you.
[both laughing]
I take back
what I said about liking you.
Well, I don't
need you to like me.
Hmm, now you're
getting the hang of it.
Carrie.
Thank you.
-Get the fuck out of here.
-[Stanley chuckles]
[Belmont over radio]
Rescue workers have removed
the remains of Faye Sullivan
from the collapsed building
on Beechwood Boulevard
this morning.
Fire Chief Ben Masterson
said the three-day
round-the-clock effort
was done
with unprecedented speed,
and there was
no possible way the workers
could have gone any faster
without compromising
their own safety.
Sullivan was found
with both her legs
crushed under debris.
The Davis County Coroner
pronounced her dead
at 10:10 a.m.
Hey, Tony Two-Shirts,
you on the road?
Listen, you know
this teacher-turned
crazy homeless lady
went to college up here?
How come nobody knew about this?
Let's see if we can track down
one of her classmates
or a professor.
No, no, no, scratch that.
The professors won't remember.
Just try
one of the friends first.
Kayaderosseras
Community College.
Would have been
about 25 years ago.
Yeah, "Teacher killed
in building collapse
had ties to community."
Something like that,
make calls from the road,
Come in, and type it up,
about 12 inches.
You keep track of your hours?
Good, take a break
when you're out there, too.
[phone ringing]
Newsroom.
No, I'm on my dinner break.
I'm not supposed
to be working right now.
Just approving online comments,
and wondering what the hell
is wrong with people.
Just tell them
we're saving it for Saturday.
Gonna be a big spread
with a sidebar.
Let's worry
about tomorrow, tomorrow,
and today, today.
All right, Blake,
we'll continue
this discussion later.
Bring it up
at tomorrow's budget meeting.
[phone ringing]
News, this is Curt.
Sure, yeah, sounds interesting.
Send us the press release.
Yeah, right.
Dogs dressed up, sure.
Yep. Yes, patriotic pooch, sure.
Send us the press release.
I don't know yet.
We'll have to--
Well, it's for a good cause,
so send us the press release.
Newsatkcourier.com, no hyphen.
Will you please
send us
the press release, please?
[organizer over speaker]
...a great event last year.
Oh, huge turnout,
raised thousands of dollars
for the Kayaderosseras
County Humane Society.
Yeah, put it
in the press release.
So it's this Saturday at noon.
Boy, you guys sure
picked a terrible time for it.
-We got a blizzard coming.
-I know. Today-- I know.
Today, the park
is like an arctic tundra.
Just last week,
I was wearing a T-shirt.
[phone clicks]
Tundra.
Stanley, it's me again,
tell Terry I want
to talk to him.
You know, in private,
in the conference room,
of course.
What's he doing, sitting
in his empty office
reminiscing?
Well, when do I
usually want things, Nichols?
That's right, now would be nice.
[knocking on door]
[Terry] Yo. What's up?
You said something
on Monday that I disremembered.
Huh.
You said, and I quote,
"That's why
I drove my wife's car
to work this morning."
Hmm.
-I said that?
-Yes.
You sure? Is that--
I thought you were on the phone.
How many years I got
the scanner going off in my ear?
What are you trying to say?
I've been in this business
more than ten years, Terry,
so I'm perfectly
capable of listening
to two things at the same time,
and I know what you said.
What are you trying to ask me?
Or is there something
you think you know?
[phone ringing]
You should pick that up.
Could be a tip.
Newsroom, Curtis here.
No, we didn't get disconnected.
No, just send us
the press release.
Newsatkcourier.com, no hyphen.
Look, it's not that hard.
Press release.
Send the press release.
Press release. Send it.
I'm looking forward
to the press release.
Do you have a press release?
Yes, you can email it. Yes.
Where were we?
What I'm trying
to figure out is--
You piecing
things together, huh?
-What I'm wondering is...
-All right.
...why would you
drive your wife's car to work?
Well, like I said, every cop
in Kayaderosseras County
is looking for a black Dakota,
it's just a hassle.
We didn't get that information
until six o'clock
when Carrie
talked to the witness.
-[Terry] The police did--
-No, the police
did not put that out.
That was the crux
of our conversation.
They didn't tell us
any of that until Tuesday.
So how'd you know
about it, Terry?
You got a time machine,
or is there something
you're not telling me?
-[Terry] I'm trying to tell you.
-You're trying to tell me what?
How a guy decides
to do something in the morning
based on information
we get at night?
[Terry] Curt, you got
something to ask me,
you should
just come out and ask.
-Was it you?
-[Terry] Was it me what?
Was it you
who hit the guy, and drove off?
Fucking Christ, man.
[Curt] I know you like to drive
up to the Adirondacks on Sunday,
have a couple of cold ones,
and hit a few balls
into the birch,
save money
in the driving range, you--
Yeah, I'm the only one
in the North Country
on a Sunday.
[Curt] You still haven't
answered me. Are you the guy?
Are you asking me
as a journalist,
or are you
asking me as a friend?
As a journalist,
I don't have any friends.
Then I'll tell you.
Have you seen...
the Gazette today, Curtis?
You should take a look.
Inside "Local."
The kid woke up,
and now he says--
The victim?
Yeah. The victim.
And he says
the car could have been blue.
Hit him from behind.
Small chance it was crimson.
Maybe it was
the blood in his eyes.
[Terry] "Maybe"...
is what this is all about.
In any case, he woke up.
So I don't know what the fuck
we're still talking about.
Somebody gets sideswiped,
that's not even dead.
-That's B-3 at best.
-Is he disabled?
He was already disabled.
-Is he gonna walk again?
-He could barely walk before,
according to this.
Jesus fucking Christ.
Yeah, it's not much
of a story now, is it?
We do another, I want it
six inches on the inside.
Of course,
we could have had this folo,
but you, you had our night G.A.
an hour away,
sent into some barn burning
out in the boonies.
It could have been a brief.
And we missed out
on the fucking follow-up.
-Well done.
-The fire was outside
their coverage area.
That's why this rag had
this folo in the first place.
Even if it were, I mean,
you could have listened
to the scanner
a little more carefully.
[Curt] Dispatch is always
hanging up on us.
And maybe, now I'm saying maybe,
you could have sent
a photog out for a shot
rather than a reporter
on the clock on the road.
-If we had the resources--
-Will you quit with this shit?
You had the chance to get
the folo, and you blew it.
There's a reason Frank Donahue
is the city editor
instead of you.
None of that explains
why you said what you said.
About what?
The car, Terry.
The truck,
you know what I'm talking about.
-Why would you say--
-[Terry] Because I lied!
-All right?
-Why?
To prove a point.
Putting in
a piece of information
into the paper when
you're not positive, and bam!
Now we have two descriptions
that are totally different.
"A stone's throw away"?
What the fuck
does that even mean?
Is there any phrase
in the English language
that is less specific than that?
How far away was she?
A barely-lit two-lane blacktop
in the middle
of the goddamn night.
Give me a fucking break!
[laughs]
A black Dakota?
Excuse me,
but I have a black Dakota.
That's offensive to me.
And burning a witness for that?
Was it worth it?
Not to mention that the woman,
she was high at the time.
And Bright Horizons
found out about it,
so sure, she was fired.
So it was just a fib, then.
Sure.
A mistake, maybe,
but a lie all the same.
You misspoke.
No, I mean,
it was a mistake to lie.
I shouldn't do that
in the newsroom.
We don't have a newsroom.
The conference room.
Anywhere in the building.
Or the new building,
when we get done moving in.
No, I won't tolerate lying.
Even if it is to prove a point.
We should really be
honest with each other.
-I'm sorry for that.
-Well, I apologize as well.
No, no, no, no, it's all right.
This is what we're here for.
Well, I'm sorry
for my attitude, then.
-What?
-Nothing, never mind.
[Stanley] Sorry to interrupt.
No, it's all right,
we're just apologizing
to each other.
Let's get it all out now.
What else
do we need to be sorry for?
[Stanley] Ending our sentences
with a preposition.
He's good.
-Go ahead.
-We got a car verse train
down in Calderville.
Some of the kids might be dead.
What are you still doing here?
You should be behind the wheel.
I'm telling you because
you're running the budget.
You can call
from the car these days.
Now go.
Wait, don't forget the digital.
-Oh, right.
-Oh, and the laptop.
-Right.
-And the webcam.
Do we have one of those?
No. What else does he need?
-A notepad.
-Ah, yes, bring one of those.
-And a pen.
-I got one.
-Get going.
-I'm gone.
We're gonna have to
teach him all about Twitter.
The Gazette probably has
a guy down there on the scene
twittering all about this.
I'll check their website,
see if they--
[Curt grunts]
[Terry] You really ought to
get that checked out.
Yeah.
[Terry] I gotta make a couple
of calls, and write a column.
-Keep my lines clear if you can.
-Yeah, sure thing.
Hey, Terry, wait.
When do we finish the move?
I mean, really.
Don't ask me that.
[eerie buzzing]
-[phone ringing]
-Yeah.
[Elizabeth over phone]
There's somebody here who wants
to talk to a reporter.
Terry's tied up,
Frankie's on furlough,
Stanley's on deadline,
Tony's in the road,
and I'm on break.
I don't have time
for who's there.
I have
a waterline story to write,
a couple pages to proof,
And I'm doing a layout
for B-1 in business.
Legally, I'm not supposed
to be working right now,
or we'll have
the Department of Labor
coming by again.
So-- but who-- what's his name?
If he's got a tip,
you can take it down.
[Elizabeth] Hold on.
He says his name is Ahriman.
Okay, is that
a first name or a family name?
-[Elizabeth] I'll ask him.
-Yeah, like, you know, it helps.
[Elizabeth] He says
his first name is Anthony.
I have no idea who that is.
What does he want?
Does he have a story?
[Elizabeth] I'll ask.
-Curtis?
-Yeah.
[Elizabeth] He says he wants
to talk to a reporter.
Yes, Elizabeth.
What I want to know is why.
[Elizabeth] He says
it's important.
Elizabeth, are you listening?
There's nothing
I can do right now,
and there's
nobody here who can help.
Did you hear what I said?
Are you hearing me, Elizabeth?
There's nothing I can do.
And there's no one
here who can help.
[eerie whooshing]
[whooshing continues]
["Way Down Yonder
in New Orleans" playing]
Guess!
Where do you think I'm going
When the winds
Start blowing strong?
Guess!
Where do you think I'm going
When the nights
Start growing long?
I ain't going east
I ain't going west
I ain't going
Over the cuckoo's nest
I'm bound for the town
That I love best
Where life is one sweet song

Way down yonder
In New Orleans
In the land of dreamy scenes

There's a Garden of Eden
For me, that's what I mean
La, da, da, da, da, da
Creole babies
With flashing eyes
Softly whisper
With tender sighs
Stop, oh, won't you
Give your lady fair
A little smile
A little smile
Stop! You bet your life
You'll linger there
You'll linger there
A little while
There is heaven
Right here on earth
With those beautiful queens
Way down yonder
In New Orleans
The orange blossoms'
Sweet aroma
And the strains of La Paloma

Seem to throw me into a coma

When the shadows play
I miss the song of Carmacita

Pretty creole senorita
With the voice
That is really sweeter
Than the [indistinct]
Way down yonder
In New Orleans
In the land of dreamy scenes

There's a Garden of Eden
For me, that's what I mean
La, da, da, da, da, da
Creole babies
With flashing eyes
Softly whisper
With tender sighs
Stop, oh, won't you
Give your lady fair
A little smile
A little smile
Stop! You bet your life
You'll linger there
You'll linger there
A little while
They've got angels
Right here on earth
Wearing little blue jeans
Way down yonder
In New Orleans
New Orleans
[music ends]
[eerie buzzing]