Unlimited Free Space:
Comprehensive Waterfront Plan
Transcripts - The monkeys win?
BK & ND continue interviewing James Gallagher and his
friend, Tracy, until VJ joins them.
JG
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What's this you're handing me?
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ND
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That's the questionnaire...
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JG
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I don't understand the question. What does it mean?
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ND
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Do you see any modifications - architectural or
otherwise - that could be made to increase or decrease the unity of
ambiance along the waterfront of Manhattan?
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JG
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Thank you for making it clear to me.
I'm gonna answer it now. [laughter]
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TRACY
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What modifications in ambiance have you noticed?
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WOMAN
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[an unidentified woman joins the exchange,
first addressing ND] Do you believe there is unlimited free space?
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JG
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It gets dark later and then later on after that
it gets light... Generally, I'm a specialist.
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ND
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[responding to WOMAN] If we give you the
answers, then you either agree or disagree.
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WOMAN
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If I disagree I'll probably give you a more
intelligent response. But, how could I agree? I mean, you believe it
is possible. You think you have unlimited free space? You can go
wherever you want?
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ND
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So far, we do have unlimited free space.
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WOMAN
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Is that because of your uniforms?
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ND
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No. But we think that in life, this is
possible for everyone.
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WOMAN
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Unlimited... Totally unlimited?
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ND
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We believe it's possible to
achieve totally unlimited free space.
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WOMAN
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In what capacity? I mean, even if you think
you could achieve it as a person - you live in a city that has rules and
laws. You couldn't just walk onto the subway just because you feel like
it. You'd have to pay your fare.
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WOMAN
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That's not unlimited.
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ND
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No. But, why isn't it?
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ND
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The question that we have is, why isn't
there unlimited free space?
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WOMAN
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No, that's different from what you said before.
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ND
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Well, only because you say that there isn't.
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WOMAN
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Because I live here, and I know that I
couldn't walk anywhere I want just cuz I want to.
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ND
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So, do you think there's a possibility that you ever could?
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WOMAN
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No. Not in this society. Not in this country.
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ND
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And you don't have any desire for that to occur?
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WOMAN
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Desire is a different thing.
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ND
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So, if you have a desire for that to occur,
then how would you describe this unlimited free space?
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WOMAN
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It doesn't exist. So, I can't describe it.
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VJ
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[rejoins BK & ND] About this
unlimited free space; [points to other end of bar] They know
everything about it. So, we can go now.
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JG
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I guess the project's over now.
It's kind of been solved.
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ND
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Well, uhh, we're still figuring it out here.
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JG
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But, wait! Somebody else has already
figured it out. You know those monkeys who learn something and then
one monkey makes a breakthrough? The monkeys over at that end of
the bar have...
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WOMAN
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They're saying unlimited free space can exist.
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JG
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Down there? They have?
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JG
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They're against us. They have a different
idea than we do.
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WOMAN
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Jimmy. Do you think unlimited free space
can exist? In this society?
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ND
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We don't believe it, we experienced it.
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JG
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Is this like Marxian thing?
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JG
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No. I just wanna know if this unlimited
free space is combined with the dialectic. I was talking more about
a linguistic thing.
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ND
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We are only Marxist inasmuch as Marx,
who said, "I am not a Marxist."
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BK
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No. But we have a very strict concept.
So, we have to move on to other parts.
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VJ
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Yeah. We have to go back now.
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JG
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They solved the problem, you said?
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VJ
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They solved it. You should go talk to them.
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BK
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So, you can just go back, get the money,
and it's over, kind of, in a way. Wait. Where's my uhh? Don't I get
the thing because I'm a specialist now? Have a documentation of that?
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VJ
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Yeah. We can give you that.
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BK, VJ & ND issue several USI ID cards to interviewees. At
one point, ND is threatened with violence by a short man with an
aggressive demeanor for asking one of VJ's female interviewees her name.
Alhough ND attempts to show the belligerent that there is a space on the
card in which names are written, it is to no avail. Apparently, the woman
is the wife of a second, pimp-looking character whom the little guy
represents. Persisting, ND asserts that he has no motive other than to give
the woman what she was promised by VJ, an USI ID. Further, ND states that
VJ is his wife. The little man doesn't care and shoves ND, suggesting ND
ask VJ her name. ND gives up and sends VJ to complete the task. The woman
is not accommodating, telling VJ to make up a name or leave it blank. USI
completes the issuing of IDs as rapidly as possible and flees the Yaffa,
where they vow never to return. In a week's time, they will find themselves
back in the same bar, looking for the recruited unlimited specialists.
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Modified December 23, 1997