... here Friday morning.
Now, let's get the stocks here in London.
The Financial Times 100 Index up 11 points, just above the key 3,800 level.
In the rest of Europe, Frankfurt's DAX gaining nine points to 2,532.
In Paris, the CAC 40 losing seven, the weaker franc weighing on the market.
Thank you, Ilsa.
Have a nice day.
... they are on time this morning.
San Francisco's freeways are ...
Morning, sir.
Tell me what we're supposed to do.
You may be perched on majority shares, but we all get fucked if the actuals crash.
That old man is gonna sink us.
As soon as I have Baer/Grant's P&L report in hand, I will call you.
- Is that a promise? - I'm sorry, I'm not aware of that term.
Well, what do I do if Anson calls about substantiation procedure?
Have your secretary say you're in a meeting.
Thank you, Jack.
- Yes, Maria? - Invitations.
- The Museum Gala. - No.
- Fitzwilliam Botanical Annual Fundraiser. - No.
- The Hinchberger wedding. - Hinchberger wedding?
Tuxedos, droning conversations, I don't think so, no.
I'll send your regrets. Honestly, why must I bother?
If you don't know about society,
you don't have the satisfaction of avoiding it.
- Yes? - I have an Elizabeth on line three.
- Your ex-wife. - I know who it is.
Take a message.
Oh, happy birthday, sir.
Thank you, Maggie.
I don't like her.
I wouldn't mention the following, but he was very insistent.
- It's a prank. - What?
A gentleman called requesting lunch. I assured him you were busy ...
- What's his name? - A Mr. Seymour Butts.
Under The Bleachers by Seymour Butts.
I'm sorry?
Cancel my lunch. Make a reservation at the City Club for myself and Mr. Butts.
My usual table.
Maria, put the reservation under my name.
- Are you ready to order, sir? - No, I'm still waiting.
This was iced tea.
- Conrad, what a surprise. - Happy birthday, Nickie.
"Seymour Butts". I'll never get tired of that one.
That's why it's a classic.
Nice restaurant. They gave me a free jacket.
I'm sure they'll want it back.
- I remember being here. - I took you here once.
No, I used to buy crystal meth off the maitre d'.
- Really? - In college.
- Which college? - Touché.
Miss me?
As much as that's possible. You look good.
- So do you. To think I was worried. - Worried about me?
How long's it been since Mom's funeral? Two, three years.
- I thought you quit. - I did, it didn't take.
- You can't smoke here. - I'm with you.
It's illegal to smoke in restaurants in California.
Fuck California.
- How are you? - Couldn't be better.
- Elizabeth? - We're divorced.
She remarried a pediatrician, or a gynecologist,
or a pediatric gynecologist. Lives in Sausalito.
That's too bad. I liked her.
- And what about you? - You don't keep track of me anymore?
Not since family week at rehab.
So what brings you to town, Conrad? Everything all right?
- Yeah. - Need anything?
- No. - Really?
No, I don't need anything from you.
I just found myself laying naked on a beach near Ibiza ...
and all of a sudden it clicked,
October 12th, Nickie's birthday.
- October 11th. - Whatever.
- This is for you. - You shouldn't have.
What do you get for the man who has everything?
Consumer Recreation Services.
Well, I do have golf clubs.
Call that number.
- Why? - It'll make your life fun.
- Fun. - You know what that is?
You've seen other people have it. It's an entertainment service.
An escort service?
A profound life experience.
- Sorry. I'll just get ... - Nah, it's all right, just ...
- Tell me you'll call. - I said I would.
No, you didn't.
You still on medication?
- Why would you say that? - You gentlemen ready to order?
- I didn't mean how it sounded. - I'm not on anything.
I'm not even seeing a shrink. And I feel great.
Do you mind?
I think you'll like this. I did.
It was the best thing that ever happened to me.
- I'll call them. - Do it. For you.
I said I'll call, okay? All right, I'll call.
It's just that ... I hate surprises.
I know.
? Happy birthday to you ?
? Happy birthday, Mr. Van Orton ?
? Happy birthday to you ?
Someone's gotta drive a stake through Anson's heart.
Have you seen the profitability report?
Imagine how unhappy I am.
- You'll deal with Anson? - Correct.
We're furious.
- Sleep well, Nicholas. - I will.
Good night, Ilsa.
- Dinner's in the oven. - Thank you. Oh, I saw Conrad today.
- Did you? How is he? - He's okay.
I think he's in a personal improvement cult.
Well, send my love if you see him again.
- Happy birthday. - Good night.
... companies that defaulted on their payments.
The FCC expects to receive more than $500 million in bids ...
- Elizabeth, good evening. - Happy birthday, Nickie.
11:40. You almost missed it this year.
- Have you had a nice birthday? - Does Rose Kennedy have a black dress?
I went not once, but twice, through the spanking machine.
I can only imagine.
- How are you? - Connie asked me the same thing today.
Connie? Really? I always liked your brother.
Anyway ...
I just thought this might be difficult for you.
Just another birthday.
Because of your father.
That's right, he was 48, wasn't he? I hadn't thought about it until now.
Why do I call?
I honestly don't know.
Please send Dr. Mel and Rachel my best.
She has a little brother on the way. We did the ultrasound.
Official nuclear family.
You must be very pleased.
We are. We are very pleased.
Well, it's good to talk with you ...
I guess I should let you go.
- Take care of yourself. - You too, Nicholas. I mean that, I really do.
Be well. Bye.
A proposal to encourage small businesses ...
to provide their employees with health insurance ...
is now being debated by Washington legislators.
The bill, which attaches small-business health plans to those of larger corporations ...
is receiving initial support from a number of key Republican leaders.
However, Democratic lawmakers are voicing serious concerns about the bill,
claiming that it would undermine local ...
I just wanted to make sure that we understand each other.
Once you get it down on paper, then you can count on my full support.
- We understand. - Thank you.
We'll talk soon.
You shouldn't feel this reflects negatively on you.
I do feel this reflects ...
- I received this ... - Just a moment.
- I took these tests in good faith. - I'm sorry you feel that way.
We hope we haven't caused you any inconvenience.
Thank you for choosing CRS.
Mr. Feingold, could you assist this gentleman?
Oh, yeah, sure.
Jim Feingold, VP Engineering, Data Analysis.
I don't know exactly how this works. My brother sent me this card as a gift.
All right, excellent. Let's get started.
I'm sorry about all this hullabaloo here.
We're ... Well, we're still moving.
I got an office around here somewhere.
Do you mind holding that?
Thank you very much.
Thank you.
- Are you hungry? New Moon Café. - No, thank you.
Best in Chinatown.
A gift from Conrad Van Orton.
- Interesting. - What is?
Your brother was a client with our London branch.
We do a sort of informal scoring. His numbers are outstanding.
Really?
- You sure you're not hungry? - No.
Now, you need to fill out these forms.
There's an application and a couple of psych tests.
The MMPI and the TAT.
For the financial questionnaire, don't answer anything you don't feel like.
We'll run a TRW.
"I sometimes hurt small animals. True or false?"
"I feel guilty when I masturbate."
Well, I don't write the questions. I just review the answers.
- What is this for? - A sense of your capabilities ...
No, what is this for? What are you selling?
Oh ...
- It's a game. - A game?
Specifically tailored for each participant.
Think of it as a great vacation. Except you don't go to it, it comes to you.
What kind of vacation?
- It's different every time. - Humor me with specifics.
We provide ...
whatever's lacking.
- What if nothing is lacking? - May I make two suggestions?
You think I'll participate without knowing ...
First, admit to yourself that it sounds intriguing.
Second, you don't have to decide today.
Take the silly test, fill out the forms.
One day, your game begins. You either love it or hate it.
Decide then.
You know, we're like an experiential Book-of-the-Month Club.
You can drop out at any time with no further obligation.
That was my sales pitch.
- How long will this take? - An hour for those, an hour for the physical.
- Physical? - It's a cursory examination.
Turn your head and cough. You'll be out of here in no time.
Confused.
Risky.
Bloody.
Whoops.
- Mr. Sutherland called. - Make it Wednesday.
Anson Baer called about tomorrow.
Tomorrow?
- How much longer will this take? - Not long, you're almost done.
You said that two hours ago. Put it back until tomorrow.
... following emotional responses.
You have 0.9 seconds to enter your emotional response.
Reaction time is a factor.
Please make a selection for the following emotional responses.
You have 0.9 seconds to enter your emotional response.
Does this thing end?
- I'm sorry to keep you waiting. - Don't worry.
It's been terrific spending my entire day with your crack team.
It's all down to this, an insurance company requirement.
It states you're aware that The Game exists,
that you're willing to participate in it.
Payment is at your brother's discretion, dependent on your satisfaction.
If I'm not happy, he doesn't have to pay?
We've never had an unsatisfied customer.
I think you mean "dissatisfied."
That's right. You're a left-brain word fetishist.
Initials. And sign there. In blood.
Just kidding.
All right, your copy will be at the front desk in this folder.
And keep the pen. We'll let you know.
- Monday or Tuesday? - Both bad.
- How about tonight? - I'm working all this evening.
Wednesday's the only possibility right now.
- You wanna do dinner? - Okay.
By the way, I went to CRS.
Really? What'd you think?
Well, they seemed just a little bit disorganized.
When I did it in London, they'd been around a while.
- Are you gonna do this? - I haven't decided yet.
It's like getting in on the ground floor of the next Disneyland.
CRS won't go public. They're family-owned.
- Stranger things have happened. - No, they haven't, actually.
- They opened here. - The Game in San Francisco?
See? They're doing fine without any of us.
A scotch and soda.
- Nicholas, how are you? - James, good evening.
- Got new members here? - I believe so, sir.
- Put their next round on me. - Gotcha, sir.
No, no, no. Last time I played Pebble, I swore I'd never pick up a club again.
Well, speaking about games,
I couldn't help but overhear you talking about CRS.
The reason I mention it is I took the test today.
- The Montgomery street office. - You did? Kudos.
- So yours hasn't started yet? - Not yet.
That was one of the questions I had for you. What is it?
- What is it? - The eternal question.
You know, I envy you.
I wish I could go back and do it for the first time, all over again.
Here's to new experiences.
Excuse me, I've gotta go. Night, Ted.
- Nicholas. - Nice to meet you.
- So you played recently? - About a year ago.
I was working in Los Angeles.
I hear the London office is very good, too.
Sounds like a lot of fantasy role-playing nonsense.
You wanna know what it is?
What it's all about?
John, chapter 9, verse 25.
I haven't been to Sunday school in a long time.
"Whereas once I was blind, now I can see."
Good night, Nicholas. Best of luck.
Good night.
If the Baer/Grant meeting ...
is not held tomorrow,
it may as well not be held at all.
When Mr. Van Orton boards his plane on the morrow,
he will have every agreement and addendum,
the complete closing package, flawlessly revised.
So you'll miss another opera you would have slept during anyway.
We now have an opportunity to show our client ...
how well we will rise to his exhilarating challenge.
- Yes. - Nicholas Van Orton?
- Who is this? - This is Cynthia from CRS.
- How did you get this number? - We've processed your application.
- I'm in a meeting ... - I'm afraid it was rejected.
I beg your pardon?
You shouldn't feel this reflects negatively on you.
- This is ridiculous. - Thank you for thinking of CRS.
- Anything wrong? - No, nothing.
You may hang up, or press "pound" for more options.
Oh, this is Conrad, leave a message.
Yes, Connie, it's Nicholas. Give me a ring when you get in.
Oh, regarding your birthday present, things are a little crazy right now,
I don't know if I can fit it in my schedule.
We'll talk about it at dinner tomorrow. Thanks. Bye.
Hello?