Temps

Ben:
You shouldn't get so worked up over a couple of dollars.

Ally:
I had water and a slice of pizza. I shouldn't have to pay fifteen dollars! It's always the people who have the most money who somehow don't notice they regularly order more than anyone else, and don't end up paying for it.

Ben:
You go to movies all the time and then you complain about spending money on eating?

Ally:
That's my work. Food is not my priority.

Tim:
What'd I do?

Lisa:
Apparently someone logged on to your screen and saw you were working on a personal document.

Tim:
Who logged onto my computer?

Lisa:
I can't tell you that. You understand - a confidentiality issue with our clients.

Tim:
Aren't I your client too?

Lisa:
You know what I mean. Look, it's no big deal; I'll mark right here on your permanent record that it shouldn't go on your permanent record... We get complaints all the time...

Tim:
Ow!... God, now that I don't have insurance, it's like the world's one huge booby trap.

Announcer:
Hi, this is Jerry Orbach. Thanks for coming. Please exit the theater to your left... Please... exit to your LEFT.

Ben:
That won't go with the veal.

Jane:
You didn't buy veal.

Ben:
Yes, and I'm going to serve it with baby piglet's snouts in cream sauce. I made sure the veal was raised in complete darkness and a minimum of movement.

Rita:
This is called "Building My Path."... Buddha says, "You cannot travel the path. You are the path." My path is strewn with temp jobs. Type this list, file this file. Over and over. Over and over. Running to the pay phone at Toscanini's cafe. They know me now by name there. My personal calls, my personal time measured in dimes and three minute slots. But this is not my path. My path is permanent. MY path is WORDS.

Jane:
I don't jump from job to job because of money.

Ally:
[struggling with the camera] Wait, I want to get this.... What is wrong with this thing?...

Jane:
You guys seem to feel the world owes you, that you deserve happiness. My dad worked for twenty-six years in a job he hated, and at fifty, he was laid off, two week's pay and a thank you very much -

Ally:
Wait, Jane!

Jane:
And where did that leave us? A miserable man who became even more bitter, a mother who had to take care of other people's children, and me, knowing that you can never trust any job - will you hand me the sugar? [Georgia does, with a little SLAM]... Any employer, anyone but yourself.

Ally:
[Ally finally gets the camera to film normally again] Shoot... Now say that all again.

Announcer:
I'm Jerry Orbach, and I'm going to see the hit new independent feature "Lost Souls" with Winona Ryder and the cast of "Friends." Featuring the new hit soundtrack by Pearl Jam, Bette Midler, Boys II Men, and Yo Yo Ma Ma, Yo Yo Ma's new orchestral rap group. Sponsored by Miramax and the Gap with their new FilmWear line.... Now you can record your message here by pressing PLAY.

Ally:
[She looks at the card for a second. Then she presses PLAY and speaks into the speaker mike] My cards look nothing like this. [She plays it back. Then she records another message] I hate this. All the films are sold out. I can't get into any of the parties. I am freezing my butt off here. And -

Announcer:
Your message is complete.

Stan:
You're a LAWYER, Jonah. You could have a hundred jobs - all of them excellent. What is it with your generation that they wander around aimlessly...

Tim:
But Dad, it's like we have all this pressure to achieve, because we've been told from birth we could be anything we want to be. But the thing is - wait, let me finish - it's paralyzing, because we THINK we can do anything, but really, we can only do one thing at a time, and then when we devote ourselves to it, it's just one thing; so we move from job to job, trying to find that thing which is the "anything" we want to be.

Stan:
Seems like you've all been spoiled, that's all.

May:
Stan...

Tim:
It's typical of you not to try to understand me.

Stan:
I may not understand some... things about you, but SOME things I DO understand. You think we didn't get bored? You think we didn't dream about other things? I had my sisters, and then you and your mother, to think about!

May:
Jonah, you have more choices and opportunities than most people in the world. How can you complain so much?

Tim:
I'm not complaining. I just want to make a mark.

Stan:
You think all of my students don't think I've made a mark? You think you're not my mark? I can't think of something I am more proud to leave behind me in the world. [Jonah looks at his father, who looks away and stands] Now I'm going to see about that pipe int he basement.

Tim:
What is this film about, anyway?

Ally:
American youth culture.

Tim:
What kind of story is THAT?

Holden:
Good evening. Spare a hundred dollars?

Ally:
Sorry.

Holden:
How about that?

Ally:
What?

Holden:
Give me that.

Ally:
This is for my lunch tomorrow.

Holden:
Give it to me.

Ally:
I said no. It's mine.

Holden:
Give me the dumb lunch, lady!

Ally:
I paid ten bucks for this! [the panhandler grabs the lunch; Ally hangs on; they struggle in a tug-of-war with the brown bag between them. The other passengers move away. Finally Ally yells:] All right! We'll split it!

Holden:
[the panhandler lets up, thinking for a moment, then shrugs] Okay. [They split it, and he walks away. A passenger leans over after a minute]

Peter:
I thought he was going to kill you.

Jane:
Sure, any of us could maybe achieve greatness, but you want to be happy living while you do it. I used to be a real stress-case about school - throw up before exams under this huge pressure to get the best grades, rather than learn the material. One day, my mom found me, head in the toilet, notebook on the floor, and she said, "Jane, dare to be average."

Ally:
I took back the vinegar, the walnuts; I took back everything! Even the bottle of karo syrup! I mean, what am I going to do with karo syrup? What is happening to me? It was just what she was saying; she had no clue, no clue -

Jane:
Maybe they are "strapped for cash." Some people live beyond their means -

Ally:
Yeah, I know. It was just that there was no way I could explain to her how buying all those groceries WAS a big deal for me. I feel bad now about taking the stuff, but I WAS making this huge dinner, and I did deserve it in the sense that I had bought it...

Jane:
Maybe you shouldn't have taken the laserdisc player.

Joey:
I say when a job's not fun, it's time to move on. But that's me, and I'm working as a waiter.

Tim:
I'm done.

Scott:
Already? Dude, you're FAST.

Tim:
Scott, we've been working on this for four days, and you're still not past "Z." What's the matter?

Scott:
Nothing. You're just really good at this.

Tim:
I don't exactly understand that. It's not so difficult. It seems like maybe you're distracted or something. I mean, look, you put Z-i in between Z-e and Z-a.

Scott:
Oh, sorry. That vowel thing. I guess I was thinking that "I before E" thing.

Tim:
...Are you actually working? I mean actually doing any work here?

Scott:
Sure, man.

Tim:
I don't get it. I don't want to be here anymore. I mean, do you really want to be shelving these files in alphabetical order for another week?

Scott:
Dude, chill. It's good money.

Tim:
At $8.00 an hour?

Scott:
No one bothers us. [does a double-take] You're making $8.00? I'm only making seven-sixty. You think I could ask for a raise?

Arthur:
Put it all on this card, the food from before too, and give yourself a big tip, at least twenty-five percent, okay? But no rush. Bring it back when it looks like we have nothing left to talk about.

Tim:
You're asking advice from a guy who quit his job to watch late night t.v.? I say go for it. The worst thing that could happen is you'll end up jobless, aimless, completely bored and increasingly depressed.... I'd better get back. This afternoon, I have to readdress 300 envelopes because they want a different label.

Arthur:
What's it about?

Ally:
Well... basically American youth culture, but it's the story of a few young people who are working and trying to choose what their lives are going to be like... I mean, we're the first generation who can't live as well as our parents...

Arthur:
[laughs] Ally, you've got to hone your pitching skills, but let me have a copy of it. I'll watch it tonight, and we'll discuss it after I understand what you're talking about. Which I hope I will.