ARGUMENT

FLORENCE
YOU WANT TO LOSE YOUR ONLY FRIEND?
WELL, KEEP IT UP YOU'RE DOING FINE
WHY THIS HUMILIATION?
WHY TREAT ME LIKE A FOOL?
I'VE TAKEN SHIT FOR MONTHS, FOR YEARS
AND I WON'T TAKE IT ANYMORE!

HOW MANY WOMEN WOULD DRIVE THEMSELVES CRAZY
BY ARGUING OVER A GAME OF CHESS?
NOT VERY MANY BUT THE WAY THINGS ARE GOING
THERE'LL SOON BE ONE LESS!

FREDDIE
DON'T BELIEVE YOU, SWEETIE PIE -

FLORENCE
LISTEN, FREDDIE, I TOO HAD AMBITIONS.
HOW DID I GET WAYLAID?
HOW CAN SUCH A FLOWER
A SENSITIVE SOUL, A DELICATE CHILD
WIND UP AS A NURSEMAID, RESPECTABLY SET FOR THE GLITTERING PRIZES?
INSTEAD OF WHICH I LANDED YOU -

FREDDIE
YOU'LL GET YOUR PRIZES!
I'M NINETY PERCENT OF THE WAY TO THE TOP OF THE HEAP

FLORENCE
THANKS - 10% - YOU GOT ME CHEAP

FREDDIE (speaking)
No, no Florence. I meant we are ninety percent of the way.

FLORENCE
HOW MANY WOMEN - ARTICULATE WOMEN
WITH SOMETHING TO SHOUT ABOUT - SPEND THEIR TIME
PLAYING A GAME IN WHICH SILENCE IS GOLDEN
AND SPEAKING A CRIME?

FREDDIE
MAYBE IF HE MOVED HIS KING...?

FLORENCE
ALL OF MY STRUGGLES FOR QUALIFICATION -
MY NIGHTS WITH GOETHE AND PROUST
RECKLESSLY ABANDONED
FOR YOU! WHO THINKS CHEKHOV IS KING TO G3
AND JOYCE MY COLLEGE ROOMMATE!
THEN WHEN I SHOW YOU A MOVE YOU CAN'T FATHOM
I HAVE TO ADMIT IT FEELS GREAT -

(She makes a move on Freddie’s board: the very move he’d been searching for)

FREDDIE
GREAT NEWS FOR CHESS FANCIERS
HEY, THAT'S HOW HE DID IT
YEAH, THAT'S HOW THAT COMMIE JERK PLAYS!

FLORENCE
MAYBE I DESERVE A RAISE!

FREDDIE
I'M ONLY TEASING SOVIETS
WITH GENTLE BONHOMIE
AND YOU'VE A BETTER REASON TO BE ANTI-THEM THAN ME

FLORENCE
THERE'S A TIME AND THERE'S A PLACE

FREDDIE
WELL HOW ABOUT HERE AND NOW? ARE YOU FOR ME OR FOR THEM?

FLORENCE
THERE'S A TIME AND THERE'S A PLACE.

FREDDIE
1956 - BUDAPEST IS RISING
1968 - PRAGUE AND MR. DUBCEK
1968 - SOME OF US REMEMBER.

I'D HAVE THOUGHT YOU'D SUPPORT
ANY ATTACK ON THESE PEOPLE
ON THE PEOPLE WHO RAN
MINDLESSLY OVER YOUR CHILDHOOD
APPEARANCES ALTERED
BUT MOST OF THE NAMES ARE THE SAME

FLORENCE (agitated, but controlled)
1968 - HISTORY AND BLACKMAIL
TRY ANOTHER LINE - THAT'S ALL IN THE PAST NOW

FREDDIE
THEY SEE CHESS AS A WAR
PLAYING WITH PAWNS LIKE YOUR FATHER.
IF YOU WALK OUT ON ME
YOU'RE REALLY BETRAYING HIS HONOR
WERE HE ALIVE NOW
HE'D SURELY BE DYING OF SHAME

FLORENCE
YOU KNOW THAT THERE'S NOTHING I'VE DONE
THAT HE'D BE ASHAMED OF IN MY WHOLE LIFE!
WHY'D YOU HAVE TO DO THIS TO ME?

(Freddie walks out, slamming the door in her face)

NOBODY'S SIDE

FLORENCE
WHAT'S GOING ON AROUND ME
IS BARELY MAKING SENSE
I NEED SOME EXPLANATIONS FAST
I SEE MY PRESENT PARTNER
IN THE IMPERFECT TENSE
AND I DON'T SEE HOW WE CAN LAST
I FEEL I NEED A CHANGE OF CAST
MAYBE I'M ON NOBODY'S SIDE
AND WHEN HE GIVES ME REASONS
TO JUSTIFY EACH MOVE
THEY'RE GETTING HARDER TO BELIEVE
I KNOW THIS CAN'T CONTINUE
I'VE STILL A LOT TO PROVE
THERE MUST BE MORE I COULD ACHIEVE
BUT I DON'T HAVE THE NERVE TO LEAVE

(Various career women emerge from their hotel rooms)

FLORENCE & WOMEN
EVERYBODY'S PLAYING THE GAME
BUT NOBODY'S RULES ARE THE SAME
NOBODY'S ON NOBODY'S SIDE
BETTER LEARN TO GO IT ALONE
RECOGNIZE YOU'RE OUT ON YOUR OWN
NOBODY'S ON NOBODY'S SIDE

FLORENCE
THE ONE I SHOULD NOT THINK OF
KEEPS ROLLING THROUGH MY MIND
AND I DON'T WANT TO LET THAT GO
NO LOVER'S EVER FAITHFUL
NO CONTRACT TRULY SIGNED
THERE'S NOTHING CERTAIN LEFT TO KNOW
AND HOW THE CRACKS BEGIN TO SHOW!

FLORENCE & WOMEN
NEVER MAKE A PROMISE OR PLAN
TAKE A LITTLE LOVE WHERE YOU CAN
NOBODY'S ON NOBODY'S SIDE
NEVER STAY TOO LONG IN YOUR BED
NEVER LOSE YOUR HEART, USE YOUR HEAD
NOBODY'S ON NOBODY'S SIDE

NEVER TAKE A STRANGER'S ADVICE
NEVER LET A FRIEND FOOL YOU TWICE
NOBODY'S ON NOBODY'S SIDE
NEVER BE THE FIRST TO BELIEVE
NEVER BE THE LAST TO DECEIVE
NOBODY'S ON NOBODY'S SIDE

NEVER LEAVE A MOMENT TOO SOON
NEVER WASTE A HOT AFTERNOON
NOBODY'S ON NOBODY'S SIDE
NEVER STAY A MINUTE TOO LONG
DON'T FORGET THE BEST WILL GO WRONG
NOBODY'S ON NOBODY'S SIDE

BETTER LEARN TO GO IT ALONE
RECOGNIZE YOU'RE OUT ON YOUR OWN
NOBODY'S ON NOBODY'S SIDE