CSI: American Carnage (Thursday, January 24, 2019)
Donald sits at his desk in the Oval, the broad, pristine expanse of mahogany stretching endlessly before him. Jared enters. Donald gets up, looks out the window, and then turns back to Jared. He says, What do you have? Jared says, He says he’s gonna postpone his testimony. He says you and Rudy have threatened his family. Donald is silent for a minute. He walks over to Jared and puts his arm around his shoulder. Donald says, The thing is, he’s got no respect. He’s not a serious man. I welcome him into my home. I bring him into my family. I raise him like my own kid. I show him the ropes and where the bodies are buried all over Queens. I ask nothing from him. He becomes a wealthy man. I ask nothing. And now, when it is time to show himself as a man, he disrespects me. He disrespects my family. He looks to save his own skin. This is expected but this is not honorable. This is not serious. Jared says, No. Donald says, He only had to keep his mouth shut. That’s the one thing. Silence from the mouth. But he is not serious. He is not honorable. So. Donald sighs. What should we do? Jared says, Well, he’s going to prison in a while. Donald says, Jare, Jare, Jare. Have you learned nothing from your service to me? Do you think a spin in the slam is gonna make up for the great pain and the terrible heartache he’s caused me? Not to mention the dishonor. Not to mention all the money that is rightfully ours? It is our birthright to take the money. The dishonor has been tremendous. Jared says, You got the FBI off your neck at least. They can’t even afford the cannoli after dinner. Donald chuckles silently. He says, We got the woman to deal with now. Donald looks down for a moment. He says, I never wanted this for Don Jr. or Eric. They are not made for this. But me? I work my whole life, I don’t apologize, to take care of my family. And I refused — to be a fool — dancing on the string, held by all those — bigshots. I don’t apologize. But now I am faced with the dishonesty of a dishonorable man, a man I took to my bosom, a man who turned like a viper and bit with his poisonous teeth into my flesh and it is a hard moment. But the woman! She has stopped my speech. I even called her Nancy. I even gave her what a woman most craves, a name! How many can claim that? How many? Jared says, You respect the women. That’s what it is. Donald shakes his head. He grunts and says, It’s an old habit. I spent my life trying not to be careless — women and children can be careless, but not men. And now we have what we have. Jared says, We return to what has always worked. Donald says, Yes. Jared says, We improvise. Donald says, Yes. We improvise and we extract our price when the time is right and the frost .covers everything with its thin, cold sheen.