sorry to keep you waiting
Oh, I am so sorry for the wait.Blue Jasmine · 2013 — Chapter 1 of 15 · 2'38" · B2
Jasmine Arrives Dead Broke, Explained: splurge from habit
Jasmine shows up late with designer luggage and no money, then admits she flew first class anyway. The talk keeps circling back to cash, as one line—"I splurge from habit"—turns a confession about debt into something almost like a defense.
What happens
Jasmine arrives late at a home, apologizes for the wait, and meets the children. The conversation moves from small talk to her finances: she says she needs to stay for a while, is dead broke, and has run up serious debts, yet she has arrived with Louis Vuitton luggage and a first-class flight.
Listen for
what the hellhomeydead brokeputs up with
00:00 / 02:38Space play · ← → lines · R repeat
Now
Phrase of the scene
splurge from habit
spend freely out of habit
Asked how she affords first class while broke, she shrugs it off as an old spending habit.
I splurge from habit whenever a bonus lands.
Also in this scene
- what the hell
mild profanity for confusion
- homey
cozy, or a backhanded compliment
- dead broke
completely out of money
- puts up with
tolerate something annoying
- tapped out
out of money or resources
Everything marked in this scene
29 notes across 49 lines
that explains why
Well, no wonder you're late.move about busily
Well, they're loud. Stop running around.what on earth — Mild profanity for blunt complaints; avoid it in formal settings.
Christ, this kid's got-- What the hell is it? ADD?Let the d in kidding tap lightly and keep me short.
- Yeah. Your place is homey. - Are you kidding me?easygoing charm, often a polite cover here it softens the fact that the place is modest
No, I mean, it's got a very-- Well, it's casual charm.cut it out — Informal and impatient; not for a boss or client.
God, knock it off, Jasmine.stay for a period of time
I need to stay here for a while. No, I do.have no cash left
I'm out of cash. Okay.leave a home or place
Couldn't pay my rent in Brooklyn. Can you believe I had to move out of mytotally broke — Casual money talk; avoid it in formal financial contexts.
But I'm dead broke. Really, the government took everything.disturbing thoughts
I really get some bad thoughts when I'm alone.awake all night
You know, I was up all last night. I was so anxious Yeah? about moving hem I wasn't sure how angry you still were. Oh, well...embedded question: The how-clause completes sure and keeps statement order after how angry.
You know, I was up all last night. I was so anxious Yeah? about moving hem I wasn't sure how angry you still were. Oh, well...Keep you'd light and put the beat on think and first class.
I mean, you'd think first class, right?tolerate something annoying
Cornered about first class, someone deflects into a complaint about airlines no one should tolerate.
I don't know how anyone puts up with those airlines.embedded question: The how-clause is the object of know, so the word order stays statement-like.
I don't know how anyone puts up with those airlines.a lot of money not fate, but a very high price
Isn't first class a fortune? Yes, I was quite shocked.negative question: The negative question shows surprise or disbelief rather than asking for plain information.
Isn't first class a fortune? Yes, I was quite shocked.Stress tapped and let out fall away lightly.
I thought you were tapped out. I'm worse than tapped out, baby.out of money — Informal self-mockery about money; not for clients.
I thought you were tapped out. I'm worse than tapped out, baby.accumulate large debts
Someone admits the problem is not just empty pockets but serious accumulated debt.
I've run up some serious debts.Let did you blend together instead of separating each word.
So how did you fly first class?spend freely out of habit
Asked how she affords first class while broke, she shrugs it off as an old spending habit.
You know me. I splurge from habit.hide assets from the tax authorities Uncle Sam stands for the US government or tax office
I sold what jewels and furs I could hide from Uncle Sam.fused relative: The what-clause means whatever jewels and furs she could hide; what modifies the noun phrase and is not itself the object.
I sold what jewels and furs I could hide from Uncle Sam.badly in need of money
a great investment when you buy it at Graff or Van Cleef until you're desperate for money andcompelled to sell
forced to sell, and then it seems you can't give it away.give something away for free here it means nobody will even take it
forced to sell, and then it seems you can't give it away.Jasmine Arrives Dead Broke, explained
What's really going on
The scene is not really about a late arrival. A compliment about the apartment—"Your place is homey"—gets an "Are you kidding me?" back, and the small talk keeps sliding toward money. She says she is "dead broke" and has "run up some serious debts," but the first-class flight and Louis Vuitton luggage keep contradicting the story. The tension is in how she explains the contradiction: "You know me. I splurge from habit." It is a confession, but also a way to make the spending sound like an old personal trait rather than a fresh choice. The other person keeps asking practical questions, and each answer makes the gap between no cash and expensive habits more visible.
Theme
MoneyThe talk keeps measuring no cash against first-class travel and designer luggage.
ClassFirst-class travel and designer luggage mark a class habit that continues after the cash runs out.
Listen for
- kidding me — Let the d in kidding tap lightly and keep me short.
- you'd think — Keep you'd light and put the beat on think and first class.
- tapped out — Stress tapped and let out fall away lightly.
- did you — Let did you blend together instead of separating each word.
But I'm dead broke. Really, the government took everything.She has no money left; the line blames the government for taking everything.
I really get some bad thoughts when I'm alone.Being by herself brings dark or distressing thoughts; the line explains why she does not want to be alone.
I don't know how anyone puts up with those airlines.The speaker cannot understand how anyone tolerates the airlines.
I thought you were tapped out. I'm worse than tapped out, baby.One person thought the other had run out of money; the reply says the situation is even worse than that.
You know me. I splurge from habit.The speaker admits spending large sums is an old habit, offered as an explanation for flying first class without cash.
Questions about this scene
Why does she need to stay for a while?
She says she is "out of cash," couldn't pay rent in Brooklyn, and is "dead broke"; she also says she can't be alone because she gets "bad thoughts" by herself.
How can Jasmine afford first class if she is broke?
She gives no practical explanation. She mentions "serious debts" and says, "I splurge from habit," while the other person keeps asking about the ticket.
What does "tapped out" mean here?
It means out of money. One line says, "I thought you were tapped out," and the reply is, "I'm worse than tapped out, baby."
Why does the Louis Vuitton luggage become an issue?
It seems to contradict her claim that she had to sell everything. She says the suitcases are used and have her initials, so nobody would want them.
What does she say about selling her jewelry?
She calls jewelry "a great investment" when you buy it at Graff or Van Cleef, but says that once you are "desperate for money and forced to sell," it seems "you can't give it away."
Blue Jasmine · 15 chapters
All chapters →
Up next · Chapter 2flushGinger and Augie Visit the Family
Watching · Chapter 1splurge from habitJasmine Arrives Dead Broke
Chapter 2flushGinger and Augie Visit the Family
Chapter 3make a killingLottery Winners Get a Pitch
Chapter 4looking the other wayJasmine Hears About Hal and Raylene
Chapter 5on top of the worldJasmine's Awkward Blind Date
Chapter 6find my feetHouseguest Pressed on Length of Stay
Chapter 7I don't mean to pryBoss Asks Her for a Drink
Chapter 8slick operatorJasmine Can't Study During the Fight
Chapter 9beat around the bushDr. Flicker Hits on an Employee
Chapter 10hit the jackpotJasmine Meets Dwight at the Party
Chapter 11by all rightsParty Fight Over a Phone Call
Chapter 12swept me off my feetJasmine Tells the Boys Her Story
Chapter 13put something behind youAugie Confronts Jasmine on the Street
Chapter 14tap danceAffair Confession Turns Ugly
Chapter 15let sleeping dogs lieChampagne Celebration Turns Into a FightChapter 1 of 15 · about 44 min to go