Mighty Aphrodite · 1995 — 第 9 / 15 章 · 2'18" · B2

Linda Asks Lenny for a Favor, Explained:a way with words

Linda turns up at Lenny's apartment with a problem: her business representative Ricky has threatened her for wanting to quit, and he blames Lenny too. She begs Lenny to talk him down, insisting he is the smarter, better man. Lenny does everything he can to avoid the job.

あらすじ

Linda shows up at Lenny's home under an alias, asking for help. She says she told her 'business representative' Ricky she wants to phase out, and he now threatens to hurt her and Lenny both, because he thinks quitting was Lenny's idea. She wants Lenny to reason with him; Lenny, terrified, refuses.

Asking for helpThreatsAskingWarningFriendsB2fastamericanClean
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注目の表現

phase outqualms abouta way with wordsreason with him

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このシーンの表現

a way with words

skill at talking people around

She hires his mouth as the weapon against Ricky.

Get her to call. She has a way with words.

このシーンの他の表現

  • phase out

    withdraw by stages

  • qualms about

    moral hesitation about an act

  • reason with him

    talk a violent man into sense

  • conglomerate

    a giant combined company

  • caliber

    gun size; a pedant's spec

このシーンのメモ一覧

44 行のセリフに 27 件のメモ

発音got to talk

Practice got to talk with one clear stress group.

- What are you doing here? - Lenny? Lenny, I got to talk to you.
表現 · B2takes a percentage of

"takes a percentage of" is useful here.

Ricky threatened to-- to-- to hurt me. He-- - Who's Ricky? - He takes a percentage of my work.
文法 · B2threatened to-- to-- to hurt

threaten infinitive: The phrase threatened to-- to-- to hurt shapes the meaning of the line.

Ricky threatened to-- to-- to hurt me. He-- - Who's Ricky? - He takes a percentage of my work.
スラング · B2pimp

a man who lives off sex work — Harsh label; people dodge it with softer job titles.

- He's a pimp, right? - No, he's like a business representative.
表現 · C1cut me up

"cut me up" is useful here.

Lenny, he said he was going to cut me up...
表現 · B2phase out

withdraw by stages

He applauds a staged exit that a pimp will not allow.

Well, I think it's a great idea that you want to phase out.
文法 · B2that you want to phase out

that-clause: The phrase that you want to phase out shapes the meaning of the line.

Well, I think it's a great idea that you want to phase out.
発音want to phase

Practice want to phase with one clear stress group.

Well, I think it's a great idea that you want to phase out.
表現 · C1qualms about

moral hesitation about an act

Murder is described as something he will not flinch from.

- He has no qualms about killing me. - Ohh.
表現 · A2not a big deal

"not a big deal" is useful here.

Listen, we'll call the police. That's not a big deal.
発音call the police

Practice call the police with one clear stress group.

Listen, we'll call the police. That's not a big deal.
スラング · B2setup

your current racket or arrangement — Vague on purpose when the work will not stand daylight.

How can I call the police with my setup?
表現 · C1hazardous business

"hazardous business" is useful here.

you're in a hazardous business.
表現 · B2a way with words

skill at talking people around

She hires his mouth as the weapon against Ricky.

- Me? What, are you nuts? - Yeah, because-- Because you're smart and bright and you got a way with words.
文法 · B1Because you're smart and bright and you got a way with words

because clause: The phrase Because you're smart and bright and you got a way with words shapes the meaning of the line.

- Me? What, are you nuts? - Yeah, because-- Because you're smart and bright and you got a way with words.
スラング · B1nuts

crazy, out of your mind — Spoken pushback, half joke, half panic.

- Me? What, are you nuts? - Yeah, because-- Because you're smart and bright and you got a way with words.
表現 · B1get out of the business

"get out of the business" is useful here.

Yeah, well, he knows it was your idea that I get out of the business.
発音put a bullet

Practice put a bullet with one clear stress group.

He's gonna cut up my face and put a bullet between your eyes.
表現 · B2reason with him

talk a violent man into sense

The ask stays: reason with a man who promised a bullet.

Listen, I just thought maybe you could just reason with him.
発音a slight heart

Land slight and heart; keep a light.

No, I can't. I-- Listen, I never told you this, but I got a-- a slight heart murmur...
表現 · C1in actuality

"in actuality" is useful here.

Only in actuality. Um, this is not for me.
文法 · C1Only in actuality

elliptical reply: Only in actuality grants the charge, then steps back.

Only in actuality. Um, this is not for me.
文法 · B2I do want to quit

emphatic do: The phrase I do want to quit shapes the meaning of the line.

Lenny, I do want to quit like you said, but he said he's not gonna let me!
文法 · B2because you're smarter than he is and stronger than he is

comparative clause: The phrase because you're smarter than he is and stronger than he is shapes the meaning of the line.

- Well, okay. You just-- - I-- You just talk because you're smarter than he is and stronger than he is.
発音than he is

Practice than he is with one clear stress group.

- Well, okay. You just-- - I-- You just talk because you're smarter than he is and stronger than he is.
表現 · B1a little bit intimidating

"a little bit intimidating" is useful here.

He's a little bit intimidating. He's got a bald head and an earring.
発音good man, Lenny

Practice good man, Lenny with one clear stress group.

- But you'll win. I know you will. - Jesus, I-- I-- You're a good man, Lenny. You'll win.

「Linda Asks Lenny for a Favor」を読み解く

What's really going on

The scene mixes a real threat with a comedy of cowardice. Linda is frightened and genuine — 'He's gonna cut up my face and put a bullet between your eyes' — but she also believes Lenny can save her because of who he is: 'you're smart and bright and you got a way with words.' Lenny, for his part, does everything to get out of it, citing a heart murmur and insisting that violence is not his world. The humor comes from the gap between his gentle self-image and her total faith in him, and from how easily he admits he is a coward. Underneath, though, both are alone: she has nobody else to ask, and he has to choose between safety and being the man she thinks he is.

Theme

CourageLinda trusts Lenny to face a dangerous man for her, while Lenny openly admits he is too afraid to do it.
FriendshipTheir bond is tested: she has no one else to ask, and he weighs his own safety against her need.

このチャプターで学べること

  • Use phase out to describe leaving gradually
  • Use reason with someone to persuade them
  • Hear no qualms about as strong indifference
  • Spot flattery turning into pressure
  • Notice how "phase out" changes the exchange.

発音のポイント

  • got to talk — Practice got to talk with one clear stress group.
  • want to phase — Practice want to phase with one clear stress group.
  • call the police — Practice call the police with one clear stress group.
  • put a bullet — Practice put a bullet with one clear stress group.
- Me? What, are you nuts? - Yeah, because-- Because you're smart and bright and you got a way with words.

The exchange that shows the two sides of the request: Lenny's panic at being asked, and Linda's reason for believing he is the right person to go.

and right now it's murmuring "hide."

Lenny's joke about his heart murmur: instead of beating faster, it is telling him to run away, which is his way of admitting fear.

You're a much better man. So just remember that when you talk to him.

Linda's pep talk: she insists Lenny is morally superior to Ricky, hoping that will give him the nerve to face him.

He's gonna cut up my face and put a bullet between your eyes.

Her blunt report of Ricky's threat, which turns an argument about quitting into a genuine danger for both of them.

He's a little bit intimidating. He's got a bald head and an earring.

Her description of Ricky, meant to prepare Lenny, though the details sound almost childish next to the threat.

このシーンについての質問

Why does Linda come to Lenny's apartment?

Her pimp Ricky has threatened her after she said she wants to quit, and she thinks Lenny can talk him out of it. She has no one else to turn to.

Why is Ricky angry at Lenny?

He believes quitting was Lenny's idea, so he blames Lenny for the lost income and threatens him as well as Linda.

Why does Lenny refuse to talk to Ricky?

He is genuinely afraid of violence, admits he is a coward, and says a fight with a threatening man is simply not his world.

What does Lenny mean by his heart murmur?

He uses a real or invented heart condition as a way to say his body is telling him to hide, which is his excuse for not getting involved.

How does the scene end?

Linda keeps insisting Lenny will win because he is the better man, and he keeps resisting, so the favor she needs is left hanging.

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