Lingk: But we have to before Monday. To get our money ba...
Roma: Three business days. They mean three business days.
Lingk: Wednesday, Thursday, Friday.
Roma: I don't understand.
Lingk: That's what they are. Three business if I wait till Monday, my time limit runs out.
Roma: You don't count Saturday.
Lingk: I'm not.
Roma: No, I'm saying you don't include Saturday in your three days. It's not a business day.
Lingk: But I'm not counting it. (Pause.) Wednesday. Thursday. Friday. So it would have elapsed.
Roma: What would have elapsed?

Like Moss evading Aaronow on the subject of whether or not they are "talking," this segment in Act Two is another fine example of a salesman manipulating words and pretending not to understand what his conversational partner is saying. Roma is masterful at elaborate psychological cons, but in this segment he resorts to the simplest, silliest form of trickery to try to fool Lingk. Lingk's wife has told him that, by law, he has three days in which he is allowed to cancel the deal that he has signed with Roma the previous night. Roma is trying to delay discussing this matter with Lingk until Monday, when it will be too late for Lingk to renege. Lingk, however, is aware of this timeframe. Roma ridiculously tries to convince Lingk that he is erroneously counting Saturday as a business day when Lingk knows that he is not. When this tactic does not work, Roma pretends that he is confused. Though most of the characters in the play are planning scams and cons, this is the most plain-faced example of an attempted con. What Roma is doing here to Lingk—lying to him and confusing him—is the essential cornerstone of business practices for these men.

PLUS

NotesSee All Notes
Add your thoughts right here!