The West Wing

Another West Wing Scene from "Two Cathedrals". This is a scene from a flash back to when Josiah Bartlet is in high school and a much younger Mrs. Landingham is pushing "Jeb" to confront his father the head master concerning the inequality of pay between men and women at his school.

MRS. LANDINGHAM

...the chaplin makes 4100, the nurse makes 3100. Miss Mueller gets paid an additional 200 dollars a year to conduct the choir and band while Mr Ryan gets paid an additional 400 dollars a year to coach the rowing team.

JEB

Crew.

MRS. LANDINGHAM

What?

JEB

It's not rowing it's crew. Laurence Chadwick is a married woman with no dependance and Mr Hopkins has a family of 4 to support.

MRS. LANDINGHAM

If we pay people according to how many children they have to support then Malcom Bundy the grounds keeper would get triple what the head master gets.

JEB

Mrs. Landingham

MRS. LANDINGHAM

You know I'm right.

JEB

Look...

MRS. LANDINGHAM

You know I'm right. You've known it since I brought it up. You've known it since before that.

JEB

What do you want me to do about it?

MRS. LANDINGHAM

I want you to bring it up with your father.

JEB

I'm not a woman and I don't work here.

MRS. LANDINGHAM

Women who do are affraid for their jobs. If they bring it up they're affraid for their jobs. What is it you're afraid of?

JEB

Why do you talk to me like this?

MRS. LANDINGHAM

Because you never had a big sister and you need one.

Look at you. You're a boy king. You're a foot smarter then the smartest kids in the class. You're blessed with inspiration. You must know that by now, you must have sensed it.

Look, if you think we're wrong. If you think Mr. Hopkins should honestly get paid more then Mrs. Chadwick then I respect that, but if you think we're right and you won't speak up because you won't be bothered then God Jeb, I don't even want to know you. Come inside, I'll call AAA.

JEB

Mrs. Mueller gets half as much to teach music as Mr. Ryan gets to coach crew?

MRS. LANDINGHAM

You're gonna do it.

JEB

No, I didn't say that.

MRS. LANDINGHAM

Yes you did.

JEB

When?

MRS. LANDINGHAM

Just then. You stuck your hands in your pocked you looked away and you smiled. That means you made up your mind.

JEB

That doesn't mean anything.

MRS. LANDINGHAM

Yes it does.

JEB

I stuck my hands in my pockets!

MRS. LANDINGHAM

...and looked away... and smiled. We're in!