Two Haitian men, Polydor, a middle-class intellectual, and Pyram, a blue-collar worker, are rooming together in a sparsely furnished, windowless basement studio apartment in New York. Polydor is lying in bed on his back, reading a book. He is so engrossed in his reading he does not notice Pyram coming into the room. Pyram combs his hair with his fingers, then walks toward Polydor's bed. Pyram: Hey, man, check me out! What a devil! Polydor: (Polydor pretends not to hear.) Pyram: I'm hot as hell, all smoke and fire. I here. Polydor: What do you mean, "I here?" The correct phrase is "I'm here.

" And since when were you ever so hot that you turned into a flaming devil? Pyram: Gimme a smoke. Got a Lucky Strike? Polydor: ( Polydor hands Pyram a pack of cigarettes.) Pyram: Hey, man! Share the wealth . (He takes several cigarettes.) Polydor: Put them back, man. Pyram: But I did. Polydor: You took three cigarettes, you cheat.