Argument

FLORENCE
I would have thought in the average affair
That the first hint of trouble would be
Oh so small
Barely perceptible, easy to miss
Why is ours on TV?

THE RUSSIAN
Listen
You know as I do
Nothing's altered at all
I have no intention

FLORENCE
Your personal life's
The lead on the news
How do we ignore that?

THE RUSSIAN
I do and I must because otherwise I say
Goodbye to my hopes of retaining my title
If I should succumb to emotional blackmail I'm done

FLORENCE
Huh
Looking after number one

THE RUSSIAN
What do you mean?

FLORENCE
I mean it's always I this and I that
What happened to us?

THE RUSSIAN
All that I'm saying is I must make certain
That nothing distracts me from chess
When I've won
Then I'll attend to the secondary things

FLORENCE
Things like me I suppose

THE RUSSIAN
No, no
You're reacting exactly the way that they want

FLORENCE
It's the way I have to
If I feel concerned
I can't put it off
And come back to it later

THE RUSSIAN
Well if you're determined to jump when they tell you
Then maybe it's best that you do it alone
Watch TV, read the papers
Have the miserable time of your life
You could even call my wife