What is the meaning/usefulness of this exchange in Seinfeld's The Limo?
At the outset of the Season 3 Seinfeld episode, "The Limo", Jerry and George are stranded at the airport. George sees a limousine driver holding a sign that says "O'Brien." He talks Jerry into posing as O'Brien and Murphy to get a free ride.
As they go to approach the limo driver, a traveler asks Jerry and George if they know the time. George tells the traveler dismissively, "There's a clock on the wall.", and pulls Jerry away.
This interaction doesn't seem to add to the scene. By now in the series, George's character is well-developed as a misanthrope. It does ring true to Larry David's aesthetic of unwarranted advances by strangers in public.
Ultimately I am wondering if I am missing something with this scene.
Best Answer
The scene is in reference to something else that happened shortly before that in the episode. George had asked a different stranger the time and the stranger refused to tell him; instead telling him to look at the clock on the wall. From the script.
George: Excuse me, sir, do you have the time?
Man: There's a clock over there.
George: Where?
Man (pointing): There.
George: But you have a watch on.
Man: It's right by the escalator.
George: Why don't you just look at your watch?
Man: I told you, it's right over there.
George: Let me see the watch.
George grabs the man's wrist.
Man: Hey! What are you, some kind of nut?!
George: You know we're living in a society!
[...]
[Different] Man (to George): Hey, do you have the time?
George: Clock over there. (to chauffer) O'Brien.
So the joke here is George's hypocrisy. He was upset that a stranger wouldn't give him the time; and instead dismissively told him to look at the clock. His complaint was that as members of a society, people should be polite and helpful towards one another. But then, just minutes later, he shows that he is part of the very problem he complained about; that he would rather tell a stranger to look at the clock than to tell him the time.
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