Wait a minute! I got another idea.
- Two from Pete brings it to six. Not enough. - This one.
- She's a big dame, but in proportion. - Has she got class?
In every way.
- Seven ought to do it. I'll try it. - Do it.
Excuse me.
Louie, hit me again?
Hello? Is this Betty...?
Is this Betty?
Oh, well, I tell you, my name is Joe Clay.
My name is Joe Clay, a friend of Abe Quine's. We're in the executive suite.
It's kind of... Yeah, Abe Quine.
It's kind of noisy, but he told me you are a very lovely girl, Betty.
And you...
And he suggested that... Well, you know...
...you like to have a good time.
Anyway, my agency is throwing a party, or rather we're inviting people for a party...
...on Prince Harun Badul's yacht...
...and Abe suggested that you might be a very welcome addition.
What, honey?
No, not Abe Badul, it's Prince Harun Badul.
It's his party on his yacht.
Yes, he's a real prince, dear.
Yeah.
I thought you would. Fine.
Well, it's berth 23, Saint Francis Yacht Club, 6:30.
Right? Okay, and we'll have a launch there.
All right, bye-bye now.
Magic time.
Here comes number seven. Let's cast off.
You're late.
You're dressed wrong.
It's supposed to be a cocktail dress. You know, something peekaboo.
To, you know, sparkle a little. You call that peekaboo?
Let's go.
Hey, you, wait a minute.
Hey, you! Wait a...
Dumb broad. Come on, girls, come on.
Hey, you.
Listen, who...?
You must be the new man from the agency.
Yes, sir, Joe Clay. You're Mr...?
Mr. Trayner.
- I see you've already met my secretary. - Well, not officially.
- He was much too busy. - Say, these are fine.
- Thank you. - Just fine and dandy.
Well, hello there.
Can I buy you a drink?
Oh, no, thank you. I don't drink.
Look...
...I'm sorry about mistaking you for one of the other girls.
So you're the new public relations man.
- Yeah. - What happened to Eddie?
Eddie quit.
We liked him. Why'd he quit?
Well, a little matter of personal integrity.
Eddie didn't feel that getting dates for potentates was part of public relations.
But isn't it?
Well, there's a name for it, but it's not public relations.
Well, whatever it is, you seem to do it very well.
One.
- Four. - You counted twice here!
Wait a minute, there's only four girls. We had seven!
Six... Wait a... Hey, don't move out, we've got two girls missing here.
Wait a minute, there's two...
Two of my girls are missing up there!
Two of the young ladies are not quite ready to leave.
- Not quite ready. - I guess I'm to be congratulated...
...on a job well done, huh? - Well done, well done.
Everybody here?
Hi.
Mr. Trayner isn't here.
That's luck. You're the one I came to see.
Look, I felt we should be friends, so...
- Hello there? - Excuse me.
I have to meet Mr. Trayner at a meeting.
We sort of got started on the wrong foot. It was sort of my...
- Anyway, I brought a peace offering. - Why?
Why? Well, because...
Now, look, we're gonna be working together, sort of, huh?
I mean, from... I'll be up to see the boss from time to time.
Look, Mr. Clay... That is your name, isn't it?
Mr. Trayner is the one you have to please.
He seems very happy with what you've done so far.
- Supposing I wanted to please you? - There's no reason for you to please me.
Peanut brittle.
Look, you're forcing me to be rude. I hate peanut brittle.
Excuse me.
- Good night, Gladys. - Good night, Miss Arnesen.
You like peanut brittle?
Down?
Getting back to what people do for a living, can I ask a question...
...that might embarrass you?
What spec...?
What special qualifications do you have for a job that allows you to sit around all day...
...and chat with the boss? I heard about your job.
Maybe answer a few personal letters for him...
...and accompany him to parties?
Spend half your working day reading...
...while typists who get less money than you do all the work?
That reminds me, I forgot my book.
She always carries that book.
I'll tell you what special qualifications you have. You're pretty.
That's what you have. That old lech loves to have you around...
...to look at and lean on. When he's drunk, like last night.
And who knows what else. That's what special qualifications you have.
Listen.
I am sorry, and I shouldn't have said that.
I came up here to try and be friends.
I was gonna ask you to have dinner with me.
Peanut brittle?
I think you must be the silliest man I've ever met. Peanut brittle?
Well, I guess you're right. Let's forget it.
- Night. - Good night.
Mr. Clay?
I thought you were going to ask me to dinner.
- Well, I was... - Well, why don't you?
I mean, my board meeting won't be over till 7:30...
...so I wouldn't have time to change or anything, but...
It would have to be someplace kind of casual.
I know just the spot. Place Pigalle. I'll meet you there at 7:30, you'll love it.
- Okay. - 7:30.
At a board meeting! Can you imagine, with all those old jowly men staring at me?
Mr. Trayner says, "I couldn't get along without her.
She's there when I need her, especially when I've had a couple too many.
Takes care of me like a mother."
And then he gives me one of those special proprietary hugs of his...
And I suddenly realized I owe you an apology.
Oh, I'm just as bad as you are.
I guess everybody swallows his pride once in a while, on account of his job.
I had no business saying that to you in the first place.
Hit me again. Not you.
- Anything for the lady? - No, nothing.
- What do you got against booze, anyway? - I just don't much see the point in it.
Point? Well, it makes you feel good.
I already feel good. I don't like the taste.
- What do you like? - Chocolate.
- Chocolate? - Chocolate.
I'm practically nutty about it.
Wait a minute, hold everything.
- What did you do? - Oh, you'll see.
- I think we should order, don't you? - In a few minutes.
Kirsten Arnesen.
No wonder you're tough to get along with. You're not even American.
Ever drive down the peninsula toward San Mateo?
Arnesen Nursery. That's us. That was us.
I just couldn't take it.
Oh, my father's a wonderful man, good man.
But I kept thinking to myself:
"You're pretty. You're pretty, and here you are."
Oh, girls know when they're pretty.
There I was, blushing unseen, wasting my sweetness on the desert air.
Gray's "Elegy."
- Did you get that out of this book? - Not this one.
That's volume Je-La. Gray's out of volume Go-Ja.
World Library of Great Literature. Volume 5, Je to La...
Je to La. Je-La.
Father gave me those for high school graduation.
He said if I read from Ab-Bu to Ya-Zu...
...it'd be the equivalent of a college education.
Je-La, that puts you about the middle of your sophomore year.
- Oh, no, thank you, l... - No, that's all right.
- But l... - It's special, for you. It's chocolate. Try it.
It's good. It is.
- Very. - Yeah. See what I mean?
Brandy Alexander, they call that.
Say, now.
Would you wait a minute?
Oh, look, Joe. It's more beautiful than ever tonight.
- Yeah. - You know something?
You were right about that brandy thing.
- Alexander. - About it making me feel good.
- Oh, yeah it would, you chicken. - I feel wonderful.
You don't feel like asking me up for a cup of coffee, or...
Some other time, Joe, do you mind?
I'm not ready to go up yet. Wanna walk down to the Bay?
Why not?
You do very good work.
Well, there goes another boatload out to the prince's yacht.
Another load of actresses.
I don't see how you can drink like that, right out of the bottle. It must taste awful.
Well, anything worth having is worth suffering for. Isn't it?
I guess so.
Oh, I like to watch the water.
If you look close, it's filthy...
...but I like to look further out, where it's clean.
You know what I think?
I think I watch the water because...
...I expect a sea monster to come up out of there someday...
...and carry me down to the ocean caves.
Mom and Dad are a club act.
You know, I mean songs and dances...
...and snappy patter.
Old-time vaudeville. They're in some loud joint in Vegas, right this minute.
Are they good?
You know, they were on Ed Sullivan a couple years ago.
But you didn't like that kind of life.
No, I wanted something steady. Something with a little class.
Like the Trayner Drilling account. Class.
Don't hate yourself. It's something you've gotta do.
It's part of your job.
I wanna be a public relations man, not a pimp.
My job is supposed to be to advise people how to relate to the public, you know?
How to make the good that my client does known...
...and how to help him find ways to do good...
...and benefit others as well as himself.
Be a garbage man, or some eunuch in a harem.
I'm gonna tell the agency, I tell you.
So I burden you with it. Well, that's great.
I don't mind.
Short story.
Man meets girl.
Beautiful.
Sweet.
Nice.
Much too nice for him, I'll tell you.
Only kind of girl you really should bother about.
Finally, after...
...numerous strategical blunders...
...he manages to get a date.
And he walks her down to the Bay, under the stars...
...and he gets himself loaded and he cries on her shoulder like a baby.
Some lover, huh?
Joe, I'm enjoying being here with you.
After all, you've helped me avoid my apartment for the longest possible time.
That's an accomplishment in itself, you know.
The roach kingdom. The whole building, the whole block.
If you don't leave food out for the roaches, you can't get in.
I mean, they just pick you up and carry you out into the street and change the lock.
Roach kingdom.
You know, sometimes I come down here at night alone...
...and look at the water, just to keep from going home.
Yeah.
Well, you can't come down here alone at night!
This place, it's crawling with all kinds of oddballs.
Oh, they walk by me real slow sometimes and stare...
...but they don't do anything. I don't know why.
That's... You're...
You know something...
...I dreamt one time they murdered me.
Over there, behind those pilings.
And my father came all the way in from the peninsula...
...in his pickup truck to take my body home.
And all the way home, he talked.
Talked a blue streak, all the way home.
But I was dead and I couldn't hear him. Couldn't answer him.
The strange thing is...
...my father doesn't talk.
Oh, he used to talk to my mother.
When I was a little girl he'd talk to her in a low, low voice...
...after I'd gone to bed at night.
But in the daytime they hardly talked at all. They had a...
...very private love affair.
Their favorite toast to each other was:
In Norwegian, that means "Together in heaven."
Get the lilt.
"Together in heaven."
They meant it too.
After Mama died, he was more silent than ever.
Almost as though he'd gone with her.
Oh, well.
"Gather ye rosebuds while ye may."
Little coop... Coup de grâce.
Would you believe it's 2:00?
- Time does not exist in the ocean. - Well, it will in the office tomorrow.
I commend thee to the deep.
They are not long, the days of wine and roses:
Out of a misty dream our path emerges for a while...
... then closes within a dream.
I guess we should be getting back, huh?
- He come in? - Yes, sir.
Rad, come in.
Trayner's been trying to get you all morning.
This is one of those mornings I couldn't make it.
Those things happen. He's praising you to the skies.
- Thanks. - That prince what's-his-name...
...was so pleased Trayner wants to throw another party tomorrow night.
- Tomorrow night? - Better call him.
- Congrats on a very happy client. - Look, Rad, I better...
- Could I talk to you for a minute? - Shoot.
I don't know how to start it.
I know the Trayner thing has to be done...
...arrangements like this have to be made, but...
But you'd rather not.
- I realize it's part of my job... - Makes you feel dirty.
I don't blame you for a minute, but I don't know what I can do about it.
Unless we put another man on there.
Could do that.
Some of the boys don't mind that.
Wait. I don't mean I can't do it. I can do it.
That isn't what I meant. It isn't that. I just, I...
You'd rather not. Well, let's see now.
Look, not that I won't do it.
This is the first account of any size that you guys have given me.
I think I've got a flash.
Nell. Get me Roger Acton, will you?
That's right.
If Roger goes along with this, we've got your problem solved...
...to everyone's advantage. - I don't want this to look like...
...complaining or... I just started on the account.
- Roger may take a dim view of this... - No, no.
He'll admire your integrity, if anything. Believe me...
Yes? Thanks, Nell.
Rog. Got a little prob here with Joe.
You know, we put him on that Trayner Drilling account.
Yeah. Says he heard Trayner was delighted with you.
Well, here's the prob, Rog.
That's it exactly. Says, "Same deal as Eddie, huh?"
He knows someone's got to, Rog...
...but let me pull something out of a hat and we'll see if it hops.
- Joe? - Yeah?
- Hi. - Hi.
- Come on up. - Yeah.
- What in the world are you carrying? - It's a few things to go with dinner.
Here, I'll help you.
- I was afraid you'd forgotten. - I'm sorry I'm late.
I was busy having a couple with my new client.
- Your new... You didn't! - Yeah.
- You're off the Trayner Drilling account? - Yeah, I am.
- You're a man of principle. - Yeah.
Of course, I... Well.
I may wish I was back getting girls for Trayner before it's over.
This new guy, Ballefoy? Murder.
Drinks with both hands. Can't keep up or communicate. Thank you.
- Hey, this is it, huh? - Yeah.
This is the roach kingdom?
- You're feeling pretty good tonight. - You'll catch up.
Brandy Alexander. I got all the makings.
The brandy and the crème de cacao.
We got all the natural accouterments to a home-cooked meal.
- You know what's in there? - No.
A chocolate cake.
With chocolate icing.
And we have champagne to go with the meal.
And for me, plain, unassuming, solid citizen-type man...
...of principle that I am, the holy comforts of soda...
...and where is it? Scotch.
This is the roach kingdom, huh?
This is the place where the roaches reign supreme?
- Yes. - Well, we'll just see about that.
- This is war. - You really are too much.
I just don't believe...
...in letting subversive elements take over. - Man of principle, I salute you.
Salute me with that stuff. Go easy on the soda.
Cockroaches. Come out, wherever you are.
Here we go. You're gonna go to cockroach heaven.
- You know something funny? - What?
I didn't really quit the Trayner account.
- But l... - Oh, I'm off it, all right.
I just hinted that it was a little distasteful and they took me right off, but...
- Well? - Well, what bothers me is...
...that I didn't demand to be taken off it...
...or even ask to be taken off it, I just hinted, you know.
I mean, I practically apologized for even hinting. What do you think of that?
Well... Well, Joe, at least you hinted.
Most people in your position wouldn't even hint. They'd be too insecure.
Here.
To men of principle, wherever they may be.
- Oh, hi, Dottie. - What, are you spraying in there?
Spray... Oh, yes. We are.
Oh, well, now, you ought not to do that.
You get them all stirred up, and what's the good? You made a mess.
You've gotta think about other people, you know.
Well, I mean, look... I don't like to complain, but, I mean, this is ridiculous.
They don't bother anybody. They don't destroy anything.
You leave them alone, they leave you alone. Lock up what you don't want crawled over.
But you start spraying stuff on the walls, and look at the mess.
- What are you trying to do up there? - Somebody spraying up there?
- You know what you're doing? - I'm choking to death.
- What are you doing? - You just come in off the prairie?
People living in apartment buildings gotta learn to leave roaches alone.
Well, look, you should see what they're doing to us up here.
- This is ridiculous. - What's the matter with you people?
Now what am I supposed to do?
I mean, you've got them all mad.
- They're all going crazy, you know? - I don't know.
I'm sorry.
Didn't I tell you?
You've undermined the whole base of metabolism of the building.
I'm warning you, Joe, you better...
What...?
You better... You...
What?
You better grow a beard and move out of town...
...because those roaches saw you...
...and the word...
What?
The word... The word'll spread, and if they ever track you down...
What?
You'll be a goner.
Oh, darling.
- How do I look? - Gorgeous.
And guilty?
- Kirsty. - Daddy, I brought somebody to meet you.
I know it's late, and I'm sorry to wake you up...
...but it was so important it couldn't wait.
Come in.
- Daddy, this is Joe Clay. - Sir.
Sorry we woke you up, Mr. Arnesen.
Let's go sit in the kitchen, Kirsty.
The kitchen is Daddy's favorite room.
I know this is kind of a funny time of night...
...to be introducing people, Daddy, but Joe and I...
Well, I was anxious for him to meet you, and we were out driving and...
You know how I do things on the spur of the moment.
- I hope you don't mind us waking you. - Have a seat.
Oh, thank you.
How have you been, Kirsty?
That's Daddy's way of letting me know I haven't called him this week.
I've been very busy, Daddy.
- What kind of work you do? - Public relations, sir.
Public relations?
You know, Daddy, it's... Well, it's hard to explain.
Well, I suppose you might say my job is...
...to sort of help my client create a public image.
Well, for an example...
...let's say my client, Corporation X...
...does some good. Something of benefit to the public...
...or something that could conceivably be conceived as...
...a benefit to the... Well, my job is to see that the public knows it.
And what if this X Corporation does something bad?
Well...
Well, theoretically, they don't.
Theoretically.
Well, part of my job is...
...to help my client...
...to think of ways to operate in a way...
...that the public would, you know, approve.
But if your X Corporation makes a mistake...
...and the thing turns out bad?
Well...
I guess then I try to make it look not quite so bad.
- Well, there's more to it than that, sir. - It's terrifically complicated, Daddy.
I don't understand that kind of work.
You love my girl?
Yes, sir, very much.
Your mama and daddy live in San Francisco?
- No, sir, they... - No, Joe's mother and father...
...are in show business, Daddy. They have a wonderful act.
I mean, I've never seen it, but from what Joe tells me...
They were on Ed Sullivan once. You might have seen them.
This girl had a fine mama.
Her mama taught her how to be good. Come home early.
I know she remembers those things.
These days, girls think they have to live in town.
But still, she remembers those things.
Well, she's the finest girl I ever met, Mr. Arnesen.
- Look, Mr. Arnesen, we were... - Daddy, Joe and I have to go.
We both have to work tomorrow.
Sure.
We hated to wake you up.
I'm glad you came by, Kirsty.
Daddy, I hope you like him.
- Don't put him on the spot. - Takes time to find that out, Kirsty.
- Nice to have met you, sir. - Same here, Joe.
Maybe I could take Joe out and show him the greenhouse.
I'll put on the big light.
Gee, I never knew there were so many flowers.
- Good night. - Good night, Kirsty.
- Good night, sir. - Good night, Joe.
- Oh, brother, did I goof that one. - Oh, he made me so nervous, l...
Mr. Arnesen, Kirsten and I were married about two hours ago.
You know what I'd like to do?
I'd like to go some nice place and have a drink.
- Where's my little gal? Where is she? - In here.
Okay.
- There she is. I got the groceries. - You saved me a trip.
And how are you today? I got you some crazy lotion.
She says, "I'm nice and dry." Temporarily.
For the skin you love to bite.
- You're something. - Yes, she is.
You are really something. I gotta get to work.
Ballefoy's having a bash tonight for some of the new guys.
- You want to go? - I'd love to...
...but I gotta get up early. - I thought you'd want to.
- You've been stuck so long... - I would, but...
- It doesn't matter. I have to be there. - Call me.
Yep.
Hi.
Well, I see you got that dame from Harper's Bazaar to show up.
I could get her to use Covington Farms...
- Hi, Joe. Hi, Mr. Ballefoy. - Hi, honey.
We could use Covington Farms for a fashion layout.
That country living we were talking about.
We'll furnish anything they need. Cooperate fully.
- Get in there as solid as you can. - Wait.
If we even get a mention of Covington Farms...
- I know, it'll be an accident. - Yeah.
Still, I confess to you, I had an ulterior motive...
...for making the suggestion. Frankly...
- Where was I? - "Frankly."
Oh, yes. Frankly, you know how Mr. Covington loves personal publicity.
- Not again. - You haven't heard...
Covington has got to face...
...that a man does not automatically become a public figure...
...because he builds an empire out of chicken fat.
Do you know, I got this guy into...
...the Poultry Annual, with a close-up...
...and I got him into the Dairyland News. And there they care.
I even finagled a feature story on this man in Western Feed and Grain...
...but Harper's Bazaar, now, come on! - Are you through?
It's Mrs. Covington.
- That old hayraker? - Our leader is rich, Joe.
- His wife is a rich hayraker. - She wants her home...
...and her garden and her Picassos...
I should get her elected "best-dressed cow."
In full color.
Joe, why aren't you dancing with me?
Honey, I am dancing with you. Hey, doll, hit me again.
Magic time.
She's almost asleep. You'll wake her.
- What's she doing up? - She was hungry.
She's gotta learn some of Mommy's time belongs to Daddy.
It's Daddy's time of night.
- Try to keep your voice down. - What's the matter?
I've been working since 10 a.m. I come home and I get shushed?
Working your elbow more than anything else.
I had a drink with these people. That's part of the job.
I thought your job was to advise them...
If Ballefoy wants me to drink, what am I gonna do?
- Well, if he has confidence in you... - Confidence?
Please.
He has confidence that I'll do what I'm told, regardless. Confidence.
He even has confidence, I think, that to keep my job...
...I'd ask the mayor of San Francisco to give a ticker-tape parade for his chicken fat king.
What happened...?
Well, now, look.
I come home after a couple of drinks and you're cold sober.
So maybe you're a little tired... I know I seem loud and...
All right, I am.
Didn't used to think so.
I feel your disapproval. I feel it.
If you wanna sit up, if you wanna wait for me...
...is there any law that says you can't have a couple of blasts while you're waiting?
So that maybe we can have some laughs around here. Is there?
- I'm not supposed to. - I know, your milk.
It's the 20th century. They invented milk bottles.
And they got milk in cans. It's as good as that milk!
You're gonna ruin your shape.
For crying out loud, you'd think you were the only woman that ever had a ba...
I was dragged around by the scruff of my neck...
...on midnight trains and in freezing weather and I would... I was eating...
...crackers and peanut... Don't do that! I was eating peanut butter!
Kids have got to learn to be people... Don't! Look, please...
...just get her a bottle and some formula. I want to have a ball, you and me! See?
For God... Don't shush me!
If I'm too loud, then I'll just close the damn door!
- No, Joe, please, it's too stuffy... - At that age, caring about temperature.
How could I do a thing like that...
...to a child?
What's the matter with me?
You're right. It's kind of stuffy in there.
"Po-Ra." You'll make it yet.
I'm sorry. I'm sorry.
I'm sorry.
I'm sorry. I'm sorry.
Mr. Clay's office. Oh, no, I'm sorry. He...
Yes, I know it's important.
I'll give him the message as soon as he gets in.
Well, I'm sure he'll be here any minute.
Yes, I will.
Coffee.
Oh, Mr. Clay. Mr. Ballefoy says please call.
Yeah. Okay, okay. Coffee, coffee, coffee.
It's heating. I just want to be sure about the Ballefoy thing.
Okay, you did your duty. You told me.
- Just get the coffee. - It isn't hot.
Did I say hot coffee? I just said coffee. But just bring it?
- You got a sec, Joe? - For you, all day, Rad.
Oh, the head.
It was Debbie's 1 st birthday and Kirsten and I celebrated last night.
- Really hung one on. - Yeah, with a capital "hung."
- Lf you'd rather not talk just now... - No, business as usual.
- What... Hey, want some coffee? - No, thanks.
Well, what's on your mind?
I'd like to chat with you about the Covington Farms account.
- Shoot. - Well, it's a long story...
...but the point is, I think it would be best if we took you off the account.
You took...? What...?
What is...? Ballefoy and I get along.
Well, the truth is, they're letting Ballefoy out.
Frankly, for drinking too much. And the new man...
Well, I could adjust to a new man.
Well, actually, Joe, we sort of had other plans for you anyhow.
We're putting you on the Campbell Cherokee Tool account.
Campbell Cherokee... I'd be in Houston half the time.
- Houston's a refreshing town. - I've got a wife and a kid.
- Joe, we feel... - It's a demotion, isn't it?
- I wouldn't call it that. - You wouldn't?
Smaller, less sensitive account, miles away from home.
- What would you call it? - Well...
Well, never mind, I think I understand.
I hope you do, Joe.
Don't feel bad, honey.
I wouldn't be surprised if Rad Leland wanted you out of town...
...for fear you'd get his job.
Not his decision.
Well, somebody's making the decisions. There's politics down there.
You want the rest of this? I'll get some more, honey.
I don't know. I've tried to be honest with myself.
Ask myself, "Was it my fault?"
You know it's not.
That's funny, there's only two bottles down there.
I thought I had three.
Funny.
- You do your job, honey. - Yeah, I do. I know I do.
The main point is, you do your job.
Yeah, I swore I had three bottles in there.
You do your job fine.
You know, you gotta remember not everybody's honest.
Things are going on down there.
Bums.
- Howdy, Landry. - Charlie, shake hands with Joe Clay.
Joe's the new PR man from D.D.J.A. Charlie Dean.
- Good to see you. - Pleasure.
- Charlie's a vice president. - I look forward to working with you.
We're having a little barbecue out at my place Sunday.
- Why don't you come out and join us? - You'll get all the barbecue you can eat.
- And all the bourbon you can drink too. - Thank you.
- How's she doing, Landry? - She's doing great.
Mama Bear...
... and Baby Bear.
Oh, goody, goody! Toast and honey!
Mommy?
Mommy? Mommy?
What's the matter, honey? Oh, it's too noisy.
Just lie down. It's all those people coming home from work.
You go to sleep. I'll close the window.
Well, snuggle-bug, snuggle down, okay? Sleep.
Sleep.
Are they all right, Pop? You sure?
Well, I knew she was having a couple now and then...
...but nothing like this.
Yeah.
Okay, Pop. Well...
Take good care of them, Pop. Tell them I'll get there as quick as I can.
Waiter? Waiter, would you hit me again, please?
I...
I've gotta get the 11... I've gotta go home on the 11:30 plane.
My...
My wife got drunk and set the apartment on fire.
Couldn't this be rebuilt?
Frame's burned through.
Well, if you didn't spend most of your time in Houston, it wouldn't have happened.
Don't worry.
I won't be going to Houston anymore. They fired me.
Debbie, you run outside and play for a while. I want to speak to your mother.
Come on, honey.
- What's wrong? - We gotta talk about something.
- Have a beer... - No! Sorry.
- You drunk? - I haven't had a drop!
Well, then, what's the matter with you?
I walked by the Union Square Bar. I was gonna go in and I saw myself...
...my reflection in the window. And I thought, "I wonder who that bum is."
And then I saw it was me.
Now, look at me, I'm a bum. Look at me, look at you. You're a bum! Look at you.
And look at us. Look at us, come on!
Look at us. See? A couple of bums. Now, look! You've gotta listen to me.
It came to me. I saw it all. You know why I've been fired...
...from five jobs in four years. It's not politics.
It's not office politics or jealousy or any of that stuff. It's booze!
- It's booze! - A couple of drinks...
We have more than a couple of drinks, we get drunk! We stay drunk most of the time.
Look at the dump that we live in, the clothes that we wear...
We send that child off to school like she's...
Look at me. I'm a drunk and I don't do my job and that's it!
I'm a drunk and I don't do my job and I get fired and I can't get a job now! And I...
We should've looked at ourselves long ago and realized we've turned into bums!
Honey, honey, I love you!
I love you too, and I don't mean that I didn't. But we gotta face this.
Please!
All right, we just won't drink so much.
No! Not so... I got a plan and we got to do it, honey. We gotta make it work.
We're gonna get sober, but we'll stay sober. We don't take a drop. Nothing.
And then... I thought this out. We'll go to your father and convince him we mean it.
And he'll give us enough money to get off the ground.
Then I'll go to the old places and they'll see that I'm sober and they'll take me back.
Are you with me? We gotta do it now or it's too late. We gotta make it work.
- Are you with me? - I'm always with you.
Good. We gotta do it, honey, we gotta make it work.
Hey, Pop.
- You sure that Vic Tanny started this way? - Who?
Bernarr McFadden.
- One more, Joe. - Yeah. "One more, Joe."
Anything you say, warden.
Hey, warden? Gotta ask you one question.
Are you...?
You sure that out there there is a highway...
...and down that highway there is a town?
A town with people, with people just like us?
- One more tree, Joe. - "One more tree, Joe," I know.
"One more tree, Joe. One more tree, Joe."