A New Kind of Love Page #6

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- Yeah.

Like that lovely, innocent-looking

blond sitting over there.

- ls she possibly--?

- An old friend.

Of mine, and the

crown prince of Denmark.

No kidding.

She doesn't quite look like--

That is why l doubt

if you could afford an introduction.

What do you mean?

l just wanna talk to her.

She's an expensive listener,

monsieur.

One of the most expensive.

Why not? This is business

and l'm still on an expense account.

Eh bien.

l will speak with her about you.

Perhaps she is already occupied.

Perhaps she does not care

for your appearance.

Also, perhaps she does not wish

to be regarded as a game of football.

- But l'll do my best.

- Fight on for USC.

Bonjour, mademoiselle.

Bonjour.

- Oh, you are American.

- Oh, l went to Berlitz.

Then perhaps you will have a feeling

of kindness and understanding

for mon cher ami.

He is American also.

Kindness?

Two years, mademoiselle,

in a prison hospital in Algiers.

Wounded.

- Solitary confinement.

- Oh, no.

Unable to be moved.

Months after hostilities ceased,

it was impossible to secure his release.

How terrible.

He was my capitaine in the legion.

He has asked me if perhaps

he might come and speak with you.

Why didn't he come

and ask me himself?

Oh, mademoiselle.

You are not familiar

with war or imprisonment.

- No.

- His mind isn't where it should be.

He is shy, uncertain.

All this seems strange

and terrible to him.

These crowds, this traffic.

And after so long, these women.

Yeah, he must be terrified.

He has undergone

much suffering, even torture.

lf you would look at him,

give him confidence,

smile at him,

it would mean so much.

You don't know what you have done

for France and America.

Everything is arranged. lt was

a little difficult about the talking only,

but she is used to the bizarre.

l'm sure of it.

Well, listen, thanks a lot.

One thousand new francs,

monsieur, for two hours.

What?

That's $1 00 an hour. The president

of the United States doesn't make that.

May l point out that they are not

in the same line of work?

You will give me the money now.

- The crown prince of Denmark?

- Among others.

- You sure?

- Of course.

l have even heard her mention--

- A very high official in the government.

- Who?

Who else?

There may be a bigger

article in this than l thought.

- Maybe a magazine piece.

- Possibly a novel.

Please, we better step over here

so we do not cause

her embarrassment.

She's very sensitive.

She must be.

Well, the price was pretty stiff,

but thanks a lot.

Don't mention it.

To anybody.

Well, hello, hello.

How's business?

Well, you do speak English, don't you?

l forgot to ask your sales manager.

Honey, if you only speak French,

the deal is off.

l-- A hundred dollars an hour,

l can't afford an interpreter.

Parlez-vous anglais,

parce que si vous non parle--

Oh, oui, monsieur.

Oui, l speak English very well.

You'd be surprised.

Oh, l am. l am, indeed.

lt's amazing.

Must be that innocent look of yours

that put you in the top income bracket.

- lnnocent?

- Oh, come on, now.

l used to play football

with a left guard like that.

He was one of the mildest,

nicest guys in the world

until the ball was snapped,

then, bam.

Two of the biggest guys in the

opposition would be flat on their tails.

Oh, sorry, l didn't mean to talk shop.

Monsieur, let me understand.

You have paid my,

what do you call him, my manager

1 00 dollars an hour for me?

Yep. Two solid hours.

And l plan to use every minute of it.

Monsieur, l think there

has been a terrible error.

Oh, no. What's the matter?

Are you sore because

we're just gonna sit and talk?

- Talk?

- Yeah, l thought he explained it to you.

Oh, monsieur has been

injured in this football?

l don't think so.

Come on, sit down.

l'm just a newspaper man looking for

a good story, and the name is Steve.

Yours?

- Mimi.

- Well, of course.

- ''That funny-looking, round-heeled--''

- No, no, no.

''That funny, little,

good-for-nothing Mimi.''

You got into this business because

the man you love betrayed you.

No, monsieur. l just like it.

Mimi, we're gonna get along very well.

But that accent, now, what is that?

- What does it sound like?

- Oh, l don't know.

Hungarian, Romanian.

Flatbush Avenue.

Perhaps someday

l shall tell you. Just wait.

Holy-- l'm late.

l didn't know we were

gonna have this little conversation,

so l made arrangements to cover this

game. We can continue our talk there.

- Come on.

- Monsieur--

Look, Madame Bovary, l'm late.

l don't want any arguments.

Come on. You still owe me

an hour and 50 minutes.

Let's keep the meter running.

Taxi.

Come on, baby, we're in a hurry.

On the way in to the stadium,

Mimi told me how she'd gotten

into her present interesting occupation.

Since she was a little girl, she said,

she always wanted

to be just like mama.

And another thing, how did you

happen to meet the crown prince?

- Who?

- Now, don't play it coy.

- You know, the crown prince.

- Which one?

Oh, yes.

Yes, at a party, of course.

You meet such interesting people

at parties in Paris, don't you think?

Oh, look at the football.

Oh, bravo.

Merveilleux.

Never mind about the game. l wanna

hear some more about that party.

What? Oh, yes. Well,

l have been to many strange ones,

monsieur, but this one--

Have you seen the

cinema, La Dolce Vita?

Twice.

Well, this one,

it was not like that at all.

You see, the prince and l,

we were to picnic alone

in the meadow near his chateau.

But when we arrived there,

to my surprise,

there are many of his friends,

men, who wished to join us.

- What was for lunch?

- Well, not what l expected.

You see, at the time,

l had un touss, a cough.

So, of course, l insist

to go back to the chateau.

But they would not let me.

They start to run after me.

Especially the prince. Because to him,

you see, it's just a game. So...

As l listened,

l got a crazy idea for a column.

Mimi's amorous adventures,

transferred to the soccer field.

What a crowd that would draw.

Somewhere, l somehow found

the strength to stop his madness.

Again and again,

and again and again.

Then, monsieur, there in the meadow,

everything went black.

Well, better luck next time.

l don't believe a word you've told me,

but it's gonna make a hell of a column.

''Game Time in the Meadow''

or ''Mimi Makes All-American.''

Monsieur, l assure you that everything

l've told you is absolutely true.

Can l drop you off at your hotel,

or wherever it is you stay?

No, no, no, no.

lt really isn't necessary.

You see, it's very late, and l have

to go to another engagement.

- ln the afternoon?

- lt's an elderly gentleman.

Oh, is it the one your sales manager

told me about, in the government?

lt's not for me to say.

lf you're telling the truth,

l'll drop you off there.

- lf you wish.

- That accent, French-Canadian.

- l used to room with a hockey player.

- Oh, so did l.

No, wait a minute. Another thing,

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