About Mrs. Leslie Page #8

I've had a hard day.

The money's yours,

and so is the pin.

You're going out with me tonight

now for a drink or dinner.

Put those things back

in the safe and let's go.

You're making it harder

for me to say

what I wanted to

from the beginning.

I didn't think

I could afford it then,

so I only gave you half my name.

You suspected that,

didn't you?

2/3s, really.

Vivien,

I'm George Leslie hendersall,

one of those dollar-a-year men,

only I don't work a year.

I take six weeks off.

But that isn't what I wanted

to tell you because...

would you care

to order dinner?

We'll order later.

20 years ago,

I married a woman

because her family

could help me.

I told myself then that

you had to put emotions aside

to be a success,

so there was no emotion

in my marriage,

no love.

It was the biggest mistake

I'd ever made.

I built a trap for myself,

and I didn't see any way out

until that vacation with you,

that first one.

I didn't realize

that I'd been on a trip

until I found

a whole new life with you.

It lasted less than six weeks,

but it meant more to me

than all the years before.

There are reasons

why I haven't been able

to do anything about it yet,

pressures in my work,

from my sons...

I have two boys...

From society,

but only with you can I turn

the pressures off for a while.

With you, I'm George Leslie,

the man I'd like to be.

Can you forgive me

for not having told you before?

Thank you for telling me.

It was just what I'd told

myself last spring:

I don't even know

George l. Hendersall.

He was George Leslie,

a fellow

who lived in California

and went fishing,

and I needed him

because he needed me so much.

That year, Jim was being drafted

into the army.

We drank a toast to him.

Jim'll make a fine soldier.

I hope by this time next year,

the war is over,

and he'll be back with us again.

I hope we'll be back.

Is there any chance

that you'll have to go too?

Not for very long, vivi.

They've got me chained

to a desk.

I wish there was something

I could do to help.

Maybe I'll entertain

the troops, sing for them.

That would be helping,

wouldn't it, Mr. Leslie?

They'd love you too.

You'd be something

like the hutchinsons.

The who?

During the civil war,

the hutchinsons went around

singing for the yankee troops,

only it didn't last.

They had to stop.

Stop, why?

The hutchinsons

were singing a lyric

that whittier had just written

to the tune

of one of Luther's hymns.

What was it?

It was pretty stirring.

Went something,

"what gives the wheat

field's blades of steel?

What whets the knife

for the union's life?"

Something,

"hark to the answer, slavery."

That must have been dynamite

in those days.

Dynamite, yeah.

Yes, it was.

What with the men dying

like they did at stone river.

Murfreesboro.

Yes.

We'll be late for dinner.

Yes.

Mrs. Leslie.

Mrs. Leslie.

Mrs. Leslie.

Miss roland,

we've been looking for you.

- Were there any calls for me?

- No.

Mr. McKay is trying out

his ballroom act.

He'd like you to join us.

Oh, i...

Do I look all right?

Sure.

This is still the first number.

That's the girl's family.

Isn't the baby cute?

Thanks.

Thanks a lot.

Before we get

into the next number,

I'd like to explain

to miss roland here

that this isn't

our regular music.

Our pianist had a job tonight,

so we're just

using these records.

And now, the mambo.

How do you like them?

They're excellent.

You don't remember me, do you?

Blue, Frank blue.

No, I'm afraid not.

Thanks, thanks.

You're all very kind.

And now if we can get

the verdict

from the foreman of the jury.

I met you a couple of times

with gilly what's-her-name.

Miss roland, this is Mr. blue.

He's an agent.

We have business to talk about.

Wait a minute.

I got business to talk too.

This kid's

got a lot on the ball.

You didn't know who she was?

One of the most popular chicks

in Hollywood.

Whatever happened to you,

anyway?

You just sort of disappeared.

I'm living here now.

Gilly's knocking 'em dead.

Got herself a penthouse.

I don't figure you

for a joint like this.

How about we drive up

to gilly's for a drink?

No, I'm afraid I couldn't.

Miss roland, you haven't met

Mr. McKay's partner.

Well, how about the act?

Can we get to that?

Let me have an answer, Fred,

an honest one.

All right, kid.

The dame's okay, but no class.

You got class, period.

Honest enough?

Maybe we showed it too soon.

Maybe it needs more work.

What are you trying

to prove anyways?

Nine million guys a year

try to break into show business

because it looks

like a soft touch.

It isn't.

You got a soft touch.

Your brother-in-law,

why don't you get him

to open you up

a men's haberdashery

on the strip?

Anything, kid, but don't dance.

Thanks a lot, Fred.

I figured it

might be worth your while.

Yeah, should have been.

Well, see you around, kid.

How do we get out of here?

Right this way, Mr. blue.

Say, in case I want to give

the little girl a ring later,

what's the number here?

Maria doesn't live here.

No, I mean the roland girl.

What's the number?

It's a long-distance call

from wherever you are, Mr. blue.

I guess this is a day

for turndowns.

I know just how you feel.

Happened to you too?

Like the man said,

"that's life."

What do you say

we go somewhere,

have a drink, a real ball?

Yes, I'll go change.

I better go home.

Shall we?

Would you like me to drive?

No, I can handle it.

Get in.

Are you sure?

Get in.

We might have been killed.

If a drunk driver

kills himself,

it's not a bad day's work.

I might have killed you.

Are you all right now?

I think so.

I don't recommend

that as a way to sober up.

Are you sure you're sober?

Dry... dry as a bone,

so I can't be drowning.

If I'm not drowning,

why is my whole life

passing before my eyes?

Why don't you relax?

Have a cigarette.

It's been quite a day.

Quite a day.

The things I found out.

- Important things?

- Very.

I have nothing

to offer an audience.

I have no talent.

I have nothing to offer anyone.

Everyone isn't an audience.

You must have a lot

to give a lot of people.

You just have to know

who and what, that's all.

Hello, Nadine.

Hello.

Nadine...

Nobody's name

is really Nadine, is it?

I don't know.

Maybe not.

My real name is Alice.

Now, that's a name

a guy could say,

"hey, Alice, are my shirts back

from the laundry yet?"

You couldn't yell like that

at a woman named Nadine.

It doesn't fit very well,

does it?

"Nadine, the chauffeur's

using the station wagon,

so you'll have

to take the town car."

Now, that fits.

I guess I had that

in mind once.

I went to a wedding

last week.

The bride's parents gave them

twin station wagons

for a wedding present.

One was marked "his,"

the other "hers."

I'm not kidding.

That's the gang I've been

trying to keep up with.

You look as if you belong

to the twin station wagon set.

I've got 81 bucks

in the bank,

and I owe 51.

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