Act of Violence Page #2

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...so we decided to come on back.

- To get something to eat?|- What? Oh, no.

Nails or no nails,|I guess I'd better fix something.

- You must be starved.|- Yeah, I am a little bit.

Don't expect anything fancy.|I didn't get a chance to shop today.

Anybody been around while I was gone?

No, but I've been away myself.

Wait a minute.|There was a man here just after you left.

What did he look like?

Oh, he was just average.

He was lame.

- Do you know anybody like that?|- No.

Guess he'll be back|if it's anything important.

You can set the table if you want...

What do you say let's eat|in the kitchen tonight? Do you want to?

- We could go out if you'd rather.|- I don't feel like going out.

All right.|Come on out and talk to me then.

I'll see what I can whip up.

Wait until I tell you about that Martha.

We almost wound up in the clink.

If I hadn't talked like a Dutch uncle,|we probably would have.

Frank?

- I'll be right there.|- Oh, all right.

How about a tomato omelet?|That sound good?

Yeah, that sounds great.

You know, honestly,|that Martha's a menace.

First, she breezed|right through a boulevard stop.

Oh, open this for me, will you, hon?

Of course,|there would be a police car there.

- Open it.|- Oh, okay.

Anyway, Martha tried to give him|an argument.

Of course she didn't have a leg|to stand on.

Still, the way they were talking to her,|I was getting so mad that I could've...

Oh, answer it, will you, hon?

Oh, let's let it ring, shall we?

Why are you so lazy all of a sudden?|It might be Mother, long-distance...

It couldn't be.|Your mother called last week.

She wouldn't call again so soon.

If you're gonna be stubborn about it...

...I'll get it myself.|- No, don't answer it.

- Frank, what's the matter?|- Nothing's the matter.

- What is it? Tell me.|- I don't wanna talk or listen to anybody.

I don't wanna see anybody. I wanna|spend a quiet evening in my own home.

Is that asking too much?

No.

No, of course not.

- More coffee?|- No, thanks.

- Can I give you a hand with the dishes?|- No, they won't take a minute.

- What in...?!|- Shh!

Frank, that's the man|that was here this afternoon.

Yes, I know.

- But who is he? Why do we have to hide?|- Somebody I don't want to see.

- Frank, this is our house. Our own house.|- Edith, don't talk so loud.

I was only whispering.

He followed me to the lake.|I didn't tell you.

- I thought he wouldn't come back.|- He asked where you were.

- Why did you tell him? What would...?|- I didn't know.

It's all right.

It doesn't matter.

- What does he want?|- Nothing.

He's a guy that I knew in the Army.

He's not right.|They've had him in the hospital.

- Does he want help or money? Is that it?|- No, no.

I was his CO|and he's got some crazy idea...

...that everything that ever happened to him|is my fault.

If I see him, there'll just be a scene.

I don't want to see him.

- What are we going to do? We can't hide.|- Just forget about it.

Baby, go on to bed, please.

He'll go away|if he thinks we're not home at home.

He's still there.

He'll go away after a while.

Frank, I still don't understand. Why...?

Edith, a lot of things happened in the war|that you wouldn't understand.

Why should you?|I don't understand them myself.

Come on, let's go on up.

It's all right, Georgie.

It was just a bad dream.

It's all right, honey.

Go to sleep now.

Go on to sleep.

There.

Is he still there?

Yeah.

He won't come back again.

Look, baby, go on back to bed.

It's all right now.|There's nothing to worry about.

Where are you going?

Just downstairs. I'll be up in a minute.

Frank.

I was just...

I want to ask you something.

When we packed up all of a sudden|and came out here from Syracuse...

...three thousand miles|across the country...

...was that on account of him?

Not collecting your terminal leave pay...

...dropping all our friends back East.|It all was, wasn't it, Frank?

I know you went through|some bad times in the war.

I know some things must have happened|that hurt you. I never asked.

But I am asking now, Frank.|I want to know.

Do you recognize him?

Joe Parkson. Was he...?

- You saw him this afternoon and tonight.|- But I remember him from your letters.

He was your friend.

Yes, he was my bombardier.

Frank, I think I know now.

What do you mean?

He was with you|all the time you were flying.

- Twenty-five missions.|- No, it was 21.

And a year in the prison camp.|Was that it?

Was that what did it to him?|The strain he went through?

Things like that happen sometimes.

What did you mean|when you said he'd make a scene?

Did you mean he might be violent?

He might be.

What happened at the lake|this afternoon?

Nothing, he came up there...

Frank, look at me.

- He tried to kill you, didn't he?|- No, he was nowhere near me.

- I just left, that's all.|- Oh, this has gone far enough.

- What are you doing?|- Calling the police.

- No, he's sick.|- What if he comes back?

- He won't.|- How do you know what he'll do?

He wouldn't hurt you or the baby.|You saw that.

- I'm not thinking about myself.|- I know, but...

I don't care what a great pal he was.

I'll not gonna let you get killed|because you think you owe something.

This is not a thing|you can go to the police about.

Then call the Army, an Army hospital.|Tell them what he tried to do.

- Tell them to come and get him.|- No.

Frank.

You don't know what made him|the way he is.

I do.

What are you going to do?

I don't know.

Frank!

- Now, get out of here.|- Back in the house.

He's gone. He's left town.

Look, if you don't believe me.|The garage. He took the car...

Oh!

- Where is he?|- I told you, he's gone.

I don't know where he is.|I don't know when he'll be back.

Upstairs.

He's got it nice here, hasn't he?

Real nice.

It's all right, Georgie, don't cry.

Just so there won't be|any misunderstanding...

...tell him I'll be back.

If you are, the police will be here|to meet you.

You'd better check with your husband.|I don't think he'd like that.

Why don't you leave us alone?|Why don't you go away?

He never did anything to you.

I know all about you.|He told me about you.

He thinks he has to protect you,|but I'm not going to.

- I don't care what you went through.|- What did he tell you about me?

What did he tell you?

Did he tell you|that I'm a cripple because of him?

Did he tell you about the men|that are dead because of him?

Tell you what happened to them|before they died?

Mike Garby? He had a wife and a kid too.

Made a nuisance out of himself|showing everybody their picture.

Afterwards,|somebody got the picture back.

It was so covered with blood|you couldn't tell what it was.

And the other men were moaning|outside the wire all night long.

I was lucky.

They thought I was dead|and left me there.

But it's not his fault.|He had nothing to do with it.

- He was a stool pigeon for the Nazis.|- You're lying. You're crazy.

He told me you were crazy.

They even had to put you in the hospital|because you were crazy.

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