Alexander's Ragtime Band Page #7

It'd bother me a lot more if you didn't.

- Mine too, please.

- Thank you.

Pardon me, Mr. Alexander, but we're ready

when you are for the audition in room B.

Thank you. I'll be right along.

- Whose is this?

- Mine.

That's swell. Good comedy, boys.

- But I want a ballad for Miss Allen.

- We've got a million of them.

We'll be back tomorrow with a ballad

that'll tear your heart out.

- Thanks very much, boys. So long.

- Thank you.

Thank you. Goodbye.

Will you come in, please?

Well, Charlie. You old son of a gun.

- Hello, Alec.

- Say, this is great. How are you, anyhow?

- Fine. Fine. And you?

- Swell.

Come on. Sit down.

Gosh, I've been reading plenty about you.

You must have had all Europe

for a press agent.

Oh, they just happen to like

American music over there.

Don't try to kid me.

I've heard you on the radio.

Good old Charlie.

How are they going, anyway?

Oh, fine. Still pounding them out.

As long as "moon" rhymes with "June,"

I'm OK.

- I guess we're both pretty lucky.

- Yeah.

At least we didn't have to go back

to Dirty Eddie's.

Say, remember the night you played the

concert on Nob Hill and I lost the music?

That was a great night.

Will you wait a few minutes?

I wanna talk to you but I got some people

waitin' outside for audition.

- You're auditioning?

- Yeah.

Then I guess you're the fella I'm supposed

to see. I'm one of that few that's waiting.

- Next on the list, too.

- You?

Sure. I got a couple of ballads.

One of 'em's pretty good.

- Oh, great. Let's hear 'em.

- OK.

Ah, gee, I'm glad to see you, Charlie.

Don't think I'm not glad to see you.

- How's Stella?

- I don't know.

- What?

- I haven't heard from her in a long time.

She left town right after our divorce.

Divorce? You and Stella divorced?

Well, sure.

It just didn't... didn't pan out.

I... I knew she wasn't

in show business anymore, but...

I thought maybe you and she were leading a

quiet life somewhere and raising a family.

No. Not Stella.

You know how selfish she is.

How unreasonable. What

a double-crossing two-timer she can be.

Now, wait a minute!

Stella's the swellest girl I ever knew.

She never two-timed anybody.

- So you're still in love with her, huh?

- Well, what of it?

That's all I wanted to know.

Because she's still in love with you.

Same old Charlie.

And you're the same old hothead.

You were gonna sock me, weren't you?

You don't know how close you came

to having your ears slapped down.

Seems to me I've heard those words

before somewhere.

Well, what are we standing here

waiting for? Let's go find her.

I'm sorry I can't help you.

Miss Kirby left the show in Chicago

and I haven't heard anything of her since.

- Thanks. Thanks very much.

- Why don't you try Equity?

- They'll know where she is.

- Thanks very much.

Mr. Alexander,

Mr. Dillingham would like to talk to you.

He has a place for you in his new show.

I'm sorry. I haven't any open time

right now. Perhaps later. Goodbye.

Tickets, please.

Have your tickets ready, please.

- Yes, Miss?

- Does Bill work here anymore?

- Bill? Bill who?

- Bill. Used to be sort of a manager.

- Oh, you mean Bill Mulligan?

- Yes.

- Why, he owns the place.

- He does?

- Could I see him, please?

- Just wait over there. I'll call him.

Stella Kirby.

Bill.

Oh, you look positively handsome.

- Where have you been?

- Oh. Around.

I've been seeing the country.

And a very big country it is, too.

- What have you been doing?

- Singing.

Cabarets and cafs. Anyplace.

You, Stella Kirby, singing in cabarets?

No. Lilly Lamont.

I changed my name to fit the personality.

When I see some of these phonies

making good today and think of you...

Joe, bring us a bottle of champagne.

No, thanks. I feel

more at home with beer.

Just for old times' sake.

- Seen Alec?

- No, I haven't.

- But you're going to his concert?

- I don't think so.

He'd be the happiest man in the world if

he thought you was out in that audience.

He's looked everywhere for you.

- Just let him think of me as I was.

- Oh, that's silly.

You're going to that concert with me.

I got a box.

No, I'm just killing time

until my train leaves tonight.

- Will you have dinner with me?

- Sure.

Good. I got something to do,

it'll take me about 20 minutes.

I'll come back, and you and I will listen

to the concert here, on the radio.

- All right, Bill.

- Save mine.

- Wish me luck, Aunt Sophie.

- Roger, there's nothing to be afraid of.

This is something

you've been doing all your life.

Something you believe in.

Just think how proud Professor Heinrich

and I are of you, darling.

- Good luck.

- Thank you.

Thank you.

- Where's Alec?

- He'll be here in a minute.

- Here he is.

- Well, here we are.

- It's just like Dirty Eddie's.

- Except the customers have clean collars.

- Well, maestro. It's your night.

- Our night.

The Three Musketeers.

We fellas better get out there.

And don't forget to be good.

Ruby! Ruby!

- Ruby! Stella's back!

- Stella? Where?

- She's over at my place.

- Well, why didn't you bring her?

Don't argue! Now, listen.

When this concert's over, get a hold of Alec

and tell him to beat it down to my place.

- I'll hold her there.

- All right.

- I'll hold her there.

- All right.

When Bill... I mean Mr. Mulligan comes

back, would you tell him I couldn't wait?

Why, uh... Yes, I'll tell him.

Thank you.

Taxi, ma'am?

Taxi?

I guess so.

- Where to?

- Anyplace.

- Just wanna go riding, eh?

- That's right.

- How about the park?

- Doesn't matter.

Would you like some music?

- Where's that coming from?

- Carnegie Hall.

Alexander's Ragtime Band.

Sure can swing it, can't he?

You want me to turn it off?

Oh, no!

You may leave it on.

Park's kinda pretty tonight, ain't it?

Sort of springlike.

- Are we still in the park?

- We're just turning into 59th Street.

Nice just cruising around.

You take most fares, always in a hurry,

always wanna get someplace.

- Sure you ain't tired of this music?

- No.

Swell music.

That's where it comes from.

That's Carnegie Hall right there.

But I didn't ask to go to Carnegie Hall!

I know, but we gotta get out of the park

some way and this is where we landed.

Driver, stop here.

I think I'll get out and walk.

You bet. Nice night for walking.

How much?

- One dollar.

- Is that all? Haven't we...

One dollar even. No more, no less.

- Thank you.

- Night.

- One, please. In the balcony.

- Sorry, miss. The house is sold out.

- Then I'll stand.

- No standing room left either.

Thanks.

- Ruby, she's gone!

- Who's gone?

Stella. When I got back

to the place, she'd beat it.

- Well, didn't you leave anyone with her?

- Yeah, the taxi driver and he's gone, too.

Well, of all the stupid,

clumsy things to do...

Grand Central Station.

That's our only hope.

You couldn't find her if you stumbled

over her. I'll attend to this myself.

Come on. Hop in.

- No, thanks. I think I'll walk.

- Come on! Come on. Get in.

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