Bad Day at Black Rock Page #3

Look what you did to my car.

Anything I can do to make it up?

You ought to be more careful, man.

All that one-arm driving.

I'll be glad to pay for the damages.

It's a threat to life and limb.

Fortunately, no one was hurt.

You could get yourself killed that way,

nosing all over the countryside.

I guess that's a danger, all right.

That's pretty smart of you.

How long do you intend to keep it up?

I'm pulling out right now.

- Still expecting that convention?

- What?

If you're expecting any extra cowboys,

my room is available.

Are you checking out?

Any trains leaving tonight?

- Tomorrow morning. The streamliner.

- I know about that.

Milk train or freights?

- Tomorrow, after the streamliner.

- Buses?

Closest stop is Sand City, 32 miles away.

You're in such a hurry,

you should have never got off here.

I'm inclined to agree with you.

If you're looking for the keys to the jeep,

they're not there.

- Where would you suggest I look?

- The jeep's not for rent.

- Why, it was just a few hours ago.

- Things change.

Sure do.

And Smith is the kid

who changes them, isn't he?

You mind if I use this?

Yeah, go ahead.

What's wrong with this town of yours,

Miss Wirth?

Nothing's wrong with this town,

Mr. Macreedy.

It's none of your concern.

Why is everybody so concerned

about me then?

- Am I concerned?

- No, you're not, but...

But what?

I have a feeling

you're a little bit too unconcerned.

You're so unconcerned,

you won't even rent me a jeep.

I don't own a taxi service.

I don't have a license.

Too bad everybody in this town...

isn't as scrupulously devoted

to law and order as you are.

I don't want to get involved.

- Involved in what?

- Whatever you're up to!

Whatever happens,

I've got to go on living in this town.

These people are my neighbors,

my friends.

All of them?

This is my town, Mr. Macreedy.

Like it or not.

Well, if you don't like it,

why do you stick around?

My brother, Pete, he'd never leave.

Did it ever occur to you

that you might leave without him?

You look like an independent young lady.

Your brother seems...

Weak? I know.

That's why I couldn't leave him.

What did your brother do?

What do you care?

What do you care about Black Rock?

I don't care anything about Black Rock.

Only it seems to me that there aren't

many towns like this in America.

But one town like it is enough.

And because I think something kind of bad

happened here, Miss Wirth.

Something they can't quite seem

to find a handle to.

- You don't know what you're saying.

- Well, I know this much.

The rule of law has left here

and the gorillas have taken over.

Yeah, and you just tried to steal

the key to my jeep.

I figured that

that was the only way I could get it.

Was I wrong, Miss Wirth?

I'd like to ask you a few questions

while you're around.

I'm around, all right.

I guess probably you've heard...

that Miss Wirth is no longer

in the car rental business.

Good. I wouldn't want to see that girl

get into trouble.

- Wouldn't you?

- What with rental permits...

gas rationing, you know what I mean.

Yeah, I certainly admire

your sturdy sense of responsibility.

It's just that, that girl has a future.

Let's talk about my future.

- Do you think you have the time?

- I don't seem to be going anywhere.

I hear you handle a jeep real well.

Yes, I do have a way with jeeps.

A certain familiarity.

I think I understand. You're an army man.

- Where'd you get it?

- Italy.

That's tough.

I tried to enlist myself the day after

those rats bombed Pearl Harbor.

What stopped you?

Physical. They wouldn't take me.

Morning after Pearl, I was the first man

at Marine Recruiting in Sand City.

They wouldn't take me.

Tough.

What do you do in Los Angeles,

Mr. Macreedy?

I'm retired.

You might say

I was forced into retirement.

What were you looking for in Adobe Flat?

Like I told you, I was looking

for a fellow named Komako.

And like you told me, he wasn't there.

- What's so funny?

- Nothing.

Just I don't believe you.

I believe a man is as big

as what he is seeking.

I believe you are a big man, Mr. Macreedy.

Flattery will get you nowhere.

Why would a man like you

be looking for a lousy Jap farmer?

- You can't tell. Maybe I'm not so big.

- Yes, you are.

I believe a man is as big

as what will make him mad.

Nobody around here seems big enough

to get you mad.

- What makes you mad, Mr. Smith?

- Me?

- Nothing.

- You're a pretty big man yourself.

- The Japanese make you mad, don't they?

- Well, that's different.

After that sneak attack

on Pearl Harbor. Bataan.

- Komako made you mad?

- It's the same thing.

Loyal Japanese-Americans. That's a laugh.

They're all mad dogs.

What about Corregidor, the Death March?

What did Komako

have to do with Corregidor?

He was a Jap, wasn't he?

Look, Mr. Macreedy.

There's a law in this county

against shooting dogs.

But when I see a mad dog,

I don't wait for him to bite me.

I swear,

you're beginning to make me mad.

All strangers do.

No, they don't. Not all of them.

Some do

when they come around snooping.

- Snooping for what?

- I don't know.

Outsiders coming in

looking for something.

- Looking for what?

- I don't know!

Somebody's always looking for something

in this part of the West.

To the historian, it's the Old West.

To the book writer, it's the Wild West.

To the businessman,

it's the Undeveloped West.

They say we're all poor and backward,

and I guess we are.

We don't even have enough water.

But to us, this place is our West.

And I wish they'd leave us alone.

Leave you alone to do what?

I don't know what you mean.

What happened to Komako?

He went away. I told you.

Shortly after he left, some kids

went out there. They got fooling around.

They burned his place down. That's how

it was. You know how kids are.

- What's so funny?

- Nothing.

It's just that I don't believe you...

any more than I believed you

about the letters.

You don't seem to believe anything I say.

Yes, I believe you about

what you say about the businessmen...

being interested in Adobe Flat.

Why?

Well, I would think

they would be interested...

maybe some historian,

in all that land lying fallow.

You know, it could be used

for some purpose, maybe a graveyard.

There's something buried up there.

You have wildflowers.

That means a grave.

I suppose you knew that.

I saw a lot of it overseas.

Figured it wasn't a human grave

because it wasn't marked.

Kind of a mystery, isn't it?

Kind of.

Maybe you can figure it out.

- Maybe.

- Why don't you give it a whirl?

It might help you pass the time

for a while.

Well, I've got other things to do.

I'm not interested.

- Hi.

- Hello.

- Pull up a chair.

- Can I use your phone?

Yeah, help yourself.

You're one of the few people

who's been back here I can say that to.

It's 424.

What's 424?

If I've got you pegged, and I think I have,

you're calling the State Police.

But if I was you,

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