Bang the Drum Slowly Page #7

Now, they bombed

you out early.

Why didn't you use your

energy in the game?

What are you doing

it in here for?

Listen, don't mess around

with that stuff.

Everybody's going

to be very...

You're writing

a new book, Arthur?

No, Joe,

I'm being interrupted

by somebody

busting in my room.

About you and Pearson?

What makes

you think so?

I didn't understand

the situation.

What situation?

The situation you're probably

writing the book about.

Probably what situation?

The way I feel

about it is this:

I believe that Pearson's

a better tegwar player

than I ever realized

and should play with

us all the time.

I swear to God, Arthur

I'm shaking and my knees are

trembling, my heart is sick.

He told me on the airplane.

Who told you what?

Goose told me.

Why?

I've been calling Pearson

"Romeo and Juliet:

Which is which," see?

Now who'll you tell?

Nobody, Arthur!

Absolutely nobody!

I told the wife,

and that's the end of it.

Why "told the wife"?

Arthur,

I tell the wife everything.

Hello, Doc.

Sidney.

What's up?

Where is everybody?

Nobody knows.

I'll bet Tootsie knows.

Knows what, Arthur?

Now look,

I know something is up.

The long distance

been flying far and fast.

I could use two grandstands

any weekend or night.

Yeah, well, tickets are going

to be scarcer and scarcer

from here on in.

Why did I see Doc Loftus

just pass through?

Oh, Doc Loftus in the hotel?

Doc Loftus, telephone, please.

Who wants him?

Dutch wants him.

Who's sick?

I don't know,

somebody in Minnesota.

I'm not clear.

Look, I only catch

a little bit now and then

and, besides, who understands

this medical talk

they're talking?

But I believe he has a leak

in his blood somewhere.

Room service?

Just a moment, please.

Nothing serious,

but I don't know who.

I never heard of it.

But for two more grandstands

on the following day

I can tell you

something else.

Yeah? I'd hate to hear it.

You are in the doghouse.

Why you?

You've been playing

your heart out.

It's some of those other

so-called baseball players

been dragging their foot.

That's why

we haven't won it yet.

Why me?

Because of your contract,

Pearson...

Mr. Rogers

the detective, broke it open.

You see, very easy.

Joe Jaros and Goose Williams

spent the winter in Minnesota

with Pearson.

You know, I didn't even know

they were that friendly.

Well, takes all kinds.

The time is 8:
06.

Third base side, Arthur,

lower deck, not too far back

and not behind no pillars

nor post.

I told you!

I told you I'd get

to the bottom of this!

Good morning to all.

Good morning.

Shouldn't have kept

it a secret, Henry.

I can't understand

why I'm not crying.

Keep your hankie handy,

dearie.

Makes you think it can happen

to your own son.

It upset Joe

something terrible.

Don't you think

we discussed it enough

as far as how horrible it is?

Tonight is another ball game

as usual.

Maybe we can get help

from the, uh, commissioner.

You can't get help there

and keep it in this room

at the same time.

Well, then let

the facts out.

It wouldn't be human.

Is it human to lose?

We're calling in Piney Woods

from Queens City

for eXtra catching.

Ready on your call

to Professor Traphagen.

Do we really need him?

He was the greatest

catcher I ever saw.

Arthur, you were his boy.

You talk him into coming back

to help us.

He's out of condition.

He teaches English

at a college.

He won't play.

He'll stick to catching.

He'll study us, help

us make it to the end.

How much can I offer him?

The sky's the limit,

and I'm sure the boys will go

to a full series share

if we win.

Red?

Oh, trouble, Red.

Lots of trouble!

Arthur wants to talk to you!

Yeah, it's Arthur who got us

in trouble in the first place.

Red, we got a crisis here,

and we need your help.

You get a full series share

if we win it.

Red, how do you like the sound

of a thousand dollars a week?

Can't find a substitute?

To do what?

Teach English?

What teach English?

People speak English already!

Red, Red, it's urgent.

I swear you won't have to play,

just instruct the catching!

Right!

Hop on the nearest plane.

Love and kisses, Red.

I hate him.

Have you thought up

anything yet, Doc?

I'm thinking.

You're a

slow thinker.

This thing, this...

What is it called?

The disease is named

for Hodgkin.

He's the man who identified it.

Find him.

Is he alive himself?

Maybe he thought up a cure

by now

that those jugheads up in

Minnesota didn't hear about yet.

What the hell kind of a place

is that anyway

to build a goddamn hospital

in the wilds of nowhere?

Does a man freeze his ass off

by the time they get him

down in bed?

You. You were there.

You sneaked out there

in the middle of winter

and all the rest

was horse feathers.

You and Mary "P" for palooka!

And hunting through the ice

and miracle drugs for the clap

and tricks on the telephone!

Whoo-hoo!

Howdy, partners!

Hey, Piney,

what's going on?

Tumblin' tumbleweeds!

Piney Woods!

Hey, Piney, Piney

did you come here

from Queens City

on horseback?

No, partner,

I flew.

Hey, it's Red Traphagan!

What's up, Arthur?

Damn if I know.

You know I'd tell

you if I knew.

It smells the same.

It stinks!

Human perspiration smells,

it doesn't stink.

Wouldn't have it

any other way, huh?

Arthur.

How are you?

Jesus, you've been

having a great year.

Best year of my life.

I've bet you got

no reception like this

in San Francisco.

No, they pray I

don't show for class.

What's up, Red?

Why are you here?

Let's get a statement.

Ponce!

Ponce, I want to talk

to my boys, huh?

Why is he here, Dutch?

What's happening?

- Is he going to play?

- Never.

He's here to coach

the catching

and Piney's here to

catch the catching

in case anything happens.

You'll get your story later.

- Why now?

- Mental lapse, that's why.

Beat it.

Look, there's lemonade,

there's cookies outside.

Why don't you get going,

stay outside.

If you want a story

I'll give it to you later on.

Where's your gun?

Well, right here, partner.

Hand it over.

I'm in no mood to

see anybody get killed

by a bullet wound.

Piney, I hear you had

bullets with it, too.

Well, yes, sir.

They're in the gun.

Why the hell didn't

you tell me?

Why, I didn't think

it'd go off.

I'm always very careful.

That's what everybody says.

That's why the hospitals

are full of babies.

- Jonah?

- Yeah.

You shot guns in the war.

No, sir, I played baseball.

Some hell of a war.

Canada.

Yes, sir.

- You shot guns in Vietnam.

- Right.

Here. Take and empty this gun.

Why am I here, Arthur?

Boys? Boys...

I want to welcome Red back

from the Coast

to bolster us

and steady up the instruction.

I want to welcome Piney Woods

back from the wild, wild west

to ride along with us

all the way now

is what I'm hoping.

You've all been doing

very good jobs.

Maybe now and then

some baseball player

or other type of person gets

the idea that I'm not human.

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