Cactus Flower Page #5

your happiness

without any help from me.

And now you want

to use me in this...

In this contemptible way.

You just tricked me

into talking about myself

so that...

What you did

wasn't very nice, Doctor.

Not very nice at all.

(PIANO CONTINUES PLAYING)

You just can't get

decent help these days.

(CAR HONKING)

(PEOPLE CHATTERING)

I thought

you were taking us

to the zoo today.

Oh, this is much better

than the zoo.

Now, here,

you go and buy yourselves

an ice cream, huh?

I'll be over there

in the record shop.

And I'll...

I'll meet you here.

Good.

(HORN BLARING)

Don't you have this

in mono?

Uh, it's been

discontinued.

Let me look in

the stockroom. Maybe

we still have a copy.

(MUSIC PLAYING)

(TELEPHONE RINGING)

Can I help you?

No thanks. Just browsing.

When do you expect

the recording

of the Horowitz concert?

Oh, it should be in

later this week.

Thank you.

You're welcome.

Looking for something

in particular?

That, uh, Horowitz album,

if I order it now,

will you mail it to me?

Most certainly.

May I have your

name, please?

Mrs. Julian Winston.

And do you have

an account with us?

No, but my husband does

a lot of business here.

Surely you remember

my husband.

Well, I may have

assisted him sometime.

(DOOR CLOSING)

Oh, I wouldn't be surprised.

Pardon?

Maybe you didn't

catch my name.

Mrs. Julian Winston.

Uh, Marcia?

(CLEARS THROAT)

Would you handle this?

Uh, my customer,

I'll take care of this.

Sure.

Mrs. Winston,

I'm Toni Simmons.

I suppose you came here

to see me.

Dr. Winston, my husband,

said that you were

most anxious to meet me.

Well, here I am.

Um, did he, uh...

Did he tell you

about our, our plans?

Uh, the divorce.

Naturally.

Well?

Well, what?

You don't mind?

Oh, the doctor and I

are in complete agreement

about the divorce.

(EXHALES) I can't tell you

how good that makes me feel.

I really

made your day, hmm?

Well, you see,

Mrs. Winston...

Call me Stephanie.

After all, I won't be

Mrs. Winston much longer.

Oh, then you do mind?

Of course not.

Oh, things between

the doctor and me

have become impossible.

(TONI CLEARING THROAT)

Oh, I can't tell you

how good that makes me feel.

I'm glad.

May I ask you a question?

Are you absolutely sure

that you love Julian?

Do I love him?

Do you?

Madly. Wildly. Desperately.

(TELEPHONE RINGING)

As long as

you're fond of him.

I don't want him

to end up

bitter and unhappy.

Oh, I understand,

especially after he had

such a terrible marriage.

It was not so terrible.

Our marriage, after all,

lasted 10 years and we...

I notice you're not

wearing a ring.

Well, when something

is over, it's over.

Well, I just hope

that you have better luck

with Julian than I did.

Oh, I'm sure I will.

Uh, there's just one thing

that's bothering me...

I'll be happy to play this

for you, if you'll just...

(MUSIC PLAYING)

Mrs. Winston,

who's going to

tell the children?

The children?

Oh, it's going to be tough

explaining

such a horrible thing

to three young children.

Three.

(STAMMERING)

We have to tell them.

Three.

Well, I'll, I'll tell them.

Julian is no good

at that sort of thing.

How will they take it?

Oh, they'll

get used to it.

At least now I'll be able

to devote myself

to them full-time.

I've been so busy

helping Julian

with his work.

Of course,

he does have a nurse.

Oh, I know.

I hear Miss Dickinson

is marvelous.

She is.

One of those

sterling old maids,

probably madly in love

with the boss.

Did Julian

tell you that?

No, not exactly.

But one night

when he was working late,

I suddenly got jealous

of Miss Dickinson.

(GIGGLES) When I told

him about it, he just

laughed and laughed.

(LAUGHING)

Have you ever been

jealous of her?

Not me.

Any woman who marries Julian

had better not be

the possessive type.

Oh, I know Julian

must have played around.

But after all,

when a man has

a terrible marriage...

Don't keep saying that.

Now, I must go, really.

Mrs. Winston,

you asked me a question,

and now I want

to ask you one.

Are you absolutely sure

you don't love him anymore?

But of course

I don't love him anymore.

But you can't leave a man

after so many years

without feeling

a little pain.

A man with whom

you have shared all normal,

everyday things.

Worrying about

his barber, his tailor.

Making sandwiches for him.

Oh, he's crazy about chicken

and egg salad sandwiches.

And buying his shirts,

his pajamas,

his handkerchiefs,

looking after him.

Planning for him.

A man who's all yours.

(MUSIC CONTINUES PLAYING)

(LAUGHS)

At least, almost all yours.

Oh, I don't know

what has come over me.

I'm talking nonsense.

It must be that music.

(TELEPHONE RINGS)

You will see that I get

that Horowitz album?

Of course.

Shall I charge it

to Dr. Winston?

No, I'd better get used to

paying for things myself.

You want it sent

to your home address?

Yes.

No. Uh, send it

to 975 Glenwood,

uh, Jackson Heights,

Apartment 3A.

You moved out?

Yes, I packed up everything,

including the children,

and moved in with my sister.

I thought

that was the best thing

for everybody.

Mrs. Winston!

What about your future?

What's going

to become of you?

Oh, I'll just ride off

into the sunset

or something.

Well, it's just

that I want to be sure

you're all right.

Well, I'll...

I'll write you

every day.

Mrs. Winston!

I want you to know I think

you're a very gracious,

charming

and very brave woman.

Oh. Thank you, my dear.

(JULIAN SINGING)

I thought it was Toni.

What if it had been?

I just, I wanted to get

my electric razor

out of her apartment.

Why would it be in there?

Because you can't

slash your wrists

with an electric razor.

I took all her blades

away from her.

I wish you'd butt out

of my fiancee's life.

"Fiancee." now,

look, Dentist...

Doctor.

Why don't you stop

stringing the girl along?

You know you're not

going to leave your wife.

For your information, sir,

Toni and I are

getting married.

She didn't tell me.

Why should she tell you?

(FOOTSTEPS ON STAIRS)

TONI:
Hey, Igor.

That's a new towel.

Hello, Julian.

(KEY RATTLING)

I, I just heard

the good news.

Congratulations.

Thanks, Igor.

It'll take a while yet.

TONI:
But first

there's the divorce.

Oh, we haven't

gotten our divorce yet?

Would you give Tarzan here

his electric razor?

Oh, I'm sorry, Igor.

I should have

returned it.

So, you haven't

gotten the divorce yet?

I'd like to have you

in my chair

for five minutes.

Thanks.

Next time,

don't come calling

in that outfit.

You want me to get

all dressed up to shave?

Ho-ho.

How come you're so late?

Julian, I had a visitor

at the shop this afternoon.

Your wife.

She came?

She was magnificent.

Handled herself beautifully.

She's a real lady.

Well, I don't marry

just anybody.

Then everything

is all cleared up?

Julian, you lied to me.

What? Never!

What did she tell you?

I deny it.

Well, you may not be aware

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