Cannery Row Page #3

One of the reasons people live here

is they don't want to be well known.

Okay?

So he's just hiding out.

He ain't hiding. He just ain't

stepping forward for comment.

Well, if we put him

forward for comment

we could ask him and he's...

He's Eddie The Blur.

Doc's Eddie The Blur.

After an hour or so,

Doc was tired of driving.

Something more was needed

to beat his restlessness.

An element of danger, maybe.

He could find no one to fight with,

so he did the next best thing.

- What'll it be?

- A beer milkshake.

A beer milkshake?

Use vanilla ice cream

and half a bottle of beer.

Did I make it right?

You make a good one, you really do.

Thanks.

- What did you think of the kid?

- Suzy? She threw the book at me.

I don't see her working for you.

Would you make a play for her like

you do to them other dames you date?

If you made a pitch for her like

she was a lady, she might believe it.

- What good would that do?

- She might leave the Bear Flag.

She might stop congregating

with floozies.

She might take up an office job.

I could stop losing money on her.

What am I going to do with her?

Doc, you don't marry

them other dames, do you?

Once she gets her confidence up,

she'll just take a powder.

- It seems a little far-fetched.

- You don't have to make no pass.

Just be nice to her.

I'll have to think about it.

But Doc was tired of thinking.

He went to visit The Seer.

Something he'd done regularly

for years.

Some people say I'm crazy.

It's this hat.

It belonged to my mother's mule.

She said it would make me lucky.

Must be nice to have a guardian

mule. What do you think of octopi?

Moody. Very moody.

They're easily upset.

I wish you could ask them why.

You seem to have

the gift of the gab on animals.

I did once, they wouldn't tell me.

Very tight-lipped.

You seem a little confused today.

Do you want to talk about it?

I would if I knew what it was.

I do things I've always done,

but I think about them more.

I take everything I've learned and

try to make it add up to something.

Maybe you're not ready.

Maybe you need some help.

What kind of help?

There's some things

a man can't do alone.

I wouldn't think

of trying anything so big...

..without...

Without what?

Without someone

with a sponge in my corner.

What does that mean?

I'm sorry.

Forget I asked that question.

Just forget I asked that.

It's time I go watch the sunset.

I'd be a bad Seer if I didn't do it.

I even think it wouldn't go down

without me.

- Doc?

- Yeah.

I wanted to tell you about the other

night. I didn't mean most of that.

You were right.

I said it because you ran me down

for being a floozy.

It doesn't matter where the truth

comes from as long as it is true.

- Meaning I am a floozy?

- I didn't mean that!

- What, then?

- I didn't mean...

What the hell have you got on?

It's costume night.

Fauna made me Little Bo Peep.

I guess some guys think it's racy.

- Little Bo Peep?

- It was this or a nun.

I ain't gonna be no nun.

I don't believe in it.

These moral distinctions escape me.

You make distinctions,

I make a living.

- And it doesn't matter how.

- Don't lecture me, Doc.

Where have your distinctions

got you? You got a girl? No.

- I got all the women I need.

- Like that dame at your house?

Why can't you admit

you used to be a baseball player?

- Who told you that?

- I heard you pitch.

On the radio. My favourite,

Louis Delano, got a triple off you.

Because my right fielder was drunk.

I know a solid hit when I hear one.

- And that dame left early.

- She had an appointment.

- At 11pm?

- She's got a busy schedule.

And it was a lousy hit!

It did bounce off the wall.

After Beringer kicked it! Delano

couldn't hit the wall in here.

Why couldn't she rearrange

her busy schedule?

She's a woman of principle.

- Sounds like she took a powder.

- She had someone to meet.

- Who?

- Her husband.

Her husband! I may be a floozy,

but I'm no home-wrecker!

I'm sure Fauna only allows

single guys to come in here!

Louis Delano...

How could a man like that

be your hero?

I don't know. Every time I talk

to you I get more confused.

I like you just fine

when you're not around.

I'll turn this stuff off.

You probably hate it.

- Wait. I like Bob Crosby.

- How do you know Bob Crosby?

You think I don't know Bob Crosby?

I know every player in the band.

Who cares who they are? Music

is for dancing, not memorising.

So now you think I can't dance?

Put a fast song on and turn it up.

I said put a fast song on

and turn it up.

Let's see what you got, hot stu

Slow down, Doc.

You're wearing me out.

- Don't you know "Shorty George"?

- Sorry, I didn't recognise it.

- You know "Side Cars"?

- It'll come to me.

- How about a little "Pecking"?

- No sweat.

"Little Suzy Q", huh?

Can't you get any higher?

- How about "Around The Block"?

- See you there.

- So long. Going to Kansas City.

- Like hell.

- What was that?

- "Over The Rainbow".

I knew you wouldn't be able to do it

- Why didn't you tell me?

- Wouldn't have made no difference.

- Scared to try it again?

- Shaking in my boots.

And try it again they did.

It never occurred

that they were no good.

You bridged too early.

We nearly had it.

They decided to try once more.

Thanks. You're not too bad.

- You want to have dinner Saturday?

- Sure. Sounds all right.

I'll see you then.

The events of the previous night

were discussed at the Country Club.

Mack decided it was time

to throw Doc a party.

It would take 10 or 12 bucks

to throw Doc a good party.

They didn't have 12 bucks,

so Hazel asked Doc if he

needed any animals collected.

Once Doc gave them 25 cents

for every live turtle.

- Doc, do you need any turtles?

- No. I don't have any orders.

- What's Mack need money for?

- Don't make me answer no questions.

You never could lie,

could you, Hazel?

I do have an order for frogs.

I'll give you boys 5 cents a frog.

We gonna get you all the frogs

that you want.

- Up river there's tons of frogs.

- How are you gonna get there?

We'll take Joseph and Mary's truck.

Mack said he wouldn't mind.

- He's got an angle.

- I'm sure.

I think I got it, Mack.

Let's go!

Mack was right...

..Joseph and Mary didn't mind them

using the truck. He didn't know.

The frog expedition was in business.

During the time man has hunted

frogs, a pattern has developed.

A man with net poised, creeps

noiselessly towards the frog,

who sits very still and waits.

The rules of the game require the

frog to wait until the final second

when the net is descending,

then jump into the water

and wait until things blow over.

This is how it's always been done.

Frogs don't resent this.

How could they have anticipated

Mack's new method?

How could they have foreseen

the horror that followed?

It's working!

Never in frog history

had such a round-up taken place.

A few frogs got through to safety.

Most went to find a new home where

this kind of thing didn't happen.

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