Christmas in July Page #7

they're still good. They're the same.

Of course they are.

- Of course they are.

I'm not quite sure I have your thought.

- You still think they're good, don't you?

Well, of course I do. Why?

Since they were good and they're still good

they have to be good.

And then it wouldn't make any difference

if I hadn't won the Maxford House contest.

Would it?

- Of course it would.

Oh, it would.

- Certainly it would.

Why?

- I'm no genius,

I didn't keep my father's money

by backing my own judgment.

I make mistakes every day -

I've got a whole warehouse full of mistakes.

I should say it would make a difference.

You see, I think your ideas are good

because they sound good to me...

...but I know your ideas

are good because you...

...won this contest over

millions of aspirants.

But Mr. Baxter...

- Call it commercial insurance.

When a horse wins the derby

you back him for the breaker.

I didn't win it.

- The breaker?

The contest. It was a joke.

A joke?

- That's what they meant it to be.

Who did?

- Some of the fellas.

They wanted to see how I'd look

when I got the news.

Tell me their names and we'll see...

...how they look when

I give them some news.

I wouldn't care to do that, I...

Oh, it doesn't matter.

It doesn't matter?

After I spent a whole afternoon

listening to a lot of... baloney?

Entirely predicated on the winning of

this contest? And giving you this office?

But what about my slogan?

- I don't know, what about it?

We'll find that out.

There'll be plenty of time for that.

But I won't made a fool of. I can't go around

giving out private offices and secretaries...

...on the strength of a prank

that personally I consider far from funny.

Yes, sir.

- Yes, sir.

It's gonna be hard to face that gang

tomorrow if I'm back at that desk.

It would be just as hard to face them

from in here if you didn't belong here.

He does belong in here.

- What is the joke this time?

He belongs in here

because he thinks he does.

That's very high-falutin'

but from a practical...

It is practical, Mr. Baxter.

The most practical idea you ever had.

He belongs in here

because he thinks he has ideas.

He belongs in here

until he proves himself or fails...

...and then somebody else

until he proves himself or fails...

...and so on and so on for always.

I don't know how to put it into words

like Jimmy could but...

...all he wants, all any of them want,

is a... is a chance to show...

To find out what they've got

while they're still young...

...and... and burning like

a short cut or a stepping stone.

I know they're not gonna succeed,

at least most of them aren't.

Most of them will be

like Mr. Waterbury soon enough.

But they won't mind it, they'll be happy

because they had their chance.

Because it's one thing

to muff a chance when you get it but...

...it's another thing

never to have had a chance.

And his name's already on the door.

Well, if anything decided me

that would be it.

Oh, Mr. Baxter...

- You've talked enough.

The desks have already been moved

and the name is painted on, as you said.

So we'll try it for a very short time,

at no advance in salary, you understand.

Yes, sir.

- And for a very short time.

Yes, sir.

- This is a business, not a cultural project.

You'll never be sorry.

- I'm sorry already, so let it go at that.

Good night and try to be on time

in the morning.

Oh... pshaw.

Isn't it wonderful?

- You were wonderful.

But I'm a bit leery about me.

- Don't talk like a fathead.

This is the chance of a lifetime

and you know you've got what it takes.

I didn't until I got that telegram

and now I don't know any more.

I'm like Mr. Baxter, that's why I didn't speak.

Well, it brought us together

and that's something.

I got the ring to prove it,

and you can't back out now or I'd sue you.

Oh, you poor kid.

You'll see we have plenty to be thankful for.

Sure.

(Meowing)...

There's that cat again.

- Hello.

Good night.

- Good night, Sam.

(Meowing)...

...(Bell rings)...

...(Betty) Look.

(Jimmy) Yeah.

Sure looked funny this afternoon.

- Ah, the old buzzard.

Were you to a fish fry, Dr. Maxford?

- No, I wasn't.

Smells like a seven-course banquet.

- I wasn't to a banquet.

Dr. Maxford.

- What do you want?

I got some good news. It took some doing

but I won those clerks over.

The way I feel, Bildocker,

it just doesn't matter any more.

This is the stupidest, the most asinine....

Listen to the slogan.

- I don't wish to hear the slogan.

I don't wish to hear any more

about the whole mess.

Pick your winner, send him a cheque

and tell him to go...

Listen to this, will ya? Is this good.

'If you don't sleep at night,

it isn't the coffee, it's the bunk.'

Is that a slogan? It's what you call a pun.

Believe me, it's some pun.

We just sent the winner a telegram,

a guy called James MacDon...

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