City for Conquest Page #10

to us and nobody could hurt us.

Then along comes something like this, and...

Eddie, it's got me scared.

- Really scared.

- What are you talking about, Danny?

Don't be foolish.

Scotty. Scotty, tell him he'll be all right.

- What? Oh, yes.

- Go ahead, Scotty.

Tell him he'll be better.

Why, sure. Sure, Danny,

everything'll be all right.

- Look, the doctor says...

- The doctor didn't say nothing.

Just routine talk.

What are you trying to do?

Why don't you tell the truth? I know it

and you know it. I'm as blind as a bat.

Take it easy, Danny. Don't lose your head.

This is the first round. You

got a long fight in front of you.

Yeah, I know. Left hand out and keep moving.

Great stuff. That's two sure-fire

hit numbers so far. We can't miss.

- Terrific. Wait till you hear the second act.

- Eddie, it's swell.

- One thing you've got is rhythm.

- Come on. I've got to see a hundred people.

- I'll telephone you later.

- Okay, fellas.

Goodbye, Eddie. Good luck.

Don't worry, honey. If there's

anything to sell, I'll sell it.

- Bye.

- Thanks, bye.

What's the matter, Ed? Ed, anything wrong?

Oh, no, nothing, Danny.

How'd it sound to you? Did you listen?

Oh, all good. Those are really nice tunes.

Nice tunes?

Yeah, it sounded like they ate them

up. All sure-fire, every one of them.

Look, Danny. Danny, I want

you to tell me the truth.

I want you to tell me what

you're really thinking.

Ed, I don't know anything about

music. What can I tell you?

Listen, Danny, somehow you do know.

Maybe it's because music is

something you feel down deep.

Something you feel as much as I do.

Well, that's all I can do,

just tell you what I feel.

I don't know nothing about it.

Ed, do me a favor, will you?

Keep moving around so I

can see you better, huh?

Sure, sure, Danny.

Would you like the shade pulled up?

No, no. The lights all

right, Ed, thanks. It's okay.

Well, look, kid.

Here's the way I feel about it.

Your business is like any other business.

You either do it or you don't.

You're either a main eventer

or a four-round preliminary boy.

Down on Forsyth Street...

...you used to play by

the hour, and I'd listen.

You'd tell me about those

big shot composers...

...who took it on the chin

and went through the mill.

Beethoven, who got the toughest

break of all. Lost his hearing.

He didn't quit, he didn't

lay down. He just moved in...

...and kept on punching.

- Yes, but then what?

You work, you tear your heart out,

and in the end, nobody's interested.

Nobody wants to hear it.

They're only interested after

you're dead a hundred years.

Ed, that's an alibi.

That's an alibi used by

guys who can't deliver.

But you can do it, and if it's

good, they listen. They gotta listen.

Well, maybe you're right.

You know, Danny, you can see

things a lot clearer than I can.

I can see things now that

I could never see before.

Come on, kid. Do it for

us. Do it for both of us.

You used to talk about the music

that you heard in the subway...

...and in the streetcar tracks.

Music in the 101 different

languages you heard on all sides.

Music that everybody can hear,

all part of one great big song.

Yeah, the song of the city.

The symphony of New York.

The symphony of its seven millions with

all its color of a hundred different races.

And the harmony of its thousand discords.

Like the dizzy mad howl of an ambulance...

...screaming across Forsyth and Delancey.

Good evening, Mr. Gaul.

Where could I find Mr. Gaul?

- Right over there.

- Oh, yes. I see. Thank you.

Mr. Gaul, I tried you at the office,

but they told me you were here.

- I thought maybe...

- I'm busy. See me later.

How many times have I told

you not to dim those foots?

But I've tried to see you

all week. You remember me.

Peggy Nash from Burns and Company.

Burns and Company? Yeah, sure.

So, what happened? I thought

you were in the big time.

Yes I was. Maurice and Margalo. But I left...

Don't tell me. I know. You got a bum break.

You were good, but the show

stunk. So what? So you want a job.

Oh, I'd be so grateful.

Would you? Swell. Maybe my next show.

- Thank you. Thank you.

- That's okay, that's okay.

But, say, you'll have to

put on a little weight.

The customers down here

don't know from nothing.

Mr. Gaul, I thought maybe I could ask for...

A little advance? Sure.

Step up to the office.

I'll give you five bucks...

- Oh, thanks.

- Don't mention it. Don't mention it.

You won't have to mention that

advance, baby. He will soon enough.

Say, looks like you're

really gonna need that fin.

No. No, it's just a headache.

Yeah. Strictly from hunger. You're

telling me. Here, have a drink.

- Thank you.

- Anybody looking after you, kid?

- No, but...

- I don't care particularly about sharing...

...but maybe you better move in with me.

That's awfully nice of you but l...

I'll do the worrying.

I'll get you an aspirin.

Once I lived a whole week on them.

A lot cheaper than sandwiches.

- Anything new?

- Mr. Kenny is here. He's waiting inside.

Danny?

Hello, Danny.

What are you doing here alone? Trying

to get a little whiff of old Broadway?

I came down to hear the traffic.

Don't get much of it uptown.

It's like a graveyard there.

Danny, you didn't have to come

downtown. I'd come to your apartment.

No, I wanted to come. Glad

for the chance to get out.

There it is. I wouldn't know it was

you without that bow tie, Scotty.

Yeah, that's right. Let's sit down, huh?

No, I'd rather move around. Do you mind?

Not at all, Danny. What's on your mind?

I sort of figured you

could help me out, Scotty.

Why, Danny, just name

it. Do you need some cash?

No, no. Not this time. I've taken

plenty of that from you already.

Danny, how do you mean?

It's your money. You made it.

I've known all along you've

been carrying me, Scotty.

I'm gonna pay you back, every penny of it.

Danny, everything I've got

is yours. Don't you know that?

I know. It's just that I can't stand

sitting around in that room any more.

Well, that's simple. We'll

just get you a better place.

No, the place is all right.

It's just that I gotta get something

to do. The whole world doing things...

...and me stumbling

around in a 2-by-4 grave.

No morning, no sun, no nothing.

I can't take it, Scotty. Can't take it.

I keep talking to myself by the hour

and I got too much time to think.

About Peggy?

Scotty, get me something to do

where I can be around people...

...and feel life going on.

Where everything isn't just a

cold, gray fog smothering me.

I'll do anything. I don't

care what it is, anything.

Coming up here, I heard a

newsboy yelling and I remembered.

I used to do that. I used to sell

papers and I'd like to do it again.

Well, that's a fine idea,

Danny. Sure, why not?

Just to get something to do. I don't

care what. Just something to do.

Look, rest assured.

Whatever it is, we'll do it.

If we have to comb the whole town.

Just look at that. They guaranteed

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