Dead End Page #5

First thing you know,

I'll be pounding a beat in Harlem.

This is a tough enough precinct,

but Harlem...

Pal of mine got killed there.

Of course, you know

what they always say.

The quickest way to get killed

is to kill a cop.

Yeah, that's what they always say.

Yeah, but I'd rather not be

the one that gets killed

just so they can kill someone else,

see my point?

Well, there ain't no profit

in chasing kids.

I bet you'd like to get your hands

on one of the big boys

with the rewards on 'em?

Who wouldn't?

Yes, sir, who wouldn't?

I'd buy myself a soft drink stand

on the Merrick Road.

Nothing around here

but making old hags take in the garbage.

Why didn't you go on home

to dinner with him?

Doc did a pretty good job.

Jimmy, come on up.

Supper is ready. Come on.

Ain't we ever gonna eat anymore?

You know,

there must be something in it.

I mean to have a place to go to.

You sit in the same place every night.

It's your own chair.

Not me. I'll take mine

in a dump with music,

where you can have

anything you want you can pay for.

You can have one thing one night,

something else the next.

I'm gettin' sick of what I can pay for.

I can remember different.

You've changed more

than your face, all right.

So you're gettin' ready for a little woman

and some kids, huh?

I got enough dough.

Well, I always say,

every sucker for what he wants.

That Francey.

That girl you want to see.

Why do you have to bother

with that cheap little...

Cheap little what?

Maybe I'm wrong.

We all make mistakes, boss.

That's why they put rubber

on the ends of pencils.

Well, who's the important

guy wants to see me?

Come on, come on. I'm busy.

Francey?

How do you know my name?

Who are you?

Well, for the love of...

Marty.

Yeah.

How are you, Marty?

You did something to your face.

Yeah. Plastic, they called it.

They said you were out

around Colorado, the newspapers.

Yeah.

Gee, I'm glad to see you.

- No. Don't.

- What's the matter?

- I ain't good enough for you?

- No, it ain't that.

You know, Francey,

I never forgot you.

Go on, you with all your fancy dames.

Where do I come off?

- They don't mean nothing.

- That chorus girl. What's her name?

Nothin'. She ain't got nothin'.

None of 'em have.

Remember that night on the roof?

Yeah, I remember.

The sky was full of stars

and I was full of dreamy ideas.

Yeah. Me too.

A couple of crazy kids, we were.

We were gonna get married.

I bought a ring

at the five-and-dime store.

Only we didn't have money enough

to buy the license, remember?

Gee, it seems like yesterday.

We were talkin' about it right here.

Yesterday?

Seems like a million years.

Listen. You got to take care of yourself.

What are you doing here, anyway?

You got to get away.

I don't want 'em to get you.

What difference

does it make where I go?

They got their finger on me everywhere.

They won't recognize you.

Even I didn't.

Yeah, but you can't change these.

Three times I burned them

with acid and things. It's no good.

But I'm getting out of here.

I come back for you.

- I wouldn't be good for you.

- I'll worry about that.

It's a dream. I'm having a dream.

What I wanted for so long.

I'm tired. I'm sick.

Can't you see it?

Look at me good. You've been

lookin' at me like I used to be.

Why didn't you get a job?

They don't grow on trees.

- Why didn't you starve first?

- Why didn't you?

Well, what did ya expect?

I don't know.

Here. It's hot.

Be careful where you spend it.

And keep your lips buttoned up.

I wouldn't tell on you, Marty.

Not if they tied me

to wild horses, I wouldn't.

Honey, could you spare

another twenty bucks?

- I got to...

- No!

Okay, Marty, forget it.

I was just...

All right, all right. Beat it.

For old times' sake,

will you do me a favor?

Please. Will you kiss me here?

Just for old times' sake?

Thanks.

I know. Two double gins.

Sausage for you

and water for you, right?

Yeah.

Chez Pascagli never forgets an order

and never forgets a face.

I know what you feel.

Anybody would.

Twice in one day.

Yeah. Twice in one day.

I told you we shouldn't have

come back.

But you wouldn't listen to me.

You never listen to me.

Never go back.

Always go forward.

- Shut up.

- I read that.

You know where?

When I was a kid.

My old lady bought it in a store...

a sign, I mean... and hung it over the bed.

I've always kept it in mind.

What do you say

we go back to St. Louis, huh?

That Dawn La Gatta.

I bet she's waiting for you.

She was all right. Regular.

And as respectable as a whistle.

I mean in the right way.

I betcha there's "welcome"

on the doormat for you there.

All right. All right.

Forget about the dames.

But twice in one day.

And that's what I come back for.

That's what I take a chance for.

I get this.

What I been thinking about

all these years...

Aw, forget it.

Listen, Marty.

You come back here for a reason.

And I came with you.

Because where you go, I go.

Let's get out of here tonight.

Too many people know you here.

Tonight, huh?

What do you say?

You see what they did

to that rich kid today?

They took him down

in that old warehouse.

Well, there's no reason

he can't be taken further away.

No, no.

We're too hot.

Kidnappin' ain't in our line.

I come home for something.

I didn't get it.

But I'm coming out with something,

even if it's only dough.

- Oh, no, Marty...

- Shut up.

Go out and get Whitey.

Find out what he knows

about that rich dump.

Go ahead, Hunk.

Get going.

Not a sign of Tommy anywhere.

Yeah, I know. I've been all over.

Don't worry, Drina.

He knows his way around.

He can take care of himself.

He can take care of himself

too well.

How could he

have done such a thing?

Where does he learn

about knives and...

He had an expert teacher.

Anyway, it's not hard to learn

in a place like this.

But, he's not a bad kid.

Not really bad.

He never has been.

The famous Baby Face Martin

used to live on this block.

He wasn't such a bad kid either, at first.

He was smart and brave

and decent, at first.

Like Tommy, you mean.

Ever since he was a little kid,

I've tried to teach him what's right.

I don't know what else to do.

I've tried to bring him up decent.

What chance have they got

against all this?

They've got to fight for a place to play,

fight for a little extra something to eat,

fight for everything.

They get used to fighting.

Enemies of society,

it says in the papers.

Why not? What have they got

to be so friendly about?

It didn't do those things to you.

Didn't it? Well, it did

enough to me, the other way.

It made them accept it

and get tough about it.

It made me into a fool.

I spent my life dreaming

about tearing these places down.

Well, I found out today.

I saw myself and these rotten holes

we live in through somebody else's eyes.

I wanted to tear them down

with my fingers.

Yeah, you always talked about that...

how you were going to

tear all this down

and all the other places like them.

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