Desert Fury Page #8

Oh, Eddie's always got an ace.

He's got... me.

He's got quite a technique

for cooling off wise guys.

It reminds me of the time a 21 dealer

tried to spring a crooked deck on him.

Remember, Eddie?

A week later his widow got a couple

of thousand bucks. Special delivery.

Did he have any kids, Eddie? I forget.

What are you trying to pull?

True, ain't it?

Get out of here.

Get out of here!

I want him to stay.

Why?

I want him to tell me.

What?

About you.

The way I am? The way you'll take me.

It's the end of the line for Johnny.

Now, we go alone.

No, Eddie.

You've done enough walking out on

me for one night. It's monotonous.

I've been tied to you

too long to be alone.

Knock yourself off.

I don't have to. What you mean?

You're safe as long as I

care what happens to me.

Well, I don't care anymore.

You take me with you or...

Or what?

I'll sing.

About what?

About Angela.

I'll tell them what really happened.

You cheap double-crosser.

Sit down, Eddie.

Sit down I said.

And you.

I'm going to tell you a few

things about Eddie Bendix.

Eddie Bendix and me.

Paula. Whatever he says, he's saying

as he's sore I'm walking out on him.

Go on, Johnny.

I won't tell you again.

You forget, Eddie.

Eddie is a really smart guy.

Good looking and classy.

There is only one thing.

He ain't ever been

able to pay the piper.

That's where I come in. I paid for him.

Fritzi said something like that.

We were going to be big-shots together.

I planned it that way for fifteen years.

You got your end.

More than my end.

I also took the rap.

When there was a rap to take, I took it.

One year on that Federal job.

We agreed.

We agreed. You'd have gone all to pieces

and told them everything they wanted.

Then wash yourself up

with your boys in Nevada.

Paula, listen to me.

I'm listening.

And then there were the Rocko boys.

Remember, Eddie?

I got in the car and drove off fast,

pretending I was you.

You went out the back way.

Then there was the gambling

ship in the Mexican Gulf.

I almost made it until you came along.

I'll bet you think he's

loaded, don't you?

I did think so.

Guys like Eddie don't fall in love.

They're in love with their own hides.

He wanted you as he wanted to get out

of doing what I told him he had to do.

He couldn't quit alone.

He couldn't do anything alone.

Angela found that out.

She was just a dumb

hooker in a dime circuit.

She thought she was

going into the big time.

She wasn't married two months before she

found out. Like you're finding out now.

She wasn't as lucky as you are.

Lucky?

Sure. She couldn't quit.

She found out too much.

Names, dates, places, people.

The kind of a guy Eddie really is.

The work I was doing for him.

The rough stuff.

Johnny the strong-arm boy.

With the loose mouth.

You're the one who told her.

You told me I could trust her.

She was your wife, wasn't she?

Just like I trust this kid here.

Or shouldn't I?

I don't think I want to hear any more.

You'll listen until I'm finished.

Angela was a normal dame. She couldn't

take it any more than you take it now.

It stuck in her throat.

So, she got in her car and

started for Los Angeles.

By the time she knew enough to quit,

she knew too much for us to let her.

We got in the big car

and started after her.

On the bridge at Chuckawalla,

we caught up to her.

It was your fault. You made me.

Sure. I made you do it.

You couldn't even tie

your own shoelaces.

Wait a minute, Johnny. I don't get it.

I'll draw you a picture.

We caught up to her,

and she wouldn't stop.

Eddie went to pieces

and wanted to let her go.

I told him to make her stop.

To force her off the road.

He lost his nerve.

So then I really told him.

I said "turn that wheel"!

And then?

He turned it.

I didn't kill her.

I was only trying to stop her.

It was his idea. You heard him say it.

I heard him.

I didn't kill her. Not me.

Yes, it was.

No. He did it.

You stayed with him.

I had to.

Nobody had to do it.

You don't understand.

It's you who doesn't.

You don't even see it.

That's what's so horrible.

This is it for me, Eddie.

This is where I get off.

No it isn't.

It's no good. It never happened.

Yes, it did happen.

No.

I never really saw you

before as you really are.

Yeah it's funny, ain't it.

People think they see Eddie and all the

years they've been really seeing me.

I'm Eddie Bendix.

Why is it women never

fall in love with me?

Stay here.

I should have figured this.

It's what's been eating

you all these years!

[ Johnny:
]

"By the time she knew enough to get out,

she knew too much for us to let her."

"We got in the big car

and started after her."

"Eddie's never been

able to pay the piper."

"I've always paid for him."

"Angela was just a nice, normal dame."

"She couldn't take it any

more than you can take it now."

"She couldn't quit."

"She found out too much.

Names, dates, places, people."

"Guys like Eddie don't fall in love."

"They're in love with their own hides."

"You told me I could trust her.

She was your wife, wasn't she?"

"Just like I trust this kid here."

"Or shouldn't I?"

"Eddie went all to pieces"

"Lost his nerve."

"So then I really told him."

"Turn that wheel!"

This is Hanson. Rush an ambulance

to the Chuckawalla bridge.

And tell Fritzi Haller to get down here.

You alright, Paula?

Yes, I'm fine.

You'd better say here, Paula.

Hello, Fritzi.

Are you alright?

Yes, I'm alright.

Proud of yourself?

No.

What happened before

the wreck? Did he leave you?

We left each other.

Don't you want to tell me about it?

I'd rather not.

Alright, baby.

You can come and work with

me at the Purple Sage.

The least I can do is teach

you how to earn money.

How to keep it once you've got it.

And how to pick a phony.

No thanks, Fritzi.

I don't think I want it.

Are you still in love with him?

There is no Eddie Bendx.

There never was.

Everything I thought was his,

was really Johnny's.

I had it backwards all the time.

He's dead.

It might have been me

if you hadn't come along.

A long rope, I said.

It's almost too long.

You'd better come home now, baby.

Not now Fritzi. Please.

You won't run away?

I won't run away anymore from anything.

I'll bring her home.

Goodnight, Tom... goodnight, baby.

Goodnight, mother.

She always calls me mother

when she wants something.

I do... I want you to kiss me.

They never fixed it.

They will some day.

Sometimes things can't be fixed.

I don't believe that... neither do you.

Do you, Paula?

I don't know, Tom. I really don't.

That's all I wanted to hear you say.

A nice view from here.

You can see Chuckawalla.

And the Bar-Triangle beyond it.

If you want to.

I want to. It looks good to me.

It depends on where you're sitting.

And who is sitting with you...

T-G

Rate this script:0.0 / 0 votes