Designing Woman Page #8

No matter where he goes.

Do you get it, Maxie?

That's the ticket.

Now, get him out of here.

Maxie, for the love of...

Maxie, will you let go

just for a minute, please...

...till I get some circulation? Thank you.

I going to protect you, Mr. Hagen?

I stay with you every minute, right?

Right.

- Anybody looks cross-eyed. Right?

- Right.

Anybody looks cross-eyed.

Anybody. Right?

- Right?

- Right!

- You looking cross-eyed?

- Maxie, no.

He looks cross-eyed.

He always looks like that.

He lost a horse. It affected his mind.

Mike, I've been trying to reach...

- I believe you've met Maxie.

- Of course.

- How are you, Mr. Maxie?

- I'm making a comeback.

- Maxie came up from the office with me.

- How nice.

You'll think this is pretty strange

coming right at this time...

...but I have to leave for a while.

- Leave where?

- Here.

Well, I don't think that's strange at all.

Where are you going, to the club?

No, I'm not going to the club.

I don't belong to a club.

Something has come up.

Something very important.

I don't want you to be upset, but...

Well, you see, I'd like...

Maxie, will you stand over there

for a minute?

Please? Thank you.

I'd like to take you into my confidence.

May I do that?

- That would be a novelty.

- Please, let's not assume attitudes.

As far as that matter is concerned,

I don't even want to discuss it.

This other thing is too important.

- Can you keep a secret?

- Not as well as you can.

Okay. Excuse me, I've got to pack.

Excuse me, lady, got to pack.

I still don't know where you're going.

Chicago. Then on the road.

For how long?

Three weeks.

I'm going to follow the Yankees.

Is that the big secret?

You're going to follow the Yankees?

Yeah, they shouldn't know about it.

Mike, can I talk to you alone, please?

Well, what about?

You know what about. I want to...

- How have you been, Mr. Maxie?

- He's been fine.

I was conversing with Mr. Maxie.

Mr. Maxie doesn't know

what you're talking about.

You're packing a shoe with a hole.

You only wear these when you're writing.

I'll be doing some writing on the road.

Maxie, please.

It was pretty obvious, this sudden trip.

And bringing Mr. Maxie home

so he wouldn't have to talk.

I decided to pump Mr. Maxie.

Well, Mr. Maxie.

Are you taking Mike to the plane?

That's right. Every place.

- Then you're not going with him.

- That's right. Every place.

Then you'll be following the Yankees, too?

Who?

You. You and Mike.

That's right. Every second, day and night.

Anybody looks cross-eyed.

- Who?

- Cross-eyed.

Shut up, Maxie.

I'll call you tomorrow,

as soon as I know what hoteI.

Let's go, Maxie.

So long, Marilla.

- Goodbye.

- Goodbye.

- I hope you two will be very happy.

- Thank you very much.

- Mr. Higginsbury and Mr...

- Mr. Smith.

How do you spell "Smith"?

- Make a cross. Keys, please.

- Okay.

Suite 406.

How do you do, miss?

I'll place a few locaI calls now and then...

...but I'd like the party to think

I'm out of town.

So you say that Chicago is calling,

or Kansas City, or whatever I tell you.

Understand?

No.

That make it any clearer?

- Yes.

- Good.

My first night away from Marilla

since we were married. I couldn't sleep.

Four times I picked up the phone

to make a clean breast of everything...

...and four times saner judgment prevailed.

Here I was, happily married

to the loveliest creature in New York.

And here I was, shacked up in a hotel

with a punchy ex-middleweight.

I began to hate Ned Hammerstein.

Maxie Stulz was no cure

for the blues either.

3:
00 in the morning and all he did

was stare at the ceiling.

Suddenly, I remembered.

He'd been staring like that since 11:30.

I realized it then.

Maxie had died!

Okay, Maxie. It's okay. It's okay, Maxie.

- Stop!

- Where? Who? Cross-eyed?

It's all right, boy. It's okay.

Nothing. Forget it. All right.

Circle seven, zero, five, nine, eight.

- Hello.

- Ned?

Yeah. Mike?

I just wanted to tell you.

Maxie Stulz sleeps with his eyes open.

Why, you crumb!

You thieving, no good-

What was that?

Maxie Stulz sleeps with his eyes open.

Thanks for a civiI answer.

Our first night apart.

I didn't know

a person could be so miserable.

By 3:
00 a. m., I had convinced myself

that Mike was innocent.

After all,

maybe he had never known Lori Shannon.

Maybe the whole thing was a mistake.

That's what it was, a horrible mistake.

Only what about the photograph?

All right, what about the photograph?

A man can have a picture of a woman

without knowing her, can't he?

No. Then put it this way:

Mike is a newspaperman,

he meets all kinds of people.

He could've met Miss Shannon

in a purely business fashion.

Purely business.

Sure, but Miss Shannon

is no hockey player.

Shut up.

My mind began drawing nasty

little pictures of Mike and Lori Shannon.

I saw them laughing together

in some restaurant.

I saw them out dancing.

I saw him bringing her home.

I saw him take her into the living room.

I saw him kiss her.

I saw him...

"But when you've got love, you're high

"And your song is a gay refrain

"A happy strain that sings out the news

"Don't let the night go to waste

"looking for ways

"to say I love you

Take your cue from the birds"

What would happen if I quit the show?

I'd shoot myself.

Listen, Madame X, as I understand it,

your MichaeI has departed for Chicago...

...firmly protesting his innocence.

What does that prove? Nothing.

"Music is better than words"

Not bad, sweetie.

Go to your room and I'll clean it up.

All the four parts right over here.

Take it from just before the circle.

What have you proved? Also nothing.

I admit I could be wrong.

I just can't stand not knowing.

And I certainly can't ask her.

"Pardon me, Miss Shannon,

but was my husband in love with you?"

- It's unthinkable.

- Definitely.

- So I have an idea.

- What?

- You ask her.

- No.

You can do it.

All you have to do is broach the subject

as tastefully as possible.

Find out if she ever knew him,

and then tell me about it.

Marilla, deceit and collusion are completely

out of tune with your character.

I know it, but please, Zach,

I can't go on working like this.

- I'll speak to her right away.

- Thank you.

Yes?

Come in, Mr. Wilde.

- Am I disturbing you?

- Not at all.

- May I?

- By all means.

Miss Shannon, this is...

...rather a delicate matter.

You see, I hate to intrude.

PlayfuI little fellow, isn't he?

- I'm so sorry.

- That's all right.

Come along now.

Over here, 'cause you're a naughty dog.

Right, now sit.

That's a good boy.

Miss Shannon,

I'm usually a man of quite a few words...

...but I'll try and make this

as brief and tactfuI as possible.

Yes.

What I have to ask

has nothing whatsoever to do...

...with this show

or our future business relationship.

- I want you to understand that.

- Yes.

Miss Shannon...

...I'd like to know,

and please answer very frankly...

...if I may feeI free to call on you

at your apartment...

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