Desk Set Page #2

much quicker...

if you use this back elevator.

Oh. Oh, thank you.

- See you later.

- Fine.

Hi. Cathy? Bunny.

Hey, what do you know

about a Richard Sum...

Uh, I'll have to call you back

with that information.

- Where the...

- Thank you.

- Uh...

- What's the matter?

Uh, l... I had a tape measure.

I must have left it here.

What did it look like?

I mean, any color?

No, just a plain, ordinary...

Oh, here it is.

Here it is.

Uh, sorry.

- Th-Thank you.

- Don't mention it.

Uh, I'll... see you later.

Fine.

What is it, Bunny?

Who is he?

- What's he doing up here?

- Yes, what's he want, anyway?

Uh, got a cigarette, Peg?

Sure. Why?

- Why not?

- You only smoke when there's a crisis.

Who is he?

- H-He's an engineer.

- No wonder he was measuring the place.

- Measuring?

- He had a tape measure.

- He taped the whole layout.

- He did?

Maybe we're getting

that air-conditioning, finally.

Hmm, that figures.

This is November.

Last August they were too busy.

Yeah, that's probably it.

Or something like that, anyway.

Your phone, Peg.

Well, kids, what do you say we give

the company a little of our time?

- Got any memos you want me to check?

- There are a few, Miss Watson.

- I'll come out.

- Okay.

Here they are, if you would.

I'd say the Times index for this.

The old Farmer's Almanac for this.

If not, U.S. Weather

Information Service.

But check the Farmer's Almanac first

and save time.

This is from the Bible.

Book of Amos, chapter one.

Thank you.

Reference.

Miss Watson.

Yes, yes, I have that right here.

Certainly. It's no trouble.

"By the shores of Gitchee Gumee,

by the shining big sea waters,

stood the wigwam of Nakomis,

daughter of the moon, Nakomis."

Childhood? No, no.

That comes a little farther down.

"And he sang the song of children,

"sang the song

Nakomis taught him...

"'Wah-wah taysee, little firefly,

"'little flitting white-fire insect,

"'little dancing white-fire creature,

"'light me with your little candle...

ere upon my bed I lay me,

ere in sleep I close my eyelids"'...

Uh, you're welcome.

- Here's that $5.00 I borrowed.

- Thank you, Ruthie.

You can keep it if you need it.

I would gladly wait till payday.

On the shores of Gitchee Gumee.

James Whitcomb Riley.

Henry Wadsworth Longfellow,

bless him.

I sharpened all your pencils, and

the new manila envelopes are in there.

Thank you, Ruthie.

I'll be glad to stay overtime any night,

if you have anything for me to do.

You're certainly ambitious.

Well, it was hard enough getting

this job, and I want to keep it.

Just get to learn

the reference library,

and I'll recommend you for a raise

after the first of the year.

- Thank you, Miss Watson.

- You're welcome.

Peg, I can let you have

that 10 you wanted now.

Well, whenever you're through,

come and get it.

Well, the, uh,

the physical setup is okay.

- There's plenty of room.

- Good. Good.

However, the nature of the activity

is such that the operation...

will be different than anything

that's ever been designed.

- It's a fascinating problem.

- Not impossible?

No, no, no, I don't think so.

No, we've made tremendous

strides in this field.

Visual read-offs

are all centralized, miniaturized...

and set on schematic panels now.

And then the... the data compiled...

is all automatically computed,

and there's an automatic

typewritten "panalog"...

- You see, sir...

- Now, now, now, please wait a minute.

I don't understand one word

you're saying, but it sounds great.

If you say it can be done,

that's good enough for me.

I'd like to hang around that department

for a couple of weeks, maybe a month,

and get a comprehensive

picture of its workings.

Well, that's easily arranged.

Get me Mike Cutler.

He's in charge of that department.

Uh, not Miss Watson?

- Well, she runs it, but he's her boss.

- Let's not bother with him.

Don't get me Mike Cutler.

Now, there's one thing

I want you to promise me.

Don't let the girls in Research

know what you're doing.

How's that?

I don't want them to know anything

about this big thing that's coming up.

It's vital that it be kept a secret.

Of course, it's almost impossible

to keep anything a secret around here.

So please, no matter what happens,

don't answer any questions.

What are they gonna think

of me hanging around there?

They'll think I'm a Peeping Tom.

I don't care what they think.

They're very smart, but this is

one thing I don't want them to know.

All right, all right.

They won't hear about it from me.

You know something?

This office is bigger than

the whole research department.

Well, it's supposed to be.

If the office of the president isn't

big enough to impress the sponsors,

then there's nothing for the girls

down in Research to research.

I have another office just like it

on the 31 st floor.

- You want it?

- No, no. No, thanks.

You don't care whether

you impress people or not, do you?

Wait until you get my bill.

You'll be impressed.

It's on the desk, Peg.

Thanks. Ooh, nice.

- Is it for an occasion?

- No... I don't know yet.

It's for the dance that Mike is maybe

going to ask me to on the 12th.

When, as and if Mike Cutler asks you,

do yourself a favor and be busy.

That's why he always waits till the last

minute... he knows you're always there.

- You mean I'm too available?

- Available?

You're like an old coat

that's hanging in his closet.

Every time he reaches in,

there you are.

- Don't be there once.

- He'd just buy himself a new coat.

He's been wearing this one

for seven years.

- What makes you think he won't anyway?

- Well, if he did, it...

That would be awful, wouldn't it?

Yes, it is. I know.

You go along thinking tomorrow

something wonderful's gonna happen.

You're not gonna be

alone anymore.

And then one day

you realize it's all over.

You're out of circulation.

It all happened, and you didn't

even know when it happened.

Well, when that day comes,

we'll move in together

and keep cats.

I don't like cats.

I like men, and so do you.

Excuse me.

Reference.

Miss Watson.

Bunny? Alice. Mr. Cutler's

on his way down to see you.

He is? Thanks, Alice.

Thanks a lot.

He's on his way down.

Where's my lipstick?

Darn!

Where'd it get to?

Peg. Peg,

where's your lipstick?

I'll get it.

No, no, wait a minute.

Here's mine.

Mike's on his way to see me.

Here's your dough. Get out.

See me payday.

- Did you hear anything I said?

- Yes, darling, I heard every word.

But I'm the faithful-as-a-bird-dog type.

I can't be devious.

All right, Lassie.

But when he disappears, remember,

you heard it on this channel first.

Ohh...

- Hello, Bunny.

- Hello, Mike.

Just a little something

I took out on approval.

I approve heartily.

Makes your eyes look green and sexy.

That's what the girl

who waited on me said,

but I thought she

was just trying to make a sale.

She was. She just happened

to be speaking the truth.

Mike, for the 500th time,

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