Dream Wife Page #2

till after the oil deal is signed.

What?

I don't see any other way, truly I don't.

There are so many things to get done.

Meetings, conferences, reports,

and all of them so urgent.

So is our wedding.

But I mean really urgent.

Oh, for God's...

I mean, we can wait. The Middle East can't.

We can get married any time.

Can we?

Look, darling, I want us to be together

just as much as you do.

But I can't let MacBride down.

He's counting on me.

Of course not.

Perhaps we could work in the wedding somehow.

You know, between phone calls.

Now just a minute. Don't you think you're being

a little selfish?

You mean for wanting to get married?

No, for putting your own happiness

before the welfare of the United States.

Oh, Effie, if I thought the welfare of the United States

depended upon your answering a telephone...

Oh, so that's it.

You think what I'm doing is like belonging to a garden club

or having a hot game of Mahjong with the girls.

No, no, I didn't say that.

You didn't have to.

You just can't believe that anything I'm doing

can be important enough to really matter.

Oh, please, let's not get into that again.

We are in it, and we might as well have it out.

Come over here.

Here's Bukistan.

I know, I've been there.

Here's the United States.

I've been there too.

We have just one thing in common. Oil.

Every plan we've make for peace or war

depends on that oil.

Is that so?

I don't have to tell you what happened in Iran.

Half the free world had to learn to pronounce

the name Mosaddegh.

I still can't pronounce it.

The same thing is happening again...

only this time there'll be a lot of new names to learn.

And the only way we can get that oil

is to get those names on the dotted line.

Really?

And that's why this deal is so important.

And I'm in charge, Clem,

whether you like it or not, I am in charge.

Yes, yes...

And if that's the Julliard Matron's Needlepoint Society,

I'll leave my hat.

Don't remember what you were going to say

until I get back. Be a good girl.

Sorry to break in on you, Reade,

but your phone's out of order.

I've been calling all evening.

We had a cable from Marley.

Givney's walked out. The pot's really boiling.

Givney's walked out?

Givney walked.

It must have been over his ears.

He can outweigh a pyramid.

I hate to be upsetting your evening,

but this is so hot the words

are just jumping off the papers.

Here, let me see it.

I'm afraid this is going to postpone your honeymoon.

Don't worry about it.

You see, we were right about this cookie.

Yes, but Glenson's weaker than we thought.

Dinner is ready.

Oh, start without me, Clem, I'll be right there.

No, no, no...

I don't believe you heard Annie.

Dinner is ready.

Pull up a chair, Mac.

I've eaten already.

I will have a little coffee, though.

I wish you'd go over that fourth paragraph.

Hm-hmm.

Right in here, now.

You see...

We'll have to change our tactics, I can see that.

We'll have to take part IV and put it

under the heading of Administration and Supply.

Pass the salt, please.

There are still a few things to be worked out,

but I'm sure you can handle them.

Pass the pepper, please.

Now, under this heading here, uh...

Contract Negotiations, part III

Bread.

I don't use butter.

You know, Bukistan may turn out to be

the key to this whole thing.

If they fall in line, the rest will follow.

Right now we have to get to Haroun.

First things first.

Right.

Right... right!

Now hear this and hear it good.

This is only going to take a minute but it may be

the most important minute in our lives.

You can put it under the heading of Clem and Effie,

Basic Principles, Part I.

Perhaps I'd better...

No, I want you to hear it, too.

I'm in love with you, not the State Department.

I didn't...

I'm not through.

Now, if a woman can run a home and still find time

to have a career, that's fine.

But first things first.

Clem...

No, just a minute.

We haven't been able to make a definite plan

since we met.

We went to Vermont for two weeks.

Yes, yes, that's right.

To her grandfather's farm.

For two wonderful relaxing weeks in glorious Vermont.

It's heavenly there in September.

We spent one day there.

She had to leave to take care

of a crisis in the Sahara.

Some of the sand was missing.

Well, you stayed on.

Yes, with grandfather.

It wasn't the same thing.

No, no...

No, no, I don't like this idea,

we can work in the wedding somehow...

Or if we can't leave on our honeymoon together

I can start without you...

I don't like that.

Perhaps we're both looking for different things.

And if we are, it's best to find it out now

and call it quits.

Clem, I can't just toss this all over,

it's too important.

Well, now we know what's important, don't we?

Oh, I wish you'd understand.

I think I've understood all along.

I've just been kidding myself.

I want a full-time wife and you want

a part-time husband, it's as simple as that.

Look, you two. You'll both think differently

about this in the morning.

No, Mac, I'm afraid this is morning.

It's time to go back counting sand.

Oh, I didn't mean that. What you're doing is important.

But not as important as cooking your breakfast.

Right.

Well you don't need me for that.

You can buy it for a dollar an hour.

We've been emancipated, Mr. Reade.

Have you ever heard of Susan B. Anthony?

Can she cook?

It just so happens she got women the right to vote.

Oh, now, really. You're not going to give me that

Amelia Bloom and Harriet Beecher Stowe routine.

What's wrong with them?

They were probably lousy housekeepers.

Come on, Mac.

Thanks for the coffee.

Hello, gentlemen.

Hello, again.

Sorry I'm late.

Ken, you're just in time.

We were just discussing Rogers and the Fuller account.

That was a beautiful job.

Nothing to it.

Rogers got unlucky, I got lucky.

Yeah, I'll say.

He did that account for over 15 years.

I'd like to see the look on his face

when he found out he'd lost it.

Ten days ago on that Russell account we...

we put the canteloupes in the oven because

the ice cubes fell off the little boy's scooter.

Hm? Oh, that's fine, Charlie, just fine.

What's fine?

Charlie, tell me something.

How long have you been married?

Seventeen years, why?

What's your wife like?

Well, May's like...

You fellows know May. What's she like?

Well, she's nice, a little bossy.

Yeah... plays lousy bridge.

Yeah, that's what she's like.

Jean and I haven't had a quarrel in 10 years.

Whenever we're in the same room long enough.

I make it a practice to take May little presents

every now and then.

It's something I picked up from her first husband.

He told me about it in court.

It does help keep her quiet.

Of course I think you fellows are all wrong.

Take it from the veteran with the service stripes.

No, no, let's hear what the newlywed has to say.

Go ahead, shoot.

Well, I've only been married a year, but

I think you can make a marriage anything you want it to be.

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