Executive Suite Page #3

that this is the only way I had

- to make him pay any attention to me.

- Oh, Julia.

I'm sorry.

How does he do it to us?

Your devotion, my imagination.

It does take imagination, you know,

to think up reasons for coming here,

because he won't come to me anymore.

I had a phone call a while ago, a rather

strange call from someone in New York.

This man said he had information

that was highly unfavorable

to the future prospects

of the Tredway Corporation.

What's this man's name, Julia,

and what's the information?

I asked him that, but he said

it came from a confidential source.

Oh, yes, of course.

Well, if I were you,

I'd ignore rumors like that.

When you see our earnings report,

you'll realize

how senseless

such mysterious phone calls are.

Then I wonder why Mr. Caswell

was so insistent that I sell.

George Caswell?

Yes, he said I ought to sell now

and buy back later.

- When did you say he phoned?

- About 20 minutes ago.

But Caswell is one of our directors.

All he would tell me

was that he had a customer,

who didn't want his name known,

who is willing to buy 3,700 shares

of Tredway at today's closing price.

3,700 shares?

Provided I would give him

an immediate decision.

He said it would have to be a private sale.

Miss Martin, will you come in, please?

Mr. Bullard wouldn't want me to sell,

would he?

You know that, Julia.

You've always known it.

But you never let a simple thing

like gratitude stand in your way, do you?

Before Mr. Bullard goes into the meeting,

I want to see him.

- Well, yes, Mr. Alderson, but I'm afraid...

- What is it?

I Just had another call

from Eddie at the station.

Mr. Bullard wasn't on the 6:10 either.

I called the Waldorf in New York.

He hasn't checked out.

- Have you told the others?

- Why, no, I...

Let me do it then.

You... You do understand,

don't you, Mr. Alderson?

The reason I wanted to see Avery.

I'm sorry.

I did want to make sure I didn't say

the wrong thing to Mr. Caswell.

You see, I promised

to phone him back by 6:00.

Or don't you think I should phone him...

Do as you wish, Julia.

You can use the phone right there.

But...

But it would end all this, wouldn't it?

If I did sell once and for all.

It would end a lot of things.

I'll check back with you.

- I'll see you Monday, Fred.

- Was that Mr. Bullard on the phone?

No. Give anybody a lift? Don?

I'm going back to the plant...

I guess I can Just about make it.

- I'll run you out to the airport.

- No, that's all right, I'll get a cab.

Any reason why I can't drop you off?

Okay, let's go.

- Good night, Fred.

- Good trip, Walt.

Oh, Shaw, you haven't by any chance been

in touch with Caswell lately, have you?

- George? No, why?

- Oh, nothing. Nothing special.

Miss Martin, if Mr. Bullard gets

in touch with you this evening,

would you ask him to call me?

I'll be home.

- Yes, Mr. Alderson. Good night.

- Thank you. Good night.

Yes, Miss Tredway? Yes.

Mr. Caswell?

Plaza Three, 1940.

Perhaps you'd like to order now, sir?

- I would.

- No.

- Tell Enrique to come here.

- Yes, sir.

But I'm starving.

- She said she'd call back by 6:00.

- Who said?

Can't you talk to me? What am I here for?

- So, what about that Millburgh call?

- Sorry, Mr. Caswell, not yet.

Would you like to start your dinner now?

- Cherry stones, perhaps?

- Make it two dozen.

Go back and check

with the operator again.

Yes, sir.

- One of these days...

- You're gonna stop talking.

- Oh, hello, Farrell.

- Oh, hi.

- What have you got there?

- Tomorrow morning's Farrell, what else?

- Do you mind if I look?

- No, go ahead.

You'll have to excuse my friend.

He likes to read while he doesn't eat.

"AB."

"AB."

Who's AB?

Thank you.

- Your Millburgh call, Mr. Caswell.

- Oh, Enrique,

tell the operator I'm not here

and you don't know where I've gone.

- But, Mr. Caswell...

- And get me the police department.

- The police department?

- The police department?

And a magnum of champagne.

Yes, Mr. Caswell.

- Can we eat now, George?

- Are you hungry?

Am I hungry?

Well, why didn't you say so?

Flight 79 to Pittsburgh and Chicago,

now loading at gate three.

Did you hear that?

When Dudley dates them, they wait.

I'll park the car.

Never mind, Loren,

I'll be taking off in a minute.

Good luck.

Don't worry. With this under my belt,

I'll really keep the K-F line moving.

Your attention, please.

Final call, Flight 79

to Pittsburgh and Chicago,

now loading at gate three.

All aboard, please.

Your attention, please.

Final call, Flight 79

to Pittsburgh and Chicago,

now loading at gate three.

All aboard, please.

- Good night, Mr. Walling.

- Good night, Bill.

Good night.

Forget it.

If only we hadn't come so close.

Why didn't I give it all we had?

That might have done it.

Stop knocking yourself out, Bill.

I was afraid to take the gamble,

blow all the mixture on one shot.

It wasn't your gamble to take.

I should've been there.

- Hi, dear.

- Hi.

- Hello, Bill.

- Good evening, Mrs. Walling.

There's room for one more.

I've got my car, thanks.

See you tomorrow?

- Not unless you're out at the ballpark.

- I almost forgot.

Good night, Bill,

and stop blaming yourself, will you?

I'll try.

- Darling, I could cry.

- Don't.

You were so sure this time.

What went wrong?

I don't know, I wasn't there.

Bullard called a meeting.

How's Mike?

Oh, he's nervous as a pup over the game.

I had to chase him out to play next door.

This late?

Well, sure, I had to do something

to get his mind off it or he'd never sleep.

He'll be okay when he steps to the mound.

Yes.

- What was it for, Don?

- What was what for?

Bullard's meeting.

He never showed up.

If I'd had the new equipment I asked for,

nothing would've gone wrong tonight,

whether I'd been there or not.

Oh, Don.

I needed equipment, I didn't get it.

Shaw didn't approve.

But who listened to Shaw?

Who canceled the order?

He doesn't understand.

Nobody's claiming that

a new molding process

is going to revolutionize the industry,

it's Just one attempt in a hundred

to make one improvement in a hundred.

"Lmprove the profits but never

the product," that's Shaw's philosophy.

To him, the whole company is Just

a curve on a chart.

And to you it's always somebody else,

never Avery Bullard.

Oh, darling, why can't you face it?

The dream is dead.

Bullard made you a promise.

He said, "Plan what you want,

design what you want. Develop new ideas.

"We need you, boy. "

Sure, he needed you,

and it was good, a fine dream,

but it's over with, done, finished.

- I tell you, it's Shaw.

- And it's Bullard who listens to him.

Oh, he's changed, Don,

and you're dying a slow death here

because you refuse to admit the truth,

the truth about Bullard.

I Just don't know how long

you can go on this way.

I'll walk.

He's out early.

The test at the plant must have failed.

You don't sound disappointed.

- Should I?

- Your plant.

Every brick, every machine,

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