Flamingo Road Page #6

We had them hospitals

with the contracts for heat, light,

and all the supplies paying off good.

I don't aim to lose him.

- Getting a bit out of line, aren't you, Titus?

- I got big feet, Dan.

If I ever step out of line, you'll see them.

I'm not going to have an investigation

in an election year. He's out!

And you'll let him go quietly

or you'll both go. Like that!

Come on, let's get on with the game.

Mr. Reynolds' party. Two Old Fashioneds.

Gracie!

- Yes, Miss Lute Mae.

Table 22, a special.

You're leaving early.

How long you got that Bellamy girl

working here?

- Why?

- She done time, county time.

How do you figure to improve

the reputation of your place?

I lost that some time around

the Spanish-American War.

Maybe you ought to get rid of her.

Somebody might complain

to the authorities.

When you walk through that door,

I'm the authority.

Besides, I like her.

And knowing you don't

makes me like her twice as much.

Just figured to be friendly.

I'll bet. Hurry up with that order, girls.

Why is Titus Semple interested in you?

- Is he?

- I expect a straight answer.

- What did you ever do to him?

- Nothing.

He just told me I ought to can you.

What did he do that for?

- I don't know.

- You're lying.

That's right, I am.

He thought Field Carlisle

was interested in me.

I was wondering when you'd get around

to tell the truth about that.

I'm not interested in what's happened.

I'm interested in what may happen.

- You still in love with Field?

- He's married.

Are you or aren't you?

I don't know.

- Well, what are you going to do about it?

- I'm not firing you, am I?

- Aren't you?

- No, I'm not.

Most of the time, I don't like people.

Most of the time, I don't trust them at all.

Especially women.

I must be getting old.

It's going to be

a pretty rugged party up there.

Keep an eye on Dan.

See that he don't get in trouble

or burn the place down.

Thanks.

- What's that stuff?

- Daylight.

Well, turn it off. I don't like it.

- Feel awful?

- Terrible.

How did I end up in here?

Well, it took a bit of doing

but I finally managed.

- I really tied one on last

night, didn't I? - Mmm-hmm.

Here you are.

- What's that?

- Whiskey Sour.

- Oh, no!

- Oh, yes. Go on, drink it.

How do you know about these things?

I read about them once

in a bartender's manual.

Better?

Better.

- What's your name?

- Lane.

- No, no, I mean your first name.

- That's my first name, Lane.

Well, it was mighty nice of you

to take care of me, Lane.

I still don't see

how you managed it or why.

Not because I'm pretty, that's for sure.

Lute Mae told me to take care of you.

She said you were very important.

- Are you important?

- I don't feel very important.

Look at the score board.

I don't behave like this all the time.

Just once a year after elections,

purge my soul.

I've got a soul that needs lots of purging.

- Well, your candidates won, didn't they?

- Mmm-hmm.

- They always win?

- Just about always.

If they didn't,

I wouldn't be important anymore.

Look, honey, honey,

I've got an awful hangover.

Sorry.

- Can I wash up in there?

- Certainly, help yourself.

My old man warned me

there'd be mornings like this.

You're pretty careless with your money,

aren't you?

Thanks.

- Is Field Carlisle a good man?

- Carlisle, yeah. I guess he's all right.

You would know if he wasn't,

wouldn't you?

I mean, you helped get him elected,

didn't you?

Titus seems to have a lot of faith in him.

Would you consider that

a recommendation?

You sure ask a lot of questions.

Someone once told me that

it was one way to get answers.

- Where the devil is that towel?

- Here it is.

I'm beginning to feel almost human.

Say,

you know, you're a very pretty girl.

I guess I am human.

I'll get you some breakfast.

Don't tell me you can cook, too?

- Uh-huh.

The way you talk,

I don't see much difference

between politics and a carnival pitch.

How come you're so interested in politics?

Just trying to improve my education,

I guess.

It wasn't much of an education

to begin with.

- You sure learned to cook.

- You learn a lot of things in a carnival.

- How are you feeling, Dan?

- Terrible.

This man been annoying you?

As a matter of fact,

she's been bothering me.

She can handle a drunk and

make a whiskey sour and cook bacon.

Crisp.

A man's got to know more

about a gal like that.

- Get me a cup of coffee, will you?

- Sure.

I've got a hangover just from opening

bottles for you last night.

- Did you have fun?

- Honey, fun is like insurance.

The older you get, the more it costs.

Do you mind if Lane drives me down

to my construction job?

I'm afraid I'll fall asleep at the wheel.

When I asked you to keep

an eye on him last night,

I didn't mean you had to room

together all through college.

How about it, Lane?

- Well, if it's all right with Lute Mae?

I swear, I don't know whether I'm running

a road house or a get-acquainted society.

Oh, go ahead.

Let's go while we still have her blessing.

Wake me up when we pass Trondo.

Now I know

why you wanted me to come along.

Well, there it is.

With all this,

how do you ever find time for politics?

Honey, I couldn't move

a load of gravel without politics.

When I first started my construction

company, I discovered that the fat jobs,

the big money jobs,

are going to other people.

I needed connections and I found

the only connections I could trust

were the ones I made myself.

So, I began to get men elected

here and there.

It was pretty simple.

Do the people always elect

the men you want?

The people haven't elected anyone in this

state for so long, they've lost the habit.

It's a lot of trouble to go to the polls.

Usually it interferes

with a baseball game or a fishing trip.

When people don't care,

they get about what they deserve.

Meaning a Dan Reynolds?

Yeah, that's about it.

Hi ya, Dan.

Hi ya, Burr. Come on over and meet Burr.

It's good to see you.

- Everything on schedule?

Well, we hit rock yesterday.

We had to blast.

Lane, this is Burr Lassen.

He's head of all our construction.

- Been with me 10 years.

- Hello.

Pleased to meet you.

Well, I'll be seeing you.

Okay. Come on,

let's get something cold to drink.

- Be with you in a minute!

Okay!

This is what we call home.

Not good, not bad.

I've seen worse.

What'd I do with it.

I thought I had some change here.

Here.

This is the first time since I was a kid

that anyone has ever given me anything.

It's an interesting switch.

And everything about you is interesting.

The more I see you, the less I understand.

There's something inside you

that just won't give.

If I were going to be around a little

longer, maybe I could try and figure you out.

- Going away?

- New York. Probably Washington.

Oh.

- Be gone long?

- Quite a while.

I guess today is goodbye then.

Yes, I guess it is.

I'm crazy about you, Lane.

What's your last name?

- Senator Blangsted.

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