Flamingo Road Page #8

I sure was surprised when

you bought a place in Flamingo Road.

We always do the unexpected, Titus.

- As witness, my afternoon tea.

- Tea?

Sit down, Titus. I know what you want.

Here, dear.

Real nice place you got here.

Quite an ambitious undertaking.

Better than Lute Mae's.

I admire ambition

when it don't get in my way.

I've never been able to make up my mind

if you're awful smart or awful stupid.

Someday you may find out, Sheriff.

Here's your drink, Titus.

Excuse me.

Here.

Come on, Titus. Out with it.

- What's on your mind?

- Nothing.

Except I'd sort of like to see young Field

get along a little faster.

You see, I've been busy measuring

the Governor's chair for him.

Your memory is getting bad.

The name's Parkhurst, George Parkhurst.

The chair already fits.

I measured him for it myself.

Maybe you pronounce it Parkhurst, Dan,

but it's spelt Carlisle.

I have nothing against Carlisle.

He's just not ready.

Maybe not, but I am.

You know the Governor's job

was promised to George Parkhurst.

Yeah, but it can be un-promised.

I kind of like it for Field.

I like to see young fellows get ahead.

You know how I've always been,

just an easygoing, friendly, fat old man.

Mmm-mmm.

The governorship was promised

to Parkhurst, and it stands.

I'm going to keep my word.

So am I, Dan.

I'm not gonna let you get away with it.

Maybe I shouldn't be so stubborn.

Maybe I shouldn't care

if you take over the state.

I can profit by it.

But Titus, I know

what you've got in your mind.

Pretty nice state to hand over to you.

Give you five years and you'll drain it dry.

What isn't corrupted, you'll corrupt.

I've seen it.

I know what you're capable of.

You know, Dan, once before I said we

could run this state real good together.

Now, I ain't sure.

I would hate to have to fight it out

with you.

Sarah!

Coming, Mr. Reynolds!

Lane, what's the trouble

between you and Titus?

I just don't trust him, that's all.

That's a lot of hatred

for just not trusting a man.

Never mind.

You'll tell me when you're ready.

Come on, honey.

What did he want?

A favor.

I turned him down.

Sometimes I wonder

why I don't let him have his way.

I have everything I want now.

I wish you meant that.

I wish we could get out and leave all this

backstabbing and crookedness behind us.

- And just turn everything over to Titus?

- No, no, I didn't mean that.

Well, you give me an answer.

Look, you know so much more than...

Why don't you be honest with the people?

Why don't you teach them

to run their own state?

Honey, the honest men get eaten up.

There are too many other men waiting,

watching, probing for the soft spots,

the graft.

No, it's better to be one of them.

Besides, I've got to keep my eye on Titus.

Left alone, he'd steal the gold

off the capitol dome.

- You wouldn't like that, would you?

- No.

That's why you get drunk

on election night.

You're a very smart girl.

You take care of the teapot.

Let me take care of Titus.

It's not that simple, Dan.

Take the old labor gang

and move that stuff.

You can take your crane and gang

and give them a hand.

Hi, Lassen.

- Hi, Sheriff.

- I want to talk to you.

- What about?

Come on, bub.

I'm gonna give you a lesson in politics.

I've got some kind of bad news

about that boy of yours.

Huh?

- Police picked him up in Boldon last night.

What for?

Booked him on a hit and run.

There was also a drunk-driving charge.

Tommy never had a drink in his whole life.

Saw it right there on the police blotter.

It's just his word

against a lot of witnesses.

I sure wouldn't like to take a chance on a

boy of mine going up on a charge like that.

What is it you want, Sheriff?

You didn't come here just to talk.

That's right.

You're gonna do something for me

and after that I'm going to see

that your boy gets off.

What is it?

Well, you know Dan Reynolds is

chairman of the prison board.

So I'm going to send you some convict

boys and a man with a gun to watch them.

You're gonna put them to work

without wages.

I won't do it. I wouldn't do anything

to hurt Dan Reynolds.

You and me are going to send

Dan Reynolds to jail for peonage.

I won't do it.

You'll do it, Burr, just like

I'm telling you. If you don't...

Come on, bub.

I'm not gonna go along with you

on a frame-up like that.

Yes, you will, bub. You'll go along

and you'll do everything just like I say.

You're getting soft and weak.

You're just the kind of man I like.

You've got that anxious,

hungry look I like to see.

That means you want the things

I can give you.

You'd rather be Governor

than anything else in the world.

Without me, you wouldn't be

even a deputy sheriff.

You'll go along, bub. You'll go along.

How are you, Miss Annabelle?

Sheriff Semple!

Sheriff Semple!

Afternoon, Miss Annabelle.

Ain't seen much of you lately.

You look kind of peaked. You been crying?

- Have you seen Field?

- Oh, some four to five days ago.

Papa invited some upstate bankers

for lunch to meet him.

And they're still at the house waiting.

Papa's furious!

He says he's given Field his last chance.

Yeah, I heard you two weren't getting

along so well, quarreling in public and all.

It's been worse in the last week or so.

Some nights he doesn't even come home

at all and when he is there,

he talks so crazy, about being able to

tell a governor by his anxious, hungry look.

I just don't know what to do!

You just go on home, Miss Annabelle.

Just leave it to me.

Trying to crawl into a whiskey bottle?

You're drinking in kind of bad company,

ain't you, bub?

Look, bub. I got you this

job to help you financially.

That name on the door is in water color.

I could spit on it and wash it out.

You've turned soft in my fingers.

I made a mistake about you.

The only way we can tell

what a mule or a man can do

is to give him a field to plough.

The job I have got to do is too big.

- You're gonna throw me over, huh?

- I'm just turning you loose.

Well, you can't do that!

I don't like for people to talk to me

like the way you're doing, bub.

You're not gonna throw me out

like you did the rest of them!

Look, I told you, I don't like to hear

you say such things.

You ain't even gutsy enough

to fight an old man like me.

Get out!

Get out!

I told you it wasn't permanent, bub!

- What do you think is really happening?

- I'm not sure, but I don't like the feel of it.

That's the reason why I called you all here,

to see if we could figure it out together.

I've been sort of bird-dogging Titus

these past few days.

I found him in some very strange cover.

He's looking for trouble

and he's got a nose for it.

Good evening, Sheriff.

Good evening, Sarah.

Don't bother to tell him I'm here.

I'll go right on in.

- Well, how are you, boys?

Hello, Sheriff.

I'm sure I never figured

to find you all here.

How are you, Niles? John, Ed, Leo, Tom.

Dan.

Hello, Titus.

I didn't mean to break in on you like this.

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