Flamingo Road Page #9

I didn't really think

there was no truth in it.

I heard the boys were in town and up here.

So I says to myself,

"Why, that can't be so. "

For years they've made it a point of

dropping around to the Palmer House

to say hello to me. Now, why should

they stop doing that all of a sudden?

So I just started wanting company and

come up to spend a little time with you.

We're glad to have you.

Yes. How've you been, Sheriff?

I was going to call you

in the morning.

Something on your mind, Titus?

Yeah.

Boys, we ain't gonna run

Parkhurst as Governor.

- What?

What do you mean?

Why, you're crazy!

You know, I let people think that

for a long time.

I used to like to hear them say,

"That fat, good-natured old Titus. "

You know, all fat people are

supposed to be laughing and happy.

I spent most of my life

getting people to think that.

All right, Titus, let's get down to it.

You still dreaming of running Carlisle

in Parkhurst's place?

No.

- Then who is it?

- It's me.

- You?

- I don't get it.

You are crazy.

You know you can't get away with it.

I think maybe I can.

I won't go along with it

and neither will my district!

Why, John, I figured to have you in jail

by the time the primaries come along.

I've been doing some rooting around

and you'd be surprised

the things I ran into right here

in this state.

There's been some unusual illegal

contracts, phony land condemnations...

Now see here, Titus, you...

Now, you were in

on that land grab, too, Ed.

The fact is, all of you seemed

to have got your cut of it.

Now, here I have something

that will really interest you.

What's this?

Go ahead! Read them!

Contracts, checks, bank statements.

They're photostatic copies

so I've got plenty more!

What's the idea of this?

Why, you double-crossing...

Now, there ain't no use to calling names.

You see, the public are used to

having you all eat at the trough.

I don't know how they'll take it when

they learn you ate up the trough, too.

Nothing for me, Titus?

Oh, I have a few jim-dandies for you

if you really want them!

Now, look here, Titus.

If we go to jail, you go with us.

Now, that's a funny thing.

But somehow, there ain't a scrap of paper

to tie me to you.

All of you were so busy

getting your big cuts

that you were careless

when you gave me my little ones.

I plucked a goose here and there

but nobody could find the feathers.

You know, I almost believe you.

I hope you do, Dan. I sure

wouldn't want to see you go to jail.

Dan, we've got to be reasonable.

- I can't afford to take any chances.

Maybe we ought to

think about this some.

There's nothing to think about.

Titus, if you try this,

I'll fight you every inch of the way.

Sure sorry to hear you say that, Dan.

You'll find out sooner than you think

that it don't pay to be too stubborn.

Well, I've got to be going.

Any of you boys coming my way?

Can't go along with you, Dan.

Maybe we could make some kind of a deal.

Don't you think we ought to

sleep on it? Maybe in the morning.

No.

You boys go on.

No hard feelings, Dan?

No hard feelings.

Can I drop you, Titus? I got my car.

Maybe we ought to stop off

and have a drink.

Sorry, Dan.

Good night, Dan!

Maybe get a glass of milk,

if you like.

I'm sorry, Lane. Thought you were asleep.

I didn't feel much like talking.

You don't have to.

I heard the whole thing.

No matter what you give Titus Semple,

he'll never let up.

He hates you worse

than any of the others because of me.

Why?

He's been after me

ever since I came to Boldon.

He was determined to break me and

make me run away, only I wouldn't run.

- So he framed me.

- Why?

To protect his candidate's political future.

He thought Field Carlisle was in love

with me and I was in love with him.

Were you?

Yes.

Are you in love with him now?

Were you in love with him

when you married me?

I don't know.

You at least knew you weren't in love

with me. You were that honest.

You thought if you married me,

you'd be out of Titus's reach.

You thought I had more power

than he had and you'd be secure,

maybe one day you'd pay him back.

And then you and Carlisle would...

That's not true!

No one has ever played me

for quite such a sucker.

I don't mind being taken for a free ride,

but if you had just warned me,

if you'd just told me these things

when I asked you to,

I'd have known what to expect.

I've made two big mistakes in my life.

I underestimated Titus

and I overestimated you.

- But you...

- Too bad, sugar. This joke's on you.

Titus is top man now.

Dan.

Dan.

I'm here at the station.

I'm catching the 1:15 for Olympic City.

I'll probably be moving fast

in the next couple of weeks

so I can't tell you where I'll be.

Will you have Sarah pack a bag for me

and send it on to the Olympic City Hotel?

All right, Jamieson!

Train's just about to pull out.

Dan.

- Yes?

Will you call me?

There isn't anything to say.

- Hello, Doc.

- You got a story for me, Dan?

I understand

Titus has you all over a barrel.

He's gonna put himself in as Governor.

My client has

no statement to make, Waterson.

I don't need any

legal protection against Doc.

Don't miss the train.

Okay.

- What are you going to do, Dan?

- I don't know.

I'm no lace-pants reformer,

but I'll be horsewhipped

before I'll turn this state over to Titus.

I don't know yet how we could have

been so stupid as to let this happen.

Men like Titus don't just happen.

No, it's men like me

that make them possible.

Say, Doc, you're always writing fancy,

flag-waving speeches

telling how to run the universe.

- Have you a solution?

- Not off-hand.

But then I don't think our form

of government's so bad

that honest men can't run it.

Aboard!

- Good luck.

- Thanks, Doc.

Who is it?

Field!

- I got to talk to you.

- Well, you can't. It's late.

You're drunk!

Not drunk enough.

There's not enough liquor in the world

to wash away what I got to wash away.

You have no business to come here

at this time of night.

There's nobody here.

I watched them all leave, one by one.

Sitting across the street for hours

in my car.

Guess I went to sleep!

It's as good a place as any.

Why don't you stop killing yourself

this way?

If it were just that simple. I've been

trying all day to get up the nerve.

Field, what's wrong?

What's happened to you?

I crawled into a bottle and I can't get out,

my sweet little wife's thrown me over,

Titus is through with me...

I lost you.

You are drunk.

It's the only way I could

get up the courage to come here

to say what's been eating me

all these months.

We should have stayed together.

I'd have been all right then.

None of this would have happened.

I'd have made a good deputy sheriff.

It never would have worked.

Whatever we had is over.

I can look at you now

and know it's completely gone.

Now, come on, you can't stay here.

You better go home.

Go back to my gutter?

I got a nice little place all staked out

in front of the Palmer House.

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