It Happened to Jane Page #2

- All right, Harris. The check, if you please.

- Yes, sir.

We have here a check in the amount

of $700...

$700?

Yes. The retail price of the lobsters.

If you would be good enough to sign here

in the three places.

Mr. Sloan, my loss is much more than $700.

Why, your railroad killed

more than my lobsters.

It probably killed my chances

for a successful season.

- Mrs. Osgood...

- I'm sorry.

- I only want what is right.

- Exactly.

We're here in good faith, Mrs. Osgood.

The railroad believes you should...

- Mom.

- Up here, sweetheart.

Mom, I've passed my electricity elective.

I've earned my Silver Arrow point.

Haven't I, Akela?

You should have seen him.

He was really something.

George, Mr. Harris and Mr. Sloan

of the E&P Railroad.

- Gentlemen, my attorney, George Denham.

- Oh, yes.

George, these gentlemen want me

to accept $700.

Aren't you forgetting

the damage to Mrs. Osgood's business...

- and her reputation?

- That's right.

Marshalltown Country Club wrote and said

they would never order my lobsters again.

They said that I ruined their Calcutta,

and they'll tell all the other country clubs.

They've already told Epicure magazine,

and I can't advertise in there anymore.

They said I misrepresented...

George wrote and told them in the letter.

- That's right.

- Did you hear from counsel, Harris?

- Of course he did.

- There was a rather odd communication.

"As the Democratic candidate

for first selectman in Cape Anne...

- "I'm asking for the endorsement"...

- Same as last year's letter.

- I want you to go right to bed.

- I must have put the wrong letter...

- in the right envelope.

- George, really.

I apologize.

Our station agent informs me that

you are a widow trying to support yourself...

and your two children.

Believe me, I'm speaking now

as one not unfamiliar...

with the guiding spirit

of the Eastern & Portland Railroad.

- Take this check.

- I will not.

Including myself, the legal staff

of our organization numbers 26 men.

In the past year, thanks to the incandescent

personality of the man we serve...

the E&P has been the defendant

in 314 litigations.

Of those, we lost one.

It involved an upper berth...

an untimely addition

to the population of New Hampshire...

and a recalcitrant conductor.

You, as a lawyer at the bar,

I think, will agree with me...

that a newly-born baby

weighs more heavily with a jury...

than those crustaceans

your client is involved with.

Will you excuse us for one moment?

I think you should take the money.

Did you hear what he said? They're big-time

lawyers. They got nothing to do...

but go to court.

That's why they're paid. Take the money.

George, why can't you...

Gentlemen, I will not take the money.

I'm sorry, George.

- Harris, are you licensed in this state?

- Yes, sir.

Good, I'm taking the Limited

back to New York.

Mrs. Osgood, I'm terribly sorry

we could not settle this matter amicably.

Good evening.

Good evening. See you in court.

There goes $700.

- You said you wouldn't take this.

- I know what I said.

I know what you said.

- Want some coffee?

- No, because I've got to go up to High River.

- Patience Parsons promised to letter...

- Parsons what?

- Promised to letter some posters for me.

- She can do it tomorrow.

I just sent $700 out of this house...

and I'm not about to drink coffee by myself.

- You coming?

- Yes, I'm coming. One cup.

You of all people

telling me to accept that offer.

Me of all people. It's the sworn duty

of counsel to advise his client, isn't it?

I advised you to take the money because

the E&P is a very tough outfit to lick...

but that doesn't categorically make me

a spy for Harry Foster Malone.

George, I understand that.

I just don't understand

why you don't understand.

It's the principle involved.

I'm right, they are wrong.

I only want what is due me. That's all.

Janey, let me tell you something.

The distance between the right...

Distance between the right and the practical

is a continuing shame to the human race.

- Are you listening?

- Yes, I am.

The E&P is an outfit involving

millions of dollars and thousands of people.

You are an enterprise involving four people.

- Four?

- Betty and Billy and you...

Four people and no dollars. You've just

got to learn to face the facts of life.

I suppose you do?

You're as blind to the facts of life

as you say I am.

For one thing, you're campaigning

for first selectman again, aren't you?

- Well, of course.

- And you know and I know that Cape Anne...

automatically elects Aaron Caldwell

every year.

He's been first selectman

as long as I can remember...

and he will probably always be

first selectman, but you keep trying.

- Now why do you do this, George?

- Why do I...

Because Aaron Caldwell is still living

in the 18th century.

He thinks a town must show a profit

at the end of the year...

as if it were a business or something.

Primarily, because the people of this town

are not getting...

the kind of government that they deserve.

Our schools are on half-day sessions.

That's a terrible thing.

That skinflint won't even spend $1

to get a fire engine for this town...

or what about a snowplow?

I know his answer to that one.

"The month of May...

"is cheapest snowplow on the market."

Unless the people of this town...

Do you want to know something?

I could absolutely shake you.

Why didn't you talk like that

at the rally last week?

Nobody came.

If you had something to say,

they would come.

Except the Cub Scouts.

Where's my cup of coffee?

You better take the bit between your teeth.

Do you remember how Hank...

Janey, Hank Osgood could talk the birds

out of the trees and you know it.

He had that wonderful quality

like some people and the ability to...

So do you, George.

I don't know.

Do you remember when we were kids?

The time that we sold the smoked glass

to watch the eclipse.

You remember?

I pinched the storm window from Uncle Otis.

And I spent my week's allowance

buying the glass cutter.

I smoked the glass. I built the fire.

And I sat in front of the bank and sold them.

Yeah, and Hank got all the money.

Oh, it's true.

Well, he did take us to the movies.

Want some sugar?

- Got any cream?

- I'm sorry.

I forgot him.

- That's the girls' side.

- For heaven's sake.

Hurry.

What's so funny?

Another five minutes out of salt water...

and Sam would have been a dead duck.

It'd be my...

Billy always puts him to bed

before he goes to bed. What happened?

I'm sorry, George. I did it.

I put Sam in the kitchen.

Then I chased Billy off to bed.

I wasn't mad at Billy.

I was mad at those lawyers.

How I ever got started in this business,

I'll never know. Lobsters!

Honey, you'll make it.

Takes time for any business to get started.

I know what you need.

Come here.

You need a partner.

And I'm gonna see you get one.

Me.

First thing tomorrow, I'm gonna

mortgage my house. Fresh capital.

You see?

You don't see. I mortgage my house.

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