It Happened to Jane Page #8

He don't want it, Janey.

I got orders from him this afternoon.

You got 48 hours

to get old 97 off his tracks.

But how? I don't know how to do it.

I'm sorry.

All right.

Proceed to election of first selectman.

- No.

- Out of order.

- Proceed to election of first selectman.

- You've proceeded far enough.

I wish to be recognized!

All right. Chair recognizes George Denham.

I don't understand it. I'm sorry,

I just do not understand you people...

how you can behave this way.

The only person in this room that I have

any respect for is Aaron Caldwell.

He is wrong, but he's wrong out loud.

He doesn't sit and mutter

out of the side of his mouth like you.

Now, you all talk like Janey Osgood

did something wrong to you on purpose.

The only thing that Janey Osgood did

was try to get for herself...

what she righteously, morally,

and legally deserved.

She did not stop the rail service,

and you know it.

Harry Foster Malone did that.

He's your villain and not Jane Osgood.

Where am I?

I'm not in Cape Anne.

You remember Cape Anne in 1949

and the big hurricane?

All you people, you took 104 survivors off

the Atlantic Ocean right into your homes.

And I don't remember any talk then

about the almighty dollar...

or "what's in it for me," or "my problems."

Not then.

Bottled gas.

There's hardly a home in Cape Anne

that doesn't have a fireplace...

where your female ancestors cooked

three meals a day, 365 days a year.

And those women

that were cooking those meals...

had one hand on a skillet

and one on a musket.

An Indian happened to slip by the men

in the fields...

he had every female in this town

to contend with.

They tell me supper was hardly ever late.

What is the matter with you people?

Don't you know where you are?

Don't you realize? You're in a town meeting.

And this is one of the last places

on this sweet earth...

where the democratic process

is still going on.

This is really America...

or was.

And the very soul of our system...

is the dignity of the average American.

The dignity and the inalienable right to

stand up and fight for what he believes in.

Do you realize that Jane Osgood's

great-great-great grandfather...

founded your town,

and that he fought the Kennebunk Indians?

Her great-great grandfather

built this town hall...

where you're sitting here now

having your meeting.

And he helped stop the redcoats

at Ogunquit so they couldn't get here.

And now, today, Jane Osgood has a fight

with Harry Foster Malone.

And she's fighting for what she believes in.

That's her right.

And what happens? You, the townspeople,

her neighbors, her friends.

Do you line up beside her

and help her fight?

No, you drop your muskets and you run.

You run.

Well, run.

I can't take it. I'm getting outta here.

You can sit and feel sorry for yourselves.

What are you going to do, George?

Aaron, it seems to me you wanted to vote

for first selectman of Cape Anne.

I think we're ready.

Let's go home.

- We're going to live in New York.

- I'm not. I want my train.

Will you please stop it?

I don't want to hear one more word

about that train, understand?

You go on. We'll walk.

What's this about New York?

We're going to live there, that's what.

You mean you're giving up?

You're gonna let that bunch of...

You're running away.

- Don't care.

- Well, I care.

I don't like a quitter.

You started this whole thing in your

living room the day you told off the E&P...

and you'll finish it if I have to

drag you every inch of the way myself.

You ought to be ashamed of yourself.

- I'm sick and tired of speeches.

- I'm not making speeches.

I want you to know

how I feel about a quitter.

I don't care.

"I don't care."

Can't you say anything but that?

What do you want me to do?

I want you to stand up and fight.

Get your back up and fire at will.

It's "fire when ready."

- What?

- It's not "fire at will." It's "fire when ready."

What's the difference?

The point is we're not through yet.

Will you please be realistic just this once?

What do you want me to do?

Why don't you get in the car?

Come on.

Well?

Well, first of all,

what about the orders for lobsters?

What good are they?

You heard what Aaron Caldwell said.

There's no train service, George.

Wait a minute.

Who said there wasn't any train service?

Where are those orders?

- I don't want to see another lobster again.

- You're gonna see another lobster.

You're gonna pack every mother, son

and daughter of them...

- and they're gonna go to market.

- How?

There.

What?

I gotta verify those orders.

Is your phone bill paid?

- Yes, but...

- Good.

Now we gotta get Uncle Otis, a fireman.

But that's me. I can shovel...

- Coal. Where am I going to get coal?

- Akela.

I know where there's some coal.

- Where?

- Down at Four Mile Creek.

The coal trains drop some

when they go around the curve there.

There isn't enough coal there

to get steam out of a tea kettle.

- I'd better get Uncle Otis.

- Will you please tell me what you are...

Hey, here comes George!

Here's our new first selectman.

George, you finally got elected!

How about a little speech, George?

I'm very happy.

And I'm proud.

Because when you voted for me,

you voted for Janey, also.

And she needs your help.

Listen, all of you...

tomorrow we're gonna take

Janey's lobsters...

put them on old 97, and take them to market.

Every blessed one of them.

- Will you help us?

- Yeah!

- Have you still got your license?

- You're darn tooting.

You're at the throttle. Where's Homer?

I need a routing from the E&P.

You get it for us.

And the rest of you, we need coal.

- You'll get mine.

- Wonderful. We'll take it.

- What is it, Billy?

- What about Four Mile Creek?

Listen, that's a good idea.

Tell your kids that are Cub Scouts

to report to Billy Osgood for coal collection.

Get the coal down to old 97.

We gotta get out early in the morning.

I don't care how you get it there

but just get it there.

Three hundred?

That's wonderful. Thank you very much.

It may be wonderful for you, Mrs. Osgood.

You do not have to prepare them.

I need those lobsters here in Marshalltown

by 5:
00 this afternoon.

Yes, sir.

It's only 7:
00 here now. I'll be there by noon.

Keep her coming, Al.

It's up to 60,

and I need 125 pounds to move her.

Where the devil is that nephew of mine?

I wish you'd tell me how you expect

to go traipsing around the countryside...

- stopping wherever you please.

- We won't traipse.

We'll get into your train,

which is a common carrier...

- and deliver your lobsters.

- That's Sam!

You see what could happen to you,

you dope?

- I told you to stay out of the girls' side.

- Jerk.

- Mommy, it's Larry.

- Where?

On the telephone in New York.

He wants to talk to you.

What does he want?

I guess he wants to ask some questions.

He is a reporter, George.

Didn't he ask enough questions

the other night?

Oh, here.

Live.

It is now 28 hours and 11 minutes

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