King Of The Hill

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"Six years ago,

on the morning of May 20, 1927,

I was fast asleep

when my bedside phone began to ring.

I looked at my alarm clock.

It was almost five.

I knew there was only one person

in the whole worid

who would call at such an hour.

And when I picked up the phone,

I knew I was right.

'Hello,' I said. There was

quite a bit of noise on the line.

'Aaron, Charles Lindbergh here.

I'm calling from

Roosevelt Field on Long Island.

We're doing engine tests.'

'That's OK', I said.

'What can I do for you? '

'Well', he said,

'remember that flight

across the Atlantic? '

I told him I remembered.

He'd been telling me

and made me swear to keep it a secret.

'Here's the situation', Slim said.

'The fact is I'll be shoving off

in a few hours, around ten to eight.

I wanted to ask you about food.'

'Food? ' I said.

'Yes', he replied. 'I anticipate

the flight to take about 34 hours,

and I wanted your opinion

on what kind of food to bring.'

'Well', I said, 'you can't

go wrong with a cheese sandwich.

And don't forget the mustard.'

He laughed.

'I knew I could count on you.

I'll cable you from Paris.'

'Good luck', I told him,

and hung up the phone.

Like everyone else, I listened

to the radio for news about his flight.

I wasn't worried about his safety.

I knew he had

a special lifeboat behind his seat,

in case of emergency.

But when the Spirit of St Louis landed

in Paris, 331/2 hours after take-off,

I yelled so loud the windows shook.

Two days later, I received a telegram.

It said, 'Sorry to disturb your sleep,

but it was good to hear your voice.

Take it from your good friend, Chaz,

the cheese I chewed was choice."'

The end.

Thank you, Aaron.

That was... very inventive.

My mother was the maid of honour

at Lindbergh's wedding.

Really?

Our last report for the day

will be read by Billy Thompson.

The American hero he's chosen

is John D Rockefeller.

"I chose John D Rockefeller

as my American hero

because, although he's one

of the richest men in the worid,

he has never forgotten

his humble beginnings.

That's why he

gives generously to charity,

and hands out dimes

to the poor unfortunates

he encounters on the streets."

- Hello, Aaron.

- Hi, Mr Sandoz.

Sullivan.

Sullivan.

Everyday it's something.

No wonder you got caught.

Taking a kid's dessert.

I told you a thousand times,

take food from fat kids,

and you never take a kid's dessert.

A kid leaves his lunch untouched

and just eat the dessert.

- I know.

- Did you get sent to Mr Stillwater?

- Yeah.

- You didn't tell him where we live?

No. He had his hands clamped on

to the back of my neck like a vulture.

- I couldn't talk.

- Good.

- Hey, look. Big Butt Burns.

- Hurry up! Get out of the street.

Pow, pow, pow!

Hey, hey, hey! Hold it there,

you, come on! Let's go!

Move it along!

Hey, lady, get out of the street.

Come on, buddy. Come on.

Yeah, yeah, yeah.

- When are you gonna teach me marbles?

- I keep telling ya.

All the important stuff can't be taught.

You just have to learn.

- Who knows important stuff?

- Dad.

Lester. Who taught him? Nobody.

- But I want to be as good as you.

- Look...

Pick two.

Not that one.

Not that one.

Definitely not that one.

Well, which ones can I have?

Here.

- Start practicing.

- But you get the good ones.

Want me to take 'em?

- No.

- Stop complaining. Come on.

- Hey.

- Hey.

Took your father up a while ago.

He's reading some letter.

Was it from a company?

He's expecting a letter from a watch

company. There's big money in watches.

Now how would I know who it was from?

Was it typed or written by hand?

- By hand.

- It's probably nothing then.

Hey, stop!

You're stepping

on a black one.

- Shh. Listen.

- What?

- Come on.

- I just want my paints.

The watercolours and a few brushes.

- Gotta do what Mr Desot tells me.

- But...

How am I supposed

to earn money to pay my rent

- if I can't use my supplies.

- That's a puzzle, all right.

So, what would your price be to let me

have five seconds in that room?

A lot more than you got.

Mom, he just...

- Did somebody die?

- Nobody died.

Well, what is it then?

Your mother and I have made a decision.

- You made the decision.

- You agreed to this!

I agreed we didn't have a choice.

That's not the same thing.

Tell them, Eric.

Sullivan will be going away for a while.

What?

Uncle Nathan said he'd keep him

till we get back on our feet.

That way, we save

at least a dollar a week.

I could make a dollar in a week, Dad.

You can make that much? He's finishing

eighth grade, he's the breadwinner.

- Eric.

- He's too young!

You could send me.

We're sending him,

and that's final!

What was the big idea of bursting in

like the hotel was on fire?

That's no way to enter a room, sir!

We saw Sandoz

get locked out of his room.

On the third floor?

You said it could never happen

on the third floor.

I carry a lot of influence

with Desot. Don't you worry.

How do you think I got a room

with a double exposure?

Triple, if you count the transom.

He knows Sid Goodman is going

to give me the Hamilton Watch line.

He knows I've got this WPA job coming.

When that happens,

I call up my pal Donald Miller.

And we move to the Carleton Court

Apartments, where we belong.

Can I take Skippy?

"Can I take...?" No,

you can't take Skippy on the bus. No!

- He's going on a bus?

- Yeah.

Why aren't you driving him?

How can I drive him when repossessors

are waiting to take my car away?

Where would I get the money

to pay for the gas?

I can't afford

to get your mother's tooth fixed. OK?

He's perfectly safe on the bus,

he's a big boy! Aren't you?

You see?

Hold on.

- Where you going?

- I have to leave a note for Lester.

Is there a law

against knocking on his door?

- It disturbs his mother.

- Is she sick?

- I've never seen her.

- Of course she's sick.

She's got back trouble

from bending over to pick up messages.

Come on.

Irritated nasal membranes...

...giving you more room to breathe...

Be a good boy.

Sullivan, see you soon, big boy. Huh?

Come on, Sull.

I don't wanna go!

Don't worry, OK?

I'm gonna earn money and get you back.

- How?

- Well, I'm not sure yet.

But I know Lester'll have some ideas.

Don't worry about Skippy.

I'll take good care of him.

See ya.

All right, try me again.

True or false:
Walter Emmins

had to go to the hospital because

he played with his belly button

so much it got infected.

- They had to operate.

- False.

It's true. He's gonna be

out of school for three weeks.

All right, one more.

True or false:

Today, after school,

I snuck into Sportsman's Park

through the bleachers,

and passed by the railing

and saw Pepper Martin going to third.

He saw me,

and threw me a piece of Wrigley's gum.

- True.

- False.

Gotcha.

Well, the trouble with this game

is I have to accept your word

for what's true or false.

- That's true.

- Hmm.

Good night.

You said you were gonna play,

you're gonna play.

- You ain't leavin' until you do.

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