Magnificent Obsession Page #3

You don't talk much

about this belief.

When someone's ready for

it, they accept it.

Perhaps Wayne felt you weren't ready...

or that you were pretty perfect without it.

Well, I must be going.

Wayne mentioned so many times how

anxious he was for me to meet you.

I'm sorry it was under

these circumstances.

I flew up from Mexico as soon as I heard.

I thought possibly I might be able to...

Make it a little easier for me?

Well, you have.

Thank you.

- We'll be seeing you very soon, I hope.

- Yes. I'll be back in my studio now.

Mrs Phillips,

I want to talk to you.

- I'm very busy.

- Oh, I was just leaving.

- Goodbye.

- Goodbye, and thank you.

You and I don't have

anything to talk about.

- I know how you feel about me.

- Please leave me alone.

Your husband was an

eminent surgeon.

Everybody's saying that a character like me

is still around while your husband is...

Here.

- And what is that supposed to do?

- Supposed to do?

Most people'd be

very glad to get it.

Will paying thousands help

you forget it happened?

It's all very simple to you... a cheque

can take care of anything, any time.

Most people would be very

happy to receive $25,000.

Was it my fault? I didn't ask

you for your resuscitator.

Smash up somebody's car,

write out a cheque.

Get in a mess with a showgirl,

write out a cheque.

And when a man dies, write out a cheque

to his widow... account paid in full.

- Listen...

- Leave me alone!

When you go to Mexico City,

you must hear Rosario.

His voice is just divine.

It does things for me.

Good for you. But he doesn't

sound like my type.

Pardon me.

It's one of the most beautiful

things I've ever seen.

- The owner must have spent a fortune.

- Good for him.

It's got all kinds of gadgets.

It's got... red-spoke wheels...

What did they do to

you in that joint?

I know your big trouble, honey.

You need Val to take care of you.

The principal

difficulty seems to be,

the anaesthetics you get in these bars are

never as effective as the customer hopes.

- What, honey?

- Good night, baby.

- How about a drink, Val?

- No, thank you.

- Don't you want to take me home?

- That's an interesting idea.

I'll call you.

So long and farewell.

- Yes?

- I'm sorry to bother you this time of night.

I just clobbered my car

in the ditch. Look.

That's all right. Come in.

Thank you for your hospitality.

It's a nice place you have here.

A very nice place indeed.

- Are you all right?

- Me? Of course.

It takes more than pranging up a car

to incapacitate old Bob Merrick,

pride of the Merrick clan.

You're Bob Merrick, eh?

- Who are you?

- Edward Randolph.

- How do you... Who?

- It's all right. I live here.

Edward... may I please bother you...

for a telephone, please?

- Of course.

- Wait a minute.

Gotta call somebody to

come and pick me up.

- Must tell 'em to wear their safety belts.

- Right back here.

- Where?

- Right back here.

Oh.

Go slow.

Hello?

Hello there.

- Ed, did you do these pictures?

- Yes.

Nice.

As far as I'm concerned,

Art is just a guy's name.

- Williams?

- Shouldn't you dial?

Shh! Williams.

This is Robert Merrick Esquire.

I had a little trouble with my car. Would

you come over and pick me up, please?

Williams?

Don't snore, old man. Wake up.

Hardest thing these days,

getting good help.

Very nice job.

Where have we met? Don't tell

me, don't tell me. I met you...

- Is that?

- It's a portrait I did of Wayne Phillips.

Phillips.

Phillips.

He's the man who's haunting me.

You know what?

I almost drowned, but a resuscitator

saved me. Whose is it? Dr Phillips'.

They shoot me to a hospital to make old

Merrick good for another 20,000 miles.

Whose hospital? Dr Phillips'.

Then I meet her. A girl.

A girl who is...

a very beautiful girl.

Whose wife is she? One guess, pal.

- Now look here, Merrick...

- Tell me where we've met.

In the hospital.

In Dr Phillips' office.

Dr Phillips.

You see?

He is haunting me.

- I'm glad you made it.

- I'm not sure I have.

Try this anyway.

Do you mind telling

me what happened?

Oh... I wrecked the

car, in a ditch.

Yes. The right front wheel. I called your

house and asked someone to come over.

- I hope you don't mind.

- Not at all.

- Think a shower'd help?

- I certainly do.

Make it a cold one. Up those

stairs and to the right.

Thanks a lot.

I hope I wasn't too much

trouble last night.

When I pass out, I usually

like to be in my own bed.

No trouble.

Oh, I know where I saw you.

With Helen Phillips.

That's right, Merrick.

Will you take these?

- Have you known her long?

- No.

But Wayne Phillips was

the best friend I had.

Coffee's ready.

Yes, the portrait you did of him.

It's really good.

You're quite a painter.

Well, maybe I am now.

If so, I have Phillips to thank. He's

the one who unlocked everything.

- Phillips did?

- Yes. I met him some years ago

when I was still trying to find my

way in painting, getting nowhere.

I spent my life making fairly

adequate copies of the masters.

I always wanted to

create like they did.

But I just never could.

Until Phillips showed me

how to get what I wanted.

How did he do that?

How could a surgeon help?

Well, he taught me...

He showed me how to establish contact

with a source of infinite power.

That sounds fine.

What does it mean?

Well, let me put it this way.

This lamp isn't working now.

It's cold, and it's dark. All the parts

are there, it's a perfect light, but...

- It's just not turned on.

- Right.

But if I turn the switch

and establish contact,

the bulb will draw power

from the powerhouse

and it'll do what it was meant

to do, which is to make light.

So you're saying that people

have a sort of powerhouse too.

Establish contact with that and you

can do what you're meant to do.

- You can fulfil your destiny.

- I can turn on a light.

I don't think that's your destiny.

- Do you?

- No, I guess not.

Assuming there is a power of some kind,

how do you establish contact with it?

It's very simple: Just be

of real service to people.

Find people who need

help, and help them.

But always in secret.

Never let it be known.

And never ask to be repaid.

But why does it have

to be kept secret?

That's probably the most

important part of this belief.

Let's go back to the powerhouse.

If the wires in the dynamo are

not protected by insulation,

the power will be dissipated.

The same goes for us.

Most personalities are just grounded.

That's all that ails them.

I see. You mean keeping

these good deeds secret

is like insulating the

power of your personality.

- Yeah, that's near enough.

- If it works, fine. Obviously it helped you.

Isn't there anything in

the world that you need

that you haven't been able

to get in the ordinary way?

Not a thing.

Except...

I'd like to square myself

with Helen Phillips.

Oh?

But if I just help out some poor joker, why

does it follow that she'll listen to me?

I think you might be

surprised at what follows

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