Men of Boys Town Page #9

but my cuff is too frayed, Eddie.

You did your best, Dave.

That's what I expect of you.

That's what I expect of you, too, Eddie,

the best you can do.

But this time I didn't get it.

I see.

I warned you not to go dreaming

about 250 Boys Towns...

when you didn't have one all fixed yet.

I couldn't refuse a cry for help, Dave.

When you're trying to save someone

from drowning...

you've got to concentrate on him.

If you help too many, you lose them all.

Maybe hopping about all over the ocean

proves what a great swimmer you are...

but it isn't helping the poor guy

that's going down for the third time.

You're right, Dave.

What I wouldn't give to be wrong.

Just 10 years off my life, that's all.

- I was thinking, Father...

- Yes, Pee Wee?

- I was wondering...

- Yes, Pee Wee, what is it?

I've been holding out on you.

Oh, well, we'll both overlook it.

I won $5 in the Soapies Contest.

It was a consternation prize.

- A consolation prize.

- Yeah, a consternation prize.

I was going to buy you and Whitey

something for Christmas.

But Boys Town needs it more. Here.

The wormwood and the gall.

- Wanna play a game?

- I don't play with children.

Drift away, infant.

It's a good game.

I never felt my knuckles itch

like they do right now.

It's candy. You guess what pocket it's in

and you get to keep it.

Oh, I do?

That one.

And that one and that one and that one.

Talk about taking candy from a baby.

Where I come from, Curly Locks,

we play that game for eating tobacco.

- Mr. Morris.

- Yes, Whitey?

What's the matter with Father Flanagan?

He looks awfully worried.

- Well, he's been worried before.

- But not the way he is now.

I guess you and I are two people

he can't fool.

Since he came home,

he looks like he lost his best friend.

Whitey, I guess you're the only one

who's got a right to know.

He's come pretty close

to losing Boys Town.

But he can't lose Boys Town.

They can't do that to him.

He's never done anything wrong in his life.

Sometimes you can be wrong

without doing it.

How?

Like counting too much on other people...

thinking you can do too much by yourself.

- It's the money, isn't it?

- It's a big part of it.

Did my not staying with the Maitlands,

I mean, was he counting on them...

Well, the Maitlands

might have helped Boys Town...

but then again, they might not.

Thanks, Mr. Morris.

Mr. Maitland, Father...

I wanna come back home

and live with you.

This is quite a change in your attitude.

I know, but I've had a chance

to think it over since then.

And what have you thought?

About playing golf with you...

and tennis, and my car.

And your car?

And Mother, and all the kids at school.

If you'll only take me back,

I'll do anything you want me to.

I'll be around every minute. Honest, I will.

What's become of your devotion

to Father Flanagan?

Well, things aren't

quite the same here now.

I didn't realize how great it was with you.

What a fine chance I had.

If you'll only take me back.

You change your mind very rapidly,

Whitey. It's a quality I don't admire.

I won't change it again, honest I won't.

On my word.

No, Whitey, you made your decision.

I think it's best to let matters rest

just as they are.

Good night.

Mr. Maitland, don't go. Wait!

You're taking over Boys Town.

Oh, well, now, you'll stay on in charge,

of course.

In charge of my own failure.

Eddie, in five years, maybe, 10, anyway...

we'll be free and clear of debt.

You'll have Boys Town back like it was.

- Somebody will have to tell the boys.

- I'll do that for you, Eddie.

No, Dave, thank you.

- Yes, Father?

- Have the bugler blow Assembly.

Yes, Father.

If you don't think I've been hoping

for some miracle for you...

Miracles only come

to those who deserve them.

Boys...

this place...

Boys Town...

was my first dream.

It has been a dream come true.

It has made many boys happy.

More than 4,000 boys

have gone through here.

And gone out into the world

to become good citizens.

Not one of them has failed me.

Not one...

of all those thousands.

No one has ever failed Boys Town, ever.

Until now.

And now...

the failure is here.

Someone has failed Boys Town.

Failed badly.

Horribly.

Bohunk!

Bohunk?

That big old skunk.

Why couldn't he look where he was going?

Well, he couldn't see him, Pee Wee,

it's around a curve.

I didn't even see the dog.

He must've run under my rear wheels.

- I'm sorry for it.

- That's all right.

I didn't go up to take him out.

That's why it happened. I forgot.

He got out without his leash.

Pee Wee, a dog has to run free sometimes.

You can't keep anyone on a leash

all the time.

Whitey, you and the boys...

go over and dig a grave for Bohunk,

over there by the statue.

Yes, Father.

And you help Whitey.

Where's Bohunk?

Ted, you've stood so much pain,

do you think you could stand a lot more?

Why doesn't somebody else

have to stand it?

Everybody does have to go through pain,

Ted.

Some seem to have more to endure

than others.

And you're one of them.

And I...

I can't tell you why, either,

unless it's that suffering seems to...

forge such a fine man, that in the end...

you'll be better than the rest of us.

No more doctors?

Ted, I'm going to let you have it

square on the chin.

But I think you can take it.

Bohunk was run over by a truck.

The boys are burying him.

I thought you'd like to go.

Bohunk, dead?

Put me down.

We're all saying goodbye to you, Bohunk.

You're the only one

who could make a fellow smile...

that had been kicked around too much.

You did your job, and you did it well.

We all loved you, and we always will.

That's enough for now, huh, Ted?

Yeah.

Take me back now, Father.

I'll try some more tomorrow.

Sit down, Eddie.

Father, did you know that

Whitey wanted to come back with us?

No, he didn't say anything to me about it.

- I forgot.

- You're not usually forgetful.

Well, he spoke to me over the radio.

He told me the worst, most bare-faced

collection of lies I've ever heard in my life.

Lies?

What's come over you, Whitey?

I guess, I'm just naturally bad, Father.

That's not fair.

Whitey was really offering himself to us

as a hostage for Boys Town.

Yes, when I had a chance to think it over...

I realized that

Whitey was selling himself down the river.

- Whitey.

- Yes, Father?

- Did you want to do this for me?

- No, not particularly. I guess...

He did it because he knew

you were in trouble.

Trouble? That's a mild word for it.

As Dave says, we're out of business.

No, you are not.

Any place that can inspire loyalty

like Whitey's...

faith like Ted's...

a friendship as fine as Dave's,

mustn't go out of business.

I know that Dave has gone

half as deep as Boys Town...

but we'll put our heads together and find

some way to pull both of them out.

Thank you.

Today another class has graduated.

Another group is leaving Boys Town...

and going into manhood.

It is not an easy world

they're going out to.

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