Once Upon a Time Page #6

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to take my nine-year-old brother

and make him your partner.

Why, you've got him believing

that he's a genius!

And to prove it, you've got his picture

plastered all over the newspapers.

- Jeannie, you never showed it to me!

- Quiet, Svengalli.

All this publicity and ballyhoo.

I don't know why you're doing it...

or what you hope to get out of it,

but this I do know, Mr. Flynn.

You've upset that boy's life and mine.

Running away down fire escapes.

He hasn't eaten all day.

And why? All because of

a silly little caterpillar.

I gave you the wrong key.

Get out!

Mr. Flynn, put yourself in my shoes.

I'm Arthur's only guardian, his sister.

Do you understand? His sister.

He's my responsibility,

and I'm gonna take care of it.

I came around here to tell you

practically the same thing.

Because if you can't understand

what that caterpillar...

has begun to mean to the world...

or what it could mean

to your brother's future...

then we might just as well

forget the whole thing.

Well, thank you, Mr. Flynn.

And now, you heard what he said.

You won't have

any more trouble with me.

And I assure you,

you'll have no more trouble with him.

- Oh, yes, you will.

- Now, Arthur-

No, I won't.

Now, Pinky...

you've got to forget

everything that happened.

The partnership

is hereby dissolved.

- Do you understand?

- No, I don't, Mr. Flynn.

He means, dear,

that you're not partners anymore.

What am I supposed to say now?

Well, what else is there to say,

Pinky, except good-bye.

Well, you heard what he said.

Now, say good-bye.

Mr. Flynn, I'm gettin'

everything mixed up.

Now, look, son.

I'm afraid we have to say good-bye.

And remember this: Every fairy tale

can't have a happy ending.

I wish I was dead. Nobody loves me.

I wish I was dead.

Arthur, stop talking like that.

I'm gonna talk like that,

because I don't wanna live anymore.

I don't wanna live anymore!

I can't stay here and see that poor

little boy suffer. It's too upsetting.

- I wish I was dead!

- You're upset?

Look at the condition

that you've left that boy in!

- And now you're walking out!

- Isn't that what you wanted me to do?

Yes!

I mean, no!

Mr. Flynn,

you'll never see me again.

You'll see.

You'll be sorry.

I'm sorry to hear you talk like that.

I thought we'd part good friends.

But I can't deal with your sister.

I'm no Superman.

Then I must take...

desperate measures.

Come here. I wanna talk to you.

Come outside a moment.

Now, you listen to me,

Miss Thompson.

You're to blame

for that little boy's condition.

- Who, me?

- Yes, you!

I was only doing what I thought

was right, and I still think I'm right.

But if you can't see the beauty that

the whole world can see in Curly...

that even a nine-year-old boy

can see in him-

But I suppose you haven't

even looked at Curly.

I have looked at Curly,

and I can see the beauty in him.

But it's not to be cheapened

by a lot of ballyhoo.

It belongs to that little boy's world.

Good-bye, Mr. Flynn.

Did you call?

Perfect!

Come in here.

Don't overdo it.

Isn't it pretty? I got it

out of my mother's victory garden.

Yeah, it's very pretty,

but it ain't the type. I'm sorry.

Let's see yours, will you?

- Where's the 50 cents you promised me?

- I gotta audition him first, don't I?

No talent.

No talent.

- You can wait in here, Miss Thompson.

- Thank you.

Oh, hello.

Excuse me.

Well, come on.

As I told you before...

Mr. Flynn don't want

any caterpillars.

- Right this way. Step lively, please.

- But you said you were gonna-

I said that we don't want

any caterpillars today.

Now, take 'em back to their mamas.

You ought to be ashamed of yourselves.

The mayor wants a picture taken of

Curly around his little finger at 4:00.

I'm gonna write a poem about him.

It starts like this-

" Caterpillars mostly squirm,

but Curly is a dancing worm. "

Oh,Jerry.

Miss Thompson is here.

I told her we're not in

the caterpillar business anymore.

But we are.

- Hello. Been waiting long?

- Just a few minutes.

Presenting Jerry Flynn and Pinky

Thompson, partners in Curly Enterprises.

Look,Jeannie.

My first pair of longies.

Aren't they super-duper?

I madeJerry get me everything

like he has, didn't I?

Yes, you did.

He's got a mind of his own.

- You should've seen him in the shop.

- Tie and a suit and hat.

Even the same garters.

Look!

You've certainly grown up

very fast, Arthur.

Well, Pinky's getting

to be quite a man now.

- Moke, you got garters like these?

- Sure.

I've been robbed.

Pinky, what's the matter with

your sister? Doesn't she ever smile?

Come here, Pinky.

- Let's stand for inspection.

- Sure.

All right, hands first. Over.

Now ears. Right one first.

Now behind the ears.

There, hmm?

This one's gotta go back

to the cleaners.

What? Oh.

It must be a shadow.

Teeth.

Show us your teeth.

Come on. Let's see your teeth.

Look at that. She's smiling, Pinky.

Moke, look, she's smiling.

Mr. Flynn, I can't stand it any longer.

They're going crazy out there...

all those people waving checks in front

of my face and clamoring to get in.

Mr. Flynn, I'm a nervous woman.

I've been taking metabolism tests.

- You've got to see them at once.

- Now, take it easy.

Tell them Curly will be ready

to receive them in a few minutes.

I think I'm going to hate

that caterpillar before I'm through.

Come on, Sarah.

Come on.

Pinky, we're about to open

our doors for business.

Moke, will you please

seat my partner behind my desk?

- Gee,Jerry, can I?

- Certainly.

Come on, partner.

Well, Mr. Flynn, I better be going.

I have a matinee to do.

Aren't you glad you came? You can

see for yourself he's in good hands.

I suppose it is better than

having him dangling out of windows.

Yes, isn't it?

Well, good-bye, Arthur.

Come and see me... anytime.

It's amazing how that caterpillar's

changed our lives.

- Yes, isn't it?

- One bench...

one piano, two vases,

one bowl of artificial flowers.

Taking inventory.

We've finished in the theatre.

My banker.

He attends to all my business.

- If not for him I wouldn't have a cent.

- You are so right.

You can see we're busy, so I'll keep

Pinky at the hotel with me tonight.

- But I never agreed to that.

- Don't worry.

I'll see he gets a good dinner

and gets to bed early.

Hello, Flynn.

You mind if we come in?

Just a minute, gentlemen.

Just a minute.

Well, Brandt, are these your friends

who are so good at peeking into things?

Professor Van Dorn

and Professor Drapor.

- How do you do?

- Two distinguished lepidopterists.

Huh?

From the entomological division

of the American Museum of Science.

- Huh?

- Specialists in insects.

Oh. Special friends of yours.

We believe that

Mr. Brandt is right.

We can't allow you to perpetrate

this hoax upon the public.

Hoax? Gentlemen, in fairness to

my reputation, you owe me an apology.

Our reputation in the field

of science can't be challenged.

- It can't?

- No.

It can't, huh?

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