Out of the Fog Page #8

But we ain't living any younger, Jonah.

- Yes Olaf, we are.

We're two old men.

- Yes, two old men. You and me.

Listen .. I have a plan.

Oh, you have a plan already?

All men are created free and equal,

so it says in the books.

Who am I equal to? Nobody.

Throw away the books.

All my life I wanted

peace and gentleness.

Violence?

Leave it to men like Goff.

All my life I too Olaf, have

wanted peace and gentleness.

But can you convince airplanes with bombs

and men with guns in their pockets?

What is your plan?

You will go through with it?

- I will.

I will go through with it.

It's a little bit hot in here, isn't it.

Naked I came into the world.

Naked I will go out of the world.

The Pitkin Company will have my clothes.

Rub hard Bublitchki,

rub harder. Harder!

Yes?

Tomorrow night he'll come for his money.

We'll pay him .. we'll pay him.

He'll be in good spirits. We'll make

believe we're in good spirits too.

We'll take the cigars he gives us.

I always take them anyway.

Cigars don't grow on trees.

We'll talk to him friendly-like. We'll

tell him Stella wants him to call on her.

We'll say she's at a friend's house over

at Manhattan Beach. At a linen shower.

Then, one of us will say:

"Come in our boat Mr Goff. We'll

take you over to Sheepshead Bay".

"Where we dock is only five blocks

away from where Stella is tonight."

"It's a nice night, Mr Goff.

The air will do you good."

"Your complexion is .."

Ah .. naked. Naked as a mule. A bankrupt.

So .. he has to get in the boat?

- That's right.

And what happens after

he gets in the boat?

We start across the bay.

- Yes .. and ..

We go far out .. when we're in

the middle, all of a sudden ..

The motor will break down.

Excuse me, I'm thirsty again.

Say, he's a fine looking man. He has

kept his figure. We all eat too much.

Teeth. If we didn't have teeth,

we would be better off.

I'm surprised the Pitkin

Company left me my teeth.

Yes.

Olaf .. Olaf.

You said "the motor has broken down".

Look. Somebody says:

"The boat's stopped. It's the motor".

"Mr Goff .. would you please hold

the rudder down while I inspect it."

So he goes to the back of

the boat and he leans over ..

And one of us will say:

"I think it's the carburettor float."

That's the signal:

"I think it's the carburettor float".

The other will come from the

back of the boat .. - And?

Hit him over the head.

- What?

I said:
hit him over the head.

Oh .. oh ..

That is the sweat. You drink and it

comes out. It is an endless circle.

Jonah, he is a very

powerful-looking man.

Yes .. he has arms like

a circus strong-man.

You know, it would be nice if we could

give him fifty cents and let him do it.

Yes, it would be nice, but it can't

be arranged. One of us has to do it.

One of us. Yes.

Well, which one? You or me?

Well, are you all finished

with your private conversation?

I'm in the mood for talking now,

if you have no objections.

In a little while, thank you.

In a little while.

Sweat and discussion.

It is like champagne to me.

That is all the Pitkin Company has

left to me:
sweat and discussion.

Alright .. let's .. let's toss a coin.

Yes, Bublitchki .. give me a coin please.

What do you want a coin for?

Come on. How far could we

run with it dressed like this?

Here .. a quarter.

Look .. somebody still has a quarter.

A quarter. Most people would

think that a quarter is nothing.

For a quarter the Pitkin Company

would dump you in the ocean.

Right in front of your wife and children.

For another quarter they'd push them in.

No. You toss the coin.

- Olaf, please .. let me do it.

You are a grown man, but somehow

you've kept the soul of a baby.

I'm different .. I'm old, Olaf.

Old through and through,

and this is an old-man's job.

Toss the coin, please.

Heads.

Heads.

It's nine o'clock.

- Yes, I know. I know.

Maybe he won't come.

Maybe he changed his mind.

He'll come.

You haven't changed your mind, have you?

Who me? No.

I think it is the carburettor float.

Evening boys.

- Hello Mr Magruder.

Glad to see you.

- How's the world treating you?

We have no complaints.

Well, you can consider

yourselves lucky men, then.

We do.

The night of the new moon.

A fit night for sin and corruption.

Or fishing.

Well, what is so funny about that?

- Nothing.

You know Olaf. Sometimes he laughs.

Say I must be getting on. Got a long

beat to cover. Goodnight boys.

Goodnight Mr Magruder.

- Goodnight.

Good evening Captain.

See, I've promoted you, Magruder. If you

are nice, I'll make an Inspector of you.

Oh boys, boys ..

- Yes?

If you need me, I'll be

right around the corner.

Thanks, thanks.

- Goodnight Mr Magruder.

Goodnight Captain .. and

don't pound that beat too hard.

Hello boys, I'm sorry I'm late.

Oh well, that's alright.

We didn't mind waiting.

I don't like to rush you, but I'm in a

hurry. One hundred and ninety smackers.

One hundred and ninety smackers

Jonah. Mr Goff is waiting for it.

Yes, that's right.

Here you are, Mr Goff.

It's all there.

- I'll count it.

We counted it many times.

One hundred and ninety, gentlemen.

We saved for three years.

Everybody should save for the future.

You can start all over again.

Just save your pennies.

Right in the old wallet.

It's a nice article, that wallet.

Ostrich. Genuine ostrich.

Cost me 23 dollars.

Imagine that. A bum off a

break-rods with an ostrich wallet.

How do you like that, huh? How do

you like it? Here, have a cigar.

Thank you very much.

Thank you Mr Goff.

I see you're smoking my cigars now, Pop?

You changed your mind. - Yeah.

I changed my mind about a lot of things.

Here, have a light.

That's the way I like to hear

you talk. Well, so long boys.

I'm off to meet your

dark-eyed willowy daughter.

Oh I forgot. Just a moment, Mr Goff.

I have a message for you from her.

- Well, what is it?

She's at a linen-shower

over at Manhattan Beach.

305 Exeter Street.

She wants you to call for

her there at ten o'clock.

Ten o'clock, huh?

- If you like ..

We could take you over in our boat.

- Say, thanks.

Now that's the kind of

business partners I like.

It's nice of you boys,

but I'll take a taxi.

It's a nice night Mr Goff.

It's a million-dollar night.

There is no doubt about it.

The breeze will be fine for your

complexion. Your colour ain't so good.

That's the truth. I look as if I

did come out of a jug, don't I?

How long will it take?

- Twenty minutes at the most.

Much less.

Okay .. Goff is in the

mood for a boat ride.

Lead the way, Admiral.

Hey!

Well, well, well. Look who's here.

- George.

Mr Goodwin, I want to speak

to this fellow for a bit.

What's on your mind?

Not now George, We'll talk later.

We're in a hurry. Come on, Mr Goff.

We got to take Mr Goff some

place, don't we Mr Goff?

Just a second boys, this will

only take a couple of minutes.

What's eating you, kid?

I hear you're going to

take Stella to Cuba.

It's alright George, everything is

going to be alright. Now don't worry.

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