Phone Call from a Stranger Page #3

- Have you got any kids?

- Two girls.

Mine's a boy.

But you know how it is.

You know that warm, comfortable

feeling you get at night, after dinner?

The doors are closed, and the rest

of the world's shut out.

It's just you and her and the kids

sitting around together.

- You know the feeling?

- I know it.

Well, when that's gone...

you have no idea how lonely life is.

What's the problem?

Tomorrow morning I'm going to

the district attorney and tell him a story-

a true story.

Now what I wanna know is, what do I have

to be prepared for when I tell him this story?

What will I actually have to face?

Go on.

Don't you drink at all?

Sure. I just don't feel

like one right now.

Five years ago, on the 7 th,

which was a Saturday-

dance night

at the club-

I felt like more than one.

I was somewhat better off

then than I am now...

with one of the best

practices in town...

a smart, well-behaved boy.

And without any doubt whatever, I had

the best wife in the whole history of the world.

No. No women.

JustJerry and myself.

They told me quite frankly

that they didn't want me.

Of course not.

It's not a woman's business.

When a boy has reached his 12th birthday,

it's up to his father to handle the situation.

Oh, Jerry's read books, of course,

and he's heard the older boys talk.

But until he's done it himself, he simply

cannot realize what it means...

- to land a marlin.

- Where are you going?

Guaymas.

The best fishing on this coast.

- Telephone, Doctor.

- Oh, dear.

Very nice.

Thank you, dear.

It was lovely.

Excuse me.

- The hospital?

- I hope not.

That Mexican kid, probably.

You have a call for Dr. Fortness?

Yes, this is Dr. Fortness.

Very well. Tell him

I'll be there shortly.

- It's the Mexican child.

- Well, I'll go with you.

No, of course not.

You stay here and take care of Claire.

- You'll excuse me, won't you?

- Of course.

See you later, darling.

- Good night, kids.

- Good night.

Go along and drive him, Tim.

I think I will. It's my case

almost as much as his anyway.

- Luther, take care of the girls, will you?

- Okay.

But it looks like a complicated way

to get out of paying a check.

Will you excuse me?

- Here you are, sir.

- Thank you.

- I'll call the car.

- Thank you.

- Are you all right, darling?

- Of course.

What do you mean?

Oh!

Of course I'm all right.

You go on back to your table.

- Thank you.

- We'll call you as soon...

- as we're through to see if you're still here.

- Do you think he's all right?

- Why, sure. What do you mean?

- He's had a great deal to drink.

- Oh, of course not.

- He doesn't show it, but he has.

That's the way he is sometimes.

No, no. And if there's the slightest question

about it, he won't even wash up.

Bob's no fool.

Besides, I'll be there. I'm washing up too.

- Come on. Let's go.

- Coming, Mother.

Now he's perfectly okay.

Forget it.

See you later, darling.

Hey, take it easy, will you?

This is only an appendectomy.

I'm watching it.

What's the matter with you?

There's no traffic at this hour.

I've always wanted to know

how fast this car will go...

and this is as good

a time as any to find out.

I'm not kidding, Bob.

- You better stop the car, Bob, and let me take it.

- Don't be silly.

I'm not being silly.

This kind of driving's nutty.

Okay, if it scares you.

Is this all right?

I believe you are tight.

That's what I might have expected.

Bob, please!

Stop it, Bob.

Stop it, I tell you!

Stop it, Bob!

- Did you sleep?

- A little while.

You couldn't have had

a much closer call, you know.

I know.

Do you feel like seeing a man

from the D.A.'s office?

I can put him off if you don't.

I don't mind.

It's all right.

I can tell him to come back

this afternoon.

No, it's all right.

I'm all right.

Dr. Fortness is awake now.

This is Mrs. Fortness, Mr. Thompson.

- Good morning, Mrs. Fortness.

- Good morning.

- Good morning, sir.

- Morning.

If you'll excuse me.

I hate to push in on you like this.

I understand.

You know what happened, don't you?

They're dead, aren't they?

All three of them- Dr. Brooks

and the two men in the other car.

I never saw such a wreck.

You must have been going 80.

You were driving, weren't you?

No.

Are you sure of that?

What do you mean?

You were thrown out of the left side of the car.

Dr. Brooks was driving the car.

You got anybody else

who can testify to that?

Yes. I can.

Dr. Brooks was behind the wheel

when the car left the club.

And since then,

nothing but loneliness.

All right, folks, ready to board.

It's about time.

It's about time.

Good morning!

The high altitude affects my ears.

All right, all aboard, everybody.

We're gonna fly

10 miles nonstop this time.

Keep movin', Gypsy. It's too early

in the morning for one of your performances.

Drop dead, will ya?

Oh, better watch out, Docky.

Her husband's right behind ya!

What a clown.

Don't worry too much about it.

We'll be able to handle it somehow.

- I'm not worrying now.

- That's the spirit.

Trasky, she's waiting for you.!

Will you do me a favor?

Ride on the roof the rest of the way.

Huh? Sit in.

I'll sit here.

- You don't mind?

- Not in the least.

Think you'll be okay this time?

Sure. The pilot just told me

it's all downhill from here.

Boo!

No use, kiddo.

I got my wings now.

Hey, are you gonna sing

someplace in L.A.?

- Why, you dirty old man!

- What do you mean, old?

- I got a good mind to write your wife.

- Go ahead. She can't read.

Anybody marries you,

I don't believe she can even see.

Oh, she's okay now.

She's beginning to get insulting again.

- Don't get tough with me, babe. I'll jam your zipper.

- Yuk, yuk, yuk, yuk.

Well, look.

I won't say good-bye now...

but just in case we miss

each other when we get in...

don't forget- the Four Musketeers!

- I won't.

- And you better call us 'cause we can't call you.

Maybe we can get together

someday and have a few laughs.

- I'll call.

- How about you, Gypsy?

I'll ask my husband

what he thinks about it.

Well, you can ask him,

but don't bring him.

- You know how that guy talks?

- Eddie?

- Yeah, him and his big mouth.

- What about it?

- He's a fake.

- How?

If I really batted an eye at him,

he'd be out of here like a scalded cat.

- On account of his wife?

- Oh, that I don't know.

He doesn't want any part

of any other dame, that's for sure.

Could it possibly be

that he loves her?

- You really think she is?

- Is what?

His wife!

Don't you?

I don't know.

I don't get it.

There's something phony

about that whole setup somewhere.

- Don't you think so?

- It never occurred to me, no.

A lump like him with a jug like her.

It does seem possible

that she could have done better.

Done better?

It looks like she lost a bet.

- But you know what's funny about it?

- What?

- He's happy. That guy's really happy.

- Why not?

Instead of advertising what he's got,

he'd be a lot smarter...

sitting out in front

of his house with a shotgun.

Rate this script:0.0 / 0 votes