Phone Call from a Stranger Page #4

Still figuring people out, huh?

I can't help it.

I can't rest till I got 'em pegged.

- You wanna hear about you?

- I don't believe so. Thank you.

Oh, you were a cinch.

I had you pegged almost before-

If you don't mind,

I'd rather not discuss it.

All right.

Wanna hear about the doc?

What about him?

He's in big trouble.

Why do you say that?

Well, he's a pretty smart guy,

and he's worried.

Smart guys don't worry

about pimples.

Takes something awfully important

to make a smart guy worry.

Go on.

- You know what else I think?

- What?

- He made a deal.

- A deal?

Some kind of deal with himself.

He's a pretty smart guy.

He knows nobody can have

a hundred percent of anything.

So he made a deal with himself.

He settled for half.

Am I right?

Yes.

What's that?

Ah. Clouds.

It's nothing.

It's a funny time of year

for that much ice.

Yeah. We're getting

everything this trip.

You know, that's what I'm doing.

Making a deal?

Settling for a percentage.

- I had mother-in-law trouble. You ever heard of it?

- Yes, I've heard of it.

- You ever hear of Sally Carr?

- Yes. Vaudeville.

That's right. Back in the old Palace days.

Big mama singer.

- Heart of gold stuff. Remember?

- Sure, I remember.

- She could really belt out a song, couldn't she?

- She was wonderful.

- That's my mom-in-law.

- Really?

Every hour I spent with her has been

like five rounds with Sugar Ray Robinson.

You see, she's still trying to

hang on to what she used to be.

She's got this broken-down

nightclub out in Hollywood.

She's the emcee,

and Mike's the floor show.

Mike's my husband

and a very nice guy.

To hear her tell it, it's Danny Kaye

and Sophie Tucker, only better.

- See what I'm up against?

- Yes, I see.

Imagine how she took it

when Mike walked in with me.

But why?

You're a professional too.

Well, maybe to me, but not to her.

I was with a U.S.O. Troupe overseas.

That's where I met Mike.

That didn't count with her.

'Cause she says if it's free,

soldiers will look at anything.

Isn't that rather

a fine distinction?

Ah, that wasn't it.

The truth of it is...

she didn't like me on sight

any more than I liked her.

It was bing, bing, bing all the way.

Know what I mean?

Well, what about Mike?

What was he doing all this time?

What's a husband usually doing

in a spot like that?

Refereeing, with Mumsy in one corner

and Sugar Lump in the other.

So what then?

Well, then pretty soon all three of us

are hangin' on the ropes.

Then I get this bright idea

how to straighten out the mess.

I'll go to New York and show

the big town what I really got-

make a monkey outta the old bag.

So I do the same and make

a monkey outta myself. Joke over.

- You think we oughta turn back?

- I don't think yet. If it gets much worse.

So now you're going back

to make a deal.

Give me Mike and a couple of kids,

and she can have all the rest of it.

Do you think you can take Mom now?

After a year of loneliness,

I can take anything.

Will there be anything else, sir?

Yes. Would you write out

a telegram for me, please?

Certainly, sir.

Make it a day letter

to Mrs. Jane Trask...

1846 Oak Avenue, Midland City, Iowa.

DearJane, my address

for the next few days...

will be Wilshire Hotel, Los Angeles.

Hugs and kisses for the children.

Signed, Dave.

Get that off right away.

Put it on my bill.

Yes, sir.

Thank you, sir.

And don't forget-

the Four Musketeers!

Give me Mike and a couple of kids,

and she can have all the rest of it.

Well, when that's gone,

you have no idea how lonely life is.

Get me Marino 3637, please.

Hello. Mrs. Fortness?

Yes, this is Mrs. Fortness speaking.

You don't know me, Mrs. Fortness...

but I was a passenger

on the plane with Dr. Fortness.

He and I came to know

each other rather well...

and I thought perhaps you might like

to hear something of that last night.

Mr. Trask?

- How do you do, Mrs. Fortness?

- Come in.

- Sit here, will you?

- Thank you.

I hope this isn't too much

of an intrusion on your grief.

Not at all. It was an extremely

thoughtful thing for you to do.

Dr. Fortness and I spent a good deal of time

together at the airport in Vega...

and inevitably we talked

about our families-

as men will if the conversation

lasts long enough.

AboutJerry mostly, I imagine.

About both of you.

He adored Jerry.

He told me.

It must have been

a wonderful relationship.

It was very close.

I, uh, agreed 100% with him...

that Los Angeles should be

in the major leagues.

You did get down

to the fundamentals.

Is, uh, Jerry here now?

No. He had to go out this morning.

How's he taking it?

It was a great blow

to him, of course.

I hope you won't

consider it an impertinence...

if I tell you also that every reference

Dr. Fortness made to you...

was filled with such tenderness...

such warmth and devotion...

that it was impossible for me

not to be impressed by it.

Thank you.

You... don't expectJerry back soon?

I don't believe so.

Then I won't wait.

I just came

to offer my sympathies...

and to tell you how much you both were

in his thoughts that last night.

Thank you very much.

And... if you think he'd like it...

I'd be very happy to come back

some other time and talk toJerry about it.

He might be pleased to hear

some of the things his father told me.

That's very kind of you, Mr. Trask.

It's nothing more than Dr. Fortness

might very well have done for me.

You have a son?

I have two daughters.

He's not coming back.

What do you mean?

He's gone away.

Run away.

I just found this.

- But why?

- He thinks I did it.

He thinks that I drove him to it.

- He hates me.

- But how does he figure that?

I don't know.

I mean, it's-

It's too mixed up

to tell you. L-

I shouldn't have said

anything about it, but I-

I just can't seem

to think straight...

with everything happening at once.

I'm sorry.

Can't you- Can't you think of something

I might be able to do?

I don't believe so.

Thank you.

- Would you like me to talk to the police?

- No. That wouldn't be any use.

I wouldn't want him back like that.

Only if he misses me someday

and- and wants to come back.

- Is this Jerry?

- Yes.

I'm terribly sorry to have

imposed this on you.

You deserve better.

I do appreciate your coming here...

and very much what you've told me.

Well, I- I don't like to

leave you alone like this.

No, I'm all right now.

Thank you.

Really.

Would you mind if I

telephoned this evening...

just in case there

should be something?

If you want to.

But please don't feel that you need.

You may think of something.

Thank you.

- Good-bye.

- Good-bye.

That's right, madam.

Are there any ships leaving here today

for South America?

No passenger ship, sir.

What about freighters?

Yes. Two. The Chilean Star at midnight

from Berth 75 in San Pedro...

and the Santiago at 11:00

in Berth 160 in Wilmington.

Thank you.

Well, no sign of him here.

We'd have seen him, I'm sure.

They watch these ships pretty close these days.

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