Revolutionary Road Page #4

Please, dont bother Frank.

Id like some sherry.

And Ill drink Helens too.

if she doesnt beat me to it.

Oh, hey...

You got a high-ball glass...?

Put a couple-three ice cubes in it,

pour it up to the brim.

Thats the way I like it.

I think I can handle that.

This egg salad is delicious, April.

You must tell me how you fix it.

You a lawyer Frank?

No.

No, Im not.

I could use a lawyer.

John, lets not get started again

about the lawyer.

Pop, couldnt you just sit there

and eat your wonderful egg salad,

and quit horning in?

See...

Ive got a good many questions to ask

and Im willing to pay for the answers...

Now, I dont need to be told that a man

who goes after his mother

with a coffee table is

putting himself in a weak

position legally; thats obvious.

John, come and have a look out this

fabulous picture window.

If he hits her with it and kills

her, thats a criminal case.

Oh, look, the suns coming out!

If all he does is break the coffee table

and give her a certain amount of aggravation

and she decides to go to court over it,

thats a civil case.

Maybe well have a rainbow!

- John, come have a look.

- Ma, how about doing everybody a favor?

How about shutting up!

Seddle down, now.

Maybe I can look into it.

Recommend someone.

What you say?

So...

What do you do, Frank?

I work for

Knox Business Machines factory.

You design the machines?

Nope.

Make 'em, sell 'em, repair 'em?

All these questions.

I help sell them, I guess I...

I work in the office.

Actually, it's...

It's a sort of a stupid job really.

There's...

nothing interesting about it at all.

Whaddya do it for then?

Maybe Frank doesnt like

to be questioned like this...

Okay, okay. Okay.

I know its none of my business.

And besides,

I know the answer.

You want to play house,

you got to have a job.

You want to play very nice house,

very sweet house,

then you got to have a job

you dont like.

Anyone comes along and says

"Whaddya do it for?"

Hes probably on a four-hour pass

from the State funny farm.

All agreed..?

Ma..?

Sorry Frank.

No. Dont be.

Dont be.

Actually, John, I agree with...

everything you just said.

We both do. Thats why Im quitting

the job in the fall. We're...

Were taking off.

Were moving to Paris.

Did you know about this, Ma...?

Wow.

How do you feel about that, Ma?

"The nice young Wheelers."

The nice young Wheelers.

Are taking off!

John, please.

Steady down, son.

John.

John!

How about some fresh air,

what you say?

If thats all right with you?

I dont know if it's such a good idea.

...If John wants to,

I dont see the harm.

Good.

Do you..?

I hear youre a mathematician.

You hear wrong.

Its all gone now.

All gone?

You know what electrical shock

treatments are?

Yes.

Yes I do.

Ive had thirty-seven.

Supposed to jolt out the

"Emotional Problems."

Just jolted out the mathematics.

How awful.

"How awful..."

Why?

Because mathematics is so "interesting?"

No. Because the shocks

must be awful and...

Well, because its awful not to be able

to do what it is you want to do.

I think mathematics must be dull.

I like your girl, Frank.

Me too.

So, what do a couple of people like

you have to run away from?

Were not running.

So whats in Paris?

A different way of life.

Maybe we are running...

Were running from the hopeless

emptiness of the whole life here, right?

The hopeless emptiness?

Now, youve said it.

Plenty of people are on

to the emptiness, but...

it takes real guts to see

the hopelessness...

Wow.

You know,

hes the first person who seemed to know

what we were talking about.

Well...

Thats true, isn't it?

Maybe we are just as crazy as he is.

If being crazy means...

living life as it matters

then I dont care

if we are completely insane.

Do you?

No.

I love you so much.

Tell you something, Frank.

That Ted Bundy,

nice guy,

real sport.

xxx

Im a little sore at the way hes kept

you under a bushel all these years.

This place okay, for you?

Oh, it's just fine, sir.

Just fine.

One thing interests me, Frank,

and one thing only:

selling the electronic computer

to the American businessman...

Thats why Im assembling a team.

Men like you,

not your average salesmen...

It will mean more money,

and I got to be honest,

maybe more of a time commitment,

but youll be a part of something

exciting, Wheeler...

Computers.

Well, sir...

It sounds exciting.

Bart!

Bart....

Bart, let me ask you a question.

Do you happen to remember

an Earl Wheeler?

Out of Yonkers?

Cant say that I do.

Relation of yours?

My father.

He worked as a salesman for Knox

almost twenty years.

Earl Wheeler...

Earl Wheeler...

There's no reason you would remember.

Well, Im sure he was a good man.

Listen, Bart, there is...

Theres something

I should have mentioned earlier...

Im gonna be leaving the firm.

In the fall.

Another outfit?

No. No, it's not another outfit.

Now look, Frank.

Is it a question of money?

Because if it is, theres no reason

we cant get together on a satisfactory---

Oh. I appreciate that, but no, it's...

Its not money. It's...

Well, it's more...

more of personal thing.

I hope you understand.

A personal thing?

I see.

Frank, let me tell you something

my father told me...

A man only gets

a couple of chances in life.

If he doesnt grab em by the balls,

it wont be long before

he sitting around wondering

how he got to be second rate.

I guess so.

So, do me a favour...

Sleep on it.

Discuss it with your wife.

Because lets be honest: where the hell would

any of us be without our wives, anyway?

And Frank, in all sincerity,

if you do decide to join us,

I believe itll be a thing

youll never regret.

And I believe something else, too.

I believe itd be a fine memorial

to your Dad.

Think about it Frank.

Really think about it.

Knowing what youve got,

comma,

knowing what you need,

comma,

Knowing what you can do without,

dash.

Thats inventory control.

Knowing what youve got,

comma,

knowing what you need,

comma,

Knowing what you can do without,

dash.

Thats inventory control.

Working late?

Yeah.

I got to dig myself out here.

I heard you were getting promoted.

Big shot.

I guess your Dad would

have been real proud, huh?

Yeah.

Yeah, I guess so...

So maybe I should take you

for a drink or something?

You know...?

Celebrate.

Yeah. Maybe.

Ill just get my things.

Im going to take my doll carriage

and my three Easter rabbits

and my giraffe

and all my dolls and my doll house

and my...

I thought maybe we'd give

the doll house to Madeline.

I dont wanna give

the doll house to Madeline.

But I already explained to you, the big

things are going to be hard to pack.

But she can have my bear,

- and my three Easter rabbits...

- No. Just the big things.

Look, wouldnt you rather

go outside and play with Michael.

I dont feel like it.

- Youve been inside all day.

- I dont feel like it!

Well I dont feel like explaining

everything fifteen times

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