Rhythm on the River Page #4

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I'll give her a lick or two.

Don't do anything

till you hear from me.

Hey, Ruff.

Come on, boy.

There we go.

Hi, there, old boy.

[ Screams ]

Help! Help!

[ Unk ]

Hey, what is this?

Come here quick!

What's the matter

with her?

What are you--

This man's been

following me everywhere.

What are you yellin' about?

[ Unk ]

You'd think you was being

followed or something.

Whoa! Whoa!

Hey!

Don't you dare

come up here.

[ Screams ]

Shut up!

Shut up!

Will you shut up!

What's the matter

with you, you daffy?

No, I'm not daffy.

You keep following me!

I wouldn't follow you

if you're the last woman!

Atta boy.!

Why?

What's wrong with me?

Nothing. just said that

to make you feel better.

Oh, thanks.

Would you mind telling me

why you keep--

Why we keep bumping

into each other?

Who knows? Maybe it's fate

like in the popular songs.

It must be something.

You believe in astrology?

Neither do I.

No.

Why did you go

to that bank?

To cash a check.

Why did you come up

to this place?

I live here!

You bet your sweet life

he does!

I've lived here

since I was a kid.

I suppose you have every right

to be here.

Thank you.

Why did you come here?

I read an ad on a card

about its being peaceful.

It was...

up until now.

I suppose you want me to go.

No, no. Uncle's business

is on the fritz.

You don't want to make

a bum out of fate.

Come on now,

powder your nose.

You're all broke out there.

Come on.

We'll have something to eat.

Get off of my hand,

will ya?

Don't leave your hand

layin' around.

Darn. They had this

undershirt hangin' out

in a sandstorm.

Scratchy, huh?

Yeah.

Would you like

more coffee?

Certainly!

It's all right.

And what do you do

for a living?

I write poetry.

Poetry!

That's what she said!

Poetry like Longfellow.

It isn't very like

Longfellow.

I write more for

popular songs.

Oh, do you

write songs?

I can't write music.

I write words and hope

to fnd music they'll ft.

Well... Bob,

he writes music.

What kind?

Oh, I dream up

a few popular ditties.

Nothing very good.

Have you ever had

anything published?

No, no, not exactly.

That's what takes him

uptown, hoping he'll

get something published.

I keep tellin' him

he's wasting his time.

He's better off if he stays

here where he can relax

and keep out of trouble.

Have you got

a piano here?

Oh, he's got

an offce down near the river.

Bob, why don't you take her

down after dinner and

have her see Arabella?

Arabella! What

are you talking about?

Is Arabella

your secretary?

Arabella's

his best girl.

I don't have a--

Wait a minute.

I'll settle it right now.

Come on.

You'll see her! Oh!

You two try and get along.

Behave yourselves.

She's a sweet girl.

Quiet.

An old ferryboat.

How romantic!

Used to work too.

My uncle sailed her up and down

the river for 30 years.

That's where I have

my conservatory.

Would you like

to see it?

You couldn't stop me.

I set a fre in the stove

for you, Mr. Bob.

Good. Thank you.

Careful now.

Yes, sir, this is

Arabella that uncle

was ribbing me about.

Pretty fancy, huh?

I'm crazy about it!

What kind of music

do you write?

Sea chanteys?

I don't compose anything.

Old Man River's the

maestro around here.

I listen to him roll along.

That's where I get

my inspiration.

I get a few ideas

off the radio too.

Do you mind if I turn it on?

I want to hear a program.

No, not at all.

Oh, look at that moon.

You're talkin'

shop now.

It looks different up here.

Do you suppose it's the

same moon we have in New York?

That's what everybody says,

but I couldn't go for that.

[ Bell Ringing ]

Eight bells.

I gotta take my soundings.

Soundings?

Mm-hmm. Come on deck.

I'll show you.

Oh, this is beautiful!

Just like as advertised:

''Peace...It's wonderful.''

What happened?

Let's see what we get.

Yep, 1 6 inches.

It's always 1 6 inches.

Why do you do it?

To humor my uncle.

It's sort of a gag.

He ran this boat ashore

here about 20 years ago.

He keeps hopin' the water

will rise high enough

to float her off.

Hopin' is all that holds

the old gent together.

I know what you mean.

Everybody has to have something

that holds them together

no matter how young or old.

What holds you together?

Polka dots and moonbeams?

Oh, no.

I guess it's the ambition

to do something, be somebody.

Ambition? You know

what my uncle says

about ambition?

It's the devil in

the garden of the world.

He says, ''Show me a man

with ambition,

and I'll show you

an unhappy man.''

That's what he says?

That's what he says.

I'll tell you what I says.

You show me a man

without ambition,

and I'll show you a tramp.

You wouldn't say that

if I had my glasses off.

Oh, that's what

I wanted to hear.

[ Radio ] One of

Oliver Courtney's new numbers,

''Two Hearts Deep In Love. '?

Do you know

Oliver Courtney?

I met him once.

There's a man I admire.

He hasn't been content

Just to amble through life.

He started from nothing

and worked his way to being

our leading songwriter.

Oh, I think his music

is wonderful.

You like his music?

It just makes me

want to, to--

Oh, I don't know.

I think he's so kind

and considerate and generous.

How well

do you know him?

Well enough to admire him.

A man has to work hard to

turn out as many hits as he has.

You don't think

it's easy, do you?

No, I guess not.

You don't think he got there

by lying down

on the job, do you?

Oh, who cares how

he got there.

What's the difference?

W-What's the matter?

Oh, nothing.

Oh, I just love a man

with ambition.

What's yours?

Mine?

I want to own

a catboat.

Is that all?

Well, isn't

that enough?

I'd like to have a nice

little 25-foot catboat...

with a galley where I can

cook my own groceries...

and sail when I want to

and where I want to.

Is there anything

wrong in that?

No.

I guess not.

I just think it's the most

shiftless thing I've heard of.

Wait. Where do you

come off telling me

what's shiftless?

I don't tell you

what to do.

It's because you don't care.

Of course I don't care.

Why should I care?

Well, it's nice that

we understand each other.

Good night,

Mr. Summers.

Good night.

Huh! Can't knock

catboats to me.

d d [ Whistling ]

Hi, Unk.

Good mornin; Bob.

That's a pretty nice

looking dinghy you got.

What's it for, fshing?

No.

Sailin'?

No.

What for?

I'm gonna fll her full of dirt

and raise geraniums.

I thought it'd look nice

near the wheelhouse.

Not a bad idea.

I got a lot of lumber

left over and a steam oven...

and, oh, a keg of nails

and--

Say, when are you

gonna start building

that catboat of yours?

Oh, I don't know.

I was thinking,

it's kinda silly for a fella

Just to sail around

in an old catboat.

Silly?

What's silly about it?

It's kinda shiftless.

Ohh! Say...

that Lane gal been

talking to you again?

Maybe.

Maybe.

Say, listen, son.

Don't you pay

any attention to women.

Women! All they want to do

is keep you working...

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