San Francisco Page #5

in the little lady, haven't you?

I'm only interested in making her

a useful member...

of the Tivoli opera company.

Yeah. Now isn't that sweet of you?

I'll tell you what I'll do, Burley.

If the little lady wants to leave me,

you can have her contract for nothing.

- Mary.

- Yes?

Come here a minute, will you?

You're taking a long chance, Blackie.

Yeah. Maybe I got an ace or two

in the hole, too.

- Oh, Mr. Burley.

- Good morning, Miss Blake.

- I'd like to thank you for the lovely roses.

- I'm so glad you liked them.

Sit down, kid.

Mr. Burley wants to buy your contract

from me.

I told you I wasn't giving up.

You really think I'm ready for the Tivoli?

Yes, but what's more important,

Baldini thinks so.

What do you say, kid?

Would you like to sell my contract,

Mr. Norton?

Nope.

I'm very sorry. I can't accept.

Too bad, Burley.

I hope I can do you a favor some time.

Thanks, Norton.

Would you thank Signor Baldini for me?

You've both been more than kind.

It's been a pleasure.

And I hope to show you another side

of San Francisco, if I may.

Thank you.

- Goodbye, Norton.

- So long.

You wouldn't take $5,000

to tear up that contract, would you?

- Nope.

- $10,000?

What are you trying to do?

Make an impression?

I told him he could have your contract

for nothing...

if you wanted to leave me.

I'm afraid the Tivoli

will have to struggle along, Burley.

Did you do that, Blackie?

Sure. You made your own choice, kid.

And I hope you'll never be sorry,

Miss Blake. Goodbye.

Goodbye.

That was awfully generous of you.

About the contract, I mean.

Oh, forget it. Say, look, kid.

You've heard a lot

about the Tivoli opera house...

from a bunch of mugs

that never get anywhere.

Now I'm going to tip you off

to a few facts about The Paradise.

Come on.

- Never been in here, have you?

- No.

Well, I don't do much office work,

but here's where I keep my records.

Take a hinge at those cups.

Every year, the wine agents in town...

Freddie Duane and all the rest of them

pull off an event called the Chicken's Ball.

- Did you ever hear of it?

- No.

I thought not.

You know what happens at that ball?

They have a competition

and give a prize of $10,000 in gold...

to the proprietor of the joint

who puts on the most artistic show.

And you know the joint

that's won it three times running?

The Paradise.

- Well, that's fine.

- Yep, for artistic achievement.

That's what they said in the speech

when they slipped me the trophy.

Artistic achievement.

- That's wonderful.

- Well, isn't that telling you?

I'm gonna win it the next time, too.

And the dough

goes to the campaign fund...

for those little mugs

down here on the Coast.

You know,

I like to look into those big lamps of yours.

You know, if you ever decide to cut

any of this, I'll put some in my watch.

I'm crazy about you, kid.

You know it, don't you?

- What's the matter?

- Nothing.

- You look kind of scared.

- I guess maybe I am.

- Of what?

- You.

Are you sure it's me you're afraid of?

Well, kid. What do you think

we ought to do about it?

- Nothing.

- Nothing?

Because you don't want to, maybe.

If that's it, don't be afraid to spill it,

and we'll call it a day.

- Oh, but it isn't right.

- What isn't right?

For a man and a woman

to be stuck on each other?

Have you anything better than that

out in Colorado?

If you have, I'd like to take a whirl at it.

It must be immense.

How does it feel to feel like a woman

and be afraid of it?

Oh, Blackie, listen.

If you're going to preach, Mary,

please sing.

That's what I believe in.

Your voice. The way you move.

The way you stand

on those pretty little feet of yours.

That's what I believe in.

Don't you believe in anything

more than that?

- What more is there?

- God.

God?

Hey, isn't he supposed to be taking care

of the suckers...

that come out of the missions...

Iooking for something to eat

and a place to sleep?

I've seen them down on their knees

asking for things...

they should stand up and fight for.

I don't see God coming down

and giving the suckers a shortcut.

That's not what I want.

I want to push over the mugs

that stand in my way...

before they push me over.

What I believe in is not up in the air.

It's in here, and in here.

But maybe that's not right.

Maybe it's not right to feel alive,

like you and I feel this minute.

But I think it's right.

You know, Mary, I want to get a kick

out of things I can see.

Like lights on the harbor, or a good fight,

or a woman worth looking at.

Did you ever taste a fog in your mouth

like it was salt...

or take hold of someone

and feel your blood rushing up like a river?

What more does a man need,

or a woman, either?

You know, I never tried to kid you, Mary.

You take me as I am, or you don't take me.

Tim doesn't try to change me,

because he knows he can't...

and you can't, either.

Nothing can.

You know what I've been waiting for?

I've been waiting to hear you say

that I'm all right with you the way I am.

Maybe you're ready to say it now.

Are you?

I don't know.

Well, it's about time.

It's going to be swell, baby.

I'll make you queen of the Coast.

You'll ride through town

in your own carriage...

and everybody will know who you are.

I'll plaster your name and face

clear to the Golden Gate.

You and I together, Mary...

are gonna find out

that we don't need anything else but us.

Look.

How about going upstairs

and having some chop suey, huh?

Come on.

Will you watch me,

and keep your mind on my feet?

Watch this wing.

See? That's it.

Then you do a sort of a...

What's the matter with you?

Come on, let's...

Yeah, that's right, Trixie.

You can knock off.

Everybody's gonna have champagne

on me!

Dig up some of that Pommery Sec

for the boys and girls.

All we've got is Semillon.

That champagne

is starting to make me fizzy.

Fast or a guy gets killed.

Can I order you some breakfast, Blackie?

No, thanks. Mary and I are gonna have

some chop suey upstairs.

Mary, I have another new number

I'd like to have you try out.

Oh, no, no. Not this morning.

Hey, Mat! Tell Charlie to...

No, never mind. I'll tell him myself.

Stay right here, honey.

I won't be a minute.

Gee, I haven't had any champagne since...

Nice going, sister. You done all right.

Knock off there, Maggie.

You're going to have champagne.

- Me, too?

- Well, I'd like to know why not.

Mr. Blackie, I haven't had any of that

for a long time.

Well, you're gonna have some right now.

Here's to Blackie!

All right, drink.

- Where's Mary?

- I guess she went upstairs to set the table.

And here's to you, darling.

And I wish I had me youth.

I wish I'd never had mine.

- Nix, nix, Trix.

- Why, Trixie. That's not nice, baby.

Tell Mary here's to her!

- Babe.

- Yeah.

- When that runs out, open up some more.

- You bet I will.

Tell Mary here's to her, Blackie.

Sure. "Everyone to his own taste,"

the old lady said as she kissed the cow.

Ain't that a...

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