Step Lively Page #7

over to you.

Fine. Whoa!

Hold on. This is drawn

on a Los Angeles Bank.

Mr. Fiske does his banking in California.

That's where most of his interests are.

It may be all right for him, what about

me? I won't get the money for five days.

Why, my dear boy, the minute

you deposit a Zachary Fiske check...

...your credit rating

immediately becomes triple A.

Oh, sure, sure, what am I thinking of?

I'm crazy.

The magic of that name, see.

I didn't even say the name. Sign here.

Now, I've got you

by the seat of your pants.

And I'm not gonna let go till I toss you

and that playwright out.

Not now, I'm busy. Go away.

Trifle with me no longer,

I saw Russell on the mezzanine.

Which gives me the right

to this penthouse.

- Who's this?

- Who are you?

- My publicity agent.

- I am not.

- I told you there was to be no publicity...

- You don't understand. He's for the stars.

- He's got an idea. He wants Ms. Abbott.

- No idea. I do not...

I can see the lovely pictures. Ms. Abbott

posed as the Goddess of Currency.

I don't know Ms. Abbott, unless she

checked in in the...

Don't bandy about the name

of the young lady.

I'll bandy anything I please.

I'm here for money.

Ha-ha-ha. Just as I was telling you,

that's show business.

I'm badgered by my producer,

now I'm badgered by my agent.

Don't pay attention. He's eccentric.

I'm a genius,

I'm gonna throw you both out.

Wait, let's be serious. I want

you to know Mr. Jenkins represents...

...one of the great financial geniuses...

- Miller!

I don't give a hoot

about who he represents.

This looks like a badger game to me.

This man's full of idiosyncrasies.

He doesn't know what he's talking about.

- Binion, throw this man out.

- Gribble, throw these men out.

This fellow burst in just as I was gonna

put $50,000 in my pocket.

Mr. Wagner, please,

Miller is my brother-in-law.

Brother-in-law? That explains it. You're

guilty of a fraud, I'm gonna call the police.

- The police? Let me out of here.

- No, no.

- Don't pay attention to Wagner.

- Help me!

That's old Ringtail,

he's always hanging around.

Don't let a little excitement

change your point of view.

- Mr. Jenkins, there is so much money...

- Hello? Hello, operator?

- Why don't they answer this phone?

- You told them not to.

- This hotel...

- Look.

Dr. Glaston? Dr. Glaston.

Believe me, this is gonna be a...

Let's sit down and talk it over.

I don't blame Miller for putting me out.

He had a perfectly good reason.

I heard through the window.

He was transacting a legitimate deal.

- All I want you to do is sign.

- No.

All I know is that Zachary Fiske

is backing his play.

The Zachary Fiske.

Zachary Fiske...

I am through with this hotel.

Mr. Gribble, kindly have my shingle

removed from the elevators.

Gribble, why wasn't I told?

- You're telling everyone to shut up.

- Shut up!

No.

- You can't go...

- No!

Don't pay any attention to him,

he's always around.

Go around there, head him off.

I'll meet you here.

Wait a minute, wait a minute,

Mr. Jenkins.

- Oh, my God, he's gonna faint.

- Put him in the bed.

Here, drink these.

It's 20 years old.

I don't drink.

Oh, let me out of here.

I'm not a well man.

Sign the check,

we'll get you a doctor.

I had no idea Zachary Fiske...

How did that name

become public property?

- Everyone knows Zachary Fiske.

- Sure.

I promise, Zachary Fiske

will never be heard beyond these walls.

We'll deposit this check

and never mention either one.

I don't trust you.

I, Quenton Wagner,

vouch for these gentlemen.

I'll personally vouch for him.

Sign this check and go.

- All right, all right, all right.

- There you are. Ha-ha-ha.

- Now let me out of here.

- Yes.

- It's a pleasure, Mr. Jenkins.

- A rapturous pleasure.

Thank you very much.

You'll never regret this, Mr. Jenkins.

Neither will Zachary Fiske.

Oh!

- Ha-ha.

- Well, Miller, I'll just take that check.

Uh-oh. Not yet, you'll get yours just

as soon as this check clears the bank.

That'll be in about five days.

We'll bank it for you. When the check

clears, we'll turn over the balance.

- Do I understand that you don't trust me?

- I do.

I want your bill wiped off for my

first report to the board of directors.

That's only fair, Gordon.

Uh-huh. Asking favors, Wagner?

Well, Joe, I'll do it for you.

Has anyone a fountain pen?

Mine has green ink.

Eenie, meenie, minie, I'll take this one.

Thank you, Binion.

Now, Mr. Wagner, I want my cast

re-admitted to this hotel immediately.

- Yes.

- Yes.

- Room service must be restored.

- Yes.

And, incidentally, you may make out a

lease for your Crillton Theater downstairs.

- I'll be needing it.

- Anything you say, Mr. Miller.

Well, this has been a most

satisfactory day. Come, Gribble.

My brother-in-law.

- Hello there. How are you, doctor?

- Fine.

- Gordon, the check.

- The check is in safe keeping.

Ha-ha.

- Oh, Gordon.

Christine, our troubles are over.

We are rich.

Yeah, 50 grand.

You tell them. I haven't got the heart.

We met Jenkins.

He's gonna stop the check.

- He endorsed it to get out of here.

- He said you guys kicked him around.

I never kicked him at all.

He can't do that.

It wouldn't make any difference if he did.

After all, he signed the contract.

Or did he sign the contract? Oh!

Let's find out. Come on.

Sure he signed it. Someplace here.

He didn't?

He's just a rat.

Yeah, took me weeks to get it.

Now, in one minute, I lose it.

- It'll be all right.

- You'll get an idea.

- Think of something.

- We'll put it down to experience.

Oh, fine. Put it down to experience.

How am I gonna pay

a hotel bill with experience?

You know what I'd do

if I was in my right mind?

- I'd jump over that balcony.

- Oh, no.

Well, you talked me out of it.

We can get a backer somewhere.

Sure, but where? Where?

Where? Hah!

Why, children, we have a backer.

- Who?

- I don't get it.

That check was drawn

on a Los Angeles Bank.

It takes a few days for a check

to bounce back from Los Angeles.

During those few days, we have

the use of $50,000 in credit.

- See, I told you.

- But you'll get in trouble.

- We're in trouble, anyhow.

It ain't legal.

Just as legal as Wagner busting in here,

ruining my plan.

Here's the setup, we're all rehearsed.

Got the scenery, costumes.

If we have to, we can open in three days,

and with Glenn singing those songs...

Glenn? How are we gonna get him

to rehearse the big song?

We'll switch our rehearsal from

the theater to Wagner's roof garden.

Tell Glenn I'm giving a big party

to celebrate the opening.

And then you play a little phony

love scene with him...

...and gradually lead him

into the theme song.

- Supposing he doesn't sing?

- Oh, honey, cut it out.

With that soft music playing

and the breezes blowing on him...

...and you looking at him

with those big lovely eyes of yours...

...believe me, he'll sing. Ho-ho.

Glenn, supposing, just supposing,

your play wasn't produced...

...that is,

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