Sweet Bird of Youth Page #7

No, sir, Mr. Finley.

I don't know who to.

Get my Bible.

Good morning.

Nice morning, Mr. Finley.

Thank you, laddie.

You look mighty sweet, sugar.

I would like you to call off

your bloodhound, Papa.

I would like you to behave

like a daughter should.

Well, did you meditate

on Mr. Wayne's future?

At the present, he is enjoying life...

...in the loving arms

of a famous Hollywood siren.

Hey, Pa, if Chance is living

with a real princess...

...does that make him royalty too?

It makes him what he always was:

A criminal degenerate and parasite.

Oh, I see.

Chance?

She never blamed you for anything.

She always had...

Nothing.

I gave her nothing, Aunt Nonnie.

She lived lonely and she died lonely.

Gee, I'm glad to see you.

I came here to tell you one thing.

Well, I was sort of hoping

that you'd bring Heavenly.

Go away before it's too late.

Before her father...

Why won't they let me see her,

Aunt Nonnie? Because she and George...?

- I can't talk about it.

- Why?

Why? Now, why, Aunt Nonnie?

I just can't talk about it.

Please. Please help me, Aunt Nonnie.

You were always able to...

See, you were like a mother to me.

You always called me son.

Why did you stop calling me son?

Oh, Chance, go away

before it's too late.

I am not leaving here

till I talk to Heavenly or see her.

Now, you tell her that.

Aunt Nonnie, I got a right.

Goodbye, son.

Aunt Nonnie.

- Aunt Nonnie, I'm taking you to church.

- No, Chance.

I'm afraid. Afraid for you.

Take your sister on in.

- Happy Easter.

- Happy Easter, mayor.

Well, look here.

Glad to see you, laddie.

Hold it, Mr. Finley. Thank you, sir.

It's no use, Mr. Finley, l...

Laddie, I hear you're consorting

with a genuine princess.

Guess that sort of makes you a prince,

don't it?

Happy Easter, Mrs. Cavanaugh.

Well, God bless you, Mr. Finley.

I once had a dog called Prince.

I had to butcher him to keep all

the b*tches in town from being violated.

Deacon, I'm counting on your

support at the rally.

- Up, the rebels!

- Let's see, now.

- When did you last visit us?

- Why won't you let me see her, sir?

I remember, you hit town last time

in a freight car.

You saw my daughter then...

...and you left her

carrying your bastard then too.

Let you see her?

Sure, prince, when I've had you

taken care of like my dog.

I remember, you hit town last time

in a freight car.

No, I'll get you dirty.

Hold me. Just hold me. Hold me.

What are you thinking?

I was just... I was just feeling

kind of peaceful and easy...

...listening to those freewheeling birds

coming home.

If we could just be like one of them

out there, just free as a bird.

No one in love is free

or even wants to be.

You know what I was thinking?

About those five days and nights

on those freight cars.

Thinking that, "Heavenly will make me

feel clean again.

She'll wash away all the..."

What's it like...

...in movie land?

Oh, it is like no place

in this world, baby.

In fact, it's not even a place,

it's a state of mind...

...with a stone wall around it

a mile high.

"Strange birds, keep out."

No, it's the strange ones that get in.

I know.

Why, I've been clawing away

at that wall...

...for over a year now,

trying to get on the inside.

This last year's been...

- Wasted?

- No.

No, just a run of bad breaks,

back-to-back.

Nothing's wasted that teaches you

how to operate, how to beat the game.

Last year's the best investment

I ever made.

Oh, next time I'm gonna get lucky.

And then I'm gonna

take you with me...

...right through that stone wall,

first class, straight to the top.

Again, Chance?

I got the key now, baby.

I got the know-how. That Hollywood

merry-go-round is a pushover.

Today they're stepping on your feet,

tomorrow they're kissing your feet.

I know, I have seen it. Well...

...that merry-go-round

is gonna carry me.

It's gonna carry me all the way.

And then before you know it,

before you know it...

...I'm gonna have that brass ring,

that lucky brass ring right here.

- Which gets you what?

- It gets you the prize...

...honey, money, success, happiness.

No. All the brass ring gets you

is a free ride on a wooden horse...

...that's going nowhere except

up and down and round and round.

My papa sold you that phony dream...

...and you're still buying it.

How does he say it?

"All you need is one lucky break.

Something for nothing.

Beat the game, hit the jackpot."

Anyone can be a millionaire,

so everybody's got to try it.

That's right. And why not?

There are a lot of ways you can make it,

and for me there is one quick way.

Now, just stick with me, baby,

and when I come back next time...

- Another next time.

- No, this time I got a job.

I got a big job in Palm Beach mixing

with all kinds of important people.

Take me with you. Please.

No, I can't, baby. Not yet.

You know, in this job,

I gotta travel fast.

And I gotta travel alone.

This is the job, baby.

This is the job that's gonna get me

inside that magic door.

All my life, I've been on the outside.

And time is running out.

Now, look around you. Boy, they got

places for the old and the sick...

...and the homeless,

but no place for the failures.

And failure is

a highly contagious disease.

What kind of job is it, Chance?

- Oh, baby, it is golden. Just gold...

- Chance.

Beach boy.

To a bunch of fat-bottomed

broads at this swank hotel.

- But it's a beginning.

- Stay here. We'll find something.

Baby, I can't. Have you forgotten

what's expected of me?

I want you as you are.

Then look at me as I am.

I'm a nothing.

A nobody.

I couldn't write a check for $2

without getting arrested.

Busted. Flat broke.

I'm ashamed to go home

and let my mother look at me.

I always dreamed of

coming back here like a...

Oh, like...

Don't ask me to give up my dream.

Excuse me.

Supposing he comes over, Pa.

Well, sugar, it's up to you.

Let him alone.

I'll be there with you tonight.

Just let him alone.

- I want him gone before the rally starts.

- Yes, sir.

Not here, stupid. See him alone.

He's to go quietly.

No fuss. No violence, you hear?

Yes, sir. You're the boss, Pa.

And don't you ever forget it.

No, sir.

Does this lovely hotel

have a hairdresser?

Oh, yes, ma'am. And a drugstore,

a cocktail bar...

...tennis courts,

everything to make folks happy.

Thank you.

Chance?

Long who?

Long distance?

There is no Alexandra Del Lago here,

operator.

Who is it?

I am not...!

Operator, I ought to know who I am.

Just a minute. Just a minute.

- Chan...

- Excuse me, princess...

Whatever you are selling, no.

Excuse me, please.

I'm sorry, ma'am, but we can't hold

these rooms any longer.

What did you say?

Will you repeat what you said.

Ma'am, he says your checkout time

is long past.

My checkout time at any hotel

in the world is when l...

Is when I want to check out.

Who told you you could

come into my bedroom?

- Now, where is Chance? Mr. Wayne?

- I beg your pardon?

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