Teacher's Pet Page #5

Excuse me for saying this,|Mr. Gallagher...

but your friend's kind of reporting|went out with Prohibition.

This isn't a rehash.

I'm talking about the big why|behind the story.

This is the function of a newspaper|in today's world.

TV and radio announce spot news|minutes after it happens.

Newspapers can't compete|in reporting what happened anymore.

But they can and should tell the public|why it happened.

What made your story so interesting?

I'll tell you.|It was Salas' reason for firing the gun.

Listen to this.

"When he threw the money at me,|I don't know...

"people been throwing things in my face|all my life.

"I guess I couldn't take it no more. "

But he said it on the spot.|It tied in with the story!

Young Salas gaVe a Vague, bitter,|tormented reason.

But behind that why|are a hundred other whys.

One on top of another,|they led to Violence.

Was it because he's a member|of a minority group...

struggling to solVe|the complex problem of assimilation?

Did society at large|create the climate for this tragedy?

Mr. Gallagher, out there in the city|are some of the answers.

Files of the Immigration Department,|dark shadows of Central Park...

tenements, oVercrowded schools...

the jails, police stations.

And it's your job to try to find them.

That's the kind of thing you read|when you're waiting in a dentist's office.

The guy who fights his way on a subway|after a hard day's work...

hangs onto a strap with one hand|and a newspaper with the other...

doesn't want to wade through|a dull explanation-

The man on the subway is more curious|than you think. You ask anybody...

except that|outdated reporter friend of yours...

and you'll find that today|the aVerage man wants to know why.

Please, Mr. Gallagher,|won't you try writing it?

All right.

But couldn't we go someplace|and haVe a cup of coffee...

- and talk it oVer?|- No, thank you.

I must get home.|I haVe a lot of reading and-

Only take a few minutes.|Maybe you could show me how to start.

No, this is what's called in the trade|a think piece and I want your thinking.

I know you'Ve got- Excuse me.

Hello. You got the tickets.|That's wonderful.

They were sold out weeks ago,|I thought.

You know, you're fantastic.

What?

That's loVely. Yes.|Hold on a second, will you?

Good night, Mr. Gallagher,|and good luck.

Yes, what time shall I expect you?

- Good night.|- Good night.

I just think it's great.

You're supposed to put me down|for an eVening conference.

Tomorrow night would be good.|Let's see.

No. Tomorrow night, Dr. Pine.|Saturday night, Dr. Pine.

What's with this Dr. Pine?|Doesn't she feel well?

You're Tuesday at 9:30.

7:
00 would be better for me.

Perhaps we could haVe dinner together,|you know and...

9:
30.

Concert, Dr. Pine, Tuesday.|I'll put it down.

Yes, I'll be right in.

You're now Wednesday at 9:30.

Here's the adVance Jim Bacon AP story.

Drama.

Sorry, Jim, haVen't got a quarter.

Broke eVen tonight,|didn't play. Anything?

Nothing much.

They found a homemade bomb|in a locker at Grand Central.

- No damage.|- Must be that same screwball.

Tell me, why does a guy|do a thing like that?

What difference does it make? He did it.

GiVe me some coffee, please.

There's got to be a reason.|I keep saying to myself, "Why?"

I need some stuff, Bill,|on the local Puerto Rican situation.

- Want me to check the clips?|- No.

I know what we'Ve got in the morgue.|I need more intimate stuff:

census figures on family income,|housing, employment...

survey on prejudice, police statistics-

You mean, like for a think piece?

Yeah, like for a think piece.

I doubt if we haVe anything up-to-date|enough for that. We neVer use it.

I can round up something tomorrow|if you-

I wanted it tonight.

Why?

I'm going to school.|I need it for my homework.

You ask a silly question,|you get a silly answer.

Yeah.

Mr. Gannon?

Beg your pardon, Mr. Gannon,|but I couldn't help oVerhearing...

Well?

I think I might haVe|what you're looking for.

- Where?|- Right here in my desk, sir.

There's quite a bit|on that Puerto Rican situation.

Getting more explosiVe eVery day.

Got anything on that kid|that killed the grocer at 110th Street?

The Salas boy. Yes, sir.

GiVe me a think piece,|about 2,000 words...

on the factors and conditions...

- that led to the killing.|- Yes, sir.

Soon as you get the lead finished,|let me see it.

Yes, sir.

I can't seem to get it out of my mind,|Mr. Gannon.

What?

Why does a guy do a thing like that?

Maybe he was sore at the world,|that's why.

I'm sore at the world, too,|but I don't go around planting bombs.

Let me speak to|Miss Erica Stone's office, please.

There's got to be a reason behind it.

The bomb was heavy.|He got tired of carrying it around...

so he put it in the locker.|Only costs a dime, you know.

Hello. Let me speak|to Miss Erica Stone, please.

She's gone home.

I'm sorry, Mr. Gallagher,|I can't giVe you her address.

Not without faculty authorisation.

But I'Ve finished the first paragraph|of my assignment...

and I just wanted to drop by her place|for a few minutes...

and see if I was on the right track.

If you mean the inside track,|the answer is no.

Dr. Hugo Pine is coming along fast|on that one. Good night.

Doctor Hugo Pine.

How's the fan mail?|Fine. I just got more for you.

Thank you.

Hello, Barney.

How are you this morning?|Fine.

Got a lot of mail there|this morning.

Good morning.|Good morning, Harold.

Get me eVerything you can on him.

Doctor Hugo Pine.

P- I-N-E?

Right. Hurry it up, will you, Tess?

Here's the rest of that Salas story.

- Take you all night?|- Yes, sir.

You should haVe knocked it out faster.

After all, how long does it take to say|we need better housing...

bigger playgrounds and more schools?

I wanted to talk to Salas' mother.

I got there early|while they were still asleep.

I wanted to find something out.|I was right.

They were liVing eight in one room.|That's against the housing law.

The landlord's a gouger.

There's a $40 rent ceiling|for one room...

but he takes another $40|under the table.

It was that $40 the boy was after|when he killed the old man.

Okay.

- What's your name?|- Miller. Harold Miller.

All right, Miller.

Roy, put Miller back on the day side.

Okay, Jim.

- Gannon.|- Here's that information you wanted...

on Dr. Hugo Pine.

"Special Consultant,|Psychological Warfare, U.S. Army.

"Member, GoVernor's Committee|on State Mental Hospitals.

"Chairman, Mayor's InVestigating|Committee on JuVenile Delinquency.

"Head of... "

When did he win the Nobel Prize?

He also writes books.

Yeah, I guess I could haVe|the bookstore send them up to you.

Any particular ones?

WhateVer he's written.|Okay, I'll take care of it right away.

Gladys, get me the bookstore.

Thanks a lot!

All right.

What's that?

The books you ordered,|by Dr. Hugo Pine.

- I said one copy of each.|- That's what you got, Mr. Gannon.

And here's the bill. $83.40.

"The Psychoneurotic|Manifestations...

"of Abnormal Cultural Patterns. "

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