The Actress Page #7

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The only answer i got is

to go out there and lay down

on the new york, new haven,

and hartford railroad tracks.

Clinton. What about

the other men?

Are any of them

leaving, too?

Here i've been worrying

about my bonus.

It ain't even due

until july,

if they decide

to give it to me.

Turns out i got a lot more

than my bonus to worry about...

got my whole job!

Clinton, won't you please,

just to make me happy,

call dan

on our telephone

and see what he

personally has to say?

We could get rid

of it tomorrow,

but couldn't it

be useful today?

Why do they call

this elmwood avenue?

It's full

of maple trees!

Clinton.

All right.

Uh... here's dan's number,

just back of my thumb.

What is it?

Ashmont 271, party j.

I said i'd never

use this telephone,

and now here i am

using it.

What is it again?

Ashmont 271, party j.

How do?

Uh... i'd like to

telephone to, uh...

ashmont...

2...

71...

71, party j.

That's right.

She heard me,

all right.

You have a fine

speaking voice.

Hello. Hello,

that you, dan?

Oh, that you, fan?

Oh. Ah... this

is clinton jones.

Clinton jones.

I'm telephoning you

from wollaston.

From wollaston!

From wollaston,

where i live!

That's right.

Can you hear me

all right?

Oh, i can

hear you fine.

I'm telephoning, fan,

because i would like to

speak to your father...

that is,

if it's convenient.

Oh?

Oh. Ah... ah...

well, when is he likely

to be coming back home?

Ah... well, i... i...

i don't want to put

him to no trouble,

but it is

a little urgent.

Oh, he can telephone

me back here

as late as

he has a mind to.

That's right.

All right, fan.

If you're ready,

i'll hang up

my end now.

When's dan coming back?

Did she say?

Who knows? He's

at a lodge meeting,

and i've spent

a nickel.

That seems

like a good sign.

A man wouldn't go

to a lodge meeting

who'd just been laid off

on a pension.

I guess if you go

to lodge meetings,

you go under

all conditions.

Uh... uh... uh...

that'll be dan.

Hello.

This is jones.

Who?

who?

This ear-busting thing

is going to be a nuisance

like i said it...

they'll hear you.

Hello!

Well, if she wants

to say something,

tell her to walk

over and say it!

Who is it?

I don't know. Some

flibbertigibbet.

I can't...

hello? Anna?

Oh, this is

ruth's mother.

Uh, yes.

Ruth's over

to katherine follett's.

She isn't?

Oh. Well, then i don't

know where she is.

Well, she's not at

katherine follett's.

Where is she?

Good-bye.

She and katherine probably

went out for a walk.

Oh, lands!

Shut up!

I mean, excuse me.

It's just me,

i mean,

so you don't have

to throw a fit.

Excuse me

for making you jump.

It's just that mama

got me so worked up

telling me about...

fred, look.

It's a stage door,

and i'm going through it.

Fred, tell me something.

Will you tell me

the gospel truth

even if it kills you?

Do i look terribly

short to you?

What?

Listen, i came here

to talk to you

about something...

something serious.

Would you marry me?

I mean, will you,

because i don't think

you look short at all.

I think

you look wonderful.

Why, fred!

Why, fred whitmarsh!

Did you propose to me?

Did you?

I know you're

bound and determined

to be an actress.

Just the way you want

to be an actress,

that's how much

i want you to...

that's how i...

darn it all,

i know i'm going

all around nantasket

by way of

scituate beach,

but... well, you see,

i never said this

to anyone before,

and i don't know

how to

so it doesn't

sound slushy, but...

i love you.

So i mean it.

I'm asking you to marry me,

but of course i know i left

a lot of it out, but...

gee, fred.

That wasn't slushy

at all.

It was beautiful.

It was just...

well, here i was

walking along here,

scared out of

my boots, kind of,

and all of a sudden,

you make me feel

like somebody great.

Oh, i'll never

forget you, fred.

Here, i...

i brought you

something.

A real diamond?

Why, fred whitmarsh!

A solitaire,

the man called it.

It sparkles so!

It's the most gorgeous...

oh, fred,

could i wear it

just to go see

mr. John craig?

It's yours

to wear forever,

and i love you,

and i want to

look after you,

and i can, because...

gee, i'm a mess.

You know what i am?

I'm a kind of a whore.

You are not.

I am so. Well,

how can you like me?

See how selfish i am?

Just wanting

to take your ring

so i could go make a splash

in front of mr. John craig.

Take it, fred,

and don't waste it,

because that's all it

will be giving it to me,

a perfect whore.

Fred, if i was going

to marry anyone,

i'd pick you,

but i can't,

and you're lucky

i can't, fred.

All my life,

i'll remember

that i didn't have to

be an old maid

because you

went and asked me.

No matter how it looks,

i'll know

i didn't get left.

Say a prayer for me,

fred.

I'm going through that door,

and behind it

is my whole life,

all depending on

mr. John craig.

From an actress, almost.

Here. Occupy yourself

till dan calls.

It will help

pass the time.

Look at this i found

in my library book.

It's an old valentine

someone must have used

for a bookmark.

It says

february 14, 189

from sue to little may.

Someone must have

forgot it

when they brought the book

back to the library.

What's so interesting

about a valentine?

Well, a valentine means

something to most people,

but you're

so unsentimental.

Why am i?

You'd never think

of sending a valentine.

Certainly wouldn't think

of sending

an old thing like that.

Went out and got one

once, set me back $25.

$25? Clinton!

Or the equivalent.

Why do you suppose

ruth ain't content

to stay home

just once in a while?

Why, clinton,

do you mean to say

you spent

25 whole dollars

for just nothing

but a valentine?

What i said.

Certainly felt ashamed

when i had to go out

and tell them

at the boston

physical culture school

that ruth didn't

know her own mind

for two minutes.

Clinton jones!

Why, for pity's sakes,

what on earth

was it made of?

You sure she notified

this craig fellow

she wasn't coming

there, neither?

Clinton, i asked

you something.

Why?

I asked you

what was it made of.

It was made of silk

and lace and roses...

how do i know

what it was made of?

Clinton, you never

told me that.

Well, subject never

come up before.

Dan don't call

pretty soon,

i got a good

notion

to walk on

over there.

Who did you buy it for?

I bought it

for a lady

that run a boardinghouse

in le havre, france,

where my ship was tied up

taking on gear one time

and from where i went up

to paris to spend the day.

This only happened

to me 30 years ago.

Somehow it don't

seem so vital

as why ruth is gallivant...

call up the folletts.

I want to find out

where she is.

What on earth

was her name?

I may not have a job,

for all you know,

and the only thing

you're interested...

her name

was madame lynch!

Well, mercy, i don't

think that's very nice.

Well, she ran

a good boardinghouse

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