The Best Years of Our Lives Page #5

I was an expert behind that fountain.

I'd toss a scoop of ice cream in the air,

adjust for velocity, altitude,

and - wham! - in the cone every time.

I figure that's where

I really learned to drop bombs.

What do you think you'll do now?

I'm not going back to that drugstore.

Somehow or other, I can't figure myself

getting excited about a root-beer float.

I don't know just what I will do,

but I'm gonna take plenty of time

looking around.

I guess after all the places you've been,

Boone City looks pretty dreary to you.

Not from where I'm sitting right now.

That's not just a line. I really meant it.

(knocking at door)

- Who's that?

- It's me, Milly.

- I brought your breakfast.

- Oh! Thanks.

- Didn't think you'd be up for hours.

- I had a dream. I dreamt I was home.

I've had that same dream

hundreds of times before.

This time I wanted to find out

if it's really true.

- Am I really home?

- Looks like it.

And you're going to be royally treated.

You're having breakfast in bed.

I seem to have a vague recollection that

we had a couple of children. Is that right?

- That's right.

- Whatever became of them?

Rob's gone to school

and Peggy's driving downtown with Fred.

Fred? Oh.

Oh, yeah, Fred.

He's a great guy.

All right?

There's your breakfast.

I have work to do.

Well, it was nice knowing you, Peggy.

That sounds like a permanent goodbye.

You never know.

You and your wife

must come up to dinner.

That'd be fine.

Oh, there's one thing more.

About that dream I had last night.

I've had it before.

- I'm sorry I bothered you with it.

- I...

But you were very kind, and you didn't

even mention it this morning.

As a matter of fact,

you've been swell about everything.

They ought to put you in mass production.

- Goodbye, Fred.

- Bye.

Maybe I'd better wait and see if you get in.

Maybe that's a good idea.

Bye.

- (door bell)

- All right! All right!

Say, what's the big i...?

- Freddy!

- Hiya, babe.

Freddy, darling,

why didn't you let me know?

- You didn't give me time to fix my face.

- You look all right.

Oh, Freddy, darling, I'm so excited!

I can't believe it's you!

Come on in, honey,

where I can look at you.

Oh, you're marvellous!

All those ribbons!

You gotta tell me what they all mean.

But not now.

Let me look at you.

But how did you know I was here?

- I got in yesterday, went to Pop's house...

- Yesterday?! Why didn't...?

I came here, but you'd gone to work.

I went from one nightclub to another.

- You were looking for me?

- For my wife.

Well, you've found her now.

I wonder how Fred's getting along.

Fred's able to take care of himself.

I'm not so sure. It isn't easy for air force

glamour boys when they get grounded.

When you've been in the infantry, any

change is bound to be an improvement.

Stop fussing around

and sit down and talk to me.

All right, Sergeant.

Gosh, you've got tough.

- Is this all the cream?

- That's all.

Fine situation when a man can't

get enough to eat in his own home.

- Look at my pants.

- What about them?

Too big! Gives you an idea

of what the war did to my waistline.

- You holding your stomach in?

- No, it's disappeared.

I'll have to take

all my old clothes to be altered.

I wouldn't be in too much of a hurry.

A couple of weeks of heavy eating

and those pants will fit perfectly.

(phone rings)

Don't answer it.

Hello?

Oh, yes. He's here.

For me?

If it's the War Department, I'm out.

- It's Mr Milton.

- Who?

- Mr Milton at the bank.

- Oh.

He'll be right on.

Hello?

Oh, yes, Mr Milton.

Yeah, it sounds good to hear yours.

Yes.

Yes, indeed, Mr Milton. Yeah...

Well, not too bad, no.

Yes. Why, of course.

It's very kind of you to say that.

Mm-hm.

Mm-hm.

Yes.

Well, I'll... I'll certainly drop in.

Oh, she's fine, thank you.

Yes, they're fine too.

Well...

I...

That's...

Thank you, Mr Milton.

Yes, good...

Good...

Good... goodbye.

Mr Milton.

He calls every day to see if you're home.

I guess they want you back at the bank.

- He wants me to drop in and talk about it.

- You're not going to work right away?

You ought to rest awhile, take a vacation.

I've got to make money.

Last year it was kill Japs,

and this year it's make money.

- We're all right for the time being.

- Mm.

Why do they have to bother me

the first day I get home?

Why not give me time to get used to

my family? Come over here and sit down.

- Chair's liable to break.

- We can't be worrying about chairs.

Not when they want me back

in a nice fat job in a nice fat bank!

- You don't seem very happy about it.

- I'm not.

- Why not, darling?

- I keep thinking about the other guys.

All the ones who haven't got you.

- You're crazy.

- No, too sane for my own good.

- Yes, sir?

- Wasn't this Bullard's Drugstore?

Yes, but it was taken over

by the Midway chain.

- Oh.

- But old Mr Bullard's still here.

- He's right over there by the phone.

- Thanks.

Yes, sir?

- Oh, Fred!

- Hello, Mr Bullard.

- It's good to see you again.

- It's good to see you.

- Say, what happened here?

- Well, I sold out.

Midway had been after

this location for a long time.

- Didn't he used to work here?

- Yes, he did.

I'll bet he's back looking for a job.

And he'll get it, too,

with all those ribbons on his chest.

Well, nobody's job is safe

with all these servicemen crowding in.

- Meet our new manager, Mr Thorpe.

- Oh, no, I don't think so.

I just dropped in to say hello to you.

I don't want that old job back.

Yes, I know.

But Midway's a big, big outfit.

You never can tell. Come along.

- Thank you, Mr Bullard.

- I'll see you later.

- I see you had a splendid war record.

- Just average, Mr Thorpe.

Since this business changed hands, we're

not obliged to give you your old job back.

I wasn't thinking of my old job.

I'm looking for a better one.

What are your qualifications?

Your experience?

Two years behind a soda fountain,

three years behind a Norden bombsight.

Yeah. While in the army, did you have

any experience in procurement?

- No.

- Purchasing of supplies, materials?

No, I just dropped bombs.

- Did you do any personnel work?

- No.

But as an officer you surely

had to act in an executive capacity,

you had to command men,

be responsible for the morale?

I was only responsible for

getting the bombs on the target.

- I didn't command anybody.

- I'm sure that required great skill.

But, unfortunately, we've no

opportunities for that with Midway Drugs.

Yeah.

We may be able to provide an opening as

assistant to Mr Merkel, the floor manager.

- "Sticky" Merkel?

- Clarence Merkel.

That's the fella. He was

my assistant at the soda fountain.

He's a very good man.

Incidentally, your work would require

part-time duties at the soda fountain.

- At what salary?

- 32.50 per week.

over $400 a month in the air force.

The war is over, Derry.

I think I'll look around, Mr Thorpe.

Thank you, very much.

And take care of that cold.

- I gotta run. I'll drop back later.

Rate this script:5.0 / 1 vote