The Best Years of Our Lives Page #6

- All right, Fred. Bye.

Excuse me, girls.

No, conditions are none too good

right now, Al.

Considerable uncertainty in business.

Strikes. Taxes still ruinous.

- You like that cigar?

- Yes, Mr Milton. It's fine.

Hard to get those in the war, but they

come in regularly from Havana now.

Things will readjust themselves in time.

We want you back here with us, Al.

That's very nice of you, Mr Milton,

but I noticed Steese sitting at my old desk.

- I wouldn't want to push him out.

- Steese'll stay right there.

You're moving up.

What do you say to being vice president in

charge of small loans, at $12,000 a year?

What do you say to that, huh?

I... I'd say it can't be true.

Job's there, Al.

- You're the man for it.

- What makes you think I am, Mr Milton?

Well, your war experience

would prove invaluable to us here.

See, we have many new problems.

This GI Bill of Rights, for instance.

It involves us in consideration

of all kinds of loans to ex-servicemen.

We need a man who understands

the soldiers' problems,

and who's well grounded in the

fundamental principles of sound banking.

In other words, you.

Well? What do you say, Al?

Well, I'm... I'm overwhelmed.

Of course. Of course.

- Will you bring them in now, please?

- Yes, sir.

- I'd thought of taking it easy...

- Naturally.

After what you've been through,

you need a vacation. Thank you.

You're entitled to enjoy life

before you come back to work.

- It's very kind of you to say that.

- When you get a chance...

This contains reports with all the figures

on our Small Loans Department.

Just in your spare time, of course.

Oh, the briefcase

is a slight gift from the bank.

Well, thank you.

Thank you very much, Mr Milton.

- Glad to have you back with us, Al.

- Thank you, sir.

Sweetheart, I knew you'd be heartbroken.

But listen, you can get another blonde.

What about Sylvia Mack?

(jazz on radio)

Oh, you're crazy.

I think her legs are cute.

I'm sorry too, but he doesn't

want me to work nights.

He says it's inconvenient.

Oh, he's wonderful. And how!

Snappy uniform, a whole

ribbon counter on his chest.

- Sure, I'll bring him in sometime.

- (door bell)

Hey, the door bell's ringing.

I guess that's my Freddy.

Bye.

Hey, Marie, have you got an extra key?

I'd like to have it.

- What are you looking at?

- Holy smoke, honey!

That's the first time I've ever seen you

in civilian clothes.

Well, from now on, honey,

you're not gonna see me in anything else.

I just got it out of the mothballs

over at Pop's house.

(music off)

I called up the Blue Devil.

- Who?

- The nightclub. I told 'em I'm through.

- Oh, swell.

- But let's go there for dinner.

I'd like to introduce you.

They've heard all about you.

Anything you say, honey.

Here's some perfume I bought in Paris.

Oh! Fleurette No. 5!

And this scarf's cute!

To think of having things from Paris!

Freddy, honey, you're just a big hunk

of heaven. What's that a picture of?

Bomb hits on Dsseldorf.

That's my B-17.

What are those?

- Little black flowers that grow in the sky.

- Huh?

- Hey, that's me!

- I had it pasted above my bombsight.

- It took a lot of trips over Germany.

- That's sweet.

The guys'd kid me about it. They'd take

a look at it and ask "Who's the dame?"

When I told 'em it was my wife they'd say

"Nobody's got a wife looks like that."

"What's her telephone number?"

When we go out

will you wear your uniform?

- Oh, no.

- For my sake.

- I'm sorry, baby.

- I'd be so proud to be out with you.

Won't you, please?

Well, seeing as it's you and seeing as I

can't find any place to hang it, all right.

But it's the last time.

If you don't like me in civilian clothes,

we'll just have to stay here all the time.

Would that be so bad?

You gotta get yourself some new clothes.

That suit's awful.

I know, it's terrible. But they tell me

you can't buy anything new now.

I know where you can get

snappy suits made to order.

- You mean there's a black market?

- If you know the right people,

and don't care how much you spend...

We're not worrying about that, baby.

I got money, cash money.

Nearly 1,000 bucks,

from the good old US Treasury.

Oh, now you look wonderful!

You look like yourself.

It's so wonderful,

I can hardly believe it.

Now we can have a real honeymoon,

without a care in the world.

Just as if nothing had ever happened.

Just as if you'd never gone away.

We're right back where we started.

- Don't say that, Marie.

- Don't say what?

That we're right back where we started.

We never wanna be back there.

But why not? What is it?

What's the matter?

Oh, never mind. Skip it. I went back to the

drugstore today and I just got reminded.

Come on, let's go out and have fun.

- Hello, Wilma.

- Good afternoon, Mr Parrish.

- Have you seen Homer?

- He's in the woodshed.

- (gunshot)

- He wants to practise shooting.

So he can go hunting.

You'd have thought he'd seen

enough shooting in the war.

I guess he just wants to find

something to occupy himself.

I guess so.

I wish there was something

I knew to do for him.

His mother and I have tried

to make him feel at home,

but he just keeps to himself all the time.

(gunshot)

(gunshot)

Hello, Luella.

What are you kids doing?

Nothing. We're just playing.

That's his girl. They're engaged.

(knock at door)

- Oh. Hello, Wilma.

- Hello.

- Looking for something?

- No. Go right ahead.

- How'd you do, Homer?

- Only fair.

Well, you did fine.

I'll do better.

I've been wanting to talk to you.

- What about?

- About everything. About us.

What about us?

We're all right, aren't we?

No. Listen to me, Homer.

I'm listening.

You wrote me that when you got home

you and I were going to be married.

If you wrote that once, you wrote it

Yes, but things are different now.

Have you changed your mind?

Have I said anything

about changing my mind?

No.

That's just it.

You haven't said anything about anything.

- That's not loaded, is it?

- Of course it isn't.

Don't you think I know

how to handle a gun?

I don't know what to think, Homer.

All I know is, I was in love with you when

you left and I'm in love with you now.

Other things may have changed,

but that hasn't.

You wanna see how the hooks work?

You wanna see the freak?

All right, I'll show you!

Take a good look!

I didn't mean anything, Homer.

I was only... (sobs)

I'm... I'm sorry, Luella.

It isn't your fault.

Go on and play with your friends.

(Luella sobbing)

I know, Wilma. I was wrong.

I shouldn't have acted like that.

It wasn't her that... burned my hands off.

I'll be all right.

I just gotta work it out myself.

- I could help you, Homer, if you'd let me.

- I've gotta work it out myself.

All I've wanted is for people

to treat me like anybody else,

instead of pitying me.

I guess it's hard for them to do that.

I've just gotta learn to get used to it

and pay no attention.

- Couldn't I...?

- No! I've gotta do it myself.

- Yes?

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