The Best Years of Our Lives Page #8

You see what I mean?

- But it's a good, safe bet.

- Just what do you mean by that?

Well, I mean it's...

it's a perfume that fits any mood.

Oh!

- All right, I'll take it.

- Very good, madam.

Mommy! Mommy, look!

Bang, bang, bang, bang!

I shot it down! I shot it down in flames!

I'm very sorry... Oh, hello.

Hello.

Thank you very much.

I'll be with you in just a moment, madam.

Will you take this, please?

This lady will have your package

in a moment.

- Thank you very much. Come in again.

- Thank you.

- You were wonderful.

- I wanted to smack him.

It's against the rules to chat,

unless it's a sale.

Oh. All right, I'll buy something.

- What's this?

- Youth Recaptured, a complexion cream.

But you don't need

any of that phoney stuff.

That's vanishing cream.

This is a vanishing-cream remover.

I'll tell you how you can save money. If

you don't put that on, you don't need this.

How about some lotion?

Here's one at $2.98.

And you'd be overcharged

at half the price.

I didn't really come in to buy anything.

Dad told me you were working here.

I just dropped in to say hello.

Just a minute. I have...

I have an hour off at one o'clock.

Are you doing anything for lunch?

- Why, no.

- Thank you, madam.

I'll meet you outside in 20 minutes.

Come in again.

Thank you.

- The apple pie, she's homemade.

- Good.

Thank you.

It is a nice little place.

I never heard of it before.

I used to come here now and then

in the old days, before the war.

I used to think of this place

when I was overseas.

I thought "When I get back home I'm

never gonna eat in a dump like Lucia's."

What else did you think you wouldn't do?

I never had any clear ideas,

but there were two things I was sure of.

One, that I knew I'd never

go back to that drugstore.

What was the other thing?

That was even sillier.

I dreamed I was gonna have

my own home.

Just a nice little house for my wife

and me out in the country...

In the suburbs, anyway.

That's the cockeyed kind of dream

you have when you're overseas.

You don't have to be overseas

to have dreams like that.

Yeah. You can get crazy ideas

right here at home.

- You have to be back at work at two?

- Yeah.

Well, hadn't you better...?

- Yeah. Check, please.

- 85c apiece for lunch, plus tax, is $1.76.

OK.

- Thank you very much. Goodbye.

- Bye.

- Goodbye, signorina. Come again.

- We'll do that. So long.

Arrivederci.

Well...

That shouldn't have happened.

But I guess it had to.

- Goodbye, Peggy.

- Goodbye.

We were discussing this loan

to this man... What's his name?

Novak.

Yes. Yes, I approved it.

May I ask, Al, on what basis?

On the basis of my own judgment.

Novak looked to me like a good bet.

But the man has no collateral, no security.

- Evidently, you saw something in him.

- Yes, Mr Milton.

- What was it?

- Security.

Collateral.

In the army I was with men stripped

of everything in the way of property

except what they carried around

with them and inside them.

I saw them being tested.

Some of them stood up to it, some didn't.

But you could tell

which ones you could count on.

I tell you, this man Novak is OK.

His "collateral" is in his hands, in his

heart, in his guts. In his right as a citizen.

- Nobody's denying him his rights.

- We are. If we deny him his chance...

Gentlemen, there's no need

to raise our voices.

Of course, since you've approved

the loan, the incident is closed.

- However, in the future, Al...

- Yes, I understand, Mr Milton.

In the future I must exercise more caution.

Thank you, Mr Prew.

Al, uh...

(door closes)

Al, you know how I feel

about you and always have.

Why, I've always considered you

one of the family, so to speak.

Like my own s... younger brother.

I picked you personally for this job,

and I know you'll make good.

We do have a desire to extend a helping

hand to returning veterans when possible.

But we must all remember that

this is not our money we're doling out.

It belongs to our depositors,

and we can't gamble with it.

I'll remember, Mr Milton.

We'll meet at the Union Club at 7.30.

- And give my best to your charming wife.

- Thank you, Mr Milton.

(key in door)

- Hello.

- Oh, hello.

Hurry and get dressed.

And wear your new suit.

We're going to dinner

at the Embassy Club.

Don't worry, it won't cost

a nickel. We got invited.

- Who invited us?

- Miss Peggy Stephenson.

She called up, said her father was a friend

of yours. She sounded like a nice kid.

She's going out with some boyfriend

and asked us on a double date, as guests.

- You told her we could go?

- You bet I did.

Well, call her up and tell her we can't go.

Tell her I made another engagement.

- Say, who is this Peggy Stephenson?

- She's a girl.

I didn't think she was a kangaroo.

Where'd you meet her?

The night I got back, Al Stephenson

and his wife took me home.

She's their daughter.

I'd never seen her before.

Or since?

If you wanna make anything out of this,

you'll be disappointed.

I just don't like accepting handouts.

You'd better get used to it, cos we won't

get much fun on your 32.50 a week!

Hold still!

You'll probably have to make a speech.

It's my plan to meet that situation

by getting well plastered.

- Peggy's going out with Woody Merrill.

- Who's he?

- You know, Bill Merrill's son.

- Oh, yeah.

Fine people, the Merrills.

Strictly TCR.

- What's that?

- Top credit rating.

- Are his intentions honourable?

- I doubt it.

But they're going to be chaperoned

by Fred Derry and his wife.

Fred Derry? Ha! Some chaperone!

- I think she's crazy about him.

- Who, Merrill?

No, Fred.

Have you got evidence

to support that amazing statement?

- Just a hunch.

- Oh.

But my hunches are pretty good.

- Ah! Cocktails!

- No, you don't.

I made this for Woody Merrill.

Surely you wouldn't deny your father

a drop on a cold night like this.

- I would if I could.

- I hear you're gonna see Fred, hm?

- Yes.

- What's his wife like?

I don't know. I'll tell you later.

They'll have cocktails at the Union Club.

I know the kind Mrs Milton serves:

pink, sweet and nauseating.

I was just asking Peggy about Fred's wife.

Never mind, Mom.

I know what you're both thinking.

What are we thinking?

You're afraid I may be in love with Fred.

- Why, I never had any such idea!

- Shut up, Al.

Are you in love with him?

Yes.

But I don't want to be.

That's why I asked him and his wife

to go out with us this evening.

I think it ought to have

a very healthy effect on me.

Once I get to know her, I...

I'm sure I'll stop being silly

about the whole thing.

(door bell)

We don't need to worry about that child.

She can take care of herself.

That's what she thinks.

- Good evening.

- Good evening.

- You know my father.

- Mr Stephenson.

- Nice to see you again. Have a drink?

- Thank you.

I've played golf with your father.

- Been to the club since you got back?

- I haven't had a chance.

- Al, we'll be late.

- Right.

- Good night.

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