The Black Orchid Page #4

will come and help me

pick up the gifts later, so...

Oh.

Good night, Alma.

Thank you.

Night.

(suspenseful theme plays)

(cat meows)

(upbeat dance music plays)

All right. We'll have cherry

vanilla for both of us, huh?

You want something on it?

Maybe hot fudge or something?

No, no, just plain.

Yeah?

Just plain for the lady.

Hey, put a lot

of jimmies on mine, though.

I mean, whipped cream,

marshmallows, the works.

Oh, what was I saying?

Your wife.

(music stops)

Oh, yeah.

Well, after the baby was born,

my wife, she, um...

She got sick.

Sick of what?

You know, sick.

Gee, for ten years,

she was like that.

Always locking herself

up in the room.

Never talking to me or even

looking at the baby.

You know, sometimes I...

You know, it's a long time

since I talked to anybody

about inside things.

I don't know. I'm always afraid

who has to listen

will get sick of hearing.

I won't get sick.

Thank you.

Gee, you see,

when you don't yell,

you can be so... so nice.

What's the matter?

Oh, nothing.

The marble is cold.

Oh, well, here.

Here, use this.

Thank you.

I'll do it.

All right.

So between the wife and...

No, go on. Go on, like this.

Between the wife and...

Hey.

You know, you always remember

where I dropped off.

Well, anyway, between her

and the depression

and trying to raise a baby by myself,

one day at work, I just keeled over.

What, your heart?

Oh, no, no. Just a strain.

So I ask the boss for a few days

off, and he says--

He says, "Take the rest of your life off."

"In a few days," he says,

"I'll be in the street

selling apples

if those spring orders

don't come in."

So, you know,

when I hear that,

I says to him-- I says "How

would you like to go in partners

with a man who has $1,000?"

And he says, "Okay."

So that very morning,

we signed the papers,

and I became half-owner.

And that afternoon,

the spring orders came in.

And the strain?

The boss, he got it.

Well, now.

Now we've got a store here

and a factory in Summerville.

Rose, have you ever been

around Summerville?

No.

Oh, it's very nice, very nice.

You know...

right near the factory,

there's this, uh...

Well, this wonderful house,

and it's...

Well, it's empty now,

and it's for sale.

You know, if I were

starting all over again,

I'd sell my house here,

and I'd buy that one near Summerville.

It would be nice starting again.

You could maybe not make

the same... mistakes.

Hey. You know, I bet

if those people at the farm

knew that Ralphie had

a nice house to come home to,

you know,

in the country, like...

Well, like Summerville...

You know, Rose, that...

That one little house could make

the three of us, kind of...

I don't know...

get ahold of life again.

You mean this, Frank?

I'm saying it.

You know, Rose,

you would do me a great honor.

Hey, I'll tell you what.

Sunday, we'll go to the farm,

and I'll ask Ralphie

for your hand.

Maybe... you'd like to wait.

You know, after all, we...

we hardly know each other.

Gee, the way I'm rushing you,

you'd think somebody

was chasing me.

I'm sorry, Rose.

I mean, if you're not sure...

I'm sure, Frank.

I'm sure.

You-- You are?

What...

Well. Well.

Hey, well.

Well, uh, Sunday

we'll tell Ralphie.

Monday morning, uh,

City Hall License Bureau.

Rose.

( upbeat dance music plays )

Hey.

Did I order that?

Yeah, you did.

You'd better eat it.

Oh, no, no.

I can't eat it.

Rose.

It doesn't fit.

Honest, Mary.

My feelings are hurt, the way

you criticize the gown.

Oh, it's not the gown.

It's the fit.

Well, just look how

it bunches in the waist.

You want it to fit like

the skin of a sausage?

Go. Go take it off.

I will fix the waist.

I should have stayed in Rome.

I was going to join the Church.

By now I would be

Mother Superior.

( rings buzzer )

I'm too busy, but come in.

Yes?

I wanted to ask.

You make wedding dresses?

What do you mean,

do I make?

Twenty years

in this country alone.

But I mean plain dresses,

you know? Not gowns.

You are going to get

married in church, no?

Why?

I don't make no dresses

for City Hall.

It makes a difference

to you?

Hey, what are you

so angry about?

Here, do me a favor.

Write your name.

I am busy getting a nervous

breakdown from criticizers.

MARY:
Will you have this fixed

by Monday morning?

Dear God, spare me.

All right!

And Monday night, you come

and view me in my coffin.

I ask you, who can read your

writing? What is your name?

There.

Rose Bianco.

Well, I'm too busy now

to take your measurements

and decide on style.

All right.

But if you want the job,

I've got to come

for fittings at night.

No nights. If you work,

you come in the morning

before you go.

Oh, another thing.

The man I'm marrying,

he insisted he wants

to pay for the dress.

He said to send the bill

to him.

How do I know he will pay?

He's a friend of yours,

Frank Valente.

CONSUELO:
How the world

is changing.

No more white gowns,

no more veils.

Hey, Mary. Look,

I ain't got all day, eh?

Give the dress to...

Oh...

I did not connect.

It is your father.

Mary, is it going

to be a double wedding?

Oh, watch...

Oh, Dio mio, che peccato!

Mary, what a shame.

( whistling )

( door slams )

Mary?

Mary, is that you?

Mary.

Mary.

Hey!

( door slams )

Mary!

( knock at door )

FRANK:
Mary.

( sobs )

Mary...

Hey.

Hey, baby...

What's the matter,

honey?

Papa,

what are you doing?

What do you mean?

I heard her,

brazen as sin.

"Send the bill

to Frank Valente."

Oh.

Oh, honey, you're just upset

because it wasn't me

that broke the news

to you.

You see, I was waiting

till you...

Papa, you mean you're really

going to marry that woman?

If you ever say "that woman"

like that again,

I'm going to smack you

right across the mouth.

Papa--

How can you talk

about her like that?

Mary, you-- Mary, you--

You don't even know her.

Look.

Mary.

Mary, Rose has had a lot

of trouble in her life.

She's...

Look, if God is good to me,

he'll let me make her

happy for a change.

Mary.

You were going to Atlantic City

tomorrow to see

the house Noble found,

right?

Baby, why don't you

go today, huh?

You can stay

at my cousin's hotel.

You'll rest,

and you'll feel better.

Come on, huh?

I'll take you to the bus.

I can go myself.

I'm not a child.

Mary.

Look, Mary,

listen to me.

Mary, it doesn't have to change

anything between us. Honest.

Honey, uh...

Do you need some money?

No.

ALMA:
Mary.

Hey, Alma.

Where's Mary?

She's upstairs.

Mary!

Mary, come and hear!

Alma, what's the matter?

Oh, listen, I could die!

Well,

what happened?

Alma?

Me and Joe,

we're getting married!

Oh,

that's wonderful.

Hey, Mary,

isn't that great?

Hey Alma, what can I

buy you for a present?

Look, never mind presents.

Just come. It's next Saturday.

Oh, kid, almost overnight.

Really?

I can't show up empty-handed,

you know.

Look, I love you.

Get what you want.

Oh, Mary, let me tell

you what happened.

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