The Company She Keeps Page #5

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Hello, Diane. You have to

wait for Miss Willburn.

Yes, I know.

Hello. Is Miss Johnson busy?

Hello, Josie.

Not for long, if you want to wait.

Alright.

Forget about that Police call, Beth.

Why, hello Josie.

This isn't your day to report.

Well, I thought I'd drop in.

Say hello to Miss Johnson.

Hello, Miss Johnson.

Hello, Helen. Hello Joe. Come on in.

Your Susan is going to

have another chance.

Only this time you've got to help her.

Strap those kids on her back.

Make her take care of them.

I don't know how to thank you.

Don't thank me.

Thank the board. I'll let you know.

Harriet in yet?

I'll see you in a minute, Diane.

Hello, Mary.

Hello, Miss Willburn.

Leave it on my desk, Mary.

Who didn't come in?

Five of them.

It seems like Fisher should give up.

How about sending out an

All Points Bulletin on Mrs Curtis?

I'll find her myself.

Any phone calls?

Yes. Mr Collins phoned you.

He said he'd call you back.

I'll see Diane Stewart now.

You can go in now, Diane.

How's it going, Diane?

Fine.

What did you want to see me about?

Just to see you.

Look at you.

You can tell a lot by looks.

Do I look "adjusted"?

Alright, Diane.

You have to fill out the other side.

Do that, you can go.

[ Telephone rings ]

Hello?

Hello, Larry.

What are you doing back here?

Of course I will. Any time you say.

I said I've work to do.

I'll wait then.

Miss Willburn?

The office is closed, Peggy.

I only want to see you a minute.

I'm getting married.

Why, Peggy.

That's fine.

To Johnny?

Is it okay?

Certainly.

Send him in any time.

So you have to talk to him even

when he knows all about me?

I have to go over your file with him.

That's the rule, Peggy.

But don't worry about it.

You can come in with him.

It will be alright.

Fill in all the particulars and

leave it on Miss Griggs' desk.

Why don't you just do it?

Why tell her?

How can I? We haven't got civil rights.

Didn't you read your ticket-of-leave?

So what do you have to do?

You fill out a request. If she approves

it, she'll put in a recommendation.

Then it goes to the prison board.

They vote and there you are.

Yes, Diane?

He's asked me to marry him.

I know what you're thinking.

But I didn't trick him.

I tried not to see him again.

Miss Willburn... please.

What are you going to do?

I don't blame you. I know how you feel.

I don't think you do.

Without Larry coming to tell me...

I can tell him.

What do you want me to do?

Help me.

And don't tell him. Please don't.

I'll never do anything to

embarrass him. I promise.

I have no choice.

You're serving time.

Parole is still part of your sentence.

You forget it too easily.

With him I forget.

That's right.

He treats me like I was somebody.

Well.

Have fun, Miss Willburn.

Larry Collins, please.

Hello, Larry.

Oh, he did?

How long ago?

Oh.

Thank you very much.

So this is your private dungeon, huh?

Not here. In there.

Oh.

It looks cozy.

It's not.

This isn't a cosy job.

Can we talk?

Funny.

For all the time I've known you I've

never been in your office before.

No.

Joan... there is something

I have to tell you.

I didn't know it was

going to be this tough.

Go on.

I'm in love... I want to get married.

I know.

No. No you don't.

I'm not talking about us.

I know.

Don't keep saying "I know".

I can't help it. I do know.

I suppose you know her name

and what she eats for dinner.

Her name is Diane Stewart.

For dinner, she likes a chocolate sundae

with chocolate ice-cream and nuts...

Lots of whipped cream

and heavy on the sauce.

I'm sorry.

Why didn't she tell me?

Because they never do. They can't.

If they could face the situation,

they wouldn't be where they are.

For a prison conviction for a bad check.

That was her first felony.

Before that, shop-lifting,

receiving stolen goods.

The first conviction

when she was twelve.

Now.

Do you know what an

indeterminate sentence is?

Generally set by the prison board.

Indeterminate because they vary.

There is a minimum and

maximum prescribed by law.

Our board gave her five years.

She served nearly two.

That makes three to go.

That's a long time.

Can't we get her less?

Not unless the board

feels she's corrected.

How can they know?

How can anyone know?

That's the point. Unless she's

had a chance to prove herself.

You can't correct a criminal.

Stop it, Joan.

The file is right about

one thing at least.

She does think and act like a

twelve year old sometimes.

Look around you. Who doesn't?

At least she's trying to

do something about it.

Do you want to marry her?

She's my girl.

I don't know what to say to you.

I don't know either.

There ought to be a rule.

Probably nobody thought

the subject would come up.

It's hard, baby.

But it's going to be alright.

What about her?

Tell her, Joan.

You'll get your civil rights.

When?

The board has a special

meeting, Thursday.

They'll get my recommendation in time.

I'd like to talk to the board.

The board has a rule.

No lawyers, no lovers.

But you don't have to worry about it.

I'll take care of it myself.

You interviewed this man at some length?

I had the usual interview.

As I wrote here.

You consider that sufficient time...

To ascertain his qualities as

a suitable mate for this girl?

No personal background investigation?

A doubtful character we might

investigate for months, but...

Mr Collins is fairly well known.

Why, I happen to be fan of his.

On sports in particular, he's very good.

But we also happen to be a fan of yours.

We consider you a remarkable girl.

Yet you doubt my report?

Oh, this is unfair.

Let her read the letter.

Mildred wrote us a few days ago.

The letter came up this morning

along with your report.

Whatever she could say was...

Read it aloud, please.

I'm afraid her business English doesn't

do much credit to the course up here.

"Dear board members."

"Miss Wilburn..."

"Is sending you a report about

me wanting to get married."

"Mr Neeley, and all of you."

"Please, if she says

anything against it."

"There is something I

think you should know."

"I love Larry Collins and he loves me."

"It's a little complicated between..."

"Miss Willburn and I."

"Because..."

"She loves him too."

"We had a fight about it before."

"She warned me never to see him again."

"So please try to make allowances

in anything she says."

"I love him and will make him happy."

"Even if I am what I am."

"And I promise as long as I live."

"Not to get into trouble again."

"Sincerely."

"Mildred Lynch."

That she had the urge and no faith in

you to write the letter isn't the point.

Is what she says true?

Yes.

And I did tell her to

stay away from him.

Then why did you bend

backward in this report?

Do you expect me to be unfair to the

girl because he prefers her to me?

Of course not.

But you can carry your loyalty to these

young women too far, Miss Willburn.

Diane feels I'd let my personal feelings

affect my duty as a Parole Officer.

She made a mistake.

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