The FBI Story Page #3

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You spent five years getting a degree.

Working and going to school.

And then you get stuck

in some dinky little rut.

I'm not against government work, Chip,

but, well, do something important.

Well, honey, I'm awful sorry.

They just wouldn't let me start as a senator.

Now, that's not what I mean,

and you know it.

I'm not looking for a lot of money

or a big mansion.

I just hate to see you sliding along,

year after year...

...with nothing to show for it

except a payroll number...

...and maybe a pat on the back

from some political appointee.

You're too good for that, Chip.

Well...

...I guess that's pretty clear, isn't it?

I hope so.

Well, Lucy, let me ask you something.

If I were to leave the bureau,

would you marry me then?

Let me ask you something.

How much would you really mind

giving it up?

Now, be honest, Chip.

It's not that good a job.

You've said so yourself.

Well, I know, that's true, but...

I know there isn't much reason

for me to stay, but I...

Well, anyway, I think I'd give up anything

to marry you, Lucy.

I really would.

Well, then, stop stalling and do it.

Well, now, I still have to go

to Washington to resign.

And I have to go to work.

I wonder who she's meeting in here.

"Do you, John Michael Hardesty...

...accept in holy matrimony this woman,

for better or for worse...

...in sickness or in health,

until death do you part?"

I do.

"Do you, Lucy Ann Ballard...

...accept in holy matrimony this man,

for better or for worse...

...in sickness or in health,

until death do you part?"

I do.

Then, as a minister

and servant of God...

...I pronounce you bound

in holy matrimony.

I'll get the car.

Oh, baby, you just look beautiful.

I'm glad, son, about your going into

the law business for yourself.

- It's a right smart move.

- Thank you very much.

I'm sorry about all the rush,

Mrs. Ballard.

- Guess it wasn't a very big wedding.

- Don't you worry about that.

Anybody here for a honeymoon?

I just might take a chance on that.

Honey, we have to go. Let's go.

- Goodbye, baby.

- You look great.

- Congratulations.

- Goodbye, Lucy.

- We got the tent and everything?

- Yeah, yeah.

- Good luck. I hope the fish are biting.

- I was kind of hoping they wouldn't be.

Remember, be on that Washington train

the 28th. I'll board at Asheville.

- Fine. All right.

- Bye.

For the next two or three weeks,

Lucy and I went bass fishing.

We...

We didn't catch anything,

but I guess that's because...

...the car never got stuck

in a big enough lake.

We had nice accommodations, though.

A semiprivate room

with running water.

Lucy said for our next honeymoon...

...she'd like to make reservations

at a good desert.

Anyway, toward the end of that month,

we got the train for Washington.

Sam Crandall was already aboard.

He didn't seem too happy

for some reason or other.

Hi, Sam.

And it didn't take him long

to get to the point.

Bring us a couple of glasses

of tomato juice, will you.

Are you really serious about resigning?

Show it to him.

One neatly typed resignation.

And one brand-new lawyer's shingle.

Well, I think you're a fool.

Oh, stop it, Sam. You're just like Chip.

You don't really think

the bureau's any good.

No, but it could be.

That's the terrible part, Chip.

It could be.

Oh, I suppose, if you get

water to run uphill.

Then it'll run uphill. We need a bureau.

The country's growing.

Crime will grow with it.

Oh, faddle.

We have enough policemen.

Do you know anything

about this country?

How many crimes there are?

How many kinds of crime?

We'll tick them off.

There's theft, burglary, armed robbery,

forgery, perjury, treason.

At that rate, I'll be able

to pick up some clients.

Down in Texas,

some fella stole a drawbridge.

That's right. One whole drawbridge.

Men will steal houses,

wives and flashlights.

They'll steal your pants, watch,

your good reputation.

You name it, they'll steal it.

Overshoes?

An old lady stole 46 pair of them

in the middle of Arizona.

They'll steal anything,

solid, gas or rock.

Diamonds, beer caps

and "wet paint" signs.

They'll steal them morning,

noon and night.

They'll take anything you've got,

large, small or medium.

Do they ever take a breath?

Now, that's just theft alone.

Now, take murder.

There's homicide, genocide, patricide,

matricide, fratricide, suicide...

...and murder for side bets.

There's murder by poison, by gunshot,

by rocks, knives and scissors.

All right, Sam.

We'll grant you there's crime.

All right, Sam, just cool down, now.

Just cool down.

That's the difference between us, Chip.

I never wanna cool off.

Never.

Excuse me.

Please, Chip,

don't let him talk you into it.

What do you mean? Lucy, what?

I have no idea

what you're talking about.

Yes, you do.

Just don't try to make water run uphill.

Please don't.

What?

I am your new director.

I did not ask for the position...

...but now that I have it,

I intend to give it the best I have.

I took the position on one condition:

That the bureau would be free of politics

and would be operated on a merit basis.

This means the bureau

will operate solely on efficiency...

...with trained lawyers, accountants,

technicians and clerks.

From now on, we're going

to be known simply as the FBI.

We're going to streamline

our operations...

...and do much more work

than we have done before.

And we are going to do it as a team.

The new FBI will not be the product

of one individual.

No one man can build it,

but one man can pull it down.

Henceforth, it will be

a "we" organization.

This bureau will be dedicated

not merely to justice...

...but to the love of justice.

I warn you now...

...that is the most demanding

of affections.

It will take all your vigilance,

patience and loyalty.

And it will mean sacrifice,

much sacrifice...

...to you and the members

of your family.

In the end, it will offer you

only one reward.

You may not die rich men,

but you will die men...

...dedicated to fidelity,

bravery and integrity.

Thank you.

What do you think

of the new director?

He sounds like he just might be able

to get water to run uphill, doesn't he?

Well, Chip, I hear you're gonna resign.

You're smart. I'm getting out myself.

The way this fella's gonna run things,

the only future you've got is being dead.

That Mr. Hoover

sure sounded specific, didn't he?

- Hi.

- Hi.

You look wonderful.

You wanted shrimp.

This is the best place in Washington.

I got it straight from a fish.

- How did things go?

- Just wonderful.

This new fella's got drive.

He's really going to do something.

What did they say

about your resignation?

We don't need a menu.

Give us a big plate of steamed shrimp.

Right out of the pot, huh?

Were they angry when you told them

you were quitting?

You're gonna love these shrimp.

They're in the shell. And you break

them open and dip them into...

- Didn't they say anything?

- I don't know why they're so big.

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