The Glass Wall Page #2

- Let's call it quits, okay?

- You are not safe yet.

- Let me worry about me, will you?

- I wouldn't feel right if you were caught.

I'm relieving you of all obligation.

You can clear your conscience as of now.

What is it with you?

Now, where do you live?

- I got a room.

- All right. We'll go there.

We? Now, just a minute.

You mean, if I don't, you...

I haven't got much choice, have I?

Why don't you be a good Joe and go home?

I've met all kinds, all with the same idea.

- But you, you got me buffaloed.

- Buffaloed?

Don't you understand English?

You're fast enough

to take advantage of a situation.

- I had to do it.

- Had to.

You trying to win a bet or something?

I had to find a place to rest.

That's a new approach.

- Have you some water, please?

- Over there.

- Look what you've done.

- I'm sorry.

My landlady would just as soon

toss me on my ear...

I hope she didn't... She did.

Open up. I know you're in there.

Where's that money you promised me?

I'll have it for you in a day or two,

Mrs. Hinckley.

Bushwa. You've been giving me that

for weeks. I'm not having any more.

Honest, I will.

Either you dig up the cash right away,

or when Eddie gets home

he'll put your things out on the sidewalk.

Mrs. Hinckley, I promise you.

No, I want you out of here anyway.

I've seen the way

you've been egging my Eddie on.

Egging? I'm black and blue

from fighting the big gorilla off.

Now, you get your things out of here,

or when Eddie gets home

he'll put them out.

And he'll be home soon.

Well, wait a minute, Mrs. Hinckley.

I think I can let you have part of it.

So, you've been holding out?

- All right. Open up. Let me have it.

- Under the door.

Seven lousy dollars. You owe me 30.

I'll get you the rest. I got a job coming.

You cough it up by day after tomorrow.

That's final.

Thanks for the loan.

But if you got any ideas it's gonna

entitle you to any special privileges...

I'm sorry.

You have enough troubles without me.

Well, it was not such a good idea that I had.

I hope you understand.

It's nothing personal. I...

I won't trouble you anymore.

There's no use

asking where to send the money.

I don't know when I'll ever have any.

Just don't steal any more coats.

I know. I'm not very good at it.

Goodbye.

So long.

- Must go. Must find Tom.

- Just take it easy.

My ribs. Something must be broken.

How did you do that?

- When I jumped from the ship.

- What ship?

It's here in the paper.

- You better get to a doctor.

- No.

He would report me.

They would send me back.

A broken rib could puncture something.

- You wanna die?

- I don't wanna die,

but I don't want to go back.

Lift up. Let's take off your coat.

- There. That'll help for a while.

- Thank you.

You were angry

for making you bring me here.

You better rest.

- I better go now.

- No. You stay here.

You're in no condition to be running.

And you're not so hard as you pretend.

Tell me. Is there not work

for everyone here in America?

Almost everyone.

So, how it happens that a girl like you

steals a coat?

I don't know. I was cold. I needed a coat.

More than that, I was fed up, I guess.

Did you ever put tips on shoelaces?

- Tip on shoelaces?

- Yeah. That's what I did for two years.

There's a big steel machine here, see,

and over here, a giant spool of shoelace.

You pull it out like this, 27 inches at a time,

all day.

And then you stamp a pedal,

and a ton of steel bangs down,

cuts the lace and rolls the tip on.

Bang like that, and again. Bang all day.

You're scared you'll smash your finger.

At the same time, you gotta keep your eye

on the assistant foreman,

'cause every time he comes by,

he pinches you.

You do this till your brain goes numb,

and you get 35 bucks a week.

And then, all of a sudden,

you have an appendix attack, an operation,

and you're out flat on your back.

And you just can't get back on your feet,

and you get fed up.

And you want to strike back

at somebody, anybody!

And you steal a coat.

When I get work, I will help you.

I never met anybody like you before.

You have a girl where you come from?

There were no girls in the camps

except behind barbed wire.

- Excuse me.

- I bid 380.

- You'll bid them goodbye.

- Hey, Nancy, what are you doing here?

- I've got to talk to you.

Well, in a minute, honey.

As soon as I finish this hand.

- Right now, darling. Wait till you hear.

- In a minute. I'm sitting with a 450 hand.

I pass.

Honey, you see,

you made me give my hand away.

But, Tom, this is important.

Here, Bee-Bob, you play it out.

- You see, Tom. You're not even married yet.

- It must be important.

No, Mamie, I tell you,

that's not lipstick on my shirt.

I had a red pencil in my pocket

or something.

No, I'm at the musician's club now,

and I'm waiting for a job.

- Hey, buddy.

- Mamie, I'm telling you...

All right. Now, what is it, baby?

Well, you know how

I've been badgering Shimmey for weeks

about getting you set.

Shimmey's arranged a spot for you

with Jack Teagarden's band.

Jack Teagarden? Baby, baby.

That's the kind of a break

I've been waiting for

since I got out of the army.

Well, now, hold on, darling.

He only said if you've got the stuff.

You're talking to me, baby.

Have I got the stuff or haven't I?

Well, honey, I know it and you know it,

but you've got to convince Jack.

Convince him? I'll blow my brains out.

- Hey, when does he want me to come down?

- Tonight. Right now, in fact.

- Got your clarinet with you?

- Yeah, it's in my locker.

Good. Well, now, get yourself cleaned up

and comb that silly hair of yours.

- I want you to look pretty.

- Okay. Well, look,

look, here's the key to my locker.

Now, you get the licorice stick and my hat,

and I'll get all cleaned up, all right?

Tom, if Jack keeps you on, then we can do

all the things we've wanted to do.

Baby, I'll make him bust open

that City Hall so we can get our license.

- Even if he doesn't, Tom?

- Now, we've been all through that before.

I told you,

I don't want a wife that supports me.

- Is that so?

- What are you worried about? I'll get the job.

Here's one for luck.

And remind me to kiss Shimmey

when I see him.

He'll still want his 10%.

- I'll kiss him 10% worth.

- Go make yourself pretty.

Hi.

What a world.

What a loused up world this is.

Here's a poor sucker. He walks 400 miles

to stow away on a boat to come here.

- So what happens to him?

- What?

So they're gonna ship him back,

that's what.

Forgot his driver's license or something,

so he can't come in.

What a world.

They should give it back to the Indians.

And we think we got troubles.

Take Herbie.

You know, fat Herbie, the trombone player.

I'm on a job with him last week.

All night long

he keeps knocking me a teakettle

about if he eats too much

he keeps on belching,

you know, interferes with his rhythm.

So, I says, "Herbie, if you eat too much

and you keep on belching,

"so don't eat so much. "

- Reasonable?

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