The High and the Mighty Page #5

we're in the land of our dreams.

At the little hotel that fits our budget,

there's a mix-up in the reservations.

Another couple named Joseph

from Milwaukee.

So we figure

maybe they've had a dream, too.

So we don't start any arguments.

We finally wind up at a hotel

which is way beyond our budget.

So we have to cut our trip short.

Okay? Comes evening,

the wife gets into the one evening dress

she could bring along

and I get into a tux

I haven't had on in 10 years.

Mommy!

We were ready for the light fantastic.

The wife was wearing new shoes

with heels much higher

than she was used to and...

My back.

The house doctor says the wife

has twisted her sacroiliac,

which ends the dancing for the trip.

So everything passes.

In a couple of days the wife is well

enough to hobble down to the beach.

It rains bullfrogs for three straight days.

All we got to do is sit around

and write postcards back home

about what a wonderful time

we're having.

Three days we got left,

then we meet the Wilsons.

One of the pleasures of any trip

should be the people you meet, right?

The Wilsons had their own ideas

of what was fun.

He thought my wife was his dish,

and she thought I was Clark Gable.

The wife can't run very fast

on account of her sacroiliac.

I'm having my own track meet.

Fella, you have never lived

until you've been chased around

the palm tree by that guy's wife.

So we spend the rest of our dream trip

eating away from the hotel

so we don't run into these people

and have to play post office all the time.

But the last day the sun comes out.

Whoever heard of coming home

from a dream trip without a tan?

We're desperate, see?

We really soaked up that sun, all day.

The wife has a third-degree burn

on her shoulders.

I don't dare put any weight on my back.

I'm gonna have to borrow money

from the bank

to pay next month's food bill,

if we ever do get home.

If you still think you got troubles,

mister...

Wonder if you and Mrs Joseph

would care to join me in a drink?

You can have your towel back now.

Take a breather, Dan.

I'll turn the knobs awhile.

Good, I could use a little shuteye.

Funny thing how a fella can sleep with

four big engines hollering in his ears,

only wake up when they stop hollering.

Imagine silence

waking you up at home?

No human being should have to put up

with such an arrangement.

San Francisco tollsman, 2930.

I don't care if you did build

that radio yourself.

It's against the law.

Throw it overboard before I do.

But I like to listen to the aeroplanes.

I spent a long time building that set.

You touch my set and I'll kill you.

I might do it anyway.

Just to have something happen

on this rust bucket.

You're going off your rocker.

You need six months ashore.

Being shipmates with you is enough

to drive anybody off their rocker.

Get out of here.

Don't say I didn't warn you.

The FCC will jerk your licence

in a minute

if you send anything on that pile of junk.

Get out of here.

Hello, Honolulu.

This is 420 with a position report.

Come on, Honolulu. Wake up.

Answer him.

420, this is San Francisco,

Honolulu unable to read you

on account of poor conditions.

Go ahead with your report.

Okay, San Francisco. Copy, Honolulu.

Position at 0557.

Latitude 34/30 north.

Longitude 140 west, 9,000 feet.

1,500 gallons remaining.

From the window at my side,

sometimes I can see the stars.

America is all around me in every way.

Do you understand a funny thing?

In Honolulu, I must be inspected

by the American customs

and immigration persons.

And not one soldier to guard things.

I look everywhere for soldiers

with guns and...

Would you like your dinner now,

Miss Chen?

Yes. Please, I am so stupid.

Here is a letter to my brother in English

and I cannot remember this word.

It is that thing soldiers wear

at the end of their guns,

like a sword?

- Bayonet?

- Yes.

I am so very stupid. Thank you.

I am embarrassed.

Anyone who can write and read

more than one language

should never be embarrassed.

Being the original dumb-bunny,

I can barely write my own.

"Dumb-bunny"?

That's slang for mentally-retarded

American girls like me.

Dumb-bunny.

How delightful.

I must tell my brother of this.

You tell him you met the number one

stupid rabbit.

If he knows any American girls,

he'll understand.

Now I'll get your dinner.

Dumb-bunny.

There's something very wrong

back there. The tray...

- I know.

- A whole tray jumped.

- I burned myself.

- I swear it's that Number 1 engine.

It was running perfectly. They all are.

Maybe it's in the tail. If our little girl got

burned, maybe it's worse back there.

Dan, take your flashlight,

have a look through the tail.

- Report to me as soon as you can.

- Right.

Leonard, take a fast fix,

let me know our position now

and every 10 minutes from now.

Spalding, get back to your passengers.

If this thing lets go again,

they'll start wondering.

Hobie, tell San Francisco

we're experiencing

some unusual vibration

and to stand by until further advised.

Do you want to declare an emergency?

No, not yet.

- Is everything all right?

- We're still in one piece.

I was just starting to serve

the passengers. Should I go ahead?

You might as well.

Sometimes these things

never do get explained.

Say, hang up a minute, will you?

Tell me what's wrong

with this aeroplane.

- Is there something wrong with it?

- Cut it out.

Something popped so hard a while ago,

it spilled my drink.

Order another. We're not stingy.

You won't talk?

I would if there was anything to say.

I'll make you a bet right now,

we're late getting into San Francisco.

Could be.

- Did you find anything?

- Nope.

- What do you suppose it could it be?

- Beats me. Where are we?

I'll let you know in a couple of minutes.

Nothing wrong with the tail.

The Number 1 head temperature has

gone up five degrees in the past hour.

San Francisco wants to know

the nature of our trouble.

Tell them if we knew,

we'd have told them.

No, don't say that. Tell them...

Just say we still don't know

and to keep standing by.

I got news for you guys.

We just passed the point of no return.

- Have you lost something, Mr Agnew?

- My lighter is out of fluid.

Maybe he thinks he's aboard ship

and is trying to work up an appetite

for dinner.

I seen a crazy man act like that once.

It ain't so nice.

He's looking for trouble.

You're Kenneth Childs, aren't you?

Well, isn't that your name?

Yeah. Why?

I don't think we've met before.

No. We've not met

because no one wanted us to.

What can I do for you?

My name is Humphrey Agnew.

Well, does that mean anything to you?

- Agnew. You're Martha's husband.

- I am.

I didn't hear you say

you were pleased to meet me.

- Of course...

- Of course not!

Look, Mr Agnew, this lady and I

are having a quiet drink together.

You seem to be disturbed

about something.

Perhaps we can talk later.

If you'll excuse...

No, you don't just snap your fingers

Rate this script:3.0 / 1 vote