The Man with the Golden Arm Page #4

---

Three years go, May 11th. Maybe

you read about it in the papers, huh?

This is the car it happened in.

That's me laying there.

My husband was the one driving

the car and he was drunk.

Drunk, eh?

He got me in this accident

and smashed me up good,

so I can walk no more,

dance no more, nothin'.

He married me right here

in the hospital chapel.

Zosh!

(Sound of door slamming)

Feeling a little better?

Uhuh. Much better.

Help yourself. Hey Frankie

guess what, I got that dog for Zosh.

He drinks beer and every caller

in heaven's a champeen.

Champeen of what?

Retrieving. It brings back empties.

Hey I'll show you. Come on beauty.

Here get it.

He's all dog. You can

make money out of him Frankie.

See what he's good at is

catching them squirrels in the park

and shakin' them

dirty peanuts at 'em.

You know what I mean? Only thing he's

trained to chase is one kind of squirrel.

And they're getting

kinda' rare in Chicago

on account of the climate's

changin', know what I mean?

So he's just hangin' around waitin'

for the climate to change back a little.

He's got a real fightin' heart.

He's dizzy but he's still

in there tryin'.

Take the dog up to Zosh.

Frankie, can I go with you?

No.

(Knock on door)

In a minute dealer...

Five bucks.

Last time it was two.

That was more than six months

ago, before you went away.

They keep raising the price on me.

They keep doin' that, I'll have to

find somethin' to take it's place.

Monkey's never dead dealer.

The monkey never dies.

When you kick him off, he just

hides in a corner waitin' his turn.

The monkey'll die waitin'. He ain't

climin' up on my back no more.

Never again I mean it.

(Louie) Sure, sure.

Look Frankie. Look how he

drinks his- Oh, ain't that cute.

(Telephone ringing)

He's got a thirst like a bar fly.

Ssh. Ssh.

(Landlord) Hello.

You still expecting

that connection to call?

For your own piece of mind forget him.

The doc said I can count on

Mr Lane and the doc doesn't lie.

The doc. Look at me a doc told you I'd

be up and around in no time and am I?

Have you seen my sticks?

You seen my drumsticks anywhere?

You know what I'm gonna'

get for this little dog.

A little raincoat like for when it rains.

Plaid maybe. Or maybe all yellow, huh?

Where are my drum sticks Zosh?

How'd they get up here?

You like that didn't ya?

Zosh I never keep them way up here.

Drank it all up didn't ya?

Zosh!

I put 'em there. I stood right up, walked

right over and I put 'em there. Alright?

No, no kiddin', how?

Maybe Vi when she was straighten up

for me. I don't know. Stop pickin' on me.

Frankie you can't keep

stoning yourself about it.

There must be a million drummers play

better than you do who can't get jobs.

Just remember that,

your gonna' feel better.

Yeah, sure I will.

Yeah... The noise.

What's this for Zosh?

What?

Oh, Vi she laid out for groceries.

We owe her even more. You got any?

No.

I don't know what we're

doin' with all our money.

Don't you get enough

cards by Schwiefka.

I just do it to kill the pastime, that's all.

What about my pastime?

What did you say this is for?

Sit here all the time;

you don't even talk to me.

We got any more beer? I'd like some.

Beer bloats Zosh, when you

can't exercise. Here pick a card.

Everything's no good for me.

I'm only twenty-five and it's like

I'm an old lady already.

Is it my fault I can't exercise?

You wanna' pick a card,

or don't you wanna' pick a card?

No, I don't wanna' pick a card.

All I want is just a little.

A little what, Zosh?

Just a little...

A little beer, a little fun, a little anything.

I can't dance no more. I can't swim.

I can't even drink beer.

I don't even know what

kinds they got anymore.

What are the kinds they've

got these days, Frankie?

Alright, pretend like I ain't here.

It's what you're all the time wishing

anyway, that I got killed that night.

I don't wish any such thing.

If I don't talk you get mad.

If I say anything you bite my head off.

I don't know whether I'm coming

or going anymore Zosh.

I told you it gives me headaches.

I gotta' practice sometimes, Zosh.

If a job comes along I wanna' be ready.

The job, the job. Take 'em down

to your girl-friend if you gotta' practice.

What?

Take them down and

give her the headache.

Do you know what you're saying, Zosh?

Do you know what you're talkin' about?

Don't give me that innocent look.

I ain't said two words to her

since I come back.

Just cos' I sit here; you think

I don't know what goes on.

Not two words.

I know plenty.

Cut it out, will ya, Zosh? Cut it out.

Take 'em down to that tramp

if you wanna' make noise.

Go on take 'em down to her,

why don't you?

Alright, I will.

Frankie. Frankie I didn't mean...

(TV sports announcer)

It's a long drive to right field.

It's going, going, it's gone,

it's a home run.

If you got two cents for a beer.

If I had fifteen I'd be alright.

I got six cents here. Here you are.

Thanks.

I ain't gonna' stand it much longer.

The heartaches my old man gives me.

You know what he likes to do most?

Tear the dates off the calendar.

Watching him, that's supposed to

be my big Saturday night pleasure.

Sometimes he loses all control and

tears off a whole week's at once,

bleatin' like a Billy goat.

You know what would fill up

that empty spot in your life?

Yeah.

A dog. Hey here's a satisfied customer.

Frankie that dog I got you,

makes a big difference

in your life, don't it?

Yeah Big.

(TV sport announcer)

The first baseman London to bat.

I wanna' see you.

After the inning.

I'll still bet you six to five.

(TV announcer)

It's a strike, strike one.

London getting settled in.

London swings and it's a high ball.

Roberts trying to get it.

It may go into the stand.

He's gonna' try, it's gonna' be close.

Roberts makes a tremendous leap

and he's got it.

How are you Frankie? You make out

alright with the fella' with the job?

Oh, the drumming job? Fine, fine. Well

not so fine. He set a top down on me.

He promised to call me, but.

It's too bad.

A million drummers

in the world, how do I rate?

Maybe he lost your number.

Ha.

It happens.

Maybe he's just wishing

you'd get in touch.

He'd think I was a pest.

Why should he? A good drummer that's

somethin' that don't turn up very day.

Go on Frankie, call him.

Go on Frankie.

(TV announcer) Well it promises

to be quite a ball game, if these first two

innings are any indication. Home team

was leading by one run. The only score

in the game, thanks to that mighty

swat by Milton in the second innings.

Come on Molly, watch the game.

I don't feel like it Johnny, why don't

you go ahead? I'll wait for you.

(TV announcer) This is the

last game here before the team leaves

on a tour trip.

Yes, studio B Monday morning.

Fine, thank you Mr Lane, bye.

Monday I got an audition Monday, me.

He told me to join the union

and be ready to work.

Oh, that's swell Frankie.

You know he did lose my number.

Rate this script:0.0 / 0 votes