The Men Page #5

Say sharp or dull.

Sharp.

Dull.

Sharp.

Sharp.

Sharp.

Look here, Ken.

I just jabbed that pin

into your calf.

You didn't feel it, did you?

Look, Ken, the legs are gone.

Now the head has to take over.

I know what it means to you.

Forget it.

Before you can change the world,

you have to accept it as it really is.

Without illusions.

You understand that, don't you?

You've been doing fine.

Good reports from the gym.

Keep it UP-

And go out more often.

Be with people.

You remember we discussed trying

another pudendal block on Mr. Butler.

- Seems like a good idea.

- Why bother?

- There's no need for insolence.

- Oh, come now, Doctor.

Precisely.

I am the doctor here,

and I'm sick and tired

of this attitude of doing me...

a favor by allowing

me to keep you alive!

What do you men think this is,

a country club?

It's a hospital!

We're not magicians here!

We're only doctors!

We do the best we can!

And you can either develop

a sense of responsibility...

or you can get out,

all of you!

# ls not just for today, dear #

# Love like ours #

# ls forevermore #

I have a table for you.

This way, please.

- We'll wait our turn, thank you.

- But I have a table, sir.

Just follow me.

# Like you always will be #

# Whenever your hand #

# Touches mine #

Just take it away.

Thank you.

# Men like you #

# Make my love worthwhile #

What did we

have to come here for?

Why didn't we go to the Pump

Room where people know us?

We can't always go

where people know us.

Look at them.

Look at them staring at us.

- Come on. Let's skip out of here.

- All right.

You better take me

back to the hospital.

I'm not very good

company tonight.

No, you're not,

but it's all right.

I know you've got

Angel on your mind.

I got him on my mind,

all right.

He was a wonderful boy,

but brooding won't help.

No, nothing helps.

He was the best patient in the ward.

He worked harder than anybody.

He wanted a house so bad.

It wasn't anyone's fault, Bud.

That's right. But if he was normal,

he'd have had a chance.

You try and you try, and you're

still behind the eight ball.

Take Norm-

He's a brilliant guy.

He graduated with every

honor they had around,

and he kids himself

into thinking that cheap-

Oh, Well.

You've talked about

everybody but us.

I know it. I've been trying

to work up to it.

I've been kidding myself

about getting return.

Brock set me straight

this morning.

All right.

I counted on it too.

But it doesn't change anything.

Doesn't it?

I think it does for you.

If you can live with it,

it's not that important to me.

- Ellie-

- No, Bud, I won't listen.

You don't have

to play it this way, Ellie.

You've done enough for me.

Then how about doing

something for me?

You've taken up

six years of my life.

When are you gonna make

an honest woman of me?

Very funny.

Yes, isn't it?

You worry about

not being fair to me.

I wish you'd quit worrying

and start being fair.

All right, we've

had a disappointment.

I say we go ahead

and set a date...

and get married on that date

the way other people do.

We're not the same

as other people.

Only in your mind.

I'm not marrying a wheelchair.

I'm marrying a man.

Are you going to marry me

or aren't you?

Because if you are, I've got

an awful lot of things to do.

Clothes to buy. We'll have

to get you a car you can drive.

We'll need a house,

furniture, dishes.

I've got to get home and tell my folks

and be with them a while.

You make it sound real-

Oh, Bud, you haven't told me you

love me in an awful long time.

I miss it. It doesn't

embarrass me to say it.

I love you.

Where have you been

all this time?

I had a date with Laverne.

The corporal's getting married.

Getting married.

Well, that's nice.

Did you know I've been planning

on getting married too?

Did I tell you I had a date

with Laverne tonight?

I did.

Only she didn't show up.

Maybe you got

your wires crossed.

Yeah, I got 'em

crossed, all right.

Of all people, me-

the wise guy,

the spectator

on the scene of life.

How stupid can you be

and still be alive?

Don't you think you're going

off half-cocked 'cause...

she didn't show up once?

Oh, a very good question!

Very good indeed.

I like your style, young man.

What's more,

I'll give you the answer.

You know why Vernie

didn't show up tonight?

Because she's in Canada.

Do you know how much

she took me for?

Nine hundred bucks!

Well, don't you

think that's kind of funny?

- Go to sleep, Norm.

- "Go to sleep, Norm."

To sleep.

"To sleep...

"and by a sleep to say we end...

"the heartache...

"and a thousand

natural shocks...

"that flesh is heir to,

"'tis a consummation...

"devoutly to be wished.

"To die, to sleep;

"to sleep, perchance to dream.

Ay, there's the rub."

That's by William Shakespeare.

A very nice man.

Well, Ellie, I wish you luck.

- We both do, of course.

- Oh, yes, dear.

You don't sound very happy

about it, either of you.

You don't like the idea, do you?

- We haven't said so.

- No. But it's pretty obvious.

Even if that's true,

it's not important.

It's your life, El.

You're not a baby anymore.

No, I'm not a baby.

It's My Life.

But I'm disappointed in you,

both of you.

You're taking it like just anyone

would, as if you didn't understand.

You think I'm a silly young girl...

who doesn't know the difference

between pity and love.

You could at least

be honest about it.

If honesty is what you want,

I think you're making a big mistake.

Is that what you think too?

What you mean is, that I ought to be

very cold and practical about this.

That even though Bud

and I love each other,

I ought to break it off

and find a-

That's one way of putting it,

not necessarily the fair way.

Look, Ellie.

I like Bud.

I like him a lot.

I always have.

I'd be proud to have him for a son.

I mean that.

But the point is,

things are different now.

Yes, I know,

through no fault of his.

But he's different too.

He's not the same man.

To me, he is!

I love him!

You love him.

Love can be very fragile, El.

Even healthy people can't always hold

on to it or take it for granted.

I'm telling you this for his good

as well as yours.

How long do you think

that love is going to last...

after you realize

you've signed a contract...

to be his nurse

the rest of your life?

It won't work.

You're a young, healthy girl.

It doesn't have to be that way.

There's hope.

So, you're going

to live on hope.

Oh, I'm not blaming you.

I know you love him.

I'd probably be ashamed of you

if you felt any other way.

But actually I blame Bud.

Yes, I do!

He knows the score

better than any of us.

He ought to let you go.

If he loved you

as much as you love him,

he'd make you go.

You're being so clever,

so logical.

I never knew you could

handle words so well.

That's not an answer, El.

You weren't quite so logical

a few years ago,

when we needed some boys to

go out and get killed...

or paralyzed!

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