The Other Side of Midnight Page #8

Oh, it will have wings.

Engines, and hopefully a pilot:

But you always hire

bad-tempered Greeks as pilots:

I know:

You've told me:

I've already fired three-

three of them-

for discourtesies shown you:

It will be your plane:

You pick the pilot:

But Metaxas will be his copilot:

- Is that all?

- It's very complicated:

Where do I begin-

How do I go about it?

- I'll speak to Spyros:

- Oh, yes, of course:

Spyros will know:

Well, Larry, all I did was submit

the list of names:

They're the ones that picked you:

You shouldn't be surprised:

You're the best qualified:

Well, I guess

they want you right away:

Yes, fine:

Great, Larry:

- Go get 'em:

- Mmm!

[Door Closes]

[Catherine]

This is by far.

The classiest ice-cream truck

I have ever seen:

- We drop you off at the hotel first:

- Mm-hmm:

Then I fly off to the island

to meet the great man himself:

- Are you nervous?

- No:
No:

- "No:
No:"

- How do you feel?

- I feel great:

- Good:

Hello:
I'm, uh- I'm Larry Douglas:

I'm Mr.:
Demeris's new pilot:

[Spyros]

Mr.:
Douglas:

Ah:
I see you have met Miss Page:

She is the one

that you will be flying for:

Oh:
Very nice to meet you:

Come:
Mr.: Demeris will see you now:

Excuse me:

[Paul]

I warn you, she can be difficult:

What I'm trying not to say is.

She's a first-class b*tch:

[Chuckles]

Well, anything first class gets my respect:

[Laughs]

If she takes dislike to you, boom, you are finished:

Hey, I heard she was

some kind of a movie actress:

Oh, in Europe, she's very famous:

- You never heard of her in America?

- No:

[Paul]

Here they come:

Ah:
Good morning, Miss Page:

I believe you and your guests are going to Nice:

You believe?

Shouldn't you know?

Good morning, Paul:

[Engines Starting]

- Okay:

- What?

Okay:

Just put your nose

in that flight plan and make sure.

We don't get

a butterfly's balls off course:

We're gonna give queenie

the smoothest ride she ever had:

- There's going to be some turbulence:

- Oh, no, there's not:

[Engines Revving]

- [Intercom Buzzes]

- Yes, Miss Page?

Paul, I didn't like that takeoff:

Is the new pilot an amateur?

[Noelle On Speaker]

You must give him some lessons:

Yes, Miss Page:

I hope you enjoyed

the flight, Miss Page:

Paul, please ask him not to address me

unless I speak to him first:

To the point, Mr.: Douglas.

Miss Page has taken

a dislike to you:

Did she say why?

Mm-hmm:
She said

you are continually rude:

- I'll try to be more careful, sir:

- Do that, please:

I cannot keep replacing pilots:

Mr.:
Douglas?

Have you ever been shot down?

Not by a woman:

Then I suggest that

you offend Miss Page no further:

No further? Well, I haven't said

five whole words to the lady.

In the five flights

I've taken her on:

She sounds ridiculous, but she must be

awful pretty to keep getting away with it:

Nobody's that pretty:

It can't be:

Jesus, that was years ago:

- What, honey?

- [Sighs]

Well, I spent a couple of weeks in Paris

in 1939 or '40 or whenever:

- Mm-hmm:

- I got hooked up with a very young. Kid, really:

She was, um, from a very small town,

and she didn't have any money:

So she moved in with me:

Then I blew my paycheck:

And, uh, then I went back to London:

No, it can't be the same girl:

That's ridiculous:

Why can't you just ask her?

Yeah, sure:
I walk up to the mistress

of the richest man in the world.

And I say, "Hey, didn't we have an affair

eight years ago in Paris?"

Come on, Cathy:

She wants you:

Great:

Miss Page?

Listen:

You know me:

I know you:

I need someone to carry my packages:

That's swell:
But would you mind telling me

why you're rubbing my nose in it?

I was under the impression that Mr.: Demeris

spoke to you about your behavior:

- He did, but I think-

- Then follow me, and do not

let me know you're around:

[Door Closes]

.(music) [Radio:
Jazz]

.(music) [Humming Fanfare]

[Sighs]

[Clears Throat]

Um, I hate to sound

like the ignored wife.

But I've fixed you

a magnificent meal:

- You haven't even noticed:

- [Sighs]

I'm sorry:

It's just that I don't really know

how much more I can take:

- Is the lady still giving you a hard time?

- Yeah, nonstop:

Well, is it the same girl?

Yeah, I'm sure of it:

Larry, what did you do to her

that eight years later, she's still-

I'll tell you a secret: I don't need

two women driving me up a wall:

After a day of her,

I don't need a night of you:

I'm sorry:

Hey:

What are we doing?

Look, neither of us is happy:

Larry, if Greece isn't the promised land,

why don't we just go home?

[Scoffs]

Why?

I have nothing back there: You have Fraser,

you have your job, but I have nothing:

We've got each other:

- You could get started again:

I'm sure Bill would help you:

- Oh, Christ:

Can't we do anything without

bringing Fraser into it?

Poor Bill:
Gave a girl a break

and never lived it down:

That's not the problem:

The problem is that he's always around:

Even here, I feel him:

Now what the hell is that?

- Friendship:

- Well, that kind of friendship, baby, I don't need:

That kind of friendship, baby,

you could never understand:

Well, you're right about that:

You're right:

Zurich won't change its reports:

Still negative conditions:

Stormy, high winds:

By this afternoon, they expect zero visibility.

And enough electricity

to light up Switzerland:

Larry, we have to cancel:

Larry, please:
I'm all for a vendetta

if the weather is good:

The lady wants to go to Zurich:

- But if you explain the flying conditions-

- You explain 'em:

- Miss Page, please:

- [Woman] One moment:

- [Noelle] Yes?

- Miss Page, this is Paul Metaxas:

We have to cancel the flight to Zurich:

It's very dangerous:

You see, Zurich is like a bowl

ringed with mountains.

And to fly into it

in electrical storm is, uh, very-

Am I to understand that

we have hired a pilot who's a coward?

Ill have to talk

to Mr.:
Demeris about it:

[Line Disconnects,

Dial Tone]

Well, Paul, unless you can get Errol Flynn

and David Niven to step forward, it's you and me:

You know something?

You're crazy like she is:

What's she doing?

She's reading a fashion magazine:

She'd be smarter

if she were looking over her will:

Zurich says they've got it full out:

We can still land in Geneva:

They want to know why

we insist on Zurich:

- Tell them we're crazy:

- They know that:

[Glassware Rattling]

Surprise:

Zurich is closed:

Switch on the speakers:

Zurich Tower,

this is Special Flight 109:

My position is 75 miles

east of St:
Gallen:

Request approach clearance:

Estimate your field 1900 hours:

[Man On Speaker]

Special Flight 109, Zurich Tower:

Our field is closed:

Suggest you divert to Geneva:

- Negative, fellas: We have an emergency:

- [Loud Thump]

Special Flight 109,

our ceiling:
Indefinite zero:

Visibility:
100 to 300 feet.

And high crosswinds with heavy snow:

What is the nature

of your emergency?

I have barely enough fuel

to reach you:

For Christ's sake,

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