The Petrified Forest Page #5

walking along that road...

I began to feel the

enchantment of this desert.

I looked up at the sky, and the stars

seemed to be mocking me, reproving me.

They were pointing the way to

that gleaming sign and saying:

"There's the end of your tether.

You thought you could escape and

skip off to the Phoenix Palace...

but we know better."

That's what the stars told me.

For perhaps they know

that carnage is imminent.

And that I'm due to

be among the fallen.

Fascinating thought.

Let's skip it.

Here's happy days.

Yes, sir. Certainly does feel great to

have a real killer around here again.

Yes, it's pleasant to be

back again amongst the living.

Hooray.

Oh, come on, Joseph. Hurry, please.

I'm doing the best

I can, Mrs. Chisholm.

Well, why don't you start it?

- Well, if you think you can do better...

- Well, I couldn't do worse.

Hey, good luck, Duke.

Good thing you showed up,

or I wouldn't have got this.

Well, what happened

to Andy Anderson then?

Oh, I'll tell you. He

sneaked into the Civil War.

- Did he?

- Yes.

He told me it was a regular

paradise for killing.

He'd stick a Johnny Reb with his

bayonet and toss him over his shoulder...

Say, pop. I wish you wouldn't talk so

much about blood while we're eating.

What, you got it

on your conscience?

- On my what?

- Yeah, I thought so.

A yap like you hasn't got any

more conscience than a coyote.

Listen to the halfback. How much

did you get for playing on the team?

I worked my way through college.

Oh, how nice.

Wait a minute, smart guy.

I have something to show you.

Keep your hand off your hip.

I was gonna show him a clipping that

said I should've been all-American.

Scared you, didn't I?

I knew it, you're all yellow.

I'd be a little tactful if I

were you. They're your guests.

They're yellow dogs. That's

why they turned crooked.

No, no, no. Cowardice isn't

the cause of crime, is it?

It has to do with the glands.

They can't face the

problems of life.

They got to fight their way through

with guns instead of with principles.

Step over to the other

side of the room, halfback.

You gonna kill him?

- You see? That's just what I said.

- This bullet will go right through you.

And you wouldn't want me to

hurt the cute, little dame.

You're taking this much

too seriously, you know.

- I'm not afraid to die.

- Come on, move!

Step up that radio,

will you, sister.

- Sit down, Jackie Cooper.

- Come on, listen.

- You heard what he said to me.

- Sit down.

You too.

Latest bulletins on the

greatest manhunt in history.

Mantee's headed for the border. The

greatest patrol in history formed...

- ... from the Gulf of Mexico to the Pacific.

- Take a bow.

They escaped in two cars, one

containing Mantee and three men.

The other car containing

three men and one woman.

The Mantee car was seen

an hour ago headed west.

The second car has

been lost track of.

- How did they do it with Doris along...?

- Shut up.

New Mexico and Arizona. You know how the

officers of the law are in this region:

Shoot first, ask

questions afterwards.

Watch for this car: Oklahoma

license number 3T-808.

Stand by for further details.

Now, some football scores.

- Turn it down, sister.

- Molby Tech...

Ruby...

go out to the car and tell

Slim to come get his supper.

Tell him to bring in that

sack of smoke and the road map.

You stay there and keep awake.

Gabrielle, there wasn't much

whiskey. Could we have more?

Who told you you could

call her by her first name?

Now, Boze, you and I have got to

be friends, so long as they let us.

Why don't you take a

sock at him, halfback.

Hi, everybody.

It's about time you got

around to asking me in.

Here's your map, boss.

When we gonna feed my stomach?

Cook him some hamburger,

Fat. Go with her, Slim.

Okay, boss. When we

gonna lam out of here?

Just as soon as Duke

connects with his heavy date.

I don't like that dame stuff.

I likes to get out of range.

- How about passing that?

- Certainly.

- No. You've had all you're gonna get.

- Sorry, Gramp.

Oh, it's all right.

- What are you doing, Gramp?

- I'm gonna smoke my pipe.

Go ahead, pop.

Thanks, Duke.

How are you gonna pay

for all that liquor?

I can pay, Boze, and I

will. I have a dollar.

- Oh, you have? So you were holding out?

- No, no, no. I acquired it since then.

- Where?

- Perhaps the rich people gave it to him.

Now, lay off, Boze.

If you must know, I'll tell

you the extent of my pride.

- Gabrielle gave me the dollar.

- You did?

It's none of your business.

Oh, you were feeling kind of

generous tonight, weren't you?

Would you like to know what she was

gonna give me when those rats came?

Well, speaking of rats! Of

all the low, slimy, stinking...

No, Gabrielle, no.

You mustn't blame Boze.

You must remember, he's a man of muscle.

He suffers from the pangs of frustration.

- I said you were a low...

- I'm sorry. I didn't mean it.

They got me mad with all these

guns staring me in the face.

That's all it is. You know, I'm in

sympathy with you, Boze, I really am.

Ever read All Quiet

on the Western Front?

- No.

- Haven't you?

Well, all of us here tonight are under

very much the same kind of tension.

- You better have a drink, old man.

- I love you, Gabby.

- Please tell me you forgive me.

- Excuse me. Would you rather I left?

- Stay where you are.

- But I'm intruding.

- Sit down.

- It's all right, Alan.

- We've got nothing to hide.

- No. Worse luck.

You know, I'm sorry for

you, Boze, I really am.

There's one thing I'll say: You're

a good lovemaker when you get going.

I wasn't turning on any act.

I told you I was full of love.

- And I was telling the truth.

- So you're full of love, are you, halfback?

Keep it up, kid. I'm

rooting for you. Touchdown!

- Keep your hands on the table.

- I'm gonna comb my hair!

You don't know what it is to

be really crazy about somebody.

For all you know, maybe I do.

Get me a cigar, will you, sister.

Say, Duke. You fellers

gonna stay here all night?

Can't say, pop. Maybe we'll

decide to get buried here.

You better come with me, Duke.

I'm planning to be buried

in the Petrified Forest.

I've formed a theory about

that that would interest you.

It's the graveyard of the

civilization that's shot from under us.

The world of outmoded ideas.

They're all so many dead

stumps in the desert.

That's where I belong.

And so do you, Duke.

For you're the last great

apostle of rugged individualism.

Maybe you're right, pal.

Oh, I'm eternally right.

But what good does it do me?

I couldn't say.

Hey, who were you ever crazy about?

Well, if you've got

to know, it's him.

What?

I was telling Boze that

I'm crazy about you.

- Who, me?

- That panhandler?

- Did you ever see him before?

- No, but it really doesn't matter.

I love him. I guess I'll

never really love anybody else.

Can I possibly be drunk?

After you left, I felt as if

something had been taken out of me.

As if I was sort of

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