The Roaring Twenties Page #5

You do that, I won't hear it.

Good night, Mr. Bartlett.

Masters, I'll be back tomorrow night

to pick up that check.

I'll bet you thought I'd never show up.

I'm sorry. My date'll meet me on the corner.

I'll walk down there with you. Lot of fresh

guys out. Something might happen to you.

Oh, really, I'm catching

a 12:
00 train to Mineola.

I know you're big now, but don't forget,

I knew you when you danced for the Elks.

I'm a pretty nice guy.

Just let me prove it.

In fact... I might even

help you with your algebra.

That's what I wanna see.

Look, I still have to catch that 12:00 train

because the next one isn't until 3:30.

Mind if I walk down to the station,

sort of wave goodbye?

I can do that, can't I?

Sing that again.

I'm a sucker for that. Go ahead.

- I'm liable to wake him up.

- Who, him?

If he's been drinking the kind of booze

I make, it'll take more than a song.

Come on, sing it again.

Not now, it's too sad.

And I feel too good.

- Did you enjoy yourself?

- Oh, I've never had a better time.

You know, tonight was the first time

I've ever been in a speakeasy.

What're you doing, singing in baby shoes?

What?

No, no. Never mind.

I was just talking to myself.

A habit I picked up in France

during the war.

I suppose you like to spend

your spare time baking a cake...

...or fooling around in the garden

or sewing a dress.

Did you make that hat?

It's very pretty. Very pretty.

I wish I did have time to do

all those things. But I don't.

I spend my spare time studying.

- Someday I'll be a musical-comedy star.

- Oh, I see. I see.

And you're dancing in the chorus

to get money for lessons.

You'd rather not, but a girl has to

live somehow, doesn't she?

You sound as if you don't believe me.

I do, I certainly do.

Why wouldn't I?

Mineola. Mineola.

I'm so tired I can hardly get up.

I suppose you're very sleepy

and wanna go right to bed...

...because you've got

a lesson in the morning.

- That's right, I do.

- I see.

Well, here we are.

Yeah.

Here we are.

You're kind of old

to play with dolls, aren't you?

No, not too old if they're cute.

Well, good night.

I've had a wonderful time.

- Hey, it's kind of a quick brushoff, ain't it?

- What do you mean?

It's a long trip to Mineola,

and I like to relax between trains.

It's 4:
00 in the morning.

You certainly have learned

all the answers.

Well, you seem to know all the questions.

Well, if you really want to stay,

we could sit here on the porch for a while.

The night air doesn't agree with me.

I take cold kind of easy.

I'm strictly an indoor man myself.

- Well, all right, we can go in, then.

- That's a whole lot better.

We got to be careful

not to disturb your mother.

What's the matter?

Of course, you had no way of knowing,

but Mother passed away over a year ago.

Oh, I'm sorry, kid.

You live here all by yourself?

Well, I have to until I can

sell the house or get a break.

You mean get a break singing?

- How long you been with the show?

- Three weeks.

It's closing the end of next week.

- Then what?

- Then I'll just have to look for another job.

- Won't you come in?

- Oh, no, thanks. No.

As you said, it is getting late.

And I'll call you.

- In another three years?

- No, no.

Most likely another three hours.

- You want this, don't you?

- Oh, yes. Thanks.

I think I'm gonna like this doll.

I know I am.

- Good night.

- Good night.

Well, when did you two sneak in?

What are you doing here?

Rachmaninoff and I are going to audition

a dream, one of the better kind.

Now, there's not a thing

to worry about, kid.

You just wait right here.

Hi, Panama. Hi, Henderson.

Okay, buster, what are you selling,

and what's her name?

I've got a gal here with class,

which is something this joint needs.

Disregard the guy's insinuations.

No kidding, lot of stuff on the ball.

Sounds just like Nora Bayes.

All right, Ziegfeld,

let's see the prize package.

Jean.

This is Panama Smith.

And the man here with

the worried look is Pete Henderson.

Jean Sherman.

- I hope Eddie hasn't built me up too much.

- So do I.

All right, Jean. Come on, honey.

Show them how a song should be sung.

What are you gonna sing?

What key do you want it in?

And how do you want it played?

"Melancholy Baby" in the key of G.

- And not too fast, please.

- Gotcha.

You're among friends, now.

Don't tighten up.

Sit down, Eddie.

Let's get a chump's-eye view of her.

- Thanks.

- Nice going, kid.

You really did it, baby. You really did it.

Sounded like a trio.

Thanks for listening, Miss Smith,

and you too, Mr. Henderson.

You wait outside for me, honey.

I'll handle this for you.

- Well, great, wasn't she?

- I've heard worse.

- I don't know one note from another.

- You heard all the good ones that time.

- Eddie, I ain't got room for any more singers.

- You're wrong. You'll make room.

When does she start?

Well, I can only pay her 35 bucks a week.

- Wrong again. You'll pay her 100.

- A hundred? Say, I don't pay myself 100.

You can't sing. Don't worry,

Petty Larceny, I'll make up the difference.

- Only she's not supposed to know.

- I don't care, as long as I don't pay it.

Now you can stop crying.

When do you want her to begin?

Let's say a week from tonight, Galahad.

Maybe you'll be over it by then.

I doubt it.

Well, I'll see you around.

Especially next week. So long, presh.

She seems like a nice kid.

I hope she can outtalk him.

I hope she can outrun him.

Sure. Eddie imports all of his wines.

I'll send it right over.

Hello.

- It's on its way.

- Hi, big and good-looking.

- Hello, Eddie.

- This is Lloyd Hart, our legal brain.

If you want to sue anybody, see him.

- Jean Sherman.

- How do you do?

Hello.

Oh, Eddie, I can pick up five more cabs

for you, but it'll take straight cash.

What do we use? Cigar-store coupons?

Get them.

This is where we take orders for the booze.

I'll show you where we make it.

- Goodbye.

- Goodbye.

This is a still.

Some of the alcohol we get around here

is not so good, so we recook it.

Jiggers here is making Scotch.

A little alcohol, a little water,

a little color, a little flavor.

Tonight we deliver it at six bucks

a quart. Costs half a buck.

Louie here's an artist.

He gives it that saltwater smell.

You know, right off the boat?

- Smell it up good, Louie.

- Right.

- Hi, Danny.

- Hello, Eddie.

- Hello, Mineola.

- Hello.

- Where's your manners?

- Hello, Miss Mineola.

No. The dicer. The skimmer.

Excuse me.

Hello.

This is the deluxe department.

The boy here is making champagne.

Tonight, it will be delivered

at the best circles. Fifteen bucks a quart.

- Is it real champagne?

- No, it's diluted New Jersey applejack.

The chumps will think it's vintage stuff

off the boat, bottled in France.

It's kind of cheating, isn't it?

Cheating? Yes, if you get caught.

But you don't get caught if you...

...take care of the right people.

And this is big business. Very big business.

Hello, Eddie.

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