The Sand Pebbles Page #3

we'll lock in the jacking gear. That'll hold it.

- A lot of slack in that damn thing, Jake.

- It sure as hell-

Okay, lock it in.

Jacking gear in.

Give me the wrench.

My takee wrench.

My takee wrench.

Okay, Chien.

Hammer.

- Watch it!

- The damn jacking gear gave way!

- Get Jennings down here!

- Aye, aye.

Floor plate down! If you pull him

through there, you'll tear him to pieces.

Frenchy.

Drain valves open?

Frenchy...

don't let no steam build up.

All right, come on.

Up! Out! Come on.

Easy, easy.

Jennings, grab his hands.

Easy.

Easy now.

Okay.

- Slow engine.

- Slow engine.

Stand by all lines!

Get cleaned up.

The captain's waiting for you.

A man has been killed on this ship

for the first time, Holman. I want to know why.

One of the keys in the jacking gear

that holds the crank jarred out, sir.

- Why?

- Vibration.

- Why the vibration?

- Because of the bearing knock, sir.

I guess one of them keys

has been missing for a long time...

and the other was just

being held in by rust.

Can you fix any personal

responsibility for this?

- For the jacking gear, sir?

- For the accident, Holman.

If there hadn't have been a knock in the L.P.,

there wouldn't have been vibrations.

Chien handled the overhaul.

He should have fixed it, sir.

Are you saying

that Chien killed himself?

I'll remind you that he worked

under supervision.

Can't supervise an overhaul and stand

deck watches at the same time, sir.

Black gangs should stand their

watches in the engine room, sir.

Lop Eye Shing, the number one coolie,

says that you killed Chien.

You threw the engine

in some mysterious way.

Now, that may be superstition,

but it's very real to them.

Your resentment of Chien

was well known.

The system you got on this ship

is what killed him, sir.

Holman, you will immediately train

a new coolie to take Chien's place.

Give it your full time. That's all.

Sir, they ain't got the brains

to learn about that engine.

- They operate it efficiently enough.

- It's all monkey-see, monkey-do.

They don't know what's happening

with that engine.

It's not necessary they should.

If you let me run that engine room

the way I'm supposed to, sir...

- I can give you up to 12 knots

and no breakdowns- - Holman...

I'm the one here who decides

what jobs will be done by whom.

The crew of this ship

is designed...

just like the machinery

that powers this ship.

Captains before me designed

the San Pablo for a special job...

that we have here

on the backwaters of China.

But men will not hold together

like brass and steel.

We have to refit ourselves

into the design every day.

That's the purpose

of all we do in San Pablo.

As part of that design,

you cannot be excused...

to do what you prefer to do,

no matter how well you do it.

You will train a new coolie

and then return to your military duties.

That's all, Holman.

Come on.

Red Dog!

Bring back- Bring our whiskey back!

Hey, Jake.

Jake!

- How'd you make out with the captain?

- One piece whiskey.

We ain't waltzing.

What happened?

- Collins says us Sand Pebbles is like machinery, only we're different.

- Huh?

We gotta keep changing 'cause we ain't

made out of brass. Think that one over.

Did he say nothing about Chien?

Yeah. Gotta train a new coolie.

- What?

- Yeah, one of them slopeheads.

I can't do it, Frenchy.

They think that engine's got ghosts in it.

- Sailor man.

- I'm broke.

Hey, Mama Chunk,

where's the new stuff?

You all the time

same Sand Pebble sailor.

What's the matter?

No like all the same girls?

- Hey, Frenchy.

- Hi, Mama.

What's the matter?

No takee girl topside?

Give me time.

- I think you too old a man.

- "Too old"? "Too old"?

Wait, you new sailor.

What you name?

- Holman.

- Holman. Holman?

Yeah, Holman.

Have got one piecee

new girl topside.

Brand-new.

She now makee pretty.

I supposee

she come see you?

- Well-

- Yeah, you send her over, Mama.

- Oh, nice Frenchy.

- Hey, Ski!

Your eyes are bigger than your-

Hey.

Okay. Right over here, loveyduck.

Best table in the house.

Right here, sit.

Clear out, you slobs!

Back to your pigs!

My name is Ski.

Ski. Savvy?

What name you?

My name is Maily.

- Say that again.

- My name is Maily.

Did you hear that?

A Vassar girl.

- Hello, Maily.

- Ski, I am your buddy.

- Shove off, Restorff!

- Hey, Ski, pal-

Come on. I'm sure you have

your own joy junks to go to!

Why don't you vamoose?

Come on, you guys! Beat it! Beat it!

Maily, what will

you have to drink?

I should warn you.

I get a commission on what I drink.

All I drink is cold tea,

but you'll have to pay for whiskey.

Oh, I see.

Yeah, sure.

Boy, catch

two piecee whiskey!

Relax. Relax, Maily.

- I keep books for Mr. Shu...

- Oh.

and act as hostess.

I'm very pleased

to meet all of you.

Yeah.

Where'd you learn

to talk English like that?

My secret.

- Where do you come from?

- New Jersey.

- Oh, yes. Trenton.

- Yeah, Trenton's in New Jersey.

That's where Washington

crossed the Delaware.

That was a little before my time.

As hostess, I'm supposed

to divide my time...

among all the tables.

It's been very pleasant meeting

all of you, but I must go now.

Oh, no, no. Not till we take

a little trip across the Delaware.

I don't go upstairs.

I'm only a hostess.

Ski, she don't love you.

Hey, Ski, go get some air.

Mr. Ski, please!

Please don't!

- Ski, let her alone!

- You go to hell!

Hold it, Frenchy.

This little girl's got duties,

just like sailors.

- Oh, please!

- Let her go!

Now, Frenchy, stand fast.

That's an order.

You know better than to mess with another

man's girl... till he's through with her.

What's the matter? Wait.

What's the matter?

You want to go topside her, pay money.

- Money.

- Money. Money. Okay.

- Come on, topside.

- Wait.

This girl a first time.

Must pay $200.

$200?

I'll give you $10 Mexican.

Come on.

$200.

- You think I'm an admiral?

- That be first-time price.

- Who say so?

- Victor Shu.

$200.

- Nobody's ever gonna have that much.

- $200.

I'll be damned.

- I'm still drinking with her anyway.

- No.

- She go other table now.

- Now wait a minute.

You can't change the house rules

just like that, damn it.

As long as I pay for her drinks,

I keep her.

What's a-matter you?

You crazy?

Come on, Mama.

Come on, Mama.

All right, break it up.

All right, break it up. Go back to your pigs.

You likee talk to pretty girl?

Yeah, sure, Mama.

Why don't you grab a table?

Yeah. Come on. Sit down.

- What's your name?

- Frenchy.

- And yours?

- Jake Holman.

- Mine is Maily.

- How do you do?

- Thank you very much for helping me.

- Oh, it was nothing.

Where are you from,

Mr. Holman?

- Utah.

- Oh, Salt Lake City.

- Uh-huh.

- I-I'm from Philadelphia.

- Yes, Liberty Bell.

- Uh-huh.

Is Utah nice?

For some people.

Well... I guess I better

get back to ship.

Yeah, thanks, buddy.

- So long.

- See you.

Now there's a guy who knows when to leave.

Rate this script:5.0 / 1 vote