The Saxon Charm

1

I have an appointment

with a Mr Matt Saxon.

Is he well enough to be seen?

Apparently, Mr Saxon has no

idea what a hospital is for.

He's in 901.

And you'll have to join the mob that's

trying to get past his private watchdog.

Thank you.

Still asleep.

You can't go in there.

But I'm supposed to

see Mr Saxon at four.

The name is Busch.

Eric Busch?

I'll see if he'll talk to you.

Hermy has already

told us Saxon is asleep.

You'd better prepare

yourself to get nowhere.

The way the treats us, you'd swear his

last 2 shows were hits instead of flops.

If that's the way you feel

about him .. why are you here?

I loved your last book, honey.

I mean, it's got class.

And still the average intelligent

person like me can get most of it.

Thank you.

Oh .. are you making

it a play for Saxon?

No. I've never met Mr Saxon.

Oh.

You've never met Mr Saxon?

He'll see you right away, Mr Busch.

The rest of you people, there

isn't a chance until tomorrow.

We're in a hospital.

Nice of you to come, Busch.

I hope you are recovering

from whatever ails you.

I always break my neck trying to find

out what other people are reading, too.

Snobbishness, I suppose.

Do you play darts?

Should you?

Why not?

I mean, your health.

Oh, I'm not sick.

They're painting my house and

I can't stand the smell of paint.

I can't stand hotels, either.

Fifty cents a game alright?

I guess so.

You married?

Yes.

Been married long?

Six years.

You live in New York?

We moved here from Virginia recently.

I tried "gentleman of farming" and

found it didn't mix with writing.

Any children?

Not yet.

Why not?

Well .. the war had me away for

three and a half years and ..

Anyway, there is plenty

of time for children.

I owe you fifty cents.

Mr Saxon.

You should do something

about those noisy people outside.

That is your problem and not mine.

Is there anything else I can do for you?

Yes, my flatulent Florence Nightingale.

You can close that door from the outside.

A very efficient woman but

her stupidity appals me.

I must buy her a gift

before I leave here.

Where is that .. ?

What did you do with ..?

Oh, yeah.

Tell me, Busch. How did

you happen to write to me?

I mean, me in particular.

Did you ever see any of my productions?

Years ago. I've never forgotten them.

How does today's theater impress you?

What I have seen lately impresses

me very little .. for example.

You cannot compete with life

in these melodramatic times.

The politicians have

stolen all our tricks and ..

Blown them up into

earth-sized untidy productions.

And discarded the happy endings.

The playwrights on the other hand,

have all turned into do-gooders.

I'm surprised any sane novelist would

try to fool with the theater these days.

Especially one as successful as you.

It's natural to want to try another

medium. Yes.

Yes, this is not the first play

about Molire, you know.

No.

I believe there are more than thirty of

them in which he appears as a character.

Thirty-three.

First one, in 1778.

In 1788.

[ French language ]

I don't speak French.

You don't speak French.

You write a play about Molire.

Well, you'll have to learn.

I like the title.

Comic Spirit.

A tragedy.

Is that you, Eric?

Yep.

Hi.

Hi.

What's the ..?

Hmm.

Pardon the first one.

What's in the package?

Don't know. A man staggered in with it.

Why didn't you open it?

Because it's addressed to you.

How did you do with Matt Saxon?

He's reading the play.

He liked the title.

What kind of a man is he?

Oh, he's ..

I don't know.

A brilliant mind, of course.

But his personality isn't something

you latch on to right away.

Did you like him?

I'd say I liked him.

Look, it's one of the cultural gadgets

for learning foreign languages.

A recording machine with a

complete set of French records.

Are we planning to study French?

There's no note. Not even a card.

Matt Saxon.

He must have put in a rush order for

this the moment I left the hospital.

But why?

I just happened to mention

that I couldn't speak French.

What a man.

You two kids must have hit it off

more beautifully than you thought.

And after only one date. Hmm.

Next time you see him, don't say a thing

about not knowing how to charm snakes.

Would you like to enrol in

Professor Saxon's French class?

I'd love to. But I have a stove full of

dinner. I'll listen from the kitchen.

Why don't you hire a cook?

Because I'm not smart enough to have

a career and I hate women's clubs ..

I kind-of like myself in an apron.

[ Gramophone ]

"Useful words and phrases."

"The day:
Le jour."

Le jour.

"Le jour."

Le jour.

"Good evening:
Bonsoir."

Bonsoir.

"Bonsoir."

Is that you, honey?

Yes, dear.

I've been waiting for you. I have to

my lawyer about publishing contracts.

Well, why didn't you go ahead?

They'd be no-one to answer the phone.

Still no call from Saxon?

No call.

Do you know what I'd do if a man

didn't call me for three days?

I'd call him.

Well, I can't.

You know it is psychologically wrong

for me to be anxious about the play.

Well then, it's psychologically right

for you to seem you don't give a darn.

Do you realize that you haven't

budged from this apartment?

It couldn't have taken him

three days to read the play.

But then of course, he is busy on

the one he's doing before mine.

Honey.

We're paying good rent for

our little shack on the island.

Why don't we go there

while we have the chance?

We'd be cool, there. And I certainly

could use a swim right now.

That little hideaway is

just what we both need.

This heat is making us slap-happy.

Look .. could you pack for both of us

and meet me at the airport at 5:30?

Could I?

And this time I'll even pack

some of the things you need.

You tell that lawyer of yours, that

wives will wait, but airplanes won't.

Hello? Yes.

See? If you want action, all you

have to do is threaten to leave town.

Mr Saxon, didn't the buzzer

work? I have Mr Busch for you.

Yes, I know.

Why don't you talk?

He's not ..

Oh hello.

Hello, Eric.

Can I expect you at my

office in fifteen minutes?

Oh .. I have to meet

with my lawyer first.

Could you make it two hours from now?

This is imperative. There is a

man here I want you to meet.

Call your lawyer and tell him

you'll see him some other time.

Alright. What's his name? I'll call him.

No, no, no. I'll call him.

Alright, fifteen minutes.

He didn't say whether

he liked the play or not.

You didn't ask him. Better run along

and find out. I'll call the lawyer.

I don't know. I wish he'd

given me some kind of a hint.

Eric, I'm delighted to see you. You're

on time. We're not to be disturbed.

I warn you, I've improved

beyond all competition.

Here. And don't step beyond that

line and the carpet. Darts?

What of the man you wanted me to meet?

Oh.

Send in Zack Humber. He's waiting in

another office. I forgot all about him.

May I ask who Zack Humber is? And

whether or not you liked my play-script?

Zack Humber - Eric Busch.

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