The Saxon Charm Page #5

"I stop to think of whether .."

Hold, it. Hold it. Hold it.

Now, what are you thinking?

Singing to a customer.

Oh, no, no. You are too far to

down into the number to do that.

From now on, sing it to everybody.

From the bridge?

Yes, from the bridge.

Where "I stop to think of whether"?

Yeah.

"I stop to think of whether."

"This little dream might .."

Find the first empty chair.

"We'll put our love .."

No, no, no. Take it with

you, take it with you.

"Now we are one."

"I'm not afraid .."

Sit down. Sit down.

"If there is a cloud above."

"If it should rain, we'll let it."

"But for tonight, forget it."

"I'm in the mood .."

"For love .."

I'm not worried, Mr Saxon. She's okay.

She's better than that.

Yeah.

I was just wondering if you could stay

over for the first floor show tonight.

I've got an adagio team and a chorus

that can stand some improvement.

Roughly speaking, my time

is worth about $5,000 an hour.

I'll settle for this ringside

table and dinner for all of us.

It's a deal.

Can I show my rhythm routine next, Matt?

No, no. Save your feet.

You open tomorrow night.

Just like that?

Loved you act, Alma. What I saw of it.

Thank you, Janet.

Anything special in mind

for dinner, Mr Saxon?

The best steak in the

house for Mrs Busch.

I'll leave the rest of it up

to you. But remember.

The quality of my criticism is in direct

proportion to the quality of your food.

Don't worry, I know a bargain.

Excuse me, please.

Thank you, Matt.

I don't think I could

have made it alone.

Did I tell you Eric, I liked

your new opening scene?

No. No, you didn't.

Well, it gives us a good, solid premise.

Also it points up clearly the

need for another scene later on.

Not a rewrite, but a

completely new scene.

What kind of a scene?

One that gets the backstage flavour

of show-business into the script.

Have you any ideas?

You might use the Michael Barone and

spit right out of Molire's biography.

That's perfect. I wonder

why I didn't think of that.

I don't know what you're talking

about, but I'll bet you did think of it.

Be careful around her, Matt.

She's from St Louis, too.

A lovely city.

That would eliminate the need for the

little offstage scene in the third act.

Yes, I have some

suggestions about that, too.

Also, some revisions that

will be necessary later on.

Now, about the opening

scene of your second act ..

Hmm, this air is good.

I'm glad we're walking home.

I should have written down

those changes he suggested.

I'll forget half of them.

Darling, I know it's late.

But, I don't feel a bit sleepy.

Let's sit down for a little bit.

Sure.

Tell me. Do you agree

with all of his ideas?

I almost have to. He knows so much

more about the theater than I do.

He did do a lot for Alma tonight.

And he seemed like a different man.

You know something?

What?

She's up to her ears in love with him.

How did you know?

Well, she told me so in the powder room.

She also told me he's been married.

To some girl who's been eating her

heart out ever since they broke up.

He doesn't look like a man

who's ever been married.

You mean, he doesn't look like a man

who would stay married. Even for money.

Alma tells me Saxon's

ex-wife is really rich.

Darling.

Hmm.

I was just thinking how lucky I

am to be married to Eric Busch.

Maybe it's a foolish thing

for a wife to say, but ..

I think you're perfect

just the way you are.

Just the way you are.

You sound like a bride.

Don't let anything change you, Eric.

Please don't.

You can turn the light on, dear.

I didn't want to disturb you.

Did he like what you wrote today?

No.

But I .. I think I understand

what he wants now.

Is it what you want?

How would I know?

I'm sorry, dear.

But I am so completely confused I

can't tell good from bad anymore.

All I can do is keep

rewriting until he's satisfied.

I've never seen you this tired.

No wonder you don't

know what you're writing.

At least I'm on the third act now.

It can't last much longer.

Eric.

Huh?

I know something as sure

as I know my own name.

Nothing you're going to write from

now on is going to be any good.

Unless you can get away from

New York and nightclubs for a while.

He likes to discuss each

scene as I write it.

Well, let him discuss them all at once.

Just think how much clearer

your mind would be.

How much better you could write.

If we could spend the next week

at our home on the island ..

I'd love it .. I'd love it.

It just can't be done.

Who says it can't be done?

Listen. If Erich Busch wants to take

his wife for a walk in the woods ..

And fill his lungs with

fresh air for a change.

And sleep through a long night so he can

write and know what he's writing about.

Who is going to stop him?

We leave tomorrow.

I'll call Saxon's secretary

first thing in the morning.

And tell her we're going to the island

and sorry, but there's no telephone.

And Saxon will have his

last act when I get back.

I won't call until the last minute.

Just before we get on the plane.

Now you're making sense.

And as for you, Mrs Busch.

It will be nice knowing you again.

The same to you, stranger.

Why aren't you working?

Finished. Curtain. The end.

Wonderful.

I feel good for the first time since I

finished that first draft of the play.

You'll feel even better after

you've relaxed for a few days.

How much longer can

we stay on the island?

I'll mail him the third act. It could be

a week until he gets back to me.

Anyway, he's busy on the other play.

One whole week!

Our second honeymoon.

Isn't this something?

What's the matter?

That yacht. Who's is it?

I don't know.

Ahoy there, Eric Busch!

Eric Busch .. ahoy!

Matt Saxon.

Oh, no.

Eric Busch, ahoy!

Hi Matt! What a boat.

I didn't know he had one.

Let's swim over. They're stopping.

Wonderful. White fish.

The last one aboard is a rotten egg!

Welcome, welcome, welcome. You're

the first mermaid we've taken aboard.

Hello.

Here you are.

Don't we look wealthy, Janet?

Yes, this is the fanciest yacht we've

ever seen around these parts.

Zack and I were saying what wonderful

swimmers you two are. But divine.

Hey, let's try it, Zack.

Yes, yeah.

Did you bring the third act?

I have it right here in my hip pocket.

Say, when did all this happen?

This is the darnedest thing I ever saw.

Matt watched the dress

rehearsal of The Barefoot Man.

And went right out and put

a down-payment on this tub.

Come on daddy, let's change.

Sax is so sure he has a hit, he isn't

even having an out-of-town try-out.

Opening cold in New York tonight.

That's wonderful.

You going to be there?

Why should I? The audience is only

finding out what I already know.

Besides, my presence would only tend

to add to the tension of the performers.

To remove any doubts from the minds of

my friends, I've chartered a sea-plane.

Hermy is flying the notices down and

will meet us at Buzzard's Bay tomorrow.

Now, isn't that simpler

than buying tickets?

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