The Slender Thread Page #4

She dances,

she smiles,

she's nothing.

Well, you got

a little messed up.

So, welcome to the club.

Now, listen.

You're her last

link with life.

She'll break it

right now

Unless you stop

moralizing.

Who's there with you?

Alan, I heard

another voice.

I don't know what

you heard, Inga,

But we are alone.

Hey, gee. You know what

we just had?

Our first fight.

(DOORBELL RINGS)

Good evening.

Is Mrs. Dyson home?

No.

Would you

step outside

a moment, please?

Chris, you go back

and watch TV.

Any idea

where she is?

She called about 5:00,

Asked me to stay

with Chris tonight.

Said she might drive

down to Portland. Why?

Mr. Dyson,

where do we find him?

Oh, he's gone.

Where?

Hecate Strait.

He left this afternoon.

He's probably all the way

past Victoria by now.

He's a fisherman.

Skipper on the

Provider II.

And he'll be gone

two, three weeks,

depending, you know.

Where does

Mrs. Dyson work?

Price and Hampton.

That's

the contracting firm

on Jefford.

What happened?

Did she leave a note

anywhere around the house

Before she went

to work this morning?

What kind of a note?

Suicide.

Oh, no.

What kind of a car

does she drive, ma'am?

All cars stand by.

All cars.

Request to locate

a Buick

station wagon,

Light tan, 1964,

With a plastic

sunflower on the aerial.

Repeat. Buick

station wagon,

Light tan, 1964,

Plastic sunflower

on the aerial.

This vehicle may

have been used

To transport

a missing woman,

Mrs. Inga Dyson

of 142170th Northwest.

This woman

is presently

at an unknown address

Where she has ingested

an overdose

of sleeping pills.

This is

a request to locate.

Pellegrini,

call the Coast Guard.

Request emergency pickup

on Mark Dyson.

Left Ballard

this afternoon

on Provider II.

He should be off the

north tip of Whidbey Island

by now.

Yes, sir.

Mick, get Peters over

to that contractor's

office.

She may be

calling from there.

Already done.

Line's busy.

Down to 12.

Her respiration

is down to 12.

20 to 22 is normal.

Your respiration

is down to 12, Inga.

Oh, good.

20 to 22 is good.

12 is not good.

Not good for you.

Great for me.

You keep trying

to make a contest

out of this.

Cross my heart

and hope to die,

I mustn't tell Alan

where I am

Because that would be

losing the game.

You better lose

this game, Inga.

Don't you ever get tired

saying the same

things over and over?

What do you

want me to do?

Say, "Okay, kid,

if you want to get

out of it, go ahead?"

"I'll sit here and keep

you company like a slob

while you die"?

Can't you just

have your coffee

and be sweet?

I can't.

Don't you

understand?

I can't just

give up like that.

Why?

What stops you?

You.

Me?

It seems I care

what happens

to you, Inga.

Oh, Alan,

you're a very nice man.

Nice.

This is no time

for nice.

Nice is for

Saturday night,

And I'm not

your date.

No, you aren't,

are you?

What if you were,

though, Alan?

Would things

have been different?

Would you have been

able to forgive me?

Mark almost did.

Just yesterday.

He almost forgave me.

I kept remembering that look

on his face in the church

When he left me.

I was afraid

when he came back,

It would still be there.

I tried.

God, how I tried

to make it go well.

I bought the softest,

whitest outfit I could find,

Little gloves and all.

I spent an hour

making sure

My eye make-up

was just right

Before I went

to the pier.

Mark tried, too.

We even managed

to have a little fun

the way we used to.

Alan, we came so close.

Hey!

Is it still

a big ocean?

The biggest.

Was it Pacific?

Yeah, I'd call it

the Pacific Ocean.

Chris says

welcome home.

How is he?

He's lonely.

I hope you didn't go

and fix a big spread.

I did.

Wine and candles.

I have a new recipe

for candles.

I thought

we'd do the town

with Charlie and Edna.

Charlie said there's

a new one of those places

just opened up.

Charlie,

what's that place

with the...

Oh, the Go-Go House.

Yeah. What is it?

A what?

A discotheque.

Discotheque.

CHARLIE:
We'll pick up

Edna on the way.

Am I dressed for it?

Charlie,

is she dressed for it?

(GO-GO MUSIC PLAYS)

Oh, wow!

I don't believe this.

I believe it.

Believe it.

MARK:

These two come here

all the time.

It's great

for the

circulation.

Oh, dear.

What's he doing?

What's he doing?

He wants you

to dance with him.

Get out there.

Oh, no!

No.

Come on, Inga,

let's do it.

Get out of here.

I can't...

One time.

No.

Come on!

Yeah, come on,

try it.

No, I can't.

You're chicken.

Come on, Edna.

Really?

(MUSIC STOPS)

(CROWD CHEERING)

(UNZIPPING)

You didn't really want

to come home tonight,

did you?

The funny thing is,

I did.

I'm sorry, Inga.

I'm sorry.

Look, Doctor,

don't you want

your story told?

We'll rush the film back,

catch the 10:
00 time slot.

She may be dead

before your 10:
00

time slot.

Just let us set up

right over there.

I want to take

a few shots with

her on the phone.

The camera won't make

any noise, honest. Please.

ALAN:
Wiggle your toes.

Go on. Wiggle them.

INGA:
They don't wiggle.

You bet they don't.

Can you move your legs?

They feel like anchors.

Just think,

no more bresfiss dishes.

ALAN:

No more "breakfasts."

That's you,

isn't it, Alan?

You stay in there,

don't you?

You just keep punching.

Sometimes I give up.

(STIFLED YAWN)

What now?

You want to hear

a joke?

Yes. Tell me where

you're calling from, Inga.

Nah, no.

A good one, really.

There's this drunk, see.

And he's staring

at an ugly lady

on a streetcar.

He's staring

and he's staring.

She's trying to

ignore him, see.

Finally, he says,

"Lady, you're the

ugliest lady I have

ever seen in my life."

And she turns to him

and says,

"And you are the drunkest man

I have ever seen in my life."

And the drunk says,

"Yeah, but, lady,"

"In the morning,

I'll be all right."

(INGA LAUGHS)

You're not laughing.

It's not funny.

Alan...

Yep.

Laugh for me.

You must be kidding.

No, I'm not.

I want to

hear you laugh.

Uh, come on now,

Inga.

Please.

Please.

Laugh for me.

(LAUGHING)

Stop it, Alan!

Stop it!

Okay.

Now you are going to

have to help me out

Because I'm stuck.

(KNOCKING ON DOOR)

Where's Price

and Hampton?

Third floor.

Anyone else here?

Just the janitor.

Anything wrong?

Any possibility

a Miss Inga Dyson

could still be here?

Everybody leaves at 5:00.

Who's using it?

We keep a line open

to the board room.

It's down the hall.

Yeah, honey,

they're having

a big meeting

In here tomorrow.

(HORN HONKING)

Ridley to radio.

MAN:
Radio.

Al? Art.

I just got here.

I borrowed a bike,

and I ran out of gas.

Yeah.

Bay 201,

Repeater 176.

All right.

I'll call you right back

at the test port.

Look...

I'm losing her,

right here in plain sight

of everybody.

With all the experts,

surrounded by experts,

I'm losing her!

INGA:
(DRAWLING) Alan?

What time is it?

It's 8:
21.

Checkout time,

8:
40, right?

That's just a guess.

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