The Subject Was Roses Page #7

Fine time you picked for it.

A bunch of chorus girls

stood on the wings of a silver plane

singing that song...

hey, rio, rio by the sea-o

Got to get to rio,

and I've got to make time

Ia da dum

You were the last one to see her.

The police will want to question you.

She left the house

about 10 A.M., your honor.

Didn't say boo, but I assumed

she was going to her mother's.

Brown hat, brown coat.

I went to her mother's,

but she wasn't there.

They hadn't heard from her.

I had two helpings

of ravioli and meatballs.

Then I came back here to wait.

When she didn't call by 3:00,

I started to worry.

And drink.

When she didn't call by 3:00,

I started to worry.

I tried getting in touch with my father,

called all the bars I could think of.

"Is Mr. Cleary there?

"If he comes in,

would you please tell him

to call his house?"

It was like old times.

I told you,

I had dinner and went to a movie.

"Is Mr. Cleary there?"

Well that shows how long I've been away.

You never say,

"is Mr. Cleary there?"

You say, "let me speak

to Mr. Cleary"

as though you knew he was there.

I went to a movie.

Did it have a happy ending?

Gilda. Rita Hayworth,

Glenn Ford.

I didn't ask you what it was.

Loew's paradise.

I didn't ask you what it was.

What's the matter with you?

Join me.

No.

And I think you've had enough.

Well, that's the first time

I've ever seen you refuse a drink.

I want you to stop.

But you're powerless to stop me.

It's a lousy position

to be in. I know.

That's your last one.

Take it, and I leave.

"Joy, joy,"

said Mrs. Malloy.

Hello?

No. Nothing.

I said we haven't heard anything.

Well, of course I'm concerned.

I don't care how I sound.

I'm concerned!

Well, if she's not here

by 11:
00,

that's what we'll do.

That's a comforting bit of information.

It's her mother again.

Her mother wanted to let me know

how many muggings there's been lately.

It's 10:
10.

The trouble with you is

you haven't had enough

experience in these matters.

Where the devil can she be?

I'm an old hand.

Never did anything like

this before in her life.

All those nights I lay in bed

waiting for your key to turn in the door,

part of me praying you'd come home safe,

part of me dreading

the sound of that key,

because I knew there'd be a fight.

I'll give her a few minutes more.

All those mornings I woke up sick...

Had to miss school.

"The boy's delicate," everyone said.

"Has a weak

constitution."

I'll give her till half past.

From the day I left this house,

I was never sick.

Not once.

It took me a long time

to see the connection.

Where could she go?

She has no money.

Wrong.

What?

Nothing.

You said, "wrong."

hey, rio

Flying down...

I want to know what you meant.

She took her coins.

Got to get to rio

And I've got to make time

Hey, rio

Rio by the sea-o

Gotta get to rio...

Why didn't you mention this before?

Slipped my mind.

$50 in halves, quarters, and dimes?

She took them all?

A person can go quite a ways on $50.

You saw her take them?

Yes.

Didn't it strike you as peculiar?

Everything strikes me as peculiar.

There's something you're not telling me.

We all have our little secrets.

There is something.

Take you and your money.

What is it?

For all I know, we're millionaires.

I want to know why she walked out.

How much do you have?

Answer me!

If you don't put that bottle down,

I'm leaving.

I want an answer.

See you around the pool hall.

I want an answer!

A hell of a way to treat a veteran!

I've taken all the crap

from you I'm going to.

You want an answer?

I want a drink.

It's a deal?

First, the answer.

I forget the question.

Why did your mother leave this house?

Well?

We had an argument.

About what?

I don't remember.

Probably had something

to do with your drinking.

Yes.

That's what it was.

She said I drank too much.

Well, she's right.

Yes.

Never thought I'd see you and she argue.

Neither did I.

Didn't say where she was going?

Just took the coins and left?

That's right.

Beats me.

Where are you going?

To get something to eat.

Eat?

I didn't have any supper.

You were so worried,

you couldn't even sit down!

I'm just going to have a sandwich.

Have a banquet.

Why are you mad at me for?

You're the one who argued with her.

Which absolves you completely.

She might jump off a bridge,

but your conscience is clear.

A person planning to

do something like that

doesn't take a bunch of change along.

She thanked me for the roses.

Don't you have any consideration

for other people's feelings?

You talk about consideration.

How could you do it, pop?

I looked forward to this morning...

to mass and dropping in

at Rafferty's afterwards,

with you in your uniform.

Always the injured party.

You'll be the injured

party in about two minutes.

I already am.

Real rough you had it...

good food, good clothes,

always a roof over your head.

Heigh-ho, everybody.

It's "count your blessings" time.

Well, I'll tell you what rough is.

Being so hungry, you begged.

Being thrown out on the street

with your few sticks of furniture

for the neighbors to enjoy.

Always hiding from bill collectors

and having to leave

school at the age of 10

because your father

was crippled for life,

and it was your job to support the house.

You had it rough, all right.

The subject was roses.

Where I couldn't have

gone with your advantages.

What I couldn't have been.

Why did you tell her about the roses?

We were having words, and it slipped out.

Words about what?

Well?

Stop pushing, or I'll tell you.

Well, go on.

Go on!

The humping I'm getting

is not worth the humping I'm getting.

You pig!

I'm warning you.

You pig!

Bonsoir!

Where have you been?

I was just about to call the police.

Are you going to tell me

where you've been?

You wouldn't believe me.

Of course, I believe you.

You don't look well.

Appearances are deceiving.

I feel terrible.

Why wouldn't I believe you?

You just wouldn't.

Well, tell me and see.

I went to the movies.

Go on.

That's it.

You just went to the movies?

That's right.

Are you trying to tell me

you were at a movie for 12 hours?

I knew you wouldn't believe me.

I believe you.

Thank you.

What did you see?

That means you don't believe me.

No, I guess not.

I demand to know where you were.

I went to the hotel astor,

picked up a man,

had a few drinks, a few jokes,

went up to his room...

stop it!

I was just getting to the best part.

You're making a fool of yourself.

Is there anything I could say

that you would believe?

Say you took a bus downtown,

walked around,

visited a museum,

had dinner, went to radio city,

and came home.

Took a bus downtown...

Walked around...

Visited a museum...

Had dinner...

Went to radio city, and came home.

Went to radio city and came home.

I'll buy that.

If you had any sense, you'd buy it, too.

Well, I don't have any sense.

I'm just a poor, ignorant slob

whose wife has been missing for 12 hours,

and I want to know where she's been.

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