The System Page #3

on this first rocket,

no telling how many more may go off.

Once you get a thing like this started..

just make sure you don't

lose control, Mr. Stuart!

You want to see how much

pressure I can stand? OK.

But I got a boy in college, a nice kid!

Don't you do anything to hurt him.

You keep your fingers..

Just make sure, you don't

lose control, Mr. Stuart.

I hear a deep silence.

You two've been quarreling?

Your father trying to sell me

some advertising space.

Be careful of his rates.

The uh.. Fentons will soon

be here for luncheon, Felice.

Sorry, I've just

accepted another invitation.

Thank you, Johnny, I'd love to.

- Good.

I'll buy you some pink

lemonade with your dessert.

I like pink lemonade.

Well!

It looks like the romance is still on.

Thank you.

Sherry for the lady. Teo prep

me a martini for me, very dry.

Yes, Mr. Merrick.

- Thank you.

Buzz, buzz, buzz, buzz.

I made the day for you.

- You're news, Johnny.

Yes, especially when I'm with a daughter

of a man who wants to make me news.

Because of me?

Who knows? Things are dull

and newspapers need stories.

My deadpan friend.

No, Johnny, there's nothing my father can

publish that everyone in town doesn't know.

What you do, the business you're in.

And no one has ever regarded you

other than as a legitimate business man.

Thank you, I needed to hear that.

For twenty years,

ever since I can remember,

then suddenly, Roger Stuart

becomes outraged civic virtue.

Thank you.

I don't want to cause

any trouble for you Johnny.

I don't mind a certain amount of trouble.

- Then it is because of me.

It's worth it.

Holy smoke! Aren't you ready?

You know what time it is?

We miss our train, we don't get

back to school till tomorrow night!

Well, we'll make it.

Dad's driving us to Slade

to catch the express.

So where is he? - He had to go down

the office for a minute. Be right back.

Slade, 40 minutes from here.

Express leaves at.. Oh, can't make it!

Gotta miss it, near the exam,

first thing in the morning!

Shouldn't come home this weekend.

I said no, remember?

I said no, you talked me into it!

I said I had an exam. And my gosh,

Slade! How we ever.. - Relax!

Nibble a soda!

Dad said he'll get us there, then

he'll get us there. - In what, a jet?

Where were you last night?

- Huh?

Dinner! Said you were coming

to house for dinner. We waited.

Mother wondered what happened.

I couldn't help it.

I should've called.

Mrs Allen?

It's Rex Merrick.

Fine, thank you.

Look, about last night

I want to apologize for..

Thanks.

Sure!

Next time we come home.

Say hello to Mr. Allen.

Why yes, he's here.

Want to talk to him?

I'll tell him.

Bye-bye.

Mother says you forgot to pack your comb.

Wants you to be sure and buy another one.

Last night..

because of this, huh?

Look Rex, you and me, we've

been friends a long time, huh?

Forget it, Jerry.

- No, no, no good! Better talk it out.

Stay straight with each other.

You and your father are very close.

Did he say anything to you?

- No!

Well, he always talks to you, discusses

everything. - Not about business.

Never about business.

Funny..

I should pack my comb.

You know how I feel about your father.

Even my dad. He likes him.

Honest, he does!

This thing has come up..

I don't really understand it,

Rex, not all of it.

But we shouldn't let it make it..

- I said, forget it!

Sure.

- Hey, Rex!

Heavy tweed, I pack in your bag,

you take it out, why?

I won't need it, Charlie.

He won't need it, he says.

You're hear that?

I used to pick out his diapers for him.

Now he tells me what he needs!

It's not the season for the tweed,

it's too warm. - Season!

Don't you think I know the season?

You think I'm a dumb.. Hey, you!

What's with that old man of yours?

Someone stick a feather up his nose?

What's the matter, he can't get a winner?

- Never mind, Charlie!

But the nights, huh?

The nights are still chilly, no?

So you take the tweed and these here

sweaters and you wear them, you hear?

Alright, Charlie, you win.

As usual.

Don't get fresh with me, Buster!

I can still take you.

Like the night I fight

Sailor Acosta in Detroit.

Detroit?

Yeah, Detroit!

It was 3 or 4 years ago! Buster here wasn't

more than 5 or 6 years old at the time!

Charlie!

Yeah?

Sailor Acosta?

That was almost 14 years ago.

14 years ago?

No wonder, I don't get no return match!

Taking care of you and Mr. Johnny,

sure has chewed up all the time.

We've just about chewed up

all the time we can spare.

Your father doesn't get here pretty soon,

we won't make a train out

of Slade or anyplace else.

Don't you worry none

about any trains, Buster!

Ain't gonna make no difference to you

if all the trains leave Clarkton

and Slade and never come back!

I ain't talking but..

That's it!

Come on!

How do you like it?

The crazy guy!

Ain't that a beaut, Buster?

Me, I knew it all along.

But you can make me bleed,

I keep my mouth shut!

Well, I told you Dad get us

back to school on time.

Mr. Johnny!

Thank you, Dad.

- Forget it.

How are you, Jerry?

How's your pop and mom?

Fine, thank you, Sir.

Oh, by the way, any tickets

you get for speeding, you pay for

out of your own allowance, you hear?

So take it easy.

You didn't tip him, did you?

- Never said, "Boo", Mr. Johnny.

Did I, Buster?

Charlie displayed remarkable restraint.

- That's all I did, all afternoon.

Better get him started.

I don't want him driving after dark.

Mr. Johnny?

- Yeah.

You remember that go at Sailor Acosta?

Detroit? - Yeah.

When was that?

Oh, that was three, four years ago.

You see!

Guess I was wrong, Charlie.

- Only by ten years, that's all.

Poor Charlie, every year time

that goes by gets less and less.

Now everything that happened

is three, four years ago.

Uh, I'll help Charlie with the bags.

Goodbye, Mr. Merrick.

- Goodbye. Take it easy, but take it.

Thank you, Sir.

Well?

Well, that's a lot of

automobile down there.

I figure you for a lot of boy.

You don't have to that, Dad.

- I never do anything I don't want to do.

Need anything?

Not a thing.

- Sure?

Sure. - Clothes! What about clothes?

- More than enough.

Well, uh, maybe you need

some walking around money.

I don't spend half of

what you send me now.

Well what about books?

Any special books I can send you?

No thanks, Dad.

The library at school is very good.

You're a tough man to handle.

Is anything on your mind, Rex?

Any problems?

Up at school?

Yeah.

Everything alright up there?

Sure.

- Good.

Take care of yourself, Dad, now.

- Sure.

I know how.

Hello, Johnny!

No, it can't be!

Not little Rex?

You don't remember me, do you?

Big Ruben from St. Louis!

Why, we used to play cops and

robbers when your daddy would

bring you and your mommy

down to Miami Beach.

You were only about..

this high then!

My, my, my!

Yes, of course. - I can remember..

- You better get started, Rex!

Call me as soon as you get to school.

- Sure, Dad.

Goodbye, Sir.

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