The Teahouse of the August Moon Page #11

like you people felt...

...always being conquered.

Well, you know,

now I'm not sure who's the conquered...

...and who's the conqueror.

I've learned in Tobiki,

the wisdom of gracious acceptance.

See, I don't want to be a world leader.

I've made peace with myself

somewhere between my ambitions...

...and my limitations.

That's good, boss.

Well, it's a step backward

in the right direction.

Take care.

Socks up, boss.

Sakini! Sakini!

Sakini. Sakini.

Where's Captain Fisby?

Right over here, boss.

This way.

- Fisby.

- No, no, over here.

Fisby. Fisby.

Fisby, come back here at once.

I'm not in shape.

Too much paperwork.

- You called, sir?

- I've been looking for you.

You can't leave. You've got to stay here.

You've got to help me.

I don't understand, colonel.

We've got to pull this village

back together again.

The lid has blown off of everything.

- Where's Gregovich?

- Well, he... He's out there.

- They're breaking up the rest of the stills.

- Oh, no.

- Why? What's the matter?

- I radioed the report to Washington.

Some fool senator misunderstood.

He's using this village as an example

of American get-up-and-go...

...in the recovery program.

We're all over the newspapers.

- That's wonderful, colonel.

- It's not wonderful.

A congressional committee

is flying over here to study our methods.

They're bringing photographers

for a magazine spread. Tonight, Fisby.

- Oh, that's bad, that's bad.

- Gregovich!

Maybe there's a way we could stall them.

Maybe we could...

Maybe we could

quarantine the place.

You can't quarantine a congressman.

They've got immunity or something.

- Fisby?

- Yeah.

- Help me.

- Yes, sir.

I don't ask it for my sake.

I ask it for Mrs. Purdy.

I could be a brigadier yet.

Gregovich?

Gregovich! Gregovich.

- Gregovich.

- Did you call, sir?

Come here, come here, Gregovich.

You haven't destroyed all the stills,

have you?

No. No, of course you haven't.

Oh, yes, I have.

I carried orders out to the letter.

Why can't somebody

disobey orders once in a while?

What's happened to

the American spirit of rebellion?

- Sunstroke?

- Potato brandy, sir.

Sergeant, wake up.

Do you hear me? That's an order.

- Colonel, I'm afraid he's passed out.

- It's desertion.

I need every man.

Gregovich, get to your feet.

Come on, sergeant.

Come on, sergeant.

Gregovich.

- I wanna ask you some questions.

- Sorry, sir.

- Stop weaving.

- You're weaving, sir.

I'm standing perfectly still.

You smell like a brewery.

Well, I fell in a vat.

- You got drunk?

- No, sir.

I fell in a vat.

Naturally, I had to open my mouth

to yell for help.

- Go to the office and sober up at once.

- Yes, sir.

Oh, sergeant. Sergeant.

- Fisby.

- Yes, sir?

- I think I'm going to need you. Stand by.

- Yes, sir. Yes, sir.

No.

I'm a sinking ship...

...scuttled by my own men.

I know.

- Colonel Purdy.

- Don't bother me.

Stills not all destroyed.

I haven't got time.

What did you say?

We not born yesterday.

We get the sergeant drunk.

Give him water barrel to break.

Sakini...

...my friend.

You're not saying this

to make me feel better?

No. Stills as good as ever, boss.

Production not cease yet.

Sakini, you really are a rascal.

No, he's really an American.

He's got get-up-and-go.

Sakini, if you could get

the people in the village to work together...

...how long do you think it'd take them

to rebuild the teahouse?

We not destroy, boss.

We just take away and hide.

Look, come here.

Now we going to show you

Okinawan get-up-and-go.

Be right back.

It's a land of mystery of the Orient.

It's... It's beautiful.

Simply beautiful.

There's only one thing wrong.

It needs a sign to tell people what it is.

And we ought to put another sign up over

there naming this Grace Purdy Avenue...

...and another sign...

Sir, how about a nice cup of tea?

- All right? Come on, colonel.

- All right.

- Twenty Star for the colonel, Sakini.

- Okay, boss.

Little story now concluded...

...but history of world unfinished.

Lovely ladies, kind gentlemen,

go home to ponder.

What was true at beginning

remains true.

Pain make man think,

thought make man wise...

...and wisdom make life endurable.

So may august moon

bring gentle sleep.

Sayonara.

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