They Won't Believe Me Page #2

Do you understand what I'm saying?

- Of course, darling.

- Then what are you doing?

Well I can't let it be said

that any husband of mine

left with his clothes in such a mess.

This is a marvelous act, Greta.

But I'm not enjoying it.

Why don't you say

what you're thinking?

I would.

Only I want to say so much.

Well let's have it.

Only skip laying the blame on me.

But I'm not blaming anybody.

I know you've been unhappy

for a long time.

I tried to fix you into an apartment.

Make you like my friends.

Do the things I wanted to do.

- It's just as much my fault.

- I made plans to change it all.

I rented a house in California

in Beverly Hills.

Just the kind of place

you've always wanted.

I bought you an interest

in a brokerage firm.

So you'd be a partner

instead of customer's men.

Why didn't you tell me all this?

It was supposed to be a surprise.

For tonight.

Of all nights.

Tonight...

It's going to be a lonely trip, darling.

I'll get it, darling.

- Put it there, please.

- Yes, ma'am.

Breakfast.

- Come back in half an hour.

- Yes, ma'am.

Here. Drink this. This

will make you feel better.

Thanks.

- Greta.

- Yes?

I've been wondering.

How did you know my going to Montreal

wasn't just a business trip?

Janice telephoned me on Friday

to say goodbye.

That still doesn't prove...

She happened to mention

she was taking the 8 o'clock train

Saturday night for Montreal.

So you put two tickets together?

That wasn't difficult.

You see, darling. I've known about

your Saturdays for a long time.

How?

Couldn't we just consider

the topic closed, Larry?

But they were all perfectly harmless.

- I don't you think Janice...

- I'm just thinking one thing.

We're trying to keep our marriage going.

That's what I want more than anything.

I understood all right.

It was a contract.

Just as if it had been typed.

Signed. And notarized.

No more Saturday afternoons.

No Wednesday nights.

No telephone calls.

No cocktails at back tables.

I was private property.

Covered with signs marked

" No Trespassing".

I admit I felt like a heel

for a couple of weeks.

When I married Greta, I kidded

myself that I was in love with her.

But this time I knew it was the money.

I tried to forget Janice.

My work helped.

Trenton and Ballantine,

investment brokers.

Stocks and bonds.

Direct wire to New York.

I kept busy for about six months.

Up at 5:
30 to be on hand when

the market opened in New York.

Lunch at the Athletic Club.

Tennis or riding after work.

The model young businessman.

Right down to the

double-breasted blue suit.

Guess I fool nearly everyone.

Customers, Greta, even myself.

Only Trenton saw through

the fancy dress.

And maybe one other.

She looked like

a very special kind of dynamite.

Neatly wrapped in nylon and silk.

Only I wasn't having any.

I'd been too close

to one explosion already.

I was powder shy.

I hear you've had

the bloodhounds out for me.

I had a phone call

from Clark Boyd this morning.

He wanted to know what's

happened to the analysis

of his holdings we were

preparing for him.

Or perhaps I should say

that you were preparing.

Mr. Boyd has more than

$200,000 in the market.

An active account that would bring in

anywhere from 10 to $20,000 a year.

A well-prepared letter

with sound intelligent suggestions

would've thrown his business our way.

What is it, Verna?

Mr. Ballantine asked me to

bring you a copy of the letter

he sent Mr. Boyd yesterday.

He thought you might want to see it.

That's all you wanted,

wasn't it, Mr. Ballantine?

Yeah, that's all.

Why did you tell me about this?

I just like to hear you talk, Trenton.

It saves me from going to

Chamber of Commerce lunches.

Suppose you tell me what that

was all about, Miss Carlson?

Is something wrong, Mr. Ballantine?

I'm perfectly capable of

taking care of my own affairs.

I've been in the brokerage business

for a long time.

So have I.

It just so happens that you're

not one of the partners.

- Thanks. Do you have another copy?

- Sure.

How'd you happen to think of it?

I heard Mr. Trenton on the telephone.

You move like greased lightning.

What did you do with the original?

Special messenger to Mr. Boyd's office.

My recommendations I trust

were up to the usual standards.

They were even better.

What kind of perfume do you like?

That, Mr. Ballantine, was for free.

- Why?

- Because I wanted to.

Well if there's anything I can do.

Of course careful of toes I'm not.

I hate buses.

I thought Trenton had the franchise.

Sometimes it's busy.

Okay.

Sometimes when he's busy.

Right over there, Mr. Ballantine.

- Hello.

- Hello.

I didn't know

Trenton was working tonight.

He isn't.

Where do you live?

Not far from where you live.

Where do you think that is?

838 Benedict Canyon.

A two-story Monterey house

with a swimming pool and a tennis court.

$500 a month rent. Two servants.

See if this doesn't beat

any bar in town.

Thanks.

Pretty fancy layout.

It's not bad.

Wondering how I handle it on my

struggling Ballantine's salary?

No.

But now that you mention it.

How do you?

That might be an embarrassing question.

Suppose I withdraw it.

You don't have to.

I share expenses with another girl,

Susan Haines.

She's a dietitian.

Makes more money than I do.

Is she prettier than you too?

She looks exactly like a dietitian.

- Do you like it?

- Fine.

But where's the profit?

What do you mean? Profit?

You can't just be giving these away?

And after all that talk

about how much things cost.

How much rent people pay.

How much money they make.

Look. The only thing I'm interested

in is how much people spend.

There's a name

for that kind of interest.

Sure, gold digger.

I read a poem once in high school.

Something about

gathering rosebuds while you can.

Instead of rosebuds, I gather orchids.

Fair enough.

But that still doesn't

answer my question.

The cost of that will be included in

the nice dinner you're going to buy me.

Lady, you made a bad investment.

I eat my own orchids.

And I eat them at home.

That's where I should be right now.

May I use your phone?

Right over there.

Hello, Mary.

Is Mrs. Ballantine home yet?

She won't?

Well.

In that case,

I'll have dinner downtown.

Greta is out.

She had a meeting at the welfare league.

I must've forgotten

to give you the message.

I discovered that what

went with orchids

is a game of hide and seek with fate.

Played in offbeat nightclubs.

Out-of-the-way bars.

Remote restaurants.

A game I never had a chance of winning.

Just a moment, sir. Just a moment.

I'll be right back.

Janice!

I've been meaning to look you up.

What for?

To talk with you...

Well, to say hello.

You could've said hello

when I called you.

I've been so darn busy, Janice.

You know talking on the phone

is no good.

You know you're acting just

as I imagined you would.

As though nothing had happened.

A few weeks ago, I might

not have understood.

You didn't come that night,

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