Thieves' Highway Page #5

- I said thanks.

That's good. We got 40 boxes left.

They go in no time.

- 600 at six and a half bucks a box?

- Hey. Hey.

Where did you get

that six and a half stuff?

That's what you're selling them for,

isn't it? Or is she wrong?

- She's not wrong.

- Six and a half is right.

I oughta know.

I'm shelling out.

Come on. We can work this out

up in the office.

What's the matter with

working it out here?

600 at six and a half bucks a box

makes 3,900 even.

I talk business in my office.

Thanks.

- He'll eat that kid alive.

- I'll take odds on the kid.

- Sit down.

- I ain't stayin' long.

3,900 bucks.

I like you.

Hey. Let's say you just rolled into town

with a truckload of apples.

Old Havana.

Now what do you think

would have been a fair price?

- Six and a half bucks a box.

- Six and a half is what I got.

- I'm talkin' about your end.

- Your end of nothing is nothing.

You're a tough kid, huh? Okay.

Okay, we'll split.

Three and a quarter for you

- Six fifty for me.

- Hey, listen, you cheap peddler.

I was in this business

when you were still suckin' a bottle.

Probably got that load for a buck,

buck and a half a box.

I'm givin' you more money

than you ever seen in your life.

When did you ever make

more than a day's pay?

You're getting

red in the face, Mr. Figlia.

Aah. Terrible, the way

I lose my temper, huh?

- I like you.

- I don't like you.

- 3,900 bucks.

- Hey, you sound like a busted record.

Look, Mr. Figlia.

You don't know me, but I know you.

- You tried to take me.

- Who said I tried to take you?

- Who said it?

- Never mind.

Hey, wait a minute.

I got it. That, uh

Rica, that trick that picked you up?

Hey, the joke's on me.

I tell ya, if there's one thing Mike Figlia

appreciates, it's a joke.

Okay, I'll admit it.

I wanted your apples.

You didn't want to sell.

I paid that Rica a hundred bucks

to get you off the street.

So she tells you.

Hey.

Ask me why she tells ya.

Huh? Right this minute,

she's plannin' how to roll you for all your dough.

I don't mind being rolled by her,

but from you I don't like it.

- Gimme my money.

- Oh, what's the use?

Gimme my money.

I ain't got

that much cash.

I'll take what cash you got.

Write me a check

for the rest.

How do you know

I won't stop it?

I don't think you will.

- What's the name?

- Nick Garcos.

My old man's

Yanko Garcos.

- You remember him.

- Can't say that I do.

He left a load of tomatoes on consignment

with you about four months ago.

- I sell a lot of tomatoes.

- This load you remember.

My old man said you

never paid him for it.

And if he wasn't hurt,

he'd come back and squeeze it out of ya.

Oh, that guy.

He ran around here

squealin' like a stuck pig.

It's our own fault we let cheap peddlers

like you on the street.

Whoop!

Check ain't signed.

Would you mind pickin' that up?

Terrible, the way

I lose my temper.

Hey! Hey!

I mean it.

I like you.

3,400 dollar check.

Five hundred bucks in cash.

Hey, that's quite a killing.

Take good care of it.

Don't lose it.

Take good care of your health.

If we had some clams,

we could have some steamed clams.

That is, if you like

steamed clams.

I wonder if that thing

makes coffee at the same time.

How much further

you think he can push that jalopy?

You mean by day or by night?

By night, he'd probably go

a quarter of a mile.

With a good strong tail wind.

I can't understand it.

We got plenty of speed, plenty of truck.

Why, we'd be glad to take his load in.

Wouldn't we?

Yeah, we would. Only now, it'll cost him

half of what he makes and, uh...

a little bit more.

Oh, that's awful. The longer he waits,

the more the inflation?

Tsk, tsk, tsk, tsk.

Hello, Polly?

Hey, fellas, hold it down, will ya?

It's long distance.

Calling Fresno.

Thanks.

- Hello, Polly?

- Quiet, fellas!

The guy wants

to talk to Polly!

Can you hear me, Polly?

Yeah. Yeah.

Yeah, well,

get your bags packed.

Nicky did great.

He made a killing the first time up.

Oh, Nicky,

I'm so happy for you.

Daddy, it's Nick.

He did wonderful in San Francisco.

Yes? How wonderful?

Oh, excuse me, Nick.

I was talkin' to Daddy

I know what he wants to know.

Tell him, but tell it to him easy.

- 4,000 bucks.

- 4,000 bucks. She'll come.

- Of course I'll come.

- I want you here right away.

We're gonna be married today.

I don't know. Ask your old man

when then next train leaves.

Tell her to fly!

This is the 20th century. It's faster!

Polly, why don't you fly? It's faster.

She can catch a plane for Frisco,

be here in two hours.

Yeah, you catch a plane

to Frisco, you get here in

Huh? No.

Here. Get off at Oakland, you catch the ferry

and I'll meet you at the ferry building here.

Nicky

Do you love me?

What?

Yeah

Of course I do.

- Bacigalupi, you love me?

- Antonio, you are my life! I give you a kiss.

I'll meet you in the ferry building

downstairs at 10:00.

If a guy named Ed comes in, he'll ask for me.

Tell him to wait. I'll be right back.

Hey!

Where you going?

- Home, to bed.

- Bed my eye!

- I wanna take you out, buy you a drink.

- Why?

I wouldn't have gotten

six and a half a box if it wasn't for you.

- I just wanted to get you out of my room.

- Take it easy.

I told you I wanna

buy you a drink.

A little while ago you were falling asleep

and now you're like a jitterbug.

If you made 3,900 bucks

on your first deal, you'd jitter, too.

Come on!

Hey, what's that face

doing down there?

Come on. Smile.

This is a good luck day.

Hey, hot it up! Hot it up!

Let's have some jive.

- Haven't you got anything better than that?

- What would you like?

- Have you got "Apple Blossom Time"?

- No.

- "In the Shade of the Old Apple Tree"?

- No.

"Ida, Sweet as Apple Cider"?

- What'll ya have to drink?

- Apple cider.

- Where'd you dig him?

- Whiskey, Shorty. We drink to luck.

- Good for him, bad for me.

- Whiskey you'll get.

What do you mean

bad for you?

- Don't you know?

- No, I don't.

I thought you were

going to be my boyfriend.

To your bride.

Tell me, does she

have pigtails down to here?

You know, Italian, American,

a cat's a cat.

Do you mind if I don't

discuss my girl with you?

That's right.

In such company,

who can you talk about?

Me. I never had pigtails. See.

Let her have them.

Money

That's what I want.

Lots of money.

Scusa. I have to say

Polly's name again.

Polly and I have one thing in common.

She loves money, too.

- I don't wanna talk about it.

- Ah, stupido, she marries you for your money.

Give him the bill.

He likes to pay.

I am sorry. I shouldn't have

said that about Polly.

- I'm sure she adores you.

- I wanna tell you something.

Nobody could pay her

to pick me up.

Keep walkin'.

I'd pick you up

anytime for free.

You know that, lover.

Come on.

I'll take you home.

I often walk here.

I like those noises.

You don't care about the noises.

You walk here because...

- in a spot like this, you can be yourself.

- What am I?

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