Trouble Along the Way Page #9

---

He couldn't have said

what l thought he said.

How goes it?

Looks like our net profit

from the game...

...adds up to around $31,000

in round figures.

And they're gonna get rounder.

We can start thinking

about our new library.

Couple of more games,

you might get your back pay.

Mr. Williams,

Father Burke would like to see you.

l just got your hurry-up call, Father.

Sit down, Mr. Williams, if you wish.

l hope l'm not inconveniencing you.

No, we were just going over the scout's

report for the Holy Cross game.

There isn't going to be

any Holy Cross game.

We've already canceled the remainder

of our football schedule.

Day of reckoning has arrived, eh, Father?

ln a small way, Mr. Williams, but it

won't be the last that you'll experience.

- Mind telling me who opened your eyes?

- Well, l prefer not.

You don't have to.

What made you believe

that you could save St. Anthony's...

...by destroying the very things

it stands for?

l've already asked the Provincial

to close our school immediately.

- l'm sorry, Father.

- Sit down. l haven't finished yet.

The thing that hurt most...

...was to hear from a stranger

that you've been buying players...

...forging records, dividing profits...

...and laughing at those of us

who were naive enough...

...to have had confidence in you.

That you've even allowed

a professional football player...

...to wear the venerable colors

of St. Anthony's.

And here's the record.

''Elmer Miller. Played in the

Canadian Professional League.''

Now this so-called pro Elmer Miller

happens to be a kid...

...who spent his last high school year

in Korea.

Combat medals from here to here.

He comes home and plays

in one chintzy backwoods game.

What's the difference whether the kids

make the money for the hamburgers?

Or some alumnus gets the concession?

Father, l've been through this

so many times, it's like old home week.

Let's just call it quits.

l want you to know this, though.

l'm not ashamed of anything l've done.

You won't find me at Confession

in the morning.

Hello, officer.

Why, Mr. Williams.

The office is officially closed for the night.

l saw the light

burning in the window for me.

The Gestapo never sleeps.

What do you want?

Miss Singleton,

you have accomplished the following:

Carol will be taken away from me.

Father Burke's heart will be broken

because St. Anthony's will be closed.

And you've cheated 30 or 40 kids

out of an education they can't afford...

...unless there's football.

All because l looked at your legs.

You've been drinking.

And in the best Christian tradition,

l'm gonna return good for evil.

Some advice.

Singleton, start winking at strange men.

Drop your gloves

anytime you're in an elevator...

...with an eligible bachelor.

Go boat-riding with lonesome sailors.

Get out on the town.

Let life rub up against you and then

maybe some man will do this to you.

lt's what you wanted, isn't it?

And to make up for it, you...

...do clever little things

like running to Father Burke...

...and telling him my boys sullied

the good name of his school.

- l didn't go to Father Burke.

- No?

You know so many women,

you forgot to get the name of that one.

You've had me figured out

from the very beginning.

Four years at finishing school.

l went to college nights.

l don't have to tell stories about you

to hurt you. You're hurting yourself.

Anything that l've done

was to protect Carol.

- From what?

- From growing up like me.

l had a wonderful father too.

Real pals, we were.

Man-to-man about everything.

l hardly ever realized l was a girl.

By the time l was 10, l was a misfit.

When l was 12,

l hated every boy who ever laughed at me.

lt was a big club.

Do you know this is the first time...

...l've ever let a man

get this close to me in all my life.

Now, get out of here.

Here we are, Tiger, come on.

That's my name for him. Wife's dog.

Can't stand him when he's sober.

Doesn't he know any songs

about fathers?

Nobody writes songs about fathers,

Mr. Steve.

- We ought to have a union.

- l pay too much dues already.

What's up, Steve?

l've thought it over very carefully, Joe.

There's no great achievement

in getting drunk.

Even a little dog can do it.

Have one on me, Tiger.

Thank the nice man, Tiger.

- ls Mrs. McCormick in?

- Do you have an invitation, sir?

l paid two bucks for one 11 years ago.

What do you want?

l surrender, dear.

- Will you get out?

- Not until after l've talked to you.

Out here.

Your timing is always 100 percent.

Always wrong. Well, what do you want?

Congratulations, Anne.

l'm giving Carol up.

- How touching.

- Maybe it's best for her.

l see no sense in dragging her

through a court trial tomorrow.

I'll send her away someplace

to a good school.

Do you expect me to agree to that?

Well, why not? You don't want her.

You got tired of her

before she was 2 months old.

Yes, about the same time

you got tired of me.

You're only giving up

because you know you're licked.

l want you to bring Carol into court.

l want her to hear all about her fine,

upstanding father.

You've seen the probation report?

You should have been nicer

to dear Miss Singleton. Or maybe you were.

Now that l told Father Burke

the facts of life about your football team...

...you couldn't win custody

of a cocker spaniel.

Don't take all the credit.

l dialed the number.

Oh, you did, eh?

You know, l'm not overly fond

of having your daughter in my house.

And l hope you realize

what a sacrifice l'm making.

For l see no reason why Carol shouldn't

grow up to be the same kind of tramp as--

Get me the police.

Order. Order, Mr. Williams.

The lawyer for Mrs. McCormick

has the attention of the court...

...for the moment.

Why are you not represented by counsel?

Well, l saw a lot of them

where l spent the night.

They wouldn't let any of them out.

- Your Honor, l intend to show--

- One moment, please.

Carol.

Perhaps you better wait in my chambers

until we call you.

We don't like a child to see

how foolish adults can be.

lt isn't exactly a secret, Your Honor.

l might as well stay.

- May l go on?

- Until the next interruption.

May l read the concluding paragraph

of the probation officer's report:

''lt is my opinion that the father has

had a degrading influence upon the child.

And that the only cause

left to the court...

...is to deliver her

to the custody of her mother.''

Your Honor, in view of this report

and in view of the circumstances...

...of which the defendant

appears here today...

...Mrs. McCormick would save court's time

by dispensing with further argument...

...moving for an immediate decision.

- l agree. And furthermore--

- Your Honor.

What now, Mr. Williams?

Before this railroad station closes,

may l question the author of this report?

That is your privilege, if you insist.

There is no formal procedure here.

Go right ahead.

Well, let's don't be too informal.

l'd like to have Miss Singleton sworn in.

Rate this script:0.0 / 0 votes