Young Man With A Horn Page #4

Only if I wanted you to, Mr. Martin.

For just that long.

I know what you're really thinking,

and I don't blame you. I talk too much.

Jo's interesting, isn't she?

So simple and uncomplicated.

Must be wonderful to wake up and know

which door you're going to walk through.

She's so terribly normal.

She's a good singer too.

Don't get out.

Jo, you're breaking up the party.

You go through with this mad plan,

I'll never speak to you.

I've got an early show tomorrow.

Come on, Jo, you can sleep till noon.

I will anyway.

Good night, you night owls.

I love your car.

Oh, it's not mine. I just rent it.

Wouldn't it be simpler to buy one?

Don't tell me you can't afford it.

I don't wanna own a car or anything else.

Gives you too many things to worry about.

We should get along beautifully.

We're completely different.

I envy you, Richard, but I

don't quite understand you.

As far as you're concerned, doc,

that goes double for me.

Come in.

Say, it's quite a deal you have here.

Hey, who's this?

Her name's Louise.

She's my best friend.

You ought to teach her to

cough or stomp her feet.

Kind of takes you by surprise.

That's why I love her.

We'll put your alter ego away.

- My what?

- Latin.

A dead language that ideally suits me.

It simply means "your other self."

Scotch or bourbon?

Oh, anything.

- This is strong enough, I hope.

- Oh, fine, thanks.

Do you play?

That's a silly question, I guess.

No, I play, but the piano doesn't like me.

It stiffens up every time I come near it.

I know how to play one piece.

Only one. A Chopin nocturne.

I used to love it, so I hired a piano

teacher once just to teach it to me.

I paid her double rates and kept her

here for three weeks. I learned it.

How long have you been playing

the trumpet?

Since I was a kid.

- Ever want to do anything else?

- No.

- Even when you were a kid?

- No.

Because even then you knew you'd play

better than anyone else. That's it, isn't it?

Me, I've been an intellectual mountain goat,

leaping from crag to crag, trying everything.

You don't know how lucky you are.

First, I wanted to be a writer.

Then I took a course in interior decorating.

Then I had an idea I'd fly a plane.

I even tried singing in one

of those smart bars.

I was bad in all of them.

Now you're gonna get into people's heads

and find out what makes them tick?

Yes.

Please don't be angry, but it's late,

and I've got early classes tomorrow.

Oh, sure. I'm sorry.

Don't run away. Finish your drink.

Stay as long as you like. Only, please don't

forget to turn the lights out when you go.

You do forgive me, don't you?

And you'll call me?

Sure.

What are you looking at?

Hey. Smoke.

Jo.

- Oh, it's so good to see you.

- Yeah. Where's Rick?

Oh, he couldn't come. He's sorry,

Smoke. He asked me to meet you.

It's wonderful seeing you.

I've been hearing your records.

- I'm real proud of you.

- Thank you, Smoke.

- Rick has done all right too.

- We always knew he'd hit it.

It's gonna be like old times.

Let's go to Galba's.

Rick will meet us.

- Good. Can we get a drink?

- Yeah.

You know what?

This New York's a big town.

Oh, come on, Jo. Stop worrying.

Rick's a grown boy. If he gets lost,

he knows enough to go to a police station.

That mother instinct comes out

in me at the most unlikely times.

You know, I think we've been stood up.

He hasn't changed a bit.

I'm glad about your new job.

Goes to show you, if you work hard

and have friends in high places...

Yes, it was swell of Rick to get

me in Morrison's band.

We'd better get home before they

throw a tablecloth over us.

It's no use kidding ourselves,

Rick won't be here.

He hasn't been here in a long time.

You see, Smoke, he has changed.

Who is she?

A friend of mine.

And I introduced them.

Boy, this is the closest I've

ever been to a college.

Is that why you insisted

we stop by here?

Maybe. Maybe it's

because I want to know...

...where you spend your time

when you're not with me.

Hey, it's pretty impressive.

Maybe I could smuggle you

into class with me.

I bet they'd toss a mug like

me right down those steps.

There's certainly plenty of them.

I think we'd better rest up

before descending the Alps.

Mustn't keep you out too late. You've

got a 9:
15 class in the morning, doctor.

Please don't call me "doctor" anymore.

I've got my reasons for hating it.

Well, I won't, then, but...

Well, psychiatrists

are doctors, aren't they?

Why do you want to be one?

Maybe because my father's a doctor.

That makes sense, I guess.

No, it doesn't.

You see, I have no use for my father.

He's very well thought of in the profession,

as thoughts go in the profession.

My mother was something else again.

Something pretty wonderful.

I used to go to pieces when she told

me my handwriting was improving.

I thought so highly of that lady.

I can hardly remember my mother.

She died when I was a kid.

Yes, but you see, you've got

something to take her place.

My mother, when I was 12, started having

headaches that nearly drove her mad.

My father, who was a doctor,

gave her aspirins for them.

When it was too late, he stumbled on

the idea that it was a brain tumor.

But he never did anything about it.

One night, that lovely lady

didn't want any more of it.

She fell out of a window.

Only four stories, but it did the trick.

Gee, I'm... I'm sorry.

Thanks. You're very kind.

Anyway, I've been in one school

or another ever since...

...memorizing all the wrong answers.

He pays the bills, but I don't see

him any oftener than I have to.

He's married again.

What he got serves him right.

I don't know how you feel,

but I'd like a drink.

Okay.

Good idea, putting a tip on a cigarette.

Tells you where you are.

You know where you are, Richard?

I was starting to wonder.

Nonsense. You'll always

know where you are.

So steady.

You and that trumpet of yours,

your devotion to it.

Gives you faith in yourself.

Yes, you know where you are.

Do I?

Where do you live?

Oh, at some high-class creep joint.

Musician's hangout. You wouldn't like it.

I'd like to see it.

Look, Amy, I think I'm in love with you.

Finish your drink.

I told you you wouldn't like it.

I think it's lovely.

It doesn't pretend to be

anything but what it is.

You mean it's crummy.

Knowing you, I'd say these

are collector's items.

Oh, the records.

Yeah, some of them are scarce.

I've had them a long time.

They've been shipped across

the country lots of times.

I thought you didn't want

to own anything.

Sure, but that's music.

That's different.

I suppose it is.

How about a drink?

No.

What is it? Have l...?

It's not you.

Are you talking in riddles again, Amy?

I don't get you.

I didn't expect you to.

Is this that stuff you learn at school?

Am I some kind of an experiment?

- You ought to be grateful.

- For what?

You caught me off-guard

for a moment.

- I may never be as honest again.

- Oh, stop this crazy talk.

You keep away, Richard.

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