"Announcing the departure of American Airlines westbound flight 9." "Flight 9 now loading at gate three, for immediate departure." " Yes, sir?" " Got anything to Boone City?" "Three scheduled daily flights, but there's no space available." " Would you care to make a reservation?" " Yes." " Your name, please?" " Derry." "D-E-R-R-Y." "Fred." " How long will it be?" " We can get you on flight 37 on the 19th." "I can't wait that long." "I just got back from overseas and I want to get home." " There's a long waiting list." " I arranged to have my tickets here." " My name is Gibbons." "George H. Gibbons." " They're right here." " Thank you." " May we weigh your baggage?" " Excuse me." "Put them right there, please." " Sorry." "You might try the ATC, Captain." " Where are they?" " Out the terminal, and across the field." "Thanks." " You have 16lb excess baggage." " That's all right." "How much is it?" "Righto, sir." "At ease, men." "Flight 93." "Flight 93 for Denver, San Francisco and Seattle." "That flight has been cancelled until further notice." " Yeah?" " You got anything for Detroit?" " Nope." "How about Cleveland?" " Cleveland?" " OK." " Fill this out." " Guess I'm going to Cleveland." " It's a nice town." "Yeah, but Detroit's where I live." "Sarge, what's the chances of a ride to Boone City?" "You got orders?" " Sure." " OK." "I haven't got anything now, but fill this out and I'll call you if anything comes up." "OK." "I guess I'll wait." "I need a couple of men to give me a hand with this out to a plane." " OK." " Let's go." "Let's go, huh?" " I bet this thing weighs a ton." " What's the matter?" "Tired or something?" "OK, let's go." "Out this way." "Fellas, take it easy down the stairs." "Got it?" " Take it easy going down the stairs." " Oh, my aching back." "Derry." " Derry." "Captain Fred Derry." " Coming!" " Parrish." "Homer Parrish." " Here!" " You Derry?" " Yeah." " Parrish?" " Right." "Got a call from Base Ops." "There's a B-17 taking off for Boone City." "She's making a lot of stops, but you'll get there tomorrow afternoon." " That's swell." " OK, sign here." "Boy, it sure is great to be going home." " Here you go, sailor." " Sign on the dotted..." " I'll do it for you." " Think I can't spell my own name?" "No, I..." "I just thought that..." "I know, sarge." "Thanks." "You'd better hurry up out there, cos she's taking off soon." "Right, thanks." "Come on, sailor." "Where's your stuff?" "Excuse us, Corporal." " Boone City your home, sailor?" " Yes, Captain." "Forget the rank, chum." "I'm out." " Whereabouts do you live in Boone?" " On West 17th Street." " Know where Jackson High is?" " Sure." "It's a couple of blocks past it." " Hiya, sarge." " How are ya?" " My name's Fred Derry." " Al Stephenson." " And this is Homer..." "What is it, Homer?" " Parrish." " Glad to know you." " You from Boone too?" " Yeah, sure am." " How long since you've been home?" "A couple of centuries!" "Let's sit in the radio compartment for takeoff." "Then we'll get in the nose and get a nice view of the good old USA." "Look at that." "Look at those automobiles down there." "You can see them so plain, you can see the people." "Yeah, looks like we're flying by road map." " Is this your first ride in one of these?" " This is my first plane ride." "I saw plenty of flying, all right." "I was on a CV." "That's a flattop." "But I never knew things looked so pretty from up here." "Sure is beautiful." "I never thought so." "This used to be my office." " Bombardier, weren't you?" " Yeah." "That's where the bombsight was." "I spent a lot of time on my knees up there." " Praying?" " Yeah, that too." " Cigarette, Homer?" " Thanks." "It's all right, I can get it." "Here, I've got a match, Captain." " Thanks." " Thank you." " Anybody superstitious?" " No, go ahead." "Well, I am." "Boy, you ought to see me open a bottle of beer." " You got nothing to worry about." " Thanks." " I guess you saw a lot of action." " No, I didn't see much of the war." " I mean, the way you fellas did." " You trying to kid the army?" "No, I was stationed in the repair shop, below decks." "Oh, I was in plenty of battles." "But I never saw a Jap or heard a shell coming at me." "When we were sunk, all I know is there was a lot of fire and explosions." "I was ordered topsides and overboard, and I was burned." "When I came to I was on a cruiser, and my hands were off." " After that I had it easy." " Easy?" "!" "That's what I said." "They took care of me fine." "They trained me to use these things." "I can dial telephones, I can drive a car." "I can even put nickels in a jukebox." "I'm all right." "But..." " But what, sailor?" " Well..." "Well, you see, I've got a girl." " She knows what happened to you?" " Sure." "They all know." "But they don't know what these things look like." " What's your girl's name, Homer?" " Wilma." "She and I went to high school together." " I'll bet Wilma's a swell girl." " She is." "And it'll be all right, sailor." "You wait and see." "Yeah." "Wait and see." "Wilma's only a kid." "She's never seen anything like these hooks." "Say, wait till I get home and tell the folks about this trip." "I'm the first one in my family that ever rode in an aeroplane." " Hey, Al." " Yeah?" "Remember what it felt like when you went overseas?" "As well as I remember my own name." "I feel the same way now." "Only more so." "I know what you mean." "Just nervous out of the service, I guess." "The thing that scares me most is that everybody's gonna try to rehabilitate me." "All I want's a good job, a mild future, and a house big enough for me and my wife." "Give me that much and I'm rehabilitated like that." "I'd say that's not too much to ask." " Are you married, Al?" " Yep." "How long?" "20 years." "20 years?" "!" "Holy smoke!" "We didn't even have 20 days before I went over." "I married a girl I met when I was in training in Texas." "You and your wife will have a chance to get acquainted." "Yeah." "I wonder how Homer will make out with that girl of his." "Wilma." "I hope Wilma is a swell girl." "The old home town hasn't changed much." "No." "There's the golf course." "People are playing golf." "Just as if nothing had ever happened." "Hey, there's Jackson High football field." "Boy, I sure would like to have a dollar for every forward pass I threw down there." "Good old Jackson High." " Hey, that must be the new airport." " Yeah, we're turning into it now." "Holy smoke!" "I never knew there were so many planes." " And they're junking them." " What?" "Boy, oh boy." "What we could have done with those in '43." "Yeah, I'll bet." "Some of 'em look brand-new." "From the factory to the scrapheap." "That's all they're good for now." "We gotta get out of the nose while he sets her down." "There's the ballpark." " How are the Beavers doing this season?" " They're in sixth place." "Ah!" "Still in second division!" " Hey, there's Butch's Place." " Butch's?" "Gosh, Butch has got himself a neon sign." "Been to Butch's Place?" "Butch Engle that runs it is my uncle." "Swell guy." "Only the family don't think he's respectable because he sells liquor." " Best joint in town." " Let's get together there sometime." "This is my street." " 1517?" " It's the fourth house from here." "I wonder if Wilma's home." "How about us going back to Butch's Place?" "We'll have a couple of drinks and then we can go home." "You're home now, kid." "Well, so long." " Bye." " So long, Homer." " Where next?" " Just a minute, bud." "It's Homer!" "Momma!" "Daddy!" "Homer's here!" "Wilma!" "Wilma!" "Wilma, come on over!" " My boy." " Oh, darling!" "It's good to see you." " Isn't this wonderful?" " There's Wilma!" "OK, let's go." " Well..." " Don't." "I'll carry it." "What's the matter, Ma?" "It's... it's nothing." "It's just that your ma's so glad to see you home." "Yeah, I know." "You gotta hand it to the navy." "They sure trained that kid how to use those hooks." "They couldn't train him to put his arms around his girl, to stroke her hair." " Is it the next turn up here?" " Yeah, the next turn on the left." "Hey, Fred, why don't we drop you first?" "No, you're next." "And we're not going back to Butch's for a drink either." "Feel as if I were going in to hit a beach." "Some barracks you got here." "What are you, a retired bootlegger?" "Nothing as dignified as that." "I'm a banker." " How much?" " Take your hand out of your pocket." " You're outranked." " Yes, sir, Captain, sir." " Good luck, chum." " Thanks." "Yes, I will." "Yes, sir." "One moment, please." "One moment, please!" " Who do you wish to see?" " Mrs Stephenson." "Just a minute." "I'll have to announce you first." "Put that phone down." "I'm her husband." " You're Mr Stephenson?" " Sergeant Stephenson." "What did you expect?" "A four-star general?" "I'm sorry to have kept you waiting." " Fourth floor." " Yes, sir." "I'll get it, Peg." "Where's Mom?" " Da..." " Sh." "Who's that at the door, Peggy?" "Peggy!" "Rob, who was...?" " I look terrible." " Who says so?" " It isn't fair of you to bust in on us." " I phoned you from Portland." " You said you wouldn't be home for..." " We were lucky." "We got a plane to Welburn." "I thought we were gonna get stuck there, but we came right through." " Al, are you all right?" " Sure." " Are you all right?" " Course I am." " Let me look at you." " Don't look now, I need a shave." "If you don't mind, Mom..." "Dad... darling." "I'll call the Kenworthys and tell them we won't be over." " The Kenworthys?" " Yes." "My son." "And my daughter." "I don't recognise you." "What's happened?" "Just a few years of normal growth." "Don't you approve?" "I don't know yet." "I've got to have more time to get to know you." "Hello?" "Alice, this is Milly." "I'm terribly sorry, but we can't be over." "I mean, I'm terribly happy." "You see, Al..." "My husband!" "Yes." "He's home." "Yes." "Yes." " Freddy!" " Hortense." "Well, say!" "Pat!" "Pat, it's Freddy." "He's home again!" " Hello, Pop." " I wish we'd known you were coming." "We'd have had the place kinda cleaned up." "Well?" "Haven't you got anything to say to your own son?" " Glad to see you, my boy." " Look at him, Pat." "Look at your hero son." "And look at all those beautiful ribbons on his chest." "Go on, Freddy, tell your father how you got those ribbons and what they mean." " Where's Marie?" " Marie?" " Yeah." "Is she out?" " Marie isn't here, Freddy." " Will she be back soon?" " She's not living with us." " She took an apartment downtown." " Why didn't anybody write me about it?" "We were afraid it might worry you, you being so far away." "It was inconvenient for Marie, living here, after she took that job." "But we forwarded all your letters and the allotment cheques." "She took a job?" "Where?" "Uh... some nightclub." "I don't know just which one." "The poor girl works till all hours." " Where does she live?" " Uh..." "Grandview Arms on Pine Street." "But there's nothing to worry about." "Marie's fine." "We saw her last Christmas." "She brought us some beautiful presents." " Marie's a good-hearted girl." " You know what time she goes to work?" "Uh... well, about supper time, I imagine." "Do you mind if I leave my stuff here?" "I'll pick it up later." "Sure, but aren't you gonna stay and have a bite to eat?" "No, thank you, Hortense." "Well, uh... so long, Pop." "I'll be back." "Well, it's..." "I'm glad to have you home, my boy." "It's good to be home, Pop." "Bye." "Here, a cap." "Here's a samurai sword, Rob." "Thanks very much, Dad." "And here's a flag I found on a dead Jap soldier." "All that writing is good-luck messages from his relatives." "Yes, I know." "The Japanese attach a lot of importance to their family relationship." "Yeah." "Yeah, entirely different from us." " You were at Hiroshima, weren't you?" " Mm-hm." "Did you notice any of the effects of radioactivity on the people who survived?" "No, I didn't." "Should I have?" "We've been having lectures in atomic energy at school." "Mr McLaglen, our physics teacher, he says that we've reached the point where the whole human race has either got to find a way to live together, or else..." " Or else." " That's right." "Or else." "When you combine atomic energy with jet propulsion and radar and guided missiles, just think of the..." "Oh, you're just kidding me, Dad." "You've been to all these places and you've seen everything." "I've seen nothing." "I should have stayed home and found out what was really going on." "I finished the dishes." "Why do you have to do that?" "Is this the maid's night out?" "Our maid took a night out three years ago and we haven't seen her since." "But everything's all right because I took a course in Domestic Science." "What's happened to this family?" "All this atomic energy and scientific efficiency..." " It was the war!" "You heard about that." " Yeah." "All those problems on the home front." "We used to read about 'em in Stars and Stripes." "We felt awfully sorry for the civilians." "You don't have to worry about us, though." "We can handle the problems." "We're tough." "Rob, haven't you any homework?" "Oh, sure." " Night, Dad." " I don't see why you have to go now." "Rob, aren't you going to take the souvenirs Father brought you?" "Oh, yes." "Thanks an awful lot, Dad, for these... things." " Good night." "See you in the morning." " Night." " Night, Mom." " Good night, darling." "Nice to have you around, Dad." "You'll get us back to normal." "Or maybe go nuts myself." "What do you think of the children?" "The children?" "I don't recognise them." "They've grown so old." "I tried to stop them, to keep them just as they were when you left, but they got away from me." "I guess Peggy has a lot of boyfriends." "She's very popular." " Is she concentrating on anyone?" " She hasn't told me of anyone." "But you've, uh... told her all the things she ought to know?" "What, for instance?" "Well, have you?" "She's worked two years in a hospital." "She knows more than you or I ever will." " Want a cigarette?" " Have you forgotten?" "I don't smoke." " Sorry." " It's all right, darling." "Yeah, it's frightening." "What is?" "Youth." "Didn't you meet young people in the army?" "No, they were all old men, like me." "Yes..." "It's terrible to be old, isn't it?" " Why don't you sit down and relax?" " I'm perfectly relaxed standing up." "Is there such a thing as a drink in this house?" "I'll see." "We haven't got bacon for Dad's breakfast." "I'll go out first thing and try to get some." "Is this all the liquor we have left?" "Gosh, I'm afraid so." "I wish he'd given us some warning he was going to get here today." "Don't worry, Mom." "I mean, so that we could have gotten in some supplies of things." "Oh, Mother." "I know it's a little difficult, but... that's only because Dad's so crazy about you, and he's been away so long and missed you so terribly." "He can't just walk in and immediately pick up..." "Hey, I got a wonderful idea." "Let's go out on the town, the three of us." " Tonight?" " Yes, tonight." " To celebrate the old man's homecoming." " Not me." "No, no, no." "You too." "The three of us." "I want to do something, see something." "I've been in jungles and around savages so long," "I gotta find out I'm back in civilisation again." "Be-bop, be-bop" "Be-bop a-ree-bop" "Rupert, another one in here." "I'll tell you, as I see it, we're headed for bad times in this country." "Of course, we're in the backwash of the war boom, but the tide is running out fast." "Next year, we'll see widespread depression and unemployment." "Oh, have a cigar?" "No, thanks." "I've got my pipe." "Homer?" "Didn't you contract the tobacco habit in the navy?" "Just cigarettes, Mr Cameron." "Thanks." "Wilma tells us you were in the Philippines." "I was around there, Mrs Cameron, but I never saw anything." " Did you meet General MacArthur?" " No, I didn't get to meet him." " I've got a light, Mr Cameron." " No, that's all right." "Got it." " Luella." " Yes, Dad?" "I've always thought he's such a handsome man." " Who?" " General MacArthur." "Oh..." " May I help you with that, Mrs Parrish?" " No, you sit right down." " Lemonade, Mrs Cameron?" " Thank you very much." " Thought about getting a job, Homer?" " Well, I..." "Father, it's much too soon for Homer to be thinking about a job." "He's just out of the hospital." "Yes, but a few months from now the same opportunities won't exist that exist today." "You might think about my business - insurance." "We've taken on veterans." "They make good salesmen, men who have suffered some kind of disability." "Come down to the office one of these days, we'll talk it over." " I'm sorry, Mom." " That's quite all right, Homer." "It won't hurt the carpet a bit." "Luella, go and get me a dishrag." "There's another one for you, Homer." "Wilma will hold it for you." "No, thanks." "If you don't mind, I think I'll go out and walk around a bit." "Where's Homer?" "He went out." "It's home, boys, home, home we ought to be" "Home, boys, home, back in God's country" "Pick-Up Café." "There it is, driver." "Stop here." "Don't you think it's time to go home to bed and get some sleep?" "Absolutely." "Sleep." "But first we've got to stop and have one last little drink." "No arguments." "One drink." "Come on in, driver, and have one with us." "Hey, Homer!" "It's good to see you, kid." "Your friend told me you were home, but I didn't expect you..." "Hiya, Captain!" "Hiya, Homer, my old shipmate!" "Sit down." "So you took my advice and came to Butch's?" "Come on, let's have a drink." " Hello, Homer." " Hi, Steve!" "Am I happy to see you back home again." "Go ahead, shake, pal." "It won't bite you." " What'll you have?" " I've dreamed of hearing that question." "Before I went in the navy Butch would never let me drink liquor." "He'd read me lectures on the curse of drink." "But it's different now." "I'm a veteran." "Give me a whiskey, Steve." "Straight." " How about it, Butch?" " Draw a beer for the navy." " Butch, I ordered whiskey." " Beer." "Beer." "I'm gonna take my trade to some other joint where I don't have relatives." "What are you doing here?" "Why aren't you home with the folks?" "Well, they... they went to bed and I wasn't sleepy, so I thought "Why not come down and see Butch?"" "Glad you did, Homer." "Well, here's to you, Butch." "How am I doing?" " Kid, you're doing great." " Thanks." "Where did you leave Al?" "Al's home in the swankiest apartment house in town." "We'll never see him again." "Say, this is the best place we've been yet!" "Hey, that's Al." "Hey, where you been?" "We were just talking about you." "Oh, my aching back." "Hey, Milly." "Peggy." "Step up and meet the gang." " This is Homer, this is Fred." " How do you do?" "Homer and I were together at the Battle of Lingayen Gulf, only we didn't know it!" " Hiya, bud." " How do you do?" " Al, this is my uncle Butch." " Bu...?" "Oh!" "I hear you got a new neon sign, huh?" "Good for you." " Now the party can really get started, eh?" " This way, please." " Let's sit." "Milly, come on." " Here's a good booth." "Fred..." "Sit down." "Fred, where's your wife?" "I want to meet her." "I haven't been able to find her." "She works in some nightclub." "We'll find it, Fred, before this night is out." "We'll deploy our forces and comb the town." "Won't we?" "By all means." "We got the navy to convoy us." "Huh?" "First, Homer lost his hands." "He's got those hooks instead." "They don't worry him, so they don't need to worry anybody else." " Right." " Now let's get seriously to work." " Telephone." " Thanks." "Give them anything they want." " Any kind of beer." " What'll it be, folks?" " How are you?" " Hiya." " Nice to see you." "Looking well." " Hello." "A little grey..." " Well, cheers." "Cheers." " Cheers!" "Homer." "Homer." "OK, Butch." "Aren't you drinking?" " Excuse me, folks." " Sure, Homer." "Gee, Butch, it's swell to hear you playing again." "How about "Lazy River"?" "Remember that?" "Sit down, Homer." " Wilma phoned." " Wilma?" " What did she want?" " You." "Oh, why can't they leave a guy alone?" "Because they're fond of you, that's why." "What made you leave the house and get them worried?" "Oh, they... they got me nervous." " How?" " It's nothing." "I don't wanna talk about it." "How'd they get you nervous?" "Well, they..." "They keep staring at these hooks, or else they keep staring away from 'em." "You mean whatever they do is wrong." "Why don't they understand that all I want is to be treated like everybody else?" "Take Pop, for instance." "He was cleaning his pipe, like I've seen him do a million times." "All of a sudden he got conscious that he had hands and I didn't, and he... he stopped cleaning his pipe and he tried to hide his hands, like he was guilty or something." "Give 'em time, kid." "They'll catch on." "You know, your folks'll get used to you and you'll get used to them." "Then everything'll settle down nicely." "Unless we have another war." "Then none of us have to worry, because we'll all be blown to bits the first day." "So cheer up, huh?" "Hey, Butch." "You know "Among My Souvenirs", huh?" "There's nothing left for me" "Shh." " Shall we dance?" " That's a charming idea." "Do you remember this tune?" "Nice to see the young folks enjoying themselves, isn't it?" "So you're Al's daughter." "Yes." "I've been that as long as I can remember." "You don't seem like Al's daughter." "Actually, I'm not." "He's my son by a previous marriage." " What did you say your name was?" " Peggy." "Peggy." "My name's Fred." "How do you do?" "How do you do?" "No, you..." "Oh, no." "You're a bewitching little creature." " In a way, you remind me of my wife." " But you never told me you're married." "Oh, yeah." "I've got a little woman and two kiddies back there in the States." " But let's not think of them now." " Oh, you're so right." "This night belongs only to us." "That's the type of thing people ought to be thinking about." "All right, I promise I'll get right to work on it." "And there's one thing I've been wanting to ask you." "You ask it, Peggy." "You mustn't feel shy with me." "Why don't you call your wife?" "I don't know her number." "I couldn't find it in the phone book." "Phone book?" "!" "We don't need to do any telephoning." "We're all set." "What you need is a drink." " Good night, everybody." "I'm going home." " Why?" " I've got to." "Butch is gonna drive me." " Oh, no, no." " No, you can't..." " It's quite all right." " Don't leave." "I'll be right back." " Good night." " Good night." " Poor kid." "He's got to go home." "Doesn't that put any ideas in your head?" "Yes." "I'd love to." "Lights out, Steve." "Oh!" "Ho-ho-ho!" "Where do we go next, old pal, old pal?" "Just follow me, old pal." "Step." " Good night, Al." " Good night." "Nice party." "This it, Fred?" "It looks like it." "Ooh, silly." "Good night, Milly." "Many thanks for a most enjoyable evening." " Good night, Fred." " Good night, Al." "Best of luck to you." " I'll give him your message." " You do that." "And good night to you, Peggy." "It has indeed been a pleasure." " Yes, Fred." "See you soon." " By all means." "Ooh!" "I beg your pardon." "Good night." "We'd better wait and see if he gets in." "I don't think he even knows if this is the right place." "Come on." "Up..." " Where are we all going now?" " Don't ask." "We want it to be a surprise." " They make a lovely couple, don't they?" " Yeah." "I think they'll be very happy together." " Who are you?" " Don't you remember?" "I'm Peggy." "Oh, yes." "Peggy." "I'm not that Peggy." "That's too bad." "As I remember, when you lie flat on your back you snore." "Where's your hand?" "Give me your hand." ".. my souvenirs" ".. my souvenirs" ".. my souvenirs" " Is Fred all right?" " Yes." "He's all right." " You'll be comfortable here." " Sure, Mom." "Night." "Night, dear." " Night." " Night." "Bandits at four o'clock." "It's all right, buddy." "You got him." "He's hit." "She's on fire." "She's on fire!" "The fire's spreading." "It's Gadorsky." "There goes number four." "She's breaking formation." "Watch out for fighters." "It's spread to the wing." "The wing's on fire!" "She's out of control." "She's out of control!" "She's going down!" "Hey, you guys, jump!" "Get outta there!" "Bail out!" "Gadorsky!" "Gadorsky, get out of that plane!" "Two chutes open." "Three." " The rest of you guys..." " Fred." ".. get out!" " Fred, wake up!" " Gadorsky!" "Gadorsky!" " Wake up!" " She's burning up!" "Get out!" "Get out!" " Fred!" "Fred, wake up!" "She's burning up!" "She's gonna hit." "Look out!" "It's all right, Fred." "Go back to sleep." "Go back to sleep." "Go back to sleep, Fred." "There's nothing to be afraid of." "All you have to do is..." "go to sleep and rest." "Go to sleep." "Go to sleep, Fred." "Go to sleep and rest." "Go to sleep, Fred." "Go to sleep." "All you have to do is rest." "Go to sleep." "Oh, I'm terribly sorry I woke you up." "Oh, that's all right." "But..." "I know." "You're about to say "Where am I?"" "I'll tell you later, Fred." "You can sleep as long as you want." "Did he fly 17 s or 24s?" "I don't know." " What group was he with?" " He didn't say." "Well, what did you two talk about?" "Rob, you'd better hurry up." "You'll be late for school." "Holy Moses!" "I'll see you later." "Bye." "Oh, excuse me, Captain." "I'm Rob Stephenson, Peggy's brother." "She's in there in the kitchen, fixing your breakfast." "I've gotta run." "Goodbye." " Hello." " Hello." "Sit down." " Here, this may help." " Thanks." "Sit down." "You're Peggy, aren't you?" "For the last time, yes." " Want some eggs?" " You think I can take 'em?" "Sure, they'll be good for you." " Like 'em scrambled?" " Any way you cook 'em." "Good." "Sleep all right?" "Wonderful." "That's good." "Can I help you with any of that business?" "You can pour the coffee if you want some." "Do you mind if I ask you a personal question?" "No." "Where did you sleep last night?" "On the couch." " That's terrible." " What's terrible?" "I should have had enough sense to go to a hotel and not come here, bothering you." "You didn't bother anybody, Fred." "We're very glad to have you here." "Besides, you couldn't have gotten a room in a hotel." "Did I get out of line with you?" "No." "Not really." "That's good." "Cos, you see, I'm married." "Yes, I know." "I must have got pretty plastered last night." "You had nothing on my dad." "Your dad?" "Who's he?" "Don't you remember Al?" "Oh, Al." "Yeah, good old Al." " Where is he?" " Still asleep, I guess." "So you're Al's daughter." "You've got it all straight now." " I feel a lot better." " That's good." " Are you married, Peggy?" " No." "You've hardly had time." "You must have been engaged, though." "No." "Why not?" "What's the matter with the guys around here?" "I guess the best of 'em are already married." " Good morning, Fred." " Good morning, Mrs, uh..." " Milly's the name." " Thanks, Milly." "When Al wakes up, tell him how much I..." "You're not going?" "You haven't even finished your breakfast." "I haven't got much of an appetite." "Besides, I've got to get downtown." "Maybe now I can get into where my wife lives." "I'll drive you, Fred." "I've got to get to work at the hospital." "I'll just be a minute." " I must've acted disgracefully last night." " No." "You just fell in with bad company at Butch's and got stinking." "You see, the whole trouble was, I couldn't find Marie - that's my wife." "I didn't know she had a job in a nightclub." "Could happen to anyone." "If Al had come home later, we wouldn't have been in." " He wouldn't have known where we were." " How is Al?" " We don't know yet." " Ready, Fred." "Well, when he wakes up you can tell him I think he's a pretty lucky guy." " Thank you, Fred." " Goodbye." "Thanks a lot for everything." "Goodbye." " Bye, Mom." " Bye, dear." "Among my souvenirs" "Among my..." " What'd you do before the war, Fred?" " I was a fountain attendant." " A what?" " Soda jerk." " Oh." " Surprised?" "Yes, a little." "I'll bet you mixed up a fine ice-cream soda." "You're darn right." "I was an expert behind that fountain." "I'd toss a scoop of ice cream in the air, adjust for velocity, altitude, and - wham!" " in the cone every time." "I figure that's where I really learned to drop bombs." "What do you think you'll do now?" "I'm not going back to that drugstore." "Somehow or other, I can't figure myself getting excited about a root-beer float." "I don't know just what I will do, but I'm gonna take plenty of time looking around." "I guess after all the places you've been, Boone City looks pretty dreary to you." "Not from where I'm sitting right now." "That's not just a line." "I really meant it." " Who's that?" " It's me, Milly." " I brought your breakfast." " Oh!" "Thanks." " Didn't think you'd be up for hours." " I had a dream." "I dreamt I was home." "I've had that same dream hundreds of times before." "This time I wanted to find out if it's really true." " Am I really home?" " Looks like it." "And you're going to be royally treated." "You're having breakfast in bed." "I seem to have a vague recollection that we had a couple of children." "Is that right?" " That's right." " Whatever became of them?" "Rob's gone to school and Peggy's driving downtown with Fred." "Fred?" "Oh." "Oh, yeah, Fred." "He's a great guy." "All right?" "There's your breakfast." "I have work to do." "Well, it was nice knowing you, Peggy." "That sounds like a permanent goodbye." "You never know." "You and your wife must come up to dinner." "That'd be fine." "Oh, there's one thing more." "About that dream I had last night." "I've had it before." " I'm sorry I bothered you with it." " I..." "But you were very kind, and you didn't even mention it this morning." "As a matter of fact, you've been swell about everything." "They ought to put you in mass production." " Goodbye, Fred." " Bye." "Maybe I'd better wait and see if you get in." "Maybe that's a good idea." "Bye." "All right!" "All right!" "Say, what's the big i...?" " Freddy!" " Hiya, babe." "Freddy, darling, why didn't you let me know?" " You didn't give me time to fix my face." " You look all right." "Oh, Freddy, darling, I'm so excited!" "I can't believe it's you!" "Come on in, honey, where I can look at you." "Oh, you're marvellous!" "All those ribbons!" "You gotta tell me what they all mean." "But not now." "Let me look at you." "But how did you know I was here?" " I got in yesterday, went to Pop's house..." " Yesterday?" "!" "Why didn't...?" "I came here, but you'd gone to work." "I went from one nightclub to another." " You were looking for me?" " For my wife." "Well, you've found her now." "I wonder how Fred's getting along." "Fred's able to take care of himself." "I'm not so sure." "It isn't easy for air force glamour boys when they get grounded." "When you've been in the infantry, any change is bound to be an improvement." "Stop fussing around and sit down and talk to me." "All right, Sergeant." "Gosh, you've got tough." " Is this all the cream?" " That's all." "Fine situation when a man can't get enough to eat in his own home." " Look at my pants." " What about them?" "Too big!" "Gives you an idea of what the war did to my waistline." " You holding your stomach in?" " No, it's disappeared." "I'll have to take all my old clothes to be altered." "I wouldn't be in too much of a hurry." "A couple of weeks of heavy eating and those pants will fit perfectly." "Don't answer it." "Hello?" "Oh, yes." "He's here." "For me?" "If it's the War Department, I'm out." " It's Mr Milton." " Who?" " Mr Milton at the bank." " Oh." "He'll be right on." "Hello?" "Oh, yes, Mr Milton." "Yeah, it sounds good to hear yours." "Yes." "Yes, indeed, Mr Milton." "Yeah..." "Well, not too bad, no." "Yes." "Why, of course." "It's very kind of you to say that." "Mm-hm." "Mm-hm." "Yes." "Well, I'll..." "I'll certainly drop in." "Oh, she's fine, thank you." "Yes, they're fine too." "Well..." "I..." "That's..." "Thank you, Mr Milton." "Yes, good..." "Good..." "Good... goodbye." "Mr Milton." "He calls every day to see if you're home." "I guess they want you back at the bank." " He wants me to drop in and talk about it." " You're not going to work right away?" "You ought to rest awhile, take a vacation." "I've got to make money." "Last year it was kill Japs, and this year it's make money." " We're all right for the time being." " Mm." "Why do they have to bother me the first day I get home?" "Why not give me time to get used to my family?" "Come over here and sit down." " Chair's liable to break." " We can't be worrying about chairs." "Not when they want me back in a nice fat job in a nice fat bank!" " You don't seem very happy about it." " I'm not." " Why not, darling?" " I keep thinking about the other guys." "All the ones who haven't got you." " You're crazy." " No, too sane for my own good." " Yes, sir?" " Wasn't this Bullard's Drugstore?" "Yes, but it was taken over by the Midway chain." " Oh." " But old Mr Bullard's still here." " He's right over there by the phone." " Thanks." "Yes, sir?" " Oh, Fred!" " Hello, Mr Bullard." " It's good to see you again." " It's good to see you." " Say, what happened here?" " Well, I sold out." "Midway had been after this location for a long time." " Didn't he used to work here?" " Yes, he did." "I'll bet he's back looking for a job." "And he'll get it, too, with all those ribbons on his chest." "Well, nobody's job is safe with all these servicemen crowding in." " Meet our new manager, Mr Thorpe." " Oh, no, I don't think so." "I just dropped in to say hello to you." "I don't want that old job back." "Yes, I know." "But Midway's a big, big outfit." "You never can tell." "Come along." " Thank you, Mr Bullard." " I'll see you later." " I see you had a splendid war record." " Just average, Mr Thorpe." "Since this business changed hands, we're not obliged to give you your old job back." "I wasn't thinking of my old job." "I'm looking for a better one." "What are your qualifications?" "Your experience?" "Two years behind a soda fountain, three years behind a Norden bombsight." "Yeah." "While in the army, did you have any experience in procurement?" " No." " Purchasing of supplies, materials?" "No, I just dropped bombs." " Did you do any personnel work?" " No." "But as an officer you surely had to act in an executive capacity, you had to command men, be responsible for the morale?" "I was only responsible for getting the bombs on the target." " I didn't command anybody." " I'm sure that required great skill." "But, unfortunately, we've no opportunities for that with Midway Drugs." "Yeah." "We may be able to provide an opening as assistant to Mr Merkel, the floor manager." " "Sticky" Merkel?" " Clarence Merkel." "That's the fella." "He was my assistant at the soda fountain." "He's a very good man." "Incidentally, your work would require part-time duties at the soda fountain." " At what salary?" " 32.50 per week." "32.50!" "I used to make over $400 a month in the air force." "The war is over, Derry." "I think I'll look around, Mr Thorpe." "Thank you, very much." "And take care of that cold." " I gotta run." "I'll drop back later." " All right, Fred." "Bye." "Excuse me, girls." "No, conditions are none too good right now, Al." "Considerable uncertainty in business." "Strikes." "Taxes still ruinous." " You like that cigar?" " Yes, Mr Milton." "It's fine." "Hard to get those in the war, but they come in regularly from Havana now." "Things will readjust themselves in time." "We want you back here with us, Al." "That's very nice of you, Mr Milton, but I noticed Steese sitting at my old desk." " I wouldn't want to push him out." " Steese'll stay right there." "You're moving up." "What do you say to being vice president in charge of small loans, at $12,000 a year?" "What do you say to that, huh?" "I..." "I'd say it can't be true." "Job's there, Al." " You're the man for it." " What makes you think I am, Mr Milton?" "Well, your war experience would prove invaluable to us here." "See, we have many new problems." "This GI Bill of Rights, for instance." "It involves us in consideration of all kinds of loans to ex-servicemen." "We need a man who understands the soldiers' problems, and who's well grounded in the fundamental principles of sound banking." "In other words, you." "Well?" "What do you say, Al?" "Well, I'm..." "I'm overwhelmed." "Of course." "Of course." " Will you bring them in now, please?" " Yes, sir." " I'd thought of taking it easy..." " Naturally." "After what you've been through, you need a vacation." "Thank you." "You're entitled to enjoy life before you come back to work." " It's very kind of you to say that." " When you get a chance..." "This contains reports with all the figures on our Small Loans Department." "Just in your spare time, of course." "Oh, the briefcase is a slight gift from the bank." "Well, thank you." "Thank you very much, Mr Milton." " Glad to have you back with us, Al." " Thank you, sir." "Sweetheart, I knew you'd be heartbroken." "But listen, you can get another blonde." "What about Sylvia Mack?" "Oh, you're crazy." "I think her legs are cute." "I'm sorry too, but he doesn't want me to work nights." "He says it's inconvenient." "Oh, he's wonderful." "And how!" "Snappy uniform, a whole ribbon counter on his chest." "Sure, I'll bring him in sometime." "Hey, the door bell's ringing." "I guess that's my Freddy." "Bye." "Hey, Marie, have you got an extra key?" "I'd like to have it." " What are you looking at?" " Holy smoke, honey!" "That's the first time I've ever seen you in civilian clothes." "Well, from now on, honey, you're not gonna see me in anything else." "I just got it out of the mothballs over at Pop's house." "I called up the Blue Devil." " Who?" " The nightclub." "I told 'em I'm through." " Oh, swell." " But let's go there for dinner." "I'd like to introduce you." "They've heard all about you." "Anything you say, honey." "Here's some perfume I bought in Paris." "Oh!" "Fleurette No. 5!" "And this scarf's cute!" "To think of having things from Paris!" "Freddy, honey, you're just a big hunk of heaven." "What's that a picture of?" "Bomb hits on Düsseldorf." "That's my B-17." "What are those?" " Little black flowers that grow in the sky." " Huh?" " Hey, that's me!" " I had it pasted above my bombsight." " It took a lot of trips over Germany." " That's sweet." "The guys'd kid me about it." "They'd take a look at it and ask "Who's the dame?"" "When I told 'em it was my wife they'd say "Nobody's got a wife looks like that."" ""What's her telephone number?"" "When we go out will you wear your uniform?" " Oh, no." " For my sake." " I'm sorry, baby." " I'd be so proud to be out with you." "Won't you, please?" "Well, seeing as it's you and seeing as I can't find any place to hang it, all right." "But it's the last time." "If you don't like me in civilian clothes, we'll just have to stay here all the time." "Would that be so bad?" "You gotta get yourself some new clothes." "That suit's awful." "I know, it's terrible." "But they tell me you can't buy anything new now." "I know where you can get snappy suits made to order." " You mean there's a black market?" " If you know the right people, and don't care how much you spend..." "We're not worrying about that, baby." "I got money, cash money." "Nearly 1,000 bucks, from the good old US Treasury." "Oh, now you look wonderful!" "You look like yourself." "It's so wonderful, I can hardly believe it." "Now we can have a real honeymoon, without a care in the world." "Just as if nothing had ever happened." "Just as if you'd never gone away." "We're right back where we started." " Don't say that, Marie." " Don't say what?" "That we're right back where we started." "We never wanna be back there." "But why not?" "What is it?" "What's the matter?" "Oh, never mind." "Skip it." "I went back to the drugstore today and I just got reminded." "Come on, let's go out and have fun." " Hello, Wilma." " Good afternoon, Mr Parrish." " Have you seen Homer?" " He's in the woodshed." "He wants to practise shooting." "So he can go hunting." "You'd have thought he'd seen enough shooting in the war." "I guess he just wants to find something to occupy himself." "I guess so." "I wish there was something I knew to do for him." "His mother and I have tried to make him feel at home, but he just keeps to himself all the time." "Hello, Luella." "What are you kids doing?" "Nothing." "We're just playing." "That's his girl." "They're engaged." " Oh." "Hello, Wilma." " Hello." " Looking for something?" " No." "Go right ahead." " How'd you do, Homer?" " Only fair." "Well, you did fine." "I'll do better." "I've been wanting to talk to you." " What about?" " About everything." "About us." "What about us?" "We're all right, aren't we?" "No." "Listen to me, Homer." "I'm listening." "You wrote me that when you got home you and I were going to be married." "If you wrote that once, you wrote it 100 times." "Isn't that true?" "Yes, but things are different now." "Have you changed your mind?" "Have I said anything about changing my mind?" "No." "That's just it." "You haven't said anything about anything." " That's not loaded, is it?" " Of course it isn't." "Don't you think I know how to handle a gun?" "I don't know what to think, Homer." "All I know is, I was in love with you when you left and I'm in love with you now." "Other things may have changed, but that hasn't." "You wanna see how the hooks work?" "You wanna see the freak?" "All right, I'll show you!" "Take a good look!" "I didn't mean anything, Homer." "I was only..." "I'm..." "I'm sorry, Luella." "It isn't your fault." "Go on and play with your friends." "I know, Wilma." "I was wrong." "I shouldn't have acted like that." "It wasn't her that... burned my hands off." "I'll be all right." "I just gotta work it out myself." " I could help you, Homer, if you'd let me." " I've gotta work it out myself." "All I've wanted is for people to treat me like anybody else, instead of pitying me." "I guess it's hard for them to do that." "I've just gotta learn to get used to it and pay no attention." " Couldn't I...?" " No!" "I've gotta do it myself." " Yes?" " OK, Pop, I'm going to bed now." "Be right with you, Homer." " Night, son." " Good night, Pop." "Thanks." " Hello, babe." " What you got there?" "Our supper." "Cream of corn soup, potato salad, salami and liverwurst." "We're going to Jackie's Hot Spot." "I made a reservation." " We're eating at home." " Are you sick or something?" "No, dear." "Broke." " Broke?" " You got it." "Well, what happened?" "Where did it go to?" "We spent it, babe." "That's what happened." "I didn't tell you the money was almost gone because I kept hoping I was gonna land a good job." "But I'm not going to get one, so we'll have to forget about Jackie's Hot Spot and the Blue Devil and all the rest." "Why couldn't you get a job?" "Have you tried?" "Sure." "I've been all over town - all the employment offices and the USES." "They say I ought to spend a couple of years as an apprentice, or go to a trade school." "A couple of years, with you going to kindergarten." "And what would I be doing in the meantime?" "You can always help me with my homework." " Fred." " Yeah?" " Are you really all right?" " Of course I'm all right." "Why?" "I mean, in your mind." "Is anything...?" "My mind?" "!" "You mean you think I'm going goofy?" "I've been wondering." "What was Gadowsky?" " Where did you hear about him?" " You talk in your sleep." "Something's on fire and you want somebody to get out." "You keep saying "Gadowsky!" "Gadowsky!"" "Gadorsky." "He was a friend of mine, a B-17 pilot." "He got it over Berlin." " Can't you get it out of your system?" " Oh, sure" "The war's over." "You won't get anyplace till you stop thinking about it." " Come on, snap out of it!" " OK, honey, I'll do that" "I didn't tell you, Fred, but I got a little money saved." "Dinner's on me tonight." "You'd better keep on saving it." "It might come in handy sometime." "I appreciate the offer, but we're eating at home." "Well, I'm hungry." "I'm going out by myself." " You're not going." "You'll eat what I cook." " Let go of me!" "When we married, the justice of the peace said "For better, for worse"." "Remember?" " This is the "worse"." " When do we get the "better"?" "When I get wise to myself, I guess." "When I realise I'm not an officer and a gentleman any more," "I'm just another soda jerk out of a job." "Go and sit down and read a magazine or listen to the radio while I cook the soup." "I'll fix you a nice meal, honey." "Just like I used to do behind the fountain, before the war." "Perfume and Cosmetics is our outstanding feature." "It accounts for 34% of gross intake and an even higher proportion of profits." "As you will surmise, our customers in this department are women." "Yes, I'd surmised that." "You must familiarise yourself with the correct pronunciation of all the perfumes." " Rêve Romantique." " That means Romantic Dream." " You speak French?" " Sticky, just enough to go to Paris bars." "Let's get one thing straight, Derry." "The name "Sticky" is out." "Yes, Mr Merkel." "I understand." "This week we're pushing the new Champagne Bubble Bath. $1.98." "Down here are some special..." "Come here." "Down here are some specially made-up toilet sets..." " Thank you." " Morning, Mr Latham." " Morning." " Good morning, Mr Stephenson." "What have we here?" "The Bretton Woods Agreement?" "That's a Mr Novak, waiting over there." "He's applying for a GI loan." " Oh, good." "I'll see him." " Mr Novak." " Sit down, Mr Novak." " Thank you, sir." "Don't "sir" me, Mr Novak." "I'm a sergeant." " I see you were in the navy." " Yes, sir." "I mean, yes, I was." "In the Seabees." "Where'd you operate?" "All over the Pacific." "One island after another." "What'd you do, mostly?" "Go in before the landings and clear the mines and underwater obstructions." "When they'd taken enough ground for an airstrip we'd build it." " Fairly interesting work, eh?" " No, it got monotonous." "Those islands all look alike." "Until Iwo Jima." "That was different." "So I've heard." "I see you have quite a family." "A wife and four children." "Yes." "There'd have been more if I hadn't been away three years." " And now you wanna buy a farm." " Yes, sir." "Got my eye on a fine piece of property." "40 acres, out near Anton Corners." "What about collateral?" " Collateral?" "What's that?" " Security for your loan." "What can you put up in the way of property?" "Have you any stocks and bonds?" "Real estate?" "Valuables of any kind?" "No, Mr Stephenson." "You see, the point is, I haven't got any property." "That's why I want the loan, so I can get the property." "I see." "No collateral." "That makes things difficult." "I'm a good farmer, Mr Stephenson." "Why, even during the war I kept my hand in." "I used to spend my spare time down on those islands working truck gardens so my outfit could have fresh tomatoes and green corn and all that." "And before the war I was a sharecropper, like my father before me." "And now, I feel I'd like to have a little piece of my own to work." " You like to grow things, eh?" " Yes, sir." "And with the food shortage all over the world, farming's about the most important work there is." "I mean..." "Well, don't you think so, Mr Stephenson?" "Yes." "You see, Mr Stephenson, I don't feel this is asking the bank for a handout." "I feel it's my right." "At least, that's what I've been told by other ex-servicemen:" "that the government guarantees loans to us..." "Your loan would be administered through this bank, which would put up half of the $6,000 you require." "Now, that involves risk for this bank, Mr Novak." "Excuse me." " Al!" " Homer!" " Look at you!" " Look at you!" " So this is where you work." " Sort of." "Are you sticking up the bank?" "Look, 200 leaves of cabbage." "That's what I get every month from now on." " Pretty soft, eh?" " Pretty soft." " You sure we haven't short-changed you?" " I kept my eye on the guy counting it out." "Did you know Fred Derry had a job at the Midway Drugstore?" " No, I didn't." " He introduced me to his wife." " Yeah?" " Some dish." "We'll all have to get together at Butch's." " Fine." "That's where I'm going now." " Yeah?" " To take a piano lesson." " You..." "Uh-huh?" "Take one for me." " See you later." " So long, Homer." "Well, as I was saying, Mr Novak, there is an element of risk involved." "We'll have to have the property appraised." "But you'll get your loan." "Say, Mr Stephenson, I don't know how to begin to thank you." "Don't try." "You look like a good risk to me." "When the tomato plants start producing, I want free samples." " I'll tell you when the papers are ready." " Thank you, sir." "Thank you." "God bless you." "I've seen advertisements about this." "Night of Bliss." "Is it all that they say it is?" "What do they say it is?" ""Haunting, provocative, languorous."" "Oh, yes, I'm sure it's all of those." "Dexter!" " Don't play with those toys, bud." " My name ain't Bud!" " Dexter, stop that." " I just wanted to see how it worked." "Sorry." "You heard what Mommy said." "Ooh, Seduction." "How much is that?" "This is..." "It's quite expensive." "It's 16.50." "But it's a nice size." "You see what I mean?" " But it's a good, safe bet." " Just what do you mean by that?" "Well, I mean it's..." "it's a perfume that fits any mood." "Oh!" " All right, I'll take it." " Very good, madam." "Mommy!" "Mommy, look!" "Bang, bang, bang, bang!" "I shot it down!" "I shot it down in flames!" "I'm very sorry..." "Oh, hello." "Hello." "Thank you very much." "I'll be with you in just a moment, madam." "Will you take this, please?" "This lady will have your package in a moment." " Thank you very much." "Come in again." " Thank you." " You were wonderful." " I wanted to smack him." "It's against the rules to chat, unless it's a sale." "Oh." "All right, I'll buy something." " What's this?" " Youth Recaptured, a complexion cream." "But you don't need any of that phoney stuff." "That's vanishing cream." "This is a vanishing-cream remover." "I'll tell you how you can save money." "If you don't put that on, you don't need this." "How about some lotion?" "Here's one at $2.98." "And you'd be overcharged at half the price." "I didn't really come in to buy anything." "Dad told me you were working here." "I just dropped in to say hello." "Just a minute." "I have..." "I have an hour off at one o'clock." "Are you doing anything for lunch?" " Why, no." " Thank you, madam." "I'll meet you outside in 20 minutes." "Come in again." "Thank you." " The apple pie, she's homemade." " Good." "Thank you." "It is a nice little place." "I never heard of it before." "I used to come here now and then in the old days, before the war." "I used to think of this place when I was overseas." "I thought "When I get back home I'm never gonna eat in a dump like Lucia's."" "What else did you think you wouldn't do?" "I never had any clear ideas, but there were two things I was sure of." "One, that I knew I'd never go back to that drugstore." "What was the other thing?" "That was even sillier." "I dreamed I was gonna have my own home." "Just a nice little house for my wife and me out in the country..." "In the suburbs, anyway." "That's the cockeyed kind of dream you have when you're overseas." "You don't have to be overseas to have dreams like that." "Yeah." "You can get crazy ideas right here at home." " You have to be back at work at two?" " Yeah." "Well, hadn't you better...?" " Yeah." "Check, please." " 85c apiece for lunch, plus tax, is $1.76." "OK." " Thank you very much." "Goodbye." " Bye." " Goodbye, signorina." "Come again." " We'll do that." "So long." "Arrivederci." "Well..." "That shouldn't have happened." "But I guess it had to." " Goodbye, Peggy." " Goodbye." "We were discussing this loan to this man..." "What's his name?" "Novak." "Yes." "Yes, I approved it." "May I ask, Al, on what basis?" "On the basis of my own judgment." "Novak looked to me like a good bet." "But the man has no collateral, no security." " Evidently, you saw something in him." " Yes, Mr Milton." " What was it?" " Security." "Collateral." "In the army I was with men stripped of everything in the way of property except what they carried around with them and inside them." "I saw them being tested." "Some of them stood up to it, some didn't." "But you could tell which ones you could count on." "I tell you, this man Novak is OK." "His "collateral" is in his hands, in his heart, in his guts." "In his right as a citizen." " Nobody's denying him his rights." " We are." "If we deny him his chance..." "Gentlemen, there's no need to raise our voices." "Of course, since you've approved the loan, the incident is closed." " However, in the future, Al..." " Yes, I understand, Mr Milton." "In the future I must exercise more caution." "Thank you, Mr Prew." "Al, uh..." "Al, you know how I feel about you and always have." "Why, I've always considered you one of the family, so to speak." "Like my own s... younger brother." "I picked you personally for this job, and I know you'll make good." "We do have a desire to extend a helping hand to returning veterans when possible." "But we must all remember that this is not our money we're doling out." "It belongs to our depositors, and we can't gamble with it." "I'll remember, Mr Milton." "We'll meet at the Union Club at 7.30." " And give my best to your charming wife." " Thank you, Mr Milton." " Hello." " Oh, hello." "Hurry and get dressed." "And wear your new suit." "We're going to dinner at the Embassy Club." "Don't worry, it won't cost a nickel." "We got invited." " Who invited us?" " Miss Peggy Stephenson." "She called up, said her father was a friend of yours." "She sounded like a nice kid." "She's going out with some boyfriend and asked us on a double date, as guests." " You told her we could go?" " You bet I did." "Well, call her up and tell her we can't go." "Tell her I made another engagement." " Say, who is this Peggy Stephenson?" " She's a girl." "I didn't think she was a kangaroo." "Where'd you meet her?" "The night I got back, Al Stephenson and his wife took me home." "She's their daughter." "I'd never seen her before." "Or since?" "If you wanna make anything out of this, you'll be disappointed." "I just don't like accepting handouts." "You'd better get used to it, cos we won't get much fun on your 32.50 a week!" "Hold still!" "You'll probably have to make a speech." "It's my plan to meet that situation by getting well plastered." " Peggy's going out with Woody Merrill." " Who's he?" " You know, Bill Merrill's son." " Oh, yeah." "Fine people, the Merrills." "Strictly TCR." " What's that?" " Top credit rating." " Are his intentions honourable?" " I doubt it." "But they're going to be chaperoned by Fred Derry and his wife." "Fred Derry?" "Ha!" "Some chaperone!" " I think she's crazy about him." " Who, Merrill?" "No, Fred." "Have you got evidence to support that amazing statement?" " Just a hunch." " Oh." "But my hunches are pretty good." " Ah!" "Cocktails!" " No, you don't." "I made this for Woody Merrill." "Surely you wouldn't deny your father a drop on a cold night like this." " I would if I could." " I hear you're gonna see Fred, hm?" " Yes." " What's his wife like?" "I don't know." "I'll tell you later." "They'll have cocktails at the Union Club." "I know the kind Mrs Milton serves:" "pink, sweet and nauseating." "I was just asking Peggy about Fred's wife." "Never mind, Mom." "I know what you're both thinking." "What are we thinking?" "You're afraid I may be in love with Fred." " Why, I never had any such idea!" " Shut up, Al." "Are you in love with him?" "Yes." "But I don't want to be." "That's why I asked him and his wife to go out with us this evening." "I think it ought to have a very healthy effect on me." "Once I get to know her, I..." "I'm sure I'll stop being silly about the whole thing." "We don't need to worry about that child." "She can take care of herself." "That's what she thinks." " Good evening." " Good evening." " You know my father." " Mr Stephenson." " Nice to see you again." "Have a drink?" " Thank you." "I've played golf with your father." " Been to the club since you got back?" " I haven't had a chance." " Al, we'll be late." " Right." " Good night." " Night." " Have a good time, children." " Thank you." "Give my best to Fred." "Al, come on!" "Yes, Mr Milton!" " Hello, Peggy." " Oh, Woody, don't be a bore." "We'll be late." "Our country must stand today where it has always stood, the citadel of individual initiative, the land of unlimited opportunity for all." "It is peculiarly appropriate that we meet here tonight to honour one who has valiantly fought for that freedom." "Ladies and gentlemen, we greet our friend, our co-worker, our hero," "Al Stephenson." "Come on, on your feet, Al." "On your feet." "Ladies and gentlemen, I'm very happy to be here." "In fact, I'm very happy to be anywhere." "In fact, I'm very happy!" "Perhaps it'd be a good idea if you just put that bottle down right here." " Save yourself quite a number of trips." " Good old Al!" "I'm glad to see you've all pulled through so well." "As Mr Milton so perfectly expressed it, our country stands today..." "where it stands today." "Wherever that is." "I'm sure you'd all agree with me if I said that now's the time to stop this nonsense, face facts, get down to brass tacks, forget about the war, and go fishing." "But I'm not gonna say it." "I'm just going to sum the whole thing up in one word." "My wife doesn't think I'd better sum it up in that one word." "The reason for my success as a sergeant is due primarily to my previous training in the Cornbelt Loan and Trust Company." "The knowledge I acquired in the good old bank" "I applied to my problems in the infantry." "For instance, one day in Okinawa, a major says "You see that hill?"" "I said "Yes, sir." "I see it." "All right," he said." ""You and your platoon will attack said hill and take it."" "So I said "But that operation involves considerable risk."" ""We haven't sufficient collateral."" ""I'm aware of that", said the major, "but you are the guys who are going to take it."" "So I said to him "I'm sorry, Major." "No collateral, no hill."" "So we didn't take the hill, and we lost the war." "Uh, I think that little story has considerable significance." "But I've..." "I've forgotten what it is." "Uh..." "And now, in conclusion, I'd like to tell you a humorous anecdote." "I know several humorous anecdotes, but I can't think of any way to clean 'em up!" "So I'll only say this much." "I love the Cornbelt Loan and Trust Company." "Some say that the bank is suffering from hardening of the arteries and of the heart." "I refuse to listen to such radical talk." "I say that our bank is alive, it's generous, it's... it's human!" "And we're going to have such a line of customers seeking and getting small loans that people will think we're gambling with the depositors' money." "And we will be!" "We'll be gambling on the future of this country." "I thank you." "Woody, I can't take it any more." "Let's sit down." "We can't get out." "I'm trapped." "How do you do?" "Ow!" "Beg your pardon!" "Well, anyway, we can't fall down." " Is that table satisfactory?" " Everything's lovely." "Thank you very much." "Would you care to order now?" "Sorry." " I can't understand it." " What?" "Why you're not mad about me." "I think I'm attractive." "You are, Woody." "You're irresistible." "Then why do you go on resisting me?" "All marriages don't have to be like that one." " Which one?" " Your friends, Fred and Marie." " What's wrong with their marriage?" " Nothing, except one slight detail." "They just don't like each other." "It's murder on the dance floor." "It's awful!" " You don't wanna dance any more?" " Love to!" "You don't mind if I borrow him?" "No, not at all." " Why did you do this, Peggy?" " Do what?" "What do you mean?" "Calling up Marie and going out like this." "Together." " I did it deliberately." " Why?" "To prove to myself that what happened this afternoon didn't really happen." "But it did happen." "It had to happen." "And if we go on seeing each other, Peggy, it'll happen again." "Be-bop a-ree-bop" "Be-bop..." "Excuse us." "Excuse me." "Excuse me." "We want to have a picture taken in a few minutes." "Fine." "I'll be here." "Excuse me." " Hello, Marie." " Good evening." " You got to watch yourself." "More wolves!" " I know." "I'd pay no attention to the sign." "Go right in!" " Gee, Woody's a cute boy." " He's a lot of fun." "He's got dough, too." "His family own half the city." "He has a terrific yen for you." "I don't want to butt into your affairs, but if you take my advice, you'll grab Woody!" "Woody and I are good friends, but there's no romance." "Never mind the romantic part." "That takes care of itself." "I speak from experience." "They'll tell you money isn't everything." "Maybe it isn't but, boy, how it helps!" "While Fred was away I was drawing over $500 a month." "I mean, from his army pay and the job I had." "Now the two of us gotta live on what Fred gets from the drugstore. 32.50 a week!" "Poor Fred." "Bet you think he's a sourpuss." "He didn't used to be that way, though." "Army's had an awful effect on him." "Knocked all the life out of him!" "Fred isn't going to be satisfied with that job at the drugstore." " He'll get something better." " Maybe in five years he'll draw 50 bucks." "You can't have happy marriages on that kind of dough." "You know, Peggy, you're cute." "But you could use a little more make-up." "And get yourself a better hairdo." "I'll give you the name of my hairdresser." "Oh, but you've got nothing to worry about." "You'll get Woody and live happily ever after." "It's in the bag!" "Thank you." "Now, everybody get in close together, put our arms around each other." "Come on, Fred." "I don't mind." "Ooh!" "Wait, I'll tell you when." "Everybody, happy." "Let's all be talking." "What a marvellous party." "We'll have to do this again." "OK, shoot the picture!" "We want four copies, honey." "Mr Milton certainly acted enthusiastic about your speech." "Yeah, sure." "That's how he acted, the old hypocrite." " Suppose he'll fire you in the morning?" " No, he'll never do anything impetuous." "He'll back me up, till the next time I give a loan to some little guy." "Then I'll have to fight it out again." " Yes?" " It's me, Peggy." "Oh, come in, darling." " Did you have a good time?" " Not very." "Ah, what's all this?" "Children's Hour?" "I beg your pardon." "Well?" "What's she like?" "I'm glad I went out with them." "Even though it was a disagreeable experience." "It took guts, honey." "But you got plenty." "I'll need them." "I've made up my mind." " Good girl." " To do what?" "I'm going to break that marriage up." "I can't stand seeing Fred tied to a woman he doesn't love." "And who doesn't love him." "It's horrible for him." "It's humiliating, and it's killing his spirit." "Somebody's got to help him." " Are you sure he doesn't love her?" " Of course I am." "Did he tell you?" " Did she?" " No." "So you just jumped to conclusions!" "He doesn't love her, he hates her." "I know it." " I know it." " Who are you, God?" "!" "How did you get this power to interfere in people's lives?" "Is Fred in love with you?" "Yes." " You've been seeing him?" " Only once." "Today." "Oh, it was all perfectly respectable." "But when we were saying goodbye, he... he took me in his arms and kissed me and... and I knew." "You think a kiss from a smooth operator like Fred means anything?" "!" "You don't know him." "You don't know anything about what's inside him." "Neither does she." "His wife." "That's probably what she thought - a smooth operator with money in his pockets." "But now he isn't smooth any longer, and she's lost interest." "Whereas you're possessed of all the wisdom of the ages" "You can see into the secret recesses of his innermost soul" "I can see because I love him." "So you're gonna break this marriage up." "Have you decided how?" "Are you gonna do it with an axe?" "It's none of your business how I'm going to do it!" "You've forgotten what it's like to be in love!" "Hear that?" "I'm so old and decrepit, I've forgotten how it feels to want somebody." "Peggy didn't mean that." "Did you, darling?" "No." "I don't know what I do mean." "It's just that everything has always been so perfect for you." "You loved each other and you got married in a big church and you had a honeymoon in the South of France." "You never had any trouble of any kind." "So how can you possibly understand how it is with Fred and me?" "We never had any trouble?" "How many times have I told you I hated you and believed it in my heart?" "How many times have you said you were sick of me, that we were all washed up?" "How many times have we had to fall in love all over again?" "I'm sorry, Mom." "Never mind about that, darling." " Fred." " Hiya, Butch." " Hello, Fred." " Al here?" " He's back there, waiting for you." " See you later." " Hiya, Al." " Sit down, Fred." " What are you drinking?" " A cup of coffee." "Gotta have a clear head." " A cup of coffee and a bourbon and soda." " Yes, sir." "What's on your mind, Al?" "Want to borrow some money or something?" "I, uh... called you to ask you a question." "OK." "Shoot." "Are you in love with Peggy?" " Is there a law compelling me to answer?" " No." "Nevertheless, I repeat:" "are you in love with Peggy?" "Yes." "I thank you for a short and honest answer." "You're welcome." "Now what do we take up next?" "Your wife." "What about her?" "Where does she fit in this romantic situation?" "Is that any of your business?" "That's what Peggy said - that it's none of my business." "Oh, you've had her on the carpet, too." "She volunteered some information to her mother and me." "You see, we have a rather unusual relationship in our family." "It may seem corny and mid-Victorian, but we tell each other things." "I happen to be quite fond of Peggy, and I..." "You don't want her mixed up with a heel." "I haven't called you a heel." "Yet." "I just don't want to see her get into this mess." "OK, chum, what do we do now?" "Step out and settle this thing in the alley?" "I wouldn't want to recommend that as a solution." "I've learned to fight dirty." "If I got tangled up with you, I might break your neck." "I wouldn't like that." " You see, I'm quite fond of you, too." " Thanks." "But I don't like the idea of you sneaking around corners to see Peggy, taking her love on a bootleg basis." "I give you fair warning, I'll do everything I can to keep her away from you, to help her forget about you and get her married to a guy who'll make her happy." "Then I guess that's it, Al." "I don't see her any more." "I'll put that in the form of a guarantee." "I won't see her any more." "I'll call her up and tell her so." " That satisfy you?" " Yeah." " Anything else on your mind?" " No." "OK, chum." "So long." "So long, Fred." "The drinks are on me." " Hello, Homer." " Hi, Steve." "Say, Al Stephenson's back there." " Al?" " Yeah." " Hi, Al." " Hello, Homer." " How are you?" " Fine, thanks." " Hello, Homer." " Hi, Butch." " Say, let's show Al that new routine." " Sure." "Got something to show you, Al." "Well, come on." " Boy, wait till you hear this." " All set, kid?" " I'm ready when you are." " OK." "One, two, three." "That's fine!" "What's the matter?" "Didn't you like it, Al?" "Sure, it was swell." "I thought you were kidding about the piano lessons." "Fred!" "Hey, Fred!" "That was Fred." "Yeah." " Is anything wrong?" " No, he had to go back to the drugstore." "Come on, Homer, buy me a drink." "Who was it?" "Fred." "He said he's sorry for what happened, but it was just one of those things." "He said it wouldn't be fair to his wife for us to see each other any more because..." "I'm obviously the kind of girl that takes these things too seriously." "Then he said goodbye, very politely, and hung up." "Well, I guess you and Dad won't have to worry about me any more." "That's the end of my career as a home-wrecker." "Mom, I know you feel sorry for me." "You think my poor little heart is broken." "But you can save your sympathy." "I can see things clearer now." "I made a fool of myself." "I'm getting some sense hammered into me now." "I'm glad I'm out of that mess." "I'm glad I'll never see him again!" "I..." "Two chocolate sundaes coming up." "What about a ham and cheese on whole-wheat?" "Ham and cheese coming up." "Here you are." "Thank you." " Hello, Homer." "How've you been?" " Hi, Fred." " Glad to see you." " Say, Fred." " Yeah?" " What happened at Butch's?" " What do you mean?" " You and Al." "Was there any trouble?" "Oh, no." "We were just having a little friendly chat." " There you are, sir." " Thanks." " What'll yours be, Homer?" " Oh, I don't care." "A chocolate sundae." "OK." "Hi." " How are you, soldier?" " Sailor." "Excuse me." "Say, uh... do you mind if I ask you a personal question?" "I know what it is." "How did I get these hooks, and how do they work?" "That's what everybody says when they start off "Mind if I ask you a question?"" "Well, I'll tell you." "I got sick and tired of that old pair of hands I had." "An awful lot of trouble, washing them and manicuring my nails." "So I traded them in for these latest models." "They work by radar." "Look." " Pretty cute, eh?" " You got plenty of guts." "It's terrible when you see a guy like you that had to sacrifice himself." "For what?" " For what?" "!" "I don't get you, mister." " Well..." " Anything else for you?" " Check." "We let ourselves get sold down the river." "We were pushed into war." "Sure, by the Japs and the Nazis." "The Germans and the Japs had nothing against us." "They wanted to fight the limeys and the Reds." "They would've whipped 'em, too, if we didn't get deceived into it by Washington." "What are you talking about?" "We fought the wrong people, that's all." "Just read the facts, my friend." "Find out for yourself why you had to lose your hands." " Then go out and do something about it." " You'd better pay your check and go." " Well, who do you think you are?" " Pay the cashier right over there." " Coffee, please." " Yes, ma'am." "There's another thing." "Every soda jerk in this country's got an idea he's somebody!" "What are you selling anyway?" "I'm not selling anything but plain old-fashioned Americanism." "Some Americanism!" "So we're all a bunch of suckers?" "So we should've been on the side of the Japs and the Nazis?" "Again I say, just look at the facts." "I've seen facts." "I've seen a ship go down, and 400 of my shipmates went with it." "Were those guys suckers?" "!" "That's the unpleasant truth, and the sooner we get wise to it..." " Ooh, if I only had my hands!" " You put those down!" "Take your hands off him!" "May I get through, please?" " Go get the druggist." " Yes, sir." "Make way, please." "What happened?" " It was Fred Derry." "He hit him." " Bring some iodine and bandages." " Yes, sir." " Don't say it, chum." "The customer's always right, so I'm fired." "But this customer wasn't right." "I'll meet you outside in a minute, kid." "Gee, Fred, I'm sorry I lost you your job." "But that guy..." "Yeah, I know." "You read about guys like that, but you don't often see 'em, luckily." "How about your girlfriend" " Wilma?" " You and she gonna get married?" " I don't know." "Why don't you know?" "Doesn't she want to get married?" "It isn't Wilma's fault." "She's been swell about it." " So then it's your fault?" " Yeah, I..." "I guess it is." " Will you do me a favour, Homer?" " Sure, Fred." "What is it?" "I'm a hot one to be giving advice to the lovelorn, but go see Wilma - now." "Take her in your arms, kiss her, ask her to marry you, then marry her." "Tomorrow, if you can get a licence." "If you want anybody to stand up for you at your wedding..." "There's my bus." "So long." "So long, Fred." " You all right?" " I'm just going to get a glass of milk." "Just knock on the door when you want me." "OK." "Wilma!" "What are you doing out this hour?" "I saw you were up, Homer." "I saw you through the window." "I've got to talk to you." "All right, come in." " Want some chicken?" " No, thanks." " Sure?" " Yes." " Want a glass of milk?" " No, thanks, Homer." "Sit down, Wilma." "Homer, I..." "My family want me to go away, tomorrow." " Where?" " Up to Silver Lake." "My Aunt Vera's place." "That ought to be nice." "But I don't want to go." "I want to stay here." "You see, the reason they want me to go is so that I'll forget about you." "They figure you don't want me around, you don't want to see me, and if I go away for a while, maybe I'll get all this out of my mind." "Maybe that's a good idea, Wilma." "Maybe you ought to do that." "Do you want to get rid of me?" "Tell me the truth, Homer." "Do you want me to forget about you?" "I want you to be free, Wilma." "To live your own life." "I don't want you tied down forever just because you've got a kind heart." "Homer, why can't you understand the way things really are?" "The way I really feel?" "I keep trying to tell you." "But... but you don't know, Wilma." "You don't know what it'd be like to have to live with me, to have to... face this every day, every night." "But I can only find out by trying." "If it turns out I haven't courage enough, we'll soon know it." "Wilma, you and I have been close to each other for a long time, haven't we?" "Ever since we were kids." "Yes, Homer." "I'm going upstairs to bed." "I want you to..." "I want you to come up and see for yourself what happens." "All right, Homer." "I've learned how to take this harness off." "I can wiggle into my pyjama top." "I'm lucky, I have my elbows." "Some of the boys don't." " But I can't button 'em up." " I'll do that, Homer." "This is when I know I'm helpless." "My hands are down there on the bed." "I can't put them on again without calling to somebody for help." "I can't smoke a cigarette or read a book." "If that door should blow shut, I can't open it and get out of this room." "As dependent as a baby that doesn't know how to get anything except cry for it." "Well, now you know, Wilma." "Now you have an idea of what it is." "I guess you don't know what to say." "It's all right." "Go on home." "Go away, like your family said." "I know what to say, Homer." "I love you." "And I'm never going to leave you." "Never." "You mean, you... you didn't mind?" "Of course not." "I told you I loved you." "I love you, Wilma." "I always have, and... and I always will." "Good night, darling." "Sleep well." "Good night, Wilma." "Hey, sugar." "You'd better step on it, or your husband'll be home." "He's job-hunting." "He won't come home for another hour." " And what if he does?" " I don't understand it." "All this money around and he can't get into it." "What's wrong with him?" "I guess he just isn't very bright." "How do you do?" "Fine, thanks." "Who are you?" "Fred, I want you to meet Cliff Scully, an old friend of mine." " Hiya, Freddy." " Glad to know you, Scully." "Get out." " A tough guy, huh?" " Now listen, Fred." "You won't get anywhere with that attitude." "Cliff's an old friend." "He's asked me out, and I'm going out." " You heard me, chum." "Get out." " What do I do next?" "Smack him?" "Why ask her?" "Can't you think for yourself?" "Go on." "I can handle this." "Wait for me downstairs." "OK." "Another ex-serviceman, huh?" "Greetings." "Have you had any trouble getting readjusted?" "Not in particular." "It's easy if you just take everything in your stride." "That's what I've heard." " Be seeing you." " I doubt it." " When did you pick him up?" " He's an old friend." "He just dropped in for a friendly drink." " Did you know him while I was away?" " I knew lots of people." " What do you think I did all those years?" " I don't know, but I can guess." "Go ahead, guess." "I could do some guessing myself." "What were you up to in London and Paris and all those places?" "I've given you every chance to make something of yourself." "I gave up my job." "I gave up the best years of my life!" "And what have you done?" "You've flopped." "Couldn't even hold a job at the drugstore." "So I'm going back to work for myself." "And I'm going to live for myself, too." "And in case you don't understand English, I'm gonna get a divorce." "What have you got to say to that?" "Don't keep Cliff waiting." " What are you gonna do?" " I'm going away." " Where?" " As far away from Boone City as I can get." "That's a good idea." "You'll get a good job someplace else." "There are drugstores everywhere." "Here's an old sweater I found." "Remember?" " Sure." " You might need it sometime." " Thanks, Hortense." " You forgot these, son." " Oh, I don't want 'em, Pop." " What are they?" "Fancy words that don't mean anything." "You can throw 'em away." "Say, these are citations for your medals." "Why, Freddy, you never showed them to us." "Those things came in the packages with K rations." "Well, we'll treasure them, my boy." "I'll get the socks I washed for you." "Think you're doing the right thing, son?" "Going?" "Who's to say in advance whether it's the right thing or the wrong thing?" "It just means a fresh start in some other place." "How do you know it'll be different anyplace else?" "There's a need here for fellas like yourself that fought and won the war." "I know you haven't had the best of breaks since you got back, but... you ought to stick here and slug it out a while longer on your own home ground." "You're all right, Pop." "But I know when it's time to bail out." "I gotta get going." " Here are your clean socks, Fred." " Just put 'em in here." " Take good care of the old man." " I'll do my best." " But we'll miss you, Freddy." " You ought to be used to that by now." "So long, Pop." "We've got two flights going out of here tonight." "One eastbound, one westbound." "You'll have to ask the pilot." "Which way you going?" "Which one leaves first?" "Eastbound." "Eight o'clock." "That'll be fine." "I'll just hang around the field until then." "You don't seem to care where you're going." "That's right, chum." "I don't." "Hortense." "Hortense!" "Listen to this." "Sit down." ""Headquarters, 8th Air Force." "Award of the Distinguished Flying Cross."" "Um..." "Here." ""Despite intense pain, shock and loss of blood, with complete disregard of his personal safety," "Captain Derry crawled back to his bombsight, guided his formation on a perfect run over the objective and released his bombs with great accuracy."" ""The heroism, devotion to duty, professional skill and coolness under fire displayed by Captain Derry," "under the most difficult conditions, reflect highest credit on himself and the Armed Forces of the United States."" ""By command of Lieutenant General Doolittle."" "Hey, bud, what are you doing up there?" "Hey, you!" "What are you doing in that airplane?" " I used to work in one of those." " Reviving old memories, huh?" "Or maybe getting some of 'em out of my system." "Well, take your last look." "We're breaking 'em up." "Yeah, I know." "You're the junkman." "You get everything sooner or later." "This is no junk." "We're using this material for building prefabricated houses." "You don't need any help, do you?" " Out of a job?" " That's it." "I see." "One of the fallen angels of the air force." "Well, pardon me if I show no sympathy." "While you glamour boys were up in the wild blue yonder, I was down in a tank." "Sometime I'll be glad to hear the story of your war experiences." "What I asked you for was a job." "Have you got one?" " Do you know anything about building?" " No." "But I know how to learn." "Same as I learned that job up there." " Hey, Gus." " Yes?" "See if you think this guy can be of any use to us." "Thanks." "Now, children, let's remember the words." "The bride will come down those stairs." "When I see her I'll hit the first note, then I'll nod my head and then we'll sing, huh?" "All right, let's try it." " Here she comes." " Here..." "Wait for the note." "Here's comes the bri..." "That's fine." " Mrs Cameron?" " Yes." "Mrs Stephenson?" " Yes." " Come right in, won't you?" " My daughter." " How do you do?" " How do you do, Mrs Cameron?" " How do you do?" " There you go." " You shouldn't have." " My daughter." " Miss Stephenson." " Hello." " Hello, Mr Cameron." "Meet Homer's folks." "Mr and Mrs Stephenson." "Miss Stephenson." " How do you do?" " How do you do?" " Hello, Al." " Hello, Butch!" " It's good you're here." " Mr Stephenson, punch?" "Hello, Butch." " How do you do, Mrs Stephenson?" " How do you do?" "Steady, boy!" "I heard you were leaving town." "I was afraid you wouldn't stand up for me." "I'll stand up for you, kid, till I drop." "Oh, Fred, here's the ring." "Don't lose it." " Hiya, Homer." "Big day, huh?" " Hi, Al." " Hiya, Fred." " Hello, Al." "I, uh..." "I hear you moved back with your folks." "Yeah." "I've sampled the punch." "I presume it was made for the kiddies." " Will you have some, Homer?" " I might give the wrong answers." " How about you, Fred?" " No, thanks." "Maybe later." "Well, if I must be a solitary drinker, good luck, kid." " Thank you, Al." " Al!" "You promised you wouldn't." " Take a sip of this." " Hello, Fred." "Homer." " There isn't a headache in a barrel of it." " Al can take it." " He certainly can." " Excuse me." "See for yourself." "Hello, Fred." "Nice to see you again." "Hello, Peggy." "Nice to see you." "Well, what have you been doing with yourself lately?" "Working." "Yes..." "Dad told me he heard you were in some kind of building work." "Well, it's a hopeful way of putting it." "I'm really in the junk business." "An occupation for which many people feel I'm well qualified, by temperament and training." "It's fascinating work." " Where's Homer?" "Wilma's ready." " I'll get him." "Excuse me." "Mary, Kay, go ahead." "Jackie." "Jackie!" "Over here." "Watch me." "Here comes the bride" "All dressed in white" "Sweetly serene in the soft, glowing light" "Lovely to see" "Marching to thee" "Sweet love united" "For eternity" "Dearly beloved, we are gathered together here in the sight of God and this company to join together this man and this woman in holy matrimony." "If any man can show just cause why they may not lawfully be joined together, let him now speak, or else hereafter forever hold his peace." "Homer, wilt thou have this woman to thy wedded wife?" "I will." "Wilma, wilt thou have this man to thy wedded husband?" "I will." "Who gives this woman to be married to this man?" "I do." "Now, Homer, will you take Wilma's right hand in yours and say after me:" "I, Homer, take thee, Wilma, to my wedded wife." "I, Homer, take thee, Wilma, to my wedded wife." "To have and to hold from this day forward." "To have and to hold from this day forward." "For better, for worse." "For richer, for poorer." "For better, for worse." "For richer, for poorer." "In sickness and in health." "To love and to cherish till death us do part." "In sickness and in health." "To love and to cherish till death do... us do part." "Now, Wilma, with your right hand, take Homer by his right hand and say after me:" "I, Wilma, take thee, Homer, to my wedded husband." "I, Wilma, take thee, Homer, to my wedded husband." "To have and to hold from this day forward." "To have and to hold from this day forward." "For better, for worse." "For richer, for poorer." "For better, for worse." "For richer, for poorer." "In sickness and in health." "To love and to cherish till death us do part." "In sickness and in health." "To love and to cherish till death us do part." "The ring." "Place it on the fourth finger of Wilma's left hand." "Repeat after me:" "With this ring, I thee wed." "With this ring, I thee wed." "Those whom God hath joined together, let not man put asunder." "For as much as Homer and Wilma have consented together in holy wedlock and have witnessed the same before God and this company, and thereto have given and pledged their troth, each to the other, and have declared the same by giving and receiving a ring, and by joining hands," "I pronounce that they are man and wife." "God bless you both." "You know what it'll be, don't you, Peggy?" "It may take us years to get anywhere." "We'll have no money, no decent place to live." "We'll have to work, get kicked around..."