"Go on .. dare me .. dare me to walk this rail right here." "Alrighty, I dare you." "─ You double-dare me?" "I double, triple dare you!" "─ What is this, the best out of three?" "Okay .. okay .. watch." "No Jim, no Jim .." "Why do people always have to make such fools of themselves?" "Well, they're having fun .. besides they're not hurting anyone." "You know, it's getting so it's no fun to go out on these boats anymore." "I love it .. it's so peaceful." "It can't be much fun for you Amy." "A girl isn't meant to go on a trip like this with her sister and brother-in-law." "You ought to have a nice .." "─ Look!" "I'll walk up and down, and then maybe later, I'll dance." "You fool, you'll fall overboard .." "Don't go near him!" "If you do, then he will fall overboard." "Jimmy, come down!" "Oh leave me alone, you never want me to have any fun." "Jimmy!" "─ Jim!" "─ Jimmy, get down!" "Jimmy!" "Thank you, ladies and gentlemen." "Be calm!" "Be calm everybody, this takes a cool head." "Be calm now, be calm." "Look .." "look, that young man is going in." "─ He'll get him alright, whoever he is." "Keep cool!" "Keep cool." "Come here." "Come on .. hup .. hup .." "Here, let me put this around you." "That was great." "Feeling alright?" "Wait a minute .." "let's hear what he has to say." "Isn't he wonderful?" "─ How should I know?" "Young man, that was a great rescue you pulled off." "Elemental, elemental." "Just a matter of keeping a cool head, that's all." "Weissmuller couldn't have done better." "Come now, when you speak of Weissmuller you're speaking of a great swimmer." "If you had to name the 2 best swimmers in America you'd have to include Weissmuller" "You'll bear me out on that, won't you Miss?" "Why .." "I think it was marvelous what you did." "No .. no." "Just in a day's work really." "In this life you have to help those who are unable to help themselves." "But thank you very much just the same." "─ You're welcome." "Did anyone see the man fall off the rail?" "─ I did, yes. ─ Yes, yes." "Just a minute, I'll have to take your names as witnesses please." "Yours Miss?" "─ Amy Fisher." "Your address?" "─ The Fisher Realty Company." "New York." "And yours, please." "─ Frank Hollings. 2033 Mutual Building." "I beg your pardon, could I have a light?" "Thank you .. thank you." "Interesting little gadget, this." "─ Isn't it. ─ Uhuh." "I think I'll put these in all of our dining cars, as an individual service." "Yes, it's getting pretty difficult these days to beat the bus competition." "To say nothing of the aeroplanes." "Believe me, they are not going to lick the Mid-Atlantic without a fight." "I was saying to J.B. only yesterday." "─ J.B.?" ".." "J.B. Preston, the President?" "Uhuh, the J. B. Preston the President." "─ Do you know Mr Preston?" "I beg your pardon?" "─ I say, do you know Mr Preston?" "Do I know him?" "Why, he doesn't make a move without me." "Mind you, J.B. is a pretty smart old codger as far as that goes." "There's many things on that Railroad that J. Aubrey Piper can take a bow for." "If he really wanted to, but yours-truly doesn't want to." "J. B. may be only a figurehead, but he's a good figurehead." "You have to hurry John, if you want to make that telephone call." "Hurry!" "What does it get you?" "Don't you see lady, that is the trouble with life." "You don't take any time to have any real pleasure, to really relax." "That's true Mr Piper." "May I might have my lighter back?" "─ I gave it to you." "Oh .." "I beg your pardon." "Thank you Mr .. "Piper" you said it was?" "─ "Piper" I said it was and Piper it is." "Goodnight old man." "─ Goodnight, sir." "How dare you tell my brother all that nonsense!" "Well .." "I didn't know he was your brother, why didn't he tell me he was?" "So, you are the power behind the throne, eh?" "And I'm a figurehead, huh?" "Well, I didn't exactly say that Mr Preston." "I just said .." "I know what you said!" "Every word of it .." "I should fire you right now." "Your office manager tells me that you are the most demoralizing influence .." "He has ever encountered." "How much do we pay you?" "I'm awful glad you brought that up Mr Preston." "You pay me $32.50 a week." "Now, I'll leave it to you whether a man of my .." "You are about the nerviest proposition that I have ever come in contact with." "If I did my duty I would fire you right now." "As it is, I'll be lenient." "Go on back to your work." "─ Yes, sir." "Now, Mr President .. don't you think?" "─ Think what?" "─ Nothing." "A fine way to encourage individuality I must say." "Going down." "Fourteen." "Believe me, the working man in this country will stand for so much." "No more." "Look at the French Revolution, look at ancient Rome." "Look at .." "Fourteenth floor." "Oh Piper .. come here." "Did you see Mr Preston?" "─ I saw him, and told him a thing or two" "Don't be surprised if there's a shake-up around here before long." "Well, before that shakeup happens." "Suppose you see if you can get out a statement to the National Warehouse." "Try to get it within ten thousand dollars of Reich .. if you can." "There's never any complaints against my work." "There'd be complaints against your work, if there was work to complain against!" "None of you fellows ever give me a chance." "I'm giving you your chance right now." "Sit down and go to work." "How do you do .. am I addressing the Fisher Realty Company?" "Well not exactly." "This is my father's business." "But I'm taking care of the place right now." "He's out with some clients." "Sunday is a very busy day you know." "Yes it is .. your face is very familiar to me." "And it certainly is too lovely a face to forget." "Haven't I met you somewhere?" "Well .. the boat." "─ The boat?" "The excursion boat that night .." "─ Oh, oh .. that." "Well, that was nothing." "Oh it was wonderful." "You were marvelous, what you did." "Oh, that was nothing at all." "After all, somebody had to save the poor fellow." "Uh I .." "I was just thinking." "I don't even know your name." "I did hear them say "Weissmuller", but you are not?" "No, no." "My name is "Piper", "J. Aubrey Piper."" "Piper?" "Well, my name is Amy .." "Amy Fisher." "Amy?" "That's a pretty name." "A very pretty name for a very pretty girl." "Well, is there something I can do for you?" "Yes, I'm considering the purchase of a house, and I'd to look at your list." "Well, we have some wonderful new bungalows that have just come in." "Bungalows?" "Well I'm sorry." "I'm afraid I'm past the bungalow stage." "Well .. now there is the Fleming place." "That's quite large, you might like that." "The Fleming place?" "Who knows, I might like it." "Father has taken the car, so if you don't mind I'll just .." "No, no .. my car is right outside the door." "If you show me where the places are, we'll go and look at them." "Can we go?" "Sure." "I'll leave a note for father." "─ That's it." "Always leave a note for him." "You know, land is really the only investment these days." "That's what my father always says." "I can see that he and I are going to get along great." "I certainly hope so." "I'm sorry we couldn't find anything." "If you could come in for a minute, I'm sure father is home." "Nothing I'd like more but I've a meeting downtown." "Sorry." "Thanks just the same." "Hello Joe. ─ Hello Amy." "─ Joe, I want you to meet Mr Piper." "This is my brother Joe .." "Aubrey." "─ How do you do?" "Mr uh .." "─ Piper." "J. Aubrey Piper." "Your sister has shown me around the neighboring mansions." "You are a Realtor too, I take it?" "Ohno,Joeworksforthecity." "But he's working on an invention." "─ An invention?" "Well .." "Well, well, I used to be a bit of an inventor myself." "Inventing inventions, there is nothing like it, is there." "Especially for the inventor." "─ Yes, I guess that is right." "Well, I am glad to have met you." "─ Thank you. ─ So long Amy." "Sure you won't come in for a cup of tea?" "─ I'd love to, but business is business." "Thank you very much for showing me around." "Oh, I was glad to." "You will surely come back on Sunday?" "You have the word of a Piper, and a Piper never forgets." "Toodle-oo." "Hello mother." "─ Oh, it's you." "Hello." "Did Pop get the note I left?" "─ Yes." "What was it, a rental?" "No, he's an important man." "A Railroad official." "He wants to buy a house." "Something like the Fleming place only bigger." "I didn't know they came any bigger than the Fleming place." "Did you show it to him?" "─ Yes." "He has the loveliest smile." "─ Did he like it?" "No, not exactly." "We went in his car and it's the nicest car I've ever ridden in." "Well what about the Hollingsworth place?" "I showed it to him but didn't have a key so we couldn't get in." "Oh, we had more fun." "We tried to get in through the kitchen window and couldn't open it." "So then .." "Oh, I see .. who is this miracle-man?" "His name is "Piper"." "J. Aubrey Piper." "He's coming out again next Sunday." "I uh .." "I'm going to get a list of new houses for him to look at." "I think your new green dress will be nice to show the houses in, don't you?" "Oh he's so nice, mother." "─ I hope so .. if you like him." "But you mustn't judge on seeing him once." "Oh, you'd know what I mean if you'd seen him once." "Besides, I've seen him before." "─ Where?" "Do you remember the excursion boat that night I was with Frank and Clara?" "I told you about the man who jumped in to save the other man who was drowning?" "Well, he's the man." "─ The one that drowned?" "No, no." "The other man." "─ It was the other one that got drowned?" "No mother, he .." "Oh well, anyway, he's coming out again." "I'm going to ask him to come in when he does." "I don't suppose he will." "I guess I'm just silly." "He's much too important for us." "Sorry to keep you waiting." "We're busy getting ready for the Auto Show tomorrow." "Any message for the chief, sir?" "Well, it's a nice job, but you'll have to tell him my girl doesn't like it." "Mr Roberts would be glad to demonstrate it for you again any time you say, sir." "Thank you very much." "That's very nice of you." "I will keep it in mind." "You mean Piper is still coming here?" "Sunday nights too, as well as Wednesdays." "─ It's like a steady thing." "Too steady for my taste, if you ask me." "Clara, you have never in your life heard anybody talk so much." "The "Human Radio"." "That's what your Pa calls him." "Well, maybe Amy doesn't look at him through Pop's eyes." "She doesn't know anything about him except that he works for Mid-Atlantic." "Him and his carnation." "I believe in my heart Clara, that's what's turned her head." "You often see things like that you know." "Any fool in the land can put a carnation in his coat, or his hat over one eye." "And half a dozen sensible women will be dying about him." "I'll be that's him now." "He'll see you Ma." "─ No he won't .. that's him." "That's the third new car he's had in the last six weeks." "How do you suppose he keeps a car like that on his salary, Ma?" "Demonstrations .. that's how he keeps a car like that on his salary." "He never has the same one more than three of four times in a row." "If they demonstrated suits and hats, he'd be the best-dressed man in America." "Your mother's home Amy." "In the window." "─ Yes, I saw her too." "I can feel my headache coming on already." "Why don't you go to bed, Ma?" "─ What's the use?" "He's got a voice you can hear in the next town." "I'll be right down, Aubrey." "Aubrey .. try not to get into any arguments with mother .. please." "Don't worry Amy." "The "soft answer that turneth away wrath"." "Hello mother, hello Clara." "I'll be back in a minute." "Go right in Aubrey." "Are the folk's home?" "Well, hello Clara." "Hello Mrs Fisher. ─ Good evening." ""Good evening" you call it Mrs Fisher, and good evening it is." "How's the little mother tonight?" "I don't see Popsy." "How is he?" "In fact, where is Popsy?" "Mister Fisher has gone out." "If you don't mind." "No, I don't mind at all." "As a matter of fact I'm glad Popsy knows how to live." "A man has to go out now and then." "Can't hang around the same dull surroundings." "People that live in glasshouses shouldn't talk about dull surroundings." "You mean me, huh?" "I get it Mrs Fisher, I get it." "Hello Joesy." "How's the old inventing?" "Everything getting invented alright?" "Everything is alright." "─ Good." "Don't go staying down in that cold cellar again tonight, Joe. ─ I won't Ma." "Be careful Joe, you be careful." "You can catch cold down there." "Great kid, Joe." "Great kid." "Gee, I almost forgot this." "There you are Mrs Fisher." "Sweets for the sweet." "For me?" "─ For you alone." "I picked it out myself too." "Chocolate bonbons, marshmallows and glacé's." "Thanks." "─ You are welcome." "To say that you're welcome, nay thrice welcome, would be putting it mildly." "Infinitely more blessed is he who gives than he who receives." "To bring a little happiness into a neighbor's heart." "To bring a smile where perhaps a tear has been .. that is the only true pleasure." "Well don't you worry about me." "There's no tears around here." "Oh that's just a figure of speech Mrs Fisher." "Come on, wherever English is spoken." "You'll bear me out, won't you, Clara?" "Well, I wasn't long, was I Aubrey?" "How is it you're not home tonight, Clara?" "Frank had some business in town." "I came out see Ma." "The old daughterly spirit Touching, I call it." "When we want to know what you call it, we'll ask you. ─ Come on Aubrey." "I want to show you that book I was talking to you about." "By the way Mister Piper, try to remember our library is not a one large ashtray." "Ha! "Not just one large ashtray"." "Score one for Mumsy." "Glad I saw you Clara." "─ Thank you." "Now don't run away Mumsy." "I'll pop right back and we'll have a little chat." "Don't you bother about popping." "I'm alright as I am." "He called you "Clara" .." "I don't think he's seen you twice in his life, has he?" "Oh just twice, but what does that matter?" "I'm sure he means well." "You know it's a terrible thing Amy when people grow old." "It's hard to believe they were once young and someone thought they were beautiful." "I'll give you three guesses who that clown thinks he's talking about." "That's your Pa, I guess." "Is that you, Pa?" "─ Yeah, Ma." "Hello Pop." "─ Hello." "I guess I'll be going now you're back." "─ Where's Frank?" "He had to have dinner downtown, but he'll be home by now." "[ Piper:" "laughing loud ]" ""Live, laugh and be merry Amy." "There's more ways than one to skin a cat."" "Who's that?" "Windy?" "─ Who do you think it is?" "There isn't but one voice like that in the whole world." "You know that." "Yeah, I know." "[ Piper:" "laughing loud ]" "Wouldn't it kill you as he dies laughing when he gets off one of his bum jokes." "Somebody's got to laugh." "[ Piper:" "laughing loud ]" "He's got Amy laughing now, too." "That radiator in our room is out of order again Pop." "I must get it fixed." "Get it fixed." "Goodnight Pop." "─ Goodnight." "Goodnight Ma. ─ Goodnight dear." "─ See you tomorrow." "Goodnight Aubrey, goodnight Amy." "─ Goodnight." "I'll just let it run for a minute and then it will be alright." "What's the matter?" "─ Nothing." "Aubrey just wants a drink of water." "I'd like to fix a drink for him sometime." "Hello Popsy-Wopsy!" "How are you Pop?" "Stay where you are folks!" "Don't move!" "Just a little social attention." "I'm going right out again on the next train." "There you are Mumsy-Wumsy." "Every woman's fancy, huh?" "Right down to the carnation." "Ma." "─ Yes?" "I have to have a double socket." "I've got two lights burning." "We have one?" "Yes, there's one in the corner behind the settee. ─ Oh, thanks." "Joe .. why don't you stop for the night?" "You ought to get a rest now and then." "I'm not tired Ma." "─ Now Joesy, your Mama is right." "What do you know about it?" "Joe, when you hear her speak you're getting words of wisdom direct." "Let me tell you Mr Joesy-boy, you are wasting your time." "When you're through .." "They'll offer twenty cents for it and sell it for twenty million dollars." "I know .. because that's what they did to little old yours-truly." "For a formula to solve the greatest problem in the industrial world today." "A formula to prevent the rusting of iron and steel." "A solution to be added to the metal in its molten state, instead of externally." "What did you say, Aubrey?" "─ I said .." "A simple combination of chemical elements to be added .." "To the metal in its molten state instead of externally, as they had been doing." "Did you get what you want, Joe?" "─ Oh yeah, thanks." "Yes sir, you'll thank me for that advice some day." "I've been through the mill." "Yeah, sure." "Oh Amy!" "Oh Amy!" "Third down and four yards to go." "Come on, time out for water." "Customer waiting." "Gosh, a fellow has to have a drink once in a while hasn't he Popsy-Wopsy old boy?" "Let me alone, you!" "Keep your hands to yourself." "You're the worst pest I ever saw in my life." "Sign on the dotted line." "No point in old Pop getting sore and walking out on us." "What do you know about that?" "There she is herself, not a moving picture." "Blushing as she gave it looking down, at her feet so bare and her tattered gown." "What's the matter with her feet?" "And when it comes to slaughter you will do your work on water." "You're a better man than I am, Gunga Din!" "Well here's to laughter, ladies .. here's to laughter." "Very nice .. very nice indeed." "And a sweeter draught was never quaffed from a fairer hand." "I'm going to change that some day Mrs Fisher." "I'll supervise it all." "A woman does all the drudgery." "And why?" "Why should the fairer sex work their fingers to the bone?" "Why, I ask you?" "You can't answer." "You know why?" "Because there is no answer .. just negligence." "Amy look .." "I was just telling your mother .." "I want to tell you what I told her." "Say Amy .. how uh .." "How do you think your mother's going to take it?" "Well I .." "I don't know .. you see." "─ I know." "She's .. she's not as fond of me as she might be, is she." "It's not that she doesn't approve of you Aubrey, but .." "It's because I'm not serious enough." "I know .." "I joke too much to suit a lot of people." "Sometimes, I just try to kid them you know, and they think I mean it." "You think I'm on the level don't you Amy?" "─ Oh, Aubrey .." "I know .. sometimes I just say things in fun .. and I don't .. you know .." "I mean, maybe I say things .." "well, that aren't exactly true." "But I want to tell you one thing that is true, and I want you to know it's true." "I love you, and you are the only girl in the world for me." "Oh .. what's the matter mother?" "─ 12 o'clock." "That's what's the matter." "12 o'clock in late enough for decent people to go to bed." "Why mother, don't you know that Thomas Edison never retired until 4 a.m?" "You invent electric light and you can stay up all night for all I care." "Your Pa can't sleep." "─ It's alright, it's alright." "I was just about to take my reluctant leave anyway." "I'll see you to the door, Aubrey." "─ That's fine, always free the parting guest." "Goodnight mother Fisher." "─ Goodnight." "Like the candy?" "─ I didn't eat any of it." "Maybe you didn't eat any of it, but you sure practiced." "Oh Amy, I didn't know how hard it was going to be to lose you." "We're going to miss you, Amy." "─ Oh come now, Mumsy-Wumsy." "After all, you're not going to lose a daughter, you are just gaining a son." "How about that Popsy-Wopsy?" "Am I on the nose or just in the money?" "It'll be alright mother, we're living in town, you'll see us all the time." "Come on Amy, we got to hurry up." "Come on, come on." "Get moving." "Drive fast or we'll miss the boat." "─ What boat?" "Oh secret." "Can't tell you." "A man can't have his mother-in-law on his honeymoon." "Don't you worry about me going along on your honeymoon." "Goodbye, and if it's raining where you go, don't forget to wear your rubbers." "Au revoir, farewell, so long, auf wiedersehen, arrivederci." "Goodbye, all you good people!" "Goodbye .. goodbye .." "Will we miss him?" "It's going to seem like we suddenly all want deaf." "Do you know where they're going, Ma?" "─ No, I don't." "Hey look .. here's some travel folders." "─ They must have dropped from his pocket." ""Taj Mahal by the moonlight." Don't sound decent to me." "Oh here's another one." "─ "On the beach at Waikiki."" ""Underneath the Southern Cross." ─ Hmm." "Going abroad." "Well, you've certainly got to hand it to Aubrey." "He's no Piker." "Big crowd on the boat?" "─ Packed. ─ That's fine." "Thank you." "Thank you very much." "Here, I'll take the pot." "Here we are." "Mrs Piper, what day is today?" "─ An anniversary." "Correct, Mrs Piper." "What kind of an anniversary?" "─ A wedding anniversary." "And whose wedding anniversary Mrs Piper?" "─ Ours Mr Piper." "Yours and mine." "Correct again Mrs Piper." "You'll be teaching the class yourself before the term is over." "Now, just one more little question." "What wedding anniversary?" "The six month, four days and eleven hours wedding anniversary." "And four minutes .. but I won't hold that against you." "And so Professor Smithers, on behalf of the graduating class." "We, the pupils of Central High School .." "Are very happy to present you with this tiny token of our esteem." "Oh Aubrey .. it's cute." "─ Yeah .." "I picked it out myself." "Oh, this is what you said you were going out to get cigarettes for last night." "I got the cigarettes, too." "The shelf is getting pretty crowded." "─ Well, we'll have to get another shelf." "Cute, isn't it?" "─ Uhuh." "I tried to get you a cat that meows when you pull its tail, but they were all out." "Ah, that's the trouble with the American retailer." "He doesn't know how to buy." "All stocked up with stuff that people don't want." "Scared to death to buy the things he could make a lot of dough out of .. no vision." "Hello Clara. ─ Hello Ma." "─ You're late Clara." "You're late Clara." "─ Sorry, Ma." "Oh, that's a nice coat you're wearing." "New, isn't it?" "─ Uhuh." "Your supper's getting cold and your Pa is starved." "Well Frank couldn't get away from his office until late." "I don't hold with a man making himself a slave to his office." "There is no reason why a body shouldn't be ready to have supper at six o'clock." "Hello Pa." "─ Hello Clara." "Hello Frank." "What are you reading?" "─ Just this." "I'll take your hat and coat, Frank." "Oh no." "Frank has got to run along." "He has an important meeting." "It seems to me Frank has always got an important meeting." "Well he has to see some men." "This is really important." "It's a funny thing the way a married man, when it gets dark .." "Has to see a man at a lodge meeting." "─ Oh, I guess I'm not as bad as all that." "I'd like you to cook for 9 people and then have only 4 of them stay to eat." "What's up?" "Where's Aubrey and Amy?" "─ I'll tell you where .. at the Opera." "Listening to a lot of foreigners holler, that's where they are." "That's right." "I leant Amy my ermine coat." "Called up, big as life, Amy did, at five o'clock." "Said "Aubrey's got two tickets to the Opera, so we're going to the Opera."" "The Opera!" "I never heard of anybody I knew going to the Opera." "Did you Clara?" "Why yes .." "Frank and I go sometimes." "─ Well, that's different." "Frank can afford to buy the tickets." "But where that Aubrey ever got the money .." "No, no." "Well, I really must be getting along." "You want me to pick you up after the meeting?" "─ No thanks." "I think I'll be going home early and Joe or Pa will take me with the car." "Alright." "Goodnight Pa." "Goodnight Ma. ─ Goodnight Frank." "─ Goodnight Clara." "I must get the supper on the table." "Come and help me, Clara." "What do you think of that clown Piper?" "Opera!" "And him in debt up to his eyes." "Ma, you ought not to be picking on Aubrey like that." "I don't care about Aubrey, it's Amy." "She's married to him." "That's the trouble." "Amy doesn't mind it Ma, as long as it's Aubrey." "She's in love with him." "You are always talking about love." "You give me a pain." "Don't you see she's in love with him?" "─ How do I know whether she is or not?" "I don't know anything about people when they are in love, except they act silly." "Most everybody I ever knew acted silly." "She acted silly when she took him." "She might have taken worse, Ma." "He works every day and he gives her his money." "And nobody ever heard of him looking at another woman." "But he's such a rattle-brain Clara." "There are lots of things more difficult in a man to put up with than that, Ma." "But you can put up with anything .. if he loves you." "I never saw a married woman so full of love." "And that's because I .." "I never heard of a butcher or grocer who would take love for spinach or lamb chops." "No Opera tickets either." "The idea of that brass band." "The Opera!" "Look, it's turning over." "Amy, it's turning over." "Is that marvelous?" "I sure can't believe it." "It plays twelve records without stopping." "If you want to play the same record over, just press the little button." "You see?" "[ opera music ]" "Remember that Amy?" "Remember that from the Second Act?" "Turn that thing off Aubrey." "Turn it off?" "No, there's Bing Crosby on the other side." "Turn it off." "I want to talk to you." "Shoot." "While I was shopping this afternoon, I had to get some kitchen pots and pans." "At Charles Brown  Sons, they wouldn't let me have them." "Because we haven't paid for that bridge table and lamp we bought 3 months ago." "Oh gosh, that's right." "I forgot." "Gee, I got to take care of that." "I thought you told me you won them in a raffle the boys in the office got up." "Yeah I did, didn't I." "Well, you told me you wanted a bridge table and a bridge lamp." "And I knew you wouldn't let me buy it, so I told you I won it in a raffle." "It was a good idea too, wasn't it?" "Gee, it brightens up the room." "You look awful pretty there, with your book and everything." "But Aubrey, it wasn't right." "I didn't want a bridge table and bridge lamp until we could afford them." "Oh Amy .. the whole thing doesn't amount to twenty bucks." "Twenty bucks." "You don't seem to realize that is two thirds of your salary." "Well .." "I'm doing the best I can." "I can't help if I don't earn any more." "Oh I know Aubrey .. but you don't seem to realize that .." "Do you want me to answer?" "─ No, I'll go." "Hello .. yes .. this is Mrs Piper." "The record player?" "It's very nice." "I'm sure there must be some mistake." "Well, if Mr Piper said that, he wasn't in earnest." "Yes Mr Jenkins, I understand all that, but it is absolutely impossible." "Please send for it first thing in the morning." "No, there is not a chance in the world." "Look." "Look here." ""First, Satan galloped into the mists in black harness on a milk-white steed."" ""Death rode slowly behind on a .." ─ Say!" "You told me that was an old model, that Jenkins was going to sell next week." "And he didn't have room for it in his store until then." "Well you see I thought .." "─ You said you'd pay him $100 deposit." "No, no." "I didn't promise him that." "No, no." "I just said .. if you liked it .." "I thought that .." "If we liked it, see .." "I thought that maybe we could .." "Maybe we could what?" "You know we haven't got a $100." "Why we haven't got a hundred cents!" "It's not my fault if we haven't got any money." "I turn over every cent I make." "Oh I know that Aubrey." "I'm not picking on you, darling .. but .. well .." "Don't you see?" "─ Amy .. oh Amy .." "Aubrey, if I could make you see what a crime we're committing living this way." "Spending money we haven't got." "Every week getting deeper and deeper in debt." "Well it's not always going to be like that." "Wait and see, just you wait and see." "My turn will come." "Let me get one break." "─ Oh, I know you'll make good Aubrey." "Why can't we wait until our turn comes, until you get your break." "Then we .." "[ door buzzer ]" "I wonder who that could be." "─ Maybe Clara." "She might drop over." "Oh gosh, I hope it is Clara!" "You know, we don't see enough of Clara." "Good old Clara .." "Mr Piper?" "─ I'm Mr Piper." "─ Mr "J. Aubrey Piper"?" "You said it. "J. Aubrey Piper"." "Thank you." "What is it Aubrey?" "─ I don't know." "What is it?" "─ It's nothing at all." "Let me see!" "─ Oh it's nothing." "It's just .." "Why Aubrey, they're attaching your salary." "Why they can't attach my salary." "I'm a married man." "They can only attach half." "Only half .. what is it, Aubrey?" "They won't attach your salary until they've tried all ways way to get it." "It's just for a couple of things." "Maybe I said I paid less for them than I did." "Then of course, I had that florist's bill for all the flowers when we got married." "So, you didn't want to worry me." "Aubrey, you listen to me!" "─ Ah, a speech!" "Now, ladies and gentlemen, it gives me pleasure to introduce the little lady .." "Aubrey, that will do!" "You didn't want to worry me." "Now we've got to get by on half your salary for .." "For how long, Aubrey?" "─ It's just a couple of hundred bucks." "That's about four months, roughly." "And we're head-over-heels in debt as it is." "This can't go on, Aubrey." "Listen Amy, it won't be for long." "I'll strike something big in no time." "Yes, and in the meantime we have to live on your salary." "It's only half of what we thought it was." "Well, the first thing we've got to do, is to give up this apartment." "Well now, that is alright with me." "As a matter of fact, I've felt for a long time that the place is too small." "There is scarcely room to .." "─ We'll move into mother's house." "We'll move over to mother's?" "Oh Amy, you're joking." "I'm not joking." "I'll talk it over with mother first thing in the morning." "We can have my old room." "─ I won't move into that dump." "I'm moving into that dump tomorrow, Aubrey." "And I'm staying there until we've got solid ground beneath us again." "And the first thing I'll do is get my old job back." "Amy, what are you talking about?" "I won't have my wife working for a living." "Gosh." "I guess I can take care of my family." "─ Of course you can, darling, but .." "Now you need a little help." "And I'm going to help." "I won't do it." "I don't want to go to mothers tomorrow alone, Aubrey .. but I will if I have to." "There is no power in the world that can make me spend money that I haven't got." "And you haven't got." "It is dishonest." "If you want to keep on fooling yourself." "If you don't care people think you're a show-off with nothing to back it up." "I do care .. and I'm through living that way." "Oh Aubrey." "Amy." "Amy, can I come in?" "Baby, don't cry." "Please don't cry .. please." "Oh Aubrey .. it was terrible me talking to you like that." "You know that, you see that." "Don't you darling?" "Sure I do." "I'll do anything you say, honest I will." "And Aubrey, you'll see .. honest." "It won't be so hard." "It won't take so long for us to get straightened out." "And then when we do, we'll be able to live on what you make and .." "Then what?" "Well .. you try to remember." "You don't earn .. so very much." "And you're not .." "─ Yeah .." "I know." "I'm not the President of the Railroad." "Is that what you mean?" "And I'm not the big-shot that I try to make people think I am." "Is that it?" "Oh, you are a big-shot." "Not yet, of course." "But .." "─ Listen Amy, listen." "I didn't give in at first because I was ashamed to, see." "But .." "Well .." "I don't want you to think that I don't know you are right, because I do." "But it's all going to be different." "─ Is it really, Aubrey?" "You can bet your life it is .. yes sir." "I'm going to get down to work." "No more going to the office late." "Now, quarter of eight for me every morning." "And I'll quit watching the clock too." "To find out what time I can leave." "I'll make them promote me." "And I'm going to quit talking big until I am big." "Yes sir." "You're going to be so proud of me Amy." "Oh I'm so proud of you now, Aubrey." "Well, we're not going to start next week or next month .. we'll start right now." "What was that for?" "─ Well .." "I suppose you think electric light don't cost money?" "Oh Aubrey!" "Morning Mr Edwards." "─ What time you got, Perry?" "A quarter of eight." "─ Thank you." "Good morning, Piper." "─ Morning." "You may be right, Amy .. it's got me so I don't know where I'm at at all." "You'll see, mother." "You won't know Aubrey." "Oh, you're going to love him." "The proof of the pudding, Amy." "You're going to be the proudest mother and mother-in-law in this town." "I hope so .. if it turns out the way you say Amy, it will be fine." "So .. when he comes home tonight, you'll try to be nice to him, won't you?" "I promise from my heart, Amy." "Your Pa and I will do all we can to make you happy." "But if he .." "Now, there is going to be no more "But if he's .."" "Aren't you going to lunch, Piper?" "No Mr Edwards, it's a waste of time." "Most people eat too much, anyway." "Oh Piper. ─ Yes, sir?" "─ Come here." "You'd better take those Barnabas papers up to The President's office." "Barnabas is coming in this afternoon to sign the contract." "All drawn up and checked." "Ready to sign on the dotted line." "Everything is in order, Mr Edwards." "─ That's fine .. say Piper .." "I always knew you had the right stuff." "I'm glad to see you take advantage of it." "I like your spirit .. keep it up." "─ Thanks." "18th floor." "─ Yes, sir." "A team that won't be beaten, can't be beaten." "If you got the right stuff in you boy, it's bound to come out. ─ 18th Floor." "I beg your pardon." "─ Yes?" "I'm looking for The President's office." "─ Oh Mr Preston?" "Fine, I'm going there." "Oh, do you have an appointment with Mr Preston?" "I sure have, but I don't know that he's going to be so glad to see me." "I don't know that I want to do business his way." "Come now!" "After all, when you say his way you mean the Mid-Atlantic way." "There's nothing wrong with the Mid-Atlantic way of doing business." "There hasn't been for 60 years." "─ I don't mean .." "When you cast a slur on Mid-Atlantic, you cast a slur on Mr Preston personally." "And 18,000 loyal employees." "Oh come, let's talk this thing over man-to-man." "We can step right in here." "I'm sure I can show you you've made a little mistake." "My name is Piper .." "J. Aubrey Piper." "I'm sure I can straighten out your difficulty with the Railroad." "I'm sure you can." "My name is Barnabas." "─ Oh Mr Barnabas?" "I know all about you." "It's about that land?" "─ The land .. yes, it sure is." "Now, there's the situation in a nutshell." "You feel that the Railroad should buy 1000 acres instead of the 100 it wants." "Because you feel that the 900 acres will be valueless when the 100 acres are gone." "But on the other hand, you must realize the Railroad's position." "You see, all we really want is the 100 acres." "Right?" "Right." "Now, I'll make a little suggestion." "He came into the building alright." "He spoke to one of the staffers." "I found the elevator man who carried him up." "He headed for this office alright." "Well, where is he?" "You'll never regret it Mr Barnabas." "I beg your pardon." "Are you Mr Barnabas?" "─ That's right." "Well Mr Preston is waiting for you." "We wondered what became of you." "Mr Preston will be very glad of the delay when I tell him what it was about." "Eh Mr Piper?" "Well goodbye Mr Barnabas." "I'll see you again sometime." "Why .. aren't you?" "─ No, no." "I have other things to do." "I came up to bring these for Mr Preston to sign." "Will you see he gets these." "Goodbye again, Mr Barnabas." "─ Goodbye Mr Piper." "Goodbye sir." "Come on, come on." "Fourteenth floor." "Fourteenth floor." "Mr Edwards wants to see you." "─ Oh thanks, son." "Piper .. the President's office just telephoned." "Mr Preston wants to see you right away." "You haven't got yourself into a jam again, I hope." "No sir, no more jams for J. Aubrey Piper." "Going up." "─ 18th floor." "Let me tell you something young man." "There's a tide in the affairs of man, which taken at the flood leads to fortune." "18th floor." "Why Mr Preston, it was nothing at all." "Nothing at all, really." "Well .." "Mr Preston, anybody would have done the same thing in my case." "Almost anybody would have done the same thing." "Mr Preston .. one for all and all for one." "That's my motto." "That's got it .. that's got it." "You can go right in, Mr Piper." "Ah .." "Do you know what you have done?" "You have cost this Railroad $30,000." "Mr Preston .." "How dare you butt into things that are not your business." "What right have you?" "Oh, I thought you would be pleased." "─ Oh, you thought I would be pleased." "We have to buy 900 acres of land that is no good to anyone in the whole world." "And you thought we would be pleased." "Well, you get your hat and coat and get out of here!" "Mr Preston .." "I hereby tender you my resignation from this Railroad." "To take effect at your earliest convenience." "Mr Preston, I can see that this Railroad isn't big enough for the two of us." "You know, you're not the kind of man I thought you were at all." "You know what I think you are Mr Preston?" "And I choose my words very carefully." "I think you are an old fogey." "─ Why .." "Come in here, Smith." "Now then .. you get out of here." "Yes sir, an old fogey." "And I repeat it in the presence of your hireling, that you're an old fogey." "Why, you can't see beyond the end of your nose." "Along comes a man like me who tries to get you out of a rut." "And what do you do?" "You denounce him, you scream at him, you send for your bouncer." "Smith .. see that this man gets whatever is coming to him .. and leaves!" "I have had as much patience with this situation as any man can expect to have." "I resign!" "─ You get out of here!" "And Mr Preston, remember." "I bear you no ill-will personally, really I don't ." "You're nothing but a symbol, a symbol, that's all." "The old order, changing." "That's the way of the world, Mr Preston, the way of the world." "Good day to you, sir." "Think it over sir." "When you've made a mistake, don't be afraid to admit it." "Remember this: "To make errors is human, but to forget about them is divine."" "Good day, sir." "I'm sorry Piper, really I am." "You don't have to feel sorry for me." "Preston is the guy I'm sorry for." "There he stood before me, in all his nakedness, just like a hollow shell." "There it is." "I thought I forgot my eraser." "I saw Jim Haggarty this morning." "They're looking for people down at his place." "You know, the insurance firm "Hammogher and Haggarty" at 162 Seventh Avenue." "If you beat it right down there, I think you'll land something. ─ Thanks." "Have them mail my check will you please." "─ Alright." "What was the number on Seventh Avenue?" "─ Here, I'll write it down for you." "And I said to her right out, I said .." "Amy .." "I want you to answer me one thing." "Can a leopard change his spots?" "And she said .. well maybe not a leopard, I didn't know Aubrey." "Oh give him a chance." "─ I'm going to give him a chance." "I promised Amy that we'd be nice to him no matter what he says." "And he's sure to say something." "─ Now .." "Ma .." "Well, no matter what he says or does, we've got to pretend not to notice it." "Good heavens, what happened to you?" "─ Oh, hello." "Hello." "It's beginning to rain outside." "─ The rain didn't do that to you." "Please don't get excited mother." "It was just a mistake by a Traffic Officer." "Don't tell me a Traffic Officer did that to you." "How are you tonight Popsy?" "─ Are you hurt?" "Uhuh .. it's nothing." "─ You look like a bandit." "The very-est trifle I assure you." "Just a little scratch on the windshield." "What was it?" "Some car you borrowed?" "─ Where is it?" "Well, if you must know, the Police have got it. ─ You got arrested too?" "Well, I accompanied the officer to the Station House, yes." "And believe me, I told them a few things about the traffic in this city." "I guess they told you a few things too, didn't they?" "─ Pardon me?" "Never mind, you're welcome." "Oh .. the potatoes .." "Did they fine you, Aubrey?" "Well, they complied with the usual procedure in cases of this kind." "They released the defendant on bail, to see the outcome of the victim's injuries." "Was there somebody injured?" "─ Uhuh." "Nobody but the Traffic Cop who ran into me." "Traffic cop?" "Couldn't you find anybody but a Traffic Cop to run in to?" "Was he much hurt?" "Oh .. he was faking a broken arm when I left." "Why, he ran into me right head-on." "Was he in a car, too?" "─ No, he was jay-walking." "Jay-walking?" "─ Yeah." "Tried to beat me to the kerb after giving me the right-of-way." "Believe me, I told him a thing or two on the way to the hospital." "The hospital?" "How much bail did they put you under, Aubrey?" "─ $1,000." "Who did you get to go a $1,000 for you?" "─ Please, dear mother, don't get excited." "I managed to keep the whole affair right within the family." "What do you mean?" "Your other son-in-law was kind enough to come forward. ─ Frank?" "How'd he happen to get into it?" "─ Well .." "He was fortunate enough to witness the whole affair." "Frank was coming from his business and he was on the trolley-car that ran into me." "Aubrey!" "Aubrey, what happened?" "─ Well, well, well." "The old kid herself." "What happened, Aubrey?" "─ Oh my Amy." "What's happened to your head?" "─ Nothing, take it easy." "Nothing at all." "Are you hurt?" "No, no." "Just a couple of scratches from the windshield." "Just a little shakeup." "He injured a Traffic Officer and ran into a trolley-car." "That's how little it was." "Oh you didn't Aubrey, did you?" "You know better than that." "Your mother's raving." "The man's in the hospital, that's how much I'm raving." "Is your head hurting, darling?" "─ No, just a few little scratches." "Well, come on, let me bathe it for you." "─ Oh Amy." "Come on Aubrey." "─ Oh, now listen .." "Sit over there, Aubrey." "Where is it Aubrey?" "─ It's right up here." "It's just a little scratch, darling." "─ Oh, Aubrey .." "You fuss over a little thing like that." "─ Well, I'll just sponge it off a little." "Where did you get the car, Aubrey?" "It was one of those foreign cars." "I was going along minding my own business." "Aubrey, where did you get the car?" "I had it out on a demonstration." "─ Oh Aubrey." "They won't do anything, will they?" "─ They might try to take away my license." "You haven't got a license, have you?" "─ No." "What time did all this happen?" "─ It was around four o'clock." "Four o'clock?" "Why weren't you at the office?" "At the .. ?" "Oh well see, I meant to tell you Amy, I .." "I resigned today." "You what?" "Yeah, I quit." "But believe me, before I quit .." "Yes, I know .. before you quit, you told them a couple of things." "Yes." "Amy." "Oh Amy." "─ You were fired, weren't you Aubrey?" "Well I guess maybe they were displeased Amy, but I resigned" "Well what happened?" "You talked yourself into something, didn't you?" "What was it?" "I thought I was doing something to help." "Honest Amy I tried my best." "Oh, it doesn't make any difference." "I'm not going on living with you, Aubrey." "─ What?" "I honestly believe maybe it's my fault." "Maybe if not for me, you could make something of yourself." "OH now Amy, how could anything like .." "─ Well, maybe not." "I don't know." "All I do know is that we can't go on this way." "If I live with you another day this way, I'll lose all my respect for you." "You mean, you want to leave me?" "I mean .. that I want you to be a man, Aubrey and you're not." "And until you are, I won't live with you." "Are you on the level with this?" "I'm on the level, Aubrey." "Well, Amy I can change Amy." "I'll change." "I don't know whatever made me do it." "But Amy I'll never .." "─ It's too late Aubrey!" "You've done something to me .." "I don't know what .. but everything has changed." "You mean you don't love me?" "─ I don't know, Aubrey." "All I do know is, that feeling the way I do feel about you now .." "I can't go on living with you." "Well, then it's all over, huh?" "Uhuh." "You think I'd better go .. now?" "I think so, Aubrey." "Hello Amy." "─ Hello Aubrey." "Hello Mrs Fisher." "I was just packing." "─ Yes." "I came to get the rest of my things, too." "I thought you were going to stay here, Aubrey?" "The rent is paid until the end of the week." "Yeah, I thought so too. but .." "But I just can't stay here." "─ Come on Amy." "Amy .." "Joe!" "─ Hello Aubrey." "─ Hello." "You are up early." "─ Yeah, yeah." "How's everything at the house, Joe?" "─ Alright I guess. ─ Good." "How is Amy?" "─ Fine." "How did she sleep?" "─ Alright, I guess." "Did your mother remember about the pillows?" "─ What pillows?" "She can't sleep unless she's got two, you know." "How does she look?" "─ Fine. ─ Good." "Not pale or anything, huh?" "─ No." "Did she eat breakfast alright?" "─ Yes." "Orange juice and oatmeal?" "One egg in three minutes?" "Coffee?" "Say Joe, was she wearing her wedding ring?" "To tell you the truth I didn't notice." "She didn't say anything, did she Joe?" "About anything, about me I mean." "She said she didn't want anybody to talk about you and her." "Yeah, I guess she hates me, huh?" "I wouldn't blame her if she did." "I wish I could help Aubrey." "Say, if a little dough would help you out .." "No thanks, Joe." "What are you going to do, Aubrey?" "─ I'm going to try to get a job." "That's the spirit." "Well, here's my car .. good luck to you." "─ Thanks Joe, thanks." "Hold it .. that's enough." "That's all for today .. no more men will be taken on until further notice." "Aubrey .." "I thought it was you." "How have you been, Aubrey?" "─ Oh, alright, alright." "How's Amy?" "Everything okay, Joe?" "─ Yeah." "Yeah, I know it's not very much, but I'm working anyway." "Oh you'll get a break one of these days Aubrey. ─ Sure, sure." "How's the invention, Joe?" "─ Great." "Say, I think I'm going sell it." "Look .." "I got this yesterday." "It's from the biggest firm of lawyers in town." ""Weitzenkorn, Kelly  Lebarsky."" "They're offering me $5,000 for it." "I'm seeing them this afternoon at 2:30." "You mean, you're going to take it?" "─ Of course I'm going to take it." "Why, you must be crazy. $5,000 for an invention that might be worth millions!" "Why, they can't do that to you Joe .." "─ Easy Aubrey, easy .." "Yeah, you're right." "There I go again." "Oh but Joe, no kidding." "You shouldn't let them do that to you. $5,000 .." "$5,000 is a lot of money, Aubrey." "If I get it, I can put in my time on a lot things that I've had on my mind." "You know Aubrey, if a little money would tide you over .." "No." "No thanks very much Joe." "I'll work this out some way myself." "Say, you can give me a cigarette though." "─ Oh sure." "Oh, keep the pack, Aubrey." "─ Thanks Joe." "So long .." "─ So long .." "Very odd that Mr Fisher never mentioned your name in any of our conversations." "He was acting under my instructions." "Never let the enemy know your strength." "And so?" "─ And so, Mr Weitzenkorn, there it is." "Why you have been offering buttons for the greatest invention of the century." "$5,000?" "Why you must be kidding." "It is nearly blasphemous to mention $5,000 in connection with this invention." "Indeed?" "We thought $5,000 was a fair sum for a process that may prove worthless." "Why should you worry if it has value or not?" "I'll guarantee that it has value." "That ought to be enough for anybody." "Now look here, I'm not the kind of a man who is going to beat around the bush." "Unless you're prepared to pay Mr Fisher $100,000 against 50% of the profits .." "We'll just have to consider some of the other offers." "Let me get this right. $100,000 against 50% of the net profit?" "You got it right. $100,000 down against 50% of the net profit." "Signed on the dotted line." "Mr Piper, I bid you good-day." "─ Oh, but I thought .." "Useless to prolong this discussion." "─ You don't want to talk about it at all?" "Exactly what I mean!" "Our interest in Mr Fisher's invention is at an end." "And he has nobody to thank for it but you." "Good day Mr Piper." "Good-day." "[ bell rings ]" "Amy. ─ Yes, mother?" "─ Answer the bell." "Alright." "Why Aubrey. ─ Amy." "─ Come in." "Thanks." "What's happened to you, Aubrey?" "─ I'm alright." "Where is Joe?" "─ You don't look well." "Oh I'm fine." "Where is Joe, Amy?" "─ Joe?" "Yeah, I got to see him about something." "Where is he?" "Do you know?" "He's at work I guess." "No he isn't." "I called his office and he's not there." "Won't be back all afternoon." "Maybe he's gone to see about his invention." "They're going to give him $5,000 for it today you know." "Yeah, I know." "That was what it was about." "Amy, there is something I've got to tell you." "Well come on in Aubrey." "Sit down." "Ma .. ma!" "Here I am." "What's the matter?" "─ I've got something to tell you." "I wonder what is the matter with him." "Oh Amy, I'm the lowest thing in the world." "I'm even lower than that." "What is the matter, Aubrey?" "─ Well .." "You know that $5,000 they were going to give Joe for the invention?" "─ Yes." "Well, they won't give him the $5,000." "They are not going to give him anything." "And it's my fault." "─ What have you got to do with it?" "Well." "Well, I got thinking about the thing today, see." "And I thought that maybe you would .." "that is, I thought that you and I .." "Well." "Well I figured out Amy, that if I could help Joe a little." "Maybe it would make me look a little better, that maybe you would .." "You see what I mean, don't you, Amy?" "─ Go on Aubrey." "Well .." "I went to see his lawyers." "And I told them that I was .." "That Joe wouldn't even think about $5,000." "That he had to have $100,000 down and 50% of the profits or the deal was off." "What did they say?" "They said the deal was off." "I don't know what is the matter with me." "I don't seem able to put my hands to anything without making a mess of it." "But I'm going to quit making a mess of you and your family." "I tell you that." "Where are you going, Aubrey?" "─ I don't know." "Away .." "I know that." "I want you to forget all about me, Amy." "I want you to forget that I ever made you cry or that I hurt your feelings." "But Aubrey .. after all, it wasn't your fault .. you meant it for the best." "Oh sure." "I always mean it for the best." "But it just never works out." "That's all." "If getting down on my knees to ask you to forgive me would help, I would do it." "Honest I would." "In a minute." "But that won't do any good." "I'm just all wrong." "Well, don't take it so hard, Aubrey." "─ It's alright." "I'm not going to be a burden to you any longer." "Goodbye." "Amy .." "Amy!" "He's found out about it." "He'll kill me." "Well, I hope he does." "Amy .. oh hello Aubrey." "─ Yes, Joe?" "Wait until I tell you what's happened." "─ What's happened to what?" "Aubrey, you said I was getting cheated if I took $5,000 for that invention." "Well, Mr Weitzenkorn called me an about an hour ago." "You remember my telling you about Mr Weitzenkorn?" "Some such name as that, yes." "He asked me to come over and meet him in the open." "Said he didn't want to see me in his office. ─ That's funny." "If you think that's funny, wait until I tell you what happened." "He said his people had been thinking things over and had new deal for me:" "$50,000 down and 20% of the profits." "He had a check for $50,000 cash, right there with him. ─ Joe!" "He said I had to take it or leave it .. right there." "He said that was their final offer." "I had to make up my mind then and there, without getting in touch with my manager." "What did you do?" "─ What did I do?" "I took it!" "Joe, I think you could have done better." "─ Oh, Aubrey .." "You know, part of this dough is really yours." "Remember that time you told me you were working on an invention to prevent rust?" "To be applied to the molten metal internally." "Did I tell you that?" "─ You sure did." "You were just forgetting what I told you two weeks before, about my invention." "Only you got it all mixed up and said "internally" instead of "externally"." "The way I was going about it." "It was your getting it mixed up like that, that put me on the right track." "Yes, now that you mention it, I remember having an idea or two on that subject." "Can you imagine that?" "Mr Weitzenkorn not wanting me to talk with my manager." "Why, I haven't even got a manager." "Oh, yes you have Joesy-boy." "Yes you have .." "I'm your manager." "Oh no, Aubrey." "I think I can handle this myself." "There you are." "The confidence of youth!" "How I envy you Joesy." "If you really want to know the truth, Joesy." "I spoke to Mr Weitzenkorn this afternoon." "Believe me, I told him a thing or two." "You didn't!" "─ He did Joe." "He just told me about it." "I see it." "You must have." "Oh Aubrey, I hand it to you." "Oh that's nothing Joesy-boy .. nothing at all." "I just told him that I was the head of the family. ─ What?" "That I was the head of the family." "And if he wanted to do business with you, he must talk to me first." "I told him that I wasn't going to let them take advantage of your youth." "Didn't you get arrested?" "─ Who me?" "Ma." "Aubrey did it all!" "He's the manager Mr Weitzenkorn was talking about." "Aubrey got them to arrange the price." "─ Well I never." "Oh Aubrey, you're wonderful." "Isn't he mother?" "I guess so .." "I just can't understand it, that's all." "Now Mumsy-Wumsy don't let it worry you." "You let the Jersey-kid take care of it." "He'll see you through." "Say, you got a cigarette?" "─ Sure, Aubrey." "What have you been doing Aubrey?" "Nothing much." "Nothing much." "Just waiting around for one or two things to gel." "By the way, is there any mail for me?" "Anything from over at the other place?" "Well, there's some bills Aubrey." "There's something from the Railway Company, but just a circular, I think." "Never mind the bills, just give me the letter from the Railroad Company." "What do you figure on doing, Aubrey?" "─ I don't know." "I really don't know." "Have a look around." "See what develops." "I may take a little flier on the markets." "I think the industrials are a little lower than they should be." "Oh you think so, Aubrey?" "─ Yeah, yeah." "Maybe if you didn't mind, you and I .." "─ Yeah, sure Joe, you bet." "We'll talk that over at the proper time." "─ Here you are, Aubrey." "Well, what do you know about that?" "─ About what, Aubrey?" "A letter from J. B. Preston." "J.B. himself." "Are they going to prosecute you?" "─ Prosecute?" "Wait until you hear this." "My dear Mr Piper." ""It is evident to me now, that at your birth .."" ""A special God was detailed to watch over you."" ""Thus you will be interested to learn that the 900 acres of land .."" ""You so stupidly and ignorantly bought for the company .."" ""Are the only 900 acres in that county fit for intensive tobacco cultivation."" ""That the state has decided to so heavily subsidize."" ""We could if we wish sell the land today for five times what we paid for it."" ""And as you phrased it, dear Mr Piper, what this Railroad needs is vision."" "That's just the first paragraph." "You mean, there's more?" "─ Plenty." ""It scarcely seems likely that we could tempt you with any job short of my own."" ""I beg your indulgence, I am anxious to keep that job a few more years myself."" ""If, however any lesser position should tempt you .."" ""I inform you that we would be willing kill the fatted calf on notice from you."" "That is the second paragraph." ""You will never know how hard it was for me to write this letter."" ""Trusting that someday, in a moment of weakness, you will tell me your secret."" ""I beg to remain sincerely yours .." "J.B. Preston."" "Then he's got "J.B." in parenthesis." "I'm going right out to telephone Pa." "─ Oh Aubrey, too wonderful." "That's nothing, that's nothing." "I knew that old J.B. would come around in time." "Just a question of time." "He's too big a man not to give in when he knows he's licked." "The idea of a crazy man like him running a railroad .." "let me see that letter." "I can't believe it." "─ There it is, in black and white." "Mrs Piper, do you know what I want you to do tomorrow, huh?" "I want you to go and buy every suit, coat and hat there is in Newark .. yes sir." "It's time for the prettiest girl in town to have clothes that she ought to have." "With all that money .." "It's a sure thing Aubrey will be going from one room to room in a Rolls Royce." "Darling, while you're about it, look for a little house for us to live in." "Aubrey, I thought we could stay with mother until you.." "That's awful nice of your mother, but I don't think we need bother her any more." "You know Preston lives out on Long Island." "They say it's nice out there." "Maybe you can find a little place for us out there?" "I don't mean too little." "Enough ground where I can play a little tennis." "Aubrey!" "Well, maybe we could let the tennis go for a while, huh?" "All I can say is, heaven help me from now on." "Aubrey, I think you're wonderful." "─ Oh, that's nothing." "This is just the start." "You know I wouldn't be at all surprised if, with Preston's help .." "Within ten years we control every railroad in the country." "To say nothing of Europe, Asia and Africa." "You can't tell what will happen." "Just as long as you love me." "For ever and ever and ever." "Without Europe, Asia and Africa." "Just with you." "t-g"