"You need a hand, Mr. Newell?" "A head, Dr. Coburn." "I have finals tomorrow." "You should have called in" "And asked for a substitute." "I thought of that all the way over here." "Is it quiet up there?" "Listen, I'd like to steal an evening and spend it with my son." "Will you be all right alone?" "Let's see." "I left a number with Marion," "But if you don't have to call..." "You have a good time." "Four." "Hi." "Hi." "Six." "Eight." "Ten." "Ten enough?" "Twelve." "And 12." "I wrote a number down for Dr. Coburn." "It's right by the phone." "Anything?" "Not a creature stirring." "Let me know how you like the coffee." "It's a new brand." "Good night." "Good night." "Crisis Clinic." "Newell speaking." "Newell, huh?" "What have you got against barbers?" "It depends on the haircut." "Well, I'm a barber." "Your name, please." "Rudy." "Rudy Leachman." "Your age, please, Mr. Leachman." "Ah, come on." "What's age got to do with it?" "I bet you're one of those guys who think barbers got pension plans." "Would you hold the phone a moment please?" "Mac, where you going?" "There are some things you ought to learn about barbers." "Crisis Clinic." "Newell speaking." "I have to talk to somebody." "You know, there are 11,000 barbers in this country?" "Hold the phone a moment, please." "Well, I'm one of the best." "Cutting hair is an art." "Sir..." "That's right." "I said an art." "I suppose you think barbers never shut up." "Well, it's a two-way street." "I'm going to have to call you back." "I've got somebody on the other line." "Would you please give me a number?" "You ought to hear the things people say." "They ought to be ashamed." "Hold the phone a minute." "Wait a minute." "I stood next to my chair listening..." "I'm here now." "You can talk to me if you like." "What did you say your name was?" "Newell." "N-E-W-E-L-L." "Alan Newell." "May I ask who's calling, please?" "Does it make any difference?" "You know my name." "Why shouldn't I know yours?" "Now, what do I call you?" "Please?" "Stupid." "Not you." "Me." "Just call me stupid." "Why, miss?" "Missus." "I planned everything except the car keys." "What if they don't find them?" "It's a brand-new car." "Maybe there's something I can do about that." "I could mail them, I suppose," "But I don't have a stamp," "And I can't go out now, even if I did." "I want Mark to have them." "How old are you?" "I'm just trying to get a picture." "You know, it makes it easier if I can kind of see the person." "I'm 30." "An old 30." "Look, miss..." "Missus." "Why can't we be sociable," "And I call you missus but Mrs. What?" "Ah, you're well trained, aren't you?" "I beg your pardon?" "Talking to disturbed people." "Are you disturbed?" "Why don't you say something, mac?" "Not anymore." "That's good." "Very simple cure, Mr. Newell." "Just hold out one hand and pour yourself the right kind of pills," "Then open your mouth and swallow." "Hey, speak, will you?" "Ain't you got no point of view?" "Do I understand that you're" "Thinking of taking barbiturates?" "You do not understand me." "Well, I'm glad of that." "I am not thinking of taking barbiturates." "I have taken barbiturates." "I am checking out, Mr. Newell." "Except for these damn keys." "I don't know what to do about them." "I could have them picked up." "Good night, Mr. Newell." "I mean, goodbye." "No." "Oh?" "I want to talk to you." "I mean, I need to talk to you." "Didn't you need to talk to somebody just a moment ago?" "Well?" "Now I need to talk to somebody." "What kind of psychology is that?" "I'm not a psychiatrist, lady." "I'm a student at the U." "I come up here one night a week." "I sit by the phone, when the phone rings, I answer it." "I'm a volunteer." "I got another reason..." "You understand that, lady?" "You understand the irony of that?" "On the most important night of your life," "When you need somebody who really knows," "You had to pick me?" "How I cut their husbands' hair." "Ma'am?" "Ma'am?" "I heard you, Mr. Newell." "I need a cup of coffee." "The pot is just over there" "On the other side of the room." "But if I go get it, will you..." "Will you stay on the line?" "Will you promise me?" "Just please promise to stay on the line" "Till I get a cup of coffee." "I might." "I might not." "Just hold on one second," "And I'll get some coffee." "Ain't you got no point of view?" "Come on, speak, will you?" "Mac, are you still there?" "Look, mister, I've got an emergency on our other line." "Please give me your number." "Forget it, mac." "Operator." "May I help you?" "This is Alan Newell." "Crisis Clinic." "Got a woman on our other line." "Maine 2-1454." "One moment, please." "Yes?" "All right." "Go ahead, sir." "Got a woman on our other line." "She's taken pills." "I need an emergency trace." "Would you hold the line a minute, sir?" "I can't." "I'll lose her." "How long will it take?" "Sir, that depends on where the call's originating." "Get a hold of a Dr. Joe Coburn." "Mutual 2-4530." "This is Operator 43, Unit 3." "Emergency." "I need a trace incoming to the Crisis Clinic at Maine 2-1454." "Maine 2-1454." "Make it as fast as I can." "Hello." "How's the coffee?" "Marion, she's the secretary here," "She makes the hairiest coffee in the world." "You sound nervous." "It comes through, huh?" "What the hell are you nervous about?" "Because I don't know what to say to you." "I mean, up here they give us lectures" "On how to handle people in trouble." "We're supposed to gain their confidence." "They call it rapport." "It's just words." "Look, lady," "You sure you wouldn't just..." "Just tell me where you are?" "Your voice has a nice ring to it, Mr. Newell." "Thank you again." "Goodbye." "Wait a minute." "Please." "Yes?" "Why?" "Why did you pick today?" "What went wrong?" "Isn't that funny?" "Nothing, really." "I just didn't have anything to do." "What?" "My boss didn't come back." "I didn't know that." "I didn't know that, though," "Until I got to work this morning." "Good morning." "Good morning." "Mail." "Oh, thank you, Tom." "Mr. Hampton's office." "Mr. Hampton for you, Inga." "Go ahead, sir." "Hello, Inga?" "Hello, Mr. Hampton." "Inga, I won't be coming in today." "The skiing's great, so we've decided to stay." "Call Mrs. Hampton's mother." "Tell her we'll make that dinner next week." "Tell her the kids are having a ball." "Everything okay?" "Yes." "Remember that squeak in your chair?" "Well, I worked it out." "I did it myself." "Great." "You're sure now there's nothing important?" "No." "Everything's fine." "The ski bus is outside, so..." "Yes." "See you tomorrow." "Hi, Jinny." "Oh, hi, Inga." "When can we have lunch?" "Oh, you remember Marvin?" "He just called." "We're going to have lunch at the Windjammer." "He just bought a new 30-foot sailboat." "You don't mind, huh?" "Good morning." "Price and Hampton." "He's not in." "I expect him back at 3:00." "May I help you?" "Just a moment, please." "So I spent the morning labeling keys." "I have excellent handwriting, you know." "I even won an award for penmanship in secretarial school." "Now, look, are you trying to tell me" "That just because your boss didn't show up this morning" "You decided to kill yourself?" "You don't understand." "Well, I'm trying!" "It had nothing to do with him." "I just wanted to keep busy" "So I wouldn't have to think." "About what, Inga?" "Who told you my name?" "You did, just now," "When you were telling me about you and Jinny." "You're trying to figure out where I am?" "From the name Inga?" "I shouldn't have told you about the office." "You might try and trace me." "What do I know about tracing?" "I'm not trying to trick you." "How do I know that?" "You'll just have to trust me." "Inga?" "What?" "What time did you take the pills?" "Why do you care?" "Never mind why." "I care." "But why?" "What kind of question is that?" "A perfectly valid question." "Why should you?" "Why shouldn't I?" "See?" "You don't know why." "Okay, okay, I don't know why." "Does everything have to have a reason?" "How about what you're doing?" "I mean, I ask you why." "Eh?" "What do you tell me?" "Your boss got hung up skiing." "Well, lady, that's one hell of a good reason to kill yourself!" "Okay, okay." "Stop hollering." "You're hurting my ears." "Where is that man?" "An emergency trace." "Maine 2-1454." "The call's coming through the Jackson Switching Station" "Out by the airport." "We'll have to send a man out there to complete the trace." "Thank you." "Your busy night?" "Just hold the phone, please." "Crisis Clinic." "Newell speaking." "In tracing your call," "We find it's coming through an outlying switching station." "We're sending a man out to complete the trace." "Then tell him to hurry." "Look, this lady may drop the phone any minute now." "Come on, please." "On your call to a Dr. Coburn," "Mutual 2-4530 is busy." "We'll keep trying." "Get a police car out there" "And tell him I need him." "Hurry!" "I'm sorry." "Where were we?" "Who was that?" "A drunken barber." "We get a few like that." "And not all barbers." "Why were you so brief with him?" "Well, when I say drunk, I mean, he was..." "You're not brief with me." "Why, you're not a drunken barber." "But you do disapprove of what I'm doing, right?" "Look, I'm not going to judge you, Inga." "I can't." "I only got three rules." "I never play cards with a guy named Doc," "I never eat in a place called Mom's," "And I never let them know when they got me scared." "I wish I'd met you under different circumstances." "Let's make the circumstances." "Just tell me where you are," "And I'll jump in my car, and I'll be right over there." "Okay." "Okay, Inga." "It bothers me." "The idea of your dying bothers me greatly." "You're silly." "Don't let it." "Aren't you afraid?" "Not at all." "I feel wonderful." "I recommend it." "What kind of pills did you take, Inga?" "Think I'm going to tell you?" "I already took them." "It's done." "There's nothing more to talk about." "At least give me a reason." "Help me to understand." "What went wrong, and I don't mean this morning!" "I don't even know you." "Maybe it's better." "Maybe it's easier." "Hi, Ma." "Hi, honey." "Want to help?" "I'm going to watch Captain Jupiter with Pete." "It'll be on in five minutes." "Okay." "I'll call you for dinner." "Hi, Mrs. Dyson." "Hi, Pete." "Mark?" "Honey!" "Shall I make us a drink?" "Where are you?" "Mark." "Are you all right?" "Get away." "What is it?" "It's a check for $263" "From a lawyer in Portland." "What does a lawyer in Portland have to do..." "Where's Chris?" "He's outside." "Why?" "The check is for him." "His father remembered him." "Do you remember his father?" "He remembered Chris to the tune of $263." "Oh, my God." "Oh..." "Mark..." "It happened before we were married." "I mean, I..." "I was 18." "Mark..." "I love you." "He's not my son." "Christopher is not my son." "Oh, my God." "Premature birth." "12 years you knew," "And all this time" "You let me call him son." "Why?" "I didn't know what else to do." "Why?" "How could you do that?" "Because I saw you together." "He thinks I'm his father." "But you are h..." "Here's his father!" "$263, a name on a will..." "Who was he?" "Nobody." "Who was he?" "Mark, please, he's dead." "What about you?" "Where are you going?" "How can I stay here?" "You married me with another man's baby in you." "Mark, please, don't throw away 12 years." "What are you going to tell that boy now?" "Tell me what to do." "A person owes things, the truth." "A person doesn't just put a thing like this aside." "A person owes the truth!" "I'll do anything." "Please..." "That's not fair." "That boy's not..." "Get out of my way!" "Don't leave me alone." "Hey!" "Hey, lady!" "No more medication." "15-minute rounds." "Yes, Doctor." "Her husband's outside." "I'll get him." "How was your walk?" "I went to the church." "Did you inform the congregation?" "What are you trying to do?" "It's very obvious, isn't it?" "I came here to talk to you." "What do you want to talk about?" "My lying?" "My cheating?" "Or should I apologize for not dying tonight?" "Mark." "Don't go." "Please." "It's not like visiting a sick friend, is it?" "Hey, Mark." "What are we going to do?" "Doctor says you got to stay here a few days." "You know what I mean." "Oh..." "I'm sorry you got gypped." "How many other things about you don't I know?" "Ohh..." "Wow." "What am I supposed to do now, forget about it?" "Or bring flowers." "Yes?" "Maybe?" "Maybe in time," "A man could forget." "Hmm?" "Nobody else has to know about it." "Chris doesn't know." "That counts, doesn't it?" "Maybe we could just go home" "And start all over again." "Hmm?" "What the hell kind of rules do you go by?" "Do you think not getting caught in a lie" "Is the same as telling the truth?" "Ohh." "Oh, Mark." "I don't know how to help." "Oh." "Gee." "Look at this." "I've made myself cry." "Well." "Inga?" "Inga?" "I just had to blow my nose." "Tell me where you are." "Why are you so kind?" "It's not natural, you know." "I'm not kind." "Then how come you sit by that phone?" "On-the-job research." "I told you, I'm a student." "Three units in applied psychology and a term paper." "That's why I sit by this phone!" "Hey, you going to write about me," "The nutty broad who killed herself?" "Hello." "Hold on." "It's for you, Art." "Yeah." "Yes, Mr. Turow, this is Foss." "Yes, sir, but..." "Well, from where I am to the Jackson Station," "It's a good 20 minutes' drive." "Jimmy Rouse lives just a couple blocks from the station." "He's about as fast on step equipment as..." "He's not home." "Yes, sir." "Right away, sir." "Look, honey," "The boss wants me to go out on an emergency trace." "I'll be just a little while." "Tommy will take you home." "I'll tell her to print it in her newspaper, that's what I'll do." "Inga, what's that racket?" "What are you doing?" "I turned on TV." "Would you say that's significant," "That the last thing I'll ever hear is a laugh track?" "Who are the people who do all the laughing?" "Age 30." "Yeah, this one is for real, Dr. Coburn, and she's full of pills." "I'm getting nowhere." "I need help." "Previous attempt, Golden Gardens Beach." "They would have taken her to King's County Hospital." "Alan." "Dr. Coburn, please." "She asked you a question." "Alan." "I don't know, Inga." "I guess it's a job." "Yes, to who am I speaking, please?" "Sergeant Ward, this is Joe Coburn at the Crisis Clinic." "Yes, the phone company told you of our problem?" "I wonder how much they get paid for laughing?" "Yes, would you check your records, please." "Anything on a suicide attempt, Golden Gardens Beach?" "Woman age 30." "First name Inga." "Married name unknown." "Husband's first name Mark." "Mark." "I thank you, Sergeant." "You know," "Some of those people died since they recorded those laughs," "But they go right on laughing." "Right?" "To tell you the truth, I've never given it much thought." "Mmm..." "Me, neither." "The worst thing we could do at this point is bring in a new voice." "My voice." "You want to kill her?" "You want that on my conscience?" "This calls for a psychiatrist." "Not me." "You must be doing something right." "You've held onto her since 7:46." "If I speak to her on this phone, she'll hang right up." "Don't be afraid to talk about her dying." "Right now her capacity for dying" "Is a hell of a lot bigger than our capacity for letting her." "That's it." "You're the doctor." "The time is 8:00 p.m. This is KOB 385, KOI 362." "Seattle police." "1-2-7." "Hold the line, please." "128." "1-2-8." "1-2-9." "129 clear." "Would like to have a copy at..." "Okay, 1-2-9." "We have a suspicious black Ford without a license plate." "Yeah, I think I saw that one earlier." "I believe the license was Adam-Frank-Mary 801." "Will you get me a make on that?" "Adam-Frank-Mary 801." "Pellegrini." "Put Peters on this." "He's just coming on duty." "Use red light and siren." "315, are you clear from that vandalism call?" "315 to radio." "Come in, 315." "Yes, the little boy, the tricycle, and the mother" "Are all reunited." "All is well." "Received, 315." "You're clear." "Sergeant says red light and siren." "Right away." "324 clear." "What's holding up that phone trace?" "We got the exchange in three minutes flat," "But the call came from an outlying station," "Jackson 9." "A man's going out now to check it out." "322." "We'll be out of the car a minute." "It'll take an hour to get an answer from Olympia on the car license." "Harry, you mind if I mess around a little?" "That's a patrol emergency." "It's out of your jurisdiction." "Give me Maine 2-1454." "I just went off duty." "I can cruise around the Jackson area." "And if Peters gets a make on the car, who knows?" "Hi." "Go ahead." "Which way?" "Directly in back of you." "What's with him?" "All of a sudden, he's a volunteer." "I don't know." "He's fighting with his old lady again." "He hates to go home." "Yeah." "Dr. Coburn, Sergeant Ward." "Your woman's name is Inga Dyson." "I've got a man on the way out there now." "Thank you, Sergeant." "I'm not going to be able to tell much" "With that racket going on." "See if you can get her to turn off the television set." "Let me have her respiration when you get something." "Inga, can you hear me through that noise?" "Yes." "Is there a remote control on that TV set?" "Yes." "It's getting harder and harder to hear you." "Would you mind turning it off?" "Hello, this is Dr. Coburn at the Crisis Clinic." "Would you please check your admittance file on Mrs. Inga Dyson?" "Suicide, approximately 15th May." "That's better." "I'd like to know the name of the doctor, please." "Inga, what was that?" "What?" "Did I just hear a plane?" "Come on, Alan." "Why can't I reach you?" "Hey, don't be upset." "You did fine." "I want it this way." "I just can't imagine it, though." "My own death, I mean." "Here I am, feeling numb," "Things getting dark." "And I'm not scared." "That's foolish." "Inga, you are running out of time." "Now, you can't be that certain" "That this is what you want." "Aw, don't sermonize, Alan, please." "That won't help." "It never does." "Mark thought it would, too." "You know where he took me" "Just two days after they let me out of the hospital?" "To church." "I sat there like a bad little girl" "Who had just been spanked." "With my son and my husband." "We were the picture of togetherness." "Trust in the Lord with all your heart." "And do not rely upon your own insight." "In all your ways, acknowledge him," "And he will make straight your paths." "It is inviting shipwreck for life and soul" "If we try to be a ship" "Without a pilot." "For Christ is our pilot ever," "And his words our compass, too." "The church, the open harbor" "To worship him anew." "* Lord of the everlasting hymns" "* Aboard the boundless sea" "* Will last through all the shards of pain" "* To put our trust in Thee" "There's punch and cake inside." "People are asking about you." "Why did you bring me here today?" "What was supposed to happen?" "This is a place of faith." "Of hope." "I brought you here because I thought it would help." "How?" "And which one of us?" "Both of us." "Well, did it?" "Did it help?" "Have you forgiven me, Mark?" "Well, I haven't either." "I haven't forgiven me for... 12 years." "I know how bad it is for you." "But, sweetheart, it's worse for me." "I did it." "Have you any idea how evil I feel?" "How am I going to stop feeling evil?" "Is that some kind of answer?" "You asking me to feel sorry for you?" "It doesn't go that way." "They already passed the collection plate." "The boys are iced up and ready to go." "Bad timing, huh?" "When are you coming back?" "It's a big ocean." "Don't you guys want cake?" "As soon as we get to Cape Addington" "And we fish our limit," "I'll be back." "See you, Inga." "Bye, Dad." "Her respiration's way down." "Half an hour, if that long." "Inga?" "If you don't tell me where you are," "You'll be dead in 30 minutes." "Maybe they're right, the people who believe in another world." "Maybe this isn't the end." "There's always that chance, isn't there?" "It's the end of Inga." "I don't care what anybody believes." "You believe me now, right this minute." "Inga, you are something..." "All your own, just like I am." "Something that's never been on this earth before" "In all these millions of years" "And something that will never be here again." "Well, hooray." "Lady, you are arrogant." "You are..." "What am I doing wasting my..." "You gave her to me." "You can't live with yourself because you made a mistake?" "What the hell gave you the right to expect you wouldn't?" "Oh, boy, I really needed this." "Who the hell are you, Miss America?" "She dances, she smiles, she's nothing." "Well, you got a little messed up." "So, welcome to the club." "Now, listen." "You're her last link with life." "She'll break it right now" "Unless you stop moralizing." "Who's there with you?" "Alan, I heard another voice." "I don't know what you heard, Inga," "But we are alone." "Hey, gee." "You know what we just had?" "Our first fight." "Good evening." "Is Mrs. Dyson home?" "No." "Would you step outside a moment, please?" "Chris, you go back and watch TV." "Any idea where she is?" "She called about 5:00," "Asked me to stay with Chris tonight." "Said she might drive down to Portland." "Why?" "Mr. Dyson, where do we find him?" "Oh, he's gone." "Where?" "Hecate Strait." "He left this afternoon." "He's probably all the way past Victoria by now." "He's a fisherman." "Skipper on the Provider II." "And he'll be gone two, three weeks, depending, you know." "Where does Mrs. Dyson work?" "Price and Hampton." "That's the contracting firm on Jefford." "What happened?" "Did she leave a note anywhere around the house" "Before she went to work this morning?" "What kind of a note?" "Suicide." "Oh, no." "What kind of a car does she drive, ma'am?" "All cars stand by." "All cars." "Request to locate a Buick station wagon," "Light tan, 1964," "With a plastic sunflower on the aerial." "Repeat." "Buick station wagon," "Light tan, 1964," "Plastic sunflower on the aerial." "This vehicle may have been used" "To transport a missing woman," "Mrs. Inga Dyson of 142170th Northwest." "This woman is presently at an unknown address" "Where she has ingested an overdose of sleeping pills." "This is a request to locate." "Pellegrini, call the Coast Guard." "Request emergency pickup on Mark Dyson." "Left Ballard this afternoon on Provider II." "He should be off the north tip of Whidbey Island by now." "Yes, sir." "Mick, get Peters over to that contractor's office." "She may be calling from there." "Already done." "Line's busy." "Down to 12." "Her respiration is down to 12." "20 to 22 is normal." "Your respiration is down to 12, Inga." "Oh, good." "20 to 22 is good." "12 is not good." "Not good for you." "Great for me." "You keep trying to make a contest out of this." "Cross my heart and hope to die," "I mustn't tell Alan where I am" "Because that would be losing the game." "You better lose this game, Inga." "Don't you ever get tired saying the same things over and over?" "What do you want me to do?" "Say, "Okay, kid, if you want to get out of it, go ahead?"" ""I'll sit here and keep you company like a slob while you die"?" "Can't you just have your coffee and be sweet?" "I can't." "Don't you understand?" "I can't just give up like that." "Why?" "What stops you?" "You." "Me?" "It seems I care what happens to you, Inga." "Oh, Alan, you're a very nice man." "Nice." "This is no time for nice." "Nice is for Saturday night," "And I'm not your date." "No, you aren't, are you?" "What if you were, though, Alan?" "Would things have been different?" "Would you have been able to forgive me?" "Mark almost did." "Just yesterday." "He almost forgave me." "I kept remembering that look on his face in the church" "When he left me." "I was afraid when he came back," "It would still be there." "I tried." "God, how I tried to make it go well." "I bought the softest, whitest outfit I could find," "Little gloves and all." "I spent an hour making sure" "My eye make-up was just right" "Before I went to the pier." "Mark tried, too." "We even managed to have a little fun the way we used to." "Alan, we came so close." "Hey!" "Is it still a big ocean?" "The biggest." "Was it Pacific?" "Yeah, I'd call it the Pacific Ocean." "Chris says welcome home." "How is he?" "He's lonely." "I hope you didn't go and fix a big spread." "I did." "Wine and candles." "I have a new recipe for candles." "I thought we'd do the town with Charlie and Edna." "Charlie said there's a new one of those places just opened up." "Charlie, what's that place with the..." "Oh, the Go-Go House." "Yeah." "What is it?" "A what?" "A discotheque." "Discotheque." "We'll pick up Edna on the way." "Am I dressed for it?" "Charlie, is she dressed for it?" "Oh, wow!" "I don't believe this." "I believe it." "Believe it." "These two come here all the time." "It's great for the circulation." "Oh, dear." "What's he doing?" "What's he doing?" "He wants you to dance with him." "Get out there." "Oh, no!" "No." "Come on, Inga, let's do it." "Get out of here." "I can't..." "One time." "No." "Come on!" "Yeah, come on, try it." "No, I can't." "You're chicken." "Come on, Edna." "Really?" "You didn't really want to come home tonight, did you?" "The funny thing is, I did." "I'm sorry, Inga." "I'm sorry." "Look, Doctor, don't you want your story told?" "We'll rush the film back, catch the 10:00 time slot." "She may be dead before your 10:00 time slot." "Just let us set up right over there." "I want to take a few shots with her on the phone." "The camera won't make any noise, honest." "Please." "Wiggle your toes." "Go on." "Wiggle them." "They don't wiggle." "You bet they don't." "Can you move your legs?" "They feel like anchors." "Just think, no more bresfiss dishes." "No more "breakfasts."" "That's you, isn't it, Alan?" "You stay in there, don't you?" "You just keep punching." "Sometimes I give up." "What now?" "You want to hear a joke?" "Yes." "Tell me where you're calling from, Inga." "Nah, no." "A good one, really." "There's this drunk, see." "And he's staring at an ugly lady on a streetcar." "He's staring and he's staring." "She's trying to ignore him, see." "Finally, he says," ""Lady, you're the ugliest lady I have ever seen in my life."" "And she turns to him and says," ""And you are the drunkest man I have ever seen in my life."" "And the drunk says, "Yeah, but, lady,"" ""In the morning, I'll be all right."" "You're not laughing." "It's not funny." "Alan..." "Yep." "Laugh for me." "You must be kidding." "No, I'm not." "I want to hear you laugh." "Uh, come on now, Inga." "Please." "Please." "Laugh for me." "Stop it, Alan!" "Stop it!" "Okay." "Now you are going to have to help me out" "Because I'm stuck." "Where's Price and Hampton?" "Third floor." "Anyone else here?" "Just the janitor." "Anything wrong?" "Any possibility a Miss Inga Dyson could still be here?" "Everybody leaves at 5:00." "Who's using it?" "We keep a line open to the board room." "It's down the hall." "Yeah, honey, they're having a big meeting" "In here tomorrow." "Ridley to radio." "Radio." "Al?" "Art." "I just got here." "I borrowed a bike, and I ran out of gas." "Yeah." "Bay 201," "Repeater 176." "All right." "I'll call you right back at the test port." "Look..." "I'm losing her, right here in plain sight of everybody." "With all the experts, surrounded by experts, I'm losing her!" "Alan?" "What time is it?" "It's 8:21." "Checkout time, 8:40, right?" "That's just a guess." "21 from 40." "It could hit you any second, too." "It could come up behind you" "And grab you right in the middle of a sentence." "Oh, wouldn't that be a laugh" "If I ended a sentence with a preposition" "And didn't have time to correct myself?" "Very funny." "Oh, aren't we grim." "This is not my happy night." "Look, I don't just come and go with people, you know." "I don't have many friends," "And when I lose one, I feel rotten." "Yeah, but just think." "Tomorrow morning on campus," "You'll be a celebrity." "You can tell them all about this stupid..." "About the what?" "About the unlocated overdose I talked to" "For a little while tonight?" "You know, that's what the police will call you tomorrow." "You will be on the blotter." ""Unlocated overdose."" "That's all." "No history to it, no love, no beauty," "Nothing about how sad you are, what you want," "What you're doing it for." "No name, Inga." "Unknown and turning cold." "So tell them what?" "That I let you go," "That we talked, and I let you slip through my fingers?" "Maybe I can make it up to you." "A few simple words, "Come and get me, Alan."" "Maybe you could use me as a lesson." "Look, Inga." "And please get this straight." "I'm up to my ears in lessons." "I've been taught, long before I picked up this phone tonight." "I've been taught." "So lessons, I don't need." "Understand?" "Good people, I do." "You've watched the walls close in on you." "Me, too." "You've been ignored or studied" "Out of the corners of people's eyes." "Me, too." "You've been suffered and tolerated." "Me, too." "Okay?" "Times are bad." "Things stink." "The world's a cinder in your eye," "But what is the alternative?" "Now, I ask you, Inga, what in God's name is the alternative?" "Every time I breathe, every breath I take, every gulp," "It's like it's got bubbles in it." "It's heady." "Why can't you reach out and hang on to me" "And feel what I feel?" "Why can't you come into my world?" "Oh, God..." "Where were you today, Alan?" "This morning, when I left the office," "After my boss called." "The poor bird can't fly." "Is he hurt?" "I don't know." "I'm afraid to find out." "Well..." "He seems to be all right as far as I can tell." "He has a white eye." "Oh, that's just his eyelid." "I wouldn't touch him if I were you," "Because you could catch something." "I tell you what." "You stay here and take care of him," "And I'll go get something, okay?" "Okay." "I'd like some brandy, please." "Any particular brand?" "Well, I know you're gonna think this is ridiculous," "But it's for a bird." "What's ridiculous?" "Well, he's a very sick bird." "Okay, we got brandy for all kinds of birds." "We got brandy for, uh, hoarse canaries." "We got brandy for tired sea gulls." "We've even got..." "I think a pint would be enough." "Lady, even for an eagle, this is too much brandy." "I'll take just the pint, please." "Okay. $2.50." "You don't care if something dies?" "Ohh!" "Chris!" "Chris!" "Chris!" "Hi." "How come you're not at work?" "Oh, I just took off." "I brought you some cold fruit." "Okay." "Uh, what do you do around here every day?" "Nothing, just mess around." "I like to look for boats from other places." "You see any?" "A couple." "Something wrong?" "No." "Hey, come on, Chris!" "Where you going?" "We've got a game, Ma." "Oh." "Hey, Chris!" "For the road?" "No, thanks." "Oops!" "Would..." "Would you take this home for me?" "Sure." "Ma, you want to come watch the game?" "I can't." "What?" "See you later." "Okay, Inga, he gave you the boat." "Then what did you do?" "Where did you go?" "Inga, can you hear me?" "The water's full of coins." "What?" "Are you near the water, Inga?" "For every coin, someone made a wish." "For every wish, I wonder." "Listen to me, Inga..." "There just wasn't anywhere to go." "I even tried to get arrested," "But everyone looked the other way." "Oh." "Is this where I was before?" "What hospital is this?" "Well, what hospital were you looking for?" "Does a Dr. Van work here?" "Dr. Alden Van?" "Yes." "He left last week." "I believe he was transferred to Los Angeles." "Would you like to see the resident on duty?" "Yes." "Please." "Dr. Morris, please." "Uh, he's eating dinner." "Oh." "Do you want to sign in?" "Look, I just want to talk to somebody." "Well, can't it wait a few minutes?" "No." "Would you ask Dr. Morris to come to the desk, please?" "The doctor will be right here." "Hello." "Oh, hello." "What's the problem?" "Oh, listen, I'm sorry I spoiled your dinner," "But, you see, well..." "Well, I think I'm going to pieces." "I have a husband, and I can't seem to reach him." "And my son, well, he's very young," "And he's playing baseball someplace," "And I really have nobody." "Oh, God!" "I know this sounds like it's something" "For a lovelorn column," "But, honestly, I feel very, very strange." "Do you want to commit yourself?" "Well, I don't know." "How long would I have to stay?" "I can't tell you that." "It could be two days or two months." "Oh, no, I couldn't possibly be away that long." "Anyway, I don't want to be around crazy people." "I just want somebody to talk to." "Well, maybe I can suggest..." "Dr. Morris, you're wanted on the line." "Hold it for just a minute." "Maybe I can suggest somebody for you to see." "No!" "No, no, no!" "You don't understand." "I need somebody now." "I'm terribly sorry, but, you see, there's nothing I can do" "Unless you sign in." "But, gee, I just want somebody to talk to." "I tell you what, I'll have the nurse draw up admittance papers." "She can admit you if you want, okay?" "But you decide." "Nurse, make out the papers." "I'll be up to see her as soon as she's settled in." "Excuse me." "Listen," "I just want somebody to tell me" "What's happening to me." "Hello, admitting." "How do you spell that last name, please?" "All right." "All right." "It's got to be one of these two switches." "At least two gross, wing-collar model." "Going that well, huh?" "Can't keep them in stock." "Let's try this one." "So you decided to show them." "Is that when you took the pills?" "They were hard to swallow." "At first, I didn't think they were going to stay down." "They looked so harmless, Alan," "Like you had the biggest headache in the whole world." "Crisis Clinic, Newell speaking." "I have to talk to somebody." "Inga, talk to me!" "Inga!" "Mmm." "Go ahead, baby." "Go ahead and die." "Let it go." "You never liked it anyway." "Go ahead and kick it!" "If love were enough, I could drag you back." "I could reach through this phone and drag you back," "But it isn't enough." "You're going to have to want to come back" "All by yourself." "Look, I'm dried up." "I'm tapped out." "I'm done!" "So you choose." "You choose right now, or, so help me God, I'll hang up this phone!" "Goodbye, Inga." "No, don't!" "Don't leave me." "Police department." "Hold the line, please." "Sarge, got a request to locate." "They traced the calling number." "Sergeant Ward." "Get me the exact address as quick as you can." "305 toward the airport, Nick." "Shoot Peters and Ingert out there, too, just in case." "And have fire standby to dispatch an "A" truck." "Fire department." "Sea-Tac Airport, overdose of pills." "We'll be there immediately." "All cars, standby." "All cars, on the request to locate Mrs. Inga Dyson," "Her call has been traced to the Hyatt House Motel on Pacific Highway." "Countdown, Inga." "You've got eight minutes at the outside." "Okay." "You sound far away." "I can't hear you, Alan." "What did you say?" "I said I love you, Inga!" "I love you, too, Alan." "Hello?" "If there's such a thing as memory where I'm going..." "Oh, no!" "Then I'm going to remember you." "You're not going anywhere." "You're going to stay right here with the rest of us" "In this lovely, lovely, lovely land of the living." "She's in a motel, 200 rooms." "She's not calling through the switchboard," "And she's not registered." "Impossible." "Well..." "Kick down the doors." "Tear the place apart." "Find her!" "They'll try." "The manager's waiting for them now, but it takes time." "You take that wing." "Hey, everybody's under arrest!" "Oh, excuse me, mac." "Come on!" "Come on, open it up." "I'm going to make an educated guess." "You went to a motel, didn't you?" "Oh..." "Too late." "How did you check in?" "Did you register?" "Inga?" "What name did you use?" "Name?" "What name?" "Yes?" "Last one?" "Right." "Right." "Excuse me." "It's okay." "It's okay." "What..." "What the hell is going on?" "It's okay." "It's okay." "Hello?" "Hang on." "They checked every room with a single registration, nothing." "Did you register in someone else's name as man and wife?" "I don't remember." "Try Mr. And Mrs." "They say it could take another half hour." "Are you on a ground floor?" "No." "Inga, just give me the room number." "Inga!" "Give me the room number." "The room number, please." "It's on the telephone." "Look on the telephone." "Inga, please!" "13." "Ohh." "Inga." "Inga?" "Help me," "Alan." "Please, Inga." "Please." "The room number." "Please, Inga." "Inga." "Mr. Dyson?" "Inga?" "Inga, it's me." "Honey." "Please say something." "Honey," "It's me." "She doesn't answer." "She can't, Mr. Dyson." "Alan." "Hello?" "Are you still there?" "Is anyone on this line?" "Hello?" "Answer me." "This is the police." "Hello?" "Hello." "We've got her." "She's still breathing." "What happens?" "Where will they take her?" "Officer, would you take Mr. Dyson to county?" "The officer will take you to the hospital, Mr. Dyson." "I'll call you as soon as I can." "I'll let you know how she's doing." "I'll make new." "Man, I feel good." "I'll go down to county, see if I can help." "You'll be all right alone." "You want to meet her?" "No." "So long." "Good job." "Thank you." "Two." "Four." "Six." "Eight." "Ten." "And 12."