"You have one new message." "Hello, Mary, this is Harris I'm just reminding you I have a class tonight." "I'll be out at eight." "I'll call you then." "What time is your class?" "Seven." "You come home aftewards?" "I don't know. I may be seeing Mary." "You haven't seen her this week." "No." "No." "She's been busy. I've been busy." "Her mama says she's seeing someone else." "He lives in Raleigh." "They don't like him." "Do they know him?" "No." "Well how do they know they don't like him?" "They like you." "They like her to go steady with you." "You used to go steady." "In high school." "Well, we're not in high school now." "You don't think going to law school at night is too much for you?" "I don't think so, Mama." "I don't want to be a cop for the rest of my life." "A law degree will do you no good if your health is ruined." "I've got to go, Mama." "This house was built in 1923 by my father." "He had built the first of his tobacco warehouses by that time.. ." "buying and selling tobacco." "And early on, he became rich doing it." "My father was his own auctioneer." "And he was known as a superb one." "His idol was James Buchanan Duke." "His ambition was to be as rich as Mister Duke." "When I was born, he wanted he named after Mister Duke's daughter, Doris.. ." "but my mother said no." "Here's a picture of Mister Duke and his daughter, Doris." "And over here is a picture of me and my papa." "Did you ever meet the Dukes?" "No." "My papa did, of course." "And I never got tired of hearing about them." "Especially Doris." "I used to collect every picture and article about her I could find.. ." "Later, when growing and selling tobacco got to be a losing proposition.. ." "everybody including my papa was wiped out." "Except the Dukes." "I asked my papa about that one time and he said, well that's because they're Dukes." "What did he mean by that?" "He meant, I suppose that they were invincible." "Of course they weren't." "Is anybody?" "They told me at the office that you were thinking about selling the house." "Well, that's the right idea, but I go back and forth about it." "It is expensive to keep up, the taxes are high, and it's much too large for one person." "But I've lived here all my life." "And when I think about leaving.. ." "I just can't." "You have the warehouse, too." "That's still in good condition, I'm told." "Yeah, that holds up pretty well." "I've been renting it out, which doesn't make me rich." "But it does pay the taxes." "If you decide to sell your house or warehouse, will you let me know?" "I will. I certainly will." "Councilman Early." "Yes, Mister Mayor." "Anything to report on our downtown project?" "What about those men that bought all those Liggett  Meyers warehouses?" "I'm always hearing about how someday they're going to tear them down.. ." "or turn them into apartment houses or something, and then another year goes by." "We keep in touch with them, but so far.. ." "I drop in on them from time to time and ask if there's any progress." "And what do they say?" "That you can't rush a project as big as this." "But ten years?" "It's almost been ten years, hasn't it?" "More than that." "And now this economy?" "How to get people to move back into the city is the problem." "There are no stores left so eveybody's moving out to be near the malls." "It's a shame." "What about the Thanksgiving Day Parade for downtown?" "Are we going to repeat it this year?" "Or have a Christmas parade in December instead." "Time is getting short if we intend to have a Thanksgiving parade." "Well, to be brutally honest, I don't know if a parade of any kind will get us anywhere." "Thanksgiving, Christmas, New Years." "Last year, the attendance was pitiful." "I couldn't even get my own kids to go." "Do we have to make a decision tonight?" "Can't we postpone this till our ne_ meeting?" "I personally would like a little time to think it over." "That's okay with me." "Do I hear a motion that we postpone any decision until ne_ week?" "I so move." "All in favor?" "ye." "Hi, Harris." "Mary." "I was just about to call you." "I made reservations for tonight." "You said you'd be free." "I know. I'm sorry. I already made a date for tonight." "I'm sorry." "A friend from work." "I miss seeing you, Mary." "l miss seeing you, too." "Have a good night." "You look pretty." "Doesn't she look pretty, Frank?" "She always does." "Thank you." "What time is he picking you up?" "His name's Howard, Frank." "He's not picking me up." "I'm meeting him at a restaurant halfway between here and Raleigh." "It's driving me crazy." "She lets him treat her any old way." "I bet she ends up marrying him." "Why do you say that?" "You don't know that." "I do know that." "Sometimes I think I lose my mind from worrying." "Can I help you?" "Hi." "Reservation for Howard Mercer." "Oh, he's not arrived yet." "May I seat you at his table?" "Hi, this is Mary." "Leave a message." "Hello, Mary." "This is Harris again." "Are you free tomorrow night?" "Please forgive me for being late." "Something came up at the last minute." "Anything good?" "Looks like it. I'm just getting a salad." "Do you want a drink?" "Oh." "No, thanks. I had a Coke." "Have you thought any more about moving to Raleigh?" "Honestly, no." "Will you promise me you'll think about it?" "Yes, I will." "I thought I heard you come in." "Did you call Mary?" "Yeah." "How much longer are you going to study, Harris?" "Not much longer, Mama." "You go on back to bed." "Mrs. Taylor told me yesterday that the law was very competitive.. ." "and that it was important to go to certain schools to get your degree." "I went to the only school I could afford, Mama." "She said lawyers here are a dime a dozen.. ." "and are having a hard time just like everybody else." "Mama, go on to bed now. I want to finish my studying." "I worry so about you." "I know you do. I wish you wouldn't." "I'm gonna be all right." "You're all I have, Harris." "That's not so, Mama." "You have Pete." "But where is Pete?" "Wandering around the world?" "When was the last time I saw Pete?" "Please go to bed now, Harris." "It's late." "I worry about you staying up so late." "Yes, Ma'am. I'm going to bed in a little." "Promise me." "I promise." "Auntie?" "Willa?" "Were you in bed?" "Is something wrong?" "No, no, I 'm all right." "Oh, thank goodness." "Well, to tell you the truth, I feel a little uneasy." "Is there any reason?" "No, no apparent reason. I just.. ." "You want me to come over?" "Oh, I hate to ask you, but I would appreciate it." "I'll come right away." "Thank you, precious." "You damn fool." "Do you want to burn this barn down?" "I told you it's in my contract there is to be no smoking in this warehouse." "If you want to smoke, you go outside." "Excuse me. I'm a little jumpy tonight." "The Company would like to establish themselves here." "If we help them to do that, they will look favorably on all of us." "How did you find this warehouse?" "Luck." "The Company sent me to look for towns or cities that might benefit from our services" "Durham was on my list." "And when I came here I found all these empty tobacco warehouses." "I took pictures of them, and I sent the pictures back to the powers that be." "And they got in touch with me and told me to try to rent this warehouse." "The owner was anxious to rent, as long as we understood that no smoking was allowed here." "She had seen a number of warehouses set on fire by careless smokers." "And I don't want the two of you speaking anything but Spanish while we're in Durham" "Anybody ask you a question in English, pretend you don't understand." "Yeah, what if they ask those questions in Spanish?" "Come and get me." "I'll answer." "The Company wants me to do all the talking." "Where's Mama?" "She went to bed with a sick headache worrying about you." "She's afraid you'll be swept off your feet like she was and marry the wrong person." "Who said anything about getting married?" "Where did you meet this... what's his name?" "Howard." "Where did you meet him?" "He's a lamer.. .at the firm." "Why don't you bring him by the house some time so we can meet him?" "Your mama thinks you're ashamed of us." "I'm not ashamed of you." "Well, your mama thinks so." "Well, I'm not." "Your mama likes Harris." "I like Harris." "His mama says he's going to law school just to please you." "Auntie?" "Auntie?" "Isn't this the craziest you ever heard of?" "A woman as old as I am... here alone most of my life... is suddenly in a panic." "I am so ashamed." "There is nothing to be ashamed of." "I'm here now and you're perfectly safe." "Well, God bless ya." "Auntie?" "Yes, Ma'am." "Who did you rent your warehouse to?" "I don't remember his name." "He seemed very nice." "Why?" "Was he a Mexican, Ma'am?" "I don't think so." "Why?" "Because when I was passing your warehouse just now.. ." "There were two Mexican men in front.. ." "sitting in chairs, smoking cigarettes and drinking beer." "Oh my heavens. I particularly made a point in telling him smoking in or around the warehouse was absolutely forbidden" "I think I'm going to call him right now and makes sure he understands that." "lt's twelve o'clock, Auntie." "Well I'll wake him up." "I feel very strongly about this." "Please leave a message." "This is Georgiana Carr." "Have Mr. Leroy.. .call me immediately when he gets this message." "it's about my warehouse." "I got his answering service." "His name is Leroy. I'll have it out with him in the morning." "Did he pay you by check?" "Uh, no." "Cash." "Cash?" "Yes, that's the way he wanted it." "Oh, I'm exhausted." "Are you tired?" "Yes, Ma'am." "You have one new message." "Hello, Mary." "This is Harris again." "Are you free tomorrow night?" "Sit down. I have your breakfast ready in a minute." "I can't. I m late." "I overslept." "Good morning." "Who's in charge here?" "No comprendo." "Is Mr. Leroy in the warehouse?" "What is Mr. Leroy's first name?" "I don t know." "He just said, "Leroy speaking"." "He didn't say if it was first or last." "He didn't say if it was first or last." "How do you know that?" "He told me." "From near Brownsville, I think he said." "The town's called Vernon." "Let's go into town and bring the police out here." "Gus Leroy." "Thank you for seeing me." "Have a seat." "Thank you." "I'm with the Environmental Services Corporation." "In Vernon, Texas, we have a thriving business there." "And in Gilyas, Louisiana." "What is it you do?" "I'm in the business of disposal of waste." "We go around the county.. ." "looking for firms in need of our service." "Do you know how many pounds..." "What do you want from me?" "I have very little authority Actually, quite the opposite." "I'm not asking you for anything." "Do you know Miss Georgiana Carr?" "Yes." "You know of her warehouse?" "Yes." "l just rented that for six months." "Your company?" "Yes sir. I did." "For my company." "What do you intend to do with it?" "We just, last night, placed fifty canisters... of hazardous waste there." "Good god." "Does Miss Georgiana know this?" "Well, we tried to tell her when we leased the space.. ." "but she was never interested or concerned ... with what the tenants put in her warehouse, she said." "Is it legal what you're doing?" "Yes, sir." "We checked very thoroughly." "There are no environmental laws in the City of Durham.. ." "or the State of North Carolina that we are breaking." "Please don't be alarmed." "The waste is transported in the kind of canisters approved by all Federal agencies." "When did you get in?" "Last night." "I travel usually at night." "Less traffic." "Anyway, I won't take up more of your time." "One day, I'd like to discuss a plan." "My company would like you to think about." "Is this about hazardous waste?" "In a sense." "Oh, I don't know, sir." "We're very conservative here." "I don't think we're ready for anything like that." "I understand." "But remember this." "Someone has to address the problem if all categories of waste continue to grow." "Someone has to take responsibility to find a solution to this problem." "Our plant in Vernon," "Texas, has rejuvenated a dying town" "And from all I've observed here, I'm confident it could be the same for Durham." "We have no unemployment in Vernon now.. ." "And it's shrinking every day in our... plant in Louisiana." "No unemployment?" "No." "Mr. Mayor, I hate to interrupt you," "but your next appointment is here." "Thank you." "We'll talk about this later, Mr...." "Gus." "Gus Leroy." "I think you should know that Durham is one.. ." "of several cities in the South where my company's considering opening a branch" "Thank you for telling me. I will be in touch with you very soon." "Good morning." "Good morning." "l want to file a complaint." "Yes, Ma'am." "My aunt here has a warehouse.. ." "near her property which she rents out for storage." "And she just recently rented it out to a Mr. Leroy from Brownsville, Texas... at which time he gave her cash payments for six months" "Excuse me, Willa." "I don't believe Mr. Leroy is from Brownsville, Texas." "He's from Vernon, which is near Brownsville." "Well, wherever he's from, he gave her cash payments for six months." "He has two Mexican men guarding the property." "Who don't speak English, or pretend they don't." "And when we went over there this morning.. ." "What was his name?" "Whose?" "The man your aunt is renting the property to." "I told you." "Leroy." "Is that the first name or the last one?" "I don't know." "And my aunt doesn't either." "Now, what would you like me to do?" "Have someone go over to the warehouse." "And tell Mr. Leroy and his men..." "That Miss Carr has the right to inspect her warehouse any time she wishes" "And there is to be no smoking in the warehouse ever." "I am very firm about that." "All right." "I'll go out to your warehouse just as soon as I finish here, and I'll see what's going on." "Thank you." "How's Durham?" "Oh, about the same." "Be careful, honey." "What do you mean?" "Just be careful is all. ." "What do you mean, be careful?" "How about dinner again tonight?" "I promise not to be late." "l can't. I have an engagement." "Break it." "l can't." "Break it." "For me." "I'm sorry. I just can't." "He's soon after every new girl that works here." "And when he's through with them, they're fired." "He has a wife and two children, but that's a well kept secret around here." "Are you married?" "Yes." "I also have two children." "And for the sake of the children, we all live together." "Oh no." "Neither of us are very happy." "When the children are grown..." "the marriage will be dissolved." "Any other questions?" "No." "Don't be too hard on me, Mary." "I do the best I can in a very difficult situation." "Oh, Mr. Leroy." "Hello, Miss Georgiana Carr." "I got your message. I was about to call you." "When I'm finished here this morning, I'll be over to your house, if I may.. ." "to talk about extending our lease." "You've been well, I hope." "Yes, thank you." "This is my niece, Willa Jenkins." "How do you do?" "Hello." "And you've been well, I hope?" "Well enough, considering the business I'm in." "What business are you in, Mr. Leroy?" "Hazardous waste disposal." "Spent half the night getting our canisters settled in your beautiful warehouse." "You mean to tell me you have hazardous waste stored in my aunt's warehouse?" "Yes." "But don't be concerned." "They're stored in canisters specially designed according to government regulations." "Would you like to see them?" "Uh, no thank you" "Miss Willa?" "Yes, I would." "Come along." "Here are the canisters, all properly labeled listing the contents." "Where did these come from?" "Louisiana" "We're hoping in a week we'll find room for these in our treatment plant in Texas.. ." "where they'll be made safe for permanent storage." "Where will that be?" "Some place in Texas." "Finding a final resting place gets more difficult all the time." "What do these things look like up close?" "Like nothing, really." "I mean, you can't see inside the canisters, of course." "They have tags on them saying "hazardous waste"" "which gives me the creeps." "Anyway, I'll feel better when they're out and gone.. ." "and I hope you won't let him come back and store more of them in your warehouse." "What does it mean, hazardous waste?" "What do you think it means?" "Dangerous." "More than dangerous." "More than.. ." "These two ladies are allowed to go in and out of the ware house at any time." "And you may speak English to them if they ask you a question." "I'll see you ladies later." "They brought them from Louisiana." "They're sending them to Texas in a week." "Only to be buried, so they say, if Texas will have them." "What has the world come to?" "What's in there?" "Death." "Ma'am?" "Death." "What's in these canisters?" "They're all labeled." "Hazardous waste." "lt's harmless in the canisters." "The ladies that were just here filed a complaint.. ." "that they were not allowed earlier in her warehouse." "And there has to be no smoking around or in the warehouse." "I understand, Officer." "It's all taken care of." "What are you thinking about?" "Mr. Leroy and my ex-husband." "What, do you think they look alike?" "No, not at all." "It is the way he assumed you'll be delighted by anything he chooses to do no matter how outrageous." "I certainly hope you have no intention of extending his lease." "Well..." "l don't want to tell you what or" "But in my opinion... the sooner you get him out of your warehouse" "Well, how can I do that?" "By saying he got the warehouse under false pretenses." "He didn't tell you what he was going to store in there." "Well he tried to tell me, but I said I wasn't interested." "Well, if you had known what you know now would you have rented it to him?" "Well, I suppose not." "Well?" "Do you ever hear from your husband?" "Why on earth do you bring him up?" "Well, I didn't bring him up." "You mentioned him first, honey." "No." "I never hear from him, and I hope I never do." "So, if you agree with me, that it would be the better..." "part of wisdom to break his lease, I think we should go to a lamer and explain the circumstances." "I'm sure he'll tell you you'll have no trouble asking.. ." "him to leave as long as you return the money he has paid you." "All in cash, right?" "Yes, that' s right." "So, why don't' we go and see a lawyer right now?" "Would you mind if I didn't go this afternoon?" "I'm tired and it's been quite a strenuous morning for me." "Sure." "Do you mind my going?" "No." "Certainly not." "Hey, Kate." "What can I do for you?" "I need the use of a computer." "I'm looking for something on hazardous waste." "Okay. take your pick." "Thanks." "Is Mr. Leroy here?" "No, Ma'am." "Do you know when he'll be back?" "l don't know, Ma'am." "Do you know who I am?" "Yes, Ma'am." "Did you know I own the warehouse?" "Yes, Ma'am." "Do you know what they did here at one time?" "No, Ma'am." "They bought and sold tobacco." "Yes, Ma'am." "You didn't know that, did you?" "No, Ma'am." "There were several tobacco companies here then." "Every day taking tobacco leaves, grinding them up and making them for cigarettes." "By five o'clock the dust from the ground up tobacco would just cover the town." "If you were out of doors, your face and hands would be covered by the dust.. ." "till you turned a shade of brown." "I want to go inside." "I want to see it again." "Yes, Ma'am." "The last time I was here I was with my father." "He hadn't been feeling well all winter." "It was our first spring day." "A lovely spring day." "He said to me, "take a walk with me over to the warehouse"." "I want to see whether or not I should sell it." "It would break my heart to sell it." "But what good will it do me or you... now that tobacco no longer makes a dime." "My father has this warehouse built, you know." "Eight years before I was born." "Or was it ten?" "Or was it seven?" "Anyway, it was a long time ago." "I don't want them in the warehouse." "But I need money." "I don't want them in any warehouse." "Willa says they mean death." "I certainly don't want death anywhere near me." "Certainly not in my warehouse." "But how long can I keep it?" "I don't know." "I don't know." "You're going to have to hustle." "Vernon just called me." "They have an opening for our canisters." "They want them there in two days. I'm expecting another hundred tomorrow." "Yes?" "Gus Leroy?" "It's the Mayor speaking." "I was wondering if I could call a meeting with the council.. ." "and a few people around the community.. ." "who have expressed interest in what you can tell us about your Vernon plant." "Yes, sir." "How about tomorrow night at seven o'clock?" "Thank you." "l'll be there." "I had a nice talk with the attorney, Bruce Jackson." "Are you all right, Auntie?" "Are you worried about your warehouse?" "Don't." "We'll be free of Mr. Leroy, I'm sure of that" "The lamer says you will have no trouble getting out of your deal with him." "Just say that since you were not, at the time of the contract.. ." "aware of how he was going to use your warehouse.. ." "you would like to void the agreement." "And you'll return the money he gave you." "That's good news, isn't it?" "Willa." "Yes, Ma'am." "You have to know something." "What is it, Auntie?" "l'm ashamed to tell you." "Why?" "Because I am." "I have very little money, Willa." "I know that. I have little money too." "But you have your trust fund." "l know it's modest, but surely" "Willa." "Yes." "I was told last week." "There are no funds in my trust." "When I heard that, I called Crosby Gaige about selling the house." "I don't know." "But that morning, Mr. Leroy came about renting the warehouse." "And he gave me cash." "So I postponed selling the house" "So I postponed selling the house." "I paid my bills and for that dental work I had done." "And I needed some.. .whatever." "I have practically nothing left to return." "Oh, I should have sold this house a long time ago." "It was pride that kept me from doing it." "I couldn't bear to have my friends.. ." "know that I had to give up my home." "Then last night, I though what friends are left?" "They're mostly dead." "Mostly." "When our troubles first began, and so much money was lost." "And the tobacco empire was broken up and there was bankruptcy everywhere." "Papa used to say it was a curse put upon us for our sins." "What sins?" "' l asked him." "The sin of buying and selling tobacco?" "No, he said." "For the sin of pride." "The sin of thinking we were invulnerable." "That our good fortune would last forever." "Because we deserved our good fortune." "And it would never ever end." "Well.. .it did end." "And every night in the year Papa died, I would hear him in his room." "Asking God to... forgive him for his sin of pride." "I'll sell my house now.. ." "and start over." "I'll explain to Mr. Leroy what happened." "But I'll give him his money as soon as my house is sold." "And then maybe I'll sell the warehouse." "Maybe." "Can I come in?" "In school I was taught when you ask can' in a question.. ." "you're asking, am I able to come in." "And may means, do I have permission." "Didn't you learn that in school, Mother?" "No, I'm afraid I didn't, honey. I barely went to the fifth grade, remember?" "I didn't learn much except for what life has taught me." "I was married to your father when I was fifteen." "Had you when I was seventeen." "Divorced..." "Oh, I was teasing." "Forgive me." "You are forgiven." "l've been fired, Mama." "What?" "I've been given my notice and two weeks severance pay." "Why?" "Why?" "I don't know why.. ." "except for Howard." "He asked me if I would go out with him again, and I refused, and he asked why." "I said because I'd been told he has a wife.. ." "and two children." "Was he married?" "Yes." "And were there children?" "Yes" "Mercy." "Mama." "Yes?" "I don't want to stay in Durham." "I want to go away." "I'm twenty four. I've never been further than Raleigh." "The Wiggins twins are in Atlanta." "They say I can come stay with them until I find work and a place of my own." "When do you want to leave?" "Tomorrow." "Tomorrow?" "Yes, Ma'am." "Oh hello, Mr. Leroy." "Please come in." "Thank you." "Hello, Miss Georgiana." "Hello, Mr. Leroy." "Won't you sit down." "Thank you." "I won't be long. I've just gotten word from Vernon." "They would like the canisters there in two days... and we're getting a new batch here from Louisiana." "lt's been a beautiful day, hasn't it?" "Yes." "Estaquio tells me you were over looking at your warehouse." "I don't know how long it's been since I was inside." "I am very satisfied with your warehouse, Miss Georgiana.. ." "and I'd like to extend my lease for another six months and for five years beyond that." "I have authority from my company to redo the financial arrangement... and I think you'll find them much more favorable to you than they are at the present." "What are they paying you now, like 500 dollars a month, yes?" "Well, I think you should get a lamer to negotiate the five year contract" "Cause my company's going to need to get a sense of the potential.. ." "to sense if the city will be friendly to an operation like ours." "Mr." "Leroy..." "All this takes time and money." "But you will have a friend in court in me." "Because I think the opportunities here are tremendous." "They just need to have the imagination to see it." "I have a feeling they will." "So to get down to more practical matters." "I would suggest that the ne_ six months of the lease should start now." "And instead of six hundred a month... as I believe it calls for, let's raise it to a thousand." "So, should we start our new partnership together.. ." "by my drawing up an agreement for the ne_ six months?" "Then tomorrow, I promise you, I will make you an offer for the use..." "of the warehouse for the ne_ five years." "Well thank you for your very kind offer." "But I don't really want to extend your contract, Mr. Leroy." "When I rented you the warehouse, I had no idea what you'd be putting in there." "I tried to tell you what I was hoping to bring here, but you said you didn't care to know." "Still, I had no idea, no earthly idea, that you would bring in those..." "what do you call them?" "Canisters." "No, I know about that." "But, I mean, what do you put in them?" "Hazardous waste." "Yes." "See, I would want them removed right now." "But if you've made arrangements for them to be here for a week." "Well, I was indeed counting on it for the ne_ six months." "That's what my contract says." "l know and I'm sorry." "I have contractual obligations on our end based on our agreement." "You really insist on doing this?" "I have no alternative but to get me a lamer and take you to court." "I will find a way to refund your money." "I don't care about the money." "I care about all the work and planning that's gone into this." "Miss Willa, don't you think your aunt is being unreasonable?" "No, I don't. I think she's being very sensible." "How dare you threaten her with the law?" "How dare you?" "Have you ever heard of Vernon, Texas?" "No." "Well, it's a town of maybe 800 people." "And it was dying on the vine." "Young people were leaving in droves." "My company went to the town officials.. ." "and offered to build them a park and a swimming pool.. ." "if they would let us come in and establish a hazardous waste facility." "They agreed." "And we were careful in the planning and location of our system." "We used local people whenever possible." "And the town is prospering and the people have jobs." "I feel strongly about the responsibility you take on when you get involved in all this." "If we let people who are interested only in profits take hold.. ." "no one will be safe in time." "Not you, not your aunt." "Not me." "No one." "Now I'm not saying that our record in Vernon is perfect but.. ." "mistakes are corrected as soon as they are uncovered." "Well, you look at Durham's downtown." "It is dying." "Literally." "Now I told my company that I believe there is an opportunity here in a place.. ." "that needs help, and I think they're very interested." "They're just waiting to see how this first phase works out." "I'm not your enemy, Miss Willa... and I don't want to be." "Let's stay away from lawyers and courts." "Give me a month." "Let me send on this bunch of canisters to Vernon... and bring in the next one from Louisiana." "Let me talk to the city about the plans I have." "And at the end of the month.. ." "if you still think I'm just..." "a mercenary and opportunistic, then I'll go away." "I'll leave you, your aunt and your warehouse." "And you'll never hear any more from me." "I'm going to go into the ne_ room And you talk it over." "And then when you come to a decision about what you want to do, you call me." "Tell me what to do, Willa." "No, I won't do that." "It's your warehouse." "A month isn't a very long time." "Would you be angry with me if I agreed he could stay on?" "No." "Would you think I was weak?" "No." "Not that either." "The town is dying." "Do you remember what it was like, how splendid it was..." "when you were a girl?" "Yes." "I thought he was very impressive when he was talking about Vernon, Texas." "Didn't you?" "Yes, I was impressed." "Then I will agree to have him stay for one month." "Do you agree?" "l agree." "Mr. Leroy?" "We have decided we want you to have your month." "Thank you." "You won't regret this. I promise you." "Yep." "Harris is here." "He said you asked him to come over." "Yes, I did." "He's in the living room." "All right." "You were a senior in high school when this was taken, right?" "Yes." "You haven't changed much since high school." "Oh, yes I have." "Well, you can't tell by looking at your picture." "Haven't you changed?" "l guess so." "How's law school?" "A lot of work." "Still thinking about practicing here?" "Yeah. I do." "Harris..." "Yeah?" "I'm leaving Durham." "Moving to Atlanta." "Why?" "I have my reasons. I'll tell you about them someday." "I'd like you to do me a favor." "I want you to take me to the airport tomorrow night." "All right." "What time are you leaving?" "Nine o'clock." "Why aren't your parents taking you?" "They'd like to, but they're both very upset." "And I think it would be easier if we say goodbye here." "Isn't this kind of sudden?" "Yes, I guess." "When did you decide you wanted to leave?" "Today." "Today?" "Why Atlanta?" "I remembered the Wiggins twins are there, and I called them." "They said I'd have no trouble finding a job there.. ." "and I could stay with them until I did find one." "What if you don't like Atlanta?" "Then I won't stay." "I'll try Houston or New Orleans." "You know anyone in Houston or New Orleans?" "No." "What if you don't like Houston or New Orleans?" "Then I'll have to come back here and find a job." "Don't look at me like that, Harris." "You're worse than Mother and Frank." "Haven't you ever wanted to leave?" "Are you so content?" "I bet if you didn't have.. ." "Never mind." "What were you going to say?" "Oh, nothing, nothing, nothing." "I want to know what you were going to say." "I bet if you didn't have your mother dependent on you.. ." "you'd be thinking about leaving too." "What kind of future is there for you here?" "A cop." "Thirty thousand a year." "Only losers settle for that." "You calling me a loser?" "I'll call you that if you stay here, Because that's what you'll be." "A loser cop." "A loser lamer." "Thanks a lot, Mary." "Harris..." "Harris!" "Harris!" "I didn't mean it like that." "I'm going to have to call you back." "Busy at work?" "Yes." "We're shipping them out." "We're expecting out ne_ shipment tomorrow night." "Will you be busy here tonight?" "No." "Would you be able to have dinner at Aunt Georgiana's?" "She's decided to sell her house." "She thinks it'll sell right away.. ." "and this is the last chance for her to cook in her kitchen." "She would be so pleased if you could join us." "What time?" "What time is good for you?" "Six." "Tomorrow night, I have an appointment with the Mayor and the City Council." "I'd like it if you can be there and let me know how you think the meeting went." "What time will that be?" "Seven." "I'll be there." "Hello?" "Miss Willa?" "Yes." "lt's Crosby here from the real estate office." "How are you Crosby?" "Oh, I'm very well, thank you. I'm sorry to trouble you." "May I have a word with your aunt?" "I'll just be a second." "I'll get her." "It's for you, Auntie" "Yes." "Miss Georgiana?" "Yes?" "I have a Miss Lucy Calhoun who's interested in viewing tomorrow night." "Oh good heavens." "She's very rich and knows the house." "Why does she want to come tomorrow night?" "Why doesn't she come in the daytime?" "That's what works for her." "Oh, all right." "Thank you." "Well, he has this very rich lady who passes the house often." "She has lots of money.. ." "and she wants to come tomorrow night and go through my home." "What time will that be?" "Seven o'clock." "I would be ever indebted to you if you could be here with me." "Well, I'd like to be here, Auntie, but I promised Mr. Leroy..." "I'd be at his meeting with the Mayor and the City Council tomorrow at seven." "Oh, honey, don't leave me alone here, tomorrow night." "I will be ever in your debt if you'll just do this one thing for me." "All right, all right." "Don't worry. I will." "You're very prompt." "I can't be with you tomorrow night at the meeting after all, Mr. Leroy." "Auntie has a rich lady interested in her house... and she can only come to see it tomorrow night." "Auntie was in a panic over being alone with her and the real estate agent.. ." "and I promised her I'd be here." "l understand." "Well, I'll come over after the meeting if I may and tell you how I think it went." "I'd like that." "Mr. Leroy. I'm so glad you could be with us." "At this may be the last meal I'll ever cook in this house." "Come in. I have soup waiting for us." "Now, Mr. Leroy, you can sit at the head and we'll sit on either side of you." "Thank you." "This is delicious, Miss Georgiana." "Oh thank you, sir." "You're selling your house?" "Yes." "I'm sorry." "Forgive me." "Forgive me." "I feel so stupid." "Maybe I better go." "No, please don't. I'll go see her." "My aunt is very emotional about selling the house." "She was born in this house, you know." "She's never lived anyplace else." "That was her father." "My grandfather, James Wilfred Carr." "Were you born in this house too?" "No." "No." "Were you born in Durham?" "Yes." "My mother and Aunt Georgiana were sisters." "I left here at 22 when I got married." "Went to live in Texas." "Texas?" "Yes." "Were you born in Texas?" "Yes." "Your family there?" "No." "No, my mother and father are dead." "I have no brothers or sisters. I'm divorced too." "My work, I guess, is my family." "Mr. Leroy.. ." "Please don't call me Mr. Leroy and Mr. Gus." "Call me Gus." "Gus it will be." "Thank you, Willa." "You're welcome, Gus.. .." "Gus..." "Yes?" "Never mind. I'll ask you later." "You still worried about the canisters?" "Yes." "How safe they are." "If I get interest from the Council tomorrow, and my company likes what they have to say.. ." "things can move very fast." "l'm sure." "l'm going to need an assistant." "Do you know of anyone you could recommend?" "I would prefer someone who knows Durham and its people." "How old?" "Someone mature and dependable." "Would be interested in what we're hoping to achieve here." "Well, let me think on it." "No one comes to mind right off." "Would you be interested?" "Why heavens. I don't know." "It never occurred to me." "I'd be interested in working with you." "Well goodness. I'm very flattered." "I don't know. I know so little about all of this." "Would you think about it?" "Well, yes, I suppose so." "l mean seriously think about it." "l will certainly." "When would you need to know?" "I promise not to do that again." "All right." "See you tomorrow." "Maybe." "lt's supposed to rain tomorrow." "That's right." "Harris.. ." "l didn't mean you were..." "l know what you meant." "I'm too sensitive for my own good." "And I want to tell you something." "I think we're both too sensitive for our own good." "Yes." "Miss Georgiana?" "Crosby here." "Oh hello Crosby." "Isn't this rain something?" "Oh goodness me." "I'm sorry, but our lady's temporarily canceled." "She's unable to make it out in this rain." "l see." "My apologies." "But you think she's definitely interested?" "Most definitely she is!" "Oh." "Well, thank you for calling me." "That was Crosby." "Seems our lady customer has canceled." "Too much rain, she says, to venture out." "But he says she's still very interested." "Oh, I'm so disappointed." "Why risk flying in this rain?" "Can't she wait until tomorrow?" "No, she's determined to leave." "What if her flight is canceled?" "She says she'll take the bus." "God she's stubborn." "You raised a stubborn daughter." "You raised her too." "Why does she want Harris to take her to the airport?" "Why can't we take her?" "She says she wants to say goodbye to us here." "Oh Frank, I'm going to miss her." "Now, Miriam, come on." "It's Harris." "Come on in." "Hello folks." "Mary!" "Harris is here." "Frank, go help her with her bags." "Yeah." "Were you surprised when you heard she was going?" "Yes, Ma'am. I was." "Promise me you'll call when you get to Atlanta." " l don't care what time it is." "Yes, Ma'am." "I love you both." "It's a terrible night tonight, isn't it?" "Yeah." "It is." "They're gone." "She's on her way." "Gus Leroy.. .." "Yes, Mr. Bob." "I had the Louisiana team start very early because of the rain." "Around five." "It wasn't daylight yet when they left Louisiana and hadn't started raining." "Yes, sir, it's raining now." "I'll keep you posted." "Thank you all for coming on such a rainy night, and on such short notice." "But I felt it was important for the well being and prosperity of our city.. ." "that we listen to what this gentleman has to say." "Where is he?" "Well, he'll be here in a few minutes and I want him to explain... who he is and why he wants to come here.. ." "and what he thinks he can do for our city." "You look very pretty." "Thank you." "You had a bath?" "Yes, I feel so much better." "How long do you think that meeting will be?" "I have no idea. I presume no more than an hour." "What if they turn his project down and say he can't start a plant here." "Do you think he'll still be able to rent my warehouse for five years?" "I don't know." "I've begun to worry about that." "I feel they won't turn him down." "Well, if the meeting only lasts one hour, then he should be here pretty soon." "If he comes right away." "He may have to stay and talk to people." "Do you think I'll find a buyer for my house?" "I think so." "Crosby Gaige has total confidence that I will." "He should know." "Crosby says that a lot of his customers buy houses, pay all kinds of money.. ." "for them, and then tear them down and build a new one." "Are you listening to me?" "I'm sorry. I was thinking about Gus and his meeting." "Gus." "Who's Gus?" "Mr. Leroy?" "Yes." "Well, since when did you start calling him Gus?" "He asked me to." "Are you interested in him, Willa?" "What do you mean interested?" "I mean interested." "I don't know." "What do you mean you don't know, honey?" "l mean, I don't know." "Yes I do. I am." "Is he interested in you?" "I don't know." "I think he is." "I hope so." "Frank thinks it's foolish flying in weather like this." "But he'd think it was foolish my leaving if the sun was shining." "He's my stepfather, you know." "Yeah, I knew that." "I knew it, Mary." "I never knew my real father." "He's dead now, Mama says." "Well, I couldn't have had a better father than Frank." "How old were you when your father died?" "Five." "Do you remember him?" "I think I do, but 'm never really sure." "Were you named for your father?" "No." "My brother Pete was named for him." "Where is Pete?" "I don't know." "Pete's a wanderer." "We always finally hear from him." "It may be six months or a year." "And then we'll get a letter or a card saying he misses us and sends his love." "Mary?" "Yes, Harris?" "I'm in love with you." "Always have been." "I'm in love with you too." "Always have been." "I'm here to talk about what I like to talk about more than anything." "Managing our waste." "Well, first of all, I'd like you to know that I am a paid employee, and proud to be of the Environmental Services Corporation." "We have offices in Houston, San Antonio, and a plant near Vernon, Texas... a small Texas town of about 800 people, that made me and my company welcome." "As some of you also may know.. ." "we were able to lease the warehouse of Miss Georgiana Carr.. ." "to store some of our canisters containing hazardous waste." "I've sat here so many days and nights listening to the rain." "I'm getting used to the idea that my days here are almost over." "Now we go all over the Unit_ States... looking for products to bring back to our Vernon plant.. ." "which converts toxic waste into a form that may be safely buried or disposed of." "We would like in time to build a sister plant here in Durham." "I've seen weddings in this room and funerals start from here." "Your mama and daddy were married in this room." "I was the maid of honor." "Now I know the question on all of your minds is how safe is all this?" "Well, let me begin that discussion by reminding you.. ." "that we now live in a nuclear age and all of its complexity." "No house pictured here is still standing." "The atomic bomb locked up is of no danger." "The danger only comes when it's dropped." "Therefore, waste of any kind hazardous, toxic or nuclear cannot harm you if it is properly managed." "In gratitude to our friends in Vernon, for their cooperation.. ." "we have built them a beautiful new park and a community swimming pool." "To show our appreciation." "And they have almost full employment in that town." "And old Durham itself is half demolished." "Where did the houses go?" "Where did the city go?" "I want to say to you what I say to my friends in Vernon." "I refuse to live in the past. I look to the future." "Emergency 1 183." "Hazmat." "All units on duty respond." "What in the world is that about?" "l have to see." "I'm sorry." "Car 104. 1017." "I would like to say I am very impressed with what I just heard." "And as a member of Council, I would like to recommend.. ." "that we get in touch with whoever we need to in Vernon..." "Texas, and let them know of our serious interest in this." "Will the Council members that agree with Shirley's request raise their hands?" "You stay here, Mary." "I don't want to stay here by myself. I want to go with you." "All right." "Come on." "But stay where it's safe." "Were you at the scene of the accident?" "No, sir." "All I know is the reports l've been getting on my scanner." "Are you going as fast as you can?" "Yes, sir." "Are you all right lady?" "No one was killed. I'm grateful to my maker for that." "These trucks were transporting hazardous waste." "Get the Hazmat team from Raleigh." "I'll see to the canisters." "We got a couple of guys on the ground that are going to need immediate attention." "Jesus." "Jesus." "Mister Leroy." "Yes." "Are you wondering about your canisters?" "The Hazmat team from Raleigh came as soon as they were summoned... and inspected them." "They say they haven't been hurt at all." "They want us to get them in to your warehouse as soon as possible. I understand it's empty." "It is." "Do you have men to help you move them?" "We do." "We got in touch with your supervisors" "Jose and Estaquio." "They hired a team of men to move the canisters into the trucks.. ." "and unload them at the warehouse." "Then I'm not needed?" "No, sir." "Not really." "Here you are, sir." "Thank you." "Be well." "Be well." "Thank you." "Hello." "Hello." "I'm so sorry about the accident." "I may be fired." "If there had been any fatalities.. ." "or if any of the canisters had been damaged, I surely would have been." "Now I'm being accused of negligence... and the company will decide later today whether I can stay on." "I'm sorry." "Back home l knew of an old man that I only saw once from a distance." "He had a room at the local hotel." "I was a paperboy then.. ." "and I used to bring his paper to his room." "When I announced who I was.. ." "he opened the door just wide enough to stick his hand out to get his paper." "He never left his room." "He had all his meals sent up there too." "When he was a young man, he had an accident that happened to him." "No one could remember what it was." "But it frightened him so he'd never leave his room for fear of another accident." "Last night has given me a fear of accidents." "Fear of the deadliness of accidents." "You should see what an accident did to those trucks." "What it might have done to the canisters." "How do you pass a law against accidents?" "Suppose all the canisters held up in this crash, but one didn't?" "Well you know what would happen." "So I'm going to resign from the company." "I'm tired of being a cheerleader." "I'm going to be a truth teller." "The truth is, accidents happen." "Rainy days." "Sunny days." "Always the unexpected." "I'm going to have to tell your aunt that." "Mr. Leroy. I'm sure Willa has told you how distressed we were over what happened." "Yes." "Crosby's customer is buying my house." "Her name is Lucy Calhoun." "We've signed all the papers and I've received the down payment." "And she's lovely, Lucy Calhoun." "She's just lovely." "I feel as if I've known her all my life." "Oh, and she said the sweetest thing" "That our being brought together in such a harmonious way.. ." "she felt was surely divine intervention." "Not just an accident." "Certainly not." "I never would have thought of it if dear Lucy Calhoun hadn't brought it up." "Look." "Look." "The sun is out." "The rain is gone." "Oh, what a lovely day it will be." "This city, like many in America has come to a rough moment in its history." "A city, after all, is just a collection of houses and buildings ... hopes and dreams that depend on the fortune and determination... and the faith of its residents." "The future, uncertain at best, can be fearful or full of promise." "It's all in how you see it."