Now let us hear from you. Mm-hm. Mm-hm.
You write whenever you get a chance.
If you need money, let us know, we'll see what we can do.
PETE: Don't worry, Pa.
FATHER: You take good care of yourself.
Don't worry, Pa. So long. Goodbye, son.
MAN [ over PA ]: Philadelphia and New York.
Goodbye.
MAN: Greyhound tour bus to Chicago now loading at lane 2.
Connections to Cleveland...
[ indistinct chattering ]
[ upbeat theme playing]
MAN [ over the PA ]: Greyhound express bus to Chicago
now loading for departure.
And that one there, I think. Uh-huh.
Hey, man, that was a cool trip.
Frantic. Hey, you dig?
Can I ask you another question? Yeah, shoot.
What's the best way to get to Times Square.
Take a cab.
Man, I'm gonna walk. Just point me.
Well, go right to the corner, turn left and keep walking.
I'm with you. Crazy.
Walk? To Times Square? In this heat?
Why would anyone wanna do that?
He's a pilgrim on the way to mecca.
Hmm? That's the Holy Land.
For saxophone players.
[ laughing ]
[ upbeat theme continues playing]
Uh, hi.
Excuse me. Who do I see about a room?
Try me.
Okay, you got an inexpensive single room?
Seven dollars with bath. A day?
No, a night. We throw in the day free.
Well, you had an ad in the newspaper. It said 3.50.
That's where the manager lives.
Well, 7 is a little more than I can afford.
Musician, huh?
Yeah. Well, that's rough.
But they've got a lot of rooming houses in this town
that cater to every type. Even one-man bands.
Oh, yeah? You know where I can find one?
Oh, 49th, 50th, 53rd.
What?
Over there, between 8th and 9th.
Between 8th and 9th?
I don't know where that is.
Outside, Mm-hm.
Turn to your right, Right.
Keep walking, ask anybody.Yeah.
Hey, even better, play that sax
until nobody turns around to look at you.
Then stop, and you're home.
Thank you very much.
[ upbeat theme playing]
Excuse me.
BOY 1: Hey.
Dig the creep.
Hey, what do you think you're doing?
BOY 2: Hey, man.
Hey, look out for my instrument...
[ cars honking and tires screeching ]
Look out, you kids!
[ slow theme playing]
Well, the weather reports don't say anything here about rain.
Oh... No, it's not raining.
No, there's some nutty kids out there,
chased me in here with a hose.
Listen, you'd better take that coat off, though.
This air conditioning's so cold,
you're liable to start snowing. Ha-ha-ha.
I never thought of that.
Well, what'll it be?
I'll have a bottle of beer.
That's our most popular item.
You got Milwaukee beer?
We make the same profit on one brand as another.
Thanks.
Tell me, you're not homesick for Milwaukee already, are you?
No...
Now how did you know I came from Milwaukee?
Oh, I make a wild guess here every day.
That's today's.
You ever been there? Oh, yes. Three times.
The first time I was there,
I took the wrong train out of Chicago.
The second time, I was chasing my first wife
and the guy that she took the powder with.
Let's see, the third time,
oh, yeah, I was working in town as a sign painter.
I used to do window lettering. Gold letter stuff, you know.
I bet you've seen my work
sitting in the back in some dentist's chair.
Mac, the buildings you worked on,
they're probably all torn down,
long before this kid was even born.
Now, listen, Soda,
don't let his gray hair mislead you, honey.
I had it when I was in grammar school.
Half the time they thought I was the principal.
Why do they call this cream soda? It ain't cream.
Give me an orange, huh?
Hey, Pops. You mind if hit this?
I always say, a jukebox gotta live too.
Go ahead, help yourself.
Hey.
You know, this ain't real orange either.
But the way they make chemicals nowadays,
I'd rather have this than the regular squeeze.
[ jazz playing over the jukebox]
Well, hello, Peggy. Hi, Mac.
Can I have some ice? What, honey?
Some ice? Oh, by all means.
There you are.
How much?
Those are hailstones I collected free last winter.
I keep them in the freezer here for the summer.
The elements belong to the people,
so they're all yours.
Thanks, Mac.
You're welcome.
How much?
How much, she says, as if she could pay.
What'd you say?
I said, if ice cubes were 2 cents a carload,
she couldn't buy a cupful.
She's nothing but a stealing, lying little piece of nothing.
Now, Soda, you're not talking about that sweet little thing
that just come trotting in and out of here.
Oh, she's got you wrapped around
her little finger too, huh?
She's nice to me, so I'm nice to her.
She's a deadbeat, take it from me.
MAC: You take it from me.
You raised her rent and she can't pay you,
and you're mad.
You know what's her trouble? Yes, I know.
What's her trouble?
She's like a big plate of hot fried chicken
at a truck driver's picnic.
Everybody's just grabbing from every angle,
every direction.
Unless she turns out to be tough,
there ain't nothing going to be left of her.
[ band playing jazz]
[ knocking on door ]
Yeah.
REPAIRMAN: Miss Peggy Brown.
What if?
Are you Bryant 94099?
Yeah, so what?
I'm from the telephone company.
I gotta make a small mechanical adjustment, please.
The phone works fine, I like it just like it is.
Will you go adjust something else?
Listen, lady, you don't let me
make a small mechanical adjustment,
I'll shut your phone off.[ banging on door ]
All right, all right. I'm not arguing.
You just give me a minute, I'm not exactly presentable.
[ banging on door ]Half a minute.
Come on, lady, come on.
What's with you? You on peace work or something?
Boy, you really believe in locks, don't you?
My father graduated from Yale.
Now, just what small mechanical adjustment
did you have in mind?
I gotta remove your phone.
Why you double talking creep.
All right, lady, lady, give me a break.
No hysterics, huh? Here.
I wouldn't touch it.
It's legal.
[ humming ]
Hey, they still have these things around?
I haven't see one of these in years.
Say, will you do me a favor?
Sure, lady, sure.
Will you stop calling me a lady?
And leave the phone in?
Sure, just like I was president of the company or something.
It's against the rules. I'd be fired. Okay.
My living depends on it. I've gotta have a phone.
I'd be so grateful.
Exactly what is your line, sister?
Well, right now I'm modeling, you know.
A job here and a job there.
And that's why I need the phone.
Is that all you do?
Well, in between modeling
I dance a few shifts at the Crystal Gardens.
Look, make a mistake.
It's not so easy.
Well, figure out something.
Lose the blue slip or break your screwdriver.
Will you stretch me a couple of weeks?
I don't think I can.
That's right.
Don't think.
Feeling is a lot more human.
Hmm?
Bryant 94099.
How are you gonna use it if you take it out?
There comes a time in every man's life
when he's gotta take a gamble.
You know, who knows? You know some...
Some hot Friday night,
I might suddenly feel a need for a model.
There you are.
Two weeks, on the house.
Deal? A deal.
But right now, I gotta go over
to the Crystal Gardens, you know.
Oh, yeah, yeah. Sure you gotta go to work.
I got a few calls to make myself.
Bryant 94099.
Uh, don't stray too far from the phone.
[ locks clanging ]
[ chuckles ]
SODA: I'll have a word with you, young lady.
Yeah, well, I'll give you a word.
Knock off. Oh, you can insult me,
I take it from whence it comes
and charge it up to ignorance.
You always pester me, pester me, pester me.
Will you give it up? You make no impression.
I've been pestered every day of my life
one way or another.
And I've got skin like an alligator.
You wanna feel it? No, no, thank you.
I'm serving notice on you from my counselor.
The rate starting tomorrow a.m.
is $2.20 daily.
Wait a minute.
Do you know how many tickets I have to dance to make $2.20?
You don't pay the increase,
I rent the room to the first person who passes by.
Yeah, well, it ain't worth more than a dollar a day
except maybe to a pig.
Ha, ha, well, it just so happens a pig
is what I think I got living there.
Hey!
[ Soda gibbering ]
That's a hundred-watt bulb.
I'm gonna put that on your bill.
It's 39 cents.
And 2 cents for the tax.
Don't go anywhere, you hear?
Forty-one cents and I'll charge you.
[ speaking indistinctly ]
[ cars honking ]
DRIVER: Watch out there, lady.
Well, anything in there?
Yeah, a lot of stuff, but nothing I can afford.
[ cash register rings ]
Well, I doubt they got anything over where I live.
But you might ask.
It's right across the street, 314.
Maybe I will.
How much do I owe you?
Well, that's one, two, the beer.
The ice is free. That's $50.
Here you go. Thank you.
Mac, can I have some change?
I have to make a phone call.
Thanks.
MAC: Wait a minute, I'll help you out.
Thanks.
Stop and see us again. Yeah, you got nutty records.
Thank you.
Glad to see you.
PEGGY: Hello, Nellie.
This is Peggy.
Yeah, Peggy Brown.
From the money I was gonna pay back but haven't.
Uh, Nellie, it's this way.
I need a dress and shoes for a modeling interview.
Yeah, $50.
No, I need it today, Nellie.
No, tomorrow's too late. The interview is at 9:00.
Nellie, I need money, but not that bad.
Well, what about 25$?
[ all chattering indistinctly ]
Hey, hey, back up. Give me two.
Okay.
[ all chattering indistinctly ]
Thank you. All right.
[ all chattering indistinctly ]
With my compliments.
[ melancholic theme playing]
I hear you got a chance for a job, huh?
Yeah.
The oldest job in the world.
You know what I'd do if I were you?
I'd move.
[ sighs ]
Yeah. Where?
And how? Home.
I bet you they'd send you the fare.
Yeah. I tried that once.
It took me a year and a half
to make up my mind to go back there.
And it took me five minutes
to decide to get out again.
Well, I guess nothing stays the same.
Yeah.
No.
Nothing except my luck.
All bad.
Thanks, Mac.
Uh, are you sure it's gonna be all right?
SODA: Now, don't feel funny about it.
She was moving anyhow.
This afternoon.
Well, if you say it's okay.
Oh.
You mean you'll be practicing on the saxophone?
Yes, ma'am, every day.
Well, then that'll be, uh, 75 cents extra a week.
Seventy...
What's that for?
Agony money.
Yeah, I have sensitive ears.
And the neighbors are gonna be complaining
about your playing.
So there's a small fee for that service.
Oh, is that traditional?
Oh, yeah, that's traditional.
Seventy-five in advance.
Yes, ma'am.
Here you are. Thank you.
Well, now, the room's all yours.
Thank you.
[ Soda gibbering ]
I gave you plenty of warning.
Now I take possession, legally.
But... She's moving out,
he's moving in. That's all.
[ ominous theme playing]
I'm sorry.
Uh...
I hope this is all right.
Don't break your heart about it.
Uh...
Look, would you like me to go for a walk,
say for a couple hours?
Yeah. Okay.
Is this in your way?
Everything's in my way these days.
So, like, I'll go.
Yeah, go.
Uh, can I give you a hand?
Will you just use it
to push yourself through the door?
[ drawer banging and thudding ]
Here, uh, let me give you a hand.
It's uh...
You see, it's the humidity makes the wood swell.
Look, I'm awfully sorry
for the way things turned out for you.
It's not your fault, forget it.
It's just that I want you to know I know how you feel.
And... Okay, fine.
Say...
This fan and a couple of bucks worth of food belong to me.
You wanna buy them?
Yeah, okay. How much?
Five dollars.
All right, fine.
There you go.
How long you been around here?
I just got in this morning.
You came in by bus? Yeah, how'd you know?
It figures.
Could you get that cup off the shelf for me?
Sure.
What are you, musician?
Saxophone player.
[ sighs ]
It's just what they need in New York.
To Miss Cha Cha Cha 1957, Miss Peggy Brown.
Is that you? Mm-hm.
Dance contest winner, Miami born.
Well, what do you know, you're a championship dancer.
Sure. I'm just living here to study the rhythms
of the common people.
Uh, I'll tell you what,
why don't you carry this and I'll carry your bags?
Thanks.
Uh, have you got everything?
Yeah, everything.
I could have reported her already.
A long time ago.
Only in the first place, by nature,
I'm not mean-spirited.
Excuse me.
And in the third place,
who needs lip from skirts like that one?
Yeah, I only hope for the rest of your life
you get exactly what you deserve.
Nothing. Get out of here.
Get out! Get out!
Can I get you cab?
Huh? Hmm?
A cab.
Yeah, I guess so. All right.
[ whistles ]
Here you are, Miss Brown. Uh, Miss Brown,
I'm terribly sorry about what's happened.
Hey, lady, where to?
And I wanna wish you all the very best...
Hey, mac, already, huh? Where to?
All right, just a minute.
Where to, he'd like to know.
I don't know.
What'd you say?
I don't know.
Hey, come on, where to? Well, just a minute.
As soon as I find out, I'll let you know, okay?
Okay with me, Saul.
[ taxi meter ticking ]
Um, don't you have any place to go?
Do you have any friends in town?
Well, how about your family?
[ melancholic theme playing]
You know something? All I wanted was just a room.
And now look at all the trouble I've caused you.
I'm very sorry.
It's not your fault.
If she didn't pester me out today,
she'd pester me out tomorrow.
Well, what's the trouble?
The same as everybody.
More money.
And I just haven't got it.
Well, look, Miss Brown, you can't sit in a cab all...
Uh, wait a minute.
Uh, I don't want you to misunderstand me,
but you've got no place to stay, right?
Well, the way I see it then, it's an emergency.
Um, suppose I gave the landlady a little extra money,
and we both could use the room.
Look, there are two beds up there anyway,
and one's got a curtain in front of it.
If she comes out ahead, what does she care?
I don't think so. Oh, oh, look.
I don't want you to misunderstand me.
But it would only be
for a matter of a couple of days.
Huh? What do you say?
Why should you?
Well, I don't know.
Uh... I guess I don't wanna feel
like there wasn't enough room in New York
without me having to, well, kick somebody out.
She wouldn't go for it.
Two of us in the same room?
Well, how do we know unless we ask her?
You think you can do it?
Oh, sure. She's probably a very nice lady underneath.
We can at least try.
Uh, you can stop now, we're home.
It was a very nice trip, wasn't it?
My name's Pete Hammond, Jr.
[ taxi meter clanging ]
All right, Mr. Pete Hammond Jr.
That'll be a buck 20. Man, oh, man,
this town is getting like one big padded cell.
Come on.
Well, I notice you found us another horn blower.
You must be queer for noises.
Can't you find any normal tenants?
Look, Mr. Kerry.
In the first place, mind your own business,
which could use some minding.
And in the second place,
musicians, especially saxophone,
always pay a better rate gladly.
So you don't like your room, you give it back to me.
I'll make out better with some musician
who couldn't get in everywhere.
You just be appreciative
it isn't a trombone or a drum.
Frank, you're lucky.
But the two of them in one room, unmarried.
You just don't know psychology.
Nothing will happen.
The two of them together in one small room?
You know of a quicker way
for two people to get to hate each other?
[ cab honking ]
[ sighs ]
PEGGY: Come in.
[ slow theme playing]
[ chuckles ]
What's so funny?
Uh, well, I was uh...
You know, I was just thinking
what you told me about New York City.
You know, about it being such an unfriendly town.
Well, you bet your life this could never happen in...
Uh, this could never happen where I came from.
Yeah, well, it'll probably never happen
in New York again either.
Uh, is this AC or DC in here?
Why?
Well, if it's AC, I can use it, I think.
Yeah, I think so.
Yeah.
My father gave me this for a going away present.
Wasn't that nice of him?
[ chuckles ]
When I left home, the second time that is,
my old man gave me an AC kick in the slacks
as a going away present.
Well, why would he wanna do that?
Disappointed in me, I guess.
I was still alive.
You want this? Oh.
[ razor whirring ]
Hey, that's good.
Sure. I'm just full of talent.
Remember me?
Miss Cha Cha Cha of 1957?
You know, it's a good title for a song.
Miss Cha Cha Cha from Tampa.
Well, at least I'm not ashamed of it.
Tampa.
Well, why should you be ashamed of it?
Well, you're ashamed of where you're from.
[ sighs ]
No, I'm not.
You're ashamed of it.
Milwaukee.
You were worried to tell it.
It's just that I understand the feeling around here
is that if you come from the Midwest
or someplace like that, you come on a little hokey.
Oh, but you're not?
Everybody's hokey.
Look, Peggy, I heard some of these local cats blow.
You know what they do? They steal a little Brubeck,
they clip a little of Charlie Parker.
And these cats, they think they're really making it.
Well, what are you hollering at me for?
I'm not... I'm not hollering at you.
I'm just trying to make a point
that some of the best progressive jazz
in America today comes from the Midwest.
[ slow theme playing]
Cigarettes are in there.
You're welcome to them. Thank you, I don't smoke.
My goodness.
You're just loaded with willpower, aren't you?
[ sighs ]
Everybody's got willpower when they need it.
Somehow it's always there when you need it.
Thank you, Dale Carnegie.
You don't smoke,
I bet you don't drink either
But it's a yes to the next question.
What?
Um...
Well, it's only a joke.
Very funny. Well, it was a slip of tongue.
I didn't mean anything.
Sure.
I knew there was a catch to this arrangement.
I should have known you fellas are all alike.
Now, wait a minute. Wait a minute, Miss Brown.
Just a second.
Look, there's no catch to this arrangement
It's an emergency, okay? Temporary.
Now, look, this is your bed, that's my bed.
Now, if you don't like it, you can pack up and leave right now.
Okay?
[ piano playing slow music]
I'm sorry.
It's been kind of a bad day for me.
Anyone can see you're a man with principles.
Otherwise I wouldn't have accepted your offer.
Okay.
Good night. Good night.
[ flute playing upbeat music]
[ knocking on door ]
Oh...
[ banging on door ]
Who is it? I don't know.
Did you ask him who?
Uh, all right. Uh, just a minute.
Who is it, please?
REPAIRMAN: Telephone. Mechanical adjuster.
[ banging ]
Okay. Okay, okay. Okay.
There you are.
[ humming ]
There you are, 4099.
I've never been late in my life.
[ laughing ]
What's with the shoe off?
How long are you gonna be, pal?
Oh, you're in the wrong apartment, Charlie.
No pulling in the arm, buddy. I'm warning you, no pull...
Hey, what time you want me back?
Will you come on? I told you, no pulling!
Didn't I? Didn't I?
Will you beat it, you two-bit Romeo?
You told me two weeks on the house.
Didn't I go all out for you?
All right. Oh, no pulling, buddy.
I'm warning you, now, no pulling!
Can't you get it through your head?
You're in the wrong apartment. Not me! Maybe you!
You ought to be ashamed of yourself!
Who ought? You ought
for talking like she was... That's just what she is.
Why don't you tell him you're nothing
but a cheap little Bryant 94099?
No. I...
Come on. All right.
I'm warning you. Go ahead.
She made a deal with me.
Two weeks on the house if I let the phone in.
I went all out for her, didn't I?
I even got fired on account of her.
[ suspenseful theme playing]
[ door slams ]
Are you all right?
I can call a doctor.
I'm sorry.
It was a mistake. It was one of those things.
You don't believe it, do you?
What a genuine idiot I turned out to be.
My first day in New York and I gotta get taken.
You know something? I'm probably the last guy in the whole world
who still believes a pretty girl is like a melody.
And I was actually afraid you misunderstood my intentions.
I'm not what he said. I'm not.
You're not, huh?
He knows your name, he knows your address.
He knows your telephone number.
And it doesn't embarrass him to find me here.
I may be from Milwaukee...
So why don't you go back there? Who needs you around here?
Apparently you do.
To pay your rent and act as your doorman.
I need you like I need another thumb.
[ sighs ]
You know, you'd better learn
this isn't any high school play you're in.
This is a rat race.
New York style.
And there isn't anything tougher.
I lived here five years trying to get my name
over something more than a mailbox.
And I've done everything there is
to keep alive in this town.
Everything but what you think.
I need a phone. So I conned the phone man.
You need a room so you conned me.
Absolutely. Right down the line.
Just like you're trying to do now.
No. Not now.
I can't con you anymore.
You're so dumb, you only believe what you hear.
All right, all right.
You've got yourself a room for one night.
[ slow theme playing]
PEGGY: Pete.
Pete.
No more, Peggy.
I got a pretty good picture of the way things are.
PEGGY: You've got no picture at all.
You talk about breaking this town open
in three months.
And it might take all your life and you still may not do it.
Wait till it beats you down, kicks you ten times a day,
slams every door in your face.
Just wait.
You'll lie, you'll steal, cheat,
hang on by your fingernails,
borrow money you can't pay back,
and offer what you won't deliver.
But, Pete, you can believe me.
I've never done what you think.
And as long as I can hold out, I never will.
That's the truth.
Peggy.
How much is that telephone bill?
[ upbeat theme playing]
[ band playing dance music]
MAN: Let's dance.
[ indistinct chattering ]
[ women laughing ]
[ sighs ]
What time is it, someone?
It's 10 past 1.
I wish it was 10 past tomorrow noon.
[ slow jazz playing]
Oh, baby, you really are something to be up against.
You bring out the best in me.
Well, you're quite a guy.
I hope you've got enough tickets.
Well, if I don't, I know where to get them.
Let's sit down a couple, huh?
Of course you'll have to buy tickets
just as if we were dancing.
Well, it's okay with me,
providing we talk about our future, hmm?
Well, that's the only kind of talk I'm interested in.
You now owe me $481.15.
Right?
Right, Nellie.
It could be a zero in two or three weeks
if you played it smart.
I'd rather be dumb my way than smart yours.
[ indistinct chattering ]
PETE: Excuse me.
Oh.
[ speaks indistinctly ]
PETE: Excuse me. It's okay.
MAN: How did it go?
There were ten guys ahead of me.
To get a job playing in New York,
you can't be just a good musician.
You gotta be a track star too.
You know, there must be 5,000 musicians out of work
in this town. Yeah.
They get jobs, you know, once in a while.
Once a year or something like that.
The St. Patrick's Day Parade.
[ laughs ]
You know, if I don't get a job pretty soon,
I'm gonna be in an awful lot... Listen to him, will you?
Three weeks and he's bummed.Yeah.
MAN: I've been here three years, man,
and I ain't hit a steady job yet.
There's one big secret you've gotta learn.
What's that?
You're in the wrong business.
Hey, you got a minute? Yeah.
I'd like to talk to you.
Well...
Watch this.
I couldn't help overhearing that conversation back there.
I guess things are pretty rough for you, huh?
Yeah. I tell you, it's just murder. Just murder.
Man, it's a drag getting started,
but I hear you play a lot of saxophone.
Well, thank you. Thank you very much.
My name is Frankie J.Pete Hammond Jr. is my name.
[ humming ]
[ knocking on door ]Who is it?
PETE: It's Pete.
Just a second.
Hi. Hi.
Uh, did you ever hear
of Frankie J. And his Red Peppers?
No.
They're a swinging jazz group around town.
Everybody's talking about them. Even Downbeat.
So? So their lead man went off
and married some society girl with money and he quit.
So?
So they're giving me an audition.
You're kidding.
Cross my heart and hope to blow a sour note.
What did I tell you about this town?
I told you they were just waiting for me.
I mean you're kidding. Look, what's an audition?
It's just another way to get your heart cut out. Ask me.
No. It's another way to prove how good you are.
Will you get the hot water and rinse me?
Whoa. Oh, that's hot.
Yeah, a little more, please.
Ooh.
That's it.
Thanks.
Look, listen, I feel too good to eat in tonight.
Why don't we go down to Mac's
and have a big spaghetti dinner, huh?
No, thanks.
I've got enough seating capacity already.
I can't see it.
Heh. That's because I'm sitting on it.
I mean, when you're not, I can't see it.
How would you know? You haven't looked.
How would you know? You never caught me.
Oh.
Here. What's that?
It's a present for you.
I bought it this afternoon
after I heard about the audition.
Well, I haven't had a present since...
Uh, it's mink.
It's a pure mink cape.
You know, now is the time to buy those things
because it's the summertime
and, you know, the prices are better.
I tell you, Peggy,
it was nothing but dumb luck, just stupid dumb luck.
I was coming down the avenue of the avenues
and around 46th Street, you know,
when I hear somebody whistle at me.
Well, I turn around and there's another whistle.
Naturally, a lot of other people turned around too.
But there's a guy sitting in a truck
and he calls me over, so I go.
He says to me, "Hey, buddy. You wanna buy a mink cape?"
Well, I got a laugh, you know.
But then he tells me the spot he's in.
You see, he and the other fella, that's the driver,
they work for this big department store
and they noticed there'd been a mistake.
They'd been given one extra fur piece by mistake.
So they talk it over.
He and the other guy, his buddy, the driver.
They talk it over and they decide to sell it
because the other guy, the driver, his kid's sick.
And would you believe it, Peggy,
they must have sat there over an hour.
He told me this. Over an hour and there were no takers.
He wouldn't be down there now, would he?
I don't know. But anyway, I say to myself,
"Wouldn't it be wild
if I latched on to something like this for Peggy?"
But I say to the guy, I say, "Look, Charlie,
all I've got on me is about 35 bucks."
Well, he laughs.
He says to me $200 would be highway robbery.
I says, "Okay." So I start to leave.
He calls me back, he says to me,
"Look, we gotta move. Here, take it for nothing.
"Take it for $35.
Go ahead. What do we care?"
So I took it.
Come on. Here, let me see what it looks like on you.
Stand up.
Well, what's the matter? Don't you like mink?
Of course I do.
Well, then, I don't understand.
Well, you think of a girl
and you wanna bring her something nice
because you feel good
and you want her to feel the same.
They can't even let you do that
without making a crime out of it.
Pete, that's the oldest racket in New York.
How could you fall for it?
Peggy, don't you suppose I know that?
What kind of an idiot do I look like?
Here, let me show you something. Look.
Inside, look at the label.
Sax Fifth Avenue.
The Saks is spelled S-A-K-S, not S-A-X.
Well, at least it's pure mink.
So a cat is pure cat.
That's pure groundhog made to look like pure mink.
Yeah.
No.What do you mean no?
What do you want that for? I want it.
It's the first time anybody ever gave me anything.
Oh, I hate this louse bitten town like poison.
And every dirty body in it.
Aw, Peggy. Look, it's not that bad.
What's 35 bucks? I'll make that back
the first three hours with the Red Peppers.
Yeah. If you do.
What do you mean if I do? Peggy, I can't miss.
I can't miss.
Wait'll they hear me play.
You know what I think I'm gonna do? I'm gonna warm up.
Dry your hair, put on some clothes
and we'll go out to Mac's and celebrate, okay?
Huh? Okay.
Do you really think you can play with musicians
as good as you claim they are?
Are you kidding?
I'll tell you what, you tell me, okay?
Okay.
[ band playing dance music]
[ slow theme playing]
Get a plate of this into you, my boy.
You'll have energy enough
to play a hundred and twenty choruses
of "Stars and Stripes Forever."
That's nonstop.
What'll it do for me?
Change your dress size from 10 to 12.
MAC: Now, look whose talking.
Having a full rack of instruments helps, you know?
PETE: Yeah, they kept asking me if I had a baritone,
a clarinet, a sax a flute.
You know, I guess they do a lot of tricky arrangements
and they need them for the instrumentals.
You know what I think I'll do?
I think I'll polish up the instruments, you know?
Sometimes the look of things helps.
You're telling me.
Pete. Hmm?
I hope you knock them over tomorrow.
Oh, I love this town.
SODA: Hey.
Good luck.
Why, thank you, Mrs. Gallo.
Oh, won't you join us?
No. No, thank you. I... Not with that spaghetti.
What's wrong with that spaghetti?
My mother raised a family of five on it.
Look how they turned out.
It's too spicy.
Give them a bottle of wine, huh?
Give them a bottle of wine?
Mrs. Soda, you best go lie down someplace.
I don't give anything away here. Just a minute.
Listen, you kids wanna buy a bottle of wine?
PETE: Oh, sure. Sure.
Mr. McGreevey, when I said give them a bottle of wine,
naturally, I expected it to be put on my bill.
[ band playing dance music]
Lousy.
Well, it just takes time.
It takes more than time, man.
When you get the rest of your band in it
and the rhythm section, I'm sure it'll be...
Yeah, I know, man. What am I supposed to do?
Drag 12 guys down here
to watch you read saxophone parts?
I'm gonna tell you why it's no good.
It's three instruments, that's why.
It should be one.
It shouldn't even be one.
It should be like a voice.
You got a nice fudgy tone, daddy.
Could be a little darker to blend in.
Timing, phrasing, vibrato. Everything, see?
When I'm on this box,
I'm playing eight, nine, ten notes at a time.
[ piano playing]
But one. Yeah.
One instrument.
Yeah, yeah, yeah.
Anything you say, Mother.
[ giggling ]Very funny, Carl.
Why don't you play something for us yourself, daddy?
Like... What do you feel like playing?
Uh...
How about "Lullaby in Birdland?"
That's a nice piece, huh, fellas?
Beautiful. Cool.
FRANKIE: What key would you like to play it in?
Uh, key of G.
Okay, fine.
[ playing piano]
[ saxophone playing]
FRANKIE: I don't know, man.
I just don't know.
Maybe you can make it. Maybe not.
How are you on that tenor?
About the same. Clarinet?
I got it.
Well, if I knew the arrangements.
FRANKIE: What other instruments?
Well, I play a little flute. Not much.
Say, man, there's no such thing as not much flute, daddy.
Have you got one?
Oh, yeah. I got three of them.
Did you bring them with you?
Oh, yeah, I got them here. That's all right. Just asking.
What's that crazy looking thing over there?
Oh, you mean the soprano.
I used to do a lot of novelty stuff back home with it.
And who played the washboard?
[ saxophone plays discordantly ]
All right, can it. Can it.
Get out your other tip, will you?
You wanna know, it's hot up here.
Yeah, it is. Thanks.
Say, man, you seen a Coke machine
outside or down?
No. No, I don't think I saw one.
Well, never mind.
Would you like me to find one?
No, everything is cool. It's all right.
I could really go for a nice cold bottle of beer.
Even a can. Later.
Beer will make you hotter.
What do you wanna be, man?
Vice president in charge of my kidneys?
I wonder if it's far, that beer place.
Uh, it's right across the street, Jack Dempsey's.
Okay, we'll match for who goes. Odd man.
Four heads. Again.
And out goes Y-O-U.Right.
I wonder if they got draft. I don't know. I'll ask them.
As long as you're going, try for draft.
Okay.
But none of them paper cartons, huh?
You got it, partner. Make him lend a pitcher.
Tell Jack you saw him freeze purple.
He'll give you the beer. Yeah, yeah.
Good thinking.
Can I get anybody sandwiches? No, nothing.
Yeah, well, maybe a few pretzels,
if they got the hard kind.
And a pack of cigarettes for me. See if they got...
Hey, what do you think he is, meathead? Get your own.
Oh, that's okay, Frankie.
I don't like it. The guys takes advantage
and it ain't right.Right. Okay.
Can I get you anything?
FRANKIE: Don't break any track records. We're fat with time.
[ saxophone playing]
All right, that's it. Move, man.
I'm going as quick as... No talking.
I told you a dozen times, no talking while we're working.
Will you move? Up, baby, up.
All right, Carl, give me the letter.
Letter? What letter?
What letter? The letter to leave, that's all.
I ain't got no letter, man.
Are you out of your mind?
Will you get off of my back? I thought you had the letter.
The jumping one that we got with...
Write it now.
You want this sucker on our tail?
You wanna be looked for?
Here, write on the back of this music.
Dear, what's that creeps name?
Pete, something like that. No, it can't be.
Yeah, I think that's right. What do we care?
Dear Pete, here is the dope.
You lose.
Do not get hot.
If you care to retain your teeth.
Got it.
This is really a good turn to you as...
As an alto man. Two as's?
As as an alto man. Yeah, two as's.
What's wrong with that? Well, I'm just trying
to find out, man. As as an alto man,
you are really hot.
And as a pigeon, you are even hotter.
Beautiful.
Therefore, any trouble you make us,
we will return you double.
This is no, um...
Bull. Bull, perfect.
This is no bull.
Sincerely yours, the Red Peppers.
PS. We are not the real Red Peppers.
Good boy.
[ suspenseful theme playing ]
So I went out and I bought a pitcher of beer
and some pretzels.
It didn't take me long to get it,
but I guess it was time enough
because when I got back, everything was gone.
[ sighs ]
Oh, I hate to say this,
but didn't I tell you about this town
and the race for a buck that turns people into rats?
Didn't I?
So why don't you go out and buy a ticket
for Milwaukee and go home?
I can't go home now.
Why not?
Peggy, nobody's gonna drive me out of town like this.
No, I'm gonna stay.
And do what?
I don't know. I'm just gonna stay
and stay and play music.
Sure.
You could become a wealthy virtuoso
in the column on tissue paper.
Well, tomorrow, laddie, we split up this happy home.
Neither one of us can afford it.
And I've got enough troubles of my own
without taking on any more.
Oh, good morning, Mrs. Gallo.
Oh, shrivel up.
[ door slams ]Are you ready, dear?
What do you think I've been doing out here?
Playing handball?
MAN: Good morning, Mrs. Kerry.
What's good about it?
[ door slams ]
[ cat meows ]
[ cat screeches ]
Well, what do you want? Ginger ale, orange?
What do you want?
A double rye with a grape soda chaser.
At this time of the morning? Yeah, listen,
you run your life, buster, I'll run mine. I'm old enough.
You certainly are.
Hmph.
Rye with a grape chaser.
The great white hunter, huh?
Why don't you use a cannon?
You just pray that it don't land on you.
Tell me something,
did they really steal all that kid's instruments?
Yeah, I hear.
All of them?
Look, who am I, the World Almanac?
Anyhow, who cares? Nobody.
Mac, you know what that kid's gonna do?
What? Go to the police.
Imagine, I says to him, "It serves you right.
"The one thing not to do is trust a stranger,
let alone three strangers."
I says to him, "Now, you follow exactly
"what they tell you to do in that letter,
which is naturally nothing."
So does he listen to me? What do you think?
I don't know. Does he? Of course. No.
Who am I? Just some nothing
who's three times as much in years in good health
with a stuffed full,
large sized safety deposit box in the bank
with four apartments.
What does that make me?
Some nothing who don't even know what time it is.
Oh, no. Don't listen to me.
What the hell do I know?
He can't wait to run to the detectives and cops.
You know, that kid's got as much chance
of getting those instruments back
as I got getting that doe back
that my first wife ran off with.
But I'll tell you one thing he's got a good chance of getting.
A couple of broken bones in Bellevue,
like it says in the letter.
You know, you gotta know how to handle hoodlums.
Yeah.
Like the time that guy broke into my rear bedroom.
Remember?
I didn't scream. I just looked at him.
And he screamed.
Peggy, will you start to eat before it gets cold?
No. I'm not hungry.
Will you stop smoking and eat?
Pete. Hmm?
Don't do it.
Peggy, what else is there to do?
I'm gonna go down to the police station,
make out one of those grand theft reports,
give them a description of the guys
that clipped my instruments,
and in a couple of days, I'll get them back
Look, last year, it took them two weeks
to find the police commissioner.
But they're not gonna find those guys.
And if they do, they're not gonna have your instruments.
Well, maybe if I move fast.
Yeah, well, they'll move faster.
Look, Pete, if you're gonna stay here,
stop daydreaming and get a job.
Get a job doing what?
Get a job. Delivering milk or working in a store,
driving a truck, anything.
Driving a truck?
Peggy, I'm a musician, first, last and always.
Well, without a saxophone,
you're like a bird without wings.
And you're never gonna get off the ground.
[ phone ringing ]
If that's that Nellie again. Now, Pete...
Hello.
What?
Look, you creep, the vultures have been here.
There's nothing left.
How do you like that? I must be on top of the list.
He says he heard I'm great.
He's looking for a tenor sax man.
[ phone rings ]
I'll get it. I'll get it.
Hello.
Really?
Well, wait a minute.
It's the same guy that just called.
He says he was one of the bunch
that you played with the other night.
Across the yard. Take a look.
You wanna talk to him? Hey.
Yeah.
Hello.
Uh, listen, I'm sorry I called you a creep.
What?
Hey, that sounds great.
Well...
Well, yeah...
No, I'll tell you, I'm... I'm in a little trouble.
I had a little trouble about my horns. Uh-huh.
I'm sorry. No, I couldn't possibly.
Thanks any...
All right, all right. Wait a minute.
You got a pencil and paper?
I'll... wait a minute.
I'll write it down and call you back.
Okay, what is it?
Endicott 24598.
Okay.
Thanks a lot, right.
What did he want?
Peggy, I got a job.
There's a guy looking for a good alto man,
but he's gotta be able to go on a 30-day cruise.
South America, all expenses paid,
union scale, tuxedo.
And me with no horns.
Oh, I gotta give it another try.
I'll tell you, I'm going down to the police station.
Maybe there's a chance. I'll see you later.
[ slow theme playing]
[ upbeat theme playing]
[ knocking on door ]
NELLIE: Come in.
Could I see you for a minute?
About what?
I wanna ask you something.
Ask.
What I wanna ask you about is an advance.
I hate to ask.
You hate to ask,
I hate to listen, so we're even.
How much?
Well it's... It's, uh, much more than I...
Don't promote me, just tell me how much.
A couple of hundred.
It sounded to me like you said a couple of hundred.
It's an emergency. Like what?
Like this friend of mine got into trouble.
That's a lot of trouble, $200 worth.
When you're into me
for better than four bills already.
Yeah, I know.
I'm not running the hundred neediest cases here.
I'm in business.
Like you're in business, only there's a difference.
I'm in the right business
and you're in the wrong business.
At the moment. So who's fault?
I could put you in the right business permanent.
I keep trying to put you, but you don't want to.
Where's the percentage of bouncing around out there
with a lot of grease balls? I don't enjoy it.
So why don't you get yourself hip?
Is there anything wrong
with a little genuine ballroom dancing,
splitting a bottle of French wine
with a lonely businessman? Is that a crime?
Having some fun, making somebody happy?
You know what I think your trouble is?
Nervous.
You know how I can tell?
Because what I call nervous
is a person that makes other people nervous.
And you make me.
Mentally you're here, you're there, you're not here.
You've got a Mexican jumping bean type mind.
Yeah, I know.
Every time I call you on the phone with a good idea,
I get doubletalk for my dime.
So I'm patient.
I figure in time, you'll come to your sense.
It isn't exactly like taking up golf, you know?
No jokes.
Just tell me, which way is your mind jumping now?
Now?
Now, this minute.
Your way.
But first, I've gotta have an advance.
What do you mean got to?
You telling me got to?
Please I'd like it. I'd like it.
I need it.
That's different.
Two hundred?
Yeah.
Be my guest.
Maybe sure you don't $201 me.
In?
In.
You'll get a call.
Hey!
Where's the "thank you, sir"?
Thanks.
[ suspenseful theme playing]
Peggy?
Hi.
What's all this?
Surprise.
You mean shock.
Um...
Peggy, what's this all about?
I called that fella about the cruise job.
Yeah? You took it.
Did you buy these?
Mm-hm. How?
The old-fashioned way. Money.
Where'd you get the money?
I sold some war bonds.
Peggy, where did you get the money?
Oh, you're like a mother-in-law with all those questions.
I got it. That's all.
Peggy.
Where did you get the money?
[ Peggy sighs ]
PEGGY: From Mac, that's where.
All right, I'll go and ask him.
Wait. So I didn't.
What's the difference?
It's a big difference.
If you got it where I... Where I think you got it.
From Nellie, all right? Peggy.
Look, don't go a little theater on me.
It was just a loan,
plain and simple like the others.
Don't make me out something I'm not.
Uh...
I never would.
But after what you've told me about this guy...
So he's in the loan business too.
Take the instruments and be grateful.
Well, I am grateful, Peggy. But I can never blow a note
on these instruments if I felt you...
Well, that if I felt yo...
You had to make any kind of promises.
The only promise I made was to pay it back.
So when you get some money, don't forget me. Okay?
Wait a minute, wait a minute.
How come your credit's so good all of a sudden?
How come you're interested in me so much all of a sudden?
Well, if you wouldn't borrow the money for yourself,
how come you're gonna borrow it for me?
Now, look, I don't give a nothing for you
or anybody or anything.
So, what do you care?
It was just a nice thing you did for me.
Took me in rent free, bought me a gift.
Let's say we're even.
A gift? A cheap fur?
Well, look. I'm calling the debt off right now.
Yeah? Yeah.
Go ahead. I'm calling it off.
Go ahead, call it off.
And then for the rest of your life,
you get the big consolation prize.
If I had stuck I'd have made it, but they robbed me.
You know, who cares when you tell them
you could have been this or that,
but I'm nothing because they didn't like me?
Wait a minute, I'm not quitting.
I just can not...
You all-American boy.
I've had a hundred better reasons than this
to cross over the bridge.
And if you think I'd do it for a lousy tin saxophone
and a piece of wood with some holes in it,
you're strictly out of your mind.
And don't flatter yourself either.
I wouldn't do it for Beethoven.
[ slow theme playing]
All right, Peggy, I'll take the job.
Three cheers for the red, white, and blue.
[ band playing slow dance music]
[ crowd clapping ]
[ crowd indistinctly speaking ]
[ piano playing]
Come on now, pops. It's mixing time in Dixie.
Yeah, let me just finish this letter.
We've got to mix with the lonesome customers.
I'm hip. I will in just one minute.
Don't get me in deep with Captain Blaine.
I don't want to. Wait, let me just finish.
It won't go out till morning anyway.
I know, but I just... It's just a couple of lines.
You know what? What?
From now on married men only.
Why? They never write letters.
And they're better mixers.
[ crowd indistinctly speaking ]
[ indistinct chattering ]
Come on. Come on, join us.
Mix, mix, mix.
WOMAN: Come on, Pete. Come on.
You party pooper. Come On.
Come on.
"Well, there's no sense in my going through
"all the apologizing about my behavior
"before leaving.
"So all this part of it will have to wait
"until I get back on the 23rd.
"And I only hope, you will be there to listen
"because I sure shall be anxious
to tell you quite a few things."
"Well, Bird is getting pretty nervous about me
"not doing my mixing with the guests,
"so will close.
"With best regards
"or as they say around the crew here,
"buenas noches.
Your true friend, Pete Hammond Jr."
[ romantic theme playing]
A penny for your thoughts.
Right now my thoughts are worth around $600.
And as they say in legal contracts,
that's either pay or play.
Me, I wish I could lend you.
That makes two of us.
I'll just have to stall, that's all.
Till when?
Until Pete gets back.
Can you imagine me
getting myself into a box like this
over a square like that?
Oh, now, why don't you admit it?
You're stuck on the guy.
Oh, don't be corny.
I don't care if he's living or what.
If he comes back or not. But you're hoping.
You know, for the first time I've known you,
I noticed that you've been hoping.
Yeah, I'm hoping you'll change the subject.
All right, so you don't care about the guy
one way or the other, like you say.
Why did you go on hot for him for?
Because it was the only way to get him a job
and get him out of town. I was afraid
he'd get run over by a bus or something. He's so dumb.
How come you got all the nerve to talk back
to that Nellie at last, huh?
It's just to keep in practice.
A good fighter is a busy fighter.
No. Because now it matters what you do.
Aw, don't shrug, honey.
Perfectly normal.
Half the world is looking for the other half.
Did you ever notice it? Just consider it.
Buyers to the sellers trying to meet up.
And vice versa.
Crooks looking for suckers.
Boys for girls and so forth.
Tops for bottoms and bottoms for tops.
Very interesting. No end.
Jobs looking for people, people looking for jobs.
Or for trouble.
Oh, no.
It's nothing to be ashamed of.
Who said I was?
You wanna hear a saying?
Everybody needs somebody else
who can make them feel ashamed of themselves.
My grandmother used to say that.
Only in Gaelic.
You know what my grandmother used to say?
What?
Your grandmother's got a big mouth.
Only in French.
[ Mac chuckles then laughs ]
Ginger beer.
So, what's her problem?
A saxophone player.
Everybody around here gets poster cards
from the boy but Peggy.
She gets a letter from him every day.
Some days twice.
So that's the big surprise? I know.
Very nice letters they are too.
How would you know?
I got my sources.
Oh, yes. And come to think of it,
there's been more steam coming out of that kitchen
that you've got up there than comes out of a Turkish bath.
Exactly what is in them I could not tell you.
Personally, I am not interested.
Live and let live, that's my motto.
I just don't like to be taken advantage.
So when he comes back,
if they still wanna live there together,
there'll be an extra charge of, say, a dollar a day.
And if he asks me why, I'll tell him.
Oh, now, Soda, what do you wanna do that for?
They're both nice kids, even Peggy.
Well...
Yeah.
You're right.
I'll only charge 25 cents extra.
Yeah. You know something, Soda?
I haven't been out of this bar in months.
What do you say one night you and I go out on the town, hmm?
You mean that? Not only one night.
Maybe two or three.
Oh, yeah?
Just what are you after?
At my age, only your money.
Hmm.
[ band playing dance music]
That's all on this pony, son.
Don't move from there, you hear?
I'm glued.
Look, Nellie... Don't "Nellie" me.
Nelson Miller to you.
Mr. Miller, let's make it.
Mr. Miller. I don't go for this familiar.
That's my trouble. Familiar.
The customers, the ponies. It doesn't profit.
Take you. Me?
You said in,
and you're still out.
Out of line, goldilocks. Way out.
Mr. Miller, I... Take your hands off, cutie.
Imported silk.
Hates the human touch, my tailor tells me. Like mink.
Same way.
They're only glass.
So is the United Nations building.
But it stands for something.
Now, give me your fingers.
Give me your fingers.
[ scoffs ]
It means nothing to you.
It means a lot to me. Sentimental.
I'm all choked up.
Nellie, it's only money.
I'll pay you back, I told you.
I said don't "Nellie" me.
We made a verbal contract.
So, what happens? I call you and you don't show.
I'm sorry.
All I asked you to do is to have a few drinks
and a steak dinner in a high-type restaurant.
With a gentleman of manners. Is that so hard to take?
I can open this window and shout
and a hundred girls would jump at the chance.
So why don't you open it and shout?
Because none of them owe me $600 in cash.
Now, why didn't you show?
Something wouldn't let me.
What something?
I don't know.
I'll tell you what.
Stupidity.
Now, give me your shoes.
What for?
You heard me, take them off.
Now, your dress.
No. I won't.
Do you want me to tear it off?
Everything you got here
adds up to no more than 25 bucks.
The money will be taken care of.
Two days at the most. Maybe a day.
It's three months till the Irish sweepstakes, honey.
When the fella gets back I gave it to.
Two days.
In two days, we could all be dead and buried.
That's right. So, what's the difference?
It ain't neat.
And what's with giving my money to fellas?
He was in trouble.
So are you in trouble.
Now, take off your nylons.
My stockings? What for?
Take them off and find out.
Now, do you get the point?
Without me, what have you got?
Nothing.
You have dinner?
Yeah.
Well, you're gonna have another.
Nice guy from Dallas. Old business friend.
Strictly first class.
His hotel.
Be there in 30 minutes.
No later.
[ scatting ]
Hey. Pete.
What...? Where did you come from?
Where are you going?
You got any money? Yeah.
How much? About $300.
That's not enough.
It's not enough for what? Nellie.
Pete, I'm into trouble right up to here.
I owe him twice that amount of money.
I ran out on him and he's gonna come running after me.
There must be something we can do.
There's nothing we can do but get out of here
while I can still walk.
Look, why don't we go and talk to him?
Pete, will let me finish?
Let's go and talk to him. Don't waste your breath.
He's not the type that listens. Now, if you don't...
PETE: Wait a minute.
Twice. You've done it twice.
Nobody does anything that bad twice to Nelson Miller.
So, what do I do? I put a stop to it, here and now.
I let you walk around this town as an example
of how not to take Nellie.
I make you look so you couldn't even pick up dreck.
Wait a minute.
I got poor refraction, but with these,
I'm good for any kind of close work.
Wait a minute. Shut up.
I've got the money.
Who are you? Pete Hammond Jr.
Did I ask your name?
What, do you take me for, a plainclothesman?
I said who are you? He's the fella.
Oh. The fella.
How much money?
[ coughing ]
Three hundred dollars.
I don't even count it. See how I trust you?
That's only half.
All it does is keep the girlfriend here
from getting a face autograph with a knife.
Look...
Uh, I'll have the rest in a couple of weeks.
Always two weeks with you characters.
Two days, two hours. Well, it won't be in two minutes.
Tomorrow morning. I gave you two tomorrows.
How many do you think there are?
Uh, wait a minute. Wait a minute.
Wait a second, I got, uh...
I got a watch here. It's worth 75 bucks.
How about you, Kewpie?
No jewelry?
In the hockshop.
1108 6th Avenue. Go ask.
I know where to go.
Wait a second.
Real gold.
That's nothing. Plated.
Maybe a little bit of nothing helps.
Uh, wait a second.
I got a... I got a mink cape.
Heh. Behave yourself.
I used to sell these.
All right, wait. I got something in the hall.
Wait a second.
Here. My instruments.
I got a baritone sax, alto sax and a clarinet.
Take them.
He needs those to work with.No. They don't belong to me.
You're right, they belong to me. Okay, they're yours.
They're worth about $200. That makes us even, right?
Thanks. Let's go.
No.
[ Pete groans ]
You got anything more to say?
Well, let's keep it that way.
Are you all right? Yeah.
[ phone ringing ]Yeah, I'm fine.
Are you sure? Uh-huh. Yeah.
[ phone ringing ]
Why would you do a thing like that?
I don't know.
Oh.
To think of what would've happened
if you hadn't have been here.
[ phone ringing ]
Hello?
Yeah.
He can't come to the phone right now.
Can you give me a message?
Yeah.
Wait a second.
It's the police.
They found your instruments.
Well, didn't I tell you they would?
[ slow theme playing]
You Henry? Hammond.
What? Pete Hammond, Jr.
Pete Henry.No. Pete Hammond, Jr.
Pete Henry.
You're the one who has the musical instruments robbed.
That's right. Yeah.
Pete Henry.
Yeah, well, you've got some signing to do.
Sign them Pete Henry. Here. All right. Right.
Yeah, they're around here someplace.
You know I can't wait to get my instruments.
I hope they weren't damaged in any way.
Well, I'll check...
There they are. Right over here.
There. There's one.
And here's the other one.
Oh, excuse me, sergeant. No, I'm terribly sorry.
There's been a mistake somewhere.
These are not my instruments.
Well, what did you sign them for then?
Well, you just asked me to sign them.
I signed because you asked me. Oh, wait a second.
You had some music instruments robbed.
That's right, I did, but you see...
Ah, wait a second.
The date? August 4th.
That's right. Yes, I know it's August 4th...
Now, wait a second.
Your name is Pete Henry.
No. I think that's where the mistake lies, sarge.
You see, my name is not Pete Henry.
It's Pete Hammond, Jr.
What? Pete Hammond Jr.
That's your name for sure? That's... Yes.
Well, then why did you mess everything up
by singing Pete Henry all over the place?
Sergeant, you asked me to sign...
You strike me as being a little backward...
Now, wait a minute, sergeant. I was...
Now, wait... Listen. Let's not have any arguments.
Okay. Just use your head.
All right, sergeant.
I mean, let's leave everything the way it is.
I don't play the fiddles.
No. You wanna foul things up
already more than they have been.
You don't understand...
I don't want arguments. You're not getting...
You've got the things, I got the receipt.
It's official. That's all I know.
Wait. You don't like it,
go on downtown and straighten it out.
No. No, I don't wanna go downtown.
Everything's cool. Thank you very much.
Bye.
Wait a minute.
Where are you from, boy?
Out of town someplace?
No. I'm a New Yorker.
Well, you sure don't act like it.
Here's your pencil.
[ scoffs ]
Hi.
How did you get stuck with those?
I don't know. It's a rather complicated story.
I do know that there's a guy running around town
by the name of Pete Henry
who's got two saxophones and a clarinet.
You know what I'll do? I'll go down at the union tomorrow,
see if I can get it straightened out. Maybe they can find them.
Well, that's your problem.
I just waited for you to get back so I could say goodbye.
Peggy, will you wait a minute?
Why is it every time I see you,
you're packing or going somewhere?
Didn't you get any of my letters?
Sure, why?
Well, I don't know. I mean, the way you sound,
uh, you sound as if you didn't get them.
And I'm gonna have to start from scratch.
Well, how am I supposed to sound?
Wait a minute, here. Just a minute. Sit down.
Will you sit down for a minute?
Now, did you read my letters?
Sure.
You have a very nice hand.
Well, what do you think?
About what?
About the letters.
Well, it sounded like you had a very interesting trip.
I'm not talking about the trip part.
What part?
Uh, well, I thought about you a lot, Peggy.
Well, what did you wanna do that for?
Peggy, uh, I consider you my friend.
Thanks. Well, no, I don't mean that.
Peggy, I think I love you.
When will you know?
Oh, well, I do know.
Listen, I mean the works. I mean, you and I together.
You know? No.
I'd only be a jinx to you
just the way I've always been to myself.
No, Peggy.
Since we've been thrown together,
why don't we just stay that way, huh?
I wanna do my very best for you because I believe in you.
Why? I don't know.
Maybe it's because you help me believe in myself.
Besides, all I know
is I just feel nice being around you.
Look, I know I love you.
I don't think anymore. I know.
Please don't be nice to me. Please.
Why not? Why not?
Because I'd just take advantage. Oh, well, go ahead.
Peggy, go on. Go on, take advantage.
I wouldn't wanna get talked into anything.
Anything bad ever happened to me
was because I got talked in.
Okay. Okay.
Only, I have to tell,
I never thought I could.
If there's anything left in me...
[ romantic theme playing]
Let's say we'll see. We'll see.
I'll settle for that.
Peggy, I'm... I'm trembling.
Maybe if we tremble together, you won't notice it.
And listen, no more cruises.
Not for a while anyhow until I paste myself together.
I wouldn't anyway.
Hmm?
Why not? No good?
Oh, no, it's fine, you know.
Playing and the trip's fun,
but it's that mixing I don't know about.
Mixing? Mm-hm.
The staff is supposed to balance out
the shortage of the men on board the ship.
That includes the band.
Did you?
Uh, mix?
Mm-hm.
Yeah, mm-hm, sure.
Much?
Well, it all depends on what you call much.
Well, did you mix with many?
No. No, not many.
But some?
Yeah, that's about the size of it. Some.
Hmm. How many?
Three.
Three different? What?
Did you mix with three different
or did you mix with the same one three times?
Uh, no. Three different.
Well, that settles it.
That's the last time you go on that kind of a job.
Yeah? How are you gonna stop me?
Are you kidding?
[ upbeat theme playing]