Complete Works of F. Scott Fitzgerald UK (Illustrated)
Page 391
Pat (with an appraising provocative look): That’s a very fine age — thirty.
DISSOLVE TO:
49 EXTERIOR OF THE INN
Under an arbor, Bobby and Pat are walking toward the cars, followed by Koster, Breuer and Lenz. Bobby and Pat are silent — the other three are singing the “Song of the Argonnerwald.” Bobby is carrying Pat’s cloak. She looks up at the stars as she puts it on — her lips are slightly open in a smile. They reach the cars.
Bobby (attentive): Do you think Herr Breuer is fit to drive?
Pat: I think so.
Bobby (anxiously): If you’re not quite sure, one of us could go with you.
Pat: It’s all right. He drives better when he’s had a little.
Bobby: But not so surely. (prolonging the moment) Let’s hope he’ll do all right. Can I phone you in the morning and see if you got home? We’re responsible — with that birthday rum.
(the others come up. Breuer gets into the car)
Pat: All right, if you like. Western two seven nine six.
She gets into the Buick. The Comrades bow and wave as the Buick roars away. Bobby notes the phone number on a match packet.
Lenz: I wonder what she finds in that auto catalogue? Wonderful girl, oh?
Bobby (pretending indifference): Who am I to say?
Lenz (teasingly): What do you live for, Bobby?
Bobby (abstracted): I’ve been asking myself that for a long time.
Lenz (with meaning): Maybe I could tell you.
(he gets into “Heinrich”)
Unobserved, Bobby leans over and pats “Heinrich.”
Bobby (with feeling): Thank you, Heinrich!
FADE OUT
50 FADE IN:
COURTYARD OF THE REPAIR SHOP —
— on a sunny morning. The radio in the office is playing “Tea for Two.” The wrecked Ford is in process of reconstruction. Bobby takes his overalls from the plum tree in the yard, disclosing to his amazement that it has blossomed beautifully during the night. Matilda, broom in hand, stands beside him.
Bobby: Well, look at the old plum tree!
Matilda: Every Spring it’s a fresh miracle. And the smell — just like rum — (sniffs) Fine old rum.
Jupp comes up to the tree and picks some blossoms.
Jupp (to Bobby): Good morning.
Bobby (idly): What’s the idea?
Jupp: For the ladies. I give them a spray with each gallon of gas. Helps business. (he retires)
Lenz’s head appears from beneath the Ford. He lies on a creeper.
Lenz: Say, Bob, it’s occurred to me that something ought to be done about that girl of Herr Breuer’s.
Bobby (starting): What do you mean?
Lenz: Just that. What are you glaring at me about?
Bobby: I’m not glaring.
(he puts on his overalls)
Lenz (crawling out, covered with grime): You are glaring. What was her name? Pat what?
Bobby (after a pause): How should I know?
Lenz (on his feet): You wrote down her address — I saw you.
Bobby (quickly): On a match packet — and I threw away the packet.
Lenz (seizing him by the hair): Threw it away? After Otto and I spent an hour with Breuer so you could make a hit. Threw it away? Holy Cats! (considers) Maybe Otto knows it.
Bobby: No he doesn’t.
Lenz (wrathfully): Of all the blase infants! You twerp, you! Don’t you know that was a wonderful girl? (ecstatically) Let me tell you, she was manna from heaven. You didn’t have the brains to appreciate her. Did you see those eyes? — of course not — you were looking at yourself in a glass of brandy.
Bobby (picks up a hand pump): Oh, pipe down.
Lenz (tenderly): And her hands — long and slender like Romaine salad — or endives —
Matilda (sweeping in the b.g.): I declare, you make my mouth water.
Lenz: Otto and I understand such things. At last we find a perfect girl — not only beautiful, but with atmosphere — (glaring at Bobby) Do you know what atmosphere is, you low-lifer?
Bobby (working the hand pump): Sure. The stuff that comes out of here.
Lenz (pityingly): Atmosphere is radiance, glamour, warmth, mystery. It is what gives beauty a soul and makes it alive.
He is gesturing passionately. Suddenly he stops, his arms fall to his side.
CUT TO:
51 WHAT HE SEES:
PUPPI, THE INJURED BAKER, AND A TOUGH, DUMPY WOMAN —
— who have come into the courtyard. Puppi wears his arm in a sling. Matilda looks disapprovingly at the woman.
Puppi: Good morning. (he looks at Bobby and Lenz and somehow his haughty manner fails in mid-speech) Isn’t my car ready?
Lenz (brought down to earth): Your what? Your car — not quite. That was a terrible beating you gave it. Another three days.
(he turns indifferently to the Ford)
A horn sounds and Koster, in the Cadillac, drives out of the work shop and stops momentarily beside the group.
Koster (to Puppi): How-de-do.
Puppi: Say, I wish you could hurry up my car.
The Woman (looking admiringly at the Cadillac): Is this it?
Koster: No. This one is sold. I’m going to deliver it now. But your Ford will look like new when we’re done with it.
Puppi (indicating the wreck to the woman): That one’s mine.
Woman (sniffishly): O that. I thought you had a real car.
Lenz is back under the car and Bobby has become absorbed in something he conceals in his hand. Taking advantage of this, Puppi breaks a big sprig from the plum tree, gives it to the woman and grasps her arm to leave. Only Matilda sees and sweeps them out with a haughty flourish of the broom.
CUT TO:
52 WHAT BOBBY IS LOOKING AT:
INSERT:
A BATTERED MATCH PACKET —
— on which is written “Western 2796”. The lines seem to wriggle like snakes or tongues of fire, as if it has been burning his pocket.
53 BOBBY —
— starts at the illusion, then glances carefully at Lenz, and we FOLLOW HIM to the interior of the office. He hesitates, picks up the phone, turns off the radio — just as Lenz begins a terrific banging in the courtyard.
Bobby (lingeringly into the phone): Atmosphere… I beg your pardon. Western two seven nine six.
Bobby waits for the connection with a beatific smile. The banging dies away as we —
CUT TO:
54 A SWITCHBOARD —
— with a white winged angel sitting at it.
Angel (sweetly): One moment, please — I’ll connect you with heaven.
CUT TO:
55 THE PEARLY GATES
St. Peter, the caretaker, sitting beside another switchboard.
St. Peter (cackling): I think she’s in.
CUT TO:
56 BOBBY’S FACE —
— still ecstatic, changing to human embarrassment as Pat’s voice says:
Pat: Hello.
Bobby: Oh, hello. (with an artificial laugh) This is that man.
Pat (calmly): What man?
Bobby (helplessly): That man you met the other night.
Pat (gentle, husky): I’ve met lots of men — on lots of other nights.
Bobby (frowning): Well — I don’t know exactly how to describe myself.
Pat (mischievous): Must you?
Bobby: I’m one of the men who beat you.
Pat (pretending alarm): Really? You must have the wrong woman.
Bobby: In our car, I mean.
Pat (remembering): Oh-h-h. Of course — (with more enthusiasm) — you’re the one who was so upset about the state of the nation.
Bobby: No — I was —
Pat: Then you must be the one who sang with Herr Breuer.
Bobby (very apologetic): No. I —
Pat (as if thinking): Was there another — ? (she laughs and stops teasing) Of course I remember you.
Bobby (hurriedly): I wondered if you got home
all right. Did you?
Pat: Let’s see, did I? Why yes, here I am.
Bobby: That’s fine. Well — (in wild embarrassment) — goodbye.
Pat: Did you call up to say that?
Bobby: No, we — we just weren’t very busy.
Pat (gently ironic): Oh, a compliment. Oddly enough I won’t be busy next Tuesday evening.
Bobby (now utterly confused): That is funny. (a forced laugh) Well, goodbye.
Pat: Till Tuesday evening.
Bobby (automatically): Till Tuesday evening. What?
The phone is dead. He wriggles the receiver, and we —
CUT TO:
57 A SATYR, WHO HAS REPLACED THE ANGEL AT THE SWITCHBOARD —
— pulling out the plug with a sardonic expression.
CUT TO:
58 BOBBY —
— frowns, then reconsidering, smiles with satisfaction, and puts the match packet carefully away, as the scene —
DISSOLVES TO:
59 ALFONS’ BAR AND RESTAURANT —
— a neighborhood place, plain but with a certain distinction. Some day rich people will “discover” it. Alfons, the proprietor, is not introduced at present, but is in sight behind the bar.
The Comrades are drinking. Bobby wears his best clothes, not very good ones, and is drinking for confidence. Lenz has a strip of adhesive tape on his face.
Lenz (heatedly): The country’s mad. Little kids in soldier suits strutting around shrieking that they represent the Fatherland.
Koster: You let it come too near, you, Gottfried. Don’t do that. (pause) There’s nothing to hold on to right now. Things are rushing along like a stream of water. (to Bobby) What’s more important is why Bobby’s disguised like a gigolo.
Lenz (feeling Bobby’s new tie): A big date, eh? Who is it?
Koster: Why shouldn’t he have a date? Go to it, Bob, you’re just ripe for love.
Lenz: He has the necessary simplicity.
Koster (defending Bobby): Keep it. It’s a gift of God that if you lose, you never get back.
Lenz (cynically): Don’t let it get you down, Baby — you can’t help being born simple; just don’t die simple.
Koster: He’s envious, Bobby. He’s really the last of the romantics, but he’s afraid of the front line. (enthusiastically) Walk into it, Bobby. Remember — Parsifal was stupid — or he wouldn’t have won the Holy Grail.
Bobby: Go on — ride me.
Lenz (remorseful): We’re not riding you. In bad times, simplicity is priceless. (lightly) A mature mind, mine for instance — (he winks) — sees too many obstacles and gets uncertain before it starts. Knowledge may make you free but it certainly doesn’t make you happy.
Koster (raising his glass): Here’s to simplicity and all that goes with it, love and faith in the future, the dream of happiness, paradise regained. (he drinks) Bobby, we’ll be with you in spirit.
The radio is playing “Falling in Love Again” as we
DISSOLVE TO:
60 THE HALL OF AN APARTMENT HOUSE
(The following scene is an attempt to suggest the feeling of a rather shy young man calling on a girl.): Bobby walks with leaden, slow-motion steps into the elevator. To his alarm, it instantly whisks upward with a roar — almost as its gates close they open again to eject him. He casts a reproachful look at the elevator boy. Must he continue? Unseen hands seem to push him from behind, so that he leans backward in protest against the shoving. But the door opens even as he presses the bell and, following a maid, he is shoved like lightning along a hall. The hands seem to leave him, and he stands, limp, inside.
61 PAT’S APARTMENT
— small but furnished with remnants of magnificence. Portraits of generals and courtiers, a soft carpet, cozy little armchairs in faded satin, rolling tea table with tiny sandwiches, cakes and cocktail shaker. A small radio plays a tinkling minuet. Pat is standing to receive him.
Pat (very natural and gracious): How do you do, Mr. Bobby.
Bobby: Well, am I the right man?
Pat (laughing): That remains to be seen. Have a cocktail?
Bobby: Thanks. (as she pours, he looks around) This room is like something in a play.
Pat (offering a tray): Canape?
Bobby (takes one): Thanks. If I drop anything, remember I’m used to eating off of newspapers at the repair shop. I thought you told me you were poor.
Pat: I am. I’m living beyond my means.
They drink.
Bobby: That was good. Felt warm.
Pat (gravely): Then it’s a good time to tell you the truth — I’ve got to leave you by nine o’clock.
Bobby (disappointed) By nine?
Pat: Unfortunately. I only found out about it a few minutes ago, and I didn’t know your address. It’s a sort of business affair. I’m trying to get a job. (he looks at her cynically) So shall we go right away?
She takes his arm and they go down the hall.
DISSOLVE TO:
62 THE STREET OUTSIDE PAT’S APARTMENT — TWILIGHT
A decayed, once-fashionable quarter. They turn down the street.
Pat (breathing deeply): I’m always so glad coming out that door. There was a time I thought I would never leave that apartment again.
Bobby: How was that?
Pat (evasively): I had to stay in bed. There wasn’t so much to eat right after the war, you know. I grew too fast and ate too little.
Bobby: How long were you in bed?
Pat: A year, but it seems a lifetime.
They come to a tea room at the corner of the street.
Bobby (stopping): How about this place?
Pat: It looks a little — stodgy, doesn’t it?
Bobby realizes she is used to the best and feels rather miserable.
Bobby: This was probably a mistake.
Pat: What do you mean?
Bobby: I mean I ought to take you —
Pat: Take me where you go.
Bobby: Oh, no! I go to Alfons’ bar — but it’s rough. No place for a girl like you.
Pat: It’s just exactly the place for a girl like me. (looking doubtful, he signals a taxi) I’m really very easily pleased — very superficial and frivolous.
(a taxi stops and they get in.)
CUT TO:
63 INT. OF TAXI
Pat: When I got out of bed, I decided to live as I liked, even if only for a little while.
Bobby: Why not?
Pat: Everyone said I was a fool — that I ought to save my money and go to work. I wanted to be very gay and very irresponsible — and I was.
Bobby (fascinated): I think it was a brave decision.
Pat (remembering): Ach! I was frightened enough some times — as if I was in the wrong seat at the theatre. But it’s all over now.
Bobby: When do you go to work?
Pat: In a week. Then I’ll be too tired to go out in the evening.
(their eyes meet. It is a challenge, but quiet, almost careless. Bobby responds.)
Bobby: That doesn’t leave us much time.
CUT TO:
64 EXTERIOR ALFONS’ CAFE
They get out of the taxi.
Bobby (to newsboy at the door): Mr. Koster and Mr. Lenz have left, haven’t they?
Newsboy: Oh yes.
Bobby: Good. (to Pat) All right — come on in.
Pat: What’s the matter?
Bobby: Two especially tough men I didn’t want you to see, that’s all.
(they go in)
CUT TO:
65 INTERIOR ALFONS’ CAFE
They go through the crowded restaurant where several people salute Bobby. Four tarts at a table start to do likewise but refrain when they see Pat. They exchange winks. Bobby and Pat sit down in an alcove. Alfons, a huge gorilla of a man with sleeves rolled high on hairy arms, approaches them.
Bobby: A double whiskey, Alfons, and something to eat.