Complete Works of F. Scott Fitzgerald (Illustrated) (497 page)

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.

Pat
(
smiling
): I’ll have a cocktail.

Alfons
(
he likes Pat
): We have Bavarian sausage and sauerkraut, milady.

Bobby
(
to Pat
): All right?

(
Pat nods
)

Bobby
(
to Alfons
): Fine.

(
Alfons goes
)

Pat
(
looking around
): I love this place. Do you come here often?