Deadline at Dawn

Why, Sleepy Parsons.

Aren't you dead yet?

Here's to nothing.

Still on your twenty cigars a day?

Can your heart take it, Sleepy?

You drunk again?

Yes.

Took you a long time to answer the door.

It's a great relief being divorced from you, Sleepy dear.

Give me the money and I'll go.

Do you think it'll rain and cool off?

Give me my money, Edna, and don't kid around.

What are you going do with all that cash? Take out a chorus girl?

It's gone.

Don't fool around. I'm not in the mood.

It must be that kid.

You owe me $1,400 and I need it bad.

You said you'd have the money here tonight.

A sailor took it. I brought it home from the restaurant.

The money's gone and that's it.

He took all my cash and my checks.

But you think maybe he kissed me too.

No, don't flatter yourself.

All I think is I want my money.

I remember you, Edna, as you used to be before.

Long ago.

Give me the money and I go.

You get you money when the police pick up sailor boy. That's all. Goodnight.

You'll never change, Edna. You're bad.

I loved you very much.

But you're bad.

No. Don't sit down. Get out.

You're pulling some sort of trick.

But I'm just too tired to think.

You'll be the sorriest man in New York if you don't get out.

Do you hear me? - Yes, I heard you.

You're a pest.

I'd like it if you never put your snout in my door again.

Do you hear that? - I hear it.

Or I send my brother again and I doubt your heart can take another beating.

Yes.

I hear you.

I hear you.

Phew. This heat is bad.

Yes. I'm sweating like a river.

Yeah, it gets bad in August.

But nature takes care of it.

Did you ever realize everybody has an air conditioning plant in his nose?

No, I didn't realize that.

I got a sound in my ears like a seashell.

Better try some more of this hot coffee.

No, thanks.

It's very kind of you to let me sit here a few minutes.

My advice is don't drink that stuff in this heat.

It's made a million widows, booze has.

No jokes.

Do you know what I think maybe I'll do?

Walk down the street and cool off down there.

I got seven hours until my bus leaves.

What's this? - Money, and you dropped it.

Money? - Take it. It won't bite.

Did I drop this?

It came out with the handkerchief.

Hello, Ray.

Hello, Tom.

Well, so long, Ray. It was nice to have met you.

So long.

Hey.

Don't forget this.

Gee.

It shows how un-concentrated you can get.

Non compos mentis, that's me.

No jokes.

Hello, mister.

I sell you it cheap.

Ten bananas will cost you 30 cents. - No thanks.

If I can sell you my last bananas I can go home.

Why you no buy?

You want to go home?

I'd like to go home, yes.

How much for the whole bunch?

Two dollars.

Don't struggle, sailor. Let them carry you along like a mother.

What's up? Where's everybody going? - To the dogs. Ha.

Upstairs. That's the place where the girls are.

Upstairs: The Jungle.

Dance to the haunting strains of the rumba-bumba.

Fifty twirling girls. Upstairs.

Ex-servicemen in uniform are half price, brother.

Upstairs, folks. Why are you waiting? What's half a dollar in your life?

Upstairs. Upstairs, folks.

And dance with forty beautiful dancing partners.

Forty lovely..

Sorry, son. But you'll have to get another partner. I'm tired.

I don't think you understand. Meaning no disrespect.

It's late and I'm tired. - Some refreshments?

Meaning no disrespect.

No.

After all. You see, I..

Don't misunderstand.

What's wrong here?

She tells me to find another partner.

I have so many tickets, you see?

She won't dance. - What's the big idea, hostess?

He hangs on to me like a leech all night.

And the night before. And the night before.

Meaning no disrespect.

That's what you're here for, ain't it?

This gentleman don't buy these tickets to stand and look himself in the mirror.

Why not ask him why he wears white gloves?

He's given me the itch all night.

A misunderstanding. - He has a rash on his hands.

Is that a fact? - No.

It's a nervous condition.

You got your nerve, Jack.

Don't come back in the jungle with things like that.

Misunderstanding.

Walk out to the office. Your money will be refunded to you.

Gee, that's terrible. He could pass that on.

Excuse me. It was not my intention to get fresh.

Go away. I'm tired.

You wouldn't care to dance?

Do you think it might rain and cool off?

Such things have been known to happen.

A lot of nice people dancing here, isn't there?

This is a post office, son. Full of second-class manners.

What did you want to do Miss Goth when you were twelve years old?

Marry John Barrymore.

Look, do we have to talk? What are you, an author or something?

Conversation is very necessary it seems. As my father says.

Why? - Why?

What would life be without conversation?

They give the men in the service salt pills when it gets hot like this.

What for?

They say it balances up the system.

What system?

I don't know.

I guess I need some food to settle my stomach.

Another salami, please.

Mister, I want one pound of bacon.

One glass, iced tea with lemon.

Let's not wait. My feet can't take it.

We can buy the stuff and make the sandwiches up at my place.

If you don't misunderstand, that is.

I understand.

We buy the meat here and the bread and make the sandwiches in your house.

Half pound of corned beef, please. No fat.

Half pound corned beef. No fat.

Quick. Hold the butter. - Make it snappy.

Well, is your system balanced yet?

I'm losing respect for myself and that's the truth.

I don't have any confidence in myself. Not for anything.

I even lost out with a certain girl of whom I cared a good deal.

Because you lacked confidence?

Yes.

People say I'm too slow.

She gave you that bracelet? The girl?

No. My father did.

That's where the trouble started.

I come home on a pass and he isn't home.

He took a body to Altoona, Pennsylvania.

A what?

My father's a mortician.

I thought that only happened in jokes.

No. Somebody's father has to be a mortician, don't he.

I guess my father's got one of the largest stocks of caskets.

In Dutchess and Putnam County.

That's where I'm from. Near Poughkeepsie.

My father's a very honest man.

My stepmother don't like it. But that's how my father is.

Three or four haircuts ago.

That's the last time I seen him.

Gee.

Here we are both getting blue this hour of the night.

I'm not blue.

I'm tired.

I hope you'll excuse me.

The time didn't occur to me.

Non compos mentis.

That's alright.

I'm beat out. It's this balmy weather.

What's that?

That Colonel, is a ton of law.

A police car.

You see, son.

It's okay to live in a cocoon like this if you expect to be a butterfly someday.

Otherwise.

Are you unhappy too, Miss Goth?

Yes. I was too ambitious.

I'd better have stayed home and taken the commercial course.

Now, say goodnight. Drop in at The Jungle again.

That's very nice of you, Miss Goth.

But my pass is up and I'm leaving on the 6 o'clock bus.

I'm very proud to wear this uniform. - Why not?

And that's what worries me.

I'm sure they'll nab me before I get to Norfolk.

Norfolk?

Norfolk, Virginia. Where the naval station is.

Is that where you were taking the 6 o'clock bus to?

Right to the terminal on the northeast corner of Tazewell and Monticello?