Four Star Playhouse (1952) s04e12 Episode Script

[SOUND OF BOWLING PINS FALLING.]
-Still working on the books, Miss Jones? -Hi, Henney.
What're you up to? -Got a cigarette for an old friend? -Sure.
Take 'em.
-Maybe I'm wearing out my welcome around here.
-So what's a couple of cigarettes between friends? -Well, now all I have to do is bum a cup of coffee and a doughnut from Bonnie and I'll be set for the day.
Much obliged Miss Jones.
-So long, Henney.
Phil, don't bother about sweeping up.
I'll catch it first thing in the morning.
That's your going away present.
-Oh.
I'm going to miss you, Billie.
I'm going to miss a lot of things, like Barney's hot dogs.
I'll bet in the last two years, I've eaten up half his profit in franks.
Not to mention the mustard.
This should pay you up for the week, Phil.
What time is your train leave in the morning? PHIL: 8:30, from the Grand Central.
Oh, did I tell ya? My sister's going to meet me at the station at Wooster.
Says she's got an upstairs room all fixed up for me.
-That's great.
PHIL: Listen, Billie.
Are you sure you can make out until you can get somebody? -I'll have to manage, Phil.
But, you know, I'm going to miss you, too.
You've been a friend, extra pin man, janitor, advisor.
You know, this is more than a one man operation.
-Ah, you know, I kind of promised your dad before-- -You kept it.
-Well, goodbye, Billie.
-Bye.
-And just drop me a postcard if you need me, will ya? -Sure.
So long, Phil.
BARNEY: Uh, pardon me, Miss.
Could I interest you in my company as far as Lindon Square and back? -You sure can, Barney.
So what happened to you today that was new and interesting? -Well, not too much.
But some real characters came in.
My laundry man among them.
I'm, uh, paying him off in hot dogs.
And a guy with ulcers that can't eat hot dogs, but likes to be near them.
Oh, and a trolley car conductor who gave me two hours on how buses can't last.
-You do have your problems, don't you? -You said it.
Who came into the alley? -Ew, let's not go into that.
-Well, let's face it, Billie.
We're in a rut.
And what are we going to do about it? -Well, tomorrow you'll unlock your doors, turn on the steam tables thaw out the franks, and start all over again.
Me, I'll set out some new chalk, change the linens, hope somebody leaves their bowling shoes at home so I can sell them a new pair.
-Well, I tell you, if it wasn't for mom, I'd sell out to the highest bidder and get out.
Just move on.
Would you come with me, Billie? -You know, I've got to the point where I might, at that.
-I asked you before, you know.
-Yeah, I know, but you can't rush these things.
You gotta have time to think them over.
I've gotta know what we're beefing about.
If we wanted to make a change, we'd have done it by now, so we just got to make the best of things, huh? -Yeah, you're so right.
Ah, there's some things you just don't change, I guess.
Our folks probably said the same things.
-Yep.
-Ah, it was fun when we were kids, huh? -Gee, we were really crazy then, weren't we? Remember, even on the hottest nights, we'd play baseball.
-You were a pretty good short stop.
-Look, I was the best pitcher you ever had, too.
-Mm-hmm.
Ah, no problems in those days, huh, Billy? -Uh-uh, I remember how glad I was when I knew dad was going to tear down the old house and borrow the money to put the bowling alleys up on the back lot.
I thought it was going to be great fun to run a bowling alley.
Didn't know what I was getting into.
I wouldn't mind so much if only the people would come in.
-You know, Billy, someday I may just walk into that bowling alley and say, Billy, come on.
Let's go.
Let's get out of here.
-I'm with you.
Got something to tell you.
Phil left tonight.
He's going to Massachusetts.
-Oh, yeah? -His sister runs a boarding house up there, and she wants him to help her out.
-Well, what're you going to do? -Gee, I don't know.
I put an ad in the paper a couple of days ago.
I hope somebody will turn up.
-Well, yeah, but in the meantime? -Gimme a cigarette, will you? [DOORBELL BUZZES.]
-Hello? -Paper says 308 Front Street.
I'm looking for work.
-Oh, sure.
Well, could you come back tomorrow? -Didn't you advertise for help? -Yeah, but, it's so late.
-Could I have the job? -Yeah.
Yeah, I suppose you can have the job.
-When do I start? -Well, I usually open up the alleys about 10:00, why don't you come at 9:30 and I'll show you around? -9:30.
-Good night.
-Night.
-I guess that about does it.
Oh, you'll find your equipment in the back closet.
Oh, by the way, we have a city inspection once a month.
They never warn us when they're coming.
But Phil, the guy who worked for me before, always had a feeling of when they'd be here.
-What happened to the man before me? -Oh, he left to go up to Massachusetts.
Oh, another thing.
I like the aisles swept down every morning.
You know, they get pretty messy by the end of the day.
-Did you fire him? -Who? -The man before me, Phil.
-No, why? -Just wondering.
You want the aisles cleaned every morning.
-Yeah, that's right.
BARNEY: Billie? -Who's that? -Friend of mine.
- Hi! -Mom sent you some coffee.
-Good.
Oh, just what I need.
-There you are.
-Barney, this is Dan Trawler.
Dan, this is Barney Mason.
-Ah, glad to meet you.
-Dan's taken over Phil's job.
-Oh, that's great.
You've got a real nice boss here.
-I'll start cleaning up.
-All right.
Lucky find someone so soon, huh? -Yeah, you were.
Well, I guess it's about time to let in the thundering herd.
-Yeah, all two of them.
-Dan! Gee, you scared me.
I thought you'd gone.
-No.
-Did you forget something? -No.
-Well then, let's call it a day, huh? -Hold it a minute.
I thought if you had nothing doing, you know, the loose end-- I've been wanting to talk to you.
-Oh? -I thought we could walk.
- Lindon Square.
- That's a fine place to talk.
How about it? -I'm sorry, Dan.
But, you see, I-- I kind of promised Barney, you know, that-- -I know.
You meet every night.
-Yeah, that's right.
-Oh.
Hi, kids.
-Hello, Barney.
Look, honey, do you mind about the walk tonight? Uh, Dan wants to talk to me about something.
-Well, sure, sure.
That's OK.
I'll see you tomorrow.
-Maybe we can make it later, huh? -No, no.
You go right ahead.
I'll see you in the morning.
-All right.
Well, shall we go? -Let's stay here.
I had rather stay here.
-It's all right with me.
Always plenty of things I can do.
Well, we may as well do these now instead of first thing in the morning, huh? -OK.
-What'd you want to talk to about, Dan? -I wanted to thank you for giving me the job.
I needed it.
-Sorry it doesn't pay much.
-Well, I don't need much.
What do you and Barney talk about when you walk? Does he-- love you? Do you love him? -Look, I told you once.
Barney and I are old friends.
-Friends? -Sure.
Known each other ever since we were kids.
-Sweethearts? Must have lots to talk about every night.
You know, there isn't that much to talk about.
-Our families were close friends for years.
We understand each other.
It's nice.
-Seems that way.
The statue over in Lindon Square, it must know all your secrets.
-Look, if you don't mind, I don't think it's any of your business.
-Billie-- Have you ever been lonesome? Really lonesome.
-Sure.
Lots of times.
Why? -Well, have you ever been-- in a cage, like an animal, and you hated all the other animals around you.
Then you-- got out of the cage, and you wanted the closeness of someone.
A hand to touch.
You reached, and you ran, and you grabbed, and it wasn't there.
-Dan, you must have friends? Someone close to you.
-You've been a friend, best I've had in a long time.
A long time.
Good morning.
-Morning, Dan.
I didn't get a chance to do this before I left last night.
-Yeah, I know.
-About last night-- -Let's forget about it, shall we? -Maybe I'd like to remember it.
[LAUGHTER.]
-Henney, come on.
-Hiya, Miss Jones.
I want you to meet a friend of mine.
Clara Meddock.
-Oh, dear.
-I told this guy I don't know how to bowl.
Can't you just see it? Hey, honey.
You got a little beer around here? -Well, not today.
Now, Henney, why don't you two go up to the Grotto, Huh? CLARA: Hey, yeah! That's a good idea.
HENNEY: No! I want to bowl and I'm gonna bowl.
-OK, we'll bowl.
Ha ha! -Henney! Henney, listen.
Will you both please go and get something to eat? Now, go on.
-Nah, I'm all right.
I wanna bowl.
-Henney, now cut it out! Now, Henney-- please! Not today! HENNEY: Oh, you don't think ol' Henney knows anything about this things, do ya? -Yeah, sure I do.
-Yeah, he knows how to bowl.
-Oh, you bet I do.
Now you go sit right down and watch ol' Henney bowl.
-No, Henney! Now, cut it out! I'm telling you-- Who's your buddy? [INTERPOSING VOICES, ARGUING.]
BILLIE: Henney, now cut it out! Henney, stop it will ya? Henney! Henney! Stop it! Dan! -I'm going to get out of here.
BILLIE: Dan, don't! Dan, please, don't! Don't! He's just an old man.
You could have killed him.
-He was bothering you.
I did it for you.
-Get out of here.
Get out and don't ever come back.
-I was doing my job -Get out! -It's all right, Henney.
It's all right.
-I hate to read the papers anymore, Barney.
So many unhappy people in the world.
Everybody killing.
-Yeah.
-Vandals burn school.
Man strangles wife.
-Well, don't let it get you down, Ma.
-Criminal escapes Upton Prison.
All on one page they've written about these things.
And he had such a nice face.
Look.
-Let me see that.
Statewide search for Sheldon Williams continues today.
Williams, convicted of manslaughter in 1946, escaped from-- MRS.
MASON: Barney! -Billie! Billie! Billie? [FRANTIC KNOCKING.]
-Billie, are you in there? -Hi, Barney.
-Is he here? -Who? -Trawler.
-No, of course not.
Come in.
-Do you know where he is? -No idea.
He's gone.
I had to fire him.
-What happened? -Well, he got out of line.
Beat up poor old Henney pretty bad.
So I closed up early.
I didn't want any trouble, you know? -What's the matter, Barney? Something wrong? -Nothing.
-Gee, I-- God, I hated to let him go, but I had to.
-I don't know.
There's something sort of helpless about the guy.
Barney, come on.
There's something wrong.
Let me see the paper.
-You forgot to pay me.
-Well-- I can-- I can give you part of it.
Right now.
Here.
-Well, I'll stick around until you have the rest.
-No, I'll send it to you, Dan.
-Send? Where? I'm not going any place.
-But you can't stick around here.
They-- -They? Who's they? -Well, you know, Henney.
He could come around and cause a lot of trouble.
-Why are you so nervous, Billie? -Nervous? -You know about me? -I don't know what you're talking about.
-You sure? You sure you didn't tell anybody? -No, of course I didn't.
Of course I didn't! Of course I didn't! -Billie, why are you running away? You shouldn't run away from me, Billie.
Don't you know that? Everybody runs away from me.
You shouldn't run away from me, Billie.
-I know.
No, I won't, Dan.
I won't run away.
Look, Dan, why don't you and I have a talk, huh? You'd like that, wouldn't you? We'll talk.
Wouldn't you like that? We could-- we could go for a nice long walk, Dan.
Just the two of us.
Couldn't we? -Let's stay here.
It's quiet.
-Well, but-- it's such a nice evening, oh, Dan.
Such a nice evening.
Why don't we take a walk? Please? Please, come on.
Let's take a walk.
Dan, would you mind locking up for me? -Here's your key.
-Thank you.
Well, come on.
We're going for that walk in the park.
Let's go.
OPERATOR (ON TELEPHONE): Operator.
-Operator, give me the police quick.
[CRICKETS CHIRPING.]
-I'm sorry for thinking what I did.
-Sorry? -I mean about suspecting you.
That-- that you told anybody about me.
-Oh, yeah.
-I guess everything takes time, doesn't it? -What do you mean, Dan? -You can't force things.
You can't make them happen.
You know, all my life I wanted things.
They didn't seem any different from things other people wanted, but-- something always happened.
People are different.
Some people are more different than other people.
Just made that way in the beginning.
If they'd only stop, stop and try to understand us.
But they won't.
They never have.
They pushed and they laughed and-- well, I had to hit.
I had to hit back.
Then there were the animals.
Alone in a cage with all those animals.
You know what I mean, Billie? Do you understand? -Yeah.
Sure I do, Dan.
I do now.
I didn't before.
But I do now.
Look, Dan, shouldn't we be going back? -We'll never go back, you and me.
-Life's funny sometimes.
Leaves people pretty lonely.
-Not anymore.
This is the first time I've felt free.
Really free.
The first time.