A New Leaf

Would you like to step out to have a cigarette, Mr Graham?

No, thank you.

- We'll call you as soon as we know. - No.

I understand.

- She'll be all right now, Mr Graham. - Thank you.

Ever have any trouble with it before?

I have to take it in two or three times a week, but the car is well worth it.

Two or three times a week? How often do you drive it?

Two or three times a week. I have to take it in every time I drive it.

Then it usually needs a tune-up every few weeks,

so I actually don't get to drive it very much.

Oh, you have a real problem, Mr Graham.

My mechanic has not been helpful. Is there anything you can recommend?

Well, you don't live out here on the island,

so I can't check her regularly enough to get a real picture.

All I can advise is never drive her under 3,000 rpm in a forward gear. Ever.

There's a lot of carbon on the valves.

Yes, there always is. Thank you very much for the recommendation.

"Usually it needs a tune-up every few weeks."

I wonder what he does to her...

Mr Graham, your attorney, Mr Beckett, has been trying to reach you.

He's been calling the superintendent's office all week.

If he calls again, tell him I no longer live with the superintendent.

Have this car taken to my garage.

- Broke down again? - I don't care to discuss it.

He told me that it was carbon on the valves,

which was no news to me because there's always carbon on the valves.

My own mechanic picked up the car yesterday

and returned this afternoon with the news that there was carbon on the valves.

I asked him why the car broke down so frequently,

and he said it was probably because carbon got on the valves.

Ha-ha! I told you a Ferrari was useless in a city!

- Buy a Bentley and stop carrying on. - How dare you!

Mr Graham!

- Henry! Henry! - How dare you! That's perfectly insane.

- Oh, Mr Graham! - Yes, who is it? What is it?

- A Mr Beckett on the phone. - Beckett?

Says he's your attorney. Has an urgent message.

Says he'll wait.

Tell him I'm out.

Don't have much chance to take her out and open her up.

Half the time is spent taking off and the other half is spent on landing.

She needs a lot of up-keep. Every time I bring her out, she has to have repairs.

What seems to be the trouble?

My mechanic says it's carbon on the valves.

'Zero One Foxtrot. This is Long Island tower.

'We're holding an emergency telephone call for Mr Henry Graham

'from his attorney, Mr Beckett. Over.'

Roger. Zero One Foxtrot...

I'll just get out of here, thank you. I'm not taking that call.

- Oh, Jerry! - Mr Van Rensaeller?

Has Mr Graham come in yet?

Yes, he's in the lounge with Mr Beaumont.

I told you that my apple trees have crown gall?

Frequently.

Well, then you can relax. They don't any more.

I sprayed and the crown gall is gone.

Hello. I was just telling Henry that my apple trees had crown gall.

But I sprayed and the crown gall is gone.

Oh, really? Well, you must be very relieved.

Yes. Yes, I am.

Could I have a word with you, Henry?

We've had several calls from your bank saying they have insufficient funds.

Oh, those idiots!

I was prevailed upon as honorary secretary to bring it to your attention,

so you can clear it up with the bank.

It's been going on for weeks.

I wonder if Beckett would go this far to get me to call back?

Now, listen to me very carefully, please.

You see, when you have capital, you are able to derive... No.

I will attend to the cheque in a moment, Mr Graham.

I understand about the cheque.

I'm trying to explain something to you that is terribly important.

When we spend more, per month or per year, than we have in income,

you must then dip into the capital,

eventually exhausting the capital and of course, therefore, the income.

- Do you see what I mean? - Mr Beckett, this cheque must be paid.

- Mr Graham... - And at once.

I'm trying to explain to you that it is impossible to pay the cheque

because your expenses have exceeded your income

to such a point that you have exhausted your capital.

Now you have no capital, no income,

therefore no funds for the cheque, you see.

Don't treat me as though I were a child, Mr Beckett.

I am as aware of what it means to have no capital as you are.

- Oh, good, good. - Now, what about this cheque?

Well, are you entirely sure that you really do understand

what I mean by capital, Mr Graham?

You see, you've exhausted the capital.

I can't cover the cheque

because the cheque is for $6,000 and you don't have $6,000.

In other words, you don't have $60.

Come to the point, Beckett.

The point is that you don't have any money.

The capital and the income are exhausted and you no longer have any money.

I wish there was some other way I could say it. What could I...?

How could I put it...? The money...

You have no capital, you have no income, you have... No, it's only money.

- You've no money. No other way to put it. - You mean I have no money?

Yes, that's what I mean. You have no money.

And what of my stocks? My AT&T, my General Motors?

- Yes, yes, I know. - My Amerada Peat?

Yes, I know about Amerada Peat. Let me show you something.

Mr Graham, you see, it was necessary for me to sell several shares per year

to cover the cheques...

- Who gave you the right to do that? - You did, sir.

- I did not! - Yes, you did.

15 years ago when you told me that you wished to live on $200,000,

despite the fact that the income from your trust fund was only $90,000.

That is beside the point. This cheque must be paid.

Do you realise this cheque has bounced, Mr Beckett? I mean, bounced!

- As though I was some indigent... - I know the cheque has bounced.

It is not the first cheque that you've had bounced.

I personally have covered three overdraft of yours to the extent...

I'd like to show you this cheque of $550.

This is of my own money, not the firm's,

but that is not a policy that I wish to continue in the future.

Who gave you the right to do that?

Well, you did, Mr Graham.

You mean to say that I'm now in the position of owing you $550?

No, no, no, don't... Please, don't think of it as a loan, Mr Graham.

I have no more hope of receiving it than you ever have of scraping it up.

Well, thank you very much, Mr Beckett.

May I say that if you expected even the smallest amount of gratitude,

you have wasted $550 of the excessive fee I pay you

for the tiny services you render!

Mr Graham... I would like to explain something to you.

I have given you $550 of my own money for only one reason.

Disliking you as intensely as I do, I wanted to be absolutely certain

that when I looked back upon your financial downfall,

I could absolve myself completely of any responsibility for it.

And $550 is a relatively small price to pay

for the knowledge that I had nothing to do whatsoever with your financial downfall.

You have brought yourself to penury entirely on your own.

I don't suppose you'd care to give me an additional $6,000

and insure yourself against guilt permanently?

- You're perfect. - Thank you very much, Mr Beckett.

Do you think my uncle would lend me some money?

Mr Graham, during the ten years that your uncle served as your guardian,

he confided in me almost daily

that he thought your father had placed him in that position as an act of spite.

I don't think he'll give you a nickel, Mr Graham.

And considering your gift for close personal relationships,

I don't think anyone else will either.

Thank you very much, Mr Beckett. Here you are.

This will cover the overdraft of $550 that I owe you.

- Mr Graham. I don't... - You may have these too.

They're non-filter. Smoke them in good health.

I am poor.

Goodbye.

Goodbye. Goodbye.

Just a bit. About 6mm longer.

Oh, Mr Graham! How are you? Nice to see you.

Excuse me, Mr Pellegrini.

- What can I do for you, Mr Graham? - Oh, nothing, nothing. I...

- Won't you sit down a little bit? - Thank you. I was looking for someone.

- Good afternoon, Mr Graham. - Henri, ça va bien?

I'm fine, thank you. We're gonna be ready any minute.

Would you like to have a table for one?

No. No, thank you.

I... I just want to look at the room once more.

It's always good to see you. You're always welcome here. You know that.

Thank you, Henri.

Can you just check?

I'm sorry, Mr Solomon. I know nothing more about your application.

That's all right. I'll come back tomorrow and check.

- Good afternoon, Mr Graham. - Hello, Otto.

Were you expecting some mail?

No, no. I-I just...

...dropped in to... to see if I was still welcome.

I'm poor.

Goal!

Harold, I should like to ask you something.

Certainly, sir.

You've been with me for many years now.

What would you do if I told you I had lost all my money?

I should leave immediately, sir, upon giving the proper notice.

Thank you. I knew I could count on a straight answer from you.

Thank you, sir.

'You can't top Hart Schaffner & Marx.'

Just stand natural. It fits perfectly.

It's the best suit you can find in ready-to-wear.

Sorry, the racket club does not keep members who are remiss in their dues.

Don't waste your time, Mr Graham. Come with me to the Y.

Henry, you are not... You are not driving the Chevrolet?

- Oh, no! - (Knock on door)

I took the liberty, sir.

Oh, yes, Harold. Bring it in. I was just about to ring for it.

- Harold, I have something to tell you. - Is it about your money, sir?

Yes, Harold. I've lost it.

Or more accurately, spent it. In any case, it's gone.

I'm sorry to hear that, sir.

Have you considered borrowing from your uncle?

Yes, it was my first thought.

My attorney advised me against it on the grounds that it would be useless.

The thing of it is, Harold,

that I have no hope of ever repaying him or anyone.

I have no skills, no resources, no ambitions.

All I am, or was, is rich, and that's all I ever wanted to be.

I don't understand, Harold. Why did it happen to me? Why?