Rich Man, Poor Man - Book II

To Tom Jordache and his beautiful bride.

They came to us as strangers, but now they are part of us.

All happiness forever.

- No more. - Oh. Everybody, over here.

Mon frère formidable, rest-ce pas ? That's the way they say it over here.

Which means some kind of a guy, the best.

- Pinky, what is it? What do you want? - I've just seen your sister-in-law.

- Where was she? - She was at a...

at a striptease club. You know it - La Porte Rose on the Rue Whatsitsname.

- Was she drinking? - Drinking? Mate, she was drunk!

No!

Oh, don't. Stop it!

Argh!

Oh, no.

No.

No.

No!

Rudy.

He would like to see you.

Mon frère...

formidable.

Rudy.

Rudy, you go get 'em.

What?

You go get 'em, Rudy.

The bad guys.

I don't know who they are any more.

I think I'm one of them.

You can cry if you want to, Wes.

He was won'th crying for.

I'm not crying, Kate.

I'm not gonna cry.

Goodbye, my darling.

Rest well.

I just wanted to make sure you were all right.

Oh, poor thing.

I forgot to water it.

Have you thought about what you're going to do now?

Oh, I... I'm gonna put the Clothilde up for sale.

After you pay the bank, there won't be much left.

Yeah, but there'll be enough to get me back to the States and to have the baby.

Where is that?

- I can't find it. - What?

The shell that Tom gave me.

If you'd like to hang on to the boat, if it's a matter of covering expenses...

No. It's just that I don't think that I can sleep in that bed any more,

you know, or...

Iook up at the wheel and know that I'm never going to see Tom there again.

Damn, damn!

Kate,

it's going to be tough on Wesley growing up without a father.

Would you consider letting me take him?

I'd like to raise him as my son.

All right.

Listen, Rudy's alone now.

You guys could do all those things, like go to baseball games

and rebuild carburettors and all that kind of stuff.

I told you, I'm not going.

I know how you feel about Julie, but she's not going to be there.

I just wanna stay with you.

But I don't even know where I'm gonna end up.

I could end up in some tiny little room in the village.

- That's OK. - I'll have enough taking care of the baby.

- I can help you. - Right, you and me and the baby.

You can sleep on the couch, mop the kitchen floor, clean up the dirty diapers...

- That's fine. - Don't you understand?

You and I are just going to keep reminding each other of Tom.

- We're going to be mourning all the time. - You mean you don't want me?

Oh.

I do.

I want you more than anything in the world.

It's just that every time I look at you, I see...

I see Tom.

And I can't handle it. It's tearing me apart.

I just don't know what I can do.

I wonder who decorated this room. Must have been someone very clever.

It's after three.

Every bar ought to have a mirror so when you get a drink you can look at yourself.

Why don't you try and get some sleep?

I don't feel like sleeping. I don't feel like drinking.

Congratulations.

I've been standing here forcing myself to face what I've become.

What are you looking for, Julie? Pity? I'm past feeling pity.

- What do you feel? - Disgust.

That makes two of us.

Look at me.

No, really, look at me. What do you see?

A woman who was beautiful,

who deliberately set out to make herself ugly.

Go on.

A woman who seems to get some sort of twisted pleasure feeling sorry for herself.

Who never takes the blame for her own failures?

Exactly.

Wesley was right, I did murder Tom. That's what I am, a destroyer.

Lady, most of all what you're destroying is yourself.

And if we stay together, I'll end up destroying you.

It's not much of a marriage, is it?

You should have walked out on me a long time ago. Why didn't you?

Because I loved you.

Let's be honest. There hasn't been any love between us in a long time.

I don't even think we like each other any more.

Rudy, I'm leaving.

I'm sorry.

It's over.

You can look on it as a gift.

Maybe the first generous thing I've done since we married.

Julie.

I have to. See if I can manage without a crutch to lean on.

Not the bottle and not you.

- Is there any way I can help? - Yes.

Let me go.

- Falconetti. - Halt! Police!

I don't want him shot.

It's OK.

All set?

Hi.

Hi.

Prescott, Julie Prescott. P-r-e-s...

Yes, that's right. No, not the Chicago Tribune.

I'm a photographer with Life Magazine. It should all be on my application.

Where does it state I'm paying the legal costs?

The last page. Paragraph two.

I must say, this has been one of the rare ones.

Most clients start out insisting it's all going to be civilised

and before it's over, you're up to your ankles in blood.

You must have a million people working there.

Surely you can spare me one clerk to get my papers processed?

Thank you. I'd appreciate it.

I'm sorry. Just one more. It's a quick one.

That story you did in Israel on the Six Day War, those children in the bomb shelter...

- You're very good. - Thank you.

Ben, it's Julie. Is my stuff on the barbecue at the LBJ ranch up yet?

Oh, good. OK, great. I'll see you back at the office about three.

- All right, where were we? - The final agreement.

OK, where do I sign?

- Arert you going to read it? - I take it you have.

- Yes. - Well, then it's fine.

The way you wanted it - no settlement, no alimony.

- Right. OK. Here? - The bottom line.

Anything you want from the house? Furniture?

No. I've taken my books. That's all I wanted.

I decided that was one of the things wrong with our life, too many possessions.

Rudy.

- Is this it? - That's it.

I'll make a routine appearance in court to have the judge hand down the decree,

but to all intents and purposes, you are divorced.

Well, if you'll excuse me, gentlemen, I have to run.

It could be we're trapped here for life. That's the third elevator that's gone by.

So how are things in Washington?

Fine. Great.

- My career has taken off like a skyrocket. - Really?

I'm on the Rules and Administration Committee.

Sounds impressive.

The chairman makes the really important decisions.

- Such as? - Assigning parking spaces.

Well, then, what do you do?

Well, actually, I've handled a number of crucial matters.

The kinds of things that shape the destiny of a nation.

Only last week, I OKed a request from the distinguished senator from Missouri

to OK the transfer of five wastepaper baskets and an electric pencil sharpener.

How's Billy?

I don't know. Do all sons punish their mothers?

Still?

Well, he didn't even bother to tell me when he re-enlisted. He's still in Vietnam.

I'm hoping to see him soon. I've been pushing the magazine to send me there.

- What? - You really have become quite a dame.

Keep going. Keep the line. Keep going.

Go!

Come on, put your back in it!

Hey, Jordache, telephone, over in the corner there.

- Wes, it's Rudy. - Hey, how are you doing?

I've been meaning to call, but things got jammed up.

- That's OK. I know how it is. - Listen, I'm in New York.

I don't have to be in Washington until tomorrow. I've got an evening free.

I had an inspiration. Why don't you come down? I'll clear it with the school.

- Hey, that'd be beautiful. - We can go out to dinner, take in a movie.

- Beautiful. - Or we'll just talk.

It's been a long time since we talked.

I'd like that, only I've got this math exam tomorrow

and I've gotta put in a little more study. You know, polish up.

- Meaning you haven't cracked a book? - Yeah, right.

Well, we'll skip it then.

I'm sorry. Is anything wrong?

- You sound down. - No, no, everything's fine.

If it's important, I'll come. To hell with the exam.

No, it's not important. We'll do it some other time.

Great.

Wesley, take care of yourself.

You too.

Shut the door.

- You know what I have here? - No, sir.

I have a communication from your mathematics instructor.

- You know what it's about? - I got an idea. I'm a little shaky in math.

You're flunking math. Do you understand what that means?

Automatic suspension from athletics.

You're a good kid, Jordache. A decent boy.

Also, you're a natural-born grade-A screwup!

You're one of my best defensive ends.

Keep playing the way you are now, there'll be colleges waiting to grab you.

And right now you're pouring it down the drain.