The Tarnished Angels

Who's your old man, kid? Huh? Who's your old man?

Who's your old man today, kid? Huh? Who's your old man?

Who's your old man today, kid, huh?

OK, champ.

- We're just having a little fun, that's all. - The kid's not laughing.

You've got to quit fighting old-timers. You almost killed him.

How about taking me on?

- For an ice-cream cone. - Chocolate?

- Anything you say. - Oh, boy!

- You OK now, Dempsey? - My name ain't Dempsey.

What is it? Tunney? Sharkey? Chocolate.

- Jack Shumann. - Shumann...

- Roger Shumann your old man? - He's my father.

Oh. Great flier. Real war ace.

Shot down 14 German planes.

- 16. - Books say 14.

They didn't count right. They missed two.

All right. I'll take your word for it.

- How old are you? - Nine.

Nine, huh? Pretty big fella.

- Bet you can ride a two-wheeler. - Two-wheeler? What's that?

A bicycle. Can't you ride a bike yet?

I can fly a plane.

That's really something.

What was that fight all about? Didn't that grease monkey know your old man?

I mean your father. Didn't he know he was Roger Shumann?

He thinks I don't know who my father is.

Roger or Jiggs.

- Well, who's Jiggs? - One of us.

My father's a mechanic.

Who's that with Jack? I hope it's not a truant officer.

No. They don't buy ice-cream cones.

Well, look at Jiggs.

What's with you? Gonna get in the Mardi Gras parade?

- Can't a fella dress up? - Sure he can.

For somebody he wants to impress.

- You like 'em, LaVerne? - Ooh. Brand-new.

You're a dream.

- Where'd you get 'em? - Oh, I bought 'em downtown.

How much?

I saw 'em in a store window. I... I couldn't walk away from 'em.

- Did you rent us a room? - We can sleep in the hangar.

- Have you got a nickel left for a bus ride? - Yeah. I got $2.50 left.

Go get our money back.

I-I-I can't, Rog.

I already wrote my name inside the boots. With ink.

Haven't you heard about the Depression? Haven't we had enough of two-bit prizes?

- I wasn't thinking. - You've got to think!

It's not like it was in France, just us and the war.

- Gotta think of LaVerne and Jack now. - It's over with, Roger. Let's forget it.

I-I saw these boots and I had to have 'em. I wanted to dress up clean for once.

Look like I was a hotshot pilot, like...

like I was Roger Shumann.

Jack. Who's your friend?

Burke Devlin. I'm with the New Orleans Times-Picayune.

I'm Roger Shumann. This is my wife LaVerne.

Jiggs, my mechanic. Greatest grease monkey around.

Without him, I wouldn't fly a kite.

Uh... I hope it was OK for me to buy Jack some ice cream.

Sure. Thanks.

- How'd you meet up with the kid? - Well, I...

Just bumped into one another. Got to talking, walking around.

- Anything for a story, huh? - Yeah, just about.

Say, is there an all-night movie house here in town?

No, I don't think so.

But I could fix you up with a place to bed down for the night.

We've slept in the best hotels and in the worst hangars, so...

- don't go feeling sorry for us. - I have no feeling.

Except for a story. Maybe I'll get one out of you.

Make yourself at home.

Here's the key to my apartment.

- Hiya, Burke. - Hello, Matt.

How'd you tear yourself away from LaVerne Shumann?

- Got yourself a good pilot? - Yeah. Crackerjack.

This is Frank Burnham. Burke Devlin.

Best newspaperman in town.

- Who's flying this one? - White job's out. Engine's on the fritz.

It's just as well, because I'm gonna take all the prizes anyway.

That's exactly what he did last week in Oklahoma City.

Pretty classy ships, huh?

Yeah, not bad... for flying billboards.

Flying billboards?

That's a hot one, ain't it?

Hey, Burke. Look, you play ball with me, I'll match your pay cheque.

Something's the matter with my typewriter.

Can't seem to spell out "Diamond Blade Tractors".

Wow.

- Real trim, huh? - Shut up.

Boy, that turned-up nose is sure getting you down.

Ride the plane, kid, not me.

The air show? Keep it down. We're tight on space.

- I'll write it, you cut it. - I could chuck it in the waste basket.

- You got something against war heroes? - What war? The war between the states?

There have been other wars.

Your war hero's probably just a greasy, drunken Gypsy.

What do you think that air show is? A cheap, crummy carnival of death.

Did you expect me to spike it with cream?

No time to give you a temperance lecture now.

I could tell you of winged knights jousting with death,

if I felt you could smell a story the way you smell whisky.

- The redhead was asking about you. - What'd you tell her?

I told her we'd look in on her tonight if she got a fourth for bridge.

I can't make it tonight... and no arguments.

Well, I'll have to round up a poker game.

- Is it OK if we use your flat? - No.

- You entertaining a maiden aunt? - No, just some Gypsies.

Gypsies?

- Hello. - Hello.

- What are you reading? - One of your books.

Hm?

My Antonia by Willa Cather.

Nostalgia in Nebraska.

Lost farms and faded loves.

Brings back memories of home, who I was.

And how I was, when I first started reading it...

- 12 years ago. - Never finished it?

No, I never did.

- I left it behind when I left home. - Oh. Did you run away?

I never thought of it that way. I had a good home.

Well, then what took you away?

A Liberty Bond poster.

Tacked on the front wall of our barn.

When and... where was that?

1918... back in Iowa.

What was on the poster?

A painting.

A portrait of a pilot sitting in a warplane...

Captain Roger Shumann.

With the look of eagles in his eyes.

You know something? Something shameful?

In all these years, I've never touched another book.

Oh, I'd hardly take you for a bookworm.

I didn't realise till tonight how much I missed reading.

- And where did you meet Roger? - At an air show in my home town.

- August 17, 1920. - How old were you?

- 16. - And it was love at first sight?

For me it was.

Not for Roger?

Roger, he autographed my programme for me,

and gave me a long look.

Same kind of look I'd been used to getting from drugstore cowboys.

You went away with him that night?

He flew off alone, to Omaha.

- But you met up with him again. - In Omaha.

- You followed him. - Yes.

With Jiggs. I followed Jiggs to the bus station.

When he got on the bus, I got in the seat next to him.

How did Jiggs take to you?

Like a drugstore cowboy?

No.

He was smitten.

So smitten he was ready to splurge on the best hotel in town.

What did Roger say to all this?

When Roger found me with Jiggs, he swore like a sailor.

He made Jiggs feel like two cents, me even less.

How did you change Roger's mind? Tell him about the Liberty Bond poster?

No.

I had and I still have a romantic notion

that a man must tell a woman first about his love.

Yes. And?

I lied to Roger.

I told him I wanted to be a parachute jumper,

and if he didn't take me with him, I'd... I'd get somebody else.

- And that did it? - Yes, that and...

a look in my eyes.

Or maybe it was the shape of my legs.

Better let you get some sleep.

- Why don't you take the couch? - Where'll you go?

I'll take the chair.

Thank you, very much.

You're just like Jack. He can sleep anywhere.

- Bus seats, benches, anywhere. - Does that include beds?

No, he doesn't like beds. They remind him of... sickness.

- By the way... - Yes?

When were you and Roger married?

It was the summer of 1923.

July 17.

We were in Portland, Oregon.

It was the night before a big show. We were working late on our plane.

Then we went to the airport café... for some coffee.

What 's the matter, LaVerne?

That delayed jump this afternoon give you the heebie-jeebies?

- I'm quitting. - Hm?

Hey, Rog. LaVerne says she's quitting.

What is it? You fed up?

Scared? Or are you homesick?

No. It's just a fact of life.

I'm in a family way.

If you don't marry her, I will.

- Didn't you hear me? - I heard you.

Well...

What do you say?

Are you just gonna sit there?

Listen, I'm talking to you. Yes or no?

Quit playing the dummy. You gonna marry LaVerne or not?

LaVerne, why don't you say something?

Eight.

You throw them.

Why, you dirty, no-good louse.

Step outside, I'll kick your teeth in.