Bigger Than Life

[ Children Chattering, Shouting In Distance ]

Think you know it?

Yes, sir.

Name the five Great Lakes.

Name one.

Lake, uh-Lake Huron?

That's a boy, Joe!

If you run, you'll catch up with the others. Happy Easter.

Happy Easter, sir!

Ed, are you leaving now?

Have to stop at LaPorte's office. Then I'm leaving. Why?

Can you give me a push? My car is stalled.

I can't. My wife has our car today.

- Why don't you get a new car, Pat? - I wish I could.

Maybe Wally can give you a push. Wally?

- You're not going downtown, are you? - I wasn't planning to.

I'll be lucky to get home.

Wally, can you give my car a push?

Yeah, sure, if you can wait a few minutes.

I'm parked right next to yours.

- Yeah. - Have a nice vacation, Ed.

- Try and get some rest. - Thanks, Pat.

I'd give her a push myself, only Lou has our car today and I've got to get downtown.

- Say, you're coming tonight, aren't you? - Sure.

- Who you bringing? - Just myself.

Why don't you bring Pat? She's nice.

Yeah, I just might.

How long are you gonna be stuck here? May I?

Couple of hours at least, unless you want to take on those parents for me.

- I can't. -

If you wanna bring those reports over tonight,

I'll get them cleaned up for you tomorrow.

Hello, darling. I'm stuck here at school again.

No, it's a meeting with a couple of board members.

I'm sorry I didn't let you know sooner.

No, I won't forget. So long.

Why can't you tell your wife about your job with the cab company?

- She'd think it isn't good enough for me. - Well, it isn't.

- Pays the bills. - Fine thing...

as good a teacher as you are has to be working on the side.

Let me have the bus fare, will you. I'll give it back to you tonight.

- What time are we expected? - Lou said about... 7:30?

7:30. Thank you, Bob.

- Would you like to come in now, ladies? - Yes.

Hey!

Hey, Voice!

Hiya, Voice. Hey, try to keep me in the Ridgemont district today, will ya? Number 12.

- Okay, 12, I'll remember. - Good. Thanks.

Hey, Voice, keep me Central, will ya?

- Remember, I'm 36, Central. - How are you doing on the horses?

Hey, that's what I mean. Don't give me any runs to the track.

If I stay there, I bet. If I bet, I lose. So it's your fault.

- Okay, 36. Central. - Thanks, Voice.

I got a budget, you know.

- Hey, you okay? -

Yeah, I'm-I'm all right.

- Hi. - Hi, Ed.

- Want some coffee? - Thanks.

- Busy? - So-so.

Yellow Cab. 1418 King Street? Right away.

Yellow Cab.

216 West Avenue North? Race track?

- - Hi, Dad!

Hi, Son.

Bring me anything?

Trout season opens tomorrow.

- Now, what did I forget? -

I know, Mr. Daniels. It just makes it difficult for tonight, that's all.

Yes. All right.

- You bring the olives? - Ohh!

- I - I'll go right out. - No, never mind.

- The water heater's off again. - Was that Daniels you were talking to?

Yes. He said he'd be over to fix it in the morning.

What kept you so long? You know we're having company tonight.

I called you, dear. Couple of members of the school board.

- Can I help? - No.

The members of the board seem to be unusually active this year, don't they?

- Yee-haw! -

- Hmm. - Well, are we going fishin'?

- Doesn't this stuff bore you? - No.

- It's always the same story. - I know.

Everybody's going fishin'. Paul and his dad are.

- Everybody! - I can't help that.

- I have work to do. - But vacation started today.

- Have you practiced your music? - Not yet.

Well, why don't you do that while I help your mother.

Wally and the LaPortes are coming over tonight.

Can I stay up late?

We'll see. Collect all this junk.

How many are coming, Lou?

The LaPortes, the Joneses and Wally, so far.

But we need one more if we're going to play two tables. Is Wally bringing anyone?

I asked him to bring Pat Wade.

I thought she only played hearts.

I think she plays bridge.

Two tables, huh?

Well, it isn't simply a matter of choosing between having a baby or buying a vacuum cleaner.

- Well, at least it shouldn't... be. - Well, you don't have a child with asthma.

I don't care much the doctor says it's psychosomatic.

As far as I'm concerned it's the dust, and we need a new vacuum cleaner.

Seven spades, doubled and redoubled.

- Do you have some kind of pain, Ed? - Nothing's wrong.

- The game's over. - That's good.

I only had them because of you, and you spend half the evening in here.

Why don't you help them find their coats. I'll be right in.

Ed...

- There you go. - Tell me, Bob.

Why is it necessary for you and Ed to have board meetings every other afternoon?

Just a couple of board members today, Lou.

I think they should leave you alone for a while. You do enough.

- This is a new poster, isn't it, Ed? - Yes, it is.

- We have to run. Good night. - Good night, everybody! Thanks for everything!

Remember the days when we used to resent vacations because they interrupted our work?

Not me, Ed.

- Good night, Lou. - You've never looked more beautiful, Vi.

Thanks, Lou. It's because I'm having the baby.

- Good night, Vi. - Good night, Ed.

- See you tomorrow, Ed. - Good night.

- Thanks again, Lou. - Good-bye, Pat.

- Good night, Pat. - Good night, Ed.

Trout season opens tomorrow.

What do you say you, Lou, Richie and I get a couple of sleeping bags, take off for a few days?

- Maybe next weekend. - Okay. Good night, Ed.

- Good night, Wally. - Good night.

Leave them, honey.

All right.

Wouldn't it be great for both of us to really get away one of these days?

Mm-hmm.

- You like the Joneses? - They're all right.

- I think she's very nice. - Who?

Mrs. Jones.

She gripes too much.

I think they're both dull.

- You think they're what? - Dull!

So are we.

- What did you say? - So are we.

You are, I am.

Let's face it - we're dull.

Have you found somebody who isn't?

What do you mean by that?

There was no board meeting.

Where were you?

I told you. What did you think I was doing?

You can't expect me to figure that out. I'm supposed to be dull. Remember?

I said we all are.

Tell me one thing that was said or done by anyone here tonight...

that was funny, startling, imaginative...

- - Ed?

Ed?

Oh, Ed.

Oh, Richie, Richie, get Dr. Norton on the phone.

- What's his phone number? - Oh, it's...

It's in the book right next to the phone.

Hurry, darling.

And call Uncle Wally too.

Oh, Ed. Oh, Ed.

You should've told me about this before, Ed.

I thought I was just overly tired.

It isn't as if the pain was always in the same place.

It's the first time I've blacked out.

And it's been going on for six months.

More or less.

- You wanna go with me? - No, Doctor, I'll take him in our car.

- All right. I'll go on ahead. - Okay.

I'll see you there later.

Did he tell you anything I should know?

He doesn't know anything yet.

- Well, it can't be very serious then. - No.

Excuse me.

- Good night, Doctor. - Good night, Doctor.

Good night. Good night, Richie.

Let's see if I've forgotten anything.

Your toothbrush, your pajamas - Oh, your slippers!

I'll get them.

If a teacher has to be sick, he owes it to himself to be sick on school days and not on vacations.

- Thanks for coming over, Wally. - Here, let me take that.

Since you're promoting your self to breakfast in bed for a week, you might as well go in style.

- - Let's come in here for a minute.

You know, Richie, you're gonna be head man around here while I'm gone.

I want you to take good care of your mother.

I'll look out for her. Don't you worry.

That's a boy.

Look at this thing. It's like a stewed prune.

- Get the bike pump. - Coming up.

I bring the needle valve.

Well, sit down, hold the ball and I'll "brung" some air into it.

Okay, brought.

Boy, I wish I would have been there when you won that game.

Third-string sub to hero in 20 seconds.

Real last-minute stuff.

You shouldn't kid about it, Dad. You won the game for 'em.

Sure was the high school hero that day.

Here. It's yours.

For me to keep in my room?

No, outdoors. Kick it around with the other kids.

Maybe they'll make you captain.

Mom, Dad just gave me his football! I'm gonna tell Uncle Wally!

Don't look so grim.

I'm sorry.

I think I'm just very tired. You know?