Detour

Well, here we are. I turn down here at the next block.

Thanks, mister. I'll get off there.

- Want anything else? - No.

Hey, you.

- Me? - Yeah, you. Where ya heading?

- East. - Too bad.

I thought if you was headin' north, I might be able to help you out.

Pushing to Salt Lake, and I don't like to ride alone at night.

I'm one of those guys that gotta talk or I fall asleep.

So I gotta get my--

My partner, he's got Lou to keep him company.

But I ain't got nobody at all.

- Where ya comin' from? - West.

Yeah, sure, I know, but where? LA?

- Maybe. - Got a cousin out in LA.

- You don't say? - Yeah, he's been out —

You're not much of a talker, are ya?

My mother taught me never to speak to strangers.

- A wise guy? - So what?

Okay, okay. Don't get sore. Just trying to be sociable, that's all.

Hey, Glamorous.

Give me change for a dime, will ya?

Let's have something quieter this time, Joe.

- My head's splitting. - Is that what's wrong with it?

- Done with your coffee? - No. And don't rush me, will ya?

Hey, turn that off. Will ya turn that thing off?

- What's eating you now? - Yeah, what's eating you?

- That music. It stinks! - You don't like it?

- No, turn it off! - Now wait a minute, pal.

That was my nickel, see?

This is a free country, and I play whatever I want to.

Okay.

Sure. And if you don't like, you don't have to listen to it.

And you can leave here anytime you wanna.

Okay, okay. I'm sorry I asked.

First good piece played tonight, and you don't like it.

Some people just ain't got any good taste.

That tune. That tune!

Why was there always that rotten tune?

Following me around, beating in my head, never letting up.

Did you ever wanna forget anything?

Did you ever wanna cut away a piece of your memory or blot it out?

You can't, you know? No matter how hard you try.

You can change the scenery,

but sooner or later you’ll get a whiff of perfume,

or somebody will say a certain phrase or maybe hum something.

Then you're licked again.

"I Can't Believe That You're in Love with Me."

I used to love that song once.

So did the customers back in the old Break O' Dawn Club in New York.

I can't remember a night when I didn’t get at least three requests for it.

Sue, she was always selling it too.

Those were the days.

It wasn't much of a club, really.

You know the kind.

A joint where you could have a sandwich and a few drinks,

and run interference for your girl on the dance floor.

I fronted the piano in there every night

from 8:00 until the place closed up,

which usually meant 4:00 in the morning.

A good job as jobs went in those days.

Then, too, there was Sue,

who made working there a little like working in heaven.

But how we felt about each other, well, there was nothing very unusual in that.

I was an ordinary healthy guy, and she was an ordinary healthy girl,

and when you add those two together, you get an ordinary healthy romance,

which is the old story.

Sure. But somehow the most wonderful thing in the world.

All in all, I was a pretty lucky guy.

Mr. Patterewsky, I presume? It's beautiful.

You're going to make Carnegie Hall yet, Al.

Yeah. As a janitor.

I'll make my debut in the basement.

I don't blame you for being bitter, darling, but you mustn't give up hope.

- Why, some day— - Yeah, some day,

if I don't get arthritis first.

In the meantime, let's blow this trap.

- Like to get something to eat, hon? - I don't think so, Al.

I lose my appetite working in this fleabag.

- Let's go home. - Okay.

I can't stand much more of that dump.

Did you see that drunk tonight trying to paw me?

- No, what drunk? - Does it matter what drunk?

Say, what's the matter with you tonight, darling?

That's the third time you started to tell me something and then stopped.

We shouldn't have any secrets from each other, Sue.

Next week, we're gonna make with a ring and a license. We'll be a team.

Yes, that's right. In the bush league.

- I don't get ya. - We've been struck out.

That's a funny way to talk, darling.

- Don't you wanna marry me? - Al, look, I love you.

You know I do. And I want to marry you.

- But...? - But not now.

Only after we've made good.

Sunday I'm going away.

I know you'll think it's silly.

That's why I hesitated to tell you.

But I'm going to California.

I wanna try my luck in Hollywood.

That's the most stupid thing I ever heard of.

Don't you know millions of people go out there every year and wind up polishing cuspidors?

I thought you had better sense.

You sound as if you think I don't have any talent.

- That has nothing to do with it. - I'll make out all right.

Maybe. But what about me?

Doesn't it mean anything to you that you're busting up all our plans?

- We may not see each other for years? - It won't be that long.

- I thought you loved me. - I do.

You know I do.

Well, here we are.

Al...

Al, why can't you see my side of it?

I'm young. We both are. And...

And we've got all the time in the world to settle down.

Really, darling.

What I'm doing is the only sane thing to do.

I... I hate the thought of being so far away from you.

But... But we'll be together again some day.

Maybe you'll decide to come out too, later on.

- So long. - Al.

Aren't you gonna kiss me good night?

Sure, why not?

Good night.

Say, Roberts.

You hit the jackpot this time. Ten bucks.

Thanks.

So when this drunk handed me a ten-spot after a request,

I couldn’t get very excited.

What was it, I asked myself? A piece of paper crawling with germs.

Couldn't buy anything I wanted.

It couldn't...

Then I thought of something.

Long distance.

I'd like to put a call through to Los Angeles.

Miss Harvey. Sue Harvey.

H-A-R-V-E-Y.

The number is CRestview 65723.

4.50.

4.75.

5.00.

Hello, Sue? This is Al.

Baby, it's great to hear from you too.

What's that? You do? Me too, darling.

I thought I'd go batty without you. I just had to —

You're workin' as a hash slinger?

Gee, honey, that's tough.

Those guys out in Hollywood don't know the real thing when it's right in front of them.

You just stick it out, Sue, baby.

Keep goin' around to those casting offices. I'm sure you'll click.

Look, I'll tell you what. You stay put out there. I'll come to you.

No, don't try to stop me. Just expect me.

Train? Who knows? Train, plane, bus, magic carpet.

I'll be there if I have to crawl. If I have to travel by pogo stick.

And then... let's get married right away.

That's the stuff. That's what I've been wanting to hear you say.

Well, good-bye for now.

I'll be seeing you soon.

Yeah. Bye.

The only way I could cross country was to thumb rides,

for even after hocking everything, I only had enough money to eat.

Money. You know what that is.

It's the stuff you never have enough of.

Little green things with George Washington's picture

that men slave for, commit crimes for, die for.

It's the stuff that has caused more trouble in the world

than anything else we ever invented,

simply because there's too little of it.

At least I had too little of it.

So it was me for the thumb.

Ever done any hitchhiking?

It's not much fun, believe me.

Yeah, I know all about how it's an education,

and how you get to meet a lot of people, and all that.

But me, from now on I'll take my education in college,

or in P. S. 62, or I'll send $1. 98 in stamps for ten easy lessons.

Thumbing rides may save you bus fare, but it's dangerous.

You never know what's in store for you when you hear the squeal of brakes.

If only I had known what I was getting into that day in Arizona.

Here, throw that in the back seat.

Okay, let's go. Make sure that door's closed.

You know, Emily Post ought to write a book of rules for guys thumbing rides.

Because as it is now you never know what's right and what's wrong.

We rode along for a little while, neither one of us saying anything.

I was glad of that.

I never know what to say to strange people driving cars.

And too, you can never tell if a guy wants to talk.

A lot of rides have been cut short because of a big mouth.

So I kept my mouth shut until he started opening up.

Hand me that little box in the compartment, will ya, pal?

Hold the wheel, will ya?

- How far are ya going? - LA.

Well, you're really traveling aren't ya?

Yeah, but I don't expect to make it for a couple years

at the rate I've been promoting rides.

Not much luck?

Sure. All bad.

Not many people stop for a guy these days.

Afraid of a stickup maybe.

You can't blame 'em.

- Where ya comin' from? - New York.