The Best Years of Our Lives Page #19

OK.

- Thank you very much. Goodbye.

- Bye.

- Goodbye, signorina. Come again.

- We'll do that. So long.

Arrivederci.

Well...

That shouldn't have happened.

But I guess it had to.

- Goodbye, Peggy.

- Goodbye.

We were discussing this loan

to this man... What's his name?

Novak.

Yes. Yes, I approved it.

May I ask, Al, on what basis?

On the basis of my own judgment.

Novak looked to me like a good bet.

But the man has no collateral, no security.

- Evidently, you saw something in him.

- Yes, Mr Milton.

- What was it?

- Security.

Collateral.

In the army I was with men stripped

of everything in the way of property

except what they carried around

with them and inside them.

I saw them being tested.

Some of them stood up to it, some didn't.

But you could tell

which ones you could count on.

I tell you, this man Novak is OK.

His "collateral" is in his hands, in his

heart, in his guts. In his right as a citizen.

- Nobody's denying him his rights.

- We are. If we deny him his chance...

Gentlemen, there's no need

to raise our voices.

Of course, since you've approved

the loan, the incident is closed.

- However, in the future, Al...

- Yes, I understand, Mr Milton.

In the future I must exercise more caution.

Thank you, Mr Prew.

Al, uh...

(door closes)

Al, you know how I feel

about you and always have.

Why, I've always considered you

one of the family, so to speak.

Like my own s... younger brother.

I picked you personally for this job,

and I know you'll make good.

We do have a desire to extend a helping

hand to returning veterans when possible.

But we must all remember that

this is not our money we're doling out.

It belongs to our depositors,

and we can't gamble with it.

I'll remember, Mr Milton.

We'll meet at the Union Club at 7.30.

- And give my best to your charming wife.

- Thank you, Mr Milton.

(key in door)

- Hello.

- Oh, hello.

Hurry and get dressed.

And wear your new suit.

We're going to dinner

at the Embassy Club.

Don't worry, it won't cost

a nickel. We got invited.

- Who invited us?

- Miss Peggy Stephenson.

She called up, said her father was a friend

of yours. She sounded like a nice kid.

She's going out with some boyfriend

and asked us on a double date, as guests.

- You told her we could go?

- You bet I did.

Well, call her up and tell her we can't go.

Tell her I made another engagement.

- Say, who is this Peggy Stephenson?

- She's a girl.

I didn't think she was a kangaroo.

Where'd you meet her?

The night I got back, Al Stephenson

and his wife took me home.

She's their daughter.

I'd never seen her before.

Or since?

If you wanna make anything out of this,

you'll be disappointed.

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