04x07 - The Years Between

[bunniefuu]

[waves crashing]

[music]

[door opening]

[door closing]

Mr. Macklin, there's aNed Tucker here to see you.

He doesn't have an appointment.Do I tell him you're in conference?

No, Alison.

No, I'll see him.

Ned, how are you?

Come on in.

Well, it's good to seecome on, sit down.

A long time since I've seenyou or Ginny for that matter.

Yeah, it has been a longtime. What can I do for you?

Look, Jim, I don't like toimpose on our friendship.

Well, when I say you're atfor a production supervisor.

Hasn't anythingturned up for yet.

No.

Have you talked toRayner over at national?

Yeah there's nothing over there.

What about amalgamated?

No dice.

I have an idea.

I am so sorry.

Don't be silly.

That's why the Lord made tears.Use them go ahead cried out Ginny.

shouldn't botheryou with my trouble.

Well, I don't know why not.

You know I've alwaysconsidered myself your best friend.

[crying]

Honey look.

A man like Ned, he's notgoing to be without a job for long.

It's been eight months.

Ans man Ned'sstarting over again.

Didn't his faulty firmwent out of business?

Of course it wasn't.

Then why don't youlet me speak to Jim?

Or better still, have Nedgo down and see him.

Ned is seeing Jim today.

Then why all the tears?Come on, I'll give you a drink.

Just strain and suspense.

Yeah. You want Scott?

Please.

Jim has an opening.Ned is as good as hires.

He has production supervisor.

Well, then it's perfect.

Just because we'reold friends, there's no

reason for Jim showingNed any preference.

Oh, honey, I know theway Jim feels about Ned.

He thinks his tops in his line.

I know he used to think that.

we've all changed alot since the old days.

Except you. That flatterer here.

Thank you.

Honestly, I don't know howyou do it. Whether you live

in a small apartment ora beautiful home like this.

You still stay the same.

Do you Ginny?

No, nervous and tense all the time.

Ned's discouraged.

Jim.

What about Jim?

I know.

Jim's changed more than anybody.

I didn't even realizeit was happening.

One morning I just

looked at it will growthe breakfast table and

I saw a vice president.

[car horn] Oh.

Oh, that's his seasonaland he'll want his drink.

I'm glad he got home intime to see you, Ginny.

-I'm Sorry, honey.-Hmm.

I think I'll just slipoff the back way.

Oh, why?

Wait a minute wait a minute.

Don't you want to see Jim?

I'd rather not.

If Ned got the job, Iwant him to tell me.

Yes, of course. I'llcall you in the morning.

[door closing]

Oh, hi darling.

-Hello.-Kicks Austin?

No more than usua

Ah.

Jim.

Him I'm dying predictbut two piece of

goods to fix me.When? I'll be right back.

Yeah.

Yeah, Ginny was overtoday, dear, and she.

Oh, boy.

You will find this is anabsolutely perfect drink.

I can use it. Thank you.

Anything interestinghappened today?

No, not much.

Aren't you going tohave a drink with me?

Not tonight.

Oh.

Now talk to me.

Your talk to me.

Alright.

Ginny was here.

Or did you hear me before?

I guess I heard you.

How is she?

She's fine.

Laura, didn't we getany mail from the twins?

Laura.

No, we didn't get any mail. ButTony called today from school.

Is he flunking something again?

No, dear, no. It wasabout his birthday.

His birthday?

I completely forgot his birthday.

Yes, so it seems well, anyway.

He said if we were thinkingof giving him a car for his

birthday, he had found anabsolute steel at about $,.

Twelve hundred dollars?

While I thinkthat's a little steep.

So did I.

Well, it's his birthday.

Laura.

It seems almost impossiblethat those kids are , doesn't it?

Hey are, though. Jim.

What are we going to getDiana to match the car?

Haven't you readher last few letters?

Have I missed something?

Her French teacher isgoing on that European tour,

and she's taking half of herclass with her. You know?

-So that's where she was handing?-Of course.

Well, then all we have to reallydo is send each of them a check.

This new to me a favor.

You take care of that.

Just like that?

Well, why not?

We can afford it,and they're good kids.

You're an old softie.

At least as far asgiving your children

birthday presents is concerned.

Now, Jim, for the third andlast time, Ginny was over

today, and she said that Nedwent down to see you today.

-Laura.-Hmm.

Did you arrange that?

-Well no.-Are you sure?

Well, of course.

Well, I want you to know thatwas really rather embarrassing.

You didn't give himthe job? No, I didn't.

But that's exactlythe job for Ned.

Jim, it isn't. Ned spoke that he'sout of work. His company faulted.

I know what happened Lara.

I have explained this toyou one thousand times.

In business, there isno room for sentiment.

This has nothingto do with sentiment.

You said yourself that.

Ned could handle that kind of a job.You said it. You said yesterday.

That's right.

Well, then why didn't you hire him?

Because he's years old.

You are years old.

That's different.

Why?

Because I have been with acompany for nineteen years.

Ned will just be starting outwith the company if I hired him.

It's against my policyto hire men over .

As a matter of fact, Iprefer them under .

What?

Well, you don'tunderstand. You never have.

So why do we standhere discussing it?

-Because dear, I want to understand!-All right.

Alright. If I hire a younger man, hewon't have Ned's experience, that's true.

-Yes.-But,

I won't have to payhim as much money.

Is just good business.

I change my mind. Ithink I will have that drink.

[music]

Mr. Spencer call?

No, sir.

Mr. Macklin.

According to the grapevine, we'regoing to sell out to Amalgamated.

For once, the grapevine is right.

You've seen Mr. Abbott aroundthe plant the last few weeks?

Well, he's from Amalgamator. Thepapers were signed two weeks ago.

Mr. Macklin. Willthere be a shake up?

You have nothingto worry about, Alice.

If that's what's concerned.

Thank goodness.I really like this job.

[door opening]

Good morning. Goodmorning, Macklin, I thought we'd

better use your office.It's closer to your files.

Alice, if you hold my calls, please.

I have this prepared foryou. Mr. Abbott, I thought

perhaps you'd like to weedout some of the deadwood.

Oh, I see.

-Tom Connolly.-Yes, he's .

What's wrong with him?Isn't he a good man?

Well, of course he's agood man, but he's .

He'd have to be be penchant offsoon and why should you assume that?

I see. Most of these peoplehave been for the company

for some time. You mustknow them pretty well.

yes I do know them.

I think you can trustmy judgment Mr abbott.

I'm really quite objective.

Yes, I see you arevery objective indeed.

Mr. Macklin. You have quite areputation throughout our industry.

Thank you sir.

Unfortunately we don't like it.

I beg your pardon.

Mr macklin.

Our policies. Thatdiametrically opposed to yours.

We don't fire a manbecause he's old.

Older men addstability and guidance

to the younger menof the organization.

Mr. Macklin.

If you want to stay with us,you will have to work our way.

Amalgamated is notgoing to change its

basic policies tosuit your methods.

We have a man inour Detroit branch.

Knows our policiesright down to the

ground. We're goingto bring him here.

Who will be in charge?

He will.

In that case,Mr. Abbott, you can

consider this conversationmy resignation.

I shall accept it.

[music]

He said your policiesare diametrically

opposed to ours, Mr. Macklin.

And do you know whathe has to go to offer me?

No.

The job of assistantpersonnel director.

Awful.

Awful it's ridiculousis what it is.

I mean, it's too humiliatingto talk about it, Laura.

Assistant personnel director.

What are you going to do?

Do? I want to getanother job. Don't worry

about that. Thereare thousands of jobs.

I know that.

Assistant personnelcan you after years

in the office, Laura, Ishould have to listen

Alright dear, alright, alright.

Blood pressure.

[music]

Stan, how are you?

No, I'm fine.

Stan. You wait thehold just a minute, Stan.

What do you want, Laura?

I'm sorry, David. You gotthe pink slipped in here.

Sam, do you remember about a yearago you made me an offer, remember?

Yeah, well, I've decidedto take you up on it.

No, I'm not going tostay with Amalgamated.

I decided to resignwhen they took over.

When you want me to start?

Oh.

Yes, of course I understand.

Yes.

Yes, I doubt that I'll be availableby them, but you can try me.

Right, Stan. Okay. Bye

[putting down telephone]

-Laura.-Hmm.

What do you want the pink slip for?

Oh, I made adeal to sell my car.

Well, we're not penalties.You don't have to sell your car.

No, I don't have to sell my car.

Well, I got a letter fromMother yesterday and she

wants to stay in Floridafor the rest of the season.

Now, I know she can'tdo it on her income and so

I'm going to sell the carand give her the money.

You don't have to do that.Send your mother a check loan.

Darling.

Do you realize whatup? b*ating that

checking accounthas been taking place.

Oh, what are you talking about.

Money on school. It's theclubs, it's the insurance,

it's the mortgage payments.And by the way, Jim.

Don't you think wespread out too far?

I mean, we don't really needthe house to size anymore, dear.

You couldn't be moral.You couldn't be more wrong.

-Well now why?-You just couldn't be!

Because this is the very time when agood front is most important to me.

No, listen. I start to cutdown even by one nickel.

Everyone will think I washed up.Now, nobody wants to hire a man.

All right, Jim. Just--

I don't want to hear really anymore about it. No, I really don't.

You can sell your car ifyou want to. I can't stop you.

Go over to see Dave Chan and maybe Ican catch him and take him to lunch.

Alright.

-When I come back.-Yeah.

I'll have a job atthe first thing i'm

going to do is tobuy you a new car.

Yes dear.

-Laura.-Yes.

You have any money?

I get it for you.

[music]

So the simple factis, I decided to resign.

What do you say?

What do you say?I'm sorry, Jim. I don't

think you'd fit intoour organization.

Look, Dave, I know that I'm , butI must fit as many men half my age.

Well, I hadn't thoughtabout your age.

Since you brought it up.

But since you brought itup when you were working

for Spencer were thoseyour hiring policies?

I'm sorry, Jim.

-I don't think you'd fit.-Just forget it, Dave.

[music]

Oh, Jim. I didn'tknow you were home.

Dinner's not near already.

-How you feel?-Oh, I'm all right.

I certainly am sick of yourcooking and cleaning up.

What the matter with my cooking?

Nothing.

-I like you that cooking.-I'm glad.

Because I had so much fun in years.

Do you know what you are?

You're really quite wonderful.Oh, Jim.

Somebody once said thatwork gives leisure, it's value.

Leisure moments meansomething to me nowadays.

You know that. I wishI could say the same.

-You want a drink?-No, it's too early.

Come on you will feel good.

-Laura.-Hmm.

I just came fromthe bank. I felt I

could borrow somemoney on the house.

They turned medown. They said an

unemployed manmy age was a bad risk.

You haven't askedme if I got a job today

Do you have anythingto tell me? You will.

Well, I haven't.

Nothing.

I'll even nibble.

There's nothing that I'd accept.

Do you realize thatit's been seven months?

- Alright, dear.- Seven months.

-Simmer down, will you?-Maybe I should get a crew cut.

Oh, don't be so silly.

Asked me if there's any mail today.

I'm afraid to all weever get is bills.

Not this.

-Somebody is suing us?-No.

Diane, there you are.

Jim, my last letter to the kids. Itold them truth about our situation.

Laura.

why did you have to worry them?

Because they arepart of the family.

Well, I know they'repart of the family.

And as part of thefamily, they have a right

to share in the familyfortunes, good or bad.

What did they say?

Diana says she's sureshe can get a scholarship.

Scholarship?

What about Tony?

Wants to join the Navy.

You mean he wants to leave school?

Wants to finish his education in theNavy. I think it would doing Good.

-Well, I don't-Why don't you?

Well, I just don't. Idon't want to talk about

it anymore. I'll talkabout it later, Laura.

No, not later,Jim. Now. And this

time I do not wantyou to rush me off.

I think we should sell this house.

Sell the house?

Yes.

It would solve alot of our problems.

We could look for asmaller place, an apartment.

Temporarily.

Talking about an apartment? Whatin the world are you talking about?

-Just that.-Listen Laura I let you sell the car

We don't have oneservent in a house.

Will you be realistic?

If we sell thehouse, we'll have a

little nest egg. Wecan pay our bills

and catch our breath and please, Jimwe really don't have much choice.

-What do we?-I guess not Laura.

Not that you put it so bluntly.

But

[music]

Oh, you weren't supposedto be here so early.

Well, how do youlike our new home?

Of course, it's a littlebit messy right now, but

give me a couple of daysand be absolutely beautiful.

This is stuff from the den.

Most of it. Look,that desk is going to

fit right over there.Want to be beautiful?

What'd you do with the rest of ourstuff? Did you put it in the story?

-You sold it?-Yeah.

yeah.

Look. Come on, I'llgive you the cent tour.

We'll start with thebedroom. It's beautiful.

Wait a minute. Wait a minute.

What is it?

-Say, do you know what?-What?

This reminds me ofour first apartment.

-Does it?-Sure it does.

That's why I took it.

Remember how happywe were then, Jim?

So young so much in love.

years later now, isn't it Laura?

I'm right back where I started.

No.

There's a difference, isn't there?

I had a job there.

[music]

Jim.

Jim, don't think you bettercome to bed? It's awfully late.

It's no user. I can't sleep.

But it's after in the morning.

I don't care if it'safter five. Would

you just pleasego on back to bed?

I'll make some calls.

Thank you. Laura, whydon't you just go back to bed?

Please? Will you talk to me?

What about, Laura? Whatdo you want to talk about?

well.

Jim.

Were you happy whenyou were working?

In your job.

Well, of course I was happy.

What I mean is,

did you get any satisfactionout of the job itself?

-Satisfaction?-Yeah.

Don't you think it's satisfactionenough to be well paid?

No I don't.

I don't think so at all.

Jim, do you realize allthe years you worked

expenses you were nothingbut a business machine?

I'm sorry, but I wantto say this, please, Jim.

You never measuredmen by their true value.

You just measured them by arigid set of rules that you made up.

Yes, I made them up. And they paidoff rather well, wouldn't you say?

I mean, we lived ratherwell, you, the kids and I.

Oh, we did. Wecertainly did do that.

But what a price we paid for it

Jim.

Jim you lost somethingin those years.

Laura, what are you talking about?

Well, it has somethingto do with humility.

Or.

Humanity if you like.

I guess whatI'm really trying to

say is yourrelationship with people.

It's awful late for alecture. My relationship

with other people hasalways been quite equitable.

that's right.

As long as I did as you said.

Listen.

I'm sorry. And that goes to be yourfamily and your friends as well.

What's the matter ofrelationship with my family?

Have you ever wantedfor anything at all?

materially no.

But all my dear, the timesI've nearly d*ed of loneliness.

I'm sorry.

And if I felt that way,wouldn't you think the

children felt they sawless of you than I did?

Lonely?

Yeah.

-Are you telling me the truth?-Yes.

Well I know I thinkyou want to know.

I have always felt that if you'dsaid on with amalgamated.

-You would have learned someplace.-Stayed on?

You would have like me to stay on?Be an assistant personnel director?

That's the kind of humiliationyou would like me to take?

Not humiliation, humility.There is a difference.

I don't understand you Laura.

Yes, you don't.

You just don't want to admit it that

You're likely to be completelywithout Self respect?

Is it self respector is it false pride?

[music]

[slaming door]

[slaming door]

[music]

Ginny, by any chance, did Jimdrop by your house last night?

No.

Yes, yes it is.

We had an awful argumentlast night, Ginny, and

I'm afraid I went toofar. Anyway, he just

left the house and hehasn't been back since.

No it's alright I'll.

I'll call you later okay.

Yes. Goodbye dear.

[putting down telephone]

[dialing number]

This is an emergency. Willyou please connect me with

Never mind.

I'm sorry if I worried you.

That's alright.

Well.

I went to seeAbbott at Amalgamated.

You what?

I went to see himwith my hat in my hand.

And I'm going to start tomorrowas assistant personnel director.

That Okay.

[music]

I've never loved you somuch as I do right now.

[music]

-Jim.-Pardon.

If you really wanted to geta crew cut, I would mind.

[music]

A truly humble manis not afraid of failure.

For humidity is thesurest sign of strength.

It's by Thomas Merton.

Well good night.

See you next week.