03x07 - Enough Rope for Two

[bunniefuu]

Good evening,
television addicts.

Thank you for
your kind attention.

Please don't
jump to conclusions.

We have not joined the stampede
for Western stories.

Tonight's story does
take place in the Far West.

But it is not about cowboys
and their playmates.

I feel that the cow

has been very much
overrated as a performer.

By way of
further contrast,

my portion of
tonight's potpourri

will have a definite
Eastern flavor.

Now for an amazing
demonstration.

Charles!

I can see that
this is especially useful

when you have a place
you want to get away from,

but no place
you want to go to.

He doesn't seem to be coming down.
Perhaps we'd better have our play.

It will begin in a moment

and is called
"Enough Rope for Two."

I hope you appreciate how skillfully
we have woven the theme

throughout our introduction.

Who is it?

It's me. Maxie.

Joe's out.
He got out yesterday.

I know.

You haven't heard from him?

He hasn't been here?
Don't lie to me if he has, Madge.

Would I lie to you?

He's the only one that knows
where that money is.

If you double-cross me...

Double-cross you!

You're just the boy to talk,
aren't you, Maxie?

And I was the girl
to listen!

"What would you rather have,
Madge?

"$ , and Joe,
or the whole hundred and me."

You were a real nice boy,
Maxie.

A dreamboat.
Well, I planned it, didn't I?

Any chump with a g*n
could've pulled what he did.

Then why didn't you do it?

And maybe he isn't the chump
we thought he was.

He didn't leave the money
where we were supposed to

pick it up, did he?

Maybe he had plans
of his own.

That doesn't make him
any different than me.

I want my share now.

I've waited years for it,
too.

But not in San Quentin where you
put him when you tipped off the police.

"We'll pick up the money
and you'll be clear, Joe."

"We'll meet in Las Vegas
and split."

Why don't you go back to the bank
and crawl into your cage?

You listen to me.
He'll come here...

After years?

I'm not anymore,
I'm

and he's got $ , .

Joe,

I wonder what changes years
have made in the way you moved,

the way you looked.

I can see the changes
they've made in me.

Joe...

You're all dressed up.
Expecting someone?

I was expecting you.
Ever since I read about it.

Come in, Joe. Come in.

Sit down.

You're thinner.

I'm older.
years older.

So are you.
But you don't look it.

I'm glad you don't think so.

Can I get you something?

A drink? Sure!

lt'll have to be gin.
That's all I have.

Gin was never your drink.
It was Maxie's drink.

You ever see Maxie?

He drops in once in a while.

He was the only one
I could talk to about you.

I've been so lonely, Joe.

I was afraid you'd forget me.

You look so tired.
I'll bet you haven't even eaten.

Why don't you wash up and
I'll go downstairs and get some pizza

and stuff and then we can talk and
think about a place for you to stay.

I haven't had that worry
in a long time.

I won't be long.
Okay.

I wonder who that can be?

I was followed, but I thought
I shook him. You'd better see.

Hi, Madge.
I just dropped by to...

Joe!

Joe. Boy, am I
glad to see you!

Hey, no wonder
you're all dolled up.

When did you get out, Joe?
Why didn't you call me, Madge?

He just got here tonight.

It's been
a long time, huh?

years and four days.

Yeah.

I'm sorry you
had to do it alone, Joe.

Why? It wouldn't have
made it any easier.

I don't know whether
Madge told you or not,

but I'm afraid we got
bad news for you, Joe.

We haven't got the money.

We looked for it in Barstow.

We went through all those
lockers.

Including the one
you were supposed to use.

I didn't leave it there.

Why not?

I lost my nerve, I guess.

I was afraid of
Madge being picked up.

That money was never recovered, Joe.
Where did you leave it?

About miles out in the
middle of the Mojave Desert.

That's why you were driving
a truck when they picked you up.

Did you try to
pull a fast one, Joe?

I told you. I thought
something would go wrong.

And something did.
The Las Vegas police.

One of them was even playing
desk clerk at the motel

when I went in to register.

The messenger gave a
pretty good description of you.

They issued an
All-Points Bulletin.

I knew it. That's why
I couldn't risk Barstow.

I heard it
on the car radio.

So did we when we were
leaving Barstow to meet you.

It's a good thing
you didn't.

If you'd walked into that
motel and asked for me,

they'd have had you, too.

Well, the main thing is you're out
and the money is safe.

We drink to the future,
huh, Joe?

Whose future?

All of us.

Look, Joe. I've waited for
that money as long as you have.

I'm entitled to my share.

With one difference.

You waited out here.
I did my waiting in a cell.

That's not my fault.
The money's still only half yours.

I don't think so.

Well, you better
think again, mister.

You're here for one thing,
you need help.

You need a car, you need clothes,
you need a stake.

You've gotta get that money
and get out of the country

as fast as you can.

You needed me before
and you need me now.

All right, Maxie.
I need you.

$ , worth.

years at $ a year.

That's what you get
at the bank, isn't it?

A little extra
for Madge and me.

Because she's been waiting, too,
haven't you, honey?

Take it, Maxie.

Take it or leave it.

I'll let it rot before
you get any more of it.

Let it rot the way
I rotted.

All right.
When do we leave?

Tomorrow morning,
it's the weekend.

Where is it?
I told you.
In the Mojave desert.

After years,
you can still find that spot?

I can find it.

You're the banker.

Look under Classified.

A small truck,
four-wheel drive.

What else?

Work shirts,
denims, shoes.

What the weekend
prospector wears.

We can pick up the rest
in the town at Mojave.

I want $ .

What for?

I want the feel of it,
that's all.

I'm paying for everything
until we get that money.

A hundred bucks, Maxie.

A hundred bucks.

Just enough to cover expenses
if you steal a truck

and want to
take out on your own.

I kept you out of the pen
for years.

I took it alone.

Do you think I want to
fall on a stolen car rap

with a hundred grand
waiting?

How can you even
think that, Maxie?

I'll give it to you tomorrow.
I want it now.

I want to know that I can
buy something if I want to.

Look, what are we fighting for?

We're all going to get
what we want. Why fight now?

Okay.

Where are you staying tonight?
You got a place?
No.

Then you'll stay with me.

A lot of people going
away for the weekend,

but not where we're going,
not for the same reason.

I wonder if Joe and I will ever
take a trip like theirs someday.

Just for fun. Without fear.

Boy, it's hot.

You can relax. I'll be
driving the rest of the way.

Good.
We'll only be
a couple of minutes, honey.

Anything else?

feet of rope.

What strand?

Half inch.

What's the rope for?

The money's in
an abandoned mine shaft.

Sounds as good as the bank.

Why don't you go and fill
this at the service station?

I'll be out
as soon as I get the rope.

Yeah, sure.

Let me see
one of those pistols.

There you are.
sh**t a. .

That's good for small game.

How about big game?

Well, that depends
on how close you are

and how good your aim is.

I'll take it.
Give me a box of shells.

Isn't he out yet?
No.

He knows.

How can he?

He knows. I tell you.

I've had a feeling all along.
He's been too easy.

He just bought a g*n in there.
I saw him.

Maybe he has a reason.

Yes. The reason's us.

If he knows about me,
he knows you were in on it, too.

You want me
to sit here and die?

Listen to me!

We can still do it
like we planned.

I brought this along
just in case.

Now he won't do anything
until we get where we're going.

When we get there, you watch me.
I'll tell you when.

Here he comes.

Put it in your purse.

Put knots into that
two feet apart.

Well, we've waited
a long time for this.

Is this it?

Yeah.

miles
out into nowhere.

Maxie,
tie the rope on the hook,

drop it down and
throw the shovel down.

Joe, I didn't mean to do it.
It was a crazy thing to do.

I was sorry
right after I did it.

I know. Like I'm gonna
be sorry for this.

Madge!

That's what you wanted,
wasn't it?

All the money with one of us?
Either one of us?

I'm sorry, Joe.

I didn't mean to hurt you!
I loved you.

Get up.

What are you going to
do to me?

I'll decide that later.

After I get what I came for.

Get the shovel.

Lower the twine to me
when I tell you.

Then you can pull the money up.
You can get your hands on it once.

Just once!

Lower the twine!

Okay. Haul it up.

$ , dollars.

I might get none of it
or I could make sure.

I could get it all.

Joe! Joe, are you all right?

Can you hear me, Joe?

My leg.

I broke my leg!

The rope snapped!

I'll lower the twine
for the rope and tie it.

It barely reached before.

Now I can't even stand.

I'll back the truck closer.
It'll reach then.

I'll lower the twine
for the key.

It's coming down, Joe!

You cut the rope!
But you forgot I had the key!

I'll throw the money
down again.

You give me the key
so I can get you out.

Please, Joe. Do you
want us all to die here?

You'll have the money, Joe!

Sure I'll have it!

With a broken leg, feet
deep in a hole in the desert.

When you come back
with somebody else to get it,

next week or next month,

I'll be dead. Won't I?

Well, I'm gonna die
a lot easier than you.

I'm gonna die down here
where it's dark and cool.

I'm not gonna die with the sun
burning into that white skin.

I'm not going to be screaming out
for water while it eats my eyes out.

You got $ , , Madge!

Buy yourself
something with it!

Buy yourself the key
to a secondhand truck.

In case you're wondering
what happened next,

Madge Griffin was found
by a uranium prospector.

So our story
had a happy ending.

For the prospector, that is.

You see, he didn't
find Madge for two years.

However, you'll
be glad to hear that

the money was in
an excellent state of preservation.

Perhaps I'd better
reel our little friend in.

He'll catch cold
if he stays up there too long.

He's left a note.

"I just came
to the end of my rope."

That, I'm sure is
enough mystery to last

until next time when we shall
return with another story.

Now we come to
that part of the program

for which you have
all been waiting.

Good night.