any clear ideas,
but there were two things I was sure of.
One, that I knew I'd never
go back to that drugstore.
What was the other thing?
That was even sillier.
I dreamed I was gonna have
my own home.
Just a nice little house for my wife
and me out in the country...
In the suburbs, anyway.
That's the cockeyed kind of dream
you have when you're overseas.
You don't have to be overseas
to have dreams like that.
Yeah. You can get crazy ideas
right here at home.
- You have to be back at work at two?
- Yeah.
Well, hadn't you better...?
- Yeah. Check, please.
- 85c apiece for lunch, plus tax, is $1.76.
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...
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.
- 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.
I just don't like accepting handouts.
You'd better get used to it, cos we won't
get much fun on your 32.50 a week!
Hold still!
You'll probably have to make a speech.
It's my plan to meet that situation
by getting well plastered.
- Peggy's going out with Woody Merrill.
- Who's he?
- You know, Bill Merrill's son.
- Oh, yeah.
Fine people, the Merrills.
Strictly TCR.
- What's that?
- Top credit rating.
- Are his intentions honourable?
- I doubt it.
But they're going to be chaperoned
by Fred Derry and his wife.
Fred Derry? Ha! Some chaperone!
- I think she's crazy about him.
- Who, Merrill?
No, Fred.
Have you got evidence
to support that amazing statement?
- Just a hunch.