Summary
âž¡ A man named Major Markel is having recurring dreams about Raymond Shaw, a respected political journalist and son of a U.S. senator. Markel believes Shaw is a wonderful person who saved lives during their time in combat in Korea. However, Markel is recommended to take a break from his duties due to his dreams. Meanwhile, a U.S. senator accuses the Secretary of Defense of harboring communists, causing a heated argument. Markel continues to have disturbing dreams involving Shaw, Chinese people, and Russian army officials. Shaw is then instructed to go to a sanitarium for a checkup, where he is questioned about his past actions in the war.
âž¡ Raymond, an American, has been trained to kill without remembering his actions, making him a perfect, guilt-free assassin. He appears normal and productive, making him undetectable. After two years since his conditioning, his handlers want to test his abilities before handing him over to his American operator. Amidst this, Major Marco, who served with Raymond, is suspicious about the whole situation and is determined to uncover the truth.
âž¡ A man named Chong Jin, who previously worked as an interpreter, seeks employment from Mr. Shaw, who he believes saved his life. Despite initial hesitation, Shaw hires Jin as a valet and cook. Meanwhile, there’s a discussion about the number of communists in the Defense Department, with a figure of 57 being settled on. The story also involves a woman who breaks off her engagement after meeting a new man, and a major who’s having nightmares about strange people, which seem to be connected to a letter from a former army colleague.
âž¡ The text is a complex narrative about a man named Raymond who has a strained relationship with his mother and is in love with Josie, Senator Jordan’s daughter. Raymond’s mother disapproves of his relationship with Josie due to political differences with Senator Jordan. Raymond’s mother wins the argument, leading Raymond to enlist in the army and never see Josie again. The story also hints at Raymond’s mental instability, with a solitaire game serving as a trigger mechanism for his erratic behavior.
âž¡ The text revolves around a complex web of relationships and events. A character named Raymond, who seems to have a troubled past, is being pushed by his mother to marry Jocelyn, a girl he was once attracted to. Despite some resistance, Raymond and Jocelyn end up getting married. Meanwhile, there are hints of political intrigue and manipulation, with threats of impeachment and references to communism. The text also suggests that Raymond may be under some form of mind control, with references to card games and solitaire possibly being triggers.
âž¡ The text is a complex narrative involving a man named Raymond Shaw who, after getting married, is asked to surrender himself for questioning due to a suspected illness. Despite his wife’s belief that she can help him, Raymond ends up killing her and others under the influence of a mind control technique. His friend, Ben, tries to break this control, assuring Raymond that they will fight against those manipulating him.
âž¡ A man is given a mission to assassinate a presidential nominee during his acceptance speech at a convention. He is to be disguised as a priest and use a sniper rifle from a hidden location. The plan is part of a larger scheme to manipulate public sentiment and seize power. However, the man’s loyalty and ultimate sacrifice are questioned, revealing a complex web of manipulation and betrayal.
Transcript
What’s so bad about it? Tricky. Swamp one around 30 yards up, maybe quicksand. Nobody said anything about quicksand. Have a go round it. No, sergeant. What’s your personal advice? All walk in Single line, next 200 yards. Reject it. Not tactical. To travel forward in a single line. Where do I sink around it? No, sir. Never mind. Okay. Pass the word. Sa this nation jealously guards highest award for valor the Congressional Medal of Honor. In the Korean War, with 5,720,000 personnel engaged, only 77 men were so honored. One of these 77 men was Staff Sergeant Raymond Shaw.
Raymond Shaw was returned from combat and flown directly to Washington to be decorated personally by the President of the United States. This is why his presence, or the presence of any Medal of Honor winner is sufficient to bring generals to their feet saluting. Congratulations, son. How do you feel? Like Captain Idiot in Astounding Science comics. Pony, Devil. Pony Devil. Please. Mother, what is this? What are you doing here? Senator Reich, how about a statement? How does it feel to be the father of Medal of Arnold weather? He’s not my father. The Senator is Raymond’s stepfather. However, Raymond’s.
I can only say that as one who has devoted his life to the service of his country. You did this. Mother. One who has been you organized this disgusting three ring circus. Darling, you’re a Medal of Honor winner. Incidentally, congratulations. I was going to write you, but we’ve been in the most frightful match the last few months. I came the hardest. Will stand out as the proudest, as the most prideful. That’s enough, I say. Let him through. Say cheese. All right, that’s enough now. That’s enough. Let the four boys do now. Please. Let him through it.
What is the matter with you, Raymond? We’ve gone to a good deal of trouble too arrange the parade for you. It’s so far. Get that. Get that out. Why you publicity Sick flag. Simple. Boo. Raymond, just because your parents and the entire country for that matter. Who’s kidding who, Mother? Johnny’s up for reelection in November. You’ve got it all figured out, haven’t you? Johnny Island’s boy, Medal of Honor winner. That should get you another 50,000 votes. Raymond, I’m your mother. How can you talk to me this way? You know I want nothing for myself. You know that.
My entire life is devoted to helping you and to helping Johnny. My boys. My two little boys. That is all I want. On the afternoon of his arrival in Washington, Raymond Shaw was decorated at the White House by the President of the United States. His citation, attested to by his commanding officer, Captain Bennett Marco, and the nine surviving members of his patrol, read in part, displaying valor above and beyond the call of duty, did single handedly save the lives of nine members of his patrol, capturing an enemy machine gun nest and taking out in the process a full company of enemy infantry.
He then proceeded to lead his patrol, which had been listed as missing in action for three days, back through the enemy lines to safety. A gift from the Citizens for Iceland Committee for his last birthday. It absolutely saved our lives during the campaign. You see, this opens up into a double bed. This is the press room. This, this is my private office. Anything to take the pain out of campaigning. That’s what I always say. May I take this thing off now, Mother? Oh, Raymond, what is the matter with you? You look as if your head were going to come to a point in the next 13 seconds.
Johnny, fix him a drink or something, will you? Sit down, Raymond. Relax. We’ll be home in less than two and a half hours. I’m not going home with you, Mother. I’m going to New York. What? I’ve got a job in a newspaper. Research assistant to Mr. Hobin. Gaines. Hoban Gaines? Is that communist? He’s not a Communist, Mother. As a matter of fact, he’s a Republican. But the terrible things he’s written about Johnny. He came to interview me at the White House this morning. Afterwards, I asked him for a job. He gave it to me. We discovered that we had a great deal in common.
What could you possibly have in common with that dreadful old man? Well, for one thing, we discovered that we both loathe and despise you and Johnny. And that’s the beginning. The war in Korea was over, Captain. Now Major Bennett Marco had been reassigned to Army Intelligence in Washington. It was, by and large, a pleasant assignment, except for one thing. Night after night, the Major was plagued by the same reoccurring nightmare. Stop. Another modern discovery which we owe to the hydrangea concerns the influence of air drainage upon plant climate. Many years ago, when I was traveling about the country, I noticed magnificent hydrangeas on the hills where the air drainage was perfect and very poor specimens, or perhaps none at all, in the valleys.
Formerly we. We used to consider sheltered valleys more favorable to plants than hilltops. But the avoidance of late spring and early autumn frost enjoyed by sites with good air drainage, where the cold air can drain safely away to lower levels, gives the hills a decided advantage. Thus it was the hydrangeas that gave the first pointer in another modern discovery of horticultural importance. From this it might appear that the hydrangea is a fairly simple plant. But there are more complications. The cultivation of hydrangeas was evolved from a number of varieties originally found in Japan, not all of which of course, have the same characteristics.
Two of them do not share the quality of producing blue flowers in mineral rich soils. Allow me to introduce our American visitors. I must ask you to forgive their somewhat lackadaisical manners, but I have conditioned them, or brainwashed them, which I understand is the new American word, to believe that they are waiting out a storm in the lobby of a small hotel in New Jersey where a meeting of the Ladies Garden Club is in progress. You will notice that I have told them they may smoke. I’ve allowed my people to have a little fun in the selection of bizarre tobacco substitutes.
Are you enjoying your cigarette, Ed? Yes, ma’am. Yak dung. Oh. Tastes good. Like a cigarette should. Now then, Comrade, may I present the famous Raymond Shaw. Young man, you’ve flown 8,000 miles to this dreary spot in Manchuria to see. Raymond, pull your chair over here by me, please. I am sure you’ve all heard the old wives tale that no hypnotized subject may be forced to do that which is repellent to his moral nature, whatever that may be. Nonsense, of course. Oh, you note takers might set down a reminder to consult Brenman’s paper, Experiments in the Hypnotic Production of Antisocial and Self Injurious behavior.
Or Wells 1941 paper which was titled, I believe, Experiments in the Hypnotic Production of Crime. Or of course, Andrew Salter’s remarkable book, Conditioned Reflex Therapy, to name only three. Or if it offends you that only the west is working to manufacture more crime and better criminals against the modern shortages, I suggest Krasnogovsky’s Primary Violence Motivation, or Serav’s the Unilateral Suggestion to Self Destruction. My dear Jan, as you grow older, you grow more long winded. And to get to the point, has the man ever killed anyone or has enough? I apologize, my dear Dimitri. I keep forgetting that you’re a young country and your attention span is limited.
Tell me, Raymond, have you ever killed anyone? No, ma’am. Not even in combat? In combat? Yes, ma’am. I think so. Of course you have, Raymond. Raymond has been a crack shot since childhood. Marvelous outlet for his aggressions. May I have the bayonet, please? Not with the knife. With the hand. With the hands. Here, have him use this. Ah. Da, da. Raymond, whom do you dislike the least in your group here today? Belize. That’s right. Well, I guess Captain Marco. Man, you notice how he is always drawn to authority? That won’t do, Raymond. We need the captain to get you your medal.
Who else? Well, I guess Edmavoli, ma’am. Ah, that’s better. Now then, Raymond, take this scarf and strangle Edmivoli to death. Yes, ma’am. Excuse me, ma’am. All right. Hey, Sarge, cut it up. Quiet, Ed, please. Now, you just sit there quietly and cooperate. Yes, ma’am. Major, to your knowledge, have any other ex members of your patrol had similar dreams? No, sir, not to my knowledge. Doesn’t it strike anyone as curious that Mevoli was one of the two men lost in the action? Yet every night in my dream, he’s the. He’s the one that Raymond. I’m sorry, gentlemen.
Now, look, Major Markel. Since you first brought this recurring dream of yours to our attention, Raymond Shaw, his life, his background, his habits, his friends and associates have been under scrupulous examination. Now, the facts speak for themselves. His stepfather is a United States senator. His mother is head of 15 different patriotic organizations. Raymond Shaw himself is employed as confidential assistant to Holborn Gaines, the most respected political journalist. And now it’s inconceivable, Major, than anything. Major, as the consulting psychiatrist present, I’d be most interested in hearing your personal feelings about Shaw. Raymond Shaw is the kindest, bravest, warmest, most wonderful human being I’ve ever known in my life.
I see. And this opinion, Major, was it generally held? His fellow soldiers, did they feel the same way toward him? The men loved him, sir. Why shouldn’t they? He saved their lives. But it would seem obvious to me Major Marco is suffering a delayed reaction to 18 months of continuous combat in Korea. I would strongly recommend that the matter of Raymond Shaw be dropped here and now that Major Marco be temporarily reassigned to less strenuous and if I may say, so, less sensitive duties. I think a few months detached service to perhaps the Public Relations Corps put the Major right back in the pink.
Mr. Secretary. Mr. Secretary, can you explain the proposed cut in budget? Since sir, you’ve asked a simple minded question, I will give you an equally simple minded answer. Since no great naval power menaces the free world today, the Navy’s overwhelming preponderance of surface ships seems to be superfluous. Hence the cut and budget. Major, my time is important. How strong are we? Must we go on with this nonsense? Yes, sir. If there are no further questions for the Secretary, I think that’ll about wrap things up. Mr. Secretary. I have a question, sir. Who are you, sir? I am United States Senator John Yerkes Island.
And I have a question so serious that the safety of our nation may well depend on your answer. Oh, no evasions, Mr. Secretary. No evasions, if you please, sir. Evasions? What the hell are you talking about? What kind of foolishness is this? Mr. Secretary, I’m kind of new at this job, but I don’t think it’s good public relations to talk about waiting United States Senator, even if he is an idiot. I am United States Senator John Yankees Eisen. And I have here a list of the names of 207 persons who are known by the Secretary of Defense as being members of the Communist party.
What? Who are still. Nevertheless, if you. Defense Department, Senator H. I demand advance Secretary. There will be no covering up, sir. What? No covering up? You are not going to get your hands. How did you get in here in the first place? And I deeply throw that lunatic out of here. Having to say in front of these ladies and gentlemen. You tell yourself audience of this country that you no longer have my confidence. You’re an idiot if you’re out of your mind. For investigation by the Defense. Get out there. I’m afraid you have lost your chance.
This matter is now the responsibility of the United States. Now that. Get out of this room. I will not have him in here. Do you hear me now. Ever. If I ever catch you in this room again, I’ll throw you out. Fondly. What do you want? Get out of here. Don’t you take my picture anymore. Clear this room. Go on, get out of here. Senator. Senator Eisenman. I’d like to verify that number, sir. How many communists did you say? Oh, Major, I said they were exactly. I’ve absolutely proved there 104 card carrying comments is in the Defense Department at this time.
How many, sir? 275. And that’s absolutely all I have to say on the subject at this time. Come, Babe. Major, how many did he say? Please. Major, how many did he say? Please? Very good, Raymond. Thank you, ma’am. Captain Marco. Yes, ma’am? On your feet, Captain, please. Sorry, ma’am. Captain, when you are returned with your patrol to Korea. And you make your way to command headquarters. What will be the first duty you will undertake? I will make my report on the patrol, ma’am. What will you report? I will recommend urgently that Raymond Shaw be posted for the Medal of Honor.
He saved our lives and took out a complete company of Chinese infantry. A complete company? What the hell is this? We can spare an imaginary company of infantry for his particular plan. Mikal Mikhailich. All right. If we are out to humiliate our brave Chinese ally in the newspapers of the world, we might as well make it a full battalion. We don’t object, comrade. I assure you of that. Over, comrade. We thank you for thinking of the matter in that light. If we may proceed with the demonstration. Raymond, who’s that little fellow sitting next to the captain? That’s Bobby Lembeck.
Our mascot, I guess you’d call him. Doesn’t look old enough to be in your army. I guess he isn’t, but there he is, ma’am. Captain Marco, will you be good enough to lend Raymond your pistol, please? Yes, ma’am. Thanks, Ben. Sure, Ken. Shoot Bobby, Raymond. Through the forehead. Yes, ma’am. Wake up. Wake up. Wake up. Wake up. It’s all right. It’s all right. It’s all right. It’s all right. All right. It’s all right. It’s that same dream again. Oh, what makes it so awful is to keep dreaming a thing like that about Sergeant Shaw. It’s been going on for weeks now.
It must be going crazy. What you ought to do is to write to Sergeant Shaw. No, I tell you, nothing’s wrong with me. I write to him and see if anyone else is having dreams like yours. Yeah. Yes, Maybe. Maybe I will. Yeah, Maybe I’ll do that. If anybody can help me, he can. You like him a lot, don’t you? Raymond Shaw is the bravest, kindest, warmest, most wonderful human being I’ve ever known in my life. S.A. dear Serge, I had to say this or write this to someone because I think I’m going nuts. And since you were my best friend in the army, here goes.
Sarge, I’m in trouble. I’m afraid to go to sleep because I have terrible dreams. I dream about all the guys on the patrol where you won the medal and the dream has a lot of Chinese people in it and a lot of big brass from the Russian army. Well, it’s pretty rough. You have to take my word for that. Raymond, show please. This is he. Raymond. Why don’t you pass the time by playing a little solitaire? Raymond. Yes, sir. Can you see the red queen? Yes, sir. Good. One week from next Saturday, you will be called for at 11:10am and taken to the Timothy Swarton Sanitarium, 84 East 61st Street.
We want you there for a checkup. Is that clear? Yes, sir. You may put the cards away now. Goodbye, Raymond. Mr. Gaines? It’s Mr. Shaw. He was run down in the street by a hit and run driver. It just came over the ap. Good heavens. Find out what hospital he’s in. Call him. See if there’s anything we can do to help. You’re welcome. Goodbye. That was Mr. Gaines from his newspaper. He said to tell him to take it easy and not to worry about a thing. Which, of course, you will not tell him. On the chance there is some sort of prearranged code.
Amra Zilkoff? Yes. Yen Low, Pavlov Institute. Doctor. An honor and a pleasure. You may go. When did you arrive? I was flown in last night under embassy quota. Revolting journey. Ah, Raymond. It’s nice to see you again. It’s nice to see you again, sir. We’re going through this elaborate procedure simply out of precaution. In case there are any visitors. Although I cannot imagine who will visit. Raymond. Attractive plant you have here. Thank you, Doctor. It’s actually a rest home for wealthy alcoholics. We were able to purchase it three years ago. Except for this floor and the floor above it, which we have sealed off for security purposes.
The rest functions quite normally. In fact, it’s one of the few Soviet operations in America that actually showed a profit at the end of the last fiscal year. Profit? Fiscal year? Beware, my dear Zilkov. Virus of capitalism’s highly infectious. Soon you’ll be letting money out at interest. You must try, Comrade Zilkov, to cultivate a sense of humor. There’s nothing like a good laugh now and then to lighten the burdens of the day. Tell me, Raymond, do you remember murdering Mervoli and Lembeck? I beg your pardon, sir? Mervoli and Lembeck. The men who were lost on the patrol.
Can you recall what happened to them? Yes, sir. It was a very clear action for a night action. Captain Marco sent up some low flares so it was easy to see what was happening. Obby Lembeck got separated to the left. Mervoli went after him. At the time he reached him, the enemy had a fix on the position. They were killed instantly by a high mortar shell. I don’t think they ever knew what hit. Do you realize, comrade, the implications of the weapon that has been placed at your disposal? You may remove your head bandage, Raymond. A normally conditioned American who has been trained to kill.
And then to have no memory of having killed. Without memory of his deed, he cannot possibly feel guilt. Nor will he, of course, have any reason to fear being caught. And having been relieved of those uniquely American symptoms, guilt and fear, he cannot possibly give himself away. Ah, Raymond will remain an outwardly normal, productive, sober and respected member of the community. And I should say, if properly used, entirely police proof. His brain has not only been washed, as they say, it has been dry cleaned. Thank you, Raymond. You may replace your head bandage. Seal flaws or no.
You will, of course, permit him to have visitors to avoid suspicion. Of course. A team of my specialists is being flown in tonight. It will take about a week, working between visiting hours, to check the mechanism out completely. It’s been, after all, two years since the conditioning took place. And you want to be sure the linkages are still functioning correctly. Before he’s turned over to his American operator. Now, comrade, if you will excuse me. Where are you going? Since there’s nothing more I can do until my specialists arrive, I thought to spend the afternoon at Macy’s.
Madame Yen has given me the most appalling list. No, no, I personally guarantee it. He’s ready to be turned over to his American operator. And I, being personally responsible for sogit security in the entire eastern seaward of the United States, refused to turn him over to his operator until at least one practical test has been run. You say the man has been built as an assassin? Very well then. Let him assassinate someone. I’m shocked that a security officer with the responsibility you hold. Would risk a mechanism as valuable as Raymond out of sheer nervousness. You yourself admit the man has not killed for over two years.
I assure you, Doctor, conditions offering minimum risk can be arranged. All right. If you insist on this foolishness, have him kill one of your own people here on a sealed floor. I would, I would gladly. But our table of organization happens to be under acceptable strength as it is. Why can’t we be reasonable about this? Why can’t he kill some non productive person on the outside? Very well then. But for his own protection, he must be instructed that if he is ever, at any time discovered at the scene of an assignment. This other person or persons must also be killed.
All right, all right, Doctor. Whom do you think he should kill? With humor, my dear Zylka. Always with a little humor. If killed, we must for a better New York. Why should it not be his superior at the newspaper, Mr. Holborn Gaines? With Mr. Gaines out of the way, might he not then be given that very influential job himself? Who’s that? It’s me, Mr. Gaines. Raymond. I’m sorry to disturb you, sir. Don’t get any silly ideas about this ridiculous looking bed jacket. It was my wife’s. It’s the warmest thing I have. Perfect for reading in bed at night.
I didn’t know you were married, sir. Well, she died nearly six years ago. What the devil are you doing here at 4 o’clock in the morning anyway? I thought you were in the hospital. Oh, now, don’t tell me that you’ve come here at this ridiculous hour to talk something over. You’re not gonna pour out your heart with the details of some sordid love affair or anything like that, are you? No, sir. As a matter of fact, they told me you’d be asleep. Who told you I’d be asleep? They did. They? They? Who’s this mysterious they, Raymond? Answer me, my boy.
Colonel Ben, I. Come in for a minute? Oh, please do. Of course, come on in. Um, may I ask, Colonel, A, is this an official visit? And B, may I mix your drink? A, yes, it is, and B, you certainly may. Scotch all right? Fine. My God, where do you get all the books? Well, I. I got a guy picks them out for me at random. What am I right? Fine. He’s in San Francisco. A little bookstore up there. And he ships them to me wherever I happen to be stationed. You read them all? Yeah. They’d also make great isolation against an enemy attack.
But the truth of the matter is that I’m just interested, you know, in Principles of Modern Banking and History of Piracy, Paintings of Orozco, Modern French Theater, the Jurisprudential Factor of Mafia Administration, Diseases of Horses and Novels of Joyce Carey and Ethnic Choices of the Arabs, Things like that. Then, sir? The army’s got a lot of things wrong with it, but it does take care of its own people, which is why I’m here. As a public relations officer, you’re a disaster. I never wanted the truth. Apparently, among other things, you permitted the secretary to make a number of unfortunate remarks to that idiot Eiseland, which started him off on a rampage.
Mickey, listen to me, please. For the last six Months I’ve been driven nearly out of my mind by the same recurring dream. The medical officer in charge. What the hell does a Medical Corps know about intelligence work? Milk, I tell you, there’s something phony going on. There’s something phony about me, about Raymond Shaw, about the whole Medal of Honor business. For instance, when the psychiatrist asked me how I felt about Raymond Shaw. How I personally felt about him and how the whole patrol felt about him. Did you hear what I said? Did you really hear what I said? I said raymond Shaw is the kindest, warmest, bravest, most wonderful human being I’ve ever known in my life.
And even now I feel that way this minute. And yet, somewhere in the back of my mind, something tells me it’s not true. It’s just not true. It isn’t as if Raymond’s hard to like. He’s impossible to like. In fact, he’s probably one of the most repulsive human beings I’ve ever known in my whole. All of my life. Ben, what I came to tell you is Public Relations has bounced you back to me. And in your present state, there’s no possible way I can use you. As of this moment, I’m placing you on indefinite sick leave.
Go away, Ben. Find yourself a girl. Lie in the sun. I absolutely refuse. You don’t seem to understand. What I’ve just told you is not a suggestion, Major. It is an order. Yes, sir. Good night, Ben. Sa. Do you mind if I smoke? Not at all. Please do. Maryland’s a beautiful state. This is Delaware. I know. I was one of the original Chinese workmen who laid the track on this stretch. But nonetheless, Maryland is a beautiful state. So is Ohio, for that matter. I guess so. Columbus is a tremendous football town. You in the railroad business? Not anymore.
However, if you will permit me to point out, when you ask that question, you really should say, are you in the railroad line? Where’s your home? I’m in the Army. I’m a major. I’ve been in the army most of my life. We move a good deal. I was born in New Hampshire. I went to a girls camp once on Lake Francis. It’s pretty far north. Yeah. What’s your name? Eugenie. Pardon? No kidding. I really mean it. Crazy French pronunciation and all. It’s pretty. Thank you. I guess your friends call you Jenny. Not yet they haven’t. For which I am deeply grateful.
But you may call me Jenny. What do your friends call you? Rosie. Why? My full name is Eugenie Rose. Of the two names, I’ve always favored Rosie because it smells of brown soap and beer. Eugenie is somehow more fragile. Still, when I asked you what your name was, you said it was Eugenie. Quite possible. I was feeling more or less fragile at that instant. I could never figure out what that phrase meant, more or less. You Arabic? No. My name is Ben. Really? Bennett. Named after Arnold Bennett. The rider? No, lieutenant Colonel. He was my father’s commanding officer at the time.
What’s your last name? Marco. Major Marco. Are you Arabic? No. Let me put it another way. Are you married? No. You? No. What’s your last name? Chaney. I’m production assistant for a man named Justin who had two hits last season. I live on 54th Street, a few doors from the Modern Museum of Art, of which I’m a Tea Privileges member. No cream. I live at 53 West 54th Street, Apartment 3B. Can you remember that? Yes. El Dorado 59970. Can you remember that? Yes. Are you stationed in New York? I. Stationed. The right word. I’m not exactly stationed in New York.
I was stationed in Washington, but I got sick and now I’m on leave and I’m suspended in New York. Eldorado 59970. I’m gonna look up an old friend of mine who’s newspaper man. We were in Korea together. Mr. Short, there’s a gentleman outside to see you. A gentleman? An Oriental gentleman, sir. He said he was in the army with you. There were no Oriental gentlemen in the army with me. He is very insistent, sir. All right, I can show him it. I am Chong Jin, Mr. Xia. I was interpreter at Tattoo Charity Company, 52nd Regiment. Yes, I remember you.
You were the guide and interpreter to the patrol. Yes, sir. Mr. Shaw. What can I do for you? I mean to say, what are you doing here? Your father did not say to you. My father? Yes. Senator Iceland. Senator Iceland is not my father. Repeat, he is not my father. If you learn nothing else on your visit to this country, memorize that fact. All right. You, Senator Iceland. I tell him how I interpret your outfit. I tell him I want to come to America. He kept me visa. Now I need job. Job? Yes, sir, Mr. Shaw.
But, my dear fellow, we don’t need interpreters here. We all speak the same language. I am Taylor and Mender. I am cook. I drive car. I’m Keenan Scruber. I fix anything. I take message. I sleep at house of my cousin. I ask for a job with you because you’re a great man who saved my life. I could use a valet, I think. And I would like having A cook. A good cook, I mean. Very. Well, you can live with your cousins. I will pay you $60 a week. You will have every Thursday and every other Sunday off.
Thank you, Mr. Shaw. I’m leaving for Washington in a few minutes. I’ll be back here this evening by 8:30. I would like to have dinner waiting. Yes, sir. Yes sir, Mr. Shaw. Just like United States Army. Oh God, I hope not. You’re going to be perfectly marvelous in there this afternoon, hon. I just know you are. Yeah. There’s just one thing, babe. I’d be a lot happier if we could just settle on the number of Communists I know there are in the Defense Department. I mean, the way you keep changing the figures on me all the time, it makes me look like some kind of a nut.
Like an idiot. The boys were even starting to kid me about it. Just yesterday in the cloakroom they said, hey, Johnny. Well, you’re going to look like an even bigger idiot if you don’t get in there and do exactly what you’re told. Bang. Who were they writing about all over this country? And what are they saying? Are they saying, are there any Communists in the Defense Department? Of course not. They’re saying, how many communists are there in the Defense Department Department? So just stop talking like an expert all of a sudden and get out there and say what you’re supposed to say.
Come on, babe. I. I’m sorry, hon. Would it really make it easier for you if we settled on just one number? Yeah, just one real simple number that’d be easy for me to remember. There are exactly 57 card carrying members of the Communist Party in the Department of Defense at this time. A Point of order, Mr. Speaker. Point of order. How did the old lady sign into Russia? How did the old lady turn into Russians? What was Raymond doing with his hands? What were you doing there? What was Raymond doing with his hands? What were you doing there? What were you.
I must say it was original of you to have the police department call so shyly and ask for our first date. Well, they asked me who would. Who would be willing to cook. Thank you. Thank you very much. Okay. Uh huh. I’ve got to find Raymond. Maybe he’s home by now. All right, darling, whatever you want. But first I have something to tell you. You know what I was doing when you so cleverly had the police call me? Don’t bother trying to guess. You’re too tired. I’ll tell you what I was doing. After I dropped you off, I went straight home.
And when I got upstairs, apartment 3B. That’s right. Very good. Before I even took my coat off, I telephoned my fiance. Well, I told you I wasn’t married. I never said I wasn’t engaged. Well, I called up my fiance and he came over as soon as he could, which was instantly. And I told him I had just met you. And I gave him this ring back. I tried to convey my regrets for whatever pain I might be causing him. And then, just then, you had the police call to invite me to meet you at the 24th Precinct.
So I grabbed my coat, kissed my fiance in the cheek for the last time in our lives we would ever kiss, and I ran. At the police station, they told me you had just beaten up a very large Chinese gentleman. Not Chinese, Korean. At least I think he was Korean. A very large Korean gentleman. But the two were a pretty solid type yourself, according to Washington, with whom they had apparently checked. So I figured if they were willing to go to all the trouble to get a comment on you out of George Washington, why, you must be somebody very important indeed.
And I must say, it was rather sweet of the General with you only a major. I didn’t even know you knew him. If they were the tiniest bit puzzled about you, they could have asked me. Oh, yes, indeed, my darling Ben. They could have asked me, and I would have told them. Hi, kid. What in the hell’s going on? They called me in Washington to tell me that you’d broken into my apartment and beaten up by housewife. Yeah, well, you see, Chen Jen, when I. My God, you look terrible. I mean, I’ve never seen you look so awful.
Yeah. Raymond, I tell you that I’ve been having this terrible nightmare. I’ve been in the army 19 years. First time I’ve ever seen one of these. I’ve been having this nightmare. A real swinger of a nightmare, too. Has to do with all kinds of strange people. Is it about a Russian general and some Chinese and me and the men who are on the patrol? How did you know that? How do you know? Take your hands off me. Please, Raymond, tell me, how did you know? Well, I don’t really know anything about it at all. But you just started to tell that you remember Al Melvin, the corporal on the patrol? Yes, of course.
Well, I had a letter from him a couple of weeks ago. Needless to say, I was very surprised to hear from him. You know how much the guys in the outfit hated me. Well, not as much as I hated them, of course. Well, anyway, the funny thing was, he said in his letter that I was the best friend he had in the army. I was the best friend he had in the army. By the poor, simple boob. Well, anyway, that’s what he wanted to tell me about his nightmare. He said he was going out of his mind.
Raymond, tell me what he said about the nightmare. Well, he keeps dreaming that the patrol is all sitting together in this hotel lobby, and there are a lot of Chinese brass and Russian generals and. I don’t know. Anyway, what’s so much of a nightmare about that? The letter. Have you got the letter? No, I don’t. I never keep letters. You mean that’s all he wrote? That was the end of it? Why? Is it the same thing that you’ve been dreaming? Raymond, do something for me, will you? Call Eldorado 59970. If a young lady answers, then she will tell her I’ve gone to Washington.
The town, not the general. Tell her I’ll be in touch with her as quickly as I can. You’ll do that, won’t you? El Dorado 5 9000, 970. Take some of the mystery out of it, Major. The photographs you’re looking at are shots of male models, Mexican circus performers, Czech research chemists, Japanese criminals, French head waiters, Turkish wrestlers, pastoral psychiatrists, and, of course, various officials of the ussr, the People’s Republic of China and the Soviet Army. Hold the one on the right, please. Hold this one too, please. Exactly one hour ago, your friend Mr. Allen Melvin in Wainwright, Alaska, made the same two photographs.
This one here wore sunglasses, smelled like a goat. His mustache was a little thinner then. Had a loud voice, and it grated. It’s about 5:11 on the heavy side. Uniformed as a lieutenant general. His staff were dressed as civilian clothes. They looked a little like FBI men. His name, incidentally, is Berizovo. He’s a member of the Central Committee. This one was dressed in civilian clothes, but his staff was uniformed, varying from a full colonel to a first lieutenant. They wore political markings. Lights. All right, Ben. I’m going to recommend setting up a joint intelligence. CIA, FBI unit based out of New York.
You’ll work with them, representing the Army. Here’s Simons. Raymond Shaw. Very good, colonel. Should be a very pleasant assignment, Major, considering that Raymond Shaw is the kindest, bravest, warmest, most wonderful human being you’ve ever met in your life. My mother, Ben, is a terrible woman. A terrible, terrible woman. Jun. Jun. We would like some more wine, Junjin. Oh, I forgot. After you called, I. I gave Chunjin the night off. But because it was Christmas Eve, I Told him. He was very reluctant to go. That’s probably because he’s a Buddhist and he doesn’t celebrate Christmas. I don’t think that Tunjin is a Buddhist, but he smiles all the time.
Oh, shame. I thought he was a Buddhist. I would have sent him a Christmas card. But I figured that if I send him a card at this time of the year. That he would have to send me a card on the Buddha’s birthday to save face. Right? Oh, right. And I would have started a whole big McGill. Exactly right. That’s. You did exactly the right thing. 12 days of Christmas. One day of Christmas is loathsome enough. What were we saying? Oh, yes. My mother. Oh. But you don’t want to sit there listening to me talking about my mother.
Of course I do. I’m interested. It’s rather like listening to Orestes gripe about Clytemnestra. Who? Greeks. A couple of Greeks in a play. Oh. Well. You know, Ben, it’s a terrible thing to hate your mother. But I didn’t always hate her. When I was a child, I only kind of disliked her. But after what she did to Josie and me, that’s when I began to hate her. Josie? Josie Jordan. Senator Jordan’s daughter. That’s pretty funny, isn’t it? Thomas Jordan’s daughter. And Johnny Eisden’s stepson. That’s her. Josie. She’s lovely. I always keep her picture. Years later, I realized, Ben, that I am not very lovable.
No, no. Don’t contradict me. I am not lovable. Some people are lovable, and other people are not lovable. I am not lovable, Albert. I was very lovable with Josie. Ben, you cannot believe how lovable I was. In a way. And of course, my mother fixed all that. Ben, you don’t blame me for hating my mother, do you? I’m not making excuses. But I have been even less lovable than I was since. It was the summer just before I went into the army. And I was bitten by this snake. Are you following me? I am. Well, while I was lying there, absolutely helpless, afraid to move.
Because you’re not supposed to move. It makes the poison circulate. When, unexpectedly, there she was. With a razor blade in her hand. My daddy’s gonna be so pleased about this. I mean, he’s just absolutely scared tiddly about snakes in this part of the country. I know that sounds terribly Freudian and everything, but in this case, I don’t think it is. I mean, I think he’s just simply and uncomplicatedly afraid of snakes, period. Which is why I happen to be riding around with the race blade and a bottle of potassium permanganate solution. You don’t have to have a handkerchief, do you? No, of course you don’t.
Well, I don’t either. I do have a Kleenex, but. Oh, well. Seriously, Daddy is going to be just thrilled about this. All summer long he’s been raving about snakes. And nobody’s even seen one in our beds. I promise you one thing. It may be a little uncomfortable for you, but it’s gonna absolutely make his summer. Now, you just lie very still. Don’t move. That’s very important. I’ll be right back with the car in a minute. You’re lucky, young man. Very lucky. If I were to tell you the statistics on death by snake bite every year. But in this case, I think.
There’s no swelling above or below. Hmm. Normal. Well, I must say, there’s a good chance you’re going to live. You are not by any chance a mute, are you? No, sir. Oh, I want to thank you very much, Miss. Jordan. Miss Jocelyn Jordan. How do you do? Hi. And now, according to the quaint local custom. It’s your turn to tell us what your name is. My name is Raymond Shaw, sir. How do you do, Raymond? Is your place near here, Raymond? Yes, it’s that red house just across the lake. The Iceland house. My house? It was my father’s.
My father’s dead. He left it to me. We were told that that was the summer camp of Senator Iceland. Johnny stays there sometime, sir, when he gets too drunk for my mother to allow him to be seen in Washington. My dear, although we’ve done everything that modern science recommends. There is still the traditional folk remedy against snake bite. Which we haven’t applied. So, to be on the safe side, Mrs. Eislin is your mother? Yes, sir. I once found it necessary to sue your mother for defamation of character and slander. My name is Thomas Jordan. Senator Thomas Jordan.
The Communist? Well, one of your mother’s more endearing traits. Is her tendency to refer to anyone who disagrees with her about anything as a communist. The last time she saw referred to me on a network radio program. It cost her $65,000 in court costs. What hurt her more than the money, I think, was the fact that I donated all of it to an organization called the American Civil Liberties Union. Send it to Jordan. Yes, Raymond? I would very much like to ask your permission, sir, to marry Jocelyn. Put it together every minute after that. You just cannot believe Ben how lovable the whole damn thing was.
All summer long we were together. I was lovable. Josie was lovable. The Senator was lovable. The days were not. The knights were lovable and everybody was lovable. Except, of course, my mother. Raymond. What is it? Mother? What sort of a greeting is that at 3:30 in the morning? It’s a quarter. Two, three and. What do you want? I want to talk to you, Raymond. About what? I want to talk to you about that communist tart. Shut up with that, Mother. Shut up. You know what Jordan is. Are you out to crucify me? Are you out? I don’t know what you’re talking about and I don’t want to know.
I can go to bed. Raymond, sit down. How would you see her? They live in New York. I’m getting a job in New York. You have your army service next spring. I might be dead by next spring. Raymond, if we were at war and you were suddenly to become infatuated with the daughter of a Russian agent, wouldn’t you expect me to come to you and object and beg you to stop the entire thing before it was too late? Well, we are at war. It’s a cold war. But it will get worse and worse until every man, woman and child in this country will have to stand up and be counted to say whether they are on the side of right and freedom or on the side of the Thomas Jordans of this country.
I will go with you to Washington tomorrow if you like. And I will show you documented proof that this man stands for evil, that he is evil. And that his whole life is devoted to undermining everything that you and I and Johnny and every freedom minded American. She won, of course. She always does. I could never beat her. I. I still can’t. I wrote a letter. Or she wrote it and I signed it. I. I can’t even remember which. It was a terrible file. Disgusting letter. The next day I enlisted in the army. I never saw her again.
God knows, Bella, I’m not lovable. But I loved her. And I did love her. I do love her. Come on, kid. It’s time for you to call her Knight. Come on. So this lousy brother in law of mine, I say to him. You think you’re a poker player? Well, I got a pledge for you. You ain’t no poker player. So I says to him, my advice to you from the bottom of the heart. Don’t play poker. If I was you, I’d get myself another line of action. Why don’t you pass the time by playing a Little solitaire.
So he said to me, when I get married to my old lady, I got no idea that this guy comes in the same package, that it’s a package deal. And for 11 long years I got this crumb tied around my neck. And believe me, it’s no bargain. You got no idea what kind of a problem I got with this guy. Sorry I’m late, kid. Got held up in traffic, you know, again. So I says to him, please, do me a favor, will you? Why don’t you go and take yourself a cab and go up to Central park and go jump in the lake? Hey, Raymond.
Hey, Raymond. Sa. Get out of there. What are you doing? Hi, Ben. What the hell are you doing? What’s the matter with you? I don’t know. I was standing next to you at the bar and you were playing a game of solitaire. Do you remember that? And you bolted out of the bar, jumped in a cab, drove up here to the park and jumped into the water. I don’t remember, Ben. I just don’t remember. Wait a minute. I do. I remember. In the dream, I remember what you were doing with your hands. You were. Of course.
Obviously, the solitaire game serves as some kind of trigger mechanism. Black seven on the red eight. I suggest we discard the various number systems and concentrate on the face cards. Red six on the black seven. Thanks a lot. Because of their symbolic identification with human beings. Based on Raymond’s psychiatric pattern, I think we can safely eliminate jacks and Kings. Black 6 on the red 7. Why don’t you try it for a while? Human fish swimming at the bottom of the great ocean of atmosphere develop psychic injuries as they collide with one another. Most mortal of all are those gotten from the parent fish.
Queen of diamonds and the black king. Hey, what are you doing? To cheat at solitaire is a form of regression. I remember. I remember. I can see that Chinese cat standing there smiling like Fu Manchu and saying. The queen of diamonds is reminiscent in many ways of Raymond’s dearly loved and hated mother and is the second key to clear the mechanism for any other assignment. Yeah. Republic, repeat republic. Until the peril of international communism is driven from every dark corner of this great nation. A little Chucky on the chin you do anyway. You know, hon, I can’t tell you how worried I’m about Raymond.
Raymond? What Raymond? Raymond Shaw, my son. Your stepson. I’ve been thinking about him a great deal lately, and you know what I’ve decided? I’ve decided it’s time he got married. Ask what you Find so amusing? How could you possibly find who would marry Raymond? I have devoted considerable thought to the problem. And it has occurred to me that Tom Jordan’s daughter, Jocelyn. You remember her, hon. That mousy little girl Raymond was so attracted to that summer at the lake. Oh, yeah, and that little Communist tart. All right, so I might have been a little bit hasty.
Anyway, times change. I now think she would make Raymond an excellent wife. She’s been living in Paris for the past two years. I have word she’ll be coming home soon. And when she does, I think we should give a little party. But, babe, I thought that you and Senator Jones. I keep telling you not to think. You’re very, very good at a great many things, but thinking, hon, just simply isn’t one of them. You just keep shouting point of order, point of order into the television cameras, and I will handle the rest. Jimmy, I think a June wedding would be nice.
Right before the convention. Raymond, I don’t know why yours is the only apartment in New York City without an air conditioner. You know, sometimes I think you came to us for another century. Choo Chin Chow, or whatever your name is. The steaks are to be broiled for exactly 11 minutes, no more, no less, on each side in a preheated grill at 400 degrees. Yes, ma’am. Raymond. Mother, may I ask a question? Of course. What are you doing here? I mean, why are we having our annual meeting? I don’t know what you’re talking about. Well, when I got your message announcing that you were coming to lunch, I naturally assumed it was because you wanted something.
Not at all. This is a purely social event. However, as you may or may not have heard, Johnny and I are giving an enormous party. A costume ball, actually, at the summer house on Long Island. I wondered if you’d like to attend. Have you gone out of your mind? The reason I ask is because we’re giving it in honor of an old friend of yours and her father. What old friend? Do you remember a darling girl we met the summer before you went into the army? Jocelyn Jordan? Senator Jordan’s daughter? Well, she’s been living abroad for the last several years.
She arrived back in New York a week or so ago, and I thought, considering the rather shabby way you treated her, it might be a rather gracious gesture if I gave her a coming home party. Josie and her father coming to a party of yours? Of course. Once I explain to her you will be there. All right. It’s Polish caveat. Johnny, come over here on stand in the Middle. Thank you. I’ll see you later. Very. Where is she? Have they come? They’ll be here any minute. Are you sure they’re coming, Mother? Are you absolutely sure? Oh, Raymond, don’t be such a jerk.
Go and get yourself a drink or a tranquilizer or something. Raymond can certainly be a royal pain. She’s just kidding, Ray. You look great. Look just great. Wonder. What are you supposed to be, one of those Dutch skaters? Raymond, darling. Raymond, dear, why do you always as if your head’s just about to come to a point? Now, just be patient. You’ll be here. I guarantee it. Raymond, why don’t we just sneak away for a few minutes, Sit down somewhere quietly and have a drink? Are you absolutely sure she’s coming? Mother? I told you. She telephoned me 20 minutes ago from the hotel.
Mother. Mother. How did she sound? Like a girl, Raymond. Why don’t you pass the time by playing a little solitaire? Tom, great you could come. I am here at this fascist rally because my daughter has assured me that it was important to her happiness that I come. There is no other reason, Raymond. The time has come for us to have a serious discussion. We feel. What is it? It’s me, babe. Johnny. Tom Jordan’s here. I need you. I’ll be right out. Who’s in there with you, anyway? Raymond. Well, hurry it up, will you? We got work to do out here.
I’ll take this one with me, dear. It might bring mischief if I leave it. Yes. I’ll be back as soon as I can. I’ve been watching you through the window. When I saw you, my heart almost shot out of my body. I sent Daddy around the front way. I had to see you alone. Thank you. Come on, lover. Why don’t you just take that somewhere very quietly and drink it? All right, dear, run along. The grownups have to talk. How good of you to come, Tom. I have explained to your husband why I am here. Tom, I know you have very strong personal feelings about Johnny and about me.
But what I would like to find out is how strong they really are. To put it as simply as possible, if Johnny’s name were put forward at the convention next week, would you attempt to block him? You’re joking, of course. Mr. Stevenson makes jokes. I do not. You’re seriously trying for the nomination for Johnny? No, we couldn’t make it. But I think he has a good chance for the second spot. I’ve answered your question, but you haven’t answered mine. What question? Will you block us? Will I block you? I would Spend every cent I own and all I could borrow to block you.
There are people who think of Johnny as a clown and a buffoon. But I do not. I despise John Iceland. And everything that Icelandism has come to stand for. I think if John Iceland were a paid Soviet agent. He could not do more to harm this country than he’s doing now. You asked me a question. Very well, I’ll answer you. If you attempt to deal with the delegates. Or cause Johnny’s name to be brought forward on the ticket. Or if in my canvas of the delegates tomorrow morning by telephone I find that you are so acting.
I will bring impeachment proceedings against your husband on the floor of the United States Senate. And I will hit him, I promise you, with everything in my well documented book. For 1 million bucks. Pick a card. Oh, Benny. Card tricks. I know. Now pick a card. Queen of diamonds. That’s pretty good. How did you do that? This is what is known, my dear girl, as a forced deck. This deck of cards is often employed by a professional magician. To simplify his problem of guessing the card picked by the little old lady in the third row. Also employed by army intelligence officers who.
Rosie, let’s get married. We certainly are in good spirits tonight, aren’t we? Yes, we are. Tomorrow’s the big day. Lunch with Raymond. Have a nice little game of solitaire. And a nice long chat about the good old days in Korea. And some old Chinese and Russian friends of ours. Then a suggestion of two that’ll rip out all of the wiring. And then, dear girl, it’s over. All over. What’s the matter? Don’t you want to. Want to work? Get married? Why don’t you pay attention to me when I speak to you? All right, Benny, I’m gonna marry you more than I want to go on eating Italian food.
Which will give you some idea. Well, then, why don’t we get with it, kiddo? You know, arranging for the papers for the blood test, posting the bands. Figure out what we’re gonna name the kids. Renting the rice. Buy the ring, call the folks. Folks. You neither? Orphan. I used to be convinced that as a baby I was a sole survivor of a spaceship that overshot Mars. Very sexy stuff. Very, very sexy. Ben. Hello, Raymond. Ben, I want. I want you to meet Josie. Remember I told you about her? This is my friend, Major Ben Marco. Ms.
Jordan. How do you do, Major? Only it’s not Ms. Jordan anymore. It’s Mrs. Shaw. Mrs. Raymond Shaw. We flew to Maryland last night. We got married. We just got back well, aren’t you going to pop champagne or dance in the streets or, well, at least kiss the bride. Congratulations, Mrs. Shaw. My God, then isn’t she beautiful, though? Isn’t she? And am I not the luckiest guy in the world? I mean, the whole world. You don’t have to answer that, Major. Anyway, I’m the one who’s lucky. Raymond. Listen, darling, there must be some beer or champagne or Pelissinal eye drops or some anchovies in the ice box.
Crack open whatever it is. The three of us, we’ve absolutely got to have a drink. Come on, bustle. Make like a housewife. I’ll get out of this idiot suit. Ben. Ben, you should receive a judge’s face. There we were, the queen of diamonds and me looking like. I don’t know, like Gaucho Marx. Gaucho Marx. Ben. Ben, I just made a joke. Not a very good joke, I admit, but a joke. Ben, in all the years that you’ve known me, have you ever heard me make a joke? Well, I just made one. Gacho Marx. Me. Ha. Big day.
Mark that down in your book. Raymond Shaw got married and he made a joke. Gacho Marks, Queen of diamonds. What did he mean, the Queen of diamonds? My costume. I came to this costume party as the queen of diamonds. I couldn’t think what to wear. And then I saw this big playing card in a shop window and. Sister. Mrs. Shaw. Oh, please, Major. Josie. You call me Josie, I’ll call you Ben. Mrs. Shaw. Josie, the reason I came here this morning is to ask Raymond to voluntarily put himself under arrest. What? Maybe not under arrest, that’s pretty strong, but to surrender himself to some questions.
Questioning? What kind of questioning? Raymond is sick, Mrs. Shaw, in a kind of a special way. He doesn’t even realize it himself. Sick? He’s not sick. He’s the healthiest man I’ve ever seen in my whole life. You can tell that by just looking at him. That’s not the kind of sick I mean. But you’re wrong, Ben. You’re wrong. He’s tied up inside in a thousand knots. I know that. But you can see for yourself how he is with me. Oh, God. We were married just six hours ago. We’ve been in cars and offices and airplanes ever since.
What were your. What are your plans? Well, there’s an inn, the Bedford House, near Bedford Village. It’s about an hour from here. There’s hardly anyone there this early in the season, and we’ve already wired for a room. Ben, you’ve got to believe me. And trust me, I can make him well. I’ll give you 48 hours. You have him back here a day after tomorrow. I’ll talk to him then. After that, we’ll see. Thank you, Ben. Thank you and God bless you. Darling. Anything. Just darling. My dear girl, have you noticed that the human race is divided into two distinct and arrogant reconcilable groups? Those who walk into rooms and automatically turn television sets on, and those who walk into rooms and automatically turn them off.
You know, the problem is they usually marry each other, which naturally causes a great deal. Daughter of Senator Thomas Jordan and Korean war hero Raymond Shaw. Stepson of Senator John Eisland. It appears, however, Capulet note will have little effect on the feud now raging between the two party leaders. From his campaign headquarters this morning, Senator Eiseland stepped up his charges against the leader of the group attempting to block his nomination. I now charge this man, Thomas Jordan, with high treason. And I assure you, the moment the Senate reconvenes, I shall move for this man Jordan’s impeachment.
And after that, a civil trial. Come on. Which can only be our respect. We’re driving down to New York. Go straight to your father’s house. Please convey my personal apologies to him. I’ll join you there later. What are you going to do? Something I should have done a long time ago. I’m gonna beat that vile, slandering son of a numbskull to a bloody pup. Mother. That vile, slandering husband of yours, where is he? Darling, something very important has come up. There is something you have to do. Who is it? It’s me, sir. Raymond, my boy. Josie waited up as long as she could.
She turned in about a quarter to two. She told me the good news. Raymond. Yes? I want to offer my congratulations and welcome you to the family. I’ve been watching my daughter’s face all evening. She’s a very happy girl. Thank you, sir. Come with me. I’ll force some good whiskey on you to celebrate your wedding. Soothe you after a trying day. Any number of good reasons. Some whiskey in that cabinet beside you. Help yourself. I only hope you haven’t been too much upset by these idiotic attacks of Iceland. Actually, I take the position that any attack by Iceland is a great honor.
Actually, I haven’t had so much supporting mail in the Senate in the last 22 years. I’m very glad to hear that, sir. What the hell is that in your hand? It’s a pistol, sir. Is that a silencer? Yes, sir. Why are you carrying a pistol, Raymond? What Are you. Daddy, what is it, Raymond? No. Raymond, darling. Sa. Ben, what is it? Raymond Shaw shot and killed his wife early this morning. But it doesn’t say. I know it wasn’t Raymond that really did it. In a way, it was me. As you can well understand, gentlemen, my wife is prostrate of the loss of this dear, wonderful girl whom she loved as a daughter.
Your stepson, Senator, where’s he? My son Raymond’s in retreat. Praying for strength, understanding. To try and carry on somehow. Ben, it’s for you. Major Marco speaking. Ben? Hi, kid. How could anyone. Josie, I. How could it happen? Where are you, Raymond? I. I think maybe I’m going crazy. I’m having terrible dreams. Like you used to have. Where are you, Raymond? We can’t talk on the telephone. Just tell me where you are. I. I’m in a hotel room across from the Garden. 8th Avenue side. Room 4. All right, now listen to me. Just wait right there. I’ll be there in 10 minutes.
Don’t move. Just wait right there. Okay, I’ll take him now. Everything’s got to move quite normally. Now, I want him to feel like he’s safe. Just give me a pack of cards. What do you know? They just handed the vice presidential nomination to that idiot Iceland. Oh, hi, kid. Who killed Josie? Bet? Tell me. I. I’ve got. No. How about passing the time by playing a little solitaire? All right, now let’s start unlocking a few doors. Let’s begin with a patrol. You didn’t save our lives and take out an enemy company or anything like that, did you, Raymond? Did you? No.
What happened? The patrol was taken by a Russian airborne unit and flown by helicopter across the Manchurian border to a place called Tungwa. We were worked on for three days by a team of specialists from the Pavlov Institute in Moscow. They developed a technique for descent into the unconscious mind. Part light induced, part drug. Never mind all that. Not now. Tell me what else happened at Tung Wah. We were drilled for three days. We were made to memorize the details of the imaginary action. What else? Then I strangled Ed Muvoli and shot Bobby Lembeck. One red queen works pretty good.
Let’s see what we get with two of them. Keep playing. Then I killed Mr. Gaines. It was just a test. It didn’t matter who I killed. They picked him to see if all the linkages still worked before they turned me over to my American operator. And that business about jumping in the lake, it really did happen. It was an accident. Something somebody said in the bar accidentally Triggered it. Keep playing. Then I killed Senator Jordan, and after that I. You ought to forget everything that happened at the senator’s house. Do you understand, Raymond? You’ll only remember it when I tell you so.
You ought to forget about it. Do you understand? Yes. Now, Raymond. Now the big one. Why? Why is all of this being done? What have they built you to do? I don’t know. I don’t think anybody really knows except Beretsovo in Moscow and my American operator here. But whatever it is, it’s supposed to happen soon, Right at the convention. Maybe. I don’t know. They can make me do anything, Ben, can’t they? Anything. We’ll see, kid. We’ll see what they can do, and we’ll see what we can do. So the red queen is our baby. Well, take a look at this, kid.
52 of them. Take a good look at him, Raymond. Look at him. And while you’re looking, listen. This is me, Marco, talking. 52 Red Queens of me are telling you. You know what we’re telling you? It’s over. The links, their beautifully conditioned links are smashed. They’re smashed as of now because we say so. Because we say they ought to be smashed. We’re busting up the joint. We’re tearing out all the wires. We’re busting it up so good all the queen’s horses and all the queen’s men will never put old Raymond back together again. You don’t work anymore.
That’s an order. Anybody invites you to a game of solitaire, you tell him, sorry, buster, the ball game is over. It’s time for my American operator to give me the plan. Yes. Yes, I understand, Mother. She wants me to go. There’s a car waiting for me downstairs. The convention’s adjourned. It reconvenes at nine for the acceptance speeches. I don’t think anything will happen until then. I better go now. Here’s a number. I’ve got 500 people at my disposal. A thousand if I need them. You call me at that number. Try to call me by 8:30 or as soon as you find out whatever it is they want you to do.
I’ll be waiting. Yes, sir. Raymond. Remember, Raymond, the wires have been pulled. They can’t touch you anymore. You’re free. It’s been decided that you will be dressed as a priest to help you get away in the pandemonium afterwards. Chunjin will give you a two piece Soviet army sniper’s rifle that fits nicely into a special bag. There’s a spotlight booth that won’t Be in use. It’s up under the roof on the 8th Avenue side of the Guard. You will have absolutely clear, protected shooting. You are to shoot the presidential nominee through the head. And Johnny will rise gallantly to his feet and lift Ben Arthur’s body in his arms and stand in front of the microphones and begin to speak.
The speech is short, but it’s the most rousing speech I’ve ever read. It’s been worked on here and in Russia, on and off for over eight years. I shall force someone to take the body away from him. Then Johnny will really hit those microphones and those cameras with blood all over him, fighting off anyone who tries to help him. Defending America, even if it means his own death. Rallying a nation of television viewers into his. To sweep us up into the White House with powers that will make martial law seem like anarchy. Now, this is very important.
I want the nominee to be dead about two minutes after he begins his acceptance speech, depending on his reading time under pressure. You are to hit him right at the point that he finishes the phrase. Nor would I ask of any fellow American in defense of his freedom that which I would not gladly give myself. My life before my liberty. Is that absolutely clear? Would you repeat it for me, Raymond? Nor would I ask of any fellow American in defense of his freedom, in defence that which I would not. Which I would not gladly give myself.
Myself. My life before my liberty. Before my liberty. I know you will never entirely comprehend this, Raymond, but you must believe I did not know it would be you. I served them. I fought for them. I’m on the point of winning for them the greatest foothold they will ever have in this country. And they paid me back by taking your soul away from you. I told them to build me an assassin. I wanted a killer from a world filled with killers. And they chose you because they thought it would bind me closer to them. But now we have come almost to the end.
One last step, and then when I take power, they will be pulled down and ground into dirt for what they did to you. And what they did in so contemptuously underestimating me. Tested 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6. Hit the light. Why hasn’t he called? The calculated risk, Ben. You were right to take it. Even if it’s not true, it’s nice of you to say it. Garden’s filling up. Take it easy. 8:44. I know. If Steinkamp doesn’t take off that stupid hat and stop messing around with those bras, I’m gonna bust them into a pfc. Easy, Ben.
Okay, Milt. I blew it. I blew it. My magic is better than your magic. I should have known better. Intelligence officer. Stupidity officer is better. Pentagon ever wants to open up a stupidity division, they know who they get to lead it. Milk. Raymond was theirs. He is theirs. And he’ll always be theirs. There’s time. You may still call some money. No. That’s what I figured. Let’s get the hell out of here. All right, then. Let’s go. Mel. I tell you, you gotta stop this thing. Stop it? How can I stop it? Whatever. If there was a bomb planted in here, you got a tip that there was, you’d stop it fast enough.
You’d empty the White House if you had to. I tell you, there’s a bomb here. A time bomb that’s just waiting to go off. Ladies and gentlemen, our national anthem. O say can you see Ladies and gentlemen, let’s take it easy. I give you the next President of the United States, Benjamin K. And with a sense of the job to be done that I must only and most faithfully accept this nomination for the highest office in our. It is with a full awareness that the boy here are, in a sense, the crucial years. The years, if I may follow Mr.
Churchill’s phrase. The years of decision. And if I may be permitted a phrase of my own. The years are striving. Although it is not what has been done in the past. Or what. What may be done against the far horizons of some distant future. But what will be done now. Nor would I ask of any man again any sense of his freedom. That which I would not gladly give myself. My life before my liberty. You couldn’t have stopped them. The army couldn’t have stopped them. So I had to. That’s why I didn’t call. Oh, God, then.
Poor Raymond. Poor friendless, friendless Raymond. He was wearing his medal when he died. You should read some of the citations sometime. Just read them. Taken eight prisoners, killing four enemy in the process. While one leg and one arm was shattered. And he could only crawl because the other leg had been blown off. Edwards, wounded five times. Dragged himself across the direct fire of three enemy machine guns. To pull two of his wounded men to safety. Amid 69 dead and 203 casualties. Holdem men made to commit acts too unspeakable to be cited here. By an enemy who had captured his mind and his soul.
He freed himself at last. And in the end, heroically and unhesitatingly gave his life to save his country. Raymond Shaw. Help.
[tr:tra].
Author
