Gaston,
Thanks for reminding of that great film, and giving me that link. I'll probably be spending at lot of time there, for better or worse. I copied some of the last dialogue of the film below. Sounds a little like dialogue that could be lifted for a story about an internut newsletter writer (Howard) saying farewell to one his clients after the crash (whenever it comes). You have to know the characters to really appreciate it, but if you don't know the film, you ought to go rent it, it's worth it. One of the very best ever made.
Curtin: Well Howard, what next I wonder?
Howard: Well, I'm all fixed as far as I'm concerned as a medicine man. I'll have three
meals a day, five if I want 'em, and a roof over my head, and a drink every now and
then to warm me up. I'll be worshipped and fed and treated like a high priest for telling
people things they want to hear. Good medicine men are born, not made. Come and
see me some time, my boy. Even you will take off your hat when you see how
respected I am. Why only the day before yesterday, they wanted to make me their
Legislature - their whole Legislature. I don't know what that means but it must be the
highest honor they can bestow. Yeah, I'm all fixed for the rest of my natural life. How
about yourself? What do you aim to do?
Curtin: I haven't got any idea.
Howard: Oh, you're young yet. You've got plenty of time to make three or four
fortunes for yourself.
Curtin: You know, the worst ain't so bad when it finally happens. Not half as bad as
you figure it will be before it's happened. I'm no worse off than I was in Tampico. All
I'm out is a couple hundred bucks when you come right down to it. Not very much
compared to what Dobbsie lost.
Howard: Any special place you're bent on goin'?
Curtin: Naw, all the places are the same to me.
Howard: Tell you what. You can keep my share of what the burros and the hides'll
bring if you use the money to buy a ticket to Dallas. See Cody's widow. Better than
writin'. And besides, it's July and the fruit harvest. How about it? (Howard hands
Cody's wallet and letter out of his pocket and hands them to Curtin.)
Curtin: It's a deal.
They mount their horses and shake hands goodbye, wishing each other good luck. Howard rides off toward the mountains with the Indians, turning and waving back. Curtin waves back and rides in a different direction, passing over one of the empty gold bags on the ground. |
