oh, sorry.
show time.
oh, dottie, i forgot.
good morning.
hello, mr. slater.
hi. i'd like to see mr. simmons.
i'm sorry, he's no longer here.
you have to see mr. cutler...
morning, mr. cribbens.
morning, ms. bailey.
check your figures.
i have you seven cents off yesterday.
yes, sir.
mr. cribbens,
i'm ordering tickets for the livestock show.
how many for you?
just one.
your figures match today.
hi, barb.
still trying to get him into a conversation?
only been trying for a year.
hello.
i'll tell him right away.
mr. cribbens,
mr. cutler wants to see you in his office right away.
thank you.
oh-oh, last week simmons.
this week cribbens.
the human calculator?
cutler would never fire him.
focus on warren cribbens, a myopic little man.
precise with figures, awkward with people.
his horizons? a bottom line dotted with decimal points.
but his safety in numbers is about to be erased.
no, don't get mad and don't get even.
just get ahead.
(laughs) yeah.
sure.
cribbens.
yes, sir?
have a seat.
yes, sir.
i'll get right to the point.
you like your job?
yes, sir, very much.
i hope my work is satisfactory.
down to the last decimal point.
thank you, sir.
wish i could say that about everyone.
cribbens— warren,
how would you like a promotion?
well...
i've decided you should replace simmons
as the new loans officer
here at the farmer's bank.
actually, i think i'm better suited...
exactly. You respect the numbers.
honestly, I...
no, no, no. don't thank me.
sandy will help you.
she's your new secretary.
we'll discuss your salary later.
take this and look it over.
you'll find it's fairly typical.
yes, sir.
congratulations.
oh.
thank you, sir.
sandy, will you come in here for a moment?
ooh!
i'm sorry.
i wasn't looking where i was going.
oh, no.
oh, no. oh, no.
i'm so sorry.
that's all right.
i'm so sorry.
i can get them fixed for you.
no, that's all right.
i only need them for close work.
i'll get by.
mr. cribbens.
yes?
that's my book—
the blue book.
oh.
yes, it is.
thank you.
no, i did not take out your loan, you did.
yes...
yes, and you agreed to abide by the conditions of said loan.
no, i can't do that.
mr. simmons is no longer working here.
i said that i can't do that, and I...
mister...
mr. johnson...
i would...
i would appreciate it
if you would watch your language, mr. johnson.
mr. johnson?
did you want anything in this hot water?
no, i have my own tea bags.
yes, mr. cribbens?
(whispers:) some money just dropped in there.
where?
in there. i just saw it.
i'm sorry.
that's okay.
i could have sworn...
it's all right.
i'm sorry.
it's okay.
thank you, mr. cribbens.
mr. cutler wants to see you
as soon as you've read these.
thank you.
those green pins represent property the bank already owns—
the color of money.
the white ones are what the major farm combines own—
pure and untouchable.
the reds ones, they're what we have paper on—
mortgages, warren,
some firsts, mostly seconds—
the people mostly operating in the red.
those are my new concerns?
exactly.
we must call in all outstanding loans
as they come due.
i see.
what if they can't pay?
then we foreclose.
listen, i've always looked at mortgages as rent.
if you have a tenant who can't pay his rent,
then you find one who can.
the business of america is business, right?
calvin coolidge.
exactly.
that's what makes us great.
warren...
do you have any idea
why we're stepping up our activity on this?
no, sir.
the new state highway's coming through.
if you own land the government wants,
it's like sitting on oil.
you know where the new highway's going?
oh, boy.
if i knew that, i would own this bank
instead of working for it.
anyway, the more deeds we own, the better our chances.
so start changing those red pins to green,
a.s.a.p.
i'm afraid you're delinquent on your loan, mr. slater.
a letter advised you
the grace period is over this week.
you can extend it some, can't you?
i'm afraid we can't do that.
the business of america is business.
the business of america
is people.
or it should be.
please, let's not take this personally.
this is just business.
no, this isn't just business,
this is my life.
just remember what that farm means
to me, my family, this whole community.
i'll look at the figures again,
see what we can do.
name's vern.
thank you.
it's an enormous piece of property.
without us farmers, just dirt and dust.
what's the bank going to do with it, anyway?
they can't work it.
no, i guess not.
adam, where's your mom?
mom.
emily.
this here's mr. cribbens.
he's from the bank.
how do you do?
hello.
vern tells me
you'll figure a way to make things work.
well, since i'm not empowered to extend your loan,
and your equipment
appears to be a little outdated,
i suggest that you sell off some land.
who to?
who will buy it
at a price that will be worthwhile?
i'll just have that much less corn for market.
how will that help me, warren?
mr. slater—
vern, i think that may be your only option.
i may not even be able to get my boss
to agree to this.
he wants to enforce foreclosure
"enforce" is the key word here.
well, please, just look this over
and think about it.
i ain't selling.
you hear me, warren?
go down to the bank.
tell them i ain't selling.
tell them loud and clear.
you hear me?
i got faith inyou, warren.
morning.
good morning.
oh, sandy,
can i see you for a minute?
sure.
come in, sit down.
okay.
i have a question i would like to ask you.
if you were in a position
to help some people,
but by helping them
you might lose a great deal yourself,
yet by not helping them—
the people you want to help—
they may lose everything,
would you do it?
well...
even if it meant
risking your life's savings.
well, i don't really gamble.
i can't afford to.
but i like doing things for other people.
whoa, what's wrong?
what do you mean?
you just jumped right out of your chair.
oh, uh...
nothing.
nothing, really.
oh yes, uh, would you do me a favor?
i'll try.
draw out a cashier's check
for this amount from my savings account?
sure, no problem.
anything else?
yes, there is one thing.
please, be very careful around the bank.
you sound like my father.
please, be careful.
okay, i will.
thank you for your concern.
hello, mr. slater?
vern, this is warren.
i think i may have found a solution.
vern, i think this may solve your problem.
this is a loan.
yes, a personal loan from me.
that's correct.
warren, i won't let you down.
i'll pay you back every single penny.
i promise you.
just deposit it by 3:00, warren.
this is due day, you know.
don't worry, vern.
they let me cut in line here.
sandy.
oh. sorry.
mr. cribbens, what are you doing?
oh.
i'm sorry, i, uh...
nothing really, i just...
i thought you were going to fall.
i use this ladder all the time.
i've never fallen, not once.
i don't understand.
you were supposed to be careful.
i was.
oh, i nearly forgot.
you're supposed to see mr. cutler
in his office.
a.s.a.p.
so, with foreclosures,
it all depends on the worth of his assets.
i have some figures
available on that.
don't dicker with him too much.
he's in no position.
his debt load's so heavy he can't say no
even when we offer him bottom dollar.
sure, it's a tough deal for him,
but that's business. right, warren?
no, i had no idea we'd strike it this rich
by grabbing the slater farm.
well, wait and see what else i got in mind.
huh?
you bet you.
i love highways.
warren?
did you understand
what i just said?
yes, offer vern slater bottom money
because he's so far in debt he can only take it.
exactly.
remember the note's due today
plus penalties, plus back taxes
but you can waive it all if he takes our offer.
so, get on it.
everyone's closing and balancing.
what should i do with this cashier's check?
i'm not sure, sandy.
deposit it in, uh,
vern slater's account.
after what i told you...
i don't understand.
you understand perfectly well.
i'm not sure what you're saying.
we should have owned that property.
youare responsible for costing me a fortune.
how's that?
please stop screaming at me, mr. cutler.
that new state highway will cut straight through slater's farm.
oh, really?
youpersonallyloaned him that money.
you betrayed me, cribbens.
i don't see it quite that way, sir.
how do you see it?
aren't we the farmer's bank?
i helped a farmer in need.
clear out your desk, cribbens.
you're fired.
you sure you want to do that, sir?
it's worth the severance pay just to get rid of you.
that sign's crooked.
fix it.
sandy.
miss bailey: sandy! mr. cribbens!
are you okay?
i think so.
you okay?
i told you to be careful.
you were right, mr. cribbens.
warren.
oh.
oh, thank you.
oh, no, i did it again.
what?
your glasses, i broke them.
i think they're totally useless now.
that's all right, sandy.
i won't be needing them anymore.
good-bye, miss bailey.
accidents will happen.
and warren cribbens had a lucky break.
instead of blindly following orders,
his eyes were opened and he saw humanity
and discovered it was his greatest asset.
add him to the list of those
who have peered into the twilight zone.