Show THE OBADIAH FICTION ION CORNER By Richard H. H Wilkinson I BADIAH Nelson was a man of O OBADIAH unappreciated qualities For two years he had worked as clerk clerkin in the scenario department of Magn Magnificent Films Inc and had thought ideas up I- I I for pic pictures t u res I Minute I which scenario I 3 Fiction I writers w wrote r l' 0 ot t e eI I into scripts and directors p produced produced pro pro- r o- o for a neat profit Lady Luck Magnificent's most recent success had netted the house something something something some some- thing over a million dollars Noel Norbert who wrote the script received received received re re- re- re 2000 and Obadiah who thought up the idea collected his 60 per week Ada Adams who occupied a desk next to Obadiah's and who earned 50 a week reading stories knew what was going on and told Obadiah in no uncertain terms what she thought of him Barnum was right she said How a man can be such a sucker and still live is beyond me Obadiah blushed to the roots of his hair Why shucks I didn't do any any- thing It was just an Idea I had that I mentioned to Mr l Nor Nor- bert And Mr Norbert collected 2000 for it A month later Magnificent 1 began work on Loves Appeal Noel Norbert had turned in the script after taking Obadiah to lunch A week after that Ada Adams came into the little restaurant on Sunset boulevard where Obadiah was eating eating eating eat eat- ing lunch Well hows how's Magnificent's 60 a week sucker today she asked i They tell me Mr Norbert has turned in another office box success c Well Vell hows how's Magnificent's l 60 a week sucker today Ada asked Obadiah that you thought up for him Hes He's asking 2500 for it Obadiah's face went white Without Without Without With With- out knowing it Miss Adams had aggravated a wound that she had inflicted five weeks previous with her first scathing comment on Mr Nelsons Nelson's lack of what it takes to get ahead She was therefore astonished astonished astonished aston aston- when Obadiah suddenly rose without a word and left her Outside his cheeks still rather pale Obadiah was hastening toward the Magnificent studios Mr Mr Maurice began Obadiah firmly I want to know why it is that you pay 2000 to Noel Norbert for writing scenarios that I think up No dont don't answer I know why Its It's because you think Im I'm a sucker without enough backbone to stand standup standup standup up for my rights Well let me tell you something I mean you can drive a horse to water but you cant can't make him willing willing willing-I I mean drink Or something Anyway Im I'm quit quit- ting The Pacific studios have offered offered offered of of- me a thousand a week to work for them Obadiah paused breathing heavily heavily heavily ily and mopped his brow Well he said I guess that's all aU I Is that so said Mr Maurice Well young man youre you're wrong That aint half hall of ot it And he punched a bell button on his desk A ADA DA ADAMS was eating dinner I in the same little restaurant on Sunset that evening when hen Obadiah came m. m Well he said Ive been raised from 60 a week to 1000 So I heard said Ada Congratulations Congratulations Con ICon Ill I'll bet you could have got more however if 11 you'd gone back to Pacific and told them that Maurice was meeting their price I couldn't said Obadiah because Pacific never offered anything In the first place Ada stared in open mouth won won- der Well Vell well well she said And likewise well Even if 11 they had said Obadiah I couldn't have thought up ideas for tor Pacific anyhow Why asked Ada Because you wouldn't have been there said Obadiah All those ideas I thought up were about you and me Just seeing you put them into my head Without Without you I couldn't think of ot anything In fact tact he added sometimes I cant can't think of ot anything with you Ada swallowed a scallop whole For goodness sake she ex cx- claimed Obadiah Nelson I didn't think you had it in you to propose in marriage arria ge Propose said Obadiah proposing But it its it's not a II bad Idea at that |