i'm not sure i understand.
i wouldn't imagine where.
no. never heard of him.
no.
no, i don't believe i know anyone by that name.
of course not. i don't know this man. obviously then, i wouldn't have him to dinner. incidentally, i do not live in an apartment. it's an 1860's house built by gallier. i've restored it faithfully. you know i am quite an advocate of restoration.
not at all. but on the other hand, i do have a lovely chippendale dining table and i often have a friend over sitting at one end while i sit at the other. that is precisely the point of a long dining table. the splendor of the meal adds to the enjoyment of it.
it adds a taste of elegance for which i must confess a weakness for now and then. i call him smedley. his real name is frankie jenkins - but i could hardly imagine anything more uncouth during dinner than my turning toward the kitchen and hollering "frankie!" .  where is this leading to, mr. garrison?
pffft! absolute nonsense. the quarter is filled with vivid imaginations, my dear mr. garrison - grimy young hoodlums who'll say and do anything. as you well know.
who?
no. i have never known anyone by that name. of course never having met mr. o'keefe i could hardly have met mr. ferrie.
no. i'm sure i've never met anyone of such a bizarre appearance.
clay bertrand? clay bertrand? i believe there was a man with a name similar to that who worked at the chamber of commerce. is that the man you had in mind?
one meets so many attorneys in my business. no, i don't believe i know dean andrews.
naturally. are you claiming, mr. garrison, that mr. oswald also had dinner with me?
you really have me consorting with a cast of sordid characters, don't you, mr. garrison.
of course not! such a pity, that assassination. in fact, i admired president kennedy. a man with true panache, and a wife with impeccable taste.
i'm well aware of this asinine article. and i am thinking very seriously of suing this rag of a newspaper.
nonsense. what next?
mr. garrison, you're reaching. i am an international businessman. the trade mart which i founded is america's commercial pipeline to latin america. i trade everywhere. i am accused, as are all businessmen, of all things. i somehow go about my business, make money, help society the best i can and try to promote free trade in this world.
and if i was, mr. garrison.  do you think i would be here today.  talking to somebody like you?
may i go? regardless of what you may think of me, mr. garrison, i am a patriot first and foremost.
now just a minute, sir! you're way out of line!
i enjoyed meeting with you gentlemen, and you, miss cox. it was most pleasant. i wish to extend to each of you - and to each of your families - my best wishes for a happy easter.
clay lavergne shaw.
1313 dauphine, new orleans.
clay bertrand.
clay bertrand.
no, i did not.
no, i did not.
no, i would not even know what he looked like except for the pictures i've been shown.
no, i did not.