It Happened One Night Scenes 8 and 9 Summary

  • Peter sends a telegram to his boss, Gordon, even though the guy has just fired him. Peter says he's found "the biggest scoop of the year," but he doesn't reveal what the big story's about.
  • Twelve hours later, Peter and Ellie are on the same bus again.
  • This time, Ellie's seated next to a serious talker, who introduces himself right away as Shapeley.
  • Shapeley's not only a big talker, he's also a perv, and he starts coming on to Ellie hard right away.
  • Seeing this, Peter comes to Ellie's aid, pretending to be her husband.
  • This embarrasses the sicko Shapeley, who backs off right away and apologizes.
  • Peter tells Ellie that he hasn't done this to protect her; he just couldn't stand the sound of Shapeley's voice. We can't be sure he's telling the whole truth, though.
  • Ellie tries to buy a box of chocolates, but Peter prevents her, saying it would be a waste of money.
  • Peter then takes charge of Ellie's remaining cash—only $1.60. "You're on a budget from now on," he declares. It's probably the first time she's ever been on one.