"Oh, my beauty." "Oh, you're so..." "gorgeous, plump beauty." "Baby, baby." "Mama's going to give you a bath." "Ooh." "First, I'm gonna clean you, then I'm gonna wash you." "Chicken soup every day." "Nice." "Hey, ma, have you seen my new lipstick?" "No." "Uh, put your things away." "Then you'll be able to find them." "I put it away." "It's gone now." "Where are you going?" "You know, myron's coming over to talk to you." "Oh, please." "I mean, what could that geek possibly have to say to me?" "That's no way to talk about myron." "He's a very wise man." "He's a scholar." "Well, I'm meeting barry." "Why doesn't he pick you up here, like a respectable young man?" "Where is he taking you?" "You know, that jacket does not go with your underwear." "Only a mother that loves you will tell you the truth." "And the truth is," "You look terrible." "Your poor father in his grave must be turning nauseous." "I don't want you to see barry anymore." "He doesn't treat you like a lady." "Look at me when I talk to you." "Ma, I'm 21." "Are you sure?" "Old enough to pick out my own clothes" "And my own boyfriends without my mother's help." "As long as you're living in this house," "You'll listen to what I say!" "Well, then, maybe it's time to leave." "Madlene!" "Don't do anything you wouldn't want" "To show on network television." "You better stop nagging her, ma." "She means it." "Let me tell you something, young man." "Only a mother that loves you nags." "When I am dead and in my" "Grave someday," "You won't hear me nagging anymore." "Maybe." "That must be myron." "I'll get the door." "My mother wants to know if she can borrow some salt." "You tell your mother if she wants to have a good neighbor," "She'll have to be a good neighbor herself." "When she brings back" "The two dozen eggs she took from me last week," "That's when you can have the salt." "What a sweet little boy." "What did I live my life for," "But to nag my children to greatness?" "What are you reading?" "I'm reading about" "Mulching." "What does a-a good dentist need" "To know about mulching?" "Ma, I told you." "I'm changing my major to agriculture." "I'm not gonna spend the rest of my life" "Telling people to rinse and spit." "Dentistry is the new frontier." "Who influenced you to do such a terrible thing like that?" "Ma, I made my own decision, okay?" "I-I want to do something meaningful" "With my life." "Meaningful?" "Saving people's mouths is very meaningful." "Who wants to live in a world without good gums and good teeth?" "Not me." "ma, my mind is made up." "Sweetheart..." "Over my dead body." "Thanks, ma." "I've been so upset, myron." "I don't even have the strength to take out the curlers" "From my hair." "In the old country, your word would be law." "Your children would put you on a pedestal" "And shower you with honors." "Pedestal?" "I would be happy if they would just give a listen" "To what I have to say." "Nobody loves their children more than I do." "But they shut their ears to whatever I say." "It hurts me." "As the prophets say," ""how sharper is a serpent's tooth than a thankless child!"" "That's very deep." "But forget about" "My wounded feelings for a moment, myron." "It's about madlene." "She and her boyfriend..." "I'm afraid that..." "And she's threatening to move out" "Of the house." "Now, why would a young girl want to move out of the house" "If she..." "Weren't doing something" "That her mother can't even spell?" "And my college boy-- my genius" "Behind my back, he stopped going to dentistry classes" "And he started studying lettuce." "He wants a career in salad making." "I-I can't tell anybody but you this." "You're my only hope." "So, what would you like me to do?" "You know things." "I want you to give me something" "To make my children listen to me." "You would like to resort to, uh, higher powers?" "I do." "Oh..." "In that sphere, there are many, many dangers." "It must not be entered into lightly, pearl." "I have to save my children, even if it means dying." "God forbid." "Pearl," "I have something here" "That I carry with me at all times," "For fear that it might fall into improper hands." "But I give it to you, pearl," "Because I know that it'll help you with your problems." "But pearl, I warn you" "You must be very, very cautious." "What is it?" "You'll soon see a big difference in your children, pearl." "This is it?" "Nothing more?" "It's more than enough, believe me." "And I've said it again and again." "Be careful what you wish for." "You might get it." "Ma..." "Hey, ma!" "What?" "!" "It's too loud." "I can't concentrate." "You know, you read too much." "All that agriculture nonsense." "You're going to ruin your eyes." "You see?" "You're wearing yourself out." "You have a cold already." "Mom, it's from the dust you raised." "I'm not" "Sick." "Why do you turn that thing up?" "You want to shut your mother out?" "That's not friendly." "You know, when you're a lettuce picker," "You won't be able to afford such luxuries." "I'll do without." "Fat chance." "It's my fault." "I spoiled you." "I gave you and your sister everything you wanted." "You don't even know what life is like without a" "Television set..." "A vcr..." "A radio..." "A telephone." "You know, this apartment doesn't come with" "Telephones." "You need money for that, too." "Oh, you are sick." "It's a good thing I have some chicken soup going." "Mom, chicken soup is not the universal antidote." "Oh, yes, it is." "You're going to sprain your ankle in those shoes." "Where are you going?" "Why don't you stay home with me and clean, madlene?" "No can do, ma." "I got another date with barry." "Pearl:" "You're looking for trouble, young lady, or should I say" ""young woman"?" "You know, I'm not so sure you're a young lady" "Anymore, are you?" "Leave me alone, ma." "Why should the farmer buy the cow," "When he can get the milk for free?" "That's disgusting." "Don't come back unless everything is intact." "And you, young man," "I'm going to give you some chicken soup for your cold." "Madlene!" "What happened?" "My ankle, ma." "ooh!" "I'm gonna call the doctor." "It's gone." "The telephone." "it's gone." "What?" "Ma, look." "The tv's gone, and the vcr." "Oh, my god." "We've been robbed!" "Help!" "Help!" "We've been robbed!" "Richie?" "Richie, be a good boy." "Go tell your mother to call the police." "We have been robbed." "They've taken everything." "Even the telephone." "No way." "One of these days, your face is going to get stuck that way." "Ma, what's wrong with him?" "It's working." "You did this to him." "You told him that his face" "Would stay that way, and it did!" "And you told me I'd sprain my ankle!" "I'm blind!" "I can't see!" "I ruined my eyes!" "you did this!" "she put a curse on us." "quiet!" "Oh." "Chicken soup is the universal antidote." "Bring the boys over here." "Yeah, right." "Eat." "Help your brother." "I can see." "Now, the next time I ask you to do something for me," "You'll remember this, won't you?" "Yes." "Shut the door!" "And you, my darling daughter," "How's your ankle?" "That must be little richie." "Good boy!" "You're on time today." "Bring me back a nice loaf" "Of pumpernickel bread." "Fresh baked today." "It's so nice being treated like a grand lady." "Madlene," "Remember to clean the bedrooms." "A little housework never killed anyone." "Marc, I'm afraid of her." "Where'd she get that thing around her neck?" "Myron it had to be." "Sick, old weirdo." "Yesterday, she told brenda liebowitz" "That cold food gives you a bellyache." "Ten minutes later, they carried her out on a stretcher" "And pumped her stomach-- food poisoning." "You know, mom told aunt rita that she'd blow up" "Like a balloon from drinking that diet soda." "Now she's floating over new jersey." "She's got us where she's always wanted us." "Mmm..." "Ma, it isn't fair." "You're working me like a slave," "While you go out and get your hair done." "Look, I'm all sweated up." "Horses sweat, ladies glow." "Ma, she looks like a neon sign." "Okay, ladies don't glow." "I haven't seen barry in five days, ma." "I know how close you two are." "I am going to do everything I can to get him to make an" "Honest girl of you." "You stay away from barry." "Do you think that I would do anything" "To hurt my future son-in-law?" "Yes, I want you to call up barry," "Invite him for dinner tonight, and then I am going to give him" "Every fair chance to do the right thing by you." "You know, barry," "When a young man gets as close to a young woman" "As you've gotten to my daughter," "The gentleman usually buys the lady a diamond ring" "Or reserves a hall for the wedding..." "If you follow my innuendo." "You're talking about getting married." "Right." "Mrs. King, I can't do that." "Look, I'm just an associate plumbing inspector." "I don't make, uh... for a salary." "charming." "Uh, surely your parents can help you." "Yeah, if I really need it." "They could loan me some bucks." "I guess, um, I'm just not ready to get married yet." "But when I do," "Your little maddie will be first on my list." "Can I have another piece of that?" "Another?" "You're gonna turn into a slice of date nut bread." "Oh, barry." "Look, look what you did." "I'm sorry, madlene." "that's the door." "Madlene, I'm sorry." "Oh, baby, I'm sorry." "Oh, it's little richie." "Here." "I've been riding my bike" "For three hours looking for that." "Nobody in brooklyn bakes fresh bread on tuesdays." "Oh, well, thank you for going to so much trouble." "Here, this is for you." "A dollar?" "A lousy buck?" "I rode my bike clear to queens looking for that bread." "I'm late for dinner." "My mother is gonna strangle me!" "And you hand me one buck?" "Keep it!" "Oh, calm yourself." "Look, he's having a conniption over a tip." "Oh, my goodness." "H-h-here's another dollar." "Bye, barry." "Oh..." "I didn't mean to hurt anybody." "I just wanted my children to listen to me." "Pearl, darling, please." "The serpent's tooth is a powerful charm." "Too powerful." "Isn't there something you can do?" "Ma, take that thing off, before you hurt somebody else." "Ma, please, give it back to him." "No!" "Ma!" "Ma!" "As god is my witness," "I won't wear it anymore, but myron gave" "It to me as a present." "I wanna keep it as a pet." "It belongs to your mother now." "Hopefully..." "You've all learned a lesson" "From this sad experience, and from now on" "You'll live in peace and harmony." "The serpent's tooth is a powerful" "Reminder that children, children" "Should honor their parents" "And prosper." "From your mouth to god's ears." "Ma, put that thing away!" "All right." "You're such a beautiful girl." "Why do you hide it under all that makeup?" "Uh-huh." "And take your hair out of your eyes." "And cover yourself up-- you can see cleveland!" "No." "Aha!" "Can't resist, can you?" "You just love that power." "Mom, what do you wanna do" "Kill me because you don't like my hair?" "!" "No, don't say that!" "I love you!" "If any mother loved a daughter as much as I love you," "May I turn into a pillar of salt!" "Uh, listen, ma, I-I gotta get going now," "But I'll be home before dinner, okay?" "Yeah, ma, I gotta" "Go, too." "I got a class." "See you later, ma." "Later, ma." "What good children." "It was worth it."