"Hi, Rose-Ann." "It can't be that late." "You're early." "Early?" "I feel like I've been standing on my feet for a week." "Cleaning up after a bunch of slobs!" "Hey, what you been up to?" "Where's my supper?" " I'm just gonna get it." " "I'm just gonna get it," what?" " I'm just gonna get it, Rose-Ann." " That's better!" "I can't have some proper respect in my own home!" " Who's been guzzling my gin?" " I don't know, Rose-Ann." "I know there was a slug or two in the bottom of this." "The old bum!" "When he gets home, I'm gonna pin his ugly ears back!" "Why did you have to leave that thing there?" "And they're all loose!" "Why ain't they been strung together?" "Answer me!" "Or would you like a slug in the puss?" "Quiet, bigmouth!" "Button it up for once in your life!" "You no-good drunk, you've been guzzling my gin again." "Get lost!" "For crying out loud!" "Could have broken my lousy neck." " How did all that junk get on the floor?" " Ask her!" "Ask Lady Selina!" "Come on, now!" "No dinner ready?" "No beads strung?" "What's with you?" "I'm sorry." "I went out today, and the time..." " You went out!" "Where?" " Just in the park." "The park?" "How in the hell did you get yourself to the park?" "Mr. Faber took me after he come with the beads." "Faber?" "He's got a nerve!" "Wasn't his idea." "I've been at him for ages." "You've been scheming behind my back?" "Listen, you get any more big ideas like that, and you tell me about them!" "You understand?" "I'm sorry, Rose-Ann." "I didn't think you'd mind." "Well, I do." "I do mind, see?" " Did you see my specs anywheres?" " No, Ole Pa." "Rose-Ann?" " Rose-Ann?" " What?" "If I promise to get all my work done on time, couldn't I go again tomorrow?" "Who do you think here has got time to take you to the park?" " Old Faber don't come tomorrow." " You could take me, Ole Pa." " No, he can't." "You ain't going." " Please!" "What you got against it?" "It sticks out a mile!" "When will you do your beads?" "I'll take them." "I'll work double-quick in the park." "If I don't do twice as much work, I'll give up the idea." "I promise." "Says you!" "When will you do your work here?" "I'll get up earlier and stay up longer." "I want my supper on time, like I'm used to." "Do you good to skip supper once in a while, blubber belly!" " Old beer belly talking about blubber." " Only one thing messing up your idea and it ain't fatso's supper." " What, then?" " Nobody to bring you home." " You could." "I can wait!" "Many a time, I'm not on my way until it's good and dark." "Is that all?" "Dark's nothing to me." "I'm always in the dark." "How about that." "So you are." "You hear that, Rose-Ann?" "With her face, I wouldn't parade around the street." "What's wrong with my face?" " Lf you could see, you'd know." " It ain't true." " Is there something wrong with my face?" " No." "Pay no attention to her." "Her face is a mess!" "Now, come on, get moving with the supper." "I got a heavy night in front of me." "And would you clean up those beads?" "Forget about the park, Selina." "You got a nice, quiet life here." "No problems." "Where's my purse?" "Have supper on time tonight." "And as for you, try and get home sober for once, pig face!" "Go jump in the lake." "Ole Pa?" "Does this look better, Ole Pa?" "Will you take me if I wear this?" "Okay." "Get some clothes on you, then, and take that God-awful hat off." "You don't want none of Rose-Ann's trappings." "You sure, Ole Pa?" "I mean, if my face is so bad?" "It ain't bad." "It's just your eyes." "It's only that people are so nosy." "When you was a kid, they was always at it." ""Poor little girl," they'd say." ""What happened?"" "Rose-Ann used to get so mad." "Well, come on." "Get a move on." "I ain't got all day!" "Thank you, Ole Pa." "Thank you for being nice to me." " Can't do this every day." " No, just sometimes." " It feels good, the grass." " Come on." "Mr. Faber said it was green." "What's green like?" "Green is green, stupid." "Same as the trees." "I wish I knew green." "I can remember blue." "The sky's blue, ain't it?" "Yeah, sometimes." "Here you are." "Now, you sit here by this tree." "And you stay put, see!" "Okay." "Thanks again, Ole Pa." "And, Ole Pa, my face?" "You're sure it's not too bad?" "Ole Pa?" "What is it?" "May I help you?" "Who's that?" "You seem to have a problem." "Anything I can do?" "There's a crawly thing down my back, and I can't reach it." "I got it." "All right, all right." "It's a..." "It's a caterpillar." "And he seems just as frightened as you are." " Thank you, sir." " It's all right." "Holy mackerel, my beads!" "I'm sorry." " I'll never find them in all this." " Here, let me." " Sure is kind of you to help, sir." " Nonsense." "It was my fault." " What do you do with them?" " String them." "That's clever." "Do you ever make mistakes?" "Mistakes?" "Even a fool couldn't make mistakes with this." "So easy, even a blind girl could do them, right?" " Yeah, that's right." " Never seen you here before." "I only been once before." "Do you come here much?" " Nearly every day." " Are you out of a job, then?" "No, I work." "Nights." "But I live around here." "There." "Every bead back in the box." " Thank you, sir." " Well, I hope we found them all." "So long." "You must be very tall." " Your voice sounds tall." " About 6 feet and a bit." "Excuse me, is that very much taller than me?" "Well, let's see." "I'd say you're about 5 feet 4 inches or so." "Which would make me about 9 or 10 inches taller than you." " Any more questions before I go?" " Sorry, I don't usually talk so much." "I gotta get moving." "I promised I'd get two days work done by tonight." "Cripes, the damn things is all mixed-up." "Damn things are all mixed-up, you should say." " What?" " Are all mixed-up." " You sound like the radio." " I do?" "How's that?" "Different." "kind of sure." "Lots of things is different on the radio." " Are different on the radio." " I'm sorry, are different." "That's better." "Like what, for instance?" "Like God and Jesus not really being swear words." "I love the church stuff, only Rose-Ann won't have it on and Ole Pa says religion's a lot of bunk." " Ole Pa?" "Is that your father?" " He's my grandfather." "He lives with us." "We never heard of my father after I got this." "Does it look bad?" "No, it doesn't look bad." "How did it happen?" "It was when I was 5." "One night, after I was in bed Harry, that's my father, he come home unexpected." "He was in a war or something." "Rose-Ann, that's my mother,  she had one of her friends in." "Harry, he got mad, and he sliced up Rose-Ann's friend to a mush." "Then Rose-Ann threw the bottle." "It was meant for Harry." "That's too bad." "I'm sorry." "Well, I gotta be going." "Bye-bye." "Excuse me." "I know something happened to my face, but is it, you know...?" " Somebody said it was a bit of a mess." " A mess?" "No." "You got a couple of scars around your eyes, that's all." " No kidding?" " No kidding." "Bye." "Bye." "Hi, there." "I brought you a present." "A present?" "Why should you bring me a present?" "I don't know." "Here." "Take it." "It's glasses." "Like Ole Pa wears for reading." " Not quite." "They're sunglasses." " Sunglasses?" " It's kind of you." "What are they for?" " Never mind." "Put them on." " There." "Just as I thought." " What?" " Now you're a very pretty girl." " Pretty?" "Me?" "Yeah." "No sign of a scar." "Your face looks perfect." "Perfect." " You're pulling my leg." " No, I mean it." "All because of these glasses?" " It sounds like magic." " Yes, it is." "A kind of magic." "Hey, would you like something to drink?" "Yes, please." "I love them." "Are you wearing glasses?" "No, but I often do." "Here." " Lots of people do." " Why?" "keep the sun from being bright." "To hide behind." "Many people wear dark glasses to hide behind." " You?" " Sometimes." "What's the name of this wonderful drink?" "Wonderful drink?" "It's just pineapple juice." "You like it?" "Yes, I do." "I wanna thank you." "That's all right." "Stringing beads is thirsty work." "Oh, holy smokes, the beads." "I'm way behind with the beads." "Those beads seem to mean a lot in your life." "Sure do." "It's my work, and I promised to do double today." "Some hope with them all mixed-up like this." "I could give you a hand for a couple of minutes if you want." " You got better things to do." " It's my fault they're messed up." "I wouldn't want them on my conscience for the rest of the day." "So..." "Well, let's see." "I think you're a real nice person." " You mind telling me your name?" " Gordon Ralfe." "My name's Selina." "Selina D'Arcey." " Sleena?" " That's right." " How do you spell it?" " S-E-L-l-N-A." "Oh, Selina." "That's a lovely name." " How'd you say it?" " Selina." " Selina." "It sure does sound better." " It sure does." " Do you like this work?" " Nobody likes work." " How long you been doing it?" " Five or six years." "Five or six years!" "Even while you're in school?" "I've never been to school." " Why not, for heaven sakes?" " Well, being blind and all." "That's no reason." "There are blind schools." "Never kind of come up." "I guess Rose-Ann was too busy." " Can't you read Braille?" " What's that?" "You're not serious?" "You mean, you've never heard of Braille?" "Haven't you been taught what blind people do nowadays?" " I ain't been taught nothing." " Oh, that's not possible." "It's okay." "I get by." "Did you hurt yourself?" " No, I'm doing the Watusi." " Maybe you really need that." "Excuse me, is anyone there?" "Is anyone around?" "Is there anyone here?" "Selina!" "Selina!" "Where the heck are you?" "Selina!" "Get a load of lover-girl in her sunglasses." "What'd you say, Rose-Ann?" "I said, dumbbell, I said, I got me a brand-new pair of sunglasses." " They belong to somebody else." " Not anymore, they don't." "I found them in the park." "Whoever dropped them might look for them today." "Says you." "Shut up in there." "Do you have to behave like a pig?" "So you had your day in the park?" " How was it?" " It was like, wow!" " You sick or something?" " I never felt finer." "You feel like "wow" now?" "I washed your nylons, Rose-Ann." "I cleaned up." "I didn't skip nothing." "Except my supper." "That don't matter, I suppose." "And what about your beads?" " I done them." "I done quite a few." " You just better." "Watch where you're going." "I'll have a thing to say if I get home tonight and find out she's been in the park again." "Look at the time!" "I'm warning you." "Both of you." "Drop dead." " Ole Pa?" " Shut up." " Did Rose-Ann still have the glasses?" " What glasses?" " The sunglasses when she went out?" " I don't know." "I don't think she did." " There's your choppers, Ole Pa." " I know, I got eyes." "Here." "Mr. Faber will take me to the park today." "You'll pick me up, won't you?" "I don't mind how late." "It don't matter how late, as long as I'm back for her supper." " You heard what your ma said!" " Yes." "Well, then." "Hello, Scum-dog, best dog in the world." "I sure am glad to see you." "And how is my best worker today?" "It's getting late, Mr. Faber." "You still got time to get me to the park?" " It's the park again, is it?" " Yes." "Please?" "I work good in the park." " Look." " This is just fine." " You will take me now, won't you?" " I shall be glad." "More than glad." "Thank you, Mr. Faber." " Which one of these is the prettiest?" " I think the one with the white spots." " This one?" " That's it." "Do you see a pair of sunglasses?" "I forgot where I put them." "I'll look." "Here they are." " Thank you." " You're welcome." "Do I look okay?" " You look lovely!" " I never heard you coming." " I hope you've worked hard today." " I done a lot." "Just stopping for lunch." "Hey, you want some?" " What you got there?" " Crackers." "Crackers?" "Crackers are for the birds!" " Well?" " Come on." "Let's go get something!" " How'd I get up like that?" " That was easy." "Lead the way to the exit." "I'll show you what to do next." " I don't know how to get to the exit." " You'll have to learn." "It's not so difficult if you know a little geography." "Can you feel the sun on you?" "Sure." "It's hot." "Now try facing straight towards it." " Here?" " Good." "This time of day, the sun is in the south, so you're facing south." "Now raise your left arm." "Now, that's east." "Now raise your right arm." "That's west." "The nearest exit is west from here." "So which way do we go?" " That way!" " Good." " We're on the path." " Turn right." "Now it's smooth sailing." "This is a parking meter." "It costs 10 cents to park." "Or 5 bucks if you try to be a wise guy!" "Come on!" "We want to cross the street." "So we have to stop the traffic." "Stop the traffic?" "Yes." "That's no problem." "Feel for this post here." "About level with your waist is a button." " Here?" " That's it." "Press it." "That signals for traffic to stop." "It'll take a minute, but I want you to listen for it." "Now, one step down and count your steps as you go across." "One step up!" "There you are." "There's a delicatessen a bit further on." " Don't we have to let the traffic go?" " No, that's automatic." "Wait a minute." "How about that?" "I could just about kill Ole Pa." "He never told me this." "Mr. Faber neither." "We take it for granted." "Next, tell me when we get to the delicatessen." " How will I know?" " I think you'll know." " It's here someplace, ain't it?" " Right." "I thought so." "Whatever they're cooking, it sure smells good!" "They make great corned-beef sandwiches." "You like corned beef?" "I love corned beef!" " Still hot too!" " Here's your drink." " No, thank you, Gordon." " It's pineapple juice." "I don't care to drink anything today." "You don't have to worry." "A few steps from here is a place for girls to wash their hands, et cetera." "I'll show you how to get there anytime you say." "Now, how about that drink?" " I would love a drink." " Here." "You need a partner for stringing beads." "If I ever turn up stringing beads, seriously, boy, I would stab myself." "Stop!" "Stop, please." "Don't make me laugh anymore." "What's the matter?" "Okay?" "Straight ahead." "It's wonderful to have a friend." "That's gonna be my favorite word from now on." "I know a better word." "Well, perhaps friend doesn't mean so much to you." " I suppose you've got lots of them." " A few." "Well, what's your word, then?" "Or is it a secret?" "Tolerance." "Tolerance?" "I don't think so much of that." "What's it mean?" "Well it means..." "When I've got a headache, Rose-Ann says, "You'll just have to tolerate it."" "It means you don't knock your neighbor because he thinks or looks different." "That's a good word." "I bet you're full of tolerance." "No, I'm not." "Not by a long shot." "What a gorgeous smell!" "It's a rose garden." "It's 5:00." "I gotta go to work." " Do you have to?" " I certainly do if you expect to live a life of luxury, swilling down pineapple juice." "Think you'll come this way tomorrow?" " Tomorrow's Sunday." " Cripes, so it is." "There." "How about Monday?" "Mr. Faber comes Monday." "Noon, Monday." "Thank you for my lovely day, Gordon." "Hello, Scum-dog!" "This is my lucky day." "Good evening, Selina." "Me and Scum-dog, we was taking a walk in the park." "You want us to walk you to home?" "Mr. Faber, how tolerant you are." "Yes." " You are a fine and tolerant friend." " No, just walking." "Scum-dog!" "You here again?" " Yeah." "Ain't you glad you're going out?" " Sure am!" " Hi, Rose-Ann." "How's a girl?" " Hi, doll." " Sit down and take a load off." " Hello, Sadie." "Man, dig that crazy ghost." "You hear a ghost telling me hello, Rose-Ann?" " Please, Sadie, not that again today." " You standing for her giving me lip?" "Selina, tuck in your tongue." "Get Sadie and me some coffee, huh?" " Yeah, bring me a glass." " With pleasure." "You let her get away with that?" "It's Sunday." "Take it easy." "The kid didn't mean nothing." "Yeah?" "Well, I wouldn't take any of that upstage malarkey from her!" "Thank you, dear." "You want a drop?" "No, thanks." "I'm sticking to Coke today." "Cleans out my system for the week." "Well, I suppose you gotta watch yourself." "You ain't exactly Marilyn Monroe anymore either." "Maybe not." "It makes me spit when I think of what I could have been." "That's it." "Neither one of us is getting any younger." "No." "We ain't getting any younger, are we?" "Think you'll come this way tomorrow?" " Tomorrow's Sunday." " How about Monday?" "Noon, Monday." "Noon, Monday." "Noon, Monday." "Don't stop, Selina." " You thought I wasn't coming?" " I was a bit worried." "Something came up." "I haven't even done my marketing." "Monday's my day for that." "Would you like to help?" " I sure would." "Will I be a nuisance?" " You will, but I could use your advice." "Asparagus, chili beef, minestrone clam chowder, tomato, chicken gumbo turkey noodle, kangaroo tail vichyssoise, vegetable or just plain pea." " Kangaroo tail sounds interesting." " Kangaroo tail?" "I'll bet you it tastes interesting too." "Alrighty." " It's freezing." " Ice-cream section." "Strawberry, chocolate, vanilla and all sorts of fruit flavors." " Hey, do they have pineapple?" " Pineapple?" "Pineapple." "Pineapple sherbet." "You want some?" "I guess so." "It's not easy to choose." "Makes you feel kind of greedy." "One pineapple sherbet and one vanilla." "Now, what's next?" "Eggs, bread, milk." "That's over here." "Hey, hop on." "Step up." "Continuing along aisle three." "On your right, exotic fruits of the earth:" "Pears, pineapples, peaches, apricots, plums, mango, litchis." "Libby's wonderland." "On your left, spices from the Orient." "Aisle five: candy, cookies, cereal, pickles." "Aisle six: prepared foods, canned soups and vegetables, cereal, baking goods." "Almost forgot." "I'm out of detergent." "This is where I really need your help." " Swish?" " Keeps your hands soft as velvet." " Whizz?" " Retains your girlish skin." " Marvelous!" "Jiffy?" " Jiffy makes you feel like a princess." " Beautiful." "Froth?" " Froth?" "I never heard of that one." "That one's for washing dishes." "That's the one we need." "Off you get." "No room for passengers now." "This sure is fun." "And the way Rose-Ann gripes about marketing..." "You know what this is?" "Tomato." "Don't buy this one." "It's too soft." "Thanks." "Go get me some oranges." " Me?" " Yeah." "Straight ahead." " How many?" " A dozen." "Did I drop one?" "Take them from the top." "It's safer." "Nine 10 11 12." " Twelve." " That's it." "Now all we have to do is pay." "It will cost a fortune." "You must be very rich." "Not so you'd notice." " What's happening now?" " They're adding it up." "In their head?" "No, on machines." "They don't use heads anymore." "Here are your beads." "We'll have to dump this stuff." "My pad's around the corner." " Do you mind?" " I don't mind." "Here, turn to the left." "And..." " Man, what's happening?" " What do you think is happening?" " Is this an elevator?" " Yes." "I thought we was gonna hit the ceiling." "Now, this is a hallway." " Jeepers." " What is it?" "Carpet in the hall?" " Don't laugh so loud." " You're too much." " My, it's cool in here." " It's air-conditioned." " Is it all new?" " No." "Why?" "It smells new." "Come, you sit down over here while I go dump this stuff." " You sure you're not rich?" " I'm quite sure." " Hello." " Hello." " You've been taken care of?" " I'm just waiting for Mr. Ralfe." " Where is he?" " In there, putting some stuff away." "Maybe I can help you, then." "What was it you wanted?" " Nothing." "I'm a friend of his." " I see." "Please sit down." "This noise!" "I'm Mark." "I'm Gordon's brother." "He must have forgotten his manners, leaving you alone." "Sit down." "I'll dig him up." "Say, brother?" "What goes on here?" "What happened?" "Hospital burn down?" "Whipped." "I dropped in for a shower and sack time." "What's with little orphan Annie out there?" "Nothing." " She says she's a friend of yours." " That's right." " Since when?" "I never saw her before." " Since a few days." " Where did she come from, this...?" " Selina." " Well, thanks." "Where'd you meet her?" " In the park." "In the...?" "Man!" "You picking up chicks in the park now?" "knock it off." "That kid's blind." "I thought there was something off-center." "I don't get it." "It's very simple." "She's blind, and she needs help." "She's just a friend." "Very touching." "You gotta be out of your mind." "The most you'll get out of this is a kick in the pants." "Why don't you go take a shower and cool off." " You want some lunch?" " No, thanks." "I had mine." " That was Mark." " I know." "Talks fast, doesn't he?" "He's wound up." "He's been having a tough time at the hospital." " He been sick?" " No." "He works there." "He's an intern." " He thinks he's one great ball of fire." " What do you think?" " I think he's one great ball of fire." " I thought you thought that." "Open that." " Where'd you get it?" " It belonged to my grandmother." "Play it again?" "How do you wind it?" "I'm starved." "Bring it in the kitchen, and I'll show you how." " This tastes real good." " I'm glad you like it." "Nothing special." "Maybe it's because we're sharing it." "It's great, eating and talking." "Man!" "Most of the time, I have the radio on, but you can't talk to the radio." "It sounds so gentle." "I bet your grandmother was just like that." "Sweet and gentle." " What was her name?" " It was Pearl." "Well, that suits her." "I had a friend called Pearl once." "She used to come to the room and play with me." "We had a lot of fun together." "We was great buddies." " Not anymore?" " No." "Rose-Ann, she put a stop to that." "What for?" "She came home early one day and raised hell." " What were you up to?" " Nothing much." "She got mad because Pearl was colored." "You know, black." "She said I couldn't ever have a black friend." "Did you ask her why?" "When she gets going, you don't bother about why." "You just keep out of the way." "Pity Pearl was colored." "Anyhow, she never came no more." "When was this?" "Long time ago." "I was only 9, but I miss Pearl a lot." "She was my only friend until now." "She used to teach me things too." "Everybody ought to have a friend." "Go on, tell me about your grandmother." "Where'd she get the music box?" "It was a present." " From a man?" " That's right." " Did he marry her?" " No, he didn't." "Why not?" "I don't know why not." "I don't know all the details." "You see, my grandmother was..." "Yes, go on!" "The man was from a different world." "He was very rich and important." " And she?" " She was just a beautiful woman." " Tell me more." " I don't know anymore." "You must know some more." "The man?" "He was her lover?" " Yes?" " Yes, they were lovers." " What are you laughing at?" " You sound so experienced." " You're a baby." " I'm no baby, Gordon." "I got experience." "You have, have you?" "I've been done over, a year back." "I don't know who he was." "Some fellow Rose-Ann brought back." "They'd been drinking." " Don't pay no attention to her." " I ain't no circus performer." " But she can't see nothing." " But you better get rid of her." "All right." "I'll go find the old man." "He can take her for a while." "Quite a fire in you!" " Come on!" " No!" "Rose-Ann!" "Ole Pa!" "knock it off!" "I'll teach you to bite, you little bitch!" "Rose-Ann!" "Ole Pa!" "keep away!" "No!" "Ole Pa blew his top when he heard about that." "Rose-Ann had to take another room down the hall." "I don't think she ever forgave me for that." "I used to think Rose-Ann was having a good time for herself on her bed." "I know better now." "I feel a bit sorry for her sometimes." " Are you still there, Gordon?" " I'm here." "What do you think of the book?" "I never knew you could feel words." "I can't read it any more than an ordinary book." "You will." "That was written by a blind woman." " She was deaf and dumb." " It don't seem possible." "It certainly is." "Come." "We have to go." "Would you like to take it with you?" "You mean it?" "It's yours." "Get a load of lover-girl in her sunglasses." "What'd you say, Rose-Ann?" "I said, I got me a brand-new pair of sunglasses." "You're safe now." "Don't cry." "Don't cry anymore." "Here, take my coat." "Put it around you." "You poor baby." "Don't cry." " I can't stop gulping." " You will." "You will." " What made you come?" " I don't know." " Is it dark?" " Yep." " I'm glad." " Why?" "It makes you more like me." "It stopped." "Yeah." "Seems to be all over now." "Is your grandfather coming for you?" "I have to get back to work." " Is there a step?" " Yeah, two." " Don't let go." " I won't." " You okay?" " Yeah." " I love you so much." " Don't be silly, Selina." " I do love you..." " Stop it!" "You hardly know me." "Here's your tree." " You sure your grandfather's coming?" " Ole Pa?" "Sure, he's bound to come soon." "Thank you for coming back." "I was crazy to get scared." "It's time I grew up and stopped acting like a kid." "I'll be fine now." "Ole Pa, he's bound to come soon." "Selina!" "Selina, you still here?" " That's him." "He's plastered for sure." " Selina!" "Selina!" "You blind broad." "Don't let him see us." "Selina!" "Where the heck are you?" "You poor darling." "Here." "I'm here, Ole Pa." "Oh, my darling." "Oh, my darling." " Where's your lunch box, Ole Pa?" " I don't know." "Maybe I left it in the saloon." "I don't know." "Ole Pa, you want I should punch the time clock for you this morning?" "You speaking to me?" "You're gonna be late, ain't you?" "I'll punch the clock for you." "Thanks, Rose-Ann." "That's good of you." "Oh, I feel terrible." "Oh, that's tough." "A poor old fellow like you ought not to have to rush." " You all right, Rose-Ann?" " I'm fine." "I feel rested." "Sadie treated me to supper last night." "We took it easy." "Beats me how anybody could take it easy with that broad." "Well, she don't make it exactly hard to get, now, huh?" "Don't kill yourself." "It wasn't that funny." "Oh, I gotta get going." "You're gonna be late this morning." "What with taking Selina to the park and all." " What you say?" " You'll be in a bind if you take her." "Like hell." "Like hell you are, or like hell you ain't, huh?" "Like hell I ain't." "I'm finished with that." "Going into the park at night in the pouring rain." "Wonder I ain't dead." "Nuts to that." "Goodbye, Selina." "Goodbye, Rose-Ann." "You didn't mean that, Ole Pa, did you?" "You are taking me, aren't you?" " What's this?" " That's your lunch." " You are taking me, aren't you?" " No!" "I'm all through with that hula-hula." "Watch it!" "Leave me alone." "Oh, help me!" " Somebody, please help me." " You sick, honey?" "No, I'm blind." "Can you get me across the street?" "Sure." "Come on." "Watch your step." "Take it easy." "Okay?" "Are you all right?" "Yeah, I'm all right." "Where am I?" "Which side am I on?" " What?" " I'm blind." "I can't see where I am." "You've no right to be out alone." "Where do you live?" "Seventy-three. 73 Pine Street." "Well, that's around the corner." "Come on." "Let me help you." "And now, in a moment,  5:00 Forum." "This program is brought to you each day by Swish, the detergent that..." " It's 5:00." "I gotta go to work." " Do you have to?" "I do, if you expect to live a life of luxury, swilling down pineapple juice." " I'm blind." "I can't see where I am." " You've no right to be out alone." "No right." "No rights at all." "Do I have to take this?" "!" "Do I have to?" "!" "I hate you, Ole Pa!" "I hate you you dirty, drunken, selfish old bastard." "I hate you!" "I hate you too, Rose-Ann." "You filthy, cheap, stinking whore!" "You mean, ugly, slobbering cow!" "I hate you both." "I hate everybody!" "Everybody in this lousy, stinking world!" "I hate them." "I hate them all!" "I hate them." "No-good men!" "No-good men!" "Oh, my darling." "Oh, my darling." " Who is it?" " I've got a message." " There's nobody home." " I've got a message for D'Arcey." " Mrs. D'Arcey ain't here." " Your name's Selina?" " My name is..." "Yeah, that's my name." " I got a message for you from my father." " Your father?" "For me?" " Yeah, Mr. Faber." "He said he had a phone call from your friend, from Mr. Ralfe." "He wanted to know if you were sick." "Are you sick?" "No." "No, I'm not sick." "He said he'd meet you tomorrow." "He said you'd understand." "I understand." "Oh, yes." "Yes." " Okay?" " Okay." "Thank you." "Papa said he had to go through the park tomorrow." "Wanna go?" " Yes!" "Tell your father, yes, please!" " Okay." "Goodbye, now." "Goodbye." "Bye." "Those eggs were great." "I think I'm going to hire you as a full-time cook." " You couldn't afford me." " I'll make my brother pay half." "I won't have you share me with Mark." "I'll give you my phone number." "You could have called yesterday and saved yourself grief." "It wouldn't have done no good." "We haven't got a phone." " There must be a pay phone nearby." " Maybe." "I'll walk you home today, and we'll find one." "I don't know how to phone, Gordon." "We'll take care of that too at the same time." " Oh, Gordon, I'm sorry." " It's all right." "It happens to me too." "I never break anything." "Really, I don't." "Why do I have to break something of yours?" "Just forget it." "Forget it." "Was that a kiss?" "That was a kiss." "kiss me again." "Oh, Gordon." "Gordon." "Oh, I wish I'd never been done over." " What did you say?" " Nothing." "I'm sorry." "You were much sinned against." "Are you angry with me?" "No." "Do you think I'm bad?" "Dirty?" "No, I don't." "I said what I did because I love you so much." "I know why you said it." "I'm glad you said it." "You brought me back to earth." "I didn't want you to come back to earth." "I wanted you to make love with me." "I know." "Thank you." "Wait." "Hey, can I try a puff?" "You won't like it." "Don't blow." "Draw." "I told you." "You really like that?" " It helps me to think." " Are you thinking now?" " I'm thinking about you, in fact." " Oh?" "What about me?" "You cannot go on living the way you are." "It's a Dark Age story." " I don't know what else I can do." " There must be some way." "I'm all right, Gordon, really I am." "I've never been so happy before." "We have to look ahead." "Things change." "I don't want anything to change." "I just wanna be with you." "That's just it." "You can't be with me all the time." "I don't want you to go on living with Rose-Ann either." "I'll think of something." "Now, if I'm gonna walk you home, it's time I got changed." "Hello." " This is a surprise." " Mark?" "I'm always finding you abandoned." "I don't know why you put up with it." " Don't you get mad at him?" " I could never get mad at Gordon." " Where is he this time?" " Changing his clothes." "Excuse me." "Hi." " You bring that girl here every day?" " No, it's the second time." " Maybe you better make it the last." " Wait." "Since when are you my keeper?" "I'm not, but I don't like to see you wasting your time either." "I think that girl comes from a trash heap." "Maybe, but she isn't trash." "Given half a chance, she could be something." " You planning on providing that chance?" " I think I can help." "How?" " Get her in a school." " You planning on educating a white girl?" "Let whitey educate his own women." "They've always given us a hard time." "Mark, let's not get into a political argument." "This is a personal matter." "Yeah, too personal for my liking." "What do you mean?" "Nobody takes this kind of interest if there isn't something in it." " You're off your stick." " Yeah?" "All right, then tell her." "Tell her she can never really mean anything to you." "On race and politics, we don't agree." "Let's drop this." "She can't fit in here." "If she could see, she'd know that." "I said, drop it." "Let me handle this my way." "This isn't your way." "Facts have always been facts to you." "No half-truths." "You've rammed that down my throat often enough." "Now go out and tell her the score, or I will." "Don't tell me what to do." "She doesn't have to know the score." "I want to get her settled somewhere first." "Is that clear?" "Yeah." "Make sure you can see the forest." "Make sure the trees aren't getting in the way." "Let's go." "I got it." "555-3268." " "555-3268."" " Right." "3268." "Now pick up the receiver." "Here's a dime." "To your left." " This one?" " That's the one." "Operator?" "I'm blind, and I can't read the dial." "Would you please get me 555 3268?" "Thank you." "They're doing it." "It's ringing." "The number doesn't answer." " It's a shame to trouble them." " Sorry, I wasn't in." "What's that?" "Well, your money comes back when nobody answers." "Here." "Hey!" " Here." " No, you keep it for good luck." " Now, you got that?" " Yes." " He ain't much trouble." " I'm not having that old buzzard." " I thought you'd be glad to lose him." " You don't mind Selina." " She can do the chores." " When can I see it, Sadie?" "I'll take you there tonight." "It's a swell place." "You'll love it." "How about that!" "Seventy-three." "You sure you can manage from here?" "I'll be fine, Gordon." " Bye." " Bye-bye." " She's getting to be a big girl now." " See you later." " Hello, Rose-Ann." "You're early." " You clean up this room today?" " Yes." "Yes, I did, Rose-Ann." " Don't lie to me." "You been out again?" " I cleaned up before I went out." " It doesn't look like it to me." "What's wrong?" "Tell me, and I'll fix it." "I'll tell you what's wrong." "I seen you with that nigger." " That what?" " That black man." "You know what I always told you about colored trash..." "I don't know the details." "My grandmother was..." "The man, he was from a different world." " And she?" " She was just a beautiful woman." "What you grinning at?" "What you been up to with him?" "He's teaching me things, wonderful things." "I bet you're learning some swell things from that black buck." "Shut up!" "Don't you dare say those ugly things about Gordon." "He's a lot better..." "Don't you tell me to shut up, you ungrateful little chippy!" "Hit me?" "!" "Your own mother?" "!" "That's what you're learning from your black boyfriend?" " I hate you!" " Lf I ever..." "If I ever catch you with him again, I'll beat..." " What the hell is going on?" " What are you trying to do to Selina?" " Stay out of this, you stupid drunk!" "Who are you calling stupid?" "Why, you three-buck broad, you!" "Okay, you black-hearted bitch if you wanna fight..." "You filthy old bum!" "In all my 35 years I never saw such a filthy old bum!" "My own father!" "Thirty-five years?" "Forty-five is more like it!" "And you look every bit of 45!" "You're a fat, 45-year-old whore!" "You'd do anything, anytime for a buck!" "And what wouldn't you do for a buck?" "!" "What wouldn't you do for a buck, you pig?" "!" "Cow!" "Selina!" "Selina!" "Oh, I knew it." "Get out!" "Selina!" "Get out of here!" "Get out!" "Hey, Ole Pa!" " In the kitchen." " What's going on here?" " Are you okay?" " Mind your own business!" "We thought you were trying to scream the whole building down." "We didn't, did we?" "This is a private argument, you..." " Come on, get out of our house!" " Keep your hands to yourself!" "Does he know what goes on across the hall when he's out working?" "Yeah, you!" "She wiggles her fat can at the grocer." "I got one of them." " Did you see the look on his face?" " We fixed them." "We fixed them good." " Stop that." "Stop it, Selina!" " Leave her be." "She's sick." "Come on, get up." "Get up." "I can't." " Come on." " Easy with her." "Oh, what a mess." " What are you sitting for?" "Clean it up." " What?" " You heard me." "She'll make it worse." " You do it." "She's your kid." "I'm going to take a bath." " I feel so sick, Ole Pa!" " Me too." "I'm an old man, Selina." "Too old." "I can't clean it up." "I'd like to, but I can't." "I'm going out to get plastered." "You understand, Selina?" "Don't go out." "Not tonight, Ole Pa." "I have to." "Sorry, Selina." "I'm a no-good, old drunk." "I'm a flop!" "Come on, out of it." "I've got a lot to do today." "I settled your hash too." "I killed two birds with one stone." " What do you mean?" " We're moving out of this dump." " Moving out?" "!" " Keep your voice down." "He don't have to know everything." " But why are we moving?" " Me and Sadie got plans." " You and Sadie?" " Quit talking like some parrot." "We got a new place." "Sadie says we can make some real dough." " Doing what?" " Don't ask stupid questions." "I got a chance to get out of that crummy job, and I ain't gonna miss it." "I don't want to go with Sadie." "Consider yourself lucky that she'll have you after what we seen." "Well, what about Ole Pa?" "Nothing about Ole Pa." "There ain't gonna be any room." "Couldn't I stay here and look after him?" "I don't wanna leave Ole Pa." "That would suit you, wouldn't it?" "No telling what you wouldn't get into." "Not a chance." "Here." "I see." "But you could take a girl of that age?" "Yes, I understand." "All right." "Yes." "I'll be there tomorrow at 3." "Thank you." "Thanks to you, I've seen the last of that place." "I told them what to do with the job." " Good." " I've been waiting to do it for years." "You should have seen the expression on their faces." "It's nice of you to give me a hand." "I have to pack all this stuff." "Well, we're partners now, ain't we?" "Can you believe it?" "After the smack I gave her last night?" "Get going on this stuff, honey." "I'll be back as soon as I can." "Come on, Speedy Gonzales, move it." "I told you the place." "There ain't any sense in me coming." "I wanna make sure." "Congratulations." "You made it." "Hello." "Oh, Gordon, I tried to phone you, but you weren't home." "Why?" "What happened?" "Well, Rose-Ann's taking me away." "I won't be able to get here anymore." " Where's she taking you?" " I don't know but she's leaving her job." "She's moving in with Sadie." "They're gonna start one of those places." "Well..." " Rose-Ann must be some dame." " Oh, she sure is." "Let's sit over here." "Just put the whole idea out of your mind." "How?" "I wonder what might happen to me in that place." "Forget it." "There are laws against what they have in mind." "A word in the right place will fix it." "The cops won't do anything." "The cops like Rose-Ann." "You don't know, so don't worry." "I can't help worrying while it hangs over me." "It is not hanging over you, not anymore." "Soon, I hope you'll be leaving Rose-Ann for good." " I've found a school for you." " A school?" "At my age?" "People go at all ages." "But if you can stop her starting her place, I won't need to go." "Things can stay the way they are." "The way things are, Selina, isn't good enough." "You want to learn how to live properly, don't you?" "Yes, I do." " But this school, is it far away?" " Not too far." "I'll be with strangers." "They'll laugh at me." "I don't think they will." " Isn't there something else we can do?" " I think this is best." " Will I still be able to see you?" " Of course." " Okay?" " Okay." "I think it's about time you fixed me lunch." " Okay, Gordon." " Come on." "Jeepers." "I nearly forgot." "There's something I gotta get." " I'm gonna miss my lunch." " Oh, come on." "I hope it's still okay." "Defy me again, would you?" "You little tramp!" " Wait a minute!" " As for you, I should call a cop." "That wouldn't be a bad idea." "What?" "Wait till I get you home, blabbermouth." "Oh, let me go!" "That's all right." "It's all right." " Take your hands off my kid!" " Leave her alone, Mrs. D'Arcey!" "Did you see that?" "He struck me." "He struck me." "You can't get away with this." "That's my daughter he's got there." "That's my daughter." "Hey!" "Ain't anybody gonna do nothing?" "Selina!" "You come back here." "You'll realize what you're doing!" "You fool!" "You blind little fool!" "Come back here!" "You..." "Whose side are you on?" "Don't you care what happens to the kid?" "She ain't a kid anymore, Rose-Ann." " Selina?" " Yes, Gordon?" "What are you doing in the dark?" "Oh, I'm sorry." "It's okay." "Ole Pa's always doing that." "Well, it's all set." "They can take you tonight." "They're sending a school bus for you." "They'll call when it's on its way." "Oh, I put the kettle on." "I thought you'd like some coffee." "They asked how old you were." "I said 18." "Is that right?" "Yes, April 23." "Look, you must..." "Gordon Ralfe." "Yes, that's right." "Thank you." "Yes, she'll be ready." "That was the school." " The bus is on its way." " Already?" "When will I be able to see you?" "I'll be around." "Are you married already?" "What do you mean, "already"?" "I mean, I thought..." "Well, you've never said you were married and I was thinking if you were already married, then that's why..." "I'm sorry." "I shouldn't have asked." " Please be tolerant." " It's all right." "You can ask me anything." "No, I'm not married." " I've never been married." " Then, why don't you...?" " Why don't I ask you to marry me?" " Just marry." "You don't have to ask." "Come." "We'll take these inside." "I want to talk about something before the bus arrives." "I'm not wrong, am I?" "You do love me, don't you?" "Of course." "Gordon, you've gone away from me." "Everything is changing." "No, I haven't." "I thought you'd gone away." "Sit down." "There are many kinds of love." "Most have nothing to do with marriage." "You don't wanna marry me?" "There are reasons why it wouldn't work." "Because of my being blind?" "Because of where I come from?" "You'll meet many new people, men and women." "You'll see things differently, and after a time, you'll be able to tell." "We'll be able to tell if what we feel has anything to do with marriage." " How long is all this gonna take?" " Let's say a year from today." "A year?" "A year's forever." "I couldn't hold out longer than a week." "A year is not forever." "Now listen to me for a minute." "I want to tell you something about me." "I know everything I need to know about you." "I love you." "I know you're good and kind." " I know you're colored." " What's that?" "And I think you're beautiful." "Beautiful?" "Most people would say the opposite." "That's because they don't know you." "It's time to say goodbye, Selina." "Oh, Gordon, do I really have to go?" "Yes, darling." "For a while." " How did you learn about me?" " Rose-Ann saw us together yesterday." " Do you want me to come with you?" " And have to say goodbye again?" " Miss Selina D'Arcey?" " She's ready." "[ENGLISH]"