"Well!" "Gee, it's good to see you!" "Hey, you'll catch your death of cold." "Go on, get in there." " Gosh, you're looking well, Ma." " Oh, so are you, George." "Well, I got a little cold, but I'm all right." "I think you look better than you did five or six months ago." "You looked a little peaked then, I thought." " I see the others got here before me." " Yes." "Your pa's waitin' for you, though." "What do you mean, Ma?" "Say, what is this gathering of the clan?" " Well, I'd rather Pa told you." " Hm-hm." " How's Anita and the baby?" " Oh, they're just fine." "Only Rhoda isn't a baby any more." "She's thinking of going to college." "Oh!" "Oh, Pa, here's George." "Well, there's a familiar sight, Pa in the same old chair." " Hello, George." " Don't get up, don't get up." "Gee, it's good to see you, Pa." "Gosh, I haven't seen you since..." "Well, it's been too long, anyway." "I don't know." "We plan, we plan..." " Hello, Nellie." " Hello, George." "As for you, you know, I don't know when I saw you last." "Oh, I forgot." "I can't kiss you, Cora." "I got a nasty little cold." "I shouldn't have kissed you either." "♪ M is for the million things She gave me." "♪ O means only that she's growing old." "♪ Oh, yes, T is for the tears She shed to save me" "♪ H is for her heart of purest gold..." "Hello, folks." "♪ E is for her eyes with love light shining" "♪ R means right, and right she'll always be" "♪Always be" "♪ Put them all together" "♪ They spell Mother" "♪ A word that means the world to... ♪ Rurr-bink-a-dam Ba-dam-dam, bang-bang!" "♪" " Mother." " Robert." " Here you are, Mother." " No, dear." "That don't go with standing over a hot stove." "OK, it'll just be two for me." "How about you, George?" "You're still the best-looking one in the family, Robert." "Yeah?" "The day I was born, Pop took one look at me and said," ""That did it." "No more Coopers!"" "Cora?" "Here you are, Nellie." "Oh!" "I got somethin' on you, Nellie." " Here ya are, Pa." " Thanks." "Try that on your ulcer." "Wait a minute, now." "Nobody drink." "I always make it a point to drink to somethin'." "Let's see." "Now, let me think." "Don't think too hard, Robert." "You might hurt yourself." " Oh..." " Why, Pa!" "Let's see now, uh..." "Here's to our house, through sunshine or showers, be it ever so humble, by golly, it's ours." " Good, huh, Pop?" " Yeah." "Ah, it's all right." "Only the last line don't make sense." " Does it, Ma?" " No." " You see, the house..." " Don't tell 'em now, Bark." " Wait till after dinner." " What is it?" "Why not now?" "That's why we got 'em down here." "You see, the house isn't ours any more." " The bank is taking it over." " The bank?" " You mean you've lost it?" " Oh, that's awful!" " Bank?" "Well, there's a bank for you!" " What happened, Father?" "Well, as you know, I haven't been working for, uh..." "Well, it's almost four years now." " That's right, ain't it, Ma?" "Four years?" " Four years, 5th June, Pa." "And with everything going out and nothing coming in," "I couldn't keep up the payments." "So long as I never sent them anything, they sent for me." "The head of the bank, Randy Dunlap, asked me to drop in to his house for a little chat." "You remember him?" "Randy Dunlap?" "He used to keep company with your mother before I cut him out." "Bark!" "So, I dropped in and he asked me to sit down." "George, do you know what he was wearing?" "A kimono." " No!" " Yeah." "Oh, now, Bark." "It must have been a dressing gown." "I know a dressing gown when I see it." "It was a kimono, George." "Well, he asked me to sit down." "Then he offered me a cigar." " Do dressing gowns have... flowers on 'em?" " Oh, Bark!" " Never mind that, Father." "What did he say?" " Oh, he was nice enough." "He put his arm around me and he said, "Bark, I hate to have to do this to you. "" "But deep down in his heart, I think he was saying, "Goody. "" "Oh, now, Bark." "He did say that we could take our time about moving out." "Yeah, he did." " How much time did he give you, Father?" " Six months." "Oh!" "Oh, well, then, there's no immediate rush." "When are the six months up?" "Tuesday." "But... but why didn't you tell us sooner?" "Well, your father and I were hoping that something would turn up and we wouldn't have to tell you at all." "Tuesday." "Doesn't give us much time, does it?" "Well, this house has been too big for your mother to take care of anyway." "Yeah, Father, but what I mean is, if we'd known sooner, we could have all chipped in and found you a little place somewhere." "Or..." "I know Nellie will tell you Harvey's business never was worse." "That's right." "You'd be surprised if you knew how bad things are." "Oh, sure." "Who gave you that dress, the Salvation Army?" "And Cora will tell you that if Bill doesn't get a job soon, she'll have to go to work herself." "And, uh..." "Yeah." "Well, I can't do it alone." "And there's no point in writing to Addie, way out there in California." "No, she's never even sent us an orange." "And in as much as Anita and I are planning to send Rhoda to college, now, the only thing I can suggest is that you come to live with one of us until we get ourselves straightened out." "No, your father and I were talking about that, and we..." "I know what you're thinking about, Mother, but you're more than welcome with any one of us." "Now, Nellie, after all, there's only you and Harvey." "Yes, but what about Harvey?" " Oh, we wouldn't want to ask Harvey." " Oh, no, we wouldn't ask Harvey." "No, we asked Harvey to marry Nellie." "We can't expect the guy to do more than that." "Father, will you make him stop talking like that?" "Robert, stop talking that way." "Cut it out, Robert." "I haven't room for both of you." "There's only a small couch in the living room." "Mother, there's an extra bed in Rhoda's room, and she'd love to have you." "If Father doesn't mind going to Cora's for a while, why don't you come on a visit to us?" "Well, that's awfully nice of you, George, but, well, your father and I thought that no matter what happened, we'd always be t..." "Oh, well, never mind what we thought." "Nellie, can't you and Harvey..." "Yes, I can." "I plan to do more than you and Cora." "I can practically promise that within three months they'll be together again." "Of course, I'll have to speak to Harvey about it." "Will you put that in writing, Nellie?" "Well, that's more like it." "Well, I..." "I guess everything's settled." "Mother comes for a visit to us and Father goes to Cora's for a while, hm?" "Well, Bark?" " Maybe it'll work out all right." " Sure." "It'll be very nice living with the children for a while." "Of course." " Yeah, except..." " Except what?" "Except it never has worked out for anybody else." " Father, there's nothing to worry about." " Now, Bark, you ought not to say that." "Well?" "And what are you up to?" "I just had a feeling that Grandpa's picture really belonged in here." "Oh, you did?" "Yesterday it was this old, ancient antique, and today it's Grandpa's picture." "Oh, I've got Grandma in my room, and that's enough." "I know how you love your own room, honey." "It's tough on all of us." "Even Grandma, you know." "But it'll only be for three months, and then Aunt Nellie will take her." "Well, OK." "I'll have Mamie take these things back to my room." "Oh, bridge class tonight?" "Mob of them." "By the way, I haven't seen any of your friends lately." "What's the matter?" "Grandma." "She talks an arm off everyone I bring around." "I know." "I've had a taste of it." "But you must bring your friends home." "I won't have you going out with boys I've never met." " Hello, everybody." " Hello, George." " Hello, Daddy!" " Dear." "Oh, you're gonna put Pa's picture in here!" "That's fine." "Mm." "Darling." "Oh, say, what about Mother tonight, with this bridge and everything?" "She's going to be in the way, isn't she?" "Wait." "Is she asleep?" "Hope I don't get Harvey." "Oh, hello, Harvey." "Hiya, boy." "Put Nellie on, will you, Harvey?" "Nellie." "It's George." "Hello, George." "Oh, hello, Nellie." "I..." "Nellie, Anita's having her bridge class tonight." "And I know Mother's going to be bored to distraction." "I thought..." "Oh, I..." "I'm so sorry, but Harvey's bought some theatre tickets for tonight." "Well, you know how it is." "We have to entertain the people he does business with, and I guess that's what it is tonight." "Oh, no, no, George, I couldn't possibly take Mother tonight." " Tell him you can't take her any time." " Shh!" "What's the use of stalling?" "I'm not going to have your parents here." " George, I would if I could." " But you can't." " Will you shut up?" " You'll have to tell him sooner or later." " What, George?" "Just a minute, George." " I married you." "I didn't marry your folks." "I didn't ask my mother to live here, did I?" " Did I?" " What, George?" " Oh, George, I am willing to do my part." " No roof is big enough for two families." "No, George, no, I couldn't possibly take Mother tonight." "I'm sorry." "Goodbye." "Satisfied?" "Incidentally, who are we going out with tonight?" "My mother." "But that's different." "I..." "Hm." "I was so afraid it was someone I didn't like." "Mother just won't fit in at all, will she?" "You don't suppose she'd stay in her room, do you?" "No." "I don't see how we could..." "Oh, hello, Mother." "It's Mother." "George, I never heard such nonsense in all my life, trying to get Nellie to take me, and talk of me staying in my room." " It's only because you'd be bored." " Well, don't you worry about me." "Folks'd think it was pretty funny if I wasn't around." " They'd think you were ashamed of me." " Ho-ho." "George was only trying to be kind to you, dear." "My bridge pupils drive him mad." "I guess you won't ever have to explain George to his mother." "Oh, Pa's picture." "You gonna put it in here?" "Aw, that's fine." "Another day has gone by and no word from him." "Do you suppose he's all right?" "Of course he's all right." "We'd hear fast enough if he were ill." "Well, I guess that's true." "Is, uh... my tuxedo laid out?" " Yes." "I couldn't find your shirt." " Did you send it to the laundry?" " No." " I did." " But, Mother..." " I took it to the laundry around the corner." "They've got a sign in the window, "Bring your own bundle and save 20 per cent. "" " Yes, but we..." " Besides, George, your shirts haven't looked as crisp and fresh as they should." "These people do lovely work." "Yes, except that I won't have a shirt for tonight." " Well, I didn't know that." " Now look here, Mother C." " I know you like to look after George." " Yes." " Well, so do I." " Of course." "And though I don't do much talking about it, I like to run my house too." " Oh, well, I only wanted to help." " Of course." "And you're so busy playing bridge..." "I don't play bridge, I teach bridge." "There's a difference that you'd notice if you had to meet the bills of this apartment." "Well, it's all very simple." "I'll just run out and buy another shirt." "Mm-hm." "Oh, well." "I guess I'm not much help around here." "Oh, Mother C!" " I could make the sandwiches, couldn't I?" " They're coming from the delicatessen." " It's cheaper to make 'em at home." " I know." "But we couldn't do so well." "These are going to be fancy." "How fancy can a sandwich be?" "You'll see." "Any bid made subsequently to an opponent's bid is known as an overcall or a defensive bid." "An overcall may be made with a much weaker hand than an original bid, a fact which the partner must bear in mind." "As a rule, it is inadvisable to make an overcall on two of a four-card suit or to overcall with a no-trump bid without a double-stopper in the suit bid by the opponent." "It requires more strength..." "I know you'll forgive me if I interrupt myself for a moment, but I do so want you all to meet my husband's mother." "How do you do?" "Well, um... anyway... suppose we, um... play the hands?" "Uh... suppose we play them." " I'll bid one spade." " One spade." " One spade." " Two hearts." "She didn't show up, so I'm playing this." "Three spades." "Do you play cards?" "Well, it's, uh... it's funny, but, you know, with a teacher right here in the family," "I don't believe I could ever learn to play bridge." "Well, maybe a little hearts." "I used to play a lot with my husband." "I always gave him the Queen of Spades." "We called her Dirty Dora." "Say, by the way, that's a good heart hand." "And you haven't got Dora." "Let's see who has." "Oh!" "You!" "Honey, you're going to the movies alone tonight, aren't you?" " Well, aren't you?" " Uh-huh." "If you love me, if I've ever done anything for you that you appreciated even a little bit, for heaven's sake, take your grandmother with you." "Oh, that's no fair." "And anyway, she likes the company here." "Well, maybe I can fix that." "Mother C, Rhoda's set on going to the pictures tonight." "Do you think it's all right if she goes alone?" " Oh, I should say not." " That's what I thought." "Would you go with her?" "Or would that be too much of a responsibility?" "Why, anything I can do to help you, dear, I'll be glad." "What a load off my mind!" "Will you tell Rhoda?" " Why, certainly." " Thank you, dear." "Can you give me a rough idea of what the picture's about?" "Yeah." "It's the old gag about the guy that takes the blame for a job his pal done." "The pal's a rat and lets the nice guy go to the pen." "But when he's dyin', the rat confesses and the boy and girl wind up..." " Well, is it sad in any place?" " Some of 'em cry when his dog dies." " Thanks!" " There's a newsreel and "Betty Boop"." "Oh." "There you are." " It was a good show, wasn't it?" " Yes." "I liked the boy very much." "Didn't you?" "Why, I don't know." "I only caught a swift glimpse of him as you got out of his car." "As I got..." "Oh." "You saw me." "Mm." "Are you gonna tell?" "Are you gonna do it again?" "Uh-uh." "Are you gonna tell?" "No." " Oh, here's your mother." " Oh!" "Hello, Mother." " Hello." " Like the picture?" " Oh, it was fine." " Uh-huh." "A little sad in places, but it had a happy ending." "Uh, a young man was taking the blame for his friend, who wasn't a very strong character." "But the girl believed in the young man." "The nice young man, I mean." "And you know, no matter how black things looked..." "I guess I shouldn't be telling you this, 'cause it might spoil the picture for you." "Oh, I guess I should go to bed." "It must be after 11." " What time do you got?" " Why, I have only 10.30." "Oh." "Well, then, I can stay a little while." "Excuse me, please." "Hello." "Oh, hello, Father C. Just a minute." "I forgot." "He called while you were out." "Hello?" "Is that you, Bark?" "This is Lucy, Bark!" "How are ya?" "I say, how are ya?" "Well, I was worried about you." "Why didn't you write?" "You ought to write." "You know I worry." "Oh, I'm fine." "I got some friends in tonight, playing cards." "Oh, some lovely people, Bark." "How's Cora?" "How are the children?" "Really?" "Well, how's Bill?" "Well, how are you, Bark?" "You know what I mean." "How is everything?" "Oh, of course, of course." "But three months isn't so long, Bark." "Bark, it's getting cool now." "Don't go out without your coat." "And if it rains, don't go out at all." "Oh, I'm..." "I'm happy as a lark." "Course, I..." "I miss you, Bark." "That's the only trouble." "I know you do." "Uh... don't forget what I told ya." "We'll soon be together for always." "And you won't worry, will ya?" "And please take care of yourself." "Uh... it's been good to hear your voice, Bark." "Must have cost you a lot to call me." "Well, that's... that's a lot." "You could have bought yourself a..." "a good, warm scarf for that." "All right, Bark." "Goodbye, Bark." "Goodbye... my dear." "I guess I'll go to bed, if you'll all excuse me." "I'm tired." " Good night, everybody." " Good night." "Good night, Mother." "Sorry." "Very sorry, Mrs Carr." "Ah, how are you today, Mr Cooper?" "I'll be with you in a minute." "And then when you order the paper by the week, Mrs Carr," "I save it for you no matter how many people are asking for it, and that way there are no disappointments." "All right." "Shall I pay weekly or monthly?" "Well, if you are honest by the week, I guess you can be honest by the month too." " So we'll make it by the week." " All right." "Saved the paper for you, all right, Mr Cooper." "Yeah?" "Well, I can't read it." "I broke my glasses again." "Oh!" "What did Cora say this time?" "You should have heard her." "Or maybe you did." "She hollered loud enough." "And you say it is nice to live with your children, huh?" "Well, yes, it is, Mr Rubens, in a way." "I hope I didn't give you the wrong impression about Cora." "She's a fine girl." "I guess I'm pretty bothersome to have around." "Ah." " Well, what do you want?" " I want a stick of gum." "Take it from the counter." "All in all, my children are pretty fine and I'm proud of 'em." "I'm proud of mine too." "They leave me alone." "They don't need me, and I don't need them." "I got enough to live from my store, and I got my Sarah, and I make a little music with my violin." "That's all I want from life, and I got it." "Well, my life is just the same as yours, except I don't have a store, my wife is 300 miles away, and I..." "I can't play the violin." "Hey, hey, hey." " Ha-ha-ha-ha!" " Heh-heh-heh!" "Go on, go on." "You know I sometimes think that children should never grow past the age when you have to tuck 'em into bed every night." "That's right." "When they get older and you can't give them as much as other children, they're ashamed of you." "And when you give them everything and put them through college" " they're ashamed of you." " Yeah." "I guess the world is filled with what you call schmi... schmills..." "Schlemiels!" "And somebody has to raise 'em." " Ah." " Mm-hm." "What do you want?" "Have you "Sincere Confessions" for November?" " Yes, ma'am." " Ah." "Thank you." "Are you gonna be nice to your mother when you grow up?" " Jimmy, why don't you answer the man?" " What do I say?" "Oh!" "You say yes, of course!" "I'll miss our talks when you go away, Mr Cooper, but I'll be glad for you." " You'll be with your wife again." " Thanks." "And I'll be with her soon." "Maybe you could be sooner with her, and right in this town." "Huh?" "There's a lawyer, Mr Hunter, from New York." "He just bought the Harrison farm, and he'll need caretakers, a man and his wife." " Caretakers?" " I hear about things, you know." "Oh, I wouldn't want to ask my wife to do that." "Anyway, my children would have a fit." "So let them have a fit." "You and your wife would be together and you would earn your own living again." "It's nice of you to suggest it, but you understand, don't you?" "What difference does it make?" "Maybe it would be a home for the rest of your life." "But, say, everybody's got to do what they think is best." "Mr Rubens, I, uh..." "I wonder if you'd do me a favour." "Sure." "Why not?" "Uh... it's from my wife." "I..." "Would you read it to me, on account of my..." "Is that a favour, Mr Cooper?" " Ready?" " Uh-huh." ""Thursday night." ""Dear Bark, I've been thinking of you all day" ""and have wanted to talk to you worse than ever before. "" ""They say that you don't miss people so much after a while," ""but I think I miss you more than I did at the beginning of our separation." ""Do you realise that when you get this letter it will be George's 46th birthday?" ""It seems like yesterday he was born." ""We were so happy then that it hurts to remember it." ""I hate to give in and sound so weak," ""but you understand me and won't think less of me," ""and this is just between us two. "" "Yeah." ""Harvey and Nellie know a woman who is in the home for the aged women here." ""They thought it would be nice for me to know her," ""so that I would have someone my own age to talk to." ""So Nellie took me there to meet her." ""Oh, Bark, that home for the aged is so dreary and dismal." ""It was all I could do not to ask Mrs Timmons how she stood it." ""Nellie kept saying how lovely the place was." ""I thought she said it to cheer Mrs Timmons up, but she kept saying it after we left," ""so I guess she really thought it was nice. "" "I guess those places must be terrible." "Go ahead." ""Poor Nellie." "She hasn't been herself at all lately." ""Her doctor wants her to have a complete change." "Nellie said Europe." ""She's very worried, not about herself, but..." ""but because that would mean she couldn't take us like she promised." ""But I told Nellie her health comes first." ""Oh, Bark dear," ""if only something would turn up so that we could be together." ""I love you so that... "" "Maybe you'd better wait until you have your glasses fixed." "Mama." "Sarah!" "So, what do you want?" "I just wanted to look at you, Mama." "To look at me?" "With all the work to be done, you just wanted to look at me?" "Yes, Mama." "I wanted to make sure you were here." "I..." "I broke my glasses this morning." "Would you mind telling me if there's any bookkeepers wanted there?" "No." "Why?" "Were you a bookkeeper?" "I am a bookkeeper." "Well, you see, before she come here, when you all went out at night, I always had the nights off." "But, uh... well, all I mean is, if this keeps up, I may have to seek other employment." "Mamie, Mrs Cooper doesn't stay up very late." "Wait until she gets to sleep, and then you can have the night off." "All right?" "All right with me." "But she ain't sleepy." "Oh, you're all ready to go." "My, you both look awful nice!" " Thank you, Mother C. You'll be all right?" " Of course." " Well, good night, Mother." " Good night." "Sure you'll be all right?" "Rhoda's going out too." "This isn't the first time you've left me alone." "Go ahead." "Don't worry about me." "But you'll be busy with your rug, won't you?" "Well, no, my head started to ache a little while ago and I think I'll stop." "I'll find something to do." "There's always the radio." "Oh, no, it isn't working, is it?" "Well, I'd forgotten." "No matter." "You go ahead and enjoy yourselves." "Don't you even think about me." " Well, good night, Mother." " Good night, dear." "There's bicarbonate in the house, isn't there?" "I feel just a mite as though I'd have a little dyspepsia tonight." "I know how you feel." "Yes, dear, there's bicarbonate in the medicine chest." " Well, just so I know, in case it gets bad." " Well, maybe we'd better stay." "Oh, no!" "You go right ahead and enjoy yourselves." "We will." " Good night, dear." " Good night." "Maybe if you take a little walk, huh?" "Can't, on account of my arches." "Oh." "Good night, Mother." "Good night." "Mamie!" " Yes, ma'am?" " You can have the night off." "Oh, thank you very much." "Good night." "Oh, hi." "I hope the boy you're going out with tonight will get you home earlier, Rhoda." "He's not a boy." "He's 35." "Thirty what?" "Well, that's a dangerous companion for a young girl." "Oh, you think so, huh?" "I guess you haven't been out with any collegians lately." "But at least among the boys your own age, you'll find the one you'll fall in love with and want to marry." "I'm going to look around a bit before I get married." "But a man doesn't want a girl that runs around with everybody." "I've seen plenty of swell fellows walk down the aisles with girls that had done everything but murder." "Why, men get together and talk about girls." "Yeah, and then they all make a dash for the one that's been mentioned the most." "Next lecture at half past Tuesday." "Well, I won't be pickin' on you much longer." "You'll soon have your room to yourself again, Rhoda." "Have you got some kind of a plan, Grandma?" "Well, I haven't, but your grandpa has." "His letter says that he's, uh... negotiating a piece of business with some lawyer, and if it works out satisfactory, then everything is gonna be all right." "Oh." "What's the matter?" "Why kid yourself, Grandma?" "You know he can't get a job." "He's... he's much too old." "Well, I still have faith in your grandpa's ability." "That's just fooling yourself." "Why don't you face facts, Grandma?" "Oh, Rhoda." "When you're 17 and the world's beautiful facing facts is just as slick fun as dancing or going to parties." "But when you're 70..." "well, you don't care about dancing, and you don't think about parties any more." "And about the only fun you have left is pretending that there ain't any facts to face." "So would you mind if I just kind of went on pretending?" "Grandma?" "I..." "I didn't mean to..." "Oh, I..." "I know, honey." "Why don't you try to relax?" "You'll wear yourself to a frazzle." "But she could telephone or something." "Don't you see?" "Something terrible must have happened." "I know Rhoda so well." "I know she wouldn't do a thing like this willingly." "She must have met with an accident." "I'll finish dressing in case George wants me for anything." "Hello." "Yes?" "This is Mrs Cooper." "What?" "Don't talk so fast." "You don't want me?" "Uh... hello?" "It was for you." "Well, why didn't you let me talk?" "She hung up." "She called about Rhoda." " What did she say?" "How is she?" " Oh, uh..." "I'll tell you." "Oh, dear." "Oh, my, oh, my." "You don't know how awful I feel about this, Anita." "Let's not talk about it, if you don't mind, at least not until we know more." "Well, I just got to talk about it." "I feel a little guilty." "I feel that I'm to blame a little bit." "You see, I could have told you, and maybe I should have told you." "Told me what?" "Well, that Rhoda isn't always just absolutely honest." "One night when she and I went to the movies, she met a boy." "You didn't know." " Why didn't you tell me then?" " Well, I promised Rhoda." "You promised Rhoda?" "What right had you to assume that responsibility?" " Rhoda promised that she'd never..." " What Rhoda promised is beside the point." "What right have you to keep Rhoda's actions a secret from me?" " She's my child, not yours." " Well, you were so busy with your..." "Oh, I'm so busy with my bridge and things." "I thought we'd get to that sooner or later." "So, this is all my fault because I try to make a few extra dollars." "If it's anybody's fault, I know who to blame." "Why do you suppose Rhoda stopped inviting her friends here to the house?" "Why do you suppose she started meeting them on the outside?" "I'm going to tell you!" "You like to entertain them!" "They were her friends, and you did all the talking!" "Why, Anita, I didn't know I was doing anything wrong." "You must have known you were doing something wrong when you deliberately concealed Rhoda's actions from me." "You must have known you were doing something that you had no right to do." "You raised five children of your own." "You might let me raise one." " But you've got to butt in." "You've got to..." " Anita!" "I'm sorry." "I know how you feel." "You're worried about Rhoda, so there won't be any hard feelings." "I'll be glad when you go back to work." "I wish your mother was here." "She'd get me on my feet so quick, it'd make your head swim." "You've only got a little cold." "What's the good of worrying Mother?" " Oh..." " Who on earth's that?" " Well, it must be the doctor." " Good heavens!" "He got here quick enough." "No, but..." "Wait a minute." " Come on." " Huh?" " Come on." " All right." " Good morning, Doctor." " Good morning, Mr Payne." "Who's ill?" "This way, Doctor." "Here he is." "Hm." "So this is the patient." "He's shivering." "You would, too, if you'd run through the house in your nightshirt with bare feet." " I, uh..." "I wouldn't let him do that." " No." "Your mother knows more about medicine than all these young doctors put together." "Ha-ha." "Ha-ha." "Well, we'll, uh..." "We'll have a look at him." "When a man's sick, he don't want a..." "How long have you been practising'?" "Oh, for several, uh..." "That is, for some time now." "How did you come to take it up?" "Why, my father's one of the biggest doctors in this city." "Why didn't you get his father?" "I'm sick." "Put that thermometer back in your mouth!" "Cora!" "Excuse me, Doctor." "I wanted to talk to you when your old man wasn't around." "You think we ought to send for your mother?" "I'm kind of sorry for him." "So am I, but we haven't got room." "Once we got 'em both, we've got 'em." "George would try and talk us into keeping 'em." "Nellie's run out on her." "I burn when I think of her." "And Addie's doing nothing to help." "Yeah." "What about Addie?" "Hm." "What about her?" "It's only a little over a hundred." "If it goes any higher, will you send for his dad?" " Now we'll do a little listening." " Hm?" "Sit up, please." " I suppose I'll get pneumonia now." " That's it." "Hm." "Ooh!" "That thing is cold as ice." "Take a deep breath." "Say 99." "What for?" "That can't cure a cold." "I'd rather say 23 to you, but I guess you're too young to know that means "skidoo. "" "Father, behave yourself and say 99." "Darned if I will." "I'd feel foolish." "I'm too old to play games with the neighbours' youngsters, Cora." " You mustn't mind him, Doctor." " That's quite all right." "Going around as I do, I run into all kinds of patients." "Come on, Mr Cooper, say 99." "I will not, and I'll bet you haven't got many patients." "I've had lots of colds, and I always got over 'em all right before." "And I never had to say... that number." "All right." "Now we'll listen to your heart." "Yeah." "I didn't say it." " Yes?" "What do you want?" " Excuse me." "My name is Max Rubens." "I have the paper store down on Graham Street." "We have a boy who delivers 'em." "I..." "I wasn't trying to do business." "But it is always a good idea, huh?" " You're Cora, no?" " Yes." "Mm-hm." "Your father speaks of you." "It's on account of him I come like this." "I heard he was sick." " A slight cold." "It's nothin'." " Oh." "Could I see him?" "The doctor don't want him to have any visitors." "Visitors would upset him." "It's more likely your father would upset the visitors." "Certainly they won't hurt him." " All right." "If the doctor says so." "Go ahead." " Thank you." "Right in there." " What's the matter, Doctor?" " Nothing to be alarmed about, Mrs Payne." "I..." "I was looking at your father's throat, and he bit me." "I'm sorry." "Keep him in bed and put mustard plasters on his chest." "About his cold..." "This winter weather and everything." "Wouldn't it be a good idea if I sent him to California?" "I..." "I'd think it'd be a good idea if you could send him almost anywhere." "I felt sure you'd say that, Doctor." "All along, I felt that Father couldn't stand these awful winters, and California'd be better." " It certainly is wonderful soup, Mr Rubens." " Sure." "Yeah, I can feel it warming me all over." "Sure it's wonderful." "My wife made it as soon as she heard you were sick." " Hm?" " Just like me, she wants you to get well." "Yeah." "That's nice of her." "Now, if somebody would only call up my wife." "But your daughter can take good care of you, and maybe she don't want her mother around, kibitzing." "You know how it is." " Now, I've got to fix your mustard plaster." " Mm." " What are you eating?" " Some soup Mrs Rubens made for me." " Wasn't that nice?" " That's fine, isn't it?" "Mm." "You bet it is." "The neighbours think I don't feed you properly, I guess." " Hm?" " Don't eat it." "How do I know what's in it?" "There's nothing in that soup but good chicken." " Mm-hm." " When my Sarah makes..." "Your Sarah can mind her own business." "I cook for my father." "You should live until you can cook like my Sarah." "Oh?" "Don't put any more of that in your stomach." "Yeah." "I'm afraid it's all gone, Cora." "You mean you ate all this mess?" "Mrs Payne, for myself I don't care." "Mm-hm." "But my Sarah, when she makes a soup, a king can eat it, and she worked..." "You can tell your Sarah if he's sick tonight, she can come take care of him." " Goodbye, Mr Cooper." " Goodbye." "And thanks for coming." "And thanks for the..." "Thanks." "What's the matter with you?" "Nothing." " Will you please stop worrying, Mother?" " Oh, I can't." "But Cora said his temperature is normal tonight." "But it may be up again tomorrow." "Anyway, your father doesn't like his doctor." "Look, Mother, his temperature is normal tonight." "But it may be up again tomorrow." "Isn't this where we came in?" "Shut up." "Mother, will you please stop borrowing trouble?" "Oh, dear." "I guess I'll go see how Anita is." "Uh... no, no, no." "I'd better go, Mother." "Hm?" "Now, stop it, honey." " You're just going to make yourself ill." " I can't seem to help it." "But Mrs Claire promised to keep Rhoda's name out of the case." "Everything is going to be all right." "It's you that I'm worried about." "Gosh, I never saw you give in so completely." "But everything's gone wrong." "I care as much about your mother as any daughter-in-law can, but..." " What's Mother got to do with it?" " Well, didn't she tell you that I..." "Oh, yes, she said something about an argument, but never mind that, dear." "But there's no place for your mother to go, now that Nellie's backed out." "And Rhoda positively refuses to bring her friends home while she's here." " What are we going to do?" " I don't know." "I don't know." "Take this business today, it never would have happened if Rhoda had been able to entertain her friends at home as she used to." "I used to know all of Rhoda's men friends and what was going on, but now..." "I know." "Rhoda used to have the house full of her friends." "She's got to have them again, George." "She's got to." "Don't you see?" "What happened today is just a sample." "She'll be leaving us next." " Oh, no, no." " Oh, yes, she will." "She'll get a job and an apartment of her own." " Those things happen, don't they?" " And we're helpless to stop it." "We can't turn your mother out into the streets, and yet she's driving Rhoda..." "I know." "I..." "I know." " Maybe..." " What, dear?" "Hm?" "Oh, nothing." "Nothing." " Did I awaken you, Grandma?" " It doesn't matter." " Is there any mail?" " I think so." " Good evening, Mother C." " Hello, Ma." "Hi." "Rhoda." "I spoke to your father today, George." "He told me that he's perfectly well again." "Yes." "We've got to keep him well, Mother." "The trouble is, that can't be done in this climate." "Cora's doctor says that Father positively has to go where there are no hard winters, and we thought, on account of Addie living in California..." "He's going out there to live?" "Just for a little while, for his health, dear." "Oh, of course." "I want him to be well." "There isn't anything I..." "I want as much, unless it's that you children should be healthy and happy." "Cora thought that Addie would take you both." "Addie says she can't." "As long as she takes Father, that's enough." "Well..." "He'll be leaving soon?" "I guess so." "Maybe I'll be able to see him to say goodbye?" "Oh." "Of course." "Mother." "There's something else I've got to tell you." "Well, there's something I'd like to say to you first." "Let me do it while I can." "You tell me later." "Well, it's only this." "I don't want to hurt your feelings, but I haven't been too happy here." "It's lonesome in this apartment with everybody gone all day." "Uh... would you mind terribly if I decided to leave you to go to the Idylwild Home?" "Well, it's a fine place." "I'd meet friends my own age, and..." " But, Mother, I didn't..." " No, now, let me finish, dear." "Once I thought that your father and I might get together again, but, well, I..." "I see that it'll never turn out that way." "So I want to go to the home." "Well, I'm glad that's over." "I hated to tell you as much as you would have hated to tell me anything like that." "Oh, there's just one more thing, dear." "I'd like to stay here until your father's on his way to California." "He's funny about things, you know." "He'd never believe that the home was a grand place." "He's a little old-fashioned, Father is." "Those places seem terrible to him." "He must never know that I'm going." "And you tell Cora and Nellie and the others that he must never know." "This is one thing that has to be handled my way." "Yes, Mother." "Just let him go on thinking that I'm living with you and Anita." "You can always forward my letters." "It'll be the first secret I've ever had from him." "It'll..." "It'll seem mighty funny." "Oh, well." "Here's another little secret, just between us two." "You were always my favourite child." "Well, that's that." "As the years go by, you can always look back on this day and be mighty proud of me." "Take it easy there." " Oh, come in, Mamie." " Thank you." " You going down to meet the bus, huh?" " Mm-hm." "And won't you be glad to see your husband?" "Yes, indeed." "Oh, Mamie, you won't be here tonight when I come back to get my things and I want to give you a little remembrance I made for you" " and to thank you for everything." " Oh, thank you, Mrs Cooper." "But there's nothing to thank me for." "Oh, I'll always remember how nice you were to me." "Oh, by the way, Mamie, you'll be getting some nights off from now on." " Oh." " I know." "Yes, ma'am." "They even give me the afternoon off." "In fact, I'm going right now to meet my husband." " So am I." " Yeah." "Will you stop lookin' at your watch?" "We've got five whole hours." "We mustn't even think about the time." "I guess you're right, Lucy." "Well, Bark, I figure that everyone is entitled to just so much happiness in life." "Some get it in the beginning, and some in the middle, and others at the end." "And then there are those that have it spread thin all through the years." "The trouble is, I was a failure." "I suppose you liked me because I knew a couple of jokes and could make you laugh." "I was the town clown, but there wasn't much room in the business world, Lucy, for that kind of a fella." "I won't let you call yourself a failure, Bark." "I think I slipped up some place, though I tried always to be a good wife and mother." "But if I'd been all that I thought I was, things would be different now." "You don't sow wheat and reap ashes, Pa." "Oh, come on." "Let's get out of here." "Excuse me a minute, Ma." "I want to get something." "I'll be right out." "Come on, Pa." " They didn't have my size." " Uh-huh." " Fine time to tell us." " Hm." "You know, I always wanted to buy you a nice car, but it seems we always had to use the money for something else." " Do you see the old couple out there?" " Uh-huh." "It's always those kind that have a million bucks salted away." "Well, I'm going out and pry them loose from some of it." "If he's got a million bucks salted away, I'll bet he's forgotten where he put it." "Uh... my name's Ed Weldon." "Of course, you don't know me from Adam's father." "But you can judge something of my character when I tell you I'm permitted to represent this automobile." "Of course, the car sells itself." "When I tell you it's considered the mechanical wonder of the age, you'll be surprised." "But when you ride in it and find how smooth it runs, you'll be astonished." "I don't expect we'll get to ride in it." "Well, why not?" "Have you a little time right now?" "Now, my car's right there, exactly like this one." "How about it?" "Oh, well, we couldn't." "We're having dinner with our children." " Well, but I can take you there." " Oh, no." "You needn't bother about that." "A ride up the drive, perhaps." "Oh, we couldn't, Bark." " Why not?" " Now, that's the proper spirit." " Come on." "Let's go." " Well!" " Pretty nice, isn't it, Bark?" " Yes, indeed." " Are you warm enough?" " Uh-huh." "Are you?" "Oh, yes." "I'm very comfortable." " Say..." " Weldon." " Say, this is awful nice of you, Mr Weldon." " That's nothing, Mr Cooper." "I only hope the children aren't worried about us." "You know, we really..." "You remember, we took a ride up the Hudson when we came to New York on our honeymoon." "Of course I remember." "I always intended we should do it again some day, but we never got anywhere much after our honeymoon, did we?" "I guess this is the first time that we've been away from home together since, uh our honeymoon." "It doesn't matter, Bark." "I had the children." "Yeah, and I used to go down to the barbershop every night with the boys and left you at home to sew and..." "I'm ashamed of myself, Lucy." "I've been trying to recall the places we went on our honeymoon." "We went to the theatre twice, I remember." "Uh... three times." "We went to a matinée one day." "Oh, so we did." "And then we went to the park to hear the band, and we took a drive over Brooklyn Bridge." " In a handsome cab." " Mm." "On a Thursday." "No, that was Wednesday." "I can remember too." "Yeah." "Never mind." " Do you remember going to the museum?" " Of course I do." "You do not." "You never went." "You said you didn't like museums." "I wonder if the Hotel Vogard is still standing." "Yeah, the Vogard's on lower Fifth Avenue." "I remember it was a very nice place run by nice people." "Say, Lucy, what about going down, taking a look at it and having a cup of tea?" " It'd do you good." " Oh, no, Bark." "We couldn't." " Why not?" "Who's to stop us." " Well, the children are..." "Mr Weldon." " I certainly can, Mr Cooper." " He's gonna take us." "How do you like this car's performance?" "Isn't it smooth?" "Oh, it's perfect, Mr Weldon." "We never rode in a better automobile in our life." " Thanks." " Have we, Ma?" " My, it's nice to see it again." " Yeah." " How about the car?" " Oh, it's fine." "You think you'd be interested in buying a car like this?" "In buying one?" "Oh, we couldn't buy an automobile, but we do appreciate the compliment." "Well, why not?" "A car's no longer a luxury." "It's, uh... it's a necessity." "Why, were you expecting to sell us an automobi..." "Oh, I'm so sorry we took your time." "Why, we thought that you were really proud of your automobile and just sort of wanted to show it off." "Well, I'm glad you enjoyed it." "You know, I enjoyed myself too." "I didn't have anything to do." "In fact, you..." "you were right in the first place." "I, uh..." "I just wanted to show the car off." "Oh, well, that makes me feel better." " Thank you and goodbye." " You're more than welcome." " Goodbye." " Goodbye." " We... we didn't touch anything anyway." " No." "Oh!" "Oh!" " May I have your coat?" " Thank you." " Did you see what I did?" " Yes, dear." "I never was so embarrassed in all my life." "Well, get out." "You were too." "I could tell you several times." "Thank you." "Oh, I better get a cheque right here." "Could I have a cheque, please?" " Oh, you won't need one." "I'll remember you." " Oh, thank you." " You're strangers here, aren't you?" " Well, not exactly." "We spent our honeymoon here 50 years ago." " Oh, really?" " Yeah." "Well, then you must remember this, our old lobby." "Remember, Ma?" "I should say we do." "It certainly is different than it was then." "Yeah, so are we." "Well, what'll it be?" " Well, uh..." " Cocktails maybe?" "Well, he's gonna have one." "Well, why don't you have one, Ma?" "Ladies are drinking here." "Hm?" "Two cocktails." " What kind..." "How about old-fashioneds?" "Yeah." "Two old-fashioneds for two old-fashioned people." "Say, that's all right." "Are you sure there's no calls for me?" "OK." " Well, that's funny." " No, it isn't." "That roast'll be ruined." "I don't care about the roast." "I'm worried about Father and Mother." "I wonder where they can be." "Ah, they're probably having a grand time talking about the few hours they got left before Pop's train leaves." "Some fun, huh?" "Crenshaw hotel chain has owned the Vogard since shortly after the war." "But that doesn't mean, Mr and Mrs Cooper, we're not just as glad to see you as the old management could have been." "Well, we just think it's awful nice of you to bother to see us, Mr Norton." " Ah, yes, indeed." " Not at all." "The hotel's friends are my friends." "Well, I never thought I'd be sitting here, drinking like this." "You know, ladies never used to." "Why, you wouldn't believe it if I told you that on the first Thursday, we were here on our honeymoon, we just started for Brooklyn Bridge." "The aquarium, uh... was Wednesday." "Ain't it funny how women always get the weekdays mixed up along with other things?" "It was Wednesday." "I remember we started out." "I got lost right away." "But it was Thursday." " Now, look, Bark, we got married on..." " Tuesday." "Oh, no, no." "We were going to be married on Tuesday, and then we postponed it, so my sister could get there from New Hampshire, remember?" " Mm." " She was snowbound, with the mumps." "Mm." "Remember, she was visiting that girl who was married to that fellow who was related to those people who had a daughter in the south." "Without the mumps." "Well, the point is that we were married." "Yeah, we were married, all right." "Well, the point is, we were married on Wednesday instead of Tuesday." "No... no." "That's not the point at all." "We were trying to figure out which day we went to the aquarium." "Oh, well, that was Thursday." "I'm sure it must have been, Mrs Cooper." "I wonder if you'll excuse me now." "If you want anything, just ask for it, and let me know if you don't get it." " Now, you shouldn't have done that." " It was my pleasure." "Thank you, Mr Norton." "Was it Wednesday?" "Lucy, are you getting a little tipsy?" "Let me hear you say this." "Betty Botter bought a batch of bitter butter." "Betty Botter bought a batch of bitter butter." "Now say this one." "Betty Botter bought a batch of baby buggy rubber bumpers." "Betty Botter bought a batch of baby bu..." "You can't do it." "You got that one at the barbershop." "Yeah, I guess so." " Oh, Bark, we've got to go." " Why?" "Well, the children are waiting, and Nellie's gonna cook dinner." "Well, we're not going." "We're having fun." "And how many times have we had to wait dinner for them?" "I think I can fix it up." "In a nice way." "Hello." "Hello, Nellie." "This is your father." "Remember me?" "No, there hasn't been any accident, except that we're having a good time." "Your dinner?" "Oh, isn't that too bad?" "No, I'm not fooling." "No, we're not coming." "You heard me." "Oh, I'm sure you went to a lot of trouble in cooking it." "Yeah, it sounds swell." "A roast, eh?" " Bark." " Uh... uh, wait a minute, Nellie." " Maybe we should..." " Excuse me, young lady." "This is private." " Was it all right?" " She took it very nicely." "Shall we join the others?" " So, you're having dinner with us." " Yeah, we thought we would." "That's fine." "Step right upstairs." "I'll be in to see you later." "Thank you very much." "Better hurry along with your drink." "Your husband and I are one up on you." "Oh, well, you go right ahead." "I kind of like to dawdle." " Are you having a good time, Lucy?" " Oh, yes, Bark." "You wouldn't think, would you, to look at her, that she was a mother of five children?" " Not really." " She's a grandmother too." "Oh!" "Well, that I just can't believe." "It's kind of hard for me to believe." " Fifty years go by pretty fast." " Only when you're happy." " How many children have you?" " Five of 'em." "Really?" "I'll bet they've brought you a lot of pleasure." " I'll bet you haven't any children." " Don't you pay any attention to him." "Then I'm sure it was Mrs Cooper who made the 50 years go so swiftly." " Oh, that's very nice." " Yes, it was." "Best thing I ever did, marrying her." "Randy Dunlap was courting her at the same time that I was." " Oh, Bark." "Will you stop that?" " He was." "He proposed to you, didn't he?" "Yes, he did, but you don't have to tell it." "I guess I looked like the best bet so she took me." " Randy Dunlap's the banker in our town." " Really?" " I got his girl, but he's got my house." " You do go on!" "Well, if you'll pardon me." "We've enjoyed having you." " Yeah." " Next time, don't stay away so long." " Goodbye, Mr Norton." " Mrs Cooper." "You know, Lucy, I often wonder what I'd do if I was a young fella nowadays." "I guess I'd have to be a bachelor." "There are no girls around a man would want to take a second look at." "Oh, shucks, Bark." "There are plenty of mighty pretty girls." "Not as pretty as you." "And you know what?" "You've held your looks better than anyone I know." "Ah." "Right now I don't see any girl that looks half as nice to me as you do." "Bark, you're sweet." "So are you." "You know, the more I think of it, the fella who wrote that poem..." " You know, your favourite?" " Mm-hm." "I think he must have got a peek into our future." "You know, the poem in the book where you marked the place with a rosebud?" "Or did the bank get that too?" "They took the book, but they couldn't take the poem from me." "A man and a maid stood hand in hand Bound by a tiny wedding band." "Before them lay the uncertain years That promised joy and maybe tears." ""Is she afraid?" Thought the man of the maid." ""Darling," he said in a tender voice "Tell me, do you regret your choice?" ""We know not where the road may wind Or what strange byways we may find." ""Are you afraid?" said the man to the maid." "She raised her eyes and spoke at last." ""My dear," she said, "the die is cast." ""The vows have been spoken." "The rice has been thrown." ""Into the future we'll travel alone." ""With you," said the maid, "I'm not afraid. "" "Would you like to dance, Bark?" " Huh?" " It's a waltz." "Good evening, everybody." "This is Carlton Gorman coming to you from the Vogard Hotel in New York City." "It's nine o'clock." "It's now nine o'clock, and is everybody happy?" "Smile, and the world smiles with you, folks." "Goodbye." "The evening's fun is about to start, and you can't go wrong with a song in your heart." "♪ Let me call you sweetheart" "♪ I'm in love with you" "♪ Let me hear you whisper That you love me too..." "I love you too." "♪ Keep the love light glowing In your eyes so blue" "♪ Let me call you sweetheart" "♪ I'm in love" "♪ With you ♪" "Oh." "That's funny, isn't it?" "We've known all along that we're probably the most good-for-nothing bunch of kids who were ever raised, but it didn't bother us much until we found out that Pop knew it too." "Doesn't look as though they're even coming by." "No, I don't think so." "Well, we ought to be getting to the station." "How much time have we got?" " About a minute and a half." " What?" " Well, two minutes maybe." " Two minutes?" "Why on earth didn't you tell us?" "That wasn't a very nice thing to do, George." "I think so." "I kind of thought they'd like to be alone." "But if we don't go to the station, they'll think we're terrible." " Aren't we?" " You're tellin' us right, brother." "I can't understand what happened to the children." "Right here." "Well, I..." "I guess this is it." " It looks like a very nice train." " Uh-huh." "I hear they serve very good food on trains." "Well, give Addie my love, and tell her to take good care of you." "Well, you'll very likely see her soon yourself." "I'll get a job out there, and I'll send for you right away." "I don't doubt that, Bark." "You'll get a job." "Of course you will." " All aboard." " They didn't give us much time, did they?" " Goodbye, Lucy dear." " Goodbye, darling." "In case I don't see you again..." " What?" " Well, anything might happen." "The train could jump off the track." "If it should happen that I don't see you again, it's been very nice knowing you, Miss Breckenridge." "Bark, that's probably the prettiest speech you ever made." "And in case I don't see you a..." "Well, for a little while." "I just want to tell you, it's been lovely." "Every bit of it." "The whole 50 years." "I'd sooner have been your wife, Bark, than anyone else on earth." "Oh, thank you, Lucy." "All aboard!" "Get going, Pa."