"PART ONE" "Well, don't think there's much else I can do around here." "Might take a little walk down the street." "You going to be home for supper?" "Sure." "I want to know." "Told you if I'm not home by 6:00..." "Well that doesn't do me any good." "Mrs. Whitley's paying three dollars for this cake and if you're going to be home I'll spend part of that money on lamb chops for your supper." "If not, I'll buy something the girls will like better." "Then count me out." "That's all I wanted to know." "I fixed up those trees." "Cut the grass." "Looks pretty nice out there." "You going to water the grass?" "I did water it." "Gave it a good wetting down." "Most people, when they water the grass, wait till later, when the sun's not so hot, and it'll do some good, and not be a waste of good water that somebody else has to pay for." "You see any work I can do that I don't do?" "So you get done early." "Come on, Mildred, what are you getting at?" "She's waiting for you, so go on." "Who's waiting for me?" "I think you know." "If you're talking about Maggie Biederhof," "I haven't seen her for a week, and she never did mean a thing to me except somebody to play rummy with when I had nothing else to do." "Which is practically all the time, if you ask me." " I wasn't asking you!" " So what do you do with her?" "Play rummy for a while, then unbutton that red dress she's always wearing without any brassiere under it, and then flop her on the bed?" "And then play rummy some more and then flop her on the bed again?" "Gee, that must be swell." "I can't think of anything nicer than that!" "How'd you like to go to hell!" "Ever since you met that woman..." "Useless, do you hear me?" "Oh for cryin' out loud..." "Then tell..." "Then tell me I'm wrong." "Tell me that's not precisely where you're going!" "Suppose I am?" "Then you might as well go pack your bags and leave for good, because if you go out that door, I swear to God, Bert," "I'm not letting you back inside." "Keep on, Mildred." "Keep right on." "'Cause one of these days, you don't watch out, I'm calling you!" "You're not calling me." "I'm calling you!" "You go over there today Bert, and that's the last you see of this place, so help me God." "I go where I goddamn please!" " Then pack up!" " Fine!" "If that's what you want, okay!" "Mildred!" "Oh hey, honey." " He took the car." " Who, you mean Bert?" "Yes, Bert." "He's gone." "What do you mean?" "Just now." "He just left." "He just walked out on you?" "Just like that?" " Maybe he got a little help." " What?" "For that floppy-looking frump?" "What did he say?" " How can he even look at that woman?" " Oh, what's the use of talking?" "If she likes him, all right then, she's got him." "That wasn't even the reason." "And I did pester him, but I just can't take things lying down." "I don't care how bad things are." "If she can, then fine, because that's just the way he's built." "I've got my own ideas and I just can't change them for somebody else." "So what are you gonna do?" "You just joined the biggest army on Earth." "You're the great American institution that never gets mentioned on the Fourth of July..." "A "grass widow,"" "with two small children to raise on your own." "That dirty bastard." "Oh, Bert's all right." "He's all right, but he's a dirty bastard." "They're all dirty bastards." "We're not so perfect." "Yeah, well, we wouldn't pull what they pull." "Not right now." "I almost forgot, I fricasseed some chicken for supper, but Ike's got a call in Long Beach, so I'm going with him." " I thought it might spoil." " Thank you." "Mildred, I don't know how you do it." " What?" " That cake." "It's beautiful!" " Hello, dear." " Hello, Mother." "How was practice?" "Hmm, pas extraordinaire." "That is, if Chopin's Grand Valse Brilliante doesn't give me palsy." " Where's your sister?" " Outside." " Now what did I say?" " Mommy!" " Oh." "Uh, the, the Grand Valse..." " Valse Brilliante." "Really, Mother." "And who, pray tell, is "Bob"?" " Here." "I had extra batter." " Oh, Mother, it's darling!" " Bob Whitley." " Oh, of course." "The paper boy." "Ray!" "Time to come in!" "Mommy, guess what?" "He'll be a paper boy without a birthday cake if I don't find some way to get it over there." "Maybe your grandfather wouldn't mind taking me." "Why can't we use our car?" "Your father's out with it, and he..." "He may be late." "What time is it?" "Richard Crooks is back on the Voice of Firestone." " He's doing a medley of the The Student Prince." " Mommy!" "You still have time." "Mommy, guess what?" "Mommy, look!" "I fixed my skates all by myself, and I added string, and now they're not too small anymore!" "Ray, dear, please be careful around the cake." " Ray!" " I'm just pretending." "Look Mommy, guess who I am!" "♪ Swaa-neee!" "How I love ya, my dear old Swanee... ♪" "Ray, please!" "♪ The folks up north will see me no more... ♪" "Sit down." "♪ When I get to that Swanee shore. ♪" "Look." "I made you a special treat." "In class, Miss Pinkins said my caterpillar was the most beautiful." "Mother, where's Father?" "He had to go somewhere." " Now please, dear, come sit down and..." " Then where are his clothes?" "He's gone away." "Where to?" "I don't know." "Is he coming back?" "No." "No." "But why?" "Why has he gone away?" "I can't explain it all this instant." "Someday you girls will understand." "What's important to know is there's nothing to worry about." "But, Daddy's gone?" "Oh, it's all right, dear." "Hey." "I just wanted to know why his clothes were gone." "Oh, darling, don't worry." "You know..." "You know your father thinks the world of you girls." "But he..." "He didn't want to say goodbye because he..." "He didn't want to upset you or worry you." "But it's not his fault." "It's no one's fault." "It's simply due to things that..." "That happen." "All right?" "If you mean Mrs. Biederhof, Mother," "I quite agree." "I think she's distinctly middle class." "Oh, Veda." "My darling." "What would I do without you girls?" "Hmm?" "My beautiful, lovely, lovely girls." "Aw, cut the mush!" "Great American institution." "Given your age, I'm afraid it's going to be rather difficult to place you." "I worked a counter, I can stock goods," " Whatever they need, ma'am." " I'm terribly sorry," " I can do it!" " But I have a room full of people to get to." "If you'll excuse me." "Never mind about all them years behind a register." "Doesn't mean a damn thing!" "Why, I've been working since I was six years old." "Six years old!" "At the Abba-Zabba factory!" " If that don't account for any darn skill.." " Mrs. Pierce?" "Receptionist, eh?" "Sorry, dearie." "Just so happens, at the moment, receptionists are out." " Out?" " That was then." "In those good old days, when even a hockshop had to stick this receptionist thing out there in front to show it had class." "Well... certainly there are other things I can do." "I'm an excellent cook." "I sell my own pies and cakes," "I wrote down receptionist, but that's not all I can do." "Sure it is." "Or you would have written it on the card." "I go by the cards." "Stenographers, secretaries, laboratory assistants, nurses, chemists." "I mean, some of these girls have PhDs." "ScDs." "Bookkeepers, salespeople." "All laid off." "Sitting by their phones, hoping and praying I'll call." "I won't call." "What I'm trying to tell you is you haven't got a chance." "Okay, let me get that wrapped up for you." "Here you go." "All right." "Anything else I can get for you?" "Would you like that on the blue side, or..." "Very good." "Next, please." "Oh hi, ma'am, what can I get for you?" "All right, off to the beach." "I want to get you that inner tube, too." "There's Mother!" "Mommy, Mommy, can we go over to Grandpa and Grandma's house for dinner and sleepover?" "Can we, Mommy?" "Please?" "We thought it'd be nice for the girls, what with everything you've got on your plate." "I just bought groceries." "Please, Mommy, say yes." "Veda already packed up a case for the weekend." " Well, of course you can, dear." " There." " Thank you mommy, thank you!" " Don't worry, Mother." "I brought her slippers and her little bear." "So long as you girls are sure to help out." "And look after your sister." " All aboard!" " Naturally, Mother." "You sure Bert didn't put you up to this?" " Bert?" " The girls were all alone." "Well, have a wonderful time, you two." "And mind your grandparents!" " We will." "Bye." " Bye, Mother." " Bye, darlings." " I can't wait to go swimming!" "Bye!" "Simmer down." "Well, that was fast." "Hello, Mildred." "Is Bert around?" "Wally." "Uh..." "No." "Not right now he isn't." " Do you know where he went?" " I don't." "All right." "Well, um..." "We had a little trouble over at Pierce Homes over a title." "Thought maybe he could help out." "Ask him to drop over, will you?" "Is it..." "Would there be a fee?" "We could probably cook up something." "Wally, come in, will you?" "If it's important, Wally, it might be better you look Bert up yourself." "He's..." "He's not living here anymore." " What?" " He went away." "Where?" "I don't know." "I didn't ask." "But I'm sure old Mr. Pierce might know, or perhaps Maggie Biederhof." "At least how to reach him." "Well." "When did all this happen?" "Just a few days ago." "So you're saying you're busted up for good?" "Well, yes, as far as I know." "Well, that's a hell of a note." "So what have you been doing with yourself?" "Oh, I keep myself busy." "You don't look busy." "The girls are away with their grandparents and I have the day off." "You know, I wouldn't ask too much to take it off with you." "Never did mind being around you, Mildred." "Well..." "You certainly kept it to yourself." "Me, I'm conscientious." "But say, what are you doing tomorrow night?" "Well?" " Wally Burgan?" " Yes, Wally Burgan." "Since when was Wally Burgan interested in you?" "I don't think he ever was." "But the second he heard Bert was gone, well it was almost funny the effect it had on him." "Yeah, I forgot to mention that." "The morals they give you credit for, you'd be surprised." "To him, you were a red-hot mama the second he found out." " Found out what?" " Grass widow!" "From now on, honey, you're fast." " Are you serious?" " I am." "And they are." "So how'd you leave it for tomorrow?" "Well, he's picking me up at seven, and taking me out somewhere." "All right." "See, there's mistake number one." "First thing, I wouldn't let that cluck buy your dinner." "No, I would sit him right down and give him one of those Mildred Pierce specials," " just like..." " What?" "Me work when he's willing to take me out?" "As an investment, baby!" "Now shut up and let me talk." "Why do you suppose he wants to take you out someplace?" "To show respect?" "To prove his high regard for you?" "Malarkey!" "They take us out for one reason, and one reason only." "To get a drink." "Them." "And, baby, right there is where I come in." " Come with me." " What?" "Now?" "Now this stuff, the gin and the scotch, is right off the boat, but it's legit, wherever Ike got it from." "And it's A-1." "Now the other stuff, the wine, is from right here in California, but it's okay booze, so lean on it." "That's the trick, baby." "You handle the wine right and the high-priced stuff will last and last." " Now, what are you serving?" " Who says I'm serving anything?" "Baby, baby." "You go out with him, and he buys you dinner, and you get a little tight, and you come home and something happens..." "Don't worry." "Nothing'll happen." "Of course something'll happen, eventually." "And when it happens, it's sin." "It's sin because you're a grass widow and fast and he's all paid up because he bought you dinner." "That makes it square." "But if you bought his dinner, and cooked it for him the way you do, and just happened to look cute in that little apron, and something just happened to happen, well that's just nature." "Old Mother Nature, baby, and we all know she's no bum." "And Wally's not paid up." "Not even close." "Anyway, last I heard you were up against it." "Play your cards right, and within a month he'll be taking you shoppin' for a divorce!" " So, you really think I want to be kept?" " Yes." "My goodness!" "It's really coming down!" " You ready to go?" " You mean in this?" "Well, it's what we said, isn't it?" "It's just so awful out!" "Why don't I fix you something here tonight" " and we can go out some other time..." " Hey, hey, hey, I'm taking you out." "Holy smokes." "I got no idea, Mildred." "I thought the hired girl did all the cooking." "Oh!" "Goodness." "A hired girl." "Not me." "Plate's a little hot." "Mildred, that was something." "The pie!" "Well, that's another thing you might have noticed, all the times you've been over here." "I don't know how much of a bartender I am, but I'm an awfully good cook." "And the gin!" "I haven't had real gin since God knows when." "All they serve in these speaks is smoke, and a guy's taking his life in his hands, to boot." "Well, I'm glad you enjoyed it." "As soon as the cook gets these dishes out of sight, she's going to put on a warmer dress." "You need any help?" "I could see giving those apron strings a pull." "You do and I might just put it on you, make you do the dishes." "I thought you might need a little help." "I don't need help." "And I didn't ask you to come in here." "Jesus..." "Gosh, I'm sorry, Mildred." "I just come in to pull on those apron strings, you know, as a gag." "You know I wouldn't pull any cheap tricks on you." "Don't move." "Don't move!" "Don't move." "Penny?" "Nothing, really." "Just thinking about Bert." "Bert?" "What's there to think about him?" "Bert's a good friend." "A goddamn good friend." "Well, that's rich." "Not to me, it's not." "A good friend." "But not so goddamn good that you wouldn't block him out of a job he was entitled to, then go around playing politics so you can get it for yourself." "It was Bert who started Pierce Homes, you may recall." "Bert owned farmland." "The developers came knocking." "He got lucky, that's all." "Anyway, it's no good cussing, Mildred, coming from you." "Well, double-crossing's no good, coming from anybody." "I don't like that." "I don't care whether you like it or not." "They needed a lawyer." "After you talked to them, they did!" "Oh yes, at least a dozen people came to Bert, and warned him what you were doing and begged him to go down and put his claim in, but he wouldn't do it." "He didn't think it was proper." "Till he found out what was proper, and what a pal you were." "That's..." "Mildred, I swear to you, I give you my word!" "What's that worth, exactly?" "Why don't you tell the truth, Wally?" "You've gotten what you came for, haven't you?" "A drink, a dinner, some things I'd prefer not to mention." "And now you want to duck, so you start talking about Bert." "Funny how you didn't talk about Bert when you came in here, wanting to pull those apron strings." "You remember them, don't you?" " I didn't hear you saying no." " No, I was a sap!" "And you're just like all the rest!" " I'm sorry, Wally." " No, hell, it's all right." " I've been a little upset lately." " Who wouldn't be?" "Say, doll!" "How'd it go last night?" "Well, I'm on the town." "Yeah?" "How's it feel?" "Fast." "Figueroa and Sixth." "Watch your step." "No, I was..." "No." "Mrs. Whitby?" "It's Mildred Pierce." "No, nothing like that." "I just hadn't heard and was wondering if you wanted your usual order for next week or..." "I can do it!" "I can do it!" "Oh." "No, certainly." "You know where to find me." " Ray, please." " Thank you." "Bye now." " Shoot." " What is it, Mother?" "Nothing, dear." "Everything's fine." "Mother, I wish you wouldn't worry so." "I just know everything's going to work itself out." "I know it will." "Remember?" ""Do your duty and a little more and the future will take care of itself."" "Aw, cut the mush." "Now what?" "Veda, finish up then help your sister gather her school things." " It's a quarter past." " Yes, Mother." "Hello?" " Come on, Ray, we need to finish up." " Yes?" "Mrs. Turner!" "Of course I remember." "From the employment agency..." "It did?" "Of course, certainly." "I'll be there as soon as..." "I will." "Thank you, Mrs. Turner." " Thank you." " You see?" "Yes." "Now, hurry up and finish, you two." "You're going to be late for school!" "The agency doesn't normally handle domestic help, so this one's strictly off the books." "I was over in Beverly the other night, and I got talking to this lady that's going to marry this director." "He doesn't know it yet, but his house is in for a big shake-up." "So she needs a housekeeper." "And on account of all that fine domestic efficiency you were telling me about," "I told her about you." "Well, I hardly know what to say." "You see I recently came across a similar job, as..." " A waitress, and..." " And you turned it down?" "I couldn't..." "I just can't go home and face my children knowing their mother works all day at taking tips and wearing a uniform and mopping up crumbs." "But you can face them just fine when there's nothing left to eat?" "That will never be the case, Mrs. Turner." "I'd..." "I'm extremely grateful that you thought of me, though I can't see why you did." "And certainly I'll go over there, as a courtesy to you." "What have I got to do with it?" "You either you want it or you don't." "Listen." "I've got my own little business, sure." "But if that went bust and I had to choose between my belly and my pride," "I'm telling you right now, I'm picking my belly every time." "You want to know why I recommended you?" "Sure, you've got a head on your shoulders and a good physique." "But you let half your life slip by without anything but sleeping, cooking, and setting the table, and lo and behold, that's all you're good for." "So get over it." "Housekeeper?" " Yes, I was sent by..." " Back door." "Mrs. Forrester will be with you shortly." "How do you do?" "I'm Mrs. Forrester." "How do you do?" "It's customary, Mildred, for the servant to sit on the Mistress' invitation, not on her own initiative." "It's perfectly all right, but on little things, especially with an inexperienced woman," "I find it well to begin at the beginning." "Do sit down." "We've many things to talk about, and it'll make me quite uncomfortable to have you standing there." "This is all right." "Mildred, I invited you to sit down." "Now." "As the employment agency people no doubt informed you," "Mr. Lenhardt and I are to be married next month, and I am determined to bring this mausoleum of his into the 20th century." "And I shall need a highly capable person to take charge of the plans." "Now." "Private quarters are above the garage, around back, and your daughters are welcome to come and live with you there." "I, myself, have two children from my previous marriage, though, of course, fraternization between the children would not be permitted." "I don't foresee a problem, though, seeing as you'd have your own entrance on the lane and, whatever the case, any such concerns can certainly be taken care of." "I don't think I'm quite the person that you want here, Mrs. Forrester." "I beg your pardon?" "I don't think I'm quite the person for the job." "If you'll excuse me." "The mistress terminates the interview, Mildred." "Mrs. Pierce, if you don't mind." "And I'm terminating it." " Harris will show you out." " I'll find my way." "Nine have been arrested for attacking white girls!" "Read all about it!" "Get your Times here for five cents!" "Nine have been arrested for attacking white girls!" "Read all about it!" "Get your Times here!" "Only a nickel!" "Extra!" "Extra!" "Read all about it!" "Riot feared in Scottsboro, Alabama!" "Nine arrested for attacking white girls!" "I'll just get a ham sandwich with lettuce, a glass of milk, and please," " just as soon as..." " Coming right up." "Here you go." "Thank you." "I don't know what newspapers you're reading, pal." "The Times, The Chronicle." "All the editorial pages say the same..." "Check the crime blotter." "That's where the real news is." "Well, they say next year at the latest." "Word on the street says different." "Oh, you didn't care for it?" "Well, it's no Flesh and the Devil, anyway." "I just think she's heaven on screen." "I could watch her sleep." " Oh, Garbo snores!" " The usual?" "You!" "You dirty little crook!" "I caught you red-handed!" "I caught you right in the act!" "I caught her!" "She's been doing it right along, she's been stealing tips off my tables!" "She stole ten cents off table 18, right after that lady sat down, and just now she stole fifteen off a forty-cent tip right under my nose, and I seen her do it!" "All right!" "Quiet down, both of you!" " We got no time for this!" " Ida, what the hell you got out here?" " Anna says she caught Doris is stealing' my tips!" " Doris glommin' tips." "I just seen her steal off of table 14!" "That's it." "Both of you, you're fired!" " What?" "I didn't do nothin'!" " What?" "Mr. Chris!" "Oh, no?" "You turn my place into boxing ring!" " That's it!" "You are out!" " No!" "That's so unfair!" "I don't need this kind of treatment." "The nerve!" "Ladies and gentlemen, I apologize for such commotion, okay?" "Please..." "And then?" "We got..." "We got two waitresses gone, we got a whole lunch train, what do you expect?" " Mr. Chris, we don't have time for this." " I am trying to keep..." "Girls!" "Please!" "You're not helping us!" "Get out." "Get out!" "Somebody get out now." "You've got to put somebody on." "It's a mess out there!" "Yes, because everybody is here ignoring their tables!" "I'm telling you, Mr. Chris, this is a lunch train." "You gum up the tracks, you lose." "What's this?" "Oh, you mean to tell me she's here to take over for me?" " Oh, no!" "Nothing doing!" " Who is she?" "No way does Anna get the boot for some ankle off the street." " If it wasn't for Anna, we'd all be gettin' our tips nicked." " Wait a minute, wait a minute!" "You." "You here to work?" "Well, yes, if you..." "That's it, I'm quits!" "No way am I staying with her!" "How can you drag in some dame off the street just 'cause Anna had the guts to..." "Okay, okay, cut the hoo-ha!" "Anna and the new girl stay." "Now go, go, go!" "Go!" " Thank you very much." " Go, go." "Study that while I find you something." "Prices specially." "What size you wear?" "Ten." "You ever work in a restaurant?" "No." "Your uniform comes off the first check." "$3.95, and you keep it laundered." "The pay is 25 cents an hour, and you keep your own tips." "And what's your name, miss?" "Ida." "Yours?" "Mildred Pierce." "I'm giving you a light station, see?" "Tables 1 through 6." "That's so's you don't get no fours." "Singles and two's are easier." "Now, all them that's just come in, you take them, I'll cover the others." "Come on." "Now you show, after two stiffs, one goose cursing at me non-stop and two fours about to torch the place!" "So here you mark your number." "You're number 9." "Here you mark the number of the table, and here the number of customers on the check, and down here, everything they order." "Now, you got to account for every check, see?" "If you make a mistake, it's deducted, and you got to pay for it." "Got it?" " Got it." " Go." "Can I help you?" "Well, we're not sure we're having anything at all." "What kind of place is this, anyway, letting people sit around and not even asking them if they minded waiting?" "Well, it's been a..." "little trouble earlier, but if you could just be patient for a moment," "I'll see that you're served at once." "The roast chicken is awfully good today." "Well then." "I'll have the 67-cent lunch with chicken." "I'll do the same." "But see to it that there's no gravy on mine in any way, shape or form." " I hate brown gravy." " Yes, miss." "I'll remember." "I bet you ten dollars she puts brown gravy on mine." "The train was derailed, boys, but we're chugging again." "Two roast chicken." "One without gravy." ""Hold" one gravy. "Hold" it." "You gotta call it right!" "You can't work nowhere without you're in good with the chef." "You gotta call it right for him." "Never "without," always "hold."" "Yes, miss." "Hold!" "Pick up your starters." "Pick up your starters!" "Have they got water?" " Uh, not yet." " Oh, for crying out loud." "Okay, get in there." "Well, can I have a tray?" "Get the soup!" "The soup!" "She's new." "Very new." "Good work, January." "Pick up something." "Don't never make a trip, in or out, without something in your hand." "Grab that!" "Mildred, you're short 35 cents on table 5." "What?" "Personally, Mildred, I don't think you're suited for it." "And Mr. Chris was not a bit impressed." "But the chef thinks you'll do, so we're giving you a trial." "Well, please thank Archie for me and tell him I hope I won't disappoint him." "Your hours are 11:00 in the morning, 10:30 if you want breakfast, to 3:00 in the afternoon." "We don't do a big dinner train, but most girls are on call twice a week, 5:00 to 9:00, same wages as daytime." "And we're closed Sundays." "You'll need white shoes." "Ask for nurses' regulation at any of the stores, $2.95." "What's the matter, Mildred?" "You don't want the job?" "I'm a little tired, is all." "I don't wonder, the way you trot." "Hold still, Ray!" "I can't do it if you keep squirming!" "'Cause it's hurting!" "Mrs. Gessler, do you know the name of Catherine Earnshaw's immortal beloved in Emily Bronte's Wuthering Heights?" " I can't say I do, Veda." " It's quite famous." "Will you girls be all right while I speak to Mrs. Gessler?" "Yes, Mother." "Now hold still." "He phoned around 9:00, saying he had a hurry call that might keep him out." "Didn't see him till 10:00 this morning." "Sure, all in his line of business, but just the same." "Lucy, can I borrow $3?" "More, if you want." "No." "Thanks." "I just need a few things." "I've taken a job." " A job?" "What kind of job?" " Just a job." "Then I hope for your sake you picked a $5 house and not a $2." "I'm a waitress." "In a hash house." "Sort of rhymes up the same way." "Just about." "That's funny." "And I know it's none of my business, but all that time you were answering those ads, trying to get hired on as a saleswoman, receptionist, whatever it was," "I kept wondering to myself why you didn't try something like this." "Why?" "Suppose you did get a job as a saleswoman?" "Who's buying any goods?" "You'd be standing around some store all day, just waiting for the chance to make a living and never making it." "People eat, though." "Even now." "It might sound funny, but, at selling, I'd say you weren't the type, but at this, I don't know why..." "Mildred." "Oh, no!" "Oh, honey, just let it come." "Let it come." "I can't do it, Lucy!" "I just can't!" "Do what?" "Wear a uniform." "Take their tips." "Face those awful people." "They call me names!" "One of them..." "One of them grabbed me..." " Put his hand clear up..." "Clear up..." " What do they pay you?" " 25 cents an hour." " And tips extra?" "Baby, you're nuts." "Those tips will bring in a couple of dollars a day, and before you know it, you'll be making $15, $20 a week, at least." "More money than you've seen since Pierce Homes blew up." "You've got to do it, for your own sake." "Nobody pays attention to that uniform stuff anymore." "I bet you look cute in that uniform." " And besides, people have to do what they can..." " No, Lucy, stop!" "I'll go mad!" "I'll..." "That's what..." "That's what everyone's been telling me, the employment people, everybody, that..." "That all I'm good for is waiting tables and putting on a uniform." "And maybe they're right." "Because maybe what they're trying to tell you is what I'm trying to tell you." "You're in a spot." "You're starving to death, baby." "Don't you suppose my heart's been heavy for you?" "Don't you know I'd have brought a roast beef in here, or a ham, whatever I had, every night of the week, except that I knew you'd hate me for it?" "Oh honey, you've just got to take this job." "I know it." "I can't." "But I've got to." "Then if you've got to, you've got to, so quit bawling." "Lucy, promise me one thing." "Promise you won't tell a soul." "Hell, I won't even tell Ike." "I don't care about Ike, or any of these people, what they think." "It's on account of the children." "The chance of them finding out." "I just..." "I just can't have them knowing anything about it." "Veda in particular." "Veda, if you ask me, has some funny ideas." "You don't understand her, Lucy." "No, she has something in her that..." "That I thought I had." "And now find I don't." "Pride, or nobility, or whatever it is." "That pride, I wouldn't give a snap of my finger for it." "But you're right about her." "Veda wouldn't do it herself, but she's willing to let you do it and eat the cake." "That's what I want, for both of them." "Not just bread." "All the cake in the world." "♪ I'm always chasing rainbows. ♪" "♪ Watching clouds drifting by. ♪" "♪ My schemes are just like all my dreams... ♪ Father!" "Come over here!" "♪ Ending in the sky. ♪ Daddy, Daddy, Daddy!" "Ha, ha, ha." "Look at both of you." "I think you've gotten taller since last week, when I saw you at Grandma's." "Who's the tallest?" "Let's play who's grown the best." "Me!" "Me!" "Me!" " Yep, two inches for Veda..." " Daddy's here, Mommy!" " And two, maybe three for Ray!" " Father!" " Say there, Mildred." " I'm three!" "I'm three!" "Just thought I'd drop by for a little visit." "Maybe pick up a couple of things I left in the desk." "Well, I'm glad you did." "Shall we all go in the den?" " Now there's an idea." " Yes!" "Father!" "These two treating you all right, Mildred?" "Make yourself comfortable." "They both had very good report cards this term." "And Veda's doing splendidly on her piano practice." "I'm learning the Polonaise in A-flat, by Chopin." "It's such a wonderful piece, Father." "I can't wait for you to hear it." "Guess all those matinees your mother dragged us to at the Hollywood Bowl paid off in the end." "Huh?" "Look, Daddy!" "See what I wear in the pageant at school!" "Queen of May Pageant, it's called." "Doesn't it look like real gold?" "It sure does." "Betty Troke is May Queen, which is perfectly ridiculous if you ask me, even if she did just move from Pasadena." " That's because Veda thinks she should be it." " Oh!" " That is not true." "That is a lie." " Veda!" "Oh, Daddy!" "Can I show Daddy my new sand bucket Grandpa got me?" "Grandpa got me a sand bucket." "It has a tiger and a clown." "Well, the bucket's in the garage, dear." "Let's show it to him later." " Hmm?" " Yeah." "Aren't you terribly thirsty, Father?" " Mother, would you like me to open the scotch?" " Scotch?" "Yes, Daddy!" "We're going to have a drink!" "We're going to get drunk!" "Well, I might be able to stand a drink." "Drink, drink, drink!" "Daddy's gonna drink!" "I'm gonna drink!" "I'm gonna drink!" "Can I help you, Mother?" "Who asked you to go snooping around my closet for liquor?" "I didn't know there was any secret about it." "And hereafter, I'll do the inviting." "But, Mother, it's Father." "Don't stand there and pretend you don't know what I'm talking about." "You know you had no business saying what you did." "I could tell by the cheeky look on your face." "Very well, Mother." "It shall be as you say." "And stop that silly way of talking." "Just the same, there was none of this stinginess when Father was doing the inviting." "Things have truly changed around here." "One might think peasants have taken over the house." "Do you even know what a peasant is?" "A peasant..." "is a very ill-bred person." "Drive around the house, or are you going to show me what it looks like?" "Sometimes, Veda, I wonder if you have good sense." "Go on." "Oh, Veda." "No, we weren't talking about you at all." "These children are turning into such rummies these days." "I don't know what the younger generation is coming to." "Father, you switched them." "You always switch them." " We want the stiff ones!" " Those are the stiff ones." "So, Father..." "What's your opinion on the current economic conditions?" "Do you think things will be improving anytime soon?" "Well, that's a fine question, Veda." "Truly is." "Hoover's not out of it yet." "I'll tell you that much, and while it's not looking rosy anytime soon," "I do see some signs of improvement." "Capone..." "Lindbergh, all the way to China!" "Father, I'm serious." "Look, I'm drunk!" "I'm drunk!" "Can't you control her?" "Father... ♪ I went to the animal's fair. ♪" "♪ The birds and the bees were there. ♪" "♪ The big baboon and the light of the moon was combing his auburn hair... ♪" "She's going to..." "♪ The monkey got drunk ♪" "♪ and jumped on the elephant's trunk." "The elephant sneezed and fell on his knees, ♪" "♪ and what became of the monkety, monkety, monk... ♪" "All right, all right, all right." "It's time for bed for both monketys." "Hmm?" " How about their father tucks them in?" " Yes!" "Yes!" "Father, do I have to?" "It's so late." " Why can't Daddy do this every night?" " You know your mother." "Can you at least read to us?" "From Robert Louis Stevenson?" "You, uh, got what you needed from the desk?" "Yeah, I..." "You drop something?" "My key." " It was in my pocket." "I always put it in my..." " Come to think of it..." "Maybe I took that key." " You what?" " I took it." " Gimme it." "I gotta go home." " No, I won't." "I'm not gonna give it to you." "And there's no use trying to take it from me, because I need it now and you don't." "What are you talking about?" "That car's mine." "I don't care whose it is." "I'm working and I need it." "And, if you think I'm gonna pound around on my feet and ride buses and lose all that time and be a sap, while you lay up with another woman, enjoying the high life, well, you're quite mistaken." " You're working?" " Yes." "I got a job." "And don't ask me where." "Somebody had to." " Well, why didn't you say so?" " Fine." "Then it's settled." "Thank you." " I can ride you back, if you like." " Appreciate it very much." "You staying with Maggie?" "Prefer not to say where I'm staying." "I'm staying where I'm staying." "But you can drop me off at Maggie's." "That's fine." "Good night." "BLT, high and dry, three eggs, wreck 'em." "I need a full house, hold the pickle." "I need two specials, Archie." "Where's my livers?" "Thank you." "Where's my shrimp order?" "Archie, where's my shrimp?" "I told you, don't keep me waiting." "Now, now." "Now is right!" "You call this pie?" "I'm sorry, Mr. Rice." "And a special straw for the little one." "Oh, thank you." "That's just what she needs." "Say, Millie." "What do you say I take you out some night?" "Oh, no, Mr. Rand." "I want you to keep liking me." "Oh, I'll keep liking you, honest." "You might feel differently if I wasn't dressed in a uniform." "I'm that ashamed of putting this on the table." "I'm that ashamed to ask a customer to eat it." "It's just despicable, the pie you put out here and expect people to pay for." "Maybe a pie is lousy, but what you expect, times like this now?" "If he no eat, you see me, I okay a new check." "Bah!" "What does he pay for those pies, anyway?" "If he pays two bits, he's getting swindled." "But how much would you say, roughly?" "Oh, I don't know." "Why?" "Ida, I make pies, and sell them." "Honestly, if he pays anything at all, I'd meet his price and make him some that people would really want to eat." "I'd make him pies that'd be a feature." " You bake pies?" " I do it all the time." " I sold four last week." " Well..." "Why don't you bring in a sample sometime?" "I could do it tomorrow." "You're serious, aren't you?" " Mmm-hmm." " Well, why not." "I know for a fact he wants to switch." "He's just too bullheaded to admit it." "You heading home?" "Can I give you a lift?" "You have a car?" "Well..." "It goes." "I've been knowing it all along, I had to have a showdown about them pies, and now it's coming." "So, look, tomorrow, you bring in three pies." "One apple, one pumpkin, and one lemon." " I could do a cherry, too." " No." "No cherry, and no strawberry." "They fall apart too easy." "And just three." "No more than three." "And I'll see they get served." "Remember, though, it's all got to be his idea." "Of course." "And I'll find out what he pays, too." "You leave it to me, Mildred." "You won't have to say a word." "Ida, you're a pal." "And one lemon pie." "That's some meringue you got there." "Ma'am, I'd like one of them pieces too, please." "Nice job on them pies, Mr. Chris." "You sure can pick 'em." "I'll say." "And about time, too." "I said, "Hold your horses." "30 cents per pie?" ""You pay that bakery 35!"" "Yeah." "What does he expect?" "Something more for something less?" "And 35 pies a week?" "I'm going to need to hire some help." "Honey, at 35 cents a pop, you can almost afford it!" "To Mildred, and them pies!" "Thank you, Ida." "Thank you." "Letty, watch your sleeve!" "A little faster." " Good afternoon, Mrs. Pierce." " Good afternoon." "Will this be all for you?" "Hello?" "Letty?" "Hello?" " Hey, honey." " Oh, Lucy..." "I'm running to Bullocks, and thought you might want to come along." " Oh, no, I wish I could." " Why?" "Oh, you'll never guess." "Another restaurant contract dropped in my lap this week." " Another contract?" " Mmm-hmm." " With who?" " Mr. Hartman at the Drop Inn." " Baby, you're takin' off!" " You said it." "I'm a going concern!" "Yes, Mrs. Pierce?" "Mildred?" "Lucy, can I call you back?" "I have baking supplies in the car..." " You go on, then." " Thanks." "I told her you wouldn't like it, Mrs. Pierce." "I told her right off the bat." "But, she hollered and carried on, so I put it on just to keep her quiet." "Who hollered and carried on?" "Well..." "Miss Veda, ma'am." "Miss Veda?" "That's what she says I should call her." "And..." "She told you to put on that uniform?" "Yes'm." "What on earth does she think she's..." "Veda!" "♪ 'tain't no use to keep your seat for you simply can't ♪" "♪ control your feet when Erastus plays his old kazoo. ♪" "Look Mommy!" "I'm the Public Enemy!" "So I see." "♪ Though he plays in just one key ♪" "♪ it's a regular low... ♪ Veda..." "That uniform Letty's wearing?" "Look!" "I ain't so tough!" "Where did you find it and why is Letty wearing it?" "Why?" "Those uniforms were on the top shelf of my closet, under a pile of sheets." "Once again..." "You were snooping into my things to see what you could find, weren't you?" " I was looking for a handkerchief." " Weren't you?" "I was not, and I resent the accusation." "Then..." "Then how did it happen to end up on Letty?" "I merely assumed, Mother, that you'd bought them for Letty." "And if she was going to be taking my things to the pool," "I assumed you wanted her decently dressed." "To the pool?" "What things?" "My swimming things." "She always walks two steps behind us to the bus." "And carries our bags both ways." "What?" "Does she go in swimming?" "No, sir!" "Because she can't swim!" "She can't swim and she'll get drowned." "And Red will have to pull her out." "He's the life guard and he's stuck on her." "Mrs. Pierce?" "What?" "That..." "That..." "That's enough!" "I'll be right there, Letty." "Ugh." "Really, Mother." "It seems to me your making a great fuss over nothing." "If you bought the uniforms for Letty and certainly, I can't imagine who else you bought them for, then why shouldn't she wear them?" "It's time for your bath." "Nooo!" "No, no, no, no, no, Nooo!" " Stop squirming." " No, No!" "♪ I never even make a gain. ♪" "♪ Believe me, ♪" "♪ I'm always chasing rainbows, ♪" "♪ waiting for a little bluebird in vain. ♪" "Don't be mad at Veda, Mommy." "She just likes pretending." "I know she does..." "All right, head back." "Veda?" "Gracious, Mother!" "You startled me." "Why did you give Letty that uniform?" "For Heaven's sake, Mother, haven't I told you once?" "How often do I have to tell you?" "I'm going to bed." "You knew when you gave it to her that it was mine, didn't you?" "That it was my uniform." "Your uniform?" "Yes." "It so happens that I've taken a job in a restaurant." "In Hollywood." "As a what?" "As a waitress, as you well know." "Ye Gods!" " Ye Gods!" " Oh, stop that!" "Ye Gods and little fishes!" "So you and your sister can eat and have a place to live, and a few clothes on your backs!" "I've taken the only kind of job I can get." "And if you think I'm going to listen to a lot of silly nonsense from you about it, then you're quite mistaken." "And if you think your nonsense is going to make me give up the job, then you're mistaken about that, too." "How you ever found out what I was doing, I do not know..." "From the uniform, stupid." "You think I'm dumb?" "You may not realize it, young lady, but everything you have costs money..." "From the maid you ordered to go traipsing with you to the pool to your food and clothes and everything else." "And, as I don't see anyone else doing anything about it around here..." "Aren't the pies bad enough?" "Did you have to go and degrade us all by becoming a waitress?" "That..." "That's quite enough!" "Ahhh!" "No!" "Ahhh!" "Ow!" "No!" "A waitress?" "You don't ever give me credit for any..." "Any finer feelings, do you?" "Oh, Mother, cut the penny dreadful dramatics." "You're working in a..." "In Hollywood." "It's fine." "I'll try not to think about it." "The truth is..." "I've felt exactly the same as you." "And I never would have taken the job to begin with if it hadn't been that I..." "That I've decided to open a place of my own." "And had to learn the business from the ground up." "That's the reason I took the job in the first place." "What do you..." "What do you mean, a place of your own?" "A restaurant, of course." "There's money in a restaurant, if you run it right." "You know how to run a restaurant?" "Well, yes." "Well..." "I'm learning." "I'm learning how." "What kind of restaurant?" "I don't know, exactly." "But something nice." "Something we can be proud of." "A fine restaurant?" "Well, yes, of course." "As fine as it could be." "Oh, Mother." "Mother, forgive me for being so wretched before." "I'm sorry I acted so horribly." "I think, it's just wonderful, just wonderful, what you're planning." "Truly I do." "I know, dear." "And I know you'll do wonderfully well." "I'm certain of it." "Oh, Veda." "What is it, Mother?" "Nothing, dear." "It's just that you were right and I was wrong." "No matter what I say, no matter what anybody says, never give that up," "that way you have of looking at things." "I can't help it, Mother." "It's how I feel." "I know it is." "And from now on, things are going to get better for us." "I'm certain they will." "So we'll have what we want." "Maybe we won't be rich, but we'll have something." "And it'll all be on account of you." "I love you, Mother." "Truly I do." "Every good thing that happens is on account of you." "If Mother only had sense enough to know it." "I said hold the mayo, Archie." "You never listen." "Now I gotta go talk to these people." "You have no idea." "I'm still waiting on those pork chops." "Chicken-fried steak, onions!" "Baked apple with cream!" "Meat, meat." "I need meat!" "We changed the print on the menus you're seeing." "Archie, I need two chicken cutlets." "Two poached eggs on toast." "Cinnamon toast." "Hot chocolate." "Ham and eggs." "Sliced pineapple." "Say, Wally, you wouldn't want to help me with something, would you?" "Not particularly." "I'd have to have it soon." "Tomorrow, maybe." "What is it?" "I don't know what you'd call it, exactly." "An estimate of costs, something like that." "For a man who might back me in business." "But..." "But I want it all written down, with the right words for what I mean, so it looks proper, business-like." "What kind of business?" "Just a little restaurant." "Something I've been thinking about..." "Wait a minute." "Hold on." "Start over." "At the beginning, not in the middle." "Just something small, where I could do all the cooking." "But a place where all we serve is chicken." "Think about it." "They have steak places and fish places." "But down where I work, practically every other order is for chicken." "So a chicken place." "Well, looks to me as though I'd have plenty of customers." "And, I wouldn't have to fool with all those a la carte prices, or bookkeeping, or menus, or anything like that." "Everybody gets a chicken-and-waffle dinner, or chicken and vegetables, if they like, but all at the same price." "And then I'd have the pies to take out, and keep on getting all the wholesale pie business that I can, and well, it looks to me as though one would help the other." "Who's the guy?" "This old fogy who eats lunch with me every day, Mr. Rand." "But..." "But I think he's got money." "If I can show him..." "It could be an investment, perhaps he'd be interested, you know, and..." "Listen, you really think you can put this across?" " Why?" "Don't you?" " I'm asking you." "Well, it seems as though it ought to pay." "That's the main thing, Wally, about this idea of mine." "What costs in a restaurant is waste, and the extras, like the printing for the menus, and the..." "The people you have to have, for the features you put in." "But this way, there wouldn't be any waste." "I think I can put that across, Wally, I do." "If you really think so, Mildred..." "I might be able to put you in on a deal." "One that would start you off with such a bang that you'd be sitting so pretty, you wouldn't even need a backer." "You can't be serious." "Oh, I'm serious, all right." "Holy smokes, I'm serious." "If you don't look out, Wally, I'm..." "I'm gonna cry." "Seemed like a good idea at the time." "It was actually Bert who thought it up." "Build a dream house so we could show all the prospects what their place would look like if they spent twice as much dough as any of them had." "But now it's dead weight." "They gotta get rid of it." "And if you'll take it over with this chicken place, then it's yours." "And, believe me, Mildred, if this isn't a natural for a restaurant," "I never saw one." "I mean, just look at the place!" "Dining room..." "Right?" "Come in here." "Pantry." "Kitchen." "Every stick in the place complies with fire law, health law." "There's even two toilets!" "I mean, if you really mean business, Mildred, you can have it, lock, stock, and barrel." "The fact is, see, they've got to establish losses." "Who?" "The receivers, on their federal income tax, due next March, the year 1931." "If they don't show losses, they're sunk." "But Wally..." "I'd still have to have money!" "Who says you would?" "That's the beauty of it, Mildred." "Once you take title to a piece of property in this town, that's all anybody cares about." "You get all the credit you want, more than you'll need." " But why me?" " Well, who else wants it?" "It's not a house, it's a real estate office." "Last time I checked, nobody needs one of those." "So, it's got to be somebody who can use it for something else." "And that's you." "I know, but, Wally, I just can't believe there isn't somebody." "If they're just giving it away..." "On the inside, who..." "No, I get what you're saying." "Sure..." "There were some original incorporators sniffing around." "But they're not gonna get past the Feds." "And with you, it's the "Real McCoy." You're no insider." "You're no original incorporator." "You're..." " Oh, God damn it." " What?" "God damn it all to hell!" "God damn it!" " What?" "What is it?" " Bert." "Bert?" "What's he got to do with it?" "Bert's an original incorporator." "Well?" "And you're married to him." "And there goes your restaurant." "And there goes the prettiest little deal I had a chance to put across since Pierce Homes folded." "Unless you got a divorce." "Is that the only way?" "Well he left you, didn't he?" "Well, I'll see him." "Listen." "Mildred, I'm telling you, even if it wasn't for this federal thing, you're gonna want to get this cleaned up." "You don't know where he gets his money." "For all you can tell he..." "I said I'd see him." "I probably know ten times as much about federal taxes, as Wally Burgan does, and all I can say is it sounds to me like a lot of hooey." "It all comes back to a straight question of collusion, and I can prove to any court anytime they call me..." "Bert!" "Bert!" "It's not a question of proving anything to a court." "It's whether or not they let me have the property." "If I don't get a divorce, they won't let me have it." "I don't know what you and Wally think you're cooking up here, but..." " What do you mean, me and Wally?" " It doesn't have to be that way." "Oh, forget it, just forget it!" "Listen, I don't like this anymore than you do." "Fine!" "Fine." "What I was gonna say before all this other business..." "So that you and the kids have a place to sleep at night and no one can take it away from you, is that I would give you the house." " You don't have to do that." " I want to." "Well, if you want to, then I accept." "Thank you, Bert." "And I'm sorry if I've said unkind things in the past about Maggie Biederhof." "It's all right." "I'm sorry I was hard on Wally just then." "And if there is something you feel for him, why, that's all right, too." "Oh, Bert, please." "Christ, I knew there'd never be anything between you and that fat slob." "That's all right." "Well..." "I guess all we need to do now is settle on a cause." "Right." "I guess you'll have to hit me." "You sound just like Veda." "She's always wanting to be hit." "Veda is?" "Then I'm glad there's a little of her in me..." "Right..." "The defendant hit her and caused her great personal anguish." "Now he says he wants me to have the house, too." "What's wrong with that?" "I don't know." "I feel as though I picked his bones." "First the kids, then the car, now the house." "Would you kindly tell me what good the house would do him?" "First call for interest, he'd lose it flat." "He just looked so damned pitiful." "Aw, they all do, baby." "That's what gets us." "All right, girls, full steam ahead!" "I'm closing up the case." " Do you have my print scarf?" " Check." "Don't forget the umbrella." "Suitcase, thermos, and umbrella... will all be there at Gram and Pop's when you get home from school." "I just remembered!" "Ray!" "Where are you going?" "We're going to be late for school!" "Ray!" "Where'd you go?" "I almost forgot the sand pail Grandpa got me!" "Hurry up, dear." "You're going to be late." "I'll take that." "Here are your things." "Now you girls have a wonderful weekend." " And mind your grandparents." " Bye." " Thanks, Mom." "We will." " Bye!" "Bye!" " We've got..." "Morning!" " Good morning." "We've got fixtures going in, painting started today." "Oh, come see the range!" "Oh, now you're talking!" "Ha, ha!" "It's shaping up, no?" "Five days ago, I wasn't so sure." "But today..." "Well, those announcements, they ought to pull in something, too." "Gosh, I hope so." "What time you got, Wally?" " Almost 10:00." " God, I'm gonna be late." "Oh, yeah?" "For what?" "Last day as a working girl!" " Morning." " Morning." "Sorry I'm late." "Mildred, meet Shirley, the new girl." "Pleased to meet you, Shirley." " Very nice to meet you." " Thank you." "That's mine." "Would you like a refill?" "Sit." "I got it." "Sit!" "Now, when you gotta make a customer wait..." " Excuse me." " You can't just leave him sitting there..." "Just wait one second, I'll be right with you." "Like you did with that party yesterday." "What the hell am I looking at this for?" "Why does anybody ever look at a menu for breakfast?" "You know exactly what you're gonna have and yet you just keep looking." "To check the prices, of course." "That's it!" " Okay." "You ready?" " Shoot." "Orange juice, oatmeal, bacon and eggs, fried on one side, but not too much." "Uh..." "Dry toast and a large coffee." "You got that?" "Orange juice, oatmeal, bacon and eggs, fried on one side, but not too much." "Uh..." "Dry toast and a large coffee." "How'd I do?" "Very good, and if you could step on it slightly, why, I might just get to" "Santa Barbara in time for a little swim before the sun goes down." "Gee, I wish I could go to Santa Barbara." "Oh, come along." "You better look out." "I might say yes." "So I say to him, I say, when you have a car, drive it yourself." "No, I have no idea what you're talking about." "They..." "They made this thing where you don't have to even..." "Well?" "I mean it." "I told you to look out." "Maybe I did, too." "You know, what would be a highly original thing for you to do?" "What's that?" "Say yes, right away." "Just like that." "My gosh." " Shirley..." " I'm sorry." "It's all right, accidents happen." " I'm real sorry." " You drop plates." " You pick them up." " I know." "I didn't mean to do it." " You drop yourself, you get up." " Okay." "Have you recovered?" " Yeah." "Sorry." " Everything's good." "Ida, I think the real trouble with that girl is me." "I think I make her nervous." "Would be better if I just slipped out?" "Well, I know he'd just love to save the buck." "Of course he would." "All right, Mildred, you run along." "Hey, no kidding, I wish you all the luck in the world with your little place, and I promise I'll be out there, first chance I get." "Thanks, Ida." "What are you grinning about?" "Oh..." "Might as well be original once in a while." "Damn it, I like you." "Though I'd have to drop off my car first, in Glendale," " and grab a few things." " Egads, Glendale." "Comes with the territory." "Well, we better get tapping." "We certainly had." "There we are!" "I was beginning to think I should contact the police." "Sorry to keep you." "You're smiling." "Well, I can't quite believe I'm doing this." "You don't do this very often, Mrs...?" "Pierce." "No, I should say I don't." "Well, I'm honored you made an exception, Mrs. Pierce." "Any relation to Pierce Homes?" "Yes, bravo." "I was married to them for a while." "Oh!" "How delightful." "Some of the worst homes ever built." "All the roofs leak." "Nothing like how the treasury leaked." "Well, I'm Beragon." "Monty." "Pleased to meet you, Monty Beragon." "Make yourself at home!" "Thanks!" "Beragon." "Is that French?" "What?" "Beragon." "Spanish." "Or supposed to be." "My great, great grandfather was one of the original settlers." "You know, the gay caballeros who gypped the Indians out of their land, the king out of his taxes, and then sold out to the yanks as soon as Polk started annexing." "But if you ask me, the old coot was really a wop..." "Bergoni." "Wop or spig, doesn't make much difference, I suppose." "You all right in there?" "Hello?" "Say, there!" "Not so fast, you don't!" "Not so soon, anyway!" "And mind the riptides!" "So..." "You're 33 years old." "You live in Pasadena." "You went to University of California at Los Angeles." "But I still don't know what you do, Monty." "Oh, I don't know." "Fruit, I guess." "Oranges, grapefruit, something like that." "So you work for the Exchange?" "Mmm, I should say not." "That damned Fruit Growers' Exchange is taking the bread right out of my mouth." "I hate Sunkist, and Sunmaid, and every other label with a wholesome looking girl on it." "So you're an independent?" "What difference does it make what I am?" "Yes, I guess I'm an independent." "I have a company." "Fruit export." "Well, I don't have it." "I own part of it." "So every quarter, they send me a check..." "Though it's been getting a lot smaller since this Sunkist business." "I don't do anything, if that's what you mean." "You mean..." "You just..." "loaf?" "You can call it that, I suppose." "And you're content?" "I mean..." "Don't you ever want to..." "Actually do something?" "Why should I?" "Again?" "Why not?" "Oh, take the next right." "Here?" "Ready?" "Oh, I've been ready!" "What the hell?" "Is this yours?" "Tada!" "Wait a minute." "Last I heard, you were slinging hash in that old..." "Not anymore." "That was my last day yesterday, and I quit early to run off with you." "From now on, I'm a businesswoman." "Well, why didn't you tell me?" "I didn't get any chance that I noticed." "Guess I've sort of fallen for you, Monty." "Hmm..." "So when's the big night?" " Two weeks Thursday. 6:00." " Mm-hmm." "Am I invited?" "Of course you are." "Well, I'll be there." "With bells." "Mrs. Pierce?" "Mrs. Floyd?" "What are you are you doing out?" "Oh, Mrs. Pierce, where on earth have you been?" "They've been trying to reach you ever since last night..." "Who..." "Who's been trying to reach me?" "It's your daughter." " My daughter?" " Ray, the little one, she came down with a flu and they took her to the hospital, because there was no one at home." "Where?" "Which hospital?" "Which..." "Which hospital?" "Excuse me, I'm here to see my little girl." " Yes?" "Yes, can I help you?" " I'm Mrs. Pierce." "Mildred Pierce." " Mildred!" " Bert!" "Just..." "Just down here." "And it's through this way." "She seemed fine, temperature constant." "We thought she'd be all right in a few hours." "Then just like that, it went up." "All right, just keep it down." "Bring him in here." "Looky." "Your mama's here." "Set him over there on the other side of the bed." " Mommy?" " It's Mommy, darling." "Your husband agreed to the additional expense after I recommended the transfusion and we had the donor." "So we've gone ahead." "You still think it could be grippe, Doctor?" "Well, the fact is, we get a lot of these cases, especially this time of year." "They shoot up a temperature." "They start running at the nose and..." "The next day, they're out running around like nothing happened." "What concerned me was her temperature." "It's still 104, and I don't like it." "I don't like it, and I don't like that thing on her lip." "Do you think it could get infected?" "Well, that's the concern." "Now, we sent a smear of the pimple over to the lab, along with a few of CC's of blood and they're on their way." "But the point is, if she's got trouble, we can't wait for any lab report." "She would need a transfusion right away." "She was just a little dull Friday night, just seemed a little off was all." "And today at the beach, she seemed to be running a temperature so..." "We called Dr. Gale and he told us to bring her in to the hospital." "He said no such thing." "He ordered her home and when we got to the house, it was all locked up." "So we rang him again, and that is when he ordered her to the hospital." "Because there was no other place to take her." "Mother, Mother, where were you?" "Well, her temperature's down, pulse is down." "So I've probably put you to a lot of expense over nothing." "That's quite all right, Doctor." "See, any infection above the mouth drains into the lateral sinus, and that means the brain." "And with that little pip on her lip, there was no way to tell." "Every symptom she had spelled grippe, but just the same, all of those symptoms could have been caused by strep, and uh, if we had waited until we were sure, it might have been too late." "Now, the way she's reacting to that transfusion shows it was all a false alarm, but, you never know..." "We'll keep an eye on her." "But I suggest you folks go home and get some rest." " Thank you very much, Doctor." " Thank you, Dr. Gale." "Bert, you take her home." "I'm going to stay." "You sure?" "You'll call if there's any news?" "Of course I will." "Don't worry, darling." "She's going to be fine." "Letty's waiting at home for you, all right?" "And then you just go to 209, and that should be it." "I'm so tired." "Hurry!" "It's serious." "The blood transfusion..." "Hurry up!" " Can we get more help?" " Dr. Collins!" " Put it on." " Dr. Gale." " We might have to move her." " Fever's spiking." "She's having a chill, Doctor." " Get Dr. Collins." " Yes, sir." " She's flushed and she's been shivering..." " Dr. Gale?" "What..." "More hot water bottles." "It's gotta be the pustule." "I know it." "What's happening?" " I need oxygen, adrenaline, and ice." " Mildred, please step back." " Her pulse is faster, Dr. Collins." " What is it?" " 110." " Her temperature's rising, Dr. Collins." "It's 104." "Take off the hot water bottles." "Take off the blankets!" "Her blood pressure's dropping." " Get those on her now." "Pulse?" " 112." "Her fever is spiking." " Have the syringes arrived?" " Yes, Doctor, two syringes." "124..." " More ice!" " Yes, Doctor." "132." "Dr. Collins?" " Ray." "Come on!" "Come on, Ray!" " There's no pulse, Dr. Collins." " Ray!" " Get oxygen." "Prepare for resuscitation." " Ray." "Come on, come on, honey." "Stay with me." " First syringe." " First syringe, Doctor." " Roll her over." "Come on, honey." "Come on." "Come on, Ray." "Ray!" "Come on!" "Pulse?" "Pulse?" "Second syringe." "Third syringe." "Pulse?" "Fourth syringe." "Stop!" "Hello?" "Yes." "Hello, Mrs. Biederhof?" "Yes?" "Is Bert there?" "No, he just..." "Uh, is this Mrs. Pierce?" "Is everything all right?" "No." "I'm afraid..." "Will you tell him that Ray died a few minutes ago?" "At the hospital." "Oh, Mrs. Pierce..." "I wanted him to know right away." "Yes, of course." " Thank you." " Of course, I'll tell him." "I'm just so sorry, Mrs. Pierce, from the bottom of my heart, I am." " If there's anything in the world..." " Thank you, Mrs. Biederhof..." " Mother?" " Shhh." "Shhh." "Shhh..." "Veda..." "Veda." "Oh!" "Oh, thank God!"