 Your Coca-Cola bottler presents Claudia based on the famous play and novels by Rose Franken Brought to you transcribed Monday through Friday by your friendly neighbor who bottles Coca-Cola Relax and while you're listening refresh yourself. Have a coke and now Claudia Mama, I wish you would start knitting. I've made up my mind to what Claudia you start knitting. I'll tell you What does my knitting have to do with your mind everything? I can't do two things at once It's me or the knitting choose. All right. All right bully. I'm putting the knitting down That's better Now my attention is entirely focused on you what you have to say better be good Oh, I hope David can't hear us David's in the shower. I don't think he can hear you shower before dinner shower after dinner I don't think the hot weather agrees with him at all Claudia get to the point I'm just in the middle of a knit-to-pearl to I'll lose my place that's part of the point David just doesn't agree with summer in New York. It's already July the 28th and here we are still in town It's an awful shame letting the farm go to waste like this David knows the minute you get up to Eastbrook. You'll be running around like a chicken with a head chopped off Oh speaking of heads being chopped off or rather not being chopped off. I wonder how the rooster is. Oh I miss him blotting Shakespeare and the brook the walnut tree you want everything don't you I want everything for David more I think the farm is everything to him Go on what's your plot no plot at all I'm just gonna try to make David see that it won't be any more work or effort on my part first all to be on the farm Then he'll say it's all right to go back and mom. It's the truth. Isn't it could be could be I'm gonna make him see it as soon as he comes out of that shower When who comes out of that shower? Oh you was who? What are you and mama have your heads together about you I said good bad? wonderful Please tell me all look at him mama just drooling for a compliment image of your son drooling If anybody wants more tells me that I look like that offspring of mine. I feel disowning that fat wet helpless child Now tell me what were you talking about? David let's go back to Eastbrook tomorrow. What's the rush? I still think it's too soon for you David It's been months since I had the baby three and a half weeks almost a month. I'll tell him shrinks in this house Look at me being treated as if I were a delicate something or other. I can't do this I can't do that fiddle stick temper temper gonna lose it in a minute. It'll serve you right look darling I'm perfectly willing to discuss this business calmly and quietly you are And what am I getting so excited about sit down both of you David you missed the farm don't you? You bet I do so do I frogs the crickets the crow I even Misses that place even mama that horrid old woman who hasn't got a feeling in her heart even she David why can't we go back tomorrow? I haven't wanted to go back and this may surprise you because Because I care for you even more than for the farm That was sweet, but you can have both seems to me. There'd be an awful lot of work for you to be up there Oh big house to take care of the baby the ground running up and down. I'll walk up and down And why is it that if all the women in America in America? I have to be the one that's pampered now calm down We'll talk it out I bet you 90% of the women in this country don't have things half as easy as I do and they survive and they They survive very well. You don't say you know I'm starting to take all this is a personal insult There I'm calm down now. I feel much better Claudia is trying to tell you David that she's made of pioneer metal 14 carat pioneer metal at that now. Let's get back to the subject mrs. Norton I am perfectly willing to go back. I'd love to If you think that there won't be too much work now take for instance the cooking. I don't do the cooking Gertrude does that I don't do the cleaning Gertrude does that Gertrude is a very wonderful woman Isn't she she was a stroke of luck two strokes With her around there's nothing for me to do except twiddle me thumbs that was before the baby. Oh good now I'll have his to twiddle to very funny david seriously That baby won't take any more care up in eastbrook than he is in new york He'll be less care All we have to do is throw him in his carriage in the morning stick him out under the apple tree and Just forget all about him except in between his bobbles and Other little details too numerous to mention I understand that the other little details are nothing to sneeze at Mama's been sneezing at them all along having too much. I have indeed kachu kachu bless you bless you Isn't that you david no What about eastbrook? He's melting claudia. You realize of course that mama's coming back with his mama's as good as two couples Any day three couples please two. That's all you'll get paid for it's starting to sound as if we were very much overstaffed We are and it's time you realized it David think of all the women who have nobody to help them at all Come back from the hospital to a home with several other children and a husband they have to care for they They do all their own work and that's all there is to it You know, I'm almost a little ashamed of myself for all this indulgence. Well, maybe you're right Maybe I've been wrong to worry about you. No, that's never wrong. That's nice Would you ever stop worrying about me? Only I'd much rather you worried without Worrying you see what I mean. I uh, think I do then it's all settled. It's all settled. Hooray. Hooray. Hooray, mommy Did you hear it's all settled? I heard I'm delighted. How soon can we go back tomorrow? Why not? Oh david? I'm so happy You'll get your tan back The circles under your eyes will go away. You'll sleep better nights. You'll start eating the way you should I thought we were going back for you because the country's so much more restful in the city Well, you're just another good reason. I threw you in for good measure. Thank you Hey, maybe we ought to fire some of the help. It doesn't sound as if there'd be enough for them to do Me if we had them I'd fire them But there's anything more wasteful than a house with a lot of people and nothing to do. I can't think of it I wonder who that is only one way to find out. Don't get up mama You you do not mind we drop in like this mind you don't do it more often Good evening, mrs. Norton. Hello, fritz. Well, well, this is nice We have just come up for a moment to say goodbye to say goodbye David did you hear that? Hello fritz bertha. Please come in and sit down mrs. Brown Being a grandmother looks very well with you. Well, that's nice to hear mama bertha and fritz are absolutely psyche They've come up here to say goodbye to us and we Just this minute decided to go away. That is psychic Bertha, how did you know we were leaving big Eastbrook tomorrow? Well, we didn't know you said you came up to say goodbye Goodbye because we are leaving mr. Norton. Oh, well, that's a coincidence you and I and david and Leaving what do you mean fritz? Yeah, we leave the apartment house They do they do not need a superintendent anymore. They don't they tear the building down No, oh, but it's such a lovely building david and I love living here commencing next week. So everybody must be moved out Bertha, why didn't you tell me the other day? There was so much already to talk about with the baby I don't understand tearing down an apartment down in these times. Well, it is a small apartment house 12 floors What is that a nothing they build a high one 23 floors modern And no charm that certainly is going to make an awful lot of trouble for an awful lot of people who haven't a place to live Your children timed it perfectly, didn't you? We certainly were lucky. We're glad you were settled so nice Uh, where are you and fritz playing to go bertha? We uh, visit with our lisa who lives in maryland fritz will be happy there on the farm He was not meant to be a superintendent in the middle of a big city He grows spindly with his life or such a way to talk in front of me But bertha when you told me about lisa's house a few months ago It sounded as if there wasn't much room there. There will be room enough for a little while Until we find a place uh permanent Yeah, mama and I we managed before a little apartment being torn down is nothing for us What do you say mama? I say you are right fritz What I don't like you calling me mama not in front of people we aren't people At least we hope you don't think we are I do not that is why I call her mama good Oh, but I think it's terrible about the apartment Say david don't say another word darling. What do you think? What do you think you say it you say it go on go on All right, I'll say it Birth and fritz you are being thrown into our laps by fate and who are we to argue? Argue with what? A schmama let them speak But fritz I don't understand I'll make it simple and direct all I'm trying to say is that david and I need to we need you very much We were just talking about it before you came weren't we david? We were there's so much to do up in the farm. I can't possibly begin to do it all by myself Especially now that there's the baby to be taken care of and He needs so much care that there's there should be somebody there that does absolutely nothing else but take care of them And that's where you come in bertha Now as for the outside where there's the land just crying for its mask Yes crying you said the other day you have somebody mrs. Not in some Gertrude or oh, yes, but she's just part time and she has no knack with babies at all. She told me so Yes, she said so herself. Oh david won't it be wonderful for us if fritz and bertha will decide Oh bertha Please say yes It's much too beautiful. It does not happen this way. Can you think of a better way? Connecticut a farm. I would become young again. Then it's all settled Oh fritz. What do you think really? I think bertha sometimes you must accept presents life gives you And you and I we have talked often of a place like that Talking without hoping what a wonderful night. This is I'll call you tomorrow and we'll work out the details The details they will not be important mrs. Norton. I like to go home now. I this is so much I I must tell lisa and I must have time to believe of course they will arrange everything tomorrow I call you at the office mr. Norton You are busy to have to remember to call me. Oh, I won't forget We came to say goodbye We're saying hello instead That's the way it should be good night and well you understand what I try and say we do Good night fritz and I and uh my tongue is stopped by my heart. Good night. Good night. Good night Strange isn't it how bertha and fritz have somehow Become a part of our lives strange and wonderful. I think so Mama, what do you think of it all? Do you children realize what you've done? What have we done mother? You've hired a couple when you decided there's not enough work for the help we already have what a couple too But can you afford it? Nope. We can't afford it at all. Nope. So I thought a fine state of things David, maybe we shouldn't have I mean the money and well, it'll be stretching thin But we'll find a way to manage. I just couldn't bear to see fritz and bertha having to look for a place Mama don't look at us like that Do you think we back at crazy? Do I think yes? I think you have stark crazy But I'd have rung your necks if you'd acted differently A friend of mine wins the blue ribbon for consideration When he comes home and says I've asked a few people over he brings a case of coca long Picks it up when he stops for gas And does his wife appreciate that thoughtfulness She doesn't mind how many people stop the end of the evening All she has to do is put the coca-cola on ice get the opener out and she's prepared for hospitality Well, it looks as if we'll be going back to east brook tomorrow, mr. King And going back with a great deal more than when you came a great deal more the baby fritz and bertha We welcome them all. What about luggage and things like that? Unfortunately a great deal more of that too I don't know how we've managed to accumulate so much. Is it all going to fit in that car? I hope so. I shuddered to think of what david is going to say when he sees it If he's at all like my husband was he'll hit the ceiling Men do like to travel without luggage. So do I but it's really possible. Oh, well, I'm not going to worry about it Tomorrow will come soon enough. See you then, mrs. Brown. Goodbye, mr. King Every day monday through friday claudia comes to you transcribed With the best wishes of your friendly neighbor who bottles coca-cola So listen again tomorrow at the same time And now this is joe king saying or of war And remember Whoever you are Whatever you do Wherever you may be When you think of refreshment Think of coca-cola For coca-cola makes any pause the pause that refreshes And ice cold coca-cola is everywhere This broadcast of claudia was supervised and directed by william brown maloney And now here's a word from your friendly neighbor who bottles coca-cola