 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 Claudia Mama I said oh You know, it's not proper to sing in a doctor's waiting not a superstition like an umbrella in the house It's just manners. Well, there is nobody here to watch my manners But if you'd rather I'll just sit around looking depressed. You don't have to go to extremes We're talking about extremes mama. I don't see why I had to come to this doctor's at all You know dr. Roland wants you to have a doctor for the baby all picked out if we're going to like dr. Taff Well, we are not going to like him we are well Then what are we sitting around here waiting to see him for we are not going to see him We are then let's go you are going to see him You are enough well, I'd like you to look at him too if you like him. That's all that's necessary I am not going to need a baby doctor for weeks. How can you be so sure of course? I guess it is a good thing to shop in advance Having a nice baby doctor in Bridgeport right near where we live is sort of like Like having extra cans on the shelf exactly David doesn't like cans. David likes the idea of our getting all settled with dr. Taff before we go into New York And I become a grandmother the way you talk about becoming a grandmother Always sounds as if you forget I'm going to become a mother in the bargain I must admit that part of it has always seemed a little remote to me. Oh, I'm glad I started young Just think at this rate mama. You'll be a great grandmother before your hair turns white turns white at the very thought Did you ever stop to think this was really going to happen to us? Yes, I stopped to think of it. I'll admit when was the first time when you were about three months old You were lying under a pink satin blanket I looked at you then and tried to imagine the day. I'd be a grandmother What do you imagine mama? Nobody as nice as David you didn't look as if you'd have the sense to fall in love with somebody like David Well, I was only three months old. What do you expect of me a great deal? I know Your grandson isn't Anything old yet, and I already expected a great deal of him. He has a good father Is that all don't you have a decent word to say about his charming brilliant gay spirited young wife? I don't have to say about her. She says entirely too much about herself. Oh, you're cute I don't see why humming is worse than talking take my word for it Why because I'm old enough to be your mother. You don't look it There's not one decent magazine to read in this whole waiting room That's not what you pay for but the dentist is half of what you pay for Don't seek this waiting room. It's kind of dull. It's very neat. It's too neat. It hasn't got any oomph Claudia Well doesn't Mrs. Norton. Yes dr. Taft is ready for you coming mama get along with you Don't keep dr. Taft waiting Bye mama You want to become a boy scout read one of those magazines? It tells you how eyes and everything painted white It's like the inside of a refrigerator. Go right in Mrs. Norton I'm Mrs. Norton. Yes, Mrs. Norton, please sit down. I'll be with you in a moment. Oh, yes Yes, thank you. I'm just reading over your case history my case history I sound like a problem not at all as soon as you called for an appointment I telephoned dr. Rowland had him send up a medical on you very efficient of you wasn't it? It's always preferable when possible to be informed about the child background before the child crosses the doctor's threshold Oh, I like to know my doctor too, so I quite understand now. Let me see the child is expected the end of this month Personally, I think it's going to be June 27th. Mothers are notoriously incorrect about birthdays Oh, I'm pretty good at hunches babies are no longer born on hunches Mrs. Norton It's all very methodical Well, I don't know as my son is going to like being a methodical baby. It will not mind. I assure you Now you're expecting to have it born in New York. Yes, it's all been arranged for him that way And you will return to Eastbrook approximately two weeks after it I wish we could hurry things up so we could get back by the 4th of July He's sort of nice to celebrate the 4th of July in our own house with our own baby. I Don't suppose it's too important now, Mrs. Norton This is the routine. I'd like you to observe I'll keep in touch with dr. Rowland, but I should like you to call me upon your return Yes, I'll make a house call to see the child the first week you're back and Thereafter I shall want you to come to my office with it around the first of every month Like a bill on my first house call I'll examine the child and decide upon the formula for it then according to its weight and eating habits We shall vary its diet. This all sounds too much like a railroad timetable to me strict adherence to rules cautious observance of a child's idiosyncrasies watchful eye and Punctuality are the greatest insurance toward the growth of a healthy normal well-adjusted child That doesn't need much to lack our ancestors does it now, Mrs. Norton What arrangements have you made for yourself for me for your postnatal care? Oh? I'm not going to need any your personal physician is in New York certainly not. I haven't had one in years Sides which I can't go traipsing back and forth into New York for no reason health is not no reason. Oh, I've got loads of help Thank you When I finished having this baby the only doctors our need will be for him, but he'll be healthy too I can see I'll have to discuss this with dr. Rowland Now I know several good men here in Bridgeport, which is quite convenient for you I'll give you their names in case you want to speak to your husband about it Well now mrs. Norton. I I guess that's all we have to discuss just one thing while I'm here dr My husband has a trick knee. I think he got it in track at college your husband. Oh, he's all right It's just his knee and you know how men are he just can't be bothered doing anything about it I suggest your husband see dr. A. F. Morrison. He's not a pedast Well, that's just the point my husband won't see anybody I thought if you could just tell me what to tell him he should or shouldn't do I'm afraid that wouldn't be very proper mrs. Norton You just have your husband run in and see dr. Morrison I wouldn't dare advise him particularly sight unseen as I limit my field rather specifically to children under six Then you wouldn't be interested in David certainly It's been nice meeting you mrs. Norton my regards to dr. Rowland when you see him and that's supposed to be pretty soon Goodbye dr. Taff come on mama. Let's go home Claudia. What's the matter nothing except? I feel like a Carrot being put through its paces in a marble kitchen what on earth are you talking about and I'll bet you mama that David won't like Being a parsnip and when tonight he is that our son is being treated like a mere Brussels sprout he won't be so happy about that He's wearing a white coat and spectacles and he had much less hair than you have except It grew on the back of his hands and his desk was enormous He didn't have a thing on the top just like his head and the walls are painted white The floors were shiny linoleum and the whole place made me feel as if I were a vegetable in a deep freeze Well from what you've told me my little vegetable he sounds like a very good doctor Doesn't sound like a doctor at all to me more as if you were going to carve up a white mouse There's nothing to matter with that He's probably a very fine scientist to boot. I don't care how fine a doctor or scientist He was his office was just like a hospital the more you say the more I have confidence in this check. Oh you David he didn't give me any any Sense of him what kind of a sense of him. Did you want him to give you? I don't know if you were like a father or a brother or even just an uncle But he wasn't he was like somebody who's nobody to you at all. I look darling You've only met him once and give him time not everyone gets senses as quickly as you do I just can't seem to make you understand at all Why he even called our son and it which is all that he is right now You certainly made a turnabout face nothing of the sort I merely feel that if dr. Roland recommended dr. Taff He's probably a very fine child specialist and if he's cold and scientific that shouldn't be held against him You don't choose a doctor because he he has a very nice brown eyes are Because he's fond of dog. I bet you dr. Taff wouldn't even touch a dog I'll bet you I bet you he'd say it was unsanitary. It probably is your traitor Look darling dr. Taff is representative of the new modern kind of well I prefer the old-fashioned kind like strawberry shortcake Look at all these cards you gave me a doctor for this a doctor for that a doctor for the other thing It's very modern and practical How would you like it if you got sick and had to send an arm of yours to one place in a leg to another and your head To someplace else I probably wouldn't like it at all. No, though if that's what you did I probably wouldn't know the difference and you'll be serious David. This is important. It's our first doctor. I am serious All right, it's thumbs down on dr. Taff without even giving him a chance. I'm afraid so I'm not going to go to him All dressed in white like that. He he looks like a doctor. He is a doctor Look darling. I I don't insist on Taff It's important you like and trust the man whatever the reason we have to find a doctor and in the next few days I'll find one a good old-fashioned kind of doctor with with smiling lines around his eyes a nice kind hand You're planning just to walk up and down the streets looking for him. There's not that much of a hurry darling. Maybe there is We can't estimate what trouble or misfortune life is going to be a lot of us, but we can be prepared Don't talk like that. We've got to I know I'll find a doctor darling. Trust me All right No How is your knee fine fine? How's yours? Beautiful, but that has nothing to do with it I saw you limping when you came in so answer my question. How is your knee? No, my my length is much better Dr. Taff said did you discuss my knee with dr. Taff just a little just a little anything wrong with Discussing the picture is getting clear. I was perfectly willing to discuss it more But he wouldn't he wouldn't have a thing to do with your knee why you You little bargain hunter David. What are you talking about? So that's why you didn't like dr. Taff I told you already why I didn't like him Yeah, but it was all clenched because he wouldn't give you any free advice about my my my knee Robby's dad has nothing to do with anything To The price of one If you can't get it for a bargain, you're just not interested. You are impossible I just can't discuss anything seriously with you anymore. You're always accusing me. Oh, right. All right My little bargain hunter, but you're not fooling me for a moment. I'm not Isn't it too bad? You're not having triplets Just think you me mama three triplets and one doctor. What a buy Genuine hospitality is as rewarding to those who extend it as to those who receive it in that way It's much like friendship, but many people work too hard at it just as they pursue friendships too hard The moral of my little tale as you perhaps suspect is that hospitality needn't involve effort In fact, it's better when it doesn't an ice-cold bottle of Coca-Cola offered with grace Says welcome to anyone's satisfaction and it permits hosts and guests to enjoy the pause that refreshes together Well, it looks as if we're no nearer to a baby doctor than we were this morning Doesn't it mr. King party it doesn't like feeling like a test tube does she I never realized it My daughter is a perfect pushover for the bedside manner. Isn't she not so much the bedside manner as the horse and buggy Manor I'd say she's going to have a mighty difficult job getting that kind of doctor nowadays Well, it is a good old-fashioned kind of country doctor around cloudy will find him I hope so, but if she does it'll be more luck than brains. It'll be both be around tomorrow, Mrs. Brown You'll see what I mean. I'll be here. Goodbye, mr. King. So long Mrs. Brown As I was about to say 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