 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 you got some matches over there If you bother to look I'd rather bother you is it less of a bother much less Then reach out and help yourself to the match. What kind of tobacco do you smoke mr. Norton? Well, Jeff. I'm not terribly fussy, but I I like a little turkish in it I think I'd like to smoke a pipe to pipe's a great consolation Jeff It's the one thing which a wife can't take away Seems to me that pipe between your teeth is the one I bought you nothing is sacred I edit my statement even a man's pipe is no longer his own Jeffrey still I think I'd like to smoke a pipe Well, why don't you do you think I'm old enough 16 going on 17? I think you're old enough. I have to get myself one They're ever so much nicer than cigarettes. I think women smoke cigarettes Jeff my father smokes them, too I Don't think he smokes a pipe right, you know, I've never seen him with a pipe. I know he likes a good cigar I don't like cigars Not for me anyway. Well, not quite yet. Would you like to borrow one of my pipes? Oh, I couldn't I mean pipes are very personal Aren't they David never offered me one. I'm never even allowed to touch them or polish them or even hide though You're different Come over here Jeff pick one out. I'll show you how to clean it and polish it up David now He's big enough mr. Norton. You're swell to me You and Mrs. Norton Ever since you brought me here when I left we're we're not talking about that. It's it's forgotten. Well, I just want to say This is the nicest home. I've ever and we like having you now now which pipe will it be Why not wait until after dinner and the two of you can spend a glorious evening telling each other stories about pipes Where did I put those matches? You certainly have to be liking that pipe very often. Don't you miss yes? Don't you David is it working? Well pipe draws Jeffery doesn't work. Oh, and this one is drawing fine Thank you, but it is not working Well, Claudia another word about my pipe and I'll Take you over my knee. Listen. There's fluff I've been wondering where it was. I afraid he'd run away again. Would you like me to go out and bring him into the house? Oh Would you mind Jeffery? It's getting dark. Oh, I'd like to But don't you two decide you're going to take a walk dinner is almost ready Don't pay any attention to her Jeff if you want to take a walk go right ahead and don't let her stop you dinner is almost on the Table David bluffing. I'll just go down to the brook and back This is a nice time of day here on the farm. It's awfully damp by the brook Jeffery The water stays there always after the rain you get your feet wet If you want to get your feet wet Jeff go right ahead and get them wet if you want to miss dinner Go right ahead and miss dinner. You're very tough aren't Tough as nails. I'll be right back. Mrs. Norton in time for dinner and with my feet dry He's a nice boy, isn't he a smart boy, too He's already learned that a little flattery goes a long long way Is that how you're going to be with our son? Undermining me all the time all the time You like being a father don't you it's an unavoidable result of marriage. Well, it's nothing for you to be so proud about You make a lovely father telling a boy to smoke a pipe telling him to get his feet wet Did you talk to Roger today now he called me I Told him he's a very lucky father to have such a fine son That was a nice thing to say. It's true. I know I don't care how much of a jam Jeff got himself into He can't be blamed for all his confusion and distress David. I I wonder about Roger and Mrs. Killian I think it's awful to think that from the day Jeffery was old enough to go away to school Since he was about six his mother's acted only like a distant relative. Well, maybe we don't know the whole story I don't think we have to What's so much more interesting about gallivanting around the country doing politics than then staying home taking care of a husband and child David we aren't meddling are we I Don't think so I mean I're taking Jeffery here and trying to help him to get straightened out that isn't meddling Well, Roger considers it a favor. I hope so. Oh How I'd hate to have been Jeffery Somebody's coming to see us. That's an Eastbrook taxi. Well, it's Roger couldn't be I spoke to him Chicago just a few hours ago Maybe she's in the wrong place She rang the bell brilliant observation Well, hello, Mrs. Norton. Yes, I'm she I'm Mrs. Killian. Good evening. Oh Good evening. I understand that my son Jeffrey is here. Well, he's out with the dog just now getting his feet wet by the brook He's what I mean, uh Won't you come in my husband's inside? Yes. Yes, I'll come in Jeffery, I'll be right back. Well, hello, Mrs. Killian. I've been looking forward to meeting you. So you're my Mr. Killian's partner. Yes, I'm sorry. We haven't met before this I don't usually barge in on people this way, but as you can understand, I've been very upset. Of course you have Perhaps we should have got in touch with you, but your husband I mean Roger said not to bar there that you were probably very busy where you were In California, wasn't it? Thoughtful of Roger, but I hadn't a telephone Jeffrey's school and they told me the whole distressing story They didn't know where he'd gone. So I called Mr. Killian's office and learned he was staying here with you Naturally, I came east right away There really isn't going to be anything to be upset about Jeffery is perfectly fine. You've been very hospitable But I'm sure you won't mind if I take Jeffrey back to New York with midnight. I'm not sure he'll want to go He seems to be enjoying the experience of living on a farm That's fine for a few days But I've arranged for Jeffrey to spend his summer touring through Mexico with a group of boys Oh, and I've got to be going back to California for a few in a few days So I'd like to get his clothes for him before I leave. He's going to be alone again this summer alone with a group of boys Well, look Mrs. Norton, I'll be frank. I lead a very busy life I'm doing as much for my child as I can and I really don't think I need to be given any advice by some people who are young enough to Be my children, but maybe because we are that young we can understand Jeffrey that much better You seem to think that Jeffrey demands a lot of understanding. Of course he does He's not the kind of boy who cheats on an exam out of sheer whimsy. I'd rather not talk about that till I know more about it David, why don't you go out and get Jeffrey? Tell him his mother's here. Why don't you go on? All right, be like Besides which dinner must be almost ready by now. We'll be back in a minute You'll be very pleased with the way Jeffrey looks Mrs. Killian. I saw him during the Christmas holidays He seemed quite fine then. Oh, he's grown a lot more. You seem to feel you know a lot more about my son than I do Maybe we do Let's be frank Mrs. Killian. I don't blame you for thinking that David and I are a couple of meddlers But you see we have a home here a real home and Jeffrey's been longing for one I have a great many responsibilities, Mrs. Norton I've quite an important place in politics and I can't sacrifice it for one person for a boy who I Work for many many people. I don't see how you can set a country straight until you set a home straight Maybe I'm old-fashioned. Maybe I don't know anything about politics or countries or causes But I do know that there's nothing more important than a marriage Particularly when it means giving a child you've brought into the world a real chance of growing up happy and secure Not always as simple as a town. It's got to be kept simple and that's up to you a Wife if she's a mother especially has a terribly big job You're very much in love with your husband, aren't you? Very much that makes a difference And of course your husband's very much in love with you That's even more important But your husband is such a fine man and He's so alone to being a fine man being a fine husband are sometimes two different things Roger and I started out very much the way you did years ago But he wasn't suited to being a husband At least not mine. I suppose I wasn't suited to being his wife Perhaps it's unfortunate that we both had to be parents Still you are And Jeffrey deserves everything you can give him. I Don't think it'd be such a sacrifice for you to give him a father and a mother. I Know it's easy for me to talk because as far as I can see I'll never have to make a choice I want my husband. I want my children and I want to make a home for them Let's be terribly difficult for you Nothing's impossible or too difficult You believe in it. That's how I feel and I hope maybe you'd oh There comes Jeffrey and David now What do you think of your son? What he's smoking a pipe and he's gotten so tall He looks like a man. He isn't though not at heart It's just the pipe Seemed very happy together. They are But Jeffrey'd be happy with anybody who'd give him some attention and love We're back and no wet feet. You'll both get gold stars. Hello mother. We didn't expect you You're looking fine Jeffrey. Mr. and Mrs. Norton have been swell to me. You look like a man Oh, it's the pipe. That's just part of it. Yeah, I hurried east as soon as I heard that Well, I I hope you don't mind my coming. We were just going to have dinner and you're going to stay Aren't you Mrs. Killian? Well, there's a train tonight and I don't take it stay here instead Stay the night the four of us have so much to talk about Jeffrey Would you like me to it's all settled? Come on David, let's go set an extra place for dinner. Well, I'll do it. You'll do nothing of the sort Jeffrey why don't you show your mother the upstairs? Well, don't worry about a thing. Mrs. Norton. I'll take care of mother Now now all we can do is break the news to Gertrude that there's an extra person for dinner Gertrude won't mind Even Gertrude knows if the bigger the family the better. Oh David Cross your fingers and pray that the Killian family is going to be a family Have you been giving Mrs. Killian a piece of your mind, Methuselah? Well, you gave Jeff a pipe didn't you? Yes All I had to give Mrs. Killian was a little piece of my heart the courage to oh David, I hope I haven't been stuffy or anything if it's a piece of your heart You've given her darling, then it's a piece of something. I love very much and Mrs. Killian should be much the wiser for it Sometimes when people drop in of an evening there comes a stiff lull a lag in the conversation Know how you can brighten such moments Step out to the refrigerator and bring in a tray full of ice cold coca-cola The pause that refreshes breaks the social ice as few things do whether guests are young or old Buy Coke buy the case and you'll be ready for social emergencies at any time Jeff has just shown me around the house Mr. King. It's a charming place, isn't it? Yes, David and Claudia are building it into a fine home I think she's an amazing young woman and glad I've met her Well, you know Mrs. Killian your husband comes up here very often indeed and it does seem to agree with him He likes to stretch out under the apple tree and watch the clouds go by Well, I'll be leaving in a day or so with Jeff and the apple tree will be all his again Claudia has a mysterious look about her so nothing would surprise me Mrs. Killian And you'd better make up your mind that nothing will surprise you tomorrow either till then Mrs. Killian. Goodbye You made me very curious, Mr. King, but goodbye Well 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 au revoir 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 an ice-cold Coca-Cola is everywhere This broadcast at Claudia was supervised and directed by William Brown Maloney and now here's a word from your friendly neighbor who bottles Coca-Cola