 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 Now David why don't you stay out here in the street till I come out of the store see you mean I'm just supposed to stand here by this fire hydrant like a fire hydrant How long are you going to be? Oh, just long enough to pick up your package pay for come out again, darling You won't freeze waiting for me. Well, you know darling. I won't freeze while I'm waiting for you, but I might grow roots David why don't you go over and talk to Santa Claus while I'm in the store because I'd ask him to give me a present It might not be the same one that you've bought for me and that I wouldn't believe in Santa Claus Did I ever believe in him? I wonder of course you did all little girls I wouldn't mind not believing in him. It's just as nice knowing that you're my Santa Claus Say how about giving me a present right now? No, you're always asking for presents. I like them I'll give you no presents out here on the sidewalk. It's Christmas, David You're supposed to love thy neighbor even my wife. I know I love my wife on Christmas in private I do not like kissing my wife on the sidewalk then don't kiss her on the sidewalk kiss her on the nose Get inside. Go on. Listen. You're not gonna be cold. Go on. Get going. It's gonna be all packed At least it's supposed to be all packed when I get it. Maybe maybe you could come in. I'll stay outside and that's final Yep, I guess maybe you better darling. I don't want you to feel you're buying your own present Looks like a pretty expensive store to me. Oh, it is But then I have a pretty expensive husband. Look, I don't want to be rude, but uh, do you have enough money? For what? No for my present. Of course I have. How do you think I's going to buy it? I don't know Well, I hope you haven't gone and done something silly to get the money What could I do silly to get the money plenty of things barred it from mama or sold something I know you didn't take it out of the checking account if you aren't the snoopiest man I catch it from my wife Suppose you're just busting to know where I got the money for your present. It's just bust Well, maybe I maybe I ought to let you bust. All right. All right. Don't tell me don't tell me I don't care Trouble is I really think you really don't I don't when I say it. I I don't mean it. I care But Well, this money mr. Norton is what you call found money found Where did you find it? Darling seriously if you found this money, but you know you you have to return money you find Dope, I found it in the back of my desk drawer You put it there. I did Finding it couldn't have been much of a surprise even for our club Well, it's surprising how much penny's put in the back of a desk drawer can add up to So actually when you really figured out david your present is not costing me a cent It absolutely amazes me how you can figure you're getting something for nothing. I am I don't want to look now. I want you to go into that store before I Well before I freeze and my toes drop off honey how I hate leaving you even for a minute That's because you're filled with the christmas spirit. Yeah, I suppose on the 23rd of december. I'd love almost anybody Even you you're right Well, goodbye. Have a nice trip miss me. I said have a nice trip and that's my last word on the subject I'll see you in a second. I'll be right out here cluttering up the sidewall Why don't you sing a christmas song the silent clause? Good idea Jingle bells jingle bells jingle all the way Oh, what fun is to ride? Walk away from you. I simply don't know you. I'm only doing what you told me to I'm singing jingle bells jingle bells All the way Yes, madam. Oh, I've come to pick up my yes, you're mrs. Norton. I didn't recognize you at first Well, I think it's remarkable you recognize me at all and you've come for mr. Norton's humidor Yes, is it gift draft? I'll check on it that I gave orders and make it look nice. Of course, mrs. Norton I believe the total price comes to 16 dollars and 78 cents with tax Oh, uh, I'll pay cash. That will be fine. If you'll just wait a moment. I'll be right back Do sit down you Nothing you just made Excuse me. Yes. Hmm. Oh, oh, yes Excuse me, but would you care to make a donation? Oh? Yes, certainly just a moment. I I have so much stuff in this pocketbook coming in from the country. I kind of fun. Oh, here's my my purse There you are. Just drop it in the tin. All right Thank you so much Well, it it it wasn't very much every little bit helps I only gave you a quarter. Oh, it's not the amount. Oh the amount's important to here. Let me give you a little more dollar This will help buy a christmas tree for the children for the the children for the orphans orphans at christmas Do you let them stay up and decorate the tree or of course we do Christmas belongs to children Is it I mean the home is it in the city out on staten island? Oh, that's the other end of the ferry, isn't it? Trip must be a lonesome one the first time I was so lucky. I Still have mama you were fortunate Here, please take some more money and you are very generous. Oh, I'm not generous. We're all So selfish, but I'm gonna try to be generous here. You take this And buy the children presents We will be able to buy the many things with your gift. I'm starting to feel so personal It's strange what giving does It's terrible about the orphans especially ours Sister, I don't understand. You you can't be more of an orphan than an orphan. I'm afraid you can Ours are not just orphans. You mean there are orphans and orphans. There are There are just plain everyday orphans who've lost their parents. Well, what other kind are there? There are the more Notorious orphans Notorious Well, what in the world can a little orphan do to be notorious? It's his parents Child is left alone sometimes because his parents are Have suffered a violent death, which is attractive publicity. Oh, no Well, they're orphaned in other public ways, which would make them obvious and recognized among other children Or in the community where they might seek refuge in other words yours are the Undesirable orphans and they're such good children Most of them I I can't think of anything more awful than to be an undesirable orphan You'd think it'd be bad enough to be a child all alone, but But Here I I have some more money. Please take it. Oh, but you have been so generous already. I can't call this being generous on the contrary I I'm so glad you came up to me To think that just 10 minutes ago. I knew nothing at all about this Here here take it all please before I change my mind Only I won't change it. I hope my child you will be blessed So very blessed It's the silliest thing, but you make me feel like crying Merry Christmas yours will be merry God will see to that Here we are mrs. Norton Oh, yes, here is your package your prize package for mr. Norton. Oh, isn't it beautifully wrapped? Yes, isn't it? And here is the check Oh, yes, that's uh 16 dollars and 78 cents. Just a minute, please. I'll get my Oh The money I I I forgot the present There is no hurry madam The the money I I haven't got it anymore Uh, what was that madam? You see, I wasn't thinking and I I just 16 dollars and 78 cents. Uh, isn't that correct? It's a nice round number 16 78, but you see I don't have it Oh, well then I'm afraid I I did have it until a minute ago, but I don't anymore I'm afraid I don't quite see I could come back later today Oh, no, I had to catch a train home Oh, I thought maybe you'd forgotten all about me. David. You're not supposed to come in Well, I'll go right back out, but my larynx got tired of singing So I thought I'd make sure you hadn't gone out the back door Well, I'll be right out David. I have a little problem to settle and is um, is that my present? Yes, isn't it beautifully wrapped and we'll hold it for you madam. Uh, could you come in tomorrow? Well, I hadn't expected to but well in that case. What is it darling? What's going on? Nothing nothing nothing take the package. Let's go But I haven't paid for it yet. Well, go ahead. I'll turn my back if you want privacy You can turn your back all you want. It won't do any good. What do you mean? David, I don't have the money You don't have what? But you said you had it outside. I offered to give it I had but it's all gone Wait a minute. Wait a minute. Let me get this straight Outside the door you had the money, right? Yes Now you're just a few feet inside the door and you haven't paid for the package yet and You don't have the money. No, I haven't No, it's a very interesting situation David this is not funny How can I pay for your bed? Excuse me, uh, if you like madam you can write a check I'm sure it could be arranged particularly with your husband But the whole point was I didn't want to write a check this this present wasn't supposed to cost a check David, I I don't want to write a check. It's not the same thing. Look look darling You know, I I don't care. You understand. I don't care how this present is paid for Why do or where it comes from? You know perfectly well that everything we have is ours, but I'm just a little curious to know what happened in these last 10 minutes Oh, well, I just I just got talking to somebody and Uh, madam, uh, what is it that you'd like to do? Yeah, I'll pay for the present. Oh, David. No Who are you talking to? David, I hate you paying for your own present. It's not at all the way I plan did somebody pick your pocket Here's a 20 dollar bill. Will that cover? Ampley You give the change to mrs. Naughton, please and don't tell me how much you give her Yes, sir. Thank you. David. You're so sweet. I'm not sweet. I'm I'm curious I only want to know who you were talking to that cost you so much money. It's just a little woman She must have been quite a little woman. She has about 38 children 38 children. I repeat. She's quite a little woman David, have you ever heard of undesirable orphans before? No, I have just now Oh So that's it. I just I just got carried away for a moment there. I I was an orphan on Staten Island and you didn't like it very much. Well, it's Christmas Oh, what a clock I am. I forgot all about your present in this store and I just got swept off I didn't know what I was doing and and when I gave her all that money and I probably wouldn't have done it if I had I think you knew what you were doing I think you discovered the true spirit of Christmas It uh It was a very nice present darling. Oh, David. I'm not much but I am a mother and I'm very glad Bobby has one. Well, you may not be much, but you're the best that Bobby's got so If you like I will not kiss you on the sidewalk But I will kiss you right in the middle of this store on the nose 38 times one for each orphan one two three The days just aren't long enough right before Christmas And there's no one in greater need of an occasional pause than the lady of the house Particularly when she has to act as Santa Claus's agent Slow down a moment Get yourself a sparkling icy cold bottle of Coca-Cola And continue your work refresh. Hey, Joe. I wonder if I could ask you Uh a little favor certainly David anything I don't usually get in this sort of a jam, but um You may know the banks are closed and paying for my present was a little unexpected If we'll five dollars do I'll do fine. I'll see you tomorrow and pay you back. Well, I'm not worried about it Oh I am are you coming into town tomorrow? Well, I'll be uh tied up on the school house You know the the one up in eastbrook. So I doubt that I can make it tomorrow. Oh Say have you bought your Christmas tree yet, David? Thanks for reminding me. I got to do that tomorrow I'll see you then Joe and uh, I owe you. Okay, David 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 olive wire And remember Whoever you are whatever you do Wherever you may be When you think of refreshment think of coca-cola Or 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