 Your coca-cola bottler presents Claudia Claudia based on the 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 We're certainly walking a long way for a piece of cake Claudia. I just wanted to meet we're still in New York But I can understand why my walking eight miles on a cold winter day is going to cheer David up any It's your husband, of course But I don't think he's the kind of man who's terribly amused by other people's discomfort not eight miles nine Then you know it isn't anything like that as a whole I may know it but my parts don't agree My nose says it's 80 below zero and my feet say it's at least 80 miles my ears You're saying a lot you don't mean I'm still not sure what my suffering has to do with David in his house in the country Because he's depressed because mr. Tucker refused his bid on the house That still has nothing to do with my suffering and from what you've said I don't think Jared Tucker wants to sell that house at all He probably just likes to lead people on helps him pass away the Connecticut with and that's just what I'm going to do I'm going to help David pass away the winter you expect to make him forget farming for my child You don't understand men you don't understand about David you might be able to make him forget about one farm But in a few weeks he'll start pining for another. This is the only farm. He'll ever want how do you know you said so How does he know he knows? So I'm gonna help him forget this one. They're going to accomplish that with one piece of cake It's not cake. It's linser top and that's just the beginning David particularly loves linser top I never heard him say so he loves everything that comes from Bowers Bakery What is there to look at in this part of New York except a frozen old woman being mercilessly dragged about by her daughter Look look at those wonderful mirrored gloves. They're Austrian too aren't they? They're Austrian too. What else is Austrian? Bowers Bakery of course. Didn't I say that? You didn't even say what Bowers Bakery is That's where we're going to get David's cookies. So I gathered. Don't you think I ought to get David those gloves too? So your conscience is hurting you. My conscience? What's it got to do with anything? Everything. I think you're a little bit ashamed because you didn't want David to get the house in the first place And you did an awful lot of silent wishing against it. Oh mom I didn't know how awfully feel Well even if you had I doubt that your wishes one way or another would have had much effect on Mr. Tucker So you might as well cheer up. Have you made up your mind about the gloves? We'll get them on the way back from Bowers. Hey I didn't know you'd be in such a hurry to eat a lot of cakes and things I thought you said you'd rather not go to a bakery because it's too tempting. Does it have a place to sit down? Two marble top tables. Oh and white chairs. You can sit down and eat cookies and homemade ice cream Lead on young woman. I am prepared to look temptation right in the eye and give in This is Kelly. Is that what's going on? Well I suppose I ought to go up there and sit myself. Tomorrow? Well I don't exactly want to go to Connecticut tomorrow. Maybe later in the week. I know I know I know but you see I don't. Well all right then Kelly. I'll let you know later goodbye. I hope you don't mind my having listened to that David but it's the sort of conversation that I don't think Miss McBride would have approved of I know Roger. By the way have you had a chance to go over the surveyor sketch of Kerington's freight terminal sign? No I haven't. I think I have it somewhere on my desk. Well it's right here on top. I believe I detect Miss McBride's fine hand in this. You know David the trouble with efficiency like Miss McBride is that it succeeds in saving you time and fails to tell you what to do with it. I think the trouble is that you haven't asked her. Probably so. Here let's take a look at the sketches. Now now this is a rather difficult one. Don't I know it. Kerington wants to put this project through but he certainly managed to pick out a terrible spot to do it in. Yes I know it's bedrock. Let's look at the other print. I believe that has something to do with bedrock to the other one. I didn't know there were two. Didn't you see it is a very interesting piece of land. But this isn't a blueprint and it isn't Kerington's land. It's why it's the place in Connecticut. It's the house you picked out. It's Jared Tucker's isn't it. I had a fine weekend sketching it from memory and you know I am considerably pleased with myself. I don't think I cast the east boundary quite right. I think that that angle in the corner is actually more than a right angle. But the rest of it is really I hope you enjoyed yourself. I certainly did. I guess one sign of my overwhelming age is the readiness which I lead by Kerry's pleasures. Nearly the suggestion of you and Claudia living on that farm is enough to keep me contented for a day. I hope now we can talk about it. David why don't you want to go to Redbury tomorrow. You said yourself there wasn't any real reason for going. Neither is there a real reason for not going. Oh yes there is. Jared Tucker is all the reason I need. Poor Mr. Tucker. Only following his own notion of business ethics. Business ethics my foot. It just doesn't look right for me to be beating the daylights out of a 77 year old man. And if I did meet him I'm afraid I'd succumb to temptation because he turned your offer down good heavens. Had gone through life assaulting all the men who turned down my bids there wouldn't be anyone left to be 77 years old. It isn't just that Tucker turned my bid down but it's perfectly clear he doesn't want to sell. All he did was send back my letter with a large no scrolled on it. He didn't suggest that we ought to bid more he didn't even suggest that the place was for sale. I don't think he wanted to sell it in the first place. He just wanted to show it off. You've never been out in the Orient have you? No I haven't. Is that the only alternate to Connecticut? I think you would take Mr. Tucker more on your stride if you spent some time in the Orient. Learning patience you mean and the annihilation of all selfish desires. Not at all. Not at all. Observing the Chinese. What does watching the Chinese have to do with Jared Tucker? Well perhaps you remember that the old Yankee traders used to do a lot of business with the Chinese. I don't know who taught whom what of course. But I do know that between a real New Englander like your friend Tucker and a real Cantonese there's about an eyelash of difference and that's all. When did you learn so much about Chinese and New Englanders? About New Englanders I'm just beginning to learn. About the Chinese I learned many years ago. When I got through MIT my father gave me a van der Yard. That must be nice. What is it? It was a year that used to be very popular with American fathers of means. When their son got out of college with a lot of crazy and advanced ideas it was sent abroad to cool off. One year of travel was supposed to make the most ardent socialist settle down happily in his father's business. Did it work? Usually. I traveled around the world looking at the famous buildings of antiquity making appropriate and profound remarks in my journal which I have since burned. I also spent a few months in China which is what brings me to Jared Tucker. Well China may bring you to Jared. I failed to see the connection. The Chinese David are a very civilized people with I always thought rather little to occupy them. Bargaining is one of their favorite pastimes. I think Jared Tucker is exactly the same way. But Jared Tucker isn't bargaining. He said no. Period. I don't mind a man's not selling his house. That's his business all right. But I don't see why he had to get everyone believing he wanted to sell it. You don't know how he's hurt Claudia. She's hardly said a word to me all weekend. David can't you see this is part of the pattern. What pattern? The fine Chinese pattern. The seller's first step is to make the buyer believe that the last thing in the world he wants to do is sell anything. You mean you really think Tucker wants to sell the house. But of course he does. That's why he's trying so hard to make you think he doesn't. How do you know it doesn't sound right to me. It's just one of those things you keep from knowing. It's all perfectly simple. You want the house and of course you want the house. Now more than ever you've got to make a new offer. I know Claudia doesn't think it's going to do any good. Of course not David. She's never been to China either. I tell you a few months with the Chinese is an absolute must to understanding New Englanders. Then I guess I'd better let you carry the ball on it Roger. How much should I offer. Now you have to think it out very carefully. You see this is going to be your final offer. This is the price you are going to pay. That's what the other one. Oh it wasn't. That was just a hope. Tucker knows that. This time he knows you mean it. Wait and see how different he acts. It better be different. It will be. I'm not going to sit around this time waiting for an answer. This time I'm going to calling. That's a splendid idea. You and Claudia must agree on a price and then stick to it. Aren't you going to help us. May I. May you. And you notice how low I was till you started talking just now. And Claudia Claudia she she's even worse. Just wait until she hears we've still got a chance. Why don't you call her. Why don't we all go out and have dinner together and discuss the offer and then. Then you can make your call. I think that's fine Roger. But why shouldn't you come over to the house for dinner because we'd rather go out because David this is my party. I found a fine new little restaurant where they have the most inspired lobster Cantonese. But Roger I thought you couldn't eat lobster. That was before I moved to the country and remember the Chinese. Now then get on the phone tell Claudia to meet us down here. You but you sound so different I didn't know you love me. Well what's happened. Go out for dinner. But David we can't go out for dinner darling. I bought the most wonderful cake to surprise you. Oh now I've said it. Well anyway it doesn't matter. Why. Well darling it's sweet of Roger to take us to dinner but it's so important. Roger's giving us a Chinese dinner so we can understand Jared Tucker. Well I don't understand what's there to understand about Jared Tucker. Well darling I'd love to come of course I'd be glad to I'll be down in a minute. But David I spent the whole afternoon climbing Austrian mountains so you could forget him. These broadcasts are adapted for radio by Mania and Roger star. And the entire production is supervised and directed by William Brown Maloney. Good neighbors are the salt of the earth and they deserve special coddling. When your neighbor drops around it's such a little thing to say have a Coke. But it means a lot. When you put an opener to that frosty bottle you're saying come friend join me in the pause that refreshes. For neighborly hospitality why not have your grozer or service station attendant put a case of Coca Cola in your car today. 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 joking saying. And remember whoever you are whatever you do wherever you may be when you think of refreshment think of Coca Cola or ice cold Coca Cola makes any pause the pause that refreshes.