A Tree Grows in Brooklyn Page #10

all excited about her schoolin'.

But why can't it

be Neeley?

He's the boy, and he

don't care like she does!

Well, maybe that's why.

Maybe it'll do her good

to get out in the world,

and learn how to

take care of herself,

learn somethin' practical

while she's young.

She's got to

learn someday.

Well, there must be

another way!

I don't know. I'll try and

swing anything. I'll do anything.

We can't count

on that, Johnny.

Don't look at me like that,

Johnny. It ain't my fault.

It ain't your fault either,

I guess. I don't know.

Anyway, one member of

the Nolan family'll

get to graduate,

and she come close.

That's somethin'.

You better put out the light,

and let's get some rest.

Oh!

I thought you'd be asleep,

prima donna.

Uh-uh.

I've been thinking.

I might be going to be a

writer. I've just about decided.

I knew you when you was

gonna be a lady fireman.

Don't joke, Papa.

I'm serious.

All right, baby.

All I meant was maybe it's

better not to get your heart set

on just one thing,

in case something happens.

She said, Miss McDonough, I mean,

she said maybe I could be.

She said I have imagination.

Do you think

I have, Papa?

Sure you have, baby.

Them compositions of yours

are sure fine, but...

She said I'd have

to work hard.

She said imagination

wasn't any good

if you were just a

pipe-dreamer about it.

You didn't help anybody that

way, not even yourself, she said.

Yeah, I see.

A pipe-dreamer.

I'm not putting it

good like she did.

I wish you could've heard

her. She was wonderful.

Forever and ever, I'll be glad you

helped me go to that school, Papa.

You kind of like that

school, don't you, baby?

Yes. Oh, yes.

And she said lots more.

I've been trying to remember.

She said even if

you have imagination,

it's better to write about

the things you know about

so they'll be true.

And the way things are.

Only...

Only what, baby?

Papa, the people in the hall

when we brought up the tree,

the look on their faces,

all friendly and nice.

Why can't people be like that all

the time, not just on Christmas?

Well, I guess

it's because...

Well, I don't know.

Maybe it's because Christmas

is like people really are

and the other

part ain't true.

And with that

imagination of yours,

if you think

about it hard enough,

you know,

like it ought to be...

But when you

get to thinking,

Papa, the people

in the stories,

they don't just live

happily ever after, do they?

No, baby, but...

But the trouble is,

it doesn't feel good when you

think about things like that,

I mean,

like they really are.

You better stick out

your tongue, prima donna.

It's just like I thought.

You got a bad case,

a very bad case.

Case of what, Papa?

A very bad case

of growing up.

That's all it is.

It ain't fun sometimes,

but don't you be afraid.

I don't want you

should ever be afraid.

You're so nice, Papa.

I guess it's better if you don't

just stay young all your life.

It'll be much nicer

growing up.

Yeah.

Then you get to see things

like they really are.

Good night, baby.

Good night, Papa.

I'm sleepy now.

That's fine, baby,

just fine.

Ain't ya comin'

to bed, Johnny?

No. I'm gonna take

a little walk.

Don't start drinking,

not tonight, Johnny.

I won't, Katie.

I won't.

Well, did he go out

on a job, do you know?

If he did, he didn't get it through us.

Thank you.

How are you, Mrs. Nolan?

And happy new year to you.

Same to you,

Mr. McGarrity.

I just came to...

Well, I happened to be passing

by, and I thought I'd run in

and thank you for the

candy canes you sent us.

It was nice of ya.

That's all right.

It wasn't much.

Well, it was

nice of you.

Good night, Mr. McGarrity.

Good night, Mrs. Nolan.

Mrs. Nolan.

Johnny ain't here. He ain't

been here since before Christmas.

I'm afraid it's bad news

I'm bringing you, Mrs. Nolan.

Our station just got

a report that Mr. Nolan

was found over in

Manhattan very sick.

He's been taken

to a hospital.

See that Neeley gets to

school on time in the morning.

There's an apple

for your lunches.

The report said

that he just collapsed

right in the doorway

of an employment agency.

And he'd just been

going out on a job.

A sandhog in a tunnel, they said.

And he hadn't been

drinking, ma'am.

He'd been waiting there

a long time for the job.

He was just sick.

We did everything

we could.

Yeah, sure. I know.

What are you writing down

that he died from, Doctor?

Acute alcoholism and

pneumonia. One led to the other.

I don't want you to write

down that he died like that.

Put just the pneumonia.

I can't do that.

Pneumonia was the direct cause of

death, but the alcoholism was...

Look, he's dead.

I got two nice kids that are gonna

grow up to amount to somethin'.

Why do you have to make it hard by

sayin' their father died from the drink

when that's only a

little piece of the truth?

He wasn't drinkin'. They said

so. He was out lookin' for work.

Why don't you

put that down?

Cause of death,

pneumonia.

"Everlasting rest

and happiness

"through the infinite merits

of Jesus Christ.

"Oh, God, great and omnipotent

judge of the living and the dead,

"before whom we are all to

appear after this short life

"to render an account

of our work.

"Let our hearts,

we pray Thee,

"be deeply moved at

the sight of this death.

"And while we consign the body

of the deceased to the earth,

"let us be mindful of our

own frailties and mortality,

"that walking

always in Thy fear

"and in the ways

of Thy Commandments

"we may, after our

departure from this world,

"experience

a merciful judgment

"and rejoice in

everlasting happiness

"through Christ, our Lord."

All them people

and the flowers,

some of them from people

I never heard of even.

Who would've thought

that many folks...

I mean,

they was carrying on

like they was

his family or, or...

I don't know.

Yeah. He took the time to make a

lot of people love him, all right.

It's hard to figure out

so many of them showing up.

And they was

feeling something.

I mean, there was no

reason for 'em to put on.

He was nobody big.

He was just a...

Katie.

Don't talk about

it no more, kid.

Francie.

Just leave her be, Katie.

She maybe wants

to be by herself.

She's taking on

kind of funny.

She ain't even cried.

Goodbye.

I'd like my

father's shaving cup.

That one. "Nolan."

Oh, you're the little girl.

Yes. I'll clean it

up for you.

He was a fine man.

Tell your mama that I,

his barber, said this.

Francie.

What?

Francie, dear,

where are you going?

No place.

Francie.

Yes, Mama?

It was nice of the neighbors

to send over all that food.

Don't you want something?

No, Mama.

I wanted to talk

to you, Francie.

I want things to go on,

the reading and all.

I want to do...

Well, I got to be mama and

papa both to you now, Francie.

Yes, Mama.

Is that all, Mama?

Well...

You gotta go right now,

Francie, I...

I'll be back.

Honest, I will.

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