A Tree Grows in Brooklyn Page #11

Mom.

I guess

I'm a little hungry.

Look. He can't be dead. Can't!

They don't understand.

Maybe you could let me

have a baby someday,

and it could be a boy.

So it could be

just like him.

It would have to be me.

Nobody else

loved him like I do.

Maybe you could

do that for me.

And if you could,

he wouldn't even die.

I hope you don't think I'm forward

coming in like this, Mrs. Nolan.

How are you, Francie?

I'm well, thank you.

Have a chair. Francie, see if Mr.

McGarrity won't have some coffee.

Not for me,

thank you.

I figured

I ought to come.

I suppose you know how

Johnny and me done business.

He'd give me some money to keep

sometimes and draw against it.

And when he...

Well, I got to looking

around and what do you think?

I had, I had nearly

five bucks in his box.

And so I, I figured it belonged to you.

If you told the truth,

it would be more than

likely that he owed you.

But thanks very much.

Well, I just thought...

We'll make out.

Well, there's

something else then.

I thought maybe

you wouldn't mind

if maybe Francie and Neeley came

down to work for me afternoons,

like, after school

and Saturdays.

And, of course, maybe it

ain't the kind of a place

you'd favor them working in,

but I'd keep an eye on them.

And I'd pay them

$2 a week apiece.

And I'd take it as

a great favor, ma'am.

You're a very bad liar,

Mr. McGarrity,

but you're a good man, and I'm

ashamed I didn't know it before.

No, it ain't

like that, ma'am.

Johnny was...

Well, I don't know.

Johnny... Johnny always

talked about his family

like, well, like folks

ought to and don't.

And, whenever he talked about

anything, he always made you...

You felt better

or you wanted to laugh.

Like that seashell

I had there.

He was always, he was

always listening to it

and telling you

what it was singing.

He was always giving

things like that to people.

He...

He was a fine man,

Mrs. Nolan.

I'd be glad to let the children

work for you, Mr. McGarrity.

And the $4 a week will keep

us until the baby comes,

and Francie won't

have to quit school

and she can keep on,

and they can both...

Well, it's a deal then.

And you tell 'em

to come through the family

entrance tomorrow after school.

Is that all right

with you, Francie?

Yes.

Well, well,

it's settled then

and, good day to you,

Mrs. Nolan.

And thank you again,

Mr. McGarrity.

Francie.

Yes, Mama.

I'm glad you can keep

on with your school.

I was hoping something

like this would happen,

but I didn't want to say

anything until the time come.

But your papa and I

talked it all over

and there were reasons.

And there just

wasn't any other way.

It doesn't matter.

Papa saved me from it.

Hiya, kid.

Well, they're sure

taking chances.

I wouldn't, leaving

you handle them eats.

Where's Francie?

Kitchen.

Thanks. Hiya, Mac.

Hello, kid. How are you,

lamb? Hello, Aunt Sissy.

Look. You got to

do something for me.

This was in the paper,

and I cut it out.

You got to read it to me,

and... What's the matter, hon?

Nothing. I'm all right,

Aunt Sissy. No, you ain't.

You ain't been since...

Look. Don't you think you better

spill it to your Aunt Sissy?

What is it you want me to

read to you, Aunt Sissy?

Well, we'll get that

out of the way first.

Look. Here it is. Likely

you don't remember him.

But it's my

last husband, Bill.

The one I thought was

dead, but he ain't.

He's got his picture

in there,

and I wanna know

what it says.

Maybe it says where he lives

so as I can write to him

about getting a divorce

or something.

I got the best husband

in all the world now

and I don't want this here one

bobbing up and making no trouble.

He's a fireman someplace. I

can tell that from his clothes.

He was just starting out

in the fireman business...

This says he's a hero. He

saved some people in a fire.

Does it say where?

The 9th Precinct,

Manhattan.

Manhattan, huh?

Couldn't make the grade

in Brooklyn, I guess.

I want you to write to

him, Francie. Write this,

"Dear Bill..."

This says his name

is Roland Polaski.

That's right,

I remember.

Make it

"Dear Mr. Polaski.

"Being's as now I'm married

to somebody else

"I want you to see about

getting a real legal divorce

"because I thought you

was dead, but you ain't.

"And because you got the money

now on account of the reward.

"Yours very truly, Sissy."

Something like that.

But, Aunt Sissy, he must

have already done that.

Because it says here

he's married again.

It does?

"On the human interest

side of the story,

"Mrs. Polaski had returned home

only the day before from the hospital

"after presenting Mr. Polaski

with a brand-new son,

"the fourth child

of the marriage."

So, if he got a divorce that

long ago, you don't have to.

Then my being

married to Bill,

this one, I mean,

is all legal?

Well, now, if that ain't

a load off my chest.

You know something? I think I'll

give Bill Polaski a wedding present.

But Aunt Sissy, you can't.

He's been married for years.

Four kids, huh? Must be a pretty

sickly woman, this Mrs. Polaski,

going to the hospital

just to have a baby.

No. Lots of people go

there now to have babies.

It's better.

Sure enough?

You know something?

I'm gonna cash in

my funeral policy

and have my baby

at a hospital.

And when my baby

is born and lives,

I want you to write that

R. Polaski and announce it.

Boy, do I feel better!

And, now, chickabiddy,

we'll talk about you.

Can't your Aunt Sissy help

you any? I'm all right.

No, you aren't, honey,

not all shut up like that.

I know how you feel, but you

can't keep hanging on to it.

I'm all right. I don't

want to talk about it.

All right, baby.

All right.

But I'll tell you what.

You can do something for me.

Look. Your mama feels awful bad, too.

She needs you. Why don't

you talk to her about it?

She doesn't need me.

Yes, she does.

No, she doesn't!

She's got Neeley!

Why wasn't it Neeley she was

going to make quit school?

He never

cared about it.

She doesn't love me

like Papa did,

and she didn't love

him, either. Not really.

She hurt him. I saw her.

And he never hurt anybody.

I'm gonna finish this grade

because he gave it to me.

And then I'll work for her,

but she can't be Papa to me.

She can't ever!

Don't be like that,

baby. Don't.

Leave me alone.

I'm all right.

Please go away

and leave me alone.

All right, chickabiddy.

All right.

Mr. Stern.

Yes, sir.

Francie.

Yes, Mama?

I want to talk

to you, Francie.

Yes, Mama.

It isn't gonna be

long now,

for me, I mean,

my baby.

We can't come

to a hospital.

There isn't even gonna be enough

money for a woman to come and help.

I'm gonna

need you, Francie.

Don't ever be far away.

Neeley's...

Well, a boy ain't much good

at a time like this.

I'm counting

on you, Francie.

You won't forget that,

will you?

All right, Mama.

I'll remember.

Which one of you

is Mr. Stephen Edwards?

That's me.

Well, there are three

in your family now.

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