Belles on Their Toes Page #6

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But-- But you're a woman.

Well, I'm afraid there's nothing

I can do about that, Mr. Williams.

After all, even engineering

has its limits.

Oh.

Here's a copy of the speech

I was planning to give tonight.

Perhaps your members would find it more

enlightening if it were delivered by a man.

Good night!

[ Door Slams ]

[ Horn Honking ]

[ Phone Ringing ]

Hello? Yes, this is

the Gilbreth residence.

This is Martha Gilbreth.

Montclair Hospital?

Mother?

But-- But that's impossible.

- She's in New York delivering a speech.

- What's the matter?

Shh! Oh.

What happened to her?

Your mother was in an automobile

accident and she was brought here.

No, you can't speak to her now, but you'll be able

to see her tomorrow morning at 1 0:00.

Tomorrow morning at 1 0:00.

Not before that?

You're... sure she's all right?

- Thank you.

- What happened?

Mother, she's-- she's been

in an automobile accident.

- She's at Montclair Hospital.

- Is she all right?

That's what they say,

but I'm going to call Ann.

I think she ought to

come home from school.

If she leaves tonight,

she should be here by morning.

Operator? Operator,

I want long distance, please.

- How long will I be here, Doctor?

- Until you get well.

But I must know. I have all

my children at home alone...

I teach a class and I have a lecture

at Rutgers on Saturday.

- I think you better plan to

cancel everything for a while.

- But I can't--

Mrs. Gilbreth, you drove

your car into a parked truck.

And it doesn't take a doctor to tell you

anybody who does that needs a rest.

Come in.

Mother.

- [ All Chattering At Once ]

- Hello, children.

Oh, it's so good to see you.

- Are you all right, Mother?

- I'm fine, dear.

How are the other children?

You couldn't bring them down, could you?

No. No, they're not allowed in,

but they're fine.

- Where's Frank?

- Is she all right, Doctor?

Well, yes, but she needs

some rest, plenty of it.

- It's the barber!

- That's right.

- You know each other?

- I almost gave them all a haircut once...

but we couldn't agree on the price.

- Oh, really?

- I'll send the nurse in to do

something about the flowers.

Thank you.

Shh.

Go on. Go on back.

Go on.

- Frank, dear!

- Shh. I've got all the kids with me.

- Hello, Mother.

- Hello, Lillian.

- For you, Mother.

- Oh, thank you, darling.

- You're wounded.

-Just a little, dear.Just a little.

- Does it hurt, Mother?

- Now, don't cry.

If the doctor hears you,

he'll put you all out.

Yes, Mother.

None of you

went to school today.

You'll just have to go

straight from here.

I better write some excuses

for you for being late.

Don't bother, Mother.

I have them right here.

An original and eight carbons.

Just sign the top one.

I guess I don't have to worry

about the house running smoothly, do I?

No, Mother.

Oh, my. Another bouquet.

I'll have to get another vase.

By the way, Dr. Grayson

saw you come in.

- He said to take the little ones

out the way they came.

- Yes, ma'am.

And when you come tomorrow,

be sure to use the back stairs again.

- Yes, ma'am.

- Now, that's enough for today.

You better say good-bye.

Tomorrow you can stay longer.

- Good-bye, dear.

- Good-bye, Mother.

Good-bye love.

Good-bye, dear.

Be careful. You'll jiggle the bed,

and your mother's in considerable pain.

Not anymore, I'm not.

Good-bye, Bill.

Good-bye, Fred, dear.

- Ernestine.

- Good-bye, Mother.

- Good-bye, Mother.

- Good-bye, Ann.

Good-bye.

- Good-bye, Mother.

- Good-bye, Frank.

Well, hello, girls.

How's your mother?

The doctor says she's gonna be fine,

Mr. Harper.

- That's fine. I'm glad to hear it. Where is she?

- Room 309.

- Thank you.

- [ Dr. Grayson ] Miss Gilbreth?

Oh, yes, Doctor?

I just wanted to reassure you

about your mother's condition.

All she needs is plenty of care,

and I'll see that she gets it.

- Thank you, Doctor.

- Hope you come to see her every day.

I think that'd do her

a lot of good.

Oh, I won't be able to.

I have to go back to college tomorrow.

- But I'll be back for Easter vacation.

- Good. Good.

- Well, good-bye.

- Good-bye.

- Is Mother gonna be here till Easter?

- Of course not.

- Well, then, I don't understand.

- It's all right, Ernestine.

Ann does.

And when that Kendall Williams

person left me standing on the sidewalk...

in front of the Engineers' Club

all dressed up...

with no dinner to go to,

I was so furious...

I guess I didn't watch

where I was driving...

and I ran into a parked truck.

- And here I am.

- Oh, it's ridiculous.

It's positively ridiculous.

Everybody in the country ought to know

that Dr. L.M. Gilbreth is a woman...

and a very remarkable one.

Lillie, what you need

is some good publicity...

- and I'm going to see that you get it.

- How?

Well, you remember the day I walked into your

house and told you my name was Sam Harper?

And you said,

''Of Harper Electric?''

- Right?

- Yes.

Then you just leave

everything to me.

[ Horn Honks ]

I promise you, if you

ever ask me out again, we'll go alone.

Oh, I don't mind.

It's quite an experience.

Come on. Hurry along, everybody.

The newsreel is starting! Come on!

[ Horn Honks ]

That's the Gilbreths.

They used to live on our block.

- Gee, was my mother glad when they moved away.

- [ Laughs ]

[''Hail To The Chief'']

[ Scattered Applause ]

[''Hail, Hail,

The Gang's All Here'']

[''There's No Place Like Home'']

[ Audience Laughing ]

Look, Mama! There's Ann!

Don't eat the plate!

- Good heavens! Isn't it almost over?

- I think so.

Oh, no! It isn't!

Do you realize that that newsreel

will be shown all over the United States?

- And Canada and the British Isles.

- [ Moans ]

I still say it's darn good publicity.

I know. You keep saying that.

But how could that be good publicity?

I'll tell you. They mentioned your name.

They spelled it correctly.

They used your picture.

And believe me, that's all that matters.

Children, your mother

is now a public figure.

[ Sighs ]

And so am I.

- That first day when we go back to school--

- I'm not going.

I'm gonna catch something

that'll keep me in bed tillJune.

What's the matter

with all of you, anyway?

Don't you realize you were in the same newsreel

with the president of the United States?

Yes. I thought he looked

much funnier than we did...

but nobody laughed at him.

I don't care whether they laughed

at you or not. They'll remember you.

- Isn't that right, Doc?

- Well, I don't see how they could forget.

[ Sighs ]

Well, ships that pass in the night.

Yeah, east is east

and west is west...

and so on and so forth.

It's all in a lifetime.

You meet all kinds of people...

so I guess you haven't

really wasted your evening.

No, I don't think I have.

Well, see you tomorrow night.

Say, I forgot to ask.

Are you free tomorrow night?

- Yes.

- Good.

- Good night.

- Good night.

[ Train Whistle Blows ]

It's coming in on time.

Be here any minute.

Bob, please.

This is a railroad station.

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