Blossoms in the Dust Page #7

- Goodbye, Mrs. Gladney.

- Wait.

- Can you tell me what's troubling you?

- I'm afraid I can't.

- Have you a child?

- No.

- Are you going to have one?

- No.

Never. Never.

Come and sit down.

Tell me about it.

Maybe I could help in some way.

I'm engaged to be married.

We'd made such plans, Alfred and I.

I've just found out

that I haven't a right to a name.

To any name.

I found it at the record of my birth.

The record I'd have to show

when we went for our wedding license.

Would he care?

I'm not gonna see him again,

Mrs. Gladney, not ever.

Just a minute.

Tell Dr. Breslar

I want to see him immediately.

Yes, Mrs. Gladney.

Will you let me have your purse?

Let me have what you have in it.

- There isn't anything in it.

- Please.

Please, let me have it.

Max, throw this...

Throw this away, will you?

Max...

...for years

I've been haunted by something...

...something that once

came very close to me.

The injustice of branding

innocent, little, nameless children...

...in records where everyone can see.

On birth certificates...

...of branding them all through life,

in marriage licenses...

...passports, legal documents.

It's cruel, inhumanly cruel,

but there's a way it can be stopped.

I realize that now.

Max, the word "illegitimate" has

gotta be removed from the vital statistics.

But, Edna,

illegitimacy has had to be recorded...

...since the beginning of records.

Then it's time it's stopped.

This didn't just happen, Max.

There was a purpose in her coming here,

and if you're as fine as I think you are...

...you're not going to cheat

the man you love.

You're going to marry him right now.

Fight for his happiness and your own.

I had a friend as dear to me as a sister

who had the same problem you have.

She died for it.

But I know now she didn't die in vain.

Max, I used to think

that taking little nameless babies...

...loving them and finding homes for them

was all that could be done...

...but it isn't. I know that now.

I know my course,

and it's as clear as daylight.

Every human being born into this world

deserves the right...

...to make its own good name

without bigotry and prejudice.

I'm going to fight for that right

for every child in Texas.

And it's because there's only one way

to remedy this tragic situation...

...that I appeal to you for help,

and that way...

...is to remove the word "illegitimate" from

the birth records, past, present and future.

I don't like to discourage you, but I'd say

such a bill had no chance of being passed.

Would open up a hornet's nest.

Why, it would be a direct blow

at the sanctity of the home, Mrs. Gladney.

Sanctity of the home?

But that's exactly what I'm fighting for.

One can't override the tradition

and prejudice of centuries, Mrs. Gladney.

What you propose would arouse

the antagonism of so-called good people.

Surely that's what leaders are for,

to fight intolerance and overcome prejudice.

How would you think of proceeding,

Mrs. Gladney?

People have hearts.

Let's try to reach them somehow.

- Auntie Edna.

- Yes, darling?

Why do you go away and leave me?

Auntie Edna had to see a lot of senators

about helping all the little children.

Are senators people?

Some of them are.

- Auntie Edna.

- Yes, sweetheart?

- Do you love all the other little children?

- Of course, darling.

- More than me?

- Oh, my darling.

Why, Auntie Edna loves you more

than anything in the whole wide world.

She doesn't want to leave you.

Not ever.

Not for one single little moment.

Then why can't I go with you

when you go away?

You can when you're well and strong.

You'll be my little escort and protector.

Keep me company and look after me.

When I get big,

will I be your big protector?

Of course, darling. Always.

You don't take care of children here.

All you do is play with them.

Gramophone music, animals

on the ceiling, lions, giraffes, elephants...

- But babies couldn't see them on the floor.

- But babies couldn't see them on the floor.

- Did you just get in, Edna?

- This morning.

- Take a sleeper?

- No.

Well, what do you think you are made of?

Cast iron?

- Does that hurt you now, sweetheart?

- No, ma'am.

- What reaction from your senators?

- Oh, the same old thing.

"Not since the Magna Carta, madam,

has so radical a procedure been suggested. "

That's funny, Auntie Edna.

No, it's not, son,

because there isn't any comeback.

But the Magna Carta went through.

You are wasting your time, Edna.

You are acting foolishly.

You are wearing yourself out

with a wild-goose chase.

You have got to save yourself

for what you can do.

I need Sam, Max.

I need his courage to go on.

Mrs. Gladney.

- Yes, Zeke?

There's some ladies in your office

that says they've got to see you right away.

- Very well, and I wanna see you, Zeke.

- Yes, ma'am.

Dry him and put his brace on,

will you, Max?

No, I want you to stay, Auntie Edna.

- Oh, Dr. Max will put the brace on.

I want you.

Buckle on the brace is a little loose, Max.

We'd better get it fixed.

Yes, I see.

Here, darling.

When did you buy me the horsie,

Auntie Edna?

Oh, a long, long time ago.

- You take good care of that.

- I will.

Just a minute, Tony.

What is it that you wanted me to do?

- Edna.

I'm sorry I upset you.

I lost a case last night.

Oh, Max.

The Eldridge boy.

I brought him into the world.

His parents are taking it pretty hard.

That would be a wonderful home

for little Tony.

- For Tony?

- You have done a great job, Edna.

He'll be out of that brace

before you know it.

Mrs. Gladney,

what is it you wanted me to do?

Come here, Zeke. You'll have to rig up

a crib for a couple of newcomers.

Two more babies, Mrs. Gladney? I can't.

All right. You tell them so.

I'm not going to.

I declare for goodness that...

Whoo-oo!

Deuces wild.

- I'm gonna fix them up right away.

- Well, I thought so.

- Any mail, Tess?

- Yes, a little.

What about my birthday note

to Janice Loring?

- Oh, I mailed it.

- Fine.

- Good morning, Mrs. Gladney.

- Good morning.

What can I do for you?

Mrs. Gladney, we've come to demand

that this long fight...

...you've been putting up

for immoral legislation cease at once.

Immoral, ladies? In what way?

Because it encourages the young

to be bad.

We realize you think you're doing right,

Mrs. Gladney.

But nice people have to be segregated

from those who are evil.

What do you mean by "evil"?

And by "nice"?

Look out here a minute, please.

There are 12 children out there.

I happen to know that three of them

are what you term "illegitimate. "

I'd like you ladies

to pick out those three.

This is your answer to our request, then?

Somebody once told me I'd never desert.

I hope I never shall.

This is your final decision, then,

Mrs. Gladney?

I'm afraid so.

I'm sorry.

Very well.

Come, ladies.

- Good day.

- Good day.

Look here, Max.

It's from Senator Cotton.

"Dear Mrs. Gladney,

I have at last created an opportunity...

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