Blossoms in the Dust Page #9

It sure is. The best you ever had.

Why, this is Tony's.

Merry Christmas, Auntie Edna.

Darling. Darling.

Look, I can walk.

Oh, my darling. My darling.

This is the bestest Christmas

we all has ever had.

Ain't it the truth? Glory be.

May I walk all I want to, Dr. Breslar?

The more the better.

But you have done enough

today, old fellow.

It's getting late now.

Way past your bedtime.

Oh, no.

Tony. Tony.

You have to hang up your stocking.

Don't you know?

Yes. Now, run along, dearest.

- Good night, Zeke. Good night, Cleo.

Good night, Tony.

Get your shoes off, sweetheart.

I'll be right in.

- Good night.

- Good night, Dr. Breslar.

Good night. Sleep well

and dream of playing football.

Good night, Mrs. Gladney.

Good night, Zeke.

We'll get him a bicycle next Christmas.

Good night, Mrs. Gladney.

Good night, doctor.

- Good night.

- Have a good time.

I'm taking my own mistletoe.

Well, Max, the ordeal's over.

"Birth certificate bill passed

by healthy majority.

Merry Christmas. T.R. Cotton. "

Good work, Edna.

No, Max, the credit isn't mine.

It's hers. Charlotte's.

Have it your own way.

Well, Edna, one ordeal is over,

the next is all ready and waiting for you.

Why, what is it, Max?

Come on.

There we are. You got him?

Here, put the pin in it.

That's right.

I don't wanna get my clothes pinned.

Now that's got it.

Now, let's hope Santa Claus

fills it way up.

- So your name's Tony?

Yes, sir.

This is Mr. Eldridge. Mrs. Gladney.

- How do you do, Mrs. Gladney?

- How do you do?

He has a swimming pool, Auntie Edna,

right in his own yard.

And seven puppy dogs and a pipe organ.

Your little ward and I find we have

a lot in common, Mrs. Gladney.

Have you?

What are you doing down here?

I came down to hang up my stocking.

Yes, well, go back to your room at once.

Now, be careful going up the stairs.

- I'll be right up to put you to bed.

Yes, Auntie Edna.

I suppose Dr. Breslar has told you,

Mrs. Gladney...

...that my wife and I

recently lost our little boy.

I know. I'm sorry.

Leta hasn't been well since it happened.

There seems to be a question

that she may not be well again.

I mean ever, Mrs. Gladney.

I see.

This Christmastime is very hard on her,

remembering back to other Christmases...

...when we had him with us.

The doctors feel that if they could

put another child into her arms...

...a child that we could keep,

that would be our own...

...it might make all the difference.

Dr. Breslar told me about little Tony.

And now that I've met him,

I feel he'd be ideal for us.

- Why, we took to each other right away.

- I can't let you have Tony.

It's a question of her reason, Mrs. Gladney.

Of her life.

I'm sorry.

Well, if I could give you money

for the home.

That couldn't possibly enter into it.

The boy belongs somewhere else.

I'll see that the home does its best for you,

and as soon as possible.

Thank you, Mrs. Gladney.

I'll leave you my address.

- Goodbye.

- Goodbye.

Goodbye, Dr. Breslar.

And a thousand thanks to you

just the same.

This isn't the first sacrifice

you have ever been asked to make, Edna.

And it won't be the last.

You must think of the boy now. Of Tony.

If it hadn't been for me,

Tony would have died.

I gave him his life.

He loves me.

He belongs to me.

Yes, Edna.

You gave him his life. His body.

But he needs more than that now.

He needs a home. A normal home.

And he needs a father, Edna,

and a mother.

One that belongs to him.

This isn't a home. It's an institution.

I could leave here, can't I?

Leave here?

Why not?

Give up the home? Desert?

I want Tony.

Here's my letter of resignation

to the board.

- This means the breaking up of the home.

- I've done enough for the home.

It's time I started thinking

of Edna Gladney.

That is not Edna Gladney.

You don't understand, Max.

I'm going back to Wisconsin

to make a home for my child.

Edna, the day that Sam

was taken from us...

...he said something to me

I've never told you.

He told me he thought

God took your baby from you...

...so that thousands of homeless babies

might have their chance to be loved.

You don't understand.

Maybe Sam was wrong.

- What are you doing, Auntie Edna?

- We're going away, sweetheart.

Away?

Right now. Tonight.

I'll get your hat and coat.

- Who is that?

- I don't know.

Oh, good evening, Mrs. Gladney.

I've got a couple of Christmas presents

for you.

Hello there, lady.

I'm awfully sorry, Mr. Harrigan,

but the home is closed.

- The holidays.

- Well, you'll have to stretch a point...

...for these two. We found them in

a spot that was just raided.

Oh, sure. We're always being raided.

My mama's a...

I'm thirsty.

Come here, dear.

I'll get you a drink.

- Why, this child has a raging fever.

A fever?

What's a fever?

Is he okay, lady?

Yes, he's going to be all right.

- Go to sleep now, dear.

- Okay.

Mrs. Gladney. Oh, Mrs. Gladney.

We just got your message, Mrs. Gladney.

This is Leta.

Good evening, Mrs. Eldridge.

How do you do, Mrs. Gladney?

Is he ready?

In a moment.

Oh, wait till you see him, honey.

Tony.

- Tony, darling.

- Is it time to go?

It's time to go, sweetheart.

Get up.

Upsy-daisy.

- Where are we going, Auntie Edna?

- Not far.

And Auntie Edna's decided that you're

such a big boy now, you can go alone.

Oh, no, Auntie Edna.

Listen, dear.

Do you remember the nice man with

the swimming pool and the puppy dogs?

- And the pipe organ?

- Yes.

Well, his wife's a lovely lady,

but she's very unhappy.

She's unhappy because

she wants a little boy very badly.

She hasn't got one.

So they want you to go

and stay with them.

And they'll love you always.

And you'll be their little boy.

And then I can come back to you,

Auntie Edna, can't I?

Well, no. I don't think so, darling.

Because, you see,

I'm just your Auntie Edna.

And I'm lots of other children's

Auntie Edna too.

This lovely lady will be your mommy,

your very own mommy.

And you'll have a daddy too,

like other lucky little boys.

Come along now, sweetheart.

I mustn't cry, must I, Auntie Edna?

No, you mustn't cry.

Oh, my darling. My darling.

My baby. My little boy.

Thank you, Mrs. Gladney.

Oh, thank you.

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