Come Back, Little Sheba Page #4

if I even looked at another boy.

There was nothing between Charlie

and me. There never was.

Honey, I'm trying to read.

Are you hungry? Hungry?

Lots of other boys

called me up for dates.

Sammy Knight.

Hank Biederman.

- Dutch McCoy.

- Sure, baby, you were the It girl.

But I saved all my dates for you,

didn't I, Daddy?

- As far as I know.

- Doc, I did.

You know I did. I never had a date

with any other boy but you.

That was a long time ago.

It's all forgotten.

Doc, how can you say that? Those were

the happiest times of our lives.

I'll never forget them.

I'll never forget that spring.

It was such a nice spring.

The trees were so full and so green.

And the air smelled so sweet.

Remember the walks we took

down by the old chapel?

It was so quiet and still.

That was such a nice spring.

In spring, a young man's fancy turns...

pretty fancy.

I was pretty then, wasn't I, Doc?

Remember the first time

you kissed me?

You were scared as a young girl.

You trembled so.

We'd been going together

almost a year.

And you'd always been so shy.

That night, for the first time,

you grabbed me and kissed me.

There was tears in your eyes, Doc.

You said you'd love me

forever and ever. Remember?

You said if I didn't marry you,

you just wanted to die.

I remember because it scared me

to have anybody say anything like that.

Yes, baby.

Then, when it got dark,

we stretched out on the cool grass.

You kissed me all night long.

You've got to forget those things.

It was 20 years ago.

Those years have vanished.

Just vanished into thin air.

Maybe you're sorry

you married me now, Doc.

You didn't know I was gonna

get old and fat and sloppy.

- Oh, baby...

- It's the truth. That's what I am.

But I didn't know it either.

Are you sorry you married me?

- Of course not.

- Are you sorry you had to marry me?

We were never gonna

talk about that, baby.

But, Doc... you was the only one.

- I'd just die if you didn't believe that.

- I know.

You were so nice and proper,

I never thought anything we did together

would be wrong or make us unhappy.

Do you think we did wrong?

You can't defy convention.

Or the laws of God.

I don't think anybody ever knew

except my folks.

If the baby had lived,

everyone would have known.

My losing her, the way it turned out,

you wouldn't have had to marry me.

Honey, what's done is done.

But it must make you feel bad

to think you had to give up your studies

and support a wife.

You might have been a real MD today.

- Marie, don't keep me waiting.

- Will I need a coat?

No, you got me.

If the baby'd lived,

she'd be just like Marie.

We'd be watching her go on dates.

Lola, people have got to forget the past

and live for the present.

We all make mistakes.

When my family left me all that money,

I could have gone back and finished,

instead of drinking it all up.

We could have had a nice house,

friends, comforts.

Maybe we could have adopted a family,

since you couldn't have any more.

We don't have any of those things.

So what?

We gotta keep living, don't we?

I can't give up just because I made

a few mistakes, I gotta keep going.

Sure, Doc. I know.

I'd better get ready.

I'll walk down to the corner

with you, Daddy.

Ed Anderson's picking me up.

Are you gonna be late tonight?

I don't know. Saturday's a bad night

at the hospital. Don't wait up for me.

- Take it easy.

- Hi, Doc.

Little Sheba.

Come, Little Sheba, come back.

Come back, Little Sheba.

I remember being taken to this hospital

in a padded limousine and a straitjacket.

I should think you'd try to forget it.

If you talk about it enough,

you do forget, so they tell me.

No good burying it or being ashamed.

I'm going in under my own steam now,

that's what's important.

I was never violent. I had quiet DTs.

The noises were made by

the caterpillars on the wall

while I waited

for them to turn into butterflies.

What's the matter, Doc?

It's no picnic, but you get used to it.

- Looks like we're having company.

- Yeah.

Bruce is coming tomorrow night.

I'm gonna ask him to dinner.

- Marie know about it?

- Yeah. She was real pleased.

She said she thought it was

very thoughtful of me.

Gotta take this polish back

to Mrs Coffman.

- I'm pooped.

- Don't use that word, it sounds vulgar.

I hear Marie say it all the time.

I thought it was cute.

Marie doesn't say it,

her language is refined.

Well, Turk, then. Somebody.

- Marie studying?

- No, she went out.

I didn't hear her.

Let's get some peppy music.

I love peppy music.

I guess it's 'cause I used to be

such a good dancer. Wasn't I?

- Doc, let's dance.

- Oh, no, dear.

Come on, Daddy, you used to be

a good dancer.

We oughta go dancing all the time, Doc.

If we did, maybe I'd lose

some of this fat.

I remember when I could dance like this

all night and never notice it.

Remember the charleston?

That used to be my specialty.

- Hey, not bad.

- The place is jumping.

- You gonna study?

- If it's still all right.

Oh, sure.

Marie said she couldn't go out tonight,

so I said she could use the parlour.

Turk's going to help with my chemistry.

Oh, you don't have to leave.

- I have to go out anyway.

- Oh, you do?

I have a meeting. I won't be late.

That's Marie's scarf.

- I borrowed your scarf, honey.

- That's all right. Sit down, Turk.

Sure is nice of you,

letting us take over like this.

I gotta make hay

while she's still smiling at me.

Make yourselves at home.

- I wish they'd both go out.

- You don't sound much reformed.

Well, you gave me the "go" signal.

I know you women

gotta pretend to be offended.

- But when you come back for more...

- I'll slap your face.

Now, you gonna study or not?

I am studying.

- Is there anything wrong, Doc?

- If you don't know, I can't tell you.

You like him, but he's no good.

Marie's innocent, she doesn't

understand guys like him.

- I ought to run him out of the house.

- You wouldn't do that.

They always behave so nice, Doc.

I know, I watch them.

- What do you mean, you watch them?

- Well, I let them use the parlour.

You watch them?

You watch young people making love

in the movies. That's not wrong.

They're so sweet and nice,

why shouldn't I watch 'em?

I think it's the sweetest time in life.

Makes me feel young to watch 'em.

He's too coarse for her.

Why don't you talk to her, Daddy,

talk to her like a father?

- I couldn't do that.

- It'll be all right.

Bruce will be here soon

and Turk won't be around any more.

Night, Daddy.

- Have a nice evening, Dr Delaney.

- Thanks.

- He hates my guts.

- He does not.

- He does. If you ask me, he's jealous.

- Jealous?

Yeah, I think he has a crush on you.

Turk, don't be silly. Doc's nice to me.

It's just little things he does, like fixing

my breakfast. He's nice to everyone.

- He ever make a pass?

- No, Doc'd never get fresh.

- He'd better not.

- Turk, don't be ridiculous.

Doc's a real nice, quiet man.

If he likes running his fingers

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