East Of Eden Page #7

---

- That's wonderful, Cal.

You got any time off tomorrow

from the hospital?

I get an hour at lunchtime. Why?

Thursday's Dad's birthday.

And I'm gonna give a party for him.

And I want you and me,

you and Aron and me...

to be there.

I'm gonna give him that money

just like it was a birthday present.

You could come

and help me get some junk...

- and we could decorate the house.

- Sure.

And we'll get balloons...

- and all that kid stuff, birthday stuff.

- We can go to the five and 10.

- Will you do it?

- I'd like to.

I'm sort of...

Why did I hit Aron?

Why did I hit him so hard?

Will you help me?

Will you really help me?

I'll help you, Cal.

Be careful.

How'd I get up here?

- Is your father coming?

- Yeah.

- Cal, don't get nervous.

- I think it looks beautiful.

Don't you? I love the way it looks.

- It looks festive, doesn't it?

- Yes, it does.

Yes, Cal, it looks very pretty.

- Do you think this is childish?

- Not a bit.

The room looks lovely.

Your father's going to love it.

- How's the turkey?

- It's a good turkey.

- Smells ready.

- It'll be ready.

- Aron didn't get him anything?

- He told me he had something.

- What?

- He didn't tell me what it was.

- It won't stack up against mine, will it?

- No.

- Do you wanna see mine?

- I'd like to.

- I got it wrapped up.

- Show it to me.

- Wanna see it?

- Yes.

Okay.

- You like it?

- It's pretty.

You think it's pretty?

Don't drink any more wine.

- Did Aron tell you what the present was?

- No.

- You sure?

- Honestly, he didn't.

I'd tell you if he did. Honestly, I would.

Now everything's gonna go off fine. Here.

The brooms.

- Don't you do anything to give me away.

- I wouldn't.

We'll let him come in

and let the house speak for itself.

- We'll act like it was any other old day.

- Yes. Wait, Cal.

Cal.

You look wonderful.

Thanks.

But I need my son.

It isn't that he doesn't want

to fight for his country. He does.

I need him to work the farm.

Things can't be as bad as you say,

Mr. Piscora.

You must be making plenty of money

out of your crops.

No money. I sold this year's crop

for 5 cents before I even planted it.

Everything cost so much now.

And now I got to sell next year crop.

So I need my boy.

I can do nothing about it, Mr. Piscora.

In all conscience,

I cannot excuse your son.

- Come on, Poppa.

- I don't like it.

I'm telling you. I don't like it.

Hello, Abra. Nice to see you.

- Gonna stay to dinner?

- Yes, I am. Is something the matter?

No, nothing. I guess I shouldn't

have taken that job in the Draft Board.

- Did you notice the snow on Mount Toro?

- Yes, I saw it.

Say, that means we got

a good year coming in.

- We could use it.

- Let's go in.

- Happy birthday, Dad.

- Happy birthday, Mr. Trask.

Is it possible? I'm very touched.

- Are you surprised?

- I had no idea. I'd forgotten completely.

- We knew you had, didn't we?

- Completely. I don't know what to say.

We got turkey.

- And champagne.

- Champagne, and we got all the things.

- We got the trimmings here.

- Isn't that pretty?

Got something for you.

Presents, too. Isn't that nice. Look.

- Ain't you gonna open it up?

- Yes.

Dad, Abra and I have one for you, too,

only we can't exactly give it to you.

I didn't tell Abra I was going to do this,

but we're engaged.

I couldn't have wished for anything nicer.

A lovely birthday present.

- You have my blessings.

- Thank you, Dad.

- But you haven't opened Cal's present yet.

- No.

But I can't imagine having

anything better than this.

Excuse me.

'Course I suspected it right along.

But, Cal, coming on my birthday.

What's this?

What is this?

I made it. And it's for you.

It's all the money you lost on the lettuce.

You made it? But how?

Go on.

- Beans.

- Beans?

Yes, we bought futures at 5 cents...

and the war came along

and the price went sky-high.

So, that's for you.

It's all the money you lost

in the lettuce business.

It's for you.

- I made it for you.

- You will have to give it back.

No, I made it for you, Dad.

I want you to have it.

- You will have to give it back.

- Who? I can't give it...

- To the people you got it from.

- No, the British Purchasing Agency?

- I can't give it back.

- Give it to the farmers you robbed.

We didn't rob anybody, Dad.

We paid 2 cents a pound,

I sign my name

and boys go out and some die...

and some live helpless

without arms and legs.

Not one will come back untorn.

Do you think I could take

a profit from that?

I don't want the money, Cal!

I couldn't take it!

- I thank you for the thought, but...

- I'll keep it for you.

I'll wrap it up

and we'll just keep it in here...

I'll never take it!

Son, I'd be happy if you'd give me...

something like your brother's given me.

Something honest and human and good.

Don't be angry, Son.

If you want to give me a present,

give me a good life.

That's something I could value.

I hate you!

What are you doing?

He doesn't want anything from me.

Cal, don't.

Please, don't.

Abra!

Don't you ever touch her again.

I don't trust you.

You're no good.

You're mean and vicious and wild.

And you always have been.

You know it, too, don't you?

Father and I have put up

with every vicious thing...

you could think of since you were a child.

And we've always forgiven you.

But now I don't want you to go near Abra.

I don't want you to talk with her.

Just stay away from her!

- You want to go some place with me?

- Why should I?

I got something to show you.

- Think you'll find it very interesting.

- What are you talking about?

Maybe our mother didn't die

and go to heaven after all, Aron.

- What do you mean by that?

- Maybe she didn't.

Maybe she's alive someplace.

What are you up to now?

Remember when we were kids,

we used to make up stories about her?

You said she must have looked

like heaven's youngest angel, remember?

Remember that time I shot that rabbit?

You cried and you said...

that she would have cried, too,

'cause she was so tenderhearted.

And you said I was bad,

you remember that?

I just want to show you something.

It's not gonna take very long.

What's the matter, you afraid?

I'm not afraid to look at anything

you could show me.

Can you look at the truth, just once?

Come on, you can look

at the truth just once. Can't you?

Come on.

I want to show you something.

It won't take very long.

Oh, Cal.

Hello.

Mother, this is your other son, Aron.

Aron is everything that's good, Mother.

Say hello to your mother.

Say hello to your mother, Aron!

Joe!

- Play another song!

- Quiet!

Five!

"I'm thinking of the lilac trees

that shook their purple plumes

"I'm thinking of the rivulet

with its cool and silvery flow

"Of the old gray rock that shadowed it

and the peppermint below"

- Where is Aron?

- I don't know. I'm not my brother's keeper.

- Where did you go?

- For a ride.

- What did you quarrel about?

- You.

- You're angry about the money.

- No, I'm not angry.

I like it. I think it's great.

Rate this script:5.0 / 1 vote