Ellen Foster Page #7

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She's somebody else, you see?

So what matters is

that you open up

and talk to me.

Get that pain out

of Ellen Hammond

and she won't have

to be Ellen Foster.

Hmm?

Tell me what you're thinking.

It's okay.

It may not be the name

God or my mama gave me

but that's my name now.

My old family

kind of wore the other one out.

And I figured

I could start practicing

my new name

of my new family

for when they are

my new family.

Foster.

It's a clean, fresh name.

I notice your hands

are trembling a bit.

Are you frightened,

Ellen?

No.

I used to be scared

but I'm getting to be

not so scared anymore.

See, Ellen, the problem

isn't in the name.

The problem is

why you think

you need a new name.

Well, I just told you.

You're the one who's mixed up.

Well, why don't we discuss it

some more next week.

I don't plan on discussing

anything with you next week

or any other time.

Excuse me.

So long.

Oh, yes!

Sweet pumpkin, that's

a perfect place for that one.

It's pulling down the branch?

So what?

Ellen, what would you like

for Christmas

by way of a present?

Well, you already got me

all that stuff

and clothes and all.

But it's Christmas!

Everybody in this house

gets a present

don't they, pumpkin?

Well, I could use

a handypack of white paper.

Oh! Writing paper?

No. The painting kind?

I only got four sheets left.

Is that all?

It's all I can think of

right now.

Oh.

How you doing

with that tinsel, sweetie?

Good.

Oh!

It's sweet.

Perfect.

All that mattered was that

this time would be different

from last year.

And what with Christmas spirit

I figure maybe they'll both

get to like me after all...

though you have to be careful

with dreaming like that

especially with people

you don't know good.

I'm going to make them

a present.

What you going to make?

I'm going to make them

a picture

for them to hang

on the wall.

Miss Hobbs always said

you were real good

at picture painting.

It has to be a picture

of something friendly

they'd like.

Maybe some cats

or a bunch of flowers.

I don't think they'd care for

one of my experiment pictures

or a brooding ocean.

A what?

Well, that's where the ocean

looks real strong and beautiful

and sad all at the same time.

They wouldn't like it

'cause it looks so evil

when you first look at it.

They would miss the point.

I paint a lot

of brooding oceans.

And I can paint cats

a heap easier

than brooding oceans anyways.

So, they get fuzzy cats.

King me.

Let me see how you're

doing there, sweetie.

Oh, you're

the Christmas angel.

Look how perfect

that is.

Um, I want to give you

my present tonight

instead of waiting

for tomorrow, okay?

Oh! Well, that'd be

very nice, Ellen.

You bet.

So, what do

you think?

Uh...

Well, Ellen,

that's really nice.

Did you trace it?

No, I didn't trace it.

I painted it my own self

for you and your mama to hang

anywhere you see fit.

Why, it's awful

sweet of you, honey.

We'll hang that up first

thing in the morning.

What's wrong with right now?

Well, that picture

needs a frame, honey.

A picture as pretty as that

calls for a nice frame.

I already got

some nice frames

I made out of

colored paper.

You can pick

the one you like best.

We can assemble

the whole business tonight.

We going to put some old

tacky paper frame

on our wall?

Oh, Dora, be nice.

This is so cute!

It's not supposed to be cute.

She's lying, Mama.

I bet she traced those cats.

No, I did not trace them.

I painted them my own self

and you're just too stupid

and selfish and fat

to appreciate a present

made special for you

instead of spending a fortune

on something out of the store!

How dare you speak to my Dora

in that manner!

You need a good

spanking.

Touch me, I'll kill you.

I had enough getting beat up

from my own daddy.

Don't you dare

kill my Mama!

You killed your own

mama and my grandma.

I want you out of here.

Do you hear me?!

I didn't want you to begin with

and neither did Betsy;

nobody wants you.

I'll call that judge

first thing in the morning

right in his own home,

Christmas or no Christmas

and get you

out of my house.

Mama, there's

butter in my hair.

Oh, baby,

I'm so sorry.

You won't have to be calling

any judges.

# Joy to the world! #

# The Lord has come #

# Let earth receive her king #

# Let every heart

prepare him room... #

Hi, pookie... hi...

# And heaven and nature sing #

# And heaven and heaven

and nature sing #

# Joy to the world! #

# The Savior reigns #

# Let men their songs employ #

# While fields and floods,

rocks, hills and plains #

# Repeat the sounding joy... #

Yes?

Is Mrs. Foster home?

You must have the wrong house.

Nobody named Foster

lives here.

Isn't this the

Foster family house?

Oh, well, yeah,

we're the foster family

but her name is Montford.

It says it right

on the mailbox.

Didn't you see

the mailbox?

I guess I had it

figured out wrong.

Is she home?

What's this?

Somebody looking for you.

# What child is this... #

Are you looking

for me?

Why don't you come on in

out of the cold

for starters?

What's your name?

Ellen.

Are you lost, honey?

No, ma'am.

And you're looking for me?

Mm-hmm.

You look a bit familiar.

Have I seen you

someplace before?

Maybe at church.

And I was outside

your house one time.

Yes, now I remember.

Well, why don't you

take your coat off

and tell me

what's happening?

"Que pasa?"

Who taught you that?

A friend of mine.

Oh, my, what

a pretty dress!

I wanted to look good.

You like hot chocolate?

I'm very fond

of hot chocolate.

My mama used to say

that hot chocolate's

one of the most comforting

things in life...

on-on a cold day.

Tell me, honey, have you

run away from home?

No, but I need

a place to stay.

What do you think

about me staying here?

Are you sure you

didn't run away?

I bet your

mama and daddy

are pretty worried

about you right now.

My mama's dead

and my daddy's in jail

and I've been thrown

out of my aunt's house.

She showed me the door.

I see.

And how did you know

to come here?

I seen you in church,

you and your girls

and I asked Dora who you

were and she told me...

that's my cousin...

and I figured since you already

got some girls my size

you might be able

to squeeze

me in, too.

I see.

Well, I usually have children

referred to me by the court.

I never had a situation

like this.

Well, I got something

to help you make up your mind.

Really?

It's $166 there.

You can count it.

I saved it up from when before

my daddy was in jail.

Various sources

here and there.

Julia and Roy gave

me an allowance.

They've gone off now.

They're friends of mine.

I want to pay you

this money

so we can keep this

all on the up and up.

That way, you and

me can be even.

You get the money

and I can stay here till

I graduate from high school.

How does that sound to you?

Look, you put this

back in your pocket.

No deal, huh?

Tell you what

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