Flower Drum Song Page #2

Pardon me, I'll be right back.

You wanna see a real doll?

Who is she?

She's my picture bride.

She is? You're lucky.

You're even luckier.

Your brother-in-law,

Old Master Wang,

wants a bride for his son,

doesn't he?

Yes, but she's yours, Sammy.

Mom picked her out for me. I

got another kumquat on the fire.

I got this kid on ice,

but the ice is melting fast.

But what will

the Family Association say?

The elders

would never permit it.

Besides, you have a contract

with her father.

I'll turn it over to you.

They'll never know.

I'll talk

to my brother-in-law.

Good.

I'll show him this picture

the first thing in the morning.

Good.

My sister's husband.

Now what have I failed to do?

You sit here idling while I must

arrange for a bride for your son.

You have done what?

A wonderful girl. And she's

right here in San Francisco.

Now where did I put...

I will not choose from

these local Chinese girls.

They are without reverence

or filial devotion.

My son's wife must be

born in a suitable month,

from a house with a high door.

Exactly. A girl

from the old country.

Fine, respected,

well-educated.

And here she is.

She looks right.

Where did you get this?

Sammy Fong.

He will present her this

afternoon for your inspection.

Good morning, my father.

Auntie?

Did you sleep well, my father?

Yes. Thank you, my son.

Good. I need some money.

Money.

That is nothing unusual.

How much this time?

Twenty-five bucks.

Bucks?

Dollars.

Hi, Pop. Hi, Auntie.

Sit! Only cannibals

eat standing up.

Okay.

And you sit down, too.

Now, what do you need

those $25 for?

He probably got himself

a new tomato.

Tomato?

For $25 you could fill

this room with tomatoes.

Father, I must hurry

or I'll be late for class.

I shall go to the bank

and change a bill.

I will give you

the money later.

I'll advance it

for you, Ta.

If you kept your money in the

bank, you could give him a check.

Do I tell you where

to keep your money?

Here you are, Ta.

Thanks, Auntie.

Well, I've gotta run.

My son, your aunt has been talking

to me about choosing a bride for you.

What are you doing?

I can't wait to have a lot of little

nephews and nieces running around the house.

Quiet!

Your aunt is right.

Father, they don't do things

like that over here.

Here a man picks his own wife.

Ta! While you are still my

son, you will do as I tell you!

There. You have given me

a coughing spell.

I'm sorry, my father.

Strange how your cough comes over

you when you do not get your own way.

But every time

I speak to the boy about...

We can discuss that later,

my father. I've got to go.

Ta!

I gotta go, too.

So long, Pop. Don't take

any wooden chopsticks.

You! You go right back

and finish your breakfast.

What language is he using?

I have a feeling he has been

disrespectful, but I am not sure.

No, no,

that is American-style slang.

And I suppose

it's American-style, too,

when a boy can do anything

without his father's consent.

Yes, but this is the USA.

In my citizenship class,

I have learned,

"We, the people

of the United States,

"are entitled to life, liberty

and the pursuit of happy times."

And the parents are entitled

to pay the bills.

Where are you going,

my sister's husband?

I'm going to the bank to change

my old-fashioned $100 bill.

Bucks? Tomatoes?

Wooden chopsticks?

What are we going to do

about the other generation?

How will we ever communicate

without communication?

You can't account

for what they say or do

And what peculiar thoughts they

think they never reveal to you

A very discouraging problem

is the other generation

And soon there'll be

another one as well

And when

our out-of-hand sons

Are bringing up

our grandsons

I hope our grandsons

give their fathers hell

Can't wait to see it

I hope our grandsons

give their fathers hell

Hi, San. Are we going to play baseball?

Hi, San. Are we going to play baseball?

Hey, what's the matter with you?

Hey, what's the matter with you?

The more I see of grownups,

the less I want to grow

The more I see what they have

learned, the less I want to know

And yet we've got to all grow

up, there's no place else to go

I wonder why we're all so poor

and they've got all the dough

What are we going to do

about the other generation?

How will we ever communicate

without communication?

When we are using words

the modern way

They're much too big

To try to dig

The colorful things we say

If we could take over the

training of the other generation

We know we could improve

them quite a lot

But they will never let us

They stay the way

they met us

And so we're simply stuck

with what we've got

We can't improve them

The kids are simply stuck

with what they've got

What are we going to do

about the other generation?

How are we going to stop them

when they start an explanation

Of what it used to mean

to be a kid?

The clean

and wholesome fun they had

The innocent things they did

They all had a wonderful

childhood in the other generation

The games they played

were bright and gay and loud

They used

to shout "Red Rover

"Red Rover,

please come over"

They must have been

an awful droopy crowd

When they were younger

They must have been

an awful droopy crowd

Oh, your papers, Master Wang.

Thank you.

Did you notice whether my letter

to the editor has been printed?

I have not read

the papers, Master.

This week it is a good

letter. You must read it.

Stick 'em up.

Don't turn around

or I'll plug you.

And keep your hands up.

What are you doing?

What are you doing?

I have been robbed.

Robbed?

The $100 I changed are gone.

All my new bills.

Where were you robbed?

Right there.

In my own vestibule.

A bandit put a gun in my back.

Calm down before you get

another coughing spell.

How many times have I told you, you

should keep your money in a bank?

It has always been safe

under my bed!

Your bedroom may be safe for

everything else, but not money.

I want you to report this

to the American government.

I want two soldiers to

guard my house day and night.

You are not a feudal lord.

This is not China.

For five years you have gone

to that Citizenship School,

and all you have learned is,

"This is not China."

What did he look like?

Who?

The robber.

Don't ask me what he looked

like. All white men look alike!

How many times have I told you you

should keep your money in a bank?

Money is like a man's wife.

Strangers should not get

their hands on it.

Come in, Sammy.

Madam Liang.

You know Sammy Fong,

my sister's husband?

How's the Old Master?

Mr. Fong, I am honored

by your presence.

Be seated.

Thank you.

Tea.

Let me lay it on the line.

Madam Liang tells me you're in the

market for a bride for your son.

You have an unfortunate way

of expressing yourself.

You want something for immediate

delivery and I've got it.

She's got skin

like white jade.

She's built like a Ming vase.

She'd be the daughter-in-law

Rate this script:0.0 / 0 votes