I Remember Mama Page #5

---

I think for Dagmar's

coming home tomorrow.

We like some violets, please.

Ten cents violets, please.

Wonderful.

Oh, ladies.

- Thank you, ladies.

- Well, thank you.

Mama, he called us "ladies."

Oh, Mama, when I'm rich and famous,

I'm gonna have fresh flowers every day.

I'll buy you just lovely clothes.

White satin gowns with long

trains to them. And jewelry.

- I'll buy you a pearl necklace.

- Better I like my solje.

But, Mama, wouldn't you like to be rich?

I would like to be rich the way

I would like to be 10 feet high.

Is good for some things,

bad for others.

But didn't you come to America

to get rich?

No, we come to America

because they are all here.

All the others. Is good for families

to be together.

- And did you like it right away?

- Yeah, right away.

When we get off the ferry boat

and I see San Francisco...

...and all the family, I say,

"Is like Norway."

And then you're all born here,

and I become American citizen.

Mama, do you ever want to go back

to the old country?

Well, I like to go back

once to look, maybe.

To see the mountains and the fjords.

I like to show them once to all of you.

Maybe when Dagmar's big, we go back

once one summer. Like tourists. You like?

Here, kitty, kitty.

Here, kitty, kitty.

Oh, Uncle Elizabeth.

Could you not wait till Dagmar

comes home to do this?

- Nels, what you think?

- He's pretty bad.

Honestly, I think we should get him

out of here and put him away.

Elizabeth.

Dagmar. Dagmar, wait a minute.

I must tell you, Uncle Elizabeth

is kind of sick.

- Sick? What's the matter with him?

- Well, he...

He has been in fight again, last night.

He come home this morning...

...very sick indeed.

- Yeah.

- Dag...

- Dagmar.

Mama, what happened to him?

Oh, Mama.

- He looks awful.

- Yeah, come away, little one.

Nels takes care of him.

Listen, Dagmar.

Sweetheart.

Would it not be better for poor

Uncle Elizabeth to go quietly to sleep?

You mean go to sleep

and never wake up again?

Well, if...

I think he will die anyway.

Mama can make him well.

Mama can do everything.

Make him live, Mama.

Make him well again. Please.

Well, we see. Let us see how

he gets through the night.

Now, come on.

You must go upstairs, go to bed.

I bring up your supper.

You will make Uncle Elizabeth

well again.

- Please promise, Mama.

- Well, I promise I try.

You say we see how

cat get through the night.

I ask you, how do we

get through the night?

It's no use, Martha.

We must put the cat to sleep.

- Mama, it's cruel to keep that cat alive.

- Yeah, I know.

Nels, you go to the drugstore

and get something.

- Some chloroform, maybe.

- Chloro...

- How much should I get?

- You tell the man it is for a cat. He knows.

Okay.

It's no use, Martha. It's best thing to do.

It's just sad homecoming for Dagmar.

And she was so good in the hospital too.

- Here you are.

- Thanks, Mr. Schiller.

You're welcome.

Did you see him?

Mr. Hyde.

- He must be going for keeps.

- What'll Mama do without a boarder?

- She needs the money.

- I hope he's paid whatever he owes her.

Mama.

- Mama?

- Yeah?

Mama, we saw Mr. Hyde get in

the streetcar with his suitcases.

He left this for you.

Nels, take off your hat.

Christine, close the door.

How much is the check for?

One hundred and thirty dollar.

- Is four months.

- Is good, good.

Is wonderful.

Now we pay doctor everything.

And you can buy your new coat,

your warm coat.

Yes, you can buy your new coat.

But there will be no more reading.

What does Mr. Hyde say?

"Dear friends, I find myself compelled...

...to take a somewhat hasty departure

from your house of happiness."

Beautiful letter.

"I am leav... Leaving you my library

for the children."

- He leaves his books?

- Well, he says so.

Nels, is wonderful. Go get the books.

What else he say?

"It has been a privilege

to be a part of your happy home.

I shall never forget your kind

hosp... Hospitality."

He signs it Jonathan Hyde.

"Avenue..." Oh, "avenue..."

- Well, here, I think...

- I think it's "vale." "Ava vale."

"Ave Atque Vale."

- Is what?

- It means, "hail and farewell."

- It's Latin.

- Yes, is Latin, sure.

Gee willikers, look at this.

- Fine.

- The Pickwick Papers.

The Complete Shakespeare.

Alice in Wonderland.

- So much we can learn.

- The Last of the Mohicans.

- You get it, Nels?

- Yeah.

You know how?

Well, no. I thought that...

Well, just don't stand there, girls.

Christine, go take Dagmar her tray.

Katrin, put the butter

in the cooler for me.

Here, take the jelly too.

Pick up your feet.

Well, take Dagmar her milk.

Lars.

You know how?

No, but, well, it shouldn't

be too difficult.

- Lf you hold the cat...

- Me hold the cat?

You hold the cat.

- Nels...

- No, no.

I think it's better if...

If we get a big sponge.

We put it in the box with him

and cover him over.

Nels, you get a sponge, and we

make him ready here in the pantry.

Sure.

- Has he paid you his rent?

- Yeah, sure.

How?

Well, he give me his check.

Lars has it right here.

A check.

Jenny, what is it? What is it?

I was at Mr. Kruper's down the street.

Mr. Hyde was there today

having his lunch.

And when he left,

he asked if he would...

...cash a check for him for $50.

- So? So what?

- Well? Go on. Go on.

Mr. Hyde doesn't even have

an account at the bank.

You mean, this check is no good?

- No good at all.

- But...

Your Mr. Hyde was a crook.

How much was that check for?

Martha. I bet he owed you plenty,

didn't he?

He owed us nothing.

Nothing.

He pay with far, far better things...

...than money.

I'll bet it must have been $ 100

that he rooked you of, wasn't it?

Jenny, I cannot talk to you now.

Maybe you don't have things to do.

- I have.

- What have you got that's so important?

I have to chloroform a cat!

Kitty.

Elizabeth.

Mama, how's Uncle Elizabeth?

Dagmar, why so early?

Why you don't rest?

I wanna see Uncle Elizabeth.

- No, no, Dagmar.

- Dagmar...

Good morning, Papa.

Is Uncle Elizabeth all better?

Dagmar, there is something

I must tell you.

I wanna see Uncle Elizabeth first.

No, Dagmar.

Good morning, my darling Elizabeth.

Are you still asleep, you old sleepy cat?

Lars, do something. Tell her.

Wake up. It's morning.

Well, maybe it's good for her

to think that that cat died by itself.

We cannot tell her lies.

My, what a funny smell.

It's like it was in the hospital.

I'll take care of you, Elizabeth,

the way the nurses took care of me.

You'll soon be the wellest cat

in all of San Francisco.

My goodness, you put

enough blankets on him.

Did you think he'd catch cold?

Mama, look.

Dagmar, let me see.

Let me see that cat.

Here.

Uncle Elizabeth speak to me.

It's a miracle.

Oh, Mama, I knew you'd make him well.

- Oh, but, Dagmar...

- I'm gonna take him and show him to Nels.

Dagmar, I didn't...

Nels, Christine, look what Mama did!

You didn't give him enough.

You just give him good sleep.

Rate this script:0.0 / 0 votes