I Remember Mama Page #6

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But Lars, we must tell her.

Is not good to let her grow up

believing I can fix everything.

Maybe is best thing in the world

for her to believe.

Besides, I know exactly how she feels.

At the time, it seemed like ages.

But now I know that

the days and months...

...went by too fast while we were

growing up and learning.

Graduation day assumed

monumental proportions.

Especially because I was to play Portia...

...in the school production

of The Merchant of Venice.

The quality of mercy is not strained.

It droppeth as the gentle rain

from heaven...

...upon the place beneath.

It is twice blest.

It blesseth him that gives

and him that takes.

Him that takes.

"It blesseth him that gives and him

that takes." What's after that?

- I don't know or care.

- Why, Chris.

I don't. It's all I've heard for weeks.

The school play and your graduation,

going on to high...

...never a thought about home. All you

and your friends think about...

...is the presents you'll get.

You make me ashamed of being a girl.

Have you heard about

Thyra's graduation present?

- Hello, Katrin.

- Hello, Madeline.

- What are you getting?

- Well, they haven't actually told me...

...but I think I'm going to get that.

You mean the dresser set?

Your father took it out

so I could touch it.

It's got everything.

Even a hair receiver.

And it's genuine celluloid.

- Well, you're not gonna get it.

- How do you know?

- Because I know what you are getting.

- What is it?

Mama's giving you her brooch.

Her solje.

That old silver thing she wears

that belonged to grandmother?

What would I want

with an old thing like that for?

It's an heirloom.

Mama thinks a lot of it.

Then she ought to keep it.

That's all they're going to give me?

- What more do you want?

- I want the dresser set.

My goodness, if Mama doesn't realize

what's a suitable present...

It's practically the most important

time in a girl's life, when she graduates.

- And you say you're not selfish.

- It's not selfishness.

What else would you call it?

With Papa not working,

we need every penny we can get.

Even the little bank's empty.

But you'll devil Mama into giving you

the dresser set somehow.

So why talk about it?

Walk faster if you're

going to walk with me.

Christine was right.

I got the dresser set.

They gave it to me toward the end

of supper on graduation night.

Papa couldn't attend the exercises

because there was a strike meeting...

...to decide about going back to work.

- I'll start the dishes, Mama.

- Yeah, yeah.

We can wash them

when we come home.

Katrin, why you don't

eat your rice pudding?

Mama, I couldn't eat. Not now.

Who wants some coffee sugar? Dagmar?

Thank you, Papa.

Katrin?

No, Papa.

Katrin, get your coat. You'll need it.

Yes, Mama.

Aunt Jenny says if we drink

black coffee...

...it turn our complexions dark.

I'd like to be a black Norwegian

like Uncle Chris.

I like you better blond, like Mama is.

When do you get old enough

to drink coffee and not turn dark?

Well, one day when you're grown up.

It's the most wonderful

night in my life.

Is that black coffee

you dip that sugar in?

You shouldn't. It's not good for them.

It will turn...

It will turn your complexion black.

Aunt Jenny, did you

see my graduation present?

Look, it's got a hair receiver.

But I thought... Martha.

- Yeah, Jenny, you were right.

- I thought you were...

She's too young to appreciate that.

She likes something more modern.

You're not wearing your solje.

No, I do not wear it tonight.

- Come on, Trina, we'll be late.

- Oh, but Peter isn't here yet.

- You like to wait for him?

- Yeah.

- I hope Katrin knows her part.

- She sure does. I know it too.

Lars, you be back before us?

- I don't think the meeting will take that long.

- Is good. All right, now we go.

Katrin, come.

- Goodbye, Papa.

- My daughter, I think of you.

- See you there, Aunt Trina.

- Good luck!

I knew you would devil Mama

into giving it to you.

I didn't.

I showed it to her in

Mr. Schiller's window.

And made her sell her brooch

her very own mother gave her.

- What?

- You weren't supposed to tell that.

I don't care. I think

she ought to know.

Is that true? Did Mama...?

- Nels?

- Well, yes.

- Come on.

- No, I don't believe it.

- I'm going to ask Papa.

- You haven't got time.

I don't care.

Well, I hope you're satisfied.

Papa! Papa!

Christine said...

Papa, did Mama sell

her brooch to give me this?

Well, Christine shouldn't have

told you that.

It's true, then.

Well, she didn't sell it. She traded

it to Mr. Schiller for your present.

Oh, but she shouldn't...

- I never meant...

- But, look, Katrin...

...you wanted your present,

and Mama wanted your happiness.

Well, she wanted that more

than she wanted that brooch.

But I never meant her to do that.

She loved it so.

It was all she had of Grandmother's.

But she always meant

it for you, Katrin...

...and you mustn't cry.

You have your play to act.

I don't want to act in it now.

- But you must. Your audience is waiting.

- I don't care.

But you must care.

Now, look, Katrin...

...tonight you are not Katrin any longer.

Tonight you are an actress,

and an actress must act...

...whatever she is feeling.

There's an old saying that says:

- The...

- The mails must go through!

The mail...

The show must go on.

Now, you stop crying and go back

and act your play.

We'll talk of this later. Afterwards.

All right.

I'll go.

I'm worried about her, Lars.

She was not good in the play tonight.

I've heard her practice it here.

She was good.

But tonight...

I don't know. She was not good.

Look, Martha, tonight after you leave...

...Katrin found out about your brooch.

- My brooch?

- Yeah.

- How? Who told her?

Christine.

- Why?

- I don't know.

Christine!

Christine!

Yes, Mama?

Did you tell Katrin tonight

about my brooch?

Yes.

Why did you?

Because I hated the smug way she was

acting about that dresser set.

Is no excuse. You make her unhappy.

You make her not good in the play.

Well, she made you unhappy,

giving up your brooch...

Is not your business.

I choose to give my brooch.

Is not you to judge. You know

I do not want you to tell.

I'm angry with you, Christine.

I'm sorry.

But I'm not sorry I told.

Christine is the stubborn one.

Come on, Katrin, it's all right.

What happened at the meeting tonight?

Oh, we go back to work

tomorrow morning.

That's bully, isn't it, Mama?

Yeah, is good.

Here's your brooch, Mama.

I'm sorry I was so bad in the play.

I'll go help Christine with the dishes.

Mr. Schiller give it back to her?

We went to his house to get it.

He didn't want to, but Katrin

begged and begged him.

And the dresser set,

she give that back?

It was awful hard

for her to do, Mama.

She's a good kid.

Good night. I gotta get up early.

- Good night, Nels.

- Good night, Papa.

- Good night, Nels.

- Good night, Mama.

Nels is the kind one.

Katrin.

Katrin.

Katrin, come here.

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