Imitation of Life

[Engine Whirring]

#Nobody knows #

#The trouble I've seen ##

[Baby]

Want my quack-quack.

[Woman] No, darling, not now.

Wait till Mother finishes

your bath. Won't be

butjust a minute now.

[Baby]

Want my quack-quack.

[Mother]

There. Upsy-daisy. There.

Want my quack-quack.

No, darling, not now.

Later. Please be good.

Mommy's so late and

she's got so much to do.

What's Mommy got to do?

Well, she has

to get you dressed,

get you breakfast,

take you down to the day nursery.

Don't wanna go

to the day nursery.

Want to stay home

with Mommy.

Ah, darling, I wish

you could, but you can't.

Why?

Because Mother has to go out and

sell lots of cans of maple syrup...

so she can buy nice things

for her baby.

Don't want to go

to the day nursery.

Marjorie pulled my hair.

She did?

She was a very bad girl

to do that.

I pulled her back harder.

[Laughs]

I suppose if she pulled

you first, it was all right.

I pulled her first.

You did?

Then you're a naughty girl.

And you won't go to heaven.

Don't want to go to heaven.

Want my quack-quack.

# I love you

and you love me #

#And I don't wanna go

to the day nursery #

[Laughing]

Oh, I think we're gonna have

an opera singer in the family.

Don't you?

# I love you

and you love me #

#And I don't wanna go

to the day nursery #

[Laughs]

[Phone Ringing]

Mommy, telephone!

I hear it, darling.

[Ringing Continues]

You sit here and be good

for just a minute.

Okay.

[Ringing]

Hello. Good morning,

Mr. Auburn. Yes.

[Sizzling]

Yes...

Yes. Excuse me a minute,

please, will you?

[Sizzling Continues]

Hello?

Yes, Mr. Auburn.

I was sorry

not to find you in.

Since my husband's death,

I've been carrying on his business.

[Baby]

Mommy.!

Yes, dear, yes.

What, Mr. Auburn?

Mommy,

can I come down?

Yes. No, no, dear.

Wait till I finish

dressing you.

That was just the baby.

Yes, I have a little girl.

Thank you. I'll have

the syrup delivered to you

within an hour.

Thank you so much.

Good-bye.

[Doorbell Buzzing]

Yes?

Good morning.

I come in answer to

your advertisement for a girl.

What?

The advertisement what say,

"Wanted:
Cook, laundress,

housemaid, colored,

not afraid of hard work,

moderate wages."

There must be some mistake.

I haven't advertised

for any girl.

Ain't this Astor Avenue?

No, this is Astor Street.

Astor Avenue is way

the other side of town.

Oh.

Funny I didn't notice

that little "avenue" word.

That's just my luck.

What they got two streets

alike for, anyhow?

I don't know.

I don't know what I better do.

There's a streetcar

at the corner.

Take that, and you'll be there

in about 10 minutes.

We has to walk.

Oh.

Wait here.

I'll get you carfare.

Thank you.

Something's burnin'.

Wha... Oh, dear.

Nice quack-quack.

[Baby Crying]

Oh!

[Crying Continues]

[Crying]

Jessie! Oh, darling.

Are you hurt?

I fell down.

Oh, darling.

Oh. Oh.

Oh, darling,

look at you.

I's all wet.

Oh.

[Mother]

I'll say you're all wet.

We're gonna eat

such a big breakfast,

aren't we?

Oh, how nice of you!

I see'd you was

in a "fummix," so

I thought I'd lend a hand.

Horsie.

Why, darling,

what do you mean

by saying such a thing?

Horsie.

Nice horsie.

[All Laughing]

I've been took for many things,

but I ain't never been took

for that before.

Thank you

for all you've done.

Here's your carfare.

I wish you

good luck.

Thank you kindly.

Come on, darling.

[Whispering]

[Mother]

Come on. Run along.

You sure you wouldn't need

somebody for your own self?

I'm handy with housework.

And taking care of children

just comes natural to me.

I couldn't afford it.

I wish I could.

Don't worry about wages,

if that's what's on your mind.

If I could get a home

for my little girl,

I'd be glad to work

for just room and board.

You've got a child?

Yes'm.

That's the drawback about a job.

Folks just don't want Peola.

Hmph.

You sweet little child.

Come here, Peola.

Come on. Say good mornin'

to the lady, Peola.

- Good morning.

- Good morning, dear.

Why, she's a lovely

little girl.

Yes'm. She's very light.

Her pappy was

a very light colored man.

Peola's a nice brung up child.

She ain't been dragged up

like most of'em is.

Oh, your sweet child.

What might her name be?

It's Jessie.

As I was saying, ma'am,

if you could put up

with my little girl...

and give her and me

a roof over our heads,

I'd be willing to work

for almost nothin'.

Well, I have got a room

you could use, but...

Don't worry about food.

Peola, she don't eat nothin'.

She's so little.

And I's deceivin'

as to proportion.

I don't eat like I look.

It's the truth.

I's very light

at the table. Honest.

Just 200 pounds of mother

fighting to keep her baby.

Two hundred and forty,

yes'm.

I could get jobs all right,

'ceptin' for Peola.

But I can't be separated from

Peola, no matter what happens.

You know how it is,

ma'am.

Indeed I do know.

Does we get to stay, ma'am?

Please.

All right,

we'll try it.

[Woman] All right.

Sit down and I'll have

your breakfast ready in a jiffy.

Good evenin', Miss Bea.

You're pretty late tonight.

Yes, I know.

Where's my baby?

She's gone to bed.

Oh, I thought I'd get home

in time to see her

before she went to sleep.

She played so hard all day,

she almost went to sleep

while eating supper.

I'll run up anyway.

Maybe she's still awake.

Seems like I never get

to see her at all anymore.

Yes'm.

Your supper's ready,

Miss Bea.

[Groans]

Oh, my feet hurt.

Come and sit down

and let me rub your feet.

Come on.

All right.

Oh.

[Sighs]

That rests me

all over.

It don't seem right for you

to be carrying around them

heavy cans of syrup, peddlin'.

I've gotta make a living.

With your pretty face

and them pretty foots.

You oughta have a man

takin' care of you, honey.

Oh, Delilah.

Yes'm.

I had a man once,

but he up and died on me.

Is that gentleman

in the picture

your late husband, ma'am?

Mm-hmm, that was he.

Was you very much in love

with your late husband,

might I inquire?

Well, I married him.

Hmph. But did you love him?

That's what I asked, honey.

Oh, Delilah,

I think I was too young

to know very much about love.

Mother was dead.

He was my father's choice.

Father wanted somebody

to take care of me,

so I married him.

Mmm, that's a pity.

It's too bad

when you get started off

on the wrong foot first.

Oh, but you'll

get over it.

Youse got a big surprise

comin' to you, Miss Bea.

You need some lovin',

honey child.

[Chuckles]

What I need

is a little supper.

Yes'm.

I got some nice food

ready for you tonight.

That's fine.

Thank you.

I've gotJessie.

That's enough.

Delilah, honestly now,

doesn't she look

like an angel?

Why she am an angel,

Miss Bea.

## [Humming]

[Jessie]

Can we have

some pancakes too?

Please, Mammy.

They look awful tasty.

Go on out of here.

You two have had

your breakfast.

Go play, and take

that fleabag with you.

Okay, Aunt Delilah.

You'll be the death of me

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