Imitation of Life Page #2

with these pancakes.

I'm glad you finds 'em

to your taste, ma'am.

I've never tasted anything

so good in my life.

How do you make them?

It's a secret.

Them pancakes

is my grannie's secret.

She passed it down to my mammy,

and my mammy told me.

But I ain't tellin' nobody.

No, sir.

I don't blame you.

I wouldn't either.

Down South, my mammy

was famous for her pancakes.

White folks come

from miles around

just to taste 'em. Yes'm.

It's a secret, and

it's gonna die with Delilah.

All you do

is just take a little...

[Whispering]

That's all?

That's all.

There's your secret.

Course you've got

to be light with the flap.

Mmm, look at the time.

You've made me late

with your pancakes.

Good-bye.

Good-bye, honey.

And good luck for the day.

Thank you, Delilah.

Miss Bea?

Wait a minute.

What is it?

What's the matter?

I want you to take

this rabbit's foot and

put it in your money purse.

Now, Delilah!

Yes'm, you must take it.

Are you the owner?

Yes'm.

I'm Mrs. Pullman.

Mrs. B. Pullman.

You know.

Sorry,

but I don't.

My husband was B. Pullman,

the man who was killed

in the wreck.

The train wreck at Camden.

I remember the wreck,

but there were so many killed.

He used to sell

waffle syrup to

the hotels and places.

It's wonderful syrup.

A hundred percent

pure maple.

I don't eat it.

Bad stomach. Gas.

No, I don't mean...

I'm keeping up

the B. Pullman business.

I was wondering. Could

I make a deal with you

to rent this store?

I have a marvelous formula

for making pancakes,

and it's my intention...

to rent a store,

have a pancake place and

sell syrup on the side.

This morning I was going

to decide on several sites.

This is one of them.

It's a good concession.

One of the best

on the boardwalk.

How much are you asking

for rent?

Two hundred and fifty.

That's very high.

[Laughs]

That's terribly high.

You've got to pay

for a good location.

This store has nice

living quarters in the back.

Mm-hmm.

Yes.

What will you do

in the way of decorating?

A lot will have to be done.

It's going to rent

as is.

You don't think I'd take it

in this condition?

Look at it.

It's filthy!

It needs new paint,

new paper.

And the floor.

That'll have to be fixed.

If it needs it,

you'll have to do it.

Will you give me

three months free?

What?

Give me three months free,

and I'll do all

the decorating and alterations.

What do you think

I am?

I might consider

one month.

Make it two,

and I'll take a year's lease.

It's a deal.

I'll have to have the first

and last month in advance.

I can't do that.

I can't give you anything

in advance.

When do you expect

to pay?

Well, you said

you'd give me two months.

So I'll start paying

the third month.

Nothing doing.

But I'll need every dollar

I have for alterations

and fixtures.

Delilah. Delilah!

We're going

into business.

We're which?

You're going to make

your pancakes, and I'm going

to sell them on the boardwalk.

I've rented a concession.

We're gonna live in rooms in the

back. The store's at the front.

Get buckets,

rags and soap. We've got

to start cleaning up.

Gather the children.

They'll have to go with us.

I talked to a painter

and a man

about the fixtures.

They'll be there,

so hurry up.

There.

This is it, Delilah.

My, it's

a very nice store.

You and Peola go outside

and play. There's a lovely

place for you in the back.

Go look at the nice yard

you've got to play in.

Won't that be pretty

when there's flowers in there?

Be careful. Don't sit

on the floor, 'cause

it's all dirty yet.

These will be the living

quarters. The most important

thing now is the store.

Take that sign down

and cover the front window

with Bon Ami.

Miss Bea?

Yes.

Is somebody died?

What?

Is you been left money?

Mercy, no!

Well you only had

$19 and some change

this morning.

Yes, I know.

Shh. Here's the painter.

How do you do?

Hello. You certainly did

come over right away.

Yes, ma'am.

This is it.

All this has to be painted,

the ceiling calcimined,

and that back room papered

in the paper I selected.

I want you to give me an estimate,

and please make it low.

But I must-a see it first.

Oh, sure.

Go right ahead.

Do you paint signs?

No, but I can have

one made for you.

I'll tell you what I want.

I want a great big sign with lots...

[Bea]

Delilah?

Ma'am?

- Smile.

- Huh?

You know, smile.

No, no.

A great big one.

Oh, yes'm.

[Laughing]

That's it!

Now turn to the right.

Hold it.

That's what I want.

A big picture of Delilah

looking like that.

And underneath, "Aunt Delilah's

Homemade Pancakes."

You see what I mean?

Yes, ma'am.

But I must send someone

to make that up for you.

All right. Thanks.

That's all right.

[Laughing]

Delilah! All right.

All right.

It's all over.

It's all over.

I'm gonna

make you famous yet.

## [Humming]

## [Humming Continues]

[Muttering In Italian]

My Lordy, who's that?

The furniture man

about the fixtures.

How do you do?

Did you bring the estimate

on the things I selected?

Yes, Mrs. Pullman.

Good.

This is where the grill

should be, I think.

And all across here

I'd like to have shelves.

The counter will be there.

If the shelves start there

and go straight up the top,

it should be nice,

don't you th...

Will you excuse me?

Surely.

I'll look around.

Yes. Thank you.

Did you get it

all figured out?

I tell you.

For a first-a class-a job,

there is lots of work here.

For a first-a class-a

A-one job,

because I don't

work cheap,

Yes.

The best-a figure

I can give you is $193.

A hundred and

ninety-three dollars?

That should be

a good job.

Sure!

Five percent off

for 30 days?

Huh?

No, no, no. If I give you

I can't take-a

nothing off.

All right,

$193 in 30 days.

Uh-huh.

That's fine.

And you'll do a good job?

Sure.

And start right away.

Sure. I take another man

off another job.

And we start-a

right away.

Thank you.

Good-bye.

Good-bye.

You're gonna have

a nice place here.

I hope so.

You'd better make it

eight tables instead of six.

Yes, ma'am.

That'll mean 32 chairs.

Mm-hmm.

Yes.

The coffee urn, the grill,

the counter stools

and the dishes.

Here's the list.

Installed, that will

cost you $1,560.

How much for cash?

That is cash.

Oh, that...

# I puts my trust in Jesus #

## [Humming]

And the terms

for monthly payments?

Ten percent down on delivery

and $50 a month.

You're asking

$156 down?

I might as well

pay cash!

Make it $50

straight monthly payments.

Only $50 down?

Why, that'll hardly pay

the cost of my trucking.

That's the best I can do.

I'm opening a chain of these shops

along the boardwalk.

I already have a large

wholesale distribution

of maple syrup.

That takes up a great deal

of my ready cash.

Make it $50 straight

monthly payments,

and it's a deal.

I don't know now. You see...

How soon could you have

the fixtures installed?

With the exception of the grill,

right away. Of course,

that will take time. But...

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