Imitation Of Life Page #7

I said that, Steve,

except that

I haven't been this happy

with anyone for years.

You know I still have you

in my blood, don't you?

Oh, Steve, do you really?

I never got over you,

Lora.

No matter how hard I tried,

I couldn't.

There's a kind of kissin'

that's not careless

and doesn't lead to harm,

when the two people kissin'

are nice and right.

Kissin' is part of

fallin' in love.

The Lord

wants his children

to fall in love,

when they're old enough

and got sense enough.

Then kissin' is like

yeast is to bread...

Pardon me, Annie,

but I'm starving.

Can't I please find Steve?

Don't think

you'll have to.

Steve! It's time

to cook the steaks!

Even Annie says so!

Telling them

will be wonderful,

but Loomis, ohh.

Why tell him at all?

He has a lot of commitments

he'll have to get me out of.

Susie, will you go see

how Sarah Jane is?

Tell her

I'll be right up.

Okay.

Let me help you

with that.

Thank you, honey.

Hello, Allen?

I...

You've been trying

to call me?

I'm sorry.

We've been out all day.

When?

Oh. Well, that sounds

simply marvelous, but...

Uh, no, not for dinner.

I'm having guests.

Why don't you bring him

for cocktails.

Yes. All right.

Steve!

Amerigo Felluci!

The Italian

movie director.

Yes.

Oh, he wants me

for the part of Rena

in No More Laughter.

His agent is in New York

now to talk to me about it.

I see.

- That means you'd

have to go to Italy.

- Mmm. Of course.

Oh.

Well, I'll have to

give a two-week notice

to the play.

Yes.

Well,

don't be so calm.

They want me

for Rena!

Well, who is she?

Only the best part

since Scarlett O'Hara.

Sarah Jane?

Sarah Jane!

Where have you been?

I've been looking all over

for you! You're supposed

to be in bed...

Shh!

Uh...

Sit down.

Cross your heart.

You won't tell my mama?

No, I won't

tell Annie.

W-Well, what is it?

I've been out.

With my boyfriend.

Boyfriend?

I didn't know

you had a boyfriend!

- Where's he from?

- The Village.

Oh. Did you meet him

in school?

School?

No.

There's an ice cream

parlor in The Village

with a jukebox.

Yeah?

And he used to

stand outside,

and every time I'd walk by,

he'd whistle!

No kidding!

But first I pretended he

wasn't on earth.

Yeah?

But finally I had to laugh,

and he followed me.

And we started to talk.

He's cute.

Really cute.

Is he a colored boy?

Why did you ask that?

Well, I don't know.

It just slipped out.

It was the first thing

you thought of.

I told you,

it just slipped out!

Well, he's white.

And if he ever finds out

about me, I'll kill myself.

But why?

Because I'm white too.

And if I have to be colored,

then I want to die.

What are you saying?

I wanna have

a chance in life.

I don't wanna have to

come through back doors,

feel lower than other people,

or apologize

for my mother's color.

Don't say that!

She can't help her color,

but I can.

And I will.

But we've always

talked things over.

You never told me

this before.

Because I've never had

a boyfriend before.

Because he wants to

marry me someday.

A white boy.

Me.

But how do you think

he'd feel, or his folks,

with a black in-law?

What do you think people

would say where we lived

if they knew my mother...

They'd spit at me.

And my children.

Sarah Jane,

you know that's not true!

It is.

That's why

he mustn't know her.

I don't want anybody

to know her.

What if he comes here?

He doesn't even know

where I live.

I pretend I'm a...

I'm a rich girl

with strict parents.

Well, he's bound

to find out...

How?

I'm going to be everything

he thinks I am.

I look it, and that's

all that matters.

And you're not to say

anything either.

I won't. You know I won't.

I never did, but...

Sarah Jane,

if Mama ever found out

she'd never stand for it.

I don't care.

Your mother

doesn't own me.

I won't be seeing you

before you leave,

so good luck in Italy.

You make that sound

like good-bye.

Why couldn't

we meet in Italy?

What for?

You'll have a film.

You won't need me.

But Steve, wait.

You tell Susie I'll

be at her graduation.

Good-bye, Lora.

Oh, Sarah Jane.

Yes, Miss Lora?

I'm having

some people come

for a business meeting.

Later the dinner guests

will arrive. Could you

help your mother a bit?

Miss Lora,

I... I-I'd like to,

but I have a...

A date?

Is it the Hawkins boy?

Hawkins?

Well, the Miller's chauffeur

down the road.

Why do you say that?

I met him at the station

the other day

and he asked about you.

No.

It's with someone else.

Oh.

All right, you run along.

I'll try to manage here.

Oh, there they are.

Look, honey, why don't you

go over to the party

at the church?

They bore me.

You're makin' a big mistake.

You're young. You shouldn't

be sittin' around.

Miss Lora

feels the same way.

She'll lend you

her car.

Oh, she will?

How nice of her.

I'd be happy knowin'

you're meetin'

nice young folks.

Busboys, cooks,

chauffeurs!

Hmph.

Like Hawkins.

No, thank you.

I've seen your

"nice young folks."

I don't wanna fight

with you, honey.

Not tonight.

I don't feel too good.

While I get started

on the anchovies,

will you take this tray

into Miss Lora

and her friends?

Why, certainly.

Anything at all

for Miss Lora

and her friends.

But signor Romano, why should

she need rehearsals?

Ma scusa, signor.

You know her work.

Felluci always insists

on two weeks' rehearsal.

Pictures are a different

medium than the stage.

She will need rehearsal...

Fetched y'all a mess

of crawdads, Miss Lora,

for you and yo' friends.

That's quite a trick,

Sarah Jane.

Where did you learn it?

Oh, no trick to totin',

Miss Lora.

I learned it

from my mammy,

and she learned it

from old massa 'fore

she belonged to you.

Well...

Excuse me.

Another drink,

Sr. Romano?

Sarah Jane,

why did you do that?

What's the matter

with you?

Annie, did you see

what she did?

I heard her.

You and my mother

are so anxious for me

to be colored.

I was going to show you

I could be.

You weren't being

colored.

You were being

childish.

I don't understand why

you would want to hurt

your mother or me.

I told her

she has to be patient.

Things will work out.

How?

Miss Lora, you don't know

what it means to be...

different.

Have I ever treated you

as if you were different?

Has Susie? Has anyone here?

No.

You've been wonderful,

but...

Then don't ever do this

to us again.

Or to yourself.

It won't solve anything,

Sarah Jane.

Mama?

Oh, please.

Try to understand.

I-I didn't mean

to hurt you.

I love you.

Oh, I know, baby.

You're just like

a puppy that's been

cooped up too much.

That's why I wanted you

to go to the party.

Oh, Mama.

Don't you see

that won't help?

Lora, wait a minute.

I didn't mean the whole thing.

I said...

Sr. Romano, she won't

need rehearsal.

Frankie, you're late.

I thought

you'd never get here.

Let's walk down

by the river.

I wanna talk to you.

We can talk here.

Frankie, I'm...

I'm having

trouble at home.

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