My Son John

What's the matter, pop?

You're gettin' kinda clumsy,

huh, boy?

Don't forget,

I didn't handle the ball,

I was a tackle.

That's right, pop.

They always went through you.

Is that so?

Mother, we're waiting.

Lucille, will you

please hurry up?

We're going to be late.

Dan Jefferson!

Please be quiet,

the baby's asleep!

I'm sorry.

Don't lose your temper, pop.

You know today's Sunday.

Yes, I know,

but this happens every Sunday.

Every Sunday, I...

see what I mean?

Five minutes to.

Don't get impatient, Dan!

I'll only be two minutes.

Why don't you start the motor

or something?

Bring the car around front.

Have I time to wash it?

Hahaha-ha-ha,

that's very funny.

I think I better drive, dad,

you're a little nervous.

I'll drive.

I'm not nervous.

Boys, I love your mother,

but when I think

of all the man-hours

that I've lost waiting for her,

I... I could have...

you could've painted the house.

Good morning.

Good morning to you.

Good morning.

Hello, Joe.

Good morning.

Well, Chuck and Ben.

It seems only yesterday

that I baptized you two boys.

That's right, Bob.

Our prayers go with you,

you know that.

Thank you, father.

Where's John?

Isn't he coming today?

Oh, uh, well, he...

he was, uh, detained.

He'll probably be

at the house for dinner.

May your guardian angels

be right alongside your boys.

And if the going gets rough,

I hope they're a little out

in front of us, father.

Yeah, doing a little

blocking for us.

I'm going to miss you.

I'll drop by the house

and pick you two up later.

Where's your car?

We're just around the side here.

Well, I'll go

around there with you.

Little more wine.

Oh, no, Dan, no...

now, now, this is not

gonna hurt you at all.

Hey, take it easy there, pop.

We don't want to leave

with our mother under the table.

Yeah, she oughta stay sober.

Well, we've drunk

to everything else,

let's, uh, let's have

a toast to, uh,

well, to John

in absentia.

John'll show up, pop.

Don't get worried.

- There.

- Sure.

He's probably down

at the station now.

Yes?

It's Western union.

All right, I'll take it down.

Oh.

Not coming.

Mmmm.

Ten cents a word.

Not him.

He uses $2 words.

Thank you.

He can't come at all.

Aw, that...

that's tough.

"Due to sudden official business

am indeterminately

detained here.

Try to make it next week.

Good luck to Chuck and Ben

and love to mother

and dad."

I'd like to see that.

That "love to dad."

He really said it, Dan.

I sw...

believe me.

He said love, he meant

for everybody.

Well, that's that.

Well, anyway,

you fellas could make it.

Would have been so nice

if we'd all been together

on this...

On their last...

Oh.

What time, what time?

Bet it's the padre.

Yes, or it'sa station wagon.

Oh, hello, father.

Is it that time?

Well, uh, if I were

to drive the boys

all the way to asheville...

how are you, boys?

I think... I think

we better be getting started.

This is the first time

you haven't been glad to see me,

but I understand.

I understand.

Well.

Write, you two.

Sure.

Sure, mom.

We'll send you an opium pipe.

So long, sweater girl.

You all right?

I'm fine.

Ouch.

Oh, Dr. carver.

Hello, Lucille.

Did you say,

"come on in?"

Oh, yes.

Well, I was just going to.

Hi, doc.

Hello, Dan.

Come on in.

Well, who's sick?

Maybe he is.

Oh, I wanted to tell you

how sorry I am that I missed

Ben and Chuck last week.

But half the county

is having a baby binge.

Well, there's nobody sick here.

Well, there's nobody

going to be.

Sit down and pay attention.

Well, what on earth?

Now an old back talk.

Mm-hmm.

With the boys off

fighting a war,

a woman at your time of life

is going to be under

a bigger strain

than she is already.

Now, these are good.

Proven it.

I want you to take

three every day.

Go and take one right now.

And when they're gone,

call me up.

I'll be seeing ya.

Now, you listen here.

You listen to him.

You have dizzy spells, don't ya?

Listen to the doctor, will ya?

Look at him.

Look, doctor,

if anything is happening to me,

wouldn't you say

that it's just about

what's been happening

ever since wars and women began?

All I know is

that women your age

sometimes bust up

with far less reason.

Well, I'm not going

to bust a bustle.

I'm not mentioning any names,

but I have two wrapped up

in the rest home right now.

I bet I can guess

who one of them is.

- Is it...

- never mind.

Never mind.

Well, don't you let her

get away with that.

I went to school with her.

You know, Lucille,

I admire your attitude

and I agree with you.

What God intended.

She used to go to school

on Saturdays.

Lu, will ya...

will you do

what the doctor says?

Go take one of these right now.

All right, all right.

Good.

The frail little woman

will do his biddin'.

Happy?

Doc.

What do you

really think it is...

oh, now, Dan, Dan.

If anything ever

happened to her, I...

don't worry.

You are!

Finally!

Hello, mother.

It's been almost a year now.

Let me look at ya.

Oh, I feel fine, mother.

Now wait a minute!

This is supposed to be

a happy occasion!

Oh, here's your father.

Well, well, John.

Welcome home.

Thank you, father.

Ah, taller than a lamp post.

Well, you haven't changed much

that I can see, father.

I feel about the same.

John looks

a little tired though,

don't you think?

Uh, no.

Looks good to me.

It's so good you could

make it, John.

Too bad you couldn't

make it last Sunday

'cause we had the kids home...

oh, now, that's all right.

That's all right.

He sent a wire,

he said goodbye to the boys.

Dr. carver's in here.

Oh.

Hello,

Dr. carver.

What gives with you around here?

Oh, friendly call, no charge.

Good to see you again, John.

Looks like a young

Uncle Sam himself,

doesn't he, doc?

How are things down

in Washington, son?

Everybody's beginning

to see things as they are,

aren't they?

Well, some of us, father,

are not so much interested

in seeing things as they are,

as we are in seeing things

the way we'd like them to be.

Well, just as long

as you'd like them to be

for the old red,

white, and blue,

it's all right with me.

Well, Dr. carver,

nobody can ever say

that we weren't brought up

on those good old

American bromides.

Well, the bromides can come

in pretty handy sometimes,

can't they, doc?

Yes, even when our thinking

gets shaky,

there's nothing better

than good old bromides.

Oh, wait a minute.

Might as well keep it on,

I'm going to get mine now.

Where are we going?

Mass, eleven.

Unless you'd rather

go at twelve.

No, no, eleven is fine.

What church are you going to

in Washington?

Saint Patrick's.

Well, I'm all in a cloud

of bedsides.

Good luck, son.

Now, keep us going down there.

Doctor, you know in my

catechism and cookie days

around here, I'm afraid I took

you rather for granted.

Oh?

But I think you'll be

interested to know

that I've learned

to take my hat off

to science and to research.

Uhhuh.

Well, we fellas, that is,

Rate this script:0.0 / 0 votes