My Son John Page #5

Was it father's fault?

Well, he claimed

that the other fella

stopped too fast.

Well, what did you think?

Oh, it doesn't matter.

Man came by here today

with his bill,

but I talked him out of it.

He finally tore it up.

Oh, he finally tore it up.

Well, um, did you...

did you have to do

a lot of talking?

Oh, I certainly did.

He was downright ornery

at first.

Well, I turned him

into a nice fella.

You know, warmed him up

with some coffee.

Well, you two had quite a chat.

Yes, we had quite a chat.

I told him about Ben and Chuck,

what great athl...

about this fellow, uh,

did he...

I was talking

about your brothers.

You keep wanting

to talk about this fella.

What's the matter, John?

Does it bother you

that I talk too much

to strangers?

Oh, no!

It's just that, well,

it does seem odd

that the fellow would come

all of this way

merely to tear up his bill.

Yes.

It is a little bit odd.

Well, that's what I meant.

Maybe.

Now I'm bothered.

I told him about you.

He seemed very interested.

You know me, John,

when I get started about you.

Oh, yes, mother.

Did you, uh, did you start

when I was a boy

with a penny jar?

No.

I did...

Quite a lot of talking though.

Here it is, John.

- Hm?

- Remember?

Yes.

Oh, my pills, I forgot.

What are they for, mother?

Modern science has pills

for women of my age, John.

For, uh, people who forget

where they put 'em.

They're supposed to insure us

against going goofy.

Goof insurance.

Oh.

I told Dr. carver

that I'd just as soon

put my faith in God

and what he intended.

I'd go along

with science, too, mother,

and take those little tablets.

What about Moses and

the tablets he left us?

With the prescription

written right on them.

Oh, mother,

you don't need any pills.

No.

I always got my strength

from two books,

both very nourishing

in their own way.

The cookbook and the Bible.

Remember how I used to trick you

into learning this one

with this one.

I'd say to you,

"I'll make you, um,

cookies, pies, cakes, and jam,

if you'll learn Matthew,

mark, Luke, and John."

We had a kind of a deal,

remember?

Mmhmm.

John, what is the matter

with you?

Oh, mother, I've got

more important things

on my mind

than cakes and cookies.

And Luke and John.

I, um, I've got to make

a phone call, mother.

Lehigh 2-4-1-1,

please.

I'm sorry, mother.

Um, what time is your

next plane for New York?

Not until 12?

Yeah, I know, but I've got

to get there right away.

I mean, I've got to get there

before nine in the morning.

Oh, father.

I'm sorry to be popping in

on you at this hour,

but you heard my announcement

about the clothing drive.

Oh, my bundle

isn't ready yet, father.

Oh, I have a lot

of things for you,

especially now since

Ben and Chuck are gone,

but I have to go

clear up in the attic

to get them.

Will tomorrow be all right?

Well, I suppose

it'll have to be.

I've been thinking

about that joke

that was told me Sunday.

You know, the one

about everybody helping me

in this world and then trying

to find me in the next.

The joke has questionable merit

and if John thinks what I...

he's on the phone.

Oh, hello, John!

Hi, father.

I'm doing a little work

for the poor.

John?

What?

I'm trying to help out

a few people

in this world, too.

- Goodnight, father.

- Goodnight.

Well, I know, but I could, uh,

what if I got the car and...

well, then how much

further is that

from your field?

Damn.

All right, yes.

Bye.

Come in.

Mother?

All packed?

Yes.

I wish I could leave

with you feeling better.

You could.

I'm all right.

I listened, John,

when your father was saying

some awful things to you.

Oh, well,

that's terrible, mother.

No wonder you were so upset.

I still am.

Well, don't let father

poison your thinking.

I'm sure that I can

clear this up

in your mind.

Do, John.

Father is muddled, mother.

He thinks in the past.

The world at this point

is in a turmoil

and muddled thinking

like father's

certainly isn't going to help.

Young thinkers are dreaming

of the future, mother,

what's ahead of us.

Why not?

Go ahead.

Our only hope is to learn

to live with our fellow man.

The globe

is getting smaller, mother.

We're living closer

to each other.

We must tear down

our spite fences

and learn to live

with our neighbors.

That's good, John.

Tear down our spite fences,

love thy neighbor.

Go on, I go along

with you so far.

Good.

Now father thinks...

what do you think?

I love humanity, mother.

I love the downtrodden,

the helpless minorities.

Good, John.

That's what I tried

to teach you.

You know by heart

that we must labor

to help the weak,

like Saint Paul said.

No one can tell me that

an early religious training

doesn't show itself.

Good.

I know everything that

you stand for, mother,

and what I'm striving for

is an intelligent

and practical way

to bring into existence

a new and better ordered world.

Wewe did understand each other,

didn't we?

Yes.

Remember how I pleaded

for your education?

How they teased me

that you were my favorite.

You're part of me

and it's always been my prayer

that whatever's good in me

would be a part of you.

I had dreams myself, John,

of great things to be done.

But a wife and mother

doesn't have much time

for more than put off

till tomorrow.

I... I hoped, John,

that...

You'd see that someday

my tomorrows would come through,

some of them.

We talk the same language

and we think the same way.

Of course we do.

But, now, try to understand me.

Everything that we agree on,

you and I,

I warn you,

this is liberal thinking.

So what?

If we think this way,

we're leftists,

communists, subversive.

That's ridiculous.

Well, of course it is,

but that's the way

father thinks.

Oh, he doesn't mean that.

Aw, I know, mother.

Father's wonderful.

And I'd do anything

to convince him

that he's so wrong about me.

Well, just tell him

what you told me, John.

Oh, mother, I couldn't

get that through his head.

I... I want to prove

once and for all

how ridiculous

his suspicions are.

I'd go to any lengths, mother,

for your sake.

I would swear

on a stack of bibles.

You would?

Well, it's just an expression.

But so expressive.

That'll do it.

Oh, I'm beginning

to feel better already.

You know how religious

your father is,

wait till we tell him.

Go ahead.

Oh, mother.

Go ahead.

How does it go?

Oh, mother.

I swear that I am not now

or ever have been a member

of the communist party.

Feel better?

I can't wait for your father

to come home.

I'm a little relieved myself.

You can't blame me now.

Well, you really

were worried, mother.

Well, it alarmed me, you know?

You kept talking

about this fellow

with a silly bill.

I thought it had something

to do with you.

Well, what does this fellow

got to do with me?

I don't know.

I mean, I didn't...

you mean

my telephone conversation,

my having to leave suddenly

has got something to do

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