Old Acquaintance Page #5

Well, there are a lot of things.

For instance...

is it laziness or affectation that you

don't like to see your name in print?

Why, there are posters all over the place

about your play...

and your name isn't any size.

It's all Julia Broadbank.

Her name will bring in

more people than mine.

But you're the author, you wrote the play.

Why should you be

pushed off the mat by actors?

Well, to tell you the truth, Millie,

I'm not so sure the play's any good.

Oh, you make me furious.

Now, supposing I started one of my books

with the attitude I wasn't sure about it.

- Where would I be?

- Where I am, probably.

But you must remember, Millie...

you've never not been sure

about anything.

- You mean I'm too sure?

- I didn't say that.

But you must admit,

you're a very certain little woman.

Perhaps, I am. But I certainly

couldn't see myself at our age...

waving in the breeze

like a piece of limp rag.

You don't seem to know, or care...

what's gonna happen to you

from one minute to the next.

Now, when I make up my mind

I want something, I work until I get it.

Then I hold onto it

like a bulldog with his teeth.

There are some things

you will hold on to too tightly, Millie.

Especially people.

Oh, people are a nuisance.

The only people I need are in my books.

Outside of Preston and my baby,

no one means anything.

Me, too?

You go without saying,

but you do make me mad.

Oh, Kit, hasn't there ever been anything

in your life that you've really wanted?

Well, coming right at this moment,

that's a hard question to answer.

But you keep holding on, darling,

and I'll keep wondering whether I should.

And I may wave around

like that limp rag...

but there is a certain ecstasy

in wanting things you know you can't get.

Well, you might be

a very lonely old lady one day.

Something I'll never be. I took care of that.

When you married Preston

and had Deirdre...

and that put money in the bank.

What better insurance could I have?

Millie...

- now, I want to ask you something.

- Go ahead.

Why aren't you more considerate of Pres?

- What do you mean?

- Just that.

What are you talking about?

Certainly, you can see

how miserable he is.

Miserable!

Why, haven't I been a good wife to him?

I've given him everything.

A house, grounds, servants.

Why, I make him a definite department

in my life, as I do my child.

How can you say he's miserable?

Millie, do you know anything at all

about men?

Do you?

Well, I know there are a lot of little things

that a man expects from a woman...

that I think you, in your success,

have forgotten all about.

What little things?

Oh, little things, like humor

and charm and tenderness.

Oh, should I be charming,

humorous and tender...

when a man consumes nearly

a bottle of whisky in an afternoon?

- People drink for escape, Millie.

- But escape from what?

Well, our offspring is in the hay.

Drinking again, my love?

No, but I'll pour one for you if you want it.

- Do you really think I should?

- Why not? We only live once.

Say when.

- Hey, when.

- There you are.

- And some ice?

- Thanks.

There. Oh, Preston,

I bought you two dinner-jacket ties.

They're the new kind from Paris,

with the single end.

Oh, that's very nice of you, Millie.

Hey, what's going on with you two?

What's the joke?

Oh, our Kit's in a very

rambunctious mood today.

I think I must write a play sometime,

and see if I can feel rambunctious.

I'm sure you will, Millie.

I really must go.

Oh, no, I've something for you, too.

Something for my very best friend...

to commemorate

the first night of her first play.

I'll only be a moment.

They're on the little table in here

by the chaise longue.

I separated them from the other things.

The sun seems to be shining.

Yes.

I wonder what caused it.

Well, now, here they are.

- This is for my husband.

- Thank you, Millie.

And this is for my best friend.

This is just a little thing

I picked up for myself.

I think when you open it, darling,

you'll find it's quite charming.

Thank you, Millie.

Millie, you can't give me things like this.

Well, why not? I think it's very beautiful.

It's almost too beautiful to wear.

It must have cost a fortune.

Well, I'm a very successful woman

and very rich.

- Do you really like it, darling?

- I don't know what to say.

Here. Put it on your coat.

Oh, it looks very smart. There.

- What did you get for yourself?

- Just these.

And very nice, too.

- Do you like them, Preston?

- They're very handsome.

I wish I could afford

to have given them to you.

They're lovely, Millie.

- Do you resent my having them?

- Of course not, Millie.

I don't resent your having anything.

I said they were very handsome.

What's the matter, Millie?

We both said they were very nice...

and you suddenly look like a volcano

that's about to erupt.

- You can't make a joke of it.

- Make a joke of what?

You wish you could've afforded

to buy them for me.

- If that isn't a sneer...

- It was not a sneer.

Millie.

Millie, let me put them on you.

- Be good.

- Oh.

Anyone would think I was...

I'll do without them!

I'll do without everything!

I'll give up writing!

We'll go back and pig it on Cameo Street,

the way we used to.

- Is that what you want?

- Millie, will you stop this, please?

No, Millie, we'd better stay just as we are.

You can buy me a nice uniform...

and on the cap and collar

you can put M-W-D...

the property of Mildred Watson Drake,

in diamonds.

Pres.

Here.

I'm really partly to blame.

I had just given Millie

a sort of bawling out before you came in.

Go in there and apologize.

And no more of that uniform business.

It wasn't kind.

I'll leave your tickets at the box office.

See you later.

Kit's gone.

I'm sorry, Millie. Here are the clips.

You can throw them in the wastebasket.

You didn't pay for them.

All right then.

What do you think you're doing?

"'The time has come,' the Walrus said,

'to talk of many things:

"'Of socks and shirts and dressing gowns,

and whether pigs have wings."'

You're drunk.

Oh, no, Millie, I'm not,

but I am very happy.

Is this your nail file, or mine?

I never knew.

Preston, will you stop playing the fool,

and get dressed for tonight?

I am dressed for my night.

But you have to wear your dinner jacket.

I won't need my dinner jacket.

Oh, we went into all that

before we left home.

I had the new silk facings put on.

New silk facings! Thoughtful little Millie.

Preston, I don't know what this

is all about, but it's no time to go into it.

We've got to get dressed,

and go and see Kit's play.

I am sorry about one thing,

I hate leaving that baby.

- What did you say?

- I said, I hated leaving my daughter.

Preston. Preston, you're mad.

I was mad not to have done this years ago.

You don't need a husband.

What you need is... Oh, why go into it?

Just where are you going?

As far away as I can get

from you, my dear.

You don't know what you're talking about.

- Oh, yes, I do.

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