On Moonlight Bay Page #3

- Oh, I see.

Well, we can find something else for you.

What do you think of banking?

Well, frankly, sir, I feel that every bank

in the country should be blown up.

Tea? Would anyone care for some tea?

Iced tea, Father?

What did you say, young man?

Well, I didn't mean it literally, sir.

It's just that every thinking person knows

that banks are completely

unproductive and unnecessary.

Why, they're parasites on society.

I'd like some tea. Wouldn't you, William?

Unnecessary and unproductive?

- And, I can prove it.

- Oh, you can?

- Yes, sir, I can.

- Lemon or cream?

Do you have some money?

Yes.

Fine. A five-dollar bill.

This is the commodity

in which the banks deal. Money,

the root of all evil.

Now, suppose it were all destroyed.

Has anything really been lost?

Is there any less clothing, less food,

less love in the world now?

Young man...

William, Father is vice president

of the First National Bank!

Holy cow! Did I do this?

Marjorie, get in the house!

Father, it's nothing serious. it's just

something they teach William at college.

Well, until they teach him

how to support a wife,

I suggest you find yourself

another young man.

Seems to me a person wouldn't sing

so loud in the morning

when they know

another person's got a sick headache.

Seems to me a person always gets

a sick headache on school days.

Well, you wouldn't care

if I went to the hospital

and had to be operated on, I suppose.

How many times do I have to call you?

Miss Marjorie, your breakfast is ready.

All right, Stella.

I just want to finish this letter.

Finish it later.

We're not serving Ia carte, you know.

All right.

You, too. You're gonna be late for school.

You eat every bit of that cereal.

You're a growing boy and you need it.

I hate it!

Stella, dust off the piano.

Hubert Wakely is coming to call again.

Men have been buzzing around here

like flies ever since you gave up baseball.

This place is beginning to look like

the YMCA on a rainy afternoon.

Your father seems to think very highly

of Mr. Wakely.

Why wouldn't he?

Hubert is steady, reliable,

has a fine job teaching music

and he's just as stuffy as Father.

- Marjie!

- Well, he is.

Hey, Wesley!

- I got to go.

- You haven't finished your breakfast.

You wouldn't want me

to be late for school, would you?

Excuse me.

I wonder what you get for manslaughter

in this state.

Hi, Jim.

- You got your letter?

- What letter's that?

You know what old Miss Stevens said.

"A model letter to a friend

on a subject of general interest."

Oh, no.

Well, she'll only keep you in

after school two or three hours, I guess.

Oh, no, she won't. I just remembered.

I got a letter all written out!

Wait for me, Jim! I'll be right out.

Excuse me.

Stella!

Now, children,

it is time for English composition.

I know how hard you all must have worked

on your letters for this morning,

so I have a little surprise for you.

I'm going to let you read some of them

aloud before you hand them in.

Now, won't that be nice?

- Cora Claypool, you may read yours.

- Yes, ma'am!

"Dear Cousin Sadie,

I thought I would write you today

"on some subject of general interest,

and so I thought

"l would tell you

about the subject of our courthouse.

"it is a very fine building situated in

the center of the city,

"and a visit to the building after school

well repays for the visit.

"Upon entrance, we find upon our left

the office of the county clerk,

"and upon our right, a number of windows

affording a view of the street.

"And so we proceed, finding on both sides

much of general interest.

"The building was begun in 1886 A.D.,

"and it was through in 1887 A.D.

"it is four stories high and made

of stone, pressed brick, wood and tiles

"with a tower, or cupola,

127' 7" from the ground.

"Among subjects of general interest

told by the janitor,

"we learned that this architect

of the building was a man named Flanner

"and the foundation..."

Wesley Winfield, you may read your letter.

- Ma'am?

- You may read your letter.

Yes, ma'am.

- Have you prepared one?

- Yes, ma'am.

But you're going to find out

that you forgot to bring it, aren't you?

No, ma'am, I got it.

Well! We'll listen

to what you found time to prepare.

For once.

"Dear friend, you call me beautiful

but I am really not beautiful,

"and, at times, I doubt if I am even pretty.

Though my hair may be beautiful

"and even if it is true that my eyes are

like the blue stars in heaven..."

Go on.

Oh, no.

Proceed.

"A tremor thrills my being when I recall

"your last words to me that last...

"That last..."

Go on.

"That last evening in the moonlight

"when you... You..."

Wesley, you will go on.

And you will stop that stammering.

"You kissed my shoulder

"and said that you would like to love me

forever and ever and..."

Wesley.

"And that if you believed in marriage,

"you would want me to.

Yours Respectfully, Wesley Winfield."

May I leave the room?

Bring me that letter.

You will sit there until no more

"treemors" thrill your being.

That was wonderful, Hubert!

Just wonderful!

You must come again soon.

I'm in no hurry, princess.

As Shakespeare once said,

"if music be the food of love, play on."

Did Shakespeare say that?

Yes, princess. I have an idea.

Let's sing something together.

I would like to very much, Hubert,

but I have an appointment at the dentist.

Hey, Wesley! How's your beautiful hair?

Wesley.

You stay out of the living room.

Your sister is entertaining a caller.

Is he telling her

her eyes are like the blue stars in heaven?

Now, where did you pick that up?

I've been around.

Well, just the same,

you stay out of that living room.

I'll get even on that Marjorie.

Well, why don't you get even on her, then?

All right, I will get even on her.

Miss Winfield, would you care

for another apple?

No, thanks. Hubert, really, I...

Miss Winfield, when I look into your eyes,

I recall those immortal words

of Tennyson...

Anybody seen Max?

- Who?

- Max, my dog.

You seen him around here anywhere?

We haven't seen him.

That's funny. Well, I guess,

there's no use looking for him.

He isn't anywheres around.

Guess I'll sit down.

Kind of tired of standing up anyway.

Wesley, I just remembered,

I was looking out of the window

a minute ago,

and I saw a dog run across the street

and turn the corner.

Little or big?

Max is a little dog. Of course, if it was

a little dog, it must have been Max.

It was little. It was a little bit of a dog.

No, couldn't have been Max.

Max, he's kind of a middle-sized dog.

- By George!

- Do you have to go, Hubert?

No, no, it isn't that, but, by the way,

it seems a pity to be missing

the fine weather.

I wonder if I could persuade you

to take a little walk.

No, Hubert, really, I...

One can talk better out in the open,

don't you think?

All right. I have to get my hat.

I'll get mine, too.

Ready, Hubert?

Yes, but better hurry.

I think We've given him the slip.

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