On Moonlight Bay Page #7

- Well, Wesley, how you making out?

- Just fine.

- Happy birthday.

- Gee, thanks, Aunt Martha.

Oh, no, Aunt Martha, not that.

Oh, let him keep it.

I suppose he will do

something horrible with it.

- I'd be disappointed if he didn't.

- Wesley, be careful. You'll cut yourself.

- And here's something else.

- Gee, thanks again.

That isn't for you,

but go ahead and open it.

I want you to give it back to your father.

I think it's time.

You tell him I sent it to him because

I believe I can trust him with it now.

I took that contraption

away from your father 35 years ago,

one day after he'd killed

my best hen with it, accidentally.

Father?

I think, if you give him that from me,

he'll remember.

You look like your father, Wesley.

He was anything but a handsome boy.

He'll grow out of it, Aunt Martha.

There's one more cookie left.

Aren't you going to eat it?

Well, I guess, I'd better.

Go ahead and stuff yourself.

You're 12 years old today

and you ought to be happy,

if you're nothing else.

It's taken over 1,900 years of Christianity

and some hundreds of thousands of years

of other things to produce you,

and there you sit.

Ma'am?

It'll be your turn

to struggle and muss things up

for the betterment

of posterity soon enough.

Eat your cookie.

Yes, ma'am.

- Stella.

- Behind you.

We're not ready for the cake yet.

Mr. Wakely's still singing.

Thought if I took it in, he'd stop.

Thank you. Thank you.

I know you would like me to go on and on,

but I really must stop.

And now, if the little gentlemen

will take the little ladies by the hand,

we shall put a record on the phonograph

and you may all trip the light fantastic.

Wesley, why are you sitting here?

Why aren't you dancing?

I don't want to dance.

it's my birthday, so I don't have to.

Wesley.

Well, whose party is this?

Hubert Wakely's or mine?

Why, it's yours, dear.

Well, then why doesn't he stop singing

and go home?

- May I have this dance?

- No, thank you, Hubert. Really, I...

Oh, come, come now,

this is no time to be coy.

Look, he's trying

to make Marjie dance with him.

Why doesn't he leave her alone?

Don't worry about it.

Your father and I had along talk last night,

and, with your approval,

it's full steam ahead.

Excuse me,

but Marjorie promised this dance to me.

- I did?

- Sure.

Guess I can dance with my own sister

at my own birthday party, can't I?

But, princess...

Well, I guess I can dance

with my own brother.

Would you excuse us, Hubert?

Stella, you should be more careful.

Careful.

Well, it looks like

I'm not such a bad father after all.

Wesley's behaving

like a perfect little gentleman.

Even Marjorie seems to be

enjoying herself.

Everything is calm once more.

Cyclone weather.

Stella, answer that.

I hope it's the ice cream.

Pretty.

It ain't the ice cream.

- Come right in.

- Mr. Winfield, I've got to talk to you.

I thought we were well rid of you.

I have a 24-hour pass,

and the only train back

leaves in a half an hour.

Sir, I'm in love with your daughter

and I want to marry her.

And how long would that last?

Until you get some other crackpot ideas?

- Bill.

- Marjorie.

Hold me tight. Don't let me go this time.

I don't want to. But it's up to your father.

You're making it very difficult for me,

young man,

but I am sure in the long run

you'll realize I'm right.

- Now, I'll thank you to leave my house.

- George.

Father, Bill and I

are going to be married right now,

and you couldn't stop us

with an act of Congress.

I'll get my things.

Wait a minute, Marjorie.

Let's be sensible about this.

I couldn't ask you to give up your family

for one Week

with a soldier who's shipping out.

It wouldn't be fair to you.

But how can you be sensible

at a time like this?

One of us has to be.

It may be along time before I get back.

You're gonna have to live with them,

not with me.

Sol guess we'd better wait.

- ls it all right if I walk him to the gate?

- Certainly you can, darling.

You go right ahead.

Sometimes I don't understand you.

Well, what did you want me to do?

Let my daughter become a camp follower?

George Wadsworth Winfield,

you listen to me.

And I'll Write you every day I'm gone.

And I'll knit you some socks.

I can't knit, but I'll knit you some socks.

Well, if I can get my shoes on over them,

I'll wear them.

I know I'm supposed to be brave, William,

but you're gonna be so far away.

Oh, come on, it's not as bad as all that.

You know the song

all the doughboys are singing.

- "Smile the while I kiss you fond adieu."

- "Sad adieu."

- "When the clouds roll by..."

- "I'll come to you."

Marjie?

Don't take it so seriously.

She'll get over it.

George, were you ever a young man?

I can't even remember.

Alice!

After all,

no man really wants to get married.

William is just more honest than most.

Now, I suppose

I didn't want to get married to you.

Of course you didn't.

If you had any idea of the lengths

I had to go to force you to propose...

What do you mean?

You know, it's hard to realize

you once were exactly

like William Sherman.

I was not.

Oh, George.

You remember the day we got engaged?

You took me for a walk in the woods

near Aunt Martha's farm. We got lost.

It was hours before we got back.

You knew the way home all the time.

How can you say such a thing?

Because I knew it, too.

I don't recall the incident at all.

Of course you don't.

Because you refuse to remember anything

that indicates

you might have human failings.

But they're the reasons I married you.

Wesley!

See what you did to that window?

You incorrigible brat.

I don't know what we're going to do

with you. What do you mean?

Just 10 minutes ago, I was telling

your mother how proud I was of you,

and you had to go throw a rock at me

through the window.

I didn't. I was shooting at a bird, and,

well, the sun got in my eyes

and the sling broke.

What sling?

This one.

Where did you get this devilish thing?

Haven't I told you a thousand times...

It isn't mine. it's yours.

- What?

- Yes, sir.

Aunt Martha gave it to me.

She told me to give it back to you.

She said she took it away from you

35 years ago.

You killed her best hen with it, she said.

She told me some more to tell you,

but I forgot.

Sorry, Pop.

It's all right, Son. Forget all about it.

A broken window

isn't too important, anyway.

Hello, operator?

Would you please get me the Shermans

in the 400 block on Elm Street?

Thank you.

Hello. Is Bill there?

Tell him it's the neighbor across the street

who just remembered

he was young once, too.

Here's your hat.

Keep your head up

and breathe through your nose.

English

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