Over the Hill Page #5

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so they wouldn't have to meet me.

And when I came to the gate,

some kids hollered "Jailbird".

Johnny, you mustn't go.

Don't you see?

I can't stay here.

I'm no millionaire.

And my own family, think about.

Ma's getting old, Isaac.

That's the tough part of it.

Of course, I haven't made things

any too easy for her.

You haven't made the things

too easy for any of us.

It's been like a black cloud

hanging over the whole family.

I know that.

As soon as I get out there,

I'll send money for her every month.

I'll send it to you, Isaac, so that you can

see that she gets the things she needs.

Will you do that?

Yes, if you send the money.

Answer the door for me,

will you, honey?

No, you answer it yourself.

My mother.

The great event,

it shall come to pass.

- How do you do?

- Phyllis.

Phyllis, darling, come here.

Mother, this is Phyllis.

How do you do?

- Isn't this a surprise?

- Yes.

- Mother, take off your things.

- You do.

Come in here.

Why didn't you let us know you were coming?

We'd have met you at the train.

Isaac thought it would be nice

to surprise you.

Isaac's been so worried about me,

he thought it's best

to close up the old home.

What?

- He said it was so expensive.

- Did he say that?

Well, it was awfully lonesome

living there all alone.

But he took all our furniture

to his home to keep for us.

Gosh, it's good to see you, Ma.

And don't you worry.

You're gonna have a home here

with us just as long as you want it.

Then, you go upstairs, to my place.

All right. Goodbye.

This is gonna be a full page ad for

the world's greatest washing machine.

You know, the old method

in contrast with the new.

I never thought I'd stoop

to this kind of work.

It costs money to live in New York.

All right, you can rest now, Ma.

Answer the phone, will you, Ma?

Hello?

Just a moment, I'll see.

- It's for Phyllis.

- Call her, will you, Ma?

She's up in the roof with some

girlfriends taking a sunbath.

I'll call her.

She wouldn't allow me up there.

She says I'm too young.

Phyllis!

Phyllis!

- What do you want?

- You're wanted on the telephone.

How did you know I was over there?

Thomas told me you were

up here with the girls.

You keep out of my affairs.

You don't fool me, not for a minute.

I'm on to you.

Why, Phyllis...

I wouldn't...

You think I've done something wrong.

Now, I suppose you think I've done

something I shouldn't do, don't you?

Well, I haven't.

I'll show you where you get off.

I won't be spied upon by you

or anybody else.

I won't stand for it.

- You're snooping, you're always snooping.

- No, Phyllis, I wasn't.

I know you want to cause trouble

for me when you came here.

- Well, you won't cause any more!

- Phyllis!

I don't care if you are his mother.

He'll have to choose between you and me.

If he wants you, all right,

but he can't have us both.

It's all right, Thomas,

I don't mind at all.

This is Phyllis's home

and she should do as she please.

I know when I was young

I felt just the same as she.

Relatives are a nuisance.

I feel terrible about this, Ma.

No, Thomas, don't you worry at all.

There's so much work for me

to do with Susan.

And I know Susan and Ben

are anxious for me to visit them.

- But are you sure you'll be all right?

- Of course I will, dear.

- But she's my mother, Ben.

- I know, but we can't do it.

Why do you think we moved to this

little apartment? 'Cos we had to.

We're losing money in the shop everyday.

People aren't eating meat like they used to.

Some of them go on a diet

and don't eat meat at all.

If this keeps up, I'll go broke.

I've already had to fire the delivery boy.

- She's willing to work.

- She's too old to deliver meat.

Where am I if something happens?

You know, anything can happen

to an old woman like her.

I like your Ma and I don't wanna be mean

about it, but we've got to be sensible.

Later on, if things break,

business picks up, OK, gladly.

- But... where can she go, Ben?

- To Isaac's.

He's got a big house,

no trouble for him.

Why should he pass the buck to us?

You let me handle it,

I won't hurt her feelings.

Give me that!

Pa, tell Isaac to give me the bike!

Junior!

Harry!

Pa!

Junior!

Now let her ride, let her ride.

Let's go of her hair, stop!

I'm gonna take that bicycle

away from both of you.

We're not gonna have

any more of that foolishness.

Get in there.

Get in there!

I'm tired and sick of it.

That's all!

The Lord said "Let there be peace"

and I want it.

Get thee behind me, Satan...

Open!

"Dear Ma,"...

"Your bad boy, Johnny".

Isaac!

Yes, Minnie?

Isaac, look out the window.

There she is.

I told you she'd be back.

- It's always nice to get home, dear.

- Yes, it is.

I tell you we haven't got room for her.

You know my sister Rose is coming on

to help me put up my pickles in preserve.

Ma can help you, she's willing to work.

But you promised Rose

she could come.

She'll have to wait, it can't be helped.

Besides, I like Ma's preserves better.

But she's in the way.

I won't have her, she makes me nervous.

She's going to stay,

that's all there is to it.

She's going to stay, is she?

Didn't hear of anything

from Johnny lately?

Shut up, you!

My back's against the wall,

I need every dollar I can get.

Keep your mouth closed.

How are you, grandma!

Where have you been?

- Isaac!

- Where have you been?

I've been to uncle Ben's and

aunt Susan's house.

How long are you going

to stay, grandma?

- How long are you going to stay?

- I think I'll stay a long, long time, dear.

- What did you get for us?

- What did I get for you?

Let's see if I bring something for you.

- What is it?

- They're drops.

The whole party is lost.

Even the firm he works for

have given up hope.

That's all there is to it.

That means she'll be on our hands

for the rest of her life.

Well, I won't stand it!

You promised my sister Rose she could

come. Where are we gonna put her?

You don't expect me to throw

my mother in the street, do you?

Well, there are places she can go.

- Yes, I'd like to know where.

- At Isabelle's and her mother.

Isabelle just begged her to come

to live with them.

Would she do it?

No, she has too much pride!

I might have been able

to talk to her into it.

Isabelle's aunt's died

and they've gone there.

Her and her pride!

Well, I'm sick of her!

There are a lot of old people

at the County Poor House.

You're a tax payer, you can get her in.

She'll be a lot better off there

than anywhere else.

I'm entitled to some consideration,

I work like a dog in this house.

Will you stop nagging!

Where's Ma?

Sitting up there by that window waiting

for her darling Johnny to come home.

Enjoying the sunshine, Ma?

Yes, it's a nice day, isn't it?

Sunshine.

Fresh air.

Flowers, breeze.

The best things in life are free.

That's true.

You know, that thought flashed

through my mind on Sunday,

as I passed the poor farm.

I was surprised.

How attractive it is.

And how peaceful and contented

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