Penny Serenade Page #4

any children available at all.

There's a long waiting list,

there are three applications for every child.

If you get one within a year,

you'll be lucky.

- What?

- A year?

You mean to say

we might have to wait a year?

Well, after all, real parents

wait almost a year.

- Yes, certainly...

- You see, we've waited so long already.

I know, my dear.

But you're both very young.

Then, too, we have to have time

to make our investigation.

Investigation?

Yes, you see. we're just as particular

about you as prospective parents

as you are about the child.

Naturally.

What is your business, Mr. Adams?

I'm a publisher.

I run the Rosalia Courier.

- Publisher?

- Sure.

I beg your pardon.

Mrs. Green is on the phone.

What shall I tell her?

Oh..

Tell her that we're sorry.

But according to our investigator's report

we find that Mr. Green

doesn't have a steady income.

Later perhaps, if he finds himself

better situated, we'll...

reconsider their application.

You see, it's not our aim to place

our children in homes of wealth...

but it's absolutely necessary for us

to have the assurance

that the adoptive parents

are financially responsible.

Oh, sure.

I see in your letter

that you live in the country.

Good. I presume that means then

that you have a house and yard.

- Well...

- No, we don't have a yard.

We live in an apartment.

But there's a nice park nearby.

We've got a swell roof too.

We've been putting a fence around it.

And I could build a slide and a sandbox.

As a matter of fact,

a roof is better for a kid

because then he can't get on the street, see?

Look, it doesn't have

to be a yard, does it?

No, but you have a separate room

for the child, haven't you?

That's very important.

Oh, yes, we have a lovely room.

It's practically fixed up now.

Oh, well that's fine.

Now, about income.

Approximately, how much

do you make a week?

Well, I couldn't tell you offhand.

I imagine about $100 a week.

Of course, I'd have to look at the books.

Well, that's excellent.

If you'll just take that application

home with you,

fill it out and mail it in to us

so we'll have all the details.

Then in due time, one of our investigators

will call on you.

Fine.

You'll call us before she comes,

won't you?

No, we just drop in.

That's our policy.

You see, we want to find your house

as it is everyday...

- ...not when it's fixed up for company.

- I see.

- Good bye.

- Good bye, Miss Oliver.

Oh... it doesn't matter

if he hasn't got curly hair.

It doesn't really matter.

- They're darn choosy, if you ask me.

- Why do you have to be a big shot?

- When?

- You know we don't make $100 a week.

You want the baby, don't you?

They can't prove it.

We don't keep books.

Hey, quit stalling.

Get on with the cleaning.

Look, honey, left from the earthquake.

From Japan?

You'd better buy some more.

Excuse me, lady.

You should give a fellow a warning.

Does Mrs. Adams live here?

Yes, upstairs. I'll call her.

Don't bother. I'm Miss Oliver

from the orphanage. I'll find her.

I don't think she's home just now.

I think she's in church.

In church?

This time of day?

Well, you see, she and Mr. Adams

go there quite a lot.

They just go there and sit.

Fine people, mam.

Well, I'm sure she won't mind

if I just look around a bit.

No, she won't mind.

-How do you do, Miss Oliver?

- How do you do, Mrs. Adams?

- I'm sorry.

- It's all right.

Won't you sit down?

- Here.

- No, thank you.

- You've come to see the apartment?

- That's right.

This is it. It's not very neat

at the moment. We're cleaning.

I see.

That's our little breakfast room out there.

And uh...

if you'll step right this way...

This is our kitchen.

My husband has been meaning

to fix this door for some time, it's...

he's been so busy...

And that brings us back

to the breakfast room.

- Can I fix you a cup of tea?

- No, thank you.

You spoke of a child's room.

A lovely room.

Yes, that's over here.

- Well, this is sweet.

- You really like it?

Any child would be lucky

to have a room like this.

Well, I want you to see our yard.

We're fixing that up too.

Well...

Hello, Miss Oliver.

Didn't expect you.

I just finished making it.

I thought I'd try it out see if it was

strong enough for that two-year old.

I think I have a surprise for you.

A baby came in yesterday.

- No!

- Miss Oliver, you mean...

- Here, come and sit down.

- Thank you.

Sit down.

That's the reason we came around

to see you sooner than we expected.

It's a little girl..

We don't want a girl.

Five weeks and three days old.

Five weeks!

Well, we did speak

of an older child, you know.

You might have to wait a long time.

After all, aren't you making to great

a point of a child's age, Mr. Adams?

Eventually this child

will be two years old.

But we don't know anything

about little babies.

No one does until they have them.

And this is such an unusual little baby.

Actually there's another couple

who has first choice...

and that's strictly off the record.

But somehow I feel she's exactly

the child for you.

That's why I wanted you to see her first

and I couldn't resist giving you the chance.

- Did you bring her with you

- No, she's in the nursery.

You and Mr. Adams will have to come

over to the city to see her.

What's she like, Miss Oliver?

Well, I can't describe her exactly,

but she's...

well, she's like no other child.

Like no other child.

But she isn't a boy.

But look, Roger,

there's no harm in looking at her.

If you don't like her,

I won't say a word.

What's the use? We don't want her.

Please, darling.

It won't hurt to look at her.

Well, all right, we'll look.

That's fine. You call me up and I'll make

an appointment at the nursery.

I must go now.

If you change your mind,

you will call me up, won't you?

Yes, yes.

Miss Oliver, please don't show her to that

other couple until we've seen her, will you?

I won't, my dear.

She's like no other child.

That's why I wanted you

to see her first.

Like no other child.

Well, how about him?

This is a day nursery.

All these youngsters have parents.

All except this lovely little girl.

What a grip...

For a girl, I mean.

Would you like to hold her?

May I.

How are you, kid?

Well, you've had your look, dear.

How about going back home?

All right, she's yours, I guess.

- When do we get her?

- Now, if you like.

She's yours on a year's probation.

Now?

You mean we can just walk out

of here with her like this?

It sometimes happens that way...

if we make sure that the parents

and the baby are just right for each other.

We have no clothes for her.

We don't know how to feed her.

It's such a little baby.

Miss Morgan will take care of everything.

She'll give you the formulas and so forth...

then you can go downtown

and buy whatever is necessary.

Thank you, Miss Oliver,

for being so kind.

Don't thank me.

It just happened so.

Perhaps before you make up

your minds fully to take the child...

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