Pollyanna Page #6

- Nurse.

- Hello, Pollyanna.

- Hello.

- I'm Nurse Hunt

I've come to help your auntie out.

You're in safe hands with Dr Warren.

I've seen him raise the dead,

and you can't say fairer than that.

The first thing I want you to do my sweet

is swallow these little white pills.

Will you do that for me?

Goodbye.

- Good morning.

- Good morning.

What's wrong with her?

Dr Warren is all at sea.

He has arranged for a consultation

with a specialist from London.

But it appears, at present,

there is paralysis from the waist down.

How is Pollyanna taking it?

She knows

she can't move her legs,

but she thinks they're just broken.

It makes me want to weep.

You should know that I've been trying

to persuade her to come and live with me

with a view to

legally adopting her

I care for her.

For her own sake, and her mother's,

I can offer her my love.

Can you?

Yes, I can.

How dare you think you can understand me!

I understand you! A spinster

with an overdeveloped sense of duty,

revelling pointlessly

in her status as village queen bee!

As opposed to you?

Realising too late in your life that it is empty,

and trying to fill it with someone else's child?

I wanted Pollyanna to be my heir!

She would have wanted for nothing.

- And?

- She wouldn't leave you

She said you'd been so good to her.

And she knows you care for her.

Thank you.

Thank you for coming.

This is for Pollyanna.

Who would have thought it, eh?

Mr Pendleton calling on Miss Polly?

Why do they hate each other so much?

Well, he blamed her

for poisoning her sister's mind against him.

And she blamed him

for ruining her friendship with her sister,

by blaming her

There was a lot of blame about.

(Jingling)

(Door opens)

Pollyanna, my dear, we've decided we want

another doctoor besides Dr Warren to see you

Dr C hilton?

Oh, Aunt Polly, I'd love to have

Dr Chilton

No, I didn't mean Dr C hilton.

He's...a special doctor,

who knows all about injuries like yours

Pollyanna,

I would do anything for you,

but please do not ask me to call Dr Chilton.

How's our poorly pumpkin pie?

Oh, well, at least broken legs mend.

I couldn't bear to be a lifelong invalid

like Mrs Snow.

(Sobs)

No. No!

No!

(Sobs)

(Birdsong)

You look a little like my docctor.

Your docctor?

Oh, that isn't my docctor. Dr Warren

is Aunt Polly's docctor. Mine is Dr C hilton.

Dr Warren, the diagnosis is quite clear.

There has been extensive damage

to the nerves,

and in my opinion, the damage is irreversible.

You're saying she'll never walk again?

Aunt Polly?

Aunt Polly!

Aunt Polly, what did you just say?

I have to know what you just said!

It's true, isn't it?

- It's true!

- Oh...

Docctors are always making mistakes.

How am I going to go to school? How am l

going to see Mrs Snow, or Mr Pendleton?

How am I going to run along the beach

and...do the things

that people do?

And not be stared at and pitied, and...

..be stuck for ever.

Oh, Pollyanna!

I promise...

..everything will look better in the morning.

It is the morning!

Father used to say

that everything might be worse

But he'd never heard

that he couldn't walk ever again!

I don't see that there can be anything worse

than that, can there?

MR PENDLETON:
So,

her condition is permanent

Yes, sir.

Oh,

the poor little girl.

Poor little girl.

NANCY:
She can't think about anything else.

Of course not!

What's she supposed to do, laugh it off?

The worst thing is,

she can't seem to play her game any more.

She can't find anything to be glad about.

(Sighs)

Could I tell Pollyanna

that you've seen Jimmy Bean

- again?

- You can.

But

it wouldn't be true.

Oh.

Many of you will have heard about young

Pollyanna Whittier's

tragic accident.

The Lord

moves in mysterious ways

And here you may think

is the proof

She's a remarkable girl

But even the strongest spirits can

crumble in the face of such a cruel blow

And she is in the end

a child.

A lovely child

Please spare a moment

to pray that she may walk again

Let us pray.

(Sighs)

Thank you.

- Hello.

- Hello, Tim.

Have you er...

- Have you been avoiding me?

- Yes.

Oh.

- I can't marry you. I'm sorry.

- Why not?

Cos every time I looked at you...

..I'd think of motorcars,

and Pollyanna's ruined life.

Yeah, well, people fall off horses too, you know!

(Door closes)

- Oh!

How did you get in?

It wasn't locked.

You aren't answering the door.

We're not receiving visitors. It's too upsetting.

I had to know... how Pollyanna is.

Dr Mead has prescribed various treatments

and medicines, but...

..he holds out almost no hope for her.

Will you tell Pollyanna that I've...

..seen Jimmy Bean, and...

..he's going to be my...son and heir?

Please say l

I hope it makes her glad.

(Door opens)

- Pollyanna?

I've a message for you from John Pendleton.

He says to tell you

that he's going to adopt Jimmy Bean.

And he hoped you'll be glad to know it.

Glad? Oh, yes!

Now Mr Pendleton and Jimmy

both have what they want.

Mr Pendleton says a home needs the hand

and heart of a woman, or a child's presence.

Oh, I see.

Dr Chilton says so too.

So I asked him why he didn't get them,

- a woman's hand and heart and have a home

- Pollyanna!

I wanted to know because he seemed so sad.

And what did he say?

He said

he'd give all the world for one woman's hand,

but sometimes you have to wait and wait,

until the person you love is ready.

(Birdsong)

(Barks)

(Knocking, then door opens)

Hello

We came to enquire about your little girl.

Thank you. She's much the same.

You're not in bed.

Just because I'm ill, it doesn't mean

I can't get out of bed once in a while.

Every 30 years.

There seem to be lots of new buildings

in the village.

Anyway

we think it's so awful,

so ghastly that the little girl can't walk again,

and doesn't want to play the game ever again

because she's so low,

that we wanted to tell her... Can we tell her?

No, I'm afraid Pollyanna isn't ready

to see anyone yet.

Oh. Well, you'll have to do.

Will you tell her

what she's done for us?

Making us glad about small things, and so on.

Especially Mother,

who used to lie in the dark,

week in, week out, frightening everyone.

Shall I just send her your best wishes?

- Yes, please.

- Yes.

Will you give Pollyanna a message?

Will you tell her...

that I've put on this?

The little girl has tried for so long

to make me wear some colour.

You know, I've worn black

ever since my husband died 1 8 years ago.

So, I wanted her to know...

..that I've begun.

And I was having trouble with the Ladies' Aid,

which wanted to switch Sunday school

to a Tuesday.

Which somewhat defeats the point

of a Sunday school.

And I was...sick at heart.

So I was composing

an angry sermon,

denouncing...everyone...

..when Pollyanna sat down with me

and told me about the "rejoicing texts".

Which is what her father used to call them.

8800 or so verses in the Bible which begin...

"Be glad!"

And "Rejoice! "

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