Possessed Page #5

- I was too busy to be lonely.

I warned you to work with me,

you wouldn't like it much.

Mr. Graham, Wynn is ready.

He said you promised to read him Bugs Bunny.

So I did, excuse me.

Don't spread this around the office...

but, my son's affection for me

is based on my ability to say...

"What's cooking, doc?"

I'll be back in a minute.

I never realized before that

Canada is so large and far away.

- David, it's wonderful to see you again.

- Canadian Special, good.

Of course, in Canada they won't drink

anything but Kentucky whiskey.

Aren't you going to kiss me?

I had no plans one way or the other.

All right, go ahead and kiss me.

You don't have to mean it.

I didn't expect you to mean it that little.

When a woman kisses me, Louise,

she has to take pot luck.

I can see that you weren't nearly as lonely

in Canada as you pretended to be.

No, I wasn't. Man, Louise,

doesn't live by bread alone.

- Very amusing.

- No. Only mildly so.

You've changed, David.

Something's changed you.

No, we were through before I went to Canada.

- I suppose I should've put that in writing.

- But, now you're hard and bitter.

Bored, I think would be a bit closer to it.

I warned you about that, didn't I?

Look, suppose we don't discuss it anymore?

All right. Let's discuss something else.

Slide rules, cracking plants? Or maybe,

you'd rather talk about the weather?

It's been very nice, the weather.

We have so much of it.

Washington is practically all weather.

Some hot, some cold.

- In between, we have rain. Shall I go on?

- Please do.

In a moment I'll be out on the street,

hailing a cab.

I hope I haven't said anything offensive,

I wouldn't want to hurt you.

Usually, one of the nice things

about going away, is coming back.

Usually, not always.

Did you expect to come back and find me

just as you left me, waiting patiently?

Crying a little with the joy

of seeing you again?

You're so sure of yourself, so certain

of your own breathless charm!

I'm sorry, Louise.

You watch temperatures go down

and then go up again...

but in love, there are no relapses.

Once you're out of it, the fever n

ever comes back again. Bye, Louise.

Your love affair with yourself has

reached heroic proportions.

Doesn't leave much room for me.

Are you sure you can get along without

somebody to help you admire yourself?

You're offering me no more

than any other registered nurse.

Louise, be reasonable.

That's fairly reasonable.

David, leaving already?

Yes, I have a dinner date.

You know how it is.

Don't come in with a hangover tomorrow.

Don't go, Miss Howell.

I was just going out to get some fresh air.

Sutton's a good fellow.

I'm glad I've got him.

He's doing very well.

This is my last day here,

Mr. Graham. I'm leaving.

I don't understand.

- It's simple. I'm quitting.

- Are you unhappy here?

I'd rather not discuss it.

- I won't permit it.

- I'm afraid you'll have to.

I know people usually do

what you want, Mr. Graham...

if they won't, you have

ways of persuading them.

But don't try that with me,

because it won't work.

I've never seen you like this before.

- You're usually so quiet.

- Yes, quiet, patient, efficient Miss Howell.

Tell her to do something and she does it,

day after day, year after year.

At the age of 60, retires with a gold watch

and the blessings of the entire household.

No, thank you. I've had enough

of being a servant.

I've never thought of you

as a servant. I've never...

- You've been very kind, but I'm leaving.

- Don't go, please.

Something's upset you. I don't know

what it is, but I'm deeply concerned.

You're right, I do try to get

what I want whenever possible.

That may seem selfish, I suppose it is.

But you've become very necessary here.

You're a part of my home.

Very much a part of my life.

I don't know how to express this properly...

but I've become very fond of you.

Fond is an understatement.

- Mr. Graham, don't...

- I hadn't meant to talk of this for a while...

but now it seems necessary.

I'm asking you to marry me.

I hadn't intended to amuse you.

It wasn't you. It was something else,

please believe me.

I had to either laugh or cry.

I'm through with crying,

don't you understand that?

No, but it's all right.

As for marrying you...

it's very flattering.

It feels wonderful to be wanted by someone.

I needed that feeling right now,

more than you'll ever know.

Something happens to a woman

when she isn't wanted.

- Something dreadful.

- All of which doesn't answer my question.

Will you marry me?

I'm aging visibly.

I'm not in love with you.

Do you think we could be happy?

I'll do everything in my power

to see that you are.

There's Carol to think of.

She doesn't like me.

I haven't done this very gracefully

or even adequately.

But, one thing is certain, Carol isn't

asking to marry you, I am.

I've never had a great deal.

It's very tempting to be offered

the kind of life I'd have as your wife.

But that's not important.

The important thing is I think

I can make you happy.

I will marry you, if you want me to.

I'm sorry, I'm just not quite

used to the idea, yet.

It isn't very easy for a man my age

to kiss a woman with dignity.

I'll need practice.

Will you have dinner with me, Louise?

Yes, Dean.

Don't you love the way Prof.

Hopkins gets mad?

- I just think he's delicious, don't you?

- Well...

- Do you like Mr. Elliott?

- Sort of.

I can't stand him. Know what he said to me?

You'll never believe it.

He said I talk too much.

I wonder where he got that idea.

Hey, Graham, you have a visitor.

- A man?

- No, a lady.

- Thank you.

- Bye.

- Hello.

- Yes?

I came to see you.

Obviously.

That's a very pretty sweater you have on.

You didn't drive 300 miles

just to admire my sweater.

No, I didn't.

I came to tell you something.

Father called me.

You're going to be married.

I'm sorry he told you. I wanted to.

Is that all?

I want you to like me.

I don't think that's absolutely

necessary, Miss Howell.

I hope you won't mind

if I don't call you mother.

That's beside the point.

I do think that we should talk

about your mother, just a little.

I know what you're going to say.

I talked to Dr. Sherman.

He told me things I hadn't known.

I know what I thought about you

and Father wasn't true.

And I'm sorry I said the things I did.

I'm very sorry.

It's all right. I didn't blame you.

As for your getting married...

you and Father are quite capable

of deciding things for yourself.

- It isn't necessary to have my approval.

- Oh, but it is.

Your father is very lonely, Carol.

Maybe that has something to do with

his wanting to marry me, I don't know.

I do know that I can't marry him,

if it would mean his losing you.

Since there's no hope you'll like me,

I'll do what you want me to do.

I'll go away.

- He'd never forgive me.

- He won't know I've talked to you.

- I'm sorry.

- That's all right.

You can't help the way you feel,

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