Rambling Rose Page #5

the bedside manner of that man.

He's so soothing, so smart,

and do kind-hearted deep inside.

He practically gets tears in his eyes,

listening to my heartbeat.

He says to me, "My dear,

you are beautiful. "

Wasn't that a nice thing

for a doctor to say to a patient?

What could cheer a girl up more?

Rose, I have doubts about that doctor.

So does Daddy.

He has doubts about hisself.

Isn't that sad?

The poor man thinks nobody likes him.

I'd believe it.

- He wants justice in the world.

For everyone, especially the coloreds.

That's nice of him,

'cause the coloreds have a rough life.

Yes, they do,

but that guy doesn't care.

Then why does he say it?

T o look better than everyone else.

Dr. Martinson!

Come in, please.

It's very damp outside.

Rose is feeling so much better.

In fact, she's almost all well.

Let me be the judge of that, Madam.

- Yes.

Her room is at the head of the stairs.

Right on the right.

When is that polecat

going to come down from her room?

Dr. Martinson is a very good doctor.

He studied at Johns Hopkins.

I don't care

if he studied at the North Pole

Anyway, I have a plan for Rose.

I'm gonna start with clothes.

She dresses too provocatively,

and we've talked about it.

Where are you going?

Everything all right, Doctor?

- Oh, yes... fine.

She's getting healthy.

A few more days.

Rose, you look so pretty.

You're sweet

to make this dress for me.

Darling,

now she is a different person.

Being sick made an impression on her.

I think she's learned her lesson.

Open this door, Rose!

Open it this instant!

Open it or I'll break it down!

- Who is it?

Open the door, damn you!

You got a man in there.

I saw his shoes on the back porch.

Rose,

open up immediately, You hear me?

Rose, procrastination won't help you!

Where is he?

- Nobody is here.

I knwo he's here. - There's nobody!

- Where are you, you bastard?

Where have you got him hid?

- There ain't nobody here.

And who, may I ask, is that?

Well...

That's Billy.

- And what was Billy doing here?

Billy's very poor, ain't got no money.

He had no place else to go.

Silly question.

He's nice. You'd like him.

He wants to be a fireman.

Ye gods and little fishes, a fireman.

Put something on, You're naked.

I think your friend Billy is injured.

Where are his clothes?

Under the mattress.

I didn't want to be mad.

He wants to marry me. He's sweet.

I can't marry him. He's got no money,

no job, he's too young and all...

...but he loves me,

and I was thinking...

You won't hurt him?

Oh, I won't hurt him, Rose.

- Mr Hillyer, I know I was bad.

I hadn't ought to have done it.

But I am only a human girl person.

I ain't always perfect.

Don't fire me.

I love you all so much.

Rosebud, you break my heart.

But I am only a human man person,

... of the father variety.

Pack your bag, baby.

As of this moment

you're hired, mired, and fired.

This country

couldn't stand George lll,

and I can't stand Rose!

But liberation is at hand.

Hear ye, hear ye, I've got news.

I called cousin Hop long distance,

and Rose,

I found you a job in Tennessee.

Tennessee?

- It's a lovely state.

What kind of job is it?

- You'll like it. It's an outdoor job.

You mean a farm? - No, not exactly.

It is a dairy establishment.

Honey, Rose

has terrible memories of farm life.

Rose, this isn't a dirt farm like

the one you were born on. It's nice.

Nieghbor of cousin Hop's.

It isn't a farm, damn it.

It's a beautiful dairy establishment.

Now stop crying, Rose.

It's ideal.

How can you call it ideal? You know

what the word "farm" means to her.

It isn't a farm. - Calling it a

dairy establishment is jiggery-pokery.

She's goin' there tomorrow.

And I must say, it is selfish

of her to sit there and cry.

I'm crying

for somebody else, not me.

Who?

I hate to think of the baby

being born on a farm.

What baby is that?

Mine. I'm going to have one.

Good God Almighty!

This is a calamity!

They won't hire her now, mama.

You poor thing.

Don't cry, honey. Nobody's perfect.

Who's the father, dear?

- Well...

I know this is embarrassing, but

who were you exposed to, dear?

Well, Mrs. Hillyer,

it's kind of hard to say...

This is no good line of questioning.

The problem is, what are we gonna do?

That's why I'm asking who he is.

It is the most vital question.

Who is he, dear?

She doesn't know.

- She must know, unless...

Unless... Rose!

Was there ore than one person?

It's kind of hard to think right now.

- You shouldn't act like that.

Oh, I know. But I didn't really.

There was only one, but

he's out of town and didn't

leave me no forwarding address.

No forwarding address?

No forwarding address? Hold the phone.

In the shock of this,

I forgot something.

Rose will lie.

She's no more pregnant than I am.

I am, too!

You are not!

- Yes I am!

Tell us, Rose.

Why do you think you're pregnant?

I hadn't had my period in 3 months

and my stomach is getting big.

I don't believe it.

- It's so, Mr. Hillyer.

All right.

You've had your clothes off enough.

Pull up your dress

and let's take a look.

Honey!

She can keep her panties on.

Pull up your dress, Rose.

You just won't believe me.

- Rose you don't have to.

I don't mind.

- Now you'll see she's lying.

See?

I'd say about three months.

Are you satisfied?

What did you say she had?

- An ovarian cyst.

What is that?

- We thought she was pregnant.

I'm not surprised you thought that.

An ovarian cyst

can look very much like pregnancy.

But that's just wishful thinking.

She's lost her reproductive capacity.

She had gonorrhea at age 15,

and it was left untreated.

Gonorrhea?

- Just so.

She also had tuberculosis.

The X-rays plainly show scarring.

But the Gonorrhea caused irreparable

damage to her fallopian tubes.

She can never have children.

That's very sad. Poor Rose.

What a sad life she's had.

Just so.

Now as to the malignancy...

I think it unlikely.

I probably shouldn't have told her.

You're right. She thinks

she has cancer and is going to die.

She is an adult, Mr. Hillyer.

I merely gave her the facts.

If she survives the surgery,

it's better than being pregnant.

No. It's a blessing, really.

And a stroke of luck

for an other reason.

This operation

provides a therapeutic opportunity,

important in the case of this girl,

who suffers not only from a cyst,

but also from a neurotic condition.

Neurotic condition?

Go ahead, Doctor.

I'm following you.

Evidently, she has been

quite promiscuous since childhood.

She has absolutely

no control over her sexual impulses.

Pray continue, Doctor.

As a rule, I don't

believe in radical hysterectomy.

The woman's hormonal system

can be profoundly disturbed.

She may become depressed,

and certain secondary sexual

characteristics can be affected.

Her breasts

may shrink and become flabby.

Facial hair may appear, along with

a certain coarsening of the features.

And of course, her sexual drive

would be greatly diminished.

Rate this script:0.0 / 0 votes