Since You Went Away Page #11

---

See if you can

teach her some semaphores.

- Bye, Bill.

- Bye, Brig.

You see, Mother,

Bill's leaving tonight.

He's been transferred to...

what'd you call it? ...a staging area.

I didn't know.

Do you know where?

- Well, yes, but...

- Of course you can't say.

- Or whether you're going to come back.

- It'll be the last stop, I suppose.

Isn't that awful, Mother?

- I'm sure it's what you want, Bill.

- Yes, ma'am.

- If it weren't for...

- May I see Bill off, Mother?

You see, I don't have to

go back to camp.

I'm catching the Pathfinder

at midnight.

May I please,

even if it is late?

Of course,

provided I can, too.

- Would you? That's wonderful.

- Mother, you're so sweet.

- You almost knocked me over.

- Will you have supper with us?

No, thank you.

I have a million things to do.

I'll see you at the train.

So long, kids.

Gee, she's nice.

- She's so lonely, Bill.

- Yeah, I know.

- Having difficulties, Colonel?

- Hello, Mrs. Hilton.

Do you know where I might

get some shoe polish

that isn't made of old sausage?

I wish I could get some sausage

that isn't made of old shoe polish.

Speaking of sausage,

could I fix you a cold lunch?

That would be very nice.

Very nice indeed.

I had intended going downtown,

but I was a bit tired.

You mean you haven't

had any breakfast?

No. The fact of the matter is

I don't like breakfast on Sundays.

But why not?

Oh, I see.

You mean that since you called off

your deal with us for breakfast...

You sit right down over there.

I'll have it ready in a jiffy.

This is kind of you.

I'd better clean up a bit.

- Why don't you do it right here?

- Thank you.

I'm very sorry I had that

little run-in with your daughter.

Jane? It was

her fault, I'm afraid.

That may be, but there was

no excuse for my own boorishness.

Let's forget it, shall we?

- Salad and milk?

- Fine, fine, anything.

Mrs. Hilton, I would like to say

that I admire very much

the manner in which you've taken

the news about your husband.

I'm afraid that underneath,

I'm perhaps not quite so courageous.

Then it's all the more admirable.

Fortitude is easy

when there's no feeling.

- Aren't you having something?

- I'm not hungry.

- Colonel, may I say something?

- Anything.

I think it's a pity

about you and Bill.

He's a wonderful boy.

I can tell you that.

He's so hungry for affection.

He's like a lonely puppy.

Time he got over

his puppyhood, I should say.

- Bill's going to be a splendid man.

- Perhaps, perhaps.

Blood may tell in the end.

He's leaving tonight.

Going into combat duty,

I imagine.

Is that so?

Jane and he are spending

the day together.

He's taking the Pathfinder

at midnight.

I have an engagement tonight.

That's too bad.

Your grandson's

going off to war.

But I don't suppose that's

of any importance to you.

If you'll excuse me.

I don't want you to think that

I'm any more ruthless than is the case.

I do have an engagement,

an important one,

with a British Army mission

that's only here for the day.

Here's the wire from them.

There's nothing I can do.

I'm terribly sorry.

I'm sorry for Bill

and for you.

Perhaps I can finish in time,

in which case...

- You'll be at the station?

- I'll try. I'll try my best.

But if I can't, would you...

Would you wish the boy

luck for me?

Of course I will.

It'll mean a great deal to him.

And thank you very much

for the lunch.

Will you give us another chance

at breakfast? On the house.

Of course I will.

Delighted, I'm sure.

Good afternoon, Colonel.

Wonderful woman.

Wonderful woman!

Was a farmer,

had a daughter

And her name was Clementine

Light she was

and like a fairy

And her shoes were number nine

Oh, my darling,

oh, my darling

Oh, my darling Clementine

You are lost

and gone forever

Dreadful sorry, Clementine

I was thinking how much fun

it would be to stay out here always,

just like this.

Just the two of us.

Bill, if we only could.

I wonder how this thing works.

Something up there

on the tractor, I guess.

I think I'll try it.

This looks like a cinch!

Sit tight and I'll give you a ride!

Bill, be careful!

Bill, stop!

The farmer in the dell,

the farmer in the dell

The farmer in the dell,

the farmer in the dell

Hi-ho the merry-o

The farmer in the dell

Say, Jane,

we'd better get out of here!

Where are you?

I'm right here, you darn fool.

Jane, I'm sorry.

What happened?

We'd better get inside someplace

before it starts to rain.

Come on, Jane.

Oh, boy, we certainly

made it just in time!

How will we get home

if this keeps up?

Must be almost 7:00.

Well, what do you know?

You guessed it!

It's just exactly 18 minutes to 7:00.

Only five hours more.

I almost forgot

for a little while.

I didn't forget,

not for a minute.

I've thought about it

all day long.

Well, gee, I never thought

anybody would care about me...

anybody like you.

Jane, I don't want to leave you.

It won't be for long, darling.

It might be for months,

or for years, maybe.

It doesn't matter.

I'll be thinking about you

all the time.

Someday the war will be over.

Then we can be...

- Then we can be married, Jane?

- Do you want to be, Bill?

Oh, darling.

I'm so happy.

I just can't believe it.

I just can't.

I love you.

I do. I love you, I love you.

I just don't understand it.

Bill, do you realize

we're engaged?

Engaged.

Aren't you going to kiss me?

There's just one thing I want

more than anything else.

And what's that?

I want you and Pop to meet

and know one another.

I hope he'll like me.

How could he help liking you?

Bill, you're so sweet, so good,

so handsome.

Handsome?

Why, I love your face.

It's the cutest face I've ever seen.

Cute? That's a fine thing

to say to me.

And you're such a baby.

Look, the rain's stopped.

Isn't that too bad?

Yes. It's awful, but we'd better

get started back.

We've got to make that train.

Yeah, I guess you're right.

I hope you didn't catch

the flu in this storm.

Don't start worrying about me

or I'll break our engagement.

You have the prettiest hair.

I'll bet no other nurse's aide

has hair like that.

Lots of them have.

Prettier, too.

- They don't have as pretty eyes.

- Prettier.

Noses, then.

- Lots prettier.

- I don't believe it.

I'll tell you one thing

they don't have.

They don't have precious you

to take them out to the country.

Come on, let's go.

Precious, cute...

New York Central train number 2,

the Pathfinder,

leaving at 12:
01

for Buffalo, Rochester,

Syracuse, Utica,

Albany, and New York

on track number 4.

Just let me look

at you, darling.

It's a picture I'll carry

with me always.

Now go,

and don't even look back.

Look at the nice apple

Daddy got you.

But I don't want you to go away.

So it is late.

Let me come up for ten minutes.

I'm sorry, Mom.

I've only got five minutes.

My furlough was canceled.

I swear, I can't tell any difference

between it and butter.

- Hello. My mommy's a sergeant.

- No fooling!

I won't forget.

Rate this script:0.0 / 0 votes