Since You Went Away Page #3

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- We miss you, Fidelia.

You just give me that apron and let

Fidelia finish what you was doing.

Nothing of the kind.

You must be tired. Now sit down.

Child, would you mind

running along?

I got some troublement I wants

to unburden onto your mother.

- You go on upstairs, dear.

- I'll come up and tuck you in.

All right.

Mother, remind me to tell you

about the momentous deal I made.

All right, honey.

- Sit here, Fidelia.

- Thank you.

You see, Miz Hilton,

it's this way...

them uptown folks

is all right in their way,

but it's that lazy trash

they got working for 'em.

Miz Hilton, I just won't abode

in the same quarters with them.

When I finishes my work,

I wants my solitude

and I wants my privitation.

Fidelia, I'd do anything

if I could have you back,

- but things aren't any better...

- I knows.

Your bills

is runnin' awful high.

"High" isn't the word for it.

But how do you know?

I hopes you won't think

I'm buttin' in,

but I been keepin'

mighty close touch,

and when I heard tell this afternoon

about that Colonel Smellett...

And here I'm makin'

all that easy money,

and I reflects maybe you wouldn't

mind renting me my old room.

Now, you know I'd never

take any money from you.

That room was always yours,

and it always will be.

I figured you wouldn't take my money,

so I got it figured out.

I can work here on my days off,

and nights, too.

I'm strong as a horse.

Oh, no. You're not as young

as you used to be.

You're not gonna do

any work for us.

It'll be wonderful

just to have you in the house.

Miz Hilton, that's the most beautiful

thing I ever heard anybody say

in all my born days.

If you don't mind,

I'll just go get my bag.

You shouldn't bother

going back for it tonight.

It ain't no bother, Miz Hilton.

It's sittin' right here.

This whole moral breakdown

is being caused by drinking

and nothing else.

They certainly serve

rotten scotch at this bar.

I should go with what?

That's what I want to know.

The one I was with

sure was a dope.

He didn't know

where he'd been

or where he was going

or anything!

I haven't got anything

against red fingernails,

but it's carrying it too far

when they paint their toes.

I bought six dozen

before the hoarders got there.

I can't write him

everything the baby says

one one of those

little V-mail forms.

Emily, let's not go to the bar.

I could use a drink, but...

Don't be so old-fashioned.

Will you let us through, please?

I've been here 20 minutes, and...

Of course, go right ahead.

I was leaving anyway.

He's rather nice-looking,

don't you think?

Still have your

weather eye out?

There are compensations

for being a divorce.

Bartender!

- Anne, what do you imagine you'd like?

- Anything at all. You order for me.

You make a good Planter's Punch?

I'll make 'em, and if you don't like 'em,

you don't need to drink 'em.

All right, then two.

With light rum.

I knew I had something

to talk to you about.

That vicious tongue

Vivian Robinson with the bad skin

is saying

you've taken in a roomer.

I tried to tell her

it must be a relative.

No, that's the truth.

I've taken a roomer.

We need the money.

If things are that bad,

Tim Hilton had no business

going into the Army.

To be honest,

I don't understand it myself,

but I knew that Tim was miserable

from the start not being in it.

All these irresponsible 40-year-old

fathers dashing off into uniform.

Does it always

have to be Tim?

- Tony!

- Yes. The eternal also-ran.

Emily, do you know

Lieutenant Willett? Mrs. Hawkins.

I've never had the pleasure, but I've

always had a soft spot for Navy men.

How do you do?

I didn't know

you'd turned into a barfly.

I've been trying

to get you on the phone

to tell you that your

old lover was back in town.

Do you want

the whole town to know?

If you want to be

hypocritical about it.

I heard that Tim

had been shipped out,

so I went to the admiral and convinced him

I'd chartered the Great Lakes.

Fine. How long are we going

to be honored with your presence?

Long enough to get ready

for a shakedown cruise.

If you're not stubborn,

that ought to give me the time I need.

Don't you think so,

Mrs. Hawkins?

I really don't know, I'm sure.

- I think you believe him!

- I can't say I blame you much.

You're what I call

a discerning woman.

Tony's our oldest friend.

He was Tim's best man.

We can give Mrs. Hawkins

the vital statistics some other time.

Let's get out of here.

I need more privacy.

- I haven't touched my drink.

- We can get another one.

Don't let us rush you,

Mrs. Hawkins. Good-bye.

- What about the check?

- Don't bother, Lieutenant.

- I'll take care of it.

- That's fine.

But, Tony...

Good-bye, Emily.

That was a terribly rude thing

to do to poor Emily.

Poor Emily, my foot.

Do you know of any place

in this gay metropolis

where I can conquer

my two passions at the same time?

You've been leading me on. There is

someone on the Lakes besides me.

Don't be silly.

I'm talking about you...

you and a nice thick steak.

The white fish, signor,

is simply delicious.

Grilled. You'll like it.

Two steaks, thick.

Lobster creole,

speciality of the house.

- Two steaks, thick.

- I must tell the truth, Commodore.

We are fresh out of steaks

since last Tuesday.

This is a steak house. It says

right here..."thick Kansas City steak."

I can't help it, signor.

- There is a war on, you know.

- There's a war on, you know.

Yes, I found that out.

Bring us whatever you have...

anything but hash.

Bravo, signor.

You will be very happy. You'll see.

What are you looking

so depressed about?

My life is an endless series

of disappointments...

no steak, nobody loves me.

You wouldn't think so if you'd heard the kids

when I told them you were in town.

I can't figure out just what

special charm you have for them.

They have better taste

than their mother.

I think they believe

you're some kind of genius.

Those cover girls you used

to paint for romantic tales

really gave you glamour

in their eyes.

Gone are the days.

Still, there is a certain similarity

between a beautiful woman

and a battleship.

There must be, or else why would you

be so interested in battleships?

You got me wrong, Anne.

As far as I'm concerned, there never

was a beautiful woman but you.

Ever since that summer the crowd

of us went to the Thousand Islands

and I first saw you standing

on that little yawl.

You had on that white

bathing suit. Remember?

With your hair

blowing in the wind.

Why, Tony Willett!

When did you get back?

- Hello, sugar.

- Give me a ring.

Yes, I will. I will.

We were in the Thousand Islands

with my hair blowing in the wind.

Really, Anne,

that was nobody at all,

just a girl I happened to meet

the last time I was in town.

Tony, you don't have to

apologize to me.

I'd be disappointed

if you ever changed.

When we get home, I'll show you

something to prove...

What do you mean,

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