The Enchanted Cottage Page #5

this cottage, let me see...

Nearly a year and a half ago,

when I first came to live here.

I'm calling to see Mr. Bradford.

Mrs Minnett has just gone to tell him.

I'm glad you came.

He needs friends, sympathetic friends.

Don't go.

You know...

This is a real adventure for me.

Today is the first time

I've been inside this cottage.

I must've walked by it a hundred times.

It has a strange fascination.

Indeed, it has.

You can see things, you get

to have certain feelings about them.

I know what you mean.

Particularly about this cottage.

Do you? Because somehow I

Well, my main feeling is,

that if I got to know it

To know what it's about, it would

be more than just a cottage.

It has a life of its own to me.

And everything connected to it.

Mrs. Minnett, for instance.

I wonder about her.

When she first came here,

she came as a bride.

But her husband was

killed in the last war.

Time seemed to stop for her.

The day her husband went away.

She's been drawn to the past.

Well, perhaps that's one way

to know the future.

Let me take you to Mr. Bradford,

Mr. Hillgrove.

I just left him in the garden.

Thank you.

Mr. Bradford.

This is Mr. Hillgrove.

He's come to see you.

Oh?

Forgive me for intruding this way.

But my brother-in-law

Dr. Stanton suggested

that since we are neighbors,

we might also be friends.

I'm not very good at friendship.

Or anything else, these days.

A sick man, are you?

Don't I look like one?

I would know. I can't see.

Oh, I'm sorry.

Perhaps you'd like to sit down.

Thank you.

Yes, got mine in the last war.

Came down in flames over the Argonne.

My brother-in-law tells me

you're a flier too.

It was.

I got mine over Java.

You're young.. You'll mend.

You can't see me.

So you don't know how I look.

There's nothing left of me but nerves.

Nothing

Go right ahead. Complain all you

want if it makes you feel better.

Apparently, you don't complain.

You haven't given me a chance.

I'd like to ask you something

if you don't mind.

How in the name of heaven have

you stood it all these years?

Being blind?

By cultivating other senses.

It's a fascinating game.

It opens new worlds to you.

How?

Well...

In place of these two eyes

that are gone,

I have a hundred invisible ones

that see things as they really are.

The other senses come to your aid.

Touch, smell, sound.

There comes

a heightening of perception.

A sort of... sensitivity

to all living things.

For instance,

nature's more beautiful than I knew it.

And human beings are

more understandable.

Sometimes I feel it was before

the Argonne that I was blind.

It's only now that I see.

I don't believe you.

That's just a lot of words.

Oh, maybe you kidded yourself

into thinking it's true.

Maybe for you it is true.

But it'd never work for me.

Why not?

Because I still want the same things I

wanted when I was strong and healthy.

In the hospital,

I used to sit by my window

where I could see some

kids playing tennis.

I watch them for a while.

Until I just couldn't stand it.

I batted my head against

many a wall, just the way you're doing.

As a matter of fact,

I was lost until I found music.

And then, a whole new life

opened up for me.

I don't know one note from another.

You will find something.

But how? Where shall I look?

You've got to have faith in yourself.

You're a person.

You're not just a case.

You're a complete individual.

Remember that.

You're like the man who's

come across a place in the road

where it branches off

into many little side paths.

You don't want to go ahead.

You want to go back.

You're confused.

You don't trust yourself.

Why should I?

How can I trust myself?

You must.

Some people find new talents

within themselves.

As I did.

Others find new friends.

And through them, a new life.

Well, I... mustn't overstay

my first visit.

I'll call my young nephew. I believe

he's waiting down by the shore.

Let me walk down with you.

Fine.

I'd like to.

It's the first time

I really felt like walking.

He's a silly old dog.

No more'n I throw

a stick out in the ocean,

he beats it out and

brings it back every time.

Maybe he thinks you're a silly old boy.

No more'n he brings the stick back,

you throw it out again every time.

- You can throw at if you want to.

- Thank you, Johnny.

Taxi!

Coming, Uncle John.

- Goodbye, Miss Pennington.

- Goodbye, Danny.

It was nice to see you, Mr. Bradford.

And have our little talk. Thanks.

- I wish you'd drop in again. Soon.

- Glad to.

- I am here, uncle.

- This is Mr. Bradford, Danny.

Hello, Danny. Sorry you

have to shake my left hand.

Mr. Bradford is an army pilot.

He was shot down over Java.

Gee.

We better be getting home, Danny.

Okay, Uncle John.

Welcome to our ocean, Mr. Bradford.

You're right.

I haven't been taking advantage of

Eastwood's scenic attractions, have I?

I thought you had

something against oceans.

No, it's just that

I haven't felt like walking.

But I do now, if you don't mind.

I was just in the midst

of gathering some driftwood

when I met Danny.

How would that be as a hobby for me?

Driftwood gatherer?

It wouldn't be too practical.

A hobby should serve

any particular purpose really.

Hobbies for hobby's sake.

It's supposed to be.

Well, maybe I could set

a new style in hobbies.

Has actually been three weeks

since you introduced me

to the wonders of your seashore?

Yes.

To think, I didn't know the difference

between starfish and star sapphire.

If you were in doubt,

any fishermen would've told it.

Or any jeweler.

Surprise, Mrs. Minnett.

We brought you some more driftwood.

Thanks. That makes enough for

For a dozen winters, huh?

Well, we can always use it.

It's probably never been done before.

But I could gather up all this driftwood

and take it back to the shore.

Isn't it wonderful the way he's changed.

Mr. Bradford,

don't you think it'd be nice

if we had our tea

in the garden this afternoon?

I don't care where you have it.

Oh, Miss Pennington.

I wish you would tell Mr. Hillgrove

when he comes is afternoon that

I won't be able to see him today.

Mr. Bradford.

I saw you leave the house.

And I thought you might

not want to be alone.

You might want to talk to somebody.

These past few weeks,

I had an idea that the walks

we took and talking to me...

I hope I was being of some help to you.

And so I thought

if you need help now

That letter this afternoon

was from my mother.

I seem to remember

you saw me once before

when I had a letter from my mother.

And a little bit before that, when she

paid me the honor of a personal visit.

In fact, if it hadn't been for you

You weren't yourself that day,

Mr. Bradford.

It was me. It's only what I try

to pretend that I'm not me that

They've come to a decision,

my mother and stepfather.

It isn't good for me to be alone.

To be in a position where

I brood too much.

So they've given me my choice.

I can come home and have the benefit

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