The Snake Pit Page #8

You'll wait here

until Miss Davis comes.

May I sit on the bed?

I don't think I would.

Miss Davis wants everything just so.

I know how you feel, kid,

but don't be scared.

Just do everything Miss Davis says,

and you'll be all right.

- Don't think about it. Just do it.

- Is she the head nurse?

Yeah. She took over

when Miss Somerville...

Well, she's it now.

For the time being, anyway.

I think I heard Miss Davis's name before,

but maybe I just imagined it.

You see,

I keep forgetting things.

Well, you'll be all right,

or they wouldn't have put you in one.

Practically everybody

goes home from one.

Just keep in mind

what I told you.

In one, we don't sit on the floor.

You'd better get used to it right now.

I was afraid

I'd mess up the bed.

You'll find the rules here

different from the other wards.

Patients take care of their own rooms

and make up their own beds.

- Oh, I could never make a bed look like that.

- You'll learn.

You can go

to the day room now.

Our ladies don't eat between meals.

I'll put the candy with your things.

- Personal belongings are quite safe in one.

- This is my pocketbook.

The candy's quite gone.

I keep things in it I need.

You'll find this ward is quite pleasant...

for those who are willing to cooperate.

You know,

I remember you now.

It's nice here.

Quite a difference from the other wards.

- You know, I'm a pianist.

- I'm a writer.

- I said I was a pianist!

- Pardon me.

My name is Virginia.

What are you doing?

Dolls. Cute?

- Oh, very cute.

- I make them all the time.

May I have one of them

for a minute?

- It'll be a cigarette.

- Sure.

You can have it for keeps

for five of'em.

All right.

Thanks.

Now, now, ladies, there's no hurry.

You'll all get them lit.

Now, Dorothy,

wait a minute. There.

That's better.

Say, I thought it over.

I want 10 more. It's really worth it.

Here, take the whole pack.

Well, thank you.

Good afternoon, my dear.

I don't think I've had the pleasure

of seeing you here before.

I'm Virginia Cunningham.

I came from five.

Nobody comes to one

from five.

Even I had to spend a few days in two

before coming here.

- And I, my dear, have money.

- That must be convenient.

My husband, Mr. Greer,

is very wealthy.

I have more jewels

than I can possibly wear.

You, of course,

are a charity patient?

Oh, no.

It so happens that my husband,

Mr. Cunningham, is very wealthy.

My diamonds

simply weigh me down.

I have the Hope diamond.

I have the Hopeless emerald.

It carries the Cunningham curse.

You've probably read about it.

- Mr. Greer...

- Your husband?

Mr. Greer, my husband,

considered buying it, but it has a flaw.

You see, you can't

put an imperfect stone...

on the most beautiful

hands in the world.

That's why, my dear, I don't

do menial work like the rest of them here.

You mean occupational therapy?

It's supposed to be good for you.

You're quite wrong, my dear.

It isn't good for me.

I didn't mean you. I meant the "you"

one substitutes for "one."

- The general "you."

- General who?

Oh, Pershing.

Oh.

Cousin of mine.

One of the minor branches

of the family.

Virginia.! Virginia,

where did you get that doll?

Valerie gave it to me.

Why?

Give it back to her this minute.

The ladies here don't steal.

I didn't steal it! It's mine now.

I gave her cigarettes for it.

Virginia, will you do as I say!

Will you give it to me?

No. I won't give it.

Why should I?

All right. Miss Bixby,

bring her to my office.

Come, Valerie.

Thanks, Miss Davis.

Are you a good mother?

But I'm not a mother.

I never had a baby.

- Did you want to have one?

- Every woman wants to have one, I guess.

Oh, yes, I remember once

when I was little...

You do believe me, Dr. Kik, don't you?

I didn't steal it. Really, I didn't.

I know you didn't. But why get so upset

about a little rag doll?

Oh, I'm not upset. I tried so hard to

keep my promise, not make any trouble here.

I ate all I could today

to gain weight, and...

I know you want me to stay in this ward,

but it wasn't my fault.

- Really, it wasn't.

- Then why didn't you just give the doll back?

All right, go on! Take her part, just

like Father, and then getting angry with me!

Oh, Miss Bixby, Mrs. Cunningham

can keep the doll. It's hers.

- Will you please tell Miss Davis?

- Yes, Doctor.

- See you tomorrow morning at the usual time?

- Yes, Dr. Kik. 10:30.

You told me yesterday that

once when you were a child...

your father was angry

at you, quite unjustly.

Oh, that. It was nothing.

It all happened

because of a little doll.

It belonged toJane.

Yes, they called herJaney then.

She was my friend next door.

It was her doll.

Mother was very upset.

She told...

Oh, I know! I exchanged it for a big doll

that Mother had given me for Christmas.

I wish I could remember why.

Oh, yes.

Virginia. Virginia,

didn't I tell you an hour ago...

to take that doll home to

Janey's and bring back yours?

But, Mommy, this is

little like a real baby...

like the one

you're going to have.

I wish I knew why you always

take such pleasure in annoying your mother.

Will you please

do as I tell you?

Oh, all right. I suppose there's nothing

to do but let your father handle it.

Father? Oh, no!

Don't tell Father!

Mommy, please don't!

Please!

I don't care! Go ahead! Tell him!

Daddy'll let me keep you.

He won't make me

take you back.

He loves me.

Your father loved you

very much, didn't he?

Oh, yes. I remember

when I was even smaller...

Up and down you go.

Hi, hi, hi, hi.

Try and win a big, beautiful prize.

Ten shots for a nickel.!

Win a big, beautiful prize!

Ten shots for a nickel!

Not a quarter, not a dime...

Hey, the man gets a perfect score.

- One hundred percent.

Do you wanna go another round?

- No, thanks.

- What do we get for all these?

- You can have your choice...

of anything here

on the top shelf.

- Which one do you want?

- That one. The little soldier.

- That's the one I want.

- This one?

- Yes.

- Here you are, little girl.

- They start going for a uniform

early, don't they?

- Certainly do.

Oh, Daddy, it looks like

you in the picture.

Here, darling,

let me fix your hair.

You love me, don't you, Daddy?

You love me more than Mommy does.

Don't be silly.

We love you both the same.

You loved your father, didn't you?

Oh, yes, very much.

Except when...

when he took Mother's part.

Like when he wanted me

to give the baby back toJaney.

Virginia, how many times did I tell you

to be nice to your mother, now?

You're going to have

a little sister pretty soon.

That's why Mother's sick

and nervous these days.

She's just sick so you'll

be nicer to her, that's all.

You wanted

to have a baby of your own...

so your father would be as nice

to you as he was to your mother?

He was nice to me always,

until Mother told him about her baby.

You take that doll back toJaney

and bring Queenie home.

Sometimes it's hard

for children to love their father, isn't it?

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