Theodora Goes Wild Page #4

-Why not?

I don't know.

This hour of the night, bachelor apartment.

You're still full of peculiar notions

about me, aren't you?

Some soft music would be nice,

don't you think?

As a matter of fact,

it's been playing the whole time.

Well, it's charming. Perfectly charming.

Drink?

Yes. I was just going to suggest that.

Scotch?

Scotch.

I thought you were going to get the drink?

Maybe I'd better go.

I guess it is getting pretty late.

Late? Why the evening's just begun, darling.

Did I tell you

how beautiful you look tonight, Caroline?

No.

Well, you do. You're adorable.

Don't you dare. Don't you dare!

You stay right where you are.

If you come one more step, I'll scream.

I'll scream. Do you hear me?

You keep away from me.

Let me get my things and my ticket home.

You keep away from me.

I'll get a policeman after you.

I will. I'll get a policeman.

You stay where you are.

You stay where you are.

Want to stop in for a snack, Rebecca?

Why, I don't mind if I do.

I hope Adelaide ain't keeping late hours

or traipsing around the city all by herself.

No. She's at home with her work

most of the time.

Reading to Mrs. Jamison.

She never goes out, except when...

Except what?

-What?

-She never goes out, except...

Except when she goes out.

That don't make sense, Theodora.

He looks like a stranger to me.

Nice day of the week

to be whistling a jig on the streets.

Looks a lot too happy for Sunday,

if you ask me.

Of course, now and then she takes a ride

in the park with Mrs. Jamison.

-Who does?

-Adelaide.

Yes, Adelaide.

I wonder if she hears from Roger Taylor.

Or did she get all that nonsense

out of her head?

Brazen-looking, isn't he?

About time we were discussing

this year's charity bazaar, Rebecca.

I was going to say.

If it's going to be a success,

I guess it's kind of up to the Lynns again.

-lt usually is.

-Well, we haven't shirked any duty yet.

Look out, child.

You're going to drop that cup.

What's gotten...

Him again?

-Yes.

-Walking by?

No, just sort of resting on the gate.

I'll phone Captain O'Donnell

and have him put that

good-for-nothing loafer in jail,

where he can whistle to his heart's content.

No, don't bother, Aunt Mary.

I'll tell him to go away.

Don't get too close to him.

How do you do, lady?

Right smart weather we're having.

You get away from here

and leave town as fast as you can.

Is that the way to greet an old friend?

An old drinking companion?

You listen to me. My two aunts and

the worst gossip in town are watching us.

As far as they're concerned,

I don't know a soul outside of Lynnfield.

And if they suspected

what you know about me, they'd have fits.

Now, be a nice man,

tip your hat politely and get away from here.

Marvelous.

This beats my first guess by a mile.

Will you please go?

Yep. That's a mighty fine homestead

you got there, lady.

Of course, your lawn looks a bit seedy.

And that vine needs training.

You know what you need, lady? A gardener.

-Don't be absurd. We never had one.

-Lady, you've got one.

Now listen to me. It simply can't be done.

I can start right now.

What's this all about?

Why don't he go along? What does he want?

I'm looking for work, ma'am. Work!

He's a gardener, Auntie.

He says he needs work.

Not interested.

Well, you ought to be, ma'am.

Your garden looks pretty bad to me.

I don't care how it looks to you.

Don't stand there arguing at the top

of your voice, young man. It's Sunday.

Just go along about your business.

Yes, go along. Go along.

I'm a very willing worker, ma'am!

Quiet!

I just said we don't want the garden touched,

and if we did, we wouldn't hire a stranger

we found loafing on our doorstep.

You got me all wrong, ma'am.

I ain't no loafer at heart.

I was just telling the little lady here

something of my life's story.

Well, you can't shout your life's story

out there on the street.

You're quite right, ma'am. I'll come in.

-Here, here, doggie.

-No, no. That's a friend of mine.

I just picked him up. Nice character.

A little down on his luck,

so we decided to throw in together.

-I suppose he gardens, too.

-Yeah, just with his front feet.

-My name is Theodora Lynn.

-Yes, ma'am.

-And wipe your feet.

-lt ain't raining.

Wipe them anyway.

It's always done in Lynnfield.

Yes, ma'am.

-Now look here, young man.

-Keep your dog out of here.

If he as much as growls at Sylvia...

Come here, Jake.

Get him away from here.

Sit down.

My name's Dewberry, ma'am.

Young man, you're wasting your time.

I see, so you're refusing work

to a man who needs it,

who's willing to work.

A man who wants a chance

to get back his self-respect.

That isn't very charitable-minded, is it?

We're as charitable-minded as the rest,

young man.

Our acts speak for themselves, Elsie.

That isn't the point.

Well, it seems to me it is.

But don't worry, I'll find work.

I'll find it in this town, too.

And I'll have a lot to say

about how people are treated in this house.

In fact, I'll have a lot to say

about a lot of things.

I suppose it's our fault that

we can't find work for anybody

who comes to the door.

-There is some work to do, Aunt Mary.

-What work?

Well, cleaning up and sort of

straightening around the garden.

Exactly. Thank you, lady.

That's what I call intelligent charity.

I'll just give him that room in the tool house.

This way, please.

Come on, Jake. This way.

Well, if that don't beat all.

Elsie, we can't leave Theodora alone

with a man like that.

Well, of all the brassy, young no-accounts.

Why, I don't know what Theodora

can be thinking about giving him work.

He'll be out of here

before we can say Jack Robinson.

So I don't see any reason

to mention this around town, Rebecca.

Me? Lands, no.

Why, there's nothing to mention.

I guess Theodora was just sorry for him.

That's all.

Of course, he was sort of

good-looking and young.

Lands, I wouldn't say a word.

Say, this is fine.

I'm going to be very happy here.

I'll just sweep up, Aunt Elsie,

while you get some sheets

and a blanket from the house.

We'll get those things later.

I'll wait while you sweep up.

Yes, sir, this is what I call surroundings.

The kind of a place

that moves people to write.

Suppose you do your own sweeping.

It might save time, Aunt Elsie,

if you got the things now.

-There's no hurry.

-Go ahead and get whatever it is, Elsie.

-Aunt Mary.

-Go with your aunt.

-Say, this place is crawling with aunts.

-Where?

Sorry, lady. My mistake.

Come here, Jake. Come on.

There, with the compliments of Sylvia.

-There, he just put his light out.

-I wish he'd put his whistle out.

I guess we can all go to sleep now.

You can go to sleep if you like.

I'm going to sit right down here

all this blessed night.

If I'm going to be robbed,

at least I've got the right to know about it.

I can't think

whatever possessed you, Theodora.

Well, he looked so pathetic.

Nothing pathetic about a strange loafer.

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