Trouble Along the Way Page #10

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Bailiff, will you swear the witness.

Miss Singleton, please.

Can l dispense with the bookends?

- An escort will not be necessary.

- Raise your right hand.

Do you swear the testimony

about the given case...

...to be the truth and nothing but?

- l do.

- Be seated, please.

Miss Singleton,

l've been listening to this document...

...that you've been sitting up

nights writing.

And l wanna break it down

into simple language.

Will you tell this court,

did you ever see me hit my daughter?

- No.

- Deprive her of food, clothing or schooling?

- No.

- Anytime you've seen us together...

...did she seem unhappy?

- No.

- Do you think it's a crime...

...for a father to treat his daughter

as an equal?

Well, there are some authorities--

Did she show signs

of vitamin deficiency?

Your Honor,

am l allowed to get a word in?

l lost control of this hearing long ago.

Ask him.

May l tell you that l came to this courtroom

to repudiate my report?

Your Honor, that report was filed

under oath.

l believed it when l wrote it.

- When was that?

- Friday.

Could have been trying a murder

this week.

Stay with it, Mr. Grummet.

You may be. Sit down, Mr. Williams.

Not there. Over there.

You were just getting to the part

where you were denying you're sworn word.

l find that l've been letting my emotion

sway my better judgment, Your Honor.

l've only just began to realize...

...how deeply Mr. Williams

cares for his daughter.

lt's obvious to me now...

...l spent most of my time

investigating the wrong party.

l deliberately looked the other way...

...while l allowed Mrs. McCormick

to use me for her own ends.

lt finally became clear to me...

...that she has no real affection

for her own child.

That her only purpose

was to hurt Mr. Williams.

Now the only thing

that renews my faith in my own sex...

...is that Mr. McCormick

is just as bad as she is.

Your Honor, l move Miss Singleton

be cited for perjury.

One case at a time, Mr. Grummet.

This involves the future of a child.

l intend to hear Miss Singleton out

if it takes all winter.

Your Honor, l should like

to ask Miss Singleton one question.

Are you in love with Mr. Williams?

Your Honor, is that relevant?

You've completely reversed

your sworn testimony.

l claim it's the only question

that is relevant.

You'll have to answer that.

Remind the witness she's under oath.

Sit down, Mr. Williams.

Go ahead.

Well, l can't be sure but...

...l believe the answer is yes.

That's all, Miss Singleton.

May l say something else?

ls there anything else to say?

Yes, there is, Your Honor.

l've always tried to be objective

about my work.

And no matter what my feelings

about Mr. Williams now...

...it is still obvious to me

that he's no fit father for a little girl.

Sometimes, love is not enough.

He has given her a set of values...

...that finds no wrong in deceiving

even the Church itself.

Do you realize how he has damaged

an innocent school like St. Anthony's--?

Believe me. lt would be a tragic mistake

to leave Carol in his sole custody.

Miss Singleton, before we get objective

all over the place...

...l'd like to call a halt

to these proceedings right now.

This case is continued

until further notice.

l shall assign another probation officer.

A man, Miss Singleton.

And until his report is completed...

...the child shall remain a ward

of the juvenile court.

Your last official act,

pick up the child at her dwelling...

...and deliver her to Children's Center.

Step down, Miss Singleton.

This court is finally adjourned.

Oh, well.

Hello, Father.

Hello.

You can count them.

They're all here.

l gave those books to you, Carol.

They're yours.

l'm not the one

who needs the education, Father.

- lt's you.

- Carol.

Just because Steve did

what you told him to...

...the judge is sure to split us up.

The judge?

Don't you know anything

that's going on around you?

Carol, l'd like you to keep the books.

Who needs them?

Like l said before,

all you got to know is how to add.

l've been intending to have that fixed.

Father Burke, the cardinal's here.

- Good morning, Father.

- Your Eminence.

Why, this is indeed an unexpected honor.

- Please sit down.

- Thank you.

- Thank you.

- l'm not here ex officio.

Just another alumnus.

l told His Eminence of your decision.

Yes, we've decided to close

the old firetrap.

Oh, Father, l've been talking this matter

over with the province advisers.

lt would be a great shock...

...if you didn't present

St. Anthony's deficit at every meeting.

Your intangible value to the province

cannot be reckoned in dollars and cents.

After all, no school that flunked me

in English History...

...can be completely unnecessary.

Of course, there are certain conditions.

We're gonna have to watch all expenditures

much more closely...

...but by eliminating scholarships,

adding a School of Commerce...

...streamlining all the way

down the line--

When will you learn that this is a college

and not a cash register?

Father, aren't you being

a little unreasonable?

l don't think so.

There's one person in this room,

never would have had an education...

...if we'd had to ask for his tuition

before each semester.

Now, George,

how can you upset an old man like that?

l am not an old man.

lf we have to watch our pennies...

...and teach our students

how to juggle books...

...then l'm in favor of turning

the whole place into a parking lot.

Thank you.

Well, I'll be happy to blow this place.

Hope you can sleep without those bells.

l can always bang my head

against the wall.

Kid, everything's gonna turn out all right.

lt's 8-to-5 we'll be back together again.

How about we duck out?

How far is it to Rochester?

My friend with the bar and grill?

Why not?

l don't want them

to take me away from you.

Look, l told you before, Carol...

...we just can't run away from life.

lt catches up with you.

We're getting out just in time.

Living in a church is ruining you.

Hurry up and pack.

Alice is probably waiting.

- Or is it the church?

- What?

Nothing.

Steve...

...don't you want me?

There's nothing l want more.

But in spite of anything l can do

or you can do...

...you're getting bigger every day.

And it's just a matter of time...

...until your dad will be

the least important man in your life.

What's that got to do with it?

Well, you just gotta quit looking at me

like l was George Washington...

...Babe Ruth and Florence Nightingale

all rolled into one.

l don't know all the answers, kid.

Maybe the judge has a better one.

Okay, coach.

You didn't make the world.

This is a solemn, though happy occasion.

You've been called to the chapel

on short notice...

...to give thanks for some extremely

good news which concerns all of you.

St. Anthony's will proceed in its

bungling ways down through the years.

The province is kind enough to continue

its financial aid.

And now, l would like to express

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