Your Coca-Cola Bottler presents Claudia. Claudia, based on the play and novels by Rose Franken, brought to you transcribed Monday through Friday by your friendly neighbor who bottles Coca-Cola. Relax, and while you're listening, refresh yourself. Have a Coke. And now, Claudia. Well, here we are. Mama, this is it. This is going to be our house. It's our house already. What do you think of it, Mama? I think. Of course it isn't very big. And of course there are a lot of things we have to do to it still. You know, I never noticed a broken branch on that beech tree in front. We'll have to saw it off right away. And look, there are two windows broken upstairs. Did you notice them before, David? I did not. And it isn't a very nice day either. It looks as though it's going to snow. I think rain. Snow, Mrs. Weatherwoman. Just because you're now a Connecticut farmer's wife, don't think you know everything about nature. You know, we should have brought Mama when the sun is out. It isn't fair to the house to see it on a day like this. What's the matter with today? Oh, nothing really. Except aren't we going to have to do something to that roof there? Where? Look there, see on the left over that window? Oh, yeah. Just a few shingles. What are shingles made of? All kinds of things. Cedar, or asphalt, or asbestos. I think. What's the best kind, David? I've got to learn all about houses right now. Well, all the other shingles on the house are cedar. Is that good? Oh, that's fine. Well, why, as Mother said, what she thinks of the house. I don't know. Should we ask her? I guess her silence means she doesn't like it. I guess her silence means you haven't given her a chance to say anything. Well, here's your chance. Say something. Go ahead. Do you like our homestead? Is it what you expected? No, it isn't what I expected. It isn't? I suppose it's what I should have expected from David's first descriptions. But ever since then, I've been so mixed up between walnut trees and bids and offers and Jared Tucker and Mrs. Reed that I forgot it was a house. I began to think it was some exotic treasure. Say the golden fleas. Well, do you like it? Like isn't the word for it. It's be... Well, I was going to say beautiful, but that isn't the word either. It's... Well, it's real. I wonder if you two know how lucky you are. We certainly are lucky. Mrs. Reed offered Jared Tucker the same price for the house alone, and yet he liked us better. You're incurable, aren't you? Me, incurable? Why? I wasn't thinking about Jared Tucker and Mrs. Reed. I was thinking of a terribly confused and uncertain world in which you two will have a home. We haven't got a home yet. We haven't signed a thing. And you can't hurry, Mr. Tucker. Besides, it's still only a house, and it really isn't very pretty yet. You have to do a lot of fixing, I suppose. Do we? We have to do a lot of everything. Well, come on, Mother, we'll show you around. Doesn't it look a little different to you today, darling, just because we know it's ours? It looks a little littler. All of a sudden, how many things there are to do. Put on your walking shoes, Mama. We're going to explore the estate. This is the entrance, Mama. No, really? I thought it was the exit. It's that, too. How'd you guess? I can't imagine, except that perhaps it's the only driveway in sight. And this is the house, Mother. No, really? So soon? Claudia told me once it came at the end of a very long driveway with a row of trees along both sides. Oh, Mama. Of course she said that before she saw it. This isn't much longer than your cart, and the only tree is in the middle. That's our beech tree. Are we going to have peaches? I said beech tree. Oh, is that different? Anyway, the branch is broken, and we've got to fix that. Why don't you make a list of all the things you've got to do? We can get a very strong man to carry it around. Take a note. The first thing we're going to buy is a cow. Have you decided what kind yet? You mean there are different kinds of cows? What a well-informed daughter I brought into the world. It seems like yesterday. Yes, child, there are different kinds of cows. There are brown cows and white cows. There are jerseys and guernseys. There are cows that give milk, and there are cows that give butter. Cows that give sweet cream, and cows that give sour cream. David, can we have a cow that gives a malted milk? Chocolate malted milk? Uh, strawberry. Sorry, we only have chocolate. Oh, dear. Do you think it'll take a long time before you move in? At the present rate, two or three centuries. Jared Tucker isn't even here, and we've yet to even sign the contract of sale. Move in. What's the matter? I forgot we had to. Well, let's go inside, Mother. How about it? I hope someone was going to suggest that. It's a bit cold to stand around outside, waiting for Mr. Tucker to show up. Isn't that the wind I hear? Do we have a key? Tucker always keeps it under this mat. It's after 11. Isn't that what he said we should be here? He'll be along any minute. It's only a little formality, you know, and then the place will really be almost ours. It feels like ours already. Just wait until it's official. Look, you two landowners, a fine pair you are. While you're standing around discussing your status, let me tell you that mine is miserable. I'm cold. Listen to the wind. Even your dog sounds cold. Oh, baby. What do you think I feel like? I forgot all about Mama, didn't you? She makes an awful lot of noise for a mere number one guest. We should have known we'd meet people like her in the country. Yes, we should have. Sir, please. I am a cold and hungry old woman wandering about in the countryside. Please, sir, take me into your castle and let me warm my weary bones before your fire. Well, since she called it a castle, maybe we ought to let her look in. I'll look for the key. She called it a castle, and I think that makes her such a liar we ought to leave her out here to freeze. That's just exactly what we're going to do. Mercy. Have mercy. It's not a question of mercy at all. It's a question of Jared Tucker not having left the key under the mat. You mean it isn't there? That's exactly what I mean. Oh. And you propose to sit out here in the cold waiting for Mr. Tucker to appear? Isn't it strange how many advantages of city life suddenly flash through my mind? Now, don't be silly, Mother. We aren't going to wait out here. Should we get back in the car? We should not. It's our house, isn't it? You just said it wasn't really our house yet. It's enough our house, so it doesn't matter too much. We're going through a window. That's fine for you, but what about Mama? Me? Oh, no. Don't bother about me. I'll keep warm all right. I'll go out running with your great day. Now, what's the matter with Mama? I thought she was a second-story man from way back. But if she's only a safecracker, maybe I'd better climb through and open the front door for the rest of you. I'll help you. The windows are locked. Try one of the broken ones. You can open the lock. Come on. Be careful, David. I'd hate to have the sheriff see you. Well, whose house is it anyway? It isn't yours yet. Just a technicality, Mother, a mere little legalism. Just a few splotches of ink on an old piece of paper. Now, Claudia, you stand right there. I'm going to put my foot on this lower window sill. Be careful. I can stand right here on the window, reach up across this upper window here... David, don't slip. I can't look. Be careful. And then I'll reach right around here. Hey, hey, young fella, you can't do that. David, someone's shouting at you. I let him shout. I take my left hand, put it here on the upper window sill. No call to go busting into other people's houses, young man. In the name of the law, you come down from there. Well, sir, I'm afraid there's a misunderstanding. You see, this isn't somebody else's house. This is mine. But I'll come down. You said something there, young fella. You are coming down. As deputy public prosecutor of this county, I have half a mind to call the sheriff. He's my brother. But it is his house. It's our house. That makes you Delilah Tucker and him Jared Tucker. Well, young woman, may interest you to know that I'm Rupert Hankins, and I'm Jared Tucker's counselor at law. And you ain't my client. Well, if you're Jared Tucker's lawyer, then I'm somebody you're looking for. I'm David Norton, and this is Mrs. Norton. We've just bought this house from Mr. Tucker. And you're here with the papers, Mr. Hankins. Yep. I'm here with the contract to sale unsigned by either party. But nothing else you just said is so. You haven't bought the house, young man, and have not taken title, and you have no rights of entry or possession. Well, I was only climbing in a window to let my wife's mother in the door. You are guilty of a flagrant trespass, which we shall investigate in due course. Trespass my foot, Mr. Hankins. My son-in-law's a gentleman who does not like to leave ladies outside to freeze on a day like this. Maybe. What do you want to go breaking a window for? Well, it was broken already. But don't you see it doesn't matter, Mr. Hankins, because it's our house anyway. Not yet, daint. Well, legally, he's right, darling. We'd better go inside and get this window straightened out. Then we'll take up the contract. Why, Mr. Hankins, you too are a gentleman. Maybe. I'm a lawyer. You said straighten the window out. Aren't we going to sign the contract of sale? Eh, maybe. The window comes first. All right. It's open. And I'm grateful. Why, it's just as cold inside as it is outside. Usually is. Well, Mr. Hankins, let's just forget about the window and sign the contract of sale, and we can finish this up with as little delay as possible. Maybe. Where do I sign, Mr. Hankins? You. You signing, or is he signing? Both of us. Yes. This is our house. Maybe. First you got to get it. You ain't got it yet. Before that, we got to know how this window got broken. But, Mr. Hankins, it's our window. Now, see here, young woman. It ain't your window now, and it won't be when we've signed this. But I thought we were buying the house today. You thought wrong. You see, is here a piece of paper? This doesn't give you the house. This says that you agreed to buy the house from Jared Tucker if Jared Tucker's got the right to buy it. If Jared Tucker's got the right to sell it to you. But of course he has the right. He owns it. You think he has the right, and I think he has, and Jared thinks he has. But none of us know except the county clerk, and he isn't saying. Why isn't he saying? Because he don't know neither. Now, Mr. Hankins, mean that the deed has to be searched. Deed? What deed? We haven't done anything. Oh, yes, you have, young woman. You bamboozled Jared Tucker into selling the house to you instead of other people who would have given him a better bargain. Do you know why he did? I don't know, and I'm not asking. I'm Jared's counselor-at-law, and what part of his business isn't legal I ain't interested in. Did he give you any idea? He did not. Now, if you will admit to breaking the window, we can proceed. But we didn't! I admit it. That's better. Now, I trust you will retain me to search the title? Well, I should think it would be up to Jared Tucker to prove his title. It is. You want someone to confirm the findings on your behalf, don't you? All right, Mr. Hankins, I retain you. Who did Jared Tucker retain that you're confirming? Me. And you realize, Mr. Norton, that in the signing of the contract of sale I am acting as your attorney? I realize. Claudia, look. It's snowing. And you and your wife understand that by signing this contract you agree to purchase this property and all buildings, structures, and pictures appertaining thereto? We do. What did he say? In the event that Jared Tucker is able to establish clear title to same, and if you fail to execute the agreement, your deposit is forfeit? We do. Sounds like we're getting married again, David. That's the way you should feel about your first house. Maybe. All right, sign here, please. This is it, Claudia. At last, your first. These programs star Katherine Bard as Claudia and Paul Crabtree as David. And the entire production is supervised and directed by William Brown Maloney. Are you one of those hostesses who fuss for hours on party preparations? Getting yourself all worn out in the process? Or do you see that there's plenty of coke in the refrigerator and easy to fix extras to go with it? If you stay rested and eager for fun, your guests will have a better time. And there's nothing that will express your hospitality more graciously than ice cold, delicious Coca-Cola. Every day, Monday through Friday, Claudia comes to you transcribed with the best wishes of your friendly neighbor who bottles Coca-Cola. So listen again Monday at the same time. And now this is Joe King saying au revoir. And remember, whoever you are, whatever you do, wherever you may be, when you think of refreshment, think of Coca-Cola. For ice cold Coca-Cola makes any pause the pause that represses. And now this is Joe King saying au revoir.
