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 bottled Coca-Cola. Relax and while you're listening refresh yourself. Have a Coke. And now, Claudia. David, are you surprised that Reggie invited us to dinner tonight? No, I'm not surprised. He's a very sociable person. It's funny, I thought he was just social, not sociable. I suppose what he really is is polite. Darling, you're being Victorian. Because Reggie had dinner with us Monday night doesn't mean he's invited us out merely to reciprocate. But that's the kind of person I think Reggie is. Seriously, who does he remind you of? His brother. Really? He doesn't remind me of him. You don't know his brother, so how could he? Exactly. No. Reggie reminds me of a box of snuff. Of what? You know, as if you were going to take out one of his from his pocket and then sneeze. In other words, you feel he's living in the wrong century. That's it, exactly. How did you know? You just said so in your way. But I didn't know until I started saying it. Darling, do you ever think before you speak? What for? That's all I wanted to know. Anyways, I was saying before you interrupted me, so movey. Go on. Are we almost at the restaurant? That isn't what you were saying. I know, but it just occurred to me that I was wondering if it was much further. It's right around the corner. Really? So close? I hoped it was further. Aren't you hungry? Starved. Well, anyways, I was saying before... Don't say it. Reggie doesn't seem to live in the same world that we do. Darling, not everybody is us or like us even. I wonder if Reggie doesn't like being Reggie. He looks as if he'd really be happy standing around in a velvet coat, in a gold frame. I must tell him. He'll be so glad to know. What do you propose to do about him? I don't propose to do anything about him. I don't believe in doing things about other people. After all, I wouldn't want anybody to be doing anything about me. That happens to be one of the things I like best about you. You're not a meddler. You needn't worry. I'll never be one. There's the restaurant. I love little places where you walk down two steps. They're usually so expensive. And I gave Reggie only stuffed peppers on Monday. Are we late? Almost. Not quite. But if I hadn't dragged you out of the house by brute force, we would have been. Oh, look. There's Reggie. See standing over there by the rubber plant? Makes him look pale. Claudia, stop pointing. I'm not pointing. I'm showing you. It's two different things. You go on while I check my coat. Check mine too. Ladies' coats do not get checked. Oh, I think it's a jip. Why do we have to sit on them if you don't? I'm not feeling persecuted. Say hello to Reggie decently. I always say hello decently. And I may be a second, darling. I'm going to call Roger too. See if that engineer from Chicago has arrived in town yet. I hope he hasn't. I think Reggie's very sweet. I wonder where he buys his snuffs. Hello there, Claudia. Well, so you've come. Hello, Reggie. And David says hello decently. Hello, Bec. Well, I hope dinner will be all right. This place gives me the cafe. But I couldn't think of a better place for onion soup. I love the cheese and the crust in onion soup. It's such a saving for leftovers. Come to think of it, that is probably the reason why the French invented it. Where's David? Oh, I forgot to tell you. He's in the phone booth checking his coat. That's a curious place for doing it. He said for us to get a table and sit on mine. Phone booth? Of course not. Coat. Well, I have a table reserved. Shall we go right ahead? I'm starving. Hello, François. Monsieur. Can I have a table, please? Yes, Mr. Finch. This way. In the corner. Perfect. It's all right. Just you and Madame? No, there are three of us. There's another gentleman. Very well, sir. Our chair is faster. You speak French? Just smattering. Smattering? That sounded like a whole business to me. Have you been over there too? I went to school in Switzerland. All those mountains. Very depressing for a small boy. I should think it would be. Is this table all right for you, Claudia? Wonderful. Oh, look at the jugs of wine on the table. Voila, Madame. Here comes David. Monsieur. Good evening, Reddy. Sorry, I have had to... Oh, that's quite all right. Why, David, hello. Oh, you here too? I was invited. Coincident. So was I. Oh, my fault. I forgot you two were married. I hope you don't mind. I don't mind. On the contrary. As for me, if I weren't married to her, I'd wish I were. In that case, you may join us. Reddy, I'm awfully sorry to have to tell you this, but I've just spoken to my partner and an engineer whom I must see has come in from Chicago. Chicago? Good heavens. What are you going to do out there? I'm designing a freight terminal for Victor Carrington. Carrington? Why, David, that makes you a tycoon. Anyway, I've got to see this fellow tonight after dinner. Oh, David, that's awful. Can't you have him come over here? I don't think so. I'm going over to his hotel. I've only got about an hour. Reddy, I'm... I'm sorry. That's all right. If I take Claudia home after dinner... Would you? I'd appreciate it. David and I are very modern. And I am very old-fashioned. Well, then, David, I may as well come right down to Bras Tax. I want to build a new paddock. I'm enlarging my stables at my place in Old Westbury. You have horses? Yes, steeplechasers and polo ponies. They're horses? Oh, I love them such thin legs. What are you doing, Reggie, buying a new string? New string of what? Horses. Oh, I thought pearls. But that didn't make sense either. Uh, David, would you design the paddock for me? Well, that's... that's very flattering of you, Reggie, but... I don't go in for that sort of thing. David won't even build houses for people. But most horses are nicer, David. Oh, much. Horses don't give musicals, theaters, benefits. They don't discuss politics and Wall Street. Oh, they're really quite pleasant. I go along with you all the way on that, Reggie, but it still isn't my type of work. I'll be frank with you. Wouldn't be fair to the horses. You see, I want to build really useful buildings, schoolhouses, freight terminals, post offices, museums. Cathedrals are useful too, David. Yes, darling, someday them too. Reggie, it's sort of a feeling of responsibility with me. I'd feel frivolous and out of place designing summer homes, guest houses, swimming pools, country clubs, things like that. And paddocks? Well, I... Oh, that's quite all right. Each to his own. I suppose we each find our own... our own way. Well, Reggie, it's not that David doesn't like horses or... Yes, I know, Claudia. If I liked something else better, well, I wouldn't like them so much. Or if I was busy with other things more, I'd be busy with my horses less. It's all very devious, and the scent of onion soup is very tempting. Come on, let's eat an empty carafe of wine. Let's! Oh, Reggie, that was just wonderful. I'm going to come back here every time I eat out. Shall we taxi or walk? Walk, by all means. Oh, no. David works very hard. Well, I think so, but he doesn't. He loves it so. What do you do, I mean, besides the horses? I used to be down on the street in my father's firm. On the street? That sounds awful. What street? It was awful. Wall Street. Oh, Wall Street. That's the stock market street. I thought you meant... I lasted about two years, loathed it. Nothing but money, money, money all day long. Very vulgar. I don't know how my father stood it. He died after a while. Now he's probably trading halves. God rest his soul. And then? Then? The war. Oh, that must have been horrible for you. As a matter of fact, no. I drove an ambulance in North Africa. David told me you were very brave. Not at all. I was very selfish, very foolish. And I know this will sound perfectly fiendish to you, but I had a very interesting time. You did? Yes, I was very busy. They were wonderful, wise boys. It was exciting, demanding. The days went quickly and, well, I belonged. I was part of this world. Like an ass, I let myself be invalided home with a mere touch of malaria. I stayed until... What is this, my autobiography? Not if you don't want to talk. Not want to. I'd love to. Well, I haven't done anything since. David feels useful, doesn't he? I couldn't get along without him. I meant... And his work? It couldn't get along without him either. But the main thing is that he loves it. And you? So very much. Reggie, look at the blind man. He must be freezing on a night like this. Poor old fellow. He ought to have one of those dogs. He's probably been blind long before seeing eye dogs became possible. He's learned to depend on himself. It's awful and to have to beg as well. It's inexcusable. Why doesn't somebody... I'm sorry, but I get so angry. He's a veteran. The First World War. How do you know? His hat. It's his old overseas hat. You think he got blind in the... Probably. But why doesn't somebody... He gets a pension, but he probably needs more. Then he should have it. Reggie, I didn't take any money with me because of David being... Here you are, my dear. A $10 bill and... Oh, go on. Go ahead. Give it to him. Here. Give it to me, too. It's all the silver I have. Here's for you. Good luck. Thank you, young lady. God be with you. You'd better put it in your pocket. Nobody steals from a blind man. God bless you. It's so terrible. I never can get used to things like that. No one should. Imagine being so useless, so unwanted. Reggie, are the boys who were blinded in this last war going to be like this, too? I hope not. They shouldn't be. The blind are getting more educated these days. They're helped a good deal more. They can be helped to be made to feel a part of things, to have jobs and support themselves, not to rely on charity, whether by government or by anybody else. Oh, they can have jobs. There are special factory jobs they can do. All sorts of new developments. Is there a lot of that for them? Not enough, I'm sure. They could have special plants built for them with machines and instruments they could handle. Well, are there some now? Oh, I read about one in Maine the other day and in Milwaukee. There should be more, many more. And that's the kind of building David would want to design and build. I think I'll call up David myself next week. And this time... Yes? It's not going to be about horses. Yes, I'll call David next week, and we are going to be very busy building together. I won't tell him, Reggie. I wasn't even here. You know, Reggie, next to David, you're the nicest man I know. These programs star Katherine Bard as Claudia and Paul Crabtree as David. And the entire production is supervised and directed by William Brown Maloney. Games may come off, and then again they may not. Talk may be good, and then again it may descend to a sharp controversy. But there's one part of a party you can always depend upon for real enjoyment, and that's the pause that refreshes. Yes, when ice-cold Coca-Cola appears, everybody relaxes and is at ease. Whether you're planning a Valentine party or not, better stop and have your grocer or service station attendant put a case of Coke in the car today. It makes you feel good to take home a case for a hospitality. 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 refreshes. Thank you.