Your Coca-Cola Bottler presents Claudia, based on the famous 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. David, are you ready for breakfast? You'll have to talk a little louder, I can't hear you. David, are you ready for breakfast? For heaven's sakes, David, are you deep? I am not deep. You're the one that's deep. I'm not? I can hear you perfectly. You haven't said a thing. I said, quote, no, I am not ready for breakfast. Unquote. I didn't hear you. The water is running. It's funny you can hear me. Can I go now? Then you are ready for breakfast. Look at me and draw your own conclusion. You look just like Santa Claus. May I go and shave now? The lather is getting dry. Oh, what's the difference? Well, you try shaving with icing on your chin. Really? I don't know why you men make such a fuss about shaving. Yeah, yeah. It looks awfully simple to me. Here's my razor. Now go on, go on, shave yourself. Well, I haven't got time this morning. I'm hurrying. Because you said you wanted to catch the earlier train, so it wouldn't hurt if you hurried, too. Heavens grant me patience. I'm putting on my shoes. How clever of you. Hey, David, you'll catch the train early? Because I don't see there's any point in hurrying if you're not going to catch it. Well, I'm going to catch it very... I don't know yet. Please try and speak clearly. I cannot understand a word you're saying. Darling, I'm trying to finish my chin. My, you're grumpy this morning. I think you got on the wrong side of bed. Oh, it was such a beautiful day. I'll come in and sit on the edge of the tub and watch you. Please don't, don't. I know what that means. All right, all right, all right. Don't get excited. I'm going. You want me to cut my throat? Well, no, of course. David, be careful around your ears. One, two, three, go away. Which tie shall I get for you since you're in such a rush? Four, five, six. You bully! I'm out, I'm out, I'm out. As a matter of fact, I'm all dressed. I'm going downstairs and have breakfast. Thank heavens for small place. Oh, I heard that all right. Could I forgive you? You know, it's a good thing one of us has a sweet disposition. Although as a rule, you're pretty sweet yourself. I'll meet you downstairs, Mr. Grumpy. Why, Mama, you here already? You said last night we were having an early breakfast. David is still shaving. Must be awful to shave every day, don't you think? Must be awful for David. Why David especially? There are certain things that are easier done alone. You are clairvoyant. That's just what David was just saying to me, how to sleep. Beautifully, until your silly rooster started crowing in the middle of the night. Oh, he's a befuddled little rooster. Well, I better get the coffee on. Everything is ready. Say, you're almost as efficient as our maid. Thank you very much. Won't she be disappointed when she gets here and breakfast will be all over? What are we eating this morning? The orange juice is on the table, the dry cereals on the table, and the coffee is perking on the stove. I'll get it. Say, Mama, do you work by the day or the week? I work by the minute. Top of the morning to you, Mother. Top of the morning to you, David. Good morning, darling. I haven't seen you in years. Here's the coffee. Well, good morning, darling. My, you are looking well this morning, Mrs. Norton. What time is it? I've got to be going. Oh, thank you. Is it time enough for you to eat your breakfast? I don't want any breakfast. I'm not hungry. You are so hungry. Eat your cereal. I put my foot down. Your foot has nothing to do with your cereal. I'll put it in the cereal. Eat it. It's good for you. I don't want to be done good for. He's very stubborn this morning, isn't he, Claudia? Terribly. After I've slaved over a hot stove, taking that cereal out of the box. Now, look, look, you two women. I am a big boy now. Well, you are not going to stay very big if you don't eat. All right, all right, and I'll grow small, but I haven't got much time. Pass me the coffee, mother. Oh, darling, you can't go into town on an empty stomach. You'll be exhausted before noon. I'm exhausted now. I give up. Mommy, you see what you can do with him. I'm staying out of this. Thank you, mother. But for once, I must say, Claudia is right. Darling, look, you worry a lot about me. You want me to take it easy and not run around and be careful. And I know you worry because you love me and because of the baby coming. So I worry about you eating because I love you. Pass me the cream, mother. You're noble in defeat, David. I am a Casper milk toast. That reminds me, make some toast for Casper, mama. I had to go and open my big mouth. Put your cereal in it. I don't like cold cereal. Want some eggs? I'll boil some eggs. Only takes three minutes. Sit down, sit down, will you? Stop running around like a chicken. Yes, sir, yes, sir. What time's the train you want to make, David? 745. It's 20 minutes after seven. It is. I've got to be running. But you are needing a thing. It can't be helped. Besides, it's your fault. My fault? Yes, if you hadn't gaveled so much while I was shaving... Listen to him, mama, how he blames everything on me. Remember this. Now, now, look, get the car out of the garage, darling, while I drink my coffee. Then you can come back and finish your breakfast. I'll drive you to the station. You will not? Better stop arguing. Trains don't wait. I am up against a blank wall. David, will you promise me one thing? Anything. Just one little thing? I promise you you'll come out of my way. I won't get out of your way until you promise. No. I promise. Good. Promise me you'll eat a decent lunch? I promise. Promise me you won't order a sandwich and a carton of coffee? I promise. Promise me you'll go to a restaurant and sit down and have a twelve-course dinner? I promise. Your fingers aren't crossed? No. Because if I find out you had a sandwich for lunch, I'll never forgive you. I swear to tell the truth, the whole truth, nothing but the truth, help of God. David, not to hear my promises with no fingers crossed... Sure. ...that you'll have a decent lunch, and a sandwich and a carton of coffee, then you'll go downstairs and sit for a ten-course dinner. Well, I'm through signing this stack of mail. What time have you got, Roger? Twenty-five to one. Already? Whew, what a morning. What an afternoon ahead. You going to be here a while? I can arrange it, David. I have a lunch at the club, but that's any time. I hate to leave the office, but I'd better get on my way. Where are you heading for so unenthusiastically? Out to lunch. I promised Claudia I would. You know, I suspect she thinks I come down to the office just for a little relaxation. No, no architecture involved. All wives think that. A man's office is just an evasion for responsibilities. Wouldn't you rather I had a sandwich and a carton of coffee sent up for you? Then you can take your time. I'd much rather, but I promised Claudia I wouldn't. So I'd better go out. David, you are henpecked. Eh, looks like it, doesn't it? Lucky you. Must be nice to be henpecked by Claudia. It is. But don't you tell her I said so. It would be the end. Oh, I think I heard the office door open. I'll see who it is. Hello. I'm sorry, but is Mr. David Norton here? Oh, yes, he's in the other room. Is he busy? If he is, I'll just leave. But if he isn't... Just a moment. I'll tell him you're here. Just tell him it's Miss Manners. Miss Manners? Victoria Manners. Miss Manners, you insulted me. I was very well aware of who you were. That's very sweet. I enjoyed seeing you in your last play very much. Very much indeed. Thank you so much. It's always gratifying to be complimented on a performance. When a play closes, you feel it's the end. But when your audience remembers, well, it's very nice. I'll tell Mr. Norton you're here. David, there's a beautiful blonde waiting for you outside. What's that? I say there's a beautiful blonde for you outside. I'm busy. Who is it? Victoria Manners herself. Good heavens, no. Good heavens, yes. You never told me you knew her. No, I didn't till the other night. A friend of Claudia's, a chap who's going to run a theater up in Eastbrook this summer, dropped in. He brought her along. It should be a very interesting summer. Shall I send her in? I wonder what she wants. I'm in a hurry. Well, if you don't want to see her, I'll be very happy to. The pleasure is all yours. But I guess I'd better go out and be polite for Claudia's sake. It's wonderful the things a man will do for his wife. Well, hello. This is quite a surprise. Oh, David. I was going by and I knew your office was in this building, so I thought I'd just drop up and say hello. That was very thoughtful of you. Hello. Hello. This is a charming office. Such good taste. You seem to give charm to all your surroundings. Well, my partner has had these offices for quite some time. That isn't what I meant, and you know it. It's very forward of me to drop up like this, but it's lunchtime and I thought if you weren't busy... Well, I was just about to... Well, I mean, I am busy. A big job ahead of me, you know. Well, a big job certainly demands a lot of energy, and if you're going to have the strength to go through with it, I think you should have a good lunch. That's faintly reminiscent of a conversation I had over breakfast this morning. Your wife? Women seem to think that everything should be dropped when it comes to a meal. Work, responsibilities, trains... But eating comes first. Your wife is right. I'm hardly in favor of her advice. You work a lot better if you take a little relaxation. Well... Come on. Don't make me have to ask you twice. You can please your wife by taking me to lunch. Well, when two beautiful women insist on the same thing, I don't quite see how I can refuse them both. Then it's settled. I know a wonderful little French restaurant right around the corner. They make the most divine oysters a la Rockefeller. All right. I'll be right with you, Miss Manners. You know, I thought I'd have a much harder job bringing you with me. Well, you would have if it weren't for my wife. What? It's very complicated, Miss Manners. If we're going to have lunch together, you're going to have to call me Victoria, David. Looks as if I'll have to call you Victoria. I'll tell my partner I'm going out. I'll be right with you. I am trapped, Roger. I've got to go and have lunch with Miss Manners. Well... But I'm only going because I promised Claudia that I would go to a restaurant and have a 12-course dinner. Of course, of course. Now stop nodding like that. If you have any silly ideas about this... Not one. Well, all right. I'll be back as soon as I can and be polite at the same time. Do that. Oh, David. Yes? There's a little piece of lint on your collar. Brush it off. Oh, you're a rascal. Now listen, I'm only doing this because of Claudia, mind you. Now, don't get any ideas. I promised her. I know you promised. But you're in this up to your neck, old boy, so... Run along with Miss Manners for your lunch. Hello? Oh, Claudia. Hello, dear. No, David isn't here. You just stepped out. He's on his way to lunch. Oh, you call to be sure he has a decent lunch. No, he isn't having a sandwich set up. I promise you. By word of honor, he is on his way to lunch. David wouldn't break a promise to you. Oh, and Claudia, David is going to have some lunch. Goodbye. Oh, promise me that someday you and I will meet again. If a friend drops in this afternoon, are you prepared to offer her a pleasant welcome? A refreshing welcome that will not require your extended absence? May I suggest that you put half a dozen bottles of Coke on ice? Then when company comes, you can visit refreshed. It's the easy, relaxed way of saying, glad you came. How about putting a carton of Coca-Cola on today's shopping list? Well, well, well, what do you think of David lunching with the Victoria Manners, Mr. King? As you said, Mr. Killian, he's going to have some lunch. I wonder what Claudia would say if she knew. I don't think she'd say anything. I think she'd be delighted just so long as David really eats. And I think you're wrong. Eating is one thing. Eating with Victoria Manners, who is not interested in food, is another. And I hope David has the sense not to tell Claudia. I think he will tell her. It's that kind of marriage. Very foolish. Claudia is very understanding and all that, but no, he shouldn't tell her. Why don't you come around tomorrow, Mr. Killian, and find out? I'll be along tomorrow, all right. I wouldn't miss this for anything. To tell or not to tell? That is the question. No, I think the question is, what will Claudia say? Well, we'll find out tomorrow. See you then. Goodbye, Mr. Killian. As I was about to say, 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 tomorrow 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 Coca-Cola makes any pause the pause that refreshes. And ice-cold Coca-Cola is everywhere. These broadcasts are adapted for radio by Manya Star. The entire production is supervised and directed by William Brown Maloney. And now here's a word from your friendly neighbor who bottles Coca-Cola.