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. I'm going to bed, children. Well, for heaven's sakes, why? To sleep. It's only eight o'clock, Mother. It's all right, then, to read. But it's still light out. Even better. I'll save electricity. You two women. We all ought to be millionaires when you consider all the things you save on. Mama, save your strength and read downstairs with us. You'll start talking. Nonsense. Well, I have nothing to say. Now, you're a witness to that remark, Mother. I've heard it before. It means nothing. What are you reading that's so interesting, anyway? She Begins. You'll get back to your paper. Yes, ma'am. What are you reading, Mama? I'm on page 42, and it's the third murder. Does that answer your question? Oh, how can you read that kind of book? I get too scared. You're a sissy. And proud of it. Claudia, I'm going to go upstairs. I know, I know, I know, I know. Shh, David, no more talking. Mama is hanging by a clue. Me shush. I haven't opened mine. Shh. I'd divorce her, David. Any married judge in the country would say you had grounds. Ignore her, Mother. I'm trying to. Oh, you two, so serious. Aren't you enjoying our solitude? What solitude? No company. Oh, that. You may not realize it, but this is almost the first evening we have been at home alone all by ourselves in months. I realize it all right. I love it, too. Honestly, for the last few weeks, our house has seemed like Grand Central Station. I've started feeling like a piece of fly paper. Oh, very descriptive. First Jim Varney in Victoria Manor, then one by one the Killians arrived. Then yesterday all the excitement meeting Julia and Hartley at the boat. Oh, it is a luxury to be just us. From now on, we relax because there's nobody left to see us. We can really enjoy our privacy tonight, eh, darling? You talk like a couple of hermits. Nice being hermits together, isn't it, David? Mm-hmm. So nice, I insist upon it. Let's not ever see anybody else, David. Never. Never. Never. That's why we moved to the country, isn't it? Oh, is that why? I'm going upstairs. You're not intruding, Mama. No, I'm not, but you are on me. We give her shelter, David, and that's gratitude we get. Well, you can't expect anything else from a parent, dear. No, you spend the best years of your life bringing them up, and this is all you get? Insults. This time I am going upstairs. Good night, both. David, you have driven her away. I want to be alone. Oh. Well, I hope you enjoy your privacy, hermits. We'll miss you. I second that sentiment. That's good. That's really why I'm leaving you. Oh, David, it's nice to have roots. Mm-hmm. Deep roots, like Mama. The house. A little bit of the world where everything is ours. And if you want me to keep on loving you, you be quiet, or else I'll follow Mama upstairs. And I'll follow you. Shh. Now, that was the newspaper. Listen to how quiet it is now. Yes, listen. Lovely. I bet you Mama's going right to sleep. I don't blame her. Would you like to? No. Oh. Oh. Hmm. There goes a car now. David, somebody's coming in our driveway. Probably just to turn around. Honestly, I think we were a thoroughfare. David, the car stopped. Nonsense. Just catching its breath. Nonsense nothing. Look for yourself. Maybe somebody's lost. Well, let's act as if we're not at home. Go on with your knitting. Look, somebody's getting out. It's a chauffeur. Then it's certainly nobody to see us. He looks very familiar. I didn't know I knew a chauffeur. But I guess I do. I know this one. With your nose stuck to the window like a cat out in the rain, how do you expect to pretend we're not at home? He's opening the car door. David, it's your brother who's getting out. Hartley? Yes, and Julia, too. Oh, how sweeter than to drive up when they just got back from England yesterday, isn't it? Adorable. Hey, you don't sound pleased. Oh, of course I'm pleased. Suggest that tonight you... Well, Hartley's my favorite brother. I'm happy to see him any night, even when we're alone. He's your only brother. Hmm. Twice the reason for me to be happy to see him. Well, aren't you going to let them in? Give me a chance, will you? Julia, Hartley, this is such a surprise. Horrible surprise, isn't it, dear? Why do you say that? We're delighted to see you. Especially tonight, since we haven't got a thing to do. Mama's gone to bed. With those two very good reasons, I don't feel as badly about it, Lam. Well, hello, Julia. My, you look very Parisian and chic. Well, I do believe that absence makes the heart grow fonder, David. Did you hear David compliment me, Hartley? I did indeed. And ever since he married Claudia, I've been impressed with his taste in women. Well, you are brothers. Oh, Hartley, it's so nice of you to come up here tonight. Not as nice as your meeting us at the boat yesterday. You have no idea what a difference it made in our homecoming. Oh, she does have an idea, Hartley. That's why we were there. Now, come in, come in, come in, come in, come in. Well, I still think it's dreadful of us to arrive without giving a notice. I wanted to call, but Hartley insisted the surprise was half our coming. And Hartley's right. You see, Julia, I told you they'd be pleased. Claudia's very polite. Oh, no, she is not usually. David, insults aren't necessary. Hartley, before another word or insult, I think we ought to look at the dining room, don't you? Yes, good idea. I hope it isn't too small. Too small for what? Well, it's not enormous, but it's a good size for eating. Well, it's right through there on the other side of the hall, Julia. Well, I remembered, Claudia, it was a nice size room. An old salt box house it is. We haven't got a thing permanent in it yet, so that and the bay window make it look bigger. Oh, here, let me turn on the lights. Oh, it is a nice room. Hmm. What do you think, Hartley? Hmm, well... Big enough? I should think so. Big enough for what? His style, it's perfect. Well, we'll just have to wait and see. Wait and see what? Well, I don't want to wait and see anything. I love the impatience of the young. You think it's pretty safe, then, Julia? What is? Mm-hmm. Yes. Yes, I think it'll be all right. David, they're as bad as you are. They're not making sense. It's a family trait. All right, Claudia, we've seen enough of your dining room. Is that all you wanted? That's all. Oh. You look disappointed. No, no, no, no, I'm just confused. Why are you confused? It's nothing, Julia, I... I'm just silly. Oh, come on, silly, let's adjourn to the living room. All right, silly. You mean you're through with the dining room? Absolutely. Now, Hartley, hand me my pocketbook, would you? It's over there on the window, sir. Yes, right. Claudia, stop looking so quizzical, then. I'm not looking quizzical, I'm looking suspicious. All right. All right, I'll confess, you have every reason to look suspicious. I have? Suspicious of what? Of what? Hartley, now she's pulling our leg. Here's your bag, Julia. Thank you. I'm sure she's guessed by now, aren't you, Hartley? I wouldn't attempt to read Claudia's mind. Now, right you are, it's hieroglyphics. You weren't all so nice. I'd say you were horrid. All right, lamb, I'll put you out of your misery. Hartley and I have brought you a gift from England. You did? How wonderful! Forgive her, Julia, Claudia is notoriously greedy. Just honest, I hate people who fuss and pretend they don't like getting presents, don't you? Frankly, yes, though I do it myself. Now, let me look through my purse for it. Is that where it is? It's for the dining room. If it fits. David, what could possibly be too big for the dining room and still fit in Julia's pocketbook? You've got me. Me too. And you've got a dining room table and eight chairs. Chippendale. A what? I suppose they're inside Hartley's hat. Not quite. Here's a photograph of them. They're being shipped. David, I don't believe a word they're saying to you. Not a word. Who gives people a dining room table and eight chairs? And Chippendale. We do. To our only brother and his wife. Oh, Julia, I'm almost afraid to believe you. Here's the photograph. Go on, go on, look at it. Oh, they're so beautiful. My dining room isn't half nice enough for them. Nonsense. Well, this is certainly a gift, Julia. You've outdone yourself. We saw the table and chairs at an auction at Christie's. Both Julia and I felt they looked just like you. We couldn't resist them and we didn't want to. Oh, I wish they'd get here. They will. The week after next. Week after next? Imagine having a baby and a dining room table and chairs at the same time with anyone ever as lucky and spoiled as I am. No one. No one more justly, my dear. I never had a brother, Hartley, until you. Now I know what I missed. Not because of your present, either. We know it isn't. Well, now, Hartley, I think we'd better let these young people alone. Leave us alone. What for? We don't want to be alone, do we, David? We have nothing to say to each other. You're staying for my wish. You're both going to spend the night here. But we didn't come to stay, Claudia. I insist. You've come all the way up here from New York. You can't just turn around and go right back. Why not? Well, it's not hospitable of you. But, Hartley, we can't just barge in on David and Claudia like this. Claudia's about to have a baby. That hasn't got anything to do with anything. Besides, we'd feel funny not having any company in the house. We've had company up to our ears for days. You hear that, Julia? Julia, coming home isn't coming home unless you have somebody to come home to. Here we are. Please spend the night. And oh, you've got to see the farm during the day. We haven't bought a car yet. You haven't? No, no. I'd hope to be drinking fresh farm milk. Well, you'll stay in spite of it, though. You can imagine your sitting on your chairs, eating at your table. I'd love to stay. I'm glad. You've given me so much. Let me give you this. Oh, it's against my better judgment. Better judgment is never right, is it, David? No, never, never. That settles it. Fine. I'll go out in the car and tell the chauffeur to find himself a place for the night. Oh, Hartley, I want to tell him to run downtown and pick up a few things for me. I don't know why I let myself be talked into this, but... Claudia, you sure? Positive. Well, we'll be rather nice waking up in your house, eating in a sunny room, being in a home again. I never thought I'd miss it. You've been on such a long trip. Seems long now. Thank you, Lam, for insisting we stay. Hartley looked pleased for the first time in many weeks. I'll be right back. Well, it looks like we're not going to be alone again tonight. Won't Mama be surprised in the morning? No more surprised than I. Do you mind terribly, David? No, of course not. Not many people would have the wisdom to be sorry for Julia and Hartley. They're so generous. You know, it's funny, in the city we hardly ever saw anybody. We went to live in the country, so we'd be just the two of us. Here we are, surrounded. We're a fine couple of hermits. In a way we are, the best kind. Because, darling, even with a house full of people, way down deep I'm all alone with you. And way down deep is where it counts. Humming Look at the faces of people in the market next time you're stocking up on groceries. Some women take it so hard. Others don't seem to mind waiting, and they go about marketing in an easy but businesslike fashion. Now, if you'd like to join the second group, why not step over to that friendly Coca-Cola cooler and refresh yourself? Getting together the household supplies is a more agreeable task when you shop refreshed. Tell me, Mr. King, do you think Claudia will be pleased with the table and chairs we're sending to her from England? I'm sure she will. Pleased as punch, Mr. Norton. I hope so. Selfishly, I rather like the idea of contributing towards this farm and house. I'm extremely fond of it. I don't blame you at all. David and Claudia have the right idea. Get away from the world when you're still young enough to enjoy it. There are those who wouldn't agree with you that coming to live on an Eastbrook farm is getting away from the world. Really? Jared Tucker, for instance. David bought this house from him. Jared has quite a lot to say on that subject. I'd certainly like to talk it over with him. Well, why don't you? Tomorrow morning he'll be around. I'll look forward to it then. Goodbye, Mr. King. Have a good night, Mr. Norton. 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. This broadcast of Claudia was supervised and directed by William Brown Maloney. And now here's a word from your friendly neighbor who bottles Coca-Cola.