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. You're sleepy, David? Me, of course not. Well, you sound sleepy. I'm not though. Darling, you can admit it. It's not unmanly to be sleepy. For your information, I'm just enjoying a quiet evening at home. Does he sound as if he's enjoying it, Mama? Yes, and so am I. Well, enjoying it or not, it's time we all went to bed. Go on up. Nobody's stopping you. Oh, thank you. I was only thinking about you. You know it's time you went to bed? Because you have to catch an early train tomorrow morning. Remember that early appointment, remember? Yes, I remember, but it's hours from now. I don't have to start getting ready so soon. David, don't be difficult. Let's go to bed. Was she always like this, Mother? Always, David. She never could do anything by herself and she always inveigled me into doing things with her whether I wanted to or not. Enveigle? That's a nice word. Poor Mama. Poor you. You'll be dead on your feet all day tomorrow. I am not tired. Oh, yes you are, whether you know it or not. I might as well go to bed. I want to get any peace until I do. Give in, David, give in. It's the easier path to take. Mother, you and I are victims of a power stronger than ourselves. Is that me? I'm married, a governess. I'm putting out the light, tell them. How clever of you. You two don't want to break your neck up the stairs with you. Just blindfold me and do with me what you will. Shackle my hands behind my back and lead me on. You too. You look so foolish standing around like sheep. Sheep, she says, Mother. We are lambs. To the slaughter. Baaah. David, you dope. Last chair. Out for the night. Good heavens, it's dark with the lights off. Baaah. Then turn the hall lights off upstairs. Yes, Sergeant. Come on, come on, come on. No gambling in the halls. The curfew has told the knell of parting day. The zindite. Nobody sneezed. Curfew, curfew. Ooh, Mrs. Brown, your daughter is a dimwit. And she is dimming the lights with it. Good night, good night. Parting is such sweet sorrow. And if you don't go to bed, you won't wake up early on the morrow. Sweet dreams, children. Good night, Mama. Me? I'm wide awake. Oh, darling, I'm sorry. Can't you put yourself together and get sleepy? I doubt it. But now that I'm upstairs, I might as well try to go to sleep. Have you had your glass of milk? Not thirsty. You're supposed to drink a glass of milk, you know. I said I am not thirsty. Then I'm not sleepy, but you're putting me to bed. That is different. Oh, ho, ho, ho, ho. Oh, ho, ho, ho, ho. What's good for me, I must do. What's good for you, you mustn't. The double standard. You've heard of it, certainly. Young lady, as soon as you get into your bathrobe, you go downstairs and have yourself a glass of milk. Oh, all right. All right. On one condition, you'll be sound asleep by the time I get back up. You're the greatest little condition maker I ever married. What's fair is fair. Do you lock the front door? Lock the front door? Lock the front door, yes. Have you ever heard of locking the front door? Everybody has. Well, not up here in the country, they haven't. Nobody locks their door in the country. Why? Why should they? Why shouldn't they? Has a lock on it, hasn't it? It's only for looks. There's no reason to lock a door in the country. Nobody ever tries to get into somebody else's house in the country. Ha. Ha. People don't walk around at night walking into other people's doors in the country. Certainly not, because they're locked. That's not the reason. Well, what is the reason then? Well, the reason is that in the country, it just isn't done. Why? There is a lock on the door. It just isn't done. Who says? I says. Oh, that's a fine reason. I'm going to bed. I hope that I'll be asleep by the time you get back from your milk. David, have you ever been robbed? Yes, on my wedding day. You have? Mm-hmm. Oh, why do I talk to you? I'm going to get some milk. Bye-bye. Sweet dreams. Thanks, I'll need them. Rock-a-bye, baby, on the tree top. Milk, milk, milk, milk, milk. No wonder I'm so contented. Oh, is that you, Claudia? Mama! Oh, in fact, he scared the glass out of my hand. I thought I heard somebody. You did, me. Have a glass of milk, Mama. No, thank you. Go on. Do your good. I don't want to be done good, too. Oh, you and David. Peas in a pod. Wish we had our own car. What's the matter with milk out of a bottle? Not good enough for you? Oh, it's so much nicer to patronize your own establishment. David asleep? Said he'd try to be. Just leave your glass in the sink. I'll put out the light. Oh, good. Let's be quiet now, Mama, in case he's sleeping. I think it started to rain. Rain's a nice song. How do you like that? After all I said, I forgot to lock the front door. David doesn't believe in it, Mama. That is something else about men. They trust people. Imagine. The strangest ways. Well, David or no, David, I am locking the door. And so to bed. These stairs creak. Oh, David's very fussy about that creak. He says it gives our house character. Try to go into your room quietly and don't talk. What do you take me for, Mama? Chatterbox. Good night. I never said a word. David, are you asleep? If you are asleep, don't bother answering me. Good. You must be asleep. He said you weren't sleepy, but I knew. What was that? David, you hear that? Oh, shh. Down there. You're waking up. Go right on sleeping, darling. I'll go see who it is. Oh, such a noisy night. Was that you again? I thought I heard something at the front door. So did I. David's asleep. Stand back. I'll find out who it is. Who do you suppose? Stay behind me. I'm older than you are. Stop bragging. Sounds like somebody's banging on the door. Are you just going to open it? Certainly. Mama, let me get your pogo. Oh, don't be ridiculous. Who do you think you are anyway? Clark Gable. It stopped. Claudia, stand back. I'm going to open the door. Mama, be careful. It really sounds so eerie. There's nobody there. That's funny. There is nobody here. I suppose we imagined it. I don't imagine things. Maybe whoever it was saw you and got afraid. Thank you so much. Sure there's nobody there? Nobody but the wind and the rain. You closed the door, Mama, and locked it. I feel very silly. Creeping down here as if I expected to see a ghost and then nothing. Not complaining. I'm glad it was nothing. Where are you going, Mama? Back to bed. Wait for me. Are you afraid of the dark? No, but I thought you were. It must have been the wind. I guess so. I hope so. Funny, my knees feel funny for no reason. Well, good night, Mama. For the last time, good night, Claudia. Stop imagining noises. Same to you. Mama, did you just imagine a noise? I think I did. What do we do? I'm going right downstairs and open that back door without further nonsense. Don't you think I better wake David up? I do not. I feel like Lady Macbeth creeping up and down the stairs. I don't think this is the way victims act in murder mysteries. Stop talking such nonsense. The weather is perfect for anything, Mama. And it's my turn to go first. It wasn't the front door this time. I locked the back door too. Don't put on any lights. I don't want a stranger to see me in this bathrobe. It is the back door. And it is not the wind. Or our imagination. It's a terrible night for somebody to be out. No wonder they want in. When the kitchen's cold, you stand behind the stove, Mama, while I open the door. Stop acting so heroic. It isn't anything. Well, here we go. Well? You're right. It isn't anything. Let me look. Stand back. Now, you want to get all wet? We're all wet already. We are, but there is nobody out there. Mama, what do we do now? Same thing as last time. Probably the minute we get upstairs, the pounding will start again. This time we won't waste any time. We'll come right down and surprise it. David would have to go to sleep in a time like this. I think we're two foolish women. You do look awfully silly standing there in your nightgown, Mama. You've nothing to be so proud of either. Did you lock the door? I certainly did. Do you think I want somebody walking in? There is no somebody, it would seem. Shh. Shh. I hear it. Yes, somebody wants to get in again. At the window? Wanna stay back here? If there's nobody this time, I'm gonna call a doctor. Oh, two straight jackets would be so becoming to us. There's somebody in white. A man? He can't see us, can he? Shh. We'll see what he wants. Mama, how are your knees? Knocking. Shh. Blasted windows of all the- David! Slowly, you. Oh, you two here. David, you're all dripping, my dear. You're soaked to the skin. I thought you were asleep. Let me in the house, will you? Fine thing, scaring us half to death. Who do you think you are climbing in windows in your pajamas on a night like this? People in the country don't- Who locked the door? He came down twice. Why didn't you just stay where you were? Who locked the door? I thought you were asleep. Behind my back, huh? David, darling, your teeth are chattering. What were you doing out? It started to rain, so I put the car in the garage. I merely walked down the stairs. Claudia, I'm putting the kettle on the stove for David. Oh, and Mama, he'll water hot water bottles too. Get him to take off those wet clothes. Yes. I just want to get to bed. Well, darling, oh darling, you are sleepy after all. I'm not sleepy. I just want to be allowed to thaw out all by myself. What was that? What was that? What was what? Oh, that. It was the shutter banging against the window. What a night. Going shopping today? Tell you what you do. Don't get all worn out going from store to store until you're ready to snap at the whole family tonight. Instead, take it easy. Step up to that familiar red cooler during the course of your trek and enjoy the refreshment of ice-cold Coca-Cola. You find Coke coolers in food stores, department stores, all sorts of places these days. They are put there, remember, so that you may shop refreshed. What a night, Joe. What a night. You better get yourself to bed, David. You're getting a chill. I'll be all right. That's what I get for having a conscientious wife. Well, she'll know better tomorrow night. Tomorrow night won't matter. We're going into town tomorrow. Oh? We're going to Stead Momma's for a few days till Claudia goes to the hospital. And while she's there, where would you go, David? Me? You'll have to wait till tomorrow to find that out, Joe. Well, if I must, I must. See you tomorrow, David. What a night. What a night. 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 Starr. And 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.
