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. Dum dum dum dum. It isn't even raining, Mama. And why should it be raining? Oh, I don't know. It'll all be so much more dramatic if it were raining today. I bet you if this were a movie it'd be raining. As a matter of fact, it rained the day I brought you home from the hospital. You see, this sunny weather, this cool breeze, it's much too perfect. Things just don't happen like this. Don't look a gift horse in the mouth, Claudia. We'll have enough trouble getting you and all your luggage home without asking for a storm. Don't forget the baby. He's the nicest piece of luggage I ever had. Probably the most expensive. Do you ever think of anything but money? I don't think about money much, except how easily it goes. Well, tend to our packing for a minute. I'd like to get it done before David gets here. What's the problem now? I've got too many pieces for the puzzle. They don't all fit. Well, that's funny. Everything fit when I came in. Things even rattled. I certainly did well with perfume, didn't I? I think you had a baby for the presents you'd receive. We'll make a separate bundle, Mama. That's what we'll do. Hmm. I can just see us going home. Now, what about these six nightgowns? You'd look lovely in them, all at once. Thank you very much. I never accept hand-me-downs. This is a hand-me-up. Just look at all this lace. Maybe I can take it off and make a blouse out of it. Or use it to trim that old blue surge of mine. You'll do nothing of the sort. But I hate nightgowns. Oh, well, keep the nightgowns. Yes. I'm greedy. Now, what about these books? I haven't read them yet. Do you ever intend to? No. Then let's leave them here. I should say not. We've got rows and rows of empty bookshelves on the farm. So, I'll keep the books. I wish I'd thought to bring a trunk. Here, give me that wrapping paper and string. Yes, ma'am. Say, you got yourself pretty dressed up this morning, Mrs. Brown. Nonsense. This is my usual hat. Usual? For occasions. I'm trying to wear it out. You will wear it out. Oh, Claudia. You're right. This is pretty much of an occasion. I wish I'd brought a hat to wear. Not the hat that makes the occasion. No. But it helps. I wonder what it'll be like. What, the hat? Us being all together again. You, David, me. With the baby. It'll be all right. Well, that's the best I can do about the packing. David can take the suitcase and this bundle of books, and I'll carry the nightgowns and the perfumes. And the radio. And the bed jackets and the blanket cover. And I will carry the baby. We'll see about that. Of course I'll carry him. Who else is going to? I'll tie him up with the books, and David can carry both in one hand. Here, let's pile everything up neatly by the door. Claudia, put down that suitcase. Oh, darling, you're here. Put down that suitcase. Oh, I didn't even know I was holding it. All right, all right. Don't get so excited. I'll put it down. Utter little imbecile. Is that all you have to say to me? No, I have more. But it'll wait till we get home. Picking up a suitcase. But I've had the baby. How long does this nonsense go on? What are we going to do with him, Mother? I think we'll tie up to the bedpost. David, why do you look so warm? Because it's snowing out. It's wonderfully cool up here in my ivory tower. There's even a breeze. Well, you better pack it up with the baby. We'll be able to use that breeze at home. I'll go down the hall and see if the nurse is ready with my grandson, her grandson. Listen to how possessive she is. Well, he is, isn't he? A mere coincidence, Mama. I wouldn't exactly call it that, but we'll discuss it later. David, get her to sit down, will you? She's been on my neck all morning. Now, you heard Mama. Sit down. And not on my neck. All right, all right, all right, Pronty. Did you bring the car? It's downstairs. I managed to park it right around the corner from the hospital. That was lucky. David, do I look funny? Not any funnier than usual. Why? Thank you. I feel funny in these clothes. You look all right in them. Gee, thanks, Mister. Nothing at all. I haven't had this dress on since last year. You look just like yourself again, skinny malink. Oh. What did you expect? An improvement. No such luck. I'm starting to feel just like myself, too. Oh. What did you expect? An improvement. Come on, darling, cheer up. You're perfect just the way you are. I better be. Because the way I are seems to be pretty final. Good. Just thinking, in another few days, we're going to be back up to the farm. You'll like that, won't you? It'll be good. It'll be more of a farm, too, won't it? Now that we have something to raise. I'm glad we bought the farm. It's really like going home. You're going to be pretty busy, little girl. Never too busy. We have a lot ahead of us, darling. And a lot behind us. The best part is ahead. That's the way I like to hear you talk. I just hope I can live up to it. I really haven't known what it's like having a baby so far. Everything's so neatly taken care of for me. This hospital's so efficient. The nurses know so well what they're doing. I've been like Lady Godiva in her tower. I think you're thinking of Lady somebody else. Well, you know who I mean. It feels as if I've sort of lost touch. I haven't had to think about anything or do anything. I've been just like a turtle. Well? Now I've got to come out of this nice, safe shell. David, I'm an awful coward. I didn't mind coming to the hospital at all, but now I... I know, I know. I feel a little of the same way bringing my whole family home. We're really going to come to grips with life from now on. You understand everything, don't you? No. Except about you. You were an open book. What's the next chapter? And they lived happily ever after. Only my knees didn't feel so wobbly still. Once you're out of here and home, everything will be different. Hope so. Where is Mama? Why doesn't she come back? Is everything ready to go? Everything. What are we taking with us? Everything. All of this bath powder? Certainly. I've stopped taking baths and water. I'm going to take them in powder from now on. Well, you'll have to to use up this stuff. Oh, now it's not as much as it looks, darling. Oh, no. I just had to make six trips with car and bath. Oh, you and Mama. You're the only family of all my hard-earned presents. Mission accomplished. Everything set. Is the baby dressed warmly enough? David, she begins. Doesn't she think anybody has a brain in their head? She's judging by herself, Mama. Didn't answer my question. Is he dressed warmly enough? No. We're going to let him freeze. It's all of 90 out. Thoufle? Well, forward march. One, two, four. Now, let me see. How will we work this? I could hang this strap around my neck. Tie the books to the end of it. Oh, fine. And carry the suitcase on my head and carry this package in my hand and put this bottle in my vest pocket and carry this little bundle in my left hand. Why didn't you give the baby something to carry? He's a man, isn't he? I wish he were. Claudia, this is impossible. Nothing is impossible, my lad, if you set your mind to it. But this isn't my mind, it's my back. That would be even easier for you. Now we are even. We'd better hurry. Miss Cavanaugh is waiting in the elevator with the baby. Now, where is my pocketbook? I've got it. After you, Mother, we're off. Oh, here, here, let me take those flowers. Can I carry something? You carry yourself. There's so little of me left to carry. Meet you at the elevator. Carry me back to home. And don't be adorable. Coming? Yes, I'm coming. I'm just taking a last look before I shut the door behind me. You'll be safe, darling. I'll see to that. I'm ready now. You make a pretty picture. Loaded like a burrow. Because you're such a greedy little girl. Compliments, compliments. Oh, there's Mom at the end of the hall. And what is the small bundle in her arm? Oh, some cheap little thing I picked up here while I was at the hospital. Want to leave it behind? Well, it will clutter up the house, won't it? No, no doubt, no doubt. Since we have it, we might as well just take him along. I wish you had hired a nurse to come home with us. Oh, Mama would resent a nurse. She'd feel as if she weren't earning her way. She can give us our money back. Well, you two finally made it. Can you see me under all of this load? Your ears are sticking out. Well, hang something on them. I carry because of all this trouble, Mama. Oh, look at him. How's he ever going to know I'm his mother if I never carry him? Look at him, David. He's all scrunched up. Oh. Smile, you dope. You're going home. Everything's all set. Now, you're sure you don't want a wheelchair, Mrs. Norton? Me in a wheelchair? Look, I've been walking for years. Miss Cavanaugh, you've been very kind. I...we certainly have appreciated everything you've done. Oh, I've enjoyed it, Mrs. Norton. You've been a fine patient, and he's a good baby. Well, the last half of that is true. Oh, Mama. Has anybody rung for the elevator? I can only last about another two minutes of this. David, you think so silly. Have you got a match? Very funny, very funny. Humorous. How would you like me to be tickled? If you touched me, I would put you back in the hospital. Oh, darling, I don't think it's fair to make you carry all this home. It's too late now. If I dropped one thing, I'd come apart like a house of cards. Miss Cavanaugh, you know, my husband isn't a very strong man, and he just hates carrying bundles. Just look at him. Welding, poor man. Ring that elevator bell. So if you'd like to do him a favor, Miss Cavanaugh. After all, since he ought to save his strength. What are you driving at, Claudia? We haven't got time. Just a minute, Grandma. I'm just trying to make things easier for David. Yes, Mrs. Norton. Please take all these things, take them up to the wards, and pass them around. All of this? Yep, I won't need them. Perfume, books, bath powder, nightgowns, bed jackets. It's all behind me now. Take them and give them away. For Mr. Norton's sake? Well, that's very kind of you. I'm sure they'll be appreciated. By David, most of all. Here, darling, put everything down. Elevator can take it upstairs. That was a nice thing to do, darling. You look so tired, David. Well, all right. If that's the reason you want to give. It wasn't so nice of me. I was just lazy. I just couldn't face having to find a place to store all this stuff away. That still isn't the whole reason, Mrs. Norton. I don't think it is either, Mother. Well, maybe it isn't. It's just that, I don't know, it seems that without anything else, with just the little bundle Mama's holding, we still have so much more than when we came. You know, on giving it about six thoughts, I've decided that, well, you're not such a bad girl. You know that? I don't know. Anyway, whether I'm good or bad, there's no credit to this, David. Giving's so easy when you've received so much. Oh, darling, I have so much. Let's go home. Hmm, hmm, hmm, hmm, hmm, hmm, hmm, hmm. If you're like so many women, you eat a pretty sketchy lunch when you're home alone. I'll tell you how you can make lunchtime refreshment time. Add ice-cold Coca-Cola to your noonday menu. You'll find that Coke gives a party air to any meal, and it's so easy. All you have to do is keep plenty of Coke on ice. You don't even need a glass. Open the bottle, and delicious welcome refreshment awaits you. Oh, Joe, Joe, I just wanted to say goodbye to you before we're left for home. Well, goodbye, David, and good luck. You mean we still need it? More than ever. That bode no good. According to my experience with a new member of the family, things really start percolating when you get home. Oh, I see. For instance, have you faced the facts of a baby-feeding schedule? Hmm? Yes, ten o'clock at night, two in the morning, six o'clock in the morning. I'm starting to see what you mean. Well, you'll see even better what I mean at two a.m. tomorrow morning. So go home, David, and catch 40 winks while you can, will you? Thanks for the tip. So long, Joe. Goodbye, David. See you tomorrow at two in the morning. 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.
