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. And now it is my great privilege and my great honor as first selectman for the township of Eastbrook to unveil this two-wall memorial. Your hand is cold, darling. Hold on, David. Does it get you? Yes, it gets me. We unveil this monument to our sons, our brothers and our husbands with the hope that those men we do honor here today and in a larger sense those men who died for the free way of life all over the world have not died in vain. So with no more words but with a heart full of prayers, Eastbrook Memorial to Our War Dead. David, is that the Marine Guard over there beyond the cedars? They look so young as if they were going away to school for the first time. Quiet, darling. Sound makes me shudder. It should. It should make all of us shudder. Thank you, friends. All of you who came here today. Thank you. It's over. Come on, darling. Let's get out of this crowd. Yes, let's. I feel like being alone together. Cut through the right and we'll be out of the square. Where's the car park? At the corner. Beautiful memorial, though, isn't it? Yes. And the sun shines on it. It's pure white, black like gold. I don't like monuments. They're necessary. I always thought they were a luxury. Only for those who remember, but they're necessary for most people. David, your lips were so white when they were playing taps and you winced when the muskets fired. Did I? Yes. I'm glad I... David, I have a confession to make. All the time he was talking, I wasn't thinking at all of what George Reynolds was saying. He was pretty pompous. Well, that's not why. I was only thinking of you and Bobby. That's natural. Natural or not, I think it's pretty selfish of me. Why selfish? Always thinking of us, you and Bobby and me. I should have been thinking of the men who died in the war, their wives and mothers and sisters. I was thinking of you and Bobby and me, and my fingers were crossed. And that's your confession? Well, you just go right on thinking of us. You'll never want war. Nobody ever wants war. But we seem to have an impulse for self-destruction in spite of ourselves. Am I walking too fast for you? Since when? You're a little out of breath. That's from thinking. Oh, something new has been added. You know, it doesn't pay being nice to you. I always end up being insulted. The woman behind me was crying. I wonder why we keep on having wars. Nobody forgets the dead so quickly, do they? I wonder. Maybe even that doesn't matter, whether you forget or not. I'm a fine one to talk. I didn't even hear George Reynolds. Stop saying that. He's right over there. Where, Dave? He's crossing the street to say hello to us. Oh, dear. Hello there, Mr. and Mrs. Knott. Hello there, Mr. Reynolds. You were at the ceremony, I take it? Oh, yes. Yes, we were very moved. Well, the words weren't important. It's what each of us was thinking that was important, I always say. We think so. We won't forget those fine, courageous boys of ours very soon, will we? No, no, I guess we won't. The longer we remember them, the better. Much the better. And what did you think of the memorial itself? I thought it was very impressive. The best there is. You coming down to the town hall now, Norton? I'm afraid not. I've some business I have to tend to. Ah, too bad. The committee was having refreshments. All ex-servicemen invited. We thought we'd like to have you there. Well, I'm awfully sorry, but... No apologies necessary. I'll be calling you about the plans for the schoolhouse in a few days. Yes, do that. Do you think he knew? Knew what? That I wasn't listening to him? Could be, could be. Then I bet he knew that you didn't want to go down to that town hall party, too. Then let him know. That kind of business always makes me so bloody uncomfortable. Why do occasions like this make people so very pompous? Usually, George Reynolds is quite a simple guide. He meant well. Here's our car at last. All right, jump in. Oh, you slide in first. Then you won't have to walk around to the other side. I don't mind walking around to the other side. But I do. I miss you. Slide over. I am much too good-natured. Now that we're in private, kiss me and no arguments. Who do you think you are today, a sergeant? Yes. I'll kiss you when I choose and please, not before. When is that? Now. Now shove over. I can't shift gears with you sitting on top of me. Don't forget to turn on the ignition. Now look who's reminding who. Turning on the ignition is the one thing I always remember. Oh, you did that beautifully. Thank you. Thank you so much. Let's go right home. Would you like to? I thought I might take you out to lunch. Oh, why spend the money? We have lovely lamb left cold from last night and ham from the night before. The ham, lovely, too. Now don't turn your nose up. You like cold cuts well enough when you order it in a restaurant at two and a half dollars a slice. I didn't say anything. Only because I didn't give you the chance. Let's go home, David. I feel like home. All right. Home we go. It sounds so quiet. Strange how choosing one day of the year and setting it apart for remembering makes everything look and sound different. There's nothing to matter with that much. As long as it's not the only day of the year people remember on. I mean people like me who escaped so easily without one scar. Are you still kicking about that? Last year you were feeling guilty because you'd been born too late to suffer the first war and be worried about the second. I don't feel guilty anymore. Just immeasurably lucky. Twice as scared that we might ever have war again because I know how wonderful life can be. Well, at least you do know. Hey David, where are you going? This isn't the way home. We can go home this way. Just as well as the other. It's longer this way. Oh, just a mile or two. Or three. Not that I don't like driving with you, but you're getting to be an awful spendthrift. That's me. I need some gas. The tank is three quarters full. Why wait till it's empty? Then it's too late and you never remember to fill her up. I've only run out once and that was half your fault too. Besides there's still no reason for going in this direction. There's a gas station much nearer the other way. Well, now that I've started I thought I'd stop by Spofford Station. Spofford Station. Is that the station run by the thin little woman with freckles on her arms? So, freckles and gas have nothing to do with each other. You always go there for gas, don't you? When it's as convenient. Even when it's as not like today. It's funny, a woman running a gas station. Though I don't see why not, especially. No reason. You women run everything else or try to. Is the gas better there or something, David? About the same. All gas about the same. I was a jealous kind. Still she seems awfully nice. Stop thinking. You're wasting good energy. You're wasting good time and gas. We're here in what's your hurry, Miss Titewad? You know, it is an unusually clean gas station. It is. Women are really more talented than men about things. Nobody home. She's probably still downtown because of the armistice day ceremony. No, I don't think she'd have gone. Why not? Oh, I just don't think so. Are you a mind reader or something? She's around the back. I'll hop out and see. David, I'm sure she won't appreciate a stranger snooping around. Maybe she lives in back. There's a little house there. She won't mind. You sound as if you knew more about this than meets my eye. Stay where you are. I'll be right back. David? David, she's here. Hello, Mrs. Norton. Well, hello. You better call my husband. He's got her on the back looking for you. That's all right. I'll just fill up your tank with a high test. I'm afraid we only need a few gallons. Don't apologize. Some folks only want air and water and the bugs taking off their windshields. I love the smell of gasoline, don't you? I don't mind. Oh. I turned the motor off. Well, that's okay. I wonder where he's gone. Maybe I ought to go and look for my husband, Mrs. Spofford. Well, he'll be back. This is a funny business of some kind. Mrs. Spofford, I'll get David, seeing as he has the money to pay you. Well, Mrs. Norton, he'll be back in just a second. I have a suspicious nature. David, you all right? What's happened to you? David, is that you? It's I, darling. I'm starting to worry what had happened to you. Nothing's happened to me. Where were you? Looking around. At what? David, something's going on. Tell me, please. You have to know everything. Yes, everything. I might have known. Known what? You know I always have to know everything. I was visiting somebody. Who? A gentleman. Is that Mr. Spofford? Your car's ready, Mrs. Norton. Well, we'll be right there. Was it Mr. Spofford you were visiting? You're kind of hunchy, aren't you? David, what is it? Yes, it was Mr. Spofford. He's sick. So that's why she... Is that true? Kind of. That's why you buy your gas here. Why didn't you tell me? How could I mind? Al Spofford isn't just sick, darling. He's broken. Crippled? The war left him pretty cracked up. He's disfigured and maimed. Except for his wife, very much alone. The war. That's why you felt you had to see him today, isn't it? Well, right. They erected a monument to the dead, and on their own back doorstep there was the living. Forgotten, except by you. This is your monument, David. How long have you known him? A few months. I was kind of curious why Mrs. Spofford was running the station. You can figure out the rest. I come by now and then. Shouldn't he be in a hospital? Not sick. He's just... Well, he's just quite through with life. David, I think I'd like to meet him. He's not a very pretty sight, darling. Think he'd mind? No, I think he'd like it, but you don't have to do this. Yes, I have to. And I want to. For you and Bobby. Well, come on. I've told him about you. Have you? Mm-hmm. I told him, what a swell chap I married. Oh, David. Hold my hand. Claudia, look at me, darling. I'm looking? Remember these words for this armistice day, November 1948, and for Al Spofford, ex-soldier. And all the other living. The tumult and the shouting dies. The captains and the kings depart. Still stands thine ancient sacrifice, and humble in a contrite heart. Lord God of hosts, be with us yet, lest we forget. Lest we forget. Amen. This transcribed program of Claudia was brought to you by your friendly neighbor who bottles Coca-Cola. He and the cast of Claudia consider it a privilege to share this observance of armistice day with you.
