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. Are you warm enough, David? Me? I'm fine. You don't feel sort of dampish and coolish? No, I feel warmish. That's funny. I think the living room feels very chilly tonight. You do, Ed. I do. I never heard the house so quiet. Until a moment ago. It's not a sound, except for me. Say that again. Only don't. Outside, too, everything's so quiet and still. And wintry. Mmm. Ooh, I felt a draft. Do you feel a draft? It was the page of my book turning. Oh, I thought it came in the door and went up the chimney. Give it my regards. You didn't feel it, honestly? I didn't feel it, honestly. It'll come back. And there might be others, too. Look, you're talking nonsense. The front door isn't open, is it? There wasn't any. All right, all right. Make a liar out of me. Only that draft grew right across my right shoulder. Now blow back at it. And I think it's coolish and dampish and just a long winter evening. It is a hot night, summer and warm. You exaggerate. It's wintry. This is a night to sit by the fire. And tell sad stories of the death of kings. Death of what? The death of kings. Oh, what kings? Any kings. Well, I'd rather talk about something else. I'd rather talk about the life of kings or about the life of us because we is happy as kings. Mmm-mmm. Now, where was I? You made me lose my place. Blame me, David. There was a draft. Well, close your mouth. It was an imaginary draft. It was a draft. Go on, put your nose out the window. You'll see how cold it is. My nose is fine where it is and I'm deep in my chair and I don't intend to move. Then I'll put my nose out and I'll tell you. You're going to save yourself the trouble once and for all. This house is heated by oil. It's perfectly insulated. I am completely comfortable. Stop bragging. Just because you're an architect, there's no reason why we can't enjoy the simple pleasures of life. Like the fire and the fireplace. Now, what's a fireplace for? Hmm, a fire, eh? Just a little one. We'll lie down on the floor in front of the fire, just the two of us. I'll even let you read your book. As a matter of fact, it is rather damp out here. It is, yes. I haven't turned the heat up very high. You haven't, so in a little while when it gets later, it'll be colder. And there's no point in waiting to be cold before you get warm. None at all. No. Hmm. There seems to be some kind of mist outside. That's the cold air, Saturn. Oh, that's what it is. Well, I guess we'll have to build a farm. First fire since last year. And last year didn't count because we were just new here and I didn't know what life on a farm was all about. I'll have to go out of the barn and get some wood. That's farm on a life. What would you give me? What was that? I said that's life on a farm. Oh, I thought so. David, what would you give me if I told you you didn't have to go to the barn? Hmm, might be worth something to you. What would it be worth if I told you that Fritz had brought some wood in just this afternoon? Just by chance. And it's all right here in the wood bin behind the door waiting to be fixed. If you told me that, I would say that you were a scheming little wench. Any objections? Not this time, no. Anyway, what's it worth to you not having to go to the barn? Not much. Kiss maybe? Come here. Hmm, I guess you certainly didn't want to go to the barn much. Now, out of my way, I'm going to build you a fire the likes of which you have never, never seen. Don't confess to me. You were a boy scout in your youth. Why should I have been a boy scout? No reason, were you? No. Where did you develop such a talent for making fires? Oh, various chapters in my life. What chapters? The ones when I used to go on fishing trips with my father in the summer. What other fire chapters in your life, David? Some aren't so pleasant. Kay rations and a group of homesick men, a fire in a jungle swamp. A group of men sitting around the fire. You can't think of anything more lonesome. At least I wasn't married. I couldn't have stood it. You could have too. Men shouldn't have to stand war. How's the fire coming? You got some kitchen matches? Right there in the mantle. Now, stand back. This is going to be quite a thing. Like fireworks on the Fourth of July. Like fireworks on the Fourth of July, exactly. David, don't light it yet. What's the matter? Well, I bought some pine cones downtown. I want to put them on the fire. They make a wonderful smell. They burn all colors. Where did I put them? Is that the little package on top of the desk there? Yes. David, you knew where it was all the time. Well, they smelled of pine. Everyone knows the smell of pine. Well, I bet if I hadn't suggested a fire tonight, you would have. Well, it's coolish and dapperish and winterish, you said. Well, real bargain. Three for ten. I'll find you some pine cones if you want pine cones. The real thing. The real thing smell as good as the store thing? You're a little city girl. That's all you are at heart. You know what they say about nature in the raw. Here, David, throw these on before you light the fire. Now, no more excuses, no more delays. I strike the match. I put the match to the paper. The paper catches on fire and presto. There we are, madame. You wish for a fire, you snap your fingers, and there it is. Beautifully caught on beautifully. David, you're a genius. I hereby name you Fire Chief. Fire Chief, that's me. Hey, what's all the smoke filling up there? Did Fritz bring in damp wood? He did not. He brought in the wood he chopped last summer. You and he stored it away just for this. It shouldn't be smoking. Hey, my eyes are stinging. David, do something. I bet you forgot to open the flue. The flue? Don't try to act dumb. The flue. You mean that little business like a waffle iron in the chimney? That little business. Did you or did you not open it? David, I can't be expected to remember everything. Out. Did you burn your hand, darling? Out. I'll survive. But see, I can't trust you for anything. I don't mind you blaming me because you forgot. I didn't forget. All right, all right, all right. You didn't forget. I just expected that you had done it. You did everything else, including bamboozle me. I'm not arguing. I agree. It's my mistake. So there's no reason. There's no reason at all for you acting a martyr about it. I'm not scolding you because you made a mistake. Of course you're not. You're scolding me because you're sorry you scolded me because it wasn't my fault. No. I give up. Good. Now, let's sit down in front of the fire. All right. Oh, David, isn't it beautiful? Listen to it. Mm-hmm. Fine wood. Maybe we ought to wake up Mama. Maybe she'd like to sit in front of the fire, too. No, Mama's asleep. So? So she won't appreciate being awakened for a mere flame or two. I'm not so sure. Mama has a soul. Let her soul sleep. Yes, I suppose so. But I hate for anybody I love to miss fire in the fireplace. Well, I'll build her one tomorrow. Put out the light, David. Don't sit too close to the fire. You'll get over-warmed. You have to sit close to the fire. You have to feel them. Now it's all dark. Look at the shadows the fire makes. So red. Mm-hmm. Those pines do smell like pines, don't they? Of course they do. They've been perfumed just for that. David? Hmm? See the face of the man in the fire there? Over the log on the left. He looks like an illustration for Arabian nights. Oops, now he's gone. Went up into smoke. Poor thing. He was only there a second. You didn't even know it. David, put your head on my lap. It's heavy. You won't be comfortable. I won't care. All right. How's that? Perfect. David, do you think it's right for me to just want nothing else out of life? You think it's all right for a while? Just to want you and Mama and Bobby and life to go on just like this. Are you sure that's all you want? What else is there? You can't shut yourself up in an ivory tower or in a dark room with fire shadows on the walls. Of course not. I'd like to, but we can't keep the world from knocking on our door, can we? We wouldn't want to. I wonder. Tonight I wonder. Look how the flames race themselves up the chimney. Like they're trying to see which one can reach the highest. Can you reach my pipe? Your pipe. Always your pipe. There it is. Thank you. Come. It's hard to believe, isn't it, that fire can be so terrible, so destructive, even so lonesome? The discovery of fire was the first thing that freed man, left him in the world above the animals. So it's like everything else. We always manage to turn our greatest gifts into our greatest dangers. Fire into danger, love into jealousy. David, kiss me. Lean over. It's getting warm, isn't it? I think I'll take off my sweater. It is getting warm. It's nice, but I don't want to get overheated. Maybe I'll take off my jacket, too. Maybe we are sitting too close to the fire. There. That's better. It's amazing how warm a fire makes a room, isn't it? It's a good thing. Lots of people depend on it for that. I wouldn't mind. You made an awful big fire. I told you I was an expert. We should have gotten into our pajamas. Then we wouldn't have gotten so warm. Then I wouldn't have been here at all. My guy's keeping. Yeah, you too. It's the heat. There's no reason why we shouldn't open a window, David, is there? There's no reason at all. Every need, I'm stifling. Of course, it isn't usual if you build a fire to open a window. Who cares what's usual? Not I. There. It feels good. Oh, doesn't it? Let's open another one. Why not? It's warm out. No night for a fire, I'd say. It certainly isn't. Who cares? Just to water fire is enough, isn't it? It was enough reason for me. It's a beautiful fire, darling. You are an expert. Made me feel really married. Now let's go to bed. I'm sleepy. We can't. Who says we can't? The fire. You can see for yourself it's still burning. So? So you want the house to burn down? Oh, dangerous, I see. Very. Then how about pouring water on it? Nope. Too many sparks and it slaps up the fireplace. Oh dear. Filthy up the whole floor. Well, how long will it take to burn out? A few hours. Hours? Certainly. You can't leave a fire until it's cold. First fire rule I learned. But I'm sleepy now, David. Did you have to build such a big fire? It's our fire and we're stuck with it. We're stuck with it all right. Well, you might as well throw me a pillow, David. What for? Well, I'll go to sleep by the fire. What else can I do? Well, there's just one other thing you can do. What, David? Come over here. Put your head in my lap and close your eyes and... Good night, fire fire. Sweet dreams. The party requirements of youth are easily satisfied. A few friends, coke for refreshment, music to dance or listen to, and they are all set. Pretty good ingredients for a grown-up party, come to think of it. Why not bring home a case of refreshing Coca-Cola today? Say, Joe, before I forget, how about joining us for the fire? Oh, I'd love to join you by the fire, David, but it's going to be a pretty long time dying away, you know. That's what I'm afraid of. It's a pretty big fire. Well, you did say you were an expert at building fires, and I think you proved your point. A pretty warm night for it, too. But ask me some other time when there's a couple of feet of snow on the ground. I sure will, Joe. You know, Claudia gets me into pretty hot pickles like this fire business. Claudia gets you into another pretty hot pickle on Monday, David. Yeah, that girl loves pickles. And this particular pickle is with the Connecticut Bureau for Drivers Licenses. Ooh, that sounds like a pickle indeed. Well, back to my fire, Joe. I'll see you. Goodbye, David. 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 Monday 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. The parts of Claudia and David on this program were played by Katherine Bard and Paul Crabtree. 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.