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. Now David why don't you stay out here in the street till I come out of the store, see? You mean I'm just supposed to stand here by this fire hydrant like a fire hydrant? Exactly. How long are you going to be? Oh, just long enough to pick up your package, pay for it, come out again. Darling, you won't freeze waiting for me, will you? No darling, I won't freeze while I'm waiting for you. Good. But I might grow roots. There's the sweet boy. David, why don't you go over and talk to Santa Claus while I'm in the store? Because I'd ask him to give me a present and it might not be the same one that you've bought for me and that I wouldn't believe in Santa Claus anymore. Did I ever believe in him, I wonder? Of course you did, all little girls do. I wouldn't mind not believing in him. It's just as nice knowing that you're my Santa Claus. Say, how about giving me a present right now? No, you're always asking for presents. I like them. I'll give you no presents out here on the sidewalk. It's Christmas, David. You're supposed to love thy neighbor, even my wife on Christmas. I know, I know. I love my wife on Christmas in private. So stuffy. I do not like kissing my wife on the sidewalk. Then don't kiss her on the sidewalk, kiss her on the nose. Get inside, go on. Listen, you're not going to be cold, are you? Go on, get going. It's going to be all packed. At least it's supposed to be all packed when I get in. Maybe you could come in. I'll stay outside and that's final. Yep, I guess maybe you'd better, darling. I don't want you to feel you're buying your own present. Looks like a pretty expensive store to me. Oh, it is. But then I have a pretty expensive husband. Look, I don't want to be rude, but do you have enough money? For what? No, for my present. Of course I have. How do you think I was going to buy it? I don't know. I hope you haven't gone and done something silly to get the money. What could I do silly to get the money? Plenty of things. Borrowed it from mama or sold something. I know you didn't take it out of the checking account. Honestly, if you aren't the snoopiest man. I catch it from my wife. Suppose you're just busting to know where I got the money for your present. It's just busting. Well, maybe I ought to let you bust. All right, all right. Don't tell me. Don't tell me. I don't care. The trouble is, I really think you really don't. I don't. When I say it, I don't mean it. I care. Well, this money, Mr. Naughton, is what you call found money. Found money? Where did you find it? Ah, that is my secret. Now darling, seriously, if you found this money, you know you have to return money you find. Dope, I found it in the back of my desk drawer. You put it there. I did? Finding it couldn't have been much of a surprise, even for a clock. Well, it's surprising how much pennies put in the back of a desk drawer can add up to. Oh, mercy. So actually, when you really figure it out, David, your present is not costing me a cent. It absolutely amazes me how you can figure you're getting something for nothing. I am. Look, I put the- I don't want to look now. I want you to go into that store before I, well, before I freeze and my toes drop off. Funny how I hate leaving you, even for a minute. That's because you're filled with the Christmas spirit. Yeah, but I suppose on the 23rd of December, I'd love almost anybody, even you. You're right. Well, goodbye. Have a nice trip. Miss me? I said have a nice trip, and that's my last word on the subject. Oh, man. I'll see you in a second, darling. I'll be right out here cluttering up the sidewalk. Why don't you sing a Christmas song, the Santa Claus? Good idea. Jingle bells, jingle bells, jingle all the way. Will you be quiet? David, I'll walk away from you. I simply don't know you. I'm only doing what you told me to. I'm singing. Jingle bells, jingle bells, jingle all the way. I'm not with you. Goodbye. That man's crazy. Yes, madam. Oh, I come to pick up my- Oh, yes, you're Mrs. Norton. I didn't recognize you at first. Well, I think it's remarkable you recognize me at all. And you've come for Mr. Norton's humidor. Yes, is it gift wrapped? I'll check on it, but I gave orders. And make it look nice? Of course, Mrs. Norton. I believe the total price comes to $16.78 with tax. Oh, I'll pay cash. That will be fine. If you'll just wait a moment, I'll be right back. Do sit down. Q? God bless you, merry gentleman. There's nothing you dismay. Excuse me, miss. Oh, oh, yes? Excuse me, but would you care to make a donation? Oh, yes, certainly. Just a moment. I have so much stuff in this pocketbook coming in from the country. I can't find- Oh, here's my money purse. There you are. Just drop it in the tin. Right. Thank you so much. Well, it wasn't very much. Every little bit helps. I only gave you a quarter. Oh, it's not the amount. Oh, the amount's important too. Here, let me give you a little more. A dollar. This will help buy a Christmas tree for the children. For the children? For the orphans. Orphans at Christmas? Do you let them stay up and decorate the tree or- Of course we do. Christmas belongs to children. Is it, I mean, the home? Is it in the city? Out on Staten Island. Oh, that's the other end of the ferry, isn't it? Trip must be a lonesome one for the first time. I was so lucky I still have mama. You're fortunate. Here, please take some more money. And you are very generous. Oh, I'm not generous. We're all so selfish, but I'm going to try to be generous. Here, you take this. Five dollars. And buy the children presents. We will be able to buy the many things with your gift. I'm starting to feel so personal. It's strange what giving does. It's terrible about the orphans. Especially ours. Sister, I don't understand. You can't be more of an orphan than an orphan. I'm afraid you can. Ours are not just orphans. You mean there are orphans and orphans? There are. There are just plain everyday orphans who've lost their parents. Well, what other kind are there? There are the more notorious orphans. Notorious? Well, what in the world can a little orphan do to be notorious? It's his parents. A child is left alone sometimes because his parents are... have suffered a violent death which has attracted publicity. Oh, no. Or they're orphaned in other public ways which would make them obvious and recognized among other children or in a community where they might seek refuge. In other words, yours are the undesirable orphans. And they're such good children. Most of them. Awful. I can't think of anything more awful than to be an undesirable orphan. You'd think you'd be bad enough to be a child all alone, but here, I... I have some more money. Please take it. Oh, but you have been so generous already. You can't call this being generous. On the contrary, I'm so glad you came up to me. To think that just ten minutes ago I knew nothing at all about this. Here, here, take it all. Please, before I change my mind. Only I won't change it, I hope. My child, you will be blessed. So very blessed. It's the silliest thing, but you make me feel like crying. Merry Christmas. Yours will be merry. God will see to that. Here we are, Mrs. Norton. Oh, yes, sir. Here is your package, your prize package for Mr. Norton. Oh, isn't it beautifully wrapped? Yes, isn't it? And here is the check. Oh, yes. That's $16.78. Just a minute, please. I'll get my... Oh, the money. I forgot the present. There's no hurry, madam. The money, I haven't got it anymore. What was that, madam? You see, I wasn't thinking and I just... $16.78. Yes. Isn't that correct? It's a nice round number, 16.78, but you see, I don't have it. Oh, well then I'm afraid... I did have it until a minute ago, but I don't anymore. I'm afraid I don't quite see... I could come back later today. Oh no, I have to catch a train home. Oh, I thought maybe you'd forgotten all about me. David, you're not supposed to come in. Well, I'll go right back out, but my larynx got tired of singing, so I thought I'd make sure you hadn't gone out the back door. Well, I'll be right out, David. I have a little problem to settle and... Is that my present? Yes, isn't it beautifully wrapped? We'll hold it for you, madam. Could you come in tomorrow? Well, I hadn't expected to, but I... Well, in that case... How is it, darling? Oh. What's going on? Nothing, nothing, nothing, David. Well, then take the package. Let's go. But I haven't paid for it yet. Well, go ahead. I'll turn my back if you want privacy. You can turn your back all you want. It won't do any good. What do you mean? David, I don't have the money. You don't have what? Money. But you said you had it outside. I offered to give it. I had, but it's all gone. Wait a minute, wait a minute. Let me get this straight. Outside the door, you had the money. Yes. That right? Yes. Now you're just a few feet inside the door and you haven't paid for the package yet and you don't have the money. No, I haven't. No. It's a very interesting situation. David, this is not funny. How can I pay for your present when I... Excuse me. If you like, madam, you can write a check. I'm sure it could be arranged, particularly with your husband here. But the whole point was I didn't want to write a check. This present wasn't supposed to cost a check. David, I don't want to write a check. It's not the same thing at all. Now, look, look, darling. I don't care. You understand? I don't care how this present is paid for. I do. Or where it comes from. You know perfectly well that everything we have is ours, but I'm just a little curious to know what happened in these last 10 minutes. Oh, well, I just got talking to somebody and... Madam, what is it that you'd like to do? Yeah, I'll pay for the present. Oh, David, no. Who were you talking to? David, I hate you paying for your own present. It's not at all the way I planned. Did somebody pick your pocket? Here's a $20 bill. Will that cover it? Amply. You'll give the change to Mrs. Naughton, please, and don't tell me how much you give her. Yes, sir. Thank you. David, you're so sweet. I'm not sweet. I'm curious. I only want to know who you were talking to. It cost you so much money. It's just a little woman. She must have been quite a little woman. She has about 38 children. 38 children? I repeat, she's quite a little woman. David, have you ever heard of undesirable orphans before? No. I have, just now. Oh, so that's it. I just got carried away for a moment there. I was an orphan on Staten Island. You didn't like it very much? Well, it's Christmas. Oh, what a cluck I am. I forgot all about your present in this store, and I just got swept off. I didn't know what I was doing, and when I gave her all that money, I probably wouldn't have done it if I had. I think you knew what you were doing. I think you discovered the true spirit of Christmas. It was a very nice present, darling. Oh, David, I am not much, but I am a mother, and I'm very glad Bobby has one. Well, you may not be much, but you're the best at Bobby's gut, so if you like, I will not kiss you on the sidewalk, but I will kiss you right in the middle of this store on the nose, 38 times, one for each orphan. One, two, three, four, five. The days just aren't long enough right before Christmas, and there's no one in greater need of an occasional pause than the lady of the house, particularly when she has to act as Santa Claus's agent. Slow down a moment. Get yourself a sparkling, icy cold bottle of Coca-Cola, and continue your work refreshed. Hey, Joe, I wonder if I could ask you a little favor. Certainly, David, anything. I don't usually get in this sort of a jam, but you may know the banks are closed, and paying for my present was a little unexpected. Will five dollars do? It'll do fine. I'll see you tomorrow and pay you back. Well, I'm not worried about it. Oh, I am. Are you coming into town tomorrow? Well, I'll be tied up on the schoolhouse. You know, the one up in Eastbrook, so I doubt that I can make it tomorrow. Oh, well, say, have you bought your Christmas tree yet, David? Thanks for reminding me. I got to do that tomorrow. I'll see you then, Joe, and I owe you. Okay, David. 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.
