01x14 - The Night My Father Came Home

[bunniefuu]

[waves crashing]

[mellow music]- [narrator] Letter to Loretta.

Starring Loretta Young.

Oh, well I almost made it, didn't I?

There.

Hello.

[audience]Merry Christmas to you, Loretta.

Oh, thanks fellas.Merry Christmas to you too.

And to you.

Usually we don't put ourtree up until Christmas Eve.

But this year, well,

we sort of want toshare this one with you.

I received so many beautifulChristmas cards from you

that we just tied them all over the tree,

doesn't it look beautiful?

Not only helps to decorate them, but well,

it literally makes it a treeof well wishes from you to me.

God, I'm so thankful for this.

One of the cards has a little note on it.

And here it is.

"Dear Loretta," it says,"from one mother to another,

I have a favor to ask.

My son is not well and has beenin bed for the past two years.

He is however improving every day,thank God.

He enjoys watching you on TV,

and has asked me to ask you

to please send him a Christmascard for his collection

and to please sign it to Skippy.

Merry Christmas from Lorena."

Well Skip, it's my pleasure.

And here is your card.

Now this is a very special card

for an especially courageous young man.

And I promise you,you'll have it by Christmas morning.

But right now, I want you totake a good look at your card

and see if you don't think this is magic.

[instrumental Christmas music]

I got a letter for you.

[Joe] He sure has a dirty face,

he should know not to runhis hands across it all the time.

[music continues]

[box hits the floor]

What do you want?

I got a letter for you.

What do you want me to do with it?

Other places I'm supposedto put it in it's too high.

Watch out kid, will you?

[Joe] I wonder how old he is.

Pretty old and yet about my father's age.

Hey look, kid, you'll have tofind someplace else to play.

I'm not playing.

All I'm trying to do is mailmy letter to Santa Claus.

And the other places thatI'm supposed to put it in are too high.

It's just what I need,another letter to Santa Claus.

I'm sure it makes my day complete.

[Joe]I'm glad you're glad.

I'm hysterical.

[Joe] He sure doesn't look glad.

Get out of here, will you?

Okay, but you didn't take my letter.

Will it get there right away?It's really important.

What's your name, kid?

Joe.

What's yours?

Al. Now look Joe,

it won't do any good tomail your letter, see?

It won't go anyplace.

- [Joe] What?- [Al] It...

Santa Claus has alreadyleft the North Pole

so he can't get any more letters.

[Al] Just give it to you folks,they'll take care of it for you.

Wait a minute Al, I can't.

I don't have any folks.

[Joe] I mean, I've got a mother but

she works at this book club all day.

And I have to stay withMrs. Anderson next door

on the time after I get back from school.

That's why I wrote the letter,

I want my father to come home.

Where'd he go?

[Joe] He just went away, that's all.

He got hurt in this accident,and he just went away.

Yeah, well, that's too bad.

[handling packages]

Santa Claus just got to get my letter.

And you just got to get it to him.

My mother said my father wasnever coming home anymore.

But I believe in surprises, see?

You work here and you knowhow to get it to Santa Claus.

You work here, you knowhow to get it to Santa Claus!

Kid, I told you.

My father just got tocome home for Christmas

on the account that he promised me

some marbles and an electric train.

Did you hear me, Al?

Yeah, I heard you but there'snothing I can do to help you, see?

Now go on, b*at it.

I'm sorry Joe,but I can't take your letter.

Scram, will you?

Sure you can take it.

It's got a stamp on it and everything.

I'll leave it here andwhen you're not so busy

you can mail it, okay?

I'll be back pretty soon,

tomorrow I guess.

There will be an answer by then, huh.

Okay, I'll see you tomorrow.

[melancholic music]

[happy music]

[bells jingling]

[Joe] That's sure a good train.

I wish I could stay here

but I promised to Al yesterday

to come back and get my letter today.

Well, go on, train.

[instrumental Christmas music]

[door closes]

Hi.

I was looking all over for you.

His face is still dirty.

Hi.

Did my letter come?

It did come, didn't it?

As a matter of fact a letterdid turn up this morning

addressed to somebody named Joe.

That's me.

Yeah.

Nobody could have beenmore surprised than I was.

See? It's J-O-E, right there.

Here Al, read it.

Hurry up, I want to see whenis my father coming home.

Oh don't go jumping to conclusions.

Take it easy until we see whatthe letter has to say, will you?

Hurry up!

Sit still.

Dear Joe,

thanks for your letter.

I wish I could make sure your fatherwas coming home for Christmas.

I'm afraid I can't.

So please don't count on it.

However, have a Merry Christmas.

Very truly yours, Santa Claus.

Is that all? There must be more.

As a matter of fact,now that you mentioned it...

Marbles turned up this morning,I guess maybe they were for you.

[tossing marbles]

See? He knew I wanted thesemarbles and I got them.

I better hurry and write himanother letter about my father.

No Joe, it's no use youwriting another letter.

I know, this time you write it, Al.

Now look, kid.

And tell him not to forgetthe rest of the stuff.

Yeah, I know, the electric train.

You sure are a determined kid.

But so am I, right now I'meating my lunch, so run along.

Is that a boloney sandwich?

Is it good?

Can I possibly persuade you to join me?

Sure.

Why don't you want towrite this letter for me?

[Joe]Don't you know how to write letters?

Yeah, I know how to write letters.

I know how to write letters

but I don't know how toget the right answers.

What's the matter?

Don't you think you're gonnaget what you want for Christmas?

Well, you might put it that way.

You know, in the army they callit a Dear John letter.

John? Your name is Al.

[chair moving]

[orange hits the wall]

Hey, that was a good orange.

Was it?

[Joe] He sure can getcrabby all of a sudden.

Like that big lion the timemy father took me to the zoo.

He had a toothache andtried to bite everybody.

Go on home, kid.

Is a Dear John letter real bad?

Just means that your girlmarried someone else.

Girls are sure dumb.

Al, did your girl marry someone else?

Okay, kid I haven't got anyplans for this afternoon.

Don't let me keep you.

Thanks for the sandwich.

Okay.

Don't forget to write the letter

and make it real good.

I thought we just went all through this.

It's no use, it won't do any good.

Sure, well, if you write it Al.

Better send it air mail.

Bye.

[instrumental Christmas music]

Dear Joe, as I said in my first letter,I'm sorry,

but I can't bring yourfather home for Christmas.

I'd really like to but I can't,so lay off.

PS. And don't ask Al towrite any more letters.

There is enough to worry about

without you pestering him all the time.

Santa Claus.

[crumpling paper sheet]

Dear Joe...

[door opens]

[door closes]

[Joe]Al!

Where are you?

Al!

[footsteps]

Did my letter come?Is he coming home?

Wasn't there anything for me?

Is that a fried egg sandwich?

Maybe the letter got lost,I'll just bet it did.

Will you look for it?

I'm eating my lunch.

I mean, we're eating my lunch.

It's good.

Don't they ever feed youat home or at school?

You're not supposed to eat at school.

You're supposed to learn things.

Didn't you ever go to school?

Off and on.

What are you supposed to learn at school?

Drawing and things.

What are you supposed to learn?

Drawing and things.

I was going to be an architect.

See, that sounds well. What is it?

An architect?

Somebody who builds things,like houses and bridges.

Help me eat this.

Sure.

I wish I had a house.

Could you build one for me, Al?

- [Al] I'm afraid not.- [Joe] Why not?

I just never learned how.

I went into the Army andthen I never went back to school.

[Joe]Why not?

I sure wish I couldlearn to build a house.

It's pretty odd.

Besides, that was a long time ago.

A long time ago.

When I had lots of plans.

And they didn't includedoing anything like this,

believe me.

I could have helpedhim eat that candy bar.

What's the matter with him anyway?

After this week,I won't even have this job.

Why don't you want to build a house?

[Joe] You could have a dog inthe backyard and everything.

[tossing paper bag]

Now why did he do that for?

There was still something in it.

I don't want a dog or a house or anything.

Now go on home.

I got lots of work to do.

Go play with your marbles.

Okay, Al.

[door opens]

Would you please look for my letter?

There isn't any letter.

[Joe] She's real mad,

Like my father the time Idropped his watch in the bathtub.

Gee, Al. I thought you were my friend.

I'm sorry, Joe.

But you know, you can't alwaysget what you want for Christmas.

You do if you want it bad enough.

My father said so.

I'm sorry, believe me.

And run along, why don't you get lost.

I haven't got any time to play more games.

Who asked you to play games?

All I wanted you to do is...

All right for you.

I don't like you anymore.

And when I tell my mother,she won't either.

[melancholic music]

[joyful music]

You're out kind of late.

I had to watchMrs. Anderson bake some cookies.

- [Joe] Do you want one?- [Al] No.

They have pictures of angels on them.

No, thanks, kid.

[Joe] He sure is cold.

Al's face is everything.

My mother said last night

my father really wasn't coming home.

She said I shouldn't have bothered you.

I'm sorry I bothered you, Al.

That's alright, kid.

Everything bothers me.

Do you like cigars?

- [Al] What?- [Joe] Cigars.

No, I hate them, why?

I had Mrs. Anderson buy you one.

It's a Christmas present.

I had to buy it with my own money.

As a matter of fact,

there is one brand of cigars I do like.

What do you know?

It just happens to be my brand.

Thanks a million.I'll smoke it tomorrow for Christmas.

Why don't you smoke it now?

Okay.

[match strike]

[Joe] He looks at that cigarlike my father the time

I put this real frail dead lizardon his plate at dinner.

[coughing]

Don't you like my cigar?

I love it.

[Joe] His face doesn't look blue anymore.

Looks kind of green.

Better get on home, kid.

That lady will worry about you.

Who? Mrs. Anderson?

She thinks I'm picking it up

on the account my motherworks late tonight.

When she gets home,we're going up to buy a Christmas tree.

That ought to be fun.

Oh, and we could surprise her andhave the tree up already,

so we can put the electric train under it.

What electric train?

[Joe] He never listens to me.

Don't you remember?The one I asked for in my letter.

I wouldn't count on it.

You know, you can't be too sureabout getting everything you want.

For example, you need an electric train,but I need a new suit.

One of us might be disappointed.

It'll come our way.

Say, Al, do you like to putthings on a Christmas tree?

Not much.

I do. That's why I'm gonna buy a big one.

Got the money?

[Joe] Sure, he might thinkI'm dumb or something.

I have almost a dollar saved up.

Only I spent some money on your cigar.

[Joe] Uh oh. He's gettingmad or tired or something again.

Better get on home, kid.

Forget about the treeand the electric train.

Just get a good night's sleep.

You can sleep anytime,but not on Christmas Eve.

It's too much fun.

Yeah.

[Joe] I wonder if Al has any fun.

The cigar went out.

Yeah, I'm saving it for tomorrow.

Here, I'll leave these for tomorrow too.

You know, you take them.

They're really yours.

Most of them have pictures ofangels on them, so one says Al.

So long, Al.Merry Christmas.

Hey, Joey, wait a minute.

[instrumental Christmas music]

I just happen to think I know a fella

and sells Christmas trees.Real big ones for a quarter.

Geez, well, where?

Over about a block or so.

I thought we might buy a treeand then catch a cab home.

Where do you live?

, Apartment C.

Hey, we're practically neighbors.

If you don't mind,I've got to stop by in the way

and take care of a little business.

Okay, I'm beginning to getexcited, aren't you Al?

Yeah, sort of.

Come on.

[instrumental Christmas music]

Okay, Joe.

Now let's see aboutthat Christmas tree.

That sure's a swell train, Al.

Yeah.

Hey, Al, I'm short. Could you help me?

Never could've gotten it as good alone!

[door knocking]

[door opens]

Joe Dodds?

Yeah.

Merry Christmas.

- [Joe] Merry Christmas.- [Al] Let me give you a hand.

It could be, Al.

- What?- Box is big enough.

It is big enough forelectric train as that.

- [Al] Should we open it and see?- [Joe] Sure!

Look, it is my train!

What do you know?

Come on, let's set it up.

And you said you don't alwaysget what you want for Christmas.

I bet when you go homeyour suit will be right there.

You know, kidI don't care if it is or not.

I don't get my suit, it'll be becauseI didn't want it badly enough.

Just like you said.

Gee, Al. This is a real good engine.

[door closes]

- Hi, Ma!- Hi.

Gee! You sure look tired and everything.

This is Al!

He helped me get carry the tree homeand put it up and everything.

[Joe] What are they smiling about?

What's so funny anyway?

I'm awfully glad to meet you, Al.

[Joe] It sure sounds funny.

[Joe] Hey, why is her facepink and everything, I wonder?

So beautiful.

Certainly it's nice tomeet you, Mrs. Dodds.

Joe, an electric train!

Yeah, it just now got here.

It did, huh?

This is...

This is so kind of you.

Th... Thanks for everything.

It was fun.

It's a real pleasure.

I really enjoyed trimmingyour Christmas tree.

I'm glad.

[Joe] What's the matter with him?

He said he didn't liketo trim Christmas trees.

Well, I... I guess I better be going now.

You folks probably have things to do.

Well, we'd like you to join us.

Wouldn't we, Joey?

Sure!

I brought home some nice fruitcake.

Would you like a piece of it?

And a nice hot cup of coffee.

That does sound good.

Fine.

You sit right down.I'll have it ready in a minute.

Thank you.

[Joe] He's so polite and everything.

I... I understand that youwork at the post office.

Yes, ma'am.It's just temporary work.

I'm thinking of going back toschool and studying Architecture.

Architecture.

Oh, my.

That sure sounds exciting.

[Joe] Why does she say that for?

She doesn't like it at all!

[Al] That's really what I'm interested in.

Oh.

Building.

I see.

Would you like a cigar?

They've been here for quite some time

but the covering's supposedto keep them fresh.

Yes, thank you.

I enjoy a good cigar.

That's my favorite brand.

I sure like the smell of cigar smoke.

It's kind of nice, isn't it?

Especially with the smells ofthe tree and the coffee and mixed in.

Yeah, I like it.

You... You live around here?

- I have a room a few blocks down.- Oh.

- But just temporary.- Aha.

Someday I'm gonna build a house.

I always look forward toowning my own house sometime.

With a dog in the yard.

[Joe] He sure must'vechanged his mind or something.

House and a dog... Sounds wonderful.

Hey, Al, how come?

You know Joe,

there's something I've been wantingto tell you for a long time.

What?

Merry Christmas.

Merry Christmas, Al.

Well, I'm ready.

[instrumental Christmas music]

[cuttlery clinking]

Oh, thank you.

Joey, come and turn off the overhead light.

["Silent Night" starts playing]

I'll take your cap.

There.

[sighs]This night.

[Joe] If you want something bad enough,

and look for your prayers,and keep your face clean and everything

you always get somebody.

It's funny.

By having Al here with mom and me,

it's just like having myfather home for Christmas.

Ah...

Isn't he darling?

Children have a way of bringing happinessto all of us just by being children.

Honest, simple and trusting.

What is that wonderful quotation?

"A little child shall lead them."

Good night. See you next week.

[applause]