01x21 - A Family Out of Us

[bunniefuu]

[waves crashing]

[music]

Letter to Loretta.

Starring Loretta Young.

The first time wetold this story was in

response to a letterfrom an eight year old boy

We wanted to knowand I'm quoting now.

Is cub scouting agood deal for kids?

Well, we said yes,we thought it was.

But sometimes we thought it was evena better deal for their parents.

Now, these particular parentsin our story are friends of mine.

They're the Whitneys and they livein a beautiful house in Brentwood.

[music]

-Angie.-Hmm.

Well.

Finally decided to come home.

What are you still doing up?It's after in the morning?

Where have you been all night?

Well, after the opera wewent over to Josie's for a

bite to eat and got coffee youknow. Where's Mr. Whitney?

Working late again?

I thought when you gotto be the president of a big

company, you got otherpeople to do your work for you.

Why be president?

Not David.

He's very conscientious.

Did you just dozeoff their Angie?

indeed not.

In addition to myduties as a housekeeper,

I've also taken ournose of the mailman.

Your son wrote you a letter.

Oh.[laugh]

A letter?

A sad day and age when amother and son living under

the same roof has towrite letters to each other.

Expect you do to look in onhim before you went out tonight.

Well, the thingsgot so rushed, you

know, I was at itfor dinner as it Walt's.

He's such a good boy.

Yes, he is. He'sjust crazy about you too.

Very good friends.

Well, good night

Angie.

You know, you're the prettiestmail man we've had yet.

[laugh] Get to bed

Late hours havetouched your head. [laugh]

[laugh]

[door closing]

David.

Hmm.

Oh.

-Hi.-Hi.

Say, I'm sorry about tonight, Vicky.

The plan for that newpassenger jet came

through and I justhad to go over him.

Planned as modern as that, you'dexpect they'd have a telephone.

Yeah I should have called.

-Yeah.-We got started and.

you know, this plane is thebiggest thing we've ever attempted.

You don't seem to realizejust how important it is.

I try to understand,David, but really it's kind of

difficult for me becauseI know so little about it.

Well, it's a thingthat's hard to explain.

Yes...yes, of course.

However, I would appreciateit if you'd ask your secretary

to notify me when youcan't keep our appointment.

It's a little embarrassingwhen you're.

I honestly don'tknow what to tell her.

Yeah I'm sorry Ishould have called.

Won't happen again, I promise.Good night, honey. I'm dead.

-David.-Hmm.

We have a letter from our son.

From where?

From his bedroomon the second floor.

Oh come on over hereand sit down for a minute.

Look at this.

Pretty good handwriting for a boyof his age, don't you say? [laugh]

-Very.-Dear mom and dad.

You notice no more Mommy and Daddy.

If I don't join the CubScouts, I'm going to be old.

Chris and Petebelonged for a year.

I want to join.

I can pay for it outof my allowance.

Allowance, A-L-O-U-N-C-E. [laugh]

Like mother like son.

Please please can I?

David Whitney junior.

So formal.

What are Cub Scouts?

Oh, you know, they'relittle Boy Scouts.

Oh, yeah, I got it.

And look here's theparent's Cub Scout magazine.

-See?-Hmm, hmm.

I'll tell you what you do.

You give him this in the morning.

Those clubs alwaystake you for extras.

Good night, honey.

Well, then it's all right.I tell him he can join.

Oh, sure. It'll makea man out of him.

[music]

[door opening]

[door closing]

Oh, thanks Angie.

I hope you'll read thispart here very carefully.

Cub Scouting is a programfor boys and their parents.

The program has been developedso that your interest and help

are necessary for yourboy to succeed as a Scout.

You'll notice there's nothingin there about Angie the maid

taking any hikes or going onany outings looking for bugs.

No, I noticed. Angie.

Hey, Mom.

did you get myletters? All right. Chris

and Peter cups.Can I be one, please?

Good morning Duffy.

Yes, I got your letter.

Did dad read it?

What did he say? Can I?

Yes, your daddy readit, and he says he thinks

it'd be a wonderfulthing for you to do.

He left this for you.

Gee, what's this for?

Well, it's for whateveryou might need, see?

But it doesn't cost hardlyanything to join the Cubs.

Oh, Well I'd put it away anyway.

I'm sure you'll find someuse for it when you're a Cubs.

Then I can join? This isthe happiest day of my life.

Okay Duffy.

Listen, mom, we haveto be there next Friday.

-Oh.-You'll tell dad, won't you?

he's just got to be there.

And while you know how, he forgets.

yes honey I do knowand I will tell him

But, the where do we have to be?

At the school. Friday night, .

-Oh.-We're joining the Cubs.

-We're joining the Cubs?-Yes.

You'll tell dad, won't you?Yes, I'll sell him darling.

I promise you to do my bestto drew my duty to become

my country, to be squareand obey the laws of the pack.

You know.

cubbingis for the whole family.

You mothers and fathers have certainresponsibilities. As a Cub parent.

You'll be expected to attendour monthly Pack meetings.

And to work with your sons onthe Cub Achievement Program.

Do you acceptthese responsibilities?

-We do.-Yes.

All right.

Now, if the dads will pin theirsons with these Cub Scout insignias.

Oh, couldn't Mr. Whitney make it?

No, I'm sorry. He missed it.

Oh, that's too bad.Will you pin your boy?

-Surely.-Place the pin on your boy

upside down.

He must wear it this way untilhe has done his first good deed.

Then you may reverse theinsignia the right side up.

Mrs Whitney.I'd like you to meet my wife.

-Oh how do you do?-How do you do?

Mrs Henry will beDuffy's den mother.

Oh, how nice.

That nice, Duff.

Yeah

My goodness, the Henry's arein the Cubs full force, aren't you?

It must be a terrific amountof work for you, Ms. Henry.

Well, in my present condition,it is a little hard keeping up with

the boys. There are only six in myden, but they're all jet propelled.

But if I can ever be of anyhelp to you, just call on me.

I'm calling. You can helpme with the meeting on Friday.

Oh.

I'm sorry Friday that thatthat's not a good day for me.

But any other time.

A den mother can always use help,mental and physical. [laugh]

-Excuse me.-Yes surely.

but it's fun I keeptelling myself.

So when you havesome free time and you're

feeling strong, whydon't you call me?

I certainly will do that.

Where's Duff? He was here.

I don't know.

Well, I'll see you later.

Right.

-Bye, Jerry.-Goodbye.

[walking]

[door opening]

[door closing]

Duffy. I know

it's hard for you to understand.Why your daddy didn't come tonight.

Jerry's Father was here.

Cutris and Pete.

Yeah, I know he was. Theyboth of them. I saw them.

But well, maybethey haven't got the

responsibilitiesthat your daddy has.

I mean businessresponsibilities.

Remember he's thepresident of his company.

He's the boss ofthousands of people.

and they're his responsibility too.

And, oh, he does a wonderfuljob looking after them.

That's somethingto be proud of, Duff.

And he's awfully good to us.

We have a nice house.

Jerry has a nice house.

Yeah.

Of course he has, honey.

Look, Duff.

Maybe someday you'll be a presidentof a big company like your daddy is.

And you'll have alittle boy like you.

And you want yourlittle boy and his

mummy to understandhow busy you are.

Now it won't meanthat you don't love them.

It's just that you'rebusy, that's all.

So don't be mad atyour daddy, honey.

You wouldn't want yourlittle boy to be mad at you.

I'm sorry.

Yes, Mom.

-Thanks Duff.-You're welcome.

You know I,

I think I'd considerthat a good deed.

The I'm going to turnyour pin right around.

How's that?

Okay.

How about the icecream on the way home?

I know the cyclone.

-Oh well, we got the car.-Please.

I'm sorry. Of course, I'd love to.

[music]

[door closing]

Hi.

Hi, have a good game?

Oh, terrible.

We didn't play panasta, weplayed a thing called Scrabble.

I found out I not onlycan't spell, I'm ignorant.

No comment.

What may I ask is that?

just a week ago thiswas a number nine

coffee can. And madam,you look at it today.

Oh, another artistictriumph for the Cubs.

Where is my little monster?

He's at the Cubstransforming another batch

of cans into heavenonly know's what?

Angie it's a quarter of seven.He couldn't still be there?

an artist knows no time.

Oh well, the mother ofthe artist is going to find out.

Can't imagine Mrs. Henrykeeping him this late. Let me see.

Henry.

Here it is.

[dialing number]

Hello Ms. Henry. Ms. Whitney.

You're kind ofworking overtime, aren't

you? When youplan to closed shop.

Isn't Duffy there?

He said what?

With his father?

No.

No, he didn't.

Yes. All right. Thanks, Ms. Henry.

What is it?

She said Duffy leftthere at o'clock.

Three hours ago.

Mr. Whitney please.

Betty, this is Mrs.Whitney is he there?

Well I'm sorry you'll have todisturb him, this is very important.

Yes, that's right.

David.

Is Duffy there withyou by any chance?

Oh.

David something's happened to him.

No, but he's been gone for hoursand nobody knows where he is.

Dave when you're coming home?

Please, you've just got to it.

I know something'shappened to him.

Well, he told Mrs.Henry that he had to

leave early becausehe and his father

were going on apicnic tonight because

they couldn't go onthe picnic next week.

That's right.

All right, but hurry, would you?

[music]

[door closing]

[music]

[door opening]

Hello.

Yes, Ms. Henry?

-He's home yet?-No.

No.

No I'm glad you told me.

Yeah thank you goodbye.

[putting telephone down]

What is it vicky? Who was that?

That was Ms. Henry.

Duffy's. Den mother.Did a Mr. Henry call

you a couple of weeksago about a picnic?

Henry?

Oh yes. I don't knowexactly what it was about.

Something to do with Duffy,so I referred to call to you.

Why me?

You're his father.

Oh David, doesn't he haveany interest in your son at all?

Vicky, that's not fair. Youknow how busy I've been.

Busy, busy, I know.

Look, Mr. Henryhas put hours and

hours every week inwith your son. More

than you give hima month. And you

were too busy toanswer a phone call.

Sure that his call couldn'thave been this important.

Not to you, no.

But I obviously it wasvery important to your son.

So important why didyou have him call me back?

Because he never called me.

After your brushoff. I guess he just

decided to dropMr. And Mrs. Whitney.

I'm not blaming itall on you, David.

I should have shownmore interest, too.

More interest in what?

Duffy is a poor little thing.

Both of us are always too busy.

No wonder Mr. Henrytook pity on him.

What do you mean, pity?

Just that.

Mr. Henry told his sonto tell Duffy that if he ever

needed any help with thescouting to come to him.

Well, this afternoon Jerrytold Duffy that he'd share his

father with him and Duffypoked him right in the nose.

You see, he's your son. He's proudand he doesn't want to substitute.

If he needed help, whydidn't he come to me?

Because he's not usedto coming to you, David.

Oh, it's true. You andyour son are strangers.

We're all strangers in this.

Vicky.

Oh, David, where is he?

Take it easy take it easy,honey. We'll find him.

We'll find him. Nowlook, we called the police.

I called him.

Mrs. Henry calledall of his little

friends and nobodyknows where he is.

Now, come on, sit down here.

I think I'll go out and justhave a little look around, okay.

I'll go with you.

No, you just stayhere and you relax.

No, I'd rather be doing something.

Look, I'll go to the park andyou look around the school.

David.

There's so much wehave to straighten out.

I do love you so much.

Come on let's go.

Yeah.

[door opening]

[music]

Dad?

How much of a picnic is it, Duff?

But dad, the picnic isn't tonight.

It isn't? Well, I'll be dark

Here's a nice little fire.What do you use? Driftwood?

So the picnic isn't tonight.

It's lucky for us we bothmade the same mistake.

Now the two of us canhave sort of a private picnic.

Hmm.

Hamburger.

What's the matter? Don'tyou like hamburgers?

I love them.

You better dig in.There's two apiece. And

I'm not saying I'mgoing to stop after two.

Can we come to theCub picnic next week?

Sure we can.

Now that we know theway. It'll be a cinch, won't it?

What's the matter Duff?

Nothing, I justwanted to go, that's all.

You won't forget, will you?

No, I won't forget.

Listen, what's this I hear aboutyou needing help with your scouting?

I don't know how to tie my tie.

You don't?

After this, you cometo your old man.

Anybody will tell you he tiesaround his square knots in town.

[laugh]

Good?

You know, dad, Iwas sort of hungry too.

[music]

I'm full.

And sleepy.

Just full.

VickyNo thanks.

It's good. What's the matter to youguys? Don't you like my cooking?

Dad, you're the greatest.

You don't sound very enthusiastic.

Well, I think your son hasexhausted his store of enthusiasm.

Come on, let'sstretch out the couch.

There you go. Duffy.

Sure he's growing.

Little boys have ahabit of doing that.

I may be slightly prejudiced, butisn't he the most wonderful boy?

Simply a reflectionof his parents.

[laugh] Aren't we smug.

Very.

-Vicky.-Hmm.

I wish you could haveseen Duffy this afternoon

when I took him and theboys through the plant.

He should have kept mejumping with his questions.

You know he's smart.

-Sure-They all are.

I made notes of someof the questions they

asked and later on Foleyand I went over them

and by the time we'd figuredout all the answers we'd

found out a couple of waysto improve our operations.

That's wonderful.

Made us feel prettyfoolish for a bunch

of kids to comein and set us straight.

Hmm.

Out of the mouths of babes.

Yeah.

You know, Foley and hisboys want us to go on a hunting

trip over the first part of theholidays. Would you mind?

But I thought youhad to go to New York.

No, I can wait untilafter the first of the year.

I thought maybe by then youmight be able to go with me.

But it's a business trip.

And you're a deductible.

Oh, David.

Come on, it'd be fun. We haven'thad a real vacation for a long time.

Oh, I'd love it.

And anyway, they have wonderfulsales in New York in January.

We've got a date?

Oh, darling, you have apermanent date with me.

Promise.

I promise to do my best, todo my duty to my God in my

country, to be square andto obey the laws of the pack.

[laugh]

Come here. I'll sign your book.

[music]