05x11 - The Lotus Blossom

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My Three Sons, starring Fred MacMurray,
and as Bub, William Frawley.

My Three Sons, starring Fred MacMurray,
and as Bub, William Frawley.

I apologize.

You were disappointed not to have Peking
Duck, but if I had known yesterday,

it would have been ready.

Well, I'm not disappointed, Mrs. Lange.

Now I have an excuse to come back.

You're very gracious.

Excuse me.

Isn't she charming?

A very beautiful woman.

If Mai and I weren't such good friends, I could be jealous.

Honey, I admire Mai like I admire a Wu
Chen landscape or a Ming vase.

Something lovely from another time and place.

A wife should be contemporary.

She's a Ming vase, and I'm a plastic mixing bowl.

Hey, Bub, I thought you said you couldn't use chopsticks.

You're doing great.

Yeah.

What kind of a trade-in could you get me
on our old knives and forks?

Great.

Does Mrs. Ling run this restaurant all by herself?

Yes, since the death of her husband.

May your futures be sweeter than the
cookies in which you find them.

Thank you.

You know, I believe in fortune cookies.

You know, you can make them mean just
about anything you want to.

Oh, boy.

Your heart will be captured by a
fair-haired beauty, Esther June Tomlinson.

She's a brunette.

Not since Saturday.

Listen to this.

Your life will be brighter.

Sweeping changes ahead.

You're getting that new vacuum cleaner for me, eh, Steve?

Chip, what does yours say?

Nothing much.

Well, come on.

Let's see, Chip.

You will win a prize, but lose your heart.

What does the future hold for you, Mr. Douglas?

Well, let's see.

A small disappointment will bring much happiness.

Boy, you couldn't miss.

I bet you could be city champ.

Maybe state.

Or maybe even go to the national tournament.

Ernie, I got better things to do than to play marbles.

I wish I could play like you do.

Well, you're not bad for a kid.

You lose because you worry too much about losing.

They're only marbles.

Yeah, but I don't like to think of
somebody else on my cat's eye.

Or this image.

If there was someone I was sure I could be.

Well, then it wouldn't be any fun.

Hi.

Hi.

Got some marbles.

Want to play?

But I can't play marbles with a girl.

I can play pretty good.

I play for Keith.

But there's one thing worse than having a
girl staring at me.

Seeing one cry.

It's a great pleasure to have you here
with us again, Mr. Douglas.

Well, the feeling is mutual, as you can see.

Again, I didn't expect you, or I would
have prepared a special dish.

We made up our minds at the last minute, Mike.

Cheese cove.

I'll bring you a fresh pot.

Thanks, Mike.

You know, Ray, this is the best Chinese
food I've ever eaten.

I don't know how I missed this place.

It's been here a long time.

Since I can remember.

Remember, h* Ling opened it when he first came from China.

He must have been a lot older than Mrs. Ling.

He was.

h* brought Mai from Hong Kong as a bride,
and she was only 15.

This cafe is the only life she has ever known in America.

Now she must sell out.

What's she going to do?

She's decided to go back to Hong Kong.

Tony.

Some hot tea?

Yes, thank you.

Oh.

Oh, thank you.

Both hands.

When tea is served with both hands and
accepted with both hands, it is a pledge of friendship.

Oh, I see.

Thank you.

My, why don't you tell Steve how the custom started?

Well, it goes back to the ancient method
for settling quarrels.

When there had been a disagreement
and one person was willing

to admit he had been wrong,
then he would suggest a pot of tea.

And he would offer the other a cup of tea.

And he would offer the other a cup with both
hands, showing that he could not strike a blow.

How could he with both hands on the teacup?

It would be a little difficult, wouldn't it?

If the other also took the cup with both
hands, then they're friends again.

Well, thank you.

Excuse me.

Thanks, Mike.

I've known mine for a long time, and I've
never seen her so outspoken with a man before.

Well, I think she's just being courteous,
Ray, because I'm your friend.

Oh, I know her better than that.

Steve, Alice and I feel she's running back
to Hong Kong without giving herself a

chance to be part of the world outside this cafe.

You mean she's afraid of the outside world?

Yes.

Instead of just retreating to Hong Kong,
we'd like to see her make a fair choice.

Maybe you can help her, Steve.

Well, how could I help?

She has great respect for you.

Perhaps you can make her realize that this
is a very important moment in her life.

This is a warm and friendly country, and she
could be part of it if she will only climb out of her shell.

You mean she needs self-confidence, huh?

That's it.

Well, I'll do what I can, Ray.

And it'll be a pleasure.

Hi, love.

What do we have for dinner?

O'Casey stew.

Uh, is it okay if Sally eats with us?

Why, sure.

Great, then I'm going to go pick her up at work.

One guest.

Equals one more cup of water.

One more potato.

Hi.

Hi, boss.

Hi, fellas.

Mr. O'Casey, can Chip have dinner at my house?

Well, is this a little surprise for your mother?

No, Mom says it's okay.

He's celebrating.

Look at all the marbles I won.

Well, who'd you beat?

You won't tell.

What's the difference as long as I win?

Okay, but be a little careful with the champagne.

And thanks, Rob.

One for some less.

Here are the groceries, Bub.

Thanks, Rob, thanks.

Bub, uh, you remember those fortune cookies?

Yeah, why?

Mine was sure right.

About that fair-haired beauty.

Oh, you and that Esther June What's-Her-Name
have got things going great, huh?

No, no.

She's a redhead this week.

But, uh, Loretta Roush and I just discovered each other.

Well, that's dandy.

Oh, is it okay if Pete Gaskins has dinner with us?

His mom's out of town.

I don't know why not.

Sure.

Great.

Now we can spend that eating money she gave him for gas.

Hi, Bub.

Hi.

Hmm, smells like I'm going to miss a good dinner.

Why, are you going out?

Yeah, I'm finally going to have that Peking duck.

Mrs. Ling's been preparing it since Wednesday.

Well, I've been collecting the stuff I got
in that stew for a week.

I hope my not being here isn't going to complicate things.

Wonder if I could borrow your slide rule.

What for?

I want to try and figure out how many are
going to be here for dinner.

Well, Mr. Douglas, did you have a nice dinner?

Well, my, again, I've eaten too much.

You know, I've had Peking duck and Taipei,
Manila, Hong Kong, all over, but never anything like this.

It was great.

Very kind of you.

Ray tells me that you're going to sell this place.

Yes, I found a buyer.

And then you're going back to Hong Kong.

Yes.

It's hard to imagine anyone else running the place.

Well, you've given it such a personal touch.

With the wind chimes and the flowers.

The flowers have always been very important to me.

The orchid, the bottom, the chrysanthemum, the lotus.

I was born in the month of the lotus.

That's very appropriate.

But this one doesn't seem to want to blossom.

But when it does, it'll be very beautiful.

It'll be worth waiting for.

Is it permissible for the owner to have a
tea with the customer?

Of course.

What did you say?

I asked what tea comes.

Thank you.

This tea was part of my dowry for my husband.

Part of your dowry?

That was quite a while ago, wasn't it?

It has been served only to our very special guests.

I'm honored.

The longer the tea leaves are kept, the
older they get, the more we prize them.

Mmm, that's a wonderful aroma.

It's flavored with lychee so that the fragrance
may linger and with it, pleasant memories.

You make drinking a cup of tea something special.

For me, Mr. Douglas, this evening is something special.

Why don't you call me Steve?

All right, Steve.

Thank you.

Well, Ray, we're off somewhere here.

Yes, but where?

Hysteresis.

Check.

Doppler damping.

Check.

Sinusoidal reduction.

Check.

Exponential and gamma distribution.

Check.

Alice, that's very rude.

Rude?

Me?

Yes, speaking in the language you know
Steve can't understand.

How do you think I feel listening to you two talk?

Now, sinusoidal, solicitine?

Our apologies, Alice.

Oh, you're forgiven.

Now, have some tea.

Thank you.

Very proper.

Mai's a good influence.

Oh, well, Mai's a remarkable woman.

We think so too, Steve.

Now, if we could only convince her.

She's frightened to stay here.

A lone Chinese woman.

She's determined to go back to Hong Kong.

Maybe she's right.

Maybe she's been living in 12th century China too long.

I don't think so, Ray.

Mai's a charming and charming woman.

She's an intelligent woman.

There's no reason why she shouldn't get along anywhere.

You really believe that, Steve?

Oh, absolutely.

The only trouble is Mai doesn't believe it.

So I'm going to prove to her just how adaptable she is.

How, Steve?

Well, on Thursday night, I'm taking her to
a small dinner party at the Powell's.

Among non-Chinese strangers, she'll never agree to go.

She already has.

She has?

Well.

Please, Ray, please tell him I cannot go
with him to the party tomorrow night.

Then why did you accept in the first place?

I was excited.

I was pleased that he wanted me to meet
his friends, and I said yes without thinking.

My, you'll have a wonderful time.

Oh, please, Ray.

My friendship with Mr. Douglas is very important to me.

I do not wish to spoil it.

You think spending an evening out... with
Steve and his world will spoil your friendship?

You see, here I know what to do and what to say.

It's all prescribed, a formula.

It's only the surroundings that charm him.

You're wrong, my.

It is because he is your friend.

Steve wants you to realize how wrong you are.

In a few days, I leave for Hong Kong.

All I can say, my, is you break your date
with Steve, you'll be making a big mistake.

I don't know what to do.

Suppose I disappoint him, embarrass him in
front of his friends.

Take me away from this place, from what I'm trained to be.

What am I?

A woman of dignity.

Remember that, my.

Well, my.

Is this really you?

I think so.

But when I look into the mirror, I'm not sure.

Do I look strange?

No, you look great.

Well, shall we go?

I feel as if I'm going to die.

I'm about to dive off a high board into cold water.

Well, there may be a little shock at
first, my, but then I think you'll like it.

And this is George's wife, Helen, and
Dorothy Maven, and her husband, Phil.

Mrs. Ling, how are you?

Would you like to sit down, Mrs. Ling?

Hey, Steve, I want to show you something.

Now, look here.

Phil and I have been arguing about this
bridge hand all afternoon.

Now, it was in the paper this afternoon.

Now, you're the dealer, and you're vulnerable.

Sit down.

Sit right down.

Now, you're the dealer, you're vulnerable,
and you pick up this hand.

What do you bid first?

Well, two spares.

Would you like a drink, Mrs. Link?

No, thank you, Mrs. Nathan.

Oh, Dorothy, Mrs. Maben, I'm Mrs. Powell.

Oh, I'm sorry.

Names.

There should be some painless way of introducing people.

We should wear those cards that they have at conventions.

Would you like a cigarette?

No, thank you.

I suppose you find the United States very
different from China.

Yes.

How long have you lived here?

Oh, um, 14 years.



Oh, my goodness, you're practically a native.

You know, I like Chinese food,
but I can't get George to try it.

Oh, that's where it is.

My Larry's been looking for that for three days.

You have children?

Yes, three.

I have two.

That is, unless you can't sell.

Oh, don't get us started on our children.

Oh, please do tell me about them.

Well, as you see, my Larry is a car
enthusiast, but if he grows up to be a

driver like his father, there's no one in
the family that's going to be safe.

He's just the same age as my Vera Lou.

And the other day, they built a lemonade
stand in front of our apartment building.

And before I could catch them,
you know that they had sold eight of them.

Eighty cents worth of lemonade.

That reminds me.

When I was young, my cousin and I,
on a very hot summer day, we made some

sweet, sour plum juice, and we went out to sell.

Oh, they do that in China, too.

And I have no idea how many people we made ill.

Please do tell me some more about your children.

Well, oh, tell them what Michael did at
school the other day.

Oh, you won't believe what Michael did at
school the other day.

He is the cutest thing.

That's when a man who hits the ball runs a complete circle.

Well, it's not a circle, Maya, it's a diamond.

Well, when a man runs a complete diamond,
it's called run home.

That's not quite right.

Home run.

It's called a home run.

There, see how quickly my catch is on?

Yeah, Helen thinks a shortstop is a rest
station between the bases.

Maya, you've got to come to a ball game
with us one of these times.

Oh, I would love to.

All right.

Say, Maya, now when there's a man on
first, the pitcher can't pitch from a full wind-up.

A wind-up?

That's right, wind-up.

You see, he has to pitch from a stretch position.

Now, when there's a man on first...
She's wonderful, Steve, so warm and quick.

There she is.

What's the name of the restaurant?

Uh, the, uh, Lotus Blossom.

I've never had such a wonderful time.

And when I think I almost didn't go because I was afraid.

But you're not afraid anymore, are you, Mai?

No.

At first I thought it would be awkward.

Then I learned a marvelous thing.

People don't mind you not knowing about
the things that interest them.

All you have to do is ask them to tell you about them.

Mai, you've stumbled onto the secret of
being a great conversationalist.

Remember your fortune the first night you were here?

Oh, you mean the one in the fortune cookie, but out of small
disappointment will come a great happiness or something?

The small disappointment was yours.

No peeking duck.

But the great happiness turned out to be mine.

Thank you, Steve.

The pleasure was mine.

Good night, Mai.

Good night.

Daddy?

Yes, dear?

Are you very busy?

Well, yes, I am.

But not too busy for you, honey.

What is it?

What's the matter?

Chip Douglas is Marbles champion at school.

Well, good for Chip.

Yesterday, I finally played him.

Hey, big girls don't cry over losing a few Marbles.

I won.

All of Chip's Marbles.

And before that, all of Ernie's.

Now Chip hates me and never wants to see me again.

And the only reason I play him is so we can be friends.

Oh, honey, now don't cry.

You know, honey, sometimes to win is to lose.

Remember that.

Boy, things are sure different today.

They sure are.

I made it win!

I guess you were just lucky the other day.

Sure, just dumb luck.

I guess that's what it was, all right.

Anybody that plays as good as you shouldn't ever lose.

Well, nobody's perfect.

You should get your marbles back early.

Well, it took us a long time.

Come on, Chip, let's go surfskating.

Okay, just the three of us.

Oh, hello, Steve.

Hello, Mike.

I didn't know you were closing so soon.

The new owners want to remodel.

And I promised them I will be out of my
living quarters in a day or two.

Oh, well, where will you live now, Maya?

Have you found an apartment?

No, I'm leaving.

You're leaving?

Mm-hmm.

But I thought, well, I mean, I thought
after last night that...

Oh, after last night, I stopped being afraid of the world.

But then why are you running off to Hong Kong?

I'm not going to Hong Kong.

I'm going to Paris.

To Paris?

Mm-hmm.

Do you know what I'm going to do there?

What?

I'm going to open a new Chinese restaurant there.

Well, what do you know?

Egg Foo Young and Champagne, huh?

That's wonderful, Maya.

Steve, there's something I want you to have.

The lotus.

It finally blossomed, didn't it?

Yes, Steve.

Thank you.

Thank you.

Don't forget to tune in later tonight when
we say sayonara to My Three Sons during an

all-night retrospective we call Night of the Setting Suns.

Twelve years in the making, shot in color
and black and white, featuring a cast of


moments here for the last time on Night of the Setting Suns.

All night.