01x29 - Man's Estate

[bunniefuu]

[waves crashing]

[music]

The Loretta Young Show

Starring loretta Young.

[clapping]

Hello.

Tonight, our interestlies in a triangle.

A man, a boy and a car.Does that sound familiar?

Oh, yes. There'salso a lady in the case.

You know, our storytonight would be an

idyllic love story if itweren't for one thing.

And his name is Tom Stevens.

Oh, there's nothingreally wrong with Tom,

except that he's inthe spring time of life.

Like spring.

Tom's just busting out all over.

[music]

That's because Tom is a teenager.

What's all that to do aboutthese teenagers anyway?

[music]

Is a teenager a timeof life state of mind?

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A tempest in a tea pop, or amodern version of a till of a hunt?

Let's examine this one.Let's observe routine,

uneventful hours inthe life of teenage town.

Hi. Nor me.

Listen here. Anythingfor Mrs. McGregor yet?

No, not a whisper.

Well, look maybe we.

I'll call you back now.

Hi, Tom.

-Hi.-No, You're home yet?

Mom anybody call this afternoon?

No, not that I know of.

Why? Is anyone wrong?

Well, what makesyou think anything's

wrong? I justasked if I had a call, that's all.

Okay, okay you don'tbump my head off.

I'm kind of new at this teenageroutine, and if I goof once

in a while, you just have tokind of bear with me, okay?

It's not that, Susan.

What?

Brad going to be home for dinner?

Yeah. Hey, he'd betterbe. We're having roast beef.

Roast plan, Mrs. Stevens.Tommy, get your feet

off that table and goand wash up for dinner.

Okay, Brad. Okay, in a sec.

Do me a favor, willyou? Go on upstairs

and take your bath,huh? Otherwise

she'll slam dishes around all duringdinner, and it's my new china.

-Okay.-Okay.

Susan, there's somethingI've been meaning to ask you.

What?

Did dad explain aboutBrad when he proposed to.

Oh, Tom.

No. Honestly, I don'tbelieve your father has Mrs.

Bradley on his mind atthat particular moment.

Now, go on. Hands and changeclosed in and a half an hour.

minutes, Mrs. Steven.

Alright minutes Tom.

[music]

Darling, you shouldhave seen the counsel

for the defense. Did Ihave him squirming?

Oh, I'll bet youdid. how's the jury?

I think they're with me.

I'd call themsuperior types, then.

[laugh]

Dad I.

Well, I thought you might wantto know what happened today.

One longer the day.How'd you make up?

We won, but that's notwhat I was going to say.

Well, how'd you do?

I didn't get too much ofa chance. I didn't get in

until the last two minutesof the fourth quarter.

[telephone ringing]

I will get it dad.

No, it's for me. I askedHarrison to call me.

Sure they did.

[telephone ringing]

Hello.

Mrs. McGregor?

Oh yeah.

This is Mr. Stevens speaking.

Oh, Mrs. McGregor.

Tom, what's it all about?

I'm sunk.

What accident?

We got horsing aroundin the car this afternoon.

[music]

Bounced right over the curbinto old lady mcgregor's flower bin.

No.

[putting telephone down]

Well, Tommy.

Yes sir.

Why couldn't you have beenmad enough to tell me this?

Dear? I think he'sbeen trying to tell

you all evening.Haven't you, Tom?

He hasn't been trying very hard.

Alright, alright I'm sorry.

You're always sorry afterward.

Well, it wasn't onlyme. Norm was driving.

You are just as responsible.

I left her a note, didn'tI? And Norm and I are

going to fix up the fenceand pay for the damage.

Who pays ultimately?

Gee, dad, it was after thegame. We won and we felt like

celebrating. Nor miss the corner.It could have happened to anybody.

And I doubt youmight have been k*lled.

We weren't.

You might have k*lled somebody else.

We didn't.

Suppose Mrs. McGregorhad been in her flower bag.

She wasn't.

Well, what about respectfor property? Tommy, when

are you going to learnthat property is a trust.

Get your coat.

gee, dad, you have to soundlike a lawyer all the time.

I told you, I canhandle it. I'm not a kid.

When you startacting like a man,

I'll treat you likeone. Now, come on.

Okay, so make a fool outof me treat me like a moron.

Take me by the hand toapologize to Mrs. McGregor.

Remember whom you're talking to.

I remember.

[music]

[door closing]

Well, that was quick.

How was Ms. McGregor?

Too generous, I thought.

[laugh]

Say, Tom, I got big newsfor you. Miss Rogers called.

They're going to do yourparody of school tomorrow night.

-You're kidding.-I'm not kidding.

I told you it was good.

Oh, gee, I got to get ahold of Norm dad car.

Well, after whathappened this afternoon...

It'd be very long,dear. Will you, Tom?

No. But if I don't see Normtonight, well, we're sung.

-I know.-Is it okay, dad?

-I suppose.-Oh, gee dad thanks.

Don't forget to put the car backin the garage when you get home.

And don't slam the door.

I don't think he got thatlast wind riser. He's halfway

to Norms by now. Oh,come on. Sit down and relax.

-What's, the coffee?-No thanks

-How about cigarettes?-That I'd like.

Say, what's all thisrehearsing business?

Hmm.

It's for the juniorprowling tomorrow night

Tom's class is putting ona scene for the mercado.

You know, he wrotea very interesting

parody on now. It's the name of

that thing, three to the maze. Arewe? Do you know he's got talent.

-Oh, I didn't.-Well, he has.

He didn't tell me.He never tells me

anything. Too busycrashing into flower beds.

Look, sweetheart, thisis all pretty new to me.

Having a husband and a sonall at once and loving you both.

Darling, it must be terribleinheriting me and Tom together.

Nonsense. It's wonderful.

It's like having aletter from President

and the carboncopy Both autograph.

Oh, Susan I love you.

I know, darling,because I love you, too.

But couldn't we keep thecrises down to a minimum?

Sort of build up our strength forone good one. Maybe once a week huh.

You're safe here as well as yes.

Sweetheart, I'll try.So Help me, I'll try.

[laugh]

[music]

Rogers, you'regoing to be late here.

-No.-Mmm.

Not if I make allthe traffic lights.

It's a matter of split seconds.

Well, take it easy, Pop. Idon't have to bear you out.

[laugh] That would be a switch.

- Goodbye dear.- goodbye honey.

-So long, son.-Take it easy, pop.

Do you want any morepancakes, Mrs. Stevens?

-Oh, no thanks, Ms. Bradley.-Well, I do.

Well, I'm glad to see you'vegot your appetite back.

-You all set for tonight, Tom?-Yeah, all squared away.

I got Linda gardenias.She got new dresses. Top

secret, so I didn't wantto take any chances.

And I didn't tell her about the

parody. I'm savingthat for a surprise.

Hm, Smart boy.

What time are you picking her up?

Oh, About , I guess.

I have to pick up Billand Sally underway.

I'm going to have a force him.

Should be fun.

Here is toping with Brages bun.

Tommy.

Tommy.

I forgot to put the car away.

You forgot to put theemergency brake on, too.

Oh, brother.

When I touched thecar door, it rolled down

the driveway and threwthe stewart's hedge.

-gee, dad, I'm sorry.-That's no good, Tommy.

You're alwayssorry. You don't think.

Tommy.

You'll be late forschool. You better..

Just a moment, please.

Son, I've got to find someway to impress upon you

that responsibility goeshand in hand with privilege.

So you can't use the car again. Notuntil I see a change in attitude.

-Dad, you can't, not tonight.-As of right now.

But I've got to have thecar tonight. I'm taking Linda

and Bill to his date tothe dance. It's important.

If this dance is asimportant as that, you can

do what I used to do.Take the butts or walk.

-Walk?-Yes.

With Linda in new dress?

Listen, dad, please. I promiseyou, you'll see a big change in me.

Tommy, I've been hearingnothing but promises for months.

Now, this time I muststand by my decision.

When you're indulgentenough to understand that,

I'll be indulgent enoughto restore your privileges.

I don't understandanything anymore.

[music]

-Darling.-No, Susan.

He's not a babyanymore. He's . He's got

to start acting andthinking like a man.

Dear, I don't know.Maybe you're right.

Of course I'm right.

is such a difficult age.

I remember it all. Well, you'reneither one thing or the other yet.

Well, at , I had toget out and earn a little.

But he doesn't.

That's not his fault.

I suppose I'm to blame.

Darling, I don't thinkblame is the word.

But then is the facts man huh.

Susan, dear, you don'tseem to realize before

you came this wasnot a normal household.

Tommy's been spoiled by me, coddledby Brad ever since his mother d*ed.

-Well.-He leaves on us too much.

But now no more.something's got to be done.

What do you mean?

I think I'll sendhim away to school.

Or he'll get discipline, asense of order, responsibility.

Maybe if he has to getout on his own, he'll learn

to stand on his own. feet think For Himself

I'm sorry, dear. I've got the call.

-Yeah.-Bye.

[music]

This is a great time to let meknow. What am I going to tell Sally?

What about your dad's car?

That's out. You know my folkswere in Chicago for the weekend.

What's eating your old man?Tom? Why won't he listen to reason?

He talked himself into a bigsweat. So now I'm cooked.

And I was counting on you huh.

Can I help it if myfather decides to

play the big parentall of a sudden?

Have you triedanybody else for a ride?

All morning?everybody's books solid.

Well, I've wasted enough time.Every man for himself now. See you.

Tom, where haveyou been all morning?

Hi, Linda. I've been kind of busy.

Me too. I've been helpingdecorate the gym all morning.

Doesn't it seem like amillion years? Until tonight.

Yeah.

Well, do you see my newdress? Oh, it's dreamy.

Sure.

What's the matter?Why are you so droopy?

Am I supposed to gethysterical or something?

No.

No, only I thoughtwell, I thought this

was kind of aspecial night for us.

What's so specialabout a dance in a

crummy gym with alot of tired crate paper?

Tommy Stevens. Whatkind of a kick are you on?

You thought as if youdidn't want to go at all.

Everybody's making sucha rhubarb out of a dance.

Well, please don'tdo me any favors.

Only I wish you'd letme know a little sooner.

I've been turningdown offers all week.

[music]

I'd like to inquire if I could renta carpenter. How much does it cost?

[Whistling]

Ten bucks?

Well, I'm not going to keep it outall night. I'll get it back by one.

Still ten huh?

Look, have you gota red convertible?

Well.

Well, yeah, I guess I'lltake it. My name is Tom

Stevens. Hold it for me.I'll be down in an hour.

[putting telephone down]

[music]

Mattania.

[music]

Let see.

you're out of foo.

Let see.

, , , .

Ouch.

[opening the drawer]

[music]

[closing box]

[dialing telephone]

[music]

Hey, Linda. Hi.

I just want to tellyou that creep you

were talking to thismorning wasn't me.

Well, if it wasn't, youwere giving a darn good

imitation. Look, you don'thave to explain to me.

You made it very clearthis morning. When people

aren't interested in me,I'm not interested in them.

[music]

[telephone ringing]

Hello.

-Hello, dear.-Hello, darling.

I have a late appointment. Iwon't be home for dinner tonight.

Oh.

Yes, I will. I shouldbe home about ten.

Wow.

Wait up for me,will you, please?

Yeah, all right. Goodbye, dear.

Hi.

Are you going someplace?

Yeah I'm going someplace.

For good.

Oh.

You've made up your mind, I suppose.

I didn't have to make up mymind. It was made up for me.

This morning.

Tom, nobody can do that for you.You're not a child, you're a man.

Whatever that means.He's kept harping

on it so much. I wouldn't know.

Susan. He's ruinedeverything. There's

just no point in talkingabout it anymore.

Well.

What about the dance tonight, huh?

-We fixed that up just dandy.-What do you mean?

No car? So Linda gotherself another date.

-Oh, no.-Yeah.

What about the show? Your sketch?

Kids stuff. They don'tneed me letting Norm do it.

Tom.

This leaving home businessis pretty serious you know.

Yeah, like being sent away.

Only this time I'm going to savehim the trouble and expense.

We're going to enlist.

-enlist?-That'll make them real happy

Well, investing issort of for keeps,

isn't it? I mean,doesn't the army

take kind of a dim mule of men justkind of popping in and out of it?

Maybe the army willmake a man out of me.

Tom.

Tom, wait a minute.

Tom.

There's a little somethingabout age, too, isn't there?

People have liedabout their ages before.

Sure, I know they have.But after all, recruiting

sergeants are prettysmart, aren't they?

Gee, the last thing I'd liketo see happen to you right

now is that they send youhome like a runaway kid.

Huh?

-Thanks for the tip.-Tommy.

Alright.

But you take care of yourself here.

And remember we love you.

Yeah, me, too.

As much as your dad,perhaps, but I love you, too.

What are you going to tell him?

I don't know yet.

Sure hate to hurt him.

Yeah.

Yeah, sure.

Well.

So long.

[music]

Huh, what a long day.

Suppose there's no usewaiting up for Tommy.

Yes, we can call juniorprom a special privilege night.

Yes, I.

I was rather hopinghe'd be home early.

Ah.

He didn't have adate, as it turned out.

Well, I thought this was thebig thing. The sketch, the dance.

Yes, it was.

But he didn't go Roger.

You mean just becauseI didn't give him the car?

Where is he? Upin his room sulking?

No.

No, he he went out all right, but

well, he didn't go to the dance.

Well.

Roger.

He left home.

Oh, don't be sorry.

-Left home?-Yes.

Kids, just don't run awayover a little thing like that.

Wasn't just one thing, darling.

And I don't thinkit was little to him.

Susan, you mean youknew he was going?

Yes.

Why didn't you do something?Why didn't you stop him?

Well, I did talk to him,but I didn't try to stop him.

But why, Susan?

Because I wanted him to havea chance to think for himself.

Why didn't you tell me this earlier?

I've got to do something.I'll call cheap cars.

Haven't put out a tracer on

No, no, Roger, please.Please don't do that.

I honestly believe thatthey do. Find him and

they bring you back here.He'll never forgive you.

Darling.

Look, I believe that ourwhole future is at stake here.

I have faith in yourson. He's a lot like you.

I think he'll do theright thing on his own.

If he has the chance. Please, dear.

Susan, you've knownhim less than a year.

Maybe you know myson better than I do.

Oh, Darling.

No, it's just that.

Well, you've wantedhim so much to grow up.

Maybe you haven'trealized that he has.

[music]

Well, let's try to get some sleep.

Yeah, yeah.

[music]

It's a long night, isn't it?

Yeah.

Yeah, she got some sleep, honey.

Roger, I'm scared.

I'm scared to death of whatI've done to you and Tom.

No.

You're right.

Darling, I knownow that you're right.

Well, I don't.

All my big fat talkabout he's a man.

All I can think ofis how young he is.

Oh, come on, now. where'sthat faith you were talking about?

But I love you.

[music]

[car break]

[music]

What do you say to him?

Yeah, it was the way he acted.

Kind of excited all the time,like he was on a talking kick.

Kept kept asking me questions.

Like what?

Like how much moneyI had on me, where

I was going, orif I was in trouble.

Then he starts his thingabout throwing $ my way.

For what?

To take the station wagoninto a used car dealer

in Central City andpick up the cash for it.

That's when I asked himto let me out of the car.

yep, that's what hewas, all right. Stolen car

racket. You see everythingon the highways these days.

Who are you?

What?

In trouble? Like he said.

Running away from home?

I got kids.

Oldest one. Just about your age.

Well, I've been planning ongoing away for a long time.

Your folks know?

My stepmother does.

How about your old man?

He was planning on sendingme away anyway. To school.

Same old story.crabby father, bossy,

stepmother. Well, that figures.

Oh, no, she's okay.

She's going to tellmy father for me.

So she's left holding the bathhome. It's probably what she wants.

No, she's not like that. Honest.

It's my father.

He means well, but

well, take me.

I run away fromhome with at age

Been living off the road oneway or another ever since.

Well, like the bumperkicked out of the car.

And the hitchhikers you readabout every day in the newspapers.

Conquer guy in the headtake his car and money.

They're restless, butthey're never going to

get anywhere exceptmaybe to the State penn.

We all got one thing in common.

We're living off the road.

And we come from homesrun like prisons by an old man

who forgot he ever madea mistake in his life. Right?

I don't think my father ever did.

He was an honor student rightthrough high school and college.

My old man was a holyterror, too. Lord rest his soul.

But he was wrongabout one thing. Me.

Yeah.

There's two sides to everything.

Looking back, I was just akid. Maybe I couldn't take it.

But my old man was entitled to amistake now, same as me.

Sure.

But like I tell my boys,anybody can make a mistake any

time. But the older you are,the harder it is to admit it.

Helps to look back at your oldman. Of course, mine's dead now.

Gee it's.

It's after hapaz, too.

Everybody's asleepback there except the kids.

T onight's prom night.

Look, son, in minutes,the truckles will be coming in.

I can get your rideclear to Central City.

I can get your ride right back home.

Nobody will evenknow you've been away.

They know.

I can't go back.

Well, it's up toyou, son. Like the

philosopher man hasto do what he has to do.

I can't.

I just can't.

[music]

[dog barking]

Well.

Well, you're up kindof early, aren't you?

[laugh]

Come on.

You know, I ain't slept a wink.

-How mad is it, Brad?-Oh, not true.

Everybody soundasleep in the living room.

Why don't you go clean up first huh?

Yeah.

[music]

[clock ringing]

Tom.

What?

Horrible.

Hi, dad.

Oh brother.

Am I glad to see you.

I got to think of what arotten thing I did you, susan.

Huh?

letting you carrythe ball with dad.

That was a kid's trick, all right.

No, sir. No. Look, whenyou've shown that you've learned

how to carry the ballyourself, as you have just now.

You're not a kid anymore.

Thanks, Dad.

Say, how far did you get?

Not very.

-I got home about four, I guess.- o'clock.

Say, what you've beendoing in the meantime?

Well, I forgot my key. Ifigured you two be asleep, so.

So?

-so I went to sleep in the car.-Oh.

-You forgot to put it away, dad.-Hmm.

No.

[laugh]

You know, playing the partof Susan tonight reminded me

of some words of a veryfamous American man of letters.

His name is GeorgeWilliam Curtis. And he said,

it's a great pity thatmen and women often

forget that they, too,have been children.

Well, goodnight.

See you next week.

[clapping]

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[music]