12x12 - The Sound of Music

[bunniefuu]

I didn't.

Bust the thing if that's what you came in for.

I just thought I could help.

What's wrong?

Look, I'm supposed to pick Dorothy up in ten
minutes, so she calls now and says she can't make it.

Well, why can't she?

Because her mother's got a headache.

From migraine?

No, for that she'd fly in a doctor from Vienna.

Just a plain, ordinary little headache.

Well, then why can't Dorothy make it?

Because that battle-axe mother of hers had
to take pills every two hours.

So somebody has to be there to remind her, right?

Right.

So what if I'm stuck with two tickets to a
play for $9.75 a piece?

What's that to her?

$9.75?

That's what they cost.

And for all she knows, I bought and paid
for two tickets in advance.

I bet you didn't.

No, but what difference does that make?

It's the principle.

I covered all the news in my last letter, so I'll end now.

All my love, Katie.

Dear Robbie, I looked at three atlases in the library
today, and I still can't figure out exactly where you are.

Oh, Dorothy, come on in.

Well, I have to get right back to Mother.

I just dashed out to buy some headache pills.

Is Charley in?

Oh, no, he went bowling.

Would you ask him to phone me?

How late can he call?

Till 9.30.

That's Mother's bedtime.

She sleeps very lightly.

Dear, if I don't let them know this
evening, they'll get somebody else to take

over, and it might be on a permanent basis.

To take over what?

Mr. Gray's children.

He just came down with the flu.

If Charley comes in too late to call, would you ask him?

He'd have to be there tomorrow morning at 9.

Take over what, Dorothy?

At the music school where I teach, didn't I say that?

No.

I'm sorry.

I'm a little upset.

Do you think Charley will do it as a favor to me?

Oh, well, I'm sure he will.

What is it?

...

In a pig's eye.

Well, do you want Mr. Gray to lose his job, Charley?

Well, who cares?

I don't even know the guy.

It's almost a charity thing.

And besides, he has a wife and two children to support.

And you get paid.

Look, I got other things to do with it.

He's got kids.

And I get paid?

Well, it's a professional school.

They probably pay their teachers fairly well.

Can I tell Dorothy to be there?

Well, I'll think it over.

You're going to love working with children, Charley.

It's very rewarding.

Dorothy, he'll be there.

Well, not in so many words, but I know Charley.

This is.

My room.

There.

The children in your first class just
arrived right on time.

Can they play?

Well, I haven't heard them yet, but they're
the ones Mr. Gray picked for the recital.

What recital?

Saturday, a week from today.

Why don't you and I go there together?

Look, I don't go to any kid recitals.

It's not in the deal.

Charley, the faculty has to attend.

Yeah, well, I'll think it over.

You know, it sounds like somebody is k*lling cats in there.

My best pupil.

She's just warming up her fingers.

She'd do better with gloves.

Charley, Mr. Gray doesn't believe in being strict.

Look, you asked me to help, didn't you?

Well, I'll handle it myself.

Okay, knock it off.

You guys always throw chalk, and you brush
your hair during a lesson?

Sure, but I have to tell the bell rings.

Yeah, well, there's going to be some new rules around here.

Bell or no bell.

Starting right now.

You will, it's just that he's a very interesting teacher.

Do you call that a scale?

Sure.

I've heard better sounds in the lumber mill.

Mary, Mr. O'Casey, how come we have to stay here all day?

Well, for one thing, I happen to be bigger than you are.

And another thing, Albert needs more practicing.

Now start playing.

You see that Charlie's still at school?

Yeah.

Have we done anything?

I resisted myself to listening at the door, but
I couldn't hear what he was saying to them.

Well, Charlie barks a lot, but he seldom ever bites.

You know that and I know that,
but somebody ought to warn those children.

I'm sure all that Charlie's doing is trying to
get results, but I'll talk to him if you want me to.

Would you?

Would you just tell him to...

What do the children say these days?

Cool it.

Yes, tell him to cool it.

Cool it.

Cool it.

Cool it.

Well, that's better, but still not so good.

Man, Mr. O'Casey, I've never practiced so much in my life.

I'm getting nightmares from it.

Well, that's the only way you're going to learn.

Now, nobody had to chain me to a cellar to
make me practice.

You've got to have the will to learn.

I'll see you guys tomorrow.

Tomorrow?

We don't have lessons till Friday.

You're going to get a lesson every day till the recital.

This is part five of the same letter.

I'll mail part four when Barbara and I leave.

We're going to a hen party.

Dinner and bridge.

Uncle Charley has been teaching for a week now.

The recital is tomorrow.

My Katie's time to leave.

I just heard Steve's car drive up.

Oh, really?

Thank you.

Be a good girl, sweetheart.

Oh, hi.

I'm sorry I'm late.

You're all set to go, huh?

Ernie's upstairs with the triplets and Charley's bowling.

With Dorothy?

No, that's off.

She doesn't approve of his teaching methods.

I told Ernie he could leave as soon as you got here.

He's going over to Harry's.

You know, the one with the three sisters.

Now, there's a roast in the oven, and
you and Dodie have a good time, okay?

Fine.

Goodbye, Punky.

Goodbye.

We won't be long.

Goodbye, Dad.

Have a good time.

Bye, Mama.

Well, Dodie, it's Friday night, and so you
can stay up late and do about your homework.

You can do about anything you want.

Can I stay up until 10 O'clock?

Yeah, sure, you can stay up until 10 O 'clock.

And we'll just spend a nice, quiet evening together, huh?

Okay, Daddy.

Up at show, tonight at 5, here on Odyssey.

Daddy?

Mm-hmm?

Is this a quiet evening?

Yeah, it's a pretty quiet evening, Dodie.

You like it?

Well, I thought there'd be more to it than this.

Well, now, who could that be?

I'm Mrs. Cagle.

Is Mr. O'Casey in?

Oh, no, I'm sorry, he's not here.

When will he be back?

No one ever knows when Uncle Charley will be back.

Uh, Dodie, uh, what is the problem, Mrs. Cagle?

I'm a reasonable woman, Mr... Uh,
Douglas, I'm Mr. O'Casey's nephew.

Uh, won't you come in, uh... As I say,
Mr. O'Casey, I'm Mr. O'Casey's nephew.

I'm a reasonable woman, Mr. Douglas,
but if that man doesn't let up on Albert,

I'm gonna stop being reasonable and sue somebody.

Who's Albert, Danny?

Uh, Dodie, uh, why don't you run upstairs for a
little while and play with Myrtle or something, huh?

Get lost?

Well, something like that, yeah.

Okay.

But this is sure wrecking our quiet evening.

Uh, Mrs. Cagle, I presume, uh, Albert
is your son and he's, uh, one of Mr.

O'Casey's pupils.

Yes, and that stupid recital is tomorrow.

Do you know what your uncle said to my Albert?

Uh, no.

What did he say?

These are his exact words.

Albert, if you hit one clam at that recital
tomorrow, you get the Chinese water t*rture.

Number one, I don't know what a clam is.

Well, Mrs. Cagle, a clam is a,
uh, a mistake, a musical mistake.

Well, whatever.

Anyway, is that any way to talk to a 10-year-old boy?

Chinese water t*rture.

Uh, Mrs. Cagle, uh, Mr. O'Casey, has a rather
picturesque way of expressing himself once in a while.

But surely you didn't take that water
t*rture business seriously.

Well, it's a threat, no matter whether you
believe it or not.

Why, he has Albert practicing hour after
hour, day and night.

And meanwhile, I've had to do all his chores.

Well, it'll all be over pretty soon.

Sure.

And meanwhile, I've had a week of feeding
that neurotic rabbit of Albert's.

Oh.

I know how this sounds, Mr. Douglas.

But I have just about had it.

You know what I think?

No.

Nothing personal, Mr. Douglas,
but I think that man is a weirdo.

Well, Mrs. Cagle, would you say Albert is playing better?

Well, what does that have to do with anything?

Well, it seems to me the whole point of
taking cello lessons is...

The whole point of taking cello lessons is
to get two credits in music.

Now, he has Albert practicing hour after hour every day.

Well, he probably feels that...

Excuse me.

Hello?

No, Mr. O'Casey isn't here.

Stanley's mother?

Stanley who?

Parmel.

Oh, thank you.

Well, Mrs. Parmel...

Oh.

Well, of course, Stanley didn't really think he meant it
when he told him he was going to make him walk the plank.

Oh, he did?

Well, Mrs. Parmel, it'll all be over tomorrow night.

Just tell Stanley that Mr. O'Casey is the
type that growls a lot but doesn't mean what.

...

Yes, I'll tell him you called.

Goodbye.

Mrs. Cagle, about Mr. O'Casey, he's really not a...

Excuse me.

I'm Father O'Hara.

I'm here about one of Mr. O'Casey's pupils, Wendy.

Her mother asked me to come by.

Oh, I see.

Well, come in, Father.

Is Mr. O'Casey in?

No, I'm sorry, he's not.

Father, this is Mrs. Cagle, Albert's mother.

He's one of Mr. O'Casey's pupils, too.

How do you do?

Wendy's mother sent you, did she?

Is it about that O'Casey monster?

Oh, I wouldn't put it that way.

Mr. O'Casey is rather strict.

Did he threaten Wendy with the Chinese water t*rture?

No, the Watusi Red Ant t*rture.

Of course, I realize, he didn't mean those
threats literally.

No, no, no, of course he didn't.

I'm sorry about all this trouble.

I've said it before and I'll say it again.

The man's a weirdo.

Hello?

Dorsey, are you crying?

No, I'm all right, Barbara.

They're going to fire Charley.

Oh, the faculty.

They've had phone calls from all three families.

Charley wouldn't even let the kids off for lunch today.

Oh, dear.

Did your husband talk to him?

No.

Well, no, Steve had an early golf date.

Are they really going to fire him?

Yes, and I'm the one who brought him in, so I'm elected.

Barbara, I just can't do it.

Of course you can't.

You think your husband could do it?

I mean, right after he plays golf?

I just can't be the one to hurt Charley like that.

Well, Steve would be glad to.

That's the wrong word.

Well, he'll be there.

Not at all.

Steve.

Thanks a lot.

I just couldn't, you know.

I know.

Where is he, Dorothy?

He's in there.

I'll be waiting in my room, and if you think he'd like
to talk to me... Well, I wouldn't count on it, Dorothy.

It's hard to know how he'll take this.

I'd wait till later.

I suppose so.

Thanks again.

That'll make it.

You mean you think it's good?

Well, I've heard better.

Let's do it again.

All right.

Come in.

Oh, Steve, come on in.

I want you to hear something.

Come on.

All right, you guys.

Take it from letter C.

Charley, just a minute.

Could I talk to you alone?

It's sort of important.

Alone?

Come on, you guys.

Take five.

Come in.

Hurry it up.

And I mean five.

Looks like somebody hit a sour note someplace.

Charley, there have been some complaints about
your, well, about your teaching methods here at school.

So?

Charley, even if you don't mean it,
you just can't threaten children with,

well, things like walking the plank or the
Watusi red ant t*rture.

Well, anyway, the faculty, uh...

The faculty what?

Well, you know how protective mothers are, Charley.

Yeah.

I know what you mean.

You mean they've given me the ear, right?

But you have to understand why.

Yeah.

Look, it's all I wanted was for them
three little mutts to be the best at the recital.

I'm sure of that.

That's all.

Now, do you think it's nice to peek in
Uncle Charley's room like that?

Yeah.

Well, it isn't.

Okay.

You want to know what he's doing?

Well, no.

Not really.

Okay.

No, Ernie, you cannot stay overnight.

I told you that before.

You come home.

Okay.

Yeah, midnight will be fine.

Tonight.

But... Your mother said don't forget your school books.

Windbreaker.

And your windbreaker.

Thanks.

And don't forget to thank Joe's parents
for their hospitality.

Okay, Ernie.

Goodbye.

You know, I...

I've almost forgotten what Ernie looks like.

Oh?

Well, he's a nice-looking boy.

He's about this tall, and he wears glasses.

Oh, yeah, I remember.

Uncle Charley is still staring.

Oh.

I thought if we left him alone, then... Well, that's
exactly what we're going to do, leave him alone.

Honey, don't you think maybe... No, I don't.

Now, the recital's on right now.

Actually, it's over by now, and, uh...

Charley's just in there feeling sorry for himself.

He feels left out, and I don't blame him.

No, I don't blame him either.

I think it's absolutely awful what they did to him.

I agree.

They called him a weirdo.

Honey, didn't I tell you to go to bed?

Yeah, only you didn't say right this minute.

All right, go to bed right this minute.

Okay.

Come on, Myrtle, we have to go to bed.

They called him a weirdo?

Just one mother did, a Mrs. Cagle,
and I think she was a little hysterical.

And we let some hysterical mothers get Uncle Charley fired.

Steve, you didn't tell me this.

I mean, you said some parents came by.

I just had discussed the problem.

Now, Uncle Charley may be cantankerous,
direct, and honest, but he is certainly not any weirdo.

That makes me angry, Steve.

That really does.

Now, just a minute.

Just one lady did it.

But that is 33 and one-third of them.

Dad, Uncle Charley is sitting in there
eating his heart out.

I'll get it.

You shouldn't blurt it out like that.

We had a little ceremony sort of worked out, Mr. Douglas.

Oh, wonderful.

Come in, Miss Cagle.

Barbara, Katie, Miss Cagle, this is my
wife and her daughter-in-law, Katie.

Hello.

Oh, and this is Stanley and Wendy and Albert.

Hi.

Hi.

I've been wrong in my time, Mr. Douglas, but
I think I really overdid myself the other night.

As the children told you, the cello trio won.

They won the recital best of school trophy.

Not best of class, best of school.

We wiped him out.

Hey, where's Uncle Charley?

We asked something to give him.

Uh, Uncle Charley?

He said if we didn't call him Uncle Charley,
he'd kick us down the stairs or something.

You see how wrong I was.

I called him a weirdo.

So I heard.

I'll go get him.

I mistook the words he used for his intent.

You never heard such sweet music as these
children made tonight.

We didn't hit one clamp.

What about the Pizzicata passage in Leather Sea?

Uncle Charley!

Uncle!

Hey, be quiet, you guys.

I'm supposed to make a speech.

Uh, anyways, on account of you, we won.

And we want you to hang yourself in your room or something.

We're going to have your name written on it later.

And all that happened last night.

It looks like Charley not only made musicians out of those
people, but he saved the regular teacher's job for him.

And Charley is taking Dorothy to an ice show tonight.

I guess that's all for now, darling.

Judy.

And so are all his friends, Richie,
Foxy, Ralph, even our Lola and Al.

So find your couch and sit on it.

Happy Days.

Tonight at 6, here on Odyssey.

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