Our Little Girl

You know, I hardly have the nerve to look at it. Does that sound silly?

- I'm sure we have it this time. - It seems too much to hope for.

After all, these experiments are only based on a sort of hunch.

All scientific experiments are based on sort of a hunch,

backed up with knowledge and effort and patience.

This means a great deal to me, Boynton.

If it works, it means the Guggenheim Fellowship.

You don't know how I used to dream about going abroad to study.

Heidelberg. Vienna. Magic words, Boynton.

Then I married and had to settle down…

to being a small-time doctor in a little town.

I know.

I thought at first I might save enough.

Maybe I could have. Then the baby came.

I know.

Oh, I'm not regretting anything. Don't make any mistake about that.

My wife and Molly are…

Say, I'm a lucky stiff, Boynton. You know that, don't you?

Yes, Doctor.

Molly.

You want to see if the cake's done?

All right.

Now, careful. Don't burn yourself.

I won't, Mommy.

I think so, Mommy.

All right, let's have a look.

Ooh. That's hot.

Have a sniff.

Mmm.

We can't go to Heaven's Gate without cake, can we, Mommy?

No, darling, we certainly can't.

I wish you'd let me help you, Mrs. Middleton.

This is the only work that Mommy and I can do.

This is a very special day, Amy.

- It only happens twice a year. - Twice a year?

What makes this day any different from any other?

Today's the day that Molly and I call our May Saturday.

The other day comes in September.

We call that our September Saturday.

Anyway, I think I ought to help you with the work.

Thanks just the same, Amy. I have help.

Young lady, who do you work for?

You.

- And who does Mommy work for? - Daddy.

And who does Daddy work for?

For the butcher and grocer,

the tax collector and the telephone company.

Oh, you.

Cotton in your ears from now on at the dinner table, young lady.

Let's go see who that is.

Hello, darling. How's the most beautiful woman in the world?

Just waiting breathlessly for the world's handsomest man to come home.

It's Daddy.

Well, that's what I called you about.

- I won't be able to get home at all today. - But, dear…

Well, I wanted to let you know in time.

I'm right in the middle of an important experiment.

I don't think I'll even be able to make it for dinner.

But, darling, this is May Saturday.

Uh-oh.

May Saturday.

Now, couldn't we possibly put it off until next week?

No, dear, we couldn't put it off.

Oh, I know that sounds like a very selfish wife,

but twice a year I reserve the right to be selfish.

Twice a year I insist upon coming between you and your work.

But, darling, I'm doing all this for you and Molly.

But May Saturday is for Molly too.

Well, look, put her on the phone. Let me speak to her, will you?

Daddy wants to speak to you, dear.

Hello, Daddy.

Hello, young lady.

Say, would it interest you if I were to tell you that…

Daddy, Mother's right here, so I have to whisper.

Are you listening?

Listen closer.

Now, don't forget the candied ginger.

Now, I don't want to scold you, Daddy,

but Sniffy, Mommy and I have been waiting and waiting and waiting

for you to come home.

If you don't hurry, you'll be late.

What?

What did you say, Daddy?

He says that we ought to start ahead without him.

He's leaving the office right away.

Oh!

Taking the day off, Boynton. Important business.

But the experiment.

I said important business.

Here comes Daddy! Here comes Daddy!

- Hello. - Hello.

Well, how's my sweetheart?

Here I am, almost as good as new.

You were almost late, Daddy.

"Almost" never won first prize.

Say, where do you want us to sit?

Oh, as if you didn't know.

No, honestly, I've forgotten.

Forgotten where we sit when we picnic at Heaven's Gate?

Why, Daddy.

- Have you forgotten too, Mommy? - Mm-hmm.

- Do I have to tell you? - Afraid so.

Right over there, where we always set up in May and September.

- - Here we go.

- Ready, Daddy? - All ready. Come on.

Get out of them. And I'll get your shoes.

And Mama will take your dress off.

There we are. Give me your foot.

There you are.

Now this one.

That's a girl. Oh!

Here we go. Come on.

Ready?

- Holding your breath? - Yes.

All right. Whoo!

Ooh. Like a drink of ice water,

only on the outside.

Whee!

Ooh!

Bigger than a bathtub, no matter if you run it full.

Just once more, Daddy. It's good exercise.

- Well, all right. Once more now. - No, that's enough, Don.

It's too cold.

Should I blow my nose, Daddy?

If you can get the crumbs off your face that way, sure.

Oh, there's more cake outside than inside.

- Can I help you, dear? - No, thanks.

This is girl's work.

That's a good girl.

- Our old gate. - Hmm.

You know, Don, we've been awfully happy.

Been?

Hey, you know, I was kind of in hopes

that you'd still be in love with that certain country doctor.

You know I am.

More than ever too.

What's on your mind?

Ooh, I was just thinking of our early struggles.

It wasn't any picnic for you, was it?

It was grand though.

When our living room was your office,

and I had to chase prescriptions and hand you the instruments.

Emergency calls at all hours.

And my holding the patient's feet as well as their hands.

Oh, I loved it.

- Molly changed all that, didn't she? - Hmm.

I just had to get a regular nurse.

Oh, I know Miss Boynton's been wonderful.

But now that Molly's no longer a baby,

don't you think that…

That I could get along without Boynton?

I don't know just what I'd do, Elsa.

Oh, Don, I do wish that…

That what?

Forget it.

I'm just an old married woman with not enough to do.

All ready for the picture, Mommy?

Well, I don't look very beautiful after all this work.

The best-looking woman here.

- Did you turn the film for her? - Yes. It's all set.

Get closer to Daddy, Mommy.

Daddy, get closer to Mommy.

- How's that? - Fine.

Now look at each other and smile.

- - Whee!

Don, that man rides like Rolfe Brent.

Why not? It is Rolfe Brent.

He just got back from Europe a couple of days ago.

Hello there.

When do we go to Heaven's Gate again for my September Saturday?

Oh, not for a long, long time, Molly.

- You remember me? - Sure, Brent. How are you?

I heard you got back a couple of days ago.

My wife recognized you by the way you sat your horse.

How one man sits a horse differently from another, I don't see.

- How do you do, Mrs. Middleton? - How do you do?

Does he have any ponies, Mommy?

I don't know, dear.

I hope we're going to be good neighbors now that I'm home.

- Are you really staying on at Brentwood? - Oh, yes.

I've got half a dozen of these youngsters over there,

and it's a lot of work exercising them.

I don't see how anyone can call that work.

Say, look here, why don't you two come and go riding with me sometime?

No, thanks, Brent. Mrs. Middleton might.

The only thing I ride is that old bus of mine.

It bounces just as much, and doesn't bite.

Well, how about you, Mrs. Middleton?

Oh, I haven't ridden for years. I don't think I could.

Of course you could. You used to be great. Go ahead.

Of course you could, Mommy. You just get on him and go.

Don't you let her take any of those jumps till she's all set.

You can trust me, Doctor.

May I send my car for you in the morning, Mrs. Middleton? About 10:00?

- All right. - She'd get a big kick out of it, Brent.

She doesn't want to get kicked, Daddy.

- That's fine. Well, so long. Good-bye. - Good-bye.

- Good-bye, Molly. - Molly.

Bye, Mr. Brent.

Come on.