From the Terrace

- All right, Weinkoop, where is she? - In this car, sir.

- Has she recovered consciousness? - Not sir, not yet.

This is the company doctor.

- Follow me, doctor - Come on, Doc.

Five minutes out of Port Johnson she went into the ladies' room.

- Must've finished off a pint. - The telegram said she fell.

Rolled off the seat like a sack of flour.

- Well? - She's dead drunk.

I'll say something else in my report if you want, but that's what it is.

Should be in a hospital.

Anything to get her off company property. Come on, Doc.

Have her taken to the Jefferson Hospital. You go with her.

Be sure you make it straight with the people there that we're not taking any responsibility.

We're doing this only as a courtesy to her husband, and that's all.

Put her in a private room under another name.

Keep her there until I get Sam Eaton to come take her home.

Very well, Mr Jones.

There's more to running a railroad than just laying down some tracks, doctor.

- Ah, looking for quail, Frolick, as usual? - As usual, DD.

You won't find any around here. They're all down on Market Street by now.

- Nobody left on that train? - No, no, just the crew.

I wonder if...

Oh, no. Not Martha Eaton.

See you later.

This is DD Jones.

I want you to put in a long-distance call to Port Johnson.

To Mr Samuel Eaton.

That's right, Eaton Iron and Steel.

Will you be home for dinner, Mr Eaton, if anyone should ask?

If you mean by "anyone" Mrs Eaton...

Say so, Nellie, or forever hold your peace.

Well, I was only thinking what with Mr Alfred coming home from the war today.

Oh, you're sure it's today, are you?

Maybe you even know what time he's coming.

Or how he's coming.

No reason why a servant shouldn't know more than his own family.

Those eggs were too hard again today, Nellie.

When I say soft-boiled, I mean soft-boiled. - Yes, Mr Eaton.

The answer is: I may be home, and then again, I may not.

- And now I'm off. Goodbye, Nellie. - Goodbye, sir.

Hello. Eaton residence.

Oh, I'm sorry. He just left.

You should be able to reach him at the mill in about 10 minutes.

You're welcome. Goodbye.

Mrs Eaton got out of the house mighty early this morning, George.

Yes, sir.

Philadelphia again?

I didn't wait to see which train she took, sir.

Didn't she say anything?

We were too busy talking about your boy...

Coming out of the Navy alive and well to be concerning ourselves with unimportant matters.

In other words, Mrs Eaton's whereabouts are too unimportant...

For me to have any interest in them.

There's nothing about Mrs Eaton that's unimportant.

At least, not to me, sir.

Are you trying to say something to me, George?

Well, sir...

I made me a promise the day your son went away.

"George Fry", I said,

'The day Alfred comes home from this war,

you'll say some things that's been wanting to be said."

Took a lot for granted, didn't you?

I knew he was coming back.

I prayed for him.

You prayed?

You're no more of a praying man than I am.

If it was Billy gone to war instead of Alfred...

Maybe you'd have learned to pray, Mr Eaton.

Is that what you promised yourself to say?

A father can feel badly over a son dead 13 years...

Without ignoring the other one.

Don't preach to me, George.

No, sir.

Maybe you'd better be taking the day off.

I'll accept the day's holiday, sir,

But after that, I don't want to work for you anymore, Mr Eaton.

No, I shouldn't think you would.

I'll have your check ready for you tomorrow morning.

Yes, sir.

You might as well stop in front of the saloon...

When we get there and get out.

That's where you'll be going anyway, I'm sure.

Here's to Samuel Eaton...

President of Eaton Iron and Steel...

Who, after 20-some odd years of being...

Dirty, rotten mean to his boy Alfred...

Has just been fired.

I said fired, Noony... By his own chauffeur.

I'll drink to that.

And here's to Alfred Eaton...

Who never did anything wrong in his whole life,

Except be the son who didn't die of spinal meningitis...

When he was a kid.

And now...

I hope he'll be forgiven for living through the war.

You know where North Hill Road is?

Hey, Jake. Got a passenger for out of town.

Good!

Don't you want to help me with my bags?

Who says so?

How much do I owe you?

3 dollars.

- Oh, yeah? Who says so? - I said so. 3 dollars.

Wait here for a minute while I go and telephone.

Telephone who?

The taxi company, I want to find out when they raised their prices.

2 dollars.

Here's one dollar.

Go ahead, beat it before I pull you out of that cab...

And bust your nose for you.

Well, big man.

Oh, Mr Alfred!

- Oh, Mr Alfred! - Hello, Josephine. Hello, Nellie.

Stop, Nellie, for the Lord's sake.

I can't help it.

Well, you all look fine.

Come on, now. Turn around, Josephine.

I will not.

You don't have to. I can see it's getting bigger.

- It is not. - She don't have her corset on.

Shut your mouth, for the Lord's sake.

I brought you two old crows some presents from London.

You didn't have to spend your money on us.

We're just thankful you're home.

And I'll bet you are, too.

You didn't tell a soul what time you were coming.

I didn't want to give anybody a chance not to meet me.

We aren't really ready for you, Mr Alfred...

What with the mister and missis away.

Away?

Tonight I don't have only some lamb chops...

But I did make a nice apple pie, though.

Where did they go?

The missis went away this morning. I don't know where.

The mister he called this afternoon.

It sounded like long distance.

And he said, "Don't wait with dinner."

So we fixed for Miss Trimingham early.

Miss Trimingham?

Yes. Come on, Josephine. Help me with these bags.

You'll find your old room, just exactly the way you left it, Mr Alfred.

Nellie, who's Miss Trimingham?

She's your mother's trained nurse.

Trained nurse?

For the drinking, Mr Alfred.

Alfred!

Oh, my Alfred!

Mother, you all right?

Oh, forgive me. How horrible.

I'm so excited and awkward.

- Oh, but you're home. - Yes, Mother.

Oh, darling, don't. Don't look at me.

I didn't want you to see me like this.

I'm so tired, and I'm not feeling well.

Couldn't we save everything for tomorrow, when I'll be at my best?

We'll make believe there was no tonight...

And that you came home tomorrow and...

We'll say all our hellos just as they should be.

Sure, Mother.

Here comes your father.

Now make allowances.

He's not at his... best.

Here we are, Sam, and look who's with me.

- My boy. Home at last. - Hello, Father.

Hello, Father? Is that all after all this time?

No. There's a lot more.

Yes, I should think there would be.

Now what've you done to yourself?

She just tripped and fell.

Doesn't he look wonderful?

Yes. Let's get in the house.

Now, Sam, what we've decided is...

We're not going to say our hellos tonight.

We're all much too tired

and tomorrow we'll all be fresh as a daisy.

How was the war?

OK, I guess. We won it.

Oh, have you met my son?

Alfred, this is Miss Trimingham.

- How do you do? - Welcome home.

Up we go.

Cool sheets and heavenly rest.

Good night, Alfred.

Sleep as late as you like...

And remember... You're coming home tomorrow.

Tonight never even happened.

The house looks good.

Yeah.

Your mother touched it up a bit here and there.

You've put on a couple of pounds.

Soft living in the Navy.

I suppose you're sleepy.

I was up at quarter to 6:oo this morning.

Not a very good time to talk now anyway, is it?

No, I guess it isn't.

I guess I'll go upstairs, too.

If it's all right with you.

Father?

Yeah?

Nothing. Good night.