When Love Is Not Enough: The Lois Wilson Story

No, no, wait.

Here, here.

My family summered in Vermont.

I was a doctor's daughter from New York City.

Very sophisticated, I thought I was,

with my college degree, and my well-to-do suitors.

Bill Wilson was a local country boy

who had never been beyond the Green Mountains.

I was four years older than he.

An unlikely pair, my father said.

But we had found one another,

and how blessed and lucky we knew ourselves to be.

It's perfect.

Exquisite.

I just want one look. Just one look.

No, he can't see you. Lo.Lois.

Lois... Lo, we have to get

your veil on.

Reverend... Thank you. I appreciate it.

It's bad luck. Now, Lois... It is. It's bad luck, Lo.

It's said that, on average,

no fewer than four people

are pulled into the vortex of an alcoholic.

When I think back to my wedding, I find seven.

There was my mother, who only wanted me to be happy.

Elise was my most trusted friend,

and I was certain nothing could ever come between us.

Beautiful.

Sweetheart, I cannot get this corsage... Frank.

There was Frank, Elise's husband.

Oh, oh, oh, sorry. Here...

There was my father, Dr. Clark Burnham, who was convinced

that the war was no reason to rush headlong into marriage.

Ebby Thatcher, our friend,

who was already sick himself.

My trusting younger brother Rogers,

and I, whose life was evolving just as I had hoped.

I was marrying Bill Wilson, man of my dreams,

and we were going to start a family.

I believed, with all of my heart,

that any trouble we faced

in the future would be conquered by love.

My darling Lois...

On June 27, at 10:00, look for the moon.

Here in France, I'll be watching it set before dawn.

I'll hold it in my gaze,

as I would hold you in my arm.

Bill! Oh!

Hi.Bill!

Hey, Lo.Hey.

Hey... Bill,

you're home early.

How are you?

Hello.

Are you hungry?

Yeah. I suppose I could eat.

How was your day?

Well, I quit my job.

Oh?

Yeah, I'm just not cut out for bookkeeping, Lo.

Anyway, something better will come along.

Always does.

Why don't you give Elise’s husband a call?

Frank admires you.

He might know of a position.

Yeah, I don't know.

Ebby works with him.

I asked him the other day what he thought of his job

and he said Wall Street's a racket.

So I don't know.

I was transferred today.

Out of maternity into the psychiatric ward.

The extra pay might give us some leeway.

Are you gonna be safe in there?

I think so.

It's terribly sad.

It's mostly just psychotics and drunks.

There's not a lot that can be done for them.

I'll be fine. Don't worry.

All right.

You know what?

Frank is a smart guy.

He is.

And he makes a trainload of money.

He does.

I think I'm gonna give him a call.

Good.

Nothing wagered, nothing gained, right?

Right.

I'm gonna go put dinner on.

All right.

Lo.

Oh, you doll. Thank you.

Green vase in the pantry.

Frank, look who's here.

Oh, Bill is so excited to be working with you.

Thank you so much.

I'm lucky to have him.

Good-bye.

Bye.

Bill has exactly the kind of optimism Frank needs.

Come see Emma.

Hello.

Say hi to Auntie Lois.

Emma, darling.

Hello, angel.

Hello.

May I kiss you?

May I? May I?

There, I've done it. I've kissed you.

I can't tell you what this means to me.

Lo, I've done nothing.

Elise, I think I’m pregnant.

Oh, darling!

Can you imagine?

Here we are.

Here we are. Here we are.

Otis Elevator Company: 128 and one half.

Standard Gas and Electric Company: 55 and seven eighths.

American Steel Foundry:46 and one half.

Chrysler Corporation: 56.

Standard Gas and Electric Company:

56 and one quarter.

Reed Ice Cream Corporation: 58.

Otis Elevator Company:

129 and seven eights.

International Shoe Company:172 and three quarters.

Loews, Incorporated...

You're a bald-faced liar.

I said that to you the first day.

I said that I saw right through it

and it's nothing but a numbers game.

The fact is that nobody knows what these companies are doing.Nobody.

Can we have ginger ales, please? Thank you.

Who's walking the production line?

Who's kicking the tires of these companies?

Nobody has a clue

how these companies are run.Nobody.

No, no.

That's because you've got to read 'em between the lines.

You know, ba-ba-ba-ba.

Lo, is that all you’re going to eat?

No, I had my soup.

You gotta be eating for two with the baby.

I'm not hungry, honey.

Well, you’re in luck, Ebby,

because I got an idea for you.

This is... I have an idea.

Why don't we leave?

It's late.

All right then.

Good night, Ebby.

Oh, good night, Lois.

Good night to you.

Sorry.

I got that.

We will continue this.

To be continued.

Listen, Ebby and I were just big-talking.

I want you to be proud of me. That's all.

I am proud of you.

I just don't like it when you get sloppy and stupid.

You think I'm stupid?

No, I just, I don't like it when you drink like that.

You're just different.

All right, fine.

I'll-I'll quit.

Honey, I'll quit for you.

That's easy.

Honey, I'll quit, all right?

I can, I can quit

the booze for ya.

Ow.

What? You don’t believe me, honey?

What, honey? What?

Ow!

What? What honey?

Are you okay?

Call my father. Lo?

Call my father!

Okay, okay. All right.

Operator? Operator!

Brooklyn, New York! Get me Dr. Clark Burnham!

I'm sorry.

I'm so sorry.

Shh.

It's okay.

We'll have so many children.

We'll have a big family, Lo.

Bill?

Bill?

Welcome to your new home.

What have you done?

It's a tent.

Do you like it?

I...

Well, I've been thinking that we need a fresh start

and uh, get away from the noise,

get out of the city for a while, so this is it.

Oh, honey, I got this idea that nobody is ready to back me on