Imitation of Life

- Want my quack-quack. - No, darling, not now.

Wait till Mother finishes your bath.

Won't be but just a minute now.

Want my quack-quack.

There. Upsy-daisy. There.

Want my quack-quack.

No, darling, not now. Later. Please be good.

Mommy's so late, and she's got so much to do.

What's Mommy got to do?

Well, she has to get you dressed

and get you your breakfast and take you down to the day nursery.

Don't wanna go to the day nursery.

Want to stay home with Mommy.

Darling, I wish you could, but you can't.

Why?

Because Mother has to go out and sell lots of cans of maple syrup

so she can buy nice things for her baby.

Don't want to go to the day nursery.

Marjorie pulled my hair.

She did? Well, she was a very bad girl to do that.

I pulled her back harder.

Well, I suppose if she pulled you first, it was all right.

I pulled her first.

You did? Well, then you're a very naughty little girl,

and you won't go to heaven.

Don't want to go to heaven. Want my quack-quack.

I love you and you love me

And I don't wanna go to the day nursery

Oh, I think we're gonna have an opera singer in the family. Don't you?

Come on, now give me your foot.

I love you and you love me

And I don't wanna go to the day nursery

- Mommy, telephone! - Yes, I hear it, darling.

Yes. Now you sit here and be good for just a minute, huh?

Okay.

Hello? Good morning, Mr. Auburn. Yes.

Yes...

Yes. Excuse me just a minute, please, will you?

Hello? Yes, Mr. Auburn.

I was terribly sorry not to find you in.

You see, since my husband's death, I've been carrying on his business.

- Mommy! - Yes, dear, yes.

- What, Mr. Auburn? - Mommy, can I come down?

Yes. No, no, dear. Wait till I finish dressing you.

That was just the baby.

Yes, I have a little girl.

Thank you, Mr. Auburn. I'll have the syrup delivered to you within an hour.

Thank you so much. Goodbye.

Yes?

Good morning.

I come in answer to your advertisement for a girl.

- What? - The advertisement what say,

"Wanted, cook, laundress, housemaid,

"colored, not afraid of hard work, moderate wages."

There must be some mistake. I haven't advertised for any girl.

Well, ain't this Aster Avenue?

No, this is Aster Street. Aster Avenue is way the other side of town.

Oh.

Funny I didn't notice that little "avenue" word.

That's just my luck.

What they got two streets alike for, anyhow?

I don't know.

I don't know what I better do.

There's a streetcar right there at the corner.

You take that, you'll be there in about 10 minutes.

We has to walk.

Oh...

All right, you wait here. I'll get you some carfare.

Thank you.

- Somethings burning. - Oh, dear.

Nice quack-quack.

Oh!

Jessie! Oh, darling. Are you hurt?

- I fell down. - Oh, darling.

Oh, darling, look at you.

I's all wet.

I'll say you're all wet.

We're gonna eat such a big breakfast, aren't we?

Oh, how nice of you!

Well, I see'd you was in such a fummix, so I just thought I'd lend a hand.

Horsie.

Hmm?

Why, darling, what do you mean by saying such a thing?

Horsie. Nice horsie.

I've been took for many things, but I ain't never been took for that before.

Well, thank you very much for all you've done.

Here's your carfare, and I wish you good luck.

Thank you kindly.

Come on, darling.

Come on. Run along.

You right sure you wouldn't need somebody for your own self now?

I'm right handy with housework.

And taking care of children, that just comes natural to me.

I'm afraid I couldn't afford it. I wish I could.

Don't worry about wages, if that's what's on your mind.

If I could just get a home for my little girl,

I'd be glad to work for just room and board.

- You've got a child? - Yes'm.

That's the drawback about a job.

Folks just don't want Peola.

You sweet little child.

Come here, Peola.

Come on.

Say good morning to the lady, Peola.

- Good morning. - Good morning, dear.

- Why, she's a lovely little girl. - Yes'm. She's very light.

Her pappy was a very, very light-colored man.

Peola's a pretty nice brung up child.

She ain't been dragged up like most of them is.

Oh, your sweet little child.

- What might her name be? - It's Jessie.

And as I was saying, ma'am, if you could put up with my little girl

and give her and me a roof over our heads,

I'd be willing to work for almost nothing.

Well, I have got a room you could use, but...

Don't worry about food.

Peola, she don't eat nothing. She's so little.

And I's very deceiving as to proportion.

I don't eat like I look. It's the truth.

I's very light at the table. Honest.

Just 200 pounds of mother fighting to keep her baby.

Two hundred and forty, yes'm.

I could get jobs all right, excepting for Peola.

But I just can't be separated from Peola, no matter what happens.

- You know how it is, ma'am. - Indeed, I do know.

Does we get to stay, ma'am? Please.

- All right, we'll try it. - All right.

You sit right down and I'll have your breakfast ready in a jiffy.

Good evening, Miss Bea. You're pretty late tonight.

Yes, I know.

- Where's my baby? - She's gone to bed.

Oh, I thought I'd get home in time to see her a minute before she went to sleep.

Well, she played so hard all day,

she almost went to sleep while she was eating her supper.

Well, I'll run up a minute anyway. Maybe she's still awake.

Seems like I never get to see her at all anymore.

Yes'm.

Your supper's ready, Miss Bea.

Oh, my feet hurt.

Well, come on, honey, and sit down, and let me rub your feet.

- Come on. - All right.

That rests me all over.

It don't seem right for you

to be carrying around them old heavy cans of syrup, peddling.

I've gotta make a living.

With your pretty face and them pretty foots,

why, you ought to have a man taking care of you, honey.

- Oh, Delilah. - Yes'm.

I had a man once, but he up and died on me.

Is that gentleman there in the picture your late husband, ma'am?

Mmm-hmm. That was he.

Was you very much in love with your late husband, might I inquire?

Well, I married him.

But did you love him? That's what I asked, honey.

Oh, Delilah, I think I was too young to know very much about love.

Mother was dead.

He was my father's choice. Father wanted somebody to take care of me,

so I married him.

That's a pity.

It's too bad when you get started off on the wrong foot first.

Oh, but you'll get over it.

Youse got a big surprise coming to you, Miss Bea.

- You need some loving, honey child. - Oh, Delilah.

- What I need is some supper. - Yes'm.

I got some nice food ready for you tonight.

- That's fine. Thank you. - Yes'm.

I've got Jessie. That's enough.

Delilah, honestly now, doesn't she look like an angel?

Why she am an angel, Miss Bea.

Can we have some pancakes, too?

Please, Mammy. They look awful tasty.

Go on now. Go on out of here. You children done had your breakfast.

Go on and play, and take that fleabag with you.

Okay, Aunt Delilah.

Delilah, you'll be the death of me with these pancakes.

I'm glad you finds 'em to your taste, ma'am.

I've never tasted anything so good in all my life. How do you make them?

- It's a secret. - Mmm.

Yes'm, them pancakes is my granny's secret.

She passed it down to my mammy, and my mammy told me.

But I ain't telling nobody. No, sir.

I don't blame you. I wouldn't, either.

You know, down South, my mammy was famous for her pancakes.

White folks come from miles around just to taste 'em. Yes'm.

It's a special secret, and it's gonna die with Delilah.

You know, Miss Bea, all you do is just take a little...

- And that's all? - That's all. There's your secret.

Of course, you've got to be right light with the flap.

Delilah, look at the time. You've made me late with your pancakes.

Goodbye.

Goodbye, honey. And good luck for the day.

Thank you, Delilah.

- Oh, Miss Bea? - Yes?

- Wait a minute. - What is it? What's the matter?

Miss Bea, I want you to take this here rabbit's foot and put it in your money purse.

- (LAUGHING) Now, Delilah! - Yes'm, you must take it, child.

- Are you the owner? - Yes'm.

I'm Mrs. Pullman. Mrs. B. Pullman. You know.

Sorry, but I don't.

My husband was B. Pullman, you know, the man who was killed in the wreck.