Episode 279, scene 6.

     Constance is in the kitchen.  Eli is in the living room.
     The front door chimes in the Carson house ring.

CM:  Get it, would you please, Eli?
Eli: Okay, Connie.

     Eli goes to the front door and opens it.

EC:  [Expecting Constance]  Congratulations.

EC:  What are you doing here?
Eli: Why don't you use your key instead of disturbing your guests?
EC:  Where is she?
Eli: In the kitchen.
Eli: [Shouting]  It's Elliot.

     Constance comes in the livingroom.  Elliot waits in the livingroom 
     for Constance to come in and then presents her with the flowers.

EC:  Just a token of my esteem, love, and gratitude for having delivered 
     to me, rather to us, so handsome, so healthy, and so intelligent a 
     son. 
CM:  That's very sweet of you. 
EC:  Well, go on, take them.  They're yours. 
CM:  To Matthew's handsome and intelligent and healthy father. 
EC:  Well, thank you, sweetheart.  I . . .
Eli: [Laughing]  I wish you could see the expression on your face.
EC:  Who is that giggling old man?
CM:  I thought you knew him.
EC:  I don't know him.
Eli: Well, don't just stand there.  Get some glasses.
EC:  Yeah, that's a good idea.
Eli: Oh, it's too bad vaudeville is dead, you two could make a fortune.
EC:  [Still laughing]  Well, I guess we'd better drink this stuff before 
     it fizzles.  Eh? 

CM:  I'll put these flowers in water.  I'll be right back.
EC:  That's something.
ELI: Elliot, I think I'd better go home.
EC:  Oh, come on now, Dad.  Don't give me this.  This is champagne.  When 
     it comes to champagne, you're like a sponge. 
Eli: I know, I know.  But, I think I'd better go.  You kiss Connie goodbye 
     for me.  And thanks for the comedy, you comedian.        
EC:  [Laughs]

     [Eli leaves.]

CM:  Was that Eli?
EC:  Yes.
CM:  Why?
EC:  Well, he figured out that I was putting on my happy act.  The reason 
     is, that . . .  Well, it's not that there's bad news, Connie.  It's 
     just that there's no news.  I practically dragged Mike Rossi out of 
     that courtroom and we were all set to take that girl to the cabin 
     where she was found with Allison's bracelet.  He suddenly decided it 
     might be better to wait a while.  And I tried to talk him out of it.  
     But he was right, I guess. 
CM:  He didn't find out anything, huh?
EC:  I didn't even see the girl.  All my iron will and determination just 
     resulted in a big fat zero.  Oh, Connie.  I know how disappointing it 
     is for you but actually there wasn't anything else I could do except 
     to agree to be pacient and wait. 
CM:  That's why you got me the champagne and the flowers?
EC:  Just the champagne  I was going to bring you the flowers anyway.
     Will you forgive me?
CM:  You did the best you could.  I guess I've been putting on an act, 
     too.  You see, I got a terrifying telephone call today.
EC:  Oh, no.
CM:  About Allison.
EC:  Somebody called and claimed to know something about her.
CN:  The man who called was very sick.
EC:  I'm sorry.
CM:  I should have expected it.
EC:  Well, just put it out of your mind.  Just forget it.
CM:  I hoped you'd be in a good mood.  Because you could reassure me that 
     everything is going to be all right.  
EC:  Darling, everything is going to be all right.
CM:  I know it's not fair to make . . .
EC:  Believe me, Connie.  Everything is going to be all right.  Tell me, 
     what's going on with that fellow upstairs, anyway? 
CM:  He's asleep.
EC:  Ah nuts.  That's too bad.
CM:  Too bad, why?
EC:  Because I wanted to talk to him.  I wanted to tell him how important 
     he is to us.  How much we need him. 
CM:  Let's both tell him.

     [Mood music]
     [They go upstairs to Matthew's bedroom.]

CM:  Maybe we should bring Matthew down for the celebration.
EC:  Well, I don't know if Matthew will enjoy the celebration, 
     particularily if he's asleep. 
CM:  Maybe the opening of the champagne cork will wake him up.
     He's a lot funnier when he's awake.

CM:  What is it?
EC:  It's Allison's room.  I don't know but the last few weeks, everytime 
     I go past it, it seems as if I walk into a stone wall.  And I know, I 
     was the one that insisted that the room be closed up.  I went on and 
     on about how you were hurting yourself. 
CM:  I was hurting myself.  Going through closets.  Opening and closing 
     drawers.  I was standing right in the middle of my feelings.  And you 
     were absolutely right to make me stop it. 
EC:  I'm not so sure that I'm so absolutely right about that anymore.  But 
     what I am absolutely sure about is that this room is going to stay 
     open from now on.  We can't shut Allison out, Connie.  This isn't 
     going to work.  This is a living breathing place.  It needs to have 
     light in here.  Sunlight and moonlight.  And it needs sounds.  Sounds 
     from the street.  And particularily sounds from the rest of this 
     house. 
CM:  You can't forget either, can you?
EC:  No.  I can't.  And I consider it a measure of my failure as a human 
     being to have so often pretended to have forgotten, like a moment ago 
     downstairs. 
CM:  Oh, Elliot. 
EC:       You know something.  A long time ago when I was a little 
          boy, I remember trodding after my father down at the wharf.  
          I remember seeing this fisherman.  And he was feeding one 
          of those huge sea turtles.  It must have been a foot and a 
          half across.  I was absolutely fascinated by it.  I still 
          remember my father saying,    "Now don't you go near it."   
          Well, of course, I went near it and the turtle snapped at 
          me and scared the living life out of me.  I must have cried 
          for over an hour.  And my father said, "Men don't cry.  Men 
          don't cry."  Now a hundred years later, I've got news for 
          my father.  Men do cry. 


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