Original subtitles

Mr. French, you sure do make good pancakes.

They were great.

Oh, thank you, Miss Sissy. Would you care for some more?

Oh, I'd better not. I'm trying to get that thin Carnaby Street look.

Like Twiggy.

Twiggy. Oh, for the days of Queen Victoria.

At a buffet, you don't seem very hungry.

No, sir.

In that case, just drink your milk.

Yes, sir.

What's the matter, Buffy? Does your throat hurt when you swallow?

Yes, sir, a little.

I'll call you from Chicago.

Very good, sir.

How long will you be gone, Uncle Bill?

Won't be back tomorrow night.

Have a nice time, Uncle Bill.

Yeah, really nice.

Hey, what's the matter? Your throat hurt?

A little.

Okay. Bye -bye, kids.

Bye, Uncle Bill.

Bye, Uncle Bill.

How long has she been swallowing like that?

I noticed it at the breakfast table this morning, sir.

Well, just to be on the safe side, you better keep her home.

Yes, it might be advisable, sir.

And have Dr.

Felson look at her.

Very good, sir.

And call me in Chicago. Let me know what he says.

Oh, to be sure, sir.

Mr.

French, can I go to school today?

We're having music appreciation.

I'll tell you what.

Let Buffy go to school and let me stay home.

No, I'm afraid not.

Come on, you guys. It's time for school.

School? Money gets here so fast.

Off to class, young man.

Oh, Miss Sissy, would you mind dropping him off at school? I must stay behind

here to ascertain the cause of Buffy's sore throat.

Oh, well, I'd be glad to, Mr. French.

I hope you feel better, Buffy.

Remember to bring me a lollipop from the doctor's office.

You could have mine, too. I don't feel like eating one today.

I'll just save it for you until you'll feel better.

Go. Come on.

Come.

Say hi.

Thank you, Buffy. That'll be all.

What did you look at?

Your tonsils.

Did they wiggle when I said ah?

A little bit.

Wait outside a moment, Buffy, please.

Ah. What color?

Chocolate.

And one for Jody, please.

Of course.

Thank you.

That's it.

I'm afraid her tonsils are rather enlarged.

Well, is that serious?

Not really enlarged. Tonsils at her age are quite common. There's nothing to

worry about.

I'm relieved.

It's a minor operation.

Operation? Then I must contact Mr. Davis the moment he arrives in Chicago and

inform him of the emergency.

It's hardly an emergency.

Doctor, for two bachelors unaccustomed to the care and feeding of children, any

operation is an emergency.

Good day, sir.

Oh, it's Mr. Davis.

Oh, hello, French.

What happened with Buffy?

Well, sir, according to Dr. Felson, it's a matter of enlarged tonsils requiring

an operation, sir.

Operation?

You mean they're going to take her to a hospital?

To be sure, sir.

I suggest you call Dr.

Felson for first -hand information.

Well, I'm due here at a meeting. I'll call him first. They can hold a meeting.

How's Buffy going to...

How's Buffy taking it?

Oh, with fortitude, sir.

You know, she's not yet realized that she'll be going to a hospital and facing

the surgeon.

She must be scared to death. What a time for me to be a thousand miles away.

Well, sir, I shall carry on in your absence.

I shall do my utmost to relieve her mind of the terrors.

Well, I'll get out of here as fast as I can. Meanwhile, don't let her know how

worried we are.

No, sir.

Goodbye, sir.

Buffy? Yes, Jody?

If I give you a nickel, can I look at your tonsils?

You're my brother. You can look at them for nothing.

Thanks, Buffy.

You're welcome.

Gee, this ice cream is good. Feels so cool when it goes down.

Is that all you had today?

Uh -uh. I had strawberry.

Vanilla and chocolate.

Gee, I wish I had tonsils. They're fun.

Hello, Judy.

Hello, Dr. Philson. Well, Buffy, how do we feel this afternoon?

Throat sore?

Not when I eat ice cream.

Well, let's have another look.

I looked. I didn't see much down there. It's awful dark.

The doctor will make his own diagnosis. Come, Judy.

May I? Just for a moment.

Thank you.

Now.

David, sir, I didn't expect you till tomorrow. Oh, I got the 2 .30 plane.

Well, do you trust your meetings were successful, sir? No, I call them off.

Sir? Well, I have to be here with Buffy at a time like this. How is she, anyway?

Oh, Dr. Felson is with her now, sir.

Did she have a relapse?

Hello, Bill.

Oh, how is she?

Quite well, under the circumstances.

What do you mean, under the circumstances? Is she all right, or

Doctor, are there unfavorable developments since morning?

Hi, Uncle Bill. Hi, Julie.

What did you find in Buffy's mouth, Doctor?

Just tonsils.

Your sister will be fine. And you're a nice boy to bring her some ice cream.

Her?

Yes.

Here, tell her that I'll be right in as soon as I finish talking to the doctor.

And that's a sewing kit. You give her that for me.

Bill, her tonsils are quite enlarged. If she were my daughter, I'd have them

removed.

Well, when?

Right away.

She could enter the hospital tonight, be operated on in the morning, home in 24

hours. It's a very minor operation.

Well, now, no operation's minor for a little kid like that. Perhaps not, but

should be done.

Well, okay. You make the arrangements, then.

And I shall prepare her necessary luggage.

Now, look, I don't want you to spare any expense.

You see, get the best tonsil man you can find.

I work with a fine young surgeon, Dr. Prentiss.

Young? How young is he? Not too young.

He's quite experienced, Bill.

Okay, well, now at the hospital, get her a private room. You know, better than

that, get a suite.

Someplace where I can sleep, you see, then.

French and I can trade off in case she wakes up and there's always somebody

there, you know. Bill, I said 24 hours.

Besides, she'll be much better off in her room with other children. It might

better if you weren't around. Parents tend to overreact.

Yeah, I guess some of them do that. Okay.

I'll make arrangements with Children's Hospital.

Okay, I'd better go in and face her.

Bill, there's nothing to worry about.

my first dish of ice cream I've had today.

Boy, I wish I could have one.

Hello.

Hi.

It hurts her to talk, but she says thanks for the sewing kit.

Hey, why don't you go in the kitchen and get yourself some ice cream?

Okay. And I'll eat it in the kitchen this time.

Buffy, listen.

I'm going to tell you something, and I want you to be scared.

Scared about what?

I'm just talking to Dr. Felson, and he says that... You see, sometimes little

kids have to have their tonsils sort of taken out, and in order to do that, you

have to... Go to the hospital?

That's right.

So we're going to take you there in a little while now.

In an ambulance?

No, no, honey, in a taxi.

How long will I have to stay there?

Oh, just overnight. You'll be back tomorrow.

In time for Captain Hippopotamus?

I think so.

Good. Then it's okay.

I know what you're going through, because I went through the same thing

was your age.

But it's all going to be over before you know it, so I don't want you to worry,

see?

And you're going to be in a big room with a whole lot of other kids, and you

won't feel lonely.

A brave little girl.

I wish it was my tonsils coming out instead of yours.

Don't worry, Uncle Bill.

It'll be all over before you know it.

Oh, a long -distance call from Chicago would be business matter, sir. Oh, yeah.

Okay. Thanks.

Well, we'd best start packing for the hospital, Buffy.

Mr. French, do you think I could bring Mrs. Beasley along?

Dr. Felson checked her tonsils, too, while we were there.

Well, I don't know when I can get back, Charlie.

You know, we're taking Buffy to the hospital right now.

Uncle Bill, does Buffy have to go to the hospital?

Yeah, I'm afraid so.

Look, when do you have to have that report, Charlie?

Uncle Bill, my throat feels funny.

Cody, this is important conversation, okay?

Uncle Bill, can I have some more ice cream?

Yes, yes.

Huh? Wednesday?

Well, that depends on how Buffy gets along.

Mr. French? Yes?

When is Buffy going to the hospital?

As soon as I can fetch a taxi.

Hi. Shh.

They're taking Buffy to the hospital. She's sick.

The hospital?

A tonsillectomy in the morning, Miss Sissy, we must all keep calm.

I'm sorry you've got to go to the hospital, Puffy.

Thanks, Jody.

Do you want to take my turtle along so you won't be lonely?

No, you better keep him here so you won't be lonely.

Yeah. Besides, he and Mrs. Beardsley don't get along together.

I wonder what it's like at a hospital.

Don't you remember?

Were we ever in one?

When we were born.

I can't remember that.

Me neither.

Why do people have tonsils when they have to take them out anyway?

I don't know.

Maybe we ought to ask Uncle Bill.

Oh, Jody, I don't think we better bother him.

Okay, Buffy.

Better get going.

Okay.

Goodbye, Jody.

Goodbye, Buffy.

I'm gonna miss you.

I miss you already.

Bye, Pa.

You can say good night to Buffy, Mr. Davis. Please only stay a moment.

Yeah, thank you.

Hi.

Hi, Tina.

Ice cream again.

Oh, well, you can eat anything you want in a few days.

Uncle Bill, can I ask you something?

What?

If my tonsils are up here...

How come they stuck me down here?

I don't know.

I'll ask the doctor about that.

Hey, look, I'll be back first thing in the morning, and I'll walk all the way

surgery with you, okay?

What? Me.

Oh, listen, I wonder if you'd mind checking on her at night to see that she

keeps her covers on, she kicks them all off at night, you know? Of course.

I don't want to tell you how to run your hospital, but this is the first time

any of my kids have been through any of this, so I guess I'm acting like a

nervous parent.

Mr. Davis, you wouldn't be a parent if you weren't nervous.

Oh, we all do it, huh?

Well, that's something.

In a town in Persia, there lived a poor man named Ali Baba, who was a

woodcutter. One day when he was in the forest... Do woodcutters have tonsils?

I presume so.

May I continue?

Okay.

One day when he was in the forest, Ali Baba saw in the distance a great cloud

dust from approaching horsemen.

Do horsemen have tonsils?

Well, occasionally, I suppose.

There are horses, too.

Jody, I am not a veterinarian.

I see you're thinking about your sister, aren't you?

I wish I was in the hospital, too.

Well, I know you miss her, but she'll be home before you know it.

Now, to get on with our story.

Fearing the horsemen might be robbers, Ali Baba climbed into a tree for safety.

And from his hiding place, he heard their captain call to a nearby rock.

Open sesame!

Like the doctor says, open wide to see your tonsil?

Well, obviously we are in no mood for a bedtime story tonight.

I shall continue with Ali Baba when your sister comes home.

Good night, Jody.

Good night, Mr. French.

Something the matter, Jody?

My throat kind of hurts, like Buffy's.

Oh, I'd say it's a matter of imagination because of the attention that Buffy's

been getting.

Now, I'll put out the light and you go to sleep.

Mr. French, I'm not very sleepy, so can I turn out the light myself?

Very well.

Five minutes, and we do not have a sore throat.

everything at the hospital.

Fine, just fine.

When I think of that poor little girl all alone in that great big hospital.

Now, don't you get started.

Oh, you're back, sir. Well, I do hope Buffy isn't too frightened, sir.

Hospitals are kind of a big scary place.

Yes, sir. The one who seems most concerned is young Jody.

The little fellow hardly touched his supper, sir, and now he's lying wide

in bed.

And he didn't even want to watch Captain Hippopotamus.

That isn't like Jody.

No, it isn't. Well, let's talk about operations in hospitals. No wonder he's

scared. I'll go talk to him. Oh, excuse me, sir.

Have you had dinner yet?

I forgot.

Fix me a sandwich.

Hi,

Jody.

Hi, Uncle Bill.

How's Buffy?

Oh, she's just fine.

She's asleep by now.

You ought to be asleep, too.

I can't sleep, Uncle Bill.

You worried about Buffy?

My throat hurts.

Okay. Try to get some sleep, huh?

Maybe I ought to go to the hospital with Buffy.

I know you're worried about her, but little kids just aren't allowed in

Even if their throat hurts?

No, you just stop that play acting. You're going to see her when she comes

tomorrow night.

Okay?

Okay.

Turn out this light.

And close your eyes.

Good night.

Good night, Uncle Bill.

It's the first time I've ever known Mr. Davis to forget his dinner.

He shouldn't be so upset over a simple tonsillectomy.

No, he shouldn't.

And that rack of lamb was delicious.

Was it?

Mr. French, haven't you eaten?

Come to think of it, dinner has completely slipped my mind.

I think I've got to calm down.

Oh, splendid, sir.

I'll have your sandwich ready in a moment, sir. Thanks.

You know, he really misses Buffy.

You know what he just told me now?

Yes, sir. He told you his throat hurts.

How'd you know? He mentioned it to me several times at the dinner table.

He told me, too. He even said his tonsils hurt.

Well, he just thinks they hurt.

You know what he wants? He wants to be in the hospital with Buffy.

You're right, Uncle Bill. We studied that in psychology this semester.

It's called psychosomatic reaction.

You hear it.

Excuse me, sir, but mightn't there be a much simpler motivation?

How's that?

Well, sir, you know, the scent of attention has been on Buffy today.

Mightn't this be the lad's way of, well, regaining the spotlight, as it were?

Sure.

You know, when I came home, I didn't even say hello to him. He had to say

to me.

And you didn't take him on as piggyback around the room, either.

I didn't.

Well, you can't blame the lad, sir.

After all, he's only six, and, well, it's not really his fault.

I'm sure.

We should have realized that.

Well, we're still new at this kid game.

Uncle Theo?

Hi.

What's up?

I can't sleep.

Oh, well, that's because your throat hurts and you miss Buffy.

And you thought I forgot about your piggyback ride.

Didn't you?

Well, I didn't. Well, come on.

Get on here.

How'd it go? Just fine, no complications.

Oh, when can I see her? Well, she'll be out of the recovery room in an hour. Oh,

well, that's great.

I didn't want to let on, but this thing had me pretty nervous.

I'd never have known it. I better call French. He's all upset, you know.

Oh, that is good news, sir.

Would it be in order if I dropped by with a small bouquet for Buffy, sir?

Sure, come on over.

Thank you, sir.

Oh, about your trip to Chicago.

Oh, well, I'll go.

I'll leave right after I talk to her.

Very good, sir. I shall repack.

Yes, sir. Goodbye, sir.

So, see, it's all settled. You're going to go home this afternoon.

Oh, yeah, Mrs. Beasley, too.

Now, look, I've got to go to Chicago now, but I'll call home tonight first

thing, okay?

Anything I can get you?

Oh, Mr. Davis, sir. Hi, Cabell.

Hi. Hey, kids aren't allowed up here. You'll have to wait till tomorrow to see

her when she comes home.

Well, I brought him here to see Dr. Feltham, sir. The school nurse sent him

home. Ah.

My goodness.

His are in worse condition than Buffy's.

Oh, here we go again.

Shall I call Chicago, sir?

Yeah, just tell them, uh...

Tell them I'll get in touch with them as soon as I can.

Jody, I don't know how to tell you this.

I don't want you to be scared now.

The hospital's a kind of big, scary place.

I'll be right here with you now.

Well, you can stay here in the room with her today.

It's all right, isn't it?

I think Uncle Bill and Mr. French are awful scared of hospitals.

I think we should try to calm them down.

Next time we get our tonsils out, I don't think we ought to tell them.