Original subtitles

See, it's upside down first, but it'll come out right now.

Just the big one and the little one.

That's it.

Now, right around there.

That.

Up.

Down. Through.

And you pull it tight.

See?

There.

Uncle Bill, how come you're so good and mine's so awful?

Well, you haven't got a collar on your shirt. That makes all the difference in

the world.

A telegram for you, sir.

Thank you.

If you want, Jody, I'll tie your bow.

No, thanks, Buff.

Hey, listen now.

Arriving Friday afternoon, flight 612, Kennedy International.

Looking forward to seeing you and the children again.

Ted Patterson.

Who's that?

It's your grandfather.

They're grandfathers, huh?

Yeah, they're mother's fathers.

I haven't seen him in five years, I guess.

I don't remember my grandfather.

Are we supposed to know him?

Why didn't we see him before?

Well, he lives way up in Alaska, Jody, and he works for an oil company up

It's very cold in Alaska.

Maybe that's why he's coming here, to warm up.

No, he's coming here to see you guys.

Time you got to know him, too.

Well, what do you know about that?

We have a grandfather.

All right, children, bath time.

Good night, Uncle Bill. Good night, kids.

Children don't seem very excited, sir.

Well, you can't expect them to get very excited about somebody they don't even

know. That's true.

I don't really know him myself.

Well, you mentioned you saw him about five years ago, sir. Yeah, that's the

time.

I used to think that Grandpa was handsome.

He had a mustache.

What kind?

It was bushy, I think.

I'm gonna grow a bushy mustache.

If I were you, I'd wait a few years.

I can feel some down deep.

Is that all you can remember, the mustache?

Well, I remember you used to give me silver dollars all the time.

Hey, that's neat.

Here we are, Buffy.

Thank you, Mr. French.

Judy. Thank you, Mr. French. And Sissy.

Thank you.

Mr. French, did you ever have a grandfather?

Mm -hmm.

Both my grandfathers lived close by when I was a lad.

You were lucky. You must have known them.

Yes. They gave me a sense of continuity and security.

Now, we'll have that, whatever it is.

Why don't you relax, Ted?

I guess I am all wound up.

Five years.

Yeah, the kids have changed a lot since you saw them.

Well, Buffy broke her leg playing stickball, but she's coming along okay.

And Jody, he's just shooting up like that.

I wonder if they'll recognize me. Probably not.

You know...

If this is what coffee tastes like, our camp cook in Alaska must have been

serving his whale oil.

When do you have to go back?

A couple of weeks.

Plenty of time to get to know my grandchildren again.

Sure.

You've been with that same oil company a long time, haven't you?

Forty years.

Indiana, California, Texas.

All over the country.

Well, you look in great shape.

When are you going to retire?

Oh, one of these days.

Might even settle down right here in New York.

Yeah? The kids would be glad to hear that.

Once they get to know you.

I miss them so much, Bill.

They're all the family I've got now.

I got thinking about them and me.

I haven't got too many years left to be with them, you know.

Hello.

Grandfather? Yes.

I don't suppose you remember me.

No, sir.

You don't have a mustache.

Oh, I got rid of that some time ago.

Now, how about a nice big hug, huh?

Sissy.

Well, don't I at least get a kiss?

There, that's better.

I'm sort of grown up now.

Yes, I guess you are.

Sir, this is Mr. French here.

Mr. French.

Pleased to meet you, sir.

I trust you had a pleasant trip.

I did.

And this is the best part of it.

French, put Mr.

Patterson in Jody's room. Jody can bunk in with me.

Hey, that's me.

Very good, sir. I shall prepare the rooms. Excuse me.

Boy, it sure is great to see you kids again.

Oh, say, I bet you'll never guess.

What your grandpa brought you.

Let's see here.

Buffy, this is for you.

Thank you. Is she an Eskimo?

That's right. And that's a genuine sealskin parka.

Mrs. Beasley will be pleased to meet her.

Mrs. Beasley?

She's Buffy's friend.

Doll friend.

Oh, I should have known you'd have a favorite doll.

Well, you just keep that one anyway, huh?

She can be Mrs. Beasley's doll.

Right. Now, Jody, I bet you haven't got anything like this.

What is it?

It's a kayak.

Thank you, Grandfather.

Does it run on batteries?

No, Jody, that's an Eskimo canoe.

You have to paddle it.

Maybe I could tie a string on it and pull it across the lake in the park.

Sure.

Now this here.

Here.

There you are.

Oh, it's lovely.

What's it made of?

Walrus ivory.

All the Eskimo women wear them.

Thank you, Grandfather.

Now, do I get another kiss?

Maybe you should have rubbed noses.

Uncle Bill.

Can we go outside and play in the park now?

Your grandpa just got here, honey.

Oh, that's all right.

We'll have plenty of time to get together.

Thanks, sir.

Well, young lady, you and I have a lot of catching up to do.

Mr. Patterson.

I mean, grandfather.

Yes? Well, I didn't know that you were arriving so early today.

A friend of mine invited me to go to the basketball game tonight.

Would you mind terribly?

If we win, we'll be in first place.

Of course I don't mind.

We can do our catching up later on.

Thank you.

Will you excuse me now? I have to call Greg.

You run along.

Do they always come and go so fast?

Sometimes faster.

I, uh... I feel kind of like a country boy who waits all day at the railroad

tracks with a train to his behind just so he can wave at it.

Yeah.

Well, you can't expect instant love.

You're still a stranger to them, Ted.

I thought Sissy would remember me.

Oh, she remembers you.

Five years is a long time for her, that's all.

Yeah, I guess you're right.

They don't know me, and I don't know them.

Well,

hello, Jody.

Sorry I woke you up, sir.

That's all right.

A boy shouldn't have to go tiptoeing around in his own room.

I wish Mr.

French would have put my toys in the den, too.

Say, how would you like to sit down right here and have a talk?

I'll tell you all about the Eskimos up at camp.

I can't, sir.

Uncle Bill had to go out, and he told us we shouldn't disturb you.

Greg is ten minutes late. We're going to miss the tip -off.

Is he a very special date?

Greg's very heavy.

Oh, well, that's too bad.

But then looks aren't everything.

Oh, no, Grandfather.

Heavy means groovy.

A gas.

Well, you know, lots of fun.

Oh, well, that's nice.

I suppose there'll be a very heavy dance after the game.

No, we're going to shoot pool.

In a pool room?

You?

Oh, sure.

It's called Mother's Rackup.

Does Uncle Bill know about this?

Of course.

It's a family place.

They serve pizza and hamburgers. It's out of sight.

Out of sight?

Hi, Sissy. Hi, Greg. You were late.

I had trouble with the wheels.

Hey, we'd better split.

Oh, but wait a minute. I want you to meet my grandfather.

Hello.

I'm Mr. Patterson. How do you do, sir?

I understand you're taking Sissy to a basketball game.

Yes, sir.

Say, you're a pretty tall fellow.

How come you're not playing yourself?

Well, I'm only six feet.

Well, in my day, that was tall enough to play jump center.

The center on our team is almost a foot taller than that.

And he's still growing.

Quite a difference from my day. Quite a difference.

Well, Grandfather, we really have to be going now.

Have fun. Thank you. Nice meeting you, Mr. Patterson. Same here, son.

Oh, Sissy.

Here.

That's for you.

Oh, thank you, Grandfather.

What's it for?

Mad money.

Mad money?

What's that?

That's in case you two have an argument and Sissy has to come home by herself.

Oh, well, we argue all the time, but Greg always brings me home.

Good night, Grandfather.

Good night.

Anything I can get for you, Mr. Patterson?

How about a nice little game of two -handed pinochle, Mr. French?

I'm sorry, sir, but I don't play. But perhaps chess?

Chess? Oh, no, no.

Well, in that case, sir, I'd better finish in the kitchen.

Excuse me, sir.

Ruffy, you were so quiet in here, I thought you were asleep.

Homework isn't very noisy.

Homework? You don't have to go to school till Monday.

I like to get it over with.

Arithmetic?

Say, that used to be my favorite subject in school.

Maybe I can help you.

I don't think so, sir. This is new math.

Well, let's see.

Understand word one.

I think I'll leave you alone and let you finish.

Say, I almost forgot.

I bet you don't know what I've got in my hand.

A silver dollar?

How'd you know?

Sissy told us you used to give them to her.

She remembered.

Here.

Thank you, sir.

Buffy, do you think you could stop calling me, sir?

Then what did I call you?

Oh, grandfather or grandpa or maybe just gramps.

Okay, grandfather, sir. I mean, grandfather.

Oh, don't let it bother you. It took me a while to learn new math, too.

Well, anyway, I'm an expert on one subject.

What's that?

Ancient history.

Most of my conversation now starts out with, now in my day... You'll have

to talk about once they get to know you a little better.

I need their love, Bill.

I came 8 ,000 miles to get it.

Now, wait a minute. It's just like the oil business, you know.

Sometimes it's up near the surface and sometimes you gotta go way down deep.

And sometimes you hit a dry well.

Let me have the children tomorrow, Bill. For the whole day.

Sure, you don't have to ask me.

Just don't expect anything to happen overnight. You know, give them time.

It never occurred to me I couldn't just step back in and be part of the family.

Why, I know Eskimos who don't call me sir.

Hey,

Jody.

How about a baseball mitt?

I have one, sir.

Well, you can always use two.

Then how can I throw the ball?

I mean, as a spare.

If it's all right with you, sir, the one I have is fine.

Okay, we'll get to something else.

Jody, we're supposed to call him Grandfather. He doesn't like sir.

Okay.

Say, this looks like fun.

Would you like one of these cookie makers, Buffy?

It's almost like the cake mix that we bought, Grandfather.

So it is.

You know, I've seen so many toys today, I don't know which ones we bought and

which ones we didn't.

I can see now why Santa Claus only works one night a year.

Grandfather, you've already done too much for us.

Nonsense. I haven't done half enough.

I know.

Let's find the Junior Miss Department.

Maybe we can get you another pair of those bell -bottom slacks like we got

this morning. Now, no thank you.

Fashion's changed so fast, they're probably out of style since this

Oh, that's a shame.

Let's go back and get you another one.

No, that's all right, Grandfather.

He can share mine.

Are you sure? It won't be any trouble.

Maybe we just ought to go home.

Home?

Well, what's the matter with you young people?

Where's your get up and go?

Why, in my day... How about a nice ice cream soda?

Oh, I don't think I could, Grandfather.

Me neither.

I could hardly finish that banana split after lunch.

Gee, there's a good part of the day still left.

Why don't we go to the park?

That's a good idea.

Yeah, it's on the way home.

Good, let's go.

to sit down.

Even the balloon is heavy.

Hey, look, here come Cindy and Craig.

Hi. Hi, where's Mr. French?

Our grandfather brought him.

Is he your grandpa?

Craig, this is Mr. Patterson.

Hello. This is Craig and Cindy.

We found a frog in the pond.

Want to see him?

Yeah. Sure.

Is this all right, grandfather?

Why, certainly.

Come on, Buffy.

Grandfather, Greg and his friends are playing touch football over there in the

green. Would you mind if I watch for a while?

Not at all.

Good, I'll be right back.

Here, I'll take it. Good, thanks.

Where are you going, Ted?

Back to Alaska.

Back to work.

The trip has been good for me, Bill.

I saw my grandchildren again.

You sure?

Yeah. What time did your plane leave?

Midnight tonight.

I guess I'd be feeling better about it if we just had one last rip -roaring

today.

Well, I love the presents you brought.

I didn't score a point, Bill.

Their love just isn't for sale.

If you knew those kids a little better, you'd understand. You're just using the

wrong kind of currency, that's all.

Mr. French has to tell you dinner's ready, Grandfather.

My goodness, is it 6 .30 already?

Mr. French has a watch like that, only it's not as thick.

Oh, well, this is very old, Buffy.

It has a picture in it. Yeah.

Is that me?

No, it's not you, but it could be.

It's your mother.

Really? I took it myself with an old box camera.

She was just about your age then.

What was she like? I mean, when she was little?

Well, she was just as sweet as she was pretty.

Just like you.

You say nice things, Grandpa.

Did she ever have a doll like Mrs. Beasley?

You know, I believe she did.

She called her Lucy Ann.

Now, Jody, we do not eat until everyone is at the table.

But, Mr. French, they're taking so long.

I'll see what's keeping them.

And then when she met your father, she forgot about all the other boys.

I'm glad.

Were you there when my mom and dad got married?

You bet I was.

I gave her away.

She wore a beautiful white dress your grandmother made for her.

She must have looked real beautiful.

She did.

It was a happy day in our lives, for all of us.

Grandpa?

Yes? Do you miss my mother as much as we do?

Grandpa gonna be a little bit late.

We'll just wait.

Your mother made the best strawberry ice cream I ever tasted.

And that was before they had those fancy freezers.

Strawberry ice cream's my favorite.

Mine too.

Mother used to tell me how she liked to go ice skating in the winter.

I taught her how.

Would you teach me how, Grandpa?

Jody's ankles go all floppy.

So did your mother's. I tell you what.

Next time I come for a visit, we'll all go ice skating.

Oh, we'd like that.

Come back soon, will you?

I sure will.

Sorry to break this up, but you kids got to go to bed.

Okay. Good night, Grandpa.

Good night, Buffy. Boy, you sure tell good stories, Grandpa.

I'll hurry them along.

Good night, Uncle Bill. Good night, children.

You've done a wonderful job with those kids, Bill.

We do the best we can.

When they needed me, I wasn't around.

You were.

It's only right they should love you.

Look, I didn't want to go into a big goodbye scene with them. You can tell

tomorrow after I've gone.

Okay.

They're going to miss you, Ted. I hope so. I'm going to miss them.

How could I ever have let them grow up without me?

You've been busy, working, traveling all around.

You don't have time to think about them, I guess.

That's a nice way of saying I've been selfish.

It's a rotten way to live, Bill.

It catches up with you.

I'll drive it to the airport.