Original subtitles

Goodbye, Uncle Bill. Bye -bye.

Sissy, come on. We'll all be late for school.

Come on, let's go.

Okay, okay, I'm coming.

Now, Buffy, Jody, remember, wait for me after school because I shall be delayed.

Mr. French, when will we be old enough to walk home by ourselves?

All the other kids do.

We're never going to find out if they're old enough if they don't have a chance

at it, so let's give them a test run today.

If you say so, son.

Thanks, Uncle Bill.

Thanks. Come on, you're on your own. See you later, Mr. Frank.

Now, now, remember, no loitering or dawdling on the way home.

Don't worry, we won't.

Bye. Bye.

Well, sir, we are getting older.

Yes, perhaps we should be pleased, sir, but in truth, well, I find myself with

rather mixed emotions.

You do? Mm -hmm.

you later, you guys. Remember what Mr. Frank said?

No loitering. Or darling.

Very good. Goodbye.

Bye. Bye.

Girls are funny.

They tell you something that you can do, but there's always something that you

can't do with it. Yeah.

Hey, Jody, look at this new marble I got.

Wow, it's a tiger eye.

I wonder who that little girl is. I never saw her before.

Well, that's Jose's cousin. She just moved here from Puerto Rico.

First bell, let's go.

First bell, you'll be late.

I guess maybe you don't go to our school.

It's fun walking home alone, isn't it, Jody?

Yeah, we could have done it years and years ago.

Maybe not when we were in kindergarten.

We would have got lost for sure.

There's that little girl again.

Hey, Jody, want to take a bet at stickball?

Sure, Jose.

Hold these, will you, Bo? No, we're not supposed to lie to her.

I'm only going to take a few whacks here.

Okay. Now, no dawdling. I'm going to go sit over with Jose's cousin.

Hi, my name's Buffy Davis.

I got a doll, too. Her name's Mrs. Beasley.

What's your doll's name?

Hasn't she got a name?

However, now that you mention it, you are a little tardy.

When I walk you home, it takes precisely 12 minutes. So far, it has taken you 19

minutes to reach this spot.

Well, we did loiter a little bit, Mr. French.

The guys asked me if I wanted to play a little stickball.

And I tried to make friends with a new little girl, but she wouldn't even talk

to me.

Really? I must say, it's rather rude.

Who is this little girl?

She's Jose Garcia's cousin.

She just moved here from Puerto Rico.

Oh, I see. I see. Buffy, you know, you and I may be guilty of jumping to

conclusions. It may not be a matter of rudeness.

What do you mean, Mr. French?

You see, Buffy, if she has just come from Puerto Rico, it's quite possible

she doesn't speak English yet.

And I'm sure that when she learns how to, you'll be able to communicate and

become good friends.

I'm glad of that.

I don't like to be bad friends.

Uncle Bill, are you very busy right now? I have to ask you something important.

Okay, what do you want to know?

Well, could you teach me how to talk Spanish so I can speak it on the way

tomorrow?

Tomorrow?

What's your hurry?

Well, I met this little Puerto Rican girl.

And she looked awful lonely.

So if I could speak Spanish, then I could talk to her and we could become

friends starting tomorrow.

Okay. What do you want to say in Spanish?

Well... I want to ask her about her doll. I want to ask her her name. I want

ask her how she likes living in New York. I want to tell her about you and

French and Sissy and Jody. Okay.

We'll just settle for what's your name and let's be friends, okay?

Okay.

You want to say, what's your name in Spanish? You say, ¿Cómo te llamas?

¿Cómo te llamas?

That's very good. Try it again like a question.

¿Cómo te llamas?

Como se llamas? Very good. Now, let's be friends. That's easy. You just say,

seamos amigas.

Seamos amigas.

Amigas. Amigas. Very good.

Okay. We'll try it again in the morning.

All right, now you better go to bed. It's bedtime.

Okay, good night.

Good night, señorita.

Good night.

Good night, señor.

Good night, señor, Uncle Bill.

Buffy, there's Jose's cousin.

Won't she be surprised when she finds out I can talk Spanish to her?

Why don't you teach her how to speak English? Then you can be real good

Yeah.

Hi, guys.

Oh, hi, Johnny.

While you're talking to Jose's cousin, I'll go play dodgeball with the guys.

I guess I don't speak Spanish so well.

Miss me, Jose.

Hey, Jose, how do you say what's your name in Spanish?

That's what I said to your cousin and she didn't understand me.

My cousin can't understand anybody.

What do you mean?

And she can't talk.

or Mr. French will be worried about us loitering again.

Okay.

But I want to eat up... Oh, I forgot.

You know what, Jody? I found out something awful sad about Jose's cousin.

What?

She's not like other kids.

She can't hear or talk.

Golly.

We better take her back to her own street, or she'll get lost.

As long as she's here, we can take her upstairs, and then I can show her Mrs.

Beasley right now.

Yeah, and she can have cookies and milk with us.

Come on, Juanita.

And now, Mrs. Beasley, I'm going to let my friend Juanita finish walking you to

sleep.

Mrs. Beasley better go to sleep pretty soon, because I'm going to teach Juanita

how to play checkers.

How can you when she can't talk?

She doesn't have to talk. All she has to do is move them.

Have a good night, Mrs. Beasley.

Juanita, we're going to play checkers now.

Not now, Dodie. She wants the crayons.

Here.

Ah. Well, Buffy, how's your little friend enjoying herself?

We're having a wonderful time, Mr. French.

Well, I'm delighted to hear that.

People can have fun without saying anything, as long as they like each

You know, that's a very sound philosophy.

I wonder what she's going to draw.

I don't know.

Let's watch.

Hey.

Oh, good afternoon, sir.

You're a little bit early. Yeah.

Where are the kids?

Oh, they're in Buffy's room playing with their newfound Puerto Rican friend, you

know, Juanita.

Did my Spanish lesson come in handy?

No, I'm afraid not, sir. Why?

Well, unfortunately, it appears their newfound friend is a deaf mute.

Oh.

Well, they're playing, though.

Yes, the little girl followed them home.

I must say, they have an amazing rapport.

Leave it to the kids.

Jody, she's going to get a king.

I'll show her how to make a king. Watch, Juanita.

Hey, kids.

Hi, Uncle Bill.

This must be your friend Juanita, huh? French told me about her.

Don't be scared, Juanita. I guess she's afraid of tall people.

Boy, good job. That's easy. See?

I wish we could tell her that you're our uncle.

Then she wouldn't be scared.

I know what. We'll show her how much we love Uncle Bill.

Hey, what's this?

You're getting to be very good, Buffy.

I didn't do it when you did.

She did.

That's real good.

I wish we could let her know that.

Well, maybe we can... do Ole Misses easily like that.

if it got through to her.

I'm teaching Juanita how to play checkers.

And she's learning fast. She just kinged him.

Yeah?

She's a very smart little girl.

Where does she go to school?

She doesn't go to school. She just waits outside the door and looks in.

And then she sits on the stoop outside her house all day and just looks.

You kids have fun now.

I must say, it's Mrs. Beasley to a T.

A little girl would do that.

Really? I must say, she has remarkable talents, huh?

Sure has. I don't understand why she's not in school.

Perhaps her family are unaware of these special schools for handicapped

children. Somebody better tell them, then.

I better take Juanita home now. And I won't loiter on the way back, Mr.

Franklin.

I'll go with you. I want to meet Juanita's folks. Come on. Okay. Bye.

Bye.

What do you want?

Juanita.

Where have you been? I caught them policemen.

She was over at our house playing with my niece.

Can we come in for a minute?

Why?

I just wanted to talk to you. My name's Davis.

This is my niece, Puffy.

Thanks.

I'd like to talk to you about Juanita. I may.

There is nothing to talk about, my little girl.

Well, I think maybe there is.

No, no. You go now.

No, no. I don't want to upset you, Mrs. Cadera. I know how worried you are about

her. Buffy never should have brought her over to our place without asking you

first.

I don't blame Buffy. She's a little girl.

I am glad she liked my Juanita.

Well, I'm glad I got to meet Juanita.

She's very bright. She's a very clever little girl.

Gracias. Now you go.

I know it's not any of my business, but don't you think she ought to have a

chance to be like other kids? She should go to school.

No, no school, no school.

Why need I never be like other children?

They have special schools for kids like her, where they can learn.

But see, they have ways to teach them so that...

so that they can understand and they can be understood by others.

I could arrange to place her in one of those schools for you.

You arrange nothing.

Only a miracle helped my Juanita.

No one going to take her away to a special school where she be sad and cry

her mama and make no sound.

Mrs. Catero... No, no, no. Before I let anyone take her away, we go back to the

village in Puerto Rico.

You go now. Leave us alone.

Okay, we go.

Posse.

You mean that Mrs. Caddell wouldn't even listen to you?

Well, it seems to me that what you told her really made some sense.

I heartily concur, Mr. Davis. I think it would be the best thing in the world

for the little girl.

I know, but it's not our decision. It's up to Mrs.

Cordero. So what we think doesn't count.

But there's so many special schools that you could recommend to her.

Like the Beekman Institute my sociology class visited just last semester.

I know, it's one of the best.

I have a thought, sir.

Perhaps you could persuade someone from the Institute to come down and talk to

Mrs. Cordero and explain to her exactly what they could do for her little

daughter.

No, she wouldn't listen to me. She's not going to listen to anybody else.

So, talking's out.

Yeah. Yeah.

Talking is out. Sir?

I don't understand.

If Juanita won't come to the mountain, maybe the mountain will come to Juanita.

How old is the little girl?

About eight.

Very bright.

And she's never been to any school?

No, never.

Oh, that's too bad.

If her mother only realized what we could do to help her daughter.

Well, I wondered if you could find somebody that studied at the institute

over there and talk to her.

It can be arranged.

Wilma, is Dr. Robinson still here? I'd like to see her.

Dr. Robinson is one of our graduates.

She went on to medical school.

She comes here to help whenever she can.

Dr. Robinson, Mr. Davis here has a problem I believe we can help him with.

Oh, well.

I appreciate that very much.

Oh, exactly what is your problem, Mr. Davis?

When you answer, speak directly to the doctor so she can read your lips.

Okay. Doctor, you think you could be free about three o 'clock this

Fine. There's a little girl that needs your help.

May we come in?

Oh, you have come for Buffy, you and your wife.

She's in the bedroom with Juanita. I called.

No, no, don't call. Let him play.

Oh, this isn't my wife. This is Cordero.

Who she is?

Well, she's a doctor.

Why a doctor? No one is sick.

I know.

Now, Dr. Robinson went to the Beekman Institute, and that's the school I told

you about for Juanita.

Why she write?

You read it.

She say especially school is good for Juanita.

But why she have to write?

Well, she writes because she can't talk and she can't hear. That's... She's just

like Juanita.

I don't understand. If she can't hear, how she know what I just say?

Because she reads your lips.

See, she watches your mouth, the way you form your words with your lips, and

then she knows exactly what you say.

Is it possible to read lips?

That's one of the things they teach at the school.

Now, if you send Juanita there, she can learn to understand you.

She can understand the other kids and everybody.

Everybody? She's a real smart little girl. If she gets a good education, she

go on to college like Dr. Robinson did.

And then she don't have to work sewing machine like her mama.

Right.

You are sure?

My Juanita, she can learn to read lips?

Coffee. Come on.

That's right. Bring one here with you. Come on, over here.

Right here.

She said this is first lesson for Juanita.

What kind of lesson, Uncle Bill?

Lip reading. You just watch now.

You call the children by name.

Which I call first?

Either one.

Buffy.

Buffy.

She go to a special school.

Please.

There you go.

What you did was nice, Uncle Bill.

Now Juanita ought to have a chance to find out what the world's all about,

you think?

Yeah. But it was like giving her a present, but it didn't cost any money.

Best presents don't cost any money.

Uncle Bill, how do you say I love you in Spanish?

Yo te amo.

Yo te amo, Uncle Bill. Hola.