Original subtitles

Welcome to our show.

Do you think Mr. Fern shall have time to help us make bread today? I hope so. I

want to punch it down after it gets big.

Hi. Hi.

Are you the new people?

Uh -huh.

We just moved in today.

My name's Buffy Davis, and this is my brother Jody.

What's your name?

Wynn Carter.

never lived in an apartment before.

We always had a house in California.

Once you're inside, it's the same. But when you go outside New York, you can't

play in your backyard.

Would you like to see our apartment?

We could play there.

You kids are kind of little, but I don't know anybody else yet.

Well, we'd have to ask Mr. French first.

Who's Mr. French?

He looks out for us.

Where's your mother?

We don't have a mother. We live with our Uncle Bill.

Couldn't your kid brother tell Mr. French?

You'd be real close in apartment 403.

I'd even let you help me unpack.

Come on, Buffy.

Of course.

If you're a baby, you wouldn't be much help to me.

I'm almost nine.

Tell Mr. French I'm with Wynn in apartment 403.

You better ask first, Buffy.

Mr. French won't mind. Anyway, I'm not a baby anymore.

Okay, I'll tell him. Want to give me your things, Buff?

Okay, here.

Bye.

You see?

I told her kids don't have to ask.

Hi, I'm glad you're still up.

How's the future?

Did you know that makers are almost always men?

No, I never thought about that much.

You see, you have to be strong to punch the dough down.

Oh, yeah.

You know, our bakery smells real good.

Our kitchen's gonna smell that way because Mr. French is helping us make

We were gonna do it today.

Only I met this nice, real old girl. Her name is Wynne, and she lives on the

fourth floor.

Well, come along, Jody. Time for bed.

Do I have to?

Uncle Bill just got home.

Yeah, you have to. Go on. I'll be in a minute.

Okay.

Can you help me, Miss Beasley, please?

Here you are.

It's fun meeting new friends, isn't it?

Sure it is.

Mrs. Beasley hasn't met Wyn yet. I'll introduce them tomorrow.

Okay.

Have a good night's sleep.

Night.

Have you met this new friend of Buffy's?

Oh, no, sir, no, sir. I understand her. She's a considerably older girl, 12 or

so, quite mature.

Oh, that's why she's all impressed.

I'm afraid Jody doesn't share her enthusiasm, sir. He regards her as a

Buffy. Sure he does.

Well, he and an older kid someday go through the same thing.

This is my big sister, Sissy.

Oh, hello.

You must be Wynne Carter.

Right.

I like your dress.

Thank you.

How do you get your hair to go like that?

Well, I guess it's all in the way you said it.

Would you show me sometime?

Sure.

I'm going to the library. Do you want me to return those books?

Can we go with you?

Not now, Wynne. I've got a lot of research to do. I'll see you later. Bye

Bye.

This is okay.

Yeah, this is Mrs. Beasley.

Does she go steady?

Mrs. Beasley?

Your sister's silly.

Yeah, she goes steady with a lot of guys. We have a tea party with Mrs.

That's kid stuff.

What else do you have to play with?

Well, we got a lot of games.

Don't tell me you still take your lunch to school.

All right, I won't tell you.

But do you?

Well, Mr. French fixes it for us, except on hot dog day.

In California, I always ate in the cafeteria.

The babies brought their lunches.

We can go to the park if you like.

Are you allowed to do that?

Of course.

Do a lot of the older kids go to the park?

Sure, some real old kids.

Well, you're not going to take that doll, are you, Mrs.,

what's her name?

Beasley.

I wouldn't want people to think I played with dolls.

I guess I wouldn't either.

Okay, then.

Come on.

Would we like an apple or an orange today?

We would like half of each.

I'd rather buy my lunch in school today, Mr. French.

Oh, is it hot dog day again so soon?

No, sir, I'd just rather eat in the cafeteria.

Well, don't ask for any of mine if you don't like their stuff.

Hi. Hi, Uncle Bill. Hi.

Uncle Bill, can I ask you money for lunch today?

What?

Isn't French making you lunch today?

She wants money for lunch. It's not even hot dog day.

Lynn always eats in the cab.

Oh, she does. Okay.

Now, make certain that you have a balanced meal, Buffy. Yes, sir.

Thanks, Uncle Bill. Come on, Jody.

Bye. Bye -bye.

You know, sir, I'm a little concerned about the influence a new girl seems to

having on Buffy.

Oh, well, she'll probably make some friends her own age, and then everything

will resolve itself.

I hope so, sir.

Jody, can I ask you something honestly and truly?

As soon as I put this propeller on.

Okay, what is it?

Propeller fell off.

It's hard for me to do things right with people looking at me.

Jody, do you think I'm too old to play with Mrs. Beasley?

Well, Al grew my old teddy bear last year.

Mr. French made you.

Yeah, just because one of his legs fell off and all of his stuffing was coming

out all over the place.

Did you miss him?

Well, not really.

He was practically empty.

Mrs. Beasley takes good care of her stuffing.

Does Wynn play with dolls?

No, she says it's baby.

Why are you asking me?

You'll do whatever Wynn does anyway.

But what would happen to Mrs. Beasley? I couldn't just throw her in the trash

can.

I got an idea.

Why don't we stuff her in a box and give her a funeral?

Jody!

What's wrong with that? I buried a dead frog once.

You don't understand anything.

Well, why? What's your problem?

Do you think I'm too old to play with Mrs. Beasley?

Oh, I don't know.

I remember a long time ago, I had a doll named Rosella.

How old were you?

Let's see.

Well, it was while we were still living in Indiana.

What did you do?

I couldn't bring myself to give her up. So when we came to live with Uncle Bill,

I just left her behind.

You mean you don't even know where she is now?

Oh, Buffy, if you think that you're ready to give her up, I tell you what,

can find a nice, safe place to put her, and then maybe someday you'll have a

little girl of your own, and, well, you can give her to her.

I just don't know if I'm ready yet, Sissy.

Well, nobody's going to force you.

disturb time?

No, honey. Come on in.

What's up?

Do you think I'm too old to play with Mrs. Beasley?

Well, you're going to be a pretty big girl.

What's that all about, Mrs. Beasley?

Well, Wynn doesn't play with dolls, and Jody gave up his teddy bear, and Sissy

left Rosella back in Indiana.

Yeah?

Well, what do you think?

I don't know. That's why I'm asking you.

Now, honey, part of growing up is learning to make your own decisions. You

expect everybody to go around doing that for you forever.

You won't help me?

You're going to know when it's time.

Just don't go rushing it, see?

Okay. Good night, Uncle Bill.

Good night, sweetheart.

I didn't know growing up meant growing away the things you love.

Mr. French?

Yes? Do you know someplace I could put something for a little while?

Well, will it fit into one of your dresser drawers?

I'd like someplace a little farther.

Oh, I see. Well, what about the top shelf of the whole closet?

That sounds good. Would you help me put her up there, please?

Her?

Mrs. Beasley. I've decided to try living without her for a week.

Well, isn't this rather sudden?

Oh, no. I've been thinking a lot about it on account of I might be getting a

little too old for Mrs. Beasley, but I'm not sure.

I see a sort of trial separation.

Because I know what it's like to have Mrs. Beasley, but I want to grow up and

not be a baby.

Only I don't know what it's like not to have Mrs. Beasley.

As you wish, Buffy.

Do you think she'll be comfortable up there?

Oh, yes.

Quite comfortable, Buffy.

I'm glad Mrs. Beasley isn't afraid of the dark.

I don't understand women, Uncle Bill.

Makes them interesting, though.

I don't understand that either.

Well, you will.

Right now, I don't understand about Buffy.

How's that?

She put Mrs. Beasley away in the closet.

I know.

The way she's acting, it's a wonder she didn't put me away in the closet, too.

Ah, you know she likes you.

Yeah, but she likes Wynn a lot better.

Well, she just thinks she's growing up.

I'm growing up, too, but I still want to do things with her.

Well, there's plenty of time.

She just looks up to Wynn now because Wynn's a little bit older, but she'll

over that.

I hope so Do you think she'll get over it before I get to understand women?

Oh, long before that

Oh, what a day.

Win and I sure had fun today.

Nice being grown up.

Does Win miss California?

Some, I guess.

But Mrs. Beasley said she'll get over it pretty soon. She likes New York even

better than California.

Well, remember how much we missed Indiana when we first moved here.

It'll take time.

That's what Mrs. Beasley said.

She's lived all over, and she says it can be fun seeing new places.

You mean Win said that.

No, Mrs. Beasley.

I thought that Mrs. Beasley was in the closet.

Sure that, Mrs. Beasley.

Oh, dinner will soon be served, ladies.

Oh, thank you, Mr. Francis. Oh, we won't be waiting for your uncle. He's working

late this evening.

Mrs. Beasley sometimes has to work late. She was busy this afternoon, but she

still had time to talk with us.

She showed us some of her baby pictures.

I'll go wash my hands now, Mr. French.

She's been talking about Mrs. Beasley as though she were a real person.

Yes, I know. It's very odd.

Perhaps she's missing a doll more than we anticipated.

Maybe that trial separation wasn't such a good idea.

I don't know.

But you know, her behavior, I don't quite understand it. Perhaps we're

something more into it anyway than is really there.

Very good.

Buffy, would you like me to fetch Mrs. Beasley from the closet?

Oh, no. The week isn't up yet.

Thank you, Mr. French. Anyway, Mrs. Beasley said we ought to finish what we

start.

Excuse me, sir, but I didn't wish to disturb you at the office.

What's going on?

Well, Sissy and I are of trifle concern, sir. You see, Buffy is talking

continuously about Mrs.

Beasley. Oh, well, that's only natural.

She's bound to miss her.

Well, that's not it, sir. You see, she's talking about Mrs. Beasley now as if

she were a real person. She always talk about Mrs. Beasley like she's a real

person. She always talk to the doll.

Yes, sir, but now it appears that not only is Buffy talking to Mrs. Beasley,

Mrs. Beasley is talking to Buffy.

Oh. Well, maybe it's withdrawal symptoms. I'll talk to Dr. Blanton about

Now let me take a guess.

Who is it this time? Buffy, Jody, or Sissy?

I'll say Jody.

No, you're a good psychologist, but you're a pretty bad guesser.

Buffy? Yeah.

Well, Buffy's the most well -adjusted little girl I know.

Well, you remember Mrs. Beasley?

Mrs. Beasley.

Buffy's doll, of course.

Yeah, the doll. Well, she thinks she's a little too old to play with dolls now,

so she put Mrs. Beasley away up in the closet.

But French tells me that lately she's been referring to Mrs. Beasley like she

was real, like she was a person that she has to talk to.

good advice and all that sort of thing. So I thought I'd better ask you before

it goes any further.

Well, Buffy's had a strong emotional attachment for that doll.

In a way, she's a mother substitute.

She may even be using the doll as a method of problem solving.

That's what worries me.

These fantasies you speak of could be symptomatic of regression to a lower

of ego strength.

That's a little over my head.

All right, try this in plainer language.

Buffy is most likely making up these stories about an imaginary Mrs. Beasley

because she's unable to face the reality of losing her.

Hmm.

Well, what should I do about that?

Well, she should be made to face reality.

If there is a real Mrs. Beasley, she should produce her.

What if there isn't?

Return the doll to her.

Put up or shut up, huh?

Exactly.

Let me know what happens.

Okay, doctor.

Send me a bill.

I tell you what.

If you'll take me out to lunch, I'll consider it paid.

Got a deal.

Hey, you got a minute before we go to the park?

Sure. Mr.

French won't say hurry up when I'm talking to you.

Okay.

Um.

How's the trial separation coming along?

It isn't too easy.

Yeah, you miss her a lot, huh?

Yeah, but Mr. Beezy says I'll get over it.

I see.

Mr. Beezy knows a lot of little girls just like me.

Listen, I'll tell you what we're going to do now.

If you miss Mrs. Beasley all that much, you think that she's talking to you, I

think we better just take her out of the closet, okay?

Not Mrs. Beasley, Uncle Bill.

The real Mrs.

Beasley.

The real Mrs. Beasley.

Okay, would you like me to meet the real Mrs. Beasley?

Sure.

Right now?

Uh -huh, if you really want to.

Mrs. Beasley's been wanting to meet you, too. I told her all about you.

Mrs. Beasley's place is right down here.

You sure she's there now?

Yeah, she always is. Here it is. Oh, I see. You found another doll, huh?

Did I?

It's closed.

That's funny.

Oh, well, we'll come back tomorrow.

No, I don't think so.

Well, if you're busy tomorrow, I can explain to Mrs. Beasley that you tried

see her.

Now, listen, we've always been honest with each other, and I think we ought to

quit playing this game.

I don't understand.

What game?

The Mrs.

Beasley game, that's what.

Hello, Buffy.

Hi, Mrs. Beasley.

You must be Uncle Bill.

My name is... You're Mrs. Beasley.

That's right.

Win said, when you grow up and you want a Mrs.

Beasley, to just look in the phone book.

So now that I've grown up, I looked and I called her, and I told her I was

trying to give up my Mrs. Beasley, and she told me to come over and talk about

it with her.

And I told her that when you love someone, you must hold on to her and not

go just because someone else thinks it's baby.

Well, that's the way I'm going to hang on to you.

My decision.

Oh, here she is, Buffy.

Thank you, Mr. French. And what made you decide?

Just because you grow up doesn't mean you have to give up old friends.

Of course not.

I'm not going to give up you or Mr. French or Sissy or Jody.

I'm sure glad of that.

But what about Wynne?

She won't play with you anymore.

She won't anyway.

She started school yesterday and found friends her own age.

I'm sorry, Buffy.

It looks to me like wind doesn't keep friends very long.

We can make bread together if you still want to.

Sure, I've been waiting.

Mr. French, would you fix my lunch again?

With the single exception of hot dog days.

I think I'll take Mrs. Beasley to bed now. She's had a lonely week.

Listen, when you get ready to really give her up, it won't be hard.

And then we'll give her a real neat funeral.

Jody! Thanks for watching.

See you next week. On Family Affair.