Family Album USA - Episode 14 - Playing Games

 

Family Album USA: Episode 14 - Playing Games


Act I

In the first act, Susan and Harry prepare lunch for Harry's daughter Michelle and her friends. Susan likes living in New York city. Harry lives in the suburbs, but he likes the city too. A little later, Harry and Susan talk privately as they wait for the girls to arrive. What do you suppose they are talking about?

Harry	You like living in New York, don't you?
Susan	Oh, I love it. It's so convenient. I can take the bus to work...or the subway...or a taxi. And there's so much to do. Lots of movie houses, and the theater.
Harry	I know what you mean. I'd lik to live in the city, but living in New Jersey and the suburbs is better for Michelle.Trees, grass.
Susan	There's a lot of good things about suburban living. I grew up in Riverdale, Remember?So I know. But, as a working woman, I think New York has all the conveniences-including the best tomatoes.
Harry	The truth is, I'd like to live in the city. Michelle's the right age. There are lots of things for her here.
Susan	You're right, Harry.Today is the perfect example. Michelle and her friends are at the aquarium in Brooklyn. They come back here for lunch, then go uptown to the Museum of Natural History. There's so much for young people to see and do. It's just incredible!
Harry	Not just for young people. What about me? I've never been to the aquarium or Museum of Natural History. Have you?
Susan	Oh yes, Harry. My mother and father often took us somewhere in the city on the weekends. Dad was a busy doctor, but he usually managed to squeeze a Sunday in with Richard, Robbie, and me. I used to love to go to the Metropolitan Museum of Art.
Harry	I've been there several times. Twice with Michelle.
Susan	You ought to think about spending more time with Michlle at all the great places in the city.
Harry	Well, perhaps, you'll help me select some of the great places. And perhaps, you'll join us?
Susan	Perhaps I will.
Susan	Well, there we are .All set for lunch, Harry.
Harry	It looks inviting. I wish Michelle and her friends would get here. I'm starving, aren't you?
Susan	I can't wait to take a bite of the pumpemickel. It smells so delicious. Coming! Coming! Who is it?
Michelle	Michelle. It's us, Susan.
Susan	Come in Michelle, and bring your friends along. We're on the fifth floor. Oh you're been here before
Harry	Susan, I really appreciate your doing this Michelle and her friends.
Susan	Oh, please, Harry. It's nothing. I'm not just doing it for Michelle. I'm doing it for you.
Harry	Thank you.
Susan	I'm doing it for us, Harry.
Harry	Well, it's...it's important for Michelle to see us together more often. That's true.
Susan	It's important for Michelle and me to get to know each other better. That's important for us.
Harry	That makes me feel good.
Susan	What, Harry? What makes you feel good?
Harry	Well, that you care about Michelle, that you care about me, and that you care about us.
Susan	Well, Harry, that's because I do. I do care.
Harry	They'll be here any minute .Susan, I'd like to continue this conversation later.
Susan	Of course, Harry. We'll finish the conversation when they go to the museum.
Harry	I'd like that.
Susan	So would I.

Act II

In the second act, Michelle arrives with her friends. Susan's company has made a new game. She teaches the girls and Harry how to play it. But Michelle doesn't really like the game. How does Susan feel?

Michelle	Oh, Daddy! We had such a good time at the aquarium. I saw a real shark. I could almost touch it.
Harry	I'm so glad. Hi, Michelle, why don't you introduce everybody to Susan?
Michelle	Hi, Susan.
Susan	Hi.
Michelle	I'd like you to meet Audrey and her mother, Mrs. Cooper.
Susan	Hello, Audrey. Nice to meet you, Mrs. Cooper. I'm Susan Stewart.
Michelle	And this is Shirley and Nicole.
Susan	Hi, girls.
Harry	Come on in. Come on in, Mrs. Cooper on in, everybody.
Mother	The aquarium was so exciting. I had never been there before. The girls learned a great deal. Frankly, so did I.
Susan	Well, please sit down and tell us all about it during lunch.
Harry	We prepared some tuna fish and cheese sandwiches for lunch.
Michelle	I love tuna fish. Don't you , Audrey?
Susan	I remember when I used to b a Girl Scout. My mother would take us everywhere, too.
Mother	Susan, I understand you're in the toy business.
Susan	Yes, I am. My company manufactues toys and games for children.
Harry	Susan's vice-president in charge of new toys and games.
Susan	And the marketing of new toys and games.
Michelle	Can we test a new game for you, Susan?
Susan	That's an excellent idea, Michelle. I happen to have a game which I brought home to study.
Michelle	Let us try it ! Don't you want to play?Nicole ? Shirley? Audrey?
Susan	We tested it last week on twelve-to fifteen-year-olds, and they found it to be too easy-in other words...boring. We think it might be just right for ten-to twelve-year- olds.
Michelle	That's us, Susan.
Susan	First, you shuffle the deck and lay them face down. Then you select the leader. I'll be the leader. The leader takes the first ten cards and lays them face up on this stand. h-t-e-r-c-z-e-p-e-s. Everyone gets a turn, going counterclockwise, left to right. You have thirty seconds to make a word, using as many letters as possible. You get one point for each letter, plus the person with the longest word gets ten extra pioint. The first one to get one hundred points wins.
Michelle	That's easy.
Susan	OK, let's go around the atble. You first, Audrey.
Audrey	Chest-c-h-e-s-t.
Susan	Good. That's five points also. It's your turn, Shirley.
Shirley	Creep-c-r-e-e-p.
Susan	Creep. That's another five-letter word. Five points. So far, you're all tied.
Harry	Sheet -s-h-e-e-t-sheet.
Susan	Sheet is a five-letter word. Michelle, your turn.
Michelle	Cheese-c-h-e-e-s-e.
Susan	Terrific! Michelle wins with a six-letter word, plus she gets an additional ten points for a total of sixteen points. How are you enjoying the game so far?
Michelle	I think it's too easy.
Susan	Too easy?
Harry	Michelle!
Susan	It's OK, Harry Michelle is quite right. She just said it's too easy.
Harry	Well, I like the game.
Mother	I enjoyed lunch, Susan. Thank you so much, but we have fo get going to meet the rest of the troop at two 0'clock at the museum.
Susan	Oh, it was nice meeting all of you. I hope you have a wonderful time at the Museum of Natural History.
Harry	Good-bye, everybody. Have a good time.
Girls	Bye.
Harry	See you in front of the museum at five 0'clock.
Mother	Oh, OK.Thanks, Mr. Bennett. That'll be fine. And thanks again for the lunch and for the game.
Michelle	Good-bye, Susan It's not a bad game. It's just... slow.
Susan	Just slow. You helped save our company a lot of money. Bye-bye.
Harry	You are wonderful with kids.
Susan	I am.
Harry	Isn't there a conversation that we have to finish?

Act III

In the third act, Harry and Susan are alone again, and Harry wants to talk. Harry is trying to say something. What is Harry trying to say?

Harry	There's a conversation we have to finish.
Susan	What was it about?
Harry	It was about caring.
Susan	Oh?
Harry	Yes, caring. I said that it makes me feel good that you care about Michelle.
Susan	Well, I do care about Michelle.
Harry	And it makes me feel good that you care about me.
Susan	You know I do. You're a...wonderful friend.
Harry	And it makes me feel good that you care about us.
Susan	Well...well, I do, Harry. It's only natural that if I care about Michelle and I care about you, then I care about us.
Harry	It's OK, Susan. We had this part of the conversation before Michelle and her friends arrived. Now comes the good part.
Susan	Like what?
Harry	Well, assume that if you care about Michelle and you care about me and you care abut us, that we can talk about us. I mean-you and me. Isn't that right?
Susan	What are you trying to say, Harry?
Harry	What I'm trying to say...since this is so easy ...Here are ten letters that express my feelings for you.
Susan	Don't be silly, Harry.
Harry	You want a hint? It's two words.
Susan	You're making the game harder.
Harry	Can't you figure it out? Seven letters... two words...that express the feeling that I feel for you in my heart.
Susan	Harry, I get it!
Harry	Well? Does that mean you'll marry me?
Susan	Is that a proposal, or are we just playing a game?
Harry	Sit down, Susan. There's something I have to ask you. Susan, will you marry me?
Susan	It's such an important decision .There's so many things to talk about. There are three things that have to be done first, Harry.
Harry	Three things?
Susan	First, we have to decide where to live.
Harry	Well, that's easy. We talked about that earlier. We'll live in New York.
Susan	All right. Second, we have to talk to Michelle together about being married.
Harry	We'll do that immediately. What' the third thing?
Susan	You have to ask for my father's permission.
Harry	Absolutely! But first things first.We have to go pick up Michelle.
Susan	Oh, I'm so happy, Harry!
Harry	Not as happy as I am.

More information about Family Album USA video series at Family Album USA.