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In the summer of 1942, my father drove my brother
up to Yonkers, New York, to visit our grandmother for the first time in two years.
Mom died about three months ago.
We're at war with Germany and Japan, and pop was nervous…
Because grandma didn't like him much,
and the feeling was mutual.
This trip had all the signs of a disaster, even bigger than Pearl Harbor.
Boy, it's hot. Can I open this window, pop?
It's broken. Don't fool around with it. It's not my car.
- It would be breezier if we went faster, pop. - Faster means using more gas.
Gas is rationed. There's a war on. Don't bother me.
- What'll it be? - Uh, three gallons.
- Stamp book? - Here.
- Bathroom in there? - Yeah, straight through there.
I'm going to the bathroom you can stretch, but no playing.
- Can we get a coke, pop? - Grandma has a candy store, doesn't she?
You'll get plenty of soda there.
That's the third time he stopped to pee.
- That's what grandma does to him. - She makes him pee?
You know what she used to do to aunt Bella?
Grandma hit her on the head every time aunt Bella did something stupid.
If she dropped a spoon, whacko!
- Hey! - If she tore a stocking, whacko!
That's what they used to call her in high school: "Whacko."
- Aunt Bella went to high school? - A little.
- She missed the first year because she couldn't find it. -
Boys! In the dirt?
Hyah! Come on!
- Timmy, give it back to me! - No!
I'm gonna tell mom. Yes, I am!
Even though it was 98 degrees outside,
you could feel a chill in the air as we got near the house where grandma lived.
I'm sure glad Arty and I never grew up here.
Okay, wipe your face, Arty. You got perspiration all over.
She doesn't like sweating?
You two wait in the store. I have to have a little talk with grandma first.
And don't touch anything in there, because grandma knows where everything is.
Not a pretzel, not a tootsie roll… Nothing, you understand?
- Yes, pop. - Yes, pop.
I don't know where aunt Bella is, but don't let her make you anything.
You want an ice cream or a soda,
grandma's the one who says yes,
- yes, pop. - Yes, pop.
If you see aunt Bella, no jokes about her, you hear?
- I hear you. - We hear you.
All right. I'll call you in a few minutes.
Jay. Psst. Look.
Arty. Come here.
Look. My favorite.
How could pop torture us like this? His own kids.
You touch one thing in here, and that German cane will come flying down the stairs…
And whacko, you'll be back in kindergarten.
It would be worth it.
Hey, Bella, you wanna make the rounds with us?
I'm not in the garbage business, thank you.
- Hi. - Hey, Bella. Looking pretty snazzy today.
Don't say anything, Bella. Just walk right by him.
When we gonna take that little walk down to the river, honey?
Don't talk to me that way, Danny Petrillo. You little punk kid!
You punks should be in school instead of smoking cigarettes.
You behave yourself, you hear me?
Thanks for asking.
The one looks like pop.
This is uncle Louie.
This is aunt Bella… I guess.
Looked a little goofy even then.
- And this one's aunt Gert. - The one that can't breathe too good?
Yeah.
Did you ever notice there's something wrong with everyone on pop's side of the family?
Mom told me that.
How come aunt Gert can't breathe? I don't know. She can't…
She can't talk right.
She says the first half of the sentence breathing out and the second half sucking in.
You've seen it. Do it for me.
Pop will hear it. He said no jokes, didn't he?
Only about aunt Bella. Come on. Show me how aunt Gert sucks in her sentences.
Oh, hello, Jay. How are you? How's your father and…
How's your little brother Arty?
I love it. I love it when you do that.
I once saw her try to blow out a candle,
and halfway there she sucked it back on.
Hey. There's aunt Bella.
- Where's she going? - Probably forgot where she lives.
Aunt Bella! Where are you going?
What?
Aren't you coming in?
I'm glad you called me. I was daydreaming.
I would've walked right into the ocean.
What are you kids doin' here? It's after 6:00. We're closed.
It's Jay and Arty, aunt Bella. Your nephews?
Oh, my god. It's Jay and Arty!
My nephews! I thought you weren't coming until Saturday.
It is Saturday.
I know that! Jay, Arty!
Ooh-hoo-hoo! It is so good to see you. Give your aunt Bella a kiss.
Oh. Come here, you.
Come on outside. I want to get a better look at you. Come on.
I wanna see how big you both got.
Stand there.
No, no, no. There, in the size places.
Oh, look at you.
The both of you got so much bigger.
You're growing up so fast it almost makes me cry.
Where's your father? I haven't seen your father in so long.
He's upstairs talking to grandma.
Oh, yeah? Oh. I better not disturb them then.
Did she ask for me?
I don't know.
Did you tell her I was here?
No. You just got here.
You tell her where I went?
We didn't know where you went.
I went to the movies. Don't tell grandma.
I saw this picture with Bette Davis and George Brent.
- You know the one? - No.
Yeah, it was Bette Davis and George Brent.
Oh, oh! And they had air-conditioning.
I was actually cold.
I felt so happy for those actors to be in an air-conditioned
I don't think the actors feel it.
They're just pictures on the screen.
I know… I know that, silly.
They would be happy to know that the people who were watching the movie…
Were nice and cool, so that we enjoyed the movie better.
- Oh. Right. - Sure.
I bet I know what would make you two cool in a second.
What about a great big ice cream sundae deluxe with everything on it?
- Yes! Come on! - No! Wait!
I'll make one for you. Come on, come on, come on! Arty! Arty!
Thing is, pops said we shouldn't have anything.
- Not anything, right, Arty? - I don't remember.
Oh, your father. He never takes anything from anybody.
I couldn't even give your mother a cup of coffee.
Did you know that? Where is your mother, anyway?
She's dead. Mom is dead.
Yeah. I know. I know, I know.
I mean where is she buried?
At mount Israel cemetery in the Bronx. You were at the funeral, remember?
- You mean the first time? - What do you mean, "the first time"?
When I came in the car, not the bus.
The bus?
Oh, no, no, no!
That was somebody else.
Sometimes my mind wanders.
The kids at school used to say, "hey, Bella, lost and found called…
And said, 'come and get your brains.'"
except I didn't really think that was so funny.
♪
Yeah, I was really sad about your mother.
Oh, boy. I bet you miss her.
It is such a shame she couldn't have had more children.
She didn't, did she?
No.
No. I didn't think so.
My mother had six children. Did you know that?
Yeah. There was me and your father…
And Gert and Louie…
And Aaron and Rose,
who died when they were both very little.
And then, in between, my father died…
When my mother was pregnant with me.
- Is that all right to say to boys? - Yeah. Sure.
So I never met my father.
But, boy, I still loved him.
'Cause I just knew he would've taken care of me…
The way your father takes care of you, you know what I mean?
- Right. - So,
how old do you think I am?
Huh? Take a guess.
Arty, go on.
I don't know. About 35.
Thirty-five?
Wrong! You are so wrong.
You're so far off, it's not even funny.
I'm 36.
- But I don't even look it, do I? Nope. - No.
So, two deluxe hot fudge sundaes.
♪
With everything on 'em.
Dig in, boys.
Pop didn't want us to have anything yet. He didn't want to
what do you mean, "wait"? They're done.
They're starting to melt already.
- Look at Arty drooling. - We really want them, it's just that pops…
No, wait. No, wait.
This is the last time I'm asking. Yes or no?
This is the final call.
- Maybe later. - No. Not later. It's too late.
I'm not gonna ask you again.
You just hurt my feelings. Both of you.
I know that you miss your mother, but that's no reason…
That you can be disrespectful to me.
I loved your mother always, whether she took coffee from me or not!
And you can tell your father that for me!
I am so sick of this!
I'm just… I'm sick of it!
See why I don't like to come here too much?
- Where's aunt Bella? I thought I just heard her. - She's out there.
- She all right? - How do you know when she's all right?
Hey, hey! I told you no remarks about aunt Bella.
Now go on upstairs and wait for me. We have to talk.
Go on!
Move!
Bella?
- You okay, honey? - All I wanted to do was to make 'em happy.
They had no right to treat me that way.
Eddie! Eddie!
Oh, it's so good to see you.
It's good to see you too, Bella.
Listen, honey, mama needs you to rub her legs.
No, she doesn't. They only hurt when I come home.
No, no, no. Be nice to her, please. Especially today.
Can we have a talk? A long one? I promise. After you're done.
And then we had our talk with pop.
He told us how he had gone broke spending all his money
and how he had to borrow $9,000 from a loan shark.
And he had a year to pay it back, which he couldn't do in ten years.
And then he told us he got a job selling scrap iron
and that maybe he could make back that $9,000 in just a year.
Now, the factories I would sell to are in the south.
Kentucky. Louisiana. Texas.
I'd be gone about ten months, staying in hotels, buses, trains…
Anyplace I can find a room.
And we'd be free and clear in less than a year.
That's great, pop.
So… Now the question comes…
Where do you two live while I'm gone?
- God, it's hot in here. - Please, pop. Don't make us live here.
- Is that what you're thinking? - I have no choice.
- You gave it up? - The landlady raised the rent to make money outta this war.
Grandma wouldn't be happy with us. We're slobs. Arty's always breaking things.
Remember when I broke the good water pitcher?
The ink stains on the sofa… All mine. I'm dangerous, pop.
Listen to me, both of you. She hasn't said yes positively yet. She's old.
She's set in her ways, and she's worried about people being around Bella.
Me too.
She'll come out, she'll talk to you boys, and she'll see how it goes.
Now, if she says no, I can't take this job.
It's up to you boys to convince her that you won't be any trouble…
And that you really wanna live here.
Can you do that?
Eddie. Eddie.
What? What? What?
She is so mean to me.
- No, no. She's not. - She's just old. Can't you live with us?
Oh, I… I can't. I miss ya so much.
I have to go away for a while. But I got some good news for you, sweetheart.
You know who's gonna stay here if mama says yes? Arty and Jay.
Won't that be nice?
- Yeah. Yeah. - Yes!
Mama's thinking about it now. Yeah. So why don't you go lay down in your room a while?
- No, no, no. I wanna stay here with you. - I know you do.
- It'd be easier if mama and the boys talked alone. - I'm staying with you.
Okay. Uh, here.
You sit down right here.
But you gotta be very quiet.
- We don't wanna get mama upset. - Okay.
Okay.
Fix your tie, Jay. Straighten your collar, Arty.
And stand up straight, both of you.
So?
- H-hello, grandma. - Hello, grandma.
I know you haven't seen the boys in a long time, ma.
They wanted to come, but their mother was so sick. They've grown up, haven't they?
- This is the little one? - Yes. Arthur.
He's two years younger than Jay.
This one I remember more.
This one looks like his mother.
- What's the matter with your eyes? - My eyes?
Nothing. I have a little allergy.
- You were crying, maybe? - Me?
No. No, I never cry.
- Big boys shouldn't cry. - Yeah, I know.
I haven't cried in years. A couple of times when I was a baby, though.
They're strong kids, ma. Both of them.
- Yakob, eh? - Yes, but they call me Jay.
No. I don't like Jay. Yakob is a name.
Sure. Yakob is fine.
- And Arthur. - Arthur. But they call me Arty.
I don't call you Arty.
Sure. I love Arthur. It's like king Arthur.
- You go to school? - Yeah.
- Hmm? - Yes. I go to the same school as Yakob.
Which one is the smart one?
They both do well in…
No, no, no, no. They tell me.
Which one is the smart one?
Yakob is.
He gets A's in everything.
- I'm better at sports. - Sports?
- Baseball, football. - You play in the mud, the dirt?
You come home with filthy shoes and make marks
no, never. I clean them off at the field.
Yeah. I bring a brush and Polish and shine them up at the bench.
So, tell me now, why do you want to live with grandma?
Why don't you tell grandma, Yakob?
Well, because when pops said we had the opportunity to live here with you,
our only living grandmother, and our only living aunt Bella,
well, I thought the family should sort of stick together…
Now that our country's at war with germ… Japan.
And that, uh… Oh, I also think that…
No. That's all.
And this is the smart one?
I thought he said that very well, mama.
What about this king Arthur? Why do you want to live with grandma?
Because we have no place else to go.
- Arty! - No, no, no. He knows what he wants to say.
I think maybe this is the smart one.
All right, all right.
So now grandma will tell you why she doesn't think that you should live with her.
This house is no place for boys.
I'm an old woman. I don't like noise.
I don't like people in my house. I had six children once.
Mama, can I just say something?
No, I'll just say something.
Why should I do this? What do I owe your father?
When did he ever come around after he married your mother?
I never saw him. She turned him against me, his own mother.
She didn't like me. I didn't like her.
I'm not afraid to tell the truth either.
He cried in my bedroom.
Not like a man. Like a child.
He cried. It was always that way.
I buried a husband and two children,
and I didn't cry.
I didn't have time. Bella was born with scarlet fever.
Until she was five years old, she didn't talk,
and I didn't cry.
And her sister Gertrude can't talk without choking.
And I didn't cry.
Maybe one day they find Louie dead in the street.
And I won't cry.
That's how I was raised… To be strong.
You don't survive in this world without being like steel.
You think I'm cruel? Hmm?
That I'm a terrible person? That a grandmother should talk like this?
That's good. Make you hard. Make you strong.
Then you learn how to take care of yourselves,
and you don't need anybody's help.
Yeah. So that's my decision. Maybe someday you'll thank me for it.
Give the boys an ice-cream cone, Bella, then come inside
no, no. You're right, mama. I am the weak one, the crybaby.
But you're wrong about one thing. Evelyn never turned me against you.
She turned me towards her… To loving, to caring.
Now, I am sorry about not bringing the boys out here more.
Maybe the reason I didn't is because I was afraid…
They'd learn something here that I tried to forget.
Maybe they just learned it today.
Never mind the ice-cream cone, Bella. Maybe some other time.
Come on, boys. We're going. I said let's go!
Arty, we'll have dinner another night, okay?
Why don't you and Jay go home, pack your things, and I'll get your bedroom ready.
Thank you anyway, Bella, but mama and I just decided it wasn't a very good idea.
Don't forget your toothbrushes, 'cause we don't carry them
and each of you bring something
from your house you really love.
- Even if it's big, we'll find some place to… - Bella, that's enough!
This is not your business! What about a picture of your mother?
We could put it here. That would be the last thing you see at night…
And the first thing you see in the morning.
Oh, this is so exciting. Bella, stay still!
- They are going. That's it! - No, mama, they're not going. They're staying.
If you make 'em go, I'm gonna go too.
I know I said that a thousand times, but this time I mean it.
The home would take me. You're always telling me that.
And if I go, you're gonna be all alone, and you're scared to be alone.
Nobody knows that but me, but you don't have to be, mama,
'cause we're all gonna be here together now.
You and me and Jay and Arty. Won't that be fun?
Tickets, please.
Dear pop: Well, we finished our first week with grandma…
And we're still alive.
Glad you liked Washington, D.C.
If you happen to see Abraham Lincoln there,
ask him to free the slaves in Yonkers.
Just kidding.
Squeeze! Squeeze with the sponge.
Ja. Up here. Here. And slow.
Right to the edge.
No, no. Dry, dry. Then squeeze.
Try it.
Scrub, scrub, scrub. Ja.
Ow!
Gott in himmel! You are the most stupid boy!
You are so horrible! You are driving me crazy!
May I sometimes come here?
Of course. We could talk about your child.
Our child.
Thank you.
And will you be happy, Charlotte?
Oh, Jerry, don't let's ask for the moon.
We have the stars.
- Hey, Johnny. - Hi, Bella.
- Did you like the picture? - Why not? It's my fourth time.
- I bet I got the record. - No. I do. I seen it 12 times.
I cry at the ending every time. Do you?
No. I never saw the ending. I always have to start cleaning up.
- Oh! - Mm.
- I'll tell it to you sometime. - Oh. Okay.
If you're not gonna be too long, I could wait.
We could take a walk.
Yeah. Sure. Except I walk the other way.
Oh. That's right.
Well, I'll see you soon then.
- Good night, Johnny. - Good night.
- Bella? - Yeah?
You look nice in that dress.
Thanks.
You look nice in that uniform.
I wish there was a way to get some money to help pop.
I don't mean kid money. I mean real money.
What if one night we cut off grandma's braids…
And sold them to the army for barbed wire?
Jay. Arty.
You asleep? Good, good, good, good.
Something so wonderful is happening to me.
Except I can't tell you what it is.
But you two,
you're my good luck charms.
You think I don't hear you coming up the stairs?
- You think I don't know where you been? - I just went to the movies.
Movies, movies, movies. You waste your life on these movies.
And then you throw money away on these movie magazines.
You fill your head with dreams that don't happen to people like us.
- Sometimes they do. - Never. Never.
Give me that magazine. I don't want that trash in my house.
Mama, please, don't do this to me in front of the boys.
Oh! What do I care what the boys see? Give me that trash!
You give it to me!
When I'm dead, you can buy your own magazines.
No, I won't, 'cause when you're dead, you'll still take it from me!
You like to pay my electric bill?
You try cutting off my braids, you'll get your fingers chopped off.
Dear boys:
Somewhere in Alabama. God knows where.
Doing pretty good business, but had a minor setback last week.
The doctor said I had an irregular heartbeat.
But don't worry. I feel fine.
And the harder I work now, the quicker we'll all be together.
Love, pop.
You knew I wouldn't forget your birthday, Aaron.
Aaron, these are Eddie's boys. Jay and Arty.
They're your nephews, even though they're older than you are.
We all just came out to say happy birthday, Aaron.
You can say it to him if you want.
Happy birthday, Aaron.
Yeah.
Happy birthday.
See you in September, Rose.
So long, pop.
I know we're finally gonna meet someday.
I love you.
Thanks for comin'.
I'm sure Aaron enjoyed that.
Do you always come here alone? No. Aunt Gert comes sometimes.
And your father came once. Grandma never comes.
- And your uncle Louie can't. - Why not?
- On account of the work he does. - What kind of work?
He's a… oh, what do they call that?
- He's a bagman. - What's a bagman?
He collects money from people, and then he puts it in this bag,
and then he gives it to this man who pays him for doing it.
I think he's a gangster.
- Uncle Louie is? - No, no, no. The man he works for.
- Uncle Louie's just his hunchback. - His hunchback?
- Yeah. I think so. - Do you mean "henchman"?
- Yes! That's it. - Does grandma know?
Oh, grandma knows everything,
even about him being a hunchback.
- How's business, kid? - It's okay.
You know, uh, Louie Kurnitz?
Yeah. He's my uncle.
Eh? You see him around?
No. Not since I've been here.
Well, when he comes around, you let me know.
I got some of these with bigger numbers on 'em.
Some guys were here looking for uncle Louie.
- They gave me a dollar. - I get half, right?
They looked like killers to me. I wonder what they want.
Ja, ja, ja.
You two want to talk, you sit down and buy something.
- Don't annoy my customers. - I was just going.
Ja, ja. Humph.
I wonder what those guys would give us for grandma.
I can't stay here very long.
Mama would never believe it if I told her I got lost going to the bank.
That's okay.
You look… You look a little sad.
- Is anything wrong? - No.
Yes, it is. I can see it in your eyes.
You can tell me. I'm your friend, Bella.
- I know who you are. - I know that you know.
So why can't you tell me?
I wanna join the army.
The army? Our army?
Yeah. But they wouldn't take me.
I couldn't pass the… The…
Whatever they give ya, I couldn't pass it.
Ohh.
Well, I'm kinda glad.
- You are? - Sure.
'Cause if you were in the army, I would miss you.
I'd miss you too.
Well, good.
'Cause now we won't have to miss each other, 'cause we'll be together.
Yeah.
- I'm not gonna be an usher all my life, you know? - Yeah. I know. You told me.
Do you know what color my eyes are, Johnny?
No. Why?
You're looking right at 'em.
Oh, I… I'm a little color-blind.
You have beautiful eyes.
No. Men don't have beautiful eyes.
Oh, yes, you do. Don't tell me.
Wanna kiss me?
Yeah. Yeah, I do. I really would.
- Well, kiss me. - I will.
I mean now. Today. Sometime today, okay?
- We done it before, you know. - Mm.
Are you gonna put your arms around me or not?
- Don't tell me how to do it. I know how to do it. - Then do it.
- Don't say you're gonna do it. - I said, "okay."
Okay. That's enough.
Johnny, I can't breathe.
Okay, Johnny. I have to breathe.
Okay. That's enough for today.
I don't know why they wouldn't take you in the army.
- Married! You're getting married? - Shh!
Not so loud. You want grandma to hear you?
What do you think I'm telling you down here for?
- You're really getting married? - Yes.
- Have you found anyone yet? - What do you mean have I found anyone yet?
Of course I've found someone.
His name is Johnny.
He's an usher at the Bijou.
Jay, Arty, I have never been so happy in my whole life.
- How come he's not in the army? - He wanted to go,
but they wouldn't take him on account he's handicapped.
- What handicap? - He's got a reading handicap.
You mean he has bad eyes?
No, no, no.
He just has trouble learning things the way I do.
Even went to a special school for a while. Oh! Oh!
He was in the home once.
Yeah. The one that grandma's always telling me that I'm gonna
Mm. Tsk, tsk, tsk.
Well, how old is he?
He's 30.
Maybe 40. But he's so handsome.
And, um, he doesn't want to be an usher forever either.
One day, he wants to open up his own restaurant.
With me. I would be the cook, and he would be the manager.
Could he do that… Manage a restaurant if he couldn't read the menus?
I would help him out with all of that.
The only thing is, he doesn't make a lot of money,
and we would need about $5,000 to open up a restaurant.
And I don't know if grandma would give it to me. Do you?
I don't think she's gonna let you go to the movies much anymore.
Your mother has $5,000?
Shh! Yes.
She's got more than that. She's got 10 or 15 thousand dollars.
I'm not supposed to tell anybody.
Where does she keep it? In the bank?
No, no, no. She keeps it right here in the house somewhere.
She changes the hiding place every year.
Not even Gert or Louie or your father knows where it is.
There. We got all the laundry up.
Uh-oh.
Dummkopf!
Stupid dummkopf!
Come on. Let's get all of this off…
Before it gets any wetter than it is.
Come on! Come on!
Come on!
This always happens to me.
Fifteen thousand dollars. That's a lot of money.
Oh, Jay, promise me you won't tell grandma I told you that. I promise.
- Arty? - She and I have very short conversations.
I know I can trust you boys.
Oh! Oh, you know what? I even thought of a name for the restaurant.
La Bella Johnny.
- That's nice. - Yeah? You like it?
Yeah. I just hope he can read it.
Wait'll grandma meets Johnny. He'll be back in the home in a week.
Where would someone like grandma hide her money?
You're not thinking of stealing it, are you?
No. What if we just borrowed it?
I'd just love to send pop an envelope with $9,000.
- Who would he think sent it to him, god? - No.
He had an uncle in Poland who died.
We could say he left the money to pop in his will.
Do you think the Germans would let some Jew in Poland…
Send $9,000 to some Jew in Alabama?
I searched the house whenever grandma was out.
You stay there.
Jay! Jay! Jay! Come on!
And then I thought, "hey. The candy store."
Shh.
We don't want grandma to hear.
You look under the candy counter.
I'll look under the ice-cream cones.
Get me a chocolate cone while you're at it, with sprinkles.
Shut up.
That's breaking and entering.
Two to five years for both of you.
- Who's that? - Get that light off my face, will ya!
What do you want, mister? There's nothing for you to steal in here.
Is that you, Jay? And Arty?
Yeah.
Yeah. Who are you?
It's your uncle Louie. Whadda ya know?
Couple of big guys now, ain't ya?
You been sittin' here long?
Yeah. Since ma closed up the store.
I've been waiting for her to go to sleep.
- Nobody told us you were coming tonight. - Nobody knew.
It was a big surprise, even for me. Come here. Give me a hug.
You heard me. Move it!
Hey! Couple of middleweights, huh?
- You staying tonight? - Yeah. Yeah, a couple days.
Maybe a week. They're paintin' my apartment.
You didn't know they were going to paint your apartment?
They just found the right color paint tonight.
It's hard to find with the war on.
If you kids steal ice cream in the middle of the night,
you're gonna be sorry.
Take it from me.
Oh.
Yeah. Your pop and me, we used to do the same thing when we was kids.
We never took anything during the day. No candy, no ice cream.
But when ma let her braids down, turned out the lights,
we was down there lapping up the cream like a couple of cats.
'Cause the fun was in outsmartin' ma.
'Cause she was quick.
She could tell if there was salt missing from a pretzel.
So the next morning at breakfast,
she would just stare at me right into my eyeballs, pupil to pupil, never blinking.
Her eyes looked like two district attorneys.
But I would just stare right back at her…
Until she looked away from me.
Down for the count.
Yeah. Me and ma.
We used to love to put on the gloves and go the distance.
What?
What is it? This? Don't worry about it.
I'm holding it for a friend… This cop I know.
He's, uh, he's on a camping trip with his kids. He-he don't want no accidents.
Is it loaded?
Gee, I hope not.
If it goes off now, I'd have to become a ballerina.
I never knew a policeman could lend his gun to someone.
You got a real smart brother there, did you know that, Arty?
You're right, Jay. It's my gun.
I'm a bodyguard for a very important,
very prominent political figure.
It's kinda like bein' an F.B.I. Man,
only they call it somethin' else.
You mean a henchman?
Who's been telling you stories like that? Jay?
- No. I swear. - Don't repeat that word again,
I didn't mean to say it. I was thinkin' of "hunchback."
Hey! We got a couple of jokers here. Don't try to pull my leg, Arty.
It might come off in your hands.
Okay.
Now, let us discuss a little business here.
I tell you what. Why don't you come and work for me?
Huh? Five dollars a week, split between youse. Cash on the barrel.
- What do you say? - Yeah. Sure. Sure.
- There's your first week's pay, boys. - Where?
Where? Where? In Jay's pocket. Go ahead and look.
Five-dollar bill. How'd you do that?
These hands was touched by genius.
I could've been a concert violinist, but the handkerchief
- what? - Too fast for you, huh, boys?
Never mind. Okay. So, Arty, you think you can drive a car?
I'm only 13 years old. I'm a pretty good roller skater.
You are? That's good.
Because I'm spinnin' your wheels, kid.
Hey! Wake up and live. It's a fast world out there.
- Jesus. - What would we have to do for the money?
Nothin'. Like if someone comes around here lookin' for me,
you don't know nothin' and you ain't seen nothin'.
There were two men here the other day looking for you.
Oh, yeah? What'd they look like?
One had a broken nose and he was wearing…
Wearing a Betty Grable tie.
Yeah, that's, uh, that's Hollywood Harry and his brother.
Okay. So, if they come around here again…
Asking questions, what do we say to them?
- Nothin'. - Smart boys.
Jay, look in Arty's pocket.
- Another five dollars! - Ho-ho-ho! I could've played Carnegie hall!
We wouldn't be doing anything wrong, would we?
Hey. You're my brother's kids.
You don't think I'd get you involved in something stupid, do ya? Don't be stupid.
Come on. It's late. I'm gonna wash up.
One more thing. Um, don't touch that.
It's got all my valuables in it.
You know, my driver's license and my draft card and my, uh,
my new cuff links.
All right. Forget about it. Never mind.
I'll put it somewhere else so you won't have to worry.
Oh, Arty. See if there's anything else in your pajama bottoms.
- There's nothing there. - Yeah? Don't worry about it, kid. You're young yet.
He's incredible. It's like having a James Cagney movie in your own house.
How ya doin', Princess?
Louie!
You're in trouble. I know it.
Whenever you come at night, you're in trouble.
I got you to protect me, don't I?
Me?
You'd be better off with a big dog, Louie.
Mmm.
♪
Come on. Now.
You were reading, or you were stealing from me?
- We was just looking. That's all. - Uh-huh. What's this?
You know what happens to people who steal from me?
Ow! The next time I call the police.
Ow, you dirty kraut!
I don't think we should look for her money anymore.
Yakob, go outside and pull down the awning.
Arthur, go downstairs in the cellar and bring up some bottles of syrup.
I don't feed you for not working.
Jay. Arty.
Have you two thought of anything yet…
About how I could tell grandma about me and you-know-who?
- We've been kinda busy ourselves. - Okay.
Oh, sure. I understand that, but, um, if you do think of something,
I'm gonna give you each a dollar.
I know you can use that.
You know, we could make a great living just from this family.
Hey, ma. Happy to see me?
- How long you staying? - I dunno. A couple of days. Maybe a week.
Maybe a couple of days is better.
I love you too, ma.
Hey, kid. Come here.
Ho. Come here.
Come over here.
- You know what this is? - Sure. It's a five-dollar bill.
You tell your uncle Louie that Friday night the dance is over.
I haven't seen him, I don't know where he is, and I don't want your money.
Good. Then you tell him for free.
Ow! Oh, god! My tooth! Ow!
- I just took one little bite. I don't need a dentist! - Ja, ja, ja.
You eat my candy, you go to see my dentist. Here we go. Here. Quick.
Quick, open the door. Quick. Dummkopf.
He-he didn't even give me any gas for the pain.
You were lucky.
When we was kids, we couldn't afford no dentist.
Ma took out my back molars with an open coke bottle.
You sit here all night till you finish that soup.
I tried. I can't get it down.
- It's awful. - Eat it up quick. You won't taste it.
I would taste this if I didn't have a tongue.
You don't want a tongue? I can arrange that too.
Maybe if he just had some plain hot tea, grandma.
Did I ask you? Maybe instead of your dinner, you'll go down and count the pretzels.
- What pretzels? - The pretzels in the pretzel jar.
There were nine pretzels in the jar this morning.
There are only six tonight. We don't sell no pretzels today.
- If you let someone steal pretzels, you pay for it. - What?
Don't "what" me. You don't "what" your grandma. Go help Bella wash up the dishes.
- Then you go down and clean up the basement, huh? - I'm not through eating yet.
- Bella, take his plate. Take his plate! - Aw, ma.
You find this funny, Louie?
Don't try taking my plate, ma. Louie's hungry.
- Eat it quick, and no noise. - Grandma, can I have some mashed potatoes?
I talked to Gert. She's coming over tomorrow night.
That's when I'm gonna tell grandma, okay?
I need you and Arty. You're gonna back me up on this, aren't you?
Okay. And don't get grandma upset,
'cause I really need her in a good mood for this.
Look at me. I can't stop eating. I ate three pretzels today.
- I never eat… shh! - You ate the pretzels? Why didn't you tell her?
She knew I ate the pretzels.
She even said to me, "why are you eating so much? You nervous about something?"
Of course I'm nervous about something.
Oh. I'm sorry, ma. It was an accident. I'll pay for it.
No, no. Put it on my bill with the pretzels.
- You're just wastin' gas, boys. - Huh?
Oh, nothin', nothin'.
Just Hollywood Harry's tryin' to shake uncle Louie outta the tree.
Hey, hey, hey.
Oh, I forgot. They told Jay to tell you…
That "Friday night the dance is over."
Oh, yeah?
Well, don't worry about it.
Uncle Louie can outdance a couple of Bronx palookas like that any day.
I wish I was as tough as you.
Well, you're gettin' there, Arty.
Took on the old lady tonight. That took moxie.
- What's "moxie"? - What's moxie?
That's moxie.
Uncle Louie, are you in trouble?
Arty, I was never not in trouble.
Hey, Hollywood Harry, take this right through your Betty Grable tie.
Ahh. Uhh. You no-good, dirty, little kid killer!
That store doesn't have to be cleaned for a year now.
Hey, guess what uncle Louie came down and gave me.
- I don't know. I'm dead. - A dollar.
- Wanna go to the movies on Sunday? - Movies?
Let's go to a war movie and see 'em kill German grandmas!
Yah, yah, yah, yah, yah!
Arthur! What you think you're doing?
Dusting your chair?
No, I don't think so.
From now on, Arthur, I don't think I be so nice to you.
Star light, star bright,
first star I see tonight,
I wish I may, I wish I might…
I forget the rest, but please help me tomorrow night.
Shh, shh, shh, shh, shh.
Now, I'm gonna show you how I used to sneak out when I was a kid.
See, uh, I was really hot to see my girlfriend, Francie.
Ma didn't like her.
Why not?
Ah, 'cause Francie was married, and I was thirteen and a half.
Come here. Come on. Psst.
Whoa.
Twenty-two feet. Me and Bella, we dug it ourselves.
- Bella did? - Yeah. Yeah.
I just told her China was on the other side.
She got all excited 'cause she loves Chinese food.
Did grandma ever know about this?
Yeah, she found out about it after a while.
When I crawled out the other side, she was waitin' for me.
Whacko! I got that big German hand across the head.
- Then it was prison for me. - What prison?
Heh. Grandma's closet.
She used to lock me in there two, three hours at a time.
No light, no water, no food.
Just enough air to breathe.
- That would make me crazy. - Yeah, or tough as nails.
Come on. Come on.
Let's go. Gimme your hand.
Arty. Arty, come on.
Funny place for a manhole cover.
Stole it from down the street, me and Bella did.
I told her…
It was to keep everyone from China from movin' into our house.
Let's go.
Hey. All right, back up, boys. Back up. Come on.
Outta the way. Outta the way.
Here comes Louie Kurnitz, king of Yonkers!
Aah. Aah!
Now, what'd I just do?
- You jumped in the water. - No, you stupid jerk.
I made a splash.
That's what life's all about, makin' a big splash.
Otherwise you die a nobody.
And I ain't dyin' till I'm somebody!
Get him!
Come on. Get him.
Did grandma ever put my father in the closet?
Huh. Not a chance.
She used to open up the closet door.
He used to tie himself to the radiator.
Even if it was hot.
Nah. Eddie was really afraid of her.
Now, aunt Gert, she was more afraid than your old man.
She used to talk in her sleep, you know.
And one night, ma heard her say some things that she didn't like.
So Gert didn't get no supper for a week.
Till she learned how to sleep holdin' her breath.
Which is why she talks so funny today.
Didn't you ever wanna run away?
- You kiddin'? I did, twelve times. - Twelve times?
Yeah. It's still a record in Yonkers.
Last time, ma wouldn't take me back.
She told the policeman she didn't know me.
Didn't you hate her for that?
Yeah, sure I hated her, plenty.
Till I realized I could survive without her, or anybody else.
Hell of a teacher, ma was.
So, what do you think of your uncle Louie, boys? You like him?
- Yeah. You bet. - Don't get used to it.
Once you start dependin' on people,
you never make it on your own.
You understand? Huh? You understand? Come on. Come on, come on, come on.
Get him!
- Get him! - Let's get him.
Come on. Gimme your best shot. Gimme your best shot.
Oh, Arty, would you watch the store for a while until grandma comes down?
I have to do some shopping for tonight's dinner.
But I can't make any ice cream sodas or anything.
- Maybe a glass of water. That's all. - Grandma will be right down.
And, Arty, don't forget. You and Jay promised you would back me up tonight.
How ya doin', son?
Okay.
Would you like a glass of water?
- Mornin'. - You bet.
Wouldn't leave that car there too long. Pretty close to the hydrant.
It'll be gone in a minute.
Hey, big guy, how 'bout a… a cup of coffee. It's right behind ya.
No, no, no. I wanna take it with me.
You could take it. Just bring back the cup.
You boys enjoy your little swim last night?
- Huh? - Louie knows we ain't gonna make a move…
Unless he's got the little black bag with him.
But he'll have it with him tonight.
You can bet his life on it.
Teresa, is that you?
It's Bella.
- Bella, hello! - Oh, my god!
Is that yours?
You were just a baby yourself a few years ago.
- Is he a boy or a girl? - Boy. Andrew.
Looks like his father, I think.
Yeah? Really? Your husband looks like this?
He must be very cute. Yeah, yeah, yeah.
You know what? I used to make ice-cream cones for your mama.
You think I could just hold him for a second?
All right.
B-but be careful. H-he squirms a lot.
Don't worry. A baby is one thing I would never drop.
Oh, yeah.
You are so cute.
Ooh.
Look at… He likes me.
All babies like me.
All right.
I see your raise,
and I raise you… Five more.
And what do I do?
Well, it depends what's in your hand, dumbo.
- You wanna see? - No, I don't wanna…
You call me.
Two, three, four, five.
Okay, now, what do you got?
Four cards. Is that any good?
Yeah, yeah, yeah. If I was a blind man.
Here. Now.
Now what do you got?
- I got five cards. - I know you got five cards.
I just gave you five cards. Don't make me crazy, kid.
I'm not in the mood.
Just declare.
- Can't I bet first? - We already bet!
We bet and we raised.
Then we "re-raised" the raise.
All right.
You wanna bet? Bet. What do you bet?
I think I'll bluff.
You're gonna bluff.
You're tellin' me you're gonna bluff.
If you tell me you're bluffing, then I know you're bluffing,
why?
Maybe I'm just bluffing that I'm bluffing.
Gimme the cards! Get away from me!
You play like your old man.
Like a loser.
You wanna end up sellin' scrap iron like him?
No.
I got four aces. Does that lose?
Yeah. Yeah, that loses.
- Four aces stink. - Why?
Because that's the name of this game. "Four aces stink"!
Take another look.
They're still there. So I guess you're not goin' to leave tonight.
Don't bet on it, Arty.
That's one game I got you beat.
Poker and Coca-Cola. If grandma knew, she'd throw me off the roof.
You don't think much of her, do ya?
She's so mean.
When she was 12 years old, her old man takes her to a political rally in Berlin.
The cops break it up with sticks, on horseback.
Somebody, uh, throws a rock, and a cop bashes in her old man's head.
And then a horse goes down and crushes ma's foot, and nobody ever fixed it.
Hurts every single day of her life.
I never once seen her take even an aspirin.
That's moxie, kid.
- Where's uncle Louie? - Takin' a shower.
I have to talk to him.
About what?
- It's private business. - Jay, you don't have any business.
All you got is a job that costs you 12 cents a day.
Not for long.
- I'm gonna ask uncle Louie to take me with him tonight. - What?
I wanna make some money, get a job somewhere.
If we wait for pop to come home, I'll owe grandma more than pop
well, then take me with you.
Take you? You're only a kid.
Besides, she doesn't treat you the way she treats me.
A horse fell on her when she was a kid, and she hasn't taken an aspirin yet.
I got my hair done. Did you notice?
Oh, yeah. It looks the same to me.
It is. I told 'em don't do it any different 'cause my friend might not like it.
Oh.
So, do you think I could meet your parents today?
Oh…
Oh, well…
It's just not a good day today.
- Why is that? - I could just tell.
Okay. Nothing's wrong, is it?
- Oh, no. Yeah, sure. - Everything's still on, right?
It's just not a good day today.
Well, I better get started.
Tonight's the big dinner.
Wish me luck, Johnny.
Okay. That's good enough for me.
You wanna go with me? Why?
It's… it's cold out there, Jay. It's, uh… it's dangerous
- I know, but there's money out there. - Oh, oh.
- You're lookin' to get rich fast, huh? - Well, it's not for me.
- It's to give to pop. - Ain't that nice? Kinda like Robin hood.
I don't wanna Rob people.
No? Who do you wanna Rob?
- No one. - Well, that sorta rules out gettin' rich fast.
Some people do it.
Meanin' who?
- I just thought you could teach me somethin'. - I got nothin' to teach you,
and I got nothin' I wanna teach you.
You think that's what I do, Rob banks, Rob liquor stores,
little old ladies in the park?
No, I don't think so.
You got balls, kid. You know you got balls?
I'm aware of them, yes.
Take you with me, huh? For what? For company?
Your company's beginning to pester me already.
What do I need you for? What can you do for me?
Well, I could carry your little black bag.
- You interested in my little black bag? - No, I just thought that…
No, no, no, but you wanna carry it. Why?
Does it look heavy to you?
You think I got a broken arm, I can't carry a little bag?
- No. - Maybe you got some other interest in it, huh?
- Have you been foolin' around with that bag? - No, I swear.
No, but you're curious, right? How much it weighs
- why don't you pick it up? Go 'head. - I don't wanna pick it up.
Pick it up, Jay! Hmm? It ain't gonna bite ya.
You're not gonna be happy until
you pick it up, so pick it up!
- Jay, just pick it up. - You stay out of this.
- No, no, no, no, no, no, no. Arty, come here. - Me?
That's right. You're Arty.
I want you to come over to the table and pick up the bag.
- Jay is close. - Jay? Jay is not interested. I want you to do it.
Now, pick it up.
I don't know why, but I think I'm going to cry.
Just pick it up, Arty.
Now… is it heavy?
No.
- Is it light? - No.
What is it?
It's medium.
- It's medium. - Okay, now, what do you think is in that bag?
Money?
Huh? Fives and tens and twenties and hundreds…
All wrapped up together with rubber bands?
What?
I said, "what?"
I don't know!
You don't know! Well, maybe you'll have to open up the bag and see, huh?
Please, uncle Louie, I don't wanna open…
I'm gonna ask you one more time, because I'm running out
don't do it, Arty. Leave him alone, uncle Louie. You want the bag open, do it yourself.
Maybe you don't Rob banks or liquor stores or little old ladies.
You're worse than that. You pick on a couple of kids… Your own nephews!
You make fun of my father because he cries and he's afraid of grandma?
Well, everyone in Yonkers is afraid of grandma.
And I'll tell you something else about my father. At least he's
he's sick and he's tired, but he's out there selling iron…
To make ships and tanks and cannons, and I'm proud of him!
What are you doing? Hiding in your mother's apartment?
Scaring little kids and acting like Humphrey Bogart?
Well, you're no Humphrey Bogart, and I'll tell you something else.
No. That's all.
Jeez, that was good.
That was terrific. I had tears in my eyes, I swear to god.
You got bigger balls than I thought, Jay.
You got a couple of steel basketballs there.
Your father's a lucky guy, let me tell you.
You know what you got, Jay?
You got moxie.
- What's "moxie"? - What's moxie?
Tell him, Arty.
Come on.
That's moxie.
Gert?
- Would you like another piece of strudel with that? - Oh, no.
How 'bout you, Louie? Another piece?
- No, I had enough, Bella. Thanks. - You always have two pieces.
No, one piece of strudel is enough tonight, Bella. Thank you.
Ma?
No. Okay.
Don't help me with the chairs, anybody.
I know exactly how I want this to be.
Mama, I'm gonna run along now. I'll call you next week.
Jay, huh? Don't worry about it. Arty, keep your Dukes up.
- Gert, great seeing you, sweetheart. - Louie, Louie, no, no.
You can't go yet. You promised!
I promised to stay for dinner. How many dinners you want me to stay for?
- But the family hasn't had a talk yet. - We did.
We talked all through dinner. I didn't get a chance to swallow nothin'.
I know, Louie, but there's still something that hasn't been talked about.
It wasn't something that we could talk about at dinner.
You sit here. This is your place here.
I told you I had to go right after the coffee.
I had my coffee, I had my strudel, I had my dinner.
- Bella, I gotta go. - Louie, you can't go!
You have to be here! The whole family has to be here!
- Mama, tell him. - You're getting excited, Bella.
All right. Okay. I won't get excited.
See, ma? I'm fine. Could you just ask him to stay, please?
He'll stay, Bella.
Okay, Jay, Arty, sit on the sofa.
Mama, you sit there. I will sit here.
- And, Louie, just sit on the chair. I been sittin' -all night, Bella.
I think I'll stand, okay? It will be much better if you were sitting.
- I pictured everybody sitting. - I don't wanna sit!
Change the picture.
Picture everybody else sittin' and me standin'.
Louie, can't you just sit for a few minutes till Bella tell us…
What it is she wants to talk to us about.
Okay. Okay, here. All right. Is this how you pictured it, Bella?
No, I pictured you sitting on the chair that I picked out.
Bella, it's very important that I leave here very soon.
Very important. Now, I don't want to get you upset, sweetheart,
but I don't wanna spend my time getting the seatin' arrangements right.
Now, I'm gonna stand up. I'm gonna listen, and then I'm gonna go!
I pictured everybody sitting.
- Jesus! - Stop arguing with her and sit down, for god's sakes,
Before she gets into one of her moods again.
- Louie, quiet. - Gertrude, stop it.
"Louie, quiet"? "Louie, stay, Louie, eat."
You don't scare me anymore, ma.
Maybe everybody else here, but not me, you understand?
Louie, sit.
Okay.
Who wants to start?
Start what?
Oh! Mama! I don't got time for this!
Maybe when I was 12 years old, but not tonight!
This is one of her crazy games, mama. One of her crazy games.
Is this just a game? Are you just playing a game with us, darling?
No, no! This is not a game. It's very important.
I just don't know how to start to say it.
Somebody just has to help me out and start it first.
You got somethin' important to tell us, and you want us to start.
- Mm, mm, mm! Gert… no, no, no. - Louie!
You understand her better than me. When you figure out what it is, you let me know.
- Okay? - Aunt Bella, have you been going to the movies lately?
Yes! Thank you, Jay. I have been going to the movies a lot lately.
- Three times last week. - Really? Did you see anything good?
Yes. I saw a picture with William Holden and Jean Arthur.
I really liked it. That's why I saw it three times.
This is what I stayed to dinner for?
This is what I had to sit in the right seat to listen to?
Are they in the picture that you pictured here?
I-i-is that what this is all about, Bella?
Is this about what movies you went to see last week?
No, no, no! I'm gettin' to it. Jay, ask me more questions.
- Come on. Yes, I did. - Did you go alone?
I always go alone, but it's very interesting that you would ask me that,
because I met a friend there.
You get to ask me questions too, Gert.
I don't know what kinda questions to ask you.
Ask her who the friend was?
Who was the friend?
Well, his name is Johnny.
I always see him there 'cause he's the head usher.
He's really nice.
- So you just saw him in the theater? - No, uh, once or twice…
We went out for coffee and once
we went for a walk in the park.
You went to the park with this guy?
Yeah, but just to talk.
You have to sit down if you wanna ask me questions, Louie.
Okay. Whose turn is it now?
Is this when you came home from 11:00?
Yeah, it was. Yeah. Thank you for listening, ma.
- What were you doing till 11:00? - Well, we walked…
And we talked and we got to know each other,
and he does not wanna be an usher forever.
- One day he wants to open up his own restaurant. - His own restaurant?
And he's an usher? What is he, 15, 16?
No, no, no. He's 40, and he wants to open up the restaurant with me.
- Why with you? - Because…
I would… I would do all of the cooking,
and I'd write out the menus and I'd… I'd keep the books.
- A-and what would he do? - He will be the manager.
Wait. If he's the manager, then why doesn't he write out the menus and keep the books?
- 'Cause he has a reading handicap. - What?
- He has a reading handicap. - Wait, wait, wait. Hold it a minute. Hold it.
What are you saying? He can't read?
You're not supposed to get out of your chair, Louie. That's not the way I pictured it.
Well, maybe I'm gettin' my own little picture here.
Now, this guy is, what, illiterate?
- No. He can read… a little. - What does that mean, "a little"?
His name? Now, you listen to me.
Either this guy is pullin' your leg, or else he's after something.
- Now, is he after something? - Maybe this is not the right time to talk about this.
No, I think it's the perfect time to talk about it.
What is this guy after? Bella, has he touched you?
- Huh? Has he fooled around with you? - No.
Louie, he's not that kind of person.
What kind of a person is he? He's 40 years old.
He takes you to the park at night!
He wants to open up a restaurant with you, and he can't read or write?
And how are you gonna open up a restaurant, huh? Who's gonna put up the money?
It would only cost $5,000.
- Five thousand dol… - Shh!
Why not $5 million? And who is gonna put up this five grand? Him?
No, I don't think so. He doesn't have any money.
Oh, too bad. Well, then who does that leave?
- Don't yell at me, Louie! - I'm not yellin' at you, Bella!
I'm asking you a question! Who does that leave to put up the $5,000?
It's too terrible. Mama, please tell them to stop! Who does that leave?
- I would get the money somewhere, Louie. - Bella, there is no somewhere.
You want mama to sell the store. Is that what this guy
no! He didn't ask me anything!
Well, either this guy is very, very smart or he's very dangerous,
and he don't sound very smart to me.
- So that only leaves dangerous. - He is not dangerous!
- How do you know that? - They don't take you at the home
oh, my god!
- "The home"? - I don't understand this.
Would somebody please explain all this to me?
Bella, honey, this man sounds very troubled.
Um, is he staying at the home now?
No, he lives with his parents.
He didn't like it at the home. They weren't nice to him there.
Mama, that's not a nice place over there!
Bella, sweetheart, I don't want
you to go to the movies anymore.
I do not want you to see this particular fella anymore.
He may be very nice, but he sounds like he's got a lot of wacky ideas.
- You know what I'm sayin'? - Jay, Arty, you said you would back me up here!
Come on! You promised!
Back you up with what?
With the restaurant? With the money? Is that what this guy is after?
No, Louie, he wants more than that!
- What could possibly be more than that? - Me! He wants me!
He wants to marry me!
I want to marry him!
I want to have his children! I want my own babies!
Jesus Christ.
That's enough. I don't want to hear this anymore!
Why? You think that I can't have healthy babies?
Mama, I can. I am strong as an ox.
I've worked in that store, I've taken care of you by myself
that's how strong I am. I'm like steel!
Isn't that what you say we're supposed to be?
Only my babies won't die,
because I will love them and I will take care of them.
My babies will be happy because I will teach 'em…
To be happy!
And not to grow up and run away and never visit when they're older.
And not to be so frightened that they couldn't even breathe,
and never, ever to make 'em spend their lives rubbin' my back and my legs…
Because you never had anybody around you who loved you enough
because you made it so clear…
You just didn't wanna be touched…
With love.
You know what it's like to touch steel, mama?
It's hard and it's cold, and I don't want that for my babies.
I want it to be soft and warm.
Mama…
Let me have babies.
Please.
I gotta love somebody.
I gotta love somebody who will love me back before I die,
and I promise you, you would never worry about bein' alone,
'cause you would have us.
Louie, tell her how wonderful that could be.
Gert! Wouldn't that make her happy? Wouldn't it?
Mama, please say yes.
Mama? Mama?
I need you to say yes!
Please!
Somebody, please hold me. Please hold me.
Dear pop: Later that night…
Something happened that I know you wouldn't approve of, but I hope you'll forgive me.
Even the bar's closed.
Look at this guy.
Hey!
Louie!
Where do you think you're goin'?
Harry, it's empty!
Where is he?
- Where's my money? - What money?
My goddamn money! I don't know what you're talking about.
I found the bag in the house! I was running away from home!
Tell me where he is, or this is where you stop runnin'.
I don't know. I swear.
I'm gonna find him, kid, and then I'm gonna find the money, and if not,
you better pray you don't see me again.
Harry!
I'll send your car back in an envelope!
Thanks, Jay-Jay! You got moxie, kid!
He had two bags! The son of a bitch had two bags!
I know it was wrong for me to help uncle Louie get away, pop,
because maybe he was a crook.
But after what I saw grandma do to aunt Bella tonight,
I thought someone in this family oughta help somebody else.
Arty!
Where do you think aunt Bella could be?
Gone four days. She's somewhere in the city. I'm worried.
- Maybe uncle Louie took her with him. - He didn't take me.
You think he's gonna take aunt Bella and her 40-year-old usher from the home?
Hi, aunt Gert. How's grandma?
She looks tired. She wouldn't even let me help in the store.
Any idea where aunt Bella is?
She's at my house. She doesn't want anyone to know.
- Is she ever comin' back? - Who knows?
She's meetin' with that man today.
Sorry. It's hard for me to talk.
Isn't there something the doctors can do for that?
I don't have it that much. It's mostly when I come here!
I-I-I'll call ya. Tonight.
Bye, honeys.
Hi, Johnny. I guess you're wonderin' why you haven't seen me for a few days.
Uh, w-we have a new Bette Davis picture tonight.
I got more things on my mind than Bette Davis.
I haven't been home for four days.
I might never go back.
- Henry Fonda's in this one. - Johnny, listen to me, 'cause this is important.
We can open up the restaurant any time you want.
I got the money. Five thousand dollars.
I got it right here in my purse.
Mr. Margolis said… Said, uh…
He might be opening another theater soon.
Uh, uh, a bigger one.
Yeah, but you don't wanna be an usher forever. You told me that.
And look, you know what? I even found a place. It's right next to a bowling alley.
People get hungry when they bowl.
What? Y-you Don… You don't want it?
Y-you're afraid of running a restaurant?
'Cause I told you, I will do most of it.
Oh, okay, okay, okay.
Listen. An usher is a good job.
Maybe, if the theater is bigger, you would make more money.
- I-I have to go. - Wha… why?
- I have to go! - Uhhh. Why? Because of me?
Is that what your parents want you to do?
'Cause I never really got a chance to talk to 'em.
It's… it's… it's… It's just that it's not a good day today.
It's not a good day for what? It's not a good day to open a restaurant?
It's not a good day to get married?
It's not a good day to have a baby?
It's not a good day for any of that?
Oh, god.
Don't… stop. Don't cry. It's all right. It's all right.
You don't have to do anything you don't wanna do.
I promise. I would never do that to you.
Never.
Hello, mama.
I brought you a coffee cake from Greenbaum's.
It's still warm.
Are you home for good, or this is a visit?
I don't know. I thought I would come back and talk to you about that.
The way you talked to me the night that you left… Without a word?
No, not without a word. I told you how I felt.
You were the one that walked out on me, mama.
I heard what you had to say.
I didn't have to hear more.
Mama, look at me.
Mama. Mama. Look at me!
I'm not cryin', and it's not 'cause I'm afraid to cry.
It's 'cause I got no tears left in me.
I feel pretty empty inside.
Like you feel all the time.
How would you know how I feel?
Boy, you just don't think I know anything, do you?
You think I'm stupid, don't you?
- No, you're not stupid. - Then what am I?
Am I crazy? You think I'm crazy?
- Don't use that word to me. - Why not?
Are you afraid of it? Mama, if that's what I am, don't be afraid to say it.
'Cause if I'm crazy, I should be in a home.
And then you'd be all alone, and you wouldn't like it.
Is that why you don't use that word, mama?
Is it?
You want to know what you are, Bella?
You are a child.
That's what the doctors told me.
You're not crazy, not stupid, a child.
And that's how I treat you, because that's all that you understand.
You don't need doctors. You don't need to live in a home.
This is where you live, where you can be watched and taken care of.
You will always be a child.
And in this world, where there is so much hate and sickness and death,
maybe you're better off.
You stay a child and be glad that's what god made you.
Then why did he make me look like a woman…
And feel like a woman inside?
And wanna have all the things that a woman should have?
Is that what I'm supposed to thank him for?
Mama…
I know that I get confused sometimes.
I know that I get frightened, but if I'm a child,
why can't I be happy like a child?
Why can't I just be satisfied with dolls instead of babies?
- Well, I'm not so smart I can answer those things! - Well, I am.
Maybe I'm just as smart as a child, but some children are smarter than grown-ups.
Some grown-ups I've seen are very stupid… And very mean.
You don't have responsibilities, Bella.
It's responsibilities that makes meanness.
I don't wanna be your responsibility!
Then who will be responsible for you? Yourself?
That man that you run away with
god only knows what else. Things you would never dream about.
You stay the way you are, Bella.
You don't know yet what such feelings could do to you.
Yes, I do.
I know what other things you're talking about,
'cause they happened to me.
They happened 'cause I wanted them to happen.
You're angry, so you tell me lies? I don't want to hear these childish lies.
When I was in school, I let boys touch me.
And boys that I met in the park.
Some nights when you were sleeping,
I went downstairs and I let 'em in.
And not just boys. Men too.
You stop this.
You dream this stuff in your head!
I needed somebody to hold me,
to tell me that I was pretty.
You never once told me that.
- Some of them even told me that they loved me. - Oh…
All right, all right, all right. I know. I didn't believe 'em.
Except Johnny.
And I thought for the first time in my whole life,
maybe I could be happy.
So that's why I ran away.
I even brought him the $5,000 for the restaurant.
Is something else that you dream about? Where would you get $5,000?
- Where did you get this? - Does that look like a dream to you?
Did you steal from me? Huh?
You know where I keep my money. You're the only one.
You thief.
You steal from your own mother, huh?
- You thief! - Oh!
Do it. No, do it, do it!
Hit me. Crack my head open.
Make me stupid and crazy. That's what you really think I am!
- Isn't it? Isn't it? - Get out of my house!
You go live with your thief friend!
You want the rest of my money? Go take it.
It won't last too long. You'll both have to steal again
I don't want your money.
Here. Here! You take that.
Louie gave that to me.
Maybe he's a thief too, but he is my brother,
and he cared enough to wanna help.
Thieves and sick little girls, that's what you got!
Only god did not make us that way!
You did! You!
We're alive, but that's all we are.
Rose and Aaron are the lucky ones.
Don't say that.
God, don't say that to me.
I'm sorry.
I didn't mean to hurt you like that.
Yes, you do.
It's my punishment for being alive…
For surviving my own children.
For not dying before them. That is my sin.
Go on. Take Louie's money.
You think I don't know what he is? He stole since he was five years old.
It was the year Aaron died,
and I closed off from him and from everybody.
I lost Rose…
And then I lost Aaron.
I couldn't stand losing no more.
Mama?
Go on. Open your restaurant.
Live your life. Have your babies.
If it's a mistake, let it be your mistake!
If I've done wrong by you, it's for me to take care of.
There is no restaurant, mama.
He's afraid to be a businessman.
He likes being an usher.
He doesn't want babies.
He doesn't want to get married.
He just wants to live with his parents 'cause he knows
and that's enough for him.
Then maybe he's more lucky than you.
Yeah. Maybe.
But I can't stop wanting those things.
And it can't be the same between us anymore, mama.
It can't.
I'm gonna put my things away.
I think we've both said enough for today, don't you?
Dear Eddie: I'm just writing to tell you…
That Jay and Arty are fine,
but something's happened to me that I can't figure out yet.
Lately, I feel so happy and so sad at the same time.
Did you ever feel that way? I'd tell you more, but I don't have any more room.
Love, Bella.
- No, I'll stay. - Eight months later, we got a card from pop…
Saying he was coming home to get us.
Then one night, uncle Louie called aunt Bella.
He said he didn't know if he could ever come back to Yonkers again,
but said he was now the richest guy on Guadalcanal.
Grandma didn't say anything, but she didn't come out to dinner that night.
Jay, come here.
What?
There he is.
That's him. It's pop! Come on. Let's go!
He's here, grandma. Pop is here!
No, you stop right now. You hear me?
- But pop is here. - You want to say good-bye to me,
we're not leaving this minute.
Ah, you come here quick. You say good-bye quick.
Yes, grandma.
I just wanted to say thank you for taking us in.
- I know it wasn't easy for you. - That's right, it wasn't.
Well, it wasn't easy for us either.
Oh, ho. You're not afraid to tell the truth.
Well, that's good.
Maybe you learn something here.
Ja, maybe now I get little rest.
What were you two looking for that night under the ice cream?
My money, maybe, hmm?
No, I swear.
Oh, ho, don't swear.
You lie to me, you lie to everybody.
Yes, grandma.
It was in the mattress you were sleeping on.
Oh, gee.
Hey-hey! Come here, you guys!
Pop!
Oh, look at you guys.
Eddie! Wait! Jay! Arty! Don't go yet!
- Eddie! - Hey, Bella! Come here!
It's so good to see you, sweetheart.
- You look wonderful. Yeah. - Yeah? Do I?
I lost ten pounds. Yeah, well, it looks great.
Really? 'Cause I put it back on a month ago.
Listen, uh, I better go upstairs and see mama.
Oh, yeah, you better. Oh… Thank you for everything, Bella.
All right, close your eyes, both of you.
Close 'em.
The basketball is for Jay, and the football is for Arty.
- Do you like 'em? - Holy mackerel!
This is incredible.
I didn't know if I got the right size, so I took a guess.
Well, back up. Let's throw it around.
Okay, okay, but don't throw it too hard.
As hard as it was coming to live with grandma,
all right, let's go, guys. It was twice as hard leaving aunt Bella.
'Cause in the ten months since we came,
she lost Johnny, she lost uncle Louie,
and now she was losing me and Arty.
- Bye, aunt Bella. See ya soon. - Bye.
Bye!
Well, I'll get dinner started.
Would you mind eating early tonight, mama?
I'm goin' out with a friend.
A girl.
I got a new girlfriend.
She likes me, and I like her.
She also has a brother that I like.
He works in a library. He can read everything.
Do you think maybe during dinner…
We could listen to some music on the radio, mama?
Okay, it does… it doesn't have to be tonight.
Just think about it, okay?
I wish I could say that while aunt Bella started to make dinner,
music came on from the living room,
but it didn't.
I wish I could say that grandma went to the cemetery with Bella…
To see Aaron's grave on his birthday, but she didn't.
And then one day, early on a Sunday morning,
the most unexpected thing happened.
Aunt Bella left home.
She didn't know where she was going or what she was going to do.
People who saw her from the window that day…
Said she looked a little scared,
but she just kept going.
And then, a few months later, we got a postcard from Bella.
She said:
Dear Eddie, Jay and Arty:
In case you're worried, don't be.
I'm in Florida. I got a job in a restaurant.
The important thing is, I'm on my own.
It might be a little late in life to suddenly get born all over again,
but at least I got the walkin' part over with.
Love, Bella.