Our Town

Question 1

Morning, Doc Gibbs

Answer 1

Morning, Joe

Question 2

Somebody been sick, Doc?

Answer 2

No. Just some twins born over in Polish Town

Question 3

Do you want your paper now?

Answer 3

Yes, I’ll take it.— Anything serious goin’ on in the world since Wednesday

Question 4

Yessir. My schoolteacher, Miss Foster, ‘s getting married to a fella over in Concord

Answer 4

I declare.— How do you boys feel about that?

Question 5

but I think if a person starts out to be a teacher, she ought to stay one.

Answer 5

How’s your knee, Joe?

Question 6

Only like you said, it always tells me when it’s going to rain.

Answer 6

What’s it telling you today? Goin’ to rain?

Question 7

No, sir.

Answer 7

Sure?

Question 8

Yessir

Answer 8

Knee ever make a mistake?

Question 9

Morning, Doc.

Answer 9

Morning, Howie.

Question 10

Somebody sick?

Answer 10

Pair of twins over to Mrs. Goruslawski’s.

Question 11

This town’s gettin’ bigger every year.

Answer 11

Goin’ to rain, Howie?

Question 12

that’ll burn through. Come on, Bessie.

Answer 12

Hello Bessie. How old is she Howie?

Question 13

Doc! (waves goodbye)

Answer 13

Howie!

Question 14

Everything all right, Frank?

Answer 14

Yes. I declare— easy as kittens

Question 15

You can catch a couple hours’ sleep this morning can’t you?

Answer 15

Hm!… Mrs. Wentworth’s coming at eleven. Guess I know what it’s about too. Her stummick ain’t what it ought to be.

Question 16

I can’t even get him to cut me some wood.

Answer 16

Is he sassy to you?

Question 17

George! Rebecca! You’ll be late for school!

Answer 17

M-m-m

Question 18

George!!

Answer 18

George, look sharp!

Question 19

Yes, Pa!

Answer 19

Don’t you hear your mother calling you? I guess I’ll go upstairs and get forty winks.

Question 20

Yes, Pa! (descends ladder)

Answer 20

Make yourself comfortable, George; I’ll only keep you a minute. George, how old are you?

Question 21

I? I’m sixteen, almost seventeen.

Answer 21

What do you want to do after school’s over?

Question 22

Why, you know, Pa. I want to be a farmer on Uncle Luke’s farm.

Answer 22

You’ll be willing, will you, to get up early and milk and feed the stock… and you’ll be able to hoe and hay all day?

Question 23

Sure, I will. What are you… what do you mean, Pa?

Answer 23

Well, George, while I was in my office today I heard a funny sound… and what do you think it was? It was your mother chopping wood. There you see your mother— getting up early; cooking meals all day long; washing and ironing; — and still she has to go out in the backyard and chop wood. I suppose she just got tired of asking you. She just gave up and decided it was easier to do it herself. And you eat her meals, and put on the clothes she keeps nice for you, and you run off and play baseball —- like she’s some hired girl we keep around the house but that we don’t like very much. Well, I knew all I had to do was call your attention to it. Here’s a handkerchief, son. George, I’ve decided to raise your spending money twenty-five cents a week. Not, of course, for chopping wood for your mother because that’s a present you give her, but because you’re getting older— and I imagine there are lots of things you must find to do with it.

Question 24

Thanks, Pa.

Answer 24

Let’s see— tomorrow’s your payday. You can count on it — Hmm. Probably Rebecca’ll feel she ought to have some more too. Wonder what could have happened to your mother. Choir practice never was as late as this before.

Question 25

It’s only half past eight, Pa.

Answer 25

I don’t know why she’s in that old choir. She hasn’t any more voice than an old crow… Traipsin’ around the streets at this time of night… Just about time you retired, don’t you think?