Original subtitles

Bye, Mom.

See you after school.

Have a good day, baby.

There goes any chance of having a good day.

Laura, on your way out, can you take out the trash, please?

Oh, no.

Hands as delicate as Laura's should never have to touch garbage.

Did I do that?

It's a rare condition This day and age To read any good news On the newspaper

page And love and tradition Of the grand design

Some people say it's even harder to find.

Well, then there must be some magic clue inside these gentle walls.

Because all I see is a tower of dreams.

Real love bursting out of every scene.

We're going to fill our house with happiness.

But we'll smother the blues with tenderness.

Days go by.

There's room for you, room for me.

Potential hearts and opportunities.

Days go by.

It's the bigger love of the family.

Morning, Mom.

What does everyone want for breakfast?

Pancakes. French toast. How about pizza?

How about this?

We're having eggs and you got two choices.

Scrambled or raw.

Scrambled.

Morning, everyone.

Morning, Dad. Morning, Dad.

You want some eggs, honey? Oh, no. I got up real early, showered, and had a big

breakfast.

Oh.

Well, at least you showered. No one else can get in there.

Is my mother still in the shower?

She said I missed my train to Milwaukee.

She's almost finished. When I walked by, she was singing the last verse of

Stormy Weather.

I'm next.

I'm next. You're little. You can watch him think.

Good morning, everyone.

Morning, Rich. Morning, Anthony.

Fabulous news.

Little Richie just spoke his first word.

You're kidding.

What did he say?

rachel he's only nine months old are you sure about this i was there he looked

right in my face and said mama why is every kid's first word always mama

not eddie his first word was

He really can say it.

Can't go on.

Everything I've got is gone.

Spine weather.

Shower's free.

Say goodbye to your grandmother.

Bye, Grandma.

Brother Winslow, guess what? What, honey?

Little Richie spoke his first word.

Oh, that's sweet. What'd he say?

Paul's first word was donut.

Mama, I don't want to rush you, but you've got a train to catch.

How long will you be staying at Frank and Maxine? Ten days, and I'm looking

forward to it. You know, in France, I have my own bathroom and shower.

Yeah, but that cheapskate makes you rent your towels.

Paul's brother has three bathrooms. They all have showers, and one with a hot

tub. Mama, can we go? And a whirlpool.

makes a lot more money than I do. He's a carpet salesman.

You should see their rug.

Especially the one on his head.

Say bye -bye. Say bye -bye.

Say bye -bye, Grandma.

Okay, honey. When he's ready, have him call me.

away to the station, all my mother could talk about was Frank's bathroom.

So I told her that when she comes back, there will be a shower in her bathroom

and she won't have to rent the towels.

I wanted to start on it right away.

Oh, hold on, hold on. Wait a minute, wait a minute, wait a minute, wait a

minute. I knew I should have gone to the station with you. What are you talking

about? Harriet, we need another shower.

I figure I could work nights and weekends and I'll be done by the time

back. Wait a minute, Carl.

You aren't thinking about doing this yourself, are you?

And why not?

Because I don't want you ripping up the house, making it unlivable, and forcing

the whole family to move into a hotel.

I only did that once.

And that was before I joined the Tool of the Month Club.

Harriet, I happen to be very good with my hands.

I built that swing set for the kids, remember?

No, you didn't. You bought the wood, which is still sitting on the shelf out

the garage somewhere.

Well, who put up the shelf?

I did.

Okay.

Who built that birdhouse?

You mean the one that was condemned by the Audubon Society?

Okay, bad example.

I'm talking bathroom fixtures here, Harriet.

Nowadays, these showers come in tits. A mere child could do this.

Honey, I know you mean well, but plumbing is way out of your league. I

ought to get an estimate from a contractor.

A contractor?

Now that's an insult.

And it's just throwing away money.

What's burning?

Toasters on the blank again.

That's the last thing you fixed.

Just like new.

Okay, one estimate.

So, uh, how soon you need this shower?

Well, it has to be done within ten days.

It's a present from my mother.

I always give my mother a book.

I get her something cold to drink.

See me and my crew.

Figuring a little overhead.

Yeah. There.

There's the damage.

Whoa.

Sylvia.

You know, I'm real bad at bargaining, so let me just ask you straight out.

Are you crazy?

Listen, Mr. Windblow, I am doing the best I can. I'm giving you the

Yeah, but this is way, way, way more than I wanted to spend.

You'll never get anybody to do it for less than that.

Oh, well, thank you for your time, Sylvia. But I think I will.

I'll just do it myself.

Let me guess.

You're a member of the Tool of the Month Club.

Well, yeah.

I thought so. I'll be seeing you soon.

you how pretty your hair looks today.

Where's Sylvia?

I let her go.

I'll see if I can catch her. Now, Harriet, now she's long gone now.

Now, she just wanted way too much money.

I decided to do this myself.

Carl, you don't have a clue how to put in a shower.

Harriet, all you do is rip out your linen closet, run your pipes, restore

lines, and pop your shower in.

Now, what could be simpler?

You hire Sylvia.

Carl, I asked around.

She's very good. and you can't find anybody cheaper.

Harriet, I'm good and I'm free.

Now, honey, I really want to do this myself.

Oh, how can you do this yourself?

Sylvia works with a crew.

Hi.

Meet my crew.

Harriet, guess what?

You are going to help me put in a shower in your grandmother's bathroom.

Oh, no.

Is this going to be like the time we put up the spice rack?

No, this will only take a week.

Pesting, one, two.

Okay, Richie, we're rolling.

I don't know why you need that tape recorder.

All he does is drool.

This is an historic moment.

We will all listen to this when Richie is all grown up and president.

Come on, sweetheart.

Say, Mama?

Mama?

Maybe he'll be vice president.

Ease your way on in there. Watch the door.

Ease it in.

That's it.

That's it. Come on.

Oh, wait a minute. The rug's got to back up a little bit.

Too much.

You're not going to be working anywhere near my room, are you?

Come on.

Oh, Eddie.

Guess what?

Lori Martin called.

She wants to know if you could meet her at the roller rink this afternoon.

Lori Martin called me?

What did you tell her?

Oh, I just told her that you were going to be in the bathroom for a week.

Why am I always the one who has to help?

Because, son, we are the men of this house, and working with our hands is

men do.

But what do women do?

I don't know, son.

are installing to do.

Oh, okay, Carl.

If you need anything, we women folk will be in the kitchen churning butter and

tinning the youngins.

Does she want to talk to me?

Yeah, but she was calling from the payphone in Frank's kitchen.

Says she'll talk to you tomorrow night when she gets home.

Tomorrow night?

She's supposed to be gone another four days.

Says she can't stand another day with Frank.

Every time he takes her out to a restaurant, he makes her order from the

children's menu.

that shower tonight.

Dad, I made plans.

Well, I'm sorry. Your plans have changed.

Girls, could you leave us alone, please?

Let's go pack our bags, just in case.

Eddie, I need to talk to your dad. Why don't you take a break?

Thanks, Mom.

I won't forget this.

Carl, this has gone far enough. I want you to give it up and call a contractor.

Harriet, I can finish this.

I'm so close.

The plumbing is all done, and that's the hard part.

You mean the shower's working? Absolutely.

I'll show you.

I did everything right.

I must have crossed up

the pipe somewhere.

Oh, no problem.

It's fine.

You just get shot.

rip out the shower, tear up the floor, reconnect some pipes, slap on some

drywall, lay some tile, grout it, and tidy up a bit.

It's overcome.

Harriet, look, I know this looks bad. Looks bad?

You've got to turn on the shower from the sink.

Harriet, I really wanted to do this for my mother.

Look around.

It's not gonna happen.

Well, I might as well fake it.

Not as handy as I think.

You're good at so many other things.

Yeah, but honey, being good with your hands is part of what makes a man.

Being good with your hands is not what makes a man.

It's being good with your heart.

And when it comes to that, you're about the best there is.

Thank you, honey. I needed that.

What am I going to do about this mess?

Well, we can either call Sylvia or board up the room.

Oh.

What am I going to tell her? That I'm an idiot? That I destroyed my bathroom?

That I made a fool of myself?

Oh, Polly, you don't have to tell her that.

When she sees this, she'll know.

Oh, hi, honey. Hi, Mother Winslow. I'm sorry you didn't have a good time at

Frank's house.

The older that man gets, the cheaper he gets.

The other night we had a fight over dinner.

Why? I wanted some.

Oh, am I glad to be home.

I'm exhausted.

Mama, I know exactly what you need. A nice hot shower in your own bathroom.

Now, Carl, don't tease a tired, hungry old lady.

Did you really put a shower in my bathroom?

I said I would, didn't I?

Oh, I can hardly wait to see it.

Bring my suitcase.

You know, I took a bunch of Frank's towels.

No, I'm Frank. They probably weren't his to begin with.

Now, that explains why they say Howard Johnson's.

don't know what to say. This is beautiful.

Well, I have to admit, Ma, it came out pretty nice.

Carl, I never realized you were this handy. It looks professional.

Well, thank you, Mama. It is.

You mean you didn't do it yourself?

No, Mother Winslow. We hired a contractor.

Oh, I'm glad to hear that. Only a fool would mess with plumbing.

You're right, Mama.

You know, there was a time when Carl was pig -headed enough to try to do this

all by himself.

Well, that was a long time ago, Mama.

Oh, Harriet.

Thank you so much.

Oh, I love you.

Well, I think I'll take a shower now. Enjoy, Mama. God bless.

Sounds like sea

life.

I think she's proud of you, Carl.

Come on, I'll make you a milkshake. You deserve it. I do, don't I?

Well, look who's up.

Rachel, I'm making a milkshake for Carl. Would you like one, too?

No, thanks.

Richie, who am I?

Mama.

Oh, Rachel, give it up.

He'll speak when he has something to say.

And when he speaks again, I'm going to be ready.

Oh, no, I need new batteries.

Mama will be right back.

Mama.

Tom, give me the milkshake glasses.

They're in the cabinet in the other room. Oh, okay.

Hey, honey, where in the cabinet?

Never mind.

I'll get them myself.