Lesson twenty- three - The Cyder House - Video conversation

“ In other parts of the world , young men leave home and travel far and wide in search of a promising future. Their journeys are often fueled by dreams of triumphing overevil , finding a great love or the hope of fortune easily made. Here in St.Cloud’s not even the decision to get off the train is easily made. For it requires an earlier more difficult decision. Add a child to your life or leave one behind. The only reason people journey here is for the orphanage.”

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___ Good Morning!
___ Hello, we have an appointment.
___ Yeah, come in! Welcome to St.Clouds. We’re going right upstairs to see Dr. Larch.
“ I came as a physician, to abandoned children and unhappily pregnant women. I had hope to become a hero , but here in St. Cloud”s , there is no such position. In the lonely sordid world of lost children there were no heroes to be found. And so I became the caretaker of many. Fatherof none. Well, in a way , there was one. Here he is. His name was Homer wells. I named him after the Greek writer. “
___ You know Homer, of course. And I made his name Wells , because I could tell he was …very deep. In truth, Nurse Angela named him. Her father drilled wells and she once owned a cat named Homer.
“ Bye – bye , Homer! “
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___ Good Night , you princess of Maine.
___ Can we see the doctor?
___ you Kings of New England.
___ Doctor? Doctor? There’s something wrong with him. He never makes a sound.
“ He didn’t cry. Orphan babies learn there is no point in it.”
___ Do you think we could have a look at someone a little different?
“ Thus was Homer Wells returned. He was too happy a baby.
“ bye Homer!!
“ The second family to adopt him had a gift for getting sounds out of Homer. They beat him.He couldn’t stop crying. “ It’s ok now. Nobody’s going to hurt you anymore.”
“ Here in St. Cloud’s , I try to consider with each rule I make or break …that my first priority is an orphan’s future.Twice adopted. Twice returned. It didn’t bode well.And yet it was always clear to me that he was a special boy.”
___” Near the angle of the rib…”
“ It was with Homer’s future in mind that I began his tutorial”
___ If you’re going to stay at St. Clouds, I expect you to be of use.”
“ I admit our lessons were , in part, the simple expression of a father’s love. But in failing to with hold love and making the orphanage his home ……had I created a true and everlasting orphan?
___ Keep breathing! You’re going to be ok!
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“ And also my excellent pupil learned to look after abandoned children and to deliver unwanted babies.
“___ Relax!”
“ long ago I decide …it was the women who needed to be delivered. I chose my own path. No one would ever choose for Homer Wells. “
“___ Dr. Larch” .
__” Coming!”
___We have two new patients. One to deliver.
“___First pregnancy?”
___Yes, for both.
___I presume you’d prefer handling the delivery?
___All I said was I don’t want to perform abortions. I have no argument with you performing them.
___You know how to help these women. How can you not feel obligated to help them when they can’t get help anywhere else?
___One, it’s illegal. Two, I didn’t ask how to do it. You just showed me.
___ What else could I have shown you? I can only teach what I know. In any life you have to be of use.___ Of use? Of use
___” That was good , Carla. It was perfect.” Everything is gonna be fine.
___ I don’t want to see it.
“ You don’t have to see it , dear. Don’t worry.
___ I don’t even want to know what sex it is! So don’t tell me!
___” We won’t tell you. You’re gonna be ok.
_ and your baby is gonna be ok too.
___ I don’t wanna know!
_ That’s a big boy.
___” Let me see him. I want to see him.
___ Would you mind join me in the nursery?
___Okay.
___ Wilbur, the adopting couple is waiting in your office.
___ Life is waiting. Let them waiting.
___ Where’s the name sheet?
___ Nobody’s named this one yet.
___ oh, it’s my turn. Henceforth …you shall be Little Dorritt.
___ Oh, no …you don’t like that, do you?
__He’s a boy, that’s why.
___Can’t a boy be a Dorritt?
___I don’t think so.
___ You do it.
___Okay. Henceforth you shall be Little Wilbur.
___ I’m not crazy about the “ little.”
___ Okay, just Wilbur then.
___ We haven’t had a Wilbur here in a year or so, have we? We used to have dozens.
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“ __ He sniffs that ether! I’ve seen him do it.
___ it’s because he’s too tired to sleep. He has to.
___ his smell could put you to sleep.
___ doctors smell like ether.
___ Doctor Homer, you don’t smell like ether.
___ I’m not a doctor.
I haven’t been to medical school. I haven’t even been to high school.
__ but you’ve studied with him for years.
___ I’m not a doctor!
___ I’m sorry Homer.
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“ Fuzzy is not uncommon.I tell you there’s something about the premature babies of alcoholic mothers. They seem to be susceptible to every damn thing that comes along.”
___ I haven’t read that.
___ I haven’t either. But you will. The morons who write the books ought to do some research here.
___ Isn’t Fuzzy just underdeveloped?
___ when doesn’t he have bronchitis? I wouldn’t call his bronchial infection underdevelopment , would you?
__ come on , Fuzz!
__ Here we go, fee up! There you are.
__ sit up straight.
__ Wilbur, Wilbur..Can you come out here please? There you go…
___ Hi, Homer.
__ hey! What is it, Mary Agnes?
“ Now calm down!”
__ What is it?
___ Look.
__ Did you bite it? Did you bite your tongue?
___ I don’t remember.
___ yep! That looks like you bit it. It will be fine.
___ well, maybe I was kissing someone and he bit me.
___ Oh, I think you bit it. Maybe in your sleep. Story time , Fuzzy.
“ oh Lord , support us all the day long…until the shadows lenghten, and the evening comes …and the busy world is hushed, and the fever of life is over and our work is done. Then in thy Mercy, grant us a safe lodging and a holy rest and peace at the last. Amen. Amen.