- Henry Hammond: Mrs. Norton, excuse me. I didn't mean to seem so abrupt.
- Louisa Norton: Rude!
- Henry Hammond: I'm terribly sorry. I don't know what's gotten into my temper these days.
- Louisa Norton: I'd try to control it. Particularly, in your business.
- Henry Hammond: I do try, Mrs. Norton, but somehow as the years move on I get more and more crotchety.
- Louisa Norton: I know. My disposition hasn't been the same since my husband died, some 10 years ago.
- Henry Hammond: My wifes
- [sic]
- Henry Hammond: died, a little over 10 years ago, too.
- Harold 'Hal' Norton: Mother, have you been playing bridge... any of these nights?
- Louisa Norton: No, son. I've been seeing a good deal of Mr. Hammond.
- Harold 'Hal' Norton: Well, don't you think you might have told us?
- Cathy Norton: She's ashamed because he's a grocer.
- Meg Norton: Cathy, don't you ever say that again.
- Meg Norton: You just can't get used to the idea of your mother getting married, can you?
- Harold 'Hal' Norton: Meg, I have a responsibility here. Mother has a comfortable income. She's just at the age to be an easy prey for the first fortune hunter who comes along.
- Meg Norton: Hal, you don't believe a word you're saying.
- Harold 'Hal' Norton: Chris, move over.
- Chris Norton: Have another fight with mom, dad?
- Harold 'Hal' Norton: Son, as you grow older you'll discover that certain women have a peculiar sense of humor. Now go to sleep.
- Jimmy Blake: Good evening, Mr. Norton.
- Harold 'Hal' Norton: Jimmy, you know we like having you for dinner. You're here every night, but would you excuse us just this once?
- Jimmy Blake: Oh, but Mr. Norton, Cathy and I have gotta get our debate paper finished. It's a big subject - Adolescents and the Atomic Age
- Harold 'Hal' Norton: Meg, you never really knew dad. You never played baseball with him.
- Meg Norton: I never played baseball with him, but I was very fond of him.
- Harold 'Hal' Norton: I'll have another talk with mother.
- Meg Norton: When?
- Harold 'Hal' Norton: Right now. I guess.
- Meg Norton: Hal, promise me something. You'll do the talking this time.
- Harold 'Hal' Norton: Mother, Cathy tells me you were at the picture show.
- Cathy Norton: Holding hands with Mr. Hammond. I saw it with my own eyes.
- Louisa Norton: I didn't think you and Jimmy had a chance to see much of anything.
- Meg Norton: Hal, where are you going?
- Harold 'Hal' Norton: I'm going to walk at least five miles to cool off. I'm celebrating the happiest day of my life.
- Louisa Norton: Good night, children.
- Meg Norton: More bridge tonight, mother?
- Harold 'Hal' Norton: Don't the ladies ever get tired of playing cards?
- Louisa Norton: Oh, you don't ever get tired of anything you really enjoy.
- Meg Norton: You look absolutely lovely, mother. The hat's so becoming.
- Louisa Norton: Oh, thank you. It's one I've had for years. The milliner said it suggested a touch of class.
- Harold 'Hal' Norton: It's a crime to waste it on a lot of women.
- Louisa Norton: Now, son, heh heh.
- Henry Hammond: Mrs. Norton, older people don't have to be lonely.
- [he takes her hand in his]
- Louisa Norton: [looks down at their hands and smiles] Mr. Hammond, I really must be going.
- Louisa Norton: Oh, uh, by the way. I may be a little later than usual tonight.
- Meg Norton: That's all right, mother. You're a big girl.
- Harold 'Hal' Norton: And we trust you.
- Louisa Norton: Eh, heh, heh.
- Cathy Norton: Hi, dad. Tell mom Jimmy's staying for dinner.
- Harold 'Hal' Norton: Jimmy can't stay for dinner tonight.
- Cathy Norton: Not so loud, he'll hear you.
- [as Hal goes downstairs, stepping over the dog on one step]
- Harold 'Hal' Norton: This is all our fault.
- Meg Norton: Now, Hal.
- Harold 'Hal' Norton: No, we weren't satisfied. We laid down the law to mother about making a new life. We drove her right into the arms of the first grocer who came along.
- Harold 'Hal' Norton: Where were you, mother? The movies let out at midnight. It's after one now.
- Louisa Norton: We parked, son.
- Harold 'Hal' Norton: [to his daughter] Cathy, if anyone had ever told me I'd be waiting up with you for someone else.
- Jimmy Blake: Well, what am I gonna tell my folks, coming home at 10 o'clock. They'll think I'm sick.
- Harold 'Hal' Norton: Meg, you're a genius. This month's grocery bill is down $25. How did you do it?
- Meg Norton: Well, to tell you the truth, Hal, I don't under it myself. For some strange reason, we've suddenly become Mr. Hammond's favorite customers. He's even sent over all sorts of delicacies - smoked ham, imported sardines, fresh pineapple, and... and without any charge at all.
- Harold 'Hal' Norton: Well, it doesn't make sense. He's a businessman. He must have some reason.
- Henry Hammond: No one ever accomplished anything on the outside looking in. Shall we join the ladies?
- Abel Burnside: Now, now, now, now, let's forget all about Henry Hammond. I'll make a bargain with you. I won't mention him if you won't.
- Henry Hammond: I have several questions of my own.
- Harold 'Hal' Norton: You have?
- Henry Hammond: I'm marrying a woman with children.
- Harold 'Hal' Norton: Mr. Hammond, we have no intention of living with you and mother.
- Henry Hammond: Oh, I realize that, but one must be careful.
- Louisa Norton: Oh, he used to get into all sorts of mischief; and fight - he came home from school with his nose bloody every day.
- Jimmy Blake: Didn't ya ever win a fight?
- Harold 'Hal' Norton: I won a great many.
- Dick Stewart: Say, you mother and Burnside are the center of attraction. Best couple on the floor.
- Harold 'Hal' Norton: They're just older. Had more experience square-dancing.
- Lil Stewart: Hal, don't take it away from them, they're cute. I wish I had their youth.
- Harold 'Hal' Norton: Chris can sleep over at Tommy's. He's done it before.
- Abel Burnside: If the little fella wouldn't mind too much.
- Harold 'Hal' Norton: Ahhh!
- Meg Norton: Oh, he won't mind, Mr. Burnside. Chris is just like his father - easily moved around.
- Motorcycle Cop: I deeply apologize for being in your way, hot rod. Were you in a hurry?
- Henry Hammond: Just give me the ticket, officer, I'm in no mood for conversation.
- Henry Hammond: I have a friend in the wholesale fruit business. A bachelor of 60, inexperienced in these matters. Poor man. After his marriage he found he was constantly burdened with his wife's children... emotionally and financially.
- Abel Burnside: It's always been my motto - disturb the peace if you have to, but get where you're going.
- Louisa Norton: It's more than that with Mr. Hammond. He's an adventurer of the senses.
- Abel Burnside: Sort of a poet with pot roast, ah ha, ha, ha.
- Louisa Norton: Louisa, he said to me, I thought I married a lady. David, I said to him, I thought you married me.
- Harold 'Hal' Norton: That's one thing about my family. Nobody believes in being unhappy unless everyone knows it
- Henry Hammond: When I first shipped out as a seaman in the British Navy, I was accustomed to the usual British fare - roast beef and badly cooked vegetables.
- Dick Stewart: If I didn't know it was your mother, I'd say Burnside was romantically inclined. Might clinch that vice presidency.
- Harold 'Hal' Norton: That's very funny, Stewart.
- Louisa Norton: Henry, I'm surprised at you. You were very rude.
- Henry Hammond: Well, how do you think I felt, watching you lead Mr. Burnside on?
- Louisa Norton: Henry!
- Henry Hammond: Flirting! Shamelessly, before my very eyes.
- Louisa Norton: I was simply being courteous to Hal's employer.
- Henry Hammond: Now, don't tell me you didn't enjoy his attentions. Dropping your handkerchief coyly like a schoolgirl. That trick's a bit dated, Louisa.
- Louisa Norton: You're being very insulting, Henry.
- Henry Hammond: Oh, perhaps it's better that I found out now. I wouldn't care for a wife I'd have to keep a constant watch on.
- Louisa Norton: Henry Hammond, you'll do me the favor of never speaking to me again.
- [running upstairs]
- Louisa Norton: I'm glad I too found out in time.
- Abel Burnside: Tell me, before you met him how long was it before you had a date?
- Louisa Norton: Well, about 40 years.
- Abel Burnside: Your children were not as offended as they should be?
- Louisa Norton: Oh, they have their own lives to lead, I couldn't...
- Abel Burnside: You were lonely?
- Louisa Norton: Yes.
- Abel Burnside: Well, don't you see. It all adds up. You were lonely. You were unhappy. You hadn't had a date in 40 years. You were bound to fall for the first man who came along.
- Louisa Norton: But I'm very fond of Mr. Hammond.
- Abel Burnside: Only because there was no one else around. Louisa, I'm speaking to you as a friend. I want you to wait for your own sake. Go out with other men. Play the field. And then make up your mind.
- Louisa Norton: I didn't quite see it that way.
- Henry Hammond: [as other couples look on, many of them younger and laughing at his wild gestures] This is outrageous. Everyone's quitting. They're just afraid if the old fool goes around again, he'll collapse.
- Louisa Norton: Hal, you didn't like the idea of my getting married from the beginning. I suppose all children feel the same way about their parents. But I let you grow up and become independent. Don't you think I'm entitled to the same privilege?
- Cathy Norton: I may not know statistics, but I know grandma.
- Chris Norton: Maybe you're on the wrong track. Maybe grandma was kidnapped.
- Cathy Norton: Like father, like son.
- Henry Hammond: As usual, Mr. Burnside, you're displaying your complete lack of manners.
- Abel Burnside: Hammond, I take that as an insult.
- Henry Hammond: Precisely the way I meant it.
- Abel Burnside: [on telephone to the police] This is Abel Burnside speaking. Now, you boys had better snap to it or you'll be pounding a beat in the suburbs.
- Cathy Norton: This is the suburbs
- Abel Burnside: [into the phone] We... well, you'll be in real trouble.
- Abel Burnside: [as door bell rings] That's Louisa, I can feel it. I'm very good at hunches.
- Harold 'Hal' Norton: [going to the door] Mother has her own key.
- Meg Norton: Things are going swimmingly, aren't they?
- Harold 'Hal' Norton: Meg, at this stage of the game, I don't care who my mother marries, just let her make up her mind. Then we can all relax.
- Stacy Walker - Square Dance Caller: The winners of the under the bar dance, Mrs. Luisa Norton and Mr. Abel Burnside.
- Harold 'Hal' Norton: We'll be able to get by and you won't have to give up Gladys.
- [the cook and housekeeper]
- Meg Norton: You're just afraid of my cooking.
- Abel Burnside: Before I get through with that senile Casanova, he'll regret the day he was born. I'll tear him limb from limb.