Designing Women (1986–1993): Season 2, Episode 9 - I'll Be Seeing You - full transcript

♪♪ [theme]

♪ Happy, happy
birthday, Charlene ♪

Mary Jo, it's not my
birthday for three more days.

I know. I'm just
practicing. [humming]

Well, all I have to say

is the next time
Olivia May gets sick,

you all can just invite
somebody else to play cards.

I don't like this game.

I like simple games. The
kind you play when you're little.

Suzanne, we've
been all over that.

Charlene doesn't have
a picture of a donkey.



Funny.

Hey, Anthony, how you
coming on that video recorder?

- It's coming.
- I can't believe I was able
to rent Follow the Fleet.

I just love Ginger Rogers.

Probably 'cause she's
from Missouri, too.

Ginger Rogers.

Now is she the one
who's married to Roy?

Come on, Suzanne. You
know who Ginger Rogers is.

She was never married to Roy.

Dale Evans is married to Roy.

All right, Mary Jo.
I made a mistake.

I'm sorry.

I don't happen to keep up
with the Rogers family, okay?

Well, now, that's
not quite true.



You know Mister Rogers.

Can you say discard?

Okay. I think
that's about ready.

Thank you, Anthony.
You have to stay

and at least watch
Hollywood Canteen with us.

No thanks. I'm not
too big on World War II.

Why not? What's the matter
with you? You a Communist?

No, it's just that I had some
uncles who were in the army.

And they told me all the
black soldiers were segregated,

even though they had
to fight for their country.

Oh, I see your point,

but to me it was
such a romantic time,

everybody going off to battle,

you never knew if you'd
see each other again.

All that confetti falling, and
Jitterbugging and Big Bands.

I just know I would've had to
meet every ship at every port.

Well, that doesn't
tax my imagination.

By the way, Charlene, what
do you want for your birthday?

Oh, you guys, stop it.
I don't want anything.

Okay, if you want
to get me something,

get me a soldier.

- All right. What branch?
- Doesn't matter,

as long as he's sweet
and handsome and brave,

and looks like he just
stepped out of World War II.

We saw one of those last week,

but Julia didn't
think you'd like him.

- Excuse me.
- Yes.

I'm Colonel Bill Stillfield.

I got your name from
a friend of my mother's.

You guys, I can't believe
you did this so fast.

And it's not even
my birthday yet.

Charlene, we didn't.

All right, you didn't have
anything to do with this.

I just told you I
wanted a soldier,

and no soldier's ever walked
through this door until today.

- And this is just a great
big coincidence, right?
- That's right.

You're an actor, aren't you?
Suzanne, I bet this is a friend of yours.

I gotta say, though,
not bad on the costume.

Where'd you rent it?

I think there's a little
misunderstanding.

- Charlene, for Heaven's sake...
- There's no misunderstanding.

You guys are unbelievable.

Okay, where are
we going to dinner?

I give. You tell me.

Okay. How about
the old Ritz Carlton,

and we can eat on the
balcony, and dance afterwards.

You know, kind of like WWII.

Colonel Stillfield, I
want to apologize for this.

Listen, no apology necessary.

Let me just get a time here.

- Say 8:00?
- Fine.

And a name to go with it?

As if he didn't know. Charlene.

And I'll write down
the address for you.

Great.

Well, I guess the only
other thing I came in for

was about this project.

You see, my father
was an army general.

He passed away recently.

I'm sorry. I still get
a little emotional.

Oh, come on. I said I'd go.

You don't have to
make up a big story.

I'm deeply sorry.

She's off her medication.

Anyway, we've collected a
pretty tidy sum in donations

to refurbish a patient
lounge at the V.A. Hospital

in his memory. It's
not a very big job,

but we'd like to
make it special.

Happy birthday to me.
Happy birthday to me.

How long you been
stationed in Atlanta?

Oh, about a year.

But didn't you find that
out in your phone call?

What phone call?

Well, the one you made to
the base to check up on me.

How did you know that was me?

Because you just admitted it.

You wouldn't have made
much of a Mata Hari.

My aide told me somebody
had called the office

asking all kinds of questions,

things like, am
I a real officer?

How long have I
been in the Air Force?

I'm so embarrassed.

It's just that it was
such a big coincidence.

I told my friends I
wanted a soldier.

Anyway, I'm sorry.

Don't be.

You know, you're the
first person I've asked out

since my wife died
a few years ago.

In fact, you've stirred
up some feelings in me

that I didn't even
know I still had.

Such as?

Lust.

Desire.

Being alive.

I know. And I just can't believe

how we feel the same
way about everything.

We both cry when we
listen to the National Anthem,

we both get mad when people
don't put their hands over their hearts,

and our favorite song
is "I'll Be Seeing You."

Yeah. I think maybe
this calls for children.

Did you ever get the feeling

you were born in the wrong time?

All the time.

Bill.

What?

Would you like to come in?

Charlene, I want you
so bad my teeth ache,

but if I go in there,

even the Jaws of Life
couldn't get me out.

So I better not.

♪♪ [Big Band]

Okay, so what can I get
for all you big palookas?

Well, Val, why don't you just
bring us a pitcher of beer to cry in?

- We're all shipping out
tonight.
- And some of us

ain't coming back. How about
it? Would you like to get engaged?

I just got engaged
a few minutes ago.

- Yeah? To who?
- To that table over there.

They're shipping
out tonight, too,

but if it means that much
to y'all, I'll be your girl.

- How many of you are there?
- Just nine.

- Well, okay.
- Ain't that swell?

Here's our ring. We
all went in together.

It's beautiful. I
think I'm gonna cry.

Listen, I don't mean
to bust up your act,

but who's the
princess over there?

Oh, that's Suzanne Sugarbaker,
Miss War Bonds, 1944.

That's her boyfriend in the
wheelchair, Daddy War Bonds.

They say he actually
died a few weeks ago,

but she found out
she's not in the will,

so she's still
pretending to date him.

- Great face.
- Great lips.

Yeah, they say she's the best
gas-siphoner in the country.

Cigars.

Tiparillos.

Cigars.

Tiparillos.

Oh, cigarette girl.

- You got any Lucky Strikes?
- They're on the ration list,

but how about a cigar
for your grandfather?

He's not my grandfather.

This is Daddy War Bonds.

Psst. Did you know your
cleavage is showing?

Very funny.

I bet you have to sleep
on your back, don't you?

Button it up, will you?

I want some cigarettes.

Can't you just run across
the street or something?

I told you. They're
on the ration list.

Yes, but that
doesn't apply to me.

I'm Suzanne Sugarbaker,

the current Miss War Bonds.

Not to mention Miss Hit Parade,

Miss Lux Soap, and
Miss Air-Raid Shelter.

And furthermore, you're
a lousy cigarette girl.

You never have any cigarettes,

you never have any candy.

You don't even have any
good games, just cards.

I told you, Miss War Buns,

I don't have a picture
of a donkey or a tail.

But if I did, I would
sure pin it on you,

because you are one. Okay?

Charlene, I just want
to thank you again

for having me in your dream.

I just love being a '40s dame.

It just makes me feel so
big and sassy and brassy.

[gasps]

These letters are
all addressed to me.

And they're from Ted.

Why are you scrubbing them?

- Lipstick again?
- Now Mary Jo,
don't jump to conclusions.

I just can't believe it.

Every letter he sends me
from the front has lipstick on it.

Which makes me wonder, Charlene,

where exactly is the front?

Hello. I'm Colonel Stillfield.

Yes, I know. I feel like
I've known you all my life.

Me, too. I guess that's
why I was compelled

to come over and
ask you to marry me.

Are you engaged?

Oh, not anymore.

Oh, that's swell.

Listen, I've got to go shoot
down some Nazis now,

but when I return, we'll
live happily ever after.

- Okay?
- Okay.

I don't think I caught
your first name.

- I'm Bill. And you're?
- Charlene.

- I love you, Bill.
- And I love you, Charlene.

♪ I'll find you ♪

♪ In the morning sun and when ♪

♪ The night is new ♪

♪ I'll be looking at the moon ♪

♪ But I'll be seeing you ♪

Telegram for Miss
Charlene Frasier.

- Telegram.
- Oh, I'm Charlene Frasier.

Read it, Charlene.
What's it say?

Bill's missing in action.
He's been shot down.

[Man] It's time for a visit from
our Air-Raid Safety Warden,

Miss Julia Sugarbaker.

[cheering]

All right. All right.
All right, everybody.

Listen up.

In the event of any bombs
falling upon said edifice,

the United States
Government advises

that you take cover and put
your head between your legs.

Oh, get serious. I can't
even touch my toes.

You can't even see your toes.

Furthermore, Suzanne,
even if you are my sister,

I'm gonna have to write you up.

- What for?
- Failure to ration.

Everybody knows you drive around
hoarding nylons and chocolates,

and siphoning
you-know-what, gasoline-breath.

So?

I'm a celebrity. I have to
stay strong to keep morale up.

And speaking of morale, how
long has your date been dead?

- I beg your pardon?
- Gonna have to write you up
for that, too.

Incidentally, I don't have
time for a long, drawn-out story,

but what, basically, are
you doing in that getup?

Oh, I'm waiting to marry
a colonel I fell in love with.

He's been shot down, but I
just know he's coming home,

- and I want to be ready...
- I get the gist.

Save your strength
for the honeymoon.

And for the rest of you,
back to the barracks.

- Almost time for curfew.
- Won't you just sing
one song for us?

I'm sorry. I'm not prepared.

Please. It may be our last time.

Well, since you put it that way.

[cheering]

♪ There'll be ♪

♪ bluebirds over ♪

♪ The white cliffs ♪

♪ of Dover ♪

♪ Tomorrow ♪

♪ Just you wait and see ♪

♪ There'll be ♪

♪ Love and laughter ♪

♪ And peace ever after ♪

♪ Tomorrow ♪

♪ When the world is free ♪

♪ The shepherd
will tend his sheep ♪

♪ The valley will... ♪

Hey, you guys can't come in
here. This is for whites only.

Oh, I see. We can
fight for our country,

we just can't use it. So that's
what America's all about.

Hey, soldier, after this number's
over, you want to jitterbug?

I'm a little depressed. It
might just cheer me up.

Wait a minute.
You two can't dance.

Oh, yeah? This is my dream.
We can do whatever we want.

♪♪ [Swing]

Excuse me.

I'm...

Excuse me. I'm Major
General Reese Watson.

We're looking for
Julia Sugarbaker,

also known as the Terminator.

Yes, I am Julia Sugarbaker.

Miss Sugarbaker, the
President is asking you

to make a phone call,

right here, now, live,

on Armed Services Radio

to be broadcast to our
troops all around the world.

Oh, well, I'm very flattered.

Who does the President
want me to call?

Adolf Hitler.

[crowd murmurs]

All you have to
do is tell him off.

The President feels
you are the only person

who can give our troops

that final push to win the war.

Well, I'll do my best.

I think this calls for a
little piano accompaniment.

Ja?

- Mr. Hitler?
- Ja.

Julia Sugarbaker
here, American citizen.

I just wanted you
to know, Mr. Hitler,

no matter how many
overgrown, stiff-armed bully boys

you surround yourself with,

that aside from
being evil incarnate,

you will always be

just a short little
ill-tempered mongrel weakling

who, for all his
concerns about pedigree,

can't even grow a
good-looking moustache.

And no matter how many rockets
light the skies over Germany,

you will never find your way

through the haze of Winston
Churchill's cigar smoke.

And all the goose-stepping
soldiers left on God's green earth

can't step high enough

to get you around Franklin
Roosevelt's wheelchair.

And I'll tell you
why, Mr. Hitler.

Because we're America.

And we've got John
Wayne and Jimmy Stewart,

and Betty Grable
and Audie Murphy,

- and Eddie Rickenback...
- Eddie Murphy.

And Eddie Murphy
and Louis Armstrong

and Babe Ruth and
Dwight Eisenhower

and Jackie Robinson and Bob Hope

and Ginger Rogers and
Roy Rogers and Will Rogers,

and, yes, Mr. Hitler,

we've even got Mister Rogers.

And that is why,

as long as there's one
amber wave of grain...

[Operator] I'm sorry.
Your three minutes are up.

But I wasn't finished.

You have now.

Thank you, Miss Sugarbaker.

And your country
thanks you, too.

[applause]

[whistling]

♪ America ♪

♪ Talkin' about America ♪

♪ God shed His grace ♪

♪ On thee ♪

Hey, he can't sing
like Ray Charles.

This is only the 1940s.

Hey, you just
don't get it, do you?

Look, this is America,
you big palooka.

- And in America, you can dream
anything you want.
- [Anthony] Everybody sing.

[people join in] ♪ America ♪

- ♪ America ♪
- ♪ Talkin' about America ♪

♪ God shed His grace ♪

♪ On thee ♪

♪ And crown thy good ♪

♪ Crown thy good
with brotherhood ♪

♪ From sea ♪

♪ To ♪

♪ Shining sea ♪

[radio beeping]

[Man on radio] Ladies and
gentlemen, we interrupt this program

for a special news bulletin.

- The war is over!
- [people cheering]

[cheering continues]

Bill?

Where are you, Bill?

Where are you, Bill?

Where are you, Bill?

[gasping]

Okay, so that's the Veteran's
Hospital, fourth floor, patients' lounge.

- You just want me to get
some measurements?
- Right.

Good-bye, ladies.
I'll be seeing you.

I just can't understand
it. He said he'd call today.

I just don't understand
what you're so worried about.

I told you, his plane
was shot down!

Charlene, that was just a dream.

I know, but maybe something
has happened to him.

I think I'll drive
out to the base.

You really have
gone off the deep end.

I have not gone
off the deep end.

And furthermore, if I wanted an opinion
from you, Miss War Bonds, I'll ask for it.

Bastogne. Now, wasn't
that the Battle of the Bulge?

Yes. That's where I
lost most of my outfit.

Some good boys, too.

It's funny how no
matter how old I get,

I'll always think
of them as boys.

Sort of frozen on that field

on that one terrible day.

You know, that was
Hitler's last great push.

And for 24 hours, it looked
like the end of the world.

And it could've been
if we hadn't held on.

But by God, we did hold on.

And it was great.

A few months later, we rolled into
Bergen-Belsen concentration camp.

And I'll never forget this one
little old crumpled pile of a man.

A Jewish man.

Couldn't have weighed
more than 80 pounds.

And he looked up at me with
those great big hollow eyes.

They told us that most of these Europeans
had never even seen a Negro before.

So I figured he was wondering.

But you know what he said?

He didn't say,
"Are you a Negro?"

He said, "Are you an American?"

And I said, "Yes, sir. I am."

And he started to cry.

And then he took
my hand and kissed it,

and he said, "God
bless you, son.

We have been waiting for you."

And that, Anthony,

was the proudest
moment of my life.

Yes, sir. Pretty soon,
we'll all be gone...

Me, Mac and everybody.

Well, [chuckles]

it's past my bedtime.

Good night, young fella.

Good night, sir.

I just want to say thank you for
winning the war and everything.

Well, that's most
appreciated, young fella.

[chuckles]

Thank you, Mr. Woods.

I accept your thanks, son,

for me and for the
boys at Bastogne.

Actually, there was a colonel
by that name who had this office,

but that's been a long time ago.

I remember him, 'cause they
also named a softball field after him.

- How long ago?
- It was during the war.

- Which war?
- World War II.

Yes. Here it is.

Sorry about the dust.

See? "Colonel Bill
Stillfield, Army Air Corps.

Sent to the European Theater. Shot
down over Cherbourg November 2nd, 1943."

November 2nd? That's today.

Yeah. It's kind
of spooky, isn't it?

Now are you ready
to stop calling my office

and asking if I'm a real pilot?

Oh, Bill! I'm so
glad to see you!

I thought you were
killed in the war.

I mean, I didn't
know what to think.

Hey, I'm sorry.

It was just a little joke
my aide and I cooked up

to pay you back for
all those phone calls.

I called Sugarbaker's, and
they said you were driving out.

I didn't know you'd
take it this seriously.

Well, I... [sobs]

I had a dream last night

that you didn't come
home from the war.

[crying]

And then I go and
play my stupid trick.

You poor kid.

I'm so sorry.

You forgive me?

I don't even know who you are.

Charlene, I'm a real person.

And a real pilot.

And I'm shipping out tomorrow.

Well, maybe not tomorrow.

[laughs]

But we could
pretend, couldn't we?

♪ I'll be seeing you ♪

♪ In all the old ♪

♪ familiar places ♪

♪ That this heart of mine ♪

♪ Embraces ♪

♪ All day through ♪

♪ In ♪

♪ That small café ♪

♪ The park across the way ♪

♪ The children's carousel ♪

♪ The chestnut tree ♪

♪ America ♪

♪ Talking 'bout America ♪

♪ God shed His grace ♪

♪ on thee ♪

♪ And crown thy good ♪

♪ With brotherhood ♪

Closed-Captioned By J.R.
Media Services, Inc. Burbank, CA