Ellen: Hello there, Robbie.
Ellen: What are you doing up this late?
Robbie: Reading.
Ellen: Reading?
Ellen: At this hour?
Ellen: Ah, come on, Robbie.
Ellen: What are you doing up this late?
Robbie: Things on my mind.
Ellen: Do you care to talk about them?
Robbie: Sure,
Robbie: if you don't mind listening.
Ellen: Robbie, Robbie, remember me?
Ellen: I'm your mother.
Ellen: If you have something you want to talk about,
Ellen: I'm always prepared to listen.
Robbie: You haven't been around much lately.
Ellen: So that's it.
Ellen: OK, let's talk.
Robbie: You and Dad are like ships that pass in the night.
Robbie: Dad works hard, and he works late.
Robbie: You work hard on all your committees,
Robbie: and you work late.
Ellen: I thought you were proud of the work I do.
Robbie: I am, Mom.
Robbie: Real proud.
Robbie: You are one fantastic mom,
Robbie: but ... but I've been noticing
Robbie: how little quality time
Robbie: you spend with Dad and me ... and the family.
Ellen: It's a real problem, Robbie.
Ellen: I know it.
Ellen: I'm concerned.
Robbie: There must be a way
Robbie: that Dad and you can spend more time together.
Ellen: Well, we always talk about
Ellen: taking a vacation together--with the family.
Robbie: I think you ought to
Robbie: take a vacation away from the family--alone.
Robbie: Kind of a second honeymoon.
Ellen: It would be wonderful,
Ellen: but our schedules won't allow it.
Robbie: I think I have an idea.
Ellen: You do?
Robbie: Yup.
Robbie: I think I have an idea
Robbie: that will bring Dad and you
Robbie: together in a more scheduled way.
Ellen: What is it?
Robbie: Well,
Robbie: you know how Dad is always talking about
Robbie: the kids in the ward
Robbie: and how important it is for them to be paid attention to?
Ellen: Yes.
Robbie: Well ...
Robbie: and how hard it is
Robbie: because the doctors and nurses are so busy?
Ellen: Yes.
Robbie: Well, how would it be if you took some time
Robbie: to work with Dad towards solving that problem?
Ellen: I don't get it.
Robbie: Like setting up a regular weekly reading program.
Robbie: You and Dad.
Robbie: You and Dr. Philip Stewart--
Robbie: going to the children's ward once or twice a week
Robbie: and reading to them.
Ellen: Not bad.
Ellen: Not a bad idea, Robbie.
Ellen: As a matter of fact,
Ellen: it fits right in with something I'm working on right now
Ellen: with the school-board committee.
Robbie: What's that?
Ellen: I've been trying
Ellen: to work out a program
Ellen: in the public school
Ellen: that will bring parents and teachers together once a week
Ellen: to read to the students--their own children, really.
Ellen: By doing that, it will encourage reading.
Ellen: So it might fit in with a program
Ellen: for reading to the kids in the hospital.
Robbie: You're right.
Ellen: We'll do it!
Ellen: I'm going to talk to Daddy about it right now.
Robbie: But Dad was so exhausted when he came home from work.
Robbie: Why don't you talk to him about it tomorrow?
Ellen: You are a very smart young man, Robbie.
Ellen: I think I'll wait until tomorrow.
Robbie: You won't forget, will you?
Ellen: Believe me, I won't.
Ellen: It is a great idea,
Ellen: and I promise you I won't forget.
Robbie: Thanks, Mom.
Ellen: Thank you, Robbie.