Mary and Martha Poppins

Chapter 9

Michael: He's never taken us anywhere.

Jane: However did you two manage it?

Mary Poppins: Manage what?

Maddie: You two must've put the idea in his head somehow.

Martha Poppins: What an impertinent thing to say! Me putting ideas into people's heads? Really!

Jane: Where's he taking us?

Mary Poppins: To the bank.

Maddie: Oh, Michael, the city! And we'll see all the sights, and father can point them out to us.

Martha Poppins: Well, most things he can. But sometimes a person we love through no fault of his own, can't see past the end of his nose.

Jane: Past the end of his nose?

Mary Poppins: Yes. Sometimes a little thing can be quite important.

Michael: Oh, look! The cathedral.

Maddie: Father passes that every day. He sees that.

Martha Poppins: Early each day to the steps of St. Paul's. The little old bird woman comes. In her own special way to the people she calls. Come buy my bags full of crumbs.

Mary Poppins: Come feed the little birds show them you care and you'll be glad if you do. Their young ones are hungry. Their nests are so bare. All it takes is tuppence from you.

Martha Poppins: Feed the birds tuppence a bag. Tuppence, tuppence tuppence a bag. Feed the birds that's what she cries. While overhead her birds fill the skies. All around the cathedral.

Mary Poppins: The saints and apostles. Look down as she sells her wares. Although you can't see it. You know they are smiling. Each time someone shows that he cares.

Martha Poppins: Though her words are simple and few. Listen, listen she's calling to you. Feed the birds tuppence a bag. Tuppence, tuppence tuppence a bag. Though her words are simple and few.

Mary Poppins: Listen, listen she's calling to you. Feed the birds tuppence a bag. Tuppence, tuppence tuppence a bag.

Mr. Banks: Now remember that a bank is a quiet and decorous place, so we must be on our best behaviour.

Michael: But I thought it was your bank.

Mr. Banks: Yes, well, I'm one of the younger officers, so in a sense it is, sort of.

Maddie: Michael, look! It's her!

Mr. Banks: Who? It's who?

Jane: The bird woman. Just where Mary Poppins and Martha Poppins said she would be. You do see her, don't you, Father?

Mr. Banks: Well, of course I can see her. Do you think I can't see past the end of my nose?

Maddie: Listen, Father, she's saying it.

Birdwoman: Feed the birds. Tuppence a bag.

Mr. Banks: Well, of course she's saying it. What else would she be saying?

Jane: Please may we feed the birds?

Mr. Banks: Whatever for?

Michael: I have tuppence from my money box.

Maddie: Just this once, please?

Mr. Banks: Waste your money on a lot of ragamuffin birds? Certainly not.

Jane: But Mary Poppins and Martha Poppins-

Mr. Banks: I am not interested in what Mary and Martha Poppins says. Nor do I wish to keep hearing their names for the remainder of the day. Now come along!

Michael: But it's my tuppence!

Mr. Banks: Michael, I will not permit you to throw your money away! When we get to the bank, I shall show you what may be done with your tuppence. And I think you'll find it extremely interesting.

Mr. Dawes: Hello, Banks. What's all this about?

Mr. Banks: These are my children, Mr. Dawes.

Mr. Dawes: Well, so I assumed. But why are they here?

Mr. Banks: They wish to open an account, sir.

Mr. Dawes: Oh, indeed?

Mr. Banks: Yes.

Mr. Dawes: And just how much money do you have, young man?

Michael: Tuppence. But I want it to feed the birds.

Mr. Banks: Shh, shh, shh, shh, shh.

Mr. Dawes (Snr): Tuppence? Tuppence? Precisely how I started.

Mr. Banks: That's the chairman of the bank, the elder Mr. Dawes. A giant in the world of finance.

Michael: A giant?

Mr. Banks: Shh, shh, shh.

Mr. Dawes: Uh, Father, these are Banks's children. They want to open an account.

Mr. Dawes (Snr): Oh, they do, do they, boy? Excellent. Excellent. We can al-always use, al-always use more money to, to put to work for the bank, can't we, boy? So, you have tuppence? May I be permitted to see it?

Michael: No. I want it to feed the birds!

Mr. Dawes (Snr): Fiddlesticks, boy! Feed the birds and what have you got? Fat birds! But if you invest your tuppence. Wisely in the bank. Safe and sound. Soon that tuppence safely invested in the bank. Will compound and you'll achieve that sense of conquest. As your affluence expands. In the hands of the directors. Who invest as propriety demands.

Mr. Banks: May I, sir?

Mr. Dawes (Snr): Carry on, Banks.

Mr. Banks: You see, Michael, you'll be part of... Railways through Africa.

Mr. Dawes (Snr): Exactly!

Mr. Banks: Dams across the Nile.

Mr. Dawes (Snr): The ships. Tell them about the ships.

Mr. Banks: Fleets of ocean Greyhounds.

Mr. Dawes (Snr): More, tell them more!

Mr. Banks: Majestic self-amortizing canals.

Mr. Dawes (Snr): Oh, it fires the imagination!

Mr. Banks: Plantations of ripening tea all from.

Bank Directors: Tuppence prudently thriftily, frugally. Invested in the.

Mr. Dawes (Snr): To be specific.

Bank Directors: In the Dawes, Tomes Mousley, Grubbs, Fidelity Fiduciary Bank.

Mr. Dawes (Snr): Very well, my boy, give me the money.

Michael: No, I won't! I want it to feed the birds.

Mr. Dawes (Snr): Banks!

Mr. Banks: Yes, sir. Now, Michael. When you deposit tuppence in a bank account.

Mr. Dawes (Snr): Go on!

Mr. Banks: Soon you'll see.

Mr. Dawes (Snr): Tell him more!

Mr. Banks: That it blooms into credit of a generous amount semi-annually.

Bank Directors: And you'll achieve that sense of stature. As your influence expands. To the high financial strata. That established credit now commands.

Mr. Dawes (Snr) & Directors: You can purchase first and second trust deeds. Think of the foreclosures! Bonds, chattels, dividends, shares. Bankruptcies. Debtor sales. Opportunities. All manner of private enterprise. Shipyards. The mercantile. Collieries. Tanneries. Corporations. Amalgamations. Banks!

Mr. Dawes (Snr): While stand the banks of England, England stands. Oh, oh, oh, oh! When fall the banks of England, England falls!

Mr. Banks: You see, Michael? All for the lack of...

Bank Directors: Tuppence patiently, cautiously trustingly invested in the. To be specific in the Dawes, Tomes, Mousley, Grubbs, Fidelity Fiduciary Bank.

Mr. Dawes (Snr): Welcome to our joyful family of investors.