This Particular Man

Ellie, listen

We're all well-aware
That you are not taken
With this particular man

But honey, and I hate to say this
I mean, I am positively shaking as I do, but--

Honey, you are not getting younger
Nor, like any of us, are you getting prettier
And that's not salt, sweetie
That's just love talking with a hard tongue

Because this man
This particular man
Is getting frustrated

Well, we're all--

I mean, nobody here wants to rush you, sweetheart
But we all are getting frustrated with--

The situation

Now, when Momma and Daddy were alive
And you were living with them

I'm sure there was no reason
To rush yourself

Nice big house
Plenty of rooms
No reason to go rushing out of it

But, sadly
They're gone

And now you live with us
Me and Jim
And we're happy, you know
We're happy to have you here with us

It's always so nice
For a little sister
To have her older sister around

Sometimes it's like Momma never died

But you need to think about living your own life
And this house isn't nearly as big as the old one
And even with what we made off the sale
We still can't afford to support you and a baby
And twins on the way

It's just not fair to anybody

Now, Ellie, you have been given
A wonderful opportunity here
To marry a wonderful man
Who will give you a wonderful life
Far, far away from here

Honey, I know what he said
I know, I know
I know he's said things
That are unpleasant

But sweetheart, that's just life
Men are unpleasant
Marriage is unpleasant

But it's like breathing
You have to participate in it

You don't have a choice

I'm sure he did
I'm sure he did say things about...

Well, whatever he said about me is just...

Well, it's irrelevant

It's irrelevant to the...

Well, what--exactly--did he say?

Because you see
We--your friend and I
We did strike up an acquaintance
Because, of course
I was trying to, uh, inform him
As to the, kind of...wife
You would be
And so--

...Perhaps you're right, Ellie

Perhaps we do want to keep our options open

I mean, what's the rush, after all?

We're all still healthy
And this house is...bigger than it looks

Why, you can stay as long as you want

You're my sister, after all, aren't you?

I mean...

What are sisters for?