 That's the theme from the Sears radio theater tonight a program of love and hate with Sicily Tyson as your hostess Here's a preview me if I could change a day or a moment in my life, which would I choose? Yes? But if you did change it it might not be just that day your moments Might be your entire life was changed the Sears radio theater will begin after this message from your local station This is Sicily Tyson Looking into the window of a passing bus suddenly seen a face a face strange change a little older but still the same face It brings a rush of memories and takes you back for a moment to hear you and your first love Do you consider chasing that bus and then reconsider thinking it best to let the past remain the past? Only the fumes and your memories In the wake of the departing bus Has it ever happened to you? Don't say it's impossible to be captured the past to travel back in time But there are two people here on this street Walking along with the crowd who will not pass each other by But stop Come face to face reunite and do what so many people say is impossible These two will travel back They may even find a future in their path When is that you? I don't believe Five years Canada's done that long ago. Fred. It doesn't seem possible. Well looking at you it sure doesn't do you live here now Oh, no, I'm here on business you yes I've taken an apartment here in the city after years in the suburbs All my friends thought I was crazy to come back, but the house out there seems so empty I wanted to be around people lots of people. Well, you picked the right spot for that It can we go somewhere have a cup of coffee. Yes. All right, Fred Um, there's a little place just around the corner lead off I hope they have enough coffee to cover 35 years of talk We're liable to drain them dry guinea No one's called me dad and 35 years. Yes I'm glad no one else ever called you dad Now when only a few minutes before there were two people alone on a crowded street Fred Hemming and gwen jackson road Their story really began more than 35 years ago when they were young and in love But their chance encounter will spark a new chapter for Fred and gwen And that's only the beginning of our story Exceptional entertainment every week brought to you in elliott lewis production of the sears radio theater Our story reunion by Pamela russell our stars virginia greg and parley bear The sears radio theater is brought to you by sears robot and company Sears where america shops for value average-looking couple The thought that is seen every day sitting together and talking over coffee There's really nothing that sets Fred and grand apart Nothing on the surface anyway But something extraordinary and rare is happening to these ordinary people I don't know where to begin there's so much to tell our whole lifetime I'm a widow now my husband died a year ago George and I were married for 30 years the son of a daughter. Are you nervous glenny? Yes, very. How did you know you always did talk too fast when you were nervous? I remember that's incredible that you'd remember a little thing like that. Oh, yes too fast and too much How about you Fred? I'm divorced have been for a long time. I have a boy 28. I don't see very much of him I never did I'm afraid I wasn't a very good father or husband. I love children So I always thought you'd be the most wonderful father. Remember how great you were with my little brother Willie, how is Willie? That I'm happy. He's an insurance agent in Detroit What a daredevil he was. I thought for sure he'd climb Mount Everest or something I never pictured Willie as an insurance agent Well, I guess a lot of things didn't turn out the way we thought they would like you and me Yeah, thank you and me Fred I was just thinking of the last time I was supposed to see you It was at a train station. I'm not sure it's such a good idea to look back Fred And but it is so clear still it it's not like a memory that the past is like yesterday You couldn't remember it the way I do buddy. No I guess I couldn't I remember waiting for you and waiting and waiting Just a few minutes more Stan. I know she's coming. What? I worried that we'd be stopping over here for an hour One he'll be here. She wouldn't let me ship out without saying goodbye. She'll be here Wow Do you say so? But you better hurry. I haven't seen her in eight months I've got to see her. No one knows when I will again. Yeah, it's just gonna get married after work Yeah, we've been planning on getting married ever since we were six six. That's right There's never been another girl for me. It's always been Gweny That's why I know she'll be here. She has never let me down That's us, Fred. We gotta go. What time is it? 3 30. It can't be. It is. The watch must be wrong. Well, you gotta watch. What's your say? Oh, it can't be 3 30. Come on, Fred. We gotta get on that train I'm your buddy and all but I don't want to go all with you Yeah, yeah, look come on then I just don't understand it Maybe something happened I know she would have been here if she could. Yeah, it's been eight months. Maybe she met another guy Don't expect you ever see anything like that again. If you're my buddy Stan just shut up. Okay. Okay. I'm sorry Take it easy. Maybe she had a flat tire or something. Yeah Maybe so What if she had an accident Stan? Oh, it's nothing like that, Fred. Let's go jump up There's shipping us overseas Of course, you're gonna know where to write to me and I suppose you could have given her the exact address today You're talking crazy, Fred. She'll write you where she always has the army'll get your letters to you And how long will that take? Months Maybe she has met another guy Stan or maybe she will Buddy, I'm sorry. I ever said that Look you two have been together since you were kids. You were meant to be together. Nothing bad is gonna happen. Okay Yeah Okay, Stan I just wish I could have seen her one more time Ms recollection of the day 35 years ago when they missed each other at the train station And their lives started on different paths away from one another But glenn is reluctant to look back To talk of that day She toys with her coffee cup and feels that he's waiting for her to speak Explain in my letters what I went through that day I felt as if you didn't understand You ran out of gas Wasn't that simple running out of gas sounds like such a stupid Irresponsible thing to do If I didn't care and I did care Fred so much Your letters did change after that. I think you were reading them differently I think you blamed me for not getting the station to see you and maybe you're right Maybe I did you see It is a mistake to go back I feel like you're angry with me all over again. I feel 18 years old and scared and sad and shaky Maybe you could explain to me now how it was for you that day glennie after all this time Do you still care? I mean is it still important to you to know what happened? Yes, it's still important. I still care All right then here goes I I remember it was one of the loveliest mornings I'd ever opened my eyes to it was just summer The heat wasn't fierce yet was new and welcome and warm. I was so excited I was going to see you again finally after so long eight months Oh, it's a lifetime to wait when you're 18 or 19 I know I couldn't wait for it to be noon and time for me to leave Daddy's big Packard was out in the driveway waiting for me that alone had nearly taken an act of congress to accomplish I sat upstairs in my room Looking in the mirror wishing my mother would let me use mascara, but the Illusion lipstick for paint enough Mascara would have sent mother right over the edge and knee up to a basin of soap and water in the bathroom So I sat and wished I didn't put my dress on until the very last minute. I was terrified of wrinkles the dress Was pink and white full-skirt nearly to the knees. Oh was the most wonderful dress I'd ever owned I felt like a woman in it I guess that was the very first time And I had a big white picture happen. You sent me a snapshot of yourself in that outfit You looked adorable That day How could it have become so beautifully and ended so badly? I don't think that I've ever before since had that kind of happiness and sadness on one day Well, anyway to finish it noon finally came And I started out. I backed out the driveway. I could feel gattie watching from the porch I could almost see his hand clenching and unclenching I went blightly down the street grinding the gears poor daddy The little girl in the white picture hat wearing lipstick and his packer gone together I'd been on the road for nearly an hour when the engine started to sputter. I pulled off the deciding stop stopped dead I tried and I tried to get going again, but no luck. I had no idea what was wrong Daddy had told me there was plenty of gas The mystery was solved later that night by willy. He came to me and told me that he'd secretly siphoned some of the gas for an invention He was working on He hadn't thought that a little he took would hurt Well, he was so pitiful. I couldn't be angry with him Have you ever watched an 11 year old boy fight back tears and lose to them? Quite a sight not the kind you can yell at I couldn't anyway So I I left the car and set out walking was hot I was beginning to cry I knew I wasn't going to make it to the station in time to see you The heat was coming up in waves from the road my curls were straggling and I'd gnawed away my lipstick Thank goodness for mother's ban on mascara or why I would have cried it all down my face As it was I must have been quite a picture when I ran up to the station Need someone going on that train? Well, Fred, you're a little late I can't even see my desk, can I? Well, okay Hey, you all right miss? Yes, you tell me where there's a telephone Here, right over there miss Thank you I remember crying in my room for days and days my mother kept saying grand stop being foolish You'll see Fred again But I didn't believe it. I just knew I'd never see you again But you were wrong here. I am and here. I am It should have been more than a silly empty gas tank that kept us apart It was more than that I guess so And Winnie better date than never Would you like to have dinner with me tonight? Oh, I love that I don't think you still have that white picture hat No, I'm afraid not it was sold for a dime. It's a bright else cool image tale in 1957 Can I come to dinner without it? Come any way you can Winnie Just come Parted at the coffee shop he to his hotel and she to her apartment Tonight will be their first date since they were 18 and 19 years old. They are adults in their 50s How have the years changed them? Can they come together again after so much time apart standing open? Well, go because who's child around here anyway, mother? Will you please just go on to all right just a minute secure captain good ran into an old friend His name is Fred Hemming and no, I'm sure you don't know him dear Friendship Sandra you're my daughter and I love you dearly, but you're being very nosy I'm sorry I didn't mean to pry into your private life mother I think you're just a little shocked that I have one I only call to ask if you wanted to come over and have dinner with Hal and me and the kids tonight Would you like to I have other plans? I'm sorry sandy. Could we do it tomorrow night? Up here that's nice to hear Well, I guess I should let you go You probably want to be getting dressed or something I wish you'd drop that wounded tone Yes, I do have a dinner date tonight with Fred Hemming Fred is from my hometown. We grew up together do approve Sandra It's not really for me to say is it no it really isn't But I was sure you'd have some comment anyway. I think it's very nice that you're going out That off I hope you have a good time mother. Thank you dear. I'll talk to you tomorrow Bye bye mother She thinks I'm an old fool Well, I probably am I wonder Fred's as nervous and excited as I am right now Any messages for me Fred Hemming room 9 20 out there, sir. Thank you. They've been hiding all afternoon your messages, sir Thank you. They've really been piling up old man. I've been on the phone to Los Angeles 10 times in an hour Looks like that oil merger shaping up while you were out playing hooky. I had my nose to the old grindstone Where were you Fred? I ran into an old friend That sounds interesting. Is this old friend got a an old friend for me What would your wife say to that jack? Well, she's a thousand miles away and what she doesn't know won't hurt her Tonight. I'm just as footloose and fancy free as you Fred. So how about it? Why don't you see if your friend has a friend for me? I don't think so jack You don't approve, huh? Since you asked me. No, I don't now you don't have to take that holier than the attitude of me Fred this is old jack remember Don't try to tell me that before the divorce you never went out on Eleanor It's none of your business, but I didn't come on yours and Eleanor's battles were famous I caught a few of myself and it seems to me that at least one was about a certain blonde secretary I never claimed that my marriage was perfect jack far from it, but Eleanor was jealous over nothing It wasn't other women that broke us up um, listen Why don't you fill me in on that Los Angeles deal? I've got some time before I do anywhere and uh, where are you? Do Fred your friend's apartment one of those friends that didn't break up your marriage jack. Let's talk oil So what's the big secret you're divorced now? I don't want to talk about it jack Something special really special the best thing that's happened to me in years I'll never be 18 again. This will have to do Fred come in You look lovely. Thank you Here, these are for you. What beautiful roses yellow my favorite. I remember I'll get a vase sit down Fred. Would you like a drink? No, thanks It isn't really a nice place. I'm comfortable here It looks like you I sold everything after george died. Maybe people thought I was being callous, but I wanted to start new Memories attached to all these things were sweet and unbearable I knew if I stayed among them, I'd never do anything again. But remember and I didn't want that I think you were right to do what you did And very brave glennie. Well, don't think I burned my bridges and never looked back There were many times when I wished I was out at the old house with all the furniture and memories But I haven't wished myself back in quite a while This is where I live now. I admire you You should see my place When anyone first sees it they think I just moved in and I've lived there for six years It's true. There are still boxes to be unpacked with hardly any furniture and I'm rarely there. I just can't I'm usually traveling on business. I I have no home really. I'm sorry that you don't It's a nice thing to have a home Why is it so easy to talk to you? I don't know. It shouldn't be By all whites, we shouldn't have a thing to say to one another Two people who knew each other when they were kids 35 years between conversations We should only be able to talk about the past. We did that this afternoon and you didn't want to. No, I didn't This last year I've been trying an experiment living completely in the present Day to day. I like it So much of my life had been planning for the future I have no intention of spending the rest of it looking back. No more reminiscing tonight Do you want to Fred? No, I really don't I love the memory of the girl you were, Gweny Now I realize I like and want to get to know better the woman you've become. Thank you. Are you hungry? Yes, I am. I made reservations at La Chateau. Oh elegant La Chateau and yellow roses You spoil me. I wouldn't mind Here we go Eight double walks, but my daughter insisted that I have all of these in the chain too. Oh, she's concerned about you. She's smothering me I thought that's what overbearing mothers did Just my luck to have a maternal daughter. It's better than being ignored or forgotten, I guess You're right. Of course, and Sandy's a dear But you should have heard her reaction to this evening. Do you're going out? Yes I'm having a date of all things You see, I'm supposed to play bridge and go to concerts with my lady friends and dinner at Sandy's house twice a week I'm not supposed to go out with men. Here's your meter. According to Sandy. Yes I can understand the difficulty For years I was the one who drove everyone to ballet lessons and baseball practice attended pta meetings and baked brownies for the charity bazaars I was mom Now all of a sudden mom takes an apartment in the city and begins to date No, understand. He's confused and a little upset I've become a person not just a mom Are you happy guinea? I think I am. Are you? No Why? I hate to tell you Tell me what? I tried your experiment for too long. What do you mean? I've been living day to day for too many years It's fun at first, especially for people like you and me who are raised to be so responsible and solid But it wears off At least it has for me I want a future I want to think about it and plan for it I mean, I'm just going through a stage for it, but this won't last Maybe it will for you Should we get a cat? Oh, I'd rather walk if you don't mind. Sure Walking at night is something I really miss It's not very bright to go out alone on these streets after the sun goes down so I don't But I do miss it George and I lived here when we were first married. It was later that we moved to the suburbs The city's changed a lot, but there's still a feel to it that I love It's It's the same that feeling That's one of the reasons I came back I wish I could still prowl around at night. That's when the feeling is strongest. It's truly the city then And I guess the Muggers think so too. They're the only ones who get to enjoy it anymore Do you have any regrets? Doesn't everybody? Don't you? Yes But do you, Gweny? Yes What's your biggest one? I mean if I could change a day or a moment in my life, which would I choose? Yes But if you did change it, it might not be just that day or moment Might be your entire life that was changed. That's true You know the day that I would change in my life if I could Fred? No, I don't. Yes, you do Tell me I would change the day at the train station I wouldn't have run out of gas I would have seen you That's the day I'd change too, Gweny. I'm glad that we can't Why? Because if we could we probably wouldn't be here tonight and together I choose tonight, Fred As they have for the past five nights But this night is different because Fred's business is completed and he's leaving tomorrow This is his last night in town They're last night together Unless one of them can find the words to express what both are feeling Cicely Tyson again, and here's the concluding act of reunion I love this restaurant. Yes, it's nice So you wrapped everything up. Did it all go the way you wanted it to? Yes It's worked out very well. I might even say perfectly This has been a perfect trip. I'm glad I'm sorry Well, I'm Sorry that you're going. Gweny, would you like to order now madame, miss you? Could you give us a little more time? Oh, but of course, miss you I wish you really could What give us a little more time I wish we're dangling a lot longer Fred. Do you really think we need more time? Yes, I don't I'm very sure right now a plot I want you to come with me. Gweny I don't want to leave you here I don't want to lose you again Fred We've had five wonderful days But do you think we really know each other? I know that we can laugh together and talk together I know that I've been happier these last few days with you than I've been since I was a kid Come with me, Gweny Were you? I was afraid you were going to ask that tonight, but I was even more afraid that you wouldn't So what's your answer? I don't know Good answer I'm sorry Fred, but I I don't know. Truly I don't I'm trying to think how sandy my daughter would feel about it and my son I'm not alone in this world. Neither are you Fred I believe we should consider our children's feelings. What about your son? What would he think about all this? I haven't the foggiest idea I never could understand Michael He lived with his mother after the divorce and I I tried Gwen to keep in contact with him But it was impossible for me to get through to him. I gave up How could you give up on your son? After he ran off to join some crazy religious cult, I didn't know what else to do I thought of sending one of those deprogrammers after him, but I decided against that I wouldn't have known what to do with him even if I'd gotten him back I saw him once He had his head shaved and he was wearing some kind of toga He talked in riddles. I couldn't understand the thing he said And he was too far gone to ever bring back. So you let him go? Yes I don't believe they're ever too far gone Fred A few years ago my son nearly died of a barbiturate overdose. I almost let go But how do you let go of the hand of your 17 year old son when he's lying in the back of an ambulance more dead than alive? How do you turn away from that? How do you make the judgment that he's too far gone? I didn't know how to do that. I guess I held on to him. I held on to his life for him until he wanted to do it for himself again I don't think I did anything extraordinary. I was just being his mother He's back in school now doing very well He'll have his master's degree soon and you're worried about what he'll think of us not worried Concerned yes, and I don't know where my son is That makes me a bad parent and you a good one different anyway very different kinds of parents you and me Fred People too, maybe maybe Fred we Loved each other when we were children. That's been nearly 40 years between then and now You think we can bridge all that time? I don't know if we can or not But I'd like to try Would you For what but I'll tell you what Something just come to me Call me an incurable romantic. I deserve it. But here's the plan now. Don't give me any answer tonight My flight leaves tomorrow at three if you decide to come with me be at the airport and if not Then you won't be there. Are you giving me another chance to meet the train? Yes And this time you'd better make it This is the last chance then we were incredibly lucky to be given this one Guiney I don't think there'll be another You just don't get that lucky in a lifetime All right I like your plan We'll do it that way. Okay No more discussion tonight Tomorrow we'll know all about Tomorrow any more times you can pack and unpack that bag So we knew he must have done it a dozen times already What's wrong with you anyway 53 years old and you're acting like a schoolgirl What's Andy say What the rinses it make really what she'd say it's your life not hers Your life You make a fool of yourself if you want to you should be entitled to that along with liberty and the pursuit of happiness Maybe this is just pursuing happiness Why should that be all right for kids and foolish for old folks like me? I wish Fred would call The man that I'd be there make it easier for me But he won't it's my decision Mine alone I'm gonna go now. Why shouldn't I I'm going to do it. What if it doesn't work out? Fred and I are very different If you're thinking about his son Maybe we are just capable of a week's worth of pleasant dinners Maybe it should be left at that Besides I have a life here. It's a nice life Smooth and even the way I want it I can't just take off disrupt everything No, this isn't right It's crazy to even consider it I can't go I can't what could that be Oh, I hope it's not sandy Sandy hello, how are you? You've been so busy lately It seems like gauges since we talked. I think of which day before yesterday sandy. Well, how are you anyway fine? How are you just fine serious about this man? He's asked me to leave with him I'd say that's pretty serious. I guess I would too. Are you going to go? I don't know yet. How do you feel about it sandy? I think this will surprise you mother. I've given it a lot of thought I'll admit that at first I wasn't happy about you and Fred The only thing that matters is if you're happy. I want you to be. Thank you, dear. That means a great deal to me I've been happy these last few days and I still don't know about going with him. It's a big decision But mother, I want you to know that whatever you decide is all right with me sandy. Uh, what do you think Jeff would say? I think you tell you to be happy. That's what you always wanted for us and try to give us Believe me your children want the same for you. I was just being selfish before I guess I didn't want to share you Jeff would tell you to choose happiness. I know he would. Thank you sandy. Mother Call me will you? Of course I will Time it to the last minute. I'm going to get me hurt there. I'm sorry. I couldn't get a cab The traffic is terrible. It's just for everything. Yes, you have it. You're here and that's the important Oh, you don't know how close I came to not coming What made you decide? A phone call from sandy. She told me to be happy. I think I'd like her Sounds like you did a good job, Gweny Uh, Gweny, there's something I want to say. What is it Fred? I know how troubled you were about what we talked about last night my son and your son I'm not trying to blame anyone and please believe that But I know that if my son had been our son If you had been his mother We wouldn't have let go of him It all would have been so different Gweny so very different I believe that Well Do you think we'd better get you a ticket? I'm not sure that I'll need one. I think I could fly without the plane today. Come on Did I tell you how glad I am that you're here? No, you didn't I'm glad that you're here, Gweny Walking around waiting for you. It was You're like going back 35 years. All I needed was stan Whatever happened to stan. Did you keep in touch? I think we should call him right now and tell him. Well, it's a great idea, but I lost track of it I don't know where he is. That's too bad. Yes, it is Well, maybe you'll run into him on a street one day those things do happen sometimes, you know Only in fairy tales and movies, Gweny not in real life. No, you don't think so No way Shop for value Reunion was written by Pamela Russell produced and directed by Fletcher Marco. Your hostess was sissily tyson Our stars were virginia greg and parley bear Featured in the cast were sydney swire jack carroll. Howard culver and jack manning The music for sears radio theater was composed and conducted by nelson riddle. This is art gilmore speaking The elliot louis production of sears radio theater is a presentation of cdi Great music and more just like robert morgan alien world spectra from fm103 kmo xfm st louis cbs news A formal announcement is expected tomorrow that president carter has offered former mayor moon landrew of new orleans a cabinet job This is john bowhammon reporting on the cbs radio network CBS news has learned that landrew has accepted mr. Carter's offer to be the new secretary of housing and urban development The president apparently met today at the white house with the former mayor to talk about the nomination Landrew now works for a commercial development firm in new orleans The senate finance committee gave its unanimous approval today to the nomination of patricia harris as secretary of health education and welfare The senate held confirmation hearings today on navy secretary graham clater as deputy defense secretary and benjamin civilletti as attorney general Democratic congressional leaders are promising to give president carter all the help he needs to keep the administration's energy package in one piece Setbacks and challenges have been major problems for the president in getting an energy package through congress And house speaker tip onil says helping the president may take a lot of work because he says the oil lobby is so powerful But republican bob dole of canvass disagrees. I don't know where they are. They're supposed to be all over the hill the oil lobby I haven't been invaded by The so-called oil lobby. We have in our state of kansas, uh oil production Uh hasten to add the average production is about three barrels per day. So we're not Big producers in my state, but uh, they've contacted me. They're concerned about Taking away too much of the what they what president carter calls the windfall The senate finance committee has postponed further action on the president's request for windfall profits tax on oil And senators from both parties are predicting that president carter will have to accept a weaker version than the one he's asking for Senator george mcgovern is accusing president carter of misgoverning the nation The senator made his remarks in washington today before a group of congressional interns And he also urged senator edward kennedy to run for president next year The governor said kennedy is the democrat's most logical candidate dc tens have been flying for two weeks after the federal Administration aviation administration looked at the grounding orders against them and f a a officials say they have reports of seven forced landings in that period Do mostly do engine trouble but the f a a says it has nothing to do with a faulty engine mount Which caused the grounding orders in the first place reports tonight from the airport at rio Digenero brazil say a litanso cargo jet crashed shortly after takeoff and burst into flames the jet had three crew members on board No word on casualties in san antonio texas maddie schultz ran into a foul of the law and spent the night in jail On shoplifting charges night magistrate mary elizabeth lad ordered the woman to jail in lieu of 400 dollars bond But the judge who came on duty the following morning ordered the woman released maddie schultz is a 91 year old widow More from susan springfield of station w o a i This is schultz was arrested in san antonio q's day after trying to shop flip 15 dollars worth of groceries And was booked into the bayer county jail in lieu of 400 dollars bond This is schultz says she was unable to buy groceries after paying rent and utilities from her monthly 138 dollars in social security and 113 in veterans benefits She's also without a lot of savings because the savings were conned out of her in a pigeon drop scheme in 1973 But missus schultz is no longer destitute the bayer county senior citizens council has set up a fund for her and are accepting donations from san francisco To new york and local residents have been providing her with the much needed food and friendship susan springfield for cbs news