 Who is the 10th man? The 10th man is the person in your community who is suffering or will suffer from a mental or nervous disorder. Perhaps he's a feeble-minded boy. Ladies and gentlemen, this is Ralph Bellamy. You're listening to Figs from Thistles, a play about a family with a problem. The problem is feeble-mindedness. It's difficult to determine exactly how many mental deficiencies there are among us, but recent estimates show that there are from one and a half millions to four and a half millions. Less than 10% of them, however, are in training schools. The remainder are cared for in their homes and communities. Now, our play is about Jimmy Turner, a feeble-minded boy. To look at Jimmy, you'd think him a good-looking lad of 19 or 20, yet Jimmy has the mind of a 12-year-old. He's been brought up by his mother and his sister, Linda. Under their care, things have gone along fairly smoothly, but Mark, Linda's husband, is living with them now, and that's where the problem comes in. Things came to a head one evening just as Mrs. Turner was cleaning up after supper. You must be hungry, Linda. You should have had supper with Jimmy and me. Oh, Mark hates to eat alone, Ma, so as long as you were going to keep something hot for him, I thought I'd wait too. Oh, well, when he's passed his bar exams and gets a better job, he'll have regular hours and maybe then you'll even build that house you've been planning for. And meanwhile, I think it's good for Jimmy to have Mark around. Oh, Jimmy's very fond of Mark. He's an affectionate boy, anyway. But I think it's a little hard for Mark to get used to Jimmy. But why? Oh, Linda, dear, put yourself in his place. After all, Jimmy is ours. We know him and love him. But Mark sees him only as a mentally defective boy, someone who'll never grow up. What was that? Sounded like a car. What? Yes, it's Mark. Oh, hello, dear. I'm glad you're home. I'm starved. I don't want any supper. Well, Mark, what's the matter? Ask your lame-brained little boy, Jimmy, what's the matter? Mark. I'm going upstairs. It's just one thing after another. Mark, I'd like an explanation for that scene downstairs. I suppose your mother's upset. No, just a bit puzzled, like me. Oh, darling, please try to control yourself a little longer. We'll have our own place soon. I know you don't like living here with Mark. Oh, no, Linda. Your mother has nothing to do with it. She's an angel, and I'm very fond of her. Then what is it, dear? Well, it's Jimmy. I see. What has he done now? He left the wheelbarrow in the driveway. I didn't see it when I was putting the car away and put a nasty dent in the fender. Oh, is that all? Is that all she says? A new car? Oh, but it can be fixed. It was just an accident, Mark. Jimmy was putting away the tools when you drove up. It could happen to anybody. Well, there have been other things, too. I know, Mark, but you'll have to get used to him. Remember, he has the mind of a 12-year-old. Linda, Linda, have you ever thought of sending him to a training school? A training school? Yes. When we first found out about him, we had him tested at the welfare center, and the woman there, the social worker, told us there was no need to put him in an institution. No need then, Linda, but what about now? Oh, but Mark, he's no trouble. Oh, there have been little things, of course, but nothing disastrous. Maybe they could teach him to make things there. There's just so much you can teach a mental defective, Mark. Jimmy's learned how to take care of the garden, and he does our jobs around the house. Well, then maybe he's lonely. Maybe he should have other kids around him, kids like himself. No, I don't think he's lonely. He has us, and the neighbors have been very kind to him. Well, how do you know what they say behind your back? Oh, Mark, why do you hate him so? There's never been any trouble over Jimmy before. I don't hate Jimmy, Linda. It's just that, well, I just wanted you to know how I feel about him, that's all. Mark thinks Jimmy ought to go away to a training school. It does? Well, what do you think, dear? Jimmy belongs here with his family. They told us we could look after him all right, and we've done it, haven't we, Mark? Come here, Linda. You're a good girl, dear. Oh, Mom, what shall we do? Well, Linda, Jimmy is all I have left now that you're married to Mark. But, oh, my dear, I don't want anything to go wrong with your marriage. If Mark feels so strongly about having Jimmy around, perhaps we'd better, perhaps we'd better send him to a training school. Oh, I couldn't ask you to make a sacrifice like that. Linda, after all it might be better for Jimmy in one of those schools. I've seen the school at Roundsville, and it's a very nice place. Perhaps they can give Jimmy some special training so that he can work at some trade. And maybe a few years from now when you and Mark have your own home, well, maybe Jimmy can come back to me. But what about Jimmy? How will he act when he finds out Mark wants him to go away? I know he'll take it to heart. Mark thinks he has no feelings, but we know better. But if Jimmy stayed here and got to sense Mark's irritation, he might take the staying away from the house when Mark's home. I might even get into bad company. If we could only make Mark understand Jimmy the way we do. Poor child with your divided loyalties. I'm afraid this affects you more than any of us. Then I ought to do something about it. But what? How do you fight anything as intangible as an idea, particularly in someone you love? Don't think about it anymore tonight, dear. I've got to think of something. I've got to. Linda was determined to show Mark that Jimmy didn't have to go away to school. So she got him a job as a helper to a cabinet maker in the neighborhood. She thought if Jimmy makes good at this job, maybe Mark will change his mind about sending him to a training school. After all, those schools are overcrowded anyway and he's always gotten along well at home. So Jimmy and Linda kept the new job a secret from Mark Turner and Mark. Ma, can I go downtown this evening? Now, what would you do if I said no? Well, gee, Ma, I'll be back by 10. I promise. Jimmy, why don't you tell me where you go after supper every evening? Don't ask me that, Ma. I can't tell you. It's a secret, sort of. Well, I guess you're not up to mischief or I'd have heard about it from somebody or other. Yes, you can go. Thanks, Ma. It's so long. Hey, Jimmy. Hi, Linda. How's the job? Oh, swell. I like it fine. But how long do we have to keep this up? Mark keeps asking questions. Well, I just saw your boss, Jimmy, and he's pleased with you, so it looks as if we can spring this on the family soon. I'll tell you what. Next Wednesday is my wedding anniversary. Let's tell them then. But be sure to ask Mr. Fitzpatrick to let you off that night. Where does he go after supper every evening? That's what I want to know. I've told you, Mark. I don't know. Now, forget it for this evening at least. This is supposed to be a celebration, remember? Look, I've got to tell you this. What, Mark? I went down a few weeks ago to see Miss Collins. You know the social worker? I saw her about admitting Jimmy to the training school at Roundsville. She didn't think that Jimmy should be sent there, but when I told her about these unexplained absences, then she said that maybe he was getting in with delinquents. Kids like Jimmy are easily led, you know. Well, she thought he ought to go. There's a waiting list, but she's going to call me tonight if she hears from the school. It seems they may have a vacancy. Must it go so soon? Well, you have to take advantage of these things when they come your way. I'm sorry this had to come up tonight. All right. Suppose it's all for the best. Oh, here comes Linda. I don't see anything now. This will only upset her. Hello, everyone. Oh, Mark, doesn't the dining room look festive? Well, yes. Your mother's out done herself. And say, look at you, new dress. Lovely, Linda. Well, I got to thinking. I've been married five years. That makes me an old married woman. And I felt so depressed I had to go out and buy a new dress. What's that? Well, it's Jimmy. He's dragging something. What in the world? Happy anniversary, Linda and Mark. Why, Jimmy, it's a bookcase. For your law books, Mark, the ones I'm always knocking over. Oh, but Jimmy, where'd you get it? I made it. You made it? Well, Mr. Fitzpatrick helped me. Who's he? Linda, didn't you tell them? No, not yet, Jimmy. You've sort of stolen the show. Say, what is all this? Well, it's easy enough to explain. Jimmy's got a job helping a cabinet maker in the evenings. It was going to be a surprise if it turned out well. And I guess it has, because even I didn't know about the bookcase. Oh, Linda, what a nice surprise. But couldn't you have tipped me off sooner? I've been awfully worried about that, boy. Yeah, and so was I. Why, I thought that, in fact, I almost... Well, aren't you two going to thank Jimmy? Oh, yes. Oh, Jimmy, thanks so much. It's a beautiful bookcase. Blackstone will look wonderful in it. Oh, it wasn't much. I kind of like working with wood. And Mr. Fitzpatrick is swell to me. Well, I don't know what to say, Jimmy. I guess I didn't realize your possibilities, fella. Gosh, I'm so bold over it. I don't know how to thank you. Oh, that's Miss Collins, isn't it, Mark? Yeah. Then you do know how to thank him, Mark. Yeah, Martina. Well, isn't anybody going to answer that phone? Nope. No, let it ring. We've got a party planned. Well, all right then. Come on, Jimmy. Just see how nice the dining room's decorated. Hey, Miss Collins is going to be awfully mad. Oh, that's all right. I'll apologize in the morning. But I didn't want Linda and Jimmy to know that I'd even... Well, that I'd even considered putting him on the list. Then he can stay for good. Well, he belongs with his family. I can see that now. Gosh, even if he's not so sharp at book learning, he's got the makings of a good carpenter. Oh, I'm glad you do see that, Mark. It'll make things easier from now on. Everyone with a sense of fair play realizes that the feeble-minded deserve a break. But we mustn't expect more than they can give. Instead, we must help them to develop as much as they can within their limitations. In that way, we shall discover that they have much to offer. But they need an opportunity. Don't forget them. They are our responsibility. You have just heard Ralph Bellamy as narrator in Figs from Thistles, produced by the National Mental Health Foundation and presented in cooperation with other organizations dedicated to the preservation of mental health.