 Words at war presenting since you went away August 16 my darling you've been gone only a few hours and already the house is waiting for you I can hardly believe that you've gone but our peculiar oneness yours and mine and the kids can be broken like this oh I know you had to go but you'll have to send me large doses of your courage so that I can learn to stand on my own feet till you come back darling right as often all the little things what your uniform feels like have you had a military haircut and most of all what we can send to you I love you at war tonight the national broadcasting company in cooperation with the council on books and wartime brings you another in its series of radio adaptations of war books tonight a story of the home front since you went away by Margaret Buell Wilder August 20th darling I'm better today we all are the girls and I talk about you now we can go into your room without flinching it seems shocking to be renting your room to a stranger everyone at right field seems to have seen our ad on the bulletin board and has been phoning to ask the price but how does one suddenly put a price on a husband's room the first few people sounded all wrong anyhow the room the price of the room is above rubies you know like the honest woman in the Bible what was the matter with that one mud oh I don't know Jan she just didn't belong in your father's room a young woman last time it was a young man your father told me not to admit any walls into the home you're just darling now listen Stinky how many times must I tell you not to call okay okay but you've got your aunt dad's room just the same no wife and attractive growing doors can live on a first loot salary and you know it not with our ideas I'm going to you too but don't be in such a rush it's indecent the rooms hardly cold yet we're just being practical but you never will bring it's up to us to support ourselves and I've got an idea for me right now where's the phone book what are you going to do you go to the door I've got a phone did you put the street number in the ad too much yes but I thought that all phone first how do you name a hilton yes I've come to inspect the room the Board of Health this is my mother Mrs. Hilton I do I'm certainly not from the Board of Health I'm Colonel McCulloch Flaherty RAF on duty at right field I'm thinking of taking your room oh you are when is it um it's upstairs Colonel I take you up for inspection don't rush the Colonel Colonel I really don't think you'd like the room why not my mother's just being modest Colonel it's a lovely room my July take the Colonel up all are you I'll go of course this way Colonel thank you I've been at the field only a short time who's that going upstairs with mother Jenny's perfect it looks like dope not a sign of the wolf think he began stalling again but I beat her down good now we're getting somewhere and guess what I've got what a job I'm a sitter I'm gonna sit with Mrs. Bentley's brats in the evenings at 25 cents an hour and she just knows that heaps of her friends will use me too I bet I make three or four dollars a week Jan you suppose I could be a sitter too oh no you're too young nobody trust a 13 year old since when did nobody just one or two questions I've been noisy little children in the house well only these two here and you can see we're simply bowed with you of course if it's the noise you're worrying about there is soda yes so does our bulldog he used to have a wife named whiskey he does snore pretty loud bulldog hey I like bulldogs well I'd rather think I'll take the room oh that's wonderful you will listen Colonel I've got an idea you don't want to go dragging yourself out to some lousy diner for breakfast maybe I could make a deal with you serve your breakfast in your room I'd only charge you 10 cents for service and I'm sure mother'd give you food at cost wouldn't you stinky Colonel it's just as well you see us as we are right away I'm a poor helpless woman overrun by these two Amazons but our home such as it is is open to you and I hope you'll be happy in it September 4th Mr. Lieutenant you will be happy to learn that Fidelia approves of our paying guest remember how in the old days when she was our own full-time cook she used to look each dinner guest over to see if they were worthy of us well it seems she was shocked at the idea of a gentleman on the premises but the Colonel's age and title of mollified both the kids financial projects are booming also so that leaves me the only drone and every day I'm sure that I have to go to work too first there's the money or rather there isn't the money what with your extra uniforms there in Texas and our ridiculous tastes here like symphony concerts and free meals a day well you can see and besides there's the feeling that with you doing so much I've got to do something too surely four years of college and 15 years of you darling have fitted me for something September 14th dear Lieutenant which news will you have first the good or the bad I remember how you always used to eat the cherry off the ice cream first bite which seemed to show a very improv and streak so I guess you'd like the good first here goes there was a letter from Sandy today Fidelia brought it to me it's from New York Miss Hilton oh for Mr. Willett you remember him Fidelia yes you always come to dinner with pain on his fingernails that's because he's an artist he's coming to Dayton he's in the army and he's going to be at right field he says so you and I'll go out every night and talk about him and drop tears into our beer hooray hooray Sandy you ain't going out with another young German when your husband's gone miss Hilton it ain't fitting oh for dear you don't be stuffy that's the good news now brace yourself for the other where my good lieutenant is our check here it is the 14th of the month and not a peep out of Washington I've waited several days but this morning I really blew up did I only imagine we were supposed to get an allotment from the government now Miss Hilton the check will come but when Fidelia I haven't a cent and look at all these bills I'm going to wire to Washington you ain't going to wire the president I'd like to I want Western Union please now Miss Hilton Western Union take a message Army Finance Office Washington DC cannot understand out rages delay sending allotment check to wife of lieutenant Timothy Timothy Hilton Dayton Ohio do you think I'm made of money then check immediately and Hilton or an operator then the wire collect this Hilton here's the colonel good morning colonel am I correct did I hear you sending that abusive message to the Army I'd have sent words of Western Union would have taken it here my husband deliberately throws up a good job to volunteer in the office and to say send check immediately to the army was it so terrible but I need the money oh well perhaps you allow me the convenience of a small loan oh thanks yes ten dollars would be nice that way we can at least live until the army arrests us but this has decided me Tim darling I'm definitely going to get a job frightens me this being so dependent shows me how helpless I've always been leaning on you for everything after my blow-up I was still stomping around the house muttering when Emily Hawkins rolled in you don't know Emily she's taken a room in the house next door she's a divorcee I think her husband got tired of her and left her and it's made her kind of bitter anyway she's all alone and she's taken to hanging around my neck hello and what's the matter hello oh I'm just stewing over my allotment check from Tim I'm broken it hasn't come did he have it made over to you and now he stopped it he hasn't stopped anything it's just some bookkeeper or something oh are you sure but he didn't stop it of course I am why should he couldn't he just possibly be having it made over to somebody else another woman another woman don't be ridiculous darling I think it's marvelous the way you two trust each other it's just amazing really it is just sweet why are some people incapable of believing in voluntary fidelity I didn't feel so sorry for I'd break her neck and I'm ashamed of bothering you with such nonsense it's just I feel so lonely you suppose I'll ever learn to be grown up and self-reliant will I ever learn to miss you any less September 17th darling it's a new world the kids and I were doing a spot of house cleaning when the postman came floating by on the wings of an angel Jan brought me the magic envelope the check oh is there ever a more beautiful side let's see the envelope look it's postmarked the fifth it was just held up in the mail somewhere oh really we told you not to blow your top stinky well let this be a lesson to you and now a present for a good girl a letter from dad Jan theorist 3 just a line but a nice one it looks as if maybe your old man will be having leaves so keep the candle shining in the window a little longer there's the mess call so no more for now love me kids isn't it wonderful wonderful gosh I wonder when he'll get it doesn't matter so long as he's coming I'll think of having him here again hearing him whistle our signal down the street and then seeing him walk in the door so big he fills the whole room feel all young again no worries no responsibilities no nothing October 16th mr. pudding you are now the husband of a woman of affairs just a tiny office job out of the field but at least I'm pulling my weight at the check slate again there won't be any more hysterics am I growing up because all I still want is for you to come back home so I can be the clinging vine again when are you coming darling as your commanding officer forgotten you leave shall I send him a reminder maybe a postcard like the Negro spiritual let my husband go shall I oh there's the doorbell an hour later now oh Tim I'm some why do they go promising leaves and then canceling them like this how do they know I can wait till Christmas to see you the blow wasn't lightened any by dear Emily oh isn't that too bad dear or don't you really care so very much I care well you seem to be doing all right out at right field with all those stunning offices now look here Emily I took that job because I needed the money after all my husband's only a lieutenant hmm that's what I think is so funny oh not your husband dear I'm sure he's just bursting with patriotism but all these other men 40 year old simply rushing away from their homes into the services I can't understand it unless of course they're really just getting away from their wives the wars are wonderful excuses him I know she's just jealous I shouldn't let her upset me oh darling there wasn't anything like that and it was there you weren't just hankering for one last fling before middle it please tell me I'm crazy November 9th mr. pudding dear I do wish you could have been here today Sandy arrived and what a scene a cab charged up to the doors for Delia and Emily and I was standing on the front porch he was nursing and oil painting as tall as himself you wonder woman how did you Mr. Willie Sandy this is our neighbor Mrs. Hawkins Mrs. Hawkins and here Mrs. Hilton is a present for your home oh painting turn it around let's see it there I did it goodness really sandy mr. Willett come it up this minute you didn't carry a life size new through the streets of Dayton sure everybody loved it I'll bet they did now listen here mr. Willie you got no business bringing a flusy like that into a house where there's young girls I'm gonna hang my apron over decent like until you get it out of here down to your hotel hotel oh I'm not going to a hotel I want to stay right here aren't I am here um well I'm never I don't know how you can but I made all my plans Sandy well we'll just for a night or two then well I think that'll be lovely and now you will have someone to liven things up a little I'm sure your husband will be delighted of course he'll be delighted Sandy and he are old friends come on in Sandy stay as long as you like and we'll find a place with a good light where you can hang your lady friend November 14th dear mr. pudding I've hardly seen Sandy yet he's off at the field all day Brig gives him early breakfast with the Colonel but he doesn't tip her as the Colonel does and she's developing a real headway to his chilliness and speaking of Brig your daughter mr. pudding is almost more than I can cope with what with Sandy here I've had to move out of my room and into the girls with them and only now do I realize what poor Jan has been putting up with every night they can't you ever going to get into bed and turn out the lights Jan and I want to go to sleep I'll be through soon but you've been patting around for half an hour and I can't see that you've accomplished a thing I've washed my undies and ironed the blouse and had a shower and put my hair up and curlers and laid out my clothes for tomorrow I think it's been a very full half hour and now you're going to bed and turn out the lights don't flatter yourself mod she's hardly begun yet Jan Brig now really she'll spend 15 minutes yet polishing her shoes saddle soap first then needs foot oil then ordinary polish then she'll go downstairs to kiss soda goodnight and put miss cat out and when she's halfway up again she'll remember she didn't sharpen her pencils for school tomorrow so she'll go back down and do that I've already done that and then she'll put Tyrone Power's picture under a pillow and water the window box not tonight I'll even do that every other night well thank you for small favors what do you do tonight just feed the turtle and take care of the goldfish that's what I'm doing now how do you take care of the goldfish for heaven's sake I just scrub the inside of his bowl and take out the shells to air overnight what's that you're doing to him now I'm just putting him in a teacup for the night Brig honestly what for to rest him of course don't be absurd come on now go to bed oh well I've got to say my prayers anyway well hurry up dear father in heaven this is Brig Hilton and Dayton please make me a good girl let me pass my algebra test tomorrow and let me get on the basketball team because I really think I'm better at dribbling than Virginia Bentley and bless soda and miss cat and take care of Wussie's departed soul and the white rabbits and that poor little sparrow I found today and bless all the teachers and Jan and Muddy and especially take care of daddy down in Texas make him a good soldier and bring him back safe on leave at Christmas amen okay I'm ready for bed now November 24th Tim I'm frantic what did you mean in your letter it just might be that you won't hear from me again for a while what's happened Tim oh please don't let it be that you I can't write it it's too fantastic people don't get sent abroad right from training school or do they I've just phoned your long distance I just wanted to know where you were but no one knew or else they wouldn't tell me does that mean what I'm scared to death it means November 28th Tim where are you you've just disappeared into thin air I'm ashamed of getting panicky like this and the kids are being swell steady but where is he Jan we don't know mommy but you know dad he can always take care of himself remember the time when the steering wheel went fast I know but this is worse he may have sailed and we have no dad would never go without getting word to you somehow who's that oh Colonel please could you come in here a minute evening ladies you know where Tim's gone don't you please tell me Mrs. Hilton I I can't oh aid and comfort to the enemy I know but I'm not the enemy I'm his wife I'm not going to send to the Germans and say my husband's just sail please come and torpedo him I know well he's this much he hasn't sailed yet but he's going to where which way east or west I don't know really I just know it'll be soon I'm not going to see him if only I knew I could go to him I could get in New York tomorrow but then he might be in San Francisco how am I going to stand hang on to yourself mommy you've still got us oh Jan darling I know and I'm so grateful for that there's the phone maybe it's him hello Mrs. Timothy Hilton speaking this is Western Union I have a telegram for you read it please there is no chance to write or phone we'll send APO number later cannot say more now don't worry all my love Tim wait a minute where is the wire from please New York City yes I see thank you he's in New York going to sail from New York you're not going to try to see him no he's standing on his own feet there gotta try to stand on mine here my dearest I suppose our letters will get to you in batches now wherever it is they're going so all presents at the moment the kids are down on the floor surrounded by tags and wrapping paper and the colonel is explaining the war to Sandy in a corner now you understand it this theory depends on our completely winning the Mediterranean oh sure you know Greg I think maybe I ought to take the sleeves out of this sweater after all if dad goes to Africa he'll want to be cool they won't wear the sweater at all oh you know these things aren't going to get to him by Christmas it may be months maybe we ought to put Merry Christmas on the cards maybe we ought to put happy Lincoln's birthday or do them up in hearts and flowers for Valentine's Day no we made them for Christmas presents and we're gonna stick to our story gee it's gonna be queer Christmas without pop don't talk about it Jan the first time in my whole life I've ever dreaded Christmas coming what are you planning for a party oh no sandy I can't somehow with Tim out on the ocean storms the submarine must been seeing too many movies she's Adam torpedoed every day since he left oh look here and even if you don't feel like a party for yourself how about taking pity on the colonel and me yes Mrs. Hilton two stray vacheters you'd be doing a good christ indeed you mean you want to this isn't just be kind of the Hilton's week certainly not your little self I think that's grand I'm glad you suggested hello yeah my phone for you thank you dear mrs. Hawkins dear Emily hello Emily hello I was just thinking Christmas is coming well telepathy we were just talking about Christmas here Christmas Eve well that's awfully nice of you to invite us Emily mother not that no but I'm afraid we've made other plans save my night well you mean you can't I'm afraid not Emily well I just have a gosh sakes I'll kill you look Emily if you're going to be all alone we're just having a quiet family party here we're dish now why don't you join us that's fine Emily we'll make arrangements later all right thank you and good night good night Raider so now this is be kind of dumb Emily's week I'm sorry fellas I just couldn't help it suppose it had been Tim all alone at Christmas Christmas Eve my dearest I'm hanging on hard to all the faith I have I insist that you're all right though it's been four weeks since she went away tonight is when I need you most of all remembering other Christmas Eve's we've had I've tried to be brave and self-reliant him I've tried never to doubt that that peculiar oneness of ours had never been broken really but now with everyone going to bed in the house so silent lonely I keep thinking of the story Emily told at dinner I'm speaking of soldiers and what do you hear from Tim I haven't heard not at all not even a cable isn't that queer it takes much longer than that sometime come on and I'll pull a cracker with you Sandy good book now get out your paper and look darling in a paper hat mommy looks darling in anything and keeping up my morale you see my dress hasn't a train like yours Emily oh it's a sunburner just my type there how do I look oh by the way speaking of the sunburner type reminds me of the strangest story I heard the other day just shows what queer things happen in war time it seems there was a soldier whose wife was just a nice plain home body type and of course he'd left her back home well after he'd been in the army some months she received a wire from camp that said going overseas and you may not hear from me for a long time and she didn't not for about six months have the ship been sunk oh don't let's talk about the war Jan let's get Bing Crosby on the radio no Frank Sinatra what had happened Emily well she finally wrote to Washington and she found out that he'd never been out of the country at all never left America could that happen there are liars in the army is everywhere else oh you mean he disappeared like that on purpose mm-hmm seems so but why well that's the queer part in normal times he'd probably never have dreamed of leaving his wife but now at camp there there was this young officer in the wax and she was brilliant and attractive and she was all mixed up with this strange new life of his and well anyway that's the story we go into the city room for coffee we get the tray currently you'll find the guards without the fire I'm on Mrs Hawkins so you see darling the evening was less than perfect but I don't think Emily enjoyed it either the men treated her like a cockroach and bustled her home as early as they could but in a way she had still had the last word honey there's the phone probably Emily to apologize hello yes London is calling you London England yes will you take yes oh yes I will I will yes darling is that you all right oh thank God I will I will now oh darling I've been so worried so scared but I'll behave myself from now on really I will everything's perfect you're safe and you've called me and I love you say it darling the enemy won't care there that's all I needed and if Hitler wants to start gossiping let him make the most of it as the 14th program of words at war we have brought you passages from since you went away by Margaret Buell Wilder the work was adapted for radio by Nora Sterling of the NBC script since you went away is now being made into an all-star motion picture production by David old sales neck