 Family Theater presents Richard Widmark, Barbara Hale, William Bendix, and Rod O'Connor. The Mutual Network in Cooperation with Family Theater presents Barbara Hale, Richard Widmark, and Rod O'Connor in God and a Red Scooter. To introduce the drama, your host, William Bendix. Thank you, Tony LaFranco. Family Theater's only purpose is to bring to everyone's attention the practice that must become an important part of our lives. We are to win peace for ourselves, peace for our families, and peace for the world. Family Theater urges you to pray, pray together as a family. Tonight, Family Theater takes great pleasure in presenting God and a Red Scooter, starring Richard Widmark as Ed, Barbara Hale as Jeanne, and Rod O'Connor as the narrator. Sleep is beautiful. Sleep is a soft hand smoothing the frowns and frets on the tired faces of men. Sleep is a mother hand rocking the cradle of the world, rocking it softly, rocking men and women and all the little children to sweet silence and peace. That's what sleep is. Do you want to know something? I pity the man who does not know how to sleep. Consider little Eddie, five years old. I love children like Eddie. Eddie knows how to sleep. Before he went to bed tonight, he was having a talk all by himself down there in the garden. This is the way he spoke this afternoon as he sat dropping pebbles into a milk bottle. And you know what I said, God? You know what I said to Daddy? I said, God did hear me. That's what I said. And God, remember when I said, please give me a Red Scooter like Stevie and Tony's got? Remember when I said that? About the Scooter? Didn't you hear me, God? Huh? Didn't you? Look, God, I got lots of pebbles, a whole million. See what I mean? See why I love little children like Eddie? He wanted a Red Scooter. He went to sleep dreaming of a Red Scooter. And did he get the Scooter? Well, I shall have to tell you the whole story. In a manner of speaking, the story begins with grapes. From this hill, you get a pretty good idea how it looks, Jeannie. The vines are beautiful in. Nice and dark green. Is that our land all the way through? Yep. Straight ahead, clean over a route 99. That's 26 acres of good grapewood, Jeannie. Don't make you feel kind of glad just to look at it. Make you almost want to laugh and cry in. Standing here like this, looking down on our own land. It's nice to own something. Yeah, sure is. Cost plenty of jack, too, but it's worth it. When will grapes be growing, eh? Oh, about three years. Takes at least three years. Seems so long to wait. I mean, you'd think they'd just pop out. Oh, no, no. Not grapes, Jeannie. You gotta build up grapes. You gotta work a vineyard. Then after three years, you know what it's gonna be like down there? What? They're gonna be out there on the wire trellises, those grapes. They're gonna be hanging thick and heavy near the redwood stakes. When the harvest comes, we're gonna be packing in over 200 tons of the best red emperors in California. Gosh, 200 tons from only 26 acres? Yes, sir. Oh, it's almost like a miracle, Ed. Sure. And little Ed, he'll be three years old when we start picking our grapes. He'll be walking. Yeah. It takes time for kids and grapes to grow. These plans, these husband and wife plans spoken in sunny places are delightful. Invariably delightful. But I must repeat, I pity the man who does not know how to sleep. Just listen to him. Maybe I made a mistake. It's whiskey business. It's a gamble putting all your money into grapes. The man is worrying, mind you, at one o'clock in the morning. Could be a shrinkage. Could be a bad market. I just can't afford to bump a tough market. Look at him, fidgeting with pencils and papers and dots. Emperors should sell. Months and said emperors was a good grape. I don't know, maybe I should have stacked up with muskets or rapes. Norton did all right last year with rapes. All this at one o'clock in the morning when he should be asleep with his wife and babies. You'd think the gentleman might allow himself the gentle privilege of getting tired. At least by one o'clock in the morning you'd think he might yawn and go to bed. Why doesn't he stop fretting? Why doesn't he relax, the poor fellow? I pity the man who does not know how to sleep. You're not getting enough rest, Ed. Now, don't start fussing again, Jean. Well, you know what the doctor said. All this worrying will only make you... Worrying happens to be a part of a grape deal. Besides, a fellow's got a right to get excited. Over his first harvest, we're picking in three weeks. But you're losing weight. Oh, golly. Eddie, grapes aren't everything. Not if you're going to keep losing your health and everything. Oh, so that's what's worrying you, huh? Yes. Well, look, Jeannie, I'm trying to figure this thing out. Maybe 15, 20 years from now, we'll want to take it easy. We want a better house than this. And the kids, they've got to get an education. College. Every kid we have goes to college. Yes, sir. And then maybe some day you and me we'll take a trip, Jeannie, all the way to Holland, maybe. You always said you'd like to see kids in wooden shoes. It's so nice to hear you talk like that. Okay, that's the picture. Now, do you know what's painting that picture? What? Grapes. You see those grapes out there? Uh-huh. I put four years into them. Every cent we own is in those grapes. And right now, right this minute, I figure we've got over 230 tons on those vines. Now, if anything goes wrong with those grapes, Jeannie, it's going to put an awful big dent in things. Nothing's going to go wrong with those grapes, Eddie. A lot of things could go wrong with them. The trouble with you, Eddie, is you haven't got enough faith in God. Oh, now, don't go into that again. Maybe if you got down on your knees once in a while... Now, listen, Jeannie, you do the praying and let me look after the grapes, will you? Well, that's the way it is with some people. Their heads are forever spinning plans and projects. You'd think Edward might have a little more confidence in me. You'd think he'd stop worrying for the space of a quiet sleep. Let me look after the grapes. For I do have a way with grapes, with vines and branches. Understand me, I'm not against plans and projects. I find no fault with the sweat on a man's brow. For labor is a magnificent and courageous thing. I'm talking rather about something that is more courageous than labor. I'm talking about relaxation, about confidence, about trust and faith in me. I like the man who sleeps. I love the man who relaxes and who like a child rests easily in the arms of my providence. Not so with Edward. Edward is too full of plans, as if the plans of men were merely the plans of men. Listen to him. Sure, I'm ready to start, Campbell. My grapes can't wait. Where are those pickers you promised me? We're coming up the valley fast as we can, Ed. Don't blow your top, man. You got enough pickers for me? All you need. Only give me time. Well, how soon do you figure to make it? We'll be cutting your vines by the 17th. I'll guarantee that. Okay. Only make it fast. I like vineyards, vineyards in the fruit of the vine. I bear no grudges against vineyards, having regard for the littlest grape. But once in a while, by design, clouds will gather for reasons sufficient to the ultimate purpose of things. I gather a breeze at Burbank and scoop a cool breath off the high sierras. Northeasterly, my gales go playing with the canyon dust and the sea sands at San Diego. And quite suddenly, quite perceptibly, there's a mist in the Midlands, in the valley of the San Gabriel. And out around the mountains, and down from the mountains, down around the flatlands of San Fernando. Nor is it any surprise that there is mist also in the eyes of a woman in Fresno. It won't rain, Ed. Don't keep staring out that window. You heard what it said on the radio. But this is just mist, Ed. You know how it is with mist. They can come and go. It'll be dry tomorrow. The grapes will be dry, wait and see. It's only a little flurry of rain. Listen. God won't spoil everything by letting it rain now, Ed. I know he won't. Oh, God, don't let it rain. Oh, Eddie, don't let it hurt you. Three days. Three days to harvest and look at it. I know. You work for years, you prune, you cultivate, you put every red scent you own into grapes and what do you get? A washout. A man ain't supposed to cry. Yeah. Yeah, a man ain't supposed to cry. Believe me, I hold no crudges against vineyards. I like vineyards. But more than all the vineyards in the world, I like man. I love man. I know man well, yet never do I cease to wander at him. He's capable of so much of kindness, of charity and of sacrifice. And yet so often he is incapable of hope. All things you can ask of him at times save this. A little faith. A little confidence. It was so with you, Edward. It was so with you those nights. But Tony and Steve's got scooters, Mom. Yes, I know Eddie, but you don't want a scooter. I want a red one. Maybe on your next birthday you'll get one. But Tony and Steve's got scooters? No, no, baby stuff. You're a big man. You just pray to God and next year he'll send you a scooter. God, send me a scooter tomorrow like Steve's got. A red one? I don't want to wait till next year, God. Hurry up and send me a scooter. Did he hear me, Mom? Hello, Ed. Hi. Daddy, did God hear me? What are you talking about, Eddie? I asked God to send me a scooter. Did he hear me on account of my birthday tomorrow? I wouldn't know, Eddie. I wouldn't know too much about that kind of a scooter. It's a red one. Tired, Ed. Maybe God left it in the yard already. You've been giving him ideas about birthday presents? He's been asking for that scooter for over a year, Ed. You know that. Well, tell him to stop asking. Ed, you've changed so much lately. Yeah, sure. I know enough now not to go around asking God for scooters. Maybe I should ask him for a rebate on 26 acres of slip skins. Suffer's right. Okay. I saw Campbell today. Oh, did you? We're ready to pick in a week. My second harvest. It'll be a good one. Maybe I'm not counting any grapes until I get them off the vine. I'm only banking on red emperors, Jeannie. Not red scooters. What are you so jittery about, Ed? Heck, man, you're going to do all right. You got a nice crop out there. Yeah, I had a nice crop last year, too, Campbell. Well, forget last year. Well, looks at them, binds, Ed. I'm guaranteeing you'll be cutting 300 lugs a day. Okay. I'll be seeing you tomorrow, Campbell. Right. Oh, Ed. Hmm? What's between you and me? Yeah. You, uh, you're noticing your wife lately? Jeannie? Yeah. What? The kid looks plenty tired out. She's worrying about a lot of things. Oh, there's nothing wrong with Jeannie. You know how women are, Campbell. If you don't start praying at the drop of a hatch, you think God was going to come up and kick you in the pants. Well, that's Jeannie. She's a straight man. I don't know, Ed. If I were you... Now, listen, Campbell, I understand, Jeannie. Hmm? All I need is just one good harvest, and maybe we'll do a little celebration. That'll fix her up. Yeah. Yeah, I suppose. Well, there's still good harvest. Jeannie? Hey, Jeannie. Got a surprise for you and the kids. I wonder if she's lying down again. Oh, I knew I'd find you in here, lazy bones. Hey, Jeannie, I want to take you in the... What's the matter? Tired, Ed. You don't look good. You don't look good at all. Well, maybe I better get Doc Hanley for you, huh? Oh, wait a minute, honey. It's funny. Somehow I've always had a feeling I'd be lying here like this, talking like this, telling you sooner or later that... What are you talking about, honey? Ed, I'll be leaving you for a while. What? Oh, oh, no, no, look here, Jeannie. You just run down, that's all. Doc Hanley will fix you up in a jiffy. Come here, Ed. Sit down in the bin. Sure. Now look at me. Do I look scared? No. You don't look scared, but you look kind. All right, now. Now listen to me. The sheets are in the closet downstairs and the kid's laundry. You better send it out every week. What are you talking about, Jeannie? Hey, Ed, you better start praying for me. Jeannie, darling. Don't leave me alone, Eddie. Don't ever leave me alone. Don't worry, I won't. Just keep praying for me, and... Jeannie, darling. And, Eddie... Maybe we'll still take that trip someday, you and me. Oh, sure. We'll go first class, huh? Sure. All the way to Holland to see the tulips and the kids with the wooden shoes. What about it, Doc? As far as I know, and remember, I'm only one doctor. There's nothing much that can be done for Jeannie yet. Okay, I'll get her the best specialist in this country if I have to. You go right ahead. And by the way, you can go in and see her now. She's conscious again. Okay. Hello, Jeannie. Hello, Ed. Well, you're... You're looking pretty good, Jeannie. Your face... Oh, you're still beautiful, honey. The kids. How are the kids? Good. Listen, Jeannie, I was just talking to Doc Hanley. I know, Ed. It's all right. I'm going to get you the best specialist in the country, honey. Ed. What? I ask you to do something for me once. Remember. Okay, Jeannie. You asked me to pray. Hey, look, I'll get down on my knees right now. Do you really want me to start praying? Not that way, Ed. Now, look, honey, if I have to kidnap a half dozen of the best doctors, I'm going to do it. You're going to get better. You hear me, honey? Mm-hmm. You're going to get better. Yeah. You'll be out of here before you know it. Excuse me for barging in like this, doctors, but what did you find? We're doing everything possible. You'll just have to be patient. Yeah, that's what everybody says. Be patient. Why don't you go home and rest? Get a little sleep. Sleep? No, not now. I can't sleep now. I ask you to do something for me once. Remember. All right, Jeannie. I'll do it for you right here in this church. I'll do it for you. Are you listening, God? I don't know the words you're supposed to use, but it's from the bottom of my heart. I'm praying for Jeannie, my wife. I can't lose her, God. Not now. We've got kids, God. Three kids. We're trying to make a go of it with grapes. You've got to hear me, God. You've got to make Jeannie well. Please, God. I'm asking you from the bottom of my heart. I'm sorry to keep troubling you like this, doctor, but I had to come over. What's your chances now? Well, I'm sorry. I think you would better be prepared for the worst. You mean there's no chance of... She's getting weaker. I'm sorry for that. I see. I understand. Okay, doctor. What's the matter, Daddy? Nothing. Mom's sick, huh? Yeah. Well, Daddy, why don't you ask God to send Mommy home, huh? You want me to ask God for you? Huh, Daddy? Maybe God's got cotton in his ears, Eddie. Cotton? Yeah. You can't hear so good with cotton in your ears. He can hear me? Is that so? Yep. Well, once he didn't hear you, Eddie. When? Remember when you asked him for that scooter? Yeah, a red scooter. Well, God didn't hear your prayers then, Eddie. Yes, he did. God did hear my prayers. Come on over here. Come on, get up on my knee. Now, what did you say? I said God did hear my prayers. What did he say to you? God said, he said no. Sometimes God says no. Huh, Daddy? What's the matter, Daddy? What's the matter, huh? Hello. Is this the residence? Oh, yes, yes, doctor. What's the news? Well, we wanted to let you know that... Hello, doctor. Doctor? Operator, I've been cut off. Operator, will you please get me Mercy Hospital? The line's dead. Look, you stay in the garden with the kids, Eddie. I've got to go to Mom. I ask you to do something for me once. Remember? I tried, Genie, so help me, I tried. You can't die, Genie. Not alone, not up there in that room. You can't die on me, Genie. Sometimes God says no, huh, Daddy? All right, all right, God. You got me where you want me. Now listen to me. Please, you've got to listen. Sure I wanted, Genie. When you love somebody, you don't want to see them die. You want to have them, God. You want to have them close enough to put your arms around. Okay, maybe I did want it. Maybe I did want you to say yes, just like I wanted you to say yes to that first harvest. Sometimes God says no, huh, Daddy? All right, sometimes you say no, too. If that's the way it's going to be, all right. You're the boss. I'm admitting it, you're the boss. Only please listen to me. I don't want Genie to die all alone without me. You hear me, God? I can take it, I can take anything. Only don't let it be all alone for Genie. I'm asking you, God. Honest, God. I'm asking you. Genie! Hello, Eddie. Well, you're... You're not your... You're all right. What's the trouble, Ed? You're smiling at me, Genie. And you're looking at me, you're talking to me. I'm really feeling much better today. Come here and put your arms around me. And stop looking like a baby. Darling, maybe... Maybe God is saying yes. Maybe he's saying yes. Night to night is beautiful over California. For the first time in a long time, a tired man sleeps. Resting at last in the shadow of my handy sleep. I might have said no. I have said no to some of my loveliest children, my best beloved. But know this always, Edward. Sometimes when my refusals are necessary to a plan, you cannot understand. The little Eddie being wiser in his innocence seems to understand that storm upon your vineyard, that storm that drew your curse, was a blessing to a thousand other Edwards. In pasture lands, parched by the drows 600 miles to the north. So tragedy, the tragedy today is but the pruning and the preparation of a lovelier tomorrow. Yes, there are times I have said no. As many fathers have said no to their dearest, their best beloved children. But tonight, Edward, tonight I have said yes. Rest lightly on the tired eyes of the man. And concerning Eddie five years old, listen to him mixing his prayers tonight. The Lord's worthy. Our blessings is a fruit. And give us this day, daily bread. Never, never remain. Couldn't send me a scooter like Stevie Scott? I tell you, I've seen all the beauties of my creation. But there is nothing so beautiful as the small face of a child. The small lips of a child fumbling with a prayer, getting it mixed up, getting it tangled and sweetly muddled with sleep. Listen to him. And all the while the soft fingers of sleep are smoothing his eyelids, closing them easily. Red scooter. Oh God. All right, Eddie. It'll be a red scooter. I've willed, Eddie. A red scooter. Now sleep, Eddie. Sleep. This is Bill Bendix again. We of Family Theatre have been proud to present the story of a man and his newfound faith in God. Now that may sound strange coming from me. Like the hundreds of guests who have appeared on Family Theatre, I spend most of my time trying to make people laugh. Trying to make them take their minds off themselves. But that isn't enough to make them happy. Sooner or later, people have to stop laughing and start thinking. They have to put their minds on themselves. They have to reflect. Yes, reflect on how each of us is lost, unless we have faith and hope in a God to whom we can bring our troubles and pray for help. That's the reason for Family Theatre. Just a weekly reminder that all of us, and especially our families, need God and should pray to Him. If you've been neglecting prayer, why not start today with your family about you in the circle of your home? Find out for yourself that the family that prays together, stays together. More things are wrought by prayer than this world dreams of. Family Theatre has brought to you Barbara Hale, Richard Widmark and Rod O'Connor in God and a Red Scooter with William Bendix as your host. Others in our cast were Michael Chapin, Herb Blitton, Michael Hayes and Stan Waxman. The script was written by Timothy Mulvey with music composed and conducted by Harry Zimmerman and was directed for Family Theatre by J. F. Mansfield. This series of Family Theatre broadcasts is made possible by the thousands of you who felt the need for this type of program by the mutual network which has responded to this need and by the hundreds of stars of stage, screen and radio so unselfishly given of their time and talent to appear on our Family Theatre stage. To them and to you, our humble thanks. This is Tony LaFranco expressing the wish of Family Theatre that the blessing of God may be upon you and your home. And inviting you to be with us next week at this time when Family Theatre will present Claudette Colbert and Robert Ryan in The Lady with the Land. Join us, won't you?