 Family Theatre presents Ray Bolger and Pat Crowley. From Hollywood, the mutual network and cooperation with Family Theatre presents Midnight, starring Pat Crowley. And now here is your host, Ray Bolger. Thank you, Tony Lafranco. Family Theatre's only purpose is to bring to everyone's attention a practice that must become an important part of our lives. If we are to win peace for ourselves, peace for our families, and peace for the world. Family Theatre urges you to pray. Pray together as a family. Now to our transcribed drama Midnight, starring Pat Crowley as Miriam. Operator. Raymond Kendall at the Betts Memorial Hospital for the last five minutes and they say the line is still busy. I'll try the number again for you, ma'am. No, no, it's not the regular hospital switchboard. It's his private phone there. Well, what is the number, please? Madison 53210. And hurry, it's very important. I've got a splitting headache. Just one moment, please. Well, I've drawn another. Sweet-tempered customer. No one else in the world has problems. Ain't it the way? Operator. Yes, sir. No, sir, we have no way of checking on whether your party is there or not, or she doesn't answer. No, sir, not at all. Really? You two? What do they think this is, an intelligent system? I'll never know. Peachy. One dissatisfied customer coming up. Operator. Put me through to Dr. Kendall. Well, I'm sorry, ma'am. The line is still busy. Yes, ma'am. Well, I don't know, ma'am. The line is busy. Well, then who is using it? I couldn't say, ma'am. Put me through immediately. Well, I'm sorry. I can't do that. I'm Mrs. Thomas F. Cromwell, and I donated the money that paid for that hospital. I'm sorry, Mrs. Cromwell. The line is busy. Well, then cut in on the line. Well, we can't do that unless you're willing to explain the nature of the emergency. What? Otherwise we can't take the responsibility. Well, I'm all a nerve. I'm sorry, ma'am, but... You talk about responsibility, and you can't get a simple phone call through. And then you have the rudeness to insist that I give you a full account of my illness before I can talk to my personal physician. Mrs. Cromwell. Young lady, I intend to take this up with you, superiors. Shall I put you through to the supervisor? Don't be rude. I simply ask. Keep trying, Dr. Kendall's number. Yes, ma'am. And call me as soon as you get it. Randolph 42186. Yes, ma'am. Yes, ma'am. Yes, ma'am. And if I could get my fingers on your throat, you'd really need a doctor. You're a tough one, honey. Why? Will you please tell me why I can never think of some crushing answer to give these ill manners? I know. I know. I know. I sit up nights thinking what I should have said. But it's never there when I'm under the gun. I pray. You know, Stella, I actually pray to be able to deliver the perfect squelch sometime. But no answer, huh? Nothing. Well, maybe there's a reason. What reason could there be? Why should we soak up all this misery? Gives people a chance to let off steam. And what good is that to me? Well, I try to tell myself that I can't do it. Tell yourself that it's not personal. Wait a minute. Any luck? Nope, still busy. Is anything wrong, dear? Oh, I just behaved very badly on the phone. Uh-huh. To Dr. Kendall. Oh, no, no, Tom. His line is still busy. To the operator. Well, how's your headache? Any better? Oh, little. He's going to call back in a few minutes. Oh, good. Then he'll come by and he'll give you something right away. Hmm. I wish I could apologize for the way I spoke to that girl. It's not her headache. You know, I did the same thing this afternoon, but I did it long distance. And Nielsen and Cleveland, barked at the operator. Well, it wouldn't be so bad if there was some way you could undo that kind of rudeness. I saved my conscience and let the office out 15 minutes early. I wish I had that easier way out. Oh, I'll take that, dear. Hello? Randall 42186. Yes. Just a moment. I have your party. Is that the operator, Tom? Yes. Let me have it. All right. Miss, I'd like to apologize. Operator? Is that you, Mrs. Cromwell? Oh, Dr. Kendall. Yes, I was down in the clinic on an emergency. Well, I've been having another of my headaches, Doctor. I got back to you as soon as I could. I was wondering if you could come by. Right away? Well, are you needed there at the hospital just now? Well, the case I'm handling is rather serious, Mrs. Cromwell, but if you feel you can't wait, I guess one of my assistants could... Oh, no, no. No, that's all right, Doctor. You'll come by when you're... when you're finished. It's not your headache. Dr. Kendall. Oh, yes, Miss Lawrence. Is my mother going to be all right? Sure. Sure, Miss Lawrence. She'll be fine. Why are you smiling? Well, it's... it's something you wouldn't understand. Is it about mother? No. No, it's about another woman, a rather selfish woman who just did something that... well, it isn't like her at all. Then you'll be able to stay here with mother tonight. I'll be around for another hour or so. She's out of danger. Dr. Kendall, do... do you think it would be selfish of me to... No, Miss Lawrence, you go right ahead. Your mother's going to be fine. I know, but... Your older brother, Wired, he'd be in town by tomorrow. He can handle things. Even so, I feel guilty. Oh, now look. Your mother knows that you plan to fly west to marry this boy. Of course. Then I'm sure she'd want you to be there when he gets off the boat tomorrow. Oh, I know she would, but... Your plane doesn't leave for another hour. No, but... I canceled the reservation earlier this evening. Well, maybe you can get it back. Go ahead. Call the airport. Operator. Thank pardon, ma'am. You've got a party line and a certain neighbor's always listening in on your calls and then gossiping about them. Well, how can you be sure she's the one? Oh, I see. You listening on her calls. Uh, yes, ma'am. I'll make a report of it. No, not at all. Hear that one? Hmm, I heard that one. Still think there's a reason, huh? Hmm, everything has a reason. I tell myself... Mm-hmm. Somewhere out in the measureless void it all ties together and makes sense. The great riddle of the universe. Who put the overalls in Mrs. Murphy's chowder? And here comes the answer. Operator. Operator, I'm trying to get through to the reservation desk out at the airport. What number are you calling, please? Triangle four, three, one, eight, two. The line's busy and I've just got to get on the midnight plane. I'm meeting my fiance in San Francisco tomorrow and we're going to be married. I'll ring the number for you. Hold on, please. Now, here's a girl with real trouble. Hmm. She's all burdened down with some handsome lad waiting to marry her in San Francisco. Oh, isn't that sad? Well, I was in tears. And now at 11.15 she thinks maybe it'd be nice if she could get a seat on the midnight plane. Well, I hate to see people rushing to marriage. If I had a guy waiting for me in San Francisco I'd settle for a seat on one of the wings. Get out of the line's reservation desk. I have a call for you just a moment, please. What? Here's your party. Hold on just a moment, please. Your party seems to have been disconnected. Look, operator, I'm the only one in this desk out here. I'm half crazy with all the people. It seemed like an important call, sir. Shall I try to get them back? Who was it? It was a young lady. What was her name? I don't know, but it was about a reservation on the midnight plane. A reservation? Yes, sir. She said... Look, sister, everybody in town wants a reservation on that plane. I'm sorry, sir, but... Call up and stick me on the phone if someone's screaming all over the place and nobody on the wire. Well, your party was disconnected, sir. You don't know the name of the person or the phone number or nothing? I'm sorry, sir. She didn't give me that information. And you wouldn't know what to do with it if she hadn't. Now get off the line. People. How easy, easy, easy. For this there's a reason. It's not personal. It's not personal. It's not personal. It's not personal. Hold the thought. When one human being treats another like a doormat it's very personal. Honey, on the street they wouldn't even know you. But I'd know them and I'd chop them down with an axe. Easy. Night after night I sit here and soak up the grief. You're not alone, doll. All right, but who gets the gravy? Where's the justice? It comes back. It's gotta come back. When? How, honey? I'm just one of the pebbles on the beach. All I know is the tide comes in, the tide goes out. So what? So eventually most of us pebbles wind up about the same size. Seneca Airlines Reservation Desk. Yes, sir? You want to cancel your reservation on the midnight? Well... Well, let me see. No, sir. No, not until tomorrow morning at 6.45. Yes, sir. That'll be the soonest. What was that? Well... All right, I'll put you down for that one, sir. Yes, sir. Thank you. Bye. Oh, hi, Jim. How's the taxi cab business? Oh, not bad. You look kind of gloomy. I'm getting to be a bigger clown every day. Well, most of the people I know think you got a lot of guts. No, I don't mean that, Jim. I just chewed out some kid on the phone one of the operators. Well, you get mad, you get mad. She was just trying to do somebody a favor. You know, here I got a cancellation. Yeah, look, Eddie. Can you get away from the desk for a few minutes? Well, not for long. What's doing? Well, I got a customer in my cab out alongside the terminal. He wants to talk to you. Who is it? Well, he didn't give me his name. He says it's important. Well, we can't figure out who that could be. Wait a second. I can probably get away for a minute or so, but I want to try getting that operator back. With this cancellation, maybe I could help her out. Look, Eddie, this guy sounded kind of urgent. What's he look like? Tall, gray hair, rich-looking guy. Mm, gray hair. Uh, little mustache? Yeah. Yeah. Okay. Hey, Charlie, I got to leave the desk for a minute. Hold things down, will you? What do you think? I got five arms? It'll just be for a minute. Sure, a minute. I'll see you at St. Patrick's Day. Oh, boy, a chronic bellyache. Come on, Jim. He's right outside here, Eddie. Hmm, looks like it's starting to rain. Yeah. All right, let's see him in the back seat. Recognizing? Yeah. Yeah, I recognize him. There he is, mister. Well, hello, Eddie. Come on, get him out of the wet. Make yourself comfortable. Well, how you... Driver, you can wait in the terminal. Leave your meter running. Yes, sir. How you doing, Eddie? Not bad. You like it being an airline clerk? It beats serving time. Well, I wouldn't know about serving time, Eddie. You're telling me. Yeah. That's pretty good. That's a pretty good joke. I don't mind a joke now, then, Eddie. Even a joke on me. What do you want? I want to get in that midnight plane tonight for the coast. It's important. You want a jam? Never mind what I'm in. You give me a seat in that plane. It's all filled up. Well, so I'll bump someone. I'm not asking any favors. Here. 500 bucks. I'm sorry. It's all filled up. Eddie, don't make me get tough about this. You're on parole. I'm clean. You can't make no trouble for me. 500 bucks. Get lost. I ain't fooling. Neither am I. I'll see you around. Eddie, stay put. No kidding. You'd better be careful with that thing. You're getting me on that plane, Eddie. And the spot I'm in, one more guy ain't gonna matter. You well-tailored skunk. Eddie, I mean it. Give me that tail. Give it to me. Eddie, I told you, one more guy don't matter to me. Eddie, what happened? Did you get the shot? What shot? I was watching from the terminal. I saw you start to tussle with this guy. Pulled a gun on me. Holy cats. Hey, he's still breathing. We better get a doctor. Yeah. And this'll be bad for you, won't it? Yeah, I used to work for him. That's how I got sent up. Well, you get back to the desk. What? He's my fare. You get to your job. You don't know nothing about this. But go on. I'll call a doctor. Yes, ma'am. That's right. 12 minutes over time. Deposit 40 cents, please. Ma'am, I can't change a dollar for you over the phone. Well, are you calling from a public place? Yes, ma'am. A drug store is a public place. Maybe the cashier can give you change. Yes, I'll hold on. Oh, brother. Two more minutes, honey. And then it's a hamburger and the hay. Hey, look. It's raining out. Of course it is. I have to walk home, don't I? Operator. Operator. Can you get me a hospital? Any hospital? It's on the airport. A man's been shot out here and he's got... Have you reported it to the police? I'll do that right away. But the man needs a doctor. It's urgent. Can you do that for him? I guess so. Yes, of course. Thanks. I'll hang up and call the police. Stella, what's a hospital? A hospital? A hospital is a big building with lots of beds in it. I mean the phone number. Give me the number of a hospital. Bet's Memorial. What's the trouble? Oh, yes. I've got that from the night. What's the high excitement? A man at the airport's been shot. Oh, here it is. No kidding. Medicine 532. Who was it? I don't know. Just a minute. Wait a minute. Yes, ma'am. Deposit 40 cents. The cashier is what? The cashier has gone home. Well, how about the manager? Everyone has gone home for the night. You're locked in the drugstore. Yes, ma'am. Yes, I'll call the police. The call of Maple and 16th. Yes, right away. Bet's Memorial, Dr. Kendall. This is Central calling. There's been a shooting out at the airport. I'll send someone out there right away. Where to again? The airport. It's being reported to the police, but they need a doctor immediately. I'm on my way. Oh. Who got shot? I still don't know. Oh, the cops are going to be busy tonight. Hmm? What is the hour? 30 seconds to 12th. Just time enough to rescue the fair damsel from the clutches of the pharmacist. What? I'll explain it with a hemp. Oh, my gosh. Stella, what's wrong? Maybe I shouldn't spring her after all. She still owes me 40 cents. Hey, Mr. Lawrence. You better get aboard. The flight's already been delayed 20 minutes. I'll never be able to thank you for this. No, don't thank me. There was a cancellation. I'm being married tomorrow in San Francisco. All the luck in the world. I think I've already had most of it. Goodbye. Bye. Hey, Eddie. Yeah, Jim. This is the doc who came out to take care of that fella. I told you I had my cab? Oh, yeah. How do you do? How do you do? Could I use your phone, please? Sure. All the booths seem to be taken. Help yourself, doc. Thanks. Well, what happened out there, Jim? A fella I brought here to the airport shot himself. Shot himself? Yeah. Isn't that right, doc? Oh, the wound was self-inflicted, fired point blank. His own gun. I was telling the doc... Just a moment, please. Hello, Mrs. Cromwell. I'm sorry to have been delayed. I got held up at the hospital, and then there was another emergency I had to take. Yes, sir. Well, hold on, please. Is your cab back in business? You bet it is. Where are you going? Laramie in Western. Soon as you're ready. Fine. Mrs. Cromwell, I'll be over in 15 minutes. Yes. Goodbye. Well, I'll see you, Eddie. Sure, Jim, and thanks for trying. For trying? Yeah. Now, doc, there's something I want to tell you about that fella that you say shot himself. And he... What about him? He's a suicide if I ever saw one. Suicide? You mean he's dead? Died five minutes ago. I'm sorry. He was a heart wound. You have to get to those awfully quickly. Sometimes even then nothing can be done. Yeah. Well, good night. Thanks for the use of the phone. Anytime, doc. Anytime at all. Rain. Cheer up. Rain and a cold hamburger. The story of my life. Drink your coffee, and I'll let you walk me to the streetcar. A typical night. Not even one of my bad ones, just typical. Oh, look for the silver lining. I'll hitch in the head. Drink your coffee. You know, I talked on the phone tonight with a girl who's going to San Francisco for a husband. So I think you mentioned. Where am I going? Don't tell me. Um... Of course, and Arlington streets. To your vine-covered Murphy bed at the boarding house. Where do you think I'm going? All us pebbles wind up the same size, huh? It's just a series. Well, it needs a lot of work. Ah, you're just down tonight, honey. Also, I talked to a vile, tempered man at the airport. Maybe he was the one who got shot. Oh, I never have that kind of look. Oh, now that is an uncharitable remark. Plus. Plus. Who I talked to. Plus, a dandy doll with a splitting headache. Oh, I got a better roster than that. Can you still say there's a reason? I say there's a reason we ought to get out of here. It's almost a quarter to one, and I'm sleepy. No spirit. I'll walk you to the streetcar. Hmm, really coming down, huh? I like it. It feels fresh and clean. So like it. My feet are getting wet. This ties up. What? The rain. It hits the ground. The grass gets green. All ties up. You should have been a college professor. Hey, there's your streetcar. That's an automobile. No, no, no. Behind it. Half a block away. Come on. You'll have to run. I'm sorry. I can't make about a time, Doc. Oh, that's all right. This rain is so heavy you can't see a thing. There's no real hurry. Well, didn't you tell me you had a call to make before you go home? Yeah. There's no rush. Just a spoiled woman with a headache. Well, even so, won't your wife be waking up for you out this late? Maybe she would if I had one. No kidding. I thought all doctors got married. So did I. One of the reasons I studied medicine. Ah, go on. You guys have to pick at a field. Yeah, but you should see the field. Well, the way I look at it. Say, what's up ahead? Hmm? Streetcar. What's the crowd doing around it? Beats me. Looks like there's been an accident. Yeah, look. There's a car turned around against the curb. Swing around in front of it and stop. I think somebody's been hurt. Move me through, please. Let me through. Hey, it's a girl. All right, what happened? But we, well, I was running to crash my streetcar, and Miriam, she was running with me, and she slipped in the automobile, hit her. Let me take a look. Will you please turn back? She's not bad. All right, come on. Give the doc a little air. You know, Doctor, we didn't even see it. It came around the streetcar on the right. It is. And she'd been feeling so rotten all day, and on top of it, it started to rain, and her hamburger was cold. Tell me, has anybody moved her? No, I just covered her with my coat. All right, now just a moment. Hmm. Well, there don't seem to be any bones broken. I think maybe if... It ties in. Miriam. Now, don't excite her. She's coming out of it. It all has a reason. Honey, honey, you're all right. You just slipped and you fell in front of the car. Yeah, I saw the headband. There's a doctor right here, honey, and he's going to take care of you. How do you feel, Miss? Hello, Doctor. Tell me, do you have any pain? Just in San Francisco. What? It's all right, honey. You're okay. Just like quiet. Don't talk. What does she mean? She had a phone call. It doesn't mean anything, Doctor. I want to get up. No, honey, no. You'll be up in a few days, Miss. You just hold on now. We're going to take you to the hospital. Stella? Yeah, honey. Is he a real doctor? Of course he is. Well, he's looking at me kind of funny. Not like a doctor. Well, maybe he likes the way you look. You... You ought to rest, Miss. Not that a do it, wouldn't it, Stella? What's that, honey? If it all tied up like this... Then I wound up with a doctor. Yeah. That'd be a dog. Then I'd get some of the gravy instead of the grief. Uh, Saint Doc. Oh, yeah. I know you got that other call to make. No, I can't leave this case now. Do me a favor, will you? Sure. Call this number. It's Mrs. Cromwell. She's a patient of mine. You're going to stick around, Doctor? Sure. Like your friend says, I'm going to take care of you. Well, what should I tell Mrs. Cromwell, Doc? I understand she has a headache. Yeah? Tell her to take an aspirin. This is Ray Boulder again. You know, I couldn't help thinking, listening to tonight's story, about that point that one of the characters kept making over and over again. Namely, it all ties up. And it seems curious to me, that true as that is, we're invariably astonished whenever apparently unrelated events seem to fall together neatly. In fact, we're so astonished, we've coined a word to describe such a situation. We call it a coincidence. And strangely enough, although we know that coincidences do occur in life, now and then, we tell ourselves that despite this, they are most un-life-like. Well, a friend of mine has a pet theory about coincidences, and I'm beginning to think he's got something. He says that when Almighty God created the universe, he realized that man could never be able in a thousand lifetimes to comprehend the intricate order and interconnection of everything around him. Some men would get a glimpse of it, philosophers, scientists, saints. But most of us would simply find the subject too big to handle, and perhaps out of laziness, let it go. Well, now, according to this friend of mine, it's a matter of great importance to all of us that we don't let it go, that we develop within us at least a sense, if not a complete understanding, of the fact that the universe is a reflection of God's infinite wisdom, and that there's nothing at all haphazard about the way it functions. For sole reasons, my friend, every so often God permits a coincidence, a sort of sign or symbol that he allows to pop to the surface, just to show us that although it may not always be evident to our naked mortal eyes, as the girl in tonight's story kept insisting, eventually everything ties up. And by the way, there's something else that ties up, although it could hardly be called a coincidence, but the family that prays together stays together. More things are wrought by prayer than this world dreams of. From Hollywood Family Theater has brought you transcribed Midnight, starring Pat Crowley. Ray Bolger was your host. Others in our cast were Paula Victor, Irene Tendro, Julie Bennett, Jack Krushen, Lauren Stubbkin, Herb Vigran, and Vic Perron. The script was written and directed for Family Theater by John T. Kelly, with music composed and conducted by Henry Mancini. This series of Family Theater broadcasts is made possible by the thousands of you who feel 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 who give so unselfishly their time and talent to appear on our Family Theater stage. To them and to you, our humble thanks. This is Tony Lofrano expressing the wish of Family Theater that the blessing of God may be upon you and your home and inviting you to be with us next week when Family Theater will present Torkelson's Flying Circus, starring Walter Brennan. Don McNeil will be your host. Join us, won't you? Family Theater is broadcast throughout the world and originates in the Hollywood studios of the world's largest network. This is Mutual, the radio network for all America.