 Family Theater presents Pat O'Brien and Bobby Driscoll. From Hollywood, the Mutual Network in Cooperation with Family Theater presents the Penalties starring Bobby Driscoll. And now, here is your host, Pat O'Brien. Thank you, Tony LaFranco. Family Theater's only purpose is to bring to everyone's attention a practice that must become an important part of our lives. If we were 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. Now to our transcribed drama, The Penalty, starring Bobby Driscoll as Fred. Fred? Yeah? It's exciting, isn't it? The scholarship. You and me competing against each other. Yeah. Fred? Listen, Sue, this is a study hall and I'm trying to study. Oh, are you worried about the exam? Of course not. I am. That's the first pitfall. Not being sure of yourself. I'm always worried before every exam and this one won't... Weren't you a bit weak in geometry? I don't see why that should make any difference. Oh, there's probably a big section on geometry. I'm going to do my best. Might not be good enough. And I suppose you know everything about everything. Well, I try to. You know, if you didn't have the highest average in class, I think you were a snob. I'm just a crazy mixed up kid. Do you know that? Well, what would you do if you didn't win? I'm going to win. How can you be sure? Maybe I will. Did you ever think of that? I suppose you never had a selfish motive in your life. Of course I have. But what if you didn't win? There isn't the slightest bit of doubt in my mind. What do you think of that? I wish I could say the same. It's all a matter of confidence. You make up your mind to win and then you do it. Hello there, Sue. Fred. Miss Carson. I'm glad you're together. I want to talk to you about the exam tomorrow. Well, how are you getting along? Cramming. Miss Carson, why does it have to be a proctored exam? We're used to the honor system. Well, if it'll make you feel any easier about it, I'll sit so quietly in the back of the room you'll be able to hear a pin drop. That might be the straw that breaks the camel's back. Well, you catch up on your Wheaties and study and sleep. You'll be all right. This is where I leave you, off to geometry, the bane of my life. Don't let it get you down. Bye. Bye, Miss Carson. Bye. See you later, Fred. Well, what do you know? First as usual, that's what comes of teaching a late afternoon class. I've never cut your class. Not once, have I, Miss Carson? No. What are my chances for winning the scholarship? Good. In fact, excellent. Sue's not exactly a slouch. Well, it wouldn't be any challenge if her chances were poor. If I don't win, I can't go to college. Then it depends on you, doesn't it? Sue thinks I'm so sure of myself. I'm not. And I hate it. Sometimes I try to push it out of my mind and tell myself it doesn't matter if I go to college. But it does. It matters a lot. Well, if you don't win, Fred, it... I'll tell you something. I've never told this to anyone else. Sometimes I dream I'll fail that Sue got the scholarship instead of me. Fred, there are worse things than not winning a scholarship. Maybe. All I know is that I've got to win. Dad, I'm home. Fred, I've got you. You look tired. I'm all right. You all set for the exam to where? About as set as I'll ever be. I've got plans for you, son. Big plans. You're going to do the things I always dreamed of doing. You'll be an architect and make a lot of money. I'd rather be a doctor. We can deal with that when we get to it. Your first job is to win the scholarship. Dad... You can't stand still, Fred. Life's pushing forward, getting ahead. If Mom were alive, she'd tell you the same thing. I know, Dad. I'm just thinking about your future. Miss Carson says you can win. You told me so. I wish I was as sure as you are. Fred, I want to be proud of you, but it's results that count, not excuses. Ever since I can remember, you told me that. You tell me what I should want, what I should hope for. It's because I want to see you make more out of your life than I've made of mine. That's the only reason, Fred. I don't want you to push up pencil for eight hours a day filling out invoices. You can do better than that. Sure, I understand. That's a boy. I guess sometimes I don't know what's important and what isn't. You can count on me, Dad. I'll win for you. Well, the great day is here. I have a big black circle around the date on my calendar. Sounds ominous. Did you bone up on that geometry, Sue? I know everything about a Saucely's triangle. Like what? They all got three sides? All right. Now, if we'll just settle down, I'd like to explain the examination to you. There are four major sections. English, History, Mathematics and Science. There's a paragraph of instruction preceding every section. You'll be allowed an hour and a half for each subject with a break at noon for lunch. And during that time, the examination is not to be discussed. Now, if you have any questions, I'll be sitting in the back of the room. Good luck, both of you. Thank you, Miss Carson. Thanks. I guess I'll need it. It's results that count, not excuses. It's results that count, not excuses. It's results that count, not excuses. Miss Carson? Yes? May I be excused for a minute? Why, yes. What's wrong with him? Are you ill? No, I'm okay. You frightened me. I'm sorry. I couldn't seem to decide something. I'm all right now. Decisions are strange things, Fred. You can't avoid them. And you have to live with them a long time. I know. Am I glad we're through with that. Let's not talk about it. The geometry wasn't half as bad as I thought it would be. How's your soda? Good. Fred? If you like someone a lot, and that person did something dishonest, and you were the only one who knew about it, what would you do? How should I know? Well, let's say, for example, that you saw me do something dishonest. What would you do? I don't know. I guess it would depend on how serious it was. I think cheating is pretty serious, don't you? What kind of cheating? In an examination. You were cheating, Fred. I wouldn't call it that. No. What would you call it? I'd call it jealousy, Sue. I'd say you're just afraid I'm going to win. It'd be your word against mine. Fred, think it over. There's nothing to think over. You cheated in the history section. It happened after you and Miss Carson came back into the room. I don't know what you're talking about. I'm talking about cheating. You're not used to it. Look, Sue, I've got to go to work. Will you do something for me first? Like what? Will you go and tell Miss Carson what happened? Nothing happens, Sue. Nothing at all. Get that through your head. All right. I'll see you later. I told all the men at the office about you taking the exam today. Why'd you do a thing like that? Why shouldn't I? I don't know. What's wrong, son? I'm going to win the scholarship. That's what's wrong. What do you mean? Sue deserves a better break. She's honest. She wouldn't let anybody tell her to do something that wasn't. Well, when have I ever told you to? Never, I suppose. Why, if I thought you didn't have it in you to win that scholarship... I know. No, you don't. If I thought Sue received a higher grade than you, honestly and fairly, why then she deserved to have it. But you've won so many awards before... What if I failed? Just once. But you didn't. You said so yourself. But I can't be sure. You better not count on it. Not just yet. You want to see me, Miss Carson? Yes. Hello, Sue. Fred. Fred. Sue has brought something to my attention. And I know you can help us. Anything you say. Sue, will you tell Fred what you told me? I don't know how to begin. I used to think you could do anything, Fred, and it would be all right with me. You had notes during the exam. I'm sorry I had to see them. That's a lie. Why would Sue come to me with a story like this if it was a lie? Maybe you better ask her. I'm sorry, Fred. Believe me. Sure you're sorry. Fred. You're sorry because you're not going to win that scholarship. Well, it's not a matter of winning or losing, Fred. That can be decided easily enough. How? Well, if it comes to it, we can have an oral exam on the history section. Naturally, I hope we can arrive at some conclusion by another means. I'm willing. One exam is enough. I've been studying for weeks. It's time for results, not excuses. I'll decide that. But in the meantime, I'm going to have to speak to your father, Fred. What about? This situation. Unless there's something you'd like to tell me, Fred? I don't have anything more to say. Mr. Vanaday? Yeah? I'm one of Fred's teachers at school, Miss Carson. Come in. Come in. Please sit down. Thank you. Is Fred at home? He's working at the supermarket. He's one of my best students. I thought if I came to see you, I'd learn a little more about him. Maybe understand why this scholarship means so much to him. I can't afford to send him to college, and he knows that. He's determined to go. All my life, I've wanted him to have things better than I did. I want him to be an architect. That's what I was going to be before I got married and left school. You're very ambitious for him. He can be big. He's got what it takes. Did Fred tell you I was going to speak to you? No. Should he have said something? Well, I just wondered. Have you come to tell me that Fred won the scholarship? Not exactly. What do you mean? Well, as a matter of fact, I'm here because a problem has come up that involves Fred and the scholarship. He lost? Fred has been accused of cheating by Susan Drake. She took the exam with him. Fred, Fred wouldn't cheat. He's never cheated on anything. I know. There wouldn't be any point to it. Well, it's a matter of her word against his, Mr. Vanaday. Although I was in the room, I didn't see it happen. But then I remember once Fred said he'd do anything to win. Do you think he cheated? I don't know. He says he didn't. What do you want me to do? Find out if he's lying. Fred. Coming. Sit down, son. I want to talk to you. Is anything wrong? I don't know yet. Well? Why did you tell me you won the scholarship? How do you know? I don't know. I just have a feeling about it. That's all. Is it just a feeling, Fred? What do you mean? One of your teachers, Miss Carson, stopped by this afternoon after school while you were at work. Oh? What did she tell you? Why don't you tell me? In your own words. You know why she came to see me. Well, that crazy thing Sue said about me? What crazy thing? She told Miss Carson that I had notes during the exam. I just want a simple answer. Yes or no? No. I believe you, Fred. You wouldn't be my son if you cheated. I know it. It would break my heart if I thought you had it. Just the way it would break your heart if I didn't win the scholarship. Oh, son. I'm just human. I can't do everything right. Where are you going? I don't know. Can I come in? Well, sure. I phoned your home. Your mother told me you were babysitting for the Latins. Come on in. I guess you're still angry with me, aren't you? I guess so. I'd like to say I'm sorry. Don't bother. You're only making it harder, Fred. How would you know? Maybe it's my imagination. But you're not as sure as yourself as you were before the exam. Sure imagination. Yes. And now, thanks to you, my father's been dragged into this. Ms. Carson went to see him. Did you tell him the truth? I told him what he wanted to hear. Fred. I wish it could have happened some other way. Sue, I want you to take back what you told Ms. Carson. Take it back. I want you to tell her you made a mistake. My father's got his whole life tied up in this. What about your life, Fred? I'm thinking of that. And what do you think would happen if I told Ms. Carson I made a mistake? I don't know. I can't explain failing to my father or lying to Ms. Carson or cheating to you. I can't explain any one of them. Two days ago I was supposed to go in and take a test and win. I was scared. Scared I'd get it and know I'd cheat it. Scared I wouldn't get it and wouldn't ever have another chance. Fred, do you really think it would make things any better if I started to lie too? I guess not. I just don't know what to do. He ain't serving dinner no more. Cook's gone home. Oh, that's okay. I'll just have a cup of coffee, please. You want cream and sugar? Yeah. You, um, one of the new guys they took on at the freight yard? No, I'm just out for a walk. Oh. You live here in town, huh? Yeah, over on the north end. You sure picked a funny place to be walking this time of night? Maybe. Say, how about a piece of pie? No thanks. On the house? No, it's not that. I could pay for it if I wanted one. You're thinking about hopping one of those rattlers, huh? Rattlers? Freight train. Kansas City, Omaha. No. Don't kid me, Sonny. I've seen the look. I've been seeing it for 20 years. The cops after you? No, it's nothing like that. Trouble with your girlfriend, maybe. Not the way you think. Now what do you know about the way I think? Oh, I just meant that. Sonny, let me tell you something. You got clean hands and a crease in your trousers. You think you can run away from that? What do you mean? I don't know what your problem is. But like I said, I've been watching them 20 years. Kids with fuzz on their face. Gray beards pushing 60. Sometimes it's cops they're running from. Sometimes it's a mistake they made. It's all the same thing. And they never get away from nothing. Well, if you go to another part of the country... So? You go to another part of the country. You ride the rods for weeks and you freeze and you sweat. And who's there to meet you when you climb off the train? I don't know who. You? That's who. Same guy? Same problem. You brought it all the way across the country. You haven't solved it. You just moved it. What's wrong with moving it? You think all of a sudden being in another place is going to make you like getting dirt under your nails and wearing baggy pants? No. Look, kid, take my advice. Whatever it is, you face it right here. Yeah, that's easy to say. Why take a world tour to find yourself when you can do it just by looking in a mirror? What kind of pie you got? Apple. Very best. They bring the apples in from Washington. You see? That's what I mean. White travel. I'll have a piece. Okay. Where'd you go for it? I was worried about you. Just for a walk. I stopped at the Leighton's to talk to Sue. Why do you think she'd start a story like that? It's not a story, Dad. What? I didn't think I could win the scholarship. But you were so set on it that... Then... then you did cheat. You had such plans for me. I wanted to live up to them. Yes, I've always had big plans, but... I'm sorry I didn't win. I wondered how she could start a story about you. If it wasn't true, I thought maybe she was jealous. No. While you were gone, I did a little thinking. I guess I've pushed you into a lot of things you didn't want. I tried to make you want what I've always wanted. Being an architect. Winning scholarships. It's no good. You've got to make your own way and pay for your own mistakes. Miss Carson? Yes? Do you have a minute? Certainly, Fred. Dad told me you'd been to see him. I'm sure he's very proud of you. No. Not anymore. Not like he used to be. Why did you come to see me, friend? I lied to you. What did your father say when you told him? I lied to him, too. I see. All my life, he's been telling me to be somebody. I was nobody. I thought if I won, people would say, that's Fred Vanity. He's going to make his mark in the world. He's going places. There isn't any reason why you still can't. What do you want to do, friend? I want to go to college. Did you know the results of the exam have been issued? When? The notice was placed on the bulletin board this morning. I don't suppose there's any point in asking who won. You did, Fred. I did? Your score was much higher than Sue's section, including the history. Now, you see, you didn't really need those notes. But I'm not going to get it. Do you think you should? No. You know, it's funny. I had the feeling from the beginning I wouldn't win. But Sue would get it. My bad dream just came true. What puzzles me, Fred, is when you decided. Was it when you left the room? No, I couldn't fall asleep the night before. I kept thinking of my father and then I couldn't fail him. I thought if I could get away with it, no one would be the wiser. I didn't count on being caught. I didn't count on my conscience. Have you decided, Fred? Was it worth it? Well, I know something now I didn't know before. When you cheat, you don't cheat anyone but yourself. So long, Miss Carson. Waiting for you. Thanks. Fred? I think you took a lot of courage for you to tell Miss Carson. Not too much. Come on, I'll buy you a soda to celebrate your victory. What about yours? Yeah. Yeah, I guess that's kind of a victory too. This is Pat O'Brien again. Not long ago, I met a man who didn't believe in praying for himself. Oh, he believed in praying for other people. Well, he just didn't think it was right to ask for things for himself. And you know, I can't help but feel that that man is missing a great opportunity. I believe we should pray for the things we need. That we should regularly acknowledge our dependence on our Heavenly Father by asking for the necessities of life. God hears our prayers and He answers them. Perhaps not always as we would have it though, for sometimes well, we ask for the wrong things. And then too, sometimes we don't ask for enough. As an illustration of what I mean, I like to read something for you. It appeared recently in Reader's Digest contributed by a man named Oton Arnold. This was written almost a century ago by a soldier of the Confederacy. I asked God for strength that I might achieve. I was made weak that I might learn humbly to obey. I asked God for help that I might do greater things. I was given infirmity that I might do better things. I asked for riches that I might be happy. I was given poverty that I might be wise. I asked for all things that I might enjoy life. I was given life that I might enjoy all things. I got nothing that I asked for but everything I had hoped for. Despite myself, my prayers were answered. I am among all men most richly blessed. Yes, there is a value in personal prayer. There is a great deal of value in asking God for the things you need for yourself and for your family. And when you pray, pray with the other members of your family or 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 The Penalty starring Bobby Driscoll. Pat O'Brien was your host. Others in our cast were Jill St. John, Vivi Janus and Herb Butterfield. The script was written by Louis Rebek and was 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 state screen and radio who give so unselfishly of their time and talent to appear on our Family Theater stage. To them and to you, our humble thanks. This is Tony Lafranco 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 The Redhead starring Raymond Burr and Blythe will be your hostess. Join us, won't you? Family Theater has broadcast throughout the world and originates in the Hollywood Studios of the world's largest network. This is Mutual, the Radio Network All America.