 Family Theatre presents Scott Brady and Raymond Burr from Hollywood the mutual network in cooperation with Family Theatre presents the first morning starring Scott Brady and now here is your host Raymond Burr 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 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 and now to our transcribed drama the first morning by Adela Rogers and John starring Scott Brady as Nick it had started very slowly very naturally because when you're waiting after midnight for a son or daughter without too late they never out too late all at once at first they're just overdue then after an hour or so when they really are late you start making mental lectures to them until well a second hour and then the third is passed all very slowly very naturally you discover you stop delivering mental lectures because you aren't peeved or impatient any longer you're just scared maybe he decided to spend the night with Walt Walt the Wilkins boy and why didn't he call us he might have thought we'd gone to then sure sure we always go to bed when our 15 year old son stays out till 3 in the morning I'm just trying to think of possibilities I know honey I'm sorry rocks rock what a great thing to collect couldn't be bottle caps or posted stamps now it's got to be rocks we encouraged him we like him to be outdoors be gentle I encourage them well you were right to skip isn't a baby I keep forgetting it I just didn't want him to be Molly cuddled I know what starts out to be hiking in the hills turned into climbing up mountains skips a good climb sure he's a good climber but where is he three in the morning do you think we should call the Wilkins they're probably as worried as we are well skip said there were two other boys driving up with them this afternoon in what one of those hot rods I didn't see the car that's probably what happened who things are put together with string and solder but you think maybe they they had engine trouble on the way home wouldn't be surprised and that's where yours truly Nicholas Hatch stores the line around here no hot rod or cold rod or anything like it you know Kev skip begs himself horse there he is now I'll get it you tell him I'm sore funny store hello get home right away yes yes wall what's wrong just a minute Nick didn't you look for him all right wall yes yes thank you what is it didn't come back didn't come back they got separated climbing down you mean skip still up in the mountains Walt and the others look for him and hollered but he didn't answer Nick he's lost up there take it easy maybe he fell maybe he's lying somewhere hurt that was how it started with a phone call I don't remember the exact sequence of things after that we call the police and the forest ranges and I talked to the other boys who had been with skip until he turned off down a side trail by himself just to have a look I remember there was a broadcast to not just a police broadcast but a general arm saying that skip was missing in the mountains and for people in those parts to be on the lookout and I remember those things that took all the next morning and most of the afternoon because it was nearly five o'clock when the phone call came in from the forest ranger this old man saw down in the ravine oh seven eight o'clock this morning but he didn't think much about it thought it was something some campers had thrown away bundle of clothes or something like that until he heard it on the radio about your boy being missing he didn't have a telephone so he had to come all the way down here to town now he's not sure of course it may be just that a bundle of clothes but he thought he'd better reported a bundle of clothes if that's what it was then all these people standing along the edge of the ravine were wasting their time the state troopers the ambulance men the group huddled around the dying fire some of them with cameras in their knees they'd come on a wild goose chase unless the bundle of clothes turn out to be my son Mr. Hatch get any sleep doctor how about the Mrs. she's over in the car we should be getting light before long it will start down soon as it does doctor that's skipped down here I'll let you take it easy I mean if well if you just bang up his ankle or something like that he he gets through the night all right wouldn't he cold up here isn't that bad I'm sure if he's just shaking up he's a tough kid doctor a lot of guts well won't be long now Mr. Hatch I know he must have taken quite a spill but almost 200 feet all of this brush and scrub oak up near the top of they could break his fall yeah back in the car see how Catherine is sure now I'll let you know as soon as they're ready to start down okay will you do that you try to get a little rest yourself yeah honey I'm awake Nick get any sleep at all no when are they going down so does its light I won't be long I keep thinking how brave he is isn't he Nick you bet he is like when he had his tonsils out came out of the ether all he said was that was a dirty trick yeah remember the time he got his fingers slammed in the car door sure I wish he wasn't so skinny doesn't leave him much to go on feed him and feed him but he never seems to get any fatter he's he's a tough kid in any nose moments look it's starting to get light I went back to where the men were gathered at the head of the trail that led down along the sharp wall of the ravine the young ranger in charge of the rescue party was having an argument with one of the newspaper photographer I'm sorry mr. you can't get down there it's sunny one of us has got to go and I've been elected and the trails dangerous I have to take the dock and a trooper to handle the stretcher I'm sorry you know sorry it and I am we can't get no pictures sitting around at fire you're not gonna be happy in those shoes I wouldn't be happy climbing mountains and no kind of shoes do I have to be happy suit yourself of mr. hatch yes it may take us a while to get him back up here if it's the boy so well don't get worried but I'm going with you I can't tell you not to but well we may have a little trouble it's our business well if I were you I'd stay here no you wouldn't we formed a line at the foot of the trail the range of first then the trooper carrying a pack that must have been the basket stretcher and the photographer and the doctor at the very end me at the last second I heard Catherine you can't come honey Nick listen they didn't even want me along all right but I want you to do something on your way down there I want you to promise sure I want you to pray all right I mean it Nick you used to I said all right go ahead go ahead I'm right behind you please Nick I promise there isn't anything else to do now we started down along the edge of the ravine in the first faint chains from darkness the mountains were towering shapes a little greener than the olive green sky I'd forgotten every prayer I ever knew except now I lay me down to skip used to say that one every kid in America said it and God bless mama and papa and prince and all my friends and relations and make me a good boy amen maybe skip had remembered it boy like skip wouldn't cry so maybe he prayed that that his dad would know about a thing like that I pray the Lord my soul to keep make a pardon mr. hatch excuse me doctor just talking to myself not sounded for a minute they're like well like you were praying you're a dead I might as well have been saying any meaning many more my soul to keep don't believe in it huh sure I believe in it goes on all the time like measles or murder just doesn't work I could give you an argument on that well don't bother I come from a long line of prayers who never had a prayer answered in their lives but they could always give you an argument your wife seemed to think it might help Catherine's never been inside a church in her life it's never too late to try don't kid yourself it's a bad joke if I should die before I wake you know what would happen if you should die before you wake what you'd be dead doctor that's all the trail made a sharp bend around a spur of the hill the grade was steeper now and up the left was a sheer drop a hundred and maybe a hundred and fifty feet straight down if a boy fell down under that rock strewn wash he'd get hurt to say nothing of two nights exposure pray ask God to take care of skip God please take care of my son I haven't asked you for anything lately and you never came through what I did but I'm in a spot now so I'll try the old abracadabra once more if I can manage it pray just like all the other times I pray you never came through yeah like that time in high school I got arrested I wasn't speeding off sir who says you were let's see your driver's license oh it's right here somewhere in my wallet pretty nice car you're driving yeah it's my old man's new lisa hasn't got 500 miles on it yet's why I wasn't speeding you've been drinking kid no no let me smell your breath just a couple bottles of home brew I'm okay your sauce old come on sonny I'm taking you in I prayed you that night didn't I pray the cop wouldn't take me to jail wouldn't tell my mother all the good it did and that old judge on the bench staring down on me the next morning you sure answer that prayer a week I woke up seeing that old buzzard's face got me so scared I wouldn't even go out with a gang anymore every time they were after me to go on a beer bus to swipe a car I saw that old judge mr. hatch look out I'm losing my balance yeah I got you what happened I'm alright they put his foot down in the tumbleweed look like solid earth to me I must have been dreaming back there yeah we're okay just lost my balance for a minute how much farther is it I'm pooped about 15 minutes you want to take a rest no no let's keep at it okay just look where you're going mr. hatch what it's gonna be tough getting a stretcher back up here gonna be tough getting me back up here doc whether without pictures hey that's funny huh I was just thinking my wife's gonna be sore if I do or if I don't his wife what about my wife Catherine waiting her back at the head of the trail trying to imagine what we're doing this minute what we'll do when we find out whether that bundle of clothes is skip or not Catherine who isn't she knew how to pray or maybe praying without knowing how to how do it all maybe you couldn't do that maybe prayer needed practice like like your golf swing maybe you couldn't tune in just like that on what you decided was nothing at all but I used to be tuned in didn't I you remember me from a way back not just high school even later five years later but you didn't come through that time either she was all I wanted in the world and you wouldn't give it to me hi Nikki I'm sorry to be late gee I'm starved yeah let me take your coat Pearl okay where are we going tonight well thought we might take in a movie a movie yeah that one with Cooper and Dietrich's over at the Harper Nikki I thought you invited me out I saw that movie three months ago downtown well tell you the truth Pearl I'm a little low on cash tonight you've got enough to pay for the meal haven't you of course I got enough to pay for the meal but good grief every time you have a date do I have to go broke to prove I love you now Nikki this this is silly I had two other invitations to go out tonight one to the Black Hawk I took you to the Black Hawk two weeks ago I'm not saying you didn't just because I've been there one shouldn't I go again of course you should go again but Pearl let's get married I'll take you to all those places anytime you want on what your salary was $35 a week that's pretty good for these times $35 we spent almost twice that much just last week so what so how do you do it that's so what compared to the other fellas I go out with you haven't got a shirt on your back I got money on my own mm-hmm go on what do you do clean out your old man's wallet when he isn't looking okay so I snitch a few bucks now and then what of it you must have it pretty bad ask you to marry me yeah and that's very sweet will you Pearl well it's a big compliment but please I don't see as I can Nikki I prayed about Pearl too first love night after night I went down on my knees my arms stretched out across the bed asking you to give her to me on any terms I still hadn't learned that you didn't answer prayers yeah come on up here will you sure right will you now what it looks to me like an arrow spot up there in the trail mr. hatch what's he want with the doctor I guess just to have him up front in case he run across something before it widens out again the photographer was right for the next 50 feet or so the trail was too narrow for us to walk face forward you had to turn sideways and move like crabs the earth of the mountain side rubbed against our shoulders and little clouds of dust went up and dance in the light pray I prayed pretty hard the last time I stood in a line like this didn't I funny spot that are you praying in a polling place but I wanted that too I wanted to be mayor and later that night waiting at home with Catherine for the returns to come in I prayed some more remember three years ago are you sure you don't want me to turn on the radio Nick those figures will drive you crazy besides they're all stuffed with the time they broadcast want me to call headquarters again Bill said he let me know if there was any change let's play another hand of Rummy all right your deal Nick I I know how much you want to win this election but what in a way I almost wish you hadn't run for mayor why not I think I'd make a pretty good one of course you would it's not that and what is it people in public office have to take such a beating I knew that when I went into this just part of the game or maybe you knew it Nick but you haven't weathered it very well I'm okay you're not okay wish you could see what happens to you every time you read a critical editorial or someone makes a speech against no one likes to be called names sides are just politics they don't mean it and why can't you let it roll off your back I do I do it just takes a little time that's all I'm new at this you're not just new at it Nick you're wrong for now listen Kathy I've had another that kind of talk from the newspapers you're too thin skin Nick you don't like to see people get hurt I don't see what that's got to do with it but that's probably you want to talk to just take the figures let me write them down and that includes the ninth and the 15th words okay that's thanks Bill yes yes I'll tell you how's it look Johnson's pulled a little ahead again even counting the ninth and the 15th yes well they still haven't heard from the fourth ward though it won't matter we figured to lose the fourth I know Bill just told me I guess that's it Bill suggested this Sunni you sent the telegram the better telegram to Johnson congratulating him that was the last time wasn't it ask for bread and get a stone you keep books here to know the last time I pray for anything Johnson beat me by almost 20,000 votes remember maybe the town ought to thank you for not answering my prayers since they never had a mayor like Johnson even I voted for him the next time and Catherine was right he I am too thin maybe even I ought to thank you after answering prayers you don't do much of that but maybe I ought to thank you you say something Mr. Hatch say something yeah yeah I did say something anything wrong wrong no that's just it nothing's wrong but it could have been he could have been all wrong if he had given me what I asked for I don't get excited I should thank him I just never saw it that way if that cup hadn't arrested me and the judge didn't scare me half the death I'd still be hanging out with those bums what covers this and Pearl oh brother wouldn't that have been a marriage I had a slit her throat in a month and hung for it look I know you're under a strain Mr. Hatch I've never found Catherine that'd be the worst the only woman in the world and I never would have found her your wife or had skipped look I know how you must feel in that mayor's job wouldn't I have blown at the pieces well I must say I thought Johnson was the better man for the job you were right and and he was right he all along every step of the way and I never saw it I never saw it once mr. Hatch mr. Hatch what what is it we found him look down there it's a boy all right hatch see down there in a ledge it's yes it's skip we'll lower you down doc put the stope around your waist he's what he's just lying down there he isn't moving take it easy but he's so still take it easy maybe he's asleep they buckled the doctor into the harness it looked like a parachute harness and load him over the side he swung and stumbled and clutched his way down the ledge dust and rocks bounced below him when he hit bottom he got up shook himself and went to bend over the small figure from the trailer did look like a bundle of old clothes red jacket blue jeans stuffed into heavy hiking boots one of them turned in at an angle after a few moments the doctor shrugged and waved at the ranger who was scrambling down a gully father along I guess he needs a ranger to help bring him up I'm awful sorry mr. Hatch I do you mind if I snap a picture no customer it's my job why why are they being so gentle what well putting on the stretch of it why are they lifting him so carefully I don't know well they wouldn't do that would they unless he was still alive no no I wouldn't think so they wouldn't it it's got to be the reason I knew Catherine was waiting at the head of the trail but I was waiting here I couldn't watch them bring him up and then I had a watch the assent was some well like some nightmare bright and terrible and blurred and blank and the same as in a nightmare I couldn't scream for help when they got it up the stretch of filled the width of the path and skip lay on it his face turned to the sky the doctor had knelt down and was holding my son's wrist between his fingers it's it's there the pulse it's awful faint awful weak but it's there it was there and pulse meant life if a man listened a trained man he could hear it maybe that was the answer to everything even prayer maybe after a man got through praying to God he ought to listen in case God wanted to say anything to him I looked down at skip again his eyes were open what do you say to a thing like that you don't say anything you might interrupt you just keep listening and if you keep on listening long enough you might hear the voice saying this too is my beloved son this is Raymond Burr again and some months ago family theater received a card from someone who didn't believe in prayer the writer of the card claimed that he had never been given anything he had prayed for that God had never listened to him of course there are many answers to a story like that perhaps the writer had said only one prayer and then had given up or perhaps he hadn't prayed for the right things many of us pray for the wrong things you know for if it is true that the justice of God demands that we be given the things necessary to save our souls then it is also true that God could not give us something which might cause the loss of those souls each week family theater urges that we pray for something which because of its very nature is good for us its love that's right love for that's what we mean when we speak of family unity love is the only force which can really unite the members of a family so when we ask you to pray for family unity we're suggesting that you call on the author of the family to fill your home with love which is after all really the ultimate good thing this kind of prayer cannot help but be answered and when you pray pray together as a family for the family that prays together stays together more things are brought by prayer than this world dreams of from Hollywood family theater has brought you transcribed the first morning starring Scott Brady Raymond Burr was your host others in our cast were Gene Bates Robert Emlin Jeffrey Silver Jack Crucian Paul Savage and Julie Bennett the script based upon a story of Adela Rogers and John was written and directed for family theater by John T Kelly with music composed and conducted by Harry Zimmerman 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 of their time and talent to appear on our family theater stage to them and to you our humble thanks this is Larry Chatterton expressing the wish of family theater at the blessing of God may be upon you and your home and inviting you to join us next week when family theater will present lullaby of Christmas starring Roddy McDowell Ruth Hussey will be your hostess 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