 Family Theater presents Anne Blythe and Robert Francis. The Mutual Network in Cooperation with Family Theater presents Down Payment starring Robert Francis. And now, here is your hostess, Anne Blythe. 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 are to win peace for ourselves, peace for our families, and peace for the world. Family Theater urges you to pray. Pray Together is a Family. And now to our transcribed drama, Down Payment, starring Robert Francis as Ted. It was very nice and everything he said made sense. But it all boiled down to one thing. I wasn't going to get the money. Well, you can see the figures for yourself, Mr. Johnson. Sixty-five a week's what you earn in the wholesale house. Take out your withholding tax. That gets up there for a single manual. You're telling me. Then, plus your car payment, plus your rent, plus your food. Now, have you got a kitchenette? No, it's just a room. I eat out mostly. There you go. Leaves you maybe $10, $15 a week to get your laundry done and buy some spokes. It's not enough, huh? Well, I'm afraid not. Even if I put through your application here, the main office had bounced it. Even if you did what you first talked about, taken out so much a week from my salary. Well, they wouldn't approve wage assignment in this case, son. You see, you're not making enough. Look, tell me, have you tried where you bank? Well, I asked there what a loan like that had cost me, but I'd have to pay it back in a year and I'd need longer than that, even if I could get it. Well, I'm awfully sorry, sir. I'm awfully sorry. Now, if you needed just $25 or $50, well, we might be able to help you out, but my goodness, $500 down. That's what it's got to be. The guy at the real estate company said that's the minimum down payment they can take. Down payment? Yeah, on a house. Son, let me tell you something. You can't borrow money from one place to make a down payment somewhere else. What do you mean? Well, it's against the law. Didn't you know that? I know. I never heard of it. You mean I can't borrow it anywhere? No, sir, he indeed. Not where you got his signed paper. Well, of course, if some friend wants to make you a personal loan. I don't know anybody that's got that kind of money. Well, how about your employer? If you've been working for this whole salehouse over two years? No, there's nothing there. Not from my employer. Well, then I'd say that your best bet is to start putting a little bit aside each week until you save it. I've already tried that, too. I had almost $300 saved, and, well, I went and spent it. Suppose you try again. Look, you almost did it once. Next time, maybe you'll make it. That's just the trouble. I can't wait until next time. I've got to have the money by Friday. It was a quarter after one when I got back to the warehouse. I sneaked in the side door and hung up my coat alongside the bins. I didn't see old man Morgan anywhere, but just to be on the safe side, I took one of the side aisles up to the stock counter. I got there just as Willie finished bringing up an order. How'd you do, kid? Zero. Sorry I'm late. Oh, that's all right. Wouldn't it lend it to you? No, it's against the law. Lending money? No, borrowing money to make a down payment on something. Well, why do they have to know what you're borrowing for? Well, even so, I couldn't get it. My salary's not big enough. See what I tell you, the only people that'll lend money to are the ones who can prove they don't need it. Very funny. What are you going to do now? I don't know. But it's the sense that I've got to do something. Look, Ted, have you ever thought about just telling your girl what happened? Oh, Willie, use your head. You'd be surprised I'm understanding some women can be. Forget it. Jenny had never speak to me again. Yes, me. She's got herself to blame. Nobody's asking you. Come on. Now look, what's it come down to? You won't take your engagement ring until you've got enough for a down payment in the house. She was right, and she's smart not to. So that gets you sore? You go out in the town, you blow the money, you save that? I know what I did. And I'm just saying, if you tell her why you did it, she'd understand. She'd understand. I wasn't worth a plug-nickle. Now you're wrong. Look, Willie, have you got any idea where I can raise 500 bucks? I'm sorry, kid. Okay, so save your advice. The only thing it's going to solve this problem is money. Well, I'm just trying to help. Hey, Willie. Hey, yeah, Mr. Morgan. It's almost 120. You're supposed to be on your lunch hour. Yeah, I was just going. Yeah, well, you're going to have to shake it up to be back by a quarter of. Well, I brought my lunch today. It's down in the locker. I won't be late. Johnson. Yes, sir? You know, the register was short again last night. I know. 263. I double-checked it three times, and I couldn't find the error. And, uh, that's that, huh? Well, what else can I do but double-check it? Somebody must have made the wrong change or something, and we're out $2.63. You mean I'm out $2.63? Oh, right. And this has happened half a dozen times in the last month. I've told you before, Mr. Morgan, if you're going to let everybody and his brother around here work this register. You and Willie, when you're on your lunch hour, are the only ones supposed to touch it. And you. And me. And what about when we're back in the bins and some customer wants to pay a bill? He's not going to wait around here all day, so one of the other guys has to ring it up. He's not supposed to. You want the customer to wait? I want you to be here, not up in the bins. No matter what? Unless I tell you otherwise. That suits me. Well, these shortages don't suit me, Johnson, not a nickel's worth. And the people responsible are going to have to start making them up. Meaning what? Meaning that $2.63 comes out of your pay envelope next week. Why stick me with it? Because you're the guy I pay an extra ten bucks a week to be in charge of this. I can't watch every book. All you have to do is watch this register. I've lost about $40 in the last few months because somebody's lousin' up on the job. So what's it going to be from now on? Every time there's a shortage, I make it up? There won't be any shortages if you get on the ball. That's not an answer. All right, I'll give you an answer, Johnson. From now on, that extra ten a week is something you've got to earn. You get a share in the gravy or a share in the grief. When there's shortages, you make them up. Just goes to show you. No matter how much trouble you've got, it can always get worse. It wasn't so much old man Morgan and his crummy $2.63. That just put the lid on the kettle. It was Janie working downtown as a typist in every week sockin' away ten bucks toward the furniture. The way I was supposed to be puttin' ten every week into a savings account for the house. And I'd been doin' it too, right up to the four days last summer when I got sore at the world and sorry for myself. And went through almost every dime of it. Just to show what a big man I was. And now, if something didn't happen by the day after tomorrow, Janie'd find out and that would tape it. That'd tape it up for keeps. I guess it just goes to show you. What I said about no matter how much trouble you've got, it can always get worse. I was sitting there at the counter just after five, checking the register and thinking, well, at least I've gotten to a Friday when the phone rang. Morgan Hardware. Dad. Janie. Honey, I've got the most wonderful news. You love me? Of course I love you. Now listen. More than anybody? Yes, more than anybody. Now will you listen? Give me the news. You know that suite of furniture, the three rooms we had picked out at Mercer's? Furniture? Yeah, I seem to remember something about furniture. Dad, will you be serious? This is important. Okay, honey. What's with the furniture? You remember? It's wonderful, honey. You remember? At the real estate agency? Yes, and they'll start processing the papers first thing tomorrow. But tonight? Well, well, Janie, I just don't have the whole 500 yet. Well, not as much as I figured to. I had to lend one of the guys down here some dough. Well, his wife got sick. You know, but, well, Eddie's not making much, and I hate to push him in. Of course not. Let me see. I'm not certain. What did you lend him? A hundred? A little more. A hundred and a quarter. Oh, yeah, around there. I don't have the bank book with me. Then we can 23 left over from the furniture, and almost another 40 in my checking account. Oh, gosh, Janie, I hate to see you use that money. Well, sure, of course it is. And don't give me any more. You going to go home first? No, I... Yeah, that'll be okay. Are you almost through for the day? Yeah, I've just got to balance the register and put the cash receipts away. You know what to do? No, no, just a couple of items. It was pretty heavy today. I won't, Janie. I only got one or two more things to figure out. For a house, everyone was gone. I had to drive back to my room, change my clothes, pick up the bank book, and then go halfway back across town. I drove like a maniac the whole way, but even so, it was less than five minutes to six when I got to the bank. I thought you weren't going to make it. I'm sorry, honey. I got held up. Is, uh, anything wrong? No, no. You got your bank book? Right here, see? That's what took the time. I had to go home for it. Oh, Ted, I'm so happy, darling. We've scripted for so long, but it's been worth it, hasn't it? Yeah. Yeah, I'll go along with that, Janie. It's worth everything we had to do. You want me to wait in line with you? Well, have you taken out your savings yet? $172. Well, you wait over here for me. I'll get mine, and then we'll drive out to the real estate office. All right, but hurry back. Won't be a minute. Yes, sir? I'd like to close out my savings account. Very well, sir. Have you passed book? Here you are. Have you made out a withdrawal slip? Oh, I forgot. Here, you can fill this one out. Thank you. Sure you wouldn't like to leave something in, Mr. Johnson? Just to keep it alive? No, thanks. I'm moving away. Oh, I see. There you go. Thank you. And there you go. Five, six, seven, and one is $8. Thanks. Thanks very much. Oh, not at all. Hope you'll give us a pleasure of serving you again if you ever get back this way. Sure. Sure, you bet. So long now. Goodbye. All set? All set, honey. Oh, what do we have? Well, I just put it in my wallet here. Count it yourself. Really? Sure. It belongs to both of us, doesn't it? All right. One, two, three. Okay. $358. All I'll say it is. I got to the warehouse the next morning into quarter of eight. I hung up my coat in the locker room and started up the main aisle. One or two of the other clerks were standing around the stockpins near the back, smoky and looking a little sleepy. I knew old man Morgan usually got in about 7.30, but there wasn't any sign of it. When I came up to the counter, I was down there, bent over the order machine. Ted? Don't give me any problems this morning, William. I'm still waking up. We got robbed last night. I got news for you. Anybody who works for this outfit gets robbed every night. I mean it, Ted. Somebody emptied the cash box. No kidding? Eddie figures he busted in through that little window near the ventilator. Got almost 400 bucks. On the level? On the money's gone. Does old man Morgan find out about it yet? There's a cop down in his office right now. Well, how do you like that? Ted? Hmm? Did you take the dough? Me? You said you were going to have to do something. You forget what I said. You hear me? I never said anything. You must have been crazy. Willie, I'm warning you. You start shooting off your mouth and you're going to be sorry. Mm-hmm. What'd you do with it? I had to have it. Look, Jenny called up here a little after five last night and she had already bought the furniture and she had enough left over to make the down payment for the house. You crazy jerk. I couldn't tell her I didn't have the money. You put it down on the house? She had enough to make up the difference. I was desperate. I had to do something. Well, kid, you've really fixed yourself. Don't you know you're in for a credit investigation when you apply for a mortgage? But I gave the real estate guy all that dope last night. Sure, sure. And he turns it over to a credit outfit. When they call up to check on your job here, don't you think old man Morgan will begin to wonder where you got the money to put down on that house? Oh, holy cats. Wait a minute. They don't have to talk to him, do they? Did you list him as your employer? Yeah. And he's the one they'll probably ask for. Oh, good for you. I'll get it. Yes? Willie? Yes, Mr. Morgan. Has Johnson showed up yet? Yes, sir. He's here. Hold the wire. It's a brush. Yes, Mr. Morgan. Come down to my office right away, Johnson. Your office? Right away. It only took me a few minutes to walk the length of the warehouse to the little blast-in cubicle Morgan used for an office. But it seemed like a million years. As I came up to the door, I could see there was another man sitting across the desk from him. A tall, gray-haired guy wearing a brown suit. You wanted to see me? Come in. Come in, Johnson. This is Lieutenant Stark, Police Department. How do you do, Mr. Johnson? I guess you know we were robbed last night. Yeah, Willie was just telling me something that he broke in. Well, we don't think that's what happened. It's beginning to look like... Mr. Morgan, do you mind awfully much if I ask the questions? Oh, I'm sorry, Lieutenant. Thank you very much. Go ahead. You can sit down if you like, Mr. Johnson. Thank you. Now, mind telling me what time you left here last night. About 5.20. 5.20. Were you the last one to leave the Stark section? Yeah, I usually am. I have to balance up the register and lock the receipts up in the cash box. When you left, did you go out the front door by the office here? That's right. Did you lock it? If you don't have to, it locks itself. Are you absolutely certain that you were the last person out of the Stark section last night? Well, I think so. I didn't see anybody else around. Before I ask you this next question, I'll tell you why it's very important that you think carefully before you answer it. All right. We've got good reason to believe this robbery was committed by someone who works here. You do? We do. The thing is that although the man who emptied that cash box tried hard to make it look like an outside job, he stubbed his toe on one very important item. What was that? The broken window. Most of the glass fell in the alley. Which means it was probably broken from the inside. Mr. Morgan... Oh, I'm sorry, Lieutenant. Go ahead. Well, couldn't the burglar have kicked some of the glass into the alley on his way out? Quite possible, but it's not likely. Now, this is the question, so think carefully. Okay. When you stepped outside and closed that front door behind you last night, did you happen to notice if the night watchman was anywhere around? Grady? I think that's his name. The new man, a little geyser with a striped coat. Yeah, I know. Did you notice if he was outside the building? I know. No, I didn't. You'd remember if you had seen him, wouldn't you? Yeah, I think so. I usually see him. But not last night? Not that I remember. Well, as far as I'm concerned, that clenches it, Lieutenant. You think Grady took the money? He was outside the building at 4.30. We know that. Willie, Eddie, half the warehouse saw him. But we haven't been able to find anyone that left here after five. We'll say for certain they saw him outside the building. We figure he must have slipped in through the door while some of the guys were leaving. Stayed there until after you'd gone, then emptied the cash box. Well, have you arrested him yet? He's down at headquarters right now. We just wanted to get everything squared away before we buck him. As far as I'm concerned, it adds up. I didn't like his look today. Hello? Mr. Morgan, Willie? Yeah? That shipment of fans from Bradley just came in. It's all fouled up. They've been unloaded yet? Nope. I totally drive it away. You want to take a look? Yeah, be right up. Don't let them unload anymore. Where's your car park, Lieutenant? Done by the analyst. Good. We'll go out the back way. I've got to stop by the stock room for a minute. Good enough. Johnson. Yes, sir? Go through that pile of invoices on my desk and pull every fan order we've ever had from Bradley in the last five months. All right. And then take them up to Willie and compare them with the invoices. I'm going to ram this down someone's throat. You bet. Be back in about an hour. Okay. Great. They're going to stick greaty with this thing. Hello? Mr. Morgan? Why, no, he just stepped out. Can I help you? Could you connect me with your personnel manager, please? Personnel manager? Yes, I'd like to verify the employment of Mr. Thaddeus Johnson. He's applied for credit. Well, I'm Mr. Morgan's stock manager. Johnson does work here. Mr. Thaddeus Johnson? Yeah, that's right. And how long has he been with you? Well, let's see. About two years. And would you know his salary? I think he earns about 70 or 75 a week. Goodbye and thank you very much. Don't mention it. Don't mention it at all. I'd made it. I was clean as a whistle. I had the house, the furniture, Janie. I even had someone who was going to go to jail for what I did. A little shifty looking guy with a striped coat. Well, it was so perfect I could hardly believe it. All the way back to the stock room, I kept reminding myself how lucky I was. It worked too. It worked for a good 10 minutes. Right up to the moment I handed Willie the invoices and saw the look in his eye. Morgan just told me he was going down the station with that cop. Yeah? Yeah, to book old man Grady for the job. Don't worry and he'll get off. I'm not worried. I sleep fine. I sleep like a top. What can I do? You can return the money. If the money's here, there's no robbery. I don't have it. I made it down payment. Get it back. You can't. You're forfeit the thing. You're lucky if you can get 50 back. Well, you've got to get it somewhere. Or what? Are you going to run to the cops? Don't talk crazy. What are you going to do the rest of your life? You're going to hate yourself because you wrecked a guy for 400 bucks? If I had it, I'd return it. Then get it. I can't. Janie could. Don't be a jerk. You've been lying to that girl ever since you met her. Shut up. Some marriage that's going to be, you'll break her heart someday because she doesn't know who you are. All right then. Tell me what I'm supposed to do. Tell her. Tell her what happened. How it happened. Why? I'd lose her. Well, you're going to lose her anyhow the way you're going. Ted, this is the girl, no matter what's wrong with her, that you want to spend the rest of your life with, isn't it? Yeah. All right. Well, you shouldn't go into a thing like that unless you know she feels the same way. Janie was working in one of the back booths when I got to the drugstore to meet her for lunch. I told her everything from the time way last summer when I got sore and tossed everything I'd saved out the window, right up to the two hours ago when Morgan left for the police station to file a complaint against Grady. I... I just can't get used to it, Tan. Neither can I, but there it is. One thing led to another and I did it. For me? No. No, not really. I did it for me so you'd marry me and so we'd have the house, but mostly so I'd have you. How much did you take? Almost 400. I've still got the other 43 bucks left. If... if I could raise or borrow the other $350, how would you get it back to them? I don't know. Let them find it in the alley or walk up and hand it to them. Whatever you think. That's something you'd have to decide for yourself. Yeah, I know. Do you think if you walked up and handed the money back to Mr. Morgan, he'd fire you? He might do better than that. He might call the cops. Would you be willing to risk that if I get you the money? Will you get it? I'll try. It was four o'clock that afternoon before the police found the claw sack with the $393 in it. It was down in the narrow space between the broken window and the ventilator. The way they figured it, the thief must have dropped the bag out of his pocket while he was climbing back through the window into the alley. Grady was released right away and at five o'clock, after I'd finished balancing the register, I stopped by Mr. Morgan's office on my way out. Quite a day we've had around here, huh? Yeah. Registered balance up all right? Right to the penny. Good. Oh, say Johnson, I got a call from the equity credit people this afternoon just checking to see if you're employed here. What are you buying, a house? That's right. I, uh, I'm figuring on getting married. Well, congratulations. Thanks. Let me tell you, though, you're going in feet first, buying a house that's a costly proposition. I know. It's, uh, it's cost me plenty so far, and I don't think I'm through a pain yet. How do you mean? Well, it's about the robbery last time. There's something I didn't tell a lieutenant that, uh, that I think you ought to know. Yeah? Yeah. I, uh, I don't know what you'll do about it, but I'm trying to clean the slate all around, and I think you might as well hear the truth. You know what they say about that stuff, don't you? What? The truth. Say it hurts. The truth is always supposed to hurt. Yeah. Give me a little tip, though, Johnson. In the long haul, there's one person that never hurts. Who's that? The guy who tells it. This is Anne Blythe again. Isn't it true that we all want to feel distinguished to want to be significant? Well, this wanting to rise above others is a kind of thirst that affects us all. It's a part of our all-too-human nature. Could we look around us to catch in one instant the attitude that best distinguishes a man from the animal world around him? It would be when he is kneeling in prayer. For this is the most distinguished act a human being can perform. When praying, he receives the undivided attention of God to whom every human being is important. But what is true of the individual is doubly and triply true of the family. A family on its knees before its loving Heavenly Father touches the heart of its Father and brings on itself blessings, blessings that only family prayer can secure. And not the least of these blessings will be mutual love and peace in the home. For the family that prays together stays together. More things are wrought by prayer than this world dreams of. Family Theater has brought you transcribed down payment starring Robert Francis. Anne Blythe was your hostess. Others in our cast were Charlotte Lawrence, Herb Vigran, Jack Krushen, Patrick McGeehan, and Bob Emlin. The script 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 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 UFO starring John Howard. Gail Storm 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.