 Who is the tenth man? The tenth man is the one man in ten in your community who will suffer from a nervous or mental illness. Yes, one out of ten of us will need psychiatric treatment at some time during our life span. Ladies and gentlemen, this is Ralph Bellamy inviting you to listen to Out of the Shadow. Our story concerns Peter Barrows. He's a nice looking young fellow and at the moment he's making a last minute adjustment of his neck tie before he enters an office suite. He's no sooner through the door than a lovely girl named Emily comes up to speak to him. To say that Emily knows Pete would be something of an understatement, but maybe it isn't very polite to watch them. However, we can't help a little eavesdropping. Emily, if I get this job will you marry me? How many times does a girl have to say yes? Why else do you think I went to all this trouble to arrange an interview for you? Oh, that is swell of you, dear. Gosh, I hope old Buckley thinks I'm the man for the job. Oh, that's Mr. Buckley now. Okay, Pete, here we go. I'm all set. Well, Pete. Yeah? Are you going to tell him if he asks you where you've been during the past few years? Oh, I sure I'll tell him. Why not? Well, it's just that... Oh, well, use your own judgment, but... Oh, darling, I do want you to get this job. Don't you worry, dear. I'll get it. Here we are. See you later. Good luck. Mr. Buckley, my name's Barrows. How do you do, Mr. Barrows? Won't you sit down? Thank you. Well, I have your list of previous positions here, and I must say I'm very much impressed with the way you've advanced yourself. Let's see. You started with the Creighton Company. They're publishers, aren't they? Yes, sir. As a stock clerk, you advanced to production chief. Well, they were rather a small outfit. Then you went to Dawking Brothers as a salesman and advanced to manager of their western branch. Well, that's pretty good, fine-firm Dawking Brothers. Yes, sir. Then what? Sir? Well, you left there four years ago. Where have you been working since? Well, I... I haven't been working, Mr. Buckley. Huh? Well, you see, I've been ill. Quite ill. Ill, eh? What was the trouble? Touch a TB? No, it was nothing physical. I... Well, I was in a mental hospital. In a mental hospital? Yes, I was there for almost three years. They discharged me a few months ago and my doctor said it would do me a world of good to get into harness again. Uh, but, um... I suppose you had a relapse or something. Oh, Mr. Buckley, one of the reasons for my becoming mentally ill was a pretty involved family situation which has since been cleared up. The doctors assured me that it would be very unlikely for me to have another attack if I follow his advice. Well, I know, son, but put yourself in my place. This is a pretty big job you're applying for. Well, I know it is, sir. That's why I'm applying for it. Hmm. Um... Well, I'd like to do you a favor. Well, I'm not asking for any favors, Mr. Buckley. Just the opportunity to prove my ability to make good at this job. I'm sorry, son, but I'm afraid I can't take the chance. Well, you won't be taking a chance, Mr. Buckley. I'll tell you what. I'll think it over and let you know. How's that? Well, it... Yeah, sure. Thanks anyway, Mr. Buckley. Goodbye, son, and good luck. Yeah. Thanks. When Pete left the office, he didn't stop to tell Emily about his disastrous interview with Mr. Buckley. He didn't want to face Emily then. So he went for a walk. He didn't really have anything definite in mind, but his walk took him to a train. And the train took him to the state hospital. There, he went straight to see Dr. Curtis and told him the whole story. So that's the way it was, Doctor. Should I have balled him out for being unenlightened? I wish I could tell you how sorry I am that you were forced to go through an experience like that. When you left it some months ago, I recommended that you go back to work. But I'm afraid I neglected to follow through and help you find a job. Oh, that's all right. I really wanted to look around anyway. You know, find something really top-notch. Nevertheless, it was my responsibility. Well, what with one thing and another, we get hamstrung every once in a while in these mental hospitals. But I can help you next time. Well, how, Dr. Curtis? Well, we'll have a social worker prepare the way for you. No, thanks. I don't want somebody to give me any little job just because he feels sorry for me. Oh, it won't be like that at all. It's important for you to get work which is exactly suited to your personality. Now, Miss Russell and I have a good contact, Chap and Dover City. Perhaps he has something you'd be interested in. Dr. Curtis, don't think I'm ungrateful, but I'd rather find something on my own. Oh, you don't want another experience like this last one with Bucklin, I do you. No, but... Well, I won't be so uncompromisingly honest next time. You mean you won't tell him? I mean exactly that. Oh, I'm afraid I can't endorse anything like that. It would all come out eventually and you'd be embarrassed at having tried to deceive your boss. Oh, but maybe by that time I'd have a chance to make good at the job. I still feel it would be a mistake. Well, will you give me permission to have Miss Russell live around for you? Well... All right, but just to be on the safe side I think I'll try to find something, too. Very well. We'll see what turns out. Pete did get a job for himself without help from the social worker as a traveling book salesman for Wentworth and Wrigley. They gave him a car to drive around in and didn't mind if he used it to take Emily to an occasional movie. Pete. You know, you haven't talked shop in weeks. How are things at Wrigley's worth in Wentley? Wentworth and Wrigley, darling. Well, anyhow, how's business? Oh, fine. You don't sound very enthusiastic. But you were excited about this job when you first found it. Well, I felt pretty good about it then because I thought I was putting something over on him because I had gotten something on my own and beaten the social worker to it. Has anything happened? No, everything's going fine. Wentworth's even offered me a raise. Well, I don't know. I feel guilty. Guilty? But why? You're doing a good job for them. Don't you see, Emily, I feel as if I'm letting down all the other ex-medal patients who are out looking for jobs. We've got to prove that we've recovered and can work again. And we can only prove it by letting people know about us. Wentworth thinks I'm a good salesman now, but he doesn't know that I've been in a mental hospital. Would he have hired me in the first place if he'd known? I don't know. Who can tell? He might have. Not everybody's like Mr. Buckley. Yeah, but it's this not knowing whether you're going to be found out that's so awful. Don't you see how terribly destructive that uncertainty can be? It's like a shadow hanging over me all the time. Yes, Pete, I... I think I understand how you feel about it. I've concealed my illness as if it was something to be ashamed of, and it's not. Any more than an attack of pneumonia would have been. By hiding it, I put myself in a false position. It's so dreadfully unfair. Oh, here's my house. Want to come in for a cup of coffee? Don't tempt me. I think I'd better go on home. I've got to finish off a big deal with Roger Steele tomorrow. Roger Steele? Of Steele stores in Dover City? That's right. He's buying a phenomenal amount of books. Oh, you silver-tongued salesman. And that reminds me... I haven't asked me to marry you lately. Oh, Emily. Look, there's so much I want to do for you, but to make up for all the years that you've stuck by me, but I've got to sell myself. I mean, not only in the business world, but also as an ex-patient before I'm really sure. Sure of what, Pete? Well, sure you're not throwing yourself away on me. I was sure of that a long time ago. Gee, Emily. I'm lucky to have you. And you can expect the first shipment early next week. That's fine, fine. Well, Mr. Barrows, I guess we've covered everything. Now, uh, let's see. Just let me have another look at that contract. Yes, sir. Huh. Did I buy that many books? Yes, you did, Mr. Steele. Well, I guess I'll get rid of them, all right? You know, I'm building up the book departments in my chain of stores. Yes, I know. But who'll give you a raise for swinging this deal? Well, he's promised me that already, but... Well, I'm looking for something else. Yes? Yes, I'd like to settle down. The drummer's lot is not a happy one. This town's pretty nice. Has lots of opportunities for a young man. Fact is, uh, you might be interested in heading up this new project of mine. Promoting book sales in my stores. Well, yes, I might be interested at that. It pays 5,000 a year. Is that top Wentworth's raise? Yes, it does. I guess so. Well, uh, you want to take it over, or can you make up your mind now? My mind's made up, Mr. Steele. I'd like the job. Good, good. Then it's all set. And don't expect me to have any qualms about taking you away from Wentworth. He bagged two of my best men last year. Oh, Mr. Steele... Well, there's one thing I think you ought to know. What's that? I'd like you to know that I was at one time a patient in a mental hospital. If it should make any difference. Well, that's too bad. Oh, I see. Well, I mean, uh, too bad you had to go through an ordeal like that, but you're all over it now, aren't you? Oh, yes, sir. Well, then it didn't change anything. After all, Dr. Curtis recommended you very highly. Dr. Curtis, what's he got to do with this? He's an old friend of mine. Oh, I've placed many a patient recommended by him in my stores. And I haven't been disappointed yet. In fact, I find that after talking with Miss Russell, the social worker at the hospital, I get a much better understanding of the prospect of employee than I can get through my own personnel department. Well, but what about me? Oh, I know all about you, Mr. Barrows. Why, you don't think I'm such a fool as to offer a job like that without checking up on my man, do you? Well, I guess not. Well, gosh, this is great. Thanks a million, Mr. Steele. Not at all. And may I use the telephone? I want to ask someone to marry me. That's not all there is to the story of Pete, but it's all we have time for, and you can see for yourself that it has a happy ending. But it might have been very different if Roger Steele hadn't been quite so enlightened and humane. Remember, nearly half of all patients admitted to mental hospitals are discharged as recovered and do not need to return. When they return to your community, do you help them toward that happy ending of their problems? You have just heard Ralph Bellamy as narrator in Out of the Shadow, produced by the National Mental Health Foundation and other organizations dedicated to the preservation of mental health.