 Ruth Hussie and Regis Toomey from Hollywood the Mutual Network in Cooperation with Family Theatre presents Vacation for Mom starring Ruth Hussie. To introduce the drama, here is your host, Regis Toomey. 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, 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 drama, Vacation for Mom starring Ruth Hussie as Mom. Come start. Soon as your dad gets here, careful now don't slam the door. I've got two special cakes in the oven. Oh boy, whose birthday? Nobody's. The cakes aren't for us. Now scoot, Jerry, and get washed for lunch. Here comes your dad. Oh, this heat. And it's even worse in town. Lucky my vacation starts next week. That's one good thing about taking it late in the summer. You get away during the really hot weather. Mmm, something smells good. I'll bet there's a cake in the oven. Two of them. But they're for the community club picnic. Maybe I can bake one for us this afternoon. That's what comes of winning that prize at the PTA banquet. Your cakes are famous. Yes, a kitchen celebrity. Sit down, I'll call the children. Jerry, Marge, lunch is ready. Hi, Dad. Mom, I meant to help with lunch, but Jean called me up about the girls camp she's going to. Well, I could have used your help, but it's all right. Jerry, break your bread in half before you butter it. Why? I'm going to eat the whole slice. We still break it in half. Save those outdoor manners till we get up to Uncle Billy's. Are we going there again on our vacation? Of course we always do. Well, lucky Uncle Billy has that extra cabin on his place. Well, yeah, but I'd rather go somewhere else, like that boys camp where Pete goes. If Jerry goes there, I get to go to the girls camp with Jean. She says it's out of this world. Well, that's what I'll have to stay. This year, at least. I wouldn't have minded to change myself, like going with Charlie on that fishing trip. Stephen. Oh, don't worry, the bank roll won't stand it. Next year, though, the car will be paid for. Then maybe we can all take the kind of vacations we want. And here I thought you liked going up, Uncle Billy's, as much as I did. Why, our being together was the best part of it. I'd feel lost if... I'll get it. Probably the girls calling about our date at the plunge this afternoon. Hello? Who? Oh, oh, of course. Just a moment, please. For me? No, it's for Mom. And it's a newspaper, the Daily Press. What? Hello? Why, yes, but... Oh, but I'm not a professional baker. Oh, I see. Why, yes, I'd like to. Oh, I doubt if I'll be that lucky, but it'll be fun trying. Oh, thank you for inviting me. Goodbye. What do they want? Oh, somebody told them about my cake winning the PTA prize. And now they want me to enter their baking contest. I've read about that. And the prizes, dishes, furniture, free vacations, electric mixers. Hmm, I could use an electric mixer. Oh, but where'll I find time to bake a cake that'll win? Well, take time. What have you got to do that's more important? Well, for one thing, I've got to start getting things ready together for our vacation. Well, the three of us can give you a hand on that, can't we, kids? Of course, for a contest. Yeah, well, why, they might even put your picture in the paper. Well, I've got my own rooting section. All right, if you'll all help. You could start now, Stephen, by bringing in those boxes from the garage. Oh, remind me later, will you, Helen? I told Charlie I'd stop by and see his new fishing gear this afternoon. Say, it's after one. He'll be gone if I don't hurry. Bye, honey. Come on, children. Finish your lunch. If I'm going to have a cake ready for the contest and get ready for vacation too, well, we'll have to rush. Well, I'm all done. Hey, there's Pete. We're going to play ball this afternoon, and I'm pitching. Come on, Pete. But you were going to help. Jerry! It's no use. They're halfway down the block. I guess he didn't hear you. My volunteer's a deserting. Oh, well, the two of us can do it. If you'll start getting our old clothes together, the ones we wear at Uncle Billy's. You mean now? But, Mom, all the girls are going to the plunge. We plan it for days. But, Marge, there's a lot to do. Someone has to help. I will, but not this afternoon. We're going to have races, and I'm on the relay team. Please, Mom. And I can remember when everyone wanted to help when we were going to the cabin. All right, run along if it's that important. Thanks, Mom. It's too wonderful a day to stay inside, especially during vacation. Maybe I should look up the exact meaning of that word, vacation. Uncle Billy! Hi, kids. Hi, Uncle Billy. Just dropped by to see if you folks want the cabin, as usual. Yes. Right there. Want the cabin, huh? Well, don't know whether I'm doing your favor, not shape the cabins in. Oh, that part of it doesn't matter. It makes you seem more like a vacation. Maybe. But there ain't any fun for Helen cooking meals and them beat up pots and pans, and no stove that ain't fit to boil water on. Oh, Mom doesn't care. Makes it kind of like camping out. Well, for the rest of you, maybe. But it makes it plain tough for her, especially with all you're getting up at different times or on different breakfasts. Oh, that's a new family tradition. On vacation, sleepers, ladies, you want to eat whatever you want. Sounds great, except for the cook. That reminds me, where is Helen? I think she's still in the kitchen. She's making a special cake for a contest. Well, I'll have to have a look at that. Don't see how she can beat her regular cake. I'll see you later. OK. And say, tell Helen we haven't forgotten those things we promised to do. We'll tend to them later. Where do you want this box? Just set it there. Thanks, Uncle Billy. Glad to help. Was it just my imagination that has the rest of the family saw the lost interest in coming up to the cabinet? No, it's just that... Oh, I don't know what it is. I guess I haven't done a very good job. Good job from the looks of this cake you got ready here. You've got a fine job. If that fair... Yeah, well, if that fair is fair contest, you will be the winner. Well, I don't mean the cake. It's, well, Steve and the children. We used to have such fun doing things together as a family, but, you know, something's happened. Yeah, I've been noticing things the last couple of summers up the cabin. Them ordering fancy meals and you cooking them and nothing to work with. There are three starboarders and you are doing their work. And it's your fault. Instead of sharing things, you've got them used to taking things. I guess you're right. But I... Now I can't suddenly change. No, why not? You might stop taking it for granted and pitch in with being a family again. In fact, that idea of separate vacations, you said Steve was talking about that. Oh, no, we can't afford it. But you're right. Things have to change and you watch. I'm going to change them. What's Mom got for dinner? Nothing yet. She's still down at the baking contest. I hope she wins. Yes. With an electric mixer, think of all the swell things she can make with whipped cream and... I'm sorry, I'm late. Oh, champions aren't supposed to hurry. Come on, show us the electric mixer. I didn't win one. Well, that's a jib. How about your cake was the best? Well, anyway, we can have it for dessert tonight, huh, Mom? Well, sorry, they kept all the cakes there. But never mind. Marge can fix us a custard for dessert, the kind she learned to make in her cooking class. But I'm supposed to call Jean at 6.30. She'll be home all evening. Jerry, you can help too. Peel about six medium-sized potatoes. Oh, and Stephen, if you want to try that barbecue special, of course. Oh, I can't. I've got all these fishing flies laid out. Just leave them on the table. We'll eat on the porch anyway. And then you can finish them tonight while I'm packing my good clothes. Good clothes? To wear at Uncle Billy's? Oh, I won't be going to Uncle Billy's with you. I probably will choose some lake resort or maybe a big hotel. Helen, what in the world are you talking about? Didn't you all say my cake would be the best? Well, you said you didn't win. I said I didn't win a mixer. That isn't what they gave the top winners. The top winners? Yes, I won second prize. An expense-free vacation. Well, I think that's... For myself. Well, aren't you going to say anything? I thought you'd all be tickled that I won. Well, sure. Congratulations. Yes. But where are you going? Anywhere I want. I just pick the place and they pay the bills. $200 worth. $200? For just two weeks? Well, good places cost money. Just think. Breakfast in bed, people waiting on me, tiles, swimming pools, a vacation without having to cook on a broken down stove with battered old pots. Two weeks of idle luxury. Maybe we should have learned how to bake. $200. That'd pay for all our vacations. Oh, you'll have a good time up there. You always do. Yeah, but that's when you were there. Gosh, things sure changed all of a sudden. You know, I was just thinking the same thing. Well, I didn't expect you in back in town so soon. The tractor broke down again. Anyway, I wanted to see you about what happened. Good for you. I admire your gumption. I'm not sure I admire it. I don't want to spoil their whole vacation. They'll have so much to do up there. Yep, all the things they used to let you do by yourself. Now, stop worrying. You'll spoil your own vacation. Well, it will be spoiled if I know they're not having a good time. I wish there was money for their separate vacations, too. Maybe if I sold that bracelet, Grandma... Now, look here. Them getting by on their own is just what the doctor ordered. Ain't gonna help none if they know you'll still spoon-feed them. You're right. Not if they know. Now, if you'd go out and sell that bracelet and give up something, it means so much to you. Now, don't worry. I'm not. Instead, I'm going to see if they're willing to give up something. Why is everyone sitting out here looking so glum? Oh, we were just talking about vacation. We can't seem to work up much enthusiasm about it. He means our vacation. Well, how about changing your plans? Like going to the camps you and Jerry were talking about. And, Steve, you could take that fishing trip of yours. Wonderful. I don't have any money. Now, look, Helen, we shouldn't be worrying you about it. Oh, I'm not worrying. But I wouldn't even want to go on my trip if I knew the rest of you weren't enjoying yourselves. Oh, it'll work out some way. But those other trips are out. We agreed not to go into debt for luxuries. We didn't say anything about trading luxuries. Yeah. All we need are some luxuries to trade. Some people would consider your outboard motor a luxury. And Marge's radio and record player and Jerry's drums. But my radio was a present. So are my drums. I like them better than anything I got. It was just a thought. This is the time of year when things like that sell the best. You'd probably get enough to pay for the kind of vacations you want. Cheapers. Then I could go to camp with Jean. Yeah, and I could go with Pete. Holy, oh, gosh, my drums. Well, whichever's the most important. How about you, Stephen? The fishing trip or the outboard motor? Madam, you are heartlessly discussing my life's pride and joy. What else could you sell? Oh, you'd enjoy going with Charlie. I know, the trip of a lifetime. But selling that outboard, my one cherished possession. Well, if any of you decide, we can put an ad in the paper. It's up to you. No, I'm sorry, everything's gone already. Oh, thank you for calling. Goodbye. You mean my outboard's gone? Everything. A man came by about an hour after the paper came out and took the whole works. My drums, too. But cheer up. Now you can go to camp. Yeah. Oh, boy, little Pete here's wee. For me, too, Jerry. Oh, boy, Charlie and me up there in those mountains pulling out trout this long. It's worth the outboard. With my radio, too. Gene and I in that girl's camp. Ah, now I feel better. You're right. It's worth everything. Won't it seem strange, Steve? None of us seeing each other for two weeks. Hmm, probably good for us. I'd like to know how these fishing lines get so tangled up. Will you sort of think of me once in a while? Yes, of course. Is there any of you got a minute? Well, I have to start getting my things together. Why? Well, you're so good at untangling these lines and I've got to get busy wrapping these rods. Steven, it would take me an hour. Remember, I have to get ready, too. Sure, but you can whip through this and nothing flat. Here, it goes on this reel when you get it untangled. I'll be out and back. Steve, wait. I haven't timed it. Oh, I ought to tie more knots in it. Mom, here are the name tapes for my clothes at camp. If you fix them this afternoon, I can pack when I get back from the pond. Now, wait. What's wrong with you sewing them on? But I can't get them neat unless I take hours. All right, take hours. After all, it's your vacation. But you're so much faster. Please, Mom. No, Marge, if you want them sewed, you'll have to sew them. Oh, Mom, did you find my scout knife yet? Jerry, I told you to look out and back where you had it last. Yeah, but you're a better finder than I am when Pete and me is fixing our pack sacks. Jerry Adams, and you too, Marge. This has gone just about far enough. Now, for the last time I've... Could you let that line go just a minute and give me a handout back? Just hold the rod while I... No, I won't hold the rod. And I won't sew name tapes. And I won't hunt for jackknives. I'm through. You've all got the same slogan. Let Mom do it. But... Well, from now on, Mom's doing things for herself. I'm starting my vacation today. Today? But you won't have time to... I'll find time. Uncle Billy's in town with his truck, and he can take my things down. Now, wait a minute. You haven't even told us where you're going. I was interested enough to ask. And now I'm glad you weren't. This time you're really going to be on your own. I didn't think I'd ever want to get completely away from my family. But finally, I do. Helen, you don't really mean that. I do too. Because you've stopped acting like a family. All of you. Helen. Gee, Mom's supposed to like us. And she doesn't. She likes us, Jerry. You wait. When she comes back from her vacation, everything's going to be the same. Oh, no. Things aren't ever going to be the same. We're going to see to that. Yep, oh, you're going to... Well, first I want to stop at that little baggage place on Broadway. I have to pick up some things. I thought you'd need more than one bag, the kind of place you'd be staying at. Yeah. What did you find it aside on? Well, I... I didn't exactly pick any place. I... I wasn't going to leave till Monday. But suddenly, I couldn't stand it another minute. But you've got to make reservations and things. Maybe you better let me take you back. No, please. I'll go out to your place. Then get a fresh start from there, huh? Fine, your Auntie May will be glad to see you. You two didn't have much chance to visit on the last few times you was up there. No, I didn't have a chance to do anything. I was too busy being Mom. What a wonderful morning. It always is up here. Feel a little better than yesterday, huh? In a way. In another way, I feel worse. I'm not very proud of the way I acted yesterday, being a martyr. Well, you had a reason. Not for the act I put on. Feeling so sorry for myself. And why? Because my family depends on me. I want them to depend on me. That's part of being a family. Yeah, but it ought to work both ways. It was my fault it didn't. Now it probably never will. I wouldn't say that. Time all your vacations are over. I think it's a way back to normal. No, now they'll feel guilty. Instead of bringing us together, I've put us farther apart. I guess I... They will. Look down by the cabin. Somebody's there. A picnic is probably... You think they'd ask permission. We'd better go and see. But Uncle Billy, look. It's our car. And there's Marge. Oh, I might have known. Well, the way I acted, they... They've decided to stay together. As long as I wasn't going to be there. Now you're imagining things. You wait. They'll be tickled to see you. Yes, sir. Marge! Hey, Marge! Hi, Uncle Billy. I bet you're surprised. Mom. You weren't supposed to be here. Hi, Uncle Billy. Oh, Mom. You said you were going somewhere else. Don't worry, son. I am going. I don't want to spoil things any more than I have. Here comes Dad. Hey, Dad. Mom's here. That changes everything. Helen, what happened? We thought you'd be on your way to wherever you were going. I will be. As soon as Uncle Billy can drive me back to town. Please, Uncle Billy, if you've got the time. Just a minute here. He must have come to a pretty pass when the family ain't glad to see each other. Well, it isn't that. It's just that... Never mind, Steve. You don't have to explain. I think I understand. And I don't blame you. Well, Dad, there's a truck, and he's honking at you. Hey, where do you want the stove put? Stove? Gosh, there goes the whole surprise. You weren't supposed to find out till after your vacation. Find out? Yep. A secret. That's why I kind of threw a seeing you here. You mean the stove is... Oh, Steven, it looks wonderful. Oh, now I do feel guilty. We weren't going to spend any more money for vacations. Don't worry. It's all paid for. In fact, we even got a set of cooking utensils with it. Yeah, our camp money was just enough to pay for every camp money. Oh, Steven, no. You didn't all give up your vacations. No. No, we traded them. Remember what you said about luxuries? Choosing the one that meant the most? But this was to help me. Oh, gosh, Mom, that's what meant the most. Oh, Jerry, Mom, you're crying. We thought you'd like it. Like it? Like knowing that I have the nicest family in all the world, giving up the things they want for a selfish, complaining woman? Now, now, now, you're talking about the woman we love. Now, this stove and the dishes are only part of it. The kids and I have agreed on a lot of things. Just wait till you get back from your vacation. Well, Steve, I'm not going on a vacation. Not going? No, well, you see, I mean... Wait a minute, Rick, and maybe I can explain. What about the things you sold when you were planning on them special vacations? Well, we decided it was worth it. And then we suddenly decided buying the stove was even more important. Sure. So Mom would know how much we liked her. And you still think it was worth losing them things for keeps, eh? Of course. It's the cheapest. Look at everything she's done for us. That's all I wanted to hear. Come on, I got something to show you in the back of my truck. Uncle Billy, how'd you find out? I was going to... I know you was going to keep it a secret till after the vacations. But I got to snooping in them boxes. Boxes she had stored at a baggage place. Here, Jerry, climb up there and open that big one up there. My drums. And March is your record player in radio. And Dad's outboard. But Helen, you said you sold them. No, I said somebody came and got them. And that was the truth. The baggage man. They said I could have the money instead of a trip and it was enough for your vacations. Mom, you gave up that wonderful vacation? No, I traded it for something that meant more to me just as you did for the stove, creating things that meant a lot for you. Gosh, not as much as you meant. Oh, Jerry. Oh, Steve. Here, now, no tears. We all wound up with just what we wanted. And there's no luxury better than being a family. A family really together. This is Regis Toomey again. You've heard it said many times on this program that more things are wrought by prayer than this world dreams of. And that's very true. We shall never know how many things come about because of prayer. When every power on earth has failed, God can help us. But it's not only one prayer. It's a continued prayer that counts. It's the continued lifting of our mind and heart to God. That's being prayerful. When you come right down to it, there's no family so self-sufficient that it can't get along without the help of God. And remember, don't pray only when you're up against it. When there are heart aches and sickness and trouble. But pray when things are going your way too. Thank God for each and every blessing, for the happiness you have as a family, for the love and companionship of your family. Remember, a family that prays together stays together. More things are wrought by prayer than this world dreams of. From Hollywood Family Theater has brought you Vacation for Mom, starring Ruth Hussie. Regis Toomey was your host. Others in our cast were John Stevenson, Leo Cleary, Jeanine Rousse, and Jeffrey Silver. The script was written by Ralph Hunter with music composed and conducted by Harry Zimmerman and was directed for Family Theater by Joseph F. Mansfield. 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 Just For Tonight starring Loretta Young and Mala Powers. Join us, won't you? This is the Mutual Broadcasting System.