 Family Theatre presents Gene Lockhart and Bobby Driscoll. From Hollywood, the Mutual Network in cooperation with Family Theatre presents Fair Exchange starring Bobby Driscoll. And now here is your host, Gene Lockhart. 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 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, Fair Exchange, starring Bobby Driscoll as Ray. Man, this is some sickle. It ought to be. It took me long enough to get it. What are you groaning about? At least you made the grade, my old man's still on the fence. You better shut it off, Jim. I'm already into next week's allowance for gas money. Oh, boy, that's really something. Ray! Okay, Mom, I'll be right in. Hey, what's the time? Uh, 6.20. Oh, brother, the old man will kill me. I'll see you at 7.30. Well, maybe I'll come a little earlier. The game starts at 8. Aren't we riding? Well, it's like I said about the allowance. I'll pay for the gas. Well, I don't know, Jim. Sure, gotta go first cabin, don't we? Okay. I'll pick you up. 7.30? Yeah. Okay, if I wash up in the sink, Mom? Yes, but be sure to get that grease off your hands. Okay. All of it. You know how your father feels. Sure. Pop home yet? Dad, Raymond, Dad. Sure. Is he? He just came in 10 minutes ago. He seems worried about something, so get those hands clean. Well, how come he didn't pull in the garage? He has to go out right after dinner. Something that George wears. I think the bank's sending him up to Sacramento for a few days. Maybe he'll get to see the governor again. I shouldn't be surprised. Tau? Here. What's on for tonight? Basketball game. Oh. Who's playing? Santa Monica. Agnes, has Ray come in yet? Oh, yes, Bob. I'm out in the kitchen, Pop. Raymond. Just washing up, Dad. Well, please come into the study when you're finished with it. I'd like to talk to you. You bet, Dad. Is he got a beef about something? Ray, your vocabulary. All right, all right. Is he upset, disconcerted, distraught? What? Third-year French. What's his problem? I'm sure I don't know. Now, now let's see your hands. Well, they're only fair. Only fair. Well, I better not keep him waiting. Also, you'd better keep your hands in your pockets. Go ahead. Hi, Dad. Good evening, son. Sit down. Mom tells me you might be going up to Sacramento next week. Possibly. Ray... Everything going okay at the bank? Yes. Yes, it is. Well, as a matter of fact, I'm up for an assistant vice presidency. That's what the trip's about. Hey, that's great, Pop. That's real great. Thank you. I mean, Dad. Well, Pop will do, I guess. We're all Pops, whether we like it or not. Just as you'll be a Pop someday. You'll grow up and marry and have a family and take my word for it, Ray. You'll worry about them. And sometimes you'll do things for their own good that they won't appreciate. Not at the time, anyway. Is anything wrong? You tell me. Take a look at this headline in tonight's paper. Two teenagers killed in motorcycle crash. I saw that headline when I stepped out of the bank tonight. I was almost afraid to read the rest of the story. Now, Dad, listen. All that flashed across my mind was that it could have been you. You and Jimmy Ware. But this guy was a nut. He was doing 70 in a 35 mile zone. Ray, I know all that. It's always the next guy who's taking chances. I promised you I wouldn't speak. I know you promised, and I know you wouldn't consciously break that promise. But, well, this is something that I'm just going to have to do, and if it means that you go around hating me for the next six months, all right, hate me. But at least you'll be alive to do it. You're going to have to sell that motorcycle. That's all there is to it. One maniac gets himself killed on the freeway. I'm not at all sure he was a maniac. He came from a good home, good family. What's that got to do with it? It's all you can judge by, son. Believe me. Well, I come from a good family, and I don't speed. Do you know what I've been going through the last few weeks since I bought you that motorcycle? Oh, now look. Every day at the bank, George Ware comes to work telling me how his son Jimmy is after him to get a motorcycle like the one you've got. Well, that's not my fault. Every day I'm becoming more and more convinced that I made a mistake in buying it for you. Just because Mr. Ware won't let Jim have one? Because the thing is dynamite. It's like giving a handful of razor blades to a two-year-old. Oh, thanks. Thanks for the compliment. Ray, you're 18. You haven't exactly learned everything. I don't say I have, but I told you I'd be careful, and I'm being careful. Son, you can talk until you're blue in the face I have made up my mind. One guy on the freeway. And it could have been you. You sell the motorcycle, the subject is closed. Dad? Did you hear me? I was just going to ask you what I should do with the money I get for it. Well, it'll be your money. It was your present. Maybe you'd like to buy that set of golf clubs you've been talking about. Could I buy a second-hand car? Well, it would depend on the car. I'd have to see it. Okay. Ray, you probably think that I backed down from something. A month ago I said you could have the motorcycle, now I've changed my mind. No, you're the boss. I have to do what I think is right. If it means changing my mind, then I have to do that. I haven't learned everything either. Can I just write it to the basketball game tonight? Last time? No. It'll be the last time. No, you've driven it for the last time. And from now on, I'll be able to sleep at night and pick up the paper without worrying. The dinner's ready. All right, dear. You'd better sit right down and eat, too, son. Sure, Mom. If you're going to walk down to pick up Jimmy, you'll want to leave a little early. Some game, huh? Yeah. Oh, we sure clobbered. Sure did. Hey, look, you're not sore at me, are you? It wasn't my fault. I'm not sore. I was putting a buzz on my old man for a sickle a long time before you got yours. I know. It's not that. It just burns me up to lose the thing that somebody else's accident. That's the way they got us figured. If you're 17, 18 years old, automatically you're a mental case. Really beats me. I think there's any chance your pop might change his mind after he cools off. No, not this time. It's been building up for a couple of weeks. I could see it coming. Like how? He's been putting the needle in me about how much noise it makes, and I always got grease on my hands. You know, that stuff. Yeah. Hmm, funny. All these months I've been yakking motorcycle, motorcycle, motorcycle, and just in the last few days I was beginning to think that maybe, just maybe, the old man might be coming around a little and then fluey. Yeah, well, you can't hide all the newspapers from him. You know what it is? They sit around that bank all day trying to impress one another what responsible characters they are. And this is the result. So why should we take the heat? Because one clown we don't even know has a lead foot. You see the pictures of the accident? Yeah. Murder. He must have been sailing. He said 75 on the TV. The paper only said 70. So what? You hit anything going over 60? It's academic, boy. Yeah. Well, goodbye, Cycle. That's a joke, son. Hardy, har har. Thanks. How soon you got to get rid of it? By the time Pop gets back from Sacramento next week. Oh, that doesn't give you much time, huh? He says if I have to sell it for less than 200, he'll make up the difference. 200? He wants it gone real bad. Oh, no. That's a shellac and you paid 250. Yeah, and I got taken, too. The thing's almost four years old. 200, though. That's an awful good price. I don't think I'll do any better. Hey, listen. Would you sell it to me? Oh, man, inhale. You need air. No, no, no, seriously. Where would you get the 200 bucks? I got it. Savings bonds. You mean your old man's got it? No, no. They're in my name. I've been buying them every summer. What are you trying to do? Get yourself murdered? My old man wouldn't have to know anything about it. Where would you keep the thing? Under your bed? No, I put it in a garage somewhere. In the meantime, I could be softening them up. You talk like a man from Mars. Ray, no kidding. I mean it. How would he know? What if someone saw you riding it? I'll take it out of the neighborhood. How about the bonds? Cash them in at another bank. They're in my name. Your old man will blow a gasket if he finds out about this. That's what I'm telling you. He won't find out. How can he unless we say something? What if he asks about the bonds? He's almost forgotten I own him. Now, Ray, come on. Isn't my 200 as good as the next guy's? Isn't it? More salad, Bob? No, thanks, dear. Raymond? No, I'm all set, Mom. Say, I'll take a little more of that gravy, though. Excuse me, dear. You were saying... Oh. Well, you know these politicians. This fellow with the Treasury's office was no different. Look, I told him. It's all very easy for you boys in Sacramento to sit up here and make blanket rulings about fiscal policy. But it's quite enough. I'll get it, Pop. If that's one of your friends, will you please tell them to stop calling us during dinner? It's probably about the ad. I'm sorry. Hello? Uh-huh, that's right. What year's the motor? Yeah, it sounds great. No, I can't go over 200. I'm afraid that's the top. Okay, thanks for calling anyway. Bye. Would you be good enough to tell me why you have to advertise for a used car? The papers are full of ads. Well, they're all stock jobs, Pop. I'm looking for something different. A drag or a rod? Is that what you call what you're looking for? You might. Is that something it'll do 5,000 miles an hour? No. Just something different, something that's had a little work done on it. Remember, I okay the car before you buy it. I remember. And incidentally, when's the fellow who bought your motorcycle coming to pick it up? Oh, he said it might be another day or so. Seems very strange to me that he'd pay you in full and then just leave it there in the garage. I told you he doesn't have a place to keep it yet. I still say it's very odd. Pop, if I thought it was going to be such a bother, I wouldn't have taken his money. But you said to sell it? I know exactly what I said. Bob, are you ready for your coffee? Uh, yes, yes, I'd like some. Who do you suppose that is? It's probably Jim. I told him to pick me up at 7.30. Well, you please tell him from now on not to come around while we're having dinner. I thought we'd be over by now. I'll tell him. No wonder I've got an ulcer. I'm sorry, I thought we'd be over. Don't be late, Ray. I won't, Mom. Where are you going tonight? Just the movie. You need any money? No, I'm okay. All right, don't be late. 11.30. Okay, I won't. All right, all right. 7.30, no later. I will. Have a good time, dear. You bet. Night. Night. What kept you? You, leaning on the bell. You told me to come by 7.30. Pop didn't get in from the bank till half an hour ago. Neither did mine. Okay, so from now on don't lean on the bell, huh? Okay, okay. All right, what's the problem? What's eating it? You've got to get that sickle out of here. Told you I was looking for a place. Well, you've got to find one. Pop smelled something sour right away. You showed him the money, didn't you? He wants to know why the guy doesn't come and pick it up. It's a very good question. Okay, good grief. I'll get it out of there. Boy, tonight's the night. Now what? I barely got out of the house. How come? Didn't you see the paper? No, Pop didn't bring one home. Lucky you. All new headlines. Teenagers. Another accident? A hold up last night. Two guys in a hot rod wounded the grocery clerk. The whole works, you know. Crazy. So, during dinner, I stand trial for everybody in the human race between 16 and 21. Did they catch them? Yeah, I wish they had. Boy, guilt by chronological association. Now, what kind of a word is that? Oh, I picked it up today in social studies. As soon as you hear them, you've got to use them. Otherwise, they don't stick. Oh, boy, you're a brilliant scholar. Yeah. Look, can I have Tomundi? To get the sickle out? Well, it can't be tomorrow or Sunday. Your pop will be poking around at Geraniums or something. OK, Monday. But that's the deadline. Hey, you know, I hope it's a good movie tonight. Did you call Janice? I saw her at school. She and Peggy are going to meet us inside or outside? Inside. Oh, that's nice. That's cheaper. Yes? I'm looking for the person who placed the ad for you's car. Yeah, that's me. How do you do? My name's Whitley. I'm Ray Stelson. Glad to know you. Come on in. Well, I pulled the car around the alley. I thought you might like take a look under the hood. Sure, you bet. We can go around the back by the walk here. OK. What kind of job is it? 34 Ford Coupe. Original engine? No, 48 Merc. There's been a lot of work done on it. There it is. Say, well, what do you think? Looks great. You want to start her up? Yeah. Sounds like she's got a lot of juice. Take it from me. She has. What are you asking for it? 175. That's a good price. Well, I'm looking for a quick sale. I got a job up north. It starts Monday, so I gotta unload this fast. It's gotta be today, huh? Yeah, you see, I still own nearly 100 on it, the finance company. They're closed tomorrow, so if I don't pay them off today, I can't deliver the pink slip. Yeah, I see. I got another prospect who'll go 150, spot cash, but I hate to let it go that cheap if I don't have to. I don't blame you. The only thing is, my father's got to okay the car before I buy it. Both the folks went into LA this afternoon. I don't think they'll be home before dinner. You think he would okay it? Yeah, I think so. Looks in real good shape. Those two front tires are practically new. Yeah, I'm hip. I don't think there's any doubt he'd give me the okay. Was he the one who has to pay for it? No. No, I got the money right with me. Well, look, why don't we do this? You feel pretty sure your papa'd okay that deal. Oh, yeah. Even he could see this as a bargain. Okay, let's do this. You give me $100 part payment on the car. I'll give you a receipt and leave the car and the keys here with you. Then you take the $100 over and pay off the finance company. That's right. And tonight I'll come around about six. And if your old man's agreeable, you pay the other 75. I'll sign the pink slip over to you and we're all squared away. Yeah. Yeah, I guess that's all right. Well, I don't think there's any chance he wouldn't okay it, but... Well, if he doesn't, we just drive over to the guy who offered me $150. I'll sell him the car, pay you your $100 and then everybody's square. Yeah. Yeah, that'll do it. You see, this way, though, if you buy it, I'll pick up an extra $25 so I'm willing to take the chance. I don't blame you. I'll start making out the receipt, okay? Yeah, yeah, swell. How about this little bomb, James, my boy? Chronological, simply chronological. Get how she hugs on the corners. Get this. You don't even know you're turning. Say, I better drop you off. It's almost six. The folks will be getting home. If your pop won't let you have this, we will simply have to blow the man down. I figure it's in the bag. You lucky dog. Be over after dinner? As soon as that guy comes back with the pink slip. Cross your fingers, buddy. That's what I'm doing. Take it easy. See you tonight, Ray. I'm going 20 in a 25-mile zone. He's coming up fast. Yes, sir. Raymond Boyd. Over to the curb and let the law go by. Right behind me. Oh, what do you think they want? I'm going to get the truth out of you if we have to sit in this office all night. I'm telling you the truth, Lieutenant. You're in possession of a stolen car. I told you I bought it this afternoon. But you can't produce the ownership certificate. I showed you the receipt I got for the deposit. This receipt doesn't mean a thing. Hasn't got an engine number on it. The signature's almost illegible. Well, he left the car and the keys. It was just for a deposit. He said he'd come back at 6 o'clock. It is now 8.30. And your mother phoned 10 minutes ago. No one's come to the house. Well, if he's the one that stole the car, of course he wouldn't come back. He'd just take the money and go. That's very neat. But it leaves a lot of unanswered questions. First of all, that car was involved in a hold-up two nights ago. I know. I told you where I was two nights ago. Home studying. But your father was out of town. Your mother didn't get home from a bridge club until after 11. I was still home. Also, you've told your father you got $200 for selling your motorcycle. But the motorcycle is still in your garage. Well, the man who bought it's looking for a place to keep it. What was his name? I don't remember. You signed the ownership certificate over to him, but you don't remember his name? Well, it was a common name. Well, could you describe him? Oh, I don't know. He was about average. You're lying, Raymond. I got the car the way I told you. You got the car by stealing it. The same way you got the $100 we found in your wallet. I never stole anything in my life. There were two of you who held up that grocery store. Who's the other one? There wasn't any other one. You did it alone? I didn't do it at all. Your father told me you showed him $200 last night. Now you've got only half of that. Who'd you split it with? I didn't split it with anyone. I gave it to the guy for the car. What guy? The one who gave me the receipt. Well, you could have written that receipt yourself. What was his name? Whitman, Whitmore. I don't know. Something like that. Doesn't look a thing like the name here. Well, that's what he told me it was. Fortune is speaking. Lieutenant, there's a Mr. Ware and his son to see you. Ware? They seem to be friends of Mr. Stelson. Oh, is he still out there too? Yes, sir. Okay, send all three of them in. By the way, Lieutenant. Looks like we're making a little progress. This Ware kid a friend of yours? My best friend. Come in. Lieutenant. Mr. Stelson. This is Mr. George Ware. Pleased to meet you. How do you do, sir? This is my son James. Hi. Glad to know you, Jim. Mr. Ware and I are close friends and business associates. Lieutenant, he's First Vice President of the Civic Bank and Trust Company. Yes, I think we may have met somewhere. Quite possibly. Lieutenant, the reason I'm here is because of something my son James told me this evening. It might just clear up this difficulty. Go ahead. Well, um... Just tell the Lieutenant what you told me. Don't mince around him. I'm trying to. Disgusted enough with you. Okay. Yes, Father. Yes, Father. Now, what is it, son? Well, it's about the motorcycle. I'm the one who bought it from Ray. Hi. Hi. I'm glad to see you. I'll bet. I got chicken for a while. Now, let me see if I have this right, Jim. You bought the motorcycle from Ray? Yeah, for 200 bucks. I cashed in my savings bonds. Against my express orders. Just a moment, Mr. Ware. I had forbidden him to touch those bonds. If you don't mind, sir, let's deal with this problem one step at a time. As you wish. I take it then, Jim. You've got the ownership certificate for the vehicle. Yes, sir. Right here. Well, seems in order. Now, would you be good enough to tell me why it was kept such a big secret? This could have cleared up the whole difficulty in no time at all. Well, Pop... Father didn't want me to have a motorcycle. They're a menace. I thought you were coming around. You'll see how I'm coming around. You get rid of that thing by tomorrow if you have to give it away. Okay, okay. Lieutenant, I appeal to you. Impress upon my son how dangerous, truly dangerous a motorcycle can be. You read the papers. Yes, I do, Mr. Ware, but I'm afraid you've come to the wrong party. What? I was in a motorcycle for four years before I got this desk job. It's like a hunting rifle or an automobile or anything else. All depends on who's handling it. I find that a most unsatisfactory answer. George, don't worry. I'll take it off your hands at cost. Oh, I don't expect you to do that, Bob. Oh, it's my pleasure. But you stand to lose $100 unless you catch whoever it was that fobbed that hot rod off on Ray. It's all right, George. I consider it a bargain. Come on, son. Let's go home. How about that old man of mine, huh? I gotta sell you back the motorcycle, but he's gonna buy me a skin diving outfit. What's he think? I can't drown? Yeah, they're strange. They're the strangest bunch in the world. Fathers? Yeah. And are you formal? Oh, yeah. My old man likes to be called father. Gives him a kick. You know, they mean well. Don't you think? Yeah, I think so. They huff and puff, but... I think so. Wonder if they'll catch the guy who fobbed off that car on me. Fobbed. Fobbed. That's a word my old man loves. Use another one, will ya? Foisted? Very good. Well, I gave him a description. Sample of the handwriting. Routine. It's nothing but routine. They'll catch him. Did Peggy say where she and Janice were gonna meet us at the show? Yeah. Bad news. What? Outside. Oh, sad. Sixty cents a piece. Oh, my. They're doing it. What's that? Growing up. They're getting smart. This is Gene Lockhart again. I read something the other day that struck me so forcefully that I'd like to pass it on to you. I'm not sure where I read it. I'm not even sure I have the exact wording. But this was the main thought. That God, at our death, will not judge us by how flattering and obituary we receive in the morning papers, but rather, in one instant, he will look into the eyes and hearts of our family, our employees, our friends, our neighbors, our acquaintances, and literally everyone with whom we have ever come into contact during our lifetime. And he will know. That's a sobering thought, isn't it? That so many thousands of people will have a say in our final judgment. The shoe shine boy that shined our shoes 15 years ago. The counter girl that serves us our lunch every day. A school chum whom we haven't seen for 30 years. How would we rate in the eyes of these people? Most of all, how would we rate in the eyes of the people we know best? Our own family. They're the ones closest to us. The ones with whom we live and work and play. And if we're smart, the ones with whom we pray too. For if, in our big moment of judgment, God can look into the hearts of our family and find that they would daily join together and lifted to Him in prayer, He will share His glory with us and our family forever. It's true on earth as it is for all eternity in heaven. The family that prays together stays together. More things are brought by prayer than this world dreams of. From Hollywood, Family Theatre is brought to you transcribed as a fair exchange starring Bobby Driscoll. Gene Lockhart was your host. Others in our cast were Eddie Firestone Jr., Harry Bartell, Margaret Brayton, Marvin Miller and Bob Emlin. The script was written and directed for Family Theatre by John T. Kelly with music composed and conducted by Harry Zimmerman. This series of Family Theatre broadcast is made possible by the thousands of you who feel the need for this type of program, by the mutual network which has responded 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 Theatre stage. To them and to you, our humble thanks. This is Larry Chatterton expressing the wish of Family Theatre that the blessing of God may be upon you and your home and inviting you to join us next week when Family Theatre will present Deductive Reasoning starring Betty Lynn and Jeff Hunter. Thank you for your host. Join us, won't you? Family Theatre 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.