 represents Gene Lockhart and Robert Rockwell. From Hollywood, the mutual network in cooperation with Family Theatre presents the victim, starring Robert Rockwell. And now here is your host, Gene Lockhart. 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 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 Victim, starring Robert Rockwell as Dan. Friends, you've probably heard the expression, no real harm can come to a truly good man. Well, I can give you living proof of that, and I'll go one step further. I'll say a tremendous amount of good can come from being associated with such a man. Take me, for instance. I'm just an ordinary guy with a much better than ordinary wife. I've got a happy home, a respectable job, and my neighbors all seem to like me. But things were not always as they are now. In fact, at one time, things were pretty bad. I was always fighting with my wife, so my home was anything but happy. My neighbors, well, most of them wouldn't even talk to me. The truly good man, who happened to be my father, helped bring about the changes for the better. When this all started, he was living with us, my wife and me, in our home in the little town of Criteria, about 50 miles out of Los Angeles. Excellent flap jacks, my dear, excellent. You want some more, Dan? No, I've had about all I can hold. Perhaps Daniel could... There are a little too brown for me that I might be able to eat another one. Put it right there in the middle of that syrup. I'll make them lighter next time. I'm sorry. It's all right. You like them this way. Won't kill me to take them a little brown. No, next time I'll make them lighter. It's all right, Daniel. I really don't mind. Now, honey, Daniel, I suppose you want them just medium. Oh, anyway, it's all right with me. I wanted to talk to you. I was having a chat with Mulvaney yesterday. Mulvaney? Who's Mulvaney? Oh, you know, Daniel, for goodness sake, who in this town doesn't know the chief of police, John J. Mulvaney? Oh, him. I hope you're not in trouble, Dad. Oh, I know. Oh, then what's up? He offered me a job. He offered you a job? Doing what? As a policeman. You're kidding. Not at all. After all, you certainly can't say I haven't had experience. Westfield Police force for 26 years. And 20 years of that on fixed station traffic duty. Mulvaney thinks I'd do a good job for him. Oh, brother. Wouldn't be like that drag web, fella. Drag net. Yeah, drag net. In fact, I'd probably be doing traffic work again. Being at the local grammar school at closing time to see the children cross the street, you know, things like that. Helping kids across the street. That's great. You need a full-time boy scout to help you across the street. I thought I might get a room near the station. Well, aren't you happy with his dad? Oh, it's not dad, but, well, it's just not right for you children to have me living with you. The man ought to earn his own living. Not be sponging off his son and daughter-in-law. Look, will you do something for me, Dad? What? Will you just forget it? Oh, but son. Daniel makes good money at the jewelry store. And you're pretty far along to be thinking about going to work again, you know? I still have a lot of good years left. Well, of course you have. I wish you wouldn't say that as if you'd expect me to pop off at any moment. I'm surprised at that, Mulvaney, for even offering you the job. I mean, not that you're really old. Sure, you're past the retirement age. How did you tell Mulvaney that? There's a shortage of young men applying for police jobs in his town. And my experience means something, you know? Look, Dad, let me put it this way. Let's just say Mary and I want you to spend the rea- Well, the good years you've got left comfortably, peacefully. Without having to worry about anything. But I want to go. Dad, will you just forget it? But, Mulvaney. Now, let's not talk about it, huh? It wouldn't work in 100 years. Well, it's not exactly as though it wouldn't work, Dad. You might even turn out to be a good policeman. But Daniel and I just don't want you to have to work. We want you to be happy. Enjoy some well-earned leisure, don't we, Daniel? No work, but be happy. Now, let's hear no more about the subject, OK? All right. And another thing. In your 26 years as a policeman, you didn't exactly set the world on fire, if I remember correctly. That's the real reason, isn't it? Didn't they call you no pinch Jenkins? All heart and no badge? I always did my duty as I saw it, Daniel. Now, let's not even talk about it. Let's just forget the whole idea. Well, you say so, Daniel. Well, I say so. More coffee, Dad? I suppose so. Daniel, you want some more? Coffee. Oh, I don't think I've got time. Hey, what time is it, anyway? Well, according to my watch and chain, it's approximately. It's 6.45. Yeah, that's about right. Any time for another cup? I guess so. Fill her up. Don't forget to stop by the cleaners on your way home tonight. Cleaners? Pick up your blue suit. Oh, I can stroll down and pick it up for you. Just a minute, Dad. Look, Mary, why must the suit be picked up to date? Oh, didn't I tell you we're going to the Andersons tonight? The Andersons? Great. Just great. Well, I thought you knew about it. It's nothing special, Dan. Ellen just thought we might want to play some cards or something. I can call them until. Oh, no, no, no. We'll go to the Andersons tonight. Well, if you'd rather spend a quiet evening at home, then. If you want to go to the Andersons, we'll go to the Andersons. Well, I think maybe we should stay home. Build a fire and a fire. No, no, no. You told him we'd go. We'll go. If I might make a suggestion. Please, Dad. Daniel, I don't want you doing anything just to please me. I insist we stay home tonight. We're going to the Andersons. That's what you want to do, and that's what we're going to do. Brilliant. Really makes no difference to me one way or the other. Good. We'll stay home. Now, Mary, there's no use being childish about this. Hey, there's a cracker jack of a picture at the Globe tonight. Why don't you call it a draw? Dad, will you let us handle this, please? Doesn't concern you. Well, you don't have to take it out on Father. What? You heard me. Children, if you were just. Dad, will you please just stop trying to fix things? Daniel, now, that was downright rude. That's no way to speak to Father. Well, he's my father. I'll speak to him any way I choose. And for your information, it was not rude. Not in the least. Oh, Dad, how can you say that? Now, look, must we start the day with a fight? Why this all the time fighting for crying out loud? Well, most of it stems from what you might call unselfishness of a type that- Not that, please. I'm sorry. Mary, where'd you take my suit? You won't need it. You work hard all day, so we're going to do what you want to do. We're going to stay home tonight. Oh, no, we're not. We're going to do what you want to do. We're going to the Andersons. Now, where? Dad, will you pick the suit up for me? Sure thing. Thank you. Now, if nobody minds, I'm going to work. Daniel, I do not intend. I'll see you tonight. Goodbye. So, Mulvaney, I picked up the suit. They went to the Andersons, and because of both of them, were more or less powdered all evening. Everybody had an awful time, including the Andersons, whom I strongly suspect will not be inviting them back. And who do you think got to blame? Who? I did. I picked up the suit, and I made it all possible. Well, that's as sad a tale as I've heard all day. And the upshot of the whole thing is that they don't want you to take the job. That's just about the size of it. They're bound and determined to keep me from working, even if it kills me. Eddie, my old friend, you're in dire straits. You think maybe they're a fragile discretion? I mean about the no-pence business. Well, Daniel tried about one thing. I didn't exactly set the world on fire before, but I don't really think that's it. I think perhaps I'm just a victim of their unsurpassedness. The same kind of unsurpassedness they're killing each other with. Well, can't you talk your son into seeing the wisdom that you're moving out, taking the job, fatherly advice? Fatherly advice? Daniel hasn't taken any advice from me in years. I guess I disappointed him by not being the tough cop a policeman's son might expect his father to be. So in a manner of speaking, I made my bed a long time ago. Well, are you going to be content with that? What do you mean? Well, you're going to take it. Well, I don't know, because I've got much choice. Well, why? Well, Vainie, there's enough dissension in that house without me making more. Sounds to me like you're already living in the middle of a prize ring. That and the marriage is headed for the rocks. What happens to you when they break up? Oh, I don't think. Well, at least I certainly hope that won't happen. But if it does, what happens to you and then, too, who do you think will get to blame? Well, it's voting you might be right. I don't see how anybody could blame me. They blamed you for bringing home the suit. Yeah, that's true. You said yourself that it certainly doesn't do a marriage any good to have in-laws around all the time. If I didn't believe that, I'd have said no to your proposal right away. We've been friends for quite a while, haven't we, Edgar? Yeah, the best friend I got in this town. You got any faith in my opinion? You know I have. Well, I think you should take the job. I swear I never worked so hard to hire a man in my life. You really think that it'd be for the best? I do, if you'll have as much faith in yourself as I have in you. All right, I'll do it, Mabini. Where do I sign? When I got home from work that night, I found a police car parked in front of the house. First, I thought something was wrong, something the police had come to take care of. But I didn't have that idea for long, because when I got in the house, there was my father in a policeman's uniform with a big 38 strapped to his belt. First, I was too surprised to say anything. In fact, it wasn't until after dinner that we went into it. And then we went into it with a vengeance. And that's the whole story. Great show. How could you do it? How could you, after all we've done for you, we'll be the laughing stock of a neighborhood? Dad, I've made up my mind. You'll just have to call Mulvaney and tell him you've changed your mind. It's the only way out. Oh, I couldn't do a thing like that. And besides that, I like being a policeman again. Oh, brother, he likes the idea. That's all right, Dad. If you want to throw away your reputation, then ours too. Throw away my reputation and yours too. What am I way of thinking a policeman is a very reputable thing to be, very reputable. Dad, even when you were in your prime, oh, I'm sorry to have to say this, but isn't it true? Even when you were in your prime, you were never a very good policeman. You're a long way from your prime now. What do people say when they see you out in the middle of some busy intersection trying to direct traffic? Oh, there's Daniel Jenkins' father. Isn't it a shame that his children can't take care of him? But I won't be on traffic duty, after all. Mulvaney gave me a radio car. Well, didn't you see it when you came in? Why, it's a beautiful thing. And it's got to. It's all right, Dad. If you're going to go through with this here brain masking, we certainly won't stand in your way. We work in slaves so that you can enjoy your retirement, so that you can spend your time in leisure. But if that doesn't mean anything to you, well, it's all right. That's perfectly all right. Well, I won't be a hypocrite and say I'm doing it just for you two because I'm not. Retirement isn't any fun. Man needs to keep active for his own good. And I do think it'll be better for you to have me working, keeping the place of my own instead of living here. You could get pretty tired of me, you know. I'll be around for quite a few years. Of course you will. Now, I do wish you wouldn't use that tone of voice when you say that, my dear. I'm sorry. Laughing stock of the neighborhood. Well, as long as you would. No, maybe I better not go into it. Never mind. No, say it. Finish what you were going to say. And as long as we're being honest with each other, we're facing facts, should you call it? Yeah. I don't think anything I might do would affect your stand in this neighborhood. Oh, now, Dad, how can you say that? It'll make us look absolutely ridiculous like we're putting you out to work. Of course it will. If your own quarreling doesn't lower your stock with your neighbors, I don't see how my actions would. Father, what a terrible thing to say. No. No, he's got a point. He does not. Oh, yes, he does. We do argue a little. Discussions, perhaps. But I wouldn't call them arguments. Some of the wild brandy-gans that go on around here and you wouldn't call them arguments, that shows you how much you know about it. Daniel, if there are fights, I certainly don't start them. Well, I see what I mean. There you are. Got another one started already. So don't worry about what my actions might do to your reputation. I'll be living in another part of the town anyway. So all this is really much to do about nothing. What's done is done, no changing it. So for my last night here, what do you say we do something pleasant? Today, I know what we'll do. Let's watch television. Isn't it about time for that fella, that Tin Pan comedian? Let's see. What's his name? George Gable? Deadpan, and his name is George Gable. Gable. Oh, yeah, that's fella. Dan, why don't you see if you can? I'm much too upset to watch television. Oh, I don't know, Dad. I just don't know. Are you going to bed? Might as well. Well, all right. What is it? It's nothing. Well, it must be something. What's on your mind? It's all right. I'll do it. You'll do what? Well, take the garbage out so the collectors can pick it up in the morning. Oh, well, I forgot about that. You go on to bed. I'll take care of it. No, no, no. I'll do it. No, I can do it. You go to bed. It's all right. Oh, for crying out loud, where's the garbage bucket? Now, just cut it out. I'm doing it. No, no, no. I can do it. Oh, what's she trying to prove? Sometimes she makes me some mad. I could chew nails, railroad spikes, maybe trains. Oh, fine. That's all I need. Quiet, you. I said quiet. One more yap out of you, and you're going in this bucket. Huh. What are you like that? He understood me. Well, at least somebody in this neighborhood understands me. Hm. Look, only it's quiet tonight. It's a quiet neighborhood. I bet dad's right. But they can hear us fighting all over the block. I stood there for quite a few minutes that night, and I did what was for me at that time some pretty heavy thinking. I decided not to try to block my father's decision. He moved out the next day, but one of his hopes sure didn't pan out. He didn't make things any better between Mary and me. He'd drop around during his off hours once in a while, maybe watch a little television with us, maybe listen to something special on the radio or play a little cards. But we could never get in to talk about how things were going with his new job. We got that one night when we were coming out of a movie. We ran into his boss, Chief Mulvaney. Isn't that Mr. Mulvaney, Daniel? Huh? Where? Right there. Oh, yeah. Oh, Chief, Mr. Mulvaney. Yeah. You remember me? Offhand, uh, oh yeah, Jenkins, isn't it? Hey, working the bizarre jewelry store. Yeah, that's right. This is Mrs. Jenkins. How do you do? How do you do? Just come from the movie? That's right. Something you wanted to see me about? Well, as a matter of fact, there is. You want to tell him, Dan? Oh, no, no, that's all right. You do it. Well, perhaps you'd better... Oh, no, no, go ahead. Be my guest. Well, Chief... Mr. will do nicely. Well, Mr. Mulvaney, you hired Dan's father a few weeks ago. Edgar Jenkins? That's right. Well, we'd like to know. Well, how is he doing? Why don't you ask him? Well, we did. Won't tell us a thing. I see. Well, Mr. Jenkins, your father is doing very well. Exceptionally well, I'd say. He is? His first day on the job, I took him to a scene of an accident on the freeway. But he frightened in three cars, Mr. Right then and there, he asked for a car and freeway duty. You put that old man in a police car on the freeway? Why not, Mrs. Jenkins? He's a good policeman and an excellent traffic man. The way to make an excellent traffic man better is to put wheels under him. Age doesn't make any difference as long as he's in good physical condition. And he's been doing a good job? In the past three weeks, he's given out better than 300 tickets, made at least two dozen arrests, all of which got convictions. And there hasn't been an accident in his area on his shift. I call that doing a good job. Now, if you'll excuse me, nice meeting you, Mr. Jenkins. Oh, Mr. Mulvaney. Yes? Just one more question. What is it? Well, I don't quite know how to phrase this. Would you say he's better than average? I mean, he was a policeman for about 26 years before. Mr. Jenkins, aside from a poor memory for names, which is a failing a lot of people have, I believe he's one of the best all-around men I have. I don't know, maybe he wasn't always. Maybe he just took a long time learning the business. Maybe he's trying to prove something to somebody. As I said, I don't know. But whatever it is, it's making him considerably better than average. Is that what you wanted to know? That is. Well, then, good evening. Mary gave me one of those side-long looks. Maybe you know the kind of look I mean. It's one way a wife can say to her husband, you've been lying to me without ever opening her mouth. And I suppose I began to wonder myself. If Chief Mulvaney thought my father was such a hot-shot policeman, well, then maybe he was right. Maybe I'd been wrong all along. I got my answer a week later. I was working in the store, and Mary had just dropped in with my lunch. Not a usual thing. But old man Ellers, who owned the place and usually worked with me, had been called away on what he'd been led to believe was an emergency. Two peanut butter and jelly sandwiches and some of that cake we had last night. Anything to drink? I couldn't find a thermos, really, Daniel, if you'd given me a little more notice. How could I give you more notice? Ellers didn't get called out till 11 o'clock. Well, I suppose I could get you something at the drugstore. Yeah, a bottle of milk or something, huh? Hey, buddy, how about a little service? Oh, right away, sir. I'll have your milk by the time you're finished with the customer. Fine, that'll be fine. Oh, make it chocolate, will ya? Yeah, all right. Now what may I do for you, sir? Your, uh... Your boss here? Well, not just now. Perhaps I can help you? Yeah. Yeah, I think you can. I'm interested in diamonds. Big stones. And I'm gonna play with this. Your gun? That's right, now. Don't put your hands up and don't move unless I tell you to. Uh, I won't. Believe me, I won't. The truth of the matter was I didn't have to. The button for the silent alarm, the direct calling system to the police station was right by my knee. They were shaking, but still I managed to push the button with only the slightest change of position. When I said don't move, I meant it. What'd you do? Nothing. I didn't do a thing. I guess I'm just a little frightened. Good. That way maybe you'll stay alive. Now move like I tell ya. All right? I want you to walk right down the middle of that oil to the door. We gotta close up shop for a few minutes. All right, now move. Slow. Slow. Don't touch a thing. All right, now pull down the shade like you were closing up shop. A cop! You punk! You pull the cops! You might as well give up. Not as long as I've got a hostage! No! Oh, no, no. You're not going to use me! There! Oh, I made it. I made it. Hey, what's going on here? Dad! Police! Get the police! Hey, what's the matter with you? I am the police. Did you get away? He's still in there. I knocked the gun out of his hand. It went out of the counter. But he's got it again by now. What's going on here? Going behind that fender, playing cops and robbers. I never saw anything so ridiculous. Get back here. Oh, now, really? Get back there. There's a man in there with a gun. Huh? There's no back way, as I remember correctly. Yeah, none. Are you two kidding me? Get down and stay down. Dad. Dad, those people. Don't worry about them. They'll keep their distance. There's really a robber in there? There sure is. Hey, you in there. You haven't got a chance. Smile your hands up. Not a chance, Pop. Suppose you come and get me. I suppose I'll have to. No, wait. When do you get some help? Till the others come. Wait for some others. I got the call. I kept it in my radio car. It's my pinch. You want me to wait to have somebody else do my job? Oh, but Dad. You get me the Winchester out of the car. It's on the bracket under the seat. And get the package from the glove compartment. Yeah, the rifle, the package. Right. If I have to shoot, I don't want to miss. All right. Dad, wait for help. You don't have to prove anything to us. Well, we want you to come home. Here's your rifle. Thanks. The package. Right here. Daniel, I was just telling Dad. Yeah, I heard. It goes double for me, Dad. You could get killed trying to make an arrest with that guy. Now come home with us. Why should I? Why? Because we... Oh, because we love you. What else? Move back into your house. I think I'd rather face a man with a gun and go back listening to your arguments. We'll stop arguing. Really, we will. Oh, how can you? You don't even know why you do it. Hey, make you play, copper. I'll be right with you. I'm taking care of a little personal business. If you want to know the main reason for your fights, you play childish games with each other. Each of you trying to outsell sacrifice the other just to feel the temporary glow of self-righteousness that follows. Oh, those little games. When one of you pretends unselfishness, just to see the other unhappy, to see the other become the unwilling receiver of that untrue, un-Christian charity. Those games call me, and they'll destroy you if you don't grow up and out of them. Dad. Even if you could stop, I wouldn't move back. In trying to win your respect, I want a little respect for myself. Well? Dad, if you go in there, you'll get killed. You're only 67. You've a lot of good years left. Well, since this may be my last advice, will you take it? I mean, really take it? I promise. Mary? I promise. Stop playing games with each other. Be honest with each other, and be kind to each other. Okay. We will. Whenever you're ready, copper. Come ahead. I'm coming. Hey, what's this? Dad learns a little something in 26 years. Why should I take that man's life at the risk of my own when I can use tear gas? Tear gas? Hey, you inside. I'm waiting for you. I've changed my mind. You come to me. The thief came around, all right, crying and coughing and scratching and sneezing. Mary and I came around, too. But it wasn't as hard for us. Oh, we forgot our promise once in a while, but we never have any of those knocked-down, drag-out discussions we used to have. Maybe it's because we don't want to damage my father's reputation. Or, as he says, maybe it's because we've grown up. This is Gene Lockhart again. Our popular language has developed a slang word to express the idea of masquerading. It's the word phony. Like most slang expressions, it's an everyday term by which we calculate real and true and valid from what is false and pretentious and unreal. Real values versus phony values. Very often it's hard to tell real values from phony ones. And it occurs to me that maybe many of us tell ourselves stories about our successes and failures, even in our family life. We feel we're expressing the greatest love for our families when we work hard to give them as many material comforts as possible. Now, we may measure our success by the cars we drive, the schools we send our children to, and the surroundings we provide. Well, that we should be glad to do, as long as we do not leave out love. If we leave that out, love, the rest adds up to a great big phony value. It may be a fancy masquerade, but behind the mask there's emptiness. Now, that is where family prayer comes in. We no longer send children to bed without their supper, but maybe we send them to bed without gathering with them to unite them and us together in God's presence. Now, they learn much from outside the family, in school, on the street, and at their entertainments. But one thing among many they must learn in the family, and that is the family that prays together, stays together. More things are brought by prayer than this world dreams of. 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 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 Funny Valentine starring Barbara Rush. 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.