 Kathy and Elliot Lewis on stage Distinguished names in radio appearing each week in their own theater starring in a repertory of transcribed stories of their own and your choosing Radio's foremost players in radio's foremost plays Ladies and gentlemen Elliot Lewis May I present my wife Kathy? Good evening. We're privileged tonight to welcome a writer new to our on-stage series His name is Arthur Ross. His credits are formidable And I'm sure that his name is familiar to many of you listening Arthur very successfully We feel accomplished the nearly impossible He wrote a play about three people that has a new premise the play is called and a fond farewell And we're going to do it right now I'm Lisa Jensen and if I told you my husband was probably the most attractive professor at Wilton University You would raise an eyebrow Either you would raise it out of doubt or just jealousy. I Considered myself quite a lucky one Not that Robert doesn't look at other women He'd have to just to keep from tripping over them when they throw themselves at his feet Isn't Lisa beautiful? If I told you my wife was probably the most beautiful professor's wife at Wilton University, you would raise an eyebrow Either you would raise it out of doubt or just plain jealousy Especially during the summer Why? Well, don't you know? Didn't you ever notice what summer dresses can do for a woman? They make the plain woman attractive the attractive woman pretty the pretty woman beautiful and the beautiful That's Lisa Move over Let me sit on the edge. I always thought a man's patio was his castle lying in the sun is everybody's castle move over Your voice has that frightening note of a woman who has just proven her husband wrong Doesn't happen every day at least not to me not with a husband who's a professor and knows Everything who thinks he knows everything if I knew everything you wouldn't stay married to me for three minutes You mean happiness in our 20 years of marriage has increased as our intelligence diminished now dear I don't know much about inverse ratios that belongs to the mathematics department And I'm only a drama professor since when have you demoted yourself from Dean of the drama school to professor since you walked out with that Album of photographs. I was absolutely positive had been destroyed at least 15 years ago Wait till you see some of them Wait, we're just a minute. Don't flip through them so fast. Ah You look wonderful in that one. I look awful these days college girls are much more relaxed Who's that? you darling at Our wedding reception. Oh They're funny how 20 years can obscure one's memory. I didn't remember that picture being taken You didn't even remember it was taken at the moment. It was taken Champagne, you know. Hmm. Yes champagne Oh, and there we are The happy trio. Oh What's wrong? You and I look happy. We were the bridegroom and bride, but I don't think Eric looks particularly pleased He doesn't Well, I mean he was in love with me wasn't he well He was he was and I won you away. I stole your heart from under his very eyes I don't know what's so funny poor Eric left town two days later hasn't been back since poor Eric. Yes poor Eric Poor indeed One of the richest actors and directors on Broadway today Surrounded by luxury and famous people and trips abroad every year. I hardly think you can call him poor Eric Need to get angry about it. Oh, I wasn't angry honest, but you are Look come back here, honey. It's comfortable right here. Thank you. The sun's too warm Would Eric have left as he did would he go off like that if he hadn't been miserable? Well, I'd say he didn't exactly go off clicking his heels and clapping his hand And then what about he's not writing to us for years and years a lack of punctual Correspondence is a failing common to 90% of mankind But that doesn't mean they're broken up over our marriage and yet he immediately Accepted your invitation to give a lecture at our summer drama festival Does all this add up to a man who's forgotten a hurt? But we saw him in New York once or or twice all right then he was delighted to be rid of me He was glad to have you take me away And it really wasn't much of an achievement on your part at all. Oh, oh, I wouldn't go so far as to say that How far would you go to say what? He Does look rather unhappy now that you've brought it up. I might have been mistaken. I Don't impress men very much. Oh, no darling. You do and He looks very unhappy the more I look at the photograph the more miserable Now as a matter of fact his face is absolutely Unbearable you'll have to bear it his train is due in an hour. No wait, honey now You really believe he feels that way after all these years We'll know very soon. Oh wait, how do you mean that? I wish I knew I Don't see him the train just stopped give him a chance. Maybe he isn't coming Would you like to believe that's true? Well after all maybe it was an imposition to ask him to lecture Maybe the lecture isn't the real reason he accepted the invitation There he is Robert where over there That handsome man in the dark coat. He doesn't see us. Well, maybe he doesn't recognize us That's quite impossible or he doesn't want to recognize us Or perhaps he expected me to come down here and meet him by myself or test him see if he gets back on the train Lisa Lisa and Robert my old friends my good friends my wonderful friends It was awfully good of you to accept our invitation. I've been waiting for one for years And Lisa lovely Lisa. Oh, how often I've thought of you how often Eric Why so many times many more times than an old friend of the family should think of the wife only That's very sweet Eric Isn't it Robert good old Eric? Yes, sir. Isn't it Robert it always is Fine fine. It's just fine. You haven't changed for a moment I thought there's witty Robert talking like any stuffy fellow But when you needle me when you pop my ego, then I know I'm back. I'm home again, right? Lisa that was a magnificent dinner and you haven't eaten this much in years. Yes years The words the very words I was about to say But then you always knew what I was about to say that was our problem which I solved All the memories all the discomforts and pleasures They come back now. Oh, you'll be out of here in the morning and Wilton University will have the same obscure position in your memory It's had for the past 20 years say not so fast You sound like you're trying to get rid of me Besides, I don't want to forget You don't or you didn't both College was a great deal of fun. It's like a fun childhood memory We weren't exactly playing hopscotch at that time, you know I better get these dishes into the sinker will be late. No, we'll do it dear you you you get made up No, just put them all on this tray, right You both seem quite happy Robert. Oh, yes quite happy. Yes. Yes. We are that's because you both live exactly the kind of life You want that's because we made the kind of life. We want it the quiet of scholarship Yet the chance to try new things That's what university life is. Do you miss it? Oh? No, no, this was never my kind of world You're a born teacher Robert. You have the willingness to let others mold themselves in their own image I want them to mold themselves in mind But the temptation to play God is awfully strong sometimes. Yes, but you'd never succumb No, the ego needs a boost on occasion I look at the years passing at the success of men like yourself and then I consider my limited the activity But you have love You have a wife who loves you Their satisfaction here for you was Satisfaction, oh You and Lisa aren't uh, aren't oh, no, no, no not that she does love me. I'm positive of that completely. Oh But she's approaching middle-aged Eric You'd only have caused a worry if after this length of time she wasn't approaching it isn't her love for me She doubts it's my love for her not another woman. No, no, of course not you see She's worried about whether or not she's still attractive to me That 40 year old anxiety exactly we all have it to a degree all of us Who are married that is but Lisa is beautiful truly beautiful Well, you can't explain away a woman's fear about that it has nothing to do with logic She afraid of losing you But not if her self-confidence had a pickup Well, it isn't quite as simple as taking a vitamin pill for a physiological deficiency Well, it's a time in life when they rely on memory and Remembrance of things past I'll carry the tray quite true No, no, I'll carry it was some times They think a man in their past is still in love with them It's happened often especially if it's a man who became famous who who is desired by many women French literature has recorded such events for centuries the way Lisa The way Lisa thinks you're in love with her I Bake you pot all of course, it's absurd It is absurd isn't it To my knowledge it Isn't quite accurate Let me jump in for a moment You're sure oh no need to be concerned no need at all not at all of course We're both old friends and getting older by the minute. We understand each other perfectly I Haven't lifted a tray since hazing days remember. Oh, yes, and we understand Lisa from different viewpoints But we understand her needs. Oh, yes, then you wouldn't mind some time during your visit here to say oh We imply that you still have perhaps too intense a memory of your youthful love for her No, no, no, no, no, it's nothing it's cheap pottery dishes Fine dear Everything is fine You must admit it's rather an unusual request. Oh, yes indeed, but then you always were an unusual man Not always it's a development of recent years the direct result of being married to Lisa It must have been an easier way to keep from washing them. Well, I always smash dishes before I give a lecture It's a habit and I thought he'd broken himself of it Just put away the perishables. We'll pick up the pieces later. Yes, right Eric yes, Lisa You realize this is our first date in 21 years You are listening to Kathy and Elliot Lewis on stage tonight's play and a fond farewell Later this evening on most of these same stations CBS radio's long-standing theater of great love stories romance returns to the air Listen this evening for Latin affair a story of Latin America diplomacy the higher diplomacy of romance Yes beginning tonight at the stars address listen again for CBS radio's romance How do you think they liked it just fine several people congratulated me just for having known you you looked as if you were suffering from an Acute attack of stage fright. Well, I was Being a character in a play poses no problem for me, but playing yourself is frightening How did you know that a direct quote from yourself as a college student? It's funny how easy it is to forget so many things Care for a drink Eric is something called that you Lisa nothing. Thank you Isn't that odd For me to feel that way stage fright when you're being yourself. Well, it's a common failing Eric Mankind's greatest problem is that he is intimate with fantasy, but a stranger to reality Is that the professor talking or the man the husband? Your drink Eric Lisa don't sound so pained You've loved every minute of married life, of course I have Eric do you think you would feel the way Robert does if If you'd been married to me for 20 years Oh that my dear is like asking a turtle if it enjoys being a bird I can tell you what it's been like not being married to you for 20 years Eric will you excuse me for 10 minutes or so? What's wrong dear? Some very important papers What important papers this is the weekend a little ones dear nothing important You mean the important papers aren't important Very good dear. Yes, fine Help yourself to the bar if you need anything Just call Robert seems to be getting more erratic. Oh, not really. He was always erratic I mean most people thought he was Gibraltar or a unreasonable fact simile Not to mention it. He always has seemed a bit erratic For two people who consider themselves fair conversationalists we're beginning to sound like cliche experts Your point well, I didn't mean it as a contest It just seems to be an uncommon strain for such two old friends. You weren't very friendly the last time We had a conversation alone Well, should I have I just asked you to marry me and what was your response? That you were going to be married to Robert the following week You didn't quite ask me if I wanted to marry you Eric what you actually said was have you ever considered marriage Lisa? Well, you knew what I meant. Oh, yes, but did you? Well, I was a young so was Robert so was I Well, yes Nothing. All right No something I Admit that was the only regret of my youth That I was too young to appreciate you oh Too young to know so many lonely years would pass so many empty years without real companionship Without the undying love and the lasting tenderness of marriage Without those things you offered me I Offered you know such thing Eric. I know I know Lisa And that was my error Not realizing I could have engendered such a feeling if only I'd known my true needs Nice return. Go ahead make light of it. You can You're happy You're not lonely Eric come here. All right sit Beside me here. No, no here beside me here Now Look into my eyes Eric They're beautiful Lisa Eric sweet Eric You're still the biggest liar I ever met. Oh, I don't think that's very nice What's behind all this? You're a postgraduate bachelor You never stop moving long enough to know if you're lonely. Maybe you are but you don't know it and that's your lie Did Robert put you up to this now? That's not fair Lisa Forget something dear. Oh No, I don't think so then did you finish your work? No, well not quite Oh, I must be looking for something. It's probably in the den. Well how foolish of me of course Everything's in the den He was worried about you Why was he worried about me? Well as a friend that as a friend he asked me to help This is embarrassing But he wanted me to help you regain your confidence Do you think I've lost it? Hardly But his theory was based on the assumption that your discussion of me indicated An idea that I was still in love with you and You were to encourage that notion to build up my confidence. Oh, it was unnecessary I must tell him his concern over you was completely unnecessary, but you mustn't tell America. I Mustn't don't you see it isn't my ego that needs the memory of a youthful love. It is his But you were the one it was you who spoke of me in those terms. He said true He said it Let me explain something to you about middle-aged couples, Eric. It might come in handy in your career Ouch, I earned the right to that one. Yes, you certainly did You see Eric women in our world can admit to their vanity it permits them to play it being younger than they really are Oh, if it becomes too flagrant remarks are passed, but but but the right to do it is accepted But men must always be men with a capital M They can never show their crying need to play young as they get older to make believe Are you looking at my gray temples? Do you think you're immune? Do you have a lesser problem you can still play youthfulness on the stage and thousands of women idolize you Yes, and they all go home to their husbands after the matinee and I'm left alone again Fiddlesticks you couldn't love one woman if your life depended on it That's why you've worked so hard to get the adultery of many Maybe I'm just a college boy at heart. Maybe you are But Robert loves only me And he wonders if he still has the charm and strength and an appeal for me that he once had That's possible too. And one of the greatest assurances he can have is a knowledge that he won me from you You really think so if not, then why would he have put you up to this? Only one reason to find out if you still loved me you you famous Eric Sandler the Eric who is sought after by so many people and if you did then Robert would still be king In his home and secure in my love for him I'm sorry. I didn't realize why Eric That's why I asked you to convince him of what started out as his pretense to convince him. It is a reality Will you I think that's about enough work for one evening. So do I dear? I Envy you Robert really why Eric for the wife you have A man with all your money and fame surely envy isn't quite the word. I said I envy you Without qualification without exception. You mean you still wish you'd married Lisa Robert. Yes. I do You sound as if you mean it. I do mean it. I mean really mean it You're losing your wits Robert. I don't make a habit of telling men. I wish I'd married their wives Well since since you mean it That throws an entirely new light on this matter. It's about time and I don't think I like it either I think you deceived me Eric Robert. That's enough. I've deceived you you dare talk about deception That's wonderful. Just what that's enough. Let's not discuss it. Let's not talk about it anymore Yes, we've talked enough. I haven't talked enough you haven't and you Lisa It's all been a charade. Are you too Eric? Have you no conscience stop this instant conscience? What do you mean? I'm going to bed. What did she mean? What were you two talking about exactly what you told me to talk to her out? Lisa darling listen It was for your own good. I mean you don't have to apologize if you don't want to Robert stay out of this But you don't have to Because she wanted me to convince you of the same thing you wanted me to convince her of Robert darling you you you understand It was because I I love you so and because I Because I was afraid of your worry and every oh Eric. You're a monster. I am a monster After you both used me to serve your own needs You didn't care how I actually felt what you didn't bother to find out if I had forgotten Lisa completely or was still in love with her Did you well? I love her. I always loved her. I always will love her see can you get that through your heads? You've won Robert you won from the start when you took Lisa away from me and I'm going to a hotel realized Neither did I I should go after him in the morning, but we've lost a friend gained a friend Oh, you mean now that he has it off his chest darling. Oh, you're right darling Your kisses were never more sweet neither were yours Yes indeed It's late darling. Oh, isn't it? Robert yes, sweetheart He'll get over it. Won't he Eric? Oh sure He was terribly disturbed wasn't he used to get worked up like that when we were in school like an explosion Acting was good for him and gave him a chance to let off a lot of energy Well, it's probably what made him such an excellent actor used to lose himself in it entirely You would have thought they were the same people Eric and the role he was playing I used to do that just at party Pretend to be something incredible even had me fooled Sometimes had me fooled often Do you think? What he just said was real From his heart I wonder Really? He meant it really he's fooled us before When it made some difference Doesn't it anymore? Turn out to light darling Let's go upstairs. Yes, sweetheart and a fond farewell starring Kathy and Elliot Lewis on stage In a moment mr. And mrs. Lewis will tell you about next week's play With the arrival of warm weather people tend to forget their troubles and other people's troubles too We go off for the pleasures of the beach the forests and the countryside By all means let's get the most that life has to give but let's keep the need of the Red Cross The continuing need for blood somewhere in our minds at least once this summer give a pint of blood through your local chapter Don't forget disaster waits on no season give blood during the summer too And now once again Kathy and Elliot Lewis Arthur Ross dramatic conversation and a fond farewell We'll do some more of his plays during this series Byron Kane finally got a chance to play a decent part tonight and was Eric People who live in the same town or went to the same school or who are in the same business have jokes that they alone understand We in show business are no exception For example, go ahead dear Next week what ladies and gentlemen next week East Lynn Only we're not joking about it East Lynn is a fine old play And we asked Richard Chandler to dust it off a little and bring it down to size Fred Steiner Who composes the beautiful musical scores you hear each week has done the same thing with some melodramatic themes your parents and grandparents used So that we can say to you next week East Lynn until and thank you for listening and good night. Good night Music for tonight story was composed and conducted by Fred Steiner The Kathy and Elliot theme is by Ray Noble and the program is transcribed and directed by mr. Lewis Gil Warren speaking America now rides to the tune of 25 million auto radios and listens most to the CBS radio network