WEBVTT 00:00:00.650 --> 00:00:04.349 And CBS for Seattle, this is KIXI with the time 00:00:04.349 --> 00:00:10.330 now is six minutes past 11. The CBS radio mystery 00:00:10.330 --> 00:00:33.799 theater presents. Come in. Welcome. I'm E .G. 00:00:34.020 --> 00:00:37.320 Marshall. Welcome to the world of terrifying 00:00:37.320 --> 00:00:42.659 imagination. The fear you can hear. Somebody 00:00:42.659 --> 00:00:44.920 said it, I believe, or if he didn't he should 00:00:44.920 --> 00:00:48.600 have. The world is neither good nor bad. Tis 00:00:48.600 --> 00:00:52.939 wishing makes it so. Our story is about a fae, 00:00:53.060 --> 00:00:55.679 elfin young woman who made her own world and 00:00:55.679 --> 00:00:58.420 who had a disturbing and fateful capacity to 00:00:58.420 --> 00:01:02.030 make her dreams come true. Not always in exactly 00:01:02.030 --> 00:01:04.890 the fashion or the dimension she wished for. 00:01:05.349 --> 00:01:08.969 I'm warning you, you stop hanging on to me, Marge! 00:01:09.069 --> 00:01:11.609 I've got to, Tom! You just can't do it to us 00:01:11.609 --> 00:01:14.609 anymore! Just lay off of me! Oh, you can't do 00:01:14.609 --> 00:01:17.590 this again! Then I've got the lot tonight! I 00:01:17.590 --> 00:01:20.129 can feel it all going for me! The way you always 00:01:20.129 --> 00:01:22.989 feel, please! Marge, let go! You wanna put the 00:01:22.989 --> 00:02:02.459 worry on me? I said... Tom, you let... Fishing 00:02:02.459 --> 00:02:05.459 Stone was written especially for the Mystery 00:02:05.459 --> 00:02:08.979 Theatre by Ian Martin and stars Clarice Blackburn 00:02:08.979 --> 00:02:13.340 and William Prince. It is sponsored in part by 00:02:13.340 --> 00:02:16.240 the Kellogg Company, makers of Kellogg's Special 00:02:16.240 --> 00:02:20.319 K Cereal, and by new sugar -free Diet 7 Up. I'll 00:02:20.319 --> 00:02:35.599 be back shortly with Act One. We are such stuff 00:02:35.599 --> 00:02:39.620 as dreams are made on and our little life is 00:02:39.620 --> 00:02:43.319 rounded with a sleep That quote is definitely 00:02:43.319 --> 00:02:46.860 mr. Shakespeare's but our little life is equally 00:02:46.860 --> 00:02:51.860 founded and sometimes confounded on dreams like 00:02:51.860 --> 00:02:54.560 the bad one Jenny Coulter had a few moments ago 00:02:54.560 --> 00:02:58.080 and for which fortunately there is present comfort 00:02:58.080 --> 00:03:02.039 in the person of her mother and in turn her brother 00:03:02.039 --> 00:03:07.719 Judd Jenny, you all right? It's you, Ma. You. 00:03:08.580 --> 00:03:12.080 Oh, you all right? Well, I'm fine, honey. What, 00:03:12.080 --> 00:03:15.199 did you have a bad dream? I suppose. Oh, now 00:03:15.199 --> 00:03:19.620 that I see you. Oh, Ma, it was so real. I saw 00:03:19.620 --> 00:03:22.419 you lying there at the bottom of the stairs and... 00:03:22.419 --> 00:03:25.840 and your head. Oh, it was turned to the side 00:03:25.840 --> 00:03:28.229 like... like... Oh, well, now look. Don't let 00:03:28.229 --> 00:03:31.330 it upset you. Here I am, right as rain, and it 00:03:31.330 --> 00:03:34.009 was only a dream. But it was just like I saw 00:03:34.009 --> 00:03:36.710 it happen. He pulled his arm away from you while 00:03:36.710 --> 00:03:39.469 you were hanging on. And you went tumbling down. 00:03:40.389 --> 00:03:45.629 He? Who's he? I... I don't want to talk about 00:03:45.629 --> 00:03:50.490 it. Was it your father? Yes. Who else would it 00:03:50.490 --> 00:03:53.710 be? Judd, what are you doing up? I heard Jenny 00:03:53.710 --> 00:03:56.509 Lou cry out. Oh, it was just a bad dream is all. 00:03:56.780 --> 00:04:00.400 You okay, sis? I'm just fine now. You go on back 00:04:00.400 --> 00:04:02.620 to bed now, son. What did you dream the old man 00:04:02.620 --> 00:04:05.479 did to Ma, Jenny? Ma was trying to stop him from 00:04:05.479 --> 00:04:08.539 going out gambling again. And he sort of pushed 00:04:08.539 --> 00:04:11.379 her off him, like... And she tumbled all the 00:04:11.379 --> 00:04:13.960 way downstairs. Now that's enough fussing about 00:04:13.960 --> 00:04:16.839 nothing now. You get back to bed, Judd. Okay. 00:04:18.120 --> 00:04:21.399 Good night, Jenny. Good night, Judd. You want 00:04:21.399 --> 00:04:24.139 I should close the door, Ma? No, I'm coming back 00:04:24.139 --> 00:04:27.730 to bed myself. Right away. You're not scared 00:04:27.730 --> 00:04:31.089 no more. Are you honey? No Long as I know you 00:04:31.089 --> 00:04:35.269 and Jeddard close by But I sure was scared. Oh 00:04:35.269 --> 00:04:38.930 my baby. You're just so sensitive Everything 00:04:38.930 --> 00:04:41.850 touches you close like a little butterfly sitting 00:04:41.850 --> 00:04:44.350 on a leaf with your feelers reaching out all 00:04:44.350 --> 00:04:48.470 a tremble I like being butterfly That's a pretty 00:04:48.470 --> 00:04:51.610 sort of thing to think on so you just keep thinking 00:04:51.610 --> 00:04:54.649 on it and hustle yourself back to sleep Good 00:04:54.649 --> 00:04:58.670 night, Jenny Good night, Ma. I love you. And 00:04:58.670 --> 00:05:04.810 I love you. Sleep tight. Ma. Sakes alive, Judd. 00:05:04.829 --> 00:05:07.129 You like to startle me on my wits. Come away 00:05:07.129 --> 00:05:09.329 from Jenny's door. I thought I told you to go 00:05:09.329 --> 00:05:12.069 on back to bed. Was you and Pa having an argument 00:05:12.069 --> 00:05:15.389 again tonight? When? Well, right now. That she 00:05:15.389 --> 00:05:18.110 might have heard. Your father isn't even here. 00:05:18.129 --> 00:05:21.069 He went on out after you kids went to bed. Yeah, 00:05:21.069 --> 00:05:22.870 but he's over the stove. He's playing poker. 00:05:24.569 --> 00:05:28.329 Tom don't mean what he does. He's sick. Yeah, 00:05:28.329 --> 00:05:37.029 and so am I. I'm sick of him. I'm here in the 00:05:37.029 --> 00:05:41.209 kitchen, Dr. Luther. How's Jenny? Jenny Lou is 00:05:41.209 --> 00:05:44.389 just fine, Marge. She's getting dressed, and 00:05:44.389 --> 00:05:46.550 I'm going to drop her off at school on my way 00:05:46.550 --> 00:05:50.329 into town. It ain't the encephalitis again. You 00:05:50.329 --> 00:05:53.370 got to stop worrying about that, Marge. It's 00:05:53.370 --> 00:05:56.939 not so easy. after last year getting put back 00:05:56.939 --> 00:05:59.860 one grade after missing all her classes. It won't 00:05:59.860 --> 00:06:02.019 take her long to jump back where she belongs. 00:06:02.279 --> 00:06:04.920 That's the right smart little girl. She used 00:06:04.920 --> 00:06:08.759 to be before. That's what I want to talk to you 00:06:08.759 --> 00:06:12.779 about. If I've told you once, I've told you half 00:06:12.779 --> 00:06:15.300 a dozen times that Jenny was one of the lucky 00:06:15.300 --> 00:06:18.360 ones. She came through it without a scratch, 00:06:18.639 --> 00:06:21.980 physical or mental. But such a long time. It 00:06:21.980 --> 00:06:25.079 was a very mild case, even if it was stubborn 00:06:25.079 --> 00:06:29.439 and protracted. It's just I worry so that she... 00:06:29.439 --> 00:06:33.839 she was somehow held back. I want you to get 00:06:33.839 --> 00:06:36.180 that clean out of your mind, once and for all. 00:06:36.560 --> 00:06:42.500 But sometimes she seems so... so young. Oh, Lord, 00:06:42.800 --> 00:06:45.870 what do you want her to be at 16? I don't know 00:06:45.870 --> 00:06:49.389 of anyone fresher and lovelier and more unspoiled 00:06:49.389 --> 00:06:52.529 than your little girl. She wants to cling to 00:06:52.529 --> 00:06:56.069 childhood a little longer. Leave her be. Just 00:06:56.069 --> 00:06:58.089 so you're sure, last year didn't hurt her none. 00:06:59.170 --> 00:07:02.069 There's only one thing I worry about with Jenny. 00:07:02.810 --> 00:07:07.709 What? Your husband. Lord knows why, but she thinks 00:07:07.709 --> 00:07:11.439 the sun rises and sets in her father. Once she 00:07:11.439 --> 00:07:13.860 settles for being a woman she'll have to open 00:07:13.860 --> 00:07:17.480 her eyes as to what he really is Oh Tom doesn't 00:07:17.480 --> 00:07:19.819 mean to hurt anyone doctor. You told me yourself 00:07:19.819 --> 00:07:22.920 that he's sick Yeah, I think it is a kind of 00:07:22.920 --> 00:07:28.019 sickness But not one a doctor can treat What 00:07:28.019 --> 00:07:33.620 am I going to do I don't know Marge oh One thing 00:07:33.620 --> 00:07:35.879 I do know is I've got to go people waiting at 00:07:35.879 --> 00:07:42.420 the office, but Tom is hurting all of you. Bad. 00:07:43.540 --> 00:07:47.279 Worse, maybe, than any of you realize. And in 00:07:47.279 --> 00:07:51.240 the end, Jenny will lose the one he'll hurt most 00:07:51.240 --> 00:08:03.459 of all. Judd, is that you? Oh, yeah, Ma. Is Jenny 00:08:03.459 --> 00:08:08.480 with you? Well, no, Ma. Where you been? Baseball 00:08:08.480 --> 00:08:11.019 practice. Why'd you think Jenny was with me? 00:08:11.279 --> 00:08:13.639 Because she didn't come home after school. Jenny 00:08:13.639 --> 00:08:15.800 didn't like her to just take off. You don't suppose 00:08:15.800 --> 00:08:18.759 she... Well, she won't, Ma. That dream shook 00:08:18.759 --> 00:08:22.060 her up. And Tom and me had another bad set -to 00:08:22.060 --> 00:08:26.300 this morning. She wouldn't run away. Jenny? From 00:08:26.300 --> 00:08:30.540 us? No way. Well, she was sort of strange when 00:08:30.540 --> 00:08:32.720 she left this morning with Dr. Luther. Kind of, 00:08:32.720 --> 00:08:36.440 I don't know, excited as if she had some secret 00:08:36.440 --> 00:08:40.840 plan. You know how she gets. Secret? Yeah, but 00:08:40.840 --> 00:08:44.759 I know where she is where Well, I I can't tell 00:08:44.759 --> 00:08:49.419 you I mean, it's her own secret place only Well, 00:08:49.419 --> 00:08:51.220 the only reason I know about it is I was out 00:08:51.220 --> 00:08:52.919 rabbit hunting one day and I stumbled across 00:08:52.919 --> 00:08:56.440 it She goes in a birdwatch and just to be alone. 00:08:56.879 --> 00:08:59.299 I guess now she made me promise I'd never tell 00:08:59.299 --> 00:09:12.409 just where I'll bring her home Jenny? Jenny, 00:09:12.549 --> 00:09:15.250 what are you doing hiding out here? I wasn't 00:09:15.250 --> 00:09:19.090 hiding. I just came here to say a little prayer. 00:09:19.730 --> 00:09:25.470 For who? Pa. Oh? And the sun was shining in like 00:09:25.470 --> 00:09:28.269 a big splinter of light, the way it does through 00:09:28.269 --> 00:09:31.330 the hole in the tree up there. Remember how I 00:09:31.330 --> 00:09:33.169 always used to think when we was little kids 00:09:33.169 --> 00:09:35.870 that it was God stretching down His hand to touch 00:09:35.870 --> 00:09:41.600 us? Yeah. It was a long time ago. Don't say that. 00:09:42.259 --> 00:09:46.360 Because he is there. He was here today. Least 00:09:46.360 --> 00:09:51.100 ways one of his angels was. What? I was kneeling. 00:09:51.500 --> 00:09:54.720 And looking up into the sun. And all of a sudden, 00:09:55.539 --> 00:09:59.139 the birds was all still. And the whole hidey 00:09:59.139 --> 00:10:02.740 hole here, filled up with golden light that sparkled 00:10:02.740 --> 00:10:07.840 and spun. And right over there, he was standing. 00:10:09.519 --> 00:10:14.940 Who? Him. The angel of the Lord. And I could 00:10:14.940 --> 00:10:19.259 feel him all around me. In me. Warm and kind. 00:10:19.820 --> 00:10:24.620 So kind. Then he touched my hand. And smiled. 00:10:25.500 --> 00:10:29.919 And just faded away. And then I looked in my 00:10:29.919 --> 00:10:35.340 hand. And I saw it. Wait! I didn't lose it! Oh! 00:10:35.799 --> 00:10:40.679 No, here. This is what I found in my... Let's 00:10:40.679 --> 00:10:44.019 see. What is it? It's a conjure stone all gold 00:10:44.019 --> 00:10:49.259 and shiny a stone I can wish on The angel said 00:10:49.259 --> 00:10:52.559 that he didn't have to I heard the words inside 00:10:52.559 --> 00:10:56.919 me You can wish on this Jenny. You can have anything 00:10:56.919 --> 00:11:08.590 you want Jenny, right to the moment I just gotta 00:11:08.590 --> 00:11:11.529 say I'm so fussed and fumed about dinner being 00:11:11.529 --> 00:11:14.250 ready and you kids not, and your father ain't 00:11:14.250 --> 00:11:16.929 home, I can't hardly think straight about... 00:11:16.929 --> 00:11:19.809 Oh, Lordy, if my biscuits have risen, we're just 00:11:19.809 --> 00:11:22.970 gonna have to sit and eat without Tom. Jenny, 00:11:23.250 --> 00:11:25.830 don't bother my right now. I just want to try 00:11:25.830 --> 00:11:28.710 my wishing stone, wish something nice for her. 00:11:29.250 --> 00:11:32.909 Let's just hold up for a better time. I could 00:11:32.909 --> 00:11:35.409 wish Potter hurry home, so he wouldn't have to 00:11:35.409 --> 00:11:38.460 wait. I don't want to wait none at all. I got 00:11:38.460 --> 00:11:41.519 a math test tomorrow. I just got a pass or I 00:11:41.519 --> 00:11:43.200 don't make the ball team and I need every minute 00:11:43.200 --> 00:11:47.320 to study. Except who am I kidding? If I stayed 00:11:47.320 --> 00:11:49.059 up all night, I wouldn't be ready for tomorrow. 00:11:49.419 --> 00:11:51.639 If you had a few more days, could you make it? 00:11:51.899 --> 00:11:54.419 Well, even just one, I'd stand a chance. Okay, 00:11:54.740 --> 00:11:56.960 here goes. No, no, no, hold up a minute. Too 00:11:56.960 --> 00:12:02.179 late. Shh. I just wished there'd be no school 00:12:02.179 --> 00:12:06.000 tomorrow. No school tomorrow? What nonsense is 00:12:06.000 --> 00:12:09.240 that? Jenny, go bring them biscuits. Judd, you 00:12:09.240 --> 00:12:11.720 sit down. Ain't we gonna wait for Pa? We ain't 00:12:11.720 --> 00:12:13.840 waitin' for nothin'. Not even wishes to come 00:12:13.840 --> 00:12:16.000 true. We're gonna eat our dinner before it spoils. 00:12:16.500 --> 00:12:20.500 Yes, Ma. I'll get the biscuits. You didn't have 00:12:20.500 --> 00:12:24.539 to be so rough on them, Ma. Play her game. I 00:12:24.539 --> 00:12:27.080 know, Judd. It's just I have no sense of humor 00:12:27.080 --> 00:12:31.210 left. Or fun. The way it is with us... If we 00:12:31.210 --> 00:12:33.889 had a wishing stone, we could use it for a lot 00:12:33.889 --> 00:12:37.750 better things than no school tomorrow. Ain't 00:12:37.750 --> 00:12:41.169 that crazy? The two of you have had me half believing 00:12:41.169 --> 00:12:52.990 there is a power in that stone. Hi, March. Tom? 00:12:53.730 --> 00:12:57.289 Where are the kids? As if you care. Gone to bed. 00:12:58.090 --> 00:13:00.590 Where have you been? What was the action tonight? 00:13:01.169 --> 00:13:05.850 Bingo? Horses? Pools? Nope. Tonight I got a pretty 00:13:05.850 --> 00:13:09.629 fair excuse. The only thing I was gambling was 00:13:09.629 --> 00:13:13.710 my life. What's that supposed to mean? I've been 00:13:13.710 --> 00:13:19.470 a volunteer helper at a fire. Now it's finally 00:13:19.470 --> 00:13:21.350 out. I couldn't hardly wait to get home and tell 00:13:21.350 --> 00:13:24.669 the kids the good news. What good news? That 00:13:24.669 --> 00:13:28.470 the school burned down. Good news for the kids 00:13:28.470 --> 00:13:37.110 everywhere tonight no school tomorrow Is there 00:13:37.110 --> 00:13:39.470 any other catastrophe in the world that carries 00:13:39.470 --> 00:13:42.309 with it an equal amount of joy than a school 00:13:42.309 --> 00:13:46.490 burning down But this time is it chance or is 00:13:46.490 --> 00:13:51.509 some supernatural force sinister or benign at 00:13:51.509 --> 00:13:54.460 play? We're going to find out that this simple 00:13:54.460 --> 00:13:58.159 phenomenon, or happenstance, is a great deal 00:13:58.159 --> 00:14:01.259 more than sheer coincidence when we return in 00:14:01.259 --> 00:14:16.840 a few moments with Act Two. So, Jenny Liu, our 00:14:16.840 --> 00:14:19.840 16 -year -old who is determined to cling to childhood 00:14:19.840 --> 00:14:23.139 and all its happiest dreams, has made her first 00:14:23.139 --> 00:14:27.039 wish upon the conjure stone the magic piece of 00:14:27.039 --> 00:14:30.039 shiny gold that came to her she believes at the 00:14:30.039 --> 00:14:34.539 hand of an angel a wish that came true well this 00:14:34.539 --> 00:14:37.580 one was a harmless enough request although the 00:14:37.580 --> 00:14:40.139 manner of its granting has been destructive enough 00:14:40.139 --> 00:14:44.559 if indeed it was actually granted if this is 00:14:44.559 --> 00:14:48.299 a wishing the stone it is potentially as dangerous 00:14:48.639 --> 00:14:51.340 as a nuclear bomb. Did you say the school burned 00:14:51.340 --> 00:14:54.559 down, Pa? It sure as Tucker did, John. Ain't 00:14:54.559 --> 00:14:58.139 that good news, Jenny? I reckon. I guess... I 00:14:58.139 --> 00:15:00.759 didn't mean to do it that way. Eh? You didn't 00:15:00.759 --> 00:15:03.240 mean to do what? To burn it down. I just didn't 00:15:03.240 --> 00:15:05.500 want it to be. That's all I wished on. Hey, what 00:15:05.500 --> 00:15:07.639 was she talking about, Mark? Oh, it's just Jenny 00:15:07.639 --> 00:15:09.779 found out. Don't you tell him, Mark. Don't you 00:15:09.779 --> 00:15:13.059 tell me what? Oh, don't pay any mind to the young 00:15:13.059 --> 00:15:15.919 'un's nonsense. Just tell us about the schoolhouse 00:15:15.919 --> 00:15:19.799 and what happened. Well, sir, I just about finished 00:15:19.799 --> 00:15:22.299 trimming up Mayor Saget's hedge, and I just started 00:15:22.299 --> 00:15:24.379 to get all my tools together to put back in the 00:15:24.379 --> 00:15:27.399 pickup when the fire horn went off. I heard that 00:15:27.399 --> 00:15:29.440 old horn go just a couple of minutes after I 00:15:29.440 --> 00:15:31.620 shot you. I run straight over to the firehouse, 00:15:31.779 --> 00:15:35.340 being that close, and we took off. By the time 00:15:35.340 --> 00:15:39.120 we got there, she was past all saving. And it's 00:15:39.120 --> 00:15:42.299 funny, you know, you come to think of it... A 00:15:42.299 --> 00:15:43.960 brick building like that, you wouldn't figure 00:15:43.960 --> 00:15:46.220 it turned into a regular torch. Well, how'd the 00:15:46.220 --> 00:15:49.360 fire start, Pa? Yeah, you wouldn't believe this. 00:15:50.259 --> 00:15:52.419 And neither does nobody else credit it. But according 00:15:52.419 --> 00:15:56.720 to old Sam Wallace, all of a sudden, a flaming 00:15:56.720 --> 00:15:59.720 arrow comes straight out of the sky and cut right 00:15:59.720 --> 00:16:02.039 through the brick walls and everything and hit 00:16:02.039 --> 00:16:06.299 the oil tank and blew her wide open. Oh, that... 00:16:06.009 --> 00:16:09.850 Drunken old no good. Some custodian. How bet 00:16:09.850 --> 00:16:12.230 he was drinking and dropped one of those foul 00:16:12.230 --> 00:16:14.789 old stogies he smokes and all that rubbish he's 00:16:14.789 --> 00:16:16.909 too lazy to clean out of the cellar. It could 00:16:16.909 --> 00:16:21.330 be. It's what most everyone thinks. Still... 00:16:21.330 --> 00:16:25.129 Still what? It's hard to tell someone who wasn't 00:16:25.129 --> 00:16:28.830 there. But damn if the way he told that story 00:16:28.830 --> 00:16:32.009 didn't make you stop at least once to sink on 00:16:32.009 --> 00:16:35.509 it. What do you mean? This first time I ever 00:16:35.509 --> 00:16:37.850 seen that old booze hound with his eyes put together 00:16:37.850 --> 00:16:41.570 like he really was seeing what he talked about 00:16:41.570 --> 00:16:45.850 anyways We talked enough. Hey something to eat 00:16:45.850 --> 00:16:48.549 around here. I got it warm and I'll serve it 00:16:48.549 --> 00:16:53.350 right away Pa yes sugar that flaming lightning 00:16:53.350 --> 00:16:56.750 bolt you said how long before the fire horn sounded 00:16:56.750 --> 00:17:01.129 did it come oh? According to Sam story he lit 00:17:01.129 --> 00:17:04.319 out next door to the gas station and call the 00:17:04.319 --> 00:17:06.180 fire department where it couldn't have been more 00:17:06.180 --> 00:17:08.980 than a couple of minutes. See, Judd? It did so 00:17:08.980 --> 00:17:11.940 work. Okay, if you want to believe it. What are 00:17:11.940 --> 00:17:14.500 you kids talking about? Well, forget it, Pa. 00:17:14.660 --> 00:17:17.519 Just kid talk. Oh. Oh, I'm too old to share. 00:17:17.759 --> 00:17:20.880 Oh, no. If you want to... Oh, sure I do. Well, 00:17:20.960 --> 00:17:24.380 Pa, it's just for now of mine. Jenny and me's 00:17:24.380 --> 00:17:27.119 gotta be getting to bed. With no school to worry 00:17:27.119 --> 00:17:29.460 about tomorrow? If there's no school, there's 00:17:29.460 --> 00:17:31.519 plenty of chores they can catch up on in the 00:17:31.519 --> 00:17:33.619 morning. Scoot now, both of you. I'm serving 00:17:33.619 --> 00:17:36.160 your Pa dinner. Good night, Pa. Let's go, Jen. 00:17:36.279 --> 00:17:38.140 But I wanted to tell... You get on upstairs. 00:17:38.380 --> 00:17:41.279 It's past your bedtime. Yes, Ma. Good night, 00:17:41.460 --> 00:17:46.119 Pa. Good night, kids. Did you have to chase him 00:17:46.119 --> 00:17:49.000 off to bed? Little enough chance I get to see 00:17:49.000 --> 00:17:51.519 him. It's little enough chance you make to see 00:17:51.519 --> 00:17:55.140 him. Oh, lay off, will you, Marge? I'm not even 00:17:55.140 --> 00:17:58.240 laying on. If you stuck a little closer to home 00:17:58.240 --> 00:18:00.759 than to the other woman, maybe you'd know what 00:18:00.759 --> 00:18:03.180 goes on around your own house. The what other 00:18:03.180 --> 00:18:06.160 woman? Now, dang it! I'm talking about Lady Luck, 00:18:06.339 --> 00:18:08.660 or whatever name you want to call her, my rival. 00:18:09.319 --> 00:18:12.539 Lady Luck. Whatever makes you gamble, Tom, one 00:18:12.539 --> 00:18:14.420 way or another, it's... It's gonna be the end 00:18:14.420 --> 00:18:18.000 of us. You're ever gonna see that before it's 00:18:18.000 --> 00:18:26.980 too late. Why wouldn't you let me tell Pa about 00:18:26.980 --> 00:18:31.039 the wishing stone? Because. Because what? Because 00:18:31.039 --> 00:18:32.480 first thing you know, he'll take it off of you. 00:18:32.640 --> 00:18:35.599 That's why. Why would he? Because it's real gold? 00:18:36.839 --> 00:18:39.700 Jenny, that stone ain't gold. Then what is it? 00:18:40.799 --> 00:18:45.180 It's pyrite. What? Oh, it's just what everybody 00:18:45.180 --> 00:18:50.740 calls... Well, it... It's a sort of medal. Well, 00:18:50.740 --> 00:18:54.200 anyways, whatever it is, it's real precious to 00:18:54.200 --> 00:18:58.140 me. It's my lucky charm. Well, that's why you 00:18:58.140 --> 00:19:00.000 better not let Pa know what you think about it. 00:19:00.180 --> 00:19:04.180 Why? Well, you know what he's like. He... He 00:19:04.180 --> 00:19:05.779 cares about gambling more than he cares about 00:19:05.779 --> 00:19:08.779 anything, and all gamblers are real superstitious. 00:19:09.720 --> 00:19:12.000 Now, if he knew you had a lucky piece... Especially 00:19:12.000 --> 00:19:14.000 if he heard the crazy story about you and that 00:19:14.000 --> 00:19:16.640 school burning down. He'd have it off of you 00:19:16.640 --> 00:19:18.660 so fast that it set your head to spinning. It 00:19:18.660 --> 00:19:21.519 isn't crazy. You heard me wish on the stone for 00:19:21.519 --> 00:19:24.940 no school, and now there is no school. It was 00:19:24.940 --> 00:19:27.460 just happenstance. You don't think it happened 00:19:27.460 --> 00:19:30.700 just because I wished it? Of course it didn't. 00:19:30.940 --> 00:19:34.079 Then I'm gonna prove it to you. What do you want 00:19:34.079 --> 00:19:36.420 me to wish for? I don't want you to wish for 00:19:36.420 --> 00:19:39.619 nothing. I gotta show you. Look here now. I'm 00:19:39.619 --> 00:19:43.440 gonna wish... Jenny! What, Judd? Oh, you sound 00:19:43.440 --> 00:19:47.660 so funny. Well, maybe it's because I feel like 00:19:47.660 --> 00:19:53.539 that. Like what way? Sort of, you know, superstitious 00:19:53.539 --> 00:19:56.839 -like. It sort of gives you goosebumps if you 00:19:56.839 --> 00:19:59.980 think on it. What does? Well, now look, Jenny, 00:20:00.299 --> 00:20:02.500 supposing... No, no, no, I'm not saying it did 00:20:02.500 --> 00:20:05.880 fall out this way, but supposing you did get 00:20:05.880 --> 00:20:08.339 what you wished for. You were the one yourself 00:20:08.339 --> 00:20:10.220 said you didn't mean to get it the way you did. 00:20:10.359 --> 00:20:13.740 No, that's for sure I didn't. I didn't want the 00:20:13.740 --> 00:20:18.119 schoolhouse to go on fire. Oh, gosh, Judd. Oh, 00:20:18.460 --> 00:20:21.200 supposing... Just supposing someone had been 00:20:21.200 --> 00:20:24.079 in there and got caught in the fire. Or a whole 00:20:24.079 --> 00:20:27.220 lot of folks. That's kind of what I'm saying. 00:20:27.940 --> 00:20:33.380 And my wish could have burned them all up. But 00:20:33.380 --> 00:20:36.240 the angel gave it to me. For sure he couldn't 00:20:36.240 --> 00:20:39.359 have meant nothing bad to happen. I don't have 00:20:39.359 --> 00:20:42.880 to throw it away, do I, Judd? I can keep it. 00:20:43.779 --> 00:20:46.920 Well, that won't do no harm, so long as you don't 00:20:46.920 --> 00:20:50.480 wish on it. I guess I'll just put it away for 00:20:50.480 --> 00:20:55.380 my keepsakes. And I'll never use it unless... 00:20:55.380 --> 00:20:58.740 Unless what? Unless the angel comes and tells 00:20:58.740 --> 00:21:01.960 me to. Well, that's a right good idea, Jenny. 00:21:02.759 --> 00:21:05.180 And remember, don't let Pa get wind of that there 00:21:05.180 --> 00:21:07.920 stone. There would nothing hold him back from 00:21:07.920 --> 00:21:18.259 using it, even if he didn't believe in it. It's 00:21:18.259 --> 00:21:20.539 gonna seem funny going to school in the courthouse. 00:21:21.000 --> 00:21:22.940 You think with only a Friday left in the week 00:21:22.940 --> 00:21:25.220 that I wait until Monday to start up again. I'm 00:21:25.220 --> 00:21:27.779 glad they did. I don't want to miss any more 00:21:27.779 --> 00:21:30.059 school ever. Then you better look out the things 00:21:30.059 --> 00:21:33.259 you go around wishing, Missy. Oh, she's took... 00:21:33.259 --> 00:21:36.220 I'm sorry, Ma. She's taken a pledge. What does 00:21:36.220 --> 00:21:38.380 that mean? I'm not going to wish on the stone 00:21:38.380 --> 00:21:40.819 anymore, because the wish you get might turn 00:21:40.819 --> 00:21:43.680 out bad for other folks. I think that's a very 00:21:43.680 --> 00:21:48.119 good pledge. Yes, only... Only what? I'll have 00:21:48.119 --> 00:21:50.599 to whisper. Well, don't mind me, I'm all finished. 00:21:50.819 --> 00:21:56.079 I gotta get my books from upstairs. What's this 00:21:56.079 --> 00:21:58.960 you have to whisper? I was just going to say 00:21:58.960 --> 00:22:02.579 that with Judd's... with Judd's birthday tomorrow, 00:22:03.160 --> 00:22:06.420 I wanted to wish him a bicycle. He sure has his 00:22:06.420 --> 00:22:09.359 heart set on one. Well, you won't have to worry 00:22:09.359 --> 00:22:12.039 because he's already got one. Least ways he will 00:22:12.039 --> 00:22:15.240 by later this morning. How? You see this flower 00:22:15.240 --> 00:22:20.519 tin? Yes. Watch this. Down under the flower. 00:22:20.880 --> 00:22:23.359 There, in this old glass salt cellar is the money 00:22:23.359 --> 00:22:26.059 I've been saving up for most a year to get your 00:22:26.059 --> 00:22:28.440 brother the bike he wants. How come you kept 00:22:28.440 --> 00:22:32.150 it there? Your father what he is it had to be 00:22:32.150 --> 00:22:36.710 some real safe place to keep his hands off it 00:22:36.710 --> 00:22:40.250 It's your uncle Al he's driving me to work this 00:22:40.250 --> 00:22:42.130 morning get the door honey, will you my hands 00:22:42.130 --> 00:22:52.309 are all flower sure thing mom My you sure are 00:22:52.309 --> 00:22:54.730 as pretty as a picture get look more like your 00:22:54.730 --> 00:22:59.029 mother every day And they don't come any prettier 00:22:59.029 --> 00:23:02.509 than that You and your honey talk. You should 00:23:02.509 --> 00:23:05.529 have been on a TV instead of behind a cage. Thank 00:23:05.529 --> 00:23:07.630 God the bank don't keep its tellers there anymore. 00:23:07.769 --> 00:23:11.990 You make me sound like an ape. Me, Tarzan. You, 00:23:12.210 --> 00:23:18.750 Jenny? No, me, Jenny. You must be around a lot. 00:23:19.230 --> 00:23:21.009 Hi. Hi, Gabe. Give me some skin. Well, here's 00:23:21.009 --> 00:23:24.200 five. I'm at you. See, that's some grip. You 00:23:24.200 --> 00:23:26.059 wanna Indian wrestle? Oh, I'm gonna be ready 00:23:26.059 --> 00:23:28.259 pretty soon to take you on. I think you're ready 00:23:28.259 --> 00:23:30.599 already. No, I got no time this morning. I gotta 00:23:30.599 --> 00:23:32.539 catch a school bus. Come on, Jenny, we gotta 00:23:32.539 --> 00:23:35.519 scoot. Goodbye, Mom. Oh, have a good day, son. 00:23:35.819 --> 00:23:39.420 Bye, Mom. And get a real swell, you know what. 00:23:39.579 --> 00:23:42.900 I will. Be happy, Jenny. I am. Bye, Uncle Al. 00:23:43.039 --> 00:23:44.960 Hey, it's great to see ya. We'll make it longer 00:23:44.960 --> 00:23:49.160 next time. Bye, Uncle Al. Come on, Jenny. Make 00:23:49.160 --> 00:23:55.230 next time... You can count on it real soon. Oh, 00:23:55.329 --> 00:23:58.589 S. Well, kids, boys, I envy you. Yeah, they're 00:23:58.589 --> 00:24:03.890 what I live for these days. Tom left already? 00:24:04.529 --> 00:24:08.069 No, he's upstairs, dead to the world. He rolled 00:24:08.069 --> 00:24:10.750 in this morning around three, smelling like a 00:24:10.750 --> 00:24:14.250 brewery. That brother of mine, I'd like to knock 00:24:14.250 --> 00:24:17.029 his head off. The way he'll be feeling the time 00:24:17.029 --> 00:24:18.990 he gets up this morning, you won't have to. It'll 00:24:18.990 --> 00:24:22.789 fall off all by itself. I got to talk some business 00:24:22.789 --> 00:24:27.049 to him. Like what? I don't want to get you involved 00:24:27.049 --> 00:24:29.089 in it, Mark. Well, if it's about money, I will 00:24:29.089 --> 00:24:32.589 be anyway. It is about money. And there's no 00:24:32.589 --> 00:24:37.289 use asking him. I went through his pockets last 00:24:37.289 --> 00:24:41.089 night, and he doesn't have one red cent. But 00:24:41.089 --> 00:24:46.220 he's got to. What for, Al? Jim Kenny called me 00:24:46.220 --> 00:24:48.920 at home late last night the insurance agent. 00:24:49.660 --> 00:24:52.940 Yeah Last payment on Tom's life insurance hasn't 00:24:52.940 --> 00:24:55.740 been made and tomorrow is the last day of the 00:24:55.740 --> 00:24:58.680 grace period But I gave him the money for that 00:24:58.680 --> 00:25:04.339 a month ago. You gave him the money I know but 00:25:04.339 --> 00:25:06.500 things had been going well for a while like they 00:25:06.500 --> 00:25:09.859 sometimes do or anyways, I thought they were 00:25:09.859 --> 00:25:14.619 and He asked me to trust him. Oh Lord, what am 00:25:14.619 --> 00:25:19.200 I going to do now, Al? I don't know, Marge. This 00:25:19.200 --> 00:25:23.259 time I... I just haven't got it. What do you 00:25:23.259 --> 00:25:29.140 mean, this time? Marge, Tom is hopeless. I've 00:25:29.140 --> 00:25:31.599 been carrying him for years, or thought I was. 00:25:31.920 --> 00:25:34.599 I gave him the sixty dollars for that same payment. 00:25:35.180 --> 00:25:37.380 When I found out last night it hadn't been made, 00:25:37.380 --> 00:25:40.420 I was mad enough to kill him. One reason I waited 00:25:40.420 --> 00:25:43.970 till this morning was to cool off. I'd help you 00:25:43.970 --> 00:25:46.130 out, Marge, but I can't. I had to take out a 00:25:46.130 --> 00:25:50.190 new loan to raise the cash for Tom. I can't let 00:25:50.190 --> 00:25:53.470 the insurance go. You'd have a tough time getting 00:25:53.470 --> 00:25:56.490 a new policy written if this one lapses, but 00:25:56.490 --> 00:26:01.809 how? Nearly a year I've been saving it for a 00:26:01.809 --> 00:26:06.109 bike for Judd's birthday tomorrow. Instead... 00:26:06.519 --> 00:26:09.819 I'm going upstairs to beat the... No, no, take 00:26:09.819 --> 00:26:12.880 me downtown, Al. I just can't face Tom this morning. 00:26:13.619 --> 00:26:21.700 I'll have it out with him tonight. After what 00:26:21.700 --> 00:26:24.579 you made me have to do today, how could you steal 00:26:24.579 --> 00:26:26.500 money out of my purse and leave to go gambling 00:26:26.500 --> 00:26:28.480 again? All I want to do is run it up till it's 00:26:28.480 --> 00:26:30.680 enough to pay you back. You're sick! I'm not 00:26:30.680 --> 00:26:32.619 gonna let you take the money I broke my back 00:26:32.619 --> 00:26:34.700 making today. I'll bring you back five times 00:26:34.700 --> 00:26:38.279 this. And you're not stopping me. Oh, yes, I 00:26:38.279 --> 00:26:40.720 will. I'm warning you. You stop hanging onto 00:26:40.720 --> 00:26:43.180 me. I got to, Tom. You just can't do this to 00:26:43.180 --> 00:26:45.740 us anymore. Just lay off of me. Tom, you can't 00:26:45.740 --> 00:26:47.819 do this to us again. I got the luck tonight. 00:26:48.200 --> 00:26:51.019 I can feel it all going for me. The way you always 00:26:51.019 --> 00:26:53.960 feel, please. Let go of me. You wanna put the 00:26:53.960 --> 00:27:25.480 whammy on me? I said... Tom! Let go! The terror 00:27:25.480 --> 00:27:29.819 of addiction step by step it grows to envelop 00:27:29.819 --> 00:27:33.059 the addict till it becomes his whole world, shutting 00:27:33.059 --> 00:27:36.599 out everything else. But the greater terror is 00:27:36.599 --> 00:27:39.359 the destruction of all who love him, dragged 00:27:39.359 --> 00:27:43.660 down with him, and eventually engulfed in a tragedy 00:27:43.660 --> 00:27:46.819 not of their making. I'll return in a moment 00:27:46.819 --> 00:28:03.200 with Act 3. endless moment in time a few dreadful 00:28:03.200 --> 00:28:06.380 seconds ticked away with every heart crying out 00:28:06.380 --> 00:28:08.960 to take them back again to make this just a bad 00:28:08.960 --> 00:28:13.200 dream and not reality three people frozen in 00:28:13.200 --> 00:28:16.839 horror the fourth sprawled at the bottom of the 00:28:16.839 --> 00:28:20.880 stairs her neck bent at an impossible angle frozen 00:28:20.880 --> 00:28:27.250 in what unconsciousness or death Now, at last, 00:28:27.329 --> 00:28:31.609 the man brings himself to move. Marge. Marge. 00:28:31.710 --> 00:28:33.589 Don't you touch your par. I'll kill you dead. 00:28:34.150 --> 00:28:36.970 Son. I'm not your son. I'm your enemy. Jenny, 00:28:37.250 --> 00:28:39.410 call the police. Emergency. We got to get Ma 00:28:39.410 --> 00:28:57.149 to the hospital fast. Ma. Ma. Okay, kid. Just 00:28:57.149 --> 00:29:02.329 take it easy. She's not gonna die. You're not 00:29:02.329 --> 00:29:04.970 gonna let her die, doc. Just hang in tough, kid. 00:29:06.970 --> 00:29:16.130 We'll do our best. I should have gone with the 00:29:16.130 --> 00:29:18.009 ambulance. Ah, you're sticking right with me, 00:29:18.069 --> 00:29:19.809 brother. We'll see how your wife makes out. No, 00:29:19.890 --> 00:29:21.859 no, no. Look, officer, you... You don't think 00:29:21.859 --> 00:29:23.519 she's... Well, for the sake of your own skin, 00:29:23.599 --> 00:29:26.480 you better hope she isn't. But it was an accident. 00:29:26.740 --> 00:29:28.440 By the way, that boy of yours reacted looked 00:29:28.440 --> 00:29:30.619 like he wasn't so sure. Now, we gotta get moving. 00:29:30.819 --> 00:29:34.619 Now, what happened to your daughter? Oh, Denny... 00:29:34.619 --> 00:29:38.359 She went back to get something. Where are you 00:29:38.359 --> 00:29:40.539 taking us? Well, the hospital. First, anyways. 00:29:41.160 --> 00:29:42.579 Now, here she comes. Come on, check her leg, 00:29:42.720 --> 00:29:45.539 kiddo. I... I had to get something very important. 00:29:45.740 --> 00:29:48.319 Okay, okay. Hop in the front with my buddy, Officer 00:29:48.319 --> 00:29:58.519 Franks. Okay, Harry, straight to X -ray. You 00:29:58.519 --> 00:30:02.059 got a family doctor kid? Yeah, Dr. Luther. Oh, 00:30:02.059 --> 00:30:04.200 you know his number? No, but I can look it up. 00:30:04.339 --> 00:30:07.420 Okay. Tell your doctor to get here as fast as 00:30:07.420 --> 00:30:12.720 he can. It's that bad? I wouldn't want to fake 00:30:12.720 --> 00:30:20.160 you out, son. It's not good. And I phoned Dr. 00:30:20.259 --> 00:30:22.640 Luther. He's on his way here. Is Ma gonna die, 00:30:22.920 --> 00:30:29.000 Chuck? I don't know. I'm scared. Real scared. 00:30:29.460 --> 00:30:33.700 So am I. Judd? What? I'm gonna break my pledge. 00:30:34.460 --> 00:30:38.319 You forgive me? What pledge? I brought the wishing 00:30:38.319 --> 00:30:42.420 stone. I'm gonna wish on it. I'm gonna wish that 00:30:42.420 --> 00:30:45.539 Ma's gonna be alright. Just like it never happened. 00:30:45.799 --> 00:30:48.940 If you want to, Jenny, go ahead. Can't do no 00:30:48.940 --> 00:30:51.740 harm. What can't do no harm? For me to use my 00:30:51.740 --> 00:31:03.720 wishing stone? Your what? I'm wishing right now. 00:31:07.599 --> 00:31:09.480 I hear the intern brought the cold case in. He 00:31:09.480 --> 00:31:12.480 is, officer. I wish he. I'm waiting for X -rays 00:31:12.480 --> 00:31:17.259 right now. I'd say she has one chance in a thousand. 00:31:18.480 --> 00:31:21.599 For certain, sure her neck is broken. And the 00:31:21.599 --> 00:31:23.700 way it's broken and other signs indicate to me 00:31:23.700 --> 00:31:27.420 her spinal cord is badly damaged. It isn't severed 00:31:27.420 --> 00:31:35.839 altogether. I just can't understand it, Dr. Luther. 00:31:36.640 --> 00:31:39.460 When I brought Mrs. Colder in, I had sworn she 00:31:39.460 --> 00:31:42.619 was in deep coma. I was sure her neck was broken. 00:31:43.160 --> 00:31:46.240 Spinal cord severed. There's no indication of 00:31:46.240 --> 00:31:49.109 that from my examination of her. Not the slightest 00:31:49.109 --> 00:31:52.190 in these x -rays. I know, but not in this second 00:31:52.190 --> 00:31:56.470 set. Was there a first? Yes. And that's a funny 00:31:56.470 --> 00:31:59.990 thing. When we developed them, every one was 00:31:59.990 --> 00:32:03.930 fogged. And we don't know why. Well, these are 00:32:03.930 --> 00:32:06.589 perfectly clear. So is my patient's condition. 00:32:07.650 --> 00:32:11.430 I see no reason why she shouldn't go home. Cheer 00:32:11.430 --> 00:32:14.549 up, son. All interns make mistakes. I made a 00:32:14.549 --> 00:32:17.619 few buttes in my time. And I'll say this for 00:32:17.619 --> 00:32:19.940 you, if you have to make one, make it on the 00:32:19.940 --> 00:32:22.339 gloomy side. The other ones don't hurt anyone 00:32:22.339 --> 00:32:29.839 or anything. Except maybe your pride. I can't 00:32:29.839 --> 00:32:33.140 understand it. That cop said it flat out that 00:32:33.140 --> 00:32:35.380 Marge was a goner. Well, maybe he was just trying 00:32:35.380 --> 00:32:37.720 to put the fear of God into you. Well, if he 00:32:37.720 --> 00:32:41.720 was, he sure succeeded. If it'll do any good. 00:32:42.519 --> 00:32:45.390 You think I made a stone, Judd? You think I don't 00:32:45.390 --> 00:32:48.250 blame myself for what might have happened? You 00:32:48.250 --> 00:32:50.509 think I wasn't ready to kill myself if anything 00:32:50.509 --> 00:32:53.569 happened to Marge? I don't know, Pa, I... Pa 00:32:53.569 --> 00:32:56.789 wasn't trying to hurt Marge, Odd. It was an accident. 00:32:57.329 --> 00:32:59.809 An accident that wouldn't have happened if... 00:32:59.809 --> 00:33:02.710 Pa wasn't sick with gambling fever. Well, I've 00:33:02.710 --> 00:33:05.609 learned my lesson this time. I'll never gamble 00:33:05.609 --> 00:33:09.849 again. Oh, Pa. Oh, that makes me so happy. I'm 00:33:09.849 --> 00:33:12.250 glad, honey. And it means I won't have to use 00:33:12.250 --> 00:33:15.859 the stone again. I can save up what's maybe the 00:33:15.859 --> 00:33:18.500 last wish for something special for all of us. 00:33:18.740 --> 00:33:20.819 Instead of having it to use it to stop you from 00:33:20.819 --> 00:33:24.420 gambling. What stone? The wishing stone. The 00:33:24.420 --> 00:33:27.200 one I used at the hospital to wish Ma well again. 00:33:28.119 --> 00:33:32.539 Oh, that's right. I forgot. Listen, Duchess. 00:33:33.279 --> 00:33:35.200 Let me see that stone. Don't show it to him. 00:33:35.299 --> 00:33:38.900 Why not? I don't know. It's just a sort of hunch 00:33:38.900 --> 00:33:41.519 that... Wait a minute. Here comes the doctor. 00:33:42.519 --> 00:33:45.180 How's my eye shock, loser? She's fine, more is 00:33:45.180 --> 00:33:48.339 the wonder. Oh, a few scrapes and a bruise or 00:33:48.339 --> 00:33:51.359 two and a lump on the head. Nothing a good night's 00:33:51.359 --> 00:33:54.980 rest won't take care of. Thank God. You should. 00:33:55.819 --> 00:33:58.180 It's a miracle she didn't break her neck in a 00:33:58.180 --> 00:34:01.200 fall like that. That intern at the hospital was 00:34:01.200 --> 00:34:04.539 sure she did. But she didn't. No, Judd, I told 00:34:04.539 --> 00:34:06.839 you she'll be as right as rain. Well, can I go 00:34:06.839 --> 00:34:09.099 up and see her now? Yeah, yeah, yeah. She was 00:34:09.099 --> 00:34:12.610 asking for you. And the kids. She, uh... wants 00:34:12.610 --> 00:34:15.510 to see you alone a moment first. I'll go right 00:34:15.510 --> 00:34:18.929 up. Just to put your mind at rest, or maybe more 00:34:18.929 --> 00:34:23.070 hers, she doesn't want to prefer any charges 00:34:23.070 --> 00:34:26.230 against you. So you can tell her my report to 00:34:26.230 --> 00:34:28.769 the police. We'll call it just an accident. She 00:34:28.769 --> 00:34:31.969 slipped and fell. I'll tell her, Doc. You got 00:34:31.969 --> 00:34:35.750 off mighty lucky this time, Tom. You better not 00:34:35.750 --> 00:34:44.400 tempt fate again. Well, I won't. I mean it, Marge. 00:34:44.800 --> 00:34:48.840 Just give me another chance. I didn't see how 00:34:48.840 --> 00:34:52.380 I could, Tom. I never meant to throw you down 00:34:52.380 --> 00:34:56.980 those stairs. Oh, not because of that. The last 00:34:56.980 --> 00:35:00.199 straw for me was taking a chance away from Judd 00:35:00.199 --> 00:35:02.639 to have something he wanted more than anything 00:35:02.639 --> 00:35:06.559 in the world. His bicycle. You should just let 00:35:06.559 --> 00:35:09.760 the insurance go. How could I, Tom? With two 00:35:09.760 --> 00:35:12.219 kids to bring up? If anything happened to you, 00:35:12.559 --> 00:35:16.059 I... Not that I want anything to happen to you. 00:35:16.659 --> 00:35:22.019 You gonna take me back, Marge? I don't know, 00:35:22.079 --> 00:35:27.360 Tom. It's hard for me to feel for you what... 00:35:27.360 --> 00:35:31.500 what I once felt. But if you're gonna promise 00:35:31.500 --> 00:35:35.539 me you'll quit the gambling for the children's 00:35:35.539 --> 00:35:39.030 sake. We'll try to make a go of it. You won't 00:35:39.030 --> 00:35:44.550 be sorry much. I hope not I Just wish I knew 00:35:44.550 --> 00:35:47.269 how to make it up to Judd tomorrow, but there 00:35:47.269 --> 00:35:50.590 was something I could pawn You haven't left anything 00:35:50.590 --> 00:35:54.510 in this house that you could Except the one thing 00:35:54.510 --> 00:35:56.889 you could never get your hands on. Well, what's 00:35:56.889 --> 00:36:02.630 that? my wedding ring Do you you think I could 00:36:02.630 --> 00:36:05.679 get enough on that? Well, not enough to pay for 00:36:05.679 --> 00:36:10.059 it all, but for a down payment, then I'll take 00:36:10.059 --> 00:36:12.519 that night job cleaning sewers. You made me turn 00:36:12.519 --> 00:36:14.320 down to pay it off. I don't want you working 00:36:14.320 --> 00:36:17.039 in any sewers. Anyway, you can't work day and 00:36:17.039 --> 00:36:19.500 night. Well, I can till I get John to his bike. 00:36:19.940 --> 00:36:23.159 Well, we'll see. I'll take the ring down in the 00:36:23.159 --> 00:36:25.260 morning. No, sir, no, sir. Dr. Lewis doesn't 00:36:25.260 --> 00:36:28.579 want you out of bed. I'll take it down. You? 00:36:28.980 --> 00:36:32.179 Can't you trust me, Marge? Well, if you can't 00:36:32.179 --> 00:36:35.449 trust me now... And what the hope do I have or 00:36:35.449 --> 00:36:39.210 any of us I I can ever be trusted Well, you got 00:36:39.210 --> 00:36:47.050 to I swear to God I just assumed be dead All 00:36:47.050 --> 00:36:59.590 right, Tom, I'll trust you Did what you ran out 00:36:59.590 --> 00:37:03.940 of the money look Benny You've got to do an old 00:37:03.940 --> 00:37:07.300 customer a favor, huh? You've got to cover me 00:37:07.300 --> 00:37:10.480 for the fifth. Headlonger. Now, Benny, Benny, 00:37:10.519 --> 00:37:13.599 you've got to. That 15 I laid out on the first 00:37:13.599 --> 00:37:15.980 was money I got for pawning my wife's wedding 00:37:15.980 --> 00:37:19.219 ring. I've got to get it back, and I've got a 00:37:19.219 --> 00:37:24.219 hot tip. Headlonger's a sure... Benny! For God's 00:37:24.219 --> 00:37:35.760 sake! Just this once, please. Benny? Benny? What 00:37:35.760 --> 00:37:43.820 am I gonna do? Wish to God... Wish. That wishing 00:37:43.820 --> 00:37:55.159 stone. Yeah. Where's Jenny, Judd? Oh, I left 00:37:55.159 --> 00:37:57.260 her down by the pond. We were skipping stones. 00:37:57.960 --> 00:38:00.679 I just came up to see how you were feeling. Fine. 00:38:00.760 --> 00:38:03.659 I'm gonna get up. Your pa didn't get back yet, 00:38:03.659 --> 00:38:06.219 did he? No, ma 'am. I ain't seen him since early 00:38:06.219 --> 00:38:08.719 morning when he pulled out in the pickup. Well, 00:38:09.260 --> 00:38:11.880 you go on back down and keep Jenny company. I'm 00:38:11.880 --> 00:38:14.280 gonna make me a cake so we can have a real birthday 00:38:14.280 --> 00:38:17.239 celebration. Oh, it's all right, Ma. I don't 00:38:17.239 --> 00:38:19.179 eat a cake. You're gonna get a lot more than 00:38:19.179 --> 00:38:22.119 you bargained for. Now, go on. I don't like Jenny 00:38:22.119 --> 00:38:24.519 down by that pond alone. You know she can't swim. 00:38:30.239 --> 00:38:33.510 What? Hi, Pa. What are you doing? up on top of 00:38:33.510 --> 00:38:36.469 the rock here. Oh, just sunning myself and listening 00:38:36.469 --> 00:38:40.010 to the birds. Jenny, you know that wishing stone 00:38:40.010 --> 00:38:43.010 you talked about? Yes. Is it gold? You want to 00:38:43.010 --> 00:38:47.489 see? Yeah, yeah. Here. Oh, damn, it's nothing 00:38:47.489 --> 00:38:50.750 but pyrite. Isn't that a kind of gold? Yeah, 00:38:51.010 --> 00:38:53.570 fools, gold, and not even worth as much as a 00:38:53.570 --> 00:38:58.699 piece of charcoal. No, huh? It's still good for 00:38:58.699 --> 00:39:00.880 one wish. You think this makes any wishes come 00:39:00.880 --> 00:39:03.519 true? It made the school burned down, and Ma 00:39:03.519 --> 00:39:06.900 got her neck unbroken. You're a Ma. Why do you 00:39:06.900 --> 00:39:09.400 grow up as I'm your daydreamer? Don't you know 00:39:09.400 --> 00:39:11.780 nobody ever got nothing by wishing? I've been 00:39:11.780 --> 00:39:14.619 doing a kind of wishing all my life. Look at 00:39:14.619 --> 00:39:17.760 where I end up now. Well, I'm gonna wake up your 00:39:17.760 --> 00:39:19.900 little miss bright eyes to show just how tough 00:39:19.900 --> 00:39:23.119 a world this is. Pa! Please, please don't get 00:39:23.119 --> 00:39:26.190 mad. If this was a wishing stone. Well, nobody 00:39:26.190 --> 00:39:28.030 ever needed it more than me right this moment. 00:39:28.829 --> 00:39:32.409 So look at this. I'm gonna make a wish. I need 00:39:32.409 --> 00:39:36.010 money. I need it bad. So I'm gonna wish that 00:39:36.010 --> 00:39:39.289 old Nick himself comes climbing up out of the 00:39:39.289 --> 00:39:41.690 middle of this pond with a sack of gold on his 00:39:41.690 --> 00:39:45.269 back for me. And I ain't gonna be greedy. And 00:39:45.269 --> 00:39:48.050 I ain't gonna ask for much. Just, just say like 00:39:48.050 --> 00:39:51.269 a ten, no, no, no, make it twenty thousand dollars. 00:39:52.510 --> 00:39:58.550 Okay. Now... I'll rub the stone, and I wish. 00:40:02.050 --> 00:40:06.710 You see? It ain't a wishing stone. It'll make 00:40:06.710 --> 00:40:39.030 dreams come true. It's a nothing! I'm gonna tell 00:40:39.030 --> 00:40:43.409 the kids, Al. They're not really children anymore, 00:40:43.730 --> 00:40:49.570 Marge. They know. I guess I do baby them. I won't 00:40:49.570 --> 00:40:52.869 anymore. There ain't a lot of ways they're better 00:40:52.869 --> 00:40:58.590 off. Tom... Well, Tom had a cancer that he just 00:40:58.590 --> 00:41:05.630 couldn't cut out. Even my wedding ring. Oh, I 00:41:05.630 --> 00:41:11.019 didn't want him dead, though. Well, he is and 00:41:11.019 --> 00:41:16.119 it was of his own making Kind of queer What? 00:41:17.679 --> 00:41:20.820 I'm trying to show Jenny Lou her wishing stone 00:41:20.820 --> 00:41:23.940 wasn't worth a darn and he ended up having his 00:41:23.940 --> 00:41:28.199 wish come true Not quite. The policy is only 00:41:28.199 --> 00:41:34.119 for 10 ,000 There's double indemnity for accidental 00:41:34.119 --> 00:41:38.579 death Marge Tom got everything he wished for 00:41:38.579 --> 00:41:50.940 the full 20 ,000 Three wishes and they all came 00:41:50.940 --> 00:41:54.980 true Whether by some supernatural force or sheer 00:41:54.980 --> 00:41:58.320 coincidence It doesn't really matter for in the 00:41:58.320 --> 00:42:00.900 end. Everyone was better off except the one who 00:42:00.900 --> 00:42:04.559 didn't deserve to be This was the gamblers last 00:42:04.559 --> 00:42:07.780 plunge One he should never have taken with the 00:42:07.780 --> 00:42:11.780 odds so stacked against him like Jenny Tom Coulter 00:42:11.780 --> 00:42:15.340 had never learned to swim either I'll be back 00:42:15.340 --> 00:42:29.900 shortly As for the wishing stone itself since 00:42:29.900 --> 00:42:32.500 it lies buried deep somewhere in the mud at the 00:42:32.500 --> 00:42:35.710 bottom of the pond No one will ever know if it 00:42:35.710 --> 00:42:38.929 had the power to grant wishes. For Jenny, like 00:42:38.929 --> 00:42:42.190 all of us, had no escape from a common fate that 00:42:42.190 --> 00:42:46.150 soon befell her. She grew up and inherited a 00:42:46.150 --> 00:42:49.010 mantle that only Peter Pan seems to have escaped. 00:42:49.849 --> 00:42:54.190 She stopped believing in magic. Our cast included 00:42:54.190 --> 00:42:57.030 William Prince, Clarice Blackburn, Anne Costello, 00:42:57.289 --> 00:43:00.969 Jack Grimes, and Robert Dryden. The entire production 00:43:00.969 --> 00:43:04.489 was under the direction of Hyman Brown. And now... 00:43:04.619 --> 00:43:36.039 a preview of our next tale. He vanished. The 00:43:36.039 --> 00:43:39.920 very next night, the Putnam's crashed through 00:43:39.920 --> 00:43:42.420 the bridge over Gormley Gorge. Well, accidents 00:43:42.420 --> 00:43:46.239 do happen. It was no accident. Now, the real 00:43:46.239 --> 00:43:48.920 estate man didn't tell you the whole story. Mrs. 00:43:49.019 --> 00:43:51.579 Putnam lived long enough to tell just what had 00:43:51.579 --> 00:43:53.800 happened. The Putnam's didn't go off the bridge 00:43:53.800 --> 00:43:57.619 by accident. They were driven off it. Forced 00:43:57.619 --> 00:44:01.980 to swerve off it by an oncoming car. A car driven 00:44:01.980 --> 00:44:05.420 by a skeleton. Radio Mystery Theatre was sponsored 00:44:05.420 --> 00:44:09.260 in part by Anheuser -Busch, Inc., Brewers of 00:44:09.260 --> 00:44:12.619 Budweiser. This is E .G. Marshall inviting you 00:44:12.619 --> 00:44:15.380 to return to our Mystery Theatre for another 00:44:15.380 --> 00:44:21.280 adventure in the macabre. Until next time, pleasant 00:44:21.280 --> 00:44:44.519 dreams. CBS News, coming up shortly on KIXI.