"THE SECOND TIME AROUND"
FX:
DRUM ROLL UNDER ANNOUNCER
ANCR:
Now... From Hollywood...ROMANCE
FX:
MUSIC UP AND THEN DOWN UNDER ANNOUNCER
ANCR:
Remember your first love? Remember what it was like falling in love for the first time? You were young and everything was new and fresh and wonderful. I guess that's what first loves are for.... Remembering. They belong where they are ... somewhere in yesterday. Sometimes though, yesterday and today get mixed up with each other, and you can't tell the past from the present without a program. Well, we have the program, ROMANCE, and with Jane Webb as Amy, we have Kathleen Height's transcribed story.... THE SECOND TIME AROUND.
FX:
INTRO MUSIC UP...CHANGE TO HURRY UP MUSIC
AMY:
I really think it's one of the nicest times in a girl's life: the spring of her senior year in high school. And watching my daughter experience it has been very close to re-living that wonderfully young time again. I'm sure you remember. Just to be 18 in the spring was enough, but to be 18 in the spring and to be a senior, too....Well, the magic is almost unbearable.
FX:
FOOTSTEPS UNDER CONVERSATION
JEAN:
I live in this block, about halfway down.
SONNY:
Yeah, I know. It's the white one with the stone trim, and it's got a hedge in front of it.
JEAN:
Well, you know where I live?
SONNY:
Yeah.
JEAN:
Oh... Well, that's perfectly amazing.
SONNY:
Fred Peters... remember him? He used to have this paper route. Sometimes I'd help him deliver up through here.
JEAN:
Oh. But that's not been for a long time. I mean I do remember when Fred had it.
SONNY:
I was just a kid then. Fifteen, I guess. You...you used to wear your hair different then.
JEAN:
I expect I did. But that was such a long time ago.
SONNY:
Yeah. It's sure funny. (sigh)
JEAN:
What is?
SONNY:
How you know somebody a real long time, only you don't know them at all.
JEAN:
Yeah, I guess it is. I'd never really thought about it much, but I guess it's true.
SONNY:
Well, take you, for instance. You've been in my classes off and on ever since grade school and I've known who you were and all that, but I don't really know you.
JEAN:
No? No, you don't , really.
SONNY:
I always thought you were sorta square, you know.
JEAN:
Well, my goodness. I don't think that's very
complimentary.
SONNY:
I just never looked at you and thought you'd be a lot of fun or anything. And now I think maybe you are.
JEAN:
Of course I'm no real judge, but I...I don't think I'm exactly dull.
SONNY:
No...No. you're not.
JEAN:
I was certainly surprised when Miss Turnbull said that you were going to be the Boy's Chairman of the Dance and that we should work together on it. I don't think you've ever been on a class committee before, have you?
SONNY:
Nobody ever asked me before.
JEAN:
Oh. I guess that would make a difference.
SONNY:
To me it would.
JEAN:
You want to come in and talk about plans? We could have a coke and ...
SONNY:
I can't come in right now. I've got some things to do at home.
JEAN:
Oh.
SONNY:
What I thought was...If it's alright with you... I could come by your locker, say after second period tomorrow and we could talk a little bit. And then... well we could set up a time when we could see each other later.
JEAN:
All right. My locker's on the first floor right next to....
SONNY:
I know where it is.
JEAN:
Oh. Well, then.. I guess I'll see you tomorrow, Sonny.
FX:
MUSIC INTERLUDE...SOUNDS OF PLATES AND SILVERWARE (EATING DINNER)
JEAN:
It's just perfectly amazing to me the way that he knew where I lived, where my locker was, and all those things about me. And my goodness, I've hardly ever even thought about him.
AMY:
Jean's been made Girl's Chairman of the Senior Dance, Carl.
CARL:
That's fine, honey.
JEAN:
I remember he was so short when we were sophomores. I honestly don't believe that he was as tall as I was. And then all of a sudden that summer he just shot up. Gee whiz. He's about six two or three now, I guess.
CARL:
Who is?
AMY:
He. I don't think he has a name, but he's Boy's Chairman of the Senior Dance.
CARL:
Will you pass the salt, please, Jeannie?
JEAN:
When we were in grade school in junior high, his hair was so nice and curly, but now he keeps it real short and crisp in a crew cut and you can't really tell it's curly. You just have to know it.
CARL:
How about the salt?
JEAN:
And he blocks just beautifully
AMY:
He what?
JEAN:
Blocks. Remember, Daddy? You said so yourself.
CARL:
I don't remember saying anything but pass the salt.
AMY:
Here, dear.
CARL:
Oh, thank you.
JEAN:
Well, of course, you said it, Daddy. Last fall in the Newton Game, remember? He was playing end and when Corky Steinheimer got loose on that beautiful run that won the game for us, you said it was Sonny's block that made the whole thing possible.
CARL:
Oh...oh, yeah. I do remember now.
AMY:
Sonny? Is that his name?
JEAN:
That's what people call him. His real name is George. George Stevens, Junior.
AMY:
George Stevens Junior?
CARL:
You see, Amy, he does have a name after all.
AMY:
What's his father's name?
JEAN:
Well, Mr. Stevens, I guess.
AMY:
You don't suppose his father's George Stevens.
CARL:
Well, it sounds very reasonable to me if a boy's name is George Stevens, Jr., his father's name might very well be George Stevens, Sr.... GEORGE STEVENS!!
JEAN:
You know, I don't think he's ever had any special girl friend or anything like that. I mean he just doesn't seem interested. Oh, but I've seen him at dances. He's a real neat dancer. That is... he looks like he is... Just real neat.
AMY:
I'm not surprised. His father was a beautiful dancer.
CARL:
Oh, ho.
JEAN:
Oh, my gosh. Do you know his parents?
CARL:
Know them.. why your mother...
AMY:
Carl Denham, don't you say a word!
CARL:
Well, I will say a word... several of them.
AMY:
Just never mind.
JEAN:
Well, what's the matter with everyone? I just asked a simple question.
AMY:
I know dear... and I'm sure your father had a very simple answer for you.
CARL:
George Stevens is a very simple answer all by himself.
AMY:
Carl...
CARL:
Wouldn't you know that little tub would grow himself a big strapping son and call him Sonny.
JEAN:
Daddy, I think that's a terrible thing to say.
AMY:
Indeed it is, Jean. But try to ignore your father's reaction to Mr. Stevens. To tell you the truth, he's always been a little bit jealous of him.
CARL:
Jealous? Of George Stevens.. Oh ho...that will be the day, believe me... That will be the day.
FX:
MUSIC UP AND THEN UNDER AMY
AMY:
I suppose that it's perfectly obvious that I used to go with George Stevens through high school and most of college until I met Carl. And in that wonderful way husbands have, Carl always fancied that in marrying me, he'd saved me from a fate worse than death with George. But coincidence was a little too close for comfort though, because George had really been my first love. And as the spring weeks began to pass, it became increasingly clear that Sonny Stevens was Jean's first love too.
FX:
CAR PULLING UP AND STOPPING. NIGHT SOUNDS OF CRICKETS
JEAN:
Oh, it was just a lovely evening Sonny. Just lovely.
SONNY:
You don't have to go in yet, do you?
JEAN:
Oh, not for a little while, I guess.
SONNY:
That's good. Uh.. Jean..
JEAN:
Humm?
SONNY:
How do you feel about other guys?
JEAN:
Other guys?
SONNY:
I mean about seeing them. Having dates with them.
JEAN:
Oh.. I don't know. I haven't really had any dates with anyone since...since you.
SONNY :
I just don't like to think about anybody else...and you.
JEAN:
You don't have anything to worry about, Sonny.
SONNY:
Is that the way you want it? I mean...no other guys, just me?
JEAN:
Well, if that's the way you want it.
SONNY:
I can't think about anything else. Yesterday I saw you walking to Chemistry Lab with Corky. All of a sudden I wanted to beat him up.
JEAN:
Really?
SONNY:
Yeah. And it's crazy 'cause I like Corky.
JEAN:
Oh.. you and Sally came into study hall together this afternoon and you were laughing at some little private joke so much that I couldn't even catch your eye.
SONNY:
I don't even remember what it was about.
JEAN:
I just stared at my French book all hour and it might as well have been Greek for all the sense it made.
SONNY:
(chuckle) The way I figure. It wouldn't matter who we saw at school or walked to class with or anything if we both knew it didn't mean anything.
JEAN:
It wouldn't matter at all then.
SONNY:
Maybe... Maybe you ought to have this.
JEAN:
Oh...Sonny. Your signet ring.
SONNY:
That way, everybody'd know what we know.
JEAN:
Oh.. I'd love to wear it. But I don't know what the folks would say.
SONNY:
I know what my folks will say. They'll think I'm crazy. I just got that ring for Christmas.
JEAN:
Oh Sonny..maybe we shouldn't..
SONNY:
I want you to have it. I want you too... Jeanie I ... I
FX:
(KISS)
SONNY:
There. Now you know.
JEAN:
Ohhhhh, Sonny.
SONNY:
Yeah. Yeah... me too.
FX:
MUSIC INTERLUDE
AMY:
I'm not trying to rush things, Carl. I just think it would be a good idea for us to have the Stevens over for dinner.
CARL:
We don't all have to go steady, do we?
AMY:
Oh, it would be a nice gesture, that's all. We haven't seen them in years. I'm not even sure I'd even know Mary if I saw her.
CARL:
Why not?
AMY:
It's been a long time and most of us have changed with the years. She might be heavier or gray or ... you know how people change.
CARL:
Mary Stevens looks the same today as she did 15 years ago.
AMY:
Oh, don't be silly, Carl.
CARL:
She looks just the same. I see her at the Club every so often. She's a great golfer, you know.
AMY:
No I didn't know.
CARL:
Yeah, she's in the middle 80's most of the time. She's still tall, dark, slender. Heck of a good lookin' girl.
AMY:
Woman.
CARL:
Woman. Whatever she is don't go getting any picture in your mind that Mary Stevens is deteriorating like her old man, because she isn't.
AMY:
Oh, I imagine George has retained his youth quite well.
CARL:
His youth maybe, but not his hair.
AMY:
Now he's not bald. I know he isn't
CARL:
No he isn't bald. He must have 8 or 10 hairs and he combs them the long way of his head. Back to front. Looks like a short, fat zebra.
AMY:
Oh, ho, ho... You've just got to say something unkind about George, don't you? (chuckle) It still rankles, doesn't it, that I used to go with him, that he's become so successful. It still bothers you, doesn't it? (chuckles)
CARL:
You know, honey, I think maybe we should have them for dinner. I think maybe you owe it to yourself to see your old dreamboat again.
AMY:
Don't worry, I'm going to.
CARL:
That's a good idea. I always wanted to know Mary better.
FX:
MUSIC INTERLUDE
ANCR:
We'll return to ROMANCE and our story "The Second Time Around" in just a moment. This is the 27th Annual National Hearing Week. You're reminded that early discovery of a tendency toward loss of hearing will make a cure possible in most cases. Get help promptly from your doctor or local hearing society. Your hearing societies have the answers to most problems affecting 15 million known hard of hearing people in America. Feel free to consult with your hearing society. You'll be welcomed and materially helped. And now, for the second act of ... ROMANCE.
FX:
MUSIC THEME – CHANGE TO QUICK TEMPO UNDER NARRATION
AMY:
You would have thought I'd never given a small dinner party before. I was a nervous as a bride having her in-laws over for the first time. Up until mid-afternoon I'd planned to barbeque outside, but ominous looking clouds began to gather and almost at the last minute I moved everything back indoors. As it turned out, those clouds were even more ominous than they appeared.
FX:
THUNDER (CONTINUE STORM SOUNDS UNDER ALL)
CARL:
Oh, it's rotten luck, Amy, just when you had everything fixed so nice.
AMY:
Well, we'll be cozy enough in the den now that you got the fire going.:
CARL:
Maybe it'll take the edge off things, you know, sort of break the ice.
AMY:
At least we'll have something to talk about.
CARL:
Anything I can do?
AMY:
Oh..no. I've checked the list at least 20 times. I'm sure we've done everything.
FX:
TELEPHONE RING
AMY:
They're not coming, I know they're not coming.
CARL:
Ah. Now take it easy, honey
FX:
TELEPHONE RING..FOOTSTEPS, TELEPHONE PICK UP
FX:
THUNDER
CARL:
Hello.... What? I can't hear you. Oh...oh, yes sir. Yes, sir. Where? Oh but look, Mr. Hennessey ... I. ... Yes, sir. Yes, sir... in about an hour. Yes, Mr. Hennessey, Bye.
FX:
HANG UP
AMY:
What's wrong, Carl?
FX:
FOOTSTEPS
CARL:
Aw, honey, that was Mr. Hennessey. He's in Plant City.
AMY:
Well?
CARL:
His car's piled in a ditch near there. I've got to go get him.
AMY:
Oh, Carl. Why you and now?
CARL:
You know the boss. It's his wedding anniversary. We've had a devil of a storm out there, I guess. Amy, I'm sorry. I don't want to go.
AMY:
Oh, I know, and I don't want you to go.
CARL:
Oh, it's alright, honey. The Stevens will understand and... Look you'll have a nice party. I know you will.
FX:
INTERLUDE MUSIC
FX:
SILVERWARE (STORM SOUNDS IN BACKGROUND)
GEORGE:
Oh, the steaks are superb, Amy. Superb.
AMY:
There are two more, George.
GEORGE:
Oh, I couldn't. No... Indeed I couldn't. Not now, that is. Perhaps later when Carl gets back, we'll all want a little snack.
AMY:
Well, I'm glad he got to Plant City alright. I was so worried about him.
GEORGE:
No, no. Carl's very resourceful. That's his reputation, you know, Amy....Very resourceful man. He's like Mary that way....strong, purposeful, uh... resourceful.
AMY:
I was looking forward to seeing Mary again.
GEORGE:
Oh, and she you. Yes, indeed. Well, if the weather hadn't gone blooie the way it did, she'd have been back from her mother's hours ago.
AMY:
Well, for all we know. We might as well be the last two people on earth tonight, George.
GEORGE:
Huh?
AMY:
Carl's in Plant City. Mary's at her mothers in Newton. Jean's spending the night with Sally.
GEORGE:
(chuckle)
AMY:
Where's Sonny?
GEORGE:
Oh, Sonny's home. Mary had dinner all ready for him. Thinking of course that she'd be taking hers here. I hope you're not too disappointed, Amy.
AMY:
Well, no. I had planned it a little differently, but I'll live through it.
GEORGE:
Of course you will.
FX:
CHAIR PUSHED BACK
GEORGE:
Oh, Amy, I wonder, ... do you mind a cigar?
AMY:
Hum? Oh, go right ahead.
GEORGE:
Thank you.
FX:
PAPER RATTLING
GEORGE:
Mary hates cigars, you know. (TALKING WITH CIGAR IN MOUTH): It sounds silly, but....(CIGAR OUT) she says it's the sound of the cigars that she minds. The sound.. (CIGAR IN) can you imagine that?
AMY:
Mary's always been very humerous.
GEORGE:
(CIGAR IN) Umm, great wit, lightning wit.
AMY:
Carl smokes a pipe.
GEORGE:
(CIGAR IN) Well.. Well.. that's just a difference in taste. (CIGAR OUT) I always say a pipe is too much work. All that puffing, lighting, relighting. (CIGAR IN) Oh, yes, too much work. (CIGAR OUT) It wears me out.
AMY:
Is that a slim, trim, Panatella?
GEORGE:
Uhm, it's (CIGAR IN) Perfecto.
AMY:
Oh.
GEORGE:
(CIGAR OUT) There. Oh, Amy, I tell you... this takes me back. It really does. You and me sitting in front of a fire, dreaming youth's young dreams. (SFX: THUNDER) Where's it all gone, Amy?
AMY:
Well, I suppose....
GEORGE:
I'll tell you where it's gone, Amy. Youth's young dream. Nowhere, that's where it's gone.
AMY:
Nowhere?
GEORGE:
Nowhere. (CIGAR IN) It's still here just as if all those years had never intervened.
AMY:
Oh, now, George, I wouldn't say that.
GEORGE:
All I have to do is close my eyes ...
AMY:
Don't close your eyes, George.
GEORGE:
Why, nothing in the world has changed. The years slip away. Time in its flight rolls backward.
AMY:
I don't think it should, George. I...
GEORGE:
Amy, you must have felt it too.
AMY:
No. No. I haven't felt a thing.
GEORGE:
I've got to say it. I've thought it for so long...
AMY:
George, I think we should be very circumspect.
GEORGE:
What?
AMY:
What I mean is. This storm and everybody being ...everywhere but here...except us.
GEORGE:
But she's the picture of you, Amy.
AMY:
Who?
GEORGE:
Well, Jean, of course.
AMY:
Oh, her... Well, yes, yes, She is. I mean...Oh, Jean... Her.
GEORGE:
Yes. Sonny. Well, you must have noticed. Tall strapping youngster that he is. There's no mistaking whose son he is.
AMY:
No. No, indeed. Well, there's no mistaking about Sonny.
GEORGE:
Youth's young dream. And that's where it's gone, Amy. Nowhere. It lives on in those youngsters of ours, and I just want you to know. I'm delighted about it, Amy...Delighted.
FX:
SENTIMENTAL MUSIC (CONTINUE UNDER NARRATION)
AMY:
The storm passed...or should I say the storms passed. At any rate everyone weathered them quite well. I must say I was inordinately glad to see Carl when he dripped in about midnight. After that Mary Stevens and I exchanged pleasantries on the phone a time or two and once she even dropped by for coffee, but it became more and more obvious that Jean and Sonny were really the only ones who were going steady. And that was all right... until it wasn't.
FX:
STEPS
CARL:
Now, now, now, We'll just keep calm about it, Amy. There no sense imagining things and...and getting all worked up about it.
AMY:
I'm not worked up... I'm just concerned. They took the car at three this afternoon. It's after nine and no one's heard a word from them. Now I think that merits some concern.
FX:
PACING
CARL:
Have you talked to George and Mary?
AMY:
They're on their way over here.
CARL:
Well, what good's that going to do?
AMY:
I don't know, but they wanted to come, and maybe we should all be together.
CARL:
Yeesh. Did you call Sally?
AMY:
I've called everyone who knows Jeannie. Sally, Corky, the drugstore...everywhere. No one's seen them since I saw them drive away from here, apparently.
CARL:
Why did you give them your car, anyway?
AMY:
Because they asked for it. Good heavens, Carl. They've used it before.
CARL:
You shouldn't have given it to them. That was just stupid, Amy.
AMY:
Why?
CARL:
I don't know. It just was. Look, it's after nine o'clock. You see how stupid it was.
FX:
DOORBELL
CARL:
I'll get it.
FX:
FOOTSTEPS
AMY:
That'll be George and Mary.
FX:
DOOR OPEN
MARY:
Hello, Carl.
GEORGE:
Dunham.
CARL:
Hi, hi. Come on in. Amy's all upset. I'm ....I'I..I..I..mm. trying to calm her down.
AMY:
Carl, I'm not upset... I'm just concerned.
MARY:
Of course you are, Amy. We all are.
GEORGE:
Now then, there's just no sense getting flighty or hysterical about this. I say.. stay calm, stay calm and stay cool. (deep breath) I'm going to call the Police.
MARY:
Sit down, George.
GEORGE:
Oh, all right.
FX:
CHAIR SCRAPE
CARL:
Well, we're all met. What are we going to do about it?
MARY:
Well, it isn't really late. I don't think we should jump to any conclusions.
AMY:
It isn't the hour, Mary. It's how long they've been gone without getting in touch with us. It isn't like Jeanie to skip dinner at home without calling us.
MARY:
Well, that's true. Sonny's awfully good about calling us too.
GEORGE:
We've called his whole crowd. We've called everyone he knows and no ones seen or heard of him. I don't know. I .. I.. I...
CARL:
Easy does it now, George. We've called everyone too.
MARY:
They seem like such sensible kids. You don't suppose ... You don't think they'd have stolen away to get...
AMY:
Married?
MARY:
Well, it was just an idea.
AMY:
Oh, no... I don't think....
CARL:
I'll break his neck if he's pulled a stunt like that
GEORGE:
You'll break whose neck?
FX:
FOOTSTEPS
GEORGE:
It's all been the work of that daughter of yours. She's pushed him into it.
AMY:
Now just a minute. Whatever gave you an idea like that?
GEORGE:
Oh, well, I'll tell you whatever gave me an idea. She's your daughter, that's what. Doesn't take much remembering on my part to go back to that night that you had me....you had me clear out to Plant City before I knew what was going on.
AMY:
I had you clear to Plant City?
CARL:
All right. All right.
AMY:
That's very funny, I'm sure.
CARL:
OK, Quiet you two.
AMY:
WELL!
GEORGE:
WELL!
MARY:
Wait a minute. Wasn't that a car door?
CARL:
I'll go look.
FX:
FOOTSTEPS – DOOR OPEN
CARL:
Jeannie!
JEAN:
Oh, Hi, Daddy.
SONNY:
Evening, Mr. Durham.
GEORGE:
Sonny Stevens! WHERE HAVE YOU...
MARY:
Be quiet, George.
FX:
FOOTSTEPS
MARY:
Hello, son.
SONNY:
Hi, Mom.
JEAN:
Oh, my goodness. Everyone's here.
AMY:
Jeannie, dear, are you all right?
JEAN:
Well, my goodness, Mother, of course I'm all right.
CARL:
Well, if everyone else is tongue tied. I'll ask them. Where in heaven's name have you been?
JEAN:
To Newton.
GEORGE:
To Newton? What on earth for?
SONNY:
To see Grandma.
MARY:
Mother? My mother?
SONNY:
Well, yeah. Jeannie had never met her.
AMY:
So you just took off at three this afternoon and drove to Newton?
JEAN:
Oh, no, mother. We went to the library first and we both got to studying so hard before we knew it it was after six.
CARL:
Well, when you found out, why didn't you call us?
SONNY:
Oh, we tried, Mr. Dunham. Here and at home. Your lines were busy the longest time.
JEAN:
Yes, and that's when we decided to leave the notes.
Carl:
Notes?
GEORGE:
WHAT NOTES?
JEAN:
My goodness. There's one on the hall table at your house, Mrs. Stevens. I guess you were at the club.
MARY:
Oh, I guess I was...
SONNY:
And I stuck one in your evening paper, Mr. Dunham. Gosh, didn't you see it?
CARL:
Er...I haven't had a chance to see the paper.
JEAN:
Well, at least you knew that we were together. We knew you wouldn't be worried or anything, didn't we, Sonny?
SONNY:
Yeah, we were just saying to Grandma how great it was to have parents like you, who trust us, you know.
GEORGE:
Ohh.
AMY:
Yes.
MARY:
(Chuckle) How about some coffee, Amy?
AMY:
Oh I think that would be a wonderful idea, Mary.
CARL:
George, you come along with me. I know where there's something stronger.
FX:
ENDING MUSIC
ANCR:
ROMANCE was produced and directed by Norman MacDonald with editorial supervision by Hep Manheim. You have heard "The Second Time Around" specially written for Romance by Kathleen Heit. This is ---------- inviting you to hear Romance...transcribed next week at this same time.
FX:
ROMANCE MUSIC THEME
ANCR:
A hard-boiled manager who handles great big wrestlers like they were toy dolls is toyed with by a doll himself. Discovering he's not so tough when his opponent's a pretty girl. Full details will be yours to enjoy on the Sunday Playhouse, tomorrow night on CBS radio. A fine play and fine performances combine to make the Sunday Playhouse something special in weekend listening, tomorrow and every Sunday night on most of these same stations.
FX:
THEME MUSIC UP AND END