Now from Hollywood, romance.
I don't suppose anyone is officially engaged until the home folks have had a chance to
meet the lucky fellow.
If you've never had this somewhat devastating experience, today's story may be an eye-opener.
If you have, you may collect a few interesting memories.
So now with Joyce McCluskey as Monica, we bring you transcribed Kathleen Hite's charming
day, Home on Approval.
I don't believe I was really excited until I began to recognize familiar old landmarks
along the road.
In the twilight I could see the sprawling yellow farm at the top of Bradford Hill.
In three miles we'd turn off by the quarry.
And five miles later at Stewart's Mill we'd start up the long Willow line laying to Gil
and Sally's.
I could hardly wait.
What are you so tickled about?
We've only got about eight more miles to go.
You know, I think if I opened the door you could fly there on your own power.
I could, but I insist on staying with you.
I don't think Gil and Sally'd let me in without you.
Oh they're so anxious to meet you, Jeff.
How long since you've seen them?
Well actually only a year.
They came through New York on their way to Europe last summer.
I had dinner with them and saw them off.
But gee, it's been about three years I guess since I visited them up here.
Oh I hope you like them.
Oh I like them.
Don't worry.
I don't see how you could help it any more than they could help adoring you.
But if you don't, or they don't...
Just take it easy Monica.
Everybody will love everybody.
Oh I'm sure of it.
But what if you don't?
Oh wouldn't that be the most horrible thing in the world?
No it wouldn't.
Oh it would be to me darling.
You're my three most favorite people.
Gil and Sally, they're like friends and family all in one.
We grew up together.
And you...
What about me?
I love you.
I'm going to marry you.
That's what about you.
You sound pretty sure of yourself.
I am.
And better than that, I'm pretty sure of you.
Oh.
There was someone else up here, wasn't there?
Someone else?
Hmm.
Oh that was a long time ago darling.
When we were all in school.
I told you all about Hank.
All there was to tell.
Is there any chance he'll be here?
I don't think so.
Why?
Oh, I just sort of like to meet him.
I hadn't even thought about it.
That Hank might be around while Jeff and I were visiting the Harrison's.
Sally hadn't mentioned him.
In fact, I couldn't remember when we had talked about Hank.
His family still maintained a home up here as far as I knew.
But the idea of seeing Hank again.
Well, I was just sure he wouldn't be there.
Not that it would upset me or anything like that.
But I was just sure Hank wouldn't be around.
Jeff can have the guest house and you can have your own room, Monica.
Oh, sounds perfect, Sally.
So how about another drink, Jeff?
Yes, just a short one.
Fine.
Monica?
Not for me, thanks.
Sally?
Easy on the border.
I can hardly believe you're really here.
So we are.
And we're going to be here four whole long days.
Well, you know, Sal, she won't believe it all the time you're here.
And after you're gone, she'll swear it never happened.
Well, four days now, really.
That's not even a good beginning to a visit with Monica.
And you too, Jeff.
My goodness, we'll hardly get to know you at all.
I've known people who thought four days with me was an eternity.
I don't believe it.
Sure.
Here you go, Sal.
Oh, thanks.
Jeff.
Thanks.
Well, here's good to see you.
Cheers.
Was it just awful, Jeff?
Hmm?
No, no, it's fine.
It was just the way I like it.
No, I don't mean the drink.
I mean coming up here to meet us.
Well, uh, no.
What do you expect him to say?
That he hated the whole idea that if Monica hadn't beaten him every foot of the way to
turn back?
I didn't have to beat him once.
Just kept the gun at his head.
You're always ganging up on me this way, Jeff.
Actually, in my own way, I was sympathizing with you.
You've been a tight little triumvirate for so long, I think you're terribly brave to
take us all on at once.
Well, we could all have another few drinks and become a tight little quartet.
I made of nothing.
Oh, fine.
Hey, you brought your golf clubs, didn't you?
Or did Monica forget to warn you?
No, I brought them.
Great.
Got to force them lined up for tomorrow morning, if that's okay with you, of course.
Gil, I told you not to organize, Jeff.
I'm not organized.
Maybe he doesn't want to strike out at dawn tomorrow and play golf.
He'll love it, won't you, darling?
Sure, sounds fine.
Well, you don't have to play if you don't want to.
Oh, I'd like to play, really.
I was just wondering when I should make my standard little speech about my golf game,
you know.
I really don't get a chance to play much anymore.
I'm probably off my game, which isn't too great when I'm haunted.
Hey, sounds like you're our man.
Hank's the only low-handicap golfer in the crowd.
Hank?
Oh, Edward, you remember him, Monica.
Oh, my goodness, of course she does.
Hank and Monica were...
Well, she just wouldn't forget an old friend like Hank.
Yeah, that's right.
It'd take some doing for you to forget Hank, wouldn't it?
Oh, I wouldn't say that.
Well, I didn't mean anything.
Well, so far we've broken two rules.
We've organized, Jeff...
I didn't.
After, I promised faithfully, we'd just have a quiet visit together, the four of us.
And now we're talking about people he doesn't know.
No, don't worry about me, Sally, I'm interested.
I came up here to meet Monica's friends, especially her old friends.
Jeff wasn't the jealous type any more than I was.
And it was perfectly silly to have an awkward situation develop just because Hank Stewart's
name came up.
But it did seem to me that everyone's conversation was just a little strained after that.
It's been a long time since a young lady saw me to my door.
I wouldn't send you out into the dark night alone, darling.
Oh, but it isn't a dark night.
Look at the moon.
Pretty spectacular.
It's a sweet little guest house, isn't it?
Yeah, it's nice.
I've stayed in it a lot.
You can think about that tonight.
I will.
Jeff, if you don't want to play golf in the morning, I mean, if you'd rather sleep in,
I know Gil won't mind.
Oh, I'd like to play.
Well, you're probably tired from the drive and all, and...
Am I?
You must be.
No, I feel fine.
We could forget all about the golf and get up early, just you and I.
And I know the most wonderful spot down by the mill where we can fix breakfast.
Oh, no, I think maybe I ought to play golf.
Gil's arranged everything and I'd really like a game.
There are hundreds of wild currents growing around the river.
I'll bet it's been years since you ate wild currents for breakfast.
It's been all my life.
I never ate wild currents for breakfast.
Well, you see...
No, no, no.
Look, Monica, don't you want me to play golf in the morning?
Well, if you'd rather.
No, it isn't that, but you brought me up here to meet your friends.
I came because I wanted to.
Now you want to get up and go off alone somewhere.
But it doesn't make much sense, does it?
No, darling, it doesn't.
Jeff.
He didn't mean anything to me, not really.
The way you do.
Whatever there was, was over a long time ago.
Look, I'm not worried about Hank.
If you're going to be concerned, then it just isn't worth it for both of us to be up here.
I won't have you upset.
I'm not upset.
You sure?
Sure.
Honey.
I think I ought to meet Hank, and I think maybe you ought to see him again.
Me?
Yeah.
Well, I suppose we'll run into each other.
I mean, that could happen.
It won't mean anything.
That's why I think you ought to see him.
Hmm?
Because it won't mean anything.
Well, I felt like a fool, of course.
Getting all steamed up just because Jeff and Hank were going to play golf in the same foursome.
Of course they should meet each other.
Well, I don't know any reason why they should, really.
But it was perfectly all right for them to meet.
Why was I so upset?
You remember Monica.
She was the one who made such a scene at Laura Ramsey's wedding.
Step right on Mrs. Ramsey's ankle and hit Phil's mother in the face trying to catch
Laura's bouquet.
Huh?
Not so loud.
She's just two tables away.
Who?
Barbara Enright.
Oh, her.
What about her?
I told you.
She's trying very hard not to notice you.
And between times, she simply glares at you.
Barbara Enright glaring at me?
Uh-huh.
My heavens, I haven't seen her in five years, and I never knew her very well then.
It's perfectly obvious to me.
She's going with Hank now, and she can't stand the sight of you.
Oh, Sally, that's ridiculous.
I know, but what else could it be?
She shouldn't wear that shade of brown, either.
She's much too sallow.
Oh, look, isn't that John and Roma Dana teeing off on the tent?
Sally, this business about Hank is getting all out of hand.
Do you realize I haven't seen him for I don't know how long, and even if I did, whatever
there was between us is just as stone-cold dead as anything I can imagine.
What's the matter?
There he is.
He's coming this way.
There she is.
Monica.
Oh, Monica, how are you?
Well, fine, thank you, Hank.
You look well.
You look wonderful.
Well, how was the game, Jeff?
Great.
Hank here took all the marbles.
Well, city life sure agrees with you, girl.
City life's doing all right by you, too.
Gil's changing, Sally.
He'll be right along.
Jeff, oh, my goodness.
Yeah, imagine seeing me here.
We'll return to romance and our story, Home on Approval, in just a moment.
It's all right to have lots of warmth in the old homestead, but it's just plain foolish
to have piles of rubble that might one day or night burn you out.
Let's cultivate the out with it habit.
Anything burnable that you throw out can never start a fire in your home.
CBS radio suggests don't stack it up.
Pack it up and throw it out.
Prevent fires in your homes.
And now for the second act of romance.
Hank had no right to look like he did.
He didn't have to spend the years since I'd seen him getting handsomer, taller, tanner.
He needn't have bothered keeping all his hair in the trimmest waistline in the world.
Naturally, I told myself these things aren't really important.
I told myself several times during the barbecue, Gil and Sally had that evening with Jeff and
me, with Hank and Barbara.
I told myself the same thing the next day when we all went sailing together.
And that night, at the club dance, I started telling myself all over again.
And remember the time the car broke down on the way back from the game at New Haven and
all that rain?
And we had to stay all night with that funny old maid who never took in people.
Yeah, I don't think the old gal slept a wink that night.
Remember the only room she had were upstairs and she slept downstairs and we kept marching
around all night with that hurricane lamp in her hand.
Man, she was nervous.
I'll never forget what she said to Sally and me.
Young ladies, minds are good girls now.
I don't hold with lollygagging.
Hank and I went to every home game at New Haven last fall, didn't we, honey?
Yeah, yeah, I guess we did.
Oh, I just love football, don't you, Jeff?
Yeah, I'm quite a fan.
Last few years, I've gotten more interested in the pro game, though.
Monica seems to like it, too.
Professional football?
You, Monica?
Well, we have seen most of the Giants games.
Of course, it isn't anything like watching Yale play.
I mean, like we used to, and all that.
Ever been up the Yale ball, Jeff?
No, no, never have.
You've never seen a Yale-Harvard game?
Sue me, I never have.
Jeff went to school in California.
Oh, and he seems like such a nice person.
I have an aunt in California.
I forget where.
Is that your home, Jeff, California?
No, no, I just wanted to go to school out there.
My home's in Camden, New Jersey.
Camden, New Jersey?
Uh-huh.
Do you by any chance know Stella Lewis?
Stella?
Know her?
My gosh, I grew up with her.
Well, she was my roommate in college, of course.
Jeff Russell, I knew I'd seen you somewhere.
You two have met before?
Well, not officially, but his picture was on our dressing table for four years.
Isn't it a small world?
It's positively tiny.
What on earth happened to Stella?
I haven't heard from her in years.
Oh, she's fine, I guess.
My golly, I haven't thought about her for a long time.
Would you like to dance, Barbara?
Oh, yes, I'd love to.
You two don't mind, do you?
No, no, go ahead.
We can manage, can't we, Monica?
Yes, sure.
We must have a lot to talk about.
Oh, believe me, we do.
We've got a lot to talk about, too, Monica.
Would you like to dance?
I'd love to.
Excuse us, please.
Sure.
This seems awfully right, dancing with you again.
Do you see a lot of Barbara Haines?
Oh, quite a bit.
She's a lot of fun.
Well, we're about all that's left up here who are still single.
You like her?
Oh, I never knew her very well.
She seems nice.
You haven't been around, Monica, for too long.
You know that?
I...
You were gone, I guess, when I was up here a couple of years ago.
I didn't know you were coming.
I'd have been here.
You know that.
You're holding me a little tight, Hank.
I'll bet I am.
He's nice, Monica.
Yes, he is.
I don't want to like him very much, but I think if I got to know him better, I'd find he
was a great guy.
He is.
A great guy.
Is... is he the one?
I think so, Hank.
Well, aren't you sure?
Well, yes, I...
Can't we just dance?
Sure.
Sure we can.
Why couldn't I say it?
Why didn't I tell Hank right out that, yes, Jeff was the one?
That I was sure he was.
I'd been so sure before.
Two days ago, I'd have sworn...
What am I saying?
I did swear it couldn't happen.
Now, I was sure of just one thing.
I was confused.
Thoroughly confused.
Maybe you better go on in.
Get to bed, honey.
You seem pretty tired.
No, I'm not tired.
Certainly not sleepy.
You got awfully quiet toward the end of the evening.
What?
Something wrong?
No, not wrong.
Not anything.
I understand.
Do you?
Sure.
How?
What do you understand?
You and what's bothering you.
I'd like to.
Help me out.
You thought there wasn't anything in the past to hold you.
You got me.
I'm sorry.
You come back, you see your old friends go to the old places, and some of the past just
reaches out and holds you again.
Some... of the past?
All right.
Hank.
That's it, isn't it?
I don't know.
I don't see how it could be.
Well, if it isn't Hank, what is it?
It... it's just that I'm confused, Jeff.
I was so sure, so very sure, and now...
You're not very sure, are you?
I guess not, Jeff.
Jeff, I didn't want this to happen.
I didn't think it could happen.
It's all right, Monica.
But it isn't.
It isn't all right.
I... I couldn't...
I'm not in love with Hank.
But you're not sure you're in love with me.
I'm just confused.
I don't know what to say.
Try saying good night, Monica.
I think that's the best thing for both of us right now.
I needed his understanding more than anything, right then?
If he'd reacted differently, if he'd pressed me for an answer, a decision, I don't know
what I'd have done.
I didn't expect to, but I slept fairly well that night once I got around to it.
I'd like to say I woke up with a clear course of action in mind, or a clear choice.
But I didn't.
Honestly, Monica, if I'd even dreamed this could happen, I'd have never invited Hank
and Barbara to spend so much time with us.
Oh, I'd have run into him somewhere.
It isn't your fault.
Isn't Jeff up yet?
Mm, hours ago.
He and Gil had breakfast together.
I don't know where they've gone off to.
I guess you haven't told him yet, huh?
He knows.
We talked about it a little last night when we got home.
Well, he certainly is taking it with the best grace in the world.
He was laughing and singing around here this morning.
Oh, he was wonderful about it.
So understanding.
It's odd.
He's been rather quiet since he's been here.
But this morning he was almost bubbly.
Bubbly?
You know, cheerful.
Unusually cheerful.
Like I said, laughing, singing.
Is he bubbly by nature?
No, he isn't.
He's probably just being brave.
Mm-hmm.
Oh, hi, darling.
Where's Jeff?
Hi, sweetie.
Morning, Monica.
Morning.
Any coffee left?
No, plenty.
Where is Jeff?
Well, he... he left.
Left?
He did.
Yeah, he said none to disturb you two.
I just ran him down the airport.
Something came up at the office, he said, and for you to keep the car and drive back
to New York when you were ready.
Well, did he... did he get a call from the office?
No, he placed one after you went back to bed, Sally.
Funny.
What's funny?
Well, I wasn't trying to hear anything, but when he placed that call, I just warned I
heard him say Camden, New Jersey.
You're back from the country early, aren't you?
I'd better be early.
Well, where is she?
She?
You know very well who I'm talking about.
If you think you fooled me with that, something came up at the office, bitch, or threw at
Gil.
I didn't think I'd fool you, Monica.
All I want to know is where is she?
Or isn't she here yet?
Now, did you really expect to find somebody here in my apartment?
I didn't even expect to find you here.
Just didn't know where else to come.
You made pretty good time.
I made superb time, and I have the traffic ticket to prove it.
Now, you listen to me, Jeff Russell.
Just because I had a moment's hesitation when I ran into an old beau, you needn't think
you can go checking up on any loose ends in Camden, New Jersey.
A moment's hesitation?
Well, it was no more than that.
You're not confused anymore?
No, I'm not.
And don't you go getting confused with what's her name?
Stella Lewis?
That's the one.
I'm not the slightest bit confused about Stella Lewis.
You're not?
No.
She got married five years ago to Otto McQueen.
Well, then why did you call her this morning?
I didn't.
I called my mother in Camden.
Then I got the idea that maybe it might clear the air a little if I came back here.
I was pretty sure you wouldn't buy that something came up at the office bit.
You tricked me?
I sure did, honey.
And if I had to do it over again, I'd do exactly the same thing.
Jeff Russell, I ought to just...
But I think I'll marry you instead.
Romance is produced and directed by Norman MacDonald with editorial supervision by Hep
Mannheim.
You have heard Home on Approval, specially written for romance by Kathleen Height, starring
Joyce McCluskey as Monica.
Featured in the cast were John Danaer, Gene Bates, Harry Bartel, Paul Dubov, and Virginia
Gregg.
This is Joe Walters inviting you to hear romance transcribed next week at this same time.
Everywhere under the sun, radio's fun, and nowhere is it more fun than under the smiling
sun that shines down on CBS radio's Eve Arden as Our Miss Brooks.
Eve's on vacation from Mary Madison High these days, but there's no shortage of smiles as
Our Miss Brooks tries to make her vacation pay for itself, mainly because she hasn't
the money to pay for it herself.
Follow the fun with Our Miss Brooks and her pals tomorrow night and every Sunday night.
atmos integral.