21st Precinct 54-05-26 (046) The Father

Summary

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Podcast Summary: 21st Precinct – "The Father" (Episode Airdate: 1954-05-26; Podcast Release: Feb 24, 2026)

Overview

In this episode of 21st Precinct, titled "The Father," listeners are immersed in the daily realities of New York police work during the 1950s. Centering on the case of an elderly man, John W. Lowfield, found sleeping in a building hallway, the story quietly unpacks the complexities of aging, family dynamics, dignity, and the humanity that underscores police procedures. The narrative moves with compassion and nuance as officers and family members confront issues of responsibility, misunderstanding, and reconciliation.

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Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Initial Incident: The Old Man in the Hallway

[01:00–06:54]

• Patrolman Coley responds to a report of a drunk man sleeping in a hallway. Upon questioning, the elderly man insists he is not intoxicated, stating, “I’m 78 years old. I never had a drink in my life.”
• The man, calling himself "Pop," resists revealing his identity, insisting he has nowhere to go, "If I lived someplace, I'd be there. I wouldn't be sleeping in the hallway."
• The encounter reveals the initial misunderstanding: a neighbor assumes drunkenness, but the deeper reality is homelessness and pride.

2. Compassion Amidst Procedure

[06:55–13:30]

• Officers professionally follow protocol, searching for identification and discussing booking the man for disorderly conduct.
• Key quote: “Well, I'm not so sure jail would be so bad. At least there's a bed in jail. The floor in that hall is kind of hard.” (Pop, [08:20])
• The officers move from suspicion to concern, pausing before booking him due to a missing person’s report that seems to match his description.

3. Identification and Family Dynamics

[13:31–18:30]

• The missing persons report identifies the man as John W. Lowfield, reported missing by his daughter, Elizabeth Heppel.
• Lowfield's reluctance to return: “I'm not going back there... I'm just not.” (Pop, [16:45])
• The officers respectfully inform his daughter and wait for her arrival, granting the old man dignity in the process.

4. A Glimpse of Everyday Police Work

[18:31–24:00]

• Police procedural elements are highlighted: reports, investigations, and internal communication.
• A moment of kindness occurs: Detective McInerney brings coffee and a Danish for Lowfield, refusing repayment, “No, no, you’re not supposed to buy food for me.” (Pop, [19:20])
• Light-hearted banter about the detective’s rich family and references to classic detectives (“Sherlock Holmes make a lousy detective. He couldn’t type.” — Pop, [20:55])

5. Daughter’s Perspective and Family Argument

[24:06–27:28]

• Elizabeth, Lowfield's daughter, arrives at the precinct. She is fraught with worry and guilt.
• In an emotionally charged exchange, she reveals the roots of the problem — a family argument centered around her father's perceived burden:
  • “He’s been living with us eight years since my mother died. He’s never done this before.” (Elizabeth, [25:23])
  • Argument arose over dinner, leading to harsh words about the support and responsibility for her father.
  • The emotional toll of aging and dependence is palpable.

6. Reconciliation

[27:29–30:00]

• Elizabeth pleads with her father to return home, expressing regret and love.
• Poignant exchange:
  • Pop: “Yes, I am. An old man with no money, living in his daughter’s house, making more work, causing arguments with her husband. That’s trouble. That’s a lot of trouble.” ([28:53])
  • Elizabeth: “Please, come home. We want you to come home. Harry and me and the boys, we all want you to come home.” ([29:15])
• With hesitance and hope, Pop agrees: "Well, all right. If you want me." ([29:45])
• The moment closes with a small gesture of dignity and acceptance—taking a taxi cab home, “I guess they really want me back, Captain. Taxi cab.” ([30:00])

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Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On Aging and Dignity:
  • “Old, yes, but old and in the way. Not everyone.” (Pop, [23:14])
• Policeman’s Kindness:
  • “You sure you want him to come home?” (Captain, [27:40])
  • “Of course I’m sure. He’s my father.” (Elizabeth, [27:43])
• Poignant Reflection:
  • “That you told me that doesn’t make me less trouble.” (Pop, [29:12])
• Humor Amid Tension:
  • “Sherlock Holmes make a lousy detective. He couldn’t type.” (Pop, [20:55])

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Important Timestamps

• Initial incident and misunderstanding: [01:00–06:54]
• Police search and discovery: [06:55–13:30]
• Identification and missing persons report: [13:31–18:30]
• Interaction with detectives, coffee & banter: [18:31–24:00]
• Daughter’s arrival & family backstory: [24:06–27:28]
• Final reconciliation and agreement: [27:29–30:00]

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Episode Tone and Style

True to the style of Golden Age radio drama, the episode blends procedural authenticity with warmth and empathy, allowing listeners a window into both the responsibilities and small kindnesses of law enforcement, as well as the quieter struggles of aging and family. Dialogue is unhurried, reflective, and deeply human—marked by understated humor, restraint, and genuine emotion.

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Final Thoughts

“The Father” is a telling slice of classic radio drama that holds up as much for its sensitivity as for its orderly dramatization of police work. The story asks quietly profound questions: What does pride mean as we age? Where does duty begin and end, both for police and for family? And how can a simple act—a cup of coffee, a taxi cab home—reaffirm a person’s dignity in difficult times?

This episode stands as both a compelling police procedural and a moving meditation on familial love, misunderstanding, and the longing to belong.

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Transcript

[A]

If you're an H Vac technician and a call comes in, Grainger knows that you need a partner that helps you find the right product fast and hassle free. And you know that when the first problem of the day is a clanking blower motor, there's no need to break a sweat. With Grainger's easy to use website and product details, you're confident you'll soon have everything humming right along. Call 1-800-GRAINGER clickgrainger.com or just stop by Granger for the ones who get it done. When he. First Precinct. Sergeant Waters. Wait a minute, lady. Talk slower. I can't understand you. Man in a hole. What's he doing there? Yeah, yeah. Was he drunk? You are in the muster room at the 21st Precinct, the nerve center. A call is coming through. You will follow the action taken pursuant to that call from this minute until the final report is written in the 124 room at the 21st Precinct. All right, I'll send an officer over right away. Well, don't worry about it. He'll be there right away. He'll take care of it. Yes, ma'. Am. 21st Precinct. It's just lines on a map of the city of New York. Most of the 173,000 people wedged into the 9/10 of a square mile between Fifth Avenue and the east river wouldn't know, if you ask them, that they lived or worked in the 21st. Whether they know it or not, the security of their homes, their persons and their property is the job of the men of the 21st Precinct. The 21st. 160 patrolmen, 11 sergeants and four lieutenants, of whom I'm the boss. My name is Kennelly, Frank Kennelly. I'm captain in command of the 21st. I was working my night tour, 4pm to 8am it had been a quiet night in the precinct and after I turned out the platoon for the 12 to 8 as superior officer on duty in the division during the night, I was called to the 23rd Precinct to supervise the patrol force on duty at a three alarm fire near the approach to the Triborough Bridge. I was still out of the precinct at 2:10am When Patrolman William F. Coley, assigned to post number four, approached a call box on York Avenue to make his hourly ring. 21st. Bracing Sergeant Waters. Patrolman Coley, box 31. Hold on a second, Coley. I've got something for you. Yes, sir. Listen. Walk around the 341 there. Yeah. A party named Healers called in there's a drunk sleeping in the hallway. Okay, Sergeant. When you get it cleaned up, ring in again. He'll take your meal. Yes, sir.

[B]

Officer?

[A]

Yes?

[B]

I hate to bother you, but I'm a little confused. Which way is the subway station?

[A]

The Lexington Avenue subway.

[B]

Yes. That'll be all right.

[A]

It's four blocks this way and one downtown.

[B]

Thanks.

[A]

It's all right.

[B]

I got sort of mixed up. Is that a local or an express station?

[A]

A local. Which way are you going?

[B]

To Brooklyn.

[A]

Well, then take the local to Grand Central, then change for the express there.

[B]

Oh, thanks.

[A]

Yes?

[B]

Do you smoke?

[A]

Yes, ma', am, but not on the job.

[B]

Look, Officer.

[A]

What?

[B]

There's just one or two cigarettes smoked out of this package. I'd like to sell it to you for a nickel. Madam, I tell please, I've got 10 cents. I need 15 to ride the subway. Oh, please. Take what's in a pack of cigarettes and give me a nickel. It's a bargain. It's really a bargain.

[A]

Look, I don't want your cigarettes.

[B]

Lady, you can see I'm dressed all right. I'm not a tramp.

[A]

Yeah, yeah, I can see that. That's right.

[B]

It's really a long, sad story. I'd rather not go into it, if you don't mind.

[A]

You don't have to. Do you want to borrow a nickel?

[B]

I want to sell you my cigarette.

[A]

That's not necessary. Here. You sure you have the dime?

[B]

That's all I've got.

[A]

Here you are.

[B]

And here are your cigarettes.

[A]

Oh, forget it. I. I can afford to be that generous.

[B]

Where can I send it to you?

[A]

Forget it. It's nothing.

[B]

Look, I certainly appreciate you. You don't know how much I appreciate you.

[A]

It's all right. I know how you feel.

[B]

I don't know what to say. You see, I'm not a tramp.

[A]

It's okay, lady. Oh, I've got a job in this building now. You just walk over to Lexington Avenue and downtown, one block.

[B]

Well, thanks a lot.

[A]

It's okay.

[B]

I certainly appreciate it.

[A]

Really. Yeah.

[B]

Are you the policeman?

[A]

Yeah, that's right.

[B]

He's on the second floor landing, passed out drunk right outside of my door.

[A]

Almost. Look, the downstairs door is locked. Can you press the buzzer?

[B]

All right, just a second.

[A]

Up here on the second floor. Okay.

[B]

He's still here. Still packs out.

[A]

All right, I'm coming.

[B]

Oh, he get in here?

[A]

I don't know. Well, don't worry about it. I'll take care of him.

[B]

An old man like that will lose all his self respect.

[A]

Hey, Pop. Pop, come on, wake up. What's the matter? Come on, Pop, sit up.

[B]

You ought to be ashamed of yourself.

[A]

Ashamed of yourself. That's it, Pop. That's it. What are you doing here? Sleeping, that's all. Just sleeping. Look, don't you know better than to get drunk in other people's hallways? I'm not drunk. I was just sleeping. Look, Pop, you can kid yourself, but you can't kid me. I'm not drunk. I'm 78 years old. I never had a drink in my life.

[B]

Then what were you doing here? What were you doing in this hallway?

[A]

I was sleeping. Can you stand up? Of course I can stand up. But

[B]

the idea coming into a hallway and sleeping.

[A]

Well, I wanted to sleep someplace. Don't you have a home? No, not anymore. You live someplace, Pop. Where? If I lived someplace, I'd be there. I wouldn't be sleeping in the hallway.

[B]

Why did you have to pick my

[A]

hallway right outside of my door? I'm sorry. I didn't know it was your hallway. Any hallway had been good enough. What's your name? Pop. You called me Pop. Now, come on, will you? Pop is good enough. Look, old timer, it's 2 o' clock in the morning and we're gonna wake up the whole building. Now, what's your name and where do you live? My name is Pop and I don't live anyplace. Look, I can't stand here and waste time with you. I can take you down to the station house and we'll get it settled there.

[B]

He's not drunk.

[A]

What do you want to do that for, lady? You sent for the police. I thought he was drunk. You can take me to the station house if you want to. I don't care. Look, I want to be reasonable. Just tell me your name and where you live and what you were doing here, and we'll see if we can get the whole thing straightened out. You saw what I was doing here. I was sleeping. Well, what's your name? Pop. All right, you. You have a phone, don't you? Mrs. Healer.

[B]

Mrs. Bertha Healer.

[A]

You have a phone? Yes, I have a phone. We go inside so I can ring him.

[B]

Yes, we can go inside.

[A]

But what are you gonna do with him?

[B]

He wasn't drunk.

[A]

I was mistaken about that. I don't know what to do with him. That's what I want to ring in for. Let them tell me. Patrolman Coley rang into the station house and explained the situation to Lieutenant Gorman, the desk officer on duty. He was instructed to bring the man to the Station house. And for this purpose, an RMP car was sent by radio to the address. In the meantime, the fire in the 23rd Precinct had been extinguished and I returned to the 21st. It was 2:25am when I got out of the car, crossed the sidewalk and walked up the three stone steps into the muster room of the precinct house. It is required by the manual of procedure that the commanding officer sign the blotter immediately upon leaving or entering the station house. And I went around the desk to comply. Hello, Captain. Sergeant. Morning. First Precinct, Sergeant Waters. Hello, Red. Captain. All right, hold on. Lieutenant. Yes? Cahill is ringing in. Reports one male at Roseville Hospital in that auto record. Tesla went over in the Apple. All right. Tell him to resume patrol until Kessler rings in that he's ready to be picked up. Yes, sir. Okay, Red, it's all yours. Big fire up there, Captain. Yeah, it burned out this one building almost completely. Ran about 30 families out on the street. Lucky it's a warm night. Yeah, and we had to reroute bridge traffic. Nobody hurt, was there? No, the alarm was turned in fast. Come on, Pop, right up to the desk. Where? Where do you want me? Right here is all right. Here he is with Senator. Hello, Captain Coley. You still won't tell you his name, Coley? No, sir. Will you tell me, Pop? If I wouldn't tell him, why should I tell you? What's this all about, Connie? Well, he was sleeping in the hallway, Captain. The lady who called in thought he was drunk. I wasn't drunk. I never had a drink in my life. Well, what were you doing there, Pop? Sleeping. Now, look, Pop, we don't want to put you in jail. Let's get it straightened out. What's your name? Well, I'm not so sure jail would be so bad. At least there's a bed in jail. The floor in that hall is kind of hard. What about your family? What about them? Where are they? Can we get in touch with them? I'd rather go to jail. It wouldn't be any problem. Sleeping in a hallway, that's disorderly conduct. Maybe you call it disorderly conduct. I was just sleeping because I was tired. How old are you? 78. I was 78 in March. Don't you have any money? Well, I've got three, four dollars. Look, don't you want to tell us your name? No. No, I thought I made that clear. Well, how can we help you out? I don't know that you're trying to help me if you are trying. I don't know that I want your help. We are trying to help you. Maybe so, but I'm still not going to tell you my name. All right, Coley, let's see what's in his pockets. Put your hands up on the rail, Pop. Boss, I don't want to let you search me. Look, it's the law, Pop. We're required to search all prisoners. Well, if it's the law, I don't want to go against that. Oh, Lieutenant, I think I saw an alarm yesterday. Missing person's report on a 78 year old man. Did you? I think so. Go see if you can locate it. Yes, sir. Right away, Captain. $3.88. Gee, I was pretty close about the money. I said between three and four dollars. Pipe something back. You're not gonna take that pipe away from me. I've had that 16 years. You'll get it back. One key. A door key. You can throw that away. I don't know why I'm carrying it around. Well, that's all. No identification. Calling a lot of things. Look inside your suit coat pocket, see if there's a label. Yes, sir. You won't find the thing now. There's no use looking. No, no label, Captain. Nothing here. I think I found the alarm, Captain. Come on, Pop. We don't want to waste any more time. Description fits. We should be out catching robbers. I better get that. Excuse me, Captain. Yeah? Put me in jail if you want to, Pop. Is your name John W. Lowfield? Isn't. We have a missing persons alarm for a John W. Lowfield, age 78 years old, put out yesterday morning by his daughter, Mrs. Elizabeth Heppel, 42 West 79th Street. She. She says he's missing from home and describes him as 5ft 8 inches tall, 145 pounds, medium build, gray, almost white hair, glasses, wearing a brown suit, gray sweater. Well, this suit's brown, isn't it? The sweater's gray. Are you John W. Lowfield? The description says he has a 2 inch cut scar in the palm of his right hand. Let's see your right hand, Pop. He's got a cap. I'm not going back there. Now, there's no use you calling her. I'm not going back there. I'm just not. Why not? They don't want me. She's your daughter, isn't she? That doesn't make her want me. She got worried that you were missing. What did you do, run away? No, I. I didn't run. I'm too old to run. I just walked. You are listening to 21st Precinct a factual account of the way police work in the world's largest city. If you were to sit down and list some of the rights and freedoms that you have, you'd probably list the big things like, oh, freedom of speech, freedom of the press, freedom of religion and others. Well, those are mighty important. But what about the little things? Things you don't think about much because you pretty well accept them as a matter of course. Like choosing the business or profession you want to go into. You know, in some countries, you work at the job assigned to you with no free choice at all. Or like getting as much education as you can in schools that are open to all. In some countries, education is only for the privileged few. Or take a little thing like buying a house or renting an apartment for your family. There are places in this world where you live right where you're told. Have you ever thought about why you're allowed these free choices? Why you accept it as your right? It's because such free choices are guaranteed to you and your children and to generations in the future, to be exact. It's in Article 9 of our bill of Rights. The men who wrote our Constitution and our Bill of Rights put this in just in case they forgot to mention something important in the other. It says, the enumeration in the Constitution of certain rights shall not be construed to deny or disparage others retained by the people. You get that? It's not left to Congress or the President or any special group. These rights belong to all of us, to the people. It's one of our freedoms. Now back to 21st Precinct and Captain Pinelli. Because John W. Lowfield, the 78 year old man found sleeping in the hallway at 2 o' clock in the morning, was the subject of a missing persons alarm. He was not booked in on the charge of disorderly conduct. Instead, he was taken upstairs to the 21st Detective Squad to await disposition of the case. In the meantime, Lieutenant Gorman, the desk officer, informed the Manhattan Communications Bureau, which in turn put out a cancellation of the alarm on the teletype. According to established procedure, the desk officer in the 20th Precinct on the west side of Manhattan sent a patrolman to the residence of Mrs. Elizabeth Heppel, the daughter of John W. Lowfield, who reported him missing, to notify her that he'd been located. At 3:15am while I was out on patrol of the precinct, Detective Edward D. McInerney returned from his meal carrying a paper bag. He walked in the front door of the station house, through the back room and up the stairs to the 21st Detective Squad. Here you are, Pop. Bought your container. Coffee and the Danish. Oh, thanks. Thanks a lot. I didn't know how much sugar you wanted, so I brought three lumps. No, I don't use any sugar now. How much do I owe you? Oh, you don't owe me a thing. No, no, you're. You're not supposed to buy food for me. Now, get it. No, no. How. How much is it? Forget it, Pop. I've got money. Save it for your old age. Well, thanks. Thanks a lot. Excuse me. Yeah? Are you sure they notified my daughter? Well, that's what the desk officer says. Says you'll be here in a little while. I didn't want them to do that, Pop. That's life. We can't have things the way we want them all the time. Yeah, that's life. Is that about me? Why? Is what you're writing there about me? Oh, no, Pop. It's about something else. It's a 61. Oh, that's so. Yeah, it's a crime report. It's about a lady who left a package in the car. The door is unlocked. She came back. She was very surprised to find the package gone. Oh, do you have to do that with every little thing? With every little thing? Yeah. This day and age. Sherlock Holmes make a lousy detective. He couldn't type. Hello, Ed. Lieutenant Fitzpatrick ring in? No, sir. You were up early this morning, Lieutenant. Yeah. I hope it wasn't anything I did. No, it wasn't anything you did, Pop. Lieutenant King, Mr. John W. Lo. How'd you do? He was the subject of missing persons report. Daughter is on her way over here to get him. I didn't ask her to come. I don't want her to come. I wish they'd just take me back where they found me. That's all right, Pop. You'll be better off at home. If I had a home. Look, Ed. Yes? Who's on the job? Goldman, Vitali. Where are they? Hard making an investigation. Have them ring in here. Yes, sir. I don't want her to come for me. 21st Precinct. Sergeant Waters as sergeant. Would you have CB put out a call for 419 to ring in, please? Okay. Thanks. What have you got hanging at? Nothing much, Lieutenant. Just Pop here. All right, Ed, you come with us. I'll take care of him downstairs. No one has to take care of me. I can take care of myself. Hello, Matt. Captain. Well, at six o' clock you said you're going home to get a good night's sleep. Yeah, that's What I planned, Captain. What's doing, Ed? Yes, sir. Go in my office and ring up Cassidy and DeLuca at their homes. Yes, sir. Tell them to meet us at the 44th squad at 4:00'. Clock. Yes, sir. By the way, I just came up to see that you were getting taken care of, Mr. Lowfield. Oh, I'm getting taken care of. I'm getting taken care of fine, except you won't let me go. Well, your daughter will be here right away. That's the reason I want to go. What's doing, man? Well, the two boys that stuck up the laundry on York Avenue last week, remember them? Yeah. Fitzpatrick got a line on them. Traced them out to a flat up on the 44th. He's got the place planted. Rang into me at home. We're going up there to see if we can collar them. You sure they're the right ones? Well, according to Fitz, they are. He said he had some good information on them. Said he woke up the super of the building they're staying in. They answered the description of the boys we want. Well, it'll be a good color. They're probably ripe for a lot more beside that laundry. Yes, sir, I know they are. Here. Where can I put this? Right in the waste basket there, puppy. 21st Squad. Lieutenant King. Where are you, Goldman? All right, come on in here right away. We've got a job. I wanted to pay that detective for the coffee and the sweet roll, but he wouldn't take the money. I don't want anyone to pay for me out of their own pocket. He comes from a rich family, Pop. Still, I wish he'd take the money. You're not gonna leave home anymore, are you, Mr. Lowfield? All you do is wind up in the police station. Now, I haven't made up my mind that I'm going home. I don't think I am. Why did you leave in the first place? You're half my age, aren't you? Well, little more than half. Everyone gets old, Pop. Old, yes, but old and in the way. Not everyone. After Lieutenant King and his detectives left for the 44th Precinct, John W. Lowfield was brought downstairs where he was told to wait in the back room for the arrival of his daughter at the station house. I went into my office where I occupied myself reading and signing reports and communications which would be forwarded to Division at the completion of the tour. At 3:40am the muster room was quiet except for an occasional call heard over the monitor of KEA 394, the police radio. The desk officer assigned to the 12 to 8 tour has the added job of classifying and filing various reports turned in during the preceding 24 hours. And Lieutenant Gorman was busy at this task. Sergeant Waters was at the telephone switchboard. Sergeant. Yes, sir. What time is Callie Due to ring? 48, Lieutenant. When he rings, I want to talk to him. Yes, sir. 21st. Bracing, Sergeant Waters. Well, there's nobody up in the detective, sir. They're all out on the job. Yes, sir. Yes, sir. Yeah, well, hold on a second. I'll give you the 124 man. Maybe he can help you. Sergeant Waters. Fallon. A lieutenant from the Manhattan west homicide squad is ringing in for some information about an armed robbery we had in the 21st last week. Well, the detectives are all out. See if you can help them. Okay, hold on. Go ahead, Sergeant. Yes, sir. Give me a line on there with the words, yes, sir. You want some coffee, Lieutenant? Oh, no, not right now.

[B]

We're lost. I'm gonna pull over and ask that man for directions. Hi there. We're looking to get to the campground.

[A]

Well, you're gonna take a left at the old oak tree end of this here road. I'm just kidding. Let me get my phone out.

[B]

How are you getting a signal out here?

[A]

T Mobile and US Cellular decided to merge. So the network out here is huge. We're getting the same great signal as the city and saving a boatload with all the benefits. Oh, and a five year price guarantee. Okay, here's those directions.

[B]

Actually, can you point us in the direction of a T Mobile store?

[A]

America's best network just got bigger. Switch to T Mobile today and get built in benefits the other guys leave out. Plus our five year price guarantee. And now T Mobile is available in US Cellular. Best mobile network based on analysis by Ookle of Speed test intelligence data 2H 2025. Bigger network. The combination of T Mobile's and US cellular network footprints will enhance the T Mobile network's coverage price guarantee. On talk, text and data exclusions like taxes and fees apply. See t mobile.com for details. Hello, Mr. Reynolds? Sturgis. This Lieutenant Garment at the 21st Precinct. Yes, that's right, the police department. We're holding a Joseph Gilliam here. Yes, he's been arrested. Simple assault. He got in a fight in a bar in Grill on third Avenue. He asked that we notify you he's being held in $200 bail. Yes, we'll accept the bail here. Well, you better get here before eight. Yeah, eight. Eight in the morning. He goes to court then. Okay, okay, I'll Tell him. Okay. You'll have to wait until the lieutenant gets off the phone, lady. I'll tell him. Bye. All right, you can talk to him now.

[B]

Thanks.

[A]

Yes, ma'? Am.

[B]

I'm Miss Elizabeth.

[A]

He is?

[B]

I was notified my father was here.

[A]

Oh, yes, ma'. Am. He said where? Well, he's in the back room. But the captain wants to talk to you first.

[B]

Is anything the matter?

[A]

No, he just wants to talk to you. Cross the room and in that door.

[B]

All right. Thank you.

[A]

Just knock on the door.

[B]

Thank you.

[A]

Yes, come in. Oh, come in, please.

[B]

Thank you.

[A]

That's all right. Just leave it open.

[B]

Miss, he.

[A]

Oh, yes. Won't you sit down?

[B]

Where's my father?

[A]

He's in the back.

[B]

We've been worried. We've been worried to death. He left the house yesterday morning before breakfast. We didn't know what happened to him. We didn't hear from him all day. We thought he was sick or hurt in an accident or something. He's 78 years old, you know.

[A]

Yes, I know. We found him sleeping in a hallway.

[B]

In a hallway?

[A]

That's right.

[B]

It doesn't sound like my father.

[A]

It is.

[B]

I don't understand him.

[A]

He doesn't want to go back.

[B]

He doesn't?

[A]

No.

[B]

Well, he has to come back. There's no place else for him to go.

[A]

Why did he leave?

[B]

You know, he's been living with us eight years since my mother died. He's never done this before.

[A]

Never? Well, he must have had a pretty good reason. Especially if he doesn't want to go back.

[B]

I don't understand him.

[A]

Do you want him back?

[B]

Yes, of course we want him back. Of course we do. Where else is he gonna go? After all, he's my father.

[A]

Why did he leave?

[B]

It was my fault, I guess. My fault. My husband?

[A]

Yes.

[B]

We had an argument the other night.

[A]

About him?

[B]

No, no. Not the way it started, anyway. It was about something I served for dinner. Meatloaf. My husband doesn't like meatloaf. Not the way I fixed it. Well, he got started on the meatloaf right at the dinner table.

[A]

Was your father there?

[B]

We were all eating together. My husband, myself, my father and my two sons. One thing led to another, and Harry and I. Harry, that's my husband, we started screaming at each other. He said he pays the bills. All he gets is meatloaf that he doesn't even like. And the first thing you know, we were screaming back and forth about my father and he was sitting right there. Guess we didn't even realize it. Harry says he's been living with us all these years, and we've been supporting him. And my sister does nothing about it. You know how those things lead one to the other.

[A]

Yes, I know.

[B]

Harry really likes my father. They get along swell. They play chess. They watch the ball games together. They really get along swell. Sure he didn't mean anything.

[A]

It must have sounded like he meant something.

[B]

Yes, it did. Yes, it sounded like I meant something too. I said I'd been trying to get my sister to take him for a while. That's so. We didn't even realize he was sitting there listening. I guess it just got beyond control. We were both sorry. Right away. Right away, we said. So we told him. He said, that's all right. He went in his room. We thought everything was okay, except when we woke up in the morning, he was gone.

[A]

I see.

[B]

Well, he'd never done that before. Like I said, we didn't know what to do. So I waited a couple of hours until after lunch. He didn't show up. Then I knew he didn't take any of his clothes except what he was. I started to get worried, called Harry at his office and he told me to call the police. And that's what I did.

[A]

You're sure you want him to come home?

[B]

Of course I'm sure. He's my father.

[A]

He seems determined not to go.

[B]

Well, where is he? Can I talk to him?

[A]

Yes. We'll have to go on the back.

[B]

I don't know where he'd go. If he doesn't come home, he has no place to go. My sister's out in Ohio. He's got no money. No money at all, except what we give him. I don't know how I can explain to him what happened. You understand, don't you, Captain?

[A]

Yes, I understand. In back, Lieutenant. Yes, sir.

[B]

If he slept in a hallway tonight, he must have slept in another one last night.

[A]

He must have. Yes. Right in here.

[B]

Hello, Papa.

[A]

I'm sorry to cause you more trouble, Elizabeth. I'm sorry you had to get up in the middle of the night.

[B]

It's all right, Papa. Why'd you run away?

[A]

Oh, because I didn't want to be any more trouble.

[B]

You're no trouble.

[A]

Yes, I am. An old man. An old man with no money, living in his daughter's house, making more work, causing arguments with her husband. That's trouble. That's a lot of trouble.

[B]

You know, we were sorry we had the argument. We told you right away. We told you that because you told

[A]

me that doesn't make me less trouble.

[B]

Please, come home. We want you to come home. Harry and me and the boys, we all want you to come home.

[A]

Where's Harry? Why didn't he come and tell me himself?

[B]

Well, one of us had to stay with the boys.

[A]

Well, he should have come and told me himself.

[B]

He's sorry. You know he's sorry.

[A]

No, I. I don't, Elizabeth. Not for sure. I can only hope that he is.

[B]

He is, Believe me.

[A]

Well, all right. If you want me.

[B]

We want you, Captain.

[A]

Thank you. That's all right, Mr. Lofield.

[B]

Come on, Papa. We'll get a taxi cab.

[A]

Taxicab. I guess they really want me back, Captain. Taxi cab. Yes, sir. I guess they do. Mr. Lowfield, 21st Precinct. Sergeant Waters. He caught a thief, or he saw a thief. Yeah. Yeah. Where is it? And so it goes. Around the clock through the week, every day, every year. A police precinct in the city of New York is a flesh and blood merry go round. Anyone can catch the brass ring or the brass ring can catch anyone.