Dad and Dave xx-xx-xx (118) episode 118

Summary

Podcast Episode Summary: "Dad and Dave xx-xx-xx (118)"

Overview

In episode 118 of Harold's Old Time Radio, titled "Dad and Dave xx-xx-xx," listeners are transported to the rustic charm of Snake Gully, a quintessential rural setting that captures the essence of family dynamics and small-town life. The episode intricately weaves themes of responsibility, familial duty, love, and community, all portrayed through the interactions of the central characters: Dave, his father (Dad), his mother (Mum), Sue, and the anticipated return of Mabel.

Main Characters

• Dave: The responsible son, striving to balance family obligations with personal relationships.
• Dad: The hardworking patriarch, focused on farm duties and maintaining family order.
• Mum: The supportive mother, nurturing and pragmatic.
• Sue: A close friend of Dave, whose departure sets the episode’s primary conflict.
• Mabel: Dave’s romantic interest, whose return is highly anticipated.

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Plot Summary

Setting the Scene

The episode opens early in the morning at the local railway station, where Dave and his father are preparing to send Sue off on a train. Dave is visibly anxious about Sue’s departure, indicating a deeper emotional connection beyond mere friendship.

• Dave: “All the work will be done, Dad. But I’ve got to get Sue safely away.” ([00:43])

His father expresses concern about wasting time at the station instead of tending to the farm, highlighting the ongoing tension between personal desires and familial responsibilities.

• Dad: “There’s plenty of work to do on the farm without wasting our time walking up and down the railway station.” ([00:35])

Emotional Farewell

As Sue prepares to board the train, heartfelt exchanges underscore the gravity of her departure. Dave’s insistence on ensuring Sue catches the train reflects his protective nature and possible underlying feelings.

• Sue: “I can’t understand why you’re so anxious for me to go, Dave.” ([00:48])
• Dave: “I’m only thinking of your future. I’ve got you a good job, and I want you to do well.” ([00:52])

Despite Dad’s skepticism about the time spent waiting, Dave remains committed to seeing Sue off properly.

• Dad: “I was neglecting my farm to come and see your girlfriend’s order.” ([01:17])
• Dave: “Sue’s not my girlfriend.” ([01:20])

This clarification hints at a complex relationship dynamic, suggesting that Sue holds a significant place in Dave’s life without being romantically involved.

Preparing for Mabel’s Return

The narrative shifts focus as Mum arrives, bringing news of Mabel’s upcoming return. Dave’s excitement about Mabel introduces a subplot involving his anticipation and preparations to welcome her.

• Dave: “Mabel’s coming home. She’ll be here tomorrow on the afternoon train.” ([04:49])

This revelation redirects the episode towards themes of reunion and the importance of community support, as the family plans to throw a welcoming party.

Family Dynamics and Responsibilities

Interactions between Dave, Dad, and Mum highlight the balancing act between personal emotions and family duties. Dad emphasizes the necessity of returning to farm work despite the emotional events unfolding at the station.

• Dad: “We must finish the ploughing in that paddock. We’re a bit late this year.” ([04:24])

Mum’s supportive role is evident as she offers to press Dave’s suit and manage other preparations, showcasing the cooperative spirit within the family.

• Mum: “Oh, I’ll press it for you, Dave.” ([05:20])

Tension and Resolution at the Station

As the day progresses, anxiety mounts with the train’s delayed arrival. Dave’s fears about Mabel missing the train echo earlier concerns about Sue, creating a parallel between the two departures and reunions.

• Dave: “Wouldn’t it be terrible if Mabel missed the train?” ([09:33])
• Dad: “Well, why should Mabel miss the train?” ([09:35])

The suspense builds until Mabel finally arrives, bringing relief and joy to the family. Her arrival is a culmination of the day’s emotional journey, reinforcing the episode’s focus on relationships and community bonds.

• Dave: “Welcome home. Hey, Mabel, can you see me? How are you?” ([11:05])
• Mum: “Hello, darling.” ([11:16])

Conclusion

The episode wraps up with the successful reunion of the family, emphasizing themes of love, responsibility, and the enduring strength of familial and community ties. Dave’s journey from anxiety to joy underscores the personal growth and the importance of balancing personal desires with family obligations.

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Notable Quotes with Timestamps

• Dave: “I’m only thinking of your future. I’ve got you a good job, and I want you to do well.” ([00:52])

• Sue: “Aren’t you sorry to see me go?” ([02:00])

• Dave: “I’ve got to go into town and get a haircut in the morning. I want to be looking my best.” ([04:58])

• Dad: “We’ve neglected the fire.” ([06:28])

• Mum: “I remember once when the train was over an hour late.” ([09:05])

• Dave: “I don’t think I could wait another hour to see Mabel.” ([09:09])

• Mum: “She’s been very seriously ill, you know.” ([10:01])

• Dad: “You needn’t worry, Dave. It’s due any moment now.” ([08:06])

• Dave: “I’ve been faithful to her anyway.” ([10:19])

• Dad: “Well, how do I know?” ([10:17])

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Themes and Insights

1. Balancing Personal and Family Obligations: Dave’s struggle to balance his desire to support Sue with his responsibilities on the farm illustrates the universal challenge of managing personal relationships alongside familial duties.

2. Community and Support Systems: The presence of various townsfolk at the station highlights the close-knit nature of Snake Gully, emphasizing how community members support each other during significant life events.

3. Anticipation and Reunion: Mabel’s anticipated return serves as a focal point of hope and excitement, contrasting with the bittersweet farewell to Sue and underscoring the cyclical nature of departures and reunions in rural life.

4. Emotional Resilience: The characters exhibit emotional resilience in the face of change, whether it’s sending off a friend or welcoming a loved one back, reflecting the enduring human spirit.

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Conclusion

"Dad and Dave xx-xx-xx (118)" masterfully captures the essence of the Golden Age of Radio through its engaging narrative and rich character interactions. The episode not only entertains but also offers profound insights into familial bonds, personal responsibility, and community solidarity. By weaving together moments of anxiety, preparation, and heartfelt reunion, the episode stands as a testament to the timeless themes that resonate with audiences, making it a memorable installment in Harold's Old Time Radio series.

Transcript

[Dave]

On June 6th, I'd like to go hunting the greatest action franchise of the past decade. How do I start doing what you do?

[Dad]

Reload.

[Mabel]

Looks like you already have.

[Dad]

From the world of John Wick.

[Dave]

Ballerina.

[Sue]

Oh, Dave.

[Dave]

Whipping.

[Sue]

Waiting on the platform for such a long time. Why did you bring me here so early?

[Dave]

Well, I wanted to make sure you caught the train.

[Dad]

I told Dave there was plenty of time to spare. There's plenty of work to do on the farm without wasting our time walking up and down the railway station.

[Dave]

All the work will be done, dad. But I. I've got to get sue safely away.

[Sue]

I can't understand why you're so anxious for me to go, Dave.

[Dave]

Well, I'm only thinking of your future. I've got you a good job, and I want you to do well.

[Sue]

I'll always be very grateful to you, Dave.

[Dave]

Oh, that's all right.

[Sue]

I suppose this shop will be all right. I've been quite happy in Snake Gully, you know.

[Dave]

Oh, you'd soon get tired of the place, Sue.

[Dad]

Oh, I wish that train would come. We've been on this platform for hours.

[Dave]

Well, it won't be long now, Dan.

[Dad]

Well, I'm neglecting my farm to come and see your girlfriend's order.

[Dave]

Sue's not my girlfriend.

[Sue]

Oh, Dave, you aren't rude. Aren't I a friend of yours?

[Dave]

Oh, yes, of course you're a friend of mine, but, well, you're not my girlfriend, if you know what I mean.

[Sue]

This Mabel of yours must be a wonderful girl.

[Dave]

I'm faithful to her, anyway.

[Dad]

Okay. Look, the train's coming.

[Dave]

Oh, come on, Sue. I've got all your cases here. The train doesn't stay for long, you know.

[Sue]

All right, Dave. Don't push me forward like.

[Dave]

I wasn't pushing her. I was just helping.

[Dad]

Here she comes now.

[Sue]

Now, give me a nice comfortable carriage. I've got a long trip before me, and I'm really rather sorry to go, Dave. Aren't you sorry to see me go?

[Dave]

Oh, yes. Yes, sir. This carriage will do. There's no one else in here. Come on. I'll put your beds on the rack.

[Dad]

All right, all right.

[Sue]

I should be quite comfortable in here. I'll sit down and talk to me for a minute.

[Dave]

There's no time to sit down, Sue. The train doesn't stay for long, or I might get carried on.

[Sue]

Wouldn't that be fun?

[Dave]

Would it?

[Dad]

Come on, Dave. Come on, Dave. We'll have to get out. We don't want to be carried away in the train.

[Sue]

I think you Might kiss me goodbye. Come on, Dave. We might never see each other again.

[Dave]

Oh, Dad'll give you a kiss. What, me?

[Dad]

Don't be silly. Nearly everyone in Snake Gully is on the platform. Come on, let's get out of the carriage.

[Dave]

Well, you'll be quite comfortable in there, won't you, Sue?

[Sue]

Yes, I think so, Dad. I wonder if we'll ever meet again.

[Dave]

Yes, I wonder.

[Sue]

Oh, now let me see if I've got everything. Yes, yes, I think all the cases are here.

[Dad]

Well, you're going now, Sue. Goodbye and good luck.

[Sue]

Thanks, dad. Goodbye, dad.

[Dave]

Goodbye, Sue. Good luck.

[Sue]

Goodbye. See you again someday.

[Dad]

Thank you for all you. Well, now perhaps we can get out.

[Dave]

Oh, she's gone, dad. Oh, well, that was pretty good work, wasn't it? Oh, now I'm right.

[Dad]

Yes, now you can come home and do some work on the farm. The idea of spending half a day on the railway platform.

[Dave]

Oh, well, it was worth it. We saw it often. Now I just got to wait until Mabel comes back.

[Mum]

Oh, here you are at last. You must have had a long wait at the railway station, dad.

[Dad]

Yes, we did. It was Dave's fault. We were much too early for the train.

[Mum]

Tell me, did sue get away all right this time?

[Dave]

Oh, too right she did. We saw off all right. It was worthwhile being early. I didn't want her to miss the train again.

[Mum]

Oh, there's a letter here for you, Dave. I think it's from Mabel.

[Dave]

Oh, good owl.

[Dad]

Gotta get out onto the farm and do some work while it's still light day. We must finish the ploughin in that paddock.

[Dave]

Oh, dad. Well, just give me a chance to read me letter.

[Dad]

Yes, and tomorrow we'll put in the whole day out on the farm.

[Mum]

Yes, there's lots to be done, isn't there, dad?

[Dad]

Too right there is, Sarah. And what with Christmas coming on, I want to get the place ship shape and in order. We're going to start harvesting next week. We're a bit late this year.

[Mum]

Didn't you say you were going to buy a new tractor, dad?

[Dad]

Too right I am. I'm going over to see about it tomorrow. No, not tomorrow. Perhaps the day after. We'll put in the old day here tomorrow to make up for all the time we wasted on the railway station.

[Dave]

She's coming home. Oh, Mum, she's coming home.

[Mum]

What's the matter, Dave?

[Dave]

Mabel's coming home. She'll be here tomorrow on the afternoon train.

[Mum]

Oh, Dave, I'm so glad.

[Dave]

I've got to go into town and get A haircut in the morning. I want to be looking me best. And I want to be on the station early.

[Dad]

Yes, you ought to get a job on the railway station. You spend all your time there.

[Dave]

But dad, Mabel's coming home. Oh, you'll be coming to meet her, won't you?

[Dad]

Ay, too right I will.

[Dave]

I'll wear the new suit I bought a couple of weeks ago. Oh, I wonder if it wants press.

[Mum]

Oh, I'll press it for you, Dave.

[Dave]

Oh, I can't realize it, Mum. She's coming home at last. She says she's much better. And she's been keeping this as a surprise for me.

[Dad]

Well, we'll have to give a party to welcome her.

[Dave]

Oh, do like me, Will. Oh, dad, I'm so excited I don't know where I am.

[Dad]

Cool down a bit. Cool down a bit. She won't be home till tomorrow.

[Dave]

Glad I bought that new tie to go with me suit. I wear everything to match.

[Dad]

Oh, Mabel won't notice that sort of thing. And anyway, you can't do anything about it. Now. Come on, let's finish the ploughing in the pan.

[Dave]

Oh, wait on Dad. I want to make some arrangements. Do you think I ought to take some flowers down to the train, Mum?

[Dad]

Flowers? You're not going to carry a lot of flowers, are you?

[Dave]

Oh, no, I wouldn't carry them, but perhaps Mum'd like to carry them.

[Mum]

Oh, you can leave that to me. I'll take some flowers down. I'd better ring up the Smiths and tell them we're all going over to the station.

[Dave]

Oh, I bet they're excited over there. I better go and have a look at that suit of mine and see if it's all right.

[Dad]

Of course it's all right. Do you think the moths have eaten it? Come on down and do some work.

[Dave]

Mabel's coming out.

[Dad]

Well, we know that. And I know you're going to the station to meet her. And so am I, and so is Mum. But we've still got to work. We've been neglecting the fire.

[Dave]

Oh, I hope she's quite all right again. She'll be surprised when she knows Uncle Clarence has gone.

[Mum]

Didn't you write and tell her?

[Dave]

Oh, Mum, I dunno what I wrote to her. I'm glad Socks isn't here because, well, Mabel would have wanted to ride him. She never lets anything beat her. I gotta go and ring up the Smithson. I better look at me suit, too. I wonder if I can put me end on that tire.

[Dad]

Oh, will you pipe down? A bit. Dave, pipe down. You're going off your head.

[Mum]

Aw, naturally. The boys excited. Excited. You had better go along with dad and do some work. Dave, leave all these things to me, and tomorrow we'll go and meet Mabel.

[Dad]

Well, Dave, we've been waiting for hours. We were the first people to arrive on the station. I don't know. It seems to me I spend me life seeing your girls off and giving them a welcome home.

[Dave]

Oh, sue wasn't my girl, dad. Oh, listen, don't say anything about her, will you?

[Mum]

Isn't there a crowd here to welcome Mabel?

[Dave]

There is all her snake galleys here. Oh, Mabel's popular, all right. I hope the train isn't running late.

[Dad]

You needn't worry, Dave. It's due any moment now.

[Mum]

Mrs. Smith is terribly excited and so is Mr. Smith. The whole family of Smiths are down here.

[Dad]

Look at the Ramseys over there. And even old Tim Riley is here. He's left his service station for a while.

[Dave]

And yes, there's a Mobby are all right. I suppose they all want to be able to get me and Mabel.

[Mum]

Oh, look, Dave. There's Herb Wilson and his wife.

[Dave]

Oh, he doesn't matter much, Mum. He's married now. I wish the train had hurry. Perhaps there hasn't been an accident.

[Dad]

Of course there hasn't been an accident.

[Dave]

But the train should have been here about a minute ago. Look, the signal hasn't dropped yet. I wonder if anything's gone wrong. I'm getting pretty worried.

[Dad]

There's no need to worry, me boy. The train will be here in a moment. It's often late.

[Mum]

I remember once when the train was over an hour late.

[Dave]

I don't think I could wait another hour to see Mabel.

[Dad]

Well, go and ask the station master what time the train will be in.

[Dave]

Oh, no, no, I don't want to leave here, dad. There'll be a rush when the plane does come in. And I want to get to Mabel first, you know. Dad, look, I've just been thinking. Wouldn't it be terrible if Mabel missed the train?

[Dad]

Well, why should Mabel miss the train?

[Dave]

Well, sue missed the train.

[Dad]

Hey, I thought you weren't going to mention sue again.

[Dave]

Oh, I. I didn't mean to mention her. But it would be pretty terrible if Mabel weren't on the train.

[Mum]

Mabel's bound to be on the train.

[Dave]

I suppose she'll have to look after herself for a while anyhow. I hope these people aren't too boisterous with the welcome they give her. She's been very seriously ill you know.

[Mum]

We all know that, Dave. But according to her letter, Mabel's quite all right now.

[Dave]

She's been down in the city a fair time. I wonder if she met any blokes she liked down there.

[Dad]

Well, you can never tell, boy.

[Dave]

You don't think she did, do you, dad?

[Dad]

Well, how do I know?

[Dave]

Well, I've been faithful to her anyway. Been a bit hard at times, but I managed it.

[Mum]

You've done very well. I'm proud of you. And I'm sure Mabel will be proud of you, too.

[Dave]

I don't think I'd better tell her about Sue. She might like it. Women are funny like that.

[Dad]

Yes, too right they are.

[Mum]

What do you mean by that, dad?

[Dad]

Oh, nothing, Sarah. Nothing.

[Dave]

There's the tribe. It's coming in. I can't see Mabel yet. Can you?

[Dad]

No, of course you can't see her yet. The plane isn't in.

[Dave]

It's pulling in now. Where is she, dad? Can you see her?

[Dad]

Not yet.

[Sue]

Oh, I can see her.

[Dave]

No.

[Sue]

Oh, no.

[Mum]

Cleaning up the window there.

[Sue]

Hello, Mabel. Hello, Mabel.

[Dave]

Welcome home. Hey, Mabel, can you see me? How are you? Oh, Mabel, I've been longing to see you.

[Mum]

Hello, darling.

[Mabel]

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