Joe and Mabel (1941-03-02): "Joe Writes a Poem"

Podcast: Harold's Old Time Radio
Episode Date: November 15, 2025
Original Airdate: March 2, 1941
Host: Harold's Old Time Radio

Episode Overview

This delightful episode of Joe and Mabel takes listeners back to St. Valentine’s Day in the 1940s, following the comic misadventures of cabbie Joe and his spirited girlfriend Mabel. The central plot revolves around Joe’s attempt to make amends for forgetting Valentine’s Day by writing Mabel a poem, spurred on by his pal Mike’s questionable advice. What should be a sweet gesture turns into a series of misunderstandings involving love letters, romantic rivalries, and one very enterprising kid brother.

Key Discussion Points & Story Breakdown

St. Valentine’s Day Trouble (00:50–04:38)

• Joe introduces the challenge of navigating women and holidays, especially Valentine’s Day.
  • “Like I'm telling you, it ain't easy to beat the races...but when it comes to women, there ain't even any odds.” (00:54)
• Joe learns—too late—that Valentine’s Day was last week, prompting panic as he realizes he didn’t get Mabel anything.
• Mike claims buying gifts is overrated and suggests poetry is the true way to a woman’s heart.

The Valentine’s Day Poem Scheme (04:38–08:11)

• Mike recounts his own (possibly exaggerated) poetic success:
  • “I write her a poem...Next day, she calls me up and I’m at her house, eating dinner just like that.” (04:24)
• Inspired (or desperate), Joe and Mike collaborate on a poem for Mabel:
  • Notably, they struggle to rhyme “Mabel” (“table,” “sable”) and eventually come up with:
    • “I cannot buy you no jewels or sables, but all the same I think you're swell, Mabel. So I am sending you this little rhyme, to ask—will you be my Valentine? Will you be mine, my Valentine?” (08:21)

An Unexpected Consequence: Mystery and Blackmail (08:12–17:00)

• Mabel’s kid brother Sherman interrupts, begging for two bits and hinting at his knowledge of the poem.
• After mailing the anonymous poem, Joe visits Mabel. She is distant and introspective, leading Joe to worry.
• At the movies, Mabel draws a parallel between film romance and her own romantic mystery, believing her secret poem is a marriage proposal from someone in love with her:
  • “It’s just like in the movies… Will you be mine? That’s what the man said in the picture, and what does it mean? It’s just like you say, let’s get married. Only more refined.” (14:29)

The Blackmail Escalates (17:00–21:40)

• Sherman tries to blackmail Joe, threatening to reveal that he wrote the poem unless he’s paid:
  • “Do I get the two bits or do I tell Mabel it was you who writ them poems?” (17:13)
• Tension grows between Joe and Mabel, who drifts further away in favor of her mysterious, poetic admirer.
• Joe laments:
  • “I’m waiting around for her dream sweetheart to claim his bride…” (15:52)

Seeking Advice, Complicating Solutions (21:40–24:20)

• Joe and Mike consult the advice column “Love Advice by Miss Sally Dare,” which suggests writing a second poem to retract the proposal.
• Mike suggests another scheme—have Dolly (his own romantic interest) pose as another recipient of an identical love poem, revealing the “proposal” was just a prank or mistake.

The Restaurant Confrontation & Resolution (24:20–28:18)

• Joe arranges a meeting with Dolly and Mabel; tempers flare as Mabel suspects Dolly is after Joe.
  • Mabel: “You know Joey for a long time?” (25:50)
  • Dolly: “I could get to know him better, if you know what I mean.” (25:55)
  • Mabel responds with jealousy, and Dolly storms off.
• In the heat of the argument, Mabel reveals her jealousy and her true feelings for Joe.
  • “It ain’t my fault if I like you.” (27:05)
  • Joe: “What about that guy who you say is gonna marry you?”
  • Mabel: “Oh, that. I was only teasing you, Joey.” (27:21)
• Joe gives Mabel a belated, yet traditional, Valentine’s Day gift: silk stockings, which delights her.
  • “Gee, Joey, that’s the nicest present you can get a girl.” (28:08)
• Joe concludes his lesson:
  • “Some girls, poems, maybe are all right, but with Mabel...Stockings is safe all around.” (28:18)

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

| Timestamp | Quote | Speaker | |-----------|-------|---------| | 00:54 | “Like I'm telling you, it ain't easy to beat the races...but when it comes to women, there ain't even any odds.” | Joe | | 04:24 | “I write her a poem. None of this printed stuff they got. I write it myself. The next day, she calls me up and I'm at her house.” | Mike | | 08:21 | (Joe reads the finished poem) “I cannot buy you no jewels or sables, but all the same I think you're swell, Mabel. So I am sending you this little rhyme to ask—will you be my Valentine? Will you be mine, my Valentine?” | Joe | | 14:29 | “Will you be mine? That's what the man said in the picture…It's just like you say, let's get married. Only more refined.” | Mabel | | 17:13 | “Do I get the two bits or do I tell Mabel it was you who writ them poems?” | Sherman | | 28:08 | “Gee, Joey, that’s the nicest present you can get a girl.” | Mabel | | 28:18 | “Some girls, poems, maybe are all right, but with Mabel...Stockings is safe all around.” | Joe |

Key Timestamps for Segments

• Intro & Set-Up: 00:50 – 04:38
• Poetry Brainstorm: 04:38 – 08:11
• Poem Sent & Mabel’s Reaction: 08:11 – 14:11
• Sherman's Blackmail: 17:00 – 18:05; 21:00 – 21:57
• Advice Column Segment: 21:40 – 24:20
• Restaurant Showdown: 24:20 – 28:08
• Resolution & Wrap-Up: 28:08 – 28:18

Episode Tone & Style

The episode is marked by rapid-fire, urban, working-class banter, gentle teasing, and classic radio-era hijinks. The humor derives from misunderstandings, wordplay, and the earnest but often clueless efforts of Joe and his friends.

Summary Takeaway

In this charming look at love and confusion circa 1941, Joe’s misguided attempts at romance land him in hot water, thanks to a poem that gets lost in translation. Ultimately, honest gifts and innocent jealousy win the day, reminding listeners that sometimes, the tried-and-true gestures are best—and that a good pair of silk stockings can solve more problems than a poem ever could.