Lest We Forget - Stories To Remember - #4 My Little Boy

Summary

Podcast Summary: "Lest We Forget - Stories To Remember - #4 My Little Boy"

Podcast: Harold’s Old Time Radio
Episode Title: My Little Boy
Original Air Date: May 23, 2026
Story Author: Carl Ewald
Featured Actor: Melvyn Douglas

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Overview

This episode of "Stories to Remember" revisits the Golden Age of Radio storytelling with a deeply human tale, "My Little Boy," performed by Melvyn Douglas. The story, adapted from Carl Ewald’s original work, centers on a father’s reflections about his young son during a time when scarlet fever threatens the neighborhood. Through vignettes about promises, guilt, empathy, and confronting prejudice, the narrative explores how crucial early lessons help a child become a compassionate, principled adult. The episode ultimately serves as a call for understanding, equality, and the rejection of hate.

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Key Discussion Points & Narrative Insights

1. Portrait of a Little Boy (01:07)

• The father describes his son as imperfect yet charming, curious, and principled:
  • “My little boy isn’t a pretty child... but he’s charming. Stumbling now and then on his little knock kneed legs, he nosily looks at everything there is to look at and bites into every apple—those which are his due and those which are forbidden to him.” (01:07, Narrator/Father)
  • The boy’s complexity: incorruptible (never trades a kiss for candy), unpredictable, and constantly absorbing adult words and ideas.

2. Friendship and Judgement (01:56–02:39)

• The boy’s closest friend, Ernie, is disliked by the mother for being dirty and ill-mannered, but the father defends the child’s right to his own affections.
  • “Maybe it’s the feeling that counts, not the object.” (02:31, Mother)
• A subtle lesson on tolerance and seeing worth through a child’s eyes.

3. The Threat of Scarlet Fever and a Child’s Promise (02:39–05:13)

• Ernie contracts scarlet fever, leading to honest discussions about sickness and risk.
• The boy solemnly promises Ernie he’ll visit, demonstrating earnest loyalty:
  • “I promise. On my word of honor. That’s the biggest promise in the world.” (03:41, Child)
• The adults debate adhering to the promise versus protecting their child’s health.
  • “It’s a misfortune if he should ever think that it was possible for him to break his word.” (05:43, Narrator/Father)

4. A Lesson in Honesty: The Candy Store Incident (06:18–09:42)

• The boy is given money to buy bread, but succumbs to temptation and spends it on lollipops instead.
• The father gently leads him to grasp the concept of trust and the consequences of selfish choices:
  • “[Paula] wanted that bread for dinner. She thinks the bread’s on the table. And you spent the money on lollipops. What are we to do?” (08:03, Narrator/Father)
• Instead of punishment, the lesson is about understanding guilt, making amends, and family forgiveness.

5. Confronting Prejudice: The Playground Fight (09:50–13:32)

• The boy admits to beating up another child for no reason—specifically, a Jewish boy.
• The father reacts strongly, insisting on finding the boy to apologize, drawing a firm boundary against such behavior:
  • “We must find that Jewish boy and beg his pardon. Come along. We must hurry.” (10:49, Narrator/Father)
• An earnest discussion about the significance of Jewish heritage follows, linking the figures of David, Daniel, and even Jesus to the Jewish faith. The story reframes difference as worth, not deficiency.
  • “I vaccinated him against anti-Semitism, the meanest of all mean and vulgar diseases.” (13:41, Narrator/Father)

6. Hopes for His Son and the Future (13:41–14:42)

• As the boy prepares to start school, the father hopes he’ll learn not only facts, but essential truths about humanity:
  • “But pray God, they’ll also teach him about people so that he’ll know that all men, regardless of their creed or color, are brothers. For with this knowledge, he can make for himself and others a decent, happy life. And this, above all else, I want for my little boy.” (14:14, Narrator/Father)

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Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On Keeping Promises:
  “It’s a misfortune if he should ever think that it was possible for him to break his word. Don’t you understand, darling?” (05:43, Narrator/Father)
• On Prejudice:
  “Today I vaccinated him against anti-Semitism, the meanest of all mean and vulgar diseases.” (13:41, Narrator/Father)
• On Hope for the Future:
  “But pray God, they’ll also teach him about people so that he’ll know that all men, regardless of their creed or color, are brothers.” (14:14, Narrator/Father)

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Important Timestamps

• Defending a Child’s Friend: 01:56–02:39
• Promise to Visit Sick Friend: 03:04–05:13
• Candy Store Temptation: 06:18–09:42
• Playground Fight & Apology: 09:50–13:32
• Reflections on Tolerance and Education: 13:41–14:42

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Tone & Presentation

The episode’s language is warm, sincere, and imbued with gentle irony and affection. Melvyn Douglas’s narration brings empathy to the father, whose perspective grounds each lesson in love and understanding rather than punishment—a voice typical of 1940s and 1950s radio storytelling, where hope and unity are underlined as key American values.

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Final Thoughts

"My Little Boy" is not just a nostalgic window into family life of another era—it’s a timeless meditation on character, kindness, and the need to confront intolerance while nurturing a sense of justice and empathy in future generations. Its themes remain relevant, making the episode a powerful reminder of radio’s role in both reflecting and shaping social values.

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Transcript

[Child]

Neighbor Gable.

[Liberty Mutual Spokesperson]

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[Narrator/Father]

Hey, everyone. Check out this guy and his bird. What is this, your first date?

[Liberty Mutual Spokesperson]

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[Narrator/Father]

Yeah, the bird looks out of your league.

[Liberty Mutual Spokesperson]

Anyways, get a'@libertymutual.com or with your local agent.

[Narrator/Father]

Liberty. Liberty. Liberty.

[Announcer]

Liberty. Stories to Remember. Stories of people. Stories of human dignity and decency told by some of America's outstanding storytellers. We present Melvyn Douglas and a Story to remember. My Little Boy by Carl Ewald.

[Narrator/Father]

My little boy isn't a pretty child and he's the more likely to grow up into a fine lad. But he's charming. Stumbling now and then on his little knock kneed legs, he nosily looks at everything there is to look at and bites into every apple. Those which are his due and those which are forbidden to him. His face can light up like a match or he can look at you with quite cold eyes. Also, he's incorruptible. He's never exchanged a kiss for candy. He has some bad habits. Without the slightest reason he's apt to go up to people he meets on the street and hit them. What's in his mind when he does it? I don't know. Another thing about him is that he seizes upon grown up words that he overhears, stores them away and then springs them on me when we're alone.

[Child]

Father, what is life?

[Narrator/Father]

Well, life is delightful. Don't be afraid of it. Our neighborhood's full of children and my little boy has picked a bosom friend out of the band. His name is Ernie. My wife doesn't particularly like him.

[Mother]

I can't see anything especially nice about Ernie. He's dirty and ill mannered.

[Narrator/Father]

Well, neither can I. But our little boy can, and that's enough. I once had a friend who could see nothing charming in you. And you yourself had several friends who thought you had very poor taste in selecting a husband.

[Mother]

Maybe they were right. Maybe it's the feeling that counts, not the object.

[Narrator/Father]

It's the time of the year, the time of scarlet fever. The disease strikes at our neighborhood, at the band of children. One by one they disappear and the band thins out. I stand at my open window and look down. My little boy is sitting on the steps with his bosom pal Ernie. They talk low and soft voices full of mystery at the strangeness of scarlet fever.

[Child]

Ernie, Paul has scarlet fever. His mother told me. John is also sick. He's dead. Paul is worse than dead. He's in the hospital. In the hospital? Two men in white suits took him away. I saw them from my window. Oh, gee, I wouldn't like to go to the hospital. I wouldn't. Don't you worry, Ernie. If you get sick, I'll come to see you. Oh, you will? Honest, I promise. No, you won't. I know you won't. I promise. On my word of honor. That's the biggest promise in the world.

[Narrator/Father]

And a few days later, Ernie does come down with scarlet fever. My little boy stands in front of Ernie's house and stares at the red sign on the door. He knows what it means. I watch him from the window. My little boy comes in. Oh, I know you so well. You want to tell us something and you don't know how. And so you sit huddled up, staring at us.

[Child]

Mother, Ernie is sick.

[Mother]

I know, but he'll soon get well and you can play with him again.

[Child]

Is he infectious, Mother?

[Mother]

Yes, very infectious. Even his little sister's been sent away. No one's allowed to go near him except the doctor and his mother.

[Child]

Mother, I want to go and see Ernie. You can't do that.

[Mother]

You'll get sick yourself. Besides, Ernie's too tired to see anybody. He sleeps all the time.

[Child]

I can see him when he wakes up.

[Mother]

You can't see him until he's well.

[Narrator/Father]

You promised you'd visit Ernie if he got sick, didn't you, son?

[Child]

Yes, Father.

[Narrator/Father]

He comes up to me and puts his little hand in mine. He looks up at me, faith gleaming from an undeveloped tear in his eye. My wife looks up from a big book she's reading. My little boy looks at me and waits. Well, then, you must go and see him as soon as Ernie wakes up.

[Mother]

Son, go down to the yard and play while Father and I have a talk.

[Child]

Please talk fast, Mother. I don't feel much like Wayne.

[Mother]

You shouldn't have told him that. He can't see Ernie.

[Narrator/Father]

We can't refuse him. I overheard him make his promise to Ernie. Sir Galahad couldn't have been more sincere, but he. Maybe he'll catch scarlet fever, maybe he won't. But he must learn to keep his promise. The infection's only a side issue. It's the promise that counts.

[Mother]

We can't send him directly to where the fever is. We just can't.

[Narrator/Father]

Darling. If our little boy doesn't carry out this promise, he'll meet with a great misfortune. A shock from which he may never recover. It's a misfortune if he should ever think that it was possible for him to break his word. It's a misfortune if he begins to think that It's a remarkable thing to keep his word. Don't you understand, darling?

[Mother]

Yes, Carl, I understand. He must learn to keep his word, just as he learned to keep clean. I'll take him over to Ernie's myself.

[Narrator/Father]

My little boy's given some money by Paula, our cook, to go and fetch some bread from the baker. I stand by my window and see him cross the street in his slow, meandering way. He passes a candy store, its windows gleaming with gaily colored lollipops, chocolates and other things created for a small boy's delight. He stands in front of the candy store for a moment, then disappears inside of it. Presently he emerges with a paper bag in his hand and eating with all his might. And I run all over the house telling everyone what to do when my little boy arrives. We wait, and presently he enters the kitchen.

[Mother]

Put the bread on the table, son.

[Narrator/Father]

He stands still for a moment. Then he looks at Paula, then at the table, then at the floor. Then he goes silently to his mother, who doesn't look up from her work.

[Mother]

You're quite a big boy now that you can buy bread for Paula.

[Narrator/Father]

His face is very long, but he says nothing. Then he comes quietly into my room and sits down on the edge of my chair. He presses himself against me, but I don't look at him.

[Child]

Are. Are you working hard, Father?

[Narrator/Father]

Not very. You came in with a bag. What'd you buy?

[Child]

Lollipops.

[Narrator/Father]

Well, well, what fun. But you had lollipops this morning. Who gave you the money this time?

[Child]

Paula.

[Narrator/Father]

Really? She must be very fond of you. Do you remember that lovely ball she gave you on your birthday, Father?

[Child]

Paula told me to buy a loaf of bread with the money.

[Narrator/Father]

Indeed, you fooled Paula badly. She wanted that bread for dinner. She thinks the bread's on the table. And you spent the money on lollipops. What are we to do?

[Child]

I don't know, Father.

[Narrator/Father]

If only we had some money. Then you could run to the baker's and buy some bread. If only we had some money, Father.

[Child]

There's some money on Mother's writing table.

[Narrator/Father]

Is there? Oh, but that belongs to Mother. People are terribly fond of their money. And they get terribly angry when you take it away from them. You can buy an awful lot of Things with money. And it's not easy to get it. Most people have to drudge and work hard all day long for money. And Paula works all day long so that she can have money. Make money to buy clothes and shoes. She must have saved very cleverly to buy you that ball.

[Child]

Father. Father, have you some money?

[Narrator/Father]

No. No, I haven't. See, here is my wallet. Not a penny in it. I spent the last one this morning.

[Child]

What are we to do?

[Narrator/Father]

Well, we must think about it. Mmm. Mm. Perhaps there might be some money hidden in one of the drawers in my desk. Shall we look?

[Child]

Oh, yes, let's look right away.

[Narrator/Father]

You look on one side of the drawer, and I'll look on the other. Nothing here. Have you found anything? Yeah, I can't find any.

[Child]

I found it. Here's some money.

[Narrator/Father]

Well. Well, isn't that splendid?

[Child]

It's wonderful. F.

[Narrator/Father]

From my window, I watch my little boy run to the baker's. With red cheeks and happy eyes. He's committed his first crime. And he does not have the sting of remorse. Nor the smarting pain of forgiveness. In his soul. He has understood. There's a battle royal going on in the front yard. My little boy's in the front ranks, screaming, fighting with clenched fists.

[Child]

Come on. Get away. Get away.

[Narrator/Father]

I sit down quietly to my work, certain that he'll appear before long to ease his heart. And presently the fighting dies down, and he comes in.

[Child]

We were beating a little Jewish boy.

[Narrator/Father]

A Jewish boy? And you were beating him? What had he done?

[Child]

Nothing.

[Narrator/Father]

I. I jump up so suddenly that I knock over my chair. I snatch my hat and run out the door.

[Child]

Where are you going, Father?

[Narrator/Father]

We must find that Jewish boy and beg his pardon. Come along. We must hurry. My little boy doesn't understand. He's distressed, but he's terribly in earnest. And he follows close on my heels. We run into the yard, but it's empty now. We hurry into the street and look for the boy. We look everywhere. We even ask passersby.

[Child]

Mister, did you see a boy whom I gave a licking to his shirtless door and he was crying.

[Narrator/Father]

We hurry around the corner, but the boy's gone. At last we give up and come home.

[Child]

Father. Maybe I can find him tomorrow.

[Narrator/Father]

I hope when you do find him, you will ask his forgiveness. You must tell him that you beat him because you were stupid. And if anybody ever tries to hurt him, I hope you will stop him from doing it.

[Child]

I will, Father. I will hit anyone who tries to. But why, Father?

[Narrator/Father]

Do you remember the story of David who beat the Evil giant, Goliath.

[Child]

Yes, I remember the story well.

[Narrator/Father]

David was a Jew. And so was Jesus, whom everyone worships and loves. He, too, was a Jew.

[Child]

And who else was a Jew, Father?

[Narrator/Father]

I tell him the ancient Hebrews rise up before our eyes in all their splendor. I tell him the story of the Promised land, of milk and honey, of Joseph's coat of many colors. And my little boy stands with his hands on my knees, his eyes shining with eagerness.

[Child]

And did all the walls fall down when Joshua blew his horn?

[Narrator/Father]

That's right.

[Child]

And what next?

[Narrator/Father]

Well, there was once a man by the name of Daniel who stayed in a lion's den. And he wasn't afraid. And the lions never did him any harm.

[Child]

They didn't?

[Narrator/Father]

No. And Daniel was a Jew.

[Child]

And what next?

[Narrator/Father]

I tell him that the Jews were driven from their land and how they wandered over the face of the earth for thousands of years, persecuted and killed. How, despite it all, they remained faithful to their religion and God. And how some of them, in their wanderings, came to live to our country.

[Child]

And what next?

[Narrator/Father]

Father, you know Dr. Sacks?

[Child]

Yes. He's a doctor with a black mustache and the brown satchel. Is he Jewish?

[Narrator/Father]

Yes. And he's the man who made Ernie get well. All day we talk about Jews. I read him fine, exciting stories written by Jews. My wife plays music composed by Jews. My little boy's red and hot. When he falls asleep that night. He turns restlessly in his bed and talks in his dreams.

[Mother]

I think he has a little fever, dear.

[Narrator/Father]

That's not surprising. Today I vaccinated him against anti Semitism, the meanest of all mean and vulgar diseases. Next week, my little boy begins his greatest adventure. He's going to school for the first time. And there he'll learn many things. They'll teach him dates and the names of places, how things are made and why. But pray God, they'll also teach him about people so that he'll know that all men, regardless of their creed or color, are brothers. For with this knowledge, he can make for himself and others a decent, happy life. And this, above all else, I want for my little boy.

[Announcer]

Stories to Remember is a Lest We Forget presentation of the Institute for Democratic Education. It is offered as a reminder of this nation's promise of equal opportunity for all, regardless of color, creed or national origin. Today's story, My Little Boy by Carl Ewald, starred Melvin Douglas. The script was written by Sigmund Miller, directed by Earl McGill and produced by Harold Franklin. Listen in again next week at this same time for another story to remember.

[Liberty Mutual Spokesperson]

And, Doug, there's nowhere I wouldn't go to help someone customize and save on car insurance with Liberty Mutual. Even if it means sitting front row at a comedy show.

[Narrator/Father]

Hey, everyone. Check out this guy and his bird. What is this, your first date?

[Liberty Mutual Spokesperson]

Oh, no. We help people customize and save on car insurance with Liberty Mutual together. We're married. Me to a human, him to a bird.

[Narrator/Father]

Yeah, the bird looks out of your league.

[Liberty Mutual Spokesperson]

Anyways, get a [e-mail] or with your local agent.

[Narrator/Father]

Liberty, Liberty, Liberty, Liberty.

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