Ma Perkins 35-08-xx (423) Faye and John Argue at the Dinner Table

Summary

Summary of "Ma Perkins 35-08-xx (423) Faye and John Argue at the Dinner Table"

Harold's Old Time Radio presents another compelling episode of "Ma Perkins," capturing the essence of familial bonds and generational conflicts in the Golden Age of Radio. Released on February 4, 2025, this episode delves deep into the dynamics of the Perkins family as they navigate everyday challenges.

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Introduction to Ma Perkins

The episode opens with a heartfelt narration introducing Ma Perkins as "America's Mother of the Air"—a symbol of resilience and dedication. Ma, a widow residing in Rushbill Center, juggles the responsibilities of raising three children while managing a lumber yard, a business traditionally dominated by men. Her character embodies the countless women who find fulfillment not in wealth or status, but in the love and care they provide to their families.

"With a heart of gold and a world of common sense, Ma Perkins symbolizes the millions of women who know and who prove over and over every day that it's not money or high position that count first that bring real happiness in life, but what you do for others and what's in your heart."
— Narrator [02:17]

The Dinner Table Tension

The central conflict unfolds in the Perkins' dining room during supper time. Ma is serving dinner to her children, John and Faye, but the atmosphere is tense. Both John and Faye express frustration over Ma's delay in preparing supper, leading to a heated exchange.

John Perkins, recently returned from college and employed at the local bank, feels burdened by the responsibility of waiting for his meals, especially since Ma also manages the lumber yard.

"She's got nothing else to do but to get supper ready for Ma and me."
— Faye Perkins [04:28]

Faye Perkins, the spirited 19-year-old, is eager for independence and resents the repetitive nature of her daily routine. Her impatience with Ma's delayed supper preparation ignites the argument.

"Suppose you figure it's all right for you to work all day at the lumber yard and then come home and pick supper, too."
— Faye Perkins [04:23]

Faye's Ambitions and Desire for Change

As the argument progresses, Faye expresses her longing to escape the confines of Rushbill Center. She voices a desire to move to the city, seeking opportunities and a life away from the monotony of her small town.

"I wish I could go to the city. Perhaps I could do something there."
— John Perkins [09:23]

John supports Faye's aspirations, mentioning a conversation with Don Wallace, a young doctor who encourages him to seek opportunities in the city. This revelation adds another layer to the family's dynamic, highlighting the clash between traditional family duties and the pursuit of personal dreams.

"Don promised to help me if I ever came up. He'd got things. People he could introduce, beat me through."
— John Perkins [10:07]

Ma's Dilemma: Balancing Tradition and Understanding

Ma Perkins finds herself torn between her maternal instincts and the evolving desires of her children. On one hand, she wants to support Faye's ambitions; on the other, she fears the uncertainties and challenges that come with leaving home.

"I don't know what to say. I hate to even think of you going."
— Ma Perkins [10:39]

Her internal struggle is palpable as she contemplates the best course of action for her daughter's happiness and well-being.

Conclusion: A Mother’s Tough Decision

The episode concludes with Ma Perkins facing a pivotal decision: Should she allow Faye to pursue her dreams in the city, risking potential heartache, or encourage her to stay, preserving the family's stability? The narrator leaves listeners pondering this universal maternal dilemma, setting the stage for future episodes.

"Should Ma let her daughter leave home for the city? A new life, friends, new surroundings, maybe. New temptations. Or should she keep her here by her side, at home, close to her, for a few more years at least?"
— Narrator [12:30]

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Notable Quotes with Timestamps

• Narrator [02:17]: "Ma Perkins symbolizes the millions of women who know and who prove over and over every day that it's not money or high position that count first that bring real happiness in life."

• Faye Perkins [04:23]: "Suppose you figure it's all right for you to work all day at the lumber yard and then come home and pick supper, too."

• John Perkins [09:23]: "I wish I could go to the city. Perhaps I could do something there."

• Ma Perkins [10:39]: "I hate to even think of you going."

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Final Thoughts

This episode of "Ma Perkins" masterfully captures the essence of familial love, duty, and the inevitable push for personal growth. Through realistic dialogue and relatable conflicts, listeners are invited to reflect on their own family dynamics and the balance between tradition and change. As Ma grapples with her choices, the story resonates with anyone who has faced the challenge of supporting a loved one's ambitions while holding onto cherished family values.

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Be sure to tune in to the next episode of "Ma Perkins" on Harold's Old Time Radio to discover the outcome of Ma's significant decision and continue following the heartfelt journey of the Perkins family.

Transcript

[Fred Meyer]

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[Narrator]

And now, everybody ready for the story of Ma Perkins, America's Mother of the air. A homely hometown drama. The true life story of a simple, plain, everyday woman. Ma to everyone who knows her. Ma to the whole town of Rushbill Center. Ma's a widow with three children and a business to take care of. Business she's had to learn by hard knocks, but she hadn't been dreamed for the business world. It's the business of a lumber yard. Yes. A woman who has spent all of her life working in a house, cleaning, washing and cooking, doing for her family is left with a lumberyard, a man's business to run. In a man's world, there's a chance for her to show what kind of a woman she is. A challenge. Nothing is too big for her to try, nothing too small for her to do. With a heart of gold and a world of common sense, Ma Perkins symbolizes the millions of women who know and who prove over and over every day that it's not money or high position that count first that bring real happiness in life, but what you do for others and what's in your heart. And so we meet her now for the first time. Ma Perkins in person. She lives in Rushmore center with her three children. Evangeline is the oldest. She's married to a blundering dreamer, Willie Fitz. They have a small son. Ma Perkins second child is John, just home from college and now working in the Rushton center bank. And Faye is the youngest daughter, just 19 years old, romantic, eager for life and tired, very bored with restless. Here we are now in the dining room of the Perkins home. Ma Perkins is having supper with John and Faye, who live at home with her. Well, there seems to be a little tension among the three at the dinner table. Ma is calling John down a little.

[Ma Perkins]

Here's everything already for you. All right, now go ahead and eat.

[John Perkins]

I think he's acting terrible, Ma.

[Ma Perkins]

Land of oceans. We have been living together for 20 years. Got over fighting with each other.

[Faye Perkins]

You well, too bad if a fella can't have his meals on time. He's got nothing else to do.

[John Perkins]

There you are. He's starting all over again.

[Faye Perkins]

Well, maybe you don't mind, ma, but I do. Suppose you figure it's all right for you to work all day at the lumber yard and then come home and pick supper, too. Oh, John, something else to do. It's not fair a thing. Dealers. That's all she's got to do. Practicing to see the supper's ready when we get ready.

[John Perkins]

Well, you've got your supper. For heaven's sake, eat it and be quiet.

[Faye Perkins]

Don't you tell me to be quiet. Oh, yeah, I got it all right after waiting for near an hour.

[John Perkins]

Oh, John, you get shield.

[Faye Perkins]

Well, it's true.

[John Perkins]

Isn't he the most vile tempered man you ever heard?

[Faye Perkins]

Mail tempered? You Whis Bay. You got a lot of nerve saying anything. You got nothing to do but to get supper ready for Ma and me. And you can't even have it ready on time. Fellow works hard all day. He wants his meals when he's used to get me.

[John Perkins]

No, you're just making a mountain out of a mold here.

[Faye Perkins]

Mountain nothing. And I'm supposed to eat.

[Ma Perkins]

I want to eat well done. You were eating.

[Faye Perkins]

Yeah, an hour late, that's all. You had to come home and get her ready. She didn't do anything.

[Ma Perkins]

Well, l devotion, if I thought she was going to be in such a hurry, I'd have been home sooner. So it could have been right on time.

[Faye Perkins]

I'm not blaming you, ma. We're down at the lumber yard. You're busy. Stay on. Blaming me. Why isn't she here to get supper ready? But I'd like to know. She's got nothing else to do.

[John Perkins]

Now, you listen to me, John Perkins. I'm not your slave. Just because Ma's been fetching and caring for you all your life, don't think that I'm gonna get shameless.

[Faye Perkins]

All I like to do is to get my meals around here on time, that's all. Said you flying around all afternoon. Why don't you get home on time so you can get supper ready?

[John Perkins]

The one afternoon that I go out.

[Faye Perkins]

With your mind shut, you just encourage you. You're the one that ought to be bawling her out, not me. You don't show up and you have to do all the work. She's been working all day down at the lumberyard, too. Let's come home here and fix supper. Not fair. She's getting off too easy.

[Ma Perkins]

Now, now, sir. Never mind.

[John Perkins]

It's all right.

[Faye Perkins]

No it's not all right. She's got a snap. Nothing to do all day but loaf around. The only thing she's got to do is to keep the house clean and see the tuppers ready. How often does she do it? She doesn't keep the place clean. Supper's always.

[John Perkins]

I won't stand this another minute.

[Ma Perkins]

I'll say.

[John Perkins]

Don't pay any attention to her. He was fine.

[Faye Perkins]

Sure, sure. Don't pay any attention to him. She just encourage her ma, that's all. Got to have a job she had to go to every day where she really had to work. I guess that'd change.

[John Perkins]

I wish I did have a job, John Perkins, so that I'd be independent. So that I wouldn't have to listen to your constant.

[Ma Perkins]

Now, you listen to me, Bo. You got to stop this fighting. I don't want any more of it, you understand? You're spoiling your suffers and you're spoiling mine, too. Except I can see them.

[John Perkins]

Comfortable, ma?

[Faye Perkins]

Sure. You're the little angel that never does anything wrong.

[Ma Perkins]

Mercy sake, what is the matter?

[Faye Perkins]

Did you say something funny?

[Ma Perkins]

Yeah, I did. Thinking how funny. If anybody's listening there. Anybody walk in on us all of a sudden like.

[Faye Perkins]

How do you mean?

[Ma Perkins]

Mercy's sake. They heard you see this? Anyone think we'd be very happy. Family is Easter pound we Give me a time to get some victor and pour.

[John Perkins]

Well, I certainly don't want to, but there are times.

[Faye Perkins]

Got no excuse for getting supper ready late.

[Ma Perkins]

Oh, for mercy's sake. Now that I got the stone starting.

[Faye Perkins]

All over again, it's not fair to let Fay go on this way. Isn't the wrong.

[John Perkins]

No more than you are. Stop it. Stop it.

[Ma Perkins]

See, we've been talking so much of it in cold. Next thing you know we be complaining about that. And everything was piping hot.

[Faye Perkins]

All right, all right. It's just like women. Stick together. I might have known it. I guess I know when I'm licking sometimes.

[Ma Perkins]

John Pritchard, you're just like the little boy I used to have to pull badly out the cookie jar. This is the way you acting now. It's like you wanted a cookie and I wouldn't let you hear it.

[Faye Perkins]

All right, all right, I'm done. Won't say anything more.

[John Perkins]

I should think you wouldn't.

[Faye Perkins]

Well, gee, where they keep stealing me.

[Ma Perkins]

Him alone all d.

[John Perkins]

It was very nice man party.

[Faye Perkins]

That's why we didn't get supper.

[Ma Perkins]

So you're all done. Stay at a party. You can't expect me to break away in for it?

[Faye Perkins]

Oh, no, no, of course not. Don't make any difference if I have to wait for my supper or if you have to come home and do the cooking. That's what you're here for. And I don't count now.

[John Perkins]

More if he doesn't.

[Ma Perkins]

Now, John, you leave Faye alone. I know she's going to get hurting. I said it is all right. I know you was going to make it your first. I'd have been home earlier myself blaming you.

[Faye Perkins]

Mom.

[John Perkins]

Oh, please. Can't we forget about the whole business?

[Faye Perkins]

Sure, sure, just forget about it. You're in the wrong. But that's all right.

[Ma Perkins]

We shouldn't talk about it. Keep telling it yourself. But you shouldn't. Been arguing long enough.

[John Perkins]

I'm not going to stay here another single day.

[Faye Perkins]

I think hell will wear you going. I said I'd like to know where could you go? You can't do anything.

[John Perkins]

That's not true, John Turpin. I could go up to the city. There are lots of opportunities for girls in the city. Oh, I wish I could go. Teacher, teacher. I wish I could go to the city. Perhaps I could do something there. There's nothing for a girl in Rushville Center. It's just a sleepy, soggy town.

[Ma Perkins]

You wouldn't want to go away from home.

[John Perkins]

I wouldn't off. I thought it meant I might amount to something.

[Faye Perkins]

Don't worry, you won't.

[John Perkins]

Oh, is that. Well, I'm going to go John Perkin. Then you can't stop me. Oh, I'd love to. I'd love to go to the city. I was talking to Don Wallace about it. He told me to get up.

[Faye Perkins]

Don Wallace? Who's he?

[Ma Perkins]

Oh, he's that young doctor son. You know, the one that's working up a Dr. Singer.

[Faye Perkins]

Oh, yeah.

[John Perkins]

He's gone. Doctor.

[Ma Perkins]

That's where he is.

[John Perkins]

He says I'm just wasting my time here in Rush Center. He says I'd have more chance to do things up in the city. Oh, man, I go mad. I'd love to you, Charlie.

[Ma Perkins]

I don't know what to say.

[John Perkins]

You going to the city? Why don't you get along? Oh, I could find work. I'm not afraid of that.

[Faye Perkins]

There's millions of guys starving in this city.

[John Perkins]

Well, I wouldn't. Don promised to help me if I ever came up. He'd got things. People he could introduce, beat me through. And I could find work. I know I could. I could do office work.

[Faye Perkins]

Ah, anybody that had hire you to do office work would be crazy.

[John Perkins]

That's not so, John Perkins. You think you're the only one around here that's any good?

[Faye Perkins]

You doing office work? Why, you'd be afraid of getting your hands.

[John Perkins]

I would not. Oh, man, I go, Mom. Man, I go.

[Ma Perkins]

I don't know what to say. I hate to even think of you going.

[John Perkins]

When you went down to the station to see Don off, I said to myself, I'm going to be on that train someday. I'm going to the city. I'm going to get ahead.

[Faye Perkins]

One of these women that wants a career, huh?

[John Perkins]

Well, you certainly can't do anything in this stodgy, pokey place like Rushell Center.

[Faye Perkins]

You don't know when you're well off. At least you get a few square meals every day and a place to sleep, I guess. There's thousands of girls in the big city with a pretty coastal star.

[Ma Perkins]

I wouldn't starve.

[Faye Perkins]

Oh, I see. You're a whole lot different than the rest of them, huh? I don't think.

[John Perkins]

Oh, don't pay any attention to them all. Can't I go?

[Ma Perkins]

My landscape. Are you really serious about this?

[John Perkins]

Yes, Ma. Yes, I am.

[Faye Perkins]

She was down to see the railroad station today, and she saw the train pulling out, and so she thought she'd like to go somewhere.

[John Perkins]

That's not true, Ruth. I want to go up to the city. I've wanted to go for a long trip time. Can I go, Mom? Say yes, Mom. You sure you're here? Of course I want to go.

[Ma Perkins]

Just think it over for a day.

[John Perkins]

I've made up my mind now when.

[Ma Perkins]

Listen, you and John. Gran get the dessert.

[John Perkins]

In life with your there.

[Narrator]

Yes, Ma. That is a hard decision to make. Your own little girl. Little thingy. Wanting to go to the Civic. It's a mighty big moment in her life, Ma, and in yours. The moment that every mother has to meet sometime or other folks. Should Ma let her daughter leave home for the city? A new life, friends, new surroundings, maybe. New temptations. Or should she keep her here by her side, at home, close to her, for a few more years at least? What will Ma do? What would you do in this case? So listen. For Ma Perkins tomorrow at the same time, America's mother of the air. A mother with one married daughter and her two youngest children, John and Faye, who are still living in the home she's trying to keep together. A mother with all the joys and sorrows, heartaches and triumphs that only a mother knows. You love, Ma? Ben. Every day, as thousands of other women have already learned to love her, to live through her life with her to learn wisdom, intention and happiness from her and to her. Now my time's up. Be with us again tomorrow to know what Ma decides about Faye going to the big city. And remember the theme song for that's the Symbol of Our Own Ma, Ben, America's Mother of the Air until tomorrow. At the same time, Mrs. Jack Bentley saying goodbye.

[Fred Meyer]

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