Quiet, Please - Old Time Radio Horror
The Time of the Big Snow - Quiet, Please | 01/02/1949 (Ep081)
Hope you enjoy this episode of Quiet, Please. - Disclaimer: The audio on many of the Quiet, Please episodes have different levels of crackling. Poor audio. - Find all our OTR radio stations and podcasts at theaterofthemind-otr.com - Podcast @ Spreaker | Apple Podcasts | YouTube Music
- Broadcast on:
- 20 Sep 2024
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- other
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We leverage industry-focused insights with the collective technical resources of our firm to elevate your performance. Open cover opportunity and move upward at MossAtoms.com. The American Broadcasting Company presents Quiet Please, which is written and directed by Willis Cooper, in which features Ernest Chantel. Quiet Please for today is called The Time of the Big Snow. We were so small, the hand that was such a big spell, wasn't it dear? My, wasn't it? I remember it. It was the day after New Year's. It started on New Year's night. I remember. We hadn't had much snow that year, it was only a little Thanksgiving day. No, the day before Thanksgiving. When you were my, I was standing in the exercises and I was Priscilla and Irving Bauer was water walnut, the Indian. I'll never forget that. He was the fattest Indian I ever saw. I can still hear him. Now what a walnut can see by the fiery eyes of the captain. Angry is he in his heart, but the heart of the brave. What a walnut is not afraid of the sight. And then you handed him a bag full of bullets and he dropped them and yelled, "Aww!" and his Indian headdress fell off. And Mrs. Mavity was so mad. And then we went out. And it was snowing. Oh, but I was a little bit of a snow. Not like the big one. Not a bit like the big one. I remember, Mama was just lighting her lamps and I looked out the window and I saw the first flakes coming down. And I said, "Oh, Mama, the old woman's picking her gift." Me? My grandma always used to say just that. Everybody did when it started to snow. And I remember how I wanted to go out with my new sled that I got for Christmas. And my dad wouldn't let me. There wasn't snow in that. I knew it. But I was so disappointed. And I sat at the window and looked out, and boiled and boiled, so my dad spanked me. I had to carry in the coal. That was one time I didn't mind it, because it was snowing. And it got dark so quick. We sat by the stove after supper and Mama read us, "What are your snowbound?" I remember you two and I said, "The next day, the day after new years." And we finally got out. She was so high. On the top of the fence, Mama said not to go far because it was snowing so hard. Do you remember? They didn't want me to go out at all, they said I'd get lost. But I said I was going to be with you, with Ted. And Ted's a big boy. He was a big guy. We lived on South Fifth Street, didn't we? The houses were kind of far apart, kind of back from the street. There were big trees on each side of the street that almost met in the middle. And it kept the snow from getting too deep out in the street. I dragged you along on your sled. Me with my new 22 rifle I got for Christmas. There was hardly anybody on the street. Everything was so quiet, so quiet. We were in slavery, I was remembering. It was Mr. Dickman. It was a mailman, it was coming. Yeah, it wasn't a pretty Kate Hull at all. The horse are here. Mmm, hello, Mama. That's right, Queen. How Queen's books made the snow fly without making any noise at all? Only the sound of the sleigh, though. We got out of his road just a different back, down pass, just cut her all the bundled up. Man, this cold, too, wasn't it? We were bundled up, too. If I had on my red tassel cap, I remember you had on that little squirrel skin muff and red mittens. Mm-hmm. They were seven years old. So happy. It was one time ago, that night my how the snow was coming down, you got to almost see it getting deeper and deeper. We got how they tell where we were. Was that, uh, Mars's house there on the right, or was it Walt Mars? Oh. Ah, it was fun, wasn't it, Kate? Just the two of us alone together in the great, big, white world. And then I began to get a little worried. The wind was starting to blow pretty hard. I couldn't see a thing. I turned around and called to you. I said, "Katie, we better turn around and get back." I said, "We better turn around and go back." I said, "We better turn around and go back." I can't see where I'm going. Daddy can't. No, I'm not scared. I mean, we might get lost, but you know what? Well, I don't want to get no spanking. Uh, you know, do you want to thank you? Yes, you will. She said to stay right now home. Well, we're right here, Walt. Yeah, but I don't know where. Well, they'd like to have, and walk by, and they've been bold, and they've been bold, and they've been bold, and there's little chances, and just turns, and we don't know where I am. And we are? No, we ain't lost yet, but I want to know where we are. Let's go to the famous and look and see. Smells also deep over there. Well, if you can't go there, it's not you, I'll get us some more. You can help me pull it. Alright. Mm-hmm. Nice. Isn't this nice? Oh, I'm cold. Ah, sissy. Come on and help me with a sissy. Sissy, shut up. How are you going? The sun walks over here. There's not a sissy. There's not a sissy. There's not a sissy. - How are you going? - The sidewalk's over here. - There's not. It's this way. - There's not. - There's not. - This I know. Besides, you told your mother you wouldn't get lost if you was with me. - Well? - Well, don't you get me lost. Come on, now I just like. - Oh, oh, oh. - Oh, oh, oh. - Mommy, I didn't see business. - What? I don't see the keys. - They're right here. - Come on. - Mommy, this is my thing. - What? - This is my thing. - Sure. You look out for the polar bears. - Oh, I'm not afraid of any old polar bears. - I'd shoot 'em anyways. - These, though, what about seals? - They're back. I shoot the seals too and get to a fish and coast. - I don't see the sidewalk, honey. - It's right here. - What? - In a minute. - Mommy just keeps the world. - I bet it's the deepest in the world. - Yeah. - Oh, it's there in the sidewalk? - No, it ain't. - I told you it was that way. - Come on, I know where I'm going. - I'm cold. - You see, this one. - This one, Teddy. - Well, stop calling me Teddy. My name's Ted. - Oh, did you fall down? - It's not me. - Where are we, Teddy? - Ted. - You're scared? - No. - Mom, come on. The sidewalk's right here. - No, it isn't. - It's the other way. - Oh, all right, let's see. - It's right over there. - Cheers, it's no longer wet off in a minute. - And then we could see. - Oh, I just call her a paragony to see. - She's older enough, though. - You see the sidewalk? - I can't see anything. - I'm getting awful tired. - Put your arms around me. - I don't think I could look another step. - Want to stop and rest? - No. - Well, let me get to the sidewalk. - All right. - Hang on, amazing. - It's this one. - No, you're going home. - It's this way. - And then the wind came up stronger. The snow was a solid white wall before us. Of course, it's true we were both very small. But nevertheless, it was a deep snow and going deeper by the seconds. I don't know how long we wandered, but my legs were getting awfully tired. I was staggering a little. The sled seemed to be dragging us backwards as we struggled along. And I admit that I... I, the intrepid explorer. And it was very close to tears. Only the thought of Kate's reaction to my tears kept me from busting out bawling. And then I smacked full force into something solid and I saw a million stars. - Wow! What's the name? - I buzz in my head. - How? - I've upped into a dream. - I see. - Where? - Right here. - Ow. - Well, anyways, I found the sidewalk. Now we'll see what we are. - Maybe if we knock on somebody's door, somebody will take us home. - I know her. - I'm just an arnich or something with people in the house. - Yes, let's play it in half. - Let's try it off here. - Next, we'll be right off here. - Maybe we should holler. - See y'all next to us. - Hey! - Hey! - Oh, again, darling. - Hey! - How do you know that? - We'll ignore some how. - Well, whoever it is. - Hey! - Hey! - Now listen. - Did you hear something? - I thought maybe I heard a girl. - Hey! - Hey! - Hey! - Hey! - I never had such a welcome sound in all my life. Did you, Kate? - I should say no. I know what I thought, huh? A nice, great, big, red hot stove and me sitting just as close to it as I could without bursting in this rain. And steam rising up for my red clothes. And the good smell of coffee and fresh, baked bread coming from the kitchen. - Yeah, and I thought about coffee, too. Even though my mother had never let me taste it. And I thought, "Why, maybe they'll have some oyster stew. Only it's kind of early in the day for people to have oyster stew. That's for tonight." - Hmm. - But maybe a cup of cocoa. There'll probably be Albert Morris or Willie Chanson. Eat a bowl under to help drink the cocoa. Eat the oyster stew for Yemeni. All right, tell you, I just crashed my way through the snow toward the sound of that boy, sweetheart calling. Then suddenly, Katie yelled, "I see the house." - I see the house, Eddie. - Hey. - Hey. - Hey. - Hey. - Hey. - Who's the house, isn't it? - I can't tell. - Oh, here's a step. - Hello. Hello. - Hello. - There isn't anybody. - Hey. - Or they went inside, so I think they're going to stand out here in the snow and they don't have to. - Oh. - No. - No. - I'm going to get my mittens off. (knocking on door) - Huh. (knocking on door) - Lady, they're waiting for the other room. - Okay. - Fine. The delay's open. - Come on. - Well, but. Come on. I can't stay there all day, I guess. (screaming) (screaming) - There wasn't any nice big red hot stove. - There wasn't any oyster stew either. A coffee. Cocoa. - There wasn't anything. The house was empty. Katie and I walked into the big, bare, empty room. It was almost as cold in there as it was outside. Only, of course, it wasn't snowing. But now we can hear the sound of the snow on the windows. It's soft, little panning sound. The sound you wouldn't hear ordinarily. It was louder than the beating of our hearts. And we just stood there. Katie was still settling. And I admit, I didn't feel much like Commodore Perry. Because the house was empty, you see. And there wasn't an empty house. Anywhere on South Fifth Street. Morris's, Walt Myers, Reverend Bowman's. Bullanders, Willie Janssen, Judge Kearns. But no empty house. - Where are we? - And I couldn't think where we are at all. I knew we were in South Fifth Street. But I didn't know where. - The explore is always wander in circle. - And I looked around. There wasn't a thing in the room. Not a chair or a table. Not anything. But the room seemed somehow to look as if somebody lived there anyway. And I said to Katie. I don't know where we are. - Maybe we better get out of here. - I'm cold. - Well, we'll just stay a minute and try to get warm. But we better not stay in the room. I'm cold. Well, let's sit down in the corner and try to get warm. - These two are the many wins. - I don't want to go out of the snow, but yeah. My goodness, what has to happen, Katie? We have to go home. Maybe our folks will come looking for a year. Anyway, how did we find our way home again? I could find it. I found this house, didn't I? You hit yourself on a tree. And I found it all. Hey, put your arms around me. One, come cold. Let's put your arms around. - Owning a rental property sounds like a drink. Collect a rent and relax. That is until you realize that you're going to be here. That is until you realize how much work goes into getting it ready. First, you need to conduct market research to understand local rental trends and determine a competitive rent price. Then there's cleaning, staging, repairs, and hiring a professional photographer. Next, develop a marketing strategy with the property on rental sites. It's going to kill the showings. Phew! Sound complicated? Ranners Warehouse is here to take the hard work off your rental to-do list. Our job is complicated because it should be. We handle everything from marketing and showing your property to screening tenants and preparing the lease. Our best-in-class property management professionals take care of your property as if it were our own. From rent collection to maintenance coordination, all for one flat monthly fee. Go to Rannerswarehouse.com for a free rental analysis to find out how much your home can rent for. Or call 303-974-9444 to speak with a rent estate advisor today. Because from now on, the only thing you need on your to-do list is to call Rannerswarehouse. What's next? At Moss Adams, that question inspires us to help people and their businesses strategically define and claim their future. As one of America's leading accounting, consulting, and wealth management firms, our collaborative approach creates solutions for your unique business needs. We leverage industry-focused insights with the collective technical resources of our firm to elevate your performance. Uncover opportunity and move upward at MossAtoms.com. I'm me. I'm Colton. Let's put our answers on each other. I'm all right. I'm hungry. So am I. My mother was making soup. I'll stop at your house when we go back. Maybe your mother will give me some. I sure wish we had some now. Who stops thinking about it? I sure wish I could. I want to go home. I'm shut up. No, I want to shut up. I want to go home. Katie, listen. You can't go home on a snowing soil. No, it stops snowing. I don't know. When the old woman finishes picking on these, I'll spoil it. Who is that? There's somebody coming looking for it. You see? Can you still? I'm afraid of it, you're dead. I'm afraid. Who is it? I'll see what it is. Hello. I thought I heard somebody calling. For the few children? Yes, ma'am. Yes, ma'am. Well, you're all right now, so stop scrolling. I'm not scrolling. I'm just cold. Oh. Well, down. We're cold. Are you so am I. Excuse me, ma'am. We got lost, so we don't know where we are. Are you in my house? Yes, ma'am. But we don't know what I mean. Is this South District? No, it isn't. Hurry. It'd be surprised, children. I don't want to go home. Well, you can't go home right now, Katie. So, you and Teddy might as well come along and help you with my work. Well, don't you want to? Well, what kind of work, ma'am? Why, I'm picking the feathers off my gee. Well, sir, you know what? There is another room. And there were, well, it seemed like a million white gees stacked up out there. And she put us to work without another word. Did you ever pick gees or pluck them or whatever you call them, you're part of the country? Gees almost as big as yourself. Gees that didn't specially want to be plucked. I guess not. But we did. Katie and me. Didn't we, Kate? No, I was certainly good. And it was so cold. But she was a nice old woman. Wasn't she, Teddy? Don't call me Teddy. My name is Ted. And it got dark and there wasn't much light and we just sat there on the floor, picking the gees. And the old woman talked to us so nice. My, how nice you are. You see, if you keep working like that, you won't feel the cold so much, Katie. I do feel as well. Well, if you stayed home like your mother wanted you to, you wouldn't have to be doing all this work. And you wouldn't be so cold. But I wanted to go out and play. I wish whether I wouldn't let anything happen to us. But you did. You got lost. Well, I wasn't afraid with Teddy. Ted. You like Teddy, don't you, Katie? Yes, now. You like her, Ted? Well, you too. You want to get married when you do that? Well, well, what? I was going to be a fireman. And firemen aren't usually home much, I guess. I don't think you want to be a fireman, Teddy. I know I wouldn't want to be one. Why? Too warm. You like cold? You bet. Hi, Dawn. Hey, aren't you going to marry me when you grow up? I haven't decided. Well, you are, Teddy. I can promise you that, Katie. I know. Unless. Unless what? Unless you freeze to death. Oh. Oh. Well, I'll try not to let you freeze to death. Oh, I agree. I'm glad the blind feet hold now. Oh, you keep that on working. There's lots more geese to be picked. This is going to be known for years as the time of the big snow. I need all the help I can get. Are you always picking geese on its nose? Of course. That's why it snows. You must have a lot of geese. Hundreds. Thousands. All over the world. Keeps me pretty busy. You don't have any geese in Africa. I bet we're tough. Oh, I haven't there, Teddy. But they're way up high. Up on top of the mountains. There's always snow up there. Do you have lots of helpers? No. You're the first I ever had. Mike, have these enough or anything? We need them, Katie. I tell you, though, I think we might as well get rid of this bunch. Yeah. Open the window and the window. Blow them out. Can I open the window? Sure. Oh! No, no, no. Not that one. This one. The winds from the north. Oh! This one? And the winds keep reaching right in and the white feathers threw out the open window with it. Katie and I gathered up great on loads of the feathers and tossed them out the window and laughed and laughed at the wind grilled and high on the air. They seemed to multiply. The air was full of bright birds and then in the dark stars. We laughed some more. The old one laughed with it. My gracious! We did that just in time, didn't we? In a pretty near stop. Did you know what? I bet we're the first people that ever helped us to know. I know. You certainly are children and you're doing a very good job of it. I don't know, but I'll have to call on you again to help me. Not 'til we get to our end all. Well, I can't live pretty well all by myself all these years, so... You've been doing it a long time now? Ever so long. So, yeah? Longer than that. 10 years? 20? What, I've been doing it ever since... Well, just ever since. Have you got any? Oh, yes. Would you tell it? Well, can I hear about that mountain in Greece? They used to call me Demeter. I was pretty important then. Then the Indians, they called me Nacomas. Nacomas? Mm-hmm. Well, yeah, I love it again. Of course! First of all, they get all these geese. High a lot, there's a fine hunter. Why? Do you have any more names? Oh, yeah. Up in the Northland, they call me Freya. And the Japanese people call me Amoratsu. Well, I've got more names than you can shake and stick that. And all I do is pluck these. Or close that window, Teddy, will you? Ma, oh, sure. Don't you ever get called, Mrs. Demeter? I'd rather be called Nacomas. No, I never get cold. Gee, I do. Well, you should have stayed home. You think I'll get a spaggy when I get home? No, I don't think so, Katie. I think I could promise you you won't. Well, then, I'm glad we did get lost and found this place. Oh, my eyes, I don't get a looking. Gee, it's getting dark, isn't it? Yes. Can I look outside and get some more geese? Have to keep working, children, you know? Yes, but I like to go home, please. Oh, plenty of time for that, Teddy. We've got work to do. My mom always gives me a nickel if I work hard. Do you earn many nickels, Teddy? Well, not very many, really, but I haven't got any nickel. Yes, ma'am. And you mustn't is, you know. No, ma'am. But I'll give you something, Teddy, for all the work you did in YouTube, Katie. You'll see. I'll be right back. I'm kind of scared, Teddy. I am too Katie. How do we do? I don't know. I'm tired too. Should I put my arms around you, Katie? Yes, please. I'm getting so sleepy. I'm so cold, Teddy. Don't go to sleep, you'll freeze. I can't help, but I have to go and sleep, Teddy. No, don't freeze, Katie. Well, you tired, I? I'm so sleepy. You too, Teddy? I'm not very sleepy. You poor kids. You worked so hard. You just go to sleep. No, we're free. No, you won't. I'll cover you up with feathers. They're so cold. They'll be nice, warm, soft, downy, warm feathers. Here, put your head on, Teddy's on, Katie. Oh, wow, that's it. Wow, these nice, fat geese. Lots and lots of nice, soft feathers. Lots and lots of nice, white feathers. I'll go to sleep, Teddy, and Katie. You said maybe you'd give us something for all the luck. Why, of course, I gave my little grandson gifts. Here, Teddy. Here, Katie. Now, go to sleep. Thank you. Thank you, Nick Thomas. Just leave the night, Teddy. Well, like you know. Here last thing I remember was the feathers. How they were all star-shaped and crystal is not at all like the feathers I've ever seen. Teddy's almost midnight when they found us. Katie's father in line on the blacksmith Mr. Wright and Arthur Donahue and his brother Harry. And there wasn't any house there at all. There wasn't anything. We were buried under a huge snow gift in us vacant lot, not a hundred feet from our backyard. There wasn't any old woman either. Just two kids sleeping in the snow in each of his arms. And not frozen to death after all. They took us home, and we had our oysters stew in our cocoa. And we sat for the big stone. And then we slept. We slept. And slept. And even one of us ever did disobey our parents again. Did we do? Well, hardly ever darling. But we never did tell anybody before because they wouldn't have believed us. They just said it was a dream. But how could we both dream the same dream? We didn't get married just as she said we were. And we still got that little red clay piece pipe just like I wanted. And the little bow and arrow she gave us. And besides it. Wait a minute. This weather bureau forecast for January 2nd, 1949, 5.30pm temperature 36 degrees. Humidity 62%. Barometer 29.8. Tonight, considerable snow somewhere. Tomorrow, snow. Tuesday, more snow. All right, titty and titty, come on. We've got deans to pick. [Music] The title of today's Quiet Please Story is the time of the big snow that was written and directed by Willis Cooper. The man who spoke to you was Ernest Chapman. And Kate was Abby Lewis. Teddy was Sarah Fussell. Kate, he was played by Cecil Roy. And the old woman was Vicki Boa. As you as your music for Quiet Please is played by Albert Berman. Now, for a word about next week, I'll write a direct to Willis Cooper. Thank you for listening to Quiet Please. Next week I have a star play that I call the biography of a character. [Music] And so until next week at the same time, I am quietly yours, Ernest Chapman. [Music] And now a listening reminder. Tonight, Drew Pearson analyzes the news and predicts future events for the year 1949. So be sure to hear Drew Pearson's exciting predictions tonight. This is ABC, the American Broadcasting Company. WJZ, New York's first station, WJZ, AM and FM. Owning a rental property sounds like a dream until you realize how much work goes into getting it ready. Determine a competitive rent price, market the property, schedule the showing screen, turn it off at the lease at a rent collection, handling its request, making time for the occasion. Sound complicated? What's next? At Moss Adams, that question inspires us to help people and their businesses strategically define and claim their future. As one of America's leading accounting, consulting and wealth management firms, our collaborative approach creates solutions for your unique business needs. We leverage industry-focused insights with the collective technical resources of our firm to elevate your performance. Uncover opportunity and move upward at MossAtoms.com.