0676 - Boomerang (7/4/1977)

E.G. Marshall (0:00)

The CBS Radio Mystery Theater presents...

Welcome, I'm EG. Marshall. We're about to bring you a love story. Before we're through, you may say that we have subjected you to too much turbulence and too many shocks for a love story. But whoever said that a love story was nothing but sweetness and light. No one, no one that is, who's ever been in love.

SPEAKER_2 (0:50)

That's the planet Venus.

E.G. Marshall (0:52)

Not so.

SPEAKER_2 (0:54)

Venus is the morning star.

E.G. Marshall (0:57)

I never knew that.

SPEAKER_2 (0:58)

Venus is also the evening star.

As the evening star, Venus used to be called Hesperus. But as the morning star, Venus was called Lucifer.

E.G. Marshall (1:22)

Our drama, Boomerang, was written especially for the Mystery Theater by Elspeth Eric and stars Ann Sheppard. I'll be back shortly with Act One.

There's a word going around these days, going around a bit aimlessly and subjected to frequent mistreatment. The word is ambivalence. Now let's break the word in half. Ambi is from the Latin and means both. Valence means power. Put the two halves together and we have our word back again. Ambivalence, which means simultaneous attraction, toward and repulsion from. This story is about ambivalence. And that's why I call it Boomerang.

Hello?

SPEAKER_2 (2:31)

Oh, you sound so cold.

E.G. Marshall (2:34)

Who is this?

SPEAKER_3 (2:35)

Me, Carol.

E.G. Marshall (2:37)

Oh, Carol.

SPEAKER_4 (2:38)

Sorry, I was working.

SPEAKER_2 (2:40)

I hate it when you sound like that, Robin.

SPEAKER_4 (2:42)

Well, I am on the last check.

SPEAKER_2 (2:45)

Did I interrupt you?

SPEAKER_4 (2:48)

Yes, you actually did.

SPEAKER_2 (2:49)

I'm sorry. Truly sorry.

SPEAKER_4 (2:52)

How are you?

SPEAKER_2 (2:53)

I'm fine, except for this cold.

SPEAKER_4 (2:55)

Oh, cold?

SPEAKER_2 (2:58)

Yes. Can't you tell?

SPEAKER_4 (3:02)

What was it you wanted? I mean, why the cold?

SPEAKER_2 (3:06)

Look, will I stay here tonight?

SPEAKER_4 (3:11)

I'm sorry, but the work is going so well.

E.G. Marshall (3:14)

I hate to break the streak.

SPEAKER_4 (3:15)

Lose my concentration.

E.G. Marshall (3:16)

You know how it is.

SPEAKER_2 (3:17)

Well, I don't know if I do.

E.G. Marshall (3:20)

If you were right, you would.

SPEAKER_2 (3:22)

Did I break your concentration, calling you up?

SPEAKER_4 (3:25)

Matter of fact, you probably did.

SPEAKER_2 (3:27)

Well, if I did, then why didn't you come over here?

SPEAKER_4 (3:31)

You want to have a little match?

SPEAKER_2 (3:33)

Why do you say that?

SPEAKER_7 (3:34)

Tomorrow's to your house, and I'm working.

SPEAKER_3 (3:36)

If you really wanted to...

SPEAKER_7 (3:37)

It's raining.

SPEAKER_2 (3:39)

What's a little rain?

SPEAKER_4 (3:40)

Carol, I'm working. How did you get that through your head?

SPEAKER_2 (3:43)

Are you saying I'm stupid?

Just tell you what. I'll come to see you.

SPEAKER_3 (3:52)

No, don't do that. I love to walk in the rain. I'm working, Carol.

SPEAKER_2 (3:58)

You don't want to see me. You don't give a hoot about me.

You never did.

SPEAKER_3 (4:03)

Oh, Carol.

SPEAKER_2 (4:04)

I'm just somebody to mess around with. I'm just a dumb little American as far as you're concerned.

SPEAKER_3 (4:10)

You don't love me?

SPEAKER_2 (4:12)

You don't have any respect for me?

SPEAKER_6 (4:13)

Well, that's not true, really. That's not true.

SPEAKER_3 (4:15)

You swear? You swear it's not?

E.G. Marshall (4:18)

Oh, Carol.

SPEAKER_3 (4:19)

Swear.

E.G. Marshall (4:21)

I don't like to swear, things like that.

SPEAKER_4 (4:24)

It's a fright.

SPEAKER_2 (4:26)

Swear?

SPEAKER_4 (4:28)

Carol, I swear I'm satisfied.

SPEAKER_2 (4:32)

I'll be right over.

E.G. Marshall (4:33)

No, Carol, please don't.

SPEAKER_2 (4:34)

I'll be there in about an hour. My lord and master, I own you for my god.

It's not you, John.

E.G. Marshall (4:53)

It's me, Celia.

SPEAKER_7 (4:57)

Come in quickly.

SPEAKER_5 (4:58)

Oh, what weather.

SPEAKER_7 (5:00)

Give me a coat.

E.G. Marshall (5:01)

Oh, yes, thank you.

SPEAKER_7 (5:03)

It's terrible of me to ask you to come out in a night like this.

SPEAKER_5 (5:06)

Oh, it's all right.

SPEAKER_7 (5:07)

Not, no, it's not all right. I know I impose on you.

SPEAKER_5 (5:10)

That's what old friends are for, to be imposed on.

SPEAKER_7 (5:13)

You do have a way of making me feel better, John.

SPEAKER_5 (5:16)

And that's what doctors are for. Now, what seems to be the trouble with Carol?

SPEAKER_7 (5:20)

As a matter of fact, it's just a cold and a sore throat.

SPEAKER_5 (5:23)

Oh, or has she tried gargling with salt water?

SPEAKER_7 (5:26)

John, I didn't get you over here for just to cope. It's other things, things I can't cope with.

SPEAKER_5 (5:32)