A Drink of Water an episode of Columbia Workshop -

Please enjoy A Drink of Water a great episode of the legendaryColumbia Workshop - - A Classic Old Time radio Show

Episode Transcript

(00:00):
This is the seventh of thirteen ColumbiaWorkshop Festival broadcast. Tonight, we shall
hear a revival of A Drink ofWater by Wilbur Daniel Steele, adapted for
radio by Max Wiley. Martin Gosh, who directed the original performance, will
again direct this evening A Drink ofWater. It is about Claire Mayle that

(00:38):
we are concerned now. She isa puzzle in ways no one has ever
known her altogether. No one evercan deep within there lives still another part
uncertain on explored. A player weshall try to reveal tonight. Occasionally a
gentleman is troubled by a feeling drawingon him. The player isn't where she

(00:59):
sees seems to be, but offsomewhere else. It'll be wrong to upbraider
for this, wrong to find anythingwanting in the kindness of a smile,
or if it's a slow smile,it's a conscientious and unfailing one, as
unfailing as the greeting that goes withit. And what can I do for
you? That is a popular Claire, but not all of it. But

(01:21):
first, there's a place to seea stretch of sand. The notion that's
important to the story. We'll gothere not huh, seems pretty lonely,
Mary, Yes, too lonely,ed, I'd go crazy out here.
Tell the man, yes, Maryuh, mister Kisman, Yes, my

(01:42):
wife thinks this cottage out here istoo off by itself. Oh but I
take it from the old way you'respeaking. It's a funny of room and
air, but heaven down here withthese miles of the beach and not a
sou and that awful fog. Onlylike this. When the FOG's in,
you won't hear it again when theyweather it clears another thing. I'll only
be here weekends, and I don'tlike my wife and child alone without so

(02:04):
much as a neighbor insight. Whothere'd be a way out here to bother
a body offshore? Nothing but Atlanticocean in shore of you, riddled everywhere
with quicksand no. I guess ifyou'll show some other cottages over the village
end of the island, mister Kinsman, A sure, sure, wait while
to get my wife. Go ahead, you'll wait right here. Plaguey fools

(02:25):
want to know what they want whenthey start. They're on city folks never
know what they want any anywhere.Be you out here put them away,
might as well mercy again, don'ttell me, yep, same as the
rest. Plenty of room and airand ocean, they say, means a

(02:46):
crowd of rockers on the porch acrossthe way from a hot dog stand with
them kind that's what it means.I'm afraid we've got a white elephant and
this cottage out here in the backshore. Annie, yep, I guess
so betterly the blankets out anyhow,might have another party coming in there.
So let's see. Where's that letter? Another letter? Who is it?
Now? Wants to be alone?Where Mayo? It's signed Miss Mayo?

(03:08):
And look here, she says,somewhere off by itself. The only thing
on earth I'm looking for is isolationto be alone. You wait and see
estraday or so isolation, she says. Well, if she wants it,
we got itcherie, ladies, hosieryjust over here, Mayo. Miss Mayo

(03:46):
will look after you, gentlemen.She'd never have to look after me after
blonde icy coming some dame. Whatcan I do for you? Gentlemen?
All listen, we're not gentlemen.Were men about town. Can't you see
that? If you will give mean idea of the time, like a
stucking you wish. I've got myeyes glued on the only pair I want
to see, Joe. Haven't yougot something to do? Huh? Oh
me, No, I'm sorry.Gentlemen, you'll have to excuse me.

(04:09):
Obviously you don't want to buy stocking. Oh I don't get saw. We
were only sing? Oh, missRyan. Yeah, this young lady will
wait on you? Call me Claire. Yes, these gentlemen, will you
wait on him? Please? Howdo you like that? Listen, Guinevere?
The name is Guinever, isn't it. How'd you get I'm psychic?
Say, what's the matter with yourfriend snow White? Can't you take it?

(04:30):
No? White? Yeah, youknow snow White. She just walked
out on us. Oh Claire,Oh yeah, I want to know where
I've worked with it for ten years? Yeah? He was she born snooty?
Or has it just come over?Oh? She's all right, just
a little old fashioned. What's shewaiting for? Prince charming? Yeah,
that's it, a prince Charming ridingon a white horse. But I wouldn't
talk like this. She's a swellgirl and a good friend of mine.

(04:51):
The only trouble would Claire? Well, what price stocks you want fifty nine
or sixty nine? Oh no,we want real silk. Oh that's too
kind of on. You're left there, Oh misdagel Bombsh'll take care of you.
Thanks, say so long. It'ssnow white. Oh my jo mis
John please thanks? Oh maybe sometimesI get so mad as the way men
behave. I could screams. Notall of it, Claire, Just try

(05:14):
kidding them along once and see.That's about all anybody wants to life.
It's about all they get anyway,Not me, Amy, I'll have something
better than better. I won't takeanything. I'm gonna get something else,
something better. Yeah, it's notwalking this Eyele. You won't. I'm
not walking this isle anymore. Myvacation starts tomorrow, and when I get
back, I'm going into the buyingdepartment. For Pete's sake, a fire,
doesn't he looks these days? I'mjust taking ladies dresses where it looks

(05:36):
pay You could have been head andmodeled by now, because I won't be
looked at it the way they doit models. I rather be dead.
Claire, you're fool. It's forclothes, not you that the women look
at, but the men don't.I intend to get somewhere, and I
won't make any compromise either. I'mnot built for it. Are not you
here? You're not built for it, is right. You're not built for

(05:58):
living or loving rajeeva. You're builtfor trouble pushing all heavy man the way
you do. With a right man, that'd be different. You'll never know
him when you see him. Player, waiting through your whole life, be
a prince and a white horse.You're a fool Claire, please, Mammy,
a player. You know what youought to kiss? A man?
Sometimes? I mean a nice guya, thisten Claire. This vacation, where'd

(06:21):
you go? Someplace that's exciting?Exciting? It's so exciting. I can
hardly wait, not a soul forfifty miles, hardly a house just stands
an ocean, miles of it,all to myself at Nantucket, Nantucket,
I say, that's right across fromMiles Vineyard where I'm going. But I
don't see what you mean, MammyMina. I mean I'm gonna stop off

(06:41):
with you, have a look atthis shock of yours and help you get
settled. The first day. ButI took this place to be alone,
not that I don't appreciate. Stupid. I won't be there long enough to
spoil your fun. You'll be alone. You'll be alone plenty. I don't
see what you can do to help, neither do I. But maybe I
can dig up a beach cod foryou. You know those beach combers.

(07:19):
Well, Miss, now you've seenit, it'll make you feel timid.
I hope. No, it's justexactly the way you wrote me it was,
mister Kinsman. Good. What doyou think of the place, Mamy,
I think it's a dump. Well, I ain't saying it's fancy.
No, No, it's just theway I wanted it. In the ocean.
I've never seen surf on the openocean before. And by the way,

(07:39):
Miss, I make it a ruleof warn rents if they ain't strong
swimmers to be careful. Oh,but I am one thing I'll ever be
afraid of, and that's water.I was brought up on the lake.
I just wanted to warn you,though. There's have to be an undertow
certain times of the tide. Totell you the truth. Ladies, I
am kind of relieved there's going tobe two of you. No, Miss
Ryan here, she's leaving this afternoonleaving. But there ain't no boat back

(08:01):
to the mainland. Not after two. The ferry open them off is benyard
at five? There he isn't there? Yes, ma'am there is six miles.
I'll come back for you. Don'tusually do no taxi business cost you
two dollars if you don't mind.Oh no, that's okay, worth two
dollars to get away from here.I'd say a time you called back around
five where I'll be going now?And my wife's unpacked her things up to

(08:22):
the bedroom, miss Mayo, andleft out some blankets, thank you.
And here's your groceries. And attheir tank that's water for drinking, drinking
and washing too. I'll fill herup again there or two. And I
meant to tell you, miss thatpond you see out back in shore,
don't set foot inside the barbed wirethat's around it. Why what's the matter
with the pond? Nothing but quicksandstake you right down through the china quick

(08:43):
sands. Oh well, thanks forall you've done, mister Kinsman. Well
that's all right, Miss I'll beback around five time to catch the boat,
okay, Well, I don't mindsaying that. I'll be glad to
leave here, Amy, what's thematter. It's just like I told you.
Well, it's so much like it. It gives me the creep.

(09:03):
What if you got, I askyou? And on the toe, on
the front end, and quicksand onthe back. Think of spending a night
here? Woof, Well it's myshack and I'm staying in it. Oh,
here, let's put these things inthere. I suck okay, yeah,
Henny's milk man here, and youbetter put these hands into the Now

(09:28):
what do you say for a swim? Maybe? But Pete's sake? I
forgot all about it, but wasnothing here about the ocean, fur the
soup. Oh, they're upstairs here, it's this way. Don't bump your
heads now, I won't. Well, now, ain't there's some bedroom jee
wizard. Might be one of themstate wounds on the Queen Mary, except

(09:50):
for that hole afore there. Hey, what in the world are you doing,
Claire? Pulling the shade down?You the other sappiest day by the
store, pulling the shade down withnothing to look at your fair body but
a couple of sand Please, Idon't care anyhow, all right, all

(10:13):
right, oh God, Claire,let the little of God sunshine and get
into your suit, his staff,what are you staring at? What do
you see? Many? Look outthere on the beach there is somebody,
sure enough, a real person.But mister Kinsman promised me to sad.

(10:33):
We'll just have to forgive mister Kinsmancare. Oh well, a person on
the beach is a man, anda young one. And from here i'd
play very nice looking too. Hmm, looks like some sort of a college
feller, I'd say, what's hedoing? Well? He seems to be
walking down the beach. Sure doyou see way down there below him there's
smoke, some people having a picnicat that, and he just looking for

(10:54):
driftwood. Come on, baby,maybe this is your Prince Charming. Oh
no, we can't go out now, it might be safe. Well,
who'd want to be safe with aguy like that? Come on, you're
dope? Well all right, Ok, there, I guess he's gone on

(11:18):
down the beach. Oh no,no, no, Look he turned,
he's looking back. I'm going awayto him. Many, don't be such,
You're not a fool. See yousee they just way back and he's
gone on down with picnic and pickingup brisk wood, Just like I said,
hmm. He's got a nice wayof walking. Twelve figure too,
But you forget about him and he'sgone, hasn't he? Oh? Oh,

(11:39):
isn't it grand? Here? Nothingbut the soft wind blowing on us
and the sharp grass springing your ankles, warm sand everywhere. See like I've
left to spread my arms and fly. Maybe you ought to jump in the
ocean and cool off. I'm goingin. I'm going in right now.

(12:00):
The waves wonderful. Come on,mamie, I'm gonna sit down here and
watch you. Hey, let's seeyou take that big one, tom maybe.
Oh, come on, come onout, come on, it's wonderful.
Come on, Clare, playing yourasses fall? Are you all right?

(12:22):
Claire? Your Claire? You knowyou know what's done? Lucky I

(12:43):
heard you. She was about three. Oh there, see she's breathing better.
Now. Is she gonna be allright? She will come around in
a minute. Just swallow a lot. Open your eyes, miss, miss
may open your eyes, miss Mayo. Come on, it's all right now.
I think her eye lids. I'mover the little thing. Oh you're
a friend of her. Yeah,we work in the same place. And

(13:05):
look she is better than she heclear with me. Hey, you're okay,
baby, He just took it overmouthful though, all right, now,
sure it's all right, honey,Come on, open the eyes,
so name it. Oh you you'rethe man who drift to us. Yeah,

(13:28):
and I had to drop it allon the beach and you had a
close one. All right? Doyou feel better? Don't stop that.
Take your hand off me. Clear, it's all right. You just want
to feel your bow. Take yourhands off me, don't touch me.
What are you trying to do?What do you mean? I was only
trying. Do you think for aminute that you can Jesus all right?
Like all the rest of them,him too, every last one of them,

(13:48):
maybe alone. I'm all right now, Holy smoke. I was only
trying to see how your pulse wasdoing. Oh oh, I thought,
what did you think? Ohly smokethem all? I don't talk this win.
He came running all the way back. Oh wait a minute, listen
to you. I am well.You will act like I never knew anything

(14:09):
but bums So long, sister.Oh please, what's the matter with me?
Maybe? Please don't let him go. I didn't mean it. Please
coming back? What I've been sucha fool. He's gone now, Claire,

(14:30):
that's a terrible way to thank aperson. If you didn't know,
you couldn't tell him. You're allright now, and that's all that matters.
I'm sorry. I'm so sorry.Man. You think you think you
might come back. Maybe maybe willNo, but you don't deserve it,
you see. I'm sorry, honest, I didn't really mean to say that.

(14:56):
You'll probably come by this way again. We will listen, honey,
you just lie here and take iteasy for an hour or so. I
would watch the check and get somelunch started. How would like some hamburger
and coffee? Huh? You'll beokay with a little coffee, all right,
Amaze, i'st him up, Byeand bye, Just can't that's the

(15:16):
girl. You stay here. Don'ttake me long, kid? Whoa back

(15:37):
to food? You getting all right, Claire? Yes, I'm all right.
I'm not very hungry, though.Coffee will be good for you.
He'll be boiled in a minute ifyou just sit down and take it easy.
Thanks. Oh, however, whodo you suppose that would be?
But Johnny? Now that's the otherone. He must have followed me here?

(15:58):
What other one? An older man? And buy a few minutes after
you left. I'll go No,here's that need just a minute now,
I didn't say come in. Youstay there now? What can I do
for you? Oh my mistake.You need to look at me that way.
I'm not a tramp, you know. Well, what is it?

(16:18):
I've gotten quite thirsty walking. Iwas going to ask for a drink of
water if you could spare us.Oh well, I don't know. Of
course you can have a drink ofwater. We got plenty. Fill that
dipp a claire and give it tothe man. And then they stopped being
an idiot. All right, niceplace you have in there? What I
can say of it? Yeah,it's all right for rubbing us. Just
a minute, I'll bring it toyou out there. Here, here's your

(16:41):
water. Thank you. It's gonnataste mighty good. If you'll excuse me,
I'll close the door. Now youneed to do that. I'm sorry,
but I'm busy. You have yourdrink, and just go ahead and
leave the dipper there on the backporch. Drink not a thousand years if
you feel that way, Not ina thousand years. It was a rotten
of your claire. Why he wouldn'thurt a flea no more? Told than

(17:03):
the other one. I'm afraid thatI just don't get you a tall Claire,
And I'm afraid i'll be glad whenit's five o'clock. But he tried
to pick me up, and thenhe followed me. You saw and followed
you. You're crazy? Can Imake it thirsty? Yeah? Drink it
coffee? No, No, Idon't want anything. I'm sorry, Mamie.

(17:26):
I'm sorry. I just don't knowwhat's the matter with me. I
guess I've got stairs and lie down, all right? Maybe a little napp
will help you. I'll lay thingshere on the stove. Thanks. Maybe
it is swell to me. Godknows why, poor fool, poor done

(17:52):
fool hire hid up. Yeah,I'm here some morning, mister Kinson.

(18:19):
The door is not locked. Youalready, Miss, wait much time before
the fairy leaves? Yeah, I'malready. I just want to leave a
note for Claire. Leave a noteand the other lady here. Yeah,
but you're taking a nap upstairs.I thought i'd just beat it and let
her sleep well. In fact,is miss thought somebody ought to tell her,
so what gonna blow the storm?Ay the look of things, I

(18:40):
was just gonna tell her better stayout of the water for a day or
two. Oh well, I guessthen a better call her. Hey,
Claire, Claire, Yeah, wakeup? What if somebody wants to tell
you something? You mean there's somebodydown there with you? Yes, mister
Kinsman. Oh all right up.I'll be right now, say mister Kinsman.
If there's a storm coming, thefury'll run just the same onn it.

(19:03):
I mean, I I don't wantto get stuck here. Oh no,
man, we make the boat allright. You don't seem to like
this kind of living much, missmister Kinsman, Now that you ask me,
I think it stinks. Hello,Mamy, why didn't you wake me
before? Hello mister Kinsmon, howdo you do? Miss You came over
to take Amy? Yes, wewant to tell you about the storm.

(19:25):
Player. It seems they got astorm. The storm? What do you
mean? Oh, tain't nothing toworry none about, miss fact. This
may not amount too much getting inthe fog up some And I just thought,
since you came out here to swimand being alone in the orman,
Oh that's all right, miss Kinsman, I'll be careful. Well, just
thought I ought to tell you now, miss, if you're already Yeah,
I'm ready. It's my bag andput it in the car. I'll be

(19:45):
right out. Thank you, missand uh, good night Miss Claire,
I mean miss Mayo. Good night, mister Kinsman. Thank you. I'll
be down again to here so tofill up the water tank. That's tunny
in or now I can thanks.Well, I guess I'm going, player,
and I'm taking the last man withme here. I left your coffee

(20:07):
and a hamburger. Thanks Mamy.That's sweet of you. A coffee is
cold, a hamburger taste like aninner too. But you better eat something
anyway. We better get going,Amy. I'm I'm sorry. I'm sorry
that I forget it. I hateyou to go like this. You're a
wonderful friend. All I can sayis thanks for everything it was coming out

(20:33):
and all I'll see you back atthe store. Well, there have Bonnacle
Bill, or but the sand duneswith Bonnacle Bill. Behave yourself. Player.
I'm sorry, I got mad too. I think you're as well.
Kid. Really well, well,i'll see at the store, Mamie.

(20:55):
Don't worry about me. I'll beall right. Sure, hold on,
kid. Claire is in bed now. Twice she has risen to adjust the

(21:15):
window and wants to run downstairs tobe sure the doors were bolted outside.
The surf talks, and in thosemoments when the wind is down, she
feels the gathering presence of an outsideforce. Perhaps it is the storm personifying,
or the voice of moving atmospheres.Whatever, it is clear you no
longer feel alone. Daylight is threehours away, more than three if the

(21:40):
storm holds. Oh, why can'tI sleep? There is a soft crunch
in the wet sand and the waterclear. You can't hear it, not
yet, but you won't sleep now. It's nerves you have, and a
sense of something approaching. I can'tbe morning. Why ken it be morning?

(22:03):
Why doesn't morning come morning? No, Claire, it's only a few
minutes past. Through there is ashopping in the grass, stands now,
and a movement toward the house.Oh why did I do this? Why
didn't Mami stay? I'm afraid?And if you looked out, look down
to the right for the back ofthe porch, your nerves and begin to
crack. Did you hear that?Claire? Claire? Claire? Don't you

(22:33):
hear it yet? Listen? Listento the footsteps player at the back door.
You hear. Do you hear movingacross the porch? Dow coming closer?
Closer, there is, it's theback, But I do I'm all

(22:56):
alone. Ye, well, let'sbe down. You'll break in? Who's
there? What do you want?What? What did you say? Who

(23:17):
are you? Go away? Yougo away from here? I know you?
Water, I should say, notnothing a million years. I know
all that, A little drink ofwater. You'll listen to me, you
old things. I hate you andall of them like you. I could

(23:37):
test and despise you. I wouldn'tgive you a drink if you're dying in
the Sahara. Now you go away, go on the way. I know
you, I know you. Nowyou go away with that gag about water.
Your baby can have it. Stopthat, stop it, you get
away from them, stop it.Gott a white roster? O? Are

(24:08):
you going down? Holding down?Oh? Thank god, thank god.
I'm one who's stithy, old drunk. I've got a right to keep myself.
I won't be hurt, not byanybody. I don't care. I

(24:30):
don't care, I don't care.Claire does not remember whether she slept any

(24:59):
that night. Somehow the hours passed, Somehow morning did come what what?
Oh, oh, it's morning.Who's there? Who's there? Who is
it? Officer of the coast Guard? Open the door? Man? About

(25:21):
that old man that's drunk? Allright, I'm coming down. Wait a
minute, hardy wake? What canI do for you? Sorry, lady,
just wanted a little information. Wasthere somebody here last night? In

(25:44):
the night? Then? No,not that I know of? Mike?
You sure these are his tracks inthe sand, hid captain? They continue
said, allow them through the grassright up to the door. Head all
right, Mike stand by? Yeshe look at him? You say nothing
wake you up or bothered you inthe night. I'm a very sound sleeper,
sound sleeper looks to this door,I'll say, you are. What's

(26:07):
this all about? What's happened?You haven't seen on the beach there?
No better come along and have alook. Maybe you can remember something.
There was a man here last nightness? Really? Why does a boat down
there? What's a rowboat doing ashore? Here? It's the door? And

(26:30):
then as the outer banks, Iguess that's why here first plan he came
to. I suppose when the fogcut him a drift from a schooner.
Can't tell how many days or weeks. He's been drifting. I wouldn't look
too close. Smith. Is aman lying on the sand there. What's
the matter with him? Seawater manboth water, that's the pity of it.

(26:53):
He's got dead, Oh, nodead? Why are you looking at
me like? By? Is thatdead man making that horrible face at me?
Sticking out that black tongue at me? Must he do that? Good
lord man, you've never seen first. You have been listening to the CBS

(27:38):
presentation of A Drink of Water byWilbur Daniel Steele, the seventh in the
current Columbia Workshop Festival series. MaxWiley made the radio adaptation and Martin Gosh
directed the performance. Tonight's broadcast featuredAlice Frost as Claire and Adelaide Climb as
Mamie Ryan. Music was composed byBernard Hermann and conducted by Liciah o To