Larsen, Carl

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THE SANDS OF SORROW—  performed by Carl Larsen and Joseph Nicholson as a regular feature on Station WBPZ, Lock Haven PAEPISODE ONE: The Day of Days(Theme music: "Tranquility." Establish and fade for:)Announcer: The Sands of Sorrow ... twenty seconds in the life of a truly unhappy woman ... brought to you by Twiddlers Underarm Macrame Kits, for Overly-Hairy Women, who are seeking a new, inexpensive hobby.... As we join the Sorrow household today, we hear Helen Sorrow speaking to her illegitimate son, Onan.Helen: What are you doing, Onan? You're always messingaround, messing around.Onan: I'm building one of those Model Kits I got forChristmas —  that's The Lord's Birthday, isn't it, Mom?Helen: Yes, yes it is. And we should never forget --say, what kind of a Model is that, anyway?Onan: It's a real-live Model Electric Chair, Mom! WhenI get it finished, I'll be able to really electrocute my illegitimate brother, Howie —  whose father you never told me about.Helen: That's not a good thing to do, Sonny. Especiallyon this Day of Days.Onan: Why is that, Mom?Helen: Just shut up and quit messing with that thing,quit messing! Your illegitimate father will be here in a minute, to fill our hearts with Christmas cheer.Onan: You gonna get bombed again, right Mom?Helen: You little devil! I'll teach you to talk back tome!Onan: Mom! Mom! No!(Theme music. Establish and fade under:)Announcer: And so we leave the house of Helen Sorrow,wondering if Onan will recover, and succeed in his attempt to electrocute his illegitimate brother, Howie ... if Helen herself will, indeed, get bombed on this Day of Days ... and if Father Sorrow will fill their hearts with Christmas Cheer ... The Sands of Sorrow, twenty seconds in the life of a truly unhappy woman, will return tomorrow at this time, brought to you by Twiddler's Underarm Macrame Kits.11EPISODE TWO: Last Thursday Arrives(Theme music: "Tranquility." Establish and fade for:)Announcer: The Sands of Sorrow ... twenty seconds in the life of a truly unhappy woman ... brought to you by the Dead-Kitten-of-the-Month Club.Announcer #2: Imagine the fun and excitement your familywill share when your first Dead Kitten arrives, deliver­ed in a sturdy, leak-proof plastic bag. You'll glow with Pride as your friends and neighbors see your col­lection of attractive, decorative Dead Kittens!Announcer: Join now, and with your membership you'llreceive a free subscription to "The Dead Kitten Digest" a monthly pocket-sized magazine dedicated to Dead Kitten Lovers everywhere.Announcer #2: As we join the Sorrow household —  a bombedout bunker in Beech Creek —  we find Helen Sorrow and her illegitimate son, Onan, in the living room, clutter­ed with shredded wrapping paper, broken toys, and empty bottles of Iron City beer.Announcer: It is the Day of Days —  known as "Christmas"to some, "Chanukah" to others, and, simply, "Last Thursday" to still others. Father Sorrow has come and gone, leaving the house full of Christmas cheer and shattered glassware. Let's listen, as we hear Onan say:Onan: Gee, I wish my illegitimate father would droparound more often, Mom!Helen: Why do you say that, Sonny? He comes by everytime there's a full moon, doesn't he?Onan: It's just that he's so nice —  I mean, when he'snot juiced out of his skull. Look at all the swell stuff he brought me for The Lord's Birthday!Helen: What did he bring, anyway? I was so busy thrash­ing your illegitimate brother, Howie, that I didn't even have time to watch you open your presents.Onan: He gave me these real nice scars for my scar col­lection, and this whole box of ground glass!Helen: You're not gonna sprinkle that stuff on Howie'sChicken Croquettes again, are you? You know he's a Hemophiliac!Onan: Gosh, Mom, it's all in fun! Where is Howie,anyway?Helen: He's over at Mr. D'Artagnan's house, taking hisFencing Lesson.12Onan: Gee, Howie has all the fun!Helen: I just don't know what I'm gonna do with you, Onan.Hand me that bottle of Johnnie Walker over there.Onan: Sure, Mom!(Sound: Bottle breaking.)Helen: Now look what you've done!Onan: It was an accident, Mom!Helen: Well, it's almost time for your four o'clockthrashing, anyway. Run in and get that birch rod we've got soaking in the pickle brine.Onan: Sure, Mom! ... And Mom ...Helen: What is it, you little heathen?Onan: Merry Christmas.(Theme music. Establish and fade under:)Announcer: And so we leave the house of Helen Sorrow,wondering if Onan will, once more, survive his four o' clock thrashing ... if Helen will find a way to replace the bottle of Johnnie Walker ... and if the Sorrows will, indeed, have Chicken Croquettes for dinner ...The Sands of Sorrow will return tomorrow at this time, brought to you by the Dead-Kitten-of-the-Month Club.EPISODE THREE: A Plumber's Best Friend is His Helper(Theme music: "Tranquility." Establish and fade for:)Announcer: The Sands of Sorrow ... twenty seconds in thelife of a truly unhappy woman ... brought to you each day at this time by "Goiter-Ade."Announcer # 2: If you walk around, looking like you've swallowed a beaver —  keep your chin up, Goiter- Sufferers !Announcer: Why, the mere thought of a tall, cool glassof "Goiter-Ade" is enough to bring a lump to your throat!Announcer #2: "Goiter-Ade" —  the official drink of theMiami Dolphins.... Available wherever soft drinks are sold.Announcer: It is the Fourth of July in Beech Creek —as it is in the rest of our Great Nation. And as we join the Sorrow household, we find Helen Sorrow and her illegitimate son, Onan, in the kitchen. They are busy repairing Onan's brother, Howie, who seems to have broken.13(Sound: Wood being sawed.)Helen: Onan, if you ever stick firecrackers in your broth­er again, I'll send you back to the orphanage! Hand me the Vapo-rub!Onan: Here, Mom. I sure am sorry, Mom. But golly-whiskers, did you see Howie's eyes bug out when I lit the fuse?Helen: He's such a frail child.... Go get the GravyBaster. I think he's got what they call "internal bleeding” .... and I wanted today to be so nice.Onan: Why is that, Mom?Helen: Well, unbeknownst to your father, your Uncle Edwinis coming over today. He's just back from the Slave Labor Camps in Wyoming.Onan: Isn’t he the same Uncle Edwin who fought his way toFame and Fortune as a Plumber's Helper, then threw it all away for a woman's kiss?Helen: How did you find that out, you little snoop!You've been reading my diary again!Onan: I read it in the newspaper, Mom!Helen: Read it? When did you learn how to read. Youknow we can't afford Education!Onan: I taught myself, just like Tarzan did!Helen: Why didn't you tell me?Onan: I was saving it, as a surprise for your birthday.Helen: I hate surprises! —  Almost as much as I hateyou, you sneaking little ...Onan: I think Howie's dead, Mom. He quit breathing.Helen: All that wasted Vapo-rub! .... What's a mother todo?Onan: Isn't that Uncle Edwin I see, approaching thebombed-out bunker we call home?Helen: So it is, so it is. You drag Howie down to thecellar and bury him, while I pretty-up. Uncle Edwin and I want to be alone.(Theme music. Establish and fade under:)Announcer: And so we leave the house of Helen Sorrow,wondering if Howie is really dead ... if his decompos­ing body will eventually be noticed ... and if Uncle Edwin will succeed in his attempt to build castles in ... The Sands of Sorrow.14— WorldEPISODE FOUR: When the Lights Go On Again, All Over the(Theme music: "Tranquility." Establish and fade for:)Announcer: The Sands of Sorrow ... twenty seconds in thelife of a truly unhappy woman ... brought to you, each day at this time, by Max Factor's Combination Face-and- Trash Compactor.... As we join the Sorrow household to­day, we find kindly old Helen Sorrow sitting by the fire place, oiling her blacksnake whip. Her illegitimate son Onan —  fresh from his six o'clock beating -- is curled up by her feet, busy licking his wounds.Helen: Onan, where's your illegitimate brother, Howie?Onan: Don't you remember, Mom? He died in our lastepisode!Helen: Dear little Howie ... I loved him so ....Onan: We buried him in the cellar, Mom —  remember?Helen: Go dig him up, Onan. Mommy wants to cuddle him.Onan: You never cuddle me, Mom.Helen: You're nothing but an orphan! Nobody cuddlesorphans!Onan: He's probably pretty rotten by now, Mom. TheMeter-Reader ran out of the cellar, just yesterday, gagging and making Throw-Uppies! Are you sure you want me to... .Helen: Wait! What —  what's happening? Everything isgrowing dim! Have the lights gone out?Onan: What's wrong, Mom?Helen: I can't seem to ... see anything!Onan: You mean....Helen: Blind! I've gone blind!Onan: You're just teasing, aren't you, Mom?Helen: No! I am blind! You must help me, Onan! Help meor... .Onan: Or ... what ... Mom?Helen: Or....(Sound: Fist striking Elderly Woman)Helen: Ouch! You struck me!Onan: That's right, Mom! Here's another one!(Sound: Fist striking Elderly Woman again)Helen: Ouch! You did it again! What on earth's got intoyou, you little savage? Call a Doctor!Onan: How does it feel, Mom? After all these years?Helen: What on earth do you mean?Onan: All the years you've beaten me, and kicked me, andgiven all your love to Howie —  my illegitimate brother who was a Hemophiliac before he died —  how does it feel!Helen: I didn't mean it, Onan! I always loved you —  inmy strange, Motherly fashion! Don't hit me again!(Sound: Vase of freshly-cut daffodils breaking over Elder­ly Woman's head)Onan: Don't lie!Helen: Oh, my goodness. I can feel the blood runningdown my wrinkled, care-worn face.Onan: Mommies who lie get whacked in the head with achair!(Sound: Chair breaking)Helen: You hit me with a chair! I'm going to lose myconsciousness! My whole life is passing in front of my eyes! ... there I am, on my Wedding Day ... what a lovely ceremony!Onan: What? You can see your life, passing in front ofyour eyes?Helen: And there I am, the day that thirteen-ton Flywheelcrushed your father to shreds, down at the plant!Onan: You can see?Helen: Why ... why, my goodness, so I can! That sharprap you gave me on the head must have restored my sight! It's a Miracle! The Lord has delivered me!Onan: I ... I'm sorry I hit you, Mom.Helen: Yes ... I can see you now. Come over here, Onan.Onan: Let me explain, Mom.Helen: Take off your tattered little shirt.Onan: Mom! Why are you picking up that freshly oiledblacksnake whip?Helen: Take advantage of your poor, blind Mother, willyou!Onan: I'm sorry, Mom! I'm sorry!(Theme music. Establish and fade under:)Announcer: And so we leave the house of Helen Sorrow,wondering if her temporary blindness was a forecast of even graver misfortune to come ... if Onan will survive the beating he so richly deserves ... and if a few grains of Happiness will be left in Beech Creek, when the tide goes out ... abandoning ... The Sands of Sorrow.-- Carl Larsen Lock Haven PA

The Sands of Sorrow

http://ddd.uab.cat/pub/wormwood/wormwood_a1977v17n1-2i65-66/wormwood_a1977v17n1-2i65-66p11.pdf

The Sands of Sorrow

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