Another sensitive piece by Eric that really packs a wallop. At first, I found her pieces frivolous, but through the years, her writing really grew and developed an extraordinary depth. I wonder if there is any way to read a collection....Actually, it would be interesting to see the collections of any of these writers.

This one had a happy ending, well, for CBSRMT anyway. But I still cried a little. Very intense story and well acted. Sad, moving and will have you thinking about it afterwards. The sound aint the best and you can barely understand Tammy Grimes' narration but well worth the trouble.

I have to admit, Elspeth Eric's work is either growing on me, or she got better over the years. This episode is not a mystery at all. It is a romance. Grab your lover, poor some wine, snuggle on the couch, or better in the hot tub and play this one. It is entertaining and heartwrenching. 4 stars. Have fun lovers!

"Grab your lover, poor some wine, snuggle on the couch, or better in the hot tub and play this one. It is entertaining and heartwrenching. 4 stars. Have fun lovers!" . I don't recommend that strategy if your lover lost someone very near and dear as a child. . Dear hubby and I both lost a parent to death about the age the young woman lost her brother. That never leaves you. We both hated the movie "Terms of Endearment" because it was billed as comedy, but involved the death of a parent with my hubby identifying with the behavior of the older son at the funeral. At the end of the movie I had to go into the lobby to get napkins to mop up tears... and there seemed to be several other who could not leave the theater due to tears. The young kid at the counter was confused until I explained that I would bet real money that each of those left in the theater crying had lost a parent in childhood. . I assume the feeling is the same with losing a sibling. . I enjoyed this radio play because it emphasized the importance of dealing with loss. I actually got professional psychiatric help as a child, so I really know how important it is. . This was a lovely story. Thank you.

This is almost a repeat of "The Red Frisbee" about a young girl grieving over the loss of her younger brother, only it wasn't done as well, imo. The frisbee story was much better, imo, and it was very well done, except for the ending, which got weird. Was it really necessary for Elspeth Eric to recreate the same story, with only slight variations? She seemed obsessed with repeating certain types of stories, especially anything pertaining to "daddy issues" and bad relationships with one's mother, (which seemed to be her favorite theme).

I think this isn't quite a repeat of The Red Frisbee even though it had the same author, and the same actresses for the mother and daughter, Teri Keane and Jada Rowland. In the first episode the girl is a blonde blue eyed 17-year-old and here 6 years later she is a redheaded green eyed 23-year-old. In the first episode the girl was lively and spunky when she met the man on the beach, here she is morose and sullen. In the first episode it was the dog and the frisbee story about learning to swim that taught the girl to swim again. Here it was the tide washing out the sand castle that taught her that the birds can migrate south by themselves. In the first story the girl tries to get the man to marry her mother. Here the mother tries to get the man to marry her daughter. But the most tell tale difference about the first story was that in 1976 the girl had ESP and could read minds, a topic that was very popular in the early 1970's. By 1982, ESP and the supernatural was mostly dead in the water and there is no supernatural in this story.

I didn't say that the stories were identical, but they were very similar. What made it similar was the theme of the young girl grieving the loss of her drowned brother, (which happened years ago), and the sullen mother also grieving, the man talking to the mother about her daughter, and the endings were very similar.

Btw, the mother in this story did not try to get the man to marry her daughter. She was very protective of her daughter, but after getting to know him better, she learned to tolerate him.

Despite the really weird story, the acting of Jada Rowland was amazing. She makes me cry at the end when she is sobbing, etc. It may seem contradictory that I find this story really strange and unrealistic, yet Jada Rowland was able to move me with her performance. Now, THAT'S good acting, lol!

I rate this episode ★★★★★ for EXCELLENT. Just like Elspeth Eric’s story in #0417-THE RED FRISBEE, this too was compelling! Both of her stories had similarities - a dramatic tale of a young girl who lost someone that was close to her at a very young age and she spent a very long hard time of coping with the loss until a lonely guy comes in to learn about her in which the 2 bond overtime and understand the loss. No fantasy. No horror. No action or suspense. Not even a shocking twisted ending. Just pure drama that was so captivating and tragic, it could leave fans of CBSRMT into tears afterwards. The title is perfect. Another way to name this episode would be “The Loss Of Love” or “Ten Years Of Missing Tears.” In our Host’s Prologue, Tammy Grimes introduces the topics of Love and Loss. In ACT-1, more about the topics and points out that no life is ordinary or uneventful. In ACT-2, understanding Separation Neurosis. As the story progresses to where a plan is made to help the young girl, Tammy Grimes discusses compulsion and irrationals. In ACT-3, the 3 adults in this story want to unravel the young girl’s obsession of making the sand castle. As the story reveals its Climax and Resolution, our Host states that the Young cannot mourn their loss, only feel hurt and helpless. And wanting someone to stop the pain, that longing can go on for a very long time. In her Epilogue, Tammy Grimes narrates suggestions to help those on their loss. And finishes it off with this: “Heaven knows we would do more if we could, but we ourselves are filled with hurt and longing.” Now THAT is a narration that people can relate to. Sound effects of low tide on the beach, birds cawing and chirping, doors, footsteps, beer can, and low howling wind were extremely helpful in this. The music was top-notch superb. ACT-1 had melancholy tunes for the first adult, ACT-2 had mystifying tunes for the mother, and ACT-3 was the best because it had harp melodies for the love interest. Even the final track during the character’s final narration was hands down empathetic on epic proportions! But the grandest part of all, was the cast: Norman Rose (as Jeremy Denham), Jada Rowland (as Maureen Hart), Teri Keane (as Elinor Hart), and Gordon Gould (as Ralph Poole). These 4, I think, deserve a standing ovation because their performances were spellbinding. Norman Rose was great as the curious bird watcher. Gordon Gould as the bird sanctuary caretaker and love interest was terrific. Teri Keane as the concerned mother was a delight. But Jada Rowland, my favorite CBSRMT actress of all time, stole the show! The most memorable moment, was in the 3rd Act when she broke down in tears in her performance to reveal the mystery behind the sand castle. It was so unforgettable; I was almost in tears. This episode deserves to be in the CBSRMT Hall Of Fame that defines the series. I highly recommend this episode to everyone, whether you are a newcomer or a fan of the show when it started broadcasting. SPECIAL NOTE: This has commercials of Pat Summerall of True Value Hardware, March Of Dimes, Campbell’s Crispy Soup, Frank Reynolds of ABC News, Pat Collins for Children with Learning Disabilities, Choice Magazine Listening, Whitman’s Sampler Chocolates, Metamucil, Rocky II on CBS-TV, Raven House Paperback Mysteries, Exchange Club Counter Crime, reports on CBS NEWS, Hearts Collars, Wall Street Journal, and the Canon NP 400 Series Copier. Until next time…pleasant dreams.

I love this story. It really grabbed at your emotions.