A man left his pregnant wife because he didn’t want to “waste his life” looking after a child. But life taught him a vital lesson, and he quickly came to regret his actions.
Brandon and Mary were head over heels in love and got married soon after graduating from college. For the first few years of their marriage, everything seemed to be working perfectly.
Brandon was an adoring husband, and he would never say no to Mary for anything. Soon, Mary announced she was pregnant, and Brandon’s happiness knew no bounds. However, with time, he began to overthink things.
His colleagues would joke that he should bid goodbye to his life since he would have to look after the baby constantly and give up everything. But they wouldn’t just stop there.
Brandon began overthinking and stressing about his wife’s pregnancy. | Photo: Shutterstock
They would take special care to note how their wives looked terrible after having babies. Sentences like “My wife got so big” and “I have a giant elephant waiting for me at home” would be a common part of their conversation.
All these discussions played the same role in Brandon’s overthinking as gasoline does in a fire, and Brandon started thinking that looking after a child would mean sacrificing everything and wasting his life. So one day, he returned early from work and went straight to Mary to convince her to terminate the pregnancy.
“I don’t want to have this child, Mary,” he said as he approached her.
Mary was stunned. “Honey, what’s wrong? Did someone say anything to you?”
Brandon began convincing Mary to terminate the pregnancy. | Photo: Pexels
“Nothing like that, Mary,” he said after pausing for a while. “I don’t think I’m ready to become a dad yet.”
Mary started laughing. “Oh God, Brandon. It’s okay. New parents are often anxious about whether they’ll be able to look after their children properly. You know what they say, right? You are never ready to become parents. When you finally have the little one is when you realize what being a parent feels.”
“No, Mary, I’m serious,” Brandon responded firmly. “I don’t want this child.”
Mary held Brandon’s hand and calmly said, “Honey, you’re stressed right now. Let’s talk about it some other day, okay?”
But Brandon jerked his hand out of Mary’s and began yelling. “Can’t you understand what I said? I DON’T WANT TO BECOME A DAD!”
Brandon lashed out at Mary | Photo: Pexels
At this point, even Mary lost her cool. “Brandon, stop acting like a kid. You were so happy when I told you about the pregnancy. What happened suddenly? Is it one of your stupid friends advising you that you shouldn’t have this child?”
“It doesn’t matter who’s telling me what. I don’t want to waste my life and change diapers. I want to enjoy my life while I’m young, so we are not having this baby,” Brandon said sternly.
“Brandon, I’m repeating myself,” Mary said in a firm tone. “Please calm down, for God’s sake. I won’t let you make a stupid decision just because of what your friends think, okay?”
“Who the hell do you think you are to decide what I should be doing?” Brandon said furiously. “Keep the child if you want it, but I’m not going to waste my life with that jerk!”
Brandon refused to take responsibility for the child. | Photo: Pexels
Mary took a step forward and slapped Brandon right in his face. “Don’t you dare utter a word about my child!” she said angrily.
“Fine. Keep that child. But I’m leaving you right now!” Brandon yelled. And within the next ten minutes, he packed all his belongings and left the house.
Mary couldn’t believe what had happened just now. A few days back, Brandon was so excited about becoming a dad, and then there was today when he said out loud that he didn’t want to have the child. She was devastated, to say the least. Nevertheless, she decided to keep the baby and raise it by herself.
Mary was devastated when Brandon left her. | Photo: Pexels
Years went by. Mary was now living happily with her eight-year-old son. Brandon’s life, on the other hand, just became more miserable.
His coworkers frequently went on vacations with their families and spent weekends with their children, but Brandon was all alone. His recent girlfriend had dumped him for another man, and frankly, Brandon didn’t feel like dating anyone.
He wanted to get back with Mary. He wanted to enjoy family life. He had even tried to contact her several times, but Mary didn’t return his calls or texts.
However, one day, their paths crossed again … only to make Brandon realize how wrong he was to leave his pregnant wife.
Mary was living happily with her son. | Photo: Pexels
It was a Friday evening. Brandon was sitting in the park watching other kids play and thinking about his child, who would have grown up like them too. Suddenly, he heard a voice from behind. When he turned back to see who it was, he spotted a boy standing there holding a short stick.
“Would you mind getting my paper plane for me?” he asked Brandon. “It’s stuck on the tree, and I can’t reach it.”
Brandon gave him a pleasant smile and quickly removed the plane from the tree and gave it to him.
The boy gave Brandon a pleasant smile and thanked him for the help. | Photo: Pexels
“Thank you,” the boy replied with a friendly grin.
“It’s okay. Have fun,” Brandon said, moving his hands over the boy’s silk hair.
The boy then ran over to a lady. “Mom, see, I got my plane back,” he told her.
“That’s really brave of you, Aaron,” the lady replied. “Come, let’s go home now.”
Brandon kept looking at Mary and Aaron as they walked away. | Photo: Pexels
When Brandon looked closely at her, he couldn’t believe his eyes. The woman … she was none other than Mary. She looked as beautiful as before, or maybe more attractive, Brandon thought to himself.
He kept looking at them; they seemed really happy together. For one moment, he felt like running over to them and hugging them, but before he could decide what to do, Mary grabbed Aaron’s hand and walked away.
Aaron turned to look at Brandon while leaving and waved goodbye. But Brandon just stood there with tears streaming down his face, thinking how unlucky he was to abandon such a lovely family.
What can we learn from this story?
- Overthinking can lead to disaster. Brandon began overthinking and urged Mary to terminate the pregnancy after hearing from his colleagues about how their lives had become horrible once their spouses became pregnant.
- Nobody can beat a mother’s love for her child. When Brandon abandoned Mary, she was heartbroken. However, she chose to keep the child and raise him on her own.
Share this story with your friends. It might inspire people to share their own stories or to help someone else.
If you enjoyed this story, you might like this one about a man who fat shames his wife but regrets his actions when karma strikes back.
The hilarious blooper in The Beverly Hillbillies most-watched episode
The Beverly Hillbillies has always been one of my favorite shows, and it’s easy to see why. No sex, no foul language, no politics — just pure, feel-good comedy.
Take the hilarious episode where Granny mistakes a kangaroo for a giant jackrabbit. It perfectly captures the charm and simplicity that made The Beverly Hillbillies so beloved.
Did you know that this particular episode set a record as the most-watched half-hour sitcom of its time? But here’s the kicker — if you know where to look, there’s a glaring mistake the producers missed.
Slammed and hated by the critics. “Strained and unfunny”, according to New York Times. But to me, The Beverly Hillbillies is one of the greatest and funniest shows ever. This was back when TV was great to watch; good, old-fashioned family TV. Today’s comedies could learn a great deal from shows like this one.
From Buddy Ebsen’s laid-back charm to Irene Ryan’s feisty Granny, the show’s cast — including Max Baer Jr., Donna Douglas, Nancy Kulp, and Raymond Bailey — kept audiences laughing for years.
But even this classic sitcom had its share of goofs, and we’re here to reveal the funniest mistakes that made it onto the screen.
Ocean is on their left
In the opening scene, the Clampetts are cruising back home from Malibu, but there’s a funny little mix-up.
Malibu is west of Beverly Hills, so the ocean should be on the right if they’re heading east. Instead, it’s on their left — meaning they’re actually driving away from home.
Guess the Clampetts took the scenic route… or just got a little turned around.
The Boston Strong Girl
In season six’s episode ”The Rass’lin’ Clampetts,” Granny takes on the Boston Strong Girl and supposedly tosses her right out of the ring. But if you watch closely, you’ll see the Strong Girl giving herself a little jump to get over the ropes.
Here’s a fun twist: the Boston Strong Girl was actually played by Jerry Randall, who was a stuntman dressed in drag. And in true hillbilly style, the title’s ”Rass’lin” is just their way of saying ”wrestling.”
The missing fish
In the episode The Clampetts Go Fishing, Mr. Drysdale tries to spark the Clampetts’ interest in deep-sea fishing by sending them off to Marineland.
But here’s where things get fishy — literally! When Miss Hathaway and Mr. Drysdale pull up to the Clampett mansion, their car’s backseat is completely empty.
Yet, somehow, by the time they steps out of the car, a giant fish magically appears in the back!
Jane Hathaway’s first car
Throughout most of seasons one and two, the location shots for The Beverly Hillbillies show Jane Hathaway’s first car, a 1962 Plymouth convertible.
But if you look closely, you’ll notice a little TV magic at play. In some scenes, the shot suddenly jumps to a close-up of her arriving in a completely different car — a 1963 or 1964 Dodge.
It looks like Jane had a knack for spontaneous car upgrades.
The groundskeeper
During the closing credits of the season one Thanksgiving episode, Elly’s First Date (1962), an unexpected guest made a surprise cameo.
On the right side of the screen, a groundskeeper strolls into view, casually carrying a rake and sporting a white tank top. But then —oops!— he suddenly realizes he’s wandered straight into the shot.
With a look of sheer panic, he quickly changes course and bolts out of the frame, probably wishing he could rake that moment right off the screen.
Here’s a hilarious goof from the episode: During Jethro’s magic show, Mr. Drysdale tosses his hat to Jethro to use in an illusion. Naturally, Jethro ends up ruining the hat right off the bat.
Max Baer Jr. played his twin sister
Max Baer Jr played the role of Jethro Bodine, the son of Jed’s cousin, Pearl, a naive and borderline dim-witted man who showed off his great math skills with his multiplication classic “five gozinta five one times, five gozinta ten two times.”
But that wasn’t the only character he played on the show. In fact, Max Baer Jr. also portrayed Jethro’s twin sister Jethrine for 11 episodes during the first season.
Although Max Baer Jr. played Jethrine Bodine, he couldn’t do her voice.
As a result, he was dubbed. The one who actually said her lines was Linda Kaye Henning – daughter to the series’ creator, Paul Henning.
Mr. Drysdale’s magic hat
Here’s a hilarious goof from the episode ”The Great Jethro”: During Jethro’s magic show, Mr. Drysdale tosses his hat to Jethro to use in an illusion.
Naturally, Jethro ends up ruining the hat right off the bat.
But the real magic trick here isn’t part of the show — it’s a classic TV mistake! After Jethro does his damage, the camera cuts to Mr. Drysdale, and there he is, calmly holding his perfectly fine hat in his lap.
Then, as if by magic, the hat reappears on the magician’s stand in the next shot. Moments later, Mr. Drysdale is seen holding the ruined hat once again.
John Wayne got paid in bourbon
Even though John Wayne’s name doesn’t appear in the credits, many fans still remember his memorable cameo in the episode ”The Indians Are Coming.”
Interestingly, the only payment John Wayne requested for his guest appearance was a fifth of Jack Daniel’s bourbon. Let’s hope they paid him after his performance!
The Giant Jackrabbit
The iconic season-two episode ”The Giant Jackrabbit” achieved a remarkable milestone, becoming the most-watched telecast at the time of its airing, and it still holds the record for the most-watched half-hour episode of any sitcom.
At first glance, these astonishing ratings might seem puzzling. However, when you consider the context of the time, it all begins to make sense.
Early 1964 was a challenging period for America, following the tragic assassination of President Kennedy just six weeks earlier. The nation was in mourning, seeking solace and a respite from the harsh realities of life. In this environment, the lighthearted humor and quirky charm of The Beverly Hillbillies offered the perfect escape for viewers.
The blooper
But considering how many people have enjoyed watching Granny mistake a kangaroo for a jackrabbit, it’s surprising that many have missed a tiny goof in this episode. And honestly, it’s understandable — it really takes a keen eye to catch it.
So here it is: when the kangaroo first hops up to the Clampetts’ back door, a man’s foot — most likely that of the trainer — briefly appears in the lower left corner (at 09:02) of the screen. It’s a little detail that adds to the fun of this classic moment.
A nod to the casting genius
Since we’re diving into this legendary episode, let’s talk about the owner of “Beverly Caterers.” When Granny spots the escaped kangaroo and mistakenly believes it to be an oversized jackrabbit, it raises eyebrows and makes the others suspect she might have had a bit too much moonshine.
Meanwhile, the Clampetts face a struggle to get food from Beverly Caterers. Interestingly, the owner, Bill Tinsman, is named as a nod to William Tinsman, the casting director for The Beverly Hillbillies as well as other shows in the HenningVerse.
The creator was ashamed
Speaking of the creator of the series, Paul Henning, did you know that he was ashamed of the 1981 TV movie “The Return of the Beverly Hillbillies”?
10 years after the popular show ended, some of the characters in the Clampett family reunited in a television movie written and produced by Henning. But viewers and critics didn’t like it, as many thought that the series’ original spirit had been abandoned in the movie.
Paul admitted to sheer embarrassment when the finished product aired on the CBS network.
Different original title
Those who watched the pilot “The Clampetts Strike Oil” may have noticed that the show was then called “The Hillbillies of Beverly Hills.”
After the first episode, though, the original title was changed to “The Beverly Hillbillies”, which was a little easier to say and more catchy.
Sonny was 8 years younger than his mother
Hollywood has had its fair share of impossible mothers. For example, when Angela Lansbury starred in The Manchurian Candidate (1962), she was only two years older than Laurence Harvey, who played her son. And the list goes on and on – The Beverly Hillbillies was no exception.
Did you know that the actress who played Mrs. Drysdale was just eight years older then her on-screen son Sonny Drysdale, the spoiled rich step-son of Milburn Drysdale.
Why CBS axed the show
By the end of the 60’s, The Beverly Hillbillies struggled with ratings.
But it was still a very popular and successful show, so when CBS went out and announced the canceling of the show in 1971, many were shocked. The same thing happened to Paul Henning’s other hit, “Petticoat Junction”.
This was dubbed a “rural purge” and CBS took the lead by axing several popular shows. The change came when the networks and the advertisers decided to target a more cultured, metropolitan audience.
“CBS canceled everything with a tree — including Lassie,” actor Pat Buttram of Green Acres famously said.
Beverly Hillbillies – what a show with great actors and actresses!
As we wrap up our journey through the hilarious world of these characters, it’s clear that even the most beloved shows have their quirks and blunders.
From the kangaroo mix-up to the magical hat tricks gone awry, these little-known mistakes add an extra layer of charm to the series.
So next time you tune in, keep an eye out for the behind-the-scenes fun—you might just find a new reason to chuckle at these unforgettable characters!
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