Mm hmm, Calm down for blast off x minus five four three two x
minus one. Fire from the far horizons of the unknown come transcribe tales of
new dimensions in time and space. These are stories of the future, adventures
in which you'll live in a million, could be years, on a thousand,
maybe worlds. The National Broadcasting Company, in cooperation with Street and Smith,
publishers of Astounding Science Fiction, presents minus minus one Tonight's Story to the
Future by Ray Bradbury. Time is an interesting phenomenon, a ticking clock,
the running sands of an hour glass. All these have captured the imagination of
men. But time is more. It exists now and then and in the
future. Suppose we are in the year nineteen fifty five, coexistent in time,
may be worlds we have never seen, the worlds of the past and
of the future. The year nineteen fifty five. It was a spring night
in Mexico, Fiesta time. The fireworks shot up into the clear, dark
sky, and the paper machet bull ran about the plaza, chasing boys and
laughing men. Mister and missus William Travis stood on the edge of the yelling
prod smile. What is for the bull? Here he comes. Good,
isn't it now? They rid that fire breathing phil It's wonderful. I've never
enjoyed myself so much in my life. It's terrific. Fought the ball brov
Colo Hell, Philip will go on, I mean not keep it, so
don't worry. I've got enough travelers checks for a lifetime. No, but
suppose they find you. Forget if they haven't a chance, suppose they do.
Suppose they take us back, never find us. Relax, enjoy yourself
if it only lasts. Come on, let's get out of the crowd.
You need a drink. Let's try something different this time. I want to
try every drink there is in the world. Don't worry, there's no rush.
We've got plenty of time. Now in here, there's a table over
there. Come on, Bill, don't don't look right away. Will be
your left shoulder right by the end of the bar. That man, what
is it? I saw him this morning in the plaza. Take it.
The town's full of tours a task, Bill, I'm afraid. Don't stare
at him. I know what's the same man. He was wearing the same
white suit. Sit down, sir, Come on, dear, smile at
match. He's been following us. He's a searcher. I know he is.
Yet here boynor bendicting a brandy to see he's been watching his Bill.
Put yourself together soon. You can't take us back worrying. The chances are
one in a thousand that they've found us. It's probably just a coincidence.
I want to lie down. I think I'm going to be sick. Susan,
hang on, will you? If he is looking for us, we
can't run out attracted. He must have slipped up and we checked out in
New York. What's he doing now? Stopped our waiter. He's asking him
something. May just want a drink? Bill. I can't stand it.
I've got to go upstairs and lie down, all right, as soon as
we finish our drinks. What's he doing now? He's nodding at me as
if he knows me. He's smiled Bill. He's coming over here. We've
got to go right on in front of him. So here's what we think
he is. He wants to spect it. I can't. We got to
come on. And so I said to David, that's absolutely ridiculous. What
are you, Christian? You did not pull up your pants leg when you
sat down. I'm afraid you've got the wrong person. My name isn't Chrysler
Kristen. Oh, I'm William Travis. I don't see what my pants like
it has to do with it? Mind if I sit down? See everyone
nowadays pulls up his pants leg when he sits down like this. See it
keeps the trouser from begging at the knees. But of course, if you're
not used to this style of clothes, I see here, we don't know
you. You don't. I'm sorry, I thought I knew you. This
is our table, if you don't mind, you see, I'm looking for
two friends of mine, a man and his wife, very much like you.
The man is an atomic scientist, the wife a bacteriologist. Very important
people. They work on government business. What are you talking about? And
when I find my friends, I'm going to take them home with me.
Look here, mister, mister Simms, that will do for now. Look,
I understand you thought you're newest, but you see you're mistaken. I
feel excuses. My wife and I were just going up to our room.
We have to make an early start in the morning. Oh, going for
a trip like a pool code. Perhaps, Oh, a lovely spot.
I don't mind where we're going, Yes, yes, of course you don't
like crowds. Tourists probably like to get off the beaten path. You know.
I have a vacation folder here that might interest you. Please let's go.
It's it's put out by an outfit that calls itself travel in Time Incorporated.
Travel in Time. Yes, they've come up with a rather intriguing idea.
Here, travel in Time Incorporated can costume you put you in the crowd
at any place and time in history. We guarantee to teach you any language
you need to move freely in any year without risk of detection. This summer,
why not escape from the warries of our modern world take your vacation in
time. That's impossible, of course, Ah, but think what it would
mean. A chance to escape all the tensions of an unpleasant life, war
insecurity, fear. Suppose you were a scientist working on a dangerous bomb project
or you, missus Travis, Suppose you were a bacteriologist working on disease cultures,
and you had a chance to escape all that, to take a vacation
two hundred years in the past. It would be wonderful woudn't it to escape
to a more peaceful world, a trip back to nineteen fifty five, nineteen
fifty five. But you said a vacation in the past, so I did.
But you see, nineteen fifty five is the past if you'll come from
the year twenty one fifty five, twenty one fifty five. Yes, terrible
times, most unpleasant, a war raging, an atomic bacteri logical war.
Terrible times with none of the little comforts we enjoy today, like this fine
havana cigar. Well, I want to go upstairs, I want to lie
down. If you were living then, think of how wonderful it would be
to take a vacation in time back to now. Suppose a young couple like
yourselves took a trip to ninety fifty five and didn't want to come back.
Do you know what would happen? The government sends a searcher back to look
for them. This is all fantastic now. The searcher finds them and brings
them back back to that miserable, insane, stark, pleasureless world of twenty
one fifty five. A pity, isn't it? Look here, sims,
well, do you think I shall find my two friends. Mister Travis,
Bill, please take me upstairs. I don't feel Oh is the lady feeling
a bit ill? How unfortunate linker. Ah, well, shall we drink
a toast to twenty one fifty five to the future? Sorry? Sorry,
quick? What are you doing shutting a chair under the Doorknom he knows he's
been following us. He's a searcher. Look, keep quiet. So what
you're going to take us back? It isn't over yet. I've got a
headache. I'll get you an aspirin us. I don't know something slipped.
Something must have slipped, but we were so careful. Searchers are trained to
watch for detail. Things like not pulling up my trousers started them thinking,
there's a man who isn't used to ancient clothes. I could kill myself for
giving it away. No, no, it was my walk these high heels
here, thanks the nerve of that's sim sitting there looking us up and down
like animals, smoking those stinking cigarettes. No, that's how I first noticed
him, a Tasco. He had four bottles of the Quurs and a pile
of chocolate. Yes, he still hasn't gotten over that first green hunger We've
got to look out for that. It's the sure sign of somebody from the
future trying to make up for a lifetime of shortage just by stuffing yourself sick.
Remember our first night. No, I can't stand it. We've got
to get out of here. What are you doing packing the suitcases up?
It's no use. What do you mean we can get to Alca Polco by
morning? Don't you think he's watching? We could get away. No,
no, We've got to sit tight. Maybe he isn't sure of us yet.
Maybe we can still figure out some way to escape. Come on now,
we'll need our strength. We better try to get some sleep. No,
no, I won't go back security, puet, Mom, cute it?
No, well, all right away, calm down, honey. We're
still in nineteen fifty five. It's all right. Oh nightmare, Oh Bill,
it was awful. We were back there twenty one fifty five. We
won't go back there, will we ever? Tell? Sleep? Honey,
it's all right. We're in Mexico nineteen fifty five and we're going to stay
here. So I've been lying awake here thinking he's still testing us. He's
not absolutely certain he's got all the time in the world and stay here as
long as he likes, and bring us back to the future sixty seconds after
we left it. They can't make a scene, can they. They don't
dare come out in the open. No, No, it might change the
future. They're afraid of that. If we could only tell, somebody ask
for Hill. We can't. That's why we had to submit to the psychological
block treatment before they okayed our vacation. We couldn't tell. If we tried.
The block's too strong. Maybe we can break it. What's the use
darling who believe a crazy story like ours? Who'd believe we come from twenty
one to fifty five? We can't tell, and they'll have to get us
alone to put us in the time machine to send us back. Then that's
it. Bill will never be alone. It's still Fiesta tomorrow. It'll be
easy to stay in the crowd. Yes, yes, that's the only chance.
We can't let him get us alone. He won't get us back to
that war in that insane world. Till could be the room clerk at three
in the morning. I'd better answer, don't Bill, don't I've got to
hello hello, mister Travins. That's the idea it's three in the morning.
Yes, yes, I just wanted to remind you rabbits may hide in the
forest, but a fox can always find them. What was it, Bill?
Bill? Never mind, come on, let's get some sleep where we
can. Hm. When as the senor, senor? Morning, Senors,
I trust you are spending pleasant days in my hotel. Yes, that time
is the best. Yes, you were a especial table. He's all ready
for breakfast. I weren't pleasures the hotel? You buster? Where's the hotel?
And this? God? For a second sake, hold of the one
horse town, all the planet deserts and the what is it? If they
come we fall trucks and movie motion picture company from wood down here they make
the pictures of the background. That the fat man, the one with the
most colorful shirt, he is the chief. Where's the manager coming, Senor?
He would excuse me. I hope they're satisfactory, coming coming, Senor.
This is a break so that that movie company will draw crowds and that
helps us. When can we leave? Not today? He'd be okay,
Yes, under the line, show you're not Maxwell and lay off the pepper.
I got announcer there sims across the dining room. You can't do anything.
I'm not with these actors coming in. Here's it next to Papa Max.
Make sure nobody mortgage with the trucks of the gear. We have to
eat at this crumby joint. Joe, cheer up, sweetie. Your mayor
presence makes this chasings and truck roll in the world. Not this early in
the morning, Joe. I couldn't. Okay, okay, anything you want,
laddies, it's not a dear old expensive look happy, don't. There's
an idea. Maybe I could hire two of them. I could say it
was a joke. You could dress him in arc clothes, have them drive
off in arcau sometime when sims couldn't see their faces. Where would that games?
With him off on their trail, we might make it to Mexico City.
It takes years to wait. Coming over. Excuse me, you folks
are Americans, aren't you? That's right? Boy? Am I glad to
see you. I'm so sick of hearing Spanish. I could kiss you.
Hey, come on over and eat with us. Hat well, I uh,
I don't think we should intrude. Oh, come on, come on.
Misery loves company. I'm Misery and that's the company. Were from Hollywood
sounderstand Yeah? Yeah, boy, would I like to be there? Oh
I'm Joe Melton, I'm the director. I'm William Travis. This is my
wife, susan mutual. Come on over, kids, join the party,
cheer us up. Only know Tomaly's. I burned out three kidneys on to
Molly's since I come over the border. Eh, boy, come on over,
hey, kiddies, I got no blood brother. Yes, just a
moment, mister Travis, I thought you might be breakfasting with me alone.
Sorry, I got him first, Mac. Do you want to join us?
No? No, I've already ordered, mister Travis. I think you'd
better talk with me. Jay Jesus guy giving you trouble, it's all right,
And I say the word, I'll have Max pitch him out on his
ear. It's all right. We'll be right over, mister Meltourn. We'll
talk to mister Sims. Mister Melton, you sort of keep an eye on
us, eh, after all you found us first. Yeah, sure,
well come on over soon' cheez uh. Sit down, mister Travis. I
hope you slept well, did you well? I'm not used to spring mattresses,
but in our compensations. I stayed up half the night trying new cigarettes
and foods, a whole new spectrum of sensation, these ancient vices. We
miss something in our world, don't we, And when we could get back
here, we try to cram it all in a few short days. We
don't know what you're talking about. Still acting, eh, But it's no
use. You can't stay in crowds all the time. I'll get you alone
soon enough. I'm immensely patient. However, let's come to the point.
You know, we can't let you get away with this escape. Other people
in the year twenty one to fifty five might get the same idea and do
the same thing, and we need people to fighter wars. Well, it's
all right, Susan. We can talk on his terms. Now he's got
us. We can't escape at last. Really, you know you've been incredibly
romantic, running away from your responsibilities, running away from horror. Oh nonsense,
only a war only with half the world dead and the other half dying.
Yes, but we can't have you escaping here while we drop off a
cliff dying. People love to know that others died with me. Yeah,
break it up. We're waiting on you. The longer you keep me waiting,
the harders will go on you. What do you mean we need you
on that bomb project. Return now, and no torture. Torture, yes,
you see later we'll force you to work, and after you've finish the
bomb, we'll try a number of complicated new devices on you. As you
say you can't escape. We have all the time in the world here,
Sims. I'll make a deal with him. I'll come back now if my
wife stays here alive, safe away from that war. No, well,
Sims, you need me for that bomb. You can duplicate her work.
Hmm. It exceeds my authority. But all right, meet me in the
plaza in ten minutes. The cap the car good. We'll drive out into
the country to some deserted spot and I'll have the time travel machine pick us
up. No, I won't let you argue. Dear it settled, Sims.
There's one thing. Yes, last night, instead of calling, you
could have broken into our room and got us. Why didn't you? Shall
we say that I was enjoying myself. Take this new fine cigar for example,
wonderful, wonderful. Do you know that I have twelve boxes up in
my room, and because Craye the month Benedictine crained, the coca and so
many others, and the wine. I've got the closets full of them,
and I shall so hate to leave it. All. Well, I'll meet
you in the plaza in ten minutes. Your wife may stay here as long
as she wishes. All right, Sims, it's a deal. Don't try
anything now, And I know when I'm deep. We just want a few
minutes to say goodbye. I shall be seeing then let you do it.
I won't let you. I'm going to tell the truth. I'm going to
get help. You can't the psychological. We've got to try. It's our
last chance. Hey, join us. I've got something to tell you,
and you've got to believe me. It works. I've got to try.
I go ahead, kids, you've got to understand. You see, we
really bill my head. I can't think my head. You need a bromo.
Honey works. So the block's too strong. We better get the car
breakfast. No time for people to cry. What in the world could a
good looking kid like you find a cry about. I won't let you do
it. Let me go back with you. We'll get through somewhere. I'd
let you go back to that war, So please stop. It was so
wonderful here Bill. There he is smoking those Turkish cigarettes, waiting for it.
There must be some way, some way we can both stay here.
Maybe there is, Bill, What are you going to do? Answer?
When I tell you, Bill, you're heading right for it. He's not
going to get either of us now, damn so dumb Bill. It's all
right, it's all over, Johnny. This is the mayor signor. Your
husband has beneficially cleared in this most unfortunate affairs. It is obvious this senor
seems died of an unavoidable accident. Oh yes, yes, of course a
your senor signor. Will they want to see you again? No? Clear?
Oh lost control of the car. That's the way it stands. So
I hated to kill him. I've never wanted to do anything like that in
my life. Where shall we go? Now? Mexico City cars in the
repair shop won't be ready to look before and we'll get out. Hey there,
Travis, it's that movie man. Bill. He was very good to
me when they had you in there. Hey, I heard what happened.
They sprung you? Eh? Great, great, Yes, it was an
accident. Lucky you didn't get hurt yourselves. Everything okay, now, yes,
yes, I think so. It's fine and fine, but you're both
look a little rocky. Say hey, you want to get your mind off
your troubles? Way through for the day Clouds follow up our shooting schedule.
We're gonna put a head on it up at the hotel. Gloria's cracking the
ice. Now maybe we will join you, but first I've got to check
up on the car. Ill don't miss the party, kiddies see upstairs.
I don't relax, honey. We've got the break now. Simms is dead
before they can put another searcher on our trail. We'll have time to make
a clean getaway. How about the car be ready till four? We got
a couple of hours to kill. I'm so tired. Janda is a little
excitement. We rate a celebration, honey, Well, I guess it would
be nice to un what. Sure, we'll go up to Melton's room,
have a couple of drinks, a few laughs. Don't worry, honey,
it's all over, but we can relax. Well. Well, well,
Kenny, we thought were great. Great, call me your Gloria. Yeah,
get to the cart. We a company? You are you kids?
Rate a drink? Yeah? That was a pretty messy business. But it's
all over now. Yes, it's all over. Time to unlike scrab a
glass. Honey, thank you? Hey, hey, quiet everybody? Ye
ye, by ahead, How about to toast my guests? Okay, all
right to a very beautiful lady. Lovely enough for the movie. I'm not
kidding. That's why I came over to you in the first place. I
might even give you a test. Oh, I mean it, Honey,
you're pretty nice. I could make you a movie star and take me to
Hollywood. Lady, did he get us out of Mexico? You're not serious?
Sure I am, Gloria. About that sounds wonderful, doesn't it?
Through? Los Angeles is a pretty crowded city. Wait till you see the
sunset bus. You don't really think I could be an actress, do you?
You don't have to cheer me up anymore. I'm feeling wonderful. No,
No, I'm serious. Really, what kind of a film do you
think my wife would be good for? I want to do a suspense story,
sort of a war story, you know, Gloria. Poor mister Travison
of the glass. A story about a man and a wife. You live
in a little house. I'm just ad libbing this, you understand, sure,
sure, gone. There's a war on see, a terrible war you
see. And they live in the year twenty one fifty five. Yeah,
now here's the gimmick. They escape into the past and they kill a man
who follows them to bring them back. Gloria, honeypot again, mister Travis,
another glass? He dropped his well, sir. This couple takes refuge
with a group of movie people as safety of numbers, they figure ah.
But the story goes on, and this couple is terribly important for a new
bomb, let's call it the leprosy bomb. So the searchers figure out a
way that they can get them alone in the hotel room. Shove a tear
under the datos, yes, sir, you see. The searchers may work
alone or in groups of eight, so that if one of them's killed,
the rest carry on. Don't you think that would make a wonderful picture?
H Susan, don't you Bill when he stands still? But that God,
Travis, who is it? The manager? Your car is already? Shall
I them? Like? Mate, Let's go Let's not make things worse,
mister Travis. Let me shots. Let me the manager heard the shots.
Let's get going. Let me let me. You'll break down the door in
a minute, Max, get ready to travel. Take a god look,
mister Travis. Take a good look at nineteen fifty five. You won't be
saying it anymore. All right, break it down? Where are they?
I was at the door, I heard them inside? They're gone. The
windows Nope, the iron bars are undisturbed. What happened to them that?
They just disappeared? All of them? And you? I think you had
better send for the priest in the hodio later. They just disappeared. Look
in the closet. Battles, hundreds of battles in box is the twenty best
of pure Evan. If he was your guys, these crazy americanos. Why
would anyone leave all this behind? Never questioned providence. Yes, there is
enough here to last a sport for the month. I think we can look
forward to a most happy future. You have just heard X minus one,
presented by the National Broadcasting Company in cooperation with Street and Smith, publishers of
Astounding science fiction. Tonight by transcription, X minus one has brought you to
the Future by Ray Bradbury. It was adapted for it by Ernest Cannoy.
Featured in the cast were Terry Keene, Alexander Scorby, Mercer McLeod, Joe
DeSantis, Guy Sorell, Alan Collins, and Stan Early. This is Fred
Collins speaking. X minus one was directed by Daniel Sutter and is an NBC
Radio Network production. Next Week on X minus one Ray Bradbury's story Marionettes Incorporated.
It's Groomed for your interests, weekday NBC Radio