Speaker 1: The CBS Radio Mystery Theater Presents.
Speaker 2: Come in. Welcome. I'm e. G. Marshall.
Speaker 1: I'm here to guide.
Speaker 3: You want an excursion throughout which I believe you'll be very.
Speaker 1: Glad to have a guide for the way.
Speaker 3: It's treacherous and horror waits around each turning.
Speaker 1: Hi, Ojie, I don't me have a cup of coffee
with you? He do you ever hear of anybody getting
a free ride on the Long Island Railroad? You're looking
at the man who did it. The conductor walked right
past me. I might take it out there ready for him,
the function He walk right past me. How about that coffee? Archie, Archie,
you act as if you can't even see me.
Speaker 3: Our mystery drama, The Master Computer was written especially for
the Mystery Theater by Field and Farrington and stars Robert
Dryden and Augusta Dabney. It is sponsored in part by
Anheuser Busch Incorporated, brewers of Budweiser and Buick Motor Division.
I'll be back shortly with Act one. Loneliness is a
burden We've all born in one degree or another. It
throws us back upon our own personal resources, which, in
the ordinary course of things are sufficient to sustain us.
But there's nothing ordinary about the loneliness we're going to
deal with here, even though two people share it. This
is loneliness intolerably multiplied. Grace and Harry Clayton are returning
from a pleasant summer vacation, but they're exhausted. They've driven
in one day from O'faqwth, Maine to Newton, Long Island,
a small suburban town in which they live.
Speaker 1: You know something great, I never realized how beautiful Newton is.
Speaker 2: Well.
Speaker 4: I just want to crawl into the house and collapse.
Oh I hope I can.
Speaker 1: Make it to the bed one stop first, And I
want to pick up the mail at the post office
and tell them they can start regular delivery again tomorrow.
Speaker 4: Better hurry than the post office closed at five point thirty.
Speaker 1: Oh I guess I.
Speaker 4: Think, Oh, Harry, do dread going back to work in
the morning.
Speaker 1: Really, vacation's up the end sometimes, otherwise they wouldn't be vacations,
were they. Oh good parting right in front of the
post office, are you waiting my car? I won't be
a minute.
Speaker 4: I think that man's getting ready to lock up. You'd
better hurry.
Speaker 1: I'll catch him the whole lit him minute. Wait, just
a couple of seconds. I want to pick up some
mail you've been holding for me. It won't take a second.
Do you hear what I said? Well, you could answer
me at least, Well, I'll be dead. Why do people
have to be so damn rude? He looked right through me.
You think I wasn't even there?
Speaker 4: Well, I can pick up the mail in the morning.
Come on, let's go on home.
Speaker 1: No, that's not the point. He might at least have
had the courtesy to answer me.
Speaker 4: Oh, I guess he was just doing his job. They
do close at five point thirty.
Speaker 1: So I would it kill him to say, sorry, mister,
I can't let you in. Hey, you want to stop
somewhere for a minute to eat? You don't feel like
cooking this evening, do you?
Speaker 4: I don't feel like stop. We'll open a.
Speaker 1: Can of soup. This bread's moldy, grace.
Speaker 4: Well, I'm sure there's some kind of crackers in the box.
Speaker 5: Oh.
Speaker 4: I've got just about enough energy to eat some soup
and make one phone call or a phone call. Wh
I thought i'd call the kids at the camp this evening?
Speaker 1: What for?
Speaker 5: Oh?
Speaker 4: I don't know, really, I just feel like talking to them.
Speaker 1: Okay, I've been worried about Benny's batting average myself. Hey,
you go ahead and make the call. I'll hate the soup.
Speaker 4: I suppose it's silly. I just don't feel like Kenny.
Speaker 1: Ah.
Speaker 4: Hello, this is missus Clayton, Tim and Benny's mother, and
i'd like to speak to can't you hear me? I
want to speak to either Tim or Benny. This is
missus Clayton. I'd like to speak to Well, you hung up. Huh, Well,
it must have been a bad connection. I could hear
him perfectly well, but he couldn't seem to hear me.
Speaker 1: Well, tell them again. Maybe you'll get a better connection
this time.
Speaker 4: Oh, I guess it's silly anyway, they're probably having suffered.
How's the soup?
Speaker 1: Oh? Good? Hey, I think i'll call Pete and Alma
Rhodes before. Oh, just let him know we're back. No reason.
I guess we've both got caliphon itis tonight.
Speaker 4: Okay, Oh, let me talk to Alma before you hang up. O.
Soup is really as good as I make, but hits
the spot.
Speaker 1: Hello, Hi, Ala, it's Harry. We're back. Hello, it's Harry. Alma,
can't you hear me? Hello? Oh, I don't know miney.
I guess our phone's out of order. Same thing.
Speaker 4: She couldn't hear you.
Speaker 1: Yeah, i'll report it to the phone company tomorrow from
the office.
Speaker 4: Oh what if somebody I used to call us tonight?
Speaker 1: I'll be very glad the phone's out of order. The
Devil's Hey, Grace, did you turn the water off?
Speaker 6: I can't hear you.
Speaker 4: Wait till I got my robum.
Speaker 1: Did you turn the water off? Grace?
Speaker 4: Turn the water off?
Speaker 1: Of course I didn't. Well, it is off.
Speaker 4: It can't be the shut off valves cleared down in
the basement. I haven't even been down there since we
got home. Neither of you.
Speaker 1: Well, look at it, nor water.
Speaker 4: It must be out of order.
Speaker 1: How can the water be out of order unless there's
a broken maine somewhere.
Speaker 4: Oh, then there must be a broken maine somewhere. Why
don't you call the water company?
Speaker 1: And oh, yeah, the phone's out of order. And I'm
going to be out of order myself if I don't
get some coffee pretty soon.
Speaker 4: There must be well, there ought to be enough ice
cubes in the refrigerator to melt down, so we can
make a couple of cups of coffee.
Speaker 1: Hey, you know what, You're a genius.
Speaker 4: Oh, Harry, Well, now why everything's melted? Every single thing
in the freezer? Oh oh, just look at that mess.
Speaker 1: It's a peak safe. What next?
Speaker 4: Oh that refrigerator isn't even a year old yet.
Speaker 1: Wait a minute, no lights, we've got no electricity.
Speaker 4: But that's what's going on here, Harry. I don't know,
but I don't see how everything could go out of order,
I mean, all at the same time.
Speaker 1: Well, look, I don't have time to check it out.
I've got a train to catch. I'll get some coffee later.
Speaker 4: What am I going to do all day in this
house where nothing work?
Speaker 1: Go down the block and see Alma. She'll give you
some coffee and you can use her phone to call.
I'll see who it is.
Speaker 4: Oh, you'll miss your train, I'll go.
Speaker 1: You had to look at your hair this morning?
Speaker 4: Huh, Okay, you go. I won't be a second. It's
probably Alma.
Speaker 1: Anyway, I'm coming, I'm coming.
Speaker 2: Good morning.
Speaker 7: You're mister Clayton, aren't you, Harry Clayton. Yes, my name's Handy.
May I come in?
Speaker 1: Well? What is it? I was just leaving. I understand
you've got some trouble here. Yeah, we've got trouble all right.
Are you from the phone people or the water or
the electricity? They're all out? As a matter of fact,
did you find out? Did somebody report it? It was
reported in a way. May I come in? I guess
you'd better, Grace, I was just getting ready to leave.
If I missed the eight twelve, I can't get another
one until half hour or so. I think it just
might be better if you didn't leave just yet.
Speaker 3: Is it?
Speaker 4: Alma? Did you tell her?
Speaker 7: Oh? Grace, this is mister and I'm very happy to
know you. Missus Clayton, mister Handy's from the Where are
you from? I came just as soon as I could
get here when we heard about the trouble.
Speaker 1: If you'll just.
Speaker 4: Oh, oh, are you going to fix things? You know?
Nothing's working the water or the telephone or and my
freezer is just a mess.
Speaker 1: You can't be here to fix all three of them.
Speaker 7: Which company are you from? The fact is I'm going
to ask you both to come with me. We can
get this whole thing straightened out in no time at all.
Speaker 1: Come with you.
Speaker 7: Well, that doesn't make sense it does. Really, I suppose
it sounds a little strange, But come with you where,
good question. It's a matter of computer malfunction. You know
how things can get fouled up. You can't really blame
the computer.
Speaker 1: I suppose it must have been improper programming or I
don't know. It's never happened before, and I'm very sure
that it will be. What good going to do our
coming with you? I don't know anything about computers. I'm
a copywriter, advertising copy nothing to do with that. Actually,
if you'll just come with you where, I'm afraid I'm
not at liberty to tell you that, not just yet.
I think you'd better just leave. Mister Andy, you won't
come with me. We will not.
Speaker 4: If you'd tell us where you want to take this and.
Speaker 1: Maybe forget it. Great, Oh dear, I'm sure I don't
know what's going to happen. Now. You're going to get
out of this house and off this property. That's what's
going to happen, right, all right? I just hope, all right,
I'm going now.
Speaker 4: I think you missed your train, Harry, so.
Speaker 1: I'll take the next one. And if that kook shows
up again, don't let him in. Hi actually, let me
have a cup of copy with you. I haven't even
had my first cut this. I'm dying. Did you ever
hear of anybody getting a free ride on the Long
Island Railroad? You're looking at the man who did it.
The conductor walked right past me. I had the ticket
out there ready for him to punish me. Walk right
past me. Hey, hey, how about that coffee? If I
don't get it sooner? Archie, archie, Archie. You're act as
if you can't even see me.
Speaker 4: Anybody home? Alma? It's great? Where are you?
Speaker 1: Oh?
Speaker 4: Hi, Alma? You know we tried to call you last night,
but our phone seems to be out of order.
Speaker 1: Now I could have sworn I heard that screen door slam.
Speaker 4: Hey cow, it's me. I slammed the door.
Speaker 1: Those rotting kids, I swear one of these.
Speaker 4: Days, Alma, come on, come on, don't play games. Are
you saw at me or something?
Speaker 6: Ah?
Speaker 4: What's the matter with you? Alma?
Speaker 2: Roads hardware?
Speaker 1: Dete, it's me. I'm sorry to bother you with the store.
Speaker 2: Oh that's okay, no business yet. What's up? Will?
Speaker 1: It's those neighbor kids again.
Speaker 2: Oh boy, what have they been up to?
Speaker 6: Now?
Speaker 8: Well, they were well, they slammed the kitchen door. It
must have been the kid.
Speaker 4: Alma, it was me. I slammed the door.
Speaker 2: I don't want to scare you, but are you sure
there's nobody in the house.
Speaker 1: Honey, Oh, there couldn't be. I came right out to
the kitchen and there's nobody here.
Speaker 4: Alma, What are you trying to do to me?
Speaker 9: Okay, I'll speak to their parents again this evening. Any
sign of Grayson Harriet?
Speaker 8: Oh no, And I'm getting kind of worried. I know
they wanted to get home yesterday. Harry was supposed to go.
Speaker 1: Back to work this morning.
Speaker 4: Alma. Listen to me, Alma.
Speaker 2: I decided to take an extra few days or something.
I wouldn't worry you locked the now.
Speaker 4: Yes, I will bye, Alma.
Speaker 1: Please. I wish I knew what happened to Grayson. Harry.
Speaker 4: Alma, I'm here. I'm here in the kitchen with you.
Speaker 1: Well, I guess they can take care of themselves. Hellen, Ellen,
I'm back. Listen, will you knock it off with the
typing and look at me? For Pete's sake. I'm Harry Clayton.
I've been here almost three years, damn it. Look at me.
Stop that typing, all right? If you won't talk to me,
maybe Dave Green will listen, Dave, I want to know
what's going on here. I walk into the office where
I've been working for three years, and she will tell Helen,
why did you.
Speaker 7: Open this Door's the door now, mister Green, I've been
sitting right here.
Speaker 1: Funny, Okay, give mister Bradwell on the phone. Tell him
it's about the ocean, mistic count Lessen, Dave, I've had
just about enough of this.
Speaker 2: How could it blow open? There's not a breath of
air in this place.
Speaker 1: Come on, day But joke said joke, You know perfectly well.
I'm standing right here beside you. Yes, Oh, how's it going, Ernie?
Listen about that ocean? Miss copy. I know. But Clayton
hasn't come in yet this morning day for fet so
he'll be here, all right.
Speaker 2: He's a dependable guy.
Speaker 1: Let's give him another day. He may have had some
kind of car problem. You know, he's fast. We won't
lose any time waiting. Don't worry. He'll show up or
he'll be good and sorry.
Speaker 3: Is it possible for a man suddenly to become invisible
for the people around him? Unable to make himself either
seen or heard. Well, it certainly isn't ordinary, But since
it seems to be happening to Harry Clayton and to
his wife Grace, it must be possible. Imagine the feeling
of total isolation. Imagine the loneliness. I do hope you'll
be able to hear me when I return shortly. With
that two, something has gone terribly wrong in the usually
quiet lives of Grace and Harry Clayton. They find first
of all that their telephone, water, and electric services have
been cut off. And then, worse still, far far worse,
they find that they themselves have been cut off, cut
off completely from the comfort and warmth of human interchange.
Other people, friends, and strangers alike, are unable either to
see or hear them.
Speaker 1: Grace, Grace, what are you doing sitting out here on
the curb, Grace? What is it? What's happened?
Speaker 4: ALM's mad at me?
Speaker 1: She won't speak to me exactly.
Speaker 4: I'm not even there.
Speaker 1: Well, what are you doing sitting out here on the curve?
Speaker 4: No, I locked myself out. I took my purse, but
I can't buy my key in it, and I can't
get in the out.
Speaker 1: You say, Alma acts as if you're not even there,
And I think it's me and I told her so,
the same things happening to me, Grace.
Speaker 4: I'm's mad at you two.
Speaker 1: I mean, people don't see me or hear me when
I speak. The counterman at the diner, Helen, the receptionist
at the office, even Dave Green the coffee cheese.
Speaker 4: Why should everybody be mad at us all of a sudden.
Speaker 1: I don't think they are, Grace. I think they really
can't see or hear us. Really, cat.
Speaker 4: Oh but that.
Speaker 1: Is impossible, is it. I would have said so yesterday
I would have laughed at the idea. But today it's happening.
Speaker 4: I don't see how it's possible.
Speaker 1: If it's happening, it's got to be possible. Ah, let's
go in the house. Oh I haven't got them.
Speaker 4: Keys are right there in your.
Speaker 1: Hand, not the front or back door keys. How could
they have gotten lost off the ring?
Speaker 4: They must be dead?
Speaker 1: No, no, no, no, they're gone. I had them last night.
We got in all right last night.
Speaker 4: Oh dear, should we try a window now.
Speaker 1: They're all locked? Hey, I still got the car keys.
We can go to a restaurant. No, we can't order.
Speaker 4: I'm not hungry anyway you.
Speaker 1: No, No, I'm not, as you mention it. Well, we've
got to go somewhere. We can't just stand here, Harry.
Speaker 4: Let's go in and try Pete and Alma again.
Speaker 1: I can tell you right now it won't work, and
it's not an experience. I enjoy being treated as though
I don't exist.
Speaker 4: But but we could try once more, couldn't we?
Speaker 1: If it'll make you feel better? Sure, I'm out in
the kitchen, Pete. Do you hear anything from Grayson Harry? No,
not her worry? Hey?
Speaker 2: What's that smell? So good?
Speaker 1: Oh? Just plain old stew love it? How is your
day so so.
Speaker 2: Better than yours? From the way you sound.
Speaker 1: Now, I can't get Grace and Harry off my mind.
Speaker 9: Well it is funny they didn't call us something if
they decided to stay over at the lodge for a while.
Speaker 1: I just now. Don't laugh at me, Pete.
Speaker 10: I almost felt as if Grace was here right here
in the house. Well, come on now, I could have sworn,
you know, right after that screen doors lambs.
Speaker 1: Honestly I could have sworn I heard her call my name.
Speaker 9: I bet your quarter if we called they'd be right
there in the dining room at the lodge having a
drink before dinner.
Speaker 1: Oh could we could we what call the lodge and
see if they're still there? Well?
Speaker 2: Sure if you want to?
Speaker 1: Sure?
Speaker 2: Why not?
Speaker 1: I've got the number written down here somewhere. Oh oh, yes,
is to keep your eye on the stew.
Speaker 2: Don't let it stick a pleasure taste about ready to me?
Speaker 1: Is this a poke with Lodge?
Speaker 4: I'd like to speak.
Speaker 1: To either mister or missus Harry Clayton Please? Is that
quarterbed on Quarterbay? Oh? Okay, you win?
Speaker 8: If they're there and I went if they yes, I see?
Well can you tell me when they checked out yesterday morning?
Early yesterday morning?
Speaker 1: Yes? Well, all right, thank you? Well you heard what
he said.
Speaker 2: Yeah, but it's a long drive.
Speaker 9: They most likely decided to stop at a motel last night.
Speaker 1: Okay, but why aren't they back now?
Speaker 8: They've had the whole day off to drive half the
distance from a poket.
Speaker 1: If they stopped a motel last.
Speaker 2: Night, I don't know. Alma, Hey, what do you want
to bet? That's Grayson Harry right now? I'll go see.
Speaker 1: Oh if they just got in and tell them there's
plenty of stew here for poor.
Speaker 2: Anybody here?
Speaker 4: Is it empty?
Speaker 2: Rotten kids?
Speaker 1: Who was it?
Speaker 2: Was it?
Speaker 1: Grayson? Harry kid's next door?
Speaker 2: Ringing doorbells? Again? I guess there wasn't anybody.
Speaker 4: There, Pete.
Speaker 1: I've got the funniest ceiling.
Speaker 2: Serve the stew Alma. What you need is some good, solid.
Speaker 1: The funniest ceiling. Like they were here.
Speaker 4: There must be something we could have done, Harry, something
to make Pete realize that it was us ringing the doorbell.
Speaker 1: I don't know why. It's the most frustrating thing that
ever Come on, Get in the car, Grace. I don't
know what's happened to us, but I do know that
they don't go the way you expect them to anymore.
Speaker 4: I'm scared, Harry, scared?
Speaker 1: So am I? Oh the car goes that's something anyway, Harry. Yes?
Speaker 4: Can we drive up the camp catchawassee the boys?
Speaker 1: You sure you want to? Oh? Yes? What if they
can't see us or hear us like everybody else? What
if they don't even know where they are?
Speaker 4: But surely surely the boys after all we can see
each other.
Speaker 1: Yes, but we don't know why. All right, we can
try it. I guess we've only got about a half
tankful of gas, though there'll.
Speaker 4: Be plenty of gas stations along the way.
Speaker 1: So but one thing, I don't have much money, six
seven dollars, and I don't know anywhere to get any more.
And if I had one thousand dollars in my pocket,
how would I go about getting a gas station attendant
who doesn't even know I'm there, to put gas in
the car. I don't know what to do, Pete.
Speaker 8: They didn't stay on at the lodge in a poked
They checked out yesterday morning.
Speaker 9: Well they could have decided to go somewhere else.
Speaker 2: I mean, is there really any of our business, Pete?
Speaker 1: There are free Okay.
Speaker 2: Okay, I don't like the looks of it either.
Speaker 1: I think we ought to call the police.
Speaker 9: Now, look, Alma, you don't call the police and say
you have a feeling something's wrong.
Speaker 1: They don't operate that way.
Speaker 2: They'd write you off as a crackpot.
Speaker 1: Well maybe they would.
Speaker 8: Maybe I am a crackpot, but I do have this feeling. Well,
they can write it off if they want to, but
I can.
Speaker 9: Well, all right, all right, if you feel that strongly
about it, I'll call them.
Speaker 1: No I'm the crackpot. I'll do the calling. What do
I do, Pete? Just dial the operator five.
Speaker 2: One six.
Speaker 9: Zero zero zero zero, Okay, if you'd rather I talk
to them.
Speaker 4: No, no, no, no, I'll.
Speaker 1: Hello police Headquartered.
Speaker 8: I want a report what I believe is a missing
person too, missing persons. Their names Harry and Grace Clayton. Yes,
they live at one forty five Hillside Avenue here in Newton.
My name is Alma Road. I live just down the
street from them, at one forty one Hillside. Well, you see,
they've been away on vacation. They stayed at a Pocot
lodge in a Pokeet, Maine. Well they were supposed to
be back home sometime yesterday, and.
Speaker 1: Well they haven't come back.
Speaker 8: Yes, we tried the lodge yesterday morning. Yes, the clerk
said they checked out yesterday morning. Well I suppose it
doesn't sound like much to.
Speaker 1: You, but.
Speaker 8: Oh oh yes, yes that's what I thought too.
Speaker 1: Well will you let us know no matter what you
find out?
Speaker 8: Oh, thank you, officer. That's very good of you. There,
you see, Pete, he said, I was right to call.
Speaker 4: I don't think this station's open, Harry.
Speaker 1: Oh, they're running pretty low on gas. Maybe they don't
lock their pumps.
Speaker 4: Isn't there a light in that window around there on
the sign?
Speaker 1: Huh oh yeah, looks like it. Hu huh Okay, I'll
go around and if there's somebody there, I'll offer to
buy six dollars worth of gas. And if there isn't anybody,
or if he doesn't hear me, I'll just help myself.
Speaker 4: Well, I don't know whether to come with you or
wait here.
Speaker 1: Wait here, I won't be long. Hello there, I'd like
to buy some gasoline, six dollars worth of gas, if
you're open for business. If you don't sell me six
dollars worth, I'm going to steal a whole tank. Put Okay,
that's the way you want it.
Speaker 4: Did you talk to him?
Speaker 1: Yeah, sure, I talked to him. He didn't answer me,
of course, but I talked to him. He may have
been asleep. He was leaning back in a swivel chair
with his eyes shut.
Speaker 4: Well, didn't you shake him or anything?
Speaker 1: No?
Speaker 3: No, I.
Speaker 1: Didn't want to touch him. Wait a minute, let me
see if I can make this pump work. Ah, it works,
turns itself off when it's full.
Speaker 4: Harry, Yes, Why didn't you want to touch him?
Speaker 1: I don't know. I've been thinking about that. I haven't
felt like touching anybody all day. On the train earlier,
I kept dodging and ducking so I wouldn't touch the
other passengers. Why. Well, I guess I don't really know.
Maybe I was afraid that they wouldn't feel it if
I touched them.
Speaker 4: But you picked up the pump hose and put it
in the tank. I mean, I mean, if you could
do that.
Speaker 1: I don't, let's go right as soon as the tank's full. See,
the gas hose is a thing. I'm afraid to touch people.
I'm afraid to.
Speaker 2: I'll get it.
Speaker 1: It could be the police, I'll get it anyway.
Speaker 2: Alma, you've already done your part. Hello.
Speaker 9: Yes, mister Rhodes. Oh yes, sergeant, it was my wife
who called you earlier. Well, I don't know exactly. I'd
say early forties. Maybe she's in her late thirties.
Speaker 2: Oh lord, who No, No, that doesn't seem likely.
Speaker 9: Well, yes, yes, I guess we could do that about
twenty minutes.
Speaker 2: Yes, and thank you very much, Sagean.
Speaker 1: Have they found them, Well, they don't know yet.
Speaker 9: There was an accident yesterday afternoon just the Manhattan side
of the Cross Island cut off.
Speaker 5: Oh no, no, no.
Speaker 9: Now wait please, Alman, they don't know yet. Two people,
a man and a woman, were hurt, but they didn't
have any identification on them. Now that doesn't seem likely,
does it. I mean that Grace and Harry would travel
without identification.
Speaker 2: I mean monday, But it looks bad.
Speaker 4: Oh.
Speaker 9: They want us to come over to Union Hospital and
make an identification if we.
Speaker 4: Can, Harry, are you sure you made the right turn
back there?
Speaker 1: I've driven this road a hundred times, Harry. Uh.
Speaker 4: You remember that man who came to see us this morning?
Speaker 1: What was his name? Uh? Handy, mister Handy.
Speaker 4: Yes, yes, I wish we'd gone with him wherever it
was he wanted us to go.
Speaker 1: Maybe it didn't seem like a very good idea at
the time though, but.
Speaker 4: At least he could see us and hear us.
Speaker 1: Yeah, you're right kind of to think of it. He's
the only one who's been able to all day, Harry.
Speaker 4: Yes, do you want to know what I think has
happened to us?
Speaker 1: All right?
Speaker 4: I think we're dead.
Speaker 3: The most perplexing mystery of all or death. Philosophers have
devoted lifetimes to puzzling over it, and the best they've
come up with is pure surmise. Is to be sure,
the cessation of life as we know it, but few
of us can believe that it represents the absolute end.
There must be a continuation, and in the nature of
this continuation.
Speaker 1: Lies the mystery.
Speaker 3: Are we mirroring a solution, well, one solution perabs we'll
see when I return shortly with Act three. For the
rest of the world, Grace and Harry Clayton have apparently
ceased to exist. Although they move about among people as
they have always done, these people are now quite unaware
of their presence. Grace has come to believe that they
are actually dead, and that the mysterious thing.
Speaker 1: That has happened to them is life after death.
Speaker 3: They're on their way now to see their two boys,
Tim and Benny at Campcachawa.
Speaker 1: They suddenly feel a great need to do this. No,
I don't think so, don't think what alright? They we're dead?
I mean, what it be like? This? Is this just
this what it's all about?
Speaker 4: Well, then what is it? If it isn't death.
Speaker 1: I don't know.
Speaker 4: Could it be some kind of an of an in
between thing? I mean, like like purgatory or or limbo
or or I don't know what you'd call it, but
but could it be something like that?
Speaker 1: It could be anything. It could be ohright, make a
right here. DI want the boys be in bed, Bunna.
Speaker 4: I don't care. We can go into their cabins and
and well we can look at them. At least nobody
can keep us from doing that.
Speaker 1: No, you think it's for the last time, don't you.
Speaker 5: Grace, Yes, you stay here in the waiting room, Mamma,
I'll go.
Speaker 2: In and see them.
Speaker 1: I ought to go in there with you.
Speaker 9: If I weren't, what would be the point in case
it should be Harry and Grace. It wouldn't help matters
for both of us to have to see them.
Speaker 6: Pete, Yes it.
Speaker 1: Is Grace and Harry.
Speaker 9: Yes are they they're still alive. Doctor says he doesn't
see how it's possible, but they're both still alive.
Speaker 1: Is there any hope at all?
Speaker 2: Well, there's always hope. I'm quoting the doctor.
Speaker 1: I don't understand about no identification.
Speaker 2: Yeah, yeah, neither does anyone else.
Speaker 9: There just wasn't anything in his pockets or her bag either.
Speaker 1: Would they have been dropped?
Speaker 9: I don't think there was time look, I told the
doctor we'd wait, but if you'd rather.
Speaker 1: No, No, I want to stay.
Speaker 8: The only thing is I think I'm I'm going to cry.
Speaker 2: Now you go ahead, Maybe I will too.
Speaker 4: What's this the office? Why are you stopping at the office.
Speaker 1: Well, maybe the council talked to us. Well he might
just because.
Speaker 4: We know better, Harry, Yeah, okay, but anyway, we don't
know what cabin Tim and Benny are in.
Speaker 1: They must have a record of it somewhere in the office.
Speaker 4: Tim wrote that they have a little cabin all to themselves.
Speaker 1: These prices, they should have room service if if you're right,
what about the boys?
Speaker 4: I don't know. My sister I guess and her husband
Alice and Fred. They'll be good to them.
Speaker 1: And oh, honey, we don't know, not yet. We're not sure. Okay,
good evening. We're mister and missus Clayton, Tim and Benny's parents,
and there's John Finch. I'm sorry to bother you while
you're on the phone here you Harry, Hey, Clara, how's
it going. Yeah, I'm stuck here tonight, you know, just
waiting for the phone to ring or whatever. If you
could just take a second or two and tell us
which cabin, tim and Benny Clayton.
Speaker 4: Were and we find it for ourselves. Harry, he doesn't
know we're here.
Speaker 1: Let's check this filing seven as as long as I
got this place to my What the devil? Hey, just
hang on a minute, Clara, Health Chart seasonal fly.
Speaker 2: I did that?
Speaker 9: Now?
Speaker 1: Wait, wait a minute. Who's in here? This could be it?
Speaker 4: Yes, Arnold Barlow, Yes, yes, here it is Clayton, Timothy
and Benjamin cabin number seven.
Speaker 1: Minute that phone back in there. Oh lord, let's go Grace.
Speaker 4: Clara. Hey, Clara, something screwy's going on here?
Speaker 1: Can you read the number on the door there? It's
so dark?
Speaker 4: Yeah, this is it?
Speaker 1: Number seven? Are you?
Speaker 4: Are you going to try to talk to the Mary?
Speaker 1: We'll see and there must be a light switch somewhere.
Oh here.
Speaker 10: Oh, they look like angels when they're asleep.
Speaker 1: All kids do? You don't have to whisper? Oh, I
have it. I guess you want to try to wake
from us?
Speaker 4: No, No, I think I'd rather not look at that, Tana.
Speaker 1: Benny he's been living in the sound. Yeah. I think
it's bleached his hair some too.
Speaker 4: Oh, Jim's got a big scrape place right on the
end of his nose. Oh, Harry, I.
Speaker 1: Think we'd better get out of here, Greg, Not just yet, please,
it might be the last.
Speaker 4: Can't we stay for just.
Speaker 1: A little while? All right, We'll I have to go eventually.
Speaker 4: Benny's Oh, Benny's been biting his nails again.
Speaker 1: Mister Handy.
Speaker 3: Will you come in now, Yes, sir, I'm sure you
know why you're here, mister Handy.
Speaker 1: The Clayton situation, of course. I'd just like to point
out though, that if the computer hadn't malfund.
Speaker 11: She managed for a good many hundreds of years before.
Speaker 1: We had the computer.
Speaker 11: You know, Yes, sir, the situation as it stands is
quite intolerable. We've lost them, lost them. They wandered away,
drove their car, I believe, and the computer, even now
in good working order, hasn't been able to locate them.
Oh dear, Yes, you made contact.
Speaker 1: This morning and then let them get away. Isn't that true?
They wouldn't come with me, sir, They absolutely refused. Well,
it's still your assignment.
Speaker 11: Assignment, Go and find them, mister Handy, Go and find
Grace and Harry Clayton.
Speaker 1: But if the computer can't find you.
Speaker 6: Must Pete, what did the doctor.
Speaker 2: Say they're gone out, Pete. It's a blessing.
Speaker 9: Really, they were so well, they were just too sadly
banged up, brain damage in both cases and just too much. Well,
we've got to call Grace's sister.
Speaker 2: You want to or shall I?
Speaker 1: No, I'll do it now.
Speaker 4: What are we out of gas?
Speaker 1: No? Not according to the gauge. Damn things, just stop,
that's all.
Speaker 4: What are we going to do now, Harry?
Speaker 1: I don't know. Just sit here, I guess, or get
out and walk in the fog. I don't think it
matters much.
Speaker 4: We can't just leave the car sitting here in the
road like this, can we?
Speaker 1: How long since we've seen a car, Grace?
Speaker 4: Well not for a long time.
Speaker 1: Listen but what just listen? Do you hear anything anything
at all?
Speaker 4: Well, it's it's nighttime, a foggy night. Nobody, no frogs,
no crickets, absolutely nothing. It's scary with the fuck everything, yeah,
especially everything, mister Clayton, missus Clayton. Yes, we're here, we're
right here. Do you think it's mister handy?
Speaker 6: Harry?
Speaker 1: I don't know. Somebody knows we're alive at least or
that we're not.
Speaker 4: Is it you? Mister handy, Yes, it's me.
Speaker 1: Don't go away. Oh my goodness, what a time I
had finding you. You shouldn't have left the house so
we couldn't get back in. We both lost our keys somewhere. Yes, well,
it doesn't matter now, does it.
Speaker 4: Mister Handy? Are we dead?
Speaker 1: Yes, you are. Now the computer's been fixed. What's a
computer got to do with it? You see, when the
truck crashed across the divider and hit your car on
the way home from Maine, you know, just at that
moment the computer malfunctioned. It didn't record your debts. So well,
of course you weren't properly dead or properly alive either,
and all sorts of things when Haywire. We're really terribly sorry.
Speaker 4: So that's how it was. It seems so strange. We
didn't well, we didn't even notice.
Speaker 1: It was instantaneous, or would have been except for that
miserable computer. You've been in a coma while. We got
it repaired. So what happens now? Well, you aren't going
to make trouble about coming along with me this time?
Are you?
Speaker 2: Oh?
Speaker 1: No, no, not this time. Oh good, that's fine, and
everything's all right, except we.
Speaker 4: Have two children, you know, mister handy.
Speaker 1: But they're provided for, aren't they.
Speaker 4: Well, we'll we'll never see them again.
Speaker 1: What do you mean, you'll never see them again?
Speaker 4: We're dead, they're they're alive.
Speaker 1: Well, but they'll die of course, why eventually everybody does
you know that? Oh? Well, at least we get to
see them once more. But to wait a lifetime, No,
my dear little hardly seem longer than drawing in a
breath and breathing it out again. We're dealing with eternity here,
you know.
Speaker 2: Well, perhaps that's the.
Speaker 1: Way it happens, Perhaps it isn't.
Speaker 3: All we can do is pass the story along to
you as it came to us.
Speaker 1: Each of us, whether he is aware of it or.
Speaker 3: Not, has his own thoughts upon death and what follows it,
based on what he has witnessed, what he feels in
his heart, and maybe on what he has heard on
mystery theater.
Speaker 1: I'll be back shortly.
Speaker 3: There is no way to give you a follow up
on what happened after the end of our story. We
are not privy to that information, and we like to believe,
and do believe that all went well and that we've
given you as happy an ending as a story about
death can have. Our cast included Augusta Dabney, Robert Dryden,
Joan Shay, Nat Polham and Robert Maxwell. The entire production
was under the direction of Hyman Brown and now a
preview of our next tale, Where.
Speaker 4: Do you feelil?
Speaker 5: What is so much but your hair?
Speaker 4: Sit down on the rock? Cast me?
Speaker 1: Maybe?
Speaker 12: Maybe if I had a Brandy telephone call No no, no, no, craze,
he's operating at seven. I'm just going to kill.
Speaker 10: Something might face through the red cloth and I'll be
right off.
Speaker 12: I heard them every word. They're coming back killers. Oh
what shall I do? Is a tool to call the police?
Speaker 1: Term in the money?
Speaker 12: Maybe not?
Speaker 1: But give up eighty.
Speaker 12: Thousand dollars because I'm afraid of a pair of hootings. Quote.
Speaker 2: If I got to be afraid of.
Speaker 12: Say they confront me, I tell them that I haven't.
Speaker 1: Got the money. Would they risk shooting me? Now?
Speaker 2: I won't give up that money.
Speaker 1: I vote Radio.
Speaker 3: Mystery Theater were sponsored in part by Buick Motor Division
and Anheuser Busch Incorporated brewers of Budweiser. This is Eg
Marshall inviting you to return to our Mystery Theater for
another adventure in the macabre. Until next time, pleasant dreams.
Speaker 1: BA back