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X Minus One - "Bad Medicine" (Old Time Radio, 1956) · X Minus One | Old Time Radio

• 0:00
  Speaker 1: July 10th, 1956, NBC Radio presented episode 59 of X-1,
• 0:06
  Speaker 1: Bad Medicine. In New York City of 2103, troubled jet
• 0:11
  Speaker 1: bus operator Elwood Caswell seeks help for a dangerous obsession
• 0:15
  Speaker 1: and buys a home mechanical therapist. The appliance, called Gloop,
• 0:20
  Speaker 1: has been programmed around Martian psychology rather than human experience,
• 0:25
  Speaker 1: an awkward complication as it begins its diagnosis. George Lefferts
• 0:30
  Speaker 1: adapted Robert Sheckley's story, published under the name Finn O'Donovan
• 0:35
  Speaker 1: in Galaxy Science Fiction. Bob Maurer directed, with Norman Rose
• 0:39
  Speaker 1: as the mechanical therapist and Cliff Carpenter as Caswell. And now,
• 0:45
  Speaker 1: the original broadcast.
• 0:47
  Speaker 2: In just a moment, X-1.
• 0:49
  Speaker 3: But first, after a hard day's work, there's nothing more
• 0:51
  Speaker 3: welcome than an evening of variety entertainment. That's just the
• 0:55
  Speaker 3: tonic provided tomorrow night by NBC Radio. You'll laugh your
• 0:59
  Speaker 3: cares away when good-natured contestants carry out the rib-tickling stunts
• 1:02
  Speaker 3: dreamed up by MC Jack Bailey on NBC's Truth or Consequences.
• 1:06
  Speaker 3: Later on, Groucho Marx pets things up with lots of
• 1:09
  Speaker 3: spontaneous good fun and more of the friendly insults at
• 1:12
  Speaker 3: which he is so accomplished. For a brighter, livelier evening
• 1:15
  Speaker 3: tomorrow night, it's Groucho Marx and Truth or Consequences on
• 1:19
  Speaker 3: this station. Now stay tuned for X-1 on NBC.
• 1:30
  Speaker 4: Countdown for blastoff.
• 1:32
  Speaker 2: X minus 5, 4, 3, 2, X minus 1, fire.
• 2:05
  Speaker 4: From the far horizons of the unknown come transcribed tales
• 2:08
  Speaker 4: of new dimensions in time and space.
• 2:12
  Speaker 2: These are stories of the future.
• 2:14
  Speaker 4: Adventures in which you'll live in a million could-be years
• 2:17
  Speaker 4: on a thousand maybe worlds. The National Broadcasting Company, in
• 2:21
  Speaker 4: cooperation with Galaxy Science Fiction Magazine, presents.
• 2:25
  Speaker 5: X minus 1.
• 2:39
  Speaker 4: Tonight, Bad Medicine by Finn O'Donovan. But first, farmers know
• 2:47
  Speaker 4: they can't stop storms, floods, or droughts from ruining a crop.
• 2:51
  Speaker 4: But they can make sure things like that can't ruin
• 2:54
  Speaker 4: them by investing in United States savings bonds. Not only farmers,
• 2:58
  Speaker 4: but over 40 million Americans in all sorts of jobs
• 3:02
  Speaker 4: own 40 billions of savings bonds.
• 3:05
  Speaker 5: And why?
• 3:06
  Speaker 4: Because savings bonds are the easy way to start saving
• 3:09
  Speaker 4: and to keep saving. And the money you invest in
• 3:11
  Speaker 4: savings bonds mean protection now and ready cash when you
• 3:15
  Speaker 4: need it in the future. Improving the farm, sending the
• 3:18
  Speaker 4: youngsters to college, or planning your own retirement. These are
• 3:22
  Speaker 4: the big things you can be ready for with savings bonds.
• 3:26
  Speaker 4: And besides offering you a safe investment, each Series E
• 3:29
  Speaker 4: savings bond pays you back $ 4 at maturity for every
• 3:32
  Speaker 4: three you invest. Yes, you earn extra dollars while you save,
• 3:36
  Speaker 4: so start saving now. For the big things in your life,
• 3:40
  Speaker 4: be ready with United States Savings Bonds. And now, on
• 3:47
  Speaker 4: with our story.
• 3:50
  Speaker 6: On May 2nd, 2103, Elwood Caswell walked rapidly down Broadway.
• 4:06
  Speaker 4: It was a gentle, misty spring day, and the air
• 4:09
  Speaker 4: held the smell of rain and blossoming trees. But Elwood
• 4:12
  Speaker 4: Caswell didn't smell the rain and the trees. He just
• 4:16
  Speaker 4: gripped the loaded gun he had in his pocket. He
• 4:19
  Speaker 4: didn't want to use the weapon, but he was certain
• 4:21
  Speaker 4: that he would. This was justifiable. You see, Elwood Caswell
• 4:26
  Speaker 4: was a homicidal maniac. Why shouldn't I kill him?
• 4:37
  Speaker 2: Hey, look out, will you? Oh, sorry, sir. Only the
• 4:42
  Speaker 2: other day he said to me, Elwood, you're looking very well.
• 4:47
  Speaker 7: What business is it of his.
• 4:48
  Speaker 2: How I look? Hey there, Elwood.
• 4:50
  Speaker 7: Elwood.
• 4:50
  Speaker 8: Huh?
• 4:51
  Speaker 2: It's me, Marty Klein. I work on the jet buses
• 4:54
  Speaker 2: with you, remember? Oh, yeah, of course.
• 4:55
  Speaker 7: Hello, Marty. Forgive me, my mind was.
• 4:58
  Speaker 2: It was another thing. Yeah, I know how it is.
• 5:00
  Speaker 2: A couple of weeks ago, I was walking around a
• 5:02
  Speaker 2: fog so thick you could cut it.
• 5:04
  Speaker 8: Yeah, really?
• 5:05
  Speaker 5: Sure.
• 5:05
  Speaker 2: Preoccupied. You know, I had this idea in my mind.
• 5:08
  Speaker 7: You too? Yeah. The same person?
• 5:10
  Speaker 9: Huh?
• 5:11
  Speaker 7: Were you troubled by the same person? My wife.
• 5:14
  Speaker 2: Hey, you okay? Oh, oh, yeah.
• 5:17
  Speaker 7: Yes, yes, of course.
• 5:17
  Speaker 2: Well, I had this idea, see? I was going to
• 5:20
  Speaker 2: get rid of my wife.
• 5:21
  Speaker 5: Kill her?
• 5:22
  Speaker 2: Kill her? I mean, send her to a country for
• 5:24
  Speaker 2: a week.
• 5:25
  Speaker 5: Oh.
• 5:26
  Speaker 2: Be sure you ain't sick.
• 5:27
  Speaker 7: No, I never felt better.
• 5:29
  Speaker 2: Well, anyway, I was going to take a week off.
• 5:31
  Speaker 2: Quit the jet buses. Can you imagine? I've been a
• 5:34
  Speaker 2: jet bus operator for 10 years now, and all of
• 5:37
  Speaker 2: a sudden, I feel like I can't take it for
• 5:39
  Speaker 2: another minute.
• 5:39
  Speaker 7: I know how you feel.
• 5:41
  Speaker 2: I was going to take a trip all by myself.
• 5:44
  Speaker 2: A trip? To where? To the farthest place I could think,
• 5:47
  Speaker 2: to Mars. I was just going to pick up and
• 5:50
  Speaker 2: take a vacation on Mars. Silly, huh?
• 5:52
  Speaker 7: I don't know.
• 5:52
  Speaker 2: What happened? Well, I talked it over with Ethel.
• 5:55
  Speaker 7: Your wife?
• 5:56
  Speaker 10: Yeah.
• 5:56
  Speaker 2: Ethel, she's a real sensible girl. You know what she did.
• 6:00
  Speaker 7: No, am I supposed to?
• 6:01
  Speaker 2: Well, Ethel went right down to that home therapy appliance store,
• 6:05
  Speaker 2: and she says, you got a home therapy machine that'll
• 6:08
  Speaker 2: cure my husband of this idea he can't stay on
• 6:10
  Speaker 2: the jet buses?
• 6:11
  Speaker 7: I've heard that those machines aren't perfected.
• 6:13
  Speaker 2: They got them licked now. So, okay, she describes the trouble,
• 6:17
  Speaker 2: and next day they deliver this thing, and boom, I
• 6:19
  Speaker 2: plug it in, see? And? And a voice talks to me.
• 6:23
  Speaker 2: It starts asking me questions.
• 6:25
  Speaker 7: Yeah, what kind of questions? All kinds.
• 6:27
  Speaker 2: Things I wouldn't even tell my own mother.
• 6:30
  Speaker 7: You told the machine?
• 6:31
  Speaker 2: Why not? It's only a machine.
• 6:33
  Speaker 7: Yeah, I see your point.
• 6:34
  Speaker 2: Well, then the machine starts to tell me a few things.
• 6:37
  Speaker 2: And before I knew it, inside a week, I'm cured. Now,
• 6:41
  Speaker 2: I can't wait to go back driving the jet buses.
• 6:43
  Speaker 2: You don't say. So that's why I say I know
• 6:46
  Speaker 2: how it is to have one thing on your mind
• 6:48
  Speaker 2: all the time like that.
• 6:49
  Speaker 7: This machine, what did it cost you?
• 6:51
  Speaker 2: That's the beauty part of it. Boy, she's a smart girl.
• 6:55
  Speaker 2: After a week, she sends it back. She says it
• 6:57
  Speaker 2: don't work. So all we lose is the deposit.
• 7:00
  Speaker 7: I see.
• 7:01
  Speaker 2: Well, I got to go back to work now. Hey,
• 7:04
  Speaker 2: ain't you working the jet buses today?
• 7:06
  Speaker 5: Huh?
• 7:07
  Speaker 7: No, I'm off today.
• 7:08
  Speaker 2: Well, I'll see you, Elwood.
• 7:09
  Speaker 7: Yeah, see you, Marty. What was the name of that place?
• 7:12
  Speaker 2: Where they sell the home therapy machines.
• 7:14
  Speaker 11: Yeah.
• 7:15
  Speaker 2: Home therapy appliances. It's right down Broadway, about two blocks
• 7:18
  Speaker 2: from here.
• 7:18
  Speaker 7: So long, Elwood.
• 7:23
  Speaker 4: Perspiring freely, Elwood Caswell continued down Broadway toward 43rd Street.
• 7:27
  Speaker 4: His friend Magnuson would be finishing work soon, returning to
• 7:30
  Speaker 4: his apartment less than a block from Caswell's. Elwood gripped
• 7:33
  Speaker 4: the gun tighter. How pleasant it would be to saunter in,
• 7:36
  Speaker 4: exchange a word with him, and then.
• 7:40
  Speaker 2: No.
• 7:41
  Speaker 7: No, I won't do it.
• 7:42
  Speaker 2: I don't really want to kill anybody. It isn't right.
• 7:47
  Speaker 7: Think what'll happen. The authorities will lock me up. My
• 7:51
  Speaker 7: friends won't understand, and.
• 7:54
  Speaker 2: Mother. Mother would never approve. Still, if I see Magnus...
• 8:01
  Speaker 2: I see his hateful, accusing face in front of me. Oh,
• 8:07
  Speaker 2: this must be the store. Yeah.
• 8:10
  Speaker 7: Home therapy appliances.
• 8:14
  Speaker 2: Good afternoon, sir. Can I show you some of our
• 8:16
  Speaker 2: home therapy appliances?
• 8:18
  Speaker 7: I want therapy.
• 8:19
  Speaker 2: Quick. Of course, sir. This way, please.
• 8:22
  Speaker 12: Now then, this is our new alcoholic reliever built by
• 8:25
  Speaker 12: International Combustion Motors and advertised in leading magazines. A handsome
• 8:28
  Speaker 12: piece of furniture. I think you will agree, you're not
• 8:31
  Speaker 12: out of place in any home. It also opens into
• 8:33
  Speaker 12: a television set.
• 8:34
  Speaker 7: Look, what I need... Therapy, of course.
• 8:36
  Speaker 12: I just want to point out this model need never
• 8:38
  Speaker 12: cause embarrassment to you, your friends, or your loved ones. Notice,
• 8:42
  Speaker 12: if you will, the recessed dial which controls the desired
• 8:45
  Speaker 12: degree of alcoholism. You see, heavy, moderate, social, light, and teetotal.
• 8:53
  Speaker 12: A new feature unique in mechanotherapy.
• 8:55
  Speaker 7: I'm not alcoholic. The New York Jet Bus Authority does
• 8:58
  Speaker 7: not hire alcoholics.
• 8:59
  Speaker 2: Oh, sorry. You seem the type. No offense. I.
• 9:02
  Speaker 7: Please.
• 9:03
  Speaker 2: You seem rather nervous. Perhaps the portable anxiety reducer.
• 9:06
  Speaker 9: No.
• 9:07
  Speaker 2: Well, sir, perhaps if you told me just what you
• 9:09
  Speaker 2: feel is bothering you.
• 9:10
  Speaker 7: What have you got for homicidal mania? I beg your pardon? Homicide.
• 9:15
  Speaker 7: The urge to kill someone.
• 9:17
  Speaker 11: Oh.
• 9:17
  Speaker 2: Oh, of course. Well, let's see now.
• 9:18
  Speaker 7: Pardon me. Have you worked here very long?
• 9:20
  Speaker 2: A week.
• 9:21
  Speaker 11: Oh, yes.
• 9:22
  Speaker 2: Here's the ticket. This black job with the chrome trim.
• 9:24
  Speaker 7: What is it?
• 9:24
  Speaker 2: This, uh, is a Rex Regenerator. Built by Planetary Motors Corporation. Handsome, hmm?
• 9:29
  Speaker 12: Goes with any decor. Opens into a well-stocked little bar.
• 9:32
  Speaker 12: So your family, friends, loved ones need never.
• 9:35
  Speaker 7: Well, if your homicidal urge is strong.
• 9:38
  Speaker 2: Oh, absolutely.
• 9:39
  Speaker 12: Don't confuse this with the little 10-amp neurosis model. This
• 9:42
  Speaker 12: is a hefty, heavy-duty, 25-amp machine for really deep-rooted conditions.
• 9:47
  Speaker 2: That's what I've got. Well, this baby will jolt you
• 9:49
  Speaker 2: out of it.
• 9:50
  Speaker 12: Big, heavy-duty thrust bearings, oversized heat absorbers, completely insulated, sensitivity
• 9:55
  Speaker 12: range over.
• 9:55
  Speaker 2: I'll take it. Yes, sir. With me, right now.
• 9:59
  Speaker 5: Now.
• 9:59
  Speaker 2: Before it's too late.
• 10:00
  Speaker 7: Late I'll pay cash Well.
• 10:01
  Speaker 2: Yes, sir It'll be a few hours before the warehouse can.
• 10:04
  Speaker 7: I'll take this one here Well, that's a.
• 10:06
  Speaker 2: Floor demonstrator Does it work? All of our demonstrators work.
• 10:09
  Speaker 9: Then I'll take it I can't wait for a warehouse
• 10:11
  Speaker 9: I can't wait for anything Have it put in a
• 10:13
  Speaker 9: taxi for me.
• 10:14
  Speaker 2: Yes, sir.
• 10:15
  Speaker 7: Tell him to hurry. I want to kill my friend Magnuson,
• 10:17
  Speaker 7: you know.
• 10:18
  Speaker 8: Who?
• 10:19
  Speaker 7: My friend, Magnuson.
• 10:20
  Speaker 2: Of course.
• 10:20
  Speaker 12: That'll be $ 400. 59, sales tax included.
• 10:31
  Speaker 4: After Elwood Caswell left the store, the clerk, whose name
• 10:34
  Speaker 4: was Haskins, smiled to himself and lighted a cigarette.
• 10:37
  Speaker 2: He had made his first sale.
• 10:39
  Speaker 8: He inhaled.
• 10:41
  Speaker 2: Haskins?
• 10:41
  Speaker 10: Yes, Mr.
• 10:42
  Speaker 2: Follensbee?
• 10:43
  Speaker 7: Smoking, smoking.
• 10:44
  Speaker 2: I asked you to rid yourself of that filthy habit. Immediately, Mr. Follensbee.
• 10:47
  Speaker 12: I'll use one of the display model denicotinizers at once.
• 10:51
  Speaker 12: By the way, I just made a rather good sale, sir.
• 10:54
  Speaker 2: Oh, really? Yes, sir. One of our big Rex regenerators.
• 10:57
  Speaker 7: Well, now, it isn't often we.
• 11:00
  Speaker 5: Wait a minute.
• 11:01
  Speaker 2: Where's the floor model? Well, sir, the customer was in
• 11:04
  Speaker 2: an awful hurry. He was going to kill his friend.
• 11:05
  Speaker 2: You gave him the floor model?
• 11:08
  Speaker 5: Yes, sir.
• 11:08
  Speaker 2: Was there any reason why.
• 11:09
  Speaker 7: Oh, grief, Haskins. Didn't I inform you we never sell
• 11:12
  Speaker 7: a floor model?
• 11:13
  Speaker 5: But, sir.
• 11:13
  Speaker 2: Good heavens! I've got to get to him.
• 11:16
  Speaker 7: What was his address?
• 11:17
  Speaker 2: Address? His name, then. He didn't say.
• 11:20
  Speaker 7: Then his check.
• 11:21
  Speaker 2: But he paid cash.
• 11:22
  Speaker 7: You mean you just had him pick up the machine
• 11:23
  Speaker 7: and walk out?
• 11:24
  Speaker 2: Well, sir, he paid cash. He was homicidal, you say?
• 11:27
  Speaker 5: Yes, sir.
• 11:27
  Speaker 2: His friend.
• 11:28
  Speaker 7: I don't care about his friend.
• 11:30
  Speaker 2: Get the police. No, no, no, no. Call the Planetary
• 11:32
  Speaker 2: Motor Security Division.
• 11:33
  Speaker 7: Quick.
• 11:34
  Speaker 2: Yes, sir, at once.
• 11:35
  Speaker 7: Well, well.
• 11:35
  Speaker 2: Excuse me, Mr.
• 11:36
  Speaker 5: Farnsby.
• 11:36
  Speaker 2: What will I tell them?
• 11:37
  Speaker 7: Tell them?
• 11:38
  Speaker 2: You fool.
• 11:39
  Speaker 13: Tell them that one of our customers accidentally got that
• 11:42
  Speaker 13: display regenerator they sent us.
• 11:43
  Speaker 7: The one they shipped by accident. They were going to
• 11:45
  Speaker 7: replace it tomorrow.
• 11:46
  Speaker 2: Yes, and the one they shipped by accident. Will they know?
• 11:48
  Speaker 13: If they don't be more explicit, tell them we've sold
• 11:52
  Speaker 13: the Marshall model.
• 11:53
  Speaker 2: The one for treating psychotic Martians.
• 12:02
  Speaker 4: Meanwhile, Elwood Caswell had returned to his apartment and lugged
• 12:05
  Speaker 4: the big black Rex regenerator into his living room.
• 12:08
  Speaker 7: He put it down near the couch and studied it carefully.
• 12:12
  Speaker 2: He was right. It does go with the room. Now then,
• 12:15
  Speaker 2: let's see those instructions.
• 12:19
  Speaker 7: Place regenerator near a comfortable couch.
• 12:22
  Speaker 2: All right.
• 12:24
  Speaker 7: Plug-in machine.
• 12:25
  Speaker 2: There.
• 12:28
  Speaker 7: A fixed contact band to your forehead. That's all there
• 12:32
  Speaker 7: is to it. Just turn on the machine and it
• 12:35
  Speaker 7: will do the rest. There will be no language problem
• 12:40
  Speaker 7: since your regenerator communicates with you by direct sensory contact,
• 12:44
  Speaker 7: patent pending. Well, it seems easy enough. Now, I'll just
• 12:49
  Speaker 7: put the contact on my head. And... Blast it.
• 12:56
  Speaker 2: Hello?
• 12:57
  Speaker 10: Elwood?
• 12:58
  Speaker 5: Yes? This is Henry. Henry Magnuson. How are you, old boy?
• 13:03
  Speaker 7: I'm fine.
• 13:05
  Speaker 5: Doing anything tonight thought you might like to drop over
• 13:07
  Speaker 5: for a game.
• 13:08
  Speaker 9: Of chess game of chess huh oh stupid oh what nothing.
• 13:14
  Speaker 5: I thought you called me a stupid oh.
• 13:16
  Speaker 7: I guess talking to my cat oh i didn't.
• 13:20
  Speaker 5: Remember you had a cat i thought you.
• 13:21
  Speaker 9: Hated cats oh i do uh this isn't really mine
• 13:24
  Speaker 9: it's a neighbor's uh it keeps coming in oh what
• 13:28
  Speaker 9: about tonight will you be alone well yeah You haven't
• 13:33
  Speaker 9: mentioned to anyone that you're inviting me over?
• 13:35
  Speaker 5: Not at all. Why?
• 13:38
  Speaker 7: Someone's looking for me. A process server.
• 13:41
  Speaker 5: Oh.
• 13:41
  Speaker 7: Now, I've been avoiding him for days. I don't even
• 13:44
  Speaker 7: leave word where I'll be when I go out.
• 13:45
  Speaker 5: You can trust me, Elwood. I'm your best friend.
• 13:48
  Speaker 7: Yes, you are. But not for long.
• 13:50
  Speaker 11: Huh?
• 13:52
  Speaker 7: Just talking to the cat again.
• 13:53
  Speaker 2: Oh.
• 13:53
  Speaker 5: Well, will you be over?
• 13:55
  Speaker 8: Yeah.
• 13:55
  Speaker 5: In about an hour, okay?
• 13:56
  Speaker 7: Yeah, an hour will be fine. There are a few
• 13:58
  Speaker 7: things I have to do first.
• 13:59
  Speaker 5: I've just gotten some new laugh records from the boys
• 14:01
  Speaker 5: at the office. I've got something here that'll really kill you.
• 14:04
  Speaker 5: So long, Elwood.
• 14:05
  Speaker 7: So long. I've got something here that'll kill you, too.
• 14:09
  Speaker 2: X-1 will.
• 14:11
  Speaker 6: Continue in one minute.
• 14:27
  Speaker 13: Each of us has a personal reason for wanting to
• 14:29
  Speaker 13: see cancer conquered. Steve Allen would like to tell you his.
• 14:33
  Speaker 13: I have a wife and three wonderful kids. When I
• 14:36
  Speaker 13: think about cancer going to strike one American in every four, well,
• 14:39
  Speaker 13: that's more than enough reason for wanting to see it conquered.
• 14:42
  Speaker 13: I know that some people don't even want to think
• 14:44
  Speaker 13: about cancer, but pretending it's not a threat, doing an
• 14:47
  Speaker 13: ostrich routine, isn't going to get us anywhere.
• 14:50
  Speaker 10: We've got to stand up to it and fight. We
• 14:53
  Speaker 10: can fight, each and every one of us. Through the
• 14:55
  Speaker 10: American Cancer Society... We can be part of the battle
• 14:58
  Speaker 10: that someday will beat cancer once and for all. That
• 15:01
  Speaker 10: day will come.
• 15:02
  Speaker 5: But you and I have got to help.
• 15:04
  Speaker 10: How about it?
• 15:05
  Speaker 13: Thank you, Steve Allen. Remember, fight cancer with a checkup
• 15:09
  Speaker 13: and a check. See your doctor once a year for
• 15:11
  Speaker 13: a checkup. It's your best cancer insurance. And to help
• 15:15
  Speaker 13: conquer cancer, send a check to your unit of the
• 15:18
  Speaker 13: American Cancer Society.
• 15:20
  Speaker 2: Make it generous.
• 15:21
  Speaker 4: And now, on with our story. Taking the revolver from
• 15:31
  Speaker 4: his pocket, Elwood laid it on the table in front
• 15:33
  Speaker 4: of him. His face became suffused with hatred at the
• 15:36
  Speaker 4: thought of Magnusson. He poked at the gun with a
• 15:39
  Speaker 4: stiff forefinger.
• 15:41
  Speaker 9: Magnusson, you no-good, shifty-eyed enemy of all that's decent in
• 15:46
  Speaker 9: the world.
• 15:47
  Speaker 7: The man who ruined my sister Irene. The man who.
• 15:53
  Speaker 2: Wait a minute, Elwood. You have no sister. Remember?
• 15:58
  Speaker 7: No sister. Now, before you go off and commit murder,
• 16:01
  Speaker 7: why not just try that machine just once, huh? Turn
• 16:05
  Speaker 7: it on.
• 16:06
  Speaker 2: Okay, now, reach over and.
• 16:08
  Speaker 7: Good.
• 16:13
  Speaker 5: Afternoon, Elwood. I am your mechanical therapist. You may call
• 16:16
  Speaker 5: me Gloop.
• 16:17
  Speaker 2: Gloop?
• 16:18
  Speaker 5: You seem surprised. It is a perfectly common name here
• 16:20
  Speaker 5: on this planet.
• 16:22
  Speaker 2: Gloop, of course.
• 16:24
  Speaker 7: I heard it many times.
• 16:25
  Speaker 5: Now then, I am.
• 16:25
  Speaker 14: Scanning the material in your preconscious with the intent of synthesis, diagnosis, prognosis,
• 16:29
  Speaker 14: and treatment.
• 16:30
  Speaker 5: Yes? I find... Hmm. This is a most unusual case.
• 16:35
  Speaker 7: Really? I thought it was simple homicidal mania.
• 16:39
  Speaker 14: There is, of course, no such thing. You are obviously
• 16:41
  Speaker 14: hallucinating a set of symptoms. Nonsense syllables to enable you
• 16:43
  Speaker 14: to avoid the real problem.
• 16:45
  Speaker 5: Oh?
• 16:45
  Speaker 11: Hmm.
• 16:47
  Speaker 5: A most unusual set of symptoms, I must say.
• 16:49
  Speaker 7: Your pilot light seems to be fading.
• 16:51
  Speaker 14: My light is not fading. I am merely trying to
• 16:53
  Speaker 14: relate your symptoms to proven theory.
• 16:56
  Speaker 7: Well, as long as you know what you're doing.
• 16:57
  Speaker 14: Mechanotherapy is an exact science, Elwood. It admits of no
• 17:00
  Speaker 14: significant errors. We will proceed.
• 17:01
  Speaker 7: Good.
• 17:02
  Speaker 5: First, the word association test.
• 17:04
  Speaker 7: Fire away.
• 17:05
  Speaker 5: I will proceed to give a word. You answer with
• 17:07
  Speaker 5: the first thing that comes to your mind. Ready?
• 17:08
  Speaker 2: Ready.
• 17:09
  Speaker 5: House.
• 17:10
  Speaker 2: Home.
• 17:11
  Speaker 5: Planet.
• 17:12
  Speaker 4: Earth.
• 17:12
  Speaker 5: Hmm.
• 17:13
  Speaker 11: Hmm?
• 17:14
  Speaker 5: Just musing. Now, fleafel.
• 17:17
  Speaker 7: Fleafel?
• 17:18
  Speaker 5: Fleafel.
• 17:19
  Speaker 7: That sounds like a Martian word.
• 17:20
  Speaker 5: Just give me a response.
• 17:22
  Speaker 7: Lethal.
• 17:23
  Speaker 2: Hmm?
• 17:24
  Speaker 7: Okay. I can make them up, too. Marfouche. That's a
• 17:29
  Speaker 7: pretty good one, huh? Made it up in the spur
• 17:31
  Speaker 7: of the moment.
• 17:31
  Speaker 14: Marfouche is very significant. It is a corruption of the
• 17:33
  Speaker 14: Martian concept of bush clip. Very significant.
• 17:36
  Speaker 7: I don't know any Martian words.
• 17:38
  Speaker 5: Uh-huh. Noteworthy. We will proceed. Loud. Soft. Green. Mother. Thanagoius.
• 17:44
  Speaker 7: Pathamathanga.
• 17:46
  Speaker 8: How's that one?
• 17:47
  Speaker 5: Anity's.
• 17:49
  Speaker 7: Nexothesmadrustica.
• 17:52
  Speaker 2: Top that.
• 17:53
  Speaker 5: Catithosnohelganoptesies.
• 17:56
  Speaker 9: Okay.
• 17:58
  Speaker 7: Rigamaroo, Kalamazoo, iggity-bibbity-boo.
• 18:01
  Speaker 5: Good. It fits the pattern.
• 18:03
  Speaker 4: Pattern?
• 18:04
  Speaker 5: Your neurosis. I can diagnose it now.
• 18:06
  Speaker 2: Go on.
• 18:06
  Speaker 14: You have a classic case of theme desire, complicated by strong,
• 18:11
  Speaker 14: dorkish intention.
• 18:12
  Speaker 9: I could have sworn I was homicidal.
• 18:14
  Speaker 5: The term has no referent. It must be rejected as nonsense.
• 18:17
  Speaker 10: Now.
• 18:18
  Speaker 5: If you'll just settle back on the couch, we'll proceed.
• 18:27
  Speaker 4: At precisely this moment, a tall, gnarled, ugly man pushed
• 18:31
  Speaker 4: his way through the doors of home therapy appliances. His clothing,
• 18:34
  Speaker 4: unpressed and uncaring, hung on him like corrugated iron. When
• 18:38
  Speaker 4: the clerk, Hoskins, approached him, he flipped back his lapel
• 18:41
  Speaker 4: to show a small silver badge underneath.
• 18:44
  Speaker 5: Sir? Sir?
• 18:45
  Speaker 8: John Wrath, Planetary Motor Security Division.
• 18:47
  Speaker 5: Oh, yes, sir.
• 18:48
  Speaker 2: Mr. Follingsby. Mr. Follingsby.
• 18:53
  Speaker 8: Hello, Follingsby.
• 18:54
  Speaker 7: Mr.
• 18:55
  Speaker 5: Wrath.
• 18:56
  Speaker 2: Well? So far, we haven't a single lead.
• 18:59
  Speaker 8: You certainly never mentioned his name?
• 19:00
  Speaker 7: Oh, yes, sir.
• 19:01
  Speaker 8: I think. Is there anything significant?
• 19:04
  Speaker 7: Is it serious, Mr.
• 19:05
  Speaker 4: Wrath?
• 19:05
  Speaker 2: Mr.
• 19:06
  Speaker 8: Follingsby, this man is homicidal.
• 19:08
  Speaker 2: Won't it treat him?
• 19:09
  Speaker 8: Homicide is unknown on Mars. It'll treat him for the
• 19:12
  Speaker 8: most likely Martian sickness.
• 19:13
  Speaker 2: What would that be?
• 19:15
  Speaker 8: Theme desire, Mr. Pollensby.
• 19:17
  Speaker 2: Theme desire?
• 19:18
  Speaker 8: The Martian illness in which the victim feels cursed by
• 19:21
  Speaker 8: the tree-like nourishing parent, although, of course, Martians don't have
• 19:24
  Speaker 8: parents in the ordinary sense. Well, Haskins?
• 19:27
  Speaker 2: I remember one thing. He mentioned he was a jet
• 19:30
  Speaker 2: bus operator for the New York Jet Bus Authority.
• 19:33
  Speaker 5: Ah.
• 19:34
  Speaker 2: One other thing.
• 19:34
  Speaker 9: Yes?
• 19:35
  Speaker 12: I believe, uh, yes, he was alcoholic.
• 19:38
  Speaker 8: An alcoholic jet bus operator.
• 19:41
  Speaker 7: Excellent.
• 19:41
  Speaker 8: It'll be on his records. Get the Jet Bus Authority
• 19:44
  Speaker 8: at once.
• 19:57
  Speaker 5: But surely, Elwood, you remember your Gorisee? No.
• 20:01
  Speaker 14: Tell me then about your juvenile experiences with the forestrian fleet.
• 20:05
  Speaker 7: Never had one.
• 20:06
  Speaker 5: Hmm, complete blockage.
• 20:07
  Speaker 7: My father.
• 20:08
  Speaker 5: There is no such thing, of course.
• 20:10
  Speaker 2: But.
• 20:11
  Speaker 5: I thought we'd finally agreed on that.
• 20:13
  Speaker 7: Okay, if you say so.
• 20:15
  Speaker 14: Now then, since you claim you don't even know what
• 20:17
  Speaker 14: a courtesy is, tell me what you imagine it to be.
• 20:20
  Speaker 7: Um, a forest fire.
• 20:24
  Speaker 2: Uh, a salt tablet.
• 20:28
  Speaker 7: A small screwdriver. Am I getting warm? A revolver?
• 20:32
  Speaker 5: Uh-uh.
• 20:33
  Speaker 7: What the heck is a Gorasi?
• 20:35
  Speaker 5: Why, the tree that nourished you into puberty.
• 20:39
  Speaker 7: No tree nourished me.
• 20:41
  Speaker 5: You have completely repressed the experience.
• 20:43
  Speaker 7: No tree ever nourished me.
• 20:45
  Speaker 5: Mr. Caswell, let me try to explain your case as
• 20:48
  Speaker 5: best I can.
• 20:50
  Speaker 14: Somewhere in your childhood, your Gorasi, or parent tree, stifled
• 20:54
  Speaker 14: your theme desire. Now, this gave rise to your present
• 20:57
  Speaker 14: urge to To dwarf someone in a blendish manner.
• 21:00
  Speaker 7: To what?
• 21:01
  Speaker 5: To dwarf someone in a blendish manner.
• 21:03
  Speaker 9: Listen, you crummy piece of hardware.
• 21:06
  Speaker 7: I have never had a Goracy.
• 21:08
  Speaker 9: I have no desire to dwarf someone in a blendish
• 21:11
  Speaker 9: manner or any other manner.
• 21:13
  Speaker 7: All I want to do is put a bullet into
• 21:15
  Speaker 7: Herbert Magnuson. Understand? All I want to do is kill Magnuson.
• 21:21
  Speaker 5: Lie down, Mr. Caswell. We'll go over it again.
• 21:24
  Speaker 11: No.
• 21:35
  Speaker 8: My dear man, I'm not trying to insinuate that the
• 21:39
  Speaker 8: Jet Bus Authority hires alcoholics. If you will just.
• 21:44
  Speaker 5: Any luck?
• 21:45
  Speaker 8: It's a dead end.
• 21:47
  Speaker 2: Now, Haskins.
• 21:48
  Speaker 8: Yes, sir.
• 21:49
  Speaker 2: A man's life may be at stake here. Now, think.
• 21:52
  Speaker 2: Was there anything else this fellow said to you? Anything? Well,
• 21:55
  Speaker 2: he did mention the name of his friend. Of which friend?
• 21:58
  Speaker 2: The one he was going to kill. The one he...
• 22:00
  Speaker 2: Why didn't you say so? Now, what was it? Um,
• 22:04
  Speaker 2: a Magnuson.
• 22:05
  Speaker 10: You sure?
• 22:05
  Speaker 7: That's it.
• 22:06
  Speaker 2: He said, I'm going to kill Magnuson. You know, just
• 22:08
  Speaker 2: casually like that.
• 22:09
  Speaker 8: Follonsby, see if there's a Magnuson in the Manhattan phone book.
• 22:13
  Speaker 7: Now, hurry it up.
• 22:25
  Speaker 5: Yes, Mr. Caswell, you were saying?
• 22:28
  Speaker 2: Well.
• 22:29
  Speaker 5: Something about your Goracy?
• 22:31
  Speaker 7: Yes, I was saying, I think perhaps you're right.
• 22:36
  Speaker 5: Naturally, but right about what, Mr. Caswell?
• 22:39
  Speaker 7: Well, I think perhaps.
• 22:41
  Speaker 9: Yes, I think perhaps I do remember my Goracy.
• 22:45
  Speaker 5: Ah! Now, Mr. Caswell, we're on the road to a cure.
• 22:58
  Speaker 2: Mr. Magnuson?
• 22:59
  Speaker 5: Yes?
• 23:00
  Speaker 8: Do you know a short, angry-looking, red-haired man?
• 23:02
  Speaker 5: I might.
• 23:04
  Speaker 8: Thank heaven.
• 23:05
  Speaker 2: Or I might not.
• 23:06
  Speaker 8: Can you tell us where to locate him?
• 23:08
  Speaker 7: You're a process server, huh?
• 23:09
  Speaker 8: Certainly not.
• 23:10
  Speaker 7: Don't kid me.
• 23:12
  Speaker 2: Mr. Magnuson, this man is trying to kill you.
• 23:15
  Speaker 7: Go on. You're full of happy pills.
• 23:17
  Speaker 2: Elwood's my best friend.
• 23:19
  Speaker 8: Elwood?
• 23:19
  Speaker 7: He loves me like a brother.
• 23:21
  Speaker 8: And if you think I'm going to stick some process
• 23:23
  Speaker 8: server onto him.
• 23:23
  Speaker 10: Mr.
• 23:24
  Speaker 8: Magnuson, I'm not a process server. Your friend Elwood is
• 23:27
  Speaker 8: a psychopathic killer. You're his intended victim. Can you get
• 23:32
  Speaker 8: that through your thick skull? I'm trying to save your life.
• 23:46
  Speaker 9: Yes.
• 23:47
  Speaker 8: You're Elwood Caswell?
• 23:48
  Speaker 9: Yes.
• 23:49
  Speaker 8: The Elwood Caswell who bought a Rex regenerator early this afternoon?
• 23:53
  Speaker 7: Yes. Won't you come in?
• 23:55
  Speaker 8: Thank you. My name is Rath, Planetary Motors.
• 23:59
  Speaker 7: Nice to meet you.
• 24:00
  Speaker 8: Have you used the machine?
• 24:03
  Speaker 7: Oh, yes.
• 24:04
  Speaker 2: I see. Mr.
• 24:05
  Speaker 8: Caswell, I don't know how to explain this, but we
• 24:10
  Speaker 8: made a terrible mistake. The regenerator you took was a
• 24:13
  Speaker 8: Martian model. for giving therapy to Martians.
• 24:16
  Speaker 9: I know.
• 24:17
  Speaker 2: You do?
• 24:18
  Speaker 7: Yes, it became pretty obvious after a while.
• 24:20
  Speaker 8: It was a dangerous situation, especially for a man in
• 24:24
  Speaker 8: your condition.
• 24:25
  Speaker 9: Yes, the poor thing tried its best, but of course
• 24:27
  Speaker 9: it couldn't cure what wasn't there.
• 24:29
  Speaker 8: Well, then the company will, of course, reimburse you for
• 24:32
  Speaker 8: your lost time and your mental anguish. Naturally. And we
• 24:36
  Speaker 8: will substitute a regular human-type regenerator.
• 24:41
  Speaker 7: Oh, that won't be necessary.
• 24:42
  Speaker 2: You see... Mr. Caswell....
• 24:45
  Speaker 9: You put down that gun. I warn you, I'm not
• 24:48
  Speaker 9: going to shoot you. I merely want to turn this
• 24:51
  Speaker 9: gun over to you.
• 24:52
  Speaker 8: You do?
• 24:53
  Speaker 7: Yes, I'm not going to shoot anybody. You mean that
• 24:55
  Speaker 7: the machine's attempt.
• 24:56
  Speaker 9: At therapy forced me to reappraise my whole self. There
• 25:00
  Speaker 9: was an insight during which I was able to get
• 25:03
  Speaker 9: rid of my obsession. You no longer want to kill
• 25:05
  Speaker 9: your friend Magnuson?
• 25:07
  Speaker 7: Kill Magnuson? I haven't the faintest urge.
• 25:12
  Speaker 4: Well, I.
• 25:14
  Speaker 8: I must say, then, it worked out for the best.
• 25:18
  Speaker 8: I'll get back to the store and have them pick
• 25:19
  Speaker 8: up this machine in an hour.
• 25:22
  Speaker 7: Well, sir... Don't forget to take this gun. I won't
• 25:25
  Speaker 7: need it.
• 25:26
  Speaker 2: Of course. Well, nice to have met you, sir. Good evening.
• 25:30
  Speaker 7: Good evening. Did you hear that?
• 25:39
  Speaker 9: He asked me if I still intended to kill Magnusson. Magnuson,
• 25:44
  Speaker 9: that inhuman monster who cut down my Goracy. Magnuson, the
• 25:49
  Speaker 9: man who even now is secretly planning to infect New
• 25:52
  Speaker 9: York with abhorrent fiend desire. Am I going to kill him?
• 25:56
  Speaker 7: Oh, no.
• 25:57
  Speaker 9: I wish him a long life, a life filled with
• 26:00
  Speaker 9: a torture I can.
• 26:00
  Speaker 7: Now inflict on him. Kill Magnuson? Oh, no.
• 26:04
  Speaker 2: I'm going to start right now to dwork.
• 26:07
  Speaker 7: Him in a blendish manner.
• 26:09
  Speaker 2: Ah!
• 26:17
  Speaker 4: You have just heard X-1 presented by the National Broadcasting
• 26:20
  Speaker 4: Company in cooperation with Galaxy Science Fiction Magazine, which this
• 26:25
  Speaker 4: month features Honorable Opponent by Clifford D. Simak, the story
• 26:30
  Speaker 4: of an Earth general with the distasteful assignment of meeting
• 26:32
  Speaker 4: a delegation of unmilitary clowns who arrive as conquerors. Galaxy Magazine,
• 26:39
  Speaker 4: on your newsstand today. In a moment, tonight's cast and
• 26:44
  Speaker 4: a preview of next week's exciting drama.
• 26:47
  Speaker 11: They took the blue from the sky, and the pretty
• 26:50
  Speaker 11: girl's eyes, and the touch of old glory's hue, and
• 26:55
  Speaker 11: gave it to the men who proudly wear the U.S.
• 26:58
  Speaker 11: Air Force Blue.
• 26:59
  Speaker 2: The U.S.
• 26:59
  Speaker 11: Air Force Blue. Oh, we are men with a dream
• 27:07
  Speaker 11: of America's dream. We're a rugged and ready crew.
• 27:13
  Speaker 5: And you can bet your.
• 27:14
  Speaker 11: Boots the world looks up to you at Air Force Blue.
• 27:20
  Speaker 11: To you at Air Force Blue. We know where we're going.
• 27:25
  Speaker 11: We set our course.
• 27:27
  Speaker 6: The sky's no.
• 27:28
  Speaker 13: Limit in the airport.
• 27:30
  Speaker 4: They took the blue from.
• 27:32
  Speaker 11: The sky that the pretty girl lied and that such
• 27:35
  Speaker 11: a low story's you.
• 27:38
  Speaker 6: And gave it to.
• 27:39
  Speaker 11: The men who proudly wear the U.S.
• 27:41
  Speaker 2: Air Force blue.
• 27:42
  Speaker 11: We proudly wear the blue.
• 27:46
  Speaker 7: The U.S.
• 27:46
  Speaker 5: Air Force.
• 27:59
  Speaker 4: Tonight, by transcription, X-1 has brought you Bad Medicine, a
• 28:04
  Speaker 4: story from the pages of Galaxy written by Finn O'Donovan
• 28:07
  Speaker 4: and adapted for radio by George Lefferts. Featured in the
• 28:10
  Speaker 4: cast were Cliff Carpenter, Bill Britton, Alan Manson, Charles Webster,
• 28:16
  Speaker 4: Carl Weber, and Joseph Julian. Norman Rose was heard as
• 28:20
  Speaker 4: the machine. Your announcer, Fred Collins. X-1 was directed by
• 28:25
  Speaker 4: Bob Maurer and is an NBC Radio Network production.
• 28:41
  Speaker 3: Weekday, the companion and advisor to America's women, offers a
• 28:45
  Speaker 3: new informative series on childbirth.
• 28:47
  Speaker 7: It's the actual case history of a.
• 28:49
  Speaker 3: Young wife following her through the late stages of pregnancy, childbirth,
• 28:53
  Speaker 3: and postnatal care. You'll attend the childbirth courses offered at
• 28:56
  Speaker 3: New York's Mount Sinai Hospital and even enter the delivery
• 29:00
  Speaker 3: room for the actual birth of the child. Listen tomorrow
• 29:03
  Speaker 3: for the real-life series, The Story of Birth. Then, on
• 29:07
  Speaker 3: the same program, listeners can also enjoy more women's specialties
• 29:11
  Speaker 3: Kitchen Hints by Charlotte Adams, Child Care News with Dr.
• 29:14
  Speaker 3: Francis Horwich, Vacation Ideas offered by Walter Kiernan, and another
• 29:18
  Speaker 3: personal visit with your radio friend, Mary Margaret McBride. Don't
• 29:22
  Speaker 3: forget the exciting dramatization each day from Taylor Caldwell's book,
• 29:26
  Speaker 3: Tender Victory.
• 29:26
  Speaker 8: Be sure to join.
• 29:28
  Speaker 3: Virginia Graham and Mike Wallace tomorrow on this NBC station.
• 29:32
  Speaker 7: Follow the news with Chet Huntley tonight on NBC Radio.
• 29:42
  Speaker 1: Our presentation of X-1's Bad Medicine now comes to a close.
• 29:46
  Speaker 1: Follow X-1 for more classic broadcasts.