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Transcript

Suspense - "An Evening's Diversion" (Old Time Radio, 1946) · Suspense | Old Time Radio

• 0:00
  Speaker 1: At his doctor's urging, overworked businessman Mr. Edwards takes an
• 0:04
  Speaker 1: evening off and, in a bar or restaurant, overhears a
• 0:08
  Speaker 1: conversation that appears to concern a planned murder. Two men
• 0:12
  Speaker 1: sit nearby, close enough for their words to reach the
• 0:16
  Speaker 1: tired businessman as he dines alone. That is where suspense
• 0:20
  Speaker 1: begins its July 4th, 1946 CBS presentation, An Evening's Diversion,
• 0:27
  Speaker 1: Episode 4, with Leon Ames as Mr.
• 0:30
  Speaker 2: Edwards and Gerald Moore also featured.
• 0:33
  Speaker 1: Sponsored by Roma Wines, the broadcast follows Edwards as his
• 0:38
  Speaker 1: attempt to intervene changes what began as an ordinary night out.
• 0:43
  Speaker 1: And now, we return to the original broadcast. Now, Roma Wines, R-O-M-A,
• 0:51
  Speaker 1: made in California for enjoyment throughout the world. Roma Wines
• 0:56
  Speaker 1: presents Suspense! Tonight, Roma Wines bring you Mr. Leon Ames
• 1:06
  Speaker 1: as star of An Evening's Diversion, a suspense play produced, edited,
• 1:11
  Speaker 1: and directed for Roma Wines by William Spear. Suspense, radio's
• 1:20
  Speaker 1: outstanding theater of thrills, is presented for your enjoyment by
• 1:24
  Speaker 1: Roma Wines.
• 1:25
  Speaker 3: That's R-O-M-A, Roma Wines.
• 1:28
  Speaker 1: Those excellent California wines that can add so much pleasantness
• 1:31
  Speaker 1: to the way you live. To your happiness and entertaining guests.
• 1:35
  Speaker 1: To your enjoyment of everyday meals. Yes, right now a
• 1:38
  Speaker 1: glass full would be very pleasant. As Roma Wines bring
• 1:42
  Speaker 1: you Leon Ames in a remarkable tale of.
• 1:45
  Speaker 3: Suspense!
• 1:50
  Speaker 4: It was literally just what the doctor had ordered. There
• 1:53
  Speaker 4: wasn't anything in particular wrong with me. Just feeling a
• 1:55
  Speaker 4: little edgy. And I went for a routine checkup. How
• 2:01
  Speaker 4: many hours a day do you work, Mr.
• 2:02
  Speaker 3: Edwards?
• 2:03
  Speaker 4: I don't know, doctor. I never kept track. Get home
• 2:05
  Speaker 4: for dinner very often?
• 2:05
  Speaker 1: Not lately.
• 2:06
  Speaker 3: Grab a sandwich at the drugstore and go.
• 2:08
  Speaker 4: On back to the office. I imagine I got a
• 2:09
  Speaker 4: lot of patients like you. The ulcer type of business executive,
• 2:12
  Speaker 4: I call you.
• 2:13
  Speaker 3: You mean I.
• 2:14
  Speaker 5: Oh, no, you haven't an ulcer yet.
• 2:15
  Speaker 4: Just overworked, nervous, strained.
• 2:17
  Speaker 3: A month's vacation is what you need. But, Doctor, I can't... Yes,
• 2:20
  Speaker 3: I know. They all say that.
• 2:21
  Speaker 5: I'll tell you what you can do, though.
• 2:22
  Speaker 3: Yes? Done wonders for some of my patients.
• 2:24
  Speaker 4: An evening's diversion. Oh, I don't work late every night. Why,
• 2:28
  Speaker 4: I took my wife out to dinner in the theater
• 2:29
  Speaker 4: only last week.
• 2:30
  Speaker 5: Oh, I don't mean that kind of diversion. Rushing home
• 2:32
  Speaker 5: and putting on dinner clothes. Fighting for a table in
• 2:34
  Speaker 5: a restaurant. Rushing out in the theater. That's work, too,
• 2:37
  Speaker 5: I know from experience.
• 2:38
  Speaker 4: Well, then, what do you mean by an evening's diversion?
• 2:40
  Speaker 4: Dropping in at the club for a thrilling game of chess?
• 2:42
  Speaker 5: Oh, that's no good either. You wind up talking business. No,
• 2:44
  Speaker 5: what I have in mind is something different. Go out
• 2:46
  Speaker 5: on your own. Go someplace you wouldn't normally think of going,
• 2:50
  Speaker 5: then relax and.
• 2:51
  Speaker 4: See what happens. Well, now, look here, Doctor. I'm a
• 2:53
  Speaker 4: married man. I can't... Well, then you aren't likely to
• 2:55
  Speaker 4: get into any serious trouble. So, that's your prescription.
• 2:59
  Speaker 3: Well, really, Doctor, I... Well, don't misunderstand me, Mr.
• 3:01
  Speaker 4: Edwards.
• 3:01
  Speaker 5: There's more than one kind of adventure to be found
• 3:03
  Speaker 5: in a.
• 3:03
  Speaker 4: City this size.
• 3:04
  Speaker 3: Well, you'd be surprised....
• 3:10
  Speaker 4: Of course I didn't take him seriously.
• 3:12
  Speaker 3: How could I?
• 3:13
  Speaker 4: In the first place, I didn't have time to go
• 3:15
  Speaker 4: gallivanting around the strange places looking for trouble. And in
• 3:18
  Speaker 4: the second place, I told myself I was too old
• 3:20
  Speaker 4: for that sort of thing. I made a mental note
• 3:22
  Speaker 4: to find a sensible doctor who would prescribe some pills
• 3:24
  Speaker 4: the way a doctor should and went on back to
• 3:26
  Speaker 4: the office. It was after five when I got there
• 3:29
  Speaker 4: and I could have kicked myself for wasting an afternoon
• 3:31
  Speaker 4: like that. There was a stack of briefs on my
• 3:33
  Speaker 4: desk I hadn't even looked at. I met another late night.
• 3:39
  Speaker 3: Hello.
• 3:40
  Speaker 4: Hello, dear. It's me. Oh, hello, Lily. Look, honey, I
• 3:43
  Speaker 4: was just going to call you.
• 3:44
  Speaker 3: Oh, now, Paul.
• 3:45
  Speaker 6: You're not going to tell me you're working late again tonight.
• 3:48
  Speaker 4: I'm afraid so, darling. Oh. Well, I suppose there's no
• 3:51
  Speaker 4: use arguing with you. Did you see the doctor? Yes,
• 3:53
  Speaker 4: I saw him. What did he say? Oh, the usual nonsense.
• 3:56
  Speaker 4: Said I needed an evening's diversion.
• 3:58
  Speaker 3: Well, he's quite right.
• 4:09
  Speaker 4: Not a chance.
• 4:09
  Speaker 3: Oh, dear.
• 4:11
  Speaker 4: What time do you think you will get home, then? Oh,
• 4:13
  Speaker 4: about 11, 11.30.
• 4:13
  Speaker 3: Oh.
• 4:15
  Speaker 4: Well, there's milk in the icebox if you're hungry when
• 4:17
  Speaker 4: you get in.
• 4:18
  Speaker 3: Thanks, honey. Good night.
• 4:19
  Speaker 4: Good night, dear. Now, don't work too hard. I'll try
• 4:21
  Speaker 4: not to. Yes, Mr. Edwards? Oh, I'm working late again, Lois.
• 4:31
  Speaker 4: I don't suppose you'd be interested in earning some more overtime?
• 4:34
  Speaker 6: Well, frankly, not tonight, Mr.
• 4:35
  Speaker 3: Edwards.
• 4:36
  Speaker 6: I'd like to help out, but I've stayed every night
• 4:38
  Speaker 6: this week, and I'm just dead. I don't see how
• 4:42
  Speaker 6: you do it.
• 4:43
  Speaker 4: Uh, what, uh, what do you do on your free.
• 4:46
  Speaker 3: Evenings, Lois?
• 4:47
  Speaker 6: Oh, go to the movies sometimes.
• 4:48
  Speaker 4: Uh-huh.
• 4:49
  Speaker 6: Sometimes my boyfriend and I just drop in someplace that
• 4:51
  Speaker 6: looks interesting and just relax and see what happens.
• 4:55
  Speaker 3: Well, what happens?
• 4:56
  Speaker 6: Sometimes nothing. Sometimes all sorts of things. Once there was
• 4:59
  Speaker 6: a shooting right in the place where we were sitting.
• 5:01
  Speaker 4: Gangsters. Well, that doesn't sound very relaxing to me.
• 5:03
  Speaker 3: Oh, but it is.
• 5:05
  Speaker 6: I mean, you get in a rut kind of going
• 5:07
  Speaker 6: to the office and home again day after day. I
• 5:09
  Speaker 6: couldn't stand it if there wasn't some excitement down there.
• 5:12
  Speaker 4: Well, have a good time this evening. Thanks, Mr.
• 5:15
  Speaker 1: Edwards.
• 5:16
  Speaker 6: Anything you want me to do before I go?
• 5:18
  Speaker 3: No. Good night.
• 5:20
  Speaker 4: Oh, Lois. Yes, Mr. Edwards? What was the name of
• 5:24
  Speaker 4: that place where those gangsters were?
• 5:27
  Speaker 2: Oh, let me think.
• 5:30
  Speaker 4: Oh, yes, Parachino's.
• 5:31
  Speaker 6: It's in a basement, sort of, over on Rod Street
• 5:33
  Speaker 6: near 3rd.
• 5:35
  Speaker 4: It must be quite a place. Well, good night, then.
• 5:37
  Speaker 3: Good night.
• 5:43
  Speaker 4: After she'd gone, I opened the folder and started to
• 5:45
  Speaker 4: read one of the briefs. But I couldn't concentrate. It
• 5:47
  Speaker 4: was stuffy in there. I got up and crossed the
• 5:50
  Speaker 4: room and raised the window. I stood there for a
• 5:52
  Speaker 4: few moments, looking out at all the vast cities spread
• 5:55
  Speaker 4: out below me. A warm breeze was blowing from across
• 5:58
  Speaker 4: the river, bringing with it a disturbing smell of trees
• 6:01
  Speaker 4: and damp earth that mingled with smoke and fumes and
• 6:04
  Speaker 4: fetid air of the city and seemed to breed a
• 6:07
  Speaker 4: kind of excitement. Well, suddenly I remembered that I had
• 6:10
  Speaker 4: missed lunch and I was hungry. So I walked out
• 6:13
  Speaker 4: into the corridor of the building and started toward the elevator.
• 6:15
  Speaker 4: I hadn't bothered to get my hat. I was only
• 6:17
  Speaker 4: going out for a sandwich.
• 6:22
  Speaker 3: Going down.
• 6:23
  Speaker 4: Oh, it's you, Mr.
• 6:24
  Speaker 2: Edwards.
• 6:24
  Speaker 4: Good evening, Joe. How's everything?
• 6:26
  Speaker 7: Oh, you know, you know.
• 6:26
  Speaker 3: Can't complain. Going home?
• 6:28
  Speaker 4: No, no, just downstairs for a sandwich. Oh, man, you
• 6:31
  Speaker 4: sure put in the hours, don't you? Oh, I don't mind.
• 6:33
  Speaker 4: I guess your work must be pretty interesting. Man, if
• 6:36
  Speaker 4: I didn't do something besides run this elevator and.
• 6:38
  Speaker 3: Go home, I'd go nuts.
• 6:39
  Speaker 4: Well, what else do you do? Oh, I don't know.
• 6:42
  Speaker 4: Seems like there's always something. Just walking around the city
• 6:44
  Speaker 4: is a heck of a good time as far as
• 6:45
  Speaker 4: I'm concerned. You might have something there. Yeah. Well, here
• 6:51
  Speaker 4: you are, Mr. Edwards. Thanks, Joe.
• 6:52
  Speaker 2: See you in.
• 6:53
  Speaker 4: Yeah, yeah, I know.
• 6:54
  Speaker 3: In 15 minutes. Yes, I... No.
• 6:59
  Speaker 4: By George, I won't. I won't go back. Something in
• 7:10
  Speaker 4: his tone of voice must have decided me. He wasn't
• 7:13
  Speaker 4: just a fresh kid. He was really sorry for me.
• 7:16
  Speaker 4: When I got outside on the street, that air hit
• 7:18
  Speaker 4: me again, that warm summer air. I started walking, not
• 7:21
  Speaker 4: paying any attention to where I was, just walking and
• 7:24
  Speaker 4: enjoying that wonderful air. I must have been walking for
• 7:27
  Speaker 4: nearly an hour before I noticed where I'd got to.
• 7:30
  Speaker 4: It was Rod Street, and up ahead was a flickering
• 7:33
  Speaker 4: neon sign. Parochino. The place was bigger than I expected
• 7:44
  Speaker 4: and stark empty. There were double rows of booths down
• 7:47
  Speaker 4: the two sides of it and a high partition in
• 7:49
  Speaker 4: the middle. In the gray overhead lighting, it looked like
• 7:52
  Speaker 4: an abandoned stable. I was on the point of leaving
• 7:55
  Speaker 4: the place when a sloppy-looking waitress appeared from nowhere. Just
• 7:58
  Speaker 4: you alone?
• 7:59
  Speaker 3: Yes, I.
• 8:00
  Speaker 4: This way. Look here, it seems as if I've come
• 8:03
  Speaker 4: in at an awkward time.
• 8:04
  Speaker 6: Early for dinner, but you can have a sandwich.
• 8:06
  Speaker 4: Oh, well, all right then. Is the booth all right?
• 8:10
  Speaker 3: Fine, fine.
• 8:11
  Speaker 6: We got ham and Swiss cheese.
• 8:15
  Speaker 4: And that's all. That'll be fine. On rye. Both?
• 8:19
  Speaker 3: Yes.
• 8:21
  Speaker 4: It won't be long. I sat there watching her as
• 8:27
  Speaker 4: she slouched down the narrow aisle of booths to the kitchen.
• 8:30
  Speaker 4: Then she was gone and there was nothing to look at.
• 8:33
  Speaker 4: The silence in the place was beginning to get me.
• 8:36
  Speaker 4: Then I heard the door open and steps coming down
• 8:39
  Speaker 4: the stairway from the entrance. Sitting down, I couldn't see
• 8:42
  Speaker 4: over the top of my booth and I didn't have
• 8:43
  Speaker 4: the curiosity to stand up. They went down the aisle
• 8:46
  Speaker 4: between the booths on the other side of the room.
• 8:49
  Speaker 4: They were both men. One had metal cleats on his heels.
• 8:53
  Speaker 4: The whole row of booths shook when they sat down.
• 8:56
  Speaker 4: They were apparently rather heavy men. When they started talking,
• 9:00
  Speaker 4: I could hear them as plainly as if they were
• 9:01
  Speaker 4: sitting across the table from me.
• 9:03
  Speaker 2: I told you this place would be empty.
• 9:05
  Speaker 3: Why couldn't we talk just as well in your room?
• 9:07
  Speaker 3: I like it here. Well, what do you want?
• 9:09
  Speaker 2: You might cut it at 50 grand. Don't rush me.
• 9:13
  Speaker 3: What happened?
• 9:14
  Speaker 2: Same dame, double-crosses?
• 9:15
  Speaker 3: I didn't say that.
• 9:17
  Speaker 2: All she's got to do is slip that stuff in
• 9:19
  Speaker 2: this coffee. Why don't she do it?
• 9:21
  Speaker 3: I'm seeing her tonight.
• 9:23
  Speaker 2: You've been seeing her every night for three months. What
• 9:26
  Speaker 2: do you talk about? I'm doing this my own way, see?
• 9:29
  Speaker 2: You're nuts about her, ain't you?
• 9:30
  Speaker 3: What if I am? Bad business. Nah, you don't understand
• 9:34
  Speaker 3: a dame like that. It takes time with a dame
• 9:37
  Speaker 3: like that.
• 9:38
  Speaker 2: In the meantime, maybe she gets tired of you and
• 9:41
  Speaker 2: spills the whole caper.
• 9:42
  Speaker 3: That's my lookout.
• 9:43
  Speaker 2: Oh, no, it's not, Maxie. There's me to think of, too,
• 9:46
  Speaker 2: and the rest of the boys.
• 9:47
  Speaker 3: Okay, okay. I'll give her the final pitch tonight. If
• 9:50
  Speaker 3: she stalls me again... You know what to do, Maxie.
• 9:55
  Speaker 3: Where's that slob of a hash slinger? I'm hungry.
• 9:57
  Speaker 5: I'll buy you a Big feed, Maxie.
• 9:59
  Speaker 2: Uptown, afterwards.
• 10:01
  Speaker 3: What makes you so sure I'll have to kill her? Oh,
• 10:03
  Speaker 3: my God. Nothing, Maxie.
• 10:04
  Speaker 2: Just a hunch.
• 10:05
  Speaker 4: Come on, let's get out of here.
• 10:06
  Speaker 3: One thing more, Maxie. Take the subway.
• 10:08
  Speaker 2: No taxis, you hear?
• 10:10
  Speaker 4: Why, my goodness.
• 10:13
  Speaker 6: Here's your sandwich. Want anything with it?
• 10:16
  Speaker 3: No, no, no, no, no.
• 10:17
  Speaker 4: Never mind. I've got to leave right away.
• 10:18
  Speaker 3: Here.
• 10:19
  Speaker 4: Here's for the sandwich and keep the change. I caught
• 10:29
  Speaker 4: up with him near the corner of 7th Avenue. I
• 10:31
  Speaker 4: knew it was him because of those metal cleats on
• 10:33
  Speaker 4: his heels. I followed him down into the subway. He
• 10:37
  Speaker 4: walked up to the end of the platform. I waited
• 10:39
  Speaker 4: where I was. It was as hot as a furnace
• 10:42
  Speaker 4: down there. My heart was pumping fast with excitement, and
• 10:45
  Speaker 4: I could hardly breathe. But this was doctor's orders, an
• 10:49
  Speaker 4: evening's diversion. When the train stopped, he went in through
• 11:08
  Speaker 4: the center door. I went in by the door at
• 11:10
  Speaker 4: the rear of the car. Inside the train, I saw
• 11:15
  Speaker 4: him for the first time in a good light. He
• 11:17
  Speaker 4: was well-dressed, almost too well-dressed. He must have felt me
• 11:21
  Speaker 4: staring at him. He didn't look my way, but he
• 11:24
  Speaker 4: began to jitter. He kept jiggling his right leg and
• 11:27
  Speaker 4: looking at his watch. He bounded, then he put it
• 11:30
  Speaker 4: to his ear. I studied him. He was more than nervous.
• 11:34
  Speaker 4: He was worried, perhaps frightened. He unfastened the top button
• 11:38
  Speaker 4: of his shirt and loosened his tie. He looked over
• 11:41
  Speaker 4: at me once or twice as if he knew me
• 11:43
  Speaker 4: but couldn't place me. He unbuttoned his coat and tried
• 11:46
  Speaker 4: to relax. But I knew that he couldn't relax. Not
• 11:50
  Speaker 4: with a gun holster under his coat.
• 12:05
  Speaker 1: Roma Wines are bringing you a star, Leon Ames, in
• 12:07
  Speaker 1: an evening's diversion. A radio play by Stan Schlesinger. Roma
• 12:12
  Speaker 1: Wines' presentation tonight in radio's outstanding theater of thrills, Suspense.
• 12:24
  Speaker 1: Between the acts of Suspense, this is Truman Bradley for
• 12:28
  Speaker 1: Roma Wines. When you finish work hot from these blistering
• 12:32
  Speaker 1: summer days, you deserve something cool to come home to.
• 12:36
  Speaker 1: And what could be more refreshing than the frosty luxury
• 12:39
  Speaker 1: of Roma Wine and Soda, iced, America's smartest, coolest summer drink.
• 12:45
  Speaker 3: For Roma Wine and Soda.
• 12:47
  Speaker 1: So good, so cool, so refreshing, is the perfect summer
• 12:51
  Speaker 1: thirst quencher. On a moment's notice, you can serve and
• 12:55
  Speaker 1: enjoy Roma wine coolers. Delicious as a family treat. Delightful
• 13:00
  Speaker 1: for entertaining, too. Just half-fill a tumbler with Roma California
• 13:04
  Speaker 1: Burgundy or any other fine Roma wine of your choice.
• 13:08
  Speaker 1: Then add ice. Fill with sparkling water and stir. If
• 13:13
  Speaker 1: you prefer a sweeter drink, simply add sugar.
• 13:16
  Speaker 3: Presto!
• 13:17
  Speaker 1: Your Roma wine cooler is ready to enjoy. And because
• 13:21
  Speaker 1: Roma draws upon the world's greatest reserves of fine wines,
• 13:25
  Speaker 1: a cooler made with Roma is bound to be better tasting.
• 13:30
  Speaker 1: So for cool, satisfying refreshment, enjoy Roma wine and soda.
• 13:35
  Speaker 1: Insist on Roma, R-O-M-A. Remember, more Americans enjoy Roma than
• 13:43
  Speaker 1: any other wines. And now Roma Wines bring back to
• 13:46
  Speaker 1: our Hollywood soundstage Leon Ames as Paul Edwards in An
• 13:50
  Speaker 1: Evening's Diversion. A tale well calculated to.
• 13:53
  Speaker 3: Keep you in.
• 13:54
  Speaker 4: Suspense!
• 13:55
  Speaker 2: Suspense!
• 14:11
  Speaker 4: The train stopped at the 59th Street station, and he
• 14:14
  Speaker 4: got up to leave. I followed him out of there.
• 14:17
  Speaker 4: We got off the train, and he hurried across the dark,
• 14:19
  Speaker 4: deserted platform. I walked slowly so that he wouldn't know
• 14:23
  Speaker 4: he was being followed. He went to the rear of
• 14:25
  Speaker 4: the platform and into the phone booth. His call didn't
• 14:28
  Speaker 4: take more than three minutes, and as he came out,
• 14:30
  Speaker 4: I thought I saw a faint smile on his lips.
• 14:33
  Speaker 4: I flattened myself against the wall, hoping he wouldn't notice me,
• 14:37
  Speaker 4: but he lit a cigarette and walked right over.
• 14:44
  Speaker 3: Something I can do for you, mister? What? I said,
• 14:47
  Speaker 3: is there something I can do for you?
• 14:49
  Speaker 4: No, no, no, that is.
• 14:50
  Speaker 3: You're following me, aren't you?
• 14:51
  Speaker 4: Well, now, see here, I don't... What are you, a dick?
• 14:55
  Speaker 4: A what?
• 14:55
  Speaker 3: A flatfoot, a copper. Well, no, no, I'm not. But
• 14:58
  Speaker 3: you're following me.
• 14:59
  Speaker 4: Well, I don't know what you're talking about.
• 15:00
  Speaker 7: You got on at the 8th Street station. You followed
• 15:02
  Speaker 7: me when I got off here. You watched me when
• 15:04
  Speaker 7: I went into the phone booth.
• 15:05
  Speaker 3: Well, I.
• 15:05
  Speaker 7: And now you're on my tail again. What's the game?
• 15:07
  Speaker 7: Maybe I'd like to play. No, no, you play with guns.
• 15:10
  Speaker 3: I don't. Pretty sharp guy, aren't you?
• 15:12
  Speaker 4: Well, you must have a guilty conscience.
• 15:14
  Speaker 7: Let's leave my conscience out of this. Just keep away
• 15:17
  Speaker 7: from me, you understand? Keep away or you'll get hurt.
• 15:20
  Speaker 4: Yes, I think I understand.
• 15:21
  Speaker 3: I hope you do, for your sake. Now, here comes
• 15:25
  Speaker 3: a train.
• 15:25
  Speaker 4: I'm getting on it. If you're going uptown, you'll wait
• 15:27
  Speaker 4: for the next one.
• 15:28
  Speaker 3: Yes, sir. I don't want any funny business, mister.
• 15:30
  Speaker 7: You'll find I've got no sense of humor.
• 15:37
  Speaker 4: He ran for the train, and as he ran, a
• 15:39
  Speaker 4: scrap of pink-colored paper fell from his pocket to the platform.
• 15:43
  Speaker 4: I made no move to pick it up. He was
• 15:45
  Speaker 4: watching to make certain I didn't board the train. At
• 15:51
  Speaker 4: last the train started. I waited until it was out
• 15:54
  Speaker 4: of sight. People were still clearing the platform. I was
• 15:57
  Speaker 4: about to pick up the scrap of paper when a
• 16:00
  Speaker 4: man hurried by and kicked it to the tracks below.
• 16:02
  Speaker 4: I had to have that paper, so I jumped down
• 16:05
  Speaker 4: to the tracks. There were dozens of papers down there,
• 16:09
  Speaker 4: but only one pink-colored scrap. There was an address written
• 16:12
  Speaker 4: on it. 375 Highland Drive.
• 16:15
  Speaker 3: Hey, you!
• 16:16
  Speaker 4: What do you think you're doing down there? Oh, I'm sorry, officer.
• 16:20
  Speaker 4: I dropped an address down here, but I found it.
• 16:22
  Speaker 3: I don't care if you dropped your old lady down there.
• 16:24
  Speaker 3: You're not supposed to be down on the track.
• 16:26
  Speaker 4: I know, but I.
• 16:27
  Speaker 3: Now get out of there, but fast!
• 16:29
  Speaker 4: Here, grab my hand. Thanks. I didn't mean to break
• 16:34
  Speaker 4: the law, sir, but it was important that I get
• 16:36
  Speaker 4: that paper.
• 16:37
  Speaker 3: You're up. I ought to run you in for this.
• 16:39
  Speaker 4: But I hope you won't. What if you was to
• 16:41
  Speaker 4: get hit down there? You'd throw the whole train schedule off.
• 16:45
  Speaker 4: I wouldn't want to cause anyone any inconvenience.
• 16:47
  Speaker 3: Okay, okay.
• 16:48
  Speaker 4: But don't let it happen again. Outside, I hailed a taxi.
• 16:58
  Speaker 4: This time, I was lucky. I got one.
• 17:01
  Speaker 3: Hop in, mister.
• 17:02
  Speaker 4: Why, too? 375 Highland Drive, and hurry, please. The traffic
• 17:13
  Speaker 4: is kind.
• 17:13
  Speaker 7: Of heavy tonight.
• 17:14
  Speaker 4: I ain't got wings, but I'll get you there as
• 17:16
  Speaker 4: fast as I can. I'll make it worth your while.
• 17:18
  Speaker 4: It's a matter of life and death.
• 17:19
  Speaker 3: Yeah, yeah, I know.
• 17:20
  Speaker 4: I'm telling you the truth. Hey, mister, I ain't gonna
• 17:22
  Speaker 4: argue with you.
• 17:23
  Speaker 1: But I've been driving this hack for ten years.
• 17:25
  Speaker 3: I've heard that song before.
• 17:26
  Speaker 4: All right, then, don't believe me. But for the love
• 17:28
  Speaker 4: of heaven, please hurry. Okay, okay, I'm doing the best
• 17:31
  Speaker 4: I can. It's easy for you guys to hop in
• 17:34
  Speaker 4: a hack and say, step on it. But, you know,
• 17:36
  Speaker 4: I get awful tired hearing.
• 17:37
  Speaker 3: The same things.
• 17:38
  Speaker 4: You know what I mean? Ah, I guess you wouldn't.
• 17:42
  Speaker 1: You look like the kind of guy who wouldn't let
• 17:43
  Speaker 1: himself get in a rut.
• 17:45
  Speaker 4: But not me. Every day... Why are you stopping?
• 17:49
  Speaker 3: Red light, mister.
• 17:50
  Speaker 4: There isn't time to stop for red lights. I've got
• 17:52
  Speaker 4: to get to 375 Highland Drive, and I've got to
• 17:54
  Speaker 4: get there before it's too late.
• 17:55
  Speaker 1: Relax, relax, mister.
• 17:57
  Speaker 4: She'll wait. Say, where was I?
• 18:00
  Speaker 7: Oh, yeah.
• 18:01
  Speaker 4: Yeah, like I was saying, things.
• 18:02
  Speaker 1: Get pretty dull for a hack driver. Sometimes, sometimes I
• 18:06
  Speaker 1: think to myself, why not forget about it for a
• 18:08
  Speaker 1: little while?
• 18:09
  Speaker 4: You know, go home, get the wife, get the kids.
• 18:14
  Speaker 4: The taxi seemed to crawl along, and the driver kept talking, talking, talking.
• 18:18
  Speaker 4: I couldn't understand a word he was saying. His voice,
• 18:21
  Speaker 4: the rattle of traffic, the ticking of the meter, and
• 18:23
  Speaker 4: the beating of my heart all blurred into one great din.
• 18:26
  Speaker 4: It seemed that the driver made every stop sign. The
• 18:29
  Speaker 4: cab was getting stuffy, and his voice began to feel
• 18:31
  Speaker 4: like red-hot needles were bending.
• 18:33
  Speaker 3: Shut up!
• 18:34
  Speaker 4: Huh? What? I said shut up! Wise guy. Why are
• 18:41
  Speaker 4: you stopping? There's no red light.
• 18:42
  Speaker 3: No, there ain't.
• 18:43
  Speaker 4: I'll shut up, okay, if you pay up and get out.
• 18:45
  Speaker 4: Get out? You heard me.
• 18:47
  Speaker 7: I don't like your attitude.
• 18:48
  Speaker 4: I may not be much, but nobody.
• 18:49
  Speaker 3: Walks on me.
• 18:50
  Speaker 4: Now, get out. But I'll never get another taxi. Stop.
• 18:53
  Speaker 3: You're breaking my heart. Oh, you fool.
• 18:55
  Speaker 4: This is a matter of life and death. I told
• 18:56
  Speaker 4: you that.
• 18:56
  Speaker 7: Now, look.
• 18:57
  Speaker 4: Here's $ 5. Get me the $ 3.
• 18:58
  Speaker 3: 75.
• 18:58
  Speaker 4: Mr. 500 bucks wouldn't get you to the next corner
• 19:02
  Speaker 4: as far as I'm concerned.
• 19:03
  Speaker 1: Are you going to get out or am I going
• 19:04
  Speaker 1: to kick you out?
• 19:04
  Speaker 4: Look, I'm sorry. I apologize. But please, you must get
• 19:07
  Speaker 4: me the $ 3. 75. And here's your change.
• 19:09
  Speaker 3: Four and a half bucks.
• 19:10
  Speaker 4: Skip the tip and get out. I've got your number.
• 19:13
  Speaker 4: Your company will hear about this. Yeah, yeah.
• 19:15
  Speaker 1: And I got your number, too.
• 19:16
  Speaker 4: Hit the road, brother. I stood there for a moment,
• 19:24
  Speaker 4: watching the taxi until it was out of sight. I
• 19:27
  Speaker 4: was on Highland Drive all right, but I was five
• 19:29
  Speaker 4: blocks from 375. I began walking. I wondered if I
• 19:33
  Speaker 4: would be too late. The man with the gun must
• 19:35
  Speaker 4: be out of the subway by now. That would put
• 19:36
  Speaker 4: him only three blocks from 375. I walked faster and
• 19:40
  Speaker 4: faster until I was almost running. I knew I was
• 19:43
  Speaker 4: becoming involved in something, but just how involved, I didn't know.
• 19:47
  Speaker 4: If I had felt then like I do right now,
• 19:49
  Speaker 4: I would have turned around and walked in the other direction.
• 19:53
  Speaker 4: As I neared the apartment house, I instinctively slowed down,
• 19:57
  Speaker 4: not out of fear of what was ahead of me,
• 19:59
  Speaker 4: but for what was behind me. I stopped. Someone was
• 20:03
  Speaker 4: behind me. I didn't have to turn around. I knew
• 20:06
  Speaker 4: who it was.
• 20:07
  Speaker 3: You shouldn't have followed me here, pal.
• 20:09
  Speaker 4: But what makes you think I don't have business on
• 20:12
  Speaker 4: my own here?
• 20:12
  Speaker 3: Start walking. I got a gun in your back.
• 20:14
  Speaker 4: Where are you taking me?
• 20:15
  Speaker 3: Start walking across the street. Don't try anything. I just
• 20:18
  Speaker 3: assume that you have it an hour later.
• 20:19
  Speaker 4: You're going to kill me?
• 20:20
  Speaker 3: You catch on fast. But why? Why?
• 20:22
  Speaker 4: I haven't done anything to you. I don't even know
• 20:24
  Speaker 4: who you are.
• 20:24
  Speaker 3: That's rough. Straight ahead. We're going to take a little
• 20:27
  Speaker 3: walk through the park.
• 20:28
  Speaker 4: Listen, let me go. I will repeat this to the police.
• 20:30
  Speaker 4: You have my word.
• 20:31
  Speaker 7: I don't want your word. I told you not to
• 20:34
  Speaker 7: follow me, but you did. I don't know how you
• 20:36
  Speaker 7: did it.
• 20:36
  Speaker 3: But you're here. Turn right down this path.
• 20:39
  Speaker 4: You're out of your mind.
• 20:40
  Speaker 3: And you'll be out of your misery. Look, I've got money.
• 20:42
  Speaker 4: I'll give you anything you want.
• 20:43
  Speaker 3: Can it. Can it. Somebody's coming. Keep your trap shut.
• 20:45
  Speaker 3: Let me do the talking.
• 20:48
  Speaker 1: Oh, say, son, do you live around here?
• 20:51
  Speaker 3: Who wants to know?
• 20:53
  Speaker 4: Oh, me?
• 20:53
  Speaker 1: Just wondering if you know this neighborhood.
• 20:56
  Speaker 3: No.
• 20:57
  Speaker 4: Oh. How about you, mister?
• 20:58
  Speaker 3: Well, I... We don't know the neighborhood either. No?
• 21:01
  Speaker 4: Well, could you tell me this much?
• 21:03
  Speaker 3: Would, um... Let me see now. 485 Highland Drive.
• 21:07
  Speaker 4: Be in this direction?
• 21:08
  Speaker 3: I said we don't know the neighborhood.
• 21:10
  Speaker 4: Oh, you don't. Well, thanks anyway.
• 21:13
  Speaker 3: Guess I'm going in the right direction. My feet are
• 21:14
  Speaker 3: killing me.
• 21:15
  Speaker 4: Oh, hey, you, uh... Shut up. Yeah? What is it?
• 21:18
  Speaker 3: Nothing. We weren't talking to you.
• 21:20
  Speaker 4: Oh, sorry.
• 21:23
  Speaker 3: Okay. Start walking again.
• 21:27
  Speaker 2: Do you mind if I ask you something?
• 21:31
  Speaker 3: It all depends.
• 21:32
  Speaker 4: Just who were you going to kill tonight, other than me?
• 21:35
  Speaker 3: A certain party in apartment 1A.
• 21:37
  Speaker 2: What?
• 21:38
  Speaker 3: What are you going to do about it?
• 21:40
  Speaker 4: Oh, I was just curious, that's all.
• 21:41
  Speaker 3: Like a cat, huh?
• 21:43
  Speaker 4: Why were you going to kill this party?
• 21:46
  Speaker 3: This is far enough.
• 21:48
  Speaker 4: You didn't answer my question.
• 21:49
  Speaker 3: I'm through answering questions, pal.
• 21:51
  Speaker 4: Look, what are you going to gain by killing me?
• 21:55
  Speaker 3: Nothing.
• 21:55
  Speaker 4: But I swear.
• 21:56
  Speaker 3: Save my life.
• 21:57
  Speaker 4: I swear... Save your breath. Someone else is coming. You
• 22:01
  Speaker 4: can't get away with this.
• 22:02
  Speaker 3: Where the devil is all this traffic coming from? Listen,
• 22:04
  Speaker 3: if I... You listen, mister. Keep your eye on me
• 22:05
  Speaker 3: and remember I've got this gun on you. Don't try
• 22:07
  Speaker 3: any funny stuff like you did the last time.
• 22:09
  Speaker 4: It's a policeman, cop.
• 22:11
  Speaker 3: That doesn't make any difference to me. What I said
• 22:12
  Speaker 3: still goes.
• 22:13
  Speaker 4: Nobody can talk to me like that. I'll have you
• 22:15
  Speaker 4: know my kid can lick your kid any old ass.
• 22:17
  Speaker 3: Shut up, I said.
• 22:18
  Speaker 4: Don't tell me to shut up.
• 22:19
  Speaker 3: Hey, what's going on here? You keep out of this, officer.
• 22:22
  Speaker 3: Take it easy, buddy. Take it easy. What's with this guy? Oh,
• 22:25
  Speaker 3: don't pay any attention to him, officer. He's nuts.
• 22:28
  Speaker 4: But I'm not a fathead like you, you flatfoot.
• 22:31
  Speaker 3: You don't know what he's talking about, officer. He just
• 22:33
  Speaker 3: talks a lot, too. You know what I'm going to
• 22:35
  Speaker 3: do when you go? Jump in the river, I hope.
• 22:37
  Speaker 4: I'm going up and down the street and break every
• 22:39
  Speaker 4: window I can reach.
• 22:40
  Speaker 3: Not while I'm around you, not.
• 22:42
  Speaker 1: I'm taking you along with me just for safekeeping.
• 22:44
  Speaker 3: Okay. Oh, yeah? You and who else? Hey, I'll take
• 22:47
  Speaker 3: care of them, officer. I'll take care of them good.
• 22:49
  Speaker 4: Yeah?
• 22:50
  Speaker 3: Well, all right. But you're responsible for it. Yeah.
• 22:53
  Speaker 4: I don't want to see any broken windows, you understand?
• 22:55
  Speaker 3: Oh, sure. Sure thing, officer. Okay. No one is going
• 22:58
  Speaker 3: to take care of me.
• 22:59
  Speaker 4: I'll take care of myself.
• 23:00
  Speaker 2: Hey!
• 23:00
  Speaker 4: Hey, come back here! Come back here, I said! I
• 23:03
  Speaker 4: don't want any broken windows, you hear? I ran deep
• 23:12
  Speaker 4: into the heart of the park. I knew he wouldn't
• 23:15
  Speaker 4: fire after me with the policeman there. I hid in
• 23:17
  Speaker 4: the bushes for almost 20 minutes. From time to time,
• 23:20
  Speaker 4: I could hear his searching steps. Occasionally, he would walk
• 23:25
  Speaker 4: slowly toward the bush I was hiding under. I was
• 23:28
  Speaker 4: afraid to breathe, afraid to allow my heart another beat.
• 23:32
  Speaker 4: And then for a moment he would stop. I could
• 23:35
  Speaker 4: easily have reached out and touched him. He was that close.
• 23:38
  Speaker 4: Then he would go, still searching. I waited five minutes more. Ten, twenty,
• 23:43
  Speaker 4: a half hour. He didn't return. I knew where he
• 23:48
  Speaker 4: had gone. I knew he was about to commit a murder.
• 23:56
  Speaker 4: I went into the apartment house through the service entrance...
• 23:59
  Speaker 4: My legs felt like rubber and my clothes were torn
• 24:02
  Speaker 4: from the bushes in the park. I walked quietly up
• 24:05
  Speaker 4: the steps to the first floor, made sure the corridor
• 24:08
  Speaker 4: was empty. Then moved to the door of apartment 1A
• 24:10
  Speaker 4: and listened. For a moment, I heard nothing. And then
• 24:16
  Speaker 4: that familiar voice seeped through the crack beneath the door. So.
• 24:21
  Speaker 3: You've decided to back out, huh?
• 24:22
  Speaker 4: Oh, Max, I'm afraid.
• 24:24
  Speaker 3: What's there to be afraid of, sweetheart?
• 24:25
  Speaker 4: I'm afraid for you. We'd never get away with it.
• 24:28
  Speaker 3: Who says we wouldn't? Just you let me take care
• 24:31
  Speaker 3: of him. Or maybe you still love him.
• 24:34
  Speaker 4: I loathe him and you know it.
• 24:35
  Speaker 3: Then why hold back? Why make yourself miserable any longer?
• 24:40
  Speaker 3: It's you and me, sweetheart. You get that? You and me.
• 24:43
  Speaker 3: That's the way it's got to be.
• 24:44
  Speaker 4: I'm sorry, Max.
• 24:45
  Speaker 6: I can't do it.
• 24:48
  Speaker 3: I won't. You can't back out now.
• 24:49
  Speaker 4: Why can't I?
• 24:50
  Speaker 3: You know too much.
• 24:51
  Speaker 4: Oh, Max, if that's what's worrying you, I would.
• 24:53
  Speaker 3: That's what's worrying me.
• 24:55
  Speaker 4: Don't you trust me, darling.
• 24:56
  Speaker 3: Sure. Sure, when I can see you. That's why we've
• 25:01
  Speaker 3: got to be together.
• 25:02
  Speaker 7: Or maybe you want to bump him off and take
• 25:05
  Speaker 7: all the dough yourself.
• 25:06
  Speaker 3: Oh, Max. Sure.
• 25:08
  Speaker 7: That's it.
• 25:08
  Speaker 3: Oh, what a sap I've been.
• 25:10
  Speaker 4: Don't be a fool.
• 25:12
  Speaker 3: I'm going.
• 25:12
  Speaker 4: I'll... I'll hear from you, won't I, darling? Not a chance.
• 25:17
  Speaker 3: You won't be hearing from anyone, sweetheart.
• 25:19
  Speaker 4: Max. Max, put away that gun.
• 25:22
  Speaker 3: I'm checking you out, Lily.
• 25:23
  Speaker 4: Max, listen, please. Max, listen, don't do it. I'm with you.
• 25:27
  Speaker 1: You know that, don't you?
• 25:28
  Speaker 3: Let go of my arm. Let go, I tell you.
• 25:30
  Speaker 3: Be careful or you'll... Lily.
• 25:35
  Speaker 4: Max. Darling, I.
• 25:37
  Speaker 3: Max, I didn't mean to do it. Max, I didn't
• 25:44
  Speaker 3: mean to do it.
• 25:50
  Speaker 4: Her back was to me as I opened the door.
• 25:53
  Speaker 4: She was on her knees weeping for the man she'd
• 25:55
  Speaker 4: just killed. I walked quietly toward her, knelt down and
• 25:59
  Speaker 4: reached for the gun at her side. Picked it up,
• 26:02
  Speaker 4: moved a few steps back and waited. She must have
• 26:06
  Speaker 4: felt my presence in the room because she stopped sobbing,
• 26:09
  Speaker 4: stood up and turned to face me. Nothing was said.
• 26:14
  Speaker 4: Her eyes were searching mine, growing wider and wider as
• 26:17
  Speaker 4: she found my thoughts. Tiny streams of blood began to
• 26:21
  Speaker 4: trickle from those places where her sharp fingernails had penetrated
• 26:25
  Speaker 4: the palm of her hand. The silence of the room
• 26:28
  Speaker 4: began to roar. And then....
• 26:35
  Speaker 2: Number, please.
• 26:46
  Speaker 3: Get me the police department.
• 26:51
  Speaker 4: Police department. You'd better send someone over to 375 Highland
• 27:08
  Speaker 4: Drive right away.
• 27:09
  Speaker 3: Apartment 1A.
• 27:11
  Speaker 1: 375 Highland Drive, Apartment 1A, huh?
• 27:15
  Speaker 4: What's up? I... I think you'll call it murder. I
• 27:20
  Speaker 4: just killed my wife.
• 27:35
  Speaker 1: Suspense! Presented by Roma Wines.
• 27:40
  Speaker 3: R-O-M-A.
• 27:41
  Speaker 1: Made in California for enjoyment throughout the world. Before we
• 27:46
  Speaker 1: hear again from Leon Ames, the star of an evening's diversion,
• 27:49
  Speaker 1: tonight's suspense play, this is Truman Bradley for Roma Wines.
• 27:54
  Speaker 1: The 4th of July marks not only Independence Day, but
• 27:57
  Speaker 1: also the beginning of the really hot summer weather. The sweltering,
• 28:01
  Speaker 1: throat-parching days that melt your energy and burn your disposition. Well,
• 28:07
  Speaker 1: here's a clever California recipe that's famous as a heat beater.
• 28:10
  Speaker 1: To get cool, comfortable, and contented, enjoy an ice-cold, taste-tingling
• 28:16
  Speaker 1: Roma Wine Lemonade. That's right, Roma Wine Lemonade. Delicious, refreshing, inexpensive.
• 28:24
  Speaker 3: Now, here's how.
• 28:25
  Speaker 1: Place ice and the juice of half a lemon in
• 28:27
  Speaker 1: a tall glass. Pour three quarters full with zestful Roma
• 28:31
  Speaker 1: California Burgundy or any other Roma wine you prefer.
• 28:35
  Speaker 3: Add water and sweeten to taste.
• 28:37
  Speaker 1: Then sit back and sip your way to cool contentment.
• 28:42
  Speaker 1: Roma wine, lemonade, the most refreshing summer drink you ever tasted.
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• 28:49
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• 28:56
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• 29:03
  Speaker 1: in wine.
• 29:06
  Speaker 4: This is Leon Ames. I hope you've had a pleasant
• 29:08
  Speaker 4: Fourth of July. I know that for me it's been
• 29:10
  Speaker 4: an exciting holiday to appear here on Suspense. Next Thursday,
• 29:14
  Speaker 4: I'm sure you'll want to listen when a very wonderful actor,
• 29:16
  Speaker 4: Sheldon Leonard, appears in a suspense play called Feast of
• 29:20
  Speaker 4: the Furies, which Mr. Spear has just described to me
• 29:23
  Speaker 4: and which sounds like one of the really dramatic events
• 29:25
  Speaker 4: of the radio season.
• 29:26
  Speaker 1: Leon Ames appeared through courtesy of Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer, producers of the
• 29:30
  Speaker 1: Technicolor musical Easy to Web. Next Thursday, same time, Roma
• 29:35
  Speaker 1: Wines will bring you Sheldon Leonard as star of Suspense.
• 29:40
  Speaker 1: radio's outstanding theater of thrills. Produced by William Speer for
• 29:46
  Speaker 1: the Roma Wine Company of Fresno, California. This is CBS,
• 30:01
  Speaker 1: the Columbia Broadcasting System. The 1946 CBS broadcast of Suspense
• 30:22
  Speaker 1: and Evening's Diversion now comes to its close. Follow Suspense
• 30:27
  Speaker 1: for more classic broadcasts.