Come in. Welcome. I'm E .G. Marshall. Yes, we
know it's dark in here. But you won't need any
light to experience the terrors we have in store
for you. Just keep your ears open and your imagination
at work, and even in the dark, you will see such
miracles as you've never known before. Yet, we
said miracles because our tale concerns the miraculous.
When you meet Mr. Ross, he may seem like a most
unlikely person to be a miracle worker. But the
gods make strange choices sometimes. And in the
case of Salvador Roth, they gave him the ability
to make choices of a most unusual nature. I wanna
make a deal, Mr. Halpert. Only it's gonna sound
crazy, so don't throw me out right away. You
know how old I am? What the heck are you talking
about, kid? I'm 26. How old are you? Now listen,
are you crazy or something? Okay. I'm 79. If
the price is right, I'll trade you my 26 for
what you are. I can do it, Mr. Halpert. Just
say the word. Our mystery drama, A Bargain in
Blood. was written especially for the Mystery
Theater by Henry Schlesser and stars Tony Roberts.
I'll be back shortly with Act One. We promised
you a story about miracles. This one begins with
one of the oldest miracles in nature. The miracle
of love. In a not so quiet booth at the Neptune
Seafood Restaurant, we see a young couple. The
boy is Salvador Ross. The girl is named Ruthie
Maitland. And Sal is looking into her lovely
brown eyes, searching for an answer to the most
important question he has ever asked anyone.
Please, Sal, let's not talk about it here. This
is no place to talk about it. Why not? I mean,
what's the difference where we talk? You always
say the same thing anyway. Well, I'm just not
sure how I feel. That's all it is. Ah, you mean
you are sure. You still think I'm a no -good
bum who won't amount to anything. I never said
anything like that. Yeah, but your old man has
said it to you, hasn't he? Oh, please. Let's
leave him out of it. He's the real reason you
won't marry me. I mean, he thinks I'm not good
enough for you. Sal, people can hear us. Look,
Hopey, maybe he's right. You know, maybe I'm
not good enough for you. At least that's the
way he sees things. I don't have your education.
I never read all the books you read. You just
don't understand about my father. He's been a
teacher all his life. Books, and music, and art.
They're the most important things in the world
to him. But that doesn't mean they aren't to
me. Yeah, but he's important to you, isn't he?
Yeah. I love my father. I love him very much.
Now that he's sick, I have to spend a lot of
time with him. Sure. Time for him to tend you
with a rotten boyfriend you picked for yourself.
Factory bum, okay? I want more than a hundred
bucks take home a week. Don't you think money's
important, Sarah? When people get married, money
means something. So what if I had money, huh?
I mean, would that make the difference? I mean,
would you say yes? Oh, Sarah, please, let's just
finish our meal in peace. Look, I'm not touching
another bite until I get some kind of answer
from you, Ruthie. All right. If you insist on
an answer, maybe I'd better give you one. I'm
sorry, but it's no. I won't marry you. Cutler!
Me? Nothin'. Since when do we pay you for doing
that? I'm just digesting my sandwich for Pete's
sake. Can't a guy take five minutes after lunch
to digest his food? Lunch hour was over a long
time ago. Get back to the machine! All right,
all right! Stop shovin' me, you ape! Who are
you calling an ape? I'm your boss, remember?
If you don't want to get that nose of yours busted
twice, you better start down that step before
I can't breathe. Listen, pal, a better man than
you busted my nose the first time around. Yeah,
I heard about the big prize fight in Korea, Royce.
What was it? One fight? Paperweight division?
Go on, move! Get your hands off me! Hey, hey!
Look out! I'm falling! Hey, kid. You gonna sleep
all day or what? Huh? What'd you say? Ever since
you came into the hospital, all you do is sleep.
You could talk to your roommate once in a while.
I have nothing to talk about. How's the busted
leg? It's busted, that's all. That's nothing
to cry about. Not at your age. You take a chest
like mine, that's something to cry about. You
got a cold, big deal. What cold? I got pneumonia.
Double, triple, who knows? I'm lucky I look to
see another day. You'll live, Papa. Listen, I'll
trade you that broken leg anytime. You just ask
me. All right. I'll make you a deal. You give
me a little cold of yours, you can have my broken
leg. You see how you like it, Papa. You think
I'm kidding? I'll do it in a minute. Okay. Okay,
it's a trade. My broken leg for your pneumonia.
It's a deal. Hey, what's the matter with you
this morning, huh? I don't know. I don't know.
I guess I caught you cold or something. What
are you talking about? I never came near you.
Well, I got it. Just the same. Hey, hey, hey,
Doc. Come in here a minute, huh? Follow me, Mr.
Levin. Yeah, yeah. Come in and have a look at
my buddy here. He says he's got my pneumonia.
I doubt that very much. I got something more,
right? Besides, I ain't infectious now, right,
Doc? You said I was getting better. You're no
confident? I feel better. Good for you. No kidding.
I feel fine. Like I can get up from this bed.
What is the matter, Mr. Levin? My leg. My leg.
What's wrong? It hurts. I can hardly move it.
I think my leg's broken. That's impossible. Oh,
it hurts. It hurts something awful. Help me.
All right. All right. I'll have a look at it.
No! Careful! Don't move me! Don't! It's fractured
all right. You must have fallen out of bed last
night. I didn't fall! You think I wouldn't remember
falling out of bed? Sometimes dissipation plays
tricks on the mind. Mr. Levin... Yeah, what?
Do you know if Mr. Levin fell out of bed last
night, his leg is broken? No, I didn't hear him
fall. Hey, you really mean that? About his leg?
That's how it looks to me. And I'd better see
about getting that leg in splints right away.
Don't move, Mr. Levin. I'll send the nurses.
How could this happen to me? How? What did I
do to deserve this? Hey, Pop. Remember our bargain?
What? Unabomniac. Unabomniac for my busted leg.
Are you crazy or something? I wonder if my leg
is... Hey. It doesn't hurt anymore. It feels
okay. I'm locked up with a crazy man. I'm telling
you, it's true. I got your rut in the boot, but
you got my broken leg. Who's there? It's Elvador
Ross, Mr. Maitland. What do you want? I came
to see Ruthie. Ruthie isn't home. Tell me where
she is. Wait a minute. Where have you been lately,
Salvador? I haven't seen you around. Yeah, I
guess you haven't minded that much, huh, Mr.
Madoff? Ruthie told me you two had broken up.
Yeah, I got pretty broken up myself. I fell on
the job, busted my leg. I've been in a hospital
past three weeks. Oh, sorry to hear that. Yeah,
there were complications, like I got pneumonia.
Too bad. I'll tell Ruthie you called. Just tell
her I was here, huh? Tell her I was sick. But
I'm okay now. Tell her I'll call her soon. Alright.
I'll give her the message. And you can also tell
her that I quit my job. I'm going to look for
something better. Yes, Salvador, you do that.
You look for something better. We should all
try to improve ourselves. Yeah, that's what I'm
going to do, Mr. Maitland. You wait and see.
I'm going to improve myself. Are you sure you
want another drink, Sal? I'm sure, Phil. Just
put it right in front of me once you disappear.
Well, you don't usually have three of those.
That's because usually I can't afford it. Oh,
now you can, huh? That's right. Well, I'll come.
I mean, if you quit your job, like you said.
I got compensation from the plant, you know,
for getting hurt on the job. Oh, no kidding.
So now you're rich, huh? Rich. I got about 10
bucks left. All the rest went for expenses when
I wasn't working. At least I get something for
my 10 bucks. Well, here's what you get, Sal.
Two bucks change. Boy, I wish I had what's in
that register, Phil. Eh, listen, kid, be thankful
for what you got. Yeah? Like what? Ah, you got
hair. Huh, that's more than I got. You want the
hair? Take it. Listen, I wish I could, Sal. I
really wish I could. I mean, when I was your
age, I had me a head of hair to knock your eyes
out. Would you really like my hair? Well, you
know what they say, grass don't grow on a busy
street. But just the same, I sure wish I had
some. Yeah, maybe you can. I mean, there are
all kinds of ways, you know? Oh, you mean like,
uh, what is it, a transplant? Yeah, yeah, in
a way. I'll transplant my hair to your head.
How's that, huh? That's for free, of course.
Okay, what's the joke? Oh, you know what happened
to me in the hospital? I traded an old guy for
his pneumonia. How's that? It's true. He got
my broken leg. I got his pneumonia. What do you
think of that? Give me all the money you got
in the register. You can have all my hair. Sure,
Sal, anything you say. Only not tonight, huh?
I'm busy. Look, you won't have anything to lose.
You don't even have to pay me until afterwards.
Oh, I get it now. You get yourself a haircut
and then hand me the stuff in the cigar box.
No, that's not how it works. Look, I'm not sure
how it works, but... Let's wait and see, huh?
You want to shake on it? Okay, Sal. Shake! Hello?
Sal? Hey, Sal, is that you? Who is this? It's
Phil. Phil from the ball in Colbert. Sal, it's
a miracle, I swear it, genuine miracle. What
are you talking about? Look, Phil, the kind of
head that weighs about 2 ,000 pounds thanks to
you, no? Oh, listen, from now on the drinks are
on the house. You come in any time, I'll set
them... You made a deal last night, didn't we?
Oh, young Salvador Ross looks a bit older now.
He may regret his bargain now, but who knows
what the future will bring. Because now that
he knows he has a talent for trading, perhaps
Mr. Ross can trade his way into a better, brighter
future. I'll be back shortly with Act Two. still
another friendly neighborhood tavern, not the
Four Leaf Clover. Salvador Ross hasn't chosen
to return to the Four Leaf Clover, not since
the night when he made the incredible transaction
with Phil the bartender. The thought of visiting
his own head of hair was far too repugnant for
Sal Ross. Or perhaps it was because he realized
how cheaply he had sold part of himself, $110.
As he sits and broods into the bar mirror, Looking
at the gleaming reflection of his naked scalp,
he cursed his own haste and plotted his next
step. After all, it takes time and experience
to become an experienced traitor. Hey buddy,
buddy, you spare a guy half a buck and I'll feed
it, will ya? Just for a bowl of soup, you know?
A bowl of soup, huh? I don't know if this joint
serves any soup. I wasn't gonna have it here.
It's going down the street. Come on, don't be
cheap, huh? Beat it, I said! I don't like it.
You don't have to get nasty. Hey, hey, hey! Wait
a minute. What? Come back here a minute. I want
to talk to you. Yeah, what about? I said a pretty
good head of hair you got there, Pop. What? I
said... I said it's a nice head of hair you got
there, for a man your age. What are you, some
kind of pansy or something? Hey, listen! How
do you like to have a drink, huh? You kidding
me? Hey, Bartana! Two more of these, huh? I'm
drinking scotch, Pop. Is that all right with
you? Sure, anything. I'm not particular. I didn't
think you would be. Yeah. That's a real nice
thick head of hair, Pop. It's kind of gray, but
I guess you could dye it, couldn't you? Listen,
anything you say, friend. You see a bald head
of mine? Yeah. Yeah, what about that? You wouldn't
believe it, Pop, but I had a full head of hair
myself not more than two weeks ago. What? Oh,
here's your drink, Pop. Knock it down, huh? Boy,
that tastes good. Only it disappeared awful fast,
did it? I guess you'd like another one, huh?
It's okay with you. I tell you what, Pop. How
do you like to have a half a dozen bottles of
that stuff, all your own? What? You heard me.
How do you like to have a half a dozen bottles
for yourself? I mean, you can have yourself a
blast. That'll last you a whole week, maybe.
Well, when I need a half a dozen bottles, from
where? Maybe I'll make you a present of them.
Why would you do that? Well, let's say maybe
I'll make you a trade. Look, mister, I don't
know what you're talking about. I'll make a deal
with you. You're ahead. From my whiskey. You
know, I take you nuts. Who ever heard of a deal
like that? You just heard of a pop. And I show
you my good faith, I'll take you out right now
and I'll buy you those bottles. All you gotta
say is yes. What is it? What is it? Ah, I must
have been dreaming. What time is it anyway? 3
.30, I was gonna stay awake and see what happens
to... Oh my... Oh my God! My hair! My hair is
back! It's back! I gotta... I gotta look in the
mirror. Oh! Shit! That's true! That's true! My
hair's all grown back! Only it's not my old hair!
I know what it is, I got the bones here, he's
got my whiskey! This really works! He's bald
and I'm drunk! And I got hair! And I'm broke!
That's the craziest thing I ever heard of, but
it's true! I can swap what I got for anything,
anything at all! Only, what am I gonna get to
sell? What can I give up to really get some real
bread? Yeah! Yeah, I know what it is! It's the
most important thing in the world! In the whole
world! It ought to be worth a fortune to the
right party! It ought to be worth a million bucks!
Yeah, that's right, Sal. I'm still working for
the old guy. Come on, you want a game or don't
you? Not yet, Joey, not yet. Tell me more about
the job. Nothing much to tell. I drive Mr. Halpert's
car. Sometimes I clean his apartment. Sometimes
I tend bar for him when he gets parties. Only,
uh, lately he ain't been given too many parties.
He's getting too old for that kind of stuff.
How old is he, Joey? Mmm, I don't know. He don't
tell me stuff like that. But he's old. I gotta
help him in and out of the limousine all the
time. He's rich, ain't he? Sure he's rich. He's
plenty rich. Joey. Look, would you introduce
me to your boss? Hmm? I wanna meet Mr. Halpert.
Could you arrange that? What for? He ain't hiring
nobody else. Hey, what are you after, my job?
Forget it. Come on, let's shoot some pool. Ah,
you don't really want to play pool with me, Joey.
You know him ten times better than you are. I
clean you. Yeah, I know you're the shark of all
time. But come on and play just the same. I want
to meet Mr. Halpert, Joey. I got a proposition
for him, see? Something that'll interest him
a whole lot. Forget it, Sal. He don't see people.
He hardly ever leaves the apartment nowadays.
It's important. It's very important. Ah, come
on, Sally. He's not gonna talk business with
somebody like you. Big bankers and people like
that are trying to see him all the time. He won't
even talk to them. Listen, Joey. Look, you get
me in to see Mr. Halford. I'll give you something
for your trouble. Like what? I got no money.
But I'll give you something else. You can have
my game, Joey. You what? I'll swap you my pool
game. for a meeting with your boss. I mean it.
You say the word, you can play as good as me.
You mean like you'll coach me? I don't have to.
You don't... Look, you'll play as good as me.
That's all. I can do things like that. I can't
explain how, but I can. Just say yes, Joey. That's
all you gotta say. And if you start shooting
real good, look, will you get me in to see Mr.
Halpert? I told you. You got what I used to have.
But now, look, you owe me a favor, too. All right,
what's this all about? This is the guy I told
you about, Mr. Alpert. The guy with the treatment.
You don't look like any doctor to me. I'm not
a doctor, Mr. Alpert. I mean, not exactly. What
the heck does that mean? Not exactly. Look, are
we talking private? Yeah, I'll go polish the
car, Mr. Halpert. Yeah, polish the car. Polish
the car. That's all you ever wanna do. You're
gonna wear that car out one of these days. I'll
come back in a little while. All right, all right.
Get down to it. Now, what do you want exactly?
I wanna make a deal with you, Mr. Halpert. Only
it's gonna sound crazy, so don't throw me out
right away, see? You know how old I am. What
the heck are you talking about, kid? I'm 26.
How old are you? Listen, are you crazy or something?
Okay. I'm 79. If the price is right, I'll trade
you my 26 for what you are. I can do it, Mr.
Halpern. Just say the word. If that isn't the
dumbest thing anybody ever said to me, what in
the house did you escape from anyway? Nobody
can... I can trade how old they are. I can. I
can trade anything I want. You see this head
of hair? Yeah. What's a young guy like you doing
with all white hair? I swapped for it, Mr. Halpert.
I can swap anything I got for anything you got.
And what you got is plenty of money. And years,
kid. Too many years. I'll take them off your
back. You just say yes, that's all you have to
do. Okay. That's enough. Beat it. Look, you gotta
believe me, Mr. Halpert. Give me a chance to
prove it. You don't have to pay me off until
it works. I mean, what would you give to be 26
years old again? A million bucks, kid. That's
what I'd give. What kind of pills you peddling?
Would you give me a million bucks? Just like
that? Just say yes, Mr. Halpert. The rest is
easy. Only don't try and double -cross on me,
because once we make the swap, it's final. I
get the million, you get the B -26. Is that a
deal? Yeah. Sure, kid. Sure! It's a deal. Hey,
uh, Mr. Ross, best sweet in the hotel. Uh, wait
a minute while I turn on the lights. And, uh,
this here's your air conditioning unit, Mr. Ross.
You can adjust it for any temperature you want.
Uh, Mr. Ross, you okay? Uh, yeah. Uh, I'm all
right. I'm just... I'm just a little bit tired.
Well, you just sit right down here, Mr. Ross.
I'll put your bags away. Wait a minute. There's,
uh, something, uh, something I want you to do
for me first. Oh, yes, sir? Uh, I want you to
read me this story in tonight's paper. I can't
see the small print. What does it say there about
this man, uh, Halpert? Well, let's see now. It
says here, Wayne Halpert's disappearance sends
company stock tumbling. The mysterious disappearance
of retired multi -millionaire Wayne Halpert,
in 79, has caused investors to shed large amounts
of the shares in W. Halpert Enterprises. I was
smart to take mine in cash. Yeah, I got it all
in cash. What was that, Mr. Ross? I know where
he is, you know. Son, get out of here. I'm sailing
down to Mediterranean with all those pretty girls
aboard. Look, Mr. Ross, maybe you'd better get
to bed. Yeah, yeah, yeah, I'm very tired. You're
a kind young man. What did you say your name
was? Albert, sir. Yes, Albert. You're a very
kind young man. How old are you, Albert? Uh,
19, sir. You're 19, only 19, huh? You got your
whole life in front of you, haven't you, Albert?
Oh, yes, sir. I guess so. How much you earn in
this hotel, Albert? Well, not too much, sir.
Including tips about, um, $75 a week. How long
do you think it'll take you to save a thousand
bucks, Albert? Me? About 20 years. What would
you give to have a thousand bucks in your pocket
right now, Albert? Are you kidding? You're only
19 years old. But what if you were twenty, huh?
That'd bother you a lot? Course not. Nineteen,
twenty? What's the difference? It's just one
year. That's all, Albert. One year. Would you
make a deal like that? You swap one year for
a thousand bucks? Oh boy, would I! Good, Albert,
that's good. Then I'm gonna write you a check
right now. Hey, you really mean it, Mr. Ross?
That's right, Albert. Anytime you want to sell
more years, you come see me. You can tell your
friends about it, too. I'm always good for ready
cash. So, Salvador Ross has started to buy back
the years he gave away. Tomorrow morning he'll
be 78 years old. He'll probably celebrate with
an unbirthday party. Wouldn't we all like to
have that privilege to lose the weight of our
years instead of adding them on? Or is it such
a privilege? We'll find out when I return shortly
with act three It's been almost two months since
Elvador rocks moved into a luxurious suite in
the city's most elegant hotel. And Mr. Ross has
been a very busy man. Day after day, a stream
of young people has come to his door to make
an astonishing transaction. One by one, Salvador
Ross has regained the years he gave away. Until
finally, at a price of only $53 ,000, Sal was
able to look in the mirror and see the young
man He used to be. But now, there was a great
difference. Because the young man who looked
back at it was a very rich young man. And when
he paid his next visit to the home of Ruthie
Maitland, he drove to her residence in the back
of a chauffeur -driven limousine. So is it. It's
Salvador Royce, Mr. Maitland. Well, what do you
know? Back from the dead, Salvador. Like me?
How are you, Mr. Maidler? It's been a long time.
You can see how I am, Salvador. You see the wheelchair,
don't you? Your eyes are still good, aren't they?
Yes, sir. My eyes are all right. That's more
than I can say for myself. You've been sick,
Mr. Maidler? I've been sick. I've been hit by
lightning in the brain. Fine. They call it a
stroke, Salvador. You see, I can't move this
side of my body. I'm really sorry, Mr. Maidler.
Is Ruthie here? Yes. Ruthie is here. Poor Ruth
is always here. Ruthie, come out. You've got
company. Where's it, Doc? Come see for yourself.
Mr. Maitland, I just want you to know that things
are different with me since I saw you last. Things
are a lot better. I'm glad for you, Salvador.
You told me to go out and prove myself, and that's
what I did. So? Hello, Ruthie. So? Oh, but the
heavy things are... I haven't heard from you
in months. Yeah, I know. I've been busy, you
know. A lot of things have been happening to
me. That's the way life is, Oliver, though. Things
happen to people. Some good, some bad. Uh, Ruthie,
you think you could, uh, come out with me for
a little while, huh? Could I take you to dinner
or something? Oh, I... I don't think so, sir.
My daughter doesn't like to leave me alone. She
thinks she has to watch over me night and day.
Oh, come on, please, Ruthie. Just for a little
while, huh? I gotta talk to you. I got a car
downstairs. A car? Yeah, yeah, car and a driver.
So we could just, uh, go for a ride. I just don't
understand how it could have happened, Sal. I
mean, you had nothing just a few months ago.
Now everything's so different. I just hit it
big, Ruthie. I got lucky. You're not... Do you
mean anything to someone? No, I swear I'm not.
I just, you know, I come in with some big money,
that's all. An old man, he left me a lot of money.
Someone I get a favor for. You're so incredible.
You look so different. Even your face looks different.
It's the nose, Ruthie. That old broken nose of
mine, it's gone. I swapped it. I mean, I had
it fixed. I don't know what to say. I'm just
overwhelmed. Well, say you see me again, Ruthie.
That's all I want to hear. I mean, I know you
turned me down when I asked you to marry me,
but, uh, at least see me again, huh? Well, yeah,
of course. Only, it can't be too often. You saw
my poor father. Yeah, yeah, yeah. It's too bad
about what happened to him. He's so terribly
ill, Sam. He needs me. Yeah, I need you too,
Ruthie. I never thought I'd ever see the inside
of this restaurant, Sal. Yeah, it's a lot different
from the old seafood house, Ed. The most fattiest
place I've ever been to in my life. Oh, there
are lots of other places you can see, Ruthie.
I mean, not just here. There's places in Europe
and South America. Hey, you know where I'd like
to go? Acapulco. Everybody talks about Acapulco.
You know, Sal, I'm sure dressed all wrong for
this restaurant. Just look at the clothes. The
women are wearing. You can have all the fancy
clothes you want. And jewelry, Ruthie. You know
how many times I want to buy you a real good
piece of jewelry? Like I could never afford it?
This is like a dream game. Look at this, Ruthie.
What is it? You ever see a prettier diamond than
that in your whole life? Oh, it's incredible.
What must be said again? It's the biggest rock
they had in the whole journey. I hate to tell
you what it cost. Here, put it on. I can't accept
this. Oh, sure you can. Go on, put it on your
finger. No, no, I just can't. It's much too much
for me. Yeah, but it's not too much for me. That's
all that matters. Ruthie. Look, I'm asking you
to wear this as an engagement ring. I guess that's
what I meant. Huh? I never said I'd marry you,
Sal. What are you talking about? We've been...
We've been dating me for weeks now. Yeah, but
we never discussed marriage again. Look, the
only reason you turned me down before is because
I was such a bum. Well, I'm no bum anymore, Ruthie.
Can't you see that with your own eyes? I just
can't do it. But why not? I mean, I... Look,
I can be anything you want me to be. You want
me to be smart like your old man, I can be that
too. Sal, you know I don't feel that way. Look,
I can get an education, see? Just like that.
I can learn a lot of ways to know about music
and painting and art. You just say the word,
I'll go out and get the education. It isn't that
alone. Well then what is it? Hey, wait a minute.
Ah, you don't have to tell me. It's your old,
it's your old man. It's your father. He still
doesn't like me. But he, he still doesn't appreciate
you, Sal. Even though I'm rich now, huh? But
he doesn't think about money the way you do.
He told me to go out and prove myself. That's
what I did. There isn't enough for him. Please.
Well, we are going to talk about him. Once and
for all. I know your father means a lot to you.
You think he's the greatest man who ever lived.
Well, I want to know why, see? I want to know
what makes him so much better than me. Well,
it's hard to explain. Well, try. It's not just
that my father is a smart or educated man. He's
something more important. He's something I don't
have, right? Go on, tell me what it is. I don't
know the word for it. Well, make up a word. Well,
he... He has... Heart. Compassion. I guess that's
what I really mean, Sal. My father has compassion.
Compassion? All my life. Ever since I can remember
he's had that quality. I don't think I could
ever live without it around me, Sal. Can you
understand that? Yes, who is it? Sal Roach, Mr.
Maiden. Can I come in? Rupi's not home. I know,
Mr. Maiden. I want to see you. Why me, Salvador?
I want to talk to you about something. All right,
come in. I don't have very much to... Say to
you, Salvador, you found that out a long time
ago. Yeah, I know that. And in case you came
here to argue with me about Ruthie, don't waste
your time. My daughter makes up her own mind.
You know, she told you I proposed to her, huh?
She tells me things, yeah. You tell her a few
things, too, don't you? Salvador. Salvador, I'm
a sick man. And I don't have long hands. A few
months, maybe only a few weeks. I wouldn't want
to leave my Ruthie in the hands of the wrong
person. You mean in me, huh? Leave us in peace,
Salvador. I didn't come here to talk about Ruthie,
Mr. Maitland. Then why did you come? It's you
I came about. I mean, I came to talk to you.
Look, I know what you think of me, and I didn't
come here to change your mind. I came here to
talk business. Business? I want to make a deal
with you. I want to buy something you've got.
Look at me. I have nothing. Even this wheelchair
is rented. You've still got something I want.
I'm willing to pay for it, any price you name.
You could use money, I know that. Not for yourself,
not... I mean, money for Ruthie. Money to take
care of her when she's alone. I have nothing
to sell, don't you understand? Yes, you do. You
got something I need real bad. I don't know what
you call it exactly. Ruthie says it's like, uh...
compassion. What kind of crazy talk is this?
Do you even know what you're talking about? A
lot of people thought I was crazy when I offered
them this kind of a deal, but I've done all right.
I take my word for it. I've done great. You think
you can buy a thing like that and pay for it
like eggs? I know I can. All you do is say yes.
I'll give you any amount of money you want. I
think maybe you don't feel well, Salvador. Look,
a hundred thousand bucks, huh? How does that
strike you? Would you make a deal for a hundred
thousand? You're really serious. I'll bring you
the check tomorrow morning. It's enough money
to take care of you for the rest of your life.
And Ruthie, too. You know, you're a crazy man,
Salvador. Crazy. But all right. If that's your
insanity, all right. Why is it the alarm so early
for? Might as well get up. Shit. It was a funny
dream last night. I was crying about something.
It's funny. Crying in your sleep? Hey, look at
that. I still got tears in my face. Jeez, I don't
think I've cried since I was six years old. I
feel so different today. What's the matter with
me? I don't feel like myself. I feel like I want...
I feel like I want to go outside. I want to look
at people. I want to talk to them. Hey, what
a nutty thing. I... I want to be with people.
Hey, what is this? Is this what Lil T was talking
about? That compassion stuff? Oh, it's so great
about it. All I feel is sad. I feel like... I
feel it crying. I feel like the whole world is
on my shoulders. What's so great about feeling
like that, huh? Ruthie. I gotta see Ruthie. I
gotta tell her what happened to me. I gotta hold
her in my arms. My sweet little Ruthie. Did you
bring the check? Yes, sir, I brought it. All
right, let's get it over with. Is it certified?
Yeah, it's a bank check, Mr. Maitland. It's good
as cash. Put it on the table. Yes, sir. Is Ruthie
up yet? She's up, but she's not here. Oh, well,
where is she? I sent her on an errand. Oh, I'd
really like to see her, Mr. Maitland. I guess
what I really mean is I'd like her to see me.
I'd like her to realize that I've changed. You've
changed, have you? She'll be able to tell too,
you know. It may take a little while, but she's
gonna know. I see. And then she'll say yes to
your marriage proposal, hmm? I think she will,
yeah. And I'll make her happy, Mr. Maitland.
I swear I will. I'll do everything I can to make
your daughter happy. You're still a bum, Salvador.
Maybe you're rich now, or maybe you've got a
big smile on your face, but in my eyes, you're
still a bum. I know why you feel that way about
me, Mr. Maitland, I know. But everything about
me is different now, I swear that. And I want
us to be friends. You gave me a hundred thousand
dollars, Salvador. Do you need my friendship
too? Well, it's what I want more than the money.
Sorry, Salvador. I don't have any friendly feelings
to give you. This is what I have for you. Hey.
Hey, Mr. Maitland, what are you doing with that
shotgun, huh? I kept it around here for robbers.
The neighborhood is full of robbers. But now
the biggest robber of all is right here in front
of me. Mr. Maitland, put the thing down, will
ya? Be careful! You're not taking the most important
thing in my life, Salvador. Stop, Mr. Maitland,
please! Have mercy! Please! Sorry, Salvador,
I don't have that anymore. No mercy. No compassion.
the incredible rise and fall of Salvador Ross,
a man who pulled himself up by his own bootstraps
and who finally fell before the merciless blast
of a loaded shotgun, all of which goes to prove
that it isn't easy to strike the right bargains
in life. Sometimes we make bargains with the
devil without even realizing it, and sometimes
we create our own devils. the way Salvador Ross
did. I'll be back shortly. What would you have
given up if you were Salvador Ross? Which one
of your blessings would you trade for someone
else's? It's an interesting speculation. and
one which makes most people realize that they'd
rather not trade at all. And speaking of swaps,
thank you for swapping that television program
for this one. We trust that you've seen pictures
in your own mind that no television screen could
ever match. Our cast included Tony Roberts, Mandel
Kramer, Evie Juster, Robert Dryden, Gil Mack,
and Jack Grimes. The entire production was under
the direction of Hyman Brown. Radio Mystery Theatre
was sponsored in part by CONTAC, the 12 -hour
allergy capsule, Buick Motor Division, and Anheuser
-Busch Incorporated, Brewers of Budweiser. This
is E .G. Marshall inviting you to return to our
Mystery Theatre for another adventure in the
macabre. Until next time, pleasant dreams.