Come in. Welcome. I'm E .G. Marshall. Won't you
join me once again for an adventure in mystery
and suspense, where space is as boundless and
as unlimited as your imagination and time is
measured by the beat of your heart most of us
know who we are but how many of us know why we
are rich man poor man beggar man thief is each
man's lot ordained from the beginning and fated
to be or not to be or is it all a random throw
of the dice a casual flip of a coin do we tamper
with fate at our peril. Who is it? Police. How
do I know? You've got a chain lock, lady. Just
open the door a couple inches. You can see my
badge. Oh, my goodness. What a relief. Please,
come in. I saw this man. He was... prowling around
in the dark, outside in the back. I was so frightened.
Can you describe him? Well, he was tall. How
tall? Tall, about like you are. What else? And
he had broad shoulders, like you have. for the
Mystery Theatre by Sam Dan and stars William
Redfield. I'll be back shortly with Act One.
Consider Napoleon. Historians agree that his
doom at Waterloo had been ordained some three
years before in his costly victory at Borodino,
a tiny village on the road to Moscow. They say
that at Borodino, he lost the flower of his army.
And why did he lose so many of his best soldiers?
Because he was unable to think clearly. The reason?
He was suffering from a severe cold. Why? Well,
we know that his orderly had gotten drunk the
day before, and thus neglected to have a pair
of dry boots ready for the great general. And
so, in a very real sense, this unnamed, unknown,
obscure military servant Change the course of
history. Those are the facts. We may ask, why
was the orderly drunk? Did it just happen? Or
was it all part of a plan? Is every single action
on the part of every living thing prescribed,
ordained, decreed? We don't know. We're just
asking. As will some of the people you're about
to meet. All Area 4 units proceed to 160 South
left. But I tell you, I have nothing. Easy. If
you hit him any harder, you'll kill her. Now
listen, grandpa, be smart. Take my money. He's
in the drawer. Take my money. We don't want your
money, Grandpa. All we want is that little statue.
Now, you got it here somewhere. Get it. Please,
don't. You hand it over, Grandpa. You hand it
over. Hold it right there. Not those guns. Sure,
but sir, do a thing. You okay, sir? I think so.
This... I know, I know. Take it easy. Greenway.
What happened? I... I guess they're dead. Hey,
Red. Get on the radio and get us an air. Sergeant,
they both had guns. One was pistol -whipping
this old man. Sir, we'd better get you to a doctor.
I'm sorry to have caused you so much trouble.
They started to shoot as soon as they saw me.
I guess I was luckier than both of them. Yeah,
you did a good job. I... Greenway, what is it?
I've been a cop for eight years. You know, it's
the first time I ever had to throw the gun out
of the holster. Can you drive? Drive? Oh, sure.
Sure. I don't think so. I'll get Smitty to take
your car. You come back with me. Write up your
report. Now? Sure. Right now. While it's fresh.
Tom? Yeah. Yeah, it's me. I heard about it. It
was on the radio. That's going to be on the TV
news, too, before we could even get out of the
place. Everybody was there. Microphones, cameras...
Two men are dead. And... And what? Well, nobody
seems to realize that... Tom, everybody knows
they're dead. Look, honey, I can't explain it.
These two men, they're dead. Their lives are
finished, see? I ended the world for them. They
don't exist anymore. That's what being dead is.
Don, you had no choice. I know. It's part of
your job. I know. I guess I never looked at that
part of the job. I always had the idea I was
a cop because I wanted to help people. You helped
that poor old band today. You saved his life.
I understand, honey. I know all the arguments.
Then what is it? I just never thought I'd have
to go for the gun. Don. I feel as if... as if
something... some part of me is gone. What? I
don't know. When I saw those two men dead on
the floor, I felt that some part of me simply
disappeared. Something... something in my mind.
Something like... what? I don't know, but it's
something that I felt was very special and important
to me, and now it's just... it's gone. It's disappeared.
What you did was absolutely necessary. I agree,
but it doesn't change the basic fact, which is
I killed. Listen, how about dinner? I didn't
know how you feel, so it's why I don't go. Okay,
let's go out. Sure. Dress up. I'll take you to
Ferretti's. Oh, we're gonna make this an occasion.
Well, it is an occasion, I guess. Maybe it marks
my coming of age. Yes, yes, Sergeant. Your wife
wants you to call her on your coffee break. Something
wrong, Sarge? Why don't you take your break right
now? He said he wants to entertain both of us
this evening at his home. Are you sure? He said
his name was Mr. Sanchez, the one whose life
you saved. Oh, I thought it was something important.
I'll pour you some more wine. It's delicious.
My dear friend, I am so sorry I could not thank
you earlier. Look, it's not necessary to thank
me. I did my job, nothing more. Unfortunately,
I have been in the hospital for the past week,
so I have been unable to show my appreciation.
And tomorrow my business takes me abroad for
an indefinite period, and so it must be tonight
or never. What do you mean? Consider this. Tiny
statue. Oh, it's beautiful. Hardly six inches
tall, and it's pure gold. It's exquisitely made.
See? The figure of a woman entwined around her
is serpent. Now, why do I show you this? Because
this is the object those two thugs were after.
Ah. But why? I mean, what do they know about
it? Probably nothing. Perhaps someone had paid
them to get it. Who? It could be anyone. That
is, anyone who might be aware of the legend that
surrounds this statue. A legend? Oh, darn. It
is said that whoever owns this statue will be
granted three wishes. Oh, no. Oh, don't mind
him, Mr. Sanchez. He's always skeptical about
everything. Now, do you know what year this is,
Mr. Sanchez? All that went out with the Arabian
Nights. John, can't we have a little romance?
You say that the statue will grant you three
wishes. So why didn't you use it to save yourself
when those woods were beating up? I did. Oh,
you mean you did? I wish to be saved. And? And
you arrived. Mr. Sanchez, I arrived because I
got a call on the police radio. But you arrived,
and it was their two guns against your one. And
they fired first, yet you killed them both. How?
What are you getting at, Mr. Sanchez? Everything
or nothing. Now, I wish to make you a gift. Oh,
no. No, no, no. I couldn't. Of this statue. Don't.
Please, that's out of the question. Besides,
why would you want to give it away since you
seem to be convinced that it works? Because when
I asked to be saved, that was my third wish.
Mr. Sanchez, I appreciate what you want to do,
but it's illegal for me to accept payment for
performance in the line of duty. This is not
payment. It is a token, a gift. Look, I am leaving
the country for an indefinite period. I am an
old man. I cannot make any long -range plans.
I may never see you again. There is no way to
slice this to make it come out differently, Mr.
Sanchez. Are you saying that there is no way
I can show you my appreciation? No way beyond
the thank you, and I've already received that.
Ella, look, it's getting late. But Don, Mr. Sanchez
is very sincere. I know he is. It's still getting
late. Before you go, consider in the ordinary
way... I should be dead. That was the obvious
way. Fate was working. However, by means of this
statue, I changed it. In doing so, I also changed
your life. You're a different man because of
me. I'm the same man I always was. You don't
realize it yet. So, take this statue. Look, I'm
very sorry, sir, but I... You may need it. You
may even now be headed for a fate. That you may
wish to change mr. Sanchez. Thank you for an
excellent dinner and a very pleasant evening
Ella tomorrow's an early day for me then It is
nothing I can say to you. I'm afraid not Wow
honey, this is a spread I thought you'd be hungry
tonight look at that steak You even baked a pie.
Yes, I did. Look, I'm gonna have to start losing
weight soon. Don, I have to tell you something.
Sure, what? Well, at first I thought maybe I
could keep it a secret, but... Hey, what is it?
Look up there, on the shelf. On the... statue?
Before you say another word, it's mine. Yours?
Listen, Don... He stopped off here this afternoon
on the way to the airport. He asked me to accept
the statue. Couldn't you tell him that I can?
I told him. I even told him I couldn't accept
it as a gift either. Well, so how does it happen
that it's sitting there? Well, he said, let me
sell it to you. Sell it? Let me sell it to you,
he said, for $50. $50? It's worth at least $1
,000. Don, he convinced me we might need this
statue one day. Honey, for what? Anyhow, it's
my statue. I have the bill of sale made out to
me. Here it is. Now, what would you like me to
wish for? Nothing. Nothing? Nothing. And Ella,
I want your word of honor that you will never,
never use that statue to wish for anything. But
don't. I want your promise. But you can't be
serious. Look, I'll tell you how serious I am.
If you ever make a wish on that statue, I will
break up our marriage. Now can I have your promise?
Why is Don so upset? Is it such a bad thing to
have a wish come true? Well, it is, according
to both Aesop and James Russell Lowell, because
both of them said, granting our wish is one of
fate's saddest jokes. Even so, and with all due
respect to those two great men, wouldn't most
people jump at the chance to get a wish gratified?
The proposition will be tested when I return
in a few moments with Act Two. It's a tiny statue,
perhaps six inches high, made of the purest gold
and the finest workmanship. It's the figure of
a beautiful woman with a serpent coiled about
her waist. It is said to have the power to grant
its owner three wishes. And would you believe
that it's the source of a violent argument between
Don and Ella Greenway in this day and age of
electronics and jets? Don, wouldn't it be something,
though? Wouldn't what be something? If it were
all really true. If we could get three wishes
out of them. Ella, I meant what I said before,
no wishing on that statue. Don! Do you mean you
believe the old man? Well, do you? What's the
difference? But, Don, how could... Ella, remember
what he said last night about how I happened
to be there? Yes, but... When I pulled up in
the squad car and jumped out, I couldn't see
inside that shop. Do you know what I mean? No.
There's a window display. It blocks your view.
The door was closed, and it's a heavy wooden
door. What are you trying to tell me? Listen,
the call came in, you see? It was relayed to
Sergeant Carter. The assumption was some passerby
had seen the holdup. That has to be what happened.
How? How could anyone on the street have seen
anything inside the shop? Maybe someone passing
by heard the old man scream. No, no, no. See,
I was there at the height of it. I didn't hear
a thing. I didn't see a thing. Until I threw
that door open. Well, but... Well, but what?
I got there first because mine was the nearest
card of the scene. Each of them got off a shot
at me before I could even fire. Please I don't
even like to think about Ella. I didn't even
want to shoot would you believe it? I had to
force myself to pull the trigger Still when the
smoke clears there. They are they're dead. I'm
alive Could there have been? Oh Fate or whatever
you call it involved there On the other hand
it could just be The way things happen sometimes
right that's right. So let's let things determine
themselves right or better Or for worse. How
would it be if I wished you made sergeant? I'm
gonna make sergeant anyhow. That's true. How
about money? No, Ella, I want you to listen.
Forget that statue. I don't wish for a million
dollars. Look, Ella, I'm telling you. All this
is extremely practical and justified. Look. We
owe $12 ,000 on the mortgage. Ella. $1 ,500 on
the car. I don't want to go into all this again.
That's $13 ,500. We owe $400 for the new roof.
And you'll have to have that dental work done.
That's another $600. And we've been promising
ourselves an air conditioner for the bedroom.
Honey. And our washing machine is 10 years old.
Comes to, say, $15 ,000. I don't want to hear
anymore, Ella. Don, it's my stuff. Please, Ella,
I... What is it, Don? All right. All right, I'll
admit it. I... I'm scared. Of what? I don't know.
Ever since that shootout, I've had all kinds
of... crazy ideas. Crazy ideas? Well, not crazy,
so much as mixed up, and I... I don't even know
if they're ideas. They're more like... like feelings.
Can you...? No. No, I can't describe them. Honey,
just please listen. Don't do anything right now
to upset me, okay? You need a vacation. I'm all
right. I'm all right. Let's just let everything
sit for a while Hey, what time did it get to
be after signing at five? Goodbye, honey. Bye
darling. Ella, just humor me, will you? I mean,
promise. I promise. I promised. And I probably
would have kept that promise. But I was loading
the dishes. I turned the knob, and nothing happened.
I kept clicking the knob, and nothing happened.
I was so angry, so frustrated, I thought I'd
kicked it. But nothing happened. All we wanted
was to live nicely. Comfortably. It would take
fifteen thousand dollars to put us ahead of the
game. Would that upset fate? I looked at the
statue. I remembered the words that Mr. Sanchez
had spoken when he left here. You look at the
statue. You say to the statue, I wish for...
I wish for... I wish for... I wish for fifteen
thousand... It's a hold -up. Merchants Federal,
North Main. Preparators escaping in Blue Station
wagon headed toward Interstate Highway. At 21.
21. Head south to Washington and Cunowon. All
cars toward Washington and Interstate Highway.
21. 21. You turn east on Washington through a
wagon headed toward Collins Intersection. Uh,
21, if alleyways open past Jefferson, I can shortcut
through there. 21, they just went by me. 21,
they turned left into Turnbull. I'm following.
Sergeant Carter. Where is he? They just brought
him down from the operating room. Just tell me.
Don't try to break it slowly. I have to know.
As of right now, he's still alive. Oh, thank
God. We had him trapped. They tried to turn around
and get by him. It was a head -on crash. I want
to see him. What will he? We're doing everything
we can. He's surrounded with intensive care.
But... But will he? Mrs. Greenway, there are
different methods of handling a thing like this.
I could build up your hopes over a... You can
tell me the truth. I can tell you what appears
to be the truth. To us. At this time. He's not
going to make it. The outlook is not good. It's
been an unbelievable shock to his system. Yes.
There's been some, not very much, but a little
brain damage. The nurse maintained the indicated
levels of fluids and oxygen and report even the
slightest changes immediately. May I stay here
for a while? I promise not to get in anybody's
way. Of course. Excuse me. Mrs. Greenway, if
there's anything any of us can do... Thank you,
Sergeant. It's guys like him. God, what's the
use? It's usually guys like him who'll get it.
You know, it's funny. You might have had a premonition
about it. What are you saying, Sergeant? Oh,
I... I don't know. I was just thinking aloud.
No. No, tell me. Tell me what you mean by a premonition.
Well, it's just how things work out, you know?
Couple of months ago. We got this new benevolent
league special insurance and Don never paid any
attention to it But this morning before going
on duty. He said to me hey Sarge Hand me a form.
I'll sign up He signed up for special insurance
this morning, yeah How much insurance how much?
Let's see if I can remember. Oh, sure. It was
the same as mine. $15 ,000. This morning, Ella
Greenway stood before a tiny gold statue and
wished for $15 ,000. Taken by itself, we could
call it an act of superstition. Now, 14 hours
later... Her husband is dying, and we find he
has just insured his life for, you guessed it,
$15 ,000. Rarely is superstition so scientifically
supported by mathematics. We'll have another
set of numbers when I return shortly with Act
3. If you could have three wishes, would you
take them? Ella Greenway was warned, stay with
what fate has planned, accept destiny, don't
improvise. But all she wished for was a modest
sum of money to keep up with the cost of living.
However, it turns out the price she must pay
for the money is her husband's life. One wish
down, two to go. I don't want the money. I don't
want that. Mrs. Greenway? Huh? Mrs. Greenway?
What? Oh, where am I? Are you all right? Are
you all right now? Oh, I had a dream. I dreamed
I was called to the hospital because Don had
been killed. And no, no, it wasn't, it isn't
a dream. I can understand why it's been a terrible
shot. Dr. Morris? Huh? Very well, I'll be right
up there. Doctor, that was about Don, wasn't
it? Yes. I can tell by the tone in your voice.
It's not good. I never told you it was good,
Mrs. Springway. But now it's worse. He's getting
worse. He's sinking quickly. It could be a matter
of minutes! Please tell me! Yes. He could die
at any time. Sergeant Carter, take me home! But
don't you want to know... Take me home! Take
me home as quickly as you can! I'm all right.
You had me worried the way you were. Yeah, I'm
fine. And about Don, well, maybe the doctors
don't know everything, you know? Maybe there
will be something though. Don, Don will be all
right. Just remember, if there's anything, anything
at all... Oh, Miss Scream, aren't you going to
answer it? Answer? almost say it's a miracle.
Why not say it? One thing for sure, Mrs. Greenway
never gave up hope, never lost faith. Look at
that man, he's got his color back. Respiration,
pressure, heartbeat, everything, everything is
perfectly normal. I still can't believe it. Don?
Don? Ella? Ella, is it you? It's Ella. Where
are you? I'm here, Don. You're going to be all
right. You're going to be all right. Hi, honey.
Don! Tell me, how was it? Well, I'd been away
for a while, you know. I was kind of nervous
that first day back. But how did it go? It just
went. I was worried about your going back so
soon. It's been more than a month, honey. Besides,
the doc wouldn't have held still for it unless
I checked out 100%. Don, did you tell the doctors
about the... The, uh, the headaches? Well, uh...
Did you? Honey, everybody gets headaches, and
these just come and go. But yours can get very
severe. If they don't stop, I'll talk about it
next time I see it. Listen, what would you like
to do tonight? How about a movie? Sure. Don,
what's that on your blouse? Uh, wh -where? All
over your sleeve. Was it blood? Blood? What?
What killed my sleeve? Well, it looks like blood.
I can't imagine. Maybe... Well, maybe it's paint
or some kind of stain or something. You know,
I might have brushed up against something. I
better send it to the cleaner's first thing.
How could it have... If you haven't started on
dinner yet, let's eat out, huh? All right. Hey,
you know what you forgot to do when I walked
in just before? What? You forgot to give your
old man a kiss. Oh, Tom. Well, you've got to
shape up around here. Can't let you get into
bad habits. Don, you still have a headache? Headache?
No, it's gone. Completely gone. Maybe it'll never
come back. calling in twenty one calling in i
think i should come in i think i'm starting to
get a headache thirty one hundred block on north
sheridan well this is on your way just check
it out woman apartment three a five sixty shyam
that's two blocks west Just tell me. You ride
around in your car and you think you do a day's
work. Please, madam, just tell me. I pay my rent.
I pay my taxes. Just tell me. Oh, my head. Will
you just tell me what you saw? I'm here. That
was enough to kill her she was lying there. I
could see she was dead or close to it So then
I called in then what did you do? Oh? I had a
look around the back anything nothing from what
I can see here She tried to put up a little bit
of a fight anyhow see yeah Slight trace of blood
under this finger now. She might have scratched
him well done write it up Okay, then you can
go home. Oh Yeah, didn't you ask to come in because
you had a headache Oh, yeah, but I don't have
one now. I... I feel great. Oh, sweetie, I'm
sorry I was so late for dinner. I heard about
the murder on the news. Yeah, I know. Oh, she
wasn't a pretty sight to see. Why? Why was she
killed? We don't know. Well... Did you get a
chance to see anything? No. I got the call to
go to the address because she complained about
a prowler. The next thing I knew, I was in the
apartment. She was dead on the floor. Don, what
do you mean? The next thing you knew. Well, the
next... Well, because that's the next thing that
happened. You know, that's how you write your
report. You go from one fact to the next. Listen,
honey, let's not talk about it, please. I never
wanted to be a guy who brings his job home. Don,
what did you do to your face? Huh? Where? It
looks like a scratch. Just below your right ear.
I don't know. How did you...? You sure there's
a scratch there? It looks like one. I might have
gotten it from shaving this morning. But you
don't shave there. Look, it doesn't bother me.
But how did you...? And if you worry about every
tiny little scratcher... Honey, what are you
looking so serious for? I can't even feel it.
All right, if it makes you feel better, I'll
put some antiseptic on it. Hello, what's wrong?
Oh, nothing. I'm just tired. I feel so worn out.
Taxi! Taxi! Take me to the 500 block on Cheyenne.
554. 556. Five, five, eight. Five, sixty. Outside
entrance. Inside door, and it's locked. Locked.
Why, hello, Ella. Sergeant Carter. Oh, what are
you doing in this neighborhood? Oh, just shopping.
There's some very fine shop. Ella. Yes, Sergeant.
Tell me, since Don's been home from the hospital,
has he? Well, have you noticed anything unusual
about him? Unusual? In what way? Oh, I don't
know. He has complained of headaches. Headaches?
No, he may have come back to duty just a little
bit too soon. Although I must say, it hasn't
interfered with his performance of duty. He's
a great cop. Well, see you around. Where have
you been? I've been home for about two hours.
Oh, I was... Out? It's okay, it's okay. I made
supper. Chilly. What do you think? Pull up a
chair and enjoy a treat. Huh? Don, how do you
feel? Right now? I feel fantastic. I've never
been in better shape in all my life. I look at
you and... I don't know how to begin. Begin what?
Don... The cleaner said you had blood on your
sleeve. That was the other day. And the other
day, there was a knifing. Some old tramp had
been there. Wait a minute. Wait a minute. Wait
a minute. What are you saying? And yesterday,
you went to the scene of another killing. You
had a scratch, as if someone had... Ella, is
this your idea of a joke? Hear it all first.
You went to this lady's apartment. Now, if she
was already dead when you got there, how did
you get in there? The door to the hallway is
locked. You have to ring the bell. Donald, how
did you get in there? How did I get in there?
Look. How do you think I got in there? I rang
the bell. No. Listen. No. What are you making
it so complicated for? I rang the bell. She sounded
the buzzer. She let me in. She let you in. Well,
who else would have let me in? She lives all
alone, doesn't she? But Tom. Oh, Tom. Look, I
got this headache again. Tom, listen to me. I
have to lie down. Something. terribly wrong but
I get this headache I can go crazy it was murder
you didn't know I knew when I feel this way I
can kill Carter he was there again today for
the same reason I was he suspects will you shut
up you need help darling darling don't Don't
look at me that way. Don't look at me that way.
The supernatural powers of the little golden
statue or the sudden rallies and collapses that
still defy the best thinking of medical science.
Random accident or predestined fate. We always
have something for everybody. As usual, I'll
have something for you when I return shortly.
I could tell you what happened to the little
statue, but I can't. Ella Greenway's house was
robbed a few years ago, and the little statue
was part of the loot. It may have been stolen
by someone who knew its powers. On the other
hand, it may be kicking around some antique or
gift shop. Remember, if you see it, it's a beautiful
lady with a snake twined about her waist. And
if you should see it, would you buy it? Hmm?
Our cast included William Redfield, Suzanne Grossman,
Sam Gray, and Dan Ako. The entire production
was under the direction of Hyman Brown. This
is E .G. Marshall inviting you to return to our
mystery theater for another adventure in the
macabre. Until next time, pleasant dreams.