[eerie music]
(male presenter, off)
There is a fifth dimension
Beyond that
Which is known to man.
It is a dimension
As vast as space
And as timeless as infinity.
It is the middle ground
Between light and shadow,
Between science
And superstition,
And it lies between
The pit of man's fears
And the summit
Of his knowledge.
This is the dimension
Of imagination.
It is an area which we call
The twilight zone.
You're about to meet
A hypochondriac.
Witness Mr. Walter Bedeker,
Age ,
Afraid of the following,
Death, disease, other people,
Germs, draft
And everything else.
He has one interest in life,
And that's Walter Bedeker.
One preoccupation,
The life and wellbeing
Of Walter Bedeker.
One abiding concern
About society,
That if Walter Bedeker
Should die,
How will it survive
Without him?
Well?
Doctor, I asked
You a question.
How bad is it?
Oh, it isn't
Bad at all.
It's quite good.
You have
No temperature.
Pressure normal,
Respiration normal,
Heart action normal,
No infection,
Throat clear,
Nasal passages
Clear, ears clear.
What about the pains
In my back and side?
What about four
Sleepless nights in a row?
What about that?
That, Mr. Bedeker,
Is psychosomatic.
Psycho-- you mean that
I'm sick only in my mind?
That is my
Considered opinion.
Mr. Bedeker, there's
Nothing wrong with you
Except these ailments
You manufacture for yourself.
Your pains are imaginary.
Your inability to sleep
Is a case of nerves.
Nothing more.
In short, Mr. Bedeker,
You're a very healthy man.
You see,
That's a doctor.
Four years premed,
Four years medical school,
Two years internship,
Two years residency,
And what is he?
I ask you, what is he?
A quack!
[door opens]
Doctor, how is he?
Oh, don't ask him.
The man's an idiot.
Walter, don't excite
Yourself, please.
Then stop whispering.
There's half my trouble.
This woman goes
Around whispering,
Making me
Think I'm sick,
Even when I'm not.
And I am!
I'm on
The threshold
Of death,
And who is
Ushering me out?
A quack
And a whispering woman
I'll call tomorrow.
Don't bother.
Just come over with
The death certificate.
You can sign it here.
Oh, Walter.
Oh, stop those
Crocodile tears.
She'd love
To see me gone,
I can't tell you.
Well, goodbye,
Mr. Bedeker.
Take good care
Of yourself.
Oh--
Thank you.
Doctor.
Doctor, how
Is he, really?
Mrs. Bedeker,
Your husband is one
Of the healthiest
Patients I have.
(Ethel)
But he's sick
Most of the time.
Well, I'll call again,
Mrs. Bedeker.
It wouldn't
Be a bad idea
If you took a few
Vitamins yourself.
You look
A little
Run down and pale.
(Walter)
Ethel, there's a draft
In here and I feel
A cold coming on!
Yes, dear,
I'll, I'll be
Right there.
All right, take
A few of those.
I'm sure you'll
Feel much better.
Thank you.
Don't worry.
See you.
Goodbye, doctor.
[sighs]
(Walter)
Freezing air blasting
Into the room.
You know how many
Germs there are
In a cubic foot
Of air, Ethel?
(both)
, , .
I know you
Want me to die.
That's why you
Leave windows open.
But, as a point
Of decency,
Couldn't you do
It more subtly?
The doctor said
It was stuffy.
You need fresh air.
What have
You got there?
I'm well,
But he gives you
Prescriptions for me.
He says I'm not sick
But, while I lie
Here helpless,
He tells you I've got
A life expectancy
Of m inutes.
Don't deny it, Ethel.
I could smell the collusion.
It was for vitamins,
Walter, for me.
Vitamins for you?
Here I lie,
With my life
Ebbing away,
And that quack
Prescribes vitamins
For you.
See? I'm dying,
But she gets vitamins.
Stop, Ethel.
Get out of here.
Let me die in peace.
All right, Walter.
What?
I simply meant
That I'd let you alone
So you can take a little nap.
I can't nap.
Why does a man have to die?
I asked you
A question.
Why does a man have to die?
The world goes on
For millions of years,
And how long
Is a man's life?
This much. A drop.
A microscopic fragment.
Why can't a man
Live years,
Or a thousand?
Why does he
Have to die
Almost the moment
He's born?
I don't know, dear.
Of course
You wouldn't.
Go on. Get out
Of here, Ethel.
Mm.
[grumbling]
Oh, it's a crime for a man
To live such
A short span
Of years.
Why can't a man live
A decent number of years?
? ?
(male)
Why not ? ?
Yes. Or a thousand?
What a miserable
Thing to contemplate.
[eerie music]
A handful of years,
Then an eternity
Under the ground
In a casket
In the cold,
Cold ground.
With worms, yet.
Yes, of course
With worms.
I subscribe
To your views
Wholly, Mr. Bedeker.
I mean wholly.
That's mighty decent of you.
Who are you?
Cadwallader's my name.
At least it's the name
I'm using this month.
It has a nice feeling
On the tongue.
"Cadwallader."
How'd you
Get in here?
I've never been gone.
I've been here
For some time.
I'll make it brief,
Mr. Bedeker.
You look like a man
With a nose
For a bargain,
So I'd like to make
You a proposition.
We each have something
The other wants.
That seems
A relatively solid
Basis for a bargain.
Does it?
And what do you have
That could possibly
Interest me?
A great many things.
Oh, you'd
Be surprised,
Mr. Bedeker.
Many things,
Varied and delightful.
And what do I have
That could remotely
Interest you?
Actually, a minor item.
In fact,
Something less than minor,
Insignificant,
Infinitesimal, microscopic,
Teensy-weensy.
What did you say
Your name was?
What's in a name,
Mr. Bedeker, really?
It's a mere question
Of semantics.
Just language.
A mere stretch of words.
For example,
What is it you want?
You want an extended
Life-span.
A few hundred years
To play around with.
Some people would call
That immortality.
But why make it
Sound so imposing?
Let's call it--
Just the two of us--
Let's call it
"Some additional
Free time."
After all, what are
A few hundred years
Or a few thousand?
A few thousand?
, , , ?
What is it in
The scheme of things?
The world will go on
Ad infinitum.
So what are a few
Thousand years
More or less,
Give or take,
Add or subtract?
And this little item
That you want
In return
What do we
Call that?
Well, what could
We call that?
We could call it
Uh,
A little piece
Of your makeup,
A crumb off the crust
Of your structure
A fragment of an atom
Of your being, or,
Or what?
A soul?
You're the devil.
At your service.
[mischievous music]
How about it, Mr. Bedeker?
Why not? A partnership
Of a sort.
You deed to me
Your so-called soul
And, in exchange,
I give you immortality.
And then
Indestructibility
Complete
Indestructibility.
Nothing can hurt you.
Nothing can hurt me?
And I live forever?
Certainly. Why
Not forever?
Governments and institutions
May disintegrate,
People die,
But Walter Bedeker
Goes on and on.
[ciaps]
"Walter Bedeker
Goes on and on."
Mr. Cadwallader,
About my soul,
You say I won't miss it?
You'll never know it's gone.
No tricks?
No hidden clauses?
I'll just live
As long as I want
To live. Is that it?
That is it.
That is precisely it.
What about my appearance?
I'm afraid I can't
Do much about that.
What I mean is, you should
Look practically the same.
Well, after years
I don't want to look
Like a dried-up old prune.
Oh, Mr. Bedeker,
You drive a mean bargain.
A most
Difficult bargain.
But I'll show you
I'm a cooperative chap.
I'll throw this
Into the deal.
Whatever aging
Takes place
On your features
Will be more
Or less imperceptible.
Well, Mr. Cadwallader,
I think
We're close
To making a deal.
You'll never
Regret this, not
To your dying day.
Which, by rights,
Should not be for
Several thousand years yet.
However, there
Is one thing.
[chuckiing]
Now it comes out.
Good day,
Mr. Cadwallader.
Oh, it's for
Your benefit,
I assure you.
Ah.
Article . Yes.
Here it is.
Well, it's
In the nature
Of an escape clause.
Your escape clause.
"Whereas the party
Of the first part,
"Upon due notification
Of the party--"
Well, I'll
Just give it
To you thumbnail.
It's simply that,
If you ever get tired
Of living, Mr. Bedeker,
You exercise
This escape clause
By calling upon me
To furnish your--
Well, there go
Those terms again.
To furnish
Your, "Demise,"
At which point
I shall see to it
That you are
Given a rapid
And uncomplicated, uh,
Departure.
And let me
Assure you,
That I'm not
The sort of fellow
To k*ll
The goose that
Lays the golden egg.
When you talk
Of immortality
To me, brother,
I mean immorrality.
[chuckies]
You're going
To have a long,
Long, long wait.
Mr. Bedeker,
Nothing could
Please me more.
Then, Mr. Cadwallader,
Your pen, please.
[magic music]
Whew! You
Sure keep it
Hot in here.
[magic and
Mischievous music]
[maievoient iaughter]
There, everything seems
To be in order.
[sizzling]
[chuckies]
Ah!
Walter!
Ethel!
Behold the new
Walter Bedeker!
[mischievous music]
[oniookers screaming]
[onlookers murmuring]
(female)
He's alive. Somebody
Should get an ambulance.
(male)
Is he all right?
(another male)
It's a miracle.
You all right?
How-how--
How come you--?
Take your hands
Off me,
And go get your
Claims adjuster.
(maie)
He should
Be pulverized.
$ , ?
Considering the fact
That you're
Not even scratched,
Mr. Bedeker,
I think
The company's
Being very fair.
Shut up and
I'll sign it.
I'll get
My check
Tomorrow, I suppose.
First thing
In the morning,
Just sign
Right here.
Thank you.
Bye, ma'am.
Hi, steve.
Oh, hello, jack.
You, too, huh?
Yeah. Subway accident.
Bus here.
You, out.
You, in.
You've got
My check,
I suppose.
$ , , Mr. Bedeker
If you'll
Just, uh,
Sign right here.
Now, do me
The goodness
To make a fast exit.
I'll take
Your money,
But you bore me.
[door shuts]
accidents. .
Wouldn't you think
There'd be
An element of thrill
In accidents?
I guess so, Walter.
Well, there isn't.
It's dull.
There isn't
The remotest element
Of excitement in it.
In short,
I'm bored with it.
Walter, you should
Count your blessings.
Oh, Ethel.
I swear he's cheated me.
Immortality. What's
The good of it?
There isn't any kicks,
Any excitement.
Walter, do you
Feel all right?
At least,
When I was concerned
About my health,
There was some area
Of risk about it.
I mean, there--
Aspirins.
Rubbing alcohol. Ethel!
(Walter)
Have we got
Any ammonia?
Ammonia?
That's what
I said, ammonia.
Walter!
[gasps ioudiy]
Nothing!
I've just
Drunk enough
To k*ll men
And it tastes
Like lemonade to me.
Weak lemonade.
Walter.
What?
What is this
All about?
Would youreally
Like to know?
Yes!
I am immortal.
I'm indestructible.
I have made
A pact with a man
Named Cadwallader.
He has given
Me immortality
In exchange for my soul.
More simple
Than that I
Couldn't put it.
I'll call a doctor.
You will not.
If you had any
Imagination at all,
You'd find a way
For me to get some
Excitement out of all this.
I've been
In subway crashes,
Bus accidents,
Major fires,
I've even drunk
Poison here.
Nothing!
You know what
I think I'll do?
I think I'll go up
On the roof and jump
Down the light well
Straight, smack,
Down the light well,
stories, just
For the excitement.
Walter, no! Please!
Go drown
In the tub Ethel!
Walter, please!
Leave me alone!
Walter!
Walter, please,
Come back to
The apartment.
I'll make you
Potato pancakes.
You used to love
Potato pancakes.
Ethel, you are
A potato pancake.
You're as tasteless
As a potato pancake.
Now, leave me alone.
Walter, no!
Ethel, get out
Of my way.
Walter, please!
Ah!
[screaming]
I wonder what it felt like.
[mischievous music]
Hello. Operator?
Would you get me
The police, please?
Hurry. It's,
Uh, an emergency.
Hello. Police station?
My name is Walter Bedeker.
I live at
North seventh street.
That's right.
Apartment .
Could you come over here
Right away, please?
No, no, no.
No trouble.
I just k*lled my wife.
Hm.
Oh, I'll stay right here.
Goodbye.
[sighs]
Now, let's give
The electric chair
A little whirl.
Well, Cooper
The legal beagle.
How are you?
I'm miserable,
Mr. Bedeker.
I've been miserable
Ever since I took
Your case.
I've had tough
Clients before,
But nobody like you.
Really? What disturbs you?
In five days of a trial,
You've acted like a man
Desperate to get convicted.
When I exam ine you,
You shut up like a clam.
Is that a fact?
That is a fact.
Now, tomorrow, here's
What I want us to do.
Cooper, put it away.
How's that?
Put it away.
Bedeker, did you get
What I was trying
To tell you?
You are about hours away
From a "Guilty" verdict
To a charge
Of first-degree m*rder.
And what is the penalty?
The penalty for
First-degree m*rder
In this state is death
In the electric chair.
Mr. Cooper, the only thing
They'll get for their pain
If they try to burn me
Is a staggering bill
For electricity.
Good-bye, Mr. Cooper.
Bedeker.
I don't know.
I just don't
Understand you.
Mr. Cooper,
Please don't bother.
[judge pounding gavel]
Mr. Bedeker,
You've been tried
And found guilty of m*rder
In the first degree.
Have you anything to say
Before the court
Pronounces sentence upon you?
No, your honor.
I have nothing to say.
Then the court sentences you
To imprisonment
In the state penitentiary
Without hope of parole
For the rest
Of your natural life.
I knew
We could do it!
Congratulations!
[people murmuring]
Life?
Life imprisonment?
It's your
Last meal
With us, Bedeker.
They'll be
Taking you
To the penitentiary
Tomorrow morning.
The penitentiary
For life.
That's right.
For life.
Look at
It philosophically.
What's life?
years, years?
You can do
That standing
On your head.
That's all.
, years.
Maybe not even
That much.
[lock clicks]
, years.
(cadwaiiader)
After all, what's
A few hundred years?
Or a few thousand?
Or , ? Or , ?
What is it
In the scheme of things?
[Cadwallader laughing]
[laughing louder and louder]
No, no, no.
No! No! No!
[laughter fades]
(Cadwallader)
Mr. Bedeker?
About that escape clause,
You care to utilize it now?
That's a wise man.
Odd thing. You look
Like a man having
A heart att*ck.
Just like a man
Having a heart att*ck.
Bedeker, that you?
You all right?
Hey, Bill,
Call the doc.
Bedeker just
Dropped dead.
Poor devil.
(male presenter, off)
There's a saying,
"Every man is put on earth
Condemned to die,
Time and method
Of execution unknown."
Perhaps this is
As it should be.
Case in point,
Walter Bedeker,
Lately deceased,
A little man
With such a yen to live
Beaten by the devil,
By his own boredom,
And by the scheme of things
In this,
The twilight zone.
(male presenter, off)
Rod serling,
The creator
Of twilight zone,
Will tell you about
Next week's story
After this word
From our sponsor.
(male presenter, off)
And now, Mr. Serling.
One of next week's stars
Is alongside me now
She will appear
In a tale called
"The Lonely"
The story
Takes place in a--
(female)
An asteroid
And it's a most
Intriguing premise.
It sounds it.
Next week on
The twilight zone
Jack Warden
John Dehner
And Jean Marsh
Appear in a bizarre tale
Of a man and-- a woman?
I don't understand
It either.
Thank you and good night.
(male presenter, off)
Strength and beauty are found
In the lord's sanctuary.
Find the strength
For your life,
Worship together this week.