December 20, 2025 • 23 mins
Suspense was one of the most popular and successful radio series during it's run of over 900 episodes, spanning 1940-1962. Guest stars included Orson Welles, Frank Sinatra, Lucille Ball, Agnes Moorehead, Marlene Dietrich and Humphrey Bogart. The plots were mostly engaging crime dramas, science fiction and some horror - usually with a surprise ending.
Hope you enjoy this episode of Suspense! Find all our OTR radio stations and podcasts at theaterofthemind-otr.com - Audio Credit: The Old Time Radio Researchers Group. - All Podcasts @ Spreaker | Apple | YouTube | Spotify | Amazon | iHeart
Hope you enjoy this episode of Suspense! Find all our OTR radio stations and podcasts at theaterofthemind-otr.com - Audio Credit: The Old Time Radio Researchers Group. - All Podcasts @ Spreaker | Apple | YouTube | Spotify | Amazon | iHeart
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Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:11):
And now tonight's presentation of radio's outstanding theater of thrills
suspense Tonight the story of a bomb and the man
who carried it to its ultimate destination. We call it
lunch Kit so now, starring Harry Bartel, Here is Tonight's
(00:34):
suspense play, lunch Kit.
Speaker 2 (00:52):
Nine.
Speaker 3 (00:52):
Dad was almost finished.
Speaker 4 (00:55):
He chipped out the last piece of glass from inside
the thermos bottle. He was star to work on the
detonator when the horn began to blow. What's that, Oh, Mike,
he's getting impatient.
Speaker 5 (01:07):
I'll tell him to stop it. It makes me nervous.
Can't afford to be nervous on the job like this,
all right, I don't tell him.
Speaker 6 (01:15):
Hey, hey, Mike, come on, well, you lay off that horn.
I told you before. My palette and feeling too well.
All right, I'll be down in a minute, and I
take it easy if I wouldn't want to be late.
Speaker 4 (01:31):
Okay, okay, Who is this Mike? I told you about him, Daddy.
He's an old time at the plan, works in the
same unit with me. I started to drive me at
work at night. I can't get rid of you.
Speaker 3 (01:47):
Sure about him? He won't cause trouble, He won't cause trouble.
What does you think you're doing up here?
Speaker 4 (01:56):
Told him. I had to stop off for a minute
to see his sick friend.
Speaker 5 (02:00):
Well, either can't afford taking the chances, and a thing
like this first mistake will be elast.
Speaker 4 (02:06):
He was winding the timing mechanism now looked like an
old fashioned pocket watch. Suddenly I hated him. I hated
him because he hated so much. I hated him because
he had trained me to do the work he could
no longer do since his last stroke.
Speaker 3 (02:25):
What time is it, sung? What time is it? It's
a mattering. You aren't getting nervous, are you? No? No,
it's a twenty nine eight twenty nine. Well that's good,
that's good. To go off.
Speaker 4 (02:38):
At six thirty in the morning, he limped over to
a steel cabin in the corner, came back to the
table tenderly, cradling a metal jug in his arm, put
it down with the greatest of care. I felt myself
tightening inside. My mouth went dry.
Speaker 3 (02:55):
I'm thinking.
Speaker 4 (02:56):
I pulled a pack of cigarettes out of my jacket
and put one in my mouth. Were just about to
strike a match when Dad grabbed my arm.
Speaker 5 (03:03):
Wrist until its hurt. Put that match down, you're idiot.
One spark gets into there's night thrill. They won't find
enough of less to fill that match box.
Speaker 4 (03:11):
The unlit cigarette turned to straw in my mouth. I
spit it out, stamped into dust on the ruggless floor.
He fastened the detonator into the cap of the thermost bottle,
then fill the bottle with a thick yellowish nitroglyssroom, careful kit.
Speaker 3 (03:45):
Then he carefully screwed on the cap. Got your lunch
kit here.
Speaker 4 (04:00):
He took the thermous out of my lunch box, carefully
replaced it with the thermous full of nitron.
Speaker 3 (04:05):
Then he closed it, handed it to me here.
Speaker 5 (04:08):
I have no drop it, I won't Son, Yes, look
at me, Yes, Dad, Everything will work according to plan,
won't it. Yes, Make no mistakes, and you'll be here
tomorrow morning. I'll be here good. Perhaps you'll go away together.
(04:30):
Long time since we've had fun together, Jonathan. Yes, tomorrow
we'll begin tomorrow. We will have earned it yesterday. I'm
proud of you, my boy. I'm proud that there's you
to carry.
Speaker 3 (04:45):
On my work. Thanks. How's your friend again?
Speaker 2 (04:51):
Gone?
Speaker 3 (04:51):
Now, before the old fool gets us into trouble.
Speaker 4 (05:01):
The drive to the plant was something I'd never forget.
Just thinking what was in that lunch kit was enough
to make me lose my mind. If I ran into something,
if a tire blew, if a speck of dust got
into my eye and I ran off the road. I
stayed off the main highway. Too much traffic. I drove
under twenty five miles an hour all the way.
Speaker 2 (05:21):
Can't you go any faster?
Speaker 3 (05:22):
We're going to all the time? He old man kept.
Speaker 2 (05:24):
Talking, young chlock of the day or.
Speaker 4 (05:27):
A strange talk talk talk.
Speaker 7 (05:29):
You have a fever in your blood.
Speaker 2 (05:31):
You're restless. You don't know why. You're a strange lot.
Speaker 4 (05:35):
Yeah, yeah, a strange lot. Last week came to the plant.
The night shift guys were already at work. Parking lot
was jammed with their cars. We were late, but I
was glad of that. Now I'd be able to park
(05:56):
near the entrance, and later on I'd be able to
get out my Hearty. Okay, Mike, Sorry if I made
you light, Oh that's all right. You know you mind
if I go back with you in the morning, Okay,
just be here prompt. I won't wait for you. I
took the lunch kit and started for the main gate.
The guard was standing there inspecting everybody with a flashlight.
(06:18):
I grinned Daddy even snapped the lunch kit open. He
waved me on I was through the gate. I changed
my clothes quickly and left the lunch kit in my locker.
I figured I must look pretty bad, so before going
into the planet, I went to the washroom, washed my face,
let cold water run out my wrists. Then I saw
(06:39):
I'd left my wristwatch in my street clothes. He just
bothered me because it was against the rules to go
back into the locker room until after the shift was over. Now,
all night long, I wouldn't know what time it was,
I have to ask. I have to guess. Mother wouldn't
like that at all, being so careless. He began noticing
a kind of ache pit.
Speaker 3 (07:00):
On my stomach.
Speaker 4 (07:01):
I didn't get sick tonight. I drank a lot of
water in the pain left me, and then I went
back into my unit. This was going to be a
bad night. I was all raw nerves. My hands were
all thumbs. The instrument I worked with felt like it
weighed a ton. Father wouldn't like the way I was
doing things. I couldn't stand up my songer.
Speaker 2 (07:22):
Hey, Jonathan, what are you doing?
Speaker 8 (07:25):
Cut your switch?
Speaker 2 (07:28):
What's wrong?
Speaker 4 (07:28):
Mister Davis?
Speaker 8 (07:29):
What's wrong?
Speaker 4 (07:30):
Is that the way to handle that modifier? And where's
your apron?
Speaker 3 (07:34):
Well?
Speaker 4 (07:35):
Gee, I'm sorry, mister Davis.
Speaker 2 (07:37):
Oh no, don't be sorry.
Speaker 4 (07:39):
Just do it right.
Speaker 2 (07:40):
I'll get on the ball, Jonathan, get on.
Speaker 4 (07:45):
What time was it getting to be? I couldn't concentrate,
I couldn't think. All I could remember was what was
in my locker. All I could remember was that Thermos
bottle filled to the top with nitro. All I could
remember was that detonator set for six thirty? Hey, Mike,
what time is it?
Speaker 2 (08:04):
Twelve thirty?
Speaker 3 (08:08):
Mike?
Speaker 4 (08:09):
What's the time?
Speaker 7 (08:10):
Ten minutes after one?
Speaker 4 (08:15):
Hey Mike, what time is it? Five minutes to two?
Speaker 3 (08:20):
Hey Mike, almold time for lunch? Lunch?
Speaker 7 (08:24):
And am I hungry?
Speaker 4 (08:25):
That's where I could eat it?
Speaker 1 (08:27):
Hey?
Speaker 4 (08:27):
What's wrong with you?
Speaker 8 (08:29):
Well?
Speaker 3 (08:29):
You're much mister?
Speaker 2 (08:32):
Hey, Hey, you guys come over here quick.
Speaker 3 (08:48):
How do you feel now? Son? Better?
Speaker 4 (08:51):
What time is it?
Speaker 8 (08:52):
Where am I in the plant dispensary? Do you ever
have a spell like that before?
Speaker 4 (08:57):
No? No, I never did not. What time is it?
Speaker 8 (09:00):
Nervous hunch?
Speaker 3 (09:00):
No?
Speaker 4 (09:01):
No, I'm all right.
Speaker 8 (09:02):
I know your pulse was very high when they brought you.
Speaker 4 (09:05):
In, but I'm all right now, Doc, I want to
go back to my job.
Speaker 8 (09:07):
You want to watch so I can't allow you to
go back to your job. Really, but I'm all right now.
What time is it? Take it easy, it's two thirty.
Speaker 4 (09:17):
Then they've all gone back to work. I won't be
able to go to my locker.
Speaker 8 (09:20):
I know what you're thinking. Your lunch, Isn't that what's
on your mind?
Speaker 4 (09:23):
But lunch is over. I won't be able to go
back you mind.
Speaker 8 (09:25):
I'll send somebody to get your lunch.
Speaker 4 (09:27):
No, no, don't do that. No really, doctor, I'm not hungry.
Speaker 8 (09:31):
Sure, sure, I know you's got to have something. You
just sit there.
Speaker 4 (09:38):
He went into the next room. I wanted to jump
up and start running, but that was no good either.
Why had I made such a fuss about the lunch kid?
Speaker 3 (09:47):
What was he doing in there?
Speaker 4 (09:49):
Then he came back. He was carrying a glass of milk.
Speaker 8 (09:53):
You're going to miss lunch.
Speaker 3 (09:54):
At least drink this milk. Go on, drink it down. Okay,
finish it off.
Speaker 8 (10:03):
That's it feel better?
Speaker 3 (10:06):
Yeah?
Speaker 4 (10:06):
Yeah, I think I better go back to work.
Speaker 8 (10:07):
No, you don't want to do that.
Speaker 4 (10:09):
I feel fine now.
Speaker 8 (10:10):
Really, you couldn't go back to work even if I
let you.
Speaker 3 (10:14):
What do you mean?
Speaker 8 (10:15):
You'll lie down on the cot there in the next
room and take it easy. You're gonna take a nice
long sleep.
Speaker 4 (10:20):
Sleep. No, no, I gotta go back to work.
Speaker 8 (10:23):
No, not tonight, and I couldn't sleep. You'll sleep, all right.
I put a couple of grains of barbeite in that
milk you drank.
Speaker 3 (10:28):
No, what's the matter with you? You don't want to
go to sleep.
Speaker 8 (10:31):
I'm all right, Yes, you're all right. You're in fine.
Speaker 4 (10:34):
I don't like taking dope.
Speaker 8 (10:36):
It'll slow you down. You'll wake up feeling like a
new man. You little fellas. You don't know how to relax.
It's the wonder you live as long as you do. Now,
you come along with me. You just lie there and
behave yourself. Go on, that's right now. In a few
(11:00):
minutes you'll be sleeping.
Speaker 3 (11:01):
Like a baby.
Speaker 2 (11:03):
You don't need the light.
Speaker 8 (11:05):
Good night, young fellow, Pleasant dreams.
Speaker 1 (11:25):
You're listening to lunch Kit Tonight's presentation in radio's outstanding
Theater of Prills Suspense. A lawyer with a sixth sense
for Criminology is CBS Radio's Perry Mason. Perry follows up
(11:48):
his latest case every weekday on most of these same stations.
You'll enjoy Perry Mason, one of the most colorful, most
exciting of CBS Radio's great daytime dramatic programs Monday through Friday.
At the Star's Address, listen for Perry Mason and to
all the fine daytime programs where America listens most. And
(12:09):
now we bring back to our Hollywood soundstage. Harry Bartel
starring intnight's production lunch kit a taiale well calculated to
keep you in suspense.
Speaker 4 (12:33):
Sleeping powder.
Speaker 3 (12:35):
He puts sleeping powder in the milk.
Speaker 4 (12:38):
Mike an idiot. I drank it all down, every bit
of it, and then I started to get drowsy. With
the time bomb in my lunch kit set to go
off in just a few hours, I started getting drowsy.
I had to get up to get out. Couldn't stay there,
(13:02):
I couldn't sleep through. I had to do something something.
My eyes were getting heavy, so heavy I couldn't keep
him open. A pint of pure nitro, all the chemicals
and inflammable stock piles here, the place would go up
(13:24):
like an I had to get out. Couldn't keep my
eyes open? So easy, it would it would be so
easy to let my eyes closed.
Speaker 3 (13:42):
To go to sleep. No, I couldn't go to sleep.
I couldn't.
Speaker 4 (13:49):
I couldn't crawl off the cut window and roam w
I had to get through the window. I couldn't go
through the doctor's office, get out through the window.
Speaker 3 (14:07):
And started over, And then I.
Speaker 9 (14:10):
Had to stop and sit down. So tired, so tired,
So good to set there, so good to close my eyes. Whistle,
(14:50):
time to go home. Six o'clock. They slept right through,
and then whistle woke me up and woke me up.
Speaker 3 (14:56):
Oh I'm lucky.
Speaker 4 (14:58):
I'm lucky. Six o'clock. One get goes off at six thirty.
This time home mistake. Getting out of the dispensary was easy.
There was a shed right below the window. I dropped
to the roof and then to the ground. I don't
feel any too good, still groggy from the barber toll,
(15:19):
but there was no time to think about that now.
When I got back to the locker room, the boys
were climbing out of their work clothes, getting ready for
the shower room.
Speaker 1 (15:27):
Oh hi, Jonathan, you're okay.
Speaker 4 (15:29):
Now, yeah, I feel fine, mat Us.
Speaker 2 (15:31):
Stop ringing that turpentine, Jonathan.
Speaker 7 (15:35):
You had me worried. Jonathan, I'm all right now, do
I still get the ride?
Speaker 2 (15:40):
Uh?
Speaker 4 (15:41):
Oh yeah, yeah, all right.
Speaker 2 (15:43):
I'll see you later.
Speaker 3 (15:43):
Then I'm gonna take a shower.
Speaker 4 (15:47):
I changed into my street clothes and nothing flat, not
caring particularly how I looked. It was kind of worried
the doctor would look in on me and find me gone.
And I was ready to go. All the other fellows
were in the shower room. That was the break I wanted.
I took the lunch kid out of my locker and
slid it underneath, and then I looked at my wristwatch.
Four minutes after six, I had twenty five minutes to
(16:07):
get away. I was working out fine. I walked past
the front offices. No one else around here. Couldn't walk
too fast though, not too fast, not too slow, BacT naturally,
not too fast, not too slow.
Speaker 2 (16:25):
Oh, Jonathan, huh I you feeling now, Jonathan.
Speaker 4 (16:30):
I'm all right, mister Davis.
Speaker 2 (16:32):
Let me know how I want to talk to you.
Come into the office right now.
Speaker 3 (16:38):
Sure, now, well.
Speaker 4 (16:40):
I mean I'm kind of a hurry, mister Davis.
Speaker 2 (16:41):
Oh, go on, at six o'clock in the morning. Nobody's
in a hurry.
Speaker 4 (16:46):
Come in, Come in, all right, but just for a minute.
Speaker 2 (16:48):
Yeah, close the door.
Speaker 3 (16:51):
Will you.
Speaker 8 (16:54):
Sit down?
Speaker 1 (16:54):
Man?
Speaker 2 (16:55):
Oh oh boy. I like sitting down and relaxed after
a long shift.
Speaker 3 (17:03):
Cher can use a little, mister Davis.
Speaker 4 (17:05):
I really can't stay long. I'm supposed to meet someone.
Speaker 2 (17:07):
At six in the morning. Hey, you still look failed, Jonathan.
Speaker 4 (17:12):
You sure you feel yes, yes, mister Davis. If it's
about the mistake I made tonight a turban, No, No,
it's not that so much. Just I'm a little There's
nothing to worry about, mister Davis. It's just sometimes I
get a little nervous, A little nervous.
Speaker 2 (17:24):
We'll look at you now, you're squirming on that you
you're to juling nerves. Something bothering you, Jonathan, I mean something?
Speaker 4 (17:31):
Really, nothing's bothering me. Yeah.
Speaker 2 (17:35):
Well, just to make sure, I'm gonna call the dispenser
I got a hunt.
Speaker 3 (17:40):
You're not telling me.
Speaker 4 (17:41):
I will tell you. I'm all right me the dispensary, please, Jaan, Hey,
come back here. He wasn't chasing me. I looked at
my watch. Six fourteen, still plenty of time to get away.
I left the main building and started across the yard
to the gate. It was still dark. I was one
(18:01):
of the first out.
Speaker 8 (18:04):
Hey, hey, yo, hey, slow down, slow down?
Speaker 3 (18:11):
How hard? I got to chase you? What do you want?
Speaker 4 (18:14):
You know as well as I do what I want?
Speaker 3 (18:17):
You forgot something?
Speaker 4 (18:18):
What what did I forget? You? You forgot to punch
the time clock. I'll do it tomorrow.
Speaker 3 (18:23):
Tomorrow.
Speaker 4 (18:25):
You're not leaving this plant till you punch out, mister.
All right, all right, uncle, back and punch out. Hey,
where's the fire? You want to work that energy out
during your shift, young fella. I went back into the
main building. There were at least twenty others wedding in
line before the clock. Hey look, I got to get
(18:47):
to telling Arlie. How about lett me punch out? Now?
Will you the end of the line?
Speaker 3 (18:50):
Boy?
Speaker 4 (18:50):
Right, it'll just take a second of the line, okay, okay,
figure Oh hi there, Jonathan, Hello, Say I think Mike's
looking for you. Yeah, you know, the old guys sort
of adopted Janie.
Speaker 8 (19:11):
Yeah, yeah, you're a long line tonight.
Speaker 4 (19:19):
Say how you're feeling now?
Speaker 3 (19:21):
Oh?
Speaker 4 (19:21):
Okay, say it's my watch, right, I have six twenty one.
Speaker 2 (19:25):
Let me look yo, yeah, six twenty I got you.
Speaker 4 (19:32):
Sure have figured out for the minute right in the minute. Oh,
(19:52):
come on please, it was six twenty seven. I had
three minutes, three minutes. I couldn't waste any time. I
was fighting for my life. I started backing out. Quick,
get out of here, my hurry. Three minutes less than that?
Speaker 10 (20:08):
Not, Hey, look out here, my head lies. Hey, what's
the matter with you? I'll come on out and see
what you did to my headlines.
Speaker 4 (20:18):
Sorry, I'll pay for him.
Speaker 2 (20:19):
All that the idea? Why did you watch where you're going?
Speaker 4 (20:22):
All right? Look, here's my driver's license. I work in
Unit five. I'll see you tonight. We'll work something out.
Speaker 3 (20:26):
The names.
Speaker 4 (20:27):
Jonathan Peters.
Speaker 2 (20:27):
Not so fast, Not so fast.
Speaker 4 (20:29):
I gotta write this down.
Speaker 2 (20:31):
You got a pencil.
Speaker 4 (20:32):
Here, here's my pen. We'll start writing. No, it's uh
Jonathan Peters, Jonathan Peters, Peter, Yes, yes, that's right.
Speaker 1 (20:50):
Yeah, okay, here's your pen.
Speaker 2 (20:53):
I'll see you tonight.
Speaker 3 (20:55):
You're going this.
Speaker 6 (20:55):
Time and a morning. Hurry guys, already, hurry, Hey, Jonathan,
wait for me.
Speaker 2 (21:04):
Wait wait, Jonathan, he got away?
Speaker 4 (21:08):
No?
Speaker 3 (21:08):
No, why did you do that?
Speaker 2 (21:09):
These young fellows.
Speaker 4 (21:10):
I don't know what the end will be.
Speaker 7 (21:14):
That kid.
Speaker 4 (21:15):
Sure is whacky in a hurry, always in a hurry.
Speaker 7 (21:18):
Oh it's the matter with him, no sense of responsibility.
Speaker 4 (21:21):
Last night he drives like a turtle.
Speaker 7 (21:23):
This morning he races out of here like a demon,
leaves me standing too bad.
Speaker 4 (21:27):
Maybe somebody else will give you a ride home. I
can get a bus. But this will teach me to
do a guy a favor. Well, what do you mean that, Jonathan?
Speaker 7 (21:33):
I didn't want to keep him waiting, so I come
out here looking for him and he's not in the car.
So I go back in the plan to look in
to miss him there, and when I get back he's
driving off.
Speaker 4 (21:40):
Yes, so what's the favor you did?
Speaker 7 (21:41):
And he was so dying particular about it? Then he
goes off and leaves it under his locker. But I
found it and put it in his car for him. Hot,
here's a lunch kid, I put it in his car.
Speaker 4 (21:52):
What's that?
Speaker 3 (21:53):
What's funny?
Speaker 4 (21:54):
That sounds like thunder?
Speaker 2 (21:55):
Further? Look at that sky?
Speaker 7 (21:58):
Yeah, beautiful, No, it couldn't have been thunder. It's going
to be a real nice day.
Speaker 1 (22:20):
Suspense in which Harry Bartel starred in tonight's presentation of
Lunch Kit. Next week, Suspense will bring you the story
of a mountain road in the pursuit of a runaway car.
Speaker 3 (22:31):
We call it speed Trap.
Speaker 1 (22:34):
Be sure to listen to speed Trap next week on Suspense.
Suspense is produced and directed by Anthony Ella's. Tonight's script
(22:55):
was written by Lawrence Marcus. The music was composed by
Lucia Morrowick and conducted by Wilbur Hatch. Featured in the
cast for Parley Bear, Laurence Stobkin, Victor Rodman, Jerry Hausner,
Barney Phillips, Jodoval, Joe Crampston, and Tom Hanley join the
FBI in Heathon War Wednesday nights on the CBS Radio
(23:17):
Network
And now tonight's presentation of radio's outstanding theater of thrills
suspense Tonight the story of a bomb and the man
who carried it to its ultimate destination. We call it
lunch Kit so now, starring Harry Bartel, Here is Tonight's
(00:34):
suspense play, lunch Kit.
Speaker 2 (00:52):
Nine.
Speaker 3 (00:52):
Dad was almost finished.
Speaker 4 (00:55):
He chipped out the last piece of glass from inside
the thermos bottle. He was star to work on the
detonator when the horn began to blow. What's that, Oh, Mike,
he's getting impatient.
Speaker 5 (01:07):
I'll tell him to stop it. It makes me nervous.
Can't afford to be nervous on the job like this,
all right, I don't tell him.
Speaker 6 (01:15):
Hey, hey, Mike, come on, well, you lay off that horn.
I told you before. My palette and feeling too well.
All right, I'll be down in a minute, and I
take it easy if I wouldn't want to be late.
Speaker 4 (01:31):
Okay, okay, Who is this Mike? I told you about him, Daddy.
He's an old time at the plan, works in the
same unit with me. I started to drive me at
work at night. I can't get rid of you.
Speaker 3 (01:47):
Sure about him? He won't cause trouble, He won't cause trouble.
What does you think you're doing up here?
Speaker 4 (01:56):
Told him. I had to stop off for a minute
to see his sick friend.
Speaker 5 (02:00):
Well, either can't afford taking the chances, and a thing
like this first mistake will be elast.
Speaker 4 (02:06):
He was winding the timing mechanism now looked like an
old fashioned pocket watch. Suddenly I hated him. I hated
him because he hated so much. I hated him because
he had trained me to do the work he could
no longer do since his last stroke.
Speaker 3 (02:25):
What time is it, sung? What time is it? It's
a mattering. You aren't getting nervous, are you? No? No,
it's a twenty nine eight twenty nine. Well that's good,
that's good. To go off.
Speaker 4 (02:38):
At six thirty in the morning, he limped over to
a steel cabin in the corner, came back to the
table tenderly, cradling a metal jug in his arm, put
it down with the greatest of care. I felt myself
tightening inside. My mouth went dry.
Speaker 3 (02:55):
I'm thinking.
Speaker 4 (02:56):
I pulled a pack of cigarettes out of my jacket
and put one in my mouth. Were just about to
strike a match when Dad grabbed my arm.
Speaker 5 (03:03):
Wrist until its hurt. Put that match down, you're idiot.
One spark gets into there's night thrill. They won't find
enough of less to fill that match box.
Speaker 4 (03:11):
The unlit cigarette turned to straw in my mouth. I
spit it out, stamped into dust on the ruggless floor.
He fastened the detonator into the cap of the thermost bottle,
then fill the bottle with a thick yellowish nitroglyssroom, careful kit.
Speaker 3 (03:45):
Then he carefully screwed on the cap. Got your lunch
kit here.
Speaker 4 (04:00):
He took the thermous out of my lunch box, carefully
replaced it with the thermous full of nitron.
Speaker 3 (04:05):
Then he closed it, handed it to me here.
Speaker 5 (04:08):
I have no drop it, I won't Son, Yes, look
at me, Yes, Dad, Everything will work according to plan,
won't it. Yes, Make no mistakes, and you'll be here
tomorrow morning. I'll be here good. Perhaps you'll go away together.
(04:30):
Long time since we've had fun together, Jonathan. Yes, tomorrow
we'll begin tomorrow. We will have earned it yesterday. I'm
proud of you, my boy. I'm proud that there's you
to carry.
Speaker 3 (04:45):
On my work. Thanks. How's your friend again?
Speaker 2 (04:51):
Gone?
Speaker 3 (04:51):
Now, before the old fool gets us into trouble.
Speaker 4 (05:01):
The drive to the plant was something I'd never forget.
Just thinking what was in that lunch kit was enough
to make me lose my mind. If I ran into something,
if a tire blew, if a speck of dust got
into my eye and I ran off the road. I
stayed off the main highway. Too much traffic. I drove
under twenty five miles an hour all the way.
Speaker 2 (05:21):
Can't you go any faster?
Speaker 3 (05:22):
We're going to all the time? He old man kept.
Speaker 2 (05:24):
Talking, young chlock of the day or.
Speaker 4 (05:27):
A strange talk talk talk.
Speaker 7 (05:29):
You have a fever in your blood.
Speaker 2 (05:31):
You're restless. You don't know why. You're a strange lot.
Speaker 4 (05:35):
Yeah, yeah, a strange lot. Last week came to the plant.
The night shift guys were already at work. Parking lot
was jammed with their cars. We were late, but I
was glad of that. Now I'd be able to park
(05:56):
near the entrance, and later on I'd be able to
get out my Hearty. Okay, Mike, Sorry if I made
you light, Oh that's all right. You know you mind
if I go back with you in the morning, Okay,
just be here prompt. I won't wait for you. I
took the lunch kit and started for the main gate.
The guard was standing there inspecting everybody with a flashlight.
(06:18):
I grinned Daddy even snapped the lunch kit open. He
waved me on I was through the gate. I changed
my clothes quickly and left the lunch kit in my locker.
I figured I must look pretty bad, so before going
into the planet, I went to the washroom, washed my face,
let cold water run out my wrists. Then I saw
(06:39):
I'd left my wristwatch in my street clothes. He just
bothered me because it was against the rules to go
back into the locker room until after the shift was over. Now,
all night long, I wouldn't know what time it was,
I have to ask. I have to guess. Mother wouldn't
like that at all, being so careless. He began noticing
a kind of ache pit.
Speaker 3 (07:00):
On my stomach.
Speaker 4 (07:01):
I didn't get sick tonight. I drank a lot of
water in the pain left me, and then I went
back into my unit. This was going to be a
bad night. I was all raw nerves. My hands were
all thumbs. The instrument I worked with felt like it
weighed a ton. Father wouldn't like the way I was
doing things. I couldn't stand up my songer.
Speaker 2 (07:22):
Hey, Jonathan, what are you doing?
Speaker 8 (07:25):
Cut your switch?
Speaker 2 (07:28):
What's wrong?
Speaker 4 (07:28):
Mister Davis?
Speaker 8 (07:29):
What's wrong?
Speaker 4 (07:30):
Is that the way to handle that modifier? And where's
your apron?
Speaker 3 (07:34):
Well?
Speaker 4 (07:35):
Gee, I'm sorry, mister Davis.
Speaker 2 (07:37):
Oh no, don't be sorry.
Speaker 4 (07:39):
Just do it right.
Speaker 2 (07:40):
I'll get on the ball, Jonathan, get on.
Speaker 4 (07:45):
What time was it getting to be? I couldn't concentrate,
I couldn't think. All I could remember was what was
in my locker. All I could remember was that Thermos
bottle filled to the top with nitro. All I could
remember was that detonator set for six thirty? Hey, Mike,
what time is it?
Speaker 2 (08:04):
Twelve thirty?
Speaker 3 (08:08):
Mike?
Speaker 4 (08:09):
What's the time?
Speaker 7 (08:10):
Ten minutes after one?
Speaker 4 (08:15):
Hey Mike, what time is it? Five minutes to two?
Speaker 3 (08:20):
Hey Mike, almold time for lunch? Lunch?
Speaker 7 (08:24):
And am I hungry?
Speaker 4 (08:25):
That's where I could eat it?
Speaker 1 (08:27):
Hey?
Speaker 4 (08:27):
What's wrong with you?
Speaker 8 (08:29):
Well?
Speaker 3 (08:29):
You're much mister?
Speaker 2 (08:32):
Hey, Hey, you guys come over here quick.
Speaker 3 (08:48):
How do you feel now? Son? Better?
Speaker 4 (08:51):
What time is it?
Speaker 8 (08:52):
Where am I in the plant dispensary? Do you ever
have a spell like that before?
Speaker 4 (08:57):
No? No, I never did not. What time is it?
Speaker 8 (09:00):
Nervous hunch?
Speaker 3 (09:00):
No?
Speaker 4 (09:01):
No, I'm all right.
Speaker 8 (09:02):
I know your pulse was very high when they brought you.
Speaker 4 (09:05):
In, but I'm all right now, Doc, I want to
go back to my job.
Speaker 8 (09:07):
You want to watch so I can't allow you to
go back to your job. Really, but I'm all right now.
What time is it? Take it easy, it's two thirty.
Speaker 4 (09:17):
Then they've all gone back to work. I won't be
able to go to my locker.
Speaker 8 (09:20):
I know what you're thinking. Your lunch, Isn't that what's
on your mind?
Speaker 4 (09:23):
But lunch is over. I won't be able to go
back you mind.
Speaker 8 (09:25):
I'll send somebody to get your lunch.
Speaker 4 (09:27):
No, no, don't do that. No really, doctor, I'm not hungry.
Speaker 8 (09:31):
Sure, sure, I know you's got to have something. You
just sit there.
Speaker 4 (09:38):
He went into the next room. I wanted to jump
up and start running, but that was no good either.
Why had I made such a fuss about the lunch kid?
Speaker 3 (09:47):
What was he doing in there?
Speaker 4 (09:49):
Then he came back. He was carrying a glass of milk.
Speaker 8 (09:53):
You're going to miss lunch.
Speaker 3 (09:54):
At least drink this milk. Go on, drink it down. Okay,
finish it off.
Speaker 8 (10:03):
That's it feel better?
Speaker 3 (10:06):
Yeah?
Speaker 4 (10:06):
Yeah, I think I better go back to work.
Speaker 8 (10:07):
No, you don't want to do that.
Speaker 4 (10:09):
I feel fine now.
Speaker 8 (10:10):
Really, you couldn't go back to work even if I
let you.
Speaker 3 (10:14):
What do you mean?
Speaker 8 (10:15):
You'll lie down on the cot there in the next
room and take it easy. You're gonna take a nice
long sleep.
Speaker 4 (10:20):
Sleep. No, no, I gotta go back to work.
Speaker 8 (10:23):
No, not tonight, and I couldn't sleep. You'll sleep, all right.
I put a couple of grains of barbeite in that
milk you drank.
Speaker 3 (10:28):
No, what's the matter with you? You don't want to
go to sleep.
Speaker 8 (10:31):
I'm all right, Yes, you're all right. You're in fine.
Speaker 4 (10:34):
I don't like taking dope.
Speaker 8 (10:36):
It'll slow you down. You'll wake up feeling like a
new man. You little fellas. You don't know how to relax.
It's the wonder you live as long as you do. Now,
you come along with me. You just lie there and
behave yourself. Go on, that's right now. In a few
(11:00):
minutes you'll be sleeping.
Speaker 3 (11:01):
Like a baby.
Speaker 2 (11:03):
You don't need the light.
Speaker 8 (11:05):
Good night, young fellow, Pleasant dreams.
Speaker 1 (11:25):
You're listening to lunch Kit Tonight's presentation in radio's outstanding
Theater of Prills Suspense. A lawyer with a sixth sense
for Criminology is CBS Radio's Perry Mason. Perry follows up
(11:48):
his latest case every weekday on most of these same stations.
You'll enjoy Perry Mason, one of the most colorful, most
exciting of CBS Radio's great daytime dramatic programs Monday through Friday.
At the Star's Address, listen for Perry Mason and to
all the fine daytime programs where America listens most. And
(12:09):
now we bring back to our Hollywood soundstage. Harry Bartel
starring intnight's production lunch kit a taiale well calculated to
keep you in suspense.
Speaker 4 (12:33):
Sleeping powder.
Speaker 3 (12:35):
He puts sleeping powder in the milk.
Speaker 4 (12:38):
Mike an idiot. I drank it all down, every bit
of it, and then I started to get drowsy. With
the time bomb in my lunch kit set to go
off in just a few hours, I started getting drowsy.
I had to get up to get out. Couldn't stay there,
(13:02):
I couldn't sleep through. I had to do something something.
My eyes were getting heavy, so heavy I couldn't keep
him open. A pint of pure nitro, all the chemicals
and inflammable stock piles here, the place would go up
(13:24):
like an I had to get out. Couldn't keep my
eyes open? So easy, it would it would be so
easy to let my eyes closed.
Speaker 3 (13:42):
To go to sleep. No, I couldn't go to sleep.
I couldn't.
Speaker 4 (13:49):
I couldn't crawl off the cut window and roam w
I had to get through the window. I couldn't go
through the doctor's office, get out through the window.
Speaker 3 (14:07):
And started over, And then I.
Speaker 9 (14:10):
Had to stop and sit down. So tired, so tired,
So good to set there, so good to close my eyes. Whistle,
(14:50):
time to go home. Six o'clock. They slept right through,
and then whistle woke me up and woke me up.
Speaker 3 (14:56):
Oh I'm lucky.
Speaker 4 (14:58):
I'm lucky. Six o'clock. One get goes off at six thirty.
This time home mistake. Getting out of the dispensary was easy.
There was a shed right below the window. I dropped
to the roof and then to the ground. I don't
feel any too good, still groggy from the barber toll,
(15:19):
but there was no time to think about that now.
When I got back to the locker room, the boys
were climbing out of their work clothes, getting ready for
the shower room.
Speaker 1 (15:27):
Oh hi, Jonathan, you're okay.
Speaker 4 (15:29):
Now, yeah, I feel fine, mat Us.
Speaker 2 (15:31):
Stop ringing that turpentine, Jonathan.
Speaker 7 (15:35):
You had me worried. Jonathan, I'm all right now, do
I still get the ride?
Speaker 2 (15:40):
Uh?
Speaker 4 (15:41):
Oh yeah, yeah, all right.
Speaker 2 (15:43):
I'll see you later.
Speaker 3 (15:43):
Then I'm gonna take a shower.
Speaker 4 (15:47):
I changed into my street clothes and nothing flat, not
caring particularly how I looked. It was kind of worried
the doctor would look in on me and find me gone.
And I was ready to go. All the other fellows
were in the shower room. That was the break I wanted.
I took the lunch kid out of my locker and
slid it underneath, and then I looked at my wristwatch.
Four minutes after six, I had twenty five minutes to
(16:07):
get away. I was working out fine. I walked past
the front offices. No one else around here. Couldn't walk
too fast though, not too fast, not too slow, BacT naturally,
not too fast, not too slow.
Speaker 2 (16:25):
Oh, Jonathan, huh I you feeling now, Jonathan.
Speaker 4 (16:30):
I'm all right, mister Davis.
Speaker 2 (16:32):
Let me know how I want to talk to you.
Come into the office right now.
Speaker 3 (16:38):
Sure, now, well.
Speaker 4 (16:40):
I mean I'm kind of a hurry, mister Davis.
Speaker 2 (16:41):
Oh, go on, at six o'clock in the morning. Nobody's
in a hurry.
Speaker 4 (16:46):
Come in, Come in, all right, but just for a minute.
Speaker 2 (16:48):
Yeah, close the door.
Speaker 3 (16:51):
Will you.
Speaker 8 (16:54):
Sit down?
Speaker 1 (16:54):
Man?
Speaker 2 (16:55):
Oh oh boy. I like sitting down and relaxed after
a long shift.
Speaker 3 (17:03):
Cher can use a little, mister Davis.
Speaker 4 (17:05):
I really can't stay long. I'm supposed to meet someone.
Speaker 2 (17:07):
At six in the morning. Hey, you still look failed, Jonathan.
Speaker 4 (17:12):
You sure you feel yes, yes, mister Davis. If it's
about the mistake I made tonight a turban, No, No,
it's not that so much. Just I'm a little There's
nothing to worry about, mister Davis. It's just sometimes I
get a little nervous, A little nervous.
Speaker 2 (17:24):
We'll look at you now, you're squirming on that you
you're to juling nerves. Something bothering you, Jonathan, I mean something?
Speaker 4 (17:31):
Really, nothing's bothering me. Yeah.
Speaker 2 (17:35):
Well, just to make sure, I'm gonna call the dispenser
I got a hunt.
Speaker 3 (17:40):
You're not telling me.
Speaker 4 (17:41):
I will tell you. I'm all right me the dispensary, please, Jaan, Hey,
come back here. He wasn't chasing me. I looked at
my watch. Six fourteen, still plenty of time to get away.
I left the main building and started across the yard
to the gate. It was still dark. I was one
(18:01):
of the first out.
Speaker 8 (18:04):
Hey, hey, yo, hey, slow down, slow down?
Speaker 3 (18:11):
How hard? I got to chase you? What do you want?
Speaker 4 (18:14):
You know as well as I do what I want?
Speaker 3 (18:17):
You forgot something?
Speaker 4 (18:18):
What what did I forget? You? You forgot to punch
the time clock. I'll do it tomorrow.
Speaker 3 (18:23):
Tomorrow.
Speaker 4 (18:25):
You're not leaving this plant till you punch out, mister.
All right, all right, uncle, back and punch out. Hey,
where's the fire? You want to work that energy out
during your shift, young fella. I went back into the
main building. There were at least twenty others wedding in
line before the clock. Hey look, I got to get
(18:47):
to telling Arlie. How about lett me punch out? Now?
Will you the end of the line?
Speaker 3 (18:50):
Boy?
Speaker 4 (18:50):
Right, it'll just take a second of the line, okay, okay,
figure Oh hi there, Jonathan, Hello, Say I think Mike's
looking for you. Yeah, you know, the old guys sort
of adopted Janie.
Speaker 8 (19:11):
Yeah, yeah, you're a long line tonight.
Speaker 4 (19:19):
Say how you're feeling now?
Speaker 3 (19:21):
Oh?
Speaker 4 (19:21):
Okay, say it's my watch, right, I have six twenty one.
Speaker 2 (19:25):
Let me look yo, yeah, six twenty I got you.
Speaker 4 (19:32):
Sure have figured out for the minute right in the minute. Oh,
(19:52):
come on please, it was six twenty seven. I had
three minutes, three minutes. I couldn't waste any time. I
was fighting for my life. I started backing out. Quick,
get out of here, my hurry. Three minutes less than that?
Speaker 10 (20:08):
Not, Hey, look out here, my head lies. Hey, what's
the matter with you? I'll come on out and see
what you did to my headlines.
Speaker 4 (20:18):
Sorry, I'll pay for him.
Speaker 2 (20:19):
All that the idea? Why did you watch where you're going?
Speaker 4 (20:22):
All right? Look, here's my driver's license. I work in
Unit five. I'll see you tonight. We'll work something out.
Speaker 3 (20:26):
The names.
Speaker 4 (20:27):
Jonathan Peters.
Speaker 2 (20:27):
Not so fast, Not so fast.
Speaker 4 (20:29):
I gotta write this down.
Speaker 2 (20:31):
You got a pencil.
Speaker 4 (20:32):
Here, here's my pen. We'll start writing. No, it's uh
Jonathan Peters, Jonathan Peters, Peter, Yes, yes, that's right.
Speaker 1 (20:50):
Yeah, okay, here's your pen.
Speaker 2 (20:53):
I'll see you tonight.
Speaker 3 (20:55):
You're going this.
Speaker 6 (20:55):
Time and a morning. Hurry guys, already, hurry, Hey, Jonathan,
wait for me.
Speaker 2 (21:04):
Wait wait, Jonathan, he got away?
Speaker 4 (21:08):
No?
Speaker 3 (21:08):
No, why did you do that?
Speaker 2 (21:09):
These young fellows.
Speaker 4 (21:10):
I don't know what the end will be.
Speaker 7 (21:14):
That kid.
Speaker 4 (21:15):
Sure is whacky in a hurry, always in a hurry.
Speaker 7 (21:18):
Oh it's the matter with him, no sense of responsibility.
Speaker 4 (21:21):
Last night he drives like a turtle.
Speaker 7 (21:23):
This morning he races out of here like a demon,
leaves me standing too bad.
Speaker 4 (21:27):
Maybe somebody else will give you a ride home. I
can get a bus. But this will teach me to
do a guy a favor. Well, what do you mean that, Jonathan?
Speaker 7 (21:33):
I didn't want to keep him waiting, so I come
out here looking for him and he's not in the car.
So I go back in the plan to look in
to miss him there, and when I get back he's
driving off.
Speaker 4 (21:40):
Yes, so what's the favor you did?
Speaker 7 (21:41):
And he was so dying particular about it? Then he
goes off and leaves it under his locker. But I
found it and put it in his car for him. Hot,
here's a lunch kid, I put it in his car.
Speaker 4 (21:52):
What's that?
Speaker 3 (21:53):
What's funny?
Speaker 4 (21:54):
That sounds like thunder?
Speaker 2 (21:55):
Further? Look at that sky?
Speaker 7 (21:58):
Yeah, beautiful, No, it couldn't have been thunder. It's going
to be a real nice day.
Speaker 1 (22:20):
Suspense in which Harry Bartel starred in tonight's presentation of
Lunch Kit. Next week, Suspense will bring you the story
of a mountain road in the pursuit of a runaway car.
Speaker 3 (22:31):
We call it speed Trap.
Speaker 1 (22:34):
Be sure to listen to speed Trap next week on Suspense.
Suspense is produced and directed by Anthony Ella's. Tonight's script
(22:55):
was written by Lawrence Marcus. The music was composed by
Lucia Morrowick and conducted by Wilbur Hatch. Featured in the
cast for Parley Bear, Laurence Stobkin, Victor Rodman, Jerry Hausner,
Barney Phillips, Jodoval, Joe Crampston, and Tom Hanley join the
FBI in Heathon War Wednesday nights on the CBS Radio
(23:17):
Network
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