December 29, 2023 • 30 mins
The Sealed Book was a radio series of mystery and terror tales, produced and directed by Jock MacGregor for the Mutual network. Between March 18 and September 9, 1945, the melodramatic anthology series was broadcast on Sundays from 10:30 pm to 11:00 pm.Each week, after "the sound of the great gong," host Philip Clarke observed that the mysteriously silent "keeper of the book has opened the ponderous door to the secret vault wherein is kept the great sealed book, in which is recorded all the secrets and mysteries of mankind through the ages.
Here are tales of every kind, tales of murder, of madness, of dark deeds strange and terrible beyond all belief." After this introduction, the dramas began, with three organ solo breaks for inserting the commercials of local stations carrying the program. Although this anthology series did not have recurring characters (other than the Narrator and the Keeper of the Book), the writers often used the same names for different characters from week to week, including "Hester", "Drake", and most especially "Roger".
Here are tales of every kind, tales of murder, of madness, of dark deeds strange and terrible beyond all belief." After this introduction, the dramas began, with three organ solo breaks for inserting the commercials of local stations carrying the program. Although this anthology series did not have recurring characters (other than the Narrator and the Keeper of the Book), the writers often used the same names for different characters from week to week, including "Hester", "Drake", and most especially "Roger".
Mark as Played
Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
(00:09):
The Seal Book. Once again.The Keeper of the Book has opened the
(00:34):
ponderous door to the secret vault,wherein has kept the Great Sealed Book,
in which has recorded all the secretsand mysteries of mankind through the ages.
Here are tales of every kind,tales of murder, of madness, of
dark deeds, strange and terrible,beyond all belief. Keeper of the Book,
(00:58):
I would know what tale will wetell this time? Open the great
book and let us read. Slowly. The great Book opens one by one.
The Keeper of the Book turns thepages and stops ah the strange story
(01:23):
of a man who was down andout and was willing to do anything for
money, a tale titled Time onMy Hands. Here is a tale Time
(02:30):
on My Hands, as it iswritten in the pages of the Sealed Book.
Our story begins in one of thecells of the State Penitentiary. Joe
Martin, his face white and tense, is speaking to Father Dolan. I'm
not faking insanity. I'm not EverythingI've told him is true. Look,
(02:52):
you can make him see why itcan't be tonight, Why it mustn't be
tonight, Even if it's only putoff until tomorrow, that'll be all right,
then, then I'll know that whatmister Benndict said won't come true.
Listen, this is how it happened. It all started late one night last
(03:12):
September. It was awful cool thebeginning, darker and darker all afternoon.
Then just about midnight the storm started. You can't sleep here in the park,
Joe, not with all this raincoming down here. Oh, really
poorer. Now, I still ain'traising price of a flop. I just
(03:38):
about selling myself to the devil forthe price of a bed. Hey,
hellok eh, what's that You're pickingup a fountain? Pancy, I can
honk it. Maybe I can getthe price of a bed. It's only
a two bit pan. You couldn'tget a cent for it. I'm gonna
have a try. How can Ilose? Okay, and I'm heading on
(04:00):
time. I'll see you, lady. I don't kill all the first Oh
coming down so hard you can't seehim than a couple of feet ahead.
Oh, my feet is wet.I feel hot and cold, hot and
cold. Oh oh, he's Ram'sblunt chopping. Come on, Oh no,
(04:24):
closed, no luck, never,no luck. Try Morris this place
right along here, somewhere right yeah, yeah, yeah, here it is
h oh closed to him? Idoes have to happen to me. Arnold's
hock shop has gotta be open.I can't see his window coming down so
(04:45):
hard. He's gotta be open.Nobody's lucking me that pad be open,
be open, be open? Ohclosed, he's closed too. Now I
gotta keep walking around. Oh youover? No one sign up? All
alone? No friends, no place? That's it oop never know this this
(05:13):
place before must be a no one, you're like, I gotta get in,
gotta get some dough for this pen. I gotta must be the boss
up there in the back of theshop working on his boots. Yeah.
Uh evening, Oh grammy, yeah, no, no on the street.
Huh why yes I am. ButI've been in this business quite a number
(05:36):
of years, quite a number.You uh have something you desired upon?
Eh? Oh yeah? Yeah?Yeah? This this here fun pen?
May I see it? Please?Oh? Sure it's fine pen? Right's
good too? M hmm. I'mafraid I wouldn't be interested in that.
Oh look, mister, couldn't youlet me have something on it? I'm
(05:56):
sorry, but this pen is worthless? Yeah, just my luck. Possibly
you have something else you can pawnsomething else. Me, Well, I
gets time on my hands, time, nothing to do with it, nothing
but starve and freeze. And perhapswe can do business after all? Eh.
In fact, I can make youa very handsome offer if you're prepared
(06:19):
to sell, say five years ofyour life? Sell five years of my
life? God? Can you buyfive years of my life? Oh?
It's very simple, our firm,shall I say, does it all the
time? You merely sign an agreementand the five years are deducted from your
life span. I mean I'd diefive years soon than I should. Yes,
(06:41):
but then think how unhappy your yearsare? Well? Oh are you
miss? Why do business under adozen different names? Benedict is as good
as a name as any. Nowcome, are you willing to sell five
years of your life? I'm preparedto offer you. Shall we say?
One thousand dollars a year? Onethousand dollars a year, yes, five
(07:05):
thousand dollars in all? Think ofit. With that money, you can
live as you've always wanted to live. Yeah, yeah, I know,
but what five years? What willthey mean to you? Cold? Hunger,
wet feet? Yeah? What feet? She would feel good? I
(07:25):
have a noo pair of shoes onmy feet. You got the money here,
mister, yes, I always payin cash. Five bucks, sure,
sure, why not? Why not? Indeed, I'll have to look
your record up in my files.What is your full name, please,
Joseph Henry Martin. Let me seeJoseph Henry Martin. You mean you got
(07:47):
my name in that file? Why? Yes, we try to keep our
records complete. You were born Decemberthe twenty second, nineteen hundred and twelve.
Yeah. Your father's name was Richard, mother's name was Margaret. Yeah,
you're right, very well, misterMartin. Your record is satisfactory and
we can do business if you'll justsign this form please, yeah, mister
(08:11):
oh this liner, yes, please, your name in full and the date
Joseph Henry right October fifth. Yeah, what about the door, of course.
If you will just feel in theright hand pocket of your coat money
a handful of five hundred dollar bills. Please count them to make sure the
(08:35):
sum is correct, mister Markin.Yeah, yeah, be glad, run
two three four, it's all arefive thousand bucks and a pleasure to do
business with you, mister Martin.Oh, yeah, yeah, it's mutual.
Good night, five thousand bucks.I'm rich Oh am I gonna have
(08:56):
me your time? I mind serviceservice. I've about some service in this
hotel. I'm on a room.Say no, no, no no,
I want a sweet, the bestsweet you got mac with a bear.
Never mind how I look? Nevermind? I got dolls. See yeah,
(09:20):
five hundred dollars bill? Now doI get that sweet at all?
I six suits, brother, That'swhat I said. I want six suits
tweed like them in the window,only with more color in him. Say
when the guy's got though, hewears tweeds and I got dolls. See
(09:48):
any for a coach you like?Baby? Just name it? Go ahead
and name it that one? Okayis to wrap it up? Go on,
You heard what the lady said.But one day, a little more
than three months after Joe had comeinto his new found wealth, he was
(10:11):
shocked to learn that he was overdrawnat the bank. It seemed the five
thousand dollars was gone. Even more, he owed a hotel bill of four
hundred dollars. Late that night,Joe skipped his hotel and took up residence
at the cheap boarding house. Oneby one, his possessions began to go.
(10:37):
What are you mean? Only whatten bucks? For? These?
Suits lough. Look I was sixtyanyway, Look mac, I paid a
tailor ten bucks. Huh, okay, let me have it. Only a
dollar for my hat. One buck. But I gotta have a bed tonight.
(11:03):
It's okay, say bud, Canyou help a fellow that down and
out? Huh huh? Can youhelp me out with a little something?
There's just a little yeah, loos, let me look at me midnight.
(11:24):
I ain't even get the price ofa flop yet, raining again, always
had rain. Four months ago,I had five thousand bucks. Now I
ain't gotta die. I didn't getanything left to pawn, nothing, not
even a wait a minute, yeah, sure, what did I think of
that? Before Bennett's spawn shop.I'm still young. I got plenty of
(11:48):
time left. I'm gonna see Bennettand now to continue the story. Time
(13:37):
on my hands, as it iswritten in the sealed book. Soaked the
skin, his shoes leaking, JoeMartin trudged through the rain, caught Benedict's
pawn shop. He peered anxiously aheadas he approached it. Just a little
(13:58):
further, I'll be there. He'sgotta be open. He's just gone yeah,
yeah, because the lightness when heis opening. Good evening. Oh,
mister Bennett remember me, certainly youare Joseph Henry Mark. Yeah,
yeah, that's right. Look,how'd you like to buy another five years
(14:18):
of my life from here? Justa minute please while I get your record
from the fire you got bet thistime ain't gonna waste my toe. Ah.
Here we are Joseph Henry Mark.Yeah yeah, Well is it a
deal for another five years? Yes, we can do business. However,
mister Martin, I can only payyou five hundred dollars a year this time,
twenty five hundred dollars in all,twenty five hundred. But look,
(14:41):
you gave me five thousand for thefirst five years. Yes, I know,
but we're rather heavily stocked just nowtwenty five hundred. I don't know.
I was kind of count I'm buyinga farm with a five thousand.
Well, perhaps we can do businessanother time when conditions are more favorable.
Wait a minute, Wait a minute, let me think it over. Do
(15:03):
so by all means it's quite allright? Course, is so free to
wed twenty five hundred bucks? Icould? All right, all right,
it's the deal if you'll just signyour name and the date on this forum
as before. Okay, Joseph,Henry, what's the date, January the
(15:24):
eighteenth, and put down the time, Joseph, two minutes past two business?
Hey? Yeah, fine, Hey, hey, can feel it do
in my pocket again? Yeah?It's seen twenty twenty five, twenty five
hundred. Yeah. Look, hey, maybe I better sell you another five
(15:46):
years. Huh. I could geta much better farm for five thousand.
Sorry, but I'm afraid we're notinterested in any further purchases. Why not?
You have no more time to sell? Nope, no more? What
do you mean? According to myrecords, with the sale you've just made
deducted from your life span, youhave just two more hours to live two
(16:07):
hours. Yes, you're now dueto die at three minutes after four o'clock
in exactly two Nah. No,that's a mistake, it must be no,
no, mister Martin, I haveyour record right here, and our
records are never wrang. Then whatdid you let me sell you the five
years for my dear mister Martin?You asked me to buy them? Yeah,
but what good is a twenty fivehundred not to take back your door
(16:29):
and give me back my five years? I regret to say that there are
no exchanges. It's gotta be whenyou hear me one. You're gotta give
me back my five years, aren'tyou. I should like to oblige you,
but it's against our policy. Ohit is. Maybe this will have
you changed your mind. Huh.I should put down that knife if I
were you, mister Martin, putit down when I get back my five
years, and no sooner do Iget them. I'm sorry to say no,
(16:53):
not theen a smile for I stand. You got a fall wool?
Do you hear me? You're noteven plead? No, mister Martin,
I'm not even You'd better pick upyour money and go here. But look,
(17:15):
look, don't you see I look, give me a break when you're
mister you have one hour and fiftyeight minutes left. Now, I'm sorry,
mister Martin. You can't let medie like this. You can't do
it. You gotta give me moretime. Please, Well, I think
we could arrange for you to havemore time, if you care to sell
your soul. So I saw.It's a trifling value, of course,
(17:41):
but my firm has a certain usefor such things. I'm sure I never
thought very much about it. Ihad any hues for it myself. I
yes, a few people do.It's superfluous. The best was that merely
the clock striking the quarter hour.It's now a quarter past two, quarter
(18:02):
past two, all right ourselves?Where well, unfortunately in this matter,
your signature would not be binding.There's only one way I could be certain
of getting my property when the timecomes. What what? What way is
that you'd have to? Shall wesay, remove some person from this life?
(18:23):
You mean you mean kill someone exactly, and in return you shall have
the balance of the victim's life.You may be fortunate enough to find someone
who has thirty or forty years tolive. Just think all that time would
be yours. Yeah, yeah,But but to have to kill somebody,
you don't have to. It's justa suggestion. But if I don't die
(18:48):
in two hours, one hour andforty seven minutes to be exact, nah,
No, I couldn't kill no one, even if it means i'd die
tonight, I can't do any Hemmy, I'm getting out of here. That
(19:18):
means that means one hour and threeminutes to live. An hour and three
minutes, I kind of get outof the storm. There's a bottle.
Look at you was a drink.What do you have double whiskey? Keeping
coming? I may have another?Say, Pat, you already put away
(19:52):
a bottle. Don't you think youhad enough for one night? O'clock?
You just keep setting them up.I'm paying for an Okay, it's you
off your say? All right,all right, I didn't mean nothing by
it. Four o'clock. Last timeI'll ever hear a clock straight? Wait
(20:26):
three minutes? Did you say something? No? What's that? What's what?
What's that? That clock? Whereis it? Clock? There ain't
no clock chicking in here? Thereis Listen, guy, you had a
couple too many. I guess Okay, I can hear it. I tell
you it's sticky. Tell me,I've only got three minutes left. Look,
(20:52):
felly, it's time you was going. I don't like the way you're
talking. Yeah, yeah, gottaget out of here. Gotta get away
my clock WI And now to continuethe story, time on my hands,
(22:49):
as it is written in the SealedBook. His heart pounding in his ears,
Joe ran out of the bar anddown the street, terror clutching his
try as he would, he couldn'trid himself of one thought. The clock
had just struck four. The endwas fast approaching. Breathless, he came
(23:12):
to a stop, looked around wildly. Three minutes to live? Three minutes?
No, no, it must beonly two now. I don't want
to die. I wanna live.I wanna live. I'm gonna do what
I've got. Time is going sofast it's too tempting. No, no,
(23:32):
no, yeah, here comes somebody. Mister, mister you gotta match?
Yeah, sure, anyway, lookingat me like that. No,
you're old, you're old. You'rehere, must be over seventies, man,
Yes, you no good than me. I want someone with lots of
life, lots of life for meto live. You're mad, you're mad?
Wait a minute, becomes somebody else, somebody young. I can I
(23:55):
can tell by the way he was, somebody with years to live yet chance.
Hey, hey, mister, youcall me? Yeah you uh?
You got the time? Yeah?Sure, exactly two and a half minutes
out of four. I was likea thirty seconds at thirty thirty seconds?
What are you doing with that knife? Oh don't well, I can't do
(24:33):
I've done it done much, Isaid. I kill him, man,
I kill him, do you hearman? I kill him? Man?
Yes, I know you have.I'm a murderer. But you're alive and
as you see the quarter past four, Yeah, I'm alive. And his
time, I'm sure you'll put itto excellent ukes. Yes, took his
(24:59):
wallet, supposed to get his nameProvedy, I did it. His name
is Frank. Frank are callwell,I look it up in the fields.
He's young. He wanted to livetoo, but I killed Frank. Our
call. Well, here it ishow much? How much time I get
to live? Let me see?Hmmm? His file expires on August twentieth.
(25:22):
August twentieth. What year? Thisyear? This year? Yes,
you've received just seven months from him. Seven months. You must be wrong.
He was so young. I'm sorry, but seven months was all he
had. No. No, you'llfind our records are quite correct. So
(25:42):
your card will be removed from ourfiles at ten minutes after eleven pm on
August twentieth. No, no,August twentieth. All that's wonderful. So
that's what you've done to me.August twentieth twenty. That's the man who
(26:03):
stirp me just a minute, Yes, the man, all right, he's
the one that Chile. Come alongyou you're under arrest. Fire twenty seven
month, don't you see, FatherDolan, He said I was gonna die
(26:26):
on August twentieth. August twentieth.So so that's why it's got to be
put off until tomorrow, because todayis the twentieth, and if I go
to night then he'll he'll eleven o'clocklovelock. No, sorry, father Dolan,
(26:47):
This time is up, ready,Joel, Yeah, yeah, yeah,
sure wouldn't how many? It's timemany going? Just the timmy said
I. And so ends the taleTime on my Hands, as it is
(27:30):
written in the Sealed Book. AsJoe was strapped into the electric chair,
there was a look of terror inhis eyes. It was not death that
terrified him, but the thought ofmister Benedict. Mister Benedict who would be
waiting for him. And now keeperof the book, before your clothes,
(28:59):
the great value show us the talewe tell next time, This one,
ah, yes, the tale ofa man who committed the perfect murder,
only to discover that every murder mustbe paid for. The tale is titled
(29:21):
death Laughs Last. Be sure tobe with us again next time. When
the sound of the Great Gong heralds. Another strange and exciting tale from the
(29:47):
Sealed Book, The Sealed Book,produced and directed by Jack McGregor, is
written by Bob Arthur and David Cogan.
The Seal Book. Once again.The Keeper of the Book has opened the
(00:34):
ponderous door to the secret vault,wherein has kept the Great Sealed Book,
in which has recorded all the secretsand mysteries of mankind through the ages.
Here are tales of every kind,tales of murder, of madness, of
dark deeds, strange and terrible,beyond all belief. Keeper of the Book,
(00:58):
I would know what tale will wetell this time? Open the great
book and let us read. Slowly. The great Book opens one by one.
The Keeper of the Book turns thepages and stops ah the strange story
(01:23):
of a man who was down andout and was willing to do anything for
money, a tale titled Time onMy Hands. Here is a tale Time
(02:30):
on My Hands, as it iswritten in the pages of the Sealed Book.
Our story begins in one of thecells of the State Penitentiary. Joe
Martin, his face white and tense, is speaking to Father Dolan. I'm
not faking insanity. I'm not EverythingI've told him is true. Look,
(02:52):
you can make him see why itcan't be tonight, Why it mustn't be
tonight, Even if it's only putoff until tomorrow, that'll be all right,
then, then I'll know that whatmister Benndict said won't come true.
Listen, this is how it happened. It all started late one night last
(03:12):
September. It was awful cool thebeginning, darker and darker all afternoon.
Then just about midnight the storm started. You can't sleep here in the park,
Joe, not with all this raincoming down here. Oh, really
poorer. Now, I still ain'traising price of a flop. I just
(03:38):
about selling myself to the devil forthe price of a bed. Hey,
hellok eh, what's that You're pickingup a fountain? Pancy, I can
honk it. Maybe I can getthe price of a bed. It's only
a two bit pan. You couldn'tget a cent for it. I'm gonna
have a try. How can Ilose? Okay, and I'm heading on
(04:00):
time. I'll see you, lady. I don't kill all the first Oh
coming down so hard you can't seehim than a couple of feet ahead.
Oh, my feet is wet.I feel hot and cold, hot and
cold. Oh oh, he's Ram'sblunt chopping. Come on, Oh no,
(04:24):
closed, no luck, never,no luck. Try Morris this place
right along here, somewhere right yeah, yeah, yeah, here it is
h oh closed to him? Idoes have to happen to me. Arnold's
hock shop has gotta be open.I can't see his window coming down so
(04:45):
hard. He's gotta be open.Nobody's lucking me that pad be open,
be open, be open? Ohclosed, he's closed too. Now I
gotta keep walking around. Oh youover? No one sign up? All
alone? No friends, no place? That's it oop never know this this
(05:13):
place before must be a no one, you're like, I gotta get in,
gotta get some dough for this pen. I gotta must be the boss
up there in the back of theshop working on his boots. Yeah.
Uh evening, Oh grammy, yeah, no, no on the street.
Huh why yes I am. ButI've been in this business quite a number
(05:36):
of years, quite a number.You uh have something you desired upon?
Eh? Oh yeah? Yeah?Yeah? This this here fun pen?
May I see it? Please?Oh? Sure it's fine pen? Right's
good too? M hmm. I'mafraid I wouldn't be interested in that.
Oh look, mister, couldn't youlet me have something on it? I'm
(05:56):
sorry, but this pen is worthless? Yeah, just my luck. Possibly
you have something else you can pawnsomething else. Me, Well, I
gets time on my hands, time, nothing to do with it, nothing
but starve and freeze. And perhapswe can do business after all? Eh.
In fact, I can make youa very handsome offer if you're prepared
(06:19):
to sell, say five years ofyour life? Sell five years of my
life? God? Can you buyfive years of my life? Oh?
It's very simple, our firm,shall I say, does it all the
time? You merely sign an agreementand the five years are deducted from your
life span. I mean I'd diefive years soon than I should. Yes,
(06:41):
but then think how unhappy your yearsare? Well? Oh are you
miss? Why do business under adozen different names? Benedict is as good
as a name as any. Nowcome, are you willing to sell five
years of your life? I'm preparedto offer you. Shall we say?
One thousand dollars a year? Onethousand dollars a year, yes, five
(07:05):
thousand dollars in all? Think ofit. With that money, you can
live as you've always wanted to live. Yeah, yeah, I know,
but what five years? What willthey mean to you? Cold? Hunger,
wet feet? Yeah? What feet? She would feel good? I
(07:25):
have a noo pair of shoes onmy feet. You got the money here,
mister, yes, I always payin cash. Five bucks, sure,
sure, why not? Why not? Indeed, I'll have to look
your record up in my files.What is your full name, please,
Joseph Henry Martin. Let me seeJoseph Henry Martin. You mean you got
(07:47):
my name in that file? Why? Yes, we try to keep our
records complete. You were born Decemberthe twenty second, nineteen hundred and twelve.
Yeah. Your father's name was Richard, mother's name was Margaret. Yeah,
you're right, very well, misterMartin. Your record is satisfactory and
we can do business if you'll justsign this form please, yeah, mister
(08:11):
oh this liner, yes, please, your name in full and the date
Joseph Henry right October fifth. Yeah, what about the door, of course.
If you will just feel in theright hand pocket of your coat money
a handful of five hundred dollar bills. Please count them to make sure the
(08:35):
sum is correct, mister Markin.Yeah, yeah, be glad, run
two three four, it's all arefive thousand bucks and a pleasure to do
business with you, mister Martin.Oh, yeah, yeah, it's mutual.
Good night, five thousand bucks.I'm rich Oh am I gonna have
(08:56):
me your time? I mind serviceservice. I've about some service in this
hotel. I'm on a room.Say no, no, no no,
I want a sweet, the bestsweet you got mac with a bear.
Never mind how I look? Nevermind? I got dolls. See yeah,
(09:20):
five hundred dollars bill? Now doI get that sweet at all?
I six suits, brother, That'swhat I said. I want six suits
tweed like them in the window,only with more color in him. Say
when the guy's got though, hewears tweeds and I got dolls. See
(09:48):
any for a coach you like?Baby? Just name it? Go ahead
and name it that one? Okayis to wrap it up? Go on,
You heard what the lady said.But one day, a little more
than three months after Joe had comeinto his new found wealth, he was
(10:11):
shocked to learn that he was overdrawnat the bank. It seemed the five
thousand dollars was gone. Even more, he owed a hotel bill of four
hundred dollars. Late that night,Joe skipped his hotel and took up residence
at the cheap boarding house. Oneby one, his possessions began to go.
(10:37):
What are you mean? Only whatten bucks? For? These?
Suits lough. Look I was sixtyanyway, Look mac, I paid a
tailor ten bucks. Huh, okay, let me have it. Only a
dollar for my hat. One buck. But I gotta have a bed tonight.
(11:03):
It's okay, say bud, Canyou help a fellow that down and
out? Huh huh? Can youhelp me out with a little something?
There's just a little yeah, loos, let me look at me midnight.
(11:24):
I ain't even get the price ofa flop yet, raining again, always
had rain. Four months ago,I had five thousand bucks. Now I
ain't gotta die. I didn't getanything left to pawn, nothing, not
even a wait a minute, yeah, sure, what did I think of
that? Before Bennett's spawn shop.I'm still young. I got plenty of
(11:48):
time left. I'm gonna see Bennettand now to continue the story. Time
(13:37):
on my hands, as it iswritten in the sealed book. Soaked the
skin, his shoes leaking, JoeMartin trudged through the rain, caught Benedict's
pawn shop. He peered anxiously aheadas he approached it. Just a little
(13:58):
further, I'll be there. He'sgotta be open. He's just gone yeah,
yeah, because the lightness when heis opening. Good evening. Oh,
mister Bennett remember me, certainly youare Joseph Henry Mark. Yeah,
yeah, that's right. Look,how'd you like to buy another five years
(14:18):
of my life from here? Justa minute please while I get your record
from the fire you got bet thistime ain't gonna waste my toe. Ah.
Here we are Joseph Henry Mark.Yeah yeah, Well is it a
deal for another five years? Yes, we can do business. However,
mister Martin, I can only payyou five hundred dollars a year this time,
twenty five hundred dollars in all,twenty five hundred. But look,
(14:41):
you gave me five thousand for thefirst five years. Yes, I know,
but we're rather heavily stocked just nowtwenty five hundred. I don't know.
I was kind of count I'm buyinga farm with a five thousand.
Well, perhaps we can do businessanother time when conditions are more favorable.
Wait a minute, Wait a minute, let me think it over. Do
(15:03):
so by all means it's quite allright? Course, is so free to
wed twenty five hundred bucks? Icould? All right, all right,
it's the deal if you'll just signyour name and the date on this forum
as before. Okay, Joseph,Henry, what's the date, January the
(15:24):
eighteenth, and put down the time, Joseph, two minutes past two business?
Hey? Yeah, fine, Hey, hey, can feel it do
in my pocket again? Yeah?It's seen twenty twenty five, twenty five
hundred. Yeah. Look, hey, maybe I better sell you another five
(15:46):
years. Huh. I could geta much better farm for five thousand.
Sorry, but I'm afraid we're notinterested in any further purchases. Why not?
You have no more time to sell? Nope, no more? What
do you mean? According to myrecords, with the sale you've just made
deducted from your life span, youhave just two more hours to live two
(16:07):
hours. Yes, you're now dueto die at three minutes after four o'clock
in exactly two Nah. No,that's a mistake, it must be no,
no, mister Martin, I haveyour record right here, and our
records are never wrang. Then whatdid you let me sell you the five
years for my dear mister Martin?You asked me to buy them? Yeah,
but what good is a twenty fivehundred not to take back your door
(16:29):
and give me back my five years? I regret to say that there are
no exchanges. It's gotta be whenyou hear me one. You're gotta give
me back my five years, aren'tyou. I should like to oblige you,
but it's against our policy. Ohit is. Maybe this will have
you changed your mind. Huh.I should put down that knife if I
were you, mister Martin, putit down when I get back my five
years, and no sooner do Iget them. I'm sorry to say no,
(16:53):
not theen a smile for I stand. You got a fall wool?
Do you hear me? You're noteven plead? No, mister Martin,
I'm not even You'd better pick upyour money and go here. But look,
(17:15):
look, don't you see I look, give me a break when you're
mister you have one hour and fiftyeight minutes left. Now, I'm sorry,
mister Martin. You can't let medie like this. You can't do
it. You gotta give me moretime. Please, Well, I think
we could arrange for you to havemore time, if you care to sell
your soul. So I saw.It's a trifling value, of course,
(17:41):
but my firm has a certain usefor such things. I'm sure I never
thought very much about it. Ihad any hues for it myself. I
yes, a few people do.It's superfluous. The best was that merely
the clock striking the quarter hour.It's now a quarter past two, quarter
(18:02):
past two, all right ourselves?Where well, unfortunately in this matter,
your signature would not be binding.There's only one way I could be certain
of getting my property when the timecomes. What what? What way is
that you'd have to? Shall wesay, remove some person from this life?
(18:23):
You mean you mean kill someone exactly, and in return you shall have
the balance of the victim's life.You may be fortunate enough to find someone
who has thirty or forty years tolive. Just think all that time would
be yours. Yeah, yeah,But but to have to kill somebody,
you don't have to. It's justa suggestion. But if I don't die
(18:48):
in two hours, one hour andforty seven minutes to be exact, nah,
No, I couldn't kill no one, even if it means i'd die
tonight, I can't do any Hemmy, I'm getting out of here. That
(19:18):
means that means one hour and threeminutes to live. An hour and three
minutes, I kind of get outof the storm. There's a bottle.
Look at you was a drink.What do you have double whiskey? Keeping
coming? I may have another?Say, Pat, you already put away
(19:52):
a bottle. Don't you think youhad enough for one night? O'clock?
You just keep setting them up.I'm paying for an Okay, it's you
off your say? All right,all right, I didn't mean nothing by
it. Four o'clock. Last timeI'll ever hear a clock straight? Wait
(20:26):
three minutes? Did you say something? No? What's that? What's what?
What's that? That clock? Whereis it? Clock? There ain't
no clock chicking in here? Thereis Listen, guy, you had a
couple too many. I guess Okay, I can hear it. I tell
you it's sticky. Tell me,I've only got three minutes left. Look,
(20:52):
felly, it's time you was going. I don't like the way you're
talking. Yeah, yeah, gottaget out of here. Gotta get away
my clock WI And now to continuethe story, time on my hands,
(22:49):
as it is written in the SealedBook. His heart pounding in his ears,
Joe ran out of the bar anddown the street, terror clutching his
try as he would, he couldn'trid himself of one thought. The clock
had just struck four. The endwas fast approaching. Breathless, he came
(23:12):
to a stop, looked around wildly. Three minutes to live? Three minutes?
No, no, it must beonly two now. I don't want
to die. I wanna live.I wanna live. I'm gonna do what
I've got. Time is going sofast it's too tempting. No, no,
(23:32):
no, yeah, here comes somebody. Mister, mister you gotta match?
Yeah, sure, anyway, lookingat me like that. No,
you're old, you're old. You'rehere, must be over seventies, man,
Yes, you no good than me. I want someone with lots of
life, lots of life for meto live. You're mad, you're mad?
Wait a minute, becomes somebody else, somebody young. I can I
(23:55):
can tell by the way he was, somebody with years to live yet chance.
Hey, hey, mister, youcall me? Yeah you uh?
You got the time? Yeah?Sure, exactly two and a half minutes
out of four. I was likea thirty seconds at thirty thirty seconds?
What are you doing with that knife? Oh don't well, I can't do
(24:33):
I've done it done much, Isaid. I kill him, man,
I kill him, do you hearman? I kill him? Man?
Yes, I know you have.I'm a murderer. But you're alive and
as you see the quarter past four, Yeah, I'm alive. And his
time, I'm sure you'll put itto excellent ukes. Yes, took his
(24:59):
wallet, supposed to get his nameProvedy, I did it. His name
is Frank. Frank are callwell,I look it up in the fields.
He's young. He wanted to livetoo, but I killed Frank. Our
call. Well, here it ishow much? How much time I get
to live? Let me see?Hmmm? His file expires on August twentieth.
(25:22):
August twentieth. What year? Thisyear? This year? Yes,
you've received just seven months from him. Seven months. You must be wrong.
He was so young. I'm sorry, but seven months was all he
had. No. No, you'llfind our records are quite correct. So
(25:42):
your card will be removed from ourfiles at ten minutes after eleven pm on
August twentieth. No, no,August twentieth. All that's wonderful. So
that's what you've done to me.August twentieth twenty. That's the man who
(26:03):
stirp me just a minute, Yes, the man, all right, he's
the one that Chile. Come alongyou you're under arrest. Fire twenty seven
month, don't you see, FatherDolan, He said I was gonna die
(26:26):
on August twentieth. August twentieth.So so that's why it's got to be
put off until tomorrow, because todayis the twentieth, and if I go
to night then he'll he'll eleven o'clocklovelock. No, sorry, father Dolan,
(26:47):
This time is up, ready,Joel, Yeah, yeah, yeah,
sure wouldn't how many? It's timemany going? Just the timmy said
I. And so ends the taleTime on my Hands, as it is
(27:30):
written in the Sealed Book. AsJoe was strapped into the electric chair,
there was a look of terror inhis eyes. It was not death that
terrified him, but the thought ofmister Benedict. Mister Benedict who would be
waiting for him. And now keeperof the book, before your clothes,
(28:59):
the great value show us the talewe tell next time, This one,
ah, yes, the tale ofa man who committed the perfect murder,
only to discover that every murder mustbe paid for. The tale is titled
(29:21):
death Laughs Last. Be sure tobe with us again next time. When
the sound of the Great Gong heralds. Another strange and exciting tale from the
(29:47):
Sealed Book, The Sealed Book,produced and directed by Jack McGregor, is
written by Bob Arthur and David Cogan.
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