X Minus One radio and At the Post

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Episode Transcript

(00:00):
M hm, come down for blackDog X minus five for three two X
minus one Fire from the far horizonsof the unknown, Cometails of new dimensions

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in time and space. These arestories of a future adventures in which you'll
live in a million, could beyears on a thousand, maybe worlds.
The National Broadcasting Company and cooperating withGalaxies Science Fiction Magazine presents X minus one
more Goodnight at the Post by H. L. Gold. When I committed

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a blue ribbon on forty ninth Streetwest of Broadway, I could tell right
away nobody called Doc Hawkin's about mymisfortune. Doc ain't one really writes a
daily medical column for the race andForm and where celebrating is being sprung from
the alcoholic war. He got onelook at me and he choked on a
piece of a filteracy. What happened? What happened? Look at that Clcker's

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become a charact. I'll lay youoff sack. Look at that a gray
flannels too, the black tie cracker. Where is your purple and green deck?
Fourth? Second, where are yourtwo tone sweight shoe? Or you've
become a character. That was Zelda'sidea. She wanted to make a gentleman
on him. Wanted too, whyyou two kids got married just before they
took her my seats away? Don'ttell me you've a flip already. You

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don't know that. No, whathappened? What it was right after you
try to take the warts off thefire hydrant that Zelda started hearing voices,
It got real bad, albare.She's at Glendale's Center of State. I
just came back from visit me.Wanted it. The psychiatrist give you a
diagnosis? Yeah, I got itmemorized kaded Tonia lanshaprika ah rough, very

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rough. The outlook is never goodin such pasus. Maybe they can't help
her, but I will now.Clacker, you're a raised hand to Kappa.
You run the best tip sheet onBroadway. But people are not forces.
You've got to think of your public. For instance, what's good is
Hialeah? Huh? My bar billis about to be foreclosed. And I
can use a long job those couchartists, Donna, what's wrong with Zelda?

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I do you do well? Almost? I'm so close I can hear
the finish line camera clicking. Now, that's very interesting, and perhaps we
can collaborate on an article for thePsychiatric Journal. All right, look look
at these shot Look here hid allright, I use the same system I
used to build the race. Look, Zelda's got catatonic. She used to

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be a hoofer before we got married, and now she does timesteps all day.
Her type movements are typical of catatonia. You don't get it. She
does time steps the first thing youlearn, and hooking over and over,
ten or fifteen hours a day.And she keeps talking like she's given lessons
to some jerk kiddo. Can't getus straight. And I hear when these
catatonics pull out, they don't remembermuch or maybe nothing for fifty then needs

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though they work harder and longer atwhat they're doing, and they ever did
when they were regular citizens, andthey don't get a red scent for it.
I'd beg Joe, pardon. Isaid they were getting stiff. Anybody
who works that hard or to getpaid. I don't understand what you're getting
there. What are they knocking themselvesout for? If it's for free,
Doc, I tell you I missedthat, monks. I gotta save it.
She can't see her here is,but she can sure see her hear

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something and I'm gonna dope, Baker. It's too much for you, so
much for me? Huh? Whowas it? Said Warlock and turned into
a dog in his third years?Who was it? At seven winners the
opening day at Belmont? You takemy word for doc, I'll beat the
schizophrenia handicap. I hadn't been payingmuch attention to my tip sheet while I

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was doping a catatonia. Times.I tell you, I miss Nobre.
I missed the bobby pins on herfloor, and a nylon stuck on a
shower rack, the toothpaste tube squeezedfrom the top. I had to get
her back somehow. Next day,I took a cab, went out to
that place. I sat in aroom and watched her dance or with something.
Zelda was worth watching, even withher eyes blank and her feet shuffling

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through that simple time. That's theLocke visiting time is almost k all right,
they're right, Zelga, Frist andZelda. How long can they take
to learn a time step? Speakout here? You look, kid,
I don't know who these squares arethat you're working for, but tell them
if they take it. They gotto take me to you here. I

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had an idea Now I had adope that Della was showing them how to
dance, whoever they are, andthe only way I could spring it was
to find out who was controlling itand what they were asking. The first
step was they got them interested inme and what I know about racist oping
horses. So I stood there nextto Zelder and I started the THO.
Now, the first thing you've gotto figure is bloodline. You take a

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horse, you've got to know backmaybe four or five generations on both sides.
Then you got to know where thecoat was pulled, what time of
year, because all horses are oneyear old on the first of January,
and that's time to make spring.To take a horse with good blood lines,
break them in and a spring ona hot train and surface tracks,
and the first thing you know,you've got a horse with a shinplin.

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Oh they may cover it up,but if you know what's there. I
once threw a horse land and Highaleelowas scared of flamingo voice. Had a
fine record at Colas Stream and Poolie, but when he got down to Highaleen
got one look at the flamingos,he wouldn't run for breams. The lock
are you all right, got up, fine, Fren, you better on
a horse that's scared, a flamingosat hyaleen. You're gonna come in with
your tail between your legs. Hekept coming back every day and just sit

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there next to his eldowise. Hedid a time step that I talk about
horses over and over, and thenfinally, finally I started to hear voice
falk uh locker this way, fercome way this way, clocker. I'm

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on now Like it was a five. I could see the attendant and white
coat as they questions, I couldn'thear them, and who had just kept
on talking about the horses. Andthen suddenly I wasn't there. I was
somewhere else. I was in abig square, and the buildings looked like
the new roads out racers, allmodern, or maybe like the World's chairs

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with trees and satcher And there werehundreds of people standing around and they all
weren't scared. There was a littleman with five folks and a vest with
pens of needles and it standing nextto him. He looked scared, but
I knew it had worked. Wason my way to zones. How did
I get here? Excuse me?Listen. How did I get here?
I don't know. I can't taketime for play, said sure, I've

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got a customer coming in tomorrow fora fitting. It should positively murder me.
If the a Jess isn't ready,he can't murder you, not anymore.
You mean we're dead, don't askme. But I don't think you're
dead that much. I can tellyou. Some of the people in the
clouds are complaining they had families totake care of, while others were worried

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about leaving their businesses. And itall looks quiet when I'm climbed up on
a big platform in front. Itwas a very tall and signified dying.
He had formal closures and a whitesad like a chief mourner of a politician.
Sun ladies, ladies, new tentlemen, please feel his feet. You
are not in any danger that harmwill come to you. If you were

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listening carefully to this orientation lecture,you will know where you are. And
five, what is it? Idon't I don't I see it's a friend.
I know you are a puzzled atall this. Now, let me
explain. You've been chosen, yes, carefully screamed and selected to help us
in monzandars be the greatest cause ofall history. You will learn more about

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it, and we work together inthis fast and noble experiment. What experiment?
What is it? I got apick? This is a picture.
These guys are out the sun.I was like a can. Let me
say this in its simpless term.Now you know that there are visions of
stars in the the person, thatthe stars have planets, of that many

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of these planets are inhabitants. Inalmost all instances, the dominant form of
life is quite different from yours.I am neither at your planet or a
solar system. I am not formedas you see me. My true appearance
would seem to be rather confusing tohuman eyes. Get truth is, we

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are not here, and neither areyou. Here is a projection of cost
a hypothetical point in the space,a place that exists only by mental force.
Actually, our bodies are on ourown respective planets. What does it
mean? Way, you'll give usthe convincer after the build up. Our

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civilization is considerably older than yours.For many of your centuries, we have
explored the universe both physically and telepathically, and during this exploration we discovered your
planet. He tried to establish communications, but there were great difficulties, and
it was the time of your darkages. And I'm sorry to report that

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those people we did make contact withwho generally burned at the stakes. Here
An he's getting ready to slip usthe thing. And I don't think you
want to say a thing like thatabout a fine jacent gentleman. He's obviously
very since here. The problem weface is that the human race is doomed.
The history of your race is arecord of incessant wars, each more

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devastating than the last. And howfinally man has chained the power of worldwide
is struck. The next four orthe one after that would unquestionably be the
ends not only of civilization, butof humanity, perhaps even of your entire
planets. Then why have we broughtyou here? Because man, in spite

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of his suicidal blunders, is amagnificent race. He might not fanish without
leaving a complete record of his achievement. This is the task we must work
together a lot. Each of youhas a skill, a talent, a
special knowledge we need for the immenserecord way compiling every area of human society

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must become. And so we needyou urgently. Your data will become part
of an imperison, a social documentthat shall exist untold eons after mankind has
vanished. He had a slick time. He had that crowd and a pounder's

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hand like a small pane brit ofselling pearl necklaces on sixth avens. They
are cheering. They were all flatteredto think that they were joining in this
vast project to make a record ofa human race. After a while,
it broke us up in the divisions, and I got hurted into a building
like sports and rats. They tookmy name and my occupation like I was
applying for unemployment. And sure,now here's our problem, mister Locke.

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We're making two kinds of professial records. One is written more precisely microscribed.
The other is a wonderfully exact duplicateof your cerebral pattern in more durable material
than brain matter. Of course,of course, the substance we used in
place of brain cells absorbs memory quiteslowly, but you'll be happy to know

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that the impression, once made cannever be lost or a rased to ride
a tackle the piece I knew youwould be. Well, let's proofy jelly
first, a basic description of horseracing. I started telling them about horse
racing, but they helped me downto one sense. They said I had
to repeat it over and over sothat that recording thing could get it.

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They had a picture of my bodyback on Earth, lying in the bread
in my hospital, just saying atone sence, over and over again.
Well that's enough for the day.Is it amazing? We have a more
detailed record of human society than manhimself ever had. Your life, my
life, the life of this veelderwhom you came here to rescue, all

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are trivial. For we must alldie eventually, but the project, the
project will last eternally. You're tellingme you know what I'm here for,
to secure the return of your wife. I would naturally be aware that you'd
submitted yourself to our control voluntarily.It was in your file that was sent
to me by admission. And whydid you let me in? Because,

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my dear friend, we all selectthe friends. I'm here on business as
you wish. We let you inas you expecially because you have knowledge that
we should include in our archives.We hoped you'd recognize the merits and scope
of our undertaking. Most people doonce they're told sell the to just those

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are extremely cooperative, quite convinced.Would you like to see how Yeah,
sure I would whirl. Let's canbe arranged. I'll call the Arts and
Entertainment section and the arrange a meetings. Tell the baby, Oh, hello,

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Crocker, glad to see me.I spent months and shot every gum
I've got just to pinch you.Wait. Sure, I'm glad to see
you, humb but I can't wasteany time. This work is so important.
I want to talk to you.That con artist with a white fan.
Isn't he wonderful clocker? Aren't theyall wonderful, regulous scientists to voting
their whole lives to the terrific Causewhat's so wonderful about that they could let
the years go boom? Wouldn't meana thing to them. Everybody watched out,

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just like they never wore any people, not even as much reck of
the bus as the dinosaurs see.Wouldn't that make you feel simply awful?
I wouldn't feel a thing. Well, I'm worried about a truss baby who
cares about the rest of the worlddoing it disappearing at hi do and so
do they They aren't selfish like somepeople. I could mention selfish your time,
right, I am Selda. Listen, I am selfish because I got

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a wife, and I'm not spotter, and I want to break. I'll
have to help out on this project. It's the least I can do for
history's three onted history of it.Though for us goes tending your time God
baby, telling me you've got adate with me back on Earth. No,
this is my job as much asthere is more reason. Don't keep
anybody here against their will. I'msaying because I want to clocker good,
excuse me. I've got to getback. I'm kicking them the soff shoe.
Now, are you satisfied? Now, I'm mister Lucke. Listen,

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take away the doom, pushing hisracket falls. Listen, Suppose you're all
square, Suppose you're leveling. You'reknocking yourself out because your guess is we're
going to commit suicide. Is thereany doubts of it? Do you honestly
believe the Holocaust can be averted?I think it can be stopped here.
Listen, between these Catatonics and me, we could tell them what it's all

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about. I Notice you've got peoplefrom all over the world here. They
get along fine because they have ajob that do not have kind to hate
each other. Well, it couldbe like that back on earth, mister
Locke. We have experimented in themanner you suggest what a human psychological mechanism
defeated us? Yeah, what wasthat? Protective amnesia? They completely and

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absolutely forgot everything they've learned here.Well, what are the odds on me?
Remember, well, you are ourfirst volunteers. Look, I'll give
you a set. You let meout, and maybe I'll be the first
taste that didn't get amnesius, andI can tell a world all about this.
I'll come back. If I laimup. You can pick me up
any time you want. But ifI make headways, you've got to let

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Zelda go through. That's a veryreasonable proposition. We'll lift our control,
mister Locke for a suitable time.If you can arouse a measurable opposition to
racial suicide measurable mind you, thenwe agree read to release your wife and
revise our policy completely. I cameto it Glendale. It took me about

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two weeks to convince him that Iwas all right again. But I had
to convince the world that they werethrowing a racin, that they needed a
thrive attention. So I started towrite it all out in my tip sheet,
in and around the horse. Thattime I ran in the dock walk
of my boy. He was awhite da. How anxious we were about
you for your looking fit. I'mglad say thanks. I wish I could
say the same about you, andthe rest of the world. Don't need

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to worry about us real muddle alongsummer you think so, huh, I've
had to see you got your tipsheet going again as run as a bob
tails run. Who cares what happenedto anything else? In course, nobody
listened to me. I had postedthis printed telling everybody. I hired a

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sandwichman to walk through the city.I made speeches in Columbus Circle. I
told everybody doomsday was near. Isent letters to Congress, to the UN
editor is a newspapers. Nobody saidany attention. I sneaked into the falchony
of the General Assembly and tried toshout a speech, and he threw me
out, very polite. I wrotethe whole thing up for a magazine,
and he printed it and sent mea check and told me if I had
any nosfiction, I'd be glad torun. He kept trying to tell everybody

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the truth about the Catatonics. Well, we ought to go to the hospitals
and get ourselves let in and havethe aliens take over and show us where
we're going. Nobody would listen.And then finally I went back out to
Glendale. Oh, mister Locke,we were wondering when you come visit your
wife has been away. I wantmy own room back, but you are
perfectly normal. Give me a halfhour alone and you'll be glad to give

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me my room. Well here Iam back again. Oh, mister Locke,
I'll say I'll give you all therest of the dope on raising.
You won't have any trouble with me. Then you're convinced you failed. I'm

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not dummy. I know when i'mlist So do we, mister Locke.
Naturally, you have no way ofdetesting the effect you've had. We do.
The result is that, because ofyour experiment, we're gladly revising our
policy. H Is this a rib? Nobody listened to me, Oh,
but they did. Visits to Catatonicshave increased considerably when the visitors are alone

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with our human associates. They tentativelyfollowed the directions you gave them in your
articles. Not all due, tobe sure, Only those who feel us
strongly about being with their loved ones, as you do about your wife.
We've accepted for voluntary applicants. Youmean, I made it right? For
how long we shall have to increaseour staff as the numbers of voluntary applicants

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increases geometrically, and then we'll beable to release the first group to go
back and carry the message whenever youcare to. Mister Lucke, you and
your wife are free to leave,okay, but I'll tell you what I
owe you plenty. I'll help makethat record before I go. I'll teach
you how to tek the hushes.Is that what you want? Why?
Yes? All right, then let'sgo the quicker way, get started,

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the quicker we can get back.You have just heard X minus one,
presented by the National Broadcasting Company incooperation with Galaxy Science Fiction magazine, which
this month features a Touch of eFlats by Joe Gibson, a story with

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a warning never let anyone point anyweapon at shoes, even something as harmless
looking as a water pistol. Itmay be a cooling gun. Galaxy Magazine
on your new Saturday Tonight. Xminus one has Brought You at the Post,
a story from the pages of Galaxy, written by H. L.

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Gold and adapted for radio by ErnestCanoy. Featured in our castor Frank Maxwell
as the clocker and Thomas as histime step and wife Velda Arnold Moss as
the otherworldly One, John Griggs asthe doc who wasn't one really, and
Sam Raskin has a confused little tailorwith his mouth full of pins. You're

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announcer Fred Collins. X minus onewas directed by Kenneth McGregor and is an
NBC Radio Network production.