In this episode of CBS Radio Mystery Theater, we delve into the complexities of friendship, jealousy, and the passage of time. Edna Everly, a seemingly ordinary housewife, is confronted by her past when her college friend, Marcela Borden, now a prominent senator, visits her. The encounter stirs up long-buried emotions and resentments, leading Edna to contemplate an unthinkable act. As the two women confront their shared history, they unravel the truth about their past and the choices that have shaped their lives.
"Girl Talk" explores themes of ambition, love, and the roles women play in society. Through a gripping narrative, the episode examines how personal and societal expectations can trap individuals in lives they never intended to lead. As Edna and Marcela navigate their complex relationship, they are forced to confront their own truths and the impact of their decisions. This episode is a compelling exploration of the human condition, filled with suspense and emotional depth.
(00:52) Introduction to Mystery Theater
(02:01) The Case of the Oldsmobile Cutlass
(03:23) The Everly Household Breakfast
(07:52) Reunion with Marcella
(18:50) Edna's Murderous Intent
(29:04) Confrontation and Confession
(41:46) Resolution and Reconciliation
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In the time before AT and T fiber internet.
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What? What are you doing in me dungeon? It's the only place where the bloody Wi Fi works. Oh, and you don't mind the spiders? Spiders? What spiders? Oh, no. They're everywhere.
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In the time after AT and T fiber Internet. It's nice having fast reliable Wi Fi in the whole house, for sure. The dawn of a better Internet era with AT and T Fiber. Limited availability in select areas. Check eligibility at att.com/getfiber.
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AT and T Smart Wi Fi extenders may be required. Sold separately. Restrictions apply.
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CBS radio mystery theater presents Come in. Welcome. I'm EG Marshall. You ask what a nice girl will do, she won't give an inch. And you know who said that? The Roman poet, Marshall. And do you know when he said it? About two thousand years ago, which proves that nice girls have always had their problems, especially when it appears they will have to commit a murder.
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What did I ever steal from you? You stole what was more important to me than anything in the world. What? What did I ever take that was yours? You stole my life. Oh, you're crazy. You are living my life.
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Our mystery drama, girl talk, was written especially for the mystery theater by Sam Dan and stars Terry Keen and Anne Williams. I'll be back shortly with act one. Case number 82,
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the supreme question. I took the case on my own. I had to know Why does Oldsmobile Cutlass come up America's favorite midsize year after year? I started with an Olds dealer. Cutlass? Well, Cutlass is different cars for different people. At first, I thought it would be the same old song and dance. Yeah? Look at this Cutlass Supreme. It's stylish and practical. And a front center armrest too. Or this Cutlass Calais. It's got the look and feel of a grand touring car. Full instrumentation. And this, this is the Cutlass Supreme Brome for the nicest luxury touches. I had to admit, the guy made sense, and I love the velour interior. And Cutlass has solid engineering built in. Then came the clincher. Only Cutlass offers an available 4.3 liter diesel v eight engine designed especially for midsize cars. I did the only thing I could do at the time. I took a test drive. Case closed. There's no mystery. You can get that great old's feeling. Discover that great old's feeling. Take a test drive today.
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We read that we ought to forgive our enemies, but we do not read that we ought to forgive our friends. Today's text is from sir Francis Bacon who, in the end, forgave everybody, friends and enemies. As the years go by and memories fade, sometimes the distinction between them becomes somewhat blurred. Well, here we are in the Everly household where breakfast is proceeding as usual. Renaissance has gone up two points.
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James?
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I advised Kenwood to buy it last week.
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James, we can get tickets for the concert tonight.
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What? Concert?
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The Bosanski concert.
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Basansky? Didn't we hear him last week?
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No. That was Baslovsky. Oh,
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well, once you've heard one Russian, you've heard them all.
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Baslovsky's a violinist. Do we have to go? Oh, we don't have to do anything.
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Uh-huh. I know what that means.
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You do what?
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It means if we don't go, I'll wind up sleeping out in the couch tonight. Alright. Alright. Forget it. Look. I'm I'm willing to go. You're willing to make the supreme sacrifice. I said I was willing to go. No.
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You'll only be bored stiff, so just forget it.
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Why don't you go by yourself? I have a lot of work I should catch up with. If I wanted to go to concerts by myself,
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if I wanted to go to the theater, to the opera, to the ballet, to art galleries by myself, I don't have to be married. Now look, Edna. I said let's forget it.
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What's gotten into you this morning?
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Oh, I see. Alright. You don't want to forget it. Alright. To continue. And I don't have to live here in Central City either, assuming you can call this living.
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Now I don't know what you're talking about. You don't? No. I don't. What's all this about Central City all of a sudden? It isn't all of a sudden. You lost me. We raised our kids here. All our friends are here. This is our home. Why don't we drop it? This could become a very traumatic discussion. Hey. Now, look. Let's go to the concert. I I mean it. I really want to. You do? Edna, honey, I'm sorry. Are you? I should've realized something.
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What's that?
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Well, it's a fact. When, when a woman starts to get up there
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Up where?
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You know, middle age.
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Oh, middle age.
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That's us, Edna. We're middle aged. Where? You can blame old mother nature, but when a woman reaches that that time in life where things change inside, she, she really can't be faulted for feeling fretful and nervous and even a little bit ornery. Edna, honey, I understand.
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That's extremely perceptive of you.
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Oh, you women. Even under normal circumstances, nobody can figure what you're all about. So naturally, at a time like this Naturally. It's my job to see that you don't get all upset over trifles, to give in to whatever whims you may have, for whatever reason you may have them. It's
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like years ago when you were pregnant. And so you think I'm just being silly like a woman?
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Edna, honey, that's your privilege.
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Thank you, James.
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And we are going to that concert tonight, and I am going to stay awake. Will you? Yes. And I'll tell you something else. I'll even enjoy it.
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That's marvelous.
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I am going to have a good time even if it kills me.
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Hello? Edna? Do you know who this is? Do I know? Yes. Yes. I know. Oh, Edna. Your voice is still the same. Well, so is yours, Marcella. Well, how long has it been, Edna? How long? Oh, thirty years. Oh, it can't be. It was graduation day. We were both 22. I was 21. Now I know it's really you. Oh, what are you doing, Edna? What am I doing? Mhmm. Well, I suppose you could say I'm a housewife. No. No. No. What are you doing now this minute? Well, senator, I was about to do the dishes. They'll leave him in the sink. Come on down here and talk to me. Come down to Washington? No. I'm here. In Central City? Yeah. I'm at the Metropolitan Hotel.
Oh, you look wonderful, Edna. Oh, no. Compared to you, I must be a worn out old hag. Oh, no. You haven't your love. Well, no great accomplishment when you consider I never had too many to start with. How could you say that? Don't you remember? You were the prettiest girl in the class. How I envy you. Well, it evened out. I was pretty when we were young. You're the one who's pretty now. And you got the better of the deal, Marcela, because you are more than pretty. You're beautiful. Tell me. How's James? James. Do you really wanna know?
Oh, I have sort of a proprietary interest in James. After all, I was the one who brought you two together. Yes. You did. I was the cupid, The blind Cupid. Cupid isn't the one who's blind. It's Justice. Now see? You're still smarter than I. Tell me about James. James. Well, James is 30 years older, forty pounds heavier, considerably bolder. Does he still write poetry? Poetry. Oh, good heavens. No. James is a stockbroker. A stockbroker? Can you believe it? James? A pillar of the capitalist system? But whatever happened to all those plans, he had to overthrow it. Well, he says he, grew up. That's what he says.
What's the matter, Edna? Oh, it's nothing. You forget. I know what your nothing means. Well, everything. I don't know. I suppose just seeing you has made me realize it. I've thrown my life away. No. No. It's true. Isn't it? When we were in college, I was the one who was gonna set the whole world on fire. Now nobody ever really sets the whole world on fire. But I wanted to do something. Why didn't you? I don't know. You get married and you fall into a kind of, well, it's a net. You're enmeshed suddenly by the problems of other people, your husband, your kids. But those are the people you love. Well, that makes it worse. You can never fight your way free, and so you yourself, you just get lost. You drown.
You oh, hey. Come on. Let's cut it out. I didn't come here to sing the blues, to weep on your shoulder. I'll go right ahead. It's like old times. But why are we talking about me? You're the important one. Why didn't we keep in touch with each other all these years? We swore we would. We were busy. I'm chairwoman excuse me. Chairperson of the senate subcommittee of the environment. We came to Central City to take testimony. All I could think of was the fact that you and I could get together again. Oh, it's good to see you at me. I've been following your career. You never married.
Really can't have both. I don't care what anyone says. Something has to give somewhere. A woman has to choose. I did. You did too. Only because you introduced me to James, James Everly. If I hadn't met him, why Oh, you would have met someone else. No. No. He was the one. The only one. But I still say you'd have found someone else. People always do. You didn't. I wasn't looking. Oh, Marcela. That isn't true. Everyone looks. It's just that you never met that certain person who could set you on fire. You know, you always use that expression about fire. Well, that's what love is, a fire in the heart.
It consumes you. Anyhow, you arranged my fate that night. You said Edna Lewis meet James Eberly. Well, anyhow, I can't get over you, Marcela. You are actually one of the most important women in America. Excuse me, Edna. Hello? Who? Oh oh, well, I'll get back to him. I'm I'm busy. And hold those calls for a while. Right. Look. I don't wanna get in the way of anything important. That was the chairman of the national committee. I was just using you as an excuse. I don't wanna talk to him right now. Does he want to know if you're thinking actively about the presidency? That's a very good guess on your part. Well, there's been talk in the papers. It has to come sooner or later. A woman who's a serious candidate.
All the signs point to you. And all the things to do right now is just sit back and smile and wait and see. You, senator Marcella Borden. We used to wear each other's clothes. We shared everything, didn't we? Even our dates. Except the last one. I told my secretary no more calls, so if he's ringing, it must be something important. Yes? Who? Oh, alright. I I'll be there. Oh, my hearing's been moved up an hour so that old senator Cataract can fly back to Washington to vote on his project. Oh, it's been so good seeing you again, Edna. Listen. Do you suppose you could have dinner with us tonight? No. No. We're leaving early. We have to take the testimony on the West Coast in the morning. On the way back, perhaps. I won't be coming this way, dear. I'll be going to Japan and from there to Vienna and then home to Washington. Oh, goodbye, Edna.
As once again, you step back into your busy, fascinating, and important world. Ah, well, now. What did you want now? Yes. Marcella. Who is this?
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How did you get on this line? Well, the president of the phone company here is a golfing buddy of mine. It's no problem.
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Is this James?
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And how are you?
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I
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I am just fine. I heard you were in town.
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Oh, James. Light of my soul, love of my heart, spirit of joy, never depart. Remember.
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Now what's that?
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The beginning of a poem you once wrote. Well, don't let word of that get around. Folks think I was a wild eyed radical. Well, but James, you were a wild eyed radical. Well, that's what you're supposed to be when you're young, but you outgrow it. I wish you'd get married, Marcy. Ask Edna. It's the only way to live.
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Alright. I'll ask her. Goodbye, James. Marcy,
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before I hang up, I never had a chance to tell you, but I owe you everything.
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What are you talking about?
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Because of you, I met Edna. And that was the greatest thing that ever happened in all my life.
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Oh.
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Well, bye, Marcy. And please find yourself a guy and make him as happy as Edna made me.
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Goodbye, James. That was James. I heard. Why did you call me? Why? Well, Edna, I wanted to see to patronize me, didn't you? You wanted to make it crystal clear to me that I'm just some insignificant, unimportant little housewife. Edna, don't say couldn't you have just let me alone? Why did you have to remind me how miserable I am? Why, Marcela? Please. Until now, I was able to make peace with it or at least I could live with it. But now, you see, I can't do that anymore. You shouldn't have come here. Oh, and I didn't mean to Why did you come here now after thirty years? And I don't I know why. I know why. You have a chance to run for president. Oh, that's only a rule now. And you're afraid.
I was never afraid of anything. Or maybe you're not afraid. Odd. That's it. The presidency. I mean, you stand in awe. It's enough to make anybody stop, think, wonder, especially a woman. And so you came here to look at me. Edna, you don't know what you're saying. And to measure how far you've come, how high you've risen, how different you are, how completely you've shed the shackles that bind other women, and how qualified you are for a man's job. That's why you came to see me. I came to see you because you're my oldest friend. I'm sorry you feel this way. Oh, yes. I'm sorry too. I have to leave now. I know.
Will you be alright? Why sure. What are you going to do today? Oh, any number of things. I could play bridge or golf or tennis. I could have an affair with a handsome man, assuming I could find one. I could, do something worthwhile like helping to plan a charity ball, attend a PTA meeting, volunteer work at the hospital. But, I don't think I'll do any of them. Do you know what I will do? No. Yes. I'm afraid I couldn't. Well, then I'll tell you. I'm going to commit murder.
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We're dropping the curtain because it's not likely we'll get a better line with which to close act one. Well now, women like Edna, they just ripple along, flowing steadily from day to day, fairly quiet waters, but they run deep. If she says she's going to commit murder, you better take her seriously. But who is she going to kill? For that, you must attend act two. Murder. To most of us, the prospect is as remote as the planet Mars. Murder? Why that's something that's committed by murderers. Depraved assassins who perform the nefarious deeds in secrecy. Consider for a moment the very first of the breed, Cain.
In the very beginning, he was probably a bouncing little baby boy, a devoted son, a good brother. But as time went by and situations changed, well, one thing led to another.
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What did you say, Edna? You're going to commit murder? That's right. That's the most ridiculous thing I ever heard you say. Do you know who I'm going to marry? Look, Edna. You. Marcela. You. Me? Yes. Edna? Edna? Is that all you have to say? You mean you can't think of anything else? Don't tell me you're at a loss for words. Well, listen, my bet is when we were in school, you were always like a chirpy little chipmunk. Oh, you were bright. Yes. You were even witty, but still it was merely girlish chatter. It wasn't until you grew older and, presumably wiser that you developed true eloquence. Edna, I wish they listen to you spellbound in the hallowed halls of the senate. You are one of the great speakers of our day.
Do you have a speech handy for this occasion? What do you expect me to say, Edna? Well, I don't know, Marcela. I'm not in your shoes. All I can say is I'm sorry you feel the way you do, but right now, you must excuse me. I have to attend a meeting. Oh, I see. I see the problem. You don't believe me. You don't believe I'm going to kill you. You think this is just a a conversation? Well, I have something here in my bag. Now look, Edna. You look, Marcela. We have just placed this thing on a completely different basis. Haven't we? Edna, what is What is this?
Well, this is a 22 caliber pistol. Small, but neat, accurate, and deadly. Edna? Edna, you need help. Oh, I see where this is headed. There's something wrong with me. Isn't there? You came here prepared to kill me. Of course. You even brought a gun. Well, naturally. I I called you at that time. I remember it was exactly 09:00. Exactly. You were here at 09:30. It had to take you at least twenty minutes to drive down. Just about. That means you had no more than ten minutes to make that decision and and get a gun. The decision had already been made long before you called. Oh?
Oh, I decided to kill you twenty years ago. Twenty years ago. Oh, yes. Once it became apparent to me where my life with James was headed. Twenty years ago? Yes. You see, Marcela, there just comes a time in a woman's life when the trap springs shut, and she can never get out. I've been married ten years. I'd already had both kids. And I could see that all the color and the brightness was fading from my life. The hopes, the dreams. Oh, I could have adjusted. But then I read in the paper, Marcela Borden elected to the congress. Aetna, I know you're the friend. That was the day I said it for the first time.
I could kill that Marcela Borden. Please listen to me. Kept saying it through all the years of boredom and of frustration. I could kill that Marcella Borden. So when you called me today, I was ready for you. Edna, this isn't you. It can't be you. Now the extra ten minutes you mentioned, I needed them to find the gun. Edna, now putting this thing on a practical basis. Suppose you do kill me. They'll trace the gun. Oh, no. You see, it belonged to my mother. Your mother? I bet that caught you completely off guard. Yes. My mother. That frail, wispy, almost ethereal little lady.
What would she be doing with the gun, lady? Edna, I'm I'm trying to My father was on the road a great deal, you see. He wanted mother to feel protected. Edna, for goodness. And mother agreed, provided it was one that was nice and neat and genteel. Edna, not now the two of us. We have to touch And then when mother passed away, I wanted to get rid of it, but I, I just never got around to it. Edna, how can I make you realize I kept it in a bag made of chamois so it's cleaned, oiled, and loaded? Edna, I have to get to the committee meeting. So what do you think this is? A joke? No.
I don't think it's a joke. Certainly, I it isn't funny. There isn't going to be any committee meeting. At least not for you. You're serious? You are really serious. Oh, finally. Comprehension dawn. You won't get away with it. It doesn't matter. You'll spend the rest of your life in jail. I'm in jail now. Are you surprised? No. Oh, now that I stop, think, look back, remember, you were always jealous of me. I was always what? I had all the dates. You had all the dates. Is that a fact? How many times did you sit in the room on Saturday night while I went out? You had quantity, Edna. I had quality. I was prettier than you. You even admitted. Oh, you were. I think you still are.
You could never attract any of the really interesting boys on the campus. Why was that, Edna? That is a lie. Is it? Who would cry in the room every Saturday night? Who would keep begging me? Edna, ask him if he has a friend. Ask him if he has a friend. Well, that's not quite the way I remember it. Oh, how do you remember it? You were the one who kept telling me to go out more. Don't sit home. Be seen. Let me fix you up with Tom's friend, Dick's friend, Harry's friend. That is a lie. Oh, of course, I suppose you have to learn to tell lies in politics. And maybe after a while you can come to believe them.
But don't you try to tell me what happened because I know Do you? Look at me. And look at you. Me, missus Nobody, and you, miss Famous. It should have been the other way around. Why? Why? I was not only prettier than you. I had more charm, more personality, and more ability. I had more brains. I don't think so. What you think is a lie. I see. That little piece of metal in your hand, that's what makes you right. Poor Edna. That that is why I'm going to kill you. You see? You just said it. Poor Edna. For the last twenty years, if you ever thought of me at all, it was poor Edna. No.
Whatever I thought of you, it was lucky Edna. Happy Edna. Oh, I'm sure. Lucky to be married to one man for so many years and to a good man. He is a good man. They're the worst kind. They make you feel too guilty to leave them. Oh, and you have children? Wasn't it worth it for them? It wasn't worth it for anybody. Why do you insist it's my fault? You made sure I'd meet James Everly. You knew I'd forget about everything else except James Everly, never care about anything else except James Everly. That was how you could pay me back. For what? For being so popular, for having so much promise.
Oh, sure. You'd stifle me for the rest of my life. You'd get me out of the way. And that's why I'm gonna kill you. And then what, Edna? And then what? What will have changed? What will be different? Don't touch it. It's my secretary. I'm late now. He probably wants to know why. And in just a minute or so, he'll come in here to see what's keeping me, which means you have to kill me now. Right now. And you don't wanna do that. This is a supreme moment of your life. You don't want to end it. You wanna make it last as long as possible. Yes?
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Is is senator Borden there?
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Yes.
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This is secretary. I have to speak with her. She can't come to the telephone just now. Well, would you tell her she's expected at the hearings?
[00:28:56] Unknown:
Yes. I'll tell her. Well, now I can take my time. Now I can enjoy every moment of it. Edna, this won't help you. Oh, let me savor this moment. You've had thirty glorious years, Marcela. Let me have just a few minutes. It'll soon be gone, Edna. This thrill, this fever, this fire in the heart, it can't consume an entire lifetime. It can't burn away the past. When you pull the trigger, it'll be over and all of it will be ashes. I don't care. You're insane. Oh, Oh, no. I am perfectly sane. Oh, are you? Look at yourself. Your face is flushed. Your eyes are shining. You're breathless with excitement. Now look. I am calm. I am perfectly cool and in command of myself. Look in the mirror. Look at your face, the face of madness. I've never felt more rational in all my life.
Do you think so? Look and see how mistaken you are. I know what you're trying to do. What? You're trying to distract my attention long enough so that you And I know what you are trying to do. You have to believe you're sane that you're normal and in command of yourself. That's why you're afraid to look in the mirror. I am not. You're afraid to look at that wild eyed mad woman. Now look. I dig. I am not afraid. Just move to the side. Move away. That's right. Now stand still and don't you try anything. Look. Whose face is that?
Look closely. You are wrong. I am not No. No.
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Stop. Scall the gun and not the No. The gun and all
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the
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He laughs best who laughs last, said the British dramatist, or as it has been also stated, better the last smile than the first grin. Well, murder is never a laughing matter, although it's often a grizzly joke. Which of our two ladies will get the point? This is a third act revelation. I know you'll want to be here for it. Weep no more, my lady, sings the poet. But it is a woman's prerogative to weep. Indeed, it is even chauvinistically claimed that it is her destiny. Well, according to the way she's been telling it, a woman named Edna Everly has been weeping bitterly for the last twenty years. Whether it's true or not, the fact is the whole thing may just have been settled once and for all by a gunshot.
[00:31:48] Unknown:
Edna? Uh-huh. Edna? What what happened? The gun went off. You you you fell to the floor. Are you hit? No. I don't think so. I must have fainted. Are you alright? You've got the pistol now. Yes. But you really have killed me, Edna? The truth, if you feel like telling it, I don't know. Santa? Santa, are you alright? Am I alright? I thought I heard a shot in the air. A shot? That's right, senator. Oh, yeah. Come on. How could there have been a shot in here? What a sound is just like. Everything is alright, Dave. Senator, you're late for the meeting. Tell them to start without me. Alright.
Well, what are you going to do with me? Do I need this gun, Edna? Are you still determined to kill me? I don't know. You better hold on to it. I don't think that's such a good idea. I may want to kill you. You wanna kill me? Why? Because of James? James? You gave James to me. No, dear. That's not quite the way it happened. What are you trying to say? You took James away from me. Just a minute. I took James away from you. All these years, you hated me for James? Well, all these years, I also hated you for James. That's why we never sustained our friendship.
It was James who made us hate each other. Why would you hate me? I told you. You took James away from me. Assuming that's true, which it isn't, why would you hate me for it? Because if I had married James If you had married James, why you would have been missus nobody. James would have stifled you the way he did me. James would have made me a wife and a mother. Let me tell you, Marcela. You haven't missed a thing. I missed a great deal. You take it for one who knows. Oh, how do you know it? I know I missed out on the world. But you didn't miss out on love. Love isn't everything. Maybe you can only say that when you've got it.
I'll never know love, Edna. Certainly, I'll. Never have children. Who says you can't fall in love? I did fall in love once. With James. It won't happen to me again. Why not? Because there's no room for it. No time for it. No heart for it. I must be alone. No matter how high I go, I'll be alone. I envy you. You really expect me to believe that oh, no. I don't envy you all the time. Not not when I'm working, speaking, campaigning. Not when the adrenaline is flowing. But at night? At night, when I'm alone, are you telling me there have never been there are no men?
Oh, yes. Here and there on occasion, discreetly. But that's when I'm more alone than ever. And when I hate you the most I'm sorry. Are you really? Yes, Marcela. Really. Maybe you'd better hold the pistol. The way I feel about you right now, I'm not sure I can trust myself with it. You would have been satisfied with a life like mine? No. Not completely. No more than you are. But at least I wouldn't have been lonely. Why do you insist I took James away from you? Because that's the way it happened. But I don't remember it that way at all. I know how you want to remember it, how you want to think it happened so you can make a case against me. But the split second you saw him, you decided you were gonna have him.
You even broke our code. What code? The agreement we had. If one of us said, lay off this guy, I'm serious. It had to be hands off for the other. I don't remember that you ever told me. Remember that Friday night, Edna? We were sitting in the rat. Remember? Yes. I remember. It was the night you met James, the night you broke the code, the night you took him from me. Did not take him from you. Yes. You did. Remember how it happened? Oh, he's here, Edna? Who? The guy I've been telling you about. The tall one. At the bar. Oh, his? Mhmm. What's this special?
I love the color of his hair. Well, he's all yours. Good. Because I was about to invoke the code. No problem. He is simply not my type. Fine. In that case, I'll introduce you. Oh, he's coming home first. Do you know it might be fun to tame him at that? He lay off. Of course. Hi, Marcy. Hi, James. And the Lewis, meet James Everly. Hi, James. Hi. Are you I thought you'd be studying tonight, James.
[00:37:27] Unknown:
Don't you have an exam in economics tomorrow? Well, I sat down. I opened a book, and then I said to myself, what's the point in studying this kind of economics? We're gonna have a revolution, and it'll all be obsolete. When is this revolution scheduled to take place? Soon.
[00:37:41] Unknown:
Well, if it doesn't happen before the end of the semester, you're gonna flunk the course. Oh, well, talking about flunking a course, Edna, don't you have to study for English lit? English lit.
[00:37:50] Unknown:
The poets, Keith, Shelley, Byron.
[00:37:53] Unknown:
The names sound familiar. Well, how do you like that? Oh, she's putting you on, James. They were important people. Is that a fact? They were not only poets. They were revolutionaries.
[00:38:05] Unknown:
Really? Sure. Byron died fighting for freedom in Greece.
[00:38:09] Unknown:
Oh, Edna. You know it all the time. Tell me more. Look at what time it's getting to be. Oh, time is relative as mister Einstein said. Oh, I adore mister Einstein. Do you know anything about him?
[00:38:22] Unknown:
E equals m c squared.
[00:38:25] Unknown:
And what does that mean? Well, I guess it means the end of the world. Well, it'll be the end of a lot of things if we don't get back to the dorm. It's almost curfew. I understand you write poetry, James. Then everybody? No. Of course not. I think I know what James means, Marcela. You do? Yeah. I I don't suppose we're aware of it, but every time we have a a beautiful thought, why, that's poetry.
[00:38:51] Unknown:
I never heard anybody say it better.
[00:38:54] Unknown:
I guess not. Edna, we really have a great deal to do tonight. You know, James Marcella is the most organized person I ever met. Hey. I have a great idea. Why don't we all go over to the dog robber? The dog robber? It's that new hangout. Oh, I'd love to go. But, Edna, we'll miss curfew. Listen to her, James. You think we never stayed out past curfew before.
[00:39:16] Unknown:
Well, you can't let the system oppress you all the time.
[00:39:20] Unknown:
Besides, tonight is poetry night at the dog rally. Oh, it sounds really. Edna, we do have a great many things to do. Yeah. But those are all mundane things. James, are you gonna read any poetry? Absolutely. Marcela, you'd wanna miss it? I didn't say I'd read, James. Well, this is the latest thing. It goes
[00:39:40] Unknown:
light of my soul, love of my heart, spirit of joy never depart. That is truly magnificent.
[00:39:53] Unknown:
Oh, don't you think so, Marcella? Well, I'm the rest of it. I must hear the rest of it. That's how it happened. No. You moved in on him the minute he sat down at the table. I do not remember it that way. How then? Tell me how you do remember it. Tell me. Go ahead. Now how have you rewritten it? You had to rewrite it so you could blame me, so you could hate me. Please, please, my son. It's starting to come apart. How have you rewritten it? How have you? How have I what? I'm asking you the same question. How have you rewritten it? Not by a single solitary warrior. Alright. I'll confess if you will.
Confess to what? I had to believe you gave him to me just as you had to believe I stole him from you. Because you did. How could I take what you never had? That isn't true. I did have him. Marcella, you never wanted to believe that he chose between us. You could never admit to yourself that you lost out to me. That isn't true. He sat down at the table. He looked very carefully at each of us, and he decided. It didn't matter what either of us said or did. He made the choice. I believe it now. Do you, Marcela? I I don't know what all these years, neither of us could recognize that very simple basic truth.
Each of us had to construct a fantasy, a lie, because each of us needed it. I needed mine for the boring days. You needed yours for the lonely nights. Yes. Oh, Marcella. Can we be friends again? Am I still invited for dinner tonight? James, do you remember the night at the rat? What night? What night? Honestly, the night Marcela introduced me to you.
[00:42:14] Unknown:
Oh,
[00:42:15] Unknown:
that night. You came over to the table and you sat down. You remember that?
[00:42:19] Unknown:
Mhmm. Yes. I remember that. Do you remember what you said? If you want the truth,
[00:42:25] Unknown:
not a single word. James, such an important night. And you don't remember what you said?
[00:42:31] Unknown:
How could I remember? I was half drunk. James. I couldn't tell you what I said, what you said to save my life. Then I guess we'll never really know. Know what?
[00:42:46] Unknown:
Nothing.
[00:42:50] Unknown:
You you girls have had quite a reunion this morning. We certainly did.
[00:42:55] Unknown:
I'd like to have heard some of the things you said.
[00:42:58] Unknown:
Oh, I don't think you'd be interested. It was just girl
[00:43:13] Unknown:
talk. Girl talk. Is that what the girls beg pardon. The ladies talk about? Obviously, there is a great deal about women that we men simply don't know about. Of course, to balance the equation, there's also a great deal about men that women don't know about. But if you wait a few moments for me to return, you may know a little more about both. If you're a driver, if you're actually driving a car right now, consider this. 55 miles per hour saves you gasoline, and you know how much money that can cost you these days. 55 miles an hour saves you other troubles you don't need, like the worry about that car behind you with the flashing light on top.
It's after somebody else. 55 also saves wear and tear on your car. But even more important than any of those things, 55 saves lives. Since 1974, when this national speed limit began, driving 55 miles an hour has been the single biggest factor in reducing highway deaths by more than thirty six thousand people. That's a lot of lives. So check your speedometer frequently, and remember, 55 saves lives. One of them could be you.
[00:44:35] Unknown:
A public service of this station, the US Department of Transportation, and the Advertising Council.
[00:45:01] Unknown:
Today's achievement is tomorrow's confusion, which means what? Well, if you look back on any event, after time has left the mist of years around it, so many of the details become blurred. So many of the facts become elusive. What was once solid stone is now shifting sand. And what is the result? Nobody really writes history. Each of us, in his or her own way, rewrites it. Our cast included Terry Keen, Anne Williams, and Robert Dryden. The entire production was under the direction of Hyman Brown. And now a preview of our next tale. Yes. Something's gone wrong. What's happened?
[00:45:54] Unknown:
The German guns have fallen silent. That's probably the prelude to the counter attack we've been expecting. Yes, sir. To the north? Well, that's just it. Gresham and Hodges and the other outposts are all reporting heavy activity in the hills above their sectors. Down here? Or are we getting support? Well, we still can't get clear radio contact with beach headquarters.
[00:46:17] Unknown:
The, terrain is too rugged. You want Scotty and me to run back on foot? Yep. I do.
[00:46:24] Unknown:
You find out if the one ninety first tank battalion's come ashore yet. Tell them we could sure use some of it. Yes, sir. We've seen activity on three sides of us. So we are in danger of being cut off. Oh, so we could run into German patrols between here and the beach. That's right. Otherwise, with luck, you'll be there and back by tonight.
[00:46:47] Unknown:
This is EG Marshall inviting you to return to our mystery theater for another adventure in the macabre. Until next time, pleasant
[00:47:40] Unknown:
At ADP, we understand the importance of building the right team and offer the data insights to help. Just as importantly, our AI technology helps you pay the team accurately. Grow stronger with ADP, HR talent, time, and payroll.
[00:47:55] Unknown:
It takes a lot of ingredients to fix or build a car, like cooking, but without the frozen dinner easy way out. EBay Motors has a 22,000,000 parts. It's always the right fit, so you can follow any recipe to a tee. Whether it's a vintage Italian coupe that's classic like grandma's meatballs or a German luxury car that's as complicated as almost rouladen. To cook up something great in the garage, use the eBay Motors app or visit ebaymotors.com. Let's ride.
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[00:00:22] Unknown:
In the time before AT and T fiber internet.
[00:00:26] Unknown:
What? What are you doing in me dungeon? It's the only place where the bloody Wi Fi works. Oh, and you don't mind the spiders? Spiders? What spiders? Oh, no. They're everywhere.
[00:00:35] Unknown:
In the time after AT and T fiber Internet. It's nice having fast reliable Wi Fi in the whole house, for sure. The dawn of a better Internet era with AT and T Fiber. Limited availability in select areas. Check eligibility at att.com/getfiber.
[00:00:48] Unknown:
AT and T Smart Wi Fi extenders may be required. Sold separately. Restrictions apply.
[00:00:52] Unknown:
CBS radio mystery theater presents Come in. Welcome. I'm EG Marshall. You ask what a nice girl will do, she won't give an inch. And you know who said that? The Roman poet, Marshall. And do you know when he said it? About two thousand years ago, which proves that nice girls have always had their problems, especially when it appears they will have to commit a murder.
[00:01:41] Unknown:
What did I ever steal from you? You stole what was more important to me than anything in the world. What? What did I ever take that was yours? You stole my life. Oh, you're crazy. You are living my life.
[00:02:02] Unknown:
Our mystery drama, girl talk, was written especially for the mystery theater by Sam Dan and stars Terry Keen and Anne Williams. I'll be back shortly with act one. Case number 82,
[00:02:17] Unknown:
the supreme question. I took the case on my own. I had to know Why does Oldsmobile Cutlass come up America's favorite midsize year after year? I started with an Olds dealer. Cutlass? Well, Cutlass is different cars for different people. At first, I thought it would be the same old song and dance. Yeah? Look at this Cutlass Supreme. It's stylish and practical. And a front center armrest too. Or this Cutlass Calais. It's got the look and feel of a grand touring car. Full instrumentation. And this, this is the Cutlass Supreme Brome for the nicest luxury touches. I had to admit, the guy made sense, and I love the velour interior. And Cutlass has solid engineering built in. Then came the clincher. Only Cutlass offers an available 4.3 liter diesel v eight engine designed especially for midsize cars. I did the only thing I could do at the time. I took a test drive. Case closed. There's no mystery. You can get that great old's feeling. Discover that great old's feeling. Take a test drive today.
[00:03:23] Unknown:
We read that we ought to forgive our enemies, but we do not read that we ought to forgive our friends. Today's text is from sir Francis Bacon who, in the end, forgave everybody, friends and enemies. As the years go by and memories fade, sometimes the distinction between them becomes somewhat blurred. Well, here we are in the Everly household where breakfast is proceeding as usual. Renaissance has gone up two points.
[00:04:01] Unknown:
James?
[00:04:02] Unknown:
I advised Kenwood to buy it last week.
[00:04:06] Unknown:
James, we can get tickets for the concert tonight.
[00:04:10] Unknown:
What? Concert?
[00:04:11] Unknown:
The Bosanski concert.
[00:04:14] Unknown:
Basansky? Didn't we hear him last week?
[00:04:17] Unknown:
No. That was Baslovsky. Oh,
[00:04:22] Unknown:
well, once you've heard one Russian, you've heard them all.
[00:04:25] Unknown:
Baslovsky's a violinist. Do we have to go? Oh, we don't have to do anything.
[00:04:34] Unknown:
Uh-huh. I know what that means.
[00:04:37] Unknown:
You do what?
[00:04:39] Unknown:
It means if we don't go, I'll wind up sleeping out in the couch tonight. Alright. Alright. Forget it. Look. I'm I'm willing to go. You're willing to make the supreme sacrifice. I said I was willing to go. No.
[00:04:52] Unknown:
You'll only be bored stiff, so just forget it.
[00:04:56] Unknown:
Why don't you go by yourself? I have a lot of work I should catch up with. If I wanted to go to concerts by myself,
[00:05:03] Unknown:
if I wanted to go to the theater, to the opera, to the ballet, to art galleries by myself, I don't have to be married. Now look, Edna. I said let's forget it.
[00:05:15] Unknown:
What's gotten into you this morning?
[00:05:18] Unknown:
Oh, I see. Alright. You don't want to forget it. Alright. To continue. And I don't have to live here in Central City either, assuming you can call this living.
[00:05:31] Unknown:
Now I don't know what you're talking about. You don't? No. I don't. What's all this about Central City all of a sudden? It isn't all of a sudden. You lost me. We raised our kids here. All our friends are here. This is our home. Why don't we drop it? This could become a very traumatic discussion. Hey. Now, look. Let's go to the concert. I I mean it. I really want to. You do? Edna, honey, I'm sorry. Are you? I should've realized something.
[00:06:06] Unknown:
What's that?
[00:06:09] Unknown:
Well, it's a fact. When, when a woman starts to get up there
[00:06:17] Unknown:
Up where?
[00:06:19] Unknown:
You know, middle age.
[00:06:22] Unknown:
Oh, middle age.
[00:06:24] Unknown:
That's us, Edna. We're middle aged. Where? You can blame old mother nature, but when a woman reaches that that time in life where things change inside, she, she really can't be faulted for feeling fretful and nervous and even a little bit ornery. Edna, honey, I understand.
[00:06:52] Unknown:
That's extremely perceptive of you.
[00:06:55] Unknown:
Oh, you women. Even under normal circumstances, nobody can figure what you're all about. So naturally, at a time like this Naturally. It's my job to see that you don't get all upset over trifles, to give in to whatever whims you may have, for whatever reason you may have them. It's
[00:07:13] Unknown:
like years ago when you were pregnant. And so you think I'm just being silly like a woman?
[00:07:20] Unknown:
Edna, honey, that's your privilege.
[00:07:22] Unknown:
Thank you, James.
[00:07:24] Unknown:
And we are going to that concert tonight, and I am going to stay awake. Will you? Yes. And I'll tell you something else. I'll even enjoy it.
[00:07:37] Unknown:
That's marvelous.
[00:07:39] Unknown:
I am going to have a good time even if it kills me.
[00:07:52] Unknown:
Hello? Edna? Do you know who this is? Do I know? Yes. Yes. I know. Oh, Edna. Your voice is still the same. Well, so is yours, Marcella. Well, how long has it been, Edna? How long? Oh, thirty years. Oh, it can't be. It was graduation day. We were both 22. I was 21. Now I know it's really you. Oh, what are you doing, Edna? What am I doing? Mhmm. Well, I suppose you could say I'm a housewife. No. No. No. What are you doing now this minute? Well, senator, I was about to do the dishes. They'll leave him in the sink. Come on down here and talk to me. Come down to Washington? No. I'm here. In Central City? Yeah. I'm at the Metropolitan Hotel.
Oh, you look wonderful, Edna. Oh, no. Compared to you, I must be a worn out old hag. Oh, no. You haven't your love. Well, no great accomplishment when you consider I never had too many to start with. How could you say that? Don't you remember? You were the prettiest girl in the class. How I envy you. Well, it evened out. I was pretty when we were young. You're the one who's pretty now. And you got the better of the deal, Marcela, because you are more than pretty. You're beautiful. Tell me. How's James? James. Do you really wanna know?
Oh, I have sort of a proprietary interest in James. After all, I was the one who brought you two together. Yes. You did. I was the cupid, The blind Cupid. Cupid isn't the one who's blind. It's Justice. Now see? You're still smarter than I. Tell me about James. James. Well, James is 30 years older, forty pounds heavier, considerably bolder. Does he still write poetry? Poetry. Oh, good heavens. No. James is a stockbroker. A stockbroker? Can you believe it? James? A pillar of the capitalist system? But whatever happened to all those plans, he had to overthrow it. Well, he says he, grew up. That's what he says.
What's the matter, Edna? Oh, it's nothing. You forget. I know what your nothing means. Well, everything. I don't know. I suppose just seeing you has made me realize it. I've thrown my life away. No. No. It's true. Isn't it? When we were in college, I was the one who was gonna set the whole world on fire. Now nobody ever really sets the whole world on fire. But I wanted to do something. Why didn't you? I don't know. You get married and you fall into a kind of, well, it's a net. You're enmeshed suddenly by the problems of other people, your husband, your kids. But those are the people you love. Well, that makes it worse. You can never fight your way free, and so you yourself, you just get lost. You drown.
You oh, hey. Come on. Let's cut it out. I didn't come here to sing the blues, to weep on your shoulder. I'll go right ahead. It's like old times. But why are we talking about me? You're the important one. Why didn't we keep in touch with each other all these years? We swore we would. We were busy. I'm chairwoman excuse me. Chairperson of the senate subcommittee of the environment. We came to Central City to take testimony. All I could think of was the fact that you and I could get together again. Oh, it's good to see you at me. I've been following your career. You never married.
Really can't have both. I don't care what anyone says. Something has to give somewhere. A woman has to choose. I did. You did too. Only because you introduced me to James, James Everly. If I hadn't met him, why Oh, you would have met someone else. No. No. He was the one. The only one. But I still say you'd have found someone else. People always do. You didn't. I wasn't looking. Oh, Marcela. That isn't true. Everyone looks. It's just that you never met that certain person who could set you on fire. You know, you always use that expression about fire. Well, that's what love is, a fire in the heart.
It consumes you. Anyhow, you arranged my fate that night. You said Edna Lewis meet James Eberly. Well, anyhow, I can't get over you, Marcela. You are actually one of the most important women in America. Excuse me, Edna. Hello? Who? Oh oh, well, I'll get back to him. I'm I'm busy. And hold those calls for a while. Right. Look. I don't wanna get in the way of anything important. That was the chairman of the national committee. I was just using you as an excuse. I don't wanna talk to him right now. Does he want to know if you're thinking actively about the presidency? That's a very good guess on your part. Well, there's been talk in the papers. It has to come sooner or later. A woman who's a serious candidate.
All the signs point to you. And all the things to do right now is just sit back and smile and wait and see. You, senator Marcella Borden. We used to wear each other's clothes. We shared everything, didn't we? Even our dates. Except the last one. I told my secretary no more calls, so if he's ringing, it must be something important. Yes? Who? Oh, alright. I I'll be there. Oh, my hearing's been moved up an hour so that old senator Cataract can fly back to Washington to vote on his project. Oh, it's been so good seeing you again, Edna. Listen. Do you suppose you could have dinner with us tonight? No. No. We're leaving early. We have to take the testimony on the West Coast in the morning. On the way back, perhaps. I won't be coming this way, dear. I'll be going to Japan and from there to Vienna and then home to Washington. Oh, goodbye, Edna.
As once again, you step back into your busy, fascinating, and important world. Ah, well, now. What did you want now? Yes. Marcella. Who is this?
[00:14:52] Unknown:
How did you get on this line? Well, the president of the phone company here is a golfing buddy of mine. It's no problem.
[00:14:59] Unknown:
Is this James?
[00:15:01] Unknown:
And how are you?
[00:15:03] Unknown:
I
[00:15:04] Unknown:
I am just fine. I heard you were in town.
[00:15:08] Unknown:
Oh, James. Light of my soul, love of my heart, spirit of joy, never depart. Remember.
[00:15:16] Unknown:
Now what's that?
[00:15:18] Unknown:
The beginning of a poem you once wrote. Well, don't let word of that get around. Folks think I was a wild eyed radical. Well, but James, you were a wild eyed radical. Well, that's what you're supposed to be when you're young, but you outgrow it. I wish you'd get married, Marcy. Ask Edna. It's the only way to live.
[00:15:38] Unknown:
Alright. I'll ask her. Goodbye, James. Marcy,
[00:15:44] Unknown:
before I hang up, I never had a chance to tell you, but I owe you everything.
[00:15:52] Unknown:
What are you talking about?
[00:15:54] Unknown:
Because of you, I met Edna. And that was the greatest thing that ever happened in all my life.
[00:16:00] Unknown:
Oh.
[00:16:02] Unknown:
Well, bye, Marcy. And please find yourself a guy and make him as happy as Edna made me.
[00:16:11] Unknown:
Goodbye, James. That was James. I heard. Why did you call me? Why? Well, Edna, I wanted to see to patronize me, didn't you? You wanted to make it crystal clear to me that I'm just some insignificant, unimportant little housewife. Edna, don't say couldn't you have just let me alone? Why did you have to remind me how miserable I am? Why, Marcela? Please. Until now, I was able to make peace with it or at least I could live with it. But now, you see, I can't do that anymore. You shouldn't have come here. Oh, and I didn't mean to Why did you come here now after thirty years? And I don't I know why. I know why. You have a chance to run for president. Oh, that's only a rule now. And you're afraid.
I was never afraid of anything. Or maybe you're not afraid. Odd. That's it. The presidency. I mean, you stand in awe. It's enough to make anybody stop, think, wonder, especially a woman. And so you came here to look at me. Edna, you don't know what you're saying. And to measure how far you've come, how high you've risen, how different you are, how completely you've shed the shackles that bind other women, and how qualified you are for a man's job. That's why you came to see me. I came to see you because you're my oldest friend. I'm sorry you feel this way. Oh, yes. I'm sorry too. I have to leave now. I know.
Will you be alright? Why sure. What are you going to do today? Oh, any number of things. I could play bridge or golf or tennis. I could have an affair with a handsome man, assuming I could find one. I could, do something worthwhile like helping to plan a charity ball, attend a PTA meeting, volunteer work at the hospital. But, I don't think I'll do any of them. Do you know what I will do? No. Yes. I'm afraid I couldn't. Well, then I'll tell you. I'm going to commit murder.
[00:18:51] Unknown:
We're dropping the curtain because it's not likely we'll get a better line with which to close act one. Well now, women like Edna, they just ripple along, flowing steadily from day to day, fairly quiet waters, but they run deep. If she says she's going to commit murder, you better take her seriously. But who is she going to kill? For that, you must attend act two. Murder. To most of us, the prospect is as remote as the planet Mars. Murder? Why that's something that's committed by murderers. Depraved assassins who perform the nefarious deeds in secrecy. Consider for a moment the very first of the breed, Cain.
In the very beginning, he was probably a bouncing little baby boy, a devoted son, a good brother. But as time went by and situations changed, well, one thing led to another.
[00:20:08] Unknown:
What did you say, Edna? You're going to commit murder? That's right. That's the most ridiculous thing I ever heard you say. Do you know who I'm going to marry? Look, Edna. You. Marcela. You. Me? Yes. Edna? Edna? Is that all you have to say? You mean you can't think of anything else? Don't tell me you're at a loss for words. Well, listen, my bet is when we were in school, you were always like a chirpy little chipmunk. Oh, you were bright. Yes. You were even witty, but still it was merely girlish chatter. It wasn't until you grew older and, presumably wiser that you developed true eloquence. Edna, I wish they listen to you spellbound in the hallowed halls of the senate. You are one of the great speakers of our day.
Do you have a speech handy for this occasion? What do you expect me to say, Edna? Well, I don't know, Marcela. I'm not in your shoes. All I can say is I'm sorry you feel the way you do, but right now, you must excuse me. I have to attend a meeting. Oh, I see. I see the problem. You don't believe me. You don't believe I'm going to kill you. You think this is just a a conversation? Well, I have something here in my bag. Now look, Edna. You look, Marcela. We have just placed this thing on a completely different basis. Haven't we? Edna, what is What is this?
Well, this is a 22 caliber pistol. Small, but neat, accurate, and deadly. Edna? Edna, you need help. Oh, I see where this is headed. There's something wrong with me. Isn't there? You came here prepared to kill me. Of course. You even brought a gun. Well, naturally. I I called you at that time. I remember it was exactly 09:00. Exactly. You were here at 09:30. It had to take you at least twenty minutes to drive down. Just about. That means you had no more than ten minutes to make that decision and and get a gun. The decision had already been made long before you called. Oh?
Oh, I decided to kill you twenty years ago. Twenty years ago. Oh, yes. Once it became apparent to me where my life with James was headed. Twenty years ago? Yes. You see, Marcela, there just comes a time in a woman's life when the trap springs shut, and she can never get out. I've been married ten years. I'd already had both kids. And I could see that all the color and the brightness was fading from my life. The hopes, the dreams. Oh, I could have adjusted. But then I read in the paper, Marcela Borden elected to the congress. Aetna, I know you're the friend. That was the day I said it for the first time.
I could kill that Marcela Borden. Please listen to me. Kept saying it through all the years of boredom and of frustration. I could kill that Marcella Borden. So when you called me today, I was ready for you. Edna, this isn't you. It can't be you. Now the extra ten minutes you mentioned, I needed them to find the gun. Edna, now putting this thing on a practical basis. Suppose you do kill me. They'll trace the gun. Oh, no. You see, it belonged to my mother. Your mother? I bet that caught you completely off guard. Yes. My mother. That frail, wispy, almost ethereal little lady.
What would she be doing with the gun, lady? Edna, I'm I'm trying to My father was on the road a great deal, you see. He wanted mother to feel protected. Edna, for goodness. And mother agreed, provided it was one that was nice and neat and genteel. Edna, not now the two of us. We have to touch And then when mother passed away, I wanted to get rid of it, but I, I just never got around to it. Edna, how can I make you realize I kept it in a bag made of chamois so it's cleaned, oiled, and loaded? Edna, I have to get to the committee meeting. So what do you think this is? A joke? No.
I don't think it's a joke. Certainly, I it isn't funny. There isn't going to be any committee meeting. At least not for you. You're serious? You are really serious. Oh, finally. Comprehension dawn. You won't get away with it. It doesn't matter. You'll spend the rest of your life in jail. I'm in jail now. Are you surprised? No. Oh, now that I stop, think, look back, remember, you were always jealous of me. I was always what? I had all the dates. You had all the dates. Is that a fact? How many times did you sit in the room on Saturday night while I went out? You had quantity, Edna. I had quality. I was prettier than you. You even admitted. Oh, you were. I think you still are.
You could never attract any of the really interesting boys on the campus. Why was that, Edna? That is a lie. Is it? Who would cry in the room every Saturday night? Who would keep begging me? Edna, ask him if he has a friend. Ask him if he has a friend. Well, that's not quite the way I remember it. Oh, how do you remember it? You were the one who kept telling me to go out more. Don't sit home. Be seen. Let me fix you up with Tom's friend, Dick's friend, Harry's friend. That is a lie. Oh, of course, I suppose you have to learn to tell lies in politics. And maybe after a while you can come to believe them.
But don't you try to tell me what happened because I know Do you? Look at me. And look at you. Me, missus Nobody, and you, miss Famous. It should have been the other way around. Why? Why? I was not only prettier than you. I had more charm, more personality, and more ability. I had more brains. I don't think so. What you think is a lie. I see. That little piece of metal in your hand, that's what makes you right. Poor Edna. That that is why I'm going to kill you. You see? You just said it. Poor Edna. For the last twenty years, if you ever thought of me at all, it was poor Edna. No.
Whatever I thought of you, it was lucky Edna. Happy Edna. Oh, I'm sure. Lucky to be married to one man for so many years and to a good man. He is a good man. They're the worst kind. They make you feel too guilty to leave them. Oh, and you have children? Wasn't it worth it for them? It wasn't worth it for anybody. Why do you insist it's my fault? You made sure I'd meet James Everly. You knew I'd forget about everything else except James Everly, never care about anything else except James Everly. That was how you could pay me back. For what? For being so popular, for having so much promise.
Oh, sure. You'd stifle me for the rest of my life. You'd get me out of the way. And that's why I'm gonna kill you. And then what, Edna? And then what? What will have changed? What will be different? Don't touch it. It's my secretary. I'm late now. He probably wants to know why. And in just a minute or so, he'll come in here to see what's keeping me, which means you have to kill me now. Right now. And you don't wanna do that. This is a supreme moment of your life. You don't want to end it. You wanna make it last as long as possible. Yes?
[00:28:43] Unknown:
Is is senator Borden there?
[00:28:45] Unknown:
Yes.
[00:28:46] Unknown:
This is secretary. I have to speak with her. She can't come to the telephone just now. Well, would you tell her she's expected at the hearings?
[00:28:56] Unknown:
Yes. I'll tell her. Well, now I can take my time. Now I can enjoy every moment of it. Edna, this won't help you. Oh, let me savor this moment. You've had thirty glorious years, Marcela. Let me have just a few minutes. It'll soon be gone, Edna. This thrill, this fever, this fire in the heart, it can't consume an entire lifetime. It can't burn away the past. When you pull the trigger, it'll be over and all of it will be ashes. I don't care. You're insane. Oh, Oh, no. I am perfectly sane. Oh, are you? Look at yourself. Your face is flushed. Your eyes are shining. You're breathless with excitement. Now look. I am calm. I am perfectly cool and in command of myself. Look in the mirror. Look at your face, the face of madness. I've never felt more rational in all my life.
Do you think so? Look and see how mistaken you are. I know what you're trying to do. What? You're trying to distract my attention long enough so that you And I know what you are trying to do. You have to believe you're sane that you're normal and in command of yourself. That's why you're afraid to look in the mirror. I am not. You're afraid to look at that wild eyed mad woman. Now look. I dig. I am not afraid. Just move to the side. Move away. That's right. Now stand still and don't you try anything. Look. Whose face is that?
Look closely. You are wrong. I am not No. No.
[00:30:28] Unknown:
Stop. Scall the gun and not the No. The gun and all
[00:30:36] Unknown:
the
[00:30:40] Unknown:
He laughs best who laughs last, said the British dramatist, or as it has been also stated, better the last smile than the first grin. Well, murder is never a laughing matter, although it's often a grizzly joke. Which of our two ladies will get the point? This is a third act revelation. I know you'll want to be here for it. Weep no more, my lady, sings the poet. But it is a woman's prerogative to weep. Indeed, it is even chauvinistically claimed that it is her destiny. Well, according to the way she's been telling it, a woman named Edna Everly has been weeping bitterly for the last twenty years. Whether it's true or not, the fact is the whole thing may just have been settled once and for all by a gunshot.
[00:31:48] Unknown:
Edna? Uh-huh. Edna? What what happened? The gun went off. You you you fell to the floor. Are you hit? No. I don't think so. I must have fainted. Are you alright? You've got the pistol now. Yes. But you really have killed me, Edna? The truth, if you feel like telling it, I don't know. Santa? Santa, are you alright? Am I alright? I thought I heard a shot in the air. A shot? That's right, senator. Oh, yeah. Come on. How could there have been a shot in here? What a sound is just like. Everything is alright, Dave. Senator, you're late for the meeting. Tell them to start without me. Alright.
Well, what are you going to do with me? Do I need this gun, Edna? Are you still determined to kill me? I don't know. You better hold on to it. I don't think that's such a good idea. I may want to kill you. You wanna kill me? Why? Because of James? James? You gave James to me. No, dear. That's not quite the way it happened. What are you trying to say? You took James away from me. Just a minute. I took James away from you. All these years, you hated me for James? Well, all these years, I also hated you for James. That's why we never sustained our friendship.
It was James who made us hate each other. Why would you hate me? I told you. You took James away from me. Assuming that's true, which it isn't, why would you hate me for it? Because if I had married James If you had married James, why you would have been missus nobody. James would have stifled you the way he did me. James would have made me a wife and a mother. Let me tell you, Marcela. You haven't missed a thing. I missed a great deal. You take it for one who knows. Oh, how do you know it? I know I missed out on the world. But you didn't miss out on love. Love isn't everything. Maybe you can only say that when you've got it.
I'll never know love, Edna. Certainly, I'll. Never have children. Who says you can't fall in love? I did fall in love once. With James. It won't happen to me again. Why not? Because there's no room for it. No time for it. No heart for it. I must be alone. No matter how high I go, I'll be alone. I envy you. You really expect me to believe that oh, no. I don't envy you all the time. Not not when I'm working, speaking, campaigning. Not when the adrenaline is flowing. But at night? At night, when I'm alone, are you telling me there have never been there are no men?
Oh, yes. Here and there on occasion, discreetly. But that's when I'm more alone than ever. And when I hate you the most I'm sorry. Are you really? Yes, Marcela. Really. Maybe you'd better hold the pistol. The way I feel about you right now, I'm not sure I can trust myself with it. You would have been satisfied with a life like mine? No. Not completely. No more than you are. But at least I wouldn't have been lonely. Why do you insist I took James away from you? Because that's the way it happened. But I don't remember it that way at all. I know how you want to remember it, how you want to think it happened so you can make a case against me. But the split second you saw him, you decided you were gonna have him.
You even broke our code. What code? The agreement we had. If one of us said, lay off this guy, I'm serious. It had to be hands off for the other. I don't remember that you ever told me. Remember that Friday night, Edna? We were sitting in the rat. Remember? Yes. I remember. It was the night you met James, the night you broke the code, the night you took him from me. Did not take him from you. Yes. You did. Remember how it happened? Oh, he's here, Edna? Who? The guy I've been telling you about. The tall one. At the bar. Oh, his? Mhmm. What's this special?
I love the color of his hair. Well, he's all yours. Good. Because I was about to invoke the code. No problem. He is simply not my type. Fine. In that case, I'll introduce you. Oh, he's coming home first. Do you know it might be fun to tame him at that? He lay off. Of course. Hi, Marcy. Hi, James. And the Lewis, meet James Everly. Hi, James. Hi. Are you I thought you'd be studying tonight, James.
[00:37:27] Unknown:
Don't you have an exam in economics tomorrow? Well, I sat down. I opened a book, and then I said to myself, what's the point in studying this kind of economics? We're gonna have a revolution, and it'll all be obsolete. When is this revolution scheduled to take place? Soon.
[00:37:41] Unknown:
Well, if it doesn't happen before the end of the semester, you're gonna flunk the course. Oh, well, talking about flunking a course, Edna, don't you have to study for English lit? English lit.
[00:37:50] Unknown:
The poets, Keith, Shelley, Byron.
[00:37:53] Unknown:
The names sound familiar. Well, how do you like that? Oh, she's putting you on, James. They were important people. Is that a fact? They were not only poets. They were revolutionaries.
[00:38:05] Unknown:
Really? Sure. Byron died fighting for freedom in Greece.
[00:38:09] Unknown:
Oh, Edna. You know it all the time. Tell me more. Look at what time it's getting to be. Oh, time is relative as mister Einstein said. Oh, I adore mister Einstein. Do you know anything about him?
[00:38:22] Unknown:
E equals m c squared.
[00:38:25] Unknown:
And what does that mean? Well, I guess it means the end of the world. Well, it'll be the end of a lot of things if we don't get back to the dorm. It's almost curfew. I understand you write poetry, James. Then everybody? No. Of course not. I think I know what James means, Marcela. You do? Yeah. I I don't suppose we're aware of it, but every time we have a a beautiful thought, why, that's poetry.
[00:38:51] Unknown:
I never heard anybody say it better.
[00:38:54] Unknown:
I guess not. Edna, we really have a great deal to do tonight. You know, James Marcella is the most organized person I ever met. Hey. I have a great idea. Why don't we all go over to the dog robber? The dog robber? It's that new hangout. Oh, I'd love to go. But, Edna, we'll miss curfew. Listen to her, James. You think we never stayed out past curfew before.
[00:39:16] Unknown:
Well, you can't let the system oppress you all the time.
[00:39:20] Unknown:
Besides, tonight is poetry night at the dog rally. Oh, it sounds really. Edna, we do have a great many things to do. Yeah. But those are all mundane things. James, are you gonna read any poetry? Absolutely. Marcela, you'd wanna miss it? I didn't say I'd read, James. Well, this is the latest thing. It goes
[00:39:40] Unknown:
light of my soul, love of my heart, spirit of joy never depart. That is truly magnificent.
[00:39:53] Unknown:
Oh, don't you think so, Marcella? Well, I'm the rest of it. I must hear the rest of it. That's how it happened. No. You moved in on him the minute he sat down at the table. I do not remember it that way. How then? Tell me how you do remember it. Tell me. Go ahead. Now how have you rewritten it? You had to rewrite it so you could blame me, so you could hate me. Please, please, my son. It's starting to come apart. How have you rewritten it? How have you? How have I what? I'm asking you the same question. How have you rewritten it? Not by a single solitary warrior. Alright. I'll confess if you will.
Confess to what? I had to believe you gave him to me just as you had to believe I stole him from you. Because you did. How could I take what you never had? That isn't true. I did have him. Marcella, you never wanted to believe that he chose between us. You could never admit to yourself that you lost out to me. That isn't true. He sat down at the table. He looked very carefully at each of us, and he decided. It didn't matter what either of us said or did. He made the choice. I believe it now. Do you, Marcela? I I don't know what all these years, neither of us could recognize that very simple basic truth.
Each of us had to construct a fantasy, a lie, because each of us needed it. I needed mine for the boring days. You needed yours for the lonely nights. Yes. Oh, Marcella. Can we be friends again? Am I still invited for dinner tonight? James, do you remember the night at the rat? What night? What night? Honestly, the night Marcela introduced me to you.
[00:42:14] Unknown:
Oh,
[00:42:15] Unknown:
that night. You came over to the table and you sat down. You remember that?
[00:42:19] Unknown:
Mhmm. Yes. I remember that. Do you remember what you said? If you want the truth,
[00:42:25] Unknown:
not a single word. James, such an important night. And you don't remember what you said?
[00:42:31] Unknown:
How could I remember? I was half drunk. James. I couldn't tell you what I said, what you said to save my life. Then I guess we'll never really know. Know what?
[00:42:46] Unknown:
Nothing.
[00:42:50] Unknown:
You you girls have had quite a reunion this morning. We certainly did.
[00:42:55] Unknown:
I'd like to have heard some of the things you said.
[00:42:58] Unknown:
Oh, I don't think you'd be interested. It was just girl
[00:43:13] Unknown:
talk. Girl talk. Is that what the girls beg pardon. The ladies talk about? Obviously, there is a great deal about women that we men simply don't know about. Of course, to balance the equation, there's also a great deal about men that women don't know about. But if you wait a few moments for me to return, you may know a little more about both. If you're a driver, if you're actually driving a car right now, consider this. 55 miles per hour saves you gasoline, and you know how much money that can cost you these days. 55 miles an hour saves you other troubles you don't need, like the worry about that car behind you with the flashing light on top.
It's after somebody else. 55 also saves wear and tear on your car. But even more important than any of those things, 55 saves lives. Since 1974, when this national speed limit began, driving 55 miles an hour has been the single biggest factor in reducing highway deaths by more than thirty six thousand people. That's a lot of lives. So check your speedometer frequently, and remember, 55 saves lives. One of them could be you.
[00:44:35] Unknown:
A public service of this station, the US Department of Transportation, and the Advertising Council.
[00:45:01] Unknown:
Today's achievement is tomorrow's confusion, which means what? Well, if you look back on any event, after time has left the mist of years around it, so many of the details become blurred. So many of the facts become elusive. What was once solid stone is now shifting sand. And what is the result? Nobody really writes history. Each of us, in his or her own way, rewrites it. Our cast included Terry Keen, Anne Williams, and Robert Dryden. The entire production was under the direction of Hyman Brown. And now a preview of our next tale. Yes. Something's gone wrong. What's happened?
[00:45:54] Unknown:
The German guns have fallen silent. That's probably the prelude to the counter attack we've been expecting. Yes, sir. To the north? Well, that's just it. Gresham and Hodges and the other outposts are all reporting heavy activity in the hills above their sectors. Down here? Or are we getting support? Well, we still can't get clear radio contact with beach headquarters.
[00:46:17] Unknown:
The, terrain is too rugged. You want Scotty and me to run back on foot? Yep. I do.
[00:46:24] Unknown:
You find out if the one ninety first tank battalion's come ashore yet. Tell them we could sure use some of it. Yes, sir. We've seen activity on three sides of us. So we are in danger of being cut off. Oh, so we could run into German patrols between here and the beach. That's right. Otherwise, with luck, you'll be there and back by tonight.
[00:46:47] Unknown:
This is EG Marshall inviting you to return to our mystery theater for another adventure in the macabre. Until next time, pleasant
[00:47:40] Unknown:
At ADP, we understand the importance of building the right team and offer the data insights to help. Just as importantly, our AI technology helps you pay the team accurately. Grow stronger with ADP, HR talent, time, and payroll.
[00:47:55] Unknown:
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