Original subtitles

Good evening, ladies and gentlemen, and fellow surfers. This evening's drama is

only incidentally concerned with surfing.

Actually, it touches on many popular sports.

Drinking, revenge, kidnapping, homicide.

I first became attracted to surfing when I was told that it was possibly the

only sport which involved no competition and where the participants did not

throw or catch a ball or run and jump.

It seemed to be a perfect way to relax from the strain of oversleeping.

I've become quite good at it, really, and I'm eager to see how it works in the

water. You see, we're still looking for a wave large enough to support me.

Meanwhile, here is the sponsor who is supporting this portion of the program.

MF time is now 8 .52.

And here is the weather forecast.

Low clouds and coastal fog, especially dense at the beaches, where visibility

expected to remain at zero throughout the night.

Tomorrow, clearing early with a warm, sunny day to follow.

Temperatures tonight will reach a low of 60, but are expected to rise to the

middle 80s by mid -afternoon.

Hello?

Oh, Stan, where are you?

Still in San Francisco. I just checked into the Mark Hopkins.

I'm sorry, honey, but it can't be helped.

The deal's still hanging fire. I can't walk away from it.

It's much too important.

I know you've never spent a night there alone before, but... What?

It's foggy.

Well, that sounds cozy.

Look, just lock everything up and take a sleeping pill and get into bed.

All right.

I'll probably have nightmares.

You will be home tomorrow?

All right, I'll expect you for dinner.

I love you, too.

I miss you.

Who is it?

Listen, could I talk to you, please? I have some trouble with the car.

I'm sorry I had to bother you, lady.

Well, what's the matter?

I run out of gas.

I can't figure it out. I thought there was plenty.

Where's your car?

It's right on the other side of your garage.

You can't see it from in there, but if you just open your door... Well, there's

a gas station down the road about half a mile toward L .A.

Good.

Can I use your phone, please? See, maybe I can get them to send someone out.

I'm sorry. I just can't let you come in.

Will you telephone for me? I'd pay you for the call. Oh, that isn't it, Larry.

Well, it just wouldn't do you any good. There's only one attendant there. I'm

afraid you're going to have to walk.

I'm sorry. I can't let you come in.

Wait, look.

I don't like to bother you, lady, but my girl, she's in the car.

I can't let you come in. Go away.

But please, I don't want to leave her alone. If you could just...

Who is it? Gary, Mrs. Wilson, Deputy Sheriff.

I know it's the middle of the night, Mrs. Wilson, but this is important.

Can we come in?

Just a moment.

That's her.

That's the lady. She's the one.

You recognize that man?

Yes.

What's he done?

We're just checking his story.

When did you see him last?

Earlier tonight at about nine o 'clock.

You're sure about the time?

I think so. My husband called me a little bit before nine.

Listen, I told you the truth. Easy.

Go on.

What did this man say he wanted?

He said he wanted to use the telephone that his car had run out of gas.

It all checks out.

I held out the service station, filled in a can of gas about a quarter after

nine.

Sanchez here got to our substation a little before ten.

About a quarter up.

Let me go now, please. I must get to the hospital.

Take it easy, son. We'll get you there.

What's happened?

Well, Sanchez's girl was missing when he got back to the car, so... You know

something about that?

I, uh... I thought I heard a sound, and... Well... Then I know I heard a car

drive away.

Well, this, uh, this sound, what kind of a sound was it?

Oh, I, um... I guess it could have been a woman screaming.

Please, you've got to tell me what's happened.

Well, we found the girl less than an hour ago, about a mile up the beach from

here. Was she hurt?

Yes.

Badly? She was unconscious.

Cull fracture, a bad one.

Oh, no. She's dying, lady.

You hear me?

You, you close your door and leave her out there. You leave her out there to

die.

Get out of here.

You, you leave her out there to die. Come on, let's go.

Don't take it that way, Mr. Wilson.

The man's all shook up. He doesn't know what he's saying.

Besides, you did the right thing. Take my word for it.

Do you expect your husband home soon?

No.

Not until tomorrow.

Well, we'll look after you.

We'll be patrolling in the area all night.

Besides, we're no farther away than your telephone anyway.

Good night.

Operator. Operator, please get me the Mark Hopkins Hotel in San Francisco.

Hurry. Please hurry.

Yeah.

Karen, what is it?

Yeah? What?

Will you take it easy?

Yes. But are you all right?

Karen, will you calm down?

Well, I'm sorry I'm not there with you, but...

Karen, that's ridiculous.

All right, I'll start right away.

All right, I said.

Well, if the planes are grounded, I'll get a car and drive down.

Hey, just sit tight. I'm on my way.

I've been up most of the night. The police were here. A terrible thing

last night. They were at my place, too.

Come in.

I'll just go and change.

Got any coffee?

I'll make some as soon as I put on some clothes.

Where's Dan?

I phoned him. He's on his way home from San Francisco.

How can you look so terribly normal after a night like last night?

A sham. Beneath this fawny first bird, I'm filled with premonitions of doom.

You go ahead and get changed. I'll get the coffee going.

Don't make a mess in there.

Me? I'll match my kitchen against any bachelors on the coast.

She could have been safely inside the house.

Simon, I did a terrible thing.

That's foolish. You had no way of knowing what would happen.

You only did what seemed sensible at the time.

Very easy for you to feel, to Tad.

I ought to be. I've written these scenes so many times, I almost know them by

heart. Me rusted out of bed.

A writer, and therefore automatically a suspicious character.

Outside the keening of the foghorns, inside the dogged, dedicated police

officers. Oh, please, Simon, this is not one of your scripts.

I know, mine are much more dramatic.

But at least I came up with an alibi. I volunteered to tell them the plot of a

television show I watched last night between nine and ten.

That it wouldn't be necessary just yet.

Which is perhaps just as well.

Why? Because it's a lousy alibi.

See, I wrote the thing.

Oh, then it's a perfect alibi.

No writer would be away from a television set at a time like that. Oh,

would. Watching what happens to one's story is a form of masochism I don't

usually practice.

What form of masochism do you usually practice?

Don't you know?

Unrequited passion.

I fall for happily married women.

You know, sitting outside in the sun like this...

Hard to imagine how awful it was just a few hours ago.

What are you grinning at?

You and the way you can back off.

Simon, I'm really very upset.

You're really feeling guilty about what happened?

With good reason.

Listen to me, Karen.

Under the same circumstances, any woman would have to have been a complete idiot

to admit a stranger into her home.

Well, not being a complete idiot, I shut my door and a stranger is now in the

hospital fighting for her life.

Yes, but you're not responsible.

You must believe that.

I'm trying to, Simon.

Hey,

Karen! Oh, no.

Hi.

Want some coffee?

Be right there.

Why'd you have to ask them over?

I'm sorry. They would have come anyway.

You think you're the only freeloader I know?

Well, I'd better get some more. Why don't you stick around?

No, thanks. I can't stand those healthy outdoor types.

Three outstanding cases of arrested development.

That's one thing you and Stan have in common. You both loathe my friends.

I'm glad you stopped by, Simon. You gave me a lift and I needed that.

Simon Carter, court jester.

You furnish the princess, we furnish the jokes.

So long, princess.

Bye.

to see that girl.

What?

That's a fact. We paddled up the beach just before the fog came in. They were

there, both of them.

What's his name? Sanchez. Sanchez, yeah, whatever his name is, and the girl.

Had a blanket spread out on the beach. They were having a fight there.

I guess he was pitching her a line and she just wasn't much in the mood for

catching.

Did you tell all this to the police?

Sure, but they just don't dig.

Last I heard, Sanchez was on the loose and he's guilty. I'd make book on that.

Can't we get off this? I get upset whenever I think about it.

Karen, I just want to know what... Hey, I think care's right.

Let's get off this subject.

Come on, let's catch some waves.

No,

thanks, not today.

I know it's rough out there, but if you want chicks today, today.

Well, it's not that.

Dan's due home, and I think I'd better stick around.

What do you have to do, greet him at the door with an armload of flowers?

Come on, I want to be right out there.

Here.

It'll do you good.

What do you expect me to say?

I get up in the middle of the night, turn my back on a dealer who'd put us on

Easy Street, drive 400 miles, and what do I find?

Please stop shouting. My helpless bride playing games with her friends, the

Beach Boys.

Just listen and try to understand.

I admit I was terrified last night.

Terrified? You were hysterical.

All right, that too, but I needed you, and I didn't stop to think of anything

all.

Later, when I calmed down, I called you to tell you not to come, but you already

left. Well, I didn't know that.

Well, how could you? You haven't given me a chance to say anything since you

here. Fix yourself a cup of tea before you catch pneumonia.

I enjoy surfing.

I was just trying to take my mind off what had happened. I'll probably feel

guilty about it the rest of my life. Was I wrong?

That's not the point.

Hello?

Yeah?

2 .30?

Stall them. I'll be there.

It was Roy calling from San Francisco.

The deal's still alive.

Get dressed, Karen. You're going back up with me.

How long will we be gone?

Oh, I don't know. We could catch the 12 noon plane.

I should have things wrapped up by five.

As a matter of fact, we can have dinner back here tonight if you prefer.

Oh, in that case, it's sort of silly for me to fly up there with you, isn't it?

Now, look, Karen, haven't you given me enough of a bad time for one day?

Let's go.

I'm sorry, darling.

All right, I admit I was hysterical last night. But it's broad daylight now and

I'm all right.

You will be home early, won't you? I should be, but I don't want to take any

chance. What if I get flogged in again?

One thing I won't do is stay here alone again. Not for a million dollars.

Okay, then what are we arguing about? Let's go.

Why don't you call me if you get hung up?

I'll call the Bailey's and get a cab and go over to their place.

That's a good idea.

You do that and I'll pick you up as soon as I get back.

See, I am a big girl now.

What are you looking for? Where's my checkbook?

In the den.

Anybody comes messing around here, I'll just pull out old Betsy and blast them.

Look, killer, don't you think you better load this thing first?

With bullets?

I'd be petrified.

Come here, I'll show you something.

The safety catch is on.

All right, now, would you put it away, please?

Thank you.

Now, you take care of yourself, and I'll see you tonight, okay?

I'm sorry to be such a nuisance, but I do love you.

I'll try to improve. You'll see.

I love you, too, just the way you are.

All

right,

come on. You're going to miss your plane.

Bye, honey. Bye.

Is Deputy Sheriff Gary there, please?

Oh, I see.

Well, I wanted to find out about a girl he found on the beach last night.

This is Mrs. Stanley Wilson.

Then there is no change?

I wonder if you could tell me what hospital she's in and what her name is.

Garcia. Yes.

Thank you very much.

Yes? I'm trying to find out about a young lady who was brought here last

I believe the name is Garcia, Marta Garcia.

Did you inquire at the desk downstairs?

Yes, I did.

Well, they gave me the usual routine.

Condition unchanged, patient doing as well as could be expected.

I want to know.

Well, I'm... Mrs. Wilson.

I'm Dr.

Foster.

Essentially, Mrs. Wilson, that's about all I can tell you. Her condition is

unchanged. She is doing as well as can be expected.

And no visitors are permitted.

Are you a friend of the patient?

No.

But I am concerned about her.

Are you the physician on the case, Dr. Foster?

I'm one of the doctors.

Well, I just want to be sure everything possible is being done for her.

If it's a question of money... No, Mrs. Wilson. It's not a question of money.

Now, if you'll excuse me.

Thank you.

Money is very good when you must buy something, Mrs. Wilson.

What is it you must buy?

Please, I just want to do what I can to help. It's too late.

You are just too late.

Last night it would have cost you nothing.

Today all the money in the world is not enough.

If you could just understand what I've been through.

Words, only words. You can't buy what you want with words either.

Please, tell me something.

Last night...

If a stray dog had come scratching at your door, even just a dirty mongrel of

dog, cold and whining to be let in, what would you have done?

That's not fair.

You would have let the dog in?

Sure.

That's because you're such a nice, kind lady.

Well, thank you, nice, kind lady.

It was good of you to come to the hospital to visit someone who's not as

important as a stray mongrel dog.

Don't worry about paying, Mrs. Wilson. I make you this promise.

You will get your chance to pay.

And I will be there to collect.

This is turning out to be more strenuous than I imagined.

But enough of me.

Let us hear from your local announcer and all his friends.

Good evening and welcome back to the Alfred Hitchcock Hour, or rather what is

left of it. I now turn you over to our sponsor, who will introduce the second

half of our story.

Sorry, Sanchez. She never regained consciousness.

You understand?

She's dead.

She's dead.

Martha. Martha.

Oh, Stan, I thought you'd be home by now.

Well, honey, it's even worse tonight than it was last night.

All the airports are shut down between here and the Mexican border.

I don't even know when we'll be able to take off.

So you get on over to the Bailey's now, do you hear me?

Yes, I will.

Of course I understand.

Well, I'm glad everything went well for you.

No, I'm fine. I just miss you, that's all.

All right, darling.

Oh, you know where to find me.

Operator, I'm trying to get 7452587 and it doesn't answer. Would you try it for

me, please?

Are you sure?

Thank you.

Hyman? Put that thing down before it goes off.

I was just trying to reach you on the telephone. How did you get in here?

Through the kitchen. I saw the light and figured that's where you were.

But the door was locked.

A guy can get killed around here just for stealing an apple.

Man, could I ever do with a drink.

You scared the pants off me.

I scared you? How do you think I felt?

That door was locked. They're all locked.

Locked, all right. I locked it, but it was open.

Oh, come on now. Do me a favor and put that thing down.

That's better.

Can I fix you one?

No, thanks.

The man won't be home for quite a while, will he?

I expect him any moment.

Come off it, Karen.

I saw him on his way to the airport this morning. All the planes are grounded

now. It was announced on the radio.

So be hospitable.

This is not the sort of night for either of us to be alone.

It doesn't bother me.

No, of course not.

You run about the house brandishing a gun every night, don't you?

All right, so I am jumpy.

I just can't stop thinking about what happened last night.

Then I think the healthiest thing to do is to talk about it.

Are you sure you don't want a drink?

Just to enjoy it. I'll get it.

There's a morbid fascination in crimes of violence.

Most of us, even the most civilized.

You've had above the sort of thing that happened out there at the beach?

Let's consider some of the basic drives that led up to the events of last night.

You don't know what they were.

Oh, yes, I do.

And there are very few men in this world who don't also know.

If they're honest.

What was that?

What?

That noise.

Nothing.

Good grief, but you're nervous tonight.

Now, where was I?

Oh, yes, being honest. Do you find this interesting?

I'd much rather we talked about something else.

All right, but bear with me a little longer, Karen. I think it's important.

Do I have a choice?

Choice?

Now, there's a key word.

How many things do we do not because we want to, but because we have no choice?

Because home, father, mother, husband, church, or police say this is what we

must do.

Can't we simply want to do them?

If you mean be conditioned into wanting to, yes.

The effect is the same.

Usually.

Of course, it works both ways.

For example, we're conditioned against killing right up until the time there's

war. Then the machinery shifts gears, and the same force is conditioned to

And why is this accomplished with such comparative ease?

Shall I tell you?

Can I stop you?

Hardly.

Because deep down, buried inside all of us, there's a murderer.

Or something even more evil.

Can you understand that, Karen?

Sure.

Like deep down inside every writer I've met, there's a bit of a bore. And

sometimes not very deep down.

You're not bored, Karen.

Whatever it is you feel right now, it's not boredom.

That man out there in the fog last night was overcoming a frustration violently.

We're all frustrated every day and in many ways.

That's why we...

unconsciously identify with them.

Well, in that case, Jack the Ripper should have been Prime Minister at

He was merely ahead of his time if we examine more recent history.

You see, it's a matter of goals.

The greater the goal, the greater the drive.

The greater the man.

My goal is modest and attainable. Do you know what it is?

Getting stoned.

You're almost there.

That's only part of it. It's a means toward an end.

Actually, I'm trying to work up the nerve for something.

Go home, Simon. We'll talk tomorrow.

I'm tired of talking. No!

I'm tired of your running from me. Simon, don't let me go!

I just want to get away from here. No, now calm down.

Hey, you know, maybe she's right, Rick. Maybe we should just pile in the car and

go to the sheriff's. I think it'd be faster if we phoned from the house.

No, finally, he'll be in there. Look, we're three against one. If he tries

anything, we'll beat his ears off. I'd like that, Rick.

Take a look, Ed. Thank you.

We'll check down here first.

You'll kill him if you use that. Quiet.

Promise you won't hurt him, Rick. You hear me? I hear you, Kare. Don't worry.

Okay?

That? Sounded like you had some action to put in. Nothing.

Did you

leave

it open?

No.

I'm sure it was locked.

Well, this is how he got away, then.

He's long gone by now.

I'm going to phone the law.

The number's right here, Rick.

Oh, thanks, Karen. How do you feel?

Much better now that you're here. Good.

Rick Garrison speaking. I'm calling from Wilson's place at Red Rock Point.

Could you send some men out here right away and have them check Simon Carter's

place while you're at it?

Yeah, well, Carter was here tonight and he gave Mrs. Wilson a pretty bad time.

Yeah.

Maybe he's the fellow you want for last night's job.

She's okay. She's standing right here.

Fine.

We'll be waiting.

Okay, thank you.

Okay.

The only thing to do now is sit tight and wait.

Come on, little sister. We're going to stay with you and let nothing happen to

you. Okay?

You know, I think somebody should have written a book or something called What

to Do Until the Cops Get Here. Very funny. Thank you. Thank you.

Hey, Care, no kidding. Were you really glad to see it?

I've never been happier to see anyone in my life. Well, you were kind of lucky

because we were just driving by and the joker on the radio mentioned it about

all the fog and the planes being grounded.

Then Rick says, let's go visit old Care, keep her company.

So here we are.

That's Rick. Fellow with ideas.

The best.

Thank you, Rick. Oh, you don't have to thank me, Karen. No, service with a

smile.

That's our slogan. Tommy boy, you're not smiling.

You sure you're happy with this organization?

Hmm? What?

Well, now, look, we run a happy ship here. No room for oddballs, young man.

you can't keep your shoulder to the wheel and your nose to the grindstone,

know, well, holding a happy thought, you're on the wrong team.

You're here, E .C. Thank you, R .G. Shape up a ship out. That's what we used

say in Uncle Sam's Navy.

Why, when I was a young fella back in the plop house, Idaho, walking... Ed,

would happen if you just shut up?

Tom, Ed's just trying to help us pass the time. Cool it, Tommy.

I don't want to have to tell you again.

That's enough.

I wonder what's keeping them.

Who's that?

The police. They should have been here by now.

They're probably looking for Simon Carter.

Could be they found him, too.

Oh, poor Simon.

You feel sorry for him?

Well, he's sick. That's the only explanation.

Honey, it's a sick world, and if you're gonna cry about it, you'll find yourself

drowning in sad, salt tears.

He's right, you know. You just gotta laugh it off and get your kicks in. The

only way to make it.

Now that's a kick.

There are times when that is the kick.

Man, that's the greatest.

Now you're talking sense.

We live and end, my friend.

You could have been pretty good if you'd stayed with us, Karen.

What do you mean, pretty good?

I was darn good, and I expect to get better.

Oh, sure.

This isn't so bad, being inside, cozy -like.

Listen to those crazy foghorns.

What are you doing?

Light bothers me. It hurts my big blue eyes.

Oh, yeah, kicks.

You know what's a real special kick, Karen?

Uh, what?

Foggy night.

And the things you can do on a foggy night.

Rick, old boy, you are finally getting through to me.

Tom, the fun -loving surfer.

That was a gas last night, wasn't it?

Yes, starting with the gas in the afternoon, remember?

Ed, talking about the gas we siphoned out of Sanchez's old truck.

What did you say?

I said we drained just about all the gas out of his tank while he was still down

on the beach with his girl.

But why?

For kicks, baby.

Just for kicks.

We didn't figure he'd get very far, and he didn't either, did he?

He didn't get much farther than your house, did he, Clint? Oh, we didn't

figure on that.

And when we saw him talking to you, we thought we'd had it.

Yeah, as a matter of fact, I said, well, we'd better just forget it and cut out,

didn't I? That's right, but old Rick said, no, let's wait.

And you know we're used to waiting. It's kind of like waiting for the big wave.

Like waiting for the biggest kick.

I was right. A minute later, you slammed the door on him. He went back to the

car, said something to the girl, went on up the road.

And then she was all alone.

And we were through with the waiting.

Oh, no.

I don't believe it.

Well, we have lots of time tonight, Karen.

Before we're through, you'll believe it.

The police will be here any minute.

I forgot to tell you. We ripped the phone line out before we ever came in

house.

And the police, they are where they always are.

Nowhere. Rick,

you got to tell her.

You got to tell her the wild part. Oh, yeah.

About what happened to that girl.

Oh, yeah. She died without ever talking.

We heard it on the radio about an hour ago. That was lucky.

But tonight... Tonight, we don't have to push our luck.

No, you see, we figure to set fire to the house when we leave.

And we figure that the cops are going to pick up old Sanchez for it. That's if

they just don't shoot him first. Or maybe they'll even go after old Simon

Carter.

It's your turn, kid.

Please don't, please don't shoot.

I like that.

That's what I want to hear.

I want to hear you down on your knees and begging for your life.

Anything, but please, please don't shoot.

That's it.

That's what I want to hear.

Why don't you get it over with?

No.

I'll let you wait for your big wave, huh?

I think I will give you to the police.

Get up.

The planes are flying again.

This is my final appearance tonight.

However, we have some scenes of next week's story which I'm anxious for you

see. As for surfing...

I've just discovered why one sees so many of these about at the beach, on the

highway, on top of automobiles, etc.

It's because they're so practical.