Alfred Hitchcock Presents s01e39 Episode Script

Did you ever have the feeling that you were being watched? Observe closely.
No eyelid.
He never sleeps.
Obviously, an ideal audience.
Unfortunately, he doesn't watch television.
That's true.
He isn't watching me, he's watching you to see if you're watching me.
Please don't misunderstand.
I love television, as a performer, that is.
But I feel the wrong person is being paid.
Actors receive salaries, but their viewers the people who do the really hard work, don't make a cent.
It seems to me that television is exactly like a gun.
Your enjoyment of it is determined by which end of it you're on.
Tonight, we plan to tell a story about this gun and what a very ordinary man did with it in the course of 24 hours.
You know what it is? A rat race.
You run all day just to keep even.
Slow down and somebody is walking up your heels.
Move along, buddy.
You're tying up traffic.
Everybody's got a time clock to punch.
With my luck it'd punch me right back.
Help wanted.
: Men.
Aggressive, hard-hitting young salesman for national distribution.
Salary and commission.
It's not much of a job.
No commissions and you get a lot of talk instead of salary.
But it's the only one I haven't tried and I've got to get something.
I didn't get it.
It was already filled.
Yeah, it's a rat race, all right.
You get home at night with your head ringing a hole in your pocket and an empty refrigerator.
Honey, would you put that in the icebox for me, please? Okay.
Plenty of room for it.
Yes, Father Hubbard, there certainly is.
Okay, so it's bare.
So if we do get evicted tomorrow we won't have to lug a lot of stuff along with us.
You know something? I find that very small consolation.
Don't you worry, we won't get evicted.
What are you going to about it? I'm gonna get some dough, what else? Tonight.
Will you go to Burroughs? Well, maybe.
I'll see.
You got some more coffee? Not if you want any for breakfast.
What'll I tell him? Honey, just tell him what happened.
We've both of us been sick, we've borrowed every cent we could and you can't find a job.
He owes you $450 and he ought to pay it.
I know that, but how can I say it? Honey, don't you remember what we planned for you to say? Mr.
Burroughs, I worked for your company for three years and the last four months I worked at half pay to help keep things going.
You said you'd pay me in full when things got better but instead you sold out.
You've got the money and I need it, and you ought to pay me now, right now.
Now, honey, you remembered it perfectly well the other night when you'd had a couple of drinks, you were gonna go over there- All right.
I forgot, that's all.
I'm sorry.
Honey, I'm not mad at you.
You know that.
I know.
It's just that he won't want to give it to me.
He'll argue.
Honey, arguing can't hurt you.
I guess not.
I'll get the money.
I'll get it somewhere.
Tonight.
You've said that before.
This time I mean it.
Are you going to Burroughs? If I have to.
So long.
Goodbye, darling.
Good luck.
Another? Hiya, boy.
How's it going? Not so good.
No connections yet.
Hey, Charlie, you think maybe you could Well, you know, you said you thought I'm sorry, kid.
I ain't got it.
I thought I did.
I had that Jackaway in the seventh today.
He'd have paid 30-to-1, but Photo finish.
They photoed me out.
I'll buy you a drink.
Thanks.
Sorry, Dick.
If I had it You know that.
Yeah, it's not your fault.
Hey, Charlie.
It's nobody's fault.
Except Burroughs.
How much do I owe you? $1.
60.
Keep the change.
Thanks.
Pour yourself another, if you want it.
No.
No, thanks.
You know, I appreciate your coming here like this.
Let's go to the study, and we can get the matter settled right away.
He's got company.
I can't hit him for it now.
He'd get sore at me for embarrassing him.
Wonder who's in there with him.
Maybe I'd better come back later.
No, we've got to have that money now.
Look at that money.
He can't say he doesn't have it.
Must be a couple of thousand there, and Beth and I don't have $5 between us.
He's going to pay me.
No stalls, no arguments, Mr.
Burroughs, just $450.
Now.
Good night.
Just $450.
I don't want any more.
I never stole a dime in my life, but this is owing me.
Got here just in time, didn't I? Know what you're gonna get for this, don't you? Plenty.
And I'll see you serve it, too.
Every last month of it.
Paine.
You're the last person I I'm going to call the police.
Operator, get me the police.
Hey, silly.
What are you doing out here? Why didn't you come to bed last night? I didn't want to wake you.
You didn't get the money? Don't worry.
No, I got it.
You did? Where? From Charlie.
He had a long shot in the sixth.
Well, I didn't think you got it from Burroughs.
I didn't go to see Burroughs.
It wasn't necessary, we can forget him.
All right, I was only going to tell you - Will you please drop it? I've got enough else to worry about.
Honey, what is it? What's the matter? It's nothing.
It's just- Beth, you wait here in the bedroom.
Let me handle this.
What's the matter? Please, Beth, I'll explain it to you later.
Just let me handle it now.
Who is it? It's Martin, the janitor.
Okay, just a minute.
Someone to see the apartment.
This is the living room.
Yeah.
Can I see the bedroom? Right in there.
Just a minute.
Beth, there's a man here that wants to see the apartment.
All right.
There's no sense in showing the apartment now.
Ain't much, is it? Brother, you find something better for the money, take it.
Yeah, I will.
What is it? Why did you shush me? Because we have to get out of here.
I got in some trouble last night.
It was a mistake, but it's done.
I don't want to tell you about it.
I don't want you to get mixed up in it.
Darling, I am mixed up in it.
If you are, I am.
If you don't know about it, you can't tell anybody if they ask.
I'll explain it all to you later, but right now we've got to get out of here.
Are the police after you? Maybe.
I don't know.
Look, will you please help me, if you want to.
But don't talk about it anymore if you're going with me.
Darling, of course I am.
I'll go start packing.
I'm ready.
We can't go now.
Somebody's watching us.
Don't let him see you.
Maybe he's just waiting for somebody.
Yeah, me.
If he wants to see you, why doesn't he just come up? Look, I'll tell you what.
You go on alone.
It'd be better if we weren't seen together anyway.
I'll watch him, and if it looks like nothing's up I'll slip out later, maybe the back way, and join you.
Here, take some money and get two bus tickets to Mexico.
No, make it San Diego, nobody will notice that.
And then I'Il - Dick, I'm afraid.
I don't wanna go alone.
I'll be there, I promise you.
There's a bus every hour.
I'll be there at 11:00.
If I'm not there, you get on anyway and save me a seat.
I'll be there, darling.
I promise you.
I'll be there.
What's the matter? A solid half-hour I've been waiting here, and no one to let me in.
It's not my fault you forgot your keys.
Next time take it with you.
Okay, sure.
Come on, Paine, open up.
What do you want? I know you're in there.
Open up.
What do you want? Got here just in time, didn't I? I don't know what you're talking about.
Don't try to kid me, Paine.
I saw your wife leave with her suitcase just a few minutes ago and now you're skipping out.
But you're not going anyplace.
Get in there.
You're crazy.
Do as I say.
Give me that.
Let go of that.
Paine.
Get in there.
I warned you nobody's going to arrest me.
But I'm not a cop.
I came to collect the payments.
I'm from the finance company.
I locked the guy from the finance company in the closet.
I had to get to the bus station.
I had to meet Beth.
Taxi! Where to, buddy? Just go ahead, I'll tell you.
Okay, pal.
What time is it? Take me out to Oakside.
Whatever you say, governor.
You feeling bad? No, it's a Just got a pain in my back.
You want me to take it easy? Fine, that'd be fine.
You want me to stop? No, it's okay.
Okay, governor.
Whereabouts in Oakside, pal? Hey, are you asleep or something? What? I said we're in Oakside.
Whereabouts do you want to go? What time is it? Look, sport, you sure you got plenty of money? This trip is beginning to add up.
Don't worry.
Money is the least of my worries.
Two to San Diego, please.
And now between records, here's a news item.
There's a city-wide dragnet out for Richard Paine.
Late last night, Paine shot and fatally wounded A.
T.
Burroughs of 1942 East Walden Street.
Burroughs surprised Paine in the act of robbing his house.
Paine is believed to have been wounded today in a scuffle with a finance company employee who called at Paine's apartment to collect back payments.
An all points bulletin has gone out on Paine Keep your eyes on the road.
You think maybe he was talking about me? Well, he was.
Just take it easy and you'll be all right.
Okay, pal.
Don't worry about me.
Pull over to the side and get out.
Open up the hood.
You need any help? No, everything's fine.
Okay, put the hood down.
Get in there.
Wait for me, Beth.
I told you, rain or shine, we'll get along.
It's going to be okay in Mexico.
Dick! Here I am.
Where were you going? I thought you were on the other bus.
No, that's not ours.
Ours is late.
Dick.
Where did you get it? All that money.
I never gave you that much.
I got it from Mr.
Burroughs.
I tried to tell you this morning, but you wouldn't listen.
I knew you wouldn't go there last night.
So I went to him and he gave it to me.
He was very nice Dick! What is it? What's the matter? I never knew it was you in the room with Burroughs.
You had the money all the time.
I never needed to take it.
You know, it's a funny thing, Beth.
It's a rat race.
You run all day.
Very educational.
Next week, we shall return with another story.
I suggest you join us.
It might be unwise to disappoint Big Brother.