The Twilight Zone (1959) s02e17 Episode Script
Twenty-Two
You're traveling through another dimension a dimension not only of sight and sound, but of mind a journey into a wondrous land whose boundaries are that of imagination.
That's the signpost up ahead.
Your next stop, the twilight zone.
Room for one more, honey.
This is miss liz powell.
She's a professional dancer and she's in the hospital as a result of overwork and nervous fatigue and at this moment, we have just finished walking with her in a nightmare.
In a moment, she'll wake up and we'll remain at her side.
The problem here is that both miss powell and you will reach a point where it might be difficult to decide which is reality and which is nightmare: A problem uncommon perhaps but rather peculiar to the twilight zone.
Hiya, kitten.
You lose your way, barney? Hey, you're looking great, kitten.
You're looking just great.
It's been a long time between talks.
Look what i brought you, honey.
I had it blown up.
Why, we'll get it blown up real big and we'll put it in front of the chl-chi when you open there.
Where you been, barney? Well, i you know how i feel about hospitals, kitten- they kind of depress me.
You ought to try it in here lying on your back for couple of weeks, barney.
Pretty soon you feel like you're lying on a glass slide and all those creeps are looking at you through a microscope and the only time the sun shines is when it's visiting hours.
Gee, kitten, what a mind you've got- what a mind.
That's what bugs you, isn't it, barney? My mind.
You think i left it in a bus station someplace, don't you? Well, if you keep on talking nutsy like this i got to think there's something wrong, kitten.
Barney, you got to believe me.
You're the only one.
You're really the only one i thought would believe me.
When you didn't show up when you didn't even call i got this wild idea that you'd given me up that you figured i was some kind of a cuckoo who'd left the world behind.
Oh, no.
But barney, you got to believe me.
You're the only one.
They aren't dreams.
They happen- just like i say they happen.
I know, kitten, i know.
Barney, don't.
Don't write me off, will you? You got to believe me.
Well, good afternoon.
Oh, i was just leaving, doc.
No need- i'll just be a moment.
Well, miss powell, you're looking as beautiful as ever.
I was just telling her the same thing myself.
I'm barney kavener, liz's agent.
How do you do? You make an old doctor wish he were a young intern.
You make me wish the same thing.
You must be great at funerals, laughing boy.
We're a little feisty today, aren't we? We are not feisty.
We are just a little tired of ten people an hour walking around our bed like we were some kind of a freak or something.
Why don't you guys get off the dime? There's nothing wrong with me.
There most assuredly isn't, miss powell.
That's what we've been trying to tell you.
You're in excellent physical condition a little overtired, that's all a little overworked, perhaps.
I guess a dancer's life isn't the easiest, is it? Well, talent like this makes it look easy, doc.
I've been this little lady's agent for 12 years and i'm here to tell you that she's the best little stripper dancer.
dancer that ever came down the pike.
Just listen to him laugh, barney.
Boy, he's great for your morale.
Well, doc, what's it going to be tonight? A big discussion about freud and dreams? You don't seem interested in dreams, miss powell.
In this story, you recount you keep rejecting the fact that itisa dream.
You know it.
As a matter of fact, i don't know it.
I know quite the reverse.
I say it is a dream.
Now, let's run through it again.
You say it always happens in perfect chronology.
You wake up.
You feel thirsty.
You reach for the glass.
You hear the clock ticking loudly.
Very loudly.
It unnerves you.
The glass slips out of your hand and breaks on the floor.
And then i hear the footsteps outside.
Footsteps? Whose footsteps? Miss powell seems to feel they're the footsteps of a nurse.
They are the footsteps of a nurse.
I hear them.
They come down the corridor and stop outside my door.
I jump out of bed.
Now, miss powell i open the door and i see this nurse going into an elevator.
I follow her.
The elevator goes down to the basement floor.
Down at the end of the hall room 22.
What kind of room? It's the hospital morgue mr.
Kavener.
Miss powell seems to feel the nurse comes out of the morgue looks straight at her and says "room for one more, honey.
" That's what she says, barney "room for one more" and then she points to that room- that room where all the stiffs are.
Odd dream, wouldn't you say, mr.
Kavener? That's a weirdo, doc.
That's a very weird dream.
It isn't a dream.
Miss powell claims it's one of our nurses assigned to the basement floor.
How should i know if it's one of your nurses or not? All i know is this dame comes out of that room looks at me and says "room for one more, honey.
" You bring her in here.
I'll point her out.
Boy, will i point her out.
I know her face as well as i do my own.
Very well.
Let's see.
This is miss jameson.
She's the night nurse assigned to the basement floor- the only nurse i might add, miss powell.
Look at her.
Well, miss powell? Is this your phantom lady? No, this woman is tall and she's got this crazy kind of a smile on her face.
That will be all, thank you.
Well, miss powell, it obviously is a dream.
If it were a nurse in our hospital it would have to be that young lady and since it is not you'll have to admit it's very unlikely that the woman you saw could have come out of the morgue.
I know what i saw.
I know what i did.
I'll tell you what, miss powell to prove my point let's try something different.
Like what? You say it always happens in such pure chronology- that your actions are always the same.
Tonight when you're dreaming or as you say, when you're waking up don't reach for the glass.
See if breaking the routine of it won't stop it from happening.
Now, that sounds like a groovy idea, doc.
Why don't you try it, kitten, huh? Why don't you try it? Barney, will you tell him? When the same thing happens to you for six nights in a row! Overwork, fatigue, tiredness a nightmare at this point would not be abnormal, mr.
Kavener.
A nightmare in this case would be the norm.
Well, miss powell let's see what this evening brings shall we? Yeah, well, i i got to be running along, kitten.
Now, you stay hip to what the doc here is telling you.
I'm sure glad to see you feeling looking so good again.
Thanks a heap, barney.
You know, you couldn't boost morale if it weighed a quarter of a pound and you had a derrick.
Thanks for coming over.
You must do it again sometime only make it next year, will you? Oh, kitten, baby.
Get out, will you, barney? Sure, liz sure.
Remember about tonight, miss powell.
When you feel a compulsion to repeat the nightmare don't do it.
Now, relax.
Get to sleep.
I think we're on our way to recovery.
We're just delighted that we feel that way.
Room for one more, honey.
Don't leave her until she's asleep.
Well, i think she'll sleep now.
Good.
That's odd.
Now, that's really odd.
What is, doctor? This afternoon when i was talking to her she was telling me about this this dream.
What about it? Following someone down the corridor getting into the elevator going down to the morgue.
Morgue? Yes.
She's never been there before.
Patients aren't allowed there.
And yet, when she tells me the story she mentions room 22.
Room 22? Well, if she'd never been there how would she know? How would she? Everything packed? That does it.
Your agent is here.
He said to phone down to the lobby when you're ready.
He'll meet you at the elevator.
My cup runneth over.
Is there a back door to this place? Well, he seems like quite a devoted man.
Oh, he's devoted- to ten percent commission and 12 hours' sleep every night.
Well, are we ready to leave? All ready, doctor.
Ready and overdue.
Let me take that for you.
Send me a postcard from miami beach, will you? Sure.
Miss powell theyweredreams.
Just a part of your fatigue.
You were susceptible to nerves.
That's what happens when a mind is overwrought.
It plays tricks.
I don't want to see you back here again, miss powell.
The next time i see you, i'll be at a ringside table and i'd appreciate, uh a subtle wink.
Miss powell? Yeah.
Yeah, i'm ready.
You're all set, miss powell.
That's the nonstop to miami departing from area c in approximately five minutes.
Your seat assignment's on the envelope there.
Thank you very much.
Did anyone ever tell you that you have eyes like a tarantula? Oh, i'm sorry, miss.
I didn't mean to stare.
Forget it.
Is that area c out there? Yes, ma'am.
Flight 22 is loading now and you can get aboard anytime.
Uh is there anything wrong, miss powell? What flight? nonstop to miami right out through that door- you can board now.
Thank you.
Thank you very much.
Passenger porter, please report to ticket confirmation desk immediately.
Passenger porter, please report to ticket confirmation desk immediately.
It's that that crazy feeling.
I'm thirsty.
I'm thirsty but but i'm awake.
It's that same feeling but i'm awake.
This isn't a dream.
This couldn't be a dream.
I think you'd better hurry up a little, miss.
That's your flight ready for departure out there.
Room for one more, honey.
This couldn't be a dream.
It's not a dream.
It just couldn't be- not now.
It just couldn't be.
Miss elizabeth powell, professional dancer.
Hospital diagnosis: Acute anxiety brought on by overwork and fatigue.
With rest and care, she'll probably recover but the cure to some nightmares is not to be found in known medical journals.
You look for it under "potions for bad dreams" to be found in the twilight zone.
Rod serling, creator ofthe twilight zone will tell you about next week's story after this word from our alternate sponsor.
And now, mr.
Serling.
Next week you'll find each of your names on the passenger manifest of this jet aircraft that travels from london to new york city.
You'll sit in these seats and you'll go through an experience unique beyond words and tense beyond anything i believe you've ever seen.
You'll be departing next week at about this time in a vehicle we call "the odyssey of flight 33.
" But prepared for a stop midway in the twilight zone.
Captioned by media access group at wgbh access.
Wgbh.
Org be sure and see the colgate- palmolive company's new comedy show my sister eileen wednesday night on many of these same stations.
That's the signpost up ahead.
Your next stop, the twilight zone.
Room for one more, honey.
This is miss liz powell.
She's a professional dancer and she's in the hospital as a result of overwork and nervous fatigue and at this moment, we have just finished walking with her in a nightmare.
In a moment, she'll wake up and we'll remain at her side.
The problem here is that both miss powell and you will reach a point where it might be difficult to decide which is reality and which is nightmare: A problem uncommon perhaps but rather peculiar to the twilight zone.
Hiya, kitten.
You lose your way, barney? Hey, you're looking great, kitten.
You're looking just great.
It's been a long time between talks.
Look what i brought you, honey.
I had it blown up.
Why, we'll get it blown up real big and we'll put it in front of the chl-chi when you open there.
Where you been, barney? Well, i you know how i feel about hospitals, kitten- they kind of depress me.
You ought to try it in here lying on your back for couple of weeks, barney.
Pretty soon you feel like you're lying on a glass slide and all those creeps are looking at you through a microscope and the only time the sun shines is when it's visiting hours.
Gee, kitten, what a mind you've got- what a mind.
That's what bugs you, isn't it, barney? My mind.
You think i left it in a bus station someplace, don't you? Well, if you keep on talking nutsy like this i got to think there's something wrong, kitten.
Barney, you got to believe me.
You're the only one.
You're really the only one i thought would believe me.
When you didn't show up when you didn't even call i got this wild idea that you'd given me up that you figured i was some kind of a cuckoo who'd left the world behind.
Oh, no.
But barney, you got to believe me.
You're the only one.
They aren't dreams.
They happen- just like i say they happen.
I know, kitten, i know.
Barney, don't.
Don't write me off, will you? You got to believe me.
Well, good afternoon.
Oh, i was just leaving, doc.
No need- i'll just be a moment.
Well, miss powell, you're looking as beautiful as ever.
I was just telling her the same thing myself.
I'm barney kavener, liz's agent.
How do you do? You make an old doctor wish he were a young intern.
You make me wish the same thing.
You must be great at funerals, laughing boy.
We're a little feisty today, aren't we? We are not feisty.
We are just a little tired of ten people an hour walking around our bed like we were some kind of a freak or something.
Why don't you guys get off the dime? There's nothing wrong with me.
There most assuredly isn't, miss powell.
That's what we've been trying to tell you.
You're in excellent physical condition a little overtired, that's all a little overworked, perhaps.
I guess a dancer's life isn't the easiest, is it? Well, talent like this makes it look easy, doc.
I've been this little lady's agent for 12 years and i'm here to tell you that she's the best little stripper dancer.
dancer that ever came down the pike.
Just listen to him laugh, barney.
Boy, he's great for your morale.
Well, doc, what's it going to be tonight? A big discussion about freud and dreams? You don't seem interested in dreams, miss powell.
In this story, you recount you keep rejecting the fact that itisa dream.
You know it.
As a matter of fact, i don't know it.
I know quite the reverse.
I say it is a dream.
Now, let's run through it again.
You say it always happens in perfect chronology.
You wake up.
You feel thirsty.
You reach for the glass.
You hear the clock ticking loudly.
Very loudly.
It unnerves you.
The glass slips out of your hand and breaks on the floor.
And then i hear the footsteps outside.
Footsteps? Whose footsteps? Miss powell seems to feel they're the footsteps of a nurse.
They are the footsteps of a nurse.
I hear them.
They come down the corridor and stop outside my door.
I jump out of bed.
Now, miss powell i open the door and i see this nurse going into an elevator.
I follow her.
The elevator goes down to the basement floor.
Down at the end of the hall room 22.
What kind of room? It's the hospital morgue mr.
Kavener.
Miss powell seems to feel the nurse comes out of the morgue looks straight at her and says "room for one more, honey.
" That's what she says, barney "room for one more" and then she points to that room- that room where all the stiffs are.
Odd dream, wouldn't you say, mr.
Kavener? That's a weirdo, doc.
That's a very weird dream.
It isn't a dream.
Miss powell claims it's one of our nurses assigned to the basement floor.
How should i know if it's one of your nurses or not? All i know is this dame comes out of that room looks at me and says "room for one more, honey.
" You bring her in here.
I'll point her out.
Boy, will i point her out.
I know her face as well as i do my own.
Very well.
Let's see.
This is miss jameson.
She's the night nurse assigned to the basement floor- the only nurse i might add, miss powell.
Look at her.
Well, miss powell? Is this your phantom lady? No, this woman is tall and she's got this crazy kind of a smile on her face.
That will be all, thank you.
Well, miss powell, it obviously is a dream.
If it were a nurse in our hospital it would have to be that young lady and since it is not you'll have to admit it's very unlikely that the woman you saw could have come out of the morgue.
I know what i saw.
I know what i did.
I'll tell you what, miss powell to prove my point let's try something different.
Like what? You say it always happens in such pure chronology- that your actions are always the same.
Tonight when you're dreaming or as you say, when you're waking up don't reach for the glass.
See if breaking the routine of it won't stop it from happening.
Now, that sounds like a groovy idea, doc.
Why don't you try it, kitten, huh? Why don't you try it? Barney, will you tell him? When the same thing happens to you for six nights in a row! Overwork, fatigue, tiredness a nightmare at this point would not be abnormal, mr.
Kavener.
A nightmare in this case would be the norm.
Well, miss powell let's see what this evening brings shall we? Yeah, well, i i got to be running along, kitten.
Now, you stay hip to what the doc here is telling you.
I'm sure glad to see you feeling looking so good again.
Thanks a heap, barney.
You know, you couldn't boost morale if it weighed a quarter of a pound and you had a derrick.
Thanks for coming over.
You must do it again sometime only make it next year, will you? Oh, kitten, baby.
Get out, will you, barney? Sure, liz sure.
Remember about tonight, miss powell.
When you feel a compulsion to repeat the nightmare don't do it.
Now, relax.
Get to sleep.
I think we're on our way to recovery.
We're just delighted that we feel that way.
Room for one more, honey.
Don't leave her until she's asleep.
Well, i think she'll sleep now.
Good.
That's odd.
Now, that's really odd.
What is, doctor? This afternoon when i was talking to her she was telling me about this this dream.
What about it? Following someone down the corridor getting into the elevator going down to the morgue.
Morgue? Yes.
She's never been there before.
Patients aren't allowed there.
And yet, when she tells me the story she mentions room 22.
Room 22? Well, if she'd never been there how would she know? How would she? Everything packed? That does it.
Your agent is here.
He said to phone down to the lobby when you're ready.
He'll meet you at the elevator.
My cup runneth over.
Is there a back door to this place? Well, he seems like quite a devoted man.
Oh, he's devoted- to ten percent commission and 12 hours' sleep every night.
Well, are we ready to leave? All ready, doctor.
Ready and overdue.
Let me take that for you.
Send me a postcard from miami beach, will you? Sure.
Miss powell theyweredreams.
Just a part of your fatigue.
You were susceptible to nerves.
That's what happens when a mind is overwrought.
It plays tricks.
I don't want to see you back here again, miss powell.
The next time i see you, i'll be at a ringside table and i'd appreciate, uh a subtle wink.
Miss powell? Yeah.
Yeah, i'm ready.
You're all set, miss powell.
That's the nonstop to miami departing from area c in approximately five minutes.
Your seat assignment's on the envelope there.
Thank you very much.
Did anyone ever tell you that you have eyes like a tarantula? Oh, i'm sorry, miss.
I didn't mean to stare.
Forget it.
Is that area c out there? Yes, ma'am.
Flight 22 is loading now and you can get aboard anytime.
Uh is there anything wrong, miss powell? What flight? nonstop to miami right out through that door- you can board now.
Thank you.
Thank you very much.
Passenger porter, please report to ticket confirmation desk immediately.
Passenger porter, please report to ticket confirmation desk immediately.
It's that that crazy feeling.
I'm thirsty.
I'm thirsty but but i'm awake.
It's that same feeling but i'm awake.
This isn't a dream.
This couldn't be a dream.
I think you'd better hurry up a little, miss.
That's your flight ready for departure out there.
Room for one more, honey.
This couldn't be a dream.
It's not a dream.
It just couldn't be- not now.
It just couldn't be.
Miss elizabeth powell, professional dancer.
Hospital diagnosis: Acute anxiety brought on by overwork and fatigue.
With rest and care, she'll probably recover but the cure to some nightmares is not to be found in known medical journals.
You look for it under "potions for bad dreams" to be found in the twilight zone.
Rod serling, creator ofthe twilight zone will tell you about next week's story after this word from our alternate sponsor.
And now, mr.
Serling.
Next week you'll find each of your names on the passenger manifest of this jet aircraft that travels from london to new york city.
You'll sit in these seats and you'll go through an experience unique beyond words and tense beyond anything i believe you've ever seen.
You'll be departing next week at about this time in a vehicle we call "the odyssey of flight 33.
" But prepared for a stop midway in the twilight zone.
Captioned by media access group at wgbh access.
Wgbh.
Org be sure and see the colgate- palmolive company's new comedy show my sister eileen wednesday night on many of these same stations.