Episode 406: Fragile Contents Death

[00:00:16] Speaker A: The mysterious old radio listening society podcast. [00:00:27] Speaker B: Welcome to the Mysterious Old Radio Listening Society Society, a podcast dedicated to suspense, crime and horror stories from the golden age of radio. I'm Eric. [00:00:36] Speaker C: I'm Tim. [00:00:37] Speaker D: And I'm Joshua. [00:00:38] Speaker C: We love mysterious old time radio stories, but do they stand the test of time? That's what we're here to find out. [00:00:43] Speaker B: This week we're listening to an episode of Suspense recommended to us by our Patreon supporter, Cole. Cole suggested we check out Fragile Contents Death Starring Vic Perrin Writing It's a story featuring a postmaster at the US Postal Service. As a postal worker, it's rare to find any media that talks about the processes that go on in the back end. And I hope this episode gives a fun little peek behind the curtain. [00:01:11] Speaker D: One of radio's most prestigious and longest running shows, Suspense premiered on CBS in 1942 and continued to thrill audiences until its final broadcast in 1962. Known for its big name stars, high production values and sophisticated scripts, Suspense raised the bar for dramatic radio. [00:01:32] Speaker C: This particular version of Fragile Content's Death is the second time Suspense produced the script by John Sutter, who also wrote the script for Short Order, which we listened to back in oh my God. May of 2020. The initial version starred Paul Douglas. [00:01:47] Speaker B: The episode mentions an actual event that may have inspired the story. The detonation of a bomb in the mail at the Bowling Green, Kentucky post office in January of 1949. A quoting from the always useful Suspense Project blog a 29 year old postal worker, William Henry Osborne, was handling a package with an inaccurate address when it exploded. He lost both hands and sight of both eyes. Four other postal workers were injured. [00:02:15] Speaker D: And with that grisly bit of history in mind, let's listen to Fragile Contents Death first broadcast May 22, 1956. [00:02:26] Speaker C: It's late at night and a chill has set in. You're alone and the only light you see is coming from an antique radio. Listen to the sounds coming from the speaker. Listen to the music and listen to the voices. [00:02:45] Speaker E: And now, tonight's presentation of radio's outstanding theater of thrills, Suspense. Tonight we bring you a story of a postmaster and his desperate search for an unwelcome package. We call it Fragile Contents Death. So now, starring Victor Perrin, here is tonight's suspense play Fragile Contents Death. [00:03:30] Speaker A: All it took was a phone call. Until it came that morning, everything at the post office was the same as it had always been. I was just another postmaster, 40 years old, with a postal problems of some 80,000 people to look after. All it took was that call to make things a nightmare. As I said, the day was just a day. I remember I was making up my mind to get busy on the stuff piled on my desk. It was 9:15. Morning, Mr. Jordan. Oh, morning, Hartley. I'm just gonna send for you. Don't tell me all this. This heap is for me? That's right. Didn't anybody weed it out? It's been weeded, Mr. Jordan. Well, if I must, I must. Even a parcel. I see. [00:04:19] Speaker F: Yeah, yeah. [00:04:20] Speaker A: It's marked personal. From Paxton and Brown something earlier. Broadway, New York. Oh, I remember. Sure. This must be that new type of lawn sprinkler I ordered for the wife. I should have had it sent to the house. Put it over there, would you? I'll take it along when I go home. Here. That's fine. Post Office. This is Jordan. [00:04:41] Speaker G: Jordan. That Postmaster Jordan? [00:04:44] Speaker A: That's right. What can I do for you? [00:04:46] Speaker G: Plenty. You got a bomb someplace in the mail down there. [00:04:52] Speaker A: Is this a joke? [00:04:53] Speaker G: Listen carefully. This is no joke. A guy I know sent another guy a bomb. A time bomb. It'll be delivered here in town. It was supposed to be set to go off at seven tonight, but it ain't. He forgot to change the timer before he shipped it. It's set for 2:30 this afternoon, five hours from now. I don't like that. Maybe some poor guy like a mailman will get it instead of the guy who's supposed to. That's why I'm telling you about it. You gotta find it and stop it. One other thing too. It's fixed so it'll go off when you open the package. You got all that? [00:05:32] Speaker A: Sure, I got it. But how do I recognize this bomb? Who's it addressed to? [00:05:37] Speaker G: I ain't telling who sent it. [00:05:38] Speaker A: I don't care about who sent it. Who gets it, who gets the bomb. Hello? [00:05:45] Speaker H: Hello. [00:05:47] Speaker A: Hartley? Yes, sir. You probably heard enough of that to know what's going on. Something about a bomb in the mail. Yeah. Now listen carefully. I'm only gonna tell you once. Get out of here on the double. I want the assistant superintendent of Mayles and the dispatcher, Stuart and Fox. Get him in here as quick as you can. You got that? Yes, sir. [00:06:09] Speaker I: Operator. [00:06:10] Speaker A: Mrs. Jordan, how many inspectors are in today? Do you know? [00:06:13] Speaker I: Just a moment, Mr. Jordan. Mr. Williams is in. Mr. Jackson left word he'll be out in Lincoln county until tomorrow. And Mr. Thompson entered the hospital this morning to have his appendix out. [00:06:28] Speaker A: Well, ring Ed Williams for me, please. Tell him to get over to my office right away. It's Urgent. [00:06:33] Speaker G: Yes, sir. [00:06:35] Speaker A: Oh, Fox. Come in. Sit down. Yes, sir. Something wrong? Plenty. Bomb in the mail. You know much about it? I'll tell you later. Williams and Stuart are in on this too. Man, are we ever in for a busy day. [00:06:48] Speaker H: Hartley said there was a. [00:06:49] Speaker J: Hurry up Call that door in my face, Joe. [00:06:52] Speaker A: Come on in, Ed. Close the door. Sit down, both of you. Now sit down and listen. [00:06:59] Speaker G: Uh. [00:06:59] Speaker B: Oh. [00:06:59] Speaker H: No raises this year. I've been waiting for him to spring it on us. [00:07:02] Speaker A: Button it up, Joe. Here's what we do have staring us in the face. I just told Fox a minute ago there's a bomb in the mail someplace. [00:07:09] Speaker J: Oh, bomb? [00:07:10] Speaker A: That's right. A few minutes ago I got a phone call. I don't know who it was. All I got were these facts. It's now 9:30. Between now and 2:30, we've got to find a time bomb which was mailed to somebody here in town. [00:07:24] Speaker J: Somebody don't have any name at all. [00:07:26] Speaker A: He didn't get around to that. Either he wouldn't tell me or he was cut off. I'm hoping. Just a slender hope. I know. I'm hoping he'll call back, but we can't count on it. [00:07:37] Speaker J: How do we know this isn't a leg pull, Doug? [00:07:39] Speaker A: We don't. But we can't afford to take chances with somebody's life. Would you? [00:07:45] Speaker J: No. [00:07:45] Speaker H: What kind of a package? [00:07:47] Speaker A: We don't know. Any kind. That's great. That spreads your field out something terrific, Stuart. How? Well, you not only have your truck packages, you have carrier packages too. [00:07:56] Speaker H: Carrier wouldn't have that big a package, Stuart. [00:07:58] Speaker A: With the powerful explosives we have nowadays and the small wiring circuits, possible. Why not? [00:08:03] Speaker H: Yeah, I'll give you another one. How about a newspaper roll? That's big enough, isn't it? Carriers handle them, don't they? [00:08:10] Speaker A: That's right. Now, here's what I think. If that thing was mailed early this morning, it's either out there in the parcel post bin or at one of the substations. If it was mailed last night, it's probably on one of the trucks right now. Or else it's been delivered. Or else it's been delivered. [00:08:26] Speaker F: Yes. [00:08:26] Speaker H: A lot of stuff's off the trucks by now. [00:08:29] Speaker A: That complicates it. But let's do what we can as fast as we can. Fox, you round up all of the special delivery cars, send them out after those trucks and get all the packages back here. We'll go over them after they get here. Okay. Try to get the drivers to remember what's been delivered and where. Skip the insurance deliveries. This won't be insured. Get as much back as you can. But what if they can't remember everything? You leave that to me. But do this, too. Call the substations. Get all their stuff in here. All right. Anything else? No, not now. All right, I'm on my way. Stuart, you'll go through our own stuff in the back. [00:09:02] Speaker J: Let's see. [00:09:03] Speaker A: Delivery from New York Central's number three. Hasn't come over from the station yet, has he? No. It makes it a little better. Get everything we've got together in one place and keep it there. Keep the out of town packages out of it. Just add the stuff from the substations and the trucks as it comes in. [00:09:18] Speaker H: And the pickup trucks, of course. [00:09:19] Speaker A: What? [00:09:20] Speaker H: Some of the drop boxes out in the suburbs are for letters and parcels both. We'd get some packages coming in on the pickups from those boxes. [00:09:27] Speaker A: I'd forgotten that. [00:09:28] Speaker H: The truck should be in by 11. We might as well go ahead with everything else until I get here. [00:09:34] Speaker A: Just so we get them as soon as they come in. I'll leave that to you. [00:09:37] Speaker H: If we're going to do all this, I'd better get on it. No use standing around here any longer than necessary. [00:09:41] Speaker A: No, no, go ahead. [00:09:44] Speaker J: You want me to check the factors, right? [00:09:47] Speaker A: I don't have to tell you your business, Ed. I know your record as an inspector is a one. [00:09:53] Speaker J: Well, fill me in a little more, will you, Doug? [00:09:56] Speaker A: Okay, shoot. [00:09:58] Speaker J: This a time bomb? [00:09:59] Speaker A: That's what he said. We have less than five hours now. [00:10:02] Speaker J: Yeah, I got that. Well, what else about it? Would it be safe to open? [00:10:07] Speaker A: No, no. It'll go off if you open it. He said so. [00:10:10] Speaker J: Oh, rougher and rougher. I'm gonna get help, Doug. [00:10:13] Speaker A: All you want. [00:10:14] Speaker J: Use your phone. [00:10:15] Speaker A: Help yourself. [00:10:15] Speaker I: Thanks. Operator, outside line. Thank you. [00:10:43] Speaker G: State police, Company A. Sergeant Rock speaking. [00:10:46] Speaker J: Rocky, this is Ed Williams, post office. Is Jesse in today? [00:10:48] Speaker G: Yeah, you want him? [00:10:49] Speaker J: No, don't call him. [00:10:50] Speaker A: No time. [00:10:50] Speaker J: Tell him to come on over here right away, would you? [00:10:52] Speaker G: Sure. What do you want with explosive experts? You got a bomb? [00:10:56] Speaker J: Maybe. Keep it under your hat. [00:10:58] Speaker G: You know me. [00:10:59] Speaker J: Another thing, Rocky. You guys got the fluoroscope just now. [00:11:02] Speaker G: A touchy one, huh? No, we loaned it to Company E up in Foreman. [00:11:06] Speaker J: I could use it, that's for sure. [00:11:07] Speaker G: It's only about 100 miles. I'll call him up and get him to fly it in. Probably get it to, you know, about an hour or a little over. [00:11:14] Speaker J: Oh, good. And you'll tell Jesse. [00:11:16] Speaker G: Yeah, we'll do. [00:11:18] Speaker J: Now to work, Doug. [00:11:20] Speaker A: Same here, boy. Yeah. [00:11:22] Speaker J: How about those carriers? About a hundred of them, aren't there? [00:11:24] Speaker A: 94. [00:11:25] Speaker J: Well, can you do it? Can you hit them all? [00:11:27] Speaker A: I don't know. All I can do is try. [00:11:32] Speaker J: But you're thinking the same thing I am. Remembering the same case. [00:11:35] Speaker A: Bowling Green, Kentucky. [00:11:37] Speaker J: Yeah. That poor devil of a carrier. Alive, but barely. [00:11:42] Speaker A: That's one reason I want to find this bomb before our luck runs out. [00:11:46] Speaker J: We're going to see that that it doesn't run out. [00:11:49] Speaker A: I hope you're right, Ed. I sure hope you're right. [00:12:11] Speaker E: You are listening to Frank Fragile Contents Death. Tonight's presentation in radio's outstanding theater of thrills, Suspense. [00:12:29] Speaker F: For you, the choice between living an ethical life or that of a fugitive from the law may be an easy one to make. But for the young parolee in tomorrow night's drama on the FBI in peace and war, the choice is more difficult. His old criminal friends want to involve him in an easy money scheme. When he comes to the turning point, that moment at which he must decide between staying straight or going back to a life of crime, the temptation is most intense for drama that packs a human interest punch. Don't miss the turning point tomorrow night when the FBI in peace and war is on the air over most of these same stations. [00:13:06] Speaker E: And now we bring back to Our Hollywood soundstage Mr. Victor Perrin, starring in tonight's production, fragile content death. A tale well calculated to keep you in suspense. [00:13:34] Speaker A: They were all on it now. Williams, Fox, Stewart and all the others we could trust to keep a cool head. The lid was on every place possible. To the average man buying his 3 cent stamp, it was business as usual. We didn't even let the majority of the help know it. But off in one of our fairly isolated corners, a pile of packages was growing. I looked at the clock. 10:20. Just about an hour gone. Four hours left. Oh, Stu. How are things going? Who knows? [00:14:08] Speaker H: Well as can be expected in a thing like this, I suppose. [00:14:12] Speaker A: Better wipe off that sweat before somebody tumbles that the day isn't that hot. [00:14:16] Speaker J: Thanks. [00:14:18] Speaker A: Sit down, huh? Are any of them wise yet? [00:14:24] Speaker H: Don't think so. [00:14:26] Speaker A: It'll probably get out. Things have a way. [00:14:29] Speaker H: Yeah, that they do. [00:14:31] Speaker A: How are you standing at yourself? Well, are you worried? [00:14:35] Speaker H: Not very happy. [00:14:37] Speaker A: None of us are. [00:14:38] Speaker H: I keep thinking, what if I get hold of the thing? [00:14:40] Speaker A: Ever been in an explosion? [00:14:42] Speaker J: No. [00:14:43] Speaker A: You weren't in the service now. Ever see an explosion? Been close to one? [00:14:48] Speaker H: Yeah. Well, I came by once just after A gasoline truck tangled with a pole and took off. [00:14:55] Speaker A: This is a pretty bad sight, I see. Would. Would you like to take the day off? [00:15:04] Speaker H: I wouldn't think of it. [00:15:05] Speaker A: Nobody'd blame you. I wouldn't, I promise you. [00:15:08] Speaker H: I can't do that, Doug. What if I did and the thing got by and I could have prevented it? I'm nervous. Maybe I don't like the setup. Maybe. But I'm not chicken. I'm staying with it. [00:15:21] Speaker A: I figured you would, Joe. [00:15:23] Speaker H: They say every soldier figures the next bullet isn't going to get him. That's the way I'm figuring myself on this deal. [00:15:29] Speaker A: Good idea. The only thing we have to worry about. Joe. Where is this one aimed? 11:32 hours gone. I went back to the mailroom. Hello, Doug. How's it going? Well, we have all this over here so far. A lot of work. Any leads, Ed? [00:15:58] Speaker J: Not yet. Not even anything suspicious. [00:16:00] Speaker A: Well, how can you tell? [00:16:02] Speaker J: I can't tell, really. Sometimes there's something about the handwriting or the printing of the. I guess you just feel it sometimes. I don't know. I don't get anything like that in this stuff. [00:16:13] Speaker A: Not even a fake return address? [00:16:15] Speaker J: Not a one in the lot. None of the locals anyway. We've checked them all. [00:16:19] Speaker A: Fluoroscope in yet. [00:16:20] Speaker J: Well, the plane's in. They phoned me a few minutes ago. It's on the way over. Be here any minute. [00:16:24] Speaker A: Swell. [00:16:24] Speaker G: Mr. Jordan, telephone. [00:16:26] Speaker A: Okay. What line? On eight. Thank you. I'll get it. This is Jordan. [00:16:35] Speaker G: Mr. Jordan, this is Malloy in truck 15. [00:16:38] Speaker A: Yes, Malloy. [00:16:39] Speaker G: I got the word about getting back these packages. Everything's practically okay. Only this my second delivery. I left one off at this place. 1724 Lime Street I go back there a while ago and nobody's home. [00:16:52] Speaker A: They were there when you left the package? [00:16:54] Speaker G: Yeah. A fat bald headed guy took it, as I remember. [00:16:57] Speaker A: We'll check the neighbors. [00:16:58] Speaker G: I already have, Mr. Jordan. Nobody knows for sure where they went. There's some talk about them leaving for Washington this morning, but I can't pin it down. They drove anyway. Car's gone. Garage is empty. [00:17:10] Speaker A: That's using your head, Malloy. At least we have something to shoot at. Do you remember the name? [00:17:14] Speaker G: No, I don't. But that fat guy sure looked like a crook. Tabbed him for one the minute I left. [00:17:20] Speaker A: What's that? [00:17:21] Speaker G: Well, Miller came driving out and caught me and said you were hunting a package of stolen goods in the mail. Maybe shot off his mouth too much, huh? Wasn't I supposed to know? [00:17:32] Speaker A: No, no, Malloy. It's all right. I forgot that he knew what we were after. Will you say you got everything else? [00:17:38] Speaker G: Yeah. Be right in. If you say so. [00:17:41] Speaker A: You do that. Check, Foxy. Yeah. Look up 1724 Lime street and get the name. Anything else? Get that name, then get onto it. The state police to intercept them if possible. Those people received a package this morning. They may have left town for Washington. They're probably driving. With luck, they may not have opened that parcel yet. It's a real long shot, sir. Going on a trip carrying an unopened package. I doubt it. It's against common sense. But we have to try. You try, Foxy. 12 o' clock, lunchtime. I ordinarily eat at Bailey's, but not today. We had sandwiches and coffee brought in. The coffee was welcome, but we didn't seem to be very hungry. Alone in my office sipping coffee, all I could think about was the time was half gone. This is Jordan, darling. [00:18:38] Speaker I: Haven't you forgotten something? [00:18:40] Speaker A: Oh, hello, dear. Forgotten something? [00:18:43] Speaker I: I'm down at Bailey's waiting for you. I've been here 25 minutes. We're lunching together today, remember? [00:18:49] Speaker A: Oh, yes. Well, look, Alice, I'm afraid I'm gonna have to stand you up. Something's come up. [00:18:54] Speaker I: You'll be sorry. There's the best looking man sitting in here all by himself. The tall, rugged, iron gray type. You know how I go for those. He'd probably be very glad to buy me a meal. [00:19:05] Speaker A: You try him and see. I have confidence in you, sweetheart. Anything to save us a buck. [00:19:10] Speaker I: Then you definitely aren't coming. [00:19:12] Speaker A: I'm afraid not. I'll tell you all about it tonight sometime. [00:19:16] Speaker I: Remind me never to marry a busy executive again. Bye. [00:19:20] Speaker A: Bye. What do you got? Foxy things in my mind, Doug. First, let me get this one off. The cops picked up the Morgans. The Morgans? Yeah, the couple who were driving to Washington found him in a service station on the edge of town. They got the package? Well, they'd already opened it. Nothing much in it except some fancy sports shirts from Morgan himself. Then they're on their way again. Yeah, with apologies, I understand. They were scared silly, though. Morgan offered to show the cop the shirts. Even wanted to give him one. Afraid they were stolen goods. I'm glad that's cleaned up. [00:19:46] Speaker G: Yeah. [00:19:46] Speaker A: Say, just had a call from the Woodmont branch. Go on. Say, you remember Spicer? Spicer? Yeah. Suspicion of robbing the mails. What about him? Looks as though he hung one on himself this time. How's that? Well, as I say, this clerk out at Woodmont put a bunch of packages in the bins just before he quit. Last night he remembered one for Dr. Turner. This Turner, it seems. Collects magazine, first edition. Sometimes these aren't worth insuring, sometimes they are, but they're always worth something more than their original price. And this package looked like one of those. What about the carrier, Spicer? Well, it seems he blew in just as the place was about to close. Said he forgot a bag of his with some new shoes that he bought. He drifted through and then right out again. Nobody paid any attention at the time. And? And this morning, Turner's package is gone. Is that it? Where's Spicer? It's his day off. Substitute's working. They're sure the package is gone? Well, Turner called to ask if it came in and they couldn't trace it. That's how they were sure it's missing. Well, I don't have to tell you the next move, do I? No, I already tried. Called his roaming house. He's not in. Didn't come in last night either. Do I call the police? I'd better do that, Foxy. Thanks. Even if he has the thing, he surely opened it by now. I think so myself. But we can't be sure. We can't take chances. I better call. [00:20:56] Speaker I: Operator. [00:20:57] Speaker A: Get me the police station. Ed. And he lucked with this pile of stuff. [00:21:15] Speaker J: Well, one that's uncertain. Trying to make up my mind. [00:21:18] Speaker A: That so? Let's see here. It's not very big. Wouldn't have to be addressed to Jack Gordon. 128 Andrews street is that anybody important? [00:21:30] Speaker J: Never heard the name. If you ask me, it's a kid. [00:21:33] Speaker A: What makes you think so? Return address, Columbia Foods Incorporated. [00:21:38] Speaker J: Cereal coupons. Fluoroscope indicates a watch inside. Let's put a stethoscope on it. [00:21:43] Speaker A: Okay. [00:21:51] Speaker J: Get it. [00:21:54] Speaker A: Ticks. [00:21:55] Speaker H: All right. [00:21:56] Speaker J: Question. Is it a dollar watch or is it it. [00:22:01] Speaker A: A watch? Probably. [00:22:04] Speaker J: Probably. [00:22:06] Speaker A: Let's play it safe. [00:22:07] Speaker J: That's what I thought. [00:22:09] Speaker A: Take it outside. [00:22:11] Speaker J: Ordinarily, yes, but we couldn't detect anything that would trigger the thing. So we'll put it in the water bucket here. [00:22:23] Speaker A: Did you put wetting agent in the water? [00:22:25] Speaker J: Yeah. It'll soak so they're wrapping quicker. And then throw anything else inside that much faster. That does it. Inside takes a little longer. [00:22:44] Speaker A: Reminds me of the time I put in as an inspector here. [00:22:48] Speaker J: You were pretty good, Doug. [00:22:51] Speaker A: Just lucky. [00:22:52] Speaker J: Getting the walkers. Lucky. Well, better have a look at your toy here. [00:23:03] Speaker A: Easy. [00:23:06] Speaker J: Easy. Off she comes. There. Looks as though we were right the first Time, Doug. Here. Have a pocket watch. Genuine Hoppy. [00:23:24] Speaker A: Keep it for a souvenir. [00:23:26] Speaker J: That's one kid we all watch. Well, a budget standard. [00:23:29] Speaker A: It'll strain it, but it won't break it. [00:23:31] Speaker J: Hey, let's step out back. I need a cigarette. [00:23:34] Speaker A: Good idea. You heard about this carrier, Spicer? [00:23:39] Speaker J: Yeah, Foxy told me. Get him yet? [00:23:41] Speaker A: The police haven't. [00:23:42] Speaker J: Maybe the police haven't got him. But has it? [00:23:53] Speaker A: The clock's hands were still going around 1:30. Just about one hour to go. And still we hadn't found that bomb. We hadn't found it. We hadn't found the missing carrier. All we had found was a new headache every few minutes. Mrs. Jordan. [00:24:11] Speaker G: Mr. Jordan, this is Malloy again. The driver, you know. [00:24:14] Speaker A: Oh, yes, Malloy. Do you have something new? [00:24:16] Speaker G: Well, sorta. You see, Mr. Jordan is like this. While I was eating lunch, I kept thinking. And all of a sudden I remember this other package I delivered this morning out on Beach Avenue. So I drive over here to see about it. I'm at the house now. [00:24:29] Speaker A: Have you got the package? Have they opened it? [00:24:31] Speaker G: No, it ain't open. Well, you. You better talk to this lady, Mr. Jordan. She won't listen to me here. Mrs. Bates, this is the postmaster on the line himself in person. Hello. [00:24:44] Speaker I: This driver says you're the postmaster. Is that right? [00:24:46] Speaker A: That's right. This is Douglas Jordan. [00:24:48] Speaker I: I don't understand all this about the package which came from my husband. First this man delivers it, now he wants it back. [00:24:54] Speaker A: But he's perfectly right, Mrs. Bates. We'd very much like to have that parcel. [00:24:58] Speaker I: I don't see why. It has my husband's name on it. It's the correct address. I'm afraid I can't give it back until my husband has a chance to examine it. [00:25:07] Speaker A: What did our driver tell you, Mrs. Bates? [00:25:09] Speaker I: He had some story about stolen goods. But that doesn't make sense. Anyone would know that. My husband would. [00:25:15] Speaker A: Someone. Someone may have confused him with another Bates. Have you thought of that? [00:25:20] Speaker I: No, I hadn't. But I'm still sure that my husband should pass judgment on this. If I were to take the responsibility and I were wrong. [00:25:28] Speaker A: Let me take the responsibility, Mrs. Bates. [00:25:30] Speaker I: He might not see it that way. He might say I let myself be talked into something. [00:25:34] Speaker A: Mrs. Bates, believe me, I'm sure your husband would be the first to thank us. If he only knew, on my word of honor, we must have that package. [00:25:42] Speaker I: Well, it's your responsibility. Understand here, young man. But I don't think my husband will thank you. He doesn't like anyone connected with the government. None of you for that. [00:25:54] Speaker A: I'm sorry, Mrs. Bates, but thank you for giving us that parcel. But it wasn't what we were after. A box of advertising pencils, that was all. Then it was half an hour. I forced myself to stay in my office waiting for a call that they'd caught Spicer or that someone somewhere had turned up something. Ed, any luck? [00:26:28] Speaker J: Not a bit. We've combed everything. Not a thing. [00:26:31] Speaker A: They haven't caught up with Spicer yet. [00:26:35] Speaker J: I. I think that's a false lead. Anyway, if he has the thing, he's opened it by now. [00:26:39] Speaker A: That leaves us nowhere. [00:26:41] Speaker J: Yes, it does. [00:26:42] Speaker A: Somebody's forgotten something. That. That must be it. [00:26:46] Speaker J: Maybe. Could be all a hoax, you know. Samantha, don't you want it to be a hoax? All this effort and nothing to show for it. That it? Want to repeat the Walker business? Catch a murderer through the mail? [00:26:57] Speaker A: No, Ed. No. I just want to be sure. [00:27:00] Speaker J: Oh, by the way, he's out, you know. [00:27:02] Speaker A: Who? [00:27:04] Speaker J: Steve Walker. The brother. He's out of jail. Didn't you know? Why you looking so funny? [00:27:11] Speaker A: Steve Walker. He said he'd get me. [00:27:16] Speaker J: Yeah, so what? [00:27:17] Speaker A: Where did I put it? Where's that lawn sprinkler? [00:27:20] Speaker J: Lawn sprinkler? [00:27:20] Speaker A: Now I know. [00:27:22] Speaker J: Where'd that package come from. [00:27:24] Speaker A: I've had it right here all day. Didn't even think about it. Came early this morning. [00:27:27] Speaker J: Let's not think. Let's move. Give me that. [00:27:33] Speaker A: Is there time? [00:27:34] Speaker J: I think so. Better be. Get it under the fluoroscope. [00:27:47] Speaker A: Look. [00:27:48] Speaker J: That's it, brother. That's it. All right. [00:27:52] Speaker A: Do you have time to take it out to a safe place? [00:27:53] Speaker J: No, sir. All we can do is put it in a water bucket, take it into the alley and pray. [00:27:57] Speaker A: Okay. [00:28:03] Speaker J: Here goes. Water. Get through that wrapper, Doug. We'll. We'll give it an hour, just in case. [00:28:22] Speaker A: Five minutes. Fifteen. Thirty minutes, 45. One hour and then. [00:28:40] Speaker J: Well, Doug, there it is. All in little pieces. Be glad those pieces aren't you. [00:28:47] Speaker A: I am, Ed. [00:28:48] Speaker J: I am a pretty good collection of evidence. You can go out to Steve Walker with this. Doug. [00:28:53] Speaker G: Mr. Jordan, telephone coming on four. [00:28:59] Speaker A: This is Jordan. [00:29:00] Speaker I: Well, I couldn't bear the thought of you plodding away down there now. Maybe you'd like to hear the story about my luncheon. It was the most. [00:29:07] Speaker A: It better be good, honey. Wait till you hear the one I've got for you. [00:29:33] Speaker E: Suspense. In which Mr. Victor Perrin starred in tonight's presentation of fragile contents. [00:29:40] Speaker D: Death. [00:29:41] Speaker E: Be sure to listen. Next week when we again bring you another presentation of radio's outstanding theater of thrills, Suspense. Suspense is produced and directed in Hollywood by Anthony Ellis. Tonight's story was written by John F. Souter. The music was composed by Renee Garaghank and conducted by Wilbur Hatch. Featured in the cast were Vivi Janis, Leonard Weinrib, Helen Kleeb, Herbert Ellis, Ted Bliss, John Larch, Charles Seale, and Frank Gerstel. [00:30:21] Speaker F: This Friday night, the CBS Radio Workshop takes you on an exciting excursion into the world of fantasy as it recounts Antoine de Saint Azupery's delightful story of the Little Prince. A best seller in America as well as France and a joy to readers of all ages, the Little Prince is sure to be one of your all time dramatic favorites as you hear it this Friday night over most of these same stations on the CBS Radio Workshop. Stay tuned for five minutes of CBS News to be followed on most of these same stations by my son, Jeep. You hear america's favorite shows on the cbs radio network. [00:31:25] Speaker B: That was Fragile contents, Death from Suspense here on the mysterious old Radio Listening Society podcast. Once again, I'm Eric. [00:31:34] Speaker C: I'm Tim. [00:31:34] Speaker D: And I'm Joshua. [00:31:36] Speaker B: And that was brought to us by our Patreon listener and supporter, Cole. Cole. Thank you so much for your request. [00:31:45] Speaker C: That was a fun little peek behind the scenes. [00:31:54] Speaker B: Yeah. [00:31:55] Speaker C: I want to address one quick thing that was from the Suspense Project blog, which is the punctuation of the title. Apparently the original script was punctuated fragile contents comma, death. But then in subsequent appearances, I think in the paper it was fragile colon, contents death. So it wasn't fragile contents death. It was fragile contents death. [00:32:22] Speaker B: The second way you just said it makes more sense. [00:32:24] Speaker C: Destiny as well. But we put it in the intro as it originally was in the script, and now I'll pronounce it. [00:32:29] Speaker D: However, I feel there was one publication where there was an exclamation mark after each word. Fragile contents, death. [00:32:37] Speaker B: Yeah, that doesn't. [00:32:38] Speaker D: Just a little bit of trivia. [00:32:39] Speaker C: Is that the musical version? [00:32:40] Speaker D: Yeah, the musical version. [00:32:42] Speaker B: Fragile contents, death. Yeah. [00:32:46] Speaker D: Fragile contents, death. [00:32:50] Speaker B: And then there was a one that titled it On a Country Road. And they were way off. So my jury's out on this. I'm going to be honest. Here's what happened. He gets the package of the sprinkler head and I'm like, oh, that's something I need to pay attention to. And then they get the bomb threat. And I went, and it's in the package. [00:33:16] Speaker D: So did I. [00:33:18] Speaker B: And that created no suspense for me. [00:33:22] Speaker D: I'm going to agree with you. Now, here's the saving grace for me is Suspense is such a good show that you can literally kill the show's namesake. And it has a lot of other interesting parts to it. So on a second listen, I enjoyed it a lot more. But I agree with you. When it is a series that relies on a twist ending that was a little disappointing. And I even thought about it, I went, wait, are they trying to do the Alfred Hitchcock? [00:33:59] Speaker C: You're gonna know. [00:34:00] Speaker D: You're gonna know where the bomb is, and we're gonna build suspense that way. But I don't think so, because if you were doing that, you would have moments where they pick up the package or they sit down and have coffee on the back. It's like all these things make you, like, don't do that. [00:34:13] Speaker A: Right. [00:34:14] Speaker D: I think they meant to hide. [00:34:16] Speaker B: Play soccer with the cat package. [00:34:19] Speaker A: Yeah. [00:34:19] Speaker B: I don't think. [00:34:20] Speaker D: Did you catch it right away? [00:34:22] Speaker C: I. I didn't clock the sprinkler delivery at the top. [00:34:27] Speaker B: I was all I could think about. [00:34:28] Speaker C: That being said, every like, is it here? Is it here? I thought, probably not. [00:34:33] Speaker D: Probably not. There's still 15 more minutes. [00:34:36] Speaker B: Right. [00:34:37] Speaker C: So I think just about any solution at the end was going to be like, oh, it's there. You've tried several things, and it didn't work. And it didn't work. And it didn't work. And then it worked. [00:34:47] Speaker D: Yeah. I think to Cole's point, though, what was fascinating about this is that it is a Dragnet style post office procedural, and that's where it comes to life and where it distinguishes itself from other suspense episodes. Even though, for me, it did screw the suspense pooch. Is that an expression? [00:35:10] Speaker B: I'm gonna agree with you. So my first reaction after listening to this was that felt like an episode of Dragnet. [00:35:18] Speaker C: Yeah. [00:35:19] Speaker D: Down to the eccentric characters that they had to deal with. The lady on the phone that would not return the package because her husband would judge her harshly for it. [00:35:31] Speaker C: The guy who steals packages, as we. [00:35:33] Speaker B: Were talking about off the air or whatever that is, we were talking about, oh, if someone gives you something to eat or drink and tells you it's something and it's not that, even though you love that, you go, right. Like Tim's thinking he was going to drink juice and it was actually milk, and you go, oh, that's terrible. If you like milk. [00:35:53] Speaker D: About weird things while we're recording, we are boring. [00:35:59] Speaker B: If you would have said to me, here's an episode of Dragnet, I would have enjoyed this much more do you know what I'm saying? [00:36:05] Speaker C: Yeah, it's a spin off Post Office Dragnet. [00:36:08] Speaker B: Yeah, something like that. [00:36:09] Speaker C: That'd be awesome. [00:36:11] Speaker B: But because it was suspense, I'm waiting for that. It didn't follow the formula of suspense. However, if you don't tell me it's suspense, then that's a whole other thing to listen to. And consequently, it's a different opinion. Like, oh, that was procedural and interesting. [00:36:29] Speaker D: I wonder how much of that was intentional. Or that the success and popularity of Dragnet just almost unconsciously affected other radio shows. Oh, interesting. There's that scene where I can't remember what the character's name, but he's brought in to help with all this. And he's like, I'm gonna call my buddy at the police station who's a bomb specialist. But they. In classic Dragnet style, they do that call in real time, let the phone ring. The operator picks up, and then she puts him through. And they wait for the police sergeant to pick up the phone. [00:37:04] Speaker B: Correct. [00:37:05] Speaker D: Wow. [00:37:06] Speaker C: Yeah, there was a lot of connecting to the operator. [00:37:10] Speaker B: It was very much in that style. [00:37:12] Speaker C: People love talking to the operator in suspense episodes. Looking into the history of this episode and its predecessor, it was mentioned that Vic Paron. That's his name. Had a stronger performance than Paul Douglas in the previous one. [00:37:32] Speaker D: That I. [00:37:34] Speaker C: Having not heard that one, I would say he gave a really strong performance. I think the lead in this was really good. [00:37:38] Speaker B: I thought everybody was really good. Again, this requires you not to be listening to an episode of suspense to enjoy it. That's absolutely where I stand on this. [00:37:50] Speaker D: Also, Jordan, That Inspector Jordan, or whatever the heck his name is. Postmaster Jordan. Seems like I'm making fun of him. Whatever. Postmaster Jordan. [00:38:03] Speaker C: How many job titles that. If his name is. [00:38:06] Speaker B: If his name is Postmaster Jones, then it would sound more like you're making fun of me. [00:38:10] Speaker D: But his calm or McGee. [00:38:12] Speaker C: Postmaster McGee. [00:38:15] Speaker D: His urgent yet calm and logical approach as he brings you, the listener, through each step. And how they try to figure this out is really appealing. One thing that jumped out at me right away, and I'm like, I wouldn't have thought of this immediately, but I guess if you're Postmaster Jordan, you would. But, like, what's the smallest a bomb could possibly be? So we can rule out anything smaller than that. [00:38:42] Speaker C: I didn't include it in the quote from Suspense Project, but they listed the size of the package that blew up in Bowling Green. And it was like two and a half by one and a half inches. Like, it's small. [00:38:53] Speaker D: Oh, wow. [00:38:54] Speaker B: Ew. Interesting. [00:38:56] Speaker D: And a bomber wouldn't insure his bomb. Yes. I love that. So we can rule out. Because time is limited, rule out any insured packages. So smart. What I liked about the episode is what killed the suspense in many ways. Right. Because you stay in this office with them, and so at some point, like you said, you realize, oh, well, we haven't left this office. That's really cool. And makes it seem like the hub and this action is all taking place there. Then even if I hadn't clocked the sprinkler as the bomb, you do at some point know. Well, we're not leaving this office at this point. All the information is coming through phone calls. The bomb has to be here. [00:39:36] Speaker C: I will say the one other version in my head, because I didn't catch, like, oh, he got a package with a sprinkler in it. Apparently, this is not important to me. Like, you and your mail. I don't care. Was that his wife was gonna call and he'd hear it explode on the other end. [00:39:50] Speaker D: Was that. Oh. But that brings up another thing I really liked about this episode. And until I heard it, I didn't realize how rare it was. In Old Time Radio. His wife calls, he answers. He has to stay at work. Can't really. He doesn't want to spread panic. He can't really tell her. And they have this warm, witty, nice conversation back and forth with the little teasing, and they hang up. And I realized, listening to that, like, never in Old Time Radio, if your wife calls you at work, she's a battle ax. [00:40:23] Speaker G: Correct. [00:40:24] Speaker D: You're going to fight. [00:40:25] Speaker B: I told you not to call me here. Yeah. [00:40:27] Speaker D: The husband's going to be a jerk. She's going to handpick him. It's going to be this cliche, and that really stood. Stood out. Yeah. [00:40:36] Speaker B: Yeah. [00:40:36] Speaker D: And it made you like him more. [00:40:38] Speaker A: And. [00:40:39] Speaker B: And that really fun. There's a very handsome man here. And the playful ofness was. [00:40:45] Speaker D: It felt really authentic relief. [00:40:47] Speaker C: He's protecting her from this knowledge. Like, I might die. [00:40:50] Speaker D: Yeah. Yeah. So you might want to start talking. [00:40:56] Speaker B: Right. I. One of the things that I'm curious about, to me, you get a bomb threat at the post office, right? The first step is to call the police. The fact that they're handling it internally is really odd to me. Do you know what I'm saying? Like that there is no, okay, everybody get out of the building. And calling the police, that would be, to me, the first and only step. [00:41:20] Speaker C: There's a lot of mitigating circumstances. They Give you in this that I felt like they're playing pretty fair of how many different places there are. They have to pull packages from so many different places, not just to have the one stacked there. I don't know how much bomb detection expertise the police had at this point. [00:41:40] Speaker G: And they. [00:41:41] Speaker C: They just have to figure it out from context clues rather than bomb detection. [00:41:45] Speaker B: Right. I just would assume the protocol in place would be, all right, everybody get out of the building and call the police and they'll handle this. I wouldn't think that the post office is trained. [00:41:59] Speaker C: They take it upon themselves of, we'll. [00:42:00] Speaker B: Do it, we'll do it. [00:42:01] Speaker D: Yeah. Because they call the police and they clearly. His bomb expert brings him the wedding agent. The wedding agent to make water wetter. [00:42:11] Speaker C: John Suter was a chemist, so he knows this stuff. [00:42:14] Speaker D: It reduces the water's surface tension, allowing it to spread and absorb and penetrate more effectively into surfaces. [00:42:23] Speaker B: I'm gonna remember that next time I'm doing practical jokes about a hundred of them in my head right now with wetter water. [00:42:32] Speaker D: Let's call an agent wedding. He'll take care of this prank. I also really identified with the woman on the phone and her husband, who says he doesn't like anyone associated with the government. [00:42:48] Speaker A: None of you. [00:42:51] Speaker D: Amen, sister. [00:42:54] Speaker C: Just perform your service for me and get out. It did take me a second to parse the information. I don't know if I got extra dumb listening to this or what happened, but when the name got the brother. What brother? Who? What I eventually get like, oh, from the previous bombing that you have some history with. That's why it was sent to you. [00:43:15] Speaker D: Yes, but it made me stumble, too. And I went back like, oh, wait, did they mention the brother earlier? I went back a second time and I didn't catch that. [00:43:25] Speaker B: I didn't either. [00:43:26] Speaker D: But again, that's where it felt dragnetty, where they're like, we're not going to give you a bunch of exposition. We're going to have people talk like they talk, and you're a fly in the wall. You don't get any extra information. No extra narration, no special treatment. You ignoramus, you. [00:43:45] Speaker B: You ignoramus. [00:43:46] Speaker D: There's also a really nice human moment when I can't say Postmaster Jordan without being Postmaster McGee, when he says, have you ever been in an explosion? [00:43:58] Speaker B: Yeah. [00:43:59] Speaker D: And I'm taken aback a little by that question, like, how common were explosions in. [00:44:04] Speaker B: And then. And then it turns out it was. Well, there was at one time when that gas tanker wrapped itself around telephone. [00:44:09] Speaker D: Pole but also when he said, other than you weren't in the war, and so I'm like, so there, but still you. [00:44:15] Speaker B: He wasn't in the war, but still, he was near a huge explosion. [00:44:18] Speaker D: What are the odds? [00:44:18] Speaker B: I've never been near. [00:44:19] Speaker D: It just was high. Apparently emasculated in that moment. He's like, I was there when that truck blew up. It was awesome. I love explosions. Shut up. [00:44:31] Speaker C: Shut up. I, for whatever reason, thought they were gonna go into a description of like. Well, first there is an outward burst, and then the air all sucks back into whatever. These forensic shows I watch all the time, I just start filling in content. [00:44:46] Speaker B: Mythbusters. [00:44:50] Speaker D: Did 94 mail carriers seem like a lot or a little to you? [00:44:54] Speaker B: When you stop and think about surface area and homes and apartment buildings, I'm surprised there isn't a billion postal carriers. [00:45:05] Speaker D: Yeah, it seemed a little low to me. [00:45:08] Speaker B: Right. Like, that's a lot of ground to cover. And the fact that we still do that is. That's a lot. [00:45:15] Speaker D: And he could be making all this up, but he had such a granular detail in here that he convinced me that he knew what he was talking about. [00:45:22] Speaker B: Yeah. [00:45:23] Speaker C: It might have also been reduced to, like, we know a specific schedule. Like, this particular window of time is all we need to deal with where. [00:45:30] Speaker B: These 94 carriers would be. Yes, I get that. Well, any other thoughts, gents? [00:45:37] Speaker D: I could vote. [00:45:38] Speaker B: I'll vote Tim. You gotta start. [00:45:41] Speaker C: Okay. [00:45:43] Speaker D: I could vote Tim. [00:45:46] Speaker C: I'll have the garlic bread with some baked ziti. [00:45:51] Speaker B: Don't. I'm starving. I'm so hungry right now. [00:45:54] Speaker C: I don't think I would call this a classic. As we've been saying, it's off the beaten path of suspense a little bit. In the structure of it. The suspense is not in the sudden twist at the end. It is in just this literal ticking somewhere clock of there'll be a bomb going off, and when that happens, we'll see where the characters are. It's like musical chairs. [00:46:15] Speaker D: It's exactly like that. [00:46:17] Speaker C: All that being said, really well acted. I do like the script a lot. So, yeah, abundantly stands the test of time. I think it still really, really packs a wallop. And it's all the procedural fun that is probably even more popular now than it was at the time. [00:46:34] Speaker B: I will say that this is a really good radio show. The plot, the writing, the acting, the production value, all of it. It's a really good radio show. It is a terrible episode of suspense. Does that make sense? But when you remove yourself from that, there's nothing to hate about it. In fact, I think it's extraordinarily well done. [00:46:58] Speaker D: Yeah, I think it is a great premise let down by, to me, the obviousness of the solution. Yep, not a classic and I think a standing the test of time really depends whether or not you immediately went oh, it's in the sprinkler box. All that being said, for all the reasons we nerded out about its Dragnet esque qualities, the post Office procedural, some of the authenticating detail, it's definitely of historical interest of its connection to an actual bombing, I doubt there's another suspense episode that blows the twist and is still this enjoyable, right? Legitimately, I can't quite it kind of irritates me. I want to dislike it more. But yeah, its setting is so unique, as Cole said, and then combined with something so familiar like Dragnet, it really creates something just weird. [00:48:00] Speaker C: And the character is so well fleshed out and likable. [00:48:04] Speaker B: Right Tim, tell him stuff. [00:48:06] Speaker C: Please go visit ghoulishdelights.com it's the home of this podcast. You'll find other episodes there. You can listen to nine years worth of radio episodes later. If it's later you can also leave comments. You'll be able to find out sort through episodes by series like did they listen to some other episode of Suspense they felt this way about? You can figure it out. And you can also find a link to our merchandise store. Buy yourself some coffee cups. [00:48:38] Speaker D: Some awkward pauses. [00:48:41] Speaker C: We got those in abundance with our logo on it. Is the rest of that statement and a link? [00:48:47] Speaker D: Did you mean awkward pauses with our logo on it? I think we've thoroughly branded social awkwardness. [00:48:55] Speaker C: I mean it's a good but the shipping is forever. You'll also find a link to our Patreon page. [00:49:02] Speaker D: Yes, go to patreon.com themorals and be like Cole support this podcast. Thank you Cole both for supporting the podcast. Thank you for sending this very unique episode to us. It was a fun discussion. Encourage others to be like you Cole. You are our missionary out there in the world. [00:49:22] Speaker C: Bring us more members and and Hassan Pfeffer. [00:49:28] Speaker D: I'm out. [00:49:31] Speaker B: The mysterious Old Radio Listening Society Theater Company also does live on stage radio dramas. We do recreations of classic old time radio shows and a lot of our own original work. Come see us performing radio plays by going to ghoulishdelights.com and there you will find out where, when we're performing, what shows we're performing and how to get tickets. If you can't make it to our shows. Being a Patreon, we do record the audio of our shows and the audio recordings are made available and provided to our patreons. What is coming up next? [00:50:06] Speaker D: Next, we'll be listening to an episode of Nightfall entitled They Bite. Until then. [00:50:21] Speaker E: And now, tonight's presentation of radio's outstanding Theater of Thrills, Suspense.