 Session, ebullary of man, there is a simple word, a word of only six letters, but one fraught with more portent and undercurrent than all the words in the modern lexicon. ESCAPE, escape, the running away from the here to the there, from the known into the unknown, when the present is a knife twisting in a wound and the pain is beyond bearing. ESCAPE is an anesthesia, a snare and a delusion, a pitfall into which so many run afoul. In a moment you'll hear this story of a man who ran away from himself a thousand miles, ten thousand miles, yet could not leave one inch from his point of embarkation. The title is EBTITE, starring Gale Page and Ellie Lewis, a narrative of a strange and mind leaching obsession. It is the inexorable order of the universe that as the mystic magnetic forces of the moon sweep the tides of earth into the high mark of flat. So again are they swept out to that shelving reach that is known as the EBT. It is of this that we speak, the low level in which man in his equation of life occasionally finds himself. When the forces of hope and courage and ambition and faith are swept up beyond sight by a strange inexplicable toss to quote the master as the tide goes clear out so must it always come clear in that the line of failure and success is so fine that man scarcely knows when he's upon it and thus in a great hospital a small group of men are gathered. Let us call them men in white. This scene is one of dignity, of scholarship and learning. White-haired Dr. John Cummings, Chief Surgeon, is speaking. I have here this afternoon to pay tribute and respect to a colleague, a gentleman whose skill in the surgical theater and whose keen understanding of human ales belies his age and commands for him our deepest admiration and pride in calling him one of us. Gentlemen, it is my honor to present the Scofield Award of Medicine to Dr. Philip Halstead. May I state in passing that Dr. Halstead is the youngest man of our profession to ever receive this award. Dr. Halstead in the name of medicine and humanity, my sincerest congratulations. Thank you, Dr. Cummings. Gentlemen, I can't tell you how grateful I am for your acclaim. It humbles me all the more to know that such gentlemen of wisdom have placed so much confidence and responsibility in me. And in accepting, I can only make the same vow again that I did make once before. I swear by Apollo, Panacea, Hygea, and all the gods and goddesses, and make them my witness, that I shall carry out the regimen of the sick and afflicted and give them of my knowledge. Gentlemen, it is my constant prayer to one God that he will grant me an ever continuing power of that knowledge. Phyllis! Phyllis! I beg your pardon. Bill, what on earth are you doing home at this time of day? Mr. Danvers, may I present my husband, Dr. Halstead? How do you do, Doctor? Quite well, thank you. Mr. Danvers is an old friend of mine, dear. He just dropped in to say hello. Extremely nice of him, I'm sure. You'd better run upstairs, darling, and change clothes. You smell like a hospital, and it positively makes me sick. I'm not staying, Phyllis. I'll be home later. Goodbye. Goodbye, Doctor. But, Phil! Isn't he dreadful, Reggie? He's got a jealous streak in him, a yard wide. Oh, do you blame him, my dear? After all, coming home and finding your lovely wife being kissed by another man. Dr. Halstead, I am turning over that Jackson case to you. I want you to operate in the morning. I didn't tell you what you're up against. I think you know. What? I beg your pardon, Doctor. I heard you. I was thinking about something else, I guess. Yes, I'll take care of the case. In fact, I'd better run up and take a look at him now. At him, Doctor? I was referring to the case of D-19, Mrs. Jackson. Mrs. Jackson? Yes, of course, how stupid of me. Yes, after you make the pre-surgical examination, Doctor, you'd better go home for the rest of the day. You'll be in for quite a siege in the morning. Siege? Yes, I guess you're right. You've finally decided to come home. Do you know what time it is? I was waiting until he left. He? Please, Phyllis, let's not be children. At least pay me the respect of being reasonably intelligent of nothing else. If you're in a mood for dramatics, Phil, it's not too late for you to go downtown and see a show. I understand the one at the palace is very highly dramatic. I saw all the shows I want to see this afternoon, Phyllis. I should like to know if the show's ended or will there be another act? Don't be absurd. I'm not being absurd, Phyllis. I'm being deadly serious and I want you to be the same way. Well? Phyllis, won't you understand? At least won't you try to understand that you're married to a doctor? And that as such, your life and mine must be kept without any stigma of the cheap or commonplace. We've too much responsibility, Phyllis. Too many things are expected of us. You're not only a doctor, Phil, but it seems you're a preacher as well. I know a lot of ministers that would envy your sermons. And if you want to be serious and high and mighty, all right, Phyll, I'll play. Maybe I can preach a sermon, too. Go on. You and your holier-than-now department and your so-called dignity of medicine. I'm not married to a man. I'm married to a bottle of iodine or a can of ether. I'm married to Mrs. O'Callaghan's stomach ulcers as somebody's burst of appendix. What do you expect me to do, Philip? Sit around the house all day with a blinds pull down, reading the American Medical Journal, while you walk up and down hospital corridors and pressing patients and chucking pretty nurses under the chin. All I expect is that you conduct yourself as any respectable wife should conduct herself. I don't expect you to turn this house into an entertainment parlor for your old boyfriends, particularly of the ilk that you entertained this afternoon. Well, of all the colossal ego... Not ego, Phyllis. I'm afraid that I want to respect my wife as I respect my profession. The way I want others to respect her, too. You're becoming dreadfully pedantic and boring, Philip. You'll excuse me if I retire. Phyllis, I'm not through yet. No? Then I'm afraid you'll be talking to yourself. And I seem to recall reading in one of your books some place that talking to oneself is a symptom of being somewhat wacky, shall we say. Good night, Phyllis. And then one night, Dr. Halstead returned to that domain he had called his castle. He was stopped by a silhouette against the cinematic screen of the window shade. What he saw, we shan't repeat. But in that moment of seeing, the house crumbled and the tides swept out to the sea. And that next morning, a patient died under the knife of Dr. Halstead. A death that should not have been. But wise. And the word if became huge in his life for if these things had not happened, Dr. Halstead would not now be on this tramp steamer bound for nowhere, in particular. And he would not have been in the bar as he is now. I beg your pardon, sir. If you don't mind me saying it, I think it's a much of that there rum and it tropics this way. It's pretty blinking bad, sir. Don't you think you've had enough? I've had too much, but not a rum. You can fill the glass up again. I can pay for it. Very well, sir. I can insist. But we'll be ducking in the morning. You'll be wanting to be top old sheep, sir. But I want advice. I'll ask for it, bartender. Fill up the glass and keep filling it up until I tell you to stop. Howdy, mister. Hello. Welcome to Torhiti. Mind if I sit down? No. I saw you got off the boat this morning. You're planning to stay a while, huh? Maybe. Well, I was about buying a girl a drink so as we can toast to your happy stay here, huh? A drink? Sure, why not? Here. Here's five dollars. Go over to the bar and buy yourself anything you want. Just make sure you drink it over there. Sure. Okay, mister, I get it. You want to be alone, no? That's right. I don't know what the idea is, but you sure picked a spot for it, mister. Outside of a few rum-dum sailors blowing in here once in a blue moon, there ain't but six whites on the island. Just as a tip, mister. Being alone in this devil sinkhole ain't for guys like you. Thanks for the tip. Bartender, let me check. Right, you are, sir. That'll be two dollars United States currency. Here you are. Thank you, sir. And whenever you want another little nip or something to ward off the fever, this is the place to get it. Nothing but the best. That's what I carry. I'm sure you do. Wait a minute, mister. Here's your five bucks. I ain't thirsty just now. You can buy me a drink some other time. You better buy yourself one right now so as you can drink to my long and happy stay here. That's what you said, isn't it? And for God's sakes, do it and leave me alone. He'll strike me pink if he ain't a queer kind of a bloke. He arrived here this morning on that old tramp and he's drunk already. What do you think he's doing here, Goldie? I don't know, Crawley. Maybe the same thing I'm doing here, only in a little different way. Don't ask me what I'm doing here on a kind I don't know. No more than he does. Maybe that's why I feel sorry for the guy. Often to give him back his five bucks. That's something I ain't never done before. Heat. Rum. Bitterness. Frustration. The ingredients to mix a very potent cocktail, but surely not one in which to drown sorrow that floats in the wellsprings of the heart. What does it matter where you go? You must take yourself along and yourself is the nemesis from which you would cradly be rid. There is no running away. The sun shines on all corners of the earth and night falls on every nook and cranny. There is no escape. Only the fools chase after the will of the wisp an endless, senseless pursuit inspired by an obsession. In a moment we'll return to our story. Dark and abysmal world of defeat. We're in a man lives not for the future but in the shadows of the past. Where there is no longer the rising dawns of tomorrow but only the sun sets of yesterday. There is but one compelling desire. Escape. But escape into what? Some men toy with a grim thought of death but that is the crumbling portal covered the long sleep and the eternal blackout. Philip Halstead is no coward paradoxical as it may seem. His is the resolute will to remain alive with the torturing apparitions of his memories that are always the companions of the sensitive to remember what he was what he could have been and what he is now and thus Dr. Philip Halstead has existed on the remote islands of Tauhiti for the turning of three months. I say existed for surely a man does not live in the blurring fog of rum and heat in the mouldering dank earth are the forgotten atolls of the southern waste. The bottle is empty. Come on over here. I don't be arty. As soon as you pay up for the last one. Did the gentlemen's credit any good? Credit? Not on this blooming island it isn't Mr. Halstead. Wait a minute. Did you say Mr. Halstead? I did and what of it? No, nothing. That's right Crawley. Mr. Halstead. Yes, plain Mr. Halstead. Now look here now. You've been on this blinking place for three months now. You spent your money a few more coming in. What are you doing here? It's a secret. You don't say. A secret it is. Maybe there's a treasure buried on this year island somewhere. Poyer treasure maybe. Oh, oh, don't make me laugh. All right Crawley. I won't. And I'll tell you my secret. What I'm here for. I'm here to get drunk. Good and drunk and stay drunk. Well that's all right with me. Providing you pays for what you drinks. Now come on now. And over for the last one. This is all I got Crawley. Every cent of it. Blimey. A couple of coppers. And what do you expect to buy with that? That's all I got Crawley and I'd like a drink. Oh, you would. Well you ain't getting one. I'm no charity institution. What's the matter Crawley? Me buck, oh he is broke. And he wants a drink he does. That's what he says. Like this here place was a blooming officer's club or something. I'll buy him a drink. No you won't, thank you. I'll pay for my own. Listen to him talk will you? How about paying for the last one? I'll have to owe you for it Crawley. Now, you left to owe me for it. Why you blinking shot. It's just blokes like you that takes the profit out of business. Now come on out you go. Oh don't do that Crawley. I'll pay for it. Whatever it is. Oh no you won't. Let's go like this. One, two, three. Hey Crawley. I don't waste your time feeling sorry for that bloke. He ain't no good for fear that one. And you stay out of here see. The next time you come in I'll slit your throat and use you for fish bait. You've been here for three days. A combination of rum and feeder. Then you? I couldn't let you lie there in the street could I? You had a dive. The answer. When you were delirious you talked. About me telling anybody. Still your secret. I suppose it makes any difference. It'd make a lot of difference after you went back to America. Had somebody know what happened. Back to America? You don't think you're staying here do you? This island ain't big enough for you and there ain't nobody here that wants you on it. You're clear not for the states and the next cargo boat. Oh no I'm not. Now look doctor, I'll do the talking for now see. I've been taking care of you for three days like you was a baby and I wasn't doing it for my health. What are you talking about? I'll tell you what I'm talking about. When you was laying there talking away about your wife and the work at the hospital in New York I did a little thing for myself. About things that I ain't thought of for too long. What? I used to live in New York. About a hundred years ago. I ain't forgot. What it's like to walk down the street maybe meet somebody you know ask them how they are maybe meet somebody you know ask them how they are maybe have lunch together talk about a dress sale at Macy's maybe in the wintertime the snow comes down everything's white and clean you can see your breath when you talk I ain't forgotten New York doctor. Listen I now listen to me maybe I did the same thing you did run away from something that hurt me sure I got away from it but I've been running into things ever since and now I'd give it anything in the world for a chance to go back but I can't I belong here now but you don't you're a doctor your job's supposed to be saving lies not destroying them and you're going back to the states doctor you can take it from me I ain't kidding a week from that day when Goldie whose last name we don't know spoke of home in America to Dr. Phillip Halstead was due in a lagoon of the tiny island of Tauhiti and on the night proceeding while Crawley tended his stained and grimy bar the rear bamboo door of Crawley's house was quietly opened and in the dark a match sputtered and glowed yellow for a second and vanished listening ears might have heard the protesting squeak of a rusty tin box a moment's hesitation and then the door was opened again as quietly as before and then shut and a shadow vanished into the velvet night howdy mister look I'm a pretty chipper these days thanks to you Goldie did you come in Fredrinth there's one on the house tonight on a kind of a cargo boat to do in tomorrow morning just came in to say hello have a look at the bright lights ah come on you'll have just one with me won't you sort of a toast to you getting well how's the bottle well all right I guess if they're on the house hey Crawley a couple of rum slings for the customer all right this once but I don't want no more guff off that bloke I don't think I'd better stay Goldie ah forget it Crawley didn't mean nothing you're going to be down to the wharf in the morning when the boat comes in no I'm taking a canoe going over to one of the islands I'd like to have a look around well here you are here's your drinks and that's all you're going to get understand here's yours doctor and here's looking at you and wishing you lots of luck thanks same to you Goldie there'll be quite a time tomorrow when the cargo schooner comes in be some letters maybe and some newspapers from America Goldie what's the matter with this drink what? I don't know I feel funny what's the blinking well going on around here what's the matter with him first drink his head since he was sick and I guess it went right to his head I'll take care of him pardon sir for intruding but I was just wondering if you were all right all right of course I'm all right except for a headache hey where the blazers am I well you're on board the SS Cabot sir down for America out of Honolulu what the devil am I doing here you've been quite unconscious sir and you were transferred on board from a cargo steamer in Honolulu incidentally sir the person sent this letter down to you I know from whom I don't know sir what is this two three four five hundred dollars what did this come from Stuart I'm sure I don't know sir perhaps there's a note yes there is dear Dr. Halstead told you I wasn't kidding and I wasn't very good luck say hello to New York for me Goldie and the money we could send it to Crawley he was the one who furnished it again good luck sure Crawley I took the money what are you going to do about it slip my throat and use me for fish base boy you dirty blooming sneaky little ah don't say it Crawley they're not the right words for a lady to hear and tonight Goldie's the lady she's going to celebrate I think I'll start off with a champagne cocktail that's what ladies drink ain't it sure one champagne cocktail Crawley for a lady and so the powerful inexplicable force of the lunar satellite creates the sorcery which swings the tides in full cycle what was ebb tide is now flood tide but out there beyond the curving line of the horizon Goldie remains trapped in a snare of her own weaving but through her simple act she is thrown off the yoke and the ties of her deep rooted and intertwining obsession in a moment I'll return and tell you about our story for next week next week you'll hear the story of a little man of destiny who changed the entire position of the world brought fear into the hearts of untold millions and made a hero out of a man named Wellington on a field called Waterloo it is the narrative of the little man of destiny starring Lewis Merrill as Napoleon Bonaparte a gripping driving goading saga the story was produced and transcribed by C.P. McGregor in Hollywood