
Dark Fantasy 41-12-19 (05) Men Call Me Mad
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A
A new phone for Billy, a necklace for Sam.
B
All the while on the lookout for scams.
A
A swipe here and tap there.
B
Better make it go far. Turns out mom didn't know she needs a new car this year. Stay on top of your credit with the MyFico app. Get your FICO score straight from the people that created it. Plus free credit monitoring and a free credit report every month. No credit card required. So make holiday spending one less stress under the mistletoe. Visit myfico.com free or download the MyFico app today. Dark fantasy. Men call me man. Doctor West. You. Please close the door. Certainly, Dr. Terhune. Now, gentlemen, I have summoned you, my two trusted and loyal friends, to divulge a secret that even I myself can hardly comprehend. You made a new discovery, Charles. Discovery? Yes. I have found another world. A what? Another world, you say? Exactly. Would you please snap off the lights, Doctor? That switch there. Yes, certainly. Now, by means of this special projection machine, I'm going to show you something which will astound you beyond words. I must ask you to remain perfectly still throughout this demonstration. As the picture I'm about to show you progresses, I will explain in detail just what I have done. First of all, to start the machine, now observe this picture I've taken on color film. A picture of the new moon. Now, you will notice that the camera has picked up a single ray of the moon. It's focused upon a wall where on dances a single tiny moonbeam. The camera approaches the moonbeam closer, closer still closer. And then the special film in my camera reaches the lens. The scene changes. Dr. Smith. Gentlemen, gentlemen, please. Now, you see here. My other world. My world within a moonbeam taken upon special color film of my own invention. Film that is constructed to pick up objects within the very atoms. Objects smaller, that is, than atoms themselves. Notice, please, the coloring of this other world within a moonbeam. See the hills, the plains with their red grass, their red leaf trees. Notice that tiny stream at the left, A vivid orange. Notice the yellow of the tree trunks, the orange colored sky and the deep blue sun. Amazing. The film ends quickly now. But first a rare sight is in store for you. Now, watch closely. There. A man. But what sort of creature is that he's riding? I don't know. You will notice the animal approaches the small stream, wades quickly through it and vanishes from the camera's sight. And as he vanishes into the distance, the film ends. Amazing. Astounding. Unbelievable are the lights. If you please, Doctor. Oh, yes, of course. Look here, Tyhunt. Is this a camera trick? Absolutely not. I have shown you what actually exists within certain, or possibly all moonbeams. What's your theory, Doctor? That all creation consists of worlds within worlds. Who can say that our world is not contained within some still larger one and that within another, and that still within another, and so on? The thought suddenly becomes overwhelming. Yes, doesn't it? To think that all around us, within even such tiny substances as the atoms themselves under our feet, overhead on all sides, are worlds of which we are unaware. Yes. If only there were some way to visit those other worlds. Ah, Dr. West, that is the point. We can. Good heavens, man. You mean. Yes. Just what do you mean? Gentlemen, I plan to enter that world in the moonbeam. Impossible. I don't like to say so, Charles, but aren't you overlooking the laws of dimension, the general medium, laws of nature that are so obvious? Not only that, Terhune, but aren't you appearing a little ridiculous on the face of things? I do not expect you to be convinced until you have seen we in our profession are not inclined to take such things as we are speaking of for granted. Then let's not waste words, my friends. I propose to convince you beyond all possible doubt. Well, I have no objection to being convinced. Nor I. Though I really believe Terhune has let his imagination win the upper hand. We shall see. I hear a gentleman. On this table, you see what looks like an Eskimo igloo made of crystal clear glass with an opening at one side at the base. Much like an entrance to an igloo or tent. Yes. It's about 10 inches high and about 8 inches in diameter. When we extinguish the lights here in this room, when that curtain is drawn from the window over there, the moonbeam in question will be centered directly through that little glass case. You want us to assist you? Exactly. But what do you intend to do? Well, I have here a number of small capsules filled with a potion whose base consists mostly of radium. What is this preparation? A substance which will cause animal matter to decrease itself many millions of times. In other words, you think it'll make you become smaller? Precisely. But small enough to enter the realm of a single atom? I hope so. Well, have you. Have you tried this concoction? Only on animals. First on rabbits and rats. And just yesterday I sent a dog into the world of atoms. But granting such a feat is possible, don't you think your clothes would also shrink with you? I have found that any object in contact with the animal matter at the time the Capsule is consumed, will be caused to shrink in proportion with the animal matter itself. I found that out yesterday when I failed to remove the dog's color. But suppose you consume too great a quantity of the potion? I have an equalizer, another mixture which will counteract the first capsule. By taking particular amounts of it, I can stop the reaction of the capsule. And then, having stopped it, by taking another dose of the stabilizer or equalizer, I can increase my size again. This is all very extraordinary. I plan to be gone quite some time. I'm asking you two to watch over this little glass case for a four day period. You can count on me. Count on me. Good. Now I shall take a capsule. I'll begin to grow almost immediately. I've reached about two feet in height. I want you, Dr. Smith, to bend down to the floor and pick me up and place me on this table here inside this little glass case, putting me directly in front of the opening or door of the case. Is that clear? Quite. Yeah. Good. Gentlemen, my hand. Good luck, Charles Smith. We'll follow your instructions carefully, Doctor. Good. I knew I could count on you two. Now, the capsule. My. My head is whirring. My ears are ringing. Eyes are growing dim. I have a sensation of emptiness in the pit of my stomach. You notice any change in my appearance? Good heavens. He's lost a foot in height. Why, you're growing smaller, Terhune. You are, man. You're actually growing smaller. He's two feet smaller now. I hope I regain my eyesight before I become too small. Are my clothes diminishing too? Yes, yes. Quiet. I cannot describe my sensations. I feel a strange weakness. My senses seem to be deserting me. I find it rather difficult to talk. Look. He's just about 2ft high. Now, Wes, do as he told you, Doctor. Pick him up. Now place him on the table. Yes, yes. Just so. Careful now. There. Here. Put him closer to that door so he'll have no trouble finding it. Watch your arm, Doctor. Don't cut off the moonbeam. There. That's good. See, he's only about 6 inches high now. There he goes into the glass case. See? The moon beam is completely covering him. He is so tiny now you can hardly see him. The size of a small ant. He's fading into the light of the beam now. I wonder what he'll discover in there. I wonder what he'll discover. At last I'm here in another world. Such a strange place. Similar to the place I came from, yet different trees, yet with leaves of brilliant scarlet and yellow bark. The Grass. Also scarlet. An orange colored sky overhead, a sun of dazzling blue. And the water in the little stream over there? Not blue, but orange. Yes, the colors all different. Everything else correspondingly the same.
C
Why do you speak so strangely?
B
I beg your pardon. I thought I was alone.
C
You must be a foreigner. Otherwise you'd know you're in the King's gardens and they are quite private.
B
I'm so sorry. Yes, I am a foreigner. If you'll forgive me, I'll leave at once.
C
Oh, no, please. It is our custom to treat foreigners in a friendly manner. And so I bid you welcome. I am the Princess Elena.
B
A princess?
C
Yes, daughter of King Londelier. Surely you've heard of me.
B
No, Princess, I've not.
C
But surely. My father rules the world with kindness and justice. And everyone knows him for his goodness.
B
Princess, will it frighten you if I tell you something? Something most strange?
C
I think not, sir. For you yourself are most strange. Your clothing, the colors not in the least ordinary. And your features are so different.
B
Princess Elena, My name is Charles Terhune. I'm a citizen of the United States of America.
C
America? I know the world quite well, but never have I heard of America.
B
That is why I fear I might frighten you, your Highness. You see, America is not in this world. It is in another.
C
You are from another world?
B
Exactly. You see, I am a scientist in my own universe. I discovered your world here, so I found a way to come to visit you. You don't seem at all surprised.
C
No. Why should I be surprised? We've expected you for a long time.
B
Me?
C
Well, not you exactly, but someone.
B
What do you mean?
C
Our scientists have known for many years that other worlds besides ours exist. But they've never been able to discover a method of entering one of them. We've been hoping someone from beyond would find a way here.
B
Amazing.
C
That is why I asked if you were a foreigner. Since my father rules the entire world. Naturally, a foreigner could only be from another world.
B
This absolutely astounds me. Princess, I must speak to your scientists. This is so wonderful. The people of our world seem much alike, save in a few minor respects. We look alike, talk alike.
C
We've often wondered how much we would be like the people from beyond.
B
Take me to your scientist. Principle. I must see them.
C
I will gladly take you to them, but first I must warn you, you are in great danger.
B
Danger?
C
Our world is doomed. We are falling victims to a strange malady which none of our doctors or learned men can overcome. It is slaying our people by the thousands.
B
A plague?
C
Yes. A mysterious disease. One we've never encountered before in all history. If you would save yourself, use whatever method you have and return to your own world before it's too late.
B
One moment, Princess. Will you take me to your father? I don't know why I say this, but perhaps I can help.
C
Oh, no. No. Save yourself, I beg of you. Do not remain here to perish.
B
Please, Princess. At least allow me to try to help.
C
You're either very brave or very foolish.
B
Brave or foolish, Take me to your father.
C
Very well. But he will only warn you as I have done.
B
And that, your Majesty, is how I found your world and the way to enter it. It's interesting. At one time I would have said amazing. But with our discoveries of other worlds around us, it's now only interesting.
C
I've warned Dr. Terhune to return to his own universe before he falls victim to the plague.
B
Yes, Mazan, you must. But I would like to help. I'm a doctor where I came from. Perhaps I could do something. I fear it is useless. Our most brilliant physicians are powerless to even make a diagnosis, much less a cure. But I have a knowledge from another world, you, Majesty.
C
That's true, Father. He found a way of reaching us while we here have been unable to reach the other places beyond.
B
Yes, yes, Daughter. You reason wisely. Please, your Majesty, permit me to see some of the victims. I can't return home until I've at least made an attempt to help you. Very well. As you wish. Come with me. My son lies dying in a room above. I will permit you to examine him. Well. Dr. Taehyun. Your Majesty.
C
Dr. Taehyun.
B
Heaven's Man. This is Typhoid. Typhoid?
C
But what is typhoid?
B
We have it on our earth. Tell us. Do you know the cure? Yes, your Majesty, I do. Take me to your nearest medical laboratory. We must prepare a serum. Huge quantities of it. We must send it to all parts of the world immediately if we're to save your people. Daughter. These reports. Small parts of the universe. The deaths grow fewer and fewer each day.
C
It's a miracle, Father. And Charles Terhune has saved us all. There's been no typhoid death now for three days.
B
I know our fight has been won.
C
The people are clamoring for you, Dr. Terhune. They almost consider you a God.
B
I am no God, Princess. Merely a man with a little knowledge.
C
But you came to us like a miracle man in time to work the greatest wonder of all history.
B
I'm happy that my journey here has been for a Purpose.
C
Anything you ever wish in the world will be yours.
B
I know, Elena. There is so little I want, yet so much.
C
Will you remain here with us forever?
B
I cannot, princess.
C
You called me Elena a moment ago.
B
I cannot, Elena. I must return to tell my people what I've discovered.
C
Oh, but if you go now.
B
Yes, Elena.
C
Oh, why must we always be governed by rules of propriety?
B
Elena, if. If you're thinking what I hope you are, child. Elena, my darling. Is it wrong to say I love you, child?
C
Is it wrong for stars to shine or for flowers to bloom?
B
Oh, my darling princess.
C
Child.
B
I love you, Elena.
C
And I love you. Please don't leave me, my darling.
B
Just for a little while. I will return to you, Elena. I promise.
C
Then I will wait for you, beloved. And when you return, nothing in this world or any other will ever take us apart.
B
Guys, thanks for helping me carry my Christmas tree, Zoe. This thing weighs a ton. Drew Ski, lift with your legs, man. Santa. Santa, did you get my letter? He's talking to you, Bridges. I'm not. Of course he did. Right, Santa, you know my elf, Drew Ski here. He handles the nice list. And elf. I'm six three. What everyone wants is iPhone 17 and at T Mobile. You can get it on them. That center stage front camera is amazing for group selfies. Right, Mrs. Claus? Hi, Mrs. Claus. Claus's much younger sister. And AT T Mobile, there's no trade in needed when you switch. So you can keep your old phone or give it as a gift. And the best part, you can make the switch to T mobile from your phone in just 15 minutes. Nice. My side of the tree is slipping, Kimber. The holidays are better. AT T Mobile switch in just 15 minutes and get iPhone 17 on us with no trade in needed. And now T mobile is available in U.S. cellular stores. Credits will qualify customers tax $45 connection charge credit sentinel balance to if you pay off earlier, Cancel Finance Agreement. 256 gates. $830 eligible for in a new line. 100 plus a month plan with auto pay plus taxes fees required. Check out 15 minutes or less per line.
A
Visit t mobile.com if you're paying more than $1 a month for any ED or hair medication. Listen up at Joy & Blokes, when you start TRT or Enclomiphene, you can add any ED or hair loss prescription for just $1 a month. $1 add ons with your hormone plan. And right now, all labs are 50% off. I'm Josh Whalen, founder of Joy and Blokes. I built this company because men are tired of paying for fragmented care without results. Every Joy and Blokes lab includes a visit with a licensed clinician who connects your symptoms to your biomarkers. You'll get a real plan that covers hormones, performance and confidence. If you're considering TRT or Enclomiphene, this is the most efficient way to do it. Get started@joyandblokes.com and use a promo code. Podcast new customers get 50 off their labs and for a limited time, you can take advantage of our $1 ed or hair plus add ons when you start TRT or enclomiphene. Not available in all states. Compounded medications are not FDA approved. Learn more at.
B
Joyandblooks.Com. It's past his time. Almost four days. Look a moment there in the moon. Beansy. No, I. Yes, look. He is coming back. See there? He's out of the glass case on the tabletop. He's growing rapidly. West, you better place him down on the floor. Look. Larger and larger. This is perfectly astounding man. I wonder what his adventures have been. Dr. Terhune, can you hear me? Dr. Terhune? He's almost four feet tall now. Can you hear me, doctor? Water. Some water, please. Water. Wetly. Rest quickly over there in that goblet. Yes, just one moment. Here we are. He's all right now. Full size again. Here, Tyoon, drink this. Yes, thanks. That's better. Are you all right, Terhune? Yes, quite all right. Thank you. Gentlemen, I have had the strangest experience imaginable. I have visited a world that's amazing and wonderful. Tell us about it. Yes, I will. When I became small enough to enter the moonbeam, I found myself in the exact spot you two saw in the picture I displayed for you. I did not know which way to go, naturally. But after a moment, I heard someone speak to me. That, my friends, is precisely what happened to me. And you say those people knew all about the existence of other worlds but were not familiar with such a disease as typhoid? Exactly. You must have been somewhat of a hero to him. Yes, somewhat. You know, if I hadn't seen this demonstration with my own eyes, I'd never have believed it. Well, Dr. West, even though I was the one who experienced it, I'm still wondering if it actually happened. Then it happened all right. Yes, we saw you grow small right before eyes so small you became almost invisible and disappeared in the moonbeam. I trust you two will confirm any statements I might make to the public about all this. Oh, Absolutely. Certainly, Taehoon. By the way, was my sister here during my absence? Why, yes, she was. She acted very strangely too. But we told her nothing. Well, gentlemen, perhaps I should have told you this before. You see, my sister and I jointly own several hundred acres of valuable oil land in the South. She's a greedy woman. She's tried for years to obtain full possession of the property. She's tried many ways, but her latest method is by charging that I'm insane. Oh, that's ridiculous. Yes, exactly. But she's preferred the charges. Tomorrow at 9, I must appear before a group of alienists who will decide whether or not I'm mentally unbalanced. That is why I had to make my experiment before tomorrow. Doctor Terhune, you've been carefully examined by this impartial and experienced board of alienists. At the request of your sister, it's our decision that you must submit yourself to a series of treatments at whatever sanitarium your sister might choose. No. No. Stop. This has all been so irregular, so unfair. You think I'm mad. The story I've told you is true. I can prove everything I've said. Please, Dr. Terhune. My two friends, Dr. West and Dr. Smith. Ask them. Why haven't you let them testify for me? They saw it. They'll tell you everything I've said is true. One moment. Yes? Oh, yes. He's here with me now. I see. Yes. All right. I'll tell him. I'm sorry, Dr. Terhune. I'm afraid I have bad news for you. Drs. West and Smith were to have testified on your behalf. But I've just received word that they were both killed a few moments ago in an automobile accident. And that was the verdict. Now men call me mad, so they've locked me here in the cell till the time they can remove me to a sanitarium. Any moment now, they'll come for me, whisk me off through the night. My discovery will never be proven. People will laugh for a while, speak of the mad doctor to you. Then they will forget. And for me. No.
C
Escape.
B
Charles.
C
Charles. My darling.
B
Elena. No escape. No escape. Oh, what a stupid fool I am. The moonbeam. Of course, the moonbeam. Dark fantasy. Men call me mad. An original tale of dark fantasy by Scott Bishop. Ben Morris was heard as Dr. Charles Terhune. Eleanor Naylor Corin was Princess Elena. Fred Wayne was King Londolier. Murillo Schofield was Dr. West. Muir Height was Dr. Smith, and Daryl McAllister was the specialist. Next Friday night, at the same time The National Broadcasting Company will present another tale of dark fantasy, the House of Bread, a strange and compelling drama of Christmas 1941 and that first Christmas nearly 2000 years ago. Told to you by Scott Bishop. Dark fantasy originates in the studios of station WKY in Oklahoma City. This is the National Broadcasting Company. Guys, thanks for helping me carry my Christmas tree. Zoe, this thing weighs a ton. Drewski, live with your legs, man. Santa. Santa, did you get my letter? He's talking to you, Bridges. I'm not that. Of course he.
C
Did. Right.
B
Sam? You know my elf, Drew Ski here. He handles the nice list. And elf. I'm six' three. What everyone wants is iPhone 17 and at T Mobile. You can get it on them. That center stage front camera is amazing for group selfies. Right, Mrs. Claus? I'm Mrs. Claus, much younger sister. And AT T Mobile, there's no trade in needed when you switch. So you can keep your old phone or give it as a gift. And the best part, you can make the switch to T Mobile from your phone in just 15 minutes. Nice. My side of the tree is slipping. Timber. The holidays are better. AT T Mobile, switch in just 15 minutes and get iPhone 17 on us with no trade in needed. And now T Mobile is available in US cellular stores with 24 monthly bill credits for well qualified customers plus tax and $35 vice connection charge credits and balance. 2. If you pay off earlier, cancel financing. $830 eligible for in a new line. 100 plus a month plan with auto pay plus taxes and fees required. Check out 15 minutes or less per.
A
Line. Visit t mobile.com if you're paying more than $1 a month for any ED or hair medication. Listen up at Joy and Blokes. When you start TRT or enclomiphene, you can add any ED or hair loss prescription for just $1 a month. $1 add ons with your hormone plan and right now all labs are 50 off. I'm Josh Whalen, founder of Joy and Blokes. I built this company because men are tired of paying for fragmented care without results. Every Joy and Blokes lab includes a visit with a licensed clinician who connects your symptoms to your biomarkers. You'll get a real plan that covers hormones, performance and confidence. If you're considering TRT or Enclomiphene, this is the most efficient way to do it. Get started at joy and blokes.com and use the promo code podcast. New customers get 50% off their labs and for a limited time, you can take advantage of our $1ed or hair loss Add ons when you start TRT or Encomafine not available in all states. Compounded medications are not FDA approved. Learn.
This episode of Harold's Old Time Radio features a rebroadcast of the 1941 "Dark Fantasy" radio play, "Men Call Me Mad." The story immerses listeners in a Golden Age science fiction tale blending adventure, romance, and existential mystery. It follows Dr. Charles Terhune, a scientist who claims to have discovered a whole new world within a moonbeam and risks everything to explore it. The narrative examines the boundaries of reality, the price of scientific discovery, and the tragic consequences of being misunderstood.
On Worlds Within Worlds:
“Who can say that our world is not contained within some still larger one and that within another, and that still within another, and so on? The thought suddenly becomes overwhelming.” – Dr. Terhune (05:22)
First Love Across Worlds:
“Is it wrong for stars to shine or for flowers to bloom? Oh, my darling princess. I love you, Elena.” (17:34)
The Downfall’s Irony:
“My discovery will never be proven. People will laugh for a while, speak of the mad doctor to you. Then they will forget. And for me – no.” (25:29)
"Men Call Me Mad" weaves classic sci-fi drama with romantic tragedy, posing timeless questions: Are the greatest discoveries doomed by disbelief? Can love transcend worlds? The play’s lingering ambiguity—was it real, or the product of genius touched by madness?—puts listeners in the uncertain space between faith, science, and the human heart.
For fans of Golden Age radio, this episode is a stellar example of atmospheric storytelling and fertile imagination, still captivating after all these decades.