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Relic radio. This is relic radio. Sci fi old time radio science fiction stories from relicradio.com. Adventures in time and space told in future 10. The National Broadcasting Company in cooperation with street and Smith Publishers of Astounding Science Fiction Bring you Dimension X. By the year 1990, we should see many amazing technological advances. And yet, in many ways, life will be very much the same. A husband will stop off at a bar on his way home and perhaps unburden himself a little to a friendly bartender. Just like the girl. Another one, Mr. Smith. What time is it, Sam? Why, almost ten o', clock, Mr. Smith. One more. Listen to them. The old songs are still the best. Thomas Smith. Yes, Sam. I remember singing that one back in 1974, just before I met my wife. Golden days, Sam. Here's your beer, Mr. Smith. Ah, thanks. Ah, that's good. Almost feels if I can go home and face Neddy now. Wife trouble, Mr. Smith? Wife trouble, Sam? Fight? Oh, never. Nettie and I never fight. Nettie's too mad about me ever to fight with me. She adores me, worships the ground I walk on. Well, this is something new. I remember only last year you was complaining she was thrown to. Times have changed. Only wish she was still throwing things. At least in those days I could walk out and slam the door with a clear conscience. Now she's so sweet and loving. I feel like a murderer every time I stop in for beer. I'm away home. Tough, Mr. Smith. Tough. Ever hear the expression love will fly if held too lightly? Love will die if held too tightly? Can't say I ever did. If only she'd relax a little bit. There's bruise on my lip. She kisses me for an hour every night when I come home. Can you do anything for her? I try. I remind her that she really wanted to marry Harvey Tubman. I remind her how we used to have those battles till the neighbors called the robot police. Nothing works. I'm gone for an hour, she cries. Well, me, I ain't got that kind of trouble. I hang around too much and Mabel calls me a loafer and turns me up. That's a sad state. Can't figure them out. Well, I guess I'll go home, feed myself to the lioness. I tell you, Sam, when Nettie gets finished demonstrating how much she's missed me, I feel like a man who's been stuffed into an electronic washing machine with a Dio. Set it, rinse dry. How much do I owe you? 60 cents. Well, if it isn't Henry Smith brayling. I live and breathe Walter Grayling. What are you doing here? Oh, having the night out. Does Gloria know about this? Things have changed, Henry. I thought she kept her chained to the bedpost most of the time. Not anymore, Henry. Not anymore. Oh, you aren't divorced, are you? Oh, no. Gloria's home. What'd you do, put a sleeping powder in her coffee? Oh, goodness, no, Henry. That would be highly unethical. I can't believe you just walked out on it. Ten years of marriage, Henry, and I never had a night to myself. But it'll be different from now on. Oh, by the way, Henry, what time is it? 10 o'. Clock. Well, I guess I better be going. Scared? Don't want to crowd my luck. Although, really, there's nothing to worry about. I'd sure like to know how you do it, Walter. Would you really? Yes. All right, Henry. Since you've always been a friend of mine, I'll let you in on it. Come on, my car is outside. I'll drive you home and let you see how it's done. That's nice of you, Walter. Not at all, Henry. We fellows have to stick together. I don't suppose you know how Gloria and I came to be married in the first place. No, I don't. Well, one evening she threatened to tear off her clothing and call the police unless I married her. No. Oh, yes. That's a bit extreme, isn't it? Well, Gloria was always a nervous girl. I bet you had a pretty wretched time. Oh, yes. It didn't take long for me to become the laughingstock of the neighborhood. Handpicked brayling they used to call me. I know, but things are changing now. Here, you see this? What's that? A single ticket to Rio on the morning rocket. I have hotel reservations there for a month. A whole month? Henrietta have a Gloria make trouble over there. That's the amazing part of it, Henry. She won't even know I'm gone. I'll be back in a month and no one the wiser. You don't believe me, do you? Frankly, no. It's how you gonna swing it, Walter? That's the secret. Henry, I tell you, it's the most wonderful thing ever invented. Worth every cent I paid for. What is? I'm going to show you. Here's my house. Notice the lights are all out. Shh. We wait up there on the front porch. Walter, you haven't gone off your rocker now. I meow twice. Now. Henry, watch the window in my bedroom. It looks as if somebody. Hey, there's a man up there. He looking out Good. He sees me, he'll be down directly. Isn't it a bit embarrassing for you, Wally? Oh, not at all. You'll find out. Here he comes. Hello, B2. Oh, good evening, Mr. Bring. Close the door. Either I'm going out of my mind, or there are two of you. You never told me you had a twin brother. I don't. But if this fellow weren't in pajamas, I couldn't tell you apart. That the secret, Henry. Everything go all right, B2? Oh, just fine, Miss Braylon. I suppose my wife was in her usual good form this evening. As a matter of fact, we spent the evening playing gin. No screaming, no shouting accusations? Oh, no, sir. It was very quiet evening. Well, this is even better than I thought. Well, Marionettes Incorporated aims to satisfy, sir. Did he say Marionettes, Incorporated? That's right, Henry. Look him over. Isn't he excellently fashioned? You wouldn't dream he was a robot. A. A marionette, eh? I can't believe it. Against the law, of course, to duplicate a human like this, but it's well worth the opportunity. I still don't believe it. You can't tell him from a human. Only one way, Henry. Put your ear next to his chest. Listen. That's it. Machinery. Water. Old man. How long's this been going on? I've had him a month, Henry. I keep him in the cellar in my toolbox. Now, tonight I told Glo I'd like to be excused for five minutes to run down to the cigar store. She agreed. I went down to the cellar, took out Brayling, too. Sent him back upstairs to sit with my wife until I got home. Miraculous. Of course, it doesn't seem quite ethical sometimes. Oh, nonsense. It's highly ethical. I've been home all evening. I shall be home with her for the next month. In the meantime, another gentleman named Walter Brayling will be in Rio having the time of his life. Look. And he walk around without fuel for a month. Oh, he refuels himself. And he's built to do everything. Eat, drink, sleep. You'll take good care of my wife. Won't you be too? Oh, of course. Your wife is rather nice. I've grown quite fond of her, you see. Walter, old man, how long has this Marionettes Incorporated outfit been in business? Secretly, for two years now. Why, I wonder, is there a possibility that I might get in touch with him?