The Twilight Zone (1959–1964): Season 5, Episode 31 - The Encounter - full transcript

YOU UNLOCK THIS DOOR
WITH THE KEY OF IMAGINATION.

BEYOND IT IS
ANOTHER DIMENSION...

A DIMENSION OF SOUND,

A DIMENSION OF SIGHT,
A DIMENSION OF MIND.

YOU'RE MOVING INTO A LAND OF
BOTH SHADOW AND SUBSTANCE,

OF THINGS AND IDEAS.

YOU'VE JUST CROSSED
OVER INTO THE TWILIGHT ZONE.

♪ ♪

Man: HELLO?

ANYBODY HOME?

YEAH.



MR. FENTON?

YEAH, THAT'S RIGHT.

MRS. BOLES DOWN THE
STREET SENT ME OVER.

SHE SAID YOU WANTED SOMEONE
TO TAKE CARE OF YOUR LAWN?

I RANG THE DOORBELL,
BUT NOBODY ANSWERED.

THEN I HEARD YOUR RADIO.

THE FRONT DOOR WAS WIDE OPEN.

OH, YEAH, YEAH, THAT'S
RIGHT. COME ON UP.

IF IT'S JUST THE FRONT
YOU WANT TAKEN CARE OF,

I CAN HANDLE IT FOR, OH,
SEVEN BUCKS A MONTH.

THAT SOUNDS FAIR ENOUGH.

I'LL COME EVERY WEDNESDAY
IF IT'S CONVENIENT.

SOLD.

GREAT, WELL, THANKS
A LOT, MR. FENTON.



SO LONG. NO, WAIT A MINUTE.

COME ON UP.

WE'LL SIT DOWN AND
HAVE A BEER ON IT.

NO, THANKS JUST THE SAME.

NO, I MEAN IT. I'VE
GOT PLENTY ON ICE.

ANYWAY, YOU CAN MAKE
A SMALL FORTUNE UP HERE

HELPING ME CLEAN
OUT SOME OF THIS JUNK.

HOW ABOUT IT?

WELL, TEN MINUTES.

WHAT DID YOU SAY
YOUR NAME IS, BOY?

ARTHUR. ARTHUR TAKAMURI.

ARTHUR? THAT'S RIGHT.

WELL, THAT'S FUNNY.

WHAT IS?

WHY ARTHUR?

WHY NOT?

I WAS BORN IN THIS COUNTRY.

SURE. I DIDN'T MEAN ANYTHING.

I'M JUST AS MUCH AMERICAN
AS ANYBODY, YOU KNOW.

WELL, NOW, WHO SAID YOU'RE NOT?

YOU'RE TOO DARN SENSITIVE.

YEAH, I GUESS I AM.

TRUTH IS, MY NAME IS TARO.

I CHANGED IT.

A ROSE IS A ROSE,
YOU GET WHAT I MEAN?

NO.

OH, WHAT A MESS.

THIS ATTIC'S BEEN
LIKE THIS FOR 20 YEARS.

KNEE-DEEP IN JUNK.

I FOUND SOME STUFF I HAVEN'T
EVEN SEEN SINCE THE WAR.

HEY, GET A LOAD
OF THIS, WILL YOU?

CAN YOU IMAGINE I
ONCE GOT INTO IT?

SURE, WHY NOT?

YEAH, YOU'RE JUST BEING POLITE.

I'M A TUB OF RANCID LARD NOW,

BUT I WAS PRETTY TOUGH ONCE.

I WENT ALL THROUGH
SAIPAN AND OKINAWA.

YEAH.

CHECK MY FRUIT
SALAD. CRAZY, HUH?

YOU EVER SEE ONE OF THESE?

YEAH.

IT'S A GENUINE SAMURAI SWORD.

NOT A FAKE LIKE
MOST YOU SEE AROUND.

I TOOK IT OFF A JAP OFFICER
WHO TRIED TO CUT OFF MY NOGGIN.

THERE'S SOMETHING
ENGRAVED ON IT.

MAYBE YOU CAN
TRANSLATE IT FOR ME.

SORRY, I CAN'T SPEAK ANY
LANGUAGE BUT ENGLISH.

OH, COME ON, BOY.

MY MOTHER SPOKE JAPANESE,
BUT ME, I NEVER LEARNED.

YOU SAID YOU WANTED ME TO
HELP YOU CLEAN UP THIS JUNK.

OH, YEAH.

YEAH, THAT'S RIGHT.

BUT FIRST I'VE GOT TO
GET A COUPLE OF BEERS.

MY THROAT'S FULL OF DUST.

THROW ANYTHING YOU WANT
ON THE FLOOR AND SIT DOWN.

BE BACK IN A JIFFY.

I'M GOING TO KILL HIM.

I'M GOING TO KILL HIM.

WHY?

TWO MEN ALONE IN AN ATTIC;

A YOUNG JAPANESE-AMERICAN

AND A SEASONED VETERAN
OF YESTERDAY'S WAR.

IT'S 20 ODD YEARS
SINCE PEARL HARBOR,

BUT TWO ANCIENT OPPONENTS
ARE MOVING INTO POSITION

FOR A BATTLE IN AN ATTIC
CRAMMED WITH SKELETONS...

SOUVENIRS, MEMENTOS, OLD
UNIFORMS AND RUSTED METALS...

GHOSTS FROM THE DIM
REACHES OF THE PAST

THAT WILL LEAD US
INTO THE TWILIGHT ZONE.

Fenton: WELL, HERE
WE ARE, NICE AND COLD.

YOU PARTIAL TO BEER, CARL?

THE NAME'S ARTHUR.

OH, YEAH, YEAH, I FORGOT.

IT'S JUST THAT, UH...

WELL, YOU DON'T LOOK
LIKE AN ARTHUR TO ME.

YOU DON'T LOOK LIKE
A SOLDIER, EITHER.

WELL, YOU GOT ME THERE, BOY.

AND WHILE WE'RE
AT IT, MR. FENTON,

I GET BUGGED BY "BOY."

EUROPEANS ARE ALWAYS
CALLING THE NATIVES "BOY,"

AND MOANING ABOUT
THE WHITE MAN'S BURDEN.

WELL, THE FACTS ARE,

I'M A FULL-GROWN MAN.
I WORK FOR A LIVING,

AND I ANSWER TO
ARTHUR, TAKAMURI,

AND BELIEVE IT OR NOT,
SOMETIMES TO MR. TAKAMURI.

OH, BROTHER, ARE YOU WOUND UP.

YOU DO THIS EVERY TIME
A GUY OFFERS YOU A BEER?

NOW HERE, TAKE IT. GO ON.

I'M SORRY.

I GUESS I GOT A
HEADACHE FROM THE SUN.

AH, FORGET IT, FORGET IT.

THE WAR'S OVER.

BUT IN CASE YOU DON'T KNOW IT,

THERE AIN'T A SERVICE MAN
WHO SAW COMBAT IN THE PACIFIC

WHO DOESN'T
RESPECT THE JAPANESE.

THEY FOUGHT LIKE TIGERS,

AND IT WAS RARE YOU COULD
TAKE THEM WITHOUT KILLING 'EM.

BONZAI.

OKAY.

BONZAI.

SAY, UH... WHERE'D I
LEAVE THAT PIGSTICKER?

WHAT?

YOU KNOW, THE SWORD.

OH, DIDN'T YOU LEAVE
IT ON THIS TABLE HERE?

WELL, THAT'S WHERE
I THOUGHT I LEFT IT.

BUT IT'S NOT THERE NOW.

BOY, THAT THING
GIVES ME THE WILLIES.

IT'S FUNNY IF I LOST IT.

I'VE BEEN TRYING TO
LOSE IT FOR YEARS.

NEVER COULD MAKE IT THOUGH.

I SHOULD HAVE LEFT IT,

INSTEAD OF PICKING
IT UP AS A SOUVENIR.

YOU KNOW WHAT I MEAN?

YOU KNOW, I'VE...

I'VE TRIED TO GIVE IT AWAY,

SELL IT, HOCK IT,

THROW IT OUT WITH THE GARBAGE.

BUT IT ALWAYS COMES BACK.

OH, NOTHING SUPERNATURAL.

I DON'T BELIEVE IN THAT JAZZ.

BUT WHEN PEOPLE REFUSE
IT, EVEN WRAPPED AS A GIFT,

WHEN THE MEN ON THE
GARBAGE TRUCK BRING IT IN,

WELL, YOU GIVE UP AFTER A WHILE.

SAY...

YOU WOULDN'T LIKE
TO HAVE IT, WOULD YOU?

NO.

WHAT WOULD I DO WITH IT?

WHY, GIVE IT BACK TO ME,
OF COURSE, POINT FIRST.

I DON'T KNOW WHAT
YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT.

I WAS JUST KIDDING.

DON'T LET IT BOTHER YOU.

I DON'T BLAME YOU
FOR NOT WANTING IT.

IT'S A PRETTY UGLY THING.

ESPECIALLY WITH WHAT'S
ENGRAVED ON THE BLADE.

OH, SURE, I KNOW WHAT IT SAYS.

I HAD ONE OF OUR INTERPRETERS
TRANSLATE IT FOR ME

RIGHT AFTER I GOT IT.

IT SAYS "THE SWORD
WILL AVENGE ME."

ISN'T THAT IT, ARTHUR?

I WOULDN'T KNOW.

OH, COME OFF IT, ARTHUR.

LOOK, MR. FENTON, I
WORK FOR A LIVING,

AND I'M KIND OF IN A HURRY.

LISTEN, TARO.

WHAT'S ALL THIS STUFF
ABOUT WORKING FOR A LIVING?

NOW YOU MENTIONED THAT TWICE.

DON'T YOU THINK I
WORK FOR A LIVING?

I DIDN'T SAY...

I'VE BEEN WORKING FOR A
LIVING EVER SINCE I WAS A KID

AND AT A JOB A LOT TOUGHER
THAN MOWING LAWNS,

I'LL TELL YOU THAT.

RIGHT UP UNTIL LAST WEEK WHEN
I GOT LAID OFF, I DROVE A CAT.

YOU KNOW WHAT A CAT IS, ARTHUR?

WELL, I CAN TELL YOU THIS,
IT AIN'T NO SPORTS CAR.

IT'S A BIG EARTHMOVER.

YOU EVER MOVE THE EARTH, ARTHUR?

NAH, OF COURSE NOT.

YOU MANICURE IT.

I'VE GOT TO GET GOING.

OH, WHAT'S THE RUSH?

SIT DOWN, DRINK YOUR BEER.

JUST TELL ME WHERE
YOU HID THE SWORD.

WHERE I DID WHAT?

YOU BURIED IT SOMEWHERE
TO GET IT OUT OF THE WAY.

YOU'RE CRAZY.

LOOK, I LEFT THAT SWORD
RIGHT THERE ON THE TABLE.

I REMEMBER IT DISTINCTLY.

LISTEN, TARO...
EXCUSE ME, ARTHUR...

ARE YOU BY ANY
CHANCE AFRAID OF ME?

WHY SHOULD I BE?

WELL, I CAN THINK OF
A COUPLE REASONS,

ONE BEING MY BACKGROUND.

I WAS IN A FIGHTING OUTFIT.

YOU KNOW WHAT THAT MEANS?

WELL, IT'S NOT LIKE THE
RECRUITING POSTERS,

I CAN TELL YOU THAT.

A NICE, CLEAN-CUT LAD,

WHO HELPS OLD LADIES
ACROSS THE STREET.

HE HAS TO BE A HIGHLY-TRAINED
COMBAT MACHINE,

WITH SPLIT-SECOND REACTIONS
IN PLACE OF EMOTIONS.

HE'S ON WIRES, ON HIS TOES.

HIS NERVE ENDS ARE DEAD,

AND HE'S AS COLD AND AS
HARD AND RIGID AS HIS HELMET.

IN FACT, THERE'S NOTHING...
NOTHING MORE TERRIBLE

TO MEET ON A DARK
NIGHT THAN A FIGHTING MAN

WITH AN M1, A
THOMPSON, A GRENADE,

OR EVEN HIS BARE HANDS.

OVER HERE!

COME OUT AND DIE...

SOME DIRTY SON OF HEAVEN,

OUT IN THE JUNGLE
JUST ASKING FOR IT.

SO I... I THOUGHT I'D OBLIGE.

STARTED CIRCLING OUT BEHIND HIM,

A SIMPLE EXERCISE FOR SOMEBODY

WITH MORE LUCK THAN BRAINS.

WAIT A MINUTE, WAIT A MINUTE.

I WAS ONLY TELLING
YOU HOW IT WAS.

I'M SORRY.

BOY, FOR A MINUTE THERE, I
THOUGHT YOU WERE GONNA...

I DON'T KNOW WHAT GOT INTO ME.

I REALLY DON'T.

YOU USED THAT SWORD LIKE
YOU WERE MOWING A LAWN.

YOU DIDN'T GET THAT SWORD
THE WAY YOU SAID YOU DID.

NO? NO.

YOU SHOT THAT OFFICER
AFTER HE SURRENDERED.

YOU'RE CRAZY.

THE JAPANESE OFFICER DROPPED
THE SWORD AND SURRENDERED.

YOU KILLED HIM IN COLD BLOOD.

ALL RIGHT, SO WHAT IF I DID?

SO WHAT IF I DID?

I DON'T KNOW.

THAT'S YOUR PROBLEM.

I...

I DON'T FEEL WELL.

WHAT AM I DOING HERE?

I'VE GOT TO GET OUT OF HERE.

MR. FENTON, THE DOOR'S STUCK!

WELL, YOU MUST BE WEAK.

PULL ON IT.

IT WON'T MOVE.

DID YOU LOCK IT?

NOW, HOW COULD I
DO A THING LIKE THAT?

IT HASN'T GOT A LOCK.

HERE, LET ME TRY.

WELL... IT LOOKS LIKE

YOU'RE NOT SUPPOSED
TO LEAVE JUST YET.

WHAT DO YOU MEAN?

I DON'T KNOW.

I DON'T KNOW WHAT I MEAN.

WELL...

I DON'T KNOW WHAT'S
MAKING IT STICK.

IT NEVER DID THAT BEFORE.

BUT NEVER MIND, BOY.

THERE MUST BE
SOME TOOLS UP HERE.

WE'LL TAKE IT OFF THE HINGES.

NAH, FORGET THE WINDOW.

IT'S TOO HIGH.

WELL, WE COULD
BREAK A PANE OF GLASS

AND YELL FOR HELP, BUT
LET'S SAVE THAT FOR LAST.

SEE IF YOU CAN
FIND A SCREWDRIVER.

WELL... LOOK AT THE BOY.

BECOMING A SAMURAI?

WELL, FORGET IT, BOY.

YOU COULDN'T MAKE IT.

NOW, IF YOU EVER
TRY TO COME AT ME

WITH THAT THING AGAIN,

I'LL CHOP YOU UP LIKE HAMBURGER.

I DON'T LIKE THAT KIND
OF TALK, MR. FENTON.

NO? NO.

I GOT A SHORT FUSE, SO
DON'T STRIKE MATCHES.

I GREW UP IN HONOLULU.

I WAS AT PEARL HARBOR
WHEN IT WAS BOMBED.

WERE YOU ONE OF THE PILOTS?

I WAS FOUR YEARS OLD.

MY FATHER AND MOTHER
LIVED IN HAWAII ALL THEIR LIVES.

MY FATHER WORKED FOR
THE NAVY AS A CIVILIAN.

OH, YEAH? DOING WHAT?

HE HELPED BUILD
THE DOCKS AT PEARL.

HE WAS FOREMAN OF
A CONSTRUCTION GANG.

HE WAS A WAR HERO.

HE WAS ON THE DOCKS WHEN
THEY CAME THAT SUNDAY MORNING.

HE WAS THERE WHEN THE FIRST
WAVE OF BOMBERS CAME OVER...

STANDING THERE, WATCHING
MEN OF HIS OWN RACE DESTROY

WHAT HE'D BUILT
WITH HIS OWN HANDS.

THE BOMBERS FLEW OVERHEAD.

I STOOD ON THE
HILLSIDE WHERE WE LIVED,

LOOKED UP AT THE
SKY AND SAW THEM.

AND MY MOTHER HELD MY HAND

AND TRIED TO MAKE ME
RUN INSIDE THE HOUSE...

BUT I STOOD.

AND I WATCHED THE PLANES...

WHILE DOWN BELOW AT THE HARBOR,

MY FATHER WAS TRYING
TO WARN THE SAILORS,

TRYING TO TELL THE MEN ON
THE SHIPS WHAT WAS HAPPENING.

BUT THE BOMBERS CAME ANYWAY,

AND I COULD HEAR THE
BOOM, BOOM, BOOM, BOOM

AS THE BOMBS EXPLODED.

AND I COULD SEE THE SMOKE.

AND MY MOTHER WAS CRYING,

AND MY FATHER WAS
YELLING TO WARN THE SAILORS,

YELLING FOR THEM TO FIRE BACK.

BOOM! BOOM! BOOM!

PLANES CIRCLED OVERHEAD.

THEY DROPPED THEIR BOMBS.

THAT'S NOT THE WAY IT HAPPENED.

HE WAS A TRAITOR.

HE SIGNALED THE PLANES.

HE SHOWED THEM WHERE
TO DROP THE BOMBS.

HE WAS A TRAITOR.

MY OLD MAN WAS A TRAITOR.

I GOT TO GET OUT OF HERE.

ARTHUR! ARTHUR!

NOW, YOU'D BETTER SIT
DOWN AND HAVE A FRESH BEER.

YOU NEED IT.

AW, THAT'S STUPID.

Y-Y-YOU COME UP HERE

TO MAKE A FEW
BUCKS MOWING LAWNS.

I ASK YOU TO HAVE A BEER...

BECAUSE, WELL, IF YOU MUST KNOW,

I WAS KIND OF LONESOME.

MY OLD LADY GOT...
GOT TEED OFF LAST NIGHT

AND WENT TO SLEEP
OVER AT HER SISTER'S.

BUT SHE'LL BE BACK.

I... I GUESS I DRINK TOO MUCH.

YOU KNOW, ARTHUR, YOU'RE A...

YOU'RE A PRETTY NICE JOE.

YOU KNOW, I KNEW THAT RIGHT AWAY

WHEN I FIRST SAW YOU.

THAT'S WHY...

WELL, THAT'S WHY I ASKED YOU UP

TO HAVE A BEER.

SO I CAN... I CAN TELL YOU,

MAN TO MAN, IT'S BEEN
PRETTY ROUGH LATELY.

I... WELL, THEY CANNED
ME FROM MY JOB,

PUT SOMEBODY ELSE ON THE CAT.

CAN YOU IMAGINE?

JUST-JUST-JUST BECAUSE I HAD

A FEW LOUSY DRINKS ONE DAY.

AH, NO... NO, IT
WASN'T THE BOOZE.

THAT WAS JUST AN EXCUSE.

IT'S ALL THAT CHEAP LABOR

THEY'RE BRINGING OVER HERE.

YEAH, THEY'RE LETTING
THEM IN FROM EVERYWHERE...

MEXICO, PUERTO RICO,
CHINA, JAPAN... FOREIGNERS.

WE MAKE HAWAII A
STATE; LOOK WHAT WE GET.

AH, I'M... I'M GETTING
OFF THE SUBJECT.

MY WIFE.

WELL, LIKE I SAID, SHE...

WENT OVER TO SLEEP AT
HER SISTER'S LAST NIGHT.

SAID SHE WAS ALL
WASHED UP WITH ME.

CAN YOU TIE THAT?

NOW, THAT'S GRATITUDE FOR YOU.

BUT SHE'S GOING TO COME BACK.

MM-HMM.

SHE KNOWS WHAT SIDE
HER BREAD'S BUTTERED ON.

AND IF SHE DOESN'T,
WELL, WHO NEEDS HER?

WHO NEEDS HER?

A MAN CAN MAKE IT
ALONE, HUH, ARTHUR?

I MEAN, WELL, WOMEN
ARE A DIME A DOZEN.

ANYBODY THAT'S BEEN TO
THE ORIENT KNOWS THAT.

WHAT'S THE MATTER, ARTHUR?

OR DO YOU WANT ME
TO CALL YOU TARO NOW?

LISTEN, KID, DON'T
TAKE IT SO HARD.

I MEAN, YOU KNOW, JUST
BECAUSE YOUR OLD MAN

WAS A SNEAKY LITTLE
DOUBLE-DEALING TRAITOR,

THAT DOESN'T MEAN YOU ARE.

I MEAN, WHAT THE DEVIL?

YOU DON'T HAVE TO GO AND
CHANGE YOUR NAME AND ALL

AND-AND FORGET YOU KNOW
HOW TO SPEAK JAPANESE.

THERE WAS SNEAKS AND
DOUBLE-CROSSERS ON BOTH SIDES.

LIKE YOU.

NOW WAIT A MINUTE.

WAIT A MINUTE, BUDDY.

YOU'RE NO BETTER.

YOU'RE A MURDERER.

YOU KILLED A DEFENSELESS MAN.

NOW TAKE IT EASY.

WHAT HAPPENED ON OKINAWA...
YOU CAN'T BLAME THAT ON ME.

NOW, WE WERE TOLD
NOT TO TAKE PRISONERS.

THAT'S RIGHT.

"NO PRISONERS," THEY SAID.

WELL, YOU...

YOU CAN'T HOLD A MAN RESPONSIBLE

FOR OBEYING ORDERS,
NOW, CAN YOU?

IN THE PACIFIC, WE WERE TOLD

THAT YOU GUYS
WEREN'T EVEN HUMAN...

YOU WERE... YOU WERE
SOME SPECIES OF AN APE...

AND NOT TO WORRY ABOUT
BURNING YOU OUT OF THE CAVES.

NOW ALL OF A SUDDEN, YOU'RE
FINE PEOPLE, HIGHLY CULTURED.

AND IT'S PROPAGANDA ABOUT
YOUR LOUSY TRANSISTOR RADIOS.

PUT THAT SWORD DOWN, ARTHUR,
AND LET'S HAVE A BEER TOGETHER.

I DON'T LIKE TO DRINK ALONE.

ARTHUR?

ARTHUR?

WELL, ARTHUR, DIDN'T I TELL YOU?

I'M ALL ALONE NOW.

MY WIFE UP AND LEFT ME.

I CALLED THE FOREMAN
ON THE JOB YESTERDAY,

AND HE HUNG UP THE PHONE.

I'M NOT SUCH A BAD GUY, ARTHUR.

WHY IS ALL THIS HAPPENING?

WHY?

ALL RIGHT.

DON'T ANSWER.

IF THAT'S WHAT YOU'RE
HERE FOR, KILL ME.

GO ON, I DARE YOU.

COME ON, TARO, I'M
WAITING FOR YOU.

OH... SO THAT'S IT.

YOU'RE JUST TRYING TO SCARE ME.

WELL, ALL RIGHT.

I'M SCARED... BUT NOT OF DYING.

OF LIVING.

I CAN'T MAKE IT, ARTHUR,

OR TARO, OR
WHATEVER YOUR NAME IS.

THERE'S NOTHING LEFT. NOTHING!

I'VE GOT A BOX FULL OF
DECORATIONS OVER THERE.

DECORATIONS!

FIRST, YOU'RE AN APE,
AND NOW ALL OF A SUDDEN,

YOU'RE-YOU'RE SOME KIND
OF HIGHLY-CULTURED PEOPLE.

I'VE BEEN PUSHED AND
PULLED THIS WAY AND THAT WAY

UNTIL I HATE EVERYBODY,
YOU DIRTY LITTLE JAP!

BONZAI!

TWO MEN IN AN ATTIC,
LOCKED IN MORTAL EMBRACE.

THEIR COMMON BOND AND
THEIR COMMON ENEMY: GUILT...

A DISEASE ALL TOO
PREVALENT AMONGST MEN

BOTH IN AND OUT OF
THE TWILIGHT ZONE.

AND NOW, MR. SERLING.

NEXT TIME OUT, WE
MOVE INTO THE AREA

OF GRAVEYARDS AND
THE DEAR DEPARTED

AND WE TELL YOU A STORY

ABOUT A MOST
DISTINCTIVE TYPE OF FELLA

WHO HAPPILY ENOUGH HAS AN
EQUALLY DISTINCTIVE PROFESSION...

HE RAISES THE DEAD.

ON THE TWILIGHT ZONE NEXT
TIME, JOHN DEHNER, STANLEY ADAMS

AND J. PAT O'MALLEY
LEND SELECTIVE TALENTS

TO A LITTLE ITEM CALLED
"MR. GARRITY AND THE GRAVES."