the man behind the wheel is jack haynes,
a long-haul trucker.
on any other night
he'd be on the lookout for a good time.
but that's changed.
a lot has changed for jack
because of one overheard telephone conversation.
he learned that tonight, his wife is meeting another man
here at the mustang bar.
his name, unknown.
the only thing jack haynes knows for certain
is that tonight
there's going to be murder at the mustang—
a little place ten miles from town
and deep in the heart of the twilight zone.
man (singing): ? how could i believe in truth?
? until an angel softly whispered?
? "she has been untrue to you" ?
? bury me beneath the willow?
? under the weeping willow tree?
? and when she sees where i am sleeping?
? maybe then she'll weep for me?
? tomorrow was already leaving?
? oh, god, oh, god, where can she be?
what will it be?
beer.
you looking for somebody?
yeah.
yeah, i am.
regular?
could be.
if you tell me who it is
if i see them, i'll tell them you're here.
it's all right.
i'll find him.
suit yourself.
? maybe then she'll weep for me. ?
thank you.
that's one of my favorite songs.
i grew up listening to it.
now i'd like to try...
now i'd like to do one of my own songs.
? too many nights i've been alone?
? too many times i should have gone home?
? now i hear you got someone new to hold?
? hearin' whispered words on the telephone?
? but if i can't have you, damn if anybody will?
? lord, i never thought i had it in me to kill?
? never thought it would come to this?
? always thought that we could never miss?
? it's breakin' my heart, so sad, so alone?
? and those whispered words on the telephone?
? but if i can't have you, damn if anybody will?
? lord, i never thought i had it in me to kill?
? after ten years of lovin', it's hard to understand?
? why you had to go steppin' out with another man?
he's pretty good, isn't he?
yeah.
who is he?
i don't really know.
he just came in out of the storm
a few hours ago
lookin' for a dry room and a cold beer
and a few hours work.
turned out to be pretty good.
i figured i'd let him open for the house band tonight.
a real natural.
that's probably why it took me a while to notice.
notice what?
the guy is blind as a bat.
so what did you think of my song?
it was all right.
you from around here?
i'm new here myself.
just felt like dropping by.
i travel around a lot.
by yourself?
you sound surprised.
is it because of these?
look, i'm sorry.
i didn't mean anything by that.
look, i'd love to sit around here
and chat with you
but if you don't mind, i've got something to do.
you never told me what you thought of my song.
kind of hits you where you live, don't it.
what?
that's what it was meant to do.
you say this song is about me?
look, don't jerk me around.
not tonight.
i've never seen you before in my life.
that's right.
what makes you think you know all about me?
i don't know all about you,
just the bad things.
see, i've been blessed, or cursed maybe
with a talent.
sometimes the songs just come to me
when i'm around certain people.
and i'm one of those people?
what do you think?
i think you're full of crap.
i'm doing fine.
a hell of a lot happier than you'll ever be.
i suppose you're right.
you're a real happy man.
you're always telling stories, hanging out,
pulling little practical jokes,
going on the road, having a good time.
yeah, you're a real happy-go-lucky type.
you're so happy
you sat out there in your truck drinking
till you was brave enough to come in here.
you're so happy you came in here
ready to blow somebody's brains out.
you're a real happy man.
go to hell.
ah, thanks, i've been there.
i'm not interested.
but it seems to me, you're halfway there.
listen, i'm warning you.
don't mess with me or i swear i'll...
shoot me?
you're nuts.
i don't think so.
what are you going to do?
call the cops?
no.
you're really something, aren't you?
i'll tell you what, mr. singer man.
you know so damned much
why don't you shave some of the time off my pain
and tell me which one of these bastards
is running around with my wife.
i don't know anything about your wife
or what she's doing.
i can only feel your pain.
and there's going to be a lot more
if you go through with this.
look at that.
what are you going to do, jack?
i'm just going to stand here and wait.
what then?
oh, brother.
don't tell me she came to meethim.
bastard.
don't do it, jack.
back off.
okay, give.
what makes you so special?
you mean the blonde?
no, the hairy truck driver.
yeah, the blonde.
money, charm, and, uh, my tight jeans.
you know what she wants me to do?
i can't wait to hear.
she wants me...
to get out of her face.
so you don't know her?
never seen her before in my life.
sure wish i did.
you almost took out the wrong guy, jack.
Jesus...
think about it, jack.
what if you find the wrong guy?
why the hell don't you go bother somebody else?
because i'm not here for them.
really bothers you, doesn't it, jack?
the idea of your wife playing a little catch-up
with what you've been getting away with for years.
i don't know what the hell you're talking about.
you've been running around on her and justifying it,
and now you're worried she's doing the same thing.
it's not the same thing.
ah, that's what you tell them, isn't it?
the redhead in detroit.
the blonde in toledo.
you know what i think, mr. singer man?
i think you're not blind at all.
answer me when i talk to you.
i'd say you just got your answer, jack.
i was a surveyor then.
good one, too.
folks said i had the eye for it.
anyway, i hit philly,
five years ago come sunday.
got a job there.
one night, i was in this bar—
kind of like this one, i suppose—
and i met this redhead.
we were drinking and dancing and having a good time.
then this guy comes up to me.
last thing i ever saw was that guy standing there.
funny thing was, i never saw the gun.
just this bright flash and a sound...
big as the end of the world.
it was the redhead's husband.
the slug went right through me.
it come out here.
just kept on going.
went right through his wife.
killed her.
damn it.
a week later,
the husband hung himself in his jail cell.
i guess he couldn't live with what he'd done.
me, i got better after a fashion.
you know how they say
when you lose one sense, the others get sharper?
that's kind of what happened to me.
i get a feel for people's pain.
you know what it's like?
it feels like...
sandpaper.
tastes like copper...
and it sounds like thunder, close and getting closer.
i can fix right in on it.
and about six months later
i found out the gift had a second part—
the songs...
the way they come to me.
just out of the blue?
i'll be drawn to a place, and i won't know who's there
or what i'm there to do.
but after awhile, the song comes...
and iknow.
jack, i've seen a lot of guys like you.
some listened and some didn't.
you've got to decide for yourself, jack.
hey, where are you going?
looks like her boyfriend showed up after all.
oh, my god.
you all right, buddy?
yeah.
guy ought to give lessons.
he's doing something right.
? after seven years?
i can't. I can't.
? we finally parted?
you say something, mister?
? it was friendly? no.
? we never made no fuss?
nothing at all.
? there was no one thing?
? that we could really point to? keep the change.
? just that marriage made a boring pair of us?
? i used to think about other girls?
? when we were loving?
? i don't know how or why?
? they just came slipping through?
? but ever since that night you sent me packing?
(song becomes distant): ? when i'm loving them?
? i only think of you... ?
jack.
jack!
hey, jack.
what are you doing?
my god, not you!
stop that guy!
what are you, crazy?
he'll blow your brains out.
let the cops flush him out.
you're going the wrong way, jack.
even i can see that.
get out of my way.
didn't quite work out like you figured,
did it, jack?
never does.
they're searching for you.
if i can find you, you know they can find you.
why don't you trythatway?
do you know him?
man 2: know him? he's my best friend.
you have any idea why he did it?
no, he just came out of nowhere.
it was their anniversary next week,
and she wanted to get something special for him.
she'd been saving for months.
we were trying to think of something.
she came up with this idea— something for the truck,
you know, mag wheels or something.
it was going to be a surprise.
damn it, i don't understand why!
elaine!
god...!
i'm sorry.
he's over here!
what happened?
i know.
it's a little thing i forgot to mention
about the songs i sing—
they got a real mean chorus.
but it's your choice, jack.
and this time, it's for real.
so what are you going to do?
cold night.
how did you know which truck...?
never mind.
i almost threw it all away in there tonight.
yep.
look, is there something that i could...?
could you give me a lift down the road?
you got it.
i don't mean anything personal by this,
but i never heard of anybody getting shot like that...
and surviving.
look, it's late.
i got more songs to sing tonight.
we better get going.
right.
no comment necessary
except to note the necessity of caution
when the hands show midnight
in the dark hour of the human soul.
a song of warning and hope
written in somber red and copyrighted
by the twilight zone.