The Twilight Zone "Dead Man's Shoes"

A poor rummy down on his luck finds a new pair of shoes and, with them, an entirely new perspective.

You're traveling
through another dimension-

a dimension not only of sight
and sound, but of mind,

a journey into a wondrous land

whose boundaries
are that of imagination.

Your next stop,
the twilight zone.

Okay, dump him.

Nathan Edward bledsoe,
of the bowery bledsoes,

a man once, a specter now,

one of those myriad,
modern-day ghosts that haunt

the reeking nights of this city

in search of a flop, a handout,
a glass of forgetfulness.

Nate doesn't know it,
but his search is about to end

because those shiny new shoes
are going to carry him

right into the capital
of the twilight zone.

Hey, Nate.

Yeah, what do you want?

Nothin'.

Just wondered
where you was going.

You, uh,
make a little strike, Nate?

Nah.

So what's the hurry?

I don't know.

Don't try to kid me, Nate-
you're after a jug.

Sam. What has come of you?

I see the whole thing

is clearly a case
of assault and battery.

Oh, what are you talking about?

I just asked him where he was...

i will gladly testify for you
in a court case.

Eh, forget it.

He didn't mean nothing.

Spoken like a true gentleman.

There, you see? Aren't
you ashamed of yourself

to think that a
man of such honor

would refuse to
share his windfall

with his old comrades.

I don't know
what you're talking about.

Nathan, Nathan,
Nathan, please,

don't destroy the image
that i have created.

It's quite obvious that
you're on to something.

We couldn't mistake
your steadfast walk,

your sense of well-being.

And your new shoes.

They're...

a bit expensive, aren't they?

I found 'em in a alley.

Yes. It looks to me

like, uh, british
workmanship,

but aren't they just,
uh, a little bit snug?

They do feel a little funny.

Yes, well, i would be glad...

ah, but they fit okay.

Uh, Nathan,
when you found the footgear,

did you also,
by the remotest chance, find...?

Just the shoes.

Now where are you headed, pal?

Take your hand off me.

Dane?
I'm glad you're back, honey.

I keep losing.

Well, what have you got...?

Who are you?

What do you want?

Look, you better
get out of here.

That's dane's bottle.

Mm-hmm, that's why
i'm drinking it.

You know, if he comes back
and finds you here,

he'll kill you.

Mister, don't you hear me?

He'll kill you.

Wilma...

you'll never
make it downstairs.

Fix me a drink.

Bernie? Wilma.

Is dane there?

Oh, well look, if he comes
back, will you tell him that...

would you tell him
that i need him right away?

I'm at the apartment.

Okay.

All right, mister,
where's dane?

Dane?

I don't understand, lady.

Oh, yes, you do.

You've got his shoes,
and no one else

wears shoes like dane's.

Oh, the shoes.

I found the shoes.

You mean, you stole them.

Yeah, that's right,
lady, i stole them.

Where?

I don't... i don't understand...

at the club?

The what?

Well, what was he doing there?

I don't know, lady, honest.

Well, what do you know, mister?

Nothing.

I don't know
nothing, lady, i...

you know, i ought
to kill you-

busting in here
like you own the place.

Lady, please, don't do that.

Please don't do that,
please don't do that!

Put on the shoes
and get out of here.

Yeah.

Yes, lady, i'll go.

I thought i told you
to mix me a drink.

Oh, look, mister...

do i have to
break your arm?

No.

How about that drink?

Well, what'll it be?

What'll it be?

What do i always have?

I don't know what
you always have, mister,

i really don't.

Try tequila...

...with a cube of sugar.

Do you want to tell me
who you really are?

You tell me.

You know,
dane's coming back,

and if you knew what
was good for you...

oh, i, uh, know
what's good for me.

You.

Don't touch me.

Don't touch me,
don't...

now, who am i, baby?

Dane.

No, you're not.

You're not, you're not!

What have you done with him?

And what have you done with him?

What have you done with him?

Now, look, i have
some unfinished business.

But you be here
when i get back.

I love that rhythm.

Yes, sir, what
will it be?

Tequila with a cube of sugar.

Yes, sir.

Friend of yours?

Jimmy, that fellow
at the bar-

you know him?

Negative.

Ben, what about you?

I've never seen him before, why?

Well, he seems to know us.

You like to live
dangerously, do you?

Am i?

If you keep on
staring at this woman.

It's not the woman
i'm staring at.

Look-

you're driving me crazy.

Why don't you
get rid of the guy?

Or invite him over,
do something!

Ben, get him over here.

Hey.

Mr. Dagget would like
to see you over there.

At his own personal table.

I don't know what to say.

Don't say anything,
just do it.

All right, i accept.

Hey, sweetheart,
sit over there.

Hello, Bernie.

You know me?

Oh, by reputation.

Oh...oh, i get it.

Tequila with
a lump of sugar, huh?

Mmm.

That's kind of
a funny coincidence.

How's that?

Well, i, uh... i had a good
friend who drank the same stuff.

Oh?

What's your name?

Kilroy.

Look, buddy, when
mr. Dagget asks...

what's your business,
mr. Kilroy?

Well, you might say, uh,
i'm kind of a messenger.

I've got a message for you,
bernie.

Well, let's have it.

No, i, uh, was given
instructions

to deliver
this message privately.

Well, it's a touchy matter,
you know how it is.

Oh.

Who's it from?

Afraid i can't say.

It's a nice place.

Real nice.

The, um... the fellow
that gave you this message,

what did he look like?

Uh, bernie, my business
is forgetting, not remembering.

Mm-hmm.

All right, messenger, let's go.

Oh, no,
this has got to be private.

It will be.

This is my office.

You can't get
any more private than this.

Even the walls
are soundproof.

Take it easy.

Happy easter.

You still got
a message for me?

Oh, yes, but, uh, tell
the easter bunny here

i'd like my gun back afterwards.

Mm-hmm.

All right, boys.

Sit down.

Make yourself comfortable.

Well, well, well.

How did you get it
cleaned so fast, bernie?

What?

The rug.

I understand
blood's very hard

to get out, isn't it?

I don't know what
you're talking about.

I'll tell you what
i'll do, bernie.

I'll tell you
what i'm talking about.

I'm talking about a guy

who had a pretty nice thing
going for him.

Plenty of dough,
plenty of action.

Only he wasn't happy
because he had a partner.

That meant he couldn't
be number one.

Being number one

was very important to him.

So he offered
to buy the partner out.

When the partner refused
to sell, he killed him...

right there.

You know, you'd never know.

It was a slick job.

Who are you?

Oh, i told you.

I'm a messenger.

And, uh,
here's the message.

You didn't think that'd
work twice, did you?

I'll be back, bernie...

and i'll keep coming back

again and again

and i'll get you.

So help me, i'll get you.

Who is he?

It's d...

i don't know.

Oh, my dear Nathan,

you really are smashed,
aren't you?

Very careless of you.

As for these, we'll discuss them
at some future date.

There's an old saying that goes,
"if the shoe fits, wear it,"

but be careful.

If you happen to find a pair of
size nine black and gray loafers

made to order in the old
country, be very careful.

You might walk right into
the twilight zone.