July 19, 1959 - Lou Bookman is Scheduled toย โDepartโ at Midnight
Louis J. Bookman, a 69-year-old New York City sidewalk pitchman, made his living selling toys and trinkets. A jovial, kindly old man, all the children in the neighborhood knew and loved Lou.ย
One hot summer day, Bookman was approached by the spectre of death, who informed him that he was scheduled toย โdepartโ this world at midnight that night. Bookman convinced Mr. Death that his work as a pitchman was not yet complete; he needed time to give one last, great, meaningful sales pitch -ย โone for the angels.โ As soon as Death agreed to his stipulation, Lou packed up his suitcase with the intent to leave town and change his profession, smugly convinced that he had outsmarted Death and achieved immortality.
Mr. Death was not dissuaded. He informed Bookman thatย โother arrangementsโ had to be made, and someone must take his place. At that moment, one of the neighborhood children, a friend of Louโs named Maggie, was hit by a truck and knocked into a coma. Bookman begged Death to rescind the deal, and take his life instead of Maggieโs, but Death informed him that it was too late.
Death went to Maggieโs room just before midnight, to be sure he was present in time to collect her. Bookman, however entered the room with his suitcase full of goods, and before he knew what was happening, Mr. Death was entranced by the salesmanโs pitch. Lou described the wonders of his wares with such eloquence that Death was moved to purchase everything. He was so enraptured in Bookmanโs pitch that he lost track of time and forgot to claim Maggieโs life at midnight. Ensured that the little girl would live, and having given his great pitchย โfor the angels,โ Bookman went peacefully with Death, ending his life and movingย โup thereโ just after midnight on July 19, 1959.
(The Twilight Zone, S01E02 One for the Angels, 1959)
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