The Twilight Zone: Season 1 Episode 34 The After Hours

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A woman is sent to the ninth floor when she tries to purchase a thimble for her mother's birthday.

Series Index

The Twilight Zone (1959-1964)

Characters/Groups

Narrator - Rod Serling

Marsha White - Anne Francis

Saleswoman - Elizabeth Allen

Mr. Armbruster - James Millhollin

Elevator Man - John Conwell

Mr. Sloan - Patrick Whyte

Mrs. Keevers - Nancy Rennick

Character thumbnails with links to profiles

Detailed Synopsis

Marsha White is walking through a department store when Mrs. Keevers asks her if she can show her any luggage. Marsha tells her that she isn't looking for luggage and walks off. Marsha walks to the elevator and as she is waiting, one opens up nearby and the Elevator Man asks her if she is going up. She asks to go to housewares and he asks her what she is looking for. She tells him that she is looking for a gold thimble and he tells her that she can find one in Specialties on the 9th floor. The elevator stops and Marsha steps out into what appears to be a fairly empty room. As Marsha is walking around the room, a Saleswoman asks her if she has been helped. Marsha tells her that she is looking for a gold thimble for her mother and the Saleswoman walks to a display case and shows her the only item within it, a gold thimble. Marsha buys the thimble and pays the Saleswoman an even 25 dollars. As Marsha is leaving she stops and calls the whole experience odd and the Saleswoman calls her by her name. Marsha starts to mention how the room only had the item she needed and then realizes the Saleswoman called her by her name. As Marsha is leaving, the Saleswoman calls her by her last name and asks if she is happy. The elevator arrives and as Marsha is riding it she complains to the Elevator Man how odd her experience was. She looks at her thimble and notices that it is scratched. The Elevator Man stops at the 3rd floor, Complaints.

Mr. Armbruster tells Mr. Sloan about Marsha's complaint about her damaged thimble and that she insists that she bought it on the 9th floor and not in the gifts department. Mr. Sloan goes out to speak with Marsha and she still insists she bought the thimble on the 9th floor. Mr. Armbruster asks to see her receipt and Marsha sees what she thinks is the Saleswoman and calls out to her and an employee lifts up what turns out to be a mannequin that looks exactly like the Saleswoman. Later, Mr. Armbruster asks Mrs. Keevers how Marsha is doing. He tells her to let Marsha know that the store is closing and she can come back tomorrow to get a refund. Before Mrs. Keevers can tell Marsha, she is called away. Marsha wakes up on a couch in an office and finds the store closed. She tries to leave, but the doors won't open. As she is walking around she knocks over a mannequin that looks like the Elevator Man. She starts to hear voices telling her that she knows who she is. The mannequins continue to call to her and she walks into the elevator which takes her to the 9th floor. When the door opens, the Saleswoman is standing there and brings her out of the elevator. The mannequins in the room start to walk around and surround Marsha and the Saleswoman tells Marsha to concentrate and remember. Marsha then realizes that she is a mannequin and it was her turn to leave for a month. The Saleswoman then takes her turn into the world and the others congratulate her. The next morning, Mr. Armbruster is shocked to see a Marsha mannequin.