Produced by Greg Weeks, Stephen Blundell and the Online
Distributed Proofreading Team at https://www.pgdp.net
_Television quiz programs with an aspect of having just staged a
raid on Fort Knox are very much in the news these days. Certainly
the prizes to be won are astronomical and the contestants scarcely
less so. Step right up, little lady and tell us why your eyes look
so strange! What's that? You want us to read this astounding science
fantasy documentary by J. Anthony Ferlaine first? Well--perhaps we
should play it safe while the flying saucer folk are watching us!_
one
out
of
ten
_by ... J. Anthony Ferlaine_
There may be a town called Mars in Montana. But
little Mrs. Freda Dunny didn't come from there!
I watched Don Phillips, the commercial announcer, out of the corner of
my eye. The camera in front of me swung around and lined up on my set.
"... And now, on with the show," Phillips was saying. "And here, ready
to test your wits, is your quizzing quiz master, Smiling Jim Parsons."
I smiled into the camera and waited while the audience applauded. The
camera tally light went on and the stage manager brought his arm down
and pointed at me.
"Good afternoon," I said into the camera, "here we go again with another
half hour of fun and prizes on television's newest, most exciting, game,
'Parlor Quiz.' In a moment I'll introduce you to our first contestant.
But first here is a special message to you mothers ..."
The baby powder commercial appeared on the monitor and I walked over to
the next set. They had the first contestant lined up for me. I smiled
and took her card from the floor man. She was a middle-aged woman with a
faded print dress and old-style shoes. I never saw the contestants
until we were on the air. They were screened before the show by the
staff. They usually tried to pick contestants who would make good show
material--an odd name or occupation--or somebody with twenty kids.
Something of that nature.
I looked at the card for the tip off. "Mrs. Freda Dunny," the card said.
"Ask her where she comes from."
I smiled at the contestant again and took her by the hand. The tally
light went on again and I grinned into the camera.
"Well, now, we're all set to go ... and our first contestant today is
this charming little lady right here beside me. Mrs. Freda Dunny." I
looked at the card. "How are you, Mrs. Dunny?"
"Fine! Just fine."
"All set to answer a lot of questions and win a lot of prizes?"
"Oh, I'll win all right," said Mrs. Dunny, smiling around at the
audience.
The audience tittered a bit at the remark. I looked at the card again.
"Where are you from, Mrs. Dunny?"
"Mars!" said Mrs. Dunny.
"Mars!" I laughed, anticipating the answer. "Mars, Montana? Mars, Peru?"
"No, _Mars_! Up there," she said, pointing up in the air. "The planet
Mars. The fourth planet out from the sun."
My assistant looked unhappy.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
Reviews
Reviews
No reviews yet
Be the first to share your thoughts on this work.
Join the Discussion
Join the discussion
Sign in to leave a comment or review.
Sign InorCreate an account