Our time on earth will come to an end at some point, whether it is sooner or later no one really knows, but it does come to an end. Most of us are never ready for it, nor do we want it come, but it does.
“One for the Angels” is a simple story, but a powerful one to me. This was the second-ever episode to air, originally broadcast on October 9, 1959, it was written by Rod Serling and directed by Robert Parrish. It tackles the complex nature, but simple nature of Death and when it is time to go, even if you feel you are not ready too.
Opening Narration: “Street scene: Summer. The present. Man on a sidewalk named Lou Bookman, age sixtyish. Occupation: pitchman. Lou Bookman, a fixture of the summer, a rather minor component to a hot July, a nondescript, commonplace little man whose life is a treadmill built out of sidewalks. And in just a moment, Lou Bookman will have to concern himself with survival – because as of three o’clock this hot July afternoon, he’ll be stalked by Mr. Death.”
This story starts with a kindly sidewalk pitchman named Lou Bookman, played by Ed Wynn, who sells and repairs toys, notions, and trinkets. He is abored by the neighborhood children, who he loves as he never had a family of his own. One day, after finishing work, he returns to his shabby apartment and is visited by Mr. Death. Death informs him that it is time for him to go, and he will die of natural causes at midnight in his sleep. Unable to dissuade Death, Bookman instead convinces him to wait until Bookman has made his greatest sales pitch of his life, “One for the Angels”.
Death agrees, but Bookman immediately announces he is retiring, arrogantly thinking he has cheated Death. Death agrees that he found a loophole in their agreement but warns that someone else now has to die in his place. Death Chooses Maggie, a little girl who lives in Bookman’s building and is a friend whom he is very fond of.
Maggie is hit by a truck and goes into a coma, now scheduled for the midnight deadline. Bookman begs Death to take him instead, but Death is adamant; a deal is a deal… While the day turns into night, Bookman gets out his wares and begins a pitch at night. He eloquently boasts one item after another, the greatest pitch of his life, one so great that it even entices Death himself. Death buys one item after another until he misses his deadline of midnight to take Maggie. Maggie then wakes up, ensuring that she will live.
Death observes that by making that great sale pitch, Mr. Bookman has met the original terms of their deal. Now content and ready to accept his fate, Bookman packs his things and leaves with Death. Bookman remarking that “you never know who might need something up there”. He looks at Death, saying “Up there?” and Death replies, “Up there, Mr. Bookman. You made it.” They walk off into the night together.
Closing Narration: “Louis J. Bookman, age sixtyish. Occupation: pitchman. Formerly a fixture of the summer, formerly a rather minor component to a hot July. But, throughout his life, a man beloved by the children, and therefore, a most important man. Couldn’t happen, you say? Probably not in most places – but it did happen in the Twilight Zone.”
Once again, it is a simple story with a simple message, in the end we all must go, whether we want to or not. Mr. Death will come knocking on all of our doors at some point, and we must answer it, even if nobody is home at the time. You cannot run, you cannot hide, you cannot bargain with Him, you must accept and simply go. Lou Bookman knew this in the end and was at peace with it if we, in the end, are as fortunate and we are at peace with it as he was, then we will be just as lucky.