This week, we’re listening to an episode of Suspense entitled “Fragile Contents Death,” recommended to us by our Patreon supporter Cole! Thanks, Cole! The story features a postmaster who receives word that a time bomb is hidden somewhere in all the items passing through his post office. He and his staff only have a few hours to find the explosive, and it will detonate if the package is opened! How can they possibly find the bomb in time? Why would someone put a bomb in the mail? What’s the right way to punctuate the title of the show? Listen for yourself and find out!

As we discussed in episode 405, "The Hat, the Bed, and John J. Catherine," from Quiet Please, our first attempt at a secret episode for our Patreon supporters was featured “Hat on a Bed,” from the series Origin of Superstition. Unfortunately, the recording had a few sound issues (including Tim having a cold) so we redid our inaugural episode with a different show to discuss. For the curious who are willing to overlook these flaws, we offer this abandoned alternative which tells the tale of an uninvited guest, an accusation of murder, and a truly outlandish courtroom stunt. Thank you again for your support of the podcast and we hope you enjoy this strange cautionary tale!

This week we’re diving into one the final episodes of Quiet Please, “The Hat, the Bed, and John J. Catherine”! An eccentric aspiring actor, relegated to the position of a stage hand, sees a hat on a bed onstage. Convinced that the omen foretells death, he walks away from his job into a strange, dreamlike state. Did he indeed experience a preview of death? What hidden meanings live within his theatrical references? Did Wyllis Cooper steal this story from the Coen Brothers? Listen for yourself and find out! (And check out a special preview of our first attempt at a secret episode for our Patreon supporters, “Hat on a Bed,” from the series Origin of Superstition!)