The Dark Past

What does a big city mean to you?

You may think

of soaring skyscrapers -

Monuments to man's creation.

But I think of the people -

The one and the many.

No names, no faces.

I'm one of the people, too.

I've got my routine,

same as all of them.

I rush for work,

Usually just in time

to catch the last bus -

Always late,

part of that last-minute crowd.

Yet, for all the similarity

of our routine,

We're none of us the same.

We're as different

as the print of our thumbs.

Ever think

about the differences in people?

I do -

Sort of a little game I play,

a guessing game.

Guess what she's doing.

She's hoping to please the boss.

And now here's the boss.

He doesn't look pleased.

And this beautiful young thing -

On the threshold of life

With her eyes full of dreams

of romance and music.

No dreams here - Only tears.

Not even room for tears here...

only the shame of defeat.

And his hopes never end.

Well, he can dream, can't he?

Oh, well.

The game is over for today.

No more guessing.

Now I've got to know

about people.

This is where I work.

Familiar-Looking place,

isn't it?

Headhdquarters for the city's

law enforcement agency.

Hi, Riley.

Morning, Brown.

Swanson.

No, I'm not a policeman.

I'm not a detective, either...

not exactly.

Here, every man is a sort

of specialist, an expert.

There may be some fragment

of truth in the old saying

That it takes a thief

to catch a thief,

But there's

a lot more truth to the fact

That in this day and age

It takes an expert

to catch another expert.

And there are all kinds

of experts.

Police psychiatrists,

like myself -

Experts

at understanding people.

Morning, doctor.

Morning, herb.

Anything exciting?

Just the usual.

Like any other doctor,

I have my daily routine.

My patients are these men

Who blast their way

into today's headlines

With crimes of violence,

Now being brought in

for the morning show up.

I get my first good look at them

in the viewing room

Together with the detectives

who are there to memorize

Every last detail

Of their appearance, mannerisms,

characteristics.

Some of them don't look so good.

Some of them

don't feel too well -

Frightened, and show it.

This one doesn't show any fear.

He's a repeater.

For more than half his life,

You and I have been supporting him

In reform school, prison,

and penitentiary.

He knows the routine well.

Here's one who doesn't know

the routine at all.

He interests me.

He's young.

I may be able to help him.

John Larrapoe -

Armed robbery,

assault with deadly weapon,

Resisting arrest.

How old are you, Larrapoe?

He's bitter, the resentment

burning out of his eyes.

He's been hurt - Hurt often.

How old are you?

You ever been arrested

before?

No.

You're not telling the truth.

In the last six years,

You've been arrested nine times

as a juvenile delinquent.

You're gettin' paid

to know the answers, not me!

Take him away.

That's all for today.

Williams.

Hello, there, doc.

Hello.

I see you were the arresting

officer in the Larrapoe case.

I'm interested in that boy.

You and me both.

I'm going to recommend

that he be sent

To the psychiatric ward

of the county hospital.

Don't expect me to make that

recommendation in my report to the D.A.

Have you seen

his medical history?

There's nothing wrong

with Larrapoe that a good stretch

Of hard labor won't cure. He's a

bad boy; mean all over.

People behave badly sometimes.

Doesn't mean they're bad.

Yeah, yeah, you're gonna tell me if there's

a little bit of good in the worst of us.

Or maybe there's

just a little bit of bad

Deep down in the hearts of the best

of us. Take yourself for instance.

Oh, now, doc,

don't start on me again.

Now if this kid's hand

were bleeding

Or if he had

a festering foot,

We'd want to rush him

to the hospital, wouldn't we?

But an inside hurt that's been festering

for years, poisoning him -

That doesn't mean anything

to you, does it?

What do you want me to do,

feel sorry for him?

I don't want us hardening him into

a hopeless criminal - He's young.

Something can be done for him

while he's young.

He's a sick boy,

mentally and emotionally.

I know, doc.

You think everything

is in the mind.

Well, most of it.

Is this in my mind?

Come into my office if you want

to discuss your mind.

Say, doc, why should you care

about a kid like Larrapoe?

Somebody has to care.

You know, williams,

I wasn't always in police work.

You never tried to bring one

of these tough kids in, did you?

Did you ever hear of al Walker?

Everybody's heard

of al Walker.

Sit down.

It wasn't too long ago.

No more than a couple of years.

I was a professor of psychology

at a state university,

Small town

near the canadian border.

I rather liked

lecturing to those youngsters,

But it was friday

and like it or not,

I was very happy

when the bell rang

And ended the class

for the day.

It meant I could ease up

and put my work aside...

all of it...

and head out

for a few relaxing days

Of fishing and hunting

at our place on the lake...

dig into that new book

which I had to review.

Fred Linder,

chemistry professor,

Dropped by to see me.

He had a cabin near ours,

and we often hunted together.

My wife Ruth and son, Bobby,

were there also.

Ruth was anxious to start

Because we were having guests

for the weekend.

And Bobby couldn't wait

to get out into the open.

I'd promised to take him along

on our hunting trip,

And he was looking forward

to it.

I'd asked Fred

to check my rifle.

He was a wizard at any kind

of mechanical repair,

And we all took advantage

of his talent.

He said he'd tinker with it

and put it in shape.

And then, as I was putting

my books and papers together,

I noticed

the afternoon newspaper.

I remember that moment

quite clearly

Because those headlines

were my first introduction

To al Walker.

Nothin' like a ride

in the country, huh, warden?

You and me

have been indoors too much.

Have any trouble, al?

No. Worked like a charm.

Didn't it, warden?

Did you do what I told you?

Don't I always?

How about larry and the boat?

Never mind him.

We get to the lake

just after dark.

We wait there until he comes.

Where do we wait, underwater?

There's an empty shack by the lake-

An old boarded-Up place. We hang

out there till larry comes.

Empty shack, huh?

Well, it's perfect.

How close is the next house?

Right nearby.

Anyone live there?

Sure.

Who?

Guy named collins -

College professor.

Lives there

with his wife and kid...

maybe a cook.

They come up every weekend.

That's where we're staying.

But the people -

We can take care of them.

First place the cops would look

would be an empty shack.

Yeah, that's right.

Say, al,

what about the warden?

Yeah.

Warden,

here's where you get off.

Stop the car, mike.

So long,

and thanks for the help.

Oh, warden...

I've got something for you.

It's prison property.

You'd better take it along.

Al,

you didn't have to do that.

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