Naval Intelligence, MKUltra and the Hippie Movement

[Helen Reyes]

Judy Garland in Drive-In, Suspense!, November 21, 1946

And now, Roma Wines, R-O-M-A, made in California for enjoyment throughout the world, Roma Wines present:

Suspense!

Tonight, Roma Wines bring you Miss Judy Garland as star of "Drive In," a Suspense! play produced, edited and directed for Roma Wines by William Spier.

Suspense, radio's outstanding theater of thrills is presented for your enjoyment by Roma Wines. That's R-O-M-A, Roma Wines! Those excellent California wines that can add so much pleasantness to the way you live, to your happiness in entertaining guests, to your enjoyment of everyday meals. Yes, right now a glassfull would be very pleasant as Roma Wines bring you Judy Garland in a remarkable tale of.... Suspense!

Judy Garland [as Mildred or "Millie"]: I wish I hadn't let Ruth talk me into serving that last car that came into the drive-in that rainy night. It was late and I was tired. I'd been on my feet all day, carrying heavy trays, hopping to it with impatient people blaring their headlights on and off in my eyes. Heaven knows there are a lot of impatient people in Hollywood. We carhops don't have an easy time of it. Talk about your mail carriers. Well, we're the same: raining or blowing or boiling hot, we've got to get through with that tray, and know the reason why. Tired, hungry people who sit back in their car expect a million dollars' worth of service for a ten-cent tip. Why do we do it? Sure, there are others ways of making a living in Hollywood, but ... not many that hold that glittering promise that maybe someday, somehow, maybe someone will say:

[Husband] Why, that girl looks like Lana Turner!
[Wife] Yes, at least her hair's done up that way.
[Husband] I think I could use her, Rene. The musical version of the Forsythe Saga. Oh, she'd be great in color. I think I'll ask her to come out to the studio.
[Wife] Yes, I know.

Maybe it doesn't happen often, but there's always the chance. And there's always that hope. That's what keeps us going, I guess. But, there are other things that can happen in a drive-in that aren't on the menu. Like that rainy night I was telling you about when I let Ruth talk me into serving that last car that came in...

[car horn]

Ruth: Millie! Millie, Mill, listen, please, take this order will ya? I got three cars waitin....

Millie: Oh, look at the clock, will ya? It's nearly midnight! I'm off duty----

Ruth: Oh, please, Millie, just this once more! My date's waitin! I'll do the same for you sometime...

[car horn]

Millie: Hey, what's the matter with him? Can't he read: "PLEASE DO NOT HONK YOUR HORN"? It looks square enough to me.

Ruth: It's a doctor's car, you see? He's probably in a rush. Anyway you got nobody waitin for you.

Millie: Oh, alright.

Ruth: Oh gee, thanks Mill!

It was true, I had no one waiting for me, only the bus that was gonna take me to Glendale where I lived alone in an apartment. So, I buttoned up my raincoat and took a menu over to the car.

[Millie] Good evening.

[Driver] Never mind the menu. Just some black coffee, a pot of it, and a ham sandwich. Please hurry.

When I took his order over to the car the window was rolled up a little too far and it interfered with the tray, so I reached in to wind it down. When I touched the handle it felt wet, kind of sticky too, but I didn't think anything about it. I got the tray firmly set and then I looked at my hand. It was as red as... blood. I looked up quickly at him.

[Driver] Oh, I'm sorry. I'm Dr. Morgan. I just had an emergency in the car.

[Millie] Oh! An accident?

[Driver] Yes, Sunset and Vine. Quite a crash. I just happened by and I took one of them to the hospital.

[Millie] Gee, that's a shame!

[Driver] Yes, it's too bad.

I walked back trying to wipe the blood from my hand with a paper napkin. It gave me a creepy feeling to have somebody's blood on my hand. Then I went in to wash. I was trying to keep close track of the time and I was a little worried because the big drive-in clock wasn't right. It sometimes ran slow. So I took a coin from my apron pocket. I figured it was worth a nickle not to miss that last bus to Glendale. I walked over to the payphone and I was about to drop the nickle in when [car horn] I looked out and he was leaning on the horn and beckoning to me at the same time. So I put the nickle back in my pocket and hurried out to him.

[Driver] I'm sorry but I'm in a hurry. I haven't time for this coffee to cool off. I'll take the sandwich with me. How much do I owe you?

[Millie] Oh, that'll be forty-two cents.

[Driver] Ah, here you are.

[Millie] Thank you.

[Driver] I hope I didn't interrupt your phone call. It wasn't important, was it?

[Millie] No... I was just checking on the time. I didn't want to miss my bus----

[Driver] There was a clock right over your head.

[Millie] Well, that's usually wrong.

[Driver] Well I have the time, it's about four minutes to twelve.

[Millie] Oh!!! I'm going to miss my bus!

[Driver] What time does it leave?

[Millie] At midnight from Hollywood and Laveria.

[Driver] Hop in, I'll take ya. I'm going right past there.

[Millie] Oh would you?!! I'll take the tray in, I'll be right back. I might still be able to make it!

[Driver] O.K.

In my hurry to unhook the tray from the window I gave it a jerk and it fell crashing to the ground [crashing tray sounds].

[Millie] Oh dear! Ruth!

[Ruth] Yeah?

[Millie] Look, look! Help me with these things will ya? I'm gonna miss my bus!

[Ruth] Go ahead, go ahead, Millie. I'll get it, I'll get it.

We picked the things up quickly and Ruth went off with the tray. I started to run around the other side of the car when I noticed something shining on the ground. It was one of the shakers that had fallen from the tray. I picked it up and started toward the drive-in.

[Driver] Uh, why don't you just put that in your pocket? You can return it tomorrow. C'mon, you're gonna miss your bus!

I put the shaker in my apron pocket and I rushed over to the other side of the car. He opened the door for me and I was just about to get in when I... hesitated. I wasn't used to doing this kind of thing. The other girls sometimes let their customers drive them home but I never did. Still, he looked so decent and I---

[Driver] C'mon, you'll miss it!

Then he reached out, as if to help me in, and I thought that he was really concerned about my missing the bus, because he seemed to pull me into the car. First thing I knew, I was sitting beside him. [car starts]. Then the door slammed [door closes] and we were driving off [sound of car driving off]. I was a little uneasy, but then I thought: it's only a few blocks, I won't be in the car long.

[Driver] I suppose you're in a hurry because someone's waiting for you. [engine sounds]

[Millie] No, I live alone. But I'd hate to walk back to Glendale in this rain.

[Driver] You won't have to walk.

[Millie] Well this is very nice of you. I appreciate it.

[Driver] Not at all. ... Um, would you mind rolling up that window on your side? There's a draft!

[Millie] Oh, of course! [sound of window squeaking] ... Um, you can uh let me off at that corner over there.

[Driver] Alright.

[Millie] Anywhere along here will be alright. This is fine. Right over there by the stop sign. Wait a minute, you're going through the stop signal!

[Driver] Am I?

[Millie] Yes, but I'll get off over there by the other one. My bus! You're turning the wrong way!

[Driver] Am I?

{Millie] Yes, this... this goes up to Laurel Canyon!

[Driver] Does it. [car accelerates]

[Millie, whimpering] Hey... lemme outta here!

[Driver] You thought you were pretty smart, didn't you?

[Millie] I don't know what you mean! Please, let me out of this car!

[Driver] You went right to the phone. You thought I wouldn't see you.

[Millie] The phone? But I was calling about the time, honest I was!

[Driver] The time! With that clock over your head...

[Millie] But that clock's wrong sometimes! Besides, who would I call? Why should I call anyone about you?

[Driver] You were calling the police.

[Millie] No, honest I wasn't. Let me outta this car.

[Driver] You were gonna catch a bus... You were going straight to the police, that's where you were going!

[Millie] But why, why should I go to the police?

[Driver] You know why!

[Millie] No, really I don't!

[Driver] Because you saw it! You saw his blood!

....