History Recap / TheTwilightZone1959S2E25TheSilence

->'''/Rod Serling:''' Mr. Jamie Tennyson, who almost won a bet, but who discovered somewhat belatedly that gambling can be a most unproductive pursuit, even with loaded dice, marked cards, or, as in his case, some severed vocal cords. For somewhere beyond him, a wheel was turned, and his number came up black 13. If you don't believe it, ask the croupier, the very special one who handles roulette – in The Twilight Zone.

* HappilyMarried: Jamie loves his wife younger wife Doris very much. Archie fabricates rumors(?) that she may be cheating on him, which clearly leave him distraught.

Colonel Archie Taylor is a prominent member of his local gentleman's club. The evening chatter proceeds as normal, but one particular member bothers him: Jamie Tennyson, a new nouveau riche member who is prone to talking incessantly, and who Archie views as mouthy and "poorly bred". Because he is aware Jamie has squandered his recent wealth and is desperate for money, and despite gambling being illegal in their state, Archie offers Jamie a wager. He promises to award Jamie $500,000 if he can keep himself from uttering a single word for an entire year. As a means to ensure that no cheating is allowed to take place, Jamie will be locked in a glass room riddled with microphones so they can catch him if he talks at any time, even when people aren't watching. Jamie is offended both at the conditions of the wager and the fact that Archie has just aired his dirty laundry to the whole club, but he nonetheless agrees to the bet. Archie then says that he needs a check on deposit in Jamie's name, but the Colonel takes umbrage at what seems to be impugning his word, and the rest of the club backs him up because he's a longstanding member. Jamie subsides, accepting "my courage against your credit", and shows up the following night to begin his year of muteness. Alfred, Archie's friend, seems to think this whole thing is a bad idea, but Archie pays him no mind.

->'''Creator/RodSerling:''' Mr. Jamie Tennyson, who almost won a bet, but who discovered somewhat belatedly that gambling can be a most unproductive pursuit, even with loaded dice, marked cards, or, as in his case, some severed vocal cords. For somewhere beyond him, a wheel was turned, and his number came up black 13. If you don't believe it, ask the croupier, the very special one who handles roulette - in The Twilight Zone.

* CheatersNeverProsper: Jamie has his vocal cords surgically paralyzed so he will win the bet. Unfortunately for him, not only is he permanently mute, but he learns that Archie is broke, so Jamie is in huge debt.

* CruelTwistEnding: An ''exceptionally'' cruel one, as both men are worse off than when they started.

* DownerEnding: Both parties end up worse in the end. Archie is forced to admit that he's a fraud, destroying his reputation and credibility, and now has to live with the knowledge that he psychologically tortured and traumatized a man for no real reason. Jamie gets it worse, having his vocal cords severed and no longer being able speak or verbally communicate, and he still remains in large debt.

* DownerEnding: Both parties end up worse in the end. Archie is forced to admit that he's a fraud, destroying his reputation and credibility. Jamie gets it worse, having his vocal cords severed and no longer being able speak or verbally communicate, and he still remains in large debt.