Synopsis[]
A man with a heart condition invests in a product that makes him practically unable to die.
Cast[]
- Bill Macy as Ben Martin
- Robert Riesel as Henry Harris
- Samantha Harper as Mrs. Lianne Martin
- Geneva Simmons as Donna Kern
- Lainie Miller as Nurse
- Patsy Whitecotton as Kellie
- Paul Sparer as Narrator
Plot[]
Act I[]
Looking somewhat dejected, Bill Martin walks into the office of the company that he owns--Minepac. He sees a glass of milk, a glass of water, some pills, and an Alka Seltzer sitting on a tray on his desk. He thanks Kelly (who is not in the room), takes his pills, followed by his Alka Seltzer.
Kelly, the receptionist, comes into the room and tells Mr. Martin his schedule for the day. At first, Martin wonders why a senator that he had a meeting scheduled with was not included, and Kelly informs him the senator had to cancel due to the rescheduling of a hearing. Martin seems stressed out and is upset about the senator's cancellation, but the stress appears to cause him a slight amount of physical pain at first and he dismisses it. Kelly informs Martin that an insurance representative is there to see him and will not tell her why he is there. Taking out a cigarette, Martin tells Kelly to wait a few moments and then let the insurance representative in.
The insurance representative, Henry Harris, comes into Martin's office. Henry takes a chair and moves it in front of the door. When asked by Martin why he is doing this, Henry tells Martin that they need complete privacy until they are finished. Henry shakes Martin's hand and introduces himself. Martin's first thought it that Henry is there to speak to him about a mine accident, but Henry dismisses this.
Henry tells Martin that he is there to help Martin take a look at his life and to realize how important it is that he doesn't die because his wife and children will not be able to support themselves. Martin tells Harris that it would be impossible for a man in his position to not take risks. Harris agrees and tells Martin that is why he needs protection. Martin is somewhat annoyed by Harris and informs him that he has more insurance policies than anyone. Harris tells Martin that he is already aware of this. However, all the insurance that Martin has is "death" insurance and what Harris is offering is insurance that Martin will not die.
Martin puts out his cigarette and tells Harris that he has given him enough of his time. As Martin reaches for his intercom to call Kelly into the room, Harris puts his jacket over the intercom. Harris assures Martin that he is completely serious. Harris tells Martin that he can provide Martin with a special package of protection that will guarantee that he will not be cheated out of the years he has left.
Martin seems very suspicious and he asks Harris to show him how the package works. Harris has one on his own body and pushes a button that causes an explosion. An alarm sounds and within seconds Kelly is knocking on the door, trying to see if Martin is all right. Martin ignores Kelly, however, and gets up and looks around. Harris appears to be gone and a large orange cocoon is on the floor. As Kelly keeps trying to get Martin to answer her, Martin knocks on the cocoon. Harris opens the cocoon, looks at a surprised Martin and asks if he now will get a few more minutes of Martin's time.
Act II[]
Kelly is still knocking on the door and she asks Martin if she should call security. Martin tells her to not call security and to not disturb him at all. Martin then asks Harris what the cocoon is.
Harris tells Martin that the device is a Lifebomb and it is made of a memory fabric installed in his back. When the bomb is set off, it takes the shape of his body and then hardens. The Lifebomb will only go off if it determines the wearer is in danger, and then it will keep the wearer safe and protected until they are in the hands of a licensed medical professional.
Martin is not convinced that the Lifebomb can guarantee that a person won't die, but Harris does not contradict this. He basically tells Martin that it is pretty close to being a guarantee though. While in the Lifebomb, a person is breathing pure oxygen and the foam of the Lifebomb stops any bleeding. It also provides any sort of medicine, including morphine, while paging medical professionals to come to the victim.
Although Martin definitely seems curious, he still has quite a few questions for Harris. Harris says that the Lifebomb company keeps a low profile and discourages word of mouth. When this causes Martin to assume he is a guinea pig, Harris tells him that there are more than a thousand people who are currently using the Lifebomb. Harris provides Martin a list of people who have Lifebombs and many of them are people Martin knows personally, all Fortune 500 employees.
Martin finally sees what he thinks is a catch when Harris tells Martin that he will not have to pay for the Lifebomb and his insurance will take care of it. Martin thinks this makes the deal too good to be true. Harris commends Martin on caution, but insists the makers of Lifebomb have nothing to hide. He hands a copy of a contract over to Martin and tells him to review it and contact him when he is satisfied.
Act III[]
Martin and Donna Kern are dealing with fallout from the mining accident. It seems to be consuming Martin's time because he is tired of hearing people talk about "mine accident" and "Wyoming." As he smokes a cigarette, Donna tells him they are close to being done with it. Nine of the victims' families are about ready to accept their settlement offers. The out-of-pocket expenses come to almost thirty million dollars, four million going to each of the six dead miners and less for the four disabled miners. Martin is distressed by this, and Donna tries to comfort him by saying that it will be paid in installments over three fiscal years. Martin feels that the settlements are cheating him. Donna tells Martin that the settlement will remove the black cloud currently hanging over the head of the company, but Martin does not care. He feels he is getting ripped off because he did not force the miners who died to become miners.
Martin continues to yell at Donna about the mining accident, angry that the families of the dead and injured miners are seeking compensation.
Act IV[]
Later that evening Martin is at home and he holds his left arm in pain. The light turns on and his wife Lianne asks him if he is coming to bed with her. He says he will, but Lianne seems to think he is going back into work. She suggests that he go and see his doctor if he is not doing well, but Martin does not appear to care much for the opinion of his doctor. Lianne is irritated that Martin won't spend more time with her, but he insists he has to help the company through its hard times. He tells Lianne that he plans on an early retirement. Lianne lays down and says tells Martin he needs something to retire to.
Act V[]
Martin is at work and talking into a tape recorder, laying out all of the information he wants to know about the mining accident. He wants to compare court costs to settlement costs. He is yelling into the tape recorder when he begins clutching his chest in pain. He frantically looks for some pills and instead comes across the paperwork for the Lifebomb. He dials their number and Harris answers. Martin asks what sort of exam he would need to take in order to have the Lifebomb installed but Harris tells him that there is no exam, Martin is already eligible. Martin decides that he wants to have the Lifebomb installed and Harris says that he can come in the following morning for the minor surgery required to implant the sensors. When Harris asks Martin if he is okay because he sounds worried, Martin remarks that he does not have to be worried any more and hangs up the phone.
Act VI[]
Martin is in a hospital gown explaining to Harris how he sometimes sits around and wonders how he will have a heart attack. Harris listens to him, and assures Martin that stress comes in many shapes and sizes but Martin won't have to worry about dying as much once the Lifebomb is installed.
A nurse comes in to get Martin. Once she is pushing Martin along in a wheelchair, he wonders out loud what the Lifebomb catches might be. He won't be able to sunbathe or get backrubs any more. Before he is wheeled out of the room, Martin asks Harris if he is doing the right thing. Harris lets him know that many of their clients enjoy life more after the Lifebomb is installed. Harris also tells Martin that they can guarantee he will not die, but the rest of his life issues are up to him.
Act VII[]
The alarm in Martin's room goes off and wakes Lianne up. Dressed in just a towel, Martin comes by and talks to Lianne about paying the gardener. He turns around, showing the Lifebomb on his back. Lianne tells Martin how much she hates it being there. Martin responds that it only took him a week to get used to it, so she should as well. Martin tells her that it monitors his health and he is only wearing it so he and Lianne will have a future together. They continue to have a huge fight about Martin retiring and Martin gets extremely stressed while yelling, eventually setting the Lifebomb off. As he falls on the floor, the bomb explodes and the orange cocoon wraps him up, followed by a tone. Lianne screams when she sees it.
Act VIII[]
Martin is in a hospital bed talking to Lianne. She is pleading with Martin to take better care of himself. Martin sees Harris at the door and Harris comes in to see how Martin is doing. Martin tells Harris that he is in pain, but thanks to the Lifebomb he is still alive. Martin then asks Lianne to leave the room so he can talk to Harris. Reluctantly, Lianne leaves.
Martin asks Harris about the Lifebomb. He is happy it saved his life, but he wonders why only a few people know about it. Harris tells Martin that the original idea was to have it available to everyone. Despite the appeal of the device, the only entity that would provide money to develop it was an insurance company. The insurance company offers the Lifebomb to high risk individuals who would cause their company to lose money if the individual died. Rather than pay out millions in insurance money, keeping their customers alive saves more money.
Realizing that he is very likely to begin to depend on the Lifebomb too much, Martin confesses to Harris that it might not be right for him. Harris tells Martin the only way to have the Lifebomb removed would be for him to quit his company and surrender his insurance. Martin says he cannot do this because his family depends on the money. Harris tells him that his only option is to learn to slow down.
Act IX[]
Martin walks into his office and sees Lianne having a drink. Once again she is annoyed because nothing has changed in their life. She informs Martin that she had to make an appointment with his secretary just to tell him she is leaving him. When Martin tells Lianne that he is trying to change and that he just needs a little more time, Lianne tells him he has had time and not spent it with her. She tells him, rather than making real changes, he relies on the Lifebomb.
Kelly puts Senator Wiley, the senator mentioned earlier in the episode, through the phone. As Martin argues with the senator, Lianne finally leaves. Martin continues to argue until he has another heart attack and sets the Lifebomb off again.
Epilogue[]
Martin is in the hospital again. He feels the Lifebomb company trapped him and he does not want to have more and more heart attacks. Harris tells Martin he got exactly what he paid for and he will continue to get it over and over again.