Phil (aka Mr. Thompson) is in every office in every corporation in America. He is the Harold in "I Hate Harold" to a degree. He believes he is a deservant recipient of the American Dream. He is a purveyor and personification of the Deadly Sins. He is reprehensible. Yet, he exists and he thrives. What's worse is that our culture accepts him. Allows him. Applauds him.

This episode is deeply disturbing. Not so much by the extreme actions Phil puts forth to deceive Walter Van Hoss, but by exposing the natures of people who believe that "the mention of a million bucks is an incantation of the American Dream." This has been portrayed time and time again in literature and film. Even the reality show Survivor is based on this philosophy. Coincidentally, last night's Survivor All-Stars Finale put two young players who brutally severed true friendships and used deceipt and betrayal to achieve exactly this - a million bucks and the American Dream.

Throughout the episode we are subjected to Phil's rhetoric regarding human desire and need for greed, which he uses to justify his own actions and behavior. My favorite line is toward the end of the show, when he addresses the hotel waiter regarding his "rubbery" eggs. "If these eggs aren't better [than yesterday] you tell the cook he'll be hearing from me!" Classic.

Mason's character, Walter Von Hoss, is inevitably the villain, tho. A man, adhered to do doing the right thing. A man who is capable of exposing his peers at the risk of his own dismissal. A man who is incapable of becoming involved in a lecherous bargain - until he is tempted by fate. Or at least "the million bucks."

The irony of the tale occurs, in my opinion, when the two men are anxiously watching the hands of the clock ticking closer to the deadline. Van Hoss snowballs into fury at the sound of the cheap clock ticking, which taunts him as being financially impotent. Meanwhile, Phil is on the verge of frenzy trying to possess the thoughts of his victim, and how Van Hoss could resist his offer.

The moment the phone rings, time stands still. We, the audience, anticipated the call, but likely hoped in our hearts for Van Hoss to stand firm. But when temptation and hunger are too great, it is hard not to reach for the cookie jar.

The ending was sublime and painful. It was even laughable to a point. Both men being caught in the sticky web of their own demise. I was disappointed when the show ended. I wanted more. I wanted to hear how Van Hoss began to grow paranoid and obsessive waiting for the letter to come. I wanted to hear how he stopped going to work, stopped shaving, believing his fortune was on its way, and how he would sit glaring out the window each day waiting for the mail to arrive, only to be cast back to the shadow of his own guilt and remorse.

This episode is a prime example of the best the RMT has to offer. The depth of the writing, the flawless performances, and the ability to immerse the listener into a scenario where we ask, "what would I do?"

I gave the episode a high 5... for me, this is what the RMT is all about.

Thank you for another fine selection and very best wishes!!