The Mind and the Matter - Recap

Archibald Beechcroft arrives at the office where assistant Henry promptly spills coffee on him. As he cleans up in the restroom, Mr. Rogers comes in and berates him for failing to look healthy. Archibald denies drinking and explains that he's dead tired because he has to ride the subway, ride the elevator, and working an office filled with people jostling and pushing him around. Archibald says that he will fix the universe by getting rid of everyone so there'd only be one man left: himself. Rogers thinks he's mad but Archibald just storms off. Later in the cafeteria, Henry calls him over to his table in the crowded room and apologizes for spilling the coffee. He offers Archibald a book, "The Mind and the Matter: How You Can Achieve the Ultimate Power of Concentration." Harry says it's the only such book in existence and his friend swears it gives him the power to alter reality. However, Archibald is skeptical and ends up with Henry spilling more coffee on him. Archibald thanks him for the gift and reluctantly starts reading it.



On the way home on the crowded subway, Archibald soon becomes intrigued by the book and decides the author is right. His landlady knocks on the door demanding the rent and he concentrates. She disappears and Archibald decides to make a new world for himself. The next day he is boarding the subway as the crowds pour in. He concentrates... and everyone disappears. He rides the empty subway car to work where everyone has also disappeared. He even stops the clock from making a low whirring noise, then goes to work.



He's soon done and wonders what to do next. A voice speaks up: himself, reflected in his glasses. His reflection notes that perhaps Archibald has too much of a good thing and is bored to death. Archibald denies it but finally admits he'd like some kind of diversion. He casually summons up an earthquake and dismisses it as too much. He tries an electrical storm but soon grows bored again.



Archibald heads home and stops to draw a mustache on a perfume poster model. Bored with that, he goes to his apartment where his reflection points out the loneliness. Archibald admits it's difficult and would like someone, but not necessarily everyone. Finally Archibald comes up with a plan to have people he can stand: duplicates of himself. The next day, Archibald goes to the subway station and summons a crowd. However, as he looks around he realizes that the men and women alike all look mostly like him... and they're all just as irritating.



His reflection appears and Archibald concedes that he has no choice but to put everything back the way it was. Everyone reappears and Henry promptly spills more coffee on him. A more sympathetic Archibald accepts his apology and admits that he didn't really get anything out of the book, saying it's totally unbelievable.



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