The Night of the Meek

After showing up late and drunk, Henry Corwin gets fired from his job as a department store Santa. On his way home, he comes across a large sack. At first, it appears to be full of garbage. But, upon closer inspection, it turns out that the sack is actually full of presents. Overjoyed, Henry starts handing out gifts to all those in need. From the winos in the mission house to the poor children on the street. All Henry needs to do is reach into the bag and out comes whatever the recipient desires most. Despite being an episode of The Twilight Zone, there's no ironic twist to the story. Henry is briefly arrested, as it's assumed that the presents are stolen, but even the cops are quick to agree that the mysterious sack is supernatural in origin. The episode ends neatly and sweetly. "The Night of the Meek" is both thoughtfully existential and earnestly straightforward. It has a lot in common with Ziggy's Gift and Ernest Saves Christmas, both of which I love. I can't imagine that "Night of the Meek" shows up on a lot of Twilight Zone Top Ten lists, but I still found it to be a charming curiosity.

Rating: A Pipe and a Smoking Jacket%