(With a title like this, it's hard to say "WARNING - spoiler ahead" because you know pretty much where it's headed.) Robert Dryden plays an old-time elevator operator in a hotel who's about to be retired, forcibly, when a new passenger-operated elevator is to be installed. The manager of his building gives him notice that his job's about to end real soon, like tomorrow, but will give him a week's pay, etc. Dryden's been a faithful, good elevator operator, and the tenants, including a faded, dying actress, deeply appreciate him and are very sad at what's about to happen. But that's nothing compared the sadness he and his elevator feel. They talk to one another, or rather she to him (we can't hear "her" voice or any sounds other than the normal mechanical ones an elevator makes) and he sings to her. "She" seems to hatch a plot...could it involve murder of the hotel manager? Interesting note: we do get to hear Dryden sing in this, and his voice sounds like...Robert Dryden singing. He could carry a tune. However, his melancholy death chanty near show's end was a real downer. In fact, that describes this particular play. It didn't leave me sad like "Out of focus" or "Star Sapphire", but just put a real downbeat note in my day. The characters seem almost mismatched for the play...they're almost cartoonish, particulary the hotel manager, yet the play is a very serious one. To me, it was like watching a fully melodramatic version of Romeo and Juliet performed by Donald and Daisy Duck...something was just slightly out of kilter. But then, that's JMHO.

Tomorrow Will Never Come is my favorite.

It worked for me. The characters and personalities and the story worked together and it touched me. I can see the "mismatch" there, but to me it was just an unusual recipe of ingredients. And I liked the stew. I was drawn in and cared about the characters. It's actually among my highest rated episodes in the entire series.

After some 1,000 episodes I noticed that the RMT writing has its ups and downs, nowhere better illustrated than right here. This episode is an uplifting experience, or if you are so bent, a real downer!

What I really enjoy about listening to these 1970s dramas is that they bring back that era to me so well. This episode reminded me of a job I had in high school in that era. I started out as a dishwasher, then quickly became a bus boy, then a cook in this restaurant. The restaurant had a couple (what we would now call "special needs" teens working with us. The one girl I worked with had empathy for the dishwasher - which she named "Hobart" (because that was the name on it). I don't know if she could read, or if one of us told her that was what it said. But she worked really well because she wanted to keep Hobart happy. I know it might sound mean to someone today, but, I don't think it was done in a taunting way. Sure, we may have been amused by it, but she was happier giving human feelings to that dishwasher.

Jim, as the mom of a special needs adult son I take no offense at all to your comment and do not think it is mean in the slightest. I, too would find that amusing, but also so sweet and kind of innocent. My son is forever making me laugh with his silly and endearing antics!!

I loved this sweet, but sad tale.❤️