30 Love on the Radio

Love on the Radio is a script for a psychological thriller that follows Harold, a man in his early fifties and an avid amateur radio operator (KN7UTH). Harold, who is formal in dress and lives with his wife, Edna, operates his sophisticated equipment from his basement workshop.

The first time he tunes in, he encounters a mysterious number station—a broadcast of a clear woman's voice repeating sequences of numbers. The next night, however, the mysterious signal returns, and this time the voice addresses him personally, calling him "Harry".

The voice identifies herself as Susan, Harold's long-lost love from many years ago, and she immediately draws him into a conspiracy, claiming "They are listening, Harry," and "watching you too". When Harold presses her for her location, she deflects, reminding him of their perfect day together in Independence Park.

Susan then presents him with a task: to re-mail a mysterious box that he will receive. Harold frantically agrees, but when he tunes in the following night, he can't find her signal. When the voice finally reappears, it claims that his wife, Edna, had signed for the box. The voice then chillingly reveals that he has missed his "one chance"—both the chance to do the task and the chance to be with her again—because he had left her long ago.

As the numbers return and the signal fades, a heartbroken and distraught Harold drops his tea cup, clutches his chest, and dies on the basement floor, calling out "Honey. I love you..." just as his wife, Edna, calls down to him.

Major Themes

• The Seduction of a Second Chance: The story explores Harold's desperation to reconnect with a lost, idealized love from his youth. Susan’s reappearance on the radio offers him a fleeting, almost impossible chance to alter his life, which he is ultimately denied due to the very domestic life he now leads.
• Domesticity vs. Adventure/Conspiracy: Harold is portrayed as a man of routine—dressing formally and doing the dishes for his wife, Edna. The mysterious radio signal and Susan's cryptic warnings about being watched provide a thrilling, life-altering break from his domestic routine, one that ultimately proves fatal.
• Regret and Lost Love: The theme of regret is central, culminating in Harold's breakdown. He is crushed not only by losing Susan's mysterious connection but by the realization that he is still the same man who was too afraid of his own passion to stay with her years ago.
• The Power of Voice and Isolation: Harold is a man who actively seeks out human connection on the airwaves ("KN7UTH, voice of Radio Utah"). The voice of Susan, initially masked as an impersonal "number-station," is able to completely shatter his reality and lead to his death, emphasizing the intensely personal and isolating nature of his radio passion.

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Love on the Radio
by
Rick Regan
December 12, 2025

INT. HAROLD’S BASEMENT - EVENING
The basement of Harold’s house is a well appointed
workshop space, with nice lighting, clean benches with
tools arranged neatly. On one side is a bench with a
radio and assorted equipment. There are other pieces of
equipment, like amplifiers and specialized tuners, on a
rack above the shelf. A well used chair is next to the
bench.
HAROLD is a man in his early fifties. He is trim and
wears clothes that are slightly too formal, as in button
down shirts with a tie and dark trousers.
Harold enters, carrying a cup of tea.
HAROLD
(over his shoulder)
That was lovely dear. You relax
and I’ll clean up later. I’m going
to see what’s happening in the
world and then I will tackle the
dishes.
Harold gets settled at the bench, putting on headphones,
arranging the microphone and switching on all the
equipment. He listens as everything warms up.
SFX: we hear the static and sounds of tuning the radio.
RADIO
(faintly)
When we get to the mountain-top,
remember that it was JESUS who
brought you there!
Harold tunes away and we hear faint voices, static and
some clicks.
HAROLD
Let’s see what’s on the Beeb.
RADIO
This is Radio House, in London,
broadcasting around the world. Now
for the sporting news. Tottenham
was two-nil over Arsenal today and
there are rumors that the Spurs
manager is heading to Barcelona
after the FA Cup.
HAROLD
Hmmm...2.
Harold tunes away again and we hear more low static.
HAROLD
Quiet night.
Then we hear a quiet space on the dial. A woman’s voice,
calm and clear, speaks slowly.
RADIO
Seven.
HAROLD
Seven?
RADIO
Four...Nine...Twenty-Two.
(long pause)
Seven...Four...Nine...Twenty-Two.
HAROLD
The devil is this...?
RADIO
Fifteen...Thirty-four...Seventeen
(long pause)
Fifteen...Thirty-four...Seventeen
HAROLD
A number-station.
RADIO
Fifteen...Thirty-four...Seventeen
(long pause)
Fifteen...Thirty-four...Seventeen
(long pause)
HAROLD
There it is again. I’ve got to
note that down!
Harold writes in his logbook, time, frequency, mode, etc.
The radio silence fades away and the low static returns.
HAROLD
I guess that’s it for the night. I
should get to those dishes.
Harold puts down the headset but does not turn off the
equipment. He exits, going into the kitchen.
3.
INT. HAROLD'S BASEMENT- LATER
Harold returns to the equipment and sits down.
HAROLD
(over his shoulder)
You go to bed, hon. I’m going to
see what’s going on in the world.
I won’t be long.
Harold puts the headset on and listens.
We hear the static, distant voices and chatter.
HAROLD
Not much doing, I guess.
He refers to one of the scanners in the rack, spotting
something on the screen.
HAROLD
There she is! Come to papa...
Harold turns the knobs and tunes in the silence again.
RADIO
Nine...Nine...Nine...
(long pause)
Nine...Nine...Nine...
HAROLD
That’s the starting code, I bet.
(noting in his book)
RADIO
Harry?
HAROLD
(startled)
Did she...?
RADIO
Harold?
HAROLD
(into microphone)
This is KN7UTH. Please repeat.
RADIO
Are you listening, Harry?
HAROLD
KN7UTH, copy, loud and clear.
4.
RADIO
I’ve been waiting for you, Harry.
Where have you been?
HAROLD
I stepped away. I do the dishes
after dinner at night.
RADIO
No, Harry. You haven’t been
listening for the last few months.
What have you been doing?
HAROLD
Well, I...uh. I don’t know. I
stepped away from the radio for a
while. Get out of the basement,
you know.
RADIO
Harry, I need to tell you
something.
Harold pauses, looks at the radio.
HAROLD
This is KN7UTH. Copy. Go ahead.
RADIO
They are listening, Harry.
HAROLD
I hope somebody is listening. This
is KN7UTH, voice of Radio Utah.
RADIO
They are watching you too.
HAROLD
Nobody is watching me. There is
nothing to see.
RADIO
Harry, you know why we’re here.
We’re watching out for you.
HAROLD
But I don’t know who you are.
What’s your callsign?
RADIO
We go back a long way, Harry. We
were younger then. Do you
remember?
5.
HAROLD
Well, I have had a radio for a
long time. Is that what you mean?
RADIO
Do you remember that day, in the
park? You brought a blanket and a
baguette. We spread the blanket on
that cool grass. Do you remember
how green that grass was? So
green, Harry, in that warm sun and
the clear blue afternoon sky.
HAROLD
Oh, Susan. Oh, Susan.
RADIO
I brought the wine.
HAROLD
Oh, Susan.
RADIO
We held hands and kissed, on the
blanket, under the sun and the
wide-open sky. You were perfect,
Harry.
HAROLD
Susan, that was so long ago. What
happened?
RADIO
Yes, what happened, Harry?
HAROLD
I don’t know. My folks wanted me
to go back to college. I had to go
back East. You know how it was.
RADIO
You left and I never saw you
again.
HAROLD
I never saw you again, except for
my dreams. And my daydreams of
what could have been...
RADIO
What should have been.
HAROLD
Susan, where are you?
6.
RADIO
I’m here, Harry. I’m here.
HAROLD
Sure, on the radio, but where.
RADIO
It’s not important where I am.
HAROLD
It is to me!
RADIO
No, Harry. You have your life.
HAROLD
But if I could be with you...
RADIO
Would you, Harry? Would you? I
wouldn’t want you to.
HAROLD
What? Why not?
RADIO
Your wife loves you very much. You
know that. And I know that you
love her. And I wouldn’t want...I
wouldn’t want to stand in the way
of that.
HAROLD
But I haven’t seen you since that
day in Independence Park.
RADIO
We’re not the same people anymore,
Harry. Our lives have gone on,
forward.
HAROLD
But I want to see you!
RADIO
I need you to do something for me.
HAROLD
Anything!
RADIO
I need you to deliver a box for
me.
7.
HAROLD
A box? What’s in it?
RADIO
It doesn’t matter.
HAROLD
What box?
RADIO
You will receive a package in the
mail, addressed to you. Inside is
another box, already addressed. I
want you to take that box and put
it back in the mail. That’s all
you have to do, Harry.
HAROLD
But what’s in the box? Who’s it
for?
RADIO
It doesn’t matter, Harry. Can you
do that? Will you do this, for me?
HAROLD
Anything. Anything. Of course.
RADIO
Then look for the box at the end
of the week. Thank you. And
goodnight.
HAROLD
Wait! Susan! Wait!
RADIO
Sixteen...Eighteen...Twenty-two.
(long pause)
Sixteen...Eighteen...Twenty-two.
We hear the voice fade, the silence fade and the static
resumes.
Harold gets up, taking off the headset and switches off
the equipment.
HAROLD
What was that? Is this real? Am I
going crazy?
Harold stares at the equipment and then exits.
8.
INT. HAROLD'S BASEMENT - EVENING
HAROLD
(over his shoulder)
You keep on with the movie, hon.
I’m just going to check up on
thinks. I’ll be up in a minute.
Harold has his cup of tea. He switches on the equipment
and looks through his log book. He looks at the signal
analyzer.
HAROLD
It’s not there. She’s not there.
Harold turns the knobs and we hear static and faint
voices.
HAROLD
The box didn’t arrive. I have to
tell her that the box never got
here.
Becoming frantic, Harold looks up and down at the
equipment, checking his notes. Finally he gives up.
HAROLD
Not my night.
Harold switches off the equipment and puts the headphones
down. He stands up and takes a step towards the door.
RADIO
Harold. Are you listening?
Stunned, Harold stands and listens.
HAROLD
Susan?
RADIO
Harry, I’ve been waiting.
HAROLD
Susan, where are you?
RADIO
Did you get the box, Harry?
HAROLD
No! No, the box never came.
RADIO
Yes, it did. Edna signed for it.
9.
HAROLD
What? Edna?! She didn’t say
anything. I didn’t see anything!
RADIO
It doesn’t matter now.
HAROLD
What?! Why not? Susan, what’s
going on?
RADIO
Harold, I asked you to do one
thing for me. You said you would
but you didn’t.
HAROLD
Jesus! I never saw the box! Send
another one.
RADIO
No, Harold. You only get one
chance.
HAROLD
What do you mean, one chance?
Please.
RADIO
Harry, you had your chance with
me, long ago. But you left. And I
gave you another chance, just now,
but you didn’t do it.
HAROLD
I’ll find the box! It must be in
the trash, or the recycling. I can
find it.
RADIO
It’s too late now, Harry.
HAROLD
No! Wait, listen! I can explain. I
had to go to the office. Can you
ship it there? I can keep an eye
out.
RADIO
Seven...Eight...Nine...
(long pause)
Seven...Eight...Nine...
10.
HAROLD
Susan, don’t leave me! I loved
you, wildly, like a crazy man. I
was afraid I would smother you. I
worried that you would be afraid
of me, because I loved you so
much. I have never been in love
like that again. I can’t lose the
chance to see you again.
RADIO
Seven...Eight...Nine
(long pause)
The silence turns to static and then fades.
Harold stands and stares at the radio.
HAROLD
I don’t know...I don’t...
Harold puts his hand to his chest. He drops his cup of
tea and staggers to the chair. He slumps down in the
chair and slides off, falling to the floor.
HAROLD
(grabbing his chest)
So heavy...Honey...I love you...
Harold closes his eyes and his body goes limp.
EDNA
(offstage)
Harold? Are you coming up to bed?
END