1.
Mary walked into the office. Murray was at his desk, typing.
"Hi, Mur."
"Hi, Mare. Lou wants to see you."
"OK."
She walked into his office. He was at his desk.
"Hi, Mr. Grant. You wanted to see me?"
"Yes, Mary. There's a salon in town called the Show Me Spa."
"Ok, yes. Rhoda and I went there, once."
"They've got a new service there-mud baths."
"Mud's supposed to be good for your skin."
"Right. My wife took one, once. Anyway, I'd like you to coordinate a report on them. Gary Usherwood will be the reporter. The appointment is at 11:00AM. So the two of you should leave around 10:00."
"OK, Mr. Grant."
2.
Mary, Gary, and the crew arrived about 10:30. They were greeted by owner Jessica Walker. They set up their equipment in the "mud room."
"I was hoping we could actually film someone in the mud," said Mary.
"Why not you?," said Jessica.
"ME?!"
"That's a wonderful idea!," said Gary with a smile.
"But. . . With my clothes on?"
"We've got a nice selection of bathing suits you can wear," said Jessica. "In fact, you may keep one-my gift."
"Well. .. . All right!"
"Come with me, my dear."
She led Mary into the changing room. A few minutes later, she came out in a one-piece black suit.
"Don't go in yet, Mary," said Gary. "Ready, Tom?"
"Just a sec," said Tom, the cameraman. "Ready."
She slowly walked to the tub. She got in and settled herself.
"This is the weirdest thing I've ever done!"
"Great line, Mary!"
They filmed for around 30 minutes. They also filmed her getting out of the mud and going into the nearby shower. She then changed back into her street clothes, and they left about 11:30.
3.
Ted-Finally tonight, the Show Me Salon, here in Minneapolis, has started a new beauty treatment. And it is down and dirty! For more, here's Gary Usherwood.
(View of the entrance to the Show Me Salon.)
Gary-This is the Show Me Salon in Minneapolis. They have started a new beauty treatment:
(An overhead view of one of the tubs. The mud is brownish black.)
Mud! That's right, for $20 a half hour, or $35 an hour, you can relax in a mud bath. Owner Jessica Walker explains it this way:
Jessica-Ever since I opened this salon in 1969, I wanted to have mud baths. Mud has been known for centuries for its curative effects on the skin. My mud is taken from a special source in upstate Minnesota.
Gary-We asked WJM's own program director Mary Richards to try out the mud.
(Close-up of Mary's feet, as she walks to the tub. As she gets in and settles herself, the camera focuses on her head. The song "Mississippi Mud" plays in the background.)
Mary-This is the weirdest thing I've ever done!
Gary (to Mary)-Would you do this again, Miss Richards?
Mary-Yes, I think I would.
Gary-And this is how she looked when she got out of the mud:
(Shot of her climbing out. She is caked in mud up to her neck!)
The Show Me Salon is at 155 Edgemont St. in Minneapolis. Its hours are 10-8 Monday thru Friday, 11-9 Saturday, and 12-7 Sunday. This has been Gary Usherwood, WJM News, at the Show Me Spa.
4. "You look beautiful covered in mud!," joke Murray.
She laughed. "Thanks, Mur!" She rubbed her arm. "You know, this has been good for my skin!"