Shades of Guilt

Opening narration

Portrait of Matthew McGreevey, a man who looks in the mirror and sees a decent, upstanding citizen. But appearances can be deceiving and tonight, Matt's about to get a reality check at the intersection known as The Twilight Zone.

Synopsis

After driving away from a black man who runs up to his car asking for help, Matt McGreevey returns home. It turns out the man he left was a professor who was being chased and beaten by a group of racist thugs. The man did not survive his injuries and Matt McGreevey is haunted by his decision. Over the course of the next several days, his appearance slowly changes to resemble that of the man he refused to help. At the point he is no longer recognized by his wife, he flees in his car, but is unable to get a room in a hotel due to his old face being on his identification. He then evades the police, who are now after him for car theft, and not knowing what else to do he goes to the family of the black man to apologize, but fails to find grace. He spends the night at the street and soon finds himself in the same situation the professor was in. He flees the thugs, and eventually finds someone in a car and begs him for help. The man drives away, leaving Matt McGreevey to be beaten by the racists but then something unexpected happens.

Closing narration

The old saying goes "You don't know a man until you've walked a mile in his shoes." Matt McGreevey went one better, he got to walk in another man's skin. A simple lesson in compassion, courtesy of The Twilight Zone.