Early Edition (1996–2000): Season 1, Episode 18 - Psychic - full transcript
Gary saves a psychic from a building with a gas leak. She thinks he is a psychic and admits she is a fake. When a young child is kidnapped, they are forced to work together to save the child.
CHUCK:
Let's face it.
Life's hard.
Life takes effort.
GARY:
Miss Pearson.
That's just the way it is.
Miss. Pearson,
you have to get out
of the water.
Most of the time
there are no shortcuts.
No easy way out.
Every now and then, however,
life surprises you.
Thing is, you can't go looking
for the shortcuts.
They find you.
Which is why
from time to time,
everyone needs a wake-up call.
Hey.
In the meantime,
you try to keep
your head above water
and just keep swimming.
And be glad
that someone out there
gets tomorrow's newspaper
today.
(theme music playing)
♪ ♪
What are you saying?
You got him a gift
for no reason at all.
That's right.
You may not realize this,
but I have
a very generous spirit.
So are you going
to open it or what?
And what did I do
to deserve this?
Just being you.
Just...
A phone?
Exactly what you need.
Oh, Chuck, that was sweet.
You worry about him.
Actually, it came as a bonus
from my DSS hookup,
and I already
had two cell phones.
So I thought,
"Hey, Gare."
So it was free.
Yeah, it's the thought
that counts.
There's no dial tone.
Well, you have to sign up
for the service first.
You didn't buy him the service,
but you gave him a phone.
What do you think,
I'm made of money here?
Look, Gare, all you have to do
is you go into Cellular One,
you sign up
for your service
and give them
my name, and I get
all three HBOs free for a year.
Oh, gee, Chuck, thanks.
That's, uh, that's, uh,
that's big-hearted of you.
Don't mention it.
Come on,
let's get a move on.
Oh, right.
Remember?
The gym?
Listen, I've got
to run some errands.
Errand errand, as in
going to the bank
and the post office,
or your kind of errand?
It's a fortune-teller
gas leak kind of thing.
Okay, you have fun.
I'll see you
at the gym, all right?
(sitar music plays)
And together we take a breath.
(inhales)
(exhales)
I invoke the guardian spirit
of Shelly Kra...
Kraznow.
Kraznow.
Your spirit guide tells me
there is a strong, intimidating
force in your life.
An authority figure?
Yes.
Yes.
Mr. Roberts.
Mr. Roberts, exactly.
And he is your...
He's my boss.
Boss.
Yeah.
He criticizes me in front
of the whole staff.
Hmm.
Now, I can't even
bring myself to speak
when I'm around him.
I'm afraid I'm going
to lose my job.
Oh, shh, shh.
Hmm? Mmm.
Your spirit guide
wants you to speak up
tomorrow morning.
My guardian spirit is here?
Yes.
Right now?
Can I see it?
If you have absolute faith.
I do.
Close your eyes.
I believe.
CUSTOMER:
I believe.
I believe.
(slower):
I believe.
Louder. I believe.
(slams machine)
CLAIRE:
One more time,
I believe.
I believe!
(bangs machine)
Your spirit guide
is right behind you.
(door opens)
CLAIRE: Hey!
Uh, sorry to interrupt,
ladies,
but you're going to have
to leave right now.
Hey, hey, hey.
We're right in the middle
of a session here.
Yeah, well, there's a gas leak
in this building.
Look, you can't just barge in
in the middle of a séance.
Who do you think you are?
Who are you?
What is that?
My guardian spirit.
What are you, with 60 Minutes?
Listen,
Claire, right? Claire?
Yeah.
You got carbon monoxide leaking
into the room, so you got to
get out of here,
you understand that?
Listen to me, if you're not out
of here in three seconds,
I'm going to call the police.
Ready? One, two...
Two...
My guardian spirit's
really cute.
Huh?
You know,
come to think of it,
I'm not feeling so well myself.
Huh?
Whoa, whoa. Okay, okay.
Okay.
All right, come on,
let's go outside.
Huh? Okay, come on.
Okay.
Let's go outside,
get some fresh air.
We dancing?
Okay, come on.
Okay.
Come on.
(siren wails)
(garbled radio transmission)
Hey. Hey.
You, hey!
Scrambled
or poached?
Huh?
The egg on my face.
Look, this isn't
an apology or anything,
but I'm prepared to say
you may have been right.
About the gas leak?
I may have been right?
All right, all right,
all right-- in all probability,
you were right,
but what I want to know is...
Hey, look, apology accepted.
Wait, wait, wait.
How'd you know?
How did you do it?
I've got a very sensitive nose.
Oh, no, no, no,
no, no, no.
No, no, that nose isn't
particularly sensitive.
No, no, no--
this nose is more decorative.
Yeah, ma'am,
I'm glad you're all right now.
And I see you're busy,
and you've got a lot of people
who desperately
want their fortunes told.
Yeah.
Oh, there's one.
Have a nice day.
Hey!
A psychic, huh?
I couldn't wait
to get out of there.
You should've seen the place.
It's like a three-ring circus.
People in the waiting room.
Who goes and pays money
to see people like that anyway?
Nut jobs.
Hey, Gare, do you
happen to know
if she's open
on Saturdays?
I don't...
(feigned laughter)
Look, ever since
the market's broke 7,000,
everybody is getting rich
but me.
And since you have been
absolutely no help,
I need an edge.
I don't think
you've been listening.
She's a fraud.
But you're the real
thing, aren't you?
Who is that?
The fraud.
We need to talk.
How did you find me?
Easy-- you had a gym bag,
this is the closest gym.
It doesn't take
a rocket scientist.
I'm Chuck.
Chuck Fishman.
Hello, Chuck Fishman.
Nice to meet you.
So you're the psychic, huh?
Listen, do you read palms?
Because I desperately
need some guidance.
Yeah, come on.
Okay, let's see.
Take a deep breath.
Oh, hon, you shouldn't even
be standing here.
Well, why not?
Um, did you have a, uh,
a Caesar salad for lunch?
Oh, my God.
That's brilliant.
How did you know?
The dressing, it throws
the whole reading off.
Go wash your hands.
You'll live longer.
Bye-bye.
(giggles):
Sorry, I couldn't resist.
Listen, I know your secret.
I have no idea
what you're talking about.
You can't kid a kidder.
Carbon monoxide,
it's an odorless gas.
No one can smell it.
And then I thought,
"Well, maybe he knew
because he's
with the gas company."
I called the gas company.
They never heard of you.
And then I realized
you knew because you knew.
I'm right, aren't I?
I don't know.
You're the psychic.
You tell me.
I'm not, and you know I'm not.
Oh, really.
Yeah.
You mean that
incredibly looking, realistic
floating ghost
going across the wall,
that wasn't real?
I give the people
what they want.
And then you take
their money, good-bye.
Hey!
The lady who cuts your hair
and convinces you it
looks good, you pay her.
I perform a service.
Why shouldn't I get paid?
Will you wait up?
Look, lady, what is it
you want from me?
I want to go
into business with you.
What kind of business?
The psychic business.
You're not a psychic.
I know,
but you are.
You don't have to do
anything but look good
and be psychic.
Okay? You provide
the steak.
I'll provide
the sizzle.
No problem.
I've got bells, whistles,
smoke and mirrors.
Where are you going?
Look it, we could be
a real team, you and me.
MAN:
Hey, get out of here.
Like Batman and Robin
and a mind, all right?
Come on, what do you say?
No. No.
Man, that's just like you.
Opportunity comes
knocking at the door,
and you go hiding
in the men's room.
What opportunity?
(toilet flushing)
Opening your own business.
It's about time you did
something with your life, Gare.
And incorporating is
a perfect way for you
to hide that taxable income.
What taxable income?
I don't have
any taxable income.
Exactly. It's about time
you made some.
Are you going
with me today?
Where are we going?
Over to the zoo.
What's at the zoo?
I have a kid
who's going to get
bit by a poisonous snake.
It's, uh...
if it's just one bus,
I can get there by 2:30,
there's no problem.
Here, it's a, uh,
six-foot-long black mamba snake.
It apparently managed
to escape from its cage
late Friday night.
Zoo officials didn't realize
the snake was missing
until Saturday afternoon.
They heard screams
coming from a school bus
in the parking lot.
Seven-year-old Jeremy Martin
was bitten twice.
He's listed in guarded
condition at County Hospital.
Okay. That's enough.
What are you doing?
I'm going
to take a sauna.
See, I have this thing
about snakes.
It's called "fear of death."
All right.
SECURITY GUARD:
If there was an animal missing,
I'd have heard about it.
Look, I'm telling you
there's a snake
out here somewhere,
a black mamba.
It got free last night.
(garbled radio transmission)
Yeah, I got the guy right here.
He says La Bamba is on the lose.
Mamba, a black mamba.
I don't know
what the guy's talking
about, either.
Look, they've never heard
of your snake, okay?
I'm telling
you the truth.
Of course you are.
Don't go anywhere.
I'm going to get you
someone to talk to.
Hey, wait!
CLAIRE:
Do you have
any idea how much
the Psychic Friends Network
gross annually?
Huh?
Seven figures,
seven figures.
Now, I'm not saying that we can
make that in the first year.
How did you find me?
Easy-- I followed you
to the El platform,
you got on the Howard line.
Right, where does the Howard
line go? Near the zoo.
Zoo, you're an animal lover,
so am I.
But you knew that, huh?
'Cause you've
got the gift.
Listen, lady,
I don't have time for this.
I've got to find a snake
out here on one of these buses.
See? You had a vision.
This is good, but I want you
to say it like this.
I want you to say like
"a poisonous serpent"
and "innocent children."
You see what I'm doing?
I'm giving it some
oomph, all right?
If there's a snake, why aren't
you doing something about it?
Because I don't know
which bus the snake is on.
Ah.
That one.
Huh?
The snake is on that bus.
Listen, lady, I don't have
time for your little act,
your hocus-pocus,
or whatever you...
This one is parked
closest to the zoo.
All right?
The snake house
is on the other side
of that wall.
It's not an act,
it's logic.
(children chattering)
Hey, get off that bus!
Hey, come on, guys,
get off the bus! Come on!
Jeremy?
Don't move. Stay right
where you are, all right?
All right?
Do you see any, uh...
any zoo officials out there,
any security guards?
No, uh-uh.
Just some kids.
You know, I really
don't understand your resistance
to this whole thing.
I mean, you don't
have a job, right?
I'm going to
provide the capital.
I mean, what
have you got
to lose, honey? Nothing.
What do you mean,
I don't have a job?
How do you know
I don't have two jobs?
Easy-- those shoes.
A man with a job
would not wear those shoes.
He would throw them out.
He would burn those shoes.
These shoes are not old.
Listen, lady,
can I tell you something?
You're driving me crazy.
Right now I'm looking for
a snake, so if you don't mind.
All right,
Jeremy, just
hang on now.
(hissing)
Gary, listen to me.
You've got to look behind you.
Behind me.
What is it?
Some kind of New Age
speak you people use?
Gary, how could I
make this clearer
to you?
Look... behind you.
Listen, lady,
I'm trying to find...
(hissing)
(screaming)
(yells)
Well... I've heard of
these things saving
people's lives,
but never exactly like that.
You're lucky. Had that
snake bit two inches lower,
you would have lost
all your speed dials.
Yeah.
You all right?
Oh, yeah, I'm doing fine.
Guess I should have taken
your word, huh, about the snake?
That would have been nice.
You know, if I had
known what kind of
business you were in,
I would have taken you a
little more seriously.
Huh?
It's nothing to
be ashamed of.
Your partner
gave me a card.
Partner?
CLAIRE:
And it came to us,
the spirit guide,
the eye of Isis,
in a flash of green light,
and said, "Follow me
through the wilderness,
and I will lead you
to the serpent."
And it did exactly that.
And it can do
the same thing for you.
WOMAN:
Can I get a card?
I don't believe this.
CLAIRE:
Oh, and we don't just find
reptiles, oh, no.
We can find missing pets
or lost jewelry, lost loves.
You name it, we got it.
MAN:
Thank you.
Oh. Oh, good,
you're here.
What are you doing?
Ladies and gentlemen,
it is my pleasure
to introduce you
to my partner,
my partner, the
snake-finder.
The one and only,
The Great Gary.
The Great Gary.
What the hell
are you saying?
The mastermind
himself.
GARY:
Look, there's been
a mistake.
We need to talk...
Excuse me.
Claire, this isn't funny.
Is your daughter
all right?
Yes, she's fine.
Do you mind?
What was that
all about?
MAN:
Do you do healings?
Nothing.
MAN:
Do you heal?
MAN:
Are you available
for good parties?
CLAIRE:
Who doesn't
have a card?
WOMAN:
Excuse me.
Do you do past lives?
Am I gonna win
the lottery?
Will my Elliot
get into Harvard?
(onlookers clamoring)
MAN:
Lay your hands
on me...
(train squealing
and rattling on tracks)
Hey. Slow down, will you?
What's the rush?
Can't we just talk
about this? Come on.
You make it
sound so tacky.
I make it sound tacky?
The Great Gary?
I didn't make that up.
All right, so we'll change
it to, like, Gary The Great.
Is that better?
You see, it's all
in the marketing.
How do you come up
with this stuff?
I don't know.
Probably my
Uncle Melosh.
Your who?
My Uncle Melosh
from Hungary.
He was a gypsy
fortune-teller.
He was great.
Taught me everything I know,
gave me my first crystal.
Ah, your Uncle Melos.
Oh, I don't
believe it.
Melosh. Yeah.
How do you think I came
by my talent, naturally?
What talent?
You don't have any talent.
You're not a psychic.
Exactly.
Neither was
Uncle Melosh.
He was more a... like a-a
student of human nature.
That was his talent.
I mean, he
could sit across
from a complete
stranger, and in about
four seconds, he could deduce
what was bothering them,
and tell them exactly
what they wanted to hear.
(baby crying)
GARY:
Oh, really?
And how did he do that?
TRAIN ANNOUNCER:
Final call.
Lots of things. Intuition,
Please stay clear
of the doors.
body language.
You know, squint
of the eyes,
arch of the back.
Hundreds of variables.
And people-- they actually
buy into this stuff?
Oh, yeah. They came
from all over
just to spend five minutes
with the man.
So what you're telling me is
that you come from a long line
of con artists.
See? Now you're trying
to upset me. Stop it!
No. He did have
one odd gift that
he taught me.
He could sniff
and predict the weather.
I'm telling you the truth.
Watch.
(sniffing)
In about three seconds,
it's going to begin hailing.
It's not hailing.
No, not here.
In Wisconsin,
it's hailing right now.
Here, it's going to be
day after tomorrow,
about 6:30, 6:45 a.m.
(baby crying)
Listen, lady...
Excuse me just a minute.
I'll be right back.
Excuse me.
You again?
Look, you need to watch
out for your baby.
There's something wrong.
What are you talking about?
Be careful with your baby.
About what?
I think you need
to leave us alone.
Is that what your
Uncle Melos taught you?
What?
To scare the
hell out of
total strangers
to drum up business
for your little
psychic operation.
That's good.
Look,
there was something wrong
about that kid.
Oh, yeah? What's that?
Nothing.
We'll probably all
just get chicken pox tomorrow.
So, where were we?
Where were we?
Yeah.
We?
Yeah.
No, we're nowhere.
You know
what you are?
You're a fraud, and you know
what kind of fraud you are?
You're the worst kind of fraud,
because you prey on people.
You prey on their hopes,
you prey on their dreams,
you prey on
their pain.
And then you take their money.
You know what I think that is?
I think that's disgusting.
No. I'm sorry.
You know what I think that is?
I think it's sad.
You're not terribly interested
in sugar-coating things,
are you?
All right,
if that's the way you feel,
I'm sorry
I wasted your valuable time.
So, I hear
you're seeing a psychic.
Chuck.
He said you were
a little hard on her.
Well, you're always
the one telling me
not to cash in
on the paper.
Believe me, that's exactly what
this woman, she wanted to do.
What I'm saying is,
maybe you're not that different.
You help people,
she helps people.
You could cut her
some slack.
No, she doesn't
help anybody.
This woman--
she's a con artist.
She's got a... she's got
this electronic, uh, gizmo.
It flashes ghosts
up on the wall.
Sounds like my Aunt Delia.
You got to be
kidding me.
Because I can't be the
only person in Chicago
without a relative
who's a psychic.
She wasn't a psychic.
She was a clairvoyant.
Oh.
Big difference.
You are making
this up, aren't you?
No. Really.
It was a long time ago.
I was just a kid.
Oh.
Um, she used to
call herself Lady Delia,
and she shared this space
with a barber down the street.
And every Wednesday,
she would hold these séances.
For five dollars, my Aunt Deliah
promised you 15 minutes
with any deceased relative.
Hmm, great.
A nut case.
Every once in a while,
she would let me sit in
on the séances,
and, uh, she had
this record player
that played
this really weird music,
incense and the whole works.
And she had this table
that levitated on a pulley.
So your point is that there's
a fraud in every neighborhood.
My point is,
every Wednesday afternoon,
people would line up
around the block.
These people came back
every week.
They came back every week
to see a floating table
and a bunch of dead
relatives around it.
Oh, that's nice.
No, no, no, no.
They didn't care about that.
They knew that was a fake.
They said
you could see the wires.
But they came back,
Gary, every week,
because my Aunt Deliah
provided something.
Which was?
Hope, comfort,
a chance at 15 minutes
remembering someone they loved.
(jazz piano playing,
crowd chatter)
Believe me, Gary,
no one's going to Claire's
to see a floating ghost.
(distant train passing)
(car horn honks)
(phone ringing)
(groans)
(phone clattering)
(dial tone)
Hello...
(phone continues ringing)
(groans)
(slamming phone down)
6:30 a.m.
What is he thinking?
(ringing continues)
(phone beeps on)
Hello?
CHUCK:
This is your lucky day, pal.
I signed you up.
You're going cellular!
Do you have any idea...?
CHUCK:
Guess what I'm looking at.
HBO one, two, and three.
Every premium channel there is.
Chuck, do you have any idea
what time it is?
None. I've been up all night
watching movies.
(cat meows,
paper thuds against door)
I never have to go
to a video store again.
I'm never leaving the house.
(yowls)
I saw Tommy Boy
three times last night.
And you know what?
This movie gets better
every time you see it.
(throws paper down, slams door)
Hey, look, it's on again!
Dubbed in Spanish!
I know this kid.
I'll tape it for you, okay?
The kid on the train
with Claire.
(Chuck speaking Spanish)
Yo, call you later.
Ask him if I should
sell the house,
move to someplace smaller.
(sitar music playing)
Harry, did you hear that?
Uh-huh.
Right.
CLAIRE:
Harry says absolutely.
Yes. Sell the house.
Move somewhere smaller.
Is he sure?
Harry, are you sure?
We need to talk.
Gary?
WOMAN:
Oh, oh.
Wait, wait. Ask him
about the car.
We need to talk
now, Claire.
(turns music off)
Listen.
If you'll just give me
ten minutes, honey.
But Harry and me--
we still have a lot
of things to
talk about.
I know, I know,
but you know what?
How long has Harry
been dead?
Nine years.
All right, what's
another ten minutes?
Not gonna kill him, right?
Thank you, honey.
He won't like it.
Time is money,
that's what Harry used to say.
So, changed
your mind, huh?
Welcome back.
That little girl you
touched the other day--
something's
wrong with her.
Why? Did you come down
with something?
Chicken pox.
I told you.
You know what's good
for that? Oatmeal.
No, it's not
chicken pox, Claire.
Hmm.
Something's gonna
happen to her.
Someone's
gonna take her.
Oh, what?
You think it's me?
You think I'm going
to do something to that kid?
Makes sense, huh?
'Cause I'd do anything
for money.
I don't know.
I didn't say that.
Yeah, but that's
what you were thinking, right?
You're right, Gary,
you caught me.
I'm actually the ringleader
of an international gang
of kidnappers.
We work out
of the back room here.
That's funny.
Listen, Claire.
I want to know what
you know and I want to
know how you know it,
and I don't want any of that
malarkey about body language
or anything.
You know what?
That's funny.
'Cause I was going to ask you
the same thing.
How do you know something's
going to happen to this kid?
I just know.
Well, then,
you don't need me, do you?
Listen, Claire,
it's the same kid.
Now, you're going to tell me
that's just a coincidence?
It is just a coincidence.
You said it yourself, Gary.
I'm a fraud, a circus act.
But you know what?
This is my place of business
and I want you out of here.
Leave.
(door slams)
WOMAN:
Oh.
(shop bell tinkling)
Hmm.
Wait here, will you?
Excuse me.
Jeffrey Taylor?
May I help you?
Uh, my name's Gary Hobson.
You don't know me,
but...
We already
get the paper.
No, actually,
this is about your daughter.
Rachael?
What about her?
Something's going
to happen to her.
She's in danger.
I don't get this.
Is this a threat?
No, it's not a threat.
Something's going to
happen to my daughter.
And you know this, how?
Well, I just know, I...
Look,
I don't know
what this is all about,
but I suggest you get
off my property right now.
Mr. Taylor, if-if I could talk
to your wife...
Get the hell out of here
right now!
Let's go back downtown.
Okay.
(tires screeching)
(phone ringing)
(phone beeps on)
Hello.
CHUCK (over phone):
Gare, where are you?
Listen, Chuck, I don't have time
to talk right now.
Is this technology great
or what?
I can reach you
any time of the day.
Now, what are you doing?
Right now I'm watching a kid.
You know what I'm doing
right now?
I'm watching the World Female
Snooker Championships
from Luxembourg.
Luxembourg, Gary.
Now, you don't get that
on regular TV.
That's good;
I hope you're enjoying yourself.
Look, then, live coverage of
the Iditarod from Nome, Alaska.
You want to come over?
No, thank you.
Oh, fine, whatever.
Blow off your friends,
even if they did get you
cellular service.
Listen, Chuck, I didn't
even want cellular service.
You got that?
Wait a second. Am I paying
for this phone call right now?
17 cents a minute.
(screams)
My baby!
My baby's missing!
Help me, get some help!
My baby!
Where is my baby?!
So that was it?
You just left.
You didn't even talk
to the Taylors.
What was I supposed to say?
They would have had me arrested.
Well, what about
the paper?
What about it?
"Kid Disappears."
That's what it says.
Hasn't changed from before.
What are you going to do?
What about Claire?
She didn't take that kid.
That's not what I meant.
She's not a psychic, Marissa,
she's a head case.
That's it.
Well, that's the same thing
people say about you.
Oh, thank you very much.
Come on, Gary,
everybody needs help--
that little girl, her family,
even you.
I mean, maybe that's why
the paper sent you to Claire.
No, the reason it sent me to her
is because she was about to die
in her own building
from a gas leak.
That's how much of a psychic
Claire is.
Maybe you're missing the
big picture here, Gary.
She found you at
the health club.
She saw my gym bag.
Right.
And how many health
clubs are in this city?
She knew you were at the zoo.
She knew what bus that
snake was hiding on.
And she knew you
didn't have a job.
Just lucky guesses.
All of them?
That's a whole lot of luck.
Marissa, it's coincidence.
She's not all there.
Sh-- I need some milk.
(thunder rumbling)
RADIO ANNOUNCER:
Good morning, it's 6:30
in Chicago, and here's the news.
The mayor announced today...
(radio clicks off)
(cat meowing,
paper thuds against door)
Still missing.
Come on, give me something here.
(thunder rumbling)
(hail falling)
(groans)
Claire.
Hey, Claire, wait a minute,
I want to talk to you.
You know, for someone
who desperately wanted me
out of his life,
you're sending me
a lot of mixed messages.
You closed up your store.
Oh, quick,
nothing gets by you.
Wait a second.
You're just going to
give up? You're quitting?
What about all those
people in your store?
I don't know, Gary, I guess
they'll find a real psychic.
Okay?
(sighs)
Listen.
If this is about what I said
on the train, I'm sorry.
Ooh, talk about an inflated
sense of your own importance.
Are you seeing somebody
for that?
Look, you want
to know the truth?
The truth is
that you got me thinking.
Okay? I took stock.
I mean, look at my life.
I'm 36 years old.
The big plan didn't work out.
I don't want to spend
the rest of my life
in a crappy little room,
breathing in incense
and doling out
fortune cookie advice.
Okay?
Just leave me alone.
You're helping people.
Oh, no, no,
I'm entertaining people.
It's not exactly
the same thing.
Yeah, but you
make a difference.
God, please don't start
believing in me now.
(horn honking,
brakes screeching)
Claire!
Claire.
WOMAN:
Hey, lady, get
out of the way!
Claire, stop.
Gary, I'm freezing.
Humor me.
What?
Look.
I want you to look
straight ahead.
Look right at the street.
All right?
Now, I want you
to describe to me the car
that comes through
that intersection next.
I don't want
to play games.
Yeah, but you know,
don't you?
You know.
Come on,
I want you to tell me.
What's the next car
that comes through
that intersection, Claire?
Come on, Claire.
Just tell me
what the next car,
as it drives through,
is going to be.
Come on, Claire.
Just tell me the color of the
next car that comes through.
Come on,
just tell me the color...
White!
White Toyota.
Next.
Blue Volvo.
Guy on a bike.
White Nissan.
Okay, can we go now?
Claire, the kid on the train,
the one that's missing--
you felt something.
You know it,
I know it.
What are you afraid of?
You help people.
You can ask me
that question?
Claire.
Come on, Claire,
what's going on?
Why won't you help?
(groans)
WAITRESS:
Yeah, thanks.
See you later.
Listen, Claire.
I tried, all right?
Menu?
No, thank you.
All right.
I've already tried.
About six or seven years ago,
I was in the supermarket,
and I run my cart
right into this woman.
And I'm helping
her to her feet
when, boom, I'm not
looking at her anymore.
I'm looking at this
deserted field somewhere,
and she's there,
only she's not alive.
And so I try
to warn her.
She looks at me
like I'm nuts.
And I'm trying to
tell her what I see
and her kids are crying-- I
mean, they're scared to death
because I'm saying that
someone's going to kill Mommy.
She can't get away
from me quick enough
and she calls store
security and the cops come.
And I'm still talking,
but nobody's listening.
They just don't
want to hear it.
So what happened?
I stopped talking...
before they wrote me off as
psychotic or had me arrested.
I meant the woman--
what happened to the woman?
I never saw
her again.
I never even
asked her name.
So you don't know if what you
saw-- if that ever happened.
I mean, you know, once
in a while in the papers,
you read about some
body, unidentified,
turning up in some field
somewhere, you know.
I just stopped
reading the papers.
And you decided
to make a living.
It's easier to be a
fraud, a novelty act,
especially if
you're a good one.
People will pay good money
to see a dancing bear.
Claire,
you're the real thing.
Whatever this, uh...
Please don't
call it a gift.
All right.
But whatever it is,
I mean...
it's not something
you can hide from.
I mean, it's not
something you can,
you can pretend
doesn't exist.
That's something that follows
you the rest of your life.
I need your help.
You know what?
They're not
going to listen.
I'll listen.
What if it's too late?
I mean, what if
I can't help?
What if you can?
(doorbell rings)
You again!
Where's my daughter?!
Whoa. Easy, easy.
It's not what you think.
I didn't take her.
You came to my house;
you threatened us!
It wasn't me.
What's going on?
This is the guy.
The police are looking for you.
CLAIRE:
Jeffrey, Jeffrey,
just think about it,
all right?
If he took your kid,
would he be here right now?
If he's a kidnapper,
wouldn't it be a lot easier
for him to just
send a note?
What do you want?
All we want
to do is help
you get Rachel back,
that's it.
Call the cops.
Look, you can go ahead,
but, believe me,
all I'm trying to do
is tell you the truth.
All we want to do
is help.
Let him go.
I want to hear
what they have to say.
This is Rachel's room.
Her clothes are in the dresser.
She's in this crib every night.
We haven't touched it
since...
Do you really think
you can find her?
Well, we'll try.
I'll be downstairs.
Okay. So...
Now what?
I don't know, uh...
go ahead and, uh,
do your thing.
My thing?
I don't have a thing.
What thing? I told you...
I-I told you,
I don't do this.
Well, look, touch some...
touch the crib and, you know...
(quietly):
Okay.
No.
Try the blanket.
(sighs)
(breathes deeply)
(whispers):
Anything?
No, this is stupid.
Well, how about
the baby's clothes?
Fine... (mutters)
Nothing at all?
No, I'm sorry.
This isn't working.
Listen, maybe you're
not doing it right.
Okay, well, that's it.
You know what?
I told you
that this was a bad idea.
It's a bad idea,
and you didn't believe me.
Wait a sec...
What are you doing?
You're just
going to give up?
Well, yeah.
I have nothing
to offer these people--
other than false hopes
and more pain.
I can't do it.
(sighs)
I'm sorry.
I can't do this.
I don't need you to worry
about my feelings,
but if there's anything you
can do to find my daughter...
please, do it.
(whispers):
I'm really sorry.
Maybe if you looked
at her toys!
Or-or the stroller!
It's in the garage!
GARY:
I'm sorry, Mrs. Taylor.
I don't understand.
What's wrong with you people?
You build their hopes up
and then you...
MRS. TAYLOR:
What do we do now?!
Whose scarf is this?
Is this yours?
Elizabeth's,
the nanny's.
Where is she now?
Well, it couldn't
be Elizabeth.
The police said
they already checked her out.
MR. TAYLOR:
We let her go two months ago.
We weren't comfortable
having someone live here.
MRS. TAYLOR:
We've known her for years.
She's worked
for neighbors.
Elizabeth wouldn't...
Her apartment's
a couple minutes from here.
We can be there...
Oh, no, no, no, no.
She's not there.
I mean, she was there,
but she's not there anymore.
I mean, think about, right?
That'd be the first
place they'd look.
No, no, no. She'd, she'd take
Rachel somewhere safe.
A motel.
No. No, not anymore.
I mean...
Okay. All right.
All right, it makes sense,
right?
She'd go there overnight,
overnight, right?
But then she'd know
they'd come looking for her
and she'd want
to get out of town.
She's left Chicago?
Not yet.
She needs a day to spend
to get her ready, to travel.
Okay. I mean, this is
a child-care professional...
Claire!
What?
Where is she?
WOMAN (over P.A.):
Local airlines flight 83-70,
now departing...
Oh, what of the baby,
what's her name?
Jennifer.
(typing)
(alarm trills)
Northeastern flight to Hanford
has been delayed one hour.
(alarm trills)
(detector warbles)
WOMAN (over P.A.):
Passengers on
flight 3-10 to Miami,
we will now begin
pre-boarding.
Passengers in first-class,
those needing assistance,
and those with small children
may board at this time.
(toy squeaks)
WOMAN (over P.A.):
Sherry Silverman, please pick up
the white courtesy phone.
Which way?
All right, okay.
Uh... Wait...
That, that way.
Come on.
You're sure, Claire?
Shh...
(Rachel crying)
Quiet.
(crying continues)
Shh...
Okay. Quiet...
(Rachel crying)
Rachel?!
You see her?
No. I hear her.
(Rachel crying)
Can I help the next
person in line, please.
Yes. Thank you.
(Rachel crying)
Hi. Can I help you?
(crying continues)
MRS. TAYLOR (distantly):
Rachel! Rachel!
(crying)
Have a good flight.
Have you seen
a woman with a baby?
She's, she's got
long, blonde hair.
The baby's six months old,
and she's got brown hair
and hazel eyes.
I'm sorry.
I don't remember.
She was just here;
I heard her crying!
I'm sorry. Maybe we can
get some help for you.
I think I saw them.
A woman and her baby,
she just left.
She didn't get
on the plane.
Where did they go?
I'm sorry.
I didn't see.
Michelle!
(toy squeaks)
(gasps)
Please, where is my baby?
I'm trying.
MR. TAYLOR:
Try harder.
MICHELLE:
Where is she?
Baggage claim number ten.
Well, I mean,
it only makes sense
that, uh, if she knew
you were here,
she'd want to leave
the airport
and the nearest exit is
baggage claim number ten.
(stammers)
Number ten's
the nearest one,
so let's go
to baggage claim ten.
You go downstairs.
We'll go get security.
(indistinct police radio
transmission)
(Rachel cooing)
Elizabeth, give me my baby.
I would've taken
good care of her.
I felt like she was mine.
(handcuffs click)
(toy squeaks)
How'd you do that?
How'd you know
where to find them?
I didn't,
you did.
Well, you're going to, anyway.
Trust me.
I'm sorry.
OFFICER:
You have the right
to remain silent...
(laughs and cries)
CHUCK:
Impossible things happen
every day...
little miracles.
(static buzzes)
CHUCK:
Most of the time,
we can't see 'em...
not because they're invisible
but because we don't know
what we're looking for.
(kicks machine)
(machine powers down)
Uncle Melos.
Melosh.
All right, come on.
Here's your last chance.
You and me, 50-50 all the way,
what do you say?
No.
I knew you
were going to say that.
How'd you know that?
Psychic.
Hey...
if anything ever comes up again,
if you need me...
I know where to find you.
Have a nice day.
CHUCK:
But maybe we're not supposed
to see miracles.
We're just supposed to believe
they're out there...
(breathes deeply)
...because sometimes,
believing is enough...
sometimes believing is
the miracle.
(phone ringing)
Hello?
Hey, bud, it's Chuck.
Oh, no kidding?
Look, I was thinking
about dinner tonight--
you and me
and the satellite dish.
Uh-huh.
We got the Norwegian curling
championships at eight,
and after that, three Pauly
Shore movies, back-to-back.
What do you say?
Oh, hey, that sounds great!
I'm thinking you pick up
a couple of pizzas
and bring 'em back.
You got a pen?
What? Do I have a pen...?
Oh, yeah...
Yeah, I got a pen right here.
Yeah, go ahead.
All right. I want pepperoni,
no anchovies,
sausage, pineapple...
Right.
You writing all this down?
Oh, yeah, yeah.
I'm writing down every word.
Okay. Maybe some of those little
artichoke hearts,
green peppers,
no mushrooms--
I hate mushrooms...
Hey, am I going too fast
for you?
Gary? Gary?
Gary?! Gare! Hey!
Let's face it.
Life's hard.
Life takes effort.
GARY:
Miss Pearson.
That's just the way it is.
Miss. Pearson,
you have to get out
of the water.
Most of the time
there are no shortcuts.
No easy way out.
Every now and then, however,
life surprises you.
Thing is, you can't go looking
for the shortcuts.
They find you.
Which is why
from time to time,
everyone needs a wake-up call.
Hey.
In the meantime,
you try to keep
your head above water
and just keep swimming.
And be glad
that someone out there
gets tomorrow's newspaper
today.
(theme music playing)
♪ ♪
What are you saying?
You got him a gift
for no reason at all.
That's right.
You may not realize this,
but I have
a very generous spirit.
So are you going
to open it or what?
And what did I do
to deserve this?
Just being you.
Just...
A phone?
Exactly what you need.
Oh, Chuck, that was sweet.
You worry about him.
Actually, it came as a bonus
from my DSS hookup,
and I already
had two cell phones.
So I thought,
"Hey, Gare."
So it was free.
Yeah, it's the thought
that counts.
There's no dial tone.
Well, you have to sign up
for the service first.
You didn't buy him the service,
but you gave him a phone.
What do you think,
I'm made of money here?
Look, Gare, all you have to do
is you go into Cellular One,
you sign up
for your service
and give them
my name, and I get
all three HBOs free for a year.
Oh, gee, Chuck, thanks.
That's, uh, that's, uh,
that's big-hearted of you.
Don't mention it.
Come on,
let's get a move on.
Oh, right.
Remember?
The gym?
Listen, I've got
to run some errands.
Errand errand, as in
going to the bank
and the post office,
or your kind of errand?
It's a fortune-teller
gas leak kind of thing.
Okay, you have fun.
I'll see you
at the gym, all right?
(sitar music plays)
And together we take a breath.
(inhales)
(exhales)
I invoke the guardian spirit
of Shelly Kra...
Kraznow.
Kraznow.
Your spirit guide tells me
there is a strong, intimidating
force in your life.
An authority figure?
Yes.
Yes.
Mr. Roberts.
Mr. Roberts, exactly.
And he is your...
He's my boss.
Boss.
Yeah.
He criticizes me in front
of the whole staff.
Hmm.
Now, I can't even
bring myself to speak
when I'm around him.
I'm afraid I'm going
to lose my job.
Oh, shh, shh.
Hmm? Mmm.
Your spirit guide
wants you to speak up
tomorrow morning.
My guardian spirit is here?
Yes.
Right now?
Can I see it?
If you have absolute faith.
I do.
Close your eyes.
I believe.
CUSTOMER:
I believe.
I believe.
(slower):
I believe.
Louder. I believe.
(slams machine)
CLAIRE:
One more time,
I believe.
I believe!
(bangs machine)
Your spirit guide
is right behind you.
(door opens)
CLAIRE: Hey!
Uh, sorry to interrupt,
ladies,
but you're going to have
to leave right now.
Hey, hey, hey.
We're right in the middle
of a session here.
Yeah, well, there's a gas leak
in this building.
Look, you can't just barge in
in the middle of a séance.
Who do you think you are?
Who are you?
What is that?
My guardian spirit.
What are you, with 60 Minutes?
Listen,
Claire, right? Claire?
Yeah.
You got carbon monoxide leaking
into the room, so you got to
get out of here,
you understand that?
Listen to me, if you're not out
of here in three seconds,
I'm going to call the police.
Ready? One, two...
Two...
My guardian spirit's
really cute.
Huh?
You know,
come to think of it,
I'm not feeling so well myself.
Huh?
Whoa, whoa. Okay, okay.
Okay.
All right, come on,
let's go outside.
Huh? Okay, come on.
Okay.
Let's go outside,
get some fresh air.
We dancing?
Okay, come on.
Okay.
Come on.
(siren wails)
(garbled radio transmission)
Hey. Hey.
You, hey!
Scrambled
or poached?
Huh?
The egg on my face.
Look, this isn't
an apology or anything,
but I'm prepared to say
you may have been right.
About the gas leak?
I may have been right?
All right, all right,
all right-- in all probability,
you were right,
but what I want to know is...
Hey, look, apology accepted.
Wait, wait, wait.
How'd you know?
How did you do it?
I've got a very sensitive nose.
Oh, no, no, no,
no, no, no.
No, no, that nose isn't
particularly sensitive.
No, no, no--
this nose is more decorative.
Yeah, ma'am,
I'm glad you're all right now.
And I see you're busy,
and you've got a lot of people
who desperately
want their fortunes told.
Yeah.
Oh, there's one.
Have a nice day.
Hey!
A psychic, huh?
I couldn't wait
to get out of there.
You should've seen the place.
It's like a three-ring circus.
People in the waiting room.
Who goes and pays money
to see people like that anyway?
Nut jobs.
Hey, Gare, do you
happen to know
if she's open
on Saturdays?
I don't...
(feigned laughter)
Look, ever since
the market's broke 7,000,
everybody is getting rich
but me.
And since you have been
absolutely no help,
I need an edge.
I don't think
you've been listening.
She's a fraud.
But you're the real
thing, aren't you?
Who is that?
The fraud.
We need to talk.
How did you find me?
Easy-- you had a gym bag,
this is the closest gym.
It doesn't take
a rocket scientist.
I'm Chuck.
Chuck Fishman.
Hello, Chuck Fishman.
Nice to meet you.
So you're the psychic, huh?
Listen, do you read palms?
Because I desperately
need some guidance.
Yeah, come on.
Okay, let's see.
Take a deep breath.
Oh, hon, you shouldn't even
be standing here.
Well, why not?
Um, did you have a, uh,
a Caesar salad for lunch?
Oh, my God.
That's brilliant.
How did you know?
The dressing, it throws
the whole reading off.
Go wash your hands.
You'll live longer.
Bye-bye.
(giggles):
Sorry, I couldn't resist.
Listen, I know your secret.
I have no idea
what you're talking about.
You can't kid a kidder.
Carbon monoxide,
it's an odorless gas.
No one can smell it.
And then I thought,
"Well, maybe he knew
because he's
with the gas company."
I called the gas company.
They never heard of you.
And then I realized
you knew because you knew.
I'm right, aren't I?
I don't know.
You're the psychic.
You tell me.
I'm not, and you know I'm not.
Oh, really.
Yeah.
You mean that
incredibly looking, realistic
floating ghost
going across the wall,
that wasn't real?
I give the people
what they want.
And then you take
their money, good-bye.
Hey!
The lady who cuts your hair
and convinces you it
looks good, you pay her.
I perform a service.
Why shouldn't I get paid?
Will you wait up?
Look, lady, what is it
you want from me?
I want to go
into business with you.
What kind of business?
The psychic business.
You're not a psychic.
I know,
but you are.
You don't have to do
anything but look good
and be psychic.
Okay? You provide
the steak.
I'll provide
the sizzle.
No problem.
I've got bells, whistles,
smoke and mirrors.
Where are you going?
Look it, we could be
a real team, you and me.
MAN:
Hey, get out of here.
Like Batman and Robin
and a mind, all right?
Come on, what do you say?
No. No.
Man, that's just like you.
Opportunity comes
knocking at the door,
and you go hiding
in the men's room.
What opportunity?
(toilet flushing)
Opening your own business.
It's about time you did
something with your life, Gare.
And incorporating is
a perfect way for you
to hide that taxable income.
What taxable income?
I don't have
any taxable income.
Exactly. It's about time
you made some.
Are you going
with me today?
Where are we going?
Over to the zoo.
What's at the zoo?
I have a kid
who's going to get
bit by a poisonous snake.
It's, uh...
if it's just one bus,
I can get there by 2:30,
there's no problem.
Here, it's a, uh,
six-foot-long black mamba snake.
It apparently managed
to escape from its cage
late Friday night.
Zoo officials didn't realize
the snake was missing
until Saturday afternoon.
They heard screams
coming from a school bus
in the parking lot.
Seven-year-old Jeremy Martin
was bitten twice.
He's listed in guarded
condition at County Hospital.
Okay. That's enough.
What are you doing?
I'm going
to take a sauna.
See, I have this thing
about snakes.
It's called "fear of death."
All right.
SECURITY GUARD:
If there was an animal missing,
I'd have heard about it.
Look, I'm telling you
there's a snake
out here somewhere,
a black mamba.
It got free last night.
(garbled radio transmission)
Yeah, I got the guy right here.
He says La Bamba is on the lose.
Mamba, a black mamba.
I don't know
what the guy's talking
about, either.
Look, they've never heard
of your snake, okay?
I'm telling
you the truth.
Of course you are.
Don't go anywhere.
I'm going to get you
someone to talk to.
Hey, wait!
CLAIRE:
Do you have
any idea how much
the Psychic Friends Network
gross annually?
Huh?
Seven figures,
seven figures.
Now, I'm not saying that we can
make that in the first year.
How did you find me?
Easy-- I followed you
to the El platform,
you got on the Howard line.
Right, where does the Howard
line go? Near the zoo.
Zoo, you're an animal lover,
so am I.
But you knew that, huh?
'Cause you've
got the gift.
Listen, lady,
I don't have time for this.
I've got to find a snake
out here on one of these buses.
See? You had a vision.
This is good, but I want you
to say it like this.
I want you to say like
"a poisonous serpent"
and "innocent children."
You see what I'm doing?
I'm giving it some
oomph, all right?
If there's a snake, why aren't
you doing something about it?
Because I don't know
which bus the snake is on.
Ah.
That one.
Huh?
The snake is on that bus.
Listen, lady, I don't have
time for your little act,
your hocus-pocus,
or whatever you...
This one is parked
closest to the zoo.
All right?
The snake house
is on the other side
of that wall.
It's not an act,
it's logic.
(children chattering)
Hey, get off that bus!
Hey, come on, guys,
get off the bus! Come on!
Jeremy?
Don't move. Stay right
where you are, all right?
All right?
Do you see any, uh...
any zoo officials out there,
any security guards?
No, uh-uh.
Just some kids.
You know, I really
don't understand your resistance
to this whole thing.
I mean, you don't
have a job, right?
I'm going to
provide the capital.
I mean, what
have you got
to lose, honey? Nothing.
What do you mean,
I don't have a job?
How do you know
I don't have two jobs?
Easy-- those shoes.
A man with a job
would not wear those shoes.
He would throw them out.
He would burn those shoes.
These shoes are not old.
Listen, lady,
can I tell you something?
You're driving me crazy.
Right now I'm looking for
a snake, so if you don't mind.
All right,
Jeremy, just
hang on now.
(hissing)
Gary, listen to me.
You've got to look behind you.
Behind me.
What is it?
Some kind of New Age
speak you people use?
Gary, how could I
make this clearer
to you?
Look... behind you.
Listen, lady,
I'm trying to find...
(hissing)
(screaming)
(yells)
Well... I've heard of
these things saving
people's lives,
but never exactly like that.
You're lucky. Had that
snake bit two inches lower,
you would have lost
all your speed dials.
Yeah.
You all right?
Oh, yeah, I'm doing fine.
Guess I should have taken
your word, huh, about the snake?
That would have been nice.
You know, if I had
known what kind of
business you were in,
I would have taken you a
little more seriously.
Huh?
It's nothing to
be ashamed of.
Your partner
gave me a card.
Partner?
CLAIRE:
And it came to us,
the spirit guide,
the eye of Isis,
in a flash of green light,
and said, "Follow me
through the wilderness,
and I will lead you
to the serpent."
And it did exactly that.
And it can do
the same thing for you.
WOMAN:
Can I get a card?
I don't believe this.
CLAIRE:
Oh, and we don't just find
reptiles, oh, no.
We can find missing pets
or lost jewelry, lost loves.
You name it, we got it.
MAN:
Thank you.
Oh. Oh, good,
you're here.
What are you doing?
Ladies and gentlemen,
it is my pleasure
to introduce you
to my partner,
my partner, the
snake-finder.
The one and only,
The Great Gary.
The Great Gary.
What the hell
are you saying?
The mastermind
himself.
GARY:
Look, there's been
a mistake.
We need to talk...
Excuse me.
Claire, this isn't funny.
Is your daughter
all right?
Yes, she's fine.
Do you mind?
What was that
all about?
MAN:
Do you do healings?
Nothing.
MAN:
Do you heal?
MAN:
Are you available
for good parties?
CLAIRE:
Who doesn't
have a card?
WOMAN:
Excuse me.
Do you do past lives?
Am I gonna win
the lottery?
Will my Elliot
get into Harvard?
(onlookers clamoring)
MAN:
Lay your hands
on me...
(train squealing
and rattling on tracks)
Hey. Slow down, will you?
What's the rush?
Can't we just talk
about this? Come on.
You make it
sound so tacky.
I make it sound tacky?
The Great Gary?
I didn't make that up.
All right, so we'll change
it to, like, Gary The Great.
Is that better?
You see, it's all
in the marketing.
How do you come up
with this stuff?
I don't know.
Probably my
Uncle Melosh.
Your who?
My Uncle Melosh
from Hungary.
He was a gypsy
fortune-teller.
He was great.
Taught me everything I know,
gave me my first crystal.
Ah, your Uncle Melos.
Oh, I don't
believe it.
Melosh. Yeah.
How do you think I came
by my talent, naturally?
What talent?
You don't have any talent.
You're not a psychic.
Exactly.
Neither was
Uncle Melosh.
He was more a... like a-a
student of human nature.
That was his talent.
I mean, he
could sit across
from a complete
stranger, and in about
four seconds, he could deduce
what was bothering them,
and tell them exactly
what they wanted to hear.
(baby crying)
GARY:
Oh, really?
And how did he do that?
TRAIN ANNOUNCER:
Final call.
Lots of things. Intuition,
Please stay clear
of the doors.
body language.
You know, squint
of the eyes,
arch of the back.
Hundreds of variables.
And people-- they actually
buy into this stuff?
Oh, yeah. They came
from all over
just to spend five minutes
with the man.
So what you're telling me is
that you come from a long line
of con artists.
See? Now you're trying
to upset me. Stop it!
No. He did have
one odd gift that
he taught me.
He could sniff
and predict the weather.
I'm telling you the truth.
Watch.
(sniffing)
In about three seconds,
it's going to begin hailing.
It's not hailing.
No, not here.
In Wisconsin,
it's hailing right now.
Here, it's going to be
day after tomorrow,
about 6:30, 6:45 a.m.
(baby crying)
Listen, lady...
Excuse me just a minute.
I'll be right back.
Excuse me.
You again?
Look, you need to watch
out for your baby.
There's something wrong.
What are you talking about?
Be careful with your baby.
About what?
I think you need
to leave us alone.
Is that what your
Uncle Melos taught you?
What?
To scare the
hell out of
total strangers
to drum up business
for your little
psychic operation.
That's good.
Look,
there was something wrong
about that kid.
Oh, yeah? What's that?
Nothing.
We'll probably all
just get chicken pox tomorrow.
So, where were we?
Where were we?
Yeah.
We?
Yeah.
No, we're nowhere.
You know
what you are?
You're a fraud, and you know
what kind of fraud you are?
You're the worst kind of fraud,
because you prey on people.
You prey on their hopes,
you prey on their dreams,
you prey on
their pain.
And then you take their money.
You know what I think that is?
I think that's disgusting.
No. I'm sorry.
You know what I think that is?
I think it's sad.
You're not terribly interested
in sugar-coating things,
are you?
All right,
if that's the way you feel,
I'm sorry
I wasted your valuable time.
So, I hear
you're seeing a psychic.
Chuck.
He said you were
a little hard on her.
Well, you're always
the one telling me
not to cash in
on the paper.
Believe me, that's exactly what
this woman, she wanted to do.
What I'm saying is,
maybe you're not that different.
You help people,
she helps people.
You could cut her
some slack.
No, she doesn't
help anybody.
This woman--
she's a con artist.
She's got a... she's got
this electronic, uh, gizmo.
It flashes ghosts
up on the wall.
Sounds like my Aunt Delia.
You got to be
kidding me.
Because I can't be the
only person in Chicago
without a relative
who's a psychic.
She wasn't a psychic.
She was a clairvoyant.
Oh.
Big difference.
You are making
this up, aren't you?
No. Really.
It was a long time ago.
I was just a kid.
Oh.
Um, she used to
call herself Lady Delia,
and she shared this space
with a barber down the street.
And every Wednesday,
she would hold these séances.
For five dollars, my Aunt Deliah
promised you 15 minutes
with any deceased relative.
Hmm, great.
A nut case.
Every once in a while,
she would let me sit in
on the séances,
and, uh, she had
this record player
that played
this really weird music,
incense and the whole works.
And she had this table
that levitated on a pulley.
So your point is that there's
a fraud in every neighborhood.
My point is,
every Wednesday afternoon,
people would line up
around the block.
These people came back
every week.
They came back every week
to see a floating table
and a bunch of dead
relatives around it.
Oh, that's nice.
No, no, no, no.
They didn't care about that.
They knew that was a fake.
They said
you could see the wires.
But they came back,
Gary, every week,
because my Aunt Deliah
provided something.
Which was?
Hope, comfort,
a chance at 15 minutes
remembering someone they loved.
(jazz piano playing,
crowd chatter)
Believe me, Gary,
no one's going to Claire's
to see a floating ghost.
(distant train passing)
(car horn honks)
(phone ringing)
(groans)
(phone clattering)
(dial tone)
Hello...
(phone continues ringing)
(groans)
(slamming phone down)
6:30 a.m.
What is he thinking?
(ringing continues)
(phone beeps on)
Hello?
CHUCK:
This is your lucky day, pal.
I signed you up.
You're going cellular!
Do you have any idea...?
CHUCK:
Guess what I'm looking at.
HBO one, two, and three.
Every premium channel there is.
Chuck, do you have any idea
what time it is?
None. I've been up all night
watching movies.
(cat meows,
paper thuds against door)
I never have to go
to a video store again.
I'm never leaving the house.
(yowls)
I saw Tommy Boy
three times last night.
And you know what?
This movie gets better
every time you see it.
(throws paper down, slams door)
Hey, look, it's on again!
Dubbed in Spanish!
I know this kid.
I'll tape it for you, okay?
The kid on the train
with Claire.
(Chuck speaking Spanish)
Yo, call you later.
Ask him if I should
sell the house,
move to someplace smaller.
(sitar music playing)
Harry, did you hear that?
Uh-huh.
Right.
CLAIRE:
Harry says absolutely.
Yes. Sell the house.
Move somewhere smaller.
Is he sure?
Harry, are you sure?
We need to talk.
Gary?
WOMAN:
Oh, oh.
Wait, wait. Ask him
about the car.
We need to talk
now, Claire.
(turns music off)
Listen.
If you'll just give me
ten minutes, honey.
But Harry and me--
we still have a lot
of things to
talk about.
I know, I know,
but you know what?
How long has Harry
been dead?
Nine years.
All right, what's
another ten minutes?
Not gonna kill him, right?
Thank you, honey.
He won't like it.
Time is money,
that's what Harry used to say.
So, changed
your mind, huh?
Welcome back.
That little girl you
touched the other day--
something's
wrong with her.
Why? Did you come down
with something?
Chicken pox.
I told you.
You know what's good
for that? Oatmeal.
No, it's not
chicken pox, Claire.
Hmm.
Something's gonna
happen to her.
Someone's
gonna take her.
Oh, what?
You think it's me?
You think I'm going
to do something to that kid?
Makes sense, huh?
'Cause I'd do anything
for money.
I don't know.
I didn't say that.
Yeah, but that's
what you were thinking, right?
You're right, Gary,
you caught me.
I'm actually the ringleader
of an international gang
of kidnappers.
We work out
of the back room here.
That's funny.
Listen, Claire.
I want to know what
you know and I want to
know how you know it,
and I don't want any of that
malarkey about body language
or anything.
You know what?
That's funny.
'Cause I was going to ask you
the same thing.
How do you know something's
going to happen to this kid?
I just know.
Well, then,
you don't need me, do you?
Listen, Claire,
it's the same kid.
Now, you're going to tell me
that's just a coincidence?
It is just a coincidence.
You said it yourself, Gary.
I'm a fraud, a circus act.
But you know what?
This is my place of business
and I want you out of here.
Leave.
(door slams)
WOMAN:
Oh.
(shop bell tinkling)
Hmm.
Wait here, will you?
Excuse me.
Jeffrey Taylor?
May I help you?
Uh, my name's Gary Hobson.
You don't know me,
but...
We already
get the paper.
No, actually,
this is about your daughter.
Rachael?
What about her?
Something's going
to happen to her.
She's in danger.
I don't get this.
Is this a threat?
No, it's not a threat.
Something's going to
happen to my daughter.
And you know this, how?
Well, I just know, I...
Look,
I don't know
what this is all about,
but I suggest you get
off my property right now.
Mr. Taylor, if-if I could talk
to your wife...
Get the hell out of here
right now!
Let's go back downtown.
Okay.
(tires screeching)
(phone ringing)
(phone beeps on)
Hello.
CHUCK (over phone):
Gare, where are you?
Listen, Chuck, I don't have time
to talk right now.
Is this technology great
or what?
I can reach you
any time of the day.
Now, what are you doing?
Right now I'm watching a kid.
You know what I'm doing
right now?
I'm watching the World Female
Snooker Championships
from Luxembourg.
Luxembourg, Gary.
Now, you don't get that
on regular TV.
That's good;
I hope you're enjoying yourself.
Look, then, live coverage of
the Iditarod from Nome, Alaska.
You want to come over?
No, thank you.
Oh, fine, whatever.
Blow off your friends,
even if they did get you
cellular service.
Listen, Chuck, I didn't
even want cellular service.
You got that?
Wait a second. Am I paying
for this phone call right now?
17 cents a minute.
(screams)
My baby!
My baby's missing!
Help me, get some help!
My baby!
Where is my baby?!
So that was it?
You just left.
You didn't even talk
to the Taylors.
What was I supposed to say?
They would have had me arrested.
Well, what about
the paper?
What about it?
"Kid Disappears."
That's what it says.
Hasn't changed from before.
What are you going to do?
What about Claire?
She didn't take that kid.
That's not what I meant.
She's not a psychic, Marissa,
she's a head case.
That's it.
Well, that's the same thing
people say about you.
Oh, thank you very much.
Come on, Gary,
everybody needs help--
that little girl, her family,
even you.
I mean, maybe that's why
the paper sent you to Claire.
No, the reason it sent me to her
is because she was about to die
in her own building
from a gas leak.
That's how much of a psychic
Claire is.
Maybe you're missing the
big picture here, Gary.
She found you at
the health club.
She saw my gym bag.
Right.
And how many health
clubs are in this city?
She knew you were at the zoo.
She knew what bus that
snake was hiding on.
And she knew you
didn't have a job.
Just lucky guesses.
All of them?
That's a whole lot of luck.
Marissa, it's coincidence.
She's not all there.
Sh-- I need some milk.
(thunder rumbling)
RADIO ANNOUNCER:
Good morning, it's 6:30
in Chicago, and here's the news.
The mayor announced today...
(radio clicks off)
(cat meowing,
paper thuds against door)
Still missing.
Come on, give me something here.
(thunder rumbling)
(hail falling)
(groans)
Claire.
Hey, Claire, wait a minute,
I want to talk to you.
You know, for someone
who desperately wanted me
out of his life,
you're sending me
a lot of mixed messages.
You closed up your store.
Oh, quick,
nothing gets by you.
Wait a second.
You're just going to
give up? You're quitting?
What about all those
people in your store?
I don't know, Gary, I guess
they'll find a real psychic.
Okay?
(sighs)
Listen.
If this is about what I said
on the train, I'm sorry.
Ooh, talk about an inflated
sense of your own importance.
Are you seeing somebody
for that?
Look, you want
to know the truth?
The truth is
that you got me thinking.
Okay? I took stock.
I mean, look at my life.
I'm 36 years old.
The big plan didn't work out.
I don't want to spend
the rest of my life
in a crappy little room,
breathing in incense
and doling out
fortune cookie advice.
Okay?
Just leave me alone.
You're helping people.
Oh, no, no,
I'm entertaining people.
It's not exactly
the same thing.
Yeah, but you
make a difference.
God, please don't start
believing in me now.
(horn honking,
brakes screeching)
Claire!
Claire.
WOMAN:
Hey, lady, get
out of the way!
Claire, stop.
Gary, I'm freezing.
Humor me.
What?
Look.
I want you to look
straight ahead.
Look right at the street.
All right?
Now, I want you
to describe to me the car
that comes through
that intersection next.
I don't want
to play games.
Yeah, but you know,
don't you?
You know.
Come on,
I want you to tell me.
What's the next car
that comes through
that intersection, Claire?
Come on, Claire.
Just tell me
what the next car,
as it drives through,
is going to be.
Come on, Claire.
Just tell me the color of the
next car that comes through.
Come on,
just tell me the color...
White!
White Toyota.
Next.
Blue Volvo.
Guy on a bike.
White Nissan.
Okay, can we go now?
Claire, the kid on the train,
the one that's missing--
you felt something.
You know it,
I know it.
What are you afraid of?
You help people.
You can ask me
that question?
Claire.
Come on, Claire,
what's going on?
Why won't you help?
(groans)
WAITRESS:
Yeah, thanks.
See you later.
Listen, Claire.
I tried, all right?
Menu?
No, thank you.
All right.
I've already tried.
About six or seven years ago,
I was in the supermarket,
and I run my cart
right into this woman.
And I'm helping
her to her feet
when, boom, I'm not
looking at her anymore.
I'm looking at this
deserted field somewhere,
and she's there,
only she's not alive.
And so I try
to warn her.
She looks at me
like I'm nuts.
And I'm trying to
tell her what I see
and her kids are crying-- I
mean, they're scared to death
because I'm saying that
someone's going to kill Mommy.
She can't get away
from me quick enough
and she calls store
security and the cops come.
And I'm still talking,
but nobody's listening.
They just don't
want to hear it.
So what happened?
I stopped talking...
before they wrote me off as
psychotic or had me arrested.
I meant the woman--
what happened to the woman?
I never saw
her again.
I never even
asked her name.
So you don't know if what you
saw-- if that ever happened.
I mean, you know, once
in a while in the papers,
you read about some
body, unidentified,
turning up in some field
somewhere, you know.
I just stopped
reading the papers.
And you decided
to make a living.
It's easier to be a
fraud, a novelty act,
especially if
you're a good one.
People will pay good money
to see a dancing bear.
Claire,
you're the real thing.
Whatever this, uh...
Please don't
call it a gift.
All right.
But whatever it is,
I mean...
it's not something
you can hide from.
I mean, it's not
something you can,
you can pretend
doesn't exist.
That's something that follows
you the rest of your life.
I need your help.
You know what?
They're not
going to listen.
I'll listen.
What if it's too late?
I mean, what if
I can't help?
What if you can?
(doorbell rings)
You again!
Where's my daughter?!
Whoa. Easy, easy.
It's not what you think.
I didn't take her.
You came to my house;
you threatened us!
It wasn't me.
What's going on?
This is the guy.
The police are looking for you.
CLAIRE:
Jeffrey, Jeffrey,
just think about it,
all right?
If he took your kid,
would he be here right now?
If he's a kidnapper,
wouldn't it be a lot easier
for him to just
send a note?
What do you want?
All we want
to do is help
you get Rachel back,
that's it.
Call the cops.
Look, you can go ahead,
but, believe me,
all I'm trying to do
is tell you the truth.
All we want to do
is help.
Let him go.
I want to hear
what they have to say.
This is Rachel's room.
Her clothes are in the dresser.
She's in this crib every night.
We haven't touched it
since...
Do you really think
you can find her?
Well, we'll try.
I'll be downstairs.
Okay. So...
Now what?
I don't know, uh...
go ahead and, uh,
do your thing.
My thing?
I don't have a thing.
What thing? I told you...
I-I told you,
I don't do this.
Well, look, touch some...
touch the crib and, you know...
(quietly):
Okay.
No.
Try the blanket.
(sighs)
(breathes deeply)
(whispers):
Anything?
No, this is stupid.
Well, how about
the baby's clothes?
Fine... (mutters)
Nothing at all?
No, I'm sorry.
This isn't working.
Listen, maybe you're
not doing it right.
Okay, well, that's it.
You know what?
I told you
that this was a bad idea.
It's a bad idea,
and you didn't believe me.
Wait a sec...
What are you doing?
You're just
going to give up?
Well, yeah.
I have nothing
to offer these people--
other than false hopes
and more pain.
I can't do it.
(sighs)
I'm sorry.
I can't do this.
I don't need you to worry
about my feelings,
but if there's anything you
can do to find my daughter...
please, do it.
(whispers):
I'm really sorry.
Maybe if you looked
at her toys!
Or-or the stroller!
It's in the garage!
GARY:
I'm sorry, Mrs. Taylor.
I don't understand.
What's wrong with you people?
You build their hopes up
and then you...
MRS. TAYLOR:
What do we do now?!
Whose scarf is this?
Is this yours?
Elizabeth's,
the nanny's.
Where is she now?
Well, it couldn't
be Elizabeth.
The police said
they already checked her out.
MR. TAYLOR:
We let her go two months ago.
We weren't comfortable
having someone live here.
MRS. TAYLOR:
We've known her for years.
She's worked
for neighbors.
Elizabeth wouldn't...
Her apartment's
a couple minutes from here.
We can be there...
Oh, no, no, no, no.
She's not there.
I mean, she was there,
but she's not there anymore.
I mean, think about, right?
That'd be the first
place they'd look.
No, no, no. She'd, she'd take
Rachel somewhere safe.
A motel.
No. No, not anymore.
I mean...
Okay. All right.
All right, it makes sense,
right?
She'd go there overnight,
overnight, right?
But then she'd know
they'd come looking for her
and she'd want
to get out of town.
She's left Chicago?
Not yet.
She needs a day to spend
to get her ready, to travel.
Okay. I mean, this is
a child-care professional...
Claire!
What?
Where is she?
WOMAN (over P.A.):
Local airlines flight 83-70,
now departing...
Oh, what of the baby,
what's her name?
Jennifer.
(typing)
(alarm trills)
Northeastern flight to Hanford
has been delayed one hour.
(alarm trills)
(detector warbles)
WOMAN (over P.A.):
Passengers on
flight 3-10 to Miami,
we will now begin
pre-boarding.
Passengers in first-class,
those needing assistance,
and those with small children
may board at this time.
(toy squeaks)
WOMAN (over P.A.):
Sherry Silverman, please pick up
the white courtesy phone.
Which way?
All right, okay.
Uh... Wait...
That, that way.
Come on.
You're sure, Claire?
Shh...
(Rachel crying)
Quiet.
(crying continues)
Shh...
Okay. Quiet...
(Rachel crying)
Rachel?!
You see her?
No. I hear her.
(Rachel crying)
Can I help the next
person in line, please.
Yes. Thank you.
(Rachel crying)
Hi. Can I help you?
(crying continues)
MRS. TAYLOR (distantly):
Rachel! Rachel!
(crying)
Have a good flight.
Have you seen
a woman with a baby?
She's, she's got
long, blonde hair.
The baby's six months old,
and she's got brown hair
and hazel eyes.
I'm sorry.
I don't remember.
She was just here;
I heard her crying!
I'm sorry. Maybe we can
get some help for you.
I think I saw them.
A woman and her baby,
she just left.
She didn't get
on the plane.
Where did they go?
I'm sorry.
I didn't see.
Michelle!
(toy squeaks)
(gasps)
Please, where is my baby?
I'm trying.
MR. TAYLOR:
Try harder.
MICHELLE:
Where is she?
Baggage claim number ten.
Well, I mean,
it only makes sense
that, uh, if she knew
you were here,
she'd want to leave
the airport
and the nearest exit is
baggage claim number ten.
(stammers)
Number ten's
the nearest one,
so let's go
to baggage claim ten.
You go downstairs.
We'll go get security.
(indistinct police radio
transmission)
(Rachel cooing)
Elizabeth, give me my baby.
I would've taken
good care of her.
I felt like she was mine.
(handcuffs click)
(toy squeaks)
How'd you do that?
How'd you know
where to find them?
I didn't,
you did.
Well, you're going to, anyway.
Trust me.
I'm sorry.
OFFICER:
You have the right
to remain silent...
(laughs and cries)
CHUCK:
Impossible things happen
every day...
little miracles.
(static buzzes)
CHUCK:
Most of the time,
we can't see 'em...
not because they're invisible
but because we don't know
what we're looking for.
(kicks machine)
(machine powers down)
Uncle Melos.
Melosh.
All right, come on.
Here's your last chance.
You and me, 50-50 all the way,
what do you say?
No.
I knew you
were going to say that.
How'd you know that?
Psychic.
Hey...
if anything ever comes up again,
if you need me...
I know where to find you.
Have a nice day.
CHUCK:
But maybe we're not supposed
to see miracles.
We're just supposed to believe
they're out there...
(breathes deeply)
...because sometimes,
believing is enough...
sometimes believing is
the miracle.
(phone ringing)
Hello?
Hey, bud, it's Chuck.
Oh, no kidding?
Look, I was thinking
about dinner tonight--
you and me
and the satellite dish.
Uh-huh.
We got the Norwegian curling
championships at eight,
and after that, three Pauly
Shore movies, back-to-back.
What do you say?
Oh, hey, that sounds great!
I'm thinking you pick up
a couple of pizzas
and bring 'em back.
You got a pen?
What? Do I have a pen...?
Oh, yeah...
Yeah, I got a pen right here.
Yeah, go ahead.
All right. I want pepperoni,
no anchovies,
sausage, pineapple...
Right.
You writing all this down?
Oh, yeah, yeah.
I'm writing down every word.
Okay. Maybe some of those little
artichoke hearts,
green peppers,
no mushrooms--
I hate mushrooms...
Hey, am I going too fast
for you?
Gary? Gary?
Gary?! Gare! Hey!