Touched by an Angel (1994–2003): Season 2, Episode 10 - Unidentified Female - full transcript
Tess, if you could go back
and do any day over again,
what day would you choose?
Oh, I don't know. I've
had some doozies.
But it would be a happy one,
and definitely sometime
after the discovery
of chocolate.
Do you ever notice
something about humans?
If you ask them if
they could go back
and live any day over
again, what do they do?
They always want to go
back and fix something,
as if they knew
the precise moment
when something went wrong.
But sometimes you do, baby.
Sometimes there's
a day that you know,
as sure as the sun,
changed your life.
And then life gets
to be more precious,
because suddenly you know
you're not gonna live forever.
Now that's Jennifer.
She acts just like
she's gonna live forever.
Well, nobody lives forever.
People like to think
that bad things only
happen to faceless strangers
in the newspaper.
I wonder what day Jennifer
would go back and change?
Oh, that day hasn't
come for her yet,
but it's coming.
Tess?
Hey.
Oh, Tess.
They didn't know what
they were doin', baby.
They just didn't know
what they were doing.
♫ When you walk down the road ♫
♫ Heavy burden, heavy load ♫
♫ I will rise ♫
♫ And I will walk with you ♫
♫ I'll walk with you ♫
♫ Till the sun
don't even shine ♫
♫ Walk with you ♫
♫ Every time, I tell
you I'll walk with you ♫
♫ Walk with you ♫
♫ Believe me, I'll
walk with you. ♫
We were just sitting
there on the chair,
talking about something and...
they decided to have some
brandy and smoke a cigar.
And you had a cigarette.
I'm trying to quit.
Well, whose idea
was it... the brandy?
I don't know.
It just seemed like a
nice way to end the night.
He said that his dad always
did that after a good meal.
Something about it
being the only thing
that his dad ever did
that he wanted to
grow up and do, too.
So it was his idea
to start drinking?
Uh, no, I-I don't mean that.
How's that hand?
What?
Can we get the spelling?
Is that Jennifer
with two Ns or one?
Two.
And what's Curb?
It's a magazine where I work.
You a reporter there?
I'm an assistant.
Sometimes they let me write.
How'd you get here tonight?
My friend took me 'cause
my car's in the s-shop.
So what were you
doin' at the party?
I met him yesterday.
Which one?
Clay.
All right, I'll give him the
message as soon as I can.
Well? So? Sir, it has
been an hour already.
Curb.
Curb.
Curb magazine.
Why am I explaining this to you?
You called us.
What?
Uh, no, she's not.
She's in the elevator.
Oh, is this the copy
machine people?
Yes, it is. Yes, again.
And I've got some serious
magazine stuff happening here.
I mean, where is the repairman?
Repair person.
Oh, never mind. She's here.
This is good.
This is very good. Hi.
Hi, I'm Cookie.
Nice to meet you.
I don't know. It's still
jamming when I collate,
and it collates when I
reduce, so... Uh-huh.
Do you know anything
about elevators?
Yes, I know you
need one that works.
Well, Jenny's the one
who called about
the copy machine,
but, uh, she's... Stuck.
Yeah, she's been
in there forever.
She probably likes it, though.
She's like a hermit.
She's probably recording
things in her journal
about the whole ordeal. Uh-huh.
You know, her
impression of it...
The, uh, the
isolation, the, uh...
the experience.
Okay, so you promise?
It's no big deal.
Nobody ever knows anybody
at these things anyway.
I'm sorry I was late.
Oh, no problem. Our
copier fixer lady is here.
So you want to
use the phone or...?
No, but I think I'm gonna take
the stairs the rest of the way.
So tomorrow?
Tomorrow? That's great.
There's a tomorrow?
You might want to
park your car close by.
It's sort of a funky area.
Her car's in the
shop. I'll drive.
Uh, okay. The more the merrier.
It was nice being
stuck with you.
You, too.
You got a date in an elevator?
I got an interview.
Oh, Saturday night, you're
looking for an interview.
Have I taught you nothing?
That's the real estate guy
who developed Electric Alley.
The one from the warehouse
district? The antique guy?
Yeah. Oh, my gosh, string
him along till I get a couch.
There's nothing to string along.
Hmm. I don't believe it.
Oh. I don't believe it.
Why did I let you
go to that post office?
That could have been
me in that elevator.
Do you realize that?
That could have been me.
They always think
that, don't they?
"If only." "Why
didn't I?" "What if?"
There's one moment
when you know,
as sure as the sun,
that that moment
changed your life.
I wonder if Jennifer
will ever remember
what she said in the elevator?
I wonder if she'll ever forget.
We got here after the
party had already started,
about 9:00.
And I didn't know anybody
here, so I felt sort of, um...
funny.
I am so amazed by all of this.
This... this,
like, dim lighting.
I got a zit, and it won't show.
This stuff is so wonderful.
Look at this.
Ow.
Put it down.
Oh, that's it.
That's it. This is it.
It's a little deco,
a little Jetsons.
It's me.
Yeah, this is perfect.
I know I'll never
want to sleep on this.
♫ I don't want to seem unsure ♫
♫ About your thoughts... ♫
Get up off this couch.
I wonder how we get upstairs?
Oh, try the elevator.
Oh, I'm very happy
here. Lead on.
Hmm. Wow.
I love the sunflowers.
This is unbelievable.
This is where we go up.
How do you go up?
Uh, you-you pull the
gate down from the inside.
Goin' up?
I'll show ya.
Thanks.
Are you a friend of Clay's?
Uh, I hope so.
Here we are.
Have a good time.
Thanks.
Alex.
Unbelievable. Where
have you been, man?
How you doin'? I've
been around. Cool.
How are ya? I'm doin' great.
I don't know. What
are we doing here?
Well, you're goin'
to an interview,
and I'm gonna sit down
with one of these guys
and discuss the
names of our children.
So if we separate,
I'll meet you at the
car on Sunday. Bye.
So you're a reporter?
No. I'm just an assistant.
But they said if I
wrote something good,
that they'd print it.
Clay's story seemed
like a good idea.
When did you finally
hook up with him?
Cookie wandered off,
and I went to look for him.
He wasn't upstairs, so I
took the elevator back down.
And there's that
courtyard in the back.
That's where I met Monica.
Hello.
Hi.
Sarsaparilla?
Don't you hate parties when
you don't know anybody?
I don't know
anybody here either.
I'm Monica.
I'm Jennifer.
Thanks.
Have you seen Clay?
Yes, I have.
Have you ever read this?
Mmm-mm.
"A stone, a leaf,
an unfound door."
I've always loved that...
"An unfound door."
I mean, how do you know
there's a door to be found, hmm?
I guess sometimes
you don't see it till you've
just walked through it.
You were supposed
to be my friend.
Excuse me.
This is great.
What, I'm gone a
couple of weeks, and...
Eight months, Alex.
You dumped all my stuff
in the basement,
you steal my girlfriend.
What, I'm not
supposed to be upset?
Aw, eight months, man.
Where were you?
I'm glad to see you.
Oh, yeah, I can tell.
You threw all my
stuff in the trash.
I didn't trash it, okay?
I needed the space.
I didn't know when
you were coming back,
if you were coming back.
I put it down here.
What am I supposed to do?
Where's my desk?
It's all here, I'm telling you.
There, somewhere.
There's your desk.
So they were arguing?
No. Yes, downstairs,
but not up here.
Well, then how'd
the glass get broken?
What?
Who started the fight?
Was it over you?
No. So there was a fight?
Yes, but-but not later.
Look, no one was
fighting when...
when it happened.
Then who threw the
glass across the room?
What happened to your hand?
I can't remember.
What do you remember?
What made you go into that room?
I went upstairs.
Clay went in there.
He waved to Alex.
Alex followed him in.
Into his den? Yes.
Alex called it Clay's Sanctuary
of Unnecessary Things.
You can say that again.
Look, he wanted me in there.
I think you're
supposed to go in there.
Okay.
♫ Too fragile to land the czar ♫
♫ Don't seem funny
when you get too far ♫
♫ Too far gone is
where you're at ♫
♫ I'll meet you there,
you don't go back ♫
♫ Picture this, picture that ♫
♫ Pictures are what
holds you back ♫
♫ Picture what
you've just been told ♫
♫ And rid yourself
of what you know ♫
No!
So where were you
when the gun went off?
Do you remember the gunshot?
No.
It looks like some
kind of a burn.
She's got no clue
where it came from.
Kid's in shock.
Let me get this straight.
A friend of yours is lying dead
ten feet away from you
on the other side of that wall,
and you can't remember
what happened?
Now three people
went in that room.
Two people came out.
You better start takin'
this seriously, little girl,
because you are a suspect
in a murder investigation.
Oh, my God.
Jennifer?
There's nothing to be afraid of.
Just tell us the truth.
Oh, I am.
Tell me about Clay.
What did he tell
you on the elevator?
Huh, stuff like this
always happens to me.
Wrong place at the wrong time.
What do you mean?
Well, I couldn't get
stuck on the elevator
with a potbellied
insurance salesman.
I got a jealous girlfriend
on the tenth floor
that, uh, I was
supposed to take to lunch.
Well, at least you've
got a peace offering.
Oh, this?
No, this is a business gift
from a very grateful investor.
It's probably a very
old bottle of brandy.
Phew.
A year ago, I couldn't get a
six-pack of beer for Christmas.
I can't believe
we're the same age.
You've done so much
with your life, and...
I haven't even started.
Everybody's on their own path.
Timing is everything.
You know, every day
I read my horoscope,
but it never says,
"Today's the day that
you will make a difference."
So I, uh, did something
totally radical this morning,
and I just threw it out,
and I actually prayed.
I asked God that,
if just one day, I could do
something to make a difference.
Hmm, well, you
know what they say.
Be careful what you pray for.
Hey, look at that. Finally.
Some progress.
Whew.
Here. Let me help you.
Thank you.
So, uh, drop by and, uh,
once you realize that I
have nothing worth quoting...
you can stay and
enjoy the party,
and don't worry
about crashing. Okay.
Hey, you forgot your brandy.
Oh, right. Thanks.
Another hour in here,
we'd have been drinking it.
Okay, so you promise.
It's no big deal.
Nobody ever knows anybody
at these things anyway.
Sorry I'm late. Oh, no problem.
Our copier fixer lady is here.
So the jealous girlfriend,
the one who works
on the tenth floor,
never saw her before?
Never run into
her in the hallway?
No, no, it's a big building.
She had another
boyfriend before Clay.
You know who it was?
You steal my girlfriend.
What, I'm not
supposed to be upset?
Eight months, man.
Where were you?
You can't just waltz in...
- Clay?
And expect nothing
to change, man.
Clay, are you down there?
Oh, yeah, I can tell.
You threw my stuff
in the trash. Clay?
So they were fighting
over the girlfriend?
No, Alex said that he
wasn't upset about Ava
because she was very jealous.
What are you doing down there?
Are you with someone?
Um... yeah.
The prodigal
roommate has returned.
Can you please come up here
and help Roger
program the CD player?
Sure.
So he shot him
over the girlfriend.
Nobody shot anybody!
Well, I've got a gun in the
next room that says different.
I don't remember a
gun. I didn't see a gun.
I didn't hear a gun. I
don't remember a gun.
Do you remember the blood?
Oh, come on, Sal.
I must have read this book
six times on that drive.
You drove all by yourself?
Yeah.
You know, I lived
here for two years.
I didn't even know
this thing worked.
Here.
Oh, thanks.
Sarsaparilla?
That ol' Clay's
full of surprises.
I, uh, didn't mean to
eavesdrop down there.
No, I... I guess you and I
are the last to find out about
what everybody else
upstairs already knows.
Best friends fight
about the stupidest stuff.
I don't think losing Ava
upsets me as much as thinkin'
that Clay would try to
steal her away does.
How long were you gone?
Too long.
He said he had this
big fight with his mother.
Said he wanted to
find his real father.
Sorta figure out who he was.
But his mother
didn't want him to
so she didn't tell him
where his father lived,
but he just picked up
and took off anyway.
He thought Clay would
keep his room for him.
All the time I was
listening to him,
I felt like he was
telling me things
that he never told anybody else.
Like he never said anything
like that before, ever.
Like we were in
some secret garden,
and time had just
stopped or something.
Like... like I was
supposed to be there.
It made me feel like I mattered.
I haven't talked
to my mum since.
Well, you have to tell her,
everything that
you just told me.
Yeah, that's what
I'm going to do.
I drove straight
through from Seattle.
I stopped at this little florist
to buy her some yellow roses.
It's her favourite.
I just came over here
to shower and unpack,
and I thought I'd drive
over, knock on her door
and just tell her.
Oh, look at the time.
I guess I'll have to
wait till tomorrow.
Oh, I'm sorry.
I'm not.
"A stone, a leaf,
"an unfound door.
"And of all the forgotten faces.
Naked and alone,
we came into exile."
At least you brought
my book back.
I got a lot of miles
out of that book.
'55 pickup break down on you?
Six times.
Oh, you're a jerk.
So are you.
I have some real
good brandy upstairs.
Man, you're even starting
to act like your old man.
Well, do you want some or not?
Yeah.
Hey, you want to get
that interview now?
Yeah.
Come on.
You have to see his Sanctuary
of Unnecessary Things.
And that's when you
went into the, uh...
What is it? The
sanctuary or something.
And about what time was that?
Well, he couldn't
go to his mother's
so after midnight, I guess.
So you had a few
drinks with the boys,
and that's when all
the trouble started.
Oh, so you weren't in there?
Yeah, I was, but...
Here's what I think happened.
I think Alex used you
to get back at his
cheating girlfriend.
He's in there with you and Clay.
You guys start drinking.
He makes a pass at
you to make Ava jealous,
only it's Clay that
gets jealous instead,
because, hey, it's Clay
that invited you
to the party, right?
And let's face it,
it was no interview
he's planning on
giving you, okay?
Then they start arguing.
Somebody throws a glass.
No.
A gun comes out. No.
Somehow you get in the
middle and bam! No. No.
One guy's dead, and
another one might...
No! No! No! No!
All right, listen to me...!
That's enough. That's enough.
Come on. Go ahead, you try.
We're gonna go
talk to your friend.
Why don't you sit
here and relax, okay?
Oh, one more thing.
This Monica you
keep talking about,
no one talked to her.
No one invited her.
No one knows who she is.
Why can't they see you?
I'm not here for them.
Why can't I remember
what happened?
All of it at once would
be too much for you,
but you can remember
what you need to know.
How?
Are you all right?
I... I remember what happened.
I'm trying to quit... smoking.
Clay's father had
some cigars from Cuba,
and, uh, I had a cigarette.
She told me to go in.
Who?
I think you're
supposed to go in there.
Okay.
"Which of us has looked
into his father's heart?
"Which of us has not remained
"forever imprisoned by it?
Which of us is not forever
a stranger and alone?"
I mean, you read this
driving the back roads
of America for eight months,
and you wonder why
we're worrying about you?
I was in my introspective phase.
He's been in that
since we were kids.
So explain this to me.
A couple hours ago, you
guys want to kill each other,
and now you're
like blood brothers.
I don't get it.
It's because you're
drinking sarsaparilla.
It's a guy thing.
It's all good. It's all good.
It's all good.
So is this that business gift?
You know, that...
That business brandy
that was in that nice box?
Oh, actually, that
wasn't brandy.
Let me show you.
This guy wants me to
go in on a deal with him
down by the railroad.
He knows I have this
antique store, right?
Buys me this.
Whoa!
Yep, it's a German
Luger from World War II.
It came with a full
one-year membership
to the Ridgemont Gun Club.
I'm not a gun man, but
if I was, I'd want that one.
God, it's beautiful.
I went down there this morning.
You know, they give
lessons and stuff.
Let me tell you something.
It's a hell of a feeling, man.
Just boom, pow!
Hey! That's not funny.
So that man just gave it to you?
Yeah, yeah, people always
gave gifts like this to my dad,
you know, like cigars.
Here.
Is it loaded?
Did Clay ever tell you
the story of this place,
about this whole funky block?
We used to work
construction together.
We lived off a hot
plate right here.
Had to turn the
heat off every night,
froze our butts off
for what, three years?
I spent my paychecks
on ski equipment
and windsurfing.
Clay takes the
$5,000 that he earned,
buys a whole block one day.
One day?
I bought 24-hour options
from every property
owner on the street
to buy their warehouses.
They thought it
would be quick cash.
Takes the notes to the bank,
borrows millions,
buys the whole block.
Now look.
Man, I guess I'm just
gonna have to grow up.
Sorry, buddy.
That's just the way it goes.
Oh!
Oh, oh... Hey.
Oh, my God! No!
Oh, we could use some help here.
Oh.
Oh, my God.
Hey, somebody call 911!
Everybody, back off!
Back off, let 'em in!
Hang in there, Jenn.
You're doing good.
You're doin' good.
You just hang
in there, all right?
Could you please hurry?
Let it go.
It's okay.
He's gone.
I guess that's
how this happened.
That's exactly what Clay said.
There must have been a bullet
left in the chamber.
They never knew.
I guess you can go.
We're gonna hold onto
your friend for awhile, but, uh,
your story checks out.
Do you need a ride home?
Home?
That's it?
It was an accident,
a stupid, senseless,
stinking accident.
It's over.
We'll call you if we
need anything else.
You ought to get somebody
to look at that hand.
Whatever you do,
don't put oily stuff on it.
It keeps it from breathing.
You want to let
it keep breathing.
Keep breathing.
I suppose stuff like this
happens to you all the time.
It never gets easier.
It never gets easier.
What a waste.
I don't believe this.
I don't believe it.
That could have
been me in there.
You realize that?
I mean, that could
have been anybody,
but that could have been me.
Yeah, this is perfect.
I know I'll never
want to sleep on this.
"O waste of lost", "in
the hot mazes, lost,
"among bright stars
"on this most weary
unbright cinder, lost.
"Remembering speechlessly
"we seek the great
forgotten language,
"the lost lane...
End into heaven.
"A stone, a leaf,"
"an unfound door."
"Where? When?"
"O lost, and by
the wind grieved,"
"ghost, come back again."
Good morning.
Uh, hi.
We didn't call for a repair.
Are you sure?
Yeah, I mean, I just
turned it on, and...
I don't believe it.
"Call for service."
Mm-hmm.
Well, have at
it. All right, I will.
Good morning.
Hi.
You okay?
Fine.
Yeah, I tried calling you
all day yesterday.
Oh, yeah?
I didn't hear it.
I slept a lot.
That's probably a good thing.
It's in the paper.
You're in it, too.
It says,
"The 30-year-old
former teacher was killed
"when party host
Martin, youthful developer
"of St. Louis'
trendy Electric Alley,
"displayed a
handgun to the victim
and an unidentified
female." That's you.
By the way, did you
see someone there
named Monica that night?
Mmm-mm. No.
It says, "The victim"
"was hit once in
the chest and died
several minutes later."
Gosh, I didn't know that.
You didn't tell me about that.
I mean, I thought
he died instantly.
No.
It is gonna be a big
day on the phone.
Lots of facts to check.
Oh, I hate Mondays.
I heard about the terrible
thing that happened.
That was her?
Yeah, I think
she's still in shock.
Well, this is a hard
truth to wake up to.
You're gonna have
to give her some time.
It's the weirdest thing.
She acts like nothing
ever happened.
Two weeks, doesn't
even mention it.
I keep thinking she's gonna
break down, you know?
But she doesn't.
The copier machine keeps
breaking down, but she doesn't.
I don't get it.
Yeah?
Hold on.
Cookie, there's a
call for Jeff on one.
Cookie here.
Yeah?
I got your copy
machine all fixed.
I thought I'd say good-bye.
Sometimes people
don't get a chance
to say good-bye.
Where have you been?
I'm an angel.
I know.
It was pretty ugly.
I hated my mum, and she knew it.
I was halfway to Chicago
before I even started
to feel like a jerk.
I think everybody blames
their parents for something.
Let me guess.
You were Daddy's little girl.
He checked out all your
boyfriends in high school,
gave you money for
your first apartment.
I bet you still blame
him for something, right?
Mm-hmm. For sheltering me.
Oh.
So how did it work
out with your dad?
It was the worst.
My mum was right.
You know that thing
that parents always say?
"I'm only doing this...
"Because I love you."
because I love you," yeah.
I'm starting to
believe that's true.
Is that what you
want to tell your mum?
Yeah.
See, my mother always thought
that nothing she
ever did mattered,
but saying no to
me all those years
and keeping that
man out of my life...
Thank God she sheltered me.
That mattered.
I didn't even know it.
Here's to good parents.
They never get a break.
Why didn't you stop it?
That wasn't my purpose here.
If I hadn't given
him one of these,
he probably
wouldn't have stayed.
And if I hadn't given you one,
you probably wouldn't
have stayed either.
And then nobody would know
what really
happened except Clay,
and they might not
have believed him.
What, that's it?
I was just here to be a
witness to some accident?
Why me? Why him?
It's all so random.
Sometimes things
can seem random,
because God allows
us to make choices.
But He has a choice, too,
and He chose to put
you in that room that night.
Why?
Because you asked Him to.
You prayed to be able
to make a difference.
Do you remember?
And you will.
But you don't have
to build a building
or publish a magazine to
make a difference in this world.
God will use you right
now where you are,
if you let Him.
You wanted to know
that you mattered.
So did Alex's mother.
Let Him answer
both your prayers.
I drove straight
through from Seattle.
I stopped at this little florist
to buy her some yellow roses.
It's her favourite.
Hello?
Hi.
Please, don't take
this personally,
but I just don't
think I could take
any more flowers right now,
so can you just leave the card
and take them back to your shop
or maybe give them to
a hospital or something?
These are from Alex.
I'm the, uh, the
unidentified female.
I was with him all night.
We talked and talked.
And we talked for so long,
it ended up being too
late for him to come here,
so we just... we went upstairs.
He was coming here?
He found his
father, his real father,
and he said that it was awful.
So he just drove back
straight through from Seattle,
and he just wanted
to stop off and shower
before coming here
to bring you these.
He was really, really
sorry about your fight.
He just needed to
find out who he was,
and he did.
He was your son,
and he was really,
really proud of that.
I know the
newspaper said that...
that he didn't die instantly,
and it's true.
But he was laughing,
and he said...
Man, I guess I'm just
gonna have to grow up.
Sorry, buddy.
That's just the way it goes.
Hey.
Oh, my God! No!
Oh.
Oh, we could use some help here.
Hang in there,
Alex. Hang in there.
Oh.
Alex!
Oh, my God.
Hey, someone call 911!
Don't be afraid, Alex.
You're not, are you?
Some roads home
are shorter than others,
and you mustn't worry about
the people you leave behind.
Your mother will know
what was on your heart,
I promise.
And as for your father,
well, there's one
waiting for you right now
who will never disappoint you.
You're about to meet
Him face-to-face.
Let go.
It's okay.
I'm sorry.
We just didn't know
what we were doing.
I know.
I know.
It's a different kind
of case, huh, baby?
Well, it's good for a caseworker
to have an experience
as the Angel of Death.
It makes one mindful
of the whole picture.
Sometimes the end
is just the beginning.
The end usually is
just the beginning.
It hurts so awfully bad
when a beautiful life
is taken away from us...
but it's never
really taken away.
and do any day over again,
what day would you choose?
Oh, I don't know. I've
had some doozies.
But it would be a happy one,
and definitely sometime
after the discovery
of chocolate.
Do you ever notice
something about humans?
If you ask them if
they could go back
and live any day over
again, what do they do?
They always want to go
back and fix something,
as if they knew
the precise moment
when something went wrong.
But sometimes you do, baby.
Sometimes there's
a day that you know,
as sure as the sun,
changed your life.
And then life gets
to be more precious,
because suddenly you know
you're not gonna live forever.
Now that's Jennifer.
She acts just like
she's gonna live forever.
Well, nobody lives forever.
People like to think
that bad things only
happen to faceless strangers
in the newspaper.
I wonder what day Jennifer
would go back and change?
Oh, that day hasn't
come for her yet,
but it's coming.
Tess?
Hey.
Oh, Tess.
They didn't know what
they were doin', baby.
They just didn't know
what they were doing.
♫ When you walk down the road ♫
♫ Heavy burden, heavy load ♫
♫ I will rise ♫
♫ And I will walk with you ♫
♫ I'll walk with you ♫
♫ Till the sun
don't even shine ♫
♫ Walk with you ♫
♫ Every time, I tell
you I'll walk with you ♫
♫ Walk with you ♫
♫ Believe me, I'll
walk with you. ♫
We were just sitting
there on the chair,
talking about something and...
they decided to have some
brandy and smoke a cigar.
And you had a cigarette.
I'm trying to quit.
Well, whose idea
was it... the brandy?
I don't know.
It just seemed like a
nice way to end the night.
He said that his dad always
did that after a good meal.
Something about it
being the only thing
that his dad ever did
that he wanted to
grow up and do, too.
So it was his idea
to start drinking?
Uh, no, I-I don't mean that.
How's that hand?
What?
Can we get the spelling?
Is that Jennifer
with two Ns or one?
Two.
And what's Curb?
It's a magazine where I work.
You a reporter there?
I'm an assistant.
Sometimes they let me write.
How'd you get here tonight?
My friend took me 'cause
my car's in the s-shop.
So what were you
doin' at the party?
I met him yesterday.
Which one?
Clay.
All right, I'll give him the
message as soon as I can.
Well? So? Sir, it has
been an hour already.
Curb.
Curb.
Curb magazine.
Why am I explaining this to you?
You called us.
What?
Uh, no, she's not.
She's in the elevator.
Oh, is this the copy
machine people?
Yes, it is. Yes, again.
And I've got some serious
magazine stuff happening here.
I mean, where is the repairman?
Repair person.
Oh, never mind. She's here.
This is good.
This is very good. Hi.
Hi, I'm Cookie.
Nice to meet you.
I don't know. It's still
jamming when I collate,
and it collates when I
reduce, so... Uh-huh.
Do you know anything
about elevators?
Yes, I know you
need one that works.
Well, Jenny's the one
who called about
the copy machine,
but, uh, she's... Stuck.
Yeah, she's been
in there forever.
She probably likes it, though.
She's like a hermit.
She's probably recording
things in her journal
about the whole ordeal. Uh-huh.
You know, her
impression of it...
The, uh, the
isolation, the, uh...
the experience.
Okay, so you promise?
It's no big deal.
Nobody ever knows anybody
at these things anyway.
I'm sorry I was late.
Oh, no problem. Our
copier fixer lady is here.
So you want to
use the phone or...?
No, but I think I'm gonna take
the stairs the rest of the way.
So tomorrow?
Tomorrow? That's great.
There's a tomorrow?
You might want to
park your car close by.
It's sort of a funky area.
Her car's in the
shop. I'll drive.
Uh, okay. The more the merrier.
It was nice being
stuck with you.
You, too.
You got a date in an elevator?
I got an interview.
Oh, Saturday night, you're
looking for an interview.
Have I taught you nothing?
That's the real estate guy
who developed Electric Alley.
The one from the warehouse
district? The antique guy?
Yeah. Oh, my gosh, string
him along till I get a couch.
There's nothing to string along.
Hmm. I don't believe it.
Oh. I don't believe it.
Why did I let you
go to that post office?
That could have been
me in that elevator.
Do you realize that?
That could have been me.
They always think
that, don't they?
"If only." "Why
didn't I?" "What if?"
There's one moment
when you know,
as sure as the sun,
that that moment
changed your life.
I wonder if Jennifer
will ever remember
what she said in the elevator?
I wonder if she'll ever forget.
We got here after the
party had already started,
about 9:00.
And I didn't know anybody
here, so I felt sort of, um...
funny.
I am so amazed by all of this.
This... this,
like, dim lighting.
I got a zit, and it won't show.
This stuff is so wonderful.
Look at this.
Ow.
Put it down.
Oh, that's it.
That's it. This is it.
It's a little deco,
a little Jetsons.
It's me.
Yeah, this is perfect.
I know I'll never
want to sleep on this.
♫ I don't want to seem unsure ♫
♫ About your thoughts... ♫
Get up off this couch.
I wonder how we get upstairs?
Oh, try the elevator.
Oh, I'm very happy
here. Lead on.
Hmm. Wow.
I love the sunflowers.
This is unbelievable.
This is where we go up.
How do you go up?
Uh, you-you pull the
gate down from the inside.
Goin' up?
I'll show ya.
Thanks.
Are you a friend of Clay's?
Uh, I hope so.
Here we are.
Have a good time.
Thanks.
Alex.
Unbelievable. Where
have you been, man?
How you doin'? I've
been around. Cool.
How are ya? I'm doin' great.
I don't know. What
are we doing here?
Well, you're goin'
to an interview,
and I'm gonna sit down
with one of these guys
and discuss the
names of our children.
So if we separate,
I'll meet you at the
car on Sunday. Bye.
So you're a reporter?
No. I'm just an assistant.
But they said if I
wrote something good,
that they'd print it.
Clay's story seemed
like a good idea.
When did you finally
hook up with him?
Cookie wandered off,
and I went to look for him.
He wasn't upstairs, so I
took the elevator back down.
And there's that
courtyard in the back.
That's where I met Monica.
Hello.
Hi.
Sarsaparilla?
Don't you hate parties when
you don't know anybody?
I don't know
anybody here either.
I'm Monica.
I'm Jennifer.
Thanks.
Have you seen Clay?
Yes, I have.
Have you ever read this?
Mmm-mm.
"A stone, a leaf,
an unfound door."
I've always loved that...
"An unfound door."
I mean, how do you know
there's a door to be found, hmm?
I guess sometimes
you don't see it till you've
just walked through it.
You were supposed
to be my friend.
Excuse me.
This is great.
What, I'm gone a
couple of weeks, and...
Eight months, Alex.
You dumped all my stuff
in the basement,
you steal my girlfriend.
What, I'm not
supposed to be upset?
Aw, eight months, man.
Where were you?
I'm glad to see you.
Oh, yeah, I can tell.
You threw all my
stuff in the trash.
I didn't trash it, okay?
I needed the space.
I didn't know when
you were coming back,
if you were coming back.
I put it down here.
What am I supposed to do?
Where's my desk?
It's all here, I'm telling you.
There, somewhere.
There's your desk.
So they were arguing?
No. Yes, downstairs,
but not up here.
Well, then how'd
the glass get broken?
What?
Who started the fight?
Was it over you?
No. So there was a fight?
Yes, but-but not later.
Look, no one was
fighting when...
when it happened.
Then who threw the
glass across the room?
What happened to your hand?
I can't remember.
What do you remember?
What made you go into that room?
I went upstairs.
Clay went in there.
He waved to Alex.
Alex followed him in.
Into his den? Yes.
Alex called it Clay's Sanctuary
of Unnecessary Things.
You can say that again.
Look, he wanted me in there.
I think you're
supposed to go in there.
Okay.
♫ Too fragile to land the czar ♫
♫ Don't seem funny
when you get too far ♫
♫ Too far gone is
where you're at ♫
♫ I'll meet you there,
you don't go back ♫
♫ Picture this, picture that ♫
♫ Pictures are what
holds you back ♫
♫ Picture what
you've just been told ♫
♫ And rid yourself
of what you know ♫
No!
So where were you
when the gun went off?
Do you remember the gunshot?
No.
It looks like some
kind of a burn.
She's got no clue
where it came from.
Kid's in shock.
Let me get this straight.
A friend of yours is lying dead
ten feet away from you
on the other side of that wall,
and you can't remember
what happened?
Now three people
went in that room.
Two people came out.
You better start takin'
this seriously, little girl,
because you are a suspect
in a murder investigation.
Oh, my God.
Jennifer?
There's nothing to be afraid of.
Just tell us the truth.
Oh, I am.
Tell me about Clay.
What did he tell
you on the elevator?
Huh, stuff like this
always happens to me.
Wrong place at the wrong time.
What do you mean?
Well, I couldn't get
stuck on the elevator
with a potbellied
insurance salesman.
I got a jealous girlfriend
on the tenth floor
that, uh, I was
supposed to take to lunch.
Well, at least you've
got a peace offering.
Oh, this?
No, this is a business gift
from a very grateful investor.
It's probably a very
old bottle of brandy.
Phew.
A year ago, I couldn't get a
six-pack of beer for Christmas.
I can't believe
we're the same age.
You've done so much
with your life, and...
I haven't even started.
Everybody's on their own path.
Timing is everything.
You know, every day
I read my horoscope,
but it never says,
"Today's the day that
you will make a difference."
So I, uh, did something
totally radical this morning,
and I just threw it out,
and I actually prayed.
I asked God that,
if just one day, I could do
something to make a difference.
Hmm, well, you
know what they say.
Be careful what you pray for.
Hey, look at that. Finally.
Some progress.
Whew.
Here. Let me help you.
Thank you.
So, uh, drop by and, uh,
once you realize that I
have nothing worth quoting...
you can stay and
enjoy the party,
and don't worry
about crashing. Okay.
Hey, you forgot your brandy.
Oh, right. Thanks.
Another hour in here,
we'd have been drinking it.
Okay, so you promise.
It's no big deal.
Nobody ever knows anybody
at these things anyway.
Sorry I'm late. Oh, no problem.
Our copier fixer lady is here.
So the jealous girlfriend,
the one who works
on the tenth floor,
never saw her before?
Never run into
her in the hallway?
No, no, it's a big building.
She had another
boyfriend before Clay.
You know who it was?
You steal my girlfriend.
What, I'm not
supposed to be upset?
Eight months, man.
Where were you?
You can't just waltz in...
- Clay?
And expect nothing
to change, man.
Clay, are you down there?
Oh, yeah, I can tell.
You threw my stuff
in the trash. Clay?
So they were fighting
over the girlfriend?
No, Alex said that he
wasn't upset about Ava
because she was very jealous.
What are you doing down there?
Are you with someone?
Um... yeah.
The prodigal
roommate has returned.
Can you please come up here
and help Roger
program the CD player?
Sure.
So he shot him
over the girlfriend.
Nobody shot anybody!
Well, I've got a gun in the
next room that says different.
I don't remember a
gun. I didn't see a gun.
I didn't hear a gun. I
don't remember a gun.
Do you remember the blood?
Oh, come on, Sal.
I must have read this book
six times on that drive.
You drove all by yourself?
Yeah.
You know, I lived
here for two years.
I didn't even know
this thing worked.
Here.
Oh, thanks.
Sarsaparilla?
That ol' Clay's
full of surprises.
I, uh, didn't mean to
eavesdrop down there.
No, I... I guess you and I
are the last to find out about
what everybody else
upstairs already knows.
Best friends fight
about the stupidest stuff.
I don't think losing Ava
upsets me as much as thinkin'
that Clay would try to
steal her away does.
How long were you gone?
Too long.
He said he had this
big fight with his mother.
Said he wanted to
find his real father.
Sorta figure out who he was.
But his mother
didn't want him to
so she didn't tell him
where his father lived,
but he just picked up
and took off anyway.
He thought Clay would
keep his room for him.
All the time I was
listening to him,
I felt like he was
telling me things
that he never told anybody else.
Like he never said anything
like that before, ever.
Like we were in
some secret garden,
and time had just
stopped or something.
Like... like I was
supposed to be there.
It made me feel like I mattered.
I haven't talked
to my mum since.
Well, you have to tell her,
everything that
you just told me.
Yeah, that's what
I'm going to do.
I drove straight
through from Seattle.
I stopped at this little florist
to buy her some yellow roses.
It's her favourite.
I just came over here
to shower and unpack,
and I thought I'd drive
over, knock on her door
and just tell her.
Oh, look at the time.
I guess I'll have to
wait till tomorrow.
Oh, I'm sorry.
I'm not.
"A stone, a leaf,
"an unfound door.
"And of all the forgotten faces.
Naked and alone,
we came into exile."
At least you brought
my book back.
I got a lot of miles
out of that book.
'55 pickup break down on you?
Six times.
Oh, you're a jerk.
So are you.
I have some real
good brandy upstairs.
Man, you're even starting
to act like your old man.
Well, do you want some or not?
Yeah.
Hey, you want to get
that interview now?
Yeah.
Come on.
You have to see his Sanctuary
of Unnecessary Things.
And that's when you
went into the, uh...
What is it? The
sanctuary or something.
And about what time was that?
Well, he couldn't
go to his mother's
so after midnight, I guess.
So you had a few
drinks with the boys,
and that's when all
the trouble started.
Oh, so you weren't in there?
Yeah, I was, but...
Here's what I think happened.
I think Alex used you
to get back at his
cheating girlfriend.
He's in there with you and Clay.
You guys start drinking.
He makes a pass at
you to make Ava jealous,
only it's Clay that
gets jealous instead,
because, hey, it's Clay
that invited you
to the party, right?
And let's face it,
it was no interview
he's planning on
giving you, okay?
Then they start arguing.
Somebody throws a glass.
No.
A gun comes out. No.
Somehow you get in the
middle and bam! No. No.
One guy's dead, and
another one might...
No! No! No! No!
All right, listen to me...!
That's enough. That's enough.
Come on. Go ahead, you try.
We're gonna go
talk to your friend.
Why don't you sit
here and relax, okay?
Oh, one more thing.
This Monica you
keep talking about,
no one talked to her.
No one invited her.
No one knows who she is.
Why can't they see you?
I'm not here for them.
Why can't I remember
what happened?
All of it at once would
be too much for you,
but you can remember
what you need to know.
How?
Are you all right?
I... I remember what happened.
I'm trying to quit... smoking.
Clay's father had
some cigars from Cuba,
and, uh, I had a cigarette.
She told me to go in.
Who?
I think you're
supposed to go in there.
Okay.
"Which of us has looked
into his father's heart?
"Which of us has not remained
"forever imprisoned by it?
Which of us is not forever
a stranger and alone?"
I mean, you read this
driving the back roads
of America for eight months,
and you wonder why
we're worrying about you?
I was in my introspective phase.
He's been in that
since we were kids.
So explain this to me.
A couple hours ago, you
guys want to kill each other,
and now you're
like blood brothers.
I don't get it.
It's because you're
drinking sarsaparilla.
It's a guy thing.
It's all good. It's all good.
It's all good.
So is this that business gift?
You know, that...
That business brandy
that was in that nice box?
Oh, actually, that
wasn't brandy.
Let me show you.
This guy wants me to
go in on a deal with him
down by the railroad.
He knows I have this
antique store, right?
Buys me this.
Whoa!
Yep, it's a German
Luger from World War II.
It came with a full
one-year membership
to the Ridgemont Gun Club.
I'm not a gun man, but
if I was, I'd want that one.
God, it's beautiful.
I went down there this morning.
You know, they give
lessons and stuff.
Let me tell you something.
It's a hell of a feeling, man.
Just boom, pow!
Hey! That's not funny.
So that man just gave it to you?
Yeah, yeah, people always
gave gifts like this to my dad,
you know, like cigars.
Here.
Is it loaded?
Did Clay ever tell you
the story of this place,
about this whole funky block?
We used to work
construction together.
We lived off a hot
plate right here.
Had to turn the
heat off every night,
froze our butts off
for what, three years?
I spent my paychecks
on ski equipment
and windsurfing.
Clay takes the
$5,000 that he earned,
buys a whole block one day.
One day?
I bought 24-hour options
from every property
owner on the street
to buy their warehouses.
They thought it
would be quick cash.
Takes the notes to the bank,
borrows millions,
buys the whole block.
Now look.
Man, I guess I'm just
gonna have to grow up.
Sorry, buddy.
That's just the way it goes.
Oh!
Oh, oh... Hey.
Oh, my God! No!
Oh, we could use some help here.
Oh.
Oh, my God.
Hey, somebody call 911!
Everybody, back off!
Back off, let 'em in!
Hang in there, Jenn.
You're doing good.
You're doin' good.
You just hang
in there, all right?
Could you please hurry?
Let it go.
It's okay.
He's gone.
I guess that's
how this happened.
That's exactly what Clay said.
There must have been a bullet
left in the chamber.
They never knew.
I guess you can go.
We're gonna hold onto
your friend for awhile, but, uh,
your story checks out.
Do you need a ride home?
Home?
That's it?
It was an accident,
a stupid, senseless,
stinking accident.
It's over.
We'll call you if we
need anything else.
You ought to get somebody
to look at that hand.
Whatever you do,
don't put oily stuff on it.
It keeps it from breathing.
You want to let
it keep breathing.
Keep breathing.
I suppose stuff like this
happens to you all the time.
It never gets easier.
It never gets easier.
What a waste.
I don't believe this.
I don't believe it.
That could have
been me in there.
You realize that?
I mean, that could
have been anybody,
but that could have been me.
Yeah, this is perfect.
I know I'll never
want to sleep on this.
"O waste of lost", "in
the hot mazes, lost,
"among bright stars
"on this most weary
unbright cinder, lost.
"Remembering speechlessly
"we seek the great
forgotten language,
"the lost lane...
End into heaven.
"A stone, a leaf,"
"an unfound door."
"Where? When?"
"O lost, and by
the wind grieved,"
"ghost, come back again."
Good morning.
Uh, hi.
We didn't call for a repair.
Are you sure?
Yeah, I mean, I just
turned it on, and...
I don't believe it.
"Call for service."
Mm-hmm.
Well, have at
it. All right, I will.
Good morning.
Hi.
You okay?
Fine.
Yeah, I tried calling you
all day yesterday.
Oh, yeah?
I didn't hear it.
I slept a lot.
That's probably a good thing.
It's in the paper.
You're in it, too.
It says,
"The 30-year-old
former teacher was killed
"when party host
Martin, youthful developer
"of St. Louis'
trendy Electric Alley,
"displayed a
handgun to the victim
and an unidentified
female." That's you.
By the way, did you
see someone there
named Monica that night?
Mmm-mm. No.
It says, "The victim"
"was hit once in
the chest and died
several minutes later."
Gosh, I didn't know that.
You didn't tell me about that.
I mean, I thought
he died instantly.
No.
It is gonna be a big
day on the phone.
Lots of facts to check.
Oh, I hate Mondays.
I heard about the terrible
thing that happened.
That was her?
Yeah, I think
she's still in shock.
Well, this is a hard
truth to wake up to.
You're gonna have
to give her some time.
It's the weirdest thing.
She acts like nothing
ever happened.
Two weeks, doesn't
even mention it.
I keep thinking she's gonna
break down, you know?
But she doesn't.
The copier machine keeps
breaking down, but she doesn't.
I don't get it.
Yeah?
Hold on.
Cookie, there's a
call for Jeff on one.
Cookie here.
Yeah?
I got your copy
machine all fixed.
I thought I'd say good-bye.
Sometimes people
don't get a chance
to say good-bye.
Where have you been?
I'm an angel.
I know.
It was pretty ugly.
I hated my mum, and she knew it.
I was halfway to Chicago
before I even started
to feel like a jerk.
I think everybody blames
their parents for something.
Let me guess.
You were Daddy's little girl.
He checked out all your
boyfriends in high school,
gave you money for
your first apartment.
I bet you still blame
him for something, right?
Mm-hmm. For sheltering me.
Oh.
So how did it work
out with your dad?
It was the worst.
My mum was right.
You know that thing
that parents always say?
"I'm only doing this...
"Because I love you."
because I love you," yeah.
I'm starting to
believe that's true.
Is that what you
want to tell your mum?
Yeah.
See, my mother always thought
that nothing she
ever did mattered,
but saying no to
me all those years
and keeping that
man out of my life...
Thank God she sheltered me.
That mattered.
I didn't even know it.
Here's to good parents.
They never get a break.
Why didn't you stop it?
That wasn't my purpose here.
If I hadn't given
him one of these,
he probably
wouldn't have stayed.
And if I hadn't given you one,
you probably wouldn't
have stayed either.
And then nobody would know
what really
happened except Clay,
and they might not
have believed him.
What, that's it?
I was just here to be a
witness to some accident?
Why me? Why him?
It's all so random.
Sometimes things
can seem random,
because God allows
us to make choices.
But He has a choice, too,
and He chose to put
you in that room that night.
Why?
Because you asked Him to.
You prayed to be able
to make a difference.
Do you remember?
And you will.
But you don't have
to build a building
or publish a magazine to
make a difference in this world.
God will use you right
now where you are,
if you let Him.
You wanted to know
that you mattered.
So did Alex's mother.
Let Him answer
both your prayers.
I drove straight
through from Seattle.
I stopped at this little florist
to buy her some yellow roses.
It's her favourite.
Hello?
Hi.
Please, don't take
this personally,
but I just don't
think I could take
any more flowers right now,
so can you just leave the card
and take them back to your shop
or maybe give them to
a hospital or something?
These are from Alex.
I'm the, uh, the
unidentified female.
I was with him all night.
We talked and talked.
And we talked for so long,
it ended up being too
late for him to come here,
so we just... we went upstairs.
He was coming here?
He found his
father, his real father,
and he said that it was awful.
So he just drove back
straight through from Seattle,
and he just wanted
to stop off and shower
before coming here
to bring you these.
He was really, really
sorry about your fight.
He just needed to
find out who he was,
and he did.
He was your son,
and he was really,
really proud of that.
I know the
newspaper said that...
that he didn't die instantly,
and it's true.
But he was laughing,
and he said...
Man, I guess I'm just
gonna have to grow up.
Sorry, buddy.
That's just the way it goes.
Hey.
Oh, my God! No!
Oh.
Oh, we could use some help here.
Hang in there,
Alex. Hang in there.
Oh.
Alex!
Oh, my God.
Hey, someone call 911!
Don't be afraid, Alex.
You're not, are you?
Some roads home
are shorter than others,
and you mustn't worry about
the people you leave behind.
Your mother will know
what was on your heart,
I promise.
And as for your father,
well, there's one
waiting for you right now
who will never disappoint you.
You're about to meet
Him face-to-face.
Let go.
It's okay.
I'm sorry.
We just didn't know
what we were doing.
I know.
I know.
It's a different kind
of case, huh, baby?
Well, it's good for a caseworker
to have an experience
as the Angel of Death.
It makes one mindful
of the whole picture.
Sometimes the end
is just the beginning.
The end usually is
just the beginning.
It hurts so awfully bad
when a beautiful life
is taken away from us...
but it's never
really taken away.