Touched by an Angel (1994–2003): Season 2, Episode 8 - Operation Smile - full transcript

I think this is the ugliest
thing I've ever seen.

Well, I suppose he is

if that's all you're lookin' at.

He? Yeah, that's Jerome.

He's got a name,
and a heart and warts.

I guess the warts
are all you can see.

No, I just assumed that...

Baby, you keep looking at things

with your eyes
instead of your heart.

You're going to assume yourself

all the way back to
the choir, angel girl.



Keep those tips
coming, gentlemen.

Yeah, that's right there.

The beautiful Glitter is
dancing for you on our stage.

"Glitter" is her stage name.

Her real name is Ginger.

Ah. That's better.

I guess that Glitter

can be just as ugly
as warts sometimes.

Your assignment is to
look beyond all that glitter.

I don't think there's much
glitter to look beyond.

Baby, be careful.

Don't start making judgments
from what you see here.

Remember Jerome?

The secret is what's inside,



and Ginger's got deep
pain and confusion inside.

She's doing all the wrong things

for all the right reasons,

and she's hurting somebody else

even more than
she's hurting herself,

and that's what you've
got to help her strip away.

I don't like the sound of this.

All night long!

This isn't one of those

"walk a mile in her
shoes" things, is it?

Try stilettos.

A stripper?

Well, not necessarily.

You're supposed
to start off easy

and work your way up.

Up?

Well, we're gonna
find out where that is.

Come on, gentlemen.
Show your appreciation.

♫ 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. ♫

Not bad.

Couldn't I wear a little more?

In this business, less is more,

and when we
move you up to strip,

you'll be wearing even less...

more or less.

Joke.

When will that be?

Whenever you're ready, baby,

or when I can somebody,
whichever comes first.

But I need a sitter.

Look, you can't leave
now. I really need you.

Okay, okay.

Look, how about if I
give you an extra 20?

All right, 25?

Look, I know the
motel room is cramped.

I'm getting a bigger
place this afternoon.

Yeah, I'll see you.

I've heard that one before.

You're all heart.

The only interesting
thing to do here, I guess,

is to collect cans
and papers and stuff,

but if you stay with it, you
make some good money.

You can tell a lot about
people from their garbage.

Like if they're pigs or...

that's how those
archaeologists figure it all out.

They sift through
petrified garbage and stuff.

It's like, a hundred
years from now,

they'll figure out why we died.

Hey, hey. What's
up, big Jeremy? Hey.

How you doin' today?
What you got good for me?

I got 20 pounds of newspaper
and a couple bags of cans.

Oh, good job, good job.
So you going to Nashville?

Yeah, I'm-a go there this
afternoon, matter of fact,

drop off these cans and
papers and go see my mum,

so I can probably get
that little cash for you

in a couple days, all right?

Uh, my dad was looking for you.

Oh. Where's he at? He's
showing a trailer to someone.

Golly, I hope they got some kids

or a dog or at least
something to play with.

Yeah, I'm sure they
do. Do me a favour.

Tell your dad I'll
have his rent for him

as soon as I get back from
Nashville, all right? Okay.

All right, man.

So that just about does it.

Now there's no,
uh, no guest parkin'

and no loud music after 10:00.

Wow.

And that other thing
will be our little secret.

All right, thanks.

Secret? What secret?

What were you
talkin' to her about?

You couldn't rent to...

Would you get off my back?

Women like that give
trailer parks a bad name.

Jeremy, supper!

Do you know what
kind of woman she is?

You can tell just
by looking at her.

Your asthma bothering you?

No.

What the hell was that?

I don't know.

Go to sleep.

I don't know what's
goin' on in there,

but we're sure gonna
find out in the morning.

MAN Come on, now,
gentlemen. Yeah.

Look, I'm begging here.

I'm not asking for
your philosophy.

I'm asking for your help.

Hey, Monica, Joleen just quit.

You're stripping after Ginger.

Congratulations.

Yo, Monica, get
your tassels in gear.

Hey!

Oh, uh, good afternoon, sir.

My name is Jeremy,
and I represent the, uh,

the Young Economists of America.

I'm asking you to invest.

Hey, get out of here!

No kids allowed! Beat it!

So you goin' up there, huh?

I can't wait to get a look

at the rest of you.

Oh... Oh, I'm so sorry.

Actually, the truth be known,

I'm not at all sorry, Marty.

You had it comin' to you.

Okay, that's it. You're fired.

Marty, I'm sorry.
What can I say?

This here happens to
be one of our investors.

Marty, I promise this
will never happen again.

What's wrong with this picture?

The human's inside,
and the angel's outside.

I know. I feel terrible.

I've never been fired before.

Well, if it was gonna
happen, this was the time for it,

'cause you were moving up.

There's somethin'
goin' on with Ginger,

and it's not
happening in here...

The Temple of Venus.

Well, you've got to find
out where it is happening.

I'm workin' on a plan.

Well, that's good.

Can I borrow your car?

I hate this plan already.

Thanks, Jimmy.

What are you still doing here?

Tell me you're not
gonna go back inside

and ask for your job back.

Well, I'd rather not,

but I don't know
what else to do.

Yeah, look, I'm sorry
it didn't work out.

I'd buy you a drink,
but I'm so tired,

I just gotta get home.

Nice car. Thanks for the ride.

See ya.

Really? When?

I mean, did you really
mean it about that drink?

Um, well, yeah, sure.

Oh, great. Do you
have cappuccino?

Water?

What, now?

Well, I've really got
a lot to do. I gotta...

It's just that I was
hoping that we could talk.

Um... well, the truth is,

I actually overhead you
trying to hire someone for a job,

and... I could really use one.

Doesn't pay much.

And it...

well, it takes a
little getting used to.

I think I can handle it.

What's she got in there?

Maybe she's a voodoo
dancer, and she doesn't want us

to see all her shrunken heads.

Or maybe she's got an
old, dead body in there.

Good morning. I'm all set.

Great. I'll see you later.

Um, I was just thinkin'.

You know what you said
about staying in the house?

Look, we already
went through that.

You want the job,
don't break the rules.

You don't like the
rules, tell me now.

I got a bus to catch. Okay.

I'm gonna be a little late.

I gotta pick up my
car from the shop.

See ya.

Bye.

Hello.

Ahh.

You're the young
economist, aren't you?

The what?

Jeremy, isn't it?

Uh, yeah.

Well, Jeremy, something
seems to have shaken the trailer,

and all the little decorations

in that window
over there fell down.

You couldn't come inside
and help us pick them up, huh?

So nice to meet some
children here in the park.

We've been lookin' for some.

Would you like some ice cream?

I know it's early, but...

This is Emily.

Emily, this is Jeremy,
your neighbour.

He lives in the... is it
the red trailer next door?

So what happened to you?

I came this way.

Emily's nose and mouth
didn't quite get finished

before she was born.

So she's had to
learn new ways to do

what you and I take for granted,

like eating and breathing.

You know what?

I gotta do something for my mum.

So I'm gonna go, okay?

One chocolate-chocolate

and one chocolate-vanilla.

Thanks.

Oh, thanks.

You're welcome.

Jeremy, this is how Emily and
I spend our afternoons together

when her mother is at work.

She's a ballerina.

See?

Like this.

She's pretty.

Do you have any brothers
and sisters, Jeremy?

No.

We were gonna
have a little girl,

but she never got born.

I don't know.

I guess it'd be kinda
cool to have a little sister.

"There was a woman
who greatly desired

"to have a child to
love and care for,"

"but she had none."

"She went to see a fairy.
'Do you know where I...?'"

I'm home. Where's my angel?

Hi, honey.

How was your day today?

Mama, Jeremy's here.

What is this?

I said no strangers.

Uh, Jeremy's not a
stranger. He's a neighbour.

Anyway, Emily could
use some friends.

Go and wash up for
dinner, okay, baby?

We're gonna have something
special tonight, okay?

Go on, you can use
the dinosaur soap.

Look, nothing personal.

I just don't like kids
being around Emily, okay?

So do me a favour and
just, uh, don't come back.

Sorry.

I'm sorry.

Yeah, well, don't
apologize to me

'cause I'm not the
one you're hurting.

How could I be hurtin' Emily?

She had so much fun today.

She needs friends.

You be her friend.

That's what I hired you for.

No strangers, no mirrors,

no trips outdoors.

It seems so cruel.

Compared to what?

Last year,

I took her to a park
early in the morning,

and this woman came up
to us and asked us to leave.

She said Emily was
frightening her children.

I'm not gonna let
that happen again.

But you can't protect her
for the rest of her life, Ginger.

I won't have to.

There's an operation they
can do that can fix everything.

I'm saving up for it.

Oh... so that's why
you're a stripper.

I'm not a stripper.
I just strip.

I see.

Ballerinas don't get tips.

Yep, that's right.
So don't judge me.

I'm not judging you.

It's obvious how
much you love Emily.

So why can't you do
something to help her now?

It's not just a
question of money.

There must be a
place or a way or a...

Look, I don't take charity.

How can you let pride

stand in the way of
something like this?

This has nothing
to do with pride.

Well, what is it then?

It's my business, not yours.

Are you firing me?

Are you gonna play by my rules?

I have grown very fond of Emily.

12:30 tomorrow?

Tomorrow.

Hello, Jeremy.
How have you been?

Pretty good.

I know I'm supposed
to stay away,

but I've had this book
since I was a little kid,

and it's pretty beat
up, but I thought...

Come on in.

Okay.

Dingdong. Angel calling.

Tess, what are you doin' here?

Well, I detect a
slight change in focus.

I believe Ginger
is your assignment.

And how are you
gonna get her trust

if you keep
disobeying her rules?

Well, they're terrible rules.

And Ginger is
totally unreasonable.

Oh, she's got her
reason, all right.

You quit worrying
about the problem

and start finding the solution.

And I wish you hadn't
brought that boy in here.

He was not in the plan.

No, sir.

Well, maybe the
plan should change.

Well, who do you think
you are, Miss Wings?

The last time I looked,

I didn't see any bumper stickers

that say, "Smile 'cause
Monica loves you."

How can anybody
expect me to stand aside

while Emily needs help

and her mother
won't give it to her?

I think the reason
I'm here is for Emily

and not for Ginger.

Dangerous waters, baby.

Just because you
don't like the horse

is no excuse to start
changing ponies in midstream.

I never said I
didn't like Ginger.

Oh, you didn't?

"'I quacked and I
quacked, but it was no use.'

"'Let me see the egg.

"'Yes, it's a turkey's egg.

"'Leave it alone

"'and teach your
children to swim.'

"'I think I'll sit a bit
longer, ' replied the duck.

"'I sat this long already.'

"'Do as you please, '
snapped the old duck,

"and away she walked.

"At last, her egg broke, too.

"'Peep, peep, '
cried the youngster

"and crept forth.

"'Oh, you're so big and ugly.'

"Mother duck scrutinized him.

"'He's a frightfully large
duckling, ' said she."

"'None of the
others look like that."

"'Could he really
be a turkey's chick?"

"'Well, we shall soon find out."

"Into the water he must go.'"

See ya.

Jeremy.

Yeah?

Here's something
for your recycling.

Thanks.

I'm not scared.

I just gotta do
it, so that's all.

I can do it.

Whew.

Don't get mad, okay?

I just wanna show you something.

There's this organization
called Operation Smile

where a team of
doctors go around

and they fix kids' faces.

They're gonna be in
Tennessee, but only tomorrow.

And it's free.
It's totally free.

Where did you get this? What?

Now you listen to
me. Come on, it's free.

You leave me and my daughter
alone. What's wrong? It's free.

Emily.

Come here.

Come on. Come on. Come on.

Watch your step.

Come on.

What in Sam Hill is
going on around here?

When they put this gate up?

I hate gates.

Nobody tell me about no gate.

And they talk to me about some.

Homeowners' Association.

I'm not paying for no new gate.

Please watch over them.

♫ Gonna have a
big ol' night tonight ♫

♫ Yeah, baby, that's right ♫

♫ Everything is goin' my way ♫

♫ Hey, hey. ♫

Yeah.

Look what I got.

This is yogurt.

It's not as good as ice cream,

but ice cream melts.

Nashville's a really big place.

My friend Albert
says it's like heaven,

but with only better music.

If Albert's your friend,

how come we're riding back here?

Well, Albert doesn't
like passengers.

Besides, we need
to get to Nashville

to get that operation.

What's an operation?

It's a thing they do

to make you look
like everyone else.

Like you?

No, not like me.
Like you, kinda.

Only different.

See, you'll be going to school,

and, well, people
who are different

that go to school
get teased a lot.

I was different, so
I got teased a lot.

Ah, there they are.

Get down. Get down.

Well, hello, gentlemen.

Here we go.

So what is it this time?

Science stuff

from some aeronautics company.

Oh, y'all rippin' off

a higher class of
warehouse now, huh?

You know the drill.

Half now, half upon delivery.

Same place?

They gotta unload this
stuff before morning,

so haul it.

Now have I ever let you down?

No. Don't let this
time be the first.

Yeah.

Hey, what are all
those newspapers for?

I recycle.

Recycle?

I like that.

That was a close one.

Next stop... Nashville.

Are you saying that
this is Jeremy's fault?

Flouncing around in
your tight, little jeans.

Now look, lady, you better
just watch your mouth.

Don't you talk to
my wife that way.

I knew there'd be trouble
the minute you drove in here.

Well, this is an unholy mess.

You see what happens

when you start
messin' with the plan?

What possessed those children

to jump on that truck?

Well, I guess I got some
clean-up work to do.

It's nice to know you're needed.

What the...?

I do need some coffee.

Woman, what are
you doin' out here

on this road by
yourself? Car broke down.

I can't see any car out here.

Well, you almost didn't see me.

You need some coffee.

Yeah, I suppose that's so.

Well, are we ridin' or talkin'?

All units, all units.

Issuing an all points

for two children
aged 11 and five.

Description to come.

That's a police scanner.

Yeah.

Well, what does a
law-abiding citizen like you

need to know what
the police are doing for?

It was a Christmas
present from my Aunt Sally.

Mm-hmm.

You want some air?

Air's good.

All right.

Like a little music?

Good music.

It's five minutes to
7:00 here on WKRS,

Bowling Green, Kentucky's
number one music station.

Kentucky?

What's Kentucky?

It's a place way far
away from Nashville.

We're goin' the wrong way.

I gotta check this out.

What the...?

Boy, what are you doin'
in the back of my truck?

What is all this doin' in
the back of your truck?

Let me guess.

Your Aunt Sally gave it to you.

All units, all
units, be advised.

Vehicle carrying two
runaways is as follows:

Blue 1977 pickup truck,

Tennessee license
Peter-Apple-Bravo-4-1-6.

Oh, this is just gettin'
better and better, isn't it?

They find your truck,

they find more than
your truck, huh?

What are you doin' in
the back of my truck?

Emily. Come on.

Come on.

This is my friend, Emily.

We have to be in Nashville
by 7:00 in the morning.

Nashville?

Boy, that's way in
the opposite direction.

But you always go to Nashville

to see your mother.

Not this time.

What's in Nashville, baby?

Operation Smile.

They do operations.
They fix kids' faces.

And they're gonna
be in Nashville,

but for only one day.

Hello, Emily.

Hello.

Y'all excuse me
a minute, please.

Where's she going, Albert?

I don't know.

Father, the plans
are changing faster

than this old angel
can keep up with.

You tell me what
you want me to do.

I really do need my coffee.

We got a new plan.

I didn't know we had an old one.

We goin' to Nashville.

Oh, no. I'm not goin' anywhere.

The road to Nashville
takes me right past

that trailer park.

I got two missing kids

and a whole truckload of stuff.

They goin' pick me up for sure.

Well, Mr. Light-Fingers,
you go over there

and tell those kids they're
not getting to Nashville.

And make sure that little
girl understands real good

that she's not gonna
get her face fixed.

Look here, woman.

If I thought that I could
get them kids to Nashville

without ending
up in jail, I'd do it.

A righteous man
would do it anyway.

Now you listen to me.

You got to leave
that stuff behind

and never come back to it again.

I can't do that.
What are you, crazy?

You have no choice.

You get on the road,
you will be caught.

All the roads are blocked.

Now how do you know all of this?

All units, be advised.

The Highway Patrol
has set roadblocks up

in the tristate area.

Special attention to
roads leading to Nashville.

What in the name of Glory.

You watch your mouth.

You're a man on the wrong road.

And due to a series
of unusual events,

you have a chance
to make amends.

And since I have this
on very good authority

that this opportunity is
never comin' your way again,

may I suggest that you
take it and shut your mouth

and help me get
them kids in that?

What the...?

Come on. Let's go.

Where did that thing come from?

Who are you?

I am an angel.

You know, that may be.

That just may be.

Come on, kids. Now hurry up.

Get in the balloon. Come on.

They're searching for us
on every road and highway

in two states.

But they won't be
searching the sky.

I'm not gettin' in there.

Okay. Bye.

Okay, I don't wanna
seem too hasty now.

Now tell me,

how does an angel
get this thing to fly?

You turn it on.

Wow. This is cool.

Look at this, Emily.

Isn't it wonderful?
Look at this beauty.

Turn around, baby.
Don't be afraid.

You have any idea
where they might be?

I don't know where they went.

I didn't know
Albert Turner at all.

You'd have to ask them.

Thank you.

Officer, any word yet?

No, ma'am.

I know that not telling
is just as bad as lying,

but I really want Emily
to have that operation,

and if Ginger
doesn't like it, then...

The truth is that I
don't like Ginger.

There, I've said it.

I hate what she's
doing to her child.

I don't understand it.

I don't know how
to get through to her.

She makes me so angry

that I'm afraid of
what I'll say to her next,

and then I end up not
saying anything at all.

I'm sorry.

Really, I am sorry.

But I don't know what
to say to her anymore

without telling her the truth.

And the truth
shall set her free.

Ma'am, are you all right?

Yes. I'm just fine.

I understand you
were the baby-sitter.

I am the baby-sitter.

Do you have any idea
where we might find them?

Nashville.

Thank you.

And she never
let this little one

out in the sunlight again.

People do the craziest things.

Mm-hmm.

What are you lookin' at?

Nothin'.

Look, I don't steal the stuff,

I don't sell the stuff.

I just drive the stuff, okay?

Who do you think
you're talkin' to?

Do you think the
Almighty is stupid?

I'm gonna tell you something.

God raised this balloon,

and He's able to
raise your standards,

which, I might add,
could not be any lower.

All you have to do
is get in and hold on.

Am I gettin' through to you?

Look. Nashville.

Look, baby. Nashville.

Nashville?

Look at the sunrise.

Emily?

Excuse me.

Have you seen a little
girl about five years old?

Emily.

Have you seen a little boy?

He's about 11 years
old and about this high.

He's got freckles

and a baseball cap
turned backwards?

He's with a little girl and
she's... Any luck, honey?

No. All right,
you take this side.

I'll take this side.

Ginger, she's not here.

How did you get
here? What's goin' on?

Emily's not here,
but she's safe,

and she'll be here very
soon, I think. What?

You know, she'll
need parental consent

for the operation today.

No. As soon as I find
her, we are goin' home.

What kind of a woman are you?
That's none of your business.

She's my child! No.

She's your gift. She's your
precious charge from God.

Don't you talk to me
about God. God hates me.

That's absurd. What
do you know about God?

What do you know about Him?

I know that that little
girl is a living reminder

of every screw up in my life...

Every guy I slept with,
every time I ever woke up

n a strange bed,

every tassel and every
garter I ever tossed,

every check I ever bounced,

my God, probably even every
chain letter I didn't pass on.

What goes around
comes around, Monica.

And I thought, fine, fine,
live hard, play hard, die hard,

I can take it.

But God... see, He's tricky.

He didn't just
make me pay for it,

He made her pay for it.

He punishes me
by making her suffer.

Don't you see?

Taking the charity, getting
that operation for free...

That won't work.

I have to pay for it. Me.

That's my penance!
That's my punishment!

Stop.

I won't listen to this. I won't.

If you have done
things in your life

that you are not
proud of, I am sorry.

And if you don't believe
that you can walk away

from all of that right
now, then I am sorrier still.

But for you to twist your guilt

and your superstitions
and your fables

into a life sentence
for that little child,

that makes me very angry!

You are looking at
an angel, Ginger...

An angel sent by God who
thought all she had to do

was to bring some healing
into the life of a child.

But you are that child, Ginger,

and that healing

will never be yours
until you accept

that God did not punish
you for all your screw ups.

You should get on your
knees and thank Him

for sending your
child in spite of them!

But you don't understand.

I took speed to keep me
going when I was in the ballet.

I knew I might be
pregnant, but I didn't care.

So I just kept drinking and
smoking and doing drugs.

Oh, God, I did this to my baby.

I love her so much,
but I did this to her.

You don't know that.

I don't know that.

There are great
mysteries in this world

that we don't
understand, Ginger.

Only God does.

But this I do understand...

That no mistake
you have ever made

is bigger than
God's power to fix it.

Your little girl

saw the sunrise for the
first time this morning.

Isn't it time for you now?

Oh, no. You leave this to me.

Hands up. Everyone
just stay put.

Hold it, hold it, Officer.
Don't get excited.

I'm going to explain everything

very slowly.

Emily.

What the heck did you
think you were doing?

You're a sick boy.
You made us crazy.

You have your inhaler with you?

Chill, Mom. I don't
need it. I'm okay.

Honey, I was so worried
about you. Are you all right?

Huh? Are you all right, baby?

Hi. How are you?

Mama, I'm gonna
have an operation.

Jeremy, Jeremy!

Ohh!

Go ahead. Go on.

Oh, I couldn't help it.

I just had to see
how she's doing.

Well, your problem
is that you get

too emotionally
involved in your cases,

which is one of the
things I love most about ya.

Hello, Emily.

You are so beautiful, Emily.

But never forget,
you always were.

A child's smile is something
to cherish and share.

Three of the children
who appeared

on tonight's episode

have since received
free reconstructive surgery

through Operation Smile.

Touched by an Angel
would like to thank

the surgeons, volunteers and CBS

for making these
wonderful miracles possible.

For more information
on Operation Smile,

you can call 804-625-0375.