Touched by an Angel (1994–2003): Season 4, Episode 5 - Jones vs. God - full transcript

Touched By An Angel #405
"Jones vs. God" Closed Captioned

♪ Soon it's gonna
rain, I can feel it ♪

♪ Soon it's gonna
rain, I can tell ♪

♪ Soon it's gonna rain, and
what are we gonna do? ♪

♪ Soon it's gonna
rain, I can feel it ♪

♪ Soon it's gonna
rain, I can tell ♪

♪ Soon it's gonna rain ♪

♪ And what are we gonna do? ♪

What are you doing here?

It's too hot for you.

Well, lookie here.



Aah! What next?

This man's at the
end of his rope,

and then he got rope burn.

Here, Dad. Have some water.

Oh, thanks, hon.

It doesn't look
much like rain, Tess.

Faith is a two-way street, baby.

You send a prayer up to heaven,

and what you need
drops back down on you.

Hey. Where did you come from?

Here. Have some water.

Well, I'd better go in and get
my earful of the daily news...

and some water.

I'll come with you.



I've got to call Gordon.

Gordon? Gordon who?

Oh, Daddy.

When is it going to rain, Tess?

Before they get
the rain they want,

this little town is going to
have to live through a storm.

♪ Soon it's going to rain ♪

♪ I can feel it ♪

♪ Soon it's going
to rain, I can tell ♪

♪ Soon it's going to rain ♪

♪ And what are we going to do? ♪

Captioning sponsored by CBS
PARAMOUNT TELEVISION

♪ 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. ♪

News said he was bipolar.

That's what they call
nuts today... bipolar.

I figure it was the drought
that drove him crazy.

Ran up into the Black
Hills with just a loincloth

fashioned from a beach towel.

I guess he thought,

bring a beach towel,
it's going to rain.

Excuse me.

Uh... just a sec.

Rumford got a
half-inch last night?

It rains everywhere
but in Clarion.

So, how do you want it cut?

Do you really need
those clippers?

Well, you don't want to leave

all that shrubbery
on the side, do you?

Well, yeah, as a
matter of fact, I...

Ah... Now, trust me.

You're going to love this.

Cotton, you always say that.

Fortunately, nobody believes it.

I've witnessed 30 years

of customers
escaping your flattop.

Hmm.

Looks like the heat got

to his truck, too,
Judge, just like his brain.

Tell him the drought's
got everything else I own.

Might as well
take my truck, too.

You ought to sell out.

How ya doin', Stretch?

Andrew.

Justinian Jones.

Could I have a quarter, Dad?

Oh.

Say hi to what's
his name for me.

Dad.

Uh... so, what if we
just forget the clippers?

Oh, no, no, no. It just
needs a little tweak.

Listen.

Anybody got a dime?

You know what?

I just gave Leela the
last cent I have on earth.

God's truth.

He thinks I'm wrong
about that, too.

So you two don't speak.

What's the use
talking to a dang fool?

You know what?

I think that a little
off the sides is fine.

All right, have it your way.

De gustibus non disputandum.
No arguing with taste.

Mule-headed.
Just like his father.

Plants soybeans
and speaks Latin.

Stretch says, "Get
ready to be agitated.

Here comes our activist mayor."

Gentlemen.

Madame Mayor.

Your weekly news.

Please pay attention
to my editorial

on page one.

"This town has been
through too much.

It's time to unite and
accept Omni-Crops' offer."

Good for you, Risa.

It's about time somebody said
what everyone's been thinking.

Yeah. Sell our farms to a
big conglomerate for pennies.

Well, it is the best we can do.

She's right, Jonesy,

- and you know it.
- That's because

you guys don't have
anything to lose.

Omni-Crop wants all or
nothing, and that is a raw deal,

especially to us farmers
who have nothing left.

If you don't sell, we all lose,

and the drought will
kill this whole town.

You've already half-killed it.

You got everybody
at each other's throats.

You know, two men came to blows

last night at the
bar because of this.

Thick-headed, -stubborn...
- Cotton,

be civil.

Okay, look.

You know, you can
still work the land.

It's just somebody
else would own it.

Will you listen to me?!

My great-grandfather
broke this land

with a steel plow and a horse,

and he is buried on it,

and so is my father,
and so is my wife!

This Saturday, I
am going to sell

everything I own to be
able to hold on to that land.

And if I have to go back

with a horse and a
plow, that's what I'll do,

and if I have to
sell that horse,

I will pull that
damn plow myself!

If God would just give me some
rain and some seed, I'd do that

instead of having to sell out!

Drought's tearing
this town apart,

even unto the
parents and children.

Oh, Stretch wants to
know what your business is.

I'm an auctioneer.

I'm here to sell off

whatever Justinian
Jones puts on the block.

Hey.

You okay?

You want to go take a walk?

We could just take a drive.

Yeah, right out of this state.

Leela, everything's...

I can't wait to get out of here.

As soon as that auction's over,

I'm going to borrow some money

and just get on that bus.

Don't tell Dad though.

I... I haven't told him yet.

Sioux City's got jobs.

Clarion's got no jobs, no rain.

It's got nothing.

Thanks a lot.

Gordon, I didn't mean you.

Well, what am I
supposed to think?

Clarion's my home.

I like it here.

It ain't so bad, Leela.

We got hills painted
with wildflowers.

You aren't going to
find better stars at night.

They don't make the Big Dipper

the same in Sioux City.

I've got to get out
of here, Gordon.

Well, you can always
saddle up that old plow horse.

Farmers till the end.

The town builds a statue,

and they put up a horse
instead of a human being.

If Daddy would just take

that Omni-Crop offer.

No. No, your Dad is right.

They're trying to cheat us all.

He's got to hang on.

Till when? We starve?

No. Till it rains.

That's why I love you, Gordon.

You believe

in stars, crazy dreams
and the impossible.

And that's why I
have to leave you.

Well, that's why I have to stay.

The drought has dried
up everything in this town,

including love.

God's love has no drought,

and he'll water the
gardens of their souls

if they'll let him.

Justinian, meet your auctioneer.

"In God We Trust."

You believe in
God, Mr. Auctioneer?

My name is Andrew
and, yes, sir, I... I do.

Yeah. Me, too.

I'm a churchgoing man.

I trusted in God.

Cotton's father here,
he started this shop

because he trusted in God.

My grandfather, he took
out the claims on our land

because he did, too.

God has forgotten about Clarion.

He has dried us up.

He has burned us out.

God has let us down.

You have a... a deal with God?

Insurance companies, they
don't pay on drought damage.

They call it an act of God.

Well, if he caused this,

maybe He ought to
be held responsible.

Yeah, Stretch, I
ought to do that.

Do what?

Sue God.

What?

He's crazy.

Oh, it can't be done.

Can it, Judge?

You'd need to prove

intentional infliction
of emotional distress.

Well, just look around you.

Every little town around
here is getting rain except us.

Buffalo Gap, Edgemont.

We're the only ones
who are dying here.

Well, what would you sue for?

Justice and an injunction.

God's gotta treat
Clarion fairly.

That's blasphemy.

Imagine me issuing a
permanent injunction

and expecting God to obey.

We're supposed to obey
God, not the other way around.

Sure'd get his attention
now, wouldn't it?

That's what prayer is for.

Lord knows we've tried that.

Try harder.

Oh, we're at each
other's throats,

we've tried so hard.

We've seeded the clouds,

Leonard Pape hired a rainmaker,

Stretch here has
taken a vow of silence

until it rains.

I guess you have
tried everything.

But suing God? That,
that, that makes a mockery

of both religion
an-an-and, uh, justice.

No, it doesn't.

It tells the world that
Clarion, South Dakota is dying.

It'd make every
paper in the country.

We'd be covered by
every big-shot reporter.

But it wouldn't bring you rain.

The first step in
the legal process

is gaining jurisdiction
over the defendant.

It means showing the court

that you have served notice
on the guy you're suing.

Oh, sure.

Hire a process server.

Tell him, deliver this to God.

Knock on his door,
find him at home.

Actually, God is not
all that difficult to find.

There's also such a
thing as substituted service

by publication.

Let us say, for one
reason or another,

you can't find the party
you're bringing suit against.

You announce it in
the local newspaper

and that qualifies
as serving notice.

And if the paper
would publish an article,

then at least somebody
would hear about Clarion

before the dust covers us up.

What a scoop.

Yeah. I'm gonna do it.

Lex loci.

Call God before
the law of the land.

I've got nothing to lose.

It's like an oven.

It's any wonder these people
are at each other's throats.

It's like living in a
pressure cooker.

Phew, it's getting
hotter every day.

Hmm, it sure is.

Is he going to show up?

What do you think?

I can't believe
this is happening.

God forgive us.

This is gonna be awesome.

It's not gonna be awesome.

It's gonna be a waste of time.

A shameful exercise that
insults the Almighty in the process.

Madame Bailiff,

would you please
call the next matter?

Number two on the calendar,
default prove-up hearing,

Jones v. God,
also known as I Am,

also known as Alpha, Omega,

also known as Jehovah.

See attached.

Would you state your
appearances, please?

Justinian Jones, in pro se.

Representing himself.

And, uh, also with some help

from my assistant here.

Mr. Jones, we've noticed
your service by publication.

Now, the defendant...

Has God checked in with you?

In the case of Jones v. God,
are there any other appearances?

Yes.

I am representing God,
and I request a jury trial.

Who is she?

Got me.

You know her?

I never saw her before.

Well, your papers
seem to be in order.

Thank you, sir.

I'm curious, Counsel.

Did your client
select you personally?

He pointed his finger at
me, I stood up, and here I am.

Yes, here you are.

Mr. Jones, this
was supposed to be

a default prove-up hearing,

but the adverse party
has made an appearance.

And requested a jury trail.

Noted.

I had planned to conduct
an abbreviated hearing

on the injunction,

but as defense counsel
has requested a jury trial,

and in view of the unusual
and important nature

of this lawsuit, we're going
to proceed to trail tomorrow.

Any objections?

Well, I'm here to try my case,

and I don't know who you
are or what you're up to, lady,

but if you're ready, so
am I, so let's saddle up.

You know, I have seen a
lot of people angry with God,

but I have never seen anyone
do something about it before.

It's kind of shocking.

Well, the way I figure it, you
gotta believe in God to sue him.

Hmm.

That's something, isn't it?

I just wonder what it is
that I'm supposed to do.

Don't worry.

You'll have your day in court.

Mr. Jones, do you wish to
make an opening statement?

I'm not a lawyer.

I guess, I guess you know that.

I'm a farmer, like a lot of you,

but I just figured an ordinary
man can stand up for himself,

even, even to God.

This is how I see it.

Clarion is in the middle

of a terrible drought.

Farms are drying up.

Businesses are going bust.

This town is dying.

Now the insurance companies,

they, they call
it an act of God.

Fair enough, but it seems to me

that God ought to be held
responsible for his actions

and, well, if,

if you think he should
be held responsible,

then, then the judge will issue

an injunction

that'll let God and, and
the rest of the world know

that Clarion cried out
for justice before it died.

Well, that's about,
that's about it.

Counsel,

do you wish to make
an opening statement

on behalf of the defendant?

Thank you, Your Honor.

Good morning.

It's awfully nice to be here

with all of you this
beautiful morning.

This is the day
that God has made.

He made them all, in fact.

That's why we're here.

I am here to defend God.

He has been accused

of intentionally slighting
and hurting Clarion.

God is on trial for
not giving his children

what they need
in order to survive.

Child endangerment,
you might call it,

or, or gross neglect.

I do not believe this is true.

I believe that God's
hand holds us all up

and showers us with blessings,

and when I'm
finished, so will you.

Thank you, Your Honor.

Thank you, Counsel.

Mr. Jones, you may
call your first witness.

Um, Miss Risa Hoigaard, please.

Miss Hoigaard, you're,

you're the Mayor here.

And I publish the
Clarion Clarion.

And, and anything else?

Um, I also run an
insurance business,

and I am a bonded locksmith.

How's the drought
affected your business?

Two years ago, I ran 280
column inches of advertising

in my paper.

Now I am lucky to run 50,

and most of those are
foreclosure announcements.

If these darn fools would

just take Omni-Crops' offer
we would be a lot better off.

What about your
insurance business?

Lots of people are...
behind in their payments.

So the, the drought has left
these people without insurance?

Risa, you need to
answer the question.

No.

I pitch a couple of
dollars into their accounts.

It keeps the company happy.

I have never actually

dropped anyone's policy.

It just, it's, it is not what
a good neighbor does.

Oh... well,

I don't have any more questions.

Thank you, Risa.

Counsel?

Hi, Risa.

Did you wake up this morning?

Well, what does it look like?

Well, how long did it take
you to hang the sun in the sky?

What?

What time did you
start the birds to singing?

Let's be sensible.

Yes, let's.

God has blessed you with many
things, including common sense.

Gordon,

you just graduated
from high school,

and you need work, right?

Most of the time I'd be
out in the field by now,

but with the drought
and everything...

Let me know if
you hear anything.

I will, Gordon, I will.

So, are your friends
staying in Clarion?

No, sir.

Yeah, the drought's
running them all

out of town, isn't it?

Please answer the
question, Gordon.

Every one, sir.

Well, not every one.

The drought's driving
every last one of them away.

No more questions.

Maybe I'm just
supposed to pray for Tess,

but it's so hot, I can't even
put two words together.

I think I'll stop in there.

Well, it couldn't
hurt to take a peek.

You may cross-examine
the witness, Counsel.

Thank you, Your Honor.

Cotton, are you
free to leave Clarion?

My whole family's here.

Is your whole family
free to leave Clarion?

Yes, but you, you just
can't pick up and leave.

Did God direct you to stay?

No.

No further questions,
Your Honor.

Your Honor, I'd
like to redirect.

Well, Cotton, whether
we like it or not,

I think we're gonna
be exchanging

a few more words here.

You said God isn't forcing
you to stay, so, um...

why don't you go?

Well... this is my town.

I was born here.

I know just about
everyone in this courtroom.

That's my grade school
outside that window,

and I remember playing town
ball with you and Stretch over there

and... pardon me, Judge,

but I still think you
should've caught that ball

that cost us the
state championship.

I fell in love here...

and I got married here.

And I intend to get old here.

My best friends in the
whole world are here

even if they are
dang fools sometimes.

This town dies... my
heart will die with it.

Thank you, Cotton.

Plaintiff rests.

Counsel, you may
call your first witness.

Thank you, Your Honor.

My first witness is a
messenger from heaven.

I call Monica, an angel of God.

Do you solemnly
swear the testimony

you're about to give will
be the truth, the whole truth,

and nothing but the
truth, so help you God?

I certainly do, and
I'm sure that He will.

Please be seated.

Will you please state
your name for the court?

Monica.

And what is your
profession, Monica?

I'm an angel.

And what are your
duties as an angel?

Well, um, I used
to be in the Choir,

but that didn't last too long.

And then I was in
Search and Rescue,

and that involved carrying
people out of burning buildings

and catching falling window
washers and that sort of thing.

And now I am a caseworker...
I carry messages for God.

Mr. Jones, I was expecting
an objection from you.

Well, um,

she hasn't said anything
that I object to yet.

Are you willing to accept
her testimony as an angel?

Why not?

DAWES Well, let
me explain something.

Any witness has to establish
a personal knowledge

of his or her testimony.

That is, if she says something
that only an angel could know,

then that would
be credible proof

that she is indeed an angel.

Mr. Jones, you tore the
anterior cruciate ligament

on your left knee June 14, 1996.

You told everybody
you were roping a calf,

but really you tripped,

and you haven't been able to
afford the surgery to repair it.

So, every night
before you go to bed,

you ice it with a
packet of frozen peas,

and wish you had
health insurance.

That's right.

God gives me what I need to
know when I need to know it.

Mr. Jones, I'm
still not satisfied

with, uh, this young
lady as an angel,

but if you are, uh,
not going to object,

court will hear her out.

No objections.

So, uh, Miss Monica,

are you prepared to accept
the jurisdiction of this court?

We certainly are, Your Honor.

Proceed.

Monica, God has been
charged with inflicting distress

on these people.

Do you have any facts... facts
that will show he did otherwise?

When Stretch was 14 years old,

he knew he'd always be
the shortest man in the room,

and he knew he
would never get the girl

and he prepared himself
for a life of lonely humiliation.

He used to take long hikes
to get away from his troubles,

and one day when he was
walking up near Buffalo Gap,

he heard a commotion.

A little girl had wandered
away and was trapped in a cave.

And you ran up to
that cave, didn't you?

And you discovered that God
had made your body the perfect size

to stretch through that tiny
gap and get the little girl out.

And ever since then,

people around here
have called you Stretch

because they know you're a hero.

Risa, one October day, many
years ago, you saw a sunset.

You know the one I mean.

The sky was lilac-colored
and laced with clouds,

and the air was so
suddenly sweet-smelling

that you stopped
sweeping your walk

and you stood and you stared
at God's hand on the horizon.

And for the first time
since your husband died,

you knew that the world was
good and that you belonged here.

You felt peace.

It's made all the difference.

Gordon, God made the Big
Dipper over Clarion for you.

And, yes, you're right.

It doesn't look the
same in Sioux City.

Cotton, God made hair grow,

or you'd be out of a job.

Justinian Jones,

your wife is gone, but God has
given you a beautiful daughter

to be mother and father to,
and the wisdom to be both.

And when you go to bed at night

and tell Clara how
much you miss her,

God comforts you
that she's not far away.

He tells you, "Pax vobiscum."

Thank you so much, Monica.

DAWES Counsel?

I thank Him every
day for this miracle.

The world's full of wonders.

You've shown us how God
has created these wonders

for a reason.

A sunset to ease Risa's pain,

Stretch's stature
to save a young girl.

Tell us, why has God
given us this drought?

I don't know.

You're a messenger
of God, aren't you?

Yes, I am.

And you communicate with him?

I do. Every day.

Well, this town has got a lot to
lose, so could you ask God why?

I could ask, but I don't know
that I would get an answer.

He doesn't communicate with you?

Yes, he does, but in His time.

God's time is not your time.

Let me rephrase this question.

Can you explain what
is happening here?

Well, we live in a world
where accidents happen.

The floods and earthquakes,
droughts, deaths.

Bad things occur every day, sir,

but that doesn't mean that
God isn't good, because He is.

Good?

God has maliciously
withheld rain from Clarion.

He has intentionally
inflicted distress.

When will you stop condemning
God and start commending Him?

When there was rain, did
you give God thanks for it?

No.

You said your crops were good
because of your hybrid seed,

and Stretch said it was
because of the fertilizer he sells.

Everybody takes credit
when things go right,

but when they go wrong,
who gets the blame? God?

Let me tell you something.

This trial is not
about the good times.

It's about deprivation.

People are hurting here.

Do you believe that?

Yes, I know that.

You have appeared as
a messenger from God.

What's your message?

Well, God loves you.

Well, if he loves us, why's
He giving us this drought?

I don't know.

You don't know?

Would, would you
care to hazard a guess

as to why he's doing this?

That's not my job.

Maybe it's a lesson.

Is, is it, is it a lesson
that we need to learn?

I don't know.

Is it a lesson that's
worth the price?

I don't know.

You don't know much
of anything now, do you?

Our understanding is but a grain

on the beach of
God's understanding.

Oh, great. Ignorance.

Ignorance is bliss, huh?!

Well, that's a tired
old excuse, isn't it?

And it's not good enough.

God works in mysterious ways.

These people are hurting here.

They want to hear something
that makes sense. Why?!

Why is God giving
us this drought?!

Tess, God always gives
me the words that I need.

Why doesn't He
give them to me now?

Maybe these are
the right ones, baby.

I'm sorry.

Well... God's
messenger has spoken.

Let's take a ten-minute recess.

Please, God, please
have mercy on our town.

Please, open up your
skies and your heavens

to refresh our land.

If we don't get any rain,
this town's gonna die.

Please..

Dear God, I'm sorry for
my anger and my frustration,

but I wanted to
thank you for this day.

This horrible, awful,
hot, sticky, terrible day

in which I've been
totally, totally humiliated,

because if it wasn't for you,

I wouldn't have had any
day at all, so I thank you.

Love, Monica.

Amen.

Monica, during
this little recess,

did you communicate with God?

Yes, I did.

And what was the result
of that conversation?

I have information
for Mr. Jones.

Mr. Jones, you've
prayed for rain,

and God has
answered your prayer.

The answer is no.

No?

God said no?

Who asked God, what
can I do about this?

Has anyone asked God
for guidance or direction,

or was the only thing you
asked him for was rain?

God allowed the drought, yes,

but you were all
responsible for your faith.

God answered your
prayers for rain, no,

but there are so many
gifts God wants to give you

if you're just willing to ask.

Thank you very much, Angel Girl.

Judge?

Yes, Justinian?

I always believed in God,
I always prayed to him,

and I wouldn't have
been surprised if,

if he had sent a messenger.

All I wanted was
an answer from God,

and now God has spoken.

You know what, people?

I've learned some things about
this town in the last few days.

We got a lot of good folk here.

Old friends that I,
I didn't really know,

and old enemies who've
become good friends.

This is a really good town,

and it's a crying shame.

Judge, I want to drop my suit.

I mean, what's the point?

God has spoken.

We're not gonna get any rain.

This town's gonna die.

Thy will be done.

Plaintiff has
requested dismissal.

Counsel, do you have any
objection to this request?

No, sir, Your Honor.

The plaintiff has
moved for dismissal.

The motion is granted
and the case is dismissed.

The clerk will prepare
an order for my signature.

Ladies and
gentlemen of the jury,

thank you for your patience.

You are excused.

I'm sorry, Daddy.

Oh, that's all right, honey.

It'll work out.

I gotta find that auctioneer.

Right here, Mr. Jones.

Look, my machinery
will be auctioned off

in the town square tomorrow.

It'll be able to bring
me at least enough

to be able to hold on
to my land for a while.

Just accept whatever
you can get, all right?

Judge, can I say something?

I would like to invite everyone
to a potluck picnic tomorrow

before the auction
of Justinian's goods.

It can be a sort of
memorial lunch for the town,

and anybody who can't
afford a pot, there will be extras.

It will also salute a good man.

He did his very best.

Thank you, Mr. Jones.

♪ The railroad came
generations ago ♪

♪ And the town grew up
as the crops did grow ♪

♪ The crops grew well,
and the town did, too ♪

♪ They say it's dying, and
there ain't a thing we can do. ♪

Slow down.

Well, there's a lot of
good equipment out there.

Ought to bring enough
to buy a bus ticket

to just about any
place you want to go.

Oh, Daddy...

You know, those eyes of
yours are the only thing left

of your mama's
in this whole world.

Now don't make me go too
long without seeing 'em, all right?

I won't.

I'm gonna miss you, Daddy.

I'm gonna miss you, too.

Okay, everyone,
food's finally ready.

Come on, let's gather 'round.

Come on, honey, let's eat.

Before we dish it out,

let's everyone take a
minute, let's hold hands.

Everyone, come on.

Come on. We're not
eating till we do this.

All right.

Now, who would
like to say grace?

Justinian.

Oh, no, I... I don't
think I can, Risa...

"No" is one of
my favorite words.

You are an angel.

I am.

Well, you've come
an awful long way

to deliver a real short message.

It's not as short
as you might think.

"No" can be one of the most
positive words in the world.

"No, I have not surrendered."

"No, I will not give up."

Your saying no brought
all these people together.

Your statue should be up there
overlooking Clarion like a hero.

No, you have not failed.

Yes, God is very proud of you.

You see, God did
have a plan after all.

You needed rain, but you
needed each other even more.

Justinian?

You know, it's funny.

For months now, we've, we've
been too busy fighting to talk,

and, uh... we just
realized that if we

put together all we got,
we could loan you enough

to get through the winter.

Oh, and, you know, and
then when the spring came,

we could, we
could pitch in and...

I don't know what to say.

Say thanks.

Maybe I should
do that over there.

Okay.

Well, wasn't doing any
good just hanging on the wall.

I don't know what
to say, friends.

Why don't we hold hands.

There's not a cloud in the sky.

Praise the Lord.

Everybody praying for rain,

and I'm the only one
that brought an umbrella.

I guess the auction's
off, then, Andrew.

It's too bad. I've
been practicing.

Ten, ten, ten, ten, ten, ten.

Who's gonna give me ten?

Who's gonna give me ten?

I got, I got five.

Hey, batter, batter, batter.

Thank you.

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