Touched by an Angel (1994–2003): Season 5, Episode 2 - Vengeance Is Mine: Part 1 - full transcript
I can't make up my mind.
I love the way the
blue one smells,
but I like the way
the yellow ones look
with the stripe down the middle.
Why can't God just put
them together and make
a whole different plant?
He already has.
It's called a cucumber.
That's why He's
God and you're not.
I just think that
a yellow flower
that smells like a cucumber
would be really nice.
Well, I'll pass that on.
And do you have any
more botanical advice
for the creator of the
universe before we go?
No.
Good career move.
It's time for us to move on.
Andrew, you know what to do.
Yes, ma'am.
I just can't imagine how it's
all going to work out this time.
Well, you don't have to.
The Father already knows,
and He's gonna take this mess
and turn it into something
brand new and beautiful.
Like a cucumber?
We're leaving now.
She's such a
smart-mouthed little angel.
Flight 462, service to Athens,
is now boarding.
All passengers, please
proceed to Gate 73.
Well, have a good trip.
Give us a call when you get in.
I will.
Come on, everybody,
let's pretend like
we're having a party.
It's not so easy having a party
when you're trying
to say good-bye.
We're giving it our best shot.
Still not too late to
change your mind.
You know, you don't have
to go all the way to Turkey
to get a job on an oil rig.
Yeah, but I'll save more there
in six months than I'd
make here in a year.
We just want to make sure
you feel really good about this.
I do.
Believe me, it's
the right thing.
- Don't forget my postcard.
- I won't.
Sophia Dome in Istanbul.
You got it, girl.
Okay, buddy,
- take it easy.
- Yeah, see you when you get back.
- Yep, be good.
- Your attention please,
all passengers with
boarding passes
for Flight 1020 to Atlanta...
- Buddy.
- Please start boarding at Gate 17.
Now, as soon as I get there,
I'm gonna send you my address,
and I'm gonna call
you every chance I get.
Okay.
No, you know I
wouldn't be doing this
if it wasn't the right
thing for-for you and me
'cause it's gonna... it's gonna
give us a good future together.
Now, you know that, don't you?
I guess.
Come on, kiddo, I got to go.
I don't want it to be like this.
I love you, Nathaniel.
I love you, too.
I'm coming back, now, I promise.
I mean, I really promise.
Oh, Hattie,
looks like Joe is running again.
I guess he'll keep running
until he finds a way to face
what he's running from.
Last time he looked like that,
I didn't see him for six years.
Got to go.
Mr. Gonzalez, please pick up
the white paging phone,
Mr. Gonzalez, please pick
up the white paging phone.
You got that look in your eye.
Trust me, big
brother, give it a try.
Oh, Erasmus.
Bye, everybody.
- Bye.
- See you.
We love you.
Love you, too.
Flight number 613 to Seattle
is now boarding.
All passengers,
Flight number 613
to Seattle is now boarding.
Passenger T. Martin,
please meet your party...
Mr. Greene has been
charged with two counts
of felony vehicular manslaughter
and one count of
reckless driving.
Would you like to enter a plea?
Guilty.
You believe that?
I killed two people and
get out on a technicality.
He didn't even read that letter.
He didn't have to.
It's not the first
one he's received.
He knows exactly what's in it.
Bad news?
A mess, a dangerous one.
And Joe thinks
that if he just leaves,
it'll go away,
but the truth is the
danger's not going anywhere.
It's gonna stay right
here with his family.
Do you recognize
this signature, baby?
Yes.
Yes, I do.
♪ 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. ♪
When are we gonna
go back on the road?
How does Mississippi sound?
Ooh, best catfish
stew you'll ever eat.
Yuck.
Forget the stew.
It's the music down
there I want to hear.
Erasmus, I can't tell you
how much fun I'm
having in your garden.
Makes me miss
having one of my own.
Russell, do you
remember that year
we had all those tomatoes?
That's all I remember.
Canned tomatoes, stewed
tomatoes, sliced, diced,
- sauteed tomatoes.
- Yes, honey.
We all remember
the tomato garden.
As you should.
I was very proud of that garden.
My garden needs all the
tender, loving care it can get,
so if that's what
you're interested in...
Honey, why don't
I just build you
a little window
box for the trailer?
What if I said I wasn't
ready to go on the road yet?
Maybe we could plant
potatoes in Mississippi?
Tomatoes.
I don't know why,
I just don't feel ready
to leave here yet, like...
Like there's something
for me to do here.
Like what?
Claire,
there are a lot of ways to
tend a garden in this world.
Why don't you go down
to the market with me?
They got a bulletin board
there, advertising projects
that need volunteers.
Maybe that's it.
Maybe I just need to feel like
I'm making a difference here
before we leave.
Maybe you make a
difference wherever you go.
Thank you.
All right.
Well, I'll see you all later.
It's about the baby, right?
Yeah, maybe.
People just have different
ways of saying good-bye.
Some people need
to plant tomatoes,
other people just want
to go to Mississippi.
What about you?
Here's another one of
those letters for Uncle Joe.
Oh, I'll forward this to
him as soon as we get
his permanent address.
Aren't you gonna
eat anything, Mom?
"Please excuse
Matthew for being late."
It doesn't matter what you say.
I'm late every day.
My teacher doesn't even
read the stupid notes anymore.
Just go get your books
and get in the car, okay?
Everyone grieves
in different ways
on different schedules,
don't they, Tess?
Oh, that's because
every person they
lose is different.
They loved them
in a different way,
they lost them
in a different way.
They miss them
in a different way.
The only thing that
remains the same
is the pain.
On Monday we had a flat tire.
Then on Tuesday Mom dropped
the keys down the garbage disposal.
Then today the car stalled.
Okay, tell you what, Matthew.
Today is my first
day teaching here,
so why don't we start all
over with a clean slate, okay?
Okay.
I won't be late
again, I promise.
Okay.
Sit down, please.
Well, this semester
we're going to be learning
all about community.
How neighbors live together
and work together
and help each other.
And I think you're really
going to enjoy your
first assignment.
Each of you is going to build
your own model community
using things from
around the house.
Now, community can be
a neighborhood, town, city.
Ta-da.
I already built one
so I could show you what I mean.
I've used a cottage
cheese container
for my downtown stadium
and an empty egg container
for an electric
generating station.
And over here, I
have wee city hall.
I think it's gonna be great fun.
I mean, haven't you ever
imagined living somewhere else?
It could be any
city in the world.
It could even be
a city of the future.
This is gonna be a lot of work.
No, it's gonna be cool.
Then there's my
other favorite rule:
never touch a piece of
paper more than once.
Read it, and deal with it.
Oh, there you are, Sandra.
This is Tess.
She's an efficiency consultant.
- Nice to meet you.
- Nice to meet you.
And that's, uh, good advice
about the, um, the paper thing.
I'll try to remember that.
I hope so.
The first thing that
Sandra needs to do
to improve her efficiency
is to show up to work on time.
Yeah.
It was, uh, crazy at home.
My-my son, he
overslept, and, um...
The car just...
Well, do you know,
this is my first day.
And what is past is past.
So let's think about this
as the first day of
the rest of your job.
Thanks.
I'll get to this backlog
of orders right away.
Good.
Get the old things
behind you, and move on.
You'll feel better about it.
So nice to meet you.
I'm sorry, I just don't think
that's any place for a woman.
It's a woman's prison!
It's not the "woman"
part I'm worried about,
it's the "prison" part.
Russell, these women have
no one out there for them.
Most of them have completely
lost contact with their family
and their children.
Well, there might be a
very good reason for that.
I'm sure there is.
And if there's a way I
can help them change that,
I would like to try.
Why are you helping
people in prison?
Shouldn't you be punishing them?
Well, Nathaniel, the Bible says
we should help people in need.
And if it's visiting the sick,
or helping the poor,
or encouraging people in jail...
I think it does as much
for us as it does for them.
Nathaniel, they need to
think that people believe
they can make
changes in their lives.
It's very difficult to change
if people don't believe in you.
It doesn't matter if
you change or not.
People still don't
forget what you did.
It's like you're being punished
for your whole life anyway.
Well, I have to admit that
your father would probably be
a different man if we had
turned our backs on him
when he was in prison.
I think that spending
time in a prison
sounds interesting.
Claire.
I think that what you're
trying to do is a good idea.
Be careful.
♪♪
♪♪
A stamp.
I need a stamp.
Hmm.
If my husband was
here, he'd have the stamp.
But he's not here
anymore, is he, Joe?
No.
So...
I have to buy one myself,
I have to mail it myself,
I have to do
everything... by myself.
I'm going to go get
that stamp now, Joe.
Does she really mean
all the things she writes
in these letters, Tess?
Oh, yeah, she really means them.
But let's just see that
she doesn't do them.
Oof. What a night.
I made coffee for you.
Oh, bless you.
Wait! Don't throw
that stuff away.
It's garbage, Matthew.
But I need it for
my school project.
You don't need garbage
for a school project.
Mom... we're supposed
to use things in our house.
You know, like last year,
when Ryan had
to build a shelter?
Don't talk about Ryan.
I'm not talking about Ryan.
I'm talking about my project.
I said, don't talk about him!
But I need stuff
around the house.
You want "stuff"?
Here's some stuff
we don't use anymore.
Huh?
Here's your father's
favorite coffee mug.
And what about, uh...
Oh! Your brother's cereal bowl.
And four... four plates.
We don't need four anymore.
You want more stuff?
You want your father's clothes?
Or Ryan's baseball shirt?
I got Dad this
on... Father's Day.
I saved up and everything.
Uh...
What you lookin' at, girlfriend?
I-I'm sorry. My name
is Claire, Valerie.
Claire's the reading
tutor you signed up for.
What's she doing inside?
I thought I get to go out.
No, she's going to
tutor you right here.
Then forget it.
And get out of my face!
I'm sorry, Claire.
These things
happen all the time.
Did anyone else sign up?
No, but I'll let you
know if anyone does.
Sign up for what?
For anything you need.
Reading, writing...
My name is Claire.
I could've been a good reader.
Well, I can help you.
Sorry, lady.
Too late.
That's death row.
Our efficiency would
be ten times better
if I just fired her.
Well, maybe so, but life
is not about doing it faster.
And Sandra has been
through a lot, Lyle.
Yeah, I know, I just...
I've tried to cut her a
lot of slack lately, and...
I don't... it's 11:15,
she's not here, again...
How many chances
do you give somebody?
How about just one more?
Hmm?
Uh... Can I help you?
I was just about to
ask you the same thing.
You're two hours late
for work, you know.
Yeah, I, um...
I have a really bad headache.
I understand you
have a lot of those.
Now, baby, I would
really like to help you,
and believe me, I have
the resources to do it.
Thanks. But, uh...
funny thing about grief.
Handling it efficiently just
doesn't make it go away.
And what you're doing does?
Hmm?
Is this your family?
Yes.
Well, no, actually. Um...
These two are dead,
this one's still alive,
and the other one is me.
It's been a hard
year, hasn't it, baby?
You think?
Some bum named Joe Greene
ran them right off the road.
My husband and, uh,
oldest son were killed.
Matthew survived.
And how have you survived?
I cry myself to sleep.
Plan elaborate forms of revenge.
And every now and then...
Every now and then what?
Look, could you just
please leave me alone?
I've... I've really got
quite a headache.
I recognize your
pain, honey, all of it.
But you're gonna get
back on your feet if
I have to pick you up
and carry you myself.
Now you be there in the morning!
Take a couple of
aspirins, 9:00 sharp.
No headaches, and no excuses.
A window box.
For Claire.
I figure once we're on the road,
she can plant perennials
or annuals or whatever.
Can I ask you something?
- Sure.
- Why are you so anxious to leave?
I'm not.
I mean, you know,
there is such a thing
as overstating your welcome.
Not with me. I love having
the family here. You know that.
And whether you know it or
not, maybe Claire's reason
for wanting to stay
is the same reason
you got for wanting to leave.
Looks to me like somebody's
got something on his mind.
I want to go back on the road.
Well, don't you want to wait
for your father's
call from Turkey?
It could be a hundred
years from now.
Jack Kerouac
didn't go to college.
Yes, he did.
Yeah, well, I bet he
didn't take his SATs.
In fact, you know, maybe
I'll just go join the
Navy and see the world.
Fine. Put the
groceries up first.
Dinah, would you
go check the mail?
There you go, Sailor.
Josh, did you
remember my vitamins?
So, how was your
first day in prison?
Mm, I kind of struck out.
- Yeah?
- Mm-hmm.
Well... you gave
it a try anyhow.
But, Russell,
something did happen.
I saw Andrew.
At first I thought it
was my imagination, but
uh-uh.
Well, honey, you know, we, uh,
did just lose our baby, and
that had to be on your mind.
No, that's not it.
Oh, well, I... I
know what it is.
You know what
tomorrow is, don't you?
No.
The anniversary of
Joe's, um... accident.
But, sweetheart, I wouldn't
worry about anything.
I mean, everybody's doing fine.
Joe's back on track.
We've left
Springville behind us.
We have to move on now.
Springville?
That's where these
letters are coming from.
Someone keeps sending
Uncle Joe these blue envelopes.
Let me see that.
Who else would he know
that lived in Springville?
Daddy, you have to open it.
It could be really important.
- You should...
- Dinah, that's enough.
Now, we don't know
who's sending these letters.
What we do know is that
they belong to Joe, not to us.
We'll just, uh... forward
these on with the others.
Go on now.
See, this is the water tower,
and this is the bank building.
This is where my dad works,
'cause it looks really cool.
- Yeah.
- And there's a park
right in the middle
of my perfect city,
so everybody can
play during lunch.
That's very good.
You're thinking
like a city planner.
Thank you.
Matthew, would
you care to go next?
Okay.
Is it the ocean or something?
I made a city
that's in the future,
and it's all made of glass
so nobody can keep any
secrets from anybody else.
Somebody sure drinks a lot.
Um, here's my library
where everybody's quiet.
And there's no fighting
or throwing anything.
'Cause they know if
they throw anything,
they could break the whole city.
And everything's
only one block away
so no one's ever late anymore.
That was lovely, Matthew.
Thank you.
Sandra is an alcoholic.
Yes, she is.
You knew, and
you didn't tell me.
Well, angels work
on a need-to-know
basis, Miss Wings.
There's a reason why
God doesn't tell us
everything all at once.
You needed to
know Matthew first,
as the son of a grieving mother,
not an alcoholic mother.
Tess, I want to speak to Sandra.
Well, Sandra's not
much of a talker, baby.
I know, but I have seen
what her drinking is doing
to Matthew, and I think
that I can help
her see that, too.
Oh. Go ahead and try,
but if you're going to do this,
there's something
else you should know.
This isn't about a woman
who's drinking to forget
the people she's lost.
She's drinking to
forget why she lost them.
Tess, I know it's
been a hard year,
and... and I've
tried to be patient.
I-I've even given her
days off, but then...
she just takes more.
But that was before.
There's a whole lot of
changing for the better
going on in that
girl these days.
For an example, she
filed all the manifests
for the last quarter.
Lookie here.
Hmm.
What's wrong?
Um...
I knew it.
I didn't want to
believe it, but I-I just...
I-I just had this feeling.
Sandra?
Yes?
Oh. Uh... I... I-I
can explain that.
I'm sorry.
Really, I am.
But I have to let you go.
Get some help, huh?
Oh, baby.
Sandra?
Yes. Can I, uh... help you?
My name is Monica. I'm Matthew's
teacher this semester.
Is he okay?
He had to bring his model
city project into school today.
His model city was made
entirely out of liquor bottles.
What?
I believe it's a cry for
help from a wee boy
whose mother has
a drinking problem.
You are way out of line, lady,
and unless you
have a job to give me,
I'd appreciate it if
you just left me alone.
When you're first
learning to read,
it's best to start with
something simple.
I know how to read just fine.
Don't you get it?
I was just messing with you.
I can't believe you came back.
Well, I can't explain
it, Darlene, but...
when I saw you here yesterday...
I saw someone else I knew.
Someone whose
presence made me think
that you're the one
that I'm supposed
to be tutoring here.
Lady, the only thing
I need to learn is
how to look death in the
face without screaming.
And I can tell
by looking at you,
you can't help me there.
Not long ago, I gave
birth to a baby girl.
She was born with
beta strep infection.
She... got it from me.
She didn't make it.
She died.
I lost... my baby girl.
And I've never told
anyone this, but...
there have been
moments when I thought
I was the one who killed her.
So...
you can sit there and judge me
if it makes you feel better,
but I've lost a child.
I've seen a mother
lose half her family
in the blink of an eye.
I've seen a little
boy lose his mother.
I've seen a man just
watch his future disappear
in the time it took to
make a left-hand turn.
No, Darlene, I'm
not on death row.
But there have been times
in the past few years where...
I thought I was.
I lost my baby, too.
I'm sorry.
She didn't die, but...
I sure did lose her.
Let me help you find her.
I lied.
I can't read.
Not much.
I know.
Oven.
350.
Dinner just like always.
Oh.
Stupid ol' thing.
What are you doing?
Making you a special meal.
Of course, if I can't
get this pilot light lit,
it's gonna be really special.
It's gonna be raw.
What are we celebrating?
Your father and brother
died a year ago today.
Can't let the day go by.
Where are the matches? Matches.
No, Mom, please.
Just don't argue with
me, Matthew, okay?
I lost my job today.
This may be the last roast
we have in a long time.
I knew it.
- I knew it!
- Look, it is not my fault!
It's yours!
You and your stupid
little school project.
Oh... Oh, I'm sorry.
Sweetie...
Oh...
Sandra, where are you going?
What are you
following me around for?
Angels don't follow
anyone but God.
What is going on?
I'm an angel.
I need a drink.
Listen to me.
Look at me, Sandra.
God has sent you an angel.
God?
Yes.
Oh.
You've sent letters to
punish Joseph Greene.
You've used alcohol
to punish yourself.
Famine, drought,
hurricanes, economic collapse,
and God is worried
about my drinking?
Yes.
Do me a favor.
Go dance on the head of
a pin and leave me alone.
I can't... because I'm real.
God is real.
Well, I've seen real,
and I'm not interested.
You can't face reality
when you're drunk.
And it's impossible to
face when you're sober.
God knows the truth, Sandra.
I don't know what
you're talking about!
Yes, you do.
You can hide from others...
you can hide from
your son, from yourself,
but you cannot hide from God.
He killed my family.
God did not kill your
family; carelessness did.
God loves you, Sandra.
He knows what
you're going through.
He watches you
going through it alone
when you don't have to.
He's the restorer of souls.
A husband to the widow.
A father to the fatherless.
He can be your peace
and joy right now,
if only you let Him.
When Joseph Greene
suffers like I have,
then I'll have peace and joy.
And you know what I think?
I think this is a
really sick joke.
You showing up like this
and pretending like
you're some-some angel.
Sandra... If there were angels,
where were they when
the car went over the cliff?
When the car
exploded into flames?
When my husband,
my best friend, my lover,
burned alive?
And my son, Ryan.
There were angels with them.
Your husband and your son
were not alone, and
they are not alone now.
Sandra...
you have another
son, a little boy,
who needs you.
I know, I know.
I got to get it
together. I, um...
I just need some-some time.
No, no. There-there
isn't time, Sandra.
You've got to start taking
care of Matthew right now.
I'm going for a walk now.
Bye, angel.
Sandra, no!
Matthew!
- Sandra...
- Let me guess.
God wants me to
know the oven's broken.
- No, please...
- Get away from me!
I almost believed you.
I was getting
through to her, Tess.
Well, baby, God can have a plan
and have three
angels working on it,
and all it takes is
one human being
and a broken pilot light
to change everything.
And everything has
changed on this assignment.
Well, she won't
listen to me now.
Sometimes the only thing
that we can do
is... just be there.
Where will you be?
I don't know yet.
Hospital X ray tech to ICU.
Hospital X ray tech to ICU.
Mrs. Mills?
What is it?
Is he... There's no change.
We really won't
know for a while.
But... it is a miracle
that he's even alive.
Hmm, a miracle, huh?
Yeah.
Do you believe in angels?
Yes.
I do. Do you?
Oh, I don't know.
Maybe I do, maybe I don't.
All I do know is I don't like
them and I don't trust them.
Maybe you ought to go
home, get some rest, Mrs. Mills.
There's really nothing
you can do here.
- Okay?
- Mm-hmm.
Okay.
Look, I don't even
know if you're...
I don't know if
you're here, angel.
I'm not even sure if
you were ever there
or if I just made you up.
But I want to go on
the record as saying
I don't want you here...
and I don't need you here.
So just leave me
and my son alone.
Just go away.
Sandra Mills?
Yes?
Look, whatever this is,
could you please, um... wait?
My-my son...
I-I want to be with
my boy right now.
This is about your son, ma'am.
We've completed
our investigation,
and it may result in a
charge of child endangerment.
Excuse me?
There was an excessive amount
of alcohol present
at the time of the fire,
exacerbating both that
and the injuries to your son.
No, wait a minute,
you don't understand.
This was an accident.
It was a bad pilot light;
what are you talking about?
I'm sorry... but if
your son survives,
he will be put into
protective custody
until a final decision is made.
Do you understand
what I'm telling
you, Mrs. Mills?
Yes.
Joseph Greene...
you can run, but
you cannot hide.
What are you doing?
I'm, uh... delivering the mail.
What's it look like?
Where's the rest of it?
It's a special delivery
for Joseph Greene.
That's my dad.
Really?
Joe Greene, your dad, huh?
Well, he loves you very much.
What is this? It's
too early for the mail.
Some lady dropped it off.
She said it was
a special delivery.
What lady?
I don't know; it
was just some lady.
I'm gonna go to the park.
- Hello?
- Hey, Dinah.
- I can barely hear you.
- Dinah, it's me, Joe.
Uncle Joe? Hi!
- Hi.
- Yeah, are you there?
- Safe and sound.
- Yeah.
Well, it's only me
here right now.
Nathaniel just went to the park,
and Josh and Grandma
are at the store,
Daddy's at work, and Mom's
tutoring this lady on death row.
- Yeah, seriously.
- Wow.
Oh, and you keep
getting these letters.
Yeah, blue envelope;
how did you know?
All right.
Well, there's a
whole stack of them.
Yeah, okay.
Yeah, I promise.
All right.
'Kay. I love you, too.
All right, bye.
Daddy, I know
you're really mad at me
for opening those letters,
but she was threatening him.
That's why he
left, I'm sure of it.
Dinah...
I told you that those letters
are none of your business.
Listen to this
last one she sent.
"I'm sure you think all these
letters I've been writing to you
"are just threats to scare
you, that I'd never have the guts
"to go through with
all the terrible things
"I wanted to do to you.
And maybe that was true,
but things have changed, Joe."
Let me see that.
"I've got nothing left to lose,
but you still do."
Nathaniel said a woman
delivered it a little while ago.
It had to have been her.
Oh, my God, where's Nathaniel?
He left for the park
about an hour ago.
Oh. It's you.
Hi. Can we talk a minute?
What about?
I have a message for your daddy.
Don't... make a sound.
We're going to the car.
No! Let me...
- This is very simple.
- Let go!
My son is in the hospital.
If he dies...
you die.
I love the way the
blue one smells,
but I like the way
the yellow ones look
with the stripe down the middle.
Why can't God just put
them together and make
a whole different plant?
He already has.
It's called a cucumber.
That's why He's
God and you're not.
I just think that
a yellow flower
that smells like a cucumber
would be really nice.
Well, I'll pass that on.
And do you have any
more botanical advice
for the creator of the
universe before we go?
No.
Good career move.
It's time for us to move on.
Andrew, you know what to do.
Yes, ma'am.
I just can't imagine how it's
all going to work out this time.
Well, you don't have to.
The Father already knows,
and He's gonna take this mess
and turn it into something
brand new and beautiful.
Like a cucumber?
We're leaving now.
She's such a
smart-mouthed little angel.
Flight 462, service to Athens,
is now boarding.
All passengers, please
proceed to Gate 73.
Well, have a good trip.
Give us a call when you get in.
I will.
Come on, everybody,
let's pretend like
we're having a party.
It's not so easy having a party
when you're trying
to say good-bye.
We're giving it our best shot.
Still not too late to
change your mind.
You know, you don't have
to go all the way to Turkey
to get a job on an oil rig.
Yeah, but I'll save more there
in six months than I'd
make here in a year.
We just want to make sure
you feel really good about this.
I do.
Believe me, it's
the right thing.
- Don't forget my postcard.
- I won't.
Sophia Dome in Istanbul.
You got it, girl.
Okay, buddy,
- take it easy.
- Yeah, see you when you get back.
- Yep, be good.
- Your attention please,
all passengers with
boarding passes
for Flight 1020 to Atlanta...
- Buddy.
- Please start boarding at Gate 17.
Now, as soon as I get there,
I'm gonna send you my address,
and I'm gonna call
you every chance I get.
Okay.
No, you know I
wouldn't be doing this
if it wasn't the right
thing for-for you and me
'cause it's gonna... it's gonna
give us a good future together.
Now, you know that, don't you?
I guess.
Come on, kiddo, I got to go.
I don't want it to be like this.
I love you, Nathaniel.
I love you, too.
I'm coming back, now, I promise.
I mean, I really promise.
Oh, Hattie,
looks like Joe is running again.
I guess he'll keep running
until he finds a way to face
what he's running from.
Last time he looked like that,
I didn't see him for six years.
Got to go.
Mr. Gonzalez, please pick up
the white paging phone,
Mr. Gonzalez, please pick
up the white paging phone.
You got that look in your eye.
Trust me, big
brother, give it a try.
Oh, Erasmus.
Bye, everybody.
- Bye.
- See you.
We love you.
Love you, too.
Flight number 613 to Seattle
is now boarding.
All passengers,
Flight number 613
to Seattle is now boarding.
Passenger T. Martin,
please meet your party...
Mr. Greene has been
charged with two counts
of felony vehicular manslaughter
and one count of
reckless driving.
Would you like to enter a plea?
Guilty.
You believe that?
I killed two people and
get out on a technicality.
He didn't even read that letter.
He didn't have to.
It's not the first
one he's received.
He knows exactly what's in it.
Bad news?
A mess, a dangerous one.
And Joe thinks
that if he just leaves,
it'll go away,
but the truth is the
danger's not going anywhere.
It's gonna stay right
here with his family.
Do you recognize
this signature, baby?
Yes.
Yes, I do.
♪ 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. ♪
When are we gonna
go back on the road?
How does Mississippi sound?
Ooh, best catfish
stew you'll ever eat.
Yuck.
Forget the stew.
It's the music down
there I want to hear.
Erasmus, I can't tell you
how much fun I'm
having in your garden.
Makes me miss
having one of my own.
Russell, do you
remember that year
we had all those tomatoes?
That's all I remember.
Canned tomatoes, stewed
tomatoes, sliced, diced,
- sauteed tomatoes.
- Yes, honey.
We all remember
the tomato garden.
As you should.
I was very proud of that garden.
My garden needs all the
tender, loving care it can get,
so if that's what
you're interested in...
Honey, why don't
I just build you
a little window
box for the trailer?
What if I said I wasn't
ready to go on the road yet?
Maybe we could plant
potatoes in Mississippi?
Tomatoes.
I don't know why,
I just don't feel ready
to leave here yet, like...
Like there's something
for me to do here.
Like what?
Claire,
there are a lot of ways to
tend a garden in this world.
Why don't you go down
to the market with me?
They got a bulletin board
there, advertising projects
that need volunteers.
Maybe that's it.
Maybe I just need to feel like
I'm making a difference here
before we leave.
Maybe you make a
difference wherever you go.
Thank you.
All right.
Well, I'll see you all later.
It's about the baby, right?
Yeah, maybe.
People just have different
ways of saying good-bye.
Some people need
to plant tomatoes,
other people just want
to go to Mississippi.
What about you?
Here's another one of
those letters for Uncle Joe.
Oh, I'll forward this to
him as soon as we get
his permanent address.
Aren't you gonna
eat anything, Mom?
"Please excuse
Matthew for being late."
It doesn't matter what you say.
I'm late every day.
My teacher doesn't even
read the stupid notes anymore.
Just go get your books
and get in the car, okay?
Everyone grieves
in different ways
on different schedules,
don't they, Tess?
Oh, that's because
every person they
lose is different.
They loved them
in a different way,
they lost them
in a different way.
They miss them
in a different way.
The only thing that
remains the same
is the pain.
On Monday we had a flat tire.
Then on Tuesday Mom dropped
the keys down the garbage disposal.
Then today the car stalled.
Okay, tell you what, Matthew.
Today is my first
day teaching here,
so why don't we start all
over with a clean slate, okay?
Okay.
I won't be late
again, I promise.
Okay.
Sit down, please.
Well, this semester
we're going to be learning
all about community.
How neighbors live together
and work together
and help each other.
And I think you're really
going to enjoy your
first assignment.
Each of you is going to build
your own model community
using things from
around the house.
Now, community can be
a neighborhood, town, city.
Ta-da.
I already built one
so I could show you what I mean.
I've used a cottage
cheese container
for my downtown stadium
and an empty egg container
for an electric
generating station.
And over here, I
have wee city hall.
I think it's gonna be great fun.
I mean, haven't you ever
imagined living somewhere else?
It could be any
city in the world.
It could even be
a city of the future.
This is gonna be a lot of work.
No, it's gonna be cool.
Then there's my
other favorite rule:
never touch a piece of
paper more than once.
Read it, and deal with it.
Oh, there you are, Sandra.
This is Tess.
She's an efficiency consultant.
- Nice to meet you.
- Nice to meet you.
And that's, uh, good advice
about the, um, the paper thing.
I'll try to remember that.
I hope so.
The first thing that
Sandra needs to do
to improve her efficiency
is to show up to work on time.
Yeah.
It was, uh, crazy at home.
My-my son, he
overslept, and, um...
The car just...
Well, do you know,
this is my first day.
And what is past is past.
So let's think about this
as the first day of
the rest of your job.
Thanks.
I'll get to this backlog
of orders right away.
Good.
Get the old things
behind you, and move on.
You'll feel better about it.
So nice to meet you.
I'm sorry, I just don't think
that's any place for a woman.
It's a woman's prison!
It's not the "woman"
part I'm worried about,
it's the "prison" part.
Russell, these women have
no one out there for them.
Most of them have completely
lost contact with their family
and their children.
Well, there might be a
very good reason for that.
I'm sure there is.
And if there's a way I
can help them change that,
I would like to try.
Why are you helping
people in prison?
Shouldn't you be punishing them?
Well, Nathaniel, the Bible says
we should help people in need.
And if it's visiting the sick,
or helping the poor,
or encouraging people in jail...
I think it does as much
for us as it does for them.
Nathaniel, they need to
think that people believe
they can make
changes in their lives.
It's very difficult to change
if people don't believe in you.
It doesn't matter if
you change or not.
People still don't
forget what you did.
It's like you're being punished
for your whole life anyway.
Well, I have to admit that
your father would probably be
a different man if we had
turned our backs on him
when he was in prison.
I think that spending
time in a prison
sounds interesting.
Claire.
I think that what you're
trying to do is a good idea.
Be careful.
♪♪
♪♪
A stamp.
I need a stamp.
Hmm.
If my husband was
here, he'd have the stamp.
But he's not here
anymore, is he, Joe?
No.
So...
I have to buy one myself,
I have to mail it myself,
I have to do
everything... by myself.
I'm going to go get
that stamp now, Joe.
Does she really mean
all the things she writes
in these letters, Tess?
Oh, yeah, she really means them.
But let's just see that
she doesn't do them.
Oof. What a night.
I made coffee for you.
Oh, bless you.
Wait! Don't throw
that stuff away.
It's garbage, Matthew.
But I need it for
my school project.
You don't need garbage
for a school project.
Mom... we're supposed
to use things in our house.
You know, like last year,
when Ryan had
to build a shelter?
Don't talk about Ryan.
I'm not talking about Ryan.
I'm talking about my project.
I said, don't talk about him!
But I need stuff
around the house.
You want "stuff"?
Here's some stuff
we don't use anymore.
Huh?
Here's your father's
favorite coffee mug.
And what about, uh...
Oh! Your brother's cereal bowl.
And four... four plates.
We don't need four anymore.
You want more stuff?
You want your father's clothes?
Or Ryan's baseball shirt?
I got Dad this
on... Father's Day.
I saved up and everything.
Uh...
What you lookin' at, girlfriend?
I-I'm sorry. My name
is Claire, Valerie.
Claire's the reading
tutor you signed up for.
What's she doing inside?
I thought I get to go out.
No, she's going to
tutor you right here.
Then forget it.
And get out of my face!
I'm sorry, Claire.
These things
happen all the time.
Did anyone else sign up?
No, but I'll let you
know if anyone does.
Sign up for what?
For anything you need.
Reading, writing...
My name is Claire.
I could've been a good reader.
Well, I can help you.
Sorry, lady.
Too late.
That's death row.
Our efficiency would
be ten times better
if I just fired her.
Well, maybe so, but life
is not about doing it faster.
And Sandra has been
through a lot, Lyle.
Yeah, I know, I just...
I've tried to cut her a
lot of slack lately, and...
I don't... it's 11:15,
she's not here, again...
How many chances
do you give somebody?
How about just one more?
Hmm?
Uh... Can I help you?
I was just about to
ask you the same thing.
You're two hours late
for work, you know.
Yeah, I, um...
I have a really bad headache.
I understand you
have a lot of those.
Now, baby, I would
really like to help you,
and believe me, I have
the resources to do it.
Thanks. But, uh...
funny thing about grief.
Handling it efficiently just
doesn't make it go away.
And what you're doing does?
Hmm?
Is this your family?
Yes.
Well, no, actually. Um...
These two are dead,
this one's still alive,
and the other one is me.
It's been a hard
year, hasn't it, baby?
You think?
Some bum named Joe Greene
ran them right off the road.
My husband and, uh,
oldest son were killed.
Matthew survived.
And how have you survived?
I cry myself to sleep.
Plan elaborate forms of revenge.
And every now and then...
Every now and then what?
Look, could you just
please leave me alone?
I've... I've really got
quite a headache.
I recognize your
pain, honey, all of it.
But you're gonna get
back on your feet if
I have to pick you up
and carry you myself.
Now you be there in the morning!
Take a couple of
aspirins, 9:00 sharp.
No headaches, and no excuses.
A window box.
For Claire.
I figure once we're on the road,
she can plant perennials
or annuals or whatever.
Can I ask you something?
- Sure.
- Why are you so anxious to leave?
I'm not.
I mean, you know,
there is such a thing
as overstating your welcome.
Not with me. I love having
the family here. You know that.
And whether you know it or
not, maybe Claire's reason
for wanting to stay
is the same reason
you got for wanting to leave.
Looks to me like somebody's
got something on his mind.
I want to go back on the road.
Well, don't you want to wait
for your father's
call from Turkey?
It could be a hundred
years from now.
Jack Kerouac
didn't go to college.
Yes, he did.
Yeah, well, I bet he
didn't take his SATs.
In fact, you know, maybe
I'll just go join the
Navy and see the world.
Fine. Put the
groceries up first.
Dinah, would you
go check the mail?
There you go, Sailor.
Josh, did you
remember my vitamins?
So, how was your
first day in prison?
Mm, I kind of struck out.
- Yeah?
- Mm-hmm.
Well... you gave
it a try anyhow.
But, Russell,
something did happen.
I saw Andrew.
At first I thought it
was my imagination, but
uh-uh.
Well, honey, you know, we, uh,
did just lose our baby, and
that had to be on your mind.
No, that's not it.
Oh, well, I... I
know what it is.
You know what
tomorrow is, don't you?
No.
The anniversary of
Joe's, um... accident.
But, sweetheart, I wouldn't
worry about anything.
I mean, everybody's doing fine.
Joe's back on track.
We've left
Springville behind us.
We have to move on now.
Springville?
That's where these
letters are coming from.
Someone keeps sending
Uncle Joe these blue envelopes.
Let me see that.
Who else would he know
that lived in Springville?
Daddy, you have to open it.
It could be really important.
- You should...
- Dinah, that's enough.
Now, we don't know
who's sending these letters.
What we do know is that
they belong to Joe, not to us.
We'll just, uh... forward
these on with the others.
Go on now.
See, this is the water tower,
and this is the bank building.
This is where my dad works,
'cause it looks really cool.
- Yeah.
- And there's a park
right in the middle
of my perfect city,
so everybody can
play during lunch.
That's very good.
You're thinking
like a city planner.
Thank you.
Matthew, would
you care to go next?
Okay.
Is it the ocean or something?
I made a city
that's in the future,
and it's all made of glass
so nobody can keep any
secrets from anybody else.
Somebody sure drinks a lot.
Um, here's my library
where everybody's quiet.
And there's no fighting
or throwing anything.
'Cause they know if
they throw anything,
they could break the whole city.
And everything's
only one block away
so no one's ever late anymore.
That was lovely, Matthew.
Thank you.
Sandra is an alcoholic.
Yes, she is.
You knew, and
you didn't tell me.
Well, angels work
on a need-to-know
basis, Miss Wings.
There's a reason why
God doesn't tell us
everything all at once.
You needed to
know Matthew first,
as the son of a grieving mother,
not an alcoholic mother.
Tess, I want to speak to Sandra.
Well, Sandra's not
much of a talker, baby.
I know, but I have seen
what her drinking is doing
to Matthew, and I think
that I can help
her see that, too.
Oh. Go ahead and try,
but if you're going to do this,
there's something
else you should know.
This isn't about a woman
who's drinking to forget
the people she's lost.
She's drinking to
forget why she lost them.
Tess, I know it's
been a hard year,
and... and I've
tried to be patient.
I-I've even given her
days off, but then...
she just takes more.
But that was before.
There's a whole lot of
changing for the better
going on in that
girl these days.
For an example, she
filed all the manifests
for the last quarter.
Lookie here.
Hmm.
What's wrong?
Um...
I knew it.
I didn't want to
believe it, but I-I just...
I-I just had this feeling.
Sandra?
Yes?
Oh. Uh... I... I-I
can explain that.
I'm sorry.
Really, I am.
But I have to let you go.
Get some help, huh?
Oh, baby.
Sandra?
Yes. Can I, uh... help you?
My name is Monica. I'm Matthew's
teacher this semester.
Is he okay?
He had to bring his model
city project into school today.
His model city was made
entirely out of liquor bottles.
What?
I believe it's a cry for
help from a wee boy
whose mother has
a drinking problem.
You are way out of line, lady,
and unless you
have a job to give me,
I'd appreciate it if
you just left me alone.
When you're first
learning to read,
it's best to start with
something simple.
I know how to read just fine.
Don't you get it?
I was just messing with you.
I can't believe you came back.
Well, I can't explain
it, Darlene, but...
when I saw you here yesterday...
I saw someone else I knew.
Someone whose
presence made me think
that you're the one
that I'm supposed
to be tutoring here.
Lady, the only thing
I need to learn is
how to look death in the
face without screaming.
And I can tell
by looking at you,
you can't help me there.
Not long ago, I gave
birth to a baby girl.
She was born with
beta strep infection.
She... got it from me.
She didn't make it.
She died.
I lost... my baby girl.
And I've never told
anyone this, but...
there have been
moments when I thought
I was the one who killed her.
So...
you can sit there and judge me
if it makes you feel better,
but I've lost a child.
I've seen a mother
lose half her family
in the blink of an eye.
I've seen a little
boy lose his mother.
I've seen a man just
watch his future disappear
in the time it took to
make a left-hand turn.
No, Darlene, I'm
not on death row.
But there have been times
in the past few years where...
I thought I was.
I lost my baby, too.
I'm sorry.
She didn't die, but...
I sure did lose her.
Let me help you find her.
I lied.
I can't read.
Not much.
I know.
Oven.
350.
Dinner just like always.
Oh.
Stupid ol' thing.
What are you doing?
Making you a special meal.
Of course, if I can't
get this pilot light lit,
it's gonna be really special.
It's gonna be raw.
What are we celebrating?
Your father and brother
died a year ago today.
Can't let the day go by.
Where are the matches? Matches.
No, Mom, please.
Just don't argue with
me, Matthew, okay?
I lost my job today.
This may be the last roast
we have in a long time.
I knew it.
- I knew it!
- Look, it is not my fault!
It's yours!
You and your stupid
little school project.
Oh... Oh, I'm sorry.
Sweetie...
Oh...
Sandra, where are you going?
What are you
following me around for?
Angels don't follow
anyone but God.
What is going on?
I'm an angel.
I need a drink.
Listen to me.
Look at me, Sandra.
God has sent you an angel.
God?
Yes.
Oh.
You've sent letters to
punish Joseph Greene.
You've used alcohol
to punish yourself.
Famine, drought,
hurricanes, economic collapse,
and God is worried
about my drinking?
Yes.
Do me a favor.
Go dance on the head of
a pin and leave me alone.
I can't... because I'm real.
God is real.
Well, I've seen real,
and I'm not interested.
You can't face reality
when you're drunk.
And it's impossible to
face when you're sober.
God knows the truth, Sandra.
I don't know what
you're talking about!
Yes, you do.
You can hide from others...
you can hide from
your son, from yourself,
but you cannot hide from God.
He killed my family.
God did not kill your
family; carelessness did.
God loves you, Sandra.
He knows what
you're going through.
He watches you
going through it alone
when you don't have to.
He's the restorer of souls.
A husband to the widow.
A father to the fatherless.
He can be your peace
and joy right now,
if only you let Him.
When Joseph Greene
suffers like I have,
then I'll have peace and joy.
And you know what I think?
I think this is a
really sick joke.
You showing up like this
and pretending like
you're some-some angel.
Sandra... If there were angels,
where were they when
the car went over the cliff?
When the car
exploded into flames?
When my husband,
my best friend, my lover,
burned alive?
And my son, Ryan.
There were angels with them.
Your husband and your son
were not alone, and
they are not alone now.
Sandra...
you have another
son, a little boy,
who needs you.
I know, I know.
I got to get it
together. I, um...
I just need some-some time.
No, no. There-there
isn't time, Sandra.
You've got to start taking
care of Matthew right now.
I'm going for a walk now.
Bye, angel.
Sandra, no!
Matthew!
- Sandra...
- Let me guess.
God wants me to
know the oven's broken.
- No, please...
- Get away from me!
I almost believed you.
I was getting
through to her, Tess.
Well, baby, God can have a plan
and have three
angels working on it,
and all it takes is
one human being
and a broken pilot light
to change everything.
And everything has
changed on this assignment.
Well, she won't
listen to me now.
Sometimes the only thing
that we can do
is... just be there.
Where will you be?
I don't know yet.
Hospital X ray tech to ICU.
Hospital X ray tech to ICU.
Mrs. Mills?
What is it?
Is he... There's no change.
We really won't
know for a while.
But... it is a miracle
that he's even alive.
Hmm, a miracle, huh?
Yeah.
Do you believe in angels?
Yes.
I do. Do you?
Oh, I don't know.
Maybe I do, maybe I don't.
All I do know is I don't like
them and I don't trust them.
Maybe you ought to go
home, get some rest, Mrs. Mills.
There's really nothing
you can do here.
- Okay?
- Mm-hmm.
Okay.
Look, I don't even
know if you're...
I don't know if
you're here, angel.
I'm not even sure if
you were ever there
or if I just made you up.
But I want to go on
the record as saying
I don't want you here...
and I don't need you here.
So just leave me
and my son alone.
Just go away.
Sandra Mills?
Yes?
Look, whatever this is,
could you please, um... wait?
My-my son...
I-I want to be with
my boy right now.
This is about your son, ma'am.
We've completed
our investigation,
and it may result in a
charge of child endangerment.
Excuse me?
There was an excessive amount
of alcohol present
at the time of the fire,
exacerbating both that
and the injuries to your son.
No, wait a minute,
you don't understand.
This was an accident.
It was a bad pilot light;
what are you talking about?
I'm sorry... but if
your son survives,
he will be put into
protective custody
until a final decision is made.
Do you understand
what I'm telling
you, Mrs. Mills?
Yes.
Joseph Greene...
you can run, but
you cannot hide.
What are you doing?
I'm, uh... delivering the mail.
What's it look like?
Where's the rest of it?
It's a special delivery
for Joseph Greene.
That's my dad.
Really?
Joe Greene, your dad, huh?
Well, he loves you very much.
What is this? It's
too early for the mail.
Some lady dropped it off.
She said it was
a special delivery.
What lady?
I don't know; it
was just some lady.
I'm gonna go to the park.
- Hello?
- Hey, Dinah.
- I can barely hear you.
- Dinah, it's me, Joe.
Uncle Joe? Hi!
- Hi.
- Yeah, are you there?
- Safe and sound.
- Yeah.
Well, it's only me
here right now.
Nathaniel just went to the park,
and Josh and Grandma
are at the store,
Daddy's at work, and Mom's
tutoring this lady on death row.
- Yeah, seriously.
- Wow.
Oh, and you keep
getting these letters.
Yeah, blue envelope;
how did you know?
All right.
Well, there's a
whole stack of them.
Yeah, okay.
Yeah, I promise.
All right.
'Kay. I love you, too.
All right, bye.
Daddy, I know
you're really mad at me
for opening those letters,
but she was threatening him.
That's why he
left, I'm sure of it.
Dinah...
I told you that those letters
are none of your business.
Listen to this
last one she sent.
"I'm sure you think all these
letters I've been writing to you
"are just threats to scare
you, that I'd never have the guts
"to go through with
all the terrible things
"I wanted to do to you.
And maybe that was true,
but things have changed, Joe."
Let me see that.
"I've got nothing left to lose,
but you still do."
Nathaniel said a woman
delivered it a little while ago.
It had to have been her.
Oh, my God, where's Nathaniel?
He left for the park
about an hour ago.
Oh. It's you.
Hi. Can we talk a minute?
What about?
I have a message for your daddy.
Don't... make a sound.
We're going to the car.
No! Let me...
- This is very simple.
- Let go!
My son is in the hospital.
If he dies...
you die.