Touched by an Angel (1994–2003): Season 7, Episode 24 - Shallow Water: Part 1 - full transcript

I went back to the mountain

for reasons I couldn't explain.

I believe it is something
humans do, too.

They sometimes
return to the place

where everything
changed for them one day,

where a transformation occurred

that set them on a new course.

For me, that place was here,

high above the desert,
far below the heavens,

the place where I
nearly fell from grace,

the place where God lifted me



higher than I had ever been.

I have come back to the mountain

because something
profound has happened to me.

I have changed somehow,

but I can't quite
describe what is different.

Well, I can,

and I'm gonna
give it to you fast,

because I don't like it up here.

But I do, Tess.

I think it's going to become
my own special place.

Well, you're welcome to it.

It's a little too drafty
up here for me.

Come on, Angel Girl, sit down.

We're gonna have to talk.



Is something wrong?

No, just something different.

Yes, I know, but what is it?

You went into the desert
and you were tempted,

but you didn't
surrender to Satan,

but whenever you
get that close to evil,

the world never
seems the same again.

What do you mean?

When you came
up on this mountain

and returned to your Creator,

He didn't just say,

"Let's go back
to the way it was."

He took your mistakes

and made something
new and good out of them.

He's given you another gift.

What is it?

Well, you've always had
a kind and generous heart,

truly loving human
beings, but up to now,

you've just seen them
from an angel's point of view,

from the outside in.

What other way is there?

The way God sees people,

from the inside out;

and from now on,
every once in a while,

he's gonna let you
see people like that, too.

From the inside out?

Yes.

And am I gonna
learn how to do this

before my next assignment?

This is your next assignment,

and we're going
to start right away.

We're just gonna get in the car

and ride around

until the Spirit speaks to you.

Ah, just drive around

until the Spirit moves me.

Mm-hmm.

Things really have changed.

Nothing is moving.

You've got to be patient,

and you've got to
learn to listen, baby.

There's an angel for
every human being

on that street out there,

and you've just got to wait
until God leads you to yours.

Okay. Okay.

Stop.

See? What did I tell you?

Who is it?

That-that, uh, man over there,

or the lady at the bus stop?

It's a bus.

A bus?!

Well, that's a start.

Now, remember,
you're new at this,

so don't get discouraged

if it takes a while

to get the hang of seeing things

from the inside out.

I thought it was supposed
to be about people.

Well, people ride
buses, don't they?

Sit down, and be patient.

Something will come.

Okay.

Well, Rome
wasn't built in a day.

No, wait, wait, wait, wait.

Wait.

♪ I will not drown
in shallow water... ♪

I will not drown
in shallow water.

♪ Not with your love... ♪

Not with your love.

♪ Within my reach. ♪

Within my reach.

There you go.

You're getting it, baby.
You're really getting it.

♪ I did not come
this far to falter ♪

♪ And will not
rest until I'm free ♪

♪ Through Your love ♪

♪ My eyes are open ♪

♪ Through Your love ♪

♪ I'll learn to see ♪

♪ And in Your name ♪

♪ My bread is broken ♪

♪ By Your grace ♪

♪ I'll rest in peace ♪

♪ I will not drown
in shallow water ♪

♪ Not with Your love
within my reach ♪

♪ I did not come
this far to falter ♪

♪ And will not rest ♪

♪ Until I'm free ♪

♪ I will not rest ♪

♪ Until I'm free. ♪

♪ 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. ♪

What am I seeing, Tess?

What God wants you to see.

Time to study, baby.

♪ And will not
rest until I'm free. ♪

Hey, time to hit the books, pal.

♪ Through your
love, my darling ♪

♪ Through your love... ♪

Is this what you mean

about seeing life
from the inside out?

Yes.

What you're seeing is the past,

but before long you're
going to begin to sense

how it changed the present.

It's like seeing
ripples on the water,

and you're holding the pebble

that will splash in the
pond and create them.

Don't try to understand it now.

Just let it happen.

♪ I did not come
this far to falter ♪

♪ And will not
rest until I'm free. ♪

If this is the past, Tess,
where are they all now?

♪ And will not
rest until I'm free. ♪

Is Daddy still asleep, Danny?

Yep.

Well, I'll tell him
you said good-bye.

You have a good day at school.

Okay, bye, Mom.

Bye, sweetheart.

I love you.

Have you done any more thinking

about your husband?

Well, yes, actually.

I've been thinking,

if Joshua's not gonna
take the first step,

then somebody else has to.

I mean, how can a
family that's been together

and been so close for so long

let three whole years go by

without even
speaking to each other?

What do you think?

Well, I think it's ridiculous.

I mean, one silly
little argument

and a 30-year tradition
goes right down the drain?

I mean, I know I'm
just the in-law here,

but somebody's got to
step in and do something

because, well, it's...

it's really hard on
Danny, you know?

He misses his aunts and uncles,

and especially his
grandma and grandpa,

and he can't get his
dad to talk about it, so...

So, well, this is
very interesting.

This is the first time you've
expressed any interest

in resolving what happened.

Why now?

Well, I've been
praying about it a lot,

and I know God's gonna
send me what I need.

Maybe... maybe even an angel.

An angel?

Yeah.

I've never seen one,

but I need one to help me now.

To help you with what?

A family reunion.

Do you really think
that's possible?

Well, with God,
anything's possible.

I know you don't believe in God.

I never said that.

Faith and religion
have their place,

but is it possible
that you're using them

as a way to avoid being
honest with yourself?

People can have problems

and still believe
in God, you know.

Yes, but if you
were being honest

about what happened,

you'd have to acknowledge
that God failed you.

He allowed this...
event to occur.

It's not God's fault.

We-we broke up.

Is it possible that
you're protecting God

at the expense of
your own therapy?

God doesn't need my protection.

Then who are you protecting?

She's my assignment,
isn't she, Tess?

The woman who was sitting there.

Her name is Diana.

You're doing well.
Keep listening.

Why don't we go
back to that last day?

Why do we keep going over this?

Because sometimes
when there's been a loss,

we tend to block
out important details

about that loss,

the details that could
help us understand

why it occurred,

and give us some idea of
what we need to do to heal.

We stopped singing together,

and we haven't spoken
since then, that's all.

And, yeah, that's a loss,

but I don't need to heal;
I just need a reunion.

I think, Diana...

that what has
happened to your family

has had a greater impact on you

than you are able to admit.

I think that this is very
likely the reason you are

suffering those headaches
you tell me about

and the memory
lapses and the fatigue,

and I think the best way

to figure out what's going on

is to go back to a time

before those symptoms occurred

and try to find out
what happened.

Okay.

The last performance.

Yeah.

The last show.

And we didn't even know it.

Well...

we always started
with the same song.

♪ ...every day ♪

♪ Every day, we need to say ♪

♪ Oh, my Lord ♪

♪ My burden bearer ♪

♪ My help in trouble ♪

J“ My joy in sorrow J“

♪ My light in darkness ♪

♪ My sword and shield ♪

♪ Oh, my Lord, what a time ♪

♪ What a time! ♪

Good evening.

Good evening, and
a good evening it is,

with our family and your family

sharing the joy and
the faith that we have.

I know a long time ago,
Lila and I decided that

the family that sings
together clings together,

and I'm here to tell
you, we're still at it.

Would you believe
it's been 30 years?

My beautiful wife Lila
is here with us tonight,

as always,

and our son Joshua,
his wife Diana,

and our grandson Danny.

My brother Vaughn,
his wife June,

and the Winslow Boys.

And our other son
Jed, who's over there

behind that guitar,
keeping to himself, as usual.

You'll know, you'll get to
know the rest of the family

as we go on through
the rest of the evening.

♪ ...on the rock ♪

♪ My name on the roll ♪

♪ When it's called up yonder ♪

♪ I won't worry about my soul ♪

♪ I know my home is waiting ♪

♪ It's a wonder to behold ♪

♪ With my feet on the rock ♪

♪ My name on the roll. ♪

They're very good, huh?

Are?

Were.

This bus was their
home on the road.

They sang their songs
for thousands of people...

and then, one day...
the music stopped.

But why?

That's what I still don't know.

Don't worry about that.

What do you know?

That Diana is out
there somewhere,

that faith is all that's
keeping her spirit alive,

and she's about
to lose even that.

Go ahead.

And that she's waiting for me.

Why am I here, sitting on a bus,

listening to the past?

I've got to find Diana now.

But what would
you say if you did?

The truth is coming, baby.

You've got to learn to wait

and learn to listen.

It's... it's driving
me crazy, that song.

Jed wrote it that day,
and we only sang it once.

Jed wrote a lot of
songs for your family,

isn't that right?

Yeah. He's so talented.

That's always been the problem.

That was the
problem that morning.

How so?

Well, let me back up.

See, we had to
get an early start

because our show was
that night in Charlotte.

Not that schedules
meant much in our family,

except to my father-in-law.

Hey, Diana.

Hit the horn, Walter.

You always have to
blow that horn, Carter?

No, I don't have
to, but I like to.

Come on, get on the bus.

We're late.

Is that a new one, Jed?

Yeah, gonna be.

A couple things to
work out in the chorus,

but I believe it'll be
a good one for us.

"I will not drown
in shallow water."

Come on, boys!

We gotta move it!

"I'll falter...

I did not come
this far to falter?"

♪ I will not drown ♪

♪ In shallow water ♪

♪ Not with Your love
within my reach... ♪

What's a hypotenuse?

Well, a hypotenuse is
a rhinoceros's cousin.

What?

Yes, Carl, I do
know how early it is,

but I want to make
sure this is done right.

Last time we played there
that piano was so out of tune

it set the dogs to barking
all over the neighborhood.

I know, I know it's
a lot more curves,

but there's a lot less traffic.

It'll cut a good 45
minutes off our time.

Carter, Walter knows
where he's going.

♪ Until I'm free ♪

♪ I will not rest ♪

♪ Until I'm free. ♪

♪ God, with your love... ♪

I'm such a fan of your
family, Mrs. Winslow.

I saw you guys back
in Nashville in '96,

and then again in '97.

Well, thank you.

Carter, isn't that sweet?

Hmm.

♪ ...will not rest... ♪

♪ Until I'm free. ♪

Hey, you know, I
could sing that song.

Well, your Uncle
Jed wrote that song.

Don't you think he should
be the one to sing it?

Yeah, I guess so.

Danny, when you're
13, I'll let you sing a solo.

Really? Promise?

You have my promise.

Joshua, I think you
should sing that song.

But it's, uh, it's
Jed's song, Daddy.

No, no, it's our song, and
I want you to sing the lead.

He's just never gonna
give Jed a chance.

It's not right.

I know Joshua would be thrilled

to let Jed take
one of his songs.

Oh, I know, sweetie.

We'd all be thrilled to
see Jed come into his own.

I just don't know how

we're ever gonna
get Carter to see it.

Diana?

Diana?

You just stopped.

I think that's enough.

It sounds like there was
some tension in your family.

It was nothing, just, you know,

the kind of thing that happens
when you're cooped up

on the road for a long time.

The truth is, is that Jed
was always the quiet one,

and Joshua had the personality.

Carter isn't a bad man.

He-he just knows what
the audience wants to see,

and the audiences love Joshua,

so he never gave
Jed a chance, but...

I did.

I think I've got it, Tess.

Something happened that
day that pulled this family apart.

They all loved each other

until something
came between them...

Jealousy, I think.

It pulled them apart,

and that's why the family
doesn't talk anymore,

and that's why they
don't sing anymore.

Stop thinking, and
stop looking at them,

and start loving them
and listening to them

and you'll hear
where the music went.

What happened here?

What terrible thing happened?

It's terrible.

So terrible.

Yes, it's terrible,
but not hopeless.

You cannot change
the past, Angel Girl,

but now that you understand it,

you're ready to meet Diana.

♪ I will not drown ♪

♪ In shallow water ♪

♪ Not... ♪

♪ Not with your love. ♪

Hey, Mom.

What are you doing?

I'm trying to
figure out that song

that your Uncle Jed was
teaching your cousins on the bus.

You remember.
You liked it a lot.

No, I don't remember.

I got to go to school.

Okay, baby.

Are you gonna...?

♪ I will not drown
in shallow water ♪

♪ Not with your love
within my reach... ♪

I did not come
this far to falter,

and will not rest
until I'm free.

Hello. Did Danny let you in?

I hope I'm not intruding.

Can I help you?

Actually, I'm here to help you.

You're my angel.

Were you expecting an angel?

Yes!

Oh, you're the real
enchilada, right?

Yes, I am the real enchilada.

Oh, well, we have lots to do.

Now, Danny already
went to school,

so you'll have
to meet him later,

but there's somebody else I
want you to meet right now.

Your therapist.

How'd you...?

You're an angel. Of course.

I, I guess you
know all about it.

Yes, I do.

Well, let's go.

- Oh...!
- Rebecca, this is Monica.

- Hello.
- Hello.

She's the angel I
was telling you about.

Oh, really?

Well, that's very interesting.

She's gonna help
me with the reunion.

Well, I think we need to
talk about that a little more

and see if it's
really a good idea.

Maybe I should wait outside.

Oh, what for?

I mean, it's not like you
can keep any secrets

from an angel, right?

She can stay, can't she?

It's unusual...

but I'll leave it
up to you, Diana.

Great.

Okay, now... last
time we talked,

there was some trouble between
Jed and Joshua over a song.

Can we talk more about that?

I can talk about anything now.

Uh, well, at the time, it
didn't seem like a big deal,

but looking back on it,

I can see it was the
beginning of the end.

Everything just started
to fall apart after that.

♪ Just because He lives... ♪

♪ He lives. ♪

Thank you, thank you,
ladies and gentlemen.

Whoo! Thank you.

You know, we, we stand
up here on this stage

and we sing praises to God

not because our
lives have been easy,

but because when
times have gotten tough,

we know that we have
a Father and a Comforter

to talk to and to trust in.

Now I give thanks to the
Lord for his many blessings

each and every day,

and one of those blessings

is my brother Jed...
right over there.

Now you folks don't know
this, but many of the songs

that we sing up here on this
stage were written by Jed.

He is a real talent, and he
never gets much attention.

Well, tonight, we are going
to put him in the spotlight...

so that he can sing for you

his brand-new song
"Shallow Water."

My little brother Jed.

Thank you.

♪ I will not drown
in shallow water ♪

♪ Not with Your love
within my reach ♪

♪ I did not come
this far to falter ♪

♪ And will not rest ♪

♪ Until I'm free ♪

♪ You are the sun ♪

♪ You are the flower ♪

♪ You are the wind
across the sea ♪

♪ And I will kneel
here at Your altar ♪

♪ And pray you'll take
my soul to keep... ♪

Whose idea was that?

Diana said that
you wanted to do it.

I never said that.

Well, not in so many
words, but I knew you did.

You set me up.

Somebody had to.

I mean, come on, it's time

your daddy heard you
sing in front of an audience.

Besides, how mad
could he be, anyway?

What were you thinking?!

I had my reasons, Mama.

Well, they'd better
be good ones,

because he is fit to be tied.

Yes, ma'am.

- And you...
- What?

Daddy's unhappy with me?

Well, there's something new.

Honey, just take a deep breath.

I know; I'm not saying
what they did was right,

but you always taught
them to think for themselves,

so you can't punish
'em when they do.

I'll be on the bus.

Excuse me?

Hi. Um...

I wonder if I can get a
ride with you on the bus.

I heard you're going
to Chattanooga.

I'm going there myself.

I'm Andrew, by the way.

Uh, sorry, we don't have
any empty seats on this bus.

Yeah, okay. I understand.

Hey!

Y'all take it real slow, okay?

All right.

Never, in all my years,
as head of this family

has my authority been
questioned in so cowardly a fashion.

Jedidiah K. Winslow,

I ought to throw you
off this bus right now.

Don't bother.

I'll do it for ya.

Why are you always
so stubborn, boy?!

Daddy, you ever notice that
Joshua's always your son...

I'm just "boy"?

If you get off this bus
now, you don't get back on.

Only room for one prodigal
son in this family, huh?

We have a seat for you now.

Carter, you can't
let him go like that.

Look, Daddy, it
was not Jed's fault.

I think you need
to get off this bus...

I am so tired of everyone
telling me what we should do.

Um...

I appreciate the ride and
the seat on the bus very much,

but if you would like to
stay here a little bit longer

and try to work things
out, I'd... I'd understand.

No, everything's fine.

Go take a seat, son.

Thank you.

- Hi. Andrew here.
- How ya doing, Andrew?

Highway Patrol says there's
a flood on the interstate.

We're gonna have to
take the back road instead.

Then we'll drive all
night, if we have to.

Get this thing moving, Walter!

That was the last
time I saw Jed.

And that's usually where
you stop with your story.

Can you go further today?

No.

Everything gets
so fuzzy after that.

I guess it was such
a shock to everybody

to have a family
argument like that

and just leave Jed behind.

It would've been
especially hard on you,

I suppose, since getting
Jed to sing was your idea.

Aren't we out of time?

No, Diana, we're not.

I, I, I think we're out of time.

I... I, I really
should be going.

I really have to
go, but thank you.

- No, Diana. Diana...
- Thank you.

Post-traumatic stress syndrome.

She's in complete denial.

Three years.

I can only imagine
what it must've been like

to watch all of
those people die...

and not be able to
do anything about it.

She's getting closer,
and that scares her.

That's why she brought a friend.

How long have you known Diana?

Not very long.

But you do know that
she's under the impression

that you're an angel?

Yes. She still has
a very strong faith.

I believe that Diana
does have faith.

But what she doesn't
have is the truth.

And that's the problem.

Then let me help you
help her to see the truth.

Well, I think...

it would be good if
she could find Jed.

She always stops her story
at the last time she saw him.

Do you know where he is?

I did a little detective
work on the Internet,

and, um, I found a
Jedidiah K. Winslow

in Dalton, Georgia.

How many people with
that name could there be?

I think a wee trip to
Georgia would be lovely.

You must think

I'm a crazy old bird,
the way I went off today.

I know your family is
very important to you.

I never had a family

before the Winslows, Monica.

I ran away when I was 16.

I grew up with an
alcoholic daddy

who beat my mother.

And a mother who'd
turn around and beat me.

So I ran away.

I worked in bars and strip clubs

all over the place.

Finally, instead
of serving drinks,

I was drinking 'em.

I was a mess.

On my way down with no hope.

And nothing to show for my life.

The last thing I ever figured on

was that there was a God.

And the Winslows changed that?

Yeah.

One day, this guy walks into

the dive I was working at

and says to the bartender Caleb,

"You might not remember
me, but about ten years ago,

I walked out on you
with a bar bill due."

Well, Caleb just
shrugged, I mean,

one drunk looks like
the other, after a while.

But then he pulls out his wallet

and pays Caleb double
what he owes him.

You could've knocked
me over with a feather.

Then he... he looked at me

with these great
big, beautiful eyes,

and... asked me if I wanted

to meet his family.

This man was Joshua?

Yeah.

So I... I went with
him to meet his family.

They were singing in
this big old tent back then.

And they were the happiest
people I had ever seen.

I knew right off I
wanted what they had.

And what they had
was faith in God.

Yeah.

And they shared
that faith with me.

Pretty soon, I felt... whole...

for the first time.

This was the family
I'd always wanted.

I mean, I don't even sing,

and they gave me
a reason to be there.

To be alive.

And I never looked back.

I have to bring them
back together, Monica.

Are you sure this
is the right address?

This is the address she gave me.

This should be interesting.

Excuse me; I wonder
if you could help me.

I'm looking for a Jedidiah
K. Winslow at this address.

Yeah, that's me.

You're Jedidiah K. Winslow?

Uh-huh.

Oh, I'm sorry.

I must have the wrong
Jedidiah K. Winslow.

I'm really sorry.

What are you doing?

Get up! Get up!

Put that thing down... hi.

Get up, get in there.

- Put that thing down!
- I'm come... I'm coming.

- I'm coming.
- You better believe you are.

Bye.

You down here... out
here playing the guitar?

Get your disrespecting
behind into this church.

Hey!

You a scandal, boy.

And I'm telling you, I'm
at the end of my rope.

I am.

What do you mean it's the
wrong Jedidiah K. Winslow?

Well...

Get in the car;
just get in the car.

♪ Down by the riverside ♪

♪ Down by the riverside ♪

♪ Down by the riverside ♪

♪ Gonna lay down my burden ♪

♪ Down by the riverside ♪

♪ Study ♪

♪ War no more. ♪

Good morning, everyone.

Good morning.

This is my third
year as your pastor.

And I bet y'all are really tired

of hearing the same
sermon, over and over again.

Amen!

So today I thought I'd say
a little something different.

- Amen.
- When I was growing up,

I used to wonder
what it would feel like

to stand in this pulpit,
like my father did,

and give a rip-roaring,
amen-hallelujah sermon.

Amen.

Yeah, just like he always did.

Amen.

Well, I still don't know

what that feels like.

And you folks deserve better,

so I'm thinking

maybe it's time
y'all start looking

for another preacher.

I'm not my daddy.

I've tried to be.

I love this church,

I love the Lord
and I love you all.

But I'm just not good at this.

This isn't my
calling, and I don't

exactly know
where my calling is.

I only know I know
how to play a little guitar.

And I'm praying that the
Lord will show me a way.

I'm really sorry.

I truly am really sorry.

And thank you very much.

What's the matter with you?

Have you lost your mind?

What kind of... stupid,

no good, block-headed,
dim-witted...?

Cockamamie crackpot,

stubborn, ungrateful...

You know, I'm running
out of words for you.

I mean, why did you do it?

Whatever gave you this...

this idiotic notion that...?

Hey, you're back.

Yes, I heard some
of your sermon.

I'm Monica and this
is my friend Tess.

It's nice to meet you.

My name's JD. and
this is my sister Cissy.

Cynthia.

Nice to meet you.

You know, visitors
are always welcome.

I'm just sorry you had to
witness my brother's complete

break with reality.

Monica's looking for
someone else with my name.

Somebody else got your name?

Get out of town.

Have you heard of the
Winslow Family Revival?

Oh, yeah.

Gospel folks.

That was a terrible
thing that happened.

Terrible thing.

Not too far from here
is where it happened.

I remember that day I was...

I had a strong feeling I was
thinking I should go over there,

and-and somehow help out.

But H was such

a new preacher, I felt I didn't
really have much to offer.

What?!

God called you to
service and you said no?

He never listens.

Well, Mr. Jedidiah K. Winslow,

God has called you again.

It's true.

It wasn't an accident that
I found you here today.

I can see that now.

Your name,
Winslow, is like theirs.

You like music like they did.

You love God like they did.

And you're looking for
some answers in your life

like a lady named Diana Winslow.

And... well, I'm not
exactly sure how yet,

but I do know that if you come
to Nashville with us, right now,

God is going to give
both Winslow families

the answers that
they've been looking for.

Nashville.

Have you lost your mind?

I like Nashville.

What?

I like Nashville.

Are you coming or not?

You know, this is no
way to run a church.

No, this is no way
to run a church.

No, siree, this is crazy.

Honestly, this is crazy.

This is just crazy; I'm not.

This is crazy;
I'm perfectly sane.

People coming in,
driving me crazy, mm-mm.

When we have this reunion,

I'm sure your grandma and
grandpa would want to come.

What about Uncle Jed?

Well, that's up to you.

Monica went to look for him,

but that doesn't
mean he has to come.

Who are you talking to?

Who is she talking to?

I'm talking to my son.