Touched by an Angel (1994–2003): Season 9, Episode 10 - The Christmas Watch - full transcript
The angels help the family of a World Trade Center victim to adjust to their loss.
Another year, another Christmas,
another tick of God's clock.
On Christmas Eve, I like
to look at God's glories:
the sky, tinseled with stars,
the moon, a silver
ornament He hung in space.
The wonders of His creation...
and the wonders man creates.
From the great lights of a city
to the smallest jewels
twinkling inside a pocket watch
in a little shop
in old New York.
Green cheese! The Frenchman?
The Frenchman.
Pallet fork, I suppose.
Possibly, possibly.
No, no, Christopher, let it be.
It's near day's end.
Clocks have struck
5:00 and all, huh?
Yes. I replace one more
hand, and then celebration.
Agnes, 5:00, the hour
for a ragtime song.
Oh, Oscar!
Ah, you're so demure.
In Brazil, we have a word
that perfectly describes Agnes,
but it cannot be translated.
Mmm, no, it cannot.
Yes, yes!
Finish off one more
watch, and then festivities.
Music of the season!
More to come, with comestibles.
Well, they're on their way:
the pudding, the
musicians, perhaps snow.
Deep and crisp and even.
Oh, cover it.
Cover it all up like a
blanket for Christmas.
Now, that would be a gift.
It's like a shop from
another time, Tess, isn't it?
Piltdown & Sons has been here
since my friend Millard
Fillmore bought a watch in here.
At Christmastime,
there's nothing
like the old things,
the old friends.
The world changes so quickly.
It's nice when
something doesn't.
Yes, the world
does change quickly,
especially in this neighborhood,
but Mr. Piltdown, he looks up
and he sees what
used to be here.
But Piltdown &
Sons is still here,
still making watches.
Well, as of 5:04 p.m., they are,
but the clock moves on, baby,
and this Christmas Eve,
the times are gonna
change for all of these people.
♪ 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. ♪
Oh, Gloria, bells have rung.
Many bells.
And they were lovely.
And two chimes
also, but, Gloria,
on Christmas Eve,
enough figures.
Figures can wait.
In a minute, we will
have food and music,
Christmas annual party and all.
You celebrate with us.
Oh, thank you.
And-and I really am almost done.
I-I just... it's... it's crucial
to see exactly where
your balance stands.
Ah, yes.
How does Piltdown
& Sons balance?
- A worthy question.
- Yeah.
Yeah, Piltdown.
Now, if I'm not mistaken,
uh, quite a
distinguished lineage?
Oh, I consider myself
the original Piltdown man.
Still upright and
walking the earth.
For many more
Christmases, I'm sure.
When your last
number is rung up,
it is time to wassail.
Do you wassail?
Occasionally.
Very good. See, we
have our little habits here.
Old habits.
Yes, like this... calculator.
Y-You know, it would go a
lot faster with a computer.
So I've been told, but no
matter what the machine,
the figures still come
out the same, don't they?
Yes.
I'm afraid so.
Oh, they're here, they're here.
Food and music, ahoy.
- Ah...
- Hello.
Let's set up over here,
and nobody gets
burned by the pudding.
Don't you worry about
my plum pudding.
It hasn't killed anybody yet.
Let me give you a hand.
Oh, thank you.
Tidings of the, uh, greetings
and merry and all that.
I'm Mr. Piltdown... Mr. P.
Merry Christmas,
Mr. Piltdown. I'm Monica.
We spoke on the phone.
Very distinctive voice.
Yes... of course.
And there's the harp.
Irish harp.
Irish, quite, yes.
And I'm Tess with the pudding.
And the songs.
Food and music. What
more do you need?
Christmas in Rio, we
had family, food and music.
It was enough.
One last watch.
Final touches, final
touches, my friends,
to the year's final
pocket watch,
and then the Christmas party.
Now, where-where...
where are we?
Oh, oh, yes, yes, uh, yes, uh,
a restoration job
for Mrs. Drake, eh?
Yes, yes, the fourth
pivot wheel was worn,
so I debushed it, drilled a
new hole and I deburred it.
Then I chamfered both sides.
And the steel
parts were snailed?
All done. Uh, I changed the
hands, called the messenger.
Very good, very good.
She wanted it engraved,
didn't she, Agnes?
Yes, Golden Hours,
for her husband.
Ah, Golden Hours,
set to... 5:12.
Then to it. Let's to it.
That's the setting chair.
Mr. P and his father
and his father's father sat
in that chair to set clocks.
5:12.
All done.
Ah, ah, here you
are, here you are,
just in time for delivery
to Bethune Street,
just in time to place
under the Christmas tree.
Here you are, sir, and a
merry Christmas to you,
and thank you.
Ah, yes, all right.
Here's to the season.
May it fill our hearts with
joy, and God bless us,
each and every one.
Each and every one.
Oh! Snow! Snow for Christmas.
Just in time!
Snow for the gift exchange.
Hop to! Hop to!
It always snowed in Derry.
In my mind, anyway.
I was young when we left.
Do you remember
those Irish Christmases?
I remember the family gathering.
Wherever you were, you
always came home for Christmas.
Home for Christmas.
However far-flung, we all
went to home at Christmas.
The wind howled through the
keyhole in our door in Derry.
Blew snowflakes three
feet into the hallway.
Yet I've never felt quite so
warm as I did on those nights.
We always put a
candle in the window.
For Joseph and
Mary, me mother said.
Yes.
If they were to wander
these streets tonight,
here's a light to guide
them to a safe place.
I only wish it were.
Doesn't feel so safe anymore.
I take the M-104 bus every day.
I used to get here at 8:30.
Now I get here at 10:00.
You never know, but
some fool might copy
the time the first plane hit.
There's a candle lit for
you, too, Christopher.
It lights every window
that you walk by.
I don't see it.
I haven't seen
it in over a year.
The annual mystery revealed.
Who did Agnes draw?
Every year, Agnes arranges
the office gift exchange,
and each year, we mysteriously
draw the same name.
Well, look at us.
The mathematical
possibilities are limited.
So, whose name did you
draw this year, Agnes?
How odd. She drew Oscar.
What could it be?
I don't know.
What could it possibly be?
Let's see.
Oh... What a surprise.
She makes him a tie every year.
He never wears ties.
Absolutely glamorous.
I'll tie it for you.
Oh, like you do every year.
You, um...
- You loop it around...
- Mm-hmm.
Like this.
I've only worn a tie once.
For the wedding
of a Chinese pirate.
Oh, really? The
one in Singapore?
No, Rangoon.
I was on a tramp
steamer with a load of silk
for the Sultan of Brunei.
And then you draw
it around again.
We were in the Java
Sea, strafed by AK-475,
and there he was,
a Chinese gangster
on a mosquito boat.
Oh, the things
you've seen, Oscar.
And then you, uh,
take it over like this.
- Mm-hmm.
- And you tighten it.
Oh.
After they looted our ship,
the Chinese captain
invited us to his wedding.
Isn't that a little tight?
- Oh, sorry.
- Mm-hmm.
Where does a pirate get married?
Borneo. Black-tie nuptials,
so I went. Why not?
Why not?!
- Is that better?
- Better.
There he was with his
bride, all in silk, fit for a king.
There.
You look fit for a king, Oscar.
Oh, you're sweet, Agnes.
Oh, well, Oscar,
you're so dashing.
Mmm!
We have a world
traveler in our midst.
Well, I've... crossed
the equator twice,
sailed the Bay of Bengal
and the Gulf of Guinea,
and I have found a home
in this little shop, finally.
Yes.
A home.
Yeah.
Um, maybe someday I'll...
I'll get used to
wearing a tie, eh?
Oh, it's much too
beautiful to wear, Agnes.
I'll... I'll keep it in the
closet with the others.
Does it have enough rum?
Oh, yes, enough
to make it delicious.
It could always
be more delicious.
No, that's enough.
Are you an expert
on plum pudding?
It runs in me family.
We have the touch, they say.
Oh, you have family here?
Long gone.
- No, this is my family.
- Mmm.
And a good one it is.
Auld lang syne, old
acquaintances never forgot.
Somehow I think you're an
old acquaintance, Monica.
We're kindred spirits.
We both work with our hands.
Days of auld lang syne.
My grandfather told me
Christmas Eve started
with the lamplighters.
They walked down the
street lighting lamp after lamp
like lighting the candles
on a Christmas tree.
How lovely.
And with the last lamp on
his street, the party began.
Ah.
So he was the one who taught you
how to throw such a
splendid Christmas party.
I try.
I try.
If I can keep this company
one little corner
of civilized life
in a world gone mad...
Ah, all done at last.
Are the figures to bed, then?
Yes.
Good. Well, then you join us.
You join us. You
have some eggnog,
have some wassail. You said...
Mr. Piltdown, uh,
actually I have some news.
Could we talk the
day after Christmas?
Let's talk now.
I don't want to
spoil your party.
Can't stop the second
hand, I always say.
Now, tell. Just tell.
No, I-I really don't think...
Yes, I insist.
Then you may wassail.
Well, I've gone over
your books thoroughly.
Well, good. I mean,
it was far too long.
You see...
Piltdown & Sons is bankrupt.
Bankrupt?
Would you like
to see the figures?
The last 18 months...
hard times, hard times.
Yes, it's been a struggle
for a lot of the small
downtown businesses.
Yeah, I've seen a lot go
under, but Piltdown & Sons...
I'd like to see those figures.
Would you mind
coming, too, Monica?
I don't know anything
about numbers.
But you understand how lovely
the lamplighters
were at Christmas.
And I... I need
a kindred spirit.
There's the interest
on the loan due.
You still have payments
outstanding for jewels
and mainsprings
and the back taxes.
I'm sorry.
Do I have enough
for a final payroll?
If-if you liquidate everything.
Oh, green cheese.
Oh, how can I tell
them on Christmas Eve?
I-I can't do it. I'll wait.
You know, Mr. P, when you
know that something's drawing
to an end, it can
make it sweeter.
You can savor it all the more.
If this is to be their
last Christmas together,
you wouldn't want to cheat
them out of relishing it, would you?
Time for the angel.
Here's our crown.
Oh, Tess, will
you do the honors?
Oh, I'm happy to put
the angel on the top.
A lot of time on this tree.
Time goes, you say? Ah, no.
Alas, time stays.
We go.
- Excuse me.
- Oh.
Merry Christmas, Mr. P.
Beautiful tree, yes?
Yes, yes, lovely.
I hope you like it.
Thank you, but, um...
What is it, Mr. P?
Ah, it's a day for
comfort and joy, not...
Well, it seems, uh...
Piltdown & Sons is bankrupt.
Oh, no.
Saints preserve us.
I'd put off accounting
for far too long.
It's all my fault, I suppose.
It was nothing that
Mr. Piltdown did.
This whole area
took a mighty blow.
A lot of shops
have closed already.
And he kept things going
even while debt piled up,
but the government needs taxes,
and the vendors'
bills are overdue,
and there's just no income.
No choice in the matter.
Haven't any.
So I shutter the
doors tonight...
for good.
I'm afraid this will be
our last Christmas party.
We're out of business.
There was really
nothing he could do.
He did his best.
I'm sure of it.
What will happen to
these poor people now?
Time will tell, baby.
I thought that they
should know, but now...
they may have had their
Christmas stolen from them.
There's time yet to
celebrate, and reason, too.
Now, I'm just a visitor here,
but I can see that this
little shop held a lot of love
for a lot of people, so
let's salute it while we can.
Merry Christmas, Mr. Piltdown.
- Hear, hear.
- Hear, hear.
Cheers.
Great. It's a party after all.
Would you like some more?
Sure.
Oh, you're drinking tonight.
That's another first.
If there ever was a
night... Mmm, yes!
Mmm, a night of nights!
You know, I never
thought I'd see it.
No, I never thought
it could ever happen.
So... what are you going to do,
get back up on the high seas?
Maybe.
Mmm, I've landed
on my feet before.
Yeah, you're good at that. Me...
Oh, no, New York
is full of jewelers.
Somebody must
need an engraver, no?
I guess.
So you really think
about leaving New York
and go off alone?
It's been a long
time since I saw Rio.
Is it beautiful?
Oh, yes.
I've never been
south of Baltimore.
Oh, you poor child.
No, no, you have to
see Rio before you die.
Dance in the Carnaval.
Oh, I don't dance.
Two left feet.
Not just one samba?
Maybe one, with the right man.
Agnes, you will find that man,
or he will be lucky
enough to find you.
Luck has never been my friend.
All things change.
Not for me.
Mmm. You know, Agnes,
you're always ticking
inside, but the...
the hands on the face,
they never change.
You... you are Agnes
the Untranslatable.
This is my life, Oscar.
I wake up at 6:00 a.m.,
and I turn on the TV
because then
there's another voice
inside the apartment
besides my own.
I feed a fish, one flake.
That's all he needs.
He's a lucky fish. One
flake, and he's happy.
Then I take the
number-one train downtown.
I get off on Chambers,
and I buy a regular coffee
and a bagel on the corner,
and then I come here,
and my life begins.
And at 5:00, when
the doors close, it ends,
and I have to leave.
I don't know what to say.
Do you want to know
what I'd like you to say?
What would you like me to say?
I'd like you to say,
"Agnes, your eyes
are deep and lovely,
"and I get weak in the knees
"every day you walk
through the door,
"and I feel giddy
when you smile at me,
and each night when you leave,
a light goes out in my heart."
That's what I'd like you to say.
Nobody's eating
the plum pudding.
Appetite went away somehow.
No business sense.
That was the problem.
Well, even a good
businessman can fail.
We needed a catalog.
A catalog of fine timepieces.
Let them buy
through the Internet.
He never had any business sense.
Did you ever tell
Mr. P about your idea?
Oh, yes.
And he said,
"Very nice, very
entrepreneurial.
That's the word,
isn't it? It's very..."
Ugh!
And then he never did anything.
Or rather, he kept doing
the same old things.
But I-I thought you liked
doing the same old things,
the old way of doing things.
You like it right
up to the grave.
When it comes to
it, he let us all down.
Look at me.
Who's gonna hire
an old guy like me?
Christopher Murphy,
there's a Whole city
out there full of jobs.
"Whole city."
Who knows what's out there?
Piltdown & Sons.
I'm the last son.
I failed to marry, failed
to have my own son,
and now I failed the business.
You were not the failure.
There... there were
things beyond your control.
You provided a
livelihood, a service
and a home for many years.
That's not failure.
I grew up here.
It's all I know, and now I've
let everybody down, Monica.
A bad mainspring
means a bad watch.
Oh, if you've come
to buy a watch, I'm...
I'm afraid we're closed.
Uh, no, sir, I'm not
here to buy anything,
and I'm sorry to disturb
your Christmas Eve.
My name is Andrew.
I work for the City of New York,
and we found
something that we hope
maybe you could help us with.
We're hoping that
Piltdown & Sons can, um,
help us track down the owner.
It's from Ground Zero.
It's beautiful.
Circles within circles of time.
It's one of ours, all right.
Engraving on the
bank's all scratched up,
but that's our Teardrop case.
Model 3055.
So, is there any way
to identify the buyer?
I always put a serial number on
the perimeter of the movement.
I'll get the ledger.
Careful, careful. It
has to be preserved.
Quite right, quite right.
Careful as a... as a relic.
Time stopped for
this watch at 8:46.
The exact time
the first plane hit.
Which made us think that
maybe the, uh, owner dropped it,
he was shocked, and
he left the watch behind
and somehow managed to escape.
So, possibly he's still alive?
That's what we're
trying to find out.
Wouldn't that be marvelous, now?
Here we go.
Uh, it's, uh...
it's-it's "947... 309."
I think that's an oh.
Here, uh, 947... 3090.
Teardrop model 3055,
sold to Joshua Wren
seven years ago.
Engraved on back:
"Joshua's Joy."
Joshua Wren.
I remember Joshua Wren!
- The young man with the new job.
- The brokerage house.
Yes, he got the
watch to celebrate.
A good job meant he'd
have enough money to marry.
There's a phone number.
Oh, I'll call.
Oh, wouldn't it be something?
We live in hope.
His address is
downtown, Liberty Plaza.
- Maybe...
- Maybe.
A little late to be calling
on Christmas Eve.
Well, it's only
6:27, by my watch.
And 6:29 by 83 others.
Say, that's one of ours.
Yeah. I bought it
here some years ago,
so I knew right where to come
when they handed
me the broken one.
Yes, yes, I'm-I'm sorry to
bother you on Christmas Eve.
You see, I'm calling from
Piltdown & Sons Watchmakers.
Well, a watch has been found.
We sold it to Joshua Wren.
That's right.
It was recovered.
We would like to
return it to you...
Oh.
Oh, um...
I'm so terribly
sorry, Mrs. Wren.
Oh, dear.
What a call for Christmas Eve.
What?
Why, yes, of course,
we'll... we'll have it...
we'll have it delivered.
Uh, are you sure?
Are you positive?
We're... We're at
48 St. Ann Street.
Yes, of course, we'll wait.
His w... his widow is
coming to get the watch.
Insisted on coming right down.
Saints preserve her.
So he did ask her, she said yes.
Oh, it's beautiful.
Did I tell you what that's from?
Well, it's to celebrate
your new job, right?
"He who binds to himself a
joy doth the winged life destroy,
"but he who kisses
the joy as it flies
lives in eternity's sunrise."
Blake.
I didn't know
brokers read Blake.
Oh, some of us do.
This watch doesn't
celebrate my job.
It means that I have
enough money to get married.
Or... at least I
hope she'll say yes.
So you're in love.
Oh, yeah.
It's a wonderful thing.
I've always imagined
it would be wonderful.
- I've never, um...
- Well, you know what?
I never thought it would
happen to me, either.
You know, I mean, look at
me. Am I Prince Charming?
Well, to one woman, maybe I am.
But just you wait.
You're a Sleeping Beauty
to someone out there.
Mark my words.
Live in hope.
I suggest a watch chain.
Adds a bit of
security, you know?
Gives a pickpocket
another lock to get through.
Well, if I put two locks
on everything I carry,
I'd be wearing my
own ball and chain.
Thanks, but I'd rather
walk out there unafraid.
Right.
Well, good luck to you, Joshua.
No, I don't need any more
luck. Life is already wonderful.
Ah, yes, but wait until
you're married, huh?
Well, what else is life for
except to love
and have children?
He just means it's a...
it's a big change
coming, Mr. Wren.
Every cell in our body
changes all the time.
Everything changes every
day whether we like it or not.
Might as well enjoy
the ride. Thanks.
Hello.
Hi.
Welcome.
Hello, Mrs. Wren. I'm Monica.
I'm Joy.
Your name is Joy?
Joy Wren.
Oh, I'm Agnes.
I engraved your husband's watch.
Oh.
And this man, Andrew, is the
man who brought the watch to us.
I work for the city, and
we're trying really hard
to identify and
return personal items.
Yes.
We had breakfast
together that morning
before Joshua went to work.
I wheeled Daniel
down in his stroller
to a Greek diner.
Daniel spilt a glass
of milk, and I got mad.
Joshua said, "He won't
be spilling milk forever.
Enjoy it while he does."
I remember after breakfast...
doing an errand downtown...
wheeling Daniel along, when...
I tried to get home,
but they were telling
everyone to go north.
I didn't get home
for five hours.
When I took Daniel
out of the stroller,
I-I saw it was
covered in white dust.
I couldn't bring
myself to wash it.
It sat like a sculpture in the
hallway for the longest time.
Like... like snow had
fallen that would never melt.
How is your little boy?
My mother came over tonight.
Daniel loves her.
He loves me.
But there was no
one like his daddy.
He used to crawl into
Josh's lap every night, and...
and Josh would read to
him, and then sing to him,
and then Daniel
would... he'd fall asleep
with his... with his
ear against this watch.
It had a... had a
funny ticktock, ticktock.
He used to say...
the ticktock...
he used to say the ticktock
was his daddy's heart ticking.
Please... can you fix it?
Can you get it running again?
Mrs. Wren, the works
are badly crushed.
It would be near impossible.
I'm so sorry.
Well, don't you
think you could try?
It would mean the world
to that little boy to wake up
Christmas morning
and-and... and hear
his father's watch go ticktock.
It would be like hearing
his heart beat once more.
Let's get to work.
A candle in the window,
it's a promise in the night.
I remember the rows and
rows of candles in Union Square.
I walked by, but
I never lit one.
I wasn't ready to give up hope.
Nor are these good people.
I should get home to Daniel.
We haven't hung
the stockings yet.
Do you want some
company for the walk?
Thank you.
That'd be nice.
And thank you all.
Merry Christmas.
My friends, in this room reside
decades of craft and
devotion and ability.
Now, we have before
us a task of great...
difficulty.
To some, it may
seem like a small thing,
but for one woman and her child,
the sound of a clock
ticking means all the world.
This is the last watch
we'll ever work on together.
Let's make this Piltdown
& Sons' finest hour.
♪♪
♪♪
♪♪
There.
All that's left is the setting.
There's no other group of people
in the world could've done this.
You know that, don't you?
You're the best a man
could have wished for.
So many years.
Well, final touches.
Final touches.
Set it at...
- 8:46.
- 8:46?
When I set this,
it's all over, isn't it?
We're through here.
We go out that door.
Out into the wide world.
I'm scared, Mr. P. I
don't want to be alone.
Oh, why did it
ever come to this?
God help me, what's
to become of us?
Wonderful things.
God has wonderful
things in store for all of you.
No, Monica, I think our
best days are behind us.
There's a world out there
that God has created,
a beautiful world.
Look at the morning sun,
the beam of light
through the window,
even the mote of
dust floating in its ray.
Look at the blanket of
snow covering this great city,
deep and crisp and even.
Look at all the
beauties of this world
that man has created
out of God's gifts.
Yes, awful things can happen,
have happened,
but the world is still
God's jeweled clock,
ticking with joy.
But for us, I think
our time is up.
Who knows how
much time anyone has?
It's not for you to know.
It's for God to know.
And God holds time in His hand,
just as he holds Joshua Wren.
Yes.
Think of Joshua.
He came into your
lives for perhaps an hour,
but he touched you all.
Agnes, because of
what Joshua said to you,
you haven't given
up the hope for love.
Oscar, he reminded you
of life's deepest meaning,
that it comes with a family.
Christopher Murphy,
he said to you, fear not.
And, Mr. P, he let you know
that change is inevitable.
Change is continuous.
Time stops for no man.
So set the clock for 8:46
and let open the doors to life.
Go on.
♪♪
Come here.
Merry Christmas.
Thank you.
It was our pleasure.
Gave us much happiness.
Merry Christmas, Daniel.
Come on.
I think we'll be going, too.
Wait a minute. We'll
walk out with you.
Merry Christmas,
Piltdown & Sons.
It's a beautiful day out there.
God bless you all.
Each and every one.
Oh, my gosh.
Saints preserve us.
We sold that watch to
Andrew 200 years ago.
Green cheese.
Could it be possible he was...?
They were all...?
Well, why not?
It's Christmas, isn't it?
There are miracles out there
on the streets of New York.
Let's go find them.
Another year, another Christmas.
We just came by to
say God loves you all,
each and every one.
another tick of God's clock.
On Christmas Eve, I like
to look at God's glories:
the sky, tinseled with stars,
the moon, a silver
ornament He hung in space.
The wonders of His creation...
and the wonders man creates.
From the great lights of a city
to the smallest jewels
twinkling inside a pocket watch
in a little shop
in old New York.
Green cheese! The Frenchman?
The Frenchman.
Pallet fork, I suppose.
Possibly, possibly.
No, no, Christopher, let it be.
It's near day's end.
Clocks have struck
5:00 and all, huh?
Yes. I replace one more
hand, and then celebration.
Agnes, 5:00, the hour
for a ragtime song.
Oh, Oscar!
Ah, you're so demure.
In Brazil, we have a word
that perfectly describes Agnes,
but it cannot be translated.
Mmm, no, it cannot.
Yes, yes!
Finish off one more
watch, and then festivities.
Music of the season!
More to come, with comestibles.
Well, they're on their way:
the pudding, the
musicians, perhaps snow.
Deep and crisp and even.
Oh, cover it.
Cover it all up like a
blanket for Christmas.
Now, that would be a gift.
It's like a shop from
another time, Tess, isn't it?
Piltdown & Sons has been here
since my friend Millard
Fillmore bought a watch in here.
At Christmastime,
there's nothing
like the old things,
the old friends.
The world changes so quickly.
It's nice when
something doesn't.
Yes, the world
does change quickly,
especially in this neighborhood,
but Mr. Piltdown, he looks up
and he sees what
used to be here.
But Piltdown &
Sons is still here,
still making watches.
Well, as of 5:04 p.m., they are,
but the clock moves on, baby,
and this Christmas Eve,
the times are gonna
change for all of these people.
♪ 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. ♪
Oh, Gloria, bells have rung.
Many bells.
And they were lovely.
And two chimes
also, but, Gloria,
on Christmas Eve,
enough figures.
Figures can wait.
In a minute, we will
have food and music,
Christmas annual party and all.
You celebrate with us.
Oh, thank you.
And-and I really am almost done.
I-I just... it's... it's crucial
to see exactly where
your balance stands.
Ah, yes.
How does Piltdown
& Sons balance?
- A worthy question.
- Yeah.
Yeah, Piltdown.
Now, if I'm not mistaken,
uh, quite a
distinguished lineage?
Oh, I consider myself
the original Piltdown man.
Still upright and
walking the earth.
For many more
Christmases, I'm sure.
When your last
number is rung up,
it is time to wassail.
Do you wassail?
Occasionally.
Very good. See, we
have our little habits here.
Old habits.
Yes, like this... calculator.
Y-You know, it would go a
lot faster with a computer.
So I've been told, but no
matter what the machine,
the figures still come
out the same, don't they?
Yes.
I'm afraid so.
Oh, they're here, they're here.
Food and music, ahoy.
- Ah...
- Hello.
Let's set up over here,
and nobody gets
burned by the pudding.
Don't you worry about
my plum pudding.
It hasn't killed anybody yet.
Let me give you a hand.
Oh, thank you.
Tidings of the, uh, greetings
and merry and all that.
I'm Mr. Piltdown... Mr. P.
Merry Christmas,
Mr. Piltdown. I'm Monica.
We spoke on the phone.
Very distinctive voice.
Yes... of course.
And there's the harp.
Irish harp.
Irish, quite, yes.
And I'm Tess with the pudding.
And the songs.
Food and music. What
more do you need?
Christmas in Rio, we
had family, food and music.
It was enough.
One last watch.
Final touches, final
touches, my friends,
to the year's final
pocket watch,
and then the Christmas party.
Now, where-where...
where are we?
Oh, oh, yes, yes, uh, yes, uh,
a restoration job
for Mrs. Drake, eh?
Yes, yes, the fourth
pivot wheel was worn,
so I debushed it, drilled a
new hole and I deburred it.
Then I chamfered both sides.
And the steel
parts were snailed?
All done. Uh, I changed the
hands, called the messenger.
Very good, very good.
She wanted it engraved,
didn't she, Agnes?
Yes, Golden Hours,
for her husband.
Ah, Golden Hours,
set to... 5:12.
Then to it. Let's to it.
That's the setting chair.
Mr. P and his father
and his father's father sat
in that chair to set clocks.
5:12.
All done.
Ah, ah, here you
are, here you are,
just in time for delivery
to Bethune Street,
just in time to place
under the Christmas tree.
Here you are, sir, and a
merry Christmas to you,
and thank you.
Ah, yes, all right.
Here's to the season.
May it fill our hearts with
joy, and God bless us,
each and every one.
Each and every one.
Oh! Snow! Snow for Christmas.
Just in time!
Snow for the gift exchange.
Hop to! Hop to!
It always snowed in Derry.
In my mind, anyway.
I was young when we left.
Do you remember
those Irish Christmases?
I remember the family gathering.
Wherever you were, you
always came home for Christmas.
Home for Christmas.
However far-flung, we all
went to home at Christmas.
The wind howled through the
keyhole in our door in Derry.
Blew snowflakes three
feet into the hallway.
Yet I've never felt quite so
warm as I did on those nights.
We always put a
candle in the window.
For Joseph and
Mary, me mother said.
Yes.
If they were to wander
these streets tonight,
here's a light to guide
them to a safe place.
I only wish it were.
Doesn't feel so safe anymore.
I take the M-104 bus every day.
I used to get here at 8:30.
Now I get here at 10:00.
You never know, but
some fool might copy
the time the first plane hit.
There's a candle lit for
you, too, Christopher.
It lights every window
that you walk by.
I don't see it.
I haven't seen
it in over a year.
The annual mystery revealed.
Who did Agnes draw?
Every year, Agnes arranges
the office gift exchange,
and each year, we mysteriously
draw the same name.
Well, look at us.
The mathematical
possibilities are limited.
So, whose name did you
draw this year, Agnes?
How odd. She drew Oscar.
What could it be?
I don't know.
What could it possibly be?
Let's see.
Oh... What a surprise.
She makes him a tie every year.
He never wears ties.
Absolutely glamorous.
I'll tie it for you.
Oh, like you do every year.
You, um...
- You loop it around...
- Mm-hmm.
Like this.
I've only worn a tie once.
For the wedding
of a Chinese pirate.
Oh, really? The
one in Singapore?
No, Rangoon.
I was on a tramp
steamer with a load of silk
for the Sultan of Brunei.
And then you draw
it around again.
We were in the Java
Sea, strafed by AK-475,
and there he was,
a Chinese gangster
on a mosquito boat.
Oh, the things
you've seen, Oscar.
And then you, uh,
take it over like this.
- Mm-hmm.
- And you tighten it.
Oh.
After they looted our ship,
the Chinese captain
invited us to his wedding.
Isn't that a little tight?
- Oh, sorry.
- Mm-hmm.
Where does a pirate get married?
Borneo. Black-tie nuptials,
so I went. Why not?
Why not?!
- Is that better?
- Better.
There he was with his
bride, all in silk, fit for a king.
There.
You look fit for a king, Oscar.
Oh, you're sweet, Agnes.
Oh, well, Oscar,
you're so dashing.
Mmm!
We have a world
traveler in our midst.
Well, I've... crossed
the equator twice,
sailed the Bay of Bengal
and the Gulf of Guinea,
and I have found a home
in this little shop, finally.
Yes.
A home.
Yeah.
Um, maybe someday I'll...
I'll get used to
wearing a tie, eh?
Oh, it's much too
beautiful to wear, Agnes.
I'll... I'll keep it in the
closet with the others.
Does it have enough rum?
Oh, yes, enough
to make it delicious.
It could always
be more delicious.
No, that's enough.
Are you an expert
on plum pudding?
It runs in me family.
We have the touch, they say.
Oh, you have family here?
Long gone.
- No, this is my family.
- Mmm.
And a good one it is.
Auld lang syne, old
acquaintances never forgot.
Somehow I think you're an
old acquaintance, Monica.
We're kindred spirits.
We both work with our hands.
Days of auld lang syne.
My grandfather told me
Christmas Eve started
with the lamplighters.
They walked down the
street lighting lamp after lamp
like lighting the candles
on a Christmas tree.
How lovely.
And with the last lamp on
his street, the party began.
Ah.
So he was the one who taught you
how to throw such a
splendid Christmas party.
I try.
I try.
If I can keep this company
one little corner
of civilized life
in a world gone mad...
Ah, all done at last.
Are the figures to bed, then?
Yes.
Good. Well, then you join us.
You join us. You
have some eggnog,
have some wassail. You said...
Mr. Piltdown, uh,
actually I have some news.
Could we talk the
day after Christmas?
Let's talk now.
I don't want to
spoil your party.
Can't stop the second
hand, I always say.
Now, tell. Just tell.
No, I-I really don't think...
Yes, I insist.
Then you may wassail.
Well, I've gone over
your books thoroughly.
Well, good. I mean,
it was far too long.
You see...
Piltdown & Sons is bankrupt.
Bankrupt?
Would you like
to see the figures?
The last 18 months...
hard times, hard times.
Yes, it's been a struggle
for a lot of the small
downtown businesses.
Yeah, I've seen a lot go
under, but Piltdown & Sons...
I'd like to see those figures.
Would you mind
coming, too, Monica?
I don't know anything
about numbers.
But you understand how lovely
the lamplighters
were at Christmas.
And I... I need
a kindred spirit.
There's the interest
on the loan due.
You still have payments
outstanding for jewels
and mainsprings
and the back taxes.
I'm sorry.
Do I have enough
for a final payroll?
If-if you liquidate everything.
Oh, green cheese.
Oh, how can I tell
them on Christmas Eve?
I-I can't do it. I'll wait.
You know, Mr. P, when you
know that something's drawing
to an end, it can
make it sweeter.
You can savor it all the more.
If this is to be their
last Christmas together,
you wouldn't want to cheat
them out of relishing it, would you?
Time for the angel.
Here's our crown.
Oh, Tess, will
you do the honors?
Oh, I'm happy to put
the angel on the top.
A lot of time on this tree.
Time goes, you say? Ah, no.
Alas, time stays.
We go.
- Excuse me.
- Oh.
Merry Christmas, Mr. P.
Beautiful tree, yes?
Yes, yes, lovely.
I hope you like it.
Thank you, but, um...
What is it, Mr. P?
Ah, it's a day for
comfort and joy, not...
Well, it seems, uh...
Piltdown & Sons is bankrupt.
Oh, no.
Saints preserve us.
I'd put off accounting
for far too long.
It's all my fault, I suppose.
It was nothing that
Mr. Piltdown did.
This whole area
took a mighty blow.
A lot of shops
have closed already.
And he kept things going
even while debt piled up,
but the government needs taxes,
and the vendors'
bills are overdue,
and there's just no income.
No choice in the matter.
Haven't any.
So I shutter the
doors tonight...
for good.
I'm afraid this will be
our last Christmas party.
We're out of business.
There was really
nothing he could do.
He did his best.
I'm sure of it.
What will happen to
these poor people now?
Time will tell, baby.
I thought that they
should know, but now...
they may have had their
Christmas stolen from them.
There's time yet to
celebrate, and reason, too.
Now, I'm just a visitor here,
but I can see that this
little shop held a lot of love
for a lot of people, so
let's salute it while we can.
Merry Christmas, Mr. Piltdown.
- Hear, hear.
- Hear, hear.
Cheers.
Great. It's a party after all.
Would you like some more?
Sure.
Oh, you're drinking tonight.
That's another first.
If there ever was a
night... Mmm, yes!
Mmm, a night of nights!
You know, I never
thought I'd see it.
No, I never thought
it could ever happen.
So... what are you going to do,
get back up on the high seas?
Maybe.
Mmm, I've landed
on my feet before.
Yeah, you're good at that. Me...
Oh, no, New York
is full of jewelers.
Somebody must
need an engraver, no?
I guess.
So you really think
about leaving New York
and go off alone?
It's been a long
time since I saw Rio.
Is it beautiful?
Oh, yes.
I've never been
south of Baltimore.
Oh, you poor child.
No, no, you have to
see Rio before you die.
Dance in the Carnaval.
Oh, I don't dance.
Two left feet.
Not just one samba?
Maybe one, with the right man.
Agnes, you will find that man,
or he will be lucky
enough to find you.
Luck has never been my friend.
All things change.
Not for me.
Mmm. You know, Agnes,
you're always ticking
inside, but the...
the hands on the face,
they never change.
You... you are Agnes
the Untranslatable.
This is my life, Oscar.
I wake up at 6:00 a.m.,
and I turn on the TV
because then
there's another voice
inside the apartment
besides my own.
I feed a fish, one flake.
That's all he needs.
He's a lucky fish. One
flake, and he's happy.
Then I take the
number-one train downtown.
I get off on Chambers,
and I buy a regular coffee
and a bagel on the corner,
and then I come here,
and my life begins.
And at 5:00, when
the doors close, it ends,
and I have to leave.
I don't know what to say.
Do you want to know
what I'd like you to say?
What would you like me to say?
I'd like you to say,
"Agnes, your eyes
are deep and lovely,
"and I get weak in the knees
"every day you walk
through the door,
"and I feel giddy
when you smile at me,
and each night when you leave,
a light goes out in my heart."
That's what I'd like you to say.
Nobody's eating
the plum pudding.
Appetite went away somehow.
No business sense.
That was the problem.
Well, even a good
businessman can fail.
We needed a catalog.
A catalog of fine timepieces.
Let them buy
through the Internet.
He never had any business sense.
Did you ever tell
Mr. P about your idea?
Oh, yes.
And he said,
"Very nice, very
entrepreneurial.
That's the word,
isn't it? It's very..."
Ugh!
And then he never did anything.
Or rather, he kept doing
the same old things.
But I-I thought you liked
doing the same old things,
the old way of doing things.
You like it right
up to the grave.
When it comes to
it, he let us all down.
Look at me.
Who's gonna hire
an old guy like me?
Christopher Murphy,
there's a Whole city
out there full of jobs.
"Whole city."
Who knows what's out there?
Piltdown & Sons.
I'm the last son.
I failed to marry, failed
to have my own son,
and now I failed the business.
You were not the failure.
There... there were
things beyond your control.
You provided a
livelihood, a service
and a home for many years.
That's not failure.
I grew up here.
It's all I know, and now I've
let everybody down, Monica.
A bad mainspring
means a bad watch.
Oh, if you've come
to buy a watch, I'm...
I'm afraid we're closed.
Uh, no, sir, I'm not
here to buy anything,
and I'm sorry to disturb
your Christmas Eve.
My name is Andrew.
I work for the City of New York,
and we found
something that we hope
maybe you could help us with.
We're hoping that
Piltdown & Sons can, um,
help us track down the owner.
It's from Ground Zero.
It's beautiful.
Circles within circles of time.
It's one of ours, all right.
Engraving on the
bank's all scratched up,
but that's our Teardrop case.
Model 3055.
So, is there any way
to identify the buyer?
I always put a serial number on
the perimeter of the movement.
I'll get the ledger.
Careful, careful. It
has to be preserved.
Quite right, quite right.
Careful as a... as a relic.
Time stopped for
this watch at 8:46.
The exact time
the first plane hit.
Which made us think that
maybe the, uh, owner dropped it,
he was shocked, and
he left the watch behind
and somehow managed to escape.
So, possibly he's still alive?
That's what we're
trying to find out.
Wouldn't that be marvelous, now?
Here we go.
Uh, it's, uh...
it's-it's "947... 309."
I think that's an oh.
Here, uh, 947... 3090.
Teardrop model 3055,
sold to Joshua Wren
seven years ago.
Engraved on back:
"Joshua's Joy."
Joshua Wren.
I remember Joshua Wren!
- The young man with the new job.
- The brokerage house.
Yes, he got the
watch to celebrate.
A good job meant he'd
have enough money to marry.
There's a phone number.
Oh, I'll call.
Oh, wouldn't it be something?
We live in hope.
His address is
downtown, Liberty Plaza.
- Maybe...
- Maybe.
A little late to be calling
on Christmas Eve.
Well, it's only
6:27, by my watch.
And 6:29 by 83 others.
Say, that's one of ours.
Yeah. I bought it
here some years ago,
so I knew right where to come
when they handed
me the broken one.
Yes, yes, I'm-I'm sorry to
bother you on Christmas Eve.
You see, I'm calling from
Piltdown & Sons Watchmakers.
Well, a watch has been found.
We sold it to Joshua Wren.
That's right.
It was recovered.
We would like to
return it to you...
Oh.
Oh, um...
I'm so terribly
sorry, Mrs. Wren.
Oh, dear.
What a call for Christmas Eve.
What?
Why, yes, of course,
we'll... we'll have it...
we'll have it delivered.
Uh, are you sure?
Are you positive?
We're... We're at
48 St. Ann Street.
Yes, of course, we'll wait.
His w... his widow is
coming to get the watch.
Insisted on coming right down.
Saints preserve her.
So he did ask her, she said yes.
Oh, it's beautiful.
Did I tell you what that's from?
Well, it's to celebrate
your new job, right?
"He who binds to himself a
joy doth the winged life destroy,
"but he who kisses
the joy as it flies
lives in eternity's sunrise."
Blake.
I didn't know
brokers read Blake.
Oh, some of us do.
This watch doesn't
celebrate my job.
It means that I have
enough money to get married.
Or... at least I
hope she'll say yes.
So you're in love.
Oh, yeah.
It's a wonderful thing.
I've always imagined
it would be wonderful.
- I've never, um...
- Well, you know what?
I never thought it would
happen to me, either.
You know, I mean, look at
me. Am I Prince Charming?
Well, to one woman, maybe I am.
But just you wait.
You're a Sleeping Beauty
to someone out there.
Mark my words.
Live in hope.
I suggest a watch chain.
Adds a bit of
security, you know?
Gives a pickpocket
another lock to get through.
Well, if I put two locks
on everything I carry,
I'd be wearing my
own ball and chain.
Thanks, but I'd rather
walk out there unafraid.
Right.
Well, good luck to you, Joshua.
No, I don't need any more
luck. Life is already wonderful.
Ah, yes, but wait until
you're married, huh?
Well, what else is life for
except to love
and have children?
He just means it's a...
it's a big change
coming, Mr. Wren.
Every cell in our body
changes all the time.
Everything changes every
day whether we like it or not.
Might as well enjoy
the ride. Thanks.
Hello.
Hi.
Welcome.
Hello, Mrs. Wren. I'm Monica.
I'm Joy.
Your name is Joy?
Joy Wren.
Oh, I'm Agnes.
I engraved your husband's watch.
Oh.
And this man, Andrew, is the
man who brought the watch to us.
I work for the city, and
we're trying really hard
to identify and
return personal items.
Yes.
We had breakfast
together that morning
before Joshua went to work.
I wheeled Daniel
down in his stroller
to a Greek diner.
Daniel spilt a glass
of milk, and I got mad.
Joshua said, "He won't
be spilling milk forever.
Enjoy it while he does."
I remember after breakfast...
doing an errand downtown...
wheeling Daniel along, when...
I tried to get home,
but they were telling
everyone to go north.
I didn't get home
for five hours.
When I took Daniel
out of the stroller,
I-I saw it was
covered in white dust.
I couldn't bring
myself to wash it.
It sat like a sculpture in the
hallway for the longest time.
Like... like snow had
fallen that would never melt.
How is your little boy?
My mother came over tonight.
Daniel loves her.
He loves me.
But there was no
one like his daddy.
He used to crawl into
Josh's lap every night, and...
and Josh would read to
him, and then sing to him,
and then Daniel
would... he'd fall asleep
with his... with his
ear against this watch.
It had a... had a
funny ticktock, ticktock.
He used to say...
the ticktock...
he used to say the ticktock
was his daddy's heart ticking.
Please... can you fix it?
Can you get it running again?
Mrs. Wren, the works
are badly crushed.
It would be near impossible.
I'm so sorry.
Well, don't you
think you could try?
It would mean the world
to that little boy to wake up
Christmas morning
and-and... and hear
his father's watch go ticktock.
It would be like hearing
his heart beat once more.
Let's get to work.
A candle in the window,
it's a promise in the night.
I remember the rows and
rows of candles in Union Square.
I walked by, but
I never lit one.
I wasn't ready to give up hope.
Nor are these good people.
I should get home to Daniel.
We haven't hung
the stockings yet.
Do you want some
company for the walk?
Thank you.
That'd be nice.
And thank you all.
Merry Christmas.
My friends, in this room reside
decades of craft and
devotion and ability.
Now, we have before
us a task of great...
difficulty.
To some, it may
seem like a small thing,
but for one woman and her child,
the sound of a clock
ticking means all the world.
This is the last watch
we'll ever work on together.
Let's make this Piltdown
& Sons' finest hour.
♪♪
♪♪
♪♪
There.
All that's left is the setting.
There's no other group of people
in the world could've done this.
You know that, don't you?
You're the best a man
could have wished for.
So many years.
Well, final touches.
Final touches.
Set it at...
- 8:46.
- 8:46?
When I set this,
it's all over, isn't it?
We're through here.
We go out that door.
Out into the wide world.
I'm scared, Mr. P. I
don't want to be alone.
Oh, why did it
ever come to this?
God help me, what's
to become of us?
Wonderful things.
God has wonderful
things in store for all of you.
No, Monica, I think our
best days are behind us.
There's a world out there
that God has created,
a beautiful world.
Look at the morning sun,
the beam of light
through the window,
even the mote of
dust floating in its ray.
Look at the blanket of
snow covering this great city,
deep and crisp and even.
Look at all the
beauties of this world
that man has created
out of God's gifts.
Yes, awful things can happen,
have happened,
but the world is still
God's jeweled clock,
ticking with joy.
But for us, I think
our time is up.
Who knows how
much time anyone has?
It's not for you to know.
It's for God to know.
And God holds time in His hand,
just as he holds Joshua Wren.
Yes.
Think of Joshua.
He came into your
lives for perhaps an hour,
but he touched you all.
Agnes, because of
what Joshua said to you,
you haven't given
up the hope for love.
Oscar, he reminded you
of life's deepest meaning,
that it comes with a family.
Christopher Murphy,
he said to you, fear not.
And, Mr. P, he let you know
that change is inevitable.
Change is continuous.
Time stops for no man.
So set the clock for 8:46
and let open the doors to life.
Go on.
♪♪
Come here.
Merry Christmas.
Thank you.
It was our pleasure.
Gave us much happiness.
Merry Christmas, Daniel.
Come on.
I think we'll be going, too.
Wait a minute. We'll
walk out with you.
Merry Christmas,
Piltdown & Sons.
It's a beautiful day out there.
God bless you all.
Each and every one.
Oh, my gosh.
Saints preserve us.
We sold that watch to
Andrew 200 years ago.
Green cheese.
Could it be possible he was...?
They were all...?
Well, why not?
It's Christmas, isn't it?
There are miracles out there
on the streets of New York.
Let's go find them.
Another year, another Christmas.
We just came by to
say God loves you all,
each and every one.