Dispatches From Elsewhere (2020) s01e02 Episode Script
Simone
1 You can do this.
You can do this.
You're disgusting.
Pull it together.
You don't even care.
Remember? This is fun.
You deserve to have fun.
Black trans lives matter! Protect trans women! We have the right to resist.
So much love staring her right in the face, and yet she turns and runs away.
This is Simone.
Think of Simone as you.
Simone is you if you woke up every morning believing today would be the day you could finally be happy, not realizing that you were the only obstacle standing in your way.
Simone is you if you never truly felt a part of anything.
Simone is you if, your whole life, you felt like you'd been invited by mistake.
Simone is you if you finally worked up the courage to do the one thing you knew was going to make everything different, the thing that would at last fill the hole that had been silently growing within, only to find something terrifying waiting on the other side.
You still felt exactly the same.
Simone is you if you were beginning to wonder if maybe, just maybe, you're always going to feel alone.
Does it really have to say "woman impressionist"? I've never heard them say "Rodin, male sculptor.
" Have you? I think they were trying to highlight I don't need you transplaining to me.
"Berthe Morisot, Impressionist" would have been just fine.
Put me on a wall next to Renoir, and let history decide.
Son of a bitch stole all my moves.
That's not exactly true, but What do you know about it? I have an art degree.
"I have an art degree.
" Easy, Berthe.
Hey, um Can I ask you something? [Normal voice Hit me.
In all your paintings, you're alone.
But are you, like lonely? Or are you comfortable knowing that you're this boundary-busting woman, making her way in a man's world? Are you hoping I co-sign your whole solitude thing? Maybe.
I am not lonely.
I am married to Manet.
I painted our whole family.
They're in the next room.
You work here.
You know that.
Look, I'm art.
I will be whatever you want me to be, but seriously, girlfriend, don't you think it's time that you - Simone.
- Jesus! Carl! When you sneak up on somebody and whisper their name, it is incredibly creepy.
Well, you're whispering, too.
That's because it's the rules.
And because you're my boss and because I haven't said anything out loud yet today.
He is way, way, way too close.
Carl, he's just, like an old-timey man or, like, a vampire trying to enjoy the art.
- What is the big deal? - Simone, you have two jobs one to give people information about the art, and, two, don't let people get way, way, way too close.
Go.
Sir Sir, I'm gonna have to ask you to step away from the painting.
Sir? Sir, I'm gonna need you to Jesus Christ! How did you get in here like that? Hmm.
Oh, my God.
It's the game.
The game is back.
I really needed this today.
You have no idea.
Okay, what's next? Uh, are you the clue? Are we finding Clara? Do I have to dance? Because I mean, I might get fired, but I will dance.
Come on, clue, please.
Come on, clue, clue, clue, clue, clue.
Let's go.
Where are you going? Bigfoot.
Bigfoot.
Bigfoot! Bigfoot, please! "If your power feels gone and you wish that it weren't, look to the east for the flow of the current.
You'll need some new tools and a ticket to ride.
Don't look outward for answers.
The truth lies inside.
" Power? Current? Oldenburg? The truth lies inside.
Fish Food.
- Hi.
- Hi.
Look up.
- Oh! Hi.
Okay.
What are you - Hey.
- Hi.
What are you doing here? - We got a clue.
- Remember the game? - How did you get in here? 'Cause you're not wearing a badge, and there's protocol.
I just said I was here to see you and that I wanted to make it a surprise.
Oh, by the way, from now on, today is your birthday.
You seem really uncomfortable.
Well, I'm embarrassed.
Oh.
I'm sorry, yeah.
- Uh, I should - My work This is my work, and it's it's really boring here.
- I don't want you to see me this way.
- Huh? - It's really boring here, and I'm - O Oh? I'm embarrassed that you're seeing me like this.
- Oh.
I thought - Sorry.
- I'm really happy to see you.
- Okay.
- Sorry I got weird.
- Okay.
This This is gonna be fun.
Okay.
Remember fun? - Yeah, I do.
- Okay.
What do you think these are for? - Fish Food.
I don't know what that is.
- Me neither.
Peter, someone dropped this off for you.
Happy birthday, by the way.
Thank you.
Okay.
"I'm starving, but I'm a picky eater.
I only eat at home.
" Okay.
So, think.
Where does a fish live? Um, pet store, aquarium, a river, ocean.
A-Are we just supposed to find every body of water in Philly until we find this robot fish's house? Peter.
I think I know where this fish lives.
- Yes! - Yes.
- Yes! - Yeah.
- Go, Peter! - Yes.
Yeah, dude.
That is the spirit.
Let's do it.
Next stop, Sprew Street So, about this job of yours - Oh, yeah.
- You act all embarrassed.
I don't know why.
You work in music.
That's cool as hell.
Actually, I work in data, not in music.
I categorize and label.
The data happens to be about music, but honestly, it could be anything.
Oh.
Well, what kind of music do you listen to? I don't really have a strong preference.
Like, if there's music on somewhere, I accept it.
Do you own a CD? Or, like, a tape or a record? No.
Oh, actually, that's not entirely true.
I once had to drive to a funeral in Maryland, and someone had left a CD in the car that I rented from Avis, so when I tried to return it, they said they didn't want it.
I got to keep the CD, so, yeah, I listen to that sometimes.
- Okay.
- Yeah.
- Now we're getting somewhere.
- Yeah, yeah, yeah.
What CD was it? Um, "Les Misérables," original London cast.
Okay.
That is cool.
Oh, good.
What about you? What about me? Like, I don't know.
What do you do for work? Oh.
I'm a docent.
I work at the museum.
Oh, wow! That is super cool.
I don't know what a docent is, but Um I answer questions about the art.
- I have an art degree.
- Wow.
I was gonna go back for my master's, but I I had to drop out.
Why? Uh just, like, life stuff.
Uh Let's not talk for a little while.
Next stop you tensing up and saying something unintentionally mean for no reason.
For your safety, watch your step.
I'm sorry.
I'm in a weird mood today.
I'm like bitter Amelie or something.
Oh.
Y You're fine.
"Anomaly.
" What? I Well, I think it's pronounced "anomaly.
" I don't want to be grammar police.
Oh.
- Amelie? - Right.
You keep saying "Amelie" but you're missing the "noma.
" "Anomaly.
" You've never seen the French film "Amelie," have you? No.
Peter, you are a trip.
Look, the point is, today is gonna be great.
We are gonna have a blast.
Deal? Yeah, deal.
Peter.
Well done, sir.
Should we feed the little guy? Oh, yes, yes, yes.
I like to do the ups first and then the downs second.
Ready? 3, 2, 1, fish.
You know maybe the batteries are dead or, like Hey, down here.
It's me, Clara.
Thank goodness you're here.
I've been hiding a long time.
The truth is, I've been hiding so long, I've forgotten where I am, and I need you to find me.
What do you say? Come on, let's take to the streets.
I've got some things to show you.
So, here we are, taking it from the top.
This is where I grew up.
Fishtown's a lot nicer than when I lived here.
You definitely wouldn't want to be here at night, or even in the day, really, but even then, it was magic.
Take a look around.
There's magic everywhere, once you learn how to see it.
Maybe you're not buying this.
Maybe you're not seeing the magic quite yet.
Sometimes, you just need a new pair of glasses.
At least that's what Mr.
Salazar always said.
Good ol' Mr.
Salazar.
Say hi to him for me if you see him.
Okay.
So, we're supposed to explore Fishtown.
That'll help us find Clara.
Maybe this is, like, a a scavenger hunt or something.
It's Amelie.
Peter, you don't even have to see it now.
We are in frickin' Amelie.
Except instead of Paris, it's Philly, - but what are you gonna do? - Right.
- No, that's true.
- Okay, clues.
Clues.
Think.
Think.
Think.
"Sometimes, you just need a new pair of glasses.
" Yes.
So We need to find the Fishtown optometrist.
Yes! Yes! I hope not, because that sounds like such a boring adventure.
- Yeah.
- Okay.
Think.
Mr.
Salazar.
Glasses I think I've got it.
I think I may be a genius.
I've been a-backin' it up too doggone long I just a-wonder if people can for my summer sun Tonight I'm gonna freak This locked up soul inside of me - I'm gonna kick off my - MAN: How can I help you? Your finest new pair of glasses, Mr.
Salazar.
You're friends of hers, huh? Do you know where she is? No, not yet, but her voice is in this fish.
Sounds about right.
If you find her, will you give her a message for me? Yes.
Of course.
Tell her we don't need her anymore.
Tell her old Sal said thanks for nothing.
She broke her promise! She Take your change and get out of here.
- But we haven't given you - Get out of here! I'm going.
- You're really good.
- Mm.
Hello.
- Hey.
- Hi.
I know that that was an overreaction, but he scared me.
- I saw that.
- Yeah.
Why do you think he's so mad at Clara? I don't know, but I bet you we find out.
Feel like a drink? It's the It's the afternoon.
Suit yourself, but if you care to join me, it's on old Sal.
Do the dance.
Reunited, and it feels so good Reunited 'cause we understood There's one perfect fit And, sugar, this one is it I don't know what this is supposed to be.
Right.
Of course you don't.
Show him the fish.
Great.
I still don't know what you're talking about.
This fish matches your fish.
A fish is a fish.
You want a drink or not? I sat here starin' at the same old wall How about now? That was "Reunited" by Peaches & Herb.
Up next, Simone making a fool of herself yet again.
Hey.
A-Are you okay? Yeah, yeah.
I just Sorry, I just was so sure.
Sir, Clara sent us? Let it go.
They're watching.
Who? The Jejune Institute.
Oh.
Well, couldn't that just be a grown man having a midday chocolate milk? I can't help you.
I have a family.
It's not worth the risk.
You're going to have to look Elsewhere.
I unders I'm sorry that we bothered you.
Let's This is He has a family.
Have a very good day, indeed.
Take the back exit.
Past the bathrooms.
Don't forget your coin.
Wait.
Look.
The coin.
Ooh! Whoa.
Holy crap.
This must be, like, the Elsewhere Society clubhouse or headquarters or something.
It's so, so cool.
Yeah.
It's pretty damn cool.
This must be where they, um keep in shape for their missions.
You're very literal.
Yeah.
Thank you.
Hey, see where that other cord leads.
Okay.
This goes on a a head.
It scares me.
Put it on me.
What? Put it on my head.
I mean, okay.
Are you sure? Yeah.
Okay.
Okay, I'll do the back first.
Get it on there.
Oh, I'm very close to your face.
Yeah.
It's okay.
Okay.
What now? Uh P-Pedal.
Okay.
Hey.
If this works, then I think that we need to at least acknowledge the possibility that I'm right and this is real.
Can we agree on that? Sure.
Pedal.
Okay.
It's fuzzy.
Well, what does it look like? It's an animation.
I It's either, like, too far away or too close.
It's red and blue.
Red and blue.
The new pair of glasses.
Simone, put on the the new pair of glasses.
Okay.
Agents of Nonchalance, welcome to the headquarters of the Elsewhere Society.
I'm your humble servant, Commander 14, current spokesperson for this clandestine band of determinedly optimistic misfits.
While we have no organized leadership, you may think of me as your skipper, honcho, chairperson, padrone, or sachem.
All these informal titles I accept with great humility and care.
Today, fellow Nonchalants, I am pleased to be your guide through this short but informative auto-flip entitled This presentation will be comprised of three easy-to-understand and informative sections.
Section one! The Elsewhere Society is a disorganized collective of currently human souls dedicated to the preservation and reverse obfuscation of the beauty entitled to us by the very nature of our membership in the divine wonders of existence.
Is this clear? Excellent.
Moving on.
Section two! Our mission is to nurture the divine ember of our movement, the one who will help bring Elsewhere to every corner of humanity Clara.
Of utmost urgency is to protect her from the opportunistic and greed-driven clutches of the amoral and corrupt Jejune Institute, led by the power-mad Octavio Coleman, Esquire.
Got it? Good.
Next! One by one, our fellow citizens are seduced by the myth that Elsewhere is beyond the reach of the ordinary woman and man, that we are not enough, that we are unworthy, unlovable, incapable, or just plain too busy.
Some have come to believe that Elsewhere itself is a myth.
Others have bought into the fallacy that there is only so much Elsewhere to go around.
Too many of us believe that the answer is not to join the safari but instead buy a ticket to the zoo.
Remember not to leave without your T-shirt, plush toy, and Animal Crackers.
Crunch! Cruuuu Wait.
Wait.
Some Something's wrong.
I know.
I'm just so tired.
Keep pedaling.
It's almost over.
Okay.
Okay.
Oh, God.
Oh, my goodness, gracious.
ruuunch! But not us, my friends.
We must rise above, climb to the tallest rooftop, behold the golden dome, and gaze down at the beauty below, uncorrupted by the burden of commerce and see the world for what it is.
Carry the message.
Elsewhere is ripe for the taking.
Join us.
Join the resistance! Follow the setting sun and find her! Find Clara! And victory will be ours! It's over.
Oh, my God.
Thank God.
That was amazing.
Peter, that was, like, one of the I feel like you're in better shape than this.
I was pedaling so, so fast.
You couldn't see.
You had the easy job.
You're right.
You're right.
You want to switch? Yes, yes.
Oh, okay.
Oh, come on! What is What's happening? It's Jejune! Run! - Grab the fish! - Come on! I wish I would've seen it.
- It was unreal.
- Yeah.
Thanks for taking one for the team.
Oh, yeah, of course.
So, it said to follow the setting sun.
Yeah, that's west.
I got this.
What? Oh, I don't know.
I guess I'm just having fun.
- Me too.
- Yeah.
- I'm having a nice time.
- I'm glad.
What's your favorite part? Um You know that voice that either tells you you're doing great or you're a piece of shit? I'm not sure.
Lucky you.
Well, right now, she's quiet.
Also, I guess I like that if anybody's looking at us, it's just 'cause you're holding a fish.
Maybe in regular life if people are looking at you, it's 'cause you're very pretty.
Peter.
Are you afraid of heights? Probably.
Why? Oh! That's so much exercise today.
Yeah, no kiddin'.
What now? Um The flip movie said to - climb to the highest rooftop.
- Okay.
Cast your gaze on a golden dome and behold the beauty below.
- So - Okay.
So we we need a golden dome.
There it is.
Right? - Yeah, that's that's it.
- Yeah.
Okay.
Shall we? Uh That's okay.
You can, um You can go ahead.
Wait, are you afraid of heights? I'm not afraid of heights.
I just don't love heights.
Okay, I-I'll scout on our behalf.
You should come look at this.
You can just describe it.
I don't think I can.
I-I really think that you should come see it.
I know.
Simone, I'll be a human guardrail.
Just by my performance on the bike, I'm I'm truly very strong.
Please.
Trust me.
Push the button.
Funny what you can find once you know where to look, huh? We used to come up here to think, to imagine, to dream about the future.
It was a little hard to see something brighter was possible, so we decided to prove it.
I was scared the first time I said it out loud.
"I can see magic here.
" I was scared no one would understand or that people might even laugh at me, but then I realized magic isn't any fun if you're alone.
What do you say we give it a try? There must be something you're holding inside that you're too afraid to say out loud.
What if you just said it and learned it wasn't so scary after all? Turn to your partner.
Go on.
I'll wait.
Now, look at your new friend and say the thing you've been holding inside.
Release it from your grip and let it float away.
Sorry, I don't know if I know how to do this.
But I'll try.
I haven't had a feeling that I can distinguish in a very, very long time.
And then I met you, and I felt something.
And I don't know what I'm supposed to call that thing, but I do know that I heard music when I saw you after I danced with Bigfoot.
Not figuratively.
Literal music.
At the time, I thought I might've been having a stroke.
Now, I think it might just have been really really nice.
Please don't mess this up for me again.
I can't do this.
- Oh.
- I'm sorry.
Oh, that's okay.
I need to go.
Uh, okay.
So, we know that Clara was this incredible artist.
Um, that style is called, uh, trompe l'oeil, FYI.
And, um The Elsewhere Society we know that they're this group of cool kids who care about freedom and beauty and fighting against The Man and all that.
So should we ask the fish what's next? I'm gonna go back to work.
Um, I had a very nice day, and I'm ready to be alone now.
So I'm gonna give you this fish, and I'm sure that I'll see you again.
Don't you want to finish? Simone? Is that you, sweetie? Yes, Nana.
Come say hi for a minute.
I haven't seen your face today.
Give me some company, would you? What happened? What do you mean? You're making the "I hate myself" face.
Talk to me.
It's like when I'm alone, I can do it.
I start to feel like maybe I have a handle on this thing life or whatever.
And then the second you add other people into the mix, it becomes clear that I have no idea what I'm doing.
Every time Olivia Benson gets a new partner, there's an adjustment period.
People are all different.
Everyone has things that will bug the hell out of you if you decide that's who they are.
But people are more than just the crap they carry around.
Okay.
But what if it's not other people's crap? What if it's my crap? I didn't have any friends before.
I still don't have any friends.
Maybe I'm just doomed to be this terrible misanthrope who never lets themselves be happy.
Well, that's your load of crap.
The thing about crap is, trying to hide it doesn't really do you much good.
- You know why? - Why? Because it stinks.
Like shit.
Crap stinks like shit, even if you've got it hidden in a bag.
You got nothing to lose by just being honest and saying, "Hey, I just want to tell everyone I've got a crap in this bag, and it stinks.
" Does it solve your problem? No.
But at least you're all on the same team.
Does this make any sense to you at all? Yeah.
- Thank you, Nana.
- Mm.
Friends? Maybe.
Right now, it's just a bunch of people who can smell my bag of crap.
Trust me.
Try it out "Hey, ladies and gentlemen, my name is Simone, and it's my ass that stinks.
" Ohh.
- Only in my dreams - FREDWYNN: Where is he? I am not gonna miss a game element.
H-He's been 10 minutes.
Just chill out.
He might be mad about something or something.
I don't How should I know? You should know.
He's your partner.
Hey, guys.
Now cut it out, really.
I'm gonna have to take this game away from you.
- Refill? - No.
No, I'm having tea.
Oh! "The time is nigh.
Choose your path.
" Jejune shareholders meeting.
Oh, well this is a no-brainer.
- We go to the protest.
- What? - Elsewhere are the good guys.
- No! No, we become shareholders.
Elsewhere are the troublemakers.
Weren't you even listening today? Yeah.
The cartoon? The mural? I think they made it pretty clear.
Cartoon? W-What mural? No, no! Fredwynn and I went to a library, a community college, a children's museum all philanthropic projects that have been funded by the Jejune Institute.
Really.
They're doing such great work.
Fredwynn and I, we we had a wonderful day.
Didn't we have a wonderful day? Yes, we did.
We had a wonderful day.
Look, guys, the Elsewhere guys are all about freedom and beauty and anti-capitalist greed.
I mean, what is there to discuss? No, they're they're like the Occupy kids.
Remember? They were all protest and no solution.
"All right, Occupy people, you have our attention what do you want?" "Uhhhh" No.
Don't buy into that whole Elsewhere propaganda.
It's a fantasy.
Jejune is the real world.
Why can't the real world be more like Elsewhere? They're trying to divide us.
They want us to choose.
- We can do both.
- Oh, no, Fredwynn, it clearly says in the text here th I refuse to acknowledge false dictatorial constructs.
Protest is at 7:00.
The shareholders meeting is at 7:30.
That's 20 minutes away on foot if one walks at a sprightly pace, which I always do.
We can do both.
Get twice the information, be twice as informed as those lemmings out there choosing sides.
Can we agree that I'm right? - Well, I-I m I me - I take that as a yes.
- Let's go.
- Okay.
Wish Peter was here.
- Me too.
- I'll text him.
- He gave you his number? - I did a reverse trace.
I have all your numbers.
- Well - Let's go.
Oh.
"Clara, Clara! She will save us! Down, down, down! Down with Octavio! Okay.
I'm gonna infiltrate the crowd and gather as much information as I can, okay? - Me Me too.
- And then we got to hustle.
Yeah.
We're a real team now.
I'm gonna knit hats with everybody's name on wha? - Are you gonna be all right? - I'm good.
I'm good.
Go.
Fredwynn! Fredwynn, don't leave me! Fredwynn! Peter! Peter! Peter! Peter! Hey.
It's me Simone.
I left you hanging earlier today and I'm really sorry.
What you said was brave, and I acted like I didn't like it.
To be clear, it was really sweet.
I The truth is, I'm just not ready to do that.
I-I felt uncomfortable.
And I still do.
But I guess that's just gonna have to be okay because that's the truth.
But what I am ready to say is that I'm a mess.
I'm not ready to handle, like, anything.
This game is the first time that I've ever felt comfortable and happy, maybe ever.
And I just can't mess that up.
I can't trade that for flirting, because then that'll get messed up like it always does, and and I'll have to leave the game because I hate your face.
I don't want that, because I like the game, and I like your face.
So can we maybe just keep this friendly and have fun so I don't freak out? Thank you.
Thanks for that.
Yeah.
Thank you.
Sorry I've been acting so weird.
Uh I get nervous.
I'm gonna try to relax.
Cool.
Where's Janice and Fredwynn? Oh, um Fredwynn! Fredwynn! Fredwynn! Fredwynn, where are you?! - Hey, Janice.
- Fredwynn! He's gone.
I don't know where he is.
Fredwynn! Fredwy Eh? Fredwynn, no! No! Get out of the car! Get out of the car! Aah! They've got him.
They got him! Oh, lord.
Oh! Excuse us! Excuse us! A medical emergency.
Excuse us! I don't know what this is, but pedal.
- Okay.
- We're coming, Fredwynn! They've got my partner.
- I'm not gonna let him go.
- What is happening? - Go! - Okay, I got it.
Pedal! Pedal! Pedal! Pedal.
Come on! Goooo Now, my friends, the time has come to picture Janice as you.
You can do this.
You're disgusting.
Pull it together.
You don't even care.
Remember? This is fun.
You deserve to have fun.
Black trans lives matter! Protect trans women! We have the right to resist.
So much love staring her right in the face, and yet she turns and runs away.
This is Simone.
Think of Simone as you.
Simone is you if you woke up every morning believing today would be the day you could finally be happy, not realizing that you were the only obstacle standing in your way.
Simone is you if you never truly felt a part of anything.
Simone is you if, your whole life, you felt like you'd been invited by mistake.
Simone is you if you finally worked up the courage to do the one thing you knew was going to make everything different, the thing that would at last fill the hole that had been silently growing within, only to find something terrifying waiting on the other side.
You still felt exactly the same.
Simone is you if you were beginning to wonder if maybe, just maybe, you're always going to feel alone.
Does it really have to say "woman impressionist"? I've never heard them say "Rodin, male sculptor.
" Have you? I think they were trying to highlight I don't need you transplaining to me.
"Berthe Morisot, Impressionist" would have been just fine.
Put me on a wall next to Renoir, and let history decide.
Son of a bitch stole all my moves.
That's not exactly true, but What do you know about it? I have an art degree.
"I have an art degree.
" Easy, Berthe.
Hey, um Can I ask you something? [Normal voice Hit me.
In all your paintings, you're alone.
But are you, like lonely? Or are you comfortable knowing that you're this boundary-busting woman, making her way in a man's world? Are you hoping I co-sign your whole solitude thing? Maybe.
I am not lonely.
I am married to Manet.
I painted our whole family.
They're in the next room.
You work here.
You know that.
Look, I'm art.
I will be whatever you want me to be, but seriously, girlfriend, don't you think it's time that you - Simone.
- Jesus! Carl! When you sneak up on somebody and whisper their name, it is incredibly creepy.
Well, you're whispering, too.
That's because it's the rules.
And because you're my boss and because I haven't said anything out loud yet today.
He is way, way, way too close.
Carl, he's just, like an old-timey man or, like, a vampire trying to enjoy the art.
- What is the big deal? - Simone, you have two jobs one to give people information about the art, and, two, don't let people get way, way, way too close.
Go.
Sir Sir, I'm gonna have to ask you to step away from the painting.
Sir? Sir, I'm gonna need you to Jesus Christ! How did you get in here like that? Hmm.
Oh, my God.
It's the game.
The game is back.
I really needed this today.
You have no idea.
Okay, what's next? Uh, are you the clue? Are we finding Clara? Do I have to dance? Because I mean, I might get fired, but I will dance.
Come on, clue, please.
Come on, clue, clue, clue, clue, clue.
Let's go.
Where are you going? Bigfoot.
Bigfoot.
Bigfoot! Bigfoot, please! "If your power feels gone and you wish that it weren't, look to the east for the flow of the current.
You'll need some new tools and a ticket to ride.
Don't look outward for answers.
The truth lies inside.
" Power? Current? Oldenburg? The truth lies inside.
Fish Food.
- Hi.
- Hi.
Look up.
- Oh! Hi.
Okay.
What are you - Hey.
- Hi.
What are you doing here? - We got a clue.
- Remember the game? - How did you get in here? 'Cause you're not wearing a badge, and there's protocol.
I just said I was here to see you and that I wanted to make it a surprise.
Oh, by the way, from now on, today is your birthday.
You seem really uncomfortable.
Well, I'm embarrassed.
Oh.
I'm sorry, yeah.
- Uh, I should - My work This is my work, and it's it's really boring here.
- I don't want you to see me this way.
- Huh? - It's really boring here, and I'm - O Oh? I'm embarrassed that you're seeing me like this.
- Oh.
I thought - Sorry.
- I'm really happy to see you.
- Okay.
- Sorry I got weird.
- Okay.
This This is gonna be fun.
Okay.
Remember fun? - Yeah, I do.
- Okay.
What do you think these are for? - Fish Food.
I don't know what that is.
- Me neither.
Peter, someone dropped this off for you.
Happy birthday, by the way.
Thank you.
Okay.
"I'm starving, but I'm a picky eater.
I only eat at home.
" Okay.
So, think.
Where does a fish live? Um, pet store, aquarium, a river, ocean.
A-Are we just supposed to find every body of water in Philly until we find this robot fish's house? Peter.
I think I know where this fish lives.
- Yes! - Yes.
- Yes! - Yeah.
- Go, Peter! - Yes.
Yeah, dude.
That is the spirit.
Let's do it.
Next stop, Sprew Street So, about this job of yours - Oh, yeah.
- You act all embarrassed.
I don't know why.
You work in music.
That's cool as hell.
Actually, I work in data, not in music.
I categorize and label.
The data happens to be about music, but honestly, it could be anything.
Oh.
Well, what kind of music do you listen to? I don't really have a strong preference.
Like, if there's music on somewhere, I accept it.
Do you own a CD? Or, like, a tape or a record? No.
Oh, actually, that's not entirely true.
I once had to drive to a funeral in Maryland, and someone had left a CD in the car that I rented from Avis, so when I tried to return it, they said they didn't want it.
I got to keep the CD, so, yeah, I listen to that sometimes.
- Okay.
- Yeah.
- Now we're getting somewhere.
- Yeah, yeah, yeah.
What CD was it? Um, "Les Misérables," original London cast.
Okay.
That is cool.
Oh, good.
What about you? What about me? Like, I don't know.
What do you do for work? Oh.
I'm a docent.
I work at the museum.
Oh, wow! That is super cool.
I don't know what a docent is, but Um I answer questions about the art.
- I have an art degree.
- Wow.
I was gonna go back for my master's, but I I had to drop out.
Why? Uh just, like, life stuff.
Uh Let's not talk for a little while.
Next stop you tensing up and saying something unintentionally mean for no reason.
For your safety, watch your step.
I'm sorry.
I'm in a weird mood today.
I'm like bitter Amelie or something.
Oh.
Y You're fine.
"Anomaly.
" What? I Well, I think it's pronounced "anomaly.
" I don't want to be grammar police.
Oh.
- Amelie? - Right.
You keep saying "Amelie" but you're missing the "noma.
" "Anomaly.
" You've never seen the French film "Amelie," have you? No.
Peter, you are a trip.
Look, the point is, today is gonna be great.
We are gonna have a blast.
Deal? Yeah, deal.
Peter.
Well done, sir.
Should we feed the little guy? Oh, yes, yes, yes.
I like to do the ups first and then the downs second.
Ready? 3, 2, 1, fish.
You know maybe the batteries are dead or, like Hey, down here.
It's me, Clara.
Thank goodness you're here.
I've been hiding a long time.
The truth is, I've been hiding so long, I've forgotten where I am, and I need you to find me.
What do you say? Come on, let's take to the streets.
I've got some things to show you.
So, here we are, taking it from the top.
This is where I grew up.
Fishtown's a lot nicer than when I lived here.
You definitely wouldn't want to be here at night, or even in the day, really, but even then, it was magic.
Take a look around.
There's magic everywhere, once you learn how to see it.
Maybe you're not buying this.
Maybe you're not seeing the magic quite yet.
Sometimes, you just need a new pair of glasses.
At least that's what Mr.
Salazar always said.
Good ol' Mr.
Salazar.
Say hi to him for me if you see him.
Okay.
So, we're supposed to explore Fishtown.
That'll help us find Clara.
Maybe this is, like, a a scavenger hunt or something.
It's Amelie.
Peter, you don't even have to see it now.
We are in frickin' Amelie.
Except instead of Paris, it's Philly, - but what are you gonna do? - Right.
- No, that's true.
- Okay, clues.
Clues.
Think.
Think.
Think.
"Sometimes, you just need a new pair of glasses.
" Yes.
So We need to find the Fishtown optometrist.
Yes! Yes! I hope not, because that sounds like such a boring adventure.
- Yeah.
- Okay.
Think.
Mr.
Salazar.
Glasses I think I've got it.
I think I may be a genius.
I've been a-backin' it up too doggone long I just a-wonder if people can for my summer sun Tonight I'm gonna freak This locked up soul inside of me - I'm gonna kick off my - MAN: How can I help you? Your finest new pair of glasses, Mr.
Salazar.
You're friends of hers, huh? Do you know where she is? No, not yet, but her voice is in this fish.
Sounds about right.
If you find her, will you give her a message for me? Yes.
Of course.
Tell her we don't need her anymore.
Tell her old Sal said thanks for nothing.
She broke her promise! She Take your change and get out of here.
- But we haven't given you - Get out of here! I'm going.
- You're really good.
- Mm.
Hello.
- Hey.
- Hi.
I know that that was an overreaction, but he scared me.
- I saw that.
- Yeah.
Why do you think he's so mad at Clara? I don't know, but I bet you we find out.
Feel like a drink? It's the It's the afternoon.
Suit yourself, but if you care to join me, it's on old Sal.
Do the dance.
Reunited, and it feels so good Reunited 'cause we understood There's one perfect fit And, sugar, this one is it I don't know what this is supposed to be.
Right.
Of course you don't.
Show him the fish.
Great.
I still don't know what you're talking about.
This fish matches your fish.
A fish is a fish.
You want a drink or not? I sat here starin' at the same old wall How about now? That was "Reunited" by Peaches & Herb.
Up next, Simone making a fool of herself yet again.
Hey.
A-Are you okay? Yeah, yeah.
I just Sorry, I just was so sure.
Sir, Clara sent us? Let it go.
They're watching.
Who? The Jejune Institute.
Oh.
Well, couldn't that just be a grown man having a midday chocolate milk? I can't help you.
I have a family.
It's not worth the risk.
You're going to have to look Elsewhere.
I unders I'm sorry that we bothered you.
Let's This is He has a family.
Have a very good day, indeed.
Take the back exit.
Past the bathrooms.
Don't forget your coin.
Wait.
Look.
The coin.
Ooh! Whoa.
Holy crap.
This must be, like, the Elsewhere Society clubhouse or headquarters or something.
It's so, so cool.
Yeah.
It's pretty damn cool.
This must be where they, um keep in shape for their missions.
You're very literal.
Yeah.
Thank you.
Hey, see where that other cord leads.
Okay.
This goes on a a head.
It scares me.
Put it on me.
What? Put it on my head.
I mean, okay.
Are you sure? Yeah.
Okay.
Okay, I'll do the back first.
Get it on there.
Oh, I'm very close to your face.
Yeah.
It's okay.
Okay.
What now? Uh P-Pedal.
Okay.
Hey.
If this works, then I think that we need to at least acknowledge the possibility that I'm right and this is real.
Can we agree on that? Sure.
Pedal.
Okay.
It's fuzzy.
Well, what does it look like? It's an animation.
I It's either, like, too far away or too close.
It's red and blue.
Red and blue.
The new pair of glasses.
Simone, put on the the new pair of glasses.
Okay.
Agents of Nonchalance, welcome to the headquarters of the Elsewhere Society.
I'm your humble servant, Commander 14, current spokesperson for this clandestine band of determinedly optimistic misfits.
While we have no organized leadership, you may think of me as your skipper, honcho, chairperson, padrone, or sachem.
All these informal titles I accept with great humility and care.
Today, fellow Nonchalants, I am pleased to be your guide through this short but informative auto-flip entitled This presentation will be comprised of three easy-to-understand and informative sections.
Section one! The Elsewhere Society is a disorganized collective of currently human souls dedicated to the preservation and reverse obfuscation of the beauty entitled to us by the very nature of our membership in the divine wonders of existence.
Is this clear? Excellent.
Moving on.
Section two! Our mission is to nurture the divine ember of our movement, the one who will help bring Elsewhere to every corner of humanity Clara.
Of utmost urgency is to protect her from the opportunistic and greed-driven clutches of the amoral and corrupt Jejune Institute, led by the power-mad Octavio Coleman, Esquire.
Got it? Good.
Next! One by one, our fellow citizens are seduced by the myth that Elsewhere is beyond the reach of the ordinary woman and man, that we are not enough, that we are unworthy, unlovable, incapable, or just plain too busy.
Some have come to believe that Elsewhere itself is a myth.
Others have bought into the fallacy that there is only so much Elsewhere to go around.
Too many of us believe that the answer is not to join the safari but instead buy a ticket to the zoo.
Remember not to leave without your T-shirt, plush toy, and Animal Crackers.
Crunch! Cruuuu Wait.
Wait.
Some Something's wrong.
I know.
I'm just so tired.
Keep pedaling.
It's almost over.
Okay.
Okay.
Oh, God.
Oh, my goodness, gracious.
ruuunch! But not us, my friends.
We must rise above, climb to the tallest rooftop, behold the golden dome, and gaze down at the beauty below, uncorrupted by the burden of commerce and see the world for what it is.
Carry the message.
Elsewhere is ripe for the taking.
Join us.
Join the resistance! Follow the setting sun and find her! Find Clara! And victory will be ours! It's over.
Oh, my God.
Thank God.
That was amazing.
Peter, that was, like, one of the I feel like you're in better shape than this.
I was pedaling so, so fast.
You couldn't see.
You had the easy job.
You're right.
You're right.
You want to switch? Yes, yes.
Oh, okay.
Oh, come on! What is What's happening? It's Jejune! Run! - Grab the fish! - Come on! I wish I would've seen it.
- It was unreal.
- Yeah.
Thanks for taking one for the team.
Oh, yeah, of course.
So, it said to follow the setting sun.
Yeah, that's west.
I got this.
What? Oh, I don't know.
I guess I'm just having fun.
- Me too.
- Yeah.
- I'm having a nice time.
- I'm glad.
What's your favorite part? Um You know that voice that either tells you you're doing great or you're a piece of shit? I'm not sure.
Lucky you.
Well, right now, she's quiet.
Also, I guess I like that if anybody's looking at us, it's just 'cause you're holding a fish.
Maybe in regular life if people are looking at you, it's 'cause you're very pretty.
Peter.
Are you afraid of heights? Probably.
Why? Oh! That's so much exercise today.
Yeah, no kiddin'.
What now? Um The flip movie said to - climb to the highest rooftop.
- Okay.
Cast your gaze on a golden dome and behold the beauty below.
- So - Okay.
So we we need a golden dome.
There it is.
Right? - Yeah, that's that's it.
- Yeah.
Okay.
Shall we? Uh That's okay.
You can, um You can go ahead.
Wait, are you afraid of heights? I'm not afraid of heights.
I just don't love heights.
Okay, I-I'll scout on our behalf.
You should come look at this.
You can just describe it.
I don't think I can.
I-I really think that you should come see it.
I know.
Simone, I'll be a human guardrail.
Just by my performance on the bike, I'm I'm truly very strong.
Please.
Trust me.
Push the button.
Funny what you can find once you know where to look, huh? We used to come up here to think, to imagine, to dream about the future.
It was a little hard to see something brighter was possible, so we decided to prove it.
I was scared the first time I said it out loud.
"I can see magic here.
" I was scared no one would understand or that people might even laugh at me, but then I realized magic isn't any fun if you're alone.
What do you say we give it a try? There must be something you're holding inside that you're too afraid to say out loud.
What if you just said it and learned it wasn't so scary after all? Turn to your partner.
Go on.
I'll wait.
Now, look at your new friend and say the thing you've been holding inside.
Release it from your grip and let it float away.
Sorry, I don't know if I know how to do this.
But I'll try.
I haven't had a feeling that I can distinguish in a very, very long time.
And then I met you, and I felt something.
And I don't know what I'm supposed to call that thing, but I do know that I heard music when I saw you after I danced with Bigfoot.
Not figuratively.
Literal music.
At the time, I thought I might've been having a stroke.
Now, I think it might just have been really really nice.
Please don't mess this up for me again.
I can't do this.
- Oh.
- I'm sorry.
Oh, that's okay.
I need to go.
Uh, okay.
So, we know that Clara was this incredible artist.
Um, that style is called, uh, trompe l'oeil, FYI.
And, um The Elsewhere Society we know that they're this group of cool kids who care about freedom and beauty and fighting against The Man and all that.
So should we ask the fish what's next? I'm gonna go back to work.
Um, I had a very nice day, and I'm ready to be alone now.
So I'm gonna give you this fish, and I'm sure that I'll see you again.
Don't you want to finish? Simone? Is that you, sweetie? Yes, Nana.
Come say hi for a minute.
I haven't seen your face today.
Give me some company, would you? What happened? What do you mean? You're making the "I hate myself" face.
Talk to me.
It's like when I'm alone, I can do it.
I start to feel like maybe I have a handle on this thing life or whatever.
And then the second you add other people into the mix, it becomes clear that I have no idea what I'm doing.
Every time Olivia Benson gets a new partner, there's an adjustment period.
People are all different.
Everyone has things that will bug the hell out of you if you decide that's who they are.
But people are more than just the crap they carry around.
Okay.
But what if it's not other people's crap? What if it's my crap? I didn't have any friends before.
I still don't have any friends.
Maybe I'm just doomed to be this terrible misanthrope who never lets themselves be happy.
Well, that's your load of crap.
The thing about crap is, trying to hide it doesn't really do you much good.
- You know why? - Why? Because it stinks.
Like shit.
Crap stinks like shit, even if you've got it hidden in a bag.
You got nothing to lose by just being honest and saying, "Hey, I just want to tell everyone I've got a crap in this bag, and it stinks.
" Does it solve your problem? No.
But at least you're all on the same team.
Does this make any sense to you at all? Yeah.
- Thank you, Nana.
- Mm.
Friends? Maybe.
Right now, it's just a bunch of people who can smell my bag of crap.
Trust me.
Try it out "Hey, ladies and gentlemen, my name is Simone, and it's my ass that stinks.
" Ohh.
- Only in my dreams - FREDWYNN: Where is he? I am not gonna miss a game element.
H-He's been 10 minutes.
Just chill out.
He might be mad about something or something.
I don't How should I know? You should know.
He's your partner.
Hey, guys.
Now cut it out, really.
I'm gonna have to take this game away from you.
- Refill? - No.
No, I'm having tea.
Oh! "The time is nigh.
Choose your path.
" Jejune shareholders meeting.
Oh, well this is a no-brainer.
- We go to the protest.
- What? - Elsewhere are the good guys.
- No! No, we become shareholders.
Elsewhere are the troublemakers.
Weren't you even listening today? Yeah.
The cartoon? The mural? I think they made it pretty clear.
Cartoon? W-What mural? No, no! Fredwynn and I went to a library, a community college, a children's museum all philanthropic projects that have been funded by the Jejune Institute.
Really.
They're doing such great work.
Fredwynn and I, we we had a wonderful day.
Didn't we have a wonderful day? Yes, we did.
We had a wonderful day.
Look, guys, the Elsewhere guys are all about freedom and beauty and anti-capitalist greed.
I mean, what is there to discuss? No, they're they're like the Occupy kids.
Remember? They were all protest and no solution.
"All right, Occupy people, you have our attention what do you want?" "Uhhhh" No.
Don't buy into that whole Elsewhere propaganda.
It's a fantasy.
Jejune is the real world.
Why can't the real world be more like Elsewhere? They're trying to divide us.
They want us to choose.
- We can do both.
- Oh, no, Fredwynn, it clearly says in the text here th I refuse to acknowledge false dictatorial constructs.
Protest is at 7:00.
The shareholders meeting is at 7:30.
That's 20 minutes away on foot if one walks at a sprightly pace, which I always do.
We can do both.
Get twice the information, be twice as informed as those lemmings out there choosing sides.
Can we agree that I'm right? - Well, I-I m I me - I take that as a yes.
- Let's go.
- Okay.
Wish Peter was here.
- Me too.
- I'll text him.
- He gave you his number? - I did a reverse trace.
I have all your numbers.
- Well - Let's go.
Oh.
"Clara, Clara! She will save us! Down, down, down! Down with Octavio! Okay.
I'm gonna infiltrate the crowd and gather as much information as I can, okay? - Me Me too.
- And then we got to hustle.
Yeah.
We're a real team now.
I'm gonna knit hats with everybody's name on wha? - Are you gonna be all right? - I'm good.
I'm good.
Go.
Fredwynn! Fredwynn, don't leave me! Fredwynn! Peter! Peter! Peter! Peter! Hey.
It's me Simone.
I left you hanging earlier today and I'm really sorry.
What you said was brave, and I acted like I didn't like it.
To be clear, it was really sweet.
I The truth is, I'm just not ready to do that.
I-I felt uncomfortable.
And I still do.
But I guess that's just gonna have to be okay because that's the truth.
But what I am ready to say is that I'm a mess.
I'm not ready to handle, like, anything.
This game is the first time that I've ever felt comfortable and happy, maybe ever.
And I just can't mess that up.
I can't trade that for flirting, because then that'll get messed up like it always does, and and I'll have to leave the game because I hate your face.
I don't want that, because I like the game, and I like your face.
So can we maybe just keep this friendly and have fun so I don't freak out? Thank you.
Thanks for that.
Yeah.
Thank you.
Sorry I've been acting so weird.
Uh I get nervous.
I'm gonna try to relax.
Cool.
Where's Janice and Fredwynn? Oh, um Fredwynn! Fredwynn! Fredwynn! Fredwynn, where are you?! - Hey, Janice.
- Fredwynn! He's gone.
I don't know where he is.
Fredwynn! Fredwy Eh? Fredwynn, no! No! Get out of the car! Get out of the car! Aah! They've got him.
They got him! Oh, lord.
Oh! Excuse us! Excuse us! A medical emergency.
Excuse us! I don't know what this is, but pedal.
- Okay.
- We're coming, Fredwynn! They've got my partner.
- I'm not gonna let him go.
- What is happening? - Go! - Okay, I got it.
Pedal! Pedal! Pedal! Pedal.
Come on! Goooo Now, my friends, the time has come to picture Janice as you.