Now and Again (1999) s01e02 Episode Script

1
NARRATOR:
Before on Now and Again:
Hey, old buddy.
Give me news. Give me news.
Give me news.
They just decided.
Craig Spence is gonna run
the division.
MORRIS:
Let me be the first to tell you,
you had a beautiful funeral,
Mr. Wiseman.
MICHAEL:
Am I alive? Am I dead?
What am I?
Right now, what you are
is a middle-aged brain
hooked up to some extremely
sophisticated computers
that let me hear
what you think you're saying.
The United States government has
since the conclusion of World War II
spent billions of dollars researching
all sorts of bioengineering techniques
in the hopes of one day
actually being able to build a man.
An American man.
A man who can do those things mere
mortal American men are loathe to do:
Travel in dangerous places,
take risks, wage wars.
Well, I know what you're thinking.
"What's the catch"?
And, of course, there is a catch.
You may have no contact of any kind
with anyone who you knew
in your first life. Ever.
You reaching out to anyone
from your past
absolutely guarantees
your immediate and final death,
and the death of whomever
you confided in.
I need you to tell me
you understand and agree to that.
Lisee.
MAN: And what is it you're hoping
to accomplish by applying for welfare?
Money. I am hoping to accomplish
the getting of money.
You think you're the person
the government had in mind
when it established this program?
- I'm sorry?
- Well, according to our investigation,
you live in a beautiful home,
you drive a late-model car,
and your husband left you
and your daughter
a considerable sum in insurance.
Why in the world
would we give you public assistance?
I have no money?
- Mrs. Wiseman--
- No.
The house has a mortgage.
The car has no gas.
Insurance company wants me
to spend thousands of dollars fighting
in court before they'll give me anything.
And my daughter insists
on eating and wearing clothes.
Well, perhaps you should
think about getting a job.
Did you attend college?
Yes. Yes, I did. And I have been
checking the want ads.
Unfortunately, where I live,
all the good art historian positions
are taken.
There are other jobs.
Entry-level positions.
Fast food. Maintenance.
Certain segments
of the home health care industry.
All those jobs pay minimum wage.
If all I earn is minimum wage,
I will lose everything.
My house, my car. Everything.
True.
But then I can help you.
Quite a punch.
MICHAEL:
Hey, champ.
- Champ, you're all right, right?
MAN:- Champ.
He's gonna be all right, right?
[MAN SCREECHING]
Great.
I'm fighting Gallagher?
[CHAINSAW REVVING]
There's no limit to what we can do.
Excuse me.
I hate to rain on your parade,
but I think we have a problem.
Oh, my.
You think we can make an exception
this once
and just let Michael do his business
with the other boys in the locker room?
I need a team to run Mr. Wiseman
back to the townhouse.
Our tax dollars at work.
Sorry to put you through this, fellas.
If it was up to me, I'd go anywhere.
All I need is five minutes
and something to read,
but, well, you know the doc.
I've never been surrounded
by bodyguards before.
Professional bodyguards.
It's gotta be strange
getting up in the morning
knowing that someone
might take a shot at you.
You don't--?
You don't take it personally, do you?
You know, when someone
That's good.
[ALL GRUNTING]
Now, see that?
You're taking it personally.
[YELLS]
Sorry.
What are you doing?
You know how much he's worth?
They don't want him dead.
Doesn't matter.
I couldn't have hit him anyway.
We lost him.
We've got to put out
an all-points bulletin.
Really, senator?
Correct me if I'm wrong,
but didn't you just spend
3 billion dollars on this secret weapon?
How secret is he gonna be
after you shellac his face
all over the 6:00 news?
- But--
MORRIS:- Besides,
aren't a couple of you gentlemen
running for reelection soon?
You want to explain
the federal government
playing Frankenstein
with taxpayer money?
Which religious denomination
do you want to condemn you first?
We have a little lead time.
We can get them to do it
in whatever order you prefer.
Well, what do you suggest?
I suggest
you let me and my team roll up
our sleeves and find him ourselves.
MORRIS: This kind of behavior
isn't completely unanticipated.
Yes, he's strong,
and, yes, he's fast.
But at the end of the day,
he's still a middle-aged suburbanite
with no food, no money
and no place to stay,
out there in the jungle
all by himself.
He's gonna create a stir
somewhere.
We've just got to make sure
we hear about it.
That's all.
MICHAEL:
Hi, Lew.
You speaking to me?
Do I know you?
No. I'm sorry.
Yes. I'm here to see Roger Bender.
- You have an appointment?
- Yes, I do.
Name?
Roger Bender. He works up on 17.
No. Your name. I need to call
his assistant, get you cleared.
Make sure you're not here to,
uh, blow up the building.
Well, I'm not.
I need your name, sir.
Michael.
Well, you got more to that
or you like Madonna?
Jordan.
You have any identification,
Mr. Jordan?
I think you'd better go.
Look, Lew,
I'm not here to cause any trouble.
I just need to get upstairs
and see Roger.
This is Lew.
I need backup at the main desk.
No, no, no.
You don't need backup, Lew.
- This is private property. Leave--
- Call up to Roger.
You've been warned.
[CRUNCHES]
Lew, you don't understand.
I can break you in half like a twig.
- Just write me a damn elevator pass.
MAN:- Sir.
Sir, if you will leave the premises
peacefully,
we will holster our weapons
and not press charges.
You are no longer welcome
on Grand Empire property,
and any future attempts to gain entry
will result in your arrest.
We have your photograph now and
we'll distribute it internally. Am I clear?
Have a nice day.
[CLEARS THROAT]
What's his beef?
Somebody upstairs stiff him
on a homeowner's claim?
Frigging nuts.
[HIP-HOP MUSIC
PLAYING ON SPEAKERS]
[PEOPLE CHATTERING
INDISTINCTLY]
- What can we get you tonight?
- E-mail.
I'm sorry. Is that a drink?
E-mail. E-mail.
E-mail.
Wanna retrieve some
or send some?
You have your own account
or you wanna use ours?
I'll be right back with a password.
I'm a nut.
What the hell?
[YELLING]
[GRUNTS]
Roger.
ROGER:
Who are you? What do you want?
I've already called Security.
They're on their way up.
You didn't call anyone.
You didn't have time, old buddy.
Who are you?
I'm nobody.
You don't wanna know.
Yes, I do.
Once my heart starts beating normally
again,
I would very much like to know
what kind of person comes smashing
through a 17th-story window
half-naked in the middle of the--
- Don't hurt me!
- I need your help.
I don't have any money
and I need to see Lisa.
Lisa Wiseman and Heather.
Will you take me to see them?
The Wisemans?
What do you want with them?
- What are you gonna do to them?
- I'm not gonna do anything to them.
I just-- I just need to see them.
- I really need to know they're okay.
- Well, they're okay. Really.
- They are. They're okay.
- That's not good enough.
I really need to see.
I really need you to drive me.
You were really a good friend
of Michael's, I know that.
So was I.
He'd want you to take me.
What, you spoke to him?
Sure.
Recently?
I see. Uh, look, just--
Don't--
Just--
Here's my car key.
Here's my valet ticket.
And, uh, you're gonna need these.
They are fabulous.
Just-- You're gonna wanna keep
some shoe trees in them.
I need you to take me.
Someone they're not afraid of.
Someone they trust.
To introduce me,
to put them at ease.
But you're wrong about me.
They're very afraid of me.
I mean, that's-- I know, right now,
I may look kind of, uh, meek.
But you get me out of this suit
and into a pair of polo jeans--
You were Michael's best friend.
Honestly, no.
- You brought him into this firm.
- They had a job. He needed a job.
- It wasn't a big deal.
- You're Heather's godfather.
You should drive yourself.
Have you ever driven a Mercedes?
It'll change your life.
What about that night at the deli?
You said you'd do anything for him
that night at the deli.
How do you know about that?
You had those chest pains.
- Nobody knows about that.
- You started to cry.
It was Michael who drove you
to the emergency room.
Stayed with you the whole time.
He didn't laugh or anything.
But the doctor told you
it was just indigestion.
"Belch and go home", he said.
How do you know about that?
Because I know everything.
- Who are you?
- I can't tell you that.
- Why not?
- Because
Because once they know you know,
you die.
Not a lot of wiggle room there,
is there?
LISA:
I just have one of those feelings.
One of those instinctual feelings
that this is not smart.
There's nothing wrong with it, Mom.
Daddy's been gone seven months.
You're allowed to have dinner
with a man.
He's not a man, he's a lawyer.
What if he has a lousy time?
Maybe he won't want to work
as hard for me anymore.
Maybe he won't
wanna help me at all.
Maybe he'll have a wonderful time.
Maybe you'll both have
a wonderful time.
Maybe he'll take those bastards
from Dad's company
to court and win us
millions of dollars.
Not Ben Stein's money.
Not Alex Trebek's money,
but our money.
And then we'll be able
to throw big parties
and take lots of vacations
like the people on E!
True,
someday the money will run out,
but then we'll be like the people
on Behind The Music on VH1.
Tragic, but kind of inspirational.
I've got a good feeling about this,
Mom.
I, for one, am glad
we can't afford cable anymore.
[LAUGHING]
No, this isn't going to work.
I can't take you in there.
I mean, look at you.
You've seen those signs:
"No shirt, no shoes, no service."
That's you.
I mean, you seem
like a genuinely nice fellow,
and I don't know what your
particular circumstances are,
but it's obvious that you need help.
Counseling.
I mean, climbing up buildings,
smashing windows.
I mean, maybe it's a chemical problem,
I don't know,
but whatever it is, there are people
out there who can help you.
Now, I am just going to reach in here
for the car phone to--
Agh. Ow! Agh.
Wow, that's some grip you have there,
young fella.
Ah, I don't wanna hurt you, Rog.
Well, that's good.
I'm down with that.
I take your point.
[SIGHS]
You, um
You don't have to ring the bell.
You don't have to introduce me.
I just
I just wanna look.
I just wanna see them.
Wait.
Wait, wait, wait.
What exactly is it
you want to do here?
You wanna peep?
No, no, no. I wanna peek, not peep.
With a K, not a P.
I see. I really--
I think I'd rather wait by the car. Agh!
Like a vise, that thing.
With a K. Okay, peek. With a K.
- What time is it?
- Uh
It's almost 7:30.
Good. Maybe we're not too late.
Oh, this is great.
This is
This is everything
I could have hoped for.
- They're washing dishes.
- Yeah.
Yeah. Look at that, huh?
What are you gonna do
on laundry day, hijack a bus?
Does Lisa look
kind of dressed-up to you?
Oh. Uh
[DOORBELL RINGS]
What the hell is this?
- Hi.
- Boy, you look great.
Whoa. Looks like Lisa's
got herself a date.
That's great. Good for her.
- Thank you.
- You're welcome.
MICHAEL: Come on, buddy,
we've gotta follow them.
Why?
[CAR ALARM CHIRPS]
Look, kid, enough is enough.
I can't--
Of course, I suppose
everything's open to discussion.
I realize this may not be the most
opportune moment to bring this up,
but I was wondering just how you
intended to pay for my car door.
I mean, I suppose
I could file a claim,
but when it comes to that spot
on the form
where you're supposed to write in
what exactly happened--?
- You're gonna lose them.
- What exactly happened?
It looked to me as though
you just tore the door off by yourself,
but that's not possible.
Am I right? I mean,
that would take superhuman strength.
- Otherworldly strength. Right?
- Can you see?
Is she over on her side of the car
or did she slide over to the middle?
And this, uh,
fascination with Mrs. Wiseman.
Not that she is an unattractive woman,
far from it.
But you are somewhat younger.
Well, maybe you're right. I don't know.
Maybe I should be happy for her.
Maybe I'm just being
really selfish here.
Which brings us
to that delicatessen story.
A story only Michael
would know about.
So, I mean, you add it up.
Knowledge unique to Michael,
an overwhelming concern,
uh, for Lisa,
otherworldly strength,
and, uh, really, uh,
you can only reach the one conclusion.
Whatever you're about to say,
you don't wanna be right about this.
You
are
Michael, aren't you?
Look, forget you came up with that.
Forget you figured that out. Just--
Reincarnated.
[LAUGHS]
Bingo. Ha-ha-ha.
I gotta tell you,
I'm shaking over here.
I mean, you could knock me over
with a feather.
You know, you hear these stories, but
people coming back as bugs or cows,
but, I mean, a stud muffin?
How does that work?
Did you put in
some kind of special request?
Or did you do
some extraordinarily good deed?
Yeah, yeah, it was the testifying,
wasn't it?
Tell me the truth.
I mean, my saying "act of God",
that's probably not gonna
work in my favor, is it?
Look, I know I have a lot
to make up for right now.
I'm sure he has me penciled in
as some kind of cockroach
or head louse or something,
but now that I know the deal
Look, do you think it's possible
I can do enough good things
so that I might be able to come back
as something like you?
When it's my time, I'm talking about.
[YELLING]
God!
Doggone it.
Hey, where you going?
- I don't wanna lose Lisee.
- Well, am I ever gonna see you again?
Hey, don't forget to put in
a good word for me!
[HORNS HONKING]
You guys aren't from the AAA,
are you?
[GRUNTS]
This was received by the mayor's
office three and a half hours ago.
Blind e-mail that we traced back to a
portal owned by one those restaurants
where they charge you
to use their computers.
It was written in Chinese.
And what I'm about to read to you
is a translation provided by the FBI.
"Mr. Mayor.
Perhaps you have read about me."
"I have unleashed nerve gas attacks
in Japan and France."
"Now it is time for your continent."
"Now it is time for your city."
"All of this can be avoided, however,
if you will wire transfer $100 million"
"within the next 72 hours
to the indicated account."
It's a Libyan bank,
so maybe we're looking for a Libyan,
or maybe we're looking
for someone Chinese.
Maybe we're just looking
for someone who's really smart.
No location of the attack is indicated.
No time for the attack is indicated.
Just a hundred million, 72 hours,
Libyan bank account.
You don't understand.
He's a troubled soul.
MAN:- Troubled soul?
- Yes.
MORRIS:
Any progress?
MAN: I think you need to hear this
for yourself.
Would you repeat your theory
about Mr. Wiseman?
Sure. Sure. I was just explaining.
I know who Michael is.
I'm pretty sure
I know who you, um, people are.
And I'm certain that I know
why Michael is behaving like this.
MORRIS:
You do?
I'm very intuitive.
Oh, you must be.
Michael is a troubled soul.
You mean that literally?
"Troubled"?
Some kind of mental condition
we should know about?
Oh, no, no, no.
He's an excellent person.
It's his soul.
- His soul?
- It's in torment.
Believe me, no man ever loved his wife
more than Michael loved Lisa.
And no man ever believed
more fervently
in the sanctity
and the certainty of life insurance.
You see, he thought that his wife
was gonna be all set,
with the insurance and everything.
So I've got to believe
that when our company decided to,
um, F her out of the money,
that his soul was so distraught
that it came back to Earth
in human form.
Not to, uh, wreak revenge
or anything.
But just to make sure that she got
the money, that she was taken care of.
I mean, he loves Lisa.
Uh, by the way, F,
that's not a curse, right?
I mean, that isn't gonna
count against me?
With who?
Do you mind if the officer and I
step out for a few seconds?
What's this knucklehead
talking about?
He thinks you're God,
Wiseman's been reincarnated
and I'm some kind of burning bush.
You still want me to kill him?
He's awfully annoying.
He does work
for an insurance company.
Sorry to interrupt, we're finally getting
a steady tracking signal from midtown.
I got a car waiting out front.
I'll be right there.
So, what do you want me to do
with Tammy Faye Bakker?
You know who I am, don't you?
So you know what I'm capable of,
don't you?
Then hear me, friend.
If you breathe a word
of what you've seen tonight,
if you breathe a single syllable
of your theory,
I will smite your ass so fast,
you'll skip right past heaven and hell
and be turned straight into pus.
Pus?
Pus.
It's gotta come from somewhere,
right?
This is incredibly
understanding of you
letting me drag you all the way up here
just because I forgot some papers.
What a view.
Got it.
Can I get you something to drink?
Oh, no. Actually, I'm still reeling
from all the wine that we had at dinner.
Agh.
I think I'd like to come over to where
you're sitting and kiss you now.
How would you feel about that?
Um, I would feel completely
unequipped for that,
to be perfectly honest.
It's not that it wouldn't be nice,
but I've been a married woman
for a long time--
No, you don't have to explain.
You're not ready.
That's completely understandable.
- I'm glad you think so.
- Well, I do.
Well, I mean, you never know.
I might be ready tomorrow. Heh.
But then, I may never be ready.
I've never been here before.
Maybe I shouldn't have accepted
your invitation to dinner.
Maybe that was unfair.
Did you enjoy the dinner?
- Oh, yeah.
- So did I.
You think you held up
your end of the conversation?
Do you think that you were
an enjoyable companion?
Think you did everything in your power
to make the evening pleasant
for me short of doing things that would
make you personally uncomfortable?
I'm guessing you've tried
one of these dinner date cases before.
[LAUGHS]
Ah, I'm so sorry.
I mean, I'm sorry that this
has just been so hard and ugly,
but it'll work out, you know?
I mean, the insurance,
it just takes time.
You sound so sure.
We do a lot of insurance work.
And a great deal of it involves disputes
with your husband's company.
Some Thursday,
we're gonna have a real doozy in here,
something
those guys can't wriggle out of,
won't go to court with.
And we'll all get into a room
to discuss a settlement.
And somewhere between the deli
for lunch and the Chinese for dinner,
your situation will come up.
I'll make sure
your situation comes up.
That's how this game is played.
You wouldn't happen to know
which particular Thursday
that would be, would you?
What's that?
Money.
What for?
Uh, can't you use it?
Yeah, I can use it,
but why would you give it to me?
I don't know.
So you'll have dinner with me again?
Just dinner?
Well, I mean,
didn't you enjoy the dinner?
Yeah, I did. And you paid
for the dinner. That's enough.
I mean, it was a great dinner.
You're great company.
And I like dinner and I like you.
You don't have to pay me for it.
Oh, no, no. Come on.
I'm not paying you, I'm helping you.
I am not going to kiss you
just because you give me money.
I don't want you to kiss me
because I give you money.
I just wanna give you money, period.
And I would like from time to time
to have dinner with you, period.
If at some point we kiss,
well, hey, that's superb,
but it's unrelated to money or dinner
or anything else.
Lisa, look,
this is just a thousand dollars.
I promise, it means nothing to me.
It will have no impact
on the way I live.
It's not like I give you this,
and my kids don't get their orthodontia.
You have kids?
Yeah, two.
A wife?
Yeah, one.
[CHUCKLES]
So am I the stupidest woman
that you have ever met?
No, no, no. You're not stupid at all.
And I'm not trying to buy you.
No offense,
but when wealthy men buy women,
they rarely say:
"Give me the one
in her late-30s with the kids."
It's just that I had this hunch
about you
that taking you
to someplace lovely
would mean something to you.
That it would be special,
it would give you pleasure.
And that would give me pleasure.
I haven't had that kind of pleasure
in a long time.
I have no idea
what I am gonna make of this
once I sober up,
but I really feel
that I ought to be leaving.
Well, come on, we'll get in the limo.
No. No, really.
Really, I'm gonna take a taxi
to the train.
This has been very
Very.
I'm gonna get your insurance money,
Lisa.
All of it. And then I'm gonna have
some investment friends of mine
put together some ideas
about what to do with it.
And then I'm gonna call you again.
Because I have a hunch,
that once you've had an opportunity
to see how really awful it is out there,
you'll be glad I did.
Great. You call me.
And then I'll call your wife.
And then we can all call that guy
that Courtney Cox married
because he says
it's only a dime a minute.
Oh, and by the way,
you are fired.
[SINGING]
We'll keep on spending sunny days ♪
This way ♪
We're gonna talk and laugh ♪
Our time away ♪
I feel it coming closer day by day ♪
That would be ecstasy ♪
You and me endlessly ♪
Groovin' on a crowded avenue ♪
Here you go.
Are you all right?
- Did I do something wrong?
- No.
No, I just
Thanks.
So where's your boyfriend?
I saw you walk in with him.
Oh, well, um
He's coming right down.
I'm just getting a cab, and then
he and a bunch of his friends
will be right down.
Ah.
So why don't you take the limo?
What are you doing?
Trying to help.
Actually,
if you're going to Grand Central,
you're on the wrong side
of the street.
I mean, you gotta go that way.
What makes you think
I'm going to Grand Central?
Uh
Can I make a suggestion?
We could-- We could walk there
in, like, six minutes.
I'm sorry, I didn't mean "we".
I meant "you".
Although,
if it'll make you feel any better,
I could just walk over here
on this side of the street,
you know, for protection.
Like this.
This way, I could be here for you
if you needed me
or you could--
You could just ignore me
like you're doing.
How's it going on your side?
[GRUNTS]
Can I buy you a pair of shoes?
What size are you?
I have no idea.
Well
Why don't you try these?
[CLEARS THROAT]
That's a beautiful jacket
you're wearing.
Seven-dollar shoes
with a 700-dollar jacket.
I didn't steal it.
Oh, I know.
These fit great.
Good.
Why don't you try this?
MICHAEL:
I'm not what you think I am.
What do you think I think you are?
I don't know.
But you have to be wondering.
Oh.
Well, maybe a year ago,
I would've wondered.
No. A year ago, I would have known.
A year ago, I would've run away.
But I have had one of those years
where everything that you count on
none of it works out
the way you think that it's going to.
None of it happens
the way that you planned.
Like what?
Everything.
Gravity.
So I look at you and, I don't know,
I sense something.
I feel something
familiar.
Really?
This is-- This is none of my business,
but, um, do you have a place to sleep?
Do you have a home?
Yeah. Don't worry about me.
Actually, I have a beautiful townhouse
on the East Side.
63rd and Madison.
No phone or television,
but everything else
I could possibly want.
Wow.
Thank you for taking
such good care of me.
Thank you for taking
such good care of me.
Go.
Ten and a half.
- What?
- Your shoe size.
If it ever comes up again,
you're a ten and a half.
Ah.
Thank you.
[GRUNTING]
[GROANING]
You surprised to see me?
You shouldn't be.
Did I forget to mention
I stashed a LoJack right there?
Oh, I see.
Cat got your tongue?
That cat, and that cat, and that cat.
So here's the drill, Mighty Mouse.
Twenty minutes ago, a man hit a tree
while night skiing in Colorado.
Smart. Ex Green Beret.
Obviously athletic.
Divorced.
No kids.
So I'm thinking,
maybe it's time to recast this part.
What do you say, Mr. Wiseman?
Shall we call for your understudy?
[MICHAEL GRUNTING]
No, I wanna live. I wanna live.
I wanna live.
I wanna live.
MORRIS:
Call Denver.
Tell them we won't need
that extra bun in the oven after all.
It's okay, honey. Mommy's home.
Night, Mom.
Night, honey.
You wouldn't happen to remember
Daddy's shoe size, would you?
Um, I bought him a pair of slippers
last Christmas.
Twelve, I think.
Yeah, 12. Why?
Heh.
I was just wondering.
- Night.
- Night.
Housekeeping.
Housekeeping.
Housekeeping.
[SCREAMS]