Signed, Sealed, Delivered (2014) s01e02 Episode Script
To Whom It May Concern
Previously, on Signed, Sealed, Delivered.
Ms.
McInerney, I don't think you've been with this department long enough to fully grasp the extent to which we are comfortable sharing.
So last week, when you told me that your wife left you last year and is now somewhere at large in Paris, that was somehow different? When I go to college, I'm only taking my backpack.
And then we were forced to acknowledge as difficult as it is to admit some things defy delivery.
Well, you did everything you could.
And, who knows? One day, someone may walk in here, looking for a grizzly with insufficient postage and no forwarding address.
We can only hope? We take good care of him.
We decorate him on holidays.
Don't beat yourself up.
One wayward bear is not going to affect your performance rating.
When might we expect your final report? Oliver, could I have a word? Ms.
McInerney, Ms.
Capodiamonte here was just completing my annual section leader performance evaluation.
"Completing"? No, darling! I didn't get where I am by cutting corners.
Of course! I didn't mean to imply I want to crawl into that mysterious little mind of yours and find out what makes this place tick-tick-tick! Hah! It'll be fun.
I look forward to that.
Ms.
McInerney, all caught up and finished on time, I see.
Naturally.
Well, I'm off to rehearsal.
How is the new show going? Well, I'm only an understudy, but The mayor of Munchkinland may be called up for jury duty! And even better Mrs.
Kipperman's bursitis is acting up, so I may be the "wicked witch of the West" by Sunday! I guess it's never too late to pursue your dreams.
All the way to the Broomfield Community Children's Theater.
And may we assume that your dream is to re-direct the last envelope in that box before you leave tonight? Come on, Oliver.
Norman, why must that box be emptied tonight? Last day of the month is "impossibly ripped and mangled day," and we can't start a new month with mangled leftovers.
Okay.
But we worked through lunch and I'm hungry Wow, almost half this envelope is missing.
Nothing legible, except "to whom it may concern " "To whom it may concern?" We could be here all night! Probably.
This postmark's four years old.
See? It's too late to make a difference anyway.
You think so? Because There's another letter inside this one.
Considering the condition of the envelope, I'd say it's something of a miracle that it didn't fall out.
Are we in the habit of ignoring miracles? No.
No.
In fact, I'm assuming there is a difference to be made here.
Fine.
Can we just please make a difference over dinner? I'll even buy.
It is all-you-can-eat salad bar night at the Mailbox Grille.
Perfect.
I love salad bars! Pickles, olives, sunflower seeds Rita? Aren't you hungry? I was just thinking about Theresa.
If you're worried about my performance evaluation, I'm feeling pretty confident.
So far.
He always gets the highest scores of anybody 98s, 99s.
I got a 95 once.
It still haunts me.
Wow! Could someone grab the tabasco sauce? I wasn't thinking about the evaluation.
I was thinking about what it must be like to be Theresa.
I mean, she is a postal legend.
Four postal commendations, six service awards, not to mention Miss Special Delivery 1969.
That's what I mean! I mean, she had it all! But it wasn't her dream.
Well, she did admit her life's dream was to be on the stage.
And if Mrs.
Kipperman's bursitis keeps up, then she will be.
Could you pass the salt and pepper, please? I guess it's just never too late, like you said, Norman.
Do you have a dream you'd like to share with us, Rita? Yes! I No.
Yes, I do.
But I'm not ready to share it, not yet.
I had a dream once.
You know, the kind you actually remember when you wake up? It was about cheese.
Cheese with feet.
Okay.
So I think we should open that letter now.
- What do you say, Oliver? - Yes.
Let's.
Cheese really? "To whom it may concern " "My name is Samila.
"I am 18 years old "and I live in Seattle, Washington.
"I have tried everything.
"I've called all your official phone numbers, "I've checked all sorts of online websites, "and searched dozens of archives, "but nothing has worked, "so I am turning to you, whoever opens this, "and I am hoping you will care enough to help me.
"I am trying to find the man who saved my life And changed it forever.
" Wow.
What's the paper that it as clipped to? Is that some sort of government form? A request for military service information.
And a personal card addressed to "Buzz.
" "I never found out what ever hap " It's damaged here.
"If you locate him, "please give him the enclosed card.
"He needs to know something really important that could " Something something I guess that's why we call them "hopelessly mangled.
" It's not hopeless.
Well, what is it that he needs to know? It's gotta be in this.
"All this time, I've dreamed I'd get the chance "to tell him how it all ended, "but I can't, without your help.
"I only wish I knew his real name.
I just always called him 'Buzz'.
" "How it all ended.
" What does that mean? Is there any salsa? Or mustard? Ms.
McInerney, putting that many condiments on a salad can't be healthy.
Besides, what you're doing to that salad It's disconcerting.
I say we open the note for Buzz.
Absolutely not.
You said that you wanted to make a difference, but now that we're here, it's all just back to business as usual.
Excuse me.
Could I have salsa, please? You said you wanted a salad, but that's a science experiment.
And all your talk about not ignoring miracles, but, really, you just wanted to get all the hopelessly mangled letters done on schedule.
I believe in miracles.
I also believe in staying on schedule.
I believe we have made a difference.
We have gathered enough information to send that on - to the likely addressee.
- And that is? Probably in the army.
Fort Platte.
Excellent.
That's where it'll go.
Shall we get the check? Oliver.
- What? - The only person that we know that letter is addressed to for sure is "to whom it may concern.
" Remember? "Whoever opens this"? Why would you take something so simple and add unnecessary elements? Is he talking about the letter or the salad? Do you really think there's a bureaucrat in the military that can do your job better than you? No.
And I wouldn't presume to do theirs.
That's why we're gonna forward all this by U.
S.
mail to the U.
S.
army, tomorrow.
Fine.
I will take care of it as soon as I get in.
Not on your tintype, Ms.
McInerney.
Please Step away from the salad.
What's a tintype? I'll tell you later.
Is this Oliver's refrigerator, or the group refrigerator? It's Oliver's.
That he shares with the group.
Okay.
And Norman, I'll need a brief summary of your stamp-recovery duties.
I don't know where to start.
Where does one start, Norman, darling? You're a cipher! Just full of surprises, aren't you? And Rita.
You are a beautiful little onion, begging to be peeled.
Good morning, everyone.
Ms.
Capodiamonte.
How lovely to see you again, here, this morning.
- Again.
- Perfect timing, Oliver.
I need more clarification on workspace.
- Workspace? - Yes.
We require a workspace that is appropriate for, and adequate to, the task.
Well, this is my desk here.
Norman has been very happy over there, and Rita, of course, is our first line of defense, over in "incoming.
" And, where does Shane work? Ms.
McInerney? Well Ms.
McInerney is Still Somewhat new.
She must work somewhere in here.
I work everywhere.
Mr.
O'Toole dispatches me wherever I'm needed.
I I move.
I float.
Have laptop, will travel.
Temporarily, of course.
In fact, Norman has recently been charged with creating a dedicated, yet floating workspace for Ms.
McInerney.
Yes.
That's That's right.
And in the meantime, I I work a lot in the field.
In fact, there is a rather critical piece of mangled mail that requires personal delivery to Fort Platte.
Mr.
O'Toole has taught me so much about going the extra mile.
Well, I can't think of a better mentor.
Neither can I! But you know, I'm not quite ready to go solo yet.
You coming, Mr.
O'Toole? Well Carry on.
You're really making too much of this.
How could I make too much about your shocking attempt at blackmail back there? "Blackmail"? I did you a favor! She was gonna take points off your precious performance evaluation because I don't have a desk! And what will Rita and Norman think now that they've seen me so brazenly manipulated? For heaven's sake.
The very fabric of our existence as an effective unit has been frayed, and for what? For Samila! Because someone named Buzz saved her life once.
And who knows? Maybe she's trying to save his.
Oliver O'Toole? U.
S.
post office? Yes.
Deadletter Division.
We specialize in letters that require This is a form requesting information on someone named "Buzz" and this is the cover letter.
As you can see, it's quite damaged.
It happens sometimes.
Rarely.
We apologize.
Do you know how many of these get filled out and sent here every day? Veterans looking for old buddies, girlfriends looking for ex-boyfriends, ex-wives looking for money.
But this one is different, if you'll just read it, you'll see where Samila mentions "Samila"? Sounds middle eastern.
Were you in the Middle East? I was everywhere.
Look, you did your duty.
You delivered the letter, or what's left of it.
So don't worry about it.
There's another Nope.
That's it! Thank you for your time, Captain.
Yeah.
Well, thanks for trying.
And thank you, Captain, for serving.
At what point do you plan to stop lying to government officials? Do you honestly think that that man back there was actually going to read this letter? And if he did, even care what it says? What is it you always say? "Putting a stamp on the letter and sending it out there into the world " " is an act of faith.
" So if you want to go back in there and put your faith and Samila's in that pile of government red tape, well, you be my guest.
But as for me I'm putting my faith in you.
You can be very persuasive, Ms.
McInerney.
Or brazenly manipulative.
I know this is pushing the envelope, so to speak It might fall under the larger definition of "special handling.
" Something that we like to call "a license to deliver.
" That was Norman's idea.
"Dear Buzz "This is "Samila.
"Sammy.
"I hope you remember me, because "I've never forgotten you.
I have so many things to thank you for " "But first " I guess I should thank you for the socks.
Did she send any decent movies? Um Mission Impossible I, Mission Impossible II.
Socks, and A pillowcase? Thanks, mom.
That's great, 'cause, you know, if they gave us pillows, you'd be set.
Wait! Brownies! I remember when the soldiers first came to Kamdesh, some of my friends were afraid of the Americans Here you go.
But I remember the first time I met one of them.
It was you.
You like these? My mom made them for me.
She always makes them too small.
You want them? It's okay.
You gotta be careful, Buzz.
They use kids like this to carry bombs.
I can't live like that, Cam.
What's this? You wanna trade? Pakol.
Pakol? "Pakol.
" Okay, whatever that means.
It probably means "bomb.
" "Pakol" means "hat.
" It was my father's.
It was all I had of him.
But you reminded me of him.
You had his laugh.
And I knew you would be the one to make my dream come true.
Thank you.
Do you remember the pillowcase? So this is our language.
Okay, Sammy.
"A" is for ? "Af-ghan-is-tan.
" And "B" is for ? "Buzz.
" "C" is "Colo-rado.
" America.
Place your home.
I begged you to teach me to read.
I could tell you weren't sure that you should, but I wouldn't give up.
And "F" ? Sammy? "F"? "Family.
" You never talk about your family.
I don't anymore have family.
I'm sorry.
"F" is for "friend.
" Okay? Okay.
I was probably the first girl in my province who learned to read and speak English on an old pillowcase, but I didn't want to be the last.
"F" equals "friend.
" That's why we started the school.
Remember? Buzz.
Please Teach more.
You teach American on us, we teach Afghanistan on you.
You were the best friend I ever had, Buzz.
"F" is for "friend.
" "F" is for "friend.
" And I hope you didn't blame yourself for what happened.
"G" is for "goat.
" "G" is for "goat.
" Everybody down! Taliban! Taliban! They're after the school! Let's go! Get the kids out of here now! They're after the school! - Come on! Run, run, run! - Sammy, run! Go! Go, go, go! Sammy! Come on! Go! Sammy! Sammy! Sammy! Buzz! Come on, man, we're pulling out! We gotta get to that chopper! Move it! Move it! Sammy! Sammy? Sammy! Sammy! Keep your eyes closed.
You're gonna be okay! Wait! Wait! We're full! Just you, Buzz! No! Take her! I'm staying.
- No way, man! Get in! - Buzz! Gotta get her out of here.
Promise me! They'll kill her if she stays! Go.
Go.
Go! That's all I can remember of that day.
Buzz! I never went back to my village.
"I don't know what happened to you.
"I hope you found your way home.
"I pray every day That you lived.
" Oliver? Are Are you okay? "I don't remember very much after "you put me in the helicopter.
"I remember many airplanes and many doctors, "and how kind everyone was.
"I live in America now.
"I have a new family, "and today I am going to college.
"I picked Colorado Vista College.
" "Because you always said you wanted to go back home.
" "Maybe this will make it easier to find me.
"I really hope you do "because there's something important "I want you to know.
Love, your friend forever " Samila.
Samila Nicholson.
She is a senior at Colorado Vista College, and she graduates this Sunday, at 3:00 P.
M.
What a graduation present it would be if we found Buzz.
I have no doubt you will.
It may require more time in the field.
Well, go for it! Consider it a What did you call it? A license to deliver.
God, you're cute.
Yes! We'll keep him.
The registrar says she has a student job at the library.
Of course she does.
She's a reader.
I bet that's her.
Hi.
Sammy? Everybody around here calls me "Mila.
" No one's called me "Sammy" since Buzz.
- I hope you don't mind.
- Of course not.
I've been dreaming about finding him for so long.
I can't believe the letter never even got to the army.
And for that, we deeply apologize.
Is there anything else that you could tell us, anything that you remember about Buzz that might help us? He was kind.
He had a wonderful laugh.
He liked brownies.
Everybody loved those things! His mother made them and sent them every month.
He called them Something.
"O" is for "Opportunity.
" "P" is for "P" is "Peg's Practically-Perfect Brownies!" His mother's name was Peg! "Peg's Practically-Perfect Brownies" Of course! Peg's Practically-Perfect Brownies.
Peg's Practically-Perfect Brownies.
I'm feeling really left out right now.
Look it up.
It's on the Internet.
A couple years ago, a lost box came through the D.
L.
O.
, full of brownies.
It was addressed to an army A.
B.
O.
Address, we had to contact the shipper to reroute them.
Rita has a photographic memory.
"Peg's Practically-Perfect Brownie company send your favorite soldier a box of incredibly good brownies.
" Yes, they were.
"Homemade and shipped to anywhere in the world, "directly from the kitchen of an army mom.
"Peg Parker in Denver, Colorado "began her brownie company "in 2008, to honor her son who served in Afghanistan.
" I remember now.
I called the shipper and told her we had the box in dead letters.
And she said that we should just eat the brownies and that she would resend another box - to the new address.
- That's Buzz's mother? It's gotta be.
So I guess we're off to find practically-perfect Peg and her brownies.
I'd given up imagining that I'd ever get to see him again.
Well, we can't make any promises, but we'll try.
That would be so perfect? But why are you doing all this? Well, in this age of tweets and texts and abbreviated thought, I think people take for granted the gift of learning how to read and write, and perhaps nobody understands that better than those of us whose job it is to deliver a letter.
But this is just one letter.
Not to you.
Not to Buzz.
Well, this is great, Oliver.
- Perhaps.
- What do you mean? Buzz's mother said she started her business in order to honor her son who served in Afghanistan.
She doesn't say if he's still alive.
Benjamin went missing-in-action for almost a year.
He was injured in some sort of attack, but he never talked about it.
Did you ever call him Buzz? No.
Some of his army buddies did.
But after he got back, he never mentioned them.
Is this him? Yeah.
That's just before he enlisted.
- He looks so sweet.
- He was always a sweet boy.
Mrs.
Parker, do you know where we might be able to find Benjamin? I don't know.
I never thought that I would say that about my own son.
Something happened back there, and when I finally got him back He was somebody else.
He was so Restless, always on the move, and he started disappearing for days at a time, and, finally, one day, he just Well, never came back home.
And when was the last time you heard from him? He called me.
Almost a year ago.
It was on my birthday.
Did he give you an address or I asked him where I could send him some brownies, and He was quiet for so long, I thought he'd hung up.
And then he said, "Don't.
I don't deserve them.
" And then he did hang up.
And that's the, the last I heard from him.
What could he be so ashamed of that he can't come home? Nothing.
You take some of these, and when you find him, you tell him he can always come home for more.
Always.
Corporal Benjamin Parker.
Served in Nuristan Province beginning in 2003.
Got into a firefight the following year, went M.
I.
A.
for nine months.
Extraction details are classified, but he did spend several months at a V.
A.
hospital in Washington.
Received an honorable medical discharge, collected a few V.
A.
benefits in 2006, '07, and '08 Then dropped off the map.
And the firefight? Classified.
But the casualties were military and civilian.
Anything else? One note on his record He received his purple heart while convalescing, but left it on his bed when he was discharged.
Captain, we are not prepared to give up trying to find him.
He gave up too much to serve his country.
There's a friend of mine I've known him since bootcamp.
He runs a ministry to vets, and he's come through for me before.
Oliver? Pastor Perry.
Pleasure to meet you.
This is my colleague, Ms.
McInerney.
- How do you do? - Hi.
Well, you have good timing.
He doesn't have regular hours.
Right now, he's back working for us for a while.
- Thank you.
- You're welcome.
Mr.
Parker? Benjamin? Buzz? This must be a A great deal to take in after so long.
Yeah.
There's more.
That letter is Four years old.
Sammy is about to graduate from college this weekend, and she'd like you to be there.
We met her, Buzz.
She's smart and beautiful, and when you look at her, you can't help but get this feeling that she's gonna make a difference in this world someday And that's because of you.
Because of me? I taught her how to read.
I let her start a school.
I made her a target.
And look what happened, to all of them Because of me.
Buzz There's no easy answer to what happened that day.
You tried to be a peacemaker and the awful insanity of war did everything it could to stop you.
And because of that You think you don't deserve Sammy's gratitude? Or a purple heart? Or a good night's sleep in your own bed? Buzz, any man who puts his life on the line to stand between what is right and what is wrong deserves thanks from the ones he defends.
Until you reached out and gave a little girl a pair of socks and a book on a pillowcase, Sammy woke up every morning with nothing to look forward to but more poverty, more violence.
You gave her something to dream about.
You sacrificed yourself to give her a future and a hope.
That is nothing to be ashamed of.
It's something to celebrate.
We want to help you do that.
There's no place like home.
There's no place like home.
Everything you need, Dorothy, is right there on your shoes No, no.
"In your sho " No.
"On your fee " How am I going to get this? You're doing great.
Just try it again.
Okay.
Okay, everybody, we've got a What's this? And what's that? This is the floating workspace that I made for you, and and that is Glinda the good witch of the north.
Guess what? Mrs.
Hansen has gout! Great.
Congratulations, Theresa.
And thank you, Norman, for my very interesting Floating thing.
But, at the moment, we have a problem.
There are no problems, darling, only opportunities in disguise.
This one's in disguise.
Everyone.
This is Buzz.
He needs to get ready for Samila's graduation, which is in three hours.
Piece of cake.
They don't call me a goddess in the postal pantheon for nothin'.
Now, what are you, honey? A, 40-regular? Shane, there is a vintage shop on Larimer.
- Got it.
- Oliver, we're gonna need some shaving cream and a razor.
- Right.
- Rita? Get me some hot towels from the women's locker room, and Norman You can keep us company.
Come.
This is gonna be fun, Buzz.
I know what I need.
Are you hungry? A little.
They really are practically perfect, you know.
Here we go! Now buckle up, honey.
It's showtime! Michael Carter Matthews.
Alona Kareen Morgan.
There she is.
Samila Kamdesh Nicholson.
My God, she's beautiful.
And guess what? She's valedictorian.
There's really no one here today who will understand what wearing one sock and receiving a college degree have in common.
No one Except the one man who made both of these possible.
I called him "Buzz," although I never knew his real name.
I don't even know if he is still alive.
He was the American soldier who taught me to speak English, to read, and to write.
He was the friend whose kindness convinced me that there was more to life than collecting used shell casings from the ground in Afghanistan to trade for food.
Buzz inspired me to imagine what I could become Instead of fear what might become of me.
And because of him I lived To find two parents and a brother to love me.
I lived to use the words he gave me to express my love and my dreams, to make friends And, like him To make peace.
If I could, I would tell Buzz that those words gave hope not just to me, but to dozens of other children inner-city children that I've had the privilege to teach as a student teacher here in Colorado.
And even though he is not here to stand and be recognized, those children are here to stand for him.
Fellow students Today is a beginning for all of us, and may we always remember that, wherever we go from here, it will be because of the gifts and sacrifice of others.
Some we have known all our lives Some we may never see again But all of them We shall love forever.
Everybody say "cheese.
" Cheese! I should probably get going.
I don't want to barge in on your big day with your family.
"F" is for family.
Benjamin Parker? Yes, sir.
Welcome home, corporal.
We think you might have forgotten this.
Don't forget who you are, son.
And I promise, we won't forget, either.
Thank you, sir.
What did you think? Brava! What did you think? What did you think? Was I okay? I was so nervous.
You wouldn't know it.
You were amazing.
It was really You were really quite something.
Then I was good? Beyond good.
Then that's it.
What's it? I am quitting the post office and I am going on the road.
What? I've delivered my last letter, Oliver, and I am going into show business.
How can you quit the post office? - You are the post office! - You're Theresa Capodiamonte! - You're a legend! - I'm outta here.
It's time to fly! But what about Oliver's evaluation? You still need to turn it in.
I finished that yesterday, and I gave him A score of 100%.
100% on a performance report? That's never happened before! I'm, I'm overwhelmed.
It was always right there in your power.
You just needed to risk it all in order to find it for yourself.
Dear Shane, don't forget to get your head out of that computer and dance a little.
And Rita? That incredible memory that you have for the past it's nothing compared to that technicolor future of yours, if you will step out and have the courage to embrace it.
Be bold, darling and follow your dream Whatever and whoever it is.
And Norman, too? And Norman, too! Don't forget me.
Impossible.
And promise me, each of you, this work you're doing it's important, but it won't always be easy.
So Please, take care of your hearts, because from them flow the wellsprings of life, and life is So beautiful! Don't waste a moment of it.
I think I'll miss you most of all.
Goodbye.
Goodbye! Goodbye.
Goodbye! Bye!
Ms.
McInerney, I don't think you've been with this department long enough to fully grasp the extent to which we are comfortable sharing.
So last week, when you told me that your wife left you last year and is now somewhere at large in Paris, that was somehow different? When I go to college, I'm only taking my backpack.
And then we were forced to acknowledge as difficult as it is to admit some things defy delivery.
Well, you did everything you could.
And, who knows? One day, someone may walk in here, looking for a grizzly with insufficient postage and no forwarding address.
We can only hope? We take good care of him.
We decorate him on holidays.
Don't beat yourself up.
One wayward bear is not going to affect your performance rating.
When might we expect your final report? Oliver, could I have a word? Ms.
McInerney, Ms.
Capodiamonte here was just completing my annual section leader performance evaluation.
"Completing"? No, darling! I didn't get where I am by cutting corners.
Of course! I didn't mean to imply I want to crawl into that mysterious little mind of yours and find out what makes this place tick-tick-tick! Hah! It'll be fun.
I look forward to that.
Ms.
McInerney, all caught up and finished on time, I see.
Naturally.
Well, I'm off to rehearsal.
How is the new show going? Well, I'm only an understudy, but The mayor of Munchkinland may be called up for jury duty! And even better Mrs.
Kipperman's bursitis is acting up, so I may be the "wicked witch of the West" by Sunday! I guess it's never too late to pursue your dreams.
All the way to the Broomfield Community Children's Theater.
And may we assume that your dream is to re-direct the last envelope in that box before you leave tonight? Come on, Oliver.
Norman, why must that box be emptied tonight? Last day of the month is "impossibly ripped and mangled day," and we can't start a new month with mangled leftovers.
Okay.
But we worked through lunch and I'm hungry Wow, almost half this envelope is missing.
Nothing legible, except "to whom it may concern " "To whom it may concern?" We could be here all night! Probably.
This postmark's four years old.
See? It's too late to make a difference anyway.
You think so? Because There's another letter inside this one.
Considering the condition of the envelope, I'd say it's something of a miracle that it didn't fall out.
Are we in the habit of ignoring miracles? No.
No.
In fact, I'm assuming there is a difference to be made here.
Fine.
Can we just please make a difference over dinner? I'll even buy.
It is all-you-can-eat salad bar night at the Mailbox Grille.
Perfect.
I love salad bars! Pickles, olives, sunflower seeds Rita? Aren't you hungry? I was just thinking about Theresa.
If you're worried about my performance evaluation, I'm feeling pretty confident.
So far.
He always gets the highest scores of anybody 98s, 99s.
I got a 95 once.
It still haunts me.
Wow! Could someone grab the tabasco sauce? I wasn't thinking about the evaluation.
I was thinking about what it must be like to be Theresa.
I mean, she is a postal legend.
Four postal commendations, six service awards, not to mention Miss Special Delivery 1969.
That's what I mean! I mean, she had it all! But it wasn't her dream.
Well, she did admit her life's dream was to be on the stage.
And if Mrs.
Kipperman's bursitis keeps up, then she will be.
Could you pass the salt and pepper, please? I guess it's just never too late, like you said, Norman.
Do you have a dream you'd like to share with us, Rita? Yes! I No.
Yes, I do.
But I'm not ready to share it, not yet.
I had a dream once.
You know, the kind you actually remember when you wake up? It was about cheese.
Cheese with feet.
Okay.
So I think we should open that letter now.
- What do you say, Oliver? - Yes.
Let's.
Cheese really? "To whom it may concern " "My name is Samila.
"I am 18 years old "and I live in Seattle, Washington.
"I have tried everything.
"I've called all your official phone numbers, "I've checked all sorts of online websites, "and searched dozens of archives, "but nothing has worked, "so I am turning to you, whoever opens this, "and I am hoping you will care enough to help me.
"I am trying to find the man who saved my life And changed it forever.
" Wow.
What's the paper that it as clipped to? Is that some sort of government form? A request for military service information.
And a personal card addressed to "Buzz.
" "I never found out what ever hap " It's damaged here.
"If you locate him, "please give him the enclosed card.
"He needs to know something really important that could " Something something I guess that's why we call them "hopelessly mangled.
" It's not hopeless.
Well, what is it that he needs to know? It's gotta be in this.
"All this time, I've dreamed I'd get the chance "to tell him how it all ended, "but I can't, without your help.
"I only wish I knew his real name.
I just always called him 'Buzz'.
" "How it all ended.
" What does that mean? Is there any salsa? Or mustard? Ms.
McInerney, putting that many condiments on a salad can't be healthy.
Besides, what you're doing to that salad It's disconcerting.
I say we open the note for Buzz.
Absolutely not.
You said that you wanted to make a difference, but now that we're here, it's all just back to business as usual.
Excuse me.
Could I have salsa, please? You said you wanted a salad, but that's a science experiment.
And all your talk about not ignoring miracles, but, really, you just wanted to get all the hopelessly mangled letters done on schedule.
I believe in miracles.
I also believe in staying on schedule.
I believe we have made a difference.
We have gathered enough information to send that on - to the likely addressee.
- And that is? Probably in the army.
Fort Platte.
Excellent.
That's where it'll go.
Shall we get the check? Oliver.
- What? - The only person that we know that letter is addressed to for sure is "to whom it may concern.
" Remember? "Whoever opens this"? Why would you take something so simple and add unnecessary elements? Is he talking about the letter or the salad? Do you really think there's a bureaucrat in the military that can do your job better than you? No.
And I wouldn't presume to do theirs.
That's why we're gonna forward all this by U.
S.
mail to the U.
S.
army, tomorrow.
Fine.
I will take care of it as soon as I get in.
Not on your tintype, Ms.
McInerney.
Please Step away from the salad.
What's a tintype? I'll tell you later.
Is this Oliver's refrigerator, or the group refrigerator? It's Oliver's.
That he shares with the group.
Okay.
And Norman, I'll need a brief summary of your stamp-recovery duties.
I don't know where to start.
Where does one start, Norman, darling? You're a cipher! Just full of surprises, aren't you? And Rita.
You are a beautiful little onion, begging to be peeled.
Good morning, everyone.
Ms.
Capodiamonte.
How lovely to see you again, here, this morning.
- Again.
- Perfect timing, Oliver.
I need more clarification on workspace.
- Workspace? - Yes.
We require a workspace that is appropriate for, and adequate to, the task.
Well, this is my desk here.
Norman has been very happy over there, and Rita, of course, is our first line of defense, over in "incoming.
" And, where does Shane work? Ms.
McInerney? Well Ms.
McInerney is Still Somewhat new.
She must work somewhere in here.
I work everywhere.
Mr.
O'Toole dispatches me wherever I'm needed.
I I move.
I float.
Have laptop, will travel.
Temporarily, of course.
In fact, Norman has recently been charged with creating a dedicated, yet floating workspace for Ms.
McInerney.
Yes.
That's That's right.
And in the meantime, I I work a lot in the field.
In fact, there is a rather critical piece of mangled mail that requires personal delivery to Fort Platte.
Mr.
O'Toole has taught me so much about going the extra mile.
Well, I can't think of a better mentor.
Neither can I! But you know, I'm not quite ready to go solo yet.
You coming, Mr.
O'Toole? Well Carry on.
You're really making too much of this.
How could I make too much about your shocking attempt at blackmail back there? "Blackmail"? I did you a favor! She was gonna take points off your precious performance evaluation because I don't have a desk! And what will Rita and Norman think now that they've seen me so brazenly manipulated? For heaven's sake.
The very fabric of our existence as an effective unit has been frayed, and for what? For Samila! Because someone named Buzz saved her life once.
And who knows? Maybe she's trying to save his.
Oliver O'Toole? U.
S.
post office? Yes.
Deadletter Division.
We specialize in letters that require This is a form requesting information on someone named "Buzz" and this is the cover letter.
As you can see, it's quite damaged.
It happens sometimes.
Rarely.
We apologize.
Do you know how many of these get filled out and sent here every day? Veterans looking for old buddies, girlfriends looking for ex-boyfriends, ex-wives looking for money.
But this one is different, if you'll just read it, you'll see where Samila mentions "Samila"? Sounds middle eastern.
Were you in the Middle East? I was everywhere.
Look, you did your duty.
You delivered the letter, or what's left of it.
So don't worry about it.
There's another Nope.
That's it! Thank you for your time, Captain.
Yeah.
Well, thanks for trying.
And thank you, Captain, for serving.
At what point do you plan to stop lying to government officials? Do you honestly think that that man back there was actually going to read this letter? And if he did, even care what it says? What is it you always say? "Putting a stamp on the letter and sending it out there into the world " " is an act of faith.
" So if you want to go back in there and put your faith and Samila's in that pile of government red tape, well, you be my guest.
But as for me I'm putting my faith in you.
You can be very persuasive, Ms.
McInerney.
Or brazenly manipulative.
I know this is pushing the envelope, so to speak It might fall under the larger definition of "special handling.
" Something that we like to call "a license to deliver.
" That was Norman's idea.
"Dear Buzz "This is "Samila.
"Sammy.
"I hope you remember me, because "I've never forgotten you.
I have so many things to thank you for " "But first " I guess I should thank you for the socks.
Did she send any decent movies? Um Mission Impossible I, Mission Impossible II.
Socks, and A pillowcase? Thanks, mom.
That's great, 'cause, you know, if they gave us pillows, you'd be set.
Wait! Brownies! I remember when the soldiers first came to Kamdesh, some of my friends were afraid of the Americans Here you go.
But I remember the first time I met one of them.
It was you.
You like these? My mom made them for me.
She always makes them too small.
You want them? It's okay.
You gotta be careful, Buzz.
They use kids like this to carry bombs.
I can't live like that, Cam.
What's this? You wanna trade? Pakol.
Pakol? "Pakol.
" Okay, whatever that means.
It probably means "bomb.
" "Pakol" means "hat.
" It was my father's.
It was all I had of him.
But you reminded me of him.
You had his laugh.
And I knew you would be the one to make my dream come true.
Thank you.
Do you remember the pillowcase? So this is our language.
Okay, Sammy.
"A" is for ? "Af-ghan-is-tan.
" And "B" is for ? "Buzz.
" "C" is "Colo-rado.
" America.
Place your home.
I begged you to teach me to read.
I could tell you weren't sure that you should, but I wouldn't give up.
And "F" ? Sammy? "F"? "Family.
" You never talk about your family.
I don't anymore have family.
I'm sorry.
"F" is for "friend.
" Okay? Okay.
I was probably the first girl in my province who learned to read and speak English on an old pillowcase, but I didn't want to be the last.
"F" equals "friend.
" That's why we started the school.
Remember? Buzz.
Please Teach more.
You teach American on us, we teach Afghanistan on you.
You were the best friend I ever had, Buzz.
"F" is for "friend.
" "F" is for "friend.
" And I hope you didn't blame yourself for what happened.
"G" is for "goat.
" "G" is for "goat.
" Everybody down! Taliban! Taliban! They're after the school! Let's go! Get the kids out of here now! They're after the school! - Come on! Run, run, run! - Sammy, run! Go! Go, go, go! Sammy! Come on! Go! Sammy! Sammy! Sammy! Buzz! Come on, man, we're pulling out! We gotta get to that chopper! Move it! Move it! Sammy! Sammy? Sammy! Sammy! Keep your eyes closed.
You're gonna be okay! Wait! Wait! We're full! Just you, Buzz! No! Take her! I'm staying.
- No way, man! Get in! - Buzz! Gotta get her out of here.
Promise me! They'll kill her if she stays! Go.
Go.
Go! That's all I can remember of that day.
Buzz! I never went back to my village.
"I don't know what happened to you.
"I hope you found your way home.
"I pray every day That you lived.
" Oliver? Are Are you okay? "I don't remember very much after "you put me in the helicopter.
"I remember many airplanes and many doctors, "and how kind everyone was.
"I live in America now.
"I have a new family, "and today I am going to college.
"I picked Colorado Vista College.
" "Because you always said you wanted to go back home.
" "Maybe this will make it easier to find me.
"I really hope you do "because there's something important "I want you to know.
Love, your friend forever " Samila.
Samila Nicholson.
She is a senior at Colorado Vista College, and she graduates this Sunday, at 3:00 P.
M.
What a graduation present it would be if we found Buzz.
I have no doubt you will.
It may require more time in the field.
Well, go for it! Consider it a What did you call it? A license to deliver.
God, you're cute.
Yes! We'll keep him.
The registrar says she has a student job at the library.
Of course she does.
She's a reader.
I bet that's her.
Hi.
Sammy? Everybody around here calls me "Mila.
" No one's called me "Sammy" since Buzz.
- I hope you don't mind.
- Of course not.
I've been dreaming about finding him for so long.
I can't believe the letter never even got to the army.
And for that, we deeply apologize.
Is there anything else that you could tell us, anything that you remember about Buzz that might help us? He was kind.
He had a wonderful laugh.
He liked brownies.
Everybody loved those things! His mother made them and sent them every month.
He called them Something.
"O" is for "Opportunity.
" "P" is for "P" is "Peg's Practically-Perfect Brownies!" His mother's name was Peg! "Peg's Practically-Perfect Brownies" Of course! Peg's Practically-Perfect Brownies.
Peg's Practically-Perfect Brownies.
I'm feeling really left out right now.
Look it up.
It's on the Internet.
A couple years ago, a lost box came through the D.
L.
O.
, full of brownies.
It was addressed to an army A.
B.
O.
Address, we had to contact the shipper to reroute them.
Rita has a photographic memory.
"Peg's Practically-Perfect Brownie company send your favorite soldier a box of incredibly good brownies.
" Yes, they were.
"Homemade and shipped to anywhere in the world, "directly from the kitchen of an army mom.
"Peg Parker in Denver, Colorado "began her brownie company "in 2008, to honor her son who served in Afghanistan.
" I remember now.
I called the shipper and told her we had the box in dead letters.
And she said that we should just eat the brownies and that she would resend another box - to the new address.
- That's Buzz's mother? It's gotta be.
So I guess we're off to find practically-perfect Peg and her brownies.
I'd given up imagining that I'd ever get to see him again.
Well, we can't make any promises, but we'll try.
That would be so perfect? But why are you doing all this? Well, in this age of tweets and texts and abbreviated thought, I think people take for granted the gift of learning how to read and write, and perhaps nobody understands that better than those of us whose job it is to deliver a letter.
But this is just one letter.
Not to you.
Not to Buzz.
Well, this is great, Oliver.
- Perhaps.
- What do you mean? Buzz's mother said she started her business in order to honor her son who served in Afghanistan.
She doesn't say if he's still alive.
Benjamin went missing-in-action for almost a year.
He was injured in some sort of attack, but he never talked about it.
Did you ever call him Buzz? No.
Some of his army buddies did.
But after he got back, he never mentioned them.
Is this him? Yeah.
That's just before he enlisted.
- He looks so sweet.
- He was always a sweet boy.
Mrs.
Parker, do you know where we might be able to find Benjamin? I don't know.
I never thought that I would say that about my own son.
Something happened back there, and when I finally got him back He was somebody else.
He was so Restless, always on the move, and he started disappearing for days at a time, and, finally, one day, he just Well, never came back home.
And when was the last time you heard from him? He called me.
Almost a year ago.
It was on my birthday.
Did he give you an address or I asked him where I could send him some brownies, and He was quiet for so long, I thought he'd hung up.
And then he said, "Don't.
I don't deserve them.
" And then he did hang up.
And that's the, the last I heard from him.
What could he be so ashamed of that he can't come home? Nothing.
You take some of these, and when you find him, you tell him he can always come home for more.
Always.
Corporal Benjamin Parker.
Served in Nuristan Province beginning in 2003.
Got into a firefight the following year, went M.
I.
A.
for nine months.
Extraction details are classified, but he did spend several months at a V.
A.
hospital in Washington.
Received an honorable medical discharge, collected a few V.
A.
benefits in 2006, '07, and '08 Then dropped off the map.
And the firefight? Classified.
But the casualties were military and civilian.
Anything else? One note on his record He received his purple heart while convalescing, but left it on his bed when he was discharged.
Captain, we are not prepared to give up trying to find him.
He gave up too much to serve his country.
There's a friend of mine I've known him since bootcamp.
He runs a ministry to vets, and he's come through for me before.
Oliver? Pastor Perry.
Pleasure to meet you.
This is my colleague, Ms.
McInerney.
- How do you do? - Hi.
Well, you have good timing.
He doesn't have regular hours.
Right now, he's back working for us for a while.
- Thank you.
- You're welcome.
Mr.
Parker? Benjamin? Buzz? This must be a A great deal to take in after so long.
Yeah.
There's more.
That letter is Four years old.
Sammy is about to graduate from college this weekend, and she'd like you to be there.
We met her, Buzz.
She's smart and beautiful, and when you look at her, you can't help but get this feeling that she's gonna make a difference in this world someday And that's because of you.
Because of me? I taught her how to read.
I let her start a school.
I made her a target.
And look what happened, to all of them Because of me.
Buzz There's no easy answer to what happened that day.
You tried to be a peacemaker and the awful insanity of war did everything it could to stop you.
And because of that You think you don't deserve Sammy's gratitude? Or a purple heart? Or a good night's sleep in your own bed? Buzz, any man who puts his life on the line to stand between what is right and what is wrong deserves thanks from the ones he defends.
Until you reached out and gave a little girl a pair of socks and a book on a pillowcase, Sammy woke up every morning with nothing to look forward to but more poverty, more violence.
You gave her something to dream about.
You sacrificed yourself to give her a future and a hope.
That is nothing to be ashamed of.
It's something to celebrate.
We want to help you do that.
There's no place like home.
There's no place like home.
Everything you need, Dorothy, is right there on your shoes No, no.
"In your sho " No.
"On your fee " How am I going to get this? You're doing great.
Just try it again.
Okay.
Okay, everybody, we've got a What's this? And what's that? This is the floating workspace that I made for you, and and that is Glinda the good witch of the north.
Guess what? Mrs.
Hansen has gout! Great.
Congratulations, Theresa.
And thank you, Norman, for my very interesting Floating thing.
But, at the moment, we have a problem.
There are no problems, darling, only opportunities in disguise.
This one's in disguise.
Everyone.
This is Buzz.
He needs to get ready for Samila's graduation, which is in three hours.
Piece of cake.
They don't call me a goddess in the postal pantheon for nothin'.
Now, what are you, honey? A, 40-regular? Shane, there is a vintage shop on Larimer.
- Got it.
- Oliver, we're gonna need some shaving cream and a razor.
- Right.
- Rita? Get me some hot towels from the women's locker room, and Norman You can keep us company.
Come.
This is gonna be fun, Buzz.
I know what I need.
Are you hungry? A little.
They really are practically perfect, you know.
Here we go! Now buckle up, honey.
It's showtime! Michael Carter Matthews.
Alona Kareen Morgan.
There she is.
Samila Kamdesh Nicholson.
My God, she's beautiful.
And guess what? She's valedictorian.
There's really no one here today who will understand what wearing one sock and receiving a college degree have in common.
No one Except the one man who made both of these possible.
I called him "Buzz," although I never knew his real name.
I don't even know if he is still alive.
He was the American soldier who taught me to speak English, to read, and to write.
He was the friend whose kindness convinced me that there was more to life than collecting used shell casings from the ground in Afghanistan to trade for food.
Buzz inspired me to imagine what I could become Instead of fear what might become of me.
And because of him I lived To find two parents and a brother to love me.
I lived to use the words he gave me to express my love and my dreams, to make friends And, like him To make peace.
If I could, I would tell Buzz that those words gave hope not just to me, but to dozens of other children inner-city children that I've had the privilege to teach as a student teacher here in Colorado.
And even though he is not here to stand and be recognized, those children are here to stand for him.
Fellow students Today is a beginning for all of us, and may we always remember that, wherever we go from here, it will be because of the gifts and sacrifice of others.
Some we have known all our lives Some we may never see again But all of them We shall love forever.
Everybody say "cheese.
" Cheese! I should probably get going.
I don't want to barge in on your big day with your family.
"F" is for family.
Benjamin Parker? Yes, sir.
Welcome home, corporal.
We think you might have forgotten this.
Don't forget who you are, son.
And I promise, we won't forget, either.
Thank you, sir.
What did you think? Brava! What did you think? What did you think? Was I okay? I was so nervous.
You wouldn't know it.
You were amazing.
It was really You were really quite something.
Then I was good? Beyond good.
Then that's it.
What's it? I am quitting the post office and I am going on the road.
What? I've delivered my last letter, Oliver, and I am going into show business.
How can you quit the post office? - You are the post office! - You're Theresa Capodiamonte! - You're a legend! - I'm outta here.
It's time to fly! But what about Oliver's evaluation? You still need to turn it in.
I finished that yesterday, and I gave him A score of 100%.
100% on a performance report? That's never happened before! I'm, I'm overwhelmed.
It was always right there in your power.
You just needed to risk it all in order to find it for yourself.
Dear Shane, don't forget to get your head out of that computer and dance a little.
And Rita? That incredible memory that you have for the past it's nothing compared to that technicolor future of yours, if you will step out and have the courage to embrace it.
Be bold, darling and follow your dream Whatever and whoever it is.
And Norman, too? And Norman, too! Don't forget me.
Impossible.
And promise me, each of you, this work you're doing it's important, but it won't always be easy.
So Please, take care of your hearts, because from them flow the wellsprings of life, and life is So beautiful! Don't waste a moment of it.
I think I'll miss you most of all.
Goodbye.
Goodbye! Goodbye.
Goodbye! Bye!