Little Bird (2023) s01e04 Episode Script

1
[BIRDS TWEETING]
[GENTLE SPLASHING]
[GENTLE SPLASHING]
[MAN] You can't just
keep taking off, Patty.
[PATTY] They're out there somewhere
wondering why I don't come get them.
[MAN] You're not going to find them.
You're never finding them.
[PATTY] This is [UNCLEAR]
[MAN] You need to get it
together, take him back home.
There's nothing for me
there. There's nothing left.
[FOOTSTEPS]
[DOOR SLAMS]
[TWACKING]
[WIND WHISPERING]
[FOOTSTEPS]
[TWACKING]
[BIRD CALLING]
[SLOW FOOTSTEPS]
[TAPPING]
[DOOR SQUEAKS]
[SLOW INTENSE MUSIC]
[DOOR SQUEAKS THEN SLAMS]
♪
♪
♪
[INDISTINCT ETHEREAL VOICES]
[MYSTERIOUS HUMMING]
♪
[THUD]
[SLOW FOOTSTEPS]
[RUSTLING]
[MATCH RASPS]
[MATCH RASPS]
[FLAMES CRACKLING]
[THUNDER CRASHES]
[PERCUSSIVE MUSIC WITH CHANTING]
Hey, Little Bird ♪
I remember you ♪
You with your dreams ♪
Up higher than you could fly ♪
Hey, I remember you ♪
Hey ♪
Little Bird ♪
Lost in the summer sun ♪
Those were the days when
your feathers were new ♪
And I remember you ♪
Little Bird ♪
Now it's all coming back ♪
The whole world is your habitat ♪
But more than that ♪
If we meet again, will you know me? ♪
So, Little Bird ♪
Flash your colours and I will see ♪
Glide into time ♪
With the moon on
your wing, Little Bird ♪
♪
Little Bird ♪
Little Bird ♪
Like a plow on the sea ♪
Your resting place ♪
Could be heaven ♪
Or countless oceans far from me ♪
[MUSIC TEMPO SLOWS]
[CAR ENGINE HUMMING]
[RADIO PLAYS LIGHT POP
MUSIC: LYRICS INDISTINCT]
♪
And the light from the sky ♪
They fade from memory ♪
♪
[ENGINE HUMMING]
[ENGINE STOPS]
[RUSTLING]
They got no place to hide ♪
[MUSIC STOPS]
[BIRDS SINGING]
[VEHICLE ENGINE APPROACHING]
[MAN] Are you lost?
I am, yes.
Where you're trying to go?
Don't actually know.
So what are you doing here then?
I think I might be from here.
I had siblings.
We were adopted.
My name is Bezhig.
Bezhig?
Ah, okay, I'll turn around.
Follow me until you see the
house with the school bus.
It's just past there.
[PERCUSSIVE INDIGENOUS MUSIC]
[SINGING IN INDIGENOUS LANGUAGE]
Up in the morning sky ♪
Remember me? ♪
Remember me? ♪
Soaring with the eagles so high ♪
Feeling free ♪
Remember me? ♪
Down low, hand in hand ♪
You and me ♪
We will meet ♪
[ENGINE STOPS]
[SEATBELT CLICKS]
- Hi.
- Hi.
- Nice car.
- Thanks.
Are your mom and dad here?
Yeah.
She's the best.
[LOUD HONKING]
Oh, I don't think you
should be doing that.
[HONKING]
[CHILDREN GIGGLE]
[MAN] Can I help you?
[CHILDREN CHATTER IN BACKGROUND]
You lost?
I'm not really sure. I
think I have family here.
Oh well, where you from?
Montreal.
I was told to come down this road.
My name's Bezhig.
You're
I I'm I'm Leo.
I'm your, uh I'm your
I'm your brother.
Really?
Oh, my
You're all grown up.
Yeah.
Um, sorry, do you want to come inside?
- Yeah, let's go. Let's go inside.
- Yeah, yeah.
- [HORN HONKS]
- Should, should I be worried about that?
No, no. They're fine.
Hey, don't drive off now.
[DOOR CLATTERS SHUT]
[JAUNTY MUSIC PLAYS IN BACKGROUND]
You want a coffee or
something to drink or
Yeah. Sure.
[DISHES CLATTERING]
[SPOON TAPPING]
- Me first.
- [GIRL] Me first!
No shoes, shoes, shoes,
shoes, shoes, shoes.
Thank you. Thank you.
Did you guys have fun?
[LEO LAUGHS SOFTLY]
Hello. Let's play.
Hello little girl.
Look at my doll.
Wow, she's beautiful.
- What's her name?
- Nikki, same as me.
What's your name?
My name is Bezhig.
[NIKKI LAUGHS]
That means "one".
[BEZHIG LAUGHS]
This is your auntie.
That's our auntie. Auntie look.
[LAUGHTER]
Show your muscles. Show your muscles!
- Hello!
- Mommy's home.
Wow.
- Who's this?
- This is
- Mommy, that's our auntie.
We have a new auntie.
This is Bezhig.
What?
Hi.
Oh, my God.
Do you assume Bezhig now?
I'm still figuring out if
this is really happening.
Oh, my gosh.
Welcome home, Bezhig.
Kids help me.
Come help.
[CHILDREN GIGGLE]
Would you like to go outside?
How long have you been here?
Me?
All my life. I
Yeah, I grew up here.
- You weren't adopted?
- No.
[UNCLEAR]
My grandfather, he, he raised me.
Why?
Why? Why what?
What happened to our parents?
[UNCLEAR]
And the shelter went down here.
It it fucked everything up.
This was given to my
parents when I was adopted.
"Neglect".
This is not true. This is
this is lies. This is
No, it's from Child Protective Services.
This is lies. This is
what you fucking think?
Look, I I
We didn't live in fucking poverty.
You weren't neglected.
All right, they just took you.
That's what they do, all right?
They they they
They're fucking liars.
Go, go read it.
Hey.
[SNIFFS]
Can you tell me the
truth of what happened?
Your mom and dad loved you.
And your dad?
He died.
[CRYING]
And your mom tried to get you back.
And when she couldn't,
she went into Regina
over and over again.
And walked around the
city looking for you.
Then she fucked off and
no one saw her since.
Your mom loved you.
But you lived on the rez.
Everybody was poor.
We weren't poor. We had
everything we needed.
I I was ten. I remember I was there.
What do you remember?
Not much.
The orphanage.
[LEO] That wasn't an orphanage.
No. It was an intake
centre where they
kept kids after they took 'em.
You want to meet some more family?
[CRYING]
[WOMAN] Hey, baby.
[LEO] This is your [UNCLEAR]
Your grandfather, and this
is your Auntie Bridget.
[QUIVERING BREATHS]
Look at you. Look at you.
Oh, my God.
It's so good to see, my girl.
[CHATTERING AND LAUGHING]
[GRANDFATHER] Thought
we were gonna cook you
a real traditional feast, huh?
Hey.
[GIRL] It's the chicken man.
Yeah.
Eat up.
[CLEARS THROAT]
[TV BLARES IN BACKGROUND]
Oh my God, this is so good.
Ah.
This makes me so happy.
Yeah, me too.
Are you engaged?
Shit. Doctors say shitty poop.
- Holy smokes.
- Wow!
Is that a fake ring?
I'm still waiting for my
ring. It's only been 10 years.
[BRIDGET] I hear you.
Good luck.
[NIKKI] Auntie, can I
come to your wedding?
Yeah. Of course, you can.
- [LEO] Me too?
- Yeah.
What's he like? David?
I've known him for a very long time.
He goes to my synagogue.
I love him very much.
So your family in Montreal,
they're pretty good to you?
Yeah, they were.
They were very loving.
You know, my shoe guy is Jewish.
[BRIDGET] Which shoe guy?
You know the guy in
Albert, he fixes my soles.
Um, Harold.
Yeah! Beristain Bernstein.
He's a good man, I think.
He can fix that sole, but he can't
fix that stink, whatever it is.
[GRANDFATHER] That is your
breath. That is not my boot.
[CONVERSATION DIN AND LAUGHTER]
[RADIO STATIC]
[RADIO ANNOUNCER]
Aboriginal Radio Network.
You are listening to Missinipi
Broadcasting Corporation
at 91.3 FM in Regina, Saskatchewan.
We're here to determine
if you're a fit mother.
Look, there's Patty and Morris.
It's your mom and dad
on their wedding day.
It's just so beautiful.
You can have it.
- That's my mom?
- Mm-hmm.
Do you know where she is?
[LEO] Told you already, she fucked off.
Some people just don't
want to be found, Bezhig.
Look.
- Is that me?
- Yes.
Leo, is this you?
No, that's Niche.
You two were always together.
Even though you're just right bossy.
That's true. You were never far apart.
You were even born
holding onto one another.
We're twins.
[LEO] Yeah.
[LEO] Your, uh, your
head came out first,
so they called you Bezhig.
Niche means "number two".
There were, what, 27
kids taken from here?
Thousands from this region.
I would go to those
meetings in the Fort.
So many women speaking up,
and some of them were even lawyers.
Me, I do it for Patty.
Losing her kids broke her.
[LEO] They're still doing
it. They're still taking kids.
So I keep my head down,
you know, stay quiet.
Don't want them snooping around here.
[WOMAN] I heard people
are calling band offices,
trying to find their families.
People are starting to come home.
[LEO] I hoped you would.
Prayed for you.
Went to ceremony.
[BEATRICE] We all did, my girl.
Glad you're home.
[DISTANT DISTORTED VOICES]
[DISTORTED GIGGLING OF A CHILD]
[NIKKI LAUGHS]
Good morning.
Oh, my God. I can't
believe I fell asleep.
- I'm so sorry.
- Anytime.
Hey, you can use my face stuff.
It's on the second shelf.
Thank you.
I can't believe it's only been two days.
It feels like
Like home?
Yeah.
That's because it is.
[DOG BARKING]
I didn't want to tell you
because it didn't go well, but
I found our sister Dora a few days ago.
Wow.
Just give it some time then.
Sweet grass.
It's, uh, it's for protection.
You burn it.
It sends your prayers to the Creator.
Thank you, Leo, for everything.
[ENGINE REVS]
[PA ANNOUNCER] The
pre-board are announced
for flight 322 to Montreal.
Please have your boarding passes ready.
[MELLOW STRING MUSIC]
[SINGING IN OTHER LANGUAGE]
Mom?
♪
[SINGING IN OTHER LANGUAGE]
Mom?
[SINGING IN OTHER LANGUAGE CONTINUES]
Mom?
[MUSIC FADES]
Are you planning on staying for dinner?
Yes.
Mom.
I'm sorry I left like that.
Now you're back.
I have that meeting with
David and the rabbi tomorrow.
Good reason to come home.
[KNOCKING]
Come in.
[MUFFLED SPEECH] I'm happy to see you.
[PANTING AND MOANING]
Look really smart.
[PANTING AND MOANING]
[CHILD SCREAMS]
How was Regina?
There's a lot.
What do you mean a lot?
Come here.
Right away.
What do you mean a lot?
Wait a second.
What?
I don't know what's going on.
What's happening?
Nothing's happening.
I went away, I came back,
my mom's pissed at me.
- Nothing's happened?
- You're being like this.
You're leaving just a little bit out,
don't you think?
I'm just trying to figure
out what you're thinking.
- What's your plan?
- I don't have a plan.
Just got back.
Okay, so the rabbi should
be arriving any minute.
Flowers, aren't they a beautiful fuss?
Okay.
Oh.
I just polished these today.
So.
I understand that you
weren't very happy with me
because of things that you overheard
when I was having a
private conversation.
It was an unfortunate situation.
I am sorry if you felt upset.
But we both love David,
and I am sure that we
want to put this behind us.
Yes. Of course.
- Thank you.
- Good, good, good.
Are you hungry? There's so much food.
Oh, Jesus Christ.
Here are some questions I like
engaged couples to consider.
Can you be truthful with the other?
Do you feel seen for who
you really are by the other?
What happens when you fight?
Are you able to find your way
out of the fight with the other?
How will you balance the differences?
On a more practical note
- [DISTANT DISTORTED VOICES]
- on how you want to live your lives.
Do you plan to keep a kosher home?
Do you do you plan to have children?
Hmm?
We talked about two.
Two seems good. Esther?
Yeah, we did.
I think you both will have considered
that Esther will face
challenges in this
community as a convert,
even though you converted
very young, Esther.
Marriage isn't easy, even
in normal circumstances.
Do you both feel prepared
to meet those challenges?
[SINGING IN OTHER LANGUAGE]
[MAN] How was your
meeting with the rabbi?
It was good. I think it was good.
Good, good. Esther?
Yeah, it was good.
[WOMAN] Tammy and Jason,
how was the last ultrasound?
[TAMMY] There is a baby in there.
[MAN] Let me ask you this.
Have you applied for med
school yet for that baby?
Law school.
- Stop it. Don't even listen.
- So, Esther,
- you're going to be articling soon.
- Hmm-mmm.
You'll probably have all the
top law firms coming after you,
and they're doing affirmative
action stuff these days.
[DAVID] She's top of her class.
- Of course you'll have the best offers.
- Of course.
- [MOTHER] We all know she's very bright your Esther.
- [DAVID] She is.
That's what she is.
That's what I'm saying.
But we have two new
African-Canadian hires at our firm,
- so I guess we'll see how they do.
- Jesus, Jason,
- they'll do fine.
- What?
[JASON] It's amazing though,
isn't it? Whatever happened to,
you know, merit, earning your way in?
Well, you're still at your
father's firm, right, Jason?
- What is that supposed to mean?
- She means shut up.
- What? All I was saying
is Excuse me a minute.
- Soup's good.
- Good. There's lots more of it, so.
[JASON] I hope I didn't offend her.
Oh, don't worry. I
offend her all the time.
[MAN] She's seems very outspoken.
Passionate. I call it passion.
[DEEP CALMING BREATHS]
Here, Tammy, have some more salad.
Here you go, sweetheart.
So, Esther, will you be
going into Aboriginal law?
I'm still deciding, but
corporate law most likely.
Ohhh, like your father.
You could do so much for the aboriginals
with your good Jewish
upbringing and a lodge mom.
- Mom, we agreed.
- No,
I'm saying that she's
one of the good ones.
And when I say that you're one
of the good ones, I mean it.
You are very bright
- and your people would be lucky to have you.
- Mom!
[SISTER] Jesus, Mom, take a day off.
- That's a compliment.
- I don't see what's wrong with that.
[MAN] Okay, everybody, your
mother made a nice dinner,
and she has apologized to Esther.
I'm going to put that
on the table right now.
Apology has been made.
I don't understand. I don't
know what more she wants.
I haven't even brought up the fact
that she walked out of
her own engagement party.
I walked out because
I didn't feel welcome.
- [DAVID] Because you were rude to her.
- Okay, now you're being
very hard on your mother.
Wait, you think I was being rude?
I was having a personal conversation
where I was airing my private doubts
and she was listening in on them.
[DAVID] Mom, you said
you weren't gonna do this.
Do you know how much
we spend on that party?
And out of the two of us, I'm
the only one who has apologized.
[THUNDER RUMBLING]
I'm sorry.
I'm so sorry.
She's like that.
I'm sorry.
[THUNDER RUMBLING]
There's a reason
your mom tries so hard to let
me know that I don't fit in.
Esther.
Hey, of course you fit in.
It's because I don't.
Of course, you fit in.
Hey.
Hey.
I love you.
Hey.
I'm just wondering if
that's going to be enough.
[SIGHS]
It's enough.
[THUNDER RUMBLING]
But I don't think you know how
awful that was for me in there.
I'm sorry.
[SNIFFS]
And I have a brother.
And a grandfather.
And nieces
and nephews and cousins
and they all look like me.
And I've never had that before.
I didn't want to come home.
I feel like if I try
to explain that to you,
you're not gonna understand.
You don't think I'll understand?
Ester, I've known you
since you were seven.
- Hey.
- [SOBBING]
David, I can't.
You can't what?
You can't what?
I mean, Jesus Christ, I can come
and meet your family. I can
I can come with you
to Regina. I can see what
you're talking about. I can
I can do all the things.
[CRYING] I'm sorry.
I'm sorry.
I love you.
[SOBBING]
[DOOR SLAMS]
[SLOW STOMPING]
How's David?
Do you remember on my 16th birthday?
I went into your office
just before my party and you had all
that stuff lying out on your desk.
Photographs
of me.
In one of them, I was five-years old,
and I was in an ad in the newspaper.
And in the ad, it said
that my name was Bezhig.
And I realized then
that you changed my name.
Of course we changed your name.
They told us to change
the name to a Jewish name.
And then after the party,
I asked you who my real family was.
I knew I wasn't allowed
to talk about it.
I knew you'd be angry.
You were so angry, you said,
"Do you think a child
ends up in a newspaper
because her family loves her?"
And I didn't ask about it again.
That's how it's been between us.
For years.
I don't ask questions.
I don't talk about how
much I want to find them.
That's my mother and that's my father.
You were wrong.
They wanted me.
- No, that's not
- It's what I found out.
You were not taken care of.
This is what they told
us, "Save these children.
They need good homes. It's a mitzvah."
You're not listening to me. That's
my father and that's my mother.
- And they loved me.
- No.
I was removed because the
government was taking Indian kids.
We had paper saying "unfit mother".
You don't think governments
have lied before?
No, this is not true.
It is true.
You can't just stick
a new name on a person
and pretend that nothing's happened.
And you can't take a 5-year-old child
away from their family
and think that they're
just gonna forget.
You should know.
Have you forgotten?
Your family.
That you lost.
Have you forgotten your sister?
I don't think so, because
you named me after her.
It was the right thing to do.
You're not listening to me.
- Listen to me.
- No.
You picked me out of an ad.
Because that is how it was done!
You let them take me away
from my brothers and my sister.
- It was the right thing to do.
- It was wrong!
It was criminal, Mom. You're a criminal.
Esther.
[BANG THEN SMASHING]
Esther, don't leave.
[MELODIC MUSIC]
[FLAMES ROARING]
I've seen the lines upon your hands ♪
And the fountains from where ♪
You draw your you ♪
I was a young man ♪
Searching for something to believe ♪
♪
Then you took me in your arms ♪
It didn't matter if
I did not have a home ♪
I was just trying to find ♪
Shelter from the cold ♪
Then you looked at me and said ♪
"My boy, you've seen
far, far too much hate" ♪
And the winter snow ♪
That's blowing outside your door ♪
Is only a dream ♪
Now your slumber's at an end ♪
Its spring breeze
will now blow across ♪