Now and Again (1999) s01e07 Episode Script

MORRIS:
Mr. Wiseman, do you have it on?
Are you coming out?
Stop right there.
Turn around, please.
Ah. A terrific synthesis of form
and function, if I do say so myself.
And you do all the time.
Now flip on the switch.
You don't wanna gather the other kids
around to sing "Happy Birthday" first?
Mr. Wiseman
[SIGHS]
Wow.
Look at you.
Very nice. You wanna tell me
what the point is?
You're not thinking about
lighting me up
and running advertising
all over me, are you?
I'm an artist. I won't allow myself
to be used that way.
Mr. Wiseman, you're about to make
an historic contribution
to science and technology.
And if all goes as planned,
you will have been instrumental
in helping to protect your country
from attacks by outside forces
that seek to do it harm.
Whew. If I'd have known that,
I would've worn clean underwear.
As incredible as it seems,
that suit will allow you to be seen
from distances
as far as 50 miles away
and from altitudes as high
as 30,000 feet.
Thirty thousand feet? What am I
gonna be doing at 30,000 feet?
- Jumping out of an airplane.
- Heh.
- I don't think so.
- Ha, ha.
Think again.
[THUNDER CRASHING]
Mr. Wiseman, you're only eight miles
from the target.
- Any questions?
- Yeah, I got a question.
Where the hell's my parachute?
Mr. Wiseman,
we've been through all this.
The only effective way to test whether
the zero-gravity super barrier works
is to have you fall towards it
without the aid of a parachute
and see if it prevents you
from making contact with Earth.
Now, you're only six miles
from the target.
Let's light up the suit.
MAN:
That's a negative.
MORRIS: Gentlemen,
as you can see on this display,
beneath this field we've constructed
a highly experimental superconductor
that rotates at such a high speed
that in theory,
it should create a shield of energy
with a radius of five miles
that will stop anything,
man, missile or meteor,
from striking the planet,
while having no effect on people
or things that are already down here.
Mr. Wiseman, you're now
within 90 seconds of target.
Zip-a-dee-doo-dah.
Gentlemen, now would be
an excellent time to step outside
and look towards the northern sky.
Mr. Wiseman, how are we doing?
We're not doing well.
Nobody told me
I wouldn't have a chute.
I-- I can't do this.
I won't do this. I'm not--
[GUNS COCK ON MONITOR]
Uh
Did you know there's people
up here with guns?
Heh. Uh
Sir. Subject is moving to the door.
Don't gloat.
MICHAEL [OVER RADIO]: We got
a hell of a storm going on up here.
If you wanted to call off tonight's game
on account of rain,
I'd be more than happy to schedule
a makeup kamikaze mission for you.
As I'm sure you know, tonight's
experiment would not be possible
without the intense electromagnetic
surges created by this evening's storm.
We hope someday to be able
to replicate these conditions
without the benefit
of Mother Nature's help,
but for the moment
Yes. Understood.
It appears the plane
is directly over the target.
Jump, Mr. Wiseman.
[MICHAEL SCREAMING]
[GRUNTS]
Thank you.
MICHAEL:
Cool.
GRETCHEN:
Ugh. Craig? This won't work.
We can't lie down. Your feet keep
pushing the door open
and lighting the light. Ugh.
[POP MUSIC PLAYING ON STEREO]
Is this happening?
Or is this not happening?
- You cool?
- Yeah, I'm cool.
You know, I told my mother
we were going to the library.
Well, we were. We are.
We just stopped here first.
[GRETCHEN & CRAIG
CHUCKLING]
- What are you looking at?
- I don't know.
You see that light in the sky?
It's just hanging there.
It's a star.
It's too low to be a star.
You're right.
It's the freaking Blue Fairy
coming to town
to make Pinocchio a real boy.
I'll see you guys in school tomorrow.
GRETCHEN:
Heather.
It's okay, she's probably just
thinking about her dad or something.
[THUNDER CRASHING]
How you doing up there,
Mr. Wiseman?
MICHAEL: It's getting pretty wet
and windy up here, doc.
What do you say you cut the power
on that big Hoover down there
and get me down?
It's not that easy, Mr. Wiseman.
We shut off the superconductor,
and you plunge to your death.
We're gonna try to get a plane
up there to pick you up.
But with this weather,
it may be a few minutes.
With this wind,
I feel like I'll blow off the edge.
MORRIS:
Mr. Wiseman?
Mr. Wiseman, can you hear me?
Mr. Wiseman?
It's Dr. Morris. Can you hear me?
Mr. Wiseman?
What happened?
We couldn't get a plane up there
fast enough in that storm.
You literally blew off
the edge of the barrier.
You must have hit your head
when you landed on the ground.
Great.
Listen.
Next time Mr. Salvage-Parts here
suggests using a parachute,
what say we
humor the artificial bastard
and get him a parachute?
Right.
We need to talk.
[MICHAEL SIGHS]
When we started this,
when we first met,
I told you to put your family
and friends out of your mind,
and that was a good plan.
A good rule.
The problem is, men make rules.
God handles fate.
Where are we going with this?
In a perfect world,
you wouldn't know.
I'm concerned that if you found out,
if you discovered
that I didn't tell you
Hey, help me out here.
I just fell from the sky.
What's the subject
of this conversation?
Your daughter's
been very badly hurt.
She was apparently
struck by lightning.
Oh, my God.
A man walking his dog
found her in the woods
between the high school
and Foxhurst Road.
She was carrying a library card,
which is how we knew to call you.
Mrs. Wiseman,
your daughter's in a very deep coma.
At the moment,
we have no idea what,
if any, brain damage she sustained
as a result of the lightning strike
or the fall to the ground
she took immediately after it.
Okay.
PHYSICIAN:
There's also the very real possibility
we may never be able to raise her
from this coma.
Okay.
PHYSICIAN: What I'd like to suggest
to you before you go in and see her,
if there are any other family members
that need to be called--
No.
There's no one to call.
I'd just like to go be with my daughter.
Now.
MORRIS: I need to be clear with you
on how this is going to work.
How-- How what's gonna work?
You can't expect to just
go walking into this hospital.
Then what are we doing?
Why'd you even tell me?
I told you because
if something awful were to happen,
I didn't want you
to spend the rest of your existence
resenting the fact
that you didn't get one last look.
- But you just said--
- I said you just can't go walking in.
The hospital has guards
and nurses and policies,
and nobody but you and I know
that she's your daughter.
Not to mention the fact
that your wife is in there.
So, what's the point?
The point is to be there,
even if it's just
sitting in the car outside.
I have a man inside
monitoring her condition
on a minute-by-minute basis.
And I'm giving you my word,
if something dire happens,
I will find a way for you to at least
see your daughter
to say goodbye one last time.
LISA:
Come on, honey.
Wake up.
Wake up
and squeeze Mommy's hand.
Come on, I know you can do this.
Wake up.
Squeeze my hand.
Sweetie.
Come on.
[SIREN WAILING]
Uh-huh.
Uh-huh.
Uh-huh.
Come on, baby.
Come on back.
Come on,
don't leave Mommy alone now.
MILLER:
Mrs. Wiseman?
I'm Reverend Miller
from Saint Mark's.
I was here visiting
some ailing congregants,
and one of the doctors
suggested I stop by.
[EKG FLATLINING]
What is that?
Heather. Heather, sweetie. Heather.
PHYSICIAN & NURSE:
Mrs. Wiseman.
- Let the doctor do his job.
- What's going on?
We're losing her. I need adrenaline.
Get the crash cart.
We may need to intubate her.
Begin compressions.
NURSE:
Twenty cc's of adrenaline standing by.
What?
Yes, absolutely. I understand.
I need confirmation.
God Almighty, look on Heather,
who you made your child in baptism,
and comfort her with promise
of love and the promise of life.
What?
It's not good.
Your wife's up there,
the minister's up there.
She's had some kind of seizure.
Ah, that's it.
- Mr. Wiseman?
- I'm going up.
- Just a minute.
- No, I don't have a minute.
Then take a minute.
Don't make a fool out of me.
You go marching in there,
and I'm honor-bound to make a call
that will have a dozen sharpshooters
here so fast,
they'll create a breeze.
And they will take you down.
Now, let's do this the right way.
My way.
MILLER: God, the Father in heaven,
have mercy on your servant.
MORRIS:
That's her room there.
Fourth floor.
Be discreet.
NURSE:
Pulse is 47 and falling.
MILLER:
God, the Son, redeemer of the world,
have mercy on your servant.
NURSE:
BP is 75/40. She's crashing again.
MILLER:
God, the Holy Spirit,
- have mercy on your servant.
LISA:- Have mercy on your servant.
MILLER:
May you be one
with the one who formed us
in the dust of the earth.
O mighty God, look on Heather
and comfort her
with the promise of life.
God, the Father in heaven,
have mercy on your servant.
God, the Son, redeemer of the world,
have mercy on your servant.
God, the Holy Spirit,
have mercy on your servant.
God, the Father in heaven,
have mercy on your servant.
May you be one
with the one who formed us
in the dust of the earth.
Reveal unto her
the angels and saints
triumphant come to meet you
as you go forth from this light.
Wow.
What are you doing?
Shut off that damn suit.
What happened?
Heather.
Where am I?
Oh, baby.
Get down here.
Did anybody see that guy
out the window?
What?
What are--
What are you talking about, honey?
You were struck by lightning.
You were in a coma.
No, I mean I heard a voice
talking about angels and saints,
and I saw one right out there.
Yeah?
Well,
you are on the fourth floor
in a hospital.
HEATHER: He was really bright
and really beautiful.
Well, it's okay.
It's okay.
Mommy's here,
and it's all gonna be okay.
Why don't you just call the hospital
and make sure she's okay?
No.
Elbow.
You have any kids?
The question of whether or not
I have children
is irrelevant to the conversation
that we are having,
which is about whether or not
I make further inquiries
on your behalf regarding
your daughter, which I will not.
Fist.
What's the problem here?
Pretty simple question.
Not out of line
considering we've spent
every single day
of my second life together.
I bet you do. I bet you have some.
But what I can't figure out
is whether you made them
the old-fashioned way
or put them together
from some kind of kit.
Head.
Do I have to?
What'll you give me?
Well, maybe I do know
a little something.
The others get easier every day,
but that one
[MICHAEL GRUNTS]
This better be good.
She was released from the hospital
two days ago.
And according to my sources,
she should be headed back to school
right about now.
HEATHER:
So, what do you think?
Do you think God made the egg
so the chicken would have children
which will grow up
and be our dinner?
Or did God make the egg
thinking we would snatch it
before it hatches
and have it for breakfast?
Is this for an assignment?
No, it's just a question.
Do you any questions about sex?
I mean,
it just seems so cruel and ugly.
[LISA SIGHS]
Where is this headed?
I mean, are you telling me
you want to be a vegetarian?
- You want cereal for breakfast?
- No. I'm just confused.
I mean, I saw this angel,
and he was so beautiful.
I mean, just this ball of light.
And, well, you see something like that
and you think:
"There must be a God,
and he or she must be really amazing".
But then you think about things
like chickens or eggs
or things on the news
or what happened to Daddy and
People take the eggs,
and people eat the chickens and--
And people do the things
that you see on the news,
and it was people that caused
the accident that killed your father.
But God makes the people
and the chickens and the eggs,
- and God made the angel.
- Yes, of course.
So then you believe me?
- About?
- What I saw.
I believe that
you think you saw an angel. Yes.
Mom, that isn't what I asked.
I asked you to believe
that I did see an angel.
Heather.
You were struck by lightning.
You were in a coma.
Mom, I saw what I saw.
[SIGHS]
I mean, stop and think a minute.
Have you ever known me to be
a deeply religious or spiritual person?
I mean, who's the one
that always has a stomachache
on Sunday morning?
Yeah, I-- I have actually
wondered about that.
And I mean, take the gifts
out of Christmas morning,
and, well, let's face it,
I'd probably sleep in.
A year ago you were the best
wise person in the pageant.
Mom, my point here is,
I'm not really an obvious candidate
for this kind of thing.
But for some reason, God chose me,
and he or she did it for a reason.
Really? You think?
I think I'm supposed
to spread the word.
The word. What word?
You know, like,
let people know
that I've witnessed this miracle.
Oh, God.
What?
Heather, it's your first day
back to school.
Maybe you just wanna go easy
on the wording and the spreading.
You're not ashamed, are you?
No. Of course not.
It's just that people get upset
when they see somebody out there
telling them what the word is,
and how they have to spread it.
They just do.
So I'm saying maybe
you just wanna low-key it.
Okay?
Okay.
I'll grab something to eat
on my way out the door.
I'm going up and getting dressed.
Jeez Louise.
MAN: It's impossible.
You know it couldn't really happen,
but it still tells some sort of truth.
Now, in Bernard Malamud's book
The Natural,
give me an example
of romantic imagery.
- Craig.
- When lightning strikes the tree,
and the guy uses the wood from it
to make his bat, Wonderboy.
Fabulous example.
I mean, what are the chances?
Lightning hitting a tree,
okay, happens all the time.
But now the wood from that tree
becomes a baseball bat
that only hits home runs.
But the most interesting part of it is,
in the context of the story
that Malamud is telling,
we don't question it, we embrace it.
We want to believe it.
- Yeah, Gretchen?
- Heather got hit by lightning.
Wow.
And what was that like?
Well, I wouldn't recommend it.
STUDENTS:- Ha, ha.
- No. Come on.
Tell us.
Well, there was this flash,
and it hurt. And then I guess
somebody took me to the hospital.
FRITZ:
Have you taken batting practice lately?
STUDENTS:- Ha, ha.
- She was in a coma.
Wow again.
What was that like?
Well, I didn't know I was in a coma,
not until I woke up
and someone told me.
FRITZ:
Who was the first person you saw?
Your mother? The doctor?
What did they say?
[BELL RINGING]
[INAUDIBLE DIALOGUE]
What? That's what happened.
NICK:
Hey.
Your mom's in there, huh?
An angel?
A freaking angel?
I got your card. It was nice.
Oh.
Why are you going around
telling everybody you saw an angel?
Because I did.
Uh-huh. Uh
How do you think this reflects
on me?
It doesn't reflect on you at all.
How does it reflect on you?
I don't know,
I go out with a girl who sees stuff.
Oh, poor you. What about me?
I don't believe in anything,
and I'm the one who saw it.
Try waking up with that every day.
[HEATHER SIGHS]
So was he, like, good-looking or--?
Go away.
People think you're crazy, you know?
They think, like,
maybe the lightning, like,
nuked your brain or something.
And what do you think?
I don't know what I think.
[BELL RINGING]
[STUDENTS CHATTERING]
Excuse me.
Are you Heather Wiseman?
You are, aren't you?
My name's Brian.
I'm with The Bugle.
The school paper?
I'd like to talk to you.
Interview you, if that's okay.
Yeah, sure.
- Cool.
- Yeah.
So how much trouble am I in?
Oh, I wouldn't call it trouble.
Principal Barnhart thinks
maybe it'd be a good idea
if you spent a little more time
at home, let all of this
- settle down.
- People think I'm crazy.
People don't think you're crazy.
Some people think that
maybe with everything
that happened in the hospital--
That maybe I imagined it.
- Maybe.
- What do you think?
Heh. I think
a week and a half ago,
you almost died.
I think the fact that
you're sitting here with me now
is maybe a miracle.
And so I think that
it is entirely possible
that these miracles
maybe come in bunches.
I just also think we should probably
keep them to ourselves.
[ENGINE STARTS]
[INAUDIBLE DIALOGUE]
Mom, I think we have a problem.
[YAWNS]
[SIGHS]
Heather, do you know what
all these people are doing out there?
[KNOCKING ON DOOR]
- Yes, can I help you?
- Hi. I'm with Action News Three.
Could we speak with
the little girl who saw the angel?
LISA: No. No, uh the--
She's got soccer today.
That-- That won't be possible.
Oh, God.
Please, he's the one
who got us into this.
[KNOCKING ON DOOR]
- Yes?
REPORTER:- Hi.
I'm with The New Rochelle Gazette,
a division of United General,
a subsidiary of Worldwide Ideas Inc.,
one of the
Mega Media Group companies,
dedicated to keeping
your local paper local.
We were wondering
if we could possibly get
15 minutes with Heather Wiseburg?
No, that won't be possible.
I'm sorry, Mom.
[KNOCKING ON DOOR]
I'm sorry to bother you,
but I just noticed
the right-most upstairs window?
I'm quite sure I saw the image
of the face of a man in the glass.
Yes, well I've been meaning to wash
those windows for months now.
Thank you.
[SIGHS]
Mr. Wiseman?
- Please, call me "sir".
- We have a problem.
If it's about that extra brussels sprout
I ate at dinner,
I'll make it up to you.
I'll go easy
on the garbanzos at lunch.
What's this? Did I win the lottery?
Your daughter's on the verge
of becoming some kind of prophet.
Seems the night
that she was struck by lightning,
she saw a man surrounded
by a blindingly bright ball of light
outside her hospital room window,
four flours up.
- What?
- You and that damn suit.
- My daughter?
- Your daughter.
Wow.
Send that to Ripley,
and he wouldn't believe it.
It gets better.
Earlier in the evening,
she vividly recalls
seeing a light falling in the sky
precisely where we ran our test.
Now hundreds of others are
remembering that they saw it too.
News crews
are combing the area in planes
trying to debunk your daughter,
trying to find a scientific explanation
for this "unexplained phenomenon".
Every night, people are camping out,
waiting to see another angel
descend from the heavens.
The northern heavens.
Exactly where we aimed
our zero-gravity super barrier.
As a result,
all testing has been halted.
All work has come
to a complete standstill.
Your little girl is bringing the United
States government to its knees.
So, what do you want me to do?
I want you to visit her again.
You have to convince her
to let everyone know
that from now on, you will be
appearing in the southern sky.
In fact,
you can tell her that you'll be
making another appearance
tomorrow night at 8:00.
You want me to tell her
I'll be falling through the sky
- tomorrow night at 8:00?
- Precisely.
Tell her to tell her friends.
The more, the merrier.
The sooner we get everybody's
attention off the northern sky,
the better it will be for everyone.
Said in the paper that a lot of people
think she's a kook,
she's doing this for attention.
Yeah. The Red Sea hasn't parted
in a long time.
Makes some people dubious,
I guess.
What did you have in mind?
Want me to climb up to her window
and talk to her through the glass?
This being your house,
I was rather hoping
you might know
where a key would be.
You mean walk in the front door?
It's 1 in the morning, Mr. Wiseman.
I don't think
we want the neighbors to see
a white-hot ball of light hanging
outside your daughter's window.
Just walk in, go up to her room,
turn on the suit
- and give her the message.
- But what if Lisa wakes up?
What if she thinks
there's been a break-in?
I have great confidence
that you can handle yourself
should local law enforcement arrive.
Oh, and a suggestion.
Don't get close enough
for her to touch you.
I fear it will destroy the illusion.
Not to mention the temptation
for you to hug her
might just prove overwhelming.
[DOOR OPENS]
MICHAEL:
Shh.
Hi.
Last time I saw you,
you were in a hospital bed.
You look better.
- What are you--?
- Don't speak. Just listen.
I know what you've
been going through.
So I want you tell everyone
that if they want to,
they can see me tonight,
just like you did.
Only I'll be in the southern sky.
Do you understand what I mean
when I say "in the southern sky"?
I never meant for any of this
to hurt you, Heather,
and I'm gonna do everything I can
to put everything back the way it was.
Can I wake my mom?
Can I bring her in here to see you?
No, I'm sorry, you mustn't do that.
Bring her tonight with the others.
The southern sky, 8:00.
Wait.
If you see my daddy,
will you tell him that I love him?
Oh. He knows, honey.
He knows.
[INAUDIBLE DIALOGUE]
Is that you trembling, or me trembling
or the ground trembling?
It's okay, Mom,
it's gonna be beautiful.
Right there, the southern sky.
Just 20 more minutes.
[SIGHS]
How you doing? Hi, Mrs. Wiseman.
Hi, Gretchen. Craig. Nick.
Twelve minutes to the big show, huh?
We're gonna go sit on
that boulder over there.
You can go with if you'd like.
I'll be fine by myself.
I'm okay. I like it here.
Maybe we'll catch up with you later?
Evening.
Evening? Do you know
it's almost 10 till 8?
We have to go.
Now, where's my suit?
Want me to slip into that thing
that turns me into a human flashlight?
- I mean, what's going on?
- What's going on
is you're not going up.
What?
But you told me to tell my little girl--
To look in the southern sky.
To gather all her friends
and tell them
to look in the southern sky.
To make sure that everyone
looked in the southern sky
- so they could see--
- Nothing?
What better way to convince people
that there was nothing up there
for them to see
than to invite everyone to look
and show them nothing?
For what it's worth,
you did a magnificent job.
My people tell me
the woods are packed.
But my child
You tricked me into lying to my child.
Tricked you?
You couldn't make it
back to your house fast enough.
And forgive me, Mr. Wiseman,
but you are not an angel.
You never have been,
and you've always known it.
All I did was add my little fib to
the cavalcade of misrepresentations
that were already in place.
Besides, I don't really see that
we've done all that much harm.
Don't you understand?
That night at the hospital.
She honestly believes
that she saw an angel.
She'll believe that
for the rest of her life.
What a wonderful gift.
Oh, but tonight
she won't see anything.
The angel will have let her down,
will have betrayed her.
- A true test of faith.
- Yeah, but she'll be embarrassed.
- She'll be humiliated. She'll be--
- One day older,
one day wiser.
And if her mother loves her
as much as I think she does,
then she'll be just fine,
Mr. Wiseman.
And yes,
she will always have
the horrible memory of that night
everyone stood around
and waited to see
the impossible vision
that she was certain would appear.
And right next to it,
the unbelievable certainty that comes
from having stood at death's door,
knowing that there was
an angelic figure
just outside
her hospital-room window
looking over you,
making sure you won't die.
You don't understand,
because you don't have children.
- I can't let this happen.
- It's five to 8.
You have no choice. It is happening.
No, it isn't.
I'm going to her. I can't let her
face this moment without me.
Mr. Wiseman.
Your top speed
is maybe 35 miles an hour.
And you're at least
a good 25 miles away.
I'm going.
BOY 1:
It's 8:00!
[PLANE WHIRRING]
BOY 2:
Man, that's a plane.
It's just a plane.
BOY 3: Come on, it's after 8.
Let's get out of here.
Watching the Weather Channel
is more exciting than this.
Angels. A bunch of bull.
- Look, there's an elf.
- Look, there's a fairy.
- Look, there's a nut.
- Who are you calling a nut?
Nobody.
Look up in the sky
and tell me exactly what you see.
I-- I don't know, stars. Lots of stars.
- What else?
- I don't know. It just goes on forever.
It-- It's endless.
There could be anything up there.
Exactly.
We're gonna go get something
to eat.
You wanna come?
Can I catch up with you?
Okay. We'll wait for you.
[SIGHS]
I am going to tell you everything
I know about this business of faith,
but I'm just telling you up front
I don't know a whole lot,
so if I let you down, just save it
and wait till you're older and I'm gone
and you're seeing a shrink, okay?
- Deal?
- All right.
LISA:
Faith is believing in someone
or something
when absolutely all the evidence
tells you, shouts at you,
that it just ain't so.
- Like?
- Like God.
Like goodness.
Like there was an angel
in your hospital room.
So you believe me?
Oh, yeah.
I'm sorry.
I'm sorry that I wasn't
right there for you
the first time you told me.
It's okay.
Because I get it, Heather.
I really get it.
Sometimes, even though
it makes no sense,
I still feel like your dad
is here with me.
HEATHER:
Like now?
LISA:
Yeah.
Look, this is getting kind of icky.
Do you wanna come get something
to eat with me and my friends?
Well
Do you have any money?
[BOTH CHUCKLE]
[LISA LAUGHS]
MORRIS:
Well, look who's here.
The answer to my prayers.
May I offer you a ride?