God Friended Me (2018) s01e08 Episode Script

Previously on "God Friended Me" I got a good friend, teaches marketing over at Harlem College.
You should take his class.
- You're DJ Trek? - I also go by Nia.
It's Eli.
You gonna give him another shot? I don't know.
Not sure what to do.
The Blue Danube has a house band.
We could meet here and walk over.
Yes.
That's the piece of the God Account code I sent you.
You want to find Falken? Post it on the internet, lure him out of whatever hole he's been hiding in.
Make him come to us.
New York City, the most diverse city in the world, but in a time where technology and faith have collided instead of providing a way for us to share our ideas and our beliefs, we're left feeling more disconnected than ever.
That's why my podcast is so relevant.
The Millennial Prophet is a podcast destination for those looking to bridge the divide between believer and non-believer.
Thank you, Miles.
Your assignment this week is to perfect your elevator pitch.
Now turn to the person next to you, and this is your new partner.
I want you to familiarize yourself with each other's products and give productive feedback.
See you next week.
Hi, partner.
I'll send you a link to my podcast so you can listen to a few episodes before we meet.
Oh, I've already listened.
I like it.
You've a voice, Miles.
I think it's gonna catch on.
Wow, thanks.
I did have one question about your podcast.
This God Account you talk about, is that for real? The account, yes.
God, no.
So when you get a Friend Suggestion, you have to figure out how to help them? Yeah, and it's not easy.
Here we go.
- - Wait.
Are you messing with me? No, they send me a Friend Suggestion when I'm talking about them, they're probably listening to us right now.
Yeah, it's 2018, our phones are listening to all of us.
So how are you going to find this Blair Lewis? I have no clue.
Excuse me, can you hold the elevator? Thanks.
No worries.
Having a good day? For a human beach ball, it's as good as it gets.
You? - So far, so good.
- All right.
- I take that back.
- What's happening? I think the elevator stalled.
It's okay.
I'll call security.
I think it's broken.
We're stuck and nobody knows we're in here.
We got to get out of here now.
Don't worry, I'll call 911.
But there's no service.
Hey.
Hey! We're stuck in here! Can someone please call the fire department? My doctor told me not to put myself in stressful situations.
It can induce labor, and my baby is breech.
I can only deliver by c-section.
Oh, okay.
Look at me.
Look at me.
Look at me.
Look at me, My name is Miles.
This is Nia, and we're here with you.
It's gonna be okay.
I'm Blair.
So have you picked a name yet? No, I'm hoping I'll be inspired when he arrives.
My my mom didn't have a name before I was born either.
She said that a name is a mother's first gift to her child, so she wanted it to have a very special meaning.
So when I was born, my mother looked at me and saw the face of my father and she saw the face of her father, both of whom marched on Washington and Selma for equality.
My mother never wanted me to forget the miles and miles that my father and my grandfather walked for my Civil Rights.
That's beautiful, Miles.
You okay? I think I am.
Oh, thank God.
Who knows what would have happened if you two hadn't been there to talk me down? Thank you, guys.
I owe you one.
I'm glad we could help.
You sure did.
Thank you, Miles.
Thank you, Nia.
Talk about a great elevator pitch.
You knew exactly how to help her.
So that's it? Just on to the next one? Usually I'll get another Friend Suggestion to let me know that my work here is done.
Um - kind of like this.
- But it usually doesn't happen this fast.
Well, Miles, looks like you're gonna have a busy day.
Morning.
Morning.
What? I have to meet someone about a story.
Let me guess.
Miles? Great guess.
Have you told him we're dating? No.
I mean, this just happened.
Miles and I are just friends, but you're right.
I should tell him.
We send out a piece of the God Account's code hoping to lure out Falken, and instead we got every nut job on the Dark Web claiming to actually be Falken.
Can you blame them? Falken's been an urban legend for almost a decade.
Nobody knows who he really is, beyond being a genius coder and a giant fan of the movie "War Games.
" You ever read his manifestos on AI that he posted when he first appeared on the chat rooms? They are sublime.
Wait.
Wait.
Wait.
Go go back up to that message from FIBONACCI61.
Fibonacci? As in the mathematician.
Mm-hmm, the God Account's got a thing for Fibonacci.
Open it.
- - 1,600, 4:00, with coordinates to a location.
It's for Strawberry Fields in Central Park.
The seed pattern on strawberries adhere to the Fibonacci sequence.
Whoever this is, they're legit.
Wait, so you and a girl from class saved a pregnant lady? No, no, no.
We talked her down from having a panic attack and saved ourselves from delivering her baby.
You made me come all the way over here, and you've already helped your Friend Suggestion? Okay, sorry, guys.
Sorry.
Lucy and I might have made contact with someone who knows Falken.
- No way.
Who are they? - I don't know.
Just they go by the username FIBONACCI61, and they sent us coordinates related to the sequence, and they want to meet later this afternoon.
- Is it legit? - Not sure.
Let Lucy and me check this one out first.
I don't want to scare him off with too many people.
Okay, well, I'm gonna head out, - unless there's anything else - Actually, yeah, after Blair, I got a new Friend Suggestion, and this time I'm really not sure how we can help.
Come on.
We always say that.
How bad could their problem be? His name is Sal Thompkins, 71, he was a divorce lawyer, and as of a month ago he's dead.
Yeah, that's pretty bad.
How does the God account expect me to help a dead guy? Well, think of this way you can't make it any worse.
Maybe we're supposed to help someone he left behind.
Did he have any family? Nah, according to his obituary he had no surviving relatives.
His wife died years ago.
Then why send the Friend Suggestion now? Uh, guys, I think I know.
Oh, his estate sale's today at his brownstone in Brooklyn.
Well, whatever's going on it looks like the answer's at Sal's brownstone.
I love estate sales.
You guys ever seen "Estate Sale Wars"? I am obsessed.
You don't think it's weird, shopping for a dead person's stuff? Absolutely not.
- Nice paintings.
- Look around.
There's no photos of his wife or friends.
So how do you know what's for sale? Everything is for sale.
- This fork is for sale? - Yeah.
- That lamp is for sale? - Yeah.
Can we focus? Okay.
This a three-floor brownstone.
We need to divide and conquer.
There has to be something in here that will tell us what we're supposed to do for Sal.
Hopefully, we'll know it when we see it.
Dad, I'm sure Trish will be here soon.
I know.
Oh, I thought detected some nerves.
Why would I be nervous? Trish and I have gone out on one date.
It was a very nice time, and so we are going to go out again.
It is as simple as that.
Right.
And there she is.
- Dad, she's a fox.
- Mm-hmm.
- Trish.
- Hey, Arthur.
- How are you? - Good, how are you? Good to see you.
I'd like you to meet my daughter, Ali.
I'm a hugger.
I'm a hugger too.
I'm so glad we're getting to do this.
Thank you.
So your dad has told me so much about you and Miles.
- Everything good I assume.
- Hmm.
I want to thank you so much for fixing my dad's sax.
You should hear him play.
He hasn't lost a step.
I don't know that I would go that far.
I keep telling him he needs to get out and play.
I mean, don't they have those open mic nights for musicians? They do, and, in fact, my friend who runs the Blue Danube, he puts one on every Saturday night.
No, no, no, no, no, no, no, that is tomorrow night.
That would be so much fun.
- No.
- Arthur, this is so low key.
We could pack the house with family and friends.
I would really love to hear you play.
Sure, why not? Yes.
So how did your date with Eli go, by the way? Uh yeah, it went well.
You gonna see him again? Yeah, well, I mean, probably.
Cool.
Hey, you guys find anything? Uh, not yet.
What? My dad has this same desk in his office at the church.
It's the only thing in the entire house not for sale.
You guys think the God Account sent us here - to find this deck? - It's possible.
Look at this.
"To Alfie.
" Looks like a younger version of Sal.
The kid must be Alfie.
Sal's obituary didn't mention anything about him having kids.
Matthew 6:21.
That's a Bible verse.
"For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.
" Wait, treasure? So, what, Sal left behind a clue to a treasure hunt? I don't know, but this is the only personal thing in Sal's entire house.
Plus, he kept it safe.
This has to be what the God account sent us here for.
Hello, I'm in charge of the estate sale.
Can I help you? Actually, yes.
Do you know who Alfie is? He was Mr.
Thompkin's stepson.
This desk was left to him, but when I contacted him, he declined to accept it.
I got the impression they were estranged.
Probably why he wasn't listed in the obituary.
Any chance you can give us Alfie's information? Sorry, I'm not permitted to give that out, but let me know if you'd like to purchase the desk.
No reason to hold on to it any longer.
Whatever the God Account wants us to do for Sal, it must have to do with his stepson.
We need to find Alfie.
All right, well, let me know how it goes.
I kind of have a FaceTime date with Jaya, get camera ready.
Don't judge me.
You think Rakesh could be right about the verse? This is about some treasure hunt for something Sal left for his step-son? Well, maybe.
We just need to find Alfie.
Question is how.
I mean, I looked up Alfie Thompkins online.
I didn't find anything.
You know, his mother's maiden name was Collins.
Maybe he goes by that.
Great.
I'll run his name through the IdentitySeal system, see if we get a match.
Miles, don't bother.
- What do you mean? - Look.
Your honor, Alfie Collins on behalf of the plaintiff, Mr.
Joe Ellis.
We're seeking damages in the amount of $50,000 that stem from a debilitating injury he suffered after falling in a City Foods Market.
Thank you, Counsel.
This matter is set for trial next Tuesday at 9:00 a.
m.
They're gonna try to settle at 25.
We'll meet 'em in the middle.
Get ready for a nice payday, pal.
- Alfie Collins.
- Yes.
Miles Finer.
This is Cara Bloom.
We called earlier.
Oh, right, said you're looking for an attorney? Not exactly.
We were hoping to speak with you about your stepfather, Sal Thompkins.
I told his estate I didn't want anything.
We're not actually with his estate.
We found this photo of you two.
Do you know why he wrote Matthew 6:21 on the back? What? Where did you get this? I haven't seen this photograph in probably 20 years.
Any idea why he wanted you to have it? No, Sal wasn't exactly sentimental, least not towards to me.
He reached out a few times before he died, but I didn't return his call.
Well, maybe that's what he was calling to talk to you about, to explain why he left the photo.
What does it matter? Look.
My dad died when I was two.
My mom remarried Sal when I was around eight.
He tried to be a father to me at first, but I don't think he ever wanted kids.
Well, why do you say that? He and my mom had only been married a few years, and then she died and whatever relationship I had with Sal died with her.
He sent me off to boarding school, and we'd only talk when I needed something, or when I got into trouble and he'd send a check.
I never wanted his money.
Worked my ass off to be twice the lawyer that he ever was.
Soon as I could support myself, never saw him again.
And now I never will.
How did you know him? About that.
We were sent a Friend Suggestion on Facebook for Sal from someone calling themselves God.
Okay, really wish you would have lead with that.
Think we're done here.
Look, obviously it's not God.
Okay, but there is someone out there sending me Suggestions for people who need help.
Trust me, I get how it sounds, but the account hasn't been wrong once.
Well, then this is the first, because you can't help a dead guy.
Oh, I see, you're here to help me.
Is that it? Make my peace with Sal? Let me save you the trouble.
I'm at peace.
He wrote the name of a Bible verse about treasure on the back of this picture.
Isn't it possible he left you something that he wants you to have? What difference is it gonna make now? He didn't want anything to do with me when he was alive.
Why should I want anything to do with him now that he's dead? Nice meeting you.
Sounds like Sal shut down after Alfie's mom died.
Yeah, I mean, my dad did the same thing after my mom.
You know, he vanished into the church, and for a long time I hated him for that.
Well, you guys are better now, right? Yeah, yeah, much, but it took us a long time to realize that the past is in the past for a reason.
Speaking of my dad, Ali texted me and said that he's playing the sax at the Blue Danube tomorrow night.
You should come.
It'll be fun.
Yeah, yeah, sounds great.
Should bring Eli.
Thanks, but he actually has plans.
So the God Account, you know, they send us Sal to help Alfie, and then they point us in the direction of a Bible verse about a treasure.
Maybe that's the key? Right, but how are we supposed to find it if Sal didn't leave any hint of the location? Well, maybe he did.
What if the location is where the photo was taken? Almost forgot, I'm I'm paired in this marketing class I'm taking.
We're supposed to meet, but I can cancel.
No, no, no, don't worry about it.
I'll call Rakesh.
We'll look into the photo, and I'll text you if we find anything.
Thanks.
Nice set-up.
Maybe I'll guest on your podcast sometime.
I don't know.
I have a pretty rigorous screening process.
- Really? - Mm-hmm.
I've heard you talk to your turtle on more than one occasion.
Okay, Neil deGrasse Turtle has insight.
Joining me today is my really good friend, Nia.
AKA DJ Trek.
Nia, you should know from being such a huge, huge fan of the podcast that the Millennial Prophet is about creating a dialogue, sharing our personal perspectives of how we arrived at our beliefs.
Okay.
What about a survivor's perspective? Survivor's? Leukemia.
Diagnosed the day after my 13th birthday.
Spent a year in and out of the hospital doing nothing but listening to music.
That's when I fell in love with it.
You're in remission? 11 years cancer free.
But I don't thank God for that.
I thank science and all the amazing doctors and nurses I watched heal me.
You just earned yourself a spot on the Millennial Prophet.
Now that is a very big deal.
It's highly competitive.
Oh, I'm honored, but I do have one question for the host.
Fire away.
I was wondering what he was doing tomorrow night.
Actually, my dad is playing sax at the Blue Danube.
You should you should come.
Like a date? Yeah, like a date.
Kay, I'm running a location match on the photo.
Hopefully, it won't take too long.
- Thanks, Rakesh.
- Yeah.
So you coming to the jazz club tomorrow night? - Yeah.
- Yeah? Bringing Eli? Wanna meet this guy already.
Yeah, I wasn't planning on it.
I kind of told Miles that Eli had other plans.
Oh, the whole keeping the worlds separate thing, huh? - What? - Yeah, no, I get it.
Secret's safe with me.
No, I'm not separating anything.
- That's not a thing.
- Yeah, it is, Cara.
You've got your world with Eli where you go out for dinners and have romantic evenings on rooftop gardens, and then you have the God Account world where you got Miles, where you go for adventures, where you get inspiration for your articles.
It's two worlds.
Separate.
It's not true.
- Not at all.
- Kay.
Hey, bingo.
We got a match.
Looks like the photo was taken at the Marina in Battery Park City.
Great.
All right, I got to go.
Lucy and I are gonna go meet FIBONACCI61.
Good luck.
I'll see you.
Might as well make ourselves comfortable.
23 minutes late.
I'm beginning to think he got cold feet.
He isn't gonna show.
FIBONACCI61? No, my girlfriend.
She canceled on a FaceTime date with me earlier.
You wanna talk about it? It's just the whole long distance thing, you know? Like, I'm all about technology, but not as a conduit for a relationship.
Makes sense.
What about you? You seeing anyone? - Who has the time? - Yeah.
Speaking of which, I'm thinking we should call it.
Whoever sent that message isn't coming.
Kay.
Looks like this photo was taken somewhere around here near the Marina.
Those lamp posts look similar.
Hey, so, is it still cool if I bring Eli tomorrow? His plans fell through.
Yeah, yeah, of course, why wouldn't it be? I don't know.
I guess, um Well, we're actually kind of seeing each other, like, officially.
That's great.
No, I'm happy for you.
Thanks.
You know, you're actually the one that gave me the confidence to take a leap You better not say of faith.
I wouldn't dare.
Hey, it looks like the photo was taken right here.
I don't see anything.
Maybe I was wrong.
Maybe it's not about where the photo was taken.
No, no, no, no, you were right.
Matthew wasn't a Bible verse.
Look.
That must be Sal's boat.
Yeah, whatever we're looking for must be inside.
The paintings at the estate sale were his.
Sal was a painter.
There must be something that we're missing.
It's safe.
Wow.
Looks like it needs a 3-digit code.
Matthew 6:21.
621 could be the code.
Yeah, yeah, try it.
Hello? Uh what are you doing here? We could ask you the same thing.
You lied to us about not knowing where the picture was taken, about Matthew, all of it.
Why? Because I don't know you, and you were claiming God sent you.
Why would I tell you anything? He has a point.
You still think Sal left me some kind of treasure? Yes, we do.
His safe has a 3-digit code just like the numbers on the back of the picture.
Well what are you waiting for? It's a book.
"A Day At Sea," written and illustrated by Sal Thompkins.
He wrote a children's book.
- No way.
- Here.
See for yourself.
This doesn't make any sense.
Why would Sal write a children's book? Wait, wait, wait.
Alfie, wait! Miles you have to see this.
"To Alfie All the things I wish I could have said.
I love you.
" The story's about the father Sal wished he could have been.
All the things he wanted to tell Alfie.
- He loved him.
- Well, you know, you'd think that'd be good news for Alfie.
Why would he take off? When you grow up thinking a parent didn't love you, it kind of becomes a part of who you are.
I used the pain just like Alfie did to motivate myself, prove myself.
Alfie said he became twice the lawyer Sal was, but you saw Sal's house.
He was pretty successful.
Yeah, and Alfie's an ambulance chaser advertising on bus stops.
Yeah, what did he mean by that? Guys, I think I might know.
Look at this.
Alfie used to be one of the top litigators in New York.
Alfie? Are you sure? Yeah, this article I just found says that he was one of the youngest partners at a power law firm until about six months ago when he suddenly left.
What happened six months ago? Doesn't say.
Well, Sal died a month ago, so whatever happened wasn't about that.
Can you check his Facebook history? Maybe he posted something back then that can give us a clue.
- This is weird.
- What? Well, Alfie posts a lot, but if you go back six months, there's this huge gap.
Oh, maybe he took a break from Facebook.
I mean, we all do it.
No, this was deliberate.
I think Alfie did a major purge around that time.
You know how people scrub photo tags or timelines in order to hide things? Alfie scrubbed pretty much everything from that period.
Something must have happened, and he doesn't want to be reminded of it.
I mean, I can try and recover what he erased, it's just gonna take some time.
If he was at a high-powered firm, he'd have an assistant, right? Maybe a paralegal who knew what was going on in his life then? - That's a good idea.
- On it.
Kay, firm directory, employee list, backlog history.
Here we go.
His assistant was a woman named Janet Bell.
Thanks for meeting us.
I only get 45 minutes for lunch, and I'm not sure what I can tell you.
Any cases he was working on back then are privileged.
We understand, and like we said on the phone we just want to help him.
Can you tell us why he left? Look, I like Alfie.
Are you sure this is about helping him? Yeah, we promise.
Alfie was driven, obsessed with work, with proving himself, but then something changed in him.
I wasn't sure what it was until he started having me send someone roses every week.
He had a girlfriend? He never told me her name, but every Friday for months I'd send them to an address, and then one day, out of the blue, he told me to stop.
Let me guess, six months ago? He tried to bury himself back in work, but whoever she was, she changed something in him, for the better if you ask me.
He quit soon after.
People just assumed he burned out, but I knew better.
You wouldn't be able to get us her address, would you? Please, every Friday for months? I know it by heart.
Ali, hey, what are you doing here? A daughter can't pop in and say hi to her dad for no reason? Well, I don't know.
Can she? So Trish came to the bar to see me.
- Ah.
Hmm.
- She said you changed your mind about playing tonight.
Yeah, I'm just not ready to play in front of a bunch of people.
It's no big deal.
I know.
I wanted to give you this.
A pocket square.
I haven't worn one of these since your mother.
I know.
I also know how much you loved playing for mom.
I was too young to really remember, but I imagined it was one of those special things between you two.
Mm-hmm.
Dad, is this about playing for Trish? When you mother was in the audience, I played every note for her.
I mean, the house could have been packed, but it was like there was a spotlight on her face, on her smile, that only I could see.
Now, I know it's tragically old-fashioned not to want to play for anyone else, but it's like you say, it was something special just between us.
I get that, Dad but I also think it may be time for you to play for someone else.
And if you want it to be for Trish that's okay.
Mom would want you to.
Think it's the next one over.
Just hope she still lives here.
Me too.
I wonder why they broke up.
Alfie obviously took it hard, so what happened? Guess we're gonna find out.
- Blair? - Miles? You guys know each other? What are you doing here? We're we're here because of Alfie.
He's the father, isn't he? How do you know Alfie? It's a long story, but one I think you need to hear.
It's a lot to take in.
We know, but it brought us here to you.
So that must mean something.
And this has some sort of Happily Ever After Ending? I thought it did too.
And then you got pregnant? Alfie tried to be supportive, but I could see it.
His relationship with Sal scared him.
He thought he wasn't equipped to be a father.
And then the day that we were supposed to find out the sex of the baby he didn't show up.
He just walked away.
I couldn't break through.
I'm not so sure about that.
After he left you, he quit his job.
He wasn't the same person anymore.
Look, I think he's lost.
Caught between the person who he thinks he is and the person that he wants to be for you.
Oh, God.
It's not too late, Blair.
No, I mean, oh, God, I think my water just broke.
- Oh! - Uh, okay.
My ready bag is is in the hallway closet.
I called a Lyft.
Stay with Blair.
- Where are you going? - To find Alfie.
Are you sure that's such a good idea? I don't know, but I have to try.
You again? I know about Blair.
I'd tell you to leave me alone, but that doesn't seem to work.
How did you find me anyway? I have a friend that knows his way around the web.
He was able to retrieve most of the photos of you and Blair that you erased.
This place was in more than a few of them.
What do you want, man? Blair is on her way to the hospital with Cara.
Today's the day.
In a couple of hours, you're gonna be a father.
What do you think you come down here, give me some speech, and I just change my mind? No, I think you came to the place that was most important to you and Blair because that's exactly what you were hoping you'd do.
I think you became twice the lawyer that Sal was to try and prove that you weren't anything like him.
Now's your chance to be twice the father.
- I can't be a father.
- Oh, man.
I am doing her and that baby a favor by staying away.
Don't you think that should be her choice, his choice? - It's a boy? - Yes.
The only thing I know about fatherhood is how not to do it.
Actually, that sounds like a good place to start.
Plus, I'm pretty sure they have a few books on the subject, but I'd start with this one.
It's about a boy and his father who go sailing.
The boy keeps asking him questions, but the father's too sad to respond, so the wind starts answering for him.
Telling him all the things he wished he could have said.
The seagull that followed me.
I can't believe he remembered that.
Being on that boat was one of the few times that I didn't feel invisible, like, Sal could actually see me.
He did.
This is his way of telling you.
You have a choice, Alfie.
You can come with me right now and figure out a way to be in your child's life, or you can wait for 30 years to write a book about how you wish you had.
Hey.
Blair got here in plenty of time.
Baby wasn't in any distress.
What if she doesn't want to see me, doesn't want me to be part of his life? Then prove to them you deserve to be.
Hey.
He just wants to talk.
No.
You said you owed me one.
In the elevator, remember? All I'm asking you to do is listen.
You left us, Alfie.
You don't get to just waltz back into my life, or this baby's, and pretend like nothing happened.
You're right.
I don't expect you to ever forget what happened.
I'm not asking you to take me back.
I'm only asking you let me be a part of his life.
In whatever way you allow.
And while I have absolutely no reference for what being a good dad looks like, I know more than anyone how much it matters.
I'm not making any promises, but if I was open to it what would that look like? I'd start by reading him a story.
I think he'd like that.
Sometimes it's hard not to see our lives as a story.
We assume that the past chapters in our lives, our history, have led to where we are now.
We feel beholden to it, tied to the story that got us here.
But what happens when that story starts to change? Hey, man, thanks for inviting us.
Thanks for coming.
Hey.
- Hey, man, Rakesh.
- Lucy.
Eli.
Do you know what changed his mind? You know musicians, could have been anything.
- Hey.
- Here.
Oh, hey, I'm Nia.
Hi, how do you guys know each other? Well, Nia was the DJ that kept covering up my posters, and then somehow we both ended up in that marketing class.
I'd say it was fate, but who believes in that kind of thing, right? Right.
Please welcome to the stage Arthur Finer.
Sometimes the stories we thought were over are anything but, and we realize that happy endings are rarely easy, or simple, or expected as we thought, but that doesn't mean they aren't worth it.
What? Look.
It's Falken.
I know it.
What are you gonna do? I'm gonna find him.
But in the end, whether a new story is taking shape, or an old one is suddenly being replayed in a new light You good, Cara? I'm just gonna grab us another drink.
What yeah, no, I'm good.
You never know where a really good story might go.