Quantum Leap s03e10 Episode Script

'Theorising that one could time travel within his own lifetime, Dr Sam Beckett stepped into the Quantum Leap accelerator and vanished.
He woke to find himself trapped in the past, facing mirror images that were not his own and driven by an unknown force to change history for the better.
His only guide on this journey is Al, an observer from his own time who appears in the form of a hologram that only Sam can see and hear And so Dr Beckett finds himself leaping from life to life, striving to put right what once went wrong and hoping each time that his next leap will be the leap home.
' Pearson, you forgot the talc.
Er, yes.
Yes, well, talc.
Use it.
All right, that's enough.
Really, Pearson.
Oh, boy.
O Come All Ye Faithful 'Leaping around in time has made me realise that, in some strange way, I'm the servant of a higher power.
But now I found myself a servant of a much different kind.
' I want you to turn over my wardrobe, weed out all the old suits.
Anything in particular, sir? Use your judgement.
Good morning, sir! Calloway.
It's a beautiful tree, sir.
Get rid of it.
I want a bigger one.
My thoughts precisely, sir.
You heard Mr Blake.
Get a bigger tree.
Right! (CLOCK CHIMES) Mmm! (LAUGHS) Sir.
Where is it? Sir? Where the hell is my newspaper? Where the hell is Mr Blake's paper? Well, let me see.
Er, wherewhere would I have put that darn newspaper? Um Why not try the foyer where it always is? The foyer.
Yes, sir.
Ha-ha, the foyer.
Er, guys, you got the thing New York Times.
Mon (SIGHS) Monday, December 24th, 1962.
The day before Christmas.
Yeah, and I sure would like to find one of those under my tree.
I'm a 200-pound valet.
Well, count your blessings.
You could be wearing a red suit and ringing a bell in front of Macy's.
And you could be a waiter at Trader Vic's.
Hey, it's not Christmas where I am.
I mean, when I am.
It's the middle of July.
OK.
Pearson! Who's this guy I'm working for? Michael Blake.
One of the richest guys in the country.
He started out buying small mom and pop companies, automating them, then selling them for profit.
Now he does it with corporations.
He put more people out of work than the Great Depression.
And me? You're Reginald Pearson.
You've been picking up after Blake for three years.
Pearson! Coming, sir! Why am I here? Well, um, we're working on Oh! Al, Al! But Ziggy says this one could be a little tricky.
Why tricky? Why tricky? Well You may have to bathe him.
Here's your paper, sir.
It's about time.
Sorry, sir.
Well, look at that.
Khrushchev at Disneyland.
Why don't they just invite him to the Pentagon and let him go through the files? I don't care what those doves on Capitol Hill say, sir.
War is inevitable.
I only hope we have the good sense to strike first.
We will never go to war against Russia.
In fact, the time is gonna come when we break down all the barriers and, well, we work with them as allies.
Could happen, don't you think? (BUZZER) Doorbell.
Intercom.
Intercom.
I'm on it, sir.
Yes, sir.
Hello? "This is Bert down in the lobby.
(BRASS BAND MUSIC)" Hello? "Hello?" Calloway, have you noticed anything strange about Pearson lately? Definitely, sir.
He worries me.
Perhaps we should consider termination? Oh, you think we should fire him? Er, it was just an option, sir.
".
.
here in the lobby to see Mr Blake.
" OK, thanks.
Sir, that was Bert.
Er, the doorman.
And he said there's a Captain Downey waiting for you in the lobby, sir.
Captain Downey? Mm-hm.
It's those Salvation Army people I was telling you about, sir.
Well, get rid of them.
I'm sorry, sir? Get rid of them, Pearson.
Erhow? I really don't care how.
Tell them I'm not at home.
Tell them I'm out of the country.
Better yet, just tell them to go invade a country.
I don't care.
Just get rid of them.
Sir, don't you think that it would be? Yes, sir.
Pearson.
Yes, sir.
(BRASS BAND PLAYS) Excuse me, Captain Downey? We're here to see Mr Blake.
Well, I'm sorry, but Mr Blake is unavailable right now.
I bet he'd change his mind if he saw her.
Mr Blake is never available.
Mr Blake hasn't been available for the last 18 months.
He returns all my mail and I am not gonna let him tear down the Fourth Street Mission.
And I'm here to tell him that to his face.
Well, I'm sure that Mr Blake has no intention of demolishing the mission.
Oh, yes, I do! Mr Blake, this is Captain Downey from the Salvation Army.
Yes, I can hear that, Pearson.
Quiet! (MUSIC STOPS) Now, listen, Colonel Downey.
Pearson, like most of the people in the world, has no idea what he's talking about.
First of all, I am Captain Downey.
You'reDowney? And second, Pearson is right when he says you shouldn't tear down the mission.
Well, yes, sir, I'm sure they perform a valuable service.
The Fourth Street Mission has served Lower Manhattan for 47 years.
We help 165 people every week with food and temporary shelter, counselling and spiritual guidance, which you can read about in my report.
Your report, Captain, is irrelevant.
My attorneys have been in touch with your organisation for over a year, giving you ample time to move.
There's nowhere to go.
That's not my fault.
Sir, maybe she could move into one of your properties Shut up.
Shut up, Calloway.
Yes, sir.
Why can't you give us more time? If your building isn't down by December 31st, I lose my permit to build.
I'm not gonna let that happen.
I have big plans for that property.
Blake Plaza.
Yes, and once it's completed, I'll have the most contemporary theatres, shops, offices and apartments in New York.
But not for the people at the mission, sir.
It's not my job to save the world.
God forbid.
That'd mean you care about people.
Sir, maybe you could find a way to accommodate both your needs.
Pearson, you're way out of line here.
Yes, sir.
I think you should worry about your job and let me worry about mine.
Which is being a grouch.
What did you say? Well? Er, who are you talking to, sir? I'm talking to this jerk right here! Well, where did he go? Who? Never mind.
Pearson, I want these people out of here.
Call the police if you have to.
Well, if you'll excuse me, Captain Downey.
He saw you! How could he have seen you? He actually saw you! He didn't listen, though.
I hope I didn't get you in trouble.
Er, no.
I'm just sorry I couldn't help you.
Well, we'll survive.
It's all in God's hands now.
But that doesn't mean I'm not gonna help.
Lieutenant, as loudly as you can.
And two, three, four Bringing in the sheaves, bringing in the sheaves We will go rejoicing, bringing in the sheaves Bringing in the sheaves, bringing in the sheaves How could Blake see you? Ziggy says it was a weird fluke.
What kind of a fluke? Well, apparently, his neurons and mesons are on a frequency close to yours.
So I'm gonna get Ziggy to shift my image a little bit and then only you will be able to receive me.
It's kind of like tuning a radio.
There.
Now, that should clear things up.
Except for why I'm here.
That should be obvious.
Well, to save the mission, I guess.
No, no, to save Blake.
Blake? What does a man like Blake need to have saved? His soul.
BLAKE: I'm tired of sitting here waiting around.
These people, if they can't do it, tell them to get lost.
Yes, sir.
Get rid of 'em.
Yes, sir.
Al, how am I supposed to save Blake's soul - if he even has one? You saw how he treated those people.
Out.
Polyester.
Keep this one.
We don't know very much about the guy.
Every time we try and get background information, Ziggy comes up empty.
You know what they say? If you wanna find out something about someone .
.
you check their closet.
Yeah.
Oh, yeah, sure.
Go to the closet, you're gonna pull out a big box of information.
Whooo, whoooo What have you got, Havanas? No, not Havanas, pictures.
Old pictures.
Look at that.
Al, he changed his name.
No wonder we couldn't find any information on him.
Carol Of The Bells.
Looks like he started out in a slightly different neighbourhood.
Yeah.
All right, have Ziggy figure out where these pictures were taken.
Then get all the information you can on Michael Blakowski.
Can you believe it's Christmas and he has no second thoughts about throwing those people on the streets? Well, he's a real Scrooge.
Yeah, you can say that again.
Scrooge.
AlAl, you're a genius.
I am? Yes, you are.
Absolutely.
Michael is Scrooge, right? He's alone, he's miserable.
It's like Charles Dickens.
It's like Dickens created his character based on this guy.
So? So we Scrooge him.
Oh, OK.
How do we do that? We take him back to his beginnings.
We try and remind him there's more important things in life.
Where are you going? To get some help.
What do you think I'm doing here? That's not what I'm talking about.
Er, Bibi.
Mm-hm.
Thanks Never mind.
Deck the halls with me and Bibi Captain Downey.
Mr Pearson! You're doing a wonderful job here.
Thank you.
Listen, I wanted to apologise about what happened at the apartment.
Listen, I think I may be able to stop Blake from tearing down the mission.
But I'm gonna need your help.
When do we start? Have Pearson call me at the club.
I can't believe he left and didn't say anything.
Nothing Pearson does surprises me any more.
Good luck on the Henderson deal, sir.
Luck had nothing to do with it.
I had the guts and the fortitude to automate Henderson's bakery.
That's why United Federal wants to buy it, not luck.
Quite right, sir.
Quite right.
George, what the hell are these suits doing back here? Pearson, what the hell are you doing here? Where's George? Well, sir, he had a little emergency come up at home.
I was carrying out your suits and he asked me if I could just cover for him.
Where the hell did these pictures come from? Pictures, sir? Ha, ha, yeah, those.
You know, I was cleaning out your closet.
And I came across those.
They just fell in with the suits.
When I was picking everything up, I couldn't help but notice the woman.
Is she a relative? She was my mother.
She passed away shortly after this picture was taken.
I'm sorry.
I didn't know.
She was a very beautiful woman.
Your father was a lucky guy.
My father was a bum! He left us when I was three.
My mother had to scrub floors just so we could eat.
That poor woman died on her hands and knees, cleaning someone else's bathroom.
Well, I Now? Go ahead.
Why have we stopped? I think we've got a flat tyre.
Don't be ridiculous.
We would have felt it.
(HISS OF AIR) I don't know.
I think we do.
Er, yeah, look at that.
Oh, this is great.
I'll never make that meeting now.
Pearson! This is skid row, for crying out loud! We've got no business driving here.
No wonder we have a flat.
Sorry, sir.
Let's get in the trunk and get this thing changed as fast as we can (ECHOING VOICES) BOY: 'They're gone.
' MAN: 'You gonna buy those tomatoes?' (CHILDREN SCREAM AND SHOUT) (ROAR OF WATER FROM HYDRANT) (RATTLE OF STICK RUNNING ALONG RAILINGS) WOMAN: 'Mickey.
Mickey Blakowski, come up to supper.
' BOY: 'Oh, Mom, I'm in the middle of a game.
' 'Mickey!' 'You were out!' 'I was in!' 'Out!' I was in by a mile! Mickey Blakowski, you're such a liar! Get him! Captain Downey? Mr Blake? Are you OK? You look like you've just seen a ghost.
Um No, I just thought Do you know those boys? What boys? The ones that were Never mind.
What brings you to this part of town? Well, we had a flat tyre.
How unfortunate.
There's a pay phone around the corner.
It's inside.
That's Stigler's coffee shop.
Yes.
How did you know that? I grew up on this street.
See that building right over there? Charlie O'Riley used to live there.
Charlie and I used to do everything together when we were kids.
It's hard to imagine you as a kid, er, sir.
We used to play stick ball for hours, every day, just like these kids.
Does he still live there? I don't know.
We lost touch.
Chestnuts! Chestnuts Oh, my God, I haven't had any of those in years.
Are you hungry? A little.
Come on.
Two bags, please.
There's one for you here.
That's nice and hot.
Make that three, please.
Three? Thank you, sir.
Okeydokey.
That'll be 75 cents, please.
Max? Max Wozinski? Do I know you? It's Mickey, Mickey Blakowski.
Mickey! Mickey, jeez, I'll be damned! It is you! Hey, hey! Mickey! Whoa! What's a big shot like you doing back here in the jungle, huh? Well, we just had a flat.
We were just in the neighbourhood, Max.
Yeah.
This is Miss Downey.
How are you? How do you do? This is my This is Pearson.
Mr Pearson, nice to meet you.
Max Wozinski.
You guys are old buddies, huh? Are you kidding? Since we were kids! Hey, Max, you remember old Charlie O'Riley? How could I forget him? You were like Siamese twins.
Remember the time we dropped them water bags out the window on ol' lady Malone? Whooooa! That's right.
She chased us, and we were laughing so hard, we fell down.
Charlie snuck back to her house and locked her out.
He did! He locked her out of her own house.
Do you ever hear from him? You mean you don't know? What, Max? Know what? Charlie was killed.
Yeah, about four years ago.
How? He got drunk.
Damn fool jumped out in front of a bus.
Yeah.
He'd been in pretty bad shape since he lost his job at Henderson's.
The bakery? Yeah, he got laid off when they automated.
Couldn't find another job.
Went on the skids.
What a shame.
He had five kids.
Here, Max.
Get outta here! Get outta here! Put it away! It's on the house.
Just keep it, will you, Max? What? I do something wrong? No, I did.
Oh, you were right, sir.
You know? The bigger tree is much better.
Turn them off.
Sir, it's Christmas Eve.
I don't care if there's Three Wise Men at the front door.
Turn them off.
Yes, sir.
Here we are as in olden days Happy golden days Is there anything? Yes, sir.
Made for friends who are dear to us Gather near to us (WHOOSH OF AL MATERIALISING) BLAKE: And turn that music off.
Yes, sir.
No Christmas cheer? There's not much to cheer about, Al.
He's just sitting there, staring out the window.
I never should have taken him back to his old neighbourhood.
I don't understand you.
It's obvious that it's working.
It is? Sure.
That little walk down Memory Lane jogged something in him and he's sitting there thinking about it.
You've gotta keep pushing now.
How? Well, you took him to the past.
Now you've gotta show him his present.
Ziggy says there's a 94.
3% chance that this is the right thing to do.
So Are you OK? Yeah.
Yeah, I'm just thinking about my Christmas in '62.
I was nine.
Dad gave me a sled.
Tom and I spent the whole day playing in the snow.
It was great.
OK, you hang in there, all right? And keep working on him.
(CLOCK CHIMES) Here you are, sir.
Who were you talking to back there? Nobody.
Nobody.
What are you looking at? Well, you, sir.
I was thinking how sorry I feel for you.
You feel sorry for me? Yes, sir.
What's wrong with you, Pearson? Take a look around.
I own more modern art than the Guggenheim.
Rothkos, Rauschenbergs, Lichtensteins.
This place, I pay more for one month's rent than you earn in a year.
Yes, sir, you have everything that money can buy.
Damn right.
Not bad for an orphan from the wrong side of town, huh? (LAUGHS) You know what I am? I'm the living embodiment of the American Dream.
And you're miserable.
You still don't have what you really want.
I have everything I want.
Oh, really? I'll bet you a month's rent that you don't.
How are you gonna prove it? I'll get the car.
Touch it.
What? Put your hand against the wall.
Come on.
What do you feel? Nothing.
It's just brick and steel.
Exactly.
No heat, no warmth, no love.
I've had people love me, if that's what you mean.
You know what happens? They die or they walk out on me.
But this never will.
This is immortality.
I hope the world remembers you kindly.
Just who do you think you're talking to, Pearson? You're my employee, not my conscience! You just take care of yourself, because I'm just fine.
So pay up.
(CHILDREN SINGING) Do you hear that, sir? The Carol Of The Bells.
I haven't heard that in a long time.
Yeah.
Yeah, me neither.
Ha! The Carol Of The Bells.
Merry, merry, merry Christmas Merry, merry, merry Christmas One seems to hear words of good cheer Filling the air from everywhere O how they pound, raising the sound From hill and dale, telling their tale Come one and all, happily sing Songs of good will, O let them sing Merry, merry, merry Christmas Merry, merry, merry Christmas Hark how the bells, sweet silver bells All seem to say "Throw cares away" It's beautiful, isn't it, sir? Yes, she is.
I mean You know what I mean.
Yes, sir.
(SINGING STOPS) (APPLAUSE) Here she comes.
Maybe we should go.
Mr Blake, Mr Pearson! What a surprise! What brings you two down here? Well, we were We were checking on the construction site.
Oh, I thought for a minute that you may have changed your mind and come to give us good news.
This building has to come down.
I have everything riding on this project.
Then we wish you well.
You do? It's Christmas, sir.
It's time for forgiving.
Yes, I know what it is, Pearson.
Excuse me.
What song do you wanna sing next? How about Joy To The World? Joy To The World.
Won't you stay and join us? No Yes! We could always use a couple more voices.
Great.
And you used to sing in a choir, didn't you, sir? Joy to the world, the Lord is come Let Earth receive her King Let every heart Prepare Him room And Heaven and nature sing, and Heaven and nature sing And heaven and nature sing Joy to the world, the Saviour reigns Let men their songs employ While fields and floods Rocks, hills and plains Repeat the sounding joy Repeat the sounding joy Repeat, Repeat the sounding joy He rules the world with truth and grace And makes the nations prove The glories of His righteousness And wonders of His love And wonders of His love And wonders, wonders of His love (APPLAUSE) That was wonderful.
Now, tonight, we have a very special treat.
Piernik and makowiec.
Ah! WOMAN: It's better than it sounds.
What's that? It's Polish.
Honey nut cake and poppy seed jelly roll cake.
It's a tradition.
More piernik, Mr Blake? Oh, no, I really couldn't.
You don't like it? No.
I mean, yes, I do! It's delicious.
My mother used to make this for me every Christmas.
Well, I can't think of a nicer compliment.
You made this? She sings and she cooks.
It's amazing.
No, no, it's just It's just that there's so much I don't know about you.
And I'd like that to change.
Now, would you just look at this? This is better than anything we could have dreamed of.
You've saved a man and the mission.
Looks like it, doesn't it? What do you mean? You did it, Sam.
All we have to do now is sit back and let nature take its course.
Hey, hey, look at this.
Well, what have you got there? This is for you.
For me? His name is Sheldon.
Come here.
I'd put my money on a horse named Sheldon any day.
Ziggy says there's a 97% chance that you've turned Blake Uh-oh, 95? What? The odds are going down.
I don't know why.
Me first! I think I do.
Thanks.
I made him cos Santa Claus can't come visit us this year.
We don't have a home to live in.
Do you have a home? I underestimated you, Captain.
Pretty clever, using the kids.
Excuse me? Don't play dumb! You were trying to make a mark out of me and I was actually falling for it.
But it isn't going to work.
You hear that, Pearson? It's not going to work.
This building comes down in one week! It's gonna take a lot more than piernik and makowiec and some three-legged horse to stop it! Pearson! I won't be needing you any more tonight.
Sir, if you just give me Good night, Pearson.
Mr Blake .
.
I was not trying to trick you.
What were you trying to do? Well, sir I was trying .
.
to change me into somebody that I'm not.
Now I'm going to bed.
And you'd better hope that I still don't wanna fire you when I get up in the morning.
And get rid of that damn tree! Yes, sir.
What's with Ebenezer there? He's ready to tear down the mission with his bare hands.
I think I'm making things worse.
Well, you gotta save the man's soul or you can't leap out of here.
Think about the people down at the mission.
He's never gonna believe me again.
I'll be lucky if I have a job in the morning.
It would take a miracle to convince him that he's wrong.
You know something, I don't like that look on your face.
Uh-uh.
We're Scrooging Blake, right.
Right.
Right.
And I think we should just keep at it.
Keep at it? And give him the Ghost of Christmas Future.
(CLOCK CHIMES) (EERIE RATTLING) (CLANKING OF CHAINS) Ooooh-oooh! Hey, Blake, wake up! Oooh-oooh Wait a minute.
I know who you are.
You're that jerk from the lobby.
I recognise the bad clothes and the pale complexion.
Jerk? I am the Ghost of Christmas Future.
(LAUGHS) Yeah, right.
The Ghost of Christmas Future wore a black robe.
Jacob Marley wore the chains.
I AM the Ghost of Christmas Future! Oooh! Pearson put you up to this, didn't he? It's good make-up.
Are you hard of hearing? I'm here to show you your future.
Ooooh! Well, maybe I should just show you your future! You're pretty quick.
I didn't see you move.
That's because I didn't move! Ha, ha, ha! I must be dreaming.
More like a nightmare.
(BEEP) Ha, ha, ha! Oh, my God! Stay away from me! Pearson! Help, Pearson! Mr Blake? What's wrong, Mr Blake? That's what's wrong.
Get it out of here.
Go on, get it out of here now! What, sir? You don't see it? It's standing right there, smoking a cigar, staring at me! It's horrible.
It needs a tan.
Enough of the insults already! Ha, ha, ha! I'm sorry, sir, but the only thing I see here is you.
You know, maybe I should call your doctor.
You do that! He's gonna send you to the loony bin! Ha, ha, hoo, hoo, ha! Whoa, no! No doctor, Pearson! Just get it out of here.
I'll double your salary.
I'll triple your salary.
I'll forget about the month's rent you owe me.
I can't get it out of here if I can't see or hear it.
Hey, Blake! Put your coat on! You're going for a walk on the wild side! PearsPearson! Get my coat.
G-G-Get my coat.
Yes, sir.
Let go.
Yes, I'll get it.
Ha, ha, ha! Whoo, ha, ha! (KNOCKS) Sir, are you sure he said he wanted you to meet him here? Yes, he distinctly said this side of the Blake plaza.
Well, sir, do you see him anywhere? Um, maybe I was dreaming.
I have been working pretty hard lately.
Well, sir, it's possible.
They say dreams can Ha, ha! Leaving so soon? Pearson, Pearson, he's back.
Stay with me.
I'm right here, sir.
Maybe we should find out why he brought you down here.
Ask him.
That's a good idea.
Why did you bring me? I heard him, jeez.
I'm here to show you your future! Ha, ha, ha! My future? What about my future? Watch and you'll see! Oh, it's beautiful.
It's magnificent.
What is? Oh, Pearson, I wish you could see it.
It's the Blake Plaza right there in front of me.
On some sort of television screen, as though I could reach out and touch it.
Show me more, Ghost.
Show me what else happens to me.
OK, you asked for it! "Good evening, New York.
Here now the news for December 24th, 1975.
With interest rates rising, many commercial real estate investors find themselves without tenants and unable to meet mortgage commitments.
One of New York's most powerful land barons, developer Michael Blake, announced today he had filed for bankruptcy.
" No! That's impossible! It gets better.
"Blake appeared despondent as he left the court house today.
Mr Blake, over here! Mr Blake, is this the end of the Blake empire? I've made some mistakes, but I'll be back.
Analysts say that Blake, once considered a brilliant corporate raider, was undone by his unbridled greed and uncontrollable lust for power.
And in sports, the New York Nix have done it again.
" What have they done to me? You did it yourself! You wanted it all.
So you borrowed and leveraged, until in the end, you had nothing! Nada! Zero! Zilch! Zip! What about the Blake Plaza? Do I still have the Blake Plaza? Maybe we should be going.
No! I need to know all this.
Do I still have the Blake Plaza? Is it still there? Oh, yes.
It's still there.
(JINGLE) (GROANS) (SOBS) They took my plaza! No, they didn't.
You-hoo lost it! You lost everything! Ha, ha, ha! Now, do you wanna see the rest? No, I don't wanna see any more.
Pearson, make him stop.
I've seen enough.
Just make him go away! Oh, come on, Mickey! You don't wanna walk out before the end of the movie, do you? It's such a peaceful ending.
Come on over here.
There's nothing gonna hurt you here.
Ha, ha, ha.
Pearson Sir, maybe we should No, please.
Ha, ha, ha! How did I die? You didn't just die.
You killed yourself.
You took a header off the top of the Blake Plaza in the rush hour.
Why? Why? Why not? You had nothing to live for.
No friends, no family.
No love.
(SOBS) I don't wanna die alone.
I'm sorry! I didn't mean for it to end like this.
(SOBS) Mr Blake.
Mr Blake.
You all right? Pearson, he's gone.
The ghost is gone.
I think it's over.
Yes, sir.
Yes, sir, it's all over.
Oh I'm a horrible man! Yes, sir.
Hurting people Not caring about anyone but myself.
I don't want it to end like that.
Hated, forgotten, and alone.
You still have time to change things, sir.
Do you really think so? Yes, sir, I do.
Silent night Pearson, do you see that? Holy night Yes, sir.
That's a sign, isn't it? I think so, sir, yes.
Round yon Virgin Mother and child Holy infant So tender and mild Go on, sir.
Sleep in heavenly peace Sleep in heavenly peace Mr Blake! What a nice surprise.
Do you have room for one more lost soul? Of course.
What happens to him, Al? Well, in six months, he marries Downey.
And they have three kids.
That's great.
Yeah, that's great.
So I guess he never builds the plaza, huh? No, he does build it.
And he puts the mission on the first floor.
Hmmm.
I wonder if he'd have knocked on that door if you hadn't put that star up there.
I didn't put the star up there.
Merry Christmas, Al.
Merry Christmas, Sam.
(SHIP'S HORN) Philip? Oh, Philip! Why the hell are you here? Oh, boy!