﻿1
[INDISTINCT CHATTERING]
DISPATCHER: 911 dispatch.
What's the emergency?
WOMAN: There's been an accident.
DISPATCHER: What's the location?
WOMAN: 9 Summit Street.
[MUSIC - "SUGAR" (COVER)]
Sugar.
I call my baby my sugar.
I never maybe my sugar.
That's 'cause my baby's so confectionary.
Funny, he never asks for my money,
'long as I feed him on honey.
That he can get anytime.
Walter!
I'm making breakfast.
You want French toast?
I'm making French toast!
[GASPING]
[SHOUTING]
[SIRENS]
MAN: Hey!
Hey, are you OK?
YOUNG MAN: [VOCALIZING]
Like that.
Try it again.
[VOCALIZING]
Excuse me.
Ms. Olson, you have a call.
It's one of your neighbors.
It happened so fast.
Where were you?
I was home, working in my yard just over there.
Over there.
Tough pendejo, though, huh?
Step right in front of a car.
I thought for sure when I ran down here,
he'd be in bad shape, but...
You know him?
Uh, not so much.
Just a wave.
You know Wren Miller, 17B Green Street?
She reported the accident.
Never heard of her.
[SIRENS]
[KNOCKING]
Police!
Anybody home?
[KNOCKING]
Hello?
Miss Miller?
[INDISTINCT SPEECH]
[SIGHING]
DONNA: Young lady!
Hey!
27 hours I have been getting on and off the airplane.
It's 27 hours.
[CHUCKLING]
Why are your eyes puffy?
Have you been eating?
Don't you start with me.
See, this is why the doctor said you should get
up every two hours and walk.
I like to sit.
Well, he wants you to talk so you keep the blood
flowing in your veins.
My blood is flowing, Jo Jo.
It's my joints who won't cooperate.
How are your joints, Donna?
My joints are great.
They're cooperating?
My joints are cooperating.
I bet they are.
[CHUCKLING]
JO ANN: So how are things?
DONNA: Well, Mr. Lemke tried to kill himself.
JO ANN: Oh, no.
Not again.
Poor Margaret.
ARNIE: Mr. Lemke is a horse's ass, Jo Jo.
Yes.
ARNIE: I... I've told her a thousand times.
JO ANN: Well, why does he keep doing that?
He's gonna die soon enough as it is without sending
Margaret into hysterics.
I know.
It's just terrible.
We should go over there.
No.
No, he's fine.
They took him to the hospital.
Not a nice welcome for my new tenant,
but what are you gonna do?
JO ANN: You found someone to take the apartment?
Yeah.
Single?
- Stop it. - Male?
Female?
I don't know anything about the young lady.
Uh-huh?
And I don't want to know.
You become less fun the longer I know you.
Thank you so much!
JO ANN: [LAUGHING] Is she home?
I think she's home.
Why don't we get you home?
Yeah, all right.
OK?
JO ANN: Arnie, where are you going?
We have a whole car to unload.
Well, if I lift anything, my arm'll fall off.
[LAUGHING]
I've been married to that man for 41 years.
I know.
And I don't think he's ever carried his suitcase.
[PLAYING PIANO]
[INDISTINCT SPEECH]
[GRUNTING]
[SNORING]
[PLAYING PIANO]
[STOPS PLAYING]
[MUSIC - "I'M ONE"]
I can see this is me.
I will be.
You'll all see I'm the one.
Oh, sorry.
You are way too happy.
There's no such thing.
I get to be outside.
I... I get to exercise.
I get to meet people.
I get a...
A pension.
I get a pension.
Health care.
I get health care.
Vacations.
See?
Who knows?
But wait, job lover.
There's more.
Goes to one address.
Huh.
Whoa.
You missed a spot.
He's back.
Would you stop?
Shh.
Arnie.
What?
They can't hear me.
JO ANN: She's leaving him.
Gotta be the smartest thing she's ever done.
Huh.
Look at that.
He is just sitting there in his front yard.
So?
We're just sitting here in our front yard.
MARGARET: Do you need anything?
I'm going over there.
Jo... what?
Are you taking your chair?
Yes!
I'm taking my chair.
Holy cow.
Hey, Mr. B.
What are you bringing me there, baby pigs?
[CHUCKLES] No, it's actually not for you.
Goes up there.
Where's Jo Ann?
She's found another man.
Hello, Walt. Oh, my.
This is nice.
Pygmy Falcon.
Yes, it... it is.
I'm Wren.
I moved in while the two of you were away.
Ah.
Well, uh... I don't remember seeing this when I was there.
I mean, I didn't see...
I know I didn't see it.
But here it is.
Oh, I'm Arnie.
Arnie Bayberry.
Nice to meet you.
Careful.
Whoa.
Watch your birds.
JOSH: How was Africa?
JO ANN: It was good.
You didn't go out and find a girlfriend while I was gone,
did you?
Uh, no.
No, ma'am.
Still single.
Oh.
That must be here.
Oh, she's lovely, isn't she?
She's just lovely.
JOSH: Who is she?
JO ANN: My new neighbor.
JOSH: The one who lives above the garage?
Yeah.
I should go introduce myself to her.
She gets a lot of mail.
Hello, hello, hello.
Oh, look at you.
You are just lovely.
I almost stopped by this morning,
but my husband told me not to knock on anybody's doors
- until 9:00 AM. - Hi.
I'm Wren.
Hi.
Oh, wow, look at that.
Where in the world are you going with all of that?
Oh, my.
Isn't it a beautiful day?
I live right next to you with my husband Arnie.
I was just mentioning to Josh.
He's the nice young mailman over there, sitting with Mr. Lemke.
Let's wave.
Josh is single.
His mother died last year, poor thing.
And he was there the whole time.
They don't get any better than that.
He's the real deal.
Are you single?
Here, let's walk.
I can tell you all you need to know about this neighborhood,
but today I'm kind of busy 'cause I have
to keep my eyes on Mr. Lemke.
It can be so bad sometimes this whole getting older bit.
But maybe later if you want, I'll just stop by.
What's your name again?
Wren.
Well, you are darn cute, Wren.
MAN: Are you insane?
Are you insane? Hey!
- Knock it off. - Are you insane?
Yes, definitely.
Hey, Payne.
PAYNE: You've been blessed by a bird.
Hm?
Oh.
PAYNE: No, come on, man.
You should be happy.
That's good luck.
In fact, the next time you go back out, why don't you pick me
up $20 bucks in scratch-offs.
And if I win, then we'll split it 60-40.
Maybe 50-50.
OK.
Take that as a no.
Well, I'll take that to your box, too.
[CLEARING THROAT]
Or, you know, you could go online.
Blackjack, poker. Trust me.
This is a sign.
Technology is overrated.
Is it now?
I was on this dating site.
Met this woman for drinks last week.
Mm-hm?
Matea from Oraro, Tonga.
[CHUCKLING]
I'm telling you, man.
There are all types of people on there.
What's it been, man?
Six, seven years?
This could be your jam.
Here you go, Payne.
A pygmy falcon?
You're kidding.
ARNIE: No, no.
Really.
Where is it?
HOFFMAN: That's remarkable!
Where'd you see it?
Huh?
Where'd you see it?
You know, it's funny.
I can't recall exactly.
You can't recall?
Arnie, you're a professional.
You can't make claims without proper verification.
I'm not making a claim.
This is just you and me talking.
I don't mean to challenge you.
I'm just surprised is all.
I know.
It's strange.
All right, I just came across the photo when I got back.
I don't even remember taking it.
Look, don't worry.
Now I can't even find the friggin' thing.
Well, they are pretty small.
[KNOCKING]
Oh, thank goodness you're home.
Can I come in?
Sure.
It's for you.
Go ahead.
Open it.
Oh.
You didn't have to do that.
Oh.
- It's a meatball maker. - Oh.
OK, thanks.
I ordered a ton of 'em on QVC.
It's one of those things everybody needs.
You know how to work this?
Um, well...
See, you just spread the seasoned meat on a counter,
and then you press the plastic gizmo down through the meat.
Shake it around, open it up, and voila.
Perfect meatballs.
It's amazing.
You're gonna love it.
I use mine all the time.
Thank you.
I'll just, um...
I'll set it right here.
Yeah.
Wow.
I thought only old people still got mail.
What do you do with it?
I read it.
Oh, don't be ridiculous.
Nobody could read all this.
Is it for work?
What do you do?
I... I really can't say.
Oh, please.
Don't worry.
People tell me everything.
I'm kind of like a priest.
It's complicated.
- It's complicated? - It can be.
Aways complicated, or is it sometimes less complicated?
MOODY: Finally, a human.
No, no, I'm not Caleb Murphy.
That's the problem.
My name is Moody Burkheart.
B-U-R-K-heart.
And something's gone wrong with your system,
because I'm not getting Caleb Murphy's bill at my address.
But I'm not getting my own bill.
Uh, what?
OK.
So only Caleb Murphy can make changes to this account.
Uh-huh.
It's policy.
It's not policy.
It's a mistake.
I can't believe how far along you are.
Getting that lining in was harder
than building the casket.
[LAUGHING] It's... it's...
it's creepy.
It's creepy!
BOTH: [LAUGHING]
Arnie says it's creepy.
It's... it's creepy.
But it's no secret we're all gonna die someday.
Do you know how expensive it is?
To die?
Yeah, horribly expensive.
$10,000 on average.
It just makes me sick to my stomach
that just to lay a person to rest families
have to pay that kind of money.
Hm.
Oh!
I can't believe I forgot to tell you.
I met Wren.
She's a lovely girl, just lovely.
We had a great walk, and I went to her house and...
but did you know about the mail thing?
She gets hundreds, thousands of letters every day.
Hm.
She must be some sort of speed reader.
Jo Ann.
Anyway, I've been thinking about it.
Because, you know, something is going on there,
and I think I finally figured it out.
I am pretty sure she is a pen pal for prisoners.
A what?
I'm talking lots of prisoners.
You should see these bags, and she
doesn't want to talk about it.
"It's complicated."
Her words.
I mean, what else could it be?
She's a pen pal for prisoners?
It really is the only thing that makes sense.
Well, so what if she is?
Well, here's the thing.
I think she thinks that we'll care.
That's why she won't tell me about it.
Yeah, but, Jo Ann, everybody that lives next to you
doesn't need you to worry about them.
I'm not.
You are.
Or was it somebody else who...
who called the police because Mark was
having sex with his girlfriend.
I saw smoke.
And chaperoning Mr. Lemke.
Well, life's my company.
And... and what about when I helped with Desmond
when you were in Cincinnati?
That was Cleveland.
I was in Cleveland.
Cleveland.
I'm sorry.
Wherever, I was on guard.
Yeah, but nobody needed your help.
You're too nosy, Jo Ann.
I'm caring.
Look, Wren's a nice girl.
She gets a lot of mail.
So what?
That's a really beautiful casket.
[SIGHING]
MOODY: I realize it's a promotion,
but why would I pay $9.99 for a medium pizza
when I have a coupon for $7.99?
No, I don't want to pay $9.99 to not get the wings.
I want to pay $7.99 with the coupon.
And I want you to keep the wings.
I don't want them.
If you think about it, it's a win-win.
Unbelievable.
You know what?
Bring the wings.
Why doesn't she come out?
She must be up by now.
You say she stays up all hours of the night.
She's probably sleeping.
Well, nobody sleeps this late.
It's unnatural.
It's 8:30.
I know what time it is.
Wrens are highly adaptable, actually.
Capable of living in almost any environment...
hedgerows, low-lying nests.
Their scientific name literally means cave dweller.
[LAUGHS] Oh, I don't think so.
What do you mean you don't think so?
It is so.
She's not a bird.
MARGARET: Bye, Walt.
Oh.
Mr. Lemke needs me.
Jo Jo, leave him be.
JO ANN: It's good for him to have visitors.
I invited half the neighborhood to stop by and see him.
Why do you have to get involved?
Oh, for Pete's sake.
[PLAYING FLUTE]
[KNOCKING]
PAYNE: Hey.
Did Chapman talk to you about the call on Summit Street?
What?
PAYNE: Summit Street.
The old man, the car.
I already turned in the report.
But there's a discrepancy, here.
Oh, come on.
Give me a break.
You were out, so Chapman talked to the ambulance driver.
The driver says that when he turned on to the street,
he saw the whole accident play out.
And then we talked to the neighbor.
It's in the report.
You're not hearing me.
The driver says he actually saw the old man get hit.
What is he saying?
That it was staged?
Not staged.
Just hadn't happened yet.
[PIANO PLAYING]
What are you looking at?
DONNA: (SINGING) Why should I be discouraged?
Why should the shadows come?
And why should my heart be lonely and long
for heaven and home?
When Jesus is my portion, a constant friend is he.
His eye is on the sparrow, and I know he's watching me.
And I sing because I'm laughing.
I sing because I'm free.
His eye is on the sparrow.
And I know he's watching me.
Definitely a Virgo.
JO ANN: Having company helps.
But there are a lot of alternatives
for a guy like Walt. I mean, I see a therapist.
[CHUCKLES]
JO ANN: Donna Olson goes to a shaman.
Huh.
JO ANN: I'm serious.
You're so young.
You know, the very first time Walter
took me on a fishing trip, we stayed by the water
for hours and hours.
I... I thought it was disgusting.
Why would anyone want to do that?
[LAUGHING]
Since then, we've been on...
I don't know how many...
how many fishing trips.
I've come two of them.
Hm.
He doesn't want to fish anymore.
[PIANO PLAYING]
Josh.
Officer Moody!
I... I don't think she's home.
Oh.
[KNOCKING]
JO ANN: She's still not home.
Don't you think that's strange?
ARNIE: She's out.
She's been gone all day.
ARNIE: We were gone for a month.
Wandering the streets alone at night.
She should have a car.
Well, you don't have a car.
You don't even have a license.
I don't need a car.
I've got you.
[GASPING] Let's go back inside, Arnie.
Everything's fine.
ARNIE: That's not what it looks like from here.
Have you lost your mind?
The door was unlocked.
What was I supposed to do?
WREN: Hello.
Is everything all right?
Oh, yeah.
Yeah, no, everything's fine.
We just... we thought we heard something, so...
And we wanted to invite you to dinner.
Sure.
Oh, great.
Great.
Just let me know when.
Excellent.
Honey, it's getting late.
You want to go back inside?
Yeah, I probably should.
I think I have a headache.
I'm sure you do.
Good night.
JO ANN: Don't you say it.
ARNIE: I didn't say a word.
JO ANN: I can see you in there, trying to come up
with something to make me feel bad, when
you know I already feel lousy.
How is it possible that I...
I'm the one who's wrong?
You're the one who interrupted me.
I had a perfectly reasonable fib, darling,
and then you have to come out with,
oh, oh, we would love to have you over for dinner.
I think to know would be nice.
That's not the point!
The point is, you can't go sneaking
into other peoples' homes.
That's the point.
JO ANN: You always have to harp on me.
Couldn't you just let it go?
You want me to let it go?
JO ANN: Yes.
Just forget about it?
JO ANN: Yes.
Oh, OK.
Fine.
All right Where are you going?
OK.
Come on, Jo Jo.
Let's get you to bed, huh?
Come on.
- [GROANING] - Come on.
Come on.
Oh, honey.
She's gone.
Come on.
There we go.
Upsie.
Upsie daisie.
[MUSIC PLAYING]
JOSH: [HUMMING TO MUSIC]
Oh!
I'm... I'm sorry.
I... sorry.
Are you OK?
I didn't, like, break your arm?
You're not gonna sue me?
I'm very sorry.
No.
Oh, don't be sorry.
Like, be not sorry.
DONNA: What is magic?
STUDENT 1: Science we don't understand yet?
STUDENT 2: The invisible made visible for a moment.
STUDENT 3: Something that invokes a very
personal and special feeling.
DONNA: Take music, for example.
It's like when Dizzie Gillespie plays the horn and his cheeks
get real big.
Or like when Stevie Wonder plays the piano,
and he does like this.
[LAUGHTER]
Or Michael Jackson, and he goes, hee, hee, hee!
[LAUGHTER]
And he does the moonwalk.
You have to go into it knowing that you're not
going to know, and just listen.
JO ANN: Here we go.
ARNIE: Oh, boy, I'm talking red meat.
JO ANN: Arnie, help her.
- Don't just help yourself. - What?
I'm... I'm not eating.
I'm just preparing.
Wren, here, please.
Allow me.
Thank you.
So where were you before you came here?
WREN: Kansas, just outside of Kansas City, actually.
Kansas City.
[CHUCKLING] That's quite a move.
Mm-hm.
ARNIE: There's, um, a prison there, right?
WREN: I... I don't know.
ARNIE: No, there is.
Um, the mighty Fort Leavenworth.
Phew, it's a huge complex.
Massive.
Fort Leavenworth.
How interesting.
Are you sure you don't know it?
Sounds familiar.
You never had any direct affiliation?
No contact with any of the felons?
Um...
JO ANN: Well, you never did any, say, writing to the prisoners?
No, I...
I never did that.
ARNIE: Good grief.
Jo Jo, she's not a convict.
You're not... you're not a convict?
Oh, shoot, maybe she is.
[CHUCKLING]
[SNORING]
JO ANN: (WHISPERING) OK.
OK.
Oh, oh.
Oh, oh, oh.
Almost there.
Let's see here.
[ENGINE STARTING]
Bravo.
OK.
Back we go.
This car is huge.
Whoo!
Oh.
[SIGHING]
OK.
All right.
Oh, oh, oh.
This is just like riding a bicycle.
Little too much.
Oh.
So sensitive.
Slowly now.
[DINGING]
What's that dinging?
What is the dinging?
OK.
Where are you, my little walker?
Aha.
You're doing pretty good at this.
[LAUGHING]
Oh, come on.
[SIREN]
You don't have to make a big deal out of this.
[SIGHING] Green.
Is Jo Ann around?
Yep.
She's been around for a very long time.
She's downstairs.
Go ahead.
Thank you.
[DRILLING SOUND]
WREN: Jo Ann?
Jo Ann?
Ah!
Oh, oh.
[CHUCKLING] Oh.
You almost gave me a heart attack.
I'm sorry.
Arnie told me you were down here.
Oh, that's nice.
Let me make some tea.
WREN: Actually, I can't stay.
I just... I wanted to talk to you about yesterday.
You were following me.
Hm?
You were driving a car... your car.
My car?
No, I don't even have a license.
A policeman pulled you over.
You ran over the shrubbery.
Oh.
Gee, I hardly remember that.
It's OK.
But I wanted to ask you not to do that.
Well, look, I'm not crazy or anything.
A little high-strung, maybe, but...
oh gosh, how do I say it?
You get a lot of mail.
You looking for Wren?
Yeah, Wren Miller.
Person who lives here.
She in... she in trouble?
No, no.
No, she's not in any trouble.
You know where she is?
Yeah.
She's with my wife.
JO ANN: We older women do not take to eccentricities,
unless they're our own or our husbands'.
I'll flush 'em out... flush 'em out for you.
[CHUCKLING]
Come on.
WREN: I understand.
So what on God's green earth are you doing up there?
ARNIE: Jo Jo!
There's a police officer up here.
He needs to see your friend for a minute.
Can you send her up?
Please don't let him know I'm here.
JO ANN: Oh.
ARNIE: Honey!
Please.
Why?
What's wrong?
- Jo Jo! - Please.
Honey, no one's here.
It's just me!
What... what about Wren?
Dear, Wren.
From next door.
No.
No, hon.
She's gone.
She can't hear me.
You just have to come down here.
Yeah.
No, come on.
Oh, OK.
Honey, I'm naked!
Honey?
JO ANN: I mean it, Arnie.
I'm naked, completely naked.
Don't you dare come down here, and don't you dare
bring some other man down here.
ARNIE: What... what about Wren?
Honey, he's looking for Wren.
Well, she's gone.
I have no idea where she is.
It's OK.
It's... she can call me later.
(MUTTERING) You can't make this stuff up.
ARNIE: I am 74 years old, and not once...
not once... have I had a police officer enter my home.
Honey, everything's fine.
No, no.
Everything's not fine.
Everything is far from fine.
Driving without a license, hiding from the police.
Breaking and entering, conspiring with a...
an ex-con, prisoner, pen pal, or who knows what.
Everything's not fine.
I never meant to cause any trouble.
Oh, what did you mean to do?
Honey.
No, I'm just asking a question.
No, he's... he's right.
You're right.
I... I put you in a compromising position.
I don't care for people who have something to hide.
I understand.
My wife and I, we have been... well, I have been...
a law-abiding citizen all my life.
JO ANN: Arnie.
WREN: So have I. And I know you might not believe that,
but it's true.
How much do you know about wrens?
Oh, honey, I don't think she wants to talk about birds.
ARNIE: No, I think she'll find this interesting.
Legend has it that back in the day,
the birds decided to make whichever bird
flew the highest their king.
So do you know what the wren did?
The wren hid inside the feathers of a great eagle.
It hitched a ride to a great height,
only to emerge and outfly the eagle
after the eagle had tired.
As a punishment, the wren is now forced to live a life of shame
in almost total concealment.
Excuse me.
What's wrong with you?
Oh.
What's... what's wrong with me?
[SCOFFING]
Jo.
Don't you touch me.
I'm mad at you.
Look.
No, you look.
How long has it been since we had a young girl in our lives?
Oh, come on.
No, it's OK for you because you never do anything wrong.
I'm the one who always ruins everything.
I want her to like me.
I need to feel like I can do it right this time.
(SINGING) 'Cause when it's raining, I've no regrets.
Because it isn't raining rain, you know.
It's raining violets.
And when you see the clouds up on the hills,
you're gonna see crowds of daffodils.
I'm sorry.
Me, too.
[MUSIC PLAYING]
Sunflower, yellow and gold.
I saw her plant it beside the road.
I can't take her.
No.
'Cause she's so pretty beside the road.
Good morning.
How...
Come in.
Huh.
Do you know about the bluejay?
Well, the bluejay is a very arrogant bird.
Very bratty and, uh, mean.
They intimidate.
They're bullies.
They can get way out of control.
But they do it to protect their own.
They... they don't mean it personal.
Yeah?
Yeah.
[CHILDREN LAUGHING]
I liked having them.
I didn't know my lemonade stand would be such an attraction.
[CHUCKLING]
Oh!
Hey!
JO ANN: I, uh...
I was just going down to the Lemkes.
Oh?
JO ANN: She's not home.
They just fell out.
ARNIE: [CHUCKLING]
Mr. Bayberry?
Officer.
You're a bird man.
Ornithologist.
Just got back from an expedition in Kenya.
What brings you here?
My wife isn't, um...
Oh, no.
[SIGHING] Good.
I'm sure that was just, uh, one of those things.
One can only hope.
No.
I can't.
It's only you and me in the garage.
Who's gonna know?
OK.
Her name isn't even on the envelope.
Just the address.
JOSH: OK.
What is it?
I don't know.
It doesn't start or stop on this page.
It's in the middle of something.
Read it.
JO ANN: OK.
"I was hoping so much that John would be here when I returned,
but the only person who was there was Evelyn.
I was almost shaking, I was so nervous.
"You know how you play things over and over in your head
when something doesn't happen the way you expect?
It's like you're left wandering in a dream.
Like the other day, when I was by myself,
doing the simplest of things...
a load of laundry by the screen door.
And there it was...
his shirt.
And then I just stopped.
I put it down right where it was and just left the house
with everything scattered."
That's it?
It ends there?
One more?
I was wondering if you or someone you know
could tell me what kind of bird this is.
Where'd you find this?
Flew against my window.
I could hear it flapping.
It was stuck against the screen.
Been staring at it ever since for no particular reason.
Then I remembered seeing all those bird
pictures at your house.
I thought I'd ask, uh...
This is my photograph!
My picture!
Yours?
I lost it.
This is a pygmy falcon.
A pygmy falcon?
ARNIE: I was in my front yard going over
photos from my trip when I first discovered this among the rest.
I don't remember taking this picture,
and a bird man like me is paid to remember that sort of stuff.
I might have thought I was crazy if it hadn't been for Wren.
Your neighbor.
ARNIE: Mm.
Yeah, she was there when I saw this for the first time.
She knew what it was.
Immediately, which is rare.
She knew exactly what it was.
Do you mind telling me what you know?
About pygmy falcons?
About wrens.
Oh.
What my wife wouldn't give to be here now.
JOSH: "It's not difficult to say your wife has passed.
The information flows freely.
You can be very third-person about it,
almost pretend as if it has happened to someone
you've never met.
What's hard are the...
what's hard are the questions, the inevitable questions
that come up later.
That's what trips you up."
Wow.
WOMAN (VOICEOVER): "Have you watched something dead?
Have you stared it down?
Have you held it in your hands?
Do you know what it looks like?
I do.
Relief."
MAN (VOICEOVER): "And I knew then it was over for us."
"I actually knew the night before, when she didn't call..."
MAN (VOICEOVER): "...when she had gone
all weekend with hardly a word.
She always called."
"Without exception."
MAN (VOICEOVER): "So I went to the bar
where we first me and listened to jazz like we
used to in the beginning.
Except this time..."
JOSH: "...I didn't feel inspired.
I fear I have no idea who I am."
WOMAN (VOICEOVER): I kissed my grandfather on the cheek
and told him to feel better, even though I knew it would be
the last time I would ever..."
OLD WOMAN (VOICEOVER): "I decided
to tell the truth for a change.
Maybe I'm just tired of trying to be someone else."
MAN (VOICEOVER): "I lifted a hand
to anyone behind bars here.
Almost five years now.
But I feel it coming up."
[MULTIPLE PEOPLE SPEAKING]
WOMAN (VOICEOVER): "They disappeared.
My sister said they did not come back."
YOUNG WOMAN (VOICEOVER): "My mama told me I'd
be pretty when I gold older.
He says he has a friend who wants to love me, too."
[MULTIPLE PEOPLE SPEAKING]
WOMAN (VOICEOVER): "Listening to children laughing.
I should be happy hearing these soft, sweet sounds,
but all I can think about is how large I've become,
how much I've let myself go.
I'm so fat."
"I'm so unloved.
I have no baby.
These words play over in my head.
I can hear those kids playing even
when my ears are underwater.
It's true.
You can hear joy through waves."
Oh god, that's sad.
Don't worry.
I'll put them in a safe place.
Yeah, but what... what if she finds out?
Something is happening here.
It... it is beyond us.
I mean, I don't even know here,
and I just can't get her off of my mind.
Maybe you should write her a letter.
[PIANO PLAYING]
[CHILDREN CHATTERING]
Hi.
I... I used to play when I was young.
Nice to see you.
You wanna play?
Come on.
It's gonna be beautiful.
Thanks.
[PLAYING PIANO]
DONNA: Yes.
That's so good.
[PIANO PLAYING CONTINUES]
[AIRPLANE SOUNDS]
[PIANO PLAYING]
Where's Arnold?
He'll be here.
He's just getting a refill for the kids.
MARGARET: Everything all right?
Oh, Jo.
Get my camera.
Look at him.
MARGARET: Uh-oh.
JO ANN: He's spilling the lemonade.
Jo Jo, get my camera.
Jo Jo.
Shh.
JO ANN: Not a good move.
MARGARET: I couldn't do that.
JO ANN: He might not get up.
ARNIE: Shh.
Oh my god.
Easy now.
Easy, easy.
Oh!
MARGARET: Whoops!
JO ANN: Arnie!
HOFFMAN: A what?
ARNIE: A Bali starling.
Just sitting there in my crab apple tree.
Arnie, one of the most important and obvious
characteristics in identifying a Bali starling
is, not surprisingly, that it is typically found in Bali.
Oh, I know.
MARGARET:
HOFFMAN: And, more specifically, in three
separate bird parks in Bali.
You do realize that there are barely over 100 in existence?
And if you count the ones in captivity
or the ones poached for the cage bird trade, even then...
ARNIE: No, no, no.
This was not a caged bird.
It's not possible.
It was a Bali starling.
It was the most astonishing sighting I
have ever had in my life ever.
It's what we wait our whole lives for is...
it was a miracle.
[SIGHING] Like the pygmy falcon.
Dammit.
Stan, I am not crazy.
I know what I saw.
I saw a Bali starling, stark white with the blue
around the eyes.
And the tuft.
There's nothing else like it.
Nothing.
I saw it.
I had it in my sights.
It was 10 feet away from me for a full minute.
I had a very, very good look at it.
I know what I saw.
[BIRDS CHIRPING]
ARNIE: [WHISTLING]
Come to the neighborhood if you want to see her.
Sit with us on the lawn.
There's something quite special about her.
Soft-spoken, graceful, elegant.
She seems tall, even though she's not.
Every day she walks.
It seems simple enough, but with her it's different.
It's purposeful, as though she's walking on air.
She's so quiet.
She just appears.
And before you know it, she's gone.
POLICE RADIO: Dispatch to Officer Burkheart.
Come in, Officer Burkheart.
[WHISTLING]
What are you looking at?
I'm waiting for the second coming.
[WHISTLING]
[MUSIC - TOM WAITS, "COME ON UP TO THE HOUSE"]
Well, the moon is broken, and the sky is cracked.
Come on up to the house.
The only things that you can see is all that you lack.
Well, come on up to the house.
All your crying don't do no good.
Come on up to the house.
Well, come down off the cross.
We can use the wood.
You gotta come on up to the house.
Yeah.
You gotta come on up to the house.
Come on up to the house.
The world is not my home.
I'm just a-passin' through.
You've got to come on up to the house.
Oh.
I came to get the letters back.
[BIRD CHIRPING]
They're in there.
Oh.
WREN: Thank you.
- [BIRD CHIRPING] - Shh.
Shh.
It's OK, baby.
It's just you and me.
Huh?
Oh, god, you little beauty.
What are you doing here?
Ooh.
Are you posing?
I'm sorry about your granddaughter.
What?
Allison.
I know how much you miss her.
How do you know that?
Wren, how do you know about Allison?
I just do.
ARNIE: [LAUGHING]
[BREATHING DEEPLY]
ARNIE: Jo Jo!
Whoo!
[KNOCKING]
I did it.
I can't believe it, but...
but I actually wrote her a letter.
She knows.
REPORTER: What can you tell us about the bird you saw?
ARNIE: Uh, it's a Bali starling.
It's very rare.
There are only 100 of them in existence.
Oh, come on.
Don't give me a hard time.
Look at these shots.
- Look at that. - Wow!
I know.
Look at this.
You're kidding.
[LAUGHING]
She just came by and got them.
She knew I'd taken them, knew where I'd hidden them.
But it was more than that.
She knows about me.
And she knows what happened.
What happened?
HOFFMAN: Because this is unheard of.
I mean, this is quite extraordinary.
MAN: Well, I think it's fantastic.
I had no idea that so many of my constituents were into birds,
and I will be directing my office to do everything we can
do to get the bird returned.
I mean, obviously, we're interested in this bird.
JO ANN: We had a son, Marty.
Did you know that?
After high school he sort of went his own way.
Just because we had some problems getting along,
that's all.
We lost track of him.
Then out of the blue he calls and told us
he was getting married to a girl named Danielle.
She made him get back in touch with us.
And a couple of years after that, they had a little girl.
A beautiful little girl named Allison.
Hm.
JO ANN: There was a bad car accident,
and Marty didn't make it.
He passed away.
But we still saw Danielle and Allison after that.
And I'd watch Allison sometimes when Danielle was at work.
Marty used to tinker with an old muscle car, a GTO
that he kept in our garage.
So sometimes I would take Allie out to the car,
and we'd pretend like we were driving to the stores
or driving to visit papa, or just going to the movies.
It was a way to keep Marty alive in our minds.
God he loved that car.
It was so hot that day, so I decided to fix a drink.
Just one, I was thinking, and the ice kept melting.
And... and the damn air-conditioning
wasn't working.
And so I had some drinks, but never too much.
I never, ever thought I had too much.
But I guess I must have fallen asleep, because I
don't remember exactly.
But my little baby girl somehow found her way out to the car
and managed to get herself inside with the door shut.
And got stuck.
And it was so hot, Josh.
It was so hot just to be outdoors, let alone in the car.
And she was just sitting there.
Trapped.
And I don't know how long she was there.
I don't remember.
I was still asleep when Danielle came to pick her up.
Her little body was so limp.
So weak.
She was only three.
Just three.
Then Arnie came, and we tried to go to the hospital.
But Danielle wouldn't let us see her...
not even Arnie, and Arnie didn't do anything!
Danielle took her away from us.
After that, she wouldn't say where she was taking her.
We haven't seen or heard from them since.
It's been 18 years.
A lifetime.
JOSH: Do you remember what you told me when my mom passed?
Who knows.
You said, those we love can never be taken away.
Well, that's not true.
It is true.
Not for me.
Not with Allison.
I've lost Allison.
I know where she is.
Who?
Wren.
I know where she goes.
ARNIE: I can't tell you how, uh, gratifying this whole thing
has been for me.
I wish I'd seen it.
You know?
I wish you had, too.
I wish I could see it.
Well, you didn't.
[CHUCKLING]
[LAUGHING] No, I didn't!
ARNIE: Look at these babies.
HOFFMAN: [CHUCKLING] This is amazing.
ARNIE: They're not all birders, you know.
They usually hang over there on my neighbor's lawn.
HOFFMAN: Oh, that guy?
ARNIE: Everyone abandoned him for a bird.
Jo!
Jo Jo!
Where the... Jo Jo?
This place.
Yeah.
Now we can add trespassing to the list.
ARNIE: Jo!
[SIGHING]
Where are you?
Uh, y-you go ahead.
OK.
DONNA: So what you all may not know about me
is that I have a son.
And he lives in Cleveland, and the last time I saw my son,
we played music and I sang for him.
And that was the happiest I've seen
my son in a long, long time.
What I want you to do is sing.
I want you to sing for somebody.
I want you to make somebody happy.
OK?
Josh.
Oh, hey.
Where's your friend?
[PIANO PLAYING]
STUDENTS: (SINGING) The birds, they sang at the break of day.
Start again, I heard them say.
Don't dwell on what has passed away, or what is yet to be.
FEMALE STUDENT: (SINGING) All the wars,
they will be fought again.
The holy dove, she will be caught again.
How well do you know here?
STUDENTS: (SINGING) Bought, sold, and bought again.
I deliver her mail.
STUDENTS: (SINGING) The dove is never free.
Ring the bells that still can ring.
Forget your perfect offering.
There's a crack, a crack in everything.
That's how the light gets in.
MALE STUDENT: (SINGING) We asked for signs.
The signs were sent.
The birth betrayed, the marriage spent.
The widowhood of every government, signs for all
to see.
[MUSIC FADES]
MALE STUDENT: (SINGING) But they've summoned,
they've summoned up a thundercloud.
They're gonna hear from me.
STUDENTS: (SINGING) Ring the bells that still can ring.
Forget your perfect offering.
There is a crack, a crack in everything.
That's how the light gets in.
HOFFMAN: (SINGING) You can add up the parts.
You won't have the sum.
You can strike up the march.
There is no drum.
STUDENTS: (SINGING) Every heart to love
will come, but like a refugee.
Ring the bells that still can ring.
Forget your perfect offering.
There is a crack, a crack in everything.
That's how the light gets in.
[STUDENTS' VOICES FADE]
Ring the bells that still can ring.
Forget your perfect offering.
There is a crack, a crack in everything.
That's how the light gets in.
(SINGING) That's how the light gets in.
FEMALE STUDENT: (SINGING) That's how the light gets in.
What a gift.
Margie?
[BIRDS CHIRPING]
Walter?
Honey?
No.
Walter.
No.
MOODY: Well, watch your step.
Here we are.
JO ANN: Thank you.
Jo Ann.
Are you all right?
Oh, I'm all right.
Oh.
She's all right.
Thank you.
Come, come, come.
Come with me.
I have been looking all over the place for you.
JO ANN: [LAUGHS]
ARNIE: Come on.
Lie down.
There you go.
Oh, you would have loved it.
There were birds, Arnie.
Oh, lots of birds.
I was worried about you.
[CHUCKLES] I'll get you a blanket.
OK.
I'd like to pay you for it.
Oh, no, Margaret.
It's a gift for you and Walter.
I can make another one easy.
Oh.
Thank you.
He liked to keep change in his pocket.
I added it all up yesterday. $1.68.
[CHUCKLING]
It doesn't seem like much.
It feels good.
JO ANN (VOICEOVER): Allison.
Somehow just writing her name gives me strength.
If she were standing in front of me, what would I say?
I am her grandmother.
I want to know if she's happy, if she's still brave.
Does she look like her father?
I hurt the person I loved the most.
Perhaps if I can forgive myself, then Allison will forgive me.
Wait a second.
Dance with me.
Oh, go back to your paper.
I don't want to go back to my paper.
I want to dance with my wife.
I know what you're doing, you know?
(SINGING) I'll be down to get you in a taxi.
You're trying to make me feel better,
but I already feel fine.
(SINGING) Oh, honey, don't be late.
Wanna be there when the band starts playing.
[RINGING BELL]
Hello.
I'm here to pick up a prescription.
Sorry, we closed at 6:00 PM.
Oh, they said 7:00 PM.
Not on Mondays.
Sorry.
6:00 PM.
But you do see that it is one minute past 6:00 PM?
I really need to take my medication.
Then you should have come earlier.
Fine.
Can I have it back so that I can have it
filled somewhere else, please?
Sorry.
Can't give back filled prescriptions.
It's against company policy.
It's against your policy.
Right.
Do you know what a pygmy falcon is?
No?
You should look it up.
Listen, I've got a filled prescription back there.
We know that, right?
My doctor wants me to have it.
I want to have it.
And your company's policy dictates that I can't have it?
[CHUCKLING]
It's just you and me here.
This doesn't have to be about policy
or timeliness or anything else.
This could be just something that happened,
some little event.
Maybe you'll learn something.
Maybe you won't know till later.
But it could change your life.
The littlest thing can change your life.
Last name?
Burkheart.
B-U-R-K-heart.
MARGARET: Officer Burkheart.
MOODY: How you doing, Mrs. Lemke?
So sorry for your loss.
MARGARET: Welcome.
MOODY: Oh, I didn't know the man,
but I felt like I should stop by.
I'm glad you're here.
Thank you.
Thank you for coming.
My pleasure.
Thank you.
Oh, it's all right.
JOSH: I heard some of the members of the Audubon Society
are trying to dispute your Bali starling sighting.
ARNIE: They wouldn't be doing their job if they didn't.
You have to be very cautious about what you think you know.
Every claim has to be adequately challenged.
JOSH: Hm.
You know, I never really thought much at all about, uh, or...
ARNIE: Ornithology.
JOSH: Ornithology.
Right.
Thank you.
ARNIE: I find it to be a very rewarding discipline.
JOSH: Mm-hm.
ARNIE: There's so much out that still needs to be discovered.
For example, we still lack conclusive proof
as to when the honey guide bird first formed
its partnership with the ratel.
[MUSIC - "APRIL SHOWERS"]
Though April showers may come your way,
they bring the flowers that bloom in May.
So when it's raining, have no regrets.
'Cause it isn't raining rain, you know.
It's raining violets.
And when you see clouds upon the hill,
you know they'll bring crowds of daffodils.
So keep looking for a blue bird and listen for his song
whenever April showers come along.
So when it's raining, have no regrets.
'Cause it isn't raining rain, you know.
It's raining violets.
And when you see clouds upon the hill,
you know they'll bring crowds of daffodils.
So keep looking for a blue bird and listen for his song
whenever April showers come along.