The Dead Zone s02e09 Episode Script

The Man Who Never Was

I had the perfect life until I was in a coma for six years.
And then I woke up and found my fiancée married to another man.
My son doesn't know who I am.
Everything has changed including me.
One touch and I can see things things that happened, things that will happen.
You should see what I see.
Man: There's no doubt in my mind that Johnny Smith is the real thing.
Perhaps even the next link in the chain of human evolution.
Announcer: Smith has retreated from public view since his recent abduction, but that hasn't stopped his growing legion of fans from bombarding the Faith Heritage Alliance with requests for his services.
And the Main Tourist Bureau reports that Cleaves Mills is rapidly becoming a vacation destination.
As looky-loos arrive from across New England hoping for a glimpse What's he really like? I'll tell you what he's not.
He's not the next link in the evolutionary chain.
He's just a guy, he's he's just Johnny Smith.
Did you see this coming? - You think this was going to happen? - Could you have prevented this? (door buzzing) Yeah.
Raúl! Hold on, I'm clicking you in, Raúl.
In.
Cómo estás, Raúl! How're you doing, man? - Good, how are you, Mr.
S.
? - Good.
So, how are things going down at the store? Good.
Got a whole new organic fruit and vegetable department.
You ought to check it out.
- Can I get you a beer or something? - No thanks, Mr.
S.
I got to make other deliveries.
Keeping you busy Raúl, huh? - Haagen-Dazs butter pecan.
- Nice.
And I managed to track down those missing capers.
Went in another bag last week wrong address.
Some old guy named Grissom.
He's a shut-in, this guy.
Never wants to let me leave.
Like I've time to play chess with him or something.
It's a shame when you gotta look forward to the groceries - being delivered to get company.
- Yeah.
Okay.
- Sign right there, please.
- Cool.
And one more for my personal Mr.
John Smith collection.
- You're kidding.
- These are flying off the racks.
- You're not selling these on EBay? - No, no, no.
- Cool.
- Thanks, Mr.
S.
- Okay, gracias, Raúl.
- Okay, gracias primo.
(alarm blaring) Oh, I got it.
It resets.
I got it, don't worry.
Little loud, little loud.
(alarm stops) Dinner for one, Mr.
Personality.
Defrost a little veal to go with my capers.
For a nice picada.
Catch up on the third season of X Files Now I'll have my tea.
In a minute, I will think "I'm the man who's drinking this tea.
I'm the man who is making the tea that's in this cup disappear.
" Where have I gone? Poor guy.
I ought to give him a call.
Maybe he likes X Files.
Okay.
Vision.
Can't be real.
Fingers can't be disappearing.
9- 1-1, please state the nature of your emergency.
Hold on! - L I need help.
- What's the problem, sir? I'm disappearing.
What? What did you say? What's happening to me? Sir, have you taken any drugs? No, no, I'm just help me, please.
* Fall in love, fall in love, fall in love * * Fall in love * * Feel no shame for what you are * * Feel no shame for what you are * * Feel no shame for what you are * * Fall in love, fall in love * * Fall in love.
* Doc, I'm scared I'm really losing it this time.
What if my synaptic paths are deteriorating? I don't see any evidence of synaptic deterioration.
They could be burning out from excessive neuron activity here.
- You've been on the internet again? - Yes.
I think we should be looking at the very real possibility - of a tumor on the right temporal lobe.
- How's your sex life? Is that a medical question or you've tickets to the Symphony? All your readings are normal.
Well, normal for you, anyway.
I don't see anything in your noggin that's changed.
Did you check for lesions in the cerebral whatever? I think that the vision of the old man looking in the mirror triggered some anxiety and this is how it expressed itself.
It's not healthy to be isolated, Johnny.
You need to get out of the house.
Have some fun.
Be with people.
It's hard to disappear when you're around people.
Okay.
You got any plans tonight? Sorry, I do.
Try me again though, huh? Come on, you must know someone who'd enjoy your company.
Yeah, actually I do.
- Yes? - Mr.
Grissom, my name is John Smith.
John Smith, really? And how do you know my name, Mr.
Smith? We have the same delivery man, sir, and he accidentally brought my capers to you last week.
What is his name, this alleged delivery man? - Raúl.
- And those were your capers? Yes, sir.
- For a veal picada, perhaps? - How'd you guess? Do you have any idea what they do to those animals so you can have your precious veal? Do you? You think about that the next time you dine on animal flesh.
Yes, sir.
I will now.
I don't have your capers any longer, I returned them.
- I know, Raul brought them back - You play chess? A little bit.
I can play down to your level, if I have to.
Come in! I was afraid you might be the mailman.
- The mailman? - I don't like the mailman.
When everybody you've ever known is dead, all you get is junk mail.
It's adding insult to injury.
Sorry about that.
Don't go morose on me, Mr.
Smith.
You're awfully young to need one of these.
That's a car accident.
Few years back.
It's amazing how fragile the human skeleton can be.
How easily joints rupture and bones can crack.
Can I get you something? I just opened a bottle of a dry Rioja.
Maybe just a diet Pepsi.
A glass of wine would be great, thanks.
Bodegas Palacios Romondo, A fine year for Rioja.
I only drink a glass or two.
One of the fascinating conundrums of living alone.
Do I open the bottle? Or do I not open the bottle? Inasmuch as most of it will be wasted.
Aahh! - Anything wrong? - No, just since my accident, I go away for a few moments from time to time.
I know exactly what you mean.
House where I was born.
I haven't been there since I was six.
When I retired here to Maine, I wanted to find it, if it still exists.
Then my health began to fail, and I never it's a sentimental whim, you might say.
I can help you look for it.
Oh, well, I wouldn't want to put you to any trouble.
Be no trouble at all.
Woman: Hello? What are you doing here? Jeffrey, you've got company.
We are about to play chess.
- Good afternoon, Mister? - Smith.
From the television.
I've seen you.
I'm Alma, Jeffrey's home care specialist.
Television.
The dreaded telly.
Mr.
Smith is famous, Jeffrey.
I've sort of a psychic ability.
- I see things.
- I have heard of you.
The coma victim you're the one who touches things.
Like a jar of capers, perhaps.
What have you got there? It's just an old picture of Mr.
Grissom's childhood home, where he grew up in.
Jeffrey, are you giving your things away again? He thinks he can help me find it.
Last week he gave his watch to the refrigerator repairman.
Since you say you're not capable of doing that, why not let him try? I'm afraid I'm gonna have to ask you to leave, Mr.
Smith.
I think Jeffrey's had enough excitement for one day.
Perhaps another time, Mr.
Smith.
* The wishing well * * When lips were warm * * And stardust-filled * * Winter snow * * Please cover with your whiteness * * The fire and the brightness * * That once were here * * Make all the memories * * Disappear.
* Well, I must have got the wrong cane.
- Oh, sorry.
- Say goodbye, Jeffrey.
It's been a pleasure.
You still owe me a game of chess, Mr.
Grissom.
Have a lovely day, Mr.
Smith.
Yeah, thanks.
Looked a bit like this one.
It's the same kind of window.
- Then it was probably a Winchell.
- A what? Hieronymous Winchell, He was famous for his leaded glass windows.
Ah, a lost art, really.
His company built homes in Northern Maine in the early 1900s.
Can you narrow that down a bit? Give me a minute.
I'll give you the names of a couple communities where the houses were most common.
Okay, thank you.
Maybe he'll recognize one of the names of the towns, you know? You really think he'll be up for a field trip if he does? The guy wants to see the house he grew up in before he dies.
It's important to him.
Poor old guy actually believes he's disappearing.
Is that why you think you keep having these strange visions? It's the only explanation I can think of.
The isolation.
It must take a real toll on a lot of elderly people.
Yeah, and a lot of not so elderly people.
I got that.
That was funny.
- That was good.
I liked that.
- You know, I try.
Here we go.
It's not such a long list.
Mostly in the Litchfield area.
Okay, thank you, sir.
You've been really helpful.
- Yes.
- Hi.
I was looking for Mr.
Grissom.
- Who? - Jeffrey Grissom.
Are you sure you have the right address? Yes, it's the right address.
Jeffrey's in his 70s, he's tall.
He uses a cane, doesn't eat meat.
I don't know what to say.
There's nobody named Jeffrey here.
But I was just here with Jeffrey yesterday.
You must be mistaken.
I live here with my husband and my daughter.
You live with your husband.
I'm sorry but I don't know anybody named Jeffrey.
- You're lying.
- I beg your pardon? - John! - She's lying.
- I'm gonna call the police.
- What the hell have you done with him? - She didn't want me to touch her.
- Yeah, I'd say that's accurate.
Because she knows if I touch her John, a lot of these houses look alike.
This is the right house, man.
Mommy, Mommy, the man's touching our house! John, I think we better go.
Let her call the police.
I'll call the police.
Jeffrey Grissom disappeared.
- Who's Jeffrey Grissom? - 1330 Winding Wood Way.
In Cleaves Mills.
Walt, he was there yesterday today he's gone.
Let me guess.
A woman answers the door, and says she has no idea who you're talking about.
She called the police.
You're damn right she called the police! A Mrs.
Stade who lives at 1330 Winding Wood Way.
I don't suppose you have any evidence about this guy that you think you saw.
I don't think I saw.
I saw him.
Okay? I'm not crazy.
No.
No.
You just have visions.
John, maybe this guy used to live in this house.
Maybe he's gonna live there in the future.
Look.
This was not a vision.
Okay? I don't talk to visions.
I don't drink wine with visions.
You think I don't know the difference between the real world and a vision? I didn't conjure this guy up in my imagination, okay? He got my capers, understand? Then Raúl delivered them back to the Raúl! Look, I'd really like to keep this quiet.
Keep what quiet? Raúl was deported.
- What? When? - Look, how was I supposed to know he was an illegal? He had a driver's license.
Apparently it was a fake driver's license, but - I run an honest business here.
- They did this.
To cover up.
They turned Raúl in.
The one person wait a minute.
Do you keep a record of all the deliveries? Yeah, right here.
There we delivered to 1330 Winding Wood Way last Tuesday.
And who signed for the delivery? June Stade.
Could you check every delivery to that address for the last year? Hey, John, why don't you stop by and see Doc Gibson, have her check It's not my imaginary friend, Walt, okay? Grissom disappeared.
The nurse.
The nurse is involved somehow.
I know all the nurses in home care in the county.
What's her name? - Alma.
- Yeah, yeah, Alma Peterson.
She specializes in home care for the elderly.
So where do we find her? There she is.
John! What did you do with? This is not her.
- Bruce? - This is not Alma.
- This is Alma! - Not the right Alma, Bruce.
Wait a minute, wait a minute.
Hang on a second.
Are there any other home care people named Alma who work in the county? - I don't know any.
- Have you seen my friend John before? Sure, around the hospital once or twice.
That's right, because he has a problem with his head.
You weren't with him at a client's yesterday? - No, sorry.
- We're sorry we bothered you, ma'am.
Look, I just need one more favor from you two.
(knocks on door) - Mr.
Stade? - Yeah.
I'm Sheriff Bannerman.
You mind if we come in for a minute? Why? Mr.
Smith insists that he was here yesterday.
He was here this morning.
- He tried to grab my wife.
- I didn't try to grab your wife.
I tried to touch her.
There's a big difference.
He's not gonna be grabbing anybody.
Will he? Fine.
Only inanimate objects.
This'll only take a couple of minutes.
Do you mind if I take a look around? This is ridiculous.
Johnny: Everything's different.
They replaced everything.
Obviously to make it more difficult for me to get visions, right? Bruce the picture of the Winchell house was on that bar with glasses.
He poured a bottle of nice Rioja 2000.
He said it was a good vintage.
I didn't find anything unusual in back.
No, I'm sure you didn't.
Everything is perfectly normal.
Isn't it? - Sheriff.
- John! You think I'm going to let go of this? You think I'm not going to find Grissom? - You're wrong.
- Daddy, the mean man's scaring me.
- It's okay.
- You ain't seen nothing yet, kid.
If she really is a kid.
The post office, real estate records, utility bills, all say that the Stades have lived in the house for the past year.
We even talked to some of their friends.
Social Security has no record of a Jeffrey Grissom.
He hasn't registered to vote, no passport, no credit ratings.
No one has seen him, except for you, and an illegal alien.
Is this your way of telling me you're having a hard time? No, no.
You say you saw him, that's enough for me.
I dance with the girl I came with.
I told you what I saw.
Why should I care that there's no earthly clue that this guy ever existed.
When John Smith talks, I listen.
You don't believe me, huh? No, no, no.
I do, I do.
Because you dance with the girl you came with? It's a tough one, man.
I just want you to be okay.
I'm okay.
I just hope Jeffrey's okay, you know? (humming) - You know that song? - Tony Bennett, right? Jeffrey liked it.
Some singer in Paris sang it to him once.
It stayed with him for some reason.
- I'd really like to meet the guy.
- You will, man.
- Oh, and Bruce - Hmm? I won't dance.
Don't ask me.
(laughing) - Walt, somebody's been in my house.
- What, burglars? No, something weirder.
Weirder than burglars? They were into everything.
They were taking pictures, Walt.
Sarah: Pictures? Not more obsessed fans.
These were definitely not fans, okay? They were into my desk, they downloaded my computer, they even cleaned up after themselves.
In other words, there's no evidence they were really there.
Right.
I know this has been happening a lot lately, but How would they even get past your new million-dollar security system? Well, that that's a good question, Sarah.
I don't know.
Anything missing, John? - I don't know.
- I tell you what I'll have a crime lab guy give the place the once over in the morning.
I don't think he should stay in the house.
You know what? Sarah is right.
You should check yourself in a hotel room.
Or better yet, stop by a hospital for a once over.
Walt, I don't need a once over, okay? I'm not seeing things.
I mean, I am seeing things, but they're very real things.
John, I'll call you in the morning if we find out anything, all right? - I'll talk to you in a little bit.
- All right, thanks.
I liked it better when he was calling you instead of me.
He's stopping.
Move closer.
My dogs must be getting hungry.
I wish he'd just land for the night.
- I don't see him.
- He's in the store.
He likes butter pecan ice cream.
He's probably I'm telling you, I don't see him in the store.
Hey, Alma.
Too late, Alma, 'cause now I know.
That's right.
Correct.
Elvis? JFK? Amelia Earhardt? Yeah, O.
J.
Too.
Listen, no stone left unturned.
Who? Hoffa? Listen, no problem.
No, sorry.
Can't be exclusive with something this big.
No, there'll be plenty of that to go around.
Yeah, I'll call you.
Jeffrey, you are a sight for sore eyes, sir.
It took you long enough.
Some psychic! (laughing) So, who are you? Why would somebody want to make you disappear? Oh, it's too late for that.
I disappeared a long time ago.
Are you been captured against your will? - That nurse of yours.
- She's not a nurse.
- She had Raúl deported.
- No, I didn't know that.
She broke into my house, put a transmitter in my car Means they are afraid you're working for the other side.
- I didn't know there were sides.
- There are always sides.
They change, but there are always sides.
Passeport, s'il vous plait.
Merci.
(speaking foreign languages) Do you work for the government, Jeffrey? I'm not in a position to confirm or deny that.
So, what you do with a spy when he retires? More to the point, what do they do with his knowledge, acquired over five decades and six continents? - Big problem.
- You make him disappear.
I play this record too often, I guess.
They wanted to get me a CD, I'll die before I have a CD player.
Recordings have never been the same since de demise of vinyl.
So, who was she? The singer in Paris? I take it back.
You're good.
Did you that the government uses psychics? They may have more of an interest in you than you know.
Who was she? * When lips were warm * * And stardust-filled * * Winter snow * * Please cover with your whiteness * * The fire and the brightness * The last woman I've ever loved as Jeff Grissom.
A woman stays with you for the rest of your days.
* Make all the memories * * Disappear * Her eyes use to haunt me in the middle of the night.
They still do on occasions.
And I hear that song, again and again.
(broom sweeping) Jeffrey: She betrayed us.
Several people died as a result.
- (silenced gunshots) - (glass shatters) There are always sides.
That's when I became the man who never was.
A man of a 1,000 identities and none of his own.
"Esse est percipi.
" George Barkley, To be is to be perceived.
Sometimes in the mirror! I wonder if I ever really existed.
Like the house I grew up in.
I don't know if the house still exists or not, but I do know where to look for it.
I'm afraid we won't have time for that right now.
Left the kid home, did we? Daycare.
Tadpole may need some therapy down the road.
What is this about, deporting Raúl? Jeffrey, you've been at this long enough.
- We had to protect you.
- You don't protect me.
You protect this.
And house arrest is not to protective custody.
There is a vast difference! We have to get ready to move again, Jeffrey.
No! No, he thinks he can help me find my house! Mr.
Smith will be coming with us.
That's an overreaction.
He knows nothing.
I don't know what you think, but this is really obvious We're just gonna follow you home, Mr.
Smith, debrief you, - ask you to take an oath of silence.
- They're lying.
Don't be silly, Jeffrey.
It's not like the old days.
Let me talk to the secretary.
He'll listen to me.
He has no idea how valuable this man is.
We've already talked to the secretary, Jeffrey.
Say goodbye.
Listen to me carefully.
You're a threat to National Security, and I'm sure at this point, all of your friends think you've been behaving erratically.
Which makes it quite simple for these people Mr.
Smith, no harm will come to you.
We really have to insist.
You will either be discovered as a car accident in the woods, or not be discovered at all.
You will disappear.
(doorbell rings) There are reporters on the front lawn.
I was about to mention that I invited a few media people over.
Just wanted someone else to see Jeffrey this time, you know? I think you and I were about to look for a house, sir? (laughing) - Johnny! - Johnny! Do you really know where Jimmy Hoffa is? - What about Amelia Earhardt? - What's your connection to John Smith? Thank you for coming.
Please give us some room here.
We need to get to the car.
I can't answer your questions yet, but - What's going on, John? - Dana - Amelia Earhardt? - I'll talk to you about it later, okay? - Who's this guy? - He's an old friend of the family.
Just help us get out of here, okay? And stay with us.
All right, everybody, the press conference's been moved, so we're gonna get into our cars, and follow this jeep.
All right? Come on, let's go.
If it would help, I can tell you what happened to Amelia Earhardt.
That's okay, Jeffrey, come on.
We can't just let them leave.
What are we supposed to do? Come on.
Wherever Jeffrey goes, we go.
Slow down.
Something wrong? Do you have any idea how long it's been since I took a ride in the country? I don't want it to be a blur.
Yes, sir, I understand.
I will take care of it personally.
- Litchfield.
- Sound familiar? Everything's so different.
All the roads were dirt then or gravel.
So new.
If there are railroad tracks about a mile ahead, there will be a turnoff to the right.
Take it.
There.
There, turn there.
There's another road.
There's supposed to be another road.
Sorry, Jeffrey.
Hey, what is going on? Hold them off a little longer, okay? Hold them off? How the hell am I supposed to do that? Just tell 'em tell 'em I gotta get into the woods to find something, something amazing.
- Like what? - I'll tell you when I find it.
All right, everybody.
Just set up your cameras here, and Johnny's going to come out and make a statement shortly.
You see, John? It does exist.
We simply couldn't perceive it.
John wait for me here, please.
There you are, Jeffrey.
I guess you guys just didn't try very hard to find his old house.
It really wasn't that hard.
Jeffrey Grissom was our top operative during the cold war, Mr.
Smith.
Until today, 22 countries had incontrovertible proof that he died 16 years ago in Berlin.
to spend in prison any kind of prison, Alma.
The name's Rosemary.
Were you really going to try to kill me, Rosemary? Jeffrey has always had a flair for the dramatic.
Jeffrey! We should get going, sir.
Rosemary.
You dumb son of a bitch.
You've done more damage than you know.
Passeport, s'il vous plait.
(chuckles) (laughing) - No no.
- Yes yes.
You're grounded.

Previous EpisodeNext Episode