Touched by an Angel (1994) s01e01 Episode Script

The Southbound Bus

1 ( Cooing ) TESS: ♫ I am thankful for this beautiful day ♫ ♫ Oh, yeah, I'm thankful for this beautiful day ♫ ♫ Oh, yes, I'm thankful for this beautiful day.
♫ You're sounding great today, Tess.
Singing the sun up, Monica.
Singing the sun up.
The sun's been up for hours.
Do you want to argue with me or do you want to hear the news? What news? You've been taken off of Search and Rescue.
What? Well, I guess you did a pretty good job with that 747 'cause somebody And I do mean somebody Has decided to give you a promotion.
Hallelujah! I'm a caseworker! ( laughing ) Now don't start going crazy on me.
This is serious business.
Casework is tricky.
I know.
I know.
Now just 'cause you got more power don't mean you got all the power.
I know, Tess.
And I'm ready.
Really, I am.
Lord, I hope so.
Now, there's a bus coming.
I want you to get on it and go north.
Your ticket's in your pocket.
And sooner or later, you're going to meet a little boy named David.
Now stay close to him.
And what do I do? What did I just say? You stay close to him.
He's carrying a lot of trouble.
Why you got that look on your face? You just been promoted, baby.
I just thought casework would be more than baby-sitting.
Oh, you'll be surprised.
There always seems to be more to it.
People are complicated things.
I know.
That's what I love about them.
( Sighs ) How do they do it, Tess? They get up every morning and start all over again.
Takes a lot of courage to do that.
And they don't even know what we know.
God help 'em.
Here it comes.
Now, you've never taken human form for more than a few minutes at a time before, so you listen to me.
Are you listening? Yes, ma'am.
Don't start eating everything you see.
( laughs ) Now, I spent my first assignment as a food tester for one of the Caesars.
Look at me.
It takes a century to take it off.
Do you hear me? I'll be in touch.
And get some shoes on your feet.
Lady, you coming or you going? ♫ When you walk down the road ♫ ♫ Heavy burden, heavy load ♫ ♫ I will rise ♫ ♫ And I will walk with you ♫ ♫ I'll walk with you ♫ ♫ Till the sun don't even shine ♫ ♫ Walk with you ♫ ♫ Every time, I tell you I'll walk with you ♫ ♫ Walk with you ♫ ♫ Believe me, I'll walk with you.
♫ DRIVER: Rest stop.
Continuing on to points north in 15 minutes.
Yeah, coffee, turkey sandwich, no mayo, to go.
And rush it.
My bus is leaving.
Hi.
Hello.
I'm Jerry.
I'm in medical supplies Veterinary.
Monica.
Uh, I'm in public relations.
JERRY: Oh, so where you headed? I'm not sure yet.
Would you excuse me for a moment, please? Sure.
Excuse me.
I think you accidentally picked up someone else's money over there.
This is my money.
My grandmother gave it to me for emergencies.
I'm telling you I put the $10 bill right here on the counter.
And I told you I didn't see it.
How could you not see it? Are you blind? No.
Alexander Hamilton.
It's on the front.
Excuse me, mister.
I found this ten dollars on the floor and I think it might be yours.
Oh.
Thanks, kid.
And here's a little something for you.
Who are you, the kid police? I'm Monica.
And you must be Tommy? Billy? Humbert.
Horatio.
Algernon.
It's David.
David.
Well, it's very nice to meet you.
Yeah, well, I'm not supposed to talk to strangers.
That's very wise.
Did your mother teach you that? My mother's dead.
I'm so sorry, David.
She got killed in a car accident in the rain.
My little sister got killed, too.
My dad's a detective and he got sent to the accident.
He didn't even know it was my mum until he got there.
You must miss them very much.
Yeah.
Yeah.
( Siren wailing ) WOMAN ( over P.
A.
): 4137 now arriving.
Final destination: Casper, Wyoming.
Well, see ya.
See ya.
Bus 4137 will be departing for Casper, Wyoming, in ten minutes.
( Dog barking ) BOY: Guys, check it out.
Give me that backpack.
( Grunts ) Pick it up.
I can't.
It's heavy.
What's the matter with you? Cut it, man.
That doesn't belong to you.
David, pick up your backpack.
Something I learned on my last job.
Let's get out of here! Move it! Go! So, which way you walking? You live around here or something? No, I just want to see you to your door.
Excuse the mess.
We advertised for a nanny but nobody answered the ad.
Where's your dad? He's at work.
Detectives have to work weird hours and stuff.
Want some? No, thanks.
Well, I've got the knife thing figured out.
I saw that magician guy on TV do the same thing only with a locomotive.
But the gravity with the backpack? How'd you do that? Is, uh, is that a picture of your mother? My dad put all the real ones away.
She was very pretty.
She always wore that.
She said, "Whenever you feel sad, just look at a star.
" I think it's a girl thing.
Hey, Davey! You're early.
Yeah.
So, how was your day? Nothing special.
Went to school.
Watched TV.
Hello, Mr.
Morrow.
My name is Monica.
I'm here to interview for the nanny position.
Great.
So you read the ad? Well, I, um, I heard about it.
Okay.
Well, give me a minute, and we'll talk.
Okay.
What are you doing? Do you think I should tell him we met on a bus? So, Monica, do you have any references? Oh, yes, I have great references and I'm a very hard worker.
I don't have any vices, except I hate to wear shoes unless it's absolutely necessary.
I don't make long-distance phone calls.
I don't need a day off, and I truly love children.
I'm not a child.
Especially David.
This is a live-in position, you know? Room and board and minimum wage.
Not much, I'm afraid.
That's plenty for me.
I told you I don't need a nanny! He's had a rough year, so Yes, I know.
He told me.
Well, at least he talks to you.
That must mean something.
I believe it does, Mr.
Morrow.
I don't know what it is, but I get a good feeling about you.
Cop's instinct, I guess.
So let's give it a try.
Excellent.
( Siren wailing ) ( siren stops ) MAN: All right, take it back in.
Monica.
Oh! What a great surprise.
What are you doing here? I'm doing casework now.
Excellent.
Congratulations.
Really, you deserve it.
Thank you.
How about you? I'm escorting Mr.
Phelps to his reward.
Wonderful man.
He wanted to go this way at home.
I'm so happy for him.
Adam, what can you tell me about this family over here? Father and son, Nick and David Morrow.
Doesn't ring a bell.
Well, you must have handled them a year ago.
Mother and daughter? Car accident? Morrow A little girl about eight months old.
Right.
And the mother.
No.
No, no, just the little girl.
Taken in her crib.
But you know I don't handle those.
You mean, that David's mother is still alive? Absolutely.
I'm surprised you didn't know that going in.
So am I.
I've got to go, and you can't stop me.
Actually, I can.
But I won't.
David, is there something you want to tell me before you go? Good-bye.
David, what happened to your mother? I told you, she died in a car accident with Katie.
Is that what you tell everyone? Yeah.
Don't you get tired of lying? Yeah.
David, where is your mother? I don't know.
She ran away from home.
After Katie died? Is that when she left you? And that's what you've been doing on the buses, huh? I heard my dad tell somebody that she's somewhere in the desert.
The desert's an awfully big place.
I have to try.
WOMAN ( over P.
A.
) Southbound bus 627 leaving in two minutes.
Southbound bus, all aboard.
David, I want you to trust me.
You go home now and I promise I'll find your mother for you.
Promise? Promise.
Yeah, right.
No.
Yeah, I got to know that.
Yeah.
No, I got that.
Just tell me what she said.
Yeah.
All right.
Yeah, listen, he, uh, he tends bar down at the Dead Dog Saloon down in the desert.
I'll have to go down there Friday night and take a statement from him.
Is everything all right? Yeah, I tell you what, Frankie, I'll bring you back one of those beer glasses shaped like a boot.
Right.
Ah, I forgot to leave grocery money.
No, it's not that.
It's just that something has come up and, well, I need to take a couple of days off.
I'd like to leave in the morning.
But you just started.
I know, but it's family business.
I don't know.
I have this great substitute.
Her name is Tess.
We've worked together before, and she's really terrific.
Really.
Well, I guess it's better than leaving David alone.
Mr.
Morrow, do you know where David's mother is? Yeah.
I tracked her down after she left.
Down by the state line.
Little nothing place called Hewitt.
She changed her name and her hair.
She wouldn't even talk to me.
I cannot tell you how hard I tried to convince her to come home, but she wouldn't listen.
She just can't deal with the guilt.
I'm so sorry.
The bus is coming.
Now, before you say anything Don't you tell me what to say or when, Miss Wings.
I want to know what you're doing here.
Well, I just thought See, that's where you made your first mistake.
Did I tell you to think north? No.
I distinctly remember telling you to get on the bus and go north.
Go north.
Now, you get your little angel butt back to the city and take care of business.
But I am.
I'm helping David.
You were told to stay close to David.
That's what he needs.
What David needs is his mother, and all of a sudden my instincts were kicking in Wait, wait, wait.
Wait just a minute.
Let me see if I understand you correctly.
You want me to go back to the Creator of the universe, the Alpha, the Omega, the great I Am and explain that the words of the Almighty were disobeyed because Monica's instincts kicked in? I know how serious this is, Tess, but I have to find her.
I promised David.
Well, who's going to take care of him? Forget that.
Oh, no, no.
No, no, no.
No.
Look at her.
Oh, my.
( Sighs ) She's coming in here.
Good morning.
So, this is Hewitt, and here I am.
You meeting somebody here? No, I just heard about the town and I thought I'd drop by.
Well, this isn't a town, honey.
It's a gas pump and bump in the road.
There's nobody else? Just us chickens.
Oh, so it's just the two of you? And Mac in the back.
That's what we call him: Mac in the back.
He pretty much stays there.
( Whispering ): No purse, no bag.
You in some kind of trouble, honey? No.
No.
It's a man, isn't it? I had a boyfriend once, dumped me in the middle of Garland, Texas, with nothing but a half a pack of cigarettes and bad attitude.
What's your name, honey? Monica.
I'm Ruth Ann.
This is Christine.
Hi.
Hello.
Have a seat.
I'll pour you a cup.
Here.
Thank you.
Sure.
( Sighs ) Boy, that smells wonderful.
I'd forgotten how coffee smells.
( Sniffs ) Wow.
This is incredible.
You can drink it, too.
I was never actually allowed to stop and have a cup of coffee before.
This is quite a treat.
Oh those are doughnuts, right? ( Sighs ) I'll tell you, honey, whoever that guy was you are well rid of him.
Would you have a room available? Oh, 3's really nice.
It has that picture of those little big-eyed kids on the wall.
Kind of pink, new pillows You'd like it.
How much is it? Don't worry if you can't pay.
We'll make you wash dishes.
I'm really good at fixing things.
Great, great.
Maybe you can fix my life.
♫ Dee-da-dah ♫ ♫ Do-do-dee-dah ♫ ♫ Dah-dah-dah, dah-do-do-do-do-dum.
♫ ( scatting continues ) You must be little David.
I'm not little.
Well, I never saw adults with dinosaurs on their underwear before.
Who are you? My name is Tess, and you may call me Miss Tess, and you will call me Miss Tess.
I'm the new nanny.
Since when? Since Monica asked me to cover for her.
You're not going to give me a lot of trouble, are you, dinosaur boy? Good morning.
So, I see you've met Monica's friend.
Yeah.
Good.
Look, I have to interview a witness down in the desert tonight, and it's a long drive so I'll be home pretty late.
Oh, we're going to get along just fine.
Thanks, Tess.
You're a godsend.
See you later.
What a beautiful day.
What is that? Oh.
A bad deal.
It's repayance.
Some guy couldn't pay his motel bill so, he, uh, left her the car and hitched out.
The only thing deader than that car is her social life.
Has she ever been married? You know, I asked her that once.
She didn't really answer.
Every once in a while I see her walking out by the desert all by herself, and I think to myself, "I have never seen such a woman so lonely or so determined to hide it.
" Whatever she left behind, she really wants to keep it there.
Your shot.
Do you ever go out? What? And leave this paradise? No, as long as Mac in the back does the shopping and the TV works, I'm here for the duration.
I'm pretty much a homebody.
That's too bad, because you would have been the perfect person for For what? Well, I heard there was a great new band playing at a club tonight somewhere in the desert and The Dead Dog Saloon.
You know, out by the interstate.
There's fun to be had at a place called the Dead Dog? I don't know, it's just that I've never been out dancing before and You're pathetic, you know that.
Ruth Ann, she wants to go out.
I hate those places.
All the smoke, the noise and the crowds, and that's just in the ladies' room.
Well, I guess it wouldn't hurt.
Mac, can we borrow your truck tonight? I'm going to my mother's.
Sorry.
Nice try.
Come on, honey.
It's your shot.
No, you take it.
I'll be right back.
Okay.
I have a new theory.
She's a defector from one of those countries where they don't let women wear pants.
( Horn honks ) ( honking ) So now what's your excuse? How did you do that? Elbow grease.
( Country music playing ) ♫ come by the moonlight ♫ ♫ Shining on the side of your face ♫ Excuse me, I'd like, uh, two beers.
♫ ♫ ♫ When I hold you near me ♫ ♫ Then everything's fine ♫ ♫ There's a feeling running wild in the night ♫ Here.
Oh, oh, no, thanks.
♫ There's a new moon over Colorado ♫ Well, then you better go ask someone.
Go on.
No.
No.
You first.
Oh, no.
I'm a little out of practice.
Go on.
Go on.
♫ There's a new moon over Colorado ♫ ♫ I'm never gonna let your love get away again ♫ ( song instrumental plays ) ♫ Well, I think back to days gone past ♫ ♫ When I kiss you, then, baby ♫ Excuse me.
Sorry.
I already have a dancer.
Police officer, Miss Russell.
You're under arrest.
I'd like to do this quietly.
Oh.
( People gasping ) ♫ of a hot summer night ♫ Out of my way, out of my way.
Police officer.
Excuse me.
What's your hurry? ( Tires squealing ) ♫ Never gonna let your love get away again ♫ ( knocking ) It's morning.
Where have you been? I took the long way.
What are you talking about? Where's Monica? I had no choice.
I had to leave her.
Ruthie, what's going on? Here.
I won't be needing these anymore.
A long time ago, I was involved in a crime.
I didn't commit it, but I helped the guy get away, and now I'm wanted by the FBI.
Oh, God.
I'm sorry.
I couldn't tell you.
I was 17 when I met Eddie.
He was political, hotheaded, idealistic, and I knew he was trouble, but I was in love.
One day, he decides to declare war on the nuclear power industry and blow up one of those places you pay your electric bill.
It was supposed to be closed.
But somebody decided to work late, I guess.
I never thought for a moment that anyone would get hurt.
I'm going to miss you.
I'm going to miss you.
What happened last night was my fault, and I'm sorry.
I thought you were someone else.
Yeah.
For a moment, so did I.
You can change all of this running.
I guess.
I just don't feel ready.
Monica, it was nice meeting you, but if you don't mind, I'd just as soon you forgot you ever saw me, all right? You don't know what you're doing.
I'm doing the best I can.
If you change your mind, and you need help, just ask for it.
It will be there.
Believe it.
Did we learn a little something here today? Did you hear what she said? She wasn't ready.
Timing is everything in this business.
You go off looking for somebody's mother, and all of a sudden, you got the FBI out of the red tracking down a fugitive from the '70s.
What's going to happen to her, Tess? That's still her decision.
There are angels for every job, Monica, and this one wasn't yours.
There's a rhythm to life, sweetheart, and when we disturb it, things like this happen.
Are you understanding me? Now, I've been to the mountaintop, and the word is, no more fooling around, sister.
Go back to David, or you'll be back on Search and Rescue pulling shrimp boats out of the swamps.
Will you just give me a minute to say good-bye to Christy? Well, make it fast.
Oh, that's a sweet little piece of heaven on earth.
How does it drive? Like a dream.
Oh.
Oh.
You got back okay.
I was really worried about you.
I guess Ruthie told you the story.
Well, did she get a ride? Well how did you get that necklace? Oh.
Ruth Ann almost forgot to give it back to me.
She loves it so much.
I told her she could keep it, but she insisted.
She knows how much it means to me.
See, it's a star, and whenever you're sad, I always say, look at a star.
You're David's mother.
I just want to talk to you.
I don't want to talk.
I'm going for a ride.
( Car door opens and closes ) ( engine starting ) ( tires screeching ) Monica, I could have killed you.
Now, I don't know what's going on, but you keep showing up where you couldn't possibly be.
Who the hell are you? I'm here to talk about who you are.
You're David's mother, aren't you? You've seen David? I met him on a bus a day or two ago.
How is he? Is he okay? He misses you so much that it's easier for him to talk as if you were dead than to admit that you're out of reach.
He mentioned his sister.
Katie.
Katie died in her crib a year ago.
Cause unknown.
And then I died.
And then I left.
Who sent you here? Nobody.
I'm not even supposed to be here.
But now that I am, I believe with all my heart that you're meant to go back.
I can't.
David doesn't deserve a mother like me.
Oh, you can't mean that.
I do.
He's safer without me.
There isn't a single night that I don't lie in bed and ask myself, "Did Katie cry and I didn't hear her? "Did I turn the television up too loud? "Why didn't I just walk into the room and kiss her good night again?" It's time to forgive yourself.
I can't.
I'll help you.
I'm an angel.
I'm driving away now, and I don't want to ever see you again.
I'll give it back, I promise.
Really I am an angel.
You're an angel? You're an angel.
You're an angel, so what? So what? What are you doing here now? Where the hell were you a year ago? Where was the angel when my baby died alone in her crib? Why didn't an angel come down and take me out of my bed and drag me into that nursery? Why didn't an angel dial 9-1-1 for me? Where the hell was the damn angel then? Oh, God, why didn't you send an angel? ( Sobbing ) Christine Christine, there was an angel with your baby that night.
That's what she was there for.
And Christine, it's the same angel who's with your baby right now and forever.
( Baby laughing and talking ) Oh, don't be afraid.
God loves you, Christine So much you can't even imagine.
And so do I.
Would you understand if I said I just wanted to get out of here? No.
But then again, we don't understand everything.
( Gasps ) It's not that I don't love 'em, you know.
I do.
That's why I stay away.
Love doesn't hide, Christine.
It stays and fights.
It goes the distance.
That's why God made love so strong So it can carry you all the way home.
( Door opens and shuts ) ( engine starting ) What I want to know is, why did you give me a heart if you didn't want me to follow it? Love doesn't hide, right? That's what you said.
It hopes all things.
It endures all things.
It never fails.
It stays and it fights.
That's what I'm fighting with now.
I love that little boy.
Please, if I've messed things up, please help me put them back on track.
Don't let that child spend one more minute without his mother.
And don't let his father spend one more lonely night, please.
Please help me.
( Sobbing ): Please.
( Knocking ) Anyone home? Monica, welcome back.
What happened? Where is she? David, darlin' She Your mother ( sighs ) I'm so sorry.
Well, you tried, right? Really hard.
I think I'll go outside for a while, okay? So, that was your family business, huh? I know I shouldn't have tried, but Why couldn't you just leave it the hell alone? Who do you think you are?! That child needed an angel to help him heal.
Now that wound is wide open.
I honestly don't know what to do.
Mom? ( laughing ) I've been looking for you.
I know, sweetheart.
I know.
But I'm back.
Oh, welcome home.
Oh, me of little faith.
A-Are you one, too? Tess is a real angel's angel.
That's a mighty fine car you've got there.
Takes you to all the right places, huh? Why don't you take it? Uh I won't need it anymore.
That's highly unusual, but I will take it.
Good-bye, my little friend.
You take good care of your mother, hmm? I will.
Thank you so much.
Bye-bye.
Bye.
Oh, it worked.
Thank God it worked.
What'd you do? I did something really radical, Tess.
I prayed.
Oh, we know that's dangerous.
But if you think that gets you out of that little mess of yours, you got another think coming.
Oh, come on.
Admit it.
I pulled it off.
You and who else? ♫ My car, my car, this is my car ♫ Our car.
♫ My car ♫ Our car.
♫ My car.
♫ Why don't you let me drive? 'Cause you don't know north from south.
I know where I'm going.
( Engine starting ) Uh-oh.

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