"PURCHASE OF GOD" By G. Lee Davis FADE IN: EXT: THE BELL HOME - DAY The time is the present. The place is inner-city Baltimore. The weather is beautiful -- a clear, early-summer's day that invites children into the streets and old people into their gardens. The run-down neighborhood we're standing in, however, hosts few children or gardens. We're staring at the outside of a three room tract house built in the mid 1950's. It needs paint. The porch sags. What shrubbery there is is overgrown and mangy. Whoever lives in this house either doesn't care or can't care for the rundown facade. INT: THE BELL KITCHEN - DAY The small kitchen is dark but spotlessly clean. WE SEE the long fingers of CHRISTINE BELL, a fortyish woman with long salt-and-pepper hair dressed in a shapeless gray cotton dress, wringing out a wash rag over a white tin basin bowl. Although we can hear a combination of sounds -- the water from the rag dripping back into the basin, the tick of an unseen mantle clock, the tinny confusion of a game show playing on the TV in the next room -- the place seems quiet; lonely. She glances at her wrist watch and reaches to a lazy susan full of prescription pill bottles. She opens five of the bottles and lines up five different pills on the tray under the wash basin. She half-fills a glass with water. Shakes out the rag once again. And emotionlessly carries everything into the next room. INT: BEDROOM - DAY Christine sets the tray on a chest of drawers. She dips the rag once again and wrings it out. In the foreground is what appears to be a person in a bed. CHRISTINE Mom? After your bath I thought I might read to you. Mom? (long pause) Mom? We hold a beat, then: CUT TO: EXT: CEMETERY - DAY SUPERIMPOSED we see the words: "One Year Later." From this graveyard's wrought-iron archway entrance sign ('Pinewood Cemetery'), we tilt down to the sight of a CITY WORKER lugging a push lawnmower from the rear of his truck. On the side of truck are the words 'City of Baltimore'. It's early in the day, but the Worker is already feeling the humidity and dreads mowing this hilly terrain. Unloading the machine, he sits down to rest, his back against a tree. Immediately an early-model compact car pulls into the cemetery, a car stuffed to nearly overflowing with clothes, boxes, books, plants, a guitar -- just about everything its lone occupant, CHRISTINE BELL, owns in this world. Without hesitation Christine gets out of the car and crosses to the 'Bell' family burial plot-- about twenty feet from where the Cemetery Worker is resting, hidden from view. Christine stands silently for a moment in front of a white, upright headstone, then speaks in a conversational tone: CHRISTINE I just signed the papers on the house, Mom. And handed over the keys. The people who bought it are nice. He's retired from the Maryland State Patrol, and she volunteers down at the Maritime Museum. They asked if they could keep that amaryllis plant of yours... the one in the kitchen window. (checking her wrist watch) Well, my trusty chariot is loaded... CHRISTINE (CONT) it's a 13-hour drive, so I figured if I got on I-95 early enough, I'd miss some of the traffic around D.C. (an uncomfortable pause) So... As Christine looks up from her wrist watch, she sees the image of her MOM, a gentle-faced, seventyish woman sitting on the waist-high tombstone. She is dressed as Christine remembers her, as if dressed for church. MOM Are you sure about this, Christine? Do you really want to move to Atlanta? CHRISTINE You always told me Georgia was a nice place. You were born there. MOM Yes, I was born there, but-- it's so far away. CHRISTINE (Trying to avoid discussion) Steven and I made an agreement, Mom-- MOM I know all about your 'agreement'. CHRISTINE --as soon as he graduated medical school and found a job, he agreed to marry me. MOM (with disdain) 'He agreed to marry you'. CHRISTINE (They've been through this before.) I have to go. The Cemetery Worker hears Christine and peeps from behind the tree. From HIS PERSPECTIVE we see Christine talking to empty air. MOM Has Steven ever said he loves you? CHRISTINE He gave me a cellular phone for my car. And in exchange I help him with... expenses. We exchange lots of favors. MOM Exchanging favors... 'You do this for me and I'll do this for you'-- that's not love, Baby. You're going to marry this man and you've only known him for a year? CHRISTINE You and Daddy only dated for a year. MOM But we grew up together. I knew in my heart from age ten that I would someday change my name from Elizabeth Franklin to Mrs. Clarence Bell. CHRISTINE Maybe I'll never have what you and Daddy had... but I'm 43 years old. I should be married. MOM 'Should' be married? Why? CHRISTINE Because I'm 43 years old! (half-kidding) Most of the people I went to high school with have been married and divorced two or three times by now. MOM You can always go back to school. Finish up your degree in... radi...? CHRISTINE Radiology. They give you six years to finish a specialty degree. And it's been more than six years, Mom. It's been twenty. When Daddy got sick, I quit nursing school for one quarter. One quarter. To move back home and help out until things 'got better.' Only... things didn't get better. We found out how sick daddy really was... then he died and you had your first stroke. We needed a full-time nurse but couldn't pay for one... MOM So you became a slave. Chained to an invalid parent. CHRISTINE Slave? No, no, Mom. I wanted to take care of you. You needed me. It's just that... I woke up the day after your funeral... a middle-aged woman with no past and no future. After a beat, they both smile and we catch a glimpse of the laughing, happy relationship Christine and her Mom once shared. MOM He's younger than you. CHRISTINE That doesn't matter to us, Mom. (a thoughtful pause, then:) I'm finally free. And I've got to make up for lost time. MOM Do what you have to do, Baby. CHRISTINE I don't want to disappoint you. MOM You'll never do that. (a pause, then:) Promise me one thing, though. When days are hard... CHRISTINE Yes? MOM Promise me you'll look for God. Because when God is all you have, you find -- as I did -- that God is all you need. CHRISTINE (without much conviction) I promise. We see the Cemetery Worker's eyes still peeping around the tree. Christine crosses toward the car. MOM I thought you weren't leaving until tomorrow. CHRISTINE We closed on the house a day early, so I'm surprising Steven by showing up in Atlanta a day early. MOM Bye, Baby. (whispers) God bless you. From the Cemetery Worker's perspective we see Christine get in and prepare to drive away. We see the Cemetery Worker's puzzled eyes. We follow Christine's car and tilt up to the cemetery sign as it exits the graveyard. DISSOLVE TO: EXT: TRAVELING MONTAGE - DAY (MUSIC UP FULL/TITLES) Christine's car passes a sign that reads: 'City Limits/Baltimore, Maryland'. DISSOLVE TO: Perspective shot of Interstate Traffic from inside the car. The camera pans to see Christine driving. On the seat near her are framed snapshots of she and Steven together, as well as single portraits of him. DISSOLVE TO: Typical sights on the Interstate: construction, roadside signs, other travelers. DISSOLVE TO: Christine's car pulling out of a McDonald's drive-through. We see her sipping from a McDonald's cup, still driving. DISSOLVE TO: We focus on Christine's car, then widen to see the Atlanta skyline gleaming in the late afternoon sun. An Atlanta road sign is visible. DISSOLVE TO: EXT: CLINIC - LATE AFTERNOON Christine's car pulls into the parking lot of the South Atlanta Clinic. She heaves a weary, blissful sigh, then unhooks her seatbelt, preparing to get out. She sees STEVEN ROGERS, a handsome, round-featured man ten years younger than Christine, crossing out the front door of the clinic about 20 yards away. He is dressed in a white lab coat and ID tag, portable phone in hand. She calls to him, he doesn’t hear. Christine almost calls again, but instead, with a mischievous smile, picks up her car phone and dials. Steven’s phone rings. From Christine's smile, we understand what she's up to. Steven snaps open the flip phone. STEVEN Hello? CHRISTINE It's me. STEVEN Hi. ...Uh... I didn't expect to hear from you until tomorrow. CHRISTINE You said you'd be working late. STEVEN Yeah... I'm heading out, now. CHRISTINE So I see. STEVEN Huh? CHRISTINE Nothing. (flirty) Wha'cha got planned for tonight, big boy? In the course of Steven's reply, an ATTRACTIVE WOMAN in a lab coat and clinic ID tag, exits the building with a man's sport jacket on one arm, her purse on the other. She holds the coat for Steven as he takes off his lab coat, tosses it into the back seat, and dons the sport jacket. Steven's conversation is suddenly stilted. STEVEN Nothing much. I'll probably go to the gym. Work out, turn in early. Say, I'm glad you called. The Big Man -- the guy who signs the checks here at the clinic -- asked me to play a couple of rounds of golf with him in the morning. I think I should go. Company politics and all that. What time will you be leaving Baltimore? CHRISTINE (absently; eyes on the girl) I'm not sure. STEVEN I was going to say... if I'm not back, just start unloading without me. Can you hold on for a minute? Steven gives his female companion a lengthy, deep kiss. We see Christine's reaction. The kiss concluded, the girl rounds Steven's car and gets in the passenger side. STEVEN (into phone) I'm back. Now, what time did you say you'd get here? Christine, stunned, hangs up the phone and leans her head on the steering column. We hear her breathing... gasping for air... for what seems like an eternity. STEVEN (into phone) Hello? He checks to see if the phone is working, then tosses it back into the car. He motions to get in, but pats his pockets looking for a wallet. STEVEN (CONT) (to girl) Was the wallet in the coat? Be right back. Steven crosses back toward the building. Christine looks up from the steering wheel. Almost involuntarily, she cranks the car and revs the engine. Steven hears the engine's roar and suddenly this little car is coming toward him. He jumps out of the way, tumbling to the ground. INT: CHRISTINE'S CAR - LATE AFTERNOON (TRAVELING) Wild-eyed, Christine weaves from street to street, arbitrarily turning left and right as the intersections and one-way signs suggest, hands locked onto the steering wheel, back arched. At first we think she is trying to find her way back out of town, but her recklessness and haphazard number of turns convinces us that this is the vehicular version of running in circles. She turns off of a residential street onto a 4-lane parkway. EXT: PARKWAY- LATE AFTERNOON Once on the highway, she picks up speed. We see the speedometer grow from 50 to 60 to 70 MPH. Christine's car swerves off the highway onto a two-lane country road. DISSOLVE TO: EXT: COUNTRY ROAD - NIGHT This stretch of two-lane road surrounded on both sides by grassy shoulders and fenced-in pasture is the proverbial Middle of Nowhere. After we've taken a moment to note its solitude and natural beauty, Christine's car speeds into sight, crossing, as we watch it, into the wrong lane. INT: CHRISTINE'S CAR - NIGHT All the emotion has drained out of her face. She drives now simply because there's nothing else to do. WE HEAR the HORN of an approaching semi-trailer truck. She pays no mind. The horn stops, then sounds again. Suddenly a light hits Christine full in the face. She snaps back into 'reality' mode. EXT: C.U. OF TRACTOR-TRAILER TRUCK APPROACHING - NIGHT The grill of the truck fills the screen, then swerves away. WE HEAR the sound of wheels screaming; car tires squalling. INT: CHRISTINE'S CAR - NIGHT Christine braces for a crash that does not happen. When she realizes the danger has passed, she grasps the steering wheel and continues driving as before, unfeeling. DISSOLVE TO: INT: CHRISTINE'S CAR - NIGHT It's raining. She continues on. FADE TO BLACK. UP FROM BLACK: INT: CHRISTINE'S CAR - DAY Christine wakes with a start, calling-- CHRISTINE Mom? It's morning and Christine has been asleep in her car since before sunrise. She hears the faint sound of people singing. EXT: CHURCH - DAY Christine gets out, stretches, takes a folded road map from the door pocket. She finds herself parked (at an odd angle alongside thirty other cars) in front of a red-brick church. We gather church is in session, from the sound of the singing inside. Plywood sheets cover the left half of a large stained-glass window in the center of the church's outer wall. Christine surveys the area, looking up and down the street. She can see a glimpse of this small town's main drag between two nearby buildings. Atop the water tower, about 50 yards away, is written "Cedar Hill." She is weary and leans against her car, arms folded, thinking. The singing stops. The church's steeple bell begins to toll. The doors open. People pour out. Christine scurries back into her car. The people mill about the lawn, greeting each other and talking. Some head directly to their cars. Christine slumps in her car seat, hoping no one sees her. ELIZABETH Humble, a girl of thirteen dressed in her Sunday best, appears at Christine's window. She knocks. Christine isn't sure whether to roll the window down or not. After another knock, she does. ELIZABETH Every Sunday School class has to take a turn welcoming visitors and today it's the Youth Group's turn. (Mechanically) Hello, I'm Elizabeth Humble. We hope you received a blessing worshiping with us today here in Cedar Hill and will join us again soon. (long breath) We have a refreshment table set-up in the fellowship hall right now. Won't you join us for some punch and cookies and give us a chance to get to know you better. (without skipping a beat, in a more casual tone) You don't have-ta if you don't want to. My friend Joanie's mother made the punch and it tastes like red water. Christine is speechless. Finally: CHRISTINE I... ELIZABETH The cookies are pretty good, though. I made some and my mom made some before she had to leave town to see about grandma's broken hip. What's your name? CHRISTINE Christine. Christine Bell. ELIZABETH I'm Elizabeth Humble. Elizabeth just stands there. The conversation dangles in mid-air. Finally Christine offers her hand through the window to shake. CHRISTINE Hello. ELIZABETH (shaking hands) Hi. CHRISTINE How far is this from Atlanta? ELIZABETH I don't know, exactly. I could ask somebody. (calls) Jim! CHRISTINE No, that's all right. Never mind. ELIZABETH Jim used to take the high school marching band to Atlanta every year. JIM NEWMAN steps up, a weary-looking, thin man in his late twenties wearing a rumpled white shirt and tie. He carries a suit coat over his arm. ELIZABETH (CONT) How far are we from Atlanta? JIM About two hours. ELIZABETH Jim Newman, this is Christine Bell. JIM (to Elizabeth) Did you invite her in for punch and cookies? (dead serious, to Christine) Don't drink the punch. CHRISTINE (motioning to roll up window) I'm going to, uh, take a rain check on-- JIM (sees clothes in car) Are you on the run from the law? CHRISTINE No. ELIZABETH Did you and our boyfriend break up and now you're looking for someplace new to live? CHRISTINE (how did you guess?) ... sorta. ELIZABETH Yeah. The same thing happened last night on 'Emergency Hospital'. Special guest star Heather Locklear? She was dumped by her boyfriend, fell into a deep, dark, depression and she was hit by a train. Yeah. It was cool. CHRISTINE Uh... what I really need is a shower and a chance to... get my bearings. Is there a motel in this town? ELIZABETH My Uncle Bobby runs the Hotel Hello over next to the Snappy Lunch. If you're not married, you might like to meet Uncle Bobby. He's not married, either. He was engaged for two years to Bonnie over at the Cut 'N Curl, but she ran off with the Clairol salesman. JIM (clueing Elizabeth) Miz Dawson...? ELIZABETH Oh, yeah. If you're looking for a place to stay and maybe start a new life, Ruth Dawson owns the boarding house down the street. CHRISTINE Thank you. ELIZABETH (calls) Miz Dawson? CHRISTINE No, don't call her. I-- ELIZABETH (calls) Would you step over here, please? (to Christine) One of her boarders was sprinkling-on some foot powder and just keeled over dead. This could be your lucky day. CHRISTINE Please, I don't... RUTH DAWSON, a pleasant-looking woman Christine’s same age, approaches. RUTH What's up? ELIZABETH This is Christine Bell. She's looking to make a new start since she was dumped by her boyfriend. RUTH (to Christine) Are you looking for a room? CHRISTINE No. ELIZABETH I was telling her Mrs. Ott passed away. CHRISTINE (to Elizabeth, nodding) The poor dear. (to Christine) She was sprinkling-on some foot powder and just keeled over dead. JIM Mrs. Ott... was she the nutty one? RUTH No, that's Mrs. Bovine. (to Christine) Mrs. Bovine's my other border. She's still alive. ELIZABETH (to Christine) Mrs. Bovine's a little nutty. She believes if she screams out the answer to the puzzle loud enough when she's watching 'Wheel of Fortune,' she'll get the prize. CHRISTINE (patronizing) Folks, really, this is a lovely town-- but I'm... on my way back home to find a job. JIM What kind of job? CHRISTINE I have a degree... I have half a degree... in radiology. ELIZABETH Radiology? (to Ruth) Mr. Bartow, during prayer time-- RUTH That's right. (excited. To Christine:) During prayer time, Fred Bartow said he was looking for someone to work the late, late shift. (calls) Fred! ELIZABETH (to Christine) This is your lucky day! CHRISTINE Fred Bartow-- is he a doctor? ELIZABETH He owns WCRN. FRED BARTOW, a powerful, gruff-looking man in a short-sleeved shirt and loosened tie, steps over. RUTH We've got your new D.J. over here, Fred! BARTOW Oh, yeah? (As Ruth nods toward Christine, Bartow barks:) Say something. CHRISTINE Like what? BARTOW (a beat, then to Ruth:) Not bad. OUR ATTENTION is briefly focused on the crowd in front of the church. REVEREND RON HUMBLE, a slim, dark-suited man in his early forties, is talking to TWO OTHER MEMBERS. HUMBLE (motioning toward stained glass window) We're calling it our 'Centennial Sunday Celebration'. And it's going to be a blow-out the likes of which this church has never seen. We're having this new stained-glass window installed as part of the celebration, and-- Humble's attention is drawn across the street. WE SEE a wide-angle shot, from Humble's prospective, of the four church members huddled around Christine's car. HUMBLE (CONT) Must be a visitor. Hope they warn'em about the punch. (back to talking about the window) We copied the design from a picture I found in the church archives... Back at Christine's car: RUTH Fred owns the Christian radio station here in town. BARTOW Ever been on the radio before? JIM She's got a degree in it. CHRISTINE Not radio. Radiol-- BARTOW I need someone on the air between 1 A.M. and 6 A.M. CHRISTINE Between 1 A.M and 6 A.M.? Who's listening to the radio at that time of the morning? RUTH Burglars, mostly. (laughs) Bartow doesn't crack a smile. RUTH (good-naturedly) Lighten up, Fred. BARTOW (to Christine) If you want the job, give me a call and report to the station tonight at midnight. Bartow Exits. Jim, for no real reason, decides he has to go, too. He Exits. RUTH No where to go, nothing to do-- you attend worship here and five minutes later you've got a place to live and a job offer. Sounds like The Lord is telling you to settle-in here for a while, Christine. CHRISTINE (sounding irritated for the first time. she quickly rolls up the window) No, I don't think He is. She turns the ignition key. The car tries to crank, but won't. She tries again. And again. Finally she rolls down the window. RUTH I'll call the service station, you bring our new friend to the boarding house for dinner, Elizabeth. One o'clock. CHRISTINE I'll just sit here until the mechanic arrives. RUTH Don't be silly. It could be dark before Jo-Jo gets by here. Come have some dinner. Ruth Exits, patting Christine on the shoulder once again. ELIZABETH Miz Dawson's a good cook. If you still want to take a shower, there's one in the women's dressing room in the Fellowship Hall. There are some towels, but you may have to bring your own-- Christine, in a sudden burst of frustration, tries to crank the engine again. The motor wails a long time. Then she gives up. ELIZABETH (CONT) -- soap. Christine gets out, grabs an overnight bag from behind the seat, and impatiently marches toward the fellowship hall. A few steps away, Christine stops in the street, waiting for Elizabeth. Her frown of irritation is replaced by a more sympathetic look, however, as she notices that Elizabeth walks with a pronounced limp. Christine looks at Elizabeth's foot. It is unevenly swollen at the ankle under her white cotton sock. As Elizabeth crosses past Christine to lead the way: ELIZABETH (CONT) Remember. Avoid the punch. Christine follows. CHRISTINE (quietly) Yeah, sure. CUT TO: EXT: BOARDING HOUSE - DAY We see a small, plain white sign that reads 'VACANT', below it a phone number. Our shot widens and we discover RUTH DAWSON, CHRISTINE and ELIZABETH exiting a tall, antebellum house with a wide, rocking chair-lined porch. The 'Vacant' sign is stuck in the ground next to the bottom step. Elizabeth and Christine sit in rockers. Ruth tends one of the hanging ferns, then leans against a porch rail. CHRISTINE You mean the only repair shop in this whole blessed town is closed on Sunday? RUTH Just about everything is closed on Sunday in Cedar Hill. But you can stay here for the night, no charge, and we'll see to your car in the morning. ELIZABETH Miz Dawson's a good cook, isn't she, Christine? CHRISTINE (absently) Yes. Very good. (to Ruth) Lunch was very good. And thanks for the offer to stay, but-- We hear AN UPSTAIRS BORDER, MRS. BOVINE yell: MRS. BOVINE 'Get - me - out - of - here!' CHRISTINE (looking up at a window) What was that? RUTH That was Mrs. Bovine. ELIZABETH She's watching 'Wheel of Fortune.' Don't you think Ms. Dawson's place is pretty, Christine? And clean. And convenient. Why, you could throw a rock and hit the grocery story and the church from right here where I'm sitting. RUTH Do you have a church home, Christine? CHRISTINE No, we lived in a house. RUTH Where did you go to church? CHRISTINE In Baltimore? I... Church? No. I usually spend Sundays with my guitar. RUTH You play the guitar? That's so exciting. CHRISTINE Mostly for my own amusement, really. I like to tell stories... paint pictures... with music. RUTH Fascinating. Well, Cedar Hill may take some getting used to, but you'll grow to love it. CHRISTINE Yeah, well, I'm leaving as soon as I possibly can. RUTH That's what I said when I came here five years ago. A blushing bride. CHRISTINE Your husband's... out of town on business or something? ELIZABETH Ruth and Henry broke up. Christine is not sure what Elizabeth said, then understands. To Ruth: CHRISTINE What? Oh, 'broke up.' I'm sorry. RUTH It's okay. MRS. BOVINE "Good... Riddance!" ELIZABETH (low, to Christine) He had a little... 'elbow problem.' She pantomimes lifting a glass to her mouth. CHRISTINE (gets it) Oh. (after a beat, to Ruth:) Has it been hard... on your own? RUTH Yes. Without friends... and prayer... I don't know what I would have done. (to Elizabeth) Have you told her about the auditions? ELIZABETH Not yet. RUTH For a week after I... left Henry, all I could think about was getting him back. I knew I didn't need him back, but I wanted him back. You probably know what I mean. You need to get 'what was his name' out of your mind. ELIZABETH Steven. RUTH Get Steven out of your mind. I know you're only planning to be in town for the night, but try out for the new choir at our church. Better yet, re-consider that job at Fred Bartow's radio station. You won't sleep tonight. May as well get paid for staying up. Let me call Fred and tell him you'll try it. CHRISTINE You're serious. ELIZABETH Playing records on the radio sounds like fun to me. CHRISTINE Fun? No. (takes a moment to consider the idea, then a definitive:) No. RUTH So you just want to sit around and brood. Take it from me, brooding's not healthy. ELIZABETH It'll eat your guts out. CHRISTINE (with a 'what do you know' glance at Elizabeth) I do want to get Steven off my mind. RUTH So... MRS. BOVINE 'Just - do - it!' Christine looks up and acknowledges the command. She shrugs toward Ruth. RUTH I'll call Fred. Ruth Exits into the house. Christine, unsettled by all this, quietly crosses and sits on the porch next to the 'Vacant' sign. She gazes in the direction of the church. There is a lengthy pause, then: CHRISTINE I wonder if my car phone still works. ELIZABETH You're not thinking about calling Steven, are you? CHRISTINE (she is, but she says:) No. ELIZABETH Where did you meet this guy? CHRISTINE Steven? At my mother's funeral. ELIZABETH He was a friend of the family? CHRISTINE Actually, he was a friend of my parents' insurance agent. ELIZABETH Oh, I see. You inherited a lot of cash, and 'Steven' found out about it. CHRISTINE I didn't inherit a lot of cash. ELIZABETH What, then? Stocks, bonds? CHRISTINE In my parents' safety deposit box, after they'd both died, I found two items: the deed to some land and a bible with some kind of scribble-scrabble inside the front cover. ELIZABETH Scribble-scrabble? You mean like a drawing? A treasure map? CHRISTINE No, words... nonsense words. ELIZABETH Do you still have the Bible? CHRISTINE No. But the deed... the deed was to some property. A thousand acres of waterfront property next to a golf course. ELIZABETH Wow. So you sold the land? CHRISTINE Yes. ELIZABETH And you got... how much? CHRISTINE (growing irritated) Enough. ELIZABETH Enough to attract a handsome gigolo? CHRISTINE Look, I'm not used to everybody knowing my business. ELIZABETH Welcome to Cedar Hill. CHRISTINE You're a nosey little girl. ELIZABETH I prefer the word 'precocious'. CHRISTINE (through gritted teeth) Elizabeth, don't you have some other little twelve-year old friends you'd rather be with right now? ELIZABETH First of all, I'm thirteen years old, thank you very much. And second of all, nearly everybody my age is off at 4-H Summer Camp. Except me and my friend, Joanie. CHRISTINE Why didn't you and Joanie go to camp? ELIZABETH Joanie's going on vacation with her family beginning Thursday. Me... I don't 'do' 4-H. I have no interest in demonstration projects about 'mulching' or 'How to Deliver a Calf.' Mostly, though, it's my foot. CHRISTINE (pretending) Something's wrong with your...foot? I didn't notice. ELIZABETH (doesn't believe she didn't notice) Pul-eeze! CHRISTINE Did you... bruise it in some way? ELIZABETH No. It's what they used to call a 'club foot'. It's something I inherited. CHRISTINE Can't it be corrected? With surgery? ELIZABETH Yeah, but they don't want to -- quote -- "risk it" until I'm older. So that makes me, Elizabeth Franklin Humble, a freak. CHRISTINE Don't say that. You -- (changes her train of thought) Your name is 'Elizabeth Franklin?' ELIZABETH Yeah, I know. That's tragic, too. But we were talking about this 'Steven' character. A friend of your recently deceased parents' insurance agent suddenly shows up at your front door with romance on his breath, and it never occurs to you that he may be after your money? CHRISTINE It occurred to me, yes. But... he made me feel good. ELIZABETH You told us at dinner that you paid for him to go back to medical school... CHRISTINE Tuition, books, and expenses, yes. He needed a place to live while at Johns Hopkins... and a car. After graduation I gave him money for his move to Atlanta. A new wardrobe. And the down payment on a condo. Plus I've been sending him an 'expense check' every month. ELIZABETH You've been giving the man an allowance? WE HEAR Mrs. Bovine call: MRS. BOVINE "A-fool-and-his-money-are-soon...parted!" CHRISTINE (angry) That's what Mom calls it -- an 'allowance'-- it's not an allowance. ELIZABETH I thought your mother was dead. CHRISTINE She is. ELIZABETH (shakes off asking what Christine meant, then:) Exactly how much money have you given 'Steven?' CHRISTINE Since when? ELIZABETH Since the day you met him. CHRISTINE Since the day I met him. (thinks, then uncomfortably:) One hundred and fifteen thousand dollars. ELIZABETH (reacts, then:) He must have made you feel reeeel good. WE SEE Reverend Humble (in shirtsleeves and loosened tie) rounding the street corner toward the church. Humble spies Elizabeth and calls to her: HUMBLE Elizabeth? I'll need you to be at the auditions. ELIZABETH (calls back) Yes, sir! Did you meet Christine? This is-- HUMBLE (motioning to his wrist watch) They start at two o'clock sharp! Centennial Sunday's just around the corner, you know. ELIZABETH (with difficulty) Be right there! She stands to leave. CHRISTINE Who's that? ELIZABETH The preacher. They're auditioning singers for Centennial Sunday, and I have to be there. CHRISTINE You sing? ELIZABETH Sometimes, but... I'm just supposed to be there. Help the preacher. CHRISTINE Help him do what? ELIZABETH Whatever. CHRISTINE Is that your summer job? Helping the preacher? ELIZABETH Sorta. Why don't you come audition? CHRISTINE No, thanks. ELIZABETH Come on. Like Ruth said, you need to occupy your mind. You need to avoid feeling sorry for yourself. CHRISTINE (works up to a yell) What makes everyone in this town such an expert on what I need? (PAUSE) Just let me sit here and feel sorry for myself if I want to, okay? Please? Preacher Humble heard the loud voice and stops walking. Elizabeth glances toward him, lightly embarrassed. ELIZABETH (quietly) Okay. HUMBLE (calls) Elizabeth! Elizabeth hesitates, then turns and walks toward the church. Christine, sitting on the porch steps, is framed so that it appears she is on display with the 'VACANT' sign in front of her. MRS. BOVINE "Every-dog-has-its-day." Christine reacts. MRS. BOVINE (CONT) (she adds:) But a dog with a sore tail has a week-end! (she laughs) WE HOLD ON Christine, framed with the 'VACANT' sign, the sound of Mrs. Bovine's laughter from above. CUT TO: INT: CHURCH SANCTUARY - DAY (MINUTES LATER) WE SEE the church's new picture window covered by plywood. ELIZABETH and REVERENT HUMBLE enter the sanctuary. From a wide, high shot, we get a sense of the breath and width of this majestic worship hall as the two cross to the pulpit area. WE THINK WE SPY THE FIGURE OF A LARGE MAN laying in one of the pews. HUMBLE Mr. Stickler said he was going to take a nap after the worship service. I hope he didn't oversleep. Maybe I should call the motel. Stay here. Humble exits. Elizabeth wanders around the pulpit... then finds herself at the piano. WITH THE CAMERA AT FLOOR LEVEL, NOW, we watch Elizabeth sit at the piano and strike a note. She begins to sing. ELIZABETH sings a short, gentle chorus: I need thee every hour Most gracious Lord; No tender voice like thine Can peace afford. I need the, O I need thee; Every hour I need thee. O bless me now, my Savior, I come to thee. Her voice is pure, clear and simple. The sentiment of the song is heartfelt. At the end of the song, JOHN STICKLER, a large man wearing a well-pressed suit and knotted tie, sits up in the pew where he has been resting. He applauds. Elizabeth blushes, but before she can fully react, JIM NEWMAN, whom we met in the parking lot earlier, enters from another door. His clothes are wrinkled, his hair uncombed. He carries a cardboard box of food. JIM Excuse me. Is Reverend Humble here, yet? ELIZABETH (still flustered from Stickler's sudden appearance) He's... in the church office. JIM Would you tell him that the truck is loaded for tomorrow morning's run? ELIZABETH Sure. JIM Thanks. ENTER REVEREND HUMBLE through the opposite door, carrying a heavy-looking briefcase. HUMBLE Take this for me, will you, Elizabeth? Afternoon Jim. JIM The truck's ready for tomorrow, Reverend. HUMBLE Thank you. And you're gonna be locking up for me this week, aren't you? Most of the staff's on vacation. (sees Stickler) There you are, John. Our people should be arriving soon. (to Elizabeth) You've got homework to do, don't you, Elizabeth? ELIZABETH No, sir. School's out for the summer. HUMBLE Well, have a seat and try and stay out of the way. (mostly to himself) I'll be glad when your mother gets back. This playing Mr. Mom is no fun. Elizabeth settles, as ordered, in a corner. Stickler rises and straightens his suit. STICKLER I'm supposed to be auditioning singers, Ron. Where are they? (before Humble can answer) You know, I wish you had warned me that you were going to read my list of credentials in the morning worship. HUMBLE Did I leave something out? STICKLER No, you left nothing out. That's the problem. Bragging to everyone about how I was head of the Birmingham Academy of Music for nine years and visiting professor at the Paris Conservatory for three years... HUMBLE I was trying to impress them. STICKLER You frightened them. Away. HUMBLE Sorry, John. But... Miss St. Clare promised she'd would be here. STICKLER Katrina St. Clare? HUMBLE (happy that he recognizes the name) Yes. STICKLER That name sounds familiar. HUMBLE It should. She taught Music Appreciation at Columbia University for years. STICKLER (gesturing with a 'thumbs up' signal) Oh, yes. HUMBLE She and her husband retired here. They raise horses. (checks watch) We'll give everybody a couple-a three more minutes. Jim! You are going to sing for Mr. Stickler, right? JIM Uh... no. JIM EXITS. There's a moment of silence as everyone adjusts to Jim's uneasy retreat. STICKLER He's one of the janitors here? HUMBLE No. He helps with the Meals on Wheels program. Taking lunch to senior citizens. STICKLER What's his story? ELIZABETH Jim used to be band director at the high school. Happy, energetic... everybody liked Jim Newman. But during a particularly hot summer band practice-- HUMBLE Elizabeth, I don't think Mr. Stickler wants to hear the gory details. STICKLER (with a glare at Humble) I have nothing better to do at the moment. (to Elizabeth) During a hot summer practice...? ELIZABETH He marched and marched and marched the band members in 105 degree weather until three of them fainted from heat stroke and had to be taken to the hospital. One of them was the principal's son. He almost died. HUMBLE There were lawsuits and a messy court trial -- the principal tried to have Jim put away for Reckless Endangerment or whatever. But he was assigned Community Service, instead. STICKLER And he can sing? ELIZABETH Like a bird. But he won't. Not any more. STICKLER Pity. (a pause, then, looking toward the piano) Humph! I guess it's a good thing there's no one to audition, because we don't have a piano player. Ron, you said I'd be supplied a piano player. HUMBLE (sheepishly) Mrs. Silver's mother is ill. STICKLER This is hopeless. The back door bumps open, and everyone's attention is drawn to the rear of the church. ENTER KATRINA ST. CLARE, a woman in her fifties. She enters majestically, as if all eyes are on her, which they are. HUMBLE (CONT) Katrina! So glad you could make it. Humble crosses up the aisle to her. KATRINA Reverend Pastor, I had to park in a handicapped spot. I do hope that won't be a problem. HUMBLE You're the exception to the rule, Katrina, you know that. Let me take your things. Elizabeth, take her things. Elizabeth snaps to it. KATRINA Good child. ELIZABETH Hello, Miss St. Clare. How-- KATRINA (interrupts) Why, John Stickler! How marvelous to see you again. STICKLER Hello, Miss St. Clare. I believe we crossed paths briefly during the Columbia Opera Workshop... five years ago, was it? KATRINA Five years ago, yes. How sweet of you to remember. Now, don't let me get away today without inviting to join Herbert and me for brunch some morning. Out at the ranch. STICKLER That would be nice. Thank you, Miss St. Clare. KATRINA Come, come. You and I are practically old friends. Let's not be so formal. You call me Katrina and I'll call you...? STICKLER I require my singers to call me Mr. Stickler. KATRINA (teasing) "You require your singers to call you Mr. Stickler." I'm already one of your singers, is that what you're saying? I don't have to audition? STICKLER Everyone has to audition. Now, if you'd take a seat, please, I'll explain the audition process. KATRINA (her charm suddenly gone) Very well. (to Elizabeth, reaching into her purse) Sweetheart? Elizabeth? Go down the hall and get me a Diet Coke out of the machine, will you, I feel a bit parched. STICKLER No food or beverage during auditions. KATRINA (freezes, her hand in her purse. She gives Stickler a look, then:) Thank you all the same, Elizabeth. (toward Stickler) I just hope I don't begin to choke and fall to the floor, gasping for moisture. Katrina finds a chair, dusts it with a tissue, and sits. Stickler loudly clears his throat and takes full command. STICKLER I have some notes I'd like to go over, first. This morning after your church service, I heard someone say, referring to me, "If this bigshot music man is so good, what's he doing here?" Well, let me clear up that mystery right off the bat. I was retired by my doctor. I have a small problem with one of the valves of my heart. I chose to move to this community because of its proximity to... (referring to Humble) old friends... and to a specialist I often visit in Atlanta. End of story. Beginning of new story. We can perform the music I've chosen with as few as two good voices. I prefer three. (to all) I hope you'll all do what you can to supply them to me. He looks straight at Elizabeth. She looks away. STICKLER (CONT) Remember: Faith is the key. (to Humble) Your daughter sings? HUMBLE (with a quick, uneasy glance at Elizabeth) Elizabeth? Sing? Elizabeth looks hopeful. HUMBLE (CONT) (after a pause, with finality) No. ELIZABETH (quietly) You've never heard me. HUMBLE (trying to sound loving) Someday you'll be able to do a lot of things, Lizzie-girl. EXT: CHURCH PARKING LOT - DAY Christine tries to crank her car again. It won't respond. She gets out and starts removing some items she may need: a small suitcase, some blouses on hangers. We can see her guitar in the back. As she gathers things, she picks up the car phone... listens for a dial tone (WE HEAR THE TONE), pauses, dials a few numbers, then stops, thinking. INT: CHURCH SANCTUARY - DAY KATRINA Do we have to audition in front of everyone else? Or can we... sing privately? STICKLER If you plan to sing privately on Centennial Sunday, you may audition privately. Pressure is good for the voice. According to my cardiologist, it's not good for the heart, but that's another matter. (clears his throat, continues) I will allow anyone and everyone to audition. ANOTHER CHURCH MEMBER, looking to audition, ENTERS and sits. STICKLER (CONT) But I'm warning you-- if you do not take criticism well, I suggest you leave right now! THE CHURCH MEMBER, frightened, rises and EXITS. STICKLER (CONT) Any questions? Very well. (looks at wrist watch. With a sigh:) I'm in the process of moving... plus we have no pianist. I'm postponing these auditions until tomorrow afternoon at five. Maybe then we will be able to proceed. Before we go, however, I -- CHRISTINE enters the back of the auditorium, her guitar in hand. All heads turn toward her. She stands there, not knowing how to react to the attention. STICKLER (CONT) (loudly, to Christine) Your guitar? CHRISTINE ...Yes. STICKLER Please sing. Stickler takes a seat to listen. Elizabeth's eyes dart between Stickler and Christine. She entertains the notion of stepping in, but decides to watch the situation play out. All is quiet as Christine crosses down the aisle and, with not a little bewilderment, sits and positions her guitar. CHRISTINE Uh... you probably want to hear some church music. I don't know any. STICKLER I want to hear your voice. Not your testimony. HUMBLE John, this nice lady may not-- CHRISTINE No, if it's my voice you want to hear... This is a song called 'Sunday Painter'. It's about... things not working out the way we plan. SHE SINGS "SUNDAY PAINTER". She's just a Sunday painter, she only paints her magic Sundays She makes the brushes dance, the faces that she paints entrance you Sundays But Monday evening do the wash, Tuesday evening clean the house Wednesday take her mother to the doctor She'd like to write a novel, too much pain, it's too much trouble most days The messages she'd like to weave would snare your soul make you believe in most days But Thursday evening late a work, Friday evening somehow goes Saturday spend hours with the shopping Where has the artist in her gone? It seems to take all her time and patience to hang on. There sits the old piano, catching dust its music rusty these days A sad, forgotten friend, its usefulness come to an end these days Her mistress has no time to play serving food on plastic trays Accompanied by songs upon the juke box She dreamed she'd be a dancer, feet would move her body'd answer someday But her dreams have lost their power, like the milk it's left, it's sour somedays Her dancing took a lonely seat when little sisters had to eat Dancing's just a bauble for the rich girls When did the artist in her die? Somewhere between the push and pulling of her woman's life She's just a Sunday painter, she only paints her magic Sundays She's just a Sunday painter, she only paints on Sundays... AT THE END OF THE SONG we see reactions of the characters all around: Elizabeth smiles. Humble is delighted. Katrina is unimpressed. Stickler makes copious notes. FADE OUT. FADE IN. EXT: NIGHTTIME SHOT OF BOARDING HOUSE - NIGHT There’s a full moon out. EXT: BOARDING HOUSE PORCH - NIGHT At the door: Christine, purse in hand, is leaving for the radio station. Ruth, in her bed clothes, escorts her out. RUTH Just remember to have fun. And if Fred Bartow growls at you, you just growl right back at him. CHRISTINE The idea of all those faceless people out there in the dark-- tuning-in to listen to my voice... RUTH It's natural to have a few butterflies. CHRISTINE (to herself) But then again... what am I worried about? Who could possibly be listening to the radio at one in the morning? RUTH The Mandalay Sisters have insomnia. They'll be up. The Mandalay Sisters and their little dog, Piddle. CHRISTINE (musing) The Mandalay Sisters and their little dog, Piddle. She exits. Ruth shuts the door behind her. DISSOLVE TO: EXT: RADIO STATION - NIGHT WCRN is a small, store-front station on the edge of town. INT: RADIO STATION - NIGHT FRED BARTOW, a dour-looking bear of a man, light jacket over his arm, is showing Christine through the broadcast booth. The large-faced clock in the booth reads 12:58. BARTOW And this is the booth. Everything's pretty standard. Mike... copy stand... cart machines. Commercial tapes, CD's... Reel-to-reel over here. You don't get the giggles, do you? CHRISTINE I'm sorry? BARTOW The woman who worked this shift before got the giggles and I had to fire her. CHRISTINE Uh, what made her... giggle? BARTOW The title of a song. I don't know which one. But the moment she read it out loud, she started giggling. On the air. And she couldn't stop. Don't get me wrong. I enjoy a good laugh, myself. The boys at the Kiwanis Club say I'm quite the wit. (He stands there, deadpan, for several seconds. Then:) But this is professional show business. No no giggling on the air, understood? CHRISTINE Understood. Bartow turns up a pot, we hear A PREACHER'S VOICE rightly divining the word of truth (a typical Song and Sermon radio show), then he turns it down again. BARTOW Right now we're broadcasting 'The Hour of Decision'. That's on every night from twelve fifteen until one. CHRISTINE 'The Hour of Decision' is only 45 minutes? BARTOW Yeah. So? CHRISTINE ...Nothing. BARTOW (almost continues tour, but adds:) 'The Day of Discovery' is only 15 minutes. (concluding tour) CD's over here, LP library in the other room. That's it. Questions? CHRISTINE Who chooses the music I'm supposed to play? BARTOW (pointing) Play whatever you like, just be sure and write down everything you play on the log sheet. FCC regulations. Questions? CHRISTINE No questions. BARTOW (begins putting on his jacket) You can open the Prayer Request Hotline about four A.M. Just announce the 800 number and the red button will light up. The same people usually call-in night after night. CHRISTINE (trying to make a joke) Like the Mandalay Sisters and their little dog, Piddle? BARTOW (dead serious) Not so much since they had Piddle 'fixed', no. No, we have people call-in from all over. CHRISTINE All over Cedar Hill? BARTOW All over the Southeast. I thought I told you. After midnight this station goes 'clear channel.' We boost our power -- then every radio station within five hundred miles that signs-off at twelve, we take over their airspace. (glances at wall clock) Why, in two minutes, thousands of people will be listening to you all over Georgia, Alabama, North Florida, Tennessee-- shoot, on a cloudy night like this, our signal bounces clear to Puerto Rico and back. (crosses to door) She's all yours until six. G' Night. Christine, newly petrified, carefully sits at the console and puts on the headphones. She turns up the speaker. ANNOUNCER And join us next week for another 45 minutes of 'The Hour of Decision'. MUSIC plays to end the show. She turns some buttons and speaks into the mike. CHRISTINE Hello. Everyone. And a special 'ola' to our Spanish-speaking friends. You're tuned to WCRN... and... (grabs the first CD she can lay her hands on, struggles to get it into the player) ...let's kick off this portion of our time together... with some music. INT: ELIZABETH'S BEDROOM - NIGHT Elizabeth's alarm clock sounds. She quickly rolls over and turns it off, not wanting to disturb anyone else in the house. She rubs her eyes and turns on a boom box on the night table. CHRISTINE'S VOICE (ON RADIO) There we go. Got the CD loaded. This is my first night, so you'll have to bear with me. (NOISE of knocking over some tapes, thumping microphone) Oops. Okay. CD's ready... So... INT: RADIO STATION - NIGHT Christine reads from the CD cover. CHRISTINE We're gonna hear ... the Saint Andrew's United Holy Tabernacle of the Redeemer Festival Choir... singing 'I Felt the Call and I Was Relieved.' INT: RADIO STATION - NIGHT The broadcast booth clock reads: 3:50. Christine seems more relaxed now that she's been on the air awhile. She's writing on the station log. Over the booth speaker we hear the end of a song. Christine spins to the mike and reads from the album cover: CHRISTINE That was The Five Visually Impaired Boys from Alabama singing, "I Have Seen His Mansion, and It Is Large." (reads from the log sheet:) It's... (looks up at the wall clock) ... ten minutes until four. Time for... it's prayer time. Yes, it's prayer time. Your opportunity to call in your prayer requests to our WCRN toll-free prayer hotline. That number is 1-800-555-P-R-A-Y. The PHONE rings. Christine punches a button. CHRISTINE (CONT) Hello? I mean-- 'Prayer line, you're on the air!' FEMALE VOICE I'd like for your listeners to pray for my husband. He's a truck driver and he's away from home a lot. CHRISTINE Thank you. (next button) Prayer line. MALE VOICE My mother is having an operation in the morning. CHRISTINE We'll be praying for her. Thank you. (next button) 1-800-555-P-R-A-Y. Hello? Prayer line. INT: JIM'S HOUSE - NIGHT JIM NEWMAN is sitting on the couch of this dark, rather large, sparsely furnished living room, phone in hand. There is a radio on a side table. JIM This is Jim. I don't usually stay up this late. INT: RADIO STATION - NIGHT Christine doesn't recognize the 'Jim' she met at church. CHRISTINE Neither do I. I'm just filling-in for the night. Do you have a prayer request? JIM'S VOICE (FILTERED) Well... I'm thinking about trying-out for this singing group at my church. CHRISTINE And? INT: JIM'S HOUSE - NIGHT JIM And I want to do it. But... I haven't sung in front of people for years. INT: RADIO STATION - NIGHT CHRISTINE Trying something new is never easy. (flatly) Is there a prayer request you'd like to make? INT: JIM'S HOUSE - NIGHT JIM Tell me... what do you do when you're not sure about things? INT: RADIO STATION - NIGHT CHRISTINE I don't know... I guess I... remind myself who's in charge of my life. INT: JIM'S HOUSE - NIGHT JIM You mean 'God.' INT: RADIO STATION - NIGHT CHRISTINE No, I mean 'me'! 'If it's going to be, it's up to me.' 'Trust yourself.' That's my motto. INT: JIM'S HOUSE - NIGHT JIM 'Trust yourself'. INT: RADIO STATION - NIGHT CHRISTINE Yes. INT: JIM'S HOUSE -NIGHT JIM And not God? (a beat, then:) Is this WCRN? CHRISTINE'S VOICE (FILTERED) Yes. JIM (mystified) Okay, well... Someone suggested I sing this song at the audition. He reaches for a hymnal on the floor, flips to the proper page. JIM (CONT) It goes: (reads) "Blessed assurance, Jesus is mine. Oh, what a foretaste of glory divine. Heir of salvation, purchase of God, born of His spirit, washed in His blood. This--" INT: RADIO STATION - NIGHT CHRISTINE Yeah, okay. I remember the song from those TV shows my mother used to watch. JIM'S VOICE (FILTERED) TV shows? CHRISTINE Yeah. The ones where you send in $20 and get an autographed picture of Jesus that'll help improve your skiing. You know. Well, my Mom 'trusted God', Jim, and all it did was make her a slave. INT: JIM'S HOUSE - NIGHT JIM A slave? INT: RADIO STATION - NIGHT CHRISTINE A slave to God. A 'Purchase of God.' I think the whole idea of God owning you... purchasing you like a pack of chewing gum... it's demeaning. INT: JIM'S HOUSE - NIGHT JIM Demeaning? But the Bible says that we're born sinful. Headed for... 'Hades'. And by believing that Jesus Christ was God's son, we're-- INT: RADIO STATION - NIGHT CHRISTINE --'saved.' Saved from 'Hades.' I understand the concept, but that doesn't mean I buy into it. And don't drag the Bible into this. My mother could quote it left and right and what did it get her? Heart disease. Multiple strokes. Emphysema. Diabetes. And hemorrhoids! INT: JIM'S HOUSE - NIGHT JIM (a beat, then:) Are you sure this is WCRN? INT: RADIO STATION - NIGHT CHRISTINE I may be overreacting. But it galls me that anyone would want to be a -- a 'slave to God.' INT: JIM'S HOUSE NIGHT JIM But isn't everyone a slave to something? INT: RADIO STATION - NIGHT CHRISTINE What? No. Not me. INT: JIM'S HOUSE - NIGHT JIM Don't you ever do bad things? INT: RADIO STATION - NIGHT CHRISTINE Not real bad things, no. INT: JIM'S HOUSE - NIGHT JIM Well, has someone ever done something bad to you? Maybe you trusted them -- you knew better, but you trusted them and they hurt you? (no response) Hello? INT: RADIO STATION - NIGHT CHRISTINE Being a 'slave' to your own ignorance is not the same thing as being a slave to God. Look, Jim, if this is some kind of 'holy roller' trick to get me to break down and shout Hallelujah, you can forget-- INT: JIM'S HOUSE - NIGHT JIM No! I'm trying to figure all this out, myself. If we only have two options: either being a slave to God or being a slave to what we think is right, I want to know! If being 'Purchased by God' is the one, true, happy way to live, I want to know! You're on the radio! Tell me what to do! INT: RADIO STATION - NIGHT After a beat, Christine STABS at a new button. CHRISTINE Prayer Line. She stares into space, reacting to Jim's plea. Suddenly: STEVEN'S VOICE (FILTERED) Christine? Is that you? CHRISTINE ...Steven? INT: STEVEN'S CAR - NIGHT (TRAVELING) Dressed in an open-collar shirt and slacks, Steven adjusts the car phone speaker, then combs his hair as he talks. STEVEN I'm on my way to the hospital to check on a patient and I hear your voice on the radio. I've been worried sick about you. Where have you been? INT: RADIO STATION - NIGHT CHRISTINE Where have I-- ? She's totally caught off guard. INT: STEVEN'S CAR - NIGHT STEVEN I been calling all over looking for you. What happened? I thought you were coming to Atlanta. You are okay? INT: RADIO STATION - NIGHT CHRISTINE Steven-- are you trying to pretend I didn't catch you with that-- that woman? STEVEN'S VOICE (FILTERED) What woman? CHRISTINE What woman? The blonde. STEVEN'S VOICE (FILTERED) What blonde? CHRISTINE What blonde? INT: ELIZABETH'S BEDROOM - NIGHT Elizabeth, is snoozing, half-awake. CHRISTINE'S VOICE (FILTERED) In front of the clinic! STEVEN'S VOICE (FILTERED) What clinic? CHRISTINE'S VOICE (FILTERED) (screams in frustrated anger) Ahhhhhh! Alarmed, Elizabeth to sit up in bed. STEVEN'S VOICE (FILTERED) I have no idea what you're talking about, Crissy. INT: STEVEN'S CAR - NIGHT STEVEN (CONT) But I'm going to give you some time to cool down. Get yourself together. I know you don't want a silly misunder- standing to ruin everything we have. Give me your phone number. INT: RADIO STATION - NIGHT CHRISTINE 1-800-555-PRAY. INT: STEVEN'S CAR - NIGHT STEVEN Suit yourself, but I won't play games, Christine. INT: ELIZABETH'S BEDROOM - NIGHT STEVEN'S VOICE (FILTERED) Either you belong to me or you belong to someone else. CHRISTINE'S VOICE (FILTERED) (low, to herself) Why do I have to belong to anybody? Elizabeth hears the sound of Steven's phone clicking dead. After a beat, she picks up the telephone, dials. CHRISTINE'S VOICE (FILTERED) (wearily) Yes? Prayer line. ELIZABETH (quietly) Can I pray for you? CHRISTINE'S VOICE (FILTERED) No, thanks. Here's some more music on WCRN. We hear a piano (filtered) begin playing a song. Elizabeth thoughtfully returns the phone to its cradle. SLOW FADE OUT. HARD CUT TO: EXT: CHURCH SANCTUARY (FRONT STEPS) - DAY The GLASS MAN (in overalls, flannel shirt, and odd, artistic hat) is hammering around the edge of the clear covering that protects the new stained glass window. Our camera pulls back to reveal REV. HUMBLE sitting on the church steps, watching the Glass Man. STICKLER rounds the side of the church and stops, standing beside Humble. He makes some notes in a pocket calendar. HUMBLE They're putting on the plexi-glass covering, now. Lets the light in, keeps the elements out. What'd the Realtor say? STICKLER He's got two places I'm supposed to look at. (notices the excitement on Humble's face. After a beat:) You're excited about this Centennial Celebration, aren't you Ron. HUMBLE I've been planning this celebration for months. I've got someone from the Billy Graham Organization coming as guest speaker. Your special choir will perform, of course. There'll be dinner on the grounds. And we'll be borrowing bleachers from the high school for the outdoor drama and the gospel singing that begins after dinner and continues until five o'clock. At which time we'll unveil the new window. STICKLER I don't know... maybe retirement's turning me into a sentimental old man before my time, but... I never had a family, Ron. And part of the reason is that I spent too much time 'puttin' on shows.' HUMBLE I have no idea what you're talking about, John. STICKLER I'm talking about you. And your daughter. The Glass Man calls, hopping down from the scaffold: GLASS MAN That's it, Preacher. Humble changes the subject by rising and going up the steps. HUMBLE Let's take a look from the inside. STICKLER I'm due at the real estate office. HUMBLE Suit yourself. Humble enters church. Stickler crosses the street. He stops, seemingly in pain. He reaches for some pills from his coat pocket... and sits down on the street curb to rest and gather his thoughts. The Glass Man notices. GLASS MAN You okay? Stickler waves the Glass Man on, finds the pills. He slowly rises and continues his walk. INT: CHURCH SANCTUARY - DAY REV. HUMBLE is bathed in the warm afternoon light as it streams through the completed window. A door closer to the pulpit cracks open and ELIZABETH and her friend JOANIE animatedly and secretly discuss something. Finally Elizabeth closes the door on Joanie and approaches her dad. ELIZABETH Dad, can-- HUMBLE What do you think, Lizzie-gal? Every pane is finally done. ELIZABETH I want to go swimming at Joanie's aunt's house. Is that okay? HUMBLE You know, not everybody was in favor of our purchasing such a large, expensive window. They would have settled for a smaller one with plastic panes. But no! It had to be big. It had to match the other windows we already had. And it had to explode with color. Knock their socks off. Because, you know, in 100 years, when this church holds its bi-centennial, the record will show that this incredible window was installed while the Reverend Ronald J. Humble was pastor of this church. My name... will be in the history books. ELIZABETH It's very pretty. HUMBLE Have you done your homework? ELIZABETH It's sum-- (gives up) No, sir. HUMBLE (not listening) Get to it, then. ELIZABETH Can I go swimming with Joanie? HUMBLE Do you think it should have had more purple? We hear an OFF-CAMERA PHONE RINGING. HUMBLE (CONT) I think I hear the phone ringing in my office. Probably your mom checking-in from grandma's. Will you answer that for me, Lizzie-girl? ELIZABETH Yes, sir. WE WATCH Elizabeth cross back to her entrance door. Joanie is on the other side, waiting. JOANIE Well? Elizabeth exits, shutting the door. HUMBLE (to himself) Knock their socks off! The haunted expression on the pastor’s face is a bit disconcerting. CUT TO: INT/EXT: GARAGE - AFTERNOON WE SEE Christine's car in one of the service bays of Jo-Jo's Garage ("We Meet By Accident"), THEN PAN TO SEE the MECHANIC, a large, hairy fellow in greasy coveralls. MECHANIC Yes, M’am. At least a week. And far as I can figure, that car wasn't just 'parked' in front of the church, it 'landed' there. Like out of a jet plane. Oh, yeah. I'll take a week to find a used axle. Then maybe another week to put it on. EXT: JO-JO’S GARAGE - DAY Christine, obviously angry, storms out of the garage and down the street. Elizabeth follows. CHRISTINE I suppose it's safe to assume there are no car rental places in Cedar Hill. ELIZABETH (quietly) No... CHRISTINE And the nearest airport is in Atlanta. A hundred miles away. ELIZABETH Yes... CHRISTINE I'm trapped. Like a bug in a jar. ELIZABETH Mr. Stickler said five o'clock. It's five fifteen. They walk away, Christine deep in thought. EXT: CEDAR HILL MAIN STREET - DAY Christine and Elizabeth walk toward the church. CHRISTINE I can't spend two weeks here in Hooterville! I don't like this town, I don't like the people in this town, I didn't ask to come here, and I want o-u-t out! EXT: CHURCH - DAY Elizabeth stops Christine in front of the church. ELIZABETH (CONT) Haven't we been hospital? CHRISTINE You've been very ‘hospital’. ELIZABETH Then I think a little gratitude is in order. If that 'Steven' jerk has still got you rattled, why don't you let me introduce you to my Uncle Bobby? I offered to 'set you up'. He's a nice man. He laughs out loud at The Three Stooges, but he's a nice man. CHRISTINE It's just that last night on the radio... ELIZABETH Mr. Bartow liked you on the radio. CHRISTINE Let me finish. You didn't hear the whole broadcast. This person called-in. He sounded worried. And I shot off my mouth... They both hear A CLEAR, SMOOTH BARITONE VOICE singing inside the church. They follow the sound inside-- INT: CHURCH SANCTUARY - DAY -- and discover JIM NEWMAN singing in front of Stickler and Katrina. MRS. SILVER, the church pianist is playing "BLESSED ASSURANCE" as Jim sings. JIM (SINGS) This is my story, this is my song praising my Savior all the day long. This is my story, this is my song praising my Savior all the day long. As he sings, Elizabeth and Christine take a seat. CHRISTINE (whispering) That's him. They guy who called in. ELIZABETH (whispering back) Jim? You talked him into auditioning? Did he know it was you? CHRISTINE I don’t know. JIM FINISHES the song, takes his seat. Elizabeth has to stifle her applause. STICKLER (without looking up from his note-taking) Miss St. Clare? With every flourish, Katrina moves to center stage. Copyright 1997/GLD MEDIA - Page  KATRINA Mrs. Silver has my music. She clears her voice... and clears her voice... and clears her voice. Then she sings the chorus of "When the Roll Is Called Up Yonder". When the roll is called up yonder When the roll is called up yonder When the roll is called up yonder, I'll be there. Hers is a passable voice, but nothing particularly special. As Katrina finishes, Stickler pauses. STICKLER Are there any others? He looks toward Elizabeth, who looks away. Stickler makes more notes. As we watch his face, he pauses and touches his chest. His eyes grow wide and he breathes hard through his nose. The others don't notice, but we sense he is having a heart palpitation. He clears his throat. STICKLER (CONT) It's dusty in here. I need a swallow of water. (rises) When I return, I shall announce the names of the singers I have chosen. Mr. Newman? Is there a water fountain on this side of the building? JIM Yes, sir. Across from the choir room. I'll show you. STICKLER Thank you. Stickler (with effort) and Jim EXIT. As soon as he is gone, Katrina rises and says: KATRINA 'When I return, I shall announce the names of the singers I have chosen.' Of all the arrogant... He said he needed as few as two good voices. Well, he's got me-- (to Christine) -- and you could sing back-up for me, couldn't you, dear? Certainly. I think the man's loony. That's what I think. Just as loony as that Jim Newman. ELIZABETH Jim's a nice person, Miss St. Clare. KATRINA You may think he's nice, but he gives me the willies-- moping around this church all day like some kind of zombie. If you ask me, Jim Newman should have been sent to jail after nearly killing those teen- agers. Get him off the streets. And what gave him the idea he could sing, I'll never know. Christine looks at Elizabeth for an explanation of what Katrina said, but Stickler and Jim immediately re-enter and sit, Stickler wiping his brow with a handkerchief. Everyone waits to hear what Stickler has to say. He is writing on his note pad. Eventually: STICKLER My singers will be Miss Bell, Mr. Newman... and Miss Humble. ELIZABETH Me? CHRISTINE Did you audition? STICKLER (firmly) Yes, she did. Christine and Jim applaud Elizabeth, but then remember that Katrina is still in the room. They turn to see her reaction. Katrina WALKS OUT. STICKLER Now, I will see the rest of you you tomorrow afternoon at four o'clock for what you can expect will be a long, grueling rehearsal. Good night. Stickler EXITS. Mrs. Silver stands, gathering her music. Elizabeth and Christine stand and again congratulate Jim. ELIZABETH That's one of my favorite hymns, Jim. Sing it again, will you? JIM Right now? ELIZABETH Just the chorus. Mrs. Silver, if you don't mind? I was so afraid you weren't going to audition. JIM Well, I wasn't going to. Until last night. ELIZABETH What happened last night? JIM I called-in to one of those all-night radio shows. ELIZABETH (with a smile to Christine) On WCRN? They have a new DJ working nights, don't they? JIM Yeah. ELIZABETH I hear she's good. Something she said made you show up today? JIM Yeah. She really made me think. ELIZABETH Made you think, huh? JIM Oh, yeah. She made me think: if I don't stop feeling sorry for myself, I'm going to end up like her. Wounded, confused, wandering aimlessly through life trusting no one but herself. The moment I hung up the phone, I knew I had to re-commit my life to God by showing up here this afternoon. You guys sing with me, okay? Mrs. Silver? She plays the chorus. JIM BEGINS. ELIZABETH looks at Christine, who is crushed. Slowly Elizabeth picks up a hymnal from the piano and opens it, attempting to share it with Christine. Christine EXITS. Elizabeth, concerned, FOLLOWS. Jim sings the chorus to the end. JIM --singing His praises all the day long! (looks around) Hello? DISSOLVE TO: EXT: RADIO STATION - NIGHT Christine's second night on the job. INT: RADIO STATION - NIGHT (4 A.M. TUESDAY MORNING) OUR CAMERA moves from a wall clock that reads 4:00 to the sight of Christine, in a depressed mood, listening to a recording. The song, a rather slow, ponderous version of 'BLESSED ASSURANCE' is like a funeral dirge. As the song plays, she reaches down to her purse and pulls out a small, leather-bound Bible. She opens it. Inside the cover is written: "To our darling daughter Christine on her eighth birthday-- "I am the resurrection and the life: he that believeth in me, though he were dead, yet shall he live. And whosoever liveth and believeth in me shall never die." She studies the words, then begins flipping through the book. DISSOLVE TO: INT: REVEREND HUMBLE'S OFFICE - DAY REV. HUMBLE busily marches from copy machine to desk-top computer to file cabinet, completing secretarial chores. Daughter Elizabeth follows him as they talk. HUMBLE (with a helpless sigh) Look, I want you to stay around here so I can keep an eye on you. With your Mom away, the church secretary on vacation, and Centennial Sunday coming up, keeping you here is one less thing I have to worry about. Can you understand that? ELIZABETH If I can't go with Joanie, why don't you and I do something? Mom said you and I should spend time together while-- HUMBLE We will. We'll spend time together. ELIZABETH When? HUMBLE (finally had it) Elizabeth, go! I'm busy! He opens the door for her. She EXITS. INT: HALLWAY OUTSIDE OFFICE - DAY Elizabeth goes to the window and waves a 'good-bye' signal to her friend Joanie. EXT: STREET IN FRONT OF CHURCH (VIEW FROM HALLWAY) - DAY Joanie waves back, gets in the car with her Mom and they drive away. INT: CHURCH SANCTUARY - DAY Elizabeth unhappily wanders into the sanctuary. Before her is the beautiful, new stained glass window. She looks at the window with growing anger. We see a close-up of the design of Christ in the Garden. We hear soundtrack music similar to what Rev. Humble heard gazing at the glass the previous day. The music grows... then climaxes as we see Elizabeth's hands grab a silver urn off the church piano. EXT: BOARDING HOUSE - DAY Ruth and Christine EXIT the door of the boarding house. RUTH You've been up all night. Don't you want to get some rest? I'll be around all day. CHRISTINE I need to talk now. RUTH Have a seat on the porch? They hear MRS. BOVINE yell from a high window: MRS. BOVINE 'Who was Dwight D. Eisenhower?' RUTH (apologizing) Mrs. Bovine is watching 'Jeopardy.' CHRISTINE Is there a quieter place? RUTH We'll take a stroll down to Turkey Creek. DISSOLVE TO: EXT: TURKEY CREEK - DAY WE SEE the cool, peaceful creek water and THEN SEE Ruth and Christine leaning on the side of the bridge. CHRISTINE Ruth, prove to me that God exists. Ruth can't help but smile at the odd, sudden question. RUTH Wow. Well... what would it take? What would you accept as proof that God exists? CHRISTINE I don't know. RUTH What if I told you that God speaks to me. What if I told you that we converse back and forth-- God and I. He speaks to me and I speak to him. CHRISTINE That actually happens? RUTH Yes. CHRISTINE (interested) What does God's voice sound like? RUTH I don't know. I don't hear an audible voice, but God speaks to me. In my Bible reading every morning. CHRISTINE (cynical) I'm not talking about 'signs'. RUTH Me, neither. I'm talking about Reality. Lots of times, when I'm reading my Bible, I sense that a particular passage is God's message to me for that day. That's reality. Through a sermon or the advice of a friend, God says things directly to me. That's reality. I've known the peace of Jesus Christ in times of trouble. That's reality. CHRISTINE Okay. But that's your reality. In my reality... you waste your life... you grow old alone... and then you die. RUTH It doesn't have to be that way. (recognizes that Christine wants to hear more) You have to recognize the fact that God is in control of your life. CHRISTINE I feel like He's here with me, now. RUTH Ask him to stay. Pray with me? Ruth turns toward the water and closes her eyes, leaving Christine with her back against the bridge. RUTH (CONT) Lord Jesus, I know that I do things you don't approve of... and I ask you to forgive me. Christine repeats: CHRISTINE Lord Jesus, I know that I do things you don't approve of... and I ask you to forgive me. RUTH Come into my life as my Savior and Lord. CHRISTINE Come into my life as my Savior and Lord. Christine feels a hand on her arm. She looks up. It is her Mother standing beside her, just as she appeared in the Baltimore graveyard. RUTH (eyes still shut, her back to Christine) Amen. Christine and Mom share a smile. Christine puts her hand over her Mom's. CHRISTINE (pause, looking at Mom, in a whisper:) ...Amen. INT: REV. HUMBLE'S OFFICE - DAY (MINUTES LATER) HUMBLE is still busily circling the office, taking care of secretarial chores. KATRINA ST. CLARE hastily enters carrying her purse. KATRINA Pastor. What happened to your window? INT: CHURCH SANCTUARY - DAY Katrina and Humble enter. We see the two-foot gash in the window. Elizabeth is sitting on a stair at the pulpit. Humble, dumbfounded, approaches the destroyed artwork. HUMBLE (whispering) My window. (a beat, then:) Who did this? KATRINA When I saw the damage from the beauty shop just now, I phoned the police and told them what I knew. HUMBLE What you knew? KATRINA Yes. I'm not accusing anyone, understand, but I did see a person coming out of the church last night. After it was supposed to be locked. (she pauses dramatically) It was Jim Newman. HUMBLE Jim... no. I can't believe Jim had anything to do with this. KATRINA The Cedar Hill police didn't seem to have trouble believing it. HUMBLE You called the police? KATRINA They're on their way over to question him right now. They told me I did the right thing-- calling them on the spot. Humble touches the broken glass. HUMBLE (confused) I've got to try and head them off. KATRINA Head them off? Why? If he did it, they'll arrest him. If he didn't, they won't. HUMBLE Jim's on probation. Just being questioned by the police could be a setback. He spies Elizabeth across the room. HUMBLE (CONT) Elizabeth? Did you see who did this? ELIZABETH Yes. KATRINA Was it Jim Newman? ELIZABETH He crosses toward the exit door. ELIZABETH (calls) Daddy? HUMBLE Not now, Elizabeth! (to Katrina) Would you keep an eye on her until I get back? KATRINA Of course. ELIZABETH (overlapping) Daddy... HUMBLE (overlapping) Don't give Miss St. Clare any trouble, you hear? ELIZABETH (overlapping) Listen to me, Dad! I did it! KATRINA (overlapping) Do you want to come out to the ranch with me, dear? Ride the pony? HUMBLE (to Elizabeth) I'll pick you up later. ELIZABETH I did it! I'm confessing! I smashed the window! She waits until the echo dies to add: ELIZABETH (CONT) I threw a flower pot at it. The sanctuary is silent. HUMBLE (as if addressing a stranger) You? KATRINA Honey-- did you blackout? I have these little spells every once in a while where I don't know what I'm doing. ELIZABETH (head in hands) No. I knew what I was doing. Katrina and Humble exchange glances, then: KATRINA Elizabeth! You can't just go around destroying private property. Elizabeth, from her perch at the pulpit, calls: ELIZABETH Private property? Is that what this place is? Private property? If it is, then who owns it? Who owns this church, Dad? You and me-- we're here every day and every night. Do we own the church? (brief pause) Or does the church own us? HUMBLE (at a loss) Elizabeth... ELIZABETH We're like slaves chained to the walls of this place. But does it belong to us? Does it belong to you? HUMBLE Of course it belongs to me! Elizabeth, this place is my life! This church is the most important thing in the world to me! Elizabeth looks hard at her father. The minister realizes what he's said. EXT: JIM'S HOUSE -DAY Jim's residence is a well-preserved but aging wooden house, built in the 1940's. It faces a street. A screen porch spans the entire facade. WE SEE a local police car pull into the yard. INT: JIM'S HOUSE - DAY Jim looks out the side window and sees a POLICE CAR sitting in the driveway. WE SEE Jim begin to panic. He backs away from the door. OUTSIDE VOICE (CONT) Jim? This is Deputy Cleetus Lamar. I need to talk to you. How about lettin' me in? EXT: JIM'S HOUSE - DAY The Deputy, receiving no answer, exits the screen porch and rounds the house to the back yard. Once the Deputy is out of sight, Jim escapes out the front door and down the street. DISSOLVE TO: INT: POLICE INTERROGATION ROOM - DAY A POLICEWOMAN opens the door to this ten-by-twelve, windowless room. Elizabeth sits at a lone table in a pool of light. POLICEWOMAN You've got a visitor. Elizabeth looks toward the door. Mr. Stickler enters. The Policewoman exits and closes the door. Stickler sits. STICKLER They certainly go in for melodrama here, don't they. (lowering his head and whispering as if passing info to another inmate) 'Bugsy says the break is on for midnight. Spread the word.' Stickler laughs at his own little joke, Elizabeth doesn't. STICKLER (CONT) Yes... well... your dad's outside waiting to take you home. I asked him to let us... 'chat', first. ELIZABETH Is Jim okay? STICKLER They can't find him. His mother is quite worried. (pauses, then:) Your dad told me what happened this morning. He also told me he's canceled the guest speaker for Centennial Sunday. ELIZABETH Canceled? The man from Billy Graham? STICKLER Yes. And he's canceled most of the afternoon festivities, too. The drama and the all-day singing. ELIZABETH (not as a question) Because of me. STICKLER Yes. ELIZABETH Because he's ashamed of me. STICKLER No, because he says there's just not enough time between now and then... to pull everything together and get to know his daughter. Your father loves you, Elizabeth. ELIZABETH Did he send you in to tell me that? All he cares about is his stupid Centennial Celebration. STICKLER Every minister -- at some point in his or her career -- confuses ministry with 'event programming'. I used to believe that the bigger the worship service, the better the worship service. But that's not always true. It's the individual relationships that count. And the individual family relationships that count the most. ELIZABETH I shouldn't have hurt that window. STICKLER Maybe not... but I've known your dad for 20 years, and he's a hard-headed rascal. The only other way to get his attention would have been to throw that flower pot at him. She smiles. STICKLER (CONT) Yeah, y' know, someone tried to get my attention once, but I wouldn't listen. ELIZABETH Who? STICKLER God. For years I ignored him completely. I went to seminary, got four separate degrees in Church Music. But I wasn't really out to win people to God. I was out to show 'em what a great musician John Stickler was. I ignored God... but you know, Elizabeth... God won't be ignored. ELIZABETH What happened? STICKLER About a year ago, I was invited to conduct the Philadelphia Philharmonic --on live TV-- when it suddenly felt as if my chest were on fire. I tried to stagger off stage and fell head first into the grand piano. Hit the prop stick and the lid fell on me -- Plong!-- like in a Tom and Jerry cartoon, right? I weighed about forty pounds more than I do now, and the paramedics had trouble getting me out of the piano. So they drafted some wrestlers who were taping in the next studio to help heave my half-dead carcass into the meat wagon. ELIZABETH On live TV? STICKLER (dryly:) The Philharmonic did not ask me back this year. Elizabeth tries to hide her smile. STICKLER (CONT) You will give your Dad another chance? ELIZABETH Sure. But Centennial Sunday is... canceled? STICKLER No, no. Our special music is still a 'go'. And the unveiling of the new window. ELIZABETH But I broke the window. And Dad already tried to call the stained glass man. It'll be-- Stickler unfolds a newspaper clipping from his pocket. STICKLER -- at least a month before he can get back this way. So I heard. Perhaps you've seen the Great Window of Abacus? An exquisite stained-glass creation a full seven-stories high in the outer foyer of the Royal Church of Her Majesty in London? ELIZABETH (What's he talkin' about?) Huh? STICKLER It was designed and executed by a scoundrel your dad and I went to school with by the name of Don diVinci-Costas. ELIZABETH Don diVinci-Costas. I've heard of him. Why is he a 'scoundrel?' STICKLER Because he stole the only girl I ever loved. And married her. Elizabeth reads the clipping. WE SEE that it says: HEADLINE: Window Artist diVinci-Costas Begins American Tour ELIZABETH "Window Artist DiVinci-Costas Begins American Tour." (reads further, then, to Stickler:) But this says he'll be in New York City all month. STICKLER I think he'll be amendable to a short 'swing' through here. ELIZABETH To fix our window? Why would he come all the way here? All the way from New York City to Georgia just to repair one church window? Stickler rises. STICKLER Because ol' Don and his wife came to my retirement party last month. As the evening progressed, I lost track of them... and later, while wandering out in the Cottonwood grove, I heard Don's voice repeating, "Oh, Victoria! I love you so, Victoria!" (he pauses, then:) His wife's name is Eunice. Let's take you home. Elizabeth rises to EXIT with Stickler. DISSOLVE TO: INT: RADIO STATION - NIGHT In the control booth, Christine is on the phone. CHRISTINE Yes, ma'am. She admitted to breaking the window, but since no one pressed charges... Yes, ma'am. She's back home, safe and sound. That's the important thing. Yes. My best to your sister. And Piddle. She hangs up, notices the clock, and turns up a pot on the control board. WE HEAR the final few notes of a song. With more confidence than she had her first night here, Christine sits, dons the earphones, takes a sip of coffee from a personal mug, and reads the label. CHRISTINE (into mike) That was a song called... 'In Abraham's Bosom I Sleep' with the Oak Ridge Boys. The time is three forty-five. Prayer time is next, but first... She pulls out a hymnal and leans it on the console so as to reference it with no hands. Then she reaches for her guitar. CHRISTINE (CONT) ...I wanted to sneak this in. It's a song... by a singer you never heard of and probably never will. Get your prayer requests ready, we'll start taking them right after this. 1-800-555-P-R-A-Y. She plays and sings three verses and one chorus of 'BLESSED ASSURANCE' in a very upbeat fashion. We can hear the new joy in her voice. Blessed assurance, Jesus is mine. Oh, what a foretaste of glory divine. Heir of salvation, purchase of God Born of his Spirit, washed in His blood. Perfect submission, perfect delight Visions of rapture now burst on my sight Angels descending, bring from above Echoes of mercy, whispers of love. Perfect Submission, all is at rest I in my Savior am happy and blest Watching and waiting, looking above, Filled with His goodness, lost in His love. This is my story, this is my song praising my Savior all the day long. This is my story, this is my song praising my Savior all the day long. AFTER THE SONG the phone rings. Christine punches a button. CHRISTINE (happily) Prayer line, you're on the air. STEVEN'S VOICE (FILTERED) Christine? CHRISTINE (not-so-happily) Steven. INT: STEVEN'S APARTMENT - NIGHT He's sitting at the dinette table in his nicely-appointed, dimly-lit apartment, dressed in a t-shirt and loose robe. Holding the phone with one hand, he leafs through a pile of bills next to the radio with the other. STEVEN Listen to me, Christine. I made some calls, and I know where you are. I know where you're living, now, and I'm coming to get you. CHRISTINE'S VOICE (FILTERED) Coming to get me? STEVEN I'm driving down to claim you. And marry you. INT: RADIO STATION - NIGHT CHRISTINE No. STEVEN'S VOICE (FILTERED) Yes. CHRISTINE Why? INT: STEVEN'S APARTMENT - NIGHT We see a CLOSE-UP of one of Steven's bills. 'Past Due' is stamped at the bottom of it. STEVEN What do you mean, 'why'? Because our hearts belong together. CHRISTINE'S VOICE (FILTERED) You mean our bank accounts belong together. STEVEN I don't need your money, Christine. I'm making a good salary. And I've been investing. In stocks and blondes. INT: RADIO STATION - NIGHT CHRISTINE (angrily amused) Stocks and 'blondes'. Yeah. INT: STEVEN'S APARTMENT - NIGHT STEVEN That's not what I meant to say. That's not what I meant to say. (heroic) We had an 'agreement', remember? Once I got a job, we'd get married. So...I intend to live up to my end of the bargain and become your husband. INT: RADIO STATION - NIGHT CHRISTINE That's big of you, Steven, but I'm releasing you from our agreement. Right now I'm not sure I need a husband. INT: STEVEN'S APARTMENT - NIGHT STEVEN I'll tell you want you need. You need to get a life! (pause) I'm driving down. He hangs up his phone. On the radio he hears: CHRISTINE'S VOICE (FILTERED) Save your gas money, Steven? Steven? Steven turns off his radio. FADE OUT. FADE IN: EXT: CHURCH - NIGHT MR. STICKLER, his wallet open, hands some cash to a RENTAL SUPPLY MAN, who has just set-up a LARGE SPOTLIGHT on the sidewalk in front of the church. RENTAL MAN That's all you need? One construction spotlight? STICKLER One spotlight. You can pick it back up in an hour. RENTAL MAN Whatever you say. As the Rental Man gets into his pick-up, we see 'CONSTRUCTION RENTAL COMPANY/Cedar Hill/555-2945 printed on the truck door. INT: CHURCH SANCTUARY - NIGHT REVEREND HUMBLE ENTERS, alone, talking into a portable phone, a glass of water in the other hand. As he talks, he opens some Alka Seltzer tablets and drops them into the water. HUMBLE (into phone) Yes, dear. And how's your mother's hip? Good, good. Right. No, I'm at the church. Elizabeth's fine. A little shaken up by everything, but... Yes. We spent the afternoon riding horses out at the St. Clare ranch. (As he sits, we get the idea his rear is sore.) Then for supper I let her choose the restaurant. Have you ever heard of something called a 'three-alarm pizza'? He drinks half the seltzer. Elizabeth ENTERS. HUMBLE (CONT) Look, honey, uh... we talked about Elizabeth spending a few weeks this summer with your sister. Yeah, well, I think she ought to stick around here. I just do. I'm planning to take an extra week of vacation after this Centennial Sunday thing, and I thought Elizabeth and I would... spend the time together. Yeah, hold on. (drinks the rest of the seltzer, offers the phone to Elizabeth) It's your ulcer. It's your mother. Elizabeth takes the phone, sits to talk. STICKLER ENTERS DOWN THE SANCTUARY AISLE, dragging a long extension cord. HUMBLE, intrigued, watches as Stickler pulls and tugs on the cord until he reaches the pulpit. HUMBLE Can I give you a hand? STICKLER (out of breath, wiping his brow) I've got it. HUMBLE I can see 'you got it.' What is it? STICKLER It's an extension cord. HUMBLE But what's it for? STICKLER It's a surprise. Elizabeth ends her conversation, clicks off the phone. ELIZABETH (sees cord) What's that? HUMBLE It's an extension cord. ELIZABETH What's it for? HUMBLE It's a surprise. KATRINA ENTERS with a stack of music. KATRINA Where do you want these, John? STICKLER On the piano, please, Katrina. Katrina crosses to the piano. JIM sheepishly ENTERS. All are surprised to see him. Katrina looks at him, then woodenly focuses her attention back to the stack of music. HUMBLE Jim... we've been worried about you. JIM (with a hard look at Katrina) I'm okay. (sees cord) What's that? HUMBLE It's a surprise. CHRISTINE ENTERS, CALLS behind her to someone outside: CHRISTINE We should be through in about two hours. See you then. She crosses to Elizabeth. ELIZABETH (teasing) Hi, Christine. How's it going with Uncle Bobby? CHRISTINE (smiling) Fine. ELIZABETH He's picking you up tonight after practice? CHRISTINE ...Yeah. (smiling) Your Uncle Bobby and I are friends, okay, Elizabeth? If something nice happens, you'll be the first to -- you'll probably know it before I do. (sees cord) What's that? HUMBLE, JIM AND ELIZABETH It's a surprise. STICKLER I believe we're all here. Ladies and gentlemen, I have driven you these past few weeks. Made demands on you. And I wanted to find a way to say 'thank you' for your effort, for your patience, for your devotion to our common goal. I also wanted to say 'thank you' to this church for welcoming me, an outsider, with such open arms. Stickler looks around the floor for an outlet, and finding one, plugs in the cord. EXT: CHURCH - NIGHT WE SEE the SPOTLIGHT illuminate with a sharp, brief sizzle. INT: CHURCH SANCTUARY - NIGHT The stained-glass window lights up. It has been repaired. ONLY -- THE IMAGE HAS BEEN REVERSED. The sight is met with 'wows' and 'oohs' and 'aahs'. CHRISTINE You fixed the window! ELIZABETH Beautiful! Quite pleased his own self, STICKLER gives a 'thumbs up' toward the window. HUMBLE shakes STICKLER'S hand. HUMBLE Don diVinci-Costas? STICKLER Don diVinci-Costas. HUMBLE (looking at window) It looks... different...somehow. STICKLER It's reversed. Donnie-boy took it apart and re-assembled it backwards. Then he signed the bottom right corner, making this an official 'diVinci-Costas'. And doubling its initial worth. HUMBLE How can we thank you, John? STICKLER Have it insured. HUMBLE (after a beat) Say, speaking of diVinci-Costas, I have a surprise of my own, tonight. He takes a ragged sheet of music from his pocket. HUMBLE (CONT) Remember this, John? STICKLER (glances at sheet, then:) "Tell Me Why?" Oh, no! Ron, please! HUMBLE Can you play this for us, Mrs. Silver? (hands her the music) All of you know John Stickler as the mature, dignified maestro he is today. But few of you know him as I did back in college-- a young Romeo. When we were roommates in the dorm, there was this girl named...uh... STICKLER Eunice. HUMBLE Right, Eunice. But everybody called her 'You' for short. John thought she was cute as a-- how did you used to say it, John? Cute as a--? STICKLER New pup. HUMBLE New pup. Right. Anyway, one night John talked me into helping serenade 'You' beneath her dormitory window. STICKLER I was young, then. HUMBLE We sang this same song for nearly an hour before finding out she was at the library. Come on, John. Mrs. Silver? STICKLER It's been almost 30 years! Mrs. Silver strikes up the first notes of "TELL ME WHY" and Humble takes the first verse. Stickler gives in and sings the second chorus with Humble. AT THE CONCLUSION OF THE SONG Mrs. Silver goes into a jazzier, high-tempo version of the song and Humble begins to dance a jig. Stickler joins him, still sober as a judge. By now, the crowd is roaring with laughter and applauding. Finally the song ends, they take their bows. Humble leans on the piano. Stickler sits in a chair. Jim appears with two cups of coffee. JIM You guys look like you could use a pick-up. HUMBLE (out of breath) I could use a Ford 'pick-up' to carry me home! Stickler takes the cup, gets it halfway to his mouth, and drops it. He slumps in the chair. There is a sudden gasp from the group as Stickler falls to the floor. HARD CUT TO: EXT: AMBULANCE RACING TO SCENE - NIGHT DISSOLVE TO: EXT: EMERGENCY ROOM - NIGHT Christine's car is parked along the hospital curb; in the background is the large, very visible Emergency Room Sign. Elizabeth and Jim are leaning on the car. Jim looks particularly troubled by all that's going on. Katrina approaches. ELIZABETH Any word, yet? KATRINA No. But I had to get out of there. Three hours of sitting anywhere is just about my limit. (checks wrist watch) Goodness. It's after midnight. ELIZABETH Christine has a car phone, Miss St. Clare. If you need to call Mister St. Clare. KATRINA No thank you, dear. I used that germ- ridden pay phone in the lobby. She takes a pill box from her purse and pops two tiny pills. KATRINA (CONT) Herbert reminded me that I had my tranquility pills with me if I needed them. ELIZABETH 'Tranquility pills?' KATRINA Oh, yes. Without my Tranquility Pills in times like these, I'd be a wreck. JIM (out of the blue) He's going to die. Elizabeth looks sympathetically at the troubled Jim. ELIZABETH Now, we don't know that. JIM He's going to die and there's nothing any of us can do about it. He was all alone, you know. No family. What if they need to notify the next of kin? One of us will have to sign the death certificate. ELIZABETH (quietly) It's okay, Jim. KATRINA (at a loss... she offers the pills) Let me chop one of these in half for you. JIM No, thanks. ELIZABETH Are they sleeping pills? KATRINA No, no. I've never needed sleeping pills. Herbert says that once I get to sleep, I sleep like a dead moose. No, these pills-- JIM I don't 'do drugs.' KATRINA (amused) Drugs? My tranquility pills aren't 'drugs'. They're natural calming agents, prescribed by one of the finest nerve doctors in the East. Elizabeth spies Christine and Humble exiting the emergency room. ELIZABETH Here comes Christine. And the preacher, too. KATRINA They must have talked to the doctor. JIM Maybe I will take one. KATRINA (re: Christine and Humble) They don't look happy. (to Jim) Better take two. ELIZABETH (cautiously) One is enough, Jim. Jim, taking the pill box in hand, gulps two pills. Christine and Humble approach. ELIZABETH (CONT) ...Well? Humble pauses and SIGHS before he answers. Jim takes a third pill, then hands the box back to Katrina. ELIZABETH (alarmed at Jim's pill popping) Jim! JIM Is he dead? HUMBLE No. It was a light stroke. The doctor said... in a week, he may be able to sit up in a chair. If he decides he wants to. (after a pause:) You folks get some sleep. I'm going to stick around here for a while. I'll call each of you in the morning with an update. By the way, Lizzie-gal knows a shortcut back to Cedar Hill. Around Turkey Creek. Humble strolls back toward the Emergency Room. The others ad lib 'Good Nights'. Christine, Elizabeth, Katrina and Jim stand there for a moment, weary and thoughtful. JIM So I guess the performance is off. There is a moment of depressed silence. Then quietly, almost to herself, Christine says: CHRISTINE Faith is the key. ELIZABETH What did you say? CHRISTINE I said, 'Faith is the key.' JIM That's what Mr. Stickler always said. KATRINA But what does it mean? CHRISTINE It means that once God has given us something to do, we need to follow through. JIM We can't go on without Mr. Stickler. CHRISTINE We can if we have faith. Miss St. Clare has a background in music. The three of us know the words. And with Mrs. Silver at the piano, I say we could go on. ELIZABETH I think that's what he'd want us to do. Go ahead and sing. KATRINA But how? ELIZABETH Faith is the key. JIM But faith is all we have. CHRISTINE If God's promises are true... faith is all we need. All seem satisfied with that statement. Christine takes her car keys from her purse. CHRISTINE (CONT) We'll practice again tonight. As scheduled. (yawning) Can someone else drive? Jim? Jim Sure. Christine Exits. Katrina crosses to him. KATRINA Jim? JIM Yes? KATRINA Before this night's over, I wanted to... apologize. For all the trouble with the police and all. I don't have much patience with people who are... different from me. There's so much in me that needs changing. JIM There's so much in all of us that needs changing. But you know what I think? KATRINA What? JIM I think God knew that when he purchased us. They share a smile. Jim opens the back driver's door for her. She climbs in. Jim shakes off a yawn and shuts the door, then absently rounds the car and gets in the other side. Elizabeth is left standing outside the car. She picks up the car keys and jingles them. CUT TO: INT: CHRISTINE'S CAR - NIGHT (TRAVELING) WE SEE a close-up of Christine in the front passenger's seat. She is asleep. A bump in the road awakens her. From Christine's point of view, WE SEE the scenery speeding past at a tremendous rate. Small-town lights blur and whiz as the car swerves and skids forward, seemingly out of control. Christine looks toward the driver. CHRISTINE Elizabeth? You're driving? Elizabeth motions toward the back seat. Christine turns. Jim is slumped on his lower spine, a happy, drunken grin on his face. He is singing 'The Itsy-Bitsy Spider', complete with hand motions. Katrina is dead asleep, snoring, her head banging up against the window with every pothole. Christine turns back around. Elizabeth substitutes her inability to drive for a doggedly determined, even angry look on her face as she grasps the steering wheel and stares straight ahead. CHRISTINE (carefully asks:) Elizabeth, how old are you? ELIZABETH Thirteen. CHRISTINE Don't you have to be sixteen to drive a car? EXT: CHRISTINE'S CAR - NIGHT The auto skids through an intersection. Horns from other cars blow. INT: CHRISTINE'S CAR - NIGHT (TRAVELING) ELIZABETH Faith is the key. You said so, yourself. CHRISTINE (openly anxious, now) I'll drive. Just pull over. Okay? ELIZABETH We're only fifteen miles from the church. Elizabeth takes her eyes off the wheel, looking at Christine. EXT: CHRISTINE'S CAR - NIGHT WE WATCH the car bump up onto the curb and stay there, riding with two wheels on the road and two wheels on the sidewalk. INT: CHRISTINE'S CAR - NIGHT (TRAVELING) Our shot is TILTED the same angle as the curb-straddling car. Jim pops up over the seat with a big grin. JIM (both eyes in the same socket) This is better than Six Flags! CHRISTINE Elizabeth, stop the car! ELIZABETH Okay. (looks down) Which one is the break pedal? CHRISTINE The one on the left. Look, we-- Christine turns and sees a police car following them, his bubble gum machine lights rotating. CHRISTINE (CONT) Oh, great! The police! ELIZABETH Don't worry. I can outrun him. CHRISTINE (warning) No, you can't. Jim climbs into the back window. JIM It's Deputy Cleetus Lamar! (waving) Hello, Cleetus Lamar! Hello! (to front seat) That's Deputy Cleetus Lamar. He tried to arrest me last week. CHRISTINE (sees a way out) You know him, then. If we pulled over, you could talk to him, maybe? JIM Talk to him? Sure. CHRISTINE (relieved) Good. JIM He talks to me. Last week he told me if I ever tried to run away from him again, he'd lock me up for a million years and throw away the key. ELIZABETH He'll do it, too. Red Johnson called Deputy Cleetus Lamar a 'sissy' in 1993 and he's still in jail. (to Christine) He's really got his cell fixed up nice, though. With a couch and carpeting and a stereo system. JIM He just wallpapered, you know. ELIZABETH He did? JIM Yeah. He got rid of those red and green stripes-- CHRISTINE (looking ahead in panic:) Elizabeth! EXT: CHRISTINE'S CAR - NIGHT The car narrowly misses hitting another car. INT: CHRISTINE'S CAR - TRAVELING ELIZABETH (shakes off the brain-rattling bumps they just experienced, looks in rear view mirror) Well, we lost the fuzz. CHRISTINE Elizabeth, stop the car! ELIZABETH Here? Right here? CHRISTINE Right here! ELIZABETH In the middle of the road? CHRISTINE Yes. Just stop the car. ELIZABETH I was just getting good at this. CHRISTINE Now! ELIZABETH (looks down) Okay. She looks harder, then slams her foot on the brake. EXT: BRIDGE - NIGHT The car suddenly screeches to a halt. INT: CHRISTINE'S CAR - NIGHT WE SEE that Katrina has been thrown half way over the seat. She slumps, face down, between Christine and Elizabeth, still snoring, that ubiquitous fur coat of hers draped over everyone. JIM (shaken up) Where are we? ELIZABETH Turkey Creek Bridge. Elizabeth sees something. CHRISTINE I'll take over. Switch places with me. ELIZABETH (CONT) Wait. What's that? CHRISTINE (looks ahead) What? JIM (popping over the seat) What? EXT: BRIDGE - NIGHT On the bridge ahead, they see STEVEN changing a flat tire. He stands, blinded by the headlights of Christine's car. INT: CHRISTINE'S CAR - NIGHT CHRISTINE It's Steven. ELIZABETH Steven? JIM Steven? Your Steven? From the radio? CHRISTINE (quietly) ...Yes. JIM (slaps Elizabeth on the shoulder and says:) Run him over! EXT: BRIDGE - NIGHT STEVEN (calls) Hello? (recognizes car) Chrissy? (laughs in relief) Is that you? INT: CHRISTINE'S CAR - NIGHT Elizabeth looks at Christine for direction. ELIZABETH What'll we do? CHRISTINE (nervous) What do you mean? ELIZABETH Are we going to pick him up? (no answer) Are we going to pick him up? (still no answer) Christine, we either pick him up or drive away. JIM Or run him over. CHRISTINE Please, Jim. Steven approaches and knocks on the car door window. STEVEN Chrissy? Open up! Christine is frozen. Steven crosses to the front of the car. STEVEN (CONT) Christine? What is the problem? CHRISTINE (to Elizabeth) I read in the Bible we're supposed to 'forgive our fellow man seventy times seven'. ELIZABETH (warning) If our eye offends us, we're also supposed to 'pluck it out'. After another long moment, Christine slowly opens the car door. Christine stands in the crack of the door. STEVEN What's the matter with you? Didn't you recognize me? Steven steps toward her. CHRISTINE There's no room. STEVEN (motioning toward his flat) You're not going to leave me. She stares at him, distrustfully. He gets the message. STEVEN (CONT) (furious) Are you nuts? I come all this way, and-- You were nothing but a mousey little ignorant bedpan-changer before you met me, Christine Bell! I made you into what you are right now! CHRISTINE (truthfully) Yes, you did. STEVEN And now -- what? Is there someone else? CHRISTINE Yes. I met a man. STEVEN (amused) You met a man. What's his name? CHRISTINE His name is Jesus. STEVEN Oh, brother. CHRISTINE He's my Savior. And He can be yours too, Steven. STEVEN You are weak, Chrissy. Just as weak as that dead, whack-o mother of yours. Weak! CHRISTINE Yes, I am. STEVEN You need a strong leader. CHRISTINE Yes, I do. STEVEN And... I need you. CHRISTINE (aping his earlier statement) I'll tell you want you need. You need to get a life. Christine gets back into the car. INT: CHRISTINE'S CAR - NIGHT Elizabeth touches Christine on the arm as a gesture of support. JIM (like a cheerleader) Go, Christine! EXT: BRIDGE - NIGHT Steven stands in front of the car, arms crossed, defying it to move. INT: CHRISTINE'S CAR - NIGHT JIM He's not going to move. ELIZABETH Oh, yes he is. She cranks the engine. EXT: BRIDGE - NIGHT Steven is startled by the sound of the motor. Fright rushes into his face as the car engine revs and the tires suddenly squeal. The car chases Steven to the edge of the bridge, then passes him as it zooms away. Steven stands on the rail of the bridge to dodge the car. INT: CHRISTINE'S CAR - NIGHT (TRAVELING) Christine turns in her seat to look back at the bridge. Steven is standing on the rail. EXT: BRIDGE - NIGHT Out of nowhere, CHRISTINE'S MOM appears, glances over the rail of the bridge as if to make sure there is water below, and pushes Steven's leg. He sways, arms flailing, trying to gain his balance, but falls head-first into the water. INT: CHRISTINE'S CAR - NIGHT (TRAVELING) Christine smiles. CUT TO: EXT: CHURCH - DAY It is Centennial Sunday. Dozens of cars line the streets; some late-comers hurry to get inside. We hear the first notes of the special music. INT: CHURCH SANCTUARY - DAY The place is packed. We Pan from the brightly-lit stained-glass window to the stage area. The Special Music begins. Elizabeth sings a short intro, then Jim and Christine join in. I was sinking deep in sin, Far from the peaceful shore, Very deeply stained within, Sinking to rise no more. But the master of the sea Heard my despairing cry, From the waters lifted me, Now safe am I. Love lifted me Love lifted me When nothing else could help Love lifted me. Love lifted me Love lifted me When nothing else could help Love lifted me. Toward the end of the song, Rev. Humble pushes Mr. Stickler down the aisle in a wheelchair. Elizabeth walks up the aisle to meet them. Christine and Jim take note, then sing the rest of the song. Katrina, in the crowd, leads applause. Near her we see Ruth Dawson and Fred Bartow. Stickler gives the singers a 'thumbs-up.' Christine returns the gesture. FADE OUT. CREDITS ROLL. ### Copyright 1997 by GLD Media.