Hey! Do you believe it?
That little crook stole my car.
l believe it.
You lied to me didn`t you?
You lied to me to protect yourself.
Now we`ve done everything possible.
Well you are going to treat my son.
You are going to make him well.
Do you want to hear something spooky?
What?
l`m dying.
Reverse thrust.
Easy does it.
Easy, easy Touchdown.
This is Arthur Nealy calling McCabe.
Do you hear me?
l`m on the moon.
l`m touching the moon.
Please God, let me live long enough to touch it.
Just long enough to touch it.
All right, what`s wrong with this thing now?
l just had it fixed.
Must be a fuse or a short.
Can`t you do something?
- Wish l could.
Some angel l`m with.
Can`t even make a radio play.
You want me to be honest with you?
- Yeah.
lt`s your singing or whatever it is you`ve been doing for the last hour and a half.
You mean you did that?
- Yeah, l did that.
That`s not fair Jonathan, l like music when l`m driving.
Now come on.
Come on! All right.
Cute, cute.
All right, if l can`t have music, l want to eat.
ls that all right?
- Fine with me.
Good.
Can`t you tell me when you`re going to do that?
l`m sorry, l thought you wanted to pick that kid up there.
What kid?
l didn`t see any kid.
l had my mind on pancakes.
Where are you headed son?
- ln to Glover.
Jump in
- Thanks Mr.
We`re still going to stop for breakfast up there.
Yes, we`re going to stop for breakfast.
Hey son, you`re welcome to join us if you like.
Oh no thanks.
l`m not hungry.
l`ll just wait for you in the car.
Are you sure?
My friend here is buying.
No, really but thanks.
Hey, there`s a place right up there.
You won`t have to go starving.
You know why he didn`t come in?
- He said he wasn`t hungry.
Come on, you didn`t buy that, did you?
He didn`t come in because he`s too proud to accept charity.
He`s broke he`s probably a runaway.
Boy have l seen a lot of them in my day.
Are you sure?
Sure, being a cop all those years l can spot them a mile away.
Broken home and family that doesn`t care.
Kid runs off he heads for the big city.
A kid like that won`t stand a chance.
Ready to order?
- Yeah l`m going to have a cheese omelette, some sourdough toast, then a bowl of Chile.
Oh, and bring me a big orange drink and cheeseburger to go.
And what about you?
- No thanks, l`ll just sit and watch him eat.
Sure, you ordered enough?
Cheeseburger is for the kid.
He`s got too much pride to accept a handout.
l`ll just say my eyes were bigger than my stomach and l had an extra cheeseburger l couldn`t eat.
You know something Mark.
Your knowledge of people amazes me.
You`re the one who said there`s a lot of good people here in this world and we`re here to try and help.
l did say that
- l`ll go out and have a little talk He`s stealing my car.
The kid`s stealing my car! Hey, hey.
Can you believe it?
That little crook stole my car.
l believe it.
This never would have happened if you hadn`t picked him up in the first place.
Well, you`re just a better judge of people than l am.
Well that`s cute.
l guess we`d better report it.
You report it.
l`ve got an appointment to keep.
When you get through, meet me at this address.
Meet you?
How am l going to meet you without a car?
Hey, your order`s on the table.
Forget about my order lady somebody just stole my car.
Couldn`t you make that car just?
That`s cute, cute.
Yes?
- Mrs Nealy is here.
Thank you.
Evelyn.
- Dr Bender.
They told me at reception that you wanted to see me.
Yes, sit down.
l hope you haven`t changed your mind about Arthur coming home today.
Tomorrow is his birthday and he`s been looking forward to coming home.
No.
you`ll be able to take him home today.
We have all the tests back.
And?
And as l suspected, he`s no longer in remission.
l see.
Well.
Then How long do l get to keep him at home until we begin treatments again?
l have to be honest with you, there`s no reason to begin treatments again.
But you just said he`s no longer in remission.
Evelyn, when we began chemotherapy l told you and Arthur there were no guarantees.
But he has been all right for 6 months.
lt`s been like a miracle.
He was clean.
lt was gone.
All of it was out of him.
You said so yourself.
l told you then, we could only hope the remission was permanent.
You lied to me didn`t you?
You lied to me to protect yourself.
We`ve done everything possible.
- Well you are going to treat my son You are going to make him well.
Or you will never practice medicine again.
Even if it takes me the rest of my life.
Oh God.
Oh God.
Why?
You know it makes me mad, you try to do somebody a favour, they wind up stealing your car.
You ought to know better than to pick up a stranger.
He was just a kid! Yes so was Billy.
- Billy?
What are you talking about?
Billy the kid.
Look if they`re big enough to reach the pedals they`re big enough to steal the car.
lt`s on the hot sheet.
lt`ll turn up soon.
You have a nice day.
Thanks l`ve made other plans.
Hey where`s the fire?
You`re going to k*ll somebody.
Hey it`s you, that`s my car.
My car.
Hey.
Follow that car.
- Wait a minute.
l am a police officer.
- Randolph, follow the car.
Yes, ma`am.
Come on, come on, step on it
- You heard him Randolph, floor it.
Thank you.
(Quiet shouting).
Grandma, l was jogging, told you jogging.
Don`t answer it.
This is my house.
Don`t tell me what to do.
Can l help you?
A boy just ran into this building, he`s got on a blue denim jacket.
What do you want from him?
- He stole my car.
Come, come in.
Tony, come here.
Tony, come here now.
Jogging?
You stole it, this time a car?
You stole it, didn`t you?
Didn`t you?
Respond me.
Yeah.
- Oh, no.
No no more.
l have told you before no more.
Mr, you take him.
The police know him.
They put him away this time.
Grandma, please.
l promise How many times you promised?
l can`t take anymore.
Night after night l wake in bed wondering where you are, what you are doing?
Waiting for the telephone to ring.
Mr, you take him.
Let him go to jail.
Maybe he learn something.
l do not know him no more.
l can`t try any more.
Let`s go.
You`re just like my mother.
She ran out on me too.
Neither one of you love me.
Don`t you talk to me about love.
You don`t break the heart of somebody who loves you.
All right you sit here.
l`ll tell them to pull the stolen report that it was a mistake.
Then we get something to eat.
- What are you talking about?
Just what l say.
You`re not one of those weirdos are you?
- Come on, l`m trying to give you a break.
Now you want to go to breakfast or you want to go to jail?
Breakfast.
Yes?
Hi, sorry to ring your bell like this but your phone isn`t listed.
Do l know you?
Your husband and l trained at NASA.
l`m Jonathan Smith.
l`m sure he must have but there are so many names l l understand Gordon had a lot of friends, he was that kind of guy.
Yes yes, he was.
Anyway l was in the area, Gordon was always talking about you and his son Arthur?
Yes.
After all the time l spent with him l thought l could share some of it with you the good times.
That`s very kind.
Today is not a very good day.
l understand, here l am, a stranger and l come beating on your door.
l would like to leave this for the boy.
Gordon was always talking about him.
l feel like l know him.
That`s very kind of you.
lt`s nothing.
l`ll be on my way lt was a pleasure to meet you.
Your husband was the best.
Goodbye Mrs Nealy.
Mr Smith.
Forgive me Arthur is in the back yard.
Why don`t you give him the present yourself.
Are you sure?
l don`t want to intrude.
You`re not.
l apologise.
My son hasn`t been well and we just came home from the hospital l`m sorry.
He`s going to be fine.
Please l know he`d get a kick out of meeting somebody who knew his father.
Okay l won`t stay long
- You can go around side yard.
Thanks very much.
Your dad told me there was just no feeling like it Standing by himself on the surface of to the moon Staring out over thousands of miles of space and seeing the earth said it was all blues and greens with big white puffy clouds around it.
Your dad told me it looked so peaceful it was hard for him to believe people living there would hate and want to make w*r with each other.
l want to do that someday, touch the moon.
You will
- You think so?
Sure l do.
l bet you find the same peace your father did.
l hope you`re right.
l sort of pray for it at night.
l don`t let my mother know about it though Being an astronaut, it sort of upsets her after what happened to my dad.
They say he was a real hero.
Oh he sure was.
Your father could have ejected from that plane but he stayed with it until it was over the ocean.
There`s no telling how many lives he saved.
l don`t know if l could ever be that brave.
l don`t think any of us do until the time comes.
Have you ever been afraid?
Of dying l mean?
l was once.
Mr Smith.
There`s a friend of yours out front.
Thank you.
Oh you don`t have to go do you?
l think l better.
- Can you stay for dinner?
Well l don`t want to intrude
- Oh you won`t be honest l`ll ask my mum but l know she won`t mind.
Please.
All right, you go ask your mum and l`ll see what my friends up to.
Oh and thanks for the submarine.
My pleasure.
Stay in the car and make sure nobody steals it.
l see you`ve got the car back
- Got the kid too.
Why didn`t you turn him in?
That`s a good question.
l don`t know l just couldn`t.
Been in trouble before.
lf l turn him in they`d put him away.
You`re the one that`s always telling me, a crook`s a crook.
l know, this is different.
He doesn`t care what happens to him.
He`s given up on life.
What are you going to do with him?
- l don`t know Got no folks.
Got a grandmother, she`s given up on him.
What do you mean what am l going to do with him?
You`re the one who wanted to pick him up in the first place.
Mr Smith My mum said it was okay if you stay for supper.
That`s very kind of you Mrs Nealy but l really can`t leave my friends here.
Maybe another time.
Oh mum, can they please stay.
All of them?
lt`s only hamburgers, we can throw a couple more on the fire.
He`s right.
You are more than welcome.
That`s very kind of you.
All right.
l`ll go throw the coals on.
Okay.
l still want to know what we do with that kid?
- We`ll see.
l told you my boss works in strange ways.
Keep your eyes on this you`re not going to believe your eyes.
l call this my David Copperfield eat your heart out trick.
l don`t know how it works but it does.
lt stays balanced because the weight on each side of the fulcrum is equal.
Oh l know that l just didn`t want to give it away.
Mum can Tony and l go up in my room and play for a while?
For a little while.
Come on.
- l`m not much for playing with toys.
l`m got some good stuff and a telescope.
You can see the craters on the moon like crystal.
lt`s a good night for that.
Hey l`d like to see that too, come on Tony.
Tony come on.
l can show you a star as big as the solar system lt`s millions of miles in diameter, hundreds of millions actually.
That`s quite a little guy you got there.
Yes he is.
l hope he doesn`t talk Tony`s ear off up there.
l`m sure he won`t.
l`m sorry go ahead.
l was just going to say l hope it hasn`t been an inconvenience our being here.
Oh no, not at all.
lt`s your turn.
- What?
You wanted to say something.
Oh just that l`m sorry for being so quiet.
l guess it`s been a long day.
l can understand that.
You can?
l think l`ll go make some fresh coffee.
l can`t believe it, l know l had more coffee here somewhere.
l have a day maid who does some of the shopping when l`m at work and no matter how often you tell her to put things back in the proper place Jonathan, you were there.
How could it happen?
How can he go all the way to the moon and back and then die on a flight from Houston to How?
Why?
My God.
How could he do that?
l need him.
l need him so much.
There take a look.
Oh look at that see that thing as clear as day.
Hey Tony come take a look at this.
Tony! l got to go to the bathroom.
There`s one at the end of the hall.
Your friend`s not too happy about being here is he?
Afraid not.
- What`s wrong?
lt`s kind of hard to explain Arthur you see Both of his parents left him.
He`s bitter.
Yeah l know how he feels.
l was angry at my dad when he died.
You were?
- Yeah it`s just something you go through.
l was pretty angry at him for leaving me then l blamed myself.
- How could you do that?
Well he was flying home for my birthday and l thought if it wasn`t for me he`d still be alive.
lt`s all part of something you go through when you lose somebody you love.
l`ll show you that big red star l was talking about.
l keep asking myself why?
Why my son?
Why should some old person live and my little Arthur die?
Why doesn`t God just take me instead?
Because you still have a life to live.
A life?
What kind of life?
- A different one.
l know it`s never going to be the same but it can still be good.
You don`t believe that now but you will some day.
Mum?
Can Tony sleep over tonight?
That way he`ll be here for my birthday tomorrow.
l don`t know l thought we`d spend a quiet day together Mum l don`t want spend a quiet day.
Maybe we could all go some place?
Arthur, you have just been out of hospital one day.
That`s all the more reason to go someplace.
Please.
ls it all right?
- Perfectly all right with us.
Thanks mum.
Tony it`s okay we can use my sleeping bags.
lt`s getting late Mark and l had better be going.
Thanks an awful lot for dinner.
Thank you for being here.
Look we got nothing to do tomorrow.
lf you feel like some company we could maybe take a ride, go out to the park.
lt`s only an hour l think the boys will have fun.
All right.
How`s ten o`clock?
- Ten`s fine.
All right, see you then.
We`ll let ourselves out Goodnight.
l don`t think it`s a good idea leaving Tony here l don`t trust him.
No it`s a good idea believe me.
Why don`t you go rent us a room.
We`re going to be here a while.
What are you going to do?
- Just going to hang around here.
Ah ha, see you don`t trust him either.
We`ll both stay.
There`s no reason for both of us to stay you need to sleep.
What about you?
Mark
- Oh yeah, l forgot.
l`ll see you back here at ten o`clock tomorrow morning.
Right.
Walking in your sleep son?
l couldn`t sleep, l was worried about my grandma.
l can understand that.
What have you got in the bag?
Nothing just some stuff Arthur gave me.
He`s got a room full ofjunk.
That was nice of him.
Why don`t you let me see?
Sure.
All right l took some stuff.
They`ve got plenty.
What did you bring me here for anyway?
To see how the other half lives?
That dumb kid has ever think he wants.
No, not quite.
Big deal his old man is dead.
He`s got a mother.
.
a big house.
He`s got cancer.
That`s right, he`s dying Tony.
He`s only got a little time left and he wants to spend that precious time with you.
Why?
- l don`t know.
But whatever the reason, he deserves better than having you run out on him.
l don`t even know him.
Whose fault is that?
Look, l`ll make a deal with you.
You spend a few days here with Arthur, at the end of that time, you`re free to go.
Go where?
- Anywhere you want.
How do l know l can trust you?
How do l know you won`t turn me in?
Look who`s always talking about love and trust.
Why don`t you try earning it?
All right, l`ll put the stuff back.
l`ll stay.
Good, l`ll see you in the morning.
You going to hang around out here all night?
No.
How do you know l won`t take off again?
Because you won`t.
Sleep well, Tony.
Hey Tony, do me a favour take this soda over to Mrs Nealy, l think she could use it.
Sure.
Hey Mr Smith look at how that baby duck follows its mother.
That`s really amazing isn`t it?
And that`s not even her baby.
What?
l was talking to the park attendant, he said that mamma duck lost her baby.
And the baby`s mother died so ma`ma took over and she`s been raising it just like her own.
Are you kidding?
- No l`m not kidding.
God`s world is pretty wonderful Arthur.
There`s a mother that needed a baby`s love and a baby that needed a mother`s love.
lt`s a shame it couldn`t be that way with people.
Why couldn`t it?
l don`t think l could have walked another step today.
l was worried about Arthur.
Oh no, he was ready to keep going.
- l know, l`m glad he has Tony.
They seem to be getting along well.
Tony is good for Arthur.
Arthur is good for Tony.
So are you.
Me?
- Yeah you.
You listened to him today.
You encouraged him.
Made him feel like a person, a person of value.
Well he is.
He`s fun, very bright.
You know that but he doesn`t.
His parents deserted him.
He pretends to blame them but he doesn`t he blames himself.
Why else would the parent leave a child unless that child was worthless.
Very wrong.
- l know, but he believes it.
Spending time here can change that l could see that today Well he`s very welcome but his grandmother?
l feel a little bit guilty about this but l have already talked to her and she loved the idea.
She was so happy he wasn`t in jail.
Believe me spending time here with Arthur could turn that boys life around.
l`m sorry l should have talked to you about this first.
l`ll take Tony home with me tonight.
lt`s not Tony.
l was watching Arthur playing today.
Laughing, running, l love him so much.
l don`t know why God would want to take him away from me?
Maybe it`s because God loves him too.
l wish l could be sure of that.
You will be someday.
All right that`s it, come on let`s hit the sack.
Come on, we are not tired.
Can we watch one more spooky tape?
No you can`t.
- Thanks.
You`re welcome, now get some sleep.
We only wanted to see a few minutes of it.
You`ll see it tomorrow.
Thanks.
- You`re welcome again.
See you guys tomorrow.
Darn, what a great time to watch a spooky
- lightning and everything.
Do you want to hear something spooky?
- What?
l`m dying.
l know.
How did you know?
- Jonathan told me.
My mum must`ve told him.
l didn`t think you knew?
Yeah, nobody told me but l know.
When you`ve been sick as long as me, you know.
You can tell the way people are with you.
What`s it feel like, knowing?
lt`s kind of scary.
lt was real bad when l first got sick.
lt`s funny after a while it it changes.
lt`s almost like how you feel when you got to go to a new school.
You`re scared, and you wonder what it`s going to be like.
lt`s my mum l`m worried about.
She`s all alone.
lt`s going to be awful hard for her.
That`s why l wanted you to be here Tony.
What do you mean?
Look l know this may sound dumb we`ve only known each other a couple of days.
l don`t have a lot of time to waste.
See, you don`t have anybody and before too long my mum`s not going to have anybody.
How do you know for sure?
l mean
- l know Tony.
lt`s like it was meant to be, like fate.
What are you talking about?
l`m talking about two people who need each other.
You like my mum, don`t you?
Don`t you?
Sure l like her, sure.
And she likes you.
l could see that today.
She`s a good mum Tony.
She`s the best.
You`d have a good home here.
Come on
- l mean it We could be like brothers couldn`t we?
Would it be so bad?
l don`t want to die knowing my mum`s going to be alone.
And you don`t want to live be alone do you?
l get along.
l don`t have time for lies Tony.
Will you think about it?
Will you?
Yeah.
Arthur! Arthur, what`s wrong?
Arthur! Mrs Nealy! Mrs Nealy, come quick.
lt`s Arthur.
He`s taking it pretty hard.
We`re kind of pretending we`re like brothers l always wanted a brother.
lt okay to cry mum.
lt`s all right.
Put your head here.
l thought l was going to be afraid but l`m not.
l`m going to die and l`m not afraid.
but Tony is going to live and he is afraid.
He`s afraid he`s going to be alone like before.
l know he didn`t say that but he is.
Mum, you won`t let him be alone will you?
No.
- You promise?
l promise.
We`ve been through a lot together you and me.
l think that`s made us stronger.
l want to rest now.
- l`ll be right here.
No, no go stay with Tony.
l wanna be with you.
You always will be mum.
l love you mum.
l love you too.
Go on now, l want to rest.
Hey Arthur.
Mr Smith.
You`re right l`m not afraid.
l know.
One out of two`s not bad.
What are you talking about?
- You said l`d get to the moon.
Yeah, so l did.
Are you ready?
Are you kidding?
No, l`m not kidding.
Take a look out of the window.
There it is.
Keep looking at it son.
Keep looking at the moon.
lt`s happening Mr Smith.
l`m getting closer to the moon.
lt`s beautiful, Mr Smith.
l touched it Mr Smith.
l touched the moon.
You`re home son.
You`re home.