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Spirit of Friendship (2024)

Thanksgiving & Drama Movie Collection.
(Philosophical/Docudrama/Melodrama/Psychological/Anthropological/Teen/etc.)

Moderators: Maskath3, GabrielAlejo2341, sidolanters, Maskath3, sidolanters, GabrielAlejo2341

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Thanksgiving, Dramas Movie Collection.

Spirit of Friendship (2024)

Post by bunniefuu »

(film whirring and clicking)

(dramatic music)

(bright gentle music)

(mouse clicks)

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(bright music)

(bright music)

- [Ryan] Dad?

- Hey guys, what's up?

- Well...

(Charlie sighs)

- What's on your minds?

- Pop-Pop.

- Yeah. Okay.

Uh, what about him?

- It's just, I miss

him, Dad. Like a lot.

- It's okay to miss

him. I, I miss him too.

- Me too.

(gentle music)

- It's, uh, it's hard losing

someone that we love, isn't it?

- It's just, I wish we

could still talk to him.

- Just because he isn't here

doesn't mean you can't

talk to him anymore.

- Really?

- Really.

See, uh, you know, when

I was about your age,

I lost my mom.

- You mean Grammy?

- Yes.

It's your Grammy.

It was my mother.

And, uh,

when she passed away, I, uh,

I, really, uh,

I didn't know how to

live my life without her.

- What did you do?

(gentle music continues)

- (sighs) Well, about a, about

a year after she passed away

between the ages of 12 and 13.

- That's how old Charlie is.

- Yes, she is.

Which is why I thought

this story would help.

See, well, it was the fall

and school had just started,

which was always a tough time

of the year for me anyway.

But it was also the year

that I would meet the man who

would change my life forever.

(gentle music)

See, I was sitting out on

my porch one day with my dog

having ourselves a

little pity party,

looking at pictures of my mom.

Oh, I was missing her so much.

I just, I didn't know what to

do without her. I was lost.

I just wished so badly

that I could talk to

her one more time.

Even if it meant there

was just one more time.

(gentle music continues)

(birds chirping)

(bright music)

- What's up, Billy?

- Oh, hey guys. What's up?

- Gonna go hang at

the court. You coming?

- Yeah, sure.

Come on.

(upbeat music)

(upbeat music continues)

(upbeat music continues)

(upbeat music continues)

(upbeat music continues)

(upbeat music continues)

- Got ya!

- Yeah, right.

- Yes. I did.

- You didn't.

- Did.

- Didn't.

- Did!

- Didn't!

- Yes, I did.

- Nope.

- Yes.

- Nope.

- Yes.

- Nope.

- Billy, didn't I get this kid?

- Yeah, sure.

- He wasn't even looking.

- You weren't even

looking. Got him!

- That doesn't even

make any sense.

- Of course, it makes sense.

- Oh.

Um, are you doing all right?

- Yeah, I'm, I'm good.

You totally got 'em.

- [Jake] You mean Mike got me?

- Yeah, sure. Whatever.

- You, you all right, man?

Say something.

- You say something.

- I just said something.

- Say something.

(Jake whispers indistinctly)

- No, you say something now.

- No, you say something.

- I just said something.

- No, you have to say something.

- You say something.

- Guys, I'm good.

Neither you have to say

anything. I just miss her.

- Well, yeah.

- It's just really weird.

And she used to do

everything around here,

and now my dad just sits

around doing nothing,

and it's just really

weird without her here.

- I saw this thing online

about how to talk to spirits.

- Shut up.

(playful music)

- But I did.

- Shut up, man.

That's totally insensitive.

Don't you say that

kind of stuff.

- You really think

I could talk to her?

- Well, it's worth a shot.

- I, I mean, he is right.

It as worth a shot, I guess.

- How's it work?

(playful music continues)

- Well, basically this video

will explain everything.

- [Older Billy] Jake

would spend the next hour

explaining what he

read on the internet

and how it might actually

work if we do it right.

I wasn't sure it would

work. I had questions.

And we were gonna need

to do some more research

before we could be sure.

When I needed to think

through a problem,

I would go home and

play fetch with my dog.

It helped me work

through problems,

just sitting and

tossing a ball to him.

- Greg, come back. Come on.

Come back. Greg.

Come over here. Come back.

Good boy.

(Greg panting)

- Billy, I have to

run to the office.

You gonna be okay

for a little while?

- Sure.

- Okay.

- Dad?

- Yeah.

- Do you think I could

find a way to talk to mom?

(somber music)

- I don't think that's

the way it works, buddy.

- Well, Jake was saying that

you saw us thing online,

and...

- No offense to your friend,

Billy, but I don't think

Jake's known for being the

brains of any operation.

- Dad.

- Look, I know you miss your

mom. I miss her too, trust me.

I wish I could find a

way to talk to her, too.

Unfortunately, that just

isn't the way the world works.

- Why did she have to die?

- We all die, eventually.

(somber music continues)

- Well, it's not fair.

- No, it isn't.

Feed the dog, please.

(somber music continues)

- He's wrong. I'm

gonna prove it.

I remember it like

it was yesterday.

It was pouring out,

but we didn't care.

We had to make a plan.

We just knew that

this would work.

- So that's the plan, huh?

- Yes.

- Well, well, well,

look who's here?

The daycare let out early?

- Yeah, the daycare

let out early?

- Well, must of,

because why else would

you guys be here?

- Oh, you got jokes.

- Yeah, you got jokes.

- Only jokes I see are the

ones standing in front of me.

- That's so funny. I'm

gonna die of laughter.

Is that how your mom died?

Did she die laughing

from of your funny jokes?

(intense music)

It's okay. You can cry.

Go ahead, cry. It's okay.

- Yeah, cry.

- Go eat sh*t, b*tches.

- How about we beat the

sh*t out of you two?

- Go, go!

(kids panting)

- Nice.

(rain pattering)

(Billy sighs)

- You okay, man?

- Let's go get

those losers, Billy.

Should've punched him

right in his face.

- Okay, but, but the thing is,

he would've punched you

back right in yours,

and you're already

pretty hard to look at.

(playful music)

(footsteps crunching)

The bike I really want

is really expensive.

I think I can swipe

my mom's credit card

without her noticing,

but it's a little risky.

- Ah, that's not smart.

I don't have no money for that-

- Hey, hey, hey.

Hey. Isn't that Emma?

- Oh my God. Whoa.

She's such a pick-me girl.

- I mean, I don't

really think so.

- Yeah, I don't think she is.

- You like her?

- No.

- You legit like her.

- Do not.

- I feel like you do.

- Shut up.

- Hey, Billy.

- Hey, Emma.

- That's it?

- That, that's all

you're gonna say?

- That's what she said.

- You gotta say more than that.

If you really like her, you

gotta say more than just,

"Hi, Emma," you derp.

- Yeah, you dork.

- Emma. Hey, Emma.

- Yeah?

Billy has something to say.

- Yeah?

- Yeah.

- What's that?

- Well, spit it out, Billy.

We don't have all day.

- Yeah. Come on, Billy.

Spit it out already.

- Can we just go, Emma?

- Just a sec.

Do you actually

like this weirdo?

- No.

- Let's go.

- Oh, well, well, I,

I was, I was like,

I was just like...

- O-M-G. Is this

for real though?

- Literally though.

- I was wondering if, like,

I was wondering

if, if maybe like,

when, when you're, when

you're not busy, like,

I mean, it's fine

if you are busy,

but like, when you're

not busy, like,

I mean, if you are busy,

but then maybe, like,

after you're busy, like maybe-

- Oh my God.

- Abby.

- I'm sorry. You,

you're probably busy.

I'll, just forget it.

- Maybe that's for the best.

- Come on, Em.

- Would you like to come

to the cemetery with us?

(playful music)

- The cemetery?

Are you serious?

You're such a weirdo.

- No, I mean, well,

I, I probably am,

but we, we saw a thing online

that I, I might be

able to talk to my mom.

- That's so weird.

- It's definitely just

a little different.

- Well, maybe it is

and maybe it isn't,

but he wasn't asking

either of you,

so stop being so extra.

- What evs.

(gentle music)

- So would you?

(playful music continues)

- Phone.

(playful music continues)

Text me.

- Is this your number?

- Just text me.

- Hey, Billy.

Billy, are you there?

- Billy?

- What you got there?

- Emma Porter's number.

- Oh, wow, you got her number?

Didn't hear anything about that.

- Well, Abby is

100% a pick-me girl.

- That, we can agree on.

- Yep.

- I got Emma Porter's number.

Like, the Emma

Porter from school.

- Yeah, you did.

- How do you like them apples?

- Wait, who is Emma?

- Emma Porter?

Oh, well only the

prettiest girl in school.

- What does any of this

have to do with Pop-Pop?

- Everything.

- Doesn't feel like it.

(bright music)

- The next day.

(bright music continues)

Got it.

(rocks clattering)

- Nice.

- From what I was

reading online,

we need something important

to connect to the spirits,

something that is

important to the spirits

for connecting to.

- Like what?

- Um, got it.

- Nice.

- Probably, um, I don't know.

Billy, what were some of

your mom's favorite things?

- Well, she had lots

of favorite things.

- Jewelry?

- She didn't really

wear lots of jewelry.

- Clothing?

- Not that I can think of.

- Food?

Got it.

- Not really.

- Um, weren't you

guys always doing

those qua, cross,

word puzzle things?

- Crosswords?

- That's what it was.

Crosswords.

- May, maybe that's it.

Do you guys have crossword book

that you guys always

worked on together?

- For sure.

- Perfect. Let's start there.

- I'll go grab it.

(bright music)

(rocks rattling)

(bright music continues)

- Got it.

- Perfect. Let's go.

- Whoa, whoa, whoa. Where

are you boys rushing off to?

- We're gonna go

to the cemetery.

- Cemetery? Cemeteries

are not playgrounds.

- Uh, did he say cemetery?

He meant the, the park past

the cemetery. Not the cemetery.

- (sighs) Which park?

- Uh...

- We're just gonna

go take our bikes

and ride past the cemetery

and hang out at the

park for a little bit.

- What's that?

- What?

- In your hand?

- Nothing.

- Other hand.

- This?

(bright music)

- Is that Mom's crossword?

- Yeah.

- Three middle school

boys riding their bikes

to the park to do crosswords.

Yeah, that doesn't

seem fishy at all.

Look, I gotta head out soon.

Behave yourselves.

If you can't behave

yourselves, don't get caught.

(upbeat music)

(upbeat music continues)

(upbeat music continues)

(upbeat music continues)

- Wait, wait, wait, wait.

So where's the spot?

- Uh, I'd say probably

near the back?

- Of course, you wanna

go to the scary spot.

- It's not even

that scary, Jake.

- [Billy] Come on!

(upbeat music continues)

(upbeat music continues)

(upbeat music continues)

(birds chirping)

(gentle music)

- We need to find some

rocks to make a circle.

- A circle?

- Yeah, a circle,

so we can put the object in

the center of the circle.

- All right. Spread out.

Come back with as many

rocks as you can find.

- Perfect.

Perfect. Now sit.

- [Billy] Now what?

- Now put the book

in the center.

(gentle music)

Perfect. Now just focus.

- Focus on what?

- The energy around us.

- Like a Jedi?

- Sure, Jake, like a Jedi.

- Dope.

- Billy, you have to talk

to the spirit around us.

- How?

- Just say something, anything.

Try to connect to

your mom. Ask them.

- Hello?

- Keep going.

- Hello, spirits.

Uh, it's Billy. Billy Russell.

I, I was wondering if

there's anybody out there.

This is stupid.

- No it's not.

Keep going. You got this.

- It's not gonna work.

- Yes it will. Don't worry.

- Hello, spirit

world. I am Jake.

My friend Billy is very sad.

He misses his mom

and we were hoping

that you could help

us contact her.

(suspenseful music)

- [Visitor] Hey, what

are you boys doing?

- Crap.

- What?

- Run!

- What are you kids doing?

- Go, go!

(energetic music)

- Hey, hey.

- Billy, let's go.

- Where are you going?

- Bill, come on!

- The book!

- Billy, come on!

- Come on, let's go!

- Come on, Billy. Go!

(energetic music continues)

- [Older Billy] We couldn't

get out of there fast enough.

I don't know if I've

ever ridden faster

than I rode that day.

I don't know if we were

doing anything wrong,

but it sure felt like we didn't

want to get caught doing it.

(bright music)

(bright music continues)

(bright music continues)

(bright music continues)

(kids panting)

- That was close.

- Too close.

- Yeah it was. That was crazy.

You said run and I

was out of there.

What kind of freaks hangs

out at a cemetery like that?

- Weren't we hanging

out in a cemetery?

- Not the same.

- Feels like it is so,

because we were at the

cemetery, hanging out.

- No.

- Yes.

- No.

- Yes.

- No.

- Yes, actually

- No, actually

- Billy, what were we doing?

- Wasting time.

- You okay, man?

- I'm fine.

- You know. I'm sorry

it didn't go as planned.

- It doesn't matter.

- We can go back.

- What's the point?

- We must have just missed

a step, that's all, Billy.

Don't worry.

- Maybe.

- We will go back.

- You don't have to.

- But we will.

(crickets chirping)

(bike rattling)

- Great, just what I needed.

(playful music)

- Where are you going, Bobby?

- Billy.

- Lance.

- What?

- Your name is Lance.

He called you Billy.

- Who called me Billy?

- Bobby did.

- Billy.

- See? He did it again.

- Did you call me Billy?

'Cause my name is Lance.

- Yeah, his name is Lance.

- Yeah. my name's Billy.

- Who cares what your name is?

- Yeah, who cares

what your name is?

- I do.

(dramatic music)

- He thinks he's tough.

- Whatever. Just

get outta my way.

- That's not very polite.

You should ask politely

if you want something.

- Yeah, ask nicely.

- You guys are being pretty

mid right now. For real.

- We're being mid?

Is this kid for real?

- Yeah, are you for real?

- Just move.

Please.

- Now he says please.

Too late. You gotta pay tax.

- Tax? I don't think so.

Gimme that back.

Hey, let go of me.

- You want this?

- Gimme that back.

- Just cry. Go ahead, cry.

- Colin, get off him.

- Mind your own business.

- Lance, tell your

troll to back off.

- Or what?

- Or I'll tell everyone

that you still sleep

with your snuggy poodle at

night and suck your thumb.

(playful music)

- There you go.

- What is this, your

boyfriend or something?

- Lance, give the book back.

Everyone. I'll tell everyone.

(playful music continues)

- It's too bad.

My little sister won't be

able to save you every time.

- That Lance kid seems

like a real jerk.

- Yeah, he pretty much was.

- Can we get back to the story?

- Oh right. Uh, yes.

- You good?

- I'm fine.

- Thank you.

- For what?

- The words you were

looking for are thank you.

- Thanks. I had it under

control when those two idiots.

- Yeah, I saw.

- Whatever.

- Just 'cause they

were jerks to you

doesn't give you the

right to be one to me.

- Your brother's a jerk.

- Yeah, I know. He sucks.

I was just trying to help.

I won't anymore. That's my bad.

- I'm sorry. Yeah, for what?

- I'm sorry for being a

jerk. Today just sucked.

It's not just him. I'm

sorry for being a jerk.

I'm, I'm sorry.

(gentle music)

- You wanna talk about it?

- Not really.

- [Older Billy]

So that afternoon,

Emma walked me all the way home,

and, uh we didn't say

one word to each other

(laughs) the entire

walk to my house.

(gentle music continues)

- You know, didn't

have to walk me home.

- It would be weird if

I had to. I wanted to.

- Really? You want to?

Why?

- Just felt like it, I guess.

- All right then.

- All right.

(bike rattles)

Where are you going?

Well, what kind of

a man would I be

if I let you walk home alone?

- A man that knows her

woman doesn't need a man

to walk her home.

- All right, then I

guess I'll stay home.

(playful music)

- I like the company.

- So are you ready to talk

about what's get getting you

so worked up earlier?

- Well, all right, well,

so we tried to talk to my

mom, and it didn't work.

- What?

So basically, Jake, Mike

and I saw this thing online

and, and it didn't work,

and then this crazy old man

kicked us out of there.

- Wait, wait, wait.

Start over.

Crazy old man in

the cemetery. What?

- It was a whole thing.

So basically what,

what happened was

we started to do research on it,

and we made our way

to the cemetery.

So apparently we were

supposed to do this,

like, circle thing,

and, um, we tried it.

We put the book in the center

and all that

fancy-shmancy stuff.

And well, it didn't work.

- [Emma] So, like a cult?

- [Billy] Well I mean, um,

you could put it that way?

No, no. We were just...

- [Older Billy] On the

way back to her house,

I explained everything.

The, the stuff that Jake

saw on the internet.

The old man, the crosswords.

- You really walked her all

the way back to her own house?

- I sure did.

- So weird.

- [Charlie] So what did she say?

- We have to try again.

- What?

- Come on, let's try

again, with all of us.

I think it'll work.

- All right then.

Go to the basketball

court tomorrow.

We'll go from there.

- All right, bye.

- Right. Bye.

(gentle music continues)

(leaves crunching)

- She's not coming.

- She is.

- She won't.

- She will.

- Won't.

- Will

- Won't.

- Shut up. She's right there.

- Told you.

- You didn't say

Harper was coming.

- I didn't know she was.

- And Abby.

- Shut up. It's cool.

Don't be mid.

- I'm mid, seriously? I'm mid?

- [Billy] You're overdoing it.

- Hey.

- Hey.

- Hey.

- Hey.

- So what are we doing exactly?

Talking to ghosts or whatever?

- Abby.

- Not a ghost. Billy's mom.

- Really?

- So what's the plan here?

- Yes, Abby, really.

- Hey Harper.

Didn't know you were coming.

- So basically,

we're gonna walk

over to Cedar Hill

and see if we can get

it to work this time.

- That's the plan?

- More or less.

- Well, it better be more,

'cause less is not cutting it.

- Shut up.

- Whatever.

(upbeat music)

- [Older Billy] I

honestly didn't know

that she was gonna be

bringing her friends,

but I wasn't mad

that she did either.

It made me feel better when

my friends were around.

They were a great distraction

from what I was feeling.

We all walked from

our neighborhood

to the cemetery together.

We had a plan, and we

were ready to execute it.

Emma was so confident

that this was gonna work

with all of us there,

but I wasn't so sure.

(upbeat music continues)

(upbeat music continues)

- Does anyone else think this

is weird? Or is it just me?

- It's just you.

- Your opinion does not count.

I was talking to the non

weird members of the group.

- I'm not weird.

- You're a little weird.

- I am not.

- Bro, You're kind of weird.

But that's what

we like about you.

- I don't think that's true.

- I'm not weird.

- Too bad. You know,

I kind of like weird.

(upbeat music)

I can be weird.

I'm definitely a little weird.

(upbeat music continues)

(upbeat music continues)

- Now what?

- Now we just all

need to concentrate,

concentrate on something

we remember of Billy's mom.

- What are we gonna do

next? Hold our hands?

- I mean, it's not

the worst idea,

combine our energy as one.

(gentle music)

- I am not holding his hand.

- Abby, just do it. Not

everything is about you.

- Ouch. That had to sting.

- Guys, concentrate

and close your eyes.

Billy?

- Hello Spirits.

It's Billy again, Billy Russell.

I know we were here

before, but we're back.

I really need to talk to my mom.

(gentle music continues)

It'd mean a lot if I

could talk to her again.

Please?

(gentle music continues)

- Well, that didn't work.

- Abby.

- No, she's right.

(gentle music)

(leaves crunching)

- You good?

- Yeah, I'm fine.

- Sorry about Abby.

- It, it's fine.

She's right. This is stupid.

- It's not stupid to wanna

talk to your mom again.

- I feel stupid.

- You shouldn't.

It takes a lot of guts

to go out and do that

in front of your friends.

- Heh, not that it matters,

'cause it obviously didn't work.

Well maybe, but it

was worth a shot.

- You all right man?

- Yeah, I'm good.

You guys can head out. I'm

just gonna sit for a bit.

- You sure?

- Yeah.

- You know, we can stay here

and hang out with you for a bit.

- No, just, I just wanna

be alone for a little bit.

- Okay.

- Text me if you want me

to come back or anything.

(gentle music)

Come on guys. He wants

to be alone right now.

I think he'll get

his crossword book.

(footsteps crunching)

(gentle music continues)

(gentle music continues)

- After it didn't work, I just,

I wanted to crawl into a hole.

It was so embarrassing.

I was so angry that it, that

it still wasn't working.

- So it didn't work?

- (sighs) As far as I could

tell, nothing was happening.

- And you just sat in

the cemetery all alone?

- Sort of.

(bright music)

- I miss you so much.

- Missing people is hard.

- Where did you come from?

- (laughs) That is a

hard question to answer.

Where do any of us

come from, really?

- Listen, I'm not supposed

to talk to strangers, so.

- That seems reasonable.

Solid advice.

There's a lot of

weirdos out there.

I probably shouldn't talk

to you either. (laughs)

- You're not helping your case.

- Was I making a case?

- I don't know what

you were doing.

- That makes two of us.

- All right.

I'm just gonna go.

- I enjoyed this moment in time,

and I look forward

to more just like it.

- Whatever you say, man.

(twinkling music)

Funny. Real funny.

What a fricking weirdo. (sighs)

(bright music continues)

(bright music continues)

You guys would not believe

what happened at the

cemetery when you left.

Did you conjure up some

ghosts or something?

- Yeah, what happened, Billy?

- No ghosts. But I did

meet this creepy old man.

- Only a creepy old man?

Did he give you a cursed amulet?

- Nah, nothing like that,

but it was just strange.

- Strange how?

- Well, he just kept talking

about missing people,

and I don't know,

like, weird stuff,

like enjoying time together.

Just strange.

- Enjoying time together?

Bro, you don't even

know each other.

- Well, that's what I'm saying.

But get this, the second I

turned around, he was gone.

- That's bizarre.

- Maybe he's a fast walker

or something. You never know.

- No, like literally, like,

one second he was there,

the next, poof, like magic.

- Maybe he has a

teleportation device.

- Teleportation?

Bro, like, come

on, like, really?

- You never know.

- I don't know.

But come on, like,

that's strange, right?

Strange?

- I guess

- I wanna go back.

- What?

- Seriously, Billy? Again?

- Yeah. I'm, I'm gonna

side with Jake here.

I don't think you

should go back.

- Well, I just can't

shake this feeling

that I could connect

with my mom again.

- Billy,

maybe we did it wrong,

maybe we didn't,

but we tried twice

and it didn't work.

Maybe everything on the

internet isn't real.

- I just have this feeling

something's happening,

and I, I just don't

know what or why it is.

(bright music)

But...

- Now you're talking about

some weird old man, right?

- Well, well, then I don't care.

This time, we'll just avoid him.

- Billy, we went there

twice. We failed twice.

There's some old man now.

It doesn't make

sense to go back.

Can we just all

agree not to go back?

- Agreed.

- Billy?

- Sure. Agreed.

(bright music)

- So you never went

back after that?

- Are you going to keep

interrupting the story?

- Yeah, stop

interrupting the story.

Okay, okay. Sorry.

- Yes, and so the next day,

I went back to the graveyard.

- I knew he went back

to the graveyard.

- [Older Billy]

You're very smart.

- I really need to talk to you.

Dad's not doing too well and

(sighs) I just don't know

what to do without-

- Well, well,

if it isn't our young world

weary wanderer hisself,

- I told you I'm not supposed

to talk to strangers.

- You're absolutely right.

Talking with strangers is,

isn't something one should do.

However, we're

all just strangers

in this vast land, aren't we?

- What do you mean?

- I mean, in the grand

tapestry of existence,

we're all just wandering souls,

like travelers in

a foreign land,

and the only

familiarity we can find

is in the connections

we make along the way.

- So we're all strangers?

- Indeed.

And in our shared

strangeness, (laughs)

we can find common ground,

we're all on this

journey together.

Just wandering through life,

trying to make sense of it.

- Maybe you're right.

I mean maybe, maybe being

a stranger isn't so bad.

- (laughs) Every stranger

isn't a villain or a monster.

But you are right to be

aware of the dangers.

- I mean, as long as you

don't try to be a creep

or do anything too

weird, it's okay.

- (laughs) Fair.

You're a wise one, kid.

- Billy.

- Billy. Leonard.

Nice to meet you. (laughs)

- Nice to meet you too, I guess.

(bright music)

(gentle music)

- You know, Billy, this

place holds so many stories,

some long forgotten

and some still fresh

in the memories of those

who visit. (laughs)

- Well, I can see that,

but why are you here?

- Ah, no. Someone very

special, my dear wife Margaret.

We shared a love of

crossword puzzles,

kind of our little tradition.

- Crosswords?

I mean, me and my mom,

me and my mom loved to

do crosswords together.

She thought they

were really fun.

- They are fun. But it was

so much more than that.

It was a connection.

It was a way for us to

challenge each other's minds

and bond over words. (laughs)

Margaret, (laughs) she

had a way with words.

She was quick-witted,

and she had a knack for always

finding just the right ones.

- Well, I'm sorry for

your loss, Leonard.

- Thank you. I, I miss

her every day, you know?

And after she passed,

I was hoping to reconnect

with her somehow,

even in this strange

and unfamiliar realm.

- (sighs) How do you

plan on doing that?

- Well, you know, they say

in the language of symbols

and in the, the memories

of those we cherish,

and in the love we

hold in our hearts,

that can help us find a way to

stay close to those we lost.

- So you're saying even

though we're all strangers,

we can still connect

with the people we love?

- Precisely. (laughs)

We may be all strangers

in this crazy world,

but the bonds we share

with those that we love

are stronger than any distance.

Love transcends all boundaries,

even the boundaries

of life and death.

This life is full

of mysteries, Billy,

and we may not have all

the answers, but you,

you'll realize sometimes

it's in the seeking

that we find solace.

- Well, I, I miss my mom.

She died a while ago, but I

still think of her every day.

I just, I mean,

that's why I'm here.

- I'm sorry to hear

about that, Billy.

Losing someone we

love, it's never easy.

- I just wish I could

talk to her one more time.

- Well, sometimes the most

profound conversations

happen in our hearts.

You know, like, like

silent dialogues

with those that we've lost.

- What if I could find a

way, like you were saying,

to talk to them one more time?

- If you believe in the power

of the connection, Billy,

who's to say what's possible?

You, you keep your heart open,

you just might find

the answers you seek.

- Maybe someday

I'll find the way

to connect with there again.

- Maybe.

- I should probably

head home now.

- All right. You

take care now, Billy.

Don't be a stranger,

to those around you or

to the mysteries of life.

- You're so weird.

(twinkling music)

Why do you keep doing that?

(bright music)

(footsteps crunching)

(bright music continues)

- You know, something kind of

interesting happened today.

- What happened?

- Well, I met this

old guy named Leonard,

and we talked about

a bunch of stuff.

- Leonard who?

- He's the guy was

telling you about,

that's kind of quirky, but cool.

Talks about how we're

all strangers, but,

and we can, through memories,

we can connect with

the people we've lost.

- What does that even mean?

- Even though we're

all different,

and that we can be strangers

to each other sometimes,

we'll find common ground.

And just like when we're,

just like how we make memories

with the people we've lost

and those keep us connected.

It's like even

when they're gone,

they're not really gone,

because you remember them.

- Losing somebody you

love must be really hard.

- Yeah, it really is.

- I'm sorry, you have

to go through that, too.

And he, he was saying

that he was trying

to find a way to

reconnect with her,

like, I am with my mom.

- Do you think he'll find a way?

- Yeah, I'll think

he'll find a way,

just like I think I'll find a

way to talk to my mom again.

- Maybe you and Leonard

can like help each other

keep each others' spirits

alive in your hearts.

- Yeah, um, maybe.

(gentle music)

- Well, I gotta get going.

- I, I have something I

wanna talk to you about.

- Yeah?

- So I just feel really,

like, comfortable around you.

Like it feels-

- Different.

- Yeah, different.

- Different how?

- Well it's, it's like

more than friends,

whatever that means.

- All right, well, we

should probably get going.

- Right.

Well, would you like

to come meet Leonard

at the cemetery?

- Sure.

(gentle music continues)

(twinkling music)

- Hey Dad,

do you think you

can, you can connect

with the people we love

even when they're gone?

- Connect? How do you mean?

- Well, like, talk to them and

keep 'em a part of your life.

- You're talking

about mom again.

- Leonard said we should try

to connect the

people we've lost.

- Leonard?

- He, he's this old guy

I met at the cemetery.

- What are you doing

playing in the cemetery?

- I wasn't playing

in the cemetery.

I was there because I miss mom.

- I know you miss

your mom. We all do.

Going to the cemetery's

not the right way to cope.

- Well, Leonard was saying we

might be able to find a way

to reconnect with mom, like,

even though she's

not there anymore.

(gentle music)

- I understand you're hurting,

but talking to mom like

that, it's not realistic.

She's gone, son, and

she's not coming back.

- Well, you obviously

don't understand.

You don't know what

it's like to lose her.

I'm not just gonna

forget about her.

- I didn't mean it that way.

I just worry about you

spending so much time

fantasizing about something

that isn't going to happen.

- Well, I'm not gonna stop, Dad.

I'm going to find a

way to talk to her,

even if this is the only way.

- You're just being silly.

Look, that isn't the

way reality works.

You're being childish.

- Maybe I'm not the

one being unrealistic.

Ever consider that?

(somber music)

(somber music continues)

- [Older Billy] Emma really

was a pretty big factor

in how many times I

ended up at the cemetery.

It felt like she really

wanted me to be able

to connect with my mom,

and she really wanted to

understand who Leonard was

and why I just kept

talking about him.

- You know, I was (clears

throat) really hoping

that you'd be able to

meet Leonard today.

I think you'd really like him.

- Well, where is he?

- I dunno. He's usually

around here somewhere.

- Is he playing hide

seek or something?

- No, he is not

playing hide seek.

He's just, it's

just unpredictable.

- What's so special

about this guy, anyway?

It's just the way

he explains things

and about connecting with

people through time and space.

- That's some deep

stuff. (laughs)

- (sighs) Yeah.

I mean, it is just,

he helps me think

of things differently, you know?

And especially about my mom.

- Well, I'm looking

forward to meeting him.

- I'm excited for

you to meet him, too.

(footsteps crunching)

(footsteps crunching)

I dunno, it's just (sighs)

he's always right here.

- Well, should we call

his name or something?

- (sighs) No, but I mean,

probably deaf by now.

I don't know.

(Emma laughs)

No, I mean-

- Well...

- That's not how it

works, um, but I dunno.

It's just really weird.

Normally I see him around here.

- Yeah, well it doesn't

look like he's here.

- I know that, but it's just,

it's just weird that (sighs)

he always up eventually.

- Yeah, well, he's

not really showing up.

Um, what does your dad

think about all this?

- I don't think he'll

ever understand.

(phone buzzing)

- I'm sorry.

It must be really

hard to deal with.

- (sighs) Yeah.

I just wish I could again

understand though, you know?

- Sorry, I really gotta

go. My mom's expecting me.

(gentle music)

Are you sure you can't stay

a little longer?

I really wanted you to

be able to meet Leonard.

- Yeah, me too. But

I really have to go.

- Just, just maybe

a little longer.

- I'm sorry. I gotta go.

(bright music)

- [Older Billy] I

was really excited

for Emma to meet Leonard,

but I knew she

couldn't sit around

waiting all day

for him to show up.

That didn't mean I

wasn't going to wait.

I don't remember

exactly how long

I would sit there waiting

to talk to Leonard,

but time didn't

seem to matter much.

I just knew Leonard

seemed to be the only one

that understood

how I was feeling.

Having someone that

really understood

what I was struggling with made

it seem like there was hope,

hope that I would be able

to talk to my mother again.

So I would wait,

for as long as it took.

(bright music continues)

- Hello there, Billy.

- Leonard.

You would not believe who was

just here, my friend Emma.

I really wanted you to meet

her, but she had to leave.

- Oh, I'm sorry I missed her.

- Would've loved to

have met your friend.

Mind if I join you?

- Go ahead.

- Tell me about her.

- (laughs) Emma's incredible.

She's smart, kind,

pretty, strong.

- She's pretty strong?

- No, she's pretty and strong,

but now I think about it.

She's pretty strong too,

but definitely pretty.

- (laughs) Well she sounds

like a remarkable young lady.

- She has this

great sense of humor

and always knows how

to make me laugh.

She even stands up to

her older brother, Lance,

even when he's

being a real jerk.

- Whoa.

Well, (laughs) she sounds

like really special person.

You're lucky to have

her as a friend.

- I am. She's the legit best.

I mean, Jake and

Mike are awesome,

but Emma's just different.

- Hmm. (laughs)

(bright music)

Oh wow.

You know, even though I

missed seeing her today,

I, I could tell

it's clear she's had

a nice, positive

impact on your life.

And that's what life's

all about, right?

Connecting with others,

just like we talked about.

- I didn't even

think about that.

- Yeah.

Heh, you know, listening

to you talk about Emma

reminds me of someone

I hold very dear.

- Who's that?

- My wife Margaret.

(laughs) She was

quite something,

just like your Emma,

by the sounds of it.

- How?

Margaret was a light of my life,

just like Emma

sounds like to you.

She had this incredible quality

of making everyone

around her feel special

just with a, a smile

or a kind word.

- That's exactly what

Emma is, Leonard.

I mean, when I'm with her,

I feel like the luckiest

man in the world.

- (laughs) Oh, Margaret had

this infectious laughter

that could frighten up

even the darkest days.

She would say

"Life's too short to be

sad all the time, my love."

- My mom used to say that

life is always better

when you're laughing.

I think that's what I

like most about Emma.

- Yeah, my Margaret and I,

we used to do

everything together.

We'd go on long walks, try to

solve those crossword puzzles.

We'd just sit quietly,

feeling each other's presence.

- Me and Emma have been spending

lots more time together.

She even asked me

to text her later.

- Oh, oh. (laughs)

You cherish every moment

you have with Emma, Billy.

Oh, that connection is a gift,

just like I had

with my Margaret.

Friendship like that is rare.

A lot of people go

through their entire lives

without ever finding it.

- Really?

- Yes, really.

- I can't imagine

life without friends.

- (laughs) Me either.

(gentle music)

(gentle music continues)

(leaves rustling)

- (sighs) My dad doesn't

think I should keep trying

to connect with mom.

He thinks I should just move on.

- Well, I, I can

understand why your dad

might feel that way, Billy.

Losing someone you

love is never easy,

and everyone copes differently.

- Well, I just hate

the feeling of my mom

thinking that I've

forgotten about her.

- You know, it's

beautiful that you want

to honor your mom's

memory, Billy.

(gentle music)

Perhaps you can help your dad

understand why it's

important to you.

- (sighs) Well,

how can I do that?

- Well, you can start by having

an honest conversation

with him, hmm?

Share your feelings

and explain to him

that connecting with

your mom is a way

to feel closer to her.

- I've tried, but he

just doesn't listen.

- Oh, well.

Sometimes it takes people time

to see things from

our perspective.

- I just don't know

what else to do.

- You can try to bring back

the laughter and the fun,

like you and your mom

had when she was alive.

- Well, how do I do that?

- Well, hey, think of the things

that made you and

your mom laugh,

the places you visited,

the games you played

and, and, and recreate

those memories

and share 'em with your dad.

(upbeat music)

- I can do that.

I'll find a way to help my dad

remember the fun

times we had with mom.

- Yes.

Friendship and laughter and fun,

they have a great way of

healing and connecting people.

You keep those memories alive,

and your dad may begin to

see things differently.

Hey, did you ever gleek?

- What?

- Oh yeah.

Gleek. sh**t spit outta

your mouth on purpose.

You can hit people, your,

your pets, freak 'em out.

Teachers will go nuts.

- No, I don't, I don't

have that life skill.

(upbeat music continues)

- So, Billy, you've been

talking to Emma a lot recently.

What's up with that?

- We're we're just hanging

out, talking and stuff.

- Come on man. Just

spill the beans already.

- Is it world domination?

Is it a romantic love novel?

Like tell us, we're

dying to know.

No, we're, we're not, no

way in a romance novel,

and definitely not

planning world domination.

Just help me pass time.

- What's going on?

Friends don't make secrets and

secrets don't make friends.

Just tell us already.

- We already know what's

going on. Just say it.

We won't judge.

Well, maybe a little.

(gentle music)

- We talk about everything

and nothing, like friends do,

like just what I do

with you two doofusses.

- (gasps) It takes

one to know one.

- Okay guys, don't, let's

not resort to name calling.

Let's just not push it, okay?

- Appreciate it.

- But you can't just say,

"I'm talking to Emma"

without like, like,

you're just leaving us

on read at this point.

- Jake, let's...

I said leave it, just

not to escalate it.

But does your heart

race when you see her?

- Me and Emma are just, um-

- We already know it.

Just say it.

- Nothing to say.

- Nothing at all on the

topic of Emma? Nothing?

- Not even undying

love for each other?

- It's not like that.

- Bull.

- Yeah, bull.

- All right. All right.

(gentle music)

I like Emma,

but like more than friends,

whatever that means.

- Knew it.

- So now that we know, you're

gonna tell us everything,

and when are you

gonna ask her out?

- I haven't gotten to that

yet. I haven't figured it out.

- Well what are you thinking?

- Well, I don't know.

What do you even say?

- This is how you do it, Billy.

You gotta rizz up like,

"Hey babe, you and me.

That's what it is now." Mwah.

- There's zero chance

you're doing that.

- How would you do it?

- Here's what you gotta do.

You gotta go up to her-

- Wait, wait, wait.

No, this is how

you really do it.

"You're no longer single.

Let that sink in."

(kiss smacks)

(playful music)

- What are you

even talking about?

- What?

- What you gotta do is

you gotta go up to her-

- You know what? No, no, no.

You gotta be like,

"Whoa, Emma, your hand.

It looks so heavy."

Do you want me to hold it?

Mwah. That's how you do it.

- You're an idiot.

Don't say any of that. None

of that, none of that at all.

- Not going to.

- But you're going to

do something though.

- You know what? This is

how you really should do it.

Feel that? (scoffs)

When she goes to feel it, you

say, "You know what that is?

Boyfriend material."

Boom. Mic drop.

(gentle music)

- You're going to say something

other than that though, right?

- Y-yeah, I, well, maybe.

I know know. Probably not.

- Well, that clears it up.

(gentle music continues)

- What are you guys up to?

- Not much.

- Well, did you see

your friend Leonard?

- Yeah, but he showed up

like right after you left.

- Really? I mean,

well that's great.

- I mean, I guess, but I

really wanted you to meet him.

- Well maybe he's there now.

- (sighs) Maybe.

- What are you

guys talking about?

- Leonard.

- Leonard. Leonard.

Oh, the old guy you

keep on talking about.

- Yeah.

- What about him?

- Well, did you

guys meet him yet?

- No.

- Nope.

- Well maybe he's there now.

- He might be.

- So let's go.

- The cemetery again?

- I mean, I'm down.

- That's what I was saying,

like, the cemetery again.

(upbeat music)

Let's go.

Hey, wait. Harper,

you feel that?

Boyfriend material. Boom.

(train horn blows)

- Could have sworn he

was here last time.

- Are you sure this

Leonard guy is even real?

- Yeah, we've been here for

a while and he's not here.

- Yeah, are you sure

you weren't just, like,

talking to yourself?

- I don't talk to myself.

- Oh, you have an

imaginary friend.

- No, Leonard's real. I've

talked to him here before.

- Guys, let's not

make this a big deal,

and just go back, okay?

- I just still can't

believe we could have been

chasing someone who

might not even be real.

- Yeah, are you sure you weren't

just imagining the whole thing?

- Why would I imagine an old man

and have a whole

conversation with him?

- You might.

- Why would I do that, Abby?

That doesn't even make sense.

- I don't know. You might.

- I wouldn't.

- Guys, Billy said

he saw this guy,

so he saw this guy, okay?

- Come on Mike.

He probably just made

up this whole story

just to get attention.

- What are you trying to say?

- Ever since we encouraged

you to connect with your mom,

you've been looking for

more and more attention.

- Abby.

- Tell me I'm wrong.

(gentle music)

- Well, it's just hard

to believe in something

we've never actually seen.

- Guys, I know it sounds

crazy, but Leonard's real.

He has to be around

here somewhere,

or maybe he just shows up at

different times or something.

Jake, Mike. You know the

first time, remember?

- When you said that the,

the guy who was chasing us?

- He wasn't chasing us.

Well. I thought he was, but-

- But we didn't see him.

- You said he was, so we ran.

- Yeah, we believed you.

We ran.

- Billy, this may sound

harsh or whatever,

but I think this whole

obsession with talking

with your mom, is just

time to let it go.

- You have to move on.

- It's not an obsession.

What else should I do?

Just forget about my mom?

- Billy, no one's saying

you should forget your mom.

My dad is, now Harper,

Jake, and even you?

What about the rest of you?

You think I should just

forget about her, too?

- No one is saying-

- We already heard

what you think, Jake.

(gentle music continues)

Mike? Abby?

Emma?

- That's not what

we're trying to say.

We're just saying maybe

it's time to move on.

- I thought you guys

were my friends.

I thought you understood.

- But Billy.

- Just forget it. Who

needs you anyways?

- Billy, wait.

- Just leave me alone.

(gentle music continues)

(footsteps crunching)

(gentle music continues)

- Your friends weren't

being very good friends.

- I don't know if

that's entirely true.

- They didn't even believe you.

Friends are supposed

to trust each other.

Well, yes, of course

they are, but I mean,

you can't even expect

your closest friends

to believe something

they can't see, right?

- Maybe not.

But if my friend

treated me like that,

I'd be pretty mad at them.

- Huh, and that I was.

(gentle music continues)

(gentle music continues)

(gentle music)

(footsteps crunching)

- Billy, you okay?

You look upset.

- Am I okay? No, I'm not okay.

Where have you been?

- I'm here now.

- You always show up when

nobody else is around.

Every time I try to

introduce you to my friends,

you just disappeared.

Now they think I'm crazy.

- I'm sorry if I've embarrassed

you. I didn't mean to.

- Sorry? You're sorry?

Sorry doesn't explain anything.

Why are you only there

when it's just me?

- Billy, that isn't really

the way the universe works.

People can't always be there

when we want them to be.

- I need someone to be there

when it's not just

convenient for them.

- Billy, you sure

this is about me?

- Who else would it be about?

You're the only one

who makes me look crazy

in front of all my friends.

Maybe I am crazy.

- The world is full

of crazy things,

crazy unimaginable things

that we can't possibly

understand or explain.

- I don't need the whole

universe explained me.

I need to know why

nobody is there for me

when I need them to be there.

- Maybe we don't know when

we need people to be there

and when we don't

need them to be there.

Maybe people are just there

when they're supposed to be.

- They're supposed to be

there when you need them.

- Maybe you needed me here now.

- I needed you here when

my friends were here

so they wouldn't

act like I'm crazy.

- What is crazy anyway?

- I'm crazy for thinking

that you were my friend.

- No, uh-uh, no.

That's not crazy.

And I'm delighted you

think we're friends.

- If we were friends, explain

to me why you're only here

when nobody else is around.

- I can't explain what

I don't know myself.

- What does that even mean?

- It means that I can't explain

why something is

happening the way it is

when I don't know why

that thing is happening.

(gentle music continues)

- Yeah, maybe I am crazy.

- And then what?

What if you are?

- What if I what?

- What if you're crazy?

And then what?

- I don't know.

- Well, then the part of

you that thinks you're crazy

and doesn't think and

know that you're amazing,

and you're capable of

wonderful things, is an idiot,

and you should stop

listening to it.

- I should stop to everybody,

because nobody cares anyways.

(gentle music continues)

(footsteps crunching)

(gentle music continues)

You know what?

(twinkling music)

I hate you. I hate

that you do this.

You always just disappear.

Everybody just leaves me.

It was stupid.

It was stupid to think

that you'd even wanna

talk to me again.

Dad was right. There's no point.

You're gone and that's that.

(leaves rustle)

(gentle music continues)

- [Older Billy] That was it.

I was finished with

trying to talk to her.

She obviously didn't

want to talk to me.

I had never felt so angry in

my entire life as I did then.

And as much as I

wanted to go somewhere,

there was nowhere for me to go.

I couldn't go home

and be around my dad.

I couldn't go to the court

and risk seeing my friends,

so I just sat there stewing.

(footsteps crunching)

- Billy.

- What are you doing here?

- I was worried about you.

Thought you'd want

someone to talk to?

- Talk? You never

wanna talk about mom.

"Billy, just forget

about her and moving on."

Yeah, I was just

trying to help you.

- I don't want you

dwelling on something

that can't be changed.

- But I miss her, Dad.

I thought talking to her

would make me feel

closer to her again.

- I just want

what's best for you.

- I feel alone, like

nobody understands.

- You're not alone.

I'm here for you.

- Then explain to me why you

don't care about mom anymore.

- It's not that I don't

care about your mom.

I miss her too, but

what you are doing,

trying to talk to

her, it's illogical.

It's not gonna bring her back!

- Well then what?

Should I just forget about

her like she never existed?

Is that what you want?

- No, of course not.

But I'm worried that

holding onto the past

is making it hard

for you to move on,

to live your life.

- Live my life?

Mom was our life.

(gentle music)

She was the one

that made me laugh.

She was the one that

made me feel safe.

- I know that.

I want you to find some

happiness in the present.

Your mom wouldn't want

you stuck in the past.

- You dunno what mom would want.

You don't care about

anything anymore.

- Billy.

- Leave me alone.

(gentle music continues)

(Dad sighs)

(gentle music continues)

(gentle music continues)

(footsteps crunching)

(gentle music continues)

(pages rustling)

(footsteps crunching)

(gentle music continues)

(leaves rustling)

(footsteps tapping)

- Hey Bobby. It's funny

running into you here.

- Just leave me alone, Lance.

(dramatic music)

- You feeling tough?

- I'm not in the mood.

- Did you hear that, Colin?

He's not in the mood.

- [Colin] I heard.

- I'm in the mood.

- Yeah, he's in the mood.

- Get your breath outta

my face and go away.

- It's too bad my

baby sister's not here

to save you this time.

- Go away, Lance.

- Or what?

(dramatic music continues)

- Get off of him! Bobby, stop.

Wait, stop.

(Billy growls)

Bobby, stop, get off of him.

Bobby, stop.

(punches thumping)

- My name's Billy.

Assholes.

(gentle music)

- [Charlie] You

actually did that?

- Well, I didn't say

I was proud of it,

but that is what happened.

- He deserved it.

- [Older Billy] Yeah, maybe.

(gentle music)

(gentle music continues)

(gentle music continues)

- (laughs) I see you

found a treasure there.

- You know about this book, too?

- (laughs) Well, not

that one specifically,

but those puzzles

bring back memories

of my own wife, Margaret.

She'd sit there and wrestle

with those crossword

puzzles for hours.

- Margaret, you say?

- Yeah. I'm Leonard.

- Charles. She must

have been quite a woman.

- Oh, she was the

love of my life.

She had a knack for

those crossword puzzles,

even the tough ones.

Made me laugh every time she

got an answer wrong. (laughs)

- What is it about wives

that make us love them

in a way that we wanna laugh?

- (laughs) You know,

life's full of mysteries.

Sometimes the answers

are right in front of us,

hidden in little moments.

- I loved hearing my wife laugh,

even when she got frustrated

with her crosswords.

She did crosswords

just like your wife.

Her laughter was infectious.

- Margaret had the

most contagious laugh.

I'd sit there and just

listen to her chuckle

while she tried to figure

out those silly puzzles.

- It's funny how something as

simple as a crossword puzzle

can bring so much

joy and frustration.

- (sighs) I admired

Margaret's determination.

She never gave up, no matter

how tricky the puzzle was.

- Sarah was just the same,

stubborn in the best way.

- (laughs) We were lucky to

have such incredible women

in our lives.

- Yes we were.

- You know, Billy's

determination

to figure out how to talk to

his mother reminds me a lot

of how you're describing

your wife's determination

to finish those

crossword puzzles.

(gentle music continues)

- Billy,

he's just like his mother

in all the best ways.

- Sarah must be so proud of

the young man Billy's become.

- I hope so, Leonard.

I miss her every day.

(gentle music continues)

I'm sure she's watching over

both of you with a smile.

(twinkling music)

I don't think she'd be smiling

if she could see how

I've been acting.

- Well, you're doing what

you believe is best for him.

As long as you're doing

that through love,

I'm sure she's smiling.

- That's just it.

I think I've been

doing it outta fear.

- Mm, fear and love.

Powerful and

dangerous combination.

- I have to go, Leonard.

(twinkling music)

Thanks for...

Strange, man.

Nice, but strange.

- So what happened?

- To what?

- To you?

- Oh right.

Uh, well honestly, at

that point I kind of felt

like it was me

against the world.

You know, I mean, my

friends had left me,

Leonard made me look

crazy, and Pop-Pop,

he didn't understand the thing

I was trying to tell him,

so honestly,

it's probably the

loneliest I've ever felt.

(footsteps tapping)

- Hey, I am sorry for

making you feel crazy.

I shouldn't have doubted you.

- It's not just that.

It's about everything.

Ever since my mom, I

miss her every day,

and now I feel like

I'm losing my dad, too.

He doesn't understand why I

wanna connect with her again.

- I'm sorry. I can't

imagine how that must feel.

- Yeah, now I feel like

I'm losing my friends, too.

You guys think I'm

crazy and that hurts.

Now it feels like

everything's falling apart.

- I'm sorry. Is there

any way I can help?

- I don't think you

can help about my mom,

but it means a lot that

you're trying to understand.

If you wanna go back

and talk to our friends,

we can tell them

how you're feeling,

or at least try to explain.

- I mean, I guess

that could help if,

(gentle music)

if they understood

what was happening.

- And if you wanna go back

to the cemetery, I'll go.

We can figure out

this Leonard guy,

or try to talk to

your mom again.

(gentle music continues)

(gentle music continues)

- You doing all right Billy?

- I'm okay, I guess

- You know where

your boys, right?

- We're like a family.

We got your back.

- It's just lately it feels

like everything's

falling apart around me,

and ever since my mom

died, it felt really lost.

- That's gotta be really hard.

- Yeah, that's

gotta be super hard,

not feeling noticed by anyone.

I mean obviously I

don't have that problem,

'cause like everyone sees me,

but like I don't think

you are feeling noticed

because like you're having this

whole conversation with us.

Maybe you are feeling noticed,

and maybe I'm just

not seeing it,

but you're probably not gonna

wanna tell us that because-

- Abby, like, I think

you're missing the point.

- Really?

- Yeah, really.

- You get what I'm

trying to say, right?

- Sure. Abby. Totally.

- Hmm.

- I don't know what I

would do if I lost my mom.

- I appreciate it.

But it's not just about

my mom. It's my dad too.

Ever since my mom died,

he's been really distant.

It's been really hard.

- Well maybe we can try

to find a way for you

and your dad to connect better.

- Yeah, like you two

could like play a game

you both enjoy or do

something you both like.

Maybe you could do

that crossword puzzle

you were talking about earlier.

- Oh sh**t. I think

I really messed up.

- What happened?

- I threw the crossword book

in the cemetery earlier.

- You threw it in the cemetery?

- Yeah, I was

really upset earlier

and nobody was listening to

me and I was really angry,

so I just threw it.

- Then let's go get it.

(bright music)

(bright music continues)

(gentle music)

- I don't know

where else to look.

- Don't worry. We'll find it.

- Billy.

- Oh my god, you

found it. Thank you.

- Jake, Mike, girls,

how y'all doing?

- You know what it is, Mr. R.

- No, I don't believe I do.

- You do though.

- Hey Mr. R.

- What's up, Mike?

Billy, I met Leonard.

- You did?

- Yeah. Interesting man.

- I know, right?

- Odd, but interesting.

We got to talking

and he was chatting

about his wife, Margaret,

and how she loved

crossword puzzles.

- Crosswords like the ones

that your mom used to do?

- Yeah, the very same.

Margaret loved to do crosswords,

just like Sarah loved

to do crosswords,

and we were talking about

the joy they both found

in doing the puzzles.

- Wait, Margaret did

crossword puzzles

here in a cemetery alone?

(mysterious music)

- I don't know. Maybe.

- Why would someone

do puzzles here?

- What do you mean?

- Why would someone

come to a cemetery

just to do crossword

puzzles alone?

- I suppose to spend time with

someone they loved and lost.

- Exactly.

- Wait Billy, are you

thinking that like, that like-

- That's exactly

what I'm thinking.

- Wait, what are we thinking?

- If Leonard's wife

did puzzles here,

maybe Leonard didn't

lose his wife.

- Maybe his wife lost him.

- Exactly.

That's why when we did the

ritual from the internet,

we connected with Leonard,

'cause of the crosswords.

My mind is officially blown.

- For real.

- So you are saying Leonard-

- Is a ghost, yes.

That's why it only shows up

on specific times and places.

So if he's looking for

her and can't find her-

- Then his wife is looking

for him on the other side.

We need to go find Leonard.

- Wait, Billy, don't you think

that we should stay behind?

Every time we tried to find

him, he never showed up for us.

- Good idea. I'll be right back.

Dad.

- What? I already met him.

He'll come out if I'm there.

- Mike?

- Yeah, that checks out.

- All right.

- Leonard is a ghost?

- Like an actual ghost?

- Are you gonna let

me finish the story?

- Holy crap.

Does that mean the

ritual actually works,

so we can actually

talk to Pop-Pop?

- (sighs) So Pop-Pop and I

went off to find Leonard,

and we knew he had to be close,

because Pop-Pop had

literally just with him

not that long ago.

- [Charlie] I can't

believe it actually works.

- Leonard, we've gotta

tell you something.

- Yeah, there's no

easy way to say this,

so I'm just gonna say it.

- Okay. Let's have it.

- Okay, well the thing is-

- You're a ghost.

Like an actual ghost.

- Yeah.

(bright music)

- I see. Hmm.

I prefer spirit, I think.

- What?

- Yeah, spirit.

You know, assuming I am in

fact from the other side,

I prefer spirit to ghost.

- Really? Why?

- Yeah, ghost, it's more

like haunting and scary,

and spirit means like, you

know, mystical and maybe wise.

- That's kind of presumptuous

to think you're

wise and magical.

- Dad, stop.

- I'm just saying.

- So you, you're a spirit.

- Huh.

You know, I always suspected

something was

different about me.

However, that's not

exactly what it is.

- And n-no, you are though.

All right, like, like

me and my friends

did this ritual

from the internet,

'cause I really miss my mom,

so I tried to connect with her,

but instead of connecting with

her, we connected with you

because you and Margaret's

love for crosswords.

- Ah, (laughs) I see. Yeah.

And as exciting as it would be

for that to be what

is happening here.

Eh, it just isn't buddy.

- But every time we see you,

you just appear and vanish.

- Yeah, explain that. It

happened when we spoke.

- Well, I never enter through

the front of the cemetery,

'cause my house is over

there through that trail.

And I walk through that

trail a couple times a day

to visit Margaret's grave.

Not the same time every day.

Just when the mood strikes me.

- Actually that makes sense.

- Well, how come every time

we talk, you just vanish?

- I don't just vanish.

- Really?

- Really.

Did either of you two come

back and look around for me

when I vanished?

- [Billy] Well, no.

- [Charles] Actually,

now that you mention it.

(bright music continues)

(bright music continues)

- Holy sh*t, he's real.

- (laughs) I'm very happy to

see both of you here together

believing in magic

and connecting with those

that you lost and loved.

- I guess it just took a

little believing in magic

to get me outta my own way.

- Yes.

Figuring out how to get outta

one's own way is important.

I myself have struggled

with that from time to time

over the years.

- Wait, if you're not a ghost-

- Spirit.

- Right, sorry.

If you're not a spirit,

then does that mean

I can't connect with

my mom and talk to her?

- No, that's not what

that means at all.

It, it means you're always

talking with your mom,

no matter what you're doing,

no matter who you're with,

or where you go,

as long as you remember

always to follow your heart,

that's your mom with

you, everywhere you go.

- Really?

- Yes, really.

Every time you remember the

things she said or what you did,

or things she taught you

and you do those things,

that's your mom living

on, here, in you.

- Really?

- Yes, really.

And you, don't forget

to believe in magic,

and don't forget to laugh.

And most important,

don't forget that the most

important parts of Sarah

are right here in your boy.

- Yeah, they are.

- Thanks, Leonard.

- Now, who is all this

riffraff lingering over there?

- Oh yeah, those are my friends.

Come on. I really

want you to meet him.

- All right, sounds good, kid.

Hey, (whistles) which ones Emma?

- The, the cute one.

- Oh, okay, of course.

You dog.

(bright music continues)

- He's not dead.

- No, bud. Leonard

wasn't a ghost.

But he was my friend,

and he helped me to understand

that just because

my mom wasn't there

doesn't mean that

she's not here.

- And just because

Pop-Pop is gone

doesn't mean he

isn't here with us.

- Exactly, Charlie.

See, Leonard helped

me live my life

in a way that helped

me remember my mom

in everything that I do.

- Is that why you always

do crossword puzzles?

To feel like she's

closer to you?

- It is.

And if you do the things that

you used to do with Pop-Pop,

you will feel like he's

right here with you, too.

- Thanks Dad.

- Hey, where you going?

- Outside.

- Okay.

Hey.

- Yeah?

- I love you guys.

- I love you too, Dad.

- Hey.

- What?

- You two behave yourselves.

And if you can't

behave yourselves.

- [All] Don't get caught.

(door clicks)

(Billy sighs)

(uplifting music)

(uplifting music continues)

(uplifting music continues)

(uplifting music continues)

There was a time in my

life not so long ago

When I lost my way

And I recall many

times this fear

That I'd never be the same

I had a friend sit me down

and he told me straight

This too shall pass

You get to be where you are

Right here, right now

This feeling won't last

I couldn't see the

forest for the trees

All the melody in my song

If I could've seen

beyond the clouds

I'd see the gray

skies were gone

Gray skies were gone

(uplifting music continues)

There've been the

times I wonder why

I had to go through that

Why I got so low

To someone else

who's in that place

I can see you're not alone

And though you can't see

The forest for the trees

All the melody in the song

If you could just

see beyond the clouds

You'd see the gray

skies are gone

The gray skies are gone

(uplifting music continues)

(no audio)