04x09 - The Last Stop

[bunniefuu]

[TV NEWS THEME MUSIC]

NEWS ANCHOR [TV]:
It's the end of an era.

The last train ride will
take place tomorrow.

The government says new
highways will replace

the Newfoundland railway,

including the iconic
Newfoundland b*llet.

I'm going on the last run.

Doing news hits from every stop.

Right across the island and back.

What?

They're taking the trains?

That's highway robbery!

Worse... railway robbery!

Well...

[SWITCHES OFF TV]

People like cars nowadays, Pop.

Time marches on.

"Marches," not "drives"!

MARK: Mom?

We need to go!

Oh, my! Don't you look handsome?

Where the heck are
you going at this hour?

It's almost 6!

He has a high school dance!

It's not just any dance party.

It's a video dance party!

Giant screens playing music videos!

Hosted by a VJ from the mainland!

- What's a VJ?
- You know, from TV. A video DJ.

What's a video DJ?

Someone's trying too hard.

- Video dance party. With a VJ!
- VJ?

Video k*lled the Radio
Star, you traitor!

- What's a GD VJ?!
- [MARY SIGHS]

MIKE JR: Ugh.

What's that, hmm?

- Uh, package for Pop.
- What?

- Yeah, it came to my apartment by mistake.
- Whoa...

All the way from
Newfoundland, New Jersey.

- Oh!
- Mom! Let's go!

Well, that must be Leo's, eh?

ADULT MARK [V.O.]:
Pop's younger brother Leo

had passed away in the States.

This was a gift from beyond the grave.

- Can you read that?
- Mm-hm.

Augh...

Um, "Dear Pat, we don't have much room

since we moved into the home.

Sold off most of Leo's things,

but thought you should have this.

You'll know what to do with it."

Ooh! Oh, look at that vase!

Now, that will bring a
pretty penny, that will!

- Ohh!
- Ahh!

Good God!

Uh, that... that's not
a vase, it's an urn.

To-may-to, to-mah-to.

I think uncle Leo's
ashes are in there, Pop.

So, he left you...

Him.

Ooh... cremation!

I hear it's all the rage.

People are just dying to try it.

[CHUCKLES] Get it?

POP: Pshht... ahh!

Too... too soon?

On the TV!

[MARY GASPS]

- What do you think?
- No! It can't stay there!

Well, what are you gonna do with him?

Get your vacuum and suck him out?

I mean, Leo's family, dead or alive!

I think you're supposed to
spread the ashes, Pop, outside.

Somewhere... meaningful.

Just...

Give it some thought, okay?

MARK: Okay, uh... my jacket!

♪

Hmm... ah.

♪ Step by step! Ooh, baby... ♪

ADULT MARK [V.O.]:
For the first time in my life,

I could dance like no
one was watching...

Because no one was watching me!

All eyes were on the video screen.

The fun of a high school
dance mixed with the danger

of sitting too close to the TV!

SISTER ROSE: You, there!

Step away from the girl!

Leave room for the Holy Spirit!

♪ No one else will ever do ♪

♪ Step by step... ♪

Hey, hey! What is up, Holy Heart?

ADULT MARK [V.O.]:
I couldn't believe my eyes!

A VJ, in all his hair-gelled glory!

VJ: I can't hear you!

- [CROWD CHEERING]
- Yeah!

Who wants a shirt?

- Me!
- [CROWD SHOUTING]

ADULT MARK [V.O.]: I'd never
caught anything in my life,

besides a flu!

Let's get this party started!

♪ Ooh, baby! ♪

♪ Gonna get to you, girl! ♪

♪ Step by step! Ooh, baby... ♪

ADULT MARK [V.O.]: Like Dorothy in Oz,

I was more interested in
the man behind the curtain.

♪

MARK: Hey, I'm Mark Critch!

- Do I know you?
- Maybe. I'm Jack Mullins.

I go here. I just kinda keep to myself.

You play the videos from here? Cool!

Yeah well, my dad owns Newfoundland AV,

so they hired us for sound and stuff.

Now, come check this out.

Cool.

[CHUCKLES] Yeah.

I'm in the entertainment
business, myself.

Really?

Yeah, I'm more front-of-house.

- I'm a comedian.
- Hm.

Hey, did you hear about the comic

that ticked off the sound guy?

- Mm-mm.
- Neither did anybody else.

They turned off his mic.

[CHUCKLES]

FOX: Hey, there you are.

What are you doing back here?

Come on, I wanna dance.

- Uh, chat later.
- Yeah.

Alright, see ya.

FOX: Come on.

Announcer [TV]: Tickets are going fast

for the last run of the
Newfoundland b*llet.

Yes... that's it, Mike!

Mike?

What?

You know, when we were boys, me and Leo,

we used to take the
train to pick berries.

Well, I'm coming with you.

No, no, hang on, Dad, it's a work trip.

You did say, "give it some thought."

[SIGHS]

Fine.

We're just gonna need you to
purchase a couple of tickets.

Leo doesn't need his own ticket, Dad.

Oh, right. [GRUMBLES]

[TV PLAYING IN BACKGROUND]

♪

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Then Kareer Kollege is for you.

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travel and tourism, aviation adjacency,

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[DIALING]

♪

♪ There was always something
more important to do ♪

♪ More important to say... ♪

ADULT MARK [V.O.]:
Fox was the first girl

I ever slow-danced with.

I can still remember
the smell of her shampoo

as her head rested on my shoulder.

It was...

[RULER SLAPS MARK]

All right, Baryshnikov.

Peel yourself off of her.

She doesn't need mouth-to-mouth.

♪

VJ: Alright, that was
the last song, kids!

But woo, that party was wild!

We'll catch you next time!

Closing time!

You don't have to go home,
but you can't stay here!

[SMACKS HAND AGAINST RULER]

[INDISTINCT CHATTER]

- Hey.
- Hey.

Where'd Mark go?

Uh...

Wow. You're pretty good at that.

Mr. Lewis taught me.

- Over and under.
- Hm.

Let's get this stuff in the van.

Wanna get to Bay Roberts by midnight.

Yeah, we booked another gig tomorrow.

It's a wedding.

Speaking of gigs, I have
a couple coming up too.

Uh, may need some AV.
Do you guys have a card?

I mean, we got stickers.

Happy to help.

Come on.

- Have a good one.
- You too.

ADULT MARK [V.O.]: An AV sticker!

The kind bands put on guitar cases.

There was only one place for it.

Right next to the two great Martins,

Dean and Short.

FOX: So, uh...

That was nice.

It was more than nice.

It was...

[PA SYSTEM BEEPS]

SISTER ROSE [PA]:
Would all grade 10 students

come to the gymnasium?

All grade 10s to the gym, immediately.

Now what?

That nun has zero chill.

Mm-hm.

Thousands have come to train their eyes

on the last run of the
Newfoundland b*llet,

as the lonesome howl of its whistle

is soon to become a death rattle...

Alright, that's enough of that.

Here, hold your uncle. Ah...

What's the bucket for?

Oh, pickin' berries.

I didn't wanna waste the trip.

Ah-ha... [KNOCKS]

Damn shame. [KNOCKS]

You did right by us, old girl.

- [SIGHS]
- Here.

Alright, last run for us too, Leo.

All aboard! [BLOWS WHISTLE]

Hey, d'ya mind?

Just having a moment here.

Alright, come on. Alright, Leo...

It's an emotional day.

[POIGNANT MUSIC]

[INDISTINCT CHATTER]

I bet they ban dancing.

SISTER ROSE: Alright, everyone.

This is just like Footloose.

SISTER ROSE: Silence, please.

Father?

Last night, a student
was tragically k*lled.

[STUDENTS GASP]

- MARK: Wha... ?
- Fox: What? Uh...

- A boy.
- STUDENT: Who?

I'm sure many of you know Jack Mullins?

ADULT MARK [V.O.]: Jack.

My friend from the dance.

I never heard of that kid.

You?

I knew him.

FATHER GARCIA:
And now let's bow our heads

in a moment of prayer.

But how?

Excuse me?

No, it's okay.

MARK: I mean...

What's that, Mark?

How... how did he...

ADULT MARK [V.O.]: I couldn't
bring myself to say it.

What... what happened?

There was a car accident.

Last night, after the dance.

It seems the boy and his
father were hit by another car.

The father is still in the hospital,

- but the boy...
- Jack.

His name was Jack.

ADULT MARK [V.O.]:
I tried to picture his face,

but even now, he was barely there.

Jack. Yes, of course.

If anyone would like to talk,

I'll be here for the
rest of the morning.

Dismissed.

[SOMBRE MUSIC]

Are you okay?

No.

Fox?

Can we have a minute?

I'll be at your locker, okay?

Were you two tight?

[EXHALES]

I think it was my fault.

I...

What would you like to be, Mary?

I don't think anyone has ever
asked me that question before.

Have you ever asked yourself?

I feel a bit old for school.

And I don't even know
what course I would take.

You're a seed.

We just don't know what kind of
flower you're going to be yet.

Kareer Kollege is just the
fertilizer you need to grow.

Let's do your Kareer Kolours.

Oh!

What colour is Mary

on the Kareer Kollege spectrum?

MARY: Oh...

[INTRIGUING MUSIC]

Yellow... !

Ooh?

You're a sunflower, Mary.

Oh!

It says here...

That you would thrive...

In the tourism and hospitality sector.

Really?

And hang on a minute...

Yes!

That course starts tonight!

No!

Tonight, Mary.

Oh!

Now, what's all this about?

His dad wanted to leave, but I just...

I asked him a bunch of dumb questions.

If... if they had left
just a minute sooner,

that car would have missed them.

Mark, it's not your fault.

God called him home.

Why would he do that?

Jack was just a kid.

We don't know the reasons, but...

God loved him so much that
he wanted him home with him.

It... it doesn't make sense.

How can a God be so selfish?

Well, I don't know that answer,

but I'm pretty excited to
ask him that myself one day.

I think that's a cop-out, Father.

You two were pretty tight, weren't you?

I didn't really know him at all.

Never even got the chance.

♪

- [ACCORDION MUSIC]
- MAN: Give'r, b'y!

WOMAN: 'Atta boy!

You know... this shouldn't be a party!

This is a wake!

Those people didn't know Leo, Pop.

Not for Leo!

I'm talking about the train.

MAN: Look at his fingers fly!

- [LOUD THUD]
- [PASSENGERS EXCLAIMING]

Now what?

Hey, can you tell us what's going on?

Protestors drove some old
trucks up onto the track.

Without the train,

these people will be
living in a ghost town.

We could be stranded here for the night.

- [PASSENGERS COMPLAINING]
- The night?

Ah, a temporary stay of execution.

[SIGHS] I can't believe
we have to sleep here.

Well, you used to love being
rocked to sleep by the train.

Don't you remember?

We'd take the trouter's special.

You'd pick berries all
day while I fished.

Then you'd sleep the whole way back.

[TRAIN WHISTLE]

Pop [V.O.]: Rocked to sleep
by the Newfoundland b*llet.

They called it the
b*llet as a joke, Pop,

'cause she was so slow!

The bus'll be faster.

Speed's not important.

Not when the whole point
is the getting there.

Well, at least I'll get
a story out of it now.

Oh, I see.

Their loss is your gain, huh?

And what about these poor
buggers that are left behind?

Is that progress too?

Even trains have to move forward, Pop.

Not backwards.

Yeah...

[INDISTINCT CHATTER]

You know, Leo...

You're better company.

[GRUMBLES]

[UPBEAT, INSPIRATIONAL MUSIC]

LINDA: Take your seats, class!
[CLAPS HANDS]

Now, who here can tell me what
hospitality and tourism is?

Anyone?

Um...

Mary!

Well, I wouldn't know, but, um...

I imagine it's everything
from food and beverage service

to working the front desk at a hotel,

to planning tours for come-from-aways?

I-I guess it's...

What you make it, really.

Excellent, Mary.

Seems you know a thing or two already.

Now, let's get the rest
of ye caught up, shall we?

Open your books to page 32,
"Food and beverage service."

[EERIE, SUSPENSEFUL MUSIC]

[SOMBRE ORGAN MUSIC]

Did we even know this kid?

I think he went to our school.

Matt... something?

Guys... it's me!

I-I'm Mark!

I'm alive!

Don't go, please!

No, ah... no!

No, I'm not ready! Nooo!

Pop!

No... [BREATHING FRANTICALLY]

Pop?

Pop... ?

[EXHALES]

ADULT MARK [V.O.]: Maybe I wasn't ready

for my own room after all.

[INDISTINCT CHATTER]

So, ah, what's the word?

She'll be up and running soon.

You wanna stretch your
legs, now's the chance.

[GRUMBLES]

Hey...

Move, move!

Oh, I think I will...

Come on, stretch your legs! Move!

Hey... God, my back!

Ah...

Gaff topsails!

[CHUCKLES]

Any idea where we are?

Oh...

I know exactly where we are.

They could leave without us!

Pop?

Pop!

[SOMBRE ORGAN MUSIC]

ADULT MARK [V.O.]:
I'd been to countless wakes

with my grandfather,

but never one of someone
my own age before.

I'd never been afraid of the dead,

but now I felt as
though death was a cold,

and if I got too close,
I could catch it.

Mark.

Nice of you to come.

You know, you're the first
kid from school to drop in.

Jack's mom was beginning to wonder.

You know, it might be
nice for you to say hi?

Mrs. Mullins?

This is Mark Critch.

He was a friend of Jack's.

Uh, well, I... I wasn't his friend.

I mean, I didn't have the... the honour.

But I think we would have been,

if that makes sense.

I know it doesn't.

I'll leave you two at it.

Do you want to sit?

[ORGAN MUSIC CONTINUES]

I'd like to know more about him,

if that's okay.

Jack...

He loved music.

Him and his dad, they used
to spend hours in the garage,

just tinkering away.

MIKE: Where are we?

POP: Ah...

This!

This is where we used to pick berries!

That train stopping...

[CHUCKLES]

Oh, that was Leo.

Whoa, whoa, what are you doing?

Well, what do ya think? I'm dumping him.

Well, shouldn't ya... I dunno...

Say something first?

[SEAGULLS CALLING]

Leo, um...

I don't know where
the hell ya are, but...

Bad choice of words, ah...

[SIGHS]

Well, it's... it's just me now.

Look, I didn't see much of you, but...

[SIGHS]

I always knew you were there.

And as long as you were alive,
I never really felt alone.

But here I am, standing here,

holding you in a bucket.

[CHUCKLES RUEFULLY] Ah...

Ah...

[SIGHS]

You always were a bit of
a tight-fisted b*stard.

I'm gonna try to remember you as...

[STIFLING SOBS]

... that rosy-cheeked kid

who just loved to pick
berries right here.

I don't have a brother anymore.

But I do have a son.

And grand-sons.

[POIGNANT MUSIC]

So I guess trains have to
go forward, not backwards.

♪

[SIGHS]

[SOUND OF LID UNSCREWING]

POP: Well...

[SIGHS] Last stop, Leo.

Jesus...

Did he put on weight?

[SOUND OF ASHES FALLING]

Ah...

Here.

Just go rinse that out in the pond.

Here. Ah...

I'll go pick some
berries for the ride home.

[POIGNANT MUSIC]

♪

Hey, Mom, I'm starvin'.

Can I have a sandwich?

Make it yourself. I'm doing my homework.

You want one?

Well, that would be nice.

[DISHES CLINKING IN KITCHEN]

ADULT MARK [V.O.]: Eventually,
all things will change.

Sometimes the only way
forward is to let things go,

because the things we carry
with us get too heavy.

The sad parts of life can
change us if you let them.

School dance. Admission one buck.

Yeah, thanks for donating to
the Jack Mullins scholarship.

ADULT MARK [V.O.]: But if you change

the way you look at things,

the things you look at...

Change.

♪

♪

♪

♪