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TRANSCRIPT:
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Scene: Street corner in Shadyside
Stanton: Young Mr. Fallin. (Walking his dog)
Nick: Judge Stanton. (Shakes hands with the Judge)
Stanton: Morning.
Nick: Morning.
Stanton: Live around here?
Nick: Yeah, just around the corner…
Stanton: Me, too. Number 27. (Points to the house across the street) We're neighbors. Nick, I've been meaning to call you.
Nick: Oh, is there something wrong?
Stanton: No, no, no, no. As you know I've been appointed to the Federal bench.
Nick: Yes, I heard. Congratulations.
Stanton: Thank you. So your case is being taken over by Judge Handley. (Dog jumps up on Nick)
Nick: Oh. Oh. (Pushes dog away and brushes off his suit)
Stanton: Whoa. Down boy! Bart, down! You like dogs?
Nick: No.
Stanton: Nicholas, why don't you send the dry-cleaning bill to my office?
Nick: No, no, it's no problem.
Stanton: Nick, I'm really glad things are going so well for you. I'm glad for you and for your dad.
Nick: Yeah. (Nods and walks away)
Stanton: Come on, boy.
Scene: Legal Services of Pittsburgh
Laurie: Ted, just sit down here a minute. Okay?
Alvin: Hey, Laurie. Damn. You look great. What's up?
Laurie: I had to speak at a fund-raising breakfast at the William Penn. I just picked up this kid who's here for a delinquency hearing and I'm pressed for time. Is it okay if we interview him together?
Alvin: Yeah. No problem. Why don't you wait in my office?
Nick: (pouring a cup of coffee) Morning.
Alvin: Ah, listen, I'm going to the 12:30 meeting today. You wanna come?
Nick: (sighs heavily and shrugs)
Alvin: Oh, come on, Nick. It's important.
Nick: (nods, reluctantly)
Alvin: Great. Great. We'll have lunch afterwards. We'll talk about things.
Nick: (Looks steadily at Alvin, then walks off)
Scene shifts to meeting room
Nick: (opens door to meeting room and finds a woman already there) Do I have any appointment with you?
Mrs. McGregor: The receptionist told me to wait in here. It's a very simple thing, really.
Nick: How, how, can I help you, Miss...?
Mrs. McGregor: McGregor. Eight years ago my daughter, Grace, was coming home from school. She got off at her stop a 100 yards from our front door. And, the bus driver closed the door and waved goodbye. She got off at the stop but she never made it home. I looked all over the country for her. I even went to Canada once.
Nick: I'm very sorry, Mrs. McGregor. I just…I don't understand why you're here.
Mrs. McGregor: A few years before she disappeared, Gracie and I were in a car accident. A drunk driver ran a red light and hit us. I wasn't hurt but Gracie broke her arm and her leg.
Nick: Okay.
Mrs. McGregor: The driver's insurance company settled out with us for $95,000, in trust, for Grace.
Nick: Right. So now you want the money.
Mrs. McGregor: My husband died a few years back and I've been making ends meet ever since then but my landlord told me last week that he wants to sell my house. The only way that we can stay is if I buy it outright and I can't get the money to do that unless…unless I….
Nick: Unless you have your daughter declared dead.
Mrs. McGregor: I don't wanna do this but I can't move. When Grace comes home I've got to be there.
Scene shifts to Alvin's office
Ted: I was watching this baseball game, right, and the announcer, he started talking about the confluence of these three great rivers, you know, and how the Indians, even they knew, that it had special powers, so I decided I had to go out and see it for myself.
Alvin: When did you do this?
Ted: It was Tuesday or Saturday. Once I was here I wanted to get a view for the rivers from different parts of the city, you know. So I took the 41C bus 'cross the rivers. It was a beautiful drive. But, the glass, it blocked the water. That's why I had to break the window.
Alvin: It says here that you hit a policeman.
Ted: I didn't wanna get off the bus. They're usually not so mean.
Alvin: You've done this before?
Ted: Only when he tells me to.
Alvin: Who tells you to do this?
Ted: Mr. Whisper. He's kind of a spirit guy that I know.
Alvin: Mr. Whisper.
Ted: Right. He thought the energy, you know, coming from the three rivers, it would be relaxing to me. I think he has a point.
Laurie: Ted, do you ever hear voices of people who aren't there?
Ted: They are there. You just can't see them.
Laurie: Have you ever talked to a psychiatrist?
Ted: Psychiatrist? No ma'am.
Laurie: So, you were in detention at the Shuman Center for nine days?
Ted: Yes.
Laurie: And you never talked to one there.
Ted: No, um, it's not an asylum. It's more like a detention home.
Scene: Police station
Detective: Yeah, Grace McGregor. It's my case. You know, in my line of work, it's always about a gut reaction. But, most of the time when people are missing they're back in a day or two. But, the minute that lady walked in, I knew that kid was gone.
Nick: And the investigation?
Detective: Well, it's still open, technically. We chased down hundreds of leads. The FBI's working with us, but we're not gonna find her. This is a nightmare. Missing little girl on her way home from school.
Nick: Suspects?
Detective: Everyone.
Nick: Including Mrs. McGregor?
Detective: No one just drops off the face of the earth.
Nick: You did investigate her?
Detective: Yeah. Responsible. No incidents in the past. No problems with drugs. At one point, between us and the Feds, we had six full-time guys on this. We searched all over Western Pennsylvania. We asked all the hard questions, but nothing. Not a moment of hope in this one. She wants to put this behind her?
Nick: Yeah.
Detective: Okay. I'll put out one last notice, world-wide, and close it.
Nick: Okay.
Detective: Tell Janine, you tell her she's in my prayers.
Nick: Okay.
Scene: Legal Services of Pittsburgh—Alvin's office
Alvin: Why isn't he at Southwestern Psych?
Laurie: I don't think he's ever been examined.
Alvin: And, this is a delinquency hearing?
Laurie: They're throwing the book at him. Assault, battery and interfering with a police action. They probably looked in his files, saw all that petty crime and decided --'repeat offender'.
Alvin: Okay. Okay. I'll represent him.
Laurie: Good.
Scene: On the street following an AA/NA meeting
Alvin: I'm not a person who likes to face my problems head-on. (Chuckles) Never have been. You know? So, about me sponsoring you, I don't want you to hesitate. Call day or night. Or drop by. You got all my numbers, right?
Nick: Yeah.
Alvin: I had some slips when I started out. (Chuckles) A lot of slips.
Nick: Alvin, we got drunk together about three months ago.
Alvin: Yeah, well, yeah. Uh, all I'm saying is you can tell me anything.
Nick: Thanks. You know, I'm gonna have to skip lunch… (Indicates his watch) I got a lot…ah…
Alvin: Wait, wait. I got you something. A book.
Nick: Oh. Sane and Sober. Well, thanks. Thanks. (Turns and walks off)
Alvin: Hey, it's a good book.
Nick turns back and nods.
Scene: Legal Services of Pittsburgh—meeting room
Nick: You understand that there's a statute that allows a judge to declare a person dead if that person has been missing for more than seven years. Now, in order for you to get the money, the corpus of the trust must become part of Grace's estate and then it will pass, under the rules of intestacy, to you.
Mrs. McGregor: We never even had a funeral.
Nick: So, I'll see you tomorrow morning at the courthouse; outside Courtroom 201; 9 o'clock.
Scene: Street corner in Shadyside—after dark
Stanton: Young Mr. Fallin. Don't think I've just been walking my dog all day.
Nick: No, I'm sure you haven't. (slight chuckle)
Stanton: No, my new hours are better.
Nick: So I see.
Stanton: Hey, how are things at Legal Services? (Nick nods.) You know I worked for Legal Aid. I mean, it was the best three years of my working life. I mean, I've been all over the system with private practice, not-for-profit, State judge and now Federal judge. And the best part of the work? It's not about making the decisions; it's about the people I met along the way, the things that they've shown me about this life.
Nick acknowledges the judge with a nod and starts to move away—Bart cozies up to him and he backs off. Judge Stanton laughs and pulls at Bart's leash.
Stanton: He likes you.
Nick: Yeah, a little too much.
Stanton: Yeah. Nicholas. Your father is one of the best lawyers I've known and when he talks to me about you he tells me that you're ten times the lawyer he'll ever be.
Nick: He does?
Stanton: So what do ya think, man? Do you think you're gonna be that good?
Scene: Courthouse corridor
Nick: (on cell-phone) Mrs. McGregor, this is Nicholas Fallin. I understand that you may have second thoughts about this but I can't wait here any longer. As soon as you get this message, call me back.
Alvin: Nick, your hearing is canceled.
Nick: Why?
Alvin: Please call Janine McGregor. Her daughter Grace was found alive in Holland. The Dutch Government put her on a flight back home early this morning.
Scene: Mrs. McGregor's house
Mrs. McGregor: Oh, Mr. Fallin. What brings you over?
Nick: Well, I have some paperwork of yours to return.
Mrs. McGregor: Oh, yes. Well, please come in. Please. I want you to meet Grace. I was just making some tea. Would you like some?
Nick: No, thank you.
Mrs. McGregor: Soda?
Nick: Sure. Please. (Nick looks over a wall of pictures of the missing girl while he waits)
Mrs. McGregor: Here ya go. (Hands him his drink)
Nick: Thank you. (Takes a sip)
Mrs. McGregor: (Motions to the sofa)
Nick: No, I'm fine, thank you.
Mrs. McGregor: She's been sleeping. She's so exhausted.
Nick: I'm sure.
Mrs. McGregor: In a way, I have you to thank for this.
Nick: Me?
Mrs. McGregor: Yes. If you hadn't filed the paperwork then the police would never have sent out that notice and if that hadn't happened then Grace would never have come home to me.
Nick: Mrs. McGregor, a couple of things.
Mrs. McGregor: Yes?
Nick: By law, the FBI and the police can't investigate the veracity of a returned missing person unless the parent orders forensic tests; fingerprints, blood tests.
Mrs. McGregor: Mr. Fallin, I understand your concern but this is Grace. I'm her mother.
Nick: Well…
Mrs. McGregor: I know my daughter.
Nick: Well, I just...to make sure.
Grace walks into the room.
Mrs. McGregor: And there she is. Grace. Mr. Fallin this is Grace. Grace…oh, I don't know your first name.
Nick: Nick.
Grace: Grace.
Nick: It's amazing that you're back. One more day and you would have missed your own death.
Grace: I'm gonna go get something to eat, Ma.
Mrs. McGregor: Okay, sweetheart.
Grace: I'm still so tired.
Mrs. McGregor: Yes, get something to eat and then get some more sleep. (Sighs) The bank wants some ID before we can get the money. They want an affi…
Nick: Affidavit. It's just a statement to verify her identity.
Mrs. McGregor: Can you help me with that?
Nick: Yeah, sure.
Mrs. McGregor: Thank you.
Scene: Courtroom—hearing for Ted
Barry Cohen: Your Honor, since his initial arrest in March, Ted Popper's been evicted from four group homes. I don't see why we should be forced to gamble on a fifth. He belongs in lock-up.
Alvin: Judge Damsen, Ted does not need punishment. He needs psychiatric treatment.
Barry Cohen: Which he will receive in juvenile detention.
Alvin: May I put Ted on the stand? (Ted takes the stand) Ted, could you tell us why you walked out of your last group home?
Ted: Mr. Whisper told me to, sir.
Alvin: And can you tell us who Mr. Whisper is?
Ted: He would be a water sprite, sir.
Alvin: Who lives in your head?
Ted: Yes, sir.
Alvin: Thanks. No further questions.
Barry Cohen: Ted, do you know what a police officer looks like?
Ted: Yes, sir. He wears a brown or a blue uniform. Sometimes a special hat and, of course, a badge and a gun.
Barry Cohen: That's correct. Ted, is it right or wrong to hit a police officer?
Ted: It's wrong, sir. It's very, very wrong.
Barry Cohen: No further questions. Your Honor, Ted may have problems but he's absolutely culpable for the assault.
Alvin: Judge Damsen. The facts speak for themselves.
Judge Damsen: What's your recommendation, Counselor?
Alvin: He should be in a mental health facility.
Barry Cohen: As a reward for hitting a cop?
Alvin: For testing.
Judge Damsen: We need a psychiatric record to commit him involuntarily.
Barry Cohen: Why can't he be examined in a detention center?
Alvin: Please do the examination before sending him there, Your Honor.
Judge Damsen: (short deliberation) Ted Popper shall be placed in another group home until an initial psychiatric examine can be arranged.
Scene: Police Station
Detective: I interviewed her.
Nick: What's her story?
Detective: She says she was kidnapped and taken to Europe, of all places. Part of a pedophile ring.
Nick: You believe her?
Detective: She gave an incredibly detailed account of her kidnapping and repeated rape.
Nick: I wanna know if you believe her.
Detective: Janine McGregor believes she's her daughter. That's all that matters here.
Nick: Janine McGregor wants to believe that Grace is still alive.
Detective: We all agree that we're probably looking at fraud here.
Nick: Okay.
Detective: I mean, this happened before. Someone gets hold of a missing person's report and impersonates the disappeared.
Nick: Can't you force them to give fingerprints or blood tests?
Detective: Legally, no. Not unless we think the girl's gonna commit a future crime. And then we can get a court order for the test.
Nick: Stealing $95,000 from a desperate mother isn't a future crime?
Detective: She hasn't done that.
Nick: Not yet.
Scene: Shadyside
Nick is walking home. Bart runs up to him with his leash dragging.
Nick: Good dog. Good dog. What are you doing here?
Nick takes the leash and walks Bart across the street to Judge Stanton's house.
Nick: C'mon. Good boy.
Nick knocks on Judge Stanton's door, then dials his number on his cell-phone. He leaves message.
Nick: Judge Stanton. This is Nicholas Fallin. I found your dog, Bart, on the street. I'm gonna tie him to the front rail to your house. Just... yeah, call me, when you get this message, at my office. (To Bart) Okay, now, you stay there. Stay there! Stay there!
Scene: Fallin & Associates—Burton's office
Nick: Dad, I just need a couple signatures.
Burton: (sitting on his desk with his back to the door) Rick Stanton was walking his dog this morning. He had a heart-attack. In critical condition. I don't think he's gonna make it. (Voice cracks with emotion)
Nick: Excuse me. Excuse me. (Backs out of office)
Scene: Outside Judge Stanton's house
Nick: Good dog, good. (Nick unties Bart and tugs on his leash) C'mon. C'mon. C'mon. C'mon, dog. Good. Good, dog.
Scene: Fallin & Associates
Nick takes Bart through the foyer and into his office.
Nick: No one comes in here, ever. Okay? So you behave yourself. Don't go on the furniture. No furniture! That's good. I'm gonna get someone to bring you some food and some water and we'll find a place for you to live. Okay. Good dog. Okay. Don't go potty.
Scene: Mrs. McGregor's house
Nick: The Notary is on the way. And once you sign this, the bank will accept Grace as your daughter and free the funds.
Mrs. McGregor: Thank you.
Nick: Are you sure you wanna do this?
Mrs. McGregor: I've heard what some people say about Grace coming home but, Mr. Fallin, even if it's just for the money, it got her back here.
Nick: And you're certain she's your daughter?
Mrs. McGregor: She's my Gracie. She is. Hello, sweetheart. Did you get some sleep?
Grace: Yeah, Mom.
Mrs. McGregor: I was just making some tea. Do you want some?
Grace: Sure, yeah.
Nick: So, you were in Amsterdam? It must have been terrible. Where did you live in Amsterdam?
Grace: I lived a lot of places. Usually they had me locked up in hotel rooms but I lived all over Europe. If you need to know.
Nick: You know, I visited the doctor that treated you after your car accident. He has a nice set of x-rays. He said that you can always see where a bone was fractured, even nine years later. And, when the Notary gets here, before you sign this document, he's gonna have to fingerprint you, and they're gonna run those fingerprints…
Mrs. McGregor: Get out!
Nick: Mrs. McGregor.
Mrs. McGregor: Get out of my house!
Nick: Mrs. McGregor. I am sorry. I'm just trying to…
Mrs. McGregor: She's suffered enough. Get out!
Scene: Legal Services of Pittsburgh—Alvin's office
Laurie: Ted Popper just got kicked out of another group home. We have to get over to court. There's an emergency shelter hearing.
Alvin: What happened?
Laurie: He was sitting in the corner of his room with a towel over his head. One of the counselors tried to make him take it off.
Alvin: And?
Laurie: He hit him. He broke his nose.
Alvin: What about the mother?
Laurie: We finally got hold of her.
Alvin: And?
Laurie: She's coming in but she doesn't want her son back. (They get on the elevator as Mrs. McGregor steps off)
Mrs. McGregor: I'm sorry, Mr. Fallin, for yelling. I'm sorry.
Nick: It's okay.
Mrs. McGregor: I know you're just being cautious.
Nick: What can I help you with?
Mrs. McGregor: Um, it's about Grace's trust. They're giving us some problems. They don't want to give us the money. (Hands Nick a large envelope)
Nick: Just come in here. (Enters the meeting room) Take a seat. (Nick sits and Mrs. McGregor remains standing) Their legal obligation is to Grace. Because she's missing they are legally obliged to investigate.
Mrs. McGregor: But, I thought that was what the affidavit was for.
Nick: No, that's just your word. And that would be enough if the circumstances weren't so suspicious. But this form says that they need a heel print for Grace.
Mrs. McGregor: Well, but she has the same birthmark and the same scars.
Nick: Well, the bank might be thinking that you can tattoo those marks on your body.
Mrs. McGregor: Why would she do that?
Nick: Mrs. McGregor. You listed all of those features on her missing person's report. You published that information all over the world. Ask her for the heel print. If she's your daughter, then it shouldn't be a problem.
Scene: Hospital—Judge Stanton's room
Intercom: Dr. Rosensweig to CCU. Dr. Rosensweig to CCU.
Stanton: Burton.
Burton: Hey, Rick. How're ya feeling? Oh, my son wanted to tell you that he found your dog. He wants to know what the hell we should do with him.
Stanton: Feed him twice a day, lots of exercise.
Burton: I don't think he meant… (Pause) I'll tell him. (Tears well up in his eyes and his voice cracks with emotion) I just came by... wanted to tell you, thank you for what you did for Nick.
Stanton: Burton…
Burton: Well, anyone else would have thrown the book at him, I know that. I don't know whether you just saw something in him or whether you were just trying to do a favor for a friend or…
Stanton: I didn't do him any favors.
Burton: Nick doesn't respond real well to authority. I don't know whether you knew that or not but I do know that if you had come down with a different sentence…he may have fallen apart.
Stanton: Burton, you're a good man.
Burton: Thanks.
Stanton: You're a great lawyer. But you could do more.
Burton: Excuse me?
Stanton: You could do more.
Scene: Courtroom
Alvin: (Addresses questions to Mrs. Popper on the stand) Mrs. Popper. Would you consider putting Ted in a psychiatric facility?
Mrs. Popper: He isn't crazy. He's damaged.
Alvin: Damaged.
Mrs. Popper: His step-dad, when he was a boy, did some terrible things to him. He's been strange ever since.
Alvin: Mrs. Popper. He hears voices.
Mrs. Popper: I know. Because of that, I don't think he should be in a place where that kind of behavior's allowed. Once he's in a mental home, he'll get used to acting like that. Least on the outside, he knows it's not right.
Alvin: What do you think they're gonna do to him in a psychiatric facility?
Mrs. Popper: They won't treat him like a normal person. That's the point. Plus, they'll keep him as long as they want.
Alvin: Until he's better.
Mrs. Popper: That could mean forever.
Alvin: I have no further questions, Your Honor. (Mrs. Popper leaves the witness stand) Your Honor, I request for the second time that Mr. Popper be given a full psychiatric examination before we make any recommendation.
Barry Cohen: You have to consider the well-being of the other children in a group home.
Laurie: So you want to hand it off to the delinquency system and they'll hand it off to corrections and at the end of the day you'll take this kid, who we all know needs treatment, and punish him.
Barry Cohen: Your Honor, we have to make a choice from the available, lawful options.
Laurie: If Ted gets into a delinquency facility it will take weeks or months for him to get out. Then he'll have to go through a whole other round of hearings before he gets help. Your Honor, we see hundreds of kids like this every year. And, what is our solution? Punishment—definitely! Treatment—only if it's convenient!
Judge Damsen: We cannot commit Ted without a psychiatric record or parental consent. And he's already been rejected by the most restrictive shelter setting available. I have no choice but to transfer him to a detention facility for juvenile offenders and make them aware of the suspicions that Mr. Popper suffers from a mental illness.
Laurie: You want to surround a mentally ill kid, who's probably been abused, with molesters and drug dealers?
Judge Damsen: No more than I want to subject children in an adolescent shelter to the outbursts of a violence-prone child!
Laurie quickly leaves courtroom—Alvin follows.
Alvin: Laurie, wait!
Laurie: Barry Cohen is the most stubborn, wrong-headed attorney in the entire system.
Alvin: It's not his fault.
Laurie: You saw it.
Alvin: It's the law. It's not the lawyer's.
Laurie: Oh, please!
Alvin: No, it's the system, Laurie. A child doesn't come into court unless he's committed a crime. Or if he's in need of shelter. There's no place for a child with mental illness issues.
Laurie: Do you want to do something about it?
Alvin: Me?
Laurie: What time do you get off work?
Alvin: 6:00.
Laurie: I'll meet you at your office.
Alvin: Tonight?
Laurie: Do you have something more important to do?
Scene: Mrs. McGregor's house
Grace is providing footprint.
Technician taking print: Alright. That's it.
Mrs. McGregor: (laughs) This reminds me of when you were a baby.
Nick: Well, the place looks different.
Mrs. McGregor: Yes. We took down all the pictures, all the clippings and took all of Grace's old stuff from when she was a little girl and put it in the crawl-space.
Nick: It looks good.
Mrs. McGregor: Thank you.
Nick: I hope it works out. For both of you, I hope it works out.
Mrs. McGregor: Thank you, Mr. Fallin.
Nick: Good luck with the test.
Scene: Hospital—Judge Stanton's room
Nick: (at Judge Stanton's bedside, with Bart) Judge Stanton. Judge.
Stanton: Huh?
Nick: Your dog's here. Bart. They let me bring him up here to see you.
Stanton: Hey, Bart. Hey, boy. How are you? Ah…
Nick leaves Bart in the room and goes into the hallway.
Scene: A meeting room at Legal Services of Pittsburgh—after hours
Laurie: (on the phone) Mark, I know it's a little bit late and I apologize but I'd really appreciate it if you'd call the Mayor for us on this.
Alvin: (on the phone Laurie's talking into) And maybe tomorrow you call Dale in the DA's office. We spoke to him earlier. He was very receptive to the idea.
Laurie: Yeah, Dale has a cousin with Asperser's Syndrome…
Alvin: (answers another phone) Hello?
Laurie: …last year. Tell him to support…
Alvin: Right. Kids who have mental illness issues are twice as likely to have drug problems.
Laurie: …and please come on Thursday. We'll have briefing packets.
Alvin: Hey, listen, I'm gonna fax you back…
Laurie: Okay, Mark. Yeah. Alright, sweetie. Bye Bye.
Alvin: Aw, thanks. Please come to the meeting on Thursday. Aah.
Laurie: Tim… (At the blackboard)
Alvin: It's nearly 10:00 o'clock, Laurie. I don't think we should be waking anybody else up.
Laurie: Did you hear Councilwoman Hisserich? She'd already heard. Alvin, I think this issue is ripe.
Alvin: You've done this before, haven't you?
Laurie: Yeah. I phone-banked for McGovern, Mondale and Michael Dukakis.
Alvin: I chaired the Pittsburgh campaign for nuclear disarmament and I worked for two years to raise funds to pass the Equal Rights Amendment.
Laurie: We are 0 for 5.
Alvin: No. The ERA passed in Pennsylvania.
Laurie: That's right.
Alvin: Ah. Wanna grab a bite to eat?
Laurie: I already ate. Have a drink with you though.
Alvin: I'll tell you what. You drink and I'll eat.
Laurie: Okay.
Scene: Hospital—Judge Stanton's room
Nick is sitting in the hallway outside Stanton's room entering data in his PDA.
Nurse: Code Blue—Room 734. Code Blue—Room 734.
Doctor: Get that dog outta here. (Moves emergency equipment into Stanton's room) Charge the paddles—200.
Nick stands out of the way—alarmed—sees Bart come to the door of Stanton's room with his head hanging.
Nurse: Clear. Alright, put it up to 260. Clear.
Doctor: 300.
Scene: Fallin & Associates
Nick places flyers about Bart in several in-boxes—hands remaining stack to Lauren.
Nick: Lauren. Put one of these in each in-box, please. (Enters Burton's office)
Burton: Hey.
Nick: How are ya?
Burton: Well… (Sighs) Not getting off to a real good start today.
Nick: Yeah.
Burton: Probably the best friend I ever had.
Nick: Yep.
Burton: I was lying awake this morning thinking about everything. I could hardly breathe. I don't think I ever gave a lot of thought to the choices I made. I'm not even real sure I've ever done anything worth a damn.
Nick: You built this place.
Burton: No, that's just a firm, Nicholas. That's a bunch of lawyers trying to make a profit. That's…
Nick: No, you help people.
Burton: Well…even wondering about that. (Sighs) Let me ask you something, Nick. Did…hey… Sit down. Tell me this. When you do your work over there with Alvin, don't you feel a little differently?
Nick: How? How so?
Burton: I've been watching you. You're different. You know what it's like? It's like you put more of your soul into it; not so much of your mind, but your soul.
Nick: I…don't know.
Burton: No, I've seen it, Nick. And I think it's because you have a sense that you're being of service. I realize you're being forced to do that, but I think that's what it is. Of service. I'm beginning to wonder if everybody ought to do that from time to time, somewhere in their life.
Scene: Legal Services of Pittsburgh—meeting room
Nick: Mrs. McGregor. The results from the heel test. They're unopened. (Lays the envelope on the table)
Mrs. McGregor: We took a long walk today. I told Gracie all the things I wanted to tell her. How much I love her. What it was like all those years that she was gone. How we used to talk about when she would grow up and go to college and become a veterinarian and get married. I could tell, on the way home, I could tell that Gracie didn't remember any of it.
Nick: Okay. (Long pause) I'll call the police.
Scene: In Nick's car in front of Mrs. McGregor's house
City bus stops at opposite corner and Grace boards.
Nick: There she is. (Removes seat belt and prepares to get out of the car)
Mrs. McGregor: Let her go.
Scene: Meeting room somewhere in Legal Services building
Alvin: They already have mental health courts in 5 other states. It's not a new idea.
Laurie: Just a good one. We all know kids who fall through the cracks. Kids who have died waiting for psychiatric treatment. And we're just saying…
Alvin: …frame the problem. Study the existing solutions in other states and then…
Laurie: …figure out how to do it here in Pittsburgh. We've been doing all the talking. Anybody have any questions?
Judge Damsen: What can we do to help make this a reality?
Scene: Legal Services of Pittsburgh
(Alvin & Laurie exit the elevator)
Laurie: Alvin, they believe in us. People kept asking, when's the first task force meeting, offering to do whatever they could to make it happen.
Alvin: I'm cautiously optimistic.
Laurie: Screw cautious. Be recklessly optimistic. Just for once.
Alvin: Yeah?
Laurie: Yeah. (Alvin kisses Laurie—phones rings)
Alvin: Hello. Ah, yeah, Congressman. Ah…sure I have a moment. Yeah…'course I'm serious about this. Sure I am. Can you please hold on a second, Congressman? Thank you.
Laurie: (walks to the elevator) See you tomorrow.
Alvin: Where you going?
Laurie: Home.
Alvin: I'll call ya.
Laurie: Okay.
Scene: Fallin & Associates—Nick's office
Burton knocks on Nick's door.
Burton: Hey.
Nick: Come in.
Burton: Son, did you find a home for that dog yet?
Nick: No, not yet.
Burton: It's a beautiful dog.
Nick: Yeah.
Burton: So, Nicholas. What would you think if I stepped down from the firm?
Nick: What?
Burton: I'm…thinking about the bench.
Nick: (exhales heavily and leans back in his chair) You wanna be a judge?
Burton: (chuckles) I don't know. Hell, I'm getting too old to handle this pace here. And, I think there're a couple people who could step up and take the ball.
Nick: (leans forward—arms on his desk) I think you'd make an excellent judge.
Burton: Yeah, maybe. Just thinking out loud. Yeah, just thinking out loud. I'll see ya tomorrow.
Scene: Courtroom
Nick: The facts are simple, Your Honor. Grace McGregor was born January 16th, 1984. February 9th, 1994, she got off her bus on West End Road. After that she was not seen or heard from again. By Pennsylvania law, her date of death should be February 9th, 2001—seven years after her disappearance.
Judge: I hereby grant the petition and declare the date of death as February 9th, 2001. God bless you and your family.
Mrs. McGregor: Thank you, Mr. Fallin.
Nick: I didn't do anything.
Scene: Juvenile Detention Facility
Alvin: Ted. Ted. Ted. It's Laurie and Alvin. What happened to ya, Ted?
Ted: Some kids hit me. They didn't like Mr. Whisper. Can I go home now?
Alvin: Ted. As soon as we can arrange it, a doctor's gonna come here and ask you some questions.
Ted: I don't wanna talk to a doctor.
Alvin: Listen to me, Ted. He can help you get outta here. He'll make a report. And, as soon as that…
Ted: After that, I can go home?
Alvin: As soon as that happens, we can get you in a facility where you can get the help you need.
Ted: I don't want that. (Tugs at his hair) I want to go home. I wanna go home. I wanna go home. I wanna go home. I wanna go home. I wanna go home.
Scene: Fallin & Associates—Nick's office
Man: We already have a yellow Lab at home. She's three and a half and a really good dog. We've got three kids, all of them great with animals, and an acre of property.
Nick: Well, I'm sure Bart will be very happy with you.
Man: He's a beautiful dog.
Nick: Okay. Well, his tags are on his collar. This is his leash. Barbara, Judge Stanton's secretary, has the number for the vet and they have all Bart's papers.
Man: Great. Great. Hey, hey, Bart, how ya doing? (Attaches Bart's leash) Okay, Okay. Alright. Yeah. Alright.
Nick: Ah, you may wanna take this. (Offers the bag of dog food)
Man: Oh, we're set for that.
Nick: Well, he really likes this one.
Man: We've got plenty at home.
Nick: C'mon Bart. Let's go.
Man: Bye, Bart. (Tosses dog food into the waste basket)
(Burton knocks on Nick's door and pokes his head in)
Nick: Yeah.
Burton: Hey. The funeral's tomorrow.
Nick: Okay.
Burton: Okay.
Nick: Dad. Come in. I just wanted to say, about Judge Stanton, uh, he…
Burton: Oh, son. Thank you, I mean, really thank you for that but it's… (Sighs heavily) He was just a good man, you know, a good friend to us, certainly. Well, have you met the new judge, Handley?
Nick: Not yet.
Burton: Supposed to be a real tough ass.
Nick: Yeah, I heard.
Burton: Yeah, okay.
Nick: So, Stanton put your name up for his nomination to the Federal bench.
Burton: Yeah. He called Congressman Walters the day he died.
Nick: What do ya think?
Burton: Ah, I don't know. It's Federal, son. I'm not real sure they're looking for a guy like me.
Nick: Well, I wouldn't say that.
Burton: Well, I've taken a lot from the law. I'm not so sure I've put a lot back into it.
Nick: Well, that's not true.
Burton: (Chuckes) Well, you're my son. You have a right to believe differently.
Scene: Shadyside—after dark
Nick is walking home and hears Bart whine—he walks across the street.
Nick: What are you doing here? He's gone, Bart. He's gone. He's not coming back. He's not…he's not coming back. (Turns to leave—Bart whines—he turns back and motions with his head—Bart follows)
FADE OUT as Bart followed Nick home.
END OF EPISODE
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