"Yes." "Collect call from Zoe, would you accept the charges?" "Yes, I accept the charges." "Daddy?" "It's me." "How are you doing?" "Hi, fine." "That's great." "Where are you?" "What's that sound?" "I'm in a car wash." "I've never talked with you on a car wash before!" "." "Make sure you got all the windows rolled up." "Remember the time that we were in the car wash." "And I started playing with the automatic window." "How old was I, daddy?" "Five or six?" "I've got absolutely soaked, remember?" "Why are you calling me Zoe?" "Why am I calling you?" "You're my father." "What, I'm not supposed to call you?" "What's the matter with wanting to talk with you daddy?" "Nothing is wrong with trying to talk with me, Zoe." "Then what's the problem?" "The problem is the problem is I don't know with who I'm talking right now!" "." "Oh!" "'Cause you think I'm stoned, daddy?" "Is that what you're thinking?" "You think I've got a needle stuck in my arm?" "Are you thinking that I've scored, daddy?" "That I'm humbling fo money?" "That I'm begging?" "God, I can't fucking believe this." "Daddy?" "Are you listen to me?" "Daddy?" "Daddy?" "Yes?" "Why can't you talk to me?" "Because I need to know what state you are in Zoe." "For I know how to talk with you." "Let's go!" "Daddy!" "Speak a little softer and look a little louder" "And shoot less with more care and sing a little sweeter and look a little longer and soon you will be there." "Here, all we have here is sky." "How the sky is, is blue." "How the blue is, is one more, more colour one more colour," "one more colour." "Now." " That was great." " Really?" "You're going to blow everyone away." " You mean it?" " Of course." "You don't sound like you're completely sure." "I am, really." "Really." "You was all some." "I'm so happy daddy." "Let's get some ice cream daddy." "Operator?" "Yes, go ahead, please." "I seem to be in a strange situation." "I'm calling from my car... and I appeared to be stuck in a car wash." "A car wash?" "Right, a car wash." "Can you speak a little louder, please Sr." "Sorry Sr. I'm losing you again." "Ok, here we are!" "Everybody out!" "Come on, quickly now." "T ogether around." "Come on, everybody." "Come on quickly!" "We haven't got all day." "Now I want you to listen to me." "What is it?" "Just the way Dolores gets so excited with the kids." "Rule number one..." "It's like the biggest thing on her life." "No sticking your fingers in any other cages." "Heidy, this applies to you." "And Shane get back here please." "I don't care how cute some of this animals may be." "The fact is that they don't like being here." "No matter how many ribbons they may have won." "Rule number two..." "Hey Sam, hey Nicole." "Rule number two:" "No kicking, pushing, shoving or biting." "Rule number three:" "older kids, you look after the younger kids." "If any of you get lost you come here to the red lady." "I will find you!" "Rule number four:" "Winkle your nose and have fun." "Hello." "It's raining outside?" "No..." "I had an accident." "Do you have a room?" "Will you be spending more than a night?" "Hard to say, I could have some visitors." "Are you a reporter?" "No, Sr." "You're here about the accident?" "Yes, I'm a lawyer." "I realize this is a awful time, but it's important that we talk." "Kyle Lansdom is a drunk!" "Nobody likes him, he's a nasty piece of work." "In what way?" "He's been drinking since High School." "Fucked himself up." "Used to be smart enough." "Any criminal records?" "Probably, at Ieast half of a dozen traffic convictions." "Drunk driving." "Lost his license, that's why he don't work no more." "Can't get of that shitty dump he lives on." "Whenever the money does come in goes the booze." "How is the family survive?" "I don't know." "Church charity, Well-Fare food bank." "They scrape the pot." "And...what about Dora?" "Doreen, she was a friend of mine." "When was that?" "At school." "She fell for Kyle just before we graduated." "She got pregnant." "Moved into a trailer, up the wood lot Kyle's dad used to own." "Kyle started spending more and more time at the "Spread Eagle"." "That's the local bar." "Coming home drunk, felling trapped by his life, I guess and... blaming her for that and..." "And..." "And...and he beat her!" "He beat her?" "Yes." "You see, to do this right, to actually have a chance of winning, of getting some money, to compensate you for the lost of your boy." "We need folks like you." "Sensitive, loving parents with no criminal backgrounds." "No history of trouble in the town." "Do you understand?" "Yes." "Now, this people that you told me about, those kids were killed." "Who do you consider to be good upstanding neighbors?" "People who will help us in our cause." "There's the Hamiltons." "Joe and Shelley Hamilton." "Yeah right!" "Everybody knows that Joey steal antiques from some cottages and sells them to dealers in the city." "He's been doing thatfor years." "That's great Wendell." "That's exactly what I need to know, so it won't come back to haunt our case." "There is Mr. Prescott." "You know how much money he owns to the bank?" "He's about to lose his house... he's about to lose his car..." "Charlene..." "Charlene is over "Spread Eagle" every other night." "She sleeps with whoever she can get her hands on." "She go down for a pad on her head or a fistful of peanutts." "Forget the Atwaters and Biladows they are all in breed." "The Ottos." "Tell me about the Ottos." "Wanda and Hartley." "They lost "Bear", He was their adopted son." "He was a beautiful boy." "He was Indian." "That's good." "Judges like adopted indian boys." "Tell me more about the Ottos." "They're smart, they've been to college, and moved here from the city about a dozen years ago." " What do they do?" " Crafts." "Wanda does this photographic things." "That's one of hers, right here on the wall." " They probably smoke weed." " You don't know that!" " They've been busted?" " No." "You don't know!" "That's what it is." "You don't know." "I'm sorry." "Excuse me." "Yes?" "!" "Collect call from Zoe, would you accept the charges?" "Yes, I accept the charges." "Do you mind if I step outside for a moment." "It's a private call." "Zoe?" "Where are you, darling?" "Oh, shut up!" "Yes, I am listening." "Shutyour big fat mouth." "No, of course I'm being sincere." "I understand what you saying." "In fact... in fact that you Iike the doctor." "It's half the battle." " Shut up." " please." " I'm jealous of what?" " I am smarter than you." "Smarter than me?" "Like the Ottos are smart too!" "Did you hear what that man said?" " He said, good Wendell!" " I will do it in ten minutes." "Shut up." "Yes, Sr?" "Hi, I can't get any sound." "Here, I get you another pair." "Here, you can have mine." "allison O'Donnell." "I was a friend of Zoe's." "We used to go to scholl together." "I used to come to your house." "ally." "My nickname is ally." "ally?" "Right, right." " How are you?" " I'm justfine." "How about you?" "I'm fine." "I'm still working with my father." "Right." "What's he do again?" "He use to work with you." "You guys used to be partners." "allison?" "How is Mrs. Stevens?" "She's justfine, we're not together anymore." "Yeah, I heard that." "But she's well?" "Yeah." "And Zoe?" "How is Zoe?" "Oh, you bea me to it, here we go." "Good morning Wanda!" "Hey Hartley." " Hi Dolores!" " Good morning Dolores." "Beautiful snow we're having ain't it Dolores?" "Is just a flurry, It's totally clear up ahead." "That's good." " Look!" " What's that you got there?" " What do you think?" "It's certainly what I call interesting." "You hated." "No, no I didn't say that." "I could wrap it up to protect the children." "I could just strap it up to the roof." "There's an idea." "Come on give me a break it's for the School bazaar." "It's bizarre alright." "Come on "Bear" lets get you out of here." "Go on "Bear", away from your crazy mother." "That's right." "I see you Wanda!" "Bye Hartley." "The Ottos always waited for the bus with "Bear"." "They were the only parents who did that." "Together..." "like that." "I guess they were what you might call hippies." "What do you mean by that Mrs. Driscoll?" "Dolores." "No one ever calls me Mrs. Driscoll." "What do you mean by that Dolores?" "About the Ottos?" "What exactly do you mean by hippies?" "I mean, the way they look." "Their hair and clothing." "Do they have any reputation for drugs?" "No, nothing like that." "The Ottos...are what I will call model citizens." "They are regular at town meetings." "They give their opinion in a respectful way." "They...help at various fund raising bazaars." "They are in church course." "And they love "Bear"?" "Oh yes, It's like he's their little treasure." "He's such a beatiful boy." "There's a picture of him on the wall over there, just beside Abbot." "Those were all taken at the fair last year," "Abbot and me we were judges at the Pet Shop." "For rabbits." "Abbot used to breed them 'till he had the stroke." ""Bear" won the first prize." "Just look at the smile on his face." "He's one of those children who bring out the best in people." "He would've made a wonderful man." "Billy started honking at us up around Upperhat Creek." "He always started to do that when he caught up to the bus." "He would wave at his kids Jessica and Mason." "They always sat in the back." "Billy loved to see his kids in the bus." "Normaly, he would follow us the whole distance... passed the bridge ... towards the school." "Are you saying that Billy was driving behind the bus at the time of the accident?" "Y eah." "From what?" " I get the tray." " Thank you." "Did he have any particular problems that you knew of?" "Financial pressures?" "Runnings with the Iaw?" "No..no..." "No!" "Nothing like that!" "Billy's wife Lydia, God rest her." "She died of cancer a few years back." "She was a wonderfull woman, a great mom." "Warm, loving, she had a beautiful voice." "She used to sing in the church choir." "Anyway..." "Billy took over raising the kids by himself." "It was obvious how much he missed Lydia." "Hello." "Hey Risa." "Can you talk?" "Yeah." "Where are you?" " I was only on my way to work." " Do you see the kids?" "Yeah, I'm waving to them right now." "What's that noise?" "It's Wendel, his up the roof, he thinks he's fixing a leak." "As far as I'm concerned he's punching a few new holes." "Hey listen, Nicole is coming over to look after the kids tonight, she should be there around six." "Oh Billy is to early." "She said she got to be in home by nine." "Can't you make that later?" "I'II be waiting at the run." "You just get over as soon as you can." "Ok?" "Ok." "I guess." "AII right, sexy!" "Bye." "I'm glad to hear that Zoe is alright." "Are you still in touch?" "Not really." "The last time I saw her was when she was in that clinic." "That was a Iong time ago." " Which one?" " Which one?" "!" "Which clinic?" "I don't remeber the name." "It was near a beach." "Sunny Ridge." "Yes." "That was a Iong time ago." "So there were others?" "Other clinics?" "Oh sure." "clinics, halfway houses, treatment centers, detox units." "So then, when she get better?" "She didn't." " Oh, I thought..." " That's why I'm going to see her now." "She's in trouble." "Yes." "You find something strange about this meat?" "Excuse me?" "Some more wine?" "No." "I think this meat is a Iittle over done for me." "I'm sorry Mr. Stevens." "Would you Iike to try the fish plate?" " What is it?" " Poached salmon." " No." "Do you have a cold plate?" " We do!" " Is the shrimp on it?" " Yes." "Well if you take the shrimp off as long as anything else don't touches the shrimp I'II be gratefull!" "I'm not sure it's gonna leave much on the plate." "Lets just see what we get, shall we?" " Yes Sr." " Thank you." "Do you excuse me?" "Mrs. Otto." "My name is Mitchell Stevens." "The Walkers told me that you might be able to talk with me." "I'm really sorry to come unannounced like this." "But the Walkers said that you would understand." "I know it's an awful time, but it's important that we talk." "Who are you?" "I'm a lawyer." "Look." "I'm sorry but you can't come in here." "please let me explain." "I'II only take a moment of your time." "please!" "Hartley we have a guest." "What did you say your name was?" "Mitchell Stevens." "The Walkers send him by." "Would you Iike a cup of tea or something?" "A cup of tea would be nice." "Do you mind if I sit down for a few minute Mrs. Otto?" "I want to talk with you." "The Walkers spoke very highly of you." "You've been retained?" "Their child died and they got a lawyer?" "It should be settled that my task is to represent... the Walkers only in the anger not the grief." "What do they getfor that?" "You're angry, aren't you Mrs. Otto?" "That's why I'm here." "To give your anger a voice." "To be your weapon against whoever cause that bus to go off the road." "Dolores?" "It's my belief that Dolores was doing exactly what she's done for years." "Besides, the School bus insurance was minimum." "A few million at most." "Now the really deep rockets are in the town, or the company that made the bus." "So you think someone else cause the accident Mr. Stevens?" "Mrs. Otto, there's no such thing as an accident." "The word doesn't mean anything to me." "As far as I'm concerned somebody, somewhere, made a decision to cut a corner." "Some corrupt agency or corporation, accounted to cost variance between a 1 0 cent bolt and a million dollar at a out-of-court settlement." "They decided to sacrifice a few Iifes for the difference." "That's what is done." "I've seen it happen so many times before." "But Dolores said she hitted a patch of ice, and lost control of the bus." "Mr. Otto how long is Dolores being driving that bus?" "How many times is she still clear out of danger?" "It won't happen that morning!" "Somebody calculated ahead of time, what would cost a sacrificed safety." "It's the duckiest most cynical thing you can imagine, but it's absolutely true." "And now..." "It's up to me to insure moral responsibility in this society" "So you're just the thing we need." "Isn't that you want us to believe in, Mr. Stevens?" "That you know what's bestfor us." "You listen to me Mrs. Otto!" "And you listen very carefully." "I do know what's best." "Believe me." "As we're seating here...talking, the town, the Scholl board or the manufacturer of that bus are lining up a battery of their own lawyers to negociate with people as grief streaking as yourselves." "And that makes me very, very mad!" "That's why I came all the way up here." "If everybody had done their job with integrity, your son would be alive and safely in School this morning." "I promisse that I will pursuit and reveal who it was that not did their job." "Who is responsible for this tragedy." "And then in your name, and in Walkers name... and in the name of whoever decides to join us," "I will suit." "I will suitfor negligence 'till they bleed." "I want this person to go to jail for the rest of his life." "I want..." "I want him to die there." "I don't want his money." "It's unlikely that anyone goes to prison Mrs. Otto." "But he or his company will pay in another ways." "And we must make them pay!" "Notfor the money or the compensation of the lost of your boy, that can't be done." "Butfor the protection of other inocent children." "You see, I'm not just here to speak for your anger... butfor the future as well." "Are you expensive?" "If you agree to have me represent you in the suit..." "I will require no payment..." "untill the case is won." "When I'II require one third of the awarded amount." "Otherwise my services to you will cost absolutely nothing." "That's my standard agreement." "Do you have this agreement with you?" "Yes, I do, it's in my car." "It won't be a minute." "Any case, you should have time to discuss this without me before you make a decision." "I did everything a loving father to a drug addictic is supossed to do." "I send her to the best hospitals..." "Saw the best doctors." "No matter, two weeks later she would be out on the streets, and next time I saw her..." "A phone call is coming for money, money for School... money for some new kind of therapist... money for a plane ticket home." ""Oh daddy please let me come home." "I need to see you."" "But she never came home!" "I was always at the airport but she was never there." "I Iive ten years of this." "Ten years of lies..." "I wonder what would happen if I really send the money." "Kicking down doors..." "Dragging her out of rat infested apartments." "Explaining to somebody that couldn't be possible to be my daughter that they saw in a porn flick." "Enough rage and helpless in your love turns into something else." "What is it turns to?" "It turns into steaming piss." "Hi Nicole!" "They just have something!" "Was it good?" "Was it good?" "Of course it was good." "I'II get back before 9:00, ok?" " Good bye!" " Bye!" "Let's go." " Are you waiting long?" " A while." "Do you have to smoke?" "Wendell can smell if someone has been smoking." "What is all this?" "Wendell put some fresh enamel on that break on the tub." "Does it mean that I can't have a shower?" "No, it should be dry by now." " When is he getting back?" " After the game, I guess?" ""Hamelin's town in Brunswick." "By famous Hannover city, the river Weeser, deep and wide, washes it's walls on the southern side."" "A pleasant spot, you never spied, but when begins my ditty."" "What is a ditty?" "It's like a song." ""AImostfive hundread years ago to see the town folks suffer so, from vermin was a pity."" "Wha is a vermin?" "Rats!" ""They fought the dogs, and kill the cats." "And bite the babies on the cradles." "And ate the cheese out of the vats." "And lick the soup from the cook on the ladies." "Split open the kegs of salted sprats." "Made nests inside man's sunday hats." "And even spoiled the women's chats." "By drowning their speaking, with shrieking and squeaking, in fifty different sharps and flats."" " Nicole." " Yes Mason?" "Can I seat beside you on the bus tomorrow?" "But I thought you liked to seat in the back to wave at your dad?" "I wanna seat beside you tomorrow." "Nicole?" "Did the Pied Piper take the children away because the people in town didn't pay him?" "That's right." "Well, if he knew magic..." "If he could get the kids in the mountain..." "Why can he use his magic pipe to make the people pay him... for getting rid of the rats?" "Because..." "He wanted them to be punished." "So he was mean?" "No, not mean..." "Just very...very angry." "Should I keep reading?" "What are you thinking?" "Tomorrow I'm gonna put Sean on the bus and he won't wanna go." "He never does." "He'II cry." "He won't wanna let go of me." "Because he misses you." "It's natural." "Your kids never cry?" "It's probably 'cause they know I will be following the...bus." "They can look foward to that." "Just like we look foward to this." "You're leaving?" "I better get back." "Like I said Nicole must be in home..." " Good night Billy!" " Good night Risa!" "Are you sure?" "It just seems..." "kind of...weird." " Why?" " I don't know?" "Nicole, I'm just gonna take this stuff and pack it." "Give it to the church for charity." "I mean..." "Don'tfell bad unless you fell strange about wearing it." "No!" "No..." "I mean..." "I" "I remember Mrs. Ansel wearing some of this stuff but I don'tfell worried about that." "I really liked her." "She really liked you." "I think she probably would have given you that stuff herself." "If she had not growing into a..." "What do you mean with "not growing"?" "I'm not sure." "I ran through that tune you guys are working on," "I came up with a couple of ideas." " See how the guys fell this." " It's great, thank you." ""There was a rustling that seemed like a bustling, ...of merrily crowds joustling pitching and hustling. "" ""Small feet were pattering wooden shoes clattering. "" ""Little hands clapping and little tongues chatering. "" ""And like fowls in a farmyard when barley is scattering, out came the children running. "" ""All the little boys and girls, with rosy cheecks and flaxen curls. "" ""Sparkling eyes and teeths like pearls. "" ""Tripping and skipping, were merrily after the wonderful music  with shouting and laughter. "" ""As they reached the mountain side, a wondrous portal opened wide. "" ""As if a cavern was sunddely hollowed. "" ""And the piper advanced and the children followed. "" ""And when all were into the very last, the door in the mountain side shuted fast. "" ""Did I say all?"" ""No!" "One was lame, and could not dance the whole of the way. "" ""And after years if he would be blamed in sadness," "He was used to say: "" ""It's dull in our town since my playmates left. "" ""l can 't forget that I'm bereft. "" ""of all the pleasant sights they've seen, which the Piper also promised me. "" ""For he led us ", he said, "To a joyous land. "" ""Joinning the town in just at hand. "" ""Where waters gushed and fruit trees grew. "" ""And flowers put forth a fairer hue. "" ""And everything was strange and new. "" "By the time I've reached the bottom of Bartlet Hill Road." "I had half of my load." "Let's see... twenty, no, twenty-two kids aboard." "They 've..." "They've walked to their places on the main road." "From smaller lands and private roadways that run of it." "Bright little clusters of three and four children." "Like berries waiting to be plucked." "That's the way I thought of them sometimes." "Like berries?" "Like I was putting them on my big basket, clearing the hill side of it's children." "Anyway, my next stop was across from the "Bide-a-While "... wich is owned and operated by Risa and Wendell Walker." "Risa had walk Sean across the road wich was costumary." "Sean, he has some kind of learning disability." "He's behind the rest of his... the kids his age in school." "He's too nervous to play sports." "Strange little guy." "But, you know, you coudn't help to like him." " Good morning Dolores." " Hi Risa." "Aren't your feetfreezen?" " Yes they are." " I wanna stay with you." "Come on honey, go on." "Come on Sean, seat next to me." " Is he Ok?" " I don't know?" " Temperature?" " He's not sick or anything." "Just one of those mornings I guess." "You know." "I never had those mornings myself." "Not so long as I have my school bus to drive." "Not so long as I have my children." "Hanging in there Sean?" "You settle down back there." "I told you!" "You're walking to the School if you're not carefull." "You want that?" "It's a cold day out there." "Ain't it "Bear"?" "Oh Jesus...oh Jesus!" "You know every time!" "come in one of this flights ...to rescue Zoe?" "I remember of a summer we almost lost her." "She was three years old." "Happened one morning in this cottage we used to rent." "We were all together sleeping in bed." "Was a wonderfull time in our lives." "Still felt that we had a future together." "The three of us." "Did you ever visited that cottage?" "I don't think so." "I remember waking by the sound of Zoe's breathing." "It was lavish." "I looked across and noticed, she was sweating and all swollen." "I grabbed her and rushed into the kitchen." "Splashed some water on her face." " What happened?" " I didn't know." "I was in complete panic." "I guess she's been bitten by some insect." "But there was no doctor." "The nearest hospital was 40 miles away." "She was continuing to swell up." "Clara took her in her arms trying to breastfeed her while I dial the Hospital." "Finally we got a doctor." "He surmised that there was a nest, of baby black widows in the matress." "He said they have to be babies." "Or else if Zoe's body faint, she would be dead..." "He said, I had to rush her to the hospital." "He said:" ""Mr. Stevens is a good chance to we get a head before her throat closes." "But it's very important that you keep her calm."" "Then he asked if there was one of us that was more relaxed than the other." "I said yes, me, was true enough, because were wild fear." "And fear is contagious." "I was better actor, that's all." "And Zoe..." "Loved us equally then," "just like she hates us both equally now." "And when the doctor said I had to hold her... on my lap and let Clara drive to the hospital, he asked me to bring a small sharp knife." "He said it had to be clean." "There was no time to sterilise it properly." "He explained me how to perform a emergency tracheotomy." "How to cut into her throat without causing her to bleed to death." "He said: "lt will be a lot of blood."" "I said, I don't think I could do it." "He said: "Mr. Stevens..." "If her throat closes and her breathing stops, you gonna have to."" ""You will have about a minute and a half, or possibly two minutes.." "...and she will probably be unconscious when you do it."" ""But if you manage to keep her calm and relaxed," "not letting her little heart beat too fast, and spread the poison around."" ""You might just get here first."" ""Now you get going", he said and hung up." "It was an unforgetable drive." "I was...divided in two parts." "One part was daddy singing lullabys to his little girl." "The other part was..." "a surgeon, with a knife, ready to cut into her throat." "I waited for the second... to Zoe's breath stop to make the incision." "What happened?" "!" "What happened?" "Nothing." "We got to the hospital in time." "I did not have to go as far as I was prepared to go." "But I was prepared to go all the way." "I know you would be here." " Are you going to the funeral?" " I stopped by the bus station a while ago..." "stared to the bus." "I almost heard the kids inside." "There was a lawyer there, and he said..." "Got you signed up, is that true?" "Something may just happened, Mr. Stevens said he's gonna find out." "What you're talking about Risa, was an accident." "Mr. Stevens said someone didn't put a bolt on the bus." "I serviced the bus Risa, at the garage." "It was nothing wrong with it." "And what if the guard rail wasn't strong enough?" "You believe that?" " Why?" "Because I have to." "Well, I don't." "Is it true you gave Nicole one of Lydia's sweaters?" "And she was wearing it when the bus crashed?" "Why did you do that Billy?" "What?" "Do you think that cause the accident, Risa?" "That it brought bad luck?" "You need more a witch doctor than a lawyer." "Maybe you need the same thing." "You know what I miss, more than making love?" "The nights you couldn't get away from Wendell." "The nights I just seat on that chair for an hour." "Smoking a cigarette remembering my life before." "Mind is kind." "You were so lucky." "Don't even try remembering." "You just think about getting well, Nicole, that's all." "Wait 'till you see what we've got waiting for you at home." "How do you like it, Nicole?" "The ramp?" "It's pretty slick." "Very slick." "Do you like the color?" "It's ok." "I can paint it different, if you like." "It'll be easy to do it." "I don't know about that green." "I'm not too sure about that color." "I widened a few doors too." "Hello!" " Ok." " Oh, Hi Mitch!" "We just brought her home." "She's doing fine." "Well, I don't know, she hasn't seen it yet." "We haven't talked about it." "Great!" "Bye bye." " What do you think?" " The door needs a lock." "Sure, I fix that right away." "Can I come and visit you here?" "You better." "You can sleep with me in my bed too, ok?" "It's too high, I'll never reach it." "I'll better get some spackle." "So...do you like your new room?" "It's interesting." "Your dad spent all his spare time in here." "He wanted to be absolutely perfect." "I fell like a princess." "What's that?" "It is a present." "From you?" "No, from Mr. Stevens." "That was him on the phone just now." "He was calling to find out how you were." " Who is Mr. Stevens?" " He's a lawyer." "He's our lawyer." "You and mom have a lawyer?" "Well, yes, he's your lawyer too." " My lawyer?" " Why do I need a lawyer?" "Maybe we shouldn't be talking about this just now." "You're barely home." "Aren't you hungry honey?" "You want me to fix you something?" "What's this lawyer business?" "He's a very kind man." "And he knew that you need a computer for doing School work." "It's even got a program on it to help you compose your songs." ""Fathers." "Mothers. "" ""Uncles." "Cousins. "" ""Families by ten and dozens. "" ""Brothers, sisters. "" ""Husbands." "Wives. "" ""Follow the piper for their lives. "" "Well Nicole." "I've been wanting to meet you for a long time." "Not just because of the good things I heard about you, but because..." "Well, I'm the guy who's representing you." "And your mom and dad." "And several people in town." "We are trying to generate however meager, some compensation..." "For what you suffered." "A the same time, to make sure an accident like this never happens again." "I don't like thinking about the accident." "I don't even remember it happening." "Besides..." "It just makes people fell sorry for me, and..." " You hate that." " What she means is..." "People can help, Nicole..." "I mean, they see you on this wheelchair... and they're gonna fell sorry for you." "I didn't know you, nor how promising and exciting your life was before the accident." "But listen, even I feel sorry for you." "What is that you want me to do for you Mr. Stevens?" "They work for the people we're trying to sue." "See, their job is to minimize damages." "Ours is to try maximamize them." "That's the way you have to think of it, Nicole." "Is people doing their jobs." "There's no good guys or bad guys." "It's just their side or our side." " I won't lie." " I don't want you to lie." "No matter what I'm asked, I'll tell the truth." "Of course." "I need you to tell the truth." "And I'll be right there to advise you." "There'll be a court stenographer who will record everything." "That's what is going to the judge before the trial is set." "And this will be the same for everyone." "They will be deposing the Ottos, the Walkers, Dolores, your mom and dad." "But I make sure you go last." "Why?" "So you can go in getting well." "So that you're able to get up there and do this." "Because it's not going to be easy, Nicole." "You do understand that?" "When do they award the damages?" "That depends." "It could drag on for quit a while." "But we'll be there at the end, Sam." "Don't you worry." "I'm here about your children, Mr. Ansel." " My name..." " I don't wanna know your name." "I understand." "No, you don't." "Get the fuck away from the bus!" "I can help you." "Not unless you gonna raise the dead." "Here, you may change your mind." "Mitchell Stevens esquire." "Tell me, would you sue me if I was to beat you right now?" "I mean, beat you so bad, you'd piss blood and couldn't walk for a month." "'Cause that's what I'm about to do." "No Mr. Ansel!" "I wouldn't sue you!" "You leave us alone Stevens." "You leave the people in this town alone." "You can't help." "You can help each other." "Several people on the town have agreed to let me represent them... ..in the negligence suit." "Now, your case is individual, will be stronger if I'm allowed to represent it together, as a group." " Case?" "The Walkers have agreed, the Ottos have agreed," "Nicole Burnell's parents." "It's important that we iniciate proceedings right away." "Things get covered up!" "People lie!" "That's why we must begin our investigation quickly." "Before the evidence disappears." "That's what I'm doing out here." "Listen, I know Risa and Wendell Walker." "They wouldn't hire a god dam lawyer." "The Ottos, they wouldn't deal with you." "We're not country bumpkins you can put a big city hustle on." "You're angry Mr. Ansel, and you owe it to yourself to feel that way." "All I'm saying is..." "Let me direct your rage." "That's my daughter." "Or maybe the police to tell me they found her dead." "She's a drug addict." "Why are you telling me this?" "Why am I telling you this Mr. Ansel?" "Because we've all lost our children." "They're dead to us." "They're killing each other in the streets." "They wander comatose in shopping malls." "Something terrible is happening?" "And It's taking our children away." "It's too late." "They're gone." "Collect call from Zoe, would you accept the charges?" "Daddy?" "Yes." "I'm calling because I've got some news for you daddy." "Some big news." " News?" " Don't you wanna hear?" "Yes, give me the news Zoe." "You always think you know I'm gonna say before!" "say it, don't you daddy?" "You always think you are one step ahead of me." "The lawyer!" "Tell me your news Zoe." "Ok." "Yesterday, I went to sell my blood." "That's how it is." "I'm in this fucking city..." "and I'm selling my blood." "That's not news Zoe." "No but this is." "They wouldn't take my blood." "Do you know what that means, daddy?" "Does it register?" "I've tested positive." "Yes." "Welcome to hard times daddy." "What do you want me to do Zoe?" "I do whatever you want." " I need money!" " What for?" "No, you can not ask me that!" "Not anymore!" "You ask me what I wanted, not what I wanted for I want money." "Do you have a blood test?" "You don't believe me?" "You don't fucking believe me?" "!" "Of course I believe you." "I just tought I would get you another test in case the one you've got is wrong." "I like you when you don't believe me, daddy." "It's better when you don't believe me but has to act like you do." "I can her you breathing, daddy." "Yes, I can hear you breathing too." "God!" "I'm scared!" "I love you Zoe." "I'll soon be there." "I'll take care of you." "No matter what happens, I'll take care of you." "I have a question for you Mr. Stevens?" "Yes Dolores, what is it?" "I told you that..." "I was doing 50 miles an hour when the bus run over." "And that's how I remembered." "But how can I prove that?" "Billy Ansel would insist that you're doing 50 miles an hour just like you've done it every morning for the pastfifteen years." "He knows that?" "Billy?" " Yes he does." " He said that?" " You've talked to Billy?" " I did." "And he told you that he would say that?" "Mrs. Driscoll..." "If Billy does not volunteer to say so in court then..." "I will subpoena him and oblige him to testify to that effect." "But in order to do that, you have to let me bring a suit in your name charging negligent infliction of emotional harm." "Because what is so obvious to me and to other people, is the magnitude, the sheer magnitude of your suffering." " What other people?" " Excuse me?" "Who has been talking to you about what I'm felling?" "Who should care about what I'm feeling?" "Dolores, people have to know about your suffering." "And they won't understand untill I can clear your name." "Your good name, once and for all." "Now will you let me do this?" "Will you let me do my duty?" "!" "Dolores..." "Did not!" "You've heard what Abbot said." "Abbot said, the true jury of a person's pierce is the people of her town." "Only they." "The people who have know her all her life." "And not twelve strangers can decide her guilty or innocence." "That's what he said, isn't?" "Abbot understand this things." "I remember... wrenching the steering wheel to my left," "and slaping my foot against the break pedal." "I wasn't the driver anymore." "The bus was laneless." "A huge wave...about to break over us." ""Bear" Otto." "The Lambstom kids." "The Hamiltons the Prescotts." "The teenage boys and girls from Bartlet Hill road." "Pete..." "Suzie Laurel." "Rick..." "Sean Walker Nicole Burnell." "Billy Ansel's twins, Jessica and Mason." "All the children of my town." "Then what happened?" "Hey Billy, come on in!" "Would you like a cup of tea, Billy?" "There's a piece of cake for you." "No, no, thanks." "So, what brings you out tonight?" "I might as well say the truth, Sam..." "It's about this lawsuit that you got yourselves involved with." "I want you to drop the damn thing." "It doesn't concearn you Billy." "Well, it does concern me." "I don't know in what share." "A lot of people in this town got involved in lawsuits." "We're hardly unique." "I mean." "I can understand how you fell." "How?" "Well..." "It's being so depressive at all." "That's reality." "Can't just turn this up cause you happened to think that's a bad idea." "Why not?" "Because is what we have to do." "I don't want a damn thing to do with it." "Ok fine." "So stay out of it." "I tried to stay out of it." "Sam, turns up that's not so easy." "You got yourselves this lawyer, Mitchell Stevens." "So?" "Lots of folks got lawyers." "But he's the one who's gonna subpoena me, Sam." "He's gonna force me to testify in court." "Came buy the garage this afternoon." "Gave me that slippery paper." "Why would he do that?" "I mean you don't have anything to do with the accident." "Because I was driving behind the bus." "I saw when it happened." "Now, this sun of a bitch subpoena me and forces me to go over all this again." "Then all those other lawyers are gonna line up behind him, and try to do the same thing." "That's not going to happen." "Mitch Steven's case is small if compared to some of these guys." "The way he told me." "All he needs is for you to say what you saw that day driving behind the bus." "I know it's a painfull thing to do." "There's lawyers suing lawyers because some people, ...were stupid enough to sign on with more than one of the bastards." "There's people pointing fingers making side deals," "...dickering over porcentages." "You know if you two drop the case, the others will gonna come to their good senses and know, you're good, sensible parents, you and Mary." "People respect you." "No Billy, we can't drop the law suit." "You know how much we need the money." "Why?" "You've got the money from Dolores insurance, with the School board." "We all did." "It's not enough." "We have the hospital bill to Nicole." "I can pay for Nicole if is that what you're talking about." "I even give you the money I've gotfor my kids." "That's what we used to do, remember?" "Help each other." "Because this was a community." "I'm sorry!" "How is Nicole?" "She's resting in her room." "Say hello for me." "We're getting on with our lives, Billy!" "Maybe it's time you ge on with yours." "Are you sleeping?" "Nicole, tomorrow Mr. Stevens wants you to make your deposition, at the community center." "I thought to take you over." "Great." "You seem..." "I don't know." "Distant I guess." "Hard to talk to you." "We're not used to talk a lot, do we daddy?" "What do you mean?" "I mean..." "I'm a wheelchair girl now." "And it's hard to pretend that I'm a beautiful rock star." "Remember, daddy?" "The beautiful stage you would build for me." "You would light it with nothing but candles." "I'll take you about 9:30h in the morning." "It's ok with you?" "Great." ""As they reached the mountain side, a wondrous portal opened wide. "" ""As if a cavern was suddenly hollowed. "" ""And the piper advanced and the children followed. "" ""And when all were into the very last, the door in the mountain side shuted fast. "" ""Did!" "say all?"" ""One was lame. "" ""And could not dance the whole of the way. "" "Nicole, if we can continue." "On that morning, did they come on time when you left your parents house." "What time in the morning was this?" "About 8:30h in the morning." "Was anyone waiting for the bus with you?" "No, I was alone." "My sister Jane was sick and just stayed home that day." "Was there anything unusual about the driver," "Mrs. Driscoll?" "Or the bus, in that particular morning?" "Like what?" "I mean I don't remember a lot." "I objectfor that question." "Note that please." "Was the bus on time?" "Yes." "Where did you seat in that particular morning?" "My usual place." "The first seat at the right side." "And according to your recollection, it was nothing unusual in the driver that morning." "Untill the accident?" "No." "Yes!" "There was a brown dog that ran across the road up there." "Dolores slowed down so she wouldn't hit it." "And he ran into the woods." "And then Dolores drove on into Marlowe Road as usual." "I remember that." "I'm remembering pretty clearly." " You are?" " Yes!" "Note that she said "pretty clearly" not "clearly"." "How was the weather like at this time?" "It was snowing..." "Unless the reportfor the international weather bureau for the district, on December 6 goes in to the record." "I object to that question." "I will offer that report." "Well then." "Now that your memory seems to be clearing, can't you tell us what else did you observed that time?" ""It's dull in our town since my playmates left. "" ""I can't forget that I'm the bereft. "" ""Of all the pleasant sights they've seen, which the piper also promised me... "" "Nicole?" "I was scared!" "Why were you scared?" "This is before the accident Nicole, you understand what I'm asking?" "Yes, I understand." "Why were you scared?" "Dolores was driving to fast." "Mrs. Driscoll was driving too fast?" "What made you think that?" "Nicole?" "The speedometer." "It was down hill there." "You could see the speedometer?" "Yes." "I looked..." "I remember clearly now." "Seem that we're going to fast down the hill." "And I was scared." "How fast would you say Mrs. Driscoll was going?" "To the best of your recollection." "72 miles an hour." "72 miles an hour?" " You're sure of this?" " Positive." "So you believe the bus driven by Mrs. Driscoll... ..was traveling at 72 miles an hour at this time?" "I told you I was positive." "The speedometer was large and easy to see from were I was." "You saw the speedometer?" "Yes." "Did you say anything to Mrs. Driscoll?" "No." "Why not?" "Because I was scared." "And there wasn't time." "There wasn't time?" "No." "Because the bus run off the road and crashed." "You remember this?" "Yes..." "..I do now." "Now that I'm telling you." "Do you have any questions Mr. Stevens?" "And why I lied, he only knew." "But from my lie, this did come true." "Those lips from what he "drew" his tune, were frozen as a winter moon." "Mr. Stevens?" "I have no question." "I have no question." "Thank you Nicole." "You would make a great poker player kid." "Thanks." "Let's go now dad." "I don't know what she was doing in there..." " She's..." "lying." " Doesn't matter if she's lying or not." "The lawsuit is dead." "Everyone's lawsuit is dead." "Forget it." "Tell the others to forget it." "It's over." "Right now, Sam, the thing you've got to worry about is:" " Why she lied?" "!" "Now, any kid that would do that to a father it's not normal, Sam!" "Do you think they would let us keep the computer?" "Well It was nice meeting you again, Mr. Stevens." "It was nice to meeting you again, Ally!" " Allison." " Allison." "Tell Zoe I said Hi." "I will." "I hope she gets better." "Now, you watch your step now." "Thank you very much." "What's that?" "Good morning." "How you're doing?" "Watch your step now." "Good morning." "You need any help with that case?" "No?" "Ok." "Thank you very much." "Good morning." "Watch your step." "That's it." "Thank you very much." "Mind your step as you walk there, now." "Thank you." "Can I help you with the case, Mam?" "No?" "Ok, thank you very much." "As he see her..." "Two years later..." "I wonder if you realized something?" "I wonder ifyou understand?" "That all of us..." "Dolores, me... the children who survived." "The children who didn't..." "They were all citizens of a different town now." "A place with it's own special rules." "And it's own special laws." "A town of people living in a sweet hereafter." ""Where waters gushed and fruit trees grew. "" ""And flowers put forth a fairer hue. "" ""And everything..." "was strange and new. "" ""Everything was strange and new. "" "iimraann"