"Arnie will get you breakfast." "Hey, hey, hey, kid." "Hey, you there, kid." "Hey!" "Hey!" "I hate driving in neighbourhoods like this, it's depressing." "I know." "Forgotten people, lost and alone." "You know, some of them are just kids." "Runaways." "How can they live like this?" "Because maybe it's better than what they ran away from." "Yeah, I guess so." "I wish we could help them." "It's gonna take a whole lot more than wishing." "I don't know." "I think it all depends on who's doing the wishing." "There." "You like tuna?" "Today's my birthday, Thomas." "Don't you know?" "Yeah, my birthday." "And you're invited to my party." "I have cake and candles." "And you're my present." "And I get to make a wish." "Don't you know?" "Yeah." "But I have to blow out all the candles, or it won't come true." "Yeah." "So, here I go." "You're not supposed to tell your wish." "But you can hear." "Because I think that only means people, and you're not people." "You're a cat." "So," "I wish..." "I wish..." "That someone would love me." " Hi, Arnie." " I didn't do nothing." "Honest, I didn't do nothing." "Sure you did." "You made a wish." "We're here to help you make it come true." "Are you teasing me?" "Lots of people tease me." "No, we're not teasing you." "You promise?" "Cross your heart?" "I promise." "My name's Jonathan, this is my friend, Mark." "Hi." "Hi." "This is Thomas." "He's my cat." "Hey, how you doing Thomas?" "Having a little breakfast?" "He likes you." "He mostly doesn't like strangers." "I'm not a stranger, Arnie." "You see, I'm an angel." "You are?" "That's right." "Am I dead?" "No." "No, you're not dead." "I thought you only saw angels when you're dead." "No, not if you're special." "Am I special?" "Arnie, you're very, very special." "So, you ready to go?" "Where?" "To go find your wish." "Oh, yeah." "But I have to take my cat." "I take care of him." "I couldn't leave him." "We'd never ask you to." "You bet Thomas can come with us." "Okay." "Okay." "Okay." "Thomas." "We gotta go." "Boy, this is the best birthday ever." "Sleeping like a baby." "Yeah." "You mind telling me where we're going?" "Try to find someone to love Arnie." "That's gonna be a tall order with a kid like him." "You know what I mean?" "Sure do, he's special." "It'll take somebody special to make his wish come true." "That's the problem." "Where do you find a person like that?" "Maybe at the end of the rainbow." "Doctor, don't repeat the same thing over again." "You keep talking about fresh air and exercise and I'm telling you the boy is too weak to get out of bed." "I don't care about tests." "Doctor, don't start that psychology crap with me." "My son isn't mentally ill, he's physically ill." "Oh, come on." "I've had second opinions and third opinions." "All you doctors agree with each other to save your own hides." "Oh, really?" "Well, I've got a right to be unfair." "Hello, Larry." "I heard the phone ring." "Who was it?" "Just business, that's all." "Oh, I thought it was Mom." "Well, look, it stopped raining." "It's gonna be a nice day." "What do you say we get you dressed and go out and get a little fresh air?" "I don't want to." "Why not?" "I'm tired." "I don't feel well." "Larry, you have to get out." "You've got to do something." "The doctor said you need some" "I'm tired." "I wanna rest." "All right." "All right, I'll see you in a little while." " Mr. Payne." " Yeah, yeah, Harvey." "There's a couple of guys outside from the Dexter construction company." "All right, I'll talk to them." "This is Smith and Gordon." "Mr. Payne." "I thought you were gonna start work next month." "The boss put on a few extra men, we figured we could get a jump on it." "All right, Harvey will show you where you bunk." "If I find there's any drinking or drugs going on, you'll be fired." " You don't have to worry about that." " No, sir, the boss has the same rule." "Any questions you have can be answered by Harvey." "He runs things here." "Who's the kid?" "Oh, he's just a friend of ours." "Named Arnie." "Hi." "This is Thomas, my cat." "See that he doesn't get in any trouble." "Don't worry, he won't." "Fine, fine." "Carry on." "Come on, I'll get you settled in." "How long have you worked for Mr. Payne?" "Almost ten years now." "Yeah." "Kind of stern, isn't he?" "Well, he's had a bad time the last few years." "His boy got sick and then his wife left him a couple of months ago." " He just hasn't been the same." " What's wrong with the kid?" "Nobody seems to know." "He had hepatitis a while back and he just doesn't seem to get any stronger." "They don't never leave that house anymore." "It's like a morgue." "Well, this is it." "Isn't much, but the roof don't leak." "Lookit, beds." " Do I get to sleep in one?" " Sure you do." "A bed, Thomas." "A real bed." "Poor kid." "What makes you say that?" "Well, look at him." "What kind of chance does a kid like that have in this life?" "A good one, if he's given a chance." "What would you do if he was your kid?" "Love him." "Yeah." "As soon as you get settled in here you can get started on the fence." "You bet." "You sure this is the place?" "No, but the boss is." "You know, this angel-ing is fine, but why can't he just let you use the stuff, you know, when it comes to this hard labour." "Come on, Mark, a hard day's work is good for a man's soul." "Yeah, well, it ain't real good for my back." "Stop complaining and bring us another roll, will you?" "Quit complaining." "It's easy for him to say." "He never gets tired, never gets sore, never gets a blister." "Meanwhile, I'm working like a" " Dog!" " Jonathan." " Mark, take it easy." "Don't let him think you're scared." "He can sense." "What do you mean think?" "I am scared." "Dobermans hate me." "Hey, Arnie, save him, will you?" "Sure." "Good doggie." "Nice doggie." "Thomas!" "Thomas!" " Hey, Arnie." " Let him go." "What do you mean?" "That dog might bite the kid." "Don't worry, he won't." "Now see what you've done?" "You scared him, and he's little." "That's not nice." "You stay there, it's okay." "Arnie will get you, kitty." "Don't worry." "There, you're okay." "That mean old dog didn't mean it." "Hi, boy." "Who are you?" "I'm Arnie." "This is Thomas." "He's a cat." "My cat." "Who are you?" " Larry." " Larry." "You live here?" " Yeah." " This your room?" "Yeah." "I have a bed, too." "Not this big, but nice." "Why are you in bed?" "Because I'm sick." "I was sick once, too." "I threw up, all over my box." "Your box?" "Yeah." "I used to live in a box." "It was big." "But an angel brought me here because I made a wish." "You talk funny." " No, I don't." " You do too." "I don't think so." " Here, talk in here." " What's that?" " Just talk." " What should I say?" "Anything you want." "And then you can hear it." "Okay." "I'm Arnie and I don't know what to say." "But on my birthday I made a wish and I met an angel." "And I'm not even dead." "Goodbye." "Here, listen." "I'm Arnie and I don't know what to say." "But on my birthday I made a wish and I met an angel." "And I'm not even dead." "Goodbye." "You wanna hear it again?" "No." "No." "Hey, don't go." "I'm sorry." "I'm sorry." "Hey, Arnie." "I've been looking all over for you." "I been here." " What's wrong?" " Nothing." "Hey." "Hey, I'm your friend, you can tell me." "My father was right." " About what?" " The way I talk." "What about it?" "It's funny." "I talk funny." "I heard it today." "The boy here, he had a thing." "It made my voice..." "I heard it." "I don't think you talk funny, Arnie." "Yes, I do." "Just like my father said." ""You talk like a dummy."" "He said, "Shut up, dummy."" "I tried to talk to him and he hit me." "He hit me hard." "I said, "I love you." And he said, "Shut up."" "Why can't I talk right?" "Why?" "Arnie, it doesn't matter how people talk." "What matters is what they say." "And how they feel." "And how they treat each other." "Your father was the one who wasn't right, because the things he was saying weren't right." "They were mean and they were cruel." "Would you talk to somebody that way?" "No." "Would you hit somebody for the way they talked?" "I don't hit nobody." "It hurts you and makes you cry." "That's why I ran away." "My father wouldn't stop hitting me." "Why didn't he love me?" "He's my father." "Because your father didn't have love in him the way you do, Arnie." "You know, it's sad but true, some people are just filled with anger and hate." "I feel sorry for your father." "He had a wonderful son and he lost him." "Me?" "You think I'm wonderful?" "Oh, you bet I do." "I wish you were my father." "So do I, son." "You can call here as many times as you like." "You're not speaking to Larry." "He was your son." "No, he's not." "You left us, remember?" "Fine, you get your lawyer to do that." "Laura." "Laura?" "That was Mom?" "Yes." "Didn't she want to speak to me?" "No." "Did you tell her that I was still sick?" "She knows that." "It's like I told you before, Larry." "She..." "She has her own life now." "What did she want?" "Nothing." "Money, same old thing." "Larry, I know how you're feeling, but it's you and me now." "We've got each other." "That's the important thing now, isn't it, son?" "Why doesn't she want to see me?" "Because she just thinks about herself, that's why." "She doesn't" "What are you doing in here?" "I'm sorry, Mr. Payne, the door was open." "What is it?" "Arnie's building that dog run you wanted." "Arnie?" "That retarded boy?" "Yeah." " Do you think he can handle it?" " Oh, sure, that's no problem." "He just wanted to know whether you wanted a mesh top on it or not." "Yeah, yeah, sure, fine." "I wanna go outside." "All right." "A little fresh air." "Just what the doctor ordered." " Come on." " I wanna go alone." " Are you sure?" " Yeah, I'm sure." "So if you want your house fixed nice, you have to get along together and be friends, so's I can work." "Jonathan gave me a big job, and I want to do it real nice, okay?" "Okay?" "That's good." "See?" "All's you have to do is get to know each other." "Like people." "You go play, while I work." "Hi." "Hi." "I..." "I wanted you to know that I'm sorry about yesterday." "Sorry for what?" "You know, for saying that you talk funny." "Oh, that." "It's okay." "I don't talk funny." "My friend Jonathan told me so." "Then we can be friends?" "Sure we can." "Hey, Arnie." "I thought you were supposed to be working." "I'm starting now." "We were just being friends." "Tell you what, you get this job finished by Saturday," "I'll take you fishing on a boat." "How does that sound?" "I've never been fishing." "Well, go on." "Get to work." "Yeah, boy." "I gotta work." "You're welcome to join us, Larry." "I can't, I'm too sick." "Well, look, if you're feeling any better, just remember, you're welcome to go with us." "Boy, fishing." "You ever been fishing?" "Yeah, a long time ago." "My mom and dad took me." "If you feel better maybe they can come with us." "They're not together anymore." "They've gotten divorced." "But they can still go fishing together." " No, they can't." " Why?" "I just told you." "They've gotten divorced." "They don't like each other anymore." "That was good, Mark." "It was pretty good if I do say so myself." "I was hungry." "That's because you worked hard today." "Oh, I know." "Because you want to go fishing, right?" "Oh, yeah." "I want to a lot." "But that's not why I work hard." "I work hard because you gave me a chance to." "Nobody ever gave me a chance to do a real job." "Like a man." "If my dad could see he'd be surprised." "Yeah, I'm sure he would." "These are good bones for the dog." "Can I take him some?" "Sure, why don't you take them all?" "Yeah, he'll be happy." "The world could sure use a few more like Arnie." "Hey, if it would just use the ones it's got." "Ain't that a true." "Down." "Here you go." "Nice bones for my friend." "Good." "I'll be all finished with your house tomorrow." "I hope you like it." "Goodnight." "Are you okay?" "Yeah, yeah, I'm fine." "I didn't know anybody was out here." "What are you looking at?" "You crying." "I never seen a man cry." "Leave me alone, will you?" "Can't you understand what I'm telling you?" "I want to be alone." "Alone is not good." "I was always sad when I was alone." "Yeah, well, I like it that way." "Go on, get out of here." "Go on!" "What are you doing?" "Hey, kid." "Hey, come on, stop." "Come on." "Hey, it's all right." "It's all right." "I'm sorry I yelled at you." "I mean it, I'm sorry." "Now, come on." "You go on now." "Go ahead." "There." "There." "All done by myself." "Hey, Arnie that's great." "Really?" "You bet really." "You did a great job." "I wish Larry would go with us." "He's sad." "He needs his mom." "Yeah, I know." "Do you think maybe if he wished a wish like me, he'd see her?" "Hey, you know, that's a great idea." "He might even get a chance to see her on the boat if he came with us." "You think so?" " It's worth a try." " I'll tell him." "Hi." "We're going fishing." "You should come." "I don't want to." "I know, because you're sad." "You wanna see your mom." "Yeah." "Then you should make a wish, like I did." "Jonathan said if you wished real hard you could see your mom at the boat." "That's silly." "No, it's not." "He's an angel." "He knows stuff." "There's no such thing as angels." "There is too." "All right, I'll prove it to you." "I'll go." "Okay." "Make a wish." "Go on." "It won't work if you don't." "Okay, I wish I could see my mom." "Okay." "See you later." " Mr. Payne?" " What is it?" "I hate to bother you, but today's our day off." "We're gonna take the boat and go fishing." "I wondered if your boy could go along?" "He wouldn't want to go." "Well, actually, he's the one who asked if he could go." "He what?" "Yeah." "I think it was Arnie that put him up to it." "We'd take good care of him." "Yeah, all right, fine." "Fine, he can go." "Good, we'll have him back by 6:00." "Smith?" "That kid, Arnie." "I scared him last night." "I didn't mean to." "I know, he told me." "Well, why'd he act like that?" "His father abused him." "When you startled him like that, I guess he remembered the way it was." "Poor kid." "Yeah." "And we think we have troubles, huh?" "I'll see you later." "All right, fishermen." "We're ready to go." "We'll be fishing the kelp beds." "Now do you believe me?" "I told you there's no such thing as angels." "Larry." "Mom." "Oh, Mom." "All right, here we go." "Fresh fish, compliments of Arnie." " They smell good." " Oh, they're gonna taste good too." "Wait till you put your lips around that." "Yeah, he can cook." "He's the Julia Child of the area." "Smith." "Yes, sir." "How dare you take it on yourself to interfere with my life?" "Look, Mr. Payne, I hope" "And don't bother giving me that wish nonsense my son just did." "I called my wife." "She told me you telephoned her today." "Yes, sir, I did." "Your boy wanted to see his mother and" "And it was none of your damned business." "I want you all off my property by tomorrow morning." "Mr. Payne." "Mr. Payne, listen." "Look, I don't blame you for being angry at me." "But your son needs his mother just as much as he needs you." "I think I'm a better judge of what my son needs." "Well, I don't." "I think you're too busy feeling sorry for yourself to even care." "Look at your son." "He sits in that chair because he thinks somehow it's gonna bring you two together." " Well, it won't." " I know that." "So do you, so does your wife." "But he still needs her." "Let him have his mother's love." "If she loved him she wouldn't have left." "That's not true and you know it." "You're using your own son to hurt her one more time." "And it's the boy that's suffering." "I love my son." "He's all I've got." "But you're not all he's got." "He's got a mother too." "Be sure you're out of here by morning." "We have to go?" "Yeah, I'm afraid so, son." "But I thought this was where my wish would come true." "So did I, Arnie." "So did I." "It was nice here." "Yeah." " Now we'll find another place." " No." "Nobody wants me." "My father didn't even want me." "It was a dumb wish." " No it wasn't." " Was too." "A wish is dumb that can't come true." "I should have wished something else." "Something that could come true." "You think you can change a wish to be a different wish?" "I don't know." "But maybe?" "I suppose." "I'll be back." "Don't feel bad." "Thomas and I'll be okay." "Larry." "Larry." "Don't be sad." "It's gonna be all right." "No it isn't." "My dad screamed at her tonight." "I could hear." "They hate each other." "But they won't." "See?" "My wish candles." "I can make it all right." "No you can't." "Jonathan's not an angel." "It wasn't my wish." "But you saw her." "That was your wish." "Now I'm gonna give you my wish, and it'll come true too." "Why are you gonna give me your wish?" "Because you're my friend." "I wish that my friend Larry's mom and dad would like each other so he can be happy again." "Maybe we should both blow them out." "Because it's my wish, but it's your wish too." "Yeah, come on." "Okay." " Oh, no." "No." " Put it out." " Put it out." " I can't." " Put it out." " I can't." "Get out." "We have to get out." "Get out, Thomas." "Go!" "Get out!" "Larry, go!" "Go!" "Daddy!" "Fire, in my bedroom." "Arnie's there." "I saw fire." "Arnie's in my room." "You call the fire department." "I'll get him." "He hasn't even stirred." "He's just exhausted, Morgan." "He went through a lot last night." "I can't believe he got down those stairs." "It's amazing what we can do when we want to." "Arnie." "Arnie?" "He's all right." " Are you sure he's all right?" " Jonathan got him out." "He's fine." "The hospital called." "Mommy." "Mommy." "He can go home anytime." "Arnie gave me his wish and it's come true." "He wished that you and Dad would be friends and that I'll be happy." "And I am." "I love you both so much." "We both love you, son." "Can we go home now?" "I wanna see Arnie." "Sure." "Sure." "I'll help you get dressed." "Can Mom help too?" "Of course she can." "After all, she's your mom." "Hey, Larry, how you feeling?" "I'm fine now." "Where's Arnie?" "He's gone, he left sometime last night." "You mean he's not coming back?" "No, son, I'm afraid he's not." "But he has to." "I have to thank him for giving me his wish." "Oh, please, we have to find him." "I don't know if we can, son." "Where can we look?" "I think I know where he is." "But it's a long way." "We don't care." "Do we, Dad?" "You just lead the way." "Okay, follow us." "Well, this is where he lived." "In that box?" "Yeah, in that box." "Dear God." "He hasn't come back like you thought." "No, he's been back." "Take a look." "It's the photograph from my desk." "You're the family he always dreamed of." "Look, why don't you stay here in case he comes back." "There's one other place I wanna look." "All right, son." "This time you don't get away with it." "But, please." "I'm sorry." "It wasn't for me, it was for my cat." "I don't care if it's for your sick old grandmother." "I'm going to call the police." " What's going on, Arnie?" " Jonathan." "You know this kid?" "Well, sure I do." "He's a friend of ours." "Well, you ought to be more particular who you pick for your friends." "This is the Clark Mini Mart." "I got a shoplifter down here." "All right, I'll wait." "There must be some kind of mistake." "I sent Arnie in to pick up some cat food." "He picked it up all right, but he hasn't got any money to pay for it." " Oh, sure he does." " Bull, this kid's a vagrant." "Here." "For the cat food." "All right, he can pay for it this time." "But he stole from me before and I saw him." "Sure he did." "He had no other choice." "He couldn't let his friend starve." "Well, let him get a job." "Would you give him one?" "All right, forget it." "This will cover the cat food." "Thanks very much." "How's Larry?" "He's doing fine." "He's home from the hospital already." "Good." "I was scared." "It was all my fault." "Come on, it was just an accident." "The last time I saw Larry, his mom and dad were both with him." "Then my wish came true." "Thomas, you hear that?" "Larry's happy." "Just like I wished." "That was quite a thing you did, Arnie, giving him your wish like that." "It wasn't so much." "He was my friend." "I'll miss him." "Who knows, maybe you'll see him again." "I wish I could, but..." "Oh, come on, but what?" "But my wishes never come true." "That's why." "Arnie." " Arnie." " Larry." " I thought I'd never see you again." " Me too." "Will you come and live with us?" "What?" "We feel like you're part of our family now, Arnie." "And we have lots of room." "Would you come live with us?" "Would I?" "Me?" "With you?" "My wish." "Jonathan, my wish." "Thank you, God."