"You know sometimes, I get to thinking about a turtle out there." "You know, he's just swimming around, he's doing his thing." "And then one day he looks up, and he sees another turtle-a female- and they've never met they've never even seen each other before, but there's that moment... of recognition." "Where they just know that that they're connected." "Something's going on." "It could happen." "It's a big ocean though." "To the end of the Earth, I'll search for your face" "For the one who laid all of our beauty to waste" "Threw our hope into Hell and our children into the fire" "I am the one who crawled through the wire" "There's a million sad stories on the side of the road" "Strange how we all just got used to the blood" "Millions of stories that'll never be told" "Silent and froze in the mud" "I know a cold as cold as it gets" "I know a darkness that's darker than cold" "A wind that blows as cold as it gets" "Blew out the light of my soul" "I know a cold as cold as it gets" "If I had a war, I may never see one" "I live only to see you live to regret" "Everything that you done" "Hey!" "Hi Patti!" "Hi Wanda!" " I like that top." " Hey." " Thanks." "Oh, we missed you at church." "I know, I know." "We were at Dwight's mama's." "Looks like you got new neighbors." " I hope they speak english." " I hope he's single." " Shame on you ladies!" " Can't blame a girl for tryin'!" "Adios!" "You should invite them to church." "Hmmm?" "The new neighbors." "You should invite them to church." "Oh I thought I'd take a pie over later." "Wanda's afraid they'll be Mexican." "Wanda's still worried about property values." "I don't care as long as they take care of their yard." "Will you slow down?" "I have to get over to the hospital." "Harry's having his surgery this morning." " You want me to make you a sandwich?" " No, I'll pick something up." " No cheese!" " I know." "I know." "See you later!" " When do you plan on returning the car?" " Sunday." "All right." "Mid-size all right?" " As long as it has a cd player." " It does." "Driver's license, please." " Ok." "Will there be any additional driver's?" " Nope, just me." "Credit card?" "You're Scorpio." " Yeah, I don't really follow that stuff." " Yeah, me neither." " So what brings you to Asheville?" " Ah, Mother's Day." "Right." "Okay." "There you go." "Just initial here, here, and here." "And then you sign at the bottom." "Can I ask you a personal question?" "Well, I guess that depends on how personal." "It's personal." "Are you adopted?" "I mean, were you?" " Are you adopted?" " Was I adopted?" " Yes." " No." "I'm sorry." "It's inappropriate." "I shouldn't..." "You just remind me of someone..." "Your date of birth, and the year..." "Just thinking about... a friend..." "Looks like we're in for a gorgeous Mother's Day Weekend with high's up and down the coast reaching the upper 80's." "Currently 72 degrees in Wilmington, 74 at Rightsville, and 71 at Kure Beach." "Lola, as good as I say." "The people in number 6 called." "Their sink's stopped-up." " I just fixed it!" " And they smell!" "We should have a party." "I'm serious George, it's getting old." "Oh my God, dude." "Check it out." "What do you think?" "Your team, or mine?" " I thought you played on everybody's team?" " I'm a team player." "Want to take those towels to 9 for me?" "Hey!" "Hey mom!" " How was your day?" " Oh... fine." "Just fine." " I feel like pork chops." " Funny, you don't look like a pork chop." " Is that ok?" "Does that sound good to you?" " I'm not hungry, so whatever you want." "Your aunt Millie called today." "She said she wants to come up next month for a visit." "Won't uncle Don be coming up with her?" "No." "I doubt it." "He still won't fly." "But they know I'm back and that I'm living here with you?" "She knows." "Did you tell her why?" "I told her you'd been in the hospital." "She doesn't have to know everything." "Gracious Lord, accept our thanks for these and all other blessings." "Lead us, and guide us, and teach us to be true to each other, ourselves and thee." "In Jesus name, Amen." "I talked to Susan today." "She said that Harry was recuperating very well." "You know, the first thing he asked the doctor when he came out of surgery?" "He wanted to know if he could still use their microwave." "That sounds just like Harry!" " Did you meet the neighbors?" " Um, no..." "I saw them." "Are they Mexicans?" " Well..." "One might be." " Oh, that's good." "Now Linda will only be half of upset." "Which one is Mexican?" "Him or her?" "Well..." "I don't think there is a her." "What do you mean?" "I mean I don't think that there's a woman over there." "You saying what I think you're saying?" "All I know is, one man came out of the house another man got out of a car and they embraced." "Well, maybe they're friends." " How many friends do you kiss?" " They kissed?" "Right in the driveway." "In front of the child." " They have a child?" " Little boy." " Were you wearing your glasses?" " Robert, I know what I saw." "Should I invite them to church?" "Let's just wait and see if they come on their own." "I made a pie and everything..." " Here ya go Bubba." " Thank you, Julie." "So anyway, everybody left around 11:30." "Around midnight I went out to get into my truck and there it was," " ... gone!" " Oh my god, what'd you do?" " I called Kanee." " Did he find it?" "Well, they told me I had to file a police report, which I did." "They told me I had to call the insurance company, which I did." "They told me they'd found the guy who had stole it, which they didn't!" "Same thing happened to my friend Tammy when she was at Myrtle Beach." "Except, it was her bicycle and they found it." "Oh, that's my song!" " Want another 'cow-out-of-line', George?" " Yes m'am, thank you." "Well, what can I get for you, sugar?" " How much for a cup of coffee?" " A dollar." "I'll have one of those 'to go', please." " It'll be a few minutes." " That's all right." " Hey." "How's it going?" " Pretty good, yourself?" "Not bad." "Thanks." "You on vacation?" "I think you actually have to have a job, to be on vacation." "So, no..." " Hope you didn't come here looking for one." " No." "No, acutally I came here to see the loggerhead turtles." "Yeah, I figured that was what you were doing." "I saw you out there this morning putting that flag in the sand." "Yeah, I woke up right next to a nest." "I figured it'd be the best way to keep someone from stepping on it." "I wouldn't worry too much about the turtles around here." "This whole place is a loggerhead sanctuary." "I love it that they call it a sanctuary." " Hey, I'm..." "I'm George." " Hi George, I'm Mark." " Nice to meet you." " Nice to meet you." "Hey, you should um..." "you should really be careful out there." "It's against the law to sleep on the beach here." " What you kidding me?" " No, it's a city ordinance." "No, it's a public beach right there." "Just trust me when I tell you you don't wanna get busted by the cops around here." " That's ridiculous!" " Well, welcome to Kure Beach." "Ku-re?" "I thought it was 'cure'..." "Everybody gets it wrong." " Did you want sugar and cream in this?" " No, thank you that's fine." " There you go." " You know what?" "I got it." " No, really you don't have to do that." " Lemme get it." "Phyllis, I got this one." " Thanks alot." " You're welcome." " Hey seriously, be careful out there." " I will." "Did you get his number?" "No, well you know, I don't think he's got one." "He's sleeping on the beach." "Oh boy!" "I thought you'd finished your sermon?" "I'm just looking for a good scripture for Mother's Day." " Well, how about Mary?" " I was thinking about Ruth and Naomi." " "Wither thou goest"?" " That's the one!" " We used that when we got married." " We, and everybody else." " Except Naomi is Ruth's mother-in-law." " Mmmm." "Oh, speaking of mothers-in-laws, we need to send mom something for Mother's Day." "I thought maybe I'd send her a nice pot of Azalea this year." "Oh, she can't take care of a plant!" "Well, the nurses could water it for her." " Just send her some yellow roses, she likes that." " Okay." "Are you adopted?" "I mean, were you?" " Are you adopted?" " Was I adopted?" " Yes." " No." "There was a time, you know, when parents didn't tell their kids that they were adopted." "Well, I'm a pretty sure my parents would have mentioned something about that." "Anyway, there's no way I was adoped." "I look just like my mom." "So..." "You are in violation of county ordinances..." "Can you please explain that situation?" "I don't understand whats..." "I don't understand whats..." " ... to come here." " Because you..." " Hey, no, no!" "No, no one can insult me like..." "I don't believe that any of these..." "First of all, you don't touch me!" "You're gonna calm down, is what you're gonna do." "What's going on?" " Hey, George." " What's going on?" " You know this guy?" " Yeah." "Step to the rear of the car, son." " How do you know this guy?" " He's a... he's staying over at the motel." " He's a guest at your motel?" " Yeah." "So why is he sleeping on the beach?" "Something doesn't smell right, George." "Sounds like you're gonna owe me one, right?" " Last one!" " I appreciate it." "And you!" "I don't want to see you anymore." " That guy's uptight." " He's a nice one." " What'd you tell him?" " I told him you were a guest of my motel." " Did he believe that?" " Probably not." "He owes me one, anyway." "Here you go!" "Kind of a wreck." "You can open these windows if you want to." "The AC died last week." "Oh that's all right." "I hate the air conditioning." "You won't be saying that in August." "I like this place." "It's very 'retro'." "By 'retro' you mean that there's always something to fix?" " Yeah." " Pretty 'retro'." " Is it all right if I smoke in here?" " It's your lungs." "I..." "I should probably tell you..." "I'm HIV-positive." "I'm sorry." "I just thought I'd tell you before we get in to anything." "And if you don't want to give me the room now, I..." " ..." "I understand." " Wait!" "What?" "What do you think that I gave you this room in exchange for...?" "Yeah, I thought it was a barter..." "situation..." "No." "It isn't, okay?" "I'm sorry." "You have to do this alot?" "Some." "It seems kinda dangerous." "Well, I can usually tell who's harmless and who's dangerous." "Oh." "So, I'm harmless?" "You seem like a nice guy." "I am a nice guy, Mark." "No need to barter." "Ruth!" "What on earth!" "Isn't he divine?" "Look at those proportions." "I'm going to put day lilies around him." "You're not gonna leave him here?" "!" " Why not?" " He's practically in front of the church!" "Well..." "David's in the bible." "He threw Goliath." "He was a king." "I know very well who David is." "Now, that looks like a king!" "Ruth, he's naked." "You know what?" "If this were the Venus De Milo we wouldn't even be having this conversation." "Oh, c'mon Ruth!" "Elisabeth, if you don't like it, don't look at it!" "Well, I have a good mind to go over there and cover him up myself." "Don't get yourself worked up over it." "That's just what she wants you to do." " She just does it to irritate me." " She does it for the attention." "Landon-DeWight are going to be very upset." "And Patti will be furious when she sees it." "I'll um..." "I'll say something to the mayor." "What can he do?" "It's her property." "But we have to look at it." " Not according to Ruth." "Well, he better do something." "He made us take down our living nativity at town hall." "Oh, I'm going to need the car this afternoon." "Well, I'll uh..." "I'll see you at home." " Aren't you going to be late?" " Uh, it's my day off." "I thought Monday was your day off?" "Yeah well, they changed the schedule around." "I made a list." "Do you need anything?" "No, mom, I'm fine." " Okay." "I'll see you soon." " Okay." "Did you live here?" "I'm sorry." "Did you live here?" "When you were..." "Yes I did." "Upstairs." "Room in the front." " It's all offices now." " Oh, really?" " Mmmmm." " Where are you from?" " Asheville." "Oh, I love Asheville." "Went there last Christmas." "To the Biltmore House." "Amazing." "Do alot of us come back?" "Some." "Ms. Bellamy?" "It's quite common for a birth mother to question, from time to time, if she made the right decision." " But I can assure you..." " Uh, it wasn't my decision." "Excuse me?" "I signed the papers, but it wasn't my decision." "I can assure you he was placed with a very good family." "But..." "I mean, I know it happens everyday... birth mother's reunited with their children." "Some States allow for that." "But in North Carolina all adoptions are closed." "Which means birth records are sealed permanently." "We find that's best for all the members of the adoption triade." "Best for the triade?" "I mean, what about him?" "I mean, he's at a certain age now..." "If he were to try to contact me..." "Well, if an adoptee contacts us, the only thing we are allowed to provide is what's known as a 'letter of non-identifying information'." "Nothing that could ever sacrifice your anonimity." "My anonimity..." "Yeah..." "Ms. Bellamy..." "When birth mother's like yourself try to find relinquished children it can be very disruptive to the adoptive family." "A closed adoption protects them." "Protects them from what?" "From you." "Excuse me." "Could you sign out please?" "She can help you find what you are looking for." "Pearl, are you back there?" "Mrs. Austin." " Sam!" " My mom will be right back." "She... she just..." "stepped out for an hour." " I thought you were in the service?" " No." "Not anymore." "Well, your mother didn't say anything about that." "Yeah." "Is there something I can help you with?" "Oh!" "Uh... we need to send some yellow roses to Robert's mother." " She's at Oakwood." " Okay." " How's she doing?" " She doesn't recognize us anymore." "I'm sorry." "What would you like this card to say?" "Um..." "Happy Mother's Day..." "Love, Robert and Elisabeth" "How's Mark?" " Fine!" " Good." "When's the last time you spoke to Mark?" "Not since graduation." "What's he up to these days?" "Well.. you know Mark." "Yeah." "When you see him, tell him I said 'Hi'." "All right." "I almost ran over that little boy today." "What little boy?" "The little boy across the street." "What happened?" "Well, he was on his bicycle and he just darted right out in front of me." "Did anybody see you?" "No, I don't think so." "You should say something." "He shouldn't be riding out on the street." "No." "I wasn't paying attention." "Grace Bellamy." " Yeah." " I thought that was you." "It's Mike." "Mike Sullivan." "Oh my God!" "Mikey!" "How are you?" "What are you doing back in Asheville?" "Just uh... you know, staying with my mom for a little bit." " She okay?" " Fine." "Just fine." " What can I get you?" " Uh, a beer's great." "You got it!" " Thanks." " I heard uh, you were livin' in..." " Where was it?" "Was it Baltimore?" " Atlanta." " Oh, right." "God, you look great!" " No I don't." " Yeah, yeah, you do." "Thank you Mike." "Remember, you used to drive that 'green bug'?" " Yeah, I remember that." " God, times have changed, huh?" "Yeah, yeah..." "Well, that's on the house." "Welcome home." "Thank you Mike." " Hey!" " Hey!" " Oh, wow!" "Bad time?" " No." "No, no, c'mon in." "Lemme just get dressed." "I just thought these might help cool you off there." "Thanks!" "Yeah, I forgot how good it is to sleep in a bed." "How long have you been on the road?" "This time it's been about..." "about 3 weeks." "But I've been on my own since I was 17." "Where you from originally?" "Have you ever heard of a place called Eden?" "Yeah, book of Genesis?" "This place wasn't paradise." "You know, actually it was kinda pretty." "If you drove out far enough, it started to look like Scotland a little bit." "Oh, oh, I've never been." "Yeah, well, me neither." "But I've seen pictures." "Thanks." "It must be nice living at the beach." "Hmmm." "If you can stand the hurricanes." " Have you been in a bunch?" " Yeah." "Nah." "No." "Not really." "They always evacuate us." "Some of the old timers like to stick it out, though." "Yeah, I would." "Yeah." "You obviously never been in one." " Thanks." " Cheers." " And what are these?" " Infrared goggles." " For what?" " So I can see the turtles at night." "A soldier down at Camp LeJeune gave them to me." "Gave them to you?" "Yeah, we bartered for them." "Wow." "Bet you could do some serious spying with these things." "You want to?" "Why do they only come out at night?" "I guess they just don't wanna be seen." "Do you know what the most amazing thing is?" "A female loggerhead who was born on this beach will return to this exact spot to lay her eggs." "And then when the babies finally hatch, they look up and find the moonlight." "And hat's what guides them back into the ocean." " How does she know?" " It's a mystery." "But something pulls her back." "Hey Mark, you feel okay?" "Yeah, yeah." "I feel great, why?" "Coz you look a little green." "How long have you been positive?" "It's been about 5 years now." "Mind if I ask how you got it?" "I trusted someone." "You know, it's not like somebody tied me up, forced me to do something I didn't want to do." "Well, that one time!" "But, that's a totally different story." "I found out that I was positive on my 21st birthday." "Oh, my God!" " A birthday's a birthday." " Well..." "We're all born." "We'll all die." "At least now they can treat it, right?" "It's what they say." "You're not treating it?" "I'm not going to spend the rest of my life getting sick just trying to get well." " Doesn't make any sense." " Well, that's how it works, Mark." " Drugs keep people alive." " Some people." "If you don't treat it, how do you expect to survive?" "I don't." "Oh, I'm sorry." "Did I wake you?" "I wasn't asleep." "I remember the exact moment that picture was taken." "I thought I was so ugly." "You're beautiful." "You look just like my mother." "I wish I could go back and tell her how pretty she is." "Was." "I really wish I could do that." "I was 4 months pregnant and I didn't even know it." "Can you believe that?" "It's late." "You have to work tomorrow." " No mom, I quit." " What?" " I quit." " I thought you liked this job?" "No, I've never said that." "Well, drink some water before you go to sleep." " Well, do you wanna come inside?" " Nah, nah, I'm gonna head in." " I understand." " No, it's not that." " I.." "I have to get up early, that's all." " That's cool." "Are you spying on the homosexuals?" "I'm not spying." "I don't know what I'm gonna do with that Dogwood." "I ordered your mother some flowers today." "Good." " Guess who I saw at the florist?" " Who?" "Sam." "I thought he was in the service?" "Not anymore." "He asked about Mark." "And what did you tell him?" "I said he was fine." "What do you say?" "When people ask about him?" "They don't." "As I row, row, row" "Going so slow, slow, slow" "Just down below me is the old sea" "Nobody knows, knows, knows" "So many things, things, so" "So out of range" "Sometimes so strange" "Sometimes so sweet" "Sometimes so lonely" "And I'm alone" "All of the way" "Alone and unheard" "You just have to go, go, go" "Where I don't know, know, know" "This is the thing" "Somebody said" "Somebody told me" "A long time ago" "The further I go" "More letters from home never arrive" "And I'm alone" "All of the way" "Alone and unheard" "As I row, row, row" "Going so slow, slow, slow" "Just down below me is the old sea" "As I row, row, row" "Going so slow, slow, slow" "Just down below me is the old sea" "Oh!" "Hello!" " I'm not supposed to talk to strangers." "Oh, well, let's introduce ourselves then, okay?" "I'm Mrs. Austin, and I live in that house right over there." " And what's your name?" " Julian." "Julian?" "Well, nice to meet you Julian." "You know, you really should be more careful on your bicycle." "Because yesterday you almost..." "Well, I..." "I almost hit you and I..." " How old are you Julian?" " Eight." "Eight years old?" "Oh my goodness, you're almost grown up!" "How old are you?" "Well..." "I..." "I don't think you should ask a lady how old she is." "Why not?" " Um... where's your daddy?" " He's in the house." " Oh." "And your mommy?" "Can you tell me where your mommy is?" "I see you've met the neighbors." "Yeah." "Well?" " Well, they're not homosexuals." " Why I thought you said they were?" "I was wrong." "He's a widower." " And the other man is his wife's brother." " Oh." "Did you invite them to church?" "No." "You should do that." "You'd better hurry if you're gonna get your hair cut." "So why do they put bibles in motel rooms?" " Gideon's do it." " Yeah, but why?" "To brainwash a few more people, I guess." "So you're not a believer?" "I think that people who believe in God are fools.." "Well, I guess that makes me a fool, huh?" "I like church." "I like the ritual of it." "I like the way it makes me feel." "I..." "I dunno..." "Not me." "It's always one extra hour away from my surfboard on Sundays." "Whenever they had the doors unlocked, I was in church." "I didn't have much of a choice." "My father was the minister." "Do they know you're positive?" "Nah." "It doesn't matter." "I mean, they're not my real parents anyway." "I was adopted." "You know, when I was little they would tell me:" "Of all the kids out there, we chose you." "I used to picture this fenced-in area with babies just crawling all around like a dog-pen." "And my parents peering over the fence, picking' out their baby." "No." "No." "Oh that one's pretty cute!" "Maybe." "No." "Yes!" "Yes!" "You!" "You will be our baby." "For the longest time I thought that if I did anything wrong, anything at all, they'd send me right back there." "Three thousand dollars, that's a lot of money." "You get his name." "His address." "The name and address of his adopted family." "Yeah, but how do you get that with all the records sealed?" "Uh, it isn't just me." "It's a whole network." "Think of it as a kind of modern-day underground railroad or something." "And how long does it take?" "Uh... it varies." "One search took me a year." "Uh, another one took me an hour." "Oh, one thing you should know..." "I don't... set up reunions or do introductions, or anything like that." "Uh... after I get paid, I'm out of the picture." "What you do with the information, is up to you." "An interesting career choice." "Well..." "I..." "I believe people have the right to know who they are." "Or where they came from." "You're adopted, are'nt you?" " Yeah!" " Of course!" "How'd you know that?" "Did you find your birth parents?" "I found my mother." "For me, I didn't have any choice." "I had to find her, you know?" "I had to find her so that I could stop looking for her." "Thank you for calling the North Carolina Aquarium at Fort Fisher." "The aquarium is open from 9AM to 5PM, seven days a week." "Everyday except Thanksgiving Day, Christmas Day and..." " You looking for George?" " Yeah, have you seen him?" " Is he around?" " He's upstairs." " Something I can help you with?" "No, thanks." "That's all right." "I'm Lola." " Hi, I'm Mark." " I know who you are." "You're in number 2." "He gave me number 9." "Have you known George for a long time?" "Let's see... uh..." "five years?" "Yeah." "Wow!" "So..." "George says that you're here trying to save the turtles." "Yeah, somebody has to." "They're endangered." "Lola." "It's a good name." "Lola's not my real name." "My real name's Sharon, but, you know, I... hate Sharon and..." "Besides, George said I seem more like a 'Lola'." "I do too." "I see it." "You know, I heard that uh, loggerhead turtles could live to be like over a hundred years old." "Yeah, some of them can." "They got us beat!" "Hello." " Hi Marvin!" " Richard." "Chad." " Fred." "Hey Gordy." " Hi reverend." "Nice to see you." "How long's the wait this morning, Lou?" "You're next." "Right after this young fella." "How's your momma Gordy?" "Oh not too good, reverend." "We took her out of Mercy on Wednesday and" " had to put her right back in on Friday." " Oh, I'm sorry." " Don't seem like she can stay at home more than 2 or 3 days before she has to go right back in." "I'll get over to see her tomorrow." "She'll appreciate that." "Thank you, reverend." "Okay." "How's that?" "Thank you." "Oh, and good luck at the game!" "Reverend, you're up!" "Reverend?" " Hmmm?" " It's your turn." "Can I help you?" "Oh." "I didn't think anyone was home." "What have I done this time?" "I wanted to talk to you about the statue." "I thought maybe that you could move it to the back yard?" "You know." "A compromise." "A compromise?" "Well, that way not everybody would have to look at it." "That's your solution to everything, isn't it?" "Move it to the back yard!" "Don't have to look at it!" "I don't know what Mark told you..." "But we didn't throw him out of the house." " He ran away from home." " Oh, Elisabeth..." "You don't believe me?" "I believe it's hard being a minister's wife." "Well, what was I supposed to do?" "Chase after him?" "Nobobdy ever asked about him." "He lived here his whole life." "It's like he never existed." "Nobody ever asked about him." "What would you say if they did?" "You don't ask about him." "I don't need to." "Where is he?" "He sent this to me." "Last summer." "We'd been in touch ever since." "This is where he is?" "Uh, 'Cure' Beach." "Ku-re." "He's been living there for a year." "I thought you'd know." "He spent more time here growing up than he ever did at home." "You should go see him." " Mark doesn't wanna see us." " You NEED to." "SOON." "What?" "He's ill." "You knew this and you didn't tell me?" "He asked me not to." " See?" " He didn't want you having to make a choice." "Go see him." " I can't." " Of course, you can!" " Robert won't." " I'll go with you!" "We can take my car." "I've been wanting to go a long time but" "I just can't drive that far by myself!" "I have to go." "I have to go now." "How can you live in a place like this?" "What do you mean?" "Like opposed to New York or San Francisco?" "Yeah." "I just like it here." "I like knowing my neighbors." "Yeah, but do they know you?" "They all know I'm gay." "What about this guy?" "Do they know about him?" "That's Paul." "He's cute." "He was." "Was he... sick?" "No." "He drowned actually." "That's what they said." "Kinda funny to me being he was such a good swimmer, but..." "They said he got caught in a riptide or something." "I'm sorry." " How long were you guys together?" " Almost seven years." "You know?" "How come no one asks: why you were together?" "Everybody always says:" "how long you were together?" "As if it matters, you know?" "My folks were together for 40 years now, and I still don't know why." "Okay, why were you guys together?" "Coz he made me laugh." "Because he had this..." "great voice..." "I loved his voice." "And because I loved this place." "And he didn't." "We moved here, anyway." "And I thought it was this crazy idea." "He moved here for me." "Few years later he loved it too." "Mom, you must think about him?" "Don't you know wonder what happened to him?" "We know what happened to him." "He was adopted by a family that wanted him and could take care of him." " We could have kept him." " You were seventeen!" " Oh yeah!" "With my whole life ahead of me." " Yes." "With the rest of your life ahead of you." "Do you know what happened to girls in your situation?" "Oh my God!" "And my life is so perfect now?" "Don't blame me for the way your life turned out!" "I'm not blaming you." "I.." "I just don't understand why you want to do this." "It's not about a 'want'." "It's about a 'need'." "I need to know that he's okay." "That he was loved." "What if he doesn't need to meet you?" "Okay mom, I know you're ashamed of me, but that doesn't mean..." " Don't be ridiculous!" " You are, you're ashamed of me." "You think this is going to solve all your problems?" "No, but it might keep me from swallowing another bottle of pills." "That was an accident." "You know that's not true." "You said it was an accident." "You said you'd forgotten how many you had taken." " I never said that." " That is what you said!" "George?" "It's me." "I'm fine." "How's he feeling' today?" "Can I speak to him?" "Hey honey!" "Listen, um, your mom stopped by this afternoon." "I told her." "You need to call her." "I like to thinking about a turtle out there, just foolin' around, you know?" "He's just doin' his thing." "And one day he looks up and he sees another turtle, a female, and they've never met..." "They've never even seen each other before, but there's that moment." "Of recognition, where they just know that..." "that they're connected." "Something's going on." "It could happen." "It's a big ocean though." "You ever thought about tryin' to find them?" "Once when I was 18 years old I wrote the adoption agency." "They sent me some letter." "A bunch of bullshit facts about my mom." "Nothin' about my dad." "What did it say?" "I don't even remember." "Hey!" "Tell me." "It said my mom was 17 years old when she had me." "It said that she was tall." "With blonde hair and blue eyes." "It said she was smart." "She made good grades, and she was popular with her peers, which I'm really tryin' hard not to hold against her." "It said she was..." "full of promise." "Whatever that means." "I know what that means." "It means I take after my dad, I guess." "I've heard of people finding their birth parents." "It's not for me." "Why not?" "Because." "Because I wouldn't know what the fuck to say when I walked up to her." "I mean if I ever..." "If you were my mom, would you want to meet me?" "Yeah..." "It's you." "I thought I forgot to turn off the lights." "I'm sorry." "What time is it?" "It's late." "Beth?" "He's sick." "How do you know?" "Ruth." "Is it AID's?" "It doesn't matter." "God punishes." "Yes he does." "And right now, he's punishing me." "Beth, you didn't do anything." "Mark ran away from God." "No." "He ran away from us." "And we let him go." "Mark made his choice." "I guess it's true what they say about preacher's kids." "No." "Not at all." "I was a good kid." "I was a great kid." "In fact, I made good grades," "I had good manners, I was never in any trouble!" " Oh really?" " No." "God!" "I think the farthest was when I came home when my mom caught me and my best friend Sam back in the church we were 16 years old." " C'mon!" " No." "She walked right in on us." "Not... not good!" "Isn't that like a mortal sin or something?" "We were just kids." "We were just kissing." "I begged her not to tell my dad and..." "Of course, that was the first thing she did." "And he just started yelling." "You should be ashamed of yourself." "Telling me I was going to burn in Hell." "How I'd ruined the family." "I don't think he even believed half of what he was saying." "He was just yelling." "Didn't they kick you out?" "No." "I beat 'em to it." "Grace?" "I'm not ashamed of you." "I've never been ashamed of you." "Ever!" "You probably don't believe me, but it's true." "You're my daughter and I love you." "Yes, of course I think about him." "He's my grandson." "What are you going to tell him when he asks?" "Why you gave him away?" "The truth." "I was only doing what I thought was best for everybody." "Then, that's what we'll say." "You coming?" "Yes." "Hi." "Can I please speak with Grace?" "Get up." " What?" " It's Rachel." "Hello?" "Hi Grace." "I'm sorry to call so early in the morning." "Um, I just wanted to let you know that I..." "I was able to do a search last night." "And I..." "I have some information for you about your son." " She found him!" " No, I didn't find him... uh..." "I.." "I..." "What I learned was um not such good news... um..." "Unfortunately..." "What..." "What I learned is..." "He's..." "He died." "What?" "What is it?" "...your bright and shining face." "Good morning to you." " Good morning." "Good morning to you." "Good to see you." "Hi!" "How are you Carol?" "Nice to see you." "Good morning, how are you?" "Those pearls look very nice." "Good morning." "Good morning." "Hi." "How are you?" "You're welcome." "Welcome to..." "Good morning." "Good morning." "And a happy Mother's Day to you!" "Hey Billy-Ray." " God bless you." " Good to see you buddy." "Hi, how are you?" "So nice to see you today." "You're looking very nice." "He called." "Good Morning." " Morning." " Morning." "I'm sorry Beth." "I can't." "Good morning." "Good to see so many of you here on this Mother's Day." "Our scriptural reading today is from the book of Ruth." "It's a verse about love." "that has come to be associated with love between a man and a woman." "But it's actually a pledge from one woman, Ruth." "To another, Naomi." "Her mother-in-law." "As Elisabeth pointed out to me, it's a verse that we used on our wedding day." "So many years ago." "It's a verse that I used in this church to marry many of you." "Looking out, I see some of you sitting here today." "Some of you..." "for the first time, in a long time." "It's good to have you home." "Let us..." "Let us go to the word of God for guidance and inspiration." "Where you go, I will go." "Where you lodge, I will lodge." "Your people, shall be my people." "And your God, my God." "Where you die, I will die." "And there, will I be buried." "You should call them." "What would I say?" "They've lost their son." "You'll know what to say." "We are swimming with the snakes" "At the bottom of the well" "So silent and peaceful in the darkness where we fell" "But we are not snakes and what's more" "We never will be" "And if we stay swimming here forever we will" "Never be free" "I heard them ringing the bells" "In heaven and hell" "They got a secret" "They're getting ready to tell" "It's falling from the sky" "It's calling from the graves" "Open your eyes, boy, I think we are saved" "Let's take a walk on the bridge" "Right over this mess" "Tell me to tell me a thing, baby" "We've already confessed" "And I raised my voice to the air" "And we were blessed" "It's hard to give" "It's hard to get" "It's hard to live baby still I think it's the best bet" "Hey it's hard to give and I'm never gonna forget" "But everybody needs a little forgiveness" "Everywhere I go I see these guys and... every year they get a little bit older." "You know, I only held him for a little while, but..." "I just believed that if I could look directly into his eyes I'd recognize him." "Not long before Mark died, we talked about you." "I was never able to do that before." "You were always my worst nightmare." "You're not the first person to tell me that." "I was so afraid that Mark would want to find you and if he found you he would love you more than me." "Well no, you're his mother." "We both are." "Thank you." "Do you have any more children?" "No." "Just never thought it would be right... after..." "I don't know why we couldn't have children." "I..." "I used to think it was my fault." "And then..." "For awhile, I even thought maybe we were doing it wrong." "I want to thank you for meeting me." "I know not everybody would, so..." "Well, I almost didn't." "What made you change your mind?" "Well, I thought about how lucky I've been..." "You gave me the chance to be a mother." "So when you called, I realised that this could be my chance to find a way to give him back to you." "He saved them?" "Yeah." "Some of them."