"Beautiful day." "Yes, it certainly is." " That's a pretty dress." " Thank you." "What you reading?" " Poetry." " I know a poem." "Want to hear it?" " No, thanks." " I love Little Pussy." "Her fur is so warm." "And if I don't hurt her, she'll do me no harm." "What's the matter, don't you like it?" "Hey, why don't you and I get some lunch and you could read some of those poems to me?" "No, thank you." "I prefer to read silently." "Oh, 'cause I'm real hungry and I hate to eat alone." "Then perhaps a cafeteria-style diner would suit your needs." "Think you're pretty cute, don't you?" "My mother says I have a certain kind of loveliness though I believe in the Anasazi Indians that the face is for others to look at." "Get in." "I'm going to walk away now." "I suggest you let me." "Get in!" " Are you threatening me?" " Get in!" "Toodle-oo." "Who saw him die? "I," said the fly, "With my little eye."" "Mother dear, how do we get blood out again?" "I told you, dear." "Lemon juice with equal parts ice water." "If you let it soak long enough, no one'll know the difference." " It'll be our little secret." " We have so many, Mother dear." "Now, tell Mother." "Don't fib." "Did you accidentally cut yourself with a knife again?" "No, but don't worry about me, Mother dear." " Oh, Mother never stops her worry, Mary." " You always say that." " 'Cause it's always true." " I can take care of myself." "So... what does my little big girl plan on doing today?" "I am substitute-teaching in a low-income, racially mixed bottom-scoring, first-grade classroom." "Oh, you poor darling." "You could have run a charm school in a soon-to-be bankrupt department store or been president." "But that wasn't my destiny, Mother." "Well, I hardly think your destiny is being a temporary teacher." "Well, no one knows their destiny except..." "God... or... a best-selling author." "Well, I just don't understand why you don't something more permanent." "Permanence is temporary, Mother dear." "Well, I suppose there's some truth in that, Mary." "The truth is relative." " I guess I should let you go." " You'll never let me go." " Toodle-oo." "I love you." " Toodle-oo." "I love you too." "Life is mostly froth and bubble." "Two things stand like stone:" "Kindness in another's trouble and courage in your own." "What the author in this book is trying to tell us, that no matter what the most important things in life are kindness and courage." "Who can tell me an example of courage in their own lives?" " Miss Meadows, Miss Meadows!" " Gordon?" " Mrs. Meadows?" " It's Miss Meadows." "Let's continue." "If you're a "miss," does that mean you miss having a husband?" "Well, that's one interpretation." "Although the other is that I prefer it that way because I have all of you." "So who has an example for me?" "Wow!" "You thought of one, Heather?" "Can I take a snack break now?" "No, not yet." "Can I help you find an example of courage?" "Well, Mrs. Dodd left us." "Well, Mrs. Dodd isn't here right now." "Miss Meadows is." "She's never coming back." " Of course she is." " No, she's not!" "My grandma had the same thing she does and she died." "I saw her in her coffin." "She looked like string cheese." "Well, it sounds like Mrs. Dodd is an example of courage." "How about we make "get well soon" cards for Mrs. Dodd and I will personally see that she gets them?" "Are we doing coloured or plain?" " Plain." "Coloured!" " Plai..." "Oh, my goodness!" "Mrs. Dodd's got the Big C. Don't fill those children's minds with false hope." "There are over 13 million cancer survivors throughout the world." "The only thing false is not having any hope." " Is that a fact?" " Yes." "For verification, you can contact the American Cancer Society." "All right, Miss Meadows." "I've had it up to here with you." "Perhaps you're confusing me with the scarf around your neck that's in danger of becoming a tourniquet." "I shall return to Mrs. Dodd's class." "The children don't need any more changes right now." "I shall give them as much consistency as I can which might serve to reassure them in these troubled times." " Go home." "Your cheque's in the mail." " I seriously doubt that." "I rarely receive any cheques through the mail." "Toodle-oo." " Good morning, Mrs. Davenport." " Good morning, Miss Meadows." "Oh!" "Your garden looks especially perky today." "What's your secret?" "Honestly, coffee grinds and meticulous weeding." " Really?" " Yeah." "All right, I'm gonna have to try that." "I just have to say, Miss Meadows, it is such a pleasure having you in the neighbourhood." "Ever since you've moved here, things just feel different." "For the better, I hope." "Oh, yes!" "I mean, it's a pleasure to live here again." "I do hope you'll renew your lease and stay for good." "Stay for good?" "Good to stay." "What doth the bluebird say?" "Miss Meadows, a new dentist joined Doug's practice and he's available and we thought we might fix you two up." "Thank you." "But I don't need a dentist." "Oh no, I just meant..." "Well, I don't want you to end up an old maid." "That's impossible." "I don't clean houses for a living." "And I have no intentions to start domestication training." " Okay." " But thank you." "Ooh..." "Careful on the thorns." "Toodle-oo." "Oh, it's okay." "Okay." "No broken legs." "Good job." "Yeah." "Excuse me, miss." "Hello, Sheriff." "Do you have any idea why I pulled over?" "Yes." "I parked my vehicle illegally in the middle of the road which causes the same safety hazard as leaving a vehicle unoccupied." "But I was concerned for the safety of this toad." "And there was no on-street parking." "Do you think if I kissed it, it would turn into a prince?" "Maybe." "Or it'll just be one lucky toad." "This is a '56 Metropolitan Nash?" "Yeah, it reminds me of an old pair of saddle shoes I once had." "Reminds me of my grandmother's kitchen floor." " So clean you could eat dinner off it." " I prefer a table setting." "Right." "Can you..." "One..." "Don't move." "Do you think that's really true?" "That you can make a difference in this world?" "I think it's impossible not to try." "I feel the exact same way." " What is it you do for a living?" " I teach kids." " Oh, that's nice." " My pleasure." "All right, so I think I'm gonna let you off" " with a warning this time, Miss..." " Meadows." " Meadows." "That's a beautiful name." " Thank you." "Can I ask where you're from?" ""Can ask" is if you're physically able; "may ask" is permission." "Toodle-oo, Sheriff." "C-Carry on." "I know it's hard but although Mrs. Dodd has left this world and is teaching in another, we're never going to forget her, right?" "And she's never going to forget any one of you." "I can feel her spirit in this classroom right now, especially if I close my eyes." "I see her." "She's wearing that blue dress." "She looks so pretty." "And she's smiling at all of you." "Do you see it?" " Yeah." " Do you see her pretty smile?" "Yeah." "See, we're starting to remember her." "If we do this every single day, she'll always be with us." " Okay?" " Yeah." "You're probably wondering why I passed your cards back out?" "I was thinking that we should paste them, each one to its own balloon, and then one day, we're going to release them." "Yeah." " You said she'd come back." " I know, sweetheart." "I was wrong." "Sometimes Miss Meadows..." "Lie!" "You lied!" "Heather." "Excuse me, children." "Why don't you get started?" "Heather, sweetheart." "Heather, sweetheart." "Heather." "Come here, come here." "Heather." "It's okay, sweetie." "I'm so sorry." "I'm so sorry." "All the bad people stay and all the good ones die." "I hate the world." "It's a terrible place." "I know." "Sometimes it is but not all the time." "And it's our responsibility... to make it a better place." "Hey, Miss Meadows, do you want to come to Happy Hour?" "Hey, Katharine." "I don't see how Happy Hour will make much of a difference..." " Bye, Miss Meadows." "I like your outfit." " Well, thank you." "Have a good afternoon." "Toodle-oo." "Miss Meadows." " May I?" " Sheriff." "An absolutely splendid edition that is essential to all." "If this doesn't make you proper, nothing will." "Thank you." "I've always wanted my own copy." "A sentence contains no unnecessary words, a paragraph no unnecessary sentences." "Make every word tell." "I would like to take you for an afternoon spin in my 1970 classic Chevrolet pickup truck." "I would like that very much." "How, may I ask, do you know where I work?" "I ran your plate." "Your work address came up." "I..." " That's illegal." " Yes, it is." "I feel really bad." "I just..." "I couldn't stop thinking about this girl in the middle of the road holding a toad." "Dead right, I'm sorry." "I apologize to you." "I broke the rules." "I think it's okay to break the rules sometimes." "Good." "You tell your kids that?" "What?" "That it's okay to break the rules sometimes?" "Well, I remind them of their goodness." "How to... protect themselves if they're around someone that they don't think is good." "I like that." "Listen, if kids aren't safe, if they don't feel safe, we're all lost." " I like the rain." " Why?" "Makes me feel clean." "I bought this property a few years ago." "And right here, this is where I figured I would build a house one day." " Do you have a contractor's licence?" " No, I don't have a contractor's licence but I will hire someone to help me, so thank you." "Butterscotch or liquorice?" "Sheriff, what may I ask made you choose law enforcement as your career?" " Fear." " Of what?" "It's a career choice motivated by the soul-numbing fear that I might end up" " like the rest of my family." " What does that mean?" "Are you familiar with the term convicts?" "So you have bad blood." "I don't know if I'd call it that." "Why did you start teaching?" " I'm asking you the questions." " Oh, really?" "Okay." "So what's your second... career choice?" " You have to promise not to laugh." " No." "No?" " You want me to take a risk?" " Yes, please." "Professional accordion player." "Why?" "Why not?" "I think it has this obscure beauty." "It's misunderstood." "Did you know that the accordion is the second least-appreciated musical instrument right ahead of the bagpipe and right behind the dead-kitten flute?" "No, I did not know that until right this very moment." " What may I ask are you doing?" " I'm dancing to your accordion." "I'm not that good." "It's a work in progress." "Isn't everything?" "Thank you for the..." "the spin and the snack." "You're very welcome." "Miss Meadows." "Yes?" " May I..." " Yes." "Right." "That's gonna cover that top window pane, right?" " Yep." " The top and the bottom." "Mrs. Davenport, what are you doing?" "Oh, better safe than sorry." "I'm sorry you don't feel safe." "I thought you said the neighbourhood had improved." "Haven't you been reading the newspapers?" "The Department of Corrections released nearly 2000 prisoners over the last six months because of "overcrowding."" "Now they can only account for 800 of them." "Some say that they've moved right into this very neighbourhood." "My Doug says that it's unconstitutional to try and stop them." "He says it's the law." "Well... you can't live in fear." "Oh, Miss Meadows." "You're so young and naive." "I dare say I'm neither." "I just appear that way." "I hate to say this but I would not walk around the neighbourhood in such lovely outfits." "You make yourself a target." "Mrs. Davenport, I don't change my style for anyone." "Toodle-oo." "Yes, Toodle-oo to you, too." "Oh, dear." "So, I leave you, my friends, with a question from Luke." "Who are our neighbours?" "Let's then ask ourselves, how can we serve them better?" "Isn't that the example we want to give our children?" "Go in peace to love and serve the Lord." " Hello, Sheriff." " Miss Meadows." "Much as I was looking forward to seeing you, I never imagined I'd see you here." " Are you Catholic?" " No." "No, thank you." "I like singing in choirs." "You?" "Recovering." "My grandmother used to take me here when I was a kid." "I used to get kicked out all the time." "And she sat me down and reminded me that she's the only one in the family not going to hell." "And that if I played my cards right, she'd take me along with her which I think is quite morbid, actually." "Anyway," "I promised her I'd just show up." "You kept your promise." "I don't make them if I can't keep them." "I can still taste your kiss." "Make a wish." " Is it okay?" " Yeah." "Is that good?" " Look at me." " I'm sorry." " It feels good." " Okay." "Okay." " Look at me." " Okay." "Do you think repeat criminal offenders can be rehabilitated?" "Is this your idea of pillow talk?" "Pillows don't talk." "Just... just..." " Sorry." " Okay." "Come here." "Come here." "So do you?" "Do I?" "I believe in second chances." "I believe in trying but rehabilitation didn't work for my father." "So why do you do what you do?" "Okay, why don't we keep business out of the bedroom?" "Because the law is everybody's business." "Is it?" "Is it?" "Is the law everybody's responsibility?" " I don't know." " Yeah." "Look at this vigilante case I'm working on." "Part of me admires the guy." "But you're never gonna get me to say it out loud because it's not politically correct." "You know, "politically correct" is for politicians." "And there are bad people in the world." "And they shouldn't be around the good people." "Especially the little ones." "You're amazing." "You look amazing." "You are amazing." "That was amazing." "Can I ask a question, Miss Meadows?" " Sure." " Was that amazing for you?" "Sheriff, there are certain things that a lady doesn't... tell a gentleman." "You do have manners." "Don't you, Miss Meadows?" "What would the world be without them?" "We'll never forget you, Mrs. Dodd!" "She's an angel up there now." "Isn't she?" "Yes, she certainly is." "Would you be our teacher for the rest of the year, Miss Meadows?" " Oh, no, I'm just your substitute." " Why don't you stay?" "Can we have our snack now?" "Yes." "I think that we all have earned a treat." "I'm gonna go get us some hot dogs." "You guys stay with Miss Katherine." "Play nicely." "I expect good manners." "Hi, I'd like to order 16 Top Dogs, please." "Hello." "I want to die." " I think you should." " What?" "You're of no use to society." "You'll waste innocent taxpayers' dollars, abuse the weak legal system and enter a cowardly plea of insanity to a morally bankrupt defence attorney." "For what?" "Oh, and once incarcerated, you're gonna cost taxpayers approximately $47,000 per year." "So you know what?" "Make sure you point the barrel of the gun to the back of the throat." " I think I've changed my mind." " That is so not an option." " Never fear, Miss Meadows is here." " Where's our hot dogs?" "Oh, well, Top Dog is experiencing some unforeseen problems and when it does, it's important to have another plan to fall back on." "You know, when one path is blocked, we simply walk down another path." "Right?" " Yes." " And that's what hope is." "Hope is usually... right around the corner." "Just like that ice cream truck." "Ice cream for everyone!" " Hey, you." " Hi." "What kind of flavour are you gonna get?" "Same kind as you, Miss Meadows." "Miss Meadows, when I grow up, I want to be just like you." " Please don't say that, sweetheart." " Why not?" "Well, because you should aspire to be your own individual." "You know, grow up and have your own unique traits." "And secret ways, too?" " Pardon me?" " I can keep a secret, Miss Meadows." "But children shouldn't have secrets." "And they shouldn't keep them." "But you spilled something on your dress." "What?" "But you spilled something on your dress, Miss Meadows." "I guess I did." "I dislike that very much." "How about we get some ice cream?" "Miss Meadows needs some ice cream right now." " Yay!" " Yeah, let's do it." " What's his name?" " Frank." " Hi, Frankie." " I said his name is Frank." "Children, we mustn't approach animals that we don't know." "Come on." " Come on, come on, come on." " Always let them come to you." "Always let them come to you." " Mike." " Yo." " Heads up." " What?" "Nice catch." "Hey listen, we've been compiling the case information from the other jurisdictions and we've got a composite on the vigilante." "And it looks like some kind of a..." "Pulp Fiction Mary Poppins." "Now, personally I'm not buying that a woman is pulling all this off." "I mean, not that they're not capable of it." "Clearly Michelle is batshit before her period comes." " Danny, thank you." " You got it." "And can I get the ball back?" "Thought I taught you better than that." "Good afternoon, Sheriff." "Miss Meadows." "How you doing?" "You look beautiful." "I got you something." "Wow." "I love yellow." "I hope so." "I stole it from your front yard." "So I thought maybe we could talk?" " Yeah, it's a lovely day." " It is a lovely day." "And this is a lovely door." "You always wear those on your shoes?" "Yeah." "Oh, this needs some work." " Are you okay?" " Yeah." "You?" "Good, yes." "I'm fine." "I'm just asking..." "There was a shooting near the school today." "And civilians were massacred." "The alleged shooter was killed also." " Excellent." " Excellent?" "That's a good thing?" "Yeah." "Wait, I'm..." "I'm confused, Sheriff." "You just said that civilians were killed." "What's the concern over how the shooter died?" "Oh, no." "My concern is about you." "There was an ice cream vendor who said there was children from your school there right around the time of the shooting." " Vanilla chocolate chip." " Excuse me?" "That's my favourite flavour and they said that they will have it restocked by tomorrow." " What's your favourite?" " Vanilla chocolate chip." "Then maybe we could go together sometime." " I'd like that." "Do you like cones?" " Yeah." "Good." "I like the cones." "I feel a little goofy when I'm walking down the street holding one but the uniform helps." "Where did you live before you moved here?" " Somewhere else." " Like Dayton?" "No." "I didn't like Dayton." "So you did live there." "Why do you want to know?" "Well, there was just other vigilante-style killings there and I thought maybe" " you'd heard of them." " Nope." "No." "I moved here five and a half months ago." "Is there something you're not telling me?" "There are a lot of things I'm not telling you, Sheriff." "Elements of Style's 17th instruction recommends to omit... needless words." "Okay." "Sheriff, can you do me a favour please?" "I want to know if any of the newly released convicts have moved into this neighbourhood." " Why?" " For the school, for the kids." "And I've seen someone lurking about and he makes me..." " uncomfortable." " Okay, who?" " Someone said anything to you?" " No." " Nothing's happened?" " No." "I'll look into it." "I should go back to... work, so..." "You're killing me." "I can't sleep at night." "Toodle-oo." "You're a vital young woman." "Don't worry." "A mother never stops her worry." " Is it fair?" " What's that, Miss Meadows?" "To bring a child into this world?" "I tell all my patients, if you make your home a loving, stable environment, that's all a child needs to thrive." " How big is it?" " About the size of your thumbnail." "Wait." "Toodle-oo." "Frank, shut up." "Frank, I said shut up!" "Sit down!" "That's him." "I've seen him walking with his dog." "He was convicted of felony child abuse." "That's a nice purse you have, by the way." "Thank you." "My mother says a lady never leaves home without her accessories." "I agree with her." "You don't talk about your mother much." "What's she like?" "Peanut brittle." "Maybe artichokes." "In that rare exception, a clean public restroom, which I agree with." " Miss Meadows?" " Yes." " May I ask you a question?" " Sure." "What do you do when you're not working?" "My hobbies." "You know, my gardening." "Takes a lot of time." "And knitting, and sometimes I paint." "And then there's my volunteer work." "Can you be a little more vague, maybe?" "Today." "What did you do when you got off work today?" "Sheriff," "I went to the fabric store, and I got some yarn and knitting needles." "And I started making a blanket." "A baby blanket... for our baby." "Why didn't you tell me?" "I just did." "Do you know what this means?" "Yeah." "I don't..." "I don't know." "Look at me." "Miss Meadows..." "I want you to marry me." "Me?" "Yes, you." " You don't know me." " I know everything I need to know." "I'll take care of you." "It would be the highest honour of my life to protect you and this child." "Really?" "Please." "Yes." "Yes!" "Sheriff..." "Miss Meadows?" "You know marriage has a certain... ring to it." "You know, a wedding ring, engagement ring... suffer-ring." "Oh, you have a very strange sense of humour." " You think I have a sense of humour?" " I do think you have a sense of humour..." " You think I'm funny?" " I think you're strangely funny." "Mother?" "I met someone." "And he has... kind eyes." " Just like Grandpa did, remember?" " What are little boys made of?" "Frogs and snails and puppy dog tails." "Well, he's not a boy." "He says he's a man." " That's what they all say." " Was I a good baby, mother?" "Mary... you were a perfect baby." "Mother..." "When did I become..." " less perfect?" " You were always perfect to me." "When did I start to realize that the world was..." "A rotting cesspool of decay and mediocrity?" "I'd have to say that was when that awful Mr. Redding tried to bomb the mall." " I thought it was when Uncle Clybert..." " Oh, no." "It was years later, honey." "And it was before I found Mrs. Hartford hanging from the theatre rafters." "Oh, I still think that was a shame." "She has such a beautiful singing voice." "Or maybe it was..." "All... through... the town..." "The wipers on the bus go swish, swish, swish..." "Swish, swish, swish..." "swish, swish, swish..." "The wipers on the bus go swish, swish, swish..." "All... through... the town..." " I did it." " Of course you did." " You can do anything." " I can?" "Hey, come here." "Mary?" "Mary?" "Are you still there?" "Mother, I have to go." " Where are you off to now, my love?" " I'm going to have tea with a neighbour." "Oh, very good, dear." "Remember, mind your manners." "Our time we must not idly waste, since all our hours fly off in haste." "With each new minute I strive to fill my seven new acts of duty still." " Toodle-oo, I love you." " Toodle-oo, I love you too." "You." " Hello." " Hello." "I brought some tea and crumpets." "Really?" "That's nice." "You have no idea how much that means, Miss?" " Meadows." " Won't you come in, Miss Meadows." "Please." "You'll have to, excuse the house." "I'm still settling in." " Did you just move to town?" " Yes, just like you, right?" "No, I've lived here for months." "Me too." "This is so thoughtful." "To be honest, I haven't made a lot of friends yet." "First of all, I wanted to say... that I try to approach... every situation..." " hoping for the best." " What a lovely way to think." "And I certainly do hope that you respect the... peaceful and safe ways that this community works so hard at, and they've come to cherish it." "I'm looking forward to it." "And I also want you to know that I know exactly who and what you are, and should you harm anyone, or any child, you will be killed." "What did you just say?" "I said you will be killed." "And just... who's going to kill me?" " I am." " You?" "Miss Meadows, have no fear." "Your message was received loud and clear." "Good." "Good." "That was my intention." "I have to say..." "we're two peas in a pod," " and we have a lot in common." " We have nothing in common." " Actually..." " So now that you've come to visit me," "I think I should pay you a visit at the school sometime." "That is not a good idea." "It won't end well for you." " Gosh, that sounds like a threat." " I do not make threats." "I make promises." "And only promises that I intend to keep." "Where are my manners?" "Here you are in my house, and I've not even properly introduced myself." "My name is Skylar." "I don't care to know your name." "Well, now, who's forgotten their manners?" "What gives you the right to come into my house, threatening, making accusations, when I haven't done anything wrong?" "That's illegal, Miss Meadows." "The truth is not illegal." "Hey." "You have no idea what it's like to have to start over again." " I most certainly do." " Are you forgetting something?" "My therapist says I have to take care of myself and my needs before I can be good for anyone else." "Do you have one?" "Because... and please don't take this personally..." "I think you could really use one." "And I would be happy to make a recommendation, because... you shouldn't wait." "Toodle-oo." "Hey, you." "Even though this is Sunday, what we discuss in here applies to every day, Louie." " Miss Meadows?" " Yes?" "How come Jesus looks like a fashion model in that picture, but, like, any better in my Aunt Bea's bedroom." "Well, since Jesus was a Jew and came from Israel, my guess is that he looked like neither one of those paintings." "Those paintings were most probably done by... an idealistic painter." " Oh, look at him!" " He's so cute!" "He looks like he's about two years old." "That's 16 in a dog life." "Too old for this class." "We were discussing how every day is Sunday, in terms of how we live, right?" "Hey, William, what are you drawing a picture of?" "I don't know." " You don't want to join the other kids?" " I don't know." "Are you feeling okay?" "Why does Jesus say to turn the other cheek when someone hits you?" "Because he's saying that that's preferable to fighting." "But what if you do turn it, and then he, like, punches that one too?" "Miss Meadows has an idea." "How about an early cookie break?" "Special one for you." "Amber?" "I think it's your turn." "You're doing a very nice job." "You're so quiet." "One cookie each, all right?" "Ooh." "Beautiful." "You know you can tell me anything, right?" "Are you sure you ran into that wall?" " I have to prepare at church for mass." " What are you talking about?" "It's over." "Papa Peter says I have to be there." "He doesn't like it if I'm late." "He says it's a sin!" "Stop it!" "Stop!" " Father!" " The lord ask that we not judge." "I think he asks more of us than that." "How dare you?" "How dare you?" " I do God's work!" " Don't you touch him!" " Get out of my bed." " Boo!" "Is that a toy gun?" "Guns are not toys, sweetie." "That was a... secret toy?" "Heather, I'm so sorry." "I hope I didn't frighten you." "Never fear..." "Miss Meadows is here." " How did you get here?" " I walked." "It was only a couple of blocks." "I wanted to surprise you." "And how did you get in my bed?" "It was easy." "I just crawled through the window." "You don't have ugly bars like everyone else." "Miss Meadows?" "Can I..." "May I... be your flower girl?" " Flower girl?" " Please?" "Oh, please!" "Okay, okay." "I want you to be happy." "If you want to be my flower girl," " you can be my flower girl." " It'll be so much fun!" "We'll be like best friends." "I could tell you my secrets, because I already know yours." "Secrets?" " Miss Meadows has a secret." " What are you talking about?" "If I told you, it wouldn't be a secret anymore." "You have to tell me." "It'll be a secret between you and me." "If I tell you, can I still be your flower girl?" "Yes!" "Only if you tell me." "I saw you kill that man." "What?" " What man?" " In the Top Dog." "I forgot to tell you I wanted relish on my hotdog, and I went to the window, and I saw." "You're just a little girl." "You're just a little girl." "You're just a little girl." "You're just a little girl." "You're just a little girl." "You're just a little girl." "I'm so sorry." "I'm so, so, so sorry." "I'm so sorry." "I'm so sorry." "I'm very, very sorry." "I'm so sorry." "I still saw." "It's okay." "I have to go home now, for dinner." "Why do you lock that one twice, Miss Meadows?" "Sometimes Miss Meadows can be so... silly." "It's not silly to be scared, Miss Meadows." "I'm not scared of anything." "Can I wear gloves like you do?" "Yes." "Come on." " Hello, Mary." " Hey, Mommy." "I had a feeling you might call." "Mom..." "Mom, I'm scared." "I think I might..." "I might call the police." " The police?" " Yeah." "Mary, how many times must I tell you?" "We must never rely on others to do what we know must be done." "We have to take it upon ourselves to right the wrongs of this world." "If a woman's tongue is her sword, just think what her body can do." "But... our bodies can bring new life, right?" "I mean, that too, right?" " Right?" " Sometimes." "It can also take it away." " Isn't that up to God?" " Oh, Mary, here you go again." "We don't want to rely on the overburdened heavens to give everyone their retribution, now, do we?" "Mom..." "Mom, I almost..." "I'm gonna have a..." "I'm gonna have a baby." "Me." "I'm gonna..." "I'm gonna have a baby." "I'm gonna have a..." "I'm gonna have a wedding!" "Are we supposed to forgive everyone?" "Mommy..." "Not everyone, my love." "Some things are unforgivable." "Today, we bid our dear Mother Meadows goodbye." "Lost to another act of senseless, random violence." "She leaves behind her pride and joy." "Little Mary." "Let us all pray for good to triumph over evil, and let us pray that some thing or someone will guide us on." "So am I..." "Am I always gonna be the black sheep?" " Yes, dear." " Okay." "But I don't want to be." "Oh, now, now... there, there..." "Just remember..." "black sheep are still lambs." "Mommy?" "Mother?" "I miss you." "But I'm gonna let you go now." "I'm gonna let you go now." "I'm gonna let you go now." " Hey, Mike?" " Yeah." " Got your ballistics report." " Great." " Looks like we got a match." " Right on." "The truck driver and the Top Dog kid, and now the priest, all with a .25 calibre short-barrelled pistol." "Same gun." " Okay." " Oh, and there's this." "It appears Father Peter was a serial child molester." "And now a bunch of kids are coming forward claiming sexual abuse." "Nobody misses a pervert." "If you ask me, this guy's lucky he's dead." "Anyway." "Oh, hey, we got the wedding invitations too." " That didn't take long, did it?" " I guess when you know, you know." " Danny." " Yeah." "Was there anything about Michelle that would've been a deal breaker?" "Maybe if she was a Steelers fan." "That probably would've done it." "The baby has grown since I started making this." "I had to let out the seam." "Can you tell?" "I think you look beautiful." "Thanks." "Is your mother coming to the wedding?" "My mother doesn't like weddings." "You don't think she'll make an exception this time?" "No." "What mother doesn't want to see her daughter walk down the aisle?" "Mine." "What happened to your shoe?" "Oh, it lost a tap." "I found this one." "Oh!" "I've been looking all over for this." "Where did you find it?" "It was at the church." "I am gonna just put that on right now." "Thank you." "Dammit, it's not fitting." "Yeah." "That's right." "Because it's not real." "What are you talking about?" "It's not real." "None of it is." "Let's stop pretending, okay?" "Okay, now, let's stop pretending, and let's tell the truth, you and I." "Because I know." "I know." "I've been covering." "I've been denying the obvious, because I would do anything for you." "Anything." "So I need you to do something for me." "I need you to promise me you're going to stop this." "Okay?" "I can't promise you that." " Do you want cream or sugar?" " What happened to you?" "You can tell me." "You can tell me anything." "If you don't want to tell me, that's fine too." "I'm here." "But I don't know what made you this way." "And I just need you to stop all this insanity." "It's not insane!" "What I do is not insane." "You gotta be kidding me." "You're walking around with a gun in your purse." "I don't know what you're talking about anymore." "I don't understand anything you're saying." "You can't talk to me like a normal human being." "You think I want to do this?" "No one else is doing it!" "I see that." "I'm aware of that." "I mean, it's like the wolf says to the lion..." "Okay, no." "No, no, no." "Stop, stop, stop." "You can't talk to me like this anymore." "Just talk to me like a normal person." " I'm trying, okay?" " If you keep doing this... we're gonna get married in federal prison." "I don't want to, but I'll do it." "I'll come visit you." "But if you stop..." "If you can stop, I can bury this." "Okay?" "But I need you to say that you promise me you will never do this again." "I need to know that you're here with me also." "Can you promise me?" " Yes." " Yes?" " Yeah." " You can?" " I promise you." " Okay." " Okay, good." "Good, good, good." " I'll..." " Sheriff?" " Yes." "I'll try." "I will try." "Here you go." "She's got quite a... following." "Oh, Miss Meadows, you look so pretty." "Thank you." "You look beautiful." "Can I see you twirl in that dress?" "Wow!" "What about your hair?" "You should have a flower in it?" " You don't think the veil is enough." " You need a flower too, for the baby." "What a sweet thought." "You know, there is one single white rose in the back garden." "I'll get it, and then we'll leave for the church, okay?" "Not in your dress." "I'll do it." "Oh, no, sweetie, there's thorns." "I'll get it in a second." "I'm a big girl, Miss Meadows." "Besides, I have gloves on." "See?" "Okay." "Go ahead, but be careful." " Thank you for your help." " You're welcome." "Heather, it's okay." "I think the veil is enough." "You know, I just remembered that my mom said it's bad luck to pick the last flower, and I have this whole bouquet right here." "I'll save it for the baby." "I just don't want to be late." "Heather?" "Heather?" "Heather?" "!" "Heather?" "Heather!" " Miss Meadows!" " I got you, sweetie." "Late on your first day." "And a tad overdressed, but oh, well." " Stop, stop, stop." "Give me that." " No!" "No!" "I will cut your throat." "Now, no offence, Miss Meadows, but you do tend to over-accessorize." "Sheriff?" "She's never late." "Never ever." "You wouldn't let me come to your school." "So I thought I'd bring you to mine." " I thought you said you changed." " I did, and then I changed back." "And that's what the system gets for kicking a kid out of school." "You can't teach an empty seat, can you?" "You know what they say, you spare the rod, you spoil the child." " I don't agree with..." " Nobody cares!" "You're in my classroom!" "So you can shut up, okay?" "He says he's a teacher, but I don't believe him." "That's 'cause he's pretending." "He likes pretend, just like you." "Just like Miss Meadows." "Now, Heather, shall we continue where we left off?" "Well, come on." "Be excited!" "I honestly do not know how you do this all day long." "Go, go!" "Go come on, let's go!" "We're gonna go come on." "Run, Heather, run!" " Get off me." " Stop it!" "Sit down!" " Get off me!" " Sit down." "Sit down..." "That's it." "There we go." "There we go." "You really think you could just go off and live happily ever after, while the rest of us struggle to carve out any version of a life?" "I'm assuming that's rhetorical question?" "You think you're so much better than me." "You think you're perfect." "You wanna know something?" "We're exactly the same." "Exactly." "Help!" "Help!" "He's got Miss Meadows!" "He's got Miss Meadows!" "No!" "No!" "No!" "No!" " Give it here!" " No!" "No, give it to me!" "Give it to me!" "Give me my purse!" "Give it to me!" "What's got you in such a fuss?" "What have we got here?" " That's why you're so excited." " No." " Is this thing real?" " It's not real." "It's not real." " Really?" "Really?" "Is it?" "Is it?" " No, it's not." "Oh, yes, it is real!" " Don't do this." " Crazy, arrogant..." "I am not crazy!" "You are crazy, and I'm nothing like you!" "You really think you can save the world?" "How about you try saving yourself first?" "No!" "No!" " Is that your gun?" " Yes." "That's great." "That's his prints now." "You can have some." "Dinner's gonna be late." "It won't take long." "Mommy has to go, but she always comes back." "If others need what I can spare, I must with them my treasures share." "Bye." " Be careful." " I always am." "Toodle-oo."