"Time to go, Samuel." "Samuel?" "It's time to go." "It's getting late, and your grandfather's waiting." "I wish it was tomorrow morning." "It's awful to have to wait till Christmas morning to open your presents." "Well, if that's the most awful thing that happens, you'll have a pretty easy life." "Didn't you hate to wait when you were a kid?" "No, that's part of the excitement, wondering what you're gonna get." "I hope I get everything on my list." "Knowing you grandfather, I'm sure you will." "I got a feeling that kid's Christmas list is longer than the Oakland phone book." "It is." "He's our assignment?" "Well, he's part of it." "Well, I hope the other people on this assignment need some real help." "I got a feeling that kid has got it made." "Well, he does." "Then why is he part of the assignment?" " Oh, Mark." " Oh, never mind, never mind." "You're gonna give me that mysterious-ways line again, right?" "Here, Jonathan, look." "See that guy right there?" "Now, that guy looks like he could use some help." "That's the kind of assignment we should have on Christmas Eve." "Well, he is." " He's part of the assignment?" " Sure." "How about that for intuition, huh?" "Merry Christmas." "Oh, that's cute, Jonathan." "Using the stuff, huh?" "No, no." "She did that on her own." "She's part of the assignment too." "Oh, yeah?" "Anybody else?" "Everybody." "Do you realise how many people live in this city?" "I'm not talking about this city." "Oh, well, thank you-know-who." "I don't mind working on Christmas Eve, you know, up to a point." "I'm talking about the world." "Oh, well, it's..." "So much for watching The Miracle on 34th Street tonight." " Hi, Agatha." " Oh, good evening, Master Samuel." "Hi, Mom." "What took you so long?" "It's about time, young man." "I had to pick out Grandfather's present." "It took you three hours to pick out shaving lotion?" "How'd you know I picked out shaving lotion?" "You pick it out every year." "Oh, well, he likes it." "I know." "Don't shake the packages." "Christmas is tomorrow." " Can't I open just one tonight?" " No." "It's not fair." "You guys get to open all your stuff tonight." "You are breaking my heart, you poor mistreated boy." " Go wash up." " Okay." "Where's Dad and Grandfather?" "He's in the study, but they're in a very important meeting." "Can I go in for just one minute?" "I need to ask Grandpa an important question." "No, you don't, because I have already answered it." "You are not opening anything tonight." "How come mothers always know everything?" "Just a God-given gift, I suppose." " Now go wash up." " Okay." "The senator feels it's going to take a slick advertising campaign to get this to appeal to the people." "I mean, you know the feeling of the public since the Chernobyl fiasco." "I know." "But I think my son has this pretty well under control." "Well, some aspects of the plan are obvious." "A nuclear power plant is needed in this part of the state if we're ever gonna have any chance of attracting any kind of large industry." "Well, as far as the public fears are concerned," "I think we need to play up the technical superiority of the United States versus the Russians." "We could make it a pride issue." "That's good." "And we tie this in with a plan to use the increased revenue to secure more wetlands and state parks." "Yeah, if we can get one or two of the environmentalist groups behind us, it would make a lot of difference." "That's easier said than done." "Hey, nobody said it would be easy." "Listen, the world isn't gonna stand still." "If we don't do it, somebody else will, and we'll be left behind." "Go to work, Bob." "Yes, sir." "I'll be in Washington on the 2nd." " Have a nice Christmas." " I will." " And I'll be talking to you soon." " I'll be looking forward to it." " Have a nice trip." " Thank you." " A little bourbon?" " Yes, thanks." "My son, this project is gonna put HNNC through the roof." "We haven't got it yet, Dad." "Oh, yes, we do." "The timing is right, the project is right." "We're gonna turn this state around, you and I." " For the better, I hope." " Of course for the better." "I wish you could get Barbara to understand." "Maybe I can." "Look, you and I know this plant is a state-of-the-arts." "It has more backup systems and safety controls than you can shake a stick at." "It's technical stuff." "It's not her bailiwick." "Let's give her something concrete." " Like what?" " The summer place." "What about it?" "She likes it there, always has." "It's my Christmas gift to her." "Dad." "Hey, come on, you're gonna own it anyway someday, right?" "And I'd like for her to have it now." "It's 60 miles from the plant site." "Now, does she think that I would give her that if I had any worries about the plant?" "I mean, after all, my grandson is gonna be there, for God's sakes." "Dad, I mean, you don't have to do that." "I'm doing it because I want to, not because I have to." "Now get out of here." "I gotta make a few phone calls before turkey time." "Okay." "Hey, can I...?" "Oh, yes, yes, you can tell her." "She'll be thrilled." "She always wanted to redecorate the place, anyway." "Thanks, Dad." " May I help you?" " Aggie?" " Do I know you?" " Well, not really." "I know about you through your son, Peter." "Peter?" "Yeah, I do business in London on occasion." "We met while I was there." "In a pub, no doubt." "Oh, no, his pub days are over, Aggie." "He's turned his life around." "I'll believe that when I hear it from his own lips." "And you will tonight." "He promised me he'd call you on Christmas Eve." "You know the last time I heard from him?" "Nine years." "I won't be waiting by the phone." "He will call, Aggie." " I pray you're right, Mister...?" " Smith." "Jonathan Smith." "This is Mark Gordon." "We're here to see Ronald on some business." "Is he expecting you?" "No, but it won't take very long, and it's very important." "Oh, I'm sorry, but the master wouldn't mind at all, I'm sure." "Go right in." "Thank you, Aggie." "I know that, senator, and I sure appreciate it." "You bet." "And the same to you and yours." "Hey, don't forget our little bet on the Rose Bowl game." "We'll see about that." "Okay." "I'll talk to you next week." "Bye-bye now." "Who are you two?" "My name is Jonathan Smith." "This is Mark Gordon." "Sorry to barge in like this." "How did you get in here?" "Agatha let us in." "Well, she can let you just out right now." "Hey, listen, I don't like strangers coming into my house, especially on Christmas Eve." "Look, I understand how you feel, and I won't take up much of your time, but it's important." "It concerns your grandson." " Samuel?" " That's right." "Your company is the leading contractor for the proposed nuclear plant at Gallant." "What has this gotta do with my grandson?" "Everything." "His future, his health, the health of his children." "All right, all right." "What group are you guys with?" "The human race." "Oh, please, spare me, please." "We have a Nuclear Regulatory Commission in this country." " Take your complaints up with them." " The NRC isn't gonna listen to me." "And neither am I." "Are you willing to guarantee your grandson this won't turn into another Three Mile Island?" "Oh, we're gonna bring that up again." "It's been blown way out of proportion." "Blown out of proportion?" "Everyone involved, the NRC, the entire nuclear industry, spent a fortune convincing us that what happened at Three Mile Island wouldn't harm anybody." "Yet when they went to court, they said that the people who were dying of cancer were at fault because they should have known that radiation was dangerous." "Look, let's put an end to this." "This plant is fail-safe." "I guarantee it." "The Russian government guaranteed their people" "Chernobyl wouldn't have a meltdown for 10,000 years." "Are you comparing their technology with ours?" "They're light-years away from us." "And we guarantee there'd be thousands of accident-free launches of the space shuttle before there was a disaster." " It took 20." " I've heard enough." "Time to go." "If you come back here again, I'll call the police." "Come on." "Out." "I almost forgot." "Merry Christmas." "Aggie." "What?" "Oh, Mr. Smith." "We're leaving now." "Leaving?" "I don't remember letting you in." "Better get that, Aggie." "It could be for you." "Hays' residence." "This is she." "Peter." "My boy." "Well, you made Aggie happy, but you sure struck out with Hays." "What was that present you gave him?" "A look at the future he guaranteed." ""No one spoke for they were all thinking about their adventure in Tinker Land." "They heard Sherman's mother call them to dinner." "And as they washed up to eat, they smiled at one another." "They had shared a great dream and it would always remind them of how much dreams can help to bring people together."" "All right." "That's it for tonight." "Oh, Grandpa, just one more chapter." "I've read three already." "Now, come on, put your head on the pillow and go to sleep." "You have a big day tomorrow." "Lie next to me for a while." "Samuel..." "Please?" "I like it when you do that." "All right, only for a little while." "Grandpa?" "Is that big blue box under the tree from you?" "Boy, I wonder what's in it." "You'll know in the morning." "It couldn't be that car with the real motor in it that we saw." "You wouldn't get me that." "Good night, Samuel." "Good night, Grandpa." "Grandpa?" "No more questions, Samuel." "I wasn't going to ask a question." "I wanted to say I love you." "I love you too, Samuel." ""2018"?" "Where are we, anyway?" "In Ronald Hays' future." "You know what?" "I feel different." "You should feel different." "You're 30 years older." " I'm what?" " You're 30 years older." "This is the year 2018." "You're kidding." "Well..." "Okay." "My hair's all white." "You're 80 years old." "Something's gotta change." "Yeah, guess so." "Say, you mean I'm really gonna live this long?" "That's right." "Maybe now you'll thank me for getting you to quit smoking." "Hey, that's right." "Well, what are we doing standing here?" "Waiting for him." "Excuse me." "I don't know where I'm..." "You." "I know you." "You're the one who came to my house." "That's right." "What's going on?" "Where am I?" "In your future." "Thirty years from the time we spoke." "That's ridiculous." "Is it?" "Barbara, why don't you take a break in my office?" "Yes, that's Barbara, your daughter-in-law." "This is crazy." "Why is she crying?" "What's happening?" "Why don't you go in the room and find out for yourself?" "Who's in there?" "Your grandson, Samuel." "Is there something wrong?" "Is he ill?" "No, he's not ill." "Come on." "That's--?" "That's Samuel?" "That's right." "And the little boy?" "Ronald Hays II." "Your great-grandson." "Oh, dear God." "The plant you built had an accident." "Several hundred thousand gallons of radioactive water went down Piper Creek." "Your son Gordon and little Ron were swimming that day." "They spend all their summers at the lodge." "Little Ron really loved his grandfather." "What are you saying?" "Where is my son?" "I wanna see him." "I wanna talk to my son." "He died of cancer a year ago." "Daddy, where's Mommy?" "She'll be back soon." "You look tired, Daddy." "Rest your head for a little while." "Daddy, I love you." "And I love you too, son." "This is the future you guaranteed." "Samuel." "Samuel." "Samuel." "Samuel." "Oh, Samuel." "Oh, my boy." "Grandpa, what's wrong?" "I had a dream, a bad dream." "It scared me." "I've had them too." "They're just dreams, though." "They can't really happen, can they, Grandpa?" "No." "Not if you don't let them, son." "Not if you don't let them." "I must have dozed off there for a minute." "Boy, I was dreaming..." "It was a dream." "No, it was a nightmare." "One that might come true." "Where are we, anyway?" "Out in farm country." "Oh, yeah?" "That's great." "Well, you smell that air?" "I love that." "I remember that when I was a kid." "Now, this is the kind of place to grow up in." "Yeah, it used to be." "What do you mean, it used to be?" "You'll see." "Oh, I'm sorry." "Hey, don't worry about it." "That's only two." "That's a new record." "Here." " Hand me that dustpan, hon." " Yeah, I'll get it." "Why don't you put Bonnie to bed?" "It's getting late." "Oh, not yet." "It's early and I'm not tired." "Well, maybe you're not, but we are." "And you'll be up before the sun." "No, I won't." "I promise." "Don't make promises you can't keep." "Can't I see the lights first?" "Okay." "Then it's off to bed." "It's beautiful." "It's the most beautiful tree we ever had." "Yeah, I think so too." "I picked it out, remember?" "How could I forget?" "Give your mom a kiss." " Oh, please?" " Now." " Good night, Mom." " Good night, my beauty." "Here we go." "Now right off to sleep." "You got a big day tomorrow." "It's gonna be hard to sleep." "I'm too excited." "Well, just close your eyes and let visions of sugarplums dance in your head." "I don't even know what a sugarplum looks like." "Well, then count sheep." "That always works." "Give me a kiss." " I love you." " I love you too." "I'll get her presents." " You need any help?" " No, I got it." "You better put on some coffee, though." "I've got that dollhouse to put together." "I'm sure it's got a thousand pieces." "Coffee coming up." " Hey, Ruth?" " Yeah, what?" "Were you in the chemical storage room tonight?" "No, why?" "The light's on." "I'm not the only one who forgets to turn off the lights, you know." "Yes, I know." "I'll be right back." " Good evening, Tom." " What?" "Who are you?" "My name's Jonathan." "This is Mark." "Look, I don't know what you want, but I" "Hey, it's all right." "Don't be afraid." "I just wanna talk to you, that's all." "How'd you get in here?" "That's not important, what I have to say is." "If you just wanted to talk to me, why didn't you come on up to my house?" "Because it's these chemicals I wanted to talk to you about." "You've got quite an assortment here." "Pesticides, nitrates, you name it." "You use a lot of these chemicals?" "I use what I need to use." "Look, what's this all about?" "Maybe you use too much." "Look, I don't need anyone telling me how to farm." "I produce more per acre than any man in this valley." "At your family's expense." "What are you talking about?" "I'm talking about the build-up of deadly chemicals in your soil, in your water." "When's the last time you had your well water analysed?" "I don't know." "A couple of years." "It was in acceptable limits." "And you tested for all these chemicals, huh?" "Most." "Hell, I don't know." "Look, it's Christmas Eve." "I'd like you to get out of here." "Look, I understand how you feel." "I'll only take up another minute of your time." "Tom, it's gotta stop.The indiscriminate use of chemicals has to stop." "You're respected around here." "You could help." "But this isn't just me." "It's everybody." "People want cheap food." "You realise what'd happen if you stopped using this stuff?" "Food costs would jump 30 percent." "Maybe more." "All right." "Let's say you're right about that." "But what about the other costs involved?" "Somebody's gonna have to clean up this mess." "Otherwise, there isn't gonna be any water left to drink." "And what about the other costs, hospital bills, insurance premiums?" "I'm not doing anything illegal." "I'm following federal farm policy." "Oh, come on." "Federal farm policy wasn't designed to maintain the fertility of the soil or the purity of the water." "It was designed for one thing:" "To produce an abundant supply of food." "And who gets rich?" "Chemical companies and commodity traders." "You get the government to do something, then I'll do something." "Now, if you don't get out of here, I'm gonna call the police." "You're wasting your time, Jonathan." "Here, Tom." "What's this?" "A present." "Have a merry Christmas." "That guy is really wacky." "I don't have a grandchild." "What the hell's going on here?" "Ruth?" "Ruth." "Bonnie?" "Who are you?" "What are you doing in my house?" "Where's my wife and my daughter?" "She can't hear you, Tom." "She can't see you, either." "You two?" "What is this?" "Where's my wife and my daughter?" "Your wife died five years ago, soon after you did." "Soon..." "I'm having a dream." "Does it feel like a dream?" " I'm dead?" " Yeah." "You were only 52." "My daughter, Bonnie." "That's...?" "That's my Bonnie?" "That's Bonnie." "Mom." "Mom." "Bonnie." "Here, Tommy." "More, Mom." "I'm so thirsty." "There's no more, son." "More, Mom." "Thirsty." "I'll get more, son." "I'll get more." "What's she doing?" "The boy's thirsty." "Oh, God." "Pretty horrible, isn't it?" "Yeah, the build-up of chemicals in the ground water, no way to stop it." "Oh, there was a cry of emergency." "Ban the use of all chemicals." "By then, it was too late." "Where is she going?" "Her son's water." "Your grandson." "She's gonna try to get him some." " Okay." " Half a gallon's $50." "Oh, can't you fill it, please?" "You said 50 bucks' worth." "Next." " A gallon." " One hundred dollars." "Please, my wife..." "Let's see the money, old man," "I..." " I don't have it." " Hundred bucks." "I've got this watch." "What am I gonna do with a watch?" "Anybody here care what time it is?" "Come back when you have money, old man." "But my wife needs water now." "Move on." "Next." "A gallon." "A hundred bucks." "Let's have it." "Fill the old man's bottle first." "Fill it." "Bless you." "Bless you." "Bless you." "Now mine." "Bonnie." "Bonnie?" "Tom." "Tom." "Yeah?" "What are you doing?" "I'm coming." "I'm coming." "What were you doing out there?" "I was..." "I don't know." "Thinking." "Have you ever had a dream without being asleep?" "You mean like daydreaming?" "Yeah." "I guess so, but it was..." "It was what?" "Nothing." "The whole thing was ridiculous." "Your coffee's on the stove." "Thanks, hon." "I had this silly nightmare, or whatever, about you and Bonnie and my grandson." "Your grandson?" "Kind of rushing Bonnie along, aren't you?" "Yeah, it was the craziest..." "Tom." "Tom, what's wrong?" "A bit late, Jonathan." "What are we doing here?" "Got an appointment with the president." "We've got an appointment with the president, 1:00, Christmas morning?" "I know you're an angel, but how did you get him to say yes to this?" "Well, to be honest, I didn't." "He doesn't know about it yet." "Oh, no." "I got the feeling I'm gonna be getting older again." "Mr. President." " Mr. President." " What?" "I'm sorry I had to awaken you." "What the hell's going on here?" "Oh, don't bother." "I'm on all the channels." "Even more than when you make a speech." "Someone on my staff must like practical jokes." "It's not a joke, Mr. President." "Don't try to get up." "You won't be able to." "Who are you?" "What's going on?" "Let's just say I'm an alien from outer space, like the one in the movie you were watching." "But you don't have to worry." "I'm only here to talk to you." "Talk to me?" "About what?" "About Earth, about this planet, about its destruction." "What if I told you that a force more powerful than you can imagine was coming to destroy the Earth?" "What would you do?" " Ridiculous." " Well, maybe it is." "But it's ridiculous that you can't get out of that chair, and yet it's happening." "What would you do?" "Well, I'd notify Congress and..." "And?" "Well, I'd call together all the world leaders." " Both friends and enemies?" " Of course." "You're talking about the destruction of the world." "We'd all have to come together to fight it." "It's already here." "What's already here?" "The force that's destroying the Earth." "It's been here for some time, growing stronger every day." "Are you sure about this?" "Oh, very sure." "Dear God." "Where did they come from?" "From here." "From Earth." "We are the force that's destroying the Earth." "We're polluting our rivers and our oceans, turning them into seas of poison." "We're destroying our ozone layer." "We're creating millions of tons of deadly nuclear waste with no notion of how to dispose of it." "Our rainforests are disappearing at a rate of 50,000 acres a day." "Our oxygen supply lowers with every minute." "Hey, look, whoever you are," "I want you to know that I've discussed these things." "I've formed committees who" "Who will do nothing if it interferes with growth, with money and with greed." " No, that's not true." " Oh, yes, it is." "This destructive force can only be stopped when all of the leaders of the world, all of the people of the world, make it their number-one priority." "We're not gonna destroy each other, Mr. President." "We're not gonna be destroyed from outer space." "Don't you see?" "We are going to destroy ourselves." "Well, what is it you expect me to do?" "Let the world know that it's time to put away their petty hates, and to join together for the common good of all men." "We're on this earth for such a short time." "We're only the caretakers for the next generation." "And the next and the next." "And if we don't heal this planet, Mr. President, someday, there will be no next generation for any of us." "Wait." "Wait." "Wait." "Wait." " George." " Wait." "George." " Wait." " Wake up." "Wake up." " What?" " Oh, what a dream you were having." "Any louder, we would've had a room full of Secret Service." "Oh, I'm sorry." "It was so real." "There was a man here telling me about the destruction of the world." "Well, we all have nightmares about atomic war." "It wasn't war." "It was about pollution, the water, the air." "Well, that's what you get for reading ecology reports before bedtime." "From now on, I'm only letting you read how well the economy is doing." "You'll sleep like a log." "Come on to bed." "I've never had a dream like that in all my life." "Well, put it out of your mind." "You're gonna need all your strength tomorrow." "You're going to have a White House full of grandchildren in the morning." "He said if we didn't do something now, there'd be no generations to come." "I guarantee you, with all your grandchildren, there'll be generations to come." "Now go to sleep." "Good night." "What?" "What in-?" "It's him, the man in my dreams." "Who are these children?" "These are the great-grandchildren you would've had." "These would have been your great-great-grandchildren." "And those are the great-great-great-grandchildren you would've had." "Merry Christmas, Great-Great-Great-Grandfather." "You said, would have been." "What did you mean?" "The world died, Mr. President." "You did nothing to stop it." "They were never born." "It's not in my hands to stop it." "It's in the hands of all men." "All of us." "The first Noel The angel did say" "Was to certain poor shepherds In fields as they lay" "In fields where they lay keeping..." "Quite a night." "Yeah, yeah, it was." "You think it'll do any good?" "I don't know." "Like everybody else on this earth who really cares, you gotta try." "Come on, let's watch The Miracle On 34th Street."