[♪♪♪♪♪]
[BIRDS CHIRPING]
[FISHING LINE WHIRS, PLOPS]
Think we'll catch something today?
[SIGHS]
I think if we keep thinking so much,
it's gonna be a long day.
Look! Yeah, buddy, there you go.
Hey, ah, ah!
Okay, well, that one got away.
Go ahead. Cast again.
Yeah, buddy.
And now we wait, quietly.
[♪♪♪♪♪]
Oh!
That thing's almost bigger than you, buddy.
I know, it's so big. [LAUGHS]
We'll cook up some bass when we get home, how does that sound?
Yes! You think I got a chance to place
if I catch one that big on Monday?
[GROANS SOFTLY]
You okay, Dad? Mm...
Yeah, buddy, yeah.
Monday, what's Monday?
The tournament, North Texas Young Anglers.
Oh, yes, yes. No, of course.
Come on, Dad. I'll tell you what,
you catch a bass that big on Monday,
you're gonna win a trophy.
But if you reel in some tin cans,
you and I can collect some cash at the recycling center.
How does that sound, huh? Oh, very funny.
Well, I'm serious.
[TELEPHONE RINGING]
The decorations are great, the food is perfect.
You have outdone yourself, honey.
And you know, you never should have given up
on event planning. I know, Mama,
you've mentioned that a time or two or six.
Right, I know... But life has other plans.
I'm just saying, I'm saying.
Now, it's time, all right? Come on.
Okay.
He's here. He's here, guys, he's here.
Yeah, he's here, he's here.
What's your mom got up her sleeve?
Nothing.
Hmm?
You sure he's here? Yeah, I-I think so.
Right, you heard the car? He should be here any minute.
[ALL GASP] Oh, surprise, wow.
No, he did not.
We got them.
[LAUGHS] I cannot believe this guy.
No way. What in the world?
You feel like you have a heart attack? I get you? Yeah?
How...? Get outta here, honey.
I cannot believe you. Wow. Oh...
You! I thought you had this under control.
I mean, I tried. I told him there was nothing going on.
Yeah, yeah, okay, okay. Yeah, yeah. Step aside.
Ah! Oh, good to see you.
Oh, my gosh, you guys are just like standing this way,
just like... Happy birthday, Bobby.
Good to see you.
[ALL CHUCKLE]
Oh, man, I got a good one.
A few years back, me, Bobby, Derek, and Doug,
we all head up to Great Bear Lake in Canada
for a nice little guys' camping/fishing trip,
you know, good bonding time.
So we get up there, only to find out
that there had been a massive storm and flooding
that wreaked havoc on the land for like an entire week.
All the boats busted, washed away.
There is no way for us to get out on this lake,
and we spent the next five days dissecting the contents
of Derek's wallet. Yep, pocket jacks never hold up.
I told you, don't play the jacks,
but the whole time, Bobby here, he is shouting.
I mean, he's going mad because he has to go commando
because Cyndi forgot to pack him his underwear.
Well... He ranted about it all week.
Oh, did you remember? Remember? "I'm chafing, man.
I'm freaking chafing."
[ALL LAUGHING]
So anyway, we finally head on home
and Bobby instantly starts going off
about his whole lack of drawers.
I mean, he's like, "Of all things,
how was she gonna forget about that?"
So Cyndi, being the saint that she is,
she stops him dead in his tracks,
she goes over, grabbed his tackle box,
pops that sucker open,
and it is crammed full of underwear.
CYNDI: Underwear!
[ALL LAUGHING, ECHOES]
[YELLS]
I guess he didn't find that one as funny as I did.
Hey, are you okay?
Hey, come here, come here. [MUMBLING]
Honey, honey, honey, what's going on?
Shh, it's okay. Breathe. MAN: You're the man, Bobby.
Honey, look at me. Honey, look at me. Look at me, baby.
You're all right, you're all right, it's okay.
Breathe, honey. Honey, what's going on?
Please tell me, talk to me, what's going on?
Honey, I'm right here, look at me.
Breathe, it's okay. It's okay, honey.
Are you all right?
No. You wanna go inside?
No, no, no, maybe we should go inside, okay?
Let's go, let's go, come on, come on.
Let's go inside, lay down for a little bit.
Hey, we'll be right back, y'all.
[♪♪♪♪♪]
Can we talk? I'm exhausted, Cyndi.
Could we please do this tomorrow?
It's happening again, isn't it?
It's fine.
Have you stopped taking your medication?
Bobby, honey.
Hey...
Hey, it's okay.
[WHISPERS] It's okay.
So what do you think Saul felt
the moment after God spoke to him
on the road to Damascus?
Guilt, remorse, shame?
Well, I would hope so.
You mess with good Christians, you better feel pretty darn bad.
Now, I'm sure he felt all of those things, as we all would,
but he didn't let that shame or pride
get in the way of what he needed to do to make things right.
We all have our failings,
the cracks in our armor,
but if we keep moving forward,
as Saul did, it doesn't matter.
We can let it go,
as I am gonna let this sermon go
because, uh, yep, Cowboys are on in half an hour.
[ALL CHUCKLE]
[PLAYING HYMN]
Bobby, you gotta talk to me.
You can scream, you can mumble, I don't care,
but you gotta talk to me.
[GRUNTS SOFTLY, CLEARS THROAT]
Please.
Sorry.
CYNDI: What are you doing?
Phillip, roll up your window. But, Mom...
Phillip, roll it up now!
God bless you, son.
[♪♪♪♪♪]
I know it's not nothing, but I don't know what it is.
And I think putting it into words
makes it more terrifying.
Did he hurt you?
Oh, no. No, no, no, nothing like that.
It's like before, but it's different.
There's like this darkness hanging over him.
Sweetheart, you've been through this battle with Bobby before.
It wasn't easy for you then, I know that,
but you tackled it head-on.
And I always, always admired that.
What if this time it's worse?
What if I can't help him?
You gotta trust that God knows what's best for you
and your family, sweetheart.
He has filled your heart to the brim
and he's put people in your life who love you,
who want to help you.
It's not all up to you, baby girl.
[♪♪♪♪♪]
[BELL RINGING]
[PEOPLE CHATTERING, LAUGHING]
Ready to come in second?
With this bait?
I've won so many competitions with this,
can't even count 'em.
Hey, catch a good one! You got this.
Hey, Phil, where's your dad?
Too embarrassed to admit you're his?
Well, look it, no doubt every scaly critter
in Lake Lavon is trembling at the sight of you lot.
Check your lines, ladies and gents,
and we're gonna get started in five spins
of that ole clock face.
[TELEPHONE RINGING IN DISTANCE]
[♪♪♪♪♪]
[INHALES DEEPLY, THEN EXHALES SHARPLY]
VOICE 1: You're the man, Bobby.
VOICE 2: You're the man, Bobby.
Hey, Bobby...
[GROANS]
[LIGHTS BUZZING] [VOICES MURMURING INDISTINCTLY]
[HIGH-PITCHED RINGING]
VOICE 3: Hey, what's going on?
[RATTLING]
Hey, I need your eyes on something out here, buddy.
Come on.
Yeah. Come on.
[SIGHS]
Hey, honey, are you ready to rock it?
Yeah.
Okay, well, you better catch a big one
'cause I'm really, really hungry.
You don't keep it, Mom. What?
Well, what kind of a deal is that?
Well, you better get that trophy
so we can pawn it for some enchiladas.
Okay, okay. Good luck.
Aw, did mommy teach you how to fish too?
GUS: Alrighty then,
it's time to go get it.
First team is 45 minutes,
go get them! [RINGING]
Well, don't you worry about it,
we're gonna get this all sorted out for you, all right?
Keep you posted.
It's not a big deal, all right, just work with the boys here
[AUDIO FADING OUT] to try to get things fixed
and see if you can smooth things out with both clients
without having to pony up too much of a discount, all right?
Are you ready to go?
They can't be biting every day,
otherwise it'd just be called collecting.
He said he'd be here. I know.
I'm sure there was an emergency at work or something.
He promised.
Sweetheart, your daddy loves you very, very much,
and he wouldn't not show up without a really good reason.
You know that, right?
[CELL PHONE RINGING]
Look, I bet he's calling to explain it to you right now.
Okay, I have one very unhappy kid in the car with...
Okay, Joe, yeah. Okay, I'll be right there.
[♪♪♪♪♪]
What's going on?
[ENGINE STARTS]
Buckle up.
[TIRES SCREECH]
[BREATHING HEAVILY]
Stay in the car. Stay in the car, I'll be right back.
Is Dad okay? Stay in the car!
JOE: Come on, Bobby, come back here.
Bobby, stop it! No.
Look at me, Bobby, please. Please look at me, love.
JOE: We're here for you, Bobby. CYNDI: It's okay, it's okay.
I know you're struggling, and I know you feel alone,
but you are not. I'm right here.
Can you hear me, Bobby?
Please tell me you can hear me.
It's okay, it's okay.
Come on, Bobby. [BOBBY MUMBLES SOFTLY]
It's okay.
[BOBBY GROANS SOFTLY]
[BREATHES DEEPLY]
You listen to me. [EXHALES DEEPLY]
I have seen you fight...
and no one is stronger or more brave,
and I am here to fight with you.
I just need you to come back to me, Bobby, please, please.
They won't stop.
Step back to me, Bobby. Come back to me, Bobby, please.
I've got you, just come back to me.
It's okay.
It's okay, it's okay. Come back to me.
It's okay. It's okay.
Hey! No!
[CYNDI SCREAMS] Get your hands off me!
I won't let you take me! Bobby! It's me! Bobby!
Stop, Bobby!
Come on! Hey! No! No, Dad.
JOE: It's okay, Bobby. It's okay, man.
[♪♪♪♪♪]
[KNOCKS SOFTLY]
Joe, I...
No, don't worry about it, it's all right.
Look, I've known Bobby a long time.
You know, we've been through some stuff together.
I know what he's been through, I just...
I didn't realize it had gotten this bad for him.
He's been doing really good for a really long time.
It's just recently...
He needs to get some help, Cyndi, he does.
I had a cousin a few years ago back in Amarillo
and outta nowhere, I mean, he just started hearing things
and seeing things that weren't there.
It looked a lot like this.
I'm scared, Joe.
He's gonna be all right, all right?
He's gonna be fine.
Just find somebody that knows what they're doing
to take a look at him, get him whatever help he needs.
I already called Dr. Bartley,
and we're seeing him first thing tomorrow.
We'll just take it from there. Good.
[SOFTLY] This is crazy.
Phillip, you think he's gonna be all right?
I hope so.
Okay, good. Why don't you go see how he's doing.
Okay. If you need anything,
I'm here for you, okay?
Thank you. You're welcome.
[♪♪♪♪♪]
[TIRES SCREECH]
CYNDI: Bobby!
PELK: So he's only been missing for four hours?
Uh-huh.
In that case, he can't be listed as a missing person yet.
But even if it had been enough time,
you said he left of his own volition, that right?
My husband is not well.
Do you believe he's dangerous?
No.
In that case,
there's only so much we can do.
We'll have him in our system, keep an eye out.
Most of the time, they show back up at home.
[♪♪♪♪♪]
CYNDI: Uh, hello. Hospital Administration, please.
Hi there, my name is Cyndi Saunders
and I spoke with somebody earlier today about my husband.
Yes, I e-mailed the photo of him over like you asked,
and I was just calling to make sure that you got that.
Okay, good. Thank you for your help.
Um, would it be all right if I dropped by later
with some flyers?
Thank you. Mm-hm, bye-bye.
[PHONE BEEPS] [SIGHS]
[ROB MAYES' "DARK NIGHTS" PLAYING]
♪ You're my best friend ♪
♪ Till the end of time ♪
♪ Take my hand ♪
♪ I'll be your crutch Your calm you trust ♪
♪ Make everything all right ♪
♪ Even on the dark Dark nights ♪
♪ Dark nights ♪
[PHONE BEEPS]
MAN [ON RECORDING]: Good afternoon, I'm with Texas Regency Collections.
Sorry to bother you today,
but we've been trying to get a hold
of a Robert Saunders for several weeks now
regarding some open credit accounts that are outstanding.
Um, unfortunately, since there's been
no response to our inquiries,
we're gonna have to report the delinquencies.
[DOG BARKING IN DISTANCE]
[♪♪♪♪♪]
[GRUNTING]
[PANTING]
[♪♪♪♪♪]
[SIGHS SOFTLY]
That well, huh?
You know, truth be told,
that kitchen's far too big.
And who wants to clean all those tiles? And the stairs?
You're not a spring chicken. Your knees will thank you.
[PLAYING HYMN]
[♪♪♪♪♪]
Cyndi? Cyndi.
Good morning, Marilynn.
I just wanted to check on you
with everything going on. Thank you, that's very kind,
but we're doing all right. You are so strong, Cyndi.
If I was in your shoes, I don't know what I would do...
Well, there are a lot of people who have it worse than we do,
and this is only temporary.
Why don't you come over Tuesday for lunch?
I stole the tastiest summer-squash casserole recipe
from my mother... Thank you so much for the offer,
but we're okay. We're all right, bud?
Yeah. Sure, if you need something...
Yes, thank you so much, I appreciate it.
[♪♪♪♪♪]
Okay, take these, these and donate.
Don't look at me like that.
Who are you talking to, Mom?
Just the ghost of a former life.
What?
Nothing, nothing, honey.
Um, okay, I need your help.
I have three piles here.
I have take, donate and trash.
And we gotta be merciless or your grandmother,
she's gonna flip her lid.
So can you put all that in the trash box right there?
Okay, Mom, I will.
Thank you.
CYNDI: Honey.
Mom.
I know you miss him very much,
and I know that wherever he is, he misses you just as much.
He didn't wanna leave us, he can't help that he's sick.
You know, I never understood why he likes this stuff so much.
Maybe we should try it.
Love only goes so far, kiddo.
[♪♪♪♪♪]
Grandma!
He's sitting there all by himself with his stupid haircut.
[BOYS LAUGHING]
Oh, look at his face.
He's crazy. I know.
Ha! Aw, you need a toy?
Are you gonna cry, cry without your daddy?
Give it back, Bryan, it's my dad's.
Ew, let's hope crazy isn't contagious.
Do it again, make fun of my dad again!
You're a psycho, just like him.
[♪♪♪♪♪]
Mom, I'm sorry. Bryan...
You're punching people in the face now?
You nearly broke that kid's nose.
He called Dad a psycho.
Yeah, well, what does that kid know about your father?
Nothing. Exactly.
He wanted to provoke you and you let him.
And now because of that, I have missed two job interviews.
Okay, we didn't ask for any of this,
but we get to choose how we react to it.
Will we ever find him?
I believe we will.
But until then we have to take responsibility...
no matter how hard
and no matter if every part of us
wants to punch the world in the face.
Mrs. Saunders. Oh, yes.
You misspelled "attention."
I did?
Right there.
Oh...
I did.
Spell check...
[CHUCKLES NERVOUSLY]
I'm gonna be honest, Mrs. Saunders.
There's not a lot to go on here.
Yes, I do realize that my work experience is limited.
It says you haven't worked in 10 years.
Yes, I have been a mom, sir,
full time for 10 years.
I've been taking care of my husband
and my son and my home.
That has been my job.
And a tough one it is, I know that.
Mr. Cummings, I know that my résumé might not be perfect,
but I am dependable, hardworking and determined.
I will always be on time, and I will never complain,
and I guarantee you, you can count on me.
Don't make me regret this.
I'm gonna give it a go, but you have to be quick.
I hope you're a fast learner, Mrs. Saunders.
Oh, alrighty then. [GIGGLES]
Alrighty, thank you. Thank you.
CYNDI: And we get 10% off all groceries.
You're welcome.
Even the seafood? Even the seafood.
Oh, well, it's official,
Tuesday nights are lobster mac-and-cheese nights.
That street fighter you're raising needs to bulk up.
Don't even get me started on that.
One minute I can't get him to talk,
and the next he's a mini Mike Tyson.
[CELL PHONE RINGING]
Hello.
[♪♪♪♪♪]
[PA BEEPS, THEN INDISTINCT CHATTER OVER PA]
[BUZZING]
PELK: I know this isn't easy, Mrs. Saunders.
We just need you to follow us.
Right this way.
It's not him.
[♪♪♪♪♪]
What...?
The jacket he was wearing,
it had a dry-cleaning tag with your husband's name on it.
That's Bobby's.
Are you okay, ma'am?
Yeah.
How did he...?
They get sick, they lay down, the elements set in,
they don't get back up again.
The rainy season's bad enough.
It's only gonna get worse when the snowstorms come in.
What's gonna happen to him?
We're trying to find the next of kin.
What happens if you can't find anyone?
He-- He just disappears, without a funeral,
or a way to say goodbye or nothing?
Where did you find him?
[♪♪♪♪♪]
[SIREN WAILING IN DISTANCE]
[TRAIN RATTLING]
WOMAN: You're looking for Keith? That's his jacket.
I'm sorry?
You're too late, he took his final trip last night.
Did you know him?
Well, who are you? And why are you asking?
I'm...
I'm sorry for your loss.
I'm sure you are.
Excuse me?
Well, if you knew Keith was dead, what are you doing here?
He ain't got nothing worth taking.
I don't know.
I don't know and I guess...
Heh, one of those.
What, did he chat you up outside your office,
he sing you a tune?
You give him some change now and again,
maybe your leftovers.
Now he's dead and you feel guilty,
and, you know, that about right?
No, that's not it at all, actually.
I'm sorry to disappoint you.
Here, this is for your trouble.
Conscience all good and clear now?
Don't be a stranger.
Are you hungry?
What do you think?
Mm-hm. Nope, that sounds like
you're doing all the right things,
checked all the right places.
You know, and there's a lot of holes to hide in in this city
if you don't wanna be found.
I'm sure he'll show up.
It's not worth it.
So, um, Keith...
did you know him?
Yeah, I knew him a few years.
Think he made his way up here,
uh, from New Orleans after the storm.
Did he have any family?
Yeah, you know, as a matter of fact,
he drew me this really fancy family tree once
with all these branches,
and he also gave me the home phone numbers of his relatives.
You're making fun of me.
Why all the interest in poor old Keith?
I'm not buying the good Samaritan routine,
so you can just really cut with that crap.
I guess I just wanna know more about the man
that I thought was my husband
before they pulled back the sheet.
I'm not trying to be an angel here.
I'm as flawed as anybody.
But where I'm at right now, it's getting harder and harder
to ignore the senselessness of it all.
Yeah, Keith was a good enough guy.
He never cursed,
and he always shared when he could.
He used to sing a lot, he thought he was Marvin Gaye.
[CHUCKLES SOFTLY]
I will miss him.
And what about you?
Nope, I can't sing a lick.
I mean, your story.
[STAMMERS]
It ain't much different than a lot of folks.
I served in Kuwait,
I saw some things I wish I hadn't.
I came back to Waco to forget them.
I got a man...
I got a little house.
He got sick, he got real sick.
I'm sorry. Yeah, me too.
After he passed, I don't know, I just
slowly stopped doing everything,
I just stopped caring.
I don't know, I can't piece the rest of it together if I tried.
You get caught up in that current, it just...
[SIGHS]
Don't do that. [SNIFFLES]
I'm sorry, I'm sorry.
You say that a lot, you know. [BOTH CHUCKLE]
Sorry.
Apologies are nice,
but waffles, now, that is the real medicine right there.
[GIGGLES]
[CHUCKLES]
Here, try some.
Thank you for the meal. Oh, don't mention it.
Can I give you a ride somewhere?
No, really, I'm good. I feel like walking.
Are you sure? It's no trouble.
Yeah, no, I'm good.
I hope your husband's okay.
Thank you.
[♪♪♪♪♪]
Delia!
Just, I don't know, maybe it'll help with the cold.
You sure? Sure. Yeah, please take it.
It'll help, thank you.
You're welcome. Thank you.
Good night. Good night.
Where were you, Mom?
I just had to check on some things downtown.
About Dad?
Kind of.
I met a nice lady,
and I have to tell you something
and I hope you're not gonna be mad at me.
I won't be.
Do you remember that blanket that you had in the car?
The one you got from Lake Fork?
Yeah.
Well, the lady that I met tonight,
she didn't really have that much,
so I gave her your blanket.
Was she cold?
Yes, sweetheart, she was.
Sounds like she needed it more than me then.
Dang, you're a good kid.
Who raised you?
You think Dad's cold like that too, wherever he is?
I hope not.
I wish we could give them all blankets, every last one.
[♪♪♪♪♪]
[KNOCKS ON DOOR]
Good morning, Cyndi. Pastor, good morning.
I'm sorry to come by without calling. I, uh...
I did try, but no luck.
I just found out you moved, in fact. It's beautiful.
Um, you both came to me this morning
while I was reading scripture, and I felt the need to check in.
Please come in. Thank you.
Whew, you brew a strong cup. [CHUCKLES]
Mountain Roast is a dollar off with a coupon this week.
Well, I appreciate the tip.
I got a sneaking suspicion
you're here to deliver one yourself.
Well, I wouldn't say that necessarily.
More a... More of an invitation,
for an ear, for reflection.
I promise I won't start peppering you with scripture.
I read the Bible, I have read it,
and you don't need to worry about us, we're doing just fine.
Every morning I get up and I put one foot
right in front of the other,
and we are getting by.
Oh.
God wants you to do more than get by, Cyndi.
Really?
Oh, heh.
Well, then maybe He should have stopped my husband
from coming apart at the seams...
and leaving us without even two nickels to rub together...
and leaving my son lost,
not knowing when he's gonna see his daddy again...
and leaving me.
[SIGHS] I'm sorry, I'm sorry, I'm sorry.
I know that's not how it works.
What you're going through, the anger and the sadness,
these are hardwired into us,
but we're also given the tools to overcome them.
I pray, pastor, over and over these days.
Prayers are excellent tools, they are,
but that's just the start of it.
There's a community at Mercy Valley
that you can lean on.
No matter how big or small the need,
there are hearts open to you.
And that's real nice and all,
but there is nobody who can help with what we need.
I see why it might feel that way,
but there's strength to be found in others,
in their faith.
It can help you find purpose.
Okay, I don't mean to be rude or anything,
but we got a full day ahead of us, so...
Of course, Cyndi... I'll walk you out.
I appreciate you checking in on us. Phillip, especially.
You know...
It doesn't always make sense, the plan.
I mean, even hearing someone talking about a plan
feels like a twisting of a knife, I get that.
But nobody, at least of all Him, wants to see you adrift.
So just keep your heart open, Cyndi.
Listen, look,
be ready for the call when it comes.
Well, you know where to find me if you need any more tips.
I'm here for you.
The whole church is here for you.
Okay. Thank you.
Mom.
[♪♪♪♪♪]
Now, today, you are in for a treat.
I'm not gonna do all the talking for once.
We have a member of our congregation
who would like to speak to you all
about something incredibly important.
[WHISPERS] You've got this, Mom.
Cyndi Saunders, you have the floor.
Thank you, Pastor Stevens, for giving me the opportunity
to speak with everyone today,
and thank you all for listening.
Many of you know my husband, Bobby.
It's kind of hard not to.
He never missed a service, and he was always there
to lend a helping hand even if he barely knew you.
And you probably have heard a lot of chatter about him lately.
And the truth is, my husband is not well...
and he did, in fact, disappear on us a few months back.
And when that reality settled in, I just...
I wanted to hide.
I wanted to hide from the world,
and I wanted to hide from my thoughts even.
It was really hard to see what was right in front of me.
But then I was reminded that even in the darkest of times,
we have to keep our eyes open.
My son and I are here today to ask for your help...
not for us, but for people like Bobby.
People who are out there feeling forgotten
and feeling unseen.
There are over 5000 homeless souls
in this city alone,
and from what I hear it's gonna be a bear of a winter.
So it is Phillip's wish, and my mission,
to reach each and every one of them
with a simple, comforting gesture...
a blanket.
Now, we are not naive.
We know that the problems these people face are immense.
But we also know
that a simple act of kindness
can be a start.
So please, if you are able to donate,
it would mean the world to us,
and hopefully we can help restore the faith
of those who are lost.
That's it? Two weeks?
This is the best they could do in two weeks?
It's almost the holidays,
and people are probably stretched really thin right now.
I know a lot of charities are asking for help.
Don't make excuses for them, honey, really.
Maybe we'll get more next week. Yes, maybe we will.
Wait, maybe there's some money in here.
Spare change?
[♪♪♪♪♪]
MARILYNN: Cyndi, hi there.
Hi, three adults and one child, please.
Who are your friends?
Oh, this is my friend Delia, and this is Paul.
I thought it would be good for folks
to meet some of the people we're trying to help.
She's a clever one, ain't she?
I think it's a swell idea.
Okay, ready?
The old ladies from the church make the best meatballs.
Yeah? What are we talking, five stars?
Six. Be wise, little man.
[PHILLIP CHUCKLES]
Thank you.
Oh.
Mighty kind.
Southern. My girl, my daughter, she go to Southern.
Oh, really?
Yeah, economics.
Civil engineering, class of '82. [CHUCKLES]
That was one beautiful campus.
Mm.
Well?
Hmm...
Five and a half. What?
Excuse me. So this boy here thinks
that these meatballs are six out of five.
I told him I wasn't going over 5 1/2. What do you think?
Think the kid might be right.
I might even say seven.
Well, thanks. Thanks a lot.
I'm never gonna hear the end of this one, huh?
Thank you. Thank you.
Hey, Marilynn. Hey there.
Afternoon. Hey, question,
you still got some garlic bread left, right?
They bought extra when they heard you were coming.
Jackpot.
How are things at the paper?
Busy, but I am not complaining.
What's going on over there?
Seems Cyndi means business with the blankets.
Yeah? I hadn't heard anything.
Try not missing service.
Funny.
Hmm.
What's their story?
Incredibly, incredibly rewarding, I must say.
It's an inspirational story. Thank you.
So, what has been the biggest challenge
to everything you've been doing?
Making people see what they usually try hard not to see.
Wow, is that right?
Eh, nailed it.
[BOTH CHUCKLE]
I mean, starting with myself,
sometimes you can get so caught up in your own problems
that you forget that there are people out there
who have it a lot worse.
And if we can collect 5000 blankets in time for Christmas,
then it'll be worth it.
Yeah. So, what has doing this meant to you?
When my dad left, I was mad, scared, sad.
I still am.
But me and my mom doing this is helping him
by helping other people, and I think he'd like that.
I think he would too.
Does the kid read Shakespeare in his off time?
[ALL LAUGH]
I think that he would like that too.
[ROB MAYES' "CAN'T GO ANOTHER DAY" PLAYING]
♪ Who knew a heart Could write a letter? ♪
♪ How does it know What to say? ♪
♪ I thought that I could Write it better ♪
♪ My heart got in the way ♪
♪ Even when I tried excuses ♪
♪ It told the truth ♪
♪ You know I don't wanna do this ♪
♪ But it's what my heart Is sayin' to you ♪
♪ Maybe you'd be better off ♪
♪ Without me ♪
♪ I can't go another day ♪
♪ Pretending ♪
[ALL LAUGHING]
♪ That you're my everything And I'm your everything ♪
♪ And all the stuff In-between ♪
♪ I don't wanna let go ♪
♪ But I can't go another day ♪
♪ Maybe you'd be better off ♪
[ALL EXCLAIMING]
♪ Without me ♪
♪ I can't go another day ♪
♪ Pretending ♪
♪ That you're my everything And I'm your everything ♪
♪ And all the stuff In-between ♪
♪ I don't wanna let go ♪
♪ But I can't go another day ♪
[SCANNER BEEPS]
You know, if half my employees
had half your hustle, Cyndi... [CHUCKLES]
Then you'd have nothing to complain about
at staff meetings.
Still doing that blanket thing? I sure am.
That's real nice, volunteering and all that,
it's a good hobby to have.
I'm glad you approve of my hobby.
You know, as you're already my best employee,
I bet if you took some of that time and you applied it here,
you could be assistant manager in a snap.
It's all about priorities, right?
What's most important?
But maybe it's not my place to say.
I just wanna see you get to where you deserve to be.
Thanks, Jim. Keep it up.
[♪♪♪♪♪]
Hey, look, you're a celebrity.
Whoa, that'll help.
Yeah, it can't hurt.
Okay, let's get out there,
and let's get these blankets to where they belong.
PHILLIP: How about these people right here?
CYNDI: Okay, that's a good idea.
Hi there, would you guys like a blanket?
We're just giving it out.
What about those people down there?
Yeah.
Hi there, uh, we're from Phillip's Wish,
and we're here just giving out blankets.
No.
"No."
No? No, I don't want your blanket.
Oh, it's free, and it's clean, and here, please...
I said I don't want one. I don't want your blanket,
I don't want anything from you.
We're sorry. It's okay, I'm sorry.
We were just here to help. Who do you think you are?
I'm sorry.
Who do you think you are?
[ON PHONE] Housing and Neighborhood Services, this is Trey,
how may I help you? Hi, my name is Cyndi Saunders,
you're the department in charge of the homeless shelters
in town, right? Yes, ma'am,
we oversee all city-owned facilities.
Great, my son and I have been out collecting blankets,
and we were going to hand them out one by one,
but for several reasons, that seems less than ideal.
So I was just calling to see if there was a way
we could just donate them directly to the city's shelters.
Just gather them all up at once and donate them.
Yes, ma'am, that shouldn't be a problem.
You have some scarves? Blankets.
If you have some blankets to donate,
you should be able to drop them off at any city shelter.
Oh, great, um, is there anything else that we need to do?
There shouldn't be any paperwork
for a blanket donation, ma'am.
You should be fine. Okay. Excellent.
Thank you so much for your help, Trey.
Happy to assist, have a good day.
You too.
[SIREN WAILING, DOG BARKING IN DISTANCE]
[♪♪♪♪♪]
[EXHALES SHARPLY]
[GROANING SOFTLY]
[VOICES SPEAKING INDISTINCTLY]
[GRUNTING]
[BREATHING HEAVILY]
[SCHOOL BELL RINGS]
Dude, how'd you get a D on dividing fractions?
My little sister can do this stuff.
Forgot you were a genius.
I never had worse than a C on anything.
You'll have to let me know how fifth grade is
a second time around.
[LAUGHS]
What are you looking at?
[CHILDREN CHATTERING INDISTINCTLY]
What do you want?
It's a trick my dad taught me.
A trick for what? Dividing fractions.
See, bread times bread, burger times cheese.
Hope it helps.
[♪♪♪♪♪]
Excuse me. If you're looking for a bed,
I'm sorry, but we're all full today.
Oh, no, nothing like that thankfully.
We're here with some good news.
We've been collecting blankets.
Thousands of them.
I know this is gonna sound insane, but there's not much
I can do with that.
A box or two maybe, but thousands?
Come on, they're free blankets.
A man from Housing and Neighborhood Services said
it wouldn't be a problem distributing them
at any city shelter. We wanna help these people too,
but we just don't... What are you saying?
There's not enough space
to store truckloads of blankets here,
and there's not enough of us to do what we have to do
on a daily basis, let alone distribute something like that.
Well, that's stupid. It is.
And honestly, we are up to our necks in red tape,
trying to get the items we desperately need.
Oh, I'm sorry, I know that it's not your fault,
but it's just incredibly frustrating.
STAFFER: Your heart is in the right place.
Not enough people find time to care.
We should have enough blankets for the beds we have available,
which admittedly isn't many,
but if you find yourselves with some hygiene products,
razors, deodorant...
Okay, we'll see what we can do.
Thank you for your time.
You're welcome.
Come on, buddy, let's go.
DELIA: They're wrong.
CYNDI: She sounded pretty confident.
She said that they would rather have razors
than our useless blankets.
That's...
Where's your sandwich?
I had Whataburger.
Wait, you had Whataburger and I'm eating cold cuts?
Hey, I had cold cuts too, and I made them.
I don't think they're that bad, are they?
They're good, thank you.
Should we change it? Are blankets a bad idea?
No, slow your roll, kid.
You spend enough nights out on these pavements,
you realize a blanket is more than just a blanket.
And winters, they are no joke.
Even in Texas.
What is that?
Hmm, that, my friend,
is the 3rd Armored Cavalry Regiment right there.
It's cool.
Looks really nice right there.
Thank you, pretty proud of it.
You stitched that? I did.
Can you sew one on mine?
Of course, but I ain't cheap.
[CYNDI CHUCKLES]
Okay, wait, did I count that pile?
I did, I counted that, yes.
You keep that up, they're gonna find us smothered
under a pile of wool and polyester.
Have you seen my keys? I haven't, but you know what,
maybe we should have just gone with mittens.
Ha-ha, very funny,
but what's not funny is me being late for my book club.
I love you, I love Phillip,
I love this mission,
but I just... I know.
Please, heavenly father, help my daughter
on her journey to find somewhere else to store
all the blankets. I got it, I got it. Got it.
[SIGHS]
[♪♪♪♪♪]
You got anything bigger?
What you storing?
A dream.
REPORTER [ON RADIO]: This just in at the KLX news desk.
It appears North Texas is in for a rough Christmas.
The National Weather Service has issued
a severe weather advisory
beginning this Saturday, through December 28th.
Freezing rain and sleet will give way to ice
as we approach Christmas.
Wind chills are expected to reach single digits...
[CLICKS OFF]
[DIALING]
You've reached Bobby Saunders, leave a message
and I'll get back to you as soon as I can. Thanks.
[VOICEMAIL BEEPS]
[SIGHS]
[CAR STARTS, DRIVES AWAY]
[CRICKETS CHIRPING]
[CELL PHONE RINGING]
Hello.
[♪♪♪♪♪]
[SIRENS WAILING] [CHATTER OVER RADIO]
[FIREFIGHTERS SHOUTING INDISTINCTLY]
[GASPS]
It's all my fault.
It was an accident, sweetheart.
It's okay, Mom.
Can you take him home?
I think I just need a little time.
Yes, of course, sweetheart.
Come on. Come on, love.
[SCREAMS]
[♪♪♪♪♪]
[GRUNTING]
I'm sorry, but we're full up tonight, my friend.
Best you try over by 4th Street.
[BREATHING HEAVILY]
[TELEPHONE RINGING]
Hello?
Oh, yes. Oh, yes, Mr. Cummings, hi.
Um... I'm not so sure, actually.
Yeah, I don't think she'll be in again today.
No, I... Oh, of course.
I know. I'll let you know.
All right, bye now, bye.
Sweetheart.
Cyndi...
you're gonna have to eat something soon
or I'm gonna start taking it personally.
Remember when you told me you hated me?
I don't have a lot of regrets, but I'll never forget that day.
Tears streaming down your little face...
You had picked out this...
This, heh-heh, pretty pastel dress
for Easter service.
Oh, you loved that dress to the moon and back...
and I took it to the dry cleaners
on the Monday before Easter.
Your dad left on the Wednesday...
and suddenly my whole world just came crashing down around me.
I don't think I showered for a week.
So on Easter morning...
when you came to me for your dress, um...
I just hadn't thought about it.
I hadn't thought about anything.
And you said what you said, and, oh, I lashed out...
Quite the way to celebrate the Resurrection.
[SNIFFLES]
I regret not picking up that dress.
[♪♪♪♪♪]
[KNOCKS ON DOOR]
[KNOCKING CONTINUES]
REPORTER [ON TV]: And now the very latest on this dangerous winter storm
that's bearing down on North Texas next week.
Authorities are encouraging all residents to brace
for what appears to be temperatures
approaching zero degrees and erratic precipitation.
At this time, our experts are predicting
the lowest temperatures will unfortunately hit our area
the night of Christmas Eve.
Stay warm and stay safe, Texas.
ANCHOR: Thank you. Road crews are dealing with a lot of ice...
Mom, we can't give up.
They're all gone, sweetheart. So we start again.
It's not that easy. Sure it is.
Those people out there like Delia, like Dad,
he's still out there, they all are.
We can't let them down.
It's getting real cold.
They need us.
We may not be able to help all of them,
but if we can help even a few...
That's one.
[♪♪♪♪♪]
[BREATHES DEEPLY]
You all know it's been a really hard year for me
and my family.
And it feels like sometimes stuff happens
and you just don't know how to keep going.
Me and my mom wanted to take a sad thing that happened to us
and make some good out of it,
and a lot of people helped.
There was an accident, so now we have to start all over.
But that's okay.
Like my grandma always says,
we have to put our trust in God.
So with this storm coming in a few days,
we're working extra hard to do whatever we can to help.
For Christmas this year, I have a real short list.
I want my dad to be okay...
and I wanna get a blanket to as many people as I can.
So if any of you or your families can help in any way,
we'd really appreciate it.
And we have to believe we can make a change,
no matter how small.
If we stop believing in that,
we stop living.
[SIGHS]
It's a lot of blankets. Not bad, right?
I'm glad I caught you. Oh.
My sister dropped these off this morning.
Perfect timing.
How are you gonna get all these out?
Well, Phillip and I, we gotta get them distributed
on Christmas Eve, and we need all the help we can get.
Many hands make light work.
REPORTER: And the concern right now,
what looks to be an incredibly frigid night ahead.
The entire state under that winter storm warning.
We also have portions of West Texas
that were under a blizzard warning,
and right now we're looking at an evening
that could get even colder.
In the meantime, brace for the cold, Texas.
It's going to be a bitter December
and one for the record books.
You guys sure we got a big enough truck?
It was the biggest they had.
And you're sure you wanna do all this tonight,
on Christmas Eve?
The storm won't wait for a better plan.
Thanks for coming.
Happy to help you out.
Besides, Bobby would kick my rear end
if he knew I let you do all this on your own, so...
[CHUCKLES] Here you go, buddy.
Hey, sorry to interrupt.
Pastor, you made it.
There's, uh, something you should see.
What do you mean? [CHUCKLES]
Come take a look.
Okay.
Where? Just up ahead.
What is going on?
Uh...
Hey, we heard you could use a hand.
Merry Christmas.
[♪♪♪♪♪]
Hey, I don't wanna ever see
any of these blankets ever again,
so let's get out there,
let's help get these people warm, all right?
[ALL CHEERING]
Merry Christmas. This is for you.
Merry Christmas. Thank you.
[INAUDIBLE DIALOGUE]
[SIREN WAILING IN DISTANCE]
[MAN COUGHING]
Hey, uh, are you all right?
Hey, hey.
Easy! Easy, that's my good leg.
You all right?
Oh, you are in bad shape.
Aw, now here, here.
That's a little something for you, all right?
[PAUL GROANING SOFTLY]
Thank you. Thanks, guys.
Go home and get warm, it's gonna get worse.
I have a few more blankets to deliver,
then I'll see you at home.
Straight there and straight back.
Okay.
You ready? PHILLIP: Yeah.
[ROB MAYES' "IT'S THAT TIME OF YEAR AGAIN" PLAYING]
♪ It's that time of year Again ♪
♪ We gather round All our family and friends ♪
♪ Gentle snowfall ♪
♪ I hear your call ♪
♪ Christmas Eve is here ♪
♪ No matter how far... ♪
Hey there, we've got some blankets for y'all.
Thanks, honey.
Merry Christmas. Merry Christmas.
Here's a blanket for you.
Thanks for waiting. Here.
You ready?
♪ We give thanks And good tiding and cheer... ♪
Merry Christmas, Paul.
Merry Christmas, little man.
♪ And all I want For Christmas ♪
♪ Is for you ♪
♪ To be here ♪
[♪♪♪♪♪]
Hey! Hey, little man, wait!
Wait! Wait, wait, stop!
This your missing man?
[♪♪♪♪♪]
Here.
He-- He was here.
Are you sure? Yeah, I'm positive.
Bobby!
Dad!
[SOFT RATTLING]
[BOBBY GROANING]
Do you hear that?
[PIPE CLANGS]
Dad!
CYNDI: Bobby. Dad, please wake up.
[SOBBING] Dad, please wake up. Bobby. Bobby!
Answer me, Bobby, can you hear me?
Dad, Dad, wake up, please.
Hi, yes, I found my husband. Wake up.
I think he's hurt. I'm on the corner of Hartford and East 3rd.
Hurry, please. Dad!
Please, wake up.
[♪♪♪♪♪]
[COUGHING SOFTLY]
[♪♪♪♪♪]
So what do you think?
You're offering me a job, kid?
I guess so.
We've been getting a ton of secondhand blankets
that need repairs before we can distribute them,
and I was thinking with that fancy stitch work of yours....
I don't think you can afford me.
How much you charging?
You should think about it. I'll definitely think about it.
Do you want a ride?
No, now you know me. Hmm!
PHILLIP: Delia!
ANNA: The real Cyndi!
This is so cool.
Oh, my God, this is so cool.
Oh, wow, it's so nice to meet you.
You're so beautiful. You're gorgeous.
[LAUGHS]
You're so pretty.
Look at you. Ohh...
We're so thankful for your story,
and we are just so happy to be telling it.
And it's just such a beautiful thing that you guys did
and a courageous thing that you did.
And I am so, so honored to be playing you.
MAN: Aw, look at that, here we go, Cyndi Bunch and Anna Camp.
Ohh!
For reals. Real deal.
[♪♪♪♪♪]