The Pinballs

[Music] well Carly here we are here you are I'm not going in there now Carly wouldn't you know it'd be a dump how long do I have to stay in this stupid place Oh only until your mother and stepfather work out their problems hmm which means I'll be here until I'm ready for the old folks home then again if I don't like it I can always run away I'm very good at that you know yes you certainly are now Carly don't say things like that are you miss Harris MS Harris and this must be Carly well it's not exactly Helen of Troy just put that down anywhere for now would you like a little lunch a very little I I am on a diet you know it's not working that's for sure how about those foster kids what pictures not going up there nobody better snapped me while I'm not looking either what Carly those aren't exactly foster children and this isn't exactly a foster home I suppose not really it's a place where we hope you'll be very happy in to your mother and your stepfather work out their problems I've heard that one you know you two are very funny I bet you could make it on TV by the way where is it where's why the TV never mind I don't miss all my children ever well wouldn't you like some lunch first don't talk to me during all my children I only wanted to make you feel welcome make me feel welcome during commercial did miss Harris mention there'll be two others coming soon two other one boys Harvey and Thomas J yeah how old 8 and 13 young what's wrong with them wrong with them yeah why do they have to be here I have a rotten stepfather what's their problem well I guess they'll just have to tell you that themselves big ears what's the 13-year old like big for his age I hope I don't know too bad might make things at least bearable around here couldn't hurt comes Evie yourself that should be hardly mr. Boyd and this must be Harvey yes ma'am well that lets out dancing what happened to your legs nothing something must have happened they don't just put casts on legs for the fighting you know so what happened if you must know I broke them playing football football then how come they're so claim I mean if you were so big in football you must have been pretty popular and if you were so popular how come nobody wanted to sign your cast huh want to answer that one huh okay I'll give you another one what position did you play quarterback you know quarterback if anything he'd be the ball I'll give you one more chance what really happened I told you I was playing football look this is one of my favorite shows if you're gonna sit there and tell me a bunch of big lies I'll just go back to watching it then go back to watching hey if mr. Mason supposed to be here by suppertime how come he's not here I'm hungry well Thomas J probably wasn't quite ready traffic was heavier than usual something like that it'll be along soon how will they better the all-star variety shows aren't exactly 30 minutes and I am watching it's gonna be getting to the end it's about time oh good Carly get some milk out of the refrigerator please and tell Bobby that Supper's ready she's got you working on the first day this ought to be some visit hey quarterback come and get it you could have gone after it I could have but I didn't sorry we're late going hmm mrs. Thomas Jake well--don't Thomas Jay I've been looking forward to meeting you me too thank you and this is Carly mommy do you always talk that loud Carly I just wanted to know his aunt's were dead my aunts were dead why not can we eat now in a moment now this is my husband mr. Mason Carly Higgins hi Carly and this is Harvey darling Harvey this is my husband mr. Mason hello sir Marty and Thomas Jay Harvey hi hi can we eat now we're gonna put my satchel well suppers ready so why don't you just put it right down here for now and then after what I'll show you to your room you're gonna stay with me okay it seemed best that way and then if Harvey wants anything in the night you can call me okay sure has got the voice for it oh my ears is a foster father and real estate agent where by the way I've encountered some really weird ones I've never encountered anybody quite like Carly darling she knew hear you I can't even hear me over that television racket how's she gonna hear me I should tell her to turn it down oh that courageous or not oh I know it'll just take her a little time to adjust that promises promises about these plants from tomorrow on Carly takes over okay is it a promise it's a promise tonight's fun I like doing things with you even dishes not just sweet I don't care if you don't [Applause] like here oh man kids okay turn the television down turn it down I said it makes you sad Thomas J what's my favorite program I told you not to talk so loud Laurie was Ryan's favorite program was you mean they're dead no but they're in the hospital that's why I'm here what they're gonna get well of course they are Thomas J they were the oldest pair of identical twins in the state the governor himself stems from a birthday telegram every year that's me oh yeah how old about ninety ninety you have a nurse at or 90 they're not my real lunch they found me in the streets when I was a little boy he asked everyone but nobody wanted me so of them with them ever since except right now well that explains why you comb your hair that way we're gonna have to do something about that hair of yours okay only if you make it like Harvey's [Music] is everything alright Carly what do you think things seemed very wrong tonight don't they seen the first night is always the hardest I know how you feel how would you know have you ever lived in a foster home I've had a lot of kids staying with me 17 not counting you three and all 17 told me that the first night was the worst too bad there's no vaccine for first night you saw the pictures of those kids in the living room all 17 of them well they're all out in the world now two of them are in college one runs his own service station some of them are back with their family it all works out somehow even without vaccines things will look better tomorrow we'll have fun together I'll teach you how to sew maybe you know how to already know what we'll give it a try and then if you don't like that we'll try something else it better be good or I might just have to leave this place that never solves anything Carly sound like a social worker I'm gonna go to sleep now I suppose Carly told y'all I broke my legs no all my friends wanted to sign my cast I had to come here before they could how did you break your legs I was playing football quarterback I got tackled too hard bones break easily you could break bones just walking down a path I don't know about that the Benson twins that's where I lived with before I came here we're out walking the line of him slipped and fell I don't know which one then the other one reached out to help and she fell too they both broke their hips well sure if they slipped they're in the hospital that's why I'm here mr. Mason says I could go visit him in two weeks I'm here cuz there's no one at home to take care of me how about your mother our mother doesn't live with us anymore Carly would you take this tray into Harvey he doesn't feel like coming to the table I think his legs are bothering him well la dee da da if I didn't feel like coming to the table do you think Harvey would bring me a tray he's in pain Carly he's a pain I just got here I'm already a slave boy you don't get anything do you Harvey I just gave you the perfect chance to insult me I said if somebody brought me a tray of breakfast I'd drop over dead now you're supposed to say is that a promise I give up you're hopeless when you get through eating if you ever do call and the slave of the world will pick up your tray Ted wheeler cause it's about the Hoover property now it looks good and tell him that I'll know more tonight hmm did you take RV astray yep didn't touch anything he spoiled no Carly he's having a rough time of it we're going to have to be specially nice to him for the next few weeks why doesn't anybody be especially nice to me what do I have to do around here to get an attention break my leg now Carly what a risky enough I believe you could help Harvey you're strong if Harvey's counting on me he's gonna listen Carly no you listen Nina Harvey and Thomas J we're live pin balls somebody came along with a dime put it in pushed a button and out we came ready or not you don't see pinball's helping each other now do you because they can't they're just things hey Carly there's one June's enough for what my mom to my aunt's hi how are your hips that's terrible Sarge has to have at least two other than that in English at quarterback water dance huh miss Thomas Benson and Miss Jefferson Benson you've got to be kidding me no they were named after their father's favorite president Oh and that's how you got your name huh one for each twin I told you you couldn't send a letter with just one sentence that's okay I get to go visit next week anyway so if I think of anything else to say I'll just old man oh hey what are you doing hey borrowing some paper oh okay can I have some sure copycat your mother please send for me I won't cause any more trouble I promise I just want to come home bad things that have happened to be give me that back your mother really left home and didn't come back sounds like my father she's coming back besides I know where she lives oh yeah we're in a commune in Virginia huh my dad's a knight on the moon hey did you really have an appendectomy how BIG's a scar well put down two broken legs I mean I wouldn't call that the fun event of the year would you Thomas J and make it three and four three left leg four right leg we're gonna put them down I'm just trying to keep the events in the order that they happened hmm maybe I'll start a list but the books I've enjoyed reading actually it'd be a very short list three of the exact t-score nurse nurse of Hong Kong a nurse of UConn have you read any of those Carly would you come help me with lunch the slave of the world is being summoned come on Thomas J we want to get there before visiting hours are over hurry it up Carly where are you going I'm going to I'm gonna be a nurse and this is gonna be a very valuable experience not today Carly I'm sorry what do you mean not today today's the day you're going can I go I won't go in the hospital no Harvey I'm sorry I just wanted to stop off in the chicken place across the street from the hospital I could eat a whole bucket while they're inside it's my very favorite thing well maybe next time are we huh I wouldn't be any trouble I promise I'm sure you wouldn't but no I'm sorry do you believe this I get a flat now and he gets a sweet apology well now I know who's who around here honey no [Music] Harvey has a good idea Colin why don't you pick up a bucket of chicken in some slaw it's too hard to cook tonight oh boy that is a good idea Thomas J well do it [Music] you [Music] what are you thinking about Thomas change to the hospital oh why is that I don't know something I can't put into words you're just standing there not knowing what to say you know sometimes you can do someone a real favor but just standing there just the fact that you're there can be a real comfort now feel like a comfort I want to say something but I can't I'm gonna tell you something Thomas Jane I've never told this to anyone in my whole life when I was about your age my mother died and she was a very good lady very good but she was never one to show a lot of affection your twins are like that I don't remember my whole life there ever hugging me or kissing that maybe even one time the twins patted me on the head one time but I found their father's watch yes I went to the hospital and I was standing there by the bed I don't know what to say suddenly my mother opened her eyes said Colin tell me you love me why I just stood there yes nobody had ever used the word love to me in my whole life before which I just stood there and the nurse poked me in the back said say it say it because she knew my mother was dying but I couldn't say anything I couldn't have either [Music] then she went over to the bed and he said he said it mrs. Mason did you hear him he said it real soft but he did say it he loves you and my mother smile she closed her eyes as your last time I ever saw her alive I guess if mothers want you to tell them that you love them they should start real early training you to do it I think you're right you know that's one of the reasons I think I always wanted to marry Ramona mrs. Mason yeah she was always hugging people touching them telling them how she felt about them tell us Jane would you believe that it took me five years of marriage five years before I could tell my own wife that I loved her yes what [Music] [Music] [Applause] well sure they think they're so smart 17 kids and all that caring southern pride favorites and Michonne [Music] I'm glad we got to see them oh they're glad they got to see you too except they weren't quite sure why was sometimes that was just the medicine that's all oh [Music] we may be in big trouble what's wrong guess who forgot the chicken you made in big trophy [Music] funny huh we're not Oh what I wouldn't give to be a cop right now I have you sad for life dumb head scare a little kid like that what perfect weather for cookouts I like hamburgers better than chicken anyway well I don't know Harvey it isn't the end of the world darling who's ready yet should I call Carly oh just give him a few more minutes can imagine where she is unless she's taking a nap [Music] why aren't you guys ever around when a girl needs you I was almost killed back there and where were you nowhere now I'm ready to go home and you're keeping me waiting I don't know why people pay taxes anymore home have you ever ran away and changed your mind yeah I guess I have well [Music] well thanks a lot I gotta go my family sick with worry doesn't sound much like worry to me little lady make sure you got the right house that shows how much you know we're still sick with word they have to hide it like that I think couldn't stand the pain so that's the way it is no get hamburgers already somebody call Carly I will mr. Mason Oh Ryan coming well well you forgot the chicken did you too bad Harvey Carly Carly what I'm not upset about the chicken he just wants attention his father call today and he's coming to visit him next week well I don't know about his father but if he's anything like mine I don't blame him for being upset Carly I know what you're gonna say leave it to me hey Harvey can you take pictures I want someone to take my picture why huh glad you asked that they're having a Charlie and Tina look-alike contest and I want to enter you don't look like Tina I know I'm supposed to be Charlie Harvey what do I have to do to cheer you up try going inside you know maybe there's hope for you after all [Music] you don't have to look if you don't think you can stand it boy have I got a surprise for you look I don't think I can stand it would you look tada you like it I made it myself sure it's great I'm gonna make thousands of them whose camera mr. mason's okay what's this gifts I wanted that I didn't get boy do I know how that is what didn't she get well when my mother lived with us she promised me a puppy for my birthday I really wanted that puppy more than anything why didn't you get she left home 11 days before my birthday remember she joined a commune somewhere in Virginia my grandmother said there's an item in a picture in the New York Times I haven't seen her since I was gonna call it snowball my dad's coming to visit me next week where she wasn't [Music] lady finally got it on without the slave of the world to help her one meter while you in sure I want to go to the library after we eat sure if mrs. Mason says it's okay listen don't worry about mrs. Mason I can handle her consider yourself in the stacks start you knew this lately only the one I started this morning well I have or at least I'm going to it's gonna be about the people who have done me in well first would be my father I mean I don't really know him but he'd be first you don't have a father of course I have a father everybody has a father the lowest dog on the street has a father didn't you learn anything in health and hygiene just I never knew my father he left before I was born and then there's my second father who's a real bone in my third I only have one you ran over my legs that's how they got broken he ran over your legs yeah ran over them yeah in his car oh wow he said he couldn't help it which is supposed to make everything okay yeah he was gonna take me to school cuz I'd won an award on an essay two dollars what do you want to play poker instead or something he was drinking and he got mad he said it was an accident oh wow oh wow Carla here it is there's pictures and everything that's not how I thought your mom would look she didn't when she lived with us hmm well you found it can we go now I want to read it I want to get her address didn't she ever write you oh sure she wrote wasn't doing you return address or anything I never got the letters my dad tore him up we'll get at Xerox didn't read it later I want to read it now okay back to Lori Myers Appalachian nurse [Music] Carly Carly let Harvey see his father alone I wasn't going to see Harvey then stay in the house I was going to get the mail mails already here they're in the death anything for me no Harvey no well what's wrong with the mail these days people are gonna stop buying stamps if they don't start delivering letters is that his car no because if it is I should go straight inside unless you don't want me to that's him are you sure it's the same car but did it yeah well I'll go inside but if you need me I'll be right there in the living room you wouldn't believe what a good help I can be in a fight yeah you are how you doing son all right put it there hey this looks like a nice place it's alright any other kids here like you - that sounds like nice company tell me what kind of kids are they they're all right you know what I mean kids in a foster home well you you never know I'm here oh yeah hey I've never seen you look this good before except for the legs oh yeah well hey guess what I brought you a birthday present I didn't forget the big days this Friday what do you say you want to grab a bite to eat with me I don't know if I'm allowed allowed hey I'm your own dad I'll take care of mrs. Mason mrs. Mason I'll get her hey mrs. Mason there you go pal ketchup no thanks I wrote a letter and my mother telling her what happened did you yeah but I haven't heard from her well you won't I think I will she probably wrote to me dozens of times over the years only you never gave me the letters no she never wrote you I don't believe that she wrote in you tore the letters up she never wrote you not one time she write off she knew I'd broken my legs well she didn't write you when she knew you had the appendectomy she didn't know about that yeah she did I told her and she didn't answer no I don't believe you no you burned them your mother did not write you so where'd you eat Salim Sammy's lucky we had egg sandwiches oh one of the Benson twins died today did you hear about it no heart failure so Thomas J is leaving in the morning to see the other twin and go to the funeral and everything I don't think I can make it oh you want me to help you to the bed no I don't think I can make it period what of course you can make it I really don't think I can now Harvey you me and Thomas J were a set and I've gotten used to you and when I get used to someone I don't like to see anything happened to them look at me Harvey Harvey look at me I promise you can make it and I don't make promises very easy I promise you can make it I can't hmm the first thing I'm gonna do when I get my driver's license is find your father and run over his legs and see how he likes it I never thought I'd say this give me something to do you want to work I have to take my anger out on something or how to do it just fine what's the matter Carly it's that father of Harvey's nobody deserves a father like that come sit down for a minute remember my telling you I thought you could help Harvey yeah twice I don't want you to give up now I never give up on anyone I like boy did I have a great idea you see these clean casts of yours they're just a little bit too clean for me so I'm gonna just start right oh I'm sorry hmm your toes are all red and swollen doesn't your leg hurt no yes it does I'm getting mrs. Mason it doesn't hurt he's okay see I know what's taking him so long it's been two hours he's a lot but I could give a shot in less than two hours and I'm not even a nurse yet you don't have to stay in the hospital like the Benson twins well if he does I sure hope they take better care of him one of them died I know even when I get to be a nurse none of my patients are gonna die I'm gonna make that real clear no dying oh here they come Oh it's only mrs. Mason come on where's Harvey they're keeping him in the hospital his leg is infected is it bad it's bad he's in an awful lot of pain right now an awful lot but the worst thing is he doesn't seem to care all right Thomas J you and I'll go over there right after dinner and cheer him up right I'm not good at that sort of thing well you better get good and quick I'm not gonna have him lying up there in misery with his birthday this Friday I think he may feel more like seeing you tomorrow okay but first thing right feeling all right yeah want me to roll your bed up when I get to pee nurse I'm gonna spend all my time rolling people up and there's nothing down no thanks I want a drink of water then yeah can I have one then I've got anything catching hey guess what we're gonna have a big surprise for you and your birthday I'm not gonna tell you what it is but I'm making it myself I'm gonna try to guess what it is huh I'll give you a hint Oh better - cake Thomas J I told you I wasn't any good at this you certainly aren't I'm sorry children but visiting hours all that well we just got here I am sorry but you can come back tomorrow okay we will come on Harvey everything will be okay I promise [Music] who is it just me how come your lights still up can't sleep either huh I'm worried about Harvey yes ry but I think this is gonna pull him out of it and it's free here thank you hey great we can give it to him tomorrow first birthday I like the way you think Thomas J I'm by the way Thomas J something just occurred to me what's that we don't always have to be pinball's pin balls because pin balls can't help what happens to them but you and I can and Harvey can like the timer I ran away but I came back I mean it doesn't sound like much but it was me deciding something about my life so as long as we're deciding we don't have to be pinball's okay Thomas J you can level with me now everybody was worried sick when I ran away huh some people just have to shut unpleasant memories out of their lives [Music] and remember every time you see nurse get in front of the back nurses are known for their sharp eyes doctors aren't we could bring an elephant in here and the doctors wouldn't see it get going [Music] hey Ari it's just me Carly you can look at me and safety we're not wearing one of my famous halters see I lied it's my baby blue and your favorite that's why I wore it I brought you something I'm not gonna make you guess what it is you ready we wanted to get you a white one so you could call him snowball but they only had black ones you do like him don't you Harvey is he really for me compliments of Carly Higgins and Thomas J he's mine it's your birthday present I picked him out special permanently well sure permanently we wanted to get you something on permanent we'd have gotten you a popsicle go ahead and cry got your own personal crying town now is anything wrong here believe it or not we're having a wonderful time Harvey are you all right yes ma'am do you want anything no some lemonade oh yeah could me and my friends have some lemonade in one of those cartons it's my birthday well of course happy birthday want to see what I got for my birthday my friends gave it to me oh well I don't see a thing and it's just as well because I'd have to send him out of here anyway [Music] guess we put oil run or didn't wake up we're gonna call him Harvey gee I don't know I still like snowball he's black snowballs aren't black oh we can name him whatever we want him I've got it and it's the best one yet well call him quarterback [Music] you