Everwood Transcripts
EVERWOOD
1x01: Pilot Episode
Original Airdate: September 22, 2002
Written by: Greg Berlanti
Directed by: Mark Piznarski
Transcript by Gaby
{PROLOGUE}
[We open on a view of New York City, zooming inward.]
NARRATOR: I wasn't there the day Dr. Andrew Brown's life changed forever. But like most folks in Everwood, I've heard the story enough times to be able to tell it. It begins where many stories begin, in the city of New York, where Dr. Brown lived comfortably with his wife and two children.
[We change scenes to an building and then to the kitchen in the Brown townhouse where Julia Brown is drinking some coffee and making the kids' lunches. We pull back and see Dr. Andrew Brown sitting, reading The New York Times. We also see Delia Brown who is wearing a baseball cap and eating her breakfast.]
JULIA: Ephram! You're gonna be late again.
EPHRAM: [off screen] I know, I know.
JULIA: [to Delia] Finish your breakfast, sweetie.
[Ephram Brown can be seen entering the kitchen.]
DR. BROWN: [to Ephram] Good morning.
[Ephram ignores his father.]
EPHRAM: This mine? [referring to a lunch]
JULIA: It is.
DR. BROWN: Someone is unusually quiet this morning.
EPHRAM: Someone is unusually interested.
JULIA: Don't be nervous about tonight. Your dad and I will be there to cheer you on.
EPHRAM: [sarcastically] Yeah, I'm sure. See ya.
[Ephram exits.]
DR. BROWN: His recital is tonight?
JULIA: I only told you ten times.
DR. BROWN: What time?
JULIA: Eight but he's leaving early to go with a friend. You and I are leaving at seven to make it to Jersey on time.
DR. BROWN: Will someone tell me why, with all the piano teachers in Manhattan, my son has to study in New Jersey?
JULIA: Because the best one is in Jersey.
[Dr. Brown takes a sip from his coffee mug.]
DR. BROWN: I didn't know Jersey had the best of anything.
DELIA: The Giants play in Jersey and they're the best.
DR. BROWN: They're not technically from New Jersey.
DELIA: They should be.
DR. BROWN: What you do know? You're eight.
[Dr. Brown gets up and playfully pinches Delia's cheek. He then walks over to his wife and kisses her goodbye.]
DR. BROWN: Bye.
[Dr. Brown begins to exit.]
JULIA: Be home on time.
DR. BROWN: I will.
[Julia looks back.]
[Cut to where Dr. Brown works. He's diagnosing a patient named Mr. Saddlebrook. Mr. Saddlebrook's wife is there also.]
DR. BROWN: Glioblastoma multiform. I like to call it the Great White of brain tumors. It's highly malignant and grows quickly. Typically occurring in the frontal or temporal lobe of the cerebral hemisphere. In your case, Mr. Saddlebrook, it occurs in both hemispheres and has even begun to metastasize into the spinal fluid.
MRS. SADDLEBROOK: We know all this already. The other doctors diagnosed him weeks ago.
MR. SADDLEBROOK: They say it's inoperable. We came to you because you're supposed to be the best.
DR. BROWN: I'm willing to go for this cancer with everything I've got, starting with a combination of radiation therapies followed by an immediate and massive surgical resection.
MR. SADDLEBROOK: Thank you.
DR. BROWN: Don't thank me now. You can thank me when I save your life.
[Dr. Brown exits.]
MRS. SADDLEBROOK: I hope he is good as he is brief.
[Cut to outside. It's nasty out there. It's pouring cats and dogs.]
[Cut to Dr. Brown's office. He's on the phone.]
NARRATOR: Night fell and a nasty storm rolled in.
DR. BROWN: They don't know the first thing about this kind of medicine in Boston.
NURSE: Doctor, you asked me remind you when it was seven o'clock.
[Dr. Brown puts his hand over the phone.]
DR. BROWN: It's seven, already?
NURSE: No, it was seven a half hour ago, when I reminded you the first time.
DR. BROWN: Tell Julia to go to the recital without me. I'll meet her there.
[Dr. Brown begins to take his hand off the mouthpiece but Nurse speaks.]
NURSE: She called already and asked me to tell you that she's leaving and to remind you that you're a lousy husband slash father.
DR. BROWN: Thanks, Barb.
[Nurse exits and Dr. Brown continues his phone conversation.]
DR. BROWN: I don't care. Look, Larry. Listen to me. Listen to me, the fact remains that...
[We cut to a clock which reads 7:30.]
[Time lapse. Dr. Brown's still in his office and now it's 9:12. Dr. Brown puts his coat on to leave.]
NARRATOR: In his usual fashion, Dr. Brown worked late again. So late he was still at the hospital when he received the news.
[Cut to lobby. Two police officers walk as Dr. Brown comes down a flight of stairs.]
POLICE OFFICER: Excuse me, ma'am?
RECEPTIONIST: Yes?
POLICE OFFICER: I'm looking for Dr. Andrew Brown.
RECEPTIONIST: Dr. Brown. That would...
[Dr. Brown overhears this little exchange and stops going toward the door. He walks to the police officer.]
DR. BROWN: I'm Andrew Brown.
[The police officer takes off his hat, looking sad.]
[Cut to several shots of them talking from far away but I can't hear a thing. After a while Dr. Brown walks down the hall alone, feeling sad.]
NARRATOR: At then, it had seemed to be an accident. Sadly, Andy's wife never made it from home to their son's recital that night. Instead, a life was taken tragically on the icy highway inbetween.
[Cut to the outdoors. Snow is all around. Everyone is wearing black and it obviously seems like it is Julia's burial. Dr. Brown takes a shovel and puts some earth over Julia's coffin. Ephram is wiping away tears. Delia stands by her father and then they walk off together.]
[Cut to a hallway in the Brown home. Directly down the hall is a room. Time flies by quickly as we see Delia sitting at a desk, Ephram lying down to listen to some music with his headphones, and many other quick shots.]
NARRATOR: Oh, sure the Browns did the best they could to get by after that. Pretending as though nothing had changed, knowing that everything had.
[Cut to Dr. Brown walking down a hall at his work.]
NARRATOR: As expected, Dr. Brown wasted no time in going back to work. What wasn't expected was what happened once he got there.
[Cut to Mr. Saddlebrook's room where he is in bed and very tired. Dr. Brown walks by and enters.]
MR. SADDLEBROOK: Morning, Doc.
[Dr. Brown looks at Mr. Saddlebrook's chart.]
DR. BROWN: Good morning, Mr. Saddlebrook. Ready for the big day tomorrow?
MR. SADDLEBROOK: Well, I hope so. Say, listen, Doc. I heard about the tragedy you suffered. I'm sorry.
[Dr. Brown looks sad again. He then puts Mr. Saddlebrook's chart back.]
DR. BROWN: If you could be anywhere in the world right now, where would it be?
MR. SADDLEBROOK: Hershey, Pennsylvania. It was where I was brought up.
DR. BROWN: Go there. Now.
[Mr. Saddlebrook looks at Dr. Brown like he's crazy.]
DR. BROWN: I can't save your life. At best, I could prolong it eight months. Maybe a year. But for most of that time, you'd be barely coherent, recovering from surgery. But that's all so this hospital can brag about its statistics for terminal illnesses. But those statistics don't measure quality of life. And if you have the slightest hope about preserving of your own, you'd get up out of that bed and leave this place as fast as your legs will carry you.
NARRATOR: And those were Andy Brown's final words as a big-city doctor.
[Cut to the Brown home. Camera is on Ephram.]
EPHRAM: We're moving where?
DR. BROWN: To Everwood, Colorado.
DELIA: Where's that?
EPHRAM: Colorado, moron. Wh-why, are we moving there?
DR. BROWN: Someone told me about it once. They said it was the most beautiful place they had ever seen. It's on this hill. Or is it a mountain? Or maybe it's on a hill by a mountain. Anyway, I was thinking last night that we should move there. What do you say?
EPHRAM: I say that's not even a reason.
DR. BROWN: I know. How great is that? We'll be moving to some place for no reason at all.
EPHRAM: That's not great. That's crazy. That's Harrison Ford in Mosquito Coast crazy.
DR. BROWN: You say crazy. I say it might be the sanest thing I've ever done. Now, I want this to be a democratic decision so we're going to put it to vote. Everyone who wants to move...and get their own horse, raise your hand.
[Dr. Brown has his hand raised and at the horse comment, Delia does too.]
DR. BROWN: Well, that decides it.
EPHRAM: Democratic? You bought her vote.
DR. BROWN: Yeah. That's the American version.
[Dr. Brown walks off.]
EPHRAM: [to Delia] I want you to remember this moment. All right? This is the moment when you conspired with a psycho to ruin whatever was left of our pathetic little lives.
[Ephram walks off and Delia looks back.]
[Cut to Delia looking at an article in Time magazine about Dr. Brown's leaving. She closes it and she carries some stuff out of the house. Dr. Brown carries a box and stands there a bit, pondering, and then he walks out.]
NARRATOR: As it turns out, Andy's leaving caused quite a stir in the medical community. Time magazine even wrote an article about it, calling Andrew Brown's departure from neurosurgery, "one of the great losses of modern medicine." Like a lot of people, you might think they were exaggerating but then... you probably don't know Dr. Brown.
{END OF PROLOGUE / COMMERCIAL BREAK}
{ACT ONE}
[Open on mountains covered with snow. The song "Miles to Nowhere" by Cat Stevens is playing in the background. Slowly, we change to different places in Everwood like the opera house, Main Street, and finally the new Brown home.]
NARRATOR: Everwood, Colorado. Population, just over nine thousand and growing. Founded in 1853, this jewel of the centennial state is home to one of the country's first opera houses, oldest gold mines, third largest chili cook-off, and even the occasional world famous brain surgeon.
[Cut to the kitchen of the Brown home.]
[Dr. Brown is making scrambled eggs for breakfast. Delia walks in and covers the wording on her hat.]
DR. BROWN: Aah!
DELIA: Guess.
DR. BROWN: Uh, Rangers?
[Delia takes her hand off her cap, revealing a C and R, which stands for the Colorado Rockies.]
DELIA: Nope.
[Delia sits down.]
DR. BROWN: Rockies. Somebody's acclimating.
DELIA: Huh?
DR. BROWN: Getting adjusted.
[Dr. Brown gives Delia some of the eggs he made.]
DELIA: Do I have to eat these? They don't smell right.
[Bus horn honks twice.]
DR. BROWN: There's your bus.
[Delia starts walking toward the door but then she realizes something.]
DELIA: Where's my lunch?
DR. BROWN: Lunch. Lunch. I forgot to make it.
[Dr. Brown hands Delia some money.]
DR. BROWN: I'll tell you what. Here's some cash.
[Cut to the foyer where Delia puts her hand out, telling her father to stop.]
DR. BROWN: I forgot. You want to do this alone.
DELIA: It's a big step for me. I love you.
[Dr. Brown kneels down and Delia kisses him.]
DR. BROWN: I love you too, kiddo.
[Delia gets her stuff from the closet and then she goes outside. Dr. Brown watches from inside the house.]
[Cut to the interior of the bus. A hand opens the door and Delia starts getting on.]
IRV: Rosemary Clooney. My, my, my.
[Delia looks skeptical.]
DELIA: Uh, it's Delia Brown.
IRV: I know. Rosemary Clooney's on the radio. I take note of what's playing when a passenger hits my bus for the first time. It tells me something about 'em.
DELIA: What does Maryrose Clooney tell you?
IRV: She tells me that you and I are going get along just fine. Kids call me Mr. Irv.
[Delia goes on back to the seating area of the bus. Irv closes the door.]
[Cut to the Brown house. Ephram comes down some stairs.]
DR. BROWN: Come on, let's get you to school.
EPHRAM: I'm riding my bike.
DR. BROWN: Why? I can drive you.
EPHRAM: I appreciate the offer but it's ten years too late.
[Ephram exits. Dr. Brown puts on a coat.]
[Cut to outside. Ephram gets on his bike and goes off. Dr. Brown watches, then he looks to the left and walks that way on the porch. He sees someone in with the plants of the neighbor.]
DR. BROWN: You're not a plant.
[A young boy of 3 or 4 years comes out.]
SAMUEL: I'm a boy.
DR. BROWN: Impressive.
[A pregnant lady comes into the frame.]
NINA: [to Dr. Brown] I see you met my resident horticulturist. [to Samuel] Honey, why don't go inside? It's cold. [to Dr. Brown] Nina Feeney and that monster was Samuel. We're your neighbors.
DR. BROWN: Well, that's a weird coincidence 'cause I'm your neighbor.
[Nina laughs a little at the joke.]
NINA: Dr. Brown, right?
DR. BROWN: Please, Andy. And how did you...
NINA: Oh, small town, Andy. Now, if you excuse me, I have to ship him off to day care but it was nice meeting you.
DR. BROWN: Nice to meet you, Nina.
[Cut to the local high school which, in a later episode, we'll find out is called County High. Ephram is arriving and we can hear some kids gossip about him.]
TEEN #1: Nice hair color, too.
[A lot of other teens cackle in the way teenagers do when they're making fun of someone. Ephram walks by them.]
TEEN #1: Hey freak, what's with your hair, man? Did they run out of green at the store?
TEEN #2: Hey you, my friend here asked you a question. Where's your manners?
EPHRAM: Oh, I'm sorry. I didn't understand. You see, I don't speak dumb-ass. Since obviously you do, maybe you can translate for me.
[Cut to up on the bench. A girl, Amy, smiles and watches Ephram walk away. Then she jumps down and grabs her bookbag. Then she tries to catch up with Ephram.]
[Cut to the interior of County High.]
[Amy catches up to Ephram.]
AMY: Hey.
EPHRAM: Hey.
AMY: You were bold out there.
EPHRAM: Oh, it was strategy, really.
AMY: Strategy?
EPHRAM: I find it's best when dealing with any unfamiliar bully to strike early with sarcasm. Yeah, it makes them wonder if I have some butt-kicking prowess that they're unable to detect.
AMY: Wow. You have really thought this out.
EPHRAM: Yeah, well, spend as much time in a gym locker as me, you'd have a few theories of your own.
AMY: Were they really that terrible to you in New York?
EPHRAM: How'd you know I was from New York?
AMY: That new doctor who just moved here. He's your father, right?
EPHRAM: Yeah, if you use the term "father" loosely.
AMY: Ever since that article in Time, he's the only one anyone can talk about around here.
EPHRAM: Yeah? What do they say?
AMY: Mostly, they just wonder why he came.
EPHRAM: Oh. If they figure it out, let me know.
AMY: You really don't know why you came here?
EPHRAM: Wacked, I know.
AMY: I think it's wild. Sometimes, I wonder if my dad is the most boring man alive.
[Bell rings.]
AMY: There's the bell. We should have lunch... sometime.
[Amy starts to walk off.]
EPHRAM: Wait.
[Amy turns around.]
EPHRAM: What's your name?
AMY: Amy. And I like your hair.
[They both go their separate ways to class and look back at each other. Ephram smiles.]
[Cut to Dr. Brown with a woman, Brenda Baxworth, the realtor on a street in Everwood. Dr. Brown looks around.]
BRENDA: Now, if you like the house, you will adore these offices.
DR. BROWN: Mrs. Baxworth, why is everyone staring at us?
BRENDA: Oh, not us. You. You're quite the celebrity in town.
DR. BROWN: Celebrity?
BRENDA: Oh my, yes. There's quite a bit of chatter about what brings you to our corner of the wide, wide world.
DR. BROWN: Saw it on a map.
[Brenda laughs incessantly during her next line.]
BRENDA: Hah. "Saw it on a map." Such a kidder. Seriously though, I don't want to pry but everyone is wondering what kind of practice you'll set up here. There's even been some talk that you're here to do some top secret brain research.
DR. BROWN: I'm just opening up a general practice. Why? Is there a problem with that?
BRENDA: Uh, you are aware that we already have a family doctor in town.
DR. BROWN: Oh, I assumed there must be. But surely, a town can use two doctors.
BRENDA: Of course, we can.
[Dr. Brown follows Brenda off the screen. We hear some old guy using a cane in the background.]
MR. GREELEY: Oh, Doc. Doc. Doc. I've been waiting for you. Right on time. Doc. How are you today, Dr. Abbott?
DR. ABBOTT: Just fine, Mr. Greeley.
MR. GREELEY: Well, that makes one of us.
DR. ABBOTT: [forced] And how are you today, Mr. Greeley?
MR. GREELEY: I'm so glad you asked. There's a pain in my left leg, just above the knee.
DR. ABBOTT: Is it a throbbing pain or a sharp pain?
MR. GREELEY: Throbbing. No, no, sharp. No, throbbing.
DR. ABBOTT: Un huh. How long have you had it?
MR. GREELEY: About three years.
DR. ABBOTT: I'm opening this Friday around 2:15.
MR. GREELEY: Well, can't you just check me out here?
DR. ABBOTT: As I explained to you before, Mr. Greeley, there are insurance regulations that prohibit me from diagnosing without a proper check up.
MR. GREELEY: But, it's just a little pain.
DR. ABBOTT: Well, a little pain can become a big lawsuit. Let's say, hypothetically, I were to misdiagnose you now with an osteoarthritic condition and advise you to purchase some aspirin. You would adhere to my suggestion and then, this evening you would drop dead, again hypothetically, when you had a vascular brain disorder expressing itself unilaterally in your left leg. Can you imagine the malpractice case your family would have against me? Sorry, I don't make the rules. I just live by them. Friday, 2:15, then.
MR. GREELEY: Oh, rats.
[Cut to an office, potentially to become Dr. Brown's.]
BRENDA: Three examining rooms back here. Spacious reception area. Just like in the big city, huh?
DR. BROWN: That's just the problem. I spent my life in this office. This office is exactly what I'm trying to get away from.
BRENDA: Did I mention that this has DSL capability?
DR. BROWN: Do you smell that?
BRENDA: Smell what?
DR. BROWN: Perfume.
BRENDA: Oh. Estee Louder, White Linen.
DR. BROWN: No, no. This is coming from the street.
BRENDA: The what?
[Dr. Brown has exited the office and Brenda hurriedly follows after him.]
[Cut to the outside. During this scene, Dr. Brown is continually moving, trying to find out the origin of the smell. Brenda tries to keep up in pace. It leads them to go in the street and straight into some cars. Some people yell, "You gotta move" and other stuff similar to that. Car horns honk.]
DR. BROWN: It's called "Jeanette". It was popular in Europe in the early 80's. A wealthy Frenchman had the fragrance named after his lovely fiancée, only after she died, he had it discontinued which made it harder and harder to surprise my wife with every Christmas. It was her favorite.
BRENDA: You mean, you smell your deceased wife?
[Dr. Brown has stopped, finding the origin of the smell.]
DR. BROWN: Look at this. What is this place?
BRENDA: This offensive monstrosity? It was the train depot before the city shut it down.
DR. BROWN: Shut it down?
BRENDA: Oh, yeah, about 10 years ago, the railroad decided to re-route the trains through Central City. They said it was a safer approach through the mountains.
DR. BROWN: Everwood doesn't have a train running through?
BRENDA: Oh, I'm afraid we ceased being a destination.
DR. BROWN: Not to everybody.
[Dr. Brown starts taking boards off the place as Brenda tries to object.]
[Cut to interior of the old train depot. It's dusty and cobwebs are everywhere. Dr. Brown enters and Brenda follows, cautiously.]
BRENDA: Uh, I'd be careful. You never know what kind of animal could have taken refuge in here or, God forbid, a hobo.
DR. BROWN: Do you see what I see here?
BRENDA: Multiple opportunities for staff infection?
DR. BROWN: No, Mrs. Baxworth. My new office.
[Brenda stands there in shock as Dr. Brown looks around.]
{END OF ACT ONE / COMMERCIAL BREAK}
{ACT TWO}
[Open on the exterior of County High. A bell rings. We cut to the interior of the building. At first all we see is a comic book open. Then we draw back and realize we're in the library. Amy is the one that has the comic book open. Ephram is sitting at the same table, nervous. While Ephram babbles to Amy the following line, Amy is getting very aroused by this.]
EPHRAM: The important thing to remember about manga is that it is completely different from American comics in every way, shape, form. I mean, forget style. It's more than aesthetics. The manga-ka staff, the writers of manga, they write heroes that are someone's kid, or someone's boss. Because the hero's civilian life is as important to the story as their secret identity. It's not just Clark Kent waiting to turn into Superman. It's Superman waiting to turn into Clark Kent.
AMY: [sensually] Wow. I never knew comics could be so hot.
EPHRAM: Hot?
[Amy sways back and forth. Al Green's "Let's Stay Together" song starts playing in the background.]
AMY: Did you ever have the perfect make-out song?
EPHRAM: Oh. Several, really.
[Amy gets up and motions Ephram to follow her. He does and suddenly, blue and purple lights appear and it's like Amy and Ephram are the only people in the room. Amy walks in circles around Ephram.]
AMY: Mine's Al Green's "Let's Stay Together". I think it speaks to us girls. A dual desire to be held and ravaged simultaneously. Not in the literal sense. It's more primal. Just listening to this song right now makes me want to take off my clothes.
EPHRAM: Right here? I mean, in front of everybody?
AMY: Why not?
[They slowly lean in to each other and kiss. Then we hear an alarm clock buzzing. The real Ephram wakes up and looks under his sheets. The previous scene must have been just a dream.]
EPHRAM: Oh, damn it.
[Cut to a parked car. We see two feet wearing cleated golf shoes get out of that car and walk a bit. Then we see those feet belong to Dr. Abbott. He sees a SUV parked in his spot. He looks around for the culprit, finding him to be Dr. Brown on a ladder, painting. Dr. Abbott walks across the street.]
DR. ABBOTT: Excuse me. Excuse me! EXCUSE ME!
[With the golf club he has in his hand, he taps the leg of Dr. Brown.]
DR. ABBOTT: Excuse me.
DR. BROWN: Yeah, can I help you?
DR. ABBOTT: Yeah, you're parked in my spot.
[Dr. Brown steps down, off the ladder.]
DR. BROWN: Your spot?
DR. ABBOTT: That is your black, foreign-made, sports utility vehicle with the New York State plates, is it not?
DR. BROWN: Yes, it is.
DR. ABBOTT: That's my spot. Park there again and I'll have it towed.
DR. BROWN: Well, I'm sorry. I didn't see a name on the curb.
DR. ABBOTT: It's implied. It's front of my office.
DR. BROWN: Oh, you're the other doctor. How do you do? I'm Andy Brown.
[They shake hands but Dr. Abbott does not seem that receptive to it. It seemed forced somehow.]
DR. ABBOTT: I know you are. And if by "other doctor", you meant Everwood's primary care physician, then yes that's me.
DR. BROWN: Listen, about this whole office thing, I just want to let you know that I'm not here to step on your turf.
DR. ABBOTT: My turf? That's rich. Nobody told you, did they?
DR. BROWN: Tell me what?
DR. ABBOTT: You know, I wouldn't waste your time turning this place into a doctor's office. No one will use it.
DR. BROWN: Why is that?
DR. ABBOTT: Because that building over there will continue to receive all of the patients in this community.
DR. BROWN: The flower mart?
DR. ABBOTT: The other one. My doctor's office.
DR. BROWN: How do you figure?
DR. ABBOTT: I have been the doctor in this community for over 15 years. Before me, it was my father.
DR. BROWN: Was it your father's father before him? Because that would be really cool.
DR. ABBOTT: Do what you want, sir. I'm just advising you not to waste your time.
DR. BROWN: Well, I appreciate your concern, Doctor, but I came from a long way to open this office and nobody is going to stop me.
DR. ABBOTT: In that case, Happy Painting.
[Dr. Abbott walks back over to his office.]
DR. BROWN: Nice meeting you.
DR. ABBOTT: Nut bag.
[Cut to Amy walking through snow. Ephram follows her and is obviously very cold.]
AMY: We're almost there. I told you, you're going to love this place.
EPHRAM: Yeah. I'd love it even more if we were indoors.
AMY: OK, you ready? Look.
[They have stopped. A mountain range covered with snow is in distance.]
AMY: You can see the whole town from here. [points to various places in town] There's Main Street and the grade school. All the factories are over that way. And that's the Church Road. Episcopal, Presbyterian, Catholic, Lutheran, and Baptist.
EPHRAM: Where's the synagogue?
AMY: Why? Are you Jewish?
EPHRAM: Half. My mom.
[Awkward silence]
EPHRAM: Was.
AMY: Sorry.
EPHRAM: No biggie. Talk is pretty much unavoidable. With what? Her giving birth to me and all.
[Ephram nods his head to a bench. Amy gets the hint. They both back a little ways so they can sit on the bench.]
AMY: What's it like? Having a dad who's famous.
EPHRAM: Oh. It's like this: You're eight years old. He misses your birthday party. You wanna cry about it but he's on TV that night for separating the heads of Siamese twins. You're ten. He's not there to see you in the school play. He is however in the New York Times for restoring the vision of a five-year-old kid. I think he was my dad's excuse for missing my elementary school graduation. You know you want to be mad at him. You wanna hate him. But you can't. He's saving lives.
[Silence ensues.]
EPHRAM: Amy. Why are you talking to me?
[Amy is shocked by this abrupt question.]
AMY: What?
EPHRAM: I mean, you seem to have enough friends. Why are you going out of your way to make me feel welcome?
AMY: You just gotta kinda tragic, lonely thing going on. I dig it.
EPHRAM: You don't happen to listen to Al Green, do you?
AMY: Who's Al Green?
EPHRAM: Oh.
[Cut to Amy and Ephram walking to school.]
[Cut to Bright (Amy's brother) and one of his friends (one of the two teens from earlier) seeing them together.]
[Cut back to Amy and Ephram.]
EPHRAM: I should get to class.
AMY: OK. Right. See you later.
EPHRAM: Bye.
[Camera follows Amy walking to Bright and his friend.]
BRIGHT: Dad's gonna skin your ass when he finds out you're hanging out with that kid.
AMY: Dad's not finding anything out because Bright, you're not going to tell him.
BRIGHT: Oh, aren't I?
AMY: No, not if you value that collection of porn you stashed on our computer. What's the title of the filename again? Oh, yeah. "Favorite Biblical Passages."
[Amy walks off between Bright and the friend. Bright tries to say something but nothing comes out.]
TEEN #1: Dude, she is smooth.
[Bright looks at the friend like he's thinking, "you're dead, man".]
[Cut to Dr. Brown on a ladder putting up a sign that reads, "Doctor Brown Family Practice".]
DELIA: It's crooked.
DR. BROWN: Yeah, sure, if you look at it straight on. If you just lean a little bit, it's perfect, see?
[It's snowing. Dr. Brown hears a motorbike stop running. He looks back. Then we see a person get off the motorbike. The person takes off their helmet and goggles and we see it's an old woman (old enough to be a grandmother at least). Dr. Brown is off the ladder by this time. The woman walks over.]
EDNA: You Doc Brown?
DR. BROWN: Yes, I am.
EDNA: You're scrawnier than your picture. Nice to meet you, Sparky. Name's Edna Harper.
DR. BROWN: Hello, Edna.
EDNA: Who's the, uh, private, first class?
DELIA: I'm Delia.
EDNA: Word on the front is that you're turning this outfit into a doctor's office. If so, I've come to inquire about employ.
DR. BROWN: What do you do?
EDNA: Forty years nursing experience. That includes two tours of 'Nam, Army Nurse Corp, thrice decorated. [takes out a resume and hands it out him] Here's a resume. I'm sure you'll find it to your satisfaction.
DR. BROWN: You worked for Dr. Abbott?
EDNA: Senior and Junior.
DR. BROWN: Why'd you leave?
EDNA: Unfortunate incident. The details on which I'd rather not to divulge on an account they were of a personal nature. I can assure you, however, the parting was mutual.
DR. BROWN: OK, so I'll tell you what. I'll look this over and I'll call you later in the week.
EDNA: Will do. See ya around, Doc. Adios, Private.
[Edna puts on her gear and walks back to her motorbike and takes off. Dr. Brown gives Delia a smile that seems to say, "Interesting woman."]
[Cut to the Brown home.]
[Cut to the kitchen. Simple piano music is being played by Delia off screen. Dr. Brown is doing the dishes and Ephram is putting them away. Eventually, Ephram gets fed up by Delia's playing and goes into the piano room to stop her.]
EPHRAM: Stop it.
DELIA: It just sits there. No one touches it.
EPHRAM: I said, stop it.
DELIA: [calls out] DAD!
[Dr. Brown comes in.]
DR. BROWN: All right, that's enough, both of you. Delia, go on upstairs and get ready to go to bed. I'll be up in a few minutes to read to you.
DELIA: But I wanna...
DR. BROWN: Go on.
[Delia exits.]
DR. BROWN: She does have a point though, you know. You're gotta to start playing again.
EPHRAM: You're right.
DR. BROWN: I am?
EPHRAM: [sarcastically] Yes, Father. For it is only through the gift of music that I can truly heal the pain that's been growing deep within me. Like, you've ever cared that I've played or not.
[Ephram exits. Dr. Brown thinks a bit and then sighs.]
[Cut to Dr. Brown entering a bathroom. We see the reflection from the mirror. Dr. Brown turns on the sink and washes his face. When he looks up to dry it, he sees Julia there.]
JULIA: What did you say to him?
DR. BROWN: Who?
JULIA: Mr. Warren. About his wife.
DR. BROWN: What could I say? She died on my watch. On top of that, the poor guy was left a family to raise. Guess how many kids?
JULIA: Three?
DR. BROWN: Six. [that answer comes as a shock] For a single dad, that's six kids too many.
JULIA: I think you should grow a beard.
DR. BROWN: You've been saying that for years.
JULIA: I think you'd look distinguished with a beard.
DR. BROWN: I think I'd look like my Uncle Norman.
JULIA: Your Uncle Norman looks distinguished.
DR. BROWN: You have a thing for my Uncle Norman?
JULIA: Do you ever think about it? You must.
DR. BROWN: Think about you and Uncle Norman? I try not to.
JULIA: What'd you do. If you were left alone.
DR. BROWN: That's morbid.
JULIA: I think it's important we talk about it.
DR. BROWN: No, no. You're not going to exercise the spousal "we think it's important" clause.
JULIA: Why not?
DR. BROWN: Because I'm tired, I had a 16-hour day, and these conversations always end up me getting in trouble. And as far as hypothetical tragedies go, can't we start with a lesser one? Why don't you ask me what I'd do if I lost my sight or hearing or I could never walk again? Why don't you ask me if I could never see another Yankees game or eat up another slice of Famous Ray's Pizza? But don't ask me what I'd do without you.
JULIA: I hate when you do that.
DR. BROWN: Say the right thing?
JULIA: Attempt to say the right thing. The actual right thing would be far less cheesy.
[Julia gets up off the bed at Dr. Brown's lead and she and Dr. Brown start to sway back and forth.]
JULIA: What are you doing?
DR. BROWN: Certain cultures refer to this motion as dancing.
JULIA: But there's no music.
DR. BROWN: Shh. Yes there is. [music starts] There's Gershwin and there's Sinatra. And I think there's even a little Dionne Warwick thrown in there but I can't be sure.
[Cut to Delia, holding her teddy bear by a foot, standing in the doorway. She sees her dad just swaying back and forth looking like he's with someone but Julia's not there anymore.]
[Camera switches back and forth between a frightened Delia and a swaying Dr. Brown.]
{END OF ACT TWO / COMMERCIAL BREAK}
{ACT THREE}
[Open on Main Street. Dr. Abbott parks his car in his spot. Around the same time, Dr. Brown parks his SUV in the next spot, right by the Flower Mart. They both get out at the same time. Dr. Abbott is annoyed but Dr. Brown is trying to be friendly. And at the same time, though not together, they cross the street after looking both ways.]
DR. BROWN: Good morning, Doctor.
DR. ABBOTT: It was.
DR. BROWN: You know, your office is back there.
DR. ABBOTT: I know where it is. I'm getting a cup of coffee.
DR. BROWN: You know, I was thinking last night that you look vaguely familiar to me.
DR. ABBOTT: Perhaps I remind you of one of the inmates you knew from whatever asylum you escaped from.
DR. BROWN: It's my first day. Are you going to wish me luck?
DR. ABBOTT: Oh, it'll take more than luck to launch the U.S.S. Wacko but what the hey? Good luck. Now if you're done blathering, one of us has patients to attend to.
DR. BROWN: Have a nice day.
DR. ABBOTT: Whatever.
[Cut to County High by some lockers. Ephram walks down all sullen until he sees a note sticking out from his locker. He grabs it after making sure no one is around. It reads "Meet me after class. By the ski trail. Amy".]
EPHRAM: Yes.
[He closes the note and opens it again and expresses another sense of joy. This note has definitely brightened his day.]
[Cut to Dr. Brown's office. Brenda Baxworth comes in with a plant. She spots Edna behind a desk.]
BRENDA: Edna Harper! What are you doing here?
EDNA: Well see, I'm in a doctor's office, wearing my nurse whites. My taxes?
BRENDA: Does Doc Abbott know you're working here?
EDNA: Nope.
BRENDA: He will now.
[Dr. Brown walks in wearing his uniform and sees Brenda.]
DR. BROWN: Mrs. Baxworth! How are you this fine day?
BRENDA: Oh, hello. I'm fine. I just wanted to wish you well on your new venture. I brought you a new plant.
[Brenda sets down the plant and rubs her neck.]
DR. BROWN: Well, thank you. That's very kind of you.
BRENDA: My, my. Look what you've done with this place.
DR. BROWN: What's wrong with your neck?
BRENDA: Oh, it's just been a little stiff lately.
DR. BROWN: Would you like for me to look at it?
[Cut to Brenda. Her mouth drops open.]
BRENDA: Oh, I would but I already made an appointment tomorrow with Doc Abbott...
DR. BROWN: Why put off tomorrow when you can diagnose today?
[Brenda laughs nervously.]
BRENDA: Oh, I shouldn't. It's not that I don't trust you Doctor...
DR. BROWN: Oh, it'd be my loss. It'd be like diagnosing Ms. Taylor all over again.
[Brenda stops laughing at the mention of Elizabeth Taylor.]
BRENDA: You...you operated on Elizabeth Taylor?
DR. BROWN: I confess.
BRENDA: Well, maybe you should look at my neck. I mean, I'm sure Doc Abbott wouldn't mind. Oh my goodness, gracious.
[Brenda leads Dr. Brown into one of the examining rooms as Edna shakes her head and chuckles. The door closes.]
[Cut to the playground at Everwood Elementary, Delia's school. Irv catches kids going down the slide. Delia is off by herself, sitting on a picnic table.]
IRV: WHEE!
[Irv notices Delia and walks over to her.]
IRV: It's not often I see a third-grader lost in profound thought on her lunch hour.
DELIA: Hey, Mr. Irv. I don't feel good.
IRV: Yeah? Why is that?
DELIA: Can you keep a secret?
IRV: I can.
DELIA: I think my dad's sick. He talks to himself, to my mom like she's still here. Only that's a problem 'cause she died eight months ago.
[Irv takes this information in.]
IRV: I'm not gonna lie to you, Delia. Sounds like your dad's got a case of something.
DELIA: I knew it.
IRV: But what he has is the one sickness most people spend their whole life trying to catch.
DELIA: What does he have?
IRV: A distraught heart. It's not like other diseases. It can't kill you. Just the opposite, in fact. In most cases, it makes a person feel alive for the first time. Only problem is there's no remedy for it, anywhere in the world.
[Delia takes this in.]
[Cut to one of Dr. Brown's examining rooms. He, Edna, and Brenda are there. Dr. Brown is diagnosing Brenda about her neck problem.]
DR. BROWN: I would suspect a mild case of torticollis. Brought on by, my guess would be a new bed.
[Brenda is a little shocked.]
BRENDA: I just bought a new Californian King!
DR. BROWN: The culprit may take a little adjusting to. Until then, I'll prescribe you a mild muscle relaxer. Edna will get you a neck brace. I'd like you to wear it if the pain gets any worse.
BRENDA: Well, you know, I didn't bring my purse. So why don't I run you by a check a little later.
DR. BROWN: I'm not charging you.
BRENDA: Oh well, for the neck brace, fine. But for the visit, I have my Blue Cross card.
DR. BROWN: Mrs. Baxworth, I'm not charging anyone for anything. My services are free.
BRENDA: F-free?
[Brenda looks to Edna to see if she knew anything about this. Edna shrugs and shakes her head no.]
BRENDA: As in...
DR: BROWN: No cash, no checks, no credit cards. Not even Discover.
BRENDA: Well, what will you do for income?
DR. BROWN: Well, I was a brainsurgeon for 15 years. I have a few pennies tucked away. Here's that prescription.
BRENDA: Well, OK, I'm off to the pharmacy. Tootles.
[Brenda exits and Edna walks over to Dr. Brown.]
EDNA: You do realize by telling her what you just told her, you told the whole town.
DR. BROWN: You don't say.
[Dr. Brown and Edna share a smile. Edna gives a little chuckle.]
[Cut to Cross Country Ski Trail at County High. Ephram walks by. Bright and the two teenagers who made fun of Ephram's hair earlier come out of the trees.]
BRIGHT: Looking for Amy? She's not coming.
EPHRAM: And you are?
BRIGHT: Her brother. I left that note. I wanted to talk to you.
EPHRAM: Well, if you wanted to talk, you could have just talked to me. I mean, you didn't have to go through all the trouble of imitating feminine cursive.
BRIGHT: That's my real handwriting.
EPHRAM: Oops.
BRIGHT: Stay away from Amy. She's got a boyfriend. Did she tell you that?
EPHRAM: No but she didn't talk about you either so we only covered the important stuff.
[Bright grabs Ephram's bag and Ephram tries to get it back. Bright pushes Ephram away.]
BRIGHT: Hey, nice bag. I wonder what's in it.
[Bright empties the contents onto the snow. Teen #2 picks up a comic book.]
TEEN #2: Neado. This stuff is way expensive, man.
[Teen #2 hands the book over to Bright. Bright opens it in the middle.]
BRIGHT: What do you say we'll double its value?
[Amy comes up right then.]
AMY: Bright. Bright, stop it.
[The book is torn by now and Amy has one half and slaps Bright's arm with it. Bright does the same. Amy walks back and stands by Ephram.]
EPHRAM: Bright? That's his name? Ironic.
BRIGHT: Go ahead, Amy. Tell why you're really hanging out with him.
AMY: Ephram. I can explain.
EPHRAM: Oh, forget it. There's nothing to say. Don't worry, Bright. I'll be staying away from your sister. For good.
[Ephram takes his backpack and starts to walk off. Bright follows.]
BRIGHT: Oh, by the way, dude, nice dad. Curious but has he always been such a head case or just since your mom bought it?
[Ephram turns around and starts attacking Bright. Amy tries to break it up.]
AMY: Bright. BRIGHT!
[Bright punches Ephram in the eye.]
AMY: Bright, get off him.
[Amy pulls Bright off Ephram and punches Bright right below the eye. She steps away and sucks on her knuckles like they hurt.]
[Cut to the main office at County High. Ephram and Bright both have ice on their bruises. Dr. Brown walks in, sees Ephram. Amy's there also.]
DR. BROWN: Ephram! You OK? What's going on?
EPHRAM: I don't want to talk about it.
[The door to the principal's office opens. Dr. Abbott walks out and sees Dr. Brown.]
DR. ABBOTT: You! Well, I should have known it was one of your offspring that did this to my son.
EPHRAM: Wait, you two guys know each other?
[Amy winces.]
BRIGHT: Did my sister forget to tell you? My dad's the real doctor in this town.
DR. ABBOTT: C'mon, let's go, kids. Before I set up a bad example.
[Bright goes out first, followed by Dr. Abbott and lastly Amy. Before Amy goes, she glances back at Ephram.]
DR. BROWN: C'mon.
[Cut to outside the Brown house. Dr. Brown parks his SUV and turns it off.]
[Cut to the interior of the car. Dr. Brown and Ephram both take off their seat belts. Ephram seems pissed at something.]
DR. BROWN: So, what do you gotta say for yourself?
EPHRAM: Give it up.
DR. BROWN: You know, Ephram, I thought you'd change. I thought that if we moved here, you'd stop with the fighting. With the acting out.
EPHRAM: You know, I got this black eye because of you. Dick.
[Cut to an exterior view of the car. Ephram and Dr. Brown get out of the car.]
DR. BROWN: You keep talking to me like that and you'll get yourself another one.
[During the following line, Dr. Brown takes Ephram's bike out of the trunk of the vehicle.]
EPHRAM: He said you were crazy. And, uh, news flash! You are. All right, you quit your job and grow this ugly-ass beard. You look like you wear your clothes and you move us to the middle of Nowheresville, U.S.A.! And why? For what reason? Because someone told you it was pretty once? And if that's not enough, you talk to Mom like she's still here. Yeah, I've seen you and Delia too. So what do I have to say for myself? What do you have to say for yourself?
DR. BROWN: I can't believe you think my beard is ugly.
EPHRAM: Mom never would have done this to us! She never would have moved us here and gone crazy.
DR. BROWN: Don't be so sure about that!
EPHRAM: I am sure! All right? I knew her. You didn't know her. You were never around. We all just tolerated you!
DR. BROWN: Hey, that's pretty good! What else you got?
EPHRAM: I wish you died instead of her!
DR. BROWN: Well, I wish I did too, you little bastard!
EPHRAM: I HATE YOU!
DR. BROWN: Well, I hate you right back! Now get in that house!
EPHRAM: I'm going for a little ridin'.
[Ephram grabs his bike.]
DR. BROWN: Oh yeah?
EPHRAM: Yeah!
[Ephram rides off.]
DR. BROWN: At some point, you're getting back in that house!
[Dr. Brown looks up and notices that Nina just witnessed that lovely display of affection back there. Nina waves.]
DR. BROWN: I run a tight ship.
NINA: So I've noticed. You wanna a cup of coffee?
DR. BROWN: Only it's spiked.
[Dr. Brown starts walking towards Nina's house.]
[Cut to Nina pouring some coffee in her kitchen. Dr. Brown is sitting down at the table.]
DR. BROWN: I want to, uh, apologize for that awful display of parenting techniques. I'm just recently becoming familiar with them.
NINA: Well, the only thing harder than being a parent is a single one.
DR. BROWN: Are you, uh...
NINA: Single? No. I have a husband. A wonderful, funny, and caring man whose only flaw is that he spends eight months a year traveling, selling computer software.
DR. BROWN: You know, my wife was the perfect parent. And that's not just for revisionist history. She really was. Julia knew what to say, what to do, when to talk to them, when to ignore them. Do you know what the foramen magnum is?
NINA: Should I?
DR. BROWN: It's the hole at the base of the skull. Most doctors needed a device to find it. I never did. I could always locate it with my hands. Surgery just came that instinctively to me. Julia was the same way with parenting.
NINA: It has to do with her, doesn't it? Why you came to Everwood.
DR. BROWN: Do you believe that people live on after they die? That their souls are with us?
NINA: Yeah, I do.
DR. BROWN: I need to prove to my wife that I can do this. That I can be the kind of doctor, the kind of father, that she wanted me to be when she was alive. I know it makes me seem nuts. Maybe I am.
NINA: To love someone so much that you're still proving it to them after they die? Well, if that's crazy, Andy, I hope my own insanity isn't that far away.
{END OF ACT THREE / COMMERCIAL BREAK}
{ACT FOUR}
[Open on Main Street. Dr. Brown and Dr. Abbott park their cars next to each other. They get out. Dr. Brown sees Dr. Abbott.]
DR. BROWN: Morning.
DR. ABBOTT: Buzz off. And do yourself a favor. Keep your son away from my daughter.
DR. BROWN: I don't think that's how it went.
DR. ABBOTT: Why on Earth would my Amy associate with your misfit?
DR. BROWN: Well, he said something about a crack deal.
DR. ABBOTT: [sarcastically] You think you're so funny.
DR. BROWN: You know, Doctor, if you get over whatever your problem is with me, we might be able to teach each other a thing or two.
DR. ABBOTT: [sarcastically] If you're so smart, where are all your patients?
DR. BROWN: Actually they're just gathering en masse outside my office now.
[Dr. Abbott looks across the street, in shock. Dr. Brown starts to walk across the street.]
[Cut to a group of people waiting outside Dr. Brown's office. Dr. Brown arrives.]
LADY #1: Is it true, Dr. Brown? Are your services really free of charge?
DR. BROWN: Only my medical ones.
[There's a good round of laughter at this comment.]
LADY #2: You are not charging anything? For real?
DR. BROWN: For real.
[Dr. Abbott arrives from walking across the street.]
DR. ABBOTT: You can't charge people nothing.
MR. GREELEY: Stay out of this, Doctor "I can't diagnose you without an appointment."
[Several people seem to agree with Mr. Greeley. Dr. Brown tries to subdue this.]
DR. BROWN: All right, hold on, everybody, Dr. Abbott has a point. I can't just charge nothing. So I'll tell you what I'll do. From this moment on, I'm doubling my prices.
DR. ABBOTT: [sarcastically] Oh, he's funny.
[The other people start laughing at Dr. Brown's statement. Dr. Abbott sees someone off-screen and the camera follows him until we see it's Edna.]
DR. ABBOTT: So, so, it's true. You're part of this madness.
EDNA: Oh, well what was I supposed to do? You got rid of me.
DR. ABBOTT: You quit.
EDNA: You cut back my hours. And don't give me that bogus reason why, you know the real reason. The whole town does.
DR. ABBOTT: Oh, you have done some ludicrous, asinine things in your lifetime but your working for this man? Oh, that takes the cake, MOTHER!
EDNA: Move it or lose it, Junior.
[Cut to back Dr. Brown and the townspeople. The townspeople are like what teenagers would say "Shut down" and similar sayings. Dr. Brown just looks on and then smiles.]
[Cut to interior at County High. Ephram closes his locker and walks up, toward Amy. Amy tries walking up to him and talking.]
AMY: Hey.
[Ephram ignores her and turns around.]
AMY: I, uh, expected you wouldn't talk to me and so I brought a peace offering...
[Ephram turns around again.]
EPHRAM: And why should I talk to you, Amy? Huh? So you can lie to me some more?
AMY: I didn't lie to you, Ephram. I just didn't tell you the whole truth. That's all.
EPHRAM: Do you have a boyfriend?
AMY: Yes.
[Ephram turns back away from Amy.]
AMY: But I want you to meet him. If you do, you'll understand.
[Again, Ephram turns around.]
EPHRAM: [sarcastically] Oh, yeah. Sure. That was right on my list of things to do today. Right between picking up my dry cleaning and chopping off my hand.
AMY: He's in Denver. That's three hours away from here. Four if we go by bus. If we want to make it back by dinner, we have leave now.
EPHRAM: You're serious about this.
AMY: Come with me. After that, you don't have to talk me ever again if you don't want to.
[Ephram thinks it over.]
[Cut to Edna getting her jacket off the coat hook in Dr. Brown's office. Dr. Brown is working on something.]
EDNA: Well, that's it for the patients. I'm Audi 5000.
DR. BROWN: Hold on a second there, Edna.
EDNA: You wanna talk about something?
DR. BROWN: Yes, I do.
EDNA: I wasn't entirely forthcoming regarding my previous employment.
DR. BROWN: Hardly.
EDNA: I should have told you old tight-ass was my son. Apologies, Sparky.
DR. BROWN: Edna, I'm happy to have you here but if your working for me is part of some kinda revenge scheme...
EDNA: Heck, no. I need the gig. [a beat] Though, I gotta admit, I did kinda enjoy the look on that sour apple's face this morning.
[Edna chuckles.]
DR. BROWN: You wanna tell me what happened?
EDNA: His pops died two years ago. I got re-hitched not long thereafter. It caused quite a scandal in the community and Junior thought it was affecting his business. Not to mention he never was too crazy about the new beau so he cut back my hours and I quit.
DR. BROWN: How soon after did you remarry?
EDNA: Two months.
DR. BROWN: Two months?
EDNA: Do I strike you as the mourning type?
DR. BROWN: No, not really.
EDNA: Anyway, I knew where Junior was coming from. He worshipped his pops. Never got on with him though. But he sure did worship him. You know, the truth is they were exactly alike.
DR. BROWN: Do you think it's possible? That a father and son who don't get along can actually have something in common?
EDNA: In my experience, when a father and son don't get along, it usually means they've got everything in common.
[Dr. Brown takes this, thinking about his and Ephram's relationship. Bus horn honks.]
EDNA: There's my hunk of a burnin' love as we speak. See you on the flipside, Doctor Rune-y.
DR. BROWN: So long, Edna.
[Edna exits the office. Dr. Brown walks over to the window and sees Edna embrace Irv and give him a kiss on the lips. Edna and Irv go on the bus. We then cut back to Dr. Brown watching them.]
[Cut to the hospital in Denver. We see a guy (Colin) in a coma and Ephram and Amy outside his room, looking in.]
EPHRAM: So this is your boyfriend.
AMY: Ephram Brown, meet Colin Hart.
[Amy faces away from the door.]
AMY: Colin grew up down the block from me. We did everything together. Bright and him were best friends. They were always getting into trouble and last Fourth of July, they decided to swipe Colin's dad's truck and go for a joy ride. There was an accident. Colin drove. Bright was thrown from the vehicle. He doesn't remember what happened. And by the time he and the ambulance got there, Colin had fallen unconscious. He hasn't woken up ever since. [looks over to Ephram] When I heard about your dad coming to town, I thought if anyone could help him, it'd be him, right? I'm sorry if I hurt your feelings, Ephram. I was going to tell you. I just didn't know how.
[Cut to the Brown kitchen. Dr. Brown is making dinner. Delia comes in and sits on a stool.]
DELIA: It smells good in here.
DR. BROWN: Which even in itself, is a success.
DELIA: What are you cooking?
DR. BROWN: Only the finest in haute cuisine. Re-heated Kentucky Fried Chicken.
[Dr. Brown takes the dish out of the oven and Delia hops off the stool.]
DELIA: I'm going to set the table.
DR. BROWN: Oh, wait Delia. You know, this could be my first edible meal. Why don't you go down to the basement and get the silverware? I'll get the fine china.
DELIA: OK.
[Delia exits. Dr. Brown walks through the kitchen and dining room to get to the living room where the fine china is. He sees Ephram putting away his bike without looking at him.]
DR. BROWN: He never even looks me in the eyes anymore.
[Dr. Brown walks over to a mirror. Julia's there on the couch.]
JULIA: It's because you don't talk to him.
DR. BROWN: I talk to him.
JULIA: You talk at him. Try asking him how his day was. Try listening.
[Dr. Brown walks over to the couch.]
DR. BROWN: Delia's so much easier.
JULIA: She's four, Andy.
DR. BROWN: It doesn't matter. She's always known how much I love her. Somehow, I've never been able to get that message through to him.
[Dr. Brown sits down on the couch.]
JULIA: Well, call me an optimist but this is one case, Doctor, that isn't terminal.
[Julia puts down the thing she was working on.]
JULIA: Hey, guess what? I figured it out.
DR. BROWN: Figured what out?
JULIA: Where you should go if something ever happens to me.
DR. BROWN: Oh, not the macabre subject again.
JULIA: Everwood, Colorado.
DR. BROWN: Where?
[Julia scoots over and Dr. Brown puts his arm around her.]
JULIA: When I was a kid, I took this train trip with my parents across the country. There was a snowstorm in the mountains and we had to stop for a day in a town called Everwood. It was the most beautiful place I had ever seen, Andy. It was on this hill surrounded by the Rockies. And I remember thinking even then, this is what heaven must look like.
DR. BROWN: There's no chance that this place is also a major center for neurosurgery, is there?
JULIA: Sorry. That's the other part of the deal. No more working for the rich and famous, Doctor. Even small townsfolk need medical miracles.
DR. BROWN: You'll have to start writing this stuff down.
JULIA: Just remember one thing. Everwood, Colorado. It's where I'll be.
DR. BROWN: It can't be in the Bahamas?
JULIA: Nope. It's Everwood or bust.
DR. BROWN: Then, that's where I'll be too.
[Cut to Delia and then we see what she sees. Dr. Brown's arm on the back of the couch like he has his arm around someone except Julia's not there now.]
[Dr. Brown snaps out of it and sees Delia standing there. He takes his arm off the back of the couch.]
DR. BROWN: Listen, uh, Delia. We should talk about this.
DELIA: That's OK, Dad. I know what's wrong with you.
DR. BROWN: You do?
DELIA: You have a distraught heart.
DR. BROWN: Yeah. Yeah I do. [a brief period of silence] Come here.
[Delia walks toward her father and he hugs her very tightly.]
DR. BROWN: I love you so much, kiddo.
DELIA: I love you too, Dad.
[They both hear the beginning of piano music. They go where it is being played.]
[Cut to the family room. Ephram is there, playing the piano. The piece is J.S. Bach's "Prelude No. 1" in C major. Delia opens the door and is followed by Dr. Brown. They both go into the room.]
DR. BROWN: You're playing.
EPHRAM: I felt like it. That's all.
DELIA: I'm going to finish setting the table.
[Delia exits.]
[A long period of no talking ensues. The only sound is Ephram still playing the piano. Finally, Dr. Brown gets up the courage to talk.]
DR. BROWN: How was your day?
EPHRAM: It was OK. I found out I'm in love with in a girl who's in love with a guy that's in a coma. Other than that it was pretty standard.
[Another period of time goes by with no talking but with Ephram just playing piano.]
DR. BROWN: About the other day. I, uh, I said some things I didn't mean.
EPHRAM: We both did.
DR. BROWN: And that comment about my beard?
EPHRAM: Now, that I meant.
DR. BROWN: I'm not shaving it, you know.
EPHRAM: So don't. It's ugly but it's also kind of distinguished.
DR. BROWN: Distinguished? Why do you say that?
EPHRAM: I don't know. It just is.
DR. BROWN: You play so well. I've forgotten how good you are.
EPHRAM: Mom used to say I had your hands.
[We draw back and continue to hear Ephram playing the piano.]
NARRATOR: And there they sat. Father and son. Like they were sitting together for the first time. No, I wasn't there the day Dr. Brown's life changed forever. But I was around for many days thereafter. When he and his family would call Everwood, their home.
[Fade to black out.]
{END OF ACT FOUR}
THE END