Hearts in Atlantis

- Package for Robert Garfield.

- Yeah.

- Sign here.

- Thanks.

Whenever it wants, the past can come

kicking the door down.

And you never know

where it's gonna take you.

All you can do is hope

it's a place you wanna go.

You've reached the Garfield family.

Jill and the boys are away.

You can reach them on their cells.

I'll be on the road for a few days.

Be back Tuesday.

On behalf of the president

of the United States...

...I present this flag...

...for the honorable

service rendered...

...by your husband,

Major John Sullivan.

- Hey, Sully!

- Hey!

Bobby, I decided what I wanna be.

A magician.

- I'll pull rabbits out of a hat.

- Rabbits will sh*t in your hat.

But I'd be a cool bastard.

Admit it.

There's cake at the Veterans Hall.

Of course you're all welcome.

- Mr. Garfield.

- Mr. Oliver.

- Thanks for sending the glove.

- Been Sully's lawyer forever.

Couldn't see why a baseball glove

had to go through probate.

- You and Sully were kids together?

- Yeah, there were three of us.

Me and Sully, and a girl named Carol.

- Carol Gerber?

- That's right.

I'm hoping she'll be here.

You didn't hear about Carol?

No.

I'm afraid she's dead.

I'm so sorry.

This street is where it all happened.

It's not much now.

Why do we always expect home

will stay the same?

Nothing else does.

It's funny how when you're a kid,

a day can last forever.

Now, all these years

seem just like a blink.

Bobby? Bobby-o?

Time to get a wiggle on.

Wake up, Bobby.

Hey, wait for me!

Come on, Johnny.

Happy birthday, Mr. Eleven. Ta-da!

Oh, wow. Library card.

A grownup's library card,

if you please.

Thanks, Mom.

- Is...?

- Don't.

Don't you think I wanted to get you

a bike? I can't afford it.

Know how that makes me feel?

Your father didn't leave us well-off.

He did leave us three months'

unpaid rent...

...a life insurance policy that lapsed

before he died.

He left a rather large stack

of unpaid bills...

...which I managed to take care of.

People understand our situation.

Mr. Biderman is a good example...

...but it has not been easy.

Do you get that?

Your father never met

an inside straight he didn't like.

- What's an inside straight?

- Never you mind, Bobby-o.

Don't let me catch you playing cards.

I've had enough of that.

Come on, then.

That must be the new

upstairs apartment tenant.

I don't trust people who move their

things in paper bags. It's slutty.

- He has suitcases.

- Yes, but they don't match, do they?

Oh, hello, folks. I'm Ted Brautigan.

I'll be living upstairs.

I'm Elizabeth Garfield.

This is my son, Robert.

Nice to meet you, Mr. Brattigan.

Tempus fugit.

It's Brautigan,

but Ted is fine with me.

It's nice to meet you.

I hope you like it here.

Thank you, Robert.

Birthday boy!

Carol, it's hard enough

being friends without that.

You loved it. Here.

- Is this gonna be gushy?

- I don't know.

Better not be.

Whoa.

- Just like it.

- Yeah, that's great.

- Thanks.

- Sure.

- Didn't get the bike, did you?

- No big deal. Mom can't afford it.

She buys new dresses.

She has to look nice for the office.

Are you coming?

- Yeah.

- Come on.

- Hey, Sully!

- Hey!

- Get the bike?

- No.

Well, I got nothing for you.

But happy birthday!

Hang on! Wait for me!

- What's an inside straight?

- Something to do with gambling.

Poker. You draw a middle card.

It's dumb, strictly for suckers.

This neighborhood

is getting terribly run-down.

I think I'll have to move.

- Yeah?

- Is that how we answer the phone?

Hi, Mom. I'm sorry. I was just excited

about dinner and all.

Mr. Biderman has to work late

and needs me to do the same.

So birthday dinner

at the Colony is off.

Okay, Mom.

There are leftovers.

I'll be home to tuck you in.

Oh, make sure to turn

off the gas ring...

...when you're done with the stove.

- I know.

- See you soon.

Evening, Robert.

Or should I say Bobby?

Oh, Mr. Brautigan. Hi.

It's Ted.

Sorry. Ted'll be hard for me,

but I'll try.

You going out later?

I was supposed to have

a birthday dinner.

Mom had to stay at work,

even though she didn't want to.

Are you a rich man then...

...from your birthday gifts?

A library card?

No, an adult library card. Oh, my.

All the master storytellers

waiting for you.

You know why she picked it?

Because it was free.

That doesn't matter.

Don't you give up on this card.

Because books can be solid gold.

The great ones have gotten us

through the nights for centuries.

Give a writer an hour to hook you.

If he can't, find someone else.

Think you can try that?

If I don't have anything else to do.

Fair enough. Don't be afraid.

A Tale of Two Cities ends

with a beheading, great stuff.

Lost Horizon, magic and

places unknown. Can't beat that.

Where'd you live before

you came here, Mr...? Ted?

Some other place

that wasn't as nice as this.

You lived here long?

Yes, sir. Since my dad died.

- When was that sad day?

- When I was 5.

Six years, huh?

You must know everything happening

on this street.

Sure do. Because nothing happens

on this street.

- Six years.

- That's just a blink.

Someday you'll agree.

You know, Ben Jonson called time

"the old bald cheater."

What?

Ben Jonson called time

"the old bald cheater."

I like that.

I think I do too. Who's Ben Jonson?

He's an English writer,

dead these many years.

Brilliant, but foolish about money.

And given to flatulence.

What's flatulence?

Yeah, kids always think

farts are funny.

Might have a job for you.

Have to think about it first.

Really?

Yeah. If it works out,

you might get that bike.

How'd you know I wanted a bike?

All kids want bikes.

Hey, Mom. I took another look

at that bike.

It's a Phantom, 26-incher. Real swell.

No, perfect. Perfect is more like it.

Start saving those pennies.

Ted? It's me.

Hi, kid. Come in.

Thanks for making the skyward journey.

An icy root beer awaits you as reward.

The colder, the better.

One feels them first at the back

of one's eyes.

Feels what?

One feels them first

at the back of one's eyes.

Yeah.

Hey, I did like you said.

- What?

- I gave him a couple of hours.

Oh, yeah. Lost Horizon.

What do you think?

Better than the Hardy Boys.

Yeah, sure is.

Tell me, Bobby, how'd you like

to make a dollar a week?

Would I ever?!

Well, my eyes are beginning

to fail me...

...and if you will read me the

Harwich Journal every day...

...headline stuff, sports,

comics, want ads...

...I'll give you said dollar.

What do you say?

What else?

What do you mean?

There's got to be more

to it than that.

Yeah, there is.

So, what's the real job?

Keep your eyes open.

- For what?

- Low men.

That's right, Bobby.

I use the term "low"

in the Dickensian sense...

...meaning dangerous. Men who stop

at nothing to get what they want.

Your real job will simply be...

...to walk around the area...

...and if you see them

or find evidence on them...

...you'll alert me immediately.

Okay. And why are they hot

on your trail?

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