Lady in White

T.W.A. flight number 817, now arriving gate 12.

This is the final boarding call for T.W.A. flight number 716.

- This is the final boarding call... - Taxi.

- Where to? - Willowpoint Falls, please.

You got it.

You know, my wife's gonna have a fit when I tell her that you were in my cab.

Because she reads everything. She reads all the time.

She read your last book. What did you call it?

- "A Fog in the Night"? - Right.

It scared the living daylights out of her.

I told her, "Take it easy. It's just a story."

- I hear they're gonna make a movie. - Yeah, that's right.

That's great.

Small town boy makes good, right?

So tell me, what's it like living in Los Angeles?

It's different.

Yeah.

Would you pull in here for a minute, please?

You knew them?

A long time ago.

You don't really believe all that spooky stuff you write about, do you?

Willowpoint Falls was just like any other small town.

At least, that's the way it seemed to me.

Hey, Chuck, where's my paper?

Where's my paper? Where's my paper?

Will you guys wait a minute?

I got this whole counter to take care of. Why am I getting you coffee?

You should be drinking milk for God's sake.

- Hey, Rosie, how about a fork? - Use your wife's, okay?

Mary, she calls in sick, I'm the one who's stuck here.

5:30 I come in this morning. These people don't care when I come.

Come on, will you. Come on, come on.

- Where's my eggs? - I'm comin". I'm comin'.

What're you doing in here?

The city was 25 miles southwest of town.

And on a clear day, you could see the skyscrapers reaching for the clouds.

It was Halloween, 1962.

That was the year she came into my life.

And Willowpoint would never be the same.

Frankie, where you going?

To school.

Why you no eat something?

I'm not hungry.

- Stupid children. - Frankie.

- Don't you want to take this with you? - Thanks, Dad.

Hey.

Bye, Dad.

You've got the prettiest brown eyes.

Get off me!

Get up. Come on!

See you, grandpa.

Charlie!

- Go easy on him, Ma. - Oh, sure.

- Where'd you get those cigarettes? - What cigarettes?

I am on fire!

I am on fire!

Hi, Mrs. Chuley!

Hey! Don't get run over!

Hey, watch it. What're you doing?

Get out of my way!

Ignore him. Children.

Get out of the way!

No, children, stop.

Jesus, Mary and Joseph. Sorry, Frankie.

What're you trying to do? Kill me?

- And don't swear! - Meangya, don't be such a holy roller!

Are you hurt?

What's that look like? Ketchup?

Look, don't tell Dad. He'll kill me.

Good. Then maybe I'll get to live a normal life!

Don't worry. I won't tell Dad.

Where are you going?

I'm gonna buy some toilet paper and soap.

It's Halloween. I've got a reputation to live up to.

Stop that noise.

Now get down.

You go back to your place.

And now, class...

... Frankie Scarlatti has written a new story, especially for this occasion.

Frankie.

"The Beast That Destroyed London" by Frankie Scarlatti.

Be quiet.

"Once upon a time, in a city called London...

... a horrible sea monster terrified the citizens...

... just because he wanted to.

One day, the prehysterical beast...

... rose from the watery depths, covered with seaweed...

... and began to swallow the London citizens by the dozen.

The monster's bite was easily 10 feet tall...

.... and his jaws revealed row upon row of sharp jagged teeth."

Did he brush with Crest to prevent cavities?

Be quiet, Donald.

"The London Bridge crumpled under the monster's huge lizard feet.

The citizens were trampled on by the hundreds.

And if I told you what that looked like, you'd probably throw up.

But just when everyone had given up...

... thrown in the towel and really become depressed...

... @ miracle occurred.

The ground began to open up...

... and the monster, who weighed at least a million tons...

... sank into the huge hole.

Eaten up by the only thing bigger than him: the Earth.

And the depressed citizens of London applauded and cheered...

... and there was nothing to be frightened about anymore."

"That is, of course, unless the monster had a baby.

But that's impossible.

Or is it?"

Thank you, Frankie, for that very unusual story.

And now, people, you may go to the cloakroom to get your coats.

Alphabetically. "A" through "E," please.

And have a safe and happy Halloween.

All right. Let's go.

Hey, what're you doing? That's Frankie's cap.

Now we'll see how brave Frankie really is.

Oh! And remember to dress warmly on Monday.

They're installing a new furnace...

... and we may be without heat for a while.

You wanna go trick-or-treat?

I really liked your story, Frankie.

Thanks.

I wish I was as weird as you.

Frankie?

Thank you for helping me after school today, Frankie.

That's okay.

So, when do I get those greeting cards I ordered?

Mr. Lowry said...

... since they've got to come all the way from Nebraska...

... it'll probably be after Thanksgiving.

Well, Mr. Lowry's certainly been a postman long enough to know.

Yeah. I had to sell 24 boxes.

It was hard, but luckily my dad bought the last 10.

Frankie, you should be very proud of yourself.

You're a very enterprising young man for your age...

- ... and that's very unusual. - I know.

Thank you, Frankie.

And say hello to your father for me.

Ask him to call me sometime.

I'm in the book. It's under "Grace."

Grace la Della. Page 39.

Would you like me to write that down for you?

No. That's okay. I'll tell him.

Hey, Frankie!

Okay, Okay. Here he comes. Just do what I told you.

Let me do the talking.

- Hi, guys. - Hey, Frankie, that was an okay story.

Real cool, man.

Jeez, it's getting colder than a witch's tit out here.

Yeah. It's cold enough to snow, I'll bet.

Hey, Frankie, ain't you got something to keep your head warm?

Yeah. My dad bought me this new ski cap, and... and...

Oh, no...

Well, what's the matter?

- I must've lost it. - What do you mean?

I put it in my pocket, and now it's gone.

Oh. It probably fell out in the cloakroom.

How much you wanna bet?

I'm going home.

- Hey, where's he going? - I don't know.

Wait a minute!

Frankie, where're you going? What about your hat?

I'll get it tomorrow.

I can't go back in there now. Miss la Della already left.

So what? The door's still open.

Besides, if Williams, the janitor, gets it...

... he might give it to one of those nigger kids he's got.

- The word is "negro," Donald. - Sorry, "negro, Donald."

Forgot that you're in love with one.

I mean, that's what she looks like to me with all that brillo hair.

Whose hair?

Oh, wow. Who do you think, lover boy?

Mary Ellen Paio.

Jeez.

I wish I were in love.

I'm going to get my cap.

- Donald, get up, man. - What is it? Hey, what is...?

- Come on. - What? Where'd he go?

- He went back in the room. - Come on!

- Yeah! - All right!

Hey, guys! What's going on?

Hey, guys, let me out of here!

The bells of Saint Andrew's were soothingly familiar...

... even in those unfamiliar surroundings.

And it wasn't long before I drifted to sleep...

... comforted by their ancient voices.

And I began to dream.

I dreamt of my mother's funeral,

Frankie.

Marianna, is dinner almost ready?

- Yeah, Mom, I'm hungry. - Okay, just a minute, guys.

Show me your stuff.

There you are. Come over here, you.

Look at this. It's finished.

Try it on. Here.

Let's see.

You look very handsome.

Don't leave.

How could I ever leave you?

It was All Hallows Eve...

... and 1, still locked behind the cloakroom door...

... suddenly felt a wind sweep through the darkness...