Dad?
Hey guys, what's up?
Well...
What's on your minds?
Pop-Pop.
Yeah. Okay.
Uh, what about him?
It's just, I miss him, Dad. Like a lot.
It's okay to miss him. I, I miss him too.
Me too.
It's, uh, it's hard losing someone that we love, isn't it?
It's just, I wish we could still talk to him.
Just because he isn't here
doesn't mean you can't talk to him anymore.
- Really? - Really.
See, uh, you know, when I was about your age,
I lost my mom.
- You mean Grammy? - Yes.
It's your Grammy. It was my mother.
And, uh,
when she passed away, I, uh,
I, really, uh,
I didn't know how to live my life without her.
What did you do?
Well, about a, about a year after she passed away
- between the ages of 12 and 13. - That's how old Charlie is.
Yes, she is.
Which is why I thought this story would help.
See, well, it was the fall
and school had just started,
which was always a tough time of the year for me anyway.
But it was also the year
that I would meet the man who would change my life forever.
See, I was sitting out on my porch one day with my dog
having ourselves a little pity party,
looking at pictures of my mom.
Oh, I was missing her so much.
I just, I didn't know what to do without her. I was lost.
I just wished so badly
that I could talk to her one more time.
Even if it meant there was just one more time.
- What's up, Billy? - Oh, hey guys. What's up?
Gonna go hang at the court. You coming?
Yeah, sure.
Come on.
- Got ya! - Yeah, right.
- Yes. I did. - You didn't.
- Did. - Didn't.
- Did! - Didn't!
Yes, I did.
- Nope. - Yes.
Nope.
Billy, didn't I get this kid?
- Yeah, sure. - He wasn't even looking.
You weren't even looking. Got him!
That doesn't even make any sense.
- Of course, it makes sense. - Oh.
Um, are you doing all right?
- Yeah, I'm, I'm good. - You totally got 'em.
You mean Mike got me?
Yeah, sure. Whatever.
You, you all right, man?
- Say something. - You say something.
- I just said something. - Say something.
- No, you say something now. - No, you say something.
I just said something.
No, you have to say something.
- You say something. - Guys, I'm good.
Neither you have to say anything. I just miss her.
Well, yeah.
It's just really weird.
And she used to do everything around here,
and now my dad just sits around doing nothing,
and it's just really weird without her here.
I saw this thing online about how to talk to spirits.
Shut up.
- But I did. - Shut up, man.
That's totally insensitive.
Don't you say that kind of stuff.
You really think I could talk to her?
Well, it's worth a shot.
I, I mean, he is right.
- It as worth a shot, I guess. - How's it work?
Well, basically this video will explain everything.
Jake would spend the next hour
explaining what he read on the internet
and how it might actually work if we do it right.
I wasn't sure it would work. I had questions.
And we were gonna need to do some more research
before we could be sure.
When I needed to think through a problem,
I would go home and play fetch with my dog.
It helped me work through problems,
just sitting and tossing a ball to him.
Greg, come back. Come on.
Come back. Greg.
Come over here. Come back.
Good boy.
Billy, I have to run to the office.
You gonna be okay for a little while?
- Sure. - Okay.
- Dad? - Yeah.
Do you think I could find a way to talk to mom?
I don't think that's the way it works, buddy.
Well, Jake was saying that you saw us thing online,
and...
No offense to your friend, Billy, but I don't think.
Jake's known for being the brains of any operation.
Dad.
Look, I know you miss your mom. I miss her too, trust me.
I wish I could find a way to talk to her, too.
Unfortunately, that just isn't the way the world works.
Why did she have to die?
We all die, eventually.
- Well, it's not fair. - No, it isn't.
Feed the dog, please.
He's wrong. I'm gonna prove it.
I remember it like it was yesterday.
It was pouring out, but we didn't care.
We had to make a plan.
We just knew that this would work.
- So that's the plan, huh? - Yes.
Well, well, well, look who's here?
The daycare let out early?
Yeah, the daycare let out early?
Well, must of,
because why else would you guys be here?
- Oh, you got jokes. - Yeah, you got jokes.
Only jokes I see are the ones standing in front of me.
That's so funny. I'm gonna die of laughter.
Is that how your mom died?
Did she die laughing from of your funny jokes?
It's okay. You can cry.
- Go ahead, cry. It's okay. - Yeah, cry.
Go eat shit, bitches.
How about we beat the shit out of you two?
Go, go!
Nice.
You okay, man?
Let's go get those losers, Billy.
Should've punched him right in his face.
Okay, but, but the thing is,
he would've punched you back right in yours,
and you're already pretty hard to look at.
The bike I really want is really expensive.
I think I can swipe my mom's credit card
without her noticing, but it's a little risky.
Ah, that's not smart.
I don't have no money for that
Hey, hey, hey. Hey. Isn't that Emma?
Oh my God. Whoa.
She's such a pick-me girl.
I mean, I don't really think so.
- Yeah, I don't think she is. - You like her?
No.
You legit like her.
- Do not. - I feel like you do.
Shut up.
- Hey, Billy. - Hey, Emma.
That's it?
That, that's all you're gonna say?
That's what she said.
You gotta say more than that.
If you really like her, you gotta say more than just,
- "Hi, Emma," you derp. - Yeah, you dork.
- Emma. Hey, Emma. - Yeah?
Billy has something to say.
- Yeah? - Yeah.
What's that?
- Well, spit it out, Billy. - We don't have all day.
- Yeah. Come on, Billy. - Spit it out already.
- Can we just go, Emma? - Just a sec.
Do you actually like this weirdo?
- No. - Let's go.
Oh, well, well, I, I was, I was like,
I was just like...
O-M-G. Is this for real though?
- Literally though. - I was wondering if, like,
I was wondering if, if maybe like,
when, when you're, when you're not busy, like,
I mean, it's fine if you are busy,
but like, when you're not busy, like,
I mean, if you are busy, but then maybe, like,
after you're busy, like maybe
- Oh my God. - Abby.
I'm sorry. You, you're probably busy.
I'll, just forget it.
- Maybe that's for the best. - Come on, Em.
Would you like to come to the cemetery with us?
The cemetery?
Are you serious? You're such a weirdo.
No, I mean, well, I, I probably am,
but we, we saw a thing online
that I, I might be able to talk to my mom.
That's so weird.
It's definitely just a little different.
Well, maybe it is and maybe it isn't,
but he wasn't asking either of you,
- so stop being so extra. - What evs.
So would you?
Phone.
Text me.
- Is this your number? - Just text me.
Hey, Billy.
- Billy, are you there? - Billy?
What you got there?
Emma Porter's number.
Oh, wow, you got her number?
Didn't hear anything about that.
Well, Abby is 100% a pick-me girl.
- That, we can agree on. - Yep.
I got Emma Porter's number.
Like, the Emma Porter from school.
- Yeah, you did. - How do you like them apples?
Wait, who is Emma?
Emma Porter?
Oh, well only the prettiest girl in school.
What does any of this have to do with Pop-Pop?
- Everything. - Doesn't feel like it.
The next day.
Got it.
Nice.
From what I was reading online,
we need something important to connect to the spirits,
something that is important to the spirits
for connecting to.
Like what?
- Um, got it. - Nice.
Probably, um, I don't know.
Billy, what were some of your mom's favorite things?
Well, she had lots of favorite things.
Jewelry?
She didn't really wear lots of jewelry.
- Clothing? - Not that I can think of.
Food?
- Got it. - Not really.
Um, weren't you guys always doing
those qua, cross, word puzzle things?
- Crosswords? - That's what it was.
- Crosswords. - May, maybe that's it.
Do you guys have crossword book
that you guys always worked on together?
- For sure. - Perfect. Let's start there.
I'll go grab it.
- Got it. - Perfect. Let's go.
Whoa, whoa, whoa. Where are you boys rushing off to?
We're gonna go to the cemetery.
Cemetery? Cemeteries are not playgrounds.
Uh, did he say cemetery?
He meant the, the park past the cemetery. Not the cemetery.
- Which park? - Uh...
We're just gonna go take our bikes
and ride past the cemetery
and hang out at the park for a little bit.
- What's that? - What?
- In your hand? - Nothing.
- Other hand. - This?
- Is that Mom's crossword? - Yeah.
Three middle school boys riding their bikes
to the park to do crosswords.
Yeah, that doesn't seem fishy at all.
Look, I gotta head out soon.
Behave yourselves.
If you can't behave yourselves, don't get caught.
- Wait, wait, wait, wait. - So where's the spot?
Uh, I'd say probably near the back?
Of course, you wanna go to the scary spot.
It's not even that scary, Jake.
Come on!
We need to find some rocks to make a circle.
- A circle? - Yeah, a circle,
so we can put the object in the center of the circle.
All right. Spread out.
Come back with as many rocks as you can find.
Perfect.
Perfect. Now sit.
Now what?
Now put the book in the center.
Perfect. Now just focus.
- Focus on what? - The energy around us.
Like a Jedi?
Sure, Jake, like a Jedi.
Dope.
Billy, you have to talk to the spirit around us.
How?
Just say something, anything.
Try to connect to your mom. Ask them.
- Hello? - Keep going.
Hello, spirits.
Uh, it's Billy. Billy Russell.
I, I was wondering if there's anybody out there.
- This is stupid. - No it's not.
- Keep going. You got this. - It's not gonna work.
Yes it will. Don't worry.
Hello, spirit world. I am Jake.
My friend Billy is very sad.
He misses his mom and we were hoping
that you could help us contact her.
Hey, what are you boys doing?
- Crap. - What?
- Run! - What are you kids doing?
Go, go!
- Hey, hey. - Billy, let's go.
- Where are you going? - Bill, come on!
- The book! - Billy, come on!
- Come on, let's go! - Come on, Billy. Go!
We couldn't get out of there fast enough.
I don't know if I've ever ridden faster
than I rode that day.
I don't know if we were doing anything wrong,
but it sure felt like we didn't want to get caught doing it.
- That was close. - Too close.
Yeah it was. That was crazy.
You said run and I was out of there.
What kind of freaks hangs out at a cemetery like that?
Weren't we hanging out in a cemetery?
- Not the same. - Feels like it is so,
because we were at the cemetery, hanging out.
No.
- Yes. - No.
Yes, actually - No, actually.
- Billy, what were we doing? - Wasting time.
- You okay, man? - I'm fine.
You know. I'm sorry it didn't go as planned.
It doesn't matter.
- We can go back. - What's the point?
We must have just missed a step, that's all, Billy.
- Don't worry. - Maybe.
- We will go back. - You don't have to.
But we will.
Great, just what I needed.
Where are you going, Bobby?
- Billy. - Lance.
What?
- Your name is Lance. - He called you Billy.
- Who called me Billy? - Bobby did.
- Billy. - See? He did it again.
Did you call me Billy?
- 'Cause my name is Lance. - Yeah, his name is Lance.
- Yeah. My name's Billy. - Who cares what your name is?
Yeah, who cares what your name is?
I do.
He thinks he's tough.
Whatever. Just get outta my way.
That's not very polite.
You should ask politely if you want something.
Yeah, ask nicely.
You guys are being pretty mid right now. For real.
We're being mid?
- Is this kid for real? - Yeah, are you for real?
Just move.
- Please. - Now he says please.
- Too late. You gotta pay tax. - Tax? I don't think so.
Gimme that back. Hey, let go of me.
- You want this? - Gimme that back.
Just cry. Go ahead, cry.
Colin, get off him.
Mind your own business.
Lance, tell your troll to back off.
Or what?
Or I'll tell everyone that you still sleep
with your snuggy poodle at night and suck your thumb.
There you go.
What is this, your boyfriend or something?
Lance, give the book back.
Everyone. I'll tell everyone.
It's too bad.
My little sister won't be able to save you every time.
That Lance kid seems like a real jerk.
Yeah, he pretty much was.
Can we get back to the story?
Oh right. Uh, yes.
- You good? - I'm fine.
- Thank you. - For what?
The words you were looking for are thank you.
Thanks. I had it under control when those two idiots.
- Yeah, I saw. - Whatever.
Just 'cause they were jerks to you
doesn't give you the right to be one to me.
- Your brother's a jerk. - Yeah, I know. He sucks.
I was just trying to help.
I won't anymore. That's my bad.
I'm sorry. Yeah, for what?
I'm sorry for being a jerk. Today just sucked.
It's not just him. I'm sorry for being a jerk.
I'm, I'm sorry.
- You wanna talk about it? - Not really.
So that afternoon,
Emma walked me all the way home,
and, uh we didn't say one word to each other
the entire walk to my house.
You know, didn't have to walk me home.
It would be weird if I had to. I wanted to.
Really? You want to?
- Why? - Just felt like it, I guess.
- All right then. - All right.
Where are you going?
Well, what kind of a man would I be
if I let you walk home alone?
A man that knows her woman doesn't need a man
to walk her home.
All right, then I guess I'll stay home.
I like the company.
So are you ready to talk about what's get getting you
so worked up earlier?
Well, all right, well,
so we tried to talk to my mom, and it didn't work.
What?
So basically, Jake, Mike and I saw this thing online
and, and it didn't work, and then this crazy old man
- kicked us out of there. - Wait, wait, wait.
Start over.
Crazy old man in the cemetery. What?
It was a whole thing.
So basically what, what happened was
we started to do research on it,
and we made our way to the cemetery.
So apparently we were supposed to do this,
like, circle thing, and, um, we tried it.
We put the book in the center
and all that fancy-shmancy stuff.
And well, it didn't work.
So, like a cult?
Well I mean, um, you could put it that way?
No, no. We were just...
On the way back to her house,
I explained everything.
The, the stuff that Jake saw on the internet.
The old man, the crosswords.
You really walked her all the way back to her own house?
- I sure did. - So weird.
So what did she say?
- We have to try again. - What?
Come on, let's try again, with all of us.
I think it'll work.
All right then.
Go to the basketball court tomorrow.
- We'll go from there. - All right, bye.
Right. Bye.
- She's not coming. - She is.
- She won't. - She will.
- Won't. - Will.
- Won't. - Shut up. She's right there.
Told you.
You didn't say Harper was coming.
- I didn't know she was. - And Abby.
Shut up. It's cool.
- Don't be mid. - I'm mid, seriously? I'm mid?
You're overdoing it.
- Hey. - Hey.
So what are we doing exactly?
Talking to ghosts or whatever?
- Abby. - Not a ghost. Billy's mom.
- Really? - So what's the plan here?
- Yes, Abby, really. - Hey Harper.
- Didn't know you were coming. - So basically,
we're gonna walk over to Cedar Hill
and see if we can get it to work this time.
- That's the plan? - More or less.
Well, it better be more, 'cause less is not cutting it.
- Shut up. - Whatever.
I honestly didn't know
that she was gonna be bringing her friends,
but I wasn't mad that she did either.
It made me feel better when my friends were around.
They were a great distraction from what I was feeling.
We all walked from our neighborhood
to the cemetery together.
We had a plan, and we were ready to execute it.
Emma was so confident that this was gonna work
with all of us there, but I wasn't so sure.
Does anyone else think this is weird? Or is it just me?
It's just you.
Your opinion does not count.
I was talking to the non weird members of the group.
I'm not weird.
- You're a little weird. - I am not.
Bro, You're kind of weird.
But that's what we like about you.
- I don't think that's true. - I'm not weird.
Too bad. You know, I kind of like weird.
I can be weird.
I'm definitely a little weird.
Now what?
Now we just all need to concentrate,
concentrate on something we remember of Billy's mom.
What are we gonna do next? Hold our hands?
I mean, it's not the worst idea,
combine our energy as one.
I am not holding his hand.
Abby, just do it. Not everything is about you.
Ouch. That had to sting.
Guys, concentrate and close your eyes.
Billy?
Hello Spirits.
It's Billy again, Billy Russell.
I know we were here before, but we're back.
I really need to talk to my mom.
It'd mean a lot if I could talk to her again.
Please?
- Well, that didn't work. - Abby.
No, she's right.
- You good? - Yeah, I'm fine.
- Sorry about Abby. - It, it's fine.
She's right. This is stupid.
It's not stupid to wanna talk to your mom again.
- I feel stupid. - You shouldn't.
It takes a lot of guts to go out and do that
in front of your friends.
Heh, not that it matters, 'cause it obviously didn't work.
Well maybe, but it was worth a shot.
- You all right man? - Yeah, I'm good.
You guys can head out. I'm just gonna sit for a bit.
- You sure? - Yeah.
You know, we can stay here
and hang out with you for a bit.
No, just, I just wanna be alone for a little bit.
Okay.
Text me if you want me to come back or anything.
Come on guys. He wants to be alone right now.
I think he'll get his crossword book.
After it didn't work, I just,
I wanted to crawl into a hole.
It was so embarrassing.
I was so angry that it, that it still wasn't working.
So it didn't work?
As far as I could tell, nothing was happening.
And you just sat in the cemetery all alone?
Sort of.
I miss you so much.
- Missing people is hard. - Where did you come from?
That is a hard question to answer.
Where do any of us come from, really?
Listen, I'm not supposed to talk to strangers, so.
- That seems reasonable. - Solid advice.
There's a lot of weirdos out there.
I probably shouldn't talk to you either.
You're not helping your case.
Was I making a case?
I don't know what you were doing.
- That makes two of us. - All right.
I'm just gonna go.
I enjoyed this moment in time,
and I look forward to more just like it.
Whatever you say, man.
Funny. Real funny.
What a fricking weirdo.
You guys would not believe
what happened at the cemetery when you left.
Did you conjure up some ghosts or something?
Yeah, what happened, Billy?
No ghosts. But I did meet this creepy old man.
Only a creepy old man?
Did he give you a cursed amulet?
Nah, nothing like that, but it was just strange.
Strange how?
Well, he just kept talking about missing people,
and I don't know,
like, weird stuff,
like enjoying time together.
- Just strange. - Enjoying time together?
Bro, you don't even know each other.
Well, that's what I'm saying.
But get this, the second I turned around, he was gone.
That's bizarre.
Maybe he's a fast walker or something. You never know.
No, like literally, like,
one second he was there, the next, poof, like magic.
Maybe he has a teleportation device.
Teleportation?
Bro, like, come on, like, really?
- You never know. - I don't know.
But come on, like, that's strange, right?
- Strange? - I guess.
- I wanna go back. - What?
Seriously, Billy? Again?
Yeah. I'm, I'm gonna side with Jake here.
I don't think you should go back.
Well, I just can't shake this feeling
that I could connect with my mom again.
Billy,
maybe we did it wrong, maybe we didn't,
but we tried twice and it didn't work.
Maybe everything on the internet isn't real.
I just have this feeling something's happening,
and I, I just don't know what or why it is.
But...
Now you're talking about some weird old man, right?
Well, well, then I don't care.
This time, we'll just avoid him.
Billy, we went there twice. We failed twice.
There's some old man now.
It doesn't make sense to go back.
Can we just all agree not to go back?
- Agreed. - Billy?
Sure. Agreed.
So you never went back after that?
Are you going to keep interrupting the story?
Yeah, stop interrupting the story.
Okay, okay. Sorry.
Yes, and so the next day,
I went back to the graveyard.
I knew he went back to the graveyard.
You're very smart.
I really need to talk to you.
Dad's not doing too well and I just don't know
what to do without- Well, well,
if it isn't our young world weary wanderer hisself,
I told you I'm not supposed to talk to strangers.
You're absolutely right.
Talking with strangers is, isn't something one should do.
However, we're all just strangers
- in this vast land, aren't we? - What do you mean?
I mean, in the grand tapestry of existence,
we're all just wandering souls,
like travelers in a foreign land,
and the only familiarity we can find
is in the connections we make along the way.
- So we're all strangers? - Indeed.
And in our shared strangeness,
We can find common ground,
we're all on this journey together.
Just wandering through life, trying to make sense of it.
Maybe you're right.
I mean maybe, maybe being a stranger isn't so bad.
Every stranger isn't a villain or a monster.
But you are right to be aware of the dangers.
I mean, as long as you don't try to be a creep
or do anything too weird, it's okay.
Fair.
- You're a wise one, kid. - Billy.
Billy. Leonard.
Nice to meet you.
Nice to meet you too, I guess.
You know, Billy, this place holds so many stories,
some long forgotten and some still fresh
in the memories of those who visit.
Well, I can see that, but why are you here?
Ah, no. Someone very special, my dear wife Margaret.
We shared a love of crossword puzzles,
kind of our little tradition.
Crosswords?
I mean, me and my mom,
me and my mom loved to do crosswords together.
She thought they were really fun.
They are fun. But it was so much more than that.
It was a connection.
It was a way for us to challenge each other's minds
and bond over words.
Margaret, she had a way with words.
She was quick-witted,
and she had a knack for always finding just the right ones.
Well, I'm sorry for your loss, Leonard.
Thank you. I, I miss her every day, you know?
And after she passed,
I was hoping to reconnect with her somehow,
even in this strange and unfamiliar realm.
How do you plan on doing that?
Well, you know, they say in the language of symbols
and in the, the memories of those we cherish,
and in the love we hold in our hearts,
that can help us find a way to stay close to those we lost.
So you're saying even though we're all strangers,
we can still connect with the people we love?
Precisely.
We may be all strangers in this crazy world,
but the bonds we share with those that we love
are stronger than any distance.
Love transcends all boundaries,
even the boundaries of life and death.
This life is full of mysteries, Billy,
and we may not have all the answers, but you,
you'll realize sometimes it's in the seeking
that we find solace.
Well, I, I miss my mom.
She died a while ago, but I still think of her every day.
I just, I mean, that's why I'm here.
I'm sorry to hear about that, Billy.
Losing someone we love, it's never easy.
I just wish I could talk to her one more time.
Well, sometimes the most profound conversations
happen in our hearts.
You know, like, like silent dialogues
with those that we've lost.
What if I could find a way, like you were saying,
to talk to them one more time?
If you believe in the power of the connection, Billy,
who's to say what's possible?
You, you keep your heart open,
you just might find the answers you seek.
Maybe someday I'll find the way
to connect with there again.
Maybe.
I should probably head home now.
All right. You take care now, Billy.
Don't be a stranger,
to those around you or to the mysteries of life.
You're so weird.
Why do you keep doing that?
You know, something kind of interesting happened today.
What happened?
Well, I met this old guy named Leonard,
and we talked about a bunch of stuff.
Leonard who?
He's the guy was telling you about,
that's kind of quirky, but cool.
Talks about how we're all strangers, but,
and we can, through memories,
we can connect with the people we've lost.
What does that even mean?
Even though we're all different,
and that we can be strangers to each other sometimes,
we'll find common ground.
And just like when we're,
just like how we make memories with the people we've lost
and those keep us connected.
It's like even when they're gone,
they're not really gone, because you remember them.
Losing somebody you love must be really hard.
Yeah, it really is.
I'm sorry, you have to go through that, too.
And he, he was saying that he was trying
to find a way to reconnect with her,
like, I am with my mom.
Do you think he'll find a way?
Yeah, I'll think he'll find a way,
just like I think I'll find a way to talk to my mom again.
Maybe you and Leonard can like help each other
keep each others' spirits alive in your hearts.
Yeah, um, maybe.
Well, I gotta get going.
I, I have something I wanna talk to you about.
Yeah?
So I just feel really,
like, comfortable around you.
- Like it feels- - Different.
- Yeah, different. - Different how?
Well it's, it's like more than friends,
whatever that means.
All right, well, we should probably get going.
Right.
Well, would you like
to come meet Leonard at the cemetery?
Sure.
Hey Dad,
do you think you can, you can connect
with the people we love even when they're gone?
Connect? How do you mean?
Well, like, talk to them and keep 'em a part of your life.
You're talking about mom again.
Leonard said we should try
to connect the people we've lost.
Leonard?
He, he's this old guy I met at the cemetery.
What are you doing playing in the cemetery?
I wasn't playing in the cemetery.
I was there because I miss mom.
I know you miss your mom. We all do.
Going to the cemetery's not the right way to cope.
Well, Leonard was saying we might be able to find a way
to reconnect with mom, like,
even though she's not there anymore.
I understand you're hurting,
but talking to mom like that, it's not realistic.
She's gone, son, and she's not coming back.
Well, you obviously don't understand.
You don't know what it's like to lose her.
I'm not just gonna forget about her.
I didn't mean it that way.
I just worry about you spending so much time
fantasizing about something that isn't going to happen.
Well, I'm not gonna stop, Dad.
I'm going to find a way to talk to her,
- even if this is the only way. - You're just being silly.
Look, that isn't the way reality works.
You're being childish.
Maybe I'm not the one being unrealistic.
Ever consider that?
Emma really was a pretty big factor
in how many times I ended up at the cemetery.
It felt like she really wanted me to be able
to connect with my mom,
and she really wanted to understand who Leonard was
and why I just kept talking about him.
You know, I was really hoping
that you'd be able to meet Leonard today.
I think you'd really like him.
Well, where is he?
I dunno. He's usually around here somewhere.
Is he playing hide seek or something?
No, he is not playing hide seek.
He's just, it's just unpredictable.
What's so special about this guy, anyway?
It's just the way he explains things
and about connecting with people through time and space.
That's some deep stuff.
Yeah.
I mean, it is just, he helps me think
of things differently, you know?
And especially about my mom.
Well, I'm looking forward to meeting him.
I'm excited for you to meet him, too.
I dunno, it's just he's always right here.
Well, should we call his name or something?
No, but I mean, probably deaf by now.
I don't know.
- No, I mean- - Well...
That's not how it works, um, but I dunno.
It's just really weird. Normally I see him around here.
Yeah, well it doesn't look like he's here.
I know that, but it's just,
it's just weird that he always up eventually.
Yeah, well, he's not really showing up.
Um, what does your dad think about all this?
I don't think he'll ever understand.
I'm sorry.
It must be really hard to deal with.
Yeah.
I just wish I could again understand though, you know?
Sorry, I really gotta go. My mom's expecting me.
Are you sure you can't stay
a little longer?
I really wanted you to be able to meet Leonard.
Yeah, me too. But I really have to go.
Just, just maybe a little longer.
I'm sorry. I gotta go.
I was really excited
for Emma to meet Leonard,
but I knew she couldn't sit around
waiting all day for him to show up.
That didn't mean I wasn't going to wait.
I don't remember exactly how long
I would sit there waiting to talk to Leonard,
but time didn't seem to matter much.
I just knew Leonard seemed to be the only one
that understood how I was feeling.
Having someone that really understood
what I was struggling with made it seem like there was hope,
hope that I would be able to talk to my mother again.
So I would wait,
for as long as it took.
Hello there, Billy.
Leonard.
You would not believe who was just here, my friend Emma.
I really wanted you to meet her, but she had to leave.
Oh, I'm sorry I missed her.
Would've loved to have met your friend.
- Mind if I join you? - Go ahead.
Tell me about her.
Emma's incredible.
She's smart, kind, pretty, strong.
- She's pretty strong? - No, she's pretty and strong,
but now I think about it.
She's pretty strong too, but definitely pretty.
Well she sounds like a remarkable young lady.
She has this great sense of humor
and always knows how to make me laugh.
She even stands up to her older brother, Lance,
even when he's being a real jerk.
Whoa.
Well, she sounds like really special person.
You're lucky to have her as a friend.
I am. She's the legit best.
I mean, Jake and Mike are awesome,
- but Emma's just different. - Hmm.
Oh wow.
You know, even though I missed seeing her today,
I, I could tell it's clear she's had
a nice, positive impact on your life.
And that's what life's all about, right?
Connecting with others, just like we talked about.
I didn't even think about that.
Yeah.
Heh, you know, listening to you talk about Emma
reminds me of someone I hold very dear.
- Who's that? - My wife Margaret.
She was quite something,
just like your Emma, by the sounds of it.
How?
Margaret was a light of my life,
just like Emma sounds like to you.
She had this incredible quality
of making everyone around her feel special
just with a, a smile or a kind word.
That's exactly what Emma is, Leonard.
I mean, when I'm with her,
I feel like the luckiest man in the world.
Oh, Margaret had this infectious laughter
that could frighten up even the darkest days.
She would say.
"Life's too short to be sad all the time, my love."
My mom used to say that
life is always better when you're laughing.
I think that's what I like most about Emma.
Yeah, my Margaret and I,
we used to do everything together.
We'd go on long walks, try to solve those crossword puzzles.
We'd just sit quietly, feeling each other's presence.
Me and Emma have been spending lots more time together.
She even asked me to text her later.
Oh, oh.
You cherish every moment you have with Emma, Billy.
Oh, that connection is a gift,
just like I had with my Margaret.
Friendship like that is rare.
A lot of people go through their entire lives
without ever finding it.
- Really? - Yes, really.
I can't imagine life without friends.
Me either.
My dad doesn't think I should keep trying
to connect with mom.
He thinks I should just move on.
Well, I, I can understand why your dad
might feel that way, Billy.
Losing someone you love is never easy,
and everyone copes differently.
Well, I just hate the feeling of my mom
thinking that I've forgotten about her.
You know, it's beautiful that you want
to honor your mom's memory, Billy.
Perhaps you can help your dad
understand why it's important to you.
Well, how can I do that?
Well, you can start by having
an honest conversation with him, hmm?
Share your feelings and explain to him
that connecting with your mom is a way
to feel closer to her.
I've tried, but he just doesn't listen.
Oh, well.
Sometimes it takes people time
to see things from our perspective.
I just don't know what else to do.
You can try to bring back the laughter and the fun,
like you and your mom had when she was alive.
Well, how do I do that?
Well, hey, think of the things
that made you and your mom laugh,
the places you visited, the games you played
and, and, and recreate those memories
and share 'em with your dad.
I can do that.
I'll find a way to help my dad
remember the fun times we had with mom.
Yes.
Friendship and laughter and fun,
they have a great way of healing and connecting people.
You keep those memories alive,
and your dad may begin to see things differently.
Hey, did you ever gleek?
- What? - Oh yeah.
Gleek. Shoot spit outta your mouth on purpose.
You can hit people, your, your pets, freak 'em out.
Teachers will go nuts.
No, I don't, I don't have that life skill.
So, Billy, you've been talking to Emma a lot recently.
What's up with that?
We're we're just hanging out, talking and stuff.
Come on man. Just spill the beans already.
- Is it world domination? - Is it a romantic love novel?
Like tell us, we're dying to know.
No, we're, we're not, no way in a romance novel,
and definitely not planning world domination.
Just help me pass time.
What's going on?
Friends don't make secrets and secrets don't make friends.
Just tell us already.
We already know what's going on. Just say it.
We won't judge. Well, maybe a little.
We talk about everything and nothing, like friends do,
like just what I do with you two doofusses.
It takes one to know one.
Okay guys, don't, let's not resort to name calling.
Let's just not push it, okay?
Appreciate it.
But you can't just say, "I'm talking to Emma"
without like, like,
you're just leaving us on read at this point.
Jake, let's...
I said leave it, just not to escalate it.
But does your heart race when you see her?
- Me and Emma are just, um- - We already know it.
- Just say it. - Nothing to say.
Nothing at all on the topic of Emma? Nothing?
Not even undying love for each other?
It's not like that.
- Bull. - Yeah, bull.
All right. All right.
I like Emma,
but like more than friends, whatever that means.
Knew it.
So now that we know, you're gonna tell us everything,
and when are you gonna ask her out?
I haven't gotten to that yet. I haven't figured it out.
- Well what are you thinking? - Well, I don't know.
What do you even say?
This is how you do it, Billy.
You gotta rizz up like,
"Hey babe, you and me.
"That's what it is now." Mwah.
There's zero chance you're doing that.
- How would you do it? - Here's what you gotta do.
You gotta go up to her- Wait, wait, wait.
No, this is how you really do it.
"You're no longer single. Let that sink in."
What are you even talking about?
What?
What you gotta do is you gotta go up to her
You know what? No, no, no.
You gotta be like, "Whoa, Emma, your hand.
It looks so heavy."
Do you want me to hold it?
Mwah. That's how you do it.
You're an idiot.
Don't say any of that. None of that, none of that at all.
Not going to.
But you're going to do something though.
You know what? This is how you really should do it.
Feel that?
When she goes to feel it, you say, "You know what that is?
Boyfriend material."
Boom. Mic drop.
You're going to say something
other than that though, right?
Y-yeah, I, well, maybe.
I know know. Probably not.
Well, that clears it up.
- What are you guys up to? - Not much.
Well, did you see your friend Leonard?
Yeah, but he showed up like right after you left.
Really? I mean, well that's great.
I mean, I guess, but I really wanted you to meet him.
Well maybe he's there now.
Maybe.
What are you guys talking about?
- Leonard. - Leonard. Leonard.
Oh, the old guy you keep on talking about.
- Yeah. - What about him?
Well, did you guys meet him yet?
- No. - Nope.
- Well maybe he's there now. - He might be.
- So let's go. - The cemetery again?
- I mean, I'm down. - That's what I was saying,
like, the cemetery again.
Let's go.
Hey, wait. Harper, you feel that?
Boyfriend material. Boom.
Could have sworn he was here last time.
Are you sure this Leonard guy is even real?
Yeah, we've been here for a while and he's not here.
Yeah, are you sure you weren't just, like,
- talking to yourself? - I don't talk to myself.
Oh, you have an imaginary friend.
No, Leonard's real. I've talked to him here before.
Guys, let's not make this a big deal,
and just go back, okay?
I just still can't believe we could have been
chasing someone who might not even be real.
Yeah, are you sure you weren't
just imagining the whole thing?
Why would I imagine an old man
and have a whole conversation with him?
- You might. - Why would I do that, Abby?
That doesn't even make sense.
- I don't know. You might. - I wouldn't.
Guys, Billy said he saw this guy,
- so he saw this guy, okay? - Come on Mike.
He probably just made up this whole story
- just to get attention. - What are you trying to say?
Ever since we encouraged you to connect with your mom,
you've been looking for more and more attention.
- Abby. - Tell me I'm wrong.
Well, it's just hard
to believe in something we've never actually seen.
Guys, I know it sounds crazy, but Leonard's real.
He has to be around here somewhere,
or maybe he just shows up at different times or something.
Jake, Mike. You know the first time, remember?
When you said that the, the guy who was chasing us?
He wasn't chasing us.
Well. I thought he was, but- But we didn't see him.
- You said he was, so we ran. - Yeah, we believed you.
We ran.
Billy, this may sound harsh or whatever,
but I think this whole obsession with talking
with your mom, is just time to let it go.
You have to move on.
It's not an obsession.
What else should I do? Just forget about my mom?
Billy, no one's saying you should forget your mom.
My dad is, now Harper, Jake, and even you?
What about the rest of you?
You think I should just forget about her, too?
No one is saying
We already heard what you think, Jake.
Mike? Abby?
Emma?
That's not what we're trying to say.
We're just saying maybe it's time to move on.
I thought you guys were my friends.
- I thought you understood. - But Billy.
Just forget it. Who needs you anyways?
- Billy, wait. - Just leave me alone.
Your friends weren't being very good friends.
I don't know if that's entirely true.
They didn't even believe you.
Friends are supposed to trust each other.
Well, yes, of course they are, but I mean,
you can't even expect your closest friends
to believe something they can't see, right?
Maybe not.
But if my friend treated me like that,
I'd be pretty mad at them.
Huh, and that I was.
- Billy, you okay? - You look upset.
Am I okay? No, I'm not okay.
- Where have you been? - I'm here now.
You always show up when nobody else is around.
Every time I try to introduce you to my friends,
you just disappeared.
Now they think I'm crazy.
I'm sorry if I've embarrassed you. I didn't mean to.
Sorry? You're sorry?
Sorry doesn't explain anything.
Why are you only there when it's just me?
Billy, that isn't really the way the universe works.
People can't always be there when we want them to be.
I need someone to be there
when it's not just convenient for them.
Billy, you sure this is about me?
Who else would it be about?
You're the only one who makes me look crazy
in front of all my friends.
Maybe I am crazy.
The world is full of crazy things,
crazy unimaginable things
that we can't possibly understand or explain.
I don't need the whole universe explained me.
I need to know why nobody is there for me
when I need them to be there.
Maybe we don't know when we need people to be there
and when we don't need them to be there.
Maybe people are just there when they're supposed to be.
They're supposed to be there when you need them.
Maybe you needed me here now.
I needed you here when my friends were here
so they wouldn't act like I'm crazy.
What is crazy anyway?
I'm crazy for thinking that you were my friend.
- No, uh-uh, no. - That's not crazy.
And I'm delighted you think we're friends.
If we were friends, explain to me why you're only here
when nobody else is around.
I can't explain what I don't know myself.
What does that even mean?
It means that I can't explain
why something is happening the way it is
when I don't know why that thing is happening.
Yeah, maybe I am crazy.
- And then what? - What if you are?
- What if I what? - What if you're crazy?
- And then what? - I don't know.
Well, then the part of you that thinks you're crazy
and doesn't think and know that you're amazing,
and you're capable of wonderful things, is an idiot,
and you should stop listening to it.
I should stop to everybody, because nobody cares anyways.
You know what?
I hate you. I hate that you do this.
You always just disappear.
Everybody just leaves me.
It was stupid.
It was stupid to think
that you'd even wanna talk to me again.
Dad was right. There's no point.
You're gone and that's that.
That was it.
I was finished with trying to talk to her.
She obviously didn't want to talk to me.
I had never felt so angry in my entire life as I did then.
And as much as I wanted to go somewhere,
there was nowhere for me to go.
I couldn't go home and be around my dad.
I couldn't go to the court and risk seeing my friends,
so I just sat there stewing.
- Billy. - What are you doing here?
I was worried about you.
Thought you'd want someone to talk to?
Talk? You never wanna talk about mom.
"Billy, just forget about her and moving on."
Yeah, I was just trying to help you.
I don't want you dwelling on something
- that can't be changed. - But I miss her, Dad.
I thought talking to her
would make me feel closer to her again.
I just want what's best for you.
I feel alone, like nobody understands.
- You're not alone. - I'm here for you.
Then explain to me why you don't care about mom anymore.
It's not that I don't care about your mom.
I miss her too, but what you are doing,
trying to talk to her, it's illogical.
- It's not gonna bring her back! - Well then what?
Should I just forget about her like she never existed?
- Is that what you want? - No, of course not.
But I'm worried that holding onto the past
is making it hard for you to move on,
- to live your life. - Live my life?
Mom was our life.
She was the one that made me laugh.
She was the one that made me feel safe.
I know that.
I want you to find some happiness in the present.
Your mom wouldn't want you stuck in the past.
You dunno what mom would want.
You don't care about anything anymore.
- Billy. - Leave me alone.
Hey Bobby. It's funny running into you here.
Just leave me alone, Lance.
- You feeling tough? - I'm not in the mood.
- Did you hear that, Colin? - He's not in the mood.
I heard.
- I'm in the mood. - Yeah, he's in the mood.
Get your breath outta my face and go away.
It's too bad my baby sister's not here
- to save you this time. - Go away, Lance.
Or what?
Get off of him! Bobby, stop.
Wait, stop.
Bobby, stop, get off of him.
Bobby, stop.
My name's Billy.
Assholes.
You actually did that?
Well, I didn't say I was proud of it,
- but that is what happened. - He deserved it.
Yeah, maybe.
I see you found a treasure there.
You know about this book, too?
Well, not that one specifically,
but those puzzles bring back memories
of my own wife, Margaret.
She'd sit there and wrestle
with those crossword puzzles for hours.
- Margaret, you say? - Yeah. I'm Leonard.
Charles. She must have been quite a woman.
Oh, she was the love of my life.
She had a knack for those crossword puzzles,
even the tough ones.
Made me laugh every time she got an answer wrong.
What is it about wives that make us love them
in a way that we wanna laugh?
You know, life's full of mysteries.
Sometimes the answers are right in front of us,
hidden in little moments.
I loved hearing my wife laugh,
even when she got frustrated with her crosswords.
She did crosswords just like your wife.
Her laughter was infectious.
Margaret had the most contagious laugh.
I'd sit there and just listen to her chuckle
while she tried to figure out those silly puzzles.
It's funny how something as simple as a crossword puzzle
can bring so much joy and frustration.
I admired Margaret's determination.
She never gave up, no matter how tricky the puzzle was.
Sarah was just the same, stubborn in the best way.
We were lucky to have such incredible women
- in our lives. - Yes we were.
You know, Billy's determination
to figure out how to talk to his mother reminds me a lot
of how you're describing your wife's determination
to finish those crossword puzzles.
Billy,
he's just like his mother in all the best ways.
Sarah must be so proud of the young man Billy's become.
I hope so, Leonard.
I miss her every day.
I'm sure she's watching over both of you with a smile.
I don't think she'd be smiling
if she could see how I've been acting.
Well, you're doing what you believe is best for him.
As long as you're doing that through love,
- I'm sure she's smiling. - That's just it.
I think I've been doing it outta fear.
Mm, fear and love.
Powerful and dangerous combination.
I have to go, Leonard.
Thanks for...
Strange, man.
Nice, but strange.
- So what happened? - To what?
- To you? - Oh right.
Uh, well honestly, at that point I kind of felt
like it was me against the world.
You know, I mean, my friends had left me,
Leonard made me look crazy, and Pop-Pop,
he didn't understand the thing I was trying to tell him,
so honestly,
it's probably the loneliest I've ever felt.
Hey, I am sorry for making you feel crazy.
I shouldn't have doubted you.
- It's not just that. - It's about everything.
Ever since my mom, I miss her every day,
and now I feel like I'm losing my dad, too.
He doesn't understand why I wanna connect with her again.
I'm sorry. I can't imagine how that must feel.
Yeah, now I feel like I'm losing my friends, too.
You guys think I'm crazy and that hurts.
Now it feels like everything's falling apart.
I'm sorry. Is there any way I can help?
I don't think you can help about my mom,
but it means a lot that you're trying to understand.
If you wanna go back and talk to our friends,
we can tell them how you're feeling,
or at least try to explain.
I mean, I guess that could help if,
If they understood what was happening.
And if you wanna go back to the cemetery, I'll go.
We can figure out this Leonard guy,
or try to talk to your mom again.
- You doing all right Billy? - I'm okay, I guess.
You know where your boys, right?
- We're like a family. - We got your back.
It's just lately it feels
like everything's falling apart around me,
and ever since my mom died, it felt really lost.
That's gotta be really hard.
Yeah, that's gotta be super hard,
not feeling noticed by anyone.
I mean obviously I don't have that problem,
'cause like everyone sees me,
but like I don't think you are feeling noticed
because like you're having this whole conversation with us.
Maybe you are feeling noticed,
and maybe I'm just not seeing it,
but you're probably not gonna wanna tell us that because
Abby, like, I think you're missing the point.
- Really? - Yeah, really.
You get what I'm trying to say, right?
- Sure. Abby. Totally. - Hmm.
I don't know what I would do if I lost my mom.
I appreciate it.
But it's not just about my mom. It's my dad too.
Ever since my mom died, he's been really distant.
It's been really hard.
Well maybe we can try to find a way for you
and your dad to connect better.
Yeah, like you two could like play a game
you both enjoy or do something you both like.
Maybe you could do that crossword puzzle
you were talking about earlier.
Oh shoot. I think I really messed up.
What happened?
I threw the crossword book in the cemetery earlier.
You threw it in the cemetery?
Yeah, I was really upset earlier
and nobody was listening to me and I was really angry,
- so I just threw it. - Then let's go get it.
I don't know where else to look.
Don't worry. We'll find it.
Billy.
Oh my god, you found it. Thank you.
Jake, Mike, girls, how y'all doing?
You know what it is, Mr. R.
- No, I don't believe I do. - You do though.
- Hey Mr. R. - What's up, Mike?
- Billy, I met Leonard. - You did?
Yeah. Interesting man.
- I know, right? - Odd, but interesting.
We got to talking and he was chatting
about his wife, Margaret,
and how she loved crossword puzzles.
Crosswords like the ones that your mom used to do?
Yeah, the very same.
Margaret loved to do crosswords,
just like Sarah loved to do crosswords,
and we were talking about the joy they both found
in doing the puzzles.
Wait, Margaret did crossword puzzles
here in a cemetery alone?
I don't know. Maybe.
Why would someone do puzzles here?
What do you mean?
Why would someone come to a cemetery
just to do crossword puzzles alone?
I suppose to spend time with someone they loved and lost.
Exactly.
Wait Billy, are you thinking that like, that like
That's exactly what I'm thinking.
Wait, what are we thinking?
If Leonard's wife did puzzles here,
maybe Leonard didn't lose his wife.
- Maybe his wife lost him. - Exactly.
That's why when we did the ritual from the internet,
we connected with Leonard, 'cause of the crosswords.
- My mind is officially blown. - For real.
- So you are saying Leonard- - Is a ghost, yes.
That's why it only shows up on specific times and places.
So if he's looking for her and can't find her
Then his wife is looking for him on the other side.
We need to go find Leonard.
Wait, Billy, don't you think that we should stay behind?
Every time we tried to find him, he never showed up for us.
Good idea. I'll be right back.
- Dad. - What? I already met him.
He'll come out if I'm there.
- Mike? - Yeah, that checks out.
All right.
- Leonard is a ghost? - Like an actual ghost?
Are you gonna let me finish the story?
Holy crap.
Does that mean the ritual actually works,
so we can actually talk to Pop-Pop?
So Pop-Pop and I went off to find Leonard,
and we knew he had to be close,
because Pop-Pop had literally just with him
not that long ago.
I can't believe it actually works.
Leonard, we've gotta tell you something.
Yeah, there's no easy way to say this,
so I'm just gonna say it.
Okay. Let's have it.
- Okay, well the thing is- - You're a ghost.
- Like an actual ghost. - Yeah.
I see. Hmm.
- I prefer spirit, I think. - What?
Yeah, spirit.
You know, assuming I am in fact from the other side,
- I prefer spirit to ghost. - Really? Why?
Yeah, ghost, it's more like haunting and scary,
and spirit means like, you know, mystical and maybe wise.
That's kind of presumptuous
to think you're wise and magical.
- Dad, stop. - I'm just saying.
- So you, you're a spirit. - Huh.
You know, I always suspected
something was different about me.
However, that's not exactly what it is.
And n-no, you are though.
All right, like, like me and my friends
did this ritual from the internet,
'cause I really miss my mom, so I tried to connect with her,
but instead of connecting with her, we connected with you
because you and Margaret's love for crosswords.
Ah, I see. Yeah.
And as exciting as it would be
for that to be what is happening here.
Eh, it just isn't buddy.
But every time we see you, you just appear and vanish.
Yeah, explain that. It happened when we spoke.
Well, I never enter through the front of the cemetery,
'cause my house is over there through that trail.
And I walk through that trail a couple times a day
to visit Margaret's grave.
Not the same time every day. Just when the mood strikes me.
Actually that makes sense.
Well, how come every time we talk, you just vanish?
I don't just vanish.
- Really? - Really.
Did either of you two come back and look around for me
when I vanished?
Well, no.
Actually, now that you mention it.
Holy shit, he's real.
I'm very happy to see both of you here together
believing in magic
and connecting with those that you lost and loved.
I guess it just took a little believing in magic
- to get me outta my own way. - Yes.
Figuring out how to get outta one's own way is important.
I myself have struggled with that from time to time
over the years.
- Wait, if you're not a ghost- - Spirit.
Right, sorry.
If you're not a spirit, then does that mean
I can't connect with my mom and talk to her?
No, that's not what that means at all.
It, it means you're always talking with your mom,
no matter what you're doing, no matter who you're with,
or where you go,
as long as you remember always to follow your heart,
that's your mom with you, everywhere you go.
- Really? - Yes, really.
Every time you remember the things she said or what you did,
or things she taught you and you do those things,
that's your mom living on, here, in you.
- Really? - Yes, really.
And you, don't forget to believe in magic,
and don't forget to laugh.
And most important,
don't forget that the most important parts of Sarah
are right here in your boy.
- Yeah, they are. - Thanks, Leonard.
Now, who is all this riffraff lingering over there?
Oh yeah, those are my friends.
Come on. I really want you to meet him.
All right, sounds good, kid.
Hey, which ones Emma?
- The, the cute one. - Oh, okay, of course.
You dog.
He's not dead.
No, bud. Leonard wasn't a ghost.
But he was my friend,
and he helped me to understand
that just because my mom wasn't there
doesn't mean that she's not here.
And just because Pop-Pop is gone
doesn't mean he isn't here with us.
Exactly, Charlie.
See, Leonard helped me live my life
in a way that helped me remember my mom
in everything that I do.
Is that why you always do crossword puzzles?
To feel like she's closer to you?
It is.
And if you do the things that you used to do with Pop-Pop,
you will feel like he's right here with you, too.
- Thanks Dad. - Hey, where you going?
- Outside. - Okay.
- Hey. - Yeah?
- I love you guys. - I love you too, Dad.
- Hey. - What?
You two behave yourselves.
And if you can't behave yourselves.
Don't get caught.
♪ There was a time in my life not so long ago ♪
♪ When I lost my way
♪ And I recall many times this fear ♪
♪ That I'd never be the same
♪ I had a friend sit me down and he told me straight ♪
♪ This too shall pass
♪ You get to be where you are
♪ Right here, right now
♪ This feeling won't last
♪ I couldn't see the forest for the trees ♪
♪ All the melody in my song
♪ If I could've seen beyond the clouds ♪
♪ I'd see the gray skies were gone ♪
♪ Gray skies were gone
♪ There've been the times I wonder why ♪
♪ I had to go through that
♪ Why I got so low
♪ To someone else who's in that place ♪
♪ I can see you're not alone
♪ And though you can't see
♪ The forest for the trees
♪ All the melody in the song
♪ If you could just see beyond the clouds ♪
♪ You'd see the gray skies are gone ♪
♪ The gray skies are gone