Philip K. Dick's Electric Dreams 1x03 "The Commuter"
We're out of teabags.
- Any delays? - A slight snarl up in Basingstoke.
- Fuck Basingstoke. - Yeah!
This... this is not an airport, that's your trouble.
Yeah, but my dad said...
Well, we're in Woking.
I don't quite know how you've done it, but we're in Woking.
- You guys should really get a lift. - Yeah, we really should.
Hi.
No, of course I can't come home.
Of course I can't.
Because I'm at work.
Of course I do.
No, of course I do.
Please, don't shout.
- Toilet's blocked. Yeah. - Yes, sir. Yes.
- Five-day return, please. - Yes, coming right up.
Where to?
You look like you're having a worse day than I am.
Why are you looking at me like that?
Do you want one?
Erm, no thank you. I need the destination of your ticket,
and I'm afraid I need you to extinguish that cigarette.
Didn't I say? That's why I need this.
It calms my vastly overheating brain.
Macon Heights.
- Macon Heights? - That's right, Macon Heights.
Erm... there's no such station.
Check the computer. A ticket to Macon Heights.
I've worked here over 20 years, madam.
M-A-C-O-N Heights.
Erm, what train were you considering getting?
- Do you know the time? - 5.19.
I can also take the 1.19 or the 9.19.
Oh, well, there you go. That's the Alton train, you see.
Stops at Brookwood, Ash Vale, Aldershot, Farnham, Bentley and then... Ooh!
There's no Macon Heights, I'm afraid.
- Then she was gone? - Yeah, some sort of trick, I think.
- A sort of light thing? - OK.
- No, no. - Still keeping that off, are you?
I dream of passive smoking.
Macon Heights.
Yeah, I keep feeling I've heard the name before somewhere.
Ed, listen, I know I don't have kids, I mean to ask, are you OK?
Never better.
See you tomorrow.
- Did they call the police? - She did.
- I phoned you. - I didn't think she'd call the police.
- She'll not be pressing charges. - Oh, good. That's good.
But she is very upset. A 15-year-old
girl, you understand this, because it...
Well, we are very sorry. Aren't we, Sam?
- She laughed at me. - There is going to come a point...
No, there won't.
- We won't let it. - ...where we can't excuse him.
I just got angry.
And I understand...
I shouldn't scare people.
I shouldn't scare...
Sam, I'm trying to talk to you here, mate.
I shouldn't scare people, but I do.
I do, I do scare people.
Wait a minute, have you been raiding my...?
Oh, pray silence for Louie Bellson.
I used to listen to this when you were little.
Count how many notes he plays in the next five seconds.
Listen to that sax. Go on.
Go on, count them. Go on, count them, go on.
You can't.
Count them. You can't because it's physically impossible.
There's too many notes to count.
It's... Did she say anything, or do anything to provoke you?
I forgot... sorry.
OK, kiddo.
Okie-doke.
Come in.
Please, madam.
Please, sit down.
- Sit. - I just want to buy a ticket.
- Why do I feel like I'm being. - interviewed by Special Branch?
Ed says you take the Alton train.
- That's correct. - The 9.19 train to Alton.
The 9.19 or the 13.19 or the 17.19, but mostly the 9.19.
How long is this trip?
- How long does it take? - 28 minutes precisely.
Supposed to. Though, it has recently become less reliable.
What sort of place is Macon Heights? How many live there?
5,000. I don't know.
And does it have a large employer?
A brewery? A power station?
- A call centre? - No, nothing big like that.
I work account at Bradshaw Insurance.
What's the problem?
This is a map of our local network.
I will show you, in particular, Farnham and then Bentley.
Do you notice there are no stops in between?
OK, how the fuck did she do that?
The train now standing at platform six
is the 9.19 service to Portsmouth,
calling at Farnham, Bentley and Portsmouth.
Are you on duty?
No... No.
Don't you lie to your mother!
Don't hurt him.
Sam, please. Please, please, please, please, Sam.
When you lose control, does it feel like anger?
No.
Yes, it's, um..
Does it feel different from what normal anger feels like?
- Yes. - And how does it feel different?
Does it feel sad?
Yeah.
OK. That's interesting, isn't it?
Is it?
Dad...?
Sorry, sorry.
Shall we leave it there for now?
Yeah. Ed, Mary, can I have a word?
- A word about what? - Just some forms I want them to sign.
Form a queue for the forms.
Too many notes.
OK. I'll just wait outside.
With all the other crazy kids.
I'm concerned about Sam.
With the psychotic episodes becoming more frequent,
and the violence getting worse...
it seems likely that his condition is deteriorating.
We need to start talking about how to prepare for this.
Does he frighten you?
Well, I'm frightened for him...
But does he frighten you?
Sometimes, yeah...
Does he frighten you?
He's my son. My son doesn't frighten me.
Do you remember...
Do you remember when we first met, we were introduced by, oh...
- I've forgotten her name. - On a train?
And she said, "This is Ed, he works in trains,
"and this is Mary and she's on a train."
Then she burst into hysterics even though it wasn't that funny!
It took me almost two months to convince you out for a coffee!
But I knew, I knew that you were somebody
I could build something with,
- and it's turned out... - He reminds me of you.
That's why I can talk to him.
The true you.
Not the one with the fake smile spread across your face.
OK.
And, actually...
I'm more frightened of you when you've got that fake smile on
than I am of him.
OK.
The train now approaching platform six
is the 9.19 train calling at all stations to Alton...
No. I'm not collecting tickets...
I'm just a passenger.
Yes, sir. We're all passengers here.
Excuse me?
Excuse me! You can't...
Wait! Wait!
Wait for me!
We do a table service.
Take a seat. What can I get for you?
- Tea? - How'd you like it?
Ahem, milk, one sugar.
I'll bring it right over.
White, one sugar.
And a piece of some apple cake I made.
No charge. You look like you could do with it.
Right, thanks.
Very much. Yeah.
I've never seen someone look so frightened by my cooking.
- Actually, It's just divine. - Divine?
Yeah.
I like divine.
It's delicious.
New in town?
Yes.
Well, not that I speak on behalf of the town or anything,
but I think you'll find a lot of things divine around here.
Oh, I'm sorry. We're just engaged.
It's kind of... It's glorious.
Oh, well, congratulations.
Thank you, thank you.
- She said yes! - We're engaged!
Hello!
A man sits alone watching children play.
In another world, I'd be worried.
He reminds me of my boy.
- Which one? - The one at the back there.
Not very physical, is he?
Am I ill?
Or are you a symptom of my illness?
You see, that's a classic negative response,
from a classically negative man.
Why not see the possibilities of the place?
What is this place?
Macon Heights.
Macon Heights is not supposed to be here.
Did that apple cake taste imaginary?
Do those kids look imaginary?
It exists, Ed, you just don't want to believe it can exist.
Cos it makes you happy, and you're not used to being happy.
Maybe this is the world as it should be.
Cigarette?
Maybe this is the world that you need.
Your train home leaves at 20 past seven.
Try to enjoy Macon Heights until it does.
Up you get.
- Hiya. Good day? - Hiya.
Strange day.
Go put your feet up.
I'm making a chicken pie for dinner.
- A bit of a treat. - Right.
Remember when we painted this room?
I always thought we'd have a boy.
Things happen, I guess.
Or they don't.
I love you.
Still, though,
seem to remember we had fun trying, though.
Oh!
Thank you.
Thank you, all.
Any unattended baggage...
_
Yeah, I'm trying to locate a reporter of yours.
You don't team to have an e-mail contact address.
Erm, no, her name is Martine Jenkins.
I need to know everything about can about the place.
Why?
It's for a project.
You do understand I'm a journalist? We're a dying breed,
but we generally have an unerring sense of smell
where bullshit is concerned.
How many times have you been?
Erm... HE CLEARS HIS THROAT.
- Once. - Oh, I'm impressed.
Normally, people have been eight or nine times before they look me up.
What? I'm not the first, then?
In my experience, the less I explain, the better this is.
This is for a town that doesn't exist.
It's a town that almost existed.
I think that's somehow different.
There was such a lot to say about it.
The pity was, I just couldn't get a big piece printed up anywhere.
What, they stopped you?
Oh, no. There was no conspiracy,
they just didn't think it was interesting.
A dreamer dreams big, blows up, and he dies.
He died?
He won the bid, but there were financial irregularities.
Not corruption, just incompetence.
I tried to visit, you know.
Of course I have.
An ideal town...
that stays ideal...
that can exist untouched by reality.
But the door wouldn't open for me.
Erm, who's this?
That's his daughter, Linda.
She found him in the woods.
Overdosed.
Two weeks after they took the project away from him
and gave it to the next bidder.
You're just saying nothing, are you?
What?
You fuck off just before rush hour, leave me on my Jones,
and you're just saying nothing? Where'd you go?
You doing something you shouldn't?
No, no.
Once a family's broken, it doesn't get mended.
Three kids by three different mothers, remember?
- Three kids? - Yes.
I think I know how many children I've got.
I have to go.
- I'll take it as annual leave. - What?
Ed? Ed, it's too late for me to arrange cover.
You can't just go!
Ed!
Ed! Stop the train!
Hey!
It's quite addictive, isn't it.
Sorry?
Watching the world go by.
- You came back. - I did.
I'm so pleased. I made a ginger cake today that you're going to love.
Then I will have that...
and... I was about to say a cup of hot chocolate.
Hot chocolate and ginger cake is a tasty combination.
Feels better, doesn't it?
Warning, this can get quite addictive.
- My Ginger cake. - Oh.
Thank you.
Oh, sorry. We're just engaged.
It's kind of... It's glorious.
- Sorry, I don't understand. - Thank you! Thank you.
Come on.
Dad.
Mary.
What's the matter?
Just thinking about what could have been.
What could have been doesn't exist.
There is only what is, and that's you and me.
And that's good enough for me.
Couldn't you sleep?
What are you doing with all these? What are all these?
Do you remember when we first met?
On a train?
A woman introduced us and said, "Here's Ed, he's in trains,
- "and here's Mary, she's on one." - And what happened after that?
We fell in love, didn't we? Simple as that.
Ed? Are you OK?
Ed?
Where are you going?
Ed? Ed, there's been a problem and Basingstoke.
- Fuck Basingstoke. - Yeah, but it does need sorting.
- Can we get some ETAs on? - I said fuck Basingstoke!
Are you angry?
Or upset?
Or mad?
Or sane?
What are you, Ed, do you think?
Excuse me, I'm looking for Linda, do you know Linda?
No, she wasn't called Linda, she was called Jane.
- Lung cancer, you see. - What?
- Lung cancer. - This is important.
I'm looking for Linda.
I'm sorry, but you have me mixed up with another man.
Go home, they said, and then I found home.
They said you'd be able to help?
They said you were new and helpful.
Are you a helpful man? They're going to let him die, aren't they?
Why would they let him die?
It's you, thank God!
Please, help me, I'm looking for Linda.
A mistake has been made.
You're looking in a bit of a mess, aren't you?
I'll fetch a cake and one of your hot chocolates.
Please, please, help me.
Do you know where I can find Linda?
No, love. I'm not sure I can find much at all, really.
What is this place?
- Macon Heights. - But what's happened to it?
You did.
The truth did.
And we want it back the way we had it.
Well, I-I just want to find Linda.
I just want to get my boy back.
He told me he had a knife.
He told me I had to follow him.
- Oh. - This older man, he took me off the path.
I was 14, I was walking home just through the park
and there was a bit in the fence
that was broken and he pulled me through,
pulled me by the railway tracks.
He started to touch me, he started to touch my breasts
and no-one had ever touched me there before.
I think I need to tell you my story.
Sorry, I-I-I don't want to hear your stories.
I think a part of you does.
A part of you has to... understand it, understand what this place is.
She took my son.
I need to get him back.
Was he in pain?
She's very good with pain.
When later I fell in love and I tried to...
It just didn't work and this... this is better.
What was your son's name?
Sam.
S-S-Sammy.
A nice name.
I was frightened of him.
No.
No more of that, not here.
Coffee and walnut cake
made just the way my mum used to make it.
You'll remember where to find her.
Sorry, we're just engaged, it's kind of...
It's glorious.
Just stay out of my way.
Thank you. Thank you!
A lot of people forget I work at Bradshaw Insurance,
so kudos for that.
I always tell them but they generally forget.
- How can I help? - You've made a mistake.
I'm not one of these people.
And I need everything back, just the way it was before.
I take it they're not real.
- Aren't they? - Nor are your engaged couple.
Bashed into me in the street three times now.
A bit disingenuous.
Claiming your son reminded you of the kid at the back.
The way I understand it, he'd be at the front.
Probably ripping the kite to pieces.
Sit down, Ed.
I want my son back.
I'm not sure you do.
People can't just be extinguished.
I have three rationalisations I always give.
First, it's the damage that's been done to yourself.
OK, right, enough...
Second, it's the damage that's been done to others and third,
perhaps most important,
is the damage that's done to him or her, the subject, if you like.
Fuck you.
Husbands wanting their wives to go through that final round
of painful chemotherapy.
Children wanting their mums to go on living despite the pain.
So the answer to life's problems is to stop living in reality?
Your son was a shit son and you were a shit father to him.
What's great about that reality?
You don't understand.
There were moments of joy.
There were moments of incredible happiness.
When Sam was happy, there was joy.
You don't deny you dreamt of another life.
Dreaming is not the same as wishing it's true.
I want to see my son grow up to be a man.
I can tell you his story will just get sadder and sadder.
Then that should be my story, too.
It will break you...
and it'll break your wife.
He'll go to jail.
He'll do terrible things.
You'll do terrible things.
You'll all be so unhappy.
Then that is how it shall be.
Adopt, foster, find another child that needs you.
Engage in new possibilities, a new life.
You can rewrite everything.
We had a child,
I'd like him back.
This is just guilt.
No.
This is love.
He's what I made, we made.
This... is love.
You almost sound convinced.
- I can force your hand. - No, you can't.
They will have to come and travel through my station to get to.
Macon Heights. I'll tell them what they're going to lose,
a life without truth.
That won't stop all of them.
It'll stop some of them.
How many is too many?
You would deny them the possibility of happiness?
Of all there is here.
You think that this is happiness?
I think it's as close as some people can get.
You included.
And me.
I love my son.
You made the wrong choice, Ed.
I wish I could have saved you.
I tried to leave once.
Couldn't do it.
I pity you.
And I envy you.
What's your story, then?
What did this place fix?
I did damage to your children.
Does that make you want to hurt me?
It makes me want to hurt myself.
I want to see my son again.
Good on you.
Some of us...
have no choice but to need this place.
Hiya. It's just me.
- Synced & Corrected by Dragoniod - www.addic7ed.com