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Anno Domini.
Before the singularity and prior to the phenomenon
of consciousness drifting.
Before data taxes, information wars,
and Gaia Theory realized
the following was mediated in the year known as MMXIX
during the brief but historic transition
from analogue to digital media.
Claire!
Claire?
You can't just leave.
I'm responsible for you.
Are you hurt?
Can you... can you... can you help me?
I'm looking for my wife.
Looking for my wife.
You don't remember me?
I was... I... you see...
yeah I... you see I... I was late leaving.
I missed her somehow, I missed her.
Claire!
You can't be out here!
- Come. - Where are we going?
We're going home.
I'm not going back to that home!
Why don't you people understand that?
I'm here to help you.
Your wife is gone, she's been gone a long time now.
Who do you think looks after you,
your food, your pills?
What?
Everyone who cared for you is gone.
It's only me left!
Claire gone?
Claire?
Mason, please look at me!
Look at me.
I know you're confused.
You have way too much to drink, this is 5:00 a.m.
You should be in bed.
You don't wake up for another half hour.
I am.
Yes.
Mason, you remember us?
You remember us?
You remember?
Look at me, you're with me.
Palm, palm, palm.
Yes.
You remember this?
One.
Two.
Three, yes.
Four!
Five.
Six.
Come on!
Seven, eight.
Nine, come on!
Remember?
10, 10, 10, 10, 10!
Who is my granddad?
I am.
Who is your granddaughter?
Macie.
Macie was adopted 10 days shy of her 12th birthday.
She entered the world during a period
of mass cultural amalgamation.
At that time, the area known as the Americas
was enduring a prolonged second inhabitation.
For many, this would dictate a new cultural identity.
In Macie's particular case, it would cause confusion.
- Good? - Yeah.
Okay, can we get one with just the parents?
Macie.
- I gotta go. - Okay.
- Great job, Dakota. - Thanks, you too.
Can you give it to Macie.
- Thanks. - Oh yes.
Now a couple more, hon.
A couple more, hon.
Can you see the backdrop?
Yes, there you go.
Very nice.
Okay, can we get one with just the girls?
Yeah.
No, Macie, can you take the photo?
Dad's terrible with photos.
Okay.
How does it look?
Great.
Look great.
Okay, ladies, let's see some teeth.
Analogous to the diaspora of which she was a part,
Macie's own search for identity
would only actualize itself in time.
In the creation of her identity,
Macie would record possibilities as external memories
to be revisited at a later time.
Let's go for a walk.
Hmm, I wanna go for...
Mhmm, I hear you.
- Hi Fran. - Welcome.
Macie, could you come here a sec.
Yeah.
What are you up to?
I was going to get the medicine ready for lunch.
We need to change the linen in the bedrooms.
Tara was supposed to do that on Monday.
Tara wasn't here on Monday, but it still needs to get done.
Okay.
Despite Macie's strong aptitude,
the transition from one cultural system to another
had created a linguistic bias that hindered
Macie's developmental years.
The irony, as she likely saw it,
was that she could now speak two languages,
both of them imperfectly.
But she's not pregnant.
She could have been.
Look.
Oh, come on!
Oh my God, this... are you okay?
- I'm okay, thank you. - Careful.
Well, here's the problem.
Her wheelchair wasn't locked.
You didn't lock it?
Obviously!
What Macie couldn't endure,
she expressed through the creation of art
that reflected her experiences.
I think the beginning should be...
♪ As it flew, as it flew across the sky ♪
♪ As you flew across the sky ♪
Yeah, I like it.
Let's try that and then the bridge.
- Okay. - Okay.
♪ Lost myself in finding dose I n... ♪
Those.
- Th-those. - Dose?
Not dose, those.
- Those? - Those.
I just wanna get this right, you know?
I don't know if I can do this in front of people.
- But the song's good. - Yeah?
Yeah.
Oh.
I don't know.
Is work bad?
Yeah, it's bad.
But that's not it.
I've been thinking a lot about my birth parents
and when I lost them.
In the tsunami?
You know, you've never really told me about it.
What do you remember?
That's the thing, I don't remember much about it.
I remember it was black for a long time.
And when I opened my eyes, it was bright and wet.
My mouth tasted like salt.
I was hugging this big piece of wood and for some reason,
I had a stick in my hand, just like a skewer.
What happened before?
There were just two of us helping our parents sell food,
like catfish.
I was eating catfish.
Ma.
- Ma. - Macie.
Macie, what's going on?
Macie!
Macie, it's me!
Macie!
Hi.
Oh Macie, hi, come on in
Have a seat.
So how are things going for you here?
The reason we're asking is, is well, we all know
that you have a lot of strengths and I'm just not sure
we're giving you the chance to use them as best we could.
People been saying I have lot of strengths?
Uh, yes.
I mean, you're always on time
and the residents seem to like you.
But there has been some concerns from your coworkers.
All four of you?
Macie, there seems to be an opinion out there
that you don't always follow through.
I know that there's funner things to do
than to change linens.
When I was your age, I was a janitor for three years.
Okay.
We all have to do things we don't like.
So this is about the linens not getting changed,
because Tara slept with some guy without a condom?
Tara wasn't even here on Monday.
That's the thing, isn't it?
I wish I got rewarded for missing work for a day.
Okay, I'll do it, change the linens
since I'm so good at it.
I have tried to be patient in the past,
but right now I have to worry about the health
and safety of our residents.
Kathleen, Dom, and Tara all mentioned to me today
that we almost had a very serious accident,
because you chose not to secure a resident's wheelchair.
I was going to.
And they also said that the way you left the mess
was a health concern.
Unfortunately, Macie, I just don't think that
we're going to be able to carry on with you here
as a staff member.
Is there another way I can carry on here?
Like volunteer?
Or come back as a senior one day?
You have two weeks.
If you don't wish to attend under these circumstances.
I don't.
That's fine.
You'll still have to finish your shift for today.
I'm done.
What was the health concern?
What?
The health concern, since there was almost an accident?
The floor was left unhygienically.
I didn't see it, but Dom said that you tried
to clean up the mess with newspapers.
Now I know for you,
this probably seems like a perfectly normal way
to deal with a situation, but here in North America
we don't clean up messes with newspapers,
we use disinfectant and a mop.
I wouldn't know, I never been a janitor.
Ooh, I think you forgot to smile.
I'm sorry.
I can't help you, Macie, none of us here can.
For the past can be viewed but not changed.
So when were you gonna tell us?
Mom!
Were you gonna tell dad first
and have him break it to me gently?
Or have Dakota tell me?
I'm having a bath.
In my house, in my tub, in my basement,
basically rent free.
- I offered to pay. - For food!
That's your dad's idea of rent.
I don't know how you're gonna pay for it
without a job.
Who told you I don't have a job?
So you do have a job?
No.
It's your attitude every time.
My attitude?
I only have attitude
when people treat me differently.
It's always someone else's fault,
you refused to lock the wheelchairs?
- Who told you this? - Dom.
Apparently, she's told you lots of times.
Dom, when did you see her?
Today, she said you caused a big accident.
And I didn't change the linen either.
Did she tell you that?
She said you won't do anything she asks you to.
She's not my boss, mom!
Why do you have to care what she has to say?
I'm your daughter.
Macie.
It just happened.
I was going to tell you.
You know, you can live here forever, you're an adult.
- I want to work. - Great.
Then we're gonna go out to City Hall
and you're gonna register for Employment Opportunities.
You know, that place don't give you a job, right?
If you're not working,
you're not staying here for free.
Welcome.
How's everyone doing today?
Or as we say in Canada, how's everyone doing today, eh?
We're doing fine, thank you, and... and you?
Good, thanks.
Um, well, welcome to Employment Opportunities,
a government-funded program to help you find
full-time employment.
Now, as my name-tag probably suggests,
my name is Jason, and I'm here to help you
help yourself to find a job,
and possibly to adjust to a new culture.
Judging by your faces, it looks like a lot of you
have come a long way to make it here today.
If you consider Kehewin far.
Okay, a jokester.
Well, I'm sure a lot of you have come from afar to be here
and let me be, well, hopefully not the first to say,
welcome to Canada!
Yeah!
I think that is worth clapping about.
Now we've got a lot to get through today,
but don't worry, guys,
it's not all gonna be hard stuff.
We also have ice cream.
Who likes ice cream?
I know I do.
Can you guys say, "I scream for ice cream"?
Say it with me.
1, 2, 3...
I scream for ice cream!
Okay, it's still a little early.
Uh, we've got coffee in the back
in case you guys need it and Jared here...
Well, hi there, my name is Jared.
Hi, Macie.
Oh well, your English is very good.
Why, is it supposed to be bad?
No, no, it's great, it makes it easier on everyone.
Um, what kind of work are you looking for?
Well, I'm kinda here, 'cause my mom told me to be.
Oh.
Well, if you're looking for something part-time,
I know some people that are looking for cleaners.
The schedule is very flexible
and it pays more than minimum wage.
Now you have to put that on your income tax,
but I could give you the number right away.
Well, I like working with the senior care,
that's more my thing.
Oh, is that what you did in your country?
Yes.
Well, where are you from?
Here.
Uh, I mean where are you really from?
Well, I grew up here, but my background is Thai
if that's what you mean.
Oh well, that's great!
I have a nephew, who's teaching in Taiwan.
He's even learning Tai-wanese.
Do you speak that language?
No, I don't speak Taiwanese.
Well, maybe you could go there someday.
Get in touch with your roots.
He says the food is great.
I bet it is.
Yeah, well, it was nice meeting you, Marcie.
I'm gonna give you my card and if you think
you'd like to try that cleaner job
or any of your little friends would, you give me a call, okay?
Friend from here?
Or Taiwan, if they want.
Thanks, Jared.
I really wanna make music video for the song though.
I think what you should do first is play in front an audience.
Yeah, let's take it one step at a time here, Panda.
Well, you guys wanna run this?
- Yeah. - Okay.
Yeah, let's do it.
♪ I swear I saw you ♪
♪ As you flew across the sky ♪
Look mate, just because you don't know it,
doesn't mean it's not English, alright?
Why not just say you're "tired"?
Because you're not tired, you're more than tired,
that's the whole point, you're knackered.
- You're knackered? - Yes.
Yeah.
You guys know how ridiculous you sound
- when you say "knackered"? - Alright.
Is that live music I can hear?
Hmm, yeah, there's a stage over there,
- sometimes local acts play. - Oh yeah?
Let's check it out.
- Briefing's at 5:00, mate. - Yeah, we got time.
Not like we haven't been late for a briefing before, is it?
That's true.
♪ Alone ♪
♪ I am still searching, for where I belong ♪
♪ When will this place, ever feel like a home? ♪
♪ I've been trapped inside, never knowing where to go ♪
♪ Lost myself in finding those I've never truly known ♪
♪ And I've given up everything ♪
♪ To follow my dreams ♪
♪ Wherever you go, I'll follow ♪
You guys sound pretty good.
When's the show?
Friday, the 18th, shop side.
The 18th?
Yeah, bring people if you're coming.
Pretty sure I know a couple idiots
I can bring along, yeah.
A lot of people say they can come.
I'll be there.
Um.
Yeah, should we go again?
- Yeah. - Yeah, absolutely.
Let's... good, yeah.
Do you wanna go first?
- Well, no, I thought that... - Yeah.
Um, your mother and I have been talking.
A lot has been going on lately.
We've been a bit stressed.
We thought that we could all use a little break,
so we are going on a vacation.
- Sweet! - Yes!
No, uh, sorry, I... I didn't mean.
Your father and I are going on a vacation.
Oh.
Hey, this isn't anything new, it's a cruise.
We've been talking about going on it without you guys
for a long time now.
See that's not how... it sounded a lot better
when we talked about it.
Yeah.
I meant we could all use a little break.
Uh, Dakota, your mom and I have thought about your idea
for dance camp this summer.
Congratulations, you're going!
- Yes! - Nice, good job!
And Macie, uh, your mom and I have been talking and...
You're an adult now, Macie.
So you want me out?
No, actually just the opposite.
You know, we... we wanna support you,
but if you're gonna live here, you need to contribute.
I haven't found a job yet.
You go first.
I feel like I'm doing a lot of the talking here.
You know, we've been supporting granddad over the years.
And in the past, when you guys were younger, that made sense.
But now we just find that we're just burning through
our retirement money.
You want me to babysit granddad?
I mean that's kind of your thing.
He's a drunk.
He's not a drunk, well, I mean he drinks.
Granddad's an alcoholic, mom.
Granddad is from a different generation.
His health isn't what it used to be.
And miserable at the home and some days
he doesn't even know where he is.
We just feel at this point, he may as well enjoy
his remaining time uh, with his family.
And we hope that someday someone will do the same for us, too.
But this works out better for everyone.
Plus, you get to see granddad!
We'll consider it your rent for now.
And if you get a job, when we get back,
we'll look after him.
So when is this happening?
Soon.
- Alright, I'm coming, hey... - This one.
Yep, this is it.
That's not blue, that's green.
It's green.
- Okay, whatever you say. - Yeah.
Yeah, they call that a green.
Now bring your luggage over here.
Okay.
Load it up and I... I'll take off.
- Yes. - You wanna come?
I'm not sure.
I don't recognize this.
How long till we get there?
About four hours.
Four hours to get to the casino?
Why would you think we're going to the casino?
Well, because I ask them every day,
they don't take me there and they... they say
they have to have a driver and I keep saying to them,
"Just give me the damn keys, I'll find my own way there."
No, we're going home.
Whose home?
Your daughter, Elise's home.
Oh, right, I live there.
No, not yet.
We're pulling you out from the home.
And you're my nurse?
I'm your granddaughter.
My granddaughter?
That's why I've been calling you "granddad".
Hey, I think I would know if I was related to a China-man.
Or woman.
Mom says there's lots you don't remember.
I was adopted.
When did this happen?
Long time ago.
Well, maybe it's recent for you.
Are you sure?
Yes!
Well, why the hell didn't they tell me?
They did.
You lived with us for two years.
We look after you when Grandma die.
You even bought me a bike for my birthday.
Is that right?
Are you getting hungry?
I don't eat too much these days, but I sure have a thirst on me.
If you could find us a watering hole,
now I would be very happy.
How much do you drink a day?
As much as I can get.
You know, just between you and me,.
my memory is not as good as it was
Hmm.
You promised me your inheritance.
You're bad.
Yeah, promised you my inheritance, eh?
Hey, I don't remember that.
So do you still like it?
What?
The bike.
Oh, that was a long time ago.
I still have it.
Good.
Good, 'cause I want you to remember me
every time you get on that bike.
Okay, I'll do that.
And your food should be ready in a moment.
Thanks.
Oh, a bear loves honey.
Do they let you drink at the home?
Yeah, sure they do, they give you a glass of wine
or a beer before dinner or happy hour.
If you want more, you gotta pay.
But here's the thing,
if you ask the same server three times,
they cut you off.
So the trick is ask a different server each time.
I'll try to remember that.
Why?
I'll try to remember that when I'm in a home.
Right.
Yep, you'll surely benefit from my advice
when you're in a home.
The old horse fell with a great big thud,
the cowboy's boots, they were filled with his blood.
As his head hit the rock and his brains caved in,
the cowboy's last thought was, "Shit, I'm fin-ished."
What are you singing?
That... that is a song,
that was my mama's favorite song.
Yep, it's a cheery song.
Okay.
Now how does it go on now?
Yes, right.
♪ So fairy well rover, you range roving rover ♪
♪ You're pushing up clover from under your head ♪
♪ There's nobody grievin' ♪
♪ And there's nobody weeping ♪
♪ They're simply just cheering ♪
♪ 'Cause the old fucker's dead ♪
Oh shit.
Why thank you, folks.
That was my mama's favorite song,
it's a cheery song.
Okay, we're at the restaurant here, okay?
Oh yeah, right.
- Okay, okay. - Calm down.
Mmm.
How is that a cheery song?
That is cheery song, because my mama hated cowboys!
Oh.
Your mom sounds alright.
But I didn't make a song out it, we didn't...
How does the beginning go again?
- Uh. - So I can write it down.
Okay, this is gonna be a real winner,
in the top 40, isn't it?
How does it go?
The pony...
Are we all done here?
Yes, thank you.
And you sir?
No, now, hang on just a second.
And you know what,
I think I could go for a glass of red wine
just to take away the taste of this beer.
No, 'cause then he gonna ask for white wine
to wash away that red wine.
Just the bill please.
Sure, I'll meet you up front.
You're really great with him.
Heh, thanks.
He's lucky to have a wife like you
who'll take care of him.
These types of moments would rarely have an audience
in Macie's life.
Until they could be shared,
Macie would remain an island moving through time.
Oh!
Where the hell am I?
You live here now.
Eh?
Right.
Dementia had caused Mason to forget about his family,
but Mason's family had chosen to forget about him.
The sooner Macie realized this,
the sooner she would take action.
I told you they're on their vacation.
And until they're back, I'm looking after you.
Uh, so you're my nurse.
I'm your granddaughter.
Eh?
I'm your granddaughter.
That's good, that's very, very funny.
I think... I think I would know if I had an Asian granddaughter.
Don't you?
You'd think so.
Yeah.
Hey, you... you think we look alike.
See a little bit, uh?
That's not funny.
Yeah, you know, I... I'm sorry I didn't mean to upset you.
Um, I'd like my eggs over easy
- in future. - Okay.
No, this is just fine, fine, honest.
Noted, next time.
Yeah, yeah.
Not too much.
- No, not too much. - Mhmm, no...
Now I... I know we mustn't have...
Too much now!
But then there's no taste in it.
That's okay, that's alright, that's good enough.
Pepper you can have.
Pepper is good.
Who is mom?
My mom, you're daughter.
Elise!
Well, where is she?
She's on vacation, I told you.
You wanna hear her favorite song?
No.
It's real cheery.
Of course, it is.
Oh, oh, oh, oh, oh!
No, no, no, no, God no!
That way!
Hey, you earned this.
Who am I?
My nurse.
No, wait.
You're Macie!
You're my granddaughter.
Good!
Yeah, Macie, my adopted granddaughter.
Mhmm.
Adopted Asian granddaughter, Macie.
Okay, granddaughter is enough.
Can we go to the casino?
Maybe.
Hey, come on, you owe me.
Owe you for what?
Well, who the hell do you think got you that bike, hmm?
That evening, search engine results from Macie's phone,
paired the key words: Dementia and Strategies.
In all of her queries, Macie found a common strategy
that could be summed up in one word:
Routine.
Careful.
- Yes. - Oh, okay.
Alright.
Do you know where you are?
Well, I was... I was hoping you would give me a hand with uh,
answering that one.
This is your daughter Elise's home.
Now who am I?
Ah, well, you're not my nurse.
Okay, good.
I am Macie, your granddaughter.
- Right. - Good.
Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah.
My granddaughter, Macie.
Granddad.
Yeah.
I want us to try something.
I want us to practice this routine together.
I'm here to help you, but I can't help you
if you don't remember who I am.
And that you trust me.
Do you trust me?
Do I have a choice?
No.
Okay.
Okay, when I was young,
I practice this routine to help me
with language and numbers, okay?
It's going to be half in Thai, half in English.
Hey, I can't learn a foreign language.
No, you just need to remember the English part.
And I can't even guarantee that.
- It'll be easy. - Okay.
Okay?
- Yeah, sit up a little bit. - Okay.
It'll be easy.
Okay, just put your hands together,
just like... not a prayer, just like a fish.
- How about that? - A fish?
A fish.
There'll be two fish right here.
What... what sort of fish?
I don't know.
- It's gonna be a fish. - Okay.
And now you're gonna sway with me,
then... or you have to go the opposite way, okay?
Sliding, okay?
Show... show me what you mean.
Okay.
Got it?
You have mi... mimic me.
Up.
Down, yeah.
Forward.
Back.
- Huh, right? - Okay?
Okay.
- Palm, palm. - Palm.
Alright?
- Now... - Palm.
Palm, palm.
Yeah.
And now you going to count.
We're gonna give like high five.
One.
Two, this side, yeah.
Okay, can you count with me?
- Okay. - Okay.
- Three. - Right.
Now it's your turn to count.
Four.
Five.
- Six. - Good.
Seven.
Keep going.
Eight.
Nine.
Getting somewhere.
10, this one is special.
We're going to put your hands together like this,
10, 10, 10, 10!
Wakey, wakey!
10, 10, 10, 10, 10!
- Wakey, wakey! - That's right.
That's right.
Who's my granddad?
I am your granddad.
Who's your granddaughter?
You are.
And your name...
Is?
Mmmm, Macie.
Macie.
- That's right! - Very good.
Don't forget, we gotta do this every morning.
Okay?
Okay.
- Granddad. - Hmm.
Promise me you won't forget me.
I will try not to forget you.
- I won't forget Macie. - Good.
I won't forget Macie.
Macie is my granddaughter.
Good work!
And grandpas don't forget granddaughters.
That's right.
They look after them.
Despite Macie's initial apprehensions,
the new living arrangement quickly and unexpectedly
proved itself comfortable for both of them.
Once each granted the other respect,
a symbiotic relationship formed, and the days blended into weeks.
- It is worth it. - Then do it right.
Can we have a drink?
Is that the hug, that hug for beer?
- Yeah. - That's pretty much bribing.
Macie!
- Yeah, it's back. - I hate your mom.
Your mom can't cook...
Who are you?
...can't sew...
Remember?
...and knows nothing about...
Five!
...the nutrition of older men.
Six.
...which is...
Seven.
...dependent upon...
Eight.
...a regular and considerable...
Nine!
...intake...
10, 10!
...of beer.
This is a medical certainty.
10, 10!
Macie!
Okay, maybe you deserve it.
I do, I do.
Yes.
What's my name?
Hmm, Macie.
Hmm, ace.
Thank you.
Mmm, oh.
Working on something?
I wrote a song.
About cowboys?
No!
It's a real song.
I will try to perform it in front of an audience.
Mhmm.
Granddad, I'm kinda nervous.
About which part?
Whether or not people gonna like it.
Well, some people won't like it.
Whenever you do something, some people don't like it.
Yeah.
But some people will like it.
Anyway the point is if everybody is happy
with what you're doing,
you're not doing anything important.
Oh, it's good.
It's good.
♪ Knowing where to go ♪
♪ Lost myself in finding those I never truly know ♪
♪ And I've given up everything ♪
♪ To follow my dreams ♪
♪ Wherever you go, I'll follow ♪
♪ Oh, oh, oh, oh ♪
Thank you very much.
Now for this next song,
we'd like to invite up to the stage local song writer,
Macie Myers.
Hi, everyone.
♪ I swear I saw you ♪
♪ As you flew across the sky ♪
♪ And in that moment, I felt you ♪
♪ I felt so alive ♪
♪ But how do I tell you and when will you know? ♪
♪ And who do I turn to when I'm all alone? ♪
♪ I am still searching for where I belong ♪
♪ When will this place ever feel like a home? ♪
♪ I've been trapped inside, never knowing where to go ♪
♪ Lost myself in finding those I've never truly known ♪
♪ And I've given up everything ♪
♪ To follow my dreams ♪
♪ Wherever you go, I'll follow ♪
♪ When the world gets lonely ♪
♪ And the colors slowly fade ♪
♪ Will you be the reason? ♪
♪ Will you fight for me to stay? ♪
♪ 'Cause we've all been running ♪
♪ From the world and all its pain ♪
♪ And I'm still searching for my place ♪
♪ But how do I tell you and when will you know? ♪
♪ And who do I turn to when I'm all alone? ♪
♪ 'Cause I am still searching for where I belong ♪
♪ When will this place finally feel like a home? ♪
♪ I've been trapped inside, never knowing where to go ♪
♪ Lost myself in finding those I've never truly known ♪
♪ And I've given up everything ♪
♪ To follow my dreams ♪
♪ Wherever you go, I'll follow ♪
♪ Given up everything to follow my dreams ♪
♪ Wherever you go, I'll follow ♪
Thanks, everyone.
Give a round of applause...
While time would always be pushing her forward,
in moments like these,
Macie would learn to steer her path
towards a shared experience.
That was great.
Oh, hey.
Thanks.
That was just one song.
No, really, I loved it.
I'm glad, I like you like it.
I came to watch you practice the other day,
you probably don't remember.
I remember, you... you showed up.
I said I would.
I love goin' to watch live music all the time at home.
And I don't really know anyone from here yet, so I thought...
well, apart from the idiots that came with me.
Where are you from?
Uh, we just came from the base.
No, I mean, where are you really from?
- Oh, Chelsea, the UK. - Oh.
Is my accent not giving it away.
So you're a pilot?
I am indeed.
We're up here running missions at the moment.
Hi, how are you two?
What do you, uh... what do you do when you're not singing?
Oh, I work in senior care, yeah.
Yeah?
Like a...
Oh no, I'm working in a...
with the private contract right now, yeah.
No one's wasting my time with useless shit.
- Can I buy you a drink? - Oh, sure.
But I can't stay too long though,
'cause you know,
I have big job early in the morning.
Yeah, we're um, up here running missions
twice a day at the moment.
In fact, I'll probably be flying around your skies
for the next couple of months.
- Hmm, you're visiting? - Yeah.
Well, you know, if it goes well, it might become an annual thing.
So who knows, could be back here talking to you next year.
Excuse me, guys.
You did great, Panda.
We gotta do a music video.
Oh, absolutely.
So...
You guys coming to the after party?
Um, well, do you?
I mean you've got work in the morning though, right?
Oh, I was going to, you know.
My place in an hour, your call, Panda Bear.
Okay.
Busy place.
Yeah.
- Listen... - Hey, Tupac, we gotta go.
Someone forgot to do a FOD check,
maintenance says it took router out on one of the planes.
- Now? - Now!
Okay, just give me one minute.
Hey, it wasn't our fault.
Fine, just one minute.
I'll... I'll be with you.
- Sorry. - Tupac, huh?
Yeah, it's a call sign.
It's flying thing, like a nickname.
I know what a call sign is.
Of course.
That's um, that's my pal, T-Bag.
Hi!
Some call signs are better than others, listen I'm uh...
I'm actually called Liam.
Well, I'm called Grant Liam Smith,
but I won't tell you that.
Just call me Liam.
Macie.
Oh wait, not Panda?
- No, not Panda. - Oh.
That's just my nickname from high school.
Right.
It's kind of...
Kind of what?
I don't know.
Listen, are you guys gonna be um, are you playing here again
anytime soon or am I gonna have to come
and meet you down at some point.
Maybe, hopefully.
We gotta go now.
Uh, yeah, sure.
The... I'm coming right now.
Sorry, listen I will see you at the next thing, okay?
Later, Tupac.
Goodbye, Macie.
Claire, I'm gonna show 'em.
If I could find the damn thing, I'll go myself!
Ahhh!
Where is it?
Goddammit!
Bedrooms after bedrooms.
It's a bloody hotel!
Claire!
Claire, where are you?
- Claire! - Granddad?
- Yeah, yeah. - Are you okay?
Am I okay?
Do I look okay?
Are you looking for your room?
I'm looking for my wife!
I want my wife!
Are you stupid?
Do you know who I am?
My wife has run this casino for 12 years
and you're asking me, and I'm gonna have you fired.
And any other new face that...
Oh Claire.
Claire.
Mr. Moore.
Mr. Moore, is there anything I can help you with?
Your wife, Claire?
Yeah.
- Yeah. - Yeah.
She told me about you.
Okay?
Yeah.
- I'm lost. - Okay.
Are you here to help me?
I'm only here to help, okay?
I'm not going anywhere.
No.
Now let me take you to see her.
Give me those.
- Okay? - I'm...
I'm lost.
This way, just right this way.
Not far at all.
I just prepared this room just for you.
Claire's gone.
She's dead.
I'm sorry about that.
Sorry, Macie.
Oh, Claire.
Oh God, Claire.
Okay, here we go again, this routine.
You remember them.
One!
Two!
Three!
Four!
Get with the program!
Five!
Six!
Seven!
Eight!
Nine!
10!
Okay, who's my granddad?
I'm your granddad, you're my granddaughter!
Your name is Macie!
Okay, wow, are you hungry?
Yeah, you want me to make you breakfast?
I'm a good cook, you know?
At least I used to be about 35 years ago maybe.
What do you want?
I only do eggs!
Excuse me, do you know where can I find cocktail sauce?
Maybe try the Asian food section.
No, it's for seafood, for shrimp.
Yeah, if we had it, that's where it'd be.
Hey, mulberry!
Make eye contact and listen to me.
Cocktail sauce, red, comes in a jar.
You dip things in it.
Where do you keep it?
Maybe condiments, aisle 9.
See, now that wasn't too difficult, was it?
Because you have learnt a great lesson.
You've learnt that between the question and the answer
lies thinking.
Now you apply this to your life
and you'll be very successful.
You might even get laid one day.
- Carry on. - Yes sir.
He's young.
He's a haircut.
But for some reason I have a stick in my hand.
Just like a skewer.
I want to know more about my birth parents.
Why not?
Good idea.
Good idea, why not?
Do you think it's wrong?
What could be wrong about it?
I mean, mom and dad, I just don't know...
Ah, wait a minute, wait a minute.
If your mom and dad love you, they will understand.
And they do love you, they do love you.
But you see you've gotta find the win-win in every situation.
Look if your mom and dad love you, great.
If your mom and dad don't love you, move on.
Even with my parents?
With anyone in your life.
Just don't get stuck in no man's land.
But I just don't know how to bring it up.
Well, you don't have to bring it up, do you?
I mean, look, your dad is an accountant.
Now an accountant is like a squirrel,
he hides every nut he's ever found.
If you go through his files, find the day you were adopted,
you will find every single document in there down to the...
the receipt for the last cup of coffee that he had.
Okay?
Now either do it or don't do it.
I'm... I'm not your cheerleader.
It's your life, own it.
Oh, and by the way, I found the cocktail sauce.
I can't tell you what Macie was feeling,
nor would I be able to fully understand it
if I could.
However, Macie made a number of inquiries on the network
then known as the "World Wide Web".
This is something I can tell you a lot about.
Search engine results suggest that Macie hoped to pair
the English spellings of her parents' names
with the tags tsunami, casualty list, 2004.
The closest she came was the discovery
of a comprehensive PDF.
However, at the time she accessed it,
the link was broken, resulting in a 404 error.
When her searches in English failed to find valuable data,
Macie switched to Thai.
After printing a keyboard from her system preferences,
Macie began translating her parents' names
back into Thai characters.
Since her native language consisted of 44 letters,
Macie would have to account for multiple spellings.
It is likely at this point that
she realized her written command of Thai
was no longer as strong as her spoken command,
as Macie began using a Thai to English translator.
She searched for spoken tags, such as...
Thailand tsunami missing dead list.
...paired with the year 2004, this had mixed results.
Tsunami: Death and wounds from the area.
This process continued for one hour, 10 minutes,
and 11 seconds, after which time Macie quit.
Of course, results can only be as good as their search.
Using the correct year, Macie tried her search again
and found the list she was looking for.
2547 tsunami casualty list.
By cross referencing her parents' real names,
Macie would find the key to a mystery
that she didn't yet know existed.
Deceased.
Missing and recovered.
You're saying if she's alive, she could be anywhere?
If it is her, if the list is right.
Yep.
Oh, but if she's alive,
why wasn't she on the original list?
It said, "missing and recovered".
They might have thought she was dead.
The list wasn't updated until 2551.
2551, good God, I've lost 500 years.
It's four years after the tsunami.
Maybe she was in a coma.
Maybe she wasn't.
She probably doesn't know about me either.
So that is what this is about, eh?
What does she know?
Do you think she's abandoned me?
Hey, listen, don't ask me a question like that.
I would've forgotten this conversation in 15 minutes,
you'll remember it.
So you think I should give up?
Look, what I think you should do is stop asking me
what you should do!
Or anyone else for that matter!
Do what makes you happy.
You think this is about happiness for me?
Look, I don't give a shit!
Do what you fucking want?
Do you think this is what I want?
Living at the edge of the world,
talking to some 80-years-old man,
trying to figure out who I am?
Alright.
The truth is a favor and I will give you that favor.
The truth is if you live long enough,
in the long timeline, nobody cares about you.
Well, you can say that.
Yeah, I can say that.
My wife died, I... I was shipped off to a home.
No one has cared about me for years.
Not even my granddaughter,
who if she had turned up might've been able to remind me
that I had an Asian granddaughter.
Look, here's the truth if your mother is alive
and she cared about you,
she would've come looking for you.
Chief, I'm bored!
Let's find the watering hole, shall we?
I could use a drink.
Or two.
No one can know,
but I think it is at this moment that Macie allows herself
to consider the worst.
Here.
Thank you, you know World War II in England,
we had seafood nearly every day.
Mom said you never fought in the war.
Of course I didn't, I was too young.
But my big brother did.
Last thing he ever did, too.
He died on Juno Beach 1944.
No one told me you had a brother.
Yeah, well, you didn't ask.
I had a brother, too.
You must miss him.
You know, I suppose I...
I suppose I would if I could just remember him.
Sometime I thought about my brother,
what it would be like if he's still alive.
Would we get along?
He probably married, have family now?
You ever think like that?
You know, perhaps I did when I was younger,
yes, perhaps I did.
But you know, I don't think it would have made a difference,
we'd have seen each other once every 10 years
for a barbecue.
It's the way life is led these days.
Besides, he'd be dead by now anyway and...
Ah, whether he'd been here or not,
I would've ended up here.
You will end up where you end up,
regardless of whether your brother had lived or died,
eh?
They shall not grow old, as we that are left grow old.
Age will not weary them nor the years condemn.
From the going down of the sun and in the morning,
we will remember them.
Damn the... I... I can remember that verse
and I can't for the life of me remember my brother's face.
Well, I think that calls for another beer, don't you?
No, you had way too much.
I want you to finish your food.
I'm going out tonight.
Where are you going?
Out.
- You got a date? - No.
- Gonna get laid? - No.
Come on, give me a beer.
Okay, one more!
One more, just one more?
Okay, I'll settle for one more.
One more and that's it!
And then I'll go to bed.
Hey, you've forgotten something?
Cocktail sauce!
While some would categorize Macie as a social drinker,
the truth was that she had been in very few
social situations in which drinking was an expectation.
At this moment, Macie exceeded all expectations.
You want to split?
Yeah.
You're on your own, mate.
- What? - Sorry.
Well, don't...
Good luck, bro, we'll see you at the barracks.
- Hey, you came. - Oh my God, wow!
I didn't even recognize you.
You don't remember me?
No, no, I... I came
'cause I thought you might be performing here tonight.
- All of you. - You look like a dork.
- I look like a dork, okay. - Hmm.
Tupac!
Tupac's a dork!
- Guess I am. - Guess what?
Go on.
I like dorks.
- You do? - Hmm.
I think a lot of women might like dorks.
Hmm?
I said I think a lot of women might like dorks.
Hmm.
Mmm.
Am I a little bit late to this party by any chance?
Hmm?
I said am I a little bit late to your party by any chance?
Do you know what's my name?
What?
Do you know what's my name?
Yeah, Macie, remember not Panda.
No, that's not my real name.
It's not?
Mm-mm, I'm an orphan.
You're what?
I'm an orph...
Oh wow, okay.
Oh.
When will this stop?
Uh, in my experience, drink that,
you're gonna be a little bit sore in the morning.
Oh, okay.
Oh, I see you.
This is you.
I'm so sorry.
Ah, don't be.
I've been in the military for years,
I've seen this situation many a time.
In fact that's been me a couple of times,
so really no need to apologize.
- No, I mean your shirt. - Oh!
I'm sorry.
No, it's fine, it's more colourful now.
Probably would have been better for this day.
But you can't wear puke shirt to the party.
No, that's right, I was joking.
Yeah?
Oh!
Hmm.
Got it?
Good work.
Yeah, 'cause you know, puke shirts are gross.
Yes, yes, they are.
Would you like a lift... a ride somewhere?
I'm gonna suggest home in this case, but up to you.
Can you fly me home, pilot?
I'm gonna drive this time if I sod out of here.
Thanks.
You're very welcome.
Whose house is this?
Is this not... I thought you said number 47.
You... you definitely said 47.
This is...
Joking, okay.
Yeah, okay, real cute.
And very good.
You're so serious all the time.
You can put me down.
Not a bad idea.
She catches a familiar scent in the air,
one that takes her back, not to a specific moment,
but to abstract feelings of eros and philia, solace and serenity,
all parts of a sensory collective associated
in her mind with just one person.
Him.
In the time it takes her to turn around,
a rush of nervousness and excitement swell
as adrenaline surges into her bloodstream.
The outline of his figure,
that has already been burned into her cerebral cortex,
provides a confirmation so familiar
that it forces a smile of recognition
to creep across her face.
From the look in his eyes, she is not sure if their meeting
has happened by chance or if, ideally,
he has returned here just for her.
A flurry of emotions and chemicals
course through her body as his moves closer.
He moves in without apology or hesitation,
gripping her waist with such purpose
that she instantly realizes his desire for their encounter.
At this moment, I like to speculate
what's going through her mind, "He's not going for it.
Is he?
Because I mean... I think... oh hell."
A sea of endorphins engulf the union,
melting it into the fabric itself.
No mediation, no divide,
just the space and time between you and I.
Granddad?
Granddad!
Language was not used during the drive home.
In life, as on a network, sometimes less is more.
12 hours?
And 33 minutes.
I better take a whizz before I go.
It's a good idea.
The highs and lows of the trip would be rigidly burned
into Macie's brain.
However, it would be the uneventful minutes
of chemistry and conversation that Macie would later wish
she could recall.
With her mind focused on events that had yet to transpire,
these minor moments would never be remembered,
recreated or revisted.
Hey, nice truck.
Had one of those.
Macie?
We gonna stop for food?
Are you hungry?
Yeah, I'm a little thirsty.
And find a watering hole.
Hey, hey, hey!
Where do you think you're going?
I'm the one driving this car.
Oh, okay.
Easy there.
I'll spot you when you get tired.
We'll stop in the next town.
You know, I had one of those in about '74... '74, '75.
Oh!
Oh.
Did anyone notice on my side?
No.
Anyone on mine?
Doesn't look like it.
Have you done this before?
Yeah, two and a half times.
Alright, okay, this is what we're gonna do,
on the count of three, we're gonna turn our heads
and look ahead very naturally, okay?
1, 2, 3.
You didn't notice them?
They haven't noticed us.
Right.
Backup slowly.
Think I'm just gonna check these tires, honey.
Yeah, oh.
Looking good, eh?
- Granddad! - What?
It's stuck.
Well, give it a wriggle.
Like a corkscrew.
Like a corkscrew?
Yeah, like a corkscrew.
Oh.
What do you think about this?
Like looking in the bathroom mirror.
I'm not just gonna keep holding it.
Then hang it up and let's get the hell out of here.
What if this is a mistake?
Do you think it is?
I think you're nervous.
I can feel my heart beating.
I don't think I wanna do this.
Your heart's beating, 'cause you do want to do this.
It's beating fast,
because it knows you're going to do this
and it's just prepping your body.
I'm just gonna do this quick and get this over with.
What if she thinks that...
I've often found that if you expect the worst outcome,
sometimes you're pleasantly surprised.
And even if it is the worst outcome,
what difference does it make?
You didn't this trip for her, you made it for you.
I just keep hoping that she doesn't know I'm alive
and when I see her, when she recognizes me,
it will feel so good.
But what if she knew all along that I'm alive and I'm adopted.
Why didn't she do anything about it?
Well, perhaps she was operating in your best interest.
No.
Yeah, it could be that she was acting out of love.
Stop.
She might have done it, because she thought
that you would get a better life...
- No, stop! - Better life than the...
Shut up, shut up, shut up!
That's what you think.
That's what everyone always think.
"Oh, you're so lucky to be here?
Aren't you glad this place is so great?"
Wow, amazing place!
Half of the people are depressed and obese.
Another half never even been out of the country,
but somehow they knew this is the best place on Earth!
Meanwhile, I'm treated like an outsider
who's supposed to be grateful for a chance
to clean everyone's garbage.
But if I actually do a good job, the they get jealous!
"More immigrant, don't steal our job,
don't work harder than we do!
Unless it's a job we don't want, then you can work hard."
The only reason people think this place is great
because they keep telling themself that.
"Aren't you glad you don't live in some shit-hole country?"
Well, you know what, I've lived here,
I've lived outside, I was a lot fucking happier
without everyone reminding me every five minutes
how lucky I am to be here, like I don't deserve to be here!
I was just trying to make you feel better.
Everyone always thinks that.
It's like saying, for a poor person,
you have such a great attitude.
Before it's a compliment, it's already an insult!
You feel better now?
Now stop delaying things, get out of here and do it.
Are you coming?
No, no.
The rest of this story is yours.
Where did you get that?
I stole it from the store.
My granddaughter.
Goodnight, Macie.
Goodnight, granddad.
Goodnight, granddaughter.
Goodnight, Claire.
Granddad?
Granddad!
Granddad?
Granddad.
204, next.
Can I have mozzarella burger with no ketchup, please.
Would you like to make that a meal?
No.
Okay, so one mozzarella burger.
With no ketchup.
Uh, Sharon!
How can I put in a special order?
What's the problem?
She wants a mozzarella burger with...
So then you just put, you know number three.
Uh, meal number three.
She doesn't want the meal.
Ugh, then you just do sandwich number three.
With no ketchup.
Ugh, so "No ketchup".
Uh, I'll just go tell them to make it in the back.
Anything else?
Um, can I have a small fries to go with that?
Yeah, for sure.
8.35 please.
- On my card. - Go ahead.
Number 205.
Thank you.
Next.
Hi.
- Hey, Sharon! - Oh hey, how's it going?
Wow, someone looks a little less sober than yesterday.
You know it.
What would you like to order?
Uh yeah, give me a... a sausage.
No, sorry.
What do you want?
You know what, I'll help him.
You just go pull.
Sorry, it's kind of a shit show around here.
Unfortunately, I don't do the hiring.
Yeah, well, at least you speak English.
Yeah.
Excuse me?
Yes?
I ordered no ketchup, there's ketchup on my burger.
Oh, I'm sorry about that.
Um, Sharon?
What's wrong?
I ordered no ketchup, but there's ketchup on my...
Oh, you ordered no ketchup?
Yes.
Well, then go make the one with no ketchup.
206?
There you go.
Bye, Sharon.
See you, drive safe.
Special order!
Here you go.
Everything.
So uh, is that how you ordered it?
Leave the bag.
We'll take it.
What?
The bag, leave it.
You can't have both.
Why not?
That's not how it works.
- Oh, you thought... - Oh yeah, I do think.
If you don't want ketchup,
then take the burger without the ketchup.
You can't order wrong and then take both, okay?
That's not how it works here.
That's not how it work here?
Where is here?
In this country, here, we don't just rip people off.
You get what you pay for.
How do you know where I'm from?
You think I can't buy these?
I paid for it.
The burger and the fries, so you can get paid to flirt
with shitheads at 2:00 in the morning!
You want them back?
Have them back!
Have them all!
Stupid fries!
I'm so sick of here!
Sick of everything!
Oh, I'm sorry, I... I just... I... I thought that you...
Oh, you thought?
You thought I'm some brown person
who gonna come here and steal your job,
your boy... boyfriend, and your fucking burger!
You can have them all!
This girl!
This girl can probably tell you,
unless you're white and you're born here,
this place is fucking overrated!
Here!
All of Mason's remaining friends and family
were invited to the funeral.
For the event, 18 attended, five did not,
and two clicked "interested" in going.
And so I asked him, "How is that a cheery song?"
And he said, "My mother, she hated cowboys."
That was Mason.
Macie would never complete her mission with Mason.
Here you go.
Is there anything else for you?
Is the manager in today?
Uh, yes, she should be uh, in shortly.
Thank you.
Cheque, please.
One moment please.
Everything is good?
Yes, it's really good, thank you.
- Pintip! - Yeah?
Your husband is on the phone.
Thank you.
Hi honey, how are you?
Yeah, I'm so busy right now.
I like to think that it was Mason's advice
that led Macie to her decision, though I cannot be sure.
For we only ever get to know others in moments.
Okay, bye.
You're not waiting for a lift, are you?
Sorry, I am...
It's okay, I've seen you in worse state, remember?
Oh, really?
Can you fly me home then?
Did you wanna go for a ride?
Can I?
Uh, no, actually that's entirely impossible, sorry.
Well, if... if we're in a movie,
you could fly me into the sunset when no one on base is watching.
That's true.
You could sit on my lap, I'd put my arms around you
as I teach you how to fly.
Probably do a little barrel roll just to show off.
But then of course, we would land.
We can make love in a parachute hangar...
...to a country song.
I think I've seen that maybe.
I'm pretty sure the country song comes in
right at the end though, no?
That's right.
Well, you got me.
I do wish it was like that.
Well, your life isn't a movie, isn't it?
Uh, I thought about stopping by.
I thought about you stopping by.
Okay, look, um, I didn't wanna be
one of those people who comes into your life
for a minute and then just leaves.
I think I can see what you're going through,
even though others around you can't,
you're right in front of them.
And I know, I can feel your happiness and your sadness,
it's all reflected in those eyes.
So obvious, but no one else can read it.
I guess I just um, I... I wish I had more time.
I wish I could get to know you.
I have to go.
Will you be back next year?
Possibly, I... it's not really up to me, if I'm honest.
But, look, why don't we try and... and just...
No.
I just decided recently that I don't wanna live my life
waiting for the possibilities.
Even if this is it for me.
Yeah.
Being unsure if her experiences held any significance,
Macie put them into her art.
Her voice becoming increasingly stentorian
with every project.
♪ I swear I saw you ♪
♪ As you flew across the sky ♪
♪ And in that moment, I felt you ♪
♪ I felt so alive ♪
For Macie, the next year would pass
relatively uneventfully.
She would find a similar job working with different people.
The search engine results for the rest of her life
conclude that she would never again search
for her birth mother's name.
However, what Macie did not know is that,
at moments like these, her own name
was being searched in English and in Thai.
The one searching for her would not find
meaningful results until two years later
when a backlog of government documents,
including Macie's adoption papers,
would be converted from paper files
to a digital network.
Until those searches wielded meaningful results,
Macie's life would remain unmediated.
But it was in these moments, that I felt alive.
♪ I swear I saw you ♪
♪ As you flew across the sky ♪
♪ And in that moment, I felt you ♪
♪ I felt so alive ♪
♪ But how do I tell you and when will you know? ♪
♪ And who do I turn to when I'm all alone? ♪
♪ I am still searching for where I belong ♪
♪ When will this place ever feel like a home? ♪
♪ I've been trapped inside, never knowing where to go ♪
♪ Lost myself in finding those I've never truly known ♪
♪ And I've given up everything ♪
♪ To follow my dreams ♪
♪ Wherever you go, I'll follow ♪
♪ When the world gets lonely ♪
♪ And the colors slowly fade ♪
♪ Will you be the reason? ♪
♪ Will you fight for me to stay? ♪
♪ 'Cause we've all been running ♪
♪ From the world and all its pain ♪
♪ And I'm still searching for my place ♪
♪ But how do I tell you and when will you know? ♪
♪ And who do I turn to when I'm all alone? ♪
♪ 'Cause I am still searching for where I belong ♪
♪ When will this place finally feel like a home? ♪
♪ I've been trapped inside, never knowing where to go ♪
♪ Lost myself in finding those I've never truly known ♪
♪ And I've given up everything ♪
♪ To follow my dreams ♪
♪ Wherever you go, I'll follow ♪
♪ And I've given up everything to follow my dreams ♪
♪ Wherever you go, I'll follow ♪