While You Were Sleeping

Okay, there are two things that I remember about my childhood.

I just don't remember it being this orange.

First, I remember being with my dad.

He would get these far-off looks in his eye,

and he would say,

"Life doesn't always turn out the way you plan."

I just wish I'd realized at the time he was talking about my life.

But that never stopped us from taking our adventures together.

He would pack up our sometimes-working car,

and he would tell me amazing stories about strange and exotic lands

as we headed off to exciting destinations like Milwaukee.

It's amazing how exotic Wisconsin isn't.

But my favorite memories were the stories

that he would tell me about my mom.

He would take me to the church where they got married,

and I'd beg him to tell me more about the ceremony

and about my crazy Uncle Irwin,

who fell asleep in the macaroni and cheese.

And I asked my dad when he knew that he truly loved my mom.

And he said to me, "Lucy, your mother gave me a special gift.

"She gave me the world."

Actually it was a globe with a light in it.

But for the romantic that he was, it might as well have been the world.

Well, the first time I saw him,

he didn't exactly give me the world. It was a dollar-fifty train token.

But I looked forward to it every single day.

He started coming to my booth between 8:01 and 8:15 every morning,

Monday through Friday, and he was just perfect.

My Prince Charming.

Well, we've never actually spoken, but I know someday we will.

I know it. I just know it.

And I know that someday I will find a way to introduce myself,

and that's gonna be perfect.

Just like my prince.

$45 for a Christmas tree and they don't deliver?

You order $10 worth of chow mein from Mr. Wong's,

they bring it to your door.

I should've gotten the blue spruce. They're lighter.

Ahh!

Lucy!

Nature of claim, Christmas tree through window.

How am I gonna put that on my insurance?

They're still pissed about the fire we had

when Joe Jr. Barbecued in the stairwell.

- I missed that one. - Oh, great sausage.

- Look, I'll pay for this. - That's okay, Lucy.

My brother Julie's in the glass business.

Oh, I almost forgot. Merry Christmas.

Aw, Lucy.

You didn't have to do that.

Well, I wanted to.

I haven't even gotten to my shopping yet.

Hey, Pop.

Can I give that bottle of Blue Nun

from cousin Ornella to my probation officer?

Can't you see we got some company?

- Say hello. - Hello, Luce.

Nice, uh...

Sweater.

- Thank you. - It's over there.

Lucy, you're a nice girl. Joe Jr.'s still single.

Yeah, it's a shocker.

What'll you have?

- Oh, the usual. - What's that?

- Mustard, Coke. - Lucy. Lucy, Lucy, Lucy.

- Hi, Jerry. - I'm glad to find you here.

I was hoping you'd find me in Bermuda.

Bermuda? Oh, that's good.

I am recommending you for Employee of the Month.

The usual.

Really? I didn't know there was an Employee of the Month.

Oh, yeah.

"Supervisor Jerry Wallace nominates Lucy Moderatz

"for Employee of the Month.

"Lucy is never tardy, always works holidays,

"even if she has worked the previous holiday.

"Just because she worked Thanksgiving,

"Lucy is willing to work Christmas, too."

Jerry, I'm not working Christmas.

Uh...

You'll get a nice plaque with the mayor's stamp on it.

- I didn't vote. - You get to ride on a float

- Saint Paddy's Day. - I hate parades.

Did I mention extra holiday pay?

- I hate you. - Lucy.

Look, Violet is sick and Celeste can't switch

because she's got some big family thing.

And I promised my kids I'd be there for them this year.

It stinks, Jerry.

I know it isn't fair, and I can't make you do it.

But, Lucy, you're the only one...

Without family.

Come on, Richie.

Hi.

Merry Christmas.

Uh-huh.

Nice coat? Merry Christmas to you, too?

You're beautiful. Will you marry me?

I love you.

Hey. Nice coat.

It's Christmas.

I don't want any trouble. Whoa!

Let's go, let's go, let's go.

Somebody help me, please.

Sir? Sir? Sir?

Are you okay? Can you get up? God, sir, this is not good.

Oh, God, mister... Can you... Are you breathing?

Oh, God, you smell good. Please wake up. Please, please.

Oh, God. Can you wake up?

- Can you hear me? - (TRAIN WHISTLE BLOWS)

Oh, God.

Wake up. Somebody help me, please.

Mister? Mister?

There's a train coming, and it's fast. It's an express.

Oh, God.

Hi.

All right, bring him down here. I need a doctor here.

Dr. Stevens, Dr. Jessica Stevens...

Hi, excuse me.

About two seconds ago, a man was brought in...

- What's his name? - I don't know it.

- I need to know his name. He's right there.

You don't know his name? Why don't you...

- You can't go in. - You can't go in there.

- You don't understand. You family?

- Family only. No, you don't understand.

- I was... - You wait there.

Okay, guys, what do we got here?

I was gonna marry him.

Get Dr. Rubin or Dr. Ortiz here.

Dr. Memrack to ICU West.

Come on, come with me. Over here.

- Let him hear your voice, hon. - Okay.

Hi.

Everything is gonna be okay. I know it. It's gonna be fine.

- Excuse me. - Yeah?

Is that the woman that saved his life?

- Yeah. - Whoa.

It gets even better than that. She's his fiancée.

Excuse me, ma'am.

I'm sorry, but I need to ask you a few questions.

- Okay. - Officer, may I interrupt you?

- Sure. I'll be right over there. - Thank you.

- I'm Dr. Rubin. - Hi, I'm Lucy.

Don't tell me about passes. Where the hell is he?

Dad, don't embarrass me. - Oh, he's so pale. Oh, my God.

What is this? - This is my son. How is he?

You can't come bursting into this unit.

He'll be all right, right? Right? - What happened? What's going on?

- He's in a coma. - On Christmas Day.

Jesus.

His vital signs are strong, his brain waves are good.

- (MOUTHING) Brain waves? He's going to get through this.

- Are you a specialist? - How did this happen?

He was pushed from the platform at the train station.

Who's she?

- She's his fiancée. - His fiancée?

Yeah. Peter's fiancée?

- Peter's engaged? - Yeah, I thought...

No, no, you don't understand.

I mean, he would have told us, right?

Maybe he was busy.

Too busy to tell his own mother he's getting married?

Don't yell at him. I'm not yelling at him.

- If only Jack were here. - Grandma?

- Is she okay? - She's got a little heart problem.

She's had three attacks already.

They weren't attacks. They were episodes.

Oh, jeez.

- Nothing wrong with her hearing. - Excuse me, Doctor.

What is she doing in here?

Hey, buddy, she saved his life.

You saved his life?

Yeah, yeah, but...

I thought he was pushed off a train platform.

She jumped on the tracks.

You jumped on the tracks?

Doctor, it's supposed to be family only.

- She is family. - She's the fiancée, you idiot.

- Look, I'm sorry, you don't understand. I'm awfully sorry.

We haven't seen him for a long time, so we didn't know.

I always wanted him to find a nice girl.

I'm so glad he found you.

Oh, Peter.

- Why did you say that? - Say what?

- I'm not his fiancée. - Why did you tell me that you were?

I'm not engaged. I've never even spoken to the guy.

What? But downstairs you said... You said you were gonna marry him.

Oh, jeez, I was talking to myself.

Well, next time you talk to yourself,

tell yourself you're single and end the conversation.

- What am I gonna do? - I don't know.

She held me so tight. You know, I couldn't tell her.

- I know. - Excuse me, nurse.

- Is there a pharmacy in the hospital? - What do you need?

Elsie, she wants nitroglycerin.

Oh, for her heart problem?

Problem? (CHUCKLES)

Problems.

You know something, I think you saved her life.