norman blaine, whose greatest fear
is that if he were to vanish from the earth tomorrow
no one would notice, or mourn, or question.
and whose greatest sadness
is the realization that he is probably right.
sofa, coffee table, chair, and pet.
solitary decorations in a life
noted chiefly for its isolation.
point of origin and point of destination for norman blaine
whose days and nights are routinely swallowed
into unhappy silence.
woman (on tv): hi, bob.
hi, linda.
going out tonight?
no, i'm going to court tomorrow.
man 2: great, bob, they're going to let you practicing again.
no, it's alimony court, mike.
my wife's suing me for a thousand bucks
'cause she says the cat needs day care.
oh, alimony. See, linda, i hadn't even thought...
announcer (on tv): ludwig van beethoven, claude debussy,
tchaikovsky and ravel.
finally, a collection of your all-time classical hits.
remember this one? (mozart composition plays)
or this haunting melody. (piano playing)
music whose beauty never fades.
all on one album in a unique offer.
only a limited number of these special-edition sets
will be made available to the public.
so, call 555-4221
and order classic edition, volume 1, while supplies last.
for your album, cassette, or cd, call 555-4221.
operators standing by 24 hours a day.
moments to remember for all time.
share this album with your loved ones.
rachmaninoff, hayden, strauss's "blue danube"
pachelbel's "canon in d."
you'll be glad...
hello?
uh... yeah, hi.
uh... i'm sorry.
i think i dialed the wrong number.
excuse me?
listen, i'm really sorry.
it's just a wrong number.
i probably woke you up.
no. it's okay.
i was just sitting here, and i heard the phone ring.
for a minute, i was afraid whoever was calling
would hang up before i got here.
yeah, i know what you mean.
i hate it when that happens.
it's really annoying.
what's your name?
norman. Norman blaine.
you have a very nice voice.
thank you.
so do you.
what's your name?
mary ann.
that's a good name.
listen, would you like to talk a bit?
i mean, if you're not busy, or...
that would be nice.
so, where was i?
uh, talking to some strange woman for an hour.
hour and a half— that's the amazing thing.
wasn't like she was a stranger at all.
it was, i don't know,
special somehow.
she was nervous at first.
but after awhile, she started talking, and i started talking
like we were old friends.
next thing i knew, it was...
an hour and a half later.
exactly.
she was friendly.
and fun.
i hadn't had that much fun in ages.
now, i don't know what to do next.
she said i could call her back tonight after 7:00.
i guess she works late.
but i'd really like to meet her.
i just don't know.
look, uh, norman,
a year and two months we've shared this office.
for a year and two months
i've been able to come in here
and sit at my desk and pretend i'm all alone.
because from your side
of the room
came a blissful silence.
i really like silence.
i havefivekids.
look, you want my advice?
ask her out.
okay?
suggest...
lunch, or dinner.
ice cream.
a trip to the zoo, whatever.
just go crazy.
the fact is,
she wouldn't spend the time talking to you
if she didn't want to meet you, right?
simple problem, simple solution, okay?
now, norman, you're a nice guy.
but for the next hour
i would really like to have no noise.
that would make me a really happy man.
okay?
well, thanks for listening, anyway.
that was a noise.
mary ann: hello?
hi. it's me.
i didn't realize— we've been talking for over three hours.
i probably should let you go.
all right.
but one more thing.
i just want you to know, norman,
i really enjoyed our talk last night and tonight.
i wanted to thank you.
well, same here.
in fact, i was wondering
if you'd like to get together sometime?
maybe lunch, dinner, a movie.
anything you want.
uh, norman...
no rush.
i mean, anytime.
it's okay.
no, i really can't.
we have so much fun just talking.
why do we have to change it?
can't we just leave it at this?
well, sure, i guess so.
i've hurt you, haven't i?
no, no. really, it's okay.
like i said, i just enjoy talking to you.
honest.
promise you'll call me tomorrow?
i promise.
bye, norman.
okay, norman, give.
what?
for five days now, you've been absolutely quiet.
not a sound.
it's the strangest thing.
we've talked for hours and hours over the phone,
but she won't come out on a date.
let me give you some advice.
look, you say you want to meet this woman, right?
but you don't know who she is
or where she lives.
all you've got is a phone number.
have i got it surrounded here?
yes.
well, you've heard of reverse listings?
you phone the operator
say you've got this number, and it's an emergency.
get the operator to tell you the address
for that number.
and once you've got the address,
you cruise by and run into her by accident.
okay?
after that, you're on your own.
all right, nowcan we have some quiet around here?
excuse me.
does a mary ann work here?
would you know her last name?
i'm sorry, i don't.
she could be an interns.
interns?
volunteer workers.
who would i check with?
you could ask the director, but she's out for lunch.
why don't you come back in an hour.
thanks. may i look around?
of course.
i see you're admiring the sculpture.
very nice.
terrible story, that one.
oh?
the last thing she ever did.
a self-portrait.
i never met the woman myself.
but if this work is any indication,
we've lost a very special artist.
why a woman that talented would kill herself
i don't know.
she killed herself?
oh, yes.
there were the usual rumors—
lovers' quarrels and all that.
what a waste.
it breaks my heart to think we'll never
see anything else from mary ann lindabee.
hello, norman.
hello, mary ann.
i... i didn't think you would call.
i saw you today, norman.
you came by.
you were standing in front of me talking to that woman.
that's impossible.
i can't deal with this.
this can't be happening.
hello.
i'm sorry, mary ann.
(tearfully): no, it's me.
i'm the one who should be sorry.
i never should have answered the phone.
but...
it's been so long, norman.
so long since i've talked to anyone.
it was dark.
and... i was so alone.
i know.
so was i.
i have to go now.
no, wait.
you can't go like this...
i'm sorry, norman.
please...
good-bye.
i'm going to lunch.
i'll be back in an hour.
you were the only one
that ever made me feel i was wanted.
that i wasn't just some jerk.
i miss you.
i miss talking to you on the telephone.
it was the only thing i had to look forward to
when i came home.
after awhile, it was the only reason for going home.
don't you understand?
i used to feel i was nothing.
that i had nothing.
and then...
then there was you
and everything changed.
and i thought
my god...
i'm in love.
for the first time in my life i'm honestly and truly in love.
then it all just went away.
without you there's nothing left for me.
i'm sorry, mary ann.
i'm sorry.
excuse me.
i'll have to ask you
not to touch the exhibit, sir.
good-bye.
hello.
norman.
mary ann.
it was so hard to call you.
it's dark here.
so dark.
i heard what you said
about there being nothing left for you.
it scares me.
it's what i said when...
i was so lonely and hurt.
i couldn't make the pain go away.
(tearfully): it just stayed with me so long and so hard.
and i couldn't take it anymore.
i love you, mary ann.
no.
please.
i do.
i'm sorry.
i didn't think it would happen.
i didn't expect it, ever.
but i can't help it.
i love you.
come to me, norman.
come to me now, tonight.
but the museum will be closed.
don't worry.
i'll take care of it.
but come now, before i change my mind.
hurry.
okay.
mary ann?
it's been so long
since anyone's told me they love me.
i don't want to be alone anymore.
stay with me.
please?
forever.
on display, a very special exhibit
cast in bronze and loneliness.
a tender symmetry of line and form
suggestive of love finally found
in the twilight zone.