only four job applications in the last week?
uh, we require more than that, mr. cranston.
i know that.
i know.
my daughter was sick.
mmm.
did you get any response from any of them?
no.
are you sure you filled out the application properly?
yes, i'm sure.
maybe if you borrowed a nicer coat?
a coat?
it's not the clothes; it's the time.
the longer i'm out of work,
the harder it is to find someone to hire me.
perhaps you don't understand
the purpose of this interview.
mr. cranston, you know this shelter
has just lost its mortgage,
and i have to determine people's eligibility
so that i can transfer them.
ma'am, do not...
ma'am, don't you think i'm serious
about trying to find work?
do you think i enjoy being broke
and living here in this shelter with my family?
i work with my hands.
i build.
i cannot build unless someone hires me.
do you understand?
i think we've talked enough.
i have other people to interview.
thank you, mr. cranston.
steve cranston—
a man living what thoreau called,
"a life of quiet desperation."
a man once successful,
once firmly ensconced in the american dream,
only to have it turn into a nightmare.
steve cranston— a statistic
whose number is about to be called
from the twilight zone.
it's okay, steve.
something's got to break for us.
no, maybe it is my fault.
you know better than that.
you'll find a job soon.
"soon" is not going to cut it, elaine.
if i don't find something,
we're going to be out on the street.
you know they're closing this place down.
what about that job program
they're starting over in carsdale?
i told you, the job program has been put off for a month.
you know how many positions are open? 20.
you know how many applications there are?
over 200.
now, you tell me what our chances are?
what are we going to do?
i don't know!
i don't know.
man's voice: wouldn't you know—
the one piece i need, i don't have with me.
well, what do you suggest be done in the meantime?
ah, just leave it off tonight.
i'll be back in the morning.
man 2: leave it off?
i mean, do you really think that's such a good idea?
oh, look, i've left the armed light on.
nobody will know the whole system's down
unless you tell them, right?
hmm. Very nice.
very nice, indeed.
you'll notice the growth
in the fourth quarter profits...
yeah, i can see that,
but i still want the audit pushed through.
if there's any way we can cut back on expenses—
salary, budget, personnel—
do it.
i have to tell you
that there's going to be some opposition.
they say they're
down to the bone as it is.
no, no, no, they're not down to the bone.
you know how you can tell?
they always start to yell
when you've hit nerve, not bone.
by the time you get to the bone, they've stopped complaining,
'cause they know
they could be next.
i'll do what i can.
you do that.
well, i see you're ready to leave.
you, uh, have that look.
it is nearly 10:00.
ah, so it is.
i'll stop by tomorrow
with the potential tax shelters that we discussed.
and i urge you to move as quickly as possible
to avoid the year-end rush.
uh, if it's tomorrow, it's going to have to be in the evening.
i'd say around, uh,
8:30? 8:30.
something?
nothing. 8:30.
good night.
will there be anything else this evening, sir?
um, no, no, i don't think so.
i'll do a little reading before i go to bed.
very good, sir.
stay right where you are.
(whispering): oh, god.
mister...
look... i made a mistake, okay?
don't do anything.
i'll give you back...
don't move.
back up.
you don't understand.
back up.
what are you going to do?
i'm going to use the phone and call the cops.
that's what i'm going to do. back up!
no, please don't call the police, mister.
let me explain something. i got a family!
you should have thought of that before.
now, don't try anything.
i'm not afraid to use this thing.
no!
don't you call the cops! i have a family! i have a wife!
i'm warning you,
don't you call!
good morning, sir.
who are you?
what am i doing here?
just try to relax, sir.
you received a rather nasty bump when you hit your head,
but the doctor said
you'd be all right if you rest.
no, that's not right. i-i was shot.
you're confused, sir.
you shot the other man,
but the, uh, police took him away.
what other man? what are you talking about?
mr. perry, the doctor was most emphatic
about your staying in bed.
wait a minute.
there's a picture here of lana taylor,
the movie star, and i'm in it.
what am i doing in this?
oh, as i recall, sir,
you and she are romantically involved,
i believe.
no, wait!
who do you think i am?
frederick perry, sir.
no, no... no, that's wrong.
that's totally wrong.
perhaps i had better speak to the doctor again, sir.
elaine.
eighth street shelter.
yes, good morning.
is elaine cranston there, please?
i'm sorry, she's not here.
no, no, i have to speak to her. i-it's urgent. I'm her...
she's at mercy hospital.
seems her husband got shot last night.
excuse me.
elaine!
elaine, lisa?
oh, thank god.
thank god it's you.
what are you doing?
why? what's wrong?
what are you doing here?
honey?
leave me alone.
honey, what's wrong? don't you recognize me, either?
of course she does.
you're the bastard who shot her daddy.
stay away from him! do you hear me?
just stay away!
oh, god, this is totally crazy.
just because he robbed you was no reason to try to kill him.
no, no, you don't understand.
he tried to kill me.
he was desperate.
we have no money, no place to go
after tomorrow. no, you don't understand. Look.
i got all the money we need, babe.
i don't know how this...
you can't buy your way out of this,
mr. perry— now get out of here!
now get out!
get out of here before i call the police!
no, i'll drop... i mean, he'll drop the charges!
you don't understand!
he's not really...
there you are, sir.
i hate lobster.
i thought you loved lobster, sir.
things change. too many things.
i'm sorry.
tell the chef it's swell, i guess.
"swell", sir?
don't worry.
i'm sure daddy will be all right.
we'll have some hot chocolate, okay?
fred?
what are you doing here?
i'm here as you requested.
i have some background material
on the matters we discussed,
and i need a couple of signatures
just to get the process going here.
could i see this
just for a moment?
this is a lot of money.
you should know.
needless to say, we have a number of options
we can pursue here to get
the best possible shelter
for the money.
shelter?
let me ask you a question.
how much money is this?
i mean, if i put it all on a table
in a great big pile, how much would it be?
well, counting stocks, real estate,
long-term municipals, certificates of deposit—
a little over $40 million.
of course.
and, of course, there's about, uh,
$800,000 in cash and mutual funds.
and i could spend that, right?
yeah, sure, youcould.
(sighs): do you...
do you know this place called the eighth street shelter?
it's a place downtown for the homeless.
uh, their mortgage is running out tomorrow,
and i'd like to, uh, you know...
to what? not buy them out?
yeah, i would like to buy them out.
i'd like to buy out their mortgage.
i'd like to make sure they don't close down tomorrow.
but, fred, you can't just...
why not? it's my money, isn't it?
but why? what's the reason?
never mind why.
just do it tomorrow morning.
you sly fox.
something big's going to happen there, isn't it?
and you want to be in on it.
let's just say the decision i make
is going to affect an awful lot of people.
will there be anything else this evening, mr. perry?
no, thank you, lawrence.
good night, then, sir.
good night.
stay right where you are.
no, i have a family! i have a wife!
you should have thought of that before.
don't you call the cops!
now, don't try anything. i'm not afraid to use this.
no, no...
elaine.
dad!
steve.
thank god.
what happened?
what am i doing
back here?
you were shot breaking into the house.
don't worry, sweetheart.
the man you tried to rob dropped the charges.
take it easy.
as soon as the doctor says you're better,
we can go back to the shelter.
the shelter?
isn't the shelter shut down?
no.
"city applauds benefactor".
listen to this—
"spokesman for financier frederick perry
"announced plans today
"to buy out the mortgage on the eighth street shelter.
"perry, when reached for comment,
simply said that it was the right thing to do."
but it wasn't him. It was me.
well, maybe in a way, it was.
maybe perry saw what desperation could do to somebody
and thought it was time he did
something about it.
best of all,
honey, i talked to the director of the shelter...
and he said there's enough money now
for some real work to be done,
and he wants to hire you.
i was so afraid i was going to lose you.
i'm just so glad that you're back.
so am i.
it has been a time of changes for steve cranston.
the hard times are by no means over,
but perhaps now the decisions ahead
will be easier to make.
there are no easy answers here or in the twilight zone.