("Adam's Song" by John Van Meter)
* You take me as I am
* You catch me as I fall
* You forgive me my sin and shame *
* You hear me when I call
* And I know you're my Savior
* And I know you died on Calvary *
* But I won't know what you endured for me *
* You give me grace untold
* You give me a heart to sing
* You listen when I pray
* You send your spirit to me
- I'll see you inside,
Nice of you to make it,
- Sorry I missed it,
I had a gig last night,
- A gig?
Don't tell me,
a bunch of cover songs
in some lousy club in the East Village?
- [Allen] We're playing our own songs now,
- You know, I don't care, and neither will Dad,
(George Jr, Sighs)
- Look, Mom and I never really got along,
- That's your excuse for missing her funeral?
Man, you've known for days when this was gonna be
and where it was gonna be,
and here you are, late again,
Listen, she's our mother, and she's gone!
I take it you're gonna drive back?
Why don't you just go ahead and leave now?
Oh, (scoffs)
I take it you're broke?
Yeah,
- I do need to head back,
- Right, - But I'd like to see Dad,
- He doesn't need your belated charm,
Just get in your car and go back to New York!
- George, George, go on in the house,
- Dad-- - Just go in the house,
Do me a favor and go in the house, please,
- Yes, fine,
- Yeah,
- [Allen] Good to see you too, big brother,
- Allen, I sure am glad you came for this,
I know you're late, but it's okay,
You going back to New York?
- Yeah, I was gonna leave,
- [George Sr,] Yeah, I hope to see you again soon,
- I hope so too, Dad,
- [George Sr,] I'd like to have you back here,
- I know,
("Marv's Song" by John Van Meter)
* I was once with the Lord
* But now I'm not so sure
* It was very long ago
* I was underneath a tree
* He was there with me
* In the drizzling rain
* Peace was all around
* There was not a sound
* Only the spirit of the Lord
* I was in the garden then
* And I remember when
* It was the last to be
* And I wonder did you see
* All the love I have for you
* And I would be there when the world was new *
* Lightning flashed across the sky *
* I didn't want to die
* So I cried out to the Lord
* I had tasted sin
* And then I died within
* And naked's what I wore
* He whispered in my ear
* He made it very clear
* That I would have to go
* From the ground I would earn
* Into the dust return
* From whence I came
- [Patricia] Alright, I'll have that drawn up
and contact the bank in Los Angeles,
- [George Sr,] Thank you, Patricia,
I know this is a bit unorthodox,
- It is, but that's fine, I think it's a great idea,
- [George Sr,] I'm gonna tell George
when I see him Sunday for dinner,
- Okay, good,
I should have that to you by the end of the week,
Thank you,
(upbeat music)
- I smell chicken,
Dinner must almost be ready,
- Tell us a story before dinner, Grandpa,
- Tell us the one about the long drive from California,
- We've heard that story,
- [Boy] Please,
- Well, your grandmother and I had just gotten married,
and for our honeymoon,
we decided to drive out West and see the sights,
- How far did you get, Grandpa?
- You know how far he got, we've heard this story before,
- We made it all the way
to Joshua Tree National Park in California,
No small feat considering
that not all the interstates were built yet,
- [Boy] Did you drive on the dirt roads?
- No, no, paved roads, mostly Federal and State highways,
- So what happened when you got to the park in California?
- My wallet was stolen, and it had all of our money in it,
- Hey, kids, when Grandpa is done with his story,
why don't you guys go get washed up
and get ready for dinner,
- Okay, - Okay,
- Where was I?
- You were stuck in California with Grandma
and no way to get back,
- Thank goodness there are a lot of Good Samaritans,
We started back home with faith in the Lord
and the good people that he created,
- Hey, you kids go get cleaned up and help your mother,
Hey, Dad, would you wanna pray over dinner?
- No, this is your home,
- It's hard to believe she's not here,
that this isn't your home,
Sunday dinner's just not the same,
- It never will be, son,
but that doesn't mean we stop living,
The Lord would expect us to, and so would she,
I just wish Allen was here,
I'm worried about Allen,
- Listen, Denise has got you sitting across from the kids,
I hope that's okay?
- Oh, certainly,
- Well,
we'll see you in the dining room then,
- I just hope he's okay,
I mean, New York can be a lonely place,
- Look, I'm sure he's fine,
he's got plenty of friends up there,
- George,
there's something I need to talk to you about after dinner,
It's very important,
- Yes, sir,
(upbeat music)
(phone rings)
- Yeah, what do you need?
- [George Jr,] Dad's gone,
The funeral's Tuesday,
(soft music)
- Sorry I'm late again,
- Yeah, well,
you almost made it on time,
- They told me at the funeral home
that lots of people showed up for the visitation,
- Yeah,
And there were folks asked about you,
I told 'em you was just running a little late,
- Thanks,
Nice work on the headstone,
- Mom and Dad designed it themselves,
I just had to make sure that,,,
They're gone,
It's just you and me now,
(Allen sighs)
- I guess you'll be wanting to get to the reception soon?
- Yeah,
We've got a meeting at the attorney's office after,
Well,
I guess we better get going,
You drive,
Denise took the kids in our car,
- How'd you know I'd show up?
- I had faith,
Well,
let's go,
(Allen exhales shakily)
(breathes heavily)
- Since George already knows why we're here,
I'll do this for your benefit,
As you've probably guessed,
we're here for the reading of your father's Will,
- The thought had crossed my mind,
But, he didn't have much to leave us,
Did he?
- "This shall serve as an amendment to my will,"
dated October 20th,
"The only change to be made
"is the challenge that must be met before my sons,
"George Jr, and Allen,
"are to receive their respective inheritance,"
It says here that you are to explain the challenge to Allen,
- You remember that story Dad used to tell us
about how he and Mom was coming back from their honeymoon
and he lost his wallet in California?
- It was, uh,
people helped them across the country to get home,
and Dad kept a list of names and addresses
and sent 'em thank you cards and checks,
- Yeah, that's right,
Yeah, well,
here's something I just learned right before he died,
it was Dad's goal,
he wanted to travel back through those towns
and personally thank those folks,
But I guess life got in the way, he never got the chance,
- That sounds like Pops,
- The challenge is for you and your brother
to travel across this country,
visiting those people or their relatives
and thanking them, personally,
if you want your inheritance,
(Allen chuckles)
- Inheritance?
What, part of a run-down old house and beat-up old car?
- You know, Dad said you'd be all about the money,
- So, since you are all about the money, Allen,
I have to say there is quite the reward
if you fulfill your father's request,
- Yeah? How much?
- When you get to Los Angeles,
there's a bank with a cashier's check for $500,000,
made out to Allen Barnett,
- What?
- Yeah, well, Allen,
while you were busy ignoring Mom and Dad
for the last 10 years,
Dad sold the business,
He made a lot of money,
- I thought he lost the business?
- Well, that's exactly what he wanted you to think,
He knew you'd be back down here with your hand out,
- That's insulting,
- That's true,
- So, do you have to go on this trip to get the inheritance,
or do you get it either way?
- The kids all have trust funds made out for them,
but George has to make this trip with you
before he can get his equal inheritance,
- Hm,
So, if I don't play you all's silly little game,
then neither one of us gets paid,
Alright, I'm in,
How long's this gonna take, and where do we need to go?
(upbeat music)
- From here, you'll go to Mount Vernon, Illinois,
From there, you will go to Boonville, Missouri,
then to Junction City, Kansas,
Byers, Colorado, and then Grand Junction, Colorado,
Next stop is Cedar City, Utah,
and Blythe, California,
Then to Indio, and after that, onto Los Angeles,
From there,
you can pick up your check and fly back to New York,
- We drive all the way across the country
looking for these people,
and nobody knows who they are,
we can't find them or their relatives?
- Your father thought of that,
If you make this trip and the businesses are closed
or the people and their families are long gone,
then you will make a donation to the local church,
Here are two envelopes with $100 bills
for you to give as donations or thank yous,
you both decide,
And here is an expenses envelope full of cash,
and please do keep your credit card receipts, George,
And Allen,
George will be checking in with me periodically,
if you bail, there will be no inheritance,
Okay, when are you leaving?
- After church tomorrow,
- Church?
- Yes, church,
And we're all going,
(upbeat music)
- Don't worry, son, I'll be home on time, okay?
Alright, I gotta go, I gotta take this call, I love ya,
Bye,
Steve Cole,
- Hey, Steve, it's Patricia,
- Patricia, good to hear from ya, how did it go?
- They're on their way tomorrow,
Thanks for coming in on a Saturday to help me out,
- Glad to do it,
Talk to you soon,
- [Patricia] Mm-hmm,
- Bye,
- How'd it go?
- Well, um,
well, it's hard to explain,
- Well, try, (George Jr, chuckles)
- Listen, um, Allen and I have to travel to California,
- When?
- Tomorrow,
- We've got two couches, so you boys get comfortable,
- So this is married life,
- Shut up,
Listen, Dad changed his will,
He wants Allen and I to travel back through those towns
that he and Mom traveled through
coming back from their honeymoon,
remember the story?
- Baby, why in the world would he want you to do that?
- He wants us to thank all those folks
that helped him along the way,
he never got the chance,
- And how long will all this thanking take?
- A week,
I don't know, maybe two,
Oh, baby, look, please, just trust me on this, okay?
Look, it was Dad's last request,
- Okay,
Well, you change Allen,
and not the other way around, you got it?
- Yeah, I got it, come here,
("Magnify" by John Van Meter)
* Rest your mind in the arms of the Lord *
* Magnify His name
* Rest your mind in the arms of the Lord *
* For the One who came
* Oh magnify, oh magnify
* Magnify His name
* Rest your heart in the arms of the Lord *
* Magnify His name
* Rest your heart in the arms of the Lord *
* The blameless man was slain
* Oh magnify, oh magnify
* Magnify His name
* Rest your soul in the arms of the Lord *
* Magnify His name
* Rest your soul in the arms of the Lord *
* For the One who came
- Whoa, hold on, that's the wrong envelope,
that's got the cash in it,
Get the one that's got the map
and the story for the next town,
- Okay, next stop, Mount Vernon, Illinois,
Ed and Belinda Collins,
They gave 'em a meal and a full tank of gas,
- Yeah, that's the tank of gas that got Mom and Dad home,
Yeah, well, I hope Ed and Belinda are still around,
So, nice sermon the preacher gave this morning, huh?
- Nice and long,
(George Jr, Chuckles)
- Mighta been the shortest sermon
I've heard the pastor give,
- I don't know how you do it every Sunday,
- It gives me a sense of purpose, faith,
and it gives my kids a chance to get to know the Lord,
the fellowship of the church,
- Oh, great, another sermon,
I've already had two in one day,
- I'm just saying that that sermon
was about the Good Samaritan,
I felt like that was for Dad,
I mean, I know he woulda loved it,
- [Allen] Don't tell me about the Good Samaritan,
I went to Sunday school too, you know?
- Well, think about it then,
I mean, if that traveler had a chance
to come back years later and thank the Good Samaritan,
that's what we're doing here,
Good sermon,
- [Allen] Whatever you say, George,
- What's that?
- [Allen] The Good Samaritan,
he didn't do it for a thank you,
- No,
No, he didn't,
(upbeat music)
- Excuse me, miss, excuse me,
(chuckles) Hi, how are you?
- [Woman] Good,
- I was wondering if you could help us out?
This lot,
it was our understanding
that this used to be an old gas station and diner, but,,,
- Yeah,
it was Collins' Food and Fuel when I was a little kid,
- What happened?
- Well, it went out of business about 20 years ago,
They tore it down a few years after that,
- Hey, you wouldn't happen to remember
anything about the old owners, would ya?
Uh, Ed and Belinda Collins?
- Yeah, they, uh, they died a few years ago,
Why do you wanna know?
- Well-- - Long story,
Very long story,
- Okay, okay, listen,
(upbeat music)
they had helped our folks out,
and this was years ago,
we just wanted to stop by and thank them,
So, um, now we're traveling back the route
that Mom and Dad took coming back from their honeymoon,
and was trying to find the folks
that helped 'em along the way,
And if we can't find them, I don't know,
maybe we're looking for a relative or something,
- Well, you're in luck,
they have a daughter, Donna,
she lives just west of town,
- Really?
- Yeah,
- You wouldn't mind, like, introducing us
or telling us how to get in touch with her, would ya?
- Yeah, sure, - Aww, that would be so great,
- There you go,
- Aww, thank you so much,
- Yeah, my name's Gina Forrest,
you can just tell Donna that I sent you,
I think she'll be really happy to meet both of you,
- Thank you, Gina Forrest,
Thank you so much,
we appreciate it, - You're so welcome,
Good luck,
- Take care, have a good day,
- If we have to tell that story every time,
we'll make it to California in about two months,
- I love telling that story,
Don't ruin it for me,
- You must be the fellas that Gina called about?
- Did she tell you why we were here?
- She told me enough,
So, you fellas are here to thank me
for something that Moms and Pops did for your parents,
like, uh, 50 years ago?
- It was a request of my Dad,
well, our Dad, before he died,
It was pretty important to him,
- Pops told me years ago
about a young couple on their honeymoon
that he helped get back home,
The young man swore he would pay Dad back,
and he actually did,
And boy was he surprised, (chuckles)
- Well, our dad was a man of his word,
And he really wanted to thank your folks personally,
but life got in the way,
- Oh, isn't that always the case? (chuckles)
- So, um, well, a personal thank you and
this,
- Oh,
Oh, well, uh, I appreciate the thank you,
but you don't owe me anything,
- Oh, I know that, and so did Dad,
but he thought you'd do something good with it,
You know, uh, donate it to the church, or feed the hungry,
- Oh, thank you,
Bless you, bless the both of you, and your father,
Half to the church and half for groceries,
you have my word,
Would you please like to come in for a cup of tea?
- Oh, well, we'd love to, but we got a lotta stops to make,
- Oh, okay,
- You take care though,
- Okay, (chuckles)
("Jesus is King" by John Van Meter)
* My soul glorifies the Lord
* And my spirit rejoices in God, my Savior *
* His shield and His sword
* On His throne that lasts forever *
* He is glorious
* He is wonderful
* He's as peaceful as the love that comes *
* He is marvelous
* He is beautiful
* He will bring His kingdom home *
- [George Jr,] Hey, sweetheart, how's it going?
- [Denise] How are you?
- [George Jr,] Well, I'm doing just fine,
really miss you and the kids,
- I miss you too, they miss you a lot,
How's Allen?
- [George Jr,] Allen's doing just fine,
you know Allen's being Allen,
- Of course,
So, what's your plan?
- [George Jr,] So we're checking out of the motel
in Boonville this morning
and heading to Junction City, Kansas,
I'll give you a call when we get there, this evening,
- Okay, sounds good,
Love you,
- [George Jr,] Talk to you later,
- Alright, miss you,
- Bye, - Bye,
(rings bell)
- [George Jr,] Hello, good morning,
- You must be the two gentlemen who checked in last night,
How has your stay been with us?
- It was great, thank you,
Hey, this may seem like an odd question,
you wouldn't happen to know a David Van Buren, would you?
- Know him?
He's my grandfather,
He started working in this motel in 1952,
and bought it in 1959,
- (chuckles) Good,
Uh, does he still live around here?
- Oh, he passed away about 10 years ago,
- Oh,
- My father inherited the place,
Did you know my grandfather?
- Oh, no, I didn't, but my parents did,
- Hey, I gotta take this,
Uh, can I tell you a story?
- Sure,
- Yeah?
I thought I'd hear from you by now,
What's going on?
Well, you're gonna have to find somebody to fill in,
Look, I'm not gonna be back for two weeks,
Yeah, I realize that,
What?
- So, on behalf of my mother and father,
to thank you to your family
for their hospitality and kindness,
- You've already paid for your room,
- Well, yeah, - What's that for?
- Well, it's just,
it's just a token of appreciation from my parents,
- But you said your father already paid the IOUs,
- Well, yeah, he did,
- A thank you is enough,
- She doesn't want it, alright?
- Do you go to church?
- Boonville Christian Church, every Sunday,
- Okay, well, I tell you what,
this Sunday, you drop that in the collection plate,
That's what our father woulda wanted,
- I will do that,
Thank you,
- [George Jr,] Mm-hmm,
- And I'll call my dad
and see if he ever heard Grandpa talking about your parents,
- You do that,
I'll bet your grandfather was a fine man,
- Thank you,
- Well, we need to be going,
You take care,
Part of the agreement
is you're supposed to be a part of this,
- Sorry, I had to take the call,
- [George Jr,] Well, who was it anyway?
- My band's lead singer, we got a gig on Friday night,
- [George Jr,] Well, did he find somebody to sit in for ya?
- Yes, they did,
- [George Jr,] Good,
(starts car)
(phone rings)
- Patricia,
- [George Jr,] Patricia, it's George,
- George, how's it going?
- [George Jr,] Fine,
two days in and we've already checked Mount Vernon
and Boonville off the list,
- Great, who'd you find?
- [George Jr,] Collins' daughter
and Van Buren's granddaughter,
Well, so far it's gone just as Dad had hoped,
- Allen too?
("Can't Even Start to Know" by John Van Meter)
- Yeah, well, that's still a work in progress,
but we're headed to Junction City, I'll keep you posted,
- [Patricia] Okay, talk to you soon,
- Steve Cole,
- [Patricia] Hey, Steve, it's Patricia,
- Patricia,
- I just wanted to let you know
the Barnett boys have already made two stops
and are headed to Kansas as we speak,
- Wow, they're making good time,
- Yep, you might even see 'em by Friday,
- Okay,
Thank you,
Goodbye,
- Thanks, you too,
- I hope you're right,
* I have seen mighty rivers flow *
* I have felt the north wind blow *
* But I can't even start to know *
* Why God wants to know my name *
* I've seen mountains full of snow *
* I've seen fireflies put on a show *
* But I can't even start to know *
* Why God wants to know my name *
* 'Cause He wants me to love Him *
* And He wants me to call
- [George Jr,] Well, this the first time
we had to find a church,
- [Allen] We've been driving around for 30 minutes,
just find one,
- Excuse me,
You pastor of this church?
- I am, what can I do for you gentlemen?
- Well, we're hoping to make a donation
in memory of our mother and father,
You taking donations?
- As a matter of fact, we are,
We just started taking donations
for the needy in the county,
- Well,
how about that?
- Thank you very much,
We appreciate it, - We're glad to do it,
glad to do it,
- Thank you,
- What he said,
- God bless you, guys,
- Take care, - Thank you, take care,
(kids play)
- I don't know, I mean, it's,,,
I mean, he was barely interested before,
but ever since his band dropped him,
now he's completely checked out,
I mean, this isn't what Dad wanted,
- [Denise] What are you gonna do?
- I don't know,
I mean, I gotta figure something out though,
Being subtle hasn't worked,
- You'll figure it out,
Just be safe,
Hey, kids, say goodbye to your daddy,
- [Kids] We love you, Daddy, we miss you!
- Alright, be safe,
Love you,
- I love you too,
- Hey,
- What time is it?
Thanks, - 10:30,
Look, let's hit the road, we'll grab some lunch,
- Don't we have somebody in town to visit?
- It's already done,
Ed Fuller, his dad owned a motor lodge and diner,
He gave Mom and Dad a tank of gas and a meal,
- Well, why didn't you wake me?
I wanted to go,
- No, you didn't,
I mean, you don't care about any of this,
Let's just get it done and we'll get you back to New York,
- I wanted to go,
(upbeat music)
- [George Jr,] Next stop, Grand Junction,
other side of the Rockies,
Man, look at that view,
- [Allen] What are you so happy about?
- [George Jr,] No reason, just stopped worrying,
- Worrying about what?
- (chuckles) Not what, you,
I stopped worrying about you,
- What's that mean?
- Aw, look, you don't wanna be here, I get that, it's fine,
So instead of worrying about it,
I'm gonna let you skip the rest of the visits, how's that?
And don't worry, you're still gonna get your money,
- Scenic overlook, pull over,
- Nah, we don't have time to stop, we got a late start,
- We need to talk, pull over,
- Fine, I could stretch my legs,
- What's your problem?
All of the sudden,
you don't care if I'm a part of this or not,
- What, are you kidding me?
You think I wanna be out here
in the middle of nowhere with you?
My wife and kids are home worrying about me,
and every time I turn around,
you're just shrugging your shoulders and walking off,
You've got no interest in this,
Look, man,
we're supposed to be doing something of value out here,
and caring about it, not,,,
Or at least pretending about it,
- I thought I was pretending to care,
- (scoffs) Yeah, well,
you're not very good at pretending, are ya?
- So what's next?
- A fella named Randall Cummings,
gave Mom and Dad a tank of gas,
- You know, when you think about it,
it really is amazing how many good people there were,
- Listen,
I haven't been exactly honest with you,
- What do you mean?
- Randall's gonna have to wait, it's gonna take a bit,
let's grab a seat,
Come on,
Look, I don't have to tell you that your,
well, your career choice,
it was a real burden on Mom and Dad,
You struggling and trying to make a living
off your music in New York,
man, they worried about you, a lot,
- I know,
(soft music)
- Yeah, well,,,
Then when you showed up late for Mom's funeral
and we had that big fight,
I guess Dad had seen enough,
And that Sunday, before he died,
he told me this story
about this plan he and Mom had devised,
- This trip?
- Yeah, this trip,
He said he thought that if you and I
could travel for a couple of weeks together,
and it was just you and me,
maybe we could learn to be brothers again,
- So it's not about thanking the people that helped them?
- Oh no, that's part of it,
I mean, it's not the primary reason,
but, come on, it was a good excuse,
- So they wanted us to learn to be brothers?
- Mm-hmm,
- I guess I can understand that,
- Yeah, well, don't understand too fast,
They thought that if you and I could get close enough,
that I could convince you to leave New York, come back home,
- So I'm being manipulated into moving back home?
- Yeah, (chuckles)
(Allen chuckles)
Well,
they thought when you got back home,
I could get you to start going to church again with us,
(Allen scoffs)
And what they really wanted was for you to be saved,
- What about the inheritance?
- Oh, that's real,
Well, you still gotta finish the trip to get the money,
but yeah, it's real,
- I don't like being played,
- Yeah, I know, I don't blame you,
and I apologize for that,
but look, Dad was dying,
and he was really worried about you, he made me promise,
- So why tell me now?
- I've been thinking,
maybe we can both become better people out of this trip,
Only way we're gonna do that though is with the truth,
- Much obliged, young man,
People these days, no respect,
If you wanna use the restroom, it's around the corner here,
I just cleaned it,
You don't need a key, 'cause the lock's broke,
- Actually, I'm looking for a Randall Cummings,
he used to own this place,
- Owns this gas station,
I'm Randall Cummings, what do you want?
- Well, my parents, in the 1960s, were on their honeymoon,
and they came by here--
- George and Carla Barnett,
I remember like it was yesterday,
A little older than me and scared to death,
- (chuckles) Wow, look, hang on a second,
George, come over here,
My brother's gonna wanna hear this,
- Well, I haven't got all day,
- This will only take a few moments, sir,
Please bear with us,
George, this is Randall Cummings,
he used to know Mom and Dad,
- Hi,
- I'm Allen Barnett, and this is my brother, George Jr,
- Pleased to meet you, sir,
- So, you said you knew my parents, uh, they were scared?
- Oh yes, they were,
I mean, they'd lost all their money,
and they was almost out of gas,
so I filled up their tank,
Your father got my address and gave me an IOU,
then about a year or two later,
I got a check in the mail and a thank you note,
Your father was a man of his word,
If you don't know anything else about the man, know that,
- So, why'd you help 'em?
- 'Cause they needed it,
I woulda done more if I could,
We were put on this earth by the good Lord
to help each other and pick each other up,
So, what are you two doing out here so many years later?
- Well, our, um,
parents died recently,
and, uh, they always wanted to go across the country
and thank each person that helped 'em,
- I'm sorry to hear that,
Wait, each person?
- (chuckles) Yes, sir, all the Good Samaritans
that helped 'em get across the country,
Well, and me and George,
we're going town to town to thank each person personally,
- Yes, sir, that's right,
The truth is that you're the first person we've found
that's actually met our parents,
- You mean folks all across the country helped 'em?
- That's right, - Well,
that does my heart good,
- And Dad, he kept this list of all the IOUs and addresses,
and then, well, (Randall chuckles)
he sent everyone a check and a thank you note,
- And now we're here to thank you,
- Oh, yes, sir, and to personally thank you,
from our Dad,
- No, thank you's enough, young man,
- I understand, but, well,
I guarantee you Dad would've insisted,
I tell you what, put it in the collection plate this Sunday,
- That I can do,
So where are you boys headed next?
- We'll we're headed to Cedar City,
- Cedar City,
- Well, safe travels,
- Well, thank you, sir,
- I'm gonna tell this story at church on Sunday,
the folks will get a kick out of it,
- (chuckles) Yes, sir,
- Alright,
- Thank you, sir, - Take care,
("Amazing Grace" by John Van Meter)
* Amazing grace
* How sweet the sound
* That saved a wretch like me
* I once was lost but now I'm found *
* Was blind but now I see
* And when the battle's over
* We will wear the crown
* When the battle's over
* The walls will tumble down
* When the battle's over
* We will wear a crown in a new Jerusalem *
* Oh, in a new Jerusalem
- Hi, Patricia,
No, we're in Utah right now,
We had a really great visit and,,,
Yep, Randall Cummings, we got to meet him in person,
it was a really good conversation,
Well, I'll tell you what, I'm gonna keep you updated,
and next stop we make, I'll give you a call, okay?
Okay, we'll talk to you soon, take care,
- Fine, thanks, and you?
- I've got news about our cross-country travelers,
- Go ahead,
- Next stop, Cedar City, Utah,
then after that, on to Blythe, California,
- Wow, that puts 'em in Los Angeles no later than Friday,
- I know, I'm a bit surprised,
- At what, how fast they made the trip?
- That they managed to get along,
* And when the battle's over
* We will wear a crown
* And when the battle's over
* The walls will tumble down
* And when the battle's over
* The trumpets will sound in a new Jerusalem *
* Oh, in a new Jerusalem
* In the new Jerusalem
* He will rise up
* In the new Jerusalem
* He will rise above
* In the new Jerusalem
* He will rise with love
* In the new Jerusalem
* He will rise up
* In the new Jerusalem
* He will rise above
* In the new Jerusalem
- Oh, man, look at that,
God's work, right?
It's beautiful,
Absolutely beautiful,
- I've never seen anything like this,
- Me either,
It sure is something,
- I'm glad we made the journey here,
- Yeah, me too,
- This is the first moment I've really felt that,,,
(Allen sighs)
I've just been dealing with so much anger lately, you know?
Just anger towards Mom, and anger towards Dad,
angry at the fact they both died,
- Yeah,
- Angry with myself for not even being there,
And I've been angry with you,
- Yeah, well,
I reckon I've been pretty angry with you too,
- I know,
And I, well, I don't even blame you,
- But I tell you,
standing here right now, at just how huge this is,
I mean, I don't know,
it sorta makes everything
feel small,
- Trivial,
You know, all the problems in my life,
just a story I've created,
- Hm, yeah,
- A place like this,
it reminds me of what's really important,
(upbeat music)
There's gotta be a decent pizza place,
And he said, "A certain man had two sons,
"and the younger of them said to his father,
"'Father, give me the portion of goods that falls to me,'"
So he divided to them his livelihood,
And not many days after,
the younger son gathered all together,
journeyed to a far country,
and there wasted his possessions with prodigal living,
That kinda hits close to home,
- Hey, come on, let's go grab something to eat,
- Uh, (chuckles) I'm a little busy right now,
will you just grab me a sandwich?
- Okay,
- Thanks, - Sure,
- Then Jesus answered and said,
"A certain man went down from Jerusalem to Jericho
"and fell among thieves,
"who stripped him of his clothing,
"wounded him, and departed, leaving him half-dead,
"Now, by chance, a certain priest came down that road,
"and when he saw him, he passed by on the other side,
"Likewise, a Levite, when he arrived at the place,
"came and looked and passed by on the other side,
"But a certain Samaritan, as he journeyed,
"came where he was,
"and when he saw him, he had compassion,
"So he went to him and bandaged his wounds,
"pouring in oil and wine,
"and he set him on his own animal,
"brought him to an inn and took care of him,
"On the next day, when he departed,
"he took out two denari, gave them to the innkeeper,
"and said to him, 'Take care of him,
"'Whatever more you spend,
"'when I come again, I will repay you,'
"So which of these three do you think
"was neighbor to him who fell among the thieves?"
And he said, "He who showed mercy on him,"
And Jesus said to him, "Go and do likewise,"
I thought I knew the Bible from Sunday school,
I guess I really didn't,
My parents' lives, my brother's,
mine,
the message is all in here,
Hm,
("Give Me Jesus" by John Van Meter)
* In the morning, when I rise
* Give me Jesus
* You can have this whole world *
* Give me Jesus
* When I am alone
* Give me Jesus
* You can have this whole world *
* Give me Jesus
- Hey, - Hey,
- [George Jr,] What's going on?
- Just needed to get out of the hotel,
take a little walk, do some thinking,
- You know, I remember you used to always take long walks
when you had to think,
(Allen chuckles)
- That's right,
- Well, hey, I grabbed you that sandwich,
why don't you jump in,
I'll give you a ride back to the motel,
- Alright, - Alright,
- You know what, just give me a second,
- [George Jr,] Alright,
- Hey, it's Allen,
Yeah, I've been doing some thinking,
you guys are doing the right thing,
Yeah, I need to go my own way anyway,
Good luck to you guys,
What do you want me to do, Lord?
* Give me Jesus
* You can have this whole world *
* Give me Jesus
- Hello, sir, how can I help you?
- Well, this is probably a long shot,
but my brother and I are looking for
a man named Steve Burton,
- (chuckles) I've never heard of him,
- Yeah, well, you know, back in the '50s and '60s,
when this place was full-service, he owned it,
- Full-service?
- Yeah, (chuckles) full-service,
Oh yeah, back then, the fuel attendant,
he'd pump your gas, check your oil, your tires,
wash your windshield, the works,
- Wow,
- Yeah, no, it was a different time, I barely remember it,
Hey, and you wouldn't happen to have
a phone book around here, would you, a white pages?
- Yeah,
But it's a couple of years old,
- That's alright,
So you don't ever remember
anybody named Burton owning this place?
- No, sir,
My dad said years ago a company bought it,
They changed the garage into a convenience store,
- Huh,
- That sounds about right,
- Yeah,
- A church then?
- Yeah,
Well, thank you,
(knocks on door)
- You know, I'm kinda glad that Mr, Burton wasn't there,
- Why's that?
- Well, think of it,
Dad sent us out here on the pretense of thanking people,
and that's great,
but I think if he was here,
he'd rather that hundred dollars go to a collection plate,
That's where it does the most good,
- You're right, it would do a lotta good that way,
and Dad woulda liked it, I know that,
- Yeah,
(knocks on door)
- I don't think there's anybody here,
(knocks on door)
- [Allen] What about this guy?
- Oh, yeah, maybe we'll get lucky,
Maybe this'll be the pastor again,
How are you doing?
I was wondering if we could have a moment of your time?
- Of course, how can I help you two?
- Well, my name's George Barnett Jr,,
this is my brother, Allen,
- How are you doing?
- Pastor Rick Anders,
Are you thinking of joining our church?
- Oh, no, sir, it's nothing like that,
The thing is, years ago,
our parents passed through this town,
and there was this Good Samaritan
that helped them out along the way,
we just wanted to say thank you,
- That is very nice,
Could you tell me the story of this Good Samaritan
and how he helped your parents?
- Well, I tell you what,
I'll let my brother here tell you that story,
I'm gonna call my wife and let her know everything's okay,
- Well, Pastor,
our parents were on their honeymoon
in Indio, California in the 1960s,
- The 1960s?
- Yeah, well, it's been a long journey for us all,
("Glory Be to God" by John Van Meter)
* Oh let the trumpets sound
* Glory be to God
* Praise Him who has been crowned *
* Glory be to God
* And with the faith of a mustered sea *
* Go man it and your mountain will be moved *
* Christ rode away the storm
* Glory be to God
* On the third day, He rose
* Glory be to God
* By His grace
* We were saved
* Holy, holy, holy be your name *
* Down on the Jordan, oh my Lord *
* We will rejoice Him, oh my Lord *
* Down on the Jordan, oh my Lord *
* Where we will see the King
* Up on Calvary, He died
* And He sat the captives free
* Then He tore away the veil
* So the blind could see
* Down on the Jordan, oh my soul *
* Where we will see the King
- I ain't getting old, just so you know,
I've gotta tell ya,
after a few hours in that rig, it sure feels like it,
- Well, I feel great,
I mean, look at this scenery,
- Hey, just curious, can I ask you a question?
- Why the sudden change in attitude?
- Yeah, exactly that,
- Well, last night when we got to the motel,
I was gonna order some pizza,
so I opened the drawer and got out the yellow pages,
Well, then I saw the Bible underneath of 'em,
and decided that I was gonna read the parables
that Jesus told his disciples
and how it related to us,
And it was written 2,000 years ago,
and it was about you,
about Dad,
and about me,
- (chuckles) Okay,
- I thought I knew the story from Sunday school,
but I'd forgotten it,
I'd forgotten a lot of things,
And after thinking about it,
I am the prodigal son,
Then I went on to read The Good Samaritan,
and I knew the charity that,
that helping Mom and Dad get home safely,
and the gratitude they felt from it,
I stayed awake most the night reading the New Testament,
I barely slept,
but when I woke up this morning,
(chuckles)
I felt refreshed,
You understand?
- Oh yeah, I understand,
Well, I tell you what, we got a few hours left ahead of us,
let's hit the road,
(upbeat music)
(indistinct chatter)
- Just let her know,
Hello, gentlemen,
Jason Rollins is the name,
Come on in,
- Well, sir, my name's George Barnett Jr,,
and this here's my brother, Allen,
- Oh,
So you're not looking for a home?
- Oh, (chuckles) no,
No, we're looking for Jasper Rollins,
That your dad?
(Jason sighs)
- I got this letter and a hundred-dollar bill
in the mail a few weeks ago,
The note with the money said
that two men named George and Allen
would visit one day very soon and ask about my father,
- After all this time, Dad gets cryptic,
Wow,
- [Jason] That letter is from your father?
- Well, I suppose so,
Let me read it first,
- [George Sr,] George, if you're reading this letter,
I'm gone, and hopefully Allen is sitting next to you,
About 20 years ago,
a petty thief named Jasper Rollins was arrested,
and the police searched his house,
They found my wallet among the things
he'd stolen over the years and contacted me,
I kept tabs on Jasper, and when he died,
the obit read that he left behind a son,
This boy has endured his father's legacy for decades,
I want you to tell him who you are, and what happened,
and that you, and your mother, and I forgive him and Jasper,
- [Jason] What does it say?
- It says that your father was a thief,
and he stole my father's wallet back in the '60s,
- Hundred dollars or not, I don't have to take this,
- Well, wait a minute, hold on, just calm down,
we're not here to blame anybody for the past,
- What are you here for?
- Well, I guess we're here to forgive your father,
- What?
No one forgave him,
Not even me,
- Well, maybe it is time you forgave him, don't you think?
Well, I guess that's what we came for,
we'll be going,
Thank you,
- Oh, I almost forgot,
there was a second envelope I was supposed to give you,
God bless you,
- [Allen] What was in the second envelope?
- I don't think he'll ask for it,
but it's proof we finished the journey,
- [Allen] That's Dad, trust but verify,
("Holy Holy Holy" by John Van Meter)
(starts car)
* In the early morning light
* Softness is your dawn of day
* Through sin's long night
* And your name just gets washed away *
* So you are the Holy one
* And I ask you again
* Is your grace sufficient to take me to the end *
* Holy, holy, holy
* Is the Lord
* Holy, holy, holy
- Wow, so that's what a Joshua tree looks like, huh?
- I reckon so,
Well, I guess now we know why they made that drive
all the way from Kentucky, huh?
- [Allen] To see the beautiful scenery
the good Lord created for us,
- That's well said,
- [Allen] So what is it?
- [George Jr,] What's what?
- The reason for this trip,
- What?
- Well, was it to bring us closer together,
for me to find the good Lord again,
or to forgive Jasper Rollins and help his son?
("Holy Holy Holy" by John Van Meter)
- Well, why can't it be all three of those things?
- [Allen] That's a good point,
* Holy, holy, holy
* Is the Lord
* Is the Lord Almighty
* Holy, holy, holy
* Is the Lord (starts car)
* Is the Lord
* Holy, holy, holy
* Is the Lord
* Is the Lord Almighty
- Hi,
We're George and Allen Barnett,
we're here to see Steve Cole,
- Gentlemen,
- How are you doing?
George Barnett Jr,
- Steve Cole,
- Allen,
- Alright,
The envelope from Mr, Rollins?
- Yes, sir,
Right here,
- I must tell you both, I never thought this day would come,
When your father and Patricia told me the plan,
(Steve chuckles)
well, I was skeptical,
- I can't believe how intricate it was,
- Yeah, right?
- It took the both of you to accomplish this,
Your father would be proud,
Now you each should deposit these immediately,
There's no reason for you to be traveling
with a cashier's check in your pocket,
Now I know you have a flight to catch,
and by the way, tell Patricia I said hello,
- I certainly will,
- And you will be going back to New York?
- No,
I think I'm gonna drive back,
maybe help some people along the way,
But I do wanna make one stop before we go,
- Sure thing, anything you need to do,
Well, sir, thank you, thank you very much,
we really appreciate it all,
- Pleasure, gentlemen,
- Thank you,
- God bless,
- You too, sir,
("Sing Sing Sing" by John Van Meter)
* Sing, sing, sing, sing the holy one *
(phone rings)
- Patricia,
- [Steve] Hello, Patricia,
- Hey, Steve,
- [Steve] The boys made it, I gave 'em their checks,
and guess what, Allen's headed home,
- That is great news, thank you,
- [Steve] Goodbye,
* And we rejoice in the Lord on high *
- Thank you,
* That was put upon the cross and crucified *
* He died in pain for all our sin *
* And now we're alive in Him
- Why come all the way to Los Angeles and not see the ocean?
- I gotta tell ya,
I don't even think I woulda thought of this,
Sometimes I guess I just get too busy being responsible,
- Sometimes we get so busy watching our step,
we forget to look up,
- Such a blessing,
- You said it,
Come here,
("The Good Journey" by John Van Meter)
* He was blind and could not see *
* The light that shined from Calvary *
* He was on a journey, traveling through the night *
* He was a singer of rock and roll songs *
* Everything he did just turned out wrong *
* He was on a journey of a million miles *
* He cried somebody save me
* From my darkness and despair
* My failure to my father is more than I can bear *
* He took the cards that he was dealt *
* And he was on a trip there with somebody else *
* He was on a journey with the one who stayed behind *
* In the Samaritan, he heard the call *
* As the prodigal, he took the fall *
* He was on a journey, headed back home *
* He cried somebody save me
* From my darkness and despair
* He cried to the heavens and Jesus was there *