➡️ A touching dramatic movie about a girl who couldn't let go of her past life! Past Tense 🎬

Added: 2026-05-18

[00:00:44][music] >> When I was 11, I spent a lot of time in a cemetery.

[00:01:23]Too much time.

[00:01:25]So I began to read the tombstones.

[00:01:29]And there they were.

[00:01:31]People from some previous age. People who had stories to tell.

[00:01:37]People who once walked the earth.

[00:01:39]Loved, and hated, and suffered.

[00:01:44]People who had moments of joy, and had feelings, and opinions, and beliefs.

[00:01:51]Their lives seemed to live on somehow in these stones.

[00:01:56]So I guess I became a collector of sorts.

[00:03:13]Thank god you're here.

[00:03:15]Come on, come on, come on, come on.

[00:03:17]Hey, I got this book for you.

[00:03:20]Okay, so they changed the whole program.

[00:03:21]I'm farting around with [ __ ] software. I have a dead mom. I'm screwed.

[00:03:26]>> Okay. See this?

[00:03:28]Open the application.

[00:03:30]Go over to tools.

[00:03:32]Scroll down.

[00:03:34]Click.

[00:03:35]Wait.

[00:03:37]There it is.

[00:03:38]>> I did all that. Why does it work for you?

[00:03:47]A pizza with extra garlic and peppers, please. Okay. Red peppers, onions, grilled [music] zucchini, olives, feta, and mozzarella.

[00:03:58]Great. Anything else? No, I think that's it. Thank you.

[00:04:01]Okay, your drinks will be right out.

[00:04:02]Thank you.

[00:04:08]Table three needs service. Now you're in business. Just saying.

[00:04:14]Hi, what can I get you? Um, miss.

[00:04:17]Elizabeth.

[00:04:20]Uh, what's that? Feta.

[00:04:23]On a pizza? It's what they wanted.

[00:04:30]Hey, how are you?

[00:04:35]>> What have you been up to? Not much. Want some coffee? Only if it's made. It won't take a minute.

[00:04:43]You know, I could clean this up for you.

[00:04:44]Are you kidding? Last time you did that, I couldn't find anything for a month.

[00:04:48]>> Cuz you're afraid.

[00:04:49]>> Last thing an old dying man wants to talk about is his underwear.

[00:04:51]>> You getting enough food?

[00:04:52]>> I'd rather talk about my hernia operations. Have you met Ginger? Your neighbor? Yeah. Yeah, last time I was here. You know what she does for a living?

[00:05:00]No. She writes what they call romance novels. No kidding. She turns out four books a year. You should talk to her about writing. Yeah, I should.

[00:05:09]>> I'll call her. Not now. You got to change your ways, little girl. What's wrong with my ways? I'm wondering if you're still a virgin or something.

[00:05:25]When I grew up, sex was outlawed.

[00:05:28]Then I got married.

[00:05:30]Then sexual revolution happens, and I missed the whole damn thing.

[00:05:36]Yeah, but you were happily married.

[00:05:37]Yeah, but you know, I missed out. All those virgins I knew in high school. If it It been 10 years later.

[00:05:51]Hey. Hey. Meet my granddaughter Elizabeth. Nice to meet you, Beth. Hi.

[00:05:55]Yeah. Did you know she's a writer?

[00:05:56]Really? What kind?

[00:05:58]I'm just learning.

[00:05:59]>> Short stories, novels, poetry, blogs.

[00:06:03]>> I do grave rubbings and then I make up stories about the people.

[00:06:07]Interesting.

[00:06:08]>> Maybe you could give Elizabeth a lesson or two.

[00:06:11]You want to show me some of your writing sometime?

[00:06:13]Yeah, you should.

[00:06:16]Thanks.

[00:06:38]Freedom.

[00:06:40]Deep in the ground.

[00:06:43]Go past the stones.

[00:06:46]Those Elizabeth.

[00:06:48]Now the time has come.

[00:06:50]Now you can save the times.

[00:06:59]Freedom.

[00:07:01]Deep in the the trees.

[00:07:07]Freedom.

[00:07:09]Deep in the the trees.

[00:07:12]Elizabeth.

[00:07:15]The trees.

[00:07:16]The trees.

[00:07:18]The trees.

[00:07:20]>> [groaning] >> It's been too long since I've been with you.

[00:07:27]Same [music] old fire, but the spark is new.

[00:07:34]Innocence would break up.

[00:07:37]>> [music] >> Time had closed the book.

[00:07:41]Locked in that we make [music] up.

[00:07:43]>> [singing] [music] [music and singing] [music] [singing] >> What's happening?

[00:08:12]I feel like I'm going crazy.

[00:08:15]Can you tell me what would make you think that? I guess the last couple nights I've um I wake up hearing voices. Describe what the experience is.

[00:08:26]Um They kind of sound far away.

[00:08:34]I don't know what it means.

[00:08:39]It's very weird. I mean, I've never had anything like that before, so.

[00:08:44]Um So, you you think I'm going to tell you that you're going crazy.

[00:08:48]Yeah, I guess.

[00:08:50]So, how hard are you fighting this? I definitely don't want to be hearing them. And it goes on for a while. Mhm.

[00:08:56]So, you're not sleeping.

[00:08:58]Not really. Do you think that these are voices in your head?

[00:09:02]Do you think these are people outside of you?

[00:09:04]They don't feel like me, exactly. Okay, so you're not just dialoguing in your head, having a debate. No.

[00:09:11]So, I'm just going to tell you what we know about when we hear voices, okay?

[00:09:16]So, it's either it's a psychotic experience where this occurs with schizophrenics or maybe people that have psychotic disorders.

[00:09:27]And people that have them are not distressed by them.

[00:09:33]That's not me.

[00:09:34]That's not you.

[00:09:41]It's really So why am I hearing them?

[00:09:56]Well, that's the more interesting question, isn't it?

[00:10:00]Try to be curious. What are they saying?

[00:10:03]What if I don't want to hear them?

[00:10:05]Even better.

[00:10:07]You might learn something really important.

[00:10:20]Thought you were going to quit. This is my last pack. Is Peter here yet?

[00:10:24]Yeah.

[00:10:28]Can I give you some advice on your wardrobe? Sure.

[00:10:32]You need more color. Maybe we could go shopping sometime. Fine.

[00:10:37]Yeah.

[00:10:39]Maybe.

[00:10:52]We have tonight's menu.

[00:10:57]Why do you keep changing things?

[00:10:59]Why don't you be the waitress and I'll be the chef?

[00:11:06]You're late. I was here.

[00:11:09]One more time and you're done. I was here. She was here.

[00:11:28]They're always there.

[00:11:30]Waiting.

[00:11:32]Wanting someone come.

[00:11:34]Wanting to go on even though they had their time.

[00:11:39]Since my parents died, I feel a special kinship with the dead.

[00:11:44]If there is a god, he lives here.

[00:11:47]Where his lost souls rest.

[00:12:19]>> [snorts] >> That was a surprise. Hey.

[00:12:23]Come on in.

[00:12:27]So, what are you doing here?

[00:12:28]I thought you could use a few things.

[00:12:30]Thanks.

[00:12:41]These are kind of spooky.

[00:12:50]Aw, this is cute.

[00:12:57]Look.

[00:12:58]Mhm.

[00:12:59]>> [clears throat] >> About this one.

[00:13:04]I don't know if that's really me. It isn't.

[00:13:07]That's the point.

[00:13:08]I don't know about this. Where's your mirror?

[00:13:11]Bathroom.

[00:13:18]There. Now you look trendy.

[00:13:22]I don't know.

[00:13:24]I'll just leave them here. I was going to throw them away anyway. Do you want some wine?

[00:13:28]Got a joint?

[00:13:29]>> No.

[00:13:31]Figures.

[00:13:32]Okay, I'll have some wine.

[00:13:40]Don't read that. Okay.

[00:13:43]Come on.

[00:13:45]Okay.

[00:13:50]Yours?

[00:13:52]It's just something I'm working on. Nice suit to wear to the club.

[00:13:56]Not at all. I needed to get rid of them.

[00:14:01]Are you interested in Peter?

[00:14:03]Peter? Yeah, Peter. No.

[00:14:07]Why do you ask?

[00:14:09]I just way he looks at you sometimes. He never looks at me.

[00:14:13]Isn't that why you're looking back?

[00:14:16]Are you interested in him?

[00:14:18]Why would I want to make you look better if I was interested in him? Some crazy ancient female instinct, maybe.

[00:14:24]>> Wow.

[00:14:26]You have a twisted mind.

[00:14:29]That should make you a good writer.

[00:14:32]Where are you from?

[00:14:34]Uh Boston.

[00:14:36]Just Boston.

[00:14:38]I did a couple years at BU, but it wasn't for me, so I met this guy and ended up here.

[00:14:47]You still with him? Nothing lasts.

[00:14:50]Nothing at all.

[00:14:53]What's the longest relationship you've ever had?

[00:14:56]I haven't actually had a relationship, but not a real one. Are you a nun or something? No. Just not interested. Maybe it's hormonal.

[00:15:07]Got deficiency in estrogen.

[00:15:10]Maybe. I've got too much.

[00:15:12]Plus the people tell me they're like, "Erica, you've got raging hormones."

[00:15:18]Personally, I think they're jealous.

[00:15:20]Could be.

[00:15:21]You know, I I know some nice guys I could fix you up. Yeah.

[00:15:27]Well, maybe.

[00:15:30]Oh, at least you got the teddy.

[00:15:34]I got to go.

[00:15:36]Enjoy the clothes.

[00:15:40]See you tomorrow.

[00:15:44]See you tomorrow.

[00:15:59]Dear Mom and Dad, yesterday was a strange day.

[00:16:10]That girl I work with, the one I don't like, who doesn't like me, the one I told you about, she came over last night and gave me some clothes.

[00:16:35]She's flashy, sexy, leggy, pouty, and will spit in your eye if you gave her half a chance.

[00:16:52]I wish I were more like her.

[00:16:58]Free as can be.

[00:17:02]She just does what she wants.

[00:17:08]Nothing gets in her way.

[00:17:14]Sure, she's a but in truth I I admire her.

[00:17:27]Hope you're okay.

[00:17:31]Your loving daughter Elizabeth.

[00:18:20]Okay, so you didn't know how to develop your opening.

[00:18:24]So you just change the subject.

[00:18:27]Let me see that one.

[00:18:28]I wrote this in college.

[00:18:31]It shows you had a bad teacher.

[00:18:33]Maybe it was me.

[00:18:35]If you had a good teacher, he would have nailed you for contradicting yourself in the third paragraph. Was it she?

[00:18:40]You know, what's the funny thing about writing is it brings out the hidden side of the writer. I don't have a hidden side. Then you can't be a writer.

[00:18:47]So what do you see?

[00:18:50]I see a girl who's timid. She's afraid of her own shadow.

[00:18:54]You've got to bust out. You know, give in to your senses. But not the destructive kind. Whenever you get to something powerful, you shy away.

[00:19:03]I suck. No, that's the thing you don't.

[00:19:05]Your writing is quite good. But you've got to write about something. Some content or substance. Experience. Human suffering or overcoming human suffering, love, sex, hatred, conflict, betrayal, triumph, relationships.

[00:19:24]What do you want?

[00:19:25]To write.

[00:19:27]To write well.

[00:19:29]Why is that?

[00:19:30]I don't know.

[00:19:32]Something I always wanted to do.

[00:19:36]That is I might be right now.

[00:19:38]Inside I feel like a writer.

[00:19:41]Apparently a writer who doesn't know how to write yet.

[00:19:44]Okay.

[00:19:45]Will you teach me?

[00:19:54]>> [music] [music] [music] >> You look nice.

[00:20:34]Oh, cool.

[00:20:46]New menu?

[00:20:54]Here you go.

[00:20:56]Thanks.

[00:21:00]Gosh, at my age you'd think I'd be fishing. You hate fishing.

[00:21:03]>> what I mean. I'm doing more than ever.

[00:21:05]Are you getting enough food?

[00:21:07]What's you and food? You look like you lost weight. I did.

[00:21:11]All my extra fat.

[00:21:13]Do you know that fat kills? More people die from fat than car accidents and AIDS.

[00:21:18]>> No, I didn't know that.

[00:21:19]>> Well, it's true. That's why I only eat raw food now. Since I started eating raw food, I can't believe the difference.

[00:21:25]It's just uh it's beautiful.

[00:21:29]Something bothering you? No.

[00:21:32]I'm your grandfather. I know when something's on your mind.

[00:21:36]Do you ever hear voices?

[00:21:39]Yeah.

[00:21:41]You do?

[00:21:42]Every day. What kind of voices? Your grandmother.

[00:21:46]Since when?

[00:21:47]>> About a week after she died.

[00:21:49]What kind of things does she say to you?

[00:21:50]>> lid down on the toilet seat. To be careful on the stairs.

[00:21:55]She's still watching out for me. Bless her heart.

[00:21:59]Bless her heart.

[00:22:49]Not everyone can commune with the ages.

[00:22:52]It takes a special insight.

[00:22:59]Is Is a blessing or a curse?

[00:23:02]Or both?

[00:23:37]Are you?

[00:23:39]I can see you.

[00:23:41]I can see you.

[00:23:47]Help me find it.

[00:23:56]I can see you.

[00:23:58]I can see you.

[00:24:01]I can see you. Help me find it. I can see you.

[00:24:20]It is in the ground. It is in the ground.

[00:24:22]>> find it.

[00:24:28]You were my sister. You were my sister.

[00:24:33]Now, but then too.

[00:24:36]Now, but then too.

[00:24:52]Go away.

[00:24:55]Go away.

[00:26:26]She came to me in the night.

[00:26:29]A ghost.

[00:26:31]A phantom.

[00:26:33]With her voice clear and pleading.

[00:26:37]What is it that I need to hear?

[00:26:42]With what longing do I try to fill the deserted empty places? To fill the deserted empty places with her image of innocence and patience. Is it me crying out for myself? Is it the devil? Is it my mind on its way to insanity? Am I crazy?

[00:26:58]I may be having psychotic episode, yet it was so real for a moment or two and then gone.

[00:27:04]But still I feel it's lasting subtle presence.

[00:27:10]Weird.

[00:27:11]Yeah, weird. But there's something kind of poetic in your writing.

[00:27:16]You write poetry?

[00:27:17]No.

[00:27:19]Well, what are you going to do with this?

[00:27:21]I don't know. You don't know?

[00:27:23]I mean, it's just a character sketch.

[00:27:26]I was just trying to capture the mood I was in.

[00:27:28]Anybody can be a journal writer. Every amateur writes down their innermost feelings and it's the most boring crap you'll ever read. So, what should I do?

[00:27:36]Develop what you've got into a story.

[00:27:40]You know, these are good character sketches. I could use them in a book.

[00:27:43]Like take a girl who needs a guy but she's afraid of relationships. So, she invents this phantom lover who comes to her night after night makes passionate love to her and orgasm after orgasm.

[00:27:59]So, one day she sees him on the street and she decides to follow him.

[00:28:04]But he's in a horrible wrong relationship. So, of course we want our girl to end up with him.

[00:28:10]One thing leads to another, they end up together.

[00:28:13]But then he goes off to war and he gets killed. That sucks.

[00:28:17]Now, wait.

[00:28:19]He comes back to her as her ghost lover.

[00:28:22]And night after night well, they all live happily ever after.

[00:28:26]You get paid to write stuff like that?

[00:28:28]Yeah, it's a living. You look down on this kind of stuff? No, I just never really thought about it before.

[00:28:33]Trashy beach novels. It's fun for middle-aged ladies, I guess. It takes a lot of craft to make a formula story work. I mean, to make it real enough so the reader gets into it.

[00:28:43]You write one sometime. Tell me how easy it is. I think I'll pass. And if I were you, I'd cut out the flowery writing.

[00:28:49]You know, useless poetry. Cut to the truth. Cut out all the fluff or anything like fluff.

[00:28:56]Yeah, I guess you're right. You going to see Eddie?

[00:28:58]Thought I'd drop by. Will you give this to him?

[00:29:01]Sure.

[00:29:07]Grandpa?

[00:29:10]Grandpa!

[00:29:13]Eddie?

[00:30:21]Hey, I'm going to a party tonight. Do you want to come? Uh, let me think about it, okay? It'd be fun.

[00:30:31]I wouldn't go to a party with her.

[00:30:33]You wouldn't?

[00:30:35]Well, I don't want to say anything, but You just did.

[00:30:42]She seemed like a summer breeze passing through lightly. Wherever she went, she transformed the darkness of the world as if touched by magic.

[00:30:51]She was loved.

[00:31:03]I can see you.

[00:31:05]I can see you.

[00:31:10]How did you get in here? I came in. Who are you? What do you want?

[00:31:14]>> I'm Elsa. Okay.

[00:31:16]What do you want?

[00:31:17]>> Help. Do you live around here?

[00:31:20]Where are your parents?

[00:31:22]>> Just like yours. How do you know that?

[00:31:24]You are the one who wanted me here.

[00:31:26]I don't know what you're talking about.

[00:31:28]When you touched my grave.

[00:31:30]When I Oh, no.

[00:31:37]I'm not going to let myself go crazy.

[00:31:41]Get out of here.

[00:31:43]Get out. Go away.

[00:31:55]>> [music] [music] [music] [music] [music] >> Nearer, my >> [music] >> Gloria.

[00:32:46]Gloria.

[00:32:48]>> [music] >> Gloria.

[00:32:54]Gloria.

[00:32:57]>> [music] >> Gloria.

[00:33:04]Gloria.

[00:33:05]>> [music] [music] [music] >> Gloria.

[00:34:48]>> [crying] >> Hi. Haven't seen you around lately.

[00:34:54]What's up?

[00:34:55]Not much.

[00:34:56]I think writing just wasn't for me. Why not?

[00:35:01]I think I was getting a little intense with it.

[00:35:03]And that's bad?

[00:35:06]Here's the lunch menu.

[00:35:14]Yeah, I'm just going to get the Thai chicken wings and the Santa Fe salad.

[00:35:20]Anything to drink? No, thank you.

[00:35:27]>> [music] >> Well, after three more invitations, I finally decided to go to a party with Erica.

[00:35:43]I'm Zippo. Is that what your parents named you?

[00:35:45]It's a nickname.

[00:35:49]You want to get out of here?

[00:35:50]No.

[00:35:52]What do you do? Work. What do you do?

[00:35:55]Work.

[00:35:57]See you around.

[00:35:59]See you.

[00:36:02]Hey.

[00:36:03]Hi. How's it going? Good. Isn't this party a blast?

[00:36:06]>> I'm having a ball.

[00:36:08]You want a beer?

[00:36:09]Um I can go get you one. Hold on. Hey, you having fun?

[00:36:14]Yeah. Good party. Good party. I told you it was going to be an awesome party.

[00:36:18]Oh my god, that guy over there with the goatee. Okay, I'll be right back. I'll be there. Have fun. Stay hydrated.

[00:36:42]>> [crying] [snorts] >> Hello.

[00:37:16]I'm dreaming. Can you help me?

[00:37:18]I'm having a psychotic episode. I don't understand. What am I doing talking to the walls?

[00:37:37]I'm holding [singing] on forever to the pieces [singing] of my universe. [music] I'm screwed.

[00:37:51]I know why you touched my grave. My therapist told me to listen to the voices and see what they're trying to do.

[00:37:58]Maybe someone slipped acid in my drink at the party. We both lost our mothers and fathers.

[00:38:03]That makes us sisters.

[00:38:06]Who are you?

[00:38:07]You know who I am.

[00:38:09]You saw where I lie. I'm in trouble.

[00:38:13]The last thing my mother gave me was a coin from the old country.

[00:38:18]She told me to keep it safe.

[00:38:21]But I lost it.

[00:38:23]I need to find it.

[00:38:25]Let's see.

[00:38:28]Coin.

[00:38:30]What does that symbolize?

[00:38:33]Introjection.

[00:38:37]Coins are value. So, Okay, something of value.

[00:38:45]Something old of value.

[00:38:51]Something old of value that's been lost.

[00:38:57]My life story.

[00:38:58]Why do I need you? I already know this one.

[00:39:01]I want you to help me find the coin.

[00:39:03]How?

[00:39:04]I don't know.

[00:39:06]But please.

[00:39:57]You're late. Sorry.

[00:39:58]Well, don't let it happen again. I won't.

[00:40:02]Uh hey, man. Can you go clean the storeroom for me?

[00:40:09]Elizabeth, can you come here a second, please?

[00:40:14]So, you went to a party with Erica? Yeah.

[00:40:17]That's why you're late? No, it's actually something else, but like I said, I'm sorry. Just watch it. Cuz she's a party girl and you're a serious girl.

[00:40:28]Wouldn't you mind your own business?

[00:40:30]Who put you in charge of anybody else's life anyway?

[00:40:33]Somebody's got to look out for you. Oh, and that's you. You missed my meaning. I wonder if I do.

[00:41:46]Erica? Okay, thank you.

[00:41:49]Can I ask you a question?

[00:41:51]Sure.

[00:41:52]What type of project are you doing?

[00:41:53]Research.

[00:41:54]>> For school or something like that?

[00:41:56]No, it's actually kind of personal.

[00:42:00]Well, if you need anything, you know, I'll be right over there.

[00:42:03]>> Okay.

[00:42:05]You know, you're the first person under 100 years old who's come in here since I've been working here.

[00:42:16]Is that right?

[00:42:17]I don't mean to be pushy. You're not being pushy.

[00:42:20]Oh, so you ready to tell me what you're working on?

[00:42:24]Okay.

[00:42:26]Um it's about a young girl who lived around here in the early 19th century.

[00:42:34]Her family was from Sweden. Let me check in the database and I'll see what I can find.

[00:42:39]Thank you. I'll be right back.

[00:42:49]You find anything?

[00:42:51]Yes, I did.

[00:42:53]The Linden home.

[00:42:56]It said there were very few people migrated here from Sweden in this area.

[00:43:00]Did they have any children?

[00:43:02]Looks like they had a daughter.

[00:43:05]Give me a moment.

[00:43:07]Elsa.

[00:43:13]Okay, here she is.

[00:43:16]Elsa Lindenhorn. She was the daughter of Johannes and Ida Lindenhorn.

[00:43:21]He was a blacksmith.

[00:43:23]The parents were lost in a snowstorm leaving the daughter who was adopted by Thomas and Isabella Allen who had two other children of their own.

[00:43:35]She died when she was 13.

[00:43:39]Can you print that out for me?

[00:43:41]Of course.

[00:43:42]Thank you.

[00:43:45]So, I was thinking, um you should give me your phone number and just in case I find anything else.

[00:43:56]>> [laughter] >> Dear mom and dad, I gave up writing because I thought it was making me crazy.

[00:44:16]But it seems that I can be crazy whether or not I write.

[00:44:27]Two things happened.

[00:44:33]What I was seeing turns out to actually have been true.

[00:44:43]This girl I told you about Elsa really did exist.

[00:44:56]And maybe I'm talking to her like I talked to you.

[00:45:07]Except I see her.

[00:45:12]I wish I could see you.

[00:45:21]I don't know what's going on right now.

[00:45:30]Mental illness psychic visions fear of life fear of losing you both.

[00:45:45]I visit Grandpa a lot recently.

[00:45:52]He seems to be getting on okay.

[00:45:57]Of course he misses Grandma.

[00:46:02]I do, too.

[00:46:07]But not like I miss you.

[00:46:13]I'm back in therapy now.

[00:46:18]We'll see.

[00:46:22]Oh, yeah.

[00:46:25]I quit smoking again.

[00:46:30]Love, your loving daughter, Elizabeth.

[00:46:59]I didn't think I'd be seeing you again.

[00:47:01]Probably think I'm an idiot. Come on.

[00:47:18]It's not bad.

[00:47:20]But where are you going with it? I don't know. It's kind of working organically.

[00:47:23]Like one thing leads to another? Sort of.

[00:47:27]You can get into trouble doing that.

[00:47:29]How?

[00:47:30]You want some tea? Sure.

[00:47:34]Well, you can get to a point and not know how to finish it.

[00:47:37]What about all those authors who say their characters lead them to the story?

[00:47:40]Well, maybe who's some who do know how to get books to work, but they [snorts] know how to write books. Do you know how many books have you written?

[00:47:47]None. Well, that's exactly my point.

[00:47:49]You've got to forget all the myths that people say about how you do things. You structure it right, and you can be as loose as you want. But don't structure it, and you get tighter and tighter, and that's you. You get tighter and tighter.

[00:48:02]You've got to have some place to go. You can't just drift, you know, you got to find your compass.

[00:48:09]You know the story about Michelangelo?

[00:48:10]No. Well, he was carving his famous sculpture David, and this guy comes up to him and asks him, "What are you doing?" And he says, "I'm releasing David from the stone." It's a total crap story because he made dozens of little Davids before he made the big one, and he drew hundreds of drawings. He knew exactly what he was doing. He wasn't just releasing David from the stone. And that's what you have to do with writing.

[00:48:31]You make it with malice and forethought.

[00:48:33]It's like a Beethoven was sitting in front of a big black piece of paper with bottles of white out that he was putting on the paper. And someone asks him, "What are you doing?" And he says, "I'm releasing the Ninth Symphony." You don't release your story. You make your story.

[00:48:47]So, that's your next step.

[00:48:49]You take what you've done, and you make a story out of it.

[00:48:54]Any regrets? About what?

[00:48:56]Life.

[00:48:58]Yeah, plenty.

[00:49:00]I regret your grandmother's not here.

[00:49:02]I miss your parents. I miss my youth.

[00:49:06]Damn. What do you regret?

[00:49:09]I don't want to have to regret anything.

[00:49:11]Boy, have you come to the wrong planet.

[00:49:13]Maybe I did.

[00:49:15]You learning anything from Ginger? Oh, tons. Good stuff, too.

[00:49:20]She's my fantasy lady.

[00:49:22]Sexy girl.

[00:49:24]There's another regret.

[00:49:25]Grandpa.

[00:49:27]Call me Eddie.

[00:49:29]You still have thoughts like that?

[00:49:31]Kid, with my thoughts, I could be in junior high school.

[00:49:34]It's not fun being a dirty old man.

[00:49:37]You're not a dirty old man. I am in my mind.

[00:49:41]Hi.

[00:49:42]>> Hi.

[00:49:43]It's my grandfather Eddie. Hi. It's my boss, Peter. How are you doing?

[00:49:47]>> Great.

[00:49:48]I've got a few errands to run now. See you later.

[00:49:51]Bye.

[00:49:53]I don't think I've ever seen you outside of work before. I know. Same here. Are you from here?

[00:49:58]>> Mhm. Where are you from? New Orleans.

[00:50:00]Wow.

[00:50:01]What was that like? I miss it all the time. What about you? What do you do?

[00:50:06]I work for you. Well, besides that.

[00:50:09]I write a little.

[00:50:11]Poetry?

[00:50:12]No. You like poetry? Yeah.

[00:50:15]Who? Pablo Neruda.

[00:50:18]Who do you like?

[00:50:19]Edna St. Vincent Millay.

[00:50:31]Hello? So, I thought you might like to know where he lived.

[00:50:35]Who? The Lindholm thing.

[00:51:14]Okay.

[00:51:15]This is it.

[00:51:21]Let me tell him it's still one of his I guess the brick stones from the house cuz they were laying right there.

[00:51:30]Can you imagine what it was like back then?

[00:51:32]I do know what it was like. That's my subject, American history.

[00:51:36]Yeah, it was not the same. I suppose not.

[00:51:39]Stand still.

[00:51:42]Close your eyes.

[00:51:44]Listen.

[00:51:55]>> Can you feel it?

[00:52:35]>> [screaming] >> I like to read some of your stuff sometime.

[00:53:02]It's nothing.

[00:53:04]But still, I think it's fun to see how people put things together. Yeah, but it's not as much fun to do that.

[00:53:11]So, why you do it then?

[00:53:14]I don't know why.

[00:53:16]Probably crazy.

[00:53:19]I like pretty mixed up girls.

[00:53:23]Um, I'm just trying to make [music] polite conversation like my grandmother taught me. Okay. It's awkward being around making small talk with somebody that you like.

[00:53:32]Me?

[00:53:34]Yeah, you.

[00:53:37]You don't know me.

[00:53:40]I want to.

[00:53:42]You're just lonely hanging around the 100-year-olds, you know.

[00:53:46]Okay.

[00:53:48]So, I can't think that you're awesome?

[00:53:50]You think I'm awesome? Sure. Look who's crazy now.

[00:53:54]>> [snorts] >> Well, it takes one.

[00:54:01]What's your story?

[00:54:03]Just a girl trying to find her place in the world.

[00:54:05]>> Oh, okay. Taylor Swift. Now, she's awesome.

[00:54:09]>> Totally.

[00:54:10]>> [laughter] >> So, are you seeing someone?

[00:54:19]There's this one guy I kind of like, but I'm just checking that out right now, you know.

[00:54:27]I got to go. I'm sorry. Um yeah, me too.

[00:54:30]Thank you so much.

[00:54:31]>> Huh. Oh, please don't don't mention it.

[00:54:46]You're back.

[00:54:48]I never left. What do you want now? My coin. I don't have your coin. You don't?

[00:54:55]No. We are sisters. You're just an extension of my unconscious mind making up stories. No. I'm going to overcome you.

[00:55:14]It's more than just voices now.

[00:55:19]I'm seeing I'm seeing a little girl.

[00:55:24]And she comes at night and I don't know what that means, but it's freaking me out. So, are you more scared now?

[00:55:38]Yeah, but I know you said that I'm not crazy, but now I mean, I'm hallucinating, so.

[00:55:47]Yeah.

[00:55:50]Well, again, you know, high levels of anxiety when people are very, very anxious, um they can see things.

[00:56:01]Um I've had people that are so anxious that they're seeing bodies hanging in windows.

[00:56:08]The girl keeps talking about this coin.

[00:56:11]She wants me to find it.

[00:56:13]It was the last thing her mother ever gave her. Do you remember what the last thing your mother gave you was?

[00:56:18]Teddy bear.

[00:56:21]Teddy bear.

[00:56:23]Where is it?

[00:56:26]I keep it by my bed.

[00:56:29]I'm glad you still have it.

[00:56:31]Me, too.

[00:56:33]I want you to take some anti-anxiety medication with you.

[00:56:36]The next time you hear a voice or see the girl, I want you to take it, and it will go away.

[00:56:46]Better.

[00:56:47]But, I got one suggestion. Yeah. Bring it from the past tense into the present tense.

[00:56:53]It makes it more immediate, like it's happening now and not in the past. But, it's a story that takes place in the 19th century.

[00:56:59]>> So, put yourself in it. Be in the present with it. Live it as if it were now, and it will come alive.

[00:57:46]>> It is 1823 and I've just come in the pantry from gathering corn and tomatoes from my garden.

[00:57:54]All day long the sun was warming my face and I turned to it.

[00:58:00]But now I'm cold.

[00:58:02]The temperature has dropped.

[00:58:04]I must collect the wood, start the fire and begin the evening meal.

[00:58:10]I sense there is rain coming, but now here it's quiet.

[00:58:16]The mist rising, sun setting, the moon rising, and the day is at its end.

[00:58:31]It is 1823 and I've just come in the pantry from gathering corn and tomatoes from my garden. All day long the sun was warming my face and I turned But now I'm cold.

[00:58:43]The temperature is The must collect the wood, start the fire and begin the evening meal. I sense there is rain coming, but now here it it's quiet.

[00:58:55]The mist rising, sun setting.

[00:59:05]What am I hearing?

[00:59:19]I feel this overwhelming impulse to dig around the ruins, but what am I looking for?

[00:59:27]But I feel I need to look.

[01:00:34]>> [music] [music] [music] [music] >> Hey, how you doing? Let me show you something I found.

[01:01:21]Where'd you get this?

[01:01:23]I went back to the old Linhom ruins.

[01:01:24]Interesting. I'm looking into it.

[01:01:32]>> [music] [music] [music] >> Which one? Thanks.

[01:02:34]I'm digging deeper, I'm sweating it out.

[01:02:39]The further [singing and music] I go, the less it's about.

[01:02:45]What once was real is nothing but air.

[01:02:50]The story unravels [singing] and disappears like a million grains of sand that goes slipping >> [music and singing] >> through my hands.

[01:03:05]Oh, what?

[01:03:07]Am I crazy?

[01:03:09]What's wrong with me?

[01:03:12]I'm turning over every stone of this anomaly.

[01:03:17]What am I missing?

[01:03:21]What don't I see?

[01:03:23]If this is some [music] kind of cosmic joke, the joke's on me.

[01:03:57]>> [music] >> Won't you put my mind at Give me something I can [music] believe.

[01:04:09]Oh, what?

[01:04:11]Am I crazy?

[01:04:13]What's wrong with me?

[01:04:15]I'm turning over every [music] stone of this anomaly.

[01:04:21]What am I missing?

[01:04:24]What can't I see?

[01:04:26]If this is some kind of cosmic joke, the joke's on me.

[01:04:32]Oh, what? Am I crazy?

[01:04:34]Is something wrong with me?

[01:04:37]I've turned over [singing] every stone of this anomaly.

[01:04:43]What am I missing?

[01:04:46]What can't I see? [music] If this IS SOME KIND OF cosmic joke, the joke's on me.

[01:04:59]>> [music] >> I'm going to send you a photo of it. I can't make much of it out, but it's definitely Swedish from the late 17th, early 18th century. Uh I can have a look. Email it over.

[01:05:44]Doing that right now.

[01:05:46]Give me a few days.

[01:05:47]>> Perfect.

[01:05:48]And I really appreciate this. No problem.

[01:05:59]Elizabeth, come on over.

[01:06:07]Hi.

[01:06:08]Hi.

[01:06:10]Can I get tonight's menu?

[01:06:18]Okay.

[01:06:20]Something wrong?

[01:06:24]Nothing's wrong.

[01:06:26]I just know where I stand now.

[01:06:29]What are you talking about?

[01:06:31]You and the party girl?

[01:06:38]I can Explain?

[01:06:49]Elena?

[01:06:57]Oi.

[01:07:01]This is Svensk Ja.

[01:07:13]Hey.

[01:07:14]Hi.

[01:07:18]Uh-oh.

[01:07:21]Hey, Pumpkin.

[01:08:10]I know you're pissed at me. I'm pissed at myself.

[01:08:13]I tried to tell you nothing lasts.

[01:08:15]That's just how it is. Thanks for that bit of wisdom. I'd still like us to be friends. You're crazy. I thought we had a nice connection.

[01:08:24]Yeah.

[01:08:25]Well, nothing lasts.

[01:08:36]>> [gasps] >> He wouldn't have liked Peter anyway.

[01:09:02]>> Oh, no.

[01:10:14]It's nice to see you writing about something in the 21st century. So, she finds them getting it on right in the kitchen.

[01:10:20]Well, you're really getting the idea of this present tense thing.

[01:10:32]Watch what you're doing.

[01:10:42]Absolute.

[01:10:55]>> Decta.

[01:10:59]enthusiastic Are you kidding me? There are only three or four coins of this in the world.

[01:11:17]Where Where was this found?

[01:11:19]In the ruins of a 19th-century building, a blacksmith house.

[01:11:24]This coin may be worth just $700,000.

[01:11:28]>> What?

[01:11:31]Wow.

[01:11:33]I didn't think coins were that valuable.

[01:11:35]Some coins are up there.

[01:11:37]The 1933 Saint Gaudens double eagle sold for 7 and 1/2 million dollar back in 2002.

[01:11:44]Let me know because I have a buyer.

[01:11:48]Well, it's not mine. It's a friend of mine.

[01:11:50]Yes, let me know if you want me to do anything.

[01:11:55]Will do.

[01:12:04]Hello. Are you sitting down?

[01:12:06]No, I'm at work.

[01:12:08]Well, you need to sit down.

[01:12:10]What's this about? You are a rich woman.

[01:12:14]What are you talking about? That coin you found?

[01:12:17]Turns out there's only four of them in the entire world. This can change your life.

[01:12:24]I don't know what to say. What time are you getting off?

[01:12:39]Hi.

[01:12:51]Hey.

[01:12:52]Can I get you anything?

[01:12:54]Um no, I'm fine. Thank you.

[01:12:56]Well, let me know if you want anything.

[01:13:03]My connection in Sweden [music] said we can find your buyer.

[01:13:06]I can't believe people buy stuff like that.

[01:13:08]People collect everything from rocks to uh huh you name it.

[01:13:14]It's just it's too much to take in, you know?

[01:13:19]Is it change too much for you?

[01:13:23]So, what now?

[01:13:24]Marry me.

[01:13:26]What?

[01:13:27]What?

[01:13:28]Always wanted to marry a rich lady. Cut the jokes, okay? Think I'm joking?

[01:13:33]Of course you are.

[01:13:36]Aren't you?

[01:13:38]I'm half joking.

[01:13:39]Which half?

[01:13:41]I'll let you figure that out.

[01:13:42]>> even gone on a date or anything. [music] Let me buy you some wine.

[01:13:47]Maybe I should buy you some.

[01:13:52]Uh thank you. Thank you.

[01:13:56]So, how'd you get into the whole history thing? It's always been an interest of mine.

[01:14:00]The past.

[01:14:01]Things were a lot different back then.

[01:14:04]Yeah, but not always better.

[01:14:07]So, now that you have all the money that you ever need, what are you going to do with it?

[01:14:12]I don't even want to think about it. Um my apologies if I come off pushy. No, you're just being normal.

[01:14:19]Oh, that's great. Right. I'm being declared normal. Oh, you're not. Are you? No.

[01:14:26]Definitely not normal.

[01:14:29]You're not.

[01:14:32]I'm afraid I'm going crazy. Actually.

[01:14:37]Why do you think that?

[01:14:40]I don't want to talk about it.

[01:14:42]Where'd you grow up?

[01:14:44]Brooklyn.

[01:14:46]How'd you get here?

[01:14:50]The [snorts] underground railroad.

[01:14:52]No, seriously. You know, it is just that's my thing. That's why I started studying history.

[01:14:58]And then it brought me here.

[01:15:01]I'm even working on a book now.

[01:15:03]Wow.

[01:15:05]Yeah, don't be impressed yet.

[01:15:08]It's kind of hard to find something that nobody's written about yet. How do you do it then?

[01:15:13]By researching old diaries, personal letters people wrote, you know, public notices, things like that.

[01:15:24]Could you read my writing sometime?

[01:15:35]Sister?

[01:15:40]I'm not your sister.

[01:16:10]We'll be gone in a few minutes.

[01:16:33]Go away.

[01:16:43]No.

[01:17:38]>> Why are you still here?

[01:17:42]I want my coin. If I give it to you, will you go away?

[01:17:52]Guess what? You're not going to get it.

[01:17:56]Be here all you want.

[01:18:46]>> Wow, this is very good.

[01:18:49]It's so imaginative.

[01:18:51]And I really like the symbolism you put in there.

[01:18:54]Symbolism?

[01:18:55]Like the coin and the girl in the situation. What are you seeing?

[01:19:00]Well, the coin is the last thing her mother gave her.

[01:19:03]And she lost it.

[01:19:05]And she feels like she betrayed her mother's gift.

[01:19:08]And she's haunted by it. Like she's not being true to her mother in one way or another. And until she's reunited with that coin, which of course is more than a coin, it symbolizes her mother's love, which is the last thing she has to hold on to, she can't find her eternal rest.

[01:19:25]It's a classic ghost story.

[01:19:27]Ghost story?

[01:19:29]Yeah, that's what you've written. You didn't know?

[01:19:31]I didn't really look at it like that.

[01:19:34]This is a real breakthrough in your writing. How did you do it?

[01:19:36]>> By breaking one of your rules. I have rules?

[01:19:39]The one on journal writing. Oh, that one.

[01:19:44]>> [snorts] >> Are you saying that this is happening to right now?

[01:20:06]Well, how are you going to end this?

[01:20:09]What do you mean?

[01:20:11]This is a story that you're writing.

[01:20:14]You're the author.

[01:20:16]You get to decide how you end it.

[01:22:29]>> Mhm.

[01:23:18]>> Mom.

[01:23:22]Daddy.

[01:23:26]I miss you.

[01:23:32]You'll always be with me.

[01:23:38]But it's time for me to put the past away.

[01:23:42]So that I can join life.

[01:24:34]>> That night she was waiting for She knew she would appear as she had every night since the first night.

[01:24:40]But this time she was ready.

[01:25:21]She left for good that night.

[01:25:26]Resolved in her longing.

[01:25:30]The finality.

[01:25:32]Now able to truly rest in peace.

[01:25:35]The end.

[01:25:39]You got to taste this.

[01:25:44]Mhm, good.

[01:25:47]I bought it from the deli. Of course.

[01:25:53]So, I got to tell you something.

[01:26:01]I gave the coin away.

[01:26:04]You did?

[01:26:07]You're not mad?

[01:26:09]Should I be?

[01:26:10]Well I don't know.

[01:26:13]It's cool.

[01:26:20]>> So, who would you give it to?

[01:26:24]Someone who needed it.

[01:26:27]Good for you.

[01:26:34]You were.

[01:26:35]Oh, not normally anymore?

[01:26:37]>> No.

[01:26:38]>> [laughter] >> Okay.

[01:26:41]Look, um are you done here?

[01:27:09]You ready?

[01:27:10]Are you ready?

[01:27:21]>> [music] [music] [music] [music] >> Mhm.