(narrator): On December 31st, 2014,
a taxi cab traveled through San Francisco
from Chinatown to Marin..
The car carried a single passenger,
{a woman..
Her birth name, Adeline Bowman.
(beeping) (buzzing)
Current alias, Jennifer Larson.
This is the first and last chapter of her story.
(knocking)
- Uh, sorry, you just got to be, uh, quiet. My dad, he's still sleeping.
He works nights. Come on in.
I, uh, finished the color seps and the digital printing last night.
I pulled some line art from the Internet...
and printed the imperfections. See, that's kind of my secret.
The dust marks and the discoloration.
No one's going to question that detail in a million years.
So, why 29? I mean...
If I were you, I would shave a couple years off.
You could definitely get away with it. (soft chuckle)
- You're very kind, Tony.
Nice work.
- It was a pleasure doing business with you. If any of your friends--
- Why are you doing this? - Come again?
- You're a smart kid. Forgery is a felony.
$250,000 fine, six years in jail.
- Shit. You're... you're a cop?
(chuckles)
- No. I'm about as far from law enforcement as you can get.
I just hate to see wasted potential, Jeff.
- Tony. It's Tony.
- The autographed baseballs in your bedroom. Made out to Jeff.
Don't get sloppy. It's the little things that trip you up.
(door closing)
Honey, I'm home.
Reese?
(dog barks)
Hi. Hi. (giggles)
(dog whimpers)
There we go.
You're going to love the new farmhouse.
Clean air, acres and acres of woods, a mountain stream.
You'll feel like a puppy again.
Did you know that your great-great grandmother was born just a few towns over?
So was mine. Not at the same time, of course.
Oh, I got to go to work.
The Civic Archives, please.
- It may take a while. Market's jammed.
- Okay, then please take California to Hyde.
- There's construction on Hyde.
- Why don't you stay on this?
Take this to Gough, Gough to Bush, Bush to Polk, Polk to Grove,
and then just leave me on the corner of Market.
- Do you want my job? - You never know.
- Morning, Jenny. - Morning.
- Hi, Kenneth.
- We thought you might not be coming in today,
being New Year's Eve and all. - Well, it's still a Wednesday.
The fun doesn't start till tonight anyway.
- Well, are you up for a little excitement right now?
- Sure, what is it? - Your favorite.
The news reel archive. It's finally being digitized.
We need a little help getting it ready to be shipped.
- I'd love to.
(narrator): Adeline Marie Bowman was born at 12:01 a.m., January 1st, 1908
at Children's Hospital, San Francisco.
The only child of Faye and Milton Bowman.
On June 16th, 1929]
just as Adeline Bowman and her mother stopped to admire the expense
where three years hence'
construction would be finished on the Golden Gate Bridge,
a young engineer displayed uncommon gallantry.
87 days later
Adeline married Clarence James Prescott
at Old Saint Mary's Cathedral in San Francisco.
- Very nice.
- Three years later, Adeline gave birth to a baby girl.
They named her Flemming, after Adaline's paternal grandmother.
On February 17th, 1937
eight workers and two engineers lost their lives
when a section of scaffolding fell through a safety net
during construction of the Golden Gate Bridge.
Among the deceased was Adeline's husband.
Ten months after her husband's death
Adeline was driving north to her parents' beach cottage...
Where five-year-old Flemming was waiting up for her...
when something highly unusual occurred.
Something almost magical..
Snow fell in Sonoma County, California..
(banging)
(gasping)
(crashing) (gasping)
The immersion in the frigid water...
caused Adaline's body to go into an anoxic reflex,
instantly stopping her breathing and slowing her heartbeat.
Within two minutes
Adeline Bowman '3 core temperature had dropped to 87 degrees.
Her heart stopped beating..
(thunder rumbling)
At 8:55, a bolt of lightning struck the vehicle...
...discharging half a billion volts of electricity
and producing 60,000 amperes of current.
Hts effect was threefold..
First, the charge defibrillated Adeline Bowman '3 heart.
Second, she was jolted out of her anoxic state,
causing her to drew her first breath' in two minutes.
(gasping)
(panting)
Third,
based on Von Lehman's Principle of Electron Compression
in deoxyribonucleic acid,
which will be discovered in the year 2035,
Adeline Bowman will henceforth be immune to the ravages of time.
She will never age another day..
As the years passed, Adeline credited her unchanging appearance
to a combination of a healthy diet,
exercise, heredity and good luck.
- Adeline?
- Miriam, hello.
- My God. You haven't changed a bit.
- Oh, that's very kind of you to say.
- Flemming, you're all grown up.
- That's what I keep telling my mom, but she doesn't believe me.
- Oh, darling. I'm sorry, we really must leave.
- But you look like sisters.
- You better stop or it'll go straight to my head.
- How is that possible?
- A new face cream from Paris. (chuckles)
- Made from the royal jelly of the queen bee.
- Okay, darling. Bye, now. Great seeing you.
(chuckling)
(narrator): Action was required.
Just weeks later when, living a quiet suburban existence,
Adeline was pulled over for a minor traffic infraction.
- Ma'am, it says here you were born January 1st, 1908.
- That's right.
- That would make you...
45 years old.
- Yes. - Ma'am, I'm going to hold onto this.
When you come by the station house to pick it up,
please bring your birth certificate.
- I'd be happy to, Officer. Is tomorrow morning alright?
- Sure.
(narrator): Soon after, Adeline moved back to San Francisco
and took a clerical job at the school of medicine.
There she availed herself'
of every opportunity to research her condition.
After a year of intense study
Adeline Bowman was forced to confront the fact
that there was absolutely no scientific explanation for her condition.
- Are you a member of the Communist Party?
Or have you ever been a member of the Communist Party?
- Adeline?
- Oh, I'm sorry. You have the wrong person.
- We're from the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Miss Bowman.
We'd like to ask you a few questions, if you don't mind.
- Why? I've done nothing wrong.
I'm a good American.
How dare you bother me at my place of employment?
- It couldn't be helped, ma'am.
We have no record of your residence. This way, please.
Nothing to worry about, Miss Bowman.
We're just going to run a few tests on you.
(plane engines starting)
(doors opening and shutting)
What's the status, boys?
(grunting)
(vehicle approaching)
- If anyone contacts you,
tell them that I went to Europe on vacation, that I never came back.
The next time we see each other, I'll have a new identity.
I'll always be your mother.
You'll just have to introduce me as your friend.
- Mama, no.
- It has to be this way. Here.
(sniffles)
(sobbing)
(narrator: To ensure the freedom and safety of herself and her daughter,
Adeline vowed to keep moving..
Changing her name, residence, and appearance every decade.
And never to speak a word of her fate...
to another living soul..
In seven weeks, when Jennifer Larson disappears forever,
and Susan Fleisher takes up residence in a remote farmhouse in Ashton, Oregon,
Adeline Bowman, aside from one moment of weakness,
will have kept her vow for the past 60 years.
“phone ringing)'
(beeping) - Hello, Regan.
- Amanda, you're not going to stand me up, are you?
- You asked me that last year. Why don't you trust me?
- I just can't believe you haven't got a better offer.
- Impossible.
I'll pick you up at 8?
- Actually, that's the other reason I called.
The Grand Hotel of Nob Hill is sending a car for me.
- Look at you.
- Have you ever been there for New Year's? - Only once. Ages ago.
K- I guess it's pretty lavish..
- Well, I better get to it then. I'll see you soon.
Bye, Regan.
Hmm.
(dog whining)
You hungry?
No?
Oh, you just want to come out with me tonight, don't you?
Sorry, buddy, it's a girls' night.
(old big band music playing)
Avery, if you don't remove your hand-- - Both my hands are on the table!
- Allison.
“Adeline laughing)'
(music fades out)
(piano playing)
(indistinct chattering)
(applause)
- Thank you.
- Happy New Year. - Oh, hey, Amanda!
That was you clapping, wasn't it?
- How did you guess? (laughing)
- You have good manners. - We're the last two.
- Ah... Hey, grab a glass.
- Tell me, what did I miss?
- Uh, not much. Just some happy chatter.
It's funny. No matter how old you get,
New Year's Eve still feels like the one night where anything is possible.
- What's your resolution?
- Same as always. True love. How about you?
- To live this year as though it were my last.
- You never know. It could be, at our age.
So, hell, yeah. Let's live.
(glasses tinkling)
(man): Be right back.
- Beware, bachelor at 3:00 getting his nerve up.
- Mmm. What's he like?
- Brown hair, icy blues, mid 303. - How come when I'm with you,
we always get hit on by babies? - Shh. He's here.
- Good evening, ladies. - Welcome to the cougar den.
(chuckles)
- I know, we don't look a day over 28. You're too kind.
What's your name? - Dale Davenport.
- Dale's a painter.
- Really? - Yeah. A starving artist, though,
because he doesn't accept his affluent family's help.
- I'm sorry, have me met?
- No, no. Just your Cartier wrist watch, one of the very first.
I'm assuming it was given to you by a well-to-do grandfather.
- Great-grandfather. But how do you know that I paint?
Your hands are covered in paint. (laughs)
- Ah. - That one was easy.
(laughter)
- Well, Picasso, have a seat. We're going to buy you a drink.
- Um...
Sure. (Regan): Happy New Year.
(Dale): Happy New Year. - Thank you.
(soft music, no dialogue)
(all): ...six, five, four,
three, two, one.
Happy New Year! (cheering)
- Hello.
Thank you, sweetheart.
Oh... (laughing)
No, no, you don't have to sing.
No, please, please, don't sing. I've already had enough birthdays.
Aw, where are you?
You didn't go out at all?
Hmm. Well, I don't blame you.
Are we still on for tomorrow?
Great. Alright, get some sleep. I love you.
Good night.
Wherever he is, I hope he's got one hell of an excuse.
(chuckles) I'm sorry, I didn't mean to scare you.
It's just... Isn't there some sort of tradition
if you're alone on New Year's Eve that you're supposed to kiss a stranger?
(chuckles)
Damn it. You've heard it before.
- Just once. From a young Bing Crosby...
...type.
Happy New Year.
(all): Happy New Year! (cheefing)
- I am too old for this. - Oh, no, don't disappear.
- I'll call you tomorrow and you can tell me everything I missed.
I love you. - Bye, dear.
(piano playing)
“elevator bell dinging)'
- Ah! - Oh!
(grunts in pain)
- Oh, well, that'll teach me not to put my hand where it doesn't belong.
- Something tells me it won't.
(chuckles)
- You know, that was a risky move.
- What was?
- Not introducing yourself before you leave.
- I'm a daredevil.
- I'm Ellis. It's a pleasure to meet you.
- Like the island? - No man is.
- I'm Jenny. - Like the poem?
No? (stammers)
"Say I'm weary, say I'm sad
"Say that health and wealth have miss'd me
"Say I'm growing old, but add
"Jenny kiss'd me"
(laughing)
- Who wrote that?
- Oh, one of the romantics, I think.
- Well, you're not sure. (laughs)
- Actually, I am, but I don't want to come across like a know-it-all.
(elevator bell dings) - Too bad. I adore know-it-alls.
- Wa...
So, where are you off to?
- Someplace with better food. My apartment.
Yourself?
- Back to the party. I just wanted to spend 27 floors with you.
- That was a risky move. - What?
- Leaving your date upstairs. I hope it was worth it.
- What are you talking about? - Oh, Come on. That beautiful woman in blue.
Does her name happen to end in "kova"?
(chuckling)
- No. Her name is Agnes Boggs.
Her uncle's the chef. I'll let him know you liked his food.
And she's not my date.
(doorman): Taxi, ma'am? - Yes, please. Thank you.
(whistling)
Good night. - Oh...
I'll just wait with you.
- So you can find out where I live? (chuckles)
- It does make it a lot easier to send flowers.
(laughs) - Okay. Thank you, but I'll manage.
Goodbye. It's been an adventure meeting you.
Thank you.
- Wait! - Oh!
There you go again, putting your hand in places it doesn't belong.
- How do we get in touch?
- Happy New Year, Ellis.
Thank you, sir.
(indistinct chatter)
(panting)
- Am I late? - No more than usual.
- Happy Birthday, Mama.
- Thank you, darling.
(soft chuckle) I'm so happy to see you.
You know, you don't have to still give me cards.
I love you.
- I love you, too.
So, when are you moving back up? - Third week in February.
- Right on schedule. - Of course.
I see you already forgot our little talk about sodium?
- No. I am simply choosing to ignore it.
Actually, um...
I'm thinking of moving myself.
- But you love where you live.
- I do. But, you know, there's just too many stairs.
Last week, Kay Alfonso fell and she broke her hip.
The doctor said she might never leave the hospital.
And then the very next day, Molly Andrews called me
and she told me about this wonderful retirement community in Arizona.
She moved in last spring.
She said she'd never been happier in her whole life.
What's the matter?
- I only bought in Oregon so that I could be close to you.
So you could come up for long visits.
Move in with me eventually. (chokes)
- We haven't lived together since I was in high school.
- But you're not getting any younger.
What if you moved to Arizona and something happened to you?
What if you got sick?
- Then I would hope that you would come and take care of me.
- What if I'm too late?
- No. No.
We cannot do this. Not on your birthday.
It's a holiday.
(Cora): I nearly fell off my feet.
- What are you two clucking about? - Major news.
Mr. Jones is donating $50,000 worth of first edition classics to this library.
- What books? Do you know? - We're going to find out very soon
because his office called to say that he'll be here to deliver them himself.
- Hi. I'm Ellis. - Oh, no.
- Oh, good. Welcome, Mr. Jones. - Thank you.
- On behalf of the San Francisco Heritage Society,
I'd like to express our sincere gratitude for your most generous gift.
- I left them in shipping and receiving, but I'm sure they'll be right up.
- If you don't mind, we'd like a photograph of you donating the books.
- Yeah. Sure.
Can you give me one second, though?
Hey. It's me.
The know-it-all.
- What are you doing here? - I got something for you, too.
Some flowers.
- Daisy Miller by Henry James.
Dandelion Wine by Ray Bradbury.
White Oleander, Janet Fitch.
(chuckles)
Very clever. (chuckles)
How did you know I work here?
- I just joined the board. I saw you coming out of our meeting.
- Oh.
You could have mentioned that in the elevator.
- If we had met in a taller building, I would have had time to cover that.
I don't know about you, but I'm ready for some donating.
- Great. I'll be here.
- No way. I would like for you to accept the books on behalf of the library.
- Oh, no. I can't do that.
- Yes, you can.
- No, I don't want my photo taken.
- Don't worry. You look stunning.
- It's not about vanity.
I just don't like people taking my photograph.
- Suit yourself. If you won't accept them, I won't donate them.
- You wouldn't do that. - I will. I'll even have a book burning.
- I just... I don't like having my photo taken, Ellis.
- Okay, fine, fine. Here's an alternative.
Let me take you out tomorrow.
- Okay.
That's impossible.
- Alright. Well, I'll just pack up the books then. It's fine. Yeah.
(sighs)
- Where?
- Someplace you've never been.
- Well, if it's in this city, that's unlikely.
- Try me.
- You can leave your boots at the front when you're done.
And I'll be right outside. - We will. Thank you, Tom.
- Alright.
- Alright. I give up.
- In the first year of the gold rush,
about 60,000 people came to San Francisco by ship
and a lot of them hightailed it straight into the hills,
leaving their boats behind.
Hundreds of boats were left onshore.
Downtown San Francisco was built right on top of them.
- Oh, I didn't know that.
- Now, city services found this when they were digging for a utility line.
- Oh, my God.
- Isn't it something?
- Oh... Is that-l
- Yeah, that's a boat.
- Oh, wow.
This is incredible.
- So, we had the digging stopped immediately, of course,
because we want this made available to the public.
- We?
- The San Francisco Historical Preservation Society.
- Let me guess, you're on the board.
- Yeah, well, they'll let anyone on the board these days.
- So, how did you come by your fortune anyway? Inheritance?
- Luck. Uh... I was a math major in college,
and in my spare time, I developed an algorithm for analyzing climate data.
But my roommate figured out that it could also be used to make economic forecasts.
So we started a company in our dorm room,
sold it three years later, and then with his half, he retired to Fiji,
and with my half, um, you know, I'm doing this.
- Your job is giving away money. - Yeah, that's right.
But if you want to make a real difference in this world, it's, uh...
it's a lot harder than it seems.
- What about you, Jenny?
- Oh. Um...
I own a dog.
- Okay.
- I should be getting back.
- But we're having lunch.
- Um, it's too late, Ellis. I only get an hour.
- Okay. Let me at least walk you back.
- Thank you for all of this. It's just that you should know, I'm moving.
- Huh.
Okay. I have an idea.
I'll tell you a joke and if you laugh,
you have to go outwith me one more time before you move away.
I mean, if you don't laugh,
I'll know we're incompatible and I'll gladly give up.
- That must be one hell of a joke. - It's the funniest in human history.
But it's subtle, sophisticated, so you probably won't even get it.
- Yeah, probably not. (chuckles)
- Do you like baseball?
- Yeah, I... I love it. - Good.
So, one day at Fenway Park, Ted Williams...
Do you know who he was?
- Oh, come on. The Thumper. Career batting average of .344, right?
- What? Yeah. That Ted Williams.
Anyway, so, he's hanging around Fenway,
and this horse walks up and says, "I want to play for the Sox..."
- An actual horse? - An actual horse.
- Hmm. - So, Ted's like, "Okay, what can you do?"
And the horse says, "I can hit just like you only a whole lot better."
So he picks up a bat with his teeth and Ted's like, "Okay."
And he throws him a few and sure enough...
(vocalizing)
Into the bleachers.
So, Ted's like, "Whoa, what else can you do?"
And the horse says, "Well, I can play shortstop."
80 Ted hits him a few ground balls and sure enough--
- He's a vacuum cleaner.
- Yeah. 80, Ted's, like, "Whoa! Can you pitch?"
And the horse just looks at him and says, "Pitch?
"Who ever heard of a horse pitching?"
Yeah! (laughs)
Yes! Ladies and gentlemen!
- Oh, no. (shushing)
- The lady has been conquered! (sighs)
- That's the worst joke I've ever heard in my entire life.
- Thank you. - It wasn't a compliment.
- Dinner, Tuesday, my place, 30318th Street.
8:00.
- Fine.
(man): Good morning, Miss Larson. Good to see you again.
- Good morning. - So, what can we do for you today?
- I'd like to add another signee to my account.
- May I ask the reason? - I'll be traveling for a while.
- Traveling...
Okay. I'll get the paperwork. I'll be right back.
(door opening)
(door closing)
- All of these companies rate very highly with us.
- What's this? The Haloid Photographic Company?
- They've been around 50 years. They make photo paper and equipment.
They're developing something called electrophotography.
It could revolutionize the business. But you won't see any immediate returns.
It could be a few years away. - That's alright.
- I'd hate to see you tie up your money.
- I'm patient.
- Well, what do you know. They changed their name.
They're now called...
Uh... (chuckles)
What the heck? It starts with an X. It's, um...
- It's Greek. It's pronounced Xerox.
- Xerox.
(door opens) - So, we can start with the signature card.
- What is the name of the cosigner?
- Susan Fleisher. - Susan Fle... F-L-F...
- I-S-H-E-R.
Now I made you some salmon.
This no-eating nonsense just won't do if you're going to be a proper farm dog.
I want you to eat every last bite. Do you understand me?
Oh! There we go.
Yeah.
(jazz music playing)
(knocks) Hello?
Ellis?
(chuckling)
Am I interrupting? - Hey!
I was afraid you got cold feet.
- No, no, just trouble getting a cab.
- Hey.
(kiss)
- Can I take your coat?
- Okay.
Um, your... your place, it's, uh...
- Unfinished? - Yes.
Um, I noticed that part. Is it an artistic choice?
(laughing) - No.
I have to paint and plaster and do all the wiring and stuff,
but I'm doing it all myself,
so, it's going to take a little while. (food sizzling)
- I think your food is burning.
- Ah! (chuckles)
Just, uh, make yourself comfortable.
Sit down, relax.
- Okay.
(clears throat)
What is it that you're cooking?
- Well, it's a delicacy which, to be honest, is not for everyone. So...
I hope you like it.
Are you ready? - Would you like a drum roll?
(drumming on table) (Ellis laughing)
- Voila'.
(laughs)
It was between this and stuffed quail.
Please don't tell me you're disappointed.
- I... I'm truly overjoyed. - Yes!
Dig in. - Okay.
(increases music volume)
- Well? - It's as perfect as the music is painful.
- You don't like jazz? - No, I love jazz. This is something else.
(soft music playing)
- My mom grew up in Maine. She's a real New Englander.
Sweet, but tough as nails.
My dad, on the other hand,
has his head in the stars. Literally.
He's an astronomer.
He just retired from Stanford.
His claim to fame is that he discovered an unusual comet.
- Unusual in what way?
- Well, it has a mathematically perfect perigee.
80, based on his calculations, it would pass by Earth in the winter of 1981.
- Did it? - No.
(laughs) No. It did not.
But that didn't stop us from looking for it every year.
It was kind of a ritual we had when I was growing up.
My dad is still looking.
- Well, one more glass of wine and I may see it.
(laughs)
Oh, no. No, thank you. Please.
- Oh, come on. You know, they have a saying in Italy.
(Italian)
- "Years, lovers, wine, cups..."
- "Years, lovers, and glasses of wine.
"These are things that should never be counted."
- You have no idea.
I like your view.
- Mm. (chuckles)
Thank you.
I like the way you read.
- What?
- The first time I saw you, coming out of the board meeting,
you were reading.
Your hair was pulled back and you were wearing a blue dress.
It was a book in braille. I slowed down to watch.
k- How long did you watch for?
- Long enough to realize you weren't blind.
And that I had to meet you.
I didn't know when or how, but I...
I knew I would.
- I think I, um...
I think I remember that day. Uh... (chuckles)
Um... Yes, um, it was a book in Norwegian,
and because of all the umlauts over the vowels,
it made it nearly impossible to comprehend.
- You're kidding. - Yes.
- You're kidding. - Yes, of course I am.
(laughing)
It was braille for beginners or nursery rhymes or something.
- You can tell me anything you want and I'll believe it.
I know almost nothing about you.
- It's better this way.
- No, it's not.
- Tell me something I can hold onto forever and never let go.
- Let go.
(soft moaning)
- Hi.
Good morning.
Okay, move your arms. Some of us work for a living.
Oh, okay, I get it.
You're holding me hostage. (giggles)
- Will you ever come back?
Are you sure there's no one there who speaks English or even Spanish?
No, no. We want it all.
(Portuguese)
(whispering): I have to go. - Hold on. Uno momento, por favor.
Just give me a second, okay? I'm trying to deal with this in Portuguese.
- I can't.
What are you trying to say?
- The Rainforest Trust wants to buy 5,000 acres.
- Hmm, well, you're not even close. Here.
- Thank you.
(Portuguese)
- I'm late for work.
- Wait. That's it?
- Let go.
(soft music)
(driver): It's $1.50, ma'am.
Ma'am?
- I changed my mind. Just keep driving, please.
- You got it.
“Door opening)'
(phone ringing) - Reese.
Reese?
(phone continues ringing) (dog whimpers)
Baby. Are you okay?
Are you okay, baby?
(vet): His urine creatine levels are way too high.
Which means his kidneys are failing..
The toxins are building up in his body. He can't handle it.
- Is he in pain?
- It's difficult to say.
- If you were me, what would you do?
- I'd be thinking about...
what a wonderful life he's had.
And how lucky you are to have found each other.
(softly): Um...
(voice breaking): May I have a moment alone with him, please?
- Of course.
(door opens)
(door closes) (sobbing)
(phone ringing)
(phone beeps)
- Hey, Jenny, this is Ellis. I tried you a couple times.
I hope you got my messages. Call me back.
(phone hangs up)
(sighs)
(soft giggling)
(sighs)
(sobbing)
Jenny.
- What are you doing here?
- I tried to call, but-- - How did you get my address?
- Um...
The library.
Come on, don't be upset. I didn't know what else to do.
- My dog, I had to, um...
I had to put him down. - Oh, no. I'm so sorry to hear that.
- You should have waited for me to contact you.
- Um, Jenny--
- There's a reason I don't give out my address.
- I'm sorry, honestly.
- This isn't going to work. I'm moving.
- Are you serious?
Hi. For you.
(sighs)
- Barbara Ireland, before she moved to Florida,
she got rid of all of her books.
I could no sooner get rid of this book than I could...
Well, it looks like I'm not the only one getting nostalgic.
- You have had such a wonderful life.
- Yeah, I like to think so.
I just wish you...
You know, that you could have been there for more of it.
- So do I.
- Remember that?
1954. I was a junior in college.
That's the last photo I have of you.
- Well, if you've seen one, you've seen them all.
(laughing) - It's true.
What is it?
Huh? What's wrong?
- I'm just tired of running,
of lying to good people.
- Then stop.
Nobody's chasing you anymore.
Anyone who was ever suspicious is long dead.
You don't have to be alone forever.
Don't you miss having someone to love?
It's been such a long time.
- Well, it's not the same when there's no future.
- What are you talking about? You've got nothing but future.
- I mean a future together, of growing old together.
(sniffling) Without that, love is...
It's just heartbreak.
- It's the same for everybody.
How many times has my heart been broken?
- Too many.
- If I had your looks and your energy, I'd fall in love tomorrow.
- I really would. (soft chuckle)
- I did meet someone. - What?
- On New Year's Eve. He jumped in my elevator.
- Why didn't you tell me? - Because I knew you'd look at me like that.
(Flemming chuckling)
Don't get too excited. I, um...
I told him to leave me alone.
I was horrible.
Cruel.
- Tell him you're sorry. Tell him you made a mistake.
- I can't. I'm leaving.
- You're moving to Oregon, not Timbuktu.
Come on.
If you won't do it for yourself, do it for me.
Please?
- Hello. - Can I help you?
- Um, I'm here to see Ellis Jones. He's... he's not expecting me.
- Oh. Let's see what we can do about that.
And you are?
- Incredibly sorry.
- Incredi...
Mr. Jones, you got a guest down here.
I bet you got a name.
- Jennifer Larson.
- Okay.
- Please tell him I understand if he doesn't want to see me.
I'm just here to say I'm sorry.
And that my life has been unbelievable
since longer than he can imagine, and I just...
I was emotional the other day, and...
Now I realize how incredibly kind to me he's been,
and I've just been too stupid to accept it.
And I know better now, and...
that's why I want to tell him how sincerely sorry I am.
- Okay.
- And ask that if he could come downstairs, maybe,
let me make it up to him by taking him out tonight.
Please.
- Uh, there's a Jennifer Larson. She says she understands if you don't...
Oh, you heard that. Okay, good.
He wants to know where you're taking him.
- Someplace he's never been before.
Hello. - Hey, Jenny.
- Come on.
- Alright. You don't actually think this is my first chop shop, do you?
- Oh, be quiet. There's more here than meets the eye.
This used to be one of the most popular picture houses in the city.
- A movie theater? - Yes.
In the 19308, a woman named Mary Elizabeth Woods
read about a chemical magnate who had created a drive-in theater
in Camden, New Jersey.
And so, naturally, she needed one of her own here in San Francisco.
Everyone thought she was crazy as 3 Icon, which she was.
She would sleep with anyone who wasn't her husband.
And she used to put on these airs like she was better than everyone else.
Which, in fact... (chuckles)
Anyway. (both chuckle)
Because of local ordinances, she couldn't have an open-air theater,
so she brought all the cars in here.
That's the screen right there.
It was spectacular...
I imagine.
Are you ready for the best part? - Sure.
- Okay. Look up.
- Oh!
- She had photo-luminescent filaments installed.
They took the time to create the constellations.
Isn't it beautiful?
- Yeah.
Haha. What are you doing?
- Come on.
(giggles)
Cheers.
- The great paradox of all this is that
the better our instruments get, the farther we can see,
but not into the future, into the past,
events whose light hasn't even reached us yet.
- I don't think I'll ever understand why so few people care about history.
- The future has its charms, too.
We could talk about ours.
- Ellis... - Not the distant future.
I'm talking about this weekend.
- What did you have in mind?
- My parents are having a party to celebrate their 40th wedding anniversary.
It's just a couple hours from here.
Come with me.
- Okay.
Can I drive? - Huh.
(rock music)
(Ellis laughing)
Oh, my God. You know, you rarely see a Saab in the Daytona 500.
There's a reason for that.
You might want to consider an occasional tap
on that square pedal by your foot.
- I don't know what you're talking about.
- Whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa! Oh, my God!
(laughs) Oh, I'm sorry.
What's wrong with you?
Do me a favor. Stop and pick her up.
- Oh, I'd rather not get stabbed. (snickers)
- That's my sister.
- Oh! (brakes screeching)
Sorry. (chuckles)
- What's up, pussycat? - Need a ride?
- What's it look like? (laughs)
How are you? - Good. Hi.
Oh! - Get out.
Still driving the Saab, huh? - Yeah. It's good to see you, too.
- Hello. - Hey.
- Kikki, this is Jenny.
Jenny, this is my sister.
- Nice to meet you. - Nice to meet you.
- You should have told me you were taking the bus.
We would've picked you up at the station.
- I stopped using telephones two months ago.
- Any particular reason?
- To protest the involvement of telecom firms
in the development of high-tech weapons systems.
- Oh.
Kikki graduated from Berkeley. - Ah.
- So, this is the new one, huh?
(clears throat) Have you done him yet?
- Yes, 10 minutes ago, right where you're sitting.
(soft snickering)
- So, what's the story with this girl? She works there?
- I've told you everything Ellis told me.
Thank you. - A beautiful girl..
Working in a public library.
- Maybe she likes books. And silence.
- Or maybe she googled him
and found out about his generous contribution
and then worked her way in there so she could get her hooks into him.
- Yeah, I'll bet that's it.
- Shouldn't they be here by now? - You clear the table.
They're here! - Yeah, yeah.
- How do I look?
- Very pretty.
- Oh, there you are! (Ellis): Hey, Mom.
- Oh, honey. Oh, you look great.
- Look who we picked up on the road. - Hi, baby.
- So, this is Jenny. - Hello.
- It's so nice to meet you. - Nice to meet you.
- You must be exhausted after your trip.
- Oh, no, it was nothing. - We made it in, like, 18 minutes.
- Now, I'm not amused. He knows I hate it when he speeds.
- It wasn't me, it was Jenny. I swear. She thinks she has nine lives.
- Let me take your coat. - Where have you been?
What, did you forget where we live?
- No. (Ellis laughs)
- Um, this is my dad, William. Dad, this is--
- Adaline.
- Jenny, actually.
- Dad, are you okay?
(laughing) - I'm sorry, it's just...
You look exactly like this old friend of mine. Um...
Adaline Bowman.
- That's my mother.
- You're joking? Really?
- Yeah. - Oh, my gosh.
- Did you know her?
- Yeah. Yeah...
We were very close. I... I knew her in London.
- Yeah. Yeah, she lived there in the 603.
Right before she moved to Paris, and met my father.
- Incredible. What are the odds? - What a small world.
- Wow, wow.
The resemblance is... is absolutely amazing.
You must hear that all the time.
- For as long as I can remember.
- Wow. We were very close.
- You said that already, honey. I can't believe you never mentioned her.
- Oh, yeah, I must have.
- No, no. I remember your close, close friends.
- How is she? How is she doing?
- She passed away.
Six years ago.
- No. Really?
Oh, wow. I'm so sorry.
Um...
Extraordinary woman.
- Yeah, well, it runs in the family.
(William and Kathy chuckling)
- Um...
Come on. You want something to eat?
A drink? (Kathy): Yeah, yeah, I made cheesecake.
- Um...
We're kind of tired, actually.
Um... I think we'll head up, if that's okay with you.
- Me, too.
- Really? - Mm-hmm.
- Alright. Now, I have you in the back bedroom.
(Ellis): Ah, you're in the back. - Um...
- Hey. - Hey.
It's so nice to meet you.
- Dad. - Oh, yeah.
Hey, baby.
Miss!
(engine sputtering) Miss.
You know, if you keep doing that, you're going to flood your engine.
- Thank you. Thank you for the useful tip.
- Well, you're going to get one hell of a tan at least.
- I'm sorry. I've done everything I could to get this thing started.
It just... It won't work.
- Alright, all it needs is a push start. Um...
Just lose the brake, I'll give you a push,
you pop your clutch and you'll take off.
- Okay.
Thank you.
Ready? - Ready. You ready?
- Okay. - Okay.
Okay, now pop your clutch.
- Ah! (Adaline laughing)
Thank you!
- You're welcome.
(chuckles) (lively guitar music)
(narrator): They would spend the next five weeks together.
And Adeline did something she had promised herself she would never do.
- You know, you still haven't told me your name.
- Adaline Bowman.
But my friends call me Della. - That's beautiful.
- Thank you.
(narrator): Three weeks later, his semester completed,
William flew home to the United States.
Adeline came with him..
(door opening)
- Hey.
How did you sleep?
- Fine. - Good.
I'm sorry about last night. I didn't mean to embarrass you. It just...
I must be losing it.
- It's okay.
- Hey. - When did you come up?
- Not too late. I read for a while.
- Hmm.
Hi, baby.
Where's Jenny? (Ellis): She'll be down in a sec.
She was up all night tossing and turning. - Oh.
You know, you've never told us how you guys met.
- Uh, we met in an elevator on New Year's Eve.
- Some coffee? - No, thank you.
- But I'd seen her once before that. Hey.
It was at the library. She was reading a book in braille and I just...
I knew she was an original.
- Here you go, baby. 80 was her mom.
How did you meet her mother? - Uh, it was outside London.
Her car broke down. I helped her fix it.
- So, she was English.
- Oh, no, no. She was just there studying French.
- She spoke, like, what, four languages?
- I... I think so.
- Wow. - Yeah.
- Jenny's brilliant with languages, too.
(William): Really? - Mm-hmm.
- 80, um, how old were you when you met her?
- Oh, I was about, um...
Let's see, it was the second year of med school, so I was, like, 26.
I was thinking about quitting medicine. I was bored.
But I was...
I was afraid I was too old to start over.
I told...
I told Adaline about it and she just laughed in my face.
She said, "Go for it. Don't be silly.
"Life's too short."
If it wasn't for her, I probably wouldn't have found astronomy, physics.
She was only a couple years older than I was, but she was so wise.
She was so sophisticated.
Um...
She, uh...
(sighs)
What? Honey. - That's enough, William.
- What? What's going on? (chuckles)
- What, you think this is funny?
- What do you mean? What did I do?
- "You were very close." "You were very close."
You said that to me twice now.
And you should see your face when you talk about her.
Are you going to wax nostalgic this whole goddamn weekend?
- Look, it's just that she looks so much like her mother
that I'm remembering things that I didn't even know I remembered.
- Well, I hate feeling like second choice.
- What do you mean, second choice? - Especially this weekend.
- Second choice? - Yes.
- Forty years, baby. Come on.
Second choice? Uh-uh.
Honey, you're blowing this all out of proportion.
- Am I?
- Are you jealous?
Huh?
- Yeah, as a matter of fact. (laughing)
- Look. Look.
It was fleeting.
Inconsequential.
- It sounded like you were more than that.
I love you.
- I love you, too. - Come on.
(panting)
- I'm coming! (chuckles)
It's not the most romantic weekend.
Thanks for being such a good sport.
- Of course. - I promise I'll make it up to you.
Sorry about my dad. It's really embarrassing.
- He's lovely.
- Hey, your mom must have really been something.
- Yeah, she was.
(William shouting): Kikki! (indistinct chatter)
- 80, guys, Dad is riding a 47-game winning streak.
- All the money I spent on your education, I was hoping for stronger competition.
- Have you played this before? - No, never.
- Kikki, come on! (Kikki): Do I have to?
(all): Yes!
- The idea is to get enough of these little wedges--
- Of pie. - They're cheese.
They're wedges. You get enough of them to fill up your circle and you win. Okay?
(Kikki): Most of the questions are about the stupidest stuff.
- Hence the word "trivial". - Yeah, like, here's an example for you.
Um, "On June 22nd, 1938,
"this American boxer retained his heavyweight championship
"when he beat Max Schmeling in the first round."
- Well, that is a tough one. - I know. What do you think?
- Um... Sonny Liston?
- Joe Louis.
- Good guess, though. Really.
- Yeah. Women and boxing. It's cute. Okay.
- Excuse me. - What did you say?
- You know what? Fine then. Ladies, we're on a team.
Here, roll the dice. - Here we go. Alright.
Here we go.
- The women are pink. - Women are pink?
Hmm... (Ellis laughing)
- "Who was the first United States President to be born in a hospital?"
- Jimmy Carter.
(popping sound) - Jimmy Carter.
(cheering) (Kikki): She's fast.
(William): Beginner's luck.
(Kathy): I don't think so. Try again.
(piece moving)
- "At what event did the hula hoop make its debut?"
- In 1956 at the World's Fair in Schenectady, New York.
- 1956, World's Fair, Schenectady, New York.
- Oh, my God!
Nice one! - Wow.
- Cheese. - Pie.
- Wedge.
- Alright. Come on, let's do this.
- A lot of pressure. - You smell something?
Like your winning streak going up in smoke?
(laughing)
- We used to have this family joke.
What would happen first, Dad loses in Trivial Pursuit
or Della finally appears?
- Della?
- Yeah, you remember the comet I told you about,
the one that my dad discovered? He named it "Della C 1981
After my great aunt, Adele.
- Okay, let's go. (Kikki): Yeah.
Dad, come on. - Here we go.
Jenny.
For the win.
"Of what country was Albert Einstein offered the presidency in 1952?"
- Um, Israel.
- Israel.
(laughing)
- It's okay. We still love you.
- How does that feel, Dad? Are you sad?
- I'm alright.
- Let's look at page two, okay?
Section three, paragraph H.
I'm sorry. - Okay, I'm going to go for a walk.
- Sure.
Uh-huh.
Mm-hmm.
Yes. Now let's look at page 10.
- How many stars do you think there are in our galaxy?
- I don't know, 500 million.
(William laughing)
- Couple of 100 billion.
Plato believed that...
every soul has a companion star it returns to after death,
if you lived a moral life.
- You believe that?
- No. No. I'm a...
I'm a scientist. Plato was a philosopher, a poet.
- Why did you name your comet after my mother?
- If my calculations were correct... They turned out to be wrong.
It would have been the closest approach to Earth of any comet in 200 years.
In other words,
like your mother...
a near miss.
- What does that mean?
- I was going to propose to her.
I had a... (laughing)
I had an engagement ring in my pocket.
She stood me up.
A near miss.
Good night.
- William.
She loved you, too.
- Wow.
And we just met, right? I know that.
And I should probably shut up right now.
I'll just shut up.
- Come on. What?
What is it?
(stammering): I just got to tell you the truth. I...
I can't imagine my life without you.
I know it's probably the last thing you want to hear right now, but...
But I'm falling in love with you, Jenny. I can't help it.
I don't know what to say.
- Um...
- I wasn't expecting--
- Please don't say anything, alright? I just want you to know how I feel.
(door opens and closes)
- Oh, hello.
- Jenny.
- Do you know where everyone went?
- Yeah. Kathy and Kikki went to the market and Ellis went for a run.
- Okay. - Hold on. You have a bug in your hair.
- Oh! - It's alright.
- What is it? - It's a ladybug.
- Oh, they say they're good luck.
Did you get it?
- I got it. - Thank you.
Please tell Ellis I went for a walk.
(panting)
(grunts)
(laughing) (snapping sound)
(moans in pain)
- Della, are you okay? - Oh, my God.
- This is going to sting a little, okay? - Just do it quickly.
(groaning)
- Don't worry. I'm going to fix you up. - Okay.
(sobbing)
Oh... (groaning)
- Excuse me. Hi. Uh, do you mind taking our photo?
- Sure. - No, no. No, it's okay. I don't...
- It's going to be great. Come on. You're going to love it.
- No, we're wasting film.
(indistinct chatter)
I'm just very shy.
- Three, two, one.
(shaky breathing)
- I know.
I know who you are, Adaline.
- What?
- The scar. The same scar.
I stitched it myself.
Please.
The truth.
(voice breaking): William...
- I thought I was losing my mind.
How? How is this possible?
I don't know.
(stammering): I was normal.
And then one day, I just stopped.
I wanted to tell you so badly.
But I couldn't.
You know what they'd do to me. I would've been a...
- A curiosity.
A specimen. - Yes.
- That's why you left?
That's why you disappeared?
Oh... (mild sobbing)
- You can't imagine how much it hurt.
- Oh...
I think I...
I think I can.
And you've never told anyone?
- No.
If I had, it would have been Ellis.
- Don't. Don't run away.
Don't disappear again, please. For Ellis.
Adaline. - Please.
- All these years, you've lived, but you've never had a life.
Please, for yourself. For Ellis.
Stay, Adaline.
- I don't know how.
- Don't run away, Adaline. Adaline!
(engine starting)
(shower running) (panting)
(shower stops)
Adaline, don't. Don't. Adaline, please.
Please don't do this.
Adaline, don't. Think about Ellis. Please!
Adaline, please! Adaline!
(panting)
- Dad! Dad!
Dad, where are your keys?
- She's gone.
She's not coming back, son.
- What just happened? What is... what is this?
Dad, what the hell did you say to her?
- Nothing.
She can't explain.
- Please tell me what she said.
- That she's not capable.
- Of what?
- Of change.
(cellphone ringing)
(woman): You have reached the voicemail...
- Do you love her?
Son.
Listen to me. Do you love her?
- Yes.
- How do you know?
- Dad, I don't-- - It's a simple question.
How do you know?
- Because nothing makes sense without her.
(thunder rumbling)
(sobbing)
(Flemming): Hello?
- Oh, darling, I'm so sorry. I didn't mean to wake you.
- Everything okay? - I just... I wanted to tell you...
- What is it?
- You're right. No more running. - Oh, Mama.
- I'll call you tomorrow, okay? - I 'm so happy to hear that.
- I love you. - I love you, too.
- Bye. - Bye, Mama.
(joyful chuckle)
(sighs)
(crashing)
(breathing heavily)
(crashing)
(tires screeching)
(faint breathing)
(narrator): The moon is responsible
for much of what takes place on the surface of the Earth.
A stray meteor hit the moon in 1178..
The resulting concussion would cause extreme tides
on every lunar phase in Tierra del Fuego, Argentina.
A 23% rise in the mean tide on this night
produced a storm 2,000 miles off the Pacific Coast,
causing an increase in the amount of molecular ionization in the atmosphere.
And for the first time in 78 years
snow fell in this part of Sonoma County..
In the first stages of hypothermia
the body will try to generate heat through shivering.
When this fails, it will decrease the flow of blood to the extremities.
Metabolism slows to a crawl..
You're dying, but you don't know it..
In the final stages, the victim breathes only once or twice a minute.
A state of suspended animation..
- Jenny!
- At 10:07 p.m.,
Adeline Bowman '3 core temperature had dropped to 87 degrees.
Her heart stopped beating..
(grunting)
- Wake up.
- At last,
at the age of 107
Adeline Bowman was, by any definition, dead.
At precisely 10:09 p.m.
paramedics placed two defibrillator paddles on Adaline Bowman's chest.
They counted the prescribed five seconds'
before administering 750 volts of electricity.
(beeping)
(breathing)
(paramedic, indistinct)
(PA, indistinct)
- How is she?
- We've just run a series of tests and don't see any long-term damage.
It's quite remarkable, in fact.
- Is she awake? Can I go see her?
- She's exhausted, but you might be able to get in a few words.
- Okay. Thank you.
Hi.
Jenny.
- Hey.
I know why you ran away.
- You do?
- It's because of what I said to you last night, isn't it?
I told you I loved you.
And you got scared and I shouldn't have. - Come here, Ellis. I love you.
I love you, too.
(laughing)
Oh...
There's something else.
- What? What is it?
- Well, first...
my name isn't Jenny.
- My God! What happened?
- Nothing. Nothing. An accident. I'm fine. Okay?
- But-- - Hey. I'm better than fine, okay?
This is Ellis.
- Hello. - Hello.
- He's the man I've been telling you about.
- Oh. Nice to meet you.
Um... I'm Jenny's grandmother.
What? What is it?
- He knows.
(chuckles gleefully)
- He knows?
(laughing)
(joyful sobbing)
(all laughing)
(dinging on glass) (William): Hey, everybody,
I don't want to ruin the party, but I want to say something.
First of all, thanks for being here.
Kathy and I, we're really grateful that you could all be here.
It means a lot to us...
that you would be here to help us celebrate
the first... first 40 years of our marriage.
(crowd laughing)
When I first met this lovely lady,
back in the olden days, I had, um...
I had a pretty good idea of what I wanted to do in my job, but...
I didn't really...
know what I wanted to be as a man, when I grew up.
If I ever grew up. (Kathy chuckles)
But the commitment that she made...
(voice breaking): ...to our marriage our family, to me,
the... quality of her love...
led me to understand that I could have
no greater ambition in life
than to be the best...
possible husband I could be for her.
And I'm still working on it.
(crowd laughing)
So, here's to Kathy, love of my life,
mate of my soul, mother of my lovely children.
To Kathy.
(all): To Kathy. (crowd applauding)
(man on TV): And we are back live in Times Square,
just a few minutes from the moment we have all been waiting for,
the big ball drop-- - There you are, honey. Good gm.
Yeah.
Hey, you guys, you better hurry up. You're going to be late for the event.
(Ellis): Yeah, I've been ready for 10 minutes.
- Oh, so handsome. - Thank you.
- I'm ready, too.
- Wow! - I just need this zipped.
Are you sure you don't want to come with us?
- I'm positive. (dog barking)
I've got my date right here. Come here, baby.
(laughing) - Okay, I love you.
- I love you.
- I have to grab my clutch. Oh, and my camera.
- Its whiskers are so big. - Yeah.
(soft music) (indistinct chatter)
- Adaline, are you okay?
- Yes.
Perfect.
(narrator): The instant Adaline's 's heart was struck by the defibrillator paddles,
the telomere structures in her genes regained their pliability,
causing her to resume the natural course of aging.
William was right after all..
The comet Della C 1981 finally did return.
A half century late, but as bright and magnificent as he had predicted.
(soft music)