Original subtitles

Can we really believe in what we see?

We're about to find out.

"Beyond Belief," hosted by Jonathan Frakes.

We live in a world where the real and the unreal

live side by side, where substance

is disguised as illusion and the only explanations

are unexplainable.

Can you separate truth from fantasy?

To do so, you must break through the web of your experience

and open your mind to things beyond belief.

This is an expression we've seen countless times.

You probably think it says, I love Paris in the springtime.

That's only what our eyes tell us.

Let's read it one more time word for word.

Notice the extra the.

Once again, we have been fooled by our own perception.

Tonight we present some intriguing stories

that will challenge our perception of fact and fiction.

We'll find out which ones are real at the end of the show.

So let's travel now to the world of "Beyond Belief," a world

as magical as Paris in the--

the springtime.

Almost every boy at one time or another

wants to become a fireman.

And why not?

Firefighters are constant reminders of heroic behavior,

risking life and limb on a daily basis

to protect us and our property.

And they get to ride on a red truck, too.

Stevie Hanson hung out with the men

of his neighborhood firehouse.

They taught him to polish the truck, check the equipment,

and slide down the pole.

And then there was the day he was the one who taught them.

The men at Station 32 didn't mind

little Stevie hanging around.

In fact, he became sort of a mascot.

If he were a Dalmatian, they would have adopted him.

But Stevie and Fireman Parks had a special relationship.

He and his wife were unable to have children,

so Stevie became a surrogate son.

Whoa, Stevie.

Parks?

Parks?

I know I'm new here, but we never

blasted the siren inside the station at my old post.

Sorry, captain.

Hey.

You know Stevie Hanson here.

Well, guess what, today's his birthday.

He's 10 years old today.

Oh, yeah?

Happy birthday, son.

He's been hanging out here since he

was about six years old.

Yeah.

Wants to be a fireman like his buddy, Mr. Parks.

Well, this is a fire station, not a police station.

Understood?

Yes, sir.

Almost got me fired.

It must be pretty cool to ride in one of these things.

Think you could take me for a ride sometime?

Hey, you heard what the captain said.

You have to wait till you're old enough to become a fireman.

Well, how old were you when you joined?

19.

Well, then that's when I'm going to join.

Atta boy.

OK.

We'll see around, kiddo.

Hey, thanks for the great birthday party.

See you later, buddy.

I want to be just like you, Mr. Parks.

Hey, shouldn't you be polishing something?

Oh.

Smoke.

Anybody in here?

Help, I'm trapped!

Help!

Somebody help us!

Just get down on the floor and cover your mouth.

I'm coming in.

Roger!

Roger, Roger. - Hey.

What's going on, Stevie?

A house is on fire, 33 Hemingway Lane.

People are trapped inside, Roger.

Hurry! - Hold on.

Stevie. Stevie, wait.

Stevie!

What's going on?

What's all the commotion?

We've got a fire on Hemingway Lane.

What?

We didn't get an alarm.

No, sir.

Stevie was here and he said he saw smoke.

Stevie? No not that little kid again.

Captain, I know this kid.

He wouldn't lie.

If he says there's a fire, there's a fire.

Trust me.

All right.

Go check it out.

But take the small truck and this

just better not be a prank.

Stevie, what are you doing here?

I came to help.

Listen, there's one in the family room, two upstairs,

and two in the kitchen.

I tried to get them out, but the fire was just too hot.

Stevie might have been only 10,

but he acted like a real professional.

It wasn't about fun and games anymore--

he knew what was at stake.

Dispatch, Squad 21, Station 32.

We have a still involved structure

fire at 33 Hemingway Lane.

Respond immediately.

OK, Stevie.

Listen up, buddy.

I need you to give me a hand.

When I give the word, you pull down on this lever right here,

OK?

You can count on me.

OK, buddy.

Now, Stevie.

Now.

I need a medic here.

You did good, buddy.

You did good.

None of these people here would have made it out without you.

We make a good team, right?

You got that right, partner.

You're a real fireman now, Stevie.

A regular hero.

Hey, Parks, better get over here.

Stay right there.

Everybody make it out OK?

All but one.

The body is Stevie.

No, Stevie--

He died of smoke inhalation.

Oh my god.

Stevie.

No.

No, Stevie.

Oh god, no.

Was this an out-of-body experience?

When Stevie came to alert the station house about the fire,

was he already dead?

Did Roger only imagine that he was talking to Stevie seconds

before he discovered his dead body?

Or maybe Stevie was destined to be an angel whose job it

was to save the lives of people who

would have otherwise perished.

A true story of fateful proportions

or simply a false alarm?

The answer at the end of our show.

Next, two parents, a new baby sitter,

and a night of terror on "Beyond Belief: Fact or Fiction."

In the age of communication, you can always be reached.

Our kitchens are posted with work numbers, pager

numbers, car phone numbers, emergency

numbers, neighbors' numbers.

But all this seeming security can't change the one

apprehension we all share, anything

can happen when we're gone.

And if you're nervous parents like Joseph and Sarah Drummer,

leaving her child in the care of a new baby sitter,

your fears multiply.

The fact is no matter how well you set up

your lines of communication, our true security

is not in the hands of the people we hire--

it's in the hands of fate.

Boy, you sure have a lot of stuff.

You sure you're not moving in?

No.

I have a major term paper due.

That's why you caught me home on a Saturday night.

Well, we really appreciate you babysitting

on such short notice.

Here we go.

Come on in.

Thanks.

Honey, we're home.

Come on.

You can meet the baby.

He's great.

Oh, hi.

You must be Sarah.

It's so nice to meet you.

You look really nice, Mrs. Drummer.

Thanks.

This is the first date where we're actually going to go out.

Oh.

He's such a darling baby.

He has a little ear infection so he may be a little cranky,

but he has everything you need here.

And when he goes down, his nursery's right down the hall.

OK.

I'm going to go get a coat.

If you need anything, our number's on the fridge.

OK? - OK.

Anything else?

Uh, yeah.

Keep the doors locked and don't answer them no matter what.

Yes.

And if the phone rings, don't answer it.

Listen to the machine and if it's us, pick it up.

Don't worry.

When Matthew's awake, he'll have my full attention

and when he's asleep I'll be too busy working on my computer

to even raid your fridge.

Thanks for understanding. - Sure.

Thank you.

Call us if you need anything.

Absolutely.

Say bye.

Bye.

I'm being a nervous ninny, aren't I?

Mm-hm.

I'm being one of those mothers I said I'd never be.

Look, I play golf with her dad.

he seems like a really nice guy and she seems

like she's really responsible.

So can we just try to enjoy ourselves?

OK.

Can you get my coat from the back?

OK.

Sarah forgot her computer.

Oh.

We can't just leave it in the car.

No.

She needs it to finish her term paper.

Here, you better call her.

The machine.

Hi, Sarah.

It's Mrs. Drummer.

Pick up, Sarah.

Sarah?

Sarah, are you there?

Sarah?

Uh-- we'll be right back.

Thanks.

Something's wrong. - My god.

What could have happened?

I don't know.

You stay here and call the police.

God.

Sarah.

It's OK.

He's gone.

I'm going to have you out of here.

Just don't move.

It's OK, honey.

Everybody's all right.

Oh, thank god you're safe. - You're OK.

You're all right.

God, he came out of nowhere.

I was doing my term paper and then he was on me.

It was awful.

Did he hurt you?

No.

I'm-- I'm fine.

I was really just worried about the baby.

He was only interested in your stuff.

We're just lucky that you left your computer in our car.

What are you talking about?

You left your computer in the baby seat

so Janet called to make sure you didn't need it.

And when no one picked up the phone,

that's why we decided to drive back.

But I have my computer. - No.

No, really.

He put it in his bag.

Come on.

Let's go.

What happened here?

How could both Mr. And Mrs. Drummer have seen

the computer in their backseat and it was in their home

all along?

Could it have been an optical illusion

caused by some odd convergence of light and shadow or was it

some otherworldly message sent as a warning beacon

to lead them back to their home?

Perhaps the answer was created by one of our own writers

working at home on her own computer.

Find out at the end of our show.

Next, a mystery date on "Beyond Belief."

For the modern Romeo, the computer microchip has replaced

the little black book--

enough names, numbers, and statistics

can be stored here to accommodate

the most active social life.

But all the information about the opposite sex

is meaningless unless it's accompanied by an understanding

of the heart.

That's a lesson that the Playboy in our next story

is about to learn.

This last weekend was special to me, too, baby.

Look, I'm sorry I didn't show up last night,

but something came up.

My dear old aunt was sick.

But I swear I'm going to make it up to you, Sylvia, OK?

Denise, Denise.

I met Denise.

I swear to god, sugar, I meant Denise.

Curtis wasn't the kind of man

to let one slip-up derail him.

He had hundreds of numbers of hundreds of women.

But in a few moments, he will go to the door

and meet Florence Wheeler.

And of all the women Curtis has ever known,

she will be the one he will never forget.

Natalie.

My sweet Natalie.

Well, hello.

Hello I know you just moved in and I'd like to welcome

you to the neighborhood.

I live across the street.

The girl next door.

Florence Wheeler.

Pleased to meet you, Curtis.

What are you, psychic or something?

How do you know my name?

The truth?

I saw it on your moving cartons.

Well, would you like to come inside, see

what I've done with the house?

I'd like that.

Maybe some other time.

I better be going.

Hey, um--

I know it's kind of sudden, but would you

like to have dinner tonight?

I'm a good cook.

I'll whip up one of my specials in your honor.

A man who cooks, I think I like that.

Good.

I'll see you at 7:00.

Girl next door.

That's what I call some fine real estate.

That night at dinner,

everything seemed perfect.

Normally, Curtis had a technique--

a little dining, a little wine, and then another conquest

added to his impressive list.

But this night would end differently,

and the difference was Florence Wheeler.

I just love what you did with the house.

Thank you, baby.

You know, they tell me I have the magic touch.

You're not leaving already, are you?

Yes.

It's time to go.

It's so early.

I guess I'm just an old fashioned girl.

I'm going to ask you a question.

How is it a fine, fine, fine, fine,

fine, foxy, classy lady like yourself

doesn't have a boyfriend?

What makes you think I don't?

How about I walk you home?

That's very gentlemanly of you,

but I just live across the way.

Remember?

Thank you for the wonderful evening.

My pleasure.

I enjoy your company.

Good night.

What

followed were days and nights filled with a feeling

Curtis never knew before.

This time it wasn't a fling, it was love.

The chemistry between Curtis and Florence

was just like all the romantic novels and movies

he had always laughed at.

But suddenly, he didn't want anybody or anything

other than Florence.

And for the first time he could remember,

Curtis was not the most important

thing in his own life.

And yet as perfect as it all was with Florence,

there always seemed to be something else, something

going on inside Florence.

My life has completely changed in the past couple of weeks.

I've never felt more at ease, more myself with a woman--

and a beautiful woman at that.

You complete me, baby.

I guess what I'm trying to say is you're the best thing that's

ever happened to me.

Quite the romantic.

So tell me, how is it that a man like you isn't married?

I was waiting for you, Florence.

And now that I've found you, I'm never going to let you go.

I just want to be cautious.

I had a fiance who cheated on me.

It's taken me a long time to get over him.

But I think I'm finally ready to meet the right man.

The right man, hm?

Yes.

Someone who's loyal, someone who makes me

feel like I'm the only woman in the world.

Does that fit your description, Curtis?

To a T. I'm a one-woman man.

The next night

was a fateful one for Curtis because he couldn't see

how close Florence was to his bedroom door

and that she was listening to every word he was saying.

No. No.

Not here.

How about your place?

We can recreate that weekend cabin thing.

OK.

Fine then, tomorrow.

All right.

I can't wait to see your fine, foxy face.

All right.

Love you, Andrea.

Right.

Wait, wait.

It's not what you think.

Wait, I can explain.

No explanations.

It's over, Curtis.

Curtis

tried to find her to apologize.

He went to the house he had seen her go to so many times.

Hurt and confused, he knew he had violated the trust Florence

held sacred and now he couldn't even find

her to beg her forgiveness.

Excuse me.

Yeah?

I'm looking for Florence Wheeler.

We

Well, there's no one here by that name.

She told me she lived across the street.

No, not here.

Minister James has lived here all alone

for the last 25 years.

That can't be.

At that moment,

Curtis saw Florence heading into the church.

Florence?

But just as he saw her--

Wait.

- she seemed to vanish.

A million thoughts were racing through his head.

He had never been in this church before even though it

was right across the street.

And then it suddenly struck him.

Florence Wheeler said she lived across the street.

What in God's name?

So our Casanova loses the love of his life

because he couldn't stay true.

One can only hope he will treat others with more honesty

and respect for the future.

But did this story really happen?

Was Florence really a ghost or a flesh and blood person

who chose to leave on her own terms?

But then how do you explain the gravestone with her name on it?

Could it have been her mother's grave or her sister's?

Or maybe there is no explanation.

Is this story of the man with the roving eye true or are we

just playing around?

The answer at the end of our show.

Coming up, an unexpected discovery

leads a young man to a mysterious mansion on "Beyond

Fact or Fiction."

If you've ever lost a wallet you're immediately jolted

by how much else you've lost.

Aside from cash and precious photos,

you could find yourself without authorization

to drive, travel, shop, or even be admitted to a hospital.

So what is your obligation if you find a wallet?

How far would you go to make sure that it's

returned to its rightful owner?

Jason is a young man with very little in the way of material

things.

He's been raised by foster parents

and is working hard to get into college.

He's about to come across a lost wallet,

and what he chooses to do with that discovery

will certainly change his day.

In fact, it may change the very course of his life.

Hey, nice fingertip grab, buddy.

Orphaned

from the time of birth, Jason was far from wealthy.

His foster parents couldn't afford college so he was hoping

for an athletic scholarship.

He spent every day perfecting his pass catching skills,

but this day would be different.

Let's try one more.

I keep forgetting you're a fanatic about this stuff.

What are you talking about?

It's called practice. - Yeah.

Well, I'm tired and I'm hungry. OK?

Yeah, but I'm broke and I need a scholarship.

So get that silver spoon out of your gut.

All right?

All right.

Give me a pass.

Long.

Throw.

Are you OK?

Yeah.

I'm not too good, am I?

Hey, look at this.

Credit cards, credit cards, driver's license.

Henry Nieman.

Hancock Park.

That's not too far from here.

Are you nuts? The money's gone.

He's going to think you stole it.

Come .

No.

I will not.

I wonder if there's any more wallets around here.

Jason had been down this street

before, but this time he had a strange feeling inside, almost

a sense of foreboding.

The people who lived on this block were very unlike him.

They were comfortable, they had families,

and they knew what tomorrow would bring.

Something was drawing Jason to the address

he found in the wallet, drawing him there against his own will.

Jason didn't know what to expect,

and it turned out what was waiting

for him was the unexpected.

Yes?

I'm looking for Mr. Nieman.

Mr. Nieman?

Yeah. I found his wallet.

I'd appreciate your stepping inside, please.

Sure.

Wait here a moment.

I'll get Mr. Arnold.

Mr. Arnold?

I need to see Mr. Nieman.

Who's Arnold?

There was the smell of must

and mildew in the air.

The appointments in this home were expensive,

but they had the look of objects that had

gone unappreciated for years.

What's this about a wallet? - Who are you?

I'm Preston Arnold, Mr. Neiman's attorney.

Oh.

I found Mr. Nieman's wallet.

I just wanted to return it to him.

Jason

was starting to feel that he had made a huge mistake.

All he wanted to do was return a wallet.

Suddenly, he felt as if he had opened a door that

should have remained closed.

But his biggest shock was yet to come.

This looks new.

Did you notice?

Yeah, I guess.

I mean, I didn't at first.

But I guess it does.

The cards are expired, each one of them.

I didn't investigate the stuff.

I just found the wallet and I wanted to return it.

No good deed goes unpunished.

What What does that mean?

A joke.

That went right over my head.

I'd like to try to figure this out, with your help.

I don't know what else I can tell you.

This place where you found the wallet?

A park, a neighborhood park.

What were you doing there?

I cut through there on my way home from school.

That's where I practice.

What difference does it make?

Who are your people?

My people?

What do you think, I'm an alien?

Your mother, your father.

What difference does this make?

Who put you up to this?

Put me up to this?

Look, if you think I want something, forget it.

I found a wallet, I wanted to return it.

It was the right thing to do.

I'm out of here, man.

Sit down, young man.

Wait.

We're not finished yet.

Mr. Nieman is dead.

He died two years ago.

What do you think?

You're asking me, sir?

You were with the Neimans when Henry's

brother was still alive.

That boy is his spitting image.

Same kind of 'tude, sir, though my personal favorite.

The boy, could we find him again?

Oh, yes.

The colors of his jacket are those of the local high school.

Shouldn't be a problem then.

Imagine after searching all these years

for a living relative.

Something else, isn't it, sir?

That he might be the only heir to Henry's $40 million estate?

Indeed, it is something else.

The strong family

resemblance was unmistakable.

Jason was the missing heir.

A needy young man without a family

will now inherit a fortune from a relative

he never knew existed.

What collusion of circumstances allowed

Jason to find that wallet at that time in that location?

And if Mr. Nieman was house-bound for two years

before his death, how did the wallet

get outside in the first place?

Did some undetected thief break into the Nieman house years

ago, steal the wallet, and ditch it in the grass

or did fate place that wallet there for Jason to find?

When you dig for the truth in this story,

will you find the contents empty?

The answer at the end of our show.

Next, the sting of a snake on "Beyond

Fact or Fiction?"

Meet one of nature's most feared, reviled,

and dangerous creatures.

Our hatred for this reptile goes all the way back

to the garden of civilization.

Yet to the serpent's credit, they rarely choose

to venture into our world.

We more often are the invaders of theirs.

And once we become the intruder, should we

really be surprised if we should encounter a snake in the grass?

A family by a lake setting up for a few carefree days

in the great outdoors.

But they were about to encounter something

others had experienced here, the mysterious legend of the lake.

You know, I don't think that goes there.

Maybe we should flip it over the other way.

Well, there are different shapes at either end

and neither one of them is going to fit in that slot.

What do you think?

Well, I was thinking maybe could put it all on the sides.

You were thinking that, hm?

Oh, man.

Come on, you guys.

OK.

We're nowhere.

Maybe we should read the manual.

There's no challenge then.

Honey, see if you can find the booklet in that bag, will you?

Sure.

The manual doesn't look anything like this.

There you go.

Well, if I stop now, there may be no going back.

This doesn't even look like it belongs to this tent.

All right.

Let's start over.

I'm going to hunt for worms.

How does one catch a worm, do you need a trap or bait?

They are the bait.

Oh, OK.

Listen, don't go too far.

I'm going to make lunch soon.

You can cook the fish Dad and I catch.

Yeah.

He's optimistic.

Nature.

Cool.

Oh, man.

Look at that.

Whoa.

Tent's up.

Yeah.

Good, hon.

I'm starving.

That's the outdoors.

Working with our hands creates a lusty appetite.

Stop.

It gets in the way of my chewing.

It's way after lunchtime, isn't it?

Where's Randy?

How long does it take to catch a worm?

Well, I guess it depends on the worm technique

and if you read the worm manual.

No, seriously.

I'm getting a little worried.

Randy?

Randy?

I'm sure he'll be fine.

I'll go get him.

I'll come with you.

Randy?

Randy?

Randy?

It's going to be OK.

Stay calm.

Let me see.

He nailed you pretty good.

I can't feel my hand.

Don't move.

That's the poison paralyzing the muscles.

Don't move yet.

You don't want to help the poison spread.

Am I going to die? - No.

No. I'll help you.

He's not answering.

He's going to be fine.

You're going to be all right.

I'm a doctor.

Now let's take a deep breath, shall we?

OK.

Like this?

Good.

We've never going to find him like this.

We've got to get some help.

The cell phone's back at camp.

Come on.

Take your bandanna off.

Help me.

I can't move my arms, son.

You can do it.

Tie it around your wrist about the bite.

That's good.

Tie it very tight.

Hod do you feel?

Kind of dizzy.

Well, we can't quit yet.

OK?

There's a first aid kit in the pouch right behind me.

There's a pump, a yellow pump.

That's what we need.

Yes, that's it.

Sit down.

OK.

Now put the suction cup right over the bite.

Can you pull the plunger out?

Good.

Now I'm going to ask you to push it down

and it's going to pull your skin up, but it won't hurt.

I promise.

Pull it up. - Like this?

That's right.

Pull it with your teeth.

Good.

Very good.

Keep going.

Hey, where'd he go?

Randy?

Randy?

Come on, boy.

Randy?

Mom?

Mom!

Oh my god.

Dad!

Hey, guys, he's over here.

I just gave them antivenin.

He's not showing any signs of violent, aggressive reaction.

You're going to be all right, Randy.

I've got to say I'm impressed, a city boy with first rate

first aid skills.

But it wasn't me, it was the doctor.

He had the plunger thing.

What doctor?

Was he in a wheelchair?

Yeah, yeah.

What doctor?

There was this local guy, John Byrd, really smart guy--

won a scholarship at an Ivy League medical school.

His dream was to come back here and be a small town doctor.

What happened to him?

On his way back from medical school

there was a terrible accident.

He was paralyzed from his neck down.

This doctor was in a wheelchair.

He got his license but never had

a chance to practice medicine.

He spent the rest of his life as a quadriplegic.

What are you saying?

Dr. Byrd died 10 years ago.

Is there a logical explanation for this story?

Did Randy become delusional from the snake bite

and simply imagine the man in the wheelchair?

If so, how did he suddenly develop the skills to save

himself from being poisoned and how could his description

have matched the story of the doctor and the legend

so perfectly?

Could it be that the doctor had faked his own death years ago

and was now living as a hermit by the lake,

only appearing at those times when

he senses people need help?

Does this story of a snake bitten

young man saved by a spirit in the woods have a hint of truth

or are we just putting the bite on you?

Coming up, we'll find out which of our stories

tonight were fact and which were fiction

when "Beyond Belief" returns.

And now it's time to see how well

you did judging whether our stories

tonight were fact or fiction.

The story of the little boy who died fulfilling his

wish to be a fireman, was it based on reality?

You did good, buddy.

You did good.

None of these people here would have made it out without you.

We make a good team, right?

You've got that right, partner.

You're a real fireman now, Stevie--

a regular hero.

Hey, Parks, you better get over here.

Stay right there.

If you guessed that our story of the fire station

was totally made up, you're mistaken.

This one really happened.

Let's look at the story of the couple who returned home

in the nick of time because of a computer

they thought they saw in the car.

True or false?

We're just lucky that you left your computer in our car.

What are you talking about?

You left your computer in the baby seat

and so Janet called to make sure you didn't need it.

Then when no one picked up the phone,

that's when we decided to drive back.

But I have my computer.

No.

Really, he put it in his bag.

This story must have been inspired by actual events,

right?

Wrong.

It's a total fabrication.

And what about our story of the girl

next door, the tale of a woman who

seemed to visit from the grave?

Let's take another look.

Excuse me.

Yeah?

I'm looking for Florence Wheeler.

Well, there's no one here by that name.

She told me she lived across the street.

No, not here.

Minister James has lived here all along for the last 25 yeas.

But that can't be.

Florence?

Wait!

Was this story of star-crossed lovers based on a true story?

Not this time.

It never happened.

Let's look at the story of the young man, the lost wallet,

and an unclaimed inheritance.

Hey, look at this.

What do you think, I'm an alien?

Your mother, your father.

What difference does this make?

Who put you up to this?

Put me up to this?

Look, if you think I want something, forget it.

I found a wallet and I wanted to return.

It was the right thing to do.

I'm out of here, man.

Sit down, young man.

Was this story of unexpected good fortune true or a fake?

This time, it's the real thing.

And what about the mysterious doctor who saved

the boy from the snake bite?

Randy!

Randy!

It's going to be OK.

Stay calm.

Was this story of a spirit who watches over the people

the woods based on an actual event?

Yes, it was.

So, how did you do tonight?

Were you able to distinguish the real from the unreal?

Let's ignore the cliche that says the truth is stranger

than fiction and simply say that certain things in life

can only be classified as beyond belief.

I'm Jonathan Franks.

Join us for more stories

next time on "Beyond Belief: Fact or Fiction."