Original subtitles

All rise for the honorable Judge Morgan.

Counselor, let me get this straight.

You're suing Miss Green for $1 million

over a dead cat.

Is that correct?

Yes, Your Honor.

My client, Mrs. Jenkins,

has lost a valuable member of her family.

Mrs. Jenkins' neighbor, Miss Green, has threatened Fido...

Hold on.

Fido?

That's the name of the cat in question?

Yes, Your Honor.

Continue.

The defendant, Miss Green,

has on numerous occasions threatened to kill Fido,

if she were to catch the animal on her property.

Did your client see Miss Green kill this cat?

No, Your Honor.

Did Miss Green confess to killing this cat?

No, Your Honor.

Then what evidence do you have?

Your Honor.

The plaintiff has a list of so-called witnesses,

none of whom can provide any empirical evidence

implicating my client in the death of Fido.

Is that true?

Yes, Your Honor.

So, all you have is a list of people

who dislike Miss Green as much as your client.

But the fact remains, not a single person

on said list can offer any solid evidence.

Or did I miss something?

Um, no, Your Honor.

And even if you did,

your client feels Fido's life is worth $1 million?

She feels so, yes.

Take a look at Miss Green.

Does she look like the kind of woman who has $1,

let alone $1 million?

We anticipated negotiating the amount.

You can negotiate all you like, but the fact remains,

your client has no evidence.

But my Fido is dead.

Such is the nature of life, madam.

Animals die, be they the four or the two legged kind.

There's simply no evidence that Miss Green

inflicted any harm on your

Fido.

Frankly counselor, I'm ashamed of you

for accepting such a ridiculous case

and wasting the court's time with it.

Court finds in favor of the defendant.

Next case.

The fact remains, you were walking barefoot

through a grocery store.

The water you slipped on was either already there

or from your sweaty bare feet.

No way to tell.

The sign says, no shoes, no shirt, no service, for a reason.

Court finds in favor of defendant.

Next.

Next time, try riding your motorcycle on the street

instead of through people's living room windows.

Court rules in favor of the plaintiff.

I don't care how much you drank,

or if it really was your car.

You still can't take a naked nap in public.

60 days for B and E and public intoxication.

What?

Next.

Court finds for the defendant.

Case dismissed.

The court sentences the defendant to five years.

Oh no.

Court finds for the defendant.

Guilty.

Sorry.

Guilty, 90 days.

You have one saved message.

Saved message.

Sorry to bother you, honey.

But I'm calling to remind you to pick up my birthday cake.

Now, don't feel bad that I'm reminding you.

It's just that I know how hard you work

and how focused you get.

Can't wait for tonight.

See you soon.

Love you.

Yes, come in.

Are you all right?

Yes, of course.

Why do you ask?

Lunch finished half an hour ago.

Everyone's waiting.

How many left on the docket?

22.

Oh, there's a huge storm rolling in.

It's gonna be really bad.

I hear half the town's shutting down.

Was there anything else?

I'll let everyone know that you're on the way.

Case dismissed.

How many do we have left?

Only two, judge.

Mr. Stevens, this case has been ruled on criminally

and civilly already.

What are you hoping to accomplish today

by bringing it back here?

Your Honor, my client, Lionel Blair,

is hoping that a fresh pair of eyes on his case

will be able to discern the criminal behavior

of the defendant, Mr. Thompson.

The state of my eyes are irrelevant, counselor.

Mr. Thompson has been acquitted

of any wrong doing in his criminal trial,

and I'm not seeing any new evidence

to justify revisiting the civil suit.

I'm afraid you've wasted your time.

Wasted our time?

Mr. Stevens, control your client,

or I'll find him in contempt.

Oh, I apologize, Your Honor.

Case dismissed.

Are you kidding me?

Just like that, you're gonna let him go again

without even hearing me?

I warned you.

You warned me?

What could you possibly do to me that is worse

than what he has already done?

Well, let's find out.

How 'bout we start with a $1,000 fine?

What?

Would you like to add some jail time to that?

Next.

Mr. Miller, please proceed.

Your Honor, we have the case

of Walker County versus Wynne.

Mr. Miller, what does the government recommend

as sentencing?

The victim has asked that the case be dropped.

So the government would like to move for a dismissal.

I see.

We have no objections, Your Honor.

Of course not.

Mr. Miller, might I inquire as to

what caused Mr. Roth's sudden change of heart?

Charity, Your Honor.

Mr. Roth doesn't wish to hold a grudge against Ms. Wynne.

Charity?

That's a first.

According to Ms. Wynne's file,

she broke into her ex-boss's building

and attempted to steal files from his computer.

Yes, Your Honor.

My client was under deep emotional stress during that time.

Ms. Wynne thoroughly regrets her actions that day.

She has never had any previous issues with the law

and has a spotless record.

Had a spotless record, Mrs. Watts.

Your client broke the law.

What's more, Ms. Wynne fully admitted doing so.

Yes, Your Honor.

She believes in honestly.

And she has admitted her mistake

and is just asking for leniency.

In fact, she's... Uh.

Just because Mr. Roth is feeling charitable

doesn't mean Ms. Wynne can get away with breaking the law.

Your client did it.

She was found guilty.

And if she believes in honesty as you claim,

she should also believe in justice.

You're fairly young, Ms. Wynne,

so I assume you still possess the capacity to learn.

So here's some knowledge for you to absorb:

It's Newton's third law.

For every action, there is an equal and opposite reaction.

When you break the law, you go to jail.

Motion for dismissal denied.

Court sentences Rachel Wynne to six months in jail.

I will trust you will report

for processing one week from today.

Or do I need to set bail?

No, Your Honor.

That won't be necessary.

Six months?

It's okay.

I will file the appeal first thing Monday, okay?

Come in.

Monday's docket.

Thank you.

Snow's piled up pretty bad.

I hear visibility is near zero on the roads.

Your point?

I don't live far from here.

You're welcome to wait out the storm at my place,

if you like.

I don't think that would be a good idea.

How long have you worked for me, Amelia?

Nearly 22 years.

I remember a time you used to speak your mind.

You were different then.

Things were different then.

It's her birthday today, isn't it?

If you like, I can...

I know you love her.

But

you know how I feel.

I can wait, Edward.

I've been waiting.

But I won't wait forever.

Judge, so glad you made it.

I was beginning to worry with all this snow.

Think everyone abandoned ship a couple hours ago.

Thanks for stayin' open.

You don't have to thank me.

No torrential storm is gonna scare me into closin' up early.

And besides, that young man needed shelter.

I expect more will come.

It's been a long time,

but I've seen this kind of weather before.

And it's only gonna get worse.

Is it ready?

Happy birthday, honey.

Thank you.

Oh, I think the hat's

for the birthday girl. No, it's for you.

It looks much better on you.

What'd you wish for?

I can't tell you my wish.

Why?

Because I want it to come true.

Chocolate and cream, just the way Sarah likes it.

I even put an extra layer of dark chocolate in it.

Oh, I'm sure she'll love it.

Thank you, Nick.

It's perfect.

You sure you don't wanna stay for awhile, though?

It's pretty bad out there,

and I haven't seen a plow in hours.

Can't.

Sarah's birthday.

Oh, of course.

I wasn't thinkin'.

Give her my best.

I miss seein' her face around here.

Oh, no.

Is there somethin' wrong with the cake?

The cake's fine.

My car's stuck in the snow,

and I forgot my key card to the courthouse.

Is it all right if I stay long enough to call a cab?

Of course.

You can stay as long as you like.

Good luck getting a cab.

Been waiting for my Uber for over an hour.

Town's all buttoned up.

No one wants to go out.

Or they're like me and you:

stuck.

How about a nice mug of my famous hot cocoa

and marshmallows?

I don't care for marshmallows.

Just some tea would be fine.

Hmm, chamomile?

That'd be fine.

Who doesn't like marshmallows?

Still in a bad mood, I guess.

Excuse me?

You have no idea who I am, do you?

Should I?

Should you?

It's your job to know everything about me.

You're making no sense.

I can't believe this.

I met with you a little over an hour ago,

and you've already forgotten everything about me.

You were in my court room.

Yes.

As a defendant, I suppose.

Let me guess.

You're angry because you feel your sentence was too harsh?

Yes, I'm angry.

But I wasn't a defendant.

I was the plaintiff.

Do you have any idea how many cases I see in a day?

Do you think it's even possible for me to remember them all?

Do you remember any?

I do.

The ones that matter anyway.

Apparently your case lacked any memorable qualities.

Well,

it looks like we're gonna be spending some time together.

So why don't I refresh your memory?

Don't bother.

I can't discuss your case without all parties present.

And even if everyone were here,

I still have no interest in discussing it.

It's in the past, mister?

Lionel Blair.

Crying over the outcome isn't gonna change anything.

Once my gavel strikes home, it's over for you and me.

I suggest you move on.

Hey, you guys open?

The door was unlocked, wasn't it?

Okay.

Yes.

Come in, sir, please.

It's really comin' down hard out there, huh?

Yeah, have a seat.

Welcome to the club.

Stuck here, too?

'Fraid so.

How long?

I've been here for about an hour.

And he just showed up.

Well, you'll have one more comin' soon.

One more?

Yeah, well, my ride got stuck in the snow

and wasn't able to come.

And I remember walkin' around

and seein' the lights on in here earlier.

And on my way here,

I saw a woman sitting at the bus stop all alone.

I tried to get her to come with, but you know.

A stranger, asking a woman he'd just met at the bus stop

to go with him to some unknown place,

in the middle of a snow storm at night?

Yeah, I can see where that might not go so well.

Well, I told her I'd come back if you guys were closed.

So I just assume that she'll realize her bus

is never going to come.

She'll make her way up here.

Well, shouldn't we tell her?

I mean, I hate to think of her

out there in the cold like that.

I don't think she'll come with me if I went back.

But if someone from here went and told her

that I found the place and sent somebody to get her,

then maybe she'll come.

I'll go.

I don't think you should go, Nick.

It's bad out there.

So are you volunteering to go?

I was gonna suggest you.

Give you a chance to cool off.

You guys, uh, know each other?

We met briefly earlier today.

I'll go.

Oh, here she is.

You guys are open, right?

Yes, and please, come in.

Thank you.

I'm half frozen.

Oh, it's so warm in here.

Can I get you somethin' hot to drink?

Coffee, tea, hot chocolate?

Oh, a hot chocolate sounds so good.

Okay, marshmallows,

whipped cream, cinnamon?

Perfect.

Thank you so much.

Be right back.

Hi, mom.

No, I didn't make it home, but I'm safe.

A little cafe in town.

Yeah, there's others here.

Yeah, I'm still here.

Sorry.

I'm fine.

I'm gonna sit here until the buses start up again,

or until this place closes, whichever comes first.

Okay, I will.

Love you, too.

Glad you could make it.

Oh, hey.

I was literally just setting up a rescue party

to come get you.

Thanks.

Once you mentioned this place might be open,

it seemed to get a little colder outside.

Couldn't take it anymore, so.

I'm Mike.

Rachel.

Lionel.

And I believe we already met, Mr. Judge?

Here you go.

Thanks.

Hello, everybody.

My name is Nick Moore, I'm the owner of the place.

And, uh, been a while,

but we've had nights like this before.

I like to stay open in case somebody needs a safe place

to wait out the storm.

Just wanted you all to know

that you're welcome to stay as long as you like.

Thanks, that's so kind.

Oh, thanks.

Anyway, if you need anything, just call.

Excuse me.

Sorry to bother you.

Hi, again.

Um, I was just wondering

if I could... No.

But you don't even know...

You wanna talk about your case.

And I've stated to your cohort,

I cannot discuss your case without both attorneys present.

And I have no interest in doing so anyway.

Wait, so you remember her, but you have no idea who I am.

You were in court today, too?

Unfortunately.

Wait, wait, please don't tell me I'm stuck in a cafe

with a couple of criminals.

I'm the victim.

Guess I'm the only criminal.

Oh, great.

Should I be worried, Your Honor?

You've been givin' me this same excuse for months.

I know, I'm sorry.

But I am so close.

I've been running the simulations

using the new variables as the data comes in.

It's just, it's missing something.

Or I'm missing something, I don't know.

I just need more time.

Time is something you don't have, Rachel.

You were given a two-year grant for research.

And I agreed to let you spend that grant at my company,

because I thought your research might benefit us.

But here we are, nearly two years later.

Nothing's changed.

I know, but I'm almost there.

I can feel it.

The solution's on tip of my mind.

I know something will click.

I just need to keep going.

Look, if you'd just bring me up to speed,

maybe I could help.

I am so close.

Just give me another few weeks, and if I can't make it work,

then we can go over the data.

All right.

Clock's tickin'.

Don't worry, everyone.

This has happened before.

It'll be back on in a couple seconds.

Is the power out just here or everywhere?

I'll go check down the street.

Looks like power's out all around here.

Hey Nick.

Olivia.

You didn't make it home.

I was hopin' you'd beat the storm.

Yeah, well, I made it a few blocks away,

but my car got stuck.

I was waiting for a plow, but nothing's moving out there.

Okay.

Uh, oh, everybody, this is Olivia.

She helps me run the restaurant.

Hey.

So what'd you see out there?

Walked quite a ways, but power's out there, too.

It's not a downed line.

And it's not in my breaker box, which is good.

So if it's a town issue, it should get fixed quicker.

It's getting so cold in here.

Yeah, I was hoping that the power'd be back on by now.

Oh, no, you'll freeze.

I have my suit coat.

Here.

Thanks, judge.

In the meantime, what do we do for heat?

Well, I'm open to suggestions.

Hey, there's a kitchen back there.

If there's a gas stove, we crank that baby up

and gather around it like a campfire.

It's not a bad idea.

Well, when I got my new stoves,

I found out I could get a discount on my insurance

if I upgraded my gas lines at the same time.

So now when the power goes out,

the gas automatically shuts off to prevent a fire.

So much for that.

Nick, do you have anything thick

to cover up these windows?

That'll help block the cold from comin' through.

Uh, yeah, I guess.

Uh, cardboard do?

Yes, I think so.

I've got a recycling pile back here

where I throw the boxes out.

Maybe, maybe there's some.

I'll go check.

I'll help.

Thank you.

Gonna need a couple more boxes.

Do you have any tape?

Yeah, right here.

So, you work here?

Yeah.

Uh, after high school, I moved to LA to try out acting

but found that it was harder

and more expensive than I thought.

So I moved back here.

And I've been working for Nick since.

Do you still act?

Not a lot of acting jobs in a small town like this.

But that's okay.

One day.

Don't give up on your dreams, right?

Right.

Who knows?

Maybe my dreams will change.

What about you?

What about me?

What do you do?

Um.

I'm in between jobs right now.

This one's finished.

Let's move on to the next window.

When will it start getting warmer?

This won't make it warmer,

but it'll help keep it from getting colder so fast.

You know, I camp a lot.

It's always easier to stay warm

when you're trappin' in the heat.

Keepin' it in one spot.

What if we use those other boxes?

How?

You ever build a fort as a kid?

- One, two. - One, two, three.

I found on the way to

that I still. Uhhuh.

You smell like death.

Of course you'd notice.

Here.

That's very nice.

Oh, yeah.

Good thinkin', everybody.

I think it's working.

I feel warmer anyway.

I don't know.

I should have worn a warmer coat today.

Judge, is it okay if I let Olivia wear your jacket?

Oh.

That's so sweet.

Thank you, Nick.

You're welcome.

And mister?

Edward.

His name is Edward Morgan.

I Googled you.

To what end?

Just tryin' to figure out what your deal is.

My deal?

I think he means why you seem so angry.

And what did you learn?

Why am I so angry, as both of you seem to believe?

Honestly, I don't know.

You, uh,

moved here from New York about 10 years ago with your wife.

Pretty much stay to yourselves.

That's about it.

Got all that off the internet?

That's not much in this day and age.

It's like you purposely try

to keep off the social radar.

Are you in some sort of witness protection program

or something?

As a judge?

You have quite an imagination.

Imagination?

Well, I guess I'm pretty lucky

to have any part of my brain working after what happened.

What do you mean?

Ask the judge.

He knows all about it.

Or he's supposed to anyway.

It was all in my file.

Then again,

he didn't even remember me an hour after dismissing my case.

Maybe your brain's just as messed up as mine.

I told you,

this is neither the place nor the time

to discuss what happened to you.

There.

I felt that.

And this?

Yes.

That's a good thing, right?

It's promising.

What does that mean?

Lift your arms for me, please.

That's good.

You're making vast improvements.

But not my legs.

No, but don't be discouraged.

How bad is it?

You're going to have to learn how to walk all over again.

But how quickly that happens is going to depend on you.

So I can recover fully?

Yeah.

It will be very difficult and could be painful.

Painful?

Have you ever felt that prickling feeling

after your foot has fallen asleep?

Yes.

Multiply that many times over for a few hours.

It may sound strange,

but that pain is actually a really good thing.

Really?

A good pain?

The more it hurts, the more the receptors

are firing, sending, and receiving signals,

which reprograms the brain.

You're saying the more pain that I go through,

the stronger I get.

Okay.

So, she's sitting there staring at this murky glass,

and she goes, uh, there's no way I'm drinking this.

But

the last straw was when her meal came.

I put a ton of salt in it when she went to the ladies' room.

So, she comes back, takes one bite, throws down her fork.

She stood up right there, and she goes,

worst date ever!

And she storms out.

And I got out of the date.

Totally worth it.

Poor girl.

Poor girl?

Poor me.

What about you guys?

Any significant others?

Funny stories?

I have a crush on my neighbor.

So, not significant yet.

Lionel?

No woman wants to date Humpty Dumpty.

Uh.

Okay.

Mr. Judge?

Wow.

Zero for three.

Rachel.

Save us.

Yeah, wish I could.

Um, I was engaged a few years ago, but we, uh,

well, he called it off the last minute.

So I just moved on and focused on my work and stuff.

What work?

Um, bioengineering in the agricultural industry.

Ooh.

Juicy stuff.

Well,

I wish this was a real campfire.

Anyone bring the marshmallows?

I got plenty in the kitchen.

Mr. Judge doesn't like marshmallows.

How can anyone not like marshmallows?

I don't know.

What did marshmallows do to make you hate them, as well?

If you're tryin' to bait me into a confrontation,

you're wastin' your time.

I have time.

It's you who won't do your job

and listen to people's problems.

I'm not your psychologist.

Gentlemen, please.

I don't know what this is all about.

There's obviously some unresolved issue with you two.

But for everyone's sake,

please.

It's not just me.

From the sounds of it, he railroaded Rachel, too.

Go on, Rachel, maybe he'll talk to you.

I told you both,

I can't legally discuss your case

without your representation present.

If you want to set up a meeting,

have your attorney call my clerk and put it on my calendar.

Short of that, I'm done talking to you both.

Sorry, guys.

The smug jerk just gets to me.

Yeah, well, I wish I had the nerve

to stand up for myself like you do.

What did you need to see me about so urgently?

I did it.

You solved the problem?

The issues were with the seeds' susceptibility

to viral proteins,

and then revising the planting conditions and methodology.

Wait, there were two issues?

Yes, sorry, I fibbed a little.

Okay, but yeah, you, you solved all the issues?

Every test and simulation I've ran

has passed with flying colors.

Ah, but not the real deal.

But it'll work, I know it will.

I wish I were as confident as you.

But this happens to me all the time.

Yep, research is one thing, but the execution is another.

Plus,

you're out of funding.

What?

I talked to accounting.

Your grant ran out last week.

I could have sworn there was enough left

for one or two more months.

Maybe there was an error with the records?

I can talk to accounting.

The financial records of this company are private.

But I can assure you,

when you started your research two years ago,

we treated your grant

just as if it were our own funds, okay.

But labor, materials, shipping, insurance, the list goes on.

The costs add up.

Look, I know that it works.

I'll just have to find a way to raise the capital to...

There is one way.

I would be willing to risk my own money

if I knew for certain it worked.

Look, let me take your research to my people, okay.

They've been with me a long time, and I trust them.

If they say it checks out,

then I'll fund the next step myself.

Think it over and let me know.

But if not,

I'm afraid there's nothing more we can do for you here.

Okay.

Hey.

Are you all right?

Yeah.

Yeah, I'm fine.

It's freezing out here.

Come on back in where it's warmer.

That wouldn't be a good idea.

Okay.

Uh, in that case,

can you help me with something in the kitchen?

Well, what do you think?

Nice space.

Bigger than what I would have imagined.

Yeah, I wish you could see it in all its glory.

Flashlight doesn't exactly do it justice.

I've been comin' here for 10 years.

It feels strange bein' back here.

Kitchen is the heart of any restaurant,

bakery, or cafe.

It's where the magic is made.

When I was a kid, I used to dream about this very kitchen.

It took a long time, but here it is.

It's exactly what I had in my mind all those years ago.

Here.

Let's roll some silverware.

This is technical, so.

Knife.

Spoon.

Fork.

Roll.

Fold.

And roll.

Think you can handle that?

Yeah, I'll manage.

It seems like a lot of space.

Space is opportunity.

I don't follow.

I can be cooking breakfast,

lunch, or dinner over there

while I'm baking breads, pies,

cakes over here, all at the same time.

You must run yourself ragged.

Yeah, I guess I do.

But you know what?

I love it.

It's what keeps me young.

No, judge,

my work is my life.

I suppose that wouldn't be a good for some people, would it?

But it is for you?

Oh, absolutely is.

Saved my life.

And all that credit goes to my wife, Pearl.

You named the cafe after her.

I did.

She was from Paris.

I met her while I was in the military.

Boy, who'd have thought that.

French beauty falls for this scrawny american kid.

We were married about five years,

and she comes up to me one day and says, Nick,

you are not happy.

I was shocked.

I, of course I'm happy.

I, I mean, I've got the most beautiful wife in the world.

Who wouldn't be happy?

And she says no;

She could tell that there was this

hole inside me.

And I stopped and I thought,

how did she know?

I thought I'd been hiding this pretty well over the years.

So I told her all about it:

My dream of owning a cafe.

The food I wanted to cook.

The kitchen that was stuck in my mind.

So we got the money together, found this place.

Had a nice hometown feel, you know.

Out of the city.

And we fixed it up over the years.

All this,

my wife helped make all this happen.

She always said she wanted the best for me.

She sounds like an amazing woman.

Yeah, she was.

She really was.

She died about 15 years ago.

I'm sorry to hear that.

But it's all right, yeah.

I've got a good life.

There was a time when

that didn't seem it would ever be possible.

You know, judge, in all my years,

I've only had one regret.

What's that?

Not asking for help.

After Pearl died,

I spent five years holding everything in,

too proud to let anybody into my life.

Pushed everybody away.

I even started to blame God.

Oh.

If Pearl could have heard some of the things

I said back then,

she'd of whacked me with a spoon.

We all need help sometimes.

But usually it's during the time

that we're refusing to ask

that we need it the most.

I finally figured out that I couldn't do it alone.

I, I couldn't do anything alone.

I mean, Pearl was the reason I'd come this far.

But then, with her gone,

I had to lean on God.

And I did.

I was alone

and let how much I miss her

consume me.

But then he taught me how to live again,

even though I miss her.

Very much.

- Oh, yeah. - What?

Yes.

Yes. I'm outta here.

Let's go.

I'm super starvin'.

- I could eat all day. - Let's get somethin' to eat.

Yes.

Oh, oh, I feel it getting warmer already.

And it will get warmer if we're all cooking.

Anyone hungry?

Oh, yes.

I'd kill for a cheeseburger.

Well, thankfully, I don't think homicide

will be necessary, but come on.

Thanks for letting use this.

Well, welcome to the heart of my home.

Well, my second home.

Uh, my delivery truck, due to the snow,

didn't arrive this morning.

And so my selection isn't as wide as it usually is.

Uh, but please, make yourselves at home.

Look around, see what you can find to make for yourselves.

It's on the house.

But first rule: be careful with sharp things.

If you hurt yourself, my medical knowledge extends to,

like, small cuts and burns and Band-Aids.

Second rule: please don't use any of the big equipment

like the bread mixer, or anything else that looks dangerous.

Because a Band-Aid will not reattach your arm to your body.

So that's it.

Go.

Be safe.

Eat, enjoy.

- Thank you. - Thanks, Nick.

- Thank you, Nick. - Thank you.

You're welcome.

Sarah.

You're home.

Honey, I'm so sorry.

I forgot.

Did you need somethin'?

Everybody's cooking.

You should come find somethin' to eat,

somethin' that'll make you smile.

Thanks, but I'm not very hungry.

I can make you somethin'.

It's no problem at all.

Did it help?

Did what help?

What you said before about

letting people in and

God.

Oh.

Well,

it helped me.

But you have to let him in.

What did you do?

I went to church again.

Started to see the good around me.

I looked for ways to help out.

I stopped focusing on just my own life.

And I started to believe in God again.

Why do you ask?

I don't do

any of that.

Well, maybe

start with prayer first.

The rest will come.

Come on, let's go cook something.

As the old saying goes:

passion feeds the soul,

knowledge feeds the mind,

but something to eat, like your favorite treat,

is better than both combined.

I've never heard that before.

Is that an old French saying?

Fortune cookie.

Come on, judge.

Perfect, put that on.

And I'll put some of this on.

Just a little bit of that.

What did you do, squish your sandwich?

Done!

- What about me? - Put some more on it.

- Now watch what I'm doing. - And then I do another piece.

- Okay. - That's fast as you go?

It's, it's, that is.

But you know what, at least it's precise.

Seriously?

Hey.

Maybe he's human after all.

You do know we're makin' soup?

Doubtful.

Little pessimistic, isn't it?

Pessimistic or not,

I'm willing to bet he'll be back to work on Monday,

making people miserable again.

A jet plane?

Yeah, wherever it goes.

And then it's like, it's totally flirting.

What an I eating here?

It's delicious.

Gougeres.

It's a French pastry.

It's a favorite for celebrating Bastille Day.

It's my wife's mother's own recipe.

They're amazing.

All these years and I've never strayed past your sandwiches.

Well, maybe it's time you expand your horizons.

For example,

over there.

Should we go join 'em?

I don't think they'd consider me welcome company.

Never know unless you try.

They hate me, Nick.

Two of them anyway.

I'm sure that others have followed suit by now.

Hate is a strong word.

I say hate only because I can't think

of anything stronger.

I take that back.

They loathe me.

Okay, so loathe is a stronger word.

But I think you're wrong.

Good people don't hold grudges.

And I think they're good people.

Good people hold grudges just as well as the bad ones.

Trust me.

I deal with both every day.

I wonder if it's still snowing.

Hey, what time is it?

Oh, it's about 11.

I wonder how long we're gonna be stuck here.

I'm just glad tomorrow's Saturday.

Well, I'm afraid boredom's gonna rear its ugly head again.

Anyone got a board game by chance?

All the phone's are dead.

Um, have you guys ever played two truths and a lie?

Yes.

It's been awhile.

Hmm-mm, never heard of it.

Oh, that's a great way to pinpoint

how many boyfriends your girlfriend had before dating you.

You tell us three things about yourself.

Two are true and one is a lie.

And we have to figure out which one's the lie.

Do you think we should ask him if he wants to play?

I don't think Judge Dredd will wanna play a game with us.

Well, Nick will probably play with us,

but who's gonna ask him.

He already hates me and Lionel.

Me? No.

I'd like stay on his good side.

I may get a speeding ticket one day,

and I'll need all the help I can get.

I'll do it.

Why am I so nervous?

He comes in here all the time.

The man does send people to jail for a living.

He's another person, like the rest of us.

He just has an extra thick layer of ice around his heart.

Hi.

Sorry to bother you,

but I was wondering if you could help me out.

With what?

Well, we're getting pretty bored over there,

and so we thought we'd play two truths and a lie.

You're speaking gibberish.

This young lady is inviting you to play a game, judge.

You want me to play a game?

It's easy.

All you have to do is tell two truths and one lie.

And we just try and figure out which one's the lie.

I'm sorry.

I'm busy.

You're busy?

Are you just gonna go back to staring at that pink box?

It's highly entertaining.

Did you just tell a joke?

I mean, it was small, but I heard it.

You have a creative yet delusional mind.

I'm surprised you never made it as an actress.

There it is.

You did it again.

Did what?

You cracked a joke.

You're not as scary as I thought you were.

I can see the real you behind that hard shell.

The real me?

Trust me, you don't wanna see the real me.

You'll play, won't you?

Well, of course.

In fact, we both will.

I mean, it's not as entertaining

as having a staring contest with a cake box,

but it's something to do.

Fine.

All right, that's two minutes.

Everyone ready?

- Yes. - Mm-hmm.

Mike, you wanna start?

Uh.

How 'bout you start?

Show us how it works.

Okay.

All right.

Here are my three things.

One, I threw up on the first boy who kissed me.

Ew.

Two, a famous actress came to one of my shows

and said I was a future star.

And three, I'm deathly afraid of tomatoes.

Okay, that's too easy.

Who's afraid of tomatoes?

I don't know, it's not too far out there.

I hate cilantro.

I don't fear it for my life,

but it's pretty high on my dislike list.

So how does this work?

Who guesses?

We take a vote.

So, by the show of hands,

who thinks the lie is the horrible kiss disaster?

Okay.

And the famous actress?

That leaves us with the wretched tomatoes.

Gotcha, it's number two.

I've never met anyone famous.

What?

Tomatoes?

Seriously, you're afraid of tomatoes?

I don't know what it is.

They're just red, small, and slimy.

They just freak me out for some reason.

You need help, my friend.

You ready?

Now I have to reevaluate all my answers.

Start on the other side.

Okay.

You're up, Rachel.

Okay, um, number one,

I am 29, and I have never lived on my own until moving here.

Two, I once ate five pounds

of gummy bears on a dare.

And three, I have never

gotten a speeding ticket.

Okay.

Good, those are hard ones.

Okay.

Who thinks the lie is never living on her own?

- Hmm-mm. - Huh-uh.

- Okay. - No.

Gummy bears?

Mmkay, and the speeding ticket.

Yeah.

Okay, Rachel, time for the big reveal.

Which one is it?

It's number two.

I love gummy bears, but I don't love 'em that much.

Really?

Mm-hmm.

Okay, Lionel, you're up.

Okay.

Uh.

One, I was in an accident

with a drunk driver, and,

uh, he fooled the court system and got away with it.

Two,

I was

in a coma for several weeks,

only to wake up to realize I couldn't walk

or move my arms.

And three, I spent nearly a year

filled with agonizing pain,

all so that I could learn to walk again.

Oh.

I'm sorry.

I, uh, messed up.

I actually gave you three truths.

Let me give you the lie.

Our friend the judge here had the chance

to get the drunk driver off the streets

before he could hurt anyone else,

and he actually took the opportunity

and gave the man the justice he deserves.

Calm down.

This is supposed to be in the spirit of fun.

Judge?

I guess I can go next.

One,

I caught a 900-pound swordfish.

Two,

I run marathons as a hobby.

Or three, I...

You guys are open, I'll be.

I can't believe it.

This is great, woo.

Good evening.

Good evenin' to you, sir.

You know, I've been wanderin' around this town

for the past hour,

and this is the only place that has lights on.

Please tell me you serve some form of alcohol here.

My hotel bar, if you can call it that, closed hours ago.

And you know, I'm thirsty.

Oh, hey, ladies.

You thirsty?

First round's on me.

Let's saddle up, come on.

Well, speak of the devil.

We were just talkin' about you, weren't we, judge?

Well,

lookie here.

Small own, ain't it?

You should leave.

Now.

Do you know this guy?

He's the one that ran me off the road a year ago.

What?

Come on now.

Don't go spreadin' lies in public like that.

You know that accident weren't my fault.

You were drunk.

Correction.

I was incapacitated by the reckless amounts of alcohol

the cough syrup company put into their product.

That's obviously not true.

Really?

Well, the company sure seemed to believed it.

How else do you think I got that fat settlement?

What, you think they're just gonna hand out cash

to some guy who's lyin'?

Nah.

No.

You see, they couldn't wait to pay me off, keep me quiet.

Oh, you know something, we're actually closed.

So you'll have to go someplace else, all right.

Closed?

Yeah.

You look pretty open to me.

Oh, come on.

Where am I supposed to go?

There's nowhere else in this ghost town.

Well, besides, I don't serve alcohol here.

So there's really no need for you to stay,

is there? Okay, right.

So, um, let me, let me, let me get this straight.

You wanna kick me out

because of this whiny loser right here.

You see, judge, this is the guy that you let go.

You believed him over me?

If it wasn't for the snow,

he would probably be in his car right now,

just as drunk as he was the night

that he ran me off the road.

Okay.

You know what, I'm just gettin' a little too sick

of your fat lip right now.

You had a chance to help me put a stop to him,

but you were more interested in getting my case

out of your court as quickly as possible.

And here he is.

No repercussions for his actions.

And no justice for me.

And he gets to continue on

as the same piece of human trash as he was before/

Yeah, you know what, why don't you turn around right now

and say that to face?

Come here.

Say that to my face! Hey, hey, slow down there.

You know what, old man,

why don't you mind your own business?

Okay, this is between me and him.

Excuse me, what's left of him.

I suggest you leave, Mr. Thompson.

So you remember his name,

but you don't remember the name of the guy

that he runs off the road?

I didn't remember you at first.

But once I did, I didn't wanna deal with a confrontation.

A confrontation.

That's funny.

I don't, I don't know if you've noticed, judge, look around:

you're not in your courtroom anymore.

So I suggest you stay outta this.

Because I don't see any bailiff to keep you safe.

Come 'ere.

He, he doesn't need a bailiff.

You should go, okay.

Yeah, yeah.

Yeah. He's funny, right?

Yeah, all right.

Yeah.

Okay, I get it.

So I'm leavin'.

See ya around, Lionel.

'Night.

Have a good night, now.

Shouldn't you join your friend?

You're saying I should go.

No, no, it's over.

No, no, no, it's okay, Nick.

Let him speak.

You've been nothing but a black cloud

since you showed up here.

Sitting over there by yourself.

Refusing to have a conversation

about Rachel's case or mine.

Nick had to practically drag you over to join us.

So you classify me with your friend, Mr Thompson?

May as well.

Two miserable people full of hate,

too deafened by ego to listen to anyone.

I'm a black cloud?

I've done nothing but kept to myself since I got here,

while constantly being prodded by you.

Every time the group tried to do something

to distract from our circumstances,

you sabotaged the activity to bring up your own issues.

So, fine.

Let's hear your argument.

You are a representative of the law.

It was up to people like you to get him off the roads

before he hurt someone.

You failed.

So it's all my fault?

I moved here to be a chemistry teacher at the high school.

A month before I started my job,

Mr. Thompson ran me off the road.

The coma, the pain,

learning to walk again,

I could live with that, move past it.

But everything I know about chemistry

is stuck behind some mental wall

that I can't get through.

So I fill in as a glorified babysitter,

substituting classes and kids making up tests.

Even with all of that, I was lucky.

He is going to do it again.

You had a chance to help stop him,

but you just threw my case out the door

as fast as you could.

The next person he hurts is on you.

All you wanted to do was make a point for yourself.

You humiliated me when I'm already down.

And you didn't even listen to me defend myself.

All so, what?

You could get to your party before the storm hit?

When people stand in front of you,

their lives are in your hands.

Do you even know how that feels?

Knowing that you have no control

over whatever happens to you?

That someone else is going to decide your fate

and there isn't a single thing you can do about it?

It's a pretty terrible feeling.

One I've dealt with so many times in my life.

How many more people have you let down?

Can you honestly look at yourself in the mirror

and not feel ashamed?

You'd like some honestly?

Very well.

Lionel, did I make a ruling on Mr. Thompson's criminal case?

No.

So, was there anything that I could have done today

to have gotten Mr. Thompson off the streets, as you've said,

and put him in jail?

No.

Civilly, it's called res judicata.

Mr. Thompson can't be tried for the same matter twice.

You were hoping, somehow, that I'd rule in your favor

so you could get you money.

So, isn't that what this is really all about?

You didn't get rich today, so you're blaming me.

And how about you, Rachel?

Did you or did you not commit a crime?

- Yes, but... - No, no, no but.

You broke into a building

and attempted to steal files from your employer's computer.

Did I make you commit those crimes?

Of course not.

Then why are you acting as if I'm to blame

for your bad decisions?

The fact of the matter is you broke the law,

and you must suffer the consequences for it.

Your friend Lionel is standing here,

complaining about a criminal

getting away without punishment,

yet you stand next to him, a criminal,

trying to get away without punishment.

Yet Lionel has no objection to that.

The fact of the matter is you're not angry with me

but yourselves.

I'm just a scapegoat for your contempt.

You're wrong.

Yes.

Today was about me getting money,

but not like you think.

The accident happened a month before I started my job.

So my insurance hadn't kicked in.

And since Mr. Thompson

was acquitted of any wrong doing,

his insurance didn't cover my injuries at all.

And I didn't have as fancy an attorney as him,

so even though I got a little something

from the cough syrup company,

it didn't even come close

to helping with months I spent in the hospital.

Today was my chance to get help.

I know that he hid alcohol somewhere in his car.

A fake book.

His tire patch kit.

Binoculars.

I mean, why does a guy like that carry binoculars

in his car?

Oh, yeah.

My, uh, uncle always carried some binoculars around.

After he died, we found out

that it was a really a liquor flask.

He just filled it up through the fake eye pieces.

See?

Then my lawyer says

that we should file something or other next

to get everything tested in the car.

But I can't afford a lawyer now

because of a contempt of court fee that I have to pay, too.

And I guess I'm just gonna be paying

for Mr. Thompson's crime for the rest of my life,

thanks to you.

Even if you ruled in my favor today,

he would not have gone to jail.

But it would have been on the record

so the next time he is standing in front of a judge,

maybe, just maybe,

he'll be put behind bars where he belongs.

You're right about me.

I broke the law.

And I have accepted the consequences.

All I wanted today was a chance

to tell my side of the story.

Yes, I made a mistake.

But under the circumstances, I wasn't thinking rationally.

I admit it.

That's why I pled guilty.

I just wanted someone to put themselves in my shoes

and ask one question:

What would I have done in her situation?

Okay, I engineered a new seed planting system for crops.

But the company I was working with

took my research and kicked me out,

saying that the grant I had was all used up

and that my research was useless.

They stole my work.

Years of it, gone.

My reputation and my career, destroyed.

And I couldn't do a thing to stop it.

No one believed me.

And now I've ruined any opportunity

to work in my field again.

I'm nearly 30 years old, broke,

and now have a criminal record,

which is going to make it even more difficult to start over.

They were even going to drop the charges.

But you wanted to make a point.

Okay, I am so tired of being walked on,

of being treated like dirt,

feeling invisible.

A judge should try to see the truth,

but you didn't even look.

Maybe you can justify your legal actions.

But that doesn't make 'em right.

Judge, judge.

You don't have to do this.

Please, don't, don't go out there.

It's cold.

You can stay.

It's time for me to go.

You may think you know the judge.

Well, you don't.

He's actually a very kind man.

Maybe you don't know him as well as you think.

I shouldn't say this.

Because

it's not my secret to tell.

I made the cake for the judge.

Yeah, to take to his party tonight.

We know.

A party, yeah.

But it's a party without a guest of honor.

I've baked cakes for the judge's wife for the last 10 years.

Her name was Sarah.

And she was a lovely woman.

Was?

Cancer took her six years ago.

Judge didn't tell anybody.

He doesn't even know I know.

I only found out by accident three years ago.

But he still comes in every year

to pick up his wife's birthday cake.

And then he takes it home to an empty house.

And I think that's how he's been feeling

inside

for the last six years:

empty.

Forgive him.

Please.

Even if he can't forgive himself.

He's a nice man.

He's a good man.

He's just forgotten it.

And he hasn't let anyone in his life to, to remind him.

Hi.

It's cold.

Of course it's cold.

I'm sorry.

Will you please come back to the cafe?

You're kidding.

It's warmer inside.

Heater works just fine here, thanks.

Nick told us about your wife, Sarah.

What?

Please don't be mad at him.

He was only trying to help.

So that's it, you feel sorry for the poor, windowed judge.

Yes.

No, not like that.

Yes, I feel sorry for you.

But that's not why I'm here,

and that's not why we want you to come back.

Then why?

Because you were right, about everything.

But you were also wrong, and we were right.

But also wrong.

Your logic's confusing.

Perhaps your new career should be in the legal field.

I'm sorry.

My brain's still thawing.

My point is I screwed up.

I made a bad decision and it only made things worse.

And I complain that I have no one

to talk to about my problems, but

I have my mom.

I could have called her

and told her what I was going through.

She would have helped me see that all wasn't lost.

That it wasn't the end of the world for me.

I never would have needed to come to you for justice.

Justice?

Let me tell you about justice.

Sarah wanted to be a mother so badly.

We tried for years.

We tried adoption.

After so much time waiting,

we found a young woman willing to let us adopt her baby.

My wife had a new energy about her.

Then, at the last second, the girl changed her mind.

And I had to tell my wife the daughter

that she'd hoped and prayed for was gone.

Ripped her heart out.

And all I could do was watch.

Then it was cancer, followed by years of chemotherapy.

But she stayed positive.

The cancer went into remission.

We moved here for a start fresh.

Put the past behind us.

We planned for a bright new future.

We even started the adoption process again.

Then, one day, I get home from work.

And I see the birthday decorations,

then I realize I'd been so busy

that I'd forgotten her birthday,

and I'd forgot to pick up her cake.

I felt terrible.

Birthdays always meant so much to Sarah.

And I'd gotten so distracted by work.

I found her in the bedroom.

She'd been crying.

I thought it was because I forgot her birthday.

But she'd just found out the cancer came back.

Four more years of chemotherapy,

with me having to keeping the secret

from the one or two people we knew here.

Because she didn't wanna see the look in their eye

when they saw her emaciated,

hair gone, throwing up every hour.

And I sit in that courtroom, day after day,

dealing with so-called justice.

But where's Sarah's justice?

What did she do to deserve to go through that?

The answer is there is no justice, Rachel.

Not for you, not for Lionel.

Certainly not for my wife.

So that's it.

She died, so you just gave up on life?

You can't understand.

You haven't been there.

I agree, my problems don't compare to yours.

You don't want me to feel sorry for you, so I won't.

Instead I'll be honest.

You're selfish.

I'm selfish?

You're only focusing on your own pain.

Your wife died.

Cancer is awful.

It's sad, yes, but pardon me for saying this,

you are not the first person to lose a loved one

and you are far from the last.

Sarah's life ended,

not yours.

Yet, from what I can tell

and from what Nick has told us,

you've been walking around for the past six years

like you can't wait to join her.

In the meantime,

you've had so many people's lives in your hands,

and you've ignored them.

Do you not realize that your decisions

have a ripple effect on the people you judge?

You're right.

Life is unjust.

But don't you see?

Doesn't being a judge mean you get to decide

when to show mercy?

When to show wisdom?

To punish those who deserve it,

to help those who need it?

Justice does exist, judge.

It's through you.

And it may not solve every problem

or heartache, like yours.

But it can help solve a lot of others' problems.

What'd you wish for?

Why do you always ask me?

You know I'll never tell.

Fine, at least tell me one thing.

Have any of them come true?

Every single one.

If you're still there, God,

please,

please,

help me.

Please.

I needed to come back and apologize.

Nick told you about my wife, Sarah.

What I never told Nick was

how much his kindness meant to us over the years.

And one regret I have, among so many:

I never told you about Sarah's passing.

I know she would have wanted you at her funeral.

And I'm sorry.

We always loved his cakes.

And you've ever tasted one,

you'll understand what I'm talkin' about.

Birthdays always meant so much to my wife.

And every year, I'd pester her about

what wish she made after blowin' out the candles.

And she'd never tell me.

Because she was afraid it wouldn't come true.

Over the past six years, I'd pick up Sarah's birthday cake,

I'd it take it home, and I'd think about her.

And I'd wonder what her, what her wish might have been

if she were alive today.

I think I finally know:

for someone to knock some sense into me.

Tonight, I think her wish finally came true.

I'm not sure exactly when it happened,

but sometime after she died, I, I lost myself.

And I've failed at my work.

And I'll never know the effect my decisions

will have on others people's lives.

That's something I'm going to have to live with.

But for now, all I can do is say that I'm sorry.

That I'd vow to do a better job and to be a better person.

Usually, Sarah's cakes go to waste.

I've never had the heart to cut it.

But this year, I'd be honored if you'd all join me

in wishing my Sarah a happy birthday.

Happy birthday, Sarah.

Happy birthday, Sarah.

Those are huge slices.

- I love cake. - Well, he likes it strong.

Nice.

- Thanks. - You're welcome.

Thank you.

- One for the judge. - For the judge.

- Yeah. - Beautiful.

- That's a slice. - Everyone will get a slice.

A sandwich and some cake.

There's your piece, for you.

That tastes so good.

- Amazing job. - I know.

Hey, this is good stuff.

Thanks for not.

The first thing about.

It's so good.

Somebody needed a ride?

Come on, I'm, I'm sorry, man.

They just plowed the roads.

I just got through.

No, it's just, it's perfect timing.

Does anybody need a ride?

Well, if we're not going anywhere,

why don't we go back and make some pasta?

Sorry, man, I guess everyone's staying.

Can I stay?

I'm really hungry, too.

Next.

Uh, yeah, I have a fee I need to pay.

Your name?

Blair, first name Lionel.

For contempt of court?

That's the one.

It looks like it's already been paid.

What?

It's already been paid.

Next.

All right, seeing as you're both in agreement,

we'll postpone 'til Friday then.

Thank you, Your Honor.

What's next?

Walker County versus Wynne.

Again.

What's going on?

Just revisiting an issue.

That's unusual.

You can't fool me.

I haven't seen you this happy in a long time.

Shh, people will hear you.

I have a reputation to uphold.

And now you're joking around?

Something is up.

Maybe.

Does he normally call us back this soon?

No.

I, I have no idea what's going on.

Well, that's comforting.

Just, I'm trying to stay calm.

Hey.

Lionel, hey, what are you doing here?

I had to see the judge.

What about you?

He called us and the Assistant DA in.

All right, let's get started.

Thank you for returning today on short notice.

Over the weekend, I found myself thinking

about the government's recommendation

on Walker County versus Wynne.

I have set a motion to reconsider sentencing the defendant.

Does that mean what I think it does?

- Mm-hmm. - ADA Miller.

Yes?

Given Ms. Wynne's clean record and remorse demonstrated,

I find myself wanting to go along

with the county on this matter.

If I enter Ms. Wynne's guilty plea as a plea in abeyance,

will that be satisfactory to you?

What does that mean?

Everything's dismissed in six months.

As looking as you stay out of trouble,

you don't have to go to jail.

Yes, Your Honor.

Any objections?

No objections.

Thank you, You Honor.

All right, so be it.

The record will reflect the plea in abeyance.

That is all for today.

That was

good.

Are you gonna fill me in on what happened?

What do you mean?

Something's changed.

You make that sound like a bad thing.

Not at all.

Hey, uh,

you free for dinner?

Tonight?

Uh.

Yes.

Shall we?

Yeah, I got some different options with my lawyer.

Yeah?

Hi.

Hi.

Would you mind giving me just a few minutes?

Sure.

Thank you.

You didn't have to do that.

It was the right thing to do.

I just wish that I had seen it sooner.

What's next for you?

No more breaking and entering.

You know, I always thought it was odd

that Mr. Roth pushed to get the case closed.

But my lawyer said that if the case had moved forward,

then he would have had to

show everything I was trying to take.

He was just trying to make it all go away.

I see your point.

I mean, before, I was on the defensive,

worrying about the criminal charges.

But now that those are out of the way,

my lawyer said I should file

against the company that stole me research.

She said we can make Mr. Roth show the proof I tried to get.

I didn't really understand all the legal jargon,

but I have good shot at getting everything back,

including my reputation.

I hope so.

Bye.

I know you had some ice

chipped off your heart the other day,

but I didn't expect you to pay the fine.

Well, anything to prove you wrong.

I'm sorry for how I treated you.

That was a two-way street.

Still.

There's more to you than meets the eye.

You gonna pursue your case against Mr. Thompson again?

I was thinking about it, yeah.

I can't be involved in your case anymore.

But you mentioned the binoculars

and some other things in his car that seemed suspicious.

If you get everything tested and present it to a new judge,

I have recommendation.

Judge Reid.

He's a good man.

He'll listen.

Thank you.

You know, you did too.

Listen, I mean.

A little late, but hey.

Take care.

And good luck.

Thanks.

Have you ever tried gougeres?

If I can't pronounce it, probably not.

The cafe near here has it.

I think you'll like it.

Let's go then.