Original subtitles

[Creaking]

[Clattering]

[Child's laughter]

Just chill. It's no big deal.

But it's bugging me. I can't stand it.

Me neither. Don't you ever change clothes?

No. Don't you ever mind your own business?

Both: Ooh.

What's the problem?

I'm going nuts

'cause I was going to tell you guys something,

and I can't remember what it is.

If you stop trying to remember, you will.

That's sort of what my story's about.

What, Tucker going out of his mind?

No. About memories.

But not any memories--

it's about the kind we share.

These are things that inspired some of my stories.

This is my grandmother's.

It helped me come with The Tale of the Long-Ago Locket.

And this is my brother's school ring.

It helped create The Tale of the Dream Girl.

And this--

Watcher's Woods.

Watcher's Woods-- exactly.

And that's my point--

a lot of memories are shared.

We look at this stuff and we think of the same things.

That's important, because it brings us together

as friends.

But can you imagine if we didn't have these memories?

It would be like we had no past

and no friends,

and the future would be just as empty and lonely.

Submitted for the approval of the Midnight Society,

I call this story...

Sam: Jason and his sister Lisa

were real happy their mom quit her job

to start her own business.

That is, until they found out what and where

that business was going to be.

You dragged us a million miles from civilization

and our friends for this?

You haven't seen the good part yet.

Ho, ho. Just wait till you see this.

Ta-da!

Ah, well. Isn't it just heaven?

I don't know.

Is heaven a place where nothing happens?

Oh, I think it's great.

It used to be called Homestead Inn.

This was a happening place once

and we are going to bring it back.

I've got a contractor lined up

and I've got a meeting with the bank.

Think we could make it back to the city in this?

No one's going anywhere in that.

I want you to stay off the dock

till we get you a life jacket.

Mom?

Hey, you're the one that didn't want swimming lessons.

Hey, don't look at me.

Oh, come on, guys, this is our big chance.

We can have our own business and be our own bosses.

It's gonna be great.

Come on, what do you say, are you with me?

[Growls]

[Gasps]

Very funny.

Where do you want this one, boss?

Uh, oh, it doesn't matter. Anywhere.

Aw, it's stuck.

Here, let me try.

That's weird. It's not locked.

Yeah, so then why won't it open?

Whoa!

Look out!

What'd you say about this place just needing a coat of paint

and some elbow grease?

You're dreaming.

[Woman singing]

[Woman singing]

[Gasps] [Gasps]

What are you doing?

Did you hear that music?

No, what music?

It came from down there.

I don't know what it was.

Maybe it was the sound of the waves--

Lisa?

Lisa, what's up?

Can't you hear the music?

Told you.

Sweetheart...

Sweetheart, let's go back to bed.

But it sounded so nice.

OK, come on.

There's a bunch of nothing back here.

Maybe not.

What is it?

A jukebox, an old one.

Is this where the music came from?

I doubt it.

Do you think it works?

Well, there's only one way to find out.

Oh, whoa.

Wow.

OK, here we go. A-2?

Sure.

It works.

[Swing music plays]

Oh, listen to that.

It sounds really old-fashioned.

Yeah. It must bring back a lot of memories, huh, mom?

Hey, I wasn't even born when that came out,

thank you very much.

[Buzzing]

Watch it!

Well, so much for the old movies.

So much for the wiring.

Oh, if it's bad, it'll cost a fortune to re-wire this place.

It's probably just a loose connection.

If we got more old stuff like this,

we could give the place a retro feel.

It might be cool.

Cool? Did I hear something positive for a change?

It might be fun to see how it all works.

Uh, cool and fun. I am dreaming.

Hey.

Here you go.

Let's leave Mr. Fixit alone,

before he changes his mind.

OK. OK.

OK.

B...

C-7.

OK, B-5.

All right.

Now all we have to do

is get some half-decent records.

[Gasps]

Hello?

[Footsteps]

[Cries out]

Jason, you've got to stop doing that.

Did you see that girl?

What girl?

She was right there. You must have walked right by her.

No one's here. You're not getting strange on me, are you?

[Door opening]

[Music playing]

¶ But I'll admire you from afar ¶

¶ my love ¶

¶ when we meet ¶

¶ will she dismiss me gently ¶

¶ could I take this and recover ¶

¶ graciously ¶

¶ perhaps it's best to keep it at a distance ¶¶

[door shuts]

OK, Mom, what are you...

Who are you? What are you doing here?

She was right there, I swear--

the exact same girl.

Maybe you were sleepwalking.

You did that when you were little.

How does sleepwalking make a girl appear out of nowhere?

The windows, please. And we could do without talk

about how this place is haunted.

Haunted? Here?

Oh, no, honey. We don't believe in ghosts, do we?

Especially ones that might devalue

this prime piece of real estate.

When you're finished, I've got some stuff for you to do upstairs.

Sure, boss. Can't wait.

Nothing like country living, huh, Lis?

Oh, no!

Lisa! Lisa, stop!

What do you think you're doing?

Mom's gonna kill you.

Worse, she's gonna kill me.

Didn't you hear?

Hear what?

The lady.

What lady?

In the canoe. She's right out...

She's gone.

Come on.

But she was out there.

What'd she look like?

Pretty. She was singing a song.

What kind of song?

An old-fashioned one.

She said he promised to dance to it again, no matter what.

And then she started to cry.

We better get this up and docked before Mom sees.

Too late.

And I never want you down by the water alone, do you understand?

Yes.

Keep a closer eye on her while I am gone.

Mom, she was talking to a ghost.

She has a vivid imagination.

Yeah, and I'm a sleepwalker.

Come on, Mom, this is weird.

Something's really going on.

Look, have you any idea how much

lake front property like this normally costs?

The only reason that I was able to afford this place

was because of the stories.

This place really is haunted.

No, it just has a history.

Oh, god, I've got to go.

My meeting's in less than an hour.

What kind of history?

The real estate agent

told me the story,

but it's just a story, so don't tell Lisa, OK?

I won't. Speak.

OK. Just after the second World War,

they were getting ready to throw a big welcome home party

for a local boy who'd been sent overseas.

His girlfriend lived across the lake,

and she organized the whole thing.

But the night of the party, they got a telegram

saying the boy wasn't coming back.

Ooh. Sad.

Yeah, it gets worse.

There was a storm that night,

and his girlfriend's canoe

washed up on the shore--empty.

It's all so tragic.

Lisa saw a girl in a canoe. Maybe it's the ghost--

Don't even say it.

A lot of girls paddle canoes.

And sneak in here to play records and disappear?

Reality check. There are no such things as ghosts,

and I refuse to blow this opportunity

because of some sad old story.

I'll be back in a couple of hours.

Mom...

I am sorry, honey.

I'm sorry, I don't believe it.

OK, how about this one?

Nope. You made me lose my place.

Come on, Lis, just a few more.

Who cares what song she was singing?

Well, maybe she does.

I want to see if it'll bring her back.

How about this one?

Something's stuck-- C-7. Hold on.

OK.

C-5, OK. C-6, OK.

C-7...

The thing that lifts it is jammed.

Hand me a screwdriver.

Lis, you want to hand me the... forget it.

The storm.

I have to warn her.

OK. Got it.

OK, Lis, hit C-7.

Hit C-7, would you?

Lisa?

Lisa. Oh, no!

Lisa! Lisa!

Lake Shore police? Yeah, it's an emergency.

OK. My sister's out on the lake.

She's trying to find this ghost of a woman

in the canoe.

Yeah, a ghost.

She's been haunting this place

'cause her boyfriend never came back from the war.

No, this isn't a prank.

Wait! Hello?

I hope this is what you want.

[Music plays]

All: Surprise!

All: Surprise!

Tommy: It's so good to be home.

How've you been?

Where's Iris?

Did she wait for me?

Where is she?

Tommy?

Excuse me, buddy.

Oh, darling, I've been waiting so long.

I always said we'd dance to our song again.

Come on.

Wait, wait.

Thank you.

[Gasps]

We have got to stop scaring each other like this.

Mom!

What-- but they were...

What?

Lisa.

Jason, what's going on?

Don't you dare tell me she went out in that.

Lisa!

Lisa!

You were supposed to look after her!

I told you to look after her!

She was right there, Mom, I swear.

Lisa!

Lisa!

Mom.

Lisa, where have you been?

It's OK. She told me everything was all right,

and then she brought me back.

Who? What are you talking about?

The lady and her boyfriend.

They brought me back to shore.

It's getting cold. Let's get inside, OK?

You're welcome.

Hey, I got a great idea for this main room.

We can make it like a cafe or a bar,

for weddings and stuff like that.

It'll be great.

Nobody ever saw another ghost around homestead inn,

but Jason would always remember Iris and Tommy,

and the song from their past

that finally brought them together.

But memory was all he had,

because after that night, Jason could never get C-7

to play again.

[Thunder]

That's it!

What's it?

The thing I couldn't remember.

There's a big storm coming tonight.

Now you remember?

I declare this meeting of the Midnight--

[all talk at once]

Captioned by Grant Brown