Mind the Gap Summary

Mind The Gap Summary (directed by Eric Shaeffer)

1. Street dancer in Times Square (New York City, Manhattan).
2. Apartment steps with young woman with dog, and grouchy old man (Herb Schweitzer). “Your dog is old.” “Don’t touch him.”
3. Optometrist with Malissa (in North Carolina), wearing hat from Montana. Malissa says she is on vegan diet. Stomps glasses, takes photograph. Gynecologist gives her lunch for her momma.
4. Trailer surrounded by debris. Mail, with envelope from China. Malissa inside with mother: “No doctors.” Malissa plays tape of restaurant in Beijing. “Watchiba!”
5. Malissa’s room. Tapes, newspaper clippings.
6. Rocky at school (in Vermont). Picture of egg on screen is of his mother. Dad (Sam Blue) arrives, praises picture. With Dad shaving. “Let’s shave off all the hair that we have. … I want to look like Michael Jordan.”
7. Bald wigs. Sam and Rocky enter school with shaved heads. “If the small dreams can’t come true, how’s he going to believe the big ones can?”
8. John (in Tucson) getting ready for work. Orders breakfast at Taco Bell. Invited by co-worker, but declines shortly. In evening, calls son (William) at mother’s house. William “likes the Yankees now.” Derek Jeter is now favorite player.
9. Singer (Jody) under train track in Astoria in Queens (New York City). “How long have you been playing here now? … Ten years.” Runs down street. Song: “I still have a roommate”.
10. Jody with roommate. Refuses invitation to party in Manhattan. “You have a normal heart.”
11. Schweitzer talks with “kind lass.” Lectures her about Jerry Lewis. Calls his friend Morris.
12. Tells Morris about walking to Spuyten Dival to keep pact with dead childhood friend Arnie Finkelstein.
13. Party with Marigold sisters.
14. Malissa watching rugby match. Leaves for diner. Discusses making hats. “Watchiba!” “Seeing Malissa every day of her life has rotted that woman’s insides.”
15. “If people know you have love in your heart, they’ll give you just about anything.”
16. Mr. Richards asks Malissa to come by to talk.
17. Malissa crosses bridge, listens to police radio. Photographs scene of man arrested for harming woman.
18. Rocky’s black schoolmate Antoine: “Is it true your mother’s an egg? … Nice haircut.”
19. School bus, with all the boys’ heads shaved. Rocky and father go to Vicky Walters with wood. Sam declines invitation to dinner and cookies.
20. Sam and Rocky playing catch. Discussion of marriage. “Why do you hate girls?” “A lot of families pretend to be happier than they are. I went on the internet and got an egg.” Rocky wants “a real mom” and maybe a little sister. Letter for Sam Blue and Alison Lee. “Maybe she could be my mom.” “You wouldn’t want her.” Subliminal Yankee-hate, focused on Derek Jeter. Call from doctor.
21. Street dancer.
22. John waking up. Basebell breaks window. Boy with dad apologizes.
23. John at hardware store. Buys rifle to avoid three-day waiting period on handgun. “Home protection.” Evening, eating fast food, watching football. Hears children outside. Opens shotgun and shells, writes note to William: “You didn’t do anything wrong.” Pinches finger.
24. Jody at yoga class run by roommate. With doctor. Pacemaker. Windsprints: “I like it to beat hard and fast.” Asks about emotional jolts. “Live in the middle of life, like the rest of us do.” Sprints.
25. Jody singing at subway stop while roommate goes to party. Feels heart.
26. Herb making breakfast, feels heart. Obscene gesture at crosswalk. Eats at Copeland’s. Hates Yankees. Wife Rose has died, never had children.
27. Herb attacked on street. At hospital. Concussion and heart attack. Stays at flop house. “This used to be a classy place.” Eats from his doggy bag and weeps.
28. Malissa in darkroom. Photos of rape victims and perpetrators. Mail with tape from London: “Mind the gap between the train and the platform.” Mother has bloody vomiting fit. “Why do you take care of me? … I don’t love you. … If you had never happened, I could have had a life.” “If you could just forgive yourself, I know you could get better.” “You don’t understand, Malissa. I hate you.”
29. Photo album with Malissa’s mother and grandmother.
30. Evening. Malissa listens for mother’s heartbeat. Mother is dead.
31. At diner. Malissa says mother is suddenly well, plans trip. Takes picture of regular at diner, Sadie. Runs into optometrist, says she plans world trip. He had hoped they would “come closer.”
32. Back at trailer. Optometrist brings food (meat) and glasses. In dark room. Optometrist notices what Malissa calls “my little art project.” Rape victims and their mothers and rapists and their mothers. “You mind the gap, Doc.” Jody sings in background. Pins up mother and grandmother’s picture and Sadie’s picture. Sets fire. Tapes and police scanner burn, with picture of Mr. Richards.
33. Malissa watches train, eats big hamburger.
34. Street dancer.
35. Sam calls doctor to schedule tests. Talks to Rocky about trip to New York and finding girlfriend. Speed dating. With Vicky in store. “The trooper, the island, whatever.” “I may be sick. … I live in a shack in the middle of nowhere. How am I going to meet anyone?” Vicky says he is sick because of his failure to deal with Alison leaving him. “She’s never coming back.”
36. John and priest. Asking for forgiveness. Playing the martyr. Difference between sorry and asking for forgiveness. Asking for a gift.
37. Manny invites Jody to play in Manhattan at “The Bottom Line”. Roommate suggests speed dating. “I would rather burn in hell.” Agrees to go anyway.
38. Herb awakes. Malissa drives into New York. Sam arrives in New York. Malissa and Sam and Rocky enter medical center. “Daddy, are you going to die soon?”
39. Malissa with doctor: “I sold my eggs on the internet” to raise money to be sterilized. “She was a good Christian so she wouldn’t kill me just like I wouldn’t kill an innocent child.”
40. John arrives at William’s house. Asks for forgiveness from wife and son. “I’m the reason why we all can’t live together.”
41. Spuyten Dival. Herb shows boys who know about Willie Mays.
42. Speed dating. Jody and Sam. Jody leaves on second round. Sam meets Alison. “No one I want you to know.” “You can spend the rest of your life being angry at me, or you can forgive me.” “This is my son Rocky.”
43. John with food. Herb in taxi. Jody running. Grouchy old lady. Jody faints, John helps with CPR. Esther and Herb, the couple.
44. “It’s benign.” Rocky wanders in on Malissa with glasses. “How do I look?” “I like ‘em off. … Want me to smash them for you?” “I’ve changed my mind.”
45. Jody (Bueller) on stage. Sings “I Don’t Want to Get Bitter.” Sam and Rocky want to live with Vicky. Malissa leaves behind her car keys. Sam kisses Vicky. Herb and Esther bicker. Jody and John at yoga. Rocky. Jody with John in audience. Malissa watches street dancer. She minds the gap.