Wide Awake (1998)

Joseph Cross: Joshua Beal

Photos 

Quotes 

• Joshua A. Beal : I'm going on a mission. A real mission.

  Dave O'Hara : What kind of mission?

  Joshua A. Beal : The kind where you're looking for something important.

  Dave O'Hara : What're you gonna look for?

  Joshua A. Beal : God.

  Dave O'Hara : God? What for?

  Joshua A. Beal : I just want to talk to him.

  Dave O'Hara : Why?

  Joshua A. Beal : To make sure my grandpa's okay.

• [last lines] 

  Joshua A. Beal : My name is Joshua A. Beal. I live in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. And I believe two things. Not all angels have wings. And... sixth grade's gotta be easier than this.

• Joshua A. Beal : My question's about my Aunt Denise. She's not baptized - so that means she's goin' to hell, right?

  Sister Terry : Uh, no - actually, she's not, Joshua.

  Joshua A. Beal : And my dad's best friend - he's not baptized, either, and that means *he's* goin' to hell.

  Sister Terry : Joshua, I think you misunderstood.

  Student : Oh, man! Seth Greenberg rides my bus - he's not baptized.

  Sister Terry : OK, wait a second...

  Billy : Hey - my cousin's goin' to hell?

  Sister Terry : No - I don't think...

  Dan : That family living next door - their whole house is goin' to hell!

  Sister Terry : No, that's not what it says in the book. If you'll notice, on page four... OK! Alright, quiet!... No one is going to hell!

• Joshua A. Beal : Hey, what's your name?

  Little Boy : You don't know my name?

  [Joshua shakes his head] 

  Little Boy : This is the first time you're seeing me, isn't it?

  Joshua A. Beal : I see you all the time. You're always around, always smiling... and always watching me.

  Little Boy : But this is the first time you're *really* seeing me.

  Joshua A. Beal : I guess so.

  Little Boy : You don't have to worry. He's happy now.

  Joshua A. Beal : Who, Dave? Yeah, he'll be alright.

  Little Boy : Not David.

  Joshua A. Beal : I better get back. They're taking the picture.

  [he turns to walk away, then turns back around] 

  Joshua A. Beal : You mean Grandpa?

  [the little boy is gone] 

• Joshua A. Beal : I dreamt you were gone. Couldn't find you.

  Grandpa Beal : I'm not going anywhere.

  Joshua A. Beal : Promise?

  Grandpa Beal : Promise.

  Joshua A. Beal : [cut to Joshua rocking in his Grandpa's chair alone]  He lied.

• Joshua A. Beal : Before this year, bullies... were just bullies, for no reason. Weirdos were just weird, and daredevils weren't afraid of anything... Before this year, people I loved lived forever... I spent this year looking for something, and wound up seeing everything around me. It's like I was asleep before, and finally woke up... Know what? I'm wide awake now.

• Frank Benton : Hey, Josh - is today tomorrow? Do you wanna play now?

  Joshua A. Beal : No. Today's today; tomorrow's tomorrow.

• Joshua A. Beal : [narrating]  Those are the guys in my school. Kids in uniforms don't smile very much.

• Joshua A. Beal : [narrating, as he looks across into the girls' school's field]  I don't know why they put this fence up. Why would anyone want to go over there, anyway?

• Mrs. Beal : Joshua, the pope is not God.

  Joshua A. Beal : ...I know that - but he's his best friend.

  Mr. Beal : We're not goin' to Rome.

• Sister Terry : Every day at sunset, you'd bow your head to the ground and pray to the east - is that right?

  Joshua A. Beal : Uh, I stopped that.

  Sister Terry : OK; well, what'd you think about when you prayed?

  Joshua A. Beal : Nothing, mostly. Sometimes, I'd wonder... what made that smell in the carpet?

• Joshua A. Beal : My grandpa and me... we always watched out for each other. I slept in his room when I was sick or when I had a bad dream. Last time, I had both.

• Joshua A. Beal : Mission journal entry: Robert Brickman took the Pope hostage today.