7th Heaven: Season 4 - Episode 16: Say a Little Prayer for Me

 

Eric (Stephen Collins) tells his family about a letter he received. 

Annie, Mary, Lucy, Simon, Ruthie, and the babies discuss Robbie in the kitchen. Mary says that he made a mistake but isn't a bad guy. However, everyone else disagrees. 

Simon: Yeah, he's a bad guy who made a bad mistake in making a bad assumption. I mean, I made a mistake, but it was an innocent mistake.

Ruthie: You didn't know you bit someone on the neck? How does that happen?

Ruthie wants to know what Robbie did, and Annie tells her she will tell her when she's older. Annie tells her youngest daughter to take the bread to the dining room table. Ruthie makes chomping noises with her teeth at Simon.

Simon: Will you just forget about that?

Annie tells Simon to take the salad out, but Simon says he knows what is going on with Robbie, so he doesn't see why he has to take it, and Annie says, "because the salad needs taking." 

Mary tells Annie and Lucy that perhaps Robbie will apologize, and maybe it was her fault for making him think she wanted to go to a hotel.

Annie: There will be other guys.

Mary: But not like Robbie. 

Annie: I hope not. 

Eric comes in and tells his family that they are lucky. He says he got a letter from a kid asking for prayers. Ruthie asks why and Eric says prayer can change things. (Your actor may be scum, but you, Eric, are wise). 

Ruthie: I know that. I just wondered why he would want you to do it instead of somebody else?

Eric: Well, he wrote "Dear Man Who Works for God." So maybe that's it because I work for God. But anyone can pray.

Ruthie: And change things for real?

Eric: Yes. Mm-hmm. Absolutely.

One by one, the kids announce they know what they are praying for and leave the kitchen. 

Annie: That didn't go the way you planned, did it?

Eric: No.

The opening credits come up, and the theme song plays.

Eric is in bed reading "A History of God" by Karen Armstong. Annie joins him in bed, kisses him, and turns to sleep. Eric asks if she's tired, and she says she is happy and loves him. She asks him if he's not tired and happy, and he says he's happy. She asks him to read the letter to her, and he says he was hoping she would ask. He gets the letter and reads:

Eric: Dear Man Who Works For God: I need your prayers this Sunday. Two years ago, my brother was killed by a boy who brought a gun to school. After that, my Dad started drinking again after being sober for almost seven years. That meant my mom had to start working two jobs. I take care of my baby sister, and I walk her to school, But it's scary to think someone could shoot us too. And I'm afraid nothing is ever going to change unless people like you ask God for help for people like me." 

The letter is not signed, and Eric wonders why the kid wrote to him. Annie is now wide awake. 

Mary and Simon are hanging out in Simon's room. Simon misses Deena, and Mary misses Robbie. Simon says he doesn't know when he will be allowed to see Deena again, and Mary says that even if she forgives Robbie, their parents won't let her see him again. Lucy comes in and says she's going to bed. They say goodnight, and she asks them if they are gonna stay up all night moaning about their love lives. Then she tells them each day, things will get better. They ask her to pray for things with Robbie and Deena.

Lucy: I'm not tying up the God line with either of those prayers, got it?

She leaves the room.

Mary: What do you expect?  I mean, she's doing the best she can, considering the only two guys she's been in love with are Jimmy and Rod.

Simon: What about the other one?

Mary: What other one?

Simon: The one you both liked? The guy with the big lips, you know?

Mary: Oh, we don't speak of him.

Ruthie is in her room praying desperately for a pony. 

John (Chaz Lamar Shepherd) asks Matt if he believes what Reverend Camden said about prayer. Matt asks why he's asking. John prays that he will meet a nice woman and offers to pray for Matt. Matt tells him he's not wasting a prayer on something that stupid, but then he also prays.

The following morning, Ruthie tells her father she is getting a pony. She explains she prayed for one, and since Simon got a dog when he asked God for one, she knows she will get a pony. Ruthie goes upstairs, and Annie follows to talk to her. Ruthie says that if she gets the pony, God will say, "yes," and if not, "God didn't hear me." 

Mary is praying that she can get back with Robbie, and Lucy tells her she needs to get her mind off Robbie, so Lucy will take her older sister out.

Lucy: You realize that Mom and Dad are probably that this guy never calls you again, and that could possibly cancel out anything you're asking for, so...

Mary jumps up and runs downstairs.

Simon (talking to his dad in the kitchen): Wait. You think Ruthie might get a pony, but you don't think Deena's parents will change their mind about me?

Eric: That's not what I said.

Mary enters the kitchen.

Mary (to Eric): Are you praying against me?

Eric: What?

Mary: Because that's not right. You can't just cancel out what I want with what you want just because you're you, and I'm me, and Robbie's Robbie. 

Eric: Of course not.

Mary: Okay, thank you.

Mary leaves again.

Simon: This is why you should keep your work at the office.

Eric: The world is my office.

Simon: Don't we know it?

Matt runs into John as they both try to find Miss Right. Then they run into a woman trying to find the hardware store.

The phone rings, and Eric answers. It's Sargeant Michaels (Michael Christopher). He has a list of children who died violent deaths in the last two years who were under eighteen, but that's all. Eric says he will get the list because she has to find the child by Sunday. Eric hangs up and asks God to help.

Mary tells Lucy that God isn't answering her prayers because of the bad things she has done recently. Lucy tells her perhaps God is answering her prayers and letting her know Robbie is not the guy she should be with. Lucy says Mary and Simon need to get out of the house and suggests they take the twins out for a bit for their parents. Mary says he doesn't want to go anywhere or help anyone she just wants to sit at home and be miserable. Simon says he doesn't want to leave unless he's going over to Deena's house. Simon says he only wants to see Deena, plus he can't leave in case her parents let her call.

Lucy: Okay, good luck with that.

Simon: It's not a matter of luck. It's a matter of faith.

Lucy tells her brother that he won't always get what he wants when he wants it and reminds him that Deena's parents said they would "reconsider in a couple of weeks." 

Lucy tells her mother she wants to take the twins out for a bit and asks Ruthie if she wants to go too.

Ruthie: Hello? What if the pony comes, and I'm out for a stroll?

Ruthie leaves the nursery.

Lucy (to her mother): I've had about all I can take of everyone and their prayers. I wish Dad never brought up the whole subject.

Annie: Well, he did. And it's a very interesting subject.

Eric is out searching for the person who wrote the letter. 

Matt and John return to their apartment, arguing over the girl they met earlier. 

Simon is up in Mary and Lucy's room with Mary. Mary suggests that Simon call Deena, but he says he's not allowed to and she should call Robbie. 

Mary: What would I say?

Simon: I don't know. I don't know why you wanna call him. 

Mary: Well, I don't know why you'd want Deena to call. 

Simon: Because I miss Deena.

Mary: Well, I miss Robbie.

Simon: Yeah, well, Robbie is a no-good scoundrel. I mean, Deena is practically an angel.

Mary: She's no angel; she left a hickey on your neck that looked like a third-degree burn.

Simon: So, that wasn't her fault. She was merely reciprocating. 

Mary: No, she wasn't; she was retaliating - big difference.

Simon: Yeah, there is a big difference between goofing around with your girlfriend and giving her a hickey and lying to your girlfriend and her parents so you could take her to a motel to have sex.

Mary: Okay, it's time for you to shut up now.

Simon: No, you shut up.

They both stand up like they're gonna duke it out, but Simon leaves. Mary asks God to forgive Robbie. 

Lucy is at the park with some boys, and an older woman sits on the bench next to her while she feeds them. She says hello, and the woman gives a disgusted sigh and leaves. Two other women come over and ask how old the boys are and then asks Lucy how old she is. They are also disgusted and leave. A husband and wife come over and tell her the boys are cute but says Lucy is too young to have children. (These people were total jerks. Why would they just assume she's the mother? And even if they were her kids, at least she was taking care of them, more than many do). Lucy explains they are her brothers, but they don't believe her. 

Lucy: No, no, they, they are. They're my brothers. My mother has seven children.

Woman: Oh, seven, is it? And how many will you have before you realize the error of your ways? I will pray for you, young lady.

Lucy: Do me a favor; pray for yourself, you old bag!

Woman: Oh!

The phone rings at Matt and John's pad, and Matt answers. It's Raven (Rayvan Wray), the girl they saw earlier. She invites both Matt and John to have dinner with her family. 

Eric returns home and asks his wife where everyone is. She says they sent everyone to neutral corners because everyone was angry. 

Eric: How did this happen?

Annie: You. Evidently, prayer is a very controversial subject. 

Ruthie opens the door and is upset there's no only outside for her. Eric says he couldn't find the kid, and Annie says maybe he's not supposed to, then asks Eric if he's mad. Eric says, "Maybe." 

That night, Annie goes into Eric's office to see if he's still mad, and he says no, and feels sorry for how he acted. He says maybe he's not supposed to find the kid, but he still wants to find the kid anyway. The phone rings, and it's Sergeant Michaels telling Eric he thinks he found the kid, and his name is Jonathan Smith. Ruthie comes into Eric's office as Eric is leaving. Annie asks Ruthie why she wants a pony. 

Ruthie: I need that feeling of being carried away to someplace. Like being carried away from earth back to heaven. Or being carried by angels when I came to earth. 

Annie tells her that perhaps she could write or draw what she just told Annie. Ruthie decides to go draw it.

Mary, Simon, and Lucy are doing the dishes in the kitchen. Mary apologizes to her brother, and says that Deena is rather angelic. She also says that if Robbie were different she'd be happy. Simon says she would also be happy if she was a different kind of woman. Lucy is upset that everyone thought she was a teen mom, and were judgemental about it as well. Simon says he thinks Deena loves him as he is, but unfortunately her parents do not. Mary blames herself for not being able to see Robbie, and all that happened. 

Lucy: Sorry I'm still feeling the sting of being completely humiated in public. 

She leaves the kitchen.

Mary: Do you have any idea what she is talking about?

Simon: No. 

Mary leaves and Simon prays again asking God to teach him right from wrong. 

Matt and John are getting ready to go to Raven's and John asks Matt to stay home. They begin arguing again.

Eric looks for Jonathan (Jordan Warkol). Some kids tell him that he's not in a safe place. 

The guys arrive at Raven's and meet her mother (Irene Wiley) and father (Louis Tucker). The father tells Matt that he and John are the answer to their prayers because they didn't judge Raven becuaes of her skin color. 

A boy comes running toward the house where Eric is, and it's Jonathan. Jonathan is upset that Eric showed up. 

Eric: Because of your circumstances?

Jonathan: No, Because I'm not selfish. You think I'm the only kid who had his life ruined by a gun? Kids just like me all over the world are suffering. I figured if no one knew who they were praying for in particular they would be praying for all of us in general. So please, just do what I asked and pray. And get everyone you know to pray. The man upstairs will take care of all of us. Have a little faith, Reverend. (Best line of this episode).

Ruthie is asleep with her drawing. 

Simon is looking at himself in a mirror holding the phone and rehearsing what he is going to say to Deena's father. Then he calls, and Mr. Stewart (Jack Rader) answers. He apoloigizses, and then apologizes for how late he calls. But Mr. Stewart calls Deena to talk to Simon.

Mary tells Lucy that she's going to stop praying for Robbie, and Lucy says maybe Robbie needs to grow up and become responsible and respectful. Lucy offers to pray for Robbie to become a good person. Annie and Eric come in to say goodnight, and Mary asks them to pray for Robbie as well. Mary asks Lucy if she has anything to pray for, and Lucy asks her to pray for teen moms but Mary is asleep before Lucy finishes telling her the request. Lucy immediately begins praying for Robbie. 

John and Matt are no longer fighting. John asks him if they want to go to church together tomorrow, either to Reverend Camden or Reverend Hamilton's. Matt says he can't because his mother asked him to do her a favor.

Matt takes Ruthie to a place to do horseback riding lessons. Matt watches as Ruthie rides the white horse. 

A young man and Anderew Mann (Michael Antonacci) comes into the church and asks Lucy if he can sit anywhere, she says he can, so he sits by her and introduces himself. Mary says he is Andrew, "just not Anderew Kaloss." 

Eric stands up and they all recite the Lord's Prayer. He tells them that Ruthie wanted to experience God through nature. And he does a sermon on prayer. He tells them about Jonathan's prayer request, and ends with a moment of silence. \

The closing credits come up in silence. After a moment the music plays. 

(This episode was well done. I loved the speech the boy made to Eric about having faith. The whole everyone assuming Lucy was a teen mom was a bit annoying, but no doubt realistic).