Music plays softly in the background. The interior of the house is filled with exquisite woodwork, paintings and statuary. It is the home of the wealthy, the fabulously rich.
A woman sits at a dining room table. A cup sits before her, which she sips from. A man enters the room behind her.
Man: "Ah, Erwing?"
Woman: (raises her brows as she answers) "Not quite."
Ignoring her expression, her husband walks over to the dresser.
Man: "You have your, ah, art class today?"
Woman: "Uh huh. Life in the fast lane."
They both sip at their drinks. He looks at her, and she stares back, uncomfortable.
Woman: "What?"
He smiles, lowering his cup.
Man: "I'm just adoring you. Isn't a husband allowed to stop and adore his wife? How'd I get to be so lucky?"
She smiles.
Woman: "We both got "lucky" Henry."
Henry sets his cup and saucer on the table. He then picks up the remote and turns the music down. The wife raises her brows in barely concealed annoyance.
Woman: "I was listening to that."
Henry: "I'm just turning it down... you don't mind."
It's more a statement than a question.
Henry: "I have to go to the office for a couple of hours."
Woman: "Of course."
Henry: "Oh, and, uh, don't forget we're having dinner with Father Hatchery."
Woman: "...Again?"
Henry's back is turned, so he misses the sarcastic tilt of her head. Once he is out of the room, she blasts the music again. Suddenly, the room begins to shake. The wife cries out as things begin to fall. Henry rushes back in the room as she stands, confused.
Henry: "Honey, not there, over here!"
He beckons, standing in an archway. Statues tip over and smash on the floor. They stand in fear as the earthquake rattles the house. Car alarms go off outside. Slowly, the shaking stops. Henry breathes out sharply.
Henry: "I thought that could have been the big one. Why don't you turn on the news, see how bad it was. I'll check the house."
As he walks away, the wife looks down to see a porcelain bust on the floor. Meanwhile, Henry is examining the wall.
Henry: "Look, there's a crack over here. Do you see it? It runs all the way across, here and..."
He turns as she approaches behind him, lifting the bust above her head. His eyes widen in shock and fear.
Henry: "Christine, what are you, wha... no, noooooo!"
The statue smashes into his head, throwing him to the floor. Christine pauses for a moment to catch her breath. Dropping the statue, she retrieves a crowbar and uses it to tip a wall cabinet onto the body of her husband.
Christine: "Well Henry, it was the big one."
*Opening credits*
Sharona strode down the sidewalk speaking quickly into her cell phone. Behind her, her apartment complex is surrounded by firemen and police. Smoke billows in the air.
Sharona: "Oh thank God! Thank God. No, nononononono. Stay at Kenny's Benjy! Stay there! I just gotta check out Mr. Monk!"
At Adrian's house, her hand raises to rap at his door.
Sharona: "Adrian, Ad..."
He answers, his mouth filled with an apple. In his hand is a shattered picture of his wife, Trudy. Sharona takes in his appearance.
Sharona: "You Ok? I've been trying to call you for over an hour, your phone is dead."
Adrian: (mouth filled with apple) "Uhm."
Sharona: "Are you sure you're ok?"
She sees a lamp tipped over in the front entry. Adrian kicks the door closed and walks inside. She follows him into the rest of his home.
Sharona: "Oh my God."
The room is a mess, books and paper litter the floor, pictures hang crookedly on the walls.
Adrian: "Mjay?" He asks, still chewing.
Sharona: "Wha... Benjy? Oh, yeah, yeah, yeah. He's ok. He was at school when it happened and he loved it, he thought it was like a roller coaster."
As she speaks, she walks quickly through the room, examining the destruction.
Sharona: "I... Adrian, I have to tell you, I'm very impressed. I thought you'd be a basket case. Everything's... broken!"
She looks around again at the ruin. Adrian sits calmly in his chair, still eating his apple.
Sharona: "Where were you when it happened?"
Adrian leans back, picking up a book to read.
Adrian: "Tarie oh-shh, jedu krimini." He responds, hefting the book.
Sharona turns, her brows pulling together in confusion.
Sharona: "What?"
Adrian repeats himself, slowly so she doesn't miss his words.
Adrian: "Terie. Oh-shh. Jedu. Krimini."
She blinks once, staring. He glances up and catches her expression. He half-smiles, confused by her response.
Adrian: "Hoo krulin kroonk?"
Sharona: "Are you ok?"
Frustrated, Adrian plops the book down and stands to his feet.
Adrian: "Pamo je duke, terie je duke ri mene!"
Sharona walks up to him, hand outstretched.
Sharona: "Adrian, you're not speaking English, you know that right?"
Adrian shrugs at her.
Adrian: "Stri leps en jay?"
Sharona looks worried. Adrian starts laughing.
Adrian: "Durk en tol eh vall re gob."
He walks to the kitchen, convinced Sharona is pulling his leg.
A short time later, Sharona is on the phone with Dr. Kroger.
Dr. Kroger: "Yeah, yeah, Sharona, re-relax. He's having a dissociative episode."
She stands in the kitchen with Adrian, who still clutches Trudy's picture, while tentatively reaching out with his other hand for the phone.
Sharona: "Way..way..way...wait. Dissociative?"
Dr. Kroger: "Yeah, the trauma of the earthquake probably shorted out the occipital lobe in the left hemisphere of his brain, which controls the ability to speak and to form words."
Sharona: "Well what should I do?"
Adrian, meanwhile, continues to look on in complete confusion.
Dr. Kroger: "Look, he thinks he's speaking normally."
Adrian reaches for the phone as Kroger continues talking.
Dr. Kroger: "See, he's more confused than you are."
Adrian gestures for the phone.
Adrian: "Al ba heah malom."
Sharona holds up her hand to Adrian.
Dr. Kroger: "Right, well I can see him tomorrow at four, if you'd like. But I gotta tell ya, I wouldn't be surprised if he's fine by then. You know, I mean, these things usually pass on their own. The most important thing, is don't leave him alone."
Sharona nods as Adrian continues to reach out with his hand. "Ok."
Adrian: "Oll dok do umon. Mill ja tere!"
Adrian waves his hand. Sharona holds hers up again, trying to get him to relax.
Sharona: "Wait, wait! Ok, hold on, hold on." she sighs. "He wants to speak to you."
She passes the phone over to a confident Adrian. Adrian laughs gently into the receiver as he takes the phone.
Adrian: "Ee nargly voon alom speer jock."
Dr. Kroger: "You're talking gibberish. Adrian, I can't understand a word you're saying."
Adrian: "Eee nargly s', voon dom speer jock!"
Dr. Kroger: "Right, right, ok good, so, put Sharona on the phone, ok?"
Meanwhile, Sharona's attention has been grabbed by a news report on the television.
Reporter: "...well known philanthropist, Henry Rutherford, who's best known for his Rutherford scholarships, which enabled hundreds of inner-city children from across the country..."
Sharona: "Oh my God!"
Sharona's expression falls. Adrian notices her anguish and speaks quickly into the phone.
Adrian: "Burlie fangh."
Kroger nods in confusion. "Ok..."
Adrian sets the phone down, looking at Sharona. She fights tears as she speaks.
Sharona: "Henry Rutherford. I told you about him. I've been working with him the whole month. He's a deacon at my church... he, he was trying to make money for the new church... Oh my God, his wife is gonna be devastated."
She grabs for her purse as Adrian looks at the television. Sharona sighs.
Sharona: "I gotta go."
Adrian: "Shery kurt wygle."
Sharona looks up as she gathers her things.
Sharona: "They live two blocks away, they just moved here, she doesn't know anybody. I'm gonna see if they need my help ok? Just stay here."
Adrian: (shrugging) "Ee ty. Po sholer der."
Sharona closes her eyes. "You know what, on second thought, you better come with me, come on."
Adrian lifts the forgotten cell. "Bredi chon."
Sharona takes it from him.
Sharona: "Dr. Kroger, we'll call you back."
Kroger nods at the phone, completely at a loss. "F-fine."
At the home of the late Henry Rutherford, Christine, Sharona, and Father Hatchery sit around the dining room table while Adrian walks about the room.
Christine: "He had a brother in London, they weren't close, but... someone should call him."
Father: "Don't worry Christine, I'll take care of it."
Christine: "Thank you Father. I don't know what I'd do without you and Sharona.
While Christine speaks, Sharona begins pouring tea. The Father holds Christine's hand in comfort. A short distance away, Adrian walks around the room, staying out of the way.
Christine: "It was terrible, the whole room started to shake. And Henry made sure I was safe in the doorway."
Father: "Now, you mustn't torture yourself."
Adrian begins to examine the ceiling and walls, hands in his pockets.
Christine: "The wall unit started to come tipping over, and Henry was trying to keep it from falling."
Sharona places a hand to her chest, her eyes are pained.
Christine: "I saw it come crashing down. I called for help, but there was nobody else in the house."
Sharona brings over the tea: "Ok, here ya go."
Christine: "Oh... I, I couldn't."
Sharona: "No no no, Christine, ya have to have something."
Father: "She's right Christine, you must stay strong."
Sharona: "You know, I could stay here tonight..."
As they speak, Adrian begins wandering again.
Christine: "Thank you, it's very sweet. But I called my mother in Chicago, she'll be here later tonight."
Sharona: "Oh, that, that's good! Mothers are great to talk to. Well, you know, except for mine."
Adrian walks towards the group, a look of sensitive tenderness on his face.
Adrian: "Harg chark."
Sharona looks uncomfortable, but feels introductions are necessary.
Sharona: "Oh, um, this is my boss, Adrian Monk."
Adrian folds his hands, he speaks in an obvious attempt at imparting comfort.
Adrian: "Bezzle whent, yoon croush wheez crozen."
Sharona: "Um, Adrian... why don't you wait in the other room."
While she speaks, Adrian catches sight of a toppled bowl of fruit. He begins to quickly straighten it. Sharona, embarrassed, shoos him away.
Sharona: "Adrian, wait in the other room."
Adrian, giving her a look of irritation, allows himself to be herded out.
Father: "Um, where's he from?"
Sharona: (laughing in embarrassment) : "Neptune."
Meanwhile, Adrian begins wandering through the other room. While their conversation continues, Adrian begins to straighten pictures on the walls. Then he stops, something seems odd to him.
Adrian: "Dwon lear brannegaa nusis?"
He begins walking around, examining each wall more closely. He looks at the wall unit that crushed Henry Rutherford. Taking a kerchief from his breast pocket, he drags the cloth down the back of the unit. It comes up clean. At that moment, Sharona walks in, eyes tired.
Adrian: "Leego on forgi garrus."
Sharona: "Oh, she'll be alright."
Adrian's eyes narrow, it wasn't the response he wanted. He looks around again, brows pulled together in concern.
Sharona: "What are you doing?"
Adrian: "Bavioski. Che sagl not right about this room."
Sharona's eyes widen suddenly: "Adrian, you can talk!"
Adrian shakes his head: "Of course I can talk- what is wrong with you?"
Sharona (eyes wide): "Nothing is wrong with me!"
Shortly afterward, at the police station, officers rush about cleaning up the mess. Adrian stands by Stottlemeyer, hopping in agitation as he fusses with his clothes, waiting to get the Captain's attention.
Stottlemeyer (on phone): "There is no third watch. I want everybody on active duty to report to their watch commanders, got it?"
Adrian (continuing what has probably been a long conversation): "You think you follow me?"
Stottlemeyer hangs up the phone and tries to escape from Adrian.
Stottlemeyer: "Yes, Christine Rutherford, sat around waiting for an earthquake?"
Adrian holds up his hand: "No, no, she sat around waiting for her rich old husband to die. And when the earthquake hit..."
Stottlemeyer begins to walk away. Adrian keeps pace.
Adrian: "You see, Cap... When the earthquake hit, she realized it was her chance. A one-in-a-million shot. And she took it."
Officer 1: "Captain, we have some reports of looting on Patraro Hill."
As the officer speaks, Adrian takes a moment to straighten a figure on the top of a computer.
Stottlemeyer: "Alright, get ten uniforms down there, I want a man on every corner. Go, go, go."
Once he has the Captain's attention again, Adrian continues pushing his case.
Adrian: "There was ceiling debris all over the floor, but none on the back of a fallen display case."
Stottlemeyer (distracted): "Um hum."
Adrian: "And there were marks on the wall, like somebody used a lever to knock that case over."
Stottlemeyer: "Yeh..."
Officer 2, handing Stottlemeyer a phone: "Captain, Captain, Carhill."
Carhill: "Those calls are false alarms."
Stottlemeyer: "I don't care if they're all false alarms, you gotta check em out, every one."
Carhill: "Yessir."
Stottlemeyer hangs up and turns his attention to Monk.
Stottlemeyer: "Look, Monk, there was an earthquake, that's what earthquakes do, they knock crap over."
Adrian waves his arms, frustrated.
Adrian: "Yeah, bu-but there were other pictures on the same wall and none of them- none of them were even crooked."
Stottlemeyer reaches the end of his rope. He tries to get past Monk.
Stottlemeyer: "I'm trying to put out a hundred fires here Monk."
He brushes past Adrian, moving towards the sound of a commotion.
Adrian: "I realize that..."
Stottlemeyer: "Where's the guy from emergency services?"
A group of people stand, arguing, near the front of the station. Stottlemeyer walks up to them. Adrian trails behind, still trying to get the Captain to listen.
Stottlemeyer: "Look out, look out. Look, somebody will be with you soon enough. Please, everybody just sit down, calm down."
Adrian: "She could be there..."
Stottlemeyer: "What?"
Adrian: "She could be there, right now, cleaning up all the evidence. At least send a couple of detectives over there to look around."
Stottlemeyer: "I haven't got a detective, I haven't got a moment to spare. Monk, the shaking you felt this morning was a 6.0 earthquake."
Adrian holds up his hand: "But... at least send, ME, over to check it out..."
Stottlemeyer: "Where's Sharona?"
Adrian: "She went to pick up her kid."
Stottlemeyer (caving): "Alright. Hey, Lieutenant? I'm officially handing Monk off to you. I want you to give him anything he needs. Now quit screwing around and get back to work."
Stottlemeyer pushes Adrian over to stand beside Disher, who is currently attempting to repair a leaking water pipe in the ceiling.
Disher (with a screwdriver in his teeth): "Uhh, sure."
He turns to glance at Adrian. At that moment, a jet of water sprays from fixture and hits him square in the face. Adrian turns away, hands to his face as the water goes everywhere.
Sharona and Benjy stand together next to a line of yellow warning tape. Just beyond is the ruined street near their apartment. A cop approaches them.
Cop: "I'm sorry, the street's closed."
Sharona: "What's going on?"
Cop: "The gas line's ruptured, and all the phone lines are down. These two blocks were the worst ones hit."
Sharona's face melts into disgust and frustration.
Sharona: "Who, well we just live right over there."
The cop stands firm: "Not today you don't. Call emergency services. Here's their number."
Sharona takes the card in irritation. Behind her, a man lifts a camera.
Sharona: "How long is this gonna be?"
Cop: "Well, maybe a couple of days."
Sharona: "A coupla days!"
Cop: "Maybe three. Just call that number ma'am, I just work here."
Reporter: "Officer, I'm with the Melvin Gazette. Can I get in there and get a coupla shots?"
The cop's face hardens: "I'm sorry, no one can get through."
Sharona: "Look, can we just go in and get some stuff? I mean, what if he needs some medicine or something?" She gestures to Benjy.
Cop: "Ma'am, you have to call that number, ok? That's all I know. Now please, step back."
Sharona glares at the cop as she slowly walks away from the barrier. The reporter smiles at her.
Reporter: "Now there's a delightful chap, reminds me of my x-wife." His accent is Australian.
Sharona (raising her eyebrows humorously.): "Reminds me of my x-husband. Maybe we should get em together."
The reporter takes another shot.
Benjy: "Mom, what are we gonna do?"
Sharona: "I don't know, I don't know. I guess we're gonna have to find a hotel."
Reporter: "Good luck, I been calling all morning. Nary a room left in the whole city."
Sharona catches the odd word choice and smiles.
Sharona: "Nary a room?"
Reporter: "It's what I say."
Sharona: "Well, we can always stay at Aunt Gail's." She doesn't sound enthusiastic.
Benjy (coughing): "Why can't we stay at Mr. Monk's?"
Sharona: "Because I will go crazy, slower, at Aunt Gail's."
Reporter: "Think your Aunt Gail has an extra room for an out-of-town journalist? I'm Darryl Right."
Sharona: "Oh, I'm Sharona." She smiles hugely, attracted to the handsome man. "Yeah, I'm sorry, my sister has no room."
Reporter: "This your boyfriend?" He asks, smiling at Benjy.
Benjy: "Thought I was her boyfriend?" Sharona rubs his arm, laughing.
Sharona: "He's joking."
Darryl: "Listen, my editor just called. He wants me to do a story on the quake. What do you say, you and Benjy here, add a little local color?"
Sharona: "Oh, yeah, we'd love to!"
Darryl: "Great, start with a picture?"
The two pose, smiling, for the shot.
Later, Darryl walks through a bedroom in a white bathrobe. He is sipping at a glass of champagne.
Darryl: "Do you believe in love at first sight?" He walks towards the bed. A woman is reclining there, watching the television. It's Christine Rutherford.
Darryl: "I never did."
Christine: "Then you got a look at my husband's bank account."
Darryl: "And zing went the strings of my heart." He says, rolling onto the bed. Christine smiles as he runs his hand up her body. They share a kiss.
Christine: "There we were, just waiting for the right opportunity. And God dropped it right in our laps!" She can't contain a laugh of disbelief.
Darryl: "The bloody miracle!"
Christine: "Forty-two, point five, million dollars."
Darryl (caressing her): "Say it again."
Christine (closing her eyes and gasping): "Forty-two... point five...million dollars!"
Darryl (grinning): "Oh... I love it when you talk dirty!" They kiss again, then stop, their eyes meeting.
Darryl: "Just one more loose end to tie up, and it's all ours."
Christine: "Sharona?"
Darryl: "Sharona."
Christine: "She's pretty."
Darryl: "Didn't notice."
Christine: "Are you sure she trusts you?"
Darryl (laughing): "Why wouldn't she trust me?"