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Monica and Gloria breeze into Carlisle, Arizona in search of a cup of
coffee, and the Famous Last Words of a death row inmate. Posing as an
author, Monica steps into the Oasis diner, where she meets Shirlee, a
waitress with a nice smile and a strange fascination with the families
that come to see their relatives die by lethal injection. Meanwhile,
across the street, convicted killer Daniel Lee Corbitt is trying to
stay tough on the eve of his own execution. He brags about the fame
that will come with his death, and about the “book writer” who’s
coming to see him. What Daniel didn’t count on was the arrival of
Andrew, his own personal angel of Death, who has come to see him
through the final thirty-six hours of his life. When Monica arrives
in the prison with her assistant, Gloria, Daniel is only too eager to
ignore Andrew and continue upon his quest for immortality through a
tell-all biography. He happily relates his history and the events
that led up to him returning home, after years on the street, to shoot
his Mother’s third husband seven times in the chest. Monica watches
the memory as Daniel shoots him dead, and calls out “That cost you
seven old man!” Gloria asks about Daniel’s mother, but he admits that
he hasn’t seen in her in years. Monica offers to search for her, and
Daniel gives her what information he can. He tells Monica that his
mother went by her middle name “Shirlee with two e’s,” and that she
may also be using her married name “Gibbons.” Monica and Gloria
realize that Shirlee, the waitress from the Oasis is indeed Daniel’s
mother. After a confrontation with Shirlee, Monica is finally able to
convince her to go and see Daniel. When she does, Daniel surprises
them all by his treatment of Shirlee. He rails and screams at her and
says that the only love and comfort he ever received was from Alonzo
his childhood Teddy bear. He says that it is Alonzo and not Shirlee
that he wants in the witness chair to his execution. Shirlee is
shattered by Daniel’s words, and runs from the confrontation. Daniel
tells Monica how when he finally did run away, it was because he
realized that Shirlee had been planning his beatings with her husband,
Delroy. Monica goes to comfort Shirlee while Andrew tries to dissuade
Daniel from meeting his death with harsh thoughts and harsh words.
Andrew tells him that he need only ask forgiveness of God, and he will
be accepted into heaven. Back at the diner, Monica discovers that
Shirlee didn’t plan Daniel’s beatings, instead she pleaded with Delroy
to let her take some of the whacks in his place. Daniel received
seven lashes, but Shirlee took thirteen. Monica reveals herself as an
angel and tells Shirlee that God does not hold her responsible for the
sins of her son, and that she may have made mistakes but she tried and
that is what matters. When Monica brings Shirlee to the execution,
the finality of the moment and the intervention of angels, allow
mother and son to forgive and love each other.
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