Touch Episode 1.09 Music of the Spheres

In voiceover, Jake says that elements of music--like harmony and dissonance, tension and resolution--all can be described by the mathematical ratios between tones. If we could translate all ratios into sound, we could hear the music of the spheres.

As he speaks, a woman named Dee Dee plays violin in her musical-instruments shop, Trilogy Music. In Brazil, singer-guitarist Felipe performs as cafe owner Yarah passes by and smiles.

Music elevates some people to a place of transcendent beauty. Others hear the beauty in numbers themselves.

Jake types "55124" in an app on his tablet, creating a melody. Martin shows him an app that turns numbers into words. Jake switches back to the numbers/music app.

Martin and Jake meet up with Clea. He thinks Sheri's hiding something. Arthur Teller gave Jake the key to all his research, and 10 minutes later he's dead? They head to Teller's office to figure things out. As they walk, Dee Dee bumps into Jake, accidentally spilling coffee on him. Martin takes him home to change, saying they'll meet Clea at Teller's office.

At Dee Dee's shop, a boy threatens her with a gun, then just climbs out the window, dropping the gun in the alley.

Felipe wants to spend today with Yarah, but she can't just close up and run away like a crazy musician. OK, how about running away to New York? She playfully says that she'll see him tonight.

Jake wanders off, and Martin finds him in the alley behind Trilogy Music. A janitor watches them curiously. Back home, Martin sees Jake holding the gun! It's unloaded, and the serial number is 55124--Jake's melody.

Yarah tells Felipe she's had an offer on her cafe. Business is bad, but this place was her grandmother's, then her mother's. Her sister died, and her sister's children disappeared. This is all that's left of her family. Felipe understands. It's like his guitar: a rare specimen his father gave him. Too upset, she breaks their date. Sorry.

Back in the alley, the Bohms encounter Elliot, the would-be robber. He needs that gun. Learning that Jake talks through numbers, Elliot, who's 13, says his older brother, Andre, doesn't speak either. Maybe Jake could show him how to use numbers too.

Andre is in a wheelchair in the brothers' Bronx apartment. Elliot says that their mom, who wasn't American, died years ago. When Andre got brain damage from being shot, their dad left. Elliot is afraid that the authorities will find out and separate them. Martin calls Clea, asking for any Family Services information on these kids.

Elliot is pleased when Andre uses Jake's numbers-to-words app. He's learning to talk! Martin is clearly disappointed that Jake isn't. Elliot says maybe he doesn't want to talk. Maybe Martin's got to be all right with that. When Elliot abruptly makes them leave, Jake gives Andre his tablet. They follow Elliot, watching a man order him to go back, today. Don't screw up this time.

Clea meets Abraham, a diamond seller who shares Teller's office space and was Teller's best friend. Hearing her mention the Amelia Sequence to Martin on the phone, he says that Teller worked with Amelia for years on his number theories. He shows her a photo: the girl from Room 6. Teller's backers pushed for results, so Teller pushed Amelia, who suffered brain damage.

The Bohms catch up to Clea, who says that the boys' mother had a sister. Martin leaves her a message, saying her nephews are in New York. They need her.

Meanwhile, Jake adds a "6" between "975" and "1188" on Teller's blackboard Amelia Sequence--the number he gave Teller before he died. Abraham regards Jake and says the Kabbalah tells of Lamed-Vav Tzadikim, the 36 righteous ones, who walk anonymously among us, feeling the suffering of the human race and working to alleviate it. Martin asks is Jake one of them? Yes, says Abraham. Unless he's not. It might be hooey, some words in an old book. He smiles.

Elliot has a probation officer, John Tenney, whose office address is 42155 (the reverse of 55124). Martin meets Tenney and realizes that he threatened Elliot. He runs into the janitor from the alley--another probationer, who tipped Tenney that Dee Dee takes her cash, in a red pouch, to the bank on the same day every month. Today is that day.

Elliot snatches Dee Dee's purse, and Martin catches him in the alley, weeping, as police arrive. Later, Elliot gives Tenney the pouch and gun, and Tenney is arrested.

Jake helps Abraham pick up some dropped diamonds, taking his hand to place one in his palm. Shocked, Clea says that Jake never touches anyone. Abraham ruffles Jake's hair and lightly brushes his cheek. No freakout. Hmm.

Through a friend, Felipe sells his precious guitar to an American dealer: Dee Dee. Yarah's upset by this sacrifice, but he loves her more than the guitar. She checks her voicemail--it's Martin's message about her nephews, Elliot and Andre. Amazed, she kisses Felipe and says he'll need a passport.

Jake: The Earth emits a frequency, a musical note, at 7.83 hertz. But this frequency alters slightly, for reasons as yet uncertain. Maybe the sound of the planet is influenced by the seven billion souls whirring around it, each producing their own music.

As he speaks, Dee Dee gives Felipe his guitar. He joins Yarah, Andre, and Elliot around the dinner table in the Bronx.

At the facility, Sheri protests when Martin says Jake gave away his tablet. It can help teach Jake to talk! Martin says maybe he doesn't want to talk. And maybe it's his job as Jake's father to be all right with that.