I Can't Help Saying Goodbye

I Can't Help Saying Goodbye
Season	3
Season	3
Episode	2
Episode	2
Airdate	October 5, 1986
Director	John Strysik
Writer(s)	Jule Selbo (teleplay), Ann Mackenzie (story)
Episode Guide
Previous	The Circus
Previous	The Circus
Next	The Bitterest Pill
Next	The Bitterest Pill

Synopsis

A woman and her fiancee believe her eccentric sister can cause people to die by touching their faces and saying “goodbye“ to them.

Cast

• Brian Benben as Max Smith
• Loren Cedar as Libby
• Alison Sweeney as Karen
• Helen Duffy as Flora
• LaGloria Scott as Susie Allen

Plot

Act I

Shy innocent Karen is in the kitchen spying on her older sister Libby and her boyfriend Max in the living room. Her mother Flora summons her to the table to finish her sandwich. While eating, Flora tells her daughter stories of her father who kept the house up-and-running as well as held a job as a construction foreman. However, he mysteriously died by falling off a building moments after Karen’s death. Karen asks if Max is strong like her dad; Flora assures her Max‘s talents as a vocal instructor are different but still extraordinary.

“Goodbye, mommy.”

In the living room, Max plays a tune on the piano as Libby sings. He proposes to her, which she happily says yes to. They run into the kitchen to tell Flora the good news. Their plans to get married in two months as well as talk of a honeymoon in Hawaii overwhelm the mother, but Libby playfully says “we could die tomorrow“ as an excuse not to wait. The two want to tell Max’s family the good news so they ask to borrow the car; Flora agrees as long as they drop Karen off at swim class. The little girl goes to put her boots on in the living room when she suddenly goes into a trance. She walks back into the kitchen with only one boot on, puts her hands on Flora’s face, and says “Goodbye Mommy” over and over again.

The three prepare to leave as Flora begins to make a cake. She notices the oven pilot light is out and grabs a match while humming “Here Comes the Bride”. She lights the match and the kitchen suddenly explodes, instantly killing her.

Act II

Days later, a funeral service is held for Flora at the house. Max notices that nobody stayed to help clean up due to fear of stepping into the kitchen. Karen asks Libby if mommy will have to learn how to fly after just receiving her angel wings. When the little girl takes out some garbage, a sad Libby asks Max if her mom thought she was a good person; Max tries to convince Libby that Flora’s death was at least quick and painless. Libby, who has inherited the house, asks her fiancee’s permission for Karen to live here with them. Max, seeing that the house also belongs to Karen, begrudgingly agrees. He inquires about the weird way Libby said goodbye to Flora before her death — something Libby did not take notice of.

Some time after, Max is giving vocal lessons to Karen and her friend Susie. He stops halfway through a song due to an asthma attack and reaches for his inhaler. He flashes his temper at the girls, telling them to “think when you sing or don’t sing at all”. Libby enters the room and tells Max to calm down. As Susie prepares to be taken home, Karen invites her to her birthday in a few days — blatantly telling her she wants a blue and purple bathing suit despite not knowing how to swim.

Karen is struck by her trance again, then puts her hands on her friend’s face while repeating “Goodbye Susie”. Libby and Max notice this; seconds later, Susie slips on ice while leaving the house and breaks her neck. Max carries the dead girl inside as Libby starts to panic. She demands to know why Karen did that, but her confused sister just tells her “I can’t help saying goodbye!” Libby tells her to never tell anybody “goodbye“ again and slaps her across the face. A shocked Karen threatens to tell Max “goodbye“ if Libby ever hits her again, shocking her older sister into submission.

Act III

Libby and Max are left puzzled.

The family prepares for Susie’s funeral. Max and Libby are unbelievably nice to Karen, offering her soda and allowing her to keep Susie’s doll. Karen wonders if she’ll ever get her bathing suit, irritating Libby. When left alone, Karen reveals to her new doll that her power isn’t killing people by telling them “goodbye” but rather sensing when someone is about to die. She admits that she could never cause people to “go away” as it would cause her to be lonely. Her trance hits her once more — she puts her hands on her dolls face and repeats “Goodby Dollie”.

In the kitchen, Libby reminds Max that it has been two months since he proposed to her. He affirms to her that he does not want to get married anymore, as taking care of the creepy Karen has turned him into an asthmatic wreck. He insists he is unhappy and wants to end the engagement. While grabbing his coat off the living room couch, he accidentally knocks the doll to the ground and steps on her head. Realizing this could anger Karen, he quickly tries to leave but succumbs to a brutal asthma attack. Libby calls 911 as Karen slowly approaches him, despite his warning for her to stay away. Regardless, Karen puts her hands to Max’s face and says “Goodbye Max”. A horrified Libby tells her sister to stop, but it’s too late — Max slumps over in his seat dead. A hopeless asks Karen to tell her “goodbye” too, but Karen enforces that she can’t help it — ensuring Libby still doesn’t understand her sister’s power.