- Joshua A. Beal: I'm going on a mission. A real mission.
- Dave O'Hara: What kind of mission?
- Joshua A. Beal: The kind where you're looking for something important.
- Dave O'Hara: What're you gonna look for?
- Joshua A. Beal: God.
- Dave O'Hara: God? What for?
- Joshua A. Beal: I just want to talk to him.
- Dave O'Hara: Why?
- Joshua A. Beal: To make sure my grandpa's okay.
- [last lines]
- Joshua A. Beal: My name is Joshua A. Beal. I live in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. And I believe two things. Not all angels have wings. And... sixth grade's gotta be easier than this.
- Joshua A. Beal: My question's about my Aunt Denise. She's not baptized - so that means she's goin' to hell, right?
- Sister Terry: Uh, no - actually, she's not, Joshua.
- Joshua A. Beal: And my dad's best friend - he's not baptized, either, and that means *he's* goin' to hell.
- Sister Terry: Joshua, I think you misunderstood.
- Student: Oh, man! Seth Greenberg rides my bus - he's not baptized.
- Sister Terry: OK, wait a second...
- Billy: Hey - my cousin's goin' to hell?
- Sister Terry: No - I don't think...
- Dan: That family living next door - their whole house is goin' to hell!
- Sister Terry: No, that's not what it says in the book. If you'll notice, on page four... OK! Alright, quiet!... No one is going to hell!
- Joshua A. Beal: Hey, what's your name?
- Little Boy: You don't know my name?
- [Joshua shakes his head]
- Little Boy: This is the first time you're seeing me, isn't it?
- Joshua A. Beal: I see you all the time. You're always around, always smiling... and always watching me.
- Little Boy: But this is the first time you're *really* seeing me.
- Joshua A. Beal: I guess so.
- Little Boy: You don't have to worry. He's happy now.
- Joshua A. Beal: Who, Dave? Yeah, he'll be alright.
- Little Boy: Not David.
- Joshua A. Beal: I better get back. They're taking the picture.
- [he turns to walk away, then turns back around]
- Joshua A. Beal: You mean Grandpa?
- [the little boy is gone]
- Joshua A. Beal: I dreamt you were gone. Couldn't find you.
- Grandpa Beal: I'm not going anywhere.
- Joshua A. Beal: Promise?
- Grandpa Beal: Promise.
- Joshua A. Beal: [cut to Joshua rocking in his Grandpa's chair alone] He lied.
- Joshua A. Beal: Before this year, bullies... were just bullies, for no reason. Weirdos were just weird, and daredevils weren't afraid of anything... Before this year, people I loved lived forever... I spent this year looking for something, and wound up seeing everything around me. It's like I was asleep before, and finally woke up... Know what? I'm wide awake now.
- Frank Benton: Hey, Josh - is today tomorrow? Do you wanna play now?
- Joshua A. Beal: No. Today's today; tomorrow's tomorrow.
- Joshua A. Beal: [narrating] Those are the guys in my school. Kids in uniforms don't smile very much.
- Joshua A. Beal: [narrating, as he looks across into the girls' school's field] I don't know why they put this fence up. Why would anyone want to go over there, anyway?
- Mrs. Beal: Joshua, the pope is not God.
- Joshua A. Beal: ...I know that - but he's his best friend.
- Mr. Beal: We're not goin' to Rome.
- Sister Terry: Every day at sunset, you'd bow your head to the ground and pray to the east - is that right?
- Joshua A. Beal: Uh, I stopped that.
- Sister Terry: OK; well, what'd you think about when you prayed?
- Joshua A. Beal: Nothing, mostly. Sometimes, I'd wonder... what made that smell in the carpet?
- Joshua A. Beal: My grandpa and me... we always watched out for each other. I slept in his room when I was sick or when I had a bad dream. Last time, I had both.
- Sister Terry: So, basically, what we had is bottom of the eight of the World Series. It was bases loaded, tie score, Jesus up at bat. Strike one, strike two. He never strikes out. He's kinda shocked. He looks up, and who does He see playing on the other team? Judas! That's right! Judas! A pitcher, a traitor, about to strike out Jesus Christ, the Big Man.