Transcript: (2x4) True Grit

From Bravo 3/44th

Directed by: Ed Sherin

Written by: Steven Phillip Smith

See the Episode Guide

[01.30] Going on mission

ALEX: Good morning Lieutenant.

GOLDMAN: Decided to enlist?

ALEX: Just seeing Doctor Seymour.

GOLDMAN: Being psychoanalyzed -- even better.

ALEX: I’m doing a piece on battle fatigue.

GOLDMAN: Well if we come back from this mission, I’ll-uh give you an in-depth interview.

ALEX: Good luck.

TAYLOR: Hmmm hmm.

GOLDMAN: Keep your mind on your work Taylor, the war’ll be over a lot sooner that way.

MCKAY: Recon bird spotted campfire at first light. Sandal prints too.

GOLDMAN: I’ve been briefed McKay.

MCKAY: Just tryin’ to make your job easier.

GOLDMAN: Well, you could start by getting a transfer to the Highlands.

TAYLOR: C’mon Roo.

PERCELL: Hey, you okay?

RUIZ: Yeah.

ANDERSON: Ruiz. Ruiz—Ruiz. You go on sick call today. We can fight the war without you.

RUIZ: I can make it.

ANDERSON: No, you just do it. Take this M-60.

[03.14] Ruiz in hootch

no dialogue

[03.39] Alex and Jennifer

SEYMOUR: There’s been a real about-face since World War Two. The Army wants the guys back in battle as soon as possible.

ALEX: Like the kid who falls off the bicycle.

SEYMOUR: Yes actually. Move the soldier away from the war, he might never recover. Put him back in, he has a chance. Otherwise he could spend the rest of his life sitting around the VA.

ALEX: Or go completely nuts in combat.

SEYMOUR: That’s always a possibility. The decisions are tough since each individual is different.

ALEX: Yeah, and the army’s such a great place for the individual. I just saw Lieutenant Goldman and his men heading out. They try to be such stoics you know, but I can feel the fear. It’s all over this place.

SEYMOUR: That’s true I think. When a soldier’s been diagnosed battle fatigue, reinforcing his strength never hurts. If you can get him back to his unit, his chances for recovery are far greater. Self-esteem is the most important factor. I’ve gotta collect these guys for briefing. This whole issue of bravery is overwhelming, specially for the young guys who have grown up on their father’s war stories.

ALEX: And John Wayne movies. I guess sending them home is like admitting defeat.

SEYMOUR: Maybe, maybe not. I just don’t have any comfortable answers. These two guys’ll probably never find their way back.

[05.13] Entering ville

ANDERSON: Alright let’s fan out ???. Search the hootches. You know the drill.

ANDERSON: Let’s go—let’s go. Keep your eyes open an’ watch your back. Watch your back. Come on let’s move—let’s move. Keep your eyes open now. Keep your eyes open. Percell – Martsen, take that hootch right there. Johnson, right there.

GOLDMAN: Entering hamlet at this time. Over.

RADIO: Two-Six keep up posted.

[06.00] Sorry mama-san

MARTSEN: Sorry mama-san, but we just don’t know who our friends are any more.

PERCELL: Didi mau.

MARTSEN: Percell!

PERCELL: Check in out.

MARTSEN: Looks mighty unfriendly to me.

[07.00] VC Village

MARTSEN: Hey Sarge, these guys are VC.

GOLDMAN: Blue Velvet, this is Red Dog Two-Six. Over.

MCKAY: At your disposal Red Dog.

GOLDMAN: We have two Victor Charles, Papa-Oscar-Whisky. Come an’ get ‘em. Over.

MCKAY: Blue Velvet on the way.

GOLDMAN: Alright Sergeant. Let’s saddle ‘em up, move ‘em out.

???: You heard the man.

ANDERSON: Alright, let’s move ‘em out now. Move ‘em out. Johnson, you’re on point. Let’s go, let’s go.

[07.40] Johnson meets an old friend

TAYLOR: Hold it right there!

MARTSEN:  ???

LING: No VC – visit grandmother. You—you’re name Johnson. Marvin Johnson.

JOHNSON: Ling? I remember, your name’s Ling.

ANDERSON: What’s goin’ on here Johnson? Who is this?

JOHNSON: I met her when I came in-country Sarge.

ANDERSON: Save the reunion for some other time. First an’ second squads are in trouble up the road. We’ve gotta move out. Let’s go now – keep your intervals.

JOHNSON: Where you live now?

LING: Still have shop Mu Bac Street. Remember?

JOHNSON: Yeah, I’ll come by when I get some time.

[08.24] Ambush

???: VC!

???: Go—go—go. Cover!

???: Can you see ‘em?

GOLDMAN: Affirmative Six, I’d estimate about a squad. One machine gun.

RADIO: Chopper’s on the way Red Dog.

[09.06] Stay down

MARTSEN: Down! Hinton, stay down! We’ll get you.

MARTSEN: Stay down! We’ve gotta do somethin’. We’ve gotta flank ‘em – do somethin’.

JOHNSON: Just sit tight man, we can’t do nothin’.

MARTSEN: They’re gonna get ‘em.

JOHNSON: If you move, you’ll be dead in two seconds.

MARTSEN: ???

GOLDMAN: Cease fire! Cease fire!

ANDERSON: Alright, let’s check it out – get back to the (?LT/LZ?)

[10.26] Martsen's losing it

JOHNSON: It’s okay. It’s okay.

GOLDMAN: Let’s go. Let’s go.

ANDERSON: Percell, check him.

ANDERSON: Is he wounded?

JOHNSON: He lost it.

ANDERSON: Alright, lend a hand with these bodies now. C’mon.

GOLDMAN: Come on, let’s go! Let’s hustle.

GOLDMAN: Come on Martsen, let’s go. Time to get the bird back to the base. C’mon on!

MARTSEN: Ain’t goin’.

ANDERSON: C’mon let’s go, let’s go. C’mon let’s get outta here.

GOLDMAN: The battle is over Martsen. We’ve gotta get out of here before Charlie comes back.

MARTSEN: My buddies.

GOLDMAN: They’re all on the chopper Martsen.

MARTSEN: No, they’re right there. I’m stayin’ with ‘em.

GOLDMAN: No, they’re on the bird.

MARTSEN: Leave me alone, dammit! Leave me alone!

[11.33] McKay leave's his chopper

GOLDMAN: Listen to me. We got………

MCKAY: What’s the hold up?

GOLDMAN: He just froze up. A couple of his buddies got killed. What you doing off your ship?

MCKAY: What’s ailing you Martsen? Time to didi, come on.

MARTSEN: Don’t touch me!

MCKAY: Well, you’re a real bad dude aren’t you? Regular ring-tailed tom. You ain’t squat pal. You don’t like it? Jump in my chest Jack.

GOLDMAN: That is enough McKay.

MCKAY: And let Candy-ass here get the whole platoon blown away? Grow up Martsen. Move nigger! Come on!

GOLDMAN: That’s enough McKay!

MCKAY: Get off the dime, you doofus coon! Come on! Now come on man, let’s crawl on outta here. I know you can do it. Crawl ???, taste it! Come on man!

ANDERSON: Let’s go! —let’s go! I got him(?)

???: Get in—get in—get in.

[12.29] McKay's hootch

MCKAY: It’s open.

GOLDMAN: Well you’ve got a lot of style McKay.

MCKAY: Get yourself a drink.

GOLDMAN: Too bad you didn’t show it with Martsen today.

MCKAY: The flight officer already chewed me out for leaving my chopper, so don’t bug me. Besides, I got Martsen out of there didn’t I?

GOLDMAN: Yeah, you made him feel real good too. I hope he’s not on his way to a nuthouse.

MCKAY: Well how’d you think he would’ve felt if we’d had stayed there till the mortars started falling?

GOLDMAN: He was about to leave.

MCKAY: “About to” don’t cut it in my training manual. The job got done. The army doesn’t care whether it’s pretty or not.

GOLDMAN: Oh, but Johnny McKay does. You’re living like a king here buddy.

MCKAY: Doesn’t hurt anyone. If I go down in flames tomorrow you can share it with the troops.

GOLDMAN: You’re a helluva guy McKay. But I’ll handle my own troops from now on.

MCKAY: You’ve got ‘em. Just as long as they don’t put my butt in the noose.

[13.44] Nightmare

ANDERSON: Left—left—left, right, left. Left—left—left. Platoon halt! Left face!

RUIZ: Hey guys, how was it out there?

ANDERSON: Will PFC Ruiz turn around so we can see the big yellow streak runnin’ down the middle of his back.

RUIZ: That’s not fair. I tried as hard as I could.

PERCELL: You’re chicken!

TAYLOR: Get a job as a hootch maid, you sissy!

PERCELL(?): Chicken!

RUIZ: Shut up!

ANDERSON: Coward!

JOHNSON: Coward!

RUIZ: Shut up!

???: You’re a coward Ruiz.

PLATOON: Coward! Coward! Coward!

RUIZ: Shut up!

PLATOON: Coward! Coward!

RUIZ: Shut up! Shut up!

PLATOON: Coward! Coward! Chicken!

RUIZ: Shut up! Shut up!

[14.37] Waking up

RUIZ: Nooo!

PERCELL: Hey – easy. Easy Roo, it´s just a dream. It´s just a dream man. Relax. Let´s go outside.

RUIZ: Guess everybody gets nightmare, huh?

PERCELL: Look, I know you’re Roo man, you’ve proved that a hundred times. But, hey, we all get scared. There’s nothing wrong with that.

RUIZ: I’ll be alright.

PERCELL: You’ve gotta deal with it man. And you can’t deal with it if you keep denying it.

RUIZ: What do I do?

PERCELL: Maybe you need to talk to someone. Chaplain--- maybe even that psychiatrist we met.

RUIZ: I got my pride man. I mean it’s bad enough admitting that I’m a coward, but telling it to a woman….

PERCELL: I know you’re not a coward. Maybe it’s worth a shot, huh? See how you feel in the morning.

[16.42] Anderson & Jennifer

ANDERSON: Doctor Seymour – you got a minute?

SEYMOUR: Yeah, just a minute.

ANDERSON: What do you think of PFC Martsen? If it’s not violating any confidence.

SEYMOUR: It’d hard to say. He’s just coming off medication --- you probably know better than I do.

ANDERSON: He’s a good soldier. What happened to him out there was comin’ from way down deep.

SEYMOUR: What’d you mean?

ANDERSON: I don’t know – you could see it in his eyes an’ feel it in his muscles when you touched him. It was like he was taking ten thousand volts and it was rearranging everything he ever thought or felt about himself.

SEYMOUR: That’s probably close to what was happening.

ANDERSON: Yeah well, I know everyone always wants you to pay special attention to their men, but I think Martsen’s in real trouble.

SEYMOUR: I’ll do what I can.

ANDERSON: He doesn’t belong out in the field.

SEYMOUR: Doctor Shively can be pretty hard-nosed and by the book and the policy is to put all non-injuries back in combat as soon as possible.

ANDERSON: There are ways around that too an’ I’d be glad to help you.

[18.03] Johnson meets Ling

JOHNSON: Hey Ling. Surprised to see me?

LING: Most GIs not see again.

JOHNSON: Well here I am. Hey, you wanna have a drink or somethin’?

JOHNSON: You have baby.

[18.40] Johnson - a daddy

JOHNSON: Your English is getting’ real good Ling.

LING: Much practice – sell many things.

JOHNSON: An’ see lots of GIs. Lots.

LING: No, not that way. I no go GI no more.

JOHNSON: Hey, it’s alright. It’s alright.

LING: You last GI I go with.

JOHNSON: You don’t have to tell me stuff like that. I just came down here to see how you were doin’.

LING: You think I lie?

JOHNSON: Hey, I told you it’s no big deal. What’s goin’ on?

LING: Baby yours Marvin Johnson. You father.

JOHNSON: D’you just dream this up when you saw me the other day? You think I’m gonna get you a PX card or somethin’?

LING: I tell true.

JOHNSON: There’s no way in hell I can know that’s the truth. You’re just tryin’ to get something off me.

LING: I no want nothing. I thought you good man – want to know. I no want nothing.

JOHNSON: Lord, what can you show me next?

[20.08] Markson & Jennifer

SEYMOUR: You’re a good soldier Martsen - decorated. Remember that.

MARTSEN: That was another person.

SEYMOUR: What do you mean?

MARTSEN: Can barely lift this cigarette. The weight’s killin’ me.

SEYMOUR: We can all reach a point where it gets to be too much.

MARTSEN: Sure got to be too much for Tull and Hinton. Couldn’t do a thing to help them.

SEYMOUR: Weren’t you pinned down?

MARTSEN: Shouldn’t’ve been. It’s stupid.

SEYMOUR: I know how difficult it must be to watch your friends die.

MARTSEN: You don’t know. Makes you feel like you don’t belong nowhere no more.

SEYMOUR: Where do you want to belong?

MARTSEN: I’m sorry ma’am. Could you leave me alone for a while?

SEYMOUR: Of course Martsen. I’m here if you need to talk.

MARTSEN: Talkin’ just pulls me back into that stuff. I feel like I’m caught in a twister an’ I can’t get out.

[21.10] Get it together soldier

SHIVELY: How’s Martsen today? Ready to go back to duty?

SEYMOUR: He’s about to have a rest doctor.

SHIVELY: You get it together soldier. Your unit needs you.

SEYMOUR: He’s having a really tough go.

SHIVELY: Don’t give him too much time to think about it. Getting him back to his unit’s the best cure. Statistics prove that.

SEYMOUR: He’s not ready yet. He might never be. He’s been severely traumatized.

SHIVELY: Don’t be negative Dr Seymour. It’s worse to treat these men like helpless children.

SEYMOUR: I understand the theory but we have to access each case on its merits.

SHIVELY: We spend too much time looking at things on an individual basis. Let’s get with the program doctor.

[22.15] Alex & Goldman

ALEX: Myron, relax. I’m sorry about dinner but it was the only time I could catch McKay.

GOLDMAN: That’s because the rest of the time he was loading up on cognac and caviar.

ALEX: He didn’t get back to base till now. Now if I’m gonna write a fair article, I need to get his perspective too.

GOLDMAN: His perspective is not nearly as interesting as havin’ dinner with me.

ALEX: So, we’ll have dinner tomorrow.

GOLDMAN: I could be dead tomorrow.

ALEX: Don’t get morbid. So could I for that matter.

GOLDMAN: Then why waste the evening on McKay?

ALEX: Because this Martsen story is exactly what I’ve been looking for. Stories are my business.

GOLDMAN: Well, the evening’s still young. You go ahead and get your fascinating perspective an’ I’ll catch you some other time.

ALEX: Myron! Myron! Come on.

[23.04] Outside medical handbook

ANDERSON: We did it to this kid from Hawaii when I was stationed in Germany. The cold was drivin’ him nuts. We broke his arm to get him out of maneuvers.

SEYMOUR: I know I asked for your help Sergeant but what you’re suggesting for Martsen is way outside my medical handbook.

ANDERSON: You could authorize a cast.

SEYMOUR: Medical procedure. The surgeon’s got to do it.

ANDERSON: What about a splint or a sling then? You can say he dislocated his shoulder hangin’ on to that tree.

SEYMOUR: There’s also an ethical question.

ANDERSON: What about the ethical question of sendin’ a guy like Martsen back into combat? C’mon, I’m just tryin’ to buy a little time so that you can work with the boy.

SEYMOUR: I know, but I’m used to confronting these problems head-on.

ANDERSON: When a sergeant goes head-on with a major, you wanna try to guess who’s head’s gonna roll here. Hm? Think about it.

[23.56] Myron playing darts

GOLDMAN: Good shot Lieutenant. But it’s not whether or not you win or lose, it’s how you play the game. Did you know that there is no philosophical system capable of dealing with love. I mean even--even Aristotle, even Plato or even big guys like that, they get totally lost in a place like the female mind. Excuse me – stuck. But I am not bitter, I’m not a bit bitter. No sir—no sir.

[25.23] Goldman the hero

GOLDMAN: What the hell was that?

CAMERAMAN: Looks like you saved all these people from a VC bomb Lieutenant.

GOLDMAN: Bomb! The only thing bombed in there was me.

VIET MAN: Thank you sir. Thank you.

GOLDMAN: No seriously, seriously I didn’t do anything.

CAMERAMAN: Let it ride Lieutenant. I think you just became a hero man. Hey, hey, shake his hand again.

[25.57] Martsen & Jennifer

MARTSEN: I hasn’t been bothering’ me at all.

SEYMOUR: Just use it as little as possible.

MARTSEN: Feels fine – but if you want me to lay off…

SEYMOUR: I want you to take it easy in general. So does Sergeant Anderson.

MARTSEN: Well if Sarge says so, then it’s done.

SEYMOUR: He says so.

[26.27] Dumb friends

TAYLOR: I don’t know about you Marvin. I mean I promised my mama I wouldn’t make any dumb friends over here. Guess I let her down.

JOHNSON: Look man, I just wanna talk to her a little. Maybe take her something from the PX.

TAYLOR: Check this dude out. Hammer try to lay that trip on me, I’m gone. Whooo, speed of light.

PERCELL: I don’t know Johnson. You might be openin’ up a big ol’ can of worms.

TAYLOR: Big ol’ can of worms, hell! I mean just like goin’ near the broad’s admittin’ the kid’s yours.

JOHNSON: S’pose it is mine.

TAYLOR: You got a bad case of combat fatigue. Better get yourself up to that psycho ward and check it in for a long stay.

JOHNSON: Thanks for your sensitive counsel Marcus.

TAYLOR: Yeah, well somebody’s got to be practical. Even if the kid is yours, what you gonna do? Take your new family home to mama?

JOHNSON: I don’t know. Anyway, no harm in seein’ her again.

PERCELL: Not as long as you’re sure you know what you’re doin’.

TAYLOR: Suit yourself breeze, but you free, broke, black an’ almost twenty-one. Don’t come cryin’ to me when things get sticky.

[27.49] Goldman star of TV

???: Hey turn that up.

TV: These shots were taken by our ever alert cameraman, ………..

TAYLOR: Check it out.

TV: ……..Josh Newman just as the Dragon Lady bar in Saigon was blown up by the Viet Cong last night.

???: Hey-hey—ohh

TV: Although Lieutenant Goldman…….

???:  ??? bad LT

TV: …….. has not been available for comment, it appears he saw the guerillas fleeing the bar then opened fire with a pistal, driving the patrons outside to safety.

TAYLOR: LT bad or what?

PERCELL: I tell you man get elected Mayor behind all that.

JOHNSON: Nice to get some good press for a change.

[28.23] Great story

TV: …… bomb would have been responsible for the injury of innocent civilians. The quick and gallant action of the American lieutenant saved the lives of at least ……..

GOLDMAN: There’s a war going on and this story makes the headlines.

ALEX: Myron, it’s a great story.

GOLDMAN: If you like fiction.

ALEX: This could be the greatest career move of your life.

GOLDMAN: A career bottled in bond – I was blitzed.

ALEX: So, nobody has to know that. The General’s invited you over, he’ll probably you a choice assignment.

GOLDMAN: I’ve got an assignment.

ALEX: Yeah, but this is great PR. Unselfish American saved Vietnamese lives. Maybe it’ll help get the people back on our side.

GOLDMAN: Well listen, the truth of the matter is I’m lucky I didn’t grease some of those guys last night.

ALEX: What’s your problem?

GOLDMAN: I just don’t think of the war as good stories or career building or public relations. I lost of few good men the other day, I’ll probably lose some more next week an’ a meeting with the General’s not gonna change that.

ALEX: Well maybe the General’ll make you a press officer. Be nice to have somebody legit for a change.

GOLDMAN: I feel like a parasite. What happened last night is bull.

ALEX: Don’t—don’t. Don’t do this to yourself.

GOLDMAN: Do what? Tell the truth?

ALEX: The truth in this case doesn’t do anybody a bit of good.

[29.38] 72 hour long enough

ANDERSON: Don’t’ be so hard on yourself Martsen. You’re a good soldier an’ you’ll get it back.

MARTSEN: I don’t know Sarge. This mornin’ I got up an’ I was all set, I knew I could do it. Then I started lacin’ up my boots, the floor turned into mud an’ the bullets started splattering it all over me.

SEYMOUR: It’s alright soldier.

MARTSEN: I ain’t alright, see? I was shakin’ so bad I couldn’t light a cigarette. I was so scared, I couldn’t move. I couldn’t get to Tull and Hinton. Getting’ hit, spinnin’ around. Spinnin’ like a couple of toys. I’m always gonna see them that way like it’s burned into my brain. There’s nowhere I can get where I can’t see that.

SHIVELY: I think seventy-two hours is enough time in this prison. Don’t you think so?

ANDERSON: His wrist is pretty messed up Sir. I think the platoon can get along another couple of days without him.

SHIVELY: I want him out of here today.

SEYMOUR: Maybe light duty then, but certainly not combat.

SHIVELY: Well Martsen, I hear other people speaking for you. Don’t you have anything to say for yourself? How about it Martsen? Look at me soldier!

ANDERSON: Sir, if you just…….

SHIVELY: Sergeant! Stay out of this.

MARTSEN: It’s okay everybody. I’m ready – sure don’t need this. I’ll go back out tomorrow Sir. Because you’re right, best thing for me is to get back up on the horse. And the sooner the better.

SHIVELY: Where’d he get the splint?

ANDERSON: That was my idea. He’s not ready to carry a weapon let alone join a platoon.

SEYMOUR: He’s a liability to himself and to the other men.

SHIVELY: You’re dead wrong. His attitude should be an example to the rest of the other men lying around in here.

SEYMOUR: This man has just been through a psychotic episode.

SHIVELY: This man just said he was ready to go back. My orders are to get him back. The army’s philosophy is that it’s better for him to go back.

ANDERSON: He’s more afraid of you than he is the war.

SEYMOUR: And so am I.

SHIVELY: That’s it then, tomorrow morning. Doctor Seymour, in my office.

ANDERSON: Martsen—Martsen. You don’t have to do this.

MARTSEN: Don’t mean nothin’ Sarge. I’ll be there for God and country. No more embarrassing you, no more embarrassing me.

[32.31] Back on patrol

MARTSEN: Oh God!

ANDERSON: You alright? Alright? You wanna step out?

MARTSEN: No.

ANDERSON: Stay cool.

MARTSEN: Wh--what’s happenin’ Sarge?

ANDERSON: Probably just Johnson an’ Lopez getting’ back. Now you sit tight now Martsen.

JOHNSON: About five VC comin’ this way.

GOLDMAN: L-shaped ambush. And stick with Martsen.

ANDERSON: You got it. Let’s go!

[34.00] Take it easy

ANDERSON: Take it easy Martsen. They’re gonna hear your heart beatin’.

MARTSEN: I don’t think I can do this Sarge.

ANDERSON: Yes you can. Yes you can Martsen, I’m countin’ on you.

MARTSEN: I don’t know. I don’t know. I just don’t know.

ANDERSON: ???

[34.00] It'll be over soon

MARTSEN: Sorry Sarge.

ANDERSON: It’ll be over soon.

MARTSEN: Ahhhhhhhh

[35.15] Get after them

GOLDMAN: First squad, get after those bastards. The rest of you guys keep your eyes peeled.

ANDERSON: Medic!

MARTSEN: Can you every forgive me?

ANDERSON: It ain’t like that Martsen. Come on! Come on!

MEDIC: Right

MARTSEN: You’ve gotta forgive me Sarge – you an’ the guys.

ANDERSON: Marksen, there’s nothing to forgive man. C’mon, knock him out if you have to. Morphine. It’s alright, just breathe—just breathe. Alright--alright

[35.59] Telling to a woman

SEYMOUR: Sergeant Anderson mentioned you might be coming by.

RUIZ: Yeah. I mean -- yes Ma’am.

SEYMOUR: You seem nervous.

RUIZ: Yeah. I don’t know if this is such a god idea. Can you really help me?

SEYMOUR: Maybe. It must have been very difficult for you to come in here. You wanna tell me about it?

RUIZ: I’m a coward. A coward!

SEYMOUR: I don’t think a coward would have had the courage to walk through that door.

[37.34] Johnson sees Ling again

JOHNSON: Hey Ling. I brought you some things.

LING: Why you do this?

JOHNSON: I dunno. I just wanted to talk to you some more. I didn’t feel right about the other day.

LING: You think I want PX card.

JOHNSON: I don’t know what I think. I mean that stuff you laid on me was a big surprise.

LING: I sorry.

JOHNSON: I just wanna know what’s goin’ on.

LING: I’m having your baby

JOHNSON: But how do you know? Can you honestly stand there and tell me that you’re sure the baby’s mine? I mean, I’ve gotta know. I wanna do the right thing by you an’ the baby, but I’ve gotta know for sure.

LING: I think it yours.

JOHNSON: You think? But do you know? For sure?

LING: Not sure. There other GIs. Maybe two or three.

JOHNSON: Same time?

LING: It okay now GI. You happy. No worry. Go away.

JOHNSON: I’d like to stay an’ talk to you some more.

LING: Why?

JOHNSON: Appreciate the honesty an’ I like you.

JOHNSON: What are you gonna name the baby?

[39.25] McKay & Goldman

GOLDMAN: If it’s not too late, I’ll let you buy me that drink.

MCKAY: It’s never too late to get a drink at my place. So, how’s Martsen?

GOLDMAN: They’re not sure. Look—uh—I underestimated what you did for him the other day. Maybe I was wrong getting on your case.

MCKAY: Yeah well maybe I was a jerk. Lotta good it did Martsen, huh?

GOLDMAN: The point is what you did took a lot of courage.

MCKAY:  ??? survival Myron. Without that, life’s just a string of goose eggs.

GOLDMAN: Martsen’ll survive.

MCKAY: That ain’t what I’m talkin’ about. What’s inside that body’s gone. He might as well be dead.

GOLDMAN: Maybe some of this does get to you.

MCKAY: That’s why they pay me the big bucks. Damn war!

[40.22] Shively’s nothing

SEYMOUR: You’re making a big mistake.

ANDERSON: Well then, I’ll just buy the consequences. What’s he gonna do? Send me to Vietnam? Make me a grunt?

SEYMOUR: Shively won’t listen.

ANDERSON: I should’ve broken Martsen’s leg before I sent him back into battle. I should’ve done that. Shively ain’t nothin’.

[40.38] Explaining to do

ANDERSON: You’ve got some explaining to do about PFC Martsen.

SHIVELY: PFC Martsen’s been medi-vacked to Japan. He’s no longer in this command.

ANDERSON: An’ if he doesn’t wind up dead, he’s gonna be a permanent party in some VA psycho ward. Look I got something for you, here – the remains of his fatigue jacket. Why don’t you put this in an envelope, mail it on to his folks for him.

SHIVELY: For the record Sergeant, and in the interests of truth, PFC Martsen volunteered to go back out.

ANDERSON: Volunteered hell! You shamed him into it an’ you know you did. Now it’s bad enough that healthy soldiers gotta get their lives blown apart out there, but you got know right to send a guy like Martsen with shot nerves out into all that crap. And honest to God, if you ever do that to one of my men again, I’m gonna get you.

SHIVELY: You’re about one sentence away from a court-martial.

ANDERSON: I……..

SEYMOUR: Sergeant, please! Let me handle this.

SEYMOUR: You’re not going to court-martial me.

SHIVELY: Everyone is replaceable Doctor.

SEYMOUR: Well it may come to that because I’m not gonna let this happen again. We’ve got to change or else we’ll have more Martsens on our hands.

SHIVELY: Oh I see. A civilian contract psychiatrist with no experience in a war zone is going to determine the policies of the US Army Medical Corps. The program’s sound.

SEYMOUR: But it’s only a guide. When the program becomes more important than the people it serves, then whether or not we win this way, we’ve lost our way.

[42.39] Day late, dollar short

SEYMOUR: If it’s any help, I think you got your point across.

ANDERSON: A day late an’ a dollar short.

SEYMOUR: Your men ask you to fill a lot of roles – father, advocate, healer, friend. It’s okay if you can’t be all of those at the same time.

ANDERSON: I could’ve saved Martsen.

SEYMOUR: It’s over now. Plenty of people still need you. Like me.

ANDERSON: I’d do anything I could for you.

SEYMOUR: Then walk me home.

[43.33] Jennifer's quarters

SEYMOUR: Make yourself comfortable.

SEYMOUR: I think you earned this.

ANDERSON: I’m not gonna see much of this when ol’ Shively sends me to Long Binh jail.

SEYMOUR: He’s not going to court-martial you. Not yet.

SEYMOUR: Do you want to sit down?

ANDERSON: No, I—uh—this. This place is almost like an officer’s quarters.

SEYMOUR: Maybe, but I left all that at the door.

ANDERSON: Jennifer.

SEYMOUR: What?

ANDERSON: The way you went out on a limb for Martsen today. I don’t meet many people who would’ve done that.

SEYMOUR: If people don’t do things for each other, life doesn’t make much sense.

ANDERSON: You make me feel almost human.

SEYMOUR: You wanna know something?

ANDERSON: What?

SEYMOUR: You almost are.

End

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