Transcript: (2x7) I Wish It Would Rain

From Bravo 3/44th

Directed by: Bradford May

Story by: Rick Husky, Dennis Cooper, and Steven Phillip Smith

Teleplay by: Robert Burns Clark

See the Episode Guide

[01.32] Press briefing

DRISCOLL: Good afternoon ladies and gentlemen. My name is Lieutenant Henry Driscoll. Welcome to MacV. I have a brief statement. “Elements f the First Infantry Division continued successful reconnaissance and force operations near An Loc. Numerous crew-served and individual weapons were captured along with ammunition and some documents. Enemy body count was seventy-six, American casualties were light.” Questions? Miss Devlin.

ALEX: Is it true American troops are crossing the border into Cambodia?

DRISCOLL: Absolutely not.

FOURNIER: I have just returned from the Central Highlands and I know for a fact your helicopter pilots are firing rockets over the Chu Pong Massif into Cambodia.

DRISCOLL: Mr Fournier that is totally opposed to our policy.

FOURNIER: But Lieutenant…..

DRISCOLL: I’m sorry, there’s no more news today. Thank you for coming. Good day.

ALEX: Is it just me or does the truth seem more elusive every week?

FOURNIER: The truth is something your generals do not want to face.

ALEX: Like the French in ’54?

FOURNIER: Touché. I just hope your fate is not the same as ours.

ALEX: It might be if our leaders keep ignoring the truth. But, our job is to remind them, right.

FOURNIER: Just keep in mind what they do to the bearers of bad news.

[02.38] Chopper on the way to mission

MCKAY: Okay, we’re circling back. The LZ looks clean.

[03.25] Arrival at LZ

GOLDMAN: We’ll make an arc to here. We’ll hit the border in about two clicks, we’ll run north up this stream for about two more, then we bend back to this LZ.

ANDERSON: Alright, Johnson – Percell. You get the guys to fan out, look for any signs of activity – sandal prints, anything. Then you put the sensors out.

JOHNSON: Got it Sarge.

PERCELL: If we get into a fight, are we allowed to finish it?

GOLDMAN: As long as it takes place in the Republic of South Vietnam Percell. You know the rules.

JOHNSON: Rules Charlie don’t play by.

GOLDMAN: Well those are the rules of the United States government.

PERCELL: You’d think their first rule would be to protect their soldiers’ lives.

ANDERSON: Alright Percell let it go.

PERCELL: Yeah, what’s the sayin’ again. Ours isn’t to reason why, ours is just to do or die.

GOLDMAN: Something like that Percell. Alright, let’s get it done.

ANDERSON: Johnson, you got point. Come on Percell, let’s get out of here.

[04.32] Sandal prints

ANDERSON: Alright, we’ve got here genuine Ho Chi Minh sandal prints. Take a good look Shortround – you’re gonna see a whole lot of these before your Tour’s up.

SHORTROUND: They just come walkin’ right in, huh?

ANDERSON: You tell him Taft.

TAFT: Some people say they float in Shortround, only set down to answer calls of nature.

[05.19] Ambush

TAFT: Place your shots Shortround, don’t waste ‘em.

GOLDMAN: Let’s go Third Squad ??? booby traps.

ANDERSON: Let’s go.

???: Go—go—go

???:  ???

ANDERSON(?): Grenade!

GOLDMAN(?): Don’t bunch up—don’t bunch up.

[06.55] Can't cross the river

GOLDMAN: Cease fire! Hold you fire!

TAYLOR: Roo, hold your fire.

GOLDMAN: Taft—Percell, get back here.

PERCELL: LT, we’re just gonna let ‘em go?

GOLDMAN: I don’t like it any better than you do Percell but that is Cambodia over there.

TAFT: That’s the enemy over there.

PERCELL: It’s a damn crime we can’t go after ‘em LT. You know they’re just gonna lay up over there till we’re worn out an’ gone home then they’re gonna come in an’ take this place.

GOLDMAN: Percell, I’ve got my orders.

ANDERSON: Come on Percell use your head now. If we go over there an’ get in trouble, we’ve got nobody to bail us out. No artillery, no air strike, no John J McKay and his chopper.

GOLDMAN: If you get killed over there Percell, you’re listed as MIA. The United States does not go into Cambodia gentlemen.

ANDERSON: Let’s go, c’mon. Let’s go, c’mon, c’mon

[07.46] Percell, Shortround & Taft

SHORTROUND: VC could be close enough to reach out an’ kill me with a knife. I’d never even be able to see him.

PERCELL: Shhh. That’s why you’ve gotta learn to use your ears and nose.

[08.23] Setting out sensors

PERCELL: Yeah—yeah, this is what we’re lookin’ for. Okay, you guys go ahead and rig the sensors. I’m gonna hook up with the main body.

TAFT: It looks like they use this path a lot. Hopefully these things’ll pick up some movement. Then we’ll be able to call in a little artillery for a big ol’ surprise. Hey you getting’ all this?

SHORTROUND: Stuff I’m gonna need when I get through college an’ go to work.

TAFT: Oh yeah, setting out sensors? What kinda work is that?

SHORTROUND: I’m gonna be a school teacher.

TAFT: Hey, if I was you Shortround, I wouldn’t go from one war into another okay. While I’m settin’ this one up, you go an’ find a spot for another one about forty meters down the path, okay? --- New guys.

[09.28] Blown in half

SHORTROUND: Aaaaah

TAFT: Shortround?!

SHORTROUND: Aaaaooow Help me ??? Oh please God

TAFT: Oh God!

SHORTROUND:  ??? Don’t leave me.

TAFT: Shortround, now take it easy. You take it easy, you’re gonna be okay.

SHORTROUND: Shoot me, shoot me dead.

TAFT: No. Medic!

SHORTROUND: I’m tellin’ you do it

TAFT: Hang in there

SHORTROUND: Take away the pain. Oh God.

TAFT: God

SHORTROUND: Shoot me—shoot me—shoot me—shoot me

TAFT: I’ll kill ‘em Shortround, every one of ‘em, I swear it.

SHORTROUND: Don’t leave me like that

[10.36] The patrol

PERCELL: Oh my --- God. He’s cut in half.

ANDERSON: Spring loaded mine, went off waist level. Alright, let’s get him on a poncho.

GOLDMAN: What the hell….?

GOLDMAN: Where’s Taft? Where’s Taft?

[11.34] Taft in Cambodia

VC: ???

[12.56] Platoon hear shots

ANDERSON: LT, that’s an M-16. Looks like we found Taft.

GOLDMAN: Dammit

ANDERSON: We goin’ after him?

GOLDMAN: We can’t cross that river.

[13.09] Taft

VC:  ???

[13.31] Platoon crosses river

ANDERSON: That’s our man over there LT, we can’t leave him hangin’.

RUIZ: Maybe it’s the wrong river LT. Maybe it’s okay.

TAYLOR: You could go back a ways LT an’ not see us go after him.

GOLDMAN: No, we’re not leaving our man there – and I’m not going back. Let’s go.

ANDERSON: Johnson, you’re on point. Alright let’s keep our intervals. Get this over as quick as we can.

???: Let’s go.

[14.05] Lt & Taft

GOLDMAN: Taft. You okay?

TAFT: (whispers) Yeah

GOLDMAN: Think you got some.

TAFT: Did you see Shortround?

GOLDMAN: Yeah, I saw him. C’mon, let’s go.

TAFT: Yeah.

[14.55] Back at base

TAFT: Hey, be careful with him. That’s no your damn laundry, that’s a friend of mine.

ANDERSON: Alright, take it easy now Taft. They’re gonna take good care of him.

TAFT: It don’t mean nothin’.

ANDERSON: It means a lot. Where you goin’?

TAFT: Same place I always go Sarge. Secure my gear, clean my weapon an’ get ready for another day. Can’t let a little thing like that slow you down, right?

ANDERSON: It’s gotta slow you down sooner or later. C’mon, c’mon with me.

TAFT: Where we goin’?

ANDERSON: Somebody I want you to meet.

TAFT: Well what about Shortround?

ANDERSON: Shortround would want you to. C’mon now. Come on.

TAFT: Sorry buddy.

[15.56] Myron & Alex

ALEX: Myron I respect the fact that you can’t talk about a mission…..

GOLDMAN: But you keep asking me questions Alex.

ALEX: I’m not asking you for specifics. I want your opinion on the Rules of Engagement - about our troops not being allowed to cross into Cambodia.

GOLDMAN: I cannot answer questions that are political. But, if you want my opinion as a soldier, I think the policy’s insane. They keep sending us into combat with our hands tied and we’re losing.

ALEX: Thanks. Now as soon as I’ve finished this interview, the rest of the day is ours. No more war. I promise.

GOLDMAN: Right

ALEX: C’mon – I promise.

[16.33] KP

TAYLOR: Boy that looks like fun. Anything you ladies need in the ville?

PERCELL: Dishpan hands. Maybe we can pick you up somethin’ for that.

JOHNSON: Just don’t get drunk an’ miss curfew.

TAYLOR: No we wouldn’t do that. See, we just wanna help McKay transport somethin’.

RUIZ: Yeah, I don’t believe Mckay ain’t gonna stop off at mama-san’s.

PERCELL: Well if he does, you know I guess we’ve gotta go with him. He is an officer.

TAYLOR: Officers are in charge.

PERCELL: That’s right. Enjoy it boys. Enjoy it.

RUIZ & JOHNSON: They’re gonna get drunk.

[17.17] Fournier, Percell & Taylor

TAYLOR: Hey you think McKay might stop off at mama-san’s?

PERCELL: Well if he don’t, we’d better sneak off a’ get us some……

FOURNIER: Gentlemen. Gentlemen. Jacques Fournier, correspondent from La Cité.

TAYLOR: La what?

FOURNIER: It’s a newspaper in Paris. Listen, I want to talk to you about your mission yesterday-------My word of honor gentlemen, I will only write the truth. Don’t you want your side told?

PERCELL: Our side of what?

FOURNIER: The story of American troops crossing into Cambodia.

PERCELL: Where’d you get that stuff?

FOURNIER: Listen, I do not judge you. The enemy kills your friends, runs away. Who’s to blame you for following? Perhaps if the world could hear it from you they would understand.

PERCELL: No-one’s gonna understand unless they’ve been there.

TAYLOR: Let’s go Danny, it sounds like a con.

FOURNIER: I thought the American soldier was allowed to think for himself. I see I was wrong.

PERCELL: Where’d you get the attitude?

FOURNIER: You plan to end our discussion with violence? That is the American way.

PERCELL: Oh hey, someone ought to set this guy straight about America.

TAYLOR: Let’s go Danny.

FOURNIER: I’ll be at The Golden Dragon a little later. I’ll buy you a drink, you can tell me about your country. One hour.

[18.19] Taft in dispensary

SEYMOUR: This’ll help you rest Specialist Taft, that’s the most important thing right now. We’ll talk when you’re ready.

TAFT: I never talked to a headshrinker before. Never thought I’d have to. You think I’m crazy?

SEYMOUR: No. But you’ve had a terrible shock. Nerves need to heal just like broken bones. Sometimes talk is a cure.

TAFT: I don’t know what I’d talk about.

SEYMOUR: You don’t have to say anything right now.

ANDERSON: Yeah, why don’t you just get some sleep Taft? Hm, what’d you say?

TAFT: Yeah

SEYMOUR: We’ll do everything we can to help you.

SEYMOUR: He might sleep for twenty-four hours.

ANDERSON: He’s probably gonna wanna sleep for ever.

[19.19] Alex's interview

PAUL: Sorry to put you through this but my employers insisted on having this party for me. I head back to DC tonight.

ALEX: That’s no problem Mr Paul.

PAUL: Ben, please.

ALEX: Alright Ben. I’ve been wanting to do a story on the American businessman in Vietnam for a while now. Must be a strange position.

PAUL: All war is terrible, no ifs, ands or buts. But, this one had really helped my company. We just signed a fifteen million dollar contact for unloading and storage facilities at Cam Ranh Bay. We’ve got engineers over here an’ we’ll be pouring concrete in sixty days.

ALEX: So in a way, you almost have to be glad there’s a war going on.

PAUL: I can’t deny it’s a great opportunity. I guess soldiers need war too.

GOLDMAN: Is that what they need?

ALEX: Ben, how long have you been working on these government contracts?

[20.09] McKay, Taylor Percell

TAYLOR: So what’s the antenna for LT? So you can pick up some hip cowboy station in Laos or somethin’?

MCKAY: Hong Kong an’ Bangkok gentlemen. This Armed Forces TV is just a little too tame for me.

TAYLOR: You scrounge pretty good for a white boy Sir.

MCKAY: Thanks Taylor. Comin’ from you I guess that’s a compliment. Why the stone face Percell?

TAYLOR: He got into an argument with that French reporter.

PERCELL: I just don’t understand why that let people like that on the base.

MCKAY: Forget him. Can’t expect much from a guy who eats snails and frogs legs.

[20.44] Back at Alex's interview

PAUL: There’s a lot of companies just like ours Miss Devlin. Small to medium, just scratching by on urban renewal contacts. This war is like oxygen to us. I’m sure your view is a lot different to mine Lieutenant. I’m just trying to answer the lady’s questions.

GOLDMAN: No problem.

PAUL: All this war and business talk must not mean much to a man who’s been in combat. Sometimes I wonder what it’s like out in those jungles. I just can’t get a handle on it. What is it like?

ALEX: Ben, I just have a few more questions.

GOLDMAN: No, wait a minute, no. Mr Paul’s entitled to an answer. What’s it like? Well let’s take yesterday. There was this fresh-faced kid. He—uh—well he could’ve been a brain surgeon or he could have been a bank robber. But, he tripped this land mine and all of a sudden his body went one way an’ his legs went the other way.

PAUL: I’m sorry….

GOLDMAN: No wait—no wait. You’re gonna miss the fun part. You see he wasn’t dead. He was hurting so bad that he asked one of his buddies to put a bullet in him.

ALEX: Myron, please.

GOLDMAN: Is that what you wanted to hear? Or maybe you wanna hear about how the VC skin our guys alive sometimes. Forget it. You have a good day.

ALEX: I’m sorry. Excuse me.

[22.20] Antenna not ready

MCKAY: Remember me?

TSUNG: Remember. Zee eight hundred antenna.

MCKAY: That’s my name

TSUNG: No ready antenna.

MCKAY: You said one o’clock. I gave you a deposit.

TSUNG: Truck break down. Fix Now. You come back four hours. I have.

MCKAY: Four hours.

TSUNG: Yeah yeah.

MCKAY: You’re sure?

TSUNG: Yeah-yeah-yeah

MCKAY: Meet back here at seventeen hundred hours. That is if you boys can keep yourselves entertained till then.

TAYLOR: Where you goin’ LT?

MCKAY: Oh Taylor, there’s ladies all over town in need of my affection.

TAYLOR: Let’s go find our own wine, women and song Percell. An’ I know just the place.

PERCELL: Let’s go to the Golden Dragon.

TAYLOR: Oh come on man, forget that Fournier. He’s just gonna bring you down.

PERCELL: Well I just wanna set him straight about a couple of things Taylor then I’ll go anywhere you want to.

TAYLOR: Yeah well, do it in a hurry.

[23.20] Taft escapes from dispensary

TAFT: Shortround—Shortround.

ORDERLY: Hey buddy, hey. You can’t go out there dressed like that.

TAFT: I either go around you or I go through you.

ORDERLY: ???

[23.58] The Golden Dragon

PERCELL: Your problem is you only wanna see things one way.

FOURNIER: The same thing is happening to you that happened to the French in ’54. You are fighting a losing battle.

PERCELL: We’re not losing. Look at Tet, we kicked Uncle Ho’s butt.

FOURNIER: Tet proved that the North Vietnamese are still a viable, aggressive fighting force. Not a defeated rabble as your general claim.

PERCELL: You know, we could win this war if they let us fight it.

FOURNIER: But your government is abandoning you. President Johnson just turned down Westmoreland’s request for two hundred and fifty thousand more troops.

TAYLOR: So, we’ll get a hundred and fifty.

FOURNIER: You’ll get none, because the people have turned on Johnson. A new gallup poll shows sixty eight thousand Americans feel the war is either standing still or being lost. The press has turned against you too – Time, Newsweek even Walter Cronkite.

TAYLOR: Who needs ‘em?

FOURNIER: Black soldiers are starting to desert because they realize they are being used to fight a white man’s war. Even your boxing champion Muhammid Ali refused the draft.

TAYLOR: No-one’s deserting. We’re still here.

FOURNIER: I can show you black deserters in Cholon. Come with me?

PERCELL: Cholon’s like Cambodia. It’s off limits.

FOURNIER: You’re brave enough to go into Cambodia but not brave enough for Cholon.

[25.26] Myron & Alex

GOLDMAN: The guy was talking like he was in Baltimore instead of Vietnam. I’m sure he’s a real nice guy, he’s probably got a nice wife, he’s probably got nice kids, he’s got a dog, he’s got a station wagon, but he does not care about what’s going on here.

ALEX: He doesn’t know the war like you. He gets is from the tube – sanitized.

GOLDMAN: I’d like to take a guy like that and stick his face in a sucking chest wound. People should know what happens to the kids that they send over here. Well that’s what Shortround was, he was a kid.

ALEX: I know—I know. That’s what I try to tell them, about all of it.

GOLDMAN: Well I don’t care about all of it. I care about the guys.

ALEX: You think I don’t?

GOLDMAN: Alex if you did, maybe you wouldn’t write articles that might cause guys grief or jeopardize their careers.

ALEX: Look I couldn’t respect myself if I ignored the truth.

GOLDMAN: We are not talking about respect Alex, we’re talking about judgment. I don’t know about your job, but decisions in mine are not black and white. Everything depends on the circumstances, everything is a judgment call.

ALEX: Well, international law is black and white and so is our country’s foreign policy. You know, I don’t think your men would suffer recriminations for going into Cambodia. I mean, they were there, weren’t they?

GOLDMAN: I can’t tell you that. The important thing to remember is that they didn’t go anywhere alone. I was with them.

[26.39] Zeke & Jennifer

SEYMOUR: I don’t know, it just doesn’t feel right.

ANDERSON: Come on, everybody’s entitled to a day off sooner or later – even you.

SEYMOUR: I know but what about Taft? I hate to leave the new ones.

ANDERSON: You’re gonna be seein’ him this afternoon. Hell the boy’s probably gonna sleep all day anyway.

SEYMOUR: I’m sorry Zeke. All doctors make the mistake of thinking they’re indispensable.

ANDERSON: You are indispensable. That’s why burn out’s bad news for all of us.

SEYMOUR: Aren’t we getting psychological.

ANDERSON: It’s the company I’ve been keepin’.

SEYMOUR: Let’s go have some fun. Yeah?

ORDERLY: Doctor Seymour. It’s Specialist Taft – he ran out of the dispensary. We can’t find him.

[27.25] Cholon

FOURNIER: A little frightening, yes?

PERCELL: Well we ain’t supposed to be down here so why don’t we just get this show on the road.

FOURNIER: I believe that’s one of your black deserters right there.

TAYLOR: Hey brother.

DESERTER: What you want? –GI

TAYLOR: I just wanna talk to you about what’s goin’ down around here.

DESERTER: Well I don’t talk to your kind no more.

TAYLOR: My kind?

FOURNIER: A little dark for Vietnamese, no?

TAYLOR: I’d say

PERCELL: Marcus, this guy’s wastin’ our time, let’s get outta here. You know what really steams me is your damn superior attitude ???. I mean, you tell me what the hell did your people do over here?

[28.26] Outside explosives area

MP: Nobody fire until I give the order. Damn crazies. Why don’t they shoot ‘em in the field (Phillips?) instead of bringing ‘em back here for civilized people to deal with.

SEYMOUR: That’s my patient in there.

MP: Was ma’am. Now he’s got a bunch of grenades an’ he’s sittin’ in the middle of two hundred tons of explosives. That makes him my problem. Next time he lifts up his head, I’m gonna have to pop him.

SEYMOUR: You can’t kill him – he’s traumatized. I can talk to him.

MP: I don’t understand that stuff lady. All I know is that if he torches that place, some lives, and a lot of money, go up in smoke.

ANDERSON: That’s an American GI in there Lieutenant.

MP: This ain’t none of your business Sergeant, so butt out. That’s an order.

ANDERSON: Well yes sir.

SEYMOUR: I don’t think you understand Lieutenant. I just can’t stand here and let you do this. Specialist Taft, this is Doctor Seymour – I’m coming in.

MP: Don’t be stupid. It’s your funeral. Alright guys, get ready.  ??? round the back – go.

[29.28] Taft in explosives area

ANDERSON: Taft.

TAFT: Stay away from here Sarge.

ANDERSON: Alright, take it easy now Taft. It’s just me – I just wanna help you.

TAFT: Well, then just leave me alone will ya? What’s goin’ on?

ANDERSON: Relax, she’s on your side. Jennifer, you get out of here.

SEYMOUR: I’m responsible for that man.

ANDERSON: He’s got so many battles goin’ on inside his head, he doesn’t know what he’s gonna do next an’ neither do I. Now will you please get outta here now.

SEYMOUR He’s my patient Zeke, I’m not leaving. Taft, I want you to come back to the dispensary with me.

TAFT: No there’s too many people in there anyhow.

ANDERSON: Listen Taft, you can’t stay here. These MPs out there, they’re gonna kill ya.

TAFT: Well that’s fine, maybe I’d be alright dyin’.

ANDERSON: Nobody’s gonna die.

TAFT: But you’re wrong Sarge. I’m beginning to understand how Shortround felt. Dyin’ is the only way to escape the pain.

ANDERSON: You take it real easy with that now. Just real easy.

[30.39] Trouble in Cholon

PERCELL: You know (them/him?)?

FOURNIER: No.

VC: You! Get out!

TAYLOR: You better to it Slim.

FOURNIER: But you men……

VC: Didi mau.

TAYLOR: Go on ???

FOURNIER: I’m sorry.

[31.20] Meanwhile back with Taft

ANDERSON: Now take is easy with that Taft.

SEYMOUR: Specialist Taft, you have to give this up.

TAFT: The only thing we have to do once we’re born is die – an’ I think I’m ready for that.

MP: No shooting Taft. You have my word. Come on out.

MP: Just show yourself soldier an’ we can all go home.

TAFT: Maybe I should let the MPs do it for me but that would be too easy. One shot an’ it’s all done an’ forgotten. But I take this place up, then there’ll be some talk. Folks’ll understand then, y’know.

SEYMOUR: No, I don’t know. Tell me.

TAFT: It ain’t right. They come in from Cambodia an’ they kill us but we can’t go back an’ get them.

ANDERSON: You went back Taft. C’mon, you went back. You got ‘em.

TAFT: But I had to kill Shortround first an’ what I did ain’t never gonna leave me.

ANDERSON: You’re gonna have to be brave here Taft. Now Doctor Seymour, she can help you if you’ll let her.

TAFT: You saw Shortround Sarge. You saw what that mine did to him. He was hurtin’ so bad. I kept thinkin’ he was gonna pass out but he just kept screamin’. Maybe he had another thirty second, I dunno, but it would have been like an eternity with that pain. He wanted me to end it ----- I think he did. Oh God! What did I do?

SEYMOUR: You had compassion Taft. You were suffering with him.

[33.05] KP finished

JOHNSON: Well KP has got to be about the worst thing in the world.

RUIZ: Almost makes you appreciate combat.

MCKAY: Hey guys, I’m lookin’ for Percell an’ Taylor. You see them?

JOHNSON: I thought they were with you.

MCKAY: We got separated. Oh, that’s not good.

FOURNIER: Your men, they’re in trouble.

MCKAY & RUIZ: What?

JOHNSON: What you talkin’ about?

FOURNIER: Cholon – VC. They’ve got them there.

MCKAY: Four M-16’s. Let’s go.

FOURNIER: I’ll show you the way.

MCKAY: What were you doing in Cholon?

FOURNIER: I was trying to prove a point. Somehow the VC got ???. Don’t ask, it’s a long story. We can get to them if we hurry.

???: Let’s go?

MCKAY: Anderson around?

RUIZ: Day off. He’s probably in town.

MCKAY: Goldman too. I think I know where to find him. Let’s go.

[33.46] Garden spot

VC: So, GI. You like Cholon.

TAYLOR: Yeah, real garden spot. Supposed to be a lot like New Jersey.

VC: Don’t make fun. Other soul brother like it here.

TAYLOR: Yeah, we may all look alike, but we don’t think alike.

PERCELL: Hey look man. We don’t want any trouble. Why don’t you let us go.

VC: You dead – honkey. You should stay. Make good life here.

TAYLOR: No see I couldn’t do that. ‘Cos if I did that I’d never get to see the Supremes again or—uh Denny McClain pitch for the Tigers. Besides, I’m a capitalist.

VC: Then you dead.

TAYLOR: Hold it—wait—hold it guys. Look, money’s the name of the game, right? It’s the same all over the world. Look, take it. We were just gonna spend it on women anyway. Yeah, an’ this. We were gonna be doin’ some drinkin’ an’ partyin’ too. Take it, it’s all yours. No-no-no hold it. That ain’t nothin’. See I got a special stash.

VC: You stop now.

TAYLOR: Let’s go!

PERCELL: Good going Taylor. When’d you start carryin’ that thing?

TAYLOR: My second year at high school.

PERCELL: I don’t know where we’re goin’.

TAYLOR: Just keep runnin’.

[35.26] Myron & Alex

MCKAY: Alex. It’s Johnny. I need to speak to Goldman.

GOLDMAN: This’d better be real good McKay.

MCKAY: Percell and Taylor are in trouble.

GOLDMAN: What’s wrong?

FOURNIER: I took them down to Cholon. I was trying to prove a point – I’m sorry.

MCKAY: Look, they ran into VC. They’ve got your men Goldman.

GOLDMAN: I’ll be right there.

ALEX: Well I guess it was kinda foolish to think we could forget the war for a minute.

[36.30] Back in Cholon

VC: GI

TAYLOR: We ain’t never gonna get out of here Danny.

PERCELL: I don’t know north from south, east from west.

VC:  ??? GI ???

TAYLOR: We can’t stay here. Sshh!

VC:  ???

TAYLOR: Go!

PERCELL: Hey—hey. Let’s give it a shot.

TAYLOR: We’d better. I’m out of ammo.

[38.02] Help on the way

GOLDMAN: What the hell did you expect to accomplish by taking ‘em down there.

FOURNIER: I have some strong feelings about this war. I thought your men should see what’s going on.

GOLDMAN: They see it every day. Whose side are you on Fournier.

FOURNIER: The South Vietnamese regime is corrupt and oppressive. There is some justice on the Viet Cong side.

RUIZ: Ah, don’t talk that bull man.

FOURNIER: You have to ……

GOLDMAN: Save it Fournier. I’d love to discuss this sometime - maybe when we’re back in the States in front of a fire. But right now my men are about to get killed by VC and if they succeed, you’re in a world of hurt my friend.

[38.40] Taft

ANDERSON: Alright people, look here. We’re gotta decide what we’re gonna do.

TAFT: I already told you Sarge, I got it all figured. You an’ the doc leave, then I’ll get on with it.

ANDERSON: Well I’ve got a problem with that Taft. You see, you’re real important to Doctor Seymour here an’ she’s not gonna leave you. And I, sure as hell, am not gonna leave her.

TAFT: Then we’ll all go up!

SEYMOUR: Specialist Taft, try and listen to what I’m telling you. You’re in a state of emotional shock. It’s like your reasoning has shorted out temporarily.

TAFT: I’m not crazy. I know what I’m doin’.

SEYMOUR: Of course you’re not crazy. But you’re hurting, badly. What you did to Shortround was perfectly logical. You know you had no choice in killing him -- you’d do it again. You wanted to kill the pain, and you did for Shortround. But in the process you took it on yourself and right now it’s crushing you.

TAFT: I could get away. I could go to Cholon. I’d have some peace there.

ANDERSON: No Taft, come on. Come on listen to me. They’d hunt you forever.

SEYMOUR: And you’d still have to deal with these same demons by yourself and you don’t have to do that. Please come back with me. Let me help you.

TAFT:  ????

SEYMOUR: We’re here to help you. I’m gonna help you. I’m not gonna let them hurt you. Please, please just trust me. Please trust me.

[40.34] Coming out

ANDERSON: Alright y’all, hold you fire. We’re comin’ out of here.

MP: Real slow. Hands up!

ANDERSON: Whoa, you be cool now Lieutenant, real cool. Call off your men there, go on call ‘em off.

SEYMOUR: It’s alright Taft. He’s not gonna hurt you.

MP: Back off. Get the cuffs on him.

SEYMOUR: Specialist Taft is coming back to the dispensary with me and he’s not going in handcuffs.

MP: We’ll see about that. That’s an order Phillips.

SEYMOUR: Lieutenant! I appreciate how seriously you take your job. But all this man did was enter an unauthorized area. Now I’ll take it from here. Come with me Taft.

MP: Let’s wrap it up fellers.

???: Stand down

[41.41] Mama-san's house

MAMA-SAN:  ???

TAYLOR: Thanks Mama-san. Thanks. So what’d you think? Make a run for it?

PERCELL: Man, I’m tired. I’m tired, it’s dark, we’re lost, Charlie’s in the street. I think we oughta try an’ stay here till mornin’. Marcus, I’m sorry I got you into this mess.

TAYLOR: Don’t worry about it man. If it wasn’t you getting’ me into trouble over here, it’d be me gettin’ you into trouble somewhere else. At least you’re tryin’ to make sense of this whole mess.

PERCELL: The more I try to make sense of it, the less sense it makes. I mean, Charlie gets to go anywhere he wants. We cross the border, all of a sudden they act like we committed a capital offense. It’s a double standard an’ I got a problem with that.

TAYLOR: No wonder the brothers are deserting. They can’t fight to win over here an’ they got nothin’ goin’ on back in the world.

PERCELL: What makes you any different?

TAYLOR: I dunno. I guess I still believe.

PERCELL: In what we’re doin’ over hre?

TAYLOR: See the way I see it, brothers that desert, they ??? live like rats in a hole. At least I got some chance back home.

[42.47] Bad guys outside

VC:

PERCELL: What the hell was that?

VC:

TAYLOR: They’re comin’. We gotta get out of here.

VC:

PERCELL: C’mon. C’mon.

TAYLOR: Go! Go!

PERCELL: C’mon. C’mon.

TAYLOR:  ???

[43.32] Good guys on the way

JOHNSON: Hear that?

RUIZ: Thirty caliber.

FOURNIER: ??? It was near here.

GOLDMAN: Somewhere over there. Go.

MCKAY: You got it.

GOLDMAN: Didi mau. Didi mau.

[43.36] Taylor

TAYLOR: Right

[43.46] Help's arrived

FOURNIER: This is it.

MCKAY: You’re sure?

FOURNIER: I’m positive. Keep driving.

PERCELL: Hey—hey—hey

JOHNSON:  ??? It’s Percell

PERCELL: They got Taylor. He’s in there.

???:  ???

TAYLOR: Hold it.

MCKAY: Taylor’s out. Kick some butt

RUIZ: Taylor.

TAYLOR: Hold it LT, there’s a family in there.

GOLDMAN: Hold it—hold it.

RUIZ: What are we gonna do LT?

TAYLOR: We’re gonna take ‘em down.

GOLDMAN: Take it easy.

PERCELL: We ought to at least take ‘em prisoner LT.

FOURNIER: At the risk of civilians?

GOLDMAN: Shut up Fournier. You speak Vietnamese?

TAYLOR: They speak English LT.

GOLDMAN: Let the woman and the children go and you can walk.

FOURNIER:  ??? If they let them go?

GOLDMAN: If they let the woman and the children go. Didi mau.

JOHNSON: See you in Cambodia.

TAYLOR: Come on—come on. Sorry about that mama-san. Maybe one day it won’t be like this.

PERCELL: Cambodia yesterday. Cholon today. Seems like we’re everywhere we ain’t supposed to be.

GOLDMAN: We’ll take you back Fournier. You can write your story.

FOURNIER: I won’t be as simple as I thought.

GOLDMAN: Maybe the truth is never simple, huh?

End

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