My father's great-grandfather, Colonel Steven A. Collier...
fought alongside General Lee until Cold Harbor.
He was wounded and died from a gangrenous leg he refused to have amputated.
His grandson and my grandfather, Henry Collier, fought in the Great War...
making the world safe for democracy, as an ordinary private.
He returned home to operate a dry cleaning business...
and died of a heart attack six years before I was born.
My father caught the end of World War II...
working mainly as an airplane mechanic in Hawaii.
He went to college, got a degree in business...
and opened a car dealership which flourished while America ruled the world.
The history of my family, like the history of civilization...
is the history of war.
The getting into it and out of it and over it.
And Vietnam should've been no different, but it was.
Its final battle was waged along an unrecognized front...
far from the shelling and the napalm...
and the sounds of planes and guns.
It was a battle my brother Jeremy fought when he came back.
Find the cost of freedom
Buried in the ground
Mother Earth will swallow you
Lay your body down
Find the cost of freedom
Buried in the ground
Jeremy!
Mother Earth will swallow you
Lay your body down
What are you lookin'for?
- Juice. - You know, I was thinkin' this morning...
they should make Thanksgiving on a Sunday.
'Cause then, that way it'd be more religious like the first one.
And everybody could go to a service together and pray together...
and sing together and all that.
I'm sure that's what all those pilgrims did.
- What about the Indians? - What Indians?
The Indians at the first Thanksgiving.
What do they have to do with anything?
Well, that's why we have it.
The Indians saved the pilgrims from starving to death until they got the hang of things.
And then after the first harvest, they got together and celebrated and had a feast.
I'm sure all the Indians that came to the feast, they were all Christians by then.
- Most of 'em. - No, they weren't.
Well, they probably didn't go to the service then.
They probably just came to the feast afterwards and got drunk.
I'm not talking about them, anyway. I'm talking about how today...
it'd be nice for modern people to have Thanksgiving on a Sunday.
I don't see how the Indians have ever had anything to be thankful for.
Me neither.
- Daddy? - Hmm?
- Donald's family... - Mm-hmm.
Well, Donald, I mean... Well, his family too...
they asked me if I wanted to have Thanksgiving at their house.
Well, couldn't you have it here and then go over there in the evening?
Well, see, they're leaving in the afternoon...
on Thanksgiving Day for Waxahachie.
Mornin', sweetie.
Hi, Mom. They have a lake house.
Ooh, a lake house, huh?
And they asked me.
And I thought you might ask Mom about it.
Why don't you ask her yourself?
- I thought you might do it for me. - I'm not gonna ask her.
- Oh, Daddy, please, please, please! - No, no, no, no!
Why don't I just buy a gun and shoot myself in the head?
All right, I won't go.
All right, fine.
Oh, Daddy, please, please, please!
- I said I am not gonna ask her. - Gah!
Your boyfriend's here to take you to school. Better hurry!
You're not funny.
Oh, I know. Karen's a college student.
She's too mature to laugh at anything her daddy says.
Shut up. I hate you.
Oh! What a thing to say!
- I do. - My, my.
What was that all about?
Nothing.
- So, are you ready? - Yeah, yeah.
You know, my offer still holds.
- What offer is that? - Get yourself cleaned up and get a job...
I mean, even a part-time job... and I'll get you a used car off the lot.
Dad, I'm goin' to school.
Two days a week you go to school, and you're only takin' two classes.
Oh, my, my, look at that!
Could you give me that cloth from the glove compartment, please?
You know, you could even do volunteer work or somethin'.
Anything that'll get you out and movin' around.
I don't want to get into this right now, okay?
Okay, okay. I'm not... I'm not gettin' into this.
I'm not meanin' to get into things.
Look, it's, uh, not that I don't want the car. I'm not askin' you for the car.
I understand.
You know, Jesus didn't have a job.
That's right. He didn't have a car, either, and he walked everywhere.
You really should refer to your text here.
Knowing the history behind something makes it that much more enjoyable.
Now, this piece is written in a minor key...
yet the church had made it illegal to compose anything in a minor key.
Listen to what Melissa does when she gets to the end.
Sorry.
... from the other side
Just one thing I got to know
Can you tell me, please
Why
Jeremy?
Is, uh, this class a requirement in your major?
I don't have a major.
Because I have to play it. It's part of my performance evaluation.
You know how important that is.
I have to practice the program that she wants.
And it's not easy. I'm graded on how I perform in there.
Well, what do you want me to do?
Just drop the class. I mean...
you could place out of music appreciation in your sleep, you know.
It's just stupid you being there.
What am I doin'...
except sittin' there?
What am I doin'?
You're takin' this class to punish me.
I am not. I did not know you were in that class when I signed up.
- Oh, that's a lie! You're lying. - That is not a lie.
I'm not lyin'.
Now, look...
I'm so sorry for how things happened.
But I told you that l...
I cannot do this anymore.
And, uh, I didn't know how to write...
what was happenin', so...
Why are you doin' this to me?
What am I doin'? Huh? What am I doin'?
I'm not following you around. I haven't spoken to you.
- Just leave me alone. - Melissa, I'm just... I'm just here.
- Leave me alone. - I'm just here. I'm just here.
I'm just here.
So where's Karen?
On a date.
Jeremy, you see if there was anything on TV tonight?
No.
- Bob? - Hmm?
What's on TV? Maybe we'll all watch TV together.
There's that movie with Goldie Hawn and Walter Matthau.
- Oh. That one where he's a dentist. - Yeah.
- With Ingrid Bergman. I don't wanna see that. - Mm-hmm.
- Why? - I don't like that Ingrid Bergman.
Why?
You know why.
How in the hell am I supposed to know why you don't like Ingrid Bergman?
I just don't like the way she lives.
What do you know about the way she lives?
Bob, the entire world knows how she lives.
She... She started a trend is what she did...
and I don't approve of her and I'm not gonna watch her on TV.
Yeah, well, I'm sure she could give a big you know what...
whether or not you watch her on TV.
Well, you don't need to be watching TV anyway.
You need to be gettin' those pictures together for Marjoree.
Excuse me.
First thing Marjoree's gonna do when she walks in this house is ask for those pictures.
I'll get 'em.
Psst!
Collier!
Yankee 340, over.
Red Dog, we got a recon comin' up over the top bridge.
Incoming!
Guns up!
Poe? Poe?
Jeremy! Jeremy!
Medic!
Jeremy!
What? What?
Just wanted to know where you were.
I'm out in the back yard.
Why don't you let me fix you a Coke Cola?
Why don't ya come on in and watch television for a while?
No, thanks.
- Jeremy, why don't you... - Maurine!
- What? - Either go out there and talk to him or leave him alone.
Wait a minute.
Jeremy!
Why don't you come in here and play the piano for a while?
Maurine!
Wait a minute. Huh?
Ugh, um, I don't...
I don't feel like it right now, okay?
- Now that's enough. - I didn't do anything.
Just screaming in my ear is all.
I wasn't screaming. I was using my loud voice.
Well, whatever voice it was, just stop it.
Okay. Okay.
I'm gonna sell that old piano.
Why?
Lookin' at it makes me just mad enough to spit.
Karen never plays it anymore. Jeremy never plays it anymore.
It just sits there. I'm gonna sell it.
I'm gonna sell it and buy me a fur coat.
You'd have to sell more than that old piano.
You'd have to sell everything on that side of the house.
When I think of all the money we spent on piano lessons.
- Maurine. - What?
You stepped on one of your pilgrims.
Ohhh! Tsk.
I tore his little head off.
There's somethin' happening here
But what it is ain't exactly clear
There's a man with a gun over there
Tellin' me I've got to beware
I think it's time we stop Children, what's that sound
Everybody look what's goin' down
There's battle lines being drawn
Nobody's right if everybody's wrong
Young people speaking their minds
Gettin' so much resistance from behind
It's time we stopped Hey, what's that sound
- Everybody look what's goin' down - What is it?
You know how in horror movies...
when a door is swingin' back and forth on one hinge in front of a dark room...
and some stupid moron is walkin' up to it, just gonna go in.
And you think to yourself, "Why is she doin' that? Why is she goin' in there?
What could possibly make her go into that room? Doesn't she know better?"
Yeah.
Don't let me go in there, please!
- Okay. - It's time we stopped Hey, what's that sound
Everybody look what's goin' down
I'm home.
Well, look who's here.
- What you doin'? - I'm goin' through...
Your Aunt Marjoree asked me to get some pictures of your grandmother together for a...
- What, honey? - She's doin' a collage kind of thing.
- What for? - Some art class she's takin'.
What smells so good?
- I made peanut brittle. - Mmm, where is it?
It's all put away 'til Thanksgiving.
- Can't I just have one piece? - It's all put away now.
- Leave it alone. - All right, all right.
How was the movie?
We didn't go. There was a line and Donald hates lines.
So you just went smooching instead.
You are so disgusting.
What did you do?
We went to Donald's father's country club...
and played electric darts for an hour.
- Now, isn't that interesting? - Hmmm.
How much of that grass did you smoke?
- What is the matter with you? - I'm just kiddin' is all.
I swear, if you say or do anything like that...
when Donald comes over here next week...
- I'm never gonna speak to you again. - I wouldn't dream of it.
I'll just wear my Howdy Doody outfit.
I'll bet he'd be really impressed with that.
I'm gonna just tell him not to come.
Do you think you were dressed well enough for the country club?
See? This is the whole reason why I hate talkin' about what I do.
Don't get mad. I've just never been inside the country club.
I have no idea what they wear.
Mother, the entire civilized world wears jeans now.
Oh, honey, look at this.
Honey, I haven't seen this one in years. I forgot all about it.
- Let me see. - What picture?
It's the one of Jeremy in his little Paladin outfit.
- Ohhh! - Paladin?
Yeah, it's a cowboy suit, just like that one that guy wore on the TV series.
- What was the name of that show? - Have Gun, Will Travel.
That's it. Oh, honey, here's another one!
My, my, I wonder how many there are in here.
You ordered 40 copies of that picture, Bobbo.
- What? I didn't order 40 copies. - You did too.
And you'd take 'em all down to work and hand 'em out to the salesmen.
- I don't remember any of this. - Wait a minute.
You'd say, " Did I ever tell you I was friends with a famous cowboy?"
- Then you'd hand 'em this picture. - I did not, I did not.
See? You're laughin'. You know you did.
Well, it sure is a cute picture.
You see what happens to kids when they grow up? They start out so cute...
- And end up like you. - Oh, honey, did you hear?
I've been wounded by my ungrateful daughter's tongue.
Where's Jeremy?
Out on the patio, I think. Why don't you go sit with him a minute?
I have some reading to do.
Won't kill you to spend a minute with your brother.
Why don't we all just leave Jeremy alone?
Damn, there is a whole mess of those pictures in here.
You're supposed to be lookin' for those pictures of your mother.
I know what I'm supposed to be lookin' for.
- Who's this? - Let me see.
- Well, who do you think it is? - Well...
- I don't know. Uncle Al? - I guess I'll go on to bed.
No, silly, that's me on my senior class picnic.
This one's definitely not you.
Don't mess with that, now. I don't have any copies...
- Good night. - 'Night.
Well, maybe I did order 40 of 'em.
There's something wrong with her, Daddy.
- No, she's just nervous. - About what?
About havin' all those people over.
All those people? It's just Uncle Al's family.
- Yeah, well. - So that's four people.
And it's four people we have over all the time.
You know, Jeremy was screaming in his sleep again last night.
Daddy.
- Yeah, I heard him. - Did Mom?
I don't know. She didn't mention it, and I didn't ask her about it.
She probably did. That's probably what's been makin' her so...
Crapola, Daddy.
- What? - Did you see where Mother put the peanut brittle?
- Just leave it alone. - She's gone to bed.
She'll hear you eatin' it.
You know, I was talkin' to Donald.
We went to that symposium on authority...
and one of the speakers was a Green Beret vet.
He was talkin' about all of the problems of comin' back home and...
Anyway, the upshot of it all is that Donald and I talked about Jeremy.
And he knows. He had some friends who were over there...
and they are having some serious adjustment problems too.
What?
The last thing in the world we need...
is for you to go around tellin' your friends...
about this family's personal problems.
Daddy, all I said was...
I don't give a damn what all you said was.
I don't want you sayin' anything to anybody.
God!
Serious adjustment problems.
What's that supposed to be, some psychological crap from school?
Well, maybe I'll just go out and talk to Jeremy for a minute.
Fine. I think that's a wonderful idea.
Why don't you just go out there and analyze him, or whatever it is you do.
That should settle things down around here real good.
Are you mad at me for some reason?
You know, it might be he's just waitin' out there for someone to talk to him.
Maybe.
But it's not one of us.
Hi.
You busy?
Busy?
Do I look busy?
What ya doin'?
Nothin'. Just doin'.
Well, then, I'll sit and do it with you.
All right.
I know what. Let's talk about somethin'.
You know, Karen, I, uh...
I don't like that kind of conversation.
I don't like it.
What kind of conversation?
Forced.
Okay, then let's have the kind of conversation you do like.
I like talkin' to myself.
I see.
So in other words, you would rather...
talk to yourself than talk to me?
No, no, I didn't say that.
No, that's all right. I'll leave you alone, then. Excuse me for carin'.
Okay.
- Thanks for bein' so nice about it. - No problem.
You know, I'm not gonna be mad at you, because I know you have personal problems.
What are they? What are these personal problems that I have?
Well, I don't know the medical term.
But I suppose you could describe it as being a terminal jerk.
- What? What? - My God!
You scared the hell outta me.
Sorry. I was tryin' to be quiet.
- Bob? - What, honey?
- What are you doin'? - Nothin', sweetheart. Go back to sleep.
Boy, I tell ya, I can't win for losin'.
What?
- I was tryin' to sneak some of this peanut brittle. - Mom made peanut brittle?
- But she didn't want anyone messin' with it. - Why?
It's supposed to be for Thanksgiving.
I thought I'd sneak a piece, and here you catch me.
Well, if it makes you feel any better...
she probably counted all the pieces before she put it in the can.
She'll get up tomorrow mornin' and check it.
- Think? - Probably.
Want it?
'Night.
- Melissa. Hey. - Hey.
- I just want to let you know that I dropped the class. - Thank you. I appreciate it.
- Listen, not as a date, but I was thinkin' maybe... - I don't think it's a good idea.
- Just to talk, not as a date. - I know what you're saying, and I don't think it's a good idea.
Okay.
You dropped the class? Really?
Yeah.
So, uh, this coffee thing...
would it be now?
Yeah.
And there you go.
I don't know. I don't know. - Yeah.
I'm not answerin' that.
- Come on. - Ohhh.
I've spent so long trying not to look directly at you.
It's not that hard now, is it?
It's a little hard.
You won a medal.
I saw you in the paper.
You killed a sniper.
Yeah.
You see, I just can't imagine you doin' that.
Don't, then.
It's scary.
Don't think about it, okay?
- Okay. - Freedom's just another word
- So, you're startin' up your music again? - For nothin' left to lose
- I don't think so. I'm... I don't know.
I have all this technique, but, uh...
I was pretty sure I'd never make a livin' playin' Bach.
Maybe do keyboards in a band or somethin'. I don't know.
You?
You never said anything about playin' keyboards in a band.
Well, there's a lot about me that you don't know.
Yeah.
I should show you your letters.
I have 'em all.
They, uh...
They were written by somebody that, uh, I don't know.
Through all kinds of weather
They were scary, your letters.
They were scary 'cause I was scared.
But I literally didn't know how to respond.
I, uh... I still don't.
I hope he found it
- I'd trade all my tomorrows - You know, l...
- I haven't been much of a movie guy lately.
Uh, but I was thinkin', you know, maybe...
we could catch a show or somethin', you know.
Or m-maybe a concert, you know, if you'd like.
I mean, l-I'd like to.
I'm, uh... I'm uncomfortable.
I'm, uh... living with someone.
Oh.
Yeah.
Todd Martin. Do you remember Todd?
Todd Martin. Todd Martin.
Yeah, he, uh, he went to Lamar.
Yeah. Yeah, okay.
Yeah, Todd, uh-huh.
I'm sorry, Jeremy.
So how is Todd?
He's fine.
He's graduating this year.
- Bobby, Bobby McGee Oh, Lord - Wow.
- Oh, Lord, Lord... - Well, congratulations to Todd.
Jeremy, it's not that I don't want you to be better.
- Bobby, Bobby McGee - Come on. Come on. To Todd.
Call him my lover Call him my man
Call him my lover Doin' the best I can
Come on, Bobby Bobby, Bobby McGee
Oh, Lord, Lord, Lord, Lord Lord, Lord, Lord
Lord, Lord Lord, Lord, Lord
Hey, hey, hey Bobby, Bobby McGee
Oh, Lord
Call him my lover
Hey.
You missed dinner.
Sorry. I should've called.
Your mother worries, you know.
Yeah.
Hey.
Did l...
Did I ever tell you I was friends with a famous cowboy?
Have gun will travel reads the card of a man
A knight without armor in a savage land
Remember that?
No, no, you can keep it. I think I got another one around someplace.
All right.
Hey, wait a second. I wanna show you somethin'.
- I was gonna get somethin' to eat. - It'll just take a second.
Here you go.
You're not gonna think badly of me when you see this?
- You're not gonna think your old man's a dumb ass, are ya? - No.
All right. Here you go.
Well, there's one bright spot. You made a "B" in history.
That was an "F." I changed it to a "B" when I got it back.
Look at the other side.
Notice anything different about the signatures?
Are you sayin' you forged "Mawmaw's" signature?
No. I'm sayin' I copied it.
Really?
How old was I then? What's the year on that card?
Uh, 1941.
At any rate, I got the card back...
and I must've spent three days practicin' your grandmother's signature before I did it.
And I think I did a pretty good job overall, don't you think?
I mean, considering I'd never done anything like that before.
Boy, I tell ya, I spent that whole summer just cringin' every time she got mad...
thinkin' she'd found out or was gonna call the school, but she never did.
A long time ago... I think you were still in elementary school, yeah...
we were goin' over there for your sister's birthday.
I'd been lookin' in that other box for somethin' and I came across this card.
I thought, well, I'll just take it along with me...
and I'll show it to her and we'll all have a little laugh.
So after supper, we were sittin' in her den...
watchin' somethin' on that old Magnavox she had.
I started to pull the card out of my pocket, and I couldn't do it.
And every time we went back after that...
I never brought the card again, but every time we went back I thought about it.
Every time I saw your grandmother, I thought about it.
I remember, even at the funeral service, your Aunt Marjoree sat there cryin' and cryin'...
and all I could think of was that I had never shown my mother that card.
Huh. Well...
just lookin' at it, I'd say you'd done the right thing.
You never did anything like that, did you?
No. I was pretty much perfect.
No regrets then, huh?
Just a trip.
- What? - Trip.
I wanted to take a trip once, and, uh, I didn't.
You know what I think?
- About what? - About you.
I don't think we should get into this right now.
We're not gonna go into anything here.
It's just... I think you know that it's gettin' to a point with you.
And I could be wrong about this. I'm not sayin' this is the way it is.
But from the way I'm seein' things, at least...
I think you're startin' to feel so sorry for yourself, it's damn near crippled you.
- Okay. - I'll tell you somethin' else.
There's worse things that can happen to people than fighting in wars.
If you're gonna tell me about how many people...
die in car wrecks each year, you can stop right now.
What? What are you talking about car wrecks?
You told me once that more people died in car wrecks each year than died in Vietnam.
- Well, I may have said that. - Not may have. Did.
Well, look, uh...
Uh, all right, uh...
I know you had a rough time over there.
Over there?
- You can't even say it. - What?
Vietnam.
Oh, look. I'm being civil here. The least you can be is civil.
Oh, I am being civil.
Look, son, what I'm trying to say is...
all of that Vietnam is finished now.
For all intents and purposes, it's done with.
Can't you just forget about it and go on with your life?
Forget about it?
Jeremy?
Listen, uh...
I wouldn't...
I didn't mean to criticize you. That certainly wasn't my intention.
I just wanted, uh...
You know, it's hard on me.
I guess it's hard on all of us, you know?
And, uh...
I know. I know you been through an awful lot.
And, uh...
maybe what I said sounded like I w...
I don't know, maybe it sounded like I was criticizing you.
Maybe it was criticism, but...
it was just talk, really.
I just miss you, that's all.
Just miss talking to you.
Good night.
Force leaders report all casualties!
Echo, bravo, echo, bravo, this is desert fox-trot, over!
Echo, bravo, this is desert fox-trot. We are under heavy attack.
Request air strike.
And I love that old cross
Where the dearest and best
For a world of lost sinners was slain
So I'll cherish the old rugged cross, Rugged cross
Jeremy, Karen! Y'all come on to breakfast!
And exchange it someday for a crown
Jeremy!
- What is it? - Breakfast time, wakey uppy! Wakey uppy!
I'm awake, okay?
Well, get on down here, I'm puttin' breakfast on the table.
Bob! Karen! Hurry, hurry, hurry!
When the roll is called up yonder
Jeremy, are you comin' or what?
When the roll is called up yonder I'll be there
- Here I am. - Good morning to you
Good morning to you We're all in our...
- Good morning. - Sure aren't very cheerful.
What do you want? I just got up.
I don't cheer when I just got up.
- What time is it, anyway? - I don't know. 8:30, I guess.
15.
Oh. Did you sleep well?
- Fine. - What time did you go to bed?
I don't know. 10:30.
That's almost ten hours, then. You don't need more than ten hours of sleep. It's unhealthy.
- What time did you nod out? - I don't know. Look, how about the next time...
I feel myself noddin' out, I get up out of bed and check the clock for you.
I'm gonna stop talkin' to people in the morning.
Karen! You know, I wish I could remember the name of that Thanksgiving hymn.
What Thanksgiving hymn?
Oh, you know what it is. The Thanksgiving hymn.
- You and Melissa sang it one Sunday. - Oh. Oh. Um...
We gather together To ask the Lord's blessing
That's it. That's the very one I was thinkin' of.
How does the rest of it go?
- I don't remember. - Well, you just sang some of it.
- That's all I remember. - There's a hymnal right over there on the piano.
Why don't you look it up and play it for me?
Hey, Mom.
I n a while, maybe.
- Karen. - All right, all right!
- Well, would you look at that? - What?
After I went and told everyone not to, someone went and got into the peanut brittle.
How can you tell, I mean, did you...
- count all the pieces or what? - No, I do not count the pieces, Mr. Smartmouth.
- The can was in a different place. - Oh.
Did you like it?
- I didn't touch it. - Well, why did you ask me if I counted all the pieces, then?
I just wanted to know how you were so certain someone got into the peanut brittle, is all.
Oh, now, Jeremy. Don't you know I don't care about it that much?
Really wouldn't matter to me if you came down here and ate it all.
Probably make you a little sick.
I was just worried there wouldn't be enough for this afternoon.
- Certainly isn't anything to lie about. - I'm not lying.
- Why would I lie about it? - Someone ate some.
- I'm not sayin' they didn't. - Well, I'd like to know who it was, if it wasn't you.
- Ask 'em. - All right, I will.
Good.
Are you sure you didn't eat some and just forget about it?
- What is the matter with you? Are you deaf? - Don't talk to me that way.
What do you expect when you accuse someone of lying over and over?
I did not accuse you of lying.
Yes, you did!
I don't want to talk about it anymore. It's a holiday.
I wonder when's the last time I watered that plant?
Bob. Karen.
- Do you want a grapefruit or orange juice? - Orange juice.
Why don't you go ask your sister if she wants a grapefruit or orange juice?
Orange juice, orange juice.
Everyone is sure in a bad mood.
- What is it you want this early? - This isn't early.
I used to get up every morning at five o'clock and work three hours before I left for school.
Well, buy us some cows and I'll get up early and milk 'em.
I don't mind getting up early if it's for a reason.
Maybe, then, I'll just do that.
It's a good idea. Teach you some responsibility.
- I'm so irresponsible. - It might be good for you.
Jeremy, go see what's taking your father so long.
Karen, do you know the name of that Thanksgiving hymn?
Thanksgiving hymn. I didn't know there were any.
Jeremy sang a little bit of it earlier, um...
- We gather together to ask the Lord's blessing - Oh, yeah.
I know it. I mean, I don't know all of it, though.
There's a hymnal right there. Why don't you look it up?
We gather together to ask the Lord's blessing
- All right, do we have to have all that racket right now?
- Sorry. Mama wanted to hear it. - Well, play it later.
After breakfast.
- Here you go. - Thanks.
What's the matter with you?
You never change. Did you know that?
As long as I have known you, you have never changed.
You never think about anyone but yourself, do you?
Oh. Well. Karen, would you play the rest of that tune for your mother?
Forget it, Bob. Just forget it.
It absolutely defies description. There are no words in the English language for it.
I'm gonna stop trying. That's all. I give up.
I'm sorry, honey. I wasn't thinkin'.
You never think unless it's about yourself.
- I said I'm sorry. - Just drop it.
- Would you like a grapefruit or orange juice? - Um, grapefruit, I guess.
Think after 27 years I'd learn, is all.
You've always been this way, you always will be this way.
I don't know why I even bother to do anything at all.
Just drop it.
- Thank you. - I'm never gonna ask another living soul...
- to play that piano again. - Do y'all have to argue at the table?
I'm not arguin', I'm just thinkin' out loud is all.
He doesn't have to say he's sorry at all as far as I'm concerned.
- Shouldn't have to go around apologizin' your whole life...
for things you can't do anything about.
Lepers don't apologize for being lepers.
Well...
breakfast is now absolutely stone cold.
Where's Jeremy? How come I can't get everyone to the table at the same time?
- He's in the bathroom. - Jeremy, would you come on now...
so we can say the blessing?
- I'll say the blessing now. - I want Jeremy to say it.
What difference does it make who says it?
We will wait.
- Jeremy! - What?
We're waiting for you to say the blessing.
- Why me? - It's your turn.
- We're taking turns now? - Just say the blessing.
- I don't want to say the blessing. - All right. Fine.
- We'll all just wait until you do. - Let me say it.
- I want to say it. - Either Jeremy says the blessing...
or we'll sit around the table and stare at each other 'til Christmas.
All right. Fine. I will say the blessing.
Thank God.
Amen.
What was that?
- I said the blessing. - I didn't hear anything.
- I wasn't talking to you. - That wasn't a blessing.
I didn't say it out loud is all. I said it directly to God.
- Why isn't that a blessing? - That is no way to give a grace.
I cannot believe this. I'm gonna have to get a chisel to eat my biscuit.
I will say the blessing.
Dear Lord, we do thank you, we praise you, we ask your blessing on this food...
for the nourishment of our bodies, through Christ our Lord, Amen...
- I'm really getting tired of your attitude. - I didn't do anything wrong.
- Did you hear me? - I heard you.
I think everybody needs a little coffee.
- I'm not just whistling "Dixie." - I didn't say you were.
Let's all be happy. It's Thanksgiving.
- By the way, Mother, did you ask around? - Ask around?
- What it was you were going to ask everybody. - Ask everybody what?
Are you kidding me?
Well, I'm obviously the dumbest person on earth...
so why don't you tell me what I'm supposed to ask.
- Jeremy, where you goin'? - What is it now?
Wait a minute. Ask 'em what?
Tell me what it is I'm supposed to ask, and I'll ask 'em.
You know damn good and well what it is I'm talkin' about.
I have got to get my own apartment.
- What the hell was that all about? - I don't know.
I haven't the faintest idea. Not even the faintest idea.
Whatever it is, though, you can bet it's my fault.
That's how it always happens around here.
No matter what happens, it's always Mother's fault.
- It is not. - Yes, it is. No matter what I do, it's always the wrong thing.
- I couldn't even do the right thing by accident. - Yes, you could.
- What is goin' on? - Nothin' is goin' on.
You should have hired a cook and a maid ten years ago and gotten rid of me.
And everybody'd be about a thousand times happier.
Do you mean to tell me you have no idea what is goin' on here?
Don't talk to me about it, I just work here.
If I wasn't so stupid, I'd pack my things and leave.
I'm sick. I'm sick, sick, sick, sick, sick.
I'm sick of being treated like dirt by my own children.
Where do you think you're going?
- I thought I'd finish in my room. - You just sit right back down.
- Why are you taking it out on me? - Sit down, I said!
I'll be right back.
Mother, I wish you wouldn't do this.
I can't... I just can't help it.
I was taught to honor your father and mother.
That's what I've tried to teach.
I guess I'm not good enough to deserve that kind of respect.
Of course you are.
- I have to preheat the oven. - I'll do it.
- What do you want it set on? - 450.
I just don't understand what went wrong.
His whole life he was always so grown up.
- So polite. - War changes people.
War doesn't make you rude to your parents.
Answer that.
Tell whoever it is I died.
Collier residence, Karen speaking.
Oh, hi, Nunan, Happy Thanksgiving to you too.
It's your mother.
- Gentlemen. - What?
It's Grandma time.
No, I've just got to get the turkey in the oven...
and finish making the dressing, and I'm done.
Go pick up the extension.
Oh, I don't have that much to do.
Oh, no, no, no. We were all just sitting around...
enjoying ourselves after breakfast.
- Hello, Norma. - Oh, there he is.
Bob, honey, tell Mama when we can come see her.
- She wants to know. - I don't know. Easter, I guess.
No, Bob, not Easter. I told you already.
Karen and I are goin' to Lake Texoma to visit Myrtle and her kids.
- You never told me that. - I did too.
I'm glad you called, Mama. He would have woke up in the middle of spring break...
and had the FBI out looking for us.
Now I have a witness, Bob.
Bob, tell Mother what the guide said about those baby sharks at Marine Land.
Mama, listen to Bob, he tells it so well.
Get over here this instant and talk to your grandmother.
- Why? - Because she loves you, that's why.
When she calls, she expects you to talk to her. And I expect you to talk to her.
Why, of all the things to ask.
Isn't that just the cutest story you ever heard?
Uh-huh!
Yes, he's right here, about to jerk the phone out of my hand.
You want me to put him on? Here he is.
Hi, Nunan. How goes everything?
- How goes everything? - Yeah, I know it has.
Well, I'll probably come out on my own before they do.
Well, not that soon. I'm a little low on funds right now.
Don't tell her that. Why are you telling her that?
No, you don't gotta send me anything, I'm fine.
I'm probably gonna get some kind of part-time job during Christmas.
She's not gonna sleep all week thinking of that.
Nunan, I promise I will come to visit you before I move to California.
What? What did you just say?
- Sometime after Christmas. - What are you...?
Give me that phone.
I don't know, maybe dog grooming. I got this buddy who lives in Los Angeles...
- who grooms dogs for a living and he loves it. - Give me... Give me that...!
Give me that phone!
Huh? Oh, Mama wants to talk to you again.
Okay. I'll miss you too. Bye-bye.
Mama, oh, he's just teasing you is all.
I don't know what he's talkin' about.
California hasn't even been mentioned in this house.
Of course he is.
Well, actually, we were talking about him going back to his music this morning.
Yeah. Well, you know how people get depressed sometimes.
- It's a phase we all go through. - You are incredible!
You hush up, you vagrant!
I-I-I'm sorry, Mama. I missed that.
Oh, no, Mama. Don't you worry about that at all.
Yes. Now you tell everybody Happy Thanksgiving there for us.
Yeah. You take care of yourself too. I'm gonna let Bob say bye-bye.
All right. Bye-bye.
- What in the hell are you tryin' to do? - Nothin'.
- I'm not doin' anything. - What is the matter with you?
You are what is the matter with me.
I don't have to take that smartness. Are you listening to me?
I did not break my back raising you and give you clothes...
and piano lessons, and tennis rackets...
I did not spend the two years you were away being afraid of the postman...
to have you come home and treat me like this!
I am not treatin' you any way.
Oh, that... that's just...
- Do you know what I wish I had? Do you? - What? What?
I wish I had a tape recorder so I could tape record your voice when you talk to me.
So I could play it back for you and let you hear the spite in it.
- Well, get one then. And use it. - I will.
And maybe you'll be able to remember some of the things you've said.
- Are you sayin' what I think you're sayin'? - I'm saying you have...
an awfully convenient memory.
I'm not gonna be smarted off to! I'm not gonna have you hangin' around here...
- treating me like I was some kind of subhuman being! - Stop it!
- All right, look, I've had enough of this crap. - I don't want to hear any more.
And as far as that other garbage is concerned, I'm the one that ate the peanut brittle.
- I hope that clears everything up. - Well, what does that...
- have to do with anything? - You are a piece of work!
- You'd better shut up! - Wait a minute.
You asked Jeremy if he ate the peanut brittle...
and when he said no, you acted like you didn't believe him.
- I did not! - Yes, you did.
Both of you just stop it! Honest to God, I couldn't think of a dumber thing...
- to argue about if I set down here and tried. - I didn't argue about it.
- Oh, God. - Don't you say "Oh, God" in front of me!
All right. I want you to listen to this. All right?
shut up.
- Both of you. Just shut up. - I can't believe you're taking his side.
I'm not takin' anyone's side!
I've got better things to do with my time than to spend it worrying...
about who hurt whose feelings or who mouthed off to who...
- about some damn piece of peanut brittle! - I haven't been fighting...
or arguing with anyone, and I just want to be left alone.
Look, Jeremy.
For me. Just for the day.
I want you to go along.
I can't. I can't.
I want you to know that I do not want to hear one more cross word spoken in this house.
Fine. What are you telling me for?
Because I want everyone to be duly warned.
- I stand warned. Can I finish doing my hair? - I don't care what you do!
May I say something now?
I'm sure you can.
I did not make that big a deal out of the peanut brittle.
All right.
- I just wanted you to know. - Fine.
And I just want you to know that I am sick and tired of all this bickering.
And I don't know what, but something's going to have to give and pretty damn quick.
'Cause I'm not puttin' up with it anymore.
- Don't you think you're just in a bad mood? - No.
And another thing. My sister and her family are going to be here in a little while.
- I know. - Don't interrupt!
They're comin' over here and they're expectin' to have a good time.
And I'm expectin' to have a good time.
And I don't care if everyone else is miserable.
By the time Marjoree walks through that door downstairs...
I want everyone in this house smilin' and grinnin'...
like 'possums eatin' dirt out of a hair-oil bottle.
All right.
Hi. Seen a lot of those today.
- Do you ship to Nome? - Nome?
Alaska. Nome, Alaska.
Well, sure.
- Great. - If I had ever been here before
I would probably know just what to do
Don't you
If I had ever been here before
I would know the time around the wheel
I would probably know just how to deal
With all of you
And I feel
Like I been here before
Feel
Like I been
Now, Jeremy, honey, I'm not being cross, but...
don't you think you should be getting ready?
I am ready.
- That's what you intend to wear for dinner? - Yes, ma'am.
All right.
Do you know
Don't you wonder
Okay. I know you don't want to hear this right now.
And I know you think I'm a complete idiot.
And I know the last thing you want to do is have a conversation with me.
Knowledge is power.
- But I feel obligated to tell you... - Obligated to whom?
- Obligated to myself. - Oh.
I feel obligated to tell you that I do not like living here anymore than you do.
But, while I am here...
I am doing the best I can to get along with everybody.
- That's very nice of you. - Thank you.
And in so far as possible, the next time you decide to pull a stunt...
like the one you're currently pulling...
I would appreciate it if you could give me some sort of... advance notice...
so that I could either be mentally prepared...
or physically absent.
- What are you talking about? - Your clothes. What you've decided to wear to dinner.
There is nothing wrong with what I have on. This is what I wore last Thanksgiving.
Did I say there was anything wrong with what you had on?
No. I didn't say that at all.
But you know it is the custom of this house that we dress for Thanksgivin'.
I don't know if that's what other people do, but that's what we do here.
It's what's expected. It's called social responsibility.
- It's called social responsibility. - Yes, that's right.
- That's what it's called. - Are you... Correct me if I'm wrong...
'cause I know you're studyin' psychology and are more up on this stuff than I am...
But are you equating social responsibility with double knit clothing?
You hate me, don't you?
Jeremy.
- Yes, ma'am? - Um...
Did you ever go pick up those grey wool slacks of yours...
- from the cleaners? - Yes, I did.
- Oh, you did? - Yeah.
Because, um...
You know they go so well with that shirt your Aunt Marjoree sent you.
- You know the one? - The blue one with the long sleeves.
- Mm-hmm. - Well.
You look so good in 'em, is all.
She's going to have a nervous breakdown, you know that, don't you?
I know she wants one.
That is not funny.
I know she's not gonna be happy 'til she has it.
God, I cannot understand what's happened to you.
Hey, what has happened to you?
Happened to me?
You know what's happened to me.
You and everybody else.
You really don't care about anybody else, do you?
Not me, not Mother.
Not Daddy.
You really don't give a damn about anybody's feelings but your own.
That's right. I don't give a damn, I don't give a shit.
I can't talk to you.
Hey! Hey!
You know what? Huh? You know what?
I'm sorry I prayed for you. I am.
I never thought it would be possible to be sorry about a thing like that.
But I apologize to myself for all those times I got down on my knees...
and begged to God to bring you home safe.
You're such a self-righteous little bitch.
I am not gonna take this from you.
Because you are disgusting. And everybody knows it.
You hear what I'm saying. You are a weirdo.
Friends come up to me at school and ask me about my crazy brother, the weirdo.
You make me ashamed.
You make everybody in this family ashamed.
I hate you. I don't ever want to be connected with you in any way...
because you are nothing.
You hear what I'm saying? You are an absolute zero human being.
You're a weak, ungrateful bastard, and you're not my brother anymore.
What did I say to you this morning?
Um...
You said... I'm sorry.
Did I ask if you were sorry?
- No, sir. - What I asked was for you to tell me...
what I said to you upstairs this morning.
You said you didn't want to hear any more arguments.
And so what do I walk out here and find?
What did I hear when I walked out here just now?
- I'm sorry. - I'm not interested in sorry.
I am interested in having done what all I said I wanted done.
- I'm serious about this. Do you understand? - Yes, sir.
Jeremy, go upstairs and change for dinner.
- This is what I am wearing. - Oh, no, it's not. I'm not gonna have it, son.
This is my house and you're gonna be sittin' at my table, and I will not have you...
sittin' at it dressed like that.
So go upstairs and change your clothes. Now.
- What brought this up? - I just... mentioned...
that what he had on was not appropriate for Thanksgiving dinner.
Well, first off, whatever he wears is none of your damn business.
Second off, he hasn't started a conversation with anyone in months.
If you're goin' around, tryin' to mind other people's business, this is what you can expect.
I told you this morning about this, didn't I? What did I say?
- All I was tryin' to do was help. - Your help is not needed.
From now on, mind your own damn business, and leave...
the running of this family to your mother and me.
We've been doing it for 26 years without your help. I don't see as how we need it now.
- All right? - All right.
Psst.
- Do you want somethin'? - I just want to tell you...
I'm not gonna be havin' dinner with you today.
- What is that supposed to mean? - Just that.
Since you wish I'd never come home, and since I'm such a weirdo...
and since Thanksgiving is such a family event and I'm not your brother anymore...
I won't embarrass you by having dinner at your expense.
Have a wonderful time.
Jeremy!
Jeremy, you're trying to get me in trouble, and I'm not going to have it.
If you don't want to have dinner...
- blame it on Daddy, not on me. - Get away from my door.
It's only your door in the inside, it's anyone's door out here...
and I'll stand by it as long as I want to and you just try and stop me.
Jeremy, you better open this door, or...
I'll knock it down.
I swear I will, and I hope it bashes your ugly head in!
Open up!
- Open up! - What the hell are you doin' now?
It's all my fault. I did it. I'm responsible.
What are you talkin' about? What did you do?
Jeremy has just locked himself in his room...
after informing me that he will not be having Thanksgiving dinner.
And you did absolutely nothing to provoke him?
I did absolutely, positively nothing to provoke, anger or antagonize him.
Now, I know that doesn't make a bit of difference...
I know that it's still all my fault, but he's the one who did everything!
Listen, there is one thing I do not need around here right now and that's another Joan of Arc.
Get away from there!
- Jeremy, are you changing your clothes? - Those clothes Mother told you...
- to have me change? - Just answer the question.
- No. - And why not?
- I'm not having dinner. - And why not?
I had a big breakfast.
- All right, Jeremy, I'm not jokin' around out here. - I'm not laughin' around in here.
He's only doing this to make me look bad.
Jeremy, I'm not asking you anymore, I am telling you.
- Change your clothes and get your butt out here pronto. - Fuck off.
- What did you say? - I said, "Fuck off." Go fuck yourself.
I'll beat the shit out of you.
- Is everything all right? - Oh, yes, fine.
Everything is fine, honey.
I wonder how late they're gonna be. Well, the dinner's almost ready.
I guess I planned it all wrong.
- Jeremy. - Maurine. - Wait a minute.
What are you wearing?
Same thing I was wearin',
I thought you told him to change clothes.
I did.
Now, Jeremy, your father told you to change clothes for dinner.
I'm not havin' dinner.
Did he say he's not having dinner? Now, why would he say he wasn't having dinner?
He's not sick, is he? Is he sick?
- No. - Jeremy, are you sick?
Do you not feel well?
His door is locked.
Jeremy.
- What do you mean, you're not having dinner? Explain that. - Ask Karen.
I'm asking you. Why can't you tell me?
- What does he mean, ask Karen? - They had an argument.
- Did they have an argument? - It's what I just said, are you deaf?
Would you stop that? This is a crisis. I don't need rudeness in a crisis.
Karen, would you come out here, please?
Jeremy, you come out of your room this instant.
- Karen, what did you say to your brother? - They were having an argument...
- about his clothes and things got out of hand. - It all got twisted around.
- Do you think you should apologize to him? - For what?
- There's no need for her to apologize. - Did you hear the argument?
- No. - Then why don't you let her decide what she needs to do?
- Fine, I'll apologize. - You will not. There will be no apologizin',
- Bob, you let her apologize if she wants to! - She is not going to apologize.
I'm not going to apologize, you're not going to apologize, nobody is going to apologize.
- I'll apologize if I want to. - You will not!
Jeremy, Karen says she's sorry.
She didn't mean any of the things she said to you...
and she wants you to come out and have dinner with her.
All right, that's enough. I've had enough. Get out of the way.
I'm not having anyone living under my roof behaving like this.
Jeremy, you can either change your clothes pronto, then get your ass out here...
and apologize to your mother and me...
or you can pack your bags and get out.
Bob, you can't do this now. This is when he needs us the most.
- What he needs the most is to grow up! - I know that.
We have to help him grow up. Jeremy...
no one's mad at you; I'm sorry I was rude to you earlier.
Now, we're all gonna have a... a... wonderful dinner.
Your Aunt Marjoree and Uncle Hal and David and his wife are all looking forward to seein' you!
You don't want me to tell them you're locked in your room like a ten-year-old, do you?
- Stop talking to him like he's a ten year old. - You shut up. I've heard...
how you solve problems.
Jeremy, please come out.
Jeremy. You answer me when I talk to you!
Now you come out here this minute!
This is not the way a veteran of the armed forces is supposed to behave.
It's the doorbell. It's the doorbell!
- All right, calm down. - Oh, they're here.
Oh, Jeremy, they're here.
- What are we gonna do now? - We're gonna open the door and let 'em in!
- Bob, wait! - Get ahold of yourself, darlin'.
- We'll tell 'em he's sick. - All right.
- Wait! I'll tell them. - All right.
We're gonna open the door now.
20 years, 20 years, and this is the one they pick to be on time.
- Hi, y'all. - Happy Thanksgiving.
Jeremy's sick.
I always say, you give me 45 minutes and a bible...
and I can prove conclusively that Noah's Ark could not have been in Turkey.
- Oh, he can. - I should study my Bible more.
Well, it had to be somewhere, now, I don't know where, exactly...
well, I'm not up on it like I should be.
But somewhere in the Alps.
Ta-da!
Oh, what a beautiful bird. What a wonderful bird.
I can't find the peanut brittle, I cannot find it.
Almost cut my hair
It happened just the other day
- It's gettin' kinda long - Could it have just got up and walked out of here on its own?
- Does he have the flu? - I could've said
- I hear there's an awful flu going around. - It was in my way
Oh, well, I don't know.
You know, he hasn't been feelin' well for a long time.
He'll be all right. Don't worry about it.
I feel like letting my freak flag fly
Dear Lord, we're grateful for so many things this holiday season...
not the least of which is our ability to share with others...
the abundance of blessings with which You have showered us.
We ask also that You bless the Dallas Cowboys today.
Help them be strong, to play well and to do their very best.
Lord, we also ask that You help us remember...
what the holiday season is all about.
And help us to try and not to take each other for granted...
- Must be because I had - but to try to do Thy will always.
The flu for Christmas
Bless this food to our use...
us to Thy service...
make us ever mindful of the needs of others...
- at a time when so many are without. - And increases my paranoia
These things we ask...
- in the precious name of Your son, - Like lookin' into a mirror
- our Lord, Jesus Christ, - And seein' a police car
- Amen. - But I'm not givin' in an inch
To fear
'Cause I promised myself
This year
I feel
Like I'm owing
Someone
I think we should go ahead and carve the turkey.
Say, uh, Uncle Bob, uh...
Bob?
Yeah, all right. Let's do it.
Marjoree, you want white meat or dark meat?
Oh, whatever you're closest to, Bob.
Give us your plate.
Oh, thank you.
Uh, you know, uh, you oughta tilt that knife a little bit there, Bobby.
Those peas are cooked in a recipe I got from your mother, Marjoree.
Hey, Mawmaw's peas!
- White meat, Daddy, please. - All right, honey.
You know, Bob, if, uh, I were you...
I'd get a little bit of an angle on that bird.
- I got a good angle. - Uh, let me show you somethin'.
- Don't have to show me anything. I got it. - Well, uh...
- you want a little deeper angle. - Get away from me.
- Just twist that sideways. - Oh, shit!
- Oh, Bob. - Bob!
Bobby, I'm, uh... Uh, are you all right?
Why don't you carve the goddamn turkey yourself, you old fart?
Christ!
Wha... What'd you say?
I said, why don't you carve the goddamn turkey yourself, you old fart!
Hey, you cannot speak to my father like that.
Two hundred and ninety-nine.
What?
Two hundred and ninety-nine, I said. Don't tell me you don't know what that means, David.
I think your old man knows what it means, don't you, Hal? That's your birthday, David!
From when they pulled the numbers out for the draft card lottery.
Two ninety-nine, that's the number that saved your ass from having to fight in Vietnam.
Would you like to know what Jeremy's number was?
It was eight. Eight! Eight!
Don't you ever tell me what to say or what I cannot say in my own house...
or I'll take this goddamn turkey and shove it down your throat!
Well, unless we're gonna have a nuclear attack of some kind...
it's hard to imagine what else could go wrong.
- I think we better go. - I think we just better have dinner.
No, I think it is perfectly clear that I am not welcome.
David, shut up. It was my fault.
Now, l... I can be an old fart sometimes.
David, please, sit down.
Your father's right. I'd like some turkey.
All right, men, move out! Let's go!
Come on, Collier, let's go!
Roger. I acknowledge. Pulling back.
Repeat 7500, divert to vector.
Sir, we got somethin' over here!
What you got?
1231 vector.
Jeremy...
I want you to know...
before you go, I...
I want you to know I said some terrible things to you this afternoon.
Some stupid things.
I don't wanna hear it. Feel sorry for yourself on your own time.
Look...
I know...
I won't ever be able to understand what happened to you over there.
I wasn't there, and I didn't go through it.
There's no way for me to understand how terrible it was.
Please don't... don't hold me responsible for that.
Don't resent me for that.
There's no way for me to know.
I could, uh...
I could explain it to you.
Do you really wanna know?
Yes.
I died.
That's what happened to me.
Jeremy, wait.
What is it?
- I just want you to know... - What?
Now wait a minute. Wait.
I just want you to know...
how much I love you.
I know...
I know you hate me right now.
I know... you...
you think I've done nothin' but ruin your life...
that I haven't been a good mother.
But everything I've done is because I love you.
See, I love you so much, I do wrong things.
Okay.
I've never meant to hurt you.
I've just done the best I know how.
Okay.
Okay. Now, now...
uh, would you please let me fix you somethin' to eat?
No. No, thank you.
Jeremy, you need to eat somethin'.
I know you must be hungry.
I don't want it. I don't want it!
Jeremy, she's only tryin' to be nice.
- I don't want nice. - Okay, what do you want?
I w-wanna be... I-I-I wanna, wa-wa...
I wanna be left alone. That's what I want.
Okay, we'll leave you alone. Come on.
When I am outta here, then you will leave me alone!
I'll tell you what.
I'll put some of the turkey and some of the dressin' on the table...
I don't want your fuckin' dressin' or your fuckin' turkey or your fuckin' apologies!
I don't want any fuckin' thing from you at all! Can you hear me?
- Stop it! - Jeremy, she's just trying to be nice. Stop it!
Can you get it in your thick fuckin' skull?
- You can't speak to me like that. - Do you understand me?
Shut up! Shut up! Shut the fuck up!
You shut up, old woman! Shut up!
You shut up! You shut up! You shut up!
You shut up! Shut up!
Shut the fuck up! You shut up!
Shut up!
Mother.
- Where've you been? - I see everyone left.
They left right after dinner, which took all of three minutes.
- Jeremy back? - Daddy, listen to me. You can't send him away.
- Where is he? - He's upstairs, and he's acting very strange.
- I thought this out. - It's just wrong. Now, wait a minute.
- It's not our fault. - Who said anything about fault?
Look, I don't have to justify myself to you, young lady.
Yes, sir.
I see all your stuff's downstairs.
Yeah.
I wanna go to the bus station.
I want Karen to take me to the bus station.
All right, fine.
I got, uh, $ 2,100 here for you.
It's all the cash I had at the office.
I know it's not a fortune, but, uh...
it's enough to take you about anywhere you wanna go...
and help you get started if you're careful with it.
Look, uh, I don't want you thinkin'...
that I'm kickin' you out of the house...
because that's not what I'm doin', see.
I think you should leave for your own good.
I think it's the right thing to do, and, uh...
it's my responsibility as a father.
And I think, uh, you know, once you're away from here...
and have time to think about it...
you're gonna agree.
When you're on your own again. You know what I mean?
I don't want it.
Well, I want you to have it.
No, you don't. You want me to take it...
so you won't feel guilty, so you won't feel responsible.
Boy, oh, boy!
It's funny how I could be so wrong.
I honestly thought you'd say thank you.
Thank you? That's what you thought I'd say?
No.
You just want everyone to think you did the right thing.
I'm not doin' this because of what anyone might think.
I'll have Karen drive you wherever you wanna go.
I hope you'll think better of me someday.
He said where he's goin'?
No, just to the bus station. He wants Karen to drive him.
Bob, you cannot let him go without tellin' us where we can get in touch with him.
- I'll see what I can do. - Bob.
- He'll probably tell Karen. - What if we never see him again?
Maurine!
- So, what? - He wants you to drive him to the bus station.
All right. You're makin' a big mistake.
"Fur Elise"
What is this?
It's just your old prayer plaque is all.
I know what it is. What's it doin' here?
I just thought you might...
Don't you people ever stop? What're you tryin' to do to me?
All right, just put it down.
No, I wanna know what it is you think you're doin' here, what it is you're doin'!
Jeremy, it's only...
Look, it's been explained. Just put the plaque down.
All right? Just put it down!
All right, son...
get out.
Go on. Get the hell outta here!
I can't.
- What? - I can't.
You get outta this house, or so help me God...
- I'll break your goddamn neck, you hear me?
- Back up! Back up, mister! You back the fuck up now!
- Back up! - Just take it easy, son.
Just... take it easy.
You thought you were gonna get away with again, didn't ya?
You thought I was gonna walk outta here like last time. Answer me!
I don't know what you're talkin' about, son.
Yes, you do. You know exactly what I'm talkin' about!
I swear I don't.
Don't look at me like that. Don't look at me like that!
I am not lookin' at you.
- Look down at the floor. - What?
- I said, look down at the floor. - Why?
Do it! Look down at the goddamn floor! Do it now!
- Daddy, he's gonna kill us. - Bob, do what he says.
Jeremy, he's doin' it. He's doin' it.
l-l... I'm lookin' at the floor now.
Remember last time we had a conversation, when I got my draft notice?
And I asked you... Goddamn it... I begged you for somethin'!
Do you remember what it was I begged you for?
Well, I think, uh...
No, you better know!
Yeah, uh, y-yes, you asked me for money to go to Canada.
That's right. And didn't you say...
my honor was at stake, that it was my duty to go?
What you wanted was against the law. It was illegal, son.
Fuck that! Fuck what the law said! It's what you said.
You said no!
You couldn't give me any money then, but now it's all right. Now you can buy me off.
Oh, no, no, that's not why I gave you the money.
You are a goddamn liar!
Now listen, son. Look, just put the gun down and listen to me for a minute.
I already listened to you!
You know what you did, Dad?
You sent me someplace where we didn't fight for anything but to stay alive.
So fuck you and that crap about honor, mister. It was your honor, and you know it!
Jeremy, please don't kill him. Please don't kill him.
See? She knows what I want.
Don't you, Mother? A mother always knows what her son is thinkin'.
When you get over that next hill...
keep your eyes open, man.
Watch out. They're everywhere.
Say again?
Sarge?
What's that?
What do ya got over there?
Wha... What is it, son?
I know he's around here somewhere.
Can you tell us who... Who're you talkin' to, son?
No, God! Oh, Jeremy, please don't!
- Oh, no. - Oh, God!
- Son, you don't wanna do this, no. - Jeremy.
- Please don't do this. - Talk to us, son. Just talk to us.
Please don't hurt her.
You stay put. You stay right there...
or I will put a hole big enough in your chest for me to crawl through.
Jeremy, Jeremy, you don't wanna do this.
Please don't.
You shut up. I know how to do things I don't wanna do.
You just shut the fuck up.
Shh. Shh. Shut up.
Quiet!
- Quiet, goddamn it! - Watch it.
Gotta watch where you step.
This area's not secure yet.
You have no idea what we're lookin' for, do ya?
No.
Viet Cong. Gooks. We naped that whole hill.
But they dig, you know?
VC got tunnels goin' all the way to Saigon.
Isn't that right, Lieutenant?
Got one! One dig.
Get him outta there!
Then they started beatin' him, kickin' the shit out of him.
Screamin' at him, beatin' him.
Goddamn, this dig ain't givin' up shit.
And he ain't afraid to die, either.
VC camp?
Let's DV, men.
Now, you know what the Lieutenant wanted me to do.
You know, don't you!
You know what he wants me to do?
Somethin' wrong, Collier?
It's the prisoner, sir.
- Is that right? - Yes, sir.
You got a problem with somethin', Collier?
No, sir.
Let's move out, men.
And this poor bastard's just lookin' at me.
Gook's lookin' at me, waitin' for me to pull the goddamn trigger.
But I can't do it.
I can't do it. I couldn't do it. I'm not doin' it.
Fuck!
And then somethin' strange happened.
Somethin' really fuckin' strange.
This gook...
This gook wasn't a gook at all anymore.
He wasn't a gook at all.
He was you.
You and your fuckin' duty and your fuckin' honor.
And I blew his brains out all over the top of that hill.
But it was you.
I killed you.
I killed you everywhere I could find you.
And here I am.
I come home, and you're still here. You're still here!
Dad, I... I...
I killed those... I killed those people for nothin'.
For nothing! I killed them for nothin'.
And the whole time I was doin' it...
it was only you I wanted.
It was you.
Dad!
You better get the hell away from me.
I'm sorry. I'm sorry.
You're gonna be sorry all right, you son of a bitch!
Goddamn you! Goddamn you!
Get outta here, or so help me God, I'll kill ya.
Get out!
- Bob, Bob! - Daddy, stop! You're hurting him!
- Bob! - Daddy!
I swear to God, I'll kill ya. Go on, get out!
- Bob, stop! - Get out!
- Bob! Bob! - Daddy! Daddy, stop it!
- Damn it! - Bob!
Out!
Daddy, you can't just throw him out like that. He needs help!
Don't tell me what he needs!
I don't give a damn anymore what he needs!
I need! You need! Your mother needs!
Those are the only needs we think of from now on!
Damn it, this is my house!
I make the goddamn rules here! Do you understand that?
This is my house!
All right. This is your house.
You know what? You can have it!
What does that mean, anyway, "This is my house"?
What does that mean?
Hey.
Do you, uh, you, uh, got a-a bus goin', goin' out?
Got a bus goin' to California? Do you have one?
Yeah, uh, in about 15 minutes, there's a bus goin' out.
Okay, I'll take it. I'll take it.
Don't you even wanna know where in California you're goin'?
One way, right? I got enough? Is there... I got enough money?
Uh... wh-why don't you have a seat and...
I'll bring... I'll bring your ticket to ya.
Okay.
I... I can't forget, you know?
I can't... can't forget.
Sure you're all right?
You know, I'm... I'm friends...
I'm friends with a famous cowboy.
What's his name?
Jeremy.
And he's famous?
Yes, he is.
But he's just a little boy.
Yes, he is.
No, you... you keep that. You can have that one.
Okay.
Hey, mister, are you okay?
Are you okay?
I will be.
And he was.
On November 13, 1982...
the Vietnam Veteran's Memorial was dedicated...
in Washington, D.C.
One veteran walked 3,000 miles to be there.
Another sold his household appliances for airfare.
It was the largest procession the nation's capitol had seen...
since President Kennedy's funeral.
Jeremy was there.
He wore his uniform.