A Few Good Men Page #7

JESSEP:

(continuing)

Matthew?

MARKINSON:

I'm appalled, sir.

JESSEP:

You're appalled? This kid broke the

Chain of Command and he ratted on a

man of his unit, to say nothing of

the fact that he's a U.S. Marine and

it would appear that he can't run

from here to there without collapsing

from heat exhaustion. What the f***'s

going on over at Windward, Matthew?

MARKINSON:

Colonel, I think perhaps it would be

better to hold this discussion in

private.

KENDRICK:

That won't be necessary, Colonel,

I'll handle the situation.

MARKINSON:

The same way you handled the Curtis

Barnes incident? You're doing

something wrong, Lieutenant this --

KENDRICK:

My methods of leadership are --

MARKINSON:

Don't interrupt me, I'm still your

superior officer.

JESSEP:

And I'm yours, Matthew.

The room calms down for a moment.

JESSEP:

(continuing)

I want to know what we're gonna do

about this.

MARKINSON:

I think Santiago should be transferred

off the base. Right away.

JESSEP:

He's that bad, huh?

MARKINSON:

Not only that, but word of this

letter's bound to get out. The kid's

gonna get his ass kicked.

JESSEP:

Transfer Santiago. Yes I suppose

you're right. I suppose that's the

thing to do. Wait. Wait. I've got a

better idea. Let's transfer the whole

squad off the base. Let's -- on second

thought -- Windward. The whole

Windward division, let's transfer

'em off the base. Jon, go on out

there and get those boys down off

the fence, they're packing their

bags.

(calling out)

Tom!

The ORDERLY cones in from the outer office.

ORDERLY:

Sir!

JESSEP:

Got me the President on the phone,

we're surrendering our position in

Cuba.

ORDERLY:

Yes sir!

JESSEP:

Wait a minute, Tom.

The ORDERLY stops.

JESSEP:

(continuing)

Don't call the President just yet.

Maybe we should consider this for a

second. Maybe -- and I'm just spit

balling here -- but maybe we as

officers have a responsibility to

train Santiago. Maybe we as officers

have a responsibility to this country

to see that the men and women charged

with its security are trained

professionals. Yes. I'm certain I

once read that somewhere. And now

I'm thinking that your suggestion of

transferring Santiago, while

expeditious, and certainly painless,

might not be in a manner of speaking,

the American way. Santiago stays

where he is. We're gonna train the

lad. You're in charge, Jon. Santiago

doesn't make 4.1 on his next fitness

report, I'm gonna blame you. Then

I'm gonna kill you.

KENDRICK:

Yes sir.

MARKINSON:

I think that's a mistake, Colonel.

JESSEP:

Matthew, I believe I will have that

word in private with you now. Jon,

that's all. Why don't you and I have

lunch at the "O" club, we'll talk

about the training of young William.

KENDRICK:

Yes sir, I'd be delighted to hear

any suggestions you have.

JESSEP:

Dismissed.

KENDRICK is gone.

JESSEP:

(continuing)

Matthew, sit, please.

MARKINSON sits.

JESSEP:

(continuing)

What do you think of Kendrick?

MARKINSON:

(beat)

I don't know that --

JESSEP:

I think he's kind of a weasel, myself.

But he's an awfully good officer,

and in the end we see eye to eye on

the best way to run a marine corps

unit. We're in the business of saving

lives, Matthew. That's a

responsibility we have to take pretty

seriously. And I believe that taking

a marine who's not yet up to the job

and packing him off to another

assignment, puts lives in danger.

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