American Gun

---

1

[ Indistinct conversations ]

Martin:

the first gun I ever held

belonged to my grandfather.

Grandpa said he fought

alongside Teddy Roosevelt

at San Juan hill.

But we really never

believed him.

[ Child laughing ]

Whatever it was

he did there in Cuba,

one thing is for sure.

He brought home

a service revolver.

It was the most beautiful thing

i ever saw.

The first time I ever fired

a gun, I was 16.

[ Gunshot ]

Gentlemen!

ready.

Aim. fire.

It took a while

to get the hang of it.

[ Gunshot, laughter ]

What are you ladies

laughing at?!

We're gonna do that

again, gentlemen!

Ready. aim.

Fire.

Good shot, tillman.

Ready.

Aim. fire.

[ Airplane passing ]

[ Explosions in distance ]

[ Speaking German ]

[ Men shouting ]

[ Gunfire ]

Oh, god!

Oh, my god!

Medic, come here!

Come here! Come here!

Move! move!

Go!

Watch out!

Watch out!

[ Explosions in distance ]

[ Shouting in German ]

Aah!

Man:

go, go, go!

[ Gunshot ]

No!

[ Martin shouting ]

Oh! oh!

Oh! oh, sh--

[ Gasping ]

Sweetheart, sweetheart,

sweetheart.

[ Both sigh ]

You want a drink, hmm?

[ Panting ]

hmm?

[ Thunder rumbling ]

[ Horse whinnying ]

You need a new pair

of gloves.

[ Gasps ]

Jeez!

you scared me.

[ Laughs ]

Oh.

how are you, kid?

I'm good.

Are you?

You look great, dad.

Ah, well.

Not bad for a...

An old man, anyway.

Oh.

Let's go see mama now.

Penny? penny!

Hi, ma.

She just got here.

[ Laughing ]

oh. Sweet darling.

Oh!

how was your trip?

It was fine.

Yeah?

We could have

picked you up, you know.

I know.

But I wanted to rent a car.

Come on in.

Wash up.

Dinner's almost ready.

Are you coming?

Yeah, yeah, yeah.

I'll be in in a minute.

Come on!

In a minute!

[ Clock ticking ]

You, uh,

you need anything?

I mean, you have, uh, plenty

of, uh, hangers and all?

Oh, yeah.

There's plenty here.

Oh, good.

Uh, h-how would you

like to see, uh...

What you got your mother

for Christmas?

Okay.

Oh!

Dad.

[ Exhales deeply ]

You know what?

I think it's too small.

You don't like it.

No, I -- it's...

The snowmen.

I mean, it's --

it's so christmasy.

Why don't you let me take it

back and get another size?

All right.

Here's the receipt.

But now, listen.

I want the same sweater.

Don't be telling me that, uh,

they're out of stock.

They'll never be out of stock

in this one, dad.

[ Laughs ]

Martin:

thank you, father,

for the food

we're about to receive.

And bless the food

as it enters our body.

Amen.

Amen.

Amen.

[ Chuckles ]

Okay, mama.

Are you serving?

Yes, I am.

Okay.

It looks so great.

It's gonna be.

It turned out pretty good

for a change.

It's beautiful.

[ Laughter ]

What do you hear

from your daughter?

Mia?

mm-hmm.

Her name is Mia.

Why do you always refer to her

as "your daughter"?

Well, where is she

and what is she doing?

I have no idea, mother.

You don't know where she is?

Annie.

Just take it easy, huh?

She ran away.

The whole point

of running away

is so that I don't know

where she is.

And she never writes

or she never calls --

mom...

Well, I've never heard

of anything like that.

Well, now you have.

I'm -- I'm sure she's fine.

[ Sighs ]

She blames me

for her father leaving.

She blamesyou?

She blames me

for everything.

Every child blames

his parents.

That's why we're here.

Aw, well.

[ Chuckles ]

Oh.

[ Sniffs ]

thank you for the dinner.

Did you have to go

and upset her?

Well, I didn't mean to

upset her.

Well, I know.

But you did.

Penny?

Penny?

Penny.

Penny. honey.

Listen.

sit down here a minute.

Now, listen.

Never mind your mother.

She's a --

she's a sweet soul.

But...she's a worrier,

you know.

She even worries

that I don't worry enough.

Hell, they all go away.

You -- you ran away.

That was different.

I was only gone for three days.

Yeah, but you came back.

Why did you come back?

I mean, not that we weren't

happy to see you.

But why'd you come back?

I ran out of clean clothes.

Aw, Mia's all right.

I know in my heart

that she's all right.

You're gonna find her.

And, uh,

I'll do whatever I can.

You know that.

I'll help.

Any way I can.

Thanks.

Okay.

Man:
ready?

Woman:
Martin tillman,

please report to your office.

Martin tillman,

please report to your office.

So...

Where you living now?

I moved.

Mm.

Your mother said you, uh,

ran away.

Well, it depends

how you look at it.

Listen,

why don't you, uh...

Why don't you stay here

for a while?

You know, you can run away again

after the holidays.

Funny.

Well, we've got -- we've got

the guest room all fixed up,

and you'd have a room

all by yourself.

I don't think so.

How much you need?

What?

How much do you need?

You didn't come here

just to have lunch with me.

Can you spare

a couple hundred?

Are you in trouble?

No.

No, not at all.

All right.

I think I can...

I can give you, uh,

a hundred.

There you go.

That ought to hold you

for a while.

Thank you, grandpa.

You're welcome,

granddaughter.

You promise you won't tell

my mother that I was here?

Why can't you

just come home?

I can't.

We'll talk to your mom.

We can do it together.

Soon.

Soon, okay?

Okay.

Um, I'll be --

I'll be right back, okay?

Okay.

Hi. I need to exchange this

for another size.

Okay.

Here you go.

You're all set.

Thank you.

[ Horn honking,

car door slams ]

Hey!

Give me the purse!

F*** off!

No.

No!

[ Gunshot ]

[ Woman speaking indistinctly

on radio ]

What's your daughter's date

of birth, ma'am?

No.

no! no!

No! no! No! No!

Annie. Annie.

Annie. Annie.

Annie.

No. [ sobs ]

Anne:
what do you think

we should dress her in?

[ Sighs ]

I don't care.

Whatever you want.

What about this one?

Yes.

that's, um...

Hmm?

It's, uh...

Oh, yes, it's fine.

She'd look great in it.

[ Bell tolling ]

Man:
"when David saw

the servants whispering,

"he said to them,

"'is the child dead?'

"and they said,

'he is dead.'"

[ indistinct conversations ]

[ Sighs ]

Oh.

thank you for coming.

Sure.

Yes.

Hello.

I'm so sorry.

Thank you for doing this.

I know it's sudden.

Hello, dear.

How are you?

Good.

What did she get you?

Oh, she got me...

Some g--

some gloves for the garden.

[ Chuckles ]

[ Clock ticking ]

[ Man speaking indistinctly

on P.A. ]

Why?

[ Door opens ]

Martin:

good morning.

How are you?

What can I do for you today?

[ Exhales deeply ]

military cut.

Okay.

[ Razor buzzing ]

Man:

take cover! Get down!

Get the hell out of there!

[ Explosion ]

[ Mumbling ]

What the...

[ Sighs ]

[ Exhales sharply ]

Martin:

"dear penny..."

[ Sighs ]

"I miss you more

than you can imagine.

"How is it up in heaven?

"You'll probably have to

tell me all about it,

"because the way I'm going...

"I might just end up

in the other place.

"Say, thanks for the gloves

you bought me.

"I'm sure

they'll come in handy.

I can't wait for spring

so I can start using them."

Now, today we're gonna

focus on theme.

"Your mother went back to work

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