Fort Bliss Page #2

---

What do you want me to do?

Well, he acts like that woman

is his f***ing mother.

Maggie, you've been gone

for a third of his life.

What do you expect?

Yeah, uh-huh, hard,

isn't it?

Hard when you left, too.

Because he wanted Mommy to brush

his teeth.

He wanted Mommy

to put him to bed.

And Mommy to give him all his food,

so he didn't eat, and he didn't sleep.

And then he started sleepwalking,

which scared the sh*t out of me.

What do you mean,

he started sleepwalking?

I mean, he started sleepwalking. He started

walking around here with his eyes open.

And the doctor said he was...

He was asleep.

Well, where did he go?

Go everywhere, he'd go in here,

he walked into the closet...

and pissed on my shoes once.

Tried to go outside

a couple times...

probably looking for his mother.

Wasn't looking for me.

I didn't know how

to handle him, either.

You know who did

a good job, was Alma.

You should be grateful to her.

Turned him back

into a happy kid again.

I know it's hard, and I know

it's a lot to come back to.

And, uh, I don't know...

maybe Paul should come back

and stay with us for a while.

Why?

'Cause I want

what's best for Paul.

And you don't think

I can take care of him?

I think if you wanted

to take care of him...

you wouldn't have

stayed in the Army.

Need anything?

Hello?

Hey, Dad.

Maggie!

God, they've been jerking me

around for about six weeks.

She'll be back

on this day, on that day.

I'm very proud of you, sweetie.

Thanks, Dad.

And how's my little man?

Paulie, I bet he

was excited to see you.

Yeah, he was excited.

And Richard?

No, he's still Richard.

Do you remember when you were

little, I read you stories?

The one about Rip Van Winkle?

Yeah, I think it was a guy who

fell asleep for like 100 years.

One day the guy wakes up, thinks

everything's gonna be the same.

Can't get his head around the

fact that everything's changed.

That's what I went through

when I came back.

You just have to be

patient, sweetheart.

Were you patient?

No.

Hey. Hey.

We're gonna start over, okay?

And that means we're gonna pretend like

we've never met each other before.

My name's Maggie.

What's your name?

Paul.

Paul? Nice to meet you, Paul.

How would you like some

space to run around in, Paul?

Okay.

Hey. Want to give me a hand?

Right.

Don't judge, just eat.

Wow.

Mm-hm.

Wow. That's a kick-ass

burger. You're right.

I swear it's worth deployment just

to come home to eat and f***.

Here I'm still trying

to work on that second part.

See? I'm married,

otherwise I'd happily oblige.

Shut your face.

God, you're so gross.

So what's up with the

reassignment?

Mm, Charlie Company, 2nd Platoon, the platoon

sergeant was killed in a car crash, so...

I heard about that.

I also heard that CO

is a bag of d*cks.

Mm-hm.

Good luck with that.

Thank you.

What's up?

I don't know, f***.

You know, I just couldn't wait to

get out of that hell hole, and...

I don't know, now since

I've been back...

I don't even know what to do

with myself half the time. So...

I know. Me, too.

Hey.

This must be Paul.

You see that bed over there?

That's yours if you

want to keep sleeping.

You're gonna have fun.

You're gonna make some new friends, okay?

I don't want to go, Maggie.

Hey, we're gonna do something

special for dinner tonight, okay?

Okay.

Iron soldier, sir.

Team Bliss.

Iron soldier, sir.

Team Bliss.

Sergeant Swann! Come on in!

Reporting for duty, sir.

At ease.

I've heard a lot of great

things about you, Sergeant.

I commend you

on your Bronze Star.

Thank you, sir.

Glad to see you re-enlisted.

You are a glutton

for punishment.

You want some tea?

My wife's got me drinking tea.

No, thank you, sir.

So how does it feel?

Be back second time around?

It's always an adjustment, sir.

I always say, coming home is a

lot harder than going to war.

So many damn expectations.

Yes, sir.

So, what's the deal?

You married, you got kids?

I have a son, he's 5.

Oh, man, that's a great age.

I have a couple of little ones myself.

How old are they, sir?

Oh, the photos

are a little out of date.

It's amazing how fast

they grow, huh?

It is.

So, I take it you know why

you've been assigned here.

Yes, sir. I'm sorry about Sergeant Stevens,

I heard about the accident.

Man survives Anbar to kiss a guard

rail on his way to the Wal-Mart.

Find the justice in that.

Now here's the deal.

We are in the pipeline

to ship out in nine months...

and I've got an ambulance platoon walking

around like a chicken without a head.

I'm making you Platoon Sergeant, until I

find a suitable replacement. You up for it?

Yes, sir.

You got your work

cut out for you.

Moral is in the shitter.

I put in a request with brigade for a permanent

fill, but until then, you are in charge.

Best guess, you'll be here

three months, maybe six.

Don't suppose you're in a hurry

to deploy anytime soon?

No, sir.

I can't say that I am.

First Sergeant Killens will

be back to show you around.

Welcome aboard.

Thank you, sir.

We got a lot of newbies. Some

of these kids don't have a clue.

Closest they've seen

to combat is Kill Zone 2.

Roger, First Sarn't.

A word of advice. Act like

you're here to stay.

Go ahead and secure your gear.

I'll be in there in a minute.

Hurley.

Sarn't.

Where are your 02 tanks?

I got them right there, Sarn't.

5 gallon water jugs?

I got my camelback, Sarn't.

You got a heat casualty

with a core temp of 112...

and you wanna cool him down

with your canteen?

How you think that's gonna

work out for you?

Not good, Sarn't! You want me

to grab the water jugs on it?

F***ing fix it.

Roger, sir.

Everybody circle up!

Meet your new Platoon Sergeant,

Sergeant Swann.

Just got back from theater.

Second time over.

Sergeant, these are your squad

leaders, Sergeant Morrison.

How are you doing, Sergeant?

Nice to meet you.

Sergeant Williams.

Nice to meet you, Sarn't.

Sergeant Butcher.

Nice to meet you.

I trust you'll make her

feel welcome.

Hoowah.

All right,

dinner is almost ready.

It's looking good.

Alma usually makes

the yellow rice.

Okay.

Eat.

It's too crunchy.

Alma doesn't make it crunchy.

You know, I really don't

care how Alma makes it.

This is how I make it. Okay?

I don't like it.

Just take the skin off, huh?

See? There.

Can you just eat properly,

please?

Don't even think about it.

Pick it up, now!

Pick it up! Pick it up!

You think this is funny?

Ow! You're hurting me!

Do you? Pick it up now!

Don't you ever disrespect me,

do you understand me?

If I tell you to eat something,

you eat it.

Pick it all up!

I want Alma.

You can cry for Alma all you

want, you little sh*t.

For Monday,

mostly sunny and not as warm.

High temperature 60 to 65 degrees.

Close 'em.

Can I trust you?

I think so.

Okay.

Sit down... you better

keep them closed.

Hey! What the...

You're gonna ruin my surprise.

All right, open them again.

Make a wish.

Where'd you get that?

Rate this script:0.0 / 0 votes