Last Flag Flying Page #3

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Just kind of slipped out.

I'm sorry.

Mm-hmm.

Look, you can't refuse friends

in the time of need.

- Friends?

- Mm-hmm.

I haven't seen these men

in decades.

You can't refuse anybody.

You're a preacher.

They represent

a dark period in my life, Ruth.

A very dark period.

And you represent God.

The man lost his son, Richard.

That's all I need to say.

Hey, I'd turn the radio on,

but it's broke.

You got, uh...

a boom box or something?

Want to play... No?

Hey, Doc, you can

move your chair back.

You know, separate...

They're individual controls.

Just un-underneath,

in the front, there.

Give you some legroom.

Yeah, that's better, right?

So, Richard...

what's the story

with the collar, now, huh?

You got to wear that?

Is it, like, a tracking system

so God knows where you are

at all times?

Do you always have to wear

that thing or can you relax?

- I am relaxed.

- Really? All right.

Don't seem that way, but...

if you say so.

I never knew

your name was Richard--

In the years

we were together-- never.

I mean, it was always Mueller.

Richard. Wow.

When you was a kid,

did you go by "Richie"

or "Rich"?

Dick?

You like Dick? Hmm?

I just never knew any brothers

named Richard, you know?

I didn't know

they named 'em that.

Richard Pryor.

Oh, yeah, yeah, yeah.

Richard Wright.

Uh...

Mm... Richie Havens.

Oh, oh.

- Dick Gregory.

- Oh, I stand corrected.

Little Richard.

Now, he likes dick.

Big... big dick... Yeah.

What the f***?

Look at this guy.

He's on my ass.

Just up on my ass.

- Look at this.

- Change lanes.

- I'm not gonna change lanes, this is my lane.

- Move over.

This is my lane.

Get the f*** off my ass.

Get out of the way.

Just move over.

Come on.

Just get out of the way.

Let him by you.

Okay, fuckhead, you want

to play? Let's play.

- What are you doing, Sal?

- Huh?

Want to play? All right, just

hold on, okay? Hold o...

- Trying to have an accident out here?

- Just hold on.

No, I'm gonna jackknife

this motherf***er.

- Fuckhead.

- What is wrong with you?

- And let the guy get by!

- Whoa! Hey, all right.

All right, all right.

Sh*t.

Hey! You trying

to get me killed out here?

Hey, f*** you, a**hole!

- F*** you!

- Hey!

I'm talking to you, jackoff!

You f***in' a**hole!

I will bury your f***in' ass

on the side of the road.

- All right.

- You hear me?

- You understand?

- Right, yes!

Keep your eye on the road, man!

Mueller has arrived!

F*** around, I got a wife and

a congregation to get back to.

F***in' drive, man.

I'm driving,

I'm driving.

I thought you was lost forever.

I really did.

Where are we

supposed to go, Doc?

Dover Air Force Base.

That... that's

in f***in' Delaware.

Right. Dover, Delaware.

So... what are we doing here?

I don't know.

You said Arlington.

Well, yeah,

that's what they said.

That's what they told me.

But now you...

now you're saying Dover.

Well, I guess...

they have to fly in

someplace first,

so they fly into Dover.

- Okay.

- I'm sorry.

Okay. No, no.

It's all right.

It's okay.

Dover it is.

Do you want me to drive?

- Yeah. Yeah.

- Okay.

Wonder if something's wrong.

Nah. He's just the guard

at a gate.

He don't know nothing.

I wonder if there'll be

an honor guard and all that.

Well, they'll do something.

You know, be respectful,

you know.

But, uh...

just not in public.

'Cause they...

they got a blackout

on all that stuff

this time around.

Yeah, no pictures of coffins.

No reminders to the public.

It's all bullshit.

The body's in transit.

The plane is due

at 0800 tomorrow.

Come back then,

you can wait in the hangar.

Okay, thank you.

Transit. Everybody's

always in transit,

even when you're dead.

- Come on, Sal.

- It's okay.

Sorry.

How much is it, ma'am?

It's 35, even.

Whoa, Doc.

What's with the wad?

Uh, they took up a collection

at the exchange when they heard.

See?

You got lots of friends.

Well, they felt bad.

They just wanted

to do something.

- And here's your key.

- Thank you.

Man, you guys

ain't watching this?

- Watching what?

- Man, they got him!

Who?

Man, that son of a b*tch Saddam.

They got him in a spider hole.

Iraqis in Baghdad celebrated,

some with guns...

some with cheers.

The capture of Saddam Hussein

is a defining moment

in the new Iraq.

I expect that the detention

of Saddam Hussein

will be regarded as the

beginning of reconciliation...

F***.

Can't blow smoke rings

for sh*t now.

Used to be real good at it.

Something happened

with my tongue or something.

We now have final resolution.

Mm. Doc's out.

Look at this f***in' guy.

F*** me.

One day he's the head

of a country,

next day he's just some f***

hiding out in a spider hole,

scared to death.

He... he-he told me

not to worry.

Come here.

He didn't die in vain.

Mr. Sheppard.

Yes.

Mr. Sheppard,

I am Colonel Wilits.

- Mm.

- The President of the United States

has asked me to express

his deep regrets

that your son

was killed in action.

Thank you.

He died a hero in

the service of his country.

He was an inspiration

to his fellow marines.

Can I see him?

Sir, that would be ill-advised.

Trust me on this, you do not

want to see him like that.

Is it against the rules?

No.

But the lance corporal was hit

in the back of the head.

I assure you he felt no pain.

But the exit wound in such

a case is devastating...

to the face.

They were behind him?

They shot him from behind?

Take the colonel's advice, Doc.

It's best to remember him

as he was.

I'd have to see him.

But that's just me.

The thing is...

you don't have to listen

to no colonels no more.

Those days are gone.

I'd like to...

I'd like to see my son.

Sir, what you will see...

you will not be able to unsee.

I understand.

I just...

I feel like I have to.

As you wish, sir.

Lance Corporal Washington,

please escort these two

gentlemen to the coffee mess.

Yes, sir.

Mr. Sheppard, come with me.

Hey, kid.

Stand at ease, will you?

Man, I never heard anyone

talk to the colonel like that.

Colonels don't scare me.

Never have, never will.

You a marine?

Yeah, I thought so.

I got more time in the chow line

than you got in the corps.

You, too?

Oorah.

Semper fi, do or die.

How you think I got this cane?

Hey, kid.

The f***'s with your ear?

Baghdad boil.

Say what?

Baghdad boil.

Yeah, everybody's got one.

You get bit by a teeny sand fly

over there, and...

F***in' Franken-ear.

Jesus.

They say it'll go away...

- in a year or two.

- Oh, yeah.

You can count on that.

One f***in' ugly ear.

This is a big mistake.

- Hey...

- Big mistake. Hey, hey, hold on.

It's not like

there's something you can

do about it now. All right?

Unless you're gonna

go over there and just

out-tough the colonel.

I don't want nothing.

All right?

I'm just along for the ride.

Oh, yeah, right.

F***.

So you two were in 'Nam

with Larry's dad?

We were.

You guys know what the f***

happened back then?

Nah. We were just...

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